-Half Blood-

-ElvenHope-

Chapter IX

"Put him down Elladan!" Glorfindel ordered so much anger in the Balrog Slayer's voice that Elladan felt sick with fright.

The golden haired Lord raced over to them and pulled Rael back over the edge easily before grabbing Elladan by the scruff of the neck and dragging him none too gently from the balustrade.

"What on Arda did you think you were doing, Elladan?" Glorfindel half shouted disbelief and anger mixed in his stormy blue eyes. "Never mind, I don't want to know. I'll let your father ask you later."

"I-"

"I don't want to hear it," the elder elf said glowering at Elladan.

Rael was staying silent, though he was doing a perfect job of pulling off his act, clinging to Glorfindel's arm tears in his eyes. Elladan was too outraged and stunned to speak. How could Glorfindel think that he would ever do that to someone?

"Glorfindel-" Elladan tried again desperately.

"Be quiet Elladan," Glorfindel snapped and Elladan shut his mouth tears of frustration forming in his own eyes though he blinked them back furiously.

It seemed to take an age to walk back to the main house, and his father's study. Rael had been sent with Sidhe – who they ran into in the hall. Elladan kept his head bowed the whole time his raven tresses falling into his eyes and obscuring his pale face. How on Arda was he going to talk his way out of this one? Would they even believe him if he told the truth? His father might, but he didn't know how he would explain it all. He couldn't think of a reason for Rael and he to have been there.

When they finally reached Elrond's study Elladan felt like he was going to be sick. He didn't want to see his father he just wanted to crawl into a little hole and not come out again until all of this was over.

Elrond looked up in irritation as the door to his room swung open violently. He was ready to shout at whoever it was to go back out and knock, when Glorfindel entered dragging Elladan with him.

The Lord of Imladris' brow creased in confusion. "Has something happened? Is he alright?" He questioned looking at his son who was pale and staring at his feet.

"He's fine," Glorfindel replied and Elladan shivered at the anger in the other's voice. He had never seen the Balrog Slayer like this; it was frightening to say the least.

"Maybe you should sit down?" Elrond offered and the others complied, Elladan was just glad to be out of Glorfindel's reach. "Are you going to tell me what all this is about then?" Elrond asked studying them both carefully, trying to work out what had happened from their expressions. Elladan looked positively terrified and Glorfindel's expression was of both anger and confusion.

"I found your son at the northern end of the house with one of his classmates," Glorfindel replied his voice softening as he looked down at his hands. He didn't quite know how to tell Elrond what had happened, he still couldn't believe it himself.

"Is there something wrong with that?" Elrond asked when Glorfindel paused to try and think of how to tell his friend what he had seen.

"There wouldn't have been normally," Glorfindel said quietly. "It is just that…"

"What?" Elrond asked when the other elf fell silent. Elladan seemed to be attempting to pull himself into a ball in his chair and Glorfindel looked like he couldn't get the words out. "Glorfindel?"

"He was holding the other boy over the edge of the balustrade," Glorfindel said monotonously unable to look his friend in the eye.

Elrond sank down into his chair, his expression one of pure shock as he looked at his son. "You mean-"

"I wasn't," Elladan whispered his head in his hands. "He slipped… I-I was trying to pull him back up."

"It did not look like that," Glorfindel said sharply looking at the elder twin. "The other boy was petrified."

"Elladan," Elrond said trying to keep his voice level. He couldn't believe what Glorfindel was saying, but he didn't think that his friend would make up something like that. "Look at me," his voice hardened when he got no response. "Elladan."

The younger elf raised his head slowly, his eyes shining with tears and his face pale. "I didn't… I wasn't…" he couldn't form a complete sentence and he couldn't stand to look at his father much longer, guilt consuming him.

"I don't know what is happening to you Elladan," Elrond said softly looking at the forgotten papers on his desk and wondering what to do. He looked across to Glorfindel. "I'd like to speak with my son alone if you don't mind."

Glorfindel nodded, rising and leaving the room without a backwards glance. He was nearly as worried about Elladan's strange behavior as Elrond was, but he knew that the boy would feel much safer alone. He wished that he hadn't been so harsh on the boy and knew that he shouldn't have jumped to conclusions so quickly.

Elladan felt his stomach sink; he really did feel like he was going to be sick. How could this have happened? It wasn't fair! Tears of frustration pooled in his eyes again and he blinked them back furiously.

"Elladan?"

Elladan didn't know what to say, he swiped the sleeve of his tunic across his eyes and looked down as his father walked around the desk and approached him.

"Is this true?" Elrond asked looking sadly at his son. He still couldn't believe that it was true and knew that he would have to ask the other boy before he could find anything out, but Elladan just wouldn't do something like that. He was certain.

Elladan shook his head, but didn't answer; he was too confused and frightened to answer. If he told the truth then how was he going to explain why Rael and he had been there in the first place?

"Elladan please answer me when I am talking to you," Elrond said quietly, though there was an edge to his voice. He crouched next to his son's chair and pushed some of the ebony hair from his son's eyes so that he could see the boy's face better.

Elladan couldn't find any words to speak and he couldn't look into his father's eyes. This was terrible, why had this happened to him? He was still reeling from the aftershock of what Rael had been threatening to do to him; he did not need this as well.

"If you are not going to answer me Elladan, then you can go to your room until I have spoken to the other boy's parents," Elrond snapped and Elladan's face paled a shade or two. Rael would lie, he knew the other boy well enough to tell that he would. He was going to be in so much trouble…

"I can't honestly believe that you would ever do something like that Elladan," Elrond half whispered placing a hand on his son's shoulder. "Glorfindel must have gotten it wrong, but I want to hear you say that he did."

Elladan looked up and met his father's eyes. "I-I was helping him," the boy stuttered. "He slipped and I was pulling him back up."

There were two things that Elladan couldn't do at this moment. The first of them was lie to his father and the second was to admit to something he hadn't done. He didn't care what story Rael conjured up. In the end his father would always believe him over someone else… wouldn't he?

Elrond's face showed relief and Elladan felt his heart twist painfully in his chest. "I knew you could never do such a thing," the Elven Lord said quietly. "I am sure that Glorfindel simply over-reacted, though I shall have to talk to this boy's parents and get his side of the story, do you understand?"

Elladan nodded and made to leave, still not comfortable being near his father until his wounds had healed. He didn't want to slip up like he had with Elrohir.

"I still need to talk to you though, Elladan," Elrond reminded him, the hand on his shoulder easing him lightly back into the chair. "Maybe now would be a good time?" Elrond settled in the chair where Glorfindel had sat previously finding that it was easier to see his son's expression from there.

"I-I…" Once again Elladan was unable to find his voice, he wanted to protest, but he couldn't think of an excuse.

Elrond's brow furrowed. "I do not understand why you seem so desperate to disappear all the time, Elladan."

"I'm not," Elladan protested his eyes flicking to the floor. "It's just that… I don't have anything to say Ada. There's nothing wrong, I'm fine."

"I've heard you say that many times ion-nin and I am almost certain that you are not speaking the truth," Elrond replied matter-of-factly.

Elladan narrowed his eyes, "how can you be so sure?"

Elrond was taken aback a little by the tone of his son's voice. Elladan was clearly cross with him – whether because Elrond spoke the truth or because he doubted his son the Elven Lord could not tell.

"I just feel that there is something wrong 'Dan," Elrond said using his son's nick-name by way of calming the boy down. "Something you're not telling me…"

"There isn't anything," Elladan sighed. "Ada I can't make you believe me. Can I please go? You need to talk to Rael and I want to see Elrohir."

"Is that the other boy's name?" Elrond asked watching for Elladan's reaction. His son seemed very tense, too tense. What was he afraid of? Had Elladan really done such a terrible thing? He tried to picture the boy doing what he has supposedly done and he couldn't, it made his heart ache just to attempt to think about it.

"Elladan you honestly didn't do anything to him did you?" Elrond asked hating the look of shock in his son's eyes.

"Don't you believe me?" Elladan asked, hurt. "Ada I'm telling the truth!"

"Then may I ask why he slipped?" Elrond asked softly trying to meet his son's eyes though he looked away. Once again Elrond felt a twinge of panic that Elladan might actually be guilty.

Elladan shook his head, his mouth dry. He couldn't lie, that would just get him even more trouble. It was best to just see what Rael said.

"Elladan?" Elrond ran a hand through his hair irritably, before resting his head in one hand. "Elladan how am I supposed to believe you if you won't talk to me?"

"Can I go?" Elladan whispered ignoring his father's question.

"You know that it is impolite to answer a question with another question," Elrond said calmly. "Elladan please answer me."

"I can't," Elladan whispered. "I just want to go."

Elrond finally relented and leaned back in the chair where he sat. "Alright, just don't wander off."

The younger elf stood relieved and headed for the door. When he'd left Elrond sighed once again resting his head in his hands. His son was shutting him out and it was tearing him apart. The puzzle before him was impossible to fit together and it was becoming more and more complicated by the minute. For now though his main concern was what had supposedly happened today. He needed to know that his son was innocent. If he wasn't then Elrond had no idea what he would do.

A/N: I'm not sure whether or not I like this chapter... it doesn't seem very interesting, or to really go anywhere, but I hope the next few will be better. I'm still debating as to where to go with this. In two chapters it's going to go down one route or another and I'm not entirely sure whether or not I like where I'm going with it, but meh. Good news is that I'm still two chapters ahead and I'm planning a sequel. Bad news is that... hmm not sure what the bad news is :)

-ElvenHope