Chapter 17: Thelion's plan

by Elven Hope

Note:Never take any kind of drug, or alcohol, candy, or anything else a stranger tries to offer you. We uped our rating just incase. For this part.

"Rogir?" Aradwyn asked leaning over the younger elf. "Rogir can you hear me?" Aradwyn shook his little brother slightly trying to get a response.

Rogir groaned and tried to push Aradwyn away, but the older elf grabbed his brother's hands and held him still.

"Aradwyn?" The younger elf asked squinting slightly as he tried to clear his vision.

Aradwyn looked at his brother worriedly, his response had been rather slurred and the older elf suspected that he may have a concussion "Yes it's me," Aradwyn answered. "Are you alright?"

"S'hats a stupid question," Rogir answered trying to sit up. "Does I look alright to you?"

"No," Aradwyn said shaking his head. "No you don't." He looked at his brother, there were black rings under his eyes and his hair was tangled and matted with blood which ran down the left side of his face. But what concerned Aradwyn the most was that his brother's pupils were dilated at different sizes, a sure sign of concussion. "You should have just stayed in bed, wait until Ada hears about this." Aradwyn said helping Rogir to his feet. It may have been wiser to let him rest for a minute, but Aradwyn wanted to get Rogir to Lord Elrond as soon as possible.

"Ada!" Rogir yelled jumping away from Aradwyn and out of his grasp grabbing onto a nearby tree for support.

"Yes, what's wrong with that?" Aradwyn asked crossly.

"You can't tell Ada!" Rogir yelled, his voice squeaking.

"Well I'll have to tell him something." Aradwyn said. "He's going to notice that cut on your head."

"You can tell him... tell him that I tripped down some stairs," Rogir said thinking quickly and trying to ignore his terrible headache. "Tell him that I snuck out and I tripped down some stairs."

"I think it would be best if we told him the truth, then Thelion wouldn't bother you anymore." Aradwyn said matter-of-factly. "After all he'll find out sooner of later."

"No," Rogir said firmly.

"If you're sure, but we still need to see Ada and get a healer to have a look at you," Aradwyn said walking over to his brother; he was surprised when Rogir backed away from his outstretched hand. "Rogir?"

"No," Rogir said again moving away from his brother from tree to tree.

"No what?" Aradwyn asked.

"No, I don't want to see a healer," Rogir said crossly as he remembered everything Thelion had said to him. "I can take care of myself."

"You can't Rogir, what if you black out again?" Aradwyn asked.

"I'll be fine," Rogir said still moving away.

"No you won't." Aradwyn said following his brother, hand out stretched.

"I will," Rogir said angrily.

"You're coming with me Rogir, and that's an order!" Aradwyn practically yelled.

Rogir just stared at his brother for a moment, his still oddly dilated pupils giving him a slightly mad look before he turned and ran, scrambling through the undergrowth.

"Rogir!" Aradwyn yelled chasing after his brother who was already a good way ahead of him.

To Rogir it didn't matter that he didn't have a clue where he was going at that moment, at least he could run, fast. There was a crash and a thump and Aradwyn sped up pace praying to the Valar that his brother was alright, but when he reached the place the sound had come from there was no sign of his brother. He panicked then turning a full circle scanning the forest in search of the missing elf, but he was not there. Aradwyn ran a hand through his mousy blond hair worriedly eyes darting about the wooded area.

"Rogir!"

No reply.

"Rogir!"

Making up his mind Aradwyn ran back to the Last Homely House as fast as his long legs would carry him deciding that he had to get help.

Rogir watched his brother from the top of a tree a grin spreading across his face. That hadn't been as hard as he thought it would be to get rid of Aradwyn.

He leaned back against the tree trunk and waited a while until his head stopped spinning and his ears stopped buzzing then he stood up slowly and clambered up the tree walking through the tree tops until he came to the edge of the forest. He dropped down to the ground and looked around him, checking that there was no one about before sitting down resting against the tree.

He was not within sight of the House of Elrond; it would take them a good while to find him; and that was if he stayed where he was. He felt awful right now he wouldn't honestly care if no one came to find him, and he wouldn't be surprised if no one did. After all no one cared about him, just like Thelion said no one understood how he felt, save maybe Admir, and now she hated him just as much as the rest. He stayed there for a long while his eyes closed, listening to the sounds of the forest and the rest of the word.

After a short while something caught his attention. There was a sound somewhere behind him and an alien presence, which he knew immediately, was not that of an animal.

He turned just in time to come face to face with Thelion. He yelled surprised and backed away from the older elf fear showing clearly in his emerald green eyes. He was about to run when Thelion grabbed his arm with his left hand his right hidden behind his back.

"It's alright," Thelion said trying to calm the frightened elf. "I don't want to hurt you."

"What else do you want to do then?" Rogir asked crossly.

"I want to say that I'm sorry," Thelion said letting go of Rogir and sitting down gesturing for the younger elf to do the same.

Reluctantly Rogir sat down, knowing that an apology from Thelion was not something he should just walk away from. He sat down edging away from the dark haired elf still wary of the hand held behind Thelion's back. "What are you holding?" Rogir asked curiously praying that his question would not earn him a blow from one of Thelion's large fists.

"Oh yes," Thelion answered. "I brought you these." He pulled two large bottles of mead out from behind his back showing them to Rogir. "I was thinking, I feel sorry for you. We are more alike than you think. When I was your age I had the same sort of problems as you, so I had some of this now and again to make me feel better." He held one of the bottles out towards Rogir. "Go on, take it."

Rogir eyed the bottle of mead then flicked his gaze up to rest on Thelion's dark eyes. "I probably shouldn't." He said shakily, he had only ever been allowed wine at dinner and that was just recently; and by the look of it that mead was a lot stronger than the wine he normally had.

"Are you sure?" Thelion asked holding the bottle out further towards Rogir. "Trust me it will take all your troubles away for a while."

"You're sure?" Rogir asked inquisitively thinking everything over slowly and carefully, he wasn't one to be bullied into something he didn't want to do, but if Thelion said it would help...

"Positive," Thelion answered. "Come on."

Rogir bit his lip slowly. "Alright." He reached out a shaking hand and took the bottle of mead. He looked from the cork of the bottle to Thelion then back again still unsure.

"Go on," Thelion said encouragingly.

Rogir lifted his hand slowly and took the cork twisting it until it came out and the sweet smell of the strong mead filled his nostrils. He breathed in deeply the scent was warm and calming and he smiled at Thelion uncertainly. He looked at the rim of the bottle still unsure of whether this was the right thing to do, but then without any further thoughts, he put the rim to his lips and tipped the bottle back, the warm liquid pouring down his throat.

Ok, Rogir has officially lost it! He's even listening to the guy that just beat him up! Now who thinks he's depressed?

(everyone raises their hand)

Ok, that's what i thought. But really, if you think Rogir's lost it now, listening to Thelion, just you all wait!

Oh, and Admir's nothaving the time of her life, either.

Hopefully, Estel and Legolas will appear together soon, most likely looking for their siblings (AGAIN). I don't think Arwen can be made less girly, because thats just how she is.

Shawna D.