Lord Of The Rings Fan Fiction ❯ Legolas and the Rangers ❯ Waiting Games ( Chapter 19 )

Chapter 19

 

Waiting Games

 

`Ah CHOO!'

 

`Honestly Glorfindel, if you must be ill then go and do it elsewhere. I am sick of listening to you.'

 

Elrohir shot the golden haired warrior a venomous look from where he sat beside Elladan's bedside.

 

Glorfindel glared back. `It is not my fault I am ill and this is the healing wing; where else would I go if I am sick?'

 

`If you had not been wounded,' retorted Elrohir, `then your immune system would not have been so weak and thus, you wouldn't have caught a cold!'

 

`See if I ever come to rescue your hide again,' snarled Glorfindel.

 

`Enough,' said Elrond in exasperation as he swept through the open doors. `Please,' he implored, `just try to get along. Elrohir you know it is not necessary for you to be here; it has been three weeks my son and you are in need of some fresh air. Go outside and practice archery with Legolas. That elf has been there all by himself all morning.'

 

Grumbling, Elrohir released his brother's hand and stalked out of the healing quarters leaving his father sighing in his wake.

 

0-0-0-0-0-0

 

Legolas carefully took aim, sighting in down the length of the arrow at the target situated sixty yards away. At the height of his breath, he released and the arrow cut away through the air, lodging itself two inches from its intended target.

 

Sighing, Legolas lowered his bow and made the walk up the ground to retrieve the arrows he had used. He was met as he returned by a decidedly disgruntled younger twin.

 

Legolas smiled though and told Elrohir he was glad of his company.

 

`A pleasure,' answered Elrohir shortly and that was all there was to it. Sensing Elrohir's mood, Legolas wisely chose to leave him to his own devices and resumed shooting.

 

He had only fired three arrows when Elrohir interrupted him. `How often do you practice Legolas?' `Quite a lot,' he answered. `I don't much like sword play and Greenwood has more use for archers at any rate.'

 

`I see,' answered Elrohir. `You're awfully good anyway.' `Thank you,' replied Legolas glowing warmly inside at the compliment.

 

The mood between them now comfortable, the two spent the next few hours shooting and sharing tales.

 

0-0-0-0-0-0

 

The mood at dinner that evening was greatly improved after several weeks of worried tension though the air still remained tight and tense.

 

They all laughed when Blaen tipped over the gravy sending it all over Erestor's lap. The elf hissed sharply and leapt to his feet. Holding his now streaming robes away from his legs, Erestor excused himself and hurried away to clean up the mess with Blaen hot on his heels apologizing profusely.

 

`Honestly, that boy gets more clumsy with every day that goes by,' grumbled Trelaen trying to cover up his embarrassment. `Rubbish,' replied Elrond. `He proved to be most resourceful in the trials of the past few months.'

 

Beaming with pride Trelaen instantly launched into the tale of Kit being caught off guard by Blaen. Elrond had heard this many times before but smiled good naturedly and listened to the proud father tell of his son's deeds.

 

Eventually Erestor and Blaen returned and dinner resumed as per normal with the gravy now far out of Blaen's reach and his goblet of wine too for good measure.

 

Suddenly, a loud sneeze ripped through the dining hall. Glancing up, Lord Elrond quickly spotted Glorfindel on the balcony above attempting it seemed, to hide from him.

 

`Get back to the healing wing Glorfindel,' ordered Elrond standing up and immediately moving to cut off the elf's escape. Glorfindel scowled at Elrond from where he stood at the bottom of the stairs.

 

`Elrond-,' he began. `No buts,' answered Elrond moving up the stairs towards Glorfindel. `But Elrond,' persisted Glorfindel hitching the shoulder of his robe back into place. `You heard him,' cut in Erestor with a smug smile. `You'll make the humans sick.'

 

`I didn't ask for your opinion,' snapped Glorfindel irritably.

 

`Well this is a most interesting change from his usual personality,' remarked Thranduil offhandedly to Trelaen.

 

`Enough,' said Elrond firmly as he reached the top of the stairs and took Glorfindel by the arm.

 

Glorfindel tried to divest himself of the unwanted grip but when Elrond only tightened his grasp and led him away from the railing Glorfindel dug in his heels and refused to move.

 

`Stop it,' said Glorfindel in frustration. `Back to bed,' retorted Elrond sternly.

 

`But Elrond,' argued Glorfindel. `No!' answered Elrond. `You shouldn't even be out here and you know that the wound to your arm is not healing as well as it should because-'

 

`ELLADAN IS AWAKE!' roared Glorfindel above Elrond's lecture.

 

Instantly there was a clatter of falling cutlery followed by several moments silence. Elrond stared in shock at Glorfindel and barely even registered the other finally removing his arm from Elrond's grasp.

 

`Honestly Elrond,' grumbled Glorfindel.

 

Footsteps suddenly sounded followed by the sound of a slamming door. `You better catch him,' advised Glorfindel. `Elladan doesn't need to be crowded right now; he's only just coming round really and won't want to be overwhelmed.'

 

Nodding at Glorfindel, Elrond turned and took off to head off Elrohir before he reached the healing wing. Glorfindel was left to hurry on behind on his own as best he could.

 

0-0-0-0-0-0

 

Elladan blinked blearily as Glorfindel's face suddenly slid into his line of vision again. His old mentor had been the first thing he'd seen when he'd re-entered consciousness but he was still struggling to make sense of his situation.

 

`I wondered where you'd gone,' he murmured sleepily. `To get your family,' answered Glorfindel smiling. `Oh good,' said Elladan managing a tired smile of his own.

 

Suddenly his brother's tearful face appeared as he bent forward and carefully hugged his brother. `Don't you ever do that to me again,' whisphered Elrohir with choked relief into his brother's ear. `I wouldn't dream of it,' answered Elladan.

 

The next several minutes were a whirl of emotion as other family members and friends came to see the conscious elder twin. Legolas' appearance was such a shock that Elladan wouldn't consent to see anyone else until Legolas had explained what had happened to him and how he'd managed to find his way back to Rivendell miraculously unhurt at that point in time.

 

By the time the tale was done though, Elladan was beginning to weary and noting this, Elrond ordered everyone away except for Glorfindel who he told sternly to get back into bed.

 

`I am glad you are home my son,' commented Elrond resettling the bed covers. `It is good to be home and comfortable,' added Elladan as an afterthought. `Sacks of grain really aren't much after a few days on them not even being allowed to move except for the usual bodily functions.'

 

Elrond grimaced. `Aye. All I ask of you now though before I let you sleep, is that you tell me how you survived that fall. I would be very interested to know because I remember that path and how treacherous it is.'

 

Elladan sighed as he recalled the painful memories to the forefront of his mind.

 

0-0-0-0-0-0

 

Elladan gasped as his feet slipped out from under him and he crashed against the path, his ribs groaning under the protest. Elrohir's horrified scream cut through the air but by then, he was too late as Elladan's scrabbling fingers found nothing and he slipped from the rock face to fall into the mist below.

 

The next few seconds seemed to stretch into an amazing length of time as terror and panic roared through his mind and body. He hardly dared to believe what was happening.

 

Out of the mist suddenly loomed a shape. Before he even realised what was occuring, Elladan crashed into the rock ledge sending snow flying in all directions as his ribs screamed even further and cracked.

 

The little ledge though, was not enough as it crumbled under the hard impact and sent Elladan's body tumbling through the air once more. He curled in upon himself to protect his body as he crashed against a second ledge, his arm snapping like twigs.

 

Elladan's head reeled as the second collision knocked apart his protective ball and he tumbled through the air head over heels and straight into a snow drift. Even barely conscious, Elladan knew it was too soon to have reached the bottom of the cliff.

 

His suspicions proved correct as the snow burst apart beneath him and he plunged into a steep tunnel concealed under the snow.

 

Elladan's impact disturbed showers of stones which came clattering and crashing about him as he rolled down the tunnel and finally came to a rest more than a hundred yards later.

 

He lay on his back, gasping in agony in the darkness of the tunnel.

 

As a result, it was where a goblin patrol discovered him several minutes later as they made their way to the tunnel Elladan had fallen through to clear it of snow and establish the evening's lookout.

 

The stared in shock at what had fallen into their very laps but quickly regained their composure and hauled their prize away. The boss would reward them well for such a fine catch.