The black sky blanketed over the small town, the stars covered by murky grey clouds. It would rain tonight. The faint silver light of the Moon shone dimly behind the foggy mantel, as if begging for her presence to be remembered on this starless night. She sat on the stone steps outside the building at which they had been staying, Elladan sitting silently beside her, watching as the narrow streets slowly started to vacate, the little windows in the crammed houses starting to glow with yellow canddle-light.
It seemed that nothing had happened since Arahaelon had left with the riders from Mirkwood. No one had said anything. Tadion had still not returned since his fight with the Crown Prince, and she was not sure if he die even know that his eldest brother was no longer with them. Elrohir and Legolas had headed inside the tavern that composed the ground floor of the building once the sun had started to go down in the horizon, seeming to find distraction among the merry men who drank beer and sang loudly.
Elladan held her hand in his, his thumb gently caressing the back of her hand. She moved her fingers around his, intertwining her delicate fingers with his slender ones before giving his hand a little squeeze. She felt uneasy, helpless, and she knew he could feel that too, he could feel almost everything she felt, their bond too strong to really be able to block anything from him.
"What are we going to do?" That seemed to be the only question she had been able to formulate as of late, the question that still remained unanswered. She felt Elladan's tender arms circling around her waist, pulling her closer to him in his embrace as she him resting his chin on her left shoulder, his warm breath caressing her skin.
"We will have to leave." His voice was low, gentle, carrying the slightest hint of heavy sorrow that let her know he did not want to tell her this.
She had already known this. She had heard the twins and Legolas discussing their options only some hours earlier, Lossenel watching silently beside her. They did not know what to do, they had no information as to what was happening at the Palace, or whether or not the missive that had sent Arahaelon back to his father was even a real one. And yet all they knew was the riders already knew where they were, and they would not risk that information reaching the wrong pair of ears.
She felt Elladan's lips on her left cheek, placing a tender kiss on her skin there, the gentle touch of his lips making her want to forget everything, to simply stay there in his arms, where she felt safe. She let out a sigh, leaning her weight back against his strong figure, succumbing into his protective embrace, both of them as silent as the starless black sky above.
She could see Lossenel some distance in front of them, surrounded by a fascinated pair of little girls who had not stopped to stare at the stunning elven Princess. She noticed that her sister carried yet another little girl in her arms, balancing her small body on her hip as the child curiously poked at her pointed ear. The snowy Princess seemed distracted as the children kept touching at the fine silk of her dress or sliding their curious fingers through her long platinum hair, letting out a bell-like laugh at their innocent questions. 'Are you a Princess?' 'When I grow up I want to have hair as long as yours' 'Are you real?' 'You are an elf, aren't you? My mommy told me I would most probably never see one.' And yet, she did not miss her sister's iced green-blue eyes constantly turning vacantly in the direction in which they had last seen Arahaelon disappear with the large escort of riders, as if expecting her eldest brother to suddenly appear there again.
"How are you two doing?" Elrohir had suddenly appeared behind them, sitting down on the cold stone steps next to his twin. Suddenly, under the pale silver moonlight they looked more identical than ever, perfect copies in the silence of the night.
"Well, you I already know." Elrohir added as his silver eyes met his brother's identical pair. "How are you, Rina?"
Her eyes looked up to meet a kind pair of silver eyes, the ones that were always open, always smirking, as patient as the cool night. She could not help but smile at the younger twin. She did not know how he did it, but Elrohir carried a calming presence with him wherever he went, lightening the heaviest of airs with his sole voice.
"I am good, Ro." She answered, not really knowing what else to say. "How are you? Where did you leave Legolas?"
"Inside, showing men not to challenge an elf to a drinking game." Elrohir's eyes gleamed in a smirk as he looked at her, and she let out a light laugh, leaning her head back on Elladan's shoulder. Elladan too let out a musical laugh, his silver eyes meeting his twin's equal pair. It was in moments like this one, when the same sparkle gleamed inside the brother's silver eyes, the two of them looking as if they were the same, that she wished she could understand the depth of their bond.
Her thoughts, however, were interrupted when the plain wooden door of the tavern was suddenly swung open, revealing three rather drunk men who strolled outside in the middle of a loud song. She laughed and shook her head, watching the merry men as they spilled whatever it was they had been drinking all over the entrance.
"Hey!" One of the men, one with a rather dirty reddish beard exclaimed as his eyes turned in their direction. "Why are you three not inside!"
The other two men, one short man with a large belly and the other a tall dark-haired man that looked plainly ordinary, turned their direction as well, forgetting the rest of their song.
"Yes!" The short man exclaimed, suddenly dropping himself next to Elrohir and wrapping on his dirty arms over the younger twin's shoulders, as if they were closed friends since childhood. "Come inside! Let's have fun! You look like you could use a drink!"
Elladan burst into laughter at his twins' slightly disgusted expression, the latter trying to escape the man's alcohol reeking breath. However, Elladan's laughter was cut short as another of the men- the one with the reddish beard- dropped to sit next to him.
"Yes! Why don't you come inside? We'll order another round!" The man told Elladan- well rather yelled at him- looking overly excitd about his new idea. She tried to suppress her laughter. The twins, on the other hand, did not look even half as excited as the three men.
"Yes." She said quietly as she turned in Elladan's arms to be able to look into his liquid silver eyes, her own green ones grinning mockingly. "Why do you not go inside?"
Elladan narrowed his eyes at her, his lips twitching up in an accusing smirk. However, their stare went unnoticed by the men who had suddenly noticed her presence.
"Yes! Beauty is right! Come inside with us!" The dark-haired man added cheerfully, swinging his arms in content and spilling whatever was left of his drink right on Elrohir's tunic.
"And who is this beauty here?" the red-bearded man next to Elladan questioned, and she felt the elder twin's arms tighten reflexively around her before answering.
"My wife" Elladan lied instantly, leaving no space for further arguments or questions about her. She laughed slightly at the situation, although her heart filled with incomprehensible warmth as he referred to her as his wife.
"I understand." Said the red-bearded man, letting out a loud laugh. "I wouldn't want to go anywhere either if my wife looked like that!"
"Hey!" The dark-haired man suddenly exclaimed, his eyes darting from Elladan to Elrohir and looking as if he had not heard the entire last part of the conversation. "They're identical!"
That made it, she burst into laughter, leaning back against Elladan's chest as the latter wrapped his arms more securely around her.
"What brings you elves here to this town?" The man with the red beard change the subject of the conversation, casually resting his hand on Elladan's strong shoulder.
"Yes, tell us!" Said the short man from Elrohir's side. "We don't get many elves here. Haven't seen a single one since that blonde one came."
"Yeah, I remember seeing him." The red-bearded man added thoughtfully, suddenly speaking directly to his friend. "Pretty thing he was. Blond hair, really dark blue eyes…didn't speak much though…looked kinda scary."
She was suddenly newly interested in the conversation, and by the change of look in the twins' silver eyes, she could tell they were too. So the men here had seen other elves travelling through this town. Not that it was strange they did, but still it sounded slightly unusual. What else could these drunken men tell them? What else had they seen that they were so willing to share in their merry drunken state?
"Do you know his name?" Elladan asked the man, his silver eyes looking casual, a playful smirk in his face making him look as if he was merely enjoying the conversation with the men.
"Nah, he didn't say it." The man answered, looking overly excited to have gained one of the twin's attention. "He came alone. Poor thing must've been bored out of his mind! He left within a day!"
Alone? That word did not miss her attention. Elves did not usually travel alone. She knew it very well could have been an elf taking a short break to rest in the middle of his long journey. It could have been anyone, really. And yet, she was now curious as to know more. It was indeed rare for an elf to be travelling alone. Even messenger elves usually travelled in pairs.
"How long ago was this?" Elrohir inquired, looking as casual and barely interested as his twin, although she could see the same curiosity sparking concealed in his silver eyes.
"Can't remember really." The red-bearded man answered, looking as if trying to decipher a very hard problem inside his head. After a couple of short seconds he seemed to give up for his expression turned merry again, seemingly forgetting about the topic. "Anyway, he's gone! But you three are still here! Come and let's have a drink!"
"Yes! Come!" The other two men cheered in unison, the short man pulling Elrohir up to his feet. Well, Elrohir did really rose on his own, but let the man believe that he had pulled him up. There was no way that drunken short man could have possibly be able to move Elrohir an inch if the latter had not wanted to.
"Yes, why do you not go? It looks like they are having fun." She added again, trying hard to suppress another laugh as her mocking eyes turned to meet Elladan's silver gaze again. Once more Elladan narrowed his eyes at her. Oh, what she would give to watch the twins interacting with a bunch of drunken men.
"Yes, master elf!" The short man added merrily. "Listen to your wife! Come have a fun with us!"
She laughed again, and out of the corner of her eyes noticed a very familiar blond figure standing some feet behind them. Legolas had walked out of the tavern, no doubt after noticing the loud conversation and insistence of the men. His handsome face was adorned by a playful grin, and as he shook his head lightly as his infinite blue eyes caught hers.
"I think I will stay here." Elladan said politely, trying to get away from the man who was now pulling him to his feet. The elder twin also rose to a standing position, and she imitated him, unable to contain her chuckles.
"Oh, you will miss all the fun." She added, her green eyes once again mocking his, and she saw his lips curve up in a grin. She heard the men continue to insist, siding with her automatically.
"What are you doing?" Elladan's playful voice echoed inside her head, his amused eyes looking at her suspiciously.
"Nothing. Simply enjoying myself." She replied. "Go have fun with Ro. There is nothing we can really do right now."
He let out a defeated laugh, shaking his head slightly at her. They both knew they still had to wait until the depth of night had swallowed the small town, and until everyone was peacefully asleep to slip out unnoticed. Right now there was nothing they could do but wait.
Elladan looked as if he was about to protest, but she spoke inside his mind before he could say anything else. "I will be fine. I will stay with Legolas."
His silver eyes gazed behind his shoulder, for the first time noticing the presence of the young Prince behind them. He seemed more at peace afterwards, and just for a second she thought he would finally give in.
"Very well." He added in a low voice, his liquid silver eyes staring deeply into hers, swallowing entirely in their endless depths. "Let me know if you need anything."
She nodded her head, placing attender kiss on his right cheek before he turned again to face the men, joining Elrohir who was already walking back inside the tavern, a sheepish grin on his face. The twins would definitely have fun with the men, she knew it.
"Oh! I forgot to mention." She called just as the men turned to head back inside the tavern, eager to celebrate merrily with the identical elves. "It's their birthday!"
"What! Why didn't you say anything before!' The men exclaimed loudly, swinging their arms around the twins cheerfully. "We have to celebrate!"
"Let's have a drink!" Another of the men cheered.
Elladan's eyes turned in her direction, looking at her accusingly, as if she had betrayed him, and yet she did not miss the mischievous sparkle gleaming in their silver depths, a disbelieved grin in his lips. The twin's birthday had been a couple of days ago, bot there was no need for the men to know that today was not really their birthday. Besides, even though elves did not celebrate birthday, she was very well aware that men did, and now at least the twins would be entertained for some hours.
She stood there laughing, watching as the identical twins were nearly dragged inside the tavern, Legolas walking to stand beside her. Her brother sat down next to her, watching Lossenel as the snowy Princess carefully handed a now sleeping little girl into her mother's waiting arms.
"Do you know where we will be leaving once we depart tonight?" She broke the silence, her low voice echoing softly in the gentle grasp of night.
"I do not know." Legolas said with sigh, his infinite blue eyes searching hers. "Sometimes I think this is a pointless run. Is it ever going to end?"
She did not answer, for that was precisely the same question that had plagued her mind for the last couple of days. What if it never end? Would she have to keep on running her entire life? Living hidden under a false name, just as she had spent her entire childhood? Would her siblings eventually get tired of having to run with her and would return home to their father and their people, letting her disappear once again? And what about Elladan? Would he too run with her? Did he not miss his own home? It made her want to scream, want to yell at something. And yet, she remained sitting there quietly, waiting the hour to come in which they would once again get their horses and flee. But that was all she knew how to do, right? Flee.
At that moment her eyes caught sight of a lone tall figure appearing silently in the night, approaching slowly through the narrow empty street. Long golden hair looked ashen underneath the pale moonlight as the tall figure of her older brother slowly made his way to where Lossenel stood, the Princess' ice green-blue eyes looking at him expectantly. Beside her, Legolas had lifted his eyes, his thoughts also centered upon his approaching brother.
Tadion's arms wrapped around his older sister's small body, the latter wrapping her own delicate arms around him in return. Neither Tadion nor Lossenel said anythgn as they made their way to where she and Legolas sat, the snowy Princess still keeping one arm comfortingly around her brother's larger body.
"Where were you?" Legolas gentle voice asked his brother, rising up to his feet to be bale to look at him directly in the eyes. Tadion's clear blue eyes did not look angry anymore, they were gentle once again, as open and soothing as ever. And yet, there was a faint glint of regret dancing the depth of his sky blue eyes.
"Nowhere in particular." Was his answer, his voice soft although she did not miss in it the same thread of regret and guilt that stained his endless eyes. His eyes turned to her, smiling softly for a moment before he once again focused his attention on Lossenel. "Where is Ar? I need to apologize to him."
Lossenel lowered her eyes to he ground, a gesture that did not go missed by Tadion, whose clear blue eyes looked suddenly confused. She felt a pang inside her stomach, suddenly remembering that Tadion did not yet know his eldest brother was no longer with them.
"Does he still not want to talk to me?" Tadion asked, suddenly sounding like a reprimanded elfling, asking for forgiveness where he knew he would receive none.
Lossenel did not answer, her eyes simply lifting to meet his brother's clear blue ones apologetically.
"He is still angry with me is he not, Lossie?" Tadion pressed, his voice soft, guilty. "I did not mean what I said. I should not have said any of that to him."
"Ar knows you did not mean your words, Tadion." Finally Lossenel spoke, her voice sounding comforting. "He is not angry with you."
"Do you know where he is?" Tadion asked again, not seeming to fully believe his sister's words. "I still need to apologize to him. I need him to forgive me." Her brother's clear blue eyes searched behind his sister and through the windows of the building they had been staying at, as if almost expecting to find the Crown Prince's from behind one of the crystals.
"Tadion." Lossenel started, her voice sounded defeated. Her older brother seemed to have caught the tone in his sister's voice for the look in his eyes changed as he gazed at her. "Arahaelon left."
Tadion looked stunned for a second, his eyes searching into his sister's crystal ones, as if not fully understanding her words. The Prince shook his head slightly, seeming confused. "When is he coming back? I will wait for him here."
"He is not coming back." Legolas spoke, his infinite blue eyes turning to meet his brother's equal pair. Tadion seemed stunned once again, as if he did not wish to believe what he had just heard. His clear blue eyes darted to Lossenel, yearning for his sister to say that Legolas had been wrong, and yet the apologetic look in the Princess eyes seemed to confirm Legolas' words.
"What?...Why?" The hopeless gleam that floated inside Tadion's stunned blue eyes made her immediately look at her feet. "Lossie, where did he go?"
"Back to the Palace." The Princess' sad iced green-blue eyes met his brother's as if trying to sound comforting. "A few hours after your argument, warriors from Mirkwood showed up. They were heading back to the Palace under orders from a missive signed by Cunir."
"Cunir?" Tadion interrupted her, once again looking confused. "Adar is in no condition to sign then?"
Lossenel's silence seemed enough for Tadion to understand the unspoken answer the to his question, and the Princess simply continued her tale. "Arahaelon left with them. He is needed at the Palace more than here. Specially if Ada is no condition to even sign."
"But…" Tadion started, seeming to be at a loss. She could easily see he was troubled by his eldest brother unexpected departure, and she knew she too would have felt terrible if she had fought with one of her siblings and had not been given a chance to apologize afterwards. "But how does he know the missive is even real?"
"It was Cunir's signature, there is no doubt of it." Added Legolas softly, but that did not seem to tranquilize Tadion. "Ar can take care of himself, Tadion. You know he needed to return to Mirkwood. If something were to happen, he is the one our people will follow."
"But if the warriors came here, then…"Tadion stopped midsentence, reading his next words in Lossenel's sad eyes.
"Yes. We are leaving tonight. We will not take any chances of us being found. We still do not know if anyone is looking for us or if the Orcs will track us." Legolas was the one to speak, and she lifted her eyes to look at Tadion's tortured ones. Her heart sank to her stomach. She could tell that he understood that once they left, Arahaelon would no longer know where to find them.
"I should have apologized to him earlier." Tadion muttered as he walked past them, not even looking back. His voice sounded troubled now, angered, but it was a kind of anger that was not directed at anyone specifically.
"Tadion…" Lossenel breathed out, but her brother did not listen to her, not stopping his march back into the building.
She stood up, not really knowing why, but her mind simply told her to do so. She did not say a word, simply following Tadion inside. She could feel Lossenel's eyes on her, nodding silently in thanks.
"Tadion?" She spoke as she entered the building, but her voice was drowned in the loud chatting of the men from the tavern. She did not know what she was doing. She had never comforted a sibling before. She had only recently found out she had four! And still, she let her eyes search for him almost desperately.
It did not take her long to find him, already climbing up the narrow staircase that led up tot their rooms. She followed him instantly, ignoring the lustful looks she got form the men in the tavern as she walked through. She knew Tadion was perfectly aware that she was following him, but he did not turn even once, continuing his quick march back upstairs.
She followed him to one of the rooms they were occupying, stopping at the doorway, suddenly not knowing what she would even say. Tadion was sitting in one the two small beds that furnished the room, his head turned away from her.
"Tadion?" Her voice was barely audible, as if asking for his permission to even walk inside the room. She had no idea what she was doing.
Her older brother turned his head in her direction, clear blue eyes easily meeting hers, as open and welcoming as always, even thought they lacked their usual playful sparkle. Tadion offered her a small smile, one that did not entirely reached his eyes. He patted the mattress next to him, and she did not think it twice before accepting his invitation.
"How are you, Rëa?" He asked, his voice gentle as she lowered herself next to him, one of his arms wrapping around her shoulders in a comforting manner.
"How are you?" She asked in return, letting her green eyes search into his endless clear blue ones. He remained silent for a moment, and she did not press him, simply offering her company.
"Ar really left…" He whispered, and she was not sure whether he was talking to her or to himself.
"He was not angry with you anymore Tadion. He knows you did not mean it." She said, not knowing what else she could possibly say to make her brother feel better.
"I know." Tadion sighed. She could hear the honesty in his voice, and yet he did not seem any less troubled. "What if something does happen Rëa? What if Arahaelon is walking straight into a trap? What if there is a revolt in Mirkwood, a thing that is very likely to happen looking at the past incidents and the fact that there has been an attack against Adar?"
"Tadion…" She simply said, not finding any more words.
"I have been in one of those revolts before, Rëa." His clear blue eyes were serious as he looked straight into her eyes, consuming her entirely with the shadow of a dark memory. "I know what those revolts can do, how dangerous they can be…the screams…the bodies….the cries…" Tadion seemed to have lost himself in a distant memory, trailing off for a moment before focusing his eyes on her once more. "Whether the missive was real or not, Ar is walking straight into the danger. And the last thing I told him was that he would make a weak King….He will make a great King. Much better than anything I could ever make, or Legolas, or anyone I know. He always knows what to do, how to act, our people follow him without question, I follow him without question…He is my brother! If something happens to him…"
Tadion trailed off again.
"Nothing will happen to him, Tadion." She said, even her voice did not sound entirely convincing. His troubled soft blue eyes met hers, a faint smile curving up in his handsome face.
"How do you know?" His voice was soft, peaceful.
"I…do not." She answered. What else could she say? They both knew there was no way of predicting how things would turn out. Surprisingly for her he let out a single half-hearted chuckle, shaking his head lightly as his arm pulled her closer to him.
"Thank you, Rëa. That really helps me feel better." She could hear the sarcasm in his voice, and yet, even behind his words his eyes seemed calmer, a sparkle of their usual light reappearing in them. Whether her words had been the best ones or not, he did feel better, and that was all that mattered to her.
"There was something else I wanted to thank you about, Rëa." Tadion pulled away from her to be able to look straight into her eyes, his suddenly seeming to swallow her entirely into endless honest oceans, so open and inviting, every single emotion displaying transparently in them.
"That night we fled…Amrudir did not miss his shot." She remained silent, all of her body frozen inside his vast welcoming eyes as he continued to speak. "He was too close to possibly miss. I know you did it. I do not know how, or what exactly you did, but I know it was you who deviated that arrow. I know Ar did not do it, he was too weak…you saved my life, Rëa. That arrow would have killed me."
She remained speechless, the grateful gleam swirling in her brother's infinite eyes swallowing her whole. She had not even remembered the incident with the arrow for the past couple of days until now. It felt strange to have someone thank her that way. She did not feel as if she was really done much.
"I did not do much."
He laughed, a real laughter.
"You did not do much? Rëa, you did everything." His hands gently travelled to her chin, forcing her eyes up to meet his directly. "Ar told me what happened after I passed out in the middle of the battle, when the Orcs attacked us. You also saved us then, do not think we do not know that. So thank you, Rëa."
She nodded her head, again not knowing what to say. She was not good at this kind of conversation, she never knew what to say. He laughed at her again, the sound like a chorus of bells floating in the still air. She knew he could see she was at a loss. At that moment, she wished she could be like him, simply say what was on his mind as easily as he did, to be as open and carefree as he was, as reachable.
She was about to finally say something when a familiar feeling overwhelmed her entire body. Suddenly, Vilya's cries rang loudly in her ears, a familiar pulling sensation bursting into her mind, so quickly it did not even give her time to warn herself. It all happened so fast this time, the familiar presence pushing into her mind so strongly she felt as if she had been smacked hard, her skull feeling as if would break in half. She did not fight it, immediately recognizing the presence that seemed to be pulling her so strongly. She felt like falling, and she was vaguely aware of a pair of arms quickly catching her before her entire vision was replaced by a new set of images.
She was in the Palace. She could tell by the silent tall arches high above her head and long corridor that seemed to extend endlessly in front of her. A lone figure approached at a haste, looking small buy gradually becoming bigger and bigger as it came closer. She did not move, her vision simply watching the approaching elf, as if waiting expectantly.
Her heart skipped a beat in relief as she instantly recognized the approaching figure. Long light blond hair fell down his back as walked at a quick pace, impenetrable emerald eyes gazing directly at her as he came to as stop right before her. It was Arahaelon. The Crown Prince had reached the Palace.
"How is he?" Her eldest brother's serene voice questioned, his face remaining as calmed as ever, although his impenetrable green eyes betrayed a hint of urgency and despair.
"Your father's condition is very delicate at the moment." Lord Elrond's calmed strong voice reached her ears from where she stood, his eyes being the ones through which she saw the scene. "His skull was fractured and there was bleeding inside his head from the blow. I had to perform surgery, but he will recover."
"Is he awake?" Arahaelon's eyes did not betray any emotion at the delivered news. "May I see him?"
"Of course." Lord Elrond's voice was softer as he spoke, almost sympathetic. "He is awake, but mind you he may be slightly disoriented. Be patient, and do not get alarmed if he asks the same question repeatedly. I was just on my way to check on him."
She felt herself turn around, and for the first time she noticed the presence of four guards that had been standing behind the Elf-Lord, guarding a very familiar beautifully carved wooden door. One of the guards opened the door for them as they approached, and she watched Arahaelon enter the room first before she felt herself following the Crown Prince into the King's bedchambers.
The room was dark, barely lit by the frail light of a couple candles, only bright enough to be able to see. The rich wine red curtains had been pulled closed, and a still silence swallowed the elegant room. Three healers were already inside the chambers, standing quietly in a corner, as if waiting for their presence to be needed. She also noticed Cunir standing to one side, two other warriors she did not recognize standing beside him, one with long golden hair and the other with dark brown, and yet the two of them looked oddly alike, as if they could easily be related.
Her vision turned to center of the room, following Arahaelon, and there lying on the overly large bed was the Elvenking resting over several pillows and cocooned in warm blankets, his long light blond hair splattered in silvery strands over the white silk of the pillowcases. Her father looked paler than she had ever seen him, and she did not know what she would have done if she had really been standing in that room. The King's eyes were closed and heavy bandages covered his head, becoming heavier in the spot just above his right eyebrow, where she had seen the large bleeding cut. He looked frail, weak. She absently noticed the head healer, Melnor, sitting at the edge of the bed, carefully dabbing a wet piece of clothing over his King's exposed forehead. The Crown Prince sat down at the other side of the bed and she saw Melnor rise to his feet as Lord Elrond approached, his eyes looking helpless.
"He woke up only minutes ago, my Lord." The healer informed as she made her way towards the bed, sitting down on the spot the healer had just vacated. She watched helplessly and unable to look away as Lord Elrond's hands gently and overly carefully travelled over her father's head wound. A soft moan escaped the King's lips as a response but he did not finch or moved in the slightest.
"There is still some swelling." She heard Lord Elrond adding in a low voice, and caught sight of the head healer nodding out of the corner of her eyes. "Has he spoken?"
"No, my Lord." Came the healer's immediate answer as she watched the Elf-Lords hands now reaching for her father's wrist, feeling for his pulse.
"Mix him a painkiller, but add no sleeping herbs to it." Lord Elrond instructed and she saw Melnor and another healer immediately leave the room to follow the order.
"What happened?" Arahaelon spoke for the first time since he entered the room, his voice calmed yet barely audible as his piercing green eyes turned to look at Cunir.
"We know not, your Highness. We heard the battle and found the dead bodies inside my Lord's study, but we do not know what happened there."
The Crown Prince simply nodded, turning his eyes to focus on his father's still form once again.
"Thranduil? Can you hear me?" Lord Elrond asked in a low, gentle voice, producing a groan from the injured King who did not even open his eyes.
"Can you answer me with words?" The Elf-Lord pressed, finally letting go of her father's wrist.
"Yes." Her father's whispered voice was so weak she was not entirely sure if he had spoken the word or merely moved his lips. With an effort, the Elvenking opened his eyes, confused and glazed ice blue eyes looking at the Elf-Lord for a second before he closed them again, letting out another groan.
"Thranduil, how do you feel?" The Lord of Imladris asked gently, but the Elvenking did not answer, lifting one of his weak hands to his bandaged head. Arahaelon caught his father's hand mid-way, gently clasping it in between both of his before lowering it back to his side.
"Ada, how do you feel?" Arahaelon repeated the question, his voice making the King open his eyes once more. Disoriented ice blue eyes searched Arahaelon's figure as if trying to make out his face among a blur of foggy images.
"My son?" The King spoke, the words barely even understandable.
"Yes, Ada, it is I." The Crown Prince added, still gently clasping his father's hand.
"Thranduil, do you remember what happened?" The King's disoriented eyes slowly turned to Lord Elrond at his question, seeming to be having trouble in focusing the world around him. He looked confused, puzzled eyes dancing weakly across the room, as if trying to recall how he got there. Out of the corner of her eyes she noticed the rest of the elves in the room looking expectantly at their King, as if hoping to finally to learn what had taken place inside his study.
After a short moment, the Elvenking's dazed and pain- filled eyes met Lord Elrond's again, so that she could stare directly into them. And then, for a split second, the King's ice blue eyes seemed entirely awake, perfectly clear and alert, as if for only that split second he knew exactly everything that was going on around him. The look, however, was gone before she even had the chance to be fully sure she had seen it, her father's eyes once again looking overly exhausted and disoriented.
"No." The King breathed out, letting his eyes fall close in exhaustion, as if only speaking overtaxed him.
"It is expected." She heard the Elf-Lord's voice informing a now alarmed pair of healers. But then, her eyes focused on something else. Faintly, almost unnoticeable, she saw the Elvenking's slender fingers weakly wrapping around his son's hand in return, and just for a fragment of a second Arahaelon seemed to become still, a thing that passed unnoticed by every other elf inside the room.
After a short second, the King moaned painfully again, seeming to sink further on the soft pillows. Arahaelon still clasped his father's hand with one of his, and with the other carefully brush a strand of light blond hair from his father's face.
"Tired" The Elvenking breathed out, not opening his eyes this time as he spoke, and she immediately understood this was the end of the conversation.
"Rest." She heard Lord Elrond's voice saying as she felt herself rising from the bed, before looking straight at Arahaelon, who, oddly enough, had also risen to his feet, placing a gentle kiss on his father's forehead. "Let your father, rest, Arahaelon. He still needs to recover."
"He should not overexert himself." She heard the Elf-Lord informing the healers inside the room as he made his way to the door. "Let him rest as much as possible, only do not give him sleeping draughts. If he falls asleep on his own, then that's fine. Try to coax into eating something, and call for me should anything change."
The healers nodded their heads immediately and out of the corner of her eyes she saw the Crown Prince walking in the direction of the warriors placing guard over their ailing King. She absently noticed one of the healers walking back to the bed, reassuming the task of carefully dabbing a wet piece of clothing over his King's forehead in a hopeless attempt to lessen his headache before Melnor returned with the painkiller.
"Cunir, I will see you in my father's study. I need you to inform me of anything you know." Came Arahaelon's serene yet powerful voice. The dark haired advisor nodded his head instantly, his gentle, honest eyes looking directly at his Prince.
"Yes, my Lord." Was the captain and advisor's answer before obediently leaving the room to follow the Crown Prince's orders. She watched Arahaelon wait silently for Cunir to leave before turning to the other two warriors inside the room.
"Lords Agoron, Aerdan, would you continue to watch over him?" Araehalon's voice was soft as he motioned in the direction of his father, and she saw the two warriors she did not know nodding their heads silently, both of their equal green eyes looking directly at their Prince.
Arahaelon nodded his head silently, and she felt herself following him outside the room, not turning to look as the four guards outside the door closed it for them. She did not know where she was going, but then again she was not capable of deciding such things. She was merely obligated to watch in silence, not really part of the scene before her eyes.
Then, after they had walked nearly all the length of the corridor, Arahaelon stopped, and she found herself stopping next to him. The entire corridor was empty, not a sound was heard. Her eldest brother's impenetrable green eyes looked directly into hers, powerful and yet not revealing anything behind his glassy irises. She had seen that look in his eyes before, the look that told her he knew something and yet did not let her see what it was. It was the same mysterious and overpowering look his eyes had carried on the day she had first seen him, when he had received them in the borders of the forest. And then, as quietly as his eyes, Arahaelon spoke.
"I know what happened. He remembers everything."
"I thought he would." Came Lord Elrond's reply.
And that was the last thing she knew before her vision turned black again, Vilya's cries echoing distantly inside her head….
So here is chapter 28…FINALLY! I want to know….who knows who the two warriors in Thranduil's rooms are? ;)
I can't believe it took me this long to update! My greatest apologies for the long wait! I hope the chapter is worth it! If some of you thought I had abandoned the story, sorry for the scare! I am NOT abandoning the story!
Again, Thank you so so much to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter! I know it has been a while, but I don't know why this chapter took me so long to write: Random, Jibril-Kadamon, The Lead Mare, Danda225, CeffylGwyn, Coco99, Mary Elrondile, Kirschflower, Martine9295, A Diamond in the Rough, booklover1598, world-classgeek, Wtiger5, AmazingWriter123, Paperlanterns86, Elves are awesome, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, wonderpanda10, and my guest reviewer! This chapter is specially for you! I still have to send personal replies to your reviews and I will do so as soon as possible!
Love,
Elena