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Chapter 19 - Journey's End
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"Look, Rúmil's brothers have come."
Tucked up tight, high in the trees, Aerien and Loarel twisted around, gazing through the colorful foliage at the approaching elves.
Aerien's head quirked to the side at the sight of the brothers, and then turning to Mirrian, she asked, "Mirri, why are they so sad? Are they not happy that Rúmil lives?"
"Aye, they will be, but they do not yet know for certain. They believe him lost and gravely injured and carry within themselves the burden of not being able to prevent what happened to him, for not reaching him in time."
Loarel sighed softly and giving Mirrian a sideway glance, said, "They are also very pretty, just like Rúmil."
The girls giggled into their hands as Mirrian gave Loarel a playful shove, and shaking her head, said, "Aye, they are very pretty. Now, are you ready?"
Their small heads bobbed up and down enthusiastically, and their eyes were bright with excitement.
"Good, then let us begin and remember…," Mirrian said, pointing her finger to punctuate her next words, "…not too fast."
"Not too fast, we promise," they said in unison and smiling gaily, they began their descent down through the branches.
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Haldir and Orophin rose with Anor to continue northward on their search, coming across more signs of Rúmil's passing as they traveled; a length of bloody rope, small pieces of torn fabric, and dried blood smeared on a few blades of grass. However, once again, the trail grew difficult to follow.
Haldir was about to suggest backtracking when he caught a glint of light and a flash of movement amongst the trees out of the corner of his eye. Brushing Orophin's hand with his, he tilted his head in the direction of the wood.
Nodding slightly, Orophin moved toward his horse, casually glancing in the direction that Haldir had indicated, and there, within the trees, stood two small children looking boldly back at him. Voice soft, he whispered, "Haldir, I believe that we have company."
Haldir came to stand next to his brother, scrutinizing the small children standing like statues amongst the trees.
"Who do you think they are?"
"I have no idea," Haldir replied, still watching the children. "It seems odd that they would be so close to this place. There are no Edain settlements near, and one of them appears to be Elven."
The standoff lingering, the tiny blonde lifted her hand and waved her fingers in a small gesture of greeting. Smiling, Orophin lifted his hand, repeating the gesture, and then asked, "Well, shall we go introduce ourselves?"
"By all means, muindor, but you are much better with the young ones than I; you go first."
"One day, Haldir, you may have little ones of your own; what are you going to do then?" Orophin chided quietly, as he began to walk slowly toward the children.
"I would rather face a raging Balrog, but, if it does happen, I will just send them to their Uncle Orophin for a visit," and leaning in closer to his brother's side, he said, "…a very long visit."
At the brothers' approach, the children began to creep back, and as the elves came closer, they picked up the pace of their retreat, finally breaking into a run to disappear from view all together.
Stunned by their rapid withdraw, the guardians stood, unmoving, just inside the tree line, looking for any sign of the path they had taken. Orophin studied the trees for a few moments before turning back to Haldir.
"What did you do?" then narrowing his eyes, he asked, "Were you scowling at them?"
"I did naught! And, I do not *scowl*!" Throwing up his hands, Haldir asked, "Please explain to me why elflings seem to scatter like dandelion heads into the wind whenever I get within ten yards of them? I do not understand?"
"Perhaps they sense your fear."
"I beg your pardon? Fear?" Haldir crossed his arms across his chest, glaring at his brother. "I am a March Warden of the Golden Wood, a Captain of the Galadhrim, and protector to the Lord Celeborn and Galadriel, Lady of Light. I have battled the evil minions of the Dark Lord for millennia -- smelly orcs, snarling wargs, ill-mannered trolls, and the twin sons of Imladris. I. Fear. Nothing," Haldir finished haughtily.
"Uh huh."
"I do not *fear* them! I am simply…"
The sound of giggling reached their ears, drawing their attention. Looking into the shadows, they moved in the direction of the sound.
"They are trying to lead us; it could be a trap."
The carefree laughter was joined by a soft, indecipherable whispering, a quiet entreaty layered within, urging them deeper into the wood.
"Aye, they appear to know these woods well, but they may know where Rúmil is. Though the trees here are unusually quiet, I sense no menace in these woods or from them."
Orophin nodded in agreement, and, after just a moment's hesitation, they headed toward the laughter.
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"Rúmil, your brothers approach," and with a hand against his cheek, Danelhir woke the sleeping elf. "They have come for you."
"My brothers?" Rúmil attempted shakily to rise, but Danelhir stopped him, pushing him back down gently.
"Nay, they will come to you, mellon nín. Loarel and Aerien bring them as we speak. You must rest and gather your strength, for you have a long journey ahead."
Danelhir rose and began to move around the little talan, gathering the remnants Rúmil's clothing and the salves and herbs for his injuries, bundling them all together tightly.
He had just set the bundle aside when Eli raced into the talan to collapse at Rúmil's side. He rested against the blanket lying across the elf's chest, burying his head in the folds.
"Rúmil, stay with us. You would be happy here."
Danelhir made to approach but stopped when Rúmil raised a hand to rest on Eli's head, his long fingers playing lightly in Eli's auburn curls.
"Do not worry, Eli. You will like my brothers and you and the others can come with us to Caras Galadhon. I will care for you as you did for me. You will meet the Lord and Lady, and I will show you the beauty of the Wood."
Danelhir dropped down beside Eli, and lifting him away from Rúmil, cradled him in his arms.
"Eli, Rúmil must go. He needs his family if he is to heal."
Eli shifted and grasped Danelhir tightly around the waist, sniffling, and quietly said, "We can be his family."
Clasping his brother tightly with one arm, Danelhir leaned forward and laid his hand on Rúmil's forehead.
"You must rest now, Rúmil, for just a little while, but you will not be alone; you will be safe."
"Nay, I want…," his voice fading, Rúmil's eyes reluctantly slid shut.
Danelhir pulled the blanket back over Rúmil's chest, his hand resting briefly upon his heart.
"Speak to your brothers of your fears, mellon nín, they will help you."
Then turning his attention back to Eli, he said, "We must go. His brothers draw near."
The little adan looked back to Rúmil. Releasing his grasp on his brother, Eli crawled over to the sleeping elf and scooped up his hand, clasping it tightly to his chest, and in an anguished voice, said, "But they are going to hurt him, Dani."
"It cannot be helped, Eli. They have to carry Rúmil to get him home. They will be gentle, for they love him dearly. Rúmil is strong, and he will sleep until they reach the Wood." Then, moving to sit beside his brother, Danelhir said, "Eli, he will fade if he stays here with us."
"Will they know how to take care of him?"
"They have very good healers there, Elven healers." Danelhir cocked his head to the side, listening intently to the brothers' approach. "Eli, come away, saes."
"We could go with him, take care of him, just until he is better. No one need know. Please, Dani."
Danelhir cupped Eli's tiny face in his hands, brushing away the tears dripping down the small cheeks in little rivulets with his thumbs, and pressing his forehead to that of his brother, he said, "His world is not for us, penneth. We were made for other things."
Danelhir felt his own eyes sting with tears as his brother nodded weakly and then gently tucked the hand he had been holding so tightly back under the blanket. Sensing the approaching elves coming up through the branches of the tree, Danelhir held Eli's hands in his and stood, pulling the little boy up with him.
"Come, we will see him again, I promise, but we must go, now. They are almost upon us."
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The sound of soft voices in the branches above guided the warriors, and quickening their pace through the tree, they stepped lightly into the small, dilapidated talan. Haldir gasped loudly as his eyes focused on the blanketed form lying on the floor.
"Rúmil!"
Haldir and Orophin ran over to their brother, dropping to their knees on either side of the pallet in which he lay. His eyes were closed, but his breathing was deep and steady.
"Muindor?"
Haldir brushed a hand across his brother's forehead, finding him slightly warm to the touch. Lifting the blanket, the guardians' faces darkened as they took in the mottled bruises, cuts, and scrapes of varying size and color that covered his body.
Haldir carefully checked the bandages wrapped tightly around Rúmil's abdomen and thigh, easily identifying the wounds caused by his fall into the pit. Moving upward, he lifted the loose bandage covering the wound on his shoulder.
Orophin growled angrily, his fingers lightly brushing across the raw bruises on Rúmil's wrists. A quick intake of breath caused him to look up and follow Haldir's troubled gaze, and he squeezed his eyes shut tightly against the sight of the vile wound on Rúmil's shoulder. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Haldir, roll him toward me."
With Orophin supporting his head, Haldir rolled his brother carefully onto his side, his eyes growing black with rage as they drifted over the small, finger-shaped bruises and bite marks covering Rúmil's hips, buttocks, and thighs. Haldir met his brother's questioning gaze sorrowfully.
Moving Rúmil onto his back once again, Haldir brought the heels of his hands up to his eyes, rubbing vigorously, as if trying to eradicate the images that were forever burned into his mind.
Numbly, Orophin watched his little brother sleep; he looked so peaceful, so untroubled. His fingers drifted over the bruises that marred the pale skin of his face, and then leaning over, he placed a soft kiss on Rúmil's brow.
"I am so sorry, muindor; you should not have suffered this."
Shaking his head, Orophin pushed away his feelings of guilt and anger; they would not help Rúmil now. He gently fingered one of the tiny braids in Rúmil's hair, and looking back to Haldir, he asked, "Who do you think has been caring for him? You do not suppose the children did so for him?"
"I do not know what to think," said Haldir wearily. Opening his eyes, he picked up the neat bundle lying nearby, retrieving Rúmil's clothing, but upon seeing their torn and tattered state, he tossed them away angrily. He then picked up one of the jars of salve, sniffing its contents.
"Perhaps we should wait for their return?"
Haldir shook his head, and said, "He may be fading. We need to get him home," and removing his cloak, he added it to the blanket covering Rúmil. Orophin also removed his cloak, and laying it on the floor next to the pallet, helped Haldir shift Rúmil onto it, wrapping him up securely.
"What about the children?"
"We cannot worry about that now. Their elders must be about somewhere. We need to get him to the healers."
Haldir handed the unguents and herbs that were left with Rúmil's clothing to Orophin, and said, "We will need these."
Haldir lifted his brother gently, resisting the urge to press him close, and spoke softly into his ear when Rúmil moaned in pain at the movement.
"Peace, Rúmil. 'Tis I, Haldir, and Orophin is with me. We are taking you home."
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~* To Be Continued *~
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