All of the Stars

by timeladyelf

She was a princess, a long time ago in a kingdom destroyed by a dragon. Since then, she had been traveling, living here and there, never staying for too long. For a long time the stars were her only companions, guiding her, leading her never astray. Now, ancient forces have been awakened by the enemy. When the stars are veiled, who shall watch your steps?

8. Chapter 8- Soldier On

Hey everybody, here is another chapter and a big thank you to all those who reviewed!

Also, a big thanks to guest Aquafin, I'm glad you liked this story and I'll try to update faster, but I can't make any promises, college is taking most of my time.

Now, on with the story:

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Time is a funny thing.

One second can stretch out to a lifetime, to infinite, or to less than the blink of an eye; it all depends on who you are asking.

That particularly common September morning, while Raunín was holed up in her room, before Olochen barged in, before she listened to his story, before she started packing, before, there was the Twins.

If you asked Elladan and Elrohír, September 24th has come to an end before they even blinked. Or thought it through.

It had been two days after Elladan arrived. Three days since the Incidents started.( One month since the deaths started, but they did not know that at the time )

Elrohír had been restless all night, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. It was like looking at a puzzle with a missing piece but not knowing where. How do you fix something when you don't know what is broken?

It felt like nothing and everything was off.

It was the way the air seemed too dry at times, or the way the birds seemed to fly away more often than not, or the way the shadows seemed to stare at you or the way you could feel eyes burning at the back of your head and almost hear heavy brething at your neck when you're walking alone in the hallway but you turn around and you're still alone.

It was the little things.

And Elrohír wasn't the only one noticing it. He noticed the little things and he also noticed how elves seldom walked around the gardens alone anymore, how they quickened their steps when they found themselves on their own in the maze of corridors, how the smiles never reach the eyes. An omnimous atmosphere seemed to have crept and settled upon them.

It was like watching a storm brewing, the eerie moments before it falls when you know it's there, you see the dark clouds gathering and the lightinings striking, you feel the buzz in the air and the quietness in the forest, as if the world was bracing itself for what was coming. You see all of the signs but you can't really prepare for it. You can close your windows and you can lock your doors, but you can't keep the rain from falling.

( No matter how hard you try, you can't keep everyone inside and dry. )

It was an unconscious reaction, Elrohír realised, the way people were acting. Their subconscious noticed the metaphorical storm lurking at the corner of their eyes and set off some primal instinct to survive, to prepare them the best they could; they were closing their windows and locking their doors.

But would it be enough? When they didn't even know what the threat was?

"Elrohír?"

The elf jerked his head up from where he was lying on his bed, blinked a few times to chase away the confusion of being suddenly dragged out of his thoughts. "Elladan? Is that you?"

"Aye," the older twin nodded jerkily and leaned wobbly against the door. In the pale moonlight coming from the window, Elladan seemed unnaturaly white, sweat glistening in his forehead, his dark hair damp and plastered along his face and Elrohír could swear his brother's voice had never sounded so shaken, "were you sleeping, hanar?"

"Nay, what happened to you?" Elrohír asked horrified as he sat up and made room for him on the bed. "Elladan?" He frowned as his brother didn't move from his spot on the threshold. "Hanar? Are you alright?" Elrohír gave up talking and walked up to the other elf, " 'Dan? Say something, you're scaring me?"

Elladan winced as his brother reached for his arm, but his eyes seemed to snap and focus on Elrohír, "It was awful, 'Ro. It wasn't, it wasn't just a nightmare. It felt real. It felt like a memory. "

Elrohír let out a sigh in relief, nightmares he could deal with, " 'Dan, if you're having nightmares about ammë again-"

"It's not ammë!" Elladan snapped at his brother in Quenya, "It's not that it's not that it's not-"

Apparently elves could have panic attacks, Elrohír thought with dismay, and his brother was working himself to one. "Hey, it's fine brother, everything is going to be alright. Come, sit with me and tell me what happened."

It was almost easy, falling back to Quenya.

Elladan had always been better with languages but this particular idiom had come naturally to Elrohír, it had felt more like remembering than learning, every word ressonating deep in his bones. They had had the classes a long time ago, when they truly were only elflings, when they knew next to nothing about their history, when they couldn't understand why they were learning a dead language when Sindarin was spoken everywhere; but even then, deep inside, it felt right speaking those old, strange words. It called to them, and soon it started to seep in their day-to-day vocabulary; adar turned into atar, nana turned into ammë, muindor turned into hanar, and everytime they were under stress they would slip up and abandon Sindarin altogether, like a tired mind falling back to a mother tongue. But then a few years passed and they learned about history, about their heritage, and everything made sense, it all clicked into place. ( it feels right because it is in our blood, brother. It is our birthright. )

"Elladan? What did you dream about?" Elrohír said slowly, trying to calm his brother. "Do you want to speak about it?"

"It didn't feel like a dream, brother." Ellada shook his head hysterically, " It felt like a memory, as if I was remembering it, it felt too real, too real."

"It's alright, it's alright," he kep his voice soft, soothing, as he draped a blanket around his brother's shoulders, " now tell me what you saw."

"It was dark, it was so dark and cold, it was devoid of any warmth. It was a cave, I think. Yes, yes, a cave. A cave and there was water dripping, all the time, it echoed all around me, I couldn't know where it came from, it echoed everywhere. I was lying on the ground, I was waking up there. The first thing I noticed was the smell, it was disgusting, it smelt like decay and rotten things and putrid things. I- I looked around but it was too dark to see anything and so cold and the water kept dripping and dripping and dripping somewhere, everywhere. I got up and- and my leg, my leg hurt like fire, but I went on and on through the cave, I had to know where the water was, I had to stop it, I just had to make it stop dripping, you know? It was driving me crazy, because it echoed everywhere. I had to make it stop, I had to make it stop. So I kept walking and walking and walking and I knew I was on the right direction because it kept getting louder and louder and louder and-

And then I found it. I found the dripping water, I found it and I wish I didn't, because- oh Eru, I wish I didn't."

Elladan began rocking back and forth, his grip on the blanket tightening and eyes glassing over, his breath quickened, on the edge of hyperventilating. Elrohír swore loudly and resumed his mantra of " it's going to be alright, it's fine, it's going to be alright, it's fine,".

"No, you don't understand, brother. I found the dripping water, I found it, only it wasn't water." the younger twin swallowed hard as his brother stared at him with haunted eyes, "It was blood, brother. It was blood dripping down to a pool of more blood. And then I thought, if it is dripping, it has to be dripping from somewhere, blood doesn't just fall from the sky. So I raised my eyes to the ceiling of the cave. There, right in the middle of the ceiling there was this huge stalactite. And tied there, with a huge cut in each of her wrists, was that girl, the girl we met yesterday, the one from the Havens, I think. She was tied there to the ceiling bleeding out. But it gets worse, I couldn't look anymore, it was too horrifying, so I lowered my eyes, and looked around the cave. And then I saw It. Someone, something, in the other side of the pool, was drinking it. The creature was crouched there and making this nauseating sound of gurging and it echoed inside my head because they were drinking the blood from the pool of blood. And beyond it, piling against the wall, there were dead bodies. Dozens of them. That was where the smell came from. The dead, decaying pile of bodies behind the creature who was drinking the blood from the pool of blood. And then, it was too dark for me to really see the creature, but, but It saw me. It snapped his head up and, and his eyes glowed in the dark, and they were looking at me. I couldn't see It clearly, but I just knew, I just knew, It was looking right at me. And then I felt terrified, it was a fear so strong I just couldn't move, I was frozen with panic and all I could think was how it was my fault Ammë left us, how I could have done more to heal her. Then I closed my eyes and everything stopped. The dripping stopped and the sick gurging sound stopped. All noises died out and I woke up. I woke up but I could feel it. The dread and the cold fear running through my veins. And I could feel It, I could feel that glowing eyes watching me."

Elrohír exhaled heavily as his brother finished his story, "It was just a nightmare, brother. A really awful, horrific and distastefully creative one, but a dream all the same." he patted his brother on the back and felt relief flood inside him when Elladan stopped shivering and rocking. "There isn't anything to worry about.."

"Brother, I have had enough nightmares to know one. And whatever this was, it wasn't a nightmare."

"It has to be one. What else could it be?"

"Brother, just because you don't like the alternative, it doesn't make it any less true."

Elrohír sighed and glared at his brother but the effect was lost as he smiled relieved, Elladan seemed better now, color back at his face, eyes less sunken and composure regained. Whatever had affected him was gone now, the hysteria had vanished.

"Elladan, it is the middle of the night. It is no hour for talking of things like this. Why don't we discuss this in the morning?"

"Fine, it's for the better, I guess. Discuss this with a clear head, and besides," a smirk spread across the older twin's face, "your Quenya sucks."

"Fuck off, idiot." Elrohír playfully shoved his brother out of the bed and plopped back in the mattress. "I can still swear just fine."

Elladan only rolled his eyes and made room for himself in the bed, it was a tight fit ( they weren't elflings anymore, were they? ) and Elrohír could still see the lines of worry in his brother's brow, but it was all right, the moon was still in the sky and they had a few hours until they would have to deal with it.

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"Are you sure it wasn't just a dream?"

Elladan glared at his brother, he had managed a few hours of sleep after the Incident with the Dream ( it was an awful name alright, but he was working on it ) and had woken up feeling slightly better but Elrohír's constant asking the same question over and over was beginning to try his patience. "Yes, 'Ro, for the hundredth time, yes, I am sure it wasn't a dream and when you ask it again in the next five minutes, I will still be sure."

"Fine, fine," the younger elf raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, "just making sure."

He grunted in response and pinched the bridge of his nose, a surge of guilty flaring up, it wasn't Elrohír's fault his annoyance. But he's not exactly helping either. " I'm lost here as much as you are. I don't know what it meant or why it happened. I just know it did and it scared the shit out of me."

"We should speak with Atar. He will know what it was."

"Nay, he's too busy with these elves from the Havens running around here. I heard there was some sort of incident last night. I bet he would simply say it was a bad dream or a result of my guilty mind and you should talk about it Elladan and you need to work on your issues, Elladan." the older twin scowled, "Well, I'm working just fine on my damn imaginary issues and it was no goddamn dream. So, no, we should not talk with Atar."

He watched Elrohír open his mouth, close it, shake his head, open again. "You know, you have about fifty freaking issues just in that argument but right now? I'm not touching it with a ten foot pole."

Elladan only gave his brother the death look and pulled the food tray to his side of the small table. They had made a quick trip to the kitchens as soon as they had woken up, and brought enough food to feed at least five grown elves. He poked his oatmeal around, he wasn't really hungry, his head was spinning with ideas and theories. Every time he thought he was pulling the right thread he only ended up with more questions.

"You said it felt more like a memory, right?" Elrohír said slowly, setting his fork down.

"Yes, but no." Elladan struggled to find a way to phrase it, "It felt like when you get a concussion, you remember how it happened,but in a dettached sort of way. You see yourself there, being hit, you feelt it, but you're not really there." He stopped and looked up at his brother, "Does that make any sense?"

"Was it any other elf, no." Elrohír sounded serious, face solemn, and Elladan felt his stomach twist into knots. "But you're not any other average elf. You are our father's son, Elladan."

"I don't think I'm following." I'm our father's son? What does that even mean? "If you're talking about our having edain blood in our veins, I don't think it has anything to do with the dream."

"No, I don't believe it either." Elrohír shook his head, "Remember when we were elflings and that huge party of Lothlorien arrived?"

"Aye, they were rather nice to us." Elladan looked puzzled at his brother. He couldn't, for the life of himself, understand why this piece of memory was important or relevant for the matter at hand,"Why?"

"Well, remember how Ata had known about them a few days before they even sent word to us?"

"Yes, he had Erestor organize a small ball for them."

"And remember how we couldn't understand how he knew it?"

"Yes, Elrohír. I remember the whole thing. We even asked Erestor about it." Elladan snapped as confusion was replaced by anger inside him, they had some sort of mess in their plates and Elrohír was freaking reminiscing. "Now, can we go back to my freaky dream thing?"

"It will make sense in a second, I promise." the younger twin gulped down his juice deliberatly slowly before resuming talking, "Now, remember what Erestor said?"

"Yes, hanar. He told us all about how Atar had a gift, he had visions. Glimpses of the future."

"Or, how Erestor called it at the time, paragraphs of stories yet to be written," Elrohír paused, probably for a more dramatic effect, "memories yet to be made."

If he wasn't so stunned, Elladan would've probably rolled his eyes at how pleased with himself his brother looked. But alas, he was indeed very stunned, and admitedly frightened, with the prospect of his dream ( nightmare ) being a vision of the future.

"See, it makes so much sense that I wonder how could we never think of this before." Elrohír went on, obviously side-tracked and excited with the new subject, "Why would we think our heritage would only be a dead language and edain blood? Now that I think of it, it is pretty obvious that his gifts would be passed on to us. We worry so much about making the right choice when the time comes that we totally forgot all the rest and-"

"Elrohír?"

"- do you think I can see the future too? Because it would be awesome, just imagine-"

"Elrohír."

"Aye?"

"This is terrible." Elladan pushed away the food tray and rested his head on the table with a pained moan.

"No, you mean it's awesome, right?" the younger twin leaned over his small table to poke his brother with his fork, "Hanar, you can see the future. How cool is that?!"

"Elrohír," he stared in disbelief at his brother, " you are missing the point here. Have you forgotten what was the supposed vision?"

"Shit."

"Very eloquent." Elladan glared at the younger elf. To be fair, he wished he had forgotten it too. He'd trade his new founded gift for never seeing it come true anytime. He wasn't friends with the elleth and barely knew her, but that didn't mean he would wish such a fate for her. Just remembering it made him shudder, even in broad daylight. "But yes, shit."

"What are we going to do?" Elrohír's voice wavered slightly and Elladan was suddenly hit with how young he looked. They were always trying to prove how much they'd grown that they had forgot it themselves how young they actually were. "I mean, we can't let it happen right?"

"No, we can't." he rubbed his eyes and breathed deeply. He was the older and supposedly more responsible one of them. He couldn't let the hopelessness he saw in his brother's eyes get to him. "But I think," Elladan hesitated for a second before getting up, a determined look in his features, " I think we need to figure out what the creature was. And fast, we're going against the clock. I don't know how far in the future it was, but I bet it wasn't far enough. Let's go."

"Sounds like a plan." Elrohír stuffed his mouth with what food was left and cleaned his table. With a solid goal on his mind, a sense of calm seemed to have washed over him, his usual confidence back in his eyes. "Lead the way, brother."

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"Are you sure we're on the right section?" Elladan picked a book from the shelf and started flipping through the pages, " Because honestly, I don't think The book of medicinal herbs and how to use them, revised edition is in any way relevant to our situation."

Elrohír paused, glanced up and then set his book down with a sigh, "Really, Elladan? Really? Of course it is important! What if we were lost in the woods, uh? Completely cut off from any kind of healing care, uh? What were you going to do then?"

Elladan did not dignify that with an answer, but his eyebrows did raise up to his hairline in a very eloquent manner, translating his incredulity quite well to his brother.

"Well it could happen!" The younger twin flailed his arms arms around, "Then you are going to thank me"

"All right, let's say you are right for one second, even then this was written in the second age. In Lindon." Elrohír opened his mouth to retort but his brother raised one hand to silence him and pressed on, "So, unless we go back in time and get stranded in some woods in Lindon, no, this book will not be of any help."

"Well, it could still happen."

"Maybe," Elladan agreed, "If we lived in some sort of book or song."

"Have you seen our lives? The captain of our guard is an elf who was literally brough back from the dead, our father can see the future and our worst problem is a dark lord with a magic ring."

"Don't say it like that. You make it sound silly when it's not."

Elrohír enthusiasm deflated at the look in his brother's face. He was right. It wasn't silly, not at all. Their mother would never have left because of something silly.( It was awful and unfair and terrible and evil. )

"We were supposed to be looking for texts on dark creatures." Elladan murmured softly. Returning his book in the shelf, he searched for anything possibly related on the subject. " This could take hours, days even. We don't have the time."

"But we don't have much of a choice. We can't let it-"

"Can I help you, my lords?"

While Elladan's only signal that he had been been startled was a slight faltering of his fingers on one of the books, Elrohír made a strangled noise and tripped on himself, falling to the ground.

"By the Valar! Don't do that! Do you want to scare me to death, Lindir?" The younger twin rasped out in between pants as he clutched his racing heart.

"I'm sorry, my lord. I assure you my intentions were not to kill either you or your brother."

Elrohír merely waved his apology away from where he was laying on the ground. He had his eyes closed and body sprawled across the aisle, arms pillowing his head. The sound of Elladan laughing somewhere behind him and Lindir poorly disguising a snort in a fit of cough made him grin. He was peering one eye open to regard the older elf when an idea struck him.

Elrohír liked Lindir, both of the twins did. Actually, it was virtually impossible not to like the elf. Lindir was the kind of person who's shy in the beginning but once he warms up tp you he's the nicest elf in Arda. He can play more instruments Elrohír can count, he can sing more songs Elrohír can count. He is the Head Musician in Imladris who somehow finds time to assist both Erestor and Elrond. And of course the ocasional babysitting duty. He helps everyone and likes everyone. Unless said everyone is a dwarf. Lindir dislikes dwarves with a passion. Elrohír is sure there's a story behind it and someday he is going to find it out because he is also sure it's going to be hilarious and totally worth the trouble.

Anyway, the thing is, Lindir was an incredibly likeable and helpful elf and Elrohír was 97 percent sure he would be able to convince him to help their cause.

"Anywho, do you plan on lying on the ground for very long, brother?" Elladan appeared on his line of vision, amusement glinting in his eyes and a giggle escaping his lips. " Because you know, we do have things to do. Important things. "

Elrohír scowled and ignored his brother's extended hand, turning his full attention on the older elf. "You've known atar for a very long time, haven't you Lindir?"

"Yes, yes, I have. My father came to Imladris shortlt after it was built." The reply came hesitantly, Lindir wasn't stupid and he knew the younger twin was up to something and that this whole conversation was a trap. Lindir knew he had to proceed with caution. He knew he was outnumbered. " And I have worked for Lord Elrond since before you were born."

"I thought so. You are also good friends with Erestor, I assume?"

"Well, we've known each other for a very long time. I guess you could say we are friends. If anyone can call themselves friends with Erestor, that is."

Elrohír pondered on this. That was true, Erestor could be rather difficult and downright cryptic when he wanted, which was most of time. "Glorfindel could though."

"Yes, yes, he could. I would've never thought it possible and honestly, I still don't know how it happened, but Glorfindel did manage to become Erestor closest friend." Lindir snorted, "Althought their friendship is quite unusual."

"Aye, their bickering is their way to show they care." Elladan joined the conversation and smiled, "Erestor would never admit it, but he does care."

"Indeed. And you know what? I think he does see you as a friend, Lindir." Elrohír continued, "And I'm also sure he values your opinion on official issues. He does discuss them with you, doesn't he?"

"Well, clearly sometimes, not everything," Lindir stuttered, feeling a lot like he shouldn't be saying this. "But yes, sometimes, when he cannot work out a solution on his own. I mean, a different point of view is always helpful."

"Yes, yes, absolutely." the younger twin agreed vehemetly and ignored his brother's raised eyebrows. Really, if Elladan raised them half an inch more, they would probably end up forever lost in his hairline. "So, I noticed Erestor has been a bit troubled lately, hasn't he? Since atar came back from the borders. I wonder if he said anything to you?"

Elrohír watched carefully as different emotions flickered through the other elf's eyes. Confusion turned into worry, worry turned into fear, and fear finally turned into suspicion. "I-He has been very busy, that's all." Lindir uttered slowly, "Nothing to worry about."

"Ah, but you see, Elladan and I, we worry. Erestor is family to us, just like you and Glorfindel. And familly always help each other right?"

"Well, yes, of course but-"

"We just want to help him, Lindir. What if it becomes too much and Erestor leaves us too?" Elrohír looked up, eyes wide and teary, scanning the musician's uncertain face. He saw the pity pooling in Lindir's eyes and Elrohír knew he had won. "I can't keep losing people, Lindir."

"Erestor won't leave, don't worry Elrohír! And besides, there is nothing you can do to help. The deathes are already being investigated and Erestor is sure it's no old myth but the work of men." As soon as he spoke, Lindir's brain caught up with his words and his hand shot up to cover his mouth in a futile attempt of stopping himself from spilling anything else.

"Old myth? What old myth?" Elladan eager questions were met mith a guilty silence, "And what do you mean 'work of men'?"

"Why men? Aren't orcs more likely to fall on killing sprees?" Elrohír had dropped all pretenses as his mind raced to string all facts together and come up with a decent theory. "Where were the body found anyway? Are they all elves or are they-"

"Cake? Anyone wants cake? I'm sure the kitchens have plenty left!" Lindir tried somewhat hysterically change the subject, "You know that cake from lunch, it was delicious and I know there was leftovers!"

"- men too? And how did they die anyway?" The younger twin ignored the musician and carried on his musings. This new piece of information didn't really narrow down their research, althought it did give them something to work with. That is, if it was really linked to Elladan't vision. "Lindir, we need to know. It's a life and death situation here."

"Aye, someone else could die if you don't help us, Lindir." Elladan added gravely, "You are our best chance of finding the answers we need."

"I-I don't think I can discuss this with you, I'm sorry," the musician fidgeted nervously and looked around. He was trapped, somewhere during their talk the twins had moved and blocked his only exit. "It is an official matter and Lord Elrond asked that it was left in secret."

"Lindir, please." Elrohír pleaded woth the older elf, this could be their only shot at finding anything about it. "For old time's sake?"

"I- Fine," Lindir caved in at the thought of young elflings running around the hallways, happy laughter resonating in every room. "All I can tell you is that elves are disappearing near our borders and a few bodies have been found nearby. No one knows why or how it happened. But there has been rumors."

"Rumors?" Elladan furrowed his brows, "What rumors?"

"Not exactly rumors. More of a myth, if you will." He continued, "An incredibly old one. About one of the servants of the Dark Lord. A shapeshifter. He was one of the Lieutenants of Morgoth." Lindir paused and looked somberly at the twins, "But it is no more than a myth. Its existence was never proved and even if it was really real, it probably died at the end of the second age. " He sighed and added tiredly, "I don't know what you two are up to and I don't think I want to know. All I'm asking is for you to stay away from this. It's a delicate investigation and could jeopardize our peace with the edain settlements near us. So please, stay out of this."

Elrohír looked at his brother, they couldn't just stay out of this. Not anymore. ( there was no going back. There never was. ). They had been walking in the sidelines for too long and ended up in the middle of the problem, because deep down they knew, now that they had noticed it, it would notice them in return. Besides, there was no way they could just walk away from something like this, not when there was something they could do to help. Elves were getting killed. Someone's father, child or mother were being murdered.

Elrohír looked at his brother and saw understanding.

It was no choice at all.

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"Are we really going to tell her?" Elladan asked. He was well aware that the answer was still going to be the same but he couldn't help wondering if it was the right thing to do. "I mean, how do you go to someone and tell them 'hi, I dreamed about you dying a gruesome and painful death last night. Have a good day, bye.' "

"Well, first off, you don't just do it out of the blue like that," the younger elf glared at his brother, "you say it with a little more tact."

"Somehow I don't think sugarcoating will make it any better. You just don't say this kind of things." Elladan shook his head. All this speculation was based on her believing them, when the most likely outcome was her thinking them crazy or throwing them out of her room. "This is ridiculous."

"She has a right to know. " Elrohír's voice left no room for argument. He had been stubbornly adamant on the matter, dragging a disgruntled Elladan all the way from the library to the wing destined for their guests. "It is literally her life on the line."

"Fine," he conceded, "but if this backfires on our faces, which it most probably will, I'm going to blame you."

As the setting sun filtered through the windows and spread a myriad of colors on the hallways, Elladan was lost in thoughts. His mind kept circling back to his nightmare. It amazed him to no end how his life had taken a sharp turn in less then a week. He knew he should be more frightened, but honestly, they had been in need of something to break them out of their routine. After their mother had passed away their life had consisted in hunting orcs, period. He couldn't stand staying in Imladris too long, it was too peaceful, too still. He couldn't bear how it stayed untouched, untainted, after she left. It shouldn't be like that. Celebrían had been part of their lives for so long, she had been part of Imladris itself. She had always cared so much about this land but now she was gone and everything was still the same. Elladan couldn't think too much about it because the thought that his mother had been forgotten would break him. So he'd rather leave, avenge her and keep her memory alive. But after so many years he was tired. He wanted a break and now he got it. For the first time in years Elladan saw his brother interested in something else. Elves were dying and they could do something about it, they could save lives.

( could they? At what price? how naïve had they been )

"Brother? 'Dan?" Elladan blinked confused as his brother snapped his fingers in front of his face, "You with me?"

"I'm sorry, I zoned out for a bit," he tried to sort out his thoughts, "You were saying?"

"I asked what did you think was going on," Elrohír pointed an open room with travel packs on the bed, "Do you think they're leaving?"

"Did ata meet with the captain?" Elladan wracked his brain trying to remember what he heard about it, "The meeting would be this morning, I think?"

"Something like that. They will probably leave tomorrow then." a smirk broke across the younger one's face," I would want to leave soon too after what happened last night."

"These elves are never used to Dorwinion. They should know better than to drink too much of it." They stopped in front of the elleth's door, "We're here. We're doing this?"

"Aye," Elrohír raised his hand to knock but let it fall to his side again, "Do you think we should bother her now? I mean, she must be packing."

"More reason to just get on with this. If she leaves, she might die." Elladan tried to swallow around the lump on his throat, "There are several caves between here and the Havens, you know."

"You are right, brother." the young elf again raised his hand just to abort the motion mid air. "How should we proceed with this?"

"Oh, for Eru's sake," Elladan shoved his brother aside, throwing open the door and stepping inside, "Hello there!"

He had always known this was a lousy plan. He just hadn't seen how much. But right now, standing in the middle of the room, Elrohír gaping like a goldfish right behind him and Raunín staring bewildered at them, well, the plan sucked.

"Excuse me?" Raunín seemed to have recovered first and was now glaring daggers at them, "Do you need something?"

"I-We... yes, yes we do, actually, Elrohír here was just going to explain what we do need," he fumbled with his words, Elrohír was never going to be in charge of plans ever again, "right, 'Ro?"

"I am? Yes, sure, right. Well, you see, we are here because... we need to..." the younger twin looked around silently asking for help, "We need to talk with you. Seriously."

"All right," the elleth narrowed her eyes but sat down on the bed, "Go on. I'm listening. Seriously"

The twins exchanged another look, there was no doubt who should break the news. "You know how our father went to patrol our borders?" Elladan waited for her to nod, "So, it wasn't just because Elrohír and I thought something was going on with the orcs. Elves have been disappearing near our borders, bodies have been found. He went to investigate that. We don't know what he found exactly, but the vigent theory is that men are doing this," he stopped to gauge her reaction. She had paled slightly and a pained expression had fallen over her features, her eyes had such a raw sadness that Elladan almost backed off. Almost. " Now that you're aware of the situation, here's why we came-"

"We need your help!" Elrohír suddenly blurted out, a strangled noise following his words, "Yes, we are here to ask you to stay and help us."

Elladan stared at his brother dumbfolded. He couldn't find a good reason for Elrohír's change of heart. "What?"

"Yes, what?" Raunín asked, "Why me?"

"Because..." Elrohír trailed off, trying to come up with a good excuse.

"Because no one else would believe us." Elladan answered, "We don't think it was men attacking all those elves. We think it was something else."

"Something?"

"Yes. Something way worse than humans. And no one would believe us."

"And what makes you think I will?" the elleth asked, "for all you knew I could laugh right at your identical faces."

"My first excuse is that desperate times call for desperate measures." Elrohír explained, "My second excuse is that I, we, suspect this thing is either having inside help or has found its way in, which narrows down considerably the amount of people we can trust, and if I have to trust any of the newly arrived, well, I'd rather trust you."

"That is... touching," she raised her eyebrows. Elladan could almost see the wheels spinning in her head as she searched for the catch in Elrohír's speech. He couldn't really blame her though, even he wasn't sure where that was coming from. "but unfortunely I am leaving tomorrow," her gaze softened and her voice carried a sad hint, "I'm sorry."

"Can't you stay? Only until we find this killer?" Elrohír pleaded, "We really need you to stay."

"I... I don't know," Raunín sounded lost but there was a strange hopeful lilt in her voice that made Elladan frown, "I don't understand how can I be of any help."

"You've been traveling, you lived in the Havens. You must have heard rumors or seen things." Elladan tried to reason, he had a strong feeling that if she crossed the borders, she would be as good as dead, "Together we can find what is going on and convince others to help us. But no one would believe if it were just 'Ro and me."

"I.. I guess I could stay," she agreed hesitantly but her eyes glistened, "Just until we figure this out."

"Deal." Elrohír smiled relieved, sinking in one of the chairs he let some of the tension slip off his shoulders, "We're damned."

"Totally and completely." was the deadpan answer he received from Raunín, although he saw a small smile creep upon her face and the worry dull in her eyes.

"We have no plan," Elladan started as he took a sit as well, "we have no idea what we are looking for."

"And we don't know how to stop it." Elrohír added putting a serious face.

"Or if we can stop it at all." Raunín shrugged.

They stared at each other in silence, accepting the reality of their situation. It stretched out for a full minute before they cracked. Raunín started giggling, Elrohír snorted and Elladan rolled his eyes, soon they were all roaring with laughter.

( It may have been a bit hysterical and a bit childish, but if anyone asked any of them, they would all say that was the moment it all really began for the three of them )

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Time is a funny thing.

Or perhaps we are the ones unable to understand it. In a distant future a very clever man will explain that time is not only connected with space but in fact just another way of seeing it. He will also confirm that time is indeed relative. Either way, no one can truly understand it.

It moves steadily forward, without ever stopping, they say. But how can you believe it when you felt it stop and stretch out forever countless times? When you've felt it fly by you in the blink of an eye?

One of the hardest things to believe is that time is the constant and you are the variable. A second is always a second, you are the one holding your breath.

And one of the most heartbreaking things to accept is that time moves always forward, and so must you.

There is no second choices, no way to change the past, no matter how hard you wish it. Time does not bend to anyone's will. It is neither fair nor unfair, it just is. It existed before any living creature and will keep existing long after life has left this land.

Civilizations will rise and fall but time will stand above it all.

And sometimes you have to learn it the hard way. They had to learn it the hard way. They had to find themselves in the end wishing they could go back and make it right to truly understand it.

( Time is funny but in a tragic, ironic, twisted sort of way )

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"Who wants to know all that is gold is rusting?

No one will know when seasons cease to change.

It's the here and now and the love for the sound of the moments that keep us moving."