Title: A Bond of Brothers 
Chapter Seven - The Heart's Warning
Author: Oakenshield (Oakenshield@lonelymountain.zzn.com)
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s): Elladan/Elrohir
Warnings/Spoilers: Incest
Archive: Anyone who wants it is welcome to have it, just let me know first.
Disclaimer: The characters and the places all belong to J.R.R. Tolkien, and I
am making no profit from this at all.
Summary: The twins take matters into their own hands. 

------

Chapter Seven
The Heart's Warning


Haldir stared down from his window into the gardens of Imladris, watching the
soft yellow glow of candles and torches as the servants prepared tables for the
ceremonial wedding feast. There did not seem to be a pillar or doorway in the
house that was not decorated with ribbons or garlands of some description. The
preparations had been going on since sunrise, the smell of rich food had filled
the corridors, Lord Elrond's finest wines had been brought from the cellars and
poured into decanters of silver and cut glass, minstrels had been tuning their
instruments and their voices, silver had been polished, china had been
selected, and the seamstresses had been putting final touches of perfection to
the gowns and robes of the wedding party, and at Elrond's request Haldir had
helped wherever possible. Indeed, that was his duty as assistant to the
bridegroom.

It had come at last. In two hours Elladan and Melethoniel would be married
beneath a full midsummer moon, and the devious marchwarden was feeling sick.
Elladan was to be married. To a woman. A woman he would share the rest of his
days with, not to mention his bed and his body. He was going through with the
fraudulent marriage, and worse still Elrohir was *agreeing* to it! Haldir
didn't know what was worse, seeing Elladan with his incestuous twin, or seeing
Elladan in false courtship with a woman. Each was equally as bad, in different
ways, and it looked like he would have to endure both. Elladan's love for
Elrohir was true, but he was to be bound to Melethoniel for eternity, she would
be the one he would kiss in the open. Though he would surely continue to kiss
Elrohir in secret.

It seemed that Elladan had kisses to spare; kisses of conspiracy that he would
show when he needed to, kisses of true love that would be shown to only one
mouth in the dark. But he was refusing to give up the kisses that would pay for
his secrets remaining secret. That night, Haldir had received an answer to his
offered bargain for the safety of the letter. Elladan had refused him. He had
defied him. He had mocked him. And Haldir had been forced to see the error of
his well thought out plan.

He sighed, wondering how he could have envisaged such a thing working to his
advantage. It would work out perfectly for Lord Elrond, and for the twins, and
even for Melethoniel. The only one who would lose anything now was Haldir
himself. He had been so sure that Elladan would have done anything to keep the
letter secret, he had not even anticipated the possibility of having to keep to
his word and show it to Lord Elrond. It was a ghastly thought.

Nothing was going to plan. The twins had returned to each other's arms sooner
than he had expected, Elladan had believed Elrohir's excuses about his
relationship with Rúmil, and Elrohir had shown some backbone for the first time
in his life. Worst of all, Elrohir had seen into Haldir's eyes, he had seen the
tears and the pain, and for a second Haldir was sure the younger twin had
looked at him with something like sympathy. It made him sick. To be pitied by
the one who had taken his love from him! If there was a greater insult to one's
pride, he did not know of it.

It had all been so perfect until he had seen the twins in each other's arms,
locked in a tearful and passionate kiss. That had brought it home to him; even
if he had been able to reclaim Elladan's body by devious means, he would never
be able to reclaim his heart. He didn't know why he had ever hoped to, or why
it had never entered his head how much Elladan would hate him for his betrayal.
Elladan loved Elrohir, and no matter what he did, that would never change. 

But why should Elrohir have him? Elladan was already more than his brother, he
was his identical twin! Was that not enough for him? Why must he claim his
heart, body, mind, and every inch of Elladan's soul?

Haldir closed his eyes and drew in a slow breath to try to calm the aching thud
in his heart. He wished that he could still feel the same anger that had kept
him going for the past year. The anger had kept him strong, but this wretched
pain made him weak in a way he had never thought himself to be. 

He couldn't remember ever feeling so hurt, not even after the death of his
mother, not even after Celeborn had whored his virginity to King Thranduil, not
even after Celeborn had dismissed him after an affair that had lasted for
centuries. It even hurt more than the last night he had spent with the silver
Lord, sleeping with him to learn the truth about the twins' relationship. That
night he had vomited as soon Celeborn had fallen asleep, but not just because
of the news about the twins joining together; he had felt sick to use Celeborn
in such a way, though he had intended it to be vengeance. He felt sick that he
had used himself in such a way. He was coming to the conclusion that revenge
was not good for him.

He flinched a little as he felt Rúmil approach behind him, reaching over his
shoulders to adjust the leaf-shaped pin at Haldir's collar.

"Ah, we look splendid!" Rúmil chuckled. "Perfectly suitable for the best man
and escort of the young Lords of Imladris. Even more handsome than the twins
themselves, if I may dare to say so."

In stark contrast to Haldir's mood, Rúmil seemed to be rather excited about the
approaching ceremony. He was to be Elrohir's escort to the wedding, of course;
Elrohir did not want to raise suspicion by suddenly shunning his lover of three
months. At least Rúmil had what he wanted. Elrohir was sweet, submissive and
agreeable to anything that would keep his dirty little secret a secret. Rúmil
would probably be able to keep Elrohir at his side for the younger twin to keep
up appearances.

"Now, just let me fix this..." He felt Rúmil's fingers fiddle with a kink in
his hair. "Haldir, I swear your hair has a mind of its own."

"Stop it!" Haldir swatted his hands away. "I can do my own hair, get off me!"
He stomped across the rug to put some distance between himself and his brother,
not in the mood for Rúmil's camaraderie.

"Goodness, I was only trying to make you look nice!" Rúmil raised his hands in
surrender. "You are a snotty little Elf tonight, aren't you?" With a sideways
look at Haldir he walked to the mirror to fuss with his own hair. "I don't know
what is wrong with you. Everything is going perfectly to plan. Now you have
seen Elladan, I assume he had no choice but to agree to our wishes?" His voice
suggested that he knew more of the truth than Haldir had dared to tell him.

Haldir had spent most of the last hour with Rúmil trying to avoid mentioning
the outcome of his conversation with Elladan, afraid of what Rúmil's reaction
might be. It was odd, he was the elder brother, he had raised Rúmil from a
baby, but now Rúmil seemed to be in charge of him, fiercely protective in a way
that made Haldir's heart swell as much as it made it quake. He still did not
feel brave enough to speak of how he had failed so miserably. It seemed to
matter to him that Rúmil didn't feel disappointed in him.

Rúmil gave a soft chuckle. "They will soon be where we want them."

"I wish you would not gloat so, Rúmil!" Haldir dropped heavily into the chair,
covering his face with his hands. "Smile by all means, laugh if you wish - as
long as you do not cackle - but do not gloat. It looks suspicious, and it is
not becoming."

"Me? Gloating? Never!" Rúmil laughed. "Trust me, Haldir, I will be the epitome
of good behaviour at the ceremony tonight. I can be polite and charming when I
choose to be. Just allow me the pleasure of gloating in the safety of my own
room?" He looked back at Haldir over his shoulder. "Please?"

Haldir tried to look forcefully into the huge blue eyes that blinked at him.
"You are too bad," he said, trying to hold back a grin at the display of
perfect innocence.

"Gloating is not becoming, eh? Is that not what Orophin says?" Rúmil looked
long at his reflection and smiled before walking to the dresser to rifle
through some small bottles of scented oils. When he found one that was to the
approval of his sense of smell, he dabbed some below his ears and marched back
across the room to apply some to Haldir. "I am glad he is not here. Gosh, can
you imagine what he would say about this?!"

Haldir half wished that Orophin were there. Though Orophin had left the family
home to marry shortly after Rúmil had been born, he had always been protective
of his younger siblings. Haldir knew that if he had told Orophin of his
troubles with Elladan, his elder brother would have stopped him making such an
almighty mess of things, and probably beaten Elladan senseless for the hurt
that had been inflicted. It would have been quick, and possibly somewhat
bloody, but efficient. Better than the state he was in now.

"I would not like to imagine what Orophin would say," he sighed, thinking it
was easier to humour his vain little brother by allowing himself to be
perfumed. "He would probably call me a fool, and he would be right to."

"Haldir." Rúmil looked sternly at him, placing the perfume bottles down on the
table at his side. "You are doing the right thing."

"Am I?" Haldir stared at the determination on Rúmil's fair face and wished he
possessed half as much as his younger brother. But he was not like that. Being
cruel and devious did not come easily to Haldir, even spurred on by the hurt he
had suffered. Where it came naturally to Rúmil, Haldir had to force the emotion
upon himself and he wished he were stronger. Rúmil probably seemed horrid to
most people's eyes, and maybe he was, but he never got hurt. "What hope do I
have of achieving what I want?"

"What did he say?" Rúmil asked him. "What did he say when you saw him earlier?
Please tell me. He did not agree to our wishes, did he? You have hedged all
evening, but now I will make you give me an answer."

"He said..." Haldir bit back the tears in his eyes as he remembered the event.
"He said that he would not give up his body to me for anything, and he said...
he said that I did not have the courage to show Lord Elrond his letter. He said
I was too weak. And he thinks that I love him so much that I would not do such
a thing to him."

In fact, there had been a little more to it than that, but he did not wish to
recall it. He had found the young Lord in his chambers, fresh and damp from a
bath, dressed in only a flimsy robe of pale blue silk that left little to the
imagination. Elladan had regarded him at first with an appearance of
nervousness, then as Haldir had reminded him of the pending bargain he had
turned seductive, maybe hoping his beauty and charm would win back the letter. 

Suddenly, Elladan had crept too near to his body, he had whispered too close to
his ear, he had hinted that he may consider bending to Haldir's will to keep
the letter private. Then just as Haldir had readied himself for a kiss, Elladan
had pulled back, laughing bitterly, calling him a pathetic coward. So he had
fled from the room with tears in his eyes, haunted by the cruel smirk on
Elladan's lips. Elladan had not even tried to get the letter from him, which
just proved how much of a coward he assumed his ex-lover to be.

Rúmil stood back and pursed his lips. "And where is the letter now? Does he
have it?"

"No, it is in my pocket." Haldir put his hand to his breast, feeling the crisp
paper beneath the velvet of his robe. The note weighed heavily against his
heart, the sealing wax pressing into his ribs like a brand. He had never opened
it; he had never wanted to. Inside it lay Elladan's innermost thoughts towards
Elrohir. He had never wanted to know the strength of the bond he was trying to
sunder. He had never wanted to know the strength of the love he was trying to
claim.

"Give it to me." Rúmil held his hand out, indicating to Haldir's pocket. "I am
not too weak, neither am I in love with either wretched twin. Elladan and
Elrohir may not bend to our wills as we wanted, but they will either be forced
apart by this, or exiled for their sin. I will not allow Elladan to be married
to carry on with this disgusting affair. Lord Elrond will see this note at the
ceremony tonight. I will wait for the perfect moment. Maybe when he asks if
anyone knows of any reason why they should not wed." He gave a wicked smirk.

Reaching beneath his robe, Haldir pulled the sealed paper from the pocket of
his tunic. "Here." With a trembling hand, he passed it gratefully to his
younger brother. "You think I am too weak as well, don't you?" he said,
blinking his eyes against the tears that were threatening to course.

"Never." Rúmil stuffed the letter into his own pocket and crouched before
Haldir, placing a comforting hand upon his knee. "But Elladan has the ability
to hurt you, and that weakens you. It does not mean that *you* are weak, my
dear brother. You are anything but weak. It is only your heart that is
weakened, for it is hurt. But that hurt will be mended."

Haldir hung his head as tears spilled. He could not keep his feelings from
Rúmil any longer. He knew he would not get any peace from the annoying brat
until he bared his heart, safe in the knowledge that Rúmil would not mock him
for it.

"You will never get him back as you wanted," Rúmil said softly, almost reading
his thoughts. "But you can make his life very miserable, and Elrohir's too.
They deserve it. Anyone who hurts you deserves to be miserable, and I shall see
to it myself."

"I leave it entirely in your care, Rúmil. I cannot do this anymore!" Haldir
rose to his feet, throwing up his hands. "Ai, this has gone too far!"

Rúmil caught him by the shoulders. "Pull yourself together, Haldir! What has
Elladan whispered in your ear tonight? What has he said to give you such grave
doubts?"

"Nothing," Haldir replied in a hoarse voice, angrily wiping the tears from the
corners of his eyes. Indeed Elladan had said little to give him doubts, his own
heart had done that all by itself, bringing back clear memories, killing scant
hopes, extinguishing cruel ideas with common sense. He closed his eyes as hot
tears poured down his face and his cheeks burned in their wake.

He remembered how Elladan had leant but a breath away from his lips and
memories of lost nights of passion had swept so swiftly into the marchwarden's
mind that he had almost imagined the two of them back in Lórien three years
before, in his talan, kissing in the dark.. Always in the dark. He should have
questioned Elladan's motives then, for never wanting their lovemaking to occur
in the light. He should have realised that Elladan's mind had been elsewhere
when their bodies had been joined. It made him shake to think about it. The sex
had been so ardent, their friendship had been so strong, but he had been a fool
to make the two add up to something more. He had been a fool to think that
Elladan had loved him. He had been a fool to let his heart speak for his brain. 

"Haldir?" Rúmil whispered his name, touching the trail of a tear with his
fingertip. "What is this for?"

"I love him Rúmil," he admitted it out loud, not caring if his brother thought
him weak or stupid. It was too much to hold inside any longer. "I want him
back! I do not want to see him crawl, I do not want to see him hurt, I just
want him to be mine!" He gave a pathetic sounding sob, and as it reached his
ears his hurt boiled over to anger. He was not weak. He had suffered a broken
heart before and become strong from it, why was it so different now? Why did it
hurt so much that he could not breathe?

"Oh Haldir!" Rúmil pulled him into a tight embrace. "He has bewitched you."

"I do not know what he has done to me, but I cannot bear it anymore!" He
gripped Rúmil's arms, weeping softly into his shoulder. "I just want tonight to
be over with. I don't care about him being a sex slave to me in exchange for
that damn letter! I do not want him for false means, I have had that once
already! I... I just... I want to go back to Lórien and try to forget all about
him. But I want him and Elrohir parted, and I do not want him to marry
Melethoniel. Ai, Eru, I swear if I cannot have him, no one else will!" That was
the only thing he felt remotely certain about. Elladan would not be wed this
night, and he trusted Rúmil to see to it for him. Somewhat cowardly,
perhaps...Cowardly, yes. He was cowardly. But Rúmil was not.

"It shall be done," Rúmil told him, gently rubbing his back to soothe his
nerves. "You have been strong against him this far, you can continue to be
strong. Do not let him see how much he has hurt you, for he will revel in it."
He pulled back to look Haldir in the eyes. "I will not allow your heart to
break because of him, I promise you that. You are worth so much more than him.
You are worth more than the use you suffered from him. There is love in your
heart that is too special for him, even though he is of noble blood. And one
day, Haldir, you will find someone who loves you, and you will weep no more for
Elladan."

Haldir could not begin to imagine that day. But then again, some centuries
before, he had never imagined he would ever be able to look at Celeborn without
his stomach doing back flips. The hurt Celeborn had caused him still often
twisted in his heart, but he no longer wilted for him. No love now graced his
sight when he looked at Celeborn, and very little lust. Rather, contempt filled
his senses. He could not imagine wanting to feel that way about Elladan.
Contempt was not a good thing to feel, it meant that feelings still blossomed
somewhere within a soul. He wished to feel nothing. Nothing at all.

"Rúmil, you make anything sound possible," he sighed.

"That is because it is possible," Rúmil answered. "You will find someone. You
are kind, and strong, and beautiful. Who would not want that?" He rolled his
eyes. "Well, Elladan, of course, but he is a fool. Weep no more, my dear
Haldir. I am here for you. I will see you avenged. I know you say I go too far,
and perhaps I have, but to me there is no such thing as going too far when one
you love has been hurt." He leaned forward to place a tender kiss on Haldir's
cheek. "And if I love only one thing in the world it is you."

Haldir closed his eyes, leaning into the warm cheek that pressed against his
own damp one and he sniffed back the last of his tears. "And I love you," he
replied, feeling his heart lighten a little. However lonely he was, he had to
remember that Rúmil was always there, the love of a brother was stronger than
anything in the world.

"Anyway!" Rúmil pulled back from Haldir quickly, patting him on the shoulder.
"Let's not get soppy Haldir, we will be sounding as bad as *them*!" he laughed.

Haldir shivered, even though Rúmil's words were spoken in jest. He and Rúmil
were as close as brothers could be, but they loved each other no more than they
should. He could not imagine how the twins managed to do what they were doing.
The thought of loving Rúmil or Orophin in such a way was beyond his
comprehension. "I would like to think we are a long way from being like them,"
he said with a grimace. "Thank you for making me feel better, Rúmil. It means a
lot."

"This wedding shall be stopped, I swear it. But we will have fun, Haldir. We
will let them feel safe for a while, we will have the supper and the wine, and
then..."

"Then, the ceremony," Haldir whispered, a smile forming on his lips. "And then,
you will reveal the letter and show things as they really are."

"And the twins will be disgraced forever." Rúmil grinned. "All will go to our
plans tonight, dear Haldir. I promise things will be all right."

"In the end," Haldir nodded. "Things will be all right in the end."

A loud knock rang against the door, and it opened before permission was
granted. Haldir jumped back to turn away and hide his tear-stained face,
glancing only briefly to see the intruder was Lord Glorfindel, looking
positively regal in shimmering robes of a pale hue, his golden hair flowing
down his back, held in place by a circlet decorated with the emblem of a golden
flower. He wondered then at Glorfindel; he was surely the most stunning Elf in
the world, with the sweetest, most humble nature, yet he did not appear to have
a partner, though many showed interest in him. Haldir wondered why.

"Everyone is heading outside now," Glorfindel announced. "The two of you are
required to walk with the wedding party."

"Yes, my Lord, I am on my way," Rúmil smiled at Glorfindel and gave a kind wink
to Haldir as he slipped out into the corridor.

"I shall be there shortly." Haldir glanced in the mirror and tried not to
cringe as reddened eyes looked back at him. "Just give me one moment."

"It is heartbreaking to see one you love wed to their wife." Glorfindel smiled
kindly at him. "But Elladan has made his choice, and you must be happy for him
if you care so much for him. You cannot afford to be selfish, it will only turn
your heart bitter and break it harder than unrequited love ever could."

Haldir wiped his tears away without shame, there was something soothing about
the way Glorfindel's emerald eyes looked at him, and great wisdom in his deep
words. He knew that the words were true, but he did not want to believe them.

"Come," Glorfindel said, holding the door open. "Be brave, Haldir. It will hurt
less in time, to know that Elladan is happy, and he will consider you a true
friend." He placed a large, comforting hand upon Haldir's shoulder. "Believe
me, I know how you feel."

"No, I really do not think that you do," Haldir whispered.

It was clear that Glorfindel had suffered a similar plight, but Haldir could
not imagine the noble Lord even dreaming of doing something as wicked and
deceitful as he had done. Glorfindel had the humility to accept things. 

He wished that he had left the room with Rúmil, that way he would never have
got into this conversation. Glorfindel spoke his counsel with nothing but
kindness but it only served to make Haldir feel worse. The Elf Lord did not
know half of his problems, and certainly would not have spoken so
compassionately if he had.

Glorfindel smiled sadly at him. "It is hard, but surely it is better to accept
the course of his heart, to accept that it does not beat for you, and keep him
as a friend rather than lose him altogether?" He sighed and looked far away, as
though he were speaking more for himself than for Haldir. "A friend, who is
true, even in the face of his own heart."

Haldir nodded dumbly. It would be better. But he did not have whatever strength
Glorfindel had to be able to speak such words in truth. And it was all too late
now anyway.

******

Celebrían sat in silence as the grand supper was served up for the pre-marriage
celebrations. The food was beautiful - the best game from the woods nearby,
fresh vegetables, rich sauces and sweet cakes - but she knew she would have to
force herself to eat it. She did not have the stomach for food.

The celebrations had been underway for an hour. Wine had been consumed, the
minstrels had sung, and many had danced while Elladan mingled around exchanging
pleasantries. The entire population of Imladris was present, and many from
Lothlórien, seated at round tables in a clearing in the garden. A large table
was arranged on a dais for family and elders of the household to be seated at.
Elladan and Melethoniel were at the head of the table, with their respective
fathers at their sides. Celebrían was seated beside Elrond and opposite her
mother. Next to her mother sat her father, and next to him sat Haldir and a
strange tension was humming between the two. Next to Haldir was Rúmil and
Elrohir sat alone at the far end of the table. Arwen was at the left corner to
Elrohir with Erestor next to her and Glorfindel beside him.

Celebrían could not help but feel the informal seating was rather meaningful.
Imladris on one side of the table, facing Lórien on the other. The conspirators
all pulled together in one group.

After the meal, the family were to file indoors where Elrond and Finervenn
would join the hands of Elladan and Melethoniel. Though the incestuous
relationship of her sons was wrong beyond words, somehow this seemed even more
wrong. Elladan and Elrohir had made a blood bond, binding their bodies and
souls with words that should hold forever. It was wrong that it should be
sundered like this.

She looked back up the table to her son and new daughter. Elladan looked too
handsome for words, the picture of happiness, and so was Melethoniel. They sat
close together, dressed in matching cream and gold, whispering sweetly into
each other's ears. Pride should have swelled within her bosom, but she could
not find it. Her eldest child was to be married before the night was old.
Surely that should be the happiest day of a mother's life? Everyone in the
garden seemed happy, expect for her. Even Elrohir was not scowling and pouting
as Celebrían had expected him to be. Why did it feel so wrong?

Something *was* wrong, she decided, pushing the curtain of self-solace from her
mind. Something was definitely not right. She had tried to ignore it, she had
tried to convince herself that everything was just fine but it was to no avail.

She looked closely at her firstborn once more, staring deeply with a mother's
eye. To everyone else he seemed to be on top of the world but she could sense
that something was bothering him deep within his heart.

She had had little close contact with any of her children since Elladan had
returned home. They all seemed keen to avoid her. Some days ago it had appeared
that Elrohir had broken off his affair with Rúmil - not that she was sorry
about that, for all his charm, there seemed to be something insidious about the
Lórien guard and she had never thought him worthy of her child's heart or body.
At the same time it had appeared that Elladan was not on very friendly terms
with Haldir. But now... now they all seemed amicable. It didn't make sense,
though little did these days. Celebrían had been suffering a horrible feeling
that something was going on behind her back.

She had spent most of the past few days skulking at corners and listening at
doors to try to gain some knowledge of what it was about. Her ears had picked
up the hushed tones of many a whispered conversation between Arwen and
Melethoniel that had sounded too covert to be just two young Elf maidens
sharing gossip. Then last night from her bed she had heard many a muted click
and clunk, like doors being shut softly, and feet treading swiftly up and down
the corridor past her room and outside. Peredhel feet, too heavy to be fully
Elven. Elrohir's feet, she had thought, slightly lighter than Elladan's but
heavier than Arwen's. It had kept her from her rest for the remainder of the
night, but she had not found a justified reason to go to investigate. Her
children had always wandered to and from each other's rooms in the middle of
the night. 

Yet it had felt very different to her heart. It had felt ominous. She told
herself again that everything was just fine. Everything was going just as
Elrond had wanted it to. Perfectly to plan. A little *too* perfectly to plan,
perhaps. A thought whispered nastily to her, and she considered, not for the
first time, that everything Elrond had wished and proposed on the morning they
had discovered the truth about their sons was coming true. Perfectly.

It was wrong. Very very wrong.

/'Celebrían...' / She heard a soothing voice in her mind and looked up at her
mother. /'Tell me what you fear.'/

/'I fear that Elladan is marrying Melethoniel for very false means,' / she
replied silently. /'I fear that it is all going far too perfectly to Elrond's
plan. And I am afraid what that means.'/

/'Elrond is doing a fine job dreaming,'/ Galadriel spoke into her consciousness
even as she chatted to Celeborn. /'Nothing will ever break the bond between
your sons now. You know it and I know it. And Elrond knows it too. I cannot see
into Elladan's heart. I have tried, but he is too good at shutting me out. He
still loves Elrohir, and Elrohir still loves him. I do not know if the two of
them have conspired this together but the love between them has not waned.
Elladan knows more than Elrond would ever dare to imagine, but poor Elrohir was
naïvely seduced and betrayed. Now I think they have worked something out
between them, but they are both too secretive for me to see what it is.'/

Celebrían thought upon the odd love-filled glances she had seen pass across the
garden tonight when the twins thought no one was looking, an odd wink from
Elladan when Elrohir had looked afraid. Her mother was right, the bond between
the twins was by far sundered. But if Galadriel knew why had she not spoken of
it before? Even some hours ago when Celebrían had wept into her lap for fear of
the wedding going ill? Why leave mentioning it until now when everything was
too late?

/'You lie to me!' / She passed the thought with anger. /'You know full what
they have learned and what they have worked out! Why did you not tell me when
you knew how afraid I was?!'/

/'Do not think ill of me,'/ Galadriel glanced towards her with sorrow in her
eyes. /'I cannot tell you how it all ends, my darling child, even I cannot see
that far. All I can say is let it be for now. There is nothing that you can
do.'/

/'They are going to leave me, aren't they?' / She released the thought that
frightened her the most. /'I have felt it in my heart, in my worst dreams I
have seen them run from here and never look back! Ai, I should have spoken
against Elrond at the start of this! But I was weak and foolish!'/

Galadriel smiled kindly at her. /'You are not weak, my silver queen. You are
the strong one.'/

Celebrían drew in a shuddering breath, clasping her hands on the edge of her
chair. She did not feel very strong.

"You seem anxious, my Lady," Glorfindel said quietly at her side, startling her
back to reality. "It is natural for a mother to be nervous, I am sure."

Celebrían forced a smile. "I am sure," she repeated. "Quite, quite natural.
Everything will be fine." She dropped her voice to a whisper for his ears only.
"Everything will be fine as long as we keep telling ourselves that Elrond has
done the right thing. When will our love for him stop blinding us, Glorfindel?
My eyes have opened now, but it is far too late to stop this foolish facade of
a wedding."

But perhaps there was still time? Time before the ceremony, they were not
married yet. There was still time to stand up to Elrond and speak to Elladan.
There was time to look into his heart and try to find the truth. It was not too
late! She would wait until after the meal was over. Surely a mother would never
be deprived of the chance to say some final words of wisdom to her son before
she passed him onto the hand of another woman? She did not need Glorfindel's
aid to do that. She could do it alone. She was the daughter of Galadriel and
she could be strong. It was not too late!

"My Lady?" Glorfindel looked curiously at her. "What do you speak of?"

The sound of a fork ringing on a glass drew her attention to Elrond who was
standing to address the crowd.

"It is nothing," she said with a smile, feeling her heart lighten. "It will be
all right now."

"I would like to take this moment before we eat to raise a toast," Elrond
announced in a loud clear voice, lifting his glass, laughing as Elladan glanced
up at him with a pained expression. "I do not wish to make a speech, I only
want to invite everyone to stand and join me in a drink to my son Elladan, and
his bride Melethoniel. May they ever be happy."

The people stood and raised their glasses to drink, but Celebrían feigned her
sip, noticing that Elrohir did not drink either. He did not even stand. He
suddenly looked pale and shaken, and nearly all of the sudden light-heartedness
that had come to Celebrían withered at the sight of him. She was thankful that
Arwen was beside him to take his hand across the table. She also noticed a
rather cunning smirk pass between Haldir and Rúmil and her heart skipped again.

She took a deep breath and willed her heart to settle. Everything would be all
right. It was not too late.

"Thank you Father." Elladan stood as Elrond resumed his seat. "And now, in fear
of keeping you all from your food a little longer, there are some things I
would like to say."

With a small clatter of cutlery, Elrohir rose from his chair. "I must leave,"
he gasped.

"Elrohir, sit down," Elrond ordered. "Your brother is about to make a speech."

Celebrían looked to her husband, then back to Elrohir, alarmed to see him lurch
forward to grip the edge of the table. "Elrohir, love, what is wrong?" she
asked.

"I am not feeling well," Elrohir said softly. "Please let me go." Indeed he
looked close to fainting.

"It is all right, Father, he has already heard much of what I have to say,"
Elladan said. "Elrohir, you may be excused." He smiled kindly and nodded to his
brother.

"Do you need aid, Elrohir?" Celebrían looked at him with grave concern.
"Torgil, please escort my son back to the house," she requested of a servant.
"See that he is well."

"No! I shall be fine," Elrohir insisted. "I do not need to be accompanied...I
just... I need to be alone for a while," he whispered, glancing at his mother
with tearful eyes. "Do not send anyone after me, please." He shoved his chair
from the table and all but ran in the direction of the house with heavy
shoulders, clearly weeping.

"Should I follow him, my Lady?" Torgil asked.

Celebrían watched the retreating figure of her son. She didn't think that he
should be left alone, but he was clearly distressed and would not want an
audience for his tears. "No, it's all right," she replied. "Leave him awhile.
Go to him if he is not back after the supper."

Elladan waited a few seconds for hush to resume, then cleared his throat,
glancing at Elrond and then at Finervenn. He had aged to Celebrían's eyes, far
beyond his years. She tried to tell herself that was the centre of all her
worries, she was just afraid to let her baby go, but she knew it was more than
that.

"People of Imladris..." he began, in a voice as clear as his father's. "People
of Imladris... You are gathered here tonight for the celebrations of my
marriage to Melethoniel of Lothlórien."

Loud applause and cheering filled the air, but Celebrían could only stare in
the direction Elrohir had run in, wondering what was wrong with him. She wanted
to go to him, despite his protests, but she could not leave the table now. She
was still in half a mind to send Torgil quietly after him, when a sudden
silence brought her attention back, and she looked to see that had Elladan
raised a hand to hush the crowd, looking solemn and somewhat nervous.

"Elladan?" Elrond frowned.

Celebrían felt her heart cease to beat for a moment, and she knew that
something awful was about to unfold. This was it. The time had come for all her
questions to be answered. It was too late.

Drawing in a breath and glancing to Melethoniel as if for assurance Elladan
looked back to his people. "It is with some amount of regret that I am now to
announce that the wedding is off." His voice did not falter as confused murmurs
sounded around the tables. "Indeed, the marriage was never going to be for
love, or even to produce an heir. I was to marry to cover an affair I am having
with a male here in Imladris."

The murmur of voices turned into a loud hum and Celebrían sunk back into her
chair. That had been her most supported theory, but she had not wanted to pay
heed to it. It was so obvious from the start! Elladan was marrying to make them
believe things were over between him and Elrohir, so that he and Elrohir could
stay together without suspicion. But why was he revealing this?! Why now?!

From her side Elrond made to rise from his chair, but Galadriel sprung to her
feet first, reaching across the table to grasp his arm to hold him back. She
had known. She must have known.

Not missing a beat, Elladan continued, addressing the crowd as simply as if he
were telling a tale of old. "I have decided after much consideration, that I
love the man I am with and I will not be parted from him. Even if it means my
exile."

Elrond pulled from Galadriel's grip and grabbed Elladan by the elbow to pull
him to one side. "Elladan, this is not the place to speak of this!" he ordered
in a harsh whisper. "Do nothing in haste, come inside and we will talk this
over. Please, do not do it here. Why are you doing this? I have given you many
opportunities to discuss any problems with me before this eve."

"Do not act so innocent, Father," Elladan whispered back. "You know more than
you would have me think, but you are too arrogant to realise that I know more
than I would have you think, more than you would ever dare to imagine." A nasty
glimmer appeared in his eyes. "And I think this is the perfect place to speak
of it." He pulled his arm free and turned back to the people, raising his voice
once more. "Originally I was going to say this only to the conspirators," he
looked down the table, "but I think more should know of it."

Elrond stared at him with true fear in his eyes, seeming to realise, as
Celebrían did, that Elladan was hinting that he knew everything of the plot
that had occurred behind his back.

"Elladan, please..." he whispered.

"What? Is *incest* too strong a word to speak, Father?" Elladan spat with
vitriol.

Celebrían sank back further into her seat, wishing the chair could swallow her
up as the crowd started to talk loudly with shocked gasps colouring the din.
How did he know? How did Elladan know of everything that they had tried so hard
to keep from him? Who had leaked the secrets? And why?

"Elladan," Glorfindel rose from beside her to intervene. "I really must agree
with your Father..." He was halted in his footsteps by Elladan's hand upon his
chest.

"Well, you would!" Elladan cried. "You have been nothing but a simpering lap-
dog to Lord Elrond for as long as I can remember! This is nothing to do with
you, Glorfindel, stay out of my family's affairs. You have done quite enough
already!" He glared with hatred at his old mentor before dodging Elrond's hand
that was trying once again in vain to grasp his sleeve. "Yes, indeed, I share a
bond of incest with my twin brother, be it right or wrong!" he told the crowd.
"Your Lord, as cowardly as he is, has known about this for two years and kept
it secret. Your Lord and Lady, and the rulers of Lothlórien, and the reborn
saviour of Gondolin, and the most esteemed counsellor of the house conspired to
part us by sending me away for all this time, hoping that our 'foolish lust'
would fade, and I would find a woman to marry. So I did find one, but not for
the wishes of my family."

All eyes turned to Melethoniel, who sat upon her chair with a proud face, even
as her father rose in anger from his seat. She had obviously known. She was a
part of the twins' conspiracy, a conspiracy that seemed to have emulated the
conspiracy their elders had plotted against them.

Celebrían was barely aware of Finervenn leaping from his chair, uttering
threats on Elladan's life, and Melethoniel leaping from her chair to still him,
her steadiness faltering a little as her father stared aghast at her. But still
she did not back down. Determination was glowing on Melethoniel's young face,
and courage burned brightly in her eyes. Not even her father would deter her
from what she believed was right. She was strong.

Elladan raised his voice above the noise of the crowd. "Father! What say you? I
am not sure if one would call this a marriage of convenience or inconvenience?"

Celebrían could only stare in horror at Elladan. That was not her boy. He had
always had a witty edge to his tongue, but he had never spoken with such
complete hatred. He had never looked so cold and cruel. That was not her boy.

"I am sorry to break this news to you Father, but I never was acting under
'foolish lust'," Elladan continued in a strident tone. "I love Elrohir, and he
loves me, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. We are to be together, by
your will or not."

"How is this known?" Elrond demanded, glancing towards Galadriel.

"Grandfather confided in someone who confided in me." Elladan answered simply,
glancing sharply down the table to Haldir, and then to Rúmil. "But since he and
his stooge proved untrustworthy I have taken the matter into my own hands."

Celebrían followed her son's gaze, watching with disbelieving eyes as Celeborn
lowered his head, putting his face into his hands. Her father had told... he
had told Haldir? And Haldir had told Elladan? And Rúmil had seduced Elrohir
for.... for what means? Tears sprung to her eyes and she could not hold them
back as she watched her mother place a hand on her father's arm. She had known
that too? She had known that he had betrayed the secrets?

"Father," she whispered under her breath but she knew he had heard her. "What
have you done?"

Her eyes lifted to Haldir and Rúmil, who were rather mirroring her pose, shrunk
back in their chairs staring at each other with dread and confusion.

"What part did you two have to play in this?" she demanded, rising from her
chair to stand over them. "In what way were you untrustworthy?" Her eyes
lingered on Rúmil, seeing him for the first time without his customary smirk.
"What did you to my Elrohir?" Then she turned her sights back to Haldir. "And
you? What was in it for you?" Neither brother replied so she looked to her
father once more. "Why did you tell him?" she cried. "Why do I not know of
this?! Why have so many people lied to me?! I do not deserve it!"

"Celebrían!" Elrond called to her across the clamour, his voice risen with
panic. "Calm yourself, my Lady!"

"I will not calm myself!" she raged at him, striding to where he was standing,
and for the first time in their long marriage she wanted to slap him. "Damn you
Elrond, this is all your doing! We can blame any person at this table, but this
is your fault! Your fault, for being so damn clever when everyone else only
wanted to be honest! If we had done as I said that morning, none of this would
have come about."

"You blame me entirely?" Elrond's face turned dark, and he looked to Celeborn.
"I would say I am the least to blame here."

"You shifted the snow that started an avalanche," Celebrían said. "I hope you
are pleased with how things have turned out."

"I believe your first suggestion was that Elrohir and I be exiled?" Elladan
broke into his parents' quarrel. "Well, things are about to turn out as you
first wished, Father. Elrohir and I are leaving. We detach ourselves from your
name and your house."

"I release you from my name and my house," Elrond returned the comment to his
son with frozen disgrace in his eyes. "As I would have done when we learned of
your shame. Go, and bring whatever shame you wish upon yourselves. But no
longer will you bring shame upon us."

"Elladan no!" Celebrían grasped his arm. "Do not do this! Elladan please!" she
begged him. "Can we not work this out? Please, let us go somewhere and talk,
with Elrohir too. You can talk to me."

He looked coldly at her. "You made your choice when you stood by Father." Pain
flashed in his eyes for the briefest fraction of a second. "It is too late to
talk now."

"Elladan, I love you, please do not leave me like this," she whispered through
her tears as he shrugged off her hand.

"We are going," Elladan said, still loud enough for everyone in the garden to
hear, "but before I leave, I would not feel at ease with myself, if I did not
say what a fine hypocrite my father is." He looked to Elrond with a cruel smirk
up on his lips. "Oh, if only things had worked out as you wanted them, eh
Father? You would not even have Elrohir and I to worry about, would you? If
things had not gone so ill before the Black Gate the Lord of Imladris would not
even have a son and heir, for he would still be getting buggered by Gil-galad!"

It was Arwen's turn to jump from her seat then, and she shook her head firmly
at Elladan, even as Celebrían turned betrayed eyes to her. Elrond's affair with
Gil-galad was something she had confided in Arwen long ago. Her daughter had
obviously not kept the confidence as promised. Was Arwen against her also? She
seemed to be the only one in the family who didn't look surprised at Elladan's
revelations. She must have helped her brothers.

"So you are hardly worthy of condemning an unethical love, " Elladan approached
Elrond with malice on his face, "are you, my Lord?"

"That is enough!" Elrond boomed, striking Elladan sharply across the cheek with
the back of his hand, hard enough to send him toppling backwards onto the
floor.

Celebrían stepped backwards, colliding into Glorfindel who grasped her arm to
hold her upright and she could feel he was shaking nearly as much as she was.
Elrond had never raised a hand to any of the children.

Looking a little stunned, Elladan still straightened up to look Elrond in the
eyes. "You do not frighten me," he said quietly, his words now for only one
pair of ears. "In fact, you sicken me."

Celebrían shrunk back further against Glorfindel as two horses walked slowly
across the lawns to stand beside the dais. Elrohir was on the back of the one,
and the other was saddled. Each was laden with light baggage. It was now clear
why he had wanted to flee alone. And the footsteps she had heard last night
became clear. He had been packing to leave and hiding bags. He had only had to
fetch the horses and rid himself of his robes.

"Elrohir, no," she whispered, unable to move to run to him, and knowing it
would make no difference even if she did.

He stared at her for a second with a trembling lip, then fixed his face and
looked ahead, but Celebrían could see tears sliding down his cheeks. She feared
terribly for him. He would never survive in the Wild. He had never been further
than Lórien. He would surely fade.

"Farewell Lord Elrond." Elladan shrugged off his robe and plucked the circlet
from his head, tossing it to his father. "We will disgrace you no longer." He
mounted his horse with a long cold glance down the table, only sparing a smile
for Arwen and Melethoniel. "Farewell Mother," he said, then grinning at Elrohir
he kicked his horse into a gallop.

Elrohir had not even said farewell. Elladan's coldness had stung Celebrían to
the deepest reaches of her soul, but Elrohir had said nothing. Not even
goodbye. He was her baby boy, sweet vulnerable Elrohir, the child she had
always been closest to, and he had not even said goodbye.

Celebrían let Glorfindel ease her down into her chair as her sons rode off into
the woods and out of her life. They were going. They were gone. They were never
coming back. She could stop them, and she had not got to say goodbye, she had
not got to explain herself, she had never got to hold them one last time and
tell them that she loved them. Now they were gone. Forever.

"Let them go!" Elrond said, throwing Elladan's circlet down on the table. "They
are no longer our concern." With a face of fury, he stormed through the garden
back to the house, with Glorfindel following close behind. No one dared to
approach him.

Celebrían wished she could flee somewhere, somewhere she could hide. The garden
was in a chaos of noise and gossip, everyone was asking questions and they all
seemed to be aimed at her.

"What will I do?" she whispered. "Ai, what will I do?"

"Celebrían?" she heard her father's voice at her side. "I am sorry, my
darling." He slid into the seat that had previously been occupied by Elrond.
"Please forgive me." Tears were in his voice and in his eyes.

"Oh, Father!" She gratefully accepted his embrace, wrapping her arms tightly
around his back while she buried her face into his broad chest as she had done
as a child. She did not want to wonder about his part in this downfall. He was
her Ada and she was afraid. She wanted him to hold her and tell her everything
was going to be all right, just as he had done when she had been a little girl.
"What will I do now?"

"Let them go," he whispered to her, gently stroking her hair. "Let them go now.
But they will return to you. I promise, Celebrían, I don't know how I will do
it but I promise I will get them back."