I'm back, or at least for a bit. My summer was insane and filled with ups
and downs the likes of which no one should have to experience. I had hoped
this would be the last chapter as I have three other stories in the works
and of course the next chapter of Target Practice which is also coming
quite soon however there will be one more chapter after this is seems.
That's just the way it happened apparently. I have no control. hee hee
As always thanks for reading and thank you for your continuing support even in the face of my slowness.
Estelless
Chapter 7 - Thunder and Rain
There was a sound of thunder, distant and low. As the three elves raced up the stairs, the air around them grew damp and heavy. Rain would come soon. They broke out upon the parapet and were met with the sight of Estel, standing quite still with his back to them. Elladan went forward to pull his little brother back but froze in place when he heard his soft voice.
"Do not approach me." Estel's words were spoken quietly but with a powerful anger. It was a emotion almost entirely foreign to him, now flooding his heart as he drowned in it. "I mean to do this, I would ask you all to leave so as not to witness this again."
"What?" The startled voices of the twins cut through the rumbling and they both looked to their father in synchronicity.
Elrond seemed completely calm. His face was schooled into the prefect bland expression. His hands hung loosely at his sides and his stance was relaxed. It was a absolute façade. He was in fact, rigid with terror and at a incredible loss at what to do. He slowly pulled his twin sons back behind him and they moved without argument. The terror was spreading like wildfire. He could feel the twins agitation shift violently into intense fear. He had to do something now.
"Estel, I beg you to listen-"
Fury lit up in Estel then as he cut off Elrond. His words tasted like burnt ashes in his mouth. "No. I will not."
Elrond could hear the void in his youngest son's tone. The finality of it. How could I have let this happen? Guilt twisted in Elrond at his son's declaration to end his life. How could I have failed to see this coming? Estel's voice continued, soft yet strong over the rumbling thunder. "Nothing you can say will change the facts of what happened. Nothing will change what occurred because of us all. It is as undeniable and unavoidable as death itself."
Elrond felt the heat of his sons burning behind him and cold nothingness from Estel before him. A chilling feeling swept over him then, it washed through his body freezing his limbs and holding his will immobile. It was the sudden awareness of what Estel was really talking about. Elrond's choice, the choice he had made one night ago and a thousand lifetimes ago. He turned to witness Elrohir, his thin frame shaking violently as Elladan held him tightly. Elrond met their eyes and saw their fear, felt it go through him mixing with his own. As he stood there, just taking in all that he treasured in life, he saw something else. This new sensation flamed up from deep inside them both and lit Elrond's heart like a torch. It burned throughout him, filling him with strength and most importantly, hope. To have hope again, it gave him joy beyond his imagination. The fiery emotion, gifted to him from his children was love. Whole, pure, unconditional love. An understanding between them that no matter what happened, their love would endure. It was with that spark of conviction that Elrond turned to the third and most suffering member of his family and projected his love with every fiber in his being.
"Estel, I must tell you, you must hear my words-"
Again Estel's panic-laced voice cut him off, roaring in time with the thunder claps. "NO! Don't you see, I can't. I mustn't!" Lightening suddenly stuck, flashing white light into their eyes. Estel jumped in fright and slipped forward. Hot terror hit him fast and he struggled for a foothold. His arms flaying he turned himself, spinning out of control, all balance lost. His instinctual fear melting away at the sight of his beloved brothers clutching each other. He saw Elrohir's arm in his sling, his body trembling as he all but hid in his twin's embrace. Elladan holding him tightly, shaking himself, tied to his sibling's emotions irrevocably for all time. Their misery brought Estel back to his original purpose. His steely resolve set in once more.
His eyes shifted to his father then as his footing entirely failed and he began his plunge backwards off the edge. What he saw in his father destroyed it all.
Elrond was racing towards him, eyes wide with emotion, every mussel in his body bent solely on getting to his son in time. His face was a frightening mix of terror, hatred and love. It was the exact expression Estel had seen that one night before. Then directed at Elrohir, now exclusively for him.
Unfortunately, it was entirely too late. Elrond couldn't possibly get to him on time so he would fall to his death as he should have the night before. At least, thought Estel, I know he loves me.
The thought wasn't enough to make him smile given his circumstance, but it was enough to still the fear in him. He closed his eyes as the falling sensation raced through him and sent his mind back into the past. A past filled with memories of love, of joy, of laughter and of belonging. Wonderful, blissful belonging. All he had every wanted was to be a part of this family. With the sweet knowledge of his father's love he was complete. He held that memory close, intertwined in the feeling as he hit the surface. It was a sudden, wrenching jolt although the ground felt soft beneath him. His head felt heavy and he swam in and out of darkness. Sometimes deep shadows of forms would appear before him and other times he could see nothing at all.
Is this death? The soothing blackness filled his vision. Are my eyes even open? He heard sounds, voices perhaps, far off building in volume ever so slowly. He didn't move. Do I still have a body? Something warm fell on his forehead. Water. He heard thunder crashing far above him. Rain? It was raining? The drops fell slowly, slipping gently down the side of his face. Why is it only raining on my face?
The world was getting lighter and he realized he was blinking. The voiced come again. Louder now, over the thunder. Was it thunder?
"Open your eyes. Please Estel, you can do it."
That sounded like-
"Elladan?" Estel's voice was harsh and grating. He struggled to open his eyes and the dark form which loomed over him began to take shape. His vision cleared. Elladan bent over him, tears falling freely from his bright eyes.
"Yes Estel. Yes it's me. Thank the Valar." Elladan shifted his attention to something just over and past Estel then. He locked eyes with another giving a nod, then closing his eyes briefly and nodding in return. Finally he refocused on Estel. "Can you move? We should try to get you both inside."
Estel's silver eyes shown in humble confusion. "Us both?"
Elladan shot a troubled look over his form again. Estel tried to turn his body, now desperate to see who Elladan was looking at but found that he couldn't move very far. He was laying on top of someone he realized with a start. Elladan helped him roll over onto the ground and Estel looked around for the first time.
He was not in fact, on the garden floor, that was still many levels below them. He was sitting on one of the lower towers that also over looked the flowers. Elladan held his back, supporting him, his eyes locked on his twin. Estel turned his head. Elrohir knelt across from him, holding Elrond's head in his hands. Their father lay unconscious before them all on the cold stone parapet.
As always thanks for reading and thank you for your continuing support even in the face of my slowness.
Estelless
Chapter 7 - Thunder and Rain
There was a sound of thunder, distant and low. As the three elves raced up the stairs, the air around them grew damp and heavy. Rain would come soon. They broke out upon the parapet and were met with the sight of Estel, standing quite still with his back to them. Elladan went forward to pull his little brother back but froze in place when he heard his soft voice.
"Do not approach me." Estel's words were spoken quietly but with a powerful anger. It was a emotion almost entirely foreign to him, now flooding his heart as he drowned in it. "I mean to do this, I would ask you all to leave so as not to witness this again."
"What?" The startled voices of the twins cut through the rumbling and they both looked to their father in synchronicity.
Elrond seemed completely calm. His face was schooled into the prefect bland expression. His hands hung loosely at his sides and his stance was relaxed. It was a absolute façade. He was in fact, rigid with terror and at a incredible loss at what to do. He slowly pulled his twin sons back behind him and they moved without argument. The terror was spreading like wildfire. He could feel the twins agitation shift violently into intense fear. He had to do something now.
"Estel, I beg you to listen-"
Fury lit up in Estel then as he cut off Elrond. His words tasted like burnt ashes in his mouth. "No. I will not."
Elrond could hear the void in his youngest son's tone. The finality of it. How could I have let this happen? Guilt twisted in Elrond at his son's declaration to end his life. How could I have failed to see this coming? Estel's voice continued, soft yet strong over the rumbling thunder. "Nothing you can say will change the facts of what happened. Nothing will change what occurred because of us all. It is as undeniable and unavoidable as death itself."
Elrond felt the heat of his sons burning behind him and cold nothingness from Estel before him. A chilling feeling swept over him then, it washed through his body freezing his limbs and holding his will immobile. It was the sudden awareness of what Estel was really talking about. Elrond's choice, the choice he had made one night ago and a thousand lifetimes ago. He turned to witness Elrohir, his thin frame shaking violently as Elladan held him tightly. Elrond met their eyes and saw their fear, felt it go through him mixing with his own. As he stood there, just taking in all that he treasured in life, he saw something else. This new sensation flamed up from deep inside them both and lit Elrond's heart like a torch. It burned throughout him, filling him with strength and most importantly, hope. To have hope again, it gave him joy beyond his imagination. The fiery emotion, gifted to him from his children was love. Whole, pure, unconditional love. An understanding between them that no matter what happened, their love would endure. It was with that spark of conviction that Elrond turned to the third and most suffering member of his family and projected his love with every fiber in his being.
"Estel, I must tell you, you must hear my words-"
Again Estel's panic-laced voice cut him off, roaring in time with the thunder claps. "NO! Don't you see, I can't. I mustn't!" Lightening suddenly stuck, flashing white light into their eyes. Estel jumped in fright and slipped forward. Hot terror hit him fast and he struggled for a foothold. His arms flaying he turned himself, spinning out of control, all balance lost. His instinctual fear melting away at the sight of his beloved brothers clutching each other. He saw Elrohir's arm in his sling, his body trembling as he all but hid in his twin's embrace. Elladan holding him tightly, shaking himself, tied to his sibling's emotions irrevocably for all time. Their misery brought Estel back to his original purpose. His steely resolve set in once more.
His eyes shifted to his father then as his footing entirely failed and he began his plunge backwards off the edge. What he saw in his father destroyed it all.
Elrond was racing towards him, eyes wide with emotion, every mussel in his body bent solely on getting to his son in time. His face was a frightening mix of terror, hatred and love. It was the exact expression Estel had seen that one night before. Then directed at Elrohir, now exclusively for him.
Unfortunately, it was entirely too late. Elrond couldn't possibly get to him on time so he would fall to his death as he should have the night before. At least, thought Estel, I know he loves me.
The thought wasn't enough to make him smile given his circumstance, but it was enough to still the fear in him. He closed his eyes as the falling sensation raced through him and sent his mind back into the past. A past filled with memories of love, of joy, of laughter and of belonging. Wonderful, blissful belonging. All he had every wanted was to be a part of this family. With the sweet knowledge of his father's love he was complete. He held that memory close, intertwined in the feeling as he hit the surface. It was a sudden, wrenching jolt although the ground felt soft beneath him. His head felt heavy and he swam in and out of darkness. Sometimes deep shadows of forms would appear before him and other times he could see nothing at all.
Is this death? The soothing blackness filled his vision. Are my eyes even open? He heard sounds, voices perhaps, far off building in volume ever so slowly. He didn't move. Do I still have a body? Something warm fell on his forehead. Water. He heard thunder crashing far above him. Rain? It was raining? The drops fell slowly, slipping gently down the side of his face. Why is it only raining on my face?
The world was getting lighter and he realized he was blinking. The voiced come again. Louder now, over the thunder. Was it thunder?
"Open your eyes. Please Estel, you can do it."
That sounded like-
"Elladan?" Estel's voice was harsh and grating. He struggled to open his eyes and the dark form which loomed over him began to take shape. His vision cleared. Elladan bent over him, tears falling freely from his bright eyes.
"Yes Estel. Yes it's me. Thank the Valar." Elladan shifted his attention to something just over and past Estel then. He locked eyes with another giving a nod, then closing his eyes briefly and nodding in return. Finally he refocused on Estel. "Can you move? We should try to get you both inside."
Estel's silver eyes shown in humble confusion. "Us both?"
Elladan shot a troubled look over his form again. Estel tried to turn his body, now desperate to see who Elladan was looking at but found that he couldn't move very far. He was laying on top of someone he realized with a start. Elladan helped him roll over onto the ground and Estel looked around for the first time.
He was not in fact, on the garden floor, that was still many levels below them. He was sitting on one of the lower towers that also over looked the flowers. Elladan held his back, supporting him, his eyes locked on his twin. Estel turned his head. Elrohir knelt across from him, holding Elrond's head in his hands. Their father lay unconscious before them all on the cold stone parapet.