Super Nanny in Middle Earth

See Disclaimer & Summary and Warning in First Chapter.

Beta: Oli

Chapter 7


Next morning

In Imladris…

All the elflings gathered in the healer’s room, around the bed, where Estel lay down, mumbling in his sleep.

“Ada, is he all right?” Elrohir asked with concern for his little brother.

"Ask him.” Elrond replied to his son, watching the boy too.

"Estel?” all the elflings asked as one.

The boy woke from the calling of his name, and rubbed his eyes, and then he tried to shield his eyes from the glare of the sun.

"A-da? I cannot see...” he said as he hid his eyes from the sun rays that shone in through the window.

"Quick, Elladan, Elrohir, cover the window with a curtain.” Elrond said to the twins.

The twins did as they were told, and hoped to see their brother's hazel eyes stare at them, and also smiling.

"It is all right, Estel, you can open your eyes now.” Elrond patted the boy' softly on the cheek.

The boy rubbed his eyes and then stared at all who surrounded him.

"Ada?” Estel asked.

"Are you in pain, ion?” Elrond asked as he hid the fear in his tone.

"My head still hurts, Ada.” Estel replied, as he stared at his Adar with plea.

Elrond stood to make some more tea, hoping that it would help relieve the pain.

“We will see you outside… Estel…” The twins said to the sick boy, and Haldir’s brothers followed them out.

Elrond finished making the herbal tea, and walked to sit next to the sick boy, and said, “Drink it Estel, and let me know if it passes, all right?”

Estel nodded before he could feel the hot tea drops in his mouth.

“Easy, ion, drink it slowly…” Elrond guided him, as he held the glass, and helped him to drink it.

Estel followed his Adar’s words, and drank it slowly as he could, even when the tea did not taste good.

After he finished drinking the tea, Elrond helped Estel lie back in the bed, and told him to rest; he could see that the boy was tired by the look in his eyes, although Estel tried to hide it.

“Rest, ion.” Elrond said to him softly.

“But, Ada… “ Estel tried to protest, and added, “I am not tired…”

“Yes, you are, ion-nin,” Elrond said to him, and continued softly, “I will let no one wake you, as you need to sleep… now rest, ion.”

“Let me know if the headache continues, all right?” Elrond asked and watched the boy who nodded at him.

Elrond covered the boy with the white blanket, and tied it around his body; hoping it will keep him warm.

Elrond sighed heavily, and stared at the boy with wary eyes.

~*~

While outside…

The twins, Rúmil and Orophin ran up the garden path only to find Haldir and Süril sat close to the tree trunk.

Rúmil and Orophin hurried to their big brothers side, and Orophin asked, “Gwador, where have you slept?”

“Somewhere else,” Haldir replied and not at once staring at their little brothers, and continued, while staring at Süril’s face, “I was occupied elsewhere.”

Rúmil and Orophin felt down, thinking their brother did not love them anymore, and Rúmil asked with sad eyes, not looking at his brother but at the green grass upon the ground that he found more interesting, “Do you hate us?”

Haldir suddenly felt his heart beating faster than usual, and he broke his gaze and turned to look at his little brothers, noticed their sad eyes, he knelt beside them, and answered, “I will never hate you, my brothers, and from what I hear, both of you were occupied too.”

“Will you play with us?” Orophin asked with pleading eyes at his brother.

Haldir turned around to speak with his female companion, and then he answered his little brother, “After we have had a picnic in the garden or by the river, how does that sound?"

Süril left to make everything the picnic, leaving the brothers alone.

Rúmil saw her leaving, and turned to ask, “Is she going to come?”

“Aye, she is,” Haldir replied and added, “After all, she makes tasty meals, and you two behave properly, do you understand?”

His little brothers only nodded, and then they exchange glances between them, and each could see the pain and hurt in the other eyes.

They were beginning to hate the elf maid that started to take their place, and Rúmil and Orophin, grinned, as plan started to set.

~*~

While the twins ran around and along the stream of the river, noticed that Lord Glorfindel and Lord Lindir were there. They then continued the game that they were playing yesterday.

Lindir felt a touch behind him, and he turned around right away, but saw no one.

Glorfindel, who sat next to him, wondered what it was all about.

Then it was Glorfindel who felt tiny hands touching his clothes. He turned around fast, just not fast enough.

No one was behind him, neither Lindir, who turned around too.

“I wonder what is going on, Lord Glorfindel.” Lindir spoke to him, with hope that maybe the lord knew.

Though Lord Glorfindel has his own suspicions, that the twins might be involved. But he said nothing.

“I do have a strange feeling, mellon-nin, and wish to return to the house as soon as possible.” Glorfindel replied, and stood.

Lindir trusted him as he stood too, and both of them walked to the house with fear.

~*~

Mirkwood

The next day…before dawn…

Gîl pretended to be sleeping, as he watched the elfling slipping from his Adars grip and left the room.

The healer could sense the pain and hurt in the princeling’s eyes, and yet he could see the elfling limping with each step that he took. Gîl was concerned for him.

He walked toward the bed, woke the king slightly, and let him know that the princeling sneaked out on him, and he also alerted him, that he could see the pain in Legolas‘s eyes.

“I want you to come with me, as I have the feeling that it will be needed…” Thranduil said to him with a soft smile.

Gîl nodded and followed the king outside the room.

They walked toward the hallway, and the healer could see the king growing paler, and paler, and then he saw what was the cause of it.

There in the hallway was a trail of blood. The amount of blood was too much for the king, as he leant beside the wall to gather his breath and color back.

“Breathe, My King Thranduil,” Gîl said to him, and encourage him, “Your elfling will need your strength… you need to calm down, and we will find him.”

King Thranduil did as the healer told him. He breathed in and out, willing his heart pace back to normal, and then after a few minutes, the king and the healer were back on tracking the missing elfling.

They stopped when they came toward the exit, noticed how their homeland was covered with dark sky, shadows, and weird noises that called over and over.

Gîl stared at the ground noticed the blood trail, that lead towards the shadow, he shivered.

“King Thranduil,” Gîl called, and pointed with his eyes, to where the limping Princeling was heading to, and added, “I will call the guards, as I think that we should be armed as well.”

"Do it quickly then, for I have a fear, that a great enemy is moving.” Thranduil said as he scanned the view, noticing how the dark and cold covered everything.

He feared for his son, hoping that what he ran from it would not attack him again. It was his biggest nightmare.

Gîl came with the guards, and could see that the king was ready with a sword in his hand.

The healer and the guards walked with the king toward the shadow, dark and cold were the feelings as they approached it.

Each tried to find the princeling as they used their keen eyes, but the elfling was not there.

Thranduil lowered his head on the ground, noticed a strange spot in the ground, he knelt, and moved his fingers to identity it, his face grew pale as he saw what it was.

"Gîl,” he called and showed him his fingers, “He must be around. We need to find him. Now!”

The healer nodded, and together they walked through the shadow, calling for Princeling Legolas, as a breeze blew in their faces.

They continued to walk until the king felt his legs walking upon something. He knelt to feel what is it, and his eyes darkened for the sight in front of him.

"Gîl,” he called to the healer, as he moved the blade so he could see the shine, and knew where the king was, and Thranduil added with wary eyes, “He is much worse than before.”

Gîl walked to the king, as the guards surrounded them. He knelt beside Thranduil and examined the elfling.

"Did you not feel his presence, My King Thranduil?” the healer asked, his eyes locked upon the injured elfling.

"No. That was weird, until I knelt and checked what I walked into.” The king replied with heavy heart and guilt, guilt that he did not feel his son, and that he walked on him without feeling his presence. He felt bad for hurting his own son.

"He will be all right, once we get him back to the palace, place in a warm bed and care for him.” Gîl assured him.

The guards helped the healer take Princeling Legolas back to the palace, while the other guards still guarding from any unexpected danger that the dark lord might send over them.

They took a break while they walked toward the palace, as Gîl felt that there is something wrong with the elfling. He was concerned about his breathing.

"What is it?” Thranduil was on his side in an instant, questioning him, wondered what was wrong.

"His breathing changed,” Gîl replied and added with a fear, “He is going weaker, we must hurry.”

Thranduil nodded, and they walked faster toward the palace, as they knew that the princeling's life was in danger, and he might not live.

Once they got into the palace, they hurried back to the bathroom, where the maid removed of the princeling's soaked blood clothes, the healer filled the bath with warm water and gently laced Legolas in it taking the dry leaf, he used the warm water to clean the blood from the elfling, as Thranduil was on his side, holding the elfling tight, not letting him fall under the water as it was already up to his neck.

Gîl noticed where the blood came from and shrugged.

“What is it?” Thranduil asked, as he noticed the healer’s shoulders.

“The blood came from his stomach, look at this,” Gîl replied and pointed to the hole he found in the princeling’s stomach, and continued, “I wonder what kind of weapon did it, it will leave a scar upon his body.” and he left the room in haste, the boy had reopened several of the herbal bandages that had been put upon him and he hadn't felt himself doing it as he was in the nightmare that still had a grip on him.

Gîl took another dry leaf, after the maid lifted the elfling, and started to clean the wound, and then he took another and started to bandage it with herbs to stop the blood, before he covered the elfling in a towel, Thranduil held his son, as he and the healer walked to the healer’s room.

The maid walked in front of them, to change the sheet from the bed.

Gîl, once he entered the room, he readies some medicine herbs, as he was concerned about the hole that the princeling had in his stomach, he wondered how the princeling got it.

Thranduil laid his son softly upon the white clean sheet on the bed, and sat beside him, as he stroked his son’s golden hair, and whispered to him of how much he loves him, and missed hearing him laughing.

The king turned his head toward the healer, watched him make everything in a calm way, not letting the anxiety take control, knowing that all Princeling Greenleaf, needs right now was soft words and lots of comforts.

Gîl brought the bowl of herbs he crushed into powder, as he brought the water that the maid brought from the kitchen, and he put several herbs inside of the tea, and what was left in the bowl, he puts it on the table next to the bed, to use later.

Thranduil lifted his son’s head, and asked him to open his mouth, as tea will help him.

Princeling Greenleaf opened his mouth, though his eyes were closed he could feel the heat of his skin, he was tired, but he felt the tea warming his throat, he sipped slowly as he heard his Ada, talking to him softly, telling him that after he finish drinking it, he can sleep.

The king watched his son with worried eyes, as he drank the tea, he wished to see the blue crystal eyes of his son.

Gîl smiled as he noticed the empty cup, he settled it back to the table, and let the king lay him back in the bed.

“Rest, ion-nin,” Thranduil ruffled his hair, and added with soft voice, “I am here. I love you.”

~*~

Imladris

Süril back from the house with a basket full of food. She could not wait to be near her lover.

Orophin and Rúmil kept staring at her with grinning eyes, as they kept exchanging glances between them, as they noticed how their big brother was walking next to her, and followed her to the garden where the ground was green and filled with many colorful flowers, and the birds sang songs of love.

They found a good spot, to sit down upon the ground and admired the view in front of them.

Orophin and Rúmil, watched the two, and began to feel the boredom hit them, and they wished to do something more useful, than to sit, they thought that their big brother would come and play with them.

They could see something as they looked at each other, but they were bored.

Of all the sudden, Haldir could hear Lindir calling his name.

Haldir sighed heavily, and asked for forgiveness both Süril and his brothers for his leave, though he added that he will return as quickly as he can.

Haldir left her alone with his brothers, not knowing of what will come from this.

All was quiet between them as they sat looking at each other from time to time, avoiding each others eyes as they did so as not to appear staring.

The feeling was awkward.

Until Orophin took an apple, and played it with his brother, letting the elf maid decide what to do.

“Food is not used to play, if you want to eat, then eat, not play around with what the nature gives for us to eat.” Süril pointed it to him.

Orophin did not like her, and he did not know why Haldir did.

It seemed to him that she did not like them at all.

Rúmil though tried to give her another chance, as he cut the red flower from it root and gave it to her.

“You listen to me, and listen good, young one,” Süril pointed her finger to him as she spoken with stern voice to him, “There will be no cut the flowers, and not other things, that meant for destroying, do we understand each other?”

Rúmil nodded to her, and moved his eyes to stare at the ground, which seemed a pleasant point at this moment in time.

Both elfling sat next to each other, not sitting close to her at all, and waited patiently as they could for Haldir to come back, and to save them from her, as they did not even trust her, nor like her.

After a few moments as the silence continued, Haldir returned back to sit with them, and noticed the heavy silence that was surrounding him. He wondered what had happened? But no one was willing to give him an answer.

Süril though, used the red flower that Rúmil cut before and brought to her, and she gave it to her lover.

This upset Rúmil as he noticed what she did with the flower.

Orophin poked his brother, and whispered to him.

Rúmil smiled, and both of them disappeared leaving the two-love birds alone, as they did not feel needed anymore, nor that their brother loves them.

“Orophin, Rúmil!” Haldir called for them, as he felt that their presences were gone.

But his brothers did not return, they were still angry with him.

Haldir left her, and hurried after his brothers, and almost yelled at them for their behavior, “I called you, why you did not return?”

Rúmil and Orophin exchange glances, and Rúmil replied, “We do not want to stay, we want to play with you, not with her.”

“I can play with you later, now, come and sit with us, let us eat.” Haldir suggested, as he glared hard at them.

“I am not hungry.” Orophin said, and walked away.

Rúmil stared at his brother, “Me too,” and he walked away.

Haldir was in shock at his brothers, not knowing what to do next. He turned around and went to sit next to Süril.

Rúmil and Orophin, in the meantime, went to look for the twins.

They could hear a whistle came from the bush, near the river. They hurried over, and found the twins giggling they wondered what had happened.

“What are you laughing about?” Orophin asked the twins.

“Lord Lindir and Lord Glorfindel…” Elladan replied still laughing, at the walking lords.

“What can we do?” Rúmil asked, as he noticed at how Lord Lindir was limping.

“We will play with Lord Glorfindel, and you with Lord Lindir.” Elrohir suggested.

Haldir’s brothers nodded. And the elflings hurried over.

Lord Lindir and Lord Glorfindel did not walk inside the house, as they heard noises, lots of laughing, and animal’s voices.

“What do you think is happening, my lord?” Lindir asked, as they both turned around, to see nothing.

Glorfindel had a bad feeling about it, and yet he replied with a heavy sigh, “Let us split and check it over, mellon-nin.”

Lindir nodded and walked to the practice area, and Glorfindel had watched him as he limped all the way there.

‘I see that you did not walk to Elrond so he could check you over, mellon,’ Glorfindel wondered, and continued with his thinking, ‘I will do so, once we come back safe after checking it over, and I am not going to forget this time.”

Lord Glorfindel headed though to the garden, where he once saw Haldir there.

Lord Lindir in the meantime hoped that he would not see the twins. He walked toward the practice area.

“Lindir…” a voice sneered at him, and then he could hear something flying at him.

He ducked right away, and swallowed hard, as he noticed what almost hit him.

It was an arrow, but why would anyone want to shoot him? He wondered.

He walked fast as he could to the other side, and sighed in relief when he did not hear or feel other dangers coming.

“Lindir…” a voice called for him, but he did not recognize it.

“Lord Lindir…”

“Who is it? Where are you?” Lindir asked.

But he did not receive a reply, but apples and other fruit came pelting at him and hitting him in the face, yet again.

“Once I get you… you will see…” Lindir threatened them.

But he did not see anything, only heard laughing come from the trees.

“Oh no… Valar, please… not again…” Lindir looked up to the sky, praying to the Valar.

TBC…