A Difficult Road
I jump as a huge clap of thunder echoes around my room, and unconsciously pull the covers up so that my face is half-buried under the blanket.
I usually like storms – the rain is soothing, and the howling wind is almost musical. But… I've suddenly come to realise that perhaps the real reason I like them is because I usually have two elves snuggled up beside me.
When Eleniel was younger, she'd come bursting into either mine or Elladan's room, tears streaming down from her worried eyes and a panicked expression on her pale face. If she came into my room, I'd go and get Elladan, and the three of us would lie in bed together, telling each other stories to get her mind off the storm. The same would happen if she went into Elladan's room.
We do not know the reason as to why she is so afraid of them, but I have a feeling it is because the branches scratching at her window, and the beating above her of the rain falling from the clouds reminds of her of her nightmares. I will not go into details about my sister's horrible dreams, but know that they are dreams not even an elf over five thousand years old could bear with ease.
But now, I find myself without Eleniel. She has been married to Daeron – Feredir's son – for almost a month, and I cannot help the images of her cuddling up to her husband tonight creep into my mind, almost like it's teasing me. Daeron will be the one to comfort her now whenever there is a storm, and I feel… alone. Lost. On the verge of tears.
I quickly look up as I hear a soft knock at my door, and it opens. I breathe a sigh of relief when I see Elladan stood there, a small smile on his face as he quietly shuts the door and pads over to me. He needs no invitation to climb under the covers with me, and I soon find myself face-to-face with my twin.
"You miss her too?" he asks, and I nod soundlessly. My vision suddenly starts to get blurry with tears, and I find myself feeling like an elfling. Like I am the one afraid of the storm, and I have come to my brother for comfort.
"Come here, Ro," Elladan says, and he pulls me close, resting his chin on the top of my head as he hugs me tightly. "We shall have to find a way to live through this now, alright? Our little El is not a child anymore."
"She will always be a child in my eyes," I say, and Elladan nods with a chuckle.
"Aye, and in mine, too. But she is not, and we must accept this."
I do not want to accept it, but I know I must have to. Eleniel is my absolute world, and I want her to be with someone who makes her happy and keeps her as the care-free elfling myself and Elladan have always known her as… and as long as Daeron does that, then I will be fine.
I have to be.
I have no choice.
It will be a difficult road, I know that, but at the end of that road, I hope I will find a big, green meadow, with flowers, and birds singing in the trees. That will mean that I have learned to accept that Eleniel is no longer an elfling. I do not know how long that will take, but it will happen. One day.
This is a request by Lydwina Marie! I hope you liked it! It's continuing on from the last drabble. ~ Gre3nleaf