22I know. It toook ages. I'm sorry.
Chapter IV
By the time they reached the lake, midday was close. The sun had made her way through the clouds and lightened their way. Even in the brightness of the day, it was a slow walk down with numerous breaks, so they were all relieved when the dark blue surface of Durin's lake glimmered before their eyes.
"May we stop?" asked Elrohir, looking longingly at the water. The lake line was sharp here and it would be hard to get down, but a little farther it came down and allowed an easy access. Elrohir winced. If he wanted to wash himself, he would have to walk a bit longer. Their road along the lake was going to be more even than the paths they had picked so far, but the little energy he mustered from miruvor he had been given had already was washed out, leaving him tired and aching.
"The place we picked yesterday is not far," added Elladan, having thought of the same. "It was a nice spot for a camp."
Just like she promised, Galadriel didn't object. "We can eat something there and rest for a couple of hours."
Arwen, who had been walking beside them from some time, brightened and grasped Elladan's sleeve. "Raspberries! Do you think they are still there?"
"I'm sure you'll find some." Despite his weariness, Elladan chuckled. "All yours if you want."
"Do you remember the place? Can you show us the way?" Galadriel leaned and took the girl's hand, steering her away from her brothers. Arwen nodded happily and quickened her steps, eager to lead the whole party. The twins exchanged amused glances and resumed their walk.
Whatever could be said about their grandmother, she kept Arwen away from them, allowing the girl to drag her to the raspberry bushes. The breeze carried their bright laughter to the water. It was good to hear the girl giggle again; the scared child that clung to them at dawn was worrying and they were glad the sunny day had chased the fright away.
Elrohir slumped on the grass by the water, his ribs screaming in protest. He would have loved to wash himself properly, but once he sat down, undressing seemed too hard a task. Next to him, Elladan untangled himself from his boots and trousers and walked right into the lake, his dirty shirt still on his back. Elrohir envied him, but right now sitting down propped against a willow was more comfortable than anything.
"Let me help." The elf who had more than once saved him from tripping on their way, crouched beside him and handed him a wet cloth. Moving as little as possible, Elrohir cleaned the worst grime from his face and neck, returning the cloth several times so that it could be washed. Finally he pressed the cool fabric to a tender cut behind his ear and closed his eyes. Despite several elves around him, the place seemed quiet, now that Galadriel had let Arwen drag her farther away to the bushes.
His fingers clenched and a bit of water dripped from the cloth and ran down his neck. Suddenly Elrohir found himself shivering violently as if it was a chilly winter day, not a summer noon. He muffled a moan and pressed his free hand to his side, hoping to keep his wounded ribs immobilized, though it seemed a vain attempt; his hands were shaking just as badly.
"Elrohir? Is something wrong?"
"N-no." The wounded elf opened his eyes and looked up, but though there was care in his companion's voice, it did not belong to his father. Just like Arwen had cried for their mother, he yearned for Elrond, his skills and his calming presence. "No, 'm f'ne." Elrohir clenched his teeth to stop the tattering. "'M f-f'ne."
"Hey, it's alright. Here, drink." The smell of fresh athelas made him long for Elrond even more. Groggily, Elrohir took the mug and drank, and felt warmth spreading through his body. Elrond's study often smelled of athelas and the anxious feeling, which had been growing in Elrohir since they stopped, lessened. He reached his brother's mind and jerked as he got no response except the faint echo of his presence.
"El- Elladan!" Elrohir called, alarmed, when he saw his brother sitting neck-deep in the water, unmoving and seemingly unaware of his surroundings. He tried to rise, but the sudden movement and the pain that followed left him feeling faint. "G-get him out!" he gasped, struggling to keep his breathing calm.
Someone was already striding into the lake. Once he grasped Elladan and forced him to get up, Elrohir realised that the water barely reached over their knees. Still, he didn't like the idea of Elladan slipping accidentally and disappearing under the surface of the water.
"What's wrong, Ro?" Elladan sank down beside his brother.
"I could ask you the same." Elrohir forced a tired smile. "Don't sleep in the lake."
"Not planning to." Elladan didn't manage to hide a wince as he leaned forwards. "The water was cool." There was longing in his voice, but as the light breeze brushed him, he shivered.
"Give me that shirt, let it dry," someone offered and leaned to help.
Elrohir laid down on the grass and watched the sky above. Not even a whole day had passed since they had picked that place for bathing, picnic and a camp for the night. Making fire, cooking supper, picking rasp... Elrohir jerked, but this time the noise was only made by his little sister.
"Look! We've got them!" Arwen called happily and waved her hands at her brothers, almost losing her prize. "Lots of raspberries!" The red traces she had around her mouth stood witness to the fact that not all the fruit had managed to make their way to the camp. But true to the girl's words, they were plenty; Galadriel's hands were also full.
Seeing his grandmother, Elrohir tried to push himself up. A moan escaped his lips when putting weight on his elbow reminded him of the blow that had disarmed him. He sank down on the grass even as his grandmother gestured him not to move.
Arwen froze, all her cheeriness gone. She stared at her brother in alarm, then glanced at Elladan and saw the dark bruises on his back, now being covered with salve. Her lip trembled and she looked over her shoulder, as if expecting danger.
Galadriel intervened before the girl squeezed all the fruit. She knelt before her granddaughter and grasped her tiny hands, speaking gently. Her voice was so quiet that Elrohir couldn't make out words, but he felt a wave of calmness washing over him too. Nothing could happen to any of them when Galadriel was near.
Someone tossed a cloak over Elladan, while Galadriel encouraged Arwen to put the raspberries into a cup one of the scouts had offered them. The girl obeyed and clutched the cup instead. "Ro?" she asked in a small voice.
"Don't be afraid, Songbird." Elrohir forced his eyes to open and his lips to smile over the heavy curtain of sleepiness that was threatening to overwhelm him. "I... I just need to rest a bit. I will be alright." It seemed impossible to stay awake and Elrohir thought groggily that perhaps there was more than just athelas in the drink he had been given.
"So you don't want my berries?" Arwen asked, trying hard to hide her disappointment. She seemed to be closer and as Elrohir glanced up, he saw her sitting cross-legged barely two feet away, still clutching her cup. "They're good."
"I always want your berries." Slowly, Elrohir turned to the side and reached for the sweet treat. He swallowed a whole handful he managed to grasp. "Mmmm," he licked the juice from his fingers and forced another weary smile. "Don't tell Nana."
Arwen giggled and snatched a raspberry for herself. She smeared the juice on her lips before swallowing the mushed fruit and putting her sticky fingers into mouth. "I won't," she promised, then realised that Galadriel was still behind her. "Oh."
Elrohir followed her gaze and smiled; Galadriel seemed deeply not interested in them, ostensibly looking away. "I think the secret is safe with us,' he whispered back and reached for more raspberries.
"Leave some for me too, would you!" Elladan feigned indignation. He kept the cloak carefully wrapped around his arms.
Arwen jumped on her feet and moved to share her treasure with her other brother. Seeing that he was still sitting, she sat in the crook of his legs without leaning against him, though it proved to be difficult.
"Don't wriggle," Elladan moved his arm in sling to give the girl an awkward hug. Having stilled her, he reached for the raspberries. He swallowed a few, when a thought stroke him. "We never said thank you," he said to Galadriel. A wave of shame washed over him. "Had you not come..." he trailed off, remembering that he had Arwen on his knees, and hugged her closer.
Galadriel's eyes were ice-cold and distant when she answered, looking far at the other side of the lake. "Speak nothing of it. Too many of those I held dear suffered from the foul hands of the Enemy's servants. I would not-" her gaze fell on her smallest grandchild and suddenly the chill was gone. A warm smile again brightened her beautiful features as she leaned and offered Arwen her hand. "Come, child, we should get you washed too. Let your brothers eat and rest."
xxx
The next hours were quiet. Elrohir had all but dropped dead, oblivious to the world around him. As the evening neared, Arwen tired and finally curled between the twins, careful not to touch either of them. But Elladan could not rest. He woke several times, turning and getting up as the need pressed him, never able to find a comfortable position, never really getting into the deep healing sleep he needed. Finally he gave up and just laid hoping he would not be forced to move.
He sensed rather than heard her. Opening his eyes, he saw his grandmother kneeling over him.
"What is amiss?" she asked quietly.
Elladan shot a quick glance at his sister and made sure she was fast asleep before answering. "It hurts," he moved his right hand with difficulty to point at his left side. "It's got worse and I can't-" feeling the need again, Elladan pushed himself up and winced.
The searing pain shot again and he swallowed hard, fighting the nausea that followed. He knew it wasn't unexpected after the beating his kidney had received, but it didn't make him feel any better.
He had no idea how exposed his thoughts were and how much Galadriel could pick, so he was both relieved and mortified when she simply helped him up. He could feel her silent reassurance that she was close when he stumbled towards the bushes again, grateful that she didn't follow. Aware that she would do that the moment she had sensed he was in a need of assistance, Elladan did his best not to lose his footing. He knew his father would have been doing exactly the same, but it didn't make it any less awkward. As he would have asked about any traces of blood, like Galadriel did the moment he returned to her.
"Not anymore." That was a good sign. His kidney was likely to bleed and he was glad it no longer did. Perhaps it would finally settle enough to let him-
Galadriel caught his elbow and kept him as another spasm made him double over. She led him back to his place and Elladan allowed himself not to think, not to do anything. They sat, Galadriel still close to him. Holding him upright, and thus taking much of his weight, she stroked his back until the worst knots loosened a bit. It was awkward at first, as Elladan wasn't used to such display of affection from his grandmother, but then he found himself relaxing in her arms. She had flowers in her hair, doubtlessly the result of letting Arwen play with it. One of the daisies fell from her long braid right on his knees. Smiling, Elladan picked and placed it back, earning a childlike smile from Galadriel. She tossed the braid on her back and eased him to the ground. Elladan let her cover him and suddenly found himself unable to hold his eyes open any longer.
Galadriel stayed seated between the children of Elrond, keeping vigil and warding off their dreams.
So, the twins got their rest and Arwen finally got her raspberries. I think here will be one more chapter, or perhaps a longer epilogue, but for that, th twins have to be less tired and more awake.
Thank you for reading.
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