Chapter Five

Solitude

Celeborn entered the family quarters with his small grandson in his arms. The small elfling sniffled into his shoulder, and the elf Lord rubbed the tiny back gently. Glancing around him, then at Elrohir, he slowly smiled. He remembered the day his daughter was this age, he also remembered the day he held her much the same way, after she had taken a spill off the flet steps in Lothlorien. He allowed his memory to drift back to that day, and he sighed.

He remembered that she had been in a hurry to meet with her mother, readying herself for a full day of adventure. He had walked quickly behind her following her hurried steps down the steps to the flet below their family house. Celebrián had stumbled, and let out a surprised cry, falling down the remaining stairs. She had banged her little knee against a large rock and cut it badly.

The elf Lord shook his head slightly, dislodging the memories. He looked up when a voice reached his ears, and his small smile grew into a broad grin. He quickened his steps and greeted his daughter at the benches that lay in the halls. She raced up and threw her arms around him and her small son.

"Oh, father." She whispered into his ear.

Using his free hand he wrapped it around his distraught daughter, to him, in his eyes was still his little girl. "Shh, my dear, all is well. Little Elladan has been found and is in the healing rooms with your mother and husband." She nodded into his other shoulder, which was not occupied by a small tiny elfling. He stood in the middle of the family quarters beside the entrance to the gardens. The smells of trees, and freshly tilled earth drifted in through the doors. By summers end, he knew the whole house would smell of new flowers, and herbs, which were planted outside. "Come, let us go outside and sit by the small stream there." He nodded his head in the direction of a stream. She turned in his arm, and slowly walked with him. Elrohir snuggled into his shoulder, sleeping.

Celeborn took a deep breath and walked with his daughter in one arm, and his grandson in the other.


Figwit turned around to face his hunters, after binding the men hand and foot. Frowning he glanced at the man who was bound at his feet. Furrowing his brows he tried to place the mans face. Pulling his lips into a tight line, he barked an order to one of the elven hunters.

Tomorrow the small party would haul these men back to Rivendell, and present them before Lord Elrond. It would then be up to him what was to be done. Never before had Figwit heard of elven children abducted out of their own lands. He shivered at the thought of what might of happened, but quickly shook his head.

He walked over to his men and crouched beside the fire, glancing at the fire that crackled in front of him. Lost in his thoughts he did not notice the warning the trees sang to him.


Elrond lowered himself in a chair beside his son's bed, and sighed. It had been a long and tedious night, but finally he and his mother-in-law had finished this night's task of healing. He lowered his head into his hands, remembering the numerous wounds his son had been subjected to. "One so small should never have to feel so much pain." He whispered to no one.

He glanced at the broken body of his eldest son, and took in the many bandages, splints, and ties. He let his eyes wander to the wadded cloths stained with blood and salves. He shivered. He had frantically set his son's broken arm, mended the cuts on his legs, searched for internal injuries, set two ribs, cleaned bruises, applied many healing aids, and then knowing his son would live, relaxed.

He felt a hand rest on his shoulder and looked up into the great blue eyes of Galadriel.

"Go rest, you need to find your wife and let her know of Elladan's condition. You must rest after." She said softly. "I will stay with him, until you have rested."

Elrond inspected his son once more, before leaving the healing rooms, in search of his wife. He knew Galadriel would tend to his son, so his fear did not lay in that direction. His concern rested with his youngest. He knew Elrohir would want to know of his other half's condition, and would not settle until he was able to see for himself. Even though the twins were only a few years old, he knew their connection was outstanding. He remembered the day when Elrohir had fallen and split his knee open on a sharp jagged rock. Elladan had cried out in surprised pain. Elrond had spent a good five minutes searching his son for injuries before he realized that it was not his eldest twin who had been injured. He shook his head letting his mind drift even farther back. He knew his brother and him had been connected in a similar fashion, but he could not once recall feeling his brother's emotions as his son's did.

He felt his lips pull into a small-saddened smile at the thought of his brother, who had passed away so many years ago. He had felt alone and lost at first, and grief stricken after his brother had died. It had been his aide and now close friend Glorfindel who had helped him through his grief.

Elrond turned the corner and smiled at the sight, which greeted him. There his son and wife were, wrapped in a tight embrace of the great Lord Celeborn. His wife spoke so softly that even with his keen hearing could not make out the words. It had been far too long since the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien had been to Rivendell. He wished it could have been better circumstances for the twins first meeting with their grand parents. Taking a deep breath he entered the room and cleared his throat to announce his presence.

"Elrond." His wife gasped standing and racing into his arms.

He wrapped his arms around her, resting his head on her shoulder, before whispering into her ear. "He fares well, my love. He will heal, but not without pain and fear. He is with your mother."

He felt his wife take a deep breath and nod into his embrace.

"Father!"

Elrond glanced up, and unwrapped himself from his wife to kneel before his small son. He quickly gathered him into his arms, tightly holding him. "All is well, Elrohir. Elladan will be fine." He reassured.

He smiled warmly at the frown that issued on his small face. "Truly?"

Elrond nodded. "Yes, little one. Elladan will be up soon, and then you may go visit with him. But-" he paused seeing the excited look mar Elrohir's face. "Only for a short while."

His youngest son frowned again. "Why?"

"We want Elladan to grow strong once again, do we not?" Elrond asked.

The small dark head nodded.

"Worry not." Elrond murmured tucking a stray piece of hair behind his son's ear. "He will be up and ready to race in no time."

A smile drew across the small face, excitedly. "When?"

Elrond grinned. "Soon, my impatient son, soon." He looked up and saw the frown issued from the Lord of Lothlorien. "Go now with your mother, Elladan may be awake shortly." Elrohir raced from his father's embrace and out of the room, before his mother could gather herself and follow.

Elrond stood up from the floor and tilted his head in question. "What is wrong, Celeborn?"

"Your son's speak in broken words still?"

Elrond nodded, "They are still not fully literate in sentences. They have their own language, they seem to speak clearly." The Lord of Rivendell shrugged. "You know that is not unusual at this age."

Celeborn nodded. "Not unusual, no. Do you know who did this unspeakable act?"

Elrond shook his head. "Not yet, but I will find out. My hunters will return and when they do, they will have those responsible for this."

The two elf lords wandered out into the gardens, speaking softly to each other.

Elrohir skidded around the corner, sliding to a halt outside the doors that lead to where his brother lay. The door opened and the small elfling stumbled back startled. He glanced uncertainly at his mother. Then back at the tall elf maiden before him. The Lady smiled and nodded. "Hello, little Elrohir."

His eyes widened, and he backed into his mother's legs.

"Mother." Celebrián grinned. "It is so good to see you."

Galadriel gracefully walked over to her daughter wrapping her arms around her. "You also, my darling."

Celebrián knelt beside her son and happily introduced her small son to his grand mother. "Elrohir, this is my mother, the Lady Galadriel of Lothlorien. This is your grand mother."

"Oh, hello." Elrohir attempted an elegant bow.

Galadriel laughed in her musical voice and nodded a greeting to her grandson. "Greetings and well met, young one." She knelt down beside him smiling broadly. "Would you like to see your brother?"

The young elfling nodded excitedly.

"Then shall we?" The Lady stood up and opened the door allowing her grandson entrance.

Too excited to maintain dignity any longer, Elrohir raced into the room and over to the bed in the center, where he sensed his brother lay. He scrambled up onto the large bed, and crawled over to his brother's figure.

"Ella?" He whispered softly, reaching out his small hand.

"Erhir?" Came a small whispered response.

"Ella!" Elrohir lay down next to his twin snuggling up close wrapping his arm over Elladan's chest. He whispered into his ear. "Do you hurt?" He asked speaking in their twin language.

"Mmm, tired." Elladan answered turning his head into his brother's shoulder. "Am I home now?"

"Yes, and I met our grandparents. Mother's mother and father."

Elladan turned his head again to look into his brother's grey eyes. "Do you have to leave?"

"They will make me if you fall asleep, I think." Elrohir moaned.

"Do not leave. I was so alone." Elladan shivered. "I do not like being alone."

Elrohir sat up and pulled the blanket over himself and snuggled once again next to his brother. "I will stay." He promised.

Celebrián watched from the door way as her two sons' fell asleep in the big bed. She heard their whispered conversation, but did not understand the quiet words that were spoken. Galadriel wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulders, and smiled to herself. "All is well, let them sleep, I am sure they are in need of it." Galadriel pulled the door closed slightly, casting the room into darkness, and both women sat down on the benches outside the room, listening quietly to the breathing of the two small elflings within.