Not Again?!

Chapter 10

I was feeling super sorry for the twins (mostly because of all I've put them through) so I decided to give Elrohir a happy moment. ;-)

To my fellow Americans, happy (kinda late) Thanksgiving! I was going to publish this yesterday as a present of sorts, but we were gone all day visiting relatives, so...

Ioreth was still completely bewildered. She had no idea what had happened. Everything was all in a utterly confusing mess, it seemed. Soon after Elrohir had collapsed next to his brother - and released the most heart-rending wail that Ioreth had ever heard, not that she had heard many - Lord Elrond had scooped Elladan up and hurried him to the closest bed, which happened to be Elrohir's chambers. Glorfindel and Erestor had followed the Elf lord, with Elrohir almost tripping over his father's heels as they all went into the bedchamber. Lindir had grabbed his musical instrument and vanished somewhere. Ioreth knew it wasn't her place to go along with them, so she had gone back to her own room and let her nephew continue his nap as she worked on her needlework. Her sister had come back a few hours later and taken Duron back, thanking Ioreth for watching him.

"It was nothing," Ioreth had told her, but her mind was still on Elrohir and the turmoil he must be going through, so the next chance she got, she hurried toward Elrohir's chambers, hoping to find out how Elladan was doing. What had even happened to him?

Turning a corner of the hallway, Ioreth almost collided with the golden-haired Glorfindel and she stepped backwards quickly, stuttering an apology.

His deep blue eyes lightened a little when he saw her, but they were somehow dark and sad. Seeing the solemn expression on his face, Ioreth thought for a moment of terror that Elladan had - but no, Glorfindel gave her a slight bow and put her fears to rest soon after. "Lady Ioreth, what a pleasure. Apologies for almost running you over. I assume you are going to see Lord Elladan?"

"I - yes," she said, trying not to blush. The Elda in so many songs and stories was talking to her!

"He is with Lord Elrond and his brother," Glorfindel told her, gesturing back the way he had come. "If you will wait a few minutes, I'm sure they will speak to you."

"Is Lord Elladan well?" asked Ioreth anxiously, her nervousness overcome by concern for the older twin.

"He is conscious," is all the Balrog-slayer would say, but she heard him mutter something else under his breath, "but I think not well."

"I will . . . wait here then." Ioreth stepped backwards as Glorfindel nodded and continued past her. She glanced down the corridor and could see the door to Elrohir's chambers, but there was no sign of anyone leaving the room anytime soon. She could faintly hear someone talking, and if she strained she might be able to make out what they were saying, but it was none of her business what was happening, so she leaned against the wall and just waited.

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It was ridiculous, Elrohir knew, but he had thought Elladan would never wake again. He could feel his brother's fëa regaining strength as he returned to consciousness, and he knew that the stormy grey eyes would open again, and yet . . . it tore at his heart to see his twin lying so vulnerably on the white bedsheets, his eyes closed in proof of whatever terrible thing had happened. Elladan had awoken though, and he was fine, but right now Elrohir was standing to the side with his eyes lowered while his older brother and father argued. Erestor had left soon after Elrond had brought his sons into Elrohir's chambers, while Glorfindel waited until Elladan had gotten up, then went to: "Do something of great importance." Elrohir was wishing he had someone to help him break up the argument Elladan and Elrond was having - he didn't have the courage right now.