Chapter 12
Escape, Mandos and Bodies
Pain, sharp pain, all over, in places pain had never existed or he never thought did exist. He breathed in softly, careful not to awake them. He flexed his right wrist with a grimace, trying not to scream in pain. Broke it again. It was ever a nuisance to him. He looked around, trying to get his bearings, but they had so wisely put out the fire. His hand touched something cold. He smiled. So where was that exit again?
~*~
Elrond paced in front of the tent window, watching his sons sleep on pallets nearby. A sudden protectiveness had clenched his heart as if he was going to lose them also. Elrond looked away.
* I have failed. I have lost the only heir to the throne of Gondor.
Elrond ran a hand through his quickly becoming ragged ebony hair again. Failure, just the thought left a bad taste in his mouth. He had failed Ereinion when he could not protect him. He had failed all of Middle-Earth when Isildur took the ring; and now, he had lost the men's savior. Elrond looked out at the river.
" Well, if that just is not a way to end this day."
~*~
He could feel the air from somewhere. Aragorn walked along the cave wall silently, careful to make sure his steps were light though it pained him. They were all asleep, thinking him dead. They knew he was Edain and had not expected him to live. When they checked in a few hours, they would find a dead body, his guard's. Never leave your weapons unguarded, Aragorn thought smugly.
Aragorn stumbled on the rocky terrain, wincing when pain ran up his knees and a clatter of rocks echoed in the cave. He froze, listening for any sounds. He sighed in relief, continuing, trying to stretch his aching back. His shoulders were almost bare of skin from the throngs of leather they had in their grasp. A glimmer of moonlight shone. The hole was above him. Aragorn swore softly. He took a breath, and then rotated his arms up, taking hold of the edge to lift himself up. Pain surged, intense pain that made him drop to his knees, gasping for breath violently. Aragorn composed himself. Well, he was not climbing out of here. Onto the second plan…
~*~
Elrond bent beside his oldest, noting the festering wound with a grimace. He applied a bit more of a poultice upon it, watching his son moan in pain, but not awake. Elrond brushed the hair from his son's face. Elrohir made no sounds as he watched. His father had always worried about them. Maybe it was time to stop. Elrohir closed his eyes. The fire, the hatred that burnt in his blood would never be quenched until all orcs lay dead.
Elrond ran a hand over his son's face gently, remembering when he had been just a boy. Elrond traced the scar. It would always be there. Elrond grimaced. This son had always been the quiet and sensitive one. Now it would only be worse. Elves did not like imperfection. Elrond straightened. They would just have to keep their tongues in check if they did not wish to lose them or their place in Imladris.
~*~
Arwen found her father bent beside Elladan. Elrohir stopped her from entering.
" The arrow was poisoned. Some new devilry they have invented. You should not see."
Arwen pushed him aside, moving slowly. She breathed in. Elrond looked up quickly.
" Elrohir, remove you sister."
" No, Ada. Let me help."
Elladan's face was covered in a pallor, the life seeming to drain from him. Arwen could see the beads of sweat gathering upon his forehead. She quickly picked up a wet cloth, averting her eyes from the blood. Elrond was covered in it.
" The wound reopened when he tried to sit up. Somehow they have made a poison that does not act until hours, even days after administered. I have never seen this," Elrond muttered to Círdan by his side.
" You will find a way."
Elrond glanced up at his daughter with a hint of a smile, before turning back to his work.
Legolas joined Elrohir in the doorway. Elrohir looked away and then up again, tears pooling in his brown eyes.
" He won't live through the night."
~*~
Aragorn cursed silently, hearing the loud labored breathing of his body. Even the orcs could be quieter. He gripped the sword tighter, hearing footsteps and the garble. They were coming.
* Oh please, Lady Varda, if you hear me. Save me from this.
~*~
A hand lighted on Elrond's shoulder.
" Go get some rest. Even I can watch one that is wounded and report if it changes," a blurry Glorfindel was visible through Elrond's sleepy eyes.
" I am fine," Elrond waved a hand dismissively.
" You have been awake for the last 2 nights. Go get some rest before I go through all these herbs and find one that makes you sleep," Glorfindel threatened, then added in a milder tone, " If you do not, you will be no good to him when he awakes."
Elrond sighed with a nod. He turned at the doorway.
" Yes, I will tell you if anything changes."
Elrond closed his mouth and with a sheepish grin, turned towards a nearby pallet. Glorfindel leaned back in the chair, glancing at Elladan's still figure.
*Come now, my friend. You cannot part now. Too young and it will kill your father to lose another to the orcs. I do not believe I am strong enough to prevent him from leaving this time. Do not fail us all now.
~*~
" Where am I?"
His voice seemed to echo in the night. He did not know where this place was.
" You are neither here, nor there. Neither among the living nor dead."
He looked around for the speaker, but the blackness never faded.
" Who are you? Where are you? Why-"
A low, gravelly chuckle cut him off.
" You know who I am. You always have. As to where I am, I am in your dreams. I am as real as the Elf holding your hand as you sleep."
The tent materialized, but no one saw him. A hand lighted on his shoulder, but he could not see who it was.
" Come. Let us go inside."
He followed him in, to where his father tried unsuccessfully to sleep. Elrond's head kept turning to look at the body lying a few meters away.
" By the Valar, Elrond, go to sleep," Glorfindel said, not looking up from the arrow he was making.
" You expect me to sleep?"
Glorfindel looked up with a grin.
" Not really, but I will find that other son of yours and have him help me with a sleep serum."
" Then what good would I be?"
Glorfindel shrugged.
" None, just as I am."
The 2 visitors remained unnoticed, hearing and seeing all, but remaining unseen. Glorfindel's eyes suddenly flickered up, as if he felt something. His eyes stared right at them.
" Where are you? I can feel your gaze," Glorfindel whispered.
Elrond turned.
" Now who is mad? I believe you need the sleep more than I."
" He is here."
Elrond sighed. Might as well talk if he could not sleep.
" Who?"
" Mandos."
Elrond leapt to his feet, running to Elladan's side. Elrond backed from the body.
" The fëa has left it," Elrond turned, " Bring him back. You cannot have him."
He could feel the visitor's pity for his father. He tried to turn his head, but he could not.
" Your father weeps for you."
Elrond was clutching the limp body to his chest.
" Not my eldest. Not Celebrian's child. I have failed. Failed again and again, this time with my own son."
Elrond buried his face in the body, oblivious to Glorfindel's look of pity. Glorfindel began to pull the lord from it. Elrond tried to lash out, but the sleep deprevation gave Glorfindel the advantage.
" Let me be, can you not see he is dead?"
Círdan ran in, hearing Elrond's yell. Glorfindel sent the lord a serious look. Círdan began digging around in Elrond's bag, while Glorfindel struggled to hold the lord down. Elrohir and Arwen ran in, both wide-eyed at the state of their father.
" What is going on?"
" Help me," Glorfindel replied.
Elrohir lent a hand. Círdan pulled a poultice.
" Do not breathe," Círdan whispered softly.
The bearded lord waved the vile under Elrond's nose. At first the lord resisted, but then began to relax, until he was deep asleep.
Glorfindel stood, moving away before taking a breath.
" What is going on?" Arwen asked, her eyes still wide at the hysterical father she had just seen writhing upon the floor.
" The fëa has left," Glorfindel said wearily.
Arwen's arms fell around her brother's body as if her touch would prove them wrong.
" No, not Elladan. What has he done to deserve Mandos?"
The visitor touched his shoulder.
" Your family mourns."
" Is it not normal, my lord?"
" So you know who I am?"
" I believe so. You have come to take me to your place."
" No, I have come to bring you back. Twas not you who should have taken that arrow. You came from my place to here."
" You will let me return?"
That same chuckle came.
" Tis what I have said."
" Thank you."
The hand patted his shoulder, clenching it slightly, before pushing him slightly towards the body.
" Back to where you came."
~*~
Everyone's eyes were on Elrond as Elrohir and Círdan lowered the lord onto a pallet. Arwen had ran out crying, no doubt to find somewhere to mourn in peace. Glorfindel dropped his eyes to Elladan and just stared, glad everyone else was turned.
Those same steel gray eyes he remembered from what seemed so long ago, now met his as the black robed figure knelt beside the bed.
* Tell no one, save Êlenrana.
Glorfindel nodded. He watched in awe as Elladan drew in a shaky breath, 2 blue eyes flying open. Glorfindel took Elladan's hand.
" It seems Mandos threw you back."
Elladan's eyes widened. Glorfindel leaned forward.
" I saw him."
Elladan opened his mouth to speak but Glorfindel shushed him, turning towards Círdan.
" I believe you should be waking that lord."
Círdan turned quizzically. Elrohir began out the door.
" May I inquire why? The man's son has died. Let him have a moment."
Glorfindel shook his head with a smile.
" He will be wanting to see his son and I believe will be quite angry if he does not know."
Elrohir leapt towards his brother with a grin.
" You scared me to Mandos."
Elladan smiled weakly.
" I did not do it well enough if he threw you back also."
Elrohir could not stop smiling. He ran to the tent entrance.
" Arwen, Arwen come quick. He's awake."
In a flash, Arwen ran inside. She threw her arms around Elladan shaking as she sobbed uncontrollably. Elladan pulled her close, trying to comfort her. Arwen slapped his arm suddenly, pulling back to wipe away her tears.
" You fool. Next time you pick a poison to be administered, pick one Ada can treat."
Elladan hugged her.
" I will try to remember that, Evenstar."
A flurry of Elves rushed in.
" Where is lord Elrond?"
Glorfindel made a sweeping motion at the Elf lying on his stomach.
" He is indisposed of at the moment. Can you tell it to me?"
Ellolori stepped forward, a look of apparent distress on his face.
" We have found something. You may wish to ride out and see it with us."
~*~
Elrond came out of his sleep, fighting the haze that lingered. He put a hand to his aching ribs. It felt as if someone had tried to hold him down. Elrond put a hand to his head as last night's events came back to him. Tears threatened to pour over.
" Feeling better, Ada? You always say everything looks better after a long rest."
Elrond's head slowly swiveled around, just staring in disbelief. Elrond leapt up, pulling his eldest close.
" Do not ever scare me so."
Elladan smiled slightly, flushed a bit at being treated as a child. Glorfindel strode in, a grim look on his face.
" Elrond, I hate to interrupt this, but we need you to identify the body."