chapter 18

"Elladan?" Elrohir called entering the dark room. "Elladan, are you in there?"

"Where else would I go? Not that I can walk there anyway." came the bitter reply.

"Dan..." he started moving toward the bed.

"No Ro, I'm fine, I do not want or need your company. Go outside, go for a nice walk in the gardens or something, like you love to do so often. Just leave me alone."

"Dan..." he trailed off tears in his eyes, he had never heard his brother speak with such resentment in his voice.

"Just get out of here." The elder yelled throwing things at the younger twin as if to make his point. "Leave me be."

Elrohir dodged everything thrown at him, books, and pillows, anything his brother could get his hands on. He was hesitant to leave him in this state but knew nothing good would come out of him being there and so left.

Elladan started sobbing after his twin had left; the pain in his legs when he moved them was unbearable. He bit hard on his lip until it started bleeding to stifle a cry of pain as he tried to get up, wanting to prove to people that he could walk. As soon as he let go of the table he fell to the floor, feeling more frustrated than ever. It hurt so much, being unable to move his legs, let alone put weight on them... he tried crawling to a side so he could stand but gave up as the pain became too much and he curled in on himself sobbing, despairing of ever being able to use his legs again.

"Elrohir?" Elrond found his son curled up in a corner of the library, seemingly reading, but he could tell the younger was upset. "What is the matter my son?"

"It's Elladan...I fear for him Ada...I went to him not long ago and he...he told me to get out, he wanted to be left alone, he has been nothing but alone lately...I fear it does him no good."

"It is hard for him to accept that he can no longer do half the things he loved to...he feels detached from everyone and everything he knows, being stuck in his room, unless someone can carry him out..." he trailed off.

"You speak from experience?" the elder nodded.

"Let's just say that Elros and I learned never to climb a high tree again." He chuckled.

"What happened?"

"We were very young, still in Arvernien at the time, I climbed a tree and Elros scared me, I fell out of it, I pulled Elros down with me, but I broke both of my legs and Elros...it was not that high, but high enough to do damage..." he railed off with a wry smile, "Our mother was not very pleased with the stunt and all the lectures we received..." he trailed off as painful memories of his past came to him. "Go to your brother Elrohir, it is hard for him to be alone after so much has happened. I'm sure he'll welcome your company, if he shows it or not."

Elrohir smiled before returning to his twin's room.

"Elladan?" he knocked lightly o the door and heard...was that sobbing? Worried he entered the room. It was still dark, the table had fallen over, everything that had been thrown at him still lay on the floor; it was also where he saw his twin curled in on himself. "Elladan?" he knelt by the slightly shaking form. "What happened brother?"

"Hurts," the elder whispered shakily, "I tried to move...hurts so much..."

"Do you want me to get Ada?"

"No...I tried to get back to the bed...can't move...hurts so much..."

"Oh Elladan," Elrohir shook his head, "Come on, I'll help you up." he carefully picked his brother up and placed him on the bed, "I'll help you walk again, gweston...but it will take time and patience...something you are not naturally gifted with." He joked and felt a hand cuff the side of his head.

"Just because I have lost the use of my legs does not mean I can't hurt you with my hands." He returned lightly.

"I'll be back in a moment...don't even think of trying to move again."

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere." He returned.

A few minutes later Elrohir returned with a mug of something. Elladan sniffed the contents warily and glared at his twin.

"Ii will help the pain..." Elladan wasn't convinced, "It tastes better than it looks...I think..."

"And I do not believe you why?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

"Just drink it will you." he rolled his eyes.

Warily Elladan slowly took a sip...it tasted awful, but at his brothers glare he finished it off.

Elrohir smiled curling next to his twin, "It will be alright brother...I'll help you get through this, I promise." Not long later the two fell to sleep together.