The Healing of Elves and Trees

Title: The Healing of Elves and Trees
Author: Eliza 422 (eliza_422@hotmail.com)
Pairing: Elrohir/Haldir, Elladan/Legolas, Others
Rating: NC-17
Summary: AU Story. Elrohir and Celebrian are captured by orcs. They survive the attack but Elrohir is changed. Will he ever recover from what he has experienced?
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to JRR Tolkien.

Author's note: Enjoy this chapter. I am feeling energized again about writing this story. Hooray! And I promise that everyone's favorite arrogant Galadhrim will appear in this story!

Chapter Ell Elladan rushed up to the healer's tent where Elrohir lay. He saw Anorion sitting in front of the tent sipping some tea. He looked exhausted.
"Anorion, how is he?" Elladan asked.
Anorion paused before he looked up. "Not well at all, my Lord. Your father and I doubt he will live out the night."
Elladan closed his eyes, feeling faint. He heard Legolas run up next to him.
"What is wrong? I thought we got to him in time," Las aas asked. He could tell Elladan was in no condition to speak.
"It's the infection. We have worked on his legs, but the infection is systemic. We can't combat it with our healing energy - we have nothing to focus it on. It's ravaging his body."
"And his legs?"
"Well, we worked on them as much as we could, but he started resisting us."
"I never dealt much with healers in Greenwood - I've never heard of that!"
Anorion sighed. He didn't want to explain the intricacies of healing to this young elf. "When an elf has serious enough injuries there is only so much healing energy he can or will absorb. Sometimes its the state of their spirit. It's not an exact science."
"Can we go see him?"
"Yes, I think he's awake," Anorion said.
"Thank you. Elladan, let's go see Elrohir." Legolas gently tugged on his husband's hands. He was very worried about Elladan - the prospect of losing his twin was rendering him almost completely helpless.
"I can't do it, Legolas. I can't see him that way," he whispered.
"El, this might your last chance to talk to him."
"Don't say that!"
"Please, El, let's go in. I want to see him - I love him almost as much as I love you, and I want to say goo..."
"Don't say it! He's not going to die! He can't die!" Elladan started shaking at the reality they were facing. He was going to lose Elrohir! How was he going to live without his brother? Sure, they had clashed frequently, but didn't all siblings?
"I can't live without him, Legolas," he whispered.
Legolas teared up. He knew of the special bond between the twins - he was facing the loss of both of them. And where would that leave him? Married elves who lost a spouse frequently faded after the other died. Would that be his fate at so young an age? No! He wasn't going to lose either of them if he could help it.
"Elladan, listen to me. Elrohir's not dead yet. Both of you have quite a bit of your family's healing powers. Maybe it would be easier for him to accept more healing from you."
Elladan looked at Legolas sadly. "I may have the power, but my training is almost nonexistent. I never could stand to study everything behind healing - you can't just blast somebody, you have to know what a healthy person is so you can lead them to healing. Elrohir was the one who studied, not me."
"But this is your brother - maybe that's enough. Can't t let least try?" Legolas pushed Elladan's hair out of his face to look into his eyes.
"I guess I can try."
"Good. Let's go in and see him."

"I can hardly face the loss of my son, Thranduil. How can I be strong enough to carry on?" Elrond was sitting down next to the king of Greenwood, his head bowed.
Thranduil scooted closer to Elrond and put his arm around the elf's shoulders. "I remember when my wife died from that orc attack. I can hear every sound, smellry sry smell, see every sight of that day as clearly as when it first occurred. My grief was all-consuming. We had been together for so long, how was I going to continue living?"
Elrond looked up. "What kept you in this world?"
"My children. Legolas was only 116 years old when she died - he still needed his father. How could I leave him, and the others, to assuage my own pain? For a long time I just focused on them. It took a few hundred years, but I was able to start looking around at the world again and seeing some of the good in it. But, now, I face an even worse prospect than I ever thought possible - the loss of a child."
"Because of Elladan's connection to Elrohir."
"Yes. You face the loss of both of your sons. Do you think Elladan could survive?"
"I don't know. If you had asked me before he married Legolas, I would have said no, but now, I'm not sure. Legolas may be enouo keo keep him here. That's one remarkable ellian you raised. If there is any elf in this world that could anchor Elladan, I think he could be it."
"Thank you, Elrond." Thranduil paused. "Is there really no hope?"
"I won't say there is no hope - but there is only a very small amount. If it was just the injuries to the legs, I wouldn't be so concerned. This infection we can't eradicate is very dangerous, but I think we could eventually conquer it too. It's the wounds to his spirit that terrify me. Few elves can survive such brutal treatment to their body and soul."
"Why didn't he fade when the orcs were doing what they did?"
"Celebrian told me that the orcs said they would rape her if he let himself go, so he had to hang on. She even tried to convince him to release his spirit, but he wouldn't. And he was the one who enabled them to get out of their cell. After going through all that, why would he give up now?"
Thranduil thought about it for a moment. "Well, his mother is out of danger now, so he doesn't have that to drive him. I guess it's only Elladan and Legolas that are keeping him with us even this long."
"Will that be enough? Although, frankly, I'm not so sure it's a good idea that he stays. It will take a long time to heal his spirit if his body ever heals."
"Your sona vea very stubborn ellian. I know from bitter experience! If he decides he's going to stay for whatever reason, he will."
Elrond chuckled despite his grief. Elladan was well-known for being bad-tempered and stubborn, but any elf who knew the twins knew that Elrohir was far worse than his brother when it came to being stubborn.
"I should get back. Anorion and I are going to try more healing later. We both needed a rest."
"Can I come with you? I would also like to see Elrohir, if I can."
"Of course! He loves you very much - sometimes I'm rather jealous!"
"Well I know Legolas loves you and your two sons. Sometimes his brothers are jealous of you!"
Thranduil linked arms with Elrond and headed back to the elve's camp.

Elladan hesitantly approached the table where Elrohir lay. His head was propped up on a soft pillow and he had several blankest covering him. His face was flushed red and his breathing was very shallow. An assistant healer was watching over him, occasionally bathing his ford wid with cool, herb-infused water. Elladan grabbed tightly to Legolas' hand. He stood by his brother's side.
"Elrohir," he said softly. He lay his hand on Elrohir's head and stroked the short hair.
Elrohir's eyes cracked open, and a faint smile shadowed his lips. He didn't speak, only closed his eyes again.
Elladan turned to Legolas. The blond elf approached the table and took Elrohir's hand in his own.
"Elrohir, it's me, Leggy."
Elrohir opened his eyes again. His reply was almost too faint to here. "I thought you hated that name."
Legolas smiled at his friend. "I do."
Elrohir smiled again. He turned to face his brother.
"Hi Dan-Dan."
"Hi Ro-Ro." Elladan, encouraged by the sound of his brother's voice, pulled a chair over to sit down. He kept his right hand on Elrohir's head; he moved his left hand to stroke his cheek.
"I hear you're giving father and the healer's some trouble."
The smile faded from Elrohir's face. "I'm sorry, Dan-Dan, it's just too much."
Tears rolled down Elladan's face. "I can't live without you, Ro, you know that. You have to keep fighting."
" sor sorry, I just can't."
"Not even for Elladan and me?" Legolas said.
Elrohir shifted his gaze to Legolas. "I'm sorry, Leggy. Even if I wanted to stay, there's no way to heal me. The infection is not concentrated in one area of the body. Without some way to focus the healing energy a healer can't fight it."
"Why can't they just flood your body with hng eng energy, not just one area?"
"Legolas, quit interrogating him. He knows what he's talking about."
"Elladan, just humor me. Elrohir, why can't they?"
"Legolas, healing is based on moving an injured or ill body toward it's normal healthy status. That's relatively easy to do with injuries or things that attack specific systems. The infection in my body is all over. They would have to know exactly how my entire body exists in a healthy state - no healer can do that." Elrohir closed his eyes. All this talking was taking a lot out of him.
Legolas was undeterred. He wasn't going to let Elrohir go. "But you have healing powers, and you know what your body should be like - why can't you heal yourself?"
Ell loo looked incredulously at his husband. "And where do you think he's going to get the strength to do that? He can barely keep his eyes open."
"He's right, Legolas. Healers rarely heal themselves."
"No, there must be a way." Legolas thought for a moment. He watched the twins. Their bond was so strong. Sometimes he was jealous of Elrohir because he had a deep connection to Elladan too. Legolas almost fell of his chair. That's it! Their bond!
"Elladan!" Legolas yelled, startling the twins.
"What? Why are you yelling! Keep quiet."
Legolas turned to the assistant healer. "Can you leave us with him for a while? We'd like to be alone."
Mindel hesitated. Anorion had made it quite clear that he was to watch over young Lord Elrohir, but the visitors should be able to have some time alone.
"Yes, I'll wait outside. Call me in if you need anything or his condition changes." Mindel left the tent.
Elladan looked suspiciously at Legolas. "What are you doing?"
Legolas turned back to the twins. "Your bond - that's the key. Elrohir is really the only one who could heal himself enough to survive this infection, right?"
"That's the theory."
"And healers can't heal themselves?"
"Yes. What are you getting at?"
"Use your bond! Elrohir can use your healing power! It's perfect!" Legolas grinned at Elrohir.
"You're nuts! No one's ever done anything like that before!"
"No, El, I think Legolas is on to something. Healers have always known that they can't heal themselves, but I don't think any of them have thought to try using their bond with a mate or family member."
"You must be ill - taking healing advice from Legolas?"
"Stop being such an ass, El. We can..." Elrohir started coughing, a wet hacking cough that sounded painful. He couldn't continue talking. Legolas scooted around the table to stand on the other side next to Elrohir. When the coughing subsided, he held up Elrohir's head so he could drink some water.
"Thanks, Legolas," he croaked. He lay back down on the table. Did he really want to try this? Did he really want to live? He looked at his brother, then his best friend and brother-in-law. How could he leave them? He loved them so much.
"Well, are we going to try this, Ro?" Elladan asked, still skeptical about the whole thing.
Elrohir lay quiet for a while. If he did this, he knew that he would have a very long and very painful journey back to recovery. Who knows if he would ever be the same physically or spiritually? But if he died now, what was the point of all that suffering? He had to give it a shot.
"OK, I'll do it."
"Really?" Legolas couldn't believe his ears. They were going to try it!
"Yes. However, Elladan might not be enough - we may need to draw on your strength too, Legolas. Is that acceptable?"
"Acceptable? Of course! Take all you want!"
"I don't think Legolas needs to be involved, does he?" Elladan didn't like that idea one bit. He didn't want to risk Legolas' life.
"You're not going to stop me from helping!" Legolas stared defiantly at Elladan.
"Fine, you stubborn ellian," Elladan said. He turned to Elrohir. "So, how are we going to do this?"
"Well, both of you should sit - we might drain you pretty far. Legolas, hold El's hand. El, hold mine. We'll only tap Legolas if we need to."
Elrohir waited for them to settle into some chairs. He wasn't quite sure how this was going to work.
"Now close your eyes. I'm going to slip into the bond."
Elrohir closed his own eyes and concentrated on the bond with his twin. He traveled down that familiar path. He could feel Elladan's strong spirit near him. It flooded him with energy that felt amazing. He started channeling the energy into his own body, starting the focused imagery that healing required.
Elladan relaxed his mental grip as he felt Elrohir slowly drain his energy. Since the connection went both ways, he could feel the painful agony histherther was in from his injuries. He was amazed at how much pain Elrohir was dealing with. Not for the first time he felt humbled in spirit - Elrohir had always been stronger than him.
Meanwhile, Legolas didn't feel any pull on him, although he could feel the change in Elladan. Hen'tn't know how long they had been at it when suddenly he felt a yank on his bond. He could feis ois own energy draining. He hoped that whatever he had was enough for his friend.

Mindel sat outside the healer's tent. He felt sorry for the twin Lords of Imladris. Despite their faults they were well-loved by all the elves who lived in the valley. Losing one or both of them to orcs was just unthinkable. He kept brooding on the things he would do to an orc when he met one. He didn't notice the softly glowing light peeping out of the tent flap. It wasn't until he heard two loud thuds that he slipped out of his reverie. What was that sound?
He poked his head into the tent. He didn't want to disturb the young elves, but he was worried. He gasped when he saw Elladan and Legolas slumped onto the ground unconscious. He looked at Elrohir. The elf had lost the flush and was very pale. Oh no...it's happened and Lord Elrond wasn't here! Mindel stumbled backwards out of the tent, turned, and ran down the pat
El
Elrond and Thranduil were making their way to the healer's tent when Mindel came rushing up to them.
"My Lord! Elladan and Legolas - something is wrong. And Elrohi........" Mindel couldn't say it. He cradled his face in his hands and started sobbing.
Elrond stared at the young healer. "No," he whispered. "This cannot be!"
Thranduil grabbed the healer's shoulders. "Calm yourself! What is wrong with Legolas and Elladan?" He shook the unresponsive elf. "Tell me!"
"I don't know!" Mindel choked out. "They are unconscious on the floor. Maybe they're fading."
Thranduil dropped his hands. He turned to look at Elrond, who was as still as marble. "Come, Elrond, let us go. We may yet be able to save Legolas and Elladan."
Elrond looked up at Thranduil. He nodded wordlessly, but made no attempt to move. Thranduil put his arm around Elrond's waist and walked him up the path.
"Come, my friend, let us see to our sons."