"ELROND!" He screamed as the world sped up again. They had not survived through this battle for them to be parted now. As he ran towards Elrond, he tripped over the orc that had stabbed Elrond. Belatedly he noticed the orc had died. He reached Elrond and knelt beside him in the mud. Gingerly he rolled Elrond onto his back and his heart broke at what he saw. The wound on his stomach was gaping and now it was barely bleeding. The blood loss had been swift and now there simply wasn't enough left. His face was white, his lips grey and his eyes closed. Erestor reached to Elrond's lips and wiped away the trickle of blood coming from his mouth. Elrond's eyes fluttered open at this touch but they were glazed and didn't focus. Erestor wondered if Elrond was even aware of him now. He looked up when something wet fell onto Elrond's face, expecting to see rain but the sky was just as blue as it had been and he realized he was crying. Erestor took one of Elrond's cold hands in his, feeling for a pulse in the wrist. He couldn't feel anything.
"Elrond...please, don't leave me." He said
"Ere...stor," he whispered thickly through the blood in his mouth. He smiled at the blurred form above him. "Mela...min." Then he was gone.
"Elrond?" He called. "Elrond?" He asked again feeling for Elrond's heartbeat. But Elrond was gone. Then Erestor let out a scream of pain as he realized what Elrond had said. Not mellon-nin, but melamin. He dropped his head to Elrond's chest and sobbed. The guards ran up to them at Erestor's scream and all looked on in silent shock. Their Lord was dead. Forming a circle around them, the guards removed their helmets and bowed their heads in respect. Glorfindel stepped forwards and looked on sadly. They were too late.
As the sun began to set, Glorfindel walked towards the two still forms and placed his hand on the advisor's shoulder.
"Erestor?" He asked gently but there was no response, Erestor had passed out. He lifted Erestor's limp form of their Lord's body and cradled him to his chest, tears in his eyes. He would allow his own grief later but first they had more important things to tend to. Two of the soldiers reverently lifted Elrond and carefully placed him onto the litter he had instructed them to build. They placed Elrond's sword into his hands. No word was needed as the litter was lifted and the silent procession slowly made its way back to Imladris.
Heads were bowed as the residents of Imladris watched the procession pass. There was none of the haste associated with bringing the injured home as quickly as possible. Eventually, they reached the courtyard where the twins were waiting.
"Glorfindel, thank the Valar. You reached them." Said Elrohir relieved. There had been word of Orc activity in the direction that Elrond and Erestor had gone that morning and the guards had immediately been sent out to find the two Elves. He took in the limp form that Glorfindel cradled. "Is Erestor injured? What happened?" He received no response other than Glorfindel bowing his head. Something was wrong. "Glorfindel. Where is ada?" He asked. He knew his father would have raced in with Erestor, heading straight to the Healer's wing of the house.
Glorfindel raised his eyes to meet those of Elrohir, who felt his heart shattering at the grief contained in the blue eyes. "Ada?" He whispered, knowing that something had happened and he suddenly didn't want the answer to his question. Glorfindel stepped aside to allow the litter through.
"I'm sorry." He whispered. Both of the twins looked at each other in horror. Something must have happened to their father. Then Elladan noticed the litter.
"Ada!" He cried, thinking his father was badly injured. But then he took in the sad faces of the guards, the stillness of his father's form, the closed eyes and the sword in his hands. How many times had he arranged the dead that way? A warrior's death... "No." He whispered, tear filled eyes turning to those of his twin, who looked just as shocked.
The procession moved through the house, now with the twins following, to the healing wing where Erestor was placed on a bed. Elrond was taken further into the healing house to where the dead were tended. The twins turned away as the healers began to clean their father. They just couldn't watch that.
They made their way through to the room where Erestor was. He was sat up with his arms wrapped around his waist, confusion and pain in his eyes. He was rocking back and forth, muttering something under his breath that the twins couldn't make out. He stopped and his breathing became laboured. He seemed to be having trouble breathing. Elrohir's healer training kicked in and he sat down in front of Erestor, gathering his hands in his and speaking soft words to calm him down. Erestor slowly began to calm down and his breathing became easier. He realized both twins were with him. He tried not to look at either of them, now that Elladan had moved to sit beside him. He blamed himself. He'd suggested the ride to Elrond and he should have been playing closer attention to the surroundings.
"Erestor." Elrohir's soft voice caused him to snap his head up and look at him. Elrohir almost flinched at the guilt and grief contained in those eyes. "What happened?" He asked gently but firmly.
"Too many," he whispered, rocking. "Too many. I should have seen them. Too many." He broke down, whispering, "I'm sorry" over and over again. Elrohir reached out and gathered him in his arms.
"It's not your fault." His own tears soon followed, as did Elladan's as they held each other through the night in their grief.
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