Title: Captured Star
Chapter Title: A Fiery Beginning 1/15
Author: TrinityTheSheDevil
Rating: PG 13, just to be safe ...
Genre: Angst, Drama, Action, and HIGHLY AU
Main Characters: The usual! Estel, Elrond, Erestor, Legolas, Glorfindel, Elladan, and Elrohir.
Disclaimer: Down own them. Linden is actually kind of borrowed from Joanne Bertin's "Last Dragonlord", but not really. Only in name, LOL.
A/N: This fic was written for Rhonda, the wench. She bugged me for a "snot-slinging-elf-lord-Estel" fic that was majorlly angst. Well ... here it is! ::sticks tongue out at Rhon::
Summary: After an explosive arguement with Elrond, Estel runs from home. As usual, he lands in trouble (literally). But this trouble just very well may kill him.
/Blah/ Telepathy
'Blah' Thoughts
"Blah" spoken words
Enjoy the fic. That took me 89 pages to write in a notebook. That I spent countless hours on, and it almost killed my poor hand as well as most of my ink pens. *mutters* The things I do for Rhonda .................................
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1948902/1/
Chapter One
Estel ran. He ran like he had never run before. Smoke burnt in his lungs, making him cough badly. They were close. Almost upon him. A random party of orcs he had foolishly - and literally - fallen into the middle of. They used fire to try and trap him, but miscalculated exactly how dry the timber was. There had been little to no rain on the side of the mountain. Now the fire spread dangerously, burning everything in its path. Including living beings.
Sensing enemy movement ahead of him, Estel jumped to the tallest tree he could find and began to climb. The heat was stiffling, choking him. More than once he almost fell back to the ground, gasping for breath. But he kept on, finally making it to the top. Grasping the branch he sat on firmly with both hands, he looked below and gasped.
'Well,' Estel sighed to himself. 'I suppose the good news is the orcs are running away. The bad news is, they're running from the fire that has reached the tree I'm in!'
And he was, quite helplessly, trapped. The fire prevented him from climbing back down and the jump would kill him. If he were an elf, he could chance jumping from tree to tree, but he was only human.
Cursing to himself and trying to find an escape, he almost missed the subtle rumbling sound and shaking of the trees. Swinging his head around, the sixteen year old man-child gasped. Heading straight toward him was a wall of water and mud.
Heart in his throat, Estel sent a prayer wrapped up in a word, knowing that there was no way it would be answered.
'Help me!'
Then the water hit.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Two - Trapped
Elrond paced the Hall of Fire, sighing to himself every few moments. The twins watched this with raised eyebrows and sent a silent question to Glorfindel. The blonde elf shrugged slightly, showing he was just as confused as they were.
"Ada?" Elladan spoke.
Elrond must not have heard him, so wrapped up was he in his thoughts. Either that or he chose to ignore his eldest son. Elladan frowned and decided to try again.
"Ada!" He put a bit more force into the word, making it carry loudly across the quiet room.
"Yes, my son?" Elrond paused in his walking and faced his oldest.
"What troubles you so, ada? You have acted thus for two candlemarks now. Is something wrong?" Elladan was almost afraid of the answer. After all, it took much to shake the Lord of Rivendell. (Or a trouble-prone human teenager and certain Mirkwood elf, both of which were missing at the moment.)
"Nothing is wrong in the physical sense, 'Dan. At least, I hope not. But I fear I have made a grave error in judgement." Elrond sighed again. "Why do humans have to be so stubborn?!" He muttered almost to himself.
"Ah, it is Estel again." Elrohir said, shaking his head. "What happened this time ada?"
"He feels, and maybe rightly so, overprotected. 'Smothered' was the word he used. He doesn't know the reason about why he is so protected. He only knows he is still being slightly coddled." Elrond brought a hand to his forehead, as if to ease tension there. "I only wish he could understand."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Previously ...
"Ada, why do you hold me here still, as if I were only a child?" Estel leaned against the desk his adoptive father was using.
"You are a child, Estel. You are my child. And it is too dangerous for you out there now. Wait until you are older, more experienced. Do not be too eager to face that which would happily take innocence away, as well as your life." Elrond looked up with a pained expression. He wished that Estel wouldn't bring this topic up so often. It was wearing on him.
"Ada, I am not an elf, as I am so often reminded. I am human. And as a mortal, I am a man! Father, I've read about the rangers recruiting boys and men as young as fourteen! I am two years past that! Why do you doubt my skill so?" Gritting his teeth in frustration, Estel slammed his fist against the table. He was tired of being forced to remain behind every time someone went to a strange land. He wanted to see the lights of Lothlorien, to battle the spiders in Mirkwood Legolas told him of, he wanted to meet some of his own kind and talk to others his age. He wanted it so bad he could taste it.
"I do not doubt you, Estel. I know you to be true of heart, brave of soul, and mighty with strength. But you cannot yet fathom the evil that lurks just beyond the doorstep!" Elrond closed his eyes, wishing to tell the young one his true heritage. He wanted to tell Estel that the enemy specifically hunted him, and only him, for the blood that ran through his veins. Then, Estel - or Aragorn - would understand. But that couldn't be, not so soon. The teen would crumple under the weight of so much responsibilility. And that would be something that Elrond would not - or could not - bear. Until the day Estel was ready, he was just going to have to hold on, and keep a close eye on him. Elrond took a breath and continued.
"I love you, ion nin. I love you as I do all my children. And I would do everything in my power to ensure you live to be a ripe old age. But now, I will not have you foolishly throw your life away just because you wish to explore!"
Elrond knew the moment the angry words passed his lips it was a mistake, and he wished he could take them back. Estel's face immediately changed from desperate to a look of pure outrage. His lips thinned, his eyes darkening.
"A fool, am I? More the fool is you then, to keep me as if I were a pet to lock in a cage! I hate you, Lord Elrond. And now, I never wish to see you again!" Estel fled from the room so fast it took the elf lord a moment to realize what had happened. The words felt like a knife piercing his heart, echoing emptily. Cursing loudly in dwarvish, something that would make his sons stare at him in astonishment, Elrond moved to give chase. However, a hand caught him as he stepped out of the room.
"Let him be, Lord Elrond. He needs time to cool down and rethink his hastily spoken words." The calm voice of Legolas floated to him.
"I can't, Legolas! He may leave and get himself injured! I must go to him." Elrond started off again.
"It is too late, my lord. He has already left. But he is not going very far, for he has taken no provisions with him. I think he is just going on a small ride to escape before he says anything else he'll regret."
Elrond paused, then nodded. "You are probably right, Legolas. You know him better than anyone else."
Legolas grinned. "Yes. Which is why I am going to ride after him and knock some sense into that thick skull of his. With your permission, of course." Legolas gave a small bow, grinning wider.
"Just don't hurt him too badly." Elrond chuckled. "And try to have him back before dinner time. Oh, and do make sure he is CLEAN when he arrives at the table. Erestor had a fit the last time Estel showed up looking as if he had rolled in the mud with wild boar."
"I will, Lord Elrond. Do not fear, your son shall be fine. A few lumps on the head maybe, but otherwise perfectly fine!" Laughing out loud now, Legolas bowed once more then swiftly walked out, heading towards the stables.
Elrond watched him go and sent a prayer to whoever may have been listening at that moment. "May you be right, my dear Mirkwood Prince. May you be right."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Present Time ...
"It's for his own good, ada." Elrohir said softly as Elrond finished the tale. "He may not like it but it is necessary for now."
"I do not see why we simply cannot tell him a little of the truth. Then he may not complain so much. It is my opinion that he can handle a some of it now."
"Elladan, come back to reality!" Elrond snapped. "Even if we told him a little of the truth, he would want to know more! And he is a clever boy. Make no mistake, within a week he would have found out every little detail we strive to protect him from now. No, we must wait until it is time to tell him."
Elladan winced slightly. "You are right, ada. My apologies."
Elrond waved off the apology with a flick of his hand, showing his son that it was not needed. In truth, Elrond had asked himself the very same question, but he always came back to the same answer.
Glorfindel stiffened, glancing towards the door just before it burst open. Legolas rushed in, looking very rough around the edges. What appeared to be an arrow wound bled profusely from his shoulder, making drops of crimson liquid splash and pool on the floor. His breath came in ragged gasps, and in his eyes was a look of raw fear and worry. Everyone in the room jumped to attention immediately.
"Legolas, what happened?" Elrond asked, catching the blonde elf before he fell.
"Orcs. Many of them. They were chasing something - or someone. I think they were after Estel! I'm sorry, my lord. I tried to find your son but they set fire to the woods just in the outskirts. I couldn't get in so I came here as quickly as possible." Legolas gasped again, almost falling unconscious. Elrond gripped him tightly, easing him to the floor.
"Dear Valar! Estel is in trouble." Elrond immediately felt guilty. It was his fault now, that his son was out there being pursued by orcs. His fault that Estel could possibly die! Oh, how he wished he could take back the words he had uttered in frustration! "Elladan, you get the riding gear ready. Elrohir, you must fetch the healer Linden, he will take care of Legolas. Give him specific orders that Legolas is not to leave Rivendell, and inform him that he has been poisoned by the arrow that struck him. Glorfindel, ready our weapons." Elrond quickly instructed them and turned back to Legolas. However, he fell short and cried out in pain, clutching his head.
"Ada!" The twins cried, running over. "Ada, what happened?! What is wrong?!"
"The river ... it has broken and formed a landslide. It's sweeping down the mountain!" Elrond struggled for breath, preparing himself for what he must do. "I have to send the water down the valley or everything will be destroyed!"
Just as he said this, the five elves were struck with a sudden vision. Flames licking the tops of trees, and a wave of water heading straight for them. A screamed word of "Help me!" and then ... nothing. But the voice ... the voice was familiar. Too familiar.
"Estel!" Elrond screamed. "Estel, no!"
In that moment, as Elrond hesitated with worry, the river raged on. The water, unfeeling of the damage it wrecked, headed straight towards Rivendell. In less than three moments, the beautiful haven would be no more ... and the inhabitants would most likely perish under the onslaught.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Three - The Hunt
"The river ada! You must control the river!" Elladan yelled, shaking his father.
With a broken sob, Elrond forced himself to concentrate on Vilya, channeling the power to the air and water. A soft glow filled the room and gradually, bit by bit, Elrond forced the rapids back. When finally the water flowed in the right direction, Elrond released his control on it, collapsing backwards into his sons arms. The elf lord shook as sobs wracked his body. The thought that he had just lost his son tormented him mercilessly.
"No, Estel. It cannot be true! My son!"
"Ada, no! Estel is alive, we have to believe that! He is strong and able. He has to be alive. I do not think the fates are so cruel as to deny Gondor her king before he even comes of age!" Elladan said fiercely, helping his father to stand up. He gave a nod to Elrohir, who helped Legolas towards the healing room. Glorfindel stood nearby, ready to assist if called upon.
Elrond nodded weakly, wiping his sleeve across his eyes. "You are right. I am sorry to have despaired my son. Estel is so young, and so mortal." Elrond sniffed one last time. "Come, we must go find him, before the enemy does. No doubt, they will also be on the lookout for him."
Elladan silently agreed and signaled to Glorfindel to fetch the weapons. Glorfindel nodded, quickly walking from the room.
Turning back to his father, the older twin gasped at the desperation clearly shown on his face.
"Elladan," Elrond said gravely. "We have to find him."
"I know ada. I know." Elladan whispered back. He prayed that they did.
---------------------------
Elrohir listened carefully as Linden explained Legolas' injuries. The list was quite extensive and Elrohir knew it would be at least a full week before Legolas completely healed. 'Not that something as minor as a few life threatening wounds ever stopped the stubborn elf.' Elrohir thought. Out loud, he said,
"Just keep him in bed. Tie him up if you have to. Knowing him, that will probably be necessary." Elrohir sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face. Why couldn't life ever be easy for a change?!
'Because then it would be boring.' A little voice whispered in the back of his head. Elrohir muttered and stomped on the voice ... repeatedly ... with quite a lot of satisfaction.
Composing himself, Elrohir clapped Linden on the back gently and walked from the room, outside to the courtyard. His father, Glorfindel, and Elladan were strapping weapons and supplies onto the horses. They were highlighted by the slowly fading sunlight and the swish of a fall's breeze. It would be cold tonight; Elrohir winced as he imagined Estel out in the near freezing weather, wearing little clothes.
'Ai, little brother. You do, however unintentionally, manage to worry us so. I shall have to strangle you if I see so much as one grey hair upon my head.'
"Is Legolas settled?" Elrond asked, mounting his horse.
"Yes, ada."
"Good. We are ready to depart then."
The other three mounted their horses, slowly trotting from the paved cobblestones.
"Valar be with us." Elrond said softly as the sun was setting behind them.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Four - Moment of Despair
Estel shivered as he slowly and painfully regained consciousness. It took him quite a few moments to realize where he was and what had happened. A thick fog had wrapped itself around his brain, making it hard to think.
As the memories of what had happened earlier rushed back to him, Estel winced. He could imagine the look his ada would give him right now; a look of stern disapproval.
'And after this he may not let me out of the house for a long time! Although, that may not be a bad thing.'
Considering his previous actions, Estel guessed that Lord Elrond would keep him on a very short leash for at least three summers, if not longer.
It had, he supposed, started with him stomping from their home in a fit of rage. After that, he rode outwards and left his horse to graze in the clearing. Pure boredom and the need to release some of his pent up energy made him take to the trees, carefully jumping from limb to limb. Crawling into another tree, he had spotted an interesting creature, one his eyes had only seen in a book. An orc. He had never dealt with one of the foul beings, but perhaps ... perhaps if he killed this one, Elrond would not coddle him so much.
With that in mind, Estel followed the orc from above. He moved as silent as any elf, gracefully leaping onto each branch with ease. But the orc turned into a large clearing, where Estel saw, to his utter horror ... more of the creatures. At least thirty of them, all armed to the teeth with crude weapons. What appeared to be the leader was drawing something in the dirt, giving commanding looks to the others. Against his better judgement, Estel bit his lip and crawled out on an overhanging branch to get a closer look.
That was when the major trouble had started. The branch, it seemed, was not as sturdy as he first thought. With hardly any warning it broke, sending the young human plummeting straight down into the orc encampment. The surprise of the orcs gave Estel a moment to scramble to his feet and flee.
They, of course, gave chase and circled around him, starting the fire to hem him in. That had led him to his present situation.
With a sigh, Estel cracked one eye open to assess just what his situation was.
In that moment, his body seemed to come awake all at once. Pain shot through him with a sudden fiery wave that stole his breath. Spots danced before his eyes and he almost lost consciousness again. Out of pure spite to the fates and bad luck, Estel stayed awake.
He had a good idea about where the pain was coming from. A very large tree was laying across the lower half of his body, pinning him to the freezing mud and water-covered the ground. His right arm had literally been speared by one of the branches and was trapped under the wood. Along with that, his body was shaking from the steadily dropping temperature.
Tears prickled at his eyes. The pain was intense, making his body throb with each breath he took. He was sure that one or both of his legs were broken, possibly crushed completely under the weight.
But the worst of it all was the fact that he was alone, trapped in lands he knew were now grounds the orcs walked on, and he was probably dying.
'I want ada.' Estel sniffed. 'I want Elladan and Elrohir to tell me I'm not old enough. I want Legolas to tell me patience is a virtue. I would even love one of Glorfindel's boring lessons at the moment!'
"Where are you ada? I need you!" A sob escaped his lips, echoing in the dim light.
The young man looked upwards, blinking through the tears. The last thing he saw before the darkness took him were the stars, making their first appearance of the night.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Five - A Wanderer's Wonderings
Elladan looked at his father worriedly as the elf lord slumped over in the saddle. Elrond was on the verge of collapsing, Vilya having sapped him of his energy. The ring could not be worn by any other being, except perhaps Gandalf, or an older (and wiser) person; the wielder had to be powerful enough to handle the ring. To bring one such as Elrond to his knees meant that any lesser being who tried to use it would indeed be a fool.
"Ada, we should stop. You need rest." Elrohir spoke softly.
"No!" Elrond's reply was vehement. He snapped upwards, trying to shake off the exhaustion. It didn't work.
"We have to keep looking. Estel will most likely not last the night in this cold. We know he was somewhere on the other side of the ridge, and that is where we are going." Elrond blinked several times, making a pathetic attempt to keep awake.
"Elrond, no. I will not let you continue on like this." Glorfindel said in a tone of voice that the twins rarely heard. It was the "you-will-obey-me-or-I-will-make-you-and-it-will-hurt" one. The voice was never, at least in the twin's lifespans, disobeyed. Their father, however, was a force to be reckoned with. If this was any other time, the two would be betting furiously on who would win and who would end up in the healing rooms.
"Glorfindel, I am NOT stopping for anything; please, do not argue with me!"
"I am not arguing and nor did I say we would stop, mellon nin. But you will ride with me before you fall off of your own horse." Glorfindel kept his voice calm and gentle; the twins absent-mindedly wondered how he did that in such a situation.
Elrond turned to glare but stopped when Glorfindel merely cocked an eyebrow. It was a tribute to how tired Elrond was when he only sighed and pulled his horse to a stop, then climbed behind Glorfindel.
"Lean on me and rest, my friend. We will find him soon enough."
Elrond nodded into Glorfindel's back, about to enter dreamscape. Faint words echoed in his head though, making him jerk upwards again.
/Where are you ada? I need you!/
The emotion behind the words was so lost and afraid; his heart cried out for his son as tears escaped his eyes.
"Faster, Glorfindel."
The blonde elf nodded. He had also heard Estel's voice, and made a vow that he would find the young king of men ... or die trying.
-------------------------------------------------
Legolas blinked himself awake, trying to figure out where he was. Oh. The healing room. He sighed inwardly, knowing how many beams and cracks there were on the ceiling.
'Twenty one beams and thirty five cracks.'
It was truly sad.
"Ah, I see that you're awake!" Linden's annoyingly cheerful voice provoked the ugly dwarves carving inside Legolas' head to work harder. If Linden didn't have his two twins with him, Legolas would have strangled him.
... Wait a minute ...
"I know you probably have blurry or distorted vision and a dreadful headache now, but don't worry! There is good news!" The soon-to-be-dead triplets moved closer. Not close enough though ...
"It will clear up within an hour or so. It's a nasty side effect of the herb I had to use to purge your system. You were, and still are really, in quite a state. Lord Elrohir has given me strict orders to keep you abed, and that is what I will do! Now then, if you'll..."
Legolas ignored the voice as he drifted back off. Another hour, and he would be after Estel again. That was, no doubt, where Elladan and Elrohir were at the very moment. He'd have to kill them when this was all over.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Six - The Escape
The orc leader growled low in his throat, stomping through the hastily erected camp. What was left of his group was a sorry number - about half their original count. Of those, most were injured - some severely - and complaining. Snapping his whip, he brought them to attention.
"Listen up maggots. I don't care if you're a step away from death! Our orders remain the same. Find the heir and take him to our master. Whoever decides to disobey ..." He slung a rather large knife into a nearby tree for example.
"Now, we find him. Dead or alive. Before those cursed elves do!"
Spitting on the ground, he snapped the whip again. The company all trudged outwards, sniffing and growling. He gave a grim smile. He would find that brat of a human ... alive ... or dead.
-----------------------------------
Elrond groaned, leaning against the firm body of one of his best friends. He wondered why his life had to be so difficult. Wasn't being an elf lord enough stress?! Obviously not.
"We're getting closer." Glorfindel informed Elrond.
"I know."
"What if he is captured, my friend? Or worse?" Glorfindel pitched his voice so that the twins could not hear him.
"We can only hope that has not happened. And pray for the best if it has."
Glorfindel held his next question and remained silent, as he felt the tears falling upon his back, dampening his tunic. He prayed Estel was alive, for the sake of everyone.
---------------------------------------
Legolas winced as he woke once more, but the majority of his headache had now disappeared. His vision had also cleared as well, a most welcome improvement. Waiting a few moments for the lingering effects to fade away, he pushed back the light blanket that covered him and stood up.
The room spun for quite a bit before he was able to take a steady step. Smiling to himself, he took another, and another. When he reached the door, he winced as a very loud voice interrupted him. So maybe his headache wasn't completely gone then ...
"Legolas Thranduilion! What in the name of Elbereth do you think you are doing out of that bed?!" Linden asked, moving to push Legolas back.
"I'm leaving to find Estel! Now let me go!" Legolas resisted, struggling to get to the door. He had to find Estel, there wasn't much time left. He couldn't afford any type of delays or distractions.
"No, I forbid it! Lord Elrohir has ordered to keep you in bed and that is where you shall stay!"
Legolas sighed. "In that case Master Linden, I truly am sorry."
The healer looked confused. "For what?"
"For this." Legolas drew back with his good arm and struck Linden across the head, knocking him unconscious. The Mirkwood elf made to catch him, but his injuries slowed him down dramatically. Linden fell with a dull thud upon the floor.
"Oops." Legolas supposed he should have felt some sympathy for the poor elf he just knocked out, but could not find it within himself. With a small shrug he quietly made his way out the door to get ready. Estel was waiting ...
------------------------------------------------------
Somewhere in the quiet night, a boy coughed. Estel was still unconscious, surrounded by a pool of red. Creatures that survived the landslide come to stare at his body, eyeing him greedily.
In his mind, Estel screamed for his father. He screamed for his friends, his brothers. Anybody who could drive away this pain and suffering he was forced to endure. Cold winds blew, causing his body to shake. His lips slowly turned blue as hypothermia set in. The freezing death.
If he were awake, Estel might have found the strength to panic. As it were though, he wasn't. And so, he was unaware of the time slipping by, bringing him closer to death. Whether it be from injuries, or the cold, or even orcs or scavengers. Or possibly ... the slowly rising water threatening to drown him.
___________________________________________________________________________________________--
Chapter Seven - Destruction of the Heart
"Dear Valar, how could anyone have survived that?" Elrond gasped, sliding weakly from the horse. Glorfindel jumped to the ground, ready to catch Elrond if his strength gave out and he collapsed.
Before them lay much destruction. Trees, rocks, and other things swept away in the slide littered the ground. No living thing could be seen or heard. A coldness had settled here that they had not felt before now. Water poured in small streams, left over from the river that previously made a path here. It pooled and deepened in places, making dry dirt into mud that sink any other being into it like quicksand. It was nothing less than a disaster area. Elrohir could not even summon the thought of what would have happened had the slide reached Rivendell.
"We must," Elladan's voice broke. "We must not give up hope. We would know if anything had happened to Estel."
Elrohir nodded, unable to say anything. He only held onto his twin, seeking comfort as much as giving it. Elrond stood nearby, shaking slightly. Glorfindel placed an arm on his friend's shoulder.
"He is right, mellon nin." Glorfindel said.
"I know. Come, we have much to search." Taking a deep breath, Elrond stepped forward unsteadily. The others followed with one thought in their minds ...
How could anyone survive this destruction?
-----------------------------------------------
The orc party had covered quite a bit of land, spanning out and sniffing the air, looking for any sign of life. They had found none so far but that didn't mean the runt wasn't around. He was there ... somewhere. They just had to find him first.
By now, it was pitch black. The wind blew moderately, blowing against them. Good. It would help the evil being smell any blood - or fear.
The leader smiled to himself; he was sure that they would have the child within the night. Perhaps even within the hour if they were lucky. Their lord would be very pleased indeed. As long as he did not learn of the fire and landslide that could have possibly killed the heir...
The orc shrugged to himself. He would worry about that when he came to it ...
-----------------------------------------------
Legolas crept to the stables, wincing with every movement. The arrow wound, (although not that bad), still ached, a result of that ... lovely ... poison.
"Curse the orcs." Legolas muttered. "May they die the most horrible death possible. By dull objects." He thought for a moment. "A spoon would work nicely..."
"Yes, I'm sure it would." A voice said dryly from behind him.
Legolas winced. "Erestor! What a wonderful evening for a ride, don't you think?"
Erestor raised an eyebrow. "With that many weapons?"
"Yes, of course!" Legolas cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Never know what you'll run into while on the trail. Better to be safe than sorry, I always say."
Erestor's silence spoke for itself. "Right. Anyway," He looked around. "I do hope Linden is not too badly damaged?"
Legolas grimaced. "He will have a headache at the least ..."
"Uh huh." Erestor rolled his eyes in a very un-elf like fashion. Then again, Erestor wasn't really what one would call a "normal" elf to begin with.
Giving a whistle, the dark haired elf moved aside as two horses stepped forward, gear already strapped to their backs.
"I took the liberty of getting ready. With your shoulder, it wouldn't do you good to move about too much. Now, if we hurry, perhaps we can catch up with the others." Erestor mounted his horse, waiting.
Legolas' jaw hit the floor. "You ... you're not telling me that I can't go?" He looked astonished.
Erestor snorted. "Valar, no! That would be like telling a rock to sprout legs and run about. I am, however, going with you."
Legolas blinked at this sudden turn of events. Several times.
"You are attracting flies, prince."
Snapping his jaw shut, Legolas glared. Mounting the other horse, more slowly than Erestor had, Legolas whispered to it, and they were off.
"Thank you, Erestor."
Erestor smiled. "Do not make the mistake of thinking you are the only one who cares for that brat of a human. He is dear to me."
"Me also. He is my brother."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Eight - Pure Blind Panic
Estel coughed as he woke once more, bringing up a coppery substance he knew to be blood. Now feeling sick as well as very light-headed, he tried to move the arm that wasn't pinned down. Even that small motion almost made him black out.
'Okay, moving is definitely a bad idea. Not that it was such a good idea to start off with.'
Grimacing, Estel tried to bring the world around him into focus. It was a while before he became fully aware of his surroundings. When finally he did, Estel wished he hadn't, and did the only thing he could think of that was appropriate for the situation: he panicked.
The water, which had been barely covering the back of his head before, was now up to his ears. Another few hours and it would overtake him completely.
The only good thing was, the water was so cold that he could no longer feel anything. As long as he didn't move, that was. In the back of his mind, a little voice whispered something about not shivering anymore being a bad thing. Estel ignored the little voice, deciding instead to just panic further.
'Oh, Valar. I'm going to die a cold death, by drowning! I always thought I'd be killed on the battlefield, and people would remember me in tales ages after, as a hero! Instead I go as a coward who is too spoiled for his own good! Oh, I am so sorry ada, I am. I wish you were here.'
Estel's chest ached as his breathing quickened to alarming rates. He was on the verge of hyperventilating and passing out. Another moment, and he would ...
Just as he thought the world would darken around him, Estel felt a tingling sensation in his head. It felt like an itch, one that you can't scratch. The sensation grew, and as it did, Estel's breathing calmed. His vision returned to normal and his chest gradually unclenched. There was silence, as the young human tried to figure out exactly what had happened.
The sensation remained, growing stronger so that Estel could almost hear it. It was an odd sort of buzzing sound ... what you would hear near a beehive, but it was strangely muted.
Then ...
/Estel?!/
/Ada?!/ Estel gasped. He could hear his father! He could be saved!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"He has to be close. This is where he was swept away, and the slide angled that way." Elladan stood up from where he was crouching, studying the dirt. Ah, even as an elf, the rangers were still better trackers. What Elladan would have given to have Arathorn there. The older twin swore the man was half bloodhound.
"He could be close, yes, but he could be buried under anything. We must tread carefully and leave the horses here."
Glorfindel helped Elrond from his own horse. The elf lord's strength had not yet fully returned. The usually strong elder was currently shaking, as if he were cold. His lips had turned an alarming shade of blue, something that had escaped Glorfindel's attention until now.
"Mellon nin, what ails you?" Pulling off his outer tunic, Glorfindel ignored the protests of Elrond and slipped it over his friends head.
"I do not know. This illness, if you could call it that, has only grown during the ride." Elrond frowned. "The symptoms are nothing like I have encountered before. The lower half of my body pains me tremendously, and my arm feels as if it has been sheared in half by a dull blade."
"Elrond," Glorfindel began, but was quickly cut off.
"No! I will not leave my son out here to die. I am going to stay and find him." Elrond hissed. Glorfindel nodded. He too would do the same if the positions were reversed.
"Come, I think we should-" Elrond gasped and fell to his knees. A wave of emotion rolled over him so strongly that he almost didn't catch the images sent with it. Pure, blind panic. Elrond could see a crop of trees in the visions, near where he stood now. Water ... it was everywhere. And pain so intense it caused Elrond's eyes to fill with tears.
Gathering up his remaining strength as he vaguely felt the others lying him down, he began pushing at the emotion, sending calm thoughts and love to replace it. Moments later he was done and more exhausted now than ever. He took a deep breath and realized ... something wasn't right. Something remained. Taking a small chance, he said -mentally- to the feeling,
/Estel?!/
/Ada?!/ The reply sounded amazed, hopeful, and yet despairing all at once.
Elrond would have leapt for joy if he could have. He currently did not care how this ability came to be, but it had let him find his son. He would worry about that later. Estel was alive, and he was near. Tears once again flowed down Elrond's cheeks.
/Estel! My son, where are you? Are you alright?/ This time, with a bit of trying, Elrond managed to link with Glorfindel and the twins. They all smiled in relief to hear the young one alive.
/Ada, I am trapped! A tree has me pinned down, and the water is rising still! You must help me, there is no time to lose. Please, ada!/ Estel cried out desperately.
/We're coming, ion nin. I think I know where you are now. Just hold on a little longer, Estel. Can you do that?/
/Yes, but hurry ada, I-/ The young one cut off suddenly.
/Estel! What's wrong? What is happening?!/ This time, it was Glorfindel who spoke, fear for the young boy colored in his words.
/W-wolves! Ada please!/ He sobbed. /The wolves are coming closer!/
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Nine - Calm Before The Storm
Erestor eyed Legolas suspiciously. He knew the Mirkwood elf was hiding something, and being stubbornly tight-lipped about it. It grated on Erestor's nerves; he felt that if another moment went by while Legolas tried not to grimace over each horse trot, he would go insane. Well, more insane. But that is another story altogether ...
"Is something wrong, Thranduilion?" There. He broke the silence! Erestor grinned in spite of himself.
"No, nothing is wrong." The short, clipped answer came. Erestor twitched.
"It is not polite to lie ..." Let him get out of that one.
"It is not polite to pry."
Blast it all! If Legolas Thranduilion wasn't the most infuriating elf that Erestor had ever had the displeasure of meeting!
"Quit playing games! I know something is wrong and I would like to know what it is, preferably before an encounter with orcs!" Erestor glared.
"Games? I am not playing games mellon nin, but I do know one where one person has to guess-"
"Greenleaf! Don't make me turn these horses around!"
Legolas almost laughed out loud. "Why, I do believe you just sounded exactly like my father, on those very long trips outside the palace when I was younger." He looked thoughtful. "Not as handsome though."
Erestor sputtered, turning an interesting shade of red. Just as he was about to launch into another argument, Legolas interrupted.
"Peace, my friend. I was only, as Estel says, 'pulling your chain'. I am fine, really. The poison has just wrecked havoc on my system and I have not fully rid myself of the effects."
Erestor continued to glare. "If something is wrong, Legolas, I would like to know. Especially since we do have a high probability of running into some foul creature bent on gleefully killing us."
Legolas grinned widely. "Yes, of course! You will be the first to know, whether it be a bug bite, a stomach rumble, or even an orc wound. Erestor, my dear, sweet, worrying saviour."
"Why do I even bother?!" Erestor muttered.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Linden groaned, blinking into the darkness. His head ached quite a bit, no doubt from where Legolas has knocked him unconscious.
'Ugh! That'll be the last time I try to restrain THAT stubborn, Valar forsaken, Mirkwood elf again!' He grimaced as he stood. 'Elrond better reward me for putting up with this. I think I'll sail before I'm forced to treat Thranduilion again.'
As he made his way across the room on wobbly legs, the door burst open and whacked him in the back, sending him flying several feet. He landed on his stomach, eagle spread with the wind knocked from him.
"Oh, dear me! I am sorry Master Linden! I did not realize you stood behind the door!" One of the maids hurriedly helped him to his feet again, then brushed him off.
All in all, Linden felt that he really wasn't having a very good day. He wobbled yet again, his legs threatening to collapse.
"I am fine, dear girl. Juts a few bumps and bruises but I suppose I'll live." He gave a false smile.
"Right." She grinned back, well unaware of his true feelings. Which revolved around strangling a certain elf at the moment.
"Where is Prince Legolas? I heard he would be spending several days in the healing room." The maid look put out.
Linden grumbled. "Legolas decided he was well enough to go gallivanting across the wilderness. I'm just a healer, who am I to disagree?" Linden noticed the made did not catch the underlying sarcasm.
"Oh, that poor thing." She sighed. "Ah, well, I must attend to my duties. A good night to you, Master Linden." With that, she walked - or trotted, Linden thought - out of the room, humming under her breath.
"Yes." Linden muttered. "He will be a poor thing when I get my hands around his scrawny little neck!"
With that thought in mind, Linden headed off towards his room, visions of death and dismemberment dancing in his head.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
The sound of snarling and heavy footsteps echoed in the night. The orcs, foul creatures that they were, still hunted their prey. Their eyes glowed dimly in the moonlight, as they lifted their noses into the wind.
"He is close." A hoarse whisper came from the left side of the group.
"Yes." The leader grunted. "And the wolves have smelled him also. We must hurry."
The footsteps grew louder as they picked up the pace, causing the few remaining plant life to shudder as they passed.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Ten - Hell Hath No Fury ...
Estel coughed as the water rose even higher. It was now almost completely covering his face; he was forced to move his battered body upwards to air for every breath. Every time he opened his eyes, he shuddered. The wolves were very close, lurking just on the edge of his vision.
/Estel! We are almost there!/ Elrond's muffled voice came inside his head. The link was fading, as Estel himself faded.
/Ada .../ Was all he could manage before he lost consciousness and slipped below the freezing water.
Somewhere nearby, a heart-wrenching scream broke the silence.
---------------------------------
Elrond's chest froze when Estel mentioned wolves. Oh, no. He could not lose his son ... but with every step he took, the pain increased. They were very close.
/Estel! We are almost there!/ Elrond almost gasped as all at once, the pain faded. The link was disappearing! They had to find him, and soon.
/Ada .../ And then, the link was gone completely. Elrond heard the twins gasp and Glorfindel mutter a prayer. But all of this was lost on him. One thought rushed through his head. Estel was dead.
Somewhere, he heard a scream, and wondered who it was. Then he came back to himself as his face blazed in pain. It was he who had screamed. Glorfindel kneeled near him, a worried expression on his face. A small look passed between then before Elrond let out a sob and buried his face in the other elf's shoulder.
"Shh, mellon nin! He may yet be alive! You must not give up on him." Glorfindel soothed the elf lord. The twins were nearby, sniffling to each other.
"I could not bear the thought of losing him, Glorfindel. He is my son, blood or not!" Elrond shook.
Glorfindel gently wiped the tears from his friend's face. "Trust me, my friend. Your son lives, and we must hurry to him now!" Come." He helped Elrond regain his footing.
"What would I do without you, my friend?" Elrond whispered.
"Lose all of your hair?"
Elrond smiled slightly at the half-hearted jest, turning to hug the twins. Then they were off again.
---------------------------------
"I sense that we are getting closer." Erestor whispered. They had passed the horses Elrond and the others left, and now carefully rode towards the group, following the nearly invisible trail.
"Yes. Only a few more moments, perhaps a little more, and we will be caught up with them." Legolas agreed.
They both urged the horses faster, feeling the need to find Estel now. Something was about to happen ... just what, they didn't know. And somewhere inside of them ... they really didn't want to find out.
---------------------------------
The orcs were a few feet from Estel when the wolves attacked. The animals had deemed the orcs invaders to their territory - and food - so they now decided to defend what was theirs.
Two of the orcs who were already badly injured died from the start, razor sharp teeth and claws tearing through their necks. More wolves joined the battle, attempting to take down the foul orcs. That was when a shout was heard.
"ELVES! Damned elves!" The leader cried out. "Kill them!"
Elrond, the twins, and Glorfindel had arrived. They jumped into the fray without batting an eye, killing orcs and wolves alike.
The twins, fighting with short swords, stood back to back. Black and red blood flowed around them as they hacked through fur and skin.
Glorfindel was nearby, his sword shining in the starlight as it cleaved the head off a particularly large and ugly orc, then buried itself in the heart of a leaping wolf.
But most mighty of all was Elrond, whose weapon was nothing but a blur as he killed all who came within hacking range. Issuing a battle cry, Elrond swept to the side, breaking the neck of one orc while simultaneously stabbing another in the chest. Black blood spurted forth onto his arm, coating his clothing, but he paid it no mind.
Although their party was strong, the elves were severely outnumbered. Elladan gasped as he fought off one orc, watching as two wolves prepared to pounce on his twin. Just as they crouched, however, two arrows whistled out of nowhere, killing them instantly.
Elladan stared in confusion as arrows began to rain down around them, dropping both wolf and orc alike. Then he looked over, towards a small ridge, catching sight of a flash of blond hair. He scowled. Legolas, of course, who was supposed to be in bed. He couldn't, however, help but be filled with a sense of relief. Legolas and Erestor sat upon the ridge, picking off the enemy two by two.
Elladan would have to throttle Legolas later, when this was all over, and give him the "no-you're-not-fine-at-all-and-that-was-a-dumb-decision-to-get-out-of-bed-you-idiot" lecture. After thanking him, of course.
The number of the enemy dwindled, the remaining orcs deciding it was much better for their remaining health to get out of there. Their leader had just been felled by an arrow through the head, courtesy of Erestor. They disappeared into the nearby trees, with arrows nipping at their heels.
Elrond's chest heaved as he looked around for Estel. After a long moment, he found him. Or rather ... the boy's arm, sticking out above the rising water.
Elrond's eyes widened when he saw something else; a wolf, snarling, and about to pounce on his youngest son ...
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Eleven
Without giving it a second thought, Elrond dived in front of the wolf. The animal leapt and caught the elf in the chest, sending them both sprawling backwards in the water. Elrond ignored the claws tearing viciously into the skin on his chest and the teeth that clamped on his arm. He only focused on grabbing the knife from his boot and killing the creature. After rolling around a few times, his fingers grasped the familiar carved hilt. In less than a second, he yanked it up and buried it between the wolf's eyes.
Panting with fatigue, Elrond rolled the bloody body off of him. His chest and arms ached terribly, but there was no time for that right now. He shook off the pain and quickly crawled over to Estel, lifting the boy's head out of the water.
Elrond choked on a sob. His son wasn't breathing. Lifting a shaking hand to Estel's throat, he checked for a pulse.
It was there, but very faint. There was still time!
Closing off Estel's nose, Elrond began breathing for the boy, forcing air into the unresponsive lungs. Several times he repeated this action, almost giving up hope when Estel continued to remain unresponsive.
'Come on, Estel! Just one breath ... please!' Elrond breathed into the boy's mouth again.
Finally, with a shuddering breath, Estel coughed and spit out the water that resided in his lungs. Coughing several more times, his breathing finally leveled off and opened his eyes. It was the most beautiful sight Elrond had ever seen.
"... A-...ada?" His voice was so low that the elf lord could barely hear it.
"Yes, ion nin, I am here! I have you!" Elrond wept in relief, finally able to have his son in his arms again.
"Ada, ... I'm sorry ..." Estel said, his eyes also filling with tears. He realized then what he had put his father through, as he watched the oh-so strong elf cry.
"Estel! My dear son, there is nothing to be sorry for!" Elrond smiled down. "Now rest. We will get you out of here."
Estel nodded slightly and drifted off, his body falling limp in Elrond's arms.
Around this time, the rest of the group had finished driving off the remaining wolves. Elladan limped towards them, a claw having torn through his leg. Elrohir supported his brother as best he could, as his own arm bled from a gash caused by an orc blade. Glorfindel, with his head held high, stubbornly ignored the blood that ran from his shoulder. He had been speared by an orc who had gotten through his defenses. The Gondolin elf smiled dryly to himself ... that had been the orc's <i>last</i> mistake.
Legolas and Erestor were fine, having not actually fought. They used up their arrow supply though, getting rid of the creatures that had threatened their loved ones.
All quickly went over to Elrond and Estel, glad the young boy was alive. Now they just had to keep him that way.
Elrond looked up with anguish in his eyes. "We have to remove the tree. He is slowly bleeding to death."
They nodded and moved into position. Even Legolas, who received several stern glares. He ignored them and focused on the task at hand.
Elrond remained in place, holding Estel's head above the water. With his other hand, he grasped the branch that pinned Estel down.
"On three." Elrond said. "One ... two ... three!"
The elves heaved, using all of their natural elven strength to roll the tree off of Estel. They continued rolling it a good distance, to be sure it wouldn't roll back towards the boy.
When done, Elrond ripped his shirt off, tieing it on the human's shoulder to stop the bleeding. He ran a critical eye over Estel's wounds. The boy's left leg was definitely broken in two spots - it would have to be set when they arrived back at Rivendell - and the right was either broken or fractured. Multiple cuts and bruises covered him, and Elrond guessed he had internal bleeding as well. At least two of his ribs were broken and three others fractured. On top of all of that, Estel was suffering from hypothermia and the beginnings of a bad cold.
They had to get him back to Rivendell - and <i>now.</i> Elrond could not bear to think of what would happen if they did not.
As if reading his mind, Legolas called the horses over. Elrond's horse, as well as the others, had followed them and waited patiently for their masters. They trotted over, standing in a protective circle around the group.
Erestor, possibly the only elf not injured in their party, leaned down to take Estel while Glorfindel helped Elrond to his horse. He then handed the limp body back to Elrond and climbed onto his own horse.
"We must ride to Rivendell, and fast." Elrond said, then spoke quiet words to his mount.
The others did the same, riding off into the moonlight, and hoping to make it home on time.
______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Twelve - Revenge
The ride was hard, although the horses tried to make it as smooth as possible.
It was as if they sensed their rider's pain and thoughts, which could have very
well been possible.
Elrond grimaced. The pain and blood loss made his vision sway, but he held tight to his burden. Estel's breath gradually grew more shallow with each passing moment, worrying the elf lord greatly.
Elrond looked around, growing even more worried as he did so. Everyone except Erestor was in some state of injury, clinging to their rides. There was much healing to be done this night.
A long hour passed and finally they could see the lights of Rivendell. There was more than one smile of relief as they