Among the thorns

Disclaimer- I own nothing- if you recognise it- it’s not mine!!!

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My eyes struggled against the blackness of the room. Nothing but blackness and the faint light of the moon would fill them. My sighs seemed to grow to an immensity where I could no longer handle them and even then the ongoing thoughts in my mind taunted m fan fancied I could hear my heart echo in the, what seemed like, empty room. My blood coursed through my veins and lent me strength that I did not know I had.

The shadows and the silence, only broken by the slither of moonlight on the ceiling above me. Many times over the hours I had lain awake had the ceiling crashed down upon me in my mind.

I could feel a horrid hunger rising up inside me, wanting to scream and curse, wanting to make words fly and blood spill.

I closed my eyes and the pounding and the cries increased ten fold. There was nothing to stop them.

Yet in my mind I saw myself, dressed as one of the Galadhrim warriors, with my bow strapped to my back and my knives in my quiver and my sword by my side. My hair was tied back in a severe knot. I looked strong and I had known that the minute that I put that outfit on my duty had begun. I had spent hours patrolling the boarders of my home and I was well aware of the dangers that loomed there. I had foolishly allowed myself to become arrogant. I thought I could protect myself, no I did not think, I knew I could protect myself. I had trained for over a thousand years and not once had I come away from a conflict without learning something. My knowledge, it appears, is not enough.

There is no place for a fool among warriors.

I felt a smile creep across my cracked lips at the memory of my parents. But my smile faded soon enough and only its ghost remained behind.

I had been told by many that my smile was one that could light a whole room. But, I rarely truly smiled, I was rarely in the company to do so. I was a solitary person. I did not welcome those who intruded upon me. I spent my time writing or reading or training. Some had remarked on the strict schedule that I imposed on myself, but I thrived upon it. I was never late and I was never unprepared. It is the fault of the marchwarden, Haldir had taught me well and in return I had been determined to do the best I could.

Without the intention of being harmfully deceitful, I must hide myself, create an alternate persona. They know not who I am and it shall be easy to fool them. I shall not speak about that which plagues my heart and mind so much so that my eyes will not clear and I cannot sleep.

The means of my humiliation shall never pass my lips. It shall not be spoken of again.

Perhaps I am wrong in my thinking, but my fear is greater than my sense of right and wrong. That which was clear before is covered in shadow and will never again see the daylight.

Imladris seemed like a beautiful place. And its residents only added to its beauty.

I admit, I am embarrassed that they saw me in such a state and had to heal me as they did. But they would not divulge anything unless they felt it was important.

There was a knock on the door beside my bed and Elrohir entered. I could only just make out his figure in the dark, but I knew it was him.

I felt something inside my shy away when I saw he had no tunic on, only a pair of loose leggings. I wished him gone at that moment yet the small amount of pride that I had left refused to show my discomfort.

“Are you well”

His lilting voice was soothing to my ears, it engulfed me like a sheet of pure silk. It eased me a little. He still stood where he had entered, by the door. For that I was grateful. In the dark everything seemed much more sinister, despite the fact that I was a night child. The darkness used to be a blanket to me. When I was out on patrol I felt safer at night knowing that the stars would protect me. A silly childhood belief carried into adulthood, I know, but I could not let go of it.

“I am well”

I heard myself speak, it was not the strong voice that I had willed to speak, it was the frightful voice that had answered.

I watched him leave the room and a minute later he returned with a candle which he placed on my bedside stand.

I watched as he sat beside me in the chair that he had occupied for the past day or so. He looked serene in the candlelight. Serene, but beautiful and terrible. His eyes were soft but held a sparkle of quick temper and deadly initiative. He smiled at me and a warmth chased away the chill that had set in my body hours ago.

“Why are you still awake?” she asked him quietly.

~

Elrohir had slept fitfully, his slumber deep but troubled.

Images of orcs and thunder and rain had a firm hold on his mind and would not leave him. He could hear shouts and screams, the shouts of a woman.

He stood helplessly as he watched unfocused images run through his mind at speed.

He shot up from his bed gasping. His mind spun as he desperately tied to wipe the images from his head. Shaking his head he rose from the bed and dressed in a very loose pair of leggings since he slept in the nude.

The breeze was cool as it blew softly through his room, hoping to put his thoughts to rest he opened the adjoining door to Tanithia’s room. The room was dark but his eyes were keen and everything was clear.

To his surprise the figure on the bed was awake. She was lay on her side with her arms tightly wrapped around a pillow. Her hair hung about her face and shoulders, shining in the moonlight that bathed the room. After retrieving a candle from his room he sat himself down in the chair in front of her.

She lifted her melancholy gaze and looked at him. Her expression hardened then softened as if she had made a discovery.

“Hello Elrohir”

He smiled at her quiet voice,

“Hello little one”

She scowled at him childishly,

“I am not little”

“No, indeed you are not”

They sat in a comfortable silence enjoying each others soothing company, neither wished to be alone.

“Why are you awake?”

She asked him quietly. He shook his head and asked the same question.

“I...I could not sleep”

His eyebrows rose,

“You have not slept?”

She shook her head as an elfling would when caught doing something wrong. His expression softened as he saw the wonder creep into her eyes.

“Why are you doing this? Why did you not just leave me?”

Her eyes looked straight ahead not wishing to look at him, she was almost afraid of the answer. Elrohir was slightly put off by her questions but kept a calm expression.

“Do you wish that I had left you?”

She shrugged her shoulders as best she could but did not answer.

“I do not regret it. To see a warrior such as you reduced to bitter tears is a challenge I will take on gladly”

She sat up leaning on one hand,

“What do you mean?”

He lent forward in his chair and whispered,

“I intend to wipe the bitter tears away and replace them with a smile. The terror in your body shall be beaten and once again you shall hold a sword in your hand”

She smiled wryly,

“You speak with confidence my lord. How is it you know that I am able to wield a sword?”

His eyes sparkled,

“Your arms, for one, they are slightly more muscular than most maidens are and you have a feisty spirit, I do not believe a maiden like you would be content to spend her days sewing”

She laughed at him, pleased at his observation though she did not know why.

“You are correct my lord, I am able to fight, although my sword was lost to me on the night of my capture”

She trailed off into silence. Her face became hard and stoic, much to the disappointment of Elrohir.

“Why do address me as a maiden, for I am no longer such”

He smiled sadly but hopefully.

“In our eyes you are as much of a maiden as anyone else. You were taken against your will. You gave not your consent but your screams. Is that not correct? You shall remain a maiden in our eyes until the day that you consent to a joining”

Her eyes stung with tears that she refused to shed. His words had touched her deeply and she was thankful for his support. Both his and Elladan’s, for it was obvious that when they spoke, the spoke for each other.

“How do you feel?”

“It still hurts, standing will be a problem I fear”

“Do not worry, you will have me and my brother to help you. And I promise that under no circumstances will we make mention of your wounds or the circumstances in which you received them. I wish to make that clear to you. Trust us and we will do everything in our power to help”

She smiled thankfully at him. He looked at her with nothing but the deepest concern in his eyes and she believed him, although a part of her did not, she pushed it away with force.

The conversation then took a turn and the two spent the last hours of the night learning things about each other.

The dawns light spread slowly over Imladris reaching two young elves that were spread out on Tanithia’s bed talking. She lay with her feet resting on the headboard and her head in Elrohir’s lap. Elrohir was lay across the bed in a lazy fashion, stroking her hair while she told him about her childhood, most of which was perfectly happy and somewhat parallel to his own.

“But he never forgave me for it, how was I supposed to know that he didn’t like spiders. But the whole city was amused by it so my hard work was not a waste...”

She broke off as Elrohir burst into laughter trying to imagine his grandfather running from a spider.

She sighed happily and turned over so that she was lying on her stomach. She turned her head so that she could see his face clearly. She smiled at him and held his gaze as she lightly placed a kiss on his toned stomach.

“Thank you Elrohir”

He smiled and stroked her cheek as she laid her head down on his stomach and closed her eyes.

“Tired?”

He asked cheekily.

“Yes- some infernal male kept me awake all night talking”

She smiled but kept her eyes closed. She moaned when he sat up.

“Well, I am afraid that you cannot sleep as you have plans”

He said secretively with a grin on his face, she looked at him sceptically,

“I do?”

“Yes, we are going for a picnic”

Her eyes widened and she grinned,

“Really?”

He nodded and she threw her arms around heck eck just as Elladan walked through the door, he raised an eyebrow,

“Am I interrupting something?”

She turned to see him and smiled happily,

“You told her didn’t you?”

Elladan asked his younger brother, who just grinned, RemeRemember Ro that we must be back to welcome naneth and Arwen back by noon or adar will have our heads”

Elrohir rolled his eyes but nodded and left to dress.

Within minutes Tanithia was ready, as was Elrohir, the two stood shocked at each other as they came though their doors, they were both wearing clothes of a light golden colour. Tanithia wasringring a gauzy summer dress with flowers embroidered in it and Elrohir wore a tunic with leaves upon the collar and cuffs.

Tanithia took the opportunity to study the brothers once more. Elladan’s eyes were so different to Elrohir’s. That is where they differed so dramatically. He looked mischievous and deceptive. His eyes betrayed his choice in lifestyle, they held a guarded looked. He was ever looking for anything suspicious. He was stronger in mind than his brother. Elrohir it seemed, was quick to back down from a pointless argument to keep the peace, but Elladan was headstrong and stubborn and would fight for something if he believed in it. With Elrohir it was all in the eyes, but Elladan showed his feelings with his actions.

Elladan shook his head and slid his arm around Tanithia, Elrohir did the same on her other side. And together they made their way to breakfast.

Where unbeknownst to them distressing news awaited one of them.