CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Tenna' telwan (Until Later)
Glorfindel slammed his shoulder into the door again. Elrond sat on the bedside next to Elrohir, who was smirking quietly as he watched Glorfindel mutter dwarvish curses. "When I get a hold of Ancú I swear I beat him within an inch of his life!" declared the Gondolin Elf sharply.
Erestor sat in a corner with his chin cupped in his hands. "You are never going to get the door to open," he said with a sigh of exasperation.
"Well as long as I am trapped in here with you I have reason to believe I can and enough of a reason to keep trying!" Glorfindel said with some frustration. Sighing he said to the ceiling, "what did I do to deserve being stuck in here with you!"
Erestor snorted loudly and said crossly, "I could ask the same question."
"You don't like yourself ether?" asked Glorfindel with a single golden brow raised as he made light of the other lord's words.
"You know what I meant and if you don't want to go back to the Valar I suggest you shut your trap!" snapped Erestor with narrowed eyes. Then he smirked, "oh! I forgot! They sent you back because you were so annoying!"
Elrond looked at them both and frowned as he said, "I had no idea both of you had such tempers and despised each other so much!"
Elrohir looked up at his father and raised his own eye brows in surprise. How had Elrond escaped knowing that all these years?
Glorfindel sighed and leaned against the door. This was just down right unfair. Suddenly he heard the chair being removed and Glorfindel flung the door open the rest of the way. He was going to strangle Ancú and feed what was left to a pack of ravenous wargs.
He grabbed the shirt collar of the Elf on the other side and looked into the terrified eyes of Roth. However they looked so much alike, Rothinzil and Ancú, that Glorfindel did not notice at first. Roth just watched with wide eyes as Glorfindel began to shake the life out of him.
Erestor came up behind Glorfindel and said, "That's Rothinzil, Lord Glorfindel."
Glorfindel quickly released the Mirkwood Elf and said, "I was just so happy to see him that I…" He mumbled something under his breath that was utterly inaudible and then went silent.
Rothinzil just straightened his tunic and said, "no time for that! Legolas, Ancú, and Strider are dying!" He sighed, "I put Legolas in his room, but he is bleeding!"
Elrond stood up and said, "Where are Ancú and Aragorn?"
Rothinzil gulped before he continued. The look that the Lord of Rivendell was giving him was anything but comforting. "Aragorn is down at the base of the large waterfall. Ancú is with Elladan."
Elrond gave Glorfindel and Erestor a sharp look that showed his fear, fear for his sons and an Elf like a son to him. "Lord Glorfindel and Lord Erestor, if ever you have faked being in agreement do it now and bring back my sons and the fool of an Elf Ancú! Please, they may die before I can treat them!"
Glorfindel looked at Erestor and he said nothing but his eyes read plan and simple, 'this is it, we will unite or our friends and home will diminish.' Erestor nodded and they both took off out of the room.
Once outside of it Glorfindel said, "I will go and get Aragorn-"
Erestor cut him off quickly, "I know the way around those falls better, for often I go there to think and be alone for a time." Glorfindel was about to argue when Erestor gave him an icy look in his dark eyes.
The golden-haired Elf of Gondolin sighed and said, "Until later." He then turned on his heels and began to pelt off near where he guessed the heart of the fighting had been. He could not help but look about his feet at all the dead immortals. Suddenly he felt his heart ache and he stumbled.
Erestor was no where around. Glorfindel was alone.
He saw fire and dead Elves. He could see orcs with large scimitars stained with silvery red blood, Elf blood. He could see a city burning, the city of Gondolin sacked and destroyed. He knew it was being leveled and he mourned.
The air was thick with smoke and then he saw it come around the corner, a Balrog of Morgoth. One of the destroyers of his beloved home. The killer of many Elves he had called his friends, now dead, butchered and mangled by the orcs.
They had been ambushed when they should have seen it coming all along.
Glorfindel fell to his knees, lost in the memory of his first home and love. He put his hands over his ears as he heard the imaginary screams of dying Elves.
He saw his good friend that he had been very close to, Silorn, fall at his feet, an orc arrow embedded in his breast. Glorfindel grieved heavily then.
Now he grieved again. Silorn had been one of his closest friends and he still could not understand why the Valar had sent him back and not one as loyal as Silorn. It hurt him and he let tears slide down his cheek. He new what Silorn would do now, go on. But Glorfindel missed his friend. He had made new friends in Rivendell and even some he would not readily admit to having, but he still missed the old.
He watched as Silorn whispered, "a Balrog is killing them, they can't escape. Orcs...hemming them in…no way out." And then his friend drew his last breath and died…
Glorfindel was not going to let Ancú or anyone else now to die because he was grieving for one dead for years.
Elrond walked quickly to where Legolas lay on the bed, curled into himself in horrible pain. The wound was cramping as his muscle began to spasm. Water coated the floor and Rothinzil looked on white faced. Legolas was shivering and Elrond went for a blanket. He came back and gave it to Roth saying, "keep him warm while I get some herbs and medical supplies. See if you can't get him to relax."
Elrond left and Roth went over to his prince and said, "Legolas, here is a blanket…" he didn't know what to do, he was not a healer. Legolas looked up at him and Rothinzil took his friend's blood covered hand. "Just calm down" eased the dark-haired Elf almost to himself.
Legolas asked softly, "where is Strider?"
Rothinzil was quiet for a moment and then he muttered, "on his way…I hope." He wondered if Glorfindel or Erestor had found Aragorn yet. Perhaps he should have stayed there with them until help arrived. Gently he took and placed the blanket around Legolas and watched as it began to get wet from the prince's dripping clothes. But the water was tainted a light red and the blanket that was a light green was taking on a red complexion to it.
Elrond came in with hot water and herbs, along with a roll of cotton bandages. He began to wonder what Thranduil was going to say about Legolas getting hurt in his neck of the woods again.
Roth moved out of the way as Elrond came in. He looked at the Elf-lord with large eyes, like almost puppy, silently asking if his prince was going to live. Elrond looked at Legolas and then at the ground. He did not know.
Elrond tenderly peeled the blanket from Legolas' damp clothes. At least it had soaked up most of the water, leaving the blonde Elf a little dryer, but not much warmer. Legolas shivered harder and Elrond placed his hand on the younger immortal's brow. It was not hot with a fever; Legolas was just losing a lot of blood. The prince looked at Elrond with bleary eyes and then closed them again.
Quickly, but gently, the Lord of Rivendell shifted Legolas' hands way from the wound and looked at it. It was deep and he was surprised not to see the prince's insides seeping out. Elrond carefully began to rip the cloth from Legolas' tunic away from the wound and then he picked up a sterile piece of cloth from the supplies and steeped it in the hot water until it was soaked. "Legolas, this is going to sting." The raven-haired Elf-lord laid the material on the wound and held it there, then he delicately wiped the laceration with it. Legolas stiffened and then opened his eyes.
Elrond sighed. The wound was going to require stitches. Breathing deeply, the Lord of Rivendell looked at Roth and the younger Elf looked at the ground. "Rothinzil I need you hold his hand. These stitches are going to hurt."
The dark-haired Elf walked quickly over to Legolas and smiled down at him. "It going to be alright. Lord Elrond just needs to administer stitches, that's all." He gripped he prince's hand and he saw a smile flicker on Legolas' lips and linger there.
"Estel will be…so...disappointed if…I…get…more stitches…than him," moaned the blonde Elf in a light attempt to jest about the situation.
Legolas didn't fight as Elrond carefully began to suture the wound together. He just gripped Roth's hand tightly and closed his eyes.
Erestor walked quickly among the rocks and crevices. He looked down from the ledge that over looked the waterfall and his Elven eyes quickly spotted Aragorn and another Elf he had not seen before.
Going down the path at a run he stopped at the base and saw Aragorn was lying next to the other Elf in unconsciousness. The dark and silver-haired Elf was pale with death and it was obvious that many of his bones were broken. Erestor studied them for a minute, wondering what had happened and then he knelt by the ranger.
He took Aragorn's limp wrist and felt for a pulse, it was slow and faint but steady. He carefully collected the man in his arms and put the long sleeves of his robes about him to fight away chill. He knew humans were susceptible to all kinds of illnesses.
The human was not heavy, noticed the Elf-lord with a frown. Aragorn had not eaten much of anything in a few days and he had hardly had the proper amount of rest befitting one so young. It made him sad to think of the youth of the human and the pain he already knew.
Glorfindel stumbled back up and began walking further into and amongst the dead Elves that lay on the ground in pools of their own blood.
He saw one was wounded and his heart went out to the other immortal when he looked at him and smiled thinly. Glorfindel nodded and eased a body off of the wounded Elf gently. "I will be back for you." The other nodded tiredly and Glorfindel smiled warmly in encouragement for the immortal that was in pain and had an unmistakable possibility of dying alone.
He came near a tree and saw Elladan crouched down by Ancú. The young Rivendell Elf raised his head when he heard Glorfindel approach. Elladan smiled and said, "I would carry him, but he said I was too weak and he didn't feel very much like being dropped."
Glorfindel chuckled airily and said, "Ancú, I am to take you to Elrond, but I am warning you, after he heals you, you are in for a world of trouble for what you did."
Ancú frowned and said darkly, "I guessed as much. But I had to do it."
Glorfindel smiled as he began to pick the wounded Elf up and then he said, "I think Elrond knows. Something tells me you are going to get off relatively easy." Then Glorfindel looked at Elladan; "there is a wounded Elf I found who needs someone with him. I am going to leave you here."
Elladan nodded and followed Glorfindel.
When Glorfindel showed Elladan the wounded Elf, the twin dropped down by the hurt immortal and said, "tell Ada I am here and well." Elladan grasped the wounded Elf's hand and whispered, "it is going to be alight. I promise."
Glorfindel looked at them for a moment before shifting Ancú in his arms and going back towards the house.
He ran into Erestor, who smiled grimly and said, "I see you found Ancú, but where is Elladan?"
Glorfindel frowned and said weakly, "he is with a wounded Elf we found, keeping him company." The Gondolin Elf looked at Aragorn in Erestor's arms and said quietly, "how is he?"
Erestor frowned and said, "I think he will live. There was a dead Elf down there with him that I have never seen before."
Glorfindel sighed and said, "we will have to look at him later. Let's get these two home." Ancú was unconsciousness in the golden-haired Elf's arms now. Glorfindel looked with disdain at the crimson liquid around the younger Elf's mouth. He wondered if Ancú would live to be court marshaled.
When they reached the house again Elrond came quietly out of Legolas' room, shutting the door behind him. The prince was unconscious, but the wound was stitched and the blonde Elf's heart rate was stable. He would live. However he would most likely be in bed until winter. Elrond chuckled to himself as he thought that the day Legolas' could most likely get up would be the day of the Winter Solstice. He also fancied that the prince would have no trouble finding another way to get waylaid or injured.
When he saw Ancú, his whole demeanor changed. This was far more serious. The arrowhead was out, but the lung was torn. He also bet that the rib was not going to stay together. If a splinter went into Ancú 's lung he would die. However, because the younger Elf was even breathing he knew that was not the case.
Glorfindel followed Elrond to Elladan's room, (because it was closer than Ancú 's room and the twins could share a bed) and laid Ancú onto he soft mattress. Elrond went and got what was left of his supplies after dealing with Legolas and began to tear the younger immortal's tunic away from his wound.
The wound was not large, but it was red around the edges. Ancú would be down for months now, even if he lived. And that was a big if.
Elrond carefully sterilized the laceration and then rolled his eyes, as he had to apply stitches again. "Glorfindel I want you to go to the healing ward and make sure they have plenty of supplies for the other Elves we are going to have to look after."
Glorfindel nodded and ran out.
Elrond bent himself to the grueling task of suturing up Ancú before the Elf died.
As he was bowed over Ancú with the thread and needle moving swiftly in and out Erestor came in and said, "I have Estel."
"Erestor you can heal a little, correct?" asked Elrond wearily. He was actually beginning to get tired.
The counselor sighed and said, "yes…" he was not at all sure he liked the way this conversation was heading.
"I need to take and keep Ancú with us. Estel should not need any stitches But he will ned a splint for his arm and a whole lot or rest. Could you look after him for me and then go and haul Elladan in here? As a matter of fact, look after things while I am busy in here, get the wounded Elves in and with the healers in the ward and such. You can do that right?" asked Elrond quickly.
"If I am to look after things does that include ordering Glorfindel around?" he asked with a lopsided grin.That could give him more of an incentive to take charge.
Elrond looked up long enough from his work to give a 'don't push it' look. Erestor sighed and shifted Aragorn in his arms before leaving the room to head to the human's.
Epilogue
Everyone well enough to stand in Rivendell stood in silence as two caskets were lowered into the ground beneath the great oak tree side by side. In them were Gilloth and Aldalossë, brothers now with each other for eternity.
Aldalossë was buried where he wanted to be, in peace, in he refuge of Rivendell. And Gilloth had found his place next to his brother, whom he loved most.
Other fallen Elves good and bad alike were laid to rest in deep graves marked only with white headstone with their names. Flowers were thrown over the now sacred ground.
Elrond looked at everyone that was left alive. He saw that there were fewer in the guard than there had been and the ground had more little mounds than at one time. Clearing his throat he said quietly, "here may they rest forever, in peace."
"To think that all of this could have been prevented if only they had learned in time that revenge is never sweet. The innocent die with the rest and purity of heart itself for some is lost. In these ways the enemy wins battles against our unity. To unified is to stand and to be divided is to fall into darkness."
Glorfindel raised a brow and then said, "and who that walks in Middle Earth can see all ends and raise the dead?"
Erestor shook his head and said sadly, "not even the wise. We all falter."
Elrond nodded and said solemnly, "and there is where the greatest potential for evil lies."
This tale ends here but continues on into the first chapter of our next story, "The Folly of Men."
The Moral of this story: "The greatest thrill is not to kill but to let live."
"The Bear"
Review Responses
Deana: Thrilled you liked this chapter. Thanks for the review! Yes, our wittle Elf is hurting pretty badly right now.
Beling: Thanks! Hehehehehe. Glad you like long stories, esp. f you are going to read our next one because it is going to be extremely long and full of good ol' angst! Yay! So your blood ran cold? That is creepy, but at least those words seemed to garner the feeling we hoped they would. NOBODY knows what to do with Ancú. He is one crazy Elf. Awwwwwww...you called him brave! How sweet! Hehehehe. Roth Ancú TROUBLE! LOL Yes, Ancú will appear in other stories and Rothinzil will be with him. Glad that you seem to enjoy our OC's. It is such fun when we hear people's responses about them. We agree, Elrond might not have really let Elladan go, but then again, we cannot picture Elrond climbing through a window, or even fitting through this one for that matter. Not that he is fat, but Elladan is younger and more spry. LOL It was hard for us to write about Morceleb's death, because he had just come back to the light and he was dying. He was unable to say he was sorry to everyone he had hurt. It is tragic really and you are right. It is sad to see a being of light caught up in revenge and/or hate. Thanks for reviewing.
Linuvial Greenleaf : Thanks for the review! We are more than thrilled you liked it, because your stuff rocks! Yes, Glorfindel is funny when he is angry. LOL Hehehehe, we got your number, LOL, we procrastinate all the time. It is such fun, huh? LOL We forget how to spell our name at times too, weird.
Seige: Yes, it is a pity Gilloth had to die. But he fulfilled his purpose and if he hadn't dared to go against Ruthaer then worse things could have happened. Just goes to show we all have a destiny to fulfil. It was rather sweet how Aragorn tried to give Morceleb a second chance. I mean, the ranger was so willing to forgive and stuff. We are glad you liked it and thanks for the thoughtful review.
Shadowfaxgal 7: Wow! Glad you like this story so much! Of course Legolas will be alight, after stitches and therapy and well...you get the picture. LOL Yes, I think everyone feels dome sympathy for Morceleb and I think they all think the best of Aragorn right now. Glad you liked that part and that it was 'griping'. We certainly tried to make it that way. Thanks for the thrilling review!
Gozilla: Thanks for the review. It is very much appreciated.
Mornflower: Well, you certainly have a good adviser. LOL Good thing faithful Hûon popped in when he did. Yes, Legolas was dying, but he's getting better. Yes, Elrond might not want to your little bump. He wouldn't be too happy. LOL You gave your adviser the day off? Awww...Hehehehehehehe. Elladan and Elrohir, who else? LOL If there was pictures of them, they would be on our background, but there aren't any so to bad for them. Thanks for the wonderful review and Legolas, we insist wants to be ours! ROTFL Muahahahahaha!
Leela 74: Privileged? Wow! We are flattered, really. We love your story that you wrote for us and Lego lovers so much. Hehehehehe. Although time often doesn't not allow us time to read. Believe it or not, we had the whole story finished before we started posting except for a few chapters, but we never got near the internet every other day so it was always when ever we found time. Please don't kill us! LOL So you liked the fight? Hehehehe. That's wonderful! That was so difficult to write because it involved so many characters. Don't be so surprised, Aragorn is a good guy! Hehehehe.. We know what you mean really, LOL. One wouldn't expect eh ranger or anyone to have any sympathy or a revenge happy killer but then again Morceleb did come back and he was never evil, just mislead to the point of self-destruction. The next story won't be here until Halloween or so. Hmph! SCHOOL! Aghhhhh! Thanks for the lovely review!
elvengirl3737: Yes, the twins, Glorfindel and Erestor are rather funny, huh? Yes, Morceleb's death was a tear jerker, huh? But beautiful? We guess so in its own special way you are right. Warm fuzzies? Healing? Comfort? Are you mad? LOL Well, it is implied in the beginning of our next story...does that count? Thanks for the wonderful review!
Shadowed Flames: Hehehehe. Gilloth isn't really dead. He is just...just not moving. Ummm...well...yeah. Thanks for the review! It had a whole lot more depth to it thi time. LOL
Crazy Kitty 2: I know where you live. And I, Celeb, refuse to tell you until I see fit. Bye!
Hope to hear from all of you again and others because this is the end of the story until our next one and so we want to know what everybody thought.