Huge thank you to Eleni and Kar for helping me with the first scene, and to Cathy my wonderful beta reader!

Chapter Seven

When Celedur bolted out of Elrohir’s room Elladan was quick to go after him. The older elf jumped from the balcony and into a nearby tree; Elladan following with ease. He chased Celedur through the trees until at last the dark elf jumped down to the ground and raced into the courtyard.

Elladan was quickly gaining on his former friend. Celedur must have realized it because finally, when the two elves were in the middle of the courtyard, he turned abruptly and drew his sword. Elladan stopped and unsheathed his as well, glaring dangerously at the elf who had shot his brother.

“It is just you and me,” Celedur told him. “Your brother is not here to back you up. I bet you wonder how I did it, how I had one of your arrows to shoot Elrohir with?”

Elladan said nothing.

“When my brother jumped in front of that arrow for you, you dropped the one you held in your hand. You never picked it up … but I did. I have waited for centuries to be able to get you back for that day.”

“And you have had this planned ever since?” Elladan retorted, unable to fathom to depth of his old friend’s betrayal.

“I wanted you to feel the same pain, the same emptiness I have felt for the last 500 years. The opportunity just fell into my lap. I did not hunt Elrohir down, I came upon him by accident. I knew the opportunity when I saw it, and it nearly worked.”

“Elrohir is not dead,” Elladan reminded him.

“Maybe not. But only one of us is walking away from this.”

“I will take you down,” the younger elf hissed in reply.

The elves sized each other up, searching for weaknesses. As they advanced, they circled around, each waiting for the other to act.

A breeze blew through the courtyard as Elladan swung his sword in Celedur’s direction. The dark elf blocked the shot and swung around, bringing his blade back towards his opponent, who easily blocked the sword. The sound of their swords clashing echoed through the courtyard as light rain turned to a downpour from the dark sky.

Elladan cursed as Celedur’s sword grazed his shoulder, ripping the cloth and tearing the skin. Forcing himself to concentrate against the pain, he parried a thrust from Celedur. The younger elf turned, bringing his sword down and inwards toward the other elf’s side.

His sword caught Celedur in the ribs as his opponent turned to try and dodge the blade. The sword drew blood and sent the dark elf stumbling forward. Elladan took the opportunity to thrust his sword into his opponent’s shoulder.

Celedur cried out, half in pain and half in anger, as Elladan withdrew his sword. Lashing out, the older elf swung his sword upwards, into Elladan’s thigh. He pulled it out and swung again as the younger elf fell, but Elladan swung back, sending Celedur’s sword flying through the air, landing several feet out of arm’s reach.

Elladan rose unsteadily to his feet, leaning heavily on his left leg, and put the tip of his sword to his old friend’s throat. Panting hard, he glared down at Celedur, who stared back up at him as if he dared Elladan to kill him right then.

“Elladan! Do not kill him!” Glorfindel’s voice resonated through the courtyard as he raced to the pair, two guards behind him. “Put down the sword and let the guards arrest him,” he continued calmly when he had reached them.

“He does not deserve to live,” the younger elf fumed between breaths.

“Let your father be the one to decide that,” Glorfindel replied as he laid his hand on Elladan’s arm.

Elladan reluctantly lowered his sword, handing it to Glorfindel. Celedur sprang to his feet, lunging at Elladan. Before Glorfindel could catch them, both elves stumbled to the floor, the older one punching Elladan in the nose. As the guards pulled Celedur off Elladan, the dark elf growled.

Elladan wiped the blood from his nose and he watched the guards take his former friend away as Legolas joined him and Glorfindel.

“Are you all right? What happened?” the blond elf asked his friend.

“I am fine,” Elladan replied shortly.

“No, you are not, you are injured,” Glorfindel protested, shaking his head. He half-led, half-carried the twin to a nearby bench. “Legolas, have Elrond come out to take a look at these injuries.”

“No!” Elladan insisted, trying to stand up but being pushed back down by Legolas. “I am fine!”

“Somebody needs to treat your injuries Elladan,” Glorfindel lectured in a firm tone.

“Fine, then you do it.”

Glorfindel sighed, resigned. “If that is how you want it.”

He and Legolas helped Elladan into the Halls of Healing. Legolas sat down next to Elladan as Glorfindel gathered some bandages and herbs. The dark-haired elf kept his eyes on the ground.

“Elladan, mellon nin,” the blond elf started slowly, almost hesitantly. “I am sorry I thought that you--,”

“That I shot my own twin brother?” Elladan snarled, still keeping his eyes to the floor.

Legolas bowed his head in defeat. “I truly am sorry,” he repeated, not knowing what else to say. “I did not know what to think, the circumstances were so strange.” There was a moment of silence. “Listen, I just hope you can forgive me.”

“I am glad my brother has you looking out for him,” Elladan said quietly.

Legolas sighed and slumped his shoulders, knowing that was the best he was going to get.

“Legolas I would appreciate it if you would inform Elrond of what has happened,” Glorfindel requested to the blond elf as he prepared to clean Elladan’s wounds. “Tell him that we will be up shortly.”

Legolas nodded and headed for the door, turning his head back at the door. The scowl on Elladan’s face made the prince cringe. The older twin was obviously not going to forget that everyone had thought he was guilty anytime soon.

*******

Elrond had almost reached the halls of healing when he saw his eldest son emerge from the doorway, Glorfindel behind him. The elf-lord cringed at the limp Elladan walked with and noticed his left arm was bound to his chest, keeping it still.

“Let me see your injuries,” he said gently as he approached his son.

Elladan scowled and pushed his father away. “Glorfindel has already treated them.”

Elrond looked to Glorfindel as Elladan retreated, heading for Elrohir’s room. Obviously the older twin had not wanted his father to treat him; the elf-lord recognized the rejection and the hurt that had caused it. Elrond sighed, disappointed with himself. He had let his son down in the biggest way possible. He knew he had to find a way to make it up to Elladan but did not know where to begin, or if he could ever truly make it up.

*********

Aragorn watched his oldest brother sit in the chair nearest to Elrohir’s bed and winced. Elladan was obviously feeling pain from the injuries he had received, but Aragorn was not surprised that the elf had refused to take anything for the pain. Knowing Elrond the painkillers would have knocked Elladan out for the entire night and Elladan would not allow it.

“Did Glorfindel give you anything for the pain Elladan?” Legolas asked the dark-haired elf, catching the human off guard. Why had Glorfindel treated Elladan and not Elrond? When Legolas had informed the elf-lord and the ranger of the sword fight he had not said that Glorfindel was treating Elladan’s injuries, only that he was in the halls of healing. Suddenly Aragorn realized why—Elladan had not wanted his father to treat him. He was still angry and hurt and was not about to let it go.

Elladan shook his head and took a deep breath, trying to control his anger. Aragorn’s guilt washed over him as if he was feeling it for the first time and knew now was the time to apologize.

“Elladan, forgive me for thinking the way I did.”

The look he received in response silenced the ranger immediately. He looked back to Legolas, who staring now out the balcony door at the stars.

“If you two do not mind I would like some time alone with Elrohir,” Elladan spoke quietly. The other two nodded and left, running into Elrond and Glorfindel on their way out. They explained Elladan’s wishes to the older two and all four left the twins in peace.

Elladan studied his brother’s pale features for a moment before inhaling deeply. “Elrohir you cannot leave me like this,” he whispered to his twin as he took Elrohir’s limp hand in his. The dim elven glow of his brother scared Elladan more than anything. “They all thought I shot you, ‘Ro.” Elladan’s voice cracked. “Even Ada. You are the only one who really knows me, who really understands me. You cannot leave me here alone.”

TBC