Not Again?!

Chapter 3

     Ioreth suddenly let out a gasp.  Elrohir looked at her, raising his eyebrows.  She caught his inquisitive look and smiled.  "I've never been to Imladris before - it's beautiful!"  She waved her hand at the scene that had just unfolded before them.  Beautiful waterfalls cascaded down the sides of the hills, bridges connecting buildings, and the lush trees dotting the hillsides and grass.

     "It is beautiful," Elrohir agreed, but he seemed distracting, casting his gaze over at his twin every few moments.

     There was nothing keeping Elladan on his horse but sheer willpower now.  Blackness was rippling at the corner of his eyes and the small headache from earlier had developed into a pounding that felt like it was ripping his head apart.  His sharp elven senses were almost nil - his horse reins felt like sticks in his grasp and he heard nothing but a high-pitched keening sound that seemed to come from everywhere.  His left arm felt like it was on fire, the pain burning down his arm to his fingertips and stretching across his chest.  The only thing keeping him conscious was the reassuring presence of his twin nearby, but he could barely sense their bond through his haze.  Another wave a pain swept over him, and this time, he couldn't stop the small moan that made it past his lips.

     Elrohir's head snapped back to his twin and he vaulted from his horse, going to him immediately.  Ioreth just blinked at the elf's sudden movement.  "Elladan!" the ellon cried, peering up into his brother's face.

     Elladan felt his resolve giving way under the barrage of intense pain.  He could feel his twin right next to him, below him . . . he would be safe.  Nothing could harm him when his brother was by his side.  With that last thought, Elladan let his mind fade away into the fuzzy black of unconsciousness.

     "No!"  Elrohir caught his brother as he slumped sideways, the horse shifting so he wouldn't fall.  In a swift leap, Elrohir jumped onto the horse behind his brother and pulled his identical twin back against his chest securely.  "Noro!"  He jabbed the horse's side with his heels, any thoughts of the elleth that had traveled with them fleeing his mind.  The twins' father would have already been alerted; he might have been told that one of them was hurt, but he would be waiting for them.

     The elven horse sensed the twin's urgency and increased its speed, hooves thundering on the bridge it had just lunged onto.  Elrohir was extremely alarmed.  The poison from the orc's arrow had to be very potent indeed to affect his brother like this already.  He could feel their bond as strong as ever, and Elladan's pain from the wound pulsed through it, even though he had tried to stifle it.  His control over the bond had slipped when he fell unconscious.

     Elrohir looked anxiously ahead over his twin's shoulder, hoping to see his father in the courtyard waiting for them.  Up ahead, he caught a glimpse of golden hair, flashing as the elf caught sight of them.  The horse skidded to a halt in the courtyard, and Elrohir caught Elladan as he started to slip from the sudden stop.

     "Elrohir!" exclaimed the blond-haired elf, hurrying toward them.  It was Glorfindel, his fair face concerned.  "What happened?"

     "Poisoned arrow," Elrohir said grimly, letting the Elf Lord carefully pull his brother off the horse.  He swung his leg over the back off the horse and landed lightly next to them, then scooped up Elladan in his own arms and rushed toward the Healing Halls.  "Fetch Ada!" he called over his shoulder at Glorfindel, who had shooed the horse toward the stables.

     "I will!" Glorfindel agreed, then turned and hurried toward the Herb Repository, where he knew Lord Elrond would be.

     Meanwhile, Elrohir had made his way to the Healing Halls, flying past other elves, who gave the unconscious bundle in his arms concerned looks.  He flew into an empty room and placed his twin on a bed, not bothering to pull the sheets aside.  Elladan's arms fell limply to his side, his green cloak a start contrast to the white cot.  Elrohir was dismayed to find that his eyes had fluttered shut; it was proof of the poison taking more of a hold on him.  He started to pull his brother's weapons from his body, they would be in the way while he was healed.