Summary: Estel and Legolas go to Mirkwood for a celebration, but
never make it.
Disclaimer: They do not enjoy thong olympics so I do not own them.
A/N: Written for a challenge issued on Mellon Chronicles.
Chapter 8
The four occupants in the room had not slept in two days. "Will you not go and try to sleep?" Elrond implored of Thranduil.
Thranduil rose from his chair after pulling the covers up on Legolas. "Can you? Would you leave Estel now? My son has not woken. I know not what has befallen him."
Elrond walked to Legolas' bedside, standing in front of Thranduil. "It was foolish of me to think so. Will you not come with me and at least get some fresh air. The twins will watch over them."
Thranduil stared at the two raven haired elves, and Elladan came to stand by Legolas' bed. "I will watch over him, you can trust me."
Thranduil reluctantly agreed to go with Elrond, not knowing that he was going to be forced to eat something while they were gone. Elrohir settled in next to Estel, while Elladan took a seat by Legolas. The two of them wet the cloths over and over to wipe some moisture over their parched lips. "Do you think they will wake soon?" Elrohir asked.
"It has been too long since I have heard Legolas' taunts or Estel's laughter. I pray they will waken soon, so that Ada may again sleep."
Elrohir went to ask his brother how long he thought they would be unconscious when Estel began to shudder. "Be calm Estel, all is well." he whispered, but it did not seem to soothe Estel. Elladan was on his feet and at Estel's other side immediately.
"Estel," he also whispered, shaking Estel's arm slightly to wake him. "Wake, for it is just a dream."
Estel heard none of his brothers comments to him, for he was lost in his dreams and thoughts. As Elrohir wet the cloth again and placed it on Estel's lips to moisten them he flinched, as if trying to crawl away. "Estel dartho! You will injure yourself further," Elladan pleaded to no avail.
As if Legolas felt his pain he began to thrash about the bed, calling to his father, begging for someone to stop. Elladan went to help him as best he could, but Legolas shied away from his touch. "What shall we do Dan?" Elrohir asked, trying to hold down Estel.
Elladan went to answer, but his words were drowned out by the onset of Estel screaming. Over and over he screamed, tearing at the sheets, clawing at his side that was stitched up. The twins tried to soothe both Estel and Legolas, but their efforts were in vain.
The scream continued, awful screams, that made both twins fill with dread. "Stay away from me! Please do not do this, I am begging you!" each of them screamed as they clawed to get away from the unseen foe. Elladan and Elrohir weren't the only ones who had been alerted by the screams as healers flooded into the room, but the twins would not be moved from their charges.
"Step aside Elladan!" one of the healers shouted.
"I will not leave them!" he shouted back, still trying to keep Legolas still. Legolas' hands were now open wounds again, and the blood was seeping onto the bed, and Elladan's hands.
Elrohir however was having a difficult time. Estel seemed to think he was one of his captors and was fighting him, even in his sleep. "Estel, please little brother, I am trying to help you."
Estel's screams intensified bringing the whole of the House of Elrond, even the stable hands. Elrohir tried to pull the sheets up to cover his brother's nakedness, and that is when the tears began to flow down Estel's face. "Please, no," he begged and Elrohir's face to now had tears streaming.
"Elladan, they ..." he began, both of Estel's now bloody hands in his. He could speak no more words though as the tears choked him.
Elrond and Thranduil had been sitting in the gardens when the screams began and both dropped their cups, racing for the healing ward. Behind them the stable hands, and even the guards ran to catch up, the guards with weapons drawn. When they made it to the healing ward the door was crowded, until the shout of "Ada!" was heard.
"Move aside now!" Elrond ordered, and a path was made for the two. Elrond and Thranduil however stopped once inside the room, after witnessing the sight inside. Both twins were now struggling to keep the other two from harming themselves further. Blood was everywhere, the bed, the floor, and he sheets. Elrond stepped to Elrohir's side as Thranduil did to Elladan, taking over for the twins who now stared in horror.
It took over an hour to calm the pair, and then the sheets were changed, and wounds rewrapped, but the blood on their hands remained. Elrond had not noticed before, nor had Thranduil until their sons were one again sleeping soundly, and then they peered over at the twins. Both sons of Elrond stood in shock staring down at their blood stained hands, blood of the brother, of their friend.
"Ada, we tried, we really did, but they fought as if their lives depended on it," Elladan told him.
Elrond closed his eyes unsure of what to say to them, so it was Erestor who spoke up. "I am sure they did fight for their very lives. If they had not been so strong they would have perished from their ordeal. In time their bodies will heal, and then we will see to what lingers in their hearts and minds."
Elrond nodded, as did Thranduil but neither wanted to know what their sons had suffered at the hands of the elves, neither wanted to face it.
All was silent in the healing ward again, all but the few silent tears that came from two fathers who were now being told by Elrohir what he thought had happened to them both.