Chapter Four

Severed Bonds

Elrond rushed into his house, after Glorfindel has sought him out. He raced into his youngest son's room and stepped up to the bed. The young elfling lay there tossing and turning fitfully. Elrond placed a long fingered hand on the elflings brow murmuring words of comfort. He knew the anxiety Elrohir was going through. He himself had experienced it in his life. However the words did not seem to comfort his son. Frowning, he sat on the edge of the bed, while whispering to his aide.

"See if you can locate Celebrián. She should be in our chambers."

Glorfindel nodded and slipped quickly from the room.

Elrond deeply sighed. "What is bothering your dreams my son?"

The only response the father received were the frightened whimpers of his youngest. Then without warning, the young elfling sat up in his bed, and cried out into the dimly lit room. "ELLA? NO!"

Elrond nearly jumped out of his skin at the lost expression on his son's face. The suddenness of the outburst shook him to his soul. "Shh, my son." Elrond whispered.

"No, Ella, he went away."

Elrond felt his blood turn cold at the lost and frightened voice. His fear grew as he drew in his son's words. "Away?" Elrond mouthed. "What do you mean went away?"

"I d'unno." Elrohir whimpered clutching his pillow in his small arms.

"Tell me." Elrond pried.

"Not here." Elrohir raised grief stricken eyes to his father, placing his hand on his chest.

Elrond swallowed the lump in his throat; his worst fear was before him. He knew the connection between his sons. He knew that they were inseparable. Celebrián rushed into the bedroom, behind Glorfindel. She raced to the bedside and sat down on the edge.

"Oh, my son, what were you thinking leaving the house?" She whispered gently taking the small elfling into her arms.

Elrond looked over his shoulder in question.

Glorfindel nodded. "I found him at Loud Water."

Elrond stood up from the bed, and walked over to his aide. "I want you to find my son, I fear the worst." He muttered quietly.

Glorfindel felt his eyes widen. "I will find him my lord, do not fear. We will not fail you."


Figwit turned on his horse and shouted an order to the men close behind him. They saw riders in the distance and Figwit urged his horse into a gallop to meet up with the riders.

He slowed his horse when he realized who it was. The day approached quickly, and the light allowed for him to clearly see the mounted riders.

"Haldir." The dark haired elf shouted.

The young blond approached nodding in greeting. "Celeborn and Galadriel are not far behind. What happened? When Aredwe arrived in a panic sputtering inane words, we feared the worst."

"Lord Elladan is missing." Figwit quietly hissed. "He was taken from his own bed, and we are following prints left by men near the Bruinen.

Haldir sat on his horse speechless. Behind him the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien quickly approached. He turned in his saddle, and furiously announced. "Lord Elladan is missing, I wish to lead a group and set a search for him."

The Lord and Lady glanced at each other and nodded their approval. "Go then, quickly." Celeborn commanded.

Haldir bowed from the back of his horse, and shouted a command to a few of the guards. The growing group of elves raced towards the forest that lay in the distance.

Haldir rode his horse beside Figwit's. "It would be faster if we split up."

"Faster, but would that be wise? We do not know how many men there are. I think if we stay together we have a better chance of finding them and over taking them if needed." Figwit glanced at the Guard of Lothlorien.

Haldir pursed his lips, but nodded. "You are right."

They entered the woods and quickly dismounted their horses. The elves gathered their packs and weapons, without another word took to the trees. The ground was too noisy if they were to sneak up on their prey, and in the trees they were concealed.

Haldir, who had lived among the trees all his life, quickly sped through them, allowing his eyes to follow the prints left on the forest floor. He left the others behind and he raced to find the men who were suspected in taking a young elfling. As he raced through the trees, he jumped and changed directions a few times before hearing the loud roaring of men in the distance. He stopped and stood on a thick branch and waited for the others to catch up. Sighing in frustration he waited impatiently. Figwit joined his side a minute later, a small cut on his cheek. Haldir raised an eyebrow in question, but received no response.

Figwit pointed silently towards the camp and motioned his hands in a circle, pointing to his eyes and then the ground. Haldir nodded and both elves jumped through the trees, leaving the slower elves behind.

Within minutes they located the clearing where the men were situated and they crouched on the branch. Haldir scanned trained eyes through the camp, but saw no sign of anything out of place. Figwit also scanned the campsite his eyes narrowed in anger.

Both elves glanced at each other sending a silent message and jumped into the campsite startling the ground of men who launched to their feet drawing their weapons.

Figwit raised his bow with an arrow notched in a blink of an eye aiming at the men.

"You have many arrows pointed to your hearts, we seek a young elfling and have tracked you here." Figwit muttered in the common tongue.

One man stepped forward his sword pointed at the dark haired elf. Haldir gripped his bow and notched an arrow. "You and your men are surrounded by trained warriors. I would cease your steps now!" Haldir hissed, stepping out of the shadows.

The man stopped glancing at the blond who seemed to have materialized out of nowhere.

Haldir walked through the camp and kept his eyes on the men who glanced at each other warily.

"You say you seek a young elf?" One man asked looking at Figwit.

The dark haired elf nodded. "The camp is being searched as we speak. Once we conclude you do not have him, then we will lower our weapons. Stand fast." He commanded.

Haldir walked out of the campsite following tracks that lead away from the fire, and the clearing. What he saw made him gasp in outraged fear. He dropped his bow and raced to the small huddled form wrapped in a blanket. He quickly knelt and touched the small bruised face of the small child. It was Elladan.

He called over his shoulder in elvish, to announce his finding, while allowing his fingers to search the wounded young elf who lay unconscious. He felt for a pulse and found one fast and erratic beneath his fingertips. "Oh sweet Elbereth. I shall take you home, young one." Haldir whispered, picking up the small broken form holding it protectively in his arms. He quickly raced from the brush and ran past Figwit who still stood his stance against the men, who now angrily watched.

Smiling deadly, Figwit hissed. "Elves do not take kindly to abductors." The men glanced around them uneasily as other elves jumped to the ground from above.

Haldir quickly mounted his horse after signally a whistle, and raced towards Rivendell. He prayed he would catch up with his Lord and Lady, for they would know how to help the young elfling in his arms. Cursing to himself that he did not know much about healing, Haldir gently held the broken body of Elrond and Celebrián's son in his arms.


Galadriel closed her eyes and stopped her horse, turning in her saddle. Celeborn frowned also stopping his horse. "Love?"

"Haldir." She whispered, opening her eyes watching in the distance. It was now midday and they were almost to Rivendell where they had already been announced.

Celeborn glanced in the direction his wife was staring and seemingly out of nowhere, Haldir approached at a dead run. The elf Lord of Lothlorien gasped when he saw the form cradled in his arms. He held out his arms when Haldir approached and took the small form of the grandchild he had never met, into his arms. Galadriel placed her hand on the small forehead whispering softly in elvish, and the young elfling whimpered against the touch.


Elrond raced down the steps of his house, he had been informed that his wife's parents had arrived with his small son. Impatiently he waited pacing back and forth. He had also been informed that his son was in a grave condition. His fear only heightened when the small group of elves finally entered through the trellis. He rushed over to the horses and took the wrapped bundle Celeborn held in his arms.

Elrond could only gasp at the sight of his young son, and he felt silent tears fall down his face as he turned and sprinted into the house to the healing chambers. He lay his son down on the bed and slowly unwrapped the blanket to reveal the numerous wounds his son had received. Elrond immediately began preparing salves and concoctions of medicine, which would aid in healing his son.

A cry from the halls brought Elrond's head up, and he quickly shouted to Celeborn to stop his youngest son from entering. The Lord left the room slowly closing the door behind him, leaving his wife and Elrond alone in the room with Elladan.

Celeborn turned but gasped startled when something tiny crashed into his legs. He bent down and smiled at the identical face of Elladan's. "Good day, young Elrohir." He greeted, earning himself a confused look.

"Who're you?" Elrohir frowned, his face squinting at the elder before him.

"I am Lord Celeborn, your mother's father." He smiled at the surprised look on the youthful face.

But the surprised look turned white as a painful cry drifted from the room Celeborn protected. Elrohir tried desperately to get around the larger elf that blocked the door, but he was only lifted into a pair of strong arms and carried down the hall. "Why not show me this wonderful house?"

"ELLA!" Elrohir cried holding his arms out to the door, which slowly disappeared when they turned the corner. Elrohir burst into tears and buried his head into Celeborn's shoulder. The elf lord silently prayed to the Valar to help his son-in-law and wife heal the small elfling who lay injured, and perhaps dying.

It was sure to be a long day, and an even longer night.