Pairings: Elrohir/Arryn, Glorfindel/Elrond
Notes/Begging: is anyone even reading this? please PLEASE review if you are. last chapter, ever, i think. on with it!
*~*~*
The twins had been in Imladris for a month before Elrohir began to sicken. It had been slow and gradual, but inevitable, Elrond reflected, cursing himself for not seeing it sooner. Estel and Elrohir had been at the river, picking wildflowers for Arwen, when suddenly Elrohir fainted. Wild with worry, Estel had hauled his friend onto his horse with an admirable display of strength. When the duo reached the House, the little boy had called and called the servants until Elrond was summoned and brought to his sons. Elrond had scooped his son up in his arms, and rushed down to the Halls of Healing, memories of Arryn haunting him.
Estel was at the door again. "Father, how is he? Will Elrohir be alright? Father?" The boy's face was streaked with tears, and his lower lip shook. "I got him here as fast as I could! I tried, I did!"
With a small noise, Elrond swooped down and picked up the small human boy. "Estel you did wonderfully! What is happening to Elrohir is not your fault!"
The boy sniffled. "But will he be alright, Father?"
Elrond was silent, somber. "I don't know Estel. He is grieving Arryn. He may come out of this and be just fine. But he may also succumb to the shadows and…"
Estel sobbed and buried his face in his father's strong shoulder. "He has to get better! He has to!"
Looking helplessly over Estel's head at Elladan and Arwen sitting on the bed next to Elrohir, he could not keep back the single tear that traced his cheek. Arwen saw this and turned and buried her face in Elladan's neck. The two elves held each other tightly, praying to Elbereth for the health of their beloved brother.
Estel struggled free of his father's embrace, and raced to the door. When Elrond asked confusedly what he was doing, he cried: "I forgot!" and was gone.
Shaking his head, Elrond turned back to his son, gently wiping his forehead with a cool cloth. Elrohir shifted and moaned beneath his touch. The Elf Lord put the cloth back on the table, and leaned over to kiss his son's brow. "Naamarie, Elrohir."
Looking to Elladan, he tried to smile. "He will be alright, Elladan. I am sure of it." He crossed the room to stand before the two weeping elves. "Elrohir is strong. He will survive." He leaned down, enfolding both his children in his arms, holding them tightly. "I am going to get some rest. Will you watch him for a while, Elladan? I will be back before long."
The dark haired elf nodded wearily. "I will, Ada. Thank you."
Arwen looked up. "Glorfindel is waiting for you Ada. Go to him."
Estel burst into the room, holding a small stuffed horse. "I forgot to give this to him! He will have bad dreams if Kellye isn't with him!"
Elrond smiled at the childish notion. Estel walked firmly over to Elrohir, and tucked the horse under the elf's arm, smoothing the creases in the sheets covering him. With a quick look around, Estel leaned forward, and kissed the elf, who moaned and moved into the touch. Elrond smiled and patted the boy's shoulder, leaving the room, looking for his love, Glorfindel. Arwen followed him out.
Estel chanced a look at Elladan, whom he had never liked much, and was startled to discover that the elf was standing behind him, looking at him with a very odd look on his face. "You brought Elrohir back to the House. That is an amazing feat for one so young- however did you lift him?"
Estel felt for some reason that he had to defend himself. "I didn't carry him, I dragged him, then his horse knelt on the ground, and I lifted him onto its back. He wasn't that heavy; or did you not realize how little he eats?"
"I realized. I despaired. He speaks to you: I cannot get him to reveal anything to me. You are but a child," his tone was not scathing, but wondrous. "What does he see in you?" He sounded truly curious.
Estel looked at the floor. "I do not know, but I very much value his friendship. Elrohir is very dear to me."
"As he is to me." Elladan suddenly seemed to come back to himself. "Is it not time for you to go to bed?" He said brusquely.
Estel looked once more to the figure on the bed, and then looked back down at the floor. "I was actually wondering…" he chanced a look up at the older elf. "Could I… could I stay with him?"
Elladan was surprised to say the least. "I suppose so. Take the bed across from him."
Estel swallowed and nodded; eyes back on the floor. He walked over to the bed and crawled in. He watched through half-closed eyes as Elladan leaned over his twin, and once more wiped the cloth across his forehead. The elf returned to the chair under the window, sitting slowly, watching his brother worriedly.
Sometime after midnight, Elladan finally fell asleep. Estel silently slipped out of bed, and crossed to Elrohir's bed. He smiled to see the horse still firmly tucked beneath Elrohir's arm, and gently patted its ragged but well-loved face. He opened the sheets, and slid into them, automatically curling up around the cold body. The boy rested his head on Elrohir's chest, feeling the reassuring heartbeat, slow and strong. He hugged the prone form, feeling tears prick at the corners of his eyes. //you can't die! I won't let you!//
Sleep called to him, so he didn't feel it when Elladan slipped into the bed behind him, holding their slumbering forms.
*~*~*
Elrond opened the door to the Halls of Healing, and smiled at the sight before him. Elrohir was embraced by Estel and Estel in turn embraced by Elladan. Glorfindel peeked his head in at his lord's wave and almost laughed. "What do you say we leave them for a while?" the blonde whispered into Elrond's ear. "Hmmm. Sounds good." Elrond kissed Glorfindel's cheek, and turned to go.
As he turned he caught sight of a small movement. The two Elf lords watched in awe as Elrohir raised his arm, and embraced both his twin and his young friend. He opened his eyes, looking bemused at the two sleeping faces. His bemused look changed to a grin as he noticed the small stuffed toy that had migrated from his arm, back to Estel's embrace. Elrohir heard a small noise, and turned his head to the door. He smiled and nodded sleepily at his father and Glorfindel, who were holding on to each other tightly. Sighing, Elrohir turned his head back to his brothers, and nestled his head in between Elladan's and Estel's, succumbing back to sleep almost immediately.
Elrond embraced Glorfindel hard, nearly crying in his relief.
*~*~*
Elladan, Elrohir and Estel rode along the Bruinen, enjoying the clear day and each other's company. They at last stopped for their lunch, settling under a large willow, chosen for the screen of branches touching to the ground.
"How are you brother? Are you truly well enough to be out here?" Elladan asked worriedly.
"I am fine, Elladan! Besides, I have things I must say to you. To you both." Elrohir looked suitably exasperated at his brother's mother-henning. Estel snickered into his sandwich.
Elrohir took a breath. "When I was unconscious, I saw things. I thought they were memories, but they weren't, at least, not all. They were images, sounds, experiences that I couldn't possibly have had. I saw the Sea. I saw Gondolin, great once more. I saw Mordor.
"These couldn't have been my memories. I have come to decide that they are the memories of those I hold dear to me. I saw Arryn's parents, and his sister. Estel, I saw your father. I saw Arryn in the orcs hold. I knew what he was thinking, what he was feeling. I heard him call out to me; I knew when he went mad. But just before I awoke, I saw him. He was whole and unscarred, singing and laughing and as full of love as he always was.
"He spoke to me, told me that he did not blame me for what happened to him. He said…many things, but mostly that I had a wonderful family who would do anything for me. And that I shouldn't throw you away by fading to grief. It was very poetic." Here Elrohir rolled his eyes, but the other two could see just how much Arryn's speech had affected him.
"So, I wanted to thank you. Both of you. I owe you my life." With that, Elrohir rose to leave. The other two scrambled up, feeling somewhat awe by this speech. The elf parted the curtain of branches, and vanished through them. Estel and Elladan were left staring at each other, before Elrohir suddenly reappeared through the tree. He grabbed both of them, hugging them hard and fierce. They heard a whispered "Thank you," and then he was gone again.
*~*~*
That night, Estel once again crept down the hall, and slipped into Elrohir's room. The dark-haired elf was waiting for him, and as the boy slipped under the sheets, he found himself being presented with a certain small, stuffed horse. "You forgot him in the Hall. I had wanted to thank you for letting me use him; I know how dear he is to you."
Estel shrugged, tying to be mature. "You needed him more." He pushed away the hand that tried to return the horse. "I'm too old for him anyhow. You keep him."
Elrohir smiled, touched. He nestled the horse back into the crook of his arm, and wrapped the other around the boy. They were quiet for a long while, before Estel spoke.
"Elrohir?"
"Hmm?"
"What you were talking about, today. Does this mean you're alright?"
There was a silence, before Elrohir spoke again. "No." He paused. "But I'm heading in the right direction."
And so, elf and child fell asleep, the small ragged horse clutched once again by the little child, protecting against bad dreams.
~fin
what did you think? pleaseohplease review!!!
Notes/Begging: is anyone even reading this? please PLEASE review if you are. last chapter, ever, i think. on with it!
*~*~*
The twins had been in Imladris for a month before Elrohir began to sicken. It had been slow and gradual, but inevitable, Elrond reflected, cursing himself for not seeing it sooner. Estel and Elrohir had been at the river, picking wildflowers for Arwen, when suddenly Elrohir fainted. Wild with worry, Estel had hauled his friend onto his horse with an admirable display of strength. When the duo reached the House, the little boy had called and called the servants until Elrond was summoned and brought to his sons. Elrond had scooped his son up in his arms, and rushed down to the Halls of Healing, memories of Arryn haunting him.
Estel was at the door again. "Father, how is he? Will Elrohir be alright? Father?" The boy's face was streaked with tears, and his lower lip shook. "I got him here as fast as I could! I tried, I did!"
With a small noise, Elrond swooped down and picked up the small human boy. "Estel you did wonderfully! What is happening to Elrohir is not your fault!"
The boy sniffled. "But will he be alright, Father?"
Elrond was silent, somber. "I don't know Estel. He is grieving Arryn. He may come out of this and be just fine. But he may also succumb to the shadows and…"
Estel sobbed and buried his face in his father's strong shoulder. "He has to get better! He has to!"
Looking helplessly over Estel's head at Elladan and Arwen sitting on the bed next to Elrohir, he could not keep back the single tear that traced his cheek. Arwen saw this and turned and buried her face in Elladan's neck. The two elves held each other tightly, praying to Elbereth for the health of their beloved brother.
Estel struggled free of his father's embrace, and raced to the door. When Elrond asked confusedly what he was doing, he cried: "I forgot!" and was gone.
Shaking his head, Elrond turned back to his son, gently wiping his forehead with a cool cloth. Elrohir shifted and moaned beneath his touch. The Elf Lord put the cloth back on the table, and leaned over to kiss his son's brow. "Naamarie, Elrohir."
Looking to Elladan, he tried to smile. "He will be alright, Elladan. I am sure of it." He crossed the room to stand before the two weeping elves. "Elrohir is strong. He will survive." He leaned down, enfolding both his children in his arms, holding them tightly. "I am going to get some rest. Will you watch him for a while, Elladan? I will be back before long."
The dark haired elf nodded wearily. "I will, Ada. Thank you."
Arwen looked up. "Glorfindel is waiting for you Ada. Go to him."
Estel burst into the room, holding a small stuffed horse. "I forgot to give this to him! He will have bad dreams if Kellye isn't with him!"
Elrond smiled at the childish notion. Estel walked firmly over to Elrohir, and tucked the horse under the elf's arm, smoothing the creases in the sheets covering him. With a quick look around, Estel leaned forward, and kissed the elf, who moaned and moved into the touch. Elrond smiled and patted the boy's shoulder, leaving the room, looking for his love, Glorfindel. Arwen followed him out.
Estel chanced a look at Elladan, whom he had never liked much, and was startled to discover that the elf was standing behind him, looking at him with a very odd look on his face. "You brought Elrohir back to the House. That is an amazing feat for one so young- however did you lift him?"
Estel felt for some reason that he had to defend himself. "I didn't carry him, I dragged him, then his horse knelt on the ground, and I lifted him onto its back. He wasn't that heavy; or did you not realize how little he eats?"
"I realized. I despaired. He speaks to you: I cannot get him to reveal anything to me. You are but a child," his tone was not scathing, but wondrous. "What does he see in you?" He sounded truly curious.
Estel looked at the floor. "I do not know, but I very much value his friendship. Elrohir is very dear to me."
"As he is to me." Elladan suddenly seemed to come back to himself. "Is it not time for you to go to bed?" He said brusquely.
Estel looked once more to the figure on the bed, and then looked back down at the floor. "I was actually wondering…" he chanced a look up at the older elf. "Could I… could I stay with him?"
Elladan was surprised to say the least. "I suppose so. Take the bed across from him."
Estel swallowed and nodded; eyes back on the floor. He walked over to the bed and crawled in. He watched through half-closed eyes as Elladan leaned over his twin, and once more wiped the cloth across his forehead. The elf returned to the chair under the window, sitting slowly, watching his brother worriedly.
Sometime after midnight, Elladan finally fell asleep. Estel silently slipped out of bed, and crossed to Elrohir's bed. He smiled to see the horse still firmly tucked beneath Elrohir's arm, and gently patted its ragged but well-loved face. He opened the sheets, and slid into them, automatically curling up around the cold body. The boy rested his head on Elrohir's chest, feeling the reassuring heartbeat, slow and strong. He hugged the prone form, feeling tears prick at the corners of his eyes. //you can't die! I won't let you!//
Sleep called to him, so he didn't feel it when Elladan slipped into the bed behind him, holding their slumbering forms.
*~*~*
Elrond opened the door to the Halls of Healing, and smiled at the sight before him. Elrohir was embraced by Estel and Estel in turn embraced by Elladan. Glorfindel peeked his head in at his lord's wave and almost laughed. "What do you say we leave them for a while?" the blonde whispered into Elrond's ear. "Hmmm. Sounds good." Elrond kissed Glorfindel's cheek, and turned to go.
As he turned he caught sight of a small movement. The two Elf lords watched in awe as Elrohir raised his arm, and embraced both his twin and his young friend. He opened his eyes, looking bemused at the two sleeping faces. His bemused look changed to a grin as he noticed the small stuffed toy that had migrated from his arm, back to Estel's embrace. Elrohir heard a small noise, and turned his head to the door. He smiled and nodded sleepily at his father and Glorfindel, who were holding on to each other tightly. Sighing, Elrohir turned his head back to his brothers, and nestled his head in between Elladan's and Estel's, succumbing back to sleep almost immediately.
Elrond embraced Glorfindel hard, nearly crying in his relief.
*~*~*
Elladan, Elrohir and Estel rode along the Bruinen, enjoying the clear day and each other's company. They at last stopped for their lunch, settling under a large willow, chosen for the screen of branches touching to the ground.
"How are you brother? Are you truly well enough to be out here?" Elladan asked worriedly.
"I am fine, Elladan! Besides, I have things I must say to you. To you both." Elrohir looked suitably exasperated at his brother's mother-henning. Estel snickered into his sandwich.
Elrohir took a breath. "When I was unconscious, I saw things. I thought they were memories, but they weren't, at least, not all. They were images, sounds, experiences that I couldn't possibly have had. I saw the Sea. I saw Gondolin, great once more. I saw Mordor.
"These couldn't have been my memories. I have come to decide that they are the memories of those I hold dear to me. I saw Arryn's parents, and his sister. Estel, I saw your father. I saw Arryn in the orcs hold. I knew what he was thinking, what he was feeling. I heard him call out to me; I knew when he went mad. But just before I awoke, I saw him. He was whole and unscarred, singing and laughing and as full of love as he always was.
"He spoke to me, told me that he did not blame me for what happened to him. He said…many things, but mostly that I had a wonderful family who would do anything for me. And that I shouldn't throw you away by fading to grief. It was very poetic." Here Elrohir rolled his eyes, but the other two could see just how much Arryn's speech had affected him.
"So, I wanted to thank you. Both of you. I owe you my life." With that, Elrohir rose to leave. The other two scrambled up, feeling somewhat awe by this speech. The elf parted the curtain of branches, and vanished through them. Estel and Elladan were left staring at each other, before Elrohir suddenly reappeared through the tree. He grabbed both of them, hugging them hard and fierce. They heard a whispered "Thank you," and then he was gone again.
*~*~*
That night, Estel once again crept down the hall, and slipped into Elrohir's room. The dark-haired elf was waiting for him, and as the boy slipped under the sheets, he found himself being presented with a certain small, stuffed horse. "You forgot him in the Hall. I had wanted to thank you for letting me use him; I know how dear he is to you."
Estel shrugged, tying to be mature. "You needed him more." He pushed away the hand that tried to return the horse. "I'm too old for him anyhow. You keep him."
Elrohir smiled, touched. He nestled the horse back into the crook of his arm, and wrapped the other around the boy. They were quiet for a long while, before Estel spoke.
"Elrohir?"
"Hmm?"
"What you were talking about, today. Does this mean you're alright?"
There was a silence, before Elrohir spoke again. "No." He paused. "But I'm heading in the right direction."
And so, elf and child fell asleep, the small ragged horse clutched once again by the little child, protecting against bad dreams.
~fin
what did you think? pleaseohplease review!!!