15. Driven to Distraction

"I wish every day could be Autumn." Aragorn said with a contented sigh.

"Why is that?" Arwen asked. They were stretched out on their backs on an empty hillside, staring up at the clouds. Aragorn laced his fingers behind his head with a crooked smile, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Because from now on Autumn will always remind me of today." he said. "For once I feel as if I were at peace with the world."

"I know, so do I." Arwen agreed with a impish grin. "Today certainly makes up for the abysmal time I had yesterday."

"Did the ball do nothing to cheer you?" He knew immediately from the expression on her face that he had said the wrong thing and he cringed.

"So much for today making up for yesterday." Aragorn said with his most apologetic expression. Arwen turned to look at him, tucking one arm under her head.

"It is not your fault, Estel." she sighed, running her fingers through the grass "I am not particularly fond of balls to begin with and last night's went badly."

"That would certainly explain why I didn't see you there." he said with a frown.

"I arrived late and I left early." Arwen replied "and I can tell you quite truthfully that I doubt there was anyone to miss my presence."

"I refuse to believe you have not had a fair number of noble elves tell you that you are both beautiful and charming." he said with a self-conscious smile "I can not understand how you can speak of being alone here when I have found nothing but friendship within these walls."

"I have had many suitors." she admitted with a heavy sigh. "But none of them have ever cared for me as much as they have my title. Ada is great among the elves and it has made it hard to find friends who are sincere."

"I understand that well." Aragorn said with a sad smile. Arwen gave him a quizzical look. "I have been treated well in Imladris. Elladan and Elrohir have loved me like a brother and Ada spoiled me, but if he were any other elf I do not think even the servants would tolerate me. Seldom did the other children play with me when I was small. Even now I do not have many friends."

"Isn't it ironic that you and I should find so much common ground." Arwen said softly as he nodded. "I am a bit ashamed, Estel."

"Why is that?" he asked, his eyes full of confusion.

"You are more grateful for the little this place has given you than I am for the many things it has given me." she sighed. "I have family here, old friends I seldom speak to any more and old faces I have sought to avoid because I did not think my presence mattered, but perhaps I have misjudged them. If you can find friendship within these walls, should I not be able to do the same?" He reached out and took her hand impulsively, rolling onto his side so that their eyes met.

"Whatever else, please do not be alone when I am near." he said softly, "It tears at my heart to see your sorrow."

"Estel, why are you so sweet to me?" she asked, giving his fingers a squeeze as she smiled at him. He slumped onto his back again, staring up at the sky.

"I know what it is to feel as if you do not belong." he replied.

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"You should see her," Orophin said with a manic grin "There are not even a half dozen wardens in Lorien who could match her skill."

"Will you please stop blubbering about that idiotic elleth and pay attention to Haldir." Rumil demanded, glaring angrily at Orophin.

"I do not blubber and you will speak more respectfully of Meril or I will break your arm." he said with an indignant frown "Where is our gloomy big brother?"

"He disappeared in his room again." Rumil said with a sigh as they crept through the woods. They had been tracking Legolas for several minutes now as he methodically searched the grounds of Imladris. Rumil's only comfort was that the prince seemed to have no notion of where or why Undomiel had disappeared.

"Perhaps she is angry with him over something." Orophin said, his brow knitting in concentration as he wrestled his mind to the task at hand.

"We can at least be glad he is not with Arwen." Rumil replied. "She is not given over much to aimless wandering. If she is out here alone it is likely she is avoiding someone."

"Let us hope it is not Haldir." Orophin said with a frown. They crouched in the bushes, peering into a glade where Legolas stood, scanning the trees with a perturbed expression.

"I've just had a thought." Orophin whispered with an odd glint in his eyes.

"Everyone should have at least one in their lifetime." Rumil replied sarcastically. Orophin cupped his hands around his brother's ear, whispering his intentions and an evil grin broke on the younger elf's face.

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"We have to find Arwen and Estel." Elrohir sighed heavily as he dropped the last few feet to the ground, looking up the trellis to watch his twin's progress.

"I am not going anywhere until I change clothes and do something about my bruised backside." Elladan replied, joining his brother on the ground with a painful groan. He rubbed his thigh with a wince.

"But Estel..."

"Did not fall out of a tree and nearly get shot with an arrow... twice!" he snapped, holding up two fingers "and despite our best efforts was not locked in a bed chamber!"

"Arwen must have shown him how to climb down the trellis." Elrohir frowned "I knew we should have told Ada why we didn't want Estel to have that room."

"Do you have any idea how many things we would be in trouble for if he knew we could climb out the windows on this side of the house?" Elladan demanded.

"Would you like me to ah... check your wounds?" Elrohir asked looking over his twin with an appraising eye.

"No," Elladan shook his head "I'll take care of it myself, you start looking for those two miscreants. I'll take the river path and meet you by the bench."

"Don't be long." Elrohir called back as he headed into the woods "If Legolas gets to them first the idiot will probably encourage them." Elladan nodded in reply and skirted around the house to the back steps. He crept by the open door of his father's study and slipped into the apothecary's storeroom, easing the door shut behind him. He started down the nearest row of shelves, collecting a few supplies. A muffled sigh distracted him and he peered around the end of the shelf into the adjoining chamber.

Elrond's surgery was used only for the most serious of operations and the preparation of treatments, On one side was a high, narrow bed and a wash stand and on the other a pair of large chairs near the fireplace, fitted out as a smaller version of the cooking fire in the kitchens. Indelin was slumped in one of the chairs, her hand pressed over her eyes, her bow still clutched in her other fist.

"If you intend to snare a healer instead of a warrior I know a very good potion that should help." he said, unable to contain his grin. Indelin jumped at the sound of his voice, her bow clattering to the floor.

"Oh, Elladan!" she breathed a sigh of relief "You frightened me." He motioned her to keep her voice down so they would not be heard and he crossed the room, dropping his supplies on the small side table and lowering himself gingerly into the chair.

"Practice didn't go well." he stated, she shook her head with a frown.

"I slipped in here to make something to calm my nerves." she replied, waving a hand at the kettle over the fire as she turned to look at him. "You look awful!"

"I'll live." he replied with a smile, mixing several of the ingredients in a bowl.

"Elladan, I'm so sorry about the arrow!" she groaned. "was that you I heard falling out of the tree?" he nodded in reply, the stricken look on her face making it hard not to laugh.

"Please tell me I didn't hit you." she begged.

"You didn't hit me." he said as seriously as he could. She buried her face in her hands to stifle a groan.

"I did hit you, didn't I?"

"Indelin, you only nicked me." he soothed, "I am not angry."

"At least let me dress your wounds." she insisted, pushing herself out of her chair.

"No thank you." he said, his mouth curling into an embarrassed frown.

"I know I'm not nearly as skilled a healer as your father but he says I do quite well." she said anxiously. "I would feel better about it if you would let me help you." Elladan looked up at her, not sure weather to laugh or glare.

"I don't think you would want to if you knew where you had shot me." he replied cursing inwardly as his face reddened. Indelin stared at him in horror before backing into her chair and falling into it with a thump.

"Is your... did I... you... oh dear." She wrapped her arms around her legs with another groan, pressing her face to her knees.

"I am not permanently damaged, Indelin!" he could no longer hold in his laughter. "It is only a scratch."

"I suppose I should be grateful that you have no wife to come and throttle me." she replied dolefully. Elladan chuckled.

"Even if I did you would have no cause for worry." he grinned "I can assure you, no healthy male would allow a scratch to get in the way of... that."

"You have been my friend and tried to help me and I repay you by trying to geld you and knocking you out of a tree." she sighed dismally.

"Perhaps you had better tell me why you are hiding in here." he smiled in an attempt to change the subject.

"Haldir of Lorien." she replied trying to repress an involuntary shudder.

"Yes, well he has that effect on many people." Elladan said casually. The kettle began to sing and he took it from the fire, filling her cup.

"I have never known such a fearsome elf." Indelin said with an awed whisper. "I had heard he has been wounded in battle too many times to count, however do the orcs manage it?"

"Blind luck." Elladan laughed, "He is terrifying, it is one reason I so enjoy having him in my party. Most wargs will not even come near him so I am safer the closer I stand to him."

"Even if I were surrounded by balrogs, I never want to be that near to him again." she replied emphatically.

"If you continue to pursue Orophin you may have no choice." he teased "They are brothers and as the head of the family you would doubtless have to see Haldir frequently."

"How frequently?" she asked in horror.

"Holidays." Elladan shrugged "Festivals"

"Oh dear."

"Begetting days, promotions."

"Elladan?"

"Mealtimes."

"I get the point." she said with a growl. Elladan chuckled at her and she bit her lip nervously, a look of total hopelessness filling her face.

"Indelin, I was only teasing." he said gently "I do not think you should give up so easily."

"Orophin did not even look at me." she whispered, fighting back tears. "If I had not been so utterly abysmal I do not think even Haldir would have noticed my existence. I should just accept the truth, I am never going to wed on my own, I should take the ship and join Nana and Ada."

"You are being too hard on yourself." he soothed, handing her the steaming cup and kneeling beside her chair. He brushed the stray tears from her cheek with a soft smile. "You can not be so easily discouraged, have you not noticed how thick headed males are? We have no sense at all." She gave a tiny giggle and he pulled her against his shoulder, gently stroking her hair.

"What if he never notices me?" she asked with a heavy sigh.

"Well, then we shall find an elf with a bit more sense." he insisted.

"I can not chase you." she said with a grin, "you are spoken for."

"Indelin, I said an elf with sense." he teased, smiling with satisfaction as she giggled.

"Thank you for being such a good friend, Elladan." She smiled at him. He gave her an evil grin.

"Thank you for not gelding me." He let out a laugh as she swatted his arm.

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Author's Note - As always thank you for the great reviews.

From here things really start to get convoluted. The action gets increasingly more difficult to follow, culminating in a virtual whirlpool of disaster in Chapter 19 (ch 20 on FF.net because of the prologue) I'm reasonably happy with the story up to that point I just have some tweaking but ch. 19 is a different story. Barring some form of disaster I'll probably be making 2 updates a week until ch.19 but there is a possibility that I will have to post 19 get some feedback and rewrite it. Hopefully that won't be the case but I'm warning you all in advance.

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Kath - As much as I love Haldir (the cute, sexy thing), I don't want him teaching me archery. I don't see how I could ever concentrate with him standing that close to me.

dragonfly - Thank the Valar he's not a eunuch.

Converted - Of course, Glorfindel is the ultimate cool, in a Jack Sparrow sort of way (only with less eye makeup and more prancing) I think I have Unfinished Tales in my pile of 'things to do after I read LOTR for the 15th time.' Although I might have to take a peek at the Galadriel and Celeborn chapter before I start my next story... in March. When I was a young dork we didn't have the internet to get our dork books for us so now I have to make up for lost time, and the best part is, I'm too old for my folks to complain. Yea! SAT prep; Every day learn a new word, write it on your arm and use it in at least three sentences during the day even if you have to say something stupid to your friends like "Don't you think SAT preps drown all life and happiness in *languor*?" You might not have friends for very long but you'll make at least 1300 on your SAT's and then you can look down on them ten years from now when they all have to beg you for jobs. Dictonary.com has a great word of the day so you don't even have to look up one to learn like us old dorks had to.

Cerridwen - Whatever Celeborn thinks he had better keep to himself. Galadriel has already made up her mind and I have a friend who says that all men who disagree with their wives should ask themselves this question; Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy?

TSS- What about poor Indelin who can't get anyone to notice her, or poor Elrohir? (he's really taking the abuse right now)

jesla - those two really cannot keep their hands to themselves, [rolls eyes] elves.

grumpy - You know, you laugh a lot for a grumpy. I'll take that as a compliment.