Chapter Seven
(AN- Thanks again to those who reviewed! It really helps me out! Here's some responses:)
ROCHWEN - *peers also into your mind and arches a brow* Well . . . you don't exactly want to see mine either. lol thanks much!!
TIGERLILY713 - Interesting? As in good, right? lol!
The day was clear and slightly chilly as Gilraeth lay upon a hill, covered in thick green grass, by himself. He gazed up at the billowing white clouds that drifted and sailed over him. For once since he'd come here, Gilraeth was actually enjoying this bit of solitude. More often than not, he preferred the company of Elladan or Glorfindel. But today it had been different. He was sure that Elladan and Elrohir were enjoying their time together as well, without him.
Not far away, the twins were within the densely wooded forest. Elrohir sat, perched on the limb of a high tree, a notched arrow in his bow drawn to his cheek. His eyes were focused on both his prey, a doe that browsed upon the forest floor, and Elladan's hand. It was raised, palm facing him, ready to sweep down at the perfect moment and give Elrohir the signal to shoot.
Elrohir let his eyes slip away to the left. It was true that he had great patience, but Elladan's hand had not wavered for a long time. How much longer would he have to wait?
The winds changed subtly, sending the twins' scent to the deer. Her head snapped up, her large brown eyes staring at Elladan. With easy strides, the doe left the would-be hunters.
Elrohir's eyes came back to where they should've been just as Elladan dropped his hand and turned to face his brother in defeat. Elrohir let the arrow fly, and Elladan glanced up much too late at the sound of the whizzing of the arrow. In the next second, he was struck to the ground with a cry of agony, the arrow stuck deeply within his chest.
Elrohir quickly put away his bow and leaped to the ground, absorbing the shock without a care. He dropped to his knees at Elladan's side, panting lightly. His eyes widened at what he saw. The shaft was in his chest nearly halfway, and Elladan was writhing on the ground, his face contorted with pain. Elrohir placed a trembling hand upon his brother's forehead.
"Lie still, Elladan," he told him softly, yet urgently. Within a few moments, Elladan ceased his struggling and rested somewhat quietly, his breaths coming in short gasps. His storm gray eyes were wide with fear.
"Stay here. I'm going for help," Elrohir said as he drew his cloak around Elladan. He stood up and took a moment to get his bearings before running as swiftly as he could for Imaldris.
A few minutes later, he emerged from the forest in a dead sprint. He bounded up the hill where Gilraeth laid, passing him without a second glance. Bewildered, the boy stood and ran after him, but he was no match for the Elf's panicked pace. Nevertheless, he finally caught up to Elrohir, out of breath. His curiosity, however, had not diminished in the least.
Elrohir was hurriedly explaining something to Lord Elrond and Glorfindel, his normally stern gray eyes wide and fearful. Finally, Gilraeth caught Elrond saying, "Then let us waste no time. Come!"
Glorfindel and Elrohir half-ran past Gilraeth, but Elrond stopped beside the boy. "You should come as well, Gilraeth."
"What's happened, Lord Elrond?" Gilraeth asked, his voice quivering.
"Elladan is hurt," he replied. "I can only hope we do not come too late. Hurry, now."
Together, they rushed into the forest, following the faint sounds of Elrohir and Glorfindel as they made their way through the brush. They came upon a sight that made all hearts lurch.
There laid Elladan, now shivering violently from the blood loss, Elrohir's spent shaft within his chest. Elrohir held his brother, shedding silent tears. Glorfindel knelt on the left side of Elladan, smoothing the brow dampened with sweat. Gilraeth stood off to one side, dumbfounded and in shock.
Elrond wasted no time. He knelt beside Elladan, quickly assessing the situation. The arrow was in deeply. Should he try to pull it out? Would that only cause more bleeding and pain? He talked to himself in the Elvish tongue to calm himself down. There was still enough time to save his son if he worked quickly.
Gilraeth sniffled beside him, "Will he be all right?"
"He will live, pen-neth. Worry not," Elrond muttered hastily. His hand closed upon the intruding arrow before he looked to Elrohir.
The son of Elrond shook his head. "Nay, adar. It is an Elvish arrow."
This made Elrond feel slightly better. It seemed to be a sign that it would turn out in their favor. He took another arrow from Elrohir's quiver and snapped it in half. He placed it between Elladan's chattering teeth.
"Bite hard," he said. Again his hand closed around the shaft as he took in a shuddering breath.
Elrohir bent forward and listened as Elladan whispered something in his ear for a moment. Glorfindel looked on at the brothers, his brow furrowed. Elrohir's head snapped up as Elladan finished, his storm gray eyes wide with disbelief. But Elladan's gaze was steady as he nodded solemnly. Elrohir again bent forward, his eyes closed tightly as the two touched foreheads and wept silently.
After a moment, Elrohir straightened and took his father's hand that was closed around the shaft. Elrond glanced up in surprise.
"No, adar," Elrohir objected. "He told me . . ." He swallowed hard before continuing, fighting back tears. "He said that he feels that it is his time now."
Elrond slowly let go of the arrow and looked at his helpless son. "Are you sure, ion-nin? I-I can try. . .there is still time."
Had he not been his son, Elrond would have told Elladan the truth. But he knew, deep within, that there was nothing more that could be done.
Elladan managed a weak smile for his father. "We both know what is going to happen, father. I am sure." He gazed around at his family, even Gilraeth. The human boy had long felt like a son to him, and he hated to leave him. The boy was still unsure of himself, and still needed guidance and counseling. If not him to give it, then who?
Elladan motioned for the sniffling boy to come to him. Gilraeth stepped over and knelt down to where Elrohir once had been. The Elf now sat cross legged in front of Elladan, whose head was in his lap. Elrohir's gentle hands drew the raven black hair away from Elladan's face and stroked his forehead. Gilraeth felt the brotherly love between them, and then looked back at Elladan
"Gilraeth . . ." Elladan whispered, his eyes softening at the boy. "Remember that promise I made to you, to always protect you?"
Gilraeth nodded, tears streaming down his face. "I will not hold it against you now that you are unable to uphold it."
Elladan smiled and then looked to Glorfindel. "Glorfindel, I give the pen-neth to your keeping, if you will accept."
Glorfindel nodded with tears in his bright blue eyes. "I will care for Gilraeth, Elladan. I swear it to you."
Elladan looked back at the boy to see how he was with this, and Gilraeth nodded his approval. Elrond also nodded. With a small sigh, Elladan lay back into Elrohir's lap and closed his eyes once more. Elrond looked on at his sons, having more pity for Elrohir than himself or the others. It had been his misdoing that caused Elladan's death, after all. But it seemed, for the moment, that all was right between them, and that there was no anger or guilt.
Then he heard Elladan choke on his breath. Everyone glanced at him, save for Elrohir. He knew what was happening, and he didn't want to watch his brother die. His eyes were squeezed shut.
Elladan took in a quick gasp and held the breath for many moments, or so it seemed. He slowly exhaled in silence through his mouth and lips, his spirit escaping with his breath. His heart faltered and stopped.
Elladan was gone.
(AN- Thanks again to those who reviewed! It really helps me out! Here's some responses:)
ROCHWEN - *peers also into your mind and arches a brow* Well . . . you don't exactly want to see mine either. lol thanks much!!
TIGERLILY713 - Interesting? As in good, right? lol!
The day was clear and slightly chilly as Gilraeth lay upon a hill, covered in thick green grass, by himself. He gazed up at the billowing white clouds that drifted and sailed over him. For once since he'd come here, Gilraeth was actually enjoying this bit of solitude. More often than not, he preferred the company of Elladan or Glorfindel. But today it had been different. He was sure that Elladan and Elrohir were enjoying their time together as well, without him.
Not far away, the twins were within the densely wooded forest. Elrohir sat, perched on the limb of a high tree, a notched arrow in his bow drawn to his cheek. His eyes were focused on both his prey, a doe that browsed upon the forest floor, and Elladan's hand. It was raised, palm facing him, ready to sweep down at the perfect moment and give Elrohir the signal to shoot.
Elrohir let his eyes slip away to the left. It was true that he had great patience, but Elladan's hand had not wavered for a long time. How much longer would he have to wait?
The winds changed subtly, sending the twins' scent to the deer. Her head snapped up, her large brown eyes staring at Elladan. With easy strides, the doe left the would-be hunters.
Elrohir's eyes came back to where they should've been just as Elladan dropped his hand and turned to face his brother in defeat. Elrohir let the arrow fly, and Elladan glanced up much too late at the sound of the whizzing of the arrow. In the next second, he was struck to the ground with a cry of agony, the arrow stuck deeply within his chest.
Elrohir quickly put away his bow and leaped to the ground, absorbing the shock without a care. He dropped to his knees at Elladan's side, panting lightly. His eyes widened at what he saw. The shaft was in his chest nearly halfway, and Elladan was writhing on the ground, his face contorted with pain. Elrohir placed a trembling hand upon his brother's forehead.
"Lie still, Elladan," he told him softly, yet urgently. Within a few moments, Elladan ceased his struggling and rested somewhat quietly, his breaths coming in short gasps. His storm gray eyes were wide with fear.
"Stay here. I'm going for help," Elrohir said as he drew his cloak around Elladan. He stood up and took a moment to get his bearings before running as swiftly as he could for Imaldris.
A few minutes later, he emerged from the forest in a dead sprint. He bounded up the hill where Gilraeth laid, passing him without a second glance. Bewildered, the boy stood and ran after him, but he was no match for the Elf's panicked pace. Nevertheless, he finally caught up to Elrohir, out of breath. His curiosity, however, had not diminished in the least.
Elrohir was hurriedly explaining something to Lord Elrond and Glorfindel, his normally stern gray eyes wide and fearful. Finally, Gilraeth caught Elrond saying, "Then let us waste no time. Come!"
Glorfindel and Elrohir half-ran past Gilraeth, but Elrond stopped beside the boy. "You should come as well, Gilraeth."
"What's happened, Lord Elrond?" Gilraeth asked, his voice quivering.
"Elladan is hurt," he replied. "I can only hope we do not come too late. Hurry, now."
Together, they rushed into the forest, following the faint sounds of Elrohir and Glorfindel as they made their way through the brush. They came upon a sight that made all hearts lurch.
There laid Elladan, now shivering violently from the blood loss, Elrohir's spent shaft within his chest. Elrohir held his brother, shedding silent tears. Glorfindel knelt on the left side of Elladan, smoothing the brow dampened with sweat. Gilraeth stood off to one side, dumbfounded and in shock.
Elrond wasted no time. He knelt beside Elladan, quickly assessing the situation. The arrow was in deeply. Should he try to pull it out? Would that only cause more bleeding and pain? He talked to himself in the Elvish tongue to calm himself down. There was still enough time to save his son if he worked quickly.
Gilraeth sniffled beside him, "Will he be all right?"
"He will live, pen-neth. Worry not," Elrond muttered hastily. His hand closed upon the intruding arrow before he looked to Elrohir.
The son of Elrond shook his head. "Nay, adar. It is an Elvish arrow."
This made Elrond feel slightly better. It seemed to be a sign that it would turn out in their favor. He took another arrow from Elrohir's quiver and snapped it in half. He placed it between Elladan's chattering teeth.
"Bite hard," he said. Again his hand closed around the shaft as he took in a shuddering breath.
Elrohir bent forward and listened as Elladan whispered something in his ear for a moment. Glorfindel looked on at the brothers, his brow furrowed. Elrohir's head snapped up as Elladan finished, his storm gray eyes wide with disbelief. But Elladan's gaze was steady as he nodded solemnly. Elrohir again bent forward, his eyes closed tightly as the two touched foreheads and wept silently.
After a moment, Elrohir straightened and took his father's hand that was closed around the shaft. Elrond glanced up in surprise.
"No, adar," Elrohir objected. "He told me . . ." He swallowed hard before continuing, fighting back tears. "He said that he feels that it is his time now."
Elrond slowly let go of the arrow and looked at his helpless son. "Are you sure, ion-nin? I-I can try. . .there is still time."
Had he not been his son, Elrond would have told Elladan the truth. But he knew, deep within, that there was nothing more that could be done.
Elladan managed a weak smile for his father. "We both know what is going to happen, father. I am sure." He gazed around at his family, even Gilraeth. The human boy had long felt like a son to him, and he hated to leave him. The boy was still unsure of himself, and still needed guidance and counseling. If not him to give it, then who?
Elladan motioned for the sniffling boy to come to him. Gilraeth stepped over and knelt down to where Elrohir once had been. The Elf now sat cross legged in front of Elladan, whose head was in his lap. Elrohir's gentle hands drew the raven black hair away from Elladan's face and stroked his forehead. Gilraeth felt the brotherly love between them, and then looked back at Elladan
"Gilraeth . . ." Elladan whispered, his eyes softening at the boy. "Remember that promise I made to you, to always protect you?"
Gilraeth nodded, tears streaming down his face. "I will not hold it against you now that you are unable to uphold it."
Elladan smiled and then looked to Glorfindel. "Glorfindel, I give the pen-neth to your keeping, if you will accept."
Glorfindel nodded with tears in his bright blue eyes. "I will care for Gilraeth, Elladan. I swear it to you."
Elladan looked back at the boy to see how he was with this, and Gilraeth nodded his approval. Elrond also nodded. With a small sigh, Elladan lay back into Elrohir's lap and closed his eyes once more. Elrond looked on at his sons, having more pity for Elrohir than himself or the others. It had been his misdoing that caused Elladan's death, after all. But it seemed, for the moment, that all was right between them, and that there was no anger or guilt.
Then he heard Elladan choke on his breath. Everyone glanced at him, save for Elrohir. He knew what was happening, and he didn't want to watch his brother die. His eyes were squeezed shut.
Elladan took in a quick gasp and held the breath for many moments, or so it seemed. He slowly exhaled in silence through his mouth and lips, his spirit escaping with his breath. His heart faltered and stopped.
Elladan was gone.