Deana; -grins evilly- Well, hurting poor Legolas is what I do! ;-) Thanks!
Joslin; Firstly, I'd like to apologise that your review reply didn't show up for the last chapter. I wrote it, but for some reason it'll never upload! YES, I can be that cruel! Trust me; I'm quite capable... –grins evilly... again-
Mornflower; LOL! And there's me thinking it's Aragorn that talks in his sleep...AAAAH!!! RABID MICE!!! –runs away-
ESTEL: oO Well... that was unexpected...
galadriel evenstar; They'll all go one by one! -sighs- Looks like everyone's expectations are high on poor Ro...
Terreis; Ok, let me rephrase that... "Please do not approach with anything sharp, heavy, or that can be used in any way to hurt or kill me..." Bit clearer now?! ;-) Lol! –laughs manically- I'll do WHATEVER I LIKE!!! Oh... Welcome Characters, to the MysticalLand Known as Closet... I'm sorry I had you in tears there... wait, what am I saying?! That's what I set out to do!!! ;-)
starlit jewel; Wouldn't it indeed? Hmmm, you've inspired me; thank you! –keyboard rattles-
kurafoxgirl; Lol! "At least..." Somehow, I don't think Dan and Ro will be too pleased with that thought... LOL! ;-)
lindahoyland; I'm glad that you love the suspense; I do enjoy writing it! ;-)
leggylover03; You're the first person I've met who LIKES my cliffies... LOL! ;-)
Mellaithwen; 'Memo to Self: Don't let Amy get bored...' JEEZ GIRL! That was extremely angsty!!! Ok; I dare you to put that into a fic of yours. Build a fic up around it! (You have permission to use Hal as long as you say he's mine!) Let's call it my Challenge to you! ;-)
eruve tinwen; LOL!!! I'm sorry... I just like to do that sort of thing... LOL!
Zammy; Ok!
Faerlain; Yup, 30... I have no life!!! LOL! Legolas might be alright... it depends... I think Faerlain is nicer btw...
Shadowfaxgal7; I can have 30 stories without the twins easily! Just don't mention them, or if they ARE mentioned, say "Shame they died..." and trail off... –sees furious look- Or maybe not... yes; you HOPE there'll be a happy ending... he he he... –blushes madly- Oh stop... =S Thank you so much! Ooh, that doesn't sound so good! Woah; strange how things can mirror R.L sometimes... ;-)
Stoneage Woman; Om Shaanti Shaanti... LOL! =D I LOVE!!! –slaps Aragorn with a kipper- Idiot... GARVORG IS THE BAD GUY!!! GET OUT OF LOVE WITH HIM YOU DUMB RANGER! –rolls eyes- Honestly...
Dha-Gal; Yup! –high fives back- I is back!!! LOL, I adore your parodies!!! You should do a whole fic of them, it'd be funny!!! LOL! Oh, and can you update your fic PUH-LEASE?! Thank you!!!
It's my birthday tomorrow (September 2nd!) and I'm excited!!! So, let's just say that I'm keeping that old Hobbit tradition of giving others gifts on their birthday... in the case of all of you wonderful readers, THE FINAL CHAPTER! ;-)
.: Chapter Nine :.
Glorfindel threw open the door of Elrond's study. The Lord had been searching through his books, looking for anything that might help Elrohir.
"Elrond!" gasped the Balrog Slayer. "It's Elrohir, quick!"
Elrond shot up from the chair and ran with Glorfindel from the room...
-=-=-=-
Hallataulë caught Legolas as he fell. Pulling up his brother's loose shirt, he winced at the wide gash. He grabbed one of Tebrid's neatly folded blankets, causing the pile to fall down. A strange thought entered his head at that moment. "She's going to kill me for that..." Shaking his head, he cleared his mind of the thought. That didn't matter at the moment!
He pressed the blanket against the wound carefully, keeping the pressure on it. It obviously hurt his brother, even in the depths of unconsciousness; Legolas groaned and tried to push his hand away.
"I'm sorry Legolas," he thought. "Really I am..."
A wide-eyed Estel hovered over his shoulder. "What's wrong with him?" he asked worriedly.
The older Prince lifted the blanket slowly and examined the wound. "It's not poisoned thankfully," he thought aloud. "But he's lost a lot of blood. He's probably passed out from that." Hallataulë tried to steady himself after the scare, replacing the blanket over the wound. Legolas would need a lot of stitches, but other than that, and the multiple bruises and cuts all over him, the young Elf seemed alright...
At least, he hoped so...
-=-=-=-
Glorfindel was running a little way behind his friend when he heard some faint voices coming from the supplies room. It sounded suspiciously like Estel and Hallataulë, and he immediately noticed the concern and urgency in their voices.
He quickly looked around the doorframe and was shocked at what he saw. The oldest Prince was cradling a comatose Legolas in his arms, blood staining his hands. Estel was crouched on the floor next to them.
"Glorfindel!" cried Estel. He could have jumped for joy at the Elf's timely appearance. "Quick, you have to help him!"
The teenager was right. He had to help. Glorfindel knelt next to Hallataulë. "What happened to him?"
"I'd just fixed Estel's shoulder," explained the Prince. "And he just collapsed. I think he's lost too much blood but I can't be sure. I know it's not poisoned."
Glorfindel lifted Hallataul's shaking hands away from the blanket and inspected the gash himself.
"You're right Hal; it's blood loss. Let's hope he doesn't lose too much more or this could become very serious. Quick, give him to me."
Glorfindel picked Legolas up in his arms and headed for an empty healing room across the hall. Estel moved ahead and opened the door for the Elf.
Laying Legolas down on the bed, Glorfindel quickly moved to get something to patch up the youngest Prince. Hallataulë, still worried about Legolas, stayed with him, holding his hand.
"It's alright Legolas. You'll be fine..."
Picking up a needle and some sterile thread, Glorfindel knelt next to the still unconscious Elf.
Estel blanched. He had never seen Glorfindel do any healing before; he wondered if the Elf was confident enough to do this. He couldn't help but ask.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?"
Glorfindel stopped, his hand hovering just over Legolas skin. He turned to the boy. "Estel, I know how to stitch. Believe me, I have learnt from uncomfortable personal experience. Besides, years of knowing your Ada has made me a professional in the skill; now hush. I need to concentrate..."
As they watched the Elven Lord, both Estel and Hallataulë seemed slightly entranced by the morbid rhythm of the needle.
In... Out.
In... Out.
In... Out.
It continued like this for what felt like hours, but then, at last, and not a moment too soon, Glorfindel tied the string fluidly into a knot and snapped off the excess with a quick pull.
"There," he sighed, finally leaning back. The bleeding had stopped, and now Legolas looked much more comfortable. He pulled the quilt of the bed up, just stopping short of the gash. "He'll be fine."
Then they heard it... a ghastly scream that echoed down the halls...
-=-=-=-
Elrond burst into the room just in time to see Elladan's faint Elven glow fading away. The Elf was slumped over the bed, holding Elrohir's hand. Both were a pure ghostly white.
"NO!"
He ran over to his sons. The glass on the floor crunched under his feet; luckily his shoes stopped them from being cut. Grasping his eldest's hand and placing a hand on his forehead, he shut his eyes.
"Elladan..." he said, under his breath. "Lasto beth nin, ion nin, tolo dan na ngalad..."
It seemed to the Elven Lord that Elladan's spirit was refusing to return.
"Not without him..." it whispered. And then, it disappeared from his weak grasp.
-=-=-=-
Elrohir could hear his father's voice trying to call Elladan back. The darkness still called to him, but now, looking at Elladan, he could see a light beginning to form behind him. It began as a tiny pin prick, then grew larger and larger until Elladan became like a silhouette in front of it. It was like a scene from a dream.
"You should go," he told his brother sadly. Elladan shook his head.
"I told you. Not without you..."
-=-=-=-
Elrond shook his head numbly. This was out of his hands now. He could feel himself falling into despair. He couldn't live without his sons... he knew he couldn't.
Suddenly Elladan gasped in a breath and his eyes opened a crack. Elrond stared.
"Elladan?"
The elder twin sat up, holding his head. "Ada?" he mumbled, sounding disorientated. Blinking a couple of times, everything suddenly seemed to become clear to him again. "Ada!!! Elrohir, he's..."
A groan from the bed caught their attention. Elrohir's eyes fluttered before sliding open.
Elladan grinned at his twin. "I knew you'd give in sooner or later," he chuckled. A ghost of a smile lit up the younger Elf's face.
"How are you feeling now?" asked Elrond, laying a cool hand over Elrohir's hot forehead.
"Better..." he croaked. Elrond looked fondly at him.
"Get some sleep Elrohir; you need it." Thinking to himself that this was the best thing he had heard all day, Elrohir quickly fell asleep, eyes shut, but it was the start of his real healing. Elrond knew he would be fine. Turning to Elladan, he frowned.
"You took a high risk there Elladan," he said. Elladan's face fell.
"I know Ada, but... I had to. If I hadn't, he would've died, and-"
He stopped short as Elrond drew his eldest boy close to him. "Never do that to me again, do you understand?! Never!"
Elladan huddled into his father. His tears were soaked up by the light fabric of the Elven Lord's shirt and they poured down his face. "I won't Ada... amin hiraetha..." [I'm sorry...]
-=-=-=-
Four days later, the sun was setting over a peaceful Rivendell. Contemplating the world, the Elf standing on the balcony decided that, after all of the darkness and doubt they had seen in the last few days, the world was finally returning to normal. He then turned and headed back inside.
Legolas winced slightly as the movement pulled at his stitches slightly. Elrohir looked over the top of his book and noticed this.
"Are you alright?" he asked. His voice was still quite quiet, but this was understandable. He hadn't been allowed out of bed for the past four days and it was getting him down. It was also likely that he would have to spend quite a while there too; at least until Elrond decided he was well enough to be up and about again.
Legolas nodded. "Yes, I'm fine."
Elladan arched an eyebrow from where he was seated. Elrond had re-splinted the injured ankle carefully, but there was concern that Elladan had done some lasting damage to it. At the very least, he would walk with the slightest of limps for the rest of his life. At worst... well, they didn't want to think about that.
"You're sure?" he asked. Sitting up straight in the large armchair, he stretched. "I remember the last time you said that..."
Elrohir and Legolas laughed aloud. "Who doesn't?!" replied the other twin. Legolas on the other hand hissed again and pressed his hand over the wound.
"Elladan! Don't make me laugh!"
Suddenly a door opened and in came a cheerful young human carrying a tray of food. "Hello! And how are my favourite little invalids today?" He beamed, not bothering to hide the mischievous sarcasm evident in his voice.
The three Elves rolled their eyes. "Hello Estel," groaned Elladan.
Estel pouted. It was rather a funny sight, seeing a sixteen year old with supposed 'maturity' pouting. "Well if that is the reception I'll just take your dinner back to the kitchens then," he said haughtily.
Three pairs of eyes widened. "No!" cried Elrohir. Estel grinned.
"Thought so..."
He gave Legolas and Elladan their, before taking his own with one hand and handing Elrohir his on the tray. He then sat down by the armchair where Elladan was sitting.
"Hmmm, what makes you so special Ro?" grinned Legolas, piercing a small cherry tomato with his fork.
Elrohir snorted. "Would you like the tray? Would you like to be confined to your bed for Valar knows how long?!" he asked, his voice suddenly going to new high levels.
Legolas raised his hands in surrender. "Alright! You've made your point!"
Elrohir jabbed his fork threateningly into mid-air. "And I'll make sure you get it!" He smirked, something amusingly dangerous flashing in his eyes. They all laughed.
Legolas suddenly looked as though a thought had struck him. "Estel, where's Hal?"
Estel laughed into his drink and Elladan had to smack him on the back so he didn't choke. After regaining his breath, Estel told him.
"Let's just say that Tebridë found out about those blankets he knocked over... then she discovered the one covered in blood... poor Elf. He's currently getting the earful of his life..."
Legolas grinned. "Probably the thrashing of his life as well..."
As the four continued to eat their food, the sun began to set outside. It set on another day in Rivendell, and another day in their lives. They hoped that this would be the end of their troubles and were looking forward to a peaceful and relaxing future...
But of course, we know that it can never be that easy, don't we?
The End
There you go! =) Tell me what you thought!!! And, here is the preview to Story Number Five (WOW! 5!!! Lol!), taking place about a month after this one...
Through Hell and High Water
Out on a hunting trip with Elladan, Elrohir, and Hallataulë, a freak and unforeseen flood threatens to take Estel away before his time... and Legolas with him...
Suddenly the roar of water filled their ears. Elladan's eyes widened. The dam must have burst!!!
"Quick, get in the tree!!! Now!"
Elrohir managed to navigate the twisting turning branches first, quickly followed by Hallataulë. Elladan managed to clamber up the first few, but then a piercing pain shot through his bad ankle suddenly. He'd been told not too exert it too much, but at the moment it couldn't be helped. The other two Elves grabbed his arms and pulled him up.
Legolas swung up into the branches, climbing swiftly in order to join them. It was then they heard a panicked dry from below.
Estel was frantically trying to climb up as fast as the Elves, but his less agile human body was slower than theirs. Legolas dropped down a few branches and lay on the branch precariously. One small tip either way and he would fall.
"Estel, give me your hand!" He reached down hastily for the human. Just as Estel grabbed his hand, the stormy waters rushed into the clearing.
The icy water hit the back of his legs first, and then suddenly washed straight over his head. Estel didn't even have time to draw any breath as he was pushed under by the current.
Legolas still had a grip on his friend's hands when the swirling dark water suddenly claimed him. Suddenly thrown off balance, the Elven Prince fell from the branch he'd been clinging to and tumbled into the rapids too.
Hallataulë made a grab for his little brother, but his arms wrapped around thin air. He could only watch in horror as Legolas splashed into the water and disappeared from sight. "LEGOLAS!!!"
So, tell me what you thought of the end of this story, and then tell me whether you think the next one looks any good! ;-)