Healing Hope

Chapter Nineteen

The Ordering of Arda

“Concentrate on what you can control, not on what you can’t.” Bryan Davis, Olympic Swimmer

Elladan and Elrohir returned within moments to find their father sitting on the bed holding Estel. The child was much recovered from the nightmare, but still obviously shaken from the ordeal.  The telling sign for Elladan was the fact that Estel was holding the thumb on his broken arm with his good hand.  Elrond took the mug of poppy tea from Elrohir and held it for Estel to drink.

The room was deeply shadowed now, except for the sconces burning softly on each side of the bed.  A breeze blew in from the terrace freshening the room and helping to dispel the memory of the airless box from the child’s mind.

“Here son, this is for your pain,” said Elrond, sitting up and straightening Estel slightly.   “Elrohir has prepared it just the way you like it.”

With his father’s aid, Estel drank the tea without so much as a grimace, which caused the twins to share a knowing glance.  After he had drained the cup, he nestled back against Elrond’s chest, seeking the warmth and security of his father’s embrace. 

Elladan knelt by the bed.  “Estel, I am going to smooth some salve onto your neck and apply a bandage.  It will not hurt you, little love; I promise.”    Estel blinked slowly as though not completely comprehending what his brother was saying.  Elrond met Elladan’s concerned look.

“He is still not completely recovered.  This nightmare was one of the worst ones yet,” Elrond explained softly.  “Estel heard the voice again.”

Elladan paused in his ministrations to Estel’s neck, his motions frozen by his father’s chilling words.  “The voice again,” he hissed.  “Will we ever be free from the evil of that night?”

Elrohir squeezed Elladan’s shoulder supportively.  “We will not allow the evil to touch our brother any more.  As he learns to feel safe again, the night terrors will fade.”

A small hand touched the side of Elladan’s face, causing the twin to look back to the object of the discussion. Estel had leaned towards his brother, worry written on his features.  “Don’t worry, Dan.  I’m not afraid any more; I promise.  Please don’t be sad.”

Elrohir knelt down beside his brother, smiling at Estel.  “Welcome back, little one.”

Estel smiled wanly from the safety of his Ada’s lap.  “I didn’t go away. How could I come back?”

“I guess you couldn’t,” conceded Elrohir.  “It is still late.  Why don’t you go back to sleep for a while longer?”

Estel looked up to Elrond. 

“I will be here with you,” he assured the boy, even as a huge yawn overtook the child. 

Estel nodded and snuggled back against his Ada’s chest, he ear over the Elf Lord’s beating heart.

Elrohir tucked the sunshine blankey around the child and kissed his father’s hair.  “Rest, Ada.  Lay aside the worries of the evening.  El and I will go out again at first light.  This mystery will not long elude us.”

The twin stood and slapped Elladan lightly on the top of his head.  “Come on, El, we have an unfinished matter with which to deal,” he prompted, glancing meaningfully at the Mirkwood guards in the corner of the room.

Elladan followed his twin’s glance, his eyes narrowing as they fell on Falathar.  “I’ll say we do.”

The pair moved with purpose across the room, stopping in front of the trio of Silvan elves. 

“Falathar,” said Elladan, “we would like to speak with you outside.”

Falathar looked at the determined pair before him and sighed with resignation.  He nodded to the two guards with him and followed the twins into the hall.  He had hoped to put off this conversation until later, but he supposed it was better to get it over with and meet the consequences of his actions head on.  He had drawn his sword on the Lord of Imladris and there was no way around it.  He followed the twins out the door.

From the balcony, Legolas was watching the scene.  He looked at Thranduil.  “Should we intervene?”

The king raised an eyebrow and looked toward the twins.  “No, I do not think that would be wise.”

“But Adar, Falathar was just protecting you,” argued Legolas.

“Greenleaf,” responded Thranduil, “put yourself in their position.  Had Helcar drawn a sword on me in my own hall, what would have been the outcome?”

Legolas sighed deeply, considering his father’s words.  “He most likely would not have lived to tell the tale.  At the very least he would be spending time in the dungeons.”

“Exactly,” confirmed the King of Mirkwood.  “Falathar committed a serious breech of protocol, however well meaning.  He is young, but as chief of my guard, he is not allowed the luxury to make such mistakes.  His every action reflects on me and on our kingdom.”

Legolas nodded.  “I don’t suppose the twins will be too hard on him.”

Thranduil chuckled softly.  “How would you react, my son, had one of them drawn a sword against me?”

Legolas grinned at his father.  “Exactly as the twins are now.”  He shook his head ruefully, “Poor Falathar.”

Elladan and Elrohir led Falathar to the end of the hall so that they were away from Estel’s door and out of his hearing. 

Falathar stared into two identical sets of very angry eyes.   “I apologize for…”

“Don’t even start, Falathar,” interrupted Elladan, his fury growing with each moment.

“You were allowed to bring your sword into the Hall of Fire, even though weapons are never brought there, but this is too much.”

Falathar’s own temper began to rise.  “No offense, Elrohir, but bad things happen here.”

“This is our home!”

“I know that, Elladan,” shot back Falathar, “but Erestor was stabbed in the back here, and your brother was taken from your Adar’s own room.”

Fire exploded behind Elladan’s eyes and he grabbed the Silvan elf by the front of his shirt.  “How dare you speak of that?  You weren’t even here then.”

Elrohir put a calming hand on his brother’s arm.  “El, let him go.”

Elladan continued to stare nose to nose with Falathar, who, by this time, was just as angry as the twin. 

The twins were still grappling with the effects that horrible night had caused and had worked hard to put it from their minds.  Now to have it thrown into their faces, especially with the death of Belan still a fresh wound on their hearts and the looming mystery threatening, was just one insult too much.

“El,” appealed Elrohir once more.  “Let him go.  It isn’t Falathar that is the true object of your anger.”

The softly spoken words acted like a bucket of cold water to Elladan’s face, and hot tears of frustration burned his eyes.  He willed them away as quickly as they threatened to fall and forced himself to release Falathar.  His breathing still ragged, he moved even closer to the Mirkwood guard.  “Know this.  If you draw your sword again in my home, be prepared for it to meet my own.”  With that promise hanging in the air, he turned and stalked off, descending the stairs at a rapid pace.

Falathar was shaken by the exchange and simply stared after the twin, finally forcing his eyes to meet Elrohir’s steady gaze. 

“He means it,” the twin said simply, “and if his sword is not present, mine will be.”  With that he turned to join his brother.  They were planning to leave at first light to scout the border looking for clues as to how many times orcs might have penetrated their defenses, and more importantly, how they were able to do so without detection.

Falathar took a few moments to still his breathing and regain his equilibrium.  Just how grievous his insult to the house of Elrond had been was becoming painfully clear to him, and he knew that he must also apologize to Lord Elrond and seek his pardon.

Elrohir did not even stop at his father’s library, for he instinctively knew exactly where Elladan would be found.  He left the house and walked to the stables.  As he knew he would be, his twin was there.

Elladan was standing by Celos, he head resting against the stallion’s neck as he gently probed the healing wound to his mount’s chest.  The soothing rhythmic motions calmed the twin as much as it did the stallion.  Celon looked longingly over his stall as though jealous of the attention being lavished on Celos.

Elrohir smiled as he took in the scene.  Fuinur, the beautiful black gift from Thranduil, was stabled in the stall on the opposite side of Celos than Celon.  He too was carefully observing the attention being given to Celos.

“My brave beauty,” crooned Elladan, finding comfort in the presence of his stallion.  Under normal circumstances, the high-strung Celos would be agitated by the frustrated state of his master, but the horse seemed to understand that his master needed him to be strong and calm.

“I have missed you, Celos,” continued Elladan, “but I cannot fault your loyalty to Estel.  It was that loyalty that saved his life and nearly cost you your own.  For that you have earned my eternal gratitude.”

Celon whinnied when he sensed his master’s presence.

Elrohir laughed softly and entered Celon’s stall.  “All right, my love, I shall give you attention as well.  You are going with me on patrol.  Will you like that?”

The great white shook his head back in forth in excitement and then began to sniff Elrohir’s pockets. 

The twin laughed and pulled out wedges of apple.  He passed a few to Elladan and fed the rest to Celon.

Elladan sighed as he stood straight and met his brother’s gaze, before taking the proffered apple.  “You were right.  It was not all Falathar’s actions that have me so frustrated.  But,” he hastened to add, “He deserved what I said to him.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” asked Elrohir.

Elladan turned a stricken face to his twin.  “It’s Estel.  He will face so much difficulty and danger in his short life, can he not, at least, have a happy childhood now…one free from fear?”

Elrohir met his gaze. “Stop torturing yourself, El.  We will see that he has a happy childhood.  As for the rest, the ordering of Arda is not in our hands.  We cannot change what will be.”  He held up his hand to halt Elladan’s objection.  “But, we can be beside Estel to help him bear any burden that seeks to find him, can we not?”

The twin nodded.  “We can, and we will.”   Elladan offered an apple wedge to Celos, who sniffed it appreciatively before chomping down on it.  Giving the stallion a final pat of affection, he went over to Fuinur’s stall.

“Here, Dark one,” he soothed.  “Here is a treat for you as well.  It is time we got to know one another.”

Celos was watching Elladan closely, not entirely sure he approved of his master being in another horse’s stall.   When it became obvious that the twin was preparing to take the horse out, Celos began to buck and rear in earnest.  Elladan was his master and he was not about to watch Celon and this interloper leave together with the twins while he was left behind.

“Easy now,” soothed Elladan, coming right back to Celos’ stall.  “You must stay, mighty one.  You are not healed enough for patrol, and besides, Estel has had a difficult night.  He may need your comforting presence today.”

Celos stopped bucking, but whinnied his displeasure while stamping his great hoof, causing the mother cat to rear protectively over her kittens.

“Now see there,” scolded Elladan playfully, “you’ve set off the mother cat.  Here,” he offered the last bit of apple to the stallion.  “Stay for Estel, Celos, for Estel.” 

At the name of Estel, the white settled down, much to the mother cat’s relief, as she settled back over Fluffy and his siblings.

Celos finished off the apple and nuzzled Elladan’s hand one last time before settling completely down. 

“That’s my boy,” praised Elladan, as he went back to Fuinur’s stall and began leading the black stallion out.

Aradol, stable master of Imladris, entered the stables to find Elrohir already seated on Celon, and Elladan leading Fuinur from his stall.  “Ah, I thought I heard voices out here.   It is quite early, my lords, is there anything I can help you with?”

“No, thank you,” answered Elrohir.  “We are just getting an early start for patrol.”

Aradol gave Celon a pat on the neck as he watched Elladan leading Fuinur forward.  “Celon will be excited to be going out with you again, Elrohir.”

Celos gave a snort from his stall, as though in answer to the stable master’s pronouncement.

Aradol smiled.  “You are healing nicely, great one, but you are not yet ready to be out and around.  I’m sure master Estel will be coming to visit you today with his usual treat of carrots.”

Elladan stopped beside the stable master.  “Aradol, there will many more patrols than normal for a while.  You may want to take extra steps to insure that the horses are well rested and prepared.”

Aradol met the twin’s serious gaze.  “I will, my lord.  All will be ready.”

“Thank you,” nodded Elladan as he leapt onto Fuinur back.  “Let’s ride, brother!”

The twins raced from the stables leaving a fume of dust in their wake.

Aradol watched after them for a moment and then turned to his stable, his mind already working on the steps he would be taking to insure that fresh mounts were ready for all patrols.

Upstairs, in Estel’s Room

Once Estel was sleeping soundly, Elrond motioned for Thranduil and Legolas to join him.  He laid the child onto the bed beside him, but kept his hand on Estel’s chest so that his son could feel his bond.

Elrond indicated that the king and prince should sit on the foot of the bed so that they could talk quietly.  Quickly he filled them in on all that had transpired while they had been staying with Estel.

Thranduil frown deepened as he listened to the report and the mysterious circumstances of Belan’s death.  His mind was whirling as he considered the ramifications of what he was being told.  “My warriors stand ready to aid you, Elrond.  You have but to say the word.  They are all excellent scouts and well used to holding back evil; you know this.  I mean no disrespect to your warriors, for I know that Glorfindel has them well trained, but desperate times call for desperate measures.  The more scouts you have the quicker you may have answers.”

Elrond nodded his head slowly.  “Your words have merit.  Long have your warriors held back the darkness assaulting your kingdom, and they have earned the respect of all the elves of Arda.  I thank you for your offer and accept it gladly.  However, there must be no division of authority or I foresee …difficulties.”

“Uh oh,” thought Legolas, “that won’t set well.”  The prince was absolutely astounded to hear his father agree.

“I place my warriors under the authority of Lord Glorfindel as a sign of good faith between us.  You and your sons have done much for my Greenleaf, Elrond, and that is a debt I shall begin to repay here and now.”

Elrond smiled at Legolas.  “The Prince of Mirkwood is always welcome in Imladris, as are all our woodland brothers.”

“Good,” agreed the king.  “Then let’s solve this mystery together.  Shall we?”

TBC