Authors Note: Sorry that it has taken me a while to update I wasn't really
sure where this chapter was headed when I started it but it is finished now
and I hope that it has worked out alright.
Seelenspiel look a longer chapter :) and I promise that the next one will be even longer thank you for reviewing.
Chapter Twenty-Three (Set about four months after the last chapter)
The long days of battling orc's with little sleep had dragged into weeks. They had managed to gain a bit of ground over the past few days, and slowly they forced the orc's and Uruk-hai's back further away from Rivendell, but it was growing more and more difficult due to the sheer numbers of their foes.
They had lost many of their warriors to these dark creatures but still refused to give in and retreat back towards home and the safety of Rivendell's walls, they had their orders and would stick to them no matter how difficult life became for them.
"Stop sulking." Elladan called out to the man as he watched Estel crawl from his tent.
It was late morning, the sun already high in the sky, or so Estel had been told, he himself lacking the energy needed to climb into the tree tops to judge the time of day. They were all covered from head to toe in dirt and orc blood and although none complained for many of the young elves scattered around the camp they had never felt so uncomfortable.
"Why?" Estel mumbled back strapping his belt with scabbard across his waist. He had, had little sleep and the dark circles under his eyes were beginning to grow darker looking as though he had been hit across the face several times, much to the amusement of his brothers.
"Because we will be needed in battle soon and your energies would be better wasted there but also because I have word of the outside world." Elladan grinned as Estel's face lit up.
Communication between them and Rivendell had decreased over the past few weeks, they believed that it had something to do with the ground that they were gaining, but for what ever reason it left many of them feeling cut off from what would be normal life.
"What have you heard?" Estel asked moving closer to the slowly dieing fire where his brother was sitting. Elladan just smirked and turned back to his breakfast, a piece of dry lambas bread.
"Elladan what have you heard," Estel sighed in frustration. "Tell me!" he walked towards the fire and slumped down to rest on his knees next to his brother, staring into the now barely smoldering ashes of the fire, it was hardly giving off any heat but Estel still edged closer.
The dark elf continued to ignore him and smiled his eyes gleaming in contained amusement.
"Elladan." He growled, ignoring the bread that his brother offered him.
"Estel eat you have barely eaten over the past few days."
"Are you surprised?" He answered turning to glare at the elf and then at the bread trying to prove his point.
"It is not that bad," He held out the food to Estel once again. "Besides I do not want to be the one who has to explain to Legolas why you collapsed on the battle field."
No response.
Elladan sighed; although he would never admit it he was beginning to worry for his young foster brother's health and sanity. He and Elrohir had watched from a distance as Estel rarely ate and barely slept.
"If you eat it may be I can be swayed to tell you the news I have been given from home."
Sighing Estel snatched the small piece of elven bread out of Elladan's out stretched hand, bringing it to his mouth and nibbling on it whilst grumbling under his breath something about tasteless and boring elven food.
After making sure that Estel was actually swallowing the bread Elladan began to tell him of the messages of love and support sent from their father and sister.
Estel only half listened and poked at the remains of the fire with a long stick as Elladan spoke for what seemed like forever about the messages from the young elven maidens sent specifically for the twins and young warriors.
Quiet foot falls coming to a rest directly behind him made the young human look up.
The second of the twins, Elrohir stood silently over him the deep scratch across one side of his face that he gained in yesterdays fighting had all but healed, as was the usual way of elves. Staring at the slightly younger of his elven brothers he was surprised to note that Elrohir's gaze was not on him instead he watched as the dark twin glared at Elladan.
"You should not antagonize him so Elladan!" Elrohir remarked sternly, before sinking to the earth beside his foster brother. "Give him what was sent and let us see him smile for the first time since we have been sent into this wretched battle."
Estel's attention was caught by that comment.
"Give me what?" He asked glancing back and forth at each of his brothers.
Sighing Elladan reached into his filthy outer tunic and pulled out a crumpled piece of parchment, Estel's name clearly written on the outside in large sweeping letters.
"You are no fun." Elladan grumbled good naturedly to his twin, but smiled as Estel turned the letter over a few times in his hands studying it closely. "I does help if you break the wax seal on the back and take the letter out." He grinned and received matching scowls from the two beside him.
Smiling he put up his hands in mock surrender.
Estel turned back to the parchment in his hands and finally tore the wax stamp and unfolded the letter.
The effect was immediate, a smile forming instantly on his face he did not even have to look at the signature at the bottom of the page to know that it was from his fair prince, his writing was very distinctive with its soft and neatly flowing letters and words. He did not look up as his brothers spoke around him. It was not often that letters and messages reached them, it was regarded as to dangerous to send out a messenger into the centre of a battle just for news from families left behind.
"There is the smile that we have missed." Elrohir grinned. "How could you be so cruel as to deprive him of this letter?" He glared slightly at his twin over the top of Estel's head, which was bent forward inspecting the parchment, taking in each word.
Elladan just shrugged his face displaying his amusement and then he motioned for Elrohir to follow him as he stood and moved a few paces away from where Estel was sitting although the young man was so engrossed in the letter that he would not have heard their conversation anyway.
"It has been far more difficult for him than for us has it not?" Elladan sighed looking back at their foster brother, who had not moved.
"Have you only just realized?" Elrohir said incredulously.
"Nay, but I did not believe that he was taking the separation as hard as he is, they had only known each other for a few weeks." He said trying to convince his twin of his reasons. "It is hard to believe that they can feel so strongly for each other over such a short time."
What ever Elrohir's reply was going to be Elladan never found out as they were suddenly interrupted by stomping of horse's hooves against the dry earth.
They turned together to greet the rider.
It was Leith, the young rider Legolas had befriended on their last patrol, he looked exhausted and his clothes were torn, blood seeping slowly through the gaps in the tunic and leggings.
"Leith!" Elladan raced closer to catch the young elf as he sipped from his horse, Elladan catching him just before he hit the ground.
Elladan had grown quite fond of the young warrior over the last few months his enthusiasm and optimistic views had become infectious through the elven camps and Elladan had found himself often seeking out the young one in order to forget the evil around them.
"What happened?" Elrohir asked reaching their side moments later; even Estel looked up from his letter to watch what was going on.
"My Lord Elladan," Leith choked his voice raspy with fatigue and pain. "I am sorry, we tried but could not hold them any longer."
"They broke through!" Elrohir gasped, while helping Elladan remove the young warrior's tunic to inspect the wounds.
"Yes, I am sorry," He repeated his eyes falling shut.
"No, stay awake Leith!" Elladan shook him forcefully trying anything to get those eyes to reopen.
Leith struggled to hang on to consciousness.
"They are headed towards Rivendell." He gasped, struggling to speak and breathe at the same time.
"I am so sorry." He trailed off.
Estel had now reached their side, a bag of healing herbs in one hand and a full water skin in the other. He glanced at his brothers for the meaning of what was being said. If the orc's had broken through their lines then Rivendell was at risk.
Legolas was at risk!
"No, Leith." He heard Elladan whisper sternly into the young elf's delicately pointed ear. "There is nothing to be sorry for, do you understand!"
No answer.
No sign that Leith had heard him.
"Leith, do you hear me!"
"Elladan calm yourself take Estel and gather what is left of our troops and chase after those orc's!" Elrohir all but shouted they did not have time for one of Elladan's guilt trips.
Nodding Elladan released Leith from his arms into the care of his twin and let himself be pulled away by Estel back towards the group of supposedly resting warriors that had gathered a short distance away to find out what was happening.
"Prepare your selves." Estel called to them. "We ride now and we ride hard the safety of Rivendell and our loved ones depends on us now!"
~*~ TBC.
Seelenspiel look a longer chapter :) and I promise that the next one will be even longer thank you for reviewing.
Chapter Twenty-Three (Set about four months after the last chapter)
The long days of battling orc's with little sleep had dragged into weeks. They had managed to gain a bit of ground over the past few days, and slowly they forced the orc's and Uruk-hai's back further away from Rivendell, but it was growing more and more difficult due to the sheer numbers of their foes.
They had lost many of their warriors to these dark creatures but still refused to give in and retreat back towards home and the safety of Rivendell's walls, they had their orders and would stick to them no matter how difficult life became for them.
"Stop sulking." Elladan called out to the man as he watched Estel crawl from his tent.
It was late morning, the sun already high in the sky, or so Estel had been told, he himself lacking the energy needed to climb into the tree tops to judge the time of day. They were all covered from head to toe in dirt and orc blood and although none complained for many of the young elves scattered around the camp they had never felt so uncomfortable.
"Why?" Estel mumbled back strapping his belt with scabbard across his waist. He had, had little sleep and the dark circles under his eyes were beginning to grow darker looking as though he had been hit across the face several times, much to the amusement of his brothers.
"Because we will be needed in battle soon and your energies would be better wasted there but also because I have word of the outside world." Elladan grinned as Estel's face lit up.
Communication between them and Rivendell had decreased over the past few weeks, they believed that it had something to do with the ground that they were gaining, but for what ever reason it left many of them feeling cut off from what would be normal life.
"What have you heard?" Estel asked moving closer to the slowly dieing fire where his brother was sitting. Elladan just smirked and turned back to his breakfast, a piece of dry lambas bread.
"Elladan what have you heard," Estel sighed in frustration. "Tell me!" he walked towards the fire and slumped down to rest on his knees next to his brother, staring into the now barely smoldering ashes of the fire, it was hardly giving off any heat but Estel still edged closer.
The dark elf continued to ignore him and smiled his eyes gleaming in contained amusement.
"Elladan." He growled, ignoring the bread that his brother offered him.
"Estel eat you have barely eaten over the past few days."
"Are you surprised?" He answered turning to glare at the elf and then at the bread trying to prove his point.
"It is not that bad," He held out the food to Estel once again. "Besides I do not want to be the one who has to explain to Legolas why you collapsed on the battle field."
No response.
Elladan sighed; although he would never admit it he was beginning to worry for his young foster brother's health and sanity. He and Elrohir had watched from a distance as Estel rarely ate and barely slept.
"If you eat it may be I can be swayed to tell you the news I have been given from home."
Sighing Estel snatched the small piece of elven bread out of Elladan's out stretched hand, bringing it to his mouth and nibbling on it whilst grumbling under his breath something about tasteless and boring elven food.
After making sure that Estel was actually swallowing the bread Elladan began to tell him of the messages of love and support sent from their father and sister.
Estel only half listened and poked at the remains of the fire with a long stick as Elladan spoke for what seemed like forever about the messages from the young elven maidens sent specifically for the twins and young warriors.
Quiet foot falls coming to a rest directly behind him made the young human look up.
The second of the twins, Elrohir stood silently over him the deep scratch across one side of his face that he gained in yesterdays fighting had all but healed, as was the usual way of elves. Staring at the slightly younger of his elven brothers he was surprised to note that Elrohir's gaze was not on him instead he watched as the dark twin glared at Elladan.
"You should not antagonize him so Elladan!" Elrohir remarked sternly, before sinking to the earth beside his foster brother. "Give him what was sent and let us see him smile for the first time since we have been sent into this wretched battle."
Estel's attention was caught by that comment.
"Give me what?" He asked glancing back and forth at each of his brothers.
Sighing Elladan reached into his filthy outer tunic and pulled out a crumpled piece of parchment, Estel's name clearly written on the outside in large sweeping letters.
"You are no fun." Elladan grumbled good naturedly to his twin, but smiled as Estel turned the letter over a few times in his hands studying it closely. "I does help if you break the wax seal on the back and take the letter out." He grinned and received matching scowls from the two beside him.
Smiling he put up his hands in mock surrender.
Estel turned back to the parchment in his hands and finally tore the wax stamp and unfolded the letter.
The effect was immediate, a smile forming instantly on his face he did not even have to look at the signature at the bottom of the page to know that it was from his fair prince, his writing was very distinctive with its soft and neatly flowing letters and words. He did not look up as his brothers spoke around him. It was not often that letters and messages reached them, it was regarded as to dangerous to send out a messenger into the centre of a battle just for news from families left behind.
"There is the smile that we have missed." Elrohir grinned. "How could you be so cruel as to deprive him of this letter?" He glared slightly at his twin over the top of Estel's head, which was bent forward inspecting the parchment, taking in each word.
Elladan just shrugged his face displaying his amusement and then he motioned for Elrohir to follow him as he stood and moved a few paces away from where Estel was sitting although the young man was so engrossed in the letter that he would not have heard their conversation anyway.
"It has been far more difficult for him than for us has it not?" Elladan sighed looking back at their foster brother, who had not moved.
"Have you only just realized?" Elrohir said incredulously.
"Nay, but I did not believe that he was taking the separation as hard as he is, they had only known each other for a few weeks." He said trying to convince his twin of his reasons. "It is hard to believe that they can feel so strongly for each other over such a short time."
What ever Elrohir's reply was going to be Elladan never found out as they were suddenly interrupted by stomping of horse's hooves against the dry earth.
They turned together to greet the rider.
It was Leith, the young rider Legolas had befriended on their last patrol, he looked exhausted and his clothes were torn, blood seeping slowly through the gaps in the tunic and leggings.
"Leith!" Elladan raced closer to catch the young elf as he sipped from his horse, Elladan catching him just before he hit the ground.
Elladan had grown quite fond of the young warrior over the last few months his enthusiasm and optimistic views had become infectious through the elven camps and Elladan had found himself often seeking out the young one in order to forget the evil around them.
"What happened?" Elrohir asked reaching their side moments later; even Estel looked up from his letter to watch what was going on.
"My Lord Elladan," Leith choked his voice raspy with fatigue and pain. "I am sorry, we tried but could not hold them any longer."
"They broke through!" Elrohir gasped, while helping Elladan remove the young warrior's tunic to inspect the wounds.
"Yes, I am sorry," He repeated his eyes falling shut.
"No, stay awake Leith!" Elladan shook him forcefully trying anything to get those eyes to reopen.
Leith struggled to hang on to consciousness.
"They are headed towards Rivendell." He gasped, struggling to speak and breathe at the same time.
"I am so sorry." He trailed off.
Estel had now reached their side, a bag of healing herbs in one hand and a full water skin in the other. He glanced at his brothers for the meaning of what was being said. If the orc's had broken through their lines then Rivendell was at risk.
Legolas was at risk!
"No, Leith." He heard Elladan whisper sternly into the young elf's delicately pointed ear. "There is nothing to be sorry for, do you understand!"
No answer.
No sign that Leith had heard him.
"Leith, do you hear me!"
"Elladan calm yourself take Estel and gather what is left of our troops and chase after those orc's!" Elrohir all but shouted they did not have time for one of Elladan's guilt trips.
Nodding Elladan released Leith from his arms into the care of his twin and let himself be pulled away by Estel back towards the group of supposedly resting warriors that had gathered a short distance away to find out what was happening.
"Prepare your selves." Estel called to them. "We ride now and we ride hard the safety of Rivendell and our loved ones depends on us now!"
~*~ TBC.
