Lost Light

2. chapter: The dangers of brothers

Estel went to the ground and a thousand thoughts shot through his head. What had happened? Where was Elladan? Where was his sword? What about Elrohir? He had to defend himself and his brother, but the blackness of the night made it impossible to see anything from his position on the ground. He tried to concentrate on the place from which the blow had come. But had it really been a blow, or had he just fallen unhappily? Even that he could not say with certainty.

Since he simply could not recognize anything and this situation did not seem to change, he tried to hear the possible enemy or at least the breath of his brother. Except for a soft sigh, everything remained silent. If that was Elrohir, then at least he was still alive. Good. But all of a sudden, he heard the background noise seem to change. The soft sigh suddenly turned into a loud laughter and this certainly came from more than just one neck. And since it couldn't be the gruesome and shattering laughter of an orc – it was gentle and almost melodic – he knew who was laughing. He knew the laughter of his brothers when they had managed to target an innocent Ellon or an innocent Elleth, or even him. How he hated it! Reluctant and angry, he sat up and not for the first time stared into the darkness, in the direction from which the laughter came. It did not ebb and ebb away. Estel fell a stone from the heart, audibly it was all well, but he did not understand in the slightest the charm that this action had given them. Did they want to test him? Did they question his sibling love? No, that couldn't be done. Elladan and Elrohir, they both knew how much he cared about them and he himself also knew that they felt the same for him.

"You are such idiots! What's the point?" he finally broke off his train of thought, the flaming anger that was still burning in him could be clearly heard. Which is why it almost only enraged him even more to hear that the laughter did not become quieter, but only louder. They could hardly breathe and tried to calm down panting, but they only succeeded with difficulty and constant giggling. Elladan caught himself first after just under five minutes and began to defend himself: "Gohenno nin, tithen muindor! We couldn't resist giving you a real scare and..." (I'm sorry, little brother) But the words were never uttered, because another seizure came over him and he immediately started to prust again. Instead, Elrohir took a deep breath and added yet another comment. "You should have seen your face! You were chalk pale! I thought you were already dying on the way here!" But even he could not hold on and so he struggled shortly afterwards again together with his twin for air.

While he heard them laughing and panting, Estel finally realized that they were already quite out of breath because of him. Mentally, he also added that it was not he who was the sad, helpless sight, but them. After all, who by the Valar lay breathless on the ground here? The realization put a broad grin on his face and finally he added his own thoughts. "If you are not careful, you will die right away! What should I tell Ada and Arwen then?" They continued to laugh for some time, but then decided to go back to the camp.

"Where is the wood? We sent you out to get some!" Estel grinned at the elder. He knew exactly what he wanted to tell him, but still let him pronounce it. "I'm sorry, but the lives of two silly elves were more important to me than a warm soup."

"Dammit, then we probably have to feed on Lembas. Damn! You and your great ideas!" Said the younger one full of played defiance turned to his likeness.

"Hey, it was your idea to fake an attack. Besides, he wouldn't have had to respond to you at all. Then you would still lie screaming on the floor."

"Yes, but you only brought me to it!" After a few more accusations, all of which did not seem to be really meant seriously, Estel finally got involved again with the small glimmer of hope to end the dispute, if it really was one.