Disclaimer: See Chapter One.
A/N: OMG! I am sooooo soorrrrryyy! First, English teachers whose mission in life is to make mine a living hell got in the way, then choir did, then acting and photo shooting did, then work did! Yeesh! What is it with men and getting everything at the last second hmm? So, what I'm saying is that real life took over for a while. Grrrrrr. Anyway, thank you all so much for your lovely reviews! I can't believe how many I have! THANK YOU ALL! A huge thank you to my ever patient beta enb2004. Go read her HP stories, they are fab! Love you all, and as promised, here is Chapte 22. Enjoy!
Galadriel was pacing up and down in Thranduil's office trying to talk some sense into her far too stubborn son-in-law. "Elrond, if you would just listen to me for a moment you would see that this is utter madness!"
"I can not stay here Galadriel, not while all of my sons are in danger," Elrond said as he hurriedly packed all the medical supplies that he was able to cram into his bags.
"Lord Elrond, she is correct. Father will be most displeased if you leave as well! The whole point of you staying behind was so that in case Legolas and Estel stumbled back into the palace, we would have the best healer on hand," Iaudril said trying to appeal to Elrond's sense of logic.
Unfortunately for Iaurdil, Elrond's sense of logic had been overridden by the far more formidable parental instinct which overruled all. "Nay, I will not stay here and allow my sons to die while I sit around hoping for a miracle," Elrond said not even glancing up from his work.
"It was but a dream Elrond," Galadriel tried again. "A terrible, terrifying dream, but a dream all the same."
"You can not be sure of that Galadriel and neither can I. Which is precisely why I am leaving now. Iaurdil, I leave you in charge of the kingdom of Mirkwood either your father or I return," Elrond said.
"Elrond, you can not go alone! Valar only knows what walks in the forest right now. What your contemplating is suicide!" Galadriel said.
Her husband and her twin grandsons were already out looking for her fourth grandchild. If Elrond left to find his wayward children, all of her family save for Arwen would be in immediate danger. She had already lost her daughter and she could not bear to lose anyone else dear to her heart.
Elrond's gaze softened, he knew what Galadriel was thinking as he had thought about it as well. "It is precisely because of our fear for our family that I am going. Perhaps it is madness but I do not care. All I know is that my sons and Legolas are out there and that they are in terrible danger, mortal peril even. I can not stay here while I know this. I can't allow the rest of my family to disappear and leave me. I would not survive it."
Galadriel sighed and looked down in reluctant acceptance. "I know," she whispered. "Do bring them and yourself back, Elrond. There is only so much loss a person can take."
"I know. Farewell Galadriel, until my return," Elrond said before sweeping out of the room and out into the courtyard.
"He's very stubborn isn't he milady?" Iaurdil said as he and Galadriel watched Elrond gallop away from the palace at top speed.
"Yes Iaurdil, more than even you realize. And it is that stubbornness that just might save us all," she whispered.
Iaurdil glanced up sharply but Galadriel said nothing, which gave him the chills. She had foreseen something, he could tell. Whatever it was that she had seen could not be good though if the stubbornness of Elrond and his family would determine the outcome of the situation.
Galadriel turned her piercing blue eyes on Iaurdil. "Yes, they are very stubborn but in the end, it all depends on who is the most stubborn of all."
This time it was Iaurdil who said nothing as he felt a cold wind creep up upon him. For the first time since Galadriel had arrived, he remembered what an ancient and powerful elf she truly was.
Nothing more was said but no words were needed to convey how Iaurdil or Galadriel felt. All they could now was wait and pray that the stubbornness of Elrond and his children would be enough.
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Back at the orc encampment, Legolas and Elrohir were watching over Estel with concern. The sun had risen and the orcs were thankfully still sleeping. The same could not be said however of Gorothdil who was wide awake and watching Estel, Elrohir, and Legolas very carefully.
"Will he not look away for not even a moment!" Legolas exclaimed from his tied position.
"No," Elrohir snorted. "He knows that he is disturbing us by watching us."
Legolas sighed but said nothing. It was true after all. It didn't keep it from being unnerving however.
"Uh oh," Elrohir said drawing Legolas back from his musings.
Legolas looked up and saw what had prompted Elrohir's uh oh. Gorothdil was headed straight for them with a sack of something with a distinctly malicious smirk on his face. If Gorothdil was happy, then Legolas and Elrohir knew that they would be very unhappy shortly.
"And how are we today my little elflings? Still concerned over your poor sweet mortal? Never fear, I don't plan to kill him. Yet. I still want him alive which is where you come in," Gorothdil said unsheathing a hidden dagger from his boot.
Legolas and Elrohir tensed and braced themselves for the worst unconsciously. They thought for sure that one of them was about to be killed. It came as a large surprise to them though when Gorothdil cut their bonds instead.
No matter their surprise, Legolas and Elrohir took full advantage of their freedom and ran to Estel's side. Their minds were racing. If they could somehow get Estel conscious, they might be able to find a way of the Valar forsaken camp.
"I know exactly what you are thinking and I would not try it if I were you. The only reason I have cut you loose is so that you can tend to your precious little urchin. Try anything and I will know, and your human will be the one to pay the price," Gorothdil said and then tossed the sack he had been carrying to Legolas and a rough cloth to Elrohir before walking off.
"Thank the Valar," Elrohir said as Gorothdil walked away. "I thought that he would never let us tend to Estel. I know it is only to prolong Estel's agony, but still, it is a welcome respite."
Legolas didn't say anything though and only continued to look at the sack he was holding with horror.
"Legolas? Shouldn't we get started? We don't know how long we have until he comes back to bind us," Elrohir said not understanding why Legolas looked so horror stricken.
"No, this is not a welcome respite at all Elrohir. I do wish to start cleaning Estel's wounds but I dread doing it," Legolas said answering his friend at last.
"What? Why? I don't understand what you are talking about mellon nin," Elrohir said with puzzlement.
"Gorothdil showed me this bag earlier, before you came. He told me it was to prevent infection from setting in," Legolas said.
"Well, that's a good thing is it not?" Elrohir asked.
"No, for while the bag contains water, it is not plain water. It is salt water, highly concentrated salt water," Legolas said.
Elrohir paled as he finally understood Legolas's horror and reluctance to begin cleansing Estel's wounds. Pouring salt water onto Estel's numerous open wounds would be beyond painful for his little brother. While very cleansing, salt water on even a little cut was very painful. They would have to use it on practically Estel's whole body.
"I wish we could put it off we be cannot. Even now he burns with a fever Elrohir," Legolas said his hand on Estel's forehead.
Elrohir gulped but nodded, mentally reminding himself that no matter how painful this would prove to be for Estel, it would help him later. "Forgive us tithen gwador," he said as he poured some of the water onto the cloth and prepared to run it gently over Estel's bloodied back.
The moment the salt water hit Estel's back, Estel regained consciousness and bucked wildly, not fully aware of what was happening around him.
"Shhh, shhh, it's just us mellon nin. It's all right, it will soon be over," Legolas said.
Not even the calm, soothing elvish words were able to calm Estel down though. The salt water stung too ferociously on his open wounds. "Daro! Please!" he whispered, his eyes tightly shut against the pain.
"Shh, it's all over for now," Legolas said as he ran his fingers in Estel's hair as Estel moaned in pain.
Throughout the whole procedure, Elrohir had forced himself to continue rubbing the salt water into the wounds to cleanse them. Now that the procedure was over, he allowed himself to sit back and take stock at what he had been forced to do to his brother.
Legolas seemed to read his thoughts for he gently clasped his shoulder. "Do not fear Elrohir. You did what you had to, and he knows that."
"Does he?" Elrohir said, his silver eyes piercing Legolas.
"Of course he knows that you would never hurt him purposefully mellon nin! This is an awkward and unusual situation at best, you did all you could given the circumstances," Legolas said.
"Aye, I guess I did. It still doesn't feel like I did enough though," he whispered.
"You did more than enough for me Ro," Estel said hoarsely from his position on Legolas's lap.
"Shh, you should rest and conserve your strength while you still can tithen gwador. Valar only knows what else Gorothdil has planned for you," Elrohir said squeezing Estel's hand gently.
"I'm fine Ro," Estel said trying to hide a grimace as his raw back scraped against the floor.
"You are not all right Estel, you know this," Legolas scolded.
"He's right Estel, one only has to look at you for a second to know that you are very very far from all right," Elrohir said.
Estel tried to scowl but it took to much energy, so he simply shook his head stubbornly. "The others will come back for us soon and then Ada can heal me and everything will be fine again."
Legolas and Elrohir exchanged amused yet exasperated glances. Estel was as stubborn as they came, that was for sure.
"Rest Estel, for whether you will admit it or not, you are severely wounded and you need the sleep if you are to heal. Rest and heal while you can Estel, for I fear that Gorothdil will not wait long at all before he starts up that little game of his again," Elrohir said, the healer in him coming out in full force.
"And you say that you do not act like Ada," Estel mumbled as his eyes started to close involuntarily.
"I resent that comment tithen gwador. I am nothing like Ada," Elrohir insisted.
Estel chuckled weakly while Legolas snorted in amusement.
"Sure Elrohir, sure," Legolas said. "You may continue to delude yourself for as long as you wish."
"If you think I am like Ada, then you have obviously never seen Elladan or Estel in full healer mode. Those two are so much like Ada that it's scary. Isn't that right tithen pen?" Elrohir said.
Estel didn't answer however as he was already fast asleep.
"Good, he needs the rest. Something tells me that this day is going to be far from pleasant," Legolas said turning serious immediately while looking around the camp nervously.
"Aye, I know. I just hope that we're both wrong, though I doubt it," Elrohir said.
"As well you should little Elrondion, as well you should," Gorothdil said suddenly appearing over them out of nowhere.
Legolas and Elrohir whirled around, unconsciously assuming positions that kept Estel from Gorothdil's sight. Their eyes narrowed at the sight of the container that the other elf held. Whatever was in it could not possibly be good.
Gorothdil laughed when he saw what the two elves were eyeing. "Ah, I see that you are wondering what is in this little container of mine. You shall soon find out."
Without giving Legolas or Elrohir time to react, he had shoved past them and kicked Estel viscously until he woke up from the deep sleep that had claimed him.
"You're not thinking of falling asleep on me are you my little urchin? I certainly hope not, as I have great plans for you today. Bind him to one of the trees so that he is standing," Gorothdil ordered of one of the nearby orcs. Legolas and Elrohir tried to protest but were shot down by a glare from Gorothdil. "Do anything, and it will be worse for him," he threatened.
They both glared at Gorothdil, but did nothing further. That was, until they saw the whip that Gorothdil held at the ready. Heartbrokenly, Elrohir and Legolas were unable to do anything as the whip tore at Estel's already shredded up back.
This time around, Estel could not hold back the screams that he had tried so hard to hold back before. The pain was just too much for him. Elrohir and Legolas were positive the only thing that was keeping Estel upright was the large, heavy metal chains the orcs had used to restrain him to the tree.
The whipping continued for a good half hour, until Estel's screams had turned into barely audible whimpers, even with elvish hearing. It didn't stop though and Gorothdil showed no signs of stopping.
"No, please, no more," Legolas pleaded brokenly as another lash rained down upon Estel's back. Gorothdil was not only succeeding in torturing Estel, but himself and Elrohir as well. To see their friend and brother being treated like this was more than his pure heart could take.
Smiling at Legolas and Elrohir, Gorothdil stopped and bent down and grasped the human by his hair. "I want to hear you scream again my little urchin. I know you can, I heard you before. What will it take to get you to scream? Hmm, about another dose of my poison? Yes, that should do the trick quite nicely!"
Elrohir watched with horror as Estel's eyes widened with fear and started to tremble. "Oh Valar, please no. Don't do this to him," he pleaded silently with the Valar. He could still recall what Legolas had told him about the last time Estel had been afflicted with the poison. To think that he was about to get another dose of it was beyond horrifying.
"No, please, I can't do it again," Estel pleaded weakly from his position against the wall. "I can't," he cried out brokenly. He just couldn't take any more of the torture, it was too much for his broken body.
"Oh but you can my little urchin and you will," Gorothdil said while uncorking the bag which Legolas knew to be the poison.
"Gorothdil, don't do this. Estel has done nothing to you. He can't handle another dose of the poison so soon," Legolas pleaded with the insane elf though he knew that it was no use.
"No can do, my good little princeling. Never fear though, as soon as I am through with the creature here, it will be your turn," Gorothdil said as he backhanded Legolas who had gotten up and tried to reach Estel before Gorothdil did.
Elrohir watched as Legolas was rocked back from the force of the blow and had to force himself not to do something rash. Thankfully, Legolas only seemed stunned and made his way back over to Elrohir and only because the yrch were watching his every move. They were just waiting for the elf to do something foolish so that could set themselves upon him.
Gorothdil hissed at Legolas and Elrohir as he forcefully opened Estel's mouth and poured the foul concoction down his throat, daring them to protest. When they didn't, he smiled and gently patted Estel's cheek, further enraging the two captive elves.
"Now, let the fun begin once more," Gorothdil said gleefully.
Translations:
Ada: Dad/daddy
Tithen gwador: Little brother
Tithen pen: Little one
Mellon nin: My friend
A/N 2: Hehe, was that a mean place to stop? Ducks rotten fruit, vegetables, and numerous dirty socks. Hmmm, guess so. Ducks swords and runs in the direction of the nearest shelter. Tata for now!