Elladan woke up to the sound of his twin whimpering from the other room. He had let the door between his own room and Elrohir completely open so he would know if anything happened.

Elladan sat up in the bed all the previous tiredness flew out of him. He saw Elrohir through the doorway and saw that his twin was pale and rolling around in the bed. His eyes were screwed shut and there was sweat glistening on his forehead. Elladan flew up from his own bed and hurried into Elrohir's.

Elladan sat down beside his brother and placed his hand on Elrohir's cheek, "Elrohir." He called trying to wake him up. Elrohir flinched sharply away from Elladan's and muttered something hysterically under his breath.

"Elrohir." Elladan called a little louder. He shook Elrohir's shoulder terrified. He could see clearly that Elrohir was in pain and when he moved from where he had lain there were dots of blood marring the sheets.

"Elrohir please wake up." Elladan pleaded and shook Elrohir's shoulder harder. Elrohir lashed out at him, but Elladan caught the fist and yelled, "Elrohir!"

Elrohir flew up with a shout. He tackled Elladan down on the bed and took a hold of his arms. Elladan did nothing to resist knowing that it would only make it worse.

Elrohir looked wide-eyed at his brother for a few minutes breathing heavily. There was a look of terror and fear in his eyes. Elladan held his eyes captured with his own and soon Elrohir calmed down, recognition and pain flew into his eyes. Tears slowly made their way down his cheeks. He let himself fall down on top of Elladan sobbing into his shoulder. Elladan held his brother gently as he cried not wanting to hurt him.

"I'm sorry Elladan." Elrohir whispered hoarsely after some time. He had calmed down so much that he was only crying softly.

"Shh…" Elladan answered, "You have nothing to be sorry about." He looked down at his brother. The bruise on his cheek had only deepened in color over the night. Now there were also tear lines.

"I know that it hurt you, that I didn't tell you about Daeron hitting me." Elrohir continued looking guiltily at Elladan.

Elladan drew he brother closer to him, "Of course I was hurt that you hadn't told me, but that was not the biggest reason why it hurt. You should have never gone through something like that alone. I should have known what was going on. I should have realized it and I should have stopped it. I should have protected you." Elladan said fiercely.

"There was no way you could have known Elladan. I hid it from you." Elrohir whispered. "Daeron was careful never to do anything when there was someone else around."

"How many times Ro?" Elladan asked.

"I doesn't matter now Elladan." Elrohir sighed, "What happened, happened. It is in the past and there is nothing that can change it."

Elladan nodded reluctantly. He had always felt a strong need to protect Elrohir; maybe it was because Elrohir was so gentle. He would never hurt anyone other than if he didn't have a choice. It was something that had resulted in Elrohir getting hit quite often when they were younger. Elladan had always fought for Elrohir, but there were only few times when Elrohir had got into a fight he was usually the one to stop fights. If someone wanted to fight Elrohir they would have to seriously provoke him. The times when he had fought it was always defending others.

His thoughts dispersed when he felt Elrohir trembling against him. His worry spiked and he asked, "What's wrong Elrohir? Are you in pain?"

Elrohir's teeth clattered, but he still managed to ask, "Why… is it so c… cold in here?"

"What?" Elladan asked sharply. The room's temperature felt normal to him. His hand flew up to Elrohir's forehead fearing that he would have a fever. He was shocked however to find that Elrohir's skin was ice cold. "You've over exhausted your body Elrohir. Must be the shock from all your injuries over the last week catching up to you. You're in shock."

Elladan gave Elrohir a squeeze and rubbed his arms to warm him up before rising from the bed and building a fire in the fireplace. Once the fire was blazing Elladan went inside his own room and gathered his covers and pillow.

In the meantime Elrohir had gotten under his own covers and was deeply buried. Elladan could still se him shaking. He threw his own covers over Elrohir as well. He then got into the bed beside Elrohir and pulled his body close against him, knowing that it was important to get Elrohir warmed up as soon as possible.

Elrohir continued to tremble in his arms for a long time, but finally it started to subside. Elladan didn't let go of his brother. Both of them melted together. Elladan wasn't sure whether he was in Elrohir's mind or his own. He knew though, when images started to show, that he was in Elrohir's.

Flashes of the nightmare were now shown to Elladan.

The orc was pounding his back with the whip, white-hot pain sliced though him with each stroke – Daeron stood before him fist raised to hit him again – shock poured through him when he realized that Saewyn had been a traitor, not for himself, but for his brother – he grabbed the arrow tightly in his shoulder ripping it out, the sound it had made… - the look of despair Elladan gave him as he watched him get tortured – running through a dark corridor, there was light ahead –

The images vanished quickly from Elladan mind as Elrohir realized what Elladan had seen and was about to see.

A feeling of dread spread through Elladan, he had recognized those corridors. He would never forget them. "You saw Nana…" Elladan whispered. He tightened his arms around Elrohir. His own mind immediately brought forward the image of his mother lying there tortured in that dark cave. The light in her eyes had been swallowed by the darkness. The hair that had previously shined brightly was dulled and she nearly didn't recognize her own sons.

Elrohir rolled over in his brother's arms so he was facing Elladan. He put his hand on Elladan's cheek; both of their eyes were pain filled. The image would forever haunt them, they were well aware of that, but they had each other to lean on.

Elladan took hold of the hand his twin had placed on his cheek. He held it closely. "Sleep, Elrohir…" He said gently.

Elrohir's eyes were almost desperate, "I can't. I… I don't'…"

"Shh…" Elladan moved closer to Elrohir, "I'm not going anywhere. I won't let anything happen."

Elladan quietly hummed a song and watched as Elrohir at first fought so he wouldn't fall asleep and then succumb to his tiredness. Elrohir's eyes slipped closed and his breathing evened out. Elladan soon followed him.

O

When the wounds on his back had faded to scars. Elrohir was asked to testify in the court against Daeron. It was strange telling everything to many people he barely knew, but he kept his voice as emotionless as possible and told them everything they needed to know. After that he was excused.

Daeron's family was at court threatening to never help Rivendell again, but Elrond was not swayed. It was such a serious case that he couldn't disband it. Daeron's actions had almost cost him his son, or both his sons. Daeron was blaming it on being drunk, he said that he had no recollection of what he had said, but he knew nothing of this.

Elrohir walked out of the room so deep in thought that he didn't notice Elladan standing at his side.

"Hey." Elladan said. Elrohir tensed and hurriedly took a step away from Elladan before he had even realized what he was doing. Elladan looked worriedly at him.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Elrohir nodded, even though Elladan could see that he was not.

"How about we take a walk in the gardens?" Elladan asked before taking his brother's arm and leading him in the direction of the gardens. Elrohir just went along with him.

"I don't think he is going to be convicted." Elrohir said suddenly after some time of walking.

Elladan's brow furrowed, "Why? He did it, he should be. There was no denying that he was trying to kill you."

"Oh but there is." Elrohir said, "What he said could easily have passed as rambling and maybe I had made it all up because I had something against him. The bruises on my cheek were inexcusable, but it was only slight violence and he did not wound me fatally. He just had a fit of rage while being drunk hardly the thing to be convicted of anything serious."

Elladan stopped in his tracks, "That's preposterous!" he said angrily. "We know that he helped Saewyn."

"Yes, we know." Elrohir continued calmly, "But there isn't any evidence against him. All they have for the belief is my word of his words. Now that the fact that he has hit me before is out then that could easily be lying because I wanted revenge."

"They know who you are Elrohir." Elladan said hotly, "They know that you would never do anything like that."

Elrohir sighed, "We'll just have to wait and see."

They sat down on a bench and waited. Almost two hours went by before a furious Elrond came walking towards them. From the outside he looked calm, but the twins could see that there was barely contained anger beneath his demeanor.

Elladan got up from the bench while Elrohir continued to sit calmly. "What happened Ada?" Elladan asked.

"He got away with it." Elrond told anger hanging in his words. "There was nothing to tie him with Saewyn and so his family used their talk to sway almost everyone else that Elrohir was only saying it because he wanted revenge."

"They did what?" Elladan said angrily.

"The evidence was clear about him hurting Elrohir, but the only thing I could do was to banish him from Rivendell. There will be no further punishment than that." Elrond said bitterly.

Elrohir nodded calmly. He had known that that would happen. "…That's fine Ada. You don't have to be so angry."

"This is my son we're talking about." Elrond said and walked up to Elrohir, "You are my son and to listen to them trying to dirty your name by saying you wanted revenge… He deserved more punishment than he got. He was planning to destroy Rivendell and take it for his own."

"He can no longer do that if he is banished from Rivendell." Elrohir said.

"But he has a right to be everywhere else." Elrond sighed, "You could meet him again."

Elrohir just nodded at that.

Elladan let out a frustrated growl and slammed his fist into the tree in front of him. He turned away from them and went into the forest. Elrohir and Elrond watched him go, but they didn't go after him. He needed some time to sort his thoughts.

Elrond looked at Elrohir who was still staring at the place Elladan had disappeared. He had just heard the whole story. When Elrohir had testified he had told them almost everything that had happened the first times Daeron had hit him. As a parent he still felt that he should have realized what was going on and stopped it. Hearing how many times it had actually happened over the years was painful, and to think Elrohir had gone through it alone…

Elrond hugged his son, making Elrohir look surprised at him before hugging him back. They stayed like that for a while before Elrond had to go inside and make sure everything was proceeding as agreed. Daeron was to leave today.

Elrohir kept sitting on the bench enjoying the sun and feeling it's warmth on his face. He closed his eyes and listened to the natural sounds of the forest and sky. Suddenly a shadow passed in front of his eyes and stayed there. Elrohir opened his eyes and looked right into Daeron's. Without giving Elrohir the time to defend himself he slammed his fist into Elrohir's rips. Elrohir doubled over painfully.

"You will pay for what you have done." Daeron hissed. "I told you from the first time that if you ever said any of it then you would pay and now you've told everything. You've ruined my life here in Rivendell and ruined every plan I had for taking over this valley."

"So now you're admitting it." Elrohir said through his teeth. He pressed his arm against his ribs.

Daeron growled and threw another punch at Elrohir, but know Elrohir was ready and his senses were sharpened in comparison to the last time Daeron had attacked him. He hit Daeron's fist away before it could connect with his body. Then he got up quickly and moved away from Daeron.

"What do you want Daeron?" He asked, "Just to raise your fist against me one last time before you leave Rivendell forever or is there something more important?"

"You should never have told them Elrohir." Daeron spit angrily.

"What difference would it make? They already knew the last time you attacked me. Elladan saw it. Why no tell the rest?"

"My family despises me now and that is entirely your fault."

"How can it be my fault when you were the one who hit me? I never raised a hand against you. If your family despises you then why did they do so much to keep you from being punished?"

"That is none of your concern!" Daeron said and lunged at Elrohir.

At the same time two shouts could be heard from either side of them.

"Elrohir!"

"Get away from my son!"

Elladan and Elrond came running towards them, but they knew that they would never make it in time to stop the attack.

Elrohir sidestepped quickly as Daeron came towards him. He dodged again as Daeron threw a fist at him. Retreating backwards as Daeron came at him again.

Daeron growled at him after having lunged at him again, "Why do you never fight back?"

At that moment Elladan grabbed him from behind and dragged him away from Elrohir. Elrond positioned himself between them, but Elrohir and Daeron merely looked into each other's eyes.

"Because it would be unnecessary." Elrohir answered quietly. "You are not worth it."

Daeron growled angrily and struggled to get out of Elladan's arms.

"Enough!" Elrond shouted angrily. Daeron immediately quieted down, but he looked at Elrond with eyes full of hate. "Pack your things and leave. If I ever see you near my son again I will not be as forgiving as I am now."

Daeron snarled angrily and forced himself out of Elladan's arms. He glared one last time at Elrohir before stalking away towards the house.

Both Elladan and Elrond came over to Elrohir when Daeron had left their sight. Elrohir smiled weakly at them. "I'm fine." He said. He could see from the dark looks Elladan and Elrond gave him that they didn't believe him.

Elladan walked up to Elrohir and lifted his tunic. He had felt where Daeron had hit him.

"Elladan." Elrohir sighed, "It doesn't matter."

The hand Elladan used to lift his tunic clenched together hardly, but he said nothing. He kept lifting the tunic until the bruise was revealed.

"Elladan." Elrohir sighed again and pried his hand off his tunic. He knew that Elladan and Elrond were shocked and that it was a new situation for them, but he dealt with it alone for such a long time. They were more hurt than he was and that just wasn't something he could deal with at the moment. He knew he couldn't convince them that he was fine. There was worry in both their eyes.

He out his hands on either side of his brother's face and made him look at him. "I'm fine Elladan." He insisted, "Really, there is no need for you to worry."

"How can I not worry?" Elladan asked hotly, "He hit you."

Elrohir let his hands fall down, "I know. But Elladan that isn't something new for me. I know it's knew for you, and that you're shocked, but I got over it years ago."

Elladan took a step back form Elrohir, "You shouldn't have had to. When I saw him attacking you, I just…"

"You wanted to hit him." Elrohir finished he had felt the emotions running through Elladan.

Elladan nodded, "I should have hit him."

Smiling Elrohir shook his head, "Let it go. He is leaving Rivendell today."

"Exactly. I should have hit him while I got the chance. For everything that he has done to you."

"I never fought back when he hit me." Elrohir started, "He kept asking me why I never fought back, I think he wanted me to. He knows that I can fight, that I could win against him if he tried. But to be ignored by me someone smaller than himself. He could do anything to me and I wouldn't lift a finger. I think that hurt him more than if I had hit him. He has always just been as good as his family was, never got anything just for him. He was jealous and he as hurting. Hitting me made him feel both better and worse about himself. His temper and pain made him hit me, but he always wanted me to fight back because he thinks he deserves it."

"How long have you known that?" Elladan asked.

Elrohir smiled, "I'm very observant." He placed his hand on his brother's arm. "You don't always have to protect me Elladan. You made a promise to yourself that you would take care of me. I know that you feel like you failed me and that you should have known since I was your twin. It pains you that I didn't say anything because you think you could have stopped it, but Elladan what could you have done? If you had found out then you would have fought him. You would have fought for me, but it wouldn't have helped anything. I came to the selfish conclusion that I would handle it on my own and I never planned on telling you what really happened."

Elladan bit his lip.

"You're my brother as well Elladan." Elrohir continued, "And as you have sworn to protect I have done the same. I didn't want to risk anything happening to you and I would never forgive myself if you were hurt after I had told you what really happened."

Elrohir hugged Elladan tightly while is eyes rested on his father. Elrond was looking at some undiscoverable point in the ground. He let go of Elladan and walked up to his father.

"You're not at fault Ada." He said calmly.

"You're my son and I should have known if anything like that was happening to you. Even if the times were rough then it shouldn't have been one of your concerns only mine. You were a child Elrohir, something like that shouldn't have rested on your shoulders." Elrond said and looked at Elrohir.

Elrohir nodded and hugged his father tightly, "I know… I love you Ada."

"Though I believe that you are underestimating me." He added as he let go of Elrond and walked away with a grin on his face. "And Elladan you're to be the next lord of Rivendell I do believe you should do something about that temper of yours."

Elrohir sat out in a run when Elladan started to chase him.

Elrond sighed. Most people didn't notice Elrohir as much. The main people were Elrond and Elladan because they were set to rule Rivendell. He feared the impact Elrohir had on them never would be known by others, that they would never know how much he actually did for them. He pushed them forwards and brought light and gentleness into their days. He knew that when Elladan would become lord of Rivendell then Elrohir would never let him falter and that was a comforting thought.