Alagos
---Chapter Two---
Elrohir jolted awake, eyes widening with no memory of what happened at first. But then the pain seared through him again, and the Peredhel bit back a groan. "I'm. fine." He murmured through clenched teeth, mentally wishing it would all end. He'd never say that aloud though, not in front of his brother who was in just as much pain.
"I never thought. this would be the end of. me. A. tree. Ada. used to tell us they would be. when we climbed the really. tall ones. Remember?" The Elven prince struggled to stay awake, knowing that with the hypothermia that was creeping up on him, it would be a slumber he'd never wake from.
Elladan dropped his head, panting, in relief. Elrohir had not died, not yet. He shivered once, and then again, as the same thing coming upon Elrohir made its way to Elladan. He glared up at the sky that continued to empty the rain upon them, and the wind didn't help either. Neither seemed to be slowing or stopping anytime soon.
He almost smiled in memory as Elrohir's words brought him back in time. "Yes, I remember. It seems --"
A heavy gust of wind slightly rocked his tree and settled it deeper into the ground, causing Elladan's face to contort with pain as his broken ribs only dug all the more into his lungs and other organs. Elladan struggled for breath for a moment, and then finally caught it. He rested, still panting, knowing Elrohir's concern would only grow.
"It seems adar was right."
"We must. stay awake. Perhaps they will. still come." Elrohir murmured, trying to believe such a thing, yet failing miserably. Would this day never end? How long had they been lying there? He had no idea, and in all truth didn't want to know.
Glancing up at his brother again, he lifted his free hand again, placing it slightly over Elladan's eyes to block out the rain. The younger of the two wasn't on his back, thus most of the rain hitting only one side of his face and now sopping wet hair.
Elladan smiled in gratitude to his brother as his hand somewhat shielded the rain from his eyes. They were just alike, he knew -- they did not care for their own pains, and only thought about the comforts of the other. But what could Elladan possibly do in return for Elrohir? His arms were pinned. The most he could move was his head and his right leg, for his left one was broken. Elladan did not have to look at the fracture to know that it was not a pretty one.
"You should've just. gone when my cloak. got caught. It was. stupid of me. to go and. get it. anyway."
The older twin rested his head on the forest floor with a small sigh, with a little difficulty. "I could not have left you, Elrohir," he replied, trying to bear a small smile. Yet his features found it quite hard to do so. His involuntary shudders were becoming more and more frequent as the temperature dropped and the rain and wind howled on.
"I could not leave you," he repeated.
"You could've saved yourself. I would never. wish you to come to death like- like this!" Elrohir exclaimed, though it came out as hoarse whisper. He choked back a sob, rather thankful for the howling wind so Elladan could not hear. He'd give his life right there to save his brother if he could.
"Don't. don't go to sleep, Elladan. I bet you right now. they're all looking for us. and we'll be home. warm. in a little while. don't. don't worry." He struggled with his breath, biting his lip to the point where it bled to stay awake.
But Elladan found it hard to heed his brother's instructions. Hard as he tried, Elladan could hardly keep his eyes open. His lids felt like lead as he shivered in his wet garments. What he would give to be back in Imladris beside a fire, drinking hot tea, with his father and Elrohir beside him, and the rain was not pouring on them, and the strong walls kept out the wind.
"I believe those are my lines," Elladan said, trying to lighten the mood. "Usually it is I trying to reassure you. You always seemed to have a knack for being afraid of the thunder and lightning."
He stopped suddenly. Through the wind and rain, Elladan thought he'd heard the trampling of feet, or the call of another. His ears strained in the cacophony (sp? love that word) to hear for it again. Within a moment, it came. It was muffled and distant, but there was no mistaking the voice that shouted:
"ELLADAN! ELROHIR!"
"What was." Elrohir coughed, wincing sharply as the sudden action caused a terrible pain to race all throughout his body. He could faintly hear the voice, and the pounding of footsteps, they he was barely coherent enough to remember his own name. or barely even conscious enough to remember to breath.
"They're. coming." He murmured, the hand trying to protect Elladan's face from the elements going slack as Elrohir finally fell into a sleep that he could no longer avoid. His smooth cheek fell into the mud, and his hand slowly slipped off from his brother head.
Elladan's eyes widened as Elrohir sunk into his sleep, his teeth chattering violently, the rest of his body quaking uncontrollably despite the pain it caused him. Gritting his teeth and seething, he took his breaths quickly and exhaled much longer than he inhaled. This helped ease the pain in his abdomen and ribcage, but it did not fully help it.
But another call for him and his brother made him forget his pain for an instant. Someone was close by, searching for them. This may be their only chance to escape with their lives. Elladan drew in a shaky breath, ignoring the searing pain as he filled his punctured lungs with air.
"HELP! HELP US!" He painfully let the rest of his breath go before yelling again with all his might, unaware he had shouted the next words: "ADA, PLEASE!"
------
Elrond ducked a flying branch - it had broken free of one of the trees and made a diagonal drop to his head, swayed by the wind. He stumbled sideways, slipping in the mud, and thrust out a hand to grab a tree trunk for support. It was definitely not wise to be out and about in such weather -- sleet and all manner small debris lashed into his face, his cloak often actually pulled him backwards a few paces when the winds were strong enough, yet he dared not shed it for he did not look kindly upon being soaked through. He really didn't care - he was looking for his sons. When the storm came up, he had immediately grown anxious, and something in him was moved to send out a search party - Elladan and Elrohir were smart enough not to stay out in such weather. Since they did not return right away, they must have had a very good reason.
"ELLADAN!" he bellowed into the roaring of the wind. "ELROHIR!"
He doubted that he would be heard above the noise of the storm. Glorfindel had taken a few others and was scouring another part of Imladris. The truth was, Elrond had no idea where his sons had gone - they could be anywhere. Yet his parental instincts were telling him that he was going in the right direction -- Another strong gust sent the elven lord careening sideways into a thick trunk, hitting himself hard in the shoulder. He moaned and wiped rainwater out of his eyes, casting a hopeless look about him. He saw a stand of sycamores nearby had been reduced to a pile of timbre. He shuddered. Manwë's power never ceased to amaze and frighten him at times.
Elrond stopped dead in his tracks. The shout that cut through the wind and the rain coud only possibly belong to one elf. A father could recognize the voice of his son even if it were but the faintest whisper. Not only could he recognize that the voice belonged to his son, but he knew which son.
"ELLADAN!" he shouted, making his way towards where the voice came from as fast as he could without overlooking them. He realized with a pang of dread that it came from the ruined sycamores - and the fact that he only heard one twin awashed him with fear. He prayed that his sons were alright.
He continued calling for them, searching through the debris, and only found them once he literally tripped over an upthrust root, becoming face-to-face with one of his trapped sons.
Elladan cried in agony as the "upthrust root", his broken leg, was tripped over by someone. He could not see who it was, only gritted his teeth and seethed, squeezing his eyes tightly. It wasn't until his father's involuntary grunt touched his ears did he realize who had tripped over his leg.
"Adar?" he called weakly. "Is that you, adar?"
A dim hope sprang within him as the thought of being rescued crossed his mind. But as he looked at Elrohir, he could only hope his father had come in time for the both of them. The tree sunk into the mud more, further crushing his abdomen. He stifled a shout and grimaced, his mouth opened in a silent scream.
Slowly, his face relaxed, but his mouth was still open, and his eyes still remained closed. Elladan gasped for air, which was becoming a more and more difficult task. He shivered violently in the cold wind and rain, and fought off the heavy sleep that had consumed his brother as best he could. His father could not contend with two unconscious sons at once.
Elrohir came to slight consciousness at the new voice, free hand gripping at the soft soil with another groan of pain. Falling in and out of that nightmarish sleep was better then this. He could not see who it was, as he could not manage to slit his eyes open more than a sliver. And yet something in the back of his mind told him that it was his father. and he suddenly felt calmer.
"Ada. Ella.dan.." Elrohir did not even hear himself murmur this, and quickly fell back into darkness.
Elrond had never been more dismayed, surprised and frightened in all of his long life, let alone all at the same time. With a yelp of shock he scrambled to his feet, gazing at the horrifying scene laid out before him. Elladan and Elrohir - his two sons pinned beneath such massive trees - by Elbereth, how did this happen? He cursed himself as he leaped forward - this time, ~over~ the body of Elladan. He should have known - he should have realized some sort of storm would come from the clouds that morning! He should have never, never allowed his sons to go out...
Soon his mind was wiped clear of all thought. He knelt first beside Elladan, who was closest - he realized that he was saying something, but he could not really keep track of his words. It went something like this:
"Alright... you'll... alright... don't worry... soon... Glorfindel... storm..."
He touched his hand to Elladan's forehead, his heart racing, and only once he reassured himself that they were both alive did he give himself time to think.
How in Elbereth's name was he going to get his two sons out from beneath those trees?
------
---Chapter Two---
Elrohir jolted awake, eyes widening with no memory of what happened at first. But then the pain seared through him again, and the Peredhel bit back a groan. "I'm. fine." He murmured through clenched teeth, mentally wishing it would all end. He'd never say that aloud though, not in front of his brother who was in just as much pain.
"I never thought. this would be the end of. me. A. tree. Ada. used to tell us they would be. when we climbed the really. tall ones. Remember?" The Elven prince struggled to stay awake, knowing that with the hypothermia that was creeping up on him, it would be a slumber he'd never wake from.
Elladan dropped his head, panting, in relief. Elrohir had not died, not yet. He shivered once, and then again, as the same thing coming upon Elrohir made its way to Elladan. He glared up at the sky that continued to empty the rain upon them, and the wind didn't help either. Neither seemed to be slowing or stopping anytime soon.
He almost smiled in memory as Elrohir's words brought him back in time. "Yes, I remember. It seems --"
A heavy gust of wind slightly rocked his tree and settled it deeper into the ground, causing Elladan's face to contort with pain as his broken ribs only dug all the more into his lungs and other organs. Elladan struggled for breath for a moment, and then finally caught it. He rested, still panting, knowing Elrohir's concern would only grow.
"It seems adar was right."
"We must. stay awake. Perhaps they will. still come." Elrohir murmured, trying to believe such a thing, yet failing miserably. Would this day never end? How long had they been lying there? He had no idea, and in all truth didn't want to know.
Glancing up at his brother again, he lifted his free hand again, placing it slightly over Elladan's eyes to block out the rain. The younger of the two wasn't on his back, thus most of the rain hitting only one side of his face and now sopping wet hair.
Elladan smiled in gratitude to his brother as his hand somewhat shielded the rain from his eyes. They were just alike, he knew -- they did not care for their own pains, and only thought about the comforts of the other. But what could Elladan possibly do in return for Elrohir? His arms were pinned. The most he could move was his head and his right leg, for his left one was broken. Elladan did not have to look at the fracture to know that it was not a pretty one.
"You should've just. gone when my cloak. got caught. It was. stupid of me. to go and. get it. anyway."
The older twin rested his head on the forest floor with a small sigh, with a little difficulty. "I could not have left you, Elrohir," he replied, trying to bear a small smile. Yet his features found it quite hard to do so. His involuntary shudders were becoming more and more frequent as the temperature dropped and the rain and wind howled on.
"I could not leave you," he repeated.
"You could've saved yourself. I would never. wish you to come to death like- like this!" Elrohir exclaimed, though it came out as hoarse whisper. He choked back a sob, rather thankful for the howling wind so Elladan could not hear. He'd give his life right there to save his brother if he could.
"Don't. don't go to sleep, Elladan. I bet you right now. they're all looking for us. and we'll be home. warm. in a little while. don't. don't worry." He struggled with his breath, biting his lip to the point where it bled to stay awake.
But Elladan found it hard to heed his brother's instructions. Hard as he tried, Elladan could hardly keep his eyes open. His lids felt like lead as he shivered in his wet garments. What he would give to be back in Imladris beside a fire, drinking hot tea, with his father and Elrohir beside him, and the rain was not pouring on them, and the strong walls kept out the wind.
"I believe those are my lines," Elladan said, trying to lighten the mood. "Usually it is I trying to reassure you. You always seemed to have a knack for being afraid of the thunder and lightning."
He stopped suddenly. Through the wind and rain, Elladan thought he'd heard the trampling of feet, or the call of another. His ears strained in the cacophony (sp? love that word) to hear for it again. Within a moment, it came. It was muffled and distant, but there was no mistaking the voice that shouted:
"ELLADAN! ELROHIR!"
"What was." Elrohir coughed, wincing sharply as the sudden action caused a terrible pain to race all throughout his body. He could faintly hear the voice, and the pounding of footsteps, they he was barely coherent enough to remember his own name. or barely even conscious enough to remember to breath.
"They're. coming." He murmured, the hand trying to protect Elladan's face from the elements going slack as Elrohir finally fell into a sleep that he could no longer avoid. His smooth cheek fell into the mud, and his hand slowly slipped off from his brother head.
Elladan's eyes widened as Elrohir sunk into his sleep, his teeth chattering violently, the rest of his body quaking uncontrollably despite the pain it caused him. Gritting his teeth and seething, he took his breaths quickly and exhaled much longer than he inhaled. This helped ease the pain in his abdomen and ribcage, but it did not fully help it.
But another call for him and his brother made him forget his pain for an instant. Someone was close by, searching for them. This may be their only chance to escape with their lives. Elladan drew in a shaky breath, ignoring the searing pain as he filled his punctured lungs with air.
"HELP! HELP US!" He painfully let the rest of his breath go before yelling again with all his might, unaware he had shouted the next words: "ADA, PLEASE!"
------
Elrond ducked a flying branch - it had broken free of one of the trees and made a diagonal drop to his head, swayed by the wind. He stumbled sideways, slipping in the mud, and thrust out a hand to grab a tree trunk for support. It was definitely not wise to be out and about in such weather -- sleet and all manner small debris lashed into his face, his cloak often actually pulled him backwards a few paces when the winds were strong enough, yet he dared not shed it for he did not look kindly upon being soaked through. He really didn't care - he was looking for his sons. When the storm came up, he had immediately grown anxious, and something in him was moved to send out a search party - Elladan and Elrohir were smart enough not to stay out in such weather. Since they did not return right away, they must have had a very good reason.
"ELLADAN!" he bellowed into the roaring of the wind. "ELROHIR!"
He doubted that he would be heard above the noise of the storm. Glorfindel had taken a few others and was scouring another part of Imladris. The truth was, Elrond had no idea where his sons had gone - they could be anywhere. Yet his parental instincts were telling him that he was going in the right direction -- Another strong gust sent the elven lord careening sideways into a thick trunk, hitting himself hard in the shoulder. He moaned and wiped rainwater out of his eyes, casting a hopeless look about him. He saw a stand of sycamores nearby had been reduced to a pile of timbre. He shuddered. Manwë's power never ceased to amaze and frighten him at times.
Elrond stopped dead in his tracks. The shout that cut through the wind and the rain coud only possibly belong to one elf. A father could recognize the voice of his son even if it were but the faintest whisper. Not only could he recognize that the voice belonged to his son, but he knew which son.
"ELLADAN!" he shouted, making his way towards where the voice came from as fast as he could without overlooking them. He realized with a pang of dread that it came from the ruined sycamores - and the fact that he only heard one twin awashed him with fear. He prayed that his sons were alright.
He continued calling for them, searching through the debris, and only found them once he literally tripped over an upthrust root, becoming face-to-face with one of his trapped sons.
Elladan cried in agony as the "upthrust root", his broken leg, was tripped over by someone. He could not see who it was, only gritted his teeth and seethed, squeezing his eyes tightly. It wasn't until his father's involuntary grunt touched his ears did he realize who had tripped over his leg.
"Adar?" he called weakly. "Is that you, adar?"
A dim hope sprang within him as the thought of being rescued crossed his mind. But as he looked at Elrohir, he could only hope his father had come in time for the both of them. The tree sunk into the mud more, further crushing his abdomen. He stifled a shout and grimaced, his mouth opened in a silent scream.
Slowly, his face relaxed, but his mouth was still open, and his eyes still remained closed. Elladan gasped for air, which was becoming a more and more difficult task. He shivered violently in the cold wind and rain, and fought off the heavy sleep that had consumed his brother as best he could. His father could not contend with two unconscious sons at once.
Elrohir came to slight consciousness at the new voice, free hand gripping at the soft soil with another groan of pain. Falling in and out of that nightmarish sleep was better then this. He could not see who it was, as he could not manage to slit his eyes open more than a sliver. And yet something in the back of his mind told him that it was his father. and he suddenly felt calmer.
"Ada. Ella.dan.." Elrohir did not even hear himself murmur this, and quickly fell back into darkness.
Elrond had never been more dismayed, surprised and frightened in all of his long life, let alone all at the same time. With a yelp of shock he scrambled to his feet, gazing at the horrifying scene laid out before him. Elladan and Elrohir - his two sons pinned beneath such massive trees - by Elbereth, how did this happen? He cursed himself as he leaped forward - this time, ~over~ the body of Elladan. He should have known - he should have realized some sort of storm would come from the clouds that morning! He should have never, never allowed his sons to go out...
Soon his mind was wiped clear of all thought. He knelt first beside Elladan, who was closest - he realized that he was saying something, but he could not really keep track of his words. It went something like this:
"Alright... you'll... alright... don't worry... soon... Glorfindel... storm..."
He touched his hand to Elladan's forehead, his heart racing, and only once he reassured himself that they were both alive did he give himself time to think.
How in Elbereth's name was he going to get his two sons out from beneath those trees?
------