Chapter Seven: Reconciliation
Malurion eased open the door to one of the guest chambers, all too aware of the consequences that had occurred the last time he'd had looked for Rhisiart. There was nothing amiss here though. Moving with all the stealth he possessed he entered the room, closing the door behind him.
The guest rooms were all large and comfortable, cool in the summer and, when the fireplaces were lit in the winter, warm. The walls were painted a cream colour and the floor was of dark wood. The bed was made up with white bedding and it was on this that he found Rhisiart.
His adopted sibling was asleep, lying on his back, one arm lying over his stomach. On his forehead was a damp compress, slightly hidden beneath trailing strands of his hair. The rest of the dark tresses were out of Rhisiart's habitual horsetail and were instead spread out on the pillow, a sharp contrast to the white linen.
The rouge noted that the younger elf had fallen asleep in his clothes, but had removed his chain mail and his sword belt. Both were hung neatly over the chair in the corner.
Sighing, he reached over to remove the compress, starting when Rhisiart's eyes opened.
"...Malurion," the dark-haired elf sat up, catching the damp cloth when it fell from its place. Reaching over, he replaced it in the bowl before drawing his knees up to his chest.
"I... I wanted to see if you were all right..." the blue-haired elf, glanced down at his boots and then at the bowl, "You still get your headaches?"
"Not as often as before... but they still happen sometimes," Rhisiart ran his hands through his hair, pushing the strands back away from his face. An awkward silence settled in the room before Rhisiart sighed and swung his legs off the bed.
"Rhi? Why did you draw your sword on me?"
The dark haired elf paused and turned slightly in Malurion's direction,
"Because you are an outcast," he spoke after a long pause.
"Is that it? For Corellon's sake Rhi!" the rouge's fists clenched, "I'm your fucking brother!"
"But you-"
"But nothing! I did not murder anyone who did not deserve it! I did it protecting you! Or did you forget?
"I still wake up screaming," the younger elf bluntly put in, "I drew my sword on you, not because of you, but because of Lledr."
"Lledr?"
"You know full well what the punishment is for aiding an outcast elf. I..." Rhisiart's eyes closed, "I don't what to lose any more family. I don't want Lledr to lose his head."
"Lledr made his own decision, Rhi. We've been in contact for the past thirty years."
"What?"
"He was travelling with Targ and a band of adventurers out after dragons. They stopped off in Waterdeep and Lledr found me... I was begging for scraps and stealing what I could to stay alive. He barely reconized me, I was so thin..." Malurion glanced down at his boots, "I acted like you at first, I didn't want Lledr to be caught either but..." a small smile graced his features, "you know what Lledr is like. I ended up travelling with them and the rest as they say is history," he turned away before speaking again, "I've been talking with Targ... he wants me to go rescue his daughter... I'll go, but only if you want me to. I won't endangered you against your will."
He had opened the door when something grabbed his arm,
"You were begging for scraps, all because you were protecting me... If I had said something, told them what happened... maybe you wouldn't have been banished," Rhisiart's head lowered, tears of shame making their way down his cheeks. He gasped slightly as Malurion hugged him,
"It's all right Rhi. It's all right."
"Forgive me..."
"I never blamed you... Blame Neiltu. Blame him, not yourself."
Reunited at last the brothers embraced.