All for the Ones I Love

Important: I'm having computer issues and need to reset the memory (waaaaa) So I'm putting all the ch. I have done up so if my backup copies don't work then I have them here. So yeah.

Anyway On With The Fic.

Chapter 10: It All Falls Apart

Three horses run past fields, through forest and cool streams. They ran day in and day out, only stopping when their riders, a pair of twin elves and one man, would stop to rest for a few minutes or when the horses were too tired to proceed. The three brothers were heading home, to Rivendell, each one worried about what they would find upon their arrival.

They had stopped for the night when it had become too dark to see in the moonless night. Aragorn stared blankly into the fire in front of him, his mind sifting through all the possibilities and reasons behind Elrond’s order to come home. Everything from orc attacks, to invasions, to the finding of the one ring passed through his thoughts.

Elrohir was in a similar state. Occasionally prodding at the fires embers he couldn’t help but envision Rivendell flooded, overrun by orcs and goblins and the three of them arriving too late to help with anything. He would find no sleep until he saw for himself his home and its inhabitants intact.

Elladan was setting up the bedrolls for the night and laid down, but like his siblings found no sleep. His mind wondering through the same thoughts as the others.

As the night wore on they eventually fell asleep, though restless it may be.

Legolas sat in his room in Lorien looking out at the forest surrounding the floor below his room. He had decided to wait here while his friends ran home. He had promised them he would wait to hear from the other rangers. As this was also the advice from the Lady Galadriel. Who was he to argue with her unwavering decisions?

However, he couldn’t help but worry for his friends. They were heading into unknown perils, he could feel it, but of what nature he would have never guessed. Movement in the foliage below caught his attention. Another elf he recognized as the Lorien March warden, Haldir, appeared in front of him.

Bowing in respect he spoke, “Prince Legolas there are some men at the gates requesting your audience.”

Legolas nodded, he had been expecting the rangers. Though he was timid around men he had trusted his life with Aragorn’s fellow rangers enough to know not all were as bad as his elders would often say.

Standing he looked at the warden and said, “I will head there you may proceed to inform your Lord and Lady.”

“They already know. Lady Galadriel is meeting with the leader as we speak. I was sent to escort you there.”

“I see.” Legolas quickly dusted himself off, it would reflect badly on him if it didn’t look like he had tried to make himself presentable, no matter whom his audience was with. Haldir led Legolas to the Great hall, where Galadriel and the leader of the band of rangers were talking. Legolas waited for the lady of the light to speak.

“Legolas this man has something important to say to you.”

Legolas nodded. The man quickly spoke, meaning no disrespect to the great elves, but he wanted to leave as soon as possible, “My lord, we have spotted the orcs and are ready to move against them at the chieftain’s command.”

“Alas Strider has left for Rivendell. Something of great importance has come up at the Homely House, he left three days ago.”

At the mention of Rivendell the rangers eyes grew wide, “Rivendell?!” he gasped

“Is something the matter Ranger?” asked Celeborn

“No… I mean yes. The orcs we are tracking are headed to Rivendell they will be there in a matter of a few days.”

Legolas eyes also grew in size. His friends and what was a second home to him were in danger. They needed to act quickly, “Your men, where are they?”

“Right outside the Lorien gates.”

“How soon will you be ready to leave?”

“At a moments notice.”

“Good. Go back and get them ready I shall be there shortly to ride to Rivendell with you.”

Nodding the man left to ready the others and in less than an hour they were off.

It had taken longer then any of them cared to think about but finally they had arrived home. It was dusk when they dismounted their horses and headed inside, each dreading what they find. Looking around Elladan noted how nothing seemed out of place and yet he could feel something was wrong.

Erestor meekly walked out of Lord Elronds study. Happy to be away from him, he leaned against the wall and breathed a sigh of relief. He had watched as Lord Elrond became tense and snippy at any who were foolish enough to disturb him. Today he was the unlucky fool. Never before had he envied the blonde elf, Glorfindel, but now he found himself doing so. Glorfindel was called out to the borders, because of a series of unfortunate accidents kept occurring. Now that he thought about it all these accidents started around the time of Elrond’s mood change.

“Erestor, what’s going on?” Erestor jumped at the sound of Elrohir’s voice which startled him from his thoughts.

Had the situation not been so serious Aragorn would have laughed at the shocked look on his face.

“My Lords.” Erestor gulped, he was still a little shaken from Elrond.

“Where is our father?” Elladan quickly got to the point.

Erestor grabbed the older twins at the elbow and pulled him a little ways down the hall. The others followed, looking to each other they exchanged worried looks. Erestor had always been the calmer and more level headed of all the advisors. To see him shaken up and obviously worried over something meant that whatever had happened here had been serious enough to make even him panic.

“Erestor what happened?” Aragorn asked in a whispered voice.

Erestor looked at the trio standing before him. “Your father, Lord Elrond, has been acting very hostile and upset as of late. He may not show it by the way he looks, but you can feel in the very air around him and he had snaps at any who come in contact with him.”

“Any idea as to why?” asked Elladan. He had never heard of his father of ever being in such a state.

Erestor sighed, “Nay, I do not. I have been trying to figure it out, but so far I have found nothing and I have reason to believe his temper is affecting Vilya as well many accidents have occurred that don’t happen very often. But that is not the main reason I have pulled you aside. You see he has requested to see all three of you and I feel it‘s only fair to warn you of what to expect when you meet with him.”

They turned at the sound of Elrond’s study door opening. Elrond, in all appearances, seemed to be his calm normal self, but the air about him seemed to contain a dark aura of some sort.

Spotting his youngest Elrond in a calm voice spoke, “Estel could you come in here for a moment I need to speak with you in private.”

Shrugging Aragorn walked into the study. Elrond closed the door behind him.

Taking his usual seat in front of the redwood desk he waited for his father to speak. Erestor wasn’t kidding when he said Elrond was angry about something, even being human he could feel the tension in the very air around him.

Elrond turned to the ranger and instantly felt angered.

He tried to keep at least some form of a hold on his emotions it would do him little good to suddenly explode in the rangers face, he spoke through his gritted teeth. “Well what do you have to say for yourself?”

“Pardon?” asked Aragorn. He had done nothing wrong, at least not to his knowledge.

“How dare you. You had no right to say those things; just who do you think you are?” Elrond was yelling now.

Aragorn was thoroughly confused he didn’t know what he had done that was so horrible as to deserve this. “I apologize Ada…”

Elrond cut him off with a cold glare, “I am not your ada and don’t you ever say so again.”

Aragorn was shocked he didn’t know what to say.

“Do you know what you did?” Elrond stood and leaned over his desk till his face was inches away from the rangers. Aragorn shook his head, feeling quite afraid of his father. He was now pressed as far back in the chair as possible without tipping it over.

“You will destroy my daughter.” his voice was low dripping in an intense loathing. Aragorn’s eyes grew in size. Elrond continued, “By pledging your love to her she in return has fallen for you, you know this.” Aragorn, still in shock of the situation didn’t reply. Elrond’s voice once again became calm, “You do know what this means do you not.” Aragorn knew this to be a rhetorical question and didn’t say or do anything (not even blink) He wasn’t sure he was even really breathing. “She will not be able to go over the sea. She will not get to see her family. She will however eventually die.” Elrond’s voice once again began to rise. “Do you know whose fault that will be? YOURS! It will be all your fault! Your fault we will be forced to part with her! Your fault she will not get to see her mother! Your fault she will die!”

These words hurt Aragorn more than anything in the all the world. That’s not what he wanted. He wanted her to be happy to live a full and wonderful life and he wanted to share it with her. But apparently he was wrong in his actions. He only wished now his ada would let him go and things go back to normal. But no such luck, Elrond was not yet done with his sentencing. These next few lines would hurt Aragorn more than any blade, poison, or evil being ever did.

Elrond turned his back to his youngest saying, “Aragorn, son of Arathorn, I hereby exile you from the elven cities of Rivendell and Lothlorien.”

Aragorn sucked in a sharp breath. 'What did he say?!' His mind couldn’t comprehend what he was hearing. Surely he must be joking. Elrond was like a father to him, he had raised him, been there when no one else was, helped him when he was sick or injured, taught him. This was not… could not… be the Elrond he had come to love and respect, as any child to a parent.

Elrond turned around to stare at him, his eyes cold and hard to him. His voice held no warmth either, “I want you gone from here by tomorrow. Take all that is yours and nothing more. I will give you a few medical supplies to last you a week and a bag of food along with your water skins will be waiting for you in the kitchens. You may keep your horse; Valor knows he won’t let anyone else ride him.” Aragorn stood tears making paths on his travel dirty face.

The heartbroken ranger finally found his voice, “What of my mother, what will happen to her?”

“She may stay; after all it was not her fault. But she had instead decided to ride ahead and meet with you in Rohan. You have until tomorrow night to completely remove yourself from this place. Should you be within the grounds by that time I have ordered that you be shot and killed on sight.” Aragorn trembled slightly at his fathers words. He wasn’t joking; he could see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice. But that didn’t keep the man from hoping against hope that this was not true, that Elrond would look up at him and smile telling him that he was only joking and that everything was alright or perhaps he would wake up to find himself back in the woods or something and that all of this was a dream. That it was all a really horrible dream caused by illness or perhaps orc poison. He didn’t care what was wrong or right with him he just wanted to wake and find that this was not really happening.

Elrond looked the man up and down in disgust, “You’re still here?” Aragorn looked up not realizing his eyes were on the floor beneath his feet. “GET OUT!”

Aragorn all but ran out the double doors of his ex-father’s study.

With that said and done Elrond dismissed his son… No!.. The human from his study. Now he needed a way to tell his real sons. He had seen the tears in his son’s eyes, but right now he didn’t care. To be honest he found it strange that he actually felt a little better. But had he truly been honest with himself he was beginning to feel the gnawing edge of guilt starting. What he didn’t notice that his raised voice had brought the twins running to the door and they had heard the whole conversation from the hall.

Hearing the heavy footsteps of Aragorn the twins made themselves scarce. Anger filled Elladans entire being as he listened to his human brother coming down the empty hallway. He quickly became blind with rage as the same thoughts repeated in his head. His beloved sister was supposed to sail with them when the time came, that was the plan. Well now that plan lay in ruins all because of the filthy, pathetic, human they had brought into their home out of the kindness of their hearts. It made since now, what he had seen in the woods at Lorien. The look in their eyes how they stood with one another, the picnics they had gone on while they were here. The things they did together. He mentally berated himself for not seeing it sooner.

He spotted the man in the hall.

Aragorn leaned against the wall trying to calm his thought and heart. The elf he had come to think of as a father had betrayed him. No, the other way around. I betrayed him. I betrayed all of them; it’s my fault for going to Lorien, my fault for meeting with Arwen, my fault for saying three evil words that should have never left my lips. He mentally berated himself. Before he left he would go to the only one who would not hate him for his actions. His mother. No, wait I can’t go to her. He remembered how she had not long ago warned him of this. Why he didn’t listen he never knew. But he did know he could not go to her, for she would surly reject him as had all the others.

Aragorn heard the scuffing of soft leather against the smooth stone hallway. Turning he saw Elladan coming up behind him; he would have run to him and asked for his help and advice, like he used to. However, the look on his brother’s face quickly stopped him in his tracks.

Elladan couldn’t believe what he had heard. His brother was in love with his sister, the thought sickened him. But his anger was far greater than the ill feeling in his stomach. His brother would take away his little sister. The same little sister, born of the same mother and father as he, he adored and cared for (as of right now) more then the ’Worthless, selfish, pathetic little adan.’ he thought bitterly as he watched Aragorn start to shy away from him.

Aragorn never in his life could recall ever seeing the look of loathing in his brothers eyes that he now saw. He had heard the older twins true anger was an ugly, horrible thing no living being should ever see, save for servants of Sauron. The look he was now seeing on the elf’s face, the fiery blaze in his eyes and the seemingly calm look to his body posture. He visibly gulped and slowly started to walk back, keeping his eyes on the older twin.

Seeing through the angry red haze over his eyes Elladan saw his prey start retreat. Slowly and calmly he walked towards the young man smiling cruelly as he took notice the man had yet to see the wall he was slowly backing into. ’He’s cornered’ he thought.

Aragorn saw the smile a spike of fear and warning sped through his being. Suddenly and much to his already immense fear he felt something solid against his back. ‘I’m trapped!’ he thought in horror.

Elladan reached out grabbing Aragorn by the front of his shirt lifting him up to look straight into his stormy gray eyes, which Aragorn could have sworn he saw lightning flash in the older twins eyes. Aragorn was now terrified, his feet daggling in the air, his mind and senses screaming at him to get away, to flee and never return. He began to push at the elf’s hands and struggle in his grasp, trying to get loose from Elladans strong grip.

Elladan watched him struggle, and while he enjoyed the obvious but futile attempt it was quickly getting on his already shot nerves. Pulling the man forward a little he slammed him against the wall as hard as he could without breaking anything, much to his disappointment.

It was then he spoke his anger clearly heard in his frighteningly calm voice. “Now listen to me human, and listen well. I love my sister more then any other being in all of Arda and no one,” again he slammed the man against the wall, spots briefly flew before Aragorn‘s eyes as his head made contact with the wall behind it, “NO ONE! WILL EVER, EVER! TAKE HER FROM ME!” Elladan was now screaming.

Aragorn was terrified now. Never had anyone in his family ever spoke to him in such a manner. Daring a look away from his brother’s eyes he spotted Elrohir at the end of the hallway looking on. Elrohir did not seem as angry as his twin brother, but he didn’t seem happy about the news either. Either way it was better than the position he was in now. Aragorn’s eyes pleaded with him to help, but Elrohir quickly turned away and continued walking past the hall as if nothing had happened.

Elladan looked where his brother had stood, he knew he was there, but right now it didn’t matter what mattered was the human he had pinned against the wall. Most of his anger abated slightly as tears of anger and frustration streamed down his face. His voice was now low, but still holding the same fierce edge it had not too long ago, “How could you do this to us.” he paused. Aragorn took this moment to try and defend himself against his brothers words, which had cut him deeper then any blade ever could. Elladan stopped him before he opened his mouth and slammed him against the wall his anger returning as he stared at what he saw as a traitorous human. “Forget it don’t try and explain, but know this. If I ever catch you near my sister again. Mark my words Adan I Will Kill You!”

With that said Elladan released Aragorn, who flopped to the ground, his feet crumpling beneath him. He looked up at the sibling he had once held so much respect and adoration for with frightened tear filled eyes. Seeing this as his chance to get away Aragorn scrambled to his feet and fled. He didn’t look back as he ran down the deserted hallways and into the courtyard. And could have sworn he heard the sounds of a cruel laugh as he ran to the stables and quickly threw his horses gear on. The animal snorted at the rough treatment, but sensing something was terribly wrong with his master didn’t protest.

Finally ready Aragorn rode out of the stables and into the night. Tears staining his face as he ran he needed to get away from here far, far away. What he didn’t realize was the large bands of orcs were only a day or two away from Rivendell.

A/N: Well that was fun and interesting. Sorry if the dialog doesn’t quite sound right that was the part that took me the longest. I just couldn’t quite figure out how they would respond to something like that. I might come back and fix it if I figure out a better way.