Disclaimer: See Chapter One and I still don't own them. Damn!
A/N: Hey there people! Sorry about the slow updates. See Chapter Nineteen of the Love of the Family for the reason and yes, I have updated that as well. I've updated all three of my stories tonight, finally! Many many thanks to my beta enb2004! Here is Chapter Fifteen as promised. Enjoy!
It was nearing dawn and Elladan, Elrohir, and Legolas were all exhausted. Estel was still out cold, which was worrying the twins immensely. It would probably have worried Legolas as well, had he not fallen into a deep sleep from exhaustion.
Elladan was very relieved to see that they had nearly reached Imladris and that dawn would soon break. The dawn would chase away any lingering evil for which Elladan and Elrohir were very thankful for. They could ill afford a battle with Estel unconscious and Legolas asleep on his feet.
"How is he?" Elrohir asked softly, breaking Elladan away from his thoughts.
Elladan frowned at the question. He stopped the horse momentarily so that he could get a better look at his little brother.
Estel did not look good at all. His face was pale, though flushed red in some areas from the fever that had set in from his illness. His leg and arm still dripped blood, despite the bandages that were wrapped tightly around them. His wounds needed stitching, but they had neither the time nor the supplies to care for them.
"Not well. Not well at all," Elladan said softly.
Elrohir nodded sadly. He had been expecting that answer, though it didn't mean that he was happy about it.
"Elladan, should he still be unconscious? I realize that the poison sapped much of his strength, and that the wounds on his arm and leg are quite serious, but shouldn't he have regained consciousness by now?" Elrohir asked somewhat fearful that they may have missed something.
"I know not Ro. The poison has indeed sapped Estel's strength, which may be while he still unconscious. Also, his illness may play a factor in it as well," Elladan said worriedly.
"The sooner we get home to Ada, the better. Only after he had looked over Estel will I feel reassured," Elrohir admitted.
Elladan nodded in agreement. He to felt the same. Although both the twins were competent healers, they did not posses the same skills their father and little brother did. Both of them would rest easier once their father had taken a look at Estel and declared that he would be all right.
"Let us press forward. We are very close now," Elladan said, hugging Estel tightly to his chest, one arm wrapped around his waist to keep him from falling, while the other held the reigns.
Elrohir nodded in agreement, and wrapped one arm around Legolas's waist as well, holding the prince against his chest while he slept.
Once both twins had secured their charges, they urged their horses into a fast gallop. The sooner they reached home, the better it would be for all of them.
King Thranduil of Mirkwood was standing upon one of the many balconies of Imladris, watching the sun rise. He had been unable to sleep at all. He was worried for Estel, Legolas, and the twins.
Those four often encountered more danger together in one outing, than a single elf did in a century. It was no wonder sleep had eluded him. He hoped that his son, and Elrond's sons would return soon.
He was not sure how much more of this worry he could take. If something had happened to either Legolas or Estel, he was positive that he would not be able to withstand the heartbreak. He knew for a fact that Elrond would not be able to.
Elrond had already lost too many to the ravages of time and war. Thranduil could not begin to understand how his dear friend had not faded from heartbreak over the ages. How Elrond could have survived losing his twin, he could not begin to comprehend. The blow had to have been hard, for it was said that Elrond and Elros were as alike as Elrond's twin sons were, if not more so. To top it all off, Celebrian, Elrond's dear wife, had departed to the Undying Lands after being viscously attacked by orcs.
Thranduil knew what it was like to lose a wife, but on top of all of Elrond's other loses, he could not imagine how he had held on. If Elrond lost any of his children, Thranduil knew that it would be to much for the elf lord to take.
Thranduil tried to take his mind of such morose thoughts, but found that he could not do so while Legolas and Estel were still missing, and possibly dying.
Sighing, Thranduil was just about to turn back and go into the house, when he saw three horses approaching Imladris.
Hope suddenly surged through him. Quickly, he turned back to the balcony and straining his eyes in order to see who approached.
With his sharp eyes, Thranduil soon saw that it was Elladan and Elrohir that approached, each holding onto a figure in front of them.
"Elrond! Your sons and Legolas approach!" Thranduil said trying to decide whether he should feel excitement or apprehension. Who knew what state the four would be in. The fact that Legolas and Estel were sharing a horse with Elladan and Elrohir respectively, while a third horse trailed behind them, did not bode well.
Thranduil rushed inside and quickly made his way to the courtyard in order to welcome home the lost souls, and found that Elrond was already there. Apparently, his friend had been unable to sleep as well and had probably been watching from his balcony as Thranduil had.
Elrond had indeed been unable to sleep and had seen his sons as well as Legolas heading right for Imladris. He too was worried by the fact that Estel and Legolas were riding in front of Elladan and Elrohir, while a horse with no rider trailed behind them.
That meant that one, or both or them were injured and most likely seriously.
Turning, he caught Thranduil's eye, and both of them ran forward in order to meet the party half way, which would make it easier for all of them.
Elladan and Elrohir could not help but grin with relief when they saw Imladris. They had indeed reached Imladris with the dawn, a fact both twins were grateful for.
Elladan's smile faded though, when he saw King Thranduil and his father racing for them.
It reminded him that Estel was seriously injured and in need of healing. Then it hit Elladan whom he was seeing. King Thranduil was here and had obviously seen his son riding in front of Elrohir.
"Wait a moment! Why is King Thranduil here!" Elrohir said while panicking slightly, as he was the one who was riding with Legolas in front of him.
"More than likely, he was worried about Legolas," Elladan said while trying to sound calm. It was not like Legolas was seriously injured. He only had a broken arm and was beyond exhausted, but other than that, he was fine. As though King Thranduil would think that that was good thing.
Elladan was very glad that he was not in his twin's shoes, for Thranduil would bear down on Elrohir right away, demanding to know how his son had gotten into such a despicable state.
"Elrohir, why don't you try to wake Legolas? At least that way, his father won't panic as much," Elladan suggested.
Elrohir nodded in relief. That could work. He was loathe to wake Legolas, but Elrohir valued his life, so he gently shook Legolas's good shoulder.
"Legolas, mellon nin, you must awaken. Your father is here and I have no wish to die today," Elrohir said.
Legolas opened his eyes blearily, having felt Elrohir shake him, but did not hear the younger twins words. Seeing no danger, Legolas closed his eyes once more.
"Nay Legolas, you can not sleep just yet. Your father is here. I do not believe it wise for him to see you with your eyes closed mellon nin," Elrohir whispered in his friends ear, for Thranduil and his father was approaching.
Legolas did not hear him apparently and had already sunk back into the oblivion of sleep.
"Elladan, Elrohir! Are you all right? What has happened to Estel and Legolas?" their father asked as soon as the two parties met up.
"Ada, King Thranduil, it is very good to see you," Elladan said wearily. He too was feeling the effects of having gone without much sleep over the past few days.
King Thranduil did not bother with the formalities, seeing that his youngest son had his eyes closed.
"Elrohir! What has happened to Legolas?" he asked fearfully.
"Fear not my King, he has only a broken arm and is only asleep. He sleeps with his eyes closed for he is exhausted, as are we," Elrohir said just as wearily.
Elrond and Thranduil nodded in acceptance. Elladan and Elrohir did look exhausted, but otherwise uninjured. Possibly a first for the pair of them.
Estel and Legolas however appeared to have come off worse than the twins.
"You can tell us what happened later, we must get these two to the House of Healing," Elrond said.
Elladan and Elrohir nodded in consent, and carefully handed down both Legolas and Estel to their respective father's.
Elrond carefully cradled Estel in his arms, taking note that the gash on his son's leg and arm were still bleeding despite the bandages.
"Come you two, you can tell us both what happened while we heal these two," Elrond said.
Elladan and Elrohir nodded wearily, and tiredly followed their father.
"Elrond, I shall be right back mellon nin. Delelen and Thilloth will wish to know that their brother and Estel have returned, if in several pieces," Thranduil said dryly.
"We shall meet you in the House of Healing," Elrond said and quickly walked in the direction of the House of Healing.
Elladan and Elrohir looked at each other in surprise. They had not expected Delelen and Thilloth here. Shrugging, they both followed their father to the House of Healing, being far to exhausted to comment on the unusual appearance of King Thranduil and two of his elder sons.
Translations:
Ada: Dad/Daddy
Mellon nin: My friend