Chapter 10: Could things get any worse?

By Shawna D.

Estel was tired of everyone's teasing and not wanting to play with him. Was it because he wasn't an elf at all? Wasn't Admir human too? No, she was only half, and her elfish ears and features maybe her look like a full elf. He turned to Legolas who seemed to be muttering things under his breath.

"Legolas?" he asked snapping the elf out of his thoughts.

"Yes Es'?" he teased. Estel glared at him.

"I told you not to call me that!" he whined.

Legolas rolled his eyes and groaned. Why did Estel have to whine so much? Elves didn't whine, or at least not as much as Estel. But he knew there was no way to know what to expect from a adan. Estel was the onlyadan Legolas had ever known; yet both boys were rivals and therefore Legolas knew nothing about him. Perhaps he would ask Admir later.

"You whine too much." said Legolas annoyed.

"You complain too much." said Estel grinning.

Suddenly the two boys heard yelling in the distance.

"Is that all you ever think about! Happiness! Have you ever been unhappy?" a first voice yelled.

Legolas groaned. "Oh great...that was gwador-nin's voice..." (Rogir had been luckily, his voice had sounded normal, and not cracked.)

"I have a right to be happy if I feel like it, you jerk!" shouted a second voice.

Estel groaned as well. "And that was gwathel-nin's voice..."

The elfing andadan rushed towards the voices, and sure enough in a clearing, Rogir and Admir seemed to be having a shouting contest.

"Maybe I'm not to happy, maybe you're too boring!" spat Admir.

Rogir was about to yell back when he noticed his brother and the human watching them. Quickly, he snapped his mouth shut.

"Estel? Legolas? What are you doing here?" asked Admir.

Both boys shuffled their feet. "I heard my (brother/sister) yelling." both boys replied in unison.

"Come on, gwathel-nin," said Estel, "Let's go play a "happy" game." he glared at Rogir.

Legolas took a step cautiously toward his brother. "Rogir...are you...?" he began but immediately received an icy glare.

Admir and Estel shrugged, took hands, and began to leave for home.

Legolas stood waiting for his brother to regain control of his temper, which he knew Rogir could easily lose (he must have inherited that from their father). Suddenly the older elf collapsed.

"Admir!" cried Legolas running of in the direction that Estel and Admir had left in.

Admir immediately noticed the hint of urgency and fear in his voice and dropped Estel back unto his own two feet (for she had been giving him a piggyback ride).

Estel followed, pouting. Why did Legolas have to interrupt the one time Admir had actually wanted to play with him?

"No..." Admir moaned after examining Rogir. "This is not good..."

Rogir's eyes were shut, which was definitely a bad sign in elves.

Estel looked confused. "He sounds like me when I had a cold!"

Admir laughed at the memory of that. "Why, Estel?" she asked.

Estel gave her a look that said 'isn't it obvious'. "His breathing sounds as bad as when I tried to breathe through my nose!"

Yes, Admir noted, something is wrong with his breathing...but what? He must be hurt! What should I do?

"Admir, we need to get help as soon as possible." said Legolas quickly.

"Let's have Admir stay with Rogir, and we'll go get Ada and Lord Thranduil!" said Estel, even though he hated the thought of being stuck alone with Legolas.

"Please hurry!" cried Admir as the two boys rushed off as fast as they could.

Carefully she pulled Rogir into a sitting position in attempt to help him breathe better. I bet my screaming and his screaming at me made it worse... she thought sadly. I should have noticed when he started coughing earlier...but I wasn't worried because I knew elves couldn't get sick...now look what I've done!

Flashback

"Was that supposed to be funny?" asked Rogir raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, stupid!" she replied.

"It wasn't..." he broke off coughing.

"Rogir...?" she looked a bit scared. Elves didn't usually cough unless something was wrong, and she knew elves didn't get sick.

"I'm fine..." he groaned forcing himself to stop.

Admir still wasn't too sure, yet she couldn't help smiling at how Rogir never wanted anyone to worry about him.

end flashback

And that was how we got into that fight...how stupid can I be? Suddenly she noticed something small sticking out Rogir's leg.

It was a dart, a poison dart nonetheless.

Admir began to worry more. Tears stung her eyes but she couldn't wipe them away. If she happened to let go of Rogir he'd fall over, and that would be very safe for her risk. "Rogir...please hold on...I can't lose you now...I care too much..."

Legolas and Estel burst into Elrond's study, where he and Elladan seemed to be discussing something.

"Ada!" panted Estel.

"Rogir...Ada...help...need..." muttered Legolas, too tired to make sense.

"See? I was right!" said Elladan.

Elrond gave his eldest son a silencing look.

"Where is he?" roared Thranduil. Apparently he had heard them. "Ion-nin! Where's Rogir?"

"Clearing...Admir...with...help...need..."he muttered before fainting with exhaustion.

"Ion-nin! We need to find Rogir!" yelled Thranduil. He picked up his youngest son and carried him into Aradwyn's room, where he was reading one of Admir's books. Aradwyn immediately sat up angrily upon having his door thrown open, but immediately felt his anger wash away when he noticed Legolas had his eyes closed.

"Ada...? What happened?" he asked worried.

"He merely fainted from exhaustion. But I have to go tend to something worse. Can you watch your brother for me?" asked Thranduil.

Aradwyn nodded. "Yes, he can rest here with me." he replied.

Thranduil quickly thanked his eldest son and after laying his youngest down on the bed rushed back out to the others.

"We have to find Rogir quickly."