I am so unbelievably sorry I left you so long. I suck, I'm worse than a sucky thing that sucks a lot. I'm horrid and I deserve no reviews (but I'd like 'em?!) I won't bore you with all the details of why it took so long, but let's say my life turned into one of the aforementioned sucky things that suck a lot and I kind of hit a big brick wall. Hey, Rainy Dayz said it would be the wall for me!

I sincerely hope I will keep my reviewers, and I'd especially like to thank Rainy Dayz (who must have a major brain ache from doing the Eyebrows of Doom at me for so long), Eluvia (why aren't you supposed to send reviews sweetie?), and Iawen Londea (whose e-mail I did reply to but I don't know if you got it, my mail box sucks too!). Oh, and Amelia Rose, there are no scary bits this time!) I really would be honoured to know what you think of this part, and whether you forgive me?

Title: Elusive Dreams (8/?)

Author: Pickle Pixie

E-Mail: picklepixie83@hotmail.com

Rating: G so far

Summary: Elrohir can't sleep …

Disclaimer: All the characters you recognise belong to JRR Tolkein, God and author extraordinaire. I am making no money from this and mean no infringement upon his works.

~*~

"Elrond. My Lord, Glorfindel has returned."

Not since his wife had soothed his children into the tranquillity of elven dreams with a sweet lullaby had the Lord of Imladris heard words that were such a balm to his troubled soul. He would have believed himself to be dreaming if not for the stunned expression on his son's face.

Elrond almost felt the weight of his fears lift, as if it were a tangible force. The lines that had become an enduring feature upon his brow, testament to his son's plight, in the weeks past faded until they were indiscernible. A flame seemed to rekindle in his eyes, and he saw it mirrored in Elrohir's twilight gaze.

The two Peredhil hastened down the stone passageways towards the courtyard. The Imladrin lord could not help glancing at his son time and again. To Elrohir, Glorfindel's return heralded and end to his torment, or at least the coming of hope, for both his brothers and himself. To the twins, the golden haired elf was a hero of legend, the famed Balrog slayer who was sworn to protect the Peredhil House.

Yet Elrond could not help the black shadow that began to creep up upon his spirit once again. What if he were wrong? What would become of them if Galadriel had no answers, no knowledge of these creatures, no wisdom from which they might draw strength. Each step he now took could be leading him ever closer to his son's doom; and the breaking of his own heart.

The trio of Elves arrived in the courtyard just as Glorfindel mounted the stone stairs that led to Rivendell's halls. The Elf lord appeared weary as he strode towards them, yet none paid any heed to the state of his travel stained attire or the mess of hair that was settled only loosely in his warrior braids. He looked up at Elrond and Elrohir as he reached the wide landing on which they awaited him. Wearily he bowed his head to the Elven lords.

"Forgive me my lords, I had hoped to return to you soonest. I fear that whatever shadow has fallen upon your family has attracted malevolence like a moth to a flame. All the blood we have shed ridding these hills of evil has been undone. I have been beset by all manner of beasts upon my journey, and was saved only by the speed of Asfaloth."

The warrior could not help himself stepping forward to take Elrohir in a tight embrace.

"I had feared I was too late…"

Elrohir, despite his initial surprise, held tightly to his mentor. "Nay Glorfindel, you are not too late. Yet it grieves me to know you have faced such darkness on my account. Please, I would have you take some rest." The young prince stepped back and looked to his father for assistance.

"No, I must speak with you first, Elrond. There is much I have to tell you."

"I understand, mellon nin, but this is not the place. Let us retire to my study, we can have food and miruvor brought to you. You will be of no use to my son if you collapse from exhaustion. You will feel better once you have eaten. Perhaps then we can find some answers to this danger together."

"Hannon le, mellon nin."

~*~

Elladan slammed the book shut furiously, spluttering slightly as the dust gathered in the tome's pages filled the air around him. He growled in a particularly unelven, let alone princely fashion. Had the book not belonged to his father he would have gladly pitched the volume through the arched windows of the study.

Instead the elder twin settled for tossing the book onto a steadily mounting heap of others he had already scoured for information on the Lorerauko. Opening the next text and finding that only every third word made any sense to him, he growled again and pushed it aside. He leaned forward and rested his elbows upon the desk. Laying his head in his hands, he breathed slowly in a futile attempt to stop his ire rising any further.

He was out of his depth, and he knew it. Books and scrolls were Elrohir's strength, not his. He was more comfortable on the training field, teaching young warriors the art of warfare. Never before had he depended upon lore and legend to slay a foe. Yet now he wished fervently that he had paid more attention to Erestor in his lessons, and that he had not mocked his twin so harshly for his own interest in his lessons. To kill the Lorerauko he must first learn how it could be accomplished. These ancient pages, however, seemed to hold no answers.

He pressed the heels of his hands into his suddenly stinging eyes. He was exhausted, emotionally drained. And he was so afraid. Elrohir was weakening by the hour, and although he had tried to distance himself from those around him, not even physical distance could shield him form the bond he shared with his twin. Elrohir did not have to speak to him for Elladan to hear with resounding clarity each and every emotion that bombarded his little brother.

It was deafening, the terror Elrohir felt each time he took the sleeping draught, not knowing whether he would ever wake up. But not one doubt had the star rider voiced. While whatever force ailed him robbed his body of it's strength, his pride and concern for those around him would not permit him to burden others with his worries. Perhaps, Elladan mused, that was why Elrohir had evaded the comfort of his presence. He alone knew how close Elrohir was to breaking.

That was the crux of it. That was why he could not be himself, be Elladan and charge blindly after Aragorn and Legolas. That was the reason he could not take up his sword and hunt down the demons threatening his family. Not because he was afraid of the Lorerauko, nor because he had no notion of how to slay them or what he would face. Not even because his father had pleaded with him to remain within the safety of Imladris' halls. He could not be Elladan, because there was no Elladan without Elrohir. His brother, the other half of his soul, was fading. He could not bear to be parted with his twin when every day he felt a little less of Elrohir within his heart. Every brush of his mind with that of his twin was becoming almost numb. No, he could not leave Elrohir.

But his patience was wearing thin.

Elrond claimed that Aragorn and Legolas were in little danger. There were three demons, he said, and they only feed on Elven souls. In fact, they consider mortals so far beneath them that they do not even lower themselves to engaging them in combat. Two of the demons had already fed, and the other had targeted Elrohir.

So Elladan was biding his time. But when he had looked upon his twin's face at dinner that evening, he had come to comprehend that time was running out.

It was as he came to the conclusion that he must confront his father that Elrond himself, followed by Elrohir, Erestor and Glorfindel entered the study.

"Glorfindel! Thank Eru you are here! Did Grandmother send word?"

"Elladan, patience. Let Glorfindel catch his breath." Elrond guided his friend to an armchair near the hearth. Elrohir though, returned once again to the windowsill. He sat there, bathed in Ithil's glow, and watched tiredly as the Lord of the Golden Flower eased himself into the chair and took a deep, steadying breath.

"I spoke with the Lady of the Wood. Indeed, she knew I was coming. She had perceived some threat to her blood, and so gazed into her mirror. She saw these demons, these Lorerauko. Elrond, your law mother is indeed wise. She gifted upon me the means to defeat them."

A cry from behind him alerted Elrond once again to the presence of his eldest son.

"Praise the Valar! Then let us away! Why do we linger here when we have the means to destroy these vile beasts!"

"Please, pen neth, it is not so simple." Glorfindel's words echoed around the room. The joyful expression upon the elder twin's face fell. He looked imploringly to his father, but the Elven lord's expression remained stoic. Elrohir's expression also had not changed. something in his eyes told him that he had known nothing would be that painless.

"The Lady told me many dark things about these demons. Two of them always killed together, the two that killed Vinyasoron and Nuquernadeloth. They were the lesser of the group. The other was their lord and brother. While the other two would take the soul of any elf, he was always more selective about his prey. He would choose them months before he intended to take their soul, plague them with nightmares and steal their sleep, until finally they would fall into a trance from which they would never awaken. You fell into this sleep Elrohir, you should never have awoken. Your Grandmother believes that were it not for the healing powers of your father and the closeness of Elladan's soul to yours, you would have died."

"Glorfindel, do not say such things!" Elladan had joined his twin, standing at his side and clasping his hand.

"But it is true, ernilen. The Lady also assured me that should Lord Elrohir succumb to sleep again before we can destroy them, he will fall into shadow." With this he rose from his seat and walked across the room to where his twin charges stared at him in horror. He knelt before Elrohir and grasped his other hand in his own. It was cold, and all colour had faded from the elf's face. Glorfindel looked into the twilight hued eyes. "Elrohir, ernilen, I implore you, be strong just a little longer. Saes."

"Glorfindel, if what you say is true, then we must act with all haste."

Glorfindel turned to face Elrond. "Indeed my Lord. I rode with all haste. I would have been here sooner if not for the yrch I met on my journey."

"Orcs!" Elladan let go of his twin's hand and stepped forward. "Ada, if there are orcs out there, what of Aragorn and Legolas?"

"Ai, they are gone? I had hoped to find them here!" Glorfindel's jaw slackened and dismay shone from his eyes.

"Glorfindel," Elrond regarded his friend apprehensively, "what cause had you fear that Aragorn and Legolas would not be here?"

The golden haired elf did not speak, but reached into his cloak.

From it he produced a white handled knife.

~*~

Aragorn blinked himself back to wakefulness. Instinctively he turned to his side, as far as his bonds would allow, and assured himself the Legolas was still with him. For three days the young Dú nadan had watched vigilantly for any sign of his friend's stirring. For three days he had not slept for fear of waking to find the Mirkwood prince missing, or worse…

Yet despite the elven attributes of his Numenorean blood, he had succumbed to his exhaustion and slept the night away. Fortune had smiled upon him, and his elven companion appeared unharmed. The Lorerauko were nowhere in sight.

Aragorn arched his back against the tree to which he and Legolas had been bound, attempted to ease the knots and kinks of sleep from his abused limbs. He sighed deeply and once again began pleading with Legolas to free himself from whatever spell the Lorerauko had cast over him. His entreaties, however, were becoming more and more despairing.

"Legolas, mellon nin, come back to the light. I need you Legolas, Elrohir needs you. Saes. I do not know what to do…"

But the cobalt eyes remained empty, and Legolas did not stir.

TBC

Asfaloth - Glorfindel's horse

mellon nin - my friend

hannon le - thank you

ernilen - my prince

saes - pleas

yrch - orcs

Next time there'll be more of Aragorn and Legolas, promise! And I might even tell you how to kill the nasty sleep demons!