Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, places, ideas or anything else from Lord of the Rings. I do however lay claim on Elrond's twin daughters as Tolkien never wrote about any twin elven girls anywhere in his books. Everything else though, as much as I wish it, is not mine and belongs to the Estate of J.R.R. Tolkien (a wonderful, wonderful man). Except for a 2-year-old toddler by the name of Estel (forever called tithen min by his siblings) who needs looking after.
~~~~OOOOO~~~~
The minutes ticked by and his worry turned into panic. As the sun vanished behind the tree tops, casting the forest around him into shadows, he caught a movement on the other side of the open land, at the edge of the next forest.
He sat up in instant alertness and peered through the dim light. Yes, there they were at last. Elladan sighed in relief, his panic giving way to annoyance. He would not let them off lightly for this.
Had he been anyone other than Elrond's son, the prospect of a thorough lecture would probably have been enough to satisfy him, but he wasn't. They had caused him worry and panic and if he had been mortal, most likely a few grey hairs as well. Elladan allowed himself to indulge in new and interesting ways of sister-torture and revenge. He was certain they wouldn't be so quick to wander off on their own again once he was through with them.
When the twins finally made the tree line he dropped from his perch in the tree so unexpectantly that Rómë shrieked in surprise and jumped backwards. Elladan fought the loosing battle of whipping the smirk off of his face and glared disapprovingly at his younger sisters.
Twin looks of innocence stared back at him.
"I am not falling for that again," he warned. "You know not to wander off on your own, much less this far from camp. I have told you a thousand times, but it seems as if that has not been enough. I expect both of you to behave the rest of this trip, and if I catch either of you sneaking off again we will be returning home immediately. I do not take well to you placing yourselves in danger simply to spite those in charge of your safety. You asked to accompany Elrohir and I on this trip because you promised you were old enough to listen to us and to behave yourselves. Nothing you have just done shows me that you are old enough for this trip." He paused to take another breath, but the twins did not let him continue.
"We're sorry Elladan; we honestly did not mean to wander off so far. It will not happen again," Rómë said, looking properly chastised. Elladan pretended to ignore the angry glare that her sister shot her and turned back towards the camp.
"It is already sunset and camp it still a good twenty minutes away. Let us get on our way; I have no doubt Elrohir is already worried enough as it is."
Arómenë bowed her head in apology and followed after her brother silently, dragging her sister along with her.
They had not gone more than a few feet when suddenly Elladan disappeared in front of them with a cry that followed a second later by a scream of pain.
"Elladan!" Dúnë cried and rushed forward, barely catching her balance on the edge of the pit that had seemingly appeared in the forest floor. "Elladan, are you alright?" she called down.
"Yes," came a strangled cry. "Besides that, I think my leg is broken. This pit is rather deep."
Dúnë bit her lip and stared wide-eyed at her sister. "Can you climb out on your own?" she asked. She could barely make out her brother at the bottom, trying to pull himself up to stand on his good leg.
He seemed to consider it for a moment before deciding in the negative. "No," he shook his head, "one of you will have to return to camp and fetch Elrohir and some rope. The sides are much too steep for me to climb with a broken leg."
He could hear them conversing quietly to each other for a moment. "I will go," Dúnë called down to him and disappeared out of his sight.
"Would you like me to come down there?" his youngest sister offered, clearly not wanting to do anything of the sort.
"No, I need you to stay up there so that Elrohir may see you. Watch for a torch through the trees; he will bring light." And with that he gave up on his standing attempt and collapsed cautiously back to the dirt floor. "Who in Ilúvatar's name dug a pit out in the middle of nowhere?" he whispered to himself.
The minutes passed exceedingly slowly for Rómë, who thinking of her brother down in a cold, dark pit, in pain was growing increasingly anxious. They could not have been that far from camp, could they?
The rapid appearance of a yellow light in the distance caught her eye and she breathed a sigh of relief. "I see Elrohir, toro; they will be here shortly." Elladan simply nodded; or at least she thought he did: it was hard to tell in the gloom of dusk.
"Over here 'Ro!" she called as the figures discerned themselves amongst the trees.
"Dan, how you get yourself into these messes I will never know…" the younger twin started as he gazed down at his trapped brother. Did you think you can pull yourself up if I throw the rope down?"
"Yes, but hurry up: I do not enjoy being stuck in dark holes."
Elrohir smiled and flung one end of the rope down into the pit. A moment later the rope strained under Elladan's weight as he pulled himself up and over the edge of the cavity. Elrohir assisted him the rest of the way, being as careful as he could of his brother's right leg.
A visual examination proved to be enough for Elrohir to determine the leg was indeed broken, and that Elladan would be far more comfortable if they took him back to camp and shoved a good many pain-killing herbs down his throat before his leg was set. Elrohir grimaced as he let himself imagine their father's face when they returned home. Which would be in about three days if they set off tomorrow morning. Elrohir sighed at the thought of having to cut the hunting trip short, and that this time it had not been the girls that had been injured.
"Come brother," Elrohir said, and carefully lifted their father's eldest in his arms, "back to camp with you."
Elladan gritted his teeth through the sudden pain caused by being lifted. Why did something like this always have to happen?
~~~~OOOOO~~~~
Elrond shook his head and bit back the obvious question that threatened to escape his lips. There was little point in asking anymore, and in the end it did not really matter how the injuries had been sustained, only that they had.
"I am glad to see you home, my children. Go and rest, I will see to your brother." The girls must have been more exhausted then he had thought for they left for their rooms without a seconds protest. Elrohir, however, looked about ready to object, but quickly decided against it when he caught the stern glare from his father.
Elladan waited until his three younger siblings had left hearing range before he spoke in a soft whisper to his father who carried him towards his rooms. "Do not be angry Adar; this was my fault alone. It was dark and I was not paying proper attention to where I was walking. But then, it was an awfully silly place to dig a hole if you ask me."
Elrond fought the smirk that rose to his face. "I have no doubt your injuries are completely the fault of the hole and not your own, ion nin. You will have to tell me what has happened in the exceedingly short time you have been gone. I must admit, this is a first: I have never had you return from a trip early before. We shall have to remember this day in future."
No doubt, Elladan thought, so you can bring it up at the most inopportune moment and embarrass me yet again. He sighed and resigned himself to the fact. Perhaps he would pass on the next few hunting expeditions for a while. A nice long rest at home was just what he needed.