Ha! I bet this is a shock to the system! Another update so soon! I told ya i'd get the last chapter up before i went back to college cause wen i go back, hardly any writing will get done! I know that! The last chapter....oh, how sad! I've got a great, cool new idea for another LOTR story as well as "A Soldier's Duty" which i've been 'working' on for AGES (its a friends story that i said i'd convert to Lotr cause he likes Lotr as well.) But next time, i think i'll write up the WHOLE story before uploading it. Ok, reviewer replies.
Singingswede: I can't believe i got ur name mixed up! [slaps forehead] Duh! Heres the last update [sob!] Thanks for all ya reviews!
crazyrabidfangurl01: How come they won't let you do another story? I'm actually pretty scared of doing something wrong and they delete my account. I would lose SO MUCH.
tmelange: [singsong voice] tmelange-grange.....it rhymes! Sorry, i'm on a high finally finishing this story! thanks for all ya reviews!
Catmint: Emanating! Right! The spellcheck was showing it up as wrong but had no alternatives listed so i got stuck. And the grammar thing again! Either you or someone else picked that up in one of my stories before. My dad always tells me off for it, but i always keep using it. Haha, i wonder if eminating meant something else completely [its going to and thats going to embarras the hell out of me isn't it?]
Kym: But i wanna me effluent (affluent) mum.
Kath: But you ARE effluent Kym.
Thanks for all the reviews! Enjoy the last part of the story.
Crystal Gold: Thanks for the translation! That's solved a family mystery. The word 'mundum' confused me, i couldn't find it anywhere. Thanks again!
frodofreak88: Yeah, they're already dead, but if you were desperate, you could probably raise them from the dead and then kill them again! Last chapter up!
HarryEstel: Hope you enjoyed the story!
leggylover03: I'm afriad you cant have anymore! Thanks for all the reviews!
Elvett: Nah, i'm not that great. You should read Cassia's fics, thats where i got my inspiration from! Thanks for the help with the latin! Enjoy the last part of the story!
Lya Wills: Enjoy the rest of the story! I took your advice and you'll definately recognise one of the lines in this chapter!
And here we go, one last time!
Legolas' mind floated above his body as he lay unconscious still in the healing room. It seemed like he was almost floating in the air just below the ceiling, yet he knew it logically impossible. There was absolutely no way that he could be watching the frantic elves working away on their youngest brother, while he himself lay still on the ground where he had slid down to after passing out.
No way at all….right? Of course not. His ears must just be hearing all the commotion and passing on the information to his brain which then supplied the pictures.
But when it all comes down to it, what did it matter?
So Legolas listened and watched.
"Ada! He's still losing a lot of blood and his pulse is slowing down."
"I know Elrohir! We need to stabilise him….he's got a punctured lung as well and theres fluid within which I need to extract. You and your brother feed him some of your strength and grasp onto his lifeline and do not let go." Elrond looked up into their strained faces and they nodded, intended to have commenced with those actions if not told to anyway.
Elrond looked down and with some relief noticed the potion starting to work. "The antidote is working. Look! His bleeding slows and the blood has become thicker and does not smell as strangely. Elladan, work on his shoulder wound. Make sure that the blade did not break any of the bones on the way through, check especially for bits of the clavicle and scapula. I don't think that it touched his humerus but just check to be sure. You can now use the athelas, it should work now. Place some in hot water and then pour some of the athelas-liquid into the wound. Then stitch the wound close, the first stitching with the special material that dissolves after time, then the outer stitching with the normal material. Do you understand?"
Elladan nodded and started on his task, carefully yet clinically probing his little brother's wound. He grimaced and his face hardened at the thought of his little brother being pinned so harshly with his own sword. If the orc wasn't already dead, he would've ripped it limb from limb. Nobody got away with hurting his family. Nobody.
"Elrohir! I need you to work on the cut along his clavicles. From what I can tell from his body symptoms, I think that the cut has been poisoned by the orc blade. Prepare the antidote and prepare it. Also check the clavicles for fractures. Then try to bring down his fever and see if you can force some fluids into him. The worst thing that could happen now is he become dehydrated. We also need to remove these wet clothes or else he will become hyperthermic." Elrohir nodded and rushed off to prepare the lotion that would counteract the foul black poison and Elrond gestured for the servants to cut away the boys wet clothing and stoke up the fire and close the doors, thus creating more warmth in the room.
"And I shall deal with Estel's chest. It shall need a lot of work." Elrond muttered while his hands felt the boy's ribcage with experience, searching for the breaks in the bone. The bones had snapped at their most weakest place, on the angle and all of the breaks were simple. However the one of the bones had been forced into the boy's lung from the orc's pressure and had ruptured the delicate organ, allowing blood and fluid in and causing uneven breathing as the lung itself threatened to collapse.
To make matters even worse, from the short shallow breaths and by the tightness he could feel around the chest the child was suffering from pneumothorax. The puncture from the lung was allowing air to come in between the lung and the chest wall (pleural cavity) and the only way to solve it would be to insert a tube through the ribs and use a suction device to siphon out all the air. If he didn't do anything, the pressure from the collective air would cause tension pneumothorax and would push the centre of the chest towards the other lung, compressing it. Not something that the elf Lord wished to happen.
Grimly the elf lord picked up a scapula and muttered, "Hold him down, he is going to resist this fiercely." And then with a prayer to the Valar and a silent apology for causing more pain to his already hurting son Elrond swiftly slit open a whole in the boy's side. He then inserted a tube into the lung and then bent down and then sucked out all the blood and fluid from the lung, spitting it out into a bowl already filled with bloody water. He then swiftly sewed up the slit with the special stitching material that would dissolve in several months time. Gently yet firmly he pulled the rib back into position and bound it with a special material soaked in healing herbs that would dissolve in time and keep the bone in place while the natural healing took place.
Watching Estel close and monitoring his condition he put the tube back in and then snapped an order to a servant who then scurried around in a cupboard before bringing something over to the Lord. Elrond attached it to the end of the tube and slowly drew the end of the device towards him, sucking out all the loose air in the boy's pleural cavity. Elrond stopped and then with one hand holding the suction device he prepared a needle and stitching in the other and in a swift movement pulled out the tube and with lightning speed stitched up the wound, lessening the amount of contaminated air entering the pleural cavity.
Elrond wiped his hands down the front of his silken robe, not caring one bit that he was ruining it with his youngest son's blood. He then gingerly checked the boys pulse and his eyebrow rose sharply as he noticed that the heartbeat was erratic and weak.
"Elladan! I need you to prepare some sustaining potion and do it fast! The child is slipping I fear!" Elrond snapped at his eldest son and the elf rushed to obey him, dropping everything and running off to the fair end of the room to hurriedly throw leafs and seeds and herbs together and mash it together before adding some special liquid to mix it with.
Elladan brought the vial back over to his father and the lord nodded shortly before commanding: "Inject the whole lot into him. However, give him about two teaspoonfuls every three minutes until there is none left. The potion is like adrenalin and will keep his heart breathing, his lungs breathing and his mind working. After the potion is all gone, he should be able to support his own systems. Understand?"
The eldest son nodded while his younger twin frantically spoke out. "Ada! There is blood around his mouth….do you think he could have an injury within his stomach? Legolas did say that he had been throwing up pretty violently, could he have ripped the lining?"
Elrond shoved Elrohir out of the way and closely examined the blood around the mouth, noticing that it was more frothy although there were small dark bits that reminded him of coffee granules. With relief he shook his head explaining, "The froth shows that it came up from his lungs, that blood is from where the punctured lung was letting in bodily fluid and blood. If all of the blood was dark like coffee granules I would've been concerned as it is blood that has been in the stomach and his acid has started breaking it down. But as there is only a little bit of it, I think it is just blood that he has swallowed and then thrown up. Have you gotten some fluids into him yet?"
"Not yet Ada." Elrohir shook his head, his voice showing the relief that came with finding out that there was no stomach injury. That would have been devastating to Estel. "I thought I should find out if he had a ripped stomach lining first."
"Do it now."
"Yes Ada." Elrohir bent down to work and Elrond stepped back for a second, wondering what else they could do.
He would sling and splint Estel's arm so that the clavicle fracture would be supported. Then after that, there wasn't much else they could do but wait.
Within another half an hour, everything was done. Even the unconscious Legolas had been taken care of, the Nolder elves feeling guilty that they hadn't even noticed their Silvan brother fall unconscious.
So they did the only thing they could.
They waited.
Legolas was the first to awake. He came to with the sounds of murmuring elven voices nearby.
"Estel's fever broke a couple of hours ago and his body is getting stronger with every passing minute. The blood loss is something that I was very worried about but I think the danger has passed. Now all we need is him to wake up….." Elrond's eyebrow quirked upwards as he noticed the stirring of consciousness in the Silvan prince "……just like our Prince Legolas here."
The aforesaid archer winced as he heard his formal title being spoken by the Rivendell Lord. "Thankyou my Lord. I am sorry." The prince spoke softly, turning his head away from Elrond to stare at his pillow, unable to keep his silver tears which spilt from his eyes and slid quietly onto the soft fabric of the pillow.
"Legolas?" Elrond was instantly concerned and knelt down next to the prince, reaching up to brush away the wayward blond hair that fell over the archer's eyes. Elrond then gently forced the elf to look at him, "What are you sorry for?"
Legolas choked in guilt, "That I was not able to keep Estel from harm. That is what I am sorry for. You trusted me with your youngest son's life and I was not able to protect him, I brought him home so dreadfully injured. How could you ever forgive me?"
Elrond laughed lightly, his fingertips brushing away a tear, "Quite easily dear Legolas. It was not you that injured my son so. Even I have trouble protecting Estel from himself, it is his fault and his alone. He was rash, irresponsible and immature……as of course all young humans are. It is just part of his learning. Estel has always had a curious spirit and it has always gotten him in trouble, from the moment that he could stumble around the house."
"For example, when he was around five and he thought he was invincible and curious he somehow managed to get his chubby little hands on an elven blade and then proceeded to pretend he was Estel-the-Invincible who then inevitably cut himself. No, it wasn't a bad cut but it shocked him and curbed his curiosity for about….oh….five minutes. When I was stitching up his cut, between the tears the little devil started playing with the herbs and, not thinking, he placed one in his mouth and instantly knocked himself out." Elrond smiled as he reaccounted the story remembering how worried he'd been when Estel had gone limp in his arms.
Legolas chuckled from his place on the bed as he imagined what a terror Estel would've been like as a child. "What else did Estel do to cause various heart attacks?"
"Ah Legolas, there are many more stories that can be told at various times, stories that will be told later. But you see there is nothing to forgive, and all of us in this room gratefully thank you for bringing Estel back to us. You tried your utmost to heal him even though you are a warrior, not a healer. You ran yourself into the ground to get him home, neglecting yourself to get Estel here, falling unconscious afterwards such was the exhaustion. You saved his life Prince Legolas, and for that we humbly thank and forgive you for anything you hold yourself guilty about. However, I think the hardest thing will be for YOU to forgive yourself." Elrond placed the blond-haired elf's hand over his own heart before standing and turning back to his human son.
Elladan and Elrohir clustered into the space Elrond had left and Legolas smiled warmly up at the twins and let their friendly banter float over him.
"Father is right you know."
"You can't hold yourself responsible for Estel's actions, Legolas."
"That's Elladan's job!"
"Elrohir! I don't hold myself accountable for EVERYTHING!"
"You do too! Estel got hurt, oh, it's my fault!" Elrohir overacted, his voice turning all girly as he placed a hand to his head and pretended to faint.
"ELROHIR!"
"Orcs are in Rivendell, its my fault! Father got a migraine while reading his healing books, oh no! It's my fault!"
"Elrohir!"
"Legolas has gone insane and is wearing a dress while dancing around the fountain, whatever have I done? It's my fault!" Legolas blushed profusely as he remembered that he'd said he'd dance around in Arwen's clothing if Estel survived. That statement was going to be kept secret, very secret, around the twins.
"RIGHT! THAT'S IT! You are DEAD ELROHIR!"
Legolas stretched and then yawned lazily before getting out of bed, stepping around the tussling twins and heading off to the bathroom.
"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" Elladan stopped momentarily from messing up his brother's hair who was in a unfortunate headlock.
Elrohir took advantage of the lapse in his twin's concentration, slipping out of the headlock before flipping Elladan over onto his back and pinning him to the floor. "Yeah! Father said that you had to rest, in your bed!"
Legolas rolled his eyes while Elladan muttered about foul play before the twins continued in their wrestling. "I need to go to the toilet. Then I thought I might get some food. Is that fine by you two?"
For a minute all that could be heard was grunts as each brother tried to get on top of the other and Legolas turned away to continue on his journey but Elladan's muffled voice replied, "Don't forget to wash your hands between the two tasks!"
"Yes, you want to be hygienic! Oh no, Elladan! Your face is being shoved into the carpet by your twin, what did you do this time to make this happen?" A growl was the reply and Legolas hurried from the scene before all hell broke loose behind him.
Several days passed before Estel woke but when he did the child was instantly being hugged and rebuked at the same time.
"By the Valar Estel! Never do that to me again! We were so worried! We'd thought we might've lost you several times……I swear you are the one giving me my grey hairs!" Elrond admonished his youngest son while gently enveloping him in a warm embrace.
Estel smiled and leaned into the embrace. It felt so good to be home again, the nightmare of swirling colours and pain was gone. He smelled in Elrond's scent of healing herbs and for some reason, cinnamon and replied cheekily, "You sure the reason you have grey hair isn't because you're thousands of years old?"
"Estel!"
"Sorry, I couldn't resist!" The boy looked up into his father's face and with grim realisation saw his exhausted face, the lines and bags under the elven eyes and the unmistakable worry that had lived in the Lord's eyes while his youngest had lain still as death. Estel looked around the room and saw the same exhausation on everyone's faces. "I am sorry everyone." The child bowed his head before continuing, "I know that what I did was foolish and stupid."
"It nearly killed you Estel! How could you?" Elladan's voice floated over to the youngster and the boy flinched as the tone cut into him. "You're just a child, a human child! You know that!" Elladan let the relief of his little brother waking up get to him and wasn't watching what he said.
"Yes! I know that Elladan! I know that I'm a human!" Estel suddenly shouted out, his voice hoarse from disuse and breathy from his injured lung. "I know that I'm human! I get reminded everyday when it is thrown in my face from the other elflings. When I can't keep up with them, when they climb higher and easier then me when they don't get tired and don't get sick. I just……" Estel's words trailed off as he tried to hold back the tears.
The elves in the room watched in shock as the angry words spilled from their brother's mouth.
"I just wished…..I thought that if I stole Ada's pipe and smoked some pipeweed that you would…I don't know. I thought that you might've been proud of my stealth in stealing the pipe, and thought I was more mature. I-I thought that you would've been more proud of me, instead of thinking that I was just 'the human.'" Estel's words were bitter, his mind lost in thought of the times where the elflings had played the 'stay-away-from-the-human' game.
"Oh Estel." Elrohir's soft voice drew nearer as both twins came over to the bed and knelt down beside their crying brother.
"I'm sorry Estel. I let my anger get to me, I didn't mean what I said." Elladan was horrified at the harsh words he'd spoken and gently touched his brother's face.
"Estel." The boy winced as he heard his father's commanding yet gentle voice. "You are never 'the human' to us. You are my son, and their brother. You mean everything to us. Do not worry about the other elves, they know nothing and do not understand. You are family and we all love you deeply." The elf lord forced the boy's chin up to look into the child's eyes. "You never should feel like you have to prove yourself to us, because you don't. We love you for who and what you are." Elrond hugged the boy fiercely and Elladan and Elrohir joined in, adding their voices to the conversation.
"We don't call you our little brother for nothing." Elrohir spoke, tears in his voice.
"I'm sorry for speaking so harshly to you. I was just scared, so scared, of losing you. I don't know what I'd do if that happened." Elladan shook his head while hugging the child.
Elrohir smirked, "You'd blame yourself."
"Elrohir!"
Estel couldn't help but laugh and sniff back the tears at his family's actions. Legolas smiled from his place on the other side of the room. The Noldor family were such that if one of them fell, he doubted if the others would ever recover. The family was so close-knit and so deeply, emotionally entwined.
Legolas sighed softly. He wished he was as close to his father as Estel and the twins to theirs.
"Estel, I think you have someone you have to thank." The family stepped back as one and Elrond motioned for Legolas to come over.
The blonde archer padded silently over, looked the human child up and down appraisingly and smiled, saying: "It is good to see you well again Estel! You had a lot of us worried. I only got you home, you have your family to thank for your well-being." Legolas laughed suddenly and raised his hands as if warding off an attack, "By the Valar, that'd have to be one of the worst hunting trips I've ever been on! The only thing you came close to shooting was yourself, and not only that----"
"He nearly shot himself?"
"How did he manage to do that?"
"Elladan, don't be so naïve! It's Estel we're talking about here! With him, anything is possible."
"---but I also find out you've stolen your father's pipe---"
"I wonder how that happened Elrohir."
"I don't know, why are you asking me?"
"Isn't father's study always locked? Weren't you the last in there that day?"
"Er….listen to Legolas, instead of talking to me! You're being disrespectful!"
"----and you plan to smoke it with some random 'pipeweed' that you find in the forest---"
"Hehe, Estel got high!"
"How would you know Elladan?"
"Er…shutup, follow your own advice and listen to Legolas."
"---and then run straight into a clan of orcs which promptly beat you up." Legolas looked up, the fierce murmuring from the twins finally getting to him. "Do you have something you wish to say Elladan and Elrohir?"
Frantic shaking of the elven heads made the whole group smile and Estel turned to look at his father. "What was it that I smoked anyway? It looked a lot like pipeweed."
Elrond smiled his knowing smile and replied, "It is called jarim'uana, a hallucinogenic drug that admittedly, does look a lot like pipeweed to the untrained eye. It is pretty potent to most humans unless a tolerance is built up and can cause severe naseau, resulting in fierce vomiting and breathing problems as it seems to spasm the muscles sporadically that stretch between the ribs. It also thins the blood, prevents it from clotting and acts as a barrier with other drugs. Depending on the person taking the drug, it can cause dreamlike visions, warped memories, trance-like states and momentary amnesia."
"How do you know all that Ada?" Estel asked in awe.
"I'm a healer remember? Besides, some elves when they're young, stupid and rebellious take it in their minds to try jari'muana just to see what happens, as it gives elves an adrenalin rush – heightened senses and so on and isn't anywhere near as potent." Elrond dismissed the question with a wave of his hands.
"You see Estel? You needn't touch, taste or try everything!" Legolas smiled down at the boy and ruffled his hair. "But, by the Valar, it is SO GOOD to have you back. And please, don't scare me like that again! I am NEVER going hunting with you again. I now understand why Glorfindel is the way he is around you!"
"Oh, i'm sure it wasn't all that bad! But anyway, thankyou again, I owe you a huge debt of gratitude." Estel hugged the wood-elf and surprised Legolas by the sudden contact.
"You shouldn't even have been thinking about smoking at your age! Do you---"
"Hmm, I wonder what age he should be thinking about smoking. Do you think I should ask Elladan, Legolas?"
"Huh? Why would he know?"
"Oh, nothing. Don't worry about it. Forget I said anything."
"----remember what I said about curiosity Estel?" Elladan rested both of his arms on the bed, leaning all his weight forward.
"I know, I know." And together, the eldest elf and human chanted the phrase. "Curiosity killed the cat."
"Ah yes, that phrase. But did Elladan ever tell you about the rest of the phrase? No?" Elrohir danced out of reach of a suddenly frantic twin, "What's that Elladan? I can't hear you."
"Don't you dare say it! Don't you dare!"
"As Elladan found out, "Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought him back!""
"ELROHIR! Just you WAIT until I get my HANDS ON YOU!" However, the youngest twin hadn't stood idly around waiting to be pummelled, instead fleeing his highly irritated brother who gave angry chase. Gay laughter echoed down the halls and muffled yells and curses could be heard diminishing as the two ran further away.
Elrond frowned slightly while listening to Legolas' and Estel's chaotic laughter. "I don't get it."
"I-I don't think you're meant to Lord Elrond." Legolas wiped away a tear of mirth with one hand, while holding his sides with the other.
"Oh….oh….it hurts to laugh!" Estel chuckled never-the-less.
"Welcome home my son. It is good to have you back." Elrond patted the child on the head and walked out of the room, leaving his son and the prince of Mirkwood together.
"Legolas…?"
"Yes?"
"I don't really get it either." Estel looked up at the prince.
Legolas chuckled. "Maybe when you're older."
"I AM old enough!"
"Ai Elbereth! Help me, dear Valar!"
The End.
Thanks again for all your support and reviews! See you next time!