Chapter 27: Just pull the plug

By Elven Hope

The title is meant as a joke, there is no plug in the chappie. lol

There was silence for a few minutes as Rogir's eyes flicked between the two older elves wondering which was more likely to throttle him first. Not once did he look at either Admir or Amarth, but if he had done so, he would have seen the young peredhil sobbing in the arms of the older peredhil. He was, however, too concerned by the elves standing above him to worry about Admir at the moment.

He wasn't entirely sure who he was more worried about. Elrond, like any father who had had their child threatened, looked like he would kill the one who had harmed his child and think later. Whilst Thranduil looked like he would explode now and think later. Which was something to be feared seeing as his father was never rational when anger took over him.

Rogir swallowed hard waiting for one of them to speak, but both of the older elves were lost for words. Never should an elf harm another one, never should an older child turn on someone younger than them - despite the fact that age didn't matter as much as it did to elves and that Admir was large for her age. It just was not done, it just did not happen, and neither of the elves knew what to do or say.

Eventually Thranduil spoke and his voice was brimming with anger although he tried to keep it calm.

"Rogir," He began slowly the words painful to all who heard them. "What on earth do you think you are doing!"

"I wasn't... I..." Rogir stuttered. He didn't entirely know what had just happened to him. He now, however, knew the complete meaning of the term 'seeing red' and could offer that as the only explanation. Although he didn't know what had happened or why it had. Well he knew what had happened in reality, but he didn't know what had happened in his head. The mind was a funny thing, he mused, and it was odd that he didn't know his own mind, that frightened him actually, more than he would like to admit.

"Don't even start making excuses," Thranduil said crossly. "There are no excuses for what you have done! In one day you have managed to get yourself beaten up, drunk and threaten the lives of both your brother and friend!"

Admir looked up at this new information. Rogir had gotten himself drunk? And threatened either Legolas or Aradwyn, although Admir suspected that it was the former. Why hadn't he told her?

"Ada, I'm..."

"Sorry?" Thranduil asked his words stinging Rogir like fire. "It's far too late for sorry," he hauled the younger elf up by the scruff of the neck. "Now you're coming with me, and you are staying in your room for the next millenia!" He turned to Elrond. "I will talk to you later Elrond, if you don't mind, I don't know how to start explaining how sorry I am."

Elrond nodded, but his attention had already turned to Admir.

With that Thranduil turned and grabbing Rogir by the arm, dragged him back up towards the Last Homely House his temper increasing minute by minute.

"Aradwyn?" Arwen asked when the other elf fell backwards, closing his eyes tightly against the terrible headache.

"I'm fine," he said quickly prying his heavy eye lids open and propping himself up.

"No you're not," Arwen said incredulously.

"I am, Arwen," he said rubbing his temples. "Trust me I just have a slight headache."

"Why have you got a headache?" Arwen asked.

Aradwyn raised an eyebrow at her. Why couldn't she just leave him alone? She was, if he was perfectly honest with himself, a charming girl, but the most annoying one that he had ever met and would ever like to meet. And right now when he wanted to be left alone, she would not leave!

He screwed his eyes tight shut again as another wave of pain washed over him.

"Aradwyn!" Arwen whined. "Stop it, why have you got a headache?"

"Because..." Aradwyn said opening his eyes. "Because... I don't know Arwen would you just leave me alone please!"

Arwen took a step backward, tears starting in her eyes.

"No Arwen," Aradwyn began. "I didn't mean it like that."

"It doesn't matter." Arwen said swiping at her eyes. "I understand."

With that she turned and ran out of the room, Aradwyn thought about going after her, then collapsed into the pillows too exhausted to try and chase after her.

Thranduil pulled Rogir into the room he had been staying in and slammed the door behind him pushing his son forwards so hard that he hit the bedpost purely on accident. Thranduil grimaced, but tried not to pay any attention to the stunned look on his son's face.

"What did you think you were doing Rogir?" Thranduil yelled. When his son didn't answer Thranduil grabbed him by the hair and pulled him round to face him. "I said what do you think you were doing!"

"I... Ada, saesa, let go!" Rogir said struggling, but the hold on his hair just became tighter.

"Answer my question Rogir!" Thranduil growled. "And then tell me why you haven't apologized to Legolas yet and why you were out in the grounds when I gave you strict orders to stay here."

"I went out to help Admir," Rogir said quickly wondering how much harder his father would have to pull before his hair came out. "Thelion had her... then we got into an argument... and..."

"And you tried to throttle an innocent girl?" Thranduil said yanking even harder on Rogir's hair.

"I didn't mean to," Rogir said trying to block out the pain that his father was causing him. "Ada, I don't know what happened to me! Please let go!"

Rogir pulled away and this time Thranduil let go of his son. Rogir walked around the bed slowly and sat down on the windowsill on the other side of the room, as far away from his father as possible.

"Rogir don't be frightened of me," Thranduil said sad that his son was indeed frightened.

"I'm not!" Rogir said crossly.

"Why did you move away from me then?" Thranduil asked.

"You were pulling my hair!"

"There's no need to shout."

"I'm not shouting!"

"You are."

"I'm not!"

"You are."

"Just leave me alone!" Rogir yelled throwing himself down on the bed, his head in the pillows.

"Rogir, I haven't..."

"Leave me alone!" Rogir shouted not caring about what Thranduil would do to him.

"Alright then, I'll come back when you've calmed down." Thranduil said and with that he left the room closing the door quickly behind him.

Rogir lay with his head in the pillows this whole day was a blur to him, everything that had happened in it. He couldn't remember what had happened to him today, but he could remember the terrible truth he had found out about himself before leaving for Rivendell.

Yikes, sumbody's in trouble! What did Rogir find out about himself? Well if you've read Elven Hope's Shadows of the Past, you may get the hint from wut he tells Legolas that he found when he was little. Of course, I'm not going to spill, that would ruin it for people who want it to be a surprise! So just wait and see.

Namarie

Shawna D.