Double, Double

Sequel to Elemmire and Amdir

JRR Tolkein's works belong to him alone. This is just 'borrowing.'

Chapter Eleven Broken Tears

Elemmire had been humming for the last hour and a half, a habit he knew that was annoying his beloved brother. It was a simple repetitive tune chosen deliberately to firmly engrain itself in Amdir's mind. Much to Amdir's chagrin he was now humming it too making Elemmire grin like a hobbit in a pub.

Amdir didn't mind it so much – as long as his brother was something that resembled happy. If it took an annoying song implanted in his head to make his brother smile then the torture was almost worth it.

Since their Ada's returning to the wilds regularly Elemmire had felt the separation keenly. Amdir was upset and angry at his twin at first for attaching himself emotionally so close to Elrohir that he was unbearably happy when Elrohir left, that he refused to speak with this twin. But then he realised Elemmire was the more dependant twin and needed his reassurance that Elrohir was not going to leave them forever. It had taken Amdir a while to realise that Elemmire had not replaced him…

Now the sun was setting and the sky was a myriad of pinks and purples. Elemmire was sitting uncomfortably in the saddle blinking slowly as if he was going to fall asleep. Beside him Amdir halted.

"What's wrong?" Elemmire muttered his words were slurring and blending together.

"Are you alright?" Amdir returned letting his gaze linger over his brother.

"Tired," Elemmire murmured for he knew it was a useless task to lie to his twin.

"We should stop then?"

"But where?" Elemmire glanced about. The trees were thickening true but there was little shelter about.

"You'll sleep. I'll keep watch," Amdir replied as he swiftly dismounted leaving no argument from Elemmire. "We won't stop too long."

Elemmire nodded half heartedly, dropped heavily from the saddle and slumped by a nearby tree ungracefully. He yawned leaned his head against the tree, blinked once before letting his mind drift off.

'

'

'

'

Orophin followed his brother and the human across the hall of the house, until the mortal stopped by the room and swiftly opening the door. Curious as to what a human abode looked like Orophin glanced through the open door.

A desk sat in the far corner piles of parchment was strewn across the top, a few ink wells, quills and books also decorated the top. Orophin watched in bemused silence as the human rifled through the mess and found what he was looking for.

"Here," the human said thrusting a piece of parchment into Haldir's hands. "This is the map I took."

Haldir nodded silently and looked down at the ink stains on the parchment. It was unlike any elvish map he had ever seen. Maps were arts of work from his experiment; this in comparison was well to put it simply a well orgainised mess.

"There are many ills in this territory," the human said wringing his hands. "I didn't know if you would come looking for the twins… so… find them…"

Haldir nodded stiffly. "This will suffice, thank you." He turned on the balls of his feet and swept passed Orophin who quickly followed him.

'

'

'

'

Amdir was frightened…

No he was petrified!

He had not heard the foul creatures approach, so engrossed he was with watching over Elemmire, that he did not realise until now of the awful danger they were in.

"Ellie… Ellie…" Amdir shook his twin's shoulder whispering furiously hoping that the orcs did not hear his pleas for his brother to wake.

Elemmire's eyes snapped open. They bulged for a moment as the younger twin glanced this way and that trying to discern where he was and what had happened.

"Orcs…" Amdir whispered furiously. "Get up the tree now…"

Elemmire didn't need telling twice he stood swiftly and reached for the lowest branch. He turned around and offered his hand to his brother.

Amdir reached up to graze the finger tips of Elemmire's hand but…

TWANG!

An ugly black arrow snapped in between the empty spaces of the twins' hands.

"Ellie climb up… up…!"

Elemmire hesitated in obeying and watched in growing trepidation as Amdir turned to face the offending orcs. It was a little too late in remembering that they had forgotten to take any weapons from the kind human they were staying with. If only they had inquired, Elemmire was sure they would have been supplied.

Elemmire clambered up slightly higher and moved across and springy bough. His heart thumped slowly and painfully in his chest and his eyes never strayed from his brother.

"Elflings…" the word never sounded so disgusting as it was spat out of an orcish mouth.

The foul creatures advanced and Amdir slunk backwards until his back hit the tree. "Ellie…" Amdir called his voice wavering. "Whatever you do stay in the tree…"

Elemmire shook his head and slowly slipped further across the bough.

"Keep 'em alive boys," the leader orc growled. "We'll have a bit 'o fun with 'em first."

The orcs around him shrieked in agreement and morbid excitement. Amdir felt his face pale incredibly. There were only six of them in total but there was very little he could do unarmed and unprotected.

One orc lunged forward, Amdir rolled to the side, slipped under another's legs and kicked yet another's groin. Above their heads Elemmire was watching and waiting for an opening of any description.

Without looking Elemmire grabbed a small branch and brought it around in front of him…

Amdir rolled to the side again but was intercepted half way through. An orc grabbed Amdir's foot with a cry of victory and swung him up in the air.

Elemmire felt his stomach drop and scrambled over the top of the orc dropping his branch and opting for a stick. He let out a war cry and leapt onto the orc's back gripping the large muscled neck in his slender arms.

The orc lashed around, Amdir still dangling upside down and Elemmire on his back clinging on for dear life.

"Stupid elf brats!"

Amdir was swung wide, thrown and landed awkwardly on his back. Elemmire was grabbed by rough hands. He punched, he kicked, he bit, he swore, he scratched, he slapped, and he wiggled…

But in the end the orcs won and threw him on the ground next to his brother.

On orc sat on Elemmire's legs jeering at him Elemmire was a little too busy swearing fluently in elvish to mind the weight to much.

"Let's give 'em a reason for 'is foul language 'eh?"

"NO!" Amdir lunged forward trying to shield his twin with his own body. "Leave him alone. Leave him alone!"

Amdir never saw the fist coming. A force hit him sending him sprawling onto his backside, blood dripped from his nose…

The orcs ignored the Amdir as they all turned on Elemmire. Despite Elemmire's struggles his hand was opened flat.

Amdir locked eyes with Elemmire, whose eyes were wide with fear. Very slowly the orc before him smiled took Amdir's thumb in his fist, paused then…

SNAP!

Elemmire screamed in pain, tears streaming down his pale flushed cheeks. He refused to look down at what he knew to be a broken part of his body. He felt heat rise to his cheeks and bile constricting his throat sending a bitter taste in his mouth. He swallowed violently. He refused to be physically sick in front of his enemies.

For a moment the twins locked eyes. The orcs were reaching out for another of Elemmire's fingers. And the sickening realisation of what he had to do came rushing back to Amdir…

The sound of horse were close. The orcs engrossed by their vicious play time had not taken note of the sound. But both Elemmire and Amdir heard it.

Their only chance for survival at the hands of the orcs, this Amdir knew in the bottom of his heart. And yet he was torn. Torn between staying with his brother to the bitter end and escaping and hoping against all hope that someone would take pity and help them.

'Go. Do what you must.'

Amdir's eyes widened when he realised that Elemmire had the same plot in his own mind.

'They might kill you if they realise I've gone.'

'And yet you might survive.'

'I can't leave you!'

'You must…' Elemmire insisted. 'For me.'

'Ellie…'

'Tell Ada and everyone how much….'

Another finger was cruelly broken Elemmire's last statement was cut off by a scream.

Sick to the very pit of his stomach Elemmire turned his back on his twin and ran into the scrub hoping beyond any redeemable hope that he was doing the right thing.