Wanted: Love

The next few weeks passed quickly and without incident. Rumil and his brothers mended their fences and eventualy the twins and Prince forgave them as well. Haldir, Legolas and Orophin decided to stay longer and have a break from obligations. Rumil was soon well enough to join the patrol a few days a week. One day he was riding out whenhe heard the sounds of battle and the growl of Orc. He whistled to the twins who were a few paces behind him. He spurred his steed toward the shrill screams of a woman and the stench of Orc. What he came upon chilled his blood and made him want to vomit. A man lay dead next to two horses and the Orcs were despoiling the woman not to far from her husbands body. Snarling Rumil quickly slew the Orcs with a few well placed arrows. He dismounted and knelt next to the human.

"Aragorn." she choked out.

Rumil had no idea who she was asking about. Was it her husband? He heard the twins approach and heard the low prayer one whispered. Her dazed eyes sought out Rumil's.

"Aragorn...my baby...Saes..." she managed to get out.

Understanding thundered through him. A son. Her son.

"I will find him." he promised as Elrohir tenderly examined her wounds.

"Stay with her I will look for the child." with that Rumil disappeared into the forest.

He didn't have to look far as he could hear soft sobs and he followed them. A small boy of about five or six was curled against a tree. Rumil approched the boy slowly not wanting to startle him. Aragorn's head jerked up as he sensed someone approaching. He shrank back against the bole of the tree.

"Peace pen-neth. I shall not harm you." Rumil spoke quietly.

"Mamma..." Aragorn sobbed.

"Your mamma is with my friends. We are going to take her with us to our Lord. Come with me?" he held out his arms to the boy.

After a seconds hesitation Aragorn climbed into Rumil's lap and he clung to the sweet smelling elf. Rumil picked the boy up and headed back to where the twins were. He saw that Elladan had laid the man's body over his horse and covered him with a blanket. Elrohir was seated on his horse and he held the woman in his arms. Rumil put the boyu on his horse and he mounted behind him. Without speaking the three of them headed for the last homely house.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Glorfindel stood on the low bridge that led to Imladris as he awaited the twins and his lover. They had been gone to long and he had smelled the Orc in the air. He prayed no one was hurt. His eyes narrowed as he saw them approaching and he noted they each had someone before them. Turning he hollered for one of the guards to fetch Elrond. Elrond rushed out and he stood next to Glorfindel as they awaited the small party. Elrohir was the first to arrive and Elrond took the woman from his son. He gasped when he saw who it was.

"Gilraen..." he whispered disbelieving.

She forced her eyes to open. "Arathorn is dead...take care of my son...Please Elrond."

"I will." he knew there was nothing he could do. She was dying.

"Swear...they...will use him...swear...." she tried to hold on long enough to extract this promise.

"I swear Gilraen I will take care of your son as if he was my own." Elrond said as tears fell down his face.

She smiled a bit then her eyes closed and she breathed her last. Elrond turned to Glrofindel and handed him Gilraen's body.

"Take the Queen to the healing quarters. Have them clean her body and prepare her for burial." he asked.

Glorfindel nodded and he took the body from his lord. Elrohir looked at the ground as he cried. Elrond embraced his son.

"I should have brought her here faster Ada I am sorry."

"Nay Ion there was nothing you could do. She would have died anyways." Elrond looked up as Elladan and Rumil stopped.

"Elladan take Arathorn to the healing quarters to be prepared. Gilraen is already there."

Elladan nodded and he urged his horse forward, Elrohir followed. Elrond then turned his gaze to Rumil and the child.

"Where is my mamma?" the boy asked.

TBC.