Lost - Chapter Five
A head with dark coloured hair and large grey eyes peeked about a corner. It was soon joined by another head that looked exactly the same.
The twins had come out of their room intent on a good breakfast, only to hear their father ordering about some servants to get a tub, some hot water and a clean mattress. Not knowing what to expect of the strange last order, they had watched as Elrond grabbed the said piece of bedding and began carrying it to the Healing Wing, they guessed it had something to do with Glorfindel.
They had been waiting around the corner for what seemed hours, until the door was opened and their father came out, holding on to a crying Erestor. This worried the twins. Erestor rarely showed his emotions, let alone openly cried in full view of anyone who might be passing by.
When the two adults were out of hearing range, the two boys carefully snuck out of their hiding spot and made their way to the door to the room Glorfindel was in.
He was lying in a bed, still as a statue and just as pale. He was staring blankly at the wall and if it wasn't for the small movement of his chest rising and falling, the twins would have thought him to be dead.
"Do you think this wise?" Elrohir asked, looking towards the bed and its occupant. "Ada has told us to stay away."
"Ada always says that. I want to know how Glorfindel is doing with my own eyes...he doesn't look good."
Elladan creeped forward until he reached the bed and touched an unmoving arm. "He feels warm, so I guess he is alright..."
Elrohir soon had joined his brother, reluctantly letting one of his hands touch the arm. He breathed a little easier when he realised his brother was telling him the truth and not trying to cheer him up.
Without a word of warning, the eldest of the two hopped up on to the bed and crawled to the other side, looking into dull blue eyes. "Glorfindel? Are you awake? It is Elladan!" He stated, shaking a shoulder to get a response.
A slight spark came into those blue eyes. Encouraged by the sight, Elladan motioned for Elrohir to join him and say something else.
Sure that something was wrong with the warrior in the bed, Elrohir did as his brother bid, climbing up the bed to sit next to Elladan. He grabbed a still, yet warm hand in his and smiled a little. "You should wake properly. Everyone is terribly worried about you. Erestor was crying...."
The two boys saw the spark leap, but still there was no response. Slowly the two boys looked at each other and sighed. As one, they said what they had come to say. "We are sorry."
The movement startled them so much, they jumped and squealed out loudly. The prone figure in the bed was no longer inactive. Fires danced in Glorfindel's eyes as he glared down at the two young ones.
Elrohir immediately jumped off the bed and ran out of the room in search of his father, knowing it to be a good idea to get an adult. Elladan stayed in the room, momentarily too stunned by the movement to do anything.
"Elladan, what are you doing? Let go of me and get out!" Glorfindel ordered in a low, scratchy voice that scared the child.
"Glorfindel? Are...are you alright?" Elladan managed to stutter out, before he was suddenly grabbed by both arms and brought closer to an enraged Balrog Slayer.
"Alright?! I can't walk, I can barely move sometimes. I have been ruined and do you want to know what is worse than that?! YOU AND YOUR BROTHER ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS!"
"Ada said that..."
"I DON'T CARE! THIS IS YOUR FAULT! GET OUT!" With a mighty push of his arms, Glorfindel sent Elladan flying off the bed. A loud crack was heard before the pain registered a few seconds later.
Elladan squealed loudly and held his arm close to his body, his wrist broken. He was about to get up and flee the room when the door was hastily opened and his father and brother entered.
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Elrond had just closed the door to the sleeping Erestor's room and was about to go join his wife and children for breakfast when Elrohir came darting around a corner and skidded to a halt when he was spotted.
"Ada! Come quick, it is Glorfindel!" The young boy said, grabbing at his wrist and tugging it emphatically to get him to start moving.
With a loud sigh that Elrond wondered was common to all parents of small children, he let Elrohir lead him somewhat faster than he would have liked, to the Healing room that Glorfindel was staying in.
Elrohir hastily opened the door for the both of them. The sight that greeted his eyes was something he didn't think he would see any time soon.
Glorfindel had woken from his stupor and was panting heavily as if from over exerting himself.
A whimper from the floor made his attention wander to the noise. He hurriedly made it to his older son. Quickly, his eyes scanned the young boy and noticed the only thing wrong was a broken bone in the wrist and he was frightened.
"Elrohir, take Elladan and go to the main Healing room. I will be with you shortly." Elrond stated, watching as the two exited the room together, before turning his gaze to Glorfindel.
Taking his time, he looked over his friend. Angry eyes glared at him from the bed, icy orbs in an otherwise red face. Glorfindel was propped up on the bed by his elbows, quaking with the strength that he didn't have to keep up that way.
As if reading the thought as it crossed his mind, Glorfindel's arms gave out on him, and the blond head landed with a heavy thud back on his pillow. A growl passed through clenched teeth as those eyes turned to look at Elrond.
With a slight sigh, Elrond walked towards the bed, not able to calm his irritation he felt over the whole situation. "I do not appreciate you hurting my children, Glorfindel." He stated, his voice holding much of his anger over the state Elladan was in.
"The little devil deserved it, as does Elrohir!" Glorfindel grated out, his voice husky and low from unuse.
"You purposely hurt my son?!" Elrond shouted. "How dare you! After all that I have been through this past week, I would be expecting a little more respect from you."
"Do not yell at me! Imagine if you can how I feel about this! I am the one that can barely move, I am the one stuck in a bed. I am the one that is useless!"
Elrond realised now was not the time for him to talk to Glorfindel. With both of their emotions running high, it would be a wonder in itself if the rest of the House wasn't able to hear.
Taking a few calming breaths, Elrond did the one thing he could rationally think of in that moment. He turned away and walked out of the room.
He knew he should have stated why to the irate warrior, but at that moment his anger had the best of him. He could not damage what little help he may have done already with a stupid mistake like...by the Valar, he could just hit Glorfindel!
He went to his office and slammed the door shut with a resounding bang that almost shook the wall. He made it to his chair, glared at the papers waiting for his name on his desk and, with a mighty sweep of his hands, he sent the paperwork flying.
He buried his head in his hands, his breathing hard to come by in the state he was in. He couldn't break down. Glorfindel might be rousing his anger, but he still needed help.
Sighing loudly, he looked to the floor and winced. Slowly, he bent down and began to sort out what he had strewn about the floor into nice, neat piles, ready for him when he got to start to actually do it.
Elrond shook his head and stopped what he was doing. What he really needed was a break, a holiday. Perhaps he could take Celebrían and go visit Lothlorien with her.
Throwing his hands in the air in sudden frustration, he got to his feet and walked out of his office. Perhaps if he took a short rest...he shook his head again, knowing that wasn't about to happen with Erestor in the state he was in.
It was then that he remembered that his sons were waiting for him in the main Healing room, one with a wrist that needed to be set and splinted.
With a mumbled curse aimed at Glorfindel, he made his way to see to Elladan's wrist.
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The full realisation struck him soon after he was once again alone in the room. Elrond, angry at his foolishness, had left him.
He didn't want to be alone, not now. It was too soon after that horrible dream. He didn't think it had been true, thinking that he could never be so foolish as to try and...no, it was real. He had tried to die.
His anger fled with Elrond, leaving him feeling cold. Funny, he had never felt cold until now. His arms were shaking, with this strange new feeling, or from the exertion he must have put them through just trying to sit up, he didn't know?
All he knew was that he needed someone there. Elrond, Erestor, Celebrían! He couldn't be alone with his thoughts, lest they plagued him.
Fear begun to creep into him, making his breath come in fast pants of panic. He never heard himself until he was screaming the name of his Lord and friend.
"Elrond!" His voice was loud and shrill the last time he shouted out the name and, when the door finally opened, it wasn't his Lord that stood in the doorway, but his Lady, Celebrían.
"You are causing a fuss in here, Glorfindel." The woman stated, but before he could think her mad at his actions, she smiled brilliantly and entered fully into the room, walking silently to his bed. Soon, he was in the gentle embrace of her arms.
"He left." He whispered into the silvery-blonde hair of Celebrían's, before quieting completely, enjoying the company of someone else.
"Yes. He was angry and upset with you. I met him in the main room of the Healing Wing, bandaging Elladan's wrist. Why did you do that to one of my sons?"
Glorfindel had expected her voice to be filled with anger, but while it was slightly apparent, she was mainly just curious...or at least that is what he thought at any rate.
"This is all their fault! I don't know what to do anymore? I...I feel lost. Like I have no purpose. I want to wake up and find this all to be some warped dream I have been walking in, but that is not going to happen. Why did this happen to me?!"
Celebrían didn't answer right away, instead she looked thoughtful, possibly trying to find an answer to his angry questions, or perhaps the right words. He just held onto her, hoping that she would not leave like Elrond had.
"It is not Elladan's fault this happened, nor is it Elrohir's, or even yours. What happened was an accident. Awful that it has happened, but if it wasn't you, then it would have been someone else, possibly one of my children. They would be feeling the same way as you, I would think."
Glorfindel nodded slightly before sighing softly and trying to dig his way deeper into the arms holding him. He needed this right now, the comfort, the company...the touch.
Celebrían began to softly sing to him, a silly song really, one she had made up for when one or both of the twins were upset. It did its job well, soon his shaking completely stopped and, while he felt a bit better now that he had calmed, he didn't want toe left alone.
Celebrían, may the Valar bless her, stayed with him until her gentle songs lulled him into the first deep and restful sleep he had had in at least a week.
A/N - Wow! The second fanfiction of mine updated, not including the chaptered fic I just started, in November and while doing NaNo, of which I had passed a looong time ago, hehe. Almost to 70 000 words now, but should be higher. Ever since reaching 50 000, I have been working on my fan fics as well, so have slowed down considerably on my story.
Ah well, that doesn't really matter. What does right now is that, despite the yuckiness of the last chapter you brilliant people are still reading my story and enjoying it.
Thanks to all you wonderful people for reviewing the last chapter.
Erestor - Well, he has woken now, so at least heis somewhere on the mend, but not nearly as far as anyone would like. Ummm, Who were you gettign frustrated with in the past chapters? Erestor or Glorfindel? That got me a little confused.
Dearest of all Boys - I am glad that you are enjoying this story! I am trying to aim for realistic in this story, which was part of the reason why I wrote that last chapter. I am glad you thought it was realistic. My luck with NaNo is flying! I have already gotten my little Winner certificate fo which I am very happy with.
Azzy - Hey sis, yes I am well aware of how much you enjoyed that last chapter. Did it bring back fond memories? hehe, alrighty, here is the next chapter. Will be hanging about in the LoM forums again soon.
Fritz will get you - Well, I am glad that my spelling skills are quite good, though I can't say the same for my typing skills, lol. Here is more, hope you enjoyed.
Barbara Kennedy - Thanks for all the good advice from the last chapter! Thanks also for sayign that it is realistic. That is what I am tryign to aim for, even if a little of my information (or perhaps even a lot, will have to go and do research for this when I have the time) is wrong. I also think that stress would be one of the things that would make an Elf ill. Elrond is affected, he just doesn't want to show that he is to the rest of the world. Perhaps has somethign to do with him being the Lord of Imladris.
seeing-spots - You did feel sorry for poor Erestor the last chapter with all that was happening. I am sorry fo rhim too hugs Erestor I don't think Glorfindel will realise just yet how good his friends are to him, but he will realise it sometime in the future.