A Half Elf's Love

Blood on the Walls

(Deliadis POV)

We had laid Boromir to rest. I was still frantic about Elladan, and I clutched the fabric scrap in my hand. My heart was pounding a million times a minute. I hadn't even realized we were going off until Aragorn tapped my shoulder.

"We have to hurry. We can still save them." Days and nights passed, and Aragorn was tracking the monsters that were holding our friends hostage. He suddenly stopped in trail, running his hands along the ground. "Their pace has quickened. They must have caught our scent. Hurry!" Legolas shouted back to Gimli as we ran, providing the way for much needed comic relief.

"Come on, Gimli!" Gimli grunted, shouting up to Legolas.

"Three day's and night's pursuit...no food, no rest, and no sign of our quarry but what bare rock can tell." We ran across the plains and into a valley. The mud was trampled and it reeked of dirt and other things. We scanned the valley quickly, but my brother found something hidden in the trampled dirt. It was a broach from one of the cloaks from Lothlórien. My breathing began to go shaky, my brother held me steady, whispering softly.

"Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall." Legolas began to run, shouting behind.

"They may yet be alive!" That renewed some hope in me. We continued to run. Aragorn called out to us, his eyes scanning the path.

"Less than a day ahead of us, come!" Legolas then turned to yell back at Gimli.

"Come Gimli! We are gaining on them." He started shouting, providing more much needed comedy.

"I'm wasted on cross-country. We dwarves are natural sprinters. Very dangerous over short distances." I laughed as we ran, and we crossed into Rohan. My brother stopped running, staring at the hills. I gazed out over them, scanning the grounds slowly. My brother spoke softly, his voice carrying exhaustion.

"There's something strange at work here. Some evil gives speed to these creatures, sets its will against us." He turned to Legolas and I as we scanned the ground. "Legolas, Deliadis! What do your elf eyes see?" I glared at my brother as Legolas shouted back to him.

"The Uruks turn Northeast. They are taking the hobbits to Isengard!" We ran again, all through the night. Even Legolas and I were beginning to tire. As we reached a hill at dawn, Legolas turned to face the sun. He spoke solemnly, filling my heart with dread. "A red sun rises. Blood has been spilt this night." Tears threatened to spill down my face. I heard the neighing of horses and the stamping of hooves. Someone was coming. I dragged Aragorn with me behind a rock, Legolas and Gimli quickly following suit. We all watched as well over a hundred horses and soldiers rode past. My idiot brother decided it would be a brilliant idea to leave our hiding space and call out to the men on horses.

"Riders of Rohan! What news from the Mark?" We all unfortunately had to follow Aragorn as the horse riders circled us. My ears were hurting from all the noise to the point I covered them a little. The commander of the riders rode forward, his helmet shielding his face. I had a few dealings in Rohan over the years, but it was never my favorite place. I had a few friends but they were most likely dead or fighting somewhere. The commander spoke, and his voice sounded vaguely familiar.

"What business does an elf, a man and a dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!" Gimli shouted up at the man, trying to be comedic, but it wasn't needed in this moment.

"Give me your name, horsemaster, and I shall give you mine." The commander dismounted, standing tall in front of Gimli.

"I would cut off your head — dwarf — if it stood but a little higher from the ground." Legolas suddenly drew an arrow, pointing it at the commander. I grabbed his arm as he spoke, venom for the commander filling his voice.

"You would die before your stroke fell!" I whispered to him, trying to keep us alive so we could rescue the others.

"Farn." (Enough) He put the arrow away as the spears that had surrounded us retracted slowly. My brother spoke, keeping the peace.

"I'm Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli, son of Glóin, and Legolas, from the Woodland realm. Our lady can introduce herself." I glared at my brother again before speaking softly.

"My name is Deliadis of Imladris, known here as Spitfire." The commander quickly removed his helm, laughing.

"Spitfire? As in the ranger?" I nodded, scanning the face. "It's me, Éomer." My eyes went wide and I started laughing. My last memory of this idiot was him falling into a pile of hay in the stables at Meduseld. Evidently, that was his last memory too. "What are you doing here Spitfire?"

"My friends, and I are tracking a band of Uruk-hai they-" A white light ran across my vision and I crumpled, the ringing killing my ears. I watched as blood splattered along the walls. A horrible scream rang through the halls. It made me cry at how horrible it sounded. I followed the sound, fear lacing my heart. I walked into a room, staring at a man chained to the wall. His hair was cut short, his body bleeding. He was crying and moaning. A whip cracked down on his arms. He let out that horrible scream. The man lifted his head, screaming at someone I couldn't see.

"I'll never tell you what I see! You'll never know!" Elladan. It was Elladan. My sweet darling Elladan. I screamed for him, even though he wouldn't hear me. I didn't know what I was seeing. This had to be a lie. Something that wouldn't happen. Hot tears rolled down my face as something shook me awake. I held onto whoever was holding me, sobbing. This was too much. My precious Elladan.

"Shh...shh it's alright. It's alright Delia." I shook my head into Aragorn's chest. "What happened? What did you see?" I choked out a name.

"E-Ell-Elladan..." Aragorn hugged me tighter, speaking to whoever. I didn't care. I just wanted my sweet Elladan. Someone put me on a horse, keeping me upright as we rode to somewhere. I blacked out, my heart aching inside my chest. I was awoken when nightfall came by someone shaking my shoulder.

"Deliadis, Deliadis wake up. Elrohir is here with Rúmil." My eyes shot open. I stared at Elrohir. We both knew the same thing. I could see it in his eyes. He choked out my name before stumbling forward. Rúmil caught him, rubbing his back he looked so worried. Once Elrohir could seemingly breathe properly, he sat beside me with Rúmil taking his other side.

"I...I can feel it all. It...is a pain I cannot describe." I nodded, my heart becoming numb. I stared at the embers of the fire, tears running down my chin. "I...I apologize Delia. I never meant to cause more pain." I whispered softly, purely on accident.

"He's screaming. So much screaming. He's in pain. A lot of pain. Where...where is he?"

"I will not say. Not right now. You may have a reaction." I nodded, starting to close my eyes. As I did, I saw something nestled in Elladan's hair. A bead. I opened my eyes again, staring at the bead. It was of Lothlórien. I stared at Rúmil's hair. The healer's bead he typically wore was missing. I smiled a little. Either Elrohir had become a healer, which was very unlikely, or there was something between the two of them. It made the ache hurt a little less. Only a little, but it was enough.