Author's Note:
I am so very, very sorry for such a late update, my friends. RL has been really difficult this past year, and things have unfortunately not gotten much better, but I have NOT forgotten these stories and have been working on them along the way. A big "Thank You" to everyone who is still reading, and for all the lovely reviews and comments I have received. I hope you are all still reading on here and will see the update, and I hope you enjoy!
The first thing Elladan became aware of was the lack of warmth by his side. As he struggled to awaken, he also realized the air inside the little enclosure felt like solid ice. He was an elf, and not supposed to be susceptible to the cold, but even he found his teeth chattering slightly as he subconsciously pulled the blanket a little tighter around his shoulders—before springing instantly into a sitting position, swinging the blanket carelessly to the side as he looked frantically around the small, decidedly dark enclosure, patting the bedrolls and blankets beside him fruitlessly.
There was no fire. It had gone out long ago if the icy air was any indication.
There was no sound of any breathing in the dusk of the still-blowing winter storm.
He could not feel his bond with his younger twin.
He could not feel his bond with his youngest "brother."
He was decidedly, and unhappily, quite alone.
"LEGOLAS! I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!"
It was cold. It was so very cold, and he thought he might never move again. That was the first thought that registered when his eyes finally crept open, only to shut again swiftly to protect them from the swirling snowflakes. Then, there was pain. It spread dully from his side—where it felt like the time he had cracked several ribs when he fell into the Bruinen—and seeped into every bone and muscle in his body until he thought he must be one, massive ball of pure pain.
He felt something bristly under his arm, piercing through his sleeve and scratching at his skin. He wondered vaguely if it was the claw of some animal, and tried to muster the will to move away from the pending danger. He managed to open his eyes again despite the pounding in his head, and forced his wavering vision to focus through the falling snow. He could make out vague shadows, enough to tell that it was approaching whatever dawn might exist in such a desolate forest and storm. He turned his head to the side, where the "claws" were pricking his arm, and his eyes widened to see a bundled up little tree tucked snuggly underneath his arm and against his side.
It all came back to him then in a rush of memory, and he tried in a sudden panic to open his bond with his twin, but his head was hurting too badly and he was unable to tell if his twin could feel him or not. Elladan and Legolas would be terrified! He had been gone way too long for just the relatively short trip to fetch the tree, and he did not want them risking the storm to try to find him. The young elfling was too ill. He would not be able to take backtracking in such a storm and taking another day of travel in such cold.
Elrohir attempted to assess his injuries, slowly moving each limb, then pushing up into a sitting position, wincing when hot flashes of pain swept across the side of his chest. Definitely broken ribs then, but he couldn't tell if anything else was wrong. It was so cold he was almost numb, and he did not enjoy the feeling at all. Being an elf, he rarely felt the cold, so feeling cold to the point of numbness was an occasion he was not used to in the least. He sighed heavily, blinking against the snow flurries and looking down at the little tree still encased in cloaks under his arm.
Miraculously he had managed to hold onto it, but he hoped it wasn't damaged. He would hate to have to go to all that bother and get himself nearly killed just for the stupid thing to die on him. He pulled the top of the cloak wrapping away from the tree, relieved to see it looked as green as it had in the cave. At least one thing was going right for him, though he could not quite think of a worse spot for ALL of them to be in than this. He was injured and frozen, and potentially turned around in a blizzard, while his twin and a young, ill elfling were stuck in a makeshift shelter waiting for him to return while the blizzard continued to grow—for he could sense the storm growing stronger as his senses began to return to him even more.
Elladan was right. They should have stayed in the cave. They were all going to die out here in the snow storm, and no one would know what happened to them, nor would they likely ever find their cold, lifeless bodies. All that would be left would be one stupid, little tree—a tree that had voraciously sucked the life out of them all.
With another heartfelt sigh, he clambered for a handhold in the snow to push himself up into a standing position while still holding onto the tree. He could not stay here forever. He would surely freeze before long, and his siblings would surely do something stupid, like venture out into the snow to look for him. Clutching the little tree to him like a lifeline and holding onto the snowbank with his other hand, he made it almost all the way up when a sudden sharp pain laced through his side. He gasped, automatically grabbing for his side with the hand that had been holding onto the snow, and he felt himself falling again, down, down, into the soft powder of fresh snow. His vision darkened once more, and he only had time to berate himself for attempting to rise too swiftly before even the howling of the wind was silenced to his ears.
It seemed like long hours, or even days, later when Elrohir grew aware of the aching cold once more, but was likely only a short time since he could still feel his hands and feet. He groaned, trying to raise his hand to his head, which appeared to suddenly be pounding in agony, only to find that his arm couldn't seem to move. He then became aware of a weight pressing against his chest and groaned again, thinking a tree must have fallen on him. Snow was still falling in icy flakes onto his now-frozen cheeks, and when he attempted to crack his eyes open, he could barely make out a sliver of light from the obvious day in the midst of the flurries. Trying to take a more careful assessment of what had happened and why he was lying on the ground once more, his eyes flung open in horror when he realized a small hand was clutching the side of his neck and a slight voice was whispering urgently into the howling of the wind.
"Elrohir! Elrohir! Wake up! Speak to me! Saes…'Ro…" the last word ended on a muffled sob, and Elrohir immediately sat up, ignoring the pain shooting through him once again at the movement, taking the weight on his chest along with him while at the same time managing to raise his arm up and around what was lying on his chest.
"Legolas!" he breathed, seeing the smaller form pressed against him and hanging on tightly despite Elrohir's sudden movement. "What are you doing here, penneth? Where is Elladan?"
The young elfling cried out and threw his arms around Elrohir's neck, sobbing bitterly. "I thought you were dead, 'Ro! I thought you were dead!"
Elrohir squeezed the young elfling back as tightly as his injuries would allow him, then took him gently by the shoulders and pushed him slightly away, peering into his eyes. He winced at the pale, frozen features, the dark circles under the elfling's eyes, and the tear tracks on either side of his white cheeks. "Why did you think I was dead, Legolas?" he asked very seriously.
Legolas placed his hands on either side of Elrohir's face. "I could sense you were hurt for what seemed like such a long time, and then…then it went dark…I could not sense you anymore. And…and when I found you, you would not move or answer me for such a VERY long time, and your lips were blue…and you were so very cold…and…and…" He stopped on a sob, burrowing his head into the elder elf's neck once again and clutching desperately at his tunic.
Elrohir bit his lip. Legolas did not need such a fright on top of his already fragile condition. Nor did he need to get so upset. Nor did he need to be out in the storm, come to think of it…
Reminded of his original question, the younger twin once more pushed the smaller elf away from him, this time cupping his small face firmly in his larger hands and forcing the young elf to look at him. "Legolas…why are you here? And where is Elladan? I recall VERY clearly that I left you comparatively warm, safe, and "guarded" by my brother. Now I see you here, all by yourself and in very cold shape, and decidedly "without" my brother. Would you care to explain that?"
Legolas lowered his eyes, a small flush spreading over his oh-so-very-pale cheeks. He could not move his face from Elrohir's tight grip, so settled for looking down. "I-I HAD to come! I was worried…"
Elrohir blinked. "You were "worried?" You were WORRIED? Have you any idea how worried Elladan will be now? How worried you have now made me?"
Tears sprang once more to the young prince's eyes at Elrohir's harsh tone, and Legolas continued to look down at Elrohir's chest. The younger twin sighed inwardly, taking a breath to calm himself. It was done, and the poor elfling was ill of heart and body. He had likely thought he was doing the right thing at the time, and it was very possible that he himself might have frozen to death lying for so long in the cold snow and harsh storm if Legolas had not come for him.
He softened his tone when next he spoke. "Alright, penneth. I am not angry with you. It was very brave of you to come out and rescue me, and I am grateful for your company. Just out of curiosity, though…how DID you get away from Elladan? He usually does not let down his guard when he has a responsibility."
Legolas' flush grew. "I snuck out when he fell asleep," he mumbled under his breath. But the keen hearing of an elf easily caught the words, despite being muffled even more by the howling winds around them. Elrohir threw his head back and laughed.
"What I would not give to have seen his face when he awoke!" he gasped in between chuckles. "Ai! Poor Elladan! He must be going out of his mind with worry!"
"I did not mean to worry him," Legolas whispered, more tears falling. "He wouldn't listen, though, and I needed to find you."
"Aaah," said the older elf, pulling the elfling close and kissing his cheek. "It is no matter, penneth. You are here now, and you are safe. I do not know how you found me, but I am very glad you did. Now we must find our way back to Elladan before HE gets lost out here."
"If ANYONE gets lost in a storm, I think we have verified that it is YOU, not I, brother!" came a cold, angry voice over the sound of the storm.
Elrohir and Legolas looked at each other with wide eyes, then turned as one to peer into the swirling flakes. What looked like an elf with dark hair was standing a few feet away, looking VERY hassled and VERY cold, with the darkest expression either elf had ever seen on the elder twin's fair face.
Elladan walked forward and dropped to his knees beside his two, wide-eyed siblings, first grabbing them both into a tight hug, then moving his hands all over Elrohir to check him for injuries. Elrohir frowned when his brother pulled Legolas away from his grip and settled him on top of a hastily strung cloak beside him so that he could check over his brother more easily. He had been gentle, to be sure, but the anger palpating from his very being was obvious to him, and he knew it would be obvious to the little one.
Indeed, Legolas protested not a word and watched Elladan's careful ministrations with a deep anguish in his eyes as he sat there and shivered on the cloak, huddled into himself.
As Elladan pulled up Elrohir's shirt and began to feel for broken ribs, Legolas' gaze landed on the blanket-covered bundle beside Elrohir, his eyes widening with curiosity and the slightest tinge of hope. Elrohir smiled and nudged the bundle towards the elfling. "I found him," he said gently. "He should be fine now. He kept me company while I was passed out."
The young elf fell upon the bundle with a cry of joy, hurriedly unwrapping the cloak and checking over all the branches to make sure the tree was still alive. He then grabbed it to his chest and curled onto the cloak once more, his arms wrapped around the blanketed tree as he whispered continually to it and sang a song under his breath.
Elrohir grinned as he watched the sheer joy on the elfling's face. He glanced over at Elladan, who had also watched the little display with a guarded expression. His twin still looked angry and unrelenting, but he knew his brother. There was not an elf alive that could have resisted THAT little reunion between wood elfling and his beloved baby tree. He kept a teasing smile upon his face, staring hard at his brother as he proceeded to wrap a layer of bandaging around his ribs.
Elladan remained stoic, refusing to meet his brother's eyes.
Elrohir persisted in staring.
Finally, Elladan sighed, the beginnings of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He met Elrohir's eyes sheepishly. "Fine. You win!"
Elrohir pulled his brother into a hug despite the loose bandages still crisscrossing his torso. "I knew you would not stay mad at him, Muindor," he whispered into his ear. "I know you were worried, but he is too ill to take anger upon him right now."
Elladan pursed his lips together as he pulled away and pushed his twin back against the hastily strewn cloak under his head. "He will NOT get out of a lecture, Elrohir, and no amount of pleading will delay it! He could have died trying to find you in such a storm!"
Elrohir raised an eyebrow as he watched the enraged gleam in his brother's eyes. He sighed, feeling the pain wash over him anew as his brother tied the bandagings tightly together, then lowered his tunic down. He was weary and felt the need to sleep once more. He hoped Elladan would realize in time how ill the young prince was, but he would have to trust that the little elfling could deter his twin's wrath for a time, for he would not be present… With that last thought, his vision faded into blackness as his consciousness once more left him. He had lain out in the cold for too long in an injured state, and would require much rest before he could heal this time.
Elladan nearly panicked when he looked up at Elrohir from treating an injury on his arm and saw his brother laying pale and with closed eyes against the backdrop of snow. He laid a hand over his twin's heart and closed his eyes, feeling the essence that was his twin beating steadily beneath his hand and the fluttering spirit inside. He breathed a sigh of relief as he opened his eyes once more. Elrohir had passed out, but was not fading. He quickly finished treating the other cuts and scrapes he found on his brother's arms and head, then turned to see about his "other" little problem, for the first time realizing the quiet little song going on in the background had been silent for quite some time.
Hoping the little elf had stayed put for once, his eyes opened in shock and fear to see the young one still curled up beside the tree, his face as white as the snow he was laying on, his clothes and cloak covered with a layer of snow from the still-falling flurries, and his eyes tightly closed, once fisted hand laying close to his face. He was immediately beside the little elf, grabbing another blanket from the pack on his back and brushing all the snow off him frantically, then wrapping the warmer blanket all around him, picking him up in his arms and holding him tightly against his chest to provide body heat. He could hear Legolas' heart still beating through his layers of clothing, but he knew just by looking at him that he was entirely too weak. He should have first tried to find them all some type of shelter from the storm.
He sighed, looking between the elfling in his arms and his twin lying passed out on the snow. He did not know how he was going to manage getting BOTH of them to a safe, sheltered spot, but he needed to figure it out before they all froze to death in this treacherous storm!
Trying to see through the heavy snowfall, Elladan peered in all directions, searching for something…a small cave, a heavily-branched tree, a copse of large rocks…anything at all he could use as shelter. Finally, he saw a shadowed blur in the middle of a small overhang of rock crag that looked suspiciously like a small cave. It was a few hundred feet away, but worth checking out, so he hefted the young elfling more securely into his arms and struggled to his feet, casting a quick glance at his twin to make sure he was still comparatively well. He then forced his way through the blowing snow to the overhang, falling on his knees and crying out with relief to see that the darkened shadow did indeed lead into a small cave. He lost no time in crawling into the tunnel, overjoyed when it stretched out into a cozily small room large enough for all three of them and a fire besides.
He went to the furthest corner, laying Legolas down gently on top of a hastily spread blanket, keeping him well-ensconced in the warm layers he was wrapped in. He grabbed the few dry sticks hidden in his pack and hastily started a small fire in the middle of the enclosure. He used the light from the fire to see into every nook and cranny of the cave room, ensuring there were no signs of predators lurking about.
After ensuring there was nothing potentially harmful in the small cave, he sent one last regretful glance to the young elf in the corner, not wanting to leave him alone for even a minute, then pushed back out into the storm to retrieve his brother.
It was only a few moments later that he returned with his twin in his arms, laying him down closer to the fire to dry out his snow-soaked outer layers. He was relieved to see Legolas still lying unmoving in the corner, though a larger part of him, the part that was a healer, was also terrified at how ill that meant the child was.
The lone twin hurriedly treated his brother's injuries, changing him into dry clothes from his pack, then doing the same with the elfling. Once he had them ensconced in warm blankets and lying near the fire, he sat down, exhausted, and ate a quick bite of lembas from his pack. He then set about boiling water for healing tea. It was going to be a long, lonely day and night, so it seemed. He would spend it doing the only thing he could do in a case like this–pray for a miracle.
TBC