Disclaimer: This story was written for enjoyment only. I do not own any of Tolkien's characters.
Author's Note: Thank you once again to all my readers and reviewers! I really appreciate your taking the time to let me know what you think of my story. I hope you enjoy this next chapter! :)
Relesen-Chapter 10
The tranquil atmosphere that presided over Rivendell had been replaced these last few days by a hovering air of melancholy. Three dawns had passed since Legolas and Aragorn had been returned to the elven realm, and a fourth was now attempting to break the hold of the shadowy cloak of darkness that blanketed the landscape, but little improvement marked either the elf's or human's condition. Aragorn was still too ill to be moved, so the sitting room to which he had first been brought now doubled for a hall of healing. Whereas Legolas lay many corridors away in the suite, he occupied when visiting the kingdom. An unspoken agreement had been forged between Lord Elrond and his sons that neither man nor elf was to be left unattended for any length of time, and during those brief intervals when the need for a short respite from their duties as caretakers could not be neglected these responsibilities were assumed by the immediate members of the household staff.
Elrond rose from the chair he had occupied this past night beside his son's sick bed to move forward toward the window and greet these first contemporaneous rays of sunlight now filtering through the casement. Though dusky shadows still enveloped much of the surrounding area, these few waking beams offered the promise of new light and life as they streamed forth to illuminate more and more of the darkened vista before him. 'If only this promise of brightness could revive those in need as well as they restore the terrain about them.' The elf lord mused wistfully before turning his attentions back toward his son. The seemingly ageless face of the Lord of Rivendell was etched with lines of sorrow as he drew closer to Aragorn. Through the eons he had spent on Middle-earth, Elrond had known what it was like to wait while circumstances decided to reveal themselves, but never had a time been more trying than now as he waited for the fate of the Man before him to be determined, save only for the time of travail of his own dear Celebrian.
It troubled the elf lord that he could not be more absolute in his prognosis for his son. Its continued uncertainty haunted him as he acknowledged the fact that this current mishap might prove to be the Man's final undoing. He had held such great hopes for the human son he had fostered. Elrond believed that Aragorn would one day prove to be a reckoning force in deciding the future fate of Middle-earth, but now as his eyes swept over the ailing form in front of him, the elf lord wondered if he had been wrong in making such an assumption.
Picking up one of Aragorn's limp hands within his own, he gave it a firm squeeze as if attempting to infuse some of his own strength into the wounded Human, while silently entreating for a similar response back from the Man. Receiving none, Elrond continued onward to briskly rub the lifeless forearm above it hoping that such contact might awaken the spirit laying beneath, but Aragorn remained oblivious to his father's ministrations. It pained Elrond to note the slight atrophy of muscle tone that had already begun to set in during these few short days of inactivity. The listless figure before him was so contrary to that of the vibrant young Man he knew, and the elf lord could hold back his frustration no longer.
"This is not you, Estel. Do not allow this to become my last image of the spirited son I have loved so well. I beseech you, my son, to search for that source of strength, which still dwells within you and demand it to awaken. You have slumbered long enough, my boy."
The voice that responded to his quiet entreaty was not the one he longed for in answer. The muted, "Father?" he received drew his attentions momentarily away from injured Man as the elf lord turned toward the voice to discover Elladan had entered the room unbeknownst to him.
"Yes, Elladan?" His father answered softly while moving his hand back down to clasp Aragorn's once again.
"Has there been any change?" The elder twin asked.
In response to his son's inquiry, Elrond turned Aragorn's hand palm up and allowed his seeking fingers to rest upon the Man's wrist.
Elladan waited expectantly for his father to make some sort of pronouncement as Elrond gently laid his youngest son's arm back upon the coverlet before moving his own hand upward to rest upon Aragorn's brow. An unnatural heat still clung to his son's flesh, but it had diminshed in its intensity, which the elf lord acknowledged might prove to be a favorable sign. Turning once again toward his eldest son, he answered. "The fever, which consumes his body, has lessened, but the pulse of life running through his veins still rushes forth too rapidly. That is only understandable considering the amount of blood he has lost. Hopefully with time, it will decrease as well as his body tries to compensate for its loss."
"But has he shown any sign of awakening?" Elladan appealed.
"No, my son." Elrond concluded wearily, "But we must not give up hope." The elf lord replied while noting the look of defeat that now clouded the elder twin's eyes.
"Such sentiments seem useless, Father!" Elladan railed in unchecked emotion. "I cannot stand this waiting! To just sit by and do nothing, while those I hold dearest to me are lost! For you know that is what's to happen!"
"I know nothing of the sort! . . . " The elf lord countered forcefully. "And it grieves me that one of my own blood would give up hope so easily!"
Shame replaced the previous anger that flamed within the younger elf's eyes and he bowed his head in reaction to it. "I have not given up . . . " Elladan began remorsefully, his voice trembling with his response. "...it is just not easy to live with such uncertainty."
Elrond moved forward toward his eldest now regretting his own harsh words. Collecting his son into the circle of his arms, his answer was laced with his own regret. "Let us not add to the burdens upon us, Elladan, by arguing. This should not be a time of distance between us. We are hurting too, but we cannot allow that to hinder the strength we must maintain for those who are in need of our care. We must rally, my son . . . " The elf lord continued while trying to muster the semblance of a smile to lend support to his words. "... even if what awaits us might prove to be painful."
"Pain, I could handle . . . " the younger elf responded. "...if it were that of a physical nature and abled to be assuaged or even it were to ultimately overwhelm me. But, it is this pain that radiates from within, from the heart outward, Father, that I find most disturbing for I can find no relief from it."
"Aye." Elrond agreed with deep commiseration. "Many have come up empty in their attempts to find remedy for such distress, but it is hope, Elladan, that gives us the strength needed to make it through. Hope that our troubles will find answer or the hope if this does not prove to be the case that we will be able to abide with the decision rendered. With strength proving to be even more of a necessity if the course should prove to fall with the latter. It is not ours to decide what is to be, Elladan, but it is within us to choose how we shall respond it."
"I know, Father. Forgive me!" Elladan answered sadly. "I will try not to give up so easily however disheartened I may become, but it is so difficult to watch Estel lying there so still while the threat of death hovers over him. What is even more frustrating, however, is to bear witness to Legolas' steady decline for his body has not suffered the same devastation as that of my brother's. How can one make sense of his present infirmity especially amongst all this talk of giving up? A part of me, Father, wants to take him in my arms and rattle him, shake him so hard until some sense returns to the befuddled musings going on inside his head! How is one to bear the possible loss of them both?" Elladan finished while he allowed himself to collapse into the strength and the comfort of his father's embrace.
"My son, . . . " Elrond began while moving a hand upward to soothe his offspring. "...what you have claimed is difficult at best, but you haven't yet the knowledge of all that has taken place. Now is not the time, Elladan, to sift through the details, but trust in me that one day you will understand what might now seem so incomprehensible to you."
"I will try, Father." Elladan answered with a weak attempt at a smile for confirmation.
"Perhaps I have stayed too long with Estel . . . " The elf lord concluded as guilt began to grow within him for allowing the greater share of Legolas' present burden to fall upon his sons. "Is Elrohir with Legolas now?"
"Yes, father. It seems that my brother has more of a stomach than I for keeping vigil beside the beds of healing."
A sincere smile graced the elf lord's features as he thought about his two natural sons. Though identical in looks, they were quite different in temperament each claiming their own unique strengths that only served to compliment those of the other. "Then I should go to him." Elrond answered. He did not bother asking his eldest to stay with Aragorn, for he knew the utterance of such a request would prove quite unnecessary. He looked on as Elladan moved toward his brother. The Human would never be in want for company the elf lord acknowledged as he turned toward the doorway, though his keen ears picked up on Elladan's opening salutation.
"What's this, Estel? Still, asleep? The time has passed, young one, for playing opossum. Really, Estel, I tire of such games and am bored! I cannot wait forever for you to awaken and I dare say I will not tarry much longer before I am forced to leave you behind for Elrohir and I make ready the preparations for a long quest into the woods . . . "
Passing through the corridors on his way to Legolas' room, Elrond tried to strengthen his resolve. Perhaps he had been too neglectful with concern to the prince of Mirkwood's stead? He had backed away from brooking a confrontation earlier, the day he had first attended to the fair-haired elf's wounds. He had believed it enough at the time to treat that which was physical, leaving the inner conflict still brewing within the younger elf alone until a later time when Legolas was ready to speak. Four dawns had now passed, and the Silvan archer had yet to put voice to his inner turmoil instead he only acted to draw further and further away from those, who surrounded him. Time and care had not been enough for Legolas, Elrond concluded and the elf lord decided that the time had come for him to push the point.
Reaching the doorway to the chamber that housed Legolas, Elrond peered inside it. Its interior was still darkened, but amongst the shadows he recognized the figure of his second son, Elrohir, sitting closely beside the bed. Legolas's still form lay atop of it with the bed's heavy coverings drawn up around him. Elrond's breath stilled within him as he took in the sight of the Silvan elf. What he saw only proved his earlier estimation that he had indeed been too lax with his methods. It grieved him to see this mere shell of an elf, who had once stood strong and proud. The once beautiful being now lacked vitality in much the same way as a calla lily that had long lingered past its first days of bloom.
As Elrond entered into the room, Elrohir turned his attentions away from the bed. "Father." He greeted soberly.
His own son's solemn appearance furthered the rush of guilt that coursed through him. For it seemed that the cares of the world had fallen upon the younger twin's shoulders. "Elrohir." His father answered.
"Why have you come?" Elrohir inquired, unable to disguise the tremor of fear underlying his words. "Has something happened to Estel?" He asked.
"No, my son." Elrond confirmed putting his fears to rest. "Your brother is much the same, though there has been some improvement with his fever."
"Then he still lives." Elrohir finished with an outward rush of relief.
"Yes, and he will continue to do so, if I have any say in the matter. Now come, Elrohir, let me relieve you. I have allowed the burden of what's taken place to fall too heavily upon you."
"Not any greater than you've allowed it to weigh upon yourself, Father."
"Yes, but the responsibility should be mine." The elf lord concluded.
"And how is that Father? How much of that responsibility are you willing to shoulder until you, yourself, should break under its weight? For even you, the Lord of Rivendell, will falter if the burden proves too heavy to bear!"
Elrond cast a wary eye upon his son, confused by the words the younger elf now uttered. He then became aware of the brooding awareness that lay within the gray depths staring back at him suddenly taking note of what he had not witnessed there before. "What is it, Elrohir?" He asked.
"How long were you planning to go on with this silence, Father, knowing what you do? Yes, I must claim that at first I did not realize the complete extent of the burden you now carry, but over these last few days I have weighed the evidence before me, Estel's condition, Legolas' behavior and that of your own especially on that first night when you ordered me out of Estel's sickroom. I have long since surmised that the prior two are related and your own role in it only served to confirm this belief to me, though I have kept such assumptions to myself. Am I right in concluding that it is by some action of Legolas' that my youngest brother lies so very close to death?"
"I have never plotted to keep such information from you, Elrohir, of this you can be sure! " Elrond retorted. "Though my initial actions might point otherwise. It grieves me that you may believe I could be capable of such duplicity, so let me state my reasons for silence. At the time when the knowledge that it was Legolas' arrow within your brother's body became known to me, I had little time to reason its consequence. I held the fate of your brother's life within my hands and allowing such knowledge to become recognized seemed fruitless. I was not in the position to deal with the fallout that might have resulted if it had and needed to keep my sole attentions focused upon healing the body of my son."
"Father!" Elrohir interrupted. " If we are stating grievances, then allow me to make mine known as well. At the time when such news had first become identified, you felt it best to keep it under wraps, but many long days have since passed, and still you feel the necessity to conceal the truth! Do you not trust me, father? Do you not believe that I would be able to bear such ill tidings without adverse effect? For I know it within myself that though the arrow may have belonged to Legolas, he would never do harm to my brother intentionally! It hurts me, Father, that you could believe otherwise of me!" Elrohir finished while drawing a long staggering breath.
Pain alighted in Elrond's eyes over the plight of his son. He had never meant to hurt him, but through his inaction he had. He had every intention of letting both of his sons know the consequences surrounding the tragic accident that had taken place, but he himself was still in the dark over much of its content. Turning his eyes toward the elf settled upon the bed, he acknowledged sadly that only Legolas could tell them what truly had happened that day in the wild, and it worried him that with the elf's current state they might never find out.
"Elrohir, you must trust that I have the utmost faith in you. It gladdens my heart that you would believe the same of your friend as I do. Legolas would not hurt Aragorn no matter what duress he may have been placed under that I am sure of, but I am as in the dark as you, my son, as to what really happened out there. I must lay the blame on that fact as the reason for my continued silence. I felt it best to let the matter stand as it was, until I, myself, had a better understanding of the situation."
Elrond noted the trembling of emotion that played upon Elrohir's countenance. "Father . . . " He started.
"No, my son. Let me apologize for my deceit though it was never my intent to cause such ill."
"Father . . . " Elrohir began again this time rushing forward to throw his arms around the elder being. "Forgive me for my hurtful words . . . "
"No, Elrohir. Do not let them trouble you!" Elrond responded while gathering a second twin within his embrace. "No offense has been taken. Stressful times sometimes result in stressful measures."
The younger elf remained within his father's arms, as Elrond spoke up again."Do not take this as a dismissal, Elrohir, but I need to speak to Legolas, and I believe it would be best to do so alone. Elladan does not know yet of Legolas' part in your brother's condition, so I ask that you trust me in my decision by keeping this knowledge private until I can come up with some more answers."
"Yes, Father."
Elrond drew Elrohir more firmly into his grasp, though his eyes stole across the room to rest upon Legolas, and the elf lord prayed that somehow he would be able to break through this emotional barrier of protection that the Silvan elf had erected around himself.