Thanks to daw the minstrel for beta reading this chapter

Chapter 12 Reunions

Elrond’s eyes focused in bewilderment on the canvas above his head as one hand swung in the air off the side of his bed, grasping for the ground and finding nothing.  He shook his head, hoping to shake the cobwebs free. He distinctly remembered going to sleep on the ground beneath the stars.

“Confused?”

Elrond sat up, glancing around the semi-enclosed tent, and despite his confusion could not help but admire the design which could allow in light and air when desired. His eyes finally settled on Glorfindel who sat on a cot next to his own.

“Yes. You?” he finally answered.

“Definitely.  Do you think if we closed our eyes and slept a while longer, we might wake up in Imladris?”

Elrond cast a cautious glance around the tent before answering.  “I doubt nothing with Galadriel,” he admitted. “I did not hear Elrohir or Arwen during the night.”

“Nor did I,” confirmed Glorfindel. “I am sure Celeborn and Galadriel kept them comfortable through the long watch.”

“For that I am grateful, but I think I must confirm it with my own eyes,” answered Elrond as he rose.  He dressed quickly, then stepped around the still sleeping Elladan and left the tent.

The sun shone brightly in the crisp morning air, and the smell of breakfast drifted towards him.  Elves were gathered near the cooking fire, speaking quietly and laughing as they ate. Elrond could scarcely believe the change in the camp that had happened during the night.  Suddenly it appeared as if a small village had grown up around them.

“Ada!”

Elrond turned to see Arwen sitting in her grandmother’s lap, her hair being brushed and braided. Galadriel set her on her feet with an indulgent smile and laughed as Arwen rushed to her father.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” he greeted her as she flung herself into his arms. “You look as if you slept well.”

“I did, Ada, I did!” she said happily.  “I am glad Daernaneth and Daeradar are here.”

“I am glad too,” he agreed. “How is Elrohir this morning?”

Arwen’s face grew serious.  “Daeradar said he is a little better. I am sorry he broke his leg again, Adar.  I want to tell him so, but Daernaneth said he is finally sleeping well so I should not disturb him.”

“I know he will be glad to talk to you when he wakes.” Elrond hugged his daughter and watched as she returned to Galadriel’s arms. She was walking less stiffly and the good night’s rest had clearly done wonders for her mood. 

Elrond made his way to where Elrohir was sleeping, apart from everyone else.  A tent had also been erected above him, and beneath his mattress was a low platform. Elrond was pleased that the elves who had set up the camp had adjusted their plans to account for the bed which had clearly made Elrohir more comfortable.

“He had periods of restlessness when he was clearly in pain.  It was difficult to chase the pain away for long, and I finally dosed him with the herbs you had set aside for him,” reported Celeborn without preamble. Long fingers stroked the dark hair. “This is the most comfortable he has been.”

Elrond knelt next to his son’s bed, studying the face before him.  He slid his hands beneath the warmth of the blankets, and checked the toes and the little bit of exposed skin that were not encased in the bandages and splints.  The toes were pink and warm, and Elrond sighed in relief.

“I had feared the new damage was more serious.  I will unwrap the leg later and examine it more closely, but what I see looks good.” He turned to meet his father-in-law’s eyes.  “Thank you.”

Celeborn looked at him with eyes that showered warmth and love. “You appeared pushed beyond endurance when we arrived last night. I know you could have continued, had you needed to, but I am glad we could help relieve your burden.”

“I knew the moment they were conceived that they would hold my heart in their hands, and never has that proven more true.  My children have all struggled and suffered through this, and it has pained me to watch them – and to let them make their own decisions.”

“Yes,” Celeborn agreed, his eyes twinkling. “Our children can vex us, frustrate us and worry us with their decisions.”

Elrond studied his father-in-law for a moment, trying to determine if he had just been insulted. After all, Celebrían had made the decision to marry him. He decided to ignore the implication.  “Your child may wish to physically hurt me next time she sees me,” he admitted ruefully.

Celeborn’s eyes narrowed slightly.  “Just where is my daughter?  Elrohir was not coherent enough to tell me.”

“I expect she is about a two day ride behind you,” answered Elrond. “We left Imladris together when we sensed that some harm had befallen the twins. We located them here and found Arwen with them, and I crossed the river while Erestor led the rest of the party down to the bridge at Tharbad.”

Celeborn’s eyebrows rose nearly to his hairline.  “You crossed the river to be with your children, but Celebrían did not?  By what force did you hold her back?”

Elrond felt heat rising in his cheeks. “I would not risk Celebrían over the flood waters.”

Celeborn glanced down to the water’s edge and then back at Elrond.  “You are far less graceful than Celebrían and you made it across.”

“Elrohir’s leg was badly broken and he needed the aid I could provide.  The situation warranted me risking my own life, but I would not allow her to risk her own,” replied Elrond, an edge to his voice.

Celeborn appraised him silently for a moment, and then answered, “You are correct in one thing for certain, Elrond.  Celebrían will be very angry with you when she arrives.”

Elrond forced his face impassive and leaned forward to touch Elrohir’s face.  Content his son would remain sleeping for at least a short while longer, he rose and nodded to Celeborn.  “Thank you for keeping watch over him,” he said, allowing his gratitude to come through in his words.  Then he turned and walked away.

The smell of breakfast no longer seemed appetizing, so he walked in the opposite direction to where the spring bubbled merrily.  Kneeling beside it, he splashed the cold water on to his face and drank from his cupped hands. Then, seeking solitude, he walked up to the ridge where Glorfindel and Elladan had gone the day before.

* * *

Glorfindel watched Elrond walk away in silence.  He had overheard the conversation the half-elf had had with Celeborn, and it was clear to him that Elrond needed time alone.  At times like this, Glorfindel was reminded of why he had never aspired to hold power.  Such positions relegated one to being alone and to having every action judged. Consensus was often difficult and complete agreement was entirely impossible.

“He is on edge,” stated Celeborn as Glorfindel walked past him.

“Aye, he is,” agreed Glorfindel.

Glorfindel refreshed himself at the spring and filled his water skin before returning to where Elrohir lay.  He knelt beside the young elf and stroked the dark hair. Elrohir’s eyes were closed again, and Glorfindel sighed softly as he thought of how well he had been doing.

“What happened to him?” asked Celeborn.

Glorfindel paused for a moment as the vision of Elrohir fighting the river for his life and for that of his sister flashed in his mind.  He was about to speak when Elrohir’s eyes fluttered open.

“Good morning, Elrohir,” he greeted their patient instead.

Dull eyes met his, and Glorfindel felt his heart sink.

“Hello, Glorfindel,” answered Elrohir as he lowered his eyes.

“How do you feel this morning, elfling?” Glorfindel gently tipped the chin up so that Elrohir again met his gaze.

“As if I behaved like an elfling yesterday,” replied Elrohir hoarsely, and the depth of pain in those grey eyes nearly broke Glorfindel’s heart. “I need to apologize to Elladan, and especially to Adar.”

Glorfindel could feel the remorse radiating from the injured elf, and he cupped Elrohir’s cheek for a moment, hoping his touch conveyed some comfort.  Absolution seemed the best remedy, however.  “I will go find them for you.”

As he rose, he saw that Celeborn wordlessly took Elrohir’s hand in his own.  An offer of water was met with a shake of the head, confirming to Glorfindel that Elrohir needed forgiveness before anything else.

He returned to the tent where Elladan still slept and shook the elf gently.  “Elladan, Elrohir wants to speak with you.”

Elladan leapt to his feet, his eyes focusing immediately.  “He is worse?”

“He does not appear to feel well, but what he needs most is to tell you he is sorry,” replied Glorfindel, speaking to Elladan’s back as the elf rushed to his twin’s side.

Glorfindel followed at a distance, watching as Celeborn moved back slightly to allow the twins a moment alone together.  Elladan sat carefully on the edge of his twin’s bed and held both of his brother’s hands as Elrohir said what he needed to say.  Elladan’s answer was short, but the response seemed clear when he gathered his brother in his arms, as gently as one would a newborn lamb, and held him close.

Satisfied, Glorfindel went in search of Elrond.

* * *

Elrond had made himself comfortable in the crook of a tree at the edge of the clearing.  The branches were high enough to afford him an unobstructed view of the rivers, and as Glorfindel had promised the day before, the scene was spectacular.  The water still rushed, unimpeded by any obstacle in its way, forcing its way to the sea.  Elrond could easily picture the remains of the wagon, with his daughter inside, being tossed and flung upon the shore or breaking apart and being swept into the turbulent waters of the bay.  He could imagine the unidentifiable remains of his son, tangled in the river debris, decomposing in an eddy, or never found at all, as often happened. Without thinking, he felt for his bond with Celebrían. He could feel her weariness as she rushed towards them with all haste; he could also feel the seething anger that hovered just below the surface of her thought. Looking again at the river, he wanted to cry out to her that he could not bear to picture her lost in its raging depths. He could not bear to picture her harmed in any way.  Did she not know that she and their children were the focus of his life? That to lose her would crush his soul?

Elrond heard a soft keening cry and realized the sound came from him. Ruthlessly silencing it, he clenched his fists and let his muscles feel his anguish instead.

“Elrond?”

At the sound of Glorfindel’s voice, Elrond let go of his feelings and jumped down lightly from the tree. “Elrohir?” he asked.

“He has asked for you,” answered Glorfindel. A sad smile crossed his face as he turned to walk with Elrond back to camp. “He is in need of your forgiveness.”

Elrond stopped in his tracks as he considered those words, then smiled as well.  His softhearted, eager-to-please child had always hated having others angry or upset with him.  Well, with the exception of Erestor, and it had taken Elladan some time to convince Elrohir that Erestor being unhappy with them was all a façade and that the advisor greatly enjoyed their encounters. Convincing Elrohir to play his role in the game had not been easy, but in time he had grown to accept it. Never as much as Elladan did, though, Elrond reminded himself.  “Twins they may be, but they are so different,” he muttered under his breath.

Glorfindel dropped back as they entered the campsite, and Elrond moved to the small tent where his sons waited for him.  He stopped and watched them for a moment, a smile creeping across his face as he realized that although Elladan still held his twin, both were now laughing. Big grey eyes, full of repentance, looked up to meet his. Elrond sank down on the other side of the bed.

“Adar, please forgive me,” began Elrohir. “I was stubborn and prideful yesterday. I hurt everyone and made you have to work to take care of me again.”

Elrond let Elrohir finish, but for his sake. He slid carefully next to Elrohir and wrapped his arms around his son.  “Forgiven,” he whispered without hesitation or condition, and felt all the tension leave Elrohir.

Elladan had left them briefly, and when he returned he had Arwen in hand. “If there is to be hugging and kissing, Arwen wants her share,” he announced as Arwen joined them on the bed, giving hugs and kisses to Elrohir and her father.

“I am glad we are all here, because we have to make some arrangement about Glorfindel,” said Elrond seriously.

“Whatever do you mean, Adar?” asked Elladan curiously. At a nod from Elrond, Elladan looked at Arwen and seemed to understand.  “You think Elrohir and I have been spending too much time with Glorfindel.”

“What do you think, Arwen?” asked Elrond. Arwen looked at her father uncomprehendingly.  “Do you think your brothers spend too much time with Glorfindel?”

“Sometimes they do,” answered Arwen quietly.

“Does that make you jealous?” asked Elrond gently.  Arwen nodded, her eyes now lowered. “What kind of solution would you suggest?”

Arwen shifted uncomfortably, and then suddenly her eyes opened wide and she looked at Elladan. “I was not nice to you and Glorfindel yesterday,” she said as memory flooded her.

“Arwen, Elrohir and I want to be warriors and defend and protect Imladris, and that means we have to be away some of the time on patrol,” explained Elladan.

“Glorfindel is one of the best warriors I have,” continued Elrond. “He has protected me in war and there is no one I would trust more to teach your brothers and protect them as they learn.”

“Glorfindel teaches and protects them?” asked Arwen, tears now filling her eyes.

“Yes, but he is also their friend. Just like he is your friend,” added Elrond. He smoothed her hair back and lifted a braid.  “Did you like how he made you and your doll look alike yesterday?” Arwen nodded.  “Glorfindel is a part of our family and he loves you just like he loves your brothers. It hurts him when you ignore him or push him away.”

“I once heard that jealousy is a like a little monster inside,” said Elladan.

“Whenever you feel that way about Glorfindel, maybe you can see if it is the little monster inside who is making you feel that way.  If it is, you can tell the monster to go away and leave you alone.  If it won’t go, you can come and tell one of us, and we will help you to be rid of it,” suggested Elrond.

“I don’t like having a little monster inside of me,” said Arwen softly.

“No, none of us does.  That is why if you tell him to go away every time he rears his ugly little head, he will eventually go and not return. Do you think you can do that, if we help you?” said Elladan.

“Yes,” answered Arwen resolutely.

“Recognizing the monster is important, because once you know he is present you can act immediately to make sure he doesn’t cause you to speak angry words. But there is one other thing you can do to silence the monster,” offered Elrond.

“What is that?” asked Arwen, ready to do whatever it took to make the monster go away.

“Go to Glorfindel and tell him you are sorry. The monster doesn’t like all of us knowing he is there, and he will be scared of a warrior like Glorfindel, especially since Glorfindel loves you,” explained Elrond.

Arwen climbed off the bed, careful not to jostle Elrohir.  “I will go right now.”  She looked around, finally sighting Glorfindel standing with a group of warriors who had come with her grandparents.  She walked toward them bravely, but slowed as she neared them, hesitant to interrupt.

Elrond watched as a smile crossed Glorfindel’s face as he saw his little princess and broke away from the warriors to join her.  He bent down and listened for a moment, then offered his hand to the child and the two of them walked off together to sit at the big rock by the spring.

“Well, Adar, you have dealt with Elrohir’s pride and Arwen’s jealousy.  What do you have for me?” asked Elladan, gently grabbing his twin’s hand as Elrohir made an attempt to cuff him.

Elrond smiled at his sons’ antics. “We are all being tested in different ways on this trip, Elladan, and your test is more like mine, perhaps, than Elrohir’s and Arwen’s. They have been tested by pain and dependence. You have been tested as one from whom much has been expected, without reward or favor for what you have done.   Your test is not over, I think.”

Elrohir grinned saucily, a slight spark back in his eyes. “Does this mean mine is?”

“No, my son,” answered Elrond, unable to stop a tear from forming in his eye, “although I hope the worst you have to experience is over.” He disentangled himself from his son and moved to the end of the bed.  “I do want to see your leg, though.  May I examine it now?”

Elrohir grimaced at the idea of anyone touching his sore limb, but nodded his agreement.  Elrond folded the blanket up and out of his way, and then began carefully unwrapping the linen binding the splint in place.  He felt Elrohir flinch, and when he looked up he saw that his son had his twin by the hand, squeezing hard.  To his surprise, Elladan also had a look of surprised pain on his face. Drawing forth all his healing power, he allowed it to pour forth into his son.  Elrohir gradually relaxed under his father’s touch, his eyes half closing and unfocusing. Elrond unwrapped the bandages and felt his own weariness rise as he studied the swollen limb. Toes had not been an adequate representation.

“Adar,” began Elladan as he looked at the limb.  He bit his words off.

Elrond looked up as he heard others approaching. Celeborn knelt gracefully at Elrohir’s head, and placed both hands upon it, while Galadriel positioned herself next to Elrond.  Their power strengthened Elrond’s and comforted Elrohir, and together they tended the sorely wounded elf.

* * *

Elrohir awoke in the late afternoon. He felt relaxed but just moving slightly reminded him of his injuries.  He felt a presence at his side and turned his head to see his grandfather again at his side.  Smiling, he realized that at different times his father or Elladan had been there, as well as Glorfindel, and once, his grandmother.  Helpless he might be, but he was well tended.

“Our cook has made you some broth,” said Celeborn as he wiped a cool cloth over Elrohir’s face and neck.  “I will ask to have some brought to you, and then I wish to hear the tale of what has happened.”

“I would be food for fish living far out at sea were it not for aid from those on shore and some good fortune,” admitted Elrohir with a slight smile.  “Honestly, Daeradar, it was horrible, with debris and rocks and currents tossing me every which way, and crushing me with their force.  I knew I had to reach Arwen, and I had to hope she was in the wagon.  When I finally reached the wagon, I fought to steer it towards the shore where I could see Elladan, Glorfindel and Garthon.  The current did more to aid me than my own effort.  They caught the wagon, pulled me from the water and of the next days I remember little, until Adar came.”

Celeborn studied him thoughtfully for a few moments, then resumed tending him.  An elf appeared bearing a cup of broth and some soft bread, and Celeborn helped him rise to a reclining position so he could feed himself.

“Elrohir’s awake!” cried Arwen from across the camp. 

He couldn’t help but smile to see her, dressed again in her own clothing, clean, and her favorite doll in hand. She joined him, their grandmother bringing her dinner and setting it before her. 

“The elfling has awakened from his nap!” proclaimed Glorfindel has he sat down near Arwen. Elladan joined them on Arwen’s other side.

“Where is Adar?” asked Elrohir. He was startled by the strange looks he received.

“He was resting,” said Glorfindel quietly.  “He will join us soon, I am sure.”

Elrohir studied the faces around him.  Only Arwen appeared innocent of any concern about Elrond.  Setting down the still half full cup of broth, he found his appetite had fled. His memory of the time prior to his father’s arrival in the camp was sketchy, but he sensed that something had happened during that time and that he was somehow the cause of some disharmony.

Elladan moved to sit next to him on the edge of the bed.  “Are you not hungry, Elrohir?” he asked, concern on his face.

“I have had enough,” answered Elrohir, forcing a small smile for his twin.

Everyone was nearly finished eating when Elrond joined them.  He declined to have any of the dinner offered him by Glorfindel, and Elrohir knew by the pursed lips that Glorfindel was unhappy about that.  As Elrohir studied his father, he became aware of the weariness in his eyes, and the dark circles beneath them. Guilt flowed through him, even as he was reminded that his father had forgiven him earlier that day. Still, Elrohir recalled little after his father examined his leg, and he knew that his father had expended much energy caring for him.

“Good evening, Adar,” Elladan greeted him warmly

Elrond returned the greeting with a smile that did not reach his eyes.  He moved to sit near Elrohir as well. “You have eaten little today.”

“I am not hungry, Adar,” replied Elrohir truthfully. He lowered his voice, although he knew the others could hear him. “I am sorry again, Adar. I did not mean to cause you more grief this morning.”

Elrond looked at him in surprise.  “You have not caused me grief, Elrohir.  What makes you think that?”

“You look exhausted, Adar,” replied Elrohir softly.

“I am tired, but that is not your fault, Elrohir. Do not worry about me,” he instructed, his voice suddenly reassuring and warm.

As nightfall descended, soft music filled the camp, but it brought Elrohir little peace.  He was grateful when his father dosed him with herbs to lessen his pain and help him sleep, then left Elladan at his side. A warm drowsiness was filling him when he reached for Elladan’s hand. “Why do you brood, brother?” he asked sleepily.

“No reason, Elrohir.  Naneth should be here tomorrow,” he said encouragingly

Elrohir drifted into sleep with a smile on his face.

* * *

Elladan sat at Elrohir’s side as night descended.  His father had wandered off into the darkness under the watchful eye of the guards, and Glorfindel sat by the fire.  Arwen was sleeping in Galadriel’s arms, but he could hear his grandparents speaking softly.

“The matter is between Elrond and Celebrían,” said Galadriel firmly.  “Taking a side is not going to help either of them.”

“So you refuse to support your daughter in this?” asked Celeborn, incredulity in his voice.

“I intend to let the two of them work this out,” answered Galadriel.

Elladan could not make out what Celeborn said next, but he heard his grandmother’s hiss clearly. “You forget that as husband and father you have made such decisions before because you felt it best.  Now you criticize Elrond because you see another viewpoint?”

“I did not criticize him,” answered Celeborn, “though he took it as such. I do, however, see justification for Celebrían’s anger.”

“I see it also!” answered Galadriel.  “But this is not about us and our daughter, but about our daughter and her husband. Just as I saw your viewpoint centuries ago, I see Elrond’s now.  You would do well to remember that.”

Celeborn snorted. “You did what you wanted then, as always.”

To Elladan’s surprise, Galadriel’s tone softened. “To go was my decision, but your arguments did win me over, regardless of the fact that I did not like them then or now.”

“You are impossible, wife,” Celeborn’s softened tone followed a kiss to his wife’s hand.

“A good match for an impossible husband,” agreed Galadriel.

Silence followed as the two relaxed against each other, holding their granddaughter close, and Elladan found himself embarrassed and intrigued by what he had overhead.  He should not have listened, yet could hardly help overhearing, but more urgently, he wanted to know of what they spoke.

He heard a slight moan from his twin as Elrohir attempted to shift his weight and could not, and Elladan tried to imagine what it would be like to lie in one position day after day.  He shifted the pillows slightly under Elrohir’s leg, and helped him roll gently to his least injured side.  Elrohir did not wake, but he seemed more content, and Elladan carefully lay down next to him so they were just barely touching.  As Elrohir leaned into him, he knew his touch and presence were welcome, and he allowed himself to follow the path of waking dreams, resting yet not sleeping, in case Elrohir needed him.

* * *

The guards on watch first noted the approach of the party from Imladris at mid-morning. Elladan reported the news to Arwen, who nearly squealed with delight, and to his father, whose pale face seemed resigned, despite the smile he put on for his son’s sake.  Elladan had pondered the words spoken by his grandparents the previous night, and determined that his father not permitting his mother to follow him across the river had led to a rift between them.  It was a rift Glorfindel, Celeborn and Galadriel seemed well aware of, and for some reason Elladan thought Elrohir was conscious of it as well.  His brother had not eaten again that morning, despite coaxing by Galadriel, and neither had their father.  Elrond claimed he just wasn’t hungry, whereas Elrohir had looked nauseated.

The camp cooks had just finished making dinner when the party arrived.  Elladan saw his mother run down the hill, dressed in trousers and tunic.

“Arwen!” she cried as Arwen ran to her.  “Oh, Arwen, I missed you!”

Arwen was hugging Celebrían joyfully, her arms wrapped around her mother’s neck and her face buried in familiar silver hair.  Celebrían greeted her parents, but her eyes were seeking her sons.  Elladan felt his heart sink as his mother walked past his father without a word, and came instead to where he sat with Elrohir.

“Hello, Naneth,” he greeted her, rising to put his arms around her and Arwen and hold them both close.  She kissed his cheeks and forehead, her eyes and hands both checking him over for any signs of harm. “I am well, Naneth, really,” he laughed.

“Oh, Elladan, you scared me nearly to my grave,” she admitted, tears in her eyes. Then she turned to Elrohir, and Elladan caught his mother’s arm and took Arwen from her as she staggered at the sight of him.

“Elrohir,” she said softly, dropping down to sit near him.  Tears streamed down her face as she smoothed his hair and wiped the tears from his eyes.  “Oh, Elrohir, what happened to you?” She kissed the hand that was still missing several fingernails, sheered off when  splinters had jammed beneath them in his attempt to grab the wagon, and then pulled back the blanket covering him.

Elladan thought of the shock that his father and grandparents had hidden fairly well when they had first seen him, but his mother made little attempt to hide her reaction. 

“I am healing well, Naneth,” said Elrohir encouragingly, but Elladan knew that his mother could see the darkened circles beneath his twin’s eyes and the dull pain within them. 

“I am sorry I was not here,” choked Celebrían as she carefully touched his bruises and wounds.

“I missed you, Naneth,” admitted Elrohir.

Celebrían bristled at that, and raised her eyes to search the camp, finally settling on Elrond. Elladan was shocked at the fury in her eyes. Never before had he seen his parents do more than politely disagree about something trivial. Where Celebrían’s eyes blazed in fury, Elrond’s were steadfastly resolute.

“I must speak to your father, then I will return,” she said reassuringly to Elrohir as she rose.

Elladan watched, almost as if he watched a play on the stage, as his mother walked to his father. She stopped in front of him, but when Elrond raised his hand to touch her, she knocked it away.  Suddenly everyone in the camp seemed to make themselves scarce, and Elladan could feel the confusion in both Arwen and Elrohir.

“For days I have traveled, desperate to be with my children.  They needed me, Elrond! How dare you tell the guards and Erestor not to let me follow!  How dare you decide for me what is best where it concerns my role as their mother?”

Although Celebrían’s words were low, all three of her children heard them clearly and recoiled at the tension and hurt in her voice.

“Celebrían, please let us have this conversation later, away from here and when you are calmer,” said Elrond in a low voice.

“Do not patronize me, Elrond,” hissed Celebrían angrily. “I am not one of your advisors or warriors to be ordered about at your whim. I will speak to you when I wish.”

Elrond’s eyes narrowed dangerously, and a flash of anger glinted in them. “I will not argue with you over the decision I made, for I would make it again in a heartbeat should a similar situation ever arise. I crossed that river to save our son’s life, for my life was worth risking for his.  You could not help him as I could, and one of us needed to remain whole and well for our other children.  You may be angry with me over that choice, but frankly I do not care. One of us needed to keep the broader perspective, and you were not able to do so.”

An inarticulate cry escaped Celebrían, and she stepped toward Elrond in fury, one hand raised.  What she intended to do Elladan never learned, for Elrond caught her hand firmly in his own and forced it down to her side.  Celebrían’s eyes opened wide at his touch, and then he released her, turning abruptly on his heel and walking away.

Celebrían stood frozen in place for a moment, then turned to them.  Her face crumbled in despair at the sight of her children, for she had apparently forgotten they were witnesses to the fight.

Elladan knew his own face likely reflected his shock, and Arwen was expressing hers.  Sobbing silently, she clung to him.  On the bed next to them, Elrohir’s eyes were closed and his breathing ragged as he also cried silently. Elladan cuddled Arwen close and gently stroked his brother’s hair, then looked up at his father’s retreating back. Unable to meet his mother’s gaze, he bowed his head.

* * * * *