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: I had a tough time getting this chapter out! More fighting elves!

Chapter 11

Elrond slowly approached the large tent in the middle of the camp. He was so tired after trying to heal Legolas and Elladan, and now he was dreading seeing his own wife! He had not meant to neglect her, but he had to focus every bit of his attention on their son. Will she forgive me for neglecting her?

Celebrian looked up when she heard the tent flap rustle. She smiled briefly when she saw it was Elrond. He looked more tired and careworn than she had ever seen before. He hadn't come to see her once since they got back. Although she knew that Elrohir was in grave danger, she couldn't help but feel a little put out that her own husband hadn't even asked about her.
Elrond turned to Maliena, Celebrian's closest confidante. She had taken care of Celebrian since the rescue. "Maliena, can you excuse us, please?"
"Of course, my Lord. How fares Elrohir? There are some frightening rumors floating around."
"We think he'll recover."
"That is good news." She left the tent.
Elrond turned toward Celebrian. "Elladan and Legolas helped him heal the infection he was suffering from."
Celebrian gasped. "What? What do you mean?"
Elrond sat down on the stool Maliena had vacated. "Anorion and I thought Ro wouldn't last the night. He had a terrible infection throughout his body that we couldn't do anything about. I went to tell El and Legolas. They bolted for the tent. By the time Thranduil and I made it back, El and Legolas were unconscious. They transferred a lot of their life and healing energy to Ro so he could battle the infection."
Elrond closed his eyes and rested his chin in his left hand.
"But I thought healers couldn't heal themselves."
"They can't - or at least that's what we've always thought. But young Legolas came up with this solution, and by Elbereth it worked!"
"Will they all be OK?"
"Anorion and I boosted El and Legolas - Ro actually woke up for a little while. I think my fight with Thranduil woke him up."
"What were you fighting about?"
"The usual things."
Celebrian reached over to touch Elrond's face. "I don't think you two will ever get over your differences."
He smiled briefly, rubbing his cheek against her hand. "I'm so sorry I haven't come to see you." He opened his eyes to look at her.
"You had to focus on our son. How can I fault you for that?"
"But you saw it happen - and I wasn't there to help you deal with it."
"Well you're here now."
"Yes."
The two elves sat quietly for a moment. Elrond couldn't get the images from the orc cell out of his mind - the orc king raping his son, his wife battered and bruised, distraught beyond endurance at watching Ro repeatedly raped and beaten. Tears spilled out of his eyes despite his best efforts.
"My love, it's OK. You and Elladan rescued us."
Elrond sank to his knees in front of Celebrian and lay his head in her lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist. His tears turned to sobs.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he repeated softly. "I never thought we'd find you alive."
"We're fine, dng, ng, we're fine. You saved us."
Elrond nodded into her lap and tightened his grip. "I love you."
"I love you too."
Elrond remained like that until he fell asleep lying across her lap.

"Drink some more broth, Elrohir," Celebrian said, holding the small bowl to her son's lips. "You need to build your strength."
Elrohir groaned and turned his head. He couldn't bear to drink any more despite his mother's pleas. "No, mother, stop. I can't."
"You've barely had anything these past couple of days. You'll never get better if you don't take some nourishment."
"I won't get any better if elves keep forcing me to do what I don't want to!" Elrohir pressed his lips together tightly.
Celebrian laughed at the stubborn set of his face. "You look just like you did when you were an elfling and not inclined to obey. Things haven't changed much over the past 700 years, have they?"
"Mother, please, I just want to go home."
"I know, baby, but we have to wait until Legolas wakes up. Thranduil and his entourage won't leave until he is sound."
"Father said he would awaken after a couple of days. It's already been three!" Elrohir couldn't stop a few tears rolling down his cheek. "I want to go home."
"We will soon, I promise." Celebrian tried to feed him some more broth, and he took another small sip.
"How are you doing, mother?"
Celebrian put the bowl down, then busied herself adjusting the pillow under Elrohir's head and straightening the blankets, anything to avoid her son's eyes.
"Mother, you're avoiding me." Elrohir reached out to grab her hand, but she quickly pulled away.
"I'm fine, son, I'm OK. Now, let's see, which medicine did your father say you needed this afternoon? I think it was this one, hmmm, two spoonfuls in some hot tea and..."
"Mother, please talk to me. You were with me in that wretched place - you are in need of healing too."
"They hardly touched me, Ro. I'll be fine."
"I don't believe you." He huffed and turned his head away from her.
"Please, Ro, just let it be. You need to focus on your healing."
He snapped his head back toward her. "How can I focus on me when I'm worried about you? Please, tell me how you are doing, for real this time."
She never could deny him anything, so she relented. "Maliena attended me when we first got back. You were so far gone...they spent hours working on you."
"I vaguely remember."
"Since I suffered little physical hurt, Maliena just helped me bathe and, well, pull myself together. We stayed in my tent while your father was here."
"Did you see Elladan at all?"
"No. I couldn't bear to see anyone. After that display with the hair when we left the mountains I couldn't face anyone. I was too ashamed." Celebrian stared at the tent wall.
Elrohir reached up to stroke her cheek. She clasped her hand over his, holding it there.
\ond ond was so apologetic when he finally came to see me after Elladan and Legolas helped you. He hadn't realized that he had not once attended to me."
"No! Are you serious? How could he forget you?"
"He didn't forget me, Ro, he just had more important things to do."
"No."
"He was completely drained and distraught. He knelt in front of me and lay his head in my lap, sobbing. I ended up comforting him."
Elrohir sighed. "Males."
Celebrian briefly laughed. "Yes, we female and ellian elves have to put up with a lot, don't we? Now finish this."
She held the bowl to his mouth so he could finish the last of the soup. He reluctantly finished it, then lay his head back down.
Celebrian was adjusting the blankets so Elrohir could sleep when they were startled by loud voices outside.

"You said he'd be awake in two days! That was three days ago! You healers always lie!" Thranduil yelled at the top of his voice, livid that Legolas was still unconscious.
Elrond flared up. "We don't lie, you stupid Sinda! Healing is not an exact science - there are no guarantees, no exact timings. We do our best but each elf is unique; obviously Sindar princes need more healing time than Noldor ones."
"Just what are you saying, that the Sindar are weaker, lesser elves? Damn all you Noldor and your insufferable conceit!" Thranduil stood mere inches away from Elrond. "You get in there right now and finish the job! I want my golden leaf up and about right now!"
"Back off, elf, or you'll really regret it."
"And what do you think you can do to me? I may not be a great Noldo prince but I don't need some damn ring to keep my lands safe - we use our strength and cunning, so if you think you can best me in battle you've got another thing coming." Thranduil put his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready for battle.
"I've been waiting for this," Elrond said, a fell smile on his face.

Elladan has awoken the day after they helped Elrohir heal. He hadn't left Legolas' bedside at all. When his mother had come to visit Elrohir he took the chance to go to the stream to bathe. When he approached the healing tent on his return, he was stunned to see the two Elven Lords in a heated verbal battle that was quickly heading toward an actual fight.
"Father, what are you doing? You're not really going to fight, are you?"
He looked from his father to his father-in-law, stunned at the anger radiating from the two of them.
"Elladan, this is none of your concern." Elrond turned back to Thranduil.
Thranduil grinned. He'd been waiting a long time to put this arrogant Noldo in his place. He unsheathed his sword.
"No! My lord, no! Please!" Elladan jumped in front of Thranduil, grabbing his sword hand.
"Let go of me, Elladan. Listen to your father. This is between him and me."
"Please stop! You don't want to do this!"
"Oh, you're wrong. Ever since the Last Alliance I've wanted to do this - a little payback is not too much to ask, is it?"
"You won't ever let that go, will you," Elrond said.
Elladan turned to his father, still holding on to Thranduil's arm. "Please, father, stop this. After all we've been through, you can't fight!"
"Elladan, let him go. We need to finish this."
"No! Mother wouldn't want this!" Elladan turned back to Thranduil. "Please, Legolas wouldn't want this. How do you think he's going to feel when he wakes up, seeing that you two have been fighting?" egolegolas doesn't know what is good for him."
With lightening speed, Thranduil grabbed Elladan's tunic and flung him to the side. He raised his sword and got into a fighting stance.
"Well, Noldo, are you elf enough to fight?"
Elrond brandished his fighting knives and mirrored Thranduil's stance. "Let's do this."

Celebrian was frozen, unable to move after hearing the heated argument outside.
"Mother, you must stop them!" Elrohir said. "Mother!"
She shook off her inertia and got up. She was about to leave the tent when she heard a faint groan in the other bed.
"Legolas!" She said, rushing over to his side.
The young elf was still very pale, but he appeared to be awakening.
She turned to Elrohir. "Legolas is waking up!"
Elrohir smiled, happy that his friend was going to be OK. "Mother, go tell father, quick! Hopefully they'll stop fighting!"
She nodded and hurried out of the tent. She stopped abruptly at the sight of husbausband threatening the Mirkwood king with his knives, and Thranduil in a fighting stance with his sword. Elladan was lying on the ground. She was sick and tired of their constant fighting - this was going to stop now.
"Elrond!" Celebrian bellowed.
Elrond jumped, almost dropping one of his knives. He stepped back from Thranduil
"You will stop this now!"
He turned a stormy face to his wife, ready to yell at her to leave him be.
"Legolas is waking up," she said quietly.
The three elves in front of her reacted immediately to her statement. Thranduil dropped his sword and ran into the tent, followed closely by Elladan and Elrond.
They crowded around the young elf, jostling for the closest position. Elladan knelt by one side of the bed and held Legolas' left hand, rubbing it softly. Thranduil and Elrond went around to the other side of the bed, shoving each other until Thranduil elbowed Elrond in the stomach and claimed the right side of the bed. Elrond hissed his disapproval but moved to the foot of the bed to watch.

Legolas could feel himself waking up, but it was painful. He had a splitting headache, but he was determined to open his eyes. When he did, the first things he saw were three very anxious faces hovering over him. Elladan leaned forward to gently kiss his lips.
"I love you, hon, I'm so glad you're awake." Elladan smiled, drinking in the sight of his beloved's blue eyes.
"I have a headache," Legolas said.
The two older elves chuckled at Legolas' reply and at Elladan's dumbfounded reaction.
"Golden leaf, never do anything like this again," Thranduil said. "You could have died."
"Father, it was my idea. I couldn't lose Elrohir." Legolas looked around the tent. "How is he?" He asked softly.
"It worked," Elladan said, his eyes flicking over to Elrohir's bed.
Elrohir had turned to watch Legolas, and the two elves eyes briefly met. They smiled at each other. Elrohir sighed, glad to know his friend would be OK. He turned his head back and relaxed into sleep.

Legolas looked up at Elrond. "I have a headache."
"I have something that will fix that right up for you," Elrond said, retrieving an herbal mixture from the storage box.
"Are you sure it will work?" Thranduil said sarcastically.
Elrond stiffened at the comment, but he saw Celebrian standing by the tent entrance, a look of warning on her face. He made no reply. He added the herbs to a pot of water that was already hot. He moved around the bed. He faced Thranduil. "Excuse me, I must tend to my patient."
Thranduil rolled his eyes, but moved out of the way.
Elrond knelt down and lifted Legolas' head He He placed the cup to his lips. Legolas drank down the entire cup.
"That's nasty! No wonder Ro won't take any of your medicines!"
Elladan laughed. He leaned over to kiss Legolas again, lingering to savor the kiss despite the slight medicinal quality it had.
"That's enough, El, Legoneedneeds to lie still for a while until the herbs take affect."
"Yes, father," Elladan replied, stealing one more kiss before sitting back up.
Elladan grabbed Elrond's hand. "Father, does this mean we can go home now? Ro is really desperate to get home."
"Yes, El, we can finally go home."