Quick disclaimer: We did use quotes from the Lord of The Rings, they are said by Arwen and Aragron in Elrohir's little dream thing, We don't own 'em!
CHAPTER EIGHT
Utinu En Lokirim Son of Snakes
Elrohir looked about him. Thick mists of silver clouded his vision and gold touched them so they shimmered and danced in a slight breeze. He felt no pain and he felt not nor tasted the blood that had been spilled on his twin's account. However, he had the strange feeling he was not alone.
Drawing a sharp breath he took in the world about him and saw that it had marble floors and yet he still saw no one.
Suddenly he heard a deep and yet gentle and graceful voice say in a murmur, "I choose a mortal life." He felt a lump in his throat as he recognized Arwen's voice. She was dying? But why?
He saw in his mind a vision of another Elf-maiden in characteristic to Arwen if not exactly like her save for the eyes, which held less joy and more wisdom and woe. Her eyes were deep and blue with the grace of ages in them. Elrohir wrinkled his brow an asked the vision, "who are you?"
She looked directly at him and said in a deep and soft voice, "I am Lúthien." And then he knew. For all Elves of Imladris knew very well the story of Beren and of Lúthien the Fair. She had been immortal and chose mortality in exchange for one lifetime with a man.
He heard Arwen's voice say with all sincerity; "Dark is the shadow and yet my heart rejoices for you, Estel, shall be among the great whose valor will destroy it."
He then heard Aragorn say, "If you cleave to me, Evenstar, then the Twilight you must also renounce."
Elrohir nearly broke when he heard his dear sister say, "I will cleave to you Dúnadan, and turn from the Twilight."
He looked behind them and he saw his sister and she walked slowly, as one with no longer a purpose and he saw her eyes were not red rimmed, but tearful. She seemed to have a face so pale and set that it appeared to be carved of finely polished stone and cold. "Arwen," breathed Elrohir slowly and he reached for her, for it seemed to him that she was within an arm's length of him. But when his fingers touched her hair, she faded and was lost to him.
He shut his eyes and he felt hot tears. What he done that he should meet death at the hand of he whom he held most beloved and see his sister's death before his eyes? As he reopened his steel gray orbs with a fire of sorrow in them, he saw another figure that was older looking but his eyes spoke of less age.
He knew this had to be Estel and the youngest twin fell to his knees. He had known his brother would meet death, but he had not been prepared to see it, though he had seen it before. But nothing could prepare him enough, though he should wait and anticipate an age of men.
So he would lose his sister and brother...
Elrohir called out, "Estel? Brother!"
The phantom of his younger sibling paid him no vigilance and he wept.
When he lifted his head he saw Elladan holding him and he saw that his brother was shaking and his heart went out to him. It had been an accident and actually his fault. He held his brother blameless.
Elladan held his brother's body cold. His hands shook and he placed his forehead onto his brother's icy one. "It was an accident and...I-I-I didn't mean it Elrohir..." and yet he had done it.
The other Elves that had tried to capture he and his fallen brother looked at each other. The one called Gilloth said, "we have to get moving." He looked at Elrohir, who was sprawled on the ground with blood draining from his mouth around blue lips kissed by death. "I will bear Elrohir Peredhil and we will take his body back with us, so that it may have a proper burial" his voice sounded tight and pinched with anger.
Elladan heard them coming and he snarled, "don't you touch him!" He clutched his twin close.
Gilloth came, other Elves with him. They grasped Elladan's shoulders and pulled him back while Gilloth took and cradled Elrohir up into his arms. He didn't even flinch as the innocent blood stained his tunic. Elladan sobbed, "no, no."
Some of the other Elves took out cord from their pouches to bind Elladan's wrists with, but Gilloth turned on them, "is that really needed?"
The smiled grimly, "unless you wish to lose him as well, yes." They gave him a shove forward and noticed Elladan opened not his eyes. He stumbled and nearly fell upon the jagged and odd shaped rocks that littered the riverbank. The foremost one laughed and said, "what is the matter with you?"
Elladan didn't answer and the others exchanged looks. What was wrong with this Elf? He had killed his own brother and now he was acting like he was blind. Giving Elladan another shove, they sneered, "can't talk?"
Elladan spat, "I can talk as well as anybody else!" He spun around to face their voices. He opened his eyes out of old habit. They no longer resembled the strange clear gray eyes of his brother, but were fogged and empty.
All the other Elves looked at each other. Gilloth nodded and said, "I told you, not needed. He won't run far." It suddenly occurred to the other Elf that Elladan would not be able to follow them swiftly on foot. Snorting, he asked, "where are the horses they rode?"
"In the glade. One we had felled," they answered quickly. "The other wanders free."
"What of Elrond's whelp?" they asked with spite in their voices. Elladan thought it odd they were calling him a whelp when he had been around over a thousand years, but he supposed that in an immortal's life span that was not long at all to have tarried on the Earth.
Elladan felt stupid just standing there; he should be fighting. But the death of his brother had weakened him and stayed his hand. He wished for no more blood. No more killing. Gilloth glared at his companions, "where is he going to go? I hold his twin and other half, he will stay with his brother."
The others nodded and left swiftly to get the horses. Gilloth called to Elladan, "I grieve for you and your brother. But fear not, if Morceleb's plan goes through you will join him, though I doubt that is a large comfort."
Elladan sighed and said in a distant voice, "it is more of a comfort than you know of."
Gilloth sighed and found that Elladan's sigh was contagious. "So you are sightless? How so?"
Elladan snarled with a steely voice, "do what you like but do not toy with me!" Getting played with was not fun under any circumstances, but after slaying his own brother he was most certainly not in the mood to get trifled around with.
Gilloth smiled sadly and said, "I am not 'toying' with you Elladan, just finding solace in conversation. For the both of us, I think. I, too, have a brother, he guards another Elf and a human now."
Elladan jerked his head up from where he had hardly noticed it had fallen onto his chest in despair. A human? Estel! Whether this Dark Elf traitor wanted his attention or not he had it now. "A human? Of what age?"
Gilloth wrinkled his brow, "I cannot say, for mortals have not been a study of mine and I can't tell how they age nor even guess." Elladan knew he should have thought of this, but he did not think that way, for he had mortal blood running through his veins. Gilloth watched Elladan's features contort and he said, "would he be dear to you?"
Elladan was silent, deciding how to answer. He knew Estel was dear to him, next to Elrohir or Arwen, but how would his answer effect Estel now? "He is," answered Elrond's Son at length.
A lingering silence filled the air and it was broke by the sound of a horse snorting. The others were returning. Gilloth hissed venomously to Elladan, "this talk was between the two of us." Elladan cringed remembering his brother was no longer part of his life.
When his brother had died, he, too, had died a little...
Legolas woke slowly. The first time he had been given the drug it was not so potent. But it had weakened him so the second round had the potential to be more potent and it was. His blue eyes began to clear from the glaze that had blurred his vision. He also could sit up and upon trying to do so he heard Rothinzil say, "Legolas! I thought you would die! But lay back down, I do not think King Thranduil would like it if you came home in a pine box!" The he uttered under his breath, "again."
Legolas turned a fiery gaze upon his friend and said, "I am not made of glass. Although, the way some people talk about me, one would be led to believe it!" His head spun and he took and rubbed his temples with his hands. If Aragorn had been feeling this way he would have had trouble believing the man could see straight. However, he knew that he could, but he wondered how long it would last.
As he gazed around his surroundings he noticed they were out in the woods that were around the cave. He felt grass beneath him, tall and clean. Legolas looked to the cave and a tear ran down his cheek. Aragorn was in there. As he looked up at the sky he knew that much time had passed, for he could see the moon and the sickles of the Vala, Elbereth. The prince tried to stand and found that he still could not move his legs. Rothinzil could hardly move and he was not surprised if the younger Elf was slightly disoriented at the moment. With an inward snicker he thought about how Rothinzil was on normal moments.
Lying flat upon the cool grass, Legolas murmured, "Aragorn is in there. I failed him, I failed him twice." He closed his eyes painfully and another silver teardrop like a dew droplet crawled down his long cheekbones.
Rothinzil looked at his prince with sadness. He, too, missed Aragorn, but what hurt him worse was seeing his liege and friend in pain, emotional or physical. "Legolas, you did your best..." began the Elf with a frown.
Legolas looked sideways at Rothinzil. "Roth?" he asked with a sigh of annoyance.
Honestly the younger Elf got on his nerves at times...
"What Prince Legolas?" he asked with a raised brow and narrowed eyes.
"Shut up," answered Legolas with a snort of annoyance and he added, "I am trying to think and around you all incentive for rational thought diminishes for some strange reason." The prince had stated this assertion with a tone that more than thoroughly established that it was because Roth had no common sense himself. Rothinzil was a comfort to him but honestly the most annoying being he had encountered since the twins and that was annoying!
Staring up at the stars Legolas tried to conceive of how to get to Aragorn without putting Rothinzil in more danger than need be. It was not his fight and he would not ask him to come. However Rothinzil seemed wounded and he said, "Legolas you are cruel, you know that? I know you, you are thinking up a plan. Well I wish to come with you!"
Legolas gave a soft laugh that was still cold as ice as he watched the night sky and the fireflies in the thick air. "Roth I do not ask it of you to accompany me, for it may prove deadly." His blue eyes looked to his friend.
Roth's head was hung and he mumbled, "I offered, you did not make inquiry." His hazel eyes fixed on Legolas and he frowned, "you are not going to go alone." When Legolas opened his mouth to speak Roth gave him such a glare that Legolas felt himself being held back as the younger Elf continued. "Legolas, you and Estel are the first pair of elements in a prescription for an unconditional cataclysm."
Legolas looked at him and finally asked with a slight bit of anger edging his voice, "and what does the next pair consist of?" He already knew the answer.
Rothinzil smile icily and said, "Elladan and Elrohir, of course, but actually I think they do fine but for the two of you!"
Legolas' glare turned into a flame of battle lighting in his eyes, "No! They get into plenty of trouble! You and Ancú are another team bent on the destruction of the world!" he seethed around a set of clenched teeth. "Plainspoken, if it was not for Ancú and his foolishness then we wouldn't even be here!"
Rothinzil knew this was true enough and he did not argue it. Both went silent for a time, listening to the woods and the cries of the Elves as they tried to dig Aragorn, Ancú and some other Elf Legolas did not know out of the tunnel. Legolas wanted to shut his ears, but the silence of not knowing was worse. Why did life have to be so complicated? The matter was simple and yet no so. How did he get this far to fail? He had a hard time believing on could come this far and not accomplish something, yet what he might have accomplished was hidden.
Rothinzil shut his eyes and tried to will himself away. He was frightened, but more over he was angry. His prince was in trouble and he was in trouble and yet he was unfit to help either of them. Helplessness was a horrible feeling and he vowed that he would not let his prince take the brunt of anything. What would his king say if his son was hurt and Rothinzil prevented it not?
Legolas reopened his eyes and tried to spot the Elves hidden in the tree, but he could not. But he planned to spot them. If he knew where they were he could calculate the distance of their bowstrings and then go to Estel. But he knew with a sick feeling that he still was unable to move.
Suddenly a voice above him said scoffingly, "recall me Legolas?" Legolas swirled his azure eyes behind himself to see he figure standing behind him. He saw the silvery-black hair and knew it was the Elf he had pulled from the river. The Elf was cloaked and he seemed well.
"I do," answered Legolas levelly but with a touch of curiosity. How did this Elf get here?
Legolas was about to ask when the other immortal smiled and said, "I am sorry to see you here. I was rather hoping you would let the Dúnadan come alone and die. But that is not your fashion, is it?" He sneered and said, "foolish wood Elf." Then all at once the silver haired Elf laughed and said, "you should see your face. A bit confused?"
Legolas stated in a growl, "why don't you enlighten me Morcuivië? Oh! But that isn't your real name is it?" he said with a tone of intense sarcasm and anger. He was not as confused as that dirty double-crosser Elf had thought. His blue eyes jaded over with a look of sharp ice. Now it was Legolas' turn to laugh at faces. "So what is your real name? For it was you all along."
"I am called Morceleb, the "dark-silver." Yes, it was I who planned out everything and it is I who am their leader." He sneered again, "you thought you were safe from this? Well any Elf that is friends with Elrond is an enemy of mine and any man for that matter."
Legolas glared, "why this anger? The past is the past, let it go!" he pleaded.
"And what do you know of it?" he snarled at the prince. Rothinzil remained silent, but Morceleb saw him and said, "you are a Noldo though. Why are you clad in wood Elf garb?" Legolas watched and his anger built up towards this maddeningly so insane Elf that was bent on murder. He looked at Legolas and said, "you speak of running from one's past and not letting it go and yet you harbor a coward?" he asked with a sigh. "You are in deeper water than I."
"What?" asked Legolas with bewilderment. What in Valar's name was this mysterious Elf talking about? "You are mad!" he frothed bitterly.
"Am I?" asked Morceleb with a frown. Legolas shut his eyes, for his world was being turned inside out. He had known Roth since the Elf was young. What past was there to hide? He took his sword out and placed the blade beneath Roth's neck. "You were not born a wood Elf, and yet you dwell with them, why?"
"Why does it matter?" asked Rothinzil as he drew a deep breath. Whatever the case he was determined not to let this treacherous snake of an Elf push him around. Things might have gotten ugly really quickly had not a shout from the dust y mouth of the down cave called to Morceleb's attention.
"We nearly have them out! Come quickly Morceleb!" Morceleb would deal with this later.
Ancú shifted beneath the human. He felt Aragorn's hands limp on his wrists and he called nervously to his friends' foster brother, "Estel? Estel? Can you hear me?" He wanted to weep. His wound hurt horribly. "I don't want to be alone, Estel, please answer me!" he begged. There was no answer and he feared the worst. The worst part of it was that it was his fault. Unexpectedly, Ancú tried to raise himself up and his ear hit Aragorn' chest. Inside he heard a faint heart beat. It was slow, but strong. The human was merely unconscious.
Ancú heard voices as their "rescuers" came closer. He could hear the stone being hauled out of the way. It was a grinding noise that was deep and suddenly a ray of light shot through and Ancú took it as a sign of hope. His hands went to his arrow wound. He could feel the arrow was wedged in a rib and nearly ready to split it in two. Grimacing, he drew a deep breath before shouting, "we are over here!" The shout caused a lot of pain and Ancú nearly passed out because of it. "We are hear," he murmured as the pain shot through his system. Lord Elrond was going to kill him if Lord Glorfindel did not get to him first. And, he thought darkly, if Glorfindel did get to him first, Elrond would lecture what was left of his ears and mind.
He heard hard breathing near him and he called out softly towards it, "Aldalossë? Are you there?"
A weak voice that was obviously wracked with much pain answered slowly back, "I-I-I am. I-I-I c-c-can't make it." Aldalossë shifted and reached his hand through a hole in the debris. Ancú saw it and took it in his own, squeezing it tightly. It was slick with blood and when the younger Elf heard a cough he knew that indeed Aldalossë was going to die. He was bleeding too much. Internal bleeding was impossible to heal in some cases and it was painfully obvious this was one of them.
Ancú closed his eyes and eased his stomach mentally. He asked Aldalossë slowly, "where are you hurt?" he did not know what else to say so he added gently, "you may pull through." He felt the elder Elf's hand tighten and then go loose and tighten as pain coursed through his very veins. Shuddering, Ancú awaited the dreadful answer.
"I-I-I-I t-think my back...is broken and my ribs...shattered..." uttered the other with a more serene voice than Ancú had heard in a long time. How was Aldalossë so sure?
"Lord Elrond could mend you if he put forth all his power," stated the younger with a drooping smile that was meant to give hope though it was unseen.
"No. I made my choice, Ancú," stated Aldalossë. "I won't make it so far." The elder Elf then frowned, "how badly are you hurt?"
Ancú sighed and said, "I am unscathed, for Estel took the brunt of the fall and covered me with his own body." He began to cry and said, "I didn't mean for it to be this way. He was over me and protecting me before I could stop him. I didn't mean to!"
"He did what he thought was best," answered Aldalossë promptly. "Don't be angry with him or yourself. He did what he had to do so be grateful."
"But he didn't have to," answered Ancú back with a sob and he whispered, "he could have let me die." Without warning he felt Aldaloss's hand go limp and a chill run to its finger tips as the life of the Elder left the immortal. Ancú sobbed again and he let the other Elf's hand slide free of his own and go limp on the rocks.
It was then that Ancú lost it and he cried out loud. He did not care who had heard it. For he felt so alone and betrayed. He did not know why. The Elf that had tried to save him had died and Estel was going to fade soon if they were not rescued from the pile of rubble.
Estel was his last hope and then he knew that he was not alone. He could still feel his friends' brother's heart beating and he was not about to let it stop. He would pay for Aragorn's life with his own if needed. Then he began to wonder if all of this was real, but he knew it was and there was no use fooling himself. His life had been turned inside out in order to see its worth and the worth of others he had so often cast aside.
He heard and Elf speak to him, "we are here, we nearly have you out." More stone was shifted and Ancú squeezed his eyes shut.
It was not more than a half an hour thought it seemed greater, before the stone was moved and light spilled on the pair huddled in the collapsed stone. The only living things amid the rocks. However, getting them out was not going to be easy.
The only thing that had saved them was a large stone that was nearly flat and could make a rough slab for a building if hewn properly. The stone piece had fallen at an angle so it was propped up against the other debris. It was certain that if the mounds of rock that were piled on top had caused the great piece to give, then, both of the friends would have been crushed into nothing.
Carefully the Elves pulled Aragorn off of Ancú and carried him out. The young Elf saw the blood on the human's face and his torn clothes. It was dreadful and he knew what he had caused. But, he knew it was horribly selfish to punish himself for the man's choice to spare his immortal life that should have ended that day. Sometimes there are gifts that you are not allowed to contravene and that you have to yield to.
The Elves came and pulled Ancú out next. The Elf moaned as his aching ribs and his wound screamed. It felt like the pain and fire that burned in him was playing a rough game of tag and chasing each other all over in his body.
He could not stand and fell to his knees. Through grit teeth he gasped, " Aldalossë is still in there. I think he is dead, for I felt the life of the Elder leave his body."
The Elves exchanged glances and said, "we will see to him. You are going to be taken care of first."
Morceleb walked up and looked down on Ancú, who was trembling for no real reason, for he was beyond fear and anger. Ancú was numb; there was no other word for it. He seemed to be in a trance and he felt nothing. Everything seemed still and silent. It was frightening in an odd way and yet not so. He lifted his weary and dusty head to meet Morceleb's gray eyes with his hazel ones that seemed to show more green than brown at the moment instead of the equal balance of both the colors that normally graced his features. "Who are you?" asked Morceleb softly. He gazed into the hazel eyes and said, "you are not one of my Elves."
"I am an Elf of Rivendell that you are illegally holding a prisoner," snapped Ancú bitterly. Morceleb looked at him for a moment and the younger Elf growled, "if you are going to kill me, kill me, but, don't you dare jest around with me!"
"I would not kill you. I do not wish to kill needlessly. And when I kill I do not do it gladly," he answered brusquely. "I will let you go if you tell me something. Who is the Captain of The Guard of Rivendell and where is he?"
Ancú felt a lump block his throat and he felt fear course through him. He was the captain of the guard. But perhaps he could play upon this Elf's ignorance to his advantage. Pushing fear back he put on his stupid front. "I don't know."
Morceleb sighed and said through grit teeth, "my patience right now is thin. What do you mean you 'don't know'?" he snarled.
Ancú shrugged and said, "I don't know. What does he look like?"
Morceleb reached down and grabbed Ancú by his tunic collar. Shaking the younger Elf, he spat, "you do know and you will tell me!" He smacked the Rivendell Elf across his face and blood came out of Anc's nose in a small trickle.
In a small voice the younger Elf asked, "what do you want him for?"
Morceleb frowned and said, "I wanted to give him the chance of surrendering his forces now and leaving this mess unscathed. For I tell you if he rallies his regiment and meets us many could die and I don't want that." He frowned, "too many have already died."
Ancú shoved back his fear and thought of Aragorn. He wanted to be like the human was and he had to admire the man. The human must have had this feeling a million times and yet he was still strong. "I might know him," said the Elf with frown. He winced as he was shook again. His ribs were killing him at that moment. He felt the arrow-head working deeper like a point of fire pricking him.
Morceleb scowled and said, "sure...Well I have a message for you to give him. I want him and his forces outside that refuge at dawn weaponless or else we will kill them to get through. Can you remember that?"
Ancú felt like crying again. "How could I forget?" he asked innocently. He was doing a good job of holding his composure thus far, but how long could it last? He began to understand the strength of the man and his brothers who always managed to find themselves in these kind of situations. Suddenly he felt a horrible pain like a lance stabbing him in the gut strike him and it took every fiber of his being to make him keep his knees from giving. Morceleb seemed to sense it and he sighed. This Elf would not make it alone. He needed another to be sent with him.
TBC...hehehe Duh!Review Responses
Leela 74: Awww...thanks! Yes, not much of that ranger, but it gets better, we swear! You still like the OC'S? Great, we'll tell them! Nooooo! Attack of the Nazgul and Bob! Anything but that! LOL We would like to read your Into The West story, but time is running short and stuff. We will try! Thanks for the review!
Kathleen LaCorneilleThanks for that wonderful long review! Chill out! Yes! Poor Dan! He won't last too long. No I haven't mentioned Arwen or Elrond yet, but eventually. Yes, hate and love us! LOL Cliffies rock! Oops! Did we say that out loud? Yes, sanity is so easy to lose! LOL And so hard to get back! Yes, we know it is not the prince's fault, but he is LEGOLAS! He thinks everything is his fault! We would kill Estel, but that's been done and we made that mistake with Legolas in our first fic. About Roth...hehehehe we haven't alked about it yet. You are right about that. Glad you asked. Anyway, that is more of our next fic thing. One clue: poor little guy! Thanks for the totally sweet review. It makes us happy it does!
Mornflower: Yes! He is DEAD! Muahahahaha! Oh, don't hate the bad Elves too much! Thanks for the review!
Beling: A health hazard? Us! Never! LOL. Yes, buffing nails while reading fan fiction is very dangerous! (grin) We bite ours! Yes, poor wittle Elrohir! Yes, that must be hard to explain. Hope it went well for you! Thanks for the review!
From the fact that our review for this chapter went down we take you all hated Elrohir's death. Remember, he can't stay dead!
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