Here's the next chapter.

"All right, all right. Don't panic," Legolas told himself, breathing hard and fast as he tried to calm himself down.

He glared at the steel jaws clamped around his left calf.

What did Kel say just now? Use my brain and dagger? Fine, then. I know what a dagger is, but what exactly is a brain? Lord, I have no idea!

Sending another desperate glance towards the direction his brother had taken, Legolas reached for one of his twin blades and began to poke at the bolts on the trapping device. It took him quite a long while to unscrew one of those little nuts, and much longer time to loosen the rest of them. By the time he got to the last two bolts, his hands were slick with his own blood. He also started to grow lightheaded.

Grimacing with pain, Legolas put down the blade and used his entire strength to pry the jaws open. It gave an inch, but not wide enough to free his leg. Sighing, Legolas picked up his dagger and resumed unscrewing the remaining two bolts.

But it was the very last bolt that started to give him trouble. From his position, he had difficulty reaching it. The bolt was at the very left of the steel jaws, and Legolas' left hand had been badly cut against the jagged edges earlier, leaving only his right hand to work the blade, which was extremely awkward.

Growling in frustration at his yet another failed attempt, he threw the dagger to the ground. "Blast it all!" he yelled before he grabbed the jaws one more time and pulled with all his might. With the last bolt still remaining, the device would not fully pry open.

"Unscrew the bolts, pull this thing apart. WELL, IT DOESN'T BLOODY WORK NOW!" Legolas practically screamed as he tugged angrily at the chain attached to the snare.

Then, overwhelmed with panic and fury, he yanked repeatedly at the snare, jerking at his leg. His moves grew more frenzied by the minute. It was not the fear of being stuck in the middle of nowhere all by himself that pushed him to react that way, but the possibility that he might not see his brother again.

Cursing and yelling, almost running out of his mind from sheer panic, Legolas didn't realize that someone was silently watching him. That was why he was so surprised when a pair of hands suddenly reached over and held him still.

"Stop it, Legolas," Keldarion sternly said. "Get a hold of yourself."

His mouth dropping open, Legolas gaped at his brother. "K…Kel? You came back?"

"Of course I came back! I had to! Your screaming can be heard from leagues away! I knew I can't depend on you to get yourself loose!" Keldarion snapped in return. He picked up Legolas' blade and started to work at the stubborn bolt.

Legolas lowered his head, so intimidated he was to see the hard glint in his brother's eyes. Keldarion looked very angry.

"I…uh…well, I…thank you, Kel…"

Keldarion paused and looked up with a scowl. "Don't thank me yet, brother. I didn't come here for you. But I so pity your wife and your sons if I let you perish here."

As Legolas watched with mixed feelings, Keldarion resumed working to free his brother's leg, muttering all the while, "I can't believe the amount of troubles you've gotten into since the very day you were born, Legolas. And I can't believe the countless of times I had to drag you out of them. And this one tops it all! Blast it! When will this ever stop?!"

Legolas did not reply. His throat felt too tight for words. He simply looked on as his brother finally pulled the snare off his leg. Hurling the cursed device into the bush, Keldarion then dug through his pack for a roll of bandage. His moves jerky and rough, he wrapped the bandage tightly around Legolas' wounded calf to staunch the bleeding.

"You still want to come with me? Fine, then," Keldarion growled as he tied the last knot on the bandage with enough force to cause Legolas to wince and groan miserably. "But know one thing, brother. I won't let you slow me down. So if you still insist to come along, make sure you try to keep up!"

At that, Keldarion straightened, hauling his brother to his feet. Legolas had to bite on his lower lip to keep himself from screaming out loud. He nearly swung his fist at his elder brother's face, so angry he was with Keldarion's words and manhandling behavior. Steaming with fury, he kept his silence instead, vowing to get even when the opportunity arose.

"Now get on your horse!" Keldarion instructed, pointing at Legolas' mount which had been a silent witness to his master's plight just now. "And follow me. I left the mare in a glen not far from here."

Still saying nothing, Legolas limped toward the equally silent stallion. He easily leaped onto the horse's back, but had to bite off a vile oath when the movement jarred his wound. Gritting his teeth, he guided the mount to trail after Keldarion who was already striding away.

The elder prince led his brother out of the thick woods and straight into a clearing. Keldarion's mount was taking a drink by a small brook that ran through the glen. The mare's head lifted, and she whickered when the other horse came near. The stallion neighed in reply, also happy to see his mate.

Keldarion shook his head at that.

"Blasted lusty animals," he muttered with a sigh, and turned his attention to his brother who was carefully dismounting. "Go sit under that tree. I'll tend to your leg after I gather some althelas."

Oh, go throw yourself over the cliff! Legolas wanted to shout back, but swallowed the words just in time. He began to grow fed up with Keldarion's highhandedness, ordering him to do this and that like a blasted army commander. Ai Elbereth! His brother treated him as if he were an elfling!

Sliding wearily to the ground, Legolas dejectedly watched as his brother vanished behind the nearby bushes to look for the healing plant. He pulled his weapons off his back and laid them beside him before he dug his hand into a small pouch tied to his belt where he kept stock of medicinal herbs. He took out several dried althelas' leaves, and popped them into his mouth.

As he chewed on the leaves to make a paste, he couldn't help but grin in amusement.

Silly, Keldarion. I might have forgotten to bring the rest of my gear. But knowing how frequent I've hurt myself, he should have known I always bring althelas with me.

Legolas cautiously unwound the bandage on his leg. The deep cuts had stopped bleeding, but still hurt like the very devil. Hoping that the snare was not deadly poisonous, he took the crush leaves out of his mouth and pasted it on the wound, nearly jumping three feet into the air from the pain.

Keldarion chose that moment to reappear. "Are those althelas?"

"Yes."

"Where did you get them?"

"I had them in my pouch," Legolas easily replied with a shrug. Ignoring his brother's glare, he started to rebind the wound.

"You have them all along?" Keldarion's face darkened. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Why didn't you ask?"

The two brothers exchanged glares, showing their displeasure at each other. The air was so thick with tension that sparks seem to fly over their heads.

Then, with a frustrated growl, Keldarion sat down in front of his brother. He took a small bowl from his pack and dumped the weeds that he had gathered into it. Next, he poured in some water before he irritably crushed the weeds with the hilt of his blade.

"Those look like herbendea," Legolas stated, slightly curious.

"Yes. I couldn't find althelas but this is even better," Keldarion curtly replied.

"Why all the trouble? I've already put althelas on my leg." Legolas grimaced at the strong smell that permeated from the crushed weeds. "What exactly are you doing?"

"I'm making antidote tonic. The snare might be poisonous."

Legolas blanched. "You…you mean…you want me to drink it?"

"How else should you take it?"

"But…" Legolas frantically scooted backward when Keldarion came near him with the bowl. "That thing smells terrible! Even worse than Estel's potion!"

Keldarion rolled his eyes. "Stop being such a baby! This thing might smell terrible but it works effectively to counter all kinds of poison. I learned this while I was—"

"I don't care how you learned it!" Legolas shouted. "Just get that blasted thing away from me!"

"You are trying my patience, Legolas," Keldarion warned, and suddenly made a move to grab his brother.

Legolas instantly reacted by swinging his fist to hit Keldarion squarely on the jaw. Keldarion's face snapped back and he landed hard on the ground on his rump. He also dropped the bowl in the confusion, spilling over the content.

White hot anger flared in Keldarion as he slowly faced his brother.

"You are spoiling for a fight, aren't you?" he quietly asked.

"You bet I am!" Legolas' face had turned red, his body trembling. Like Keldarion, he was also having trouble to rein in his anger.

"Fine, then." Keldarion nodded. "Bring it on, brother."

With a fierce cry, Legolas leaped and barreled straight into Keldarion, slamming him backwards. The two brothers went head over heels on the ground, fists flying and legs kicking. They grunted and yelled as they pummeled each other, rolling all over the dirt like wild orcs.

It was rough. It was noisy. And it was certainly nasty.

Curses were thrown as pain exploded, again and again. Both brothers started to bleed from various cuts and scrapes, but still they wouldn't stop. They were too overwhelmed by all the hurt and pain and heartache they had buried deep inside them that they couldn't see straight. The great dam had burst, bringing out to surface all the pent-up emotions in one big blast, and nothing seemed to be able to halt the madness.

Legolas yowled when his injured leg was kicked. He slammed onto his back, his eyes tightly shut from the agony. But stubbornly, he did not release his choking hold on Keldarion's throat who was straddling him. Likewise, Keldarion punched his brother in his side, causing the younger elf to release his grip. Even though his knuckles were already torn and bloody, Keldarion didn't stop swinging.

"I will not let you stop me!" Keldarion snarled, hitting his brother again. "No one can stop me from getting my revenge! Not even you!"

"K…Kel…" Legolas was gasping between punches. "Please…stop…"

But Keldarion didn't seem to hear. Mad with fury and hurt, he could see nothing but red.

"They've ruined me! And it's their turn now! You of all people should know how I feel! You should know how this shame is killing me inside! YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER THAN TO STOP ME!"

Legolas struggled for release, wrapping his arms around his head to cover himself from the blows. "Kel, I…I know…I know…Stop, brother…please, I know…"

Slowly, the haze lifted. Keldarion's ears began to pick up his brother's whimpers. He finally registered the amount of blood that ran down Legolas' nose and lips. He also saw how terribly shaken his brother was, looking so pale and frightened.

"Please, Kel…believe me…I'm not here to stop you…" Legolas said in distress, tears running down his face. "I'm here to h…help you…"

Releasing his brother, Keldarion stumbled back. He gravely shook his head, great horror written all over his face. The he lowered his gaze, staring at the ground as he knelt there, feeling like the lowest form imaginable.

"Please, Kel." Legolas painfully sat up, reaching a hand to his brother. "I…I know I can be such a nuisance… sometimes. But I want to help you, in everyway I can. And I promise…I won't slow you down. I'll limp all the way if I have to. Just please…don't shut me out like this. I'm not your enemy. I'm your brother. Please…don't shut me out."

Keldarion slowly raised his face, now badly swollen from his brother's own fists. He gazed sadly back at Legolas, unspoken plea for forgiveness clearly written in his tearful eyes.

Legolas placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I'm always here for you, Kel, whether you like it or not. You've always been there for me before, so how could I treat you differently? And I know exactly what you're going through, because I've lived it for years myself. Revenge will not make it go away completely. But if it will make you feel better, I will not stop you in your quest. Just trust me, this once, to share your pain and shame. I can't let you suffer all alone, Kel. I love you that much…"

With a choked sound that seemed to rip from the bottom of his soul, Keldarion broke down completely. His face crumbled as he emitted a single sob. Then another. And another, until his entire body shook from it. Crying like he had never before, Keldarion collapsed in his brother's arms, his tears flowing freely like rain.

He wept for his wounded soul. He wept for his broken heart. He wept for everything that he had gone through.

He also wept for his brother, the one who was ever loyal and faithful to him, no matter what the consequences. The one who had done nothing but love him wholeheartedly. The one who braved anything including his wrath just to keep him company. Legolas made him feel both blessed and condemned. But most of all, he felt loved, which was the most important thing that kept him going.

Wordlessly, Legolas continued to hold his brother, rocking him gently like Keldarion used to do with him. Weeping himself, Legolas' hands never stopped stroking his brother's head tenderly, giving him the needed solace and support. His heart broke to see Keldarion like this, yet he knew his brother needed to let it all out because the hurt had been trapped inside Keldarion for far too long, festering steadily for ten awful years, which were no small amount of time.

It was already dark when Keldarion finally pulled himself out of Legolas' arms. Embarrassed, he avoided looking at his brother as he wiped the remains of tears on his face. He was stunned when his hand came away wet and sticky with blood instead.

Legolas grinned. "Sorry, brother. I think I've hurt your pretty face pretty bad."

Keldarion looked up, and couldn't help chuckling. "Your pretty face doesn't look pretty, either, little brother."

Touching his lips, Legolas winced. "I don't think I can eat solid food for at least a week. And I believe you also broke my nose! Does it look crooked to you?"

Leaning closer, Keldarion surveyed the area. "Hmm, yes. I think so. Don't worry, though. I think Nara will like your dashing new look."

Legolas groaned good-naturedly. "She will add more bumps on my face more likely. In fact, she will definitely kill me when I get back! I shouldn't have taken off like that without telling her personally. The note I left her was a sorry excuse to inform her about my traipsing after you like this."

Keldarion shook his head, remorse evident in his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Legolas."

"Don't be. I think I got what I deserved after all," Legolas said with an easy wave of his hand.

"No, you don't deserve this. I've been acting like a total bastard, treating you so abominably while all you were trying to do was help."

"Forget about it, Kel. Just leave it be." Legolas smiled. "So, how are you feeling? Really."

Keldarion looked down at his hands, frowning to see the bruised and bloodied knuckles. "To tell you the truth, I feel slightly better. I guess the outburst really did me good. My heart feels less heavier now, my mind a lot clearer."

"It's not very manly, I agree, but nothing cleanses the soul better than a good cry." Legolas nodded. "I know. I've been there."

Keldarion leaned over to grab his pack, grimacing a little from the pain in his ribs. Ai! Legolas had really bashed him good!

"If father finds out about this, he will definitely knock our heads together," he stated as he took out fresh rolls of bandages and towels.

Legolas winced as he crawled back to the base of the tree. "Then don't tell him. I don't think I can stand to hear him screaming, lecturing us like crazy on our childish behavior. We never fought like that for, say, over a millennium!"

The two brothers laughed at that, and then simultaneously grabbed their ribs, groaning and wincing.

"Legolas?" Keldarion voiced out a while later as he treated the cuts on his brother's face.

"Yes?"

"You were never a nuisance."

Legolas smiled. "Thank you, Kel. That was nice of you to say so."

"No. I really mean it." Keldarion cupped his brother's cheek. "And I also love you, little brother. No matter what I did, no matter what I say, I feel nothing for you except for love. But promise me one thing."

"What?"

"If I started to act crazy like this again, feel free to beat the crap out of me!"

The two horses that were frolicking in the brook raised their heads at the sound of wild exuberant laughter coming from the brothers. The two elves were now rolling about on the ground, not in another fight but in a genuine amusement this time.

Wondering at the state of sanity of the two elven princes, the stallion nudged the mare and they ambled off towards a line of trees nearby.

Let the boys with their silliness, the stallion might be thinking. But I have a lovely lady here to please.

TBC…