Lindir froze as Elrond rushed across the stone walkway toward him; upon seeing the minstrel, Elrond turned and headed in his direction.
"Lord Elrond," Lindir said, with a slight bow. "What brings you out here?"
"Have you seen my sons?" Elrond asked, worry glinting in his eyes.
Lindir immediately regretted starting a conversation. "Uh...n – no, my Lord." Lindir replied, stumbling over the words.
Elrond cast him a disbelieving glance, everyone knew Lindir was a horrible liar. "Where are my sons?"
"Lord Elrond," a calm voice said behind him.
Elrond turned to face the speaker, seeing it was his Chief Counselor, Erestor. "What is it?"
Erestor flicked a glance at the nervous Lindir, then back at Elrond. "I am sorry Lord Elrond, but your sons have been gone for quite some time."
"Yes, I know that."
"They – I have sent them on a short errand," Erestor said. "Lindir had nothing to do with this matter, he is simply…" Erestor paused, racking his brain for a excuse. "He needs rest; he has had much pressure put on him."
"You are right," Elrond said, and he turned to Lindir. "You may have a couple days off, do not worry about anything for a while."
"Thank you, Lord Elrond," Lindir said, relief flooding him. Elrond turned and walked away, a look that he knew the two were hiding something, but did not want to deal with it at the moment.
"Thank you," Lindir said to Erestor.
Erestor gave him a small smile, "You are most welcome. I have started to worry for the three. They should have arrived by now."
-.-
"Glorfindel?" Elrohir looked up at the Balrog-slayer.
"Do not give up hope," Glorfindel said, pressing a hand full of herbs against the wound in Elladan's side. The older twin groaned and tried to pull away, but Elrohir held his unconscious brother still.
They had ridden hard until they had put a great distance between them and any orcs that may have still been around. They sun was fading, a cool breeze coming over them as they paused to check Elladan's wounds.
Elladan moaned, turning his head ever-so-slightly.
"Can you hear me?" Elrohir asked as his brother's pain shot through his own side. He let out a hiss, and Glorfindel looked up at him.
"Are you well?"
"Yes," Elrohir replied, refusing to push back the twin bond between the two. His brother needed him.
Glorfindel grabbed a clean wrapping from beside him, a doubtful look in his eye as he saw the pain on Elrohir's face. Elrohir pulled Elladan's shirt farther back, giving Glorfindel more room to wrap the wound with.
"His bleeding has slowed," Glorfindel said. "That is a good thing."
Elrohir nodded his agreement, and looked down at his twin's paling face. He reached down grasped his twin's hand, feeling Elladan tighten on the grip.
"Stay with me," Elrohir pleaded. "Please."
Glorfindel suddenly stood as he heard a howl in the distance. "We cannot stay the night," he said.
"Yes," Elrohir agreed. "But what of Elladan? He needs rest."
Glorfindel glanced at the twins, then into the rapidly coming night. "We may let him rest for a little while, but then we must go."
-.-
Arwen sat at her Nana's side, her cold pale hand in hers. Celebrían's eyes were shut, and her pale gold locks spread around her on the pillow.
"Nana," Arwen whispered. "Please come back to us. I can't bear to lose you. Please," she uttered the last word from her lips, barely a whisper. A tear ran down her face, dropping down onto her hand.
"Elladan and Elrohir are missing," she whispered. "Where to, I know not. I worry for them. Their anger runs deep, as does mine, but I can do nothing about it, as they can. They are reckless, even more now than they have been in years. Why? I do not understand –" Her last words were choked off by a sob; she lowered her head until it touched Celebrían's hand, tears running down her face.
"Arwen," a soft voice came from the doorway. She looked up to see Lindir, her friend from childhood, standing in the doorway. "Your Ada wants you to go to your chambers."
Arwen stood. "I want to stay with her."
"I understand," Lindir said quietly. "And I am so sorry. Would you like me to escort you?"
Arwen nodded, not able to utter any words. She followed Lindir out into the hall, afraid to speak a word. Finally, she managed to find her strength.
"Have you seen my brothers?"
Lindir kept his gaze straight ahead. "I am sorry, I have not."
Arwen let out a breath. "I am afraid they have gone and done something dangerous."
Lindir glanced briefly at his friend, noting the sorrow, worry, and sadness in her eyes. He stopped suddenly as he came to her chambers.
"We are here, Arwen."
Arwen stopped, seemingly frozen as she stood at the doorway of her chambers. "Why her?" she whispered.
"I do not know," Lindir replied, not knowing what to say.
Tears started flowing down her cheeks, tears she had tried to keep back, only letting out in the dark. Her breath came out in a short gasp, and tried to hold back a sob to no avail.
Lindir, not knowing what else to do, slipped an arm around her. Arwen rested her head on his shoulder, letting the tears come.
"Shh, gweneth nîn, morning will come, and all darkness will flee."
Arwen raised her head to look at the minstrel. "I am not so sure of that."
"We must not give up hope," Lindir told her. "When hope fades, then darkness will come, and all will come to naught."
"You are a good friend," Arwen said. "But it is hard to find hope where there is none."
"I will not give up," Lindir said.
"Thank you," Arwen whispered. "I must go now."
Lindir gave her a nod, and Arwen departed, into her room.
He just stood there for a while, staring down the hall. Why, indeed? The halls where quiet, as they had been since her return. No longer did the sound of laughter and joy fill the place. No songs, or music. Oh, how he wished it would go back to the way it was before, but deep down he knew it would never be the same.
Even the twins' pranks he would not mind. If only… He shook his head. No. But, he must not give up hope. A small light lingered, and if he could grasp it…
The sound of footsteps caused his head to turn, to see Erestor coming toward him.
"You need rest," Erestor told him as he approached.
Lindir cast a nervous look at Arwen's room.
"She will be fine," Erestor assured him. "I will check on her."
Lindir gave a nod, then walked down the hall to his own chambers.
-.-
Celebrían jerked upwards, as the memories came rushing back. She tried to push it away, the crying, curses, pain and shadow. She took in a deep breath, the air seemed heavy around her. Dark and damp.
She pushed herself up straight, her feet falling to touch the floor,
The room started to fall away, pieces of the wall crumbled, and vanished as they hit the floor. She gasped and stood, as she spun in a half circle. The once beautiful wall was replaced by cold gray and wet stone. The floor beneath her turned cold, and grimy. Filled with the orcs' filth.
All around her, it changed, until she was back where she had once been. Everything was so dark. Not a single light. She stumbled, over what she thought was a stick. As she stood, she realized it was a skeleton.
She ran.
She could hear the yells of the orcs behind her; something grabbed her. She kicked at it, trying to scream, but her voice seemed to be stuck,
It grabbed at her, trying to pull her away, she tried to struggle harder, but her strength was fading.
-.-
"Celebrían!"
Elrond tried to calm his frightened wife, this was by far one of the worst times he had seen her like this. "Celebrían!"
Slowly, she calmed, turning to look at Elrond. She stopped as she realized where she was, no longer in the orc caves.
"Elrond," she said softly, tears streaking her worn cheeks. "I am so sorry."
"It is all right," he said. "I will get you an herb. It may help."
"Thank you."
-.-
The howls turned louder, growing too close for comfort. Glorfindel hurriedly returned to the twins. "We must go now," he said, glancing back over his shoulder.
Elrohir looked down at his brother, "I wish we could stay longer."
"Yes, but we must not linger," Glorfindel replied, letting out a low whistle.
The horses appeared beside their masters, nervous from the howling.
Glorfindel slipped an arm under Elladan, while Elrohir did the same from the other side. They lifted him, just as a pair of red eyes glowed from a few yards away.
Please review! You will know what becomes of Elladan sooner! :)