-Half Blood-
-ElvenHope-
Chapter VIII
"Ada's cross with you isn't he?" Elrohir asked when his twin slipped into his bedroom and shut the door quietly. It was quite late and Elladan had hoped that his brother would still be awake. He had run straight to his room and feigned sleep for nearly an hour, though he needn't have bothered for his father didn't come and check on him.
Elladan nodded and climbed onto the foot of his brother's bed. "Why are you still awake?"
"I can't sleep," Elrohir said looking at his brother worriedly. There was a brief silence before he added, "you should really tell Ada you know."
"And make the whole situation ten times worse?" Elladan shot back. He was not in a good mood and Elrohir putting pressure on him like this was not helping.
"No," Elrohir shook his head. "Elladan Ada can make it all better if you would just tell him."
"I can't risk that," Elladan said softly looking at his hands. "You and Arwen are far more important."
"No we're not," Elrohir replied sharply. "You're not listening to reason. Nothing will happen to us if you tell Ada. Elladan you're only making the situation worse. Both of us would understand if you told him. It's not fair on you and it's making everyone stressed."
"All I want is for everyone to forget that this ever happened," he pulled his sleeve back to look at his red wrists. The scars had faded a little from the night before, but he would still have to wait a few more days before all evidence of what had happened disappeared.
"But then it will happen again," Elrohir said urgently. "Maybe not to you, maybe not to us but whoever it was that did this to you isn't going to stop."
Elladan looked up then thrown by Elrohir's logic, his twin was right after all. What would stop Rael from picking on someone else? Then he remembered why this had all started in the first place and he shook his head. 'Only a peredhel would be afraid of lightning'.
"No," Elladan said quietly looking down again his thoughts thrown back to the night before. "It wasn't about being a bully – he is one but that's beside the point – he's got a grudge against us Elrohir. Against father and us."
"But why?" Elrohir looked at him quizzically, he was completely confused. Why would someone have a grudge against them? They had never done anything to anyone, well save for Erestor and Glorfindel; but as far as he knew his father had done nothing terrible.
"Because we're half blood – half human…"
"Techniqually we're only three quarters-"
"That's not the point Elrohir!" Elladan snapped irritated with his twin's rather simple, yet effective way of looking at things. Elrohir always believed in doing what was good and right, but sometimes those things weren't so straight forwards.
Elrohir looked slightly taken aback, but composed himself and answered quickly, "Well then you may as well tell Ada."
It was Elladan's turn to look confused. "What?"
"If he only has a grudge against us you should tell Ada and he won't be able to come within an inch of you," Elrohir replied matter-of-factly.
"No," Elladan said firmly. "You know I won't and even if I wanted to I can't."
"Then you're being foolish, Elladan," Elrohir said folding his arms.
"I'm just trying to resolve the situation."
"By simply ignoring it?" Elrohir retaliated quickly. "Everything's going to turn out all wrong you know it is."
"No it won't it'll be fine," Elladan replied softly. "I'm going to forget it ever happened, and you Elrohir," Elladan looked him in the eye; "you're going to forget I ever told you anything."
"I can't do that 'Dan," Elrohir said sadly shaking his head. "You have to tell Ada."
"I don't have to tell him anything!" Elladan snapped with such vehemence that Elrohir couldn't think of anything to say. His brother was so angry; he had been acting so odd today. He knew that he had a reason to be, but he didn't want his brother back, he didn't want Elladan to stay like this, it frightened him.
"Elladan," Elrohir said hesitantly. "Did you have an argument with Ada?"
The elder twin's expression darkened and he once again looked at his hands. "He grabbed my wrist just as I was about to leave." Elladan replied steadily. "And I must have winced because he noticed that something was wrong. He says that I've changed. He wants to talk to me…" Elladan trailed off looking Elrohir in the eye. "If we just leave it everything will get back to normal, can't you see that 'Ro?"
Elrohir couldn't see that, he could only see a warped path of betrayal and deception. It was only going to get worse if Elladan continued to lie like this, but he wasn't going to make his twin hate him by telling their father. He had thought on telling Elrond, but he was no longer so certain. He had hoped that his brother would come round to the idea, but now it didn't look like he would.
"No I can't," Elrohir replied quietly. "But I hope your right. I'm tired Elladan, I need to sleep. I have to work in the stables tomorrow, remember?"
Elladan nodded standing up. "I'm sorry about that 'Ro, I wish I could tell Ada so that you'd get off the hook."
"He wouldn't believe us anyway," Elorhir replied lying down and rolling onto his side, burrowing his head into the pillows.
The next morning when Elladan woke he was debating not going down to breakfast. He didn't want to see his father; he knew that he would get an earful. He also knew he deserved it – which only served to make the situation worse. Eventually dragging himself from the bed, deciding that a confrontation was going to occur anyway, he wandered down to the dining hall a cloud of dread hanging over him.
Elrond drummed his fingers on the table impatiently. He looked down the table to the only absent seat and let out a frustrated sigh. He was angry with Elladan for defying him like that, but more than anything he was worried about his son. He just needed to know what was wrong; he only wanted to help.
"Where is he?" He muttered under his breath, resting his aching head in his upturned palm – not caring about manners at this point. His children seemed to be on a quest to turn his hair grey and they were most certainly succeeding.
"Please don't be angry with him, meleth," Celebrían said softly. The conversation was barely audible to the other occupants of the table – who either pretended they couldn't hear and listened intently, or ignored it. Glorfindel and Elrohir were talking about what jobs the younger elf would have to do and Elrohir found that maybe his day wouldn't be so bad. Arwen was rather subdued staring at her plate lost in thought.
"I'm not," Elrond replied equally as quietly, turning his head slightly so that he could look at his wife. "I'm just worried about him."
Celebrían smiled as her husband's brow creased. He really did need to smile more. "It's probably just the shock of last night," she said reasonably. "I'm sure he'll be back to his old self soon."
Elrond wasn't entirely convinced, but he nodded anyway.
Before he had the time to even think of something else to say the oaken doors to the room opened and Elladan slipped inside keeping his eyes lowered. Glancing up to navigate his way to his seat he was dismayed to find that the only one left unoccupied was next to his father. He sat down quickly still not looking up, staring at his food. He didn't want to eat it, he felt sick. His father wasn't simply going to stay quiet; he would have to say something wouldn't he? After the way he had run off yesterday.
He felt his father's eyes on him and a moment later the elder elf spoke. "Did you have some other business to attend to Elladan?" His father's voice wasn't unkind, but Elladan could feel rather than hear that he was still in trouble.
The peredhel looked away down the table briefly, but the others were either ignoring them or really couldn't hear. Either way it didn't help him much. He looked back towards his father daring to flick his eyes up to meet the elder elf's stormy grey ones before he lowered them back to his plate.
"I-I'm sorry," Elladan replied. "I overslept."
"That's perfectly alright Elladan," Celebrían replied before her husband could get a word in edge-ways. "You probably didn't sleep much the night before did you." It was a statement not a question and it seemed more directed at his father than himself. Almost as a reminder of something Elladan was obviously not privy to.
"I'm really sorry," Elladan reiterated wondering if his father would understand the double meaning to his words.
"It is alright Elladan, you are here now and that is what matters," Elrond replied feeling his wife's gaze boring into the back of his head. He still felt that he needed to talk to the boy though so maybe he would find him later when Celebrían was not around. She either couldn't see – or was choosing to ignore – the sudden change in the young elf which was worrying the Elven Lord so much.
Elladan stood on one of the balconies staring out at the waterfalls and his home sadly. He rested against the balustrade his head nestled in his folded arms. He felt terrible, his father had completely ignored him all day and it was hurting him to know the elder elf was cross with him.
He stared down below the balcony at the rocks which branched off angling down to a stream at the base of the house. Here he was standing at the northern end of his home. The last few rooms of the house were left empty for when others came to stay and hardly anyone ever came down here. It was nice. Right now Elladan needed to be alone with his thoughts. He had been sitting here for hours though and was getting nowhere. It was frustrating. He glared at the rope burns on his wrists willing them to heal faster, though he knew that it would have no effect.
The sun was slowly setting until Imladris was bathed in a glow of fiery yellows and reds, the shadows cast on the balcony where he stood. He was about to leave when he sensed someone behind him and a moment later a drawling voice reached his ears.
"Haven't been keeping our promises very well have we Elladan?"
The elder twin span around only to find himself staring into Rael's piercing aquamarine eyes.
"What do you mean?" he spat back the hairs on the back of his neck rising. He was in no mood for this. He hated the other elf with every fibre of his being right now, and anger made him careless.
"I know that you told Elrohir," Rael sneered, a malicious smile curling his lips. "I thought that we had an agreement."
"I didn't tell him!" Elladan started wishing that he hadn't come so far away from others now. Back here there was no one around. No one would find him until it was too late. "It's harder than you think to keep this a secret, you weren't exactly careful." He said crossly showing Rael the marks on his wrists. His eyes narrowed when Rael merely smiled. "That's what you wanted isn't it? You wanted to drive a stake right through the heart of my family?"
"You're very clever aren't you?" Rael hissed grinning, taking a few steps towards Elladan until he stood towering over him. "Though I'd watch that tongue of yours if I were you."
"Why?" Elladan asked eyes narrowed. "Because I'm beneath you? You don't know the meaning of the word, you're the lowest-"
Elladan was cut off as a hand tangled in his hair making him wince. Rael span him round, slamming him backwards into the wall of the house and clamped a hand over his mouth.
"Be careful how you talk to me Peredhel," he hissed vehemently. "There's no one to help you out here, all alone, it's just you and me."
Elladan's wide silver orbs stared into Rael's glinting ones in complete shock. This could not be happening. Why did Elrohir have to be so nosy all the time? If it hadn't been for him…
"If you call out rest assured you will not be leaving here with me do you understand?" Rael snarled removing his hand.
"And how do you suppose you're going to do that?" Elladan asked glowering at the other. He was determined not to give Rael any more power over him, but it was becoming harder and harder to do so.
"Like this," Rael snarled dragging Elladan across to the balcony a hand still tangled in his obsidian tresses. His other hand clamped tightly around Elladan's forearm Rael pulled him onto the balustrade in one fluid motion. At that point Elladan was thankful for Elven grace otherwise they would have most certainly fallen. He was also thankful that the balustrade was at least a foot wide on top at this part of the house. Rael had both arms holding Elladan tightly to keep him still and he was grinning insanely. "You see how strong I am? It wouldn't take me much, just one little push and you're gone."
"You wouldn't," Elladan breathed looking down at the boulders which dropped away down the incline to a fast paced stream below.
"I wouldn't be so certain of that if I were you," Rael smiled shaking the younger elf slightly as though he were going to throw him over the edge.
Elladan tensed and shut his eyes terrified. There was no way to escape the other elf was far too strong for him – and at the moment he dared not try anything.
Standing behind the other elf, holding Elladan pinned between his chest and the edge of the balustrade Rael could feel the waves of fear coming off the boy. It gave him power and he loved that feeling of complete control.
"It's a long way down," he whispered silkily and Elladan opened his eyes hesitantly. Rael was right, it was a long way down, he wasn't sure he'd survive if he fell.
"Let me go," Elladan begged his heart racing. "I won't tell anyone, I promise, just let me go."
Rael smiled satisfied and took hold of Elladan's wrist to pull him down without either of them falling. That was a terrible mistake. Elladan blanched and set them off balance and to his horror Rael slipped over the edge. The elder elf let out a confused cry for help arms flailing to try and stop himself from falling.
Moving with speed that only an elf could Elladan caught Rael's wrist before it was out of reach pulling himself back until they were steady enough for the other boy to climb back up. He didn't care how horrible the other boy was Elladan was most certainly not going to stand here and watch him fall to his death.
But Rael didn't move, he simply hung there looking petrified and a moment later Elladan found out why.
"No Elladan, please, don't," Rael snivelled, and Elladan stared at him wide eyed. He was about to ask the other boy what on earth he was talking about when he was cut off by another voice.
"Elladan?" the peredhel didn't have to look round to recognise Glorfindel's voice. He slowly looked round careful not to upset his balance. Glorfindel looked completely horrified and Elladan suddenly realized why Rael was staying still, looking terrified. To Glorfindel it probably looked as though he were about to throw the other boy of the edge.
"Glorfindel…" Elladan stuttered before he trailed off. "I wasn't-"
A/N: Look I updated! I actually have another chapter written after this so I'll update in a week, just to give me the time to write another chapter. Hope you like it :) Thanks for the reviews!