Linuvial Greenleaf- Thanks! Hehehe, I have one of those weird laptop screens so if I bumped it by leaning too close I'd ruin it. And with your amazing story, I have several times! You want Lerienion dead? Poor guy, lol. But, sorry, he might not be for a while…and he does lay a finger, actually an arrow, on someone. Thank you so much for the compliments, I enjoy them so much. I love being your friend too. But please don't kill Estel in your story, mellon nin! PLEASE!
Legolas-Aragorn-r-hot (signed in on my name)- You really made me look weird going on my name, you know, mellon nin? And you can't stop me from killing Legolas, no matter how hot he is, hahaha! But you'll just have to wait and see. And as for your death threats, I don't let people who want to kill me come over to swim…(hinthint).
Someone Reading-I am so sorry about the loss of your friend, my deepest thoughts and prayers are with you. We will see them soon, and it will be wonderful. And I am also sorry about the cliffhanger in this chapter, I hope it doesn't make you too upset. I always love hearing from you, thanks so much!
Karushna5- Thanks, but out of sheer curiosity, what did you expect when you started reading it? And so sorry, my lips are sealed. You just have to wait like the rest of the readers. Hehehe, I don't even know what people I'm killing off yet. Sorry again, but thanks for the review! I am having fun…
Deana- Thanks, but I make no guarantees. It all depends on how fast Legolas can dodge arrows, hehehehe…
jacquelinestel-Thank you so much, I love your story too! And there will be a sequel, too. Hope you're not too upset with this cliffhanger…
sielge-Thank you, I'm glad you like it. But I'm terribly sorry that I couldn't immediately give you this chapter. To be honest, I didn't even finish writing this until a few minutes before posting. And due to popular demand, there will be a sequel. Thanks for your encouragement.
Elven-Star-of-Gold- LMAO, thank you for the funny review. Hehehe, you don't care what happens to Estel? But yes, the race of man does suck. But please don't hurt me for what happens at the end of this chapter!
Gozzila- Thank you! Is this soon enough? Probably not, sorry. And 22 might not be up for a couple weeks. (cringes) I'm so sorry, I hope you keep reading.
MagickalStar135- Yay! I got a review from you and you're one of my favorite authors, thanks! Wow, I'm honored that you'd spent so long reading my story! And, yes, I am sorry but my story is mostly cliffhangers, this one being one of the worst. And thanks so much for the compliments, you are making me blush here. I hope you like this chapter too. Thanks again!
Hp-Azn- Sorry, this doesn't have much angst, but I can promise that 22 will. And thanks for your input on the sequel, though I can't tell you if any of the four will die. Thank you, though!
galadriel evenstar- Thank you! And yep, there will be a sequel. And sorry that they will be attacked, I hope the cliffhanger at the end of this chapter won't make you too upset…
Mornflower- Thank you so much! I am so glad you like my story and I'm sorry you got in trouble by your mom for it. Hehehe, I like reading about people getting hurt too, I really don't know why though. We must be a lot alike! And if you like people getting hurt, you'll love the end of this chapter…
Freddy'sGirl01- Yes, mellon nin, that's how you spell it. Hehehe, sorry about my comment on your spelling. And I don't know about your rating, if the fire causes graphic violence than you should keep it PG-13 but it's basically your choice, I'll talk to you later about it. I'll call you some time this weekend. I don't think rating is that big of a deal to people unless it's like NC-17 or something, and I sure hope that yours won't go that high, lol. Yes, we need to write a Fred and George fic, but it has to be angsty. TTYL, LYLAS, and thanks for the review!
Arienis- Thanks for the review! Sorry I'm upsetting you, though. It probably is a crime to hurt Estel so much, I feel really guilty. Hope you like this chapter!
Warrior Elf- Wow, you have insurance for them? Now I'm scared…Do you like twin angst? You write it wonderfully, I know that much. 'Cause there is a lot coming up… And I didn't get an author alert for your Celebrain story so I haven't reviewed it yet, sorry. I promise I will this weekend though, I've been getting so far behind in reviewing. Thanks for all the great reviews and I hope you like this chapter…
Riva van Dyk- Sorry if it seemed like Lerienion changed his mind quickly, but he really didn't, he's still unsure. I hope you'll be slightly shocked or at least concerned about this cliffhanger though…Thank you!
Beling- Thanks, I'm glad you like this story! I'm so happy that you think I portray the twins well! I love Elladan and Elrohir too, but I hurt them so. You'll probably be upset with this cliffhanger, though, sorry. I'm also overjoyed to find that you liked the elves breaking open the door. Thank you so much for the compliments!
Chapter 21: Fallen
Elrohir shivered slightly and Elladan tightened his grip on his brother, no longer even holding onto the horse, simply trusting it to follow the group.
"Do you feel alright, 'Ro?" he asked nervously, urging his mare to slow down as he checked his twin to see if the fever had risen.
"I'm fine," Elrohir protested weakly, shifting in the cloak that was keeping him almost totally immobile. "Keep riding."
Elladan sighed sadly, desperately looking forward in the group at his father.
Elrond halted his horse and turned it to face the group. "We'll stop for camp here until sunrise," he decided. The group had been riding for many hours, and even if only Elrohir and Legolas needed the break, the others deserved it too. "In the morning we can find the orc's tracks and find where they hide during daylight. Then, we will attack." He glanced somewhat nervously at all eleven. Only eight were able to fight and one of them, Elladan, wasn't even totally healed. Attacking during the day would be the only way their small group would have a chance of winning.
The group nodded in agreement and began to walk their horses off of the track.
Lerienion knew that his horse was making too much noise now and dismounted, gently stroking its soft nose. He took an unsteady breath, feeling uncertain about his choice. But Roneinen had told him to kill Estel and Lerienion knew that he had to honor his brother's wishes. Legolas, too, deserved death for the murder.
"Should I do this, Rossë?" he asked doubtfully.
She snorted loudly and tossed her head, looking suspiciously like a 'no'.
Lerienion laughed lightly. "You don't even know what I'm saying."
The mare gently nudged his shoulder, breathing warmly on him and nickering softly. Then she stepped back and stared, almost sadly, into her master's eyes.
The elf frowned and bowed his head. "This isn't right, mellon nin, is it? Valar, I'm an elf, a Firstborn. I should not be doing this."
The horse whickered happily and tossed her head slightly in agreement.
"But what else can I do?" he asked, looking upwards into the sky. He knew that Roneinen was deranged, not right in the head. Any other elf would know that this was crazy. He couldn't do this…
"But I have to!" he cried.
Just two deaths…
'Two murders.'
He shuddered. Here he was, angry at Legolas for one murder, and he was now going to commit two, maybe more! Definitely more, he realized. There was no way the group the prince traveled with would let him off easy. What if he was forced to kill them all?
Lerienion ran his fingers softly across the soft wood of his bow and shifted the quiver of arrows on his back.
"I don't want to do this." He repeated. "I don't want to do this."
Rossë nibbled his shoulder gently in encouragement.
"But…" Lerienion whispered, turning away. His horse snorted and stepped to follow him but he slapped her nose away.
"I have to."
She locked her heartbroken eyes with his tormented blue ones and bowed her head, her ears flat against her head.
"No, mellon nin," he whispered. "Go home, find someone else,"
She looked at him for a moment before whinnying sadly and trotting off, taking one last longing look at her kind master.
Lerienion turned away in guilt and swallowed a lump in his throat. It would soon be over, and he'd be with Roneinen again.
He quietly tracked the band of elves for an hour until he reached their campsite, where he perched in a tree nearby. If he was silent they wouldn't know he was there, as he wouldn't give off the feeling of evil.
The blonde Firstborn took deep breaths to calm himself and notched an arrow, waiting.
He whispered barely audibly to reassure himself.
"I have to."
Elladan sat down next to his twin on a thick blanket covering the uncomfortable ground. He took a piece of lembas out of the pack he had gotten and offered it to his brother.
"No thanks," Elrohir responded, though his stomach twisted in hunger.
"Are you sure?" the older twin pressed in concern.
Elrohir nodded. "I don't think I can keep food down right now…" he replied uncomfortably.
"Oh," Elladan sighed. He gently draped his arm around his twin's shoulders. "Are your hands alright?"
Elrohir nodded again. "They're a little numb and stinging, but not too bad." He looked down at the thickly bandaged hands sadly. He hoped dearly that he'd be able to use them again after the antidote was made. If it was made in time…
Estel sat against a tree across the campsite, a slight clearing with enough space for a small fire. His father sat not many yards away, talking to Glorfindel and Thranduil, but the boy didn't want to be with them at the moment. He wanted to be with the twins. His brothers.
"I hate it!" Estel yelled in frustration. "I want to get out of bed now!"
"Estel," Elrohir began desperately. "Please listen. You need to rest. You can't get around anyway, it's not like you can use crutches."
"It's not fair." The boy whined. "I'm so bored."
"Ada told us not to allow you out of bed, little one. You are still healing," Elladan told him.
"But I have been for three weeks!" The child shouted. His back and shoulder were healed and all that was left on his arm were faint scars of the burns. Now it was only his legs. Valar, why did he have to injure them further by walking?
Elrohir looked at Elladan and sighed at their stubborn younger brother. But they both knew well how frustrating it was to stay in bed for a long time.
Finally, the younger twin stepped forward and scooped the boy into his arms, careful of the limbs wrapped thickly in casts. Estel yelped in surprise and then giggled happily as he was carried out of the room.
Elladan laughed at the boy, sprinting beside the younger twin, and ruffled his dark hair playfully. "Does going out to the river sound fun, little brother?"
Estel nodded profusely with a wide grin.
"And perhaps, 'accidentally', shove someone in?" Elrohir whispered quietly in his ear so that Elladan couldn't hear.
Estel giggled more.
"But, remember," Elladan added with a wink.
Elrohir finished. "Don't tell Ada."
Estel sighed tearfully, resting his head on his knees sadly. Oh, how he missed them. What if they too, like Legolas, didn't want to be with him?
"Estel!" Elladan shouted suddenly from where the twins sat, motioning for the boy to join them.
A relieved smile brightened the child's face as he hastily ran around the fire and eagerly curled close to his brothers.
"I missed you so much," he whispered after a few minutes.
Elladan smiled and softly kissed his brother's forehead. "I missed you too, little brother."
Estel beamed and hugged the older twin tightly. Elrohir laughed softly at the child and also weakly wrapped his arm around him.
"Are you going to be alright, 'Ro?" Estel whispered.
"Yes, little one, I'll be fine, do not worry." Elrohir responded, gently tucking a wayward dark strand out of the boy's face with the tip of his fingers that were left unwrapped.
"Good." Estel sighed and snuggled closer, closing his eyes happily. Everything was going to be alright…
At least, that's what he thought…
Across the campsite, Legolas stared longingly at his friends that were sleeping soundly. His throat felt tight and he closed his eyes as a single tear rolled down his face. He felt so alone.
"Are you alright, ion nin?" he heard a kind voice beckon from his side.
The prince looked up at his father and nodded, wiping his eyes in embarrassment. "I'm fine, Ada." He whispered, his words as far as possible from the truth.
Thranduil knelt beside his son and comfortingly wrapped a blanket around the young elf's shoulders. He gradually pulled his son closer in his arms, holding him as he would when the prince was but a small elfling.
"What troubles you?"
Legolas sighed miserably and rested his head against his father's chest. "I feel alone, Ada. Everything is my fault. I want it to be the way it used to."
"The way it used to?" The Mirkwood king laughed softly. "Greenleaf, this doesn't seem far different than any other trouble you and the Peredhils have gotten into."
Legolas smirked slightly, but his humor soon vanished. "But it is my fault this time." He whispered, slowly finding himself drifting into sleep in the warm, loving grasp of his father.
"Valar forgive me," Lerienion whispered before letting the arrow fly.
Legolas was awoken slowly as he was shifted. He found himself being laid on the open blanket on the forest ground.
"Ada?" he whispered softly.
Thranduil gently pressed his finger to the prince's lips. "Shh, ion nin, you have not yet slept for an hour. I am only going to talk to Lord Elrond, alright?"
Legolas nodded but sat up anyway, leaning against a tree.
"Do you feel alright?" The king asked.
"I am well." Legolas told him. He was honest this time, he truly didn't feel that bad. He had learned from the last time not to lie about how he felt.
Thranduil nodded with a brief smiled before turning and disappearing into a faint silhouette in the distance. The faint flickering of the firelight showed the sons of Elrond still fast asleep, the Mirkwood soldiers and Sila nestled in lower tree branches, and Glorfindel and Elrond sitting near the fire, talking in low voices. Legolas thought he caught the words 'poison' and 'orcs' but quickly tried to divert his attention.
He silently ran his hands along the thick bark, savoring the gentle voice of the tree. He felt his mind dim again as sleep came over him from the plant's gentle lullaby.
Suddenly, he felt a jolt of danger awake him and ducked with a strangled gasp only split-seconds before the arrow would have imbedded itself in his head.
Everyone froze, the elves instantly awoken save for Elrohir. Estel felt Elladan jump and was instantly awake.
With trembling hands, the prince removed the arrow from the tree behind him.
"It's not an orc's." he whispered anxiously. "It belongs to an elf."
"Roneinen," Thranduil said grimly, standing up and looking into the trees. "We need to leave now!"
Estel whimpered softly under his breath and ran to his father.
"It's alright, ion nin," Elrond assured, lifting the child into his arms and walking swiftly to his horse.
Elladan carefully felt his twin's forehead as he lifted him onto the horse, dismayed to find it so hot. The younger twin had dropped into a fever sleep.
The group was mounted quickly, looking into the trees nervously.
Suddenly, Sila saw another arrow heading for the prince. Without time to say anything, he loyally kicked his horse to run in front of Legolas'. Then there was only darkness.
Legolas turned in shock as his friend slid limply off of the stallion.
"Oh, Valar…" Legolas whispered in anguished disbelief.
There was an arrow in the back of Sila's head.
He was dead.
"There's no time!" An elf called as he made to dismount. "Go!"
Someone else in the group began firing arrows into the trees, but the hidden foe's attacks still came, narrowly missing Legolas several times.
Still disbelieving, he urged his horse to sprint, running off with the rest.
Lerienion cursed softly. But maybe this wasn't a good idea. Did any of them really deserve death?
With a determined sighed, he tried to forget that what he was doing was horrible.
He began aiming for other targets. He just needed Legolas and Estel to stop so that he could shoot them.
Estel yelped loudly as one of the Mirkwood soldiers was hit in the side of the head and slipped off of his horse, which ran off in fear.
"Faster! Don't stop!" Glorfindel yelled, kicking his steed's side hard as one of the arrows sliced his arm. He hissed under his breath and glanced back regretfully at the body on the ground.
Another soldier fell as one hit his neck, but the group ran on. They couldn't stop or they'd surely be killed.
They were almost out of reach of the archer…
They were getting away, Lerienion knew that he had to think fast. Legolas and Estel were in front, there was no way an arrow would reach them now. But the Peredhil twins were at the back of the group. If he killed one of them, surely they'd stop.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered softly.
Squinting slightly, he pulled back and released the arrow.
Elladan suddenly felt a surge of fear rush through him. He could tell what was going to happen but had no time to prevent it. Bending over Elrohir to protect his younger twin, he felt searing pain shoot through his spine.
Elrohir was awoken instantly as someone suddenly pushed roughly against him. Looking up, he watched in horror as Elladan fell lifelessly off the horse and hit the ground with a sickening thud, an arrow protruding deeply from his back.
T---B---C!