Sorry it took so long guys! R/L interfered, with softball, softball, and more softball. I'm on two separate teams, each has at least two games and a practice a week...you do the math.
Soooo...anyway...the winner of the Elrohir plushie is....(drumroll)....
QTpie-pippinsgurl!!! *hands over plushie very ceremoniously* Congradulations! You were my tenth reviewer!! Now, who will be the twentieth?
Eneth- Yes! I WILL blame all mistakes on you. And why do you think they won't believe Estel? If I walked up to you and said, Hey, Eneth, your sister's dead. would you believe me? No, probably not, you'd want to see for yourself, right?
The Worth of Water
Chapter 4
Back to Imladris
The fever broke about an hour before dawn. Both Lithtinwë and Estel had both spent a sleepless night tending Elladan. Exhausted, they recruited Reneal to watch Elladan and slept soundly until dawn.
* * * * * *
Elladan woke with a groan and a massive headache. He slowly opened his eyes, and waited for the blurry images to focus. He was lying on the ground, next to the remains of a campfire. From what he could make out, there were several beings readying what looked like horses, but could have been wargs for all he could tell. Still after two minutes, the images were as blurry as ever. He closed his eyes again.
Suddenly, he felt someone lift him up off the ground. He struggled slightly, not knowing who the someone was. A familiar voice called out from somewhere above him, He's awake!
Elladan murmured.
Oh, Elladan! We were afraid we would lose you, too. Elladan, can you open your eyes?
Lose me too?' Elladan echoed. Just what happened?
Another voice, one that sounded a lot like Reneal, spoke. He doesn't remember! How could he not...should we...should we tell him? From the tone of the voice, it sounded like Reneal was...crying? No, why would he be crying? There must be something wrong with my ears, too, Elladan thought.
I think, Estel began. There was that tight tone again, like someone holding back tears. Elladan was sure something something was wrong. I think we should tell him. Taking a deep breath, Estel broke the news. Elladan, Elrohir...Elrohir is dead.
Elladan's eyes flew open. He struggled is Estel's arms. No! No, don't play this kind of joke on me, not now! The shapes were as blurry as before. Estel, where is he? The human called someone over, carrying something that Elladan still could not make out.
H-here he is. This time, Elladan could definitely tell Estel was crying.
Reaching out, he felt his brother's face. It was cold, there was no life left in it. And the pulse that should have been there, beating just under the skin, was absent. Elladan sighed, taking the news better than anyone else. Estel, if he's dead, how did I survive? I was with him the whole time until... The elf trailed off, remembering. Until we split to go after that stupid deer. It was my idea, wasn't it. Estel, put me down. The human complied, waiting, ready, to make sure the injured elf wouldn't fall over. I was a fool. I practically convinced Elrohir to go the other way, and now...
Elladan, we have to get back to Imladris. Father will most certainly be worried. Estel cut him off, not wanting him to start blaming himself like he always did.
Elladan started toward the vaguely horse-shaped blurs, all the while berating himself and blaming himself, I should have been there for him, I should have made him come with me. I knew the deer didn't go that way...
Estel's voice cut through his thoughts. Elladan, the horses are over... His voice took on a concerned note. Elladan, can you see me?
Elladan turned around, and, not wanting to admit another injury after he had been out cold all night, replied, Yes, of course I can. It was true, but barely. Estel, Reneal, and one other were blended together into almost a solid blob.
Then what am I holding in my hand?
Elladan took a wild stab. The Ring of Barahir. As chance would have it, he was right. Come on, let's go home.
After some difficulty mounting, (which Elladan hoped was attributed to his other injuries, not his eyesight) the group set off for Imladris, which, according to Estel, they hoped to reach by nightfall. So, who's with us now? asked Elladan, as casually as he could. Estel, apparently, was lost in thought.
Me, you, Lithtinwë, Elentir, Reneal, Duhim, and Edheldhin. Why?
Elladan didn't reply.
* * * * * *
~ ~ ~Flashback~ ~ ~
Elladan held his brother in his arms, horror painted over all his features. He watched his brother's labored, dying breaths. The poison was working, for without it, his brother wouldn't be slipping away. Elrohir, no! Elladan bent over his twin. Stay, stay with me. Please, no! NO! Elrohir! You can't, you can't... Elrohir's eyes glazed over, and his chest was still.
Elladan dissolved. Sobs wracked his body. Estel knelt next to him, tears flowing freely down his dirt and blood stained cheeks. Elladan sobbed. No, no, no, no...
~ ~ ~End Flashback~ ~ ~
With his eyes clouded as they were, and the absence of any talk between the elves, Elladan was left to his thoughts, which revolved around one topic: Elrohir. He now remembered the whole thing, he kept seeing the orc dagger penetrate Elrohir's stomach, and seeing him die, and Elladan kept wondering if, maybe, he could have done something to save Elrohir. Anything. He knew it was his fault, and that he should have made it right, he should have saved Elrohir, but he hadn't. He had failed.
* * * * * *
Both Elladan and Estel would have been surprised at how similar their thoughts were, and both would have scolded the other about blaming yourself for things that aren't your fault. The only thing that had surprised Estel so far was how few tears were actually shed. Yes, Elentir, possibly the most polite elf in Rivendell had snapped at Reneal, and Lithtinwë had cursed for the first time, but there was very little crying. Everyone was taking it out in their own way: Elentir and Lithtinwë by temper, Reneal by muttering to his horse, Duhim by taking his anger out on passing squirrels, Edheldhin by singing softly under his breath, and Elladan by completely ignoring everyone else.
Sunset in Rivendell is a beautiful thing, and all of the small company (except Elladan), once again, marveled at it's beauty, but only briefly, for they had seen it before and would see it again, and they had more important matters to deal with.
The horses splashed across a stream at the base of a small waterfall, sprinkling their boots and turning some of the dirt to mud, which ran off in little trickles. Normally, this far toward the end of a journey, spirits would begin to lift. But not now. Everyone was silent, and it was as if the message of the death had finally been driven home. A tear straggled down Lithtinwë's cheek, but she brushed it away. It was not the time for that.
Dismally, the small company drew closer to Imladris. They were less than a mile away when Duhim finally broke the silence. So, what will we tell him? No one had to ask who was. The subject had not been broached yet, but everyone had at least thought about it.
The truth, Lithtinwë suggested.
Duhim sighed. I do not want to be the one who tells him.
You don't? Elentir snapped. Neither do we, but someone has to, or would you rather we leave Elrohir out here and lie to Lord Elrond?
I will, said Elladan quietly. He was my brother after all.
Lithtinwë pulled her horse up to Elladan's. And he still is, she whispered fiercely.
* * * * * *
As the horses rode up to the house and their riders dismounted, none other than Elrond came striding out of the house, with a look on his face that none of them ever wanted to see: a mixture of shock, horror, and grief. No one had to tell him, he knew.
TBC...
Character Guide
(In case you're confused, or want to know more)
Duhim- (translated exactly) Cold Night
Younger than Elentir, but older than nearly everyone else except Elrond. Not well liked in Rivendell.
Edheldhim- (translated exactly) Silent Elf
Best tracker in Rivendell. Several centuries older than the twins.
Elentir- (literally, "star watch") Watchful Star
Senior elf in Rivendell.
Estel- (no duh!!) Hope
Aragorn, adopted son of Elrond, human.
Lithtinwë- (literally, "ash's spark") Spark in the Ashes (I know, it calls for a back story-maybe I'll write one!)
Female elf, relatively young (same age as twins). Friend of Elladan and Elrohir.
Nimeneth- (exactly translated, named after my beta) White Mist
Reneal's horse
Reneal- (means nothing)
Friend of Estel, Elrohir and Elladan, but especially Elrohir and Estel. Same age as the twins.
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