title: Home

pairings: Orophin/Lindir, Celeborn/Haldir, Turmio/Rumil, Erestor/Elladan, Elrohir/Rumil

Summary: AU where Orophin and Haldir die at Helm’s Deep and Rumil is forced to face the world alone for the first time in his life.Darkness had fallen by the time the troops were ready to march. Rumil had spent the most of the day with his older brothers, helping them get ready to march. He didn’t understand why he was the one that had to stay behind. Why couldn’t all three of them go? Orophin would have Haldir’s back, which comforted him a bit, but who would have Orophin’s? The youngest Lorien brother knew the battle would be hard fought, but it didn’t sit right with him that he should let his big brothers march without him. Yet, he had no choice. Instead of marching with them, he sat within a great mallorn tree, watching them march out of sight, his heart clenching at the sight of their forms getting further and further away. He tried to take comfort in the memories of the previous hours spent with his brothers, the smiles and the affection they had given him, but the thought of those being the last memories with them haunted him. He did not sleep well that night, nor any night after as he anxiously awaited news.

But news did not come for a good while and when it did, in came in the form of a lone messenger  a dirty and weary Man. Rumil’s hear sank at the sight. Where were his brothers? Where were the rest of the company? It was not until the man pressed a dirty envelope into Rumil’s hand that the youngest Lorien brother understood what happened. The company was not coming back. His brothers were not coming back. A little whimper escaped his lips as he tore open the envelope and looked inside. There were two letters, one from Haldir and the other from Orophin. For a moment, Rumil wondered if Lindir had received such a letter as well, and his heart clenched at the thought. His fingers trembled as he pulled both of them out, reading Haldir’s first and then Orophin’s. Before he had finished, soft sobs had begun to make his shoulders shake and the trembling of his hands had grown worse. Tears blurred his vision, making it harder to read the words his brothers had written. Why had they not let him go with them, if they knew that this would be their fate? Why could they have not died together? Why did he have to be the one left behind, left alone?

A sadness wrapped its way around Rumil’s heart and would not let go. A cold numbness settled into Rumil’s soul. Neither Lord Celeborn, for he was dealing with his own grief at the loss of Haldir, nor his much beloved Lady of Light could console him. His brothers had been his whole world. They were the only family he had left and now…he would face the world alone. Never in his life had he done so before. They were always there, always protecting, until now. The Golden Wood seemed less bright to him with his brothers gone and his talan no longer felt like home, not while he was there alone. With a heavy heart, he left the Golden Wood and went to dwell with his dearest friend, hoping to find some comfort there. 

With Turmio, at least, he did not feel as alone. Still, his smiles and eyes were less bright and there always seemed to be a sad hint in his expression, but being with Turmio brought a bit of warmth back to him. Turmio was good to him, always patient and kind, even on the days where Rumil did not feel up to getting out of bed. The dwarf brought him little presents and trinkets and sang him sweet songs that somehow always seemed to make Rumil feel better when he slipped into melancholy  While he was not entirely happy, he was very content to stay with Turmio. Yet Fate was a fickle thing, and Rumil would one day lose Turmio too. The former warden always knew in his heart that one day Turmio would grow old, yet it didn’t make it hurt any less. Rumil did his best to make his dearest friend comfortable in his last days. He fed him and bathed him. He sang to him and read to him and made him little flower crowns. When Turmio passed and was laid to rest, Rumil planted flowers of all kinds on his friends grave, so that Turmio would have flowers long after Rumil had sailed.

Rumil found himself alone once more. He went back to the Golden Wood, only to find it fading and empty. Having no where else to turn, he went to Imladris, hoping to finally seek out Lindir, but upon his arrival to Imladris, he learned that Lindir had long since sailed. He found himself at a loss on what to do. He had no home, nor family, yet he was too weary to make the long journey to the Grey Havens. The twin Lords offered to let him stay in Imladris for as long as he wished and having no where else to turn, Rumil took the offer graciously.

In Imladris, he found something he did not expect. Though it took awhile because of Rumil’s unwillingness to open up, he found a dear friend in Erestor. When the Chief Councilor was not working or with Elladan, he and Rumil would often have lunch together or read quietly among the trees. He and Elladan came to have the same sort of friendly companionship. The younger twin would sit and talk with him whenever he had the chance, sharing with him the latest gossip that he’d heard from the maids, or speaking of things in East Lorien or Greenwood or who had passed through Imladris on their way to the Grey Havens. Things were different with Elrohir. The older, mischievous twin was always like a breath of fresh air, breathing life back into Rumil whenever he was around.

As with his time spent dwelling with Turmio, he was content once more. He did not think he would ever be happy again, however. The loss of his brothers, the shattering of his world had been too great. A shadow rested on his heart and melancholy gripped his being. It was lessened, though, by the company that he kept. Rumil was grateful for it too, for he was sure that he would have faded without it. When the time came to sail, Rumil went with them. They were to depart on the last ship with Cirdan, Celeborn and, to Rumil’s surprise, Galion and Thranduil. Elrohir did not let go of his hand the entire way, and Rumil was grateful for it. 

Valinor was more beautiful than Rumil had ever imagined. The worry that he felt over settling in a new place melted away as soon as he stepped off of the ship. Elrohir squeezed his hand and gave him an easy smile and a little kiss before gently pulling away, the unspoken promise to see him later tonight hung in the air. For now, Elrohir and his brother were going to go reunite with their father and mother, with poor Erestor being drug along with Elladan.

Left to his own devices for the time being, Rumil wandered towards the outskirts of the city, hoping to find trees or some sort of fluffy little animals to spend his day with. Yet what he happened upon was much better. Two elves lay in the green, green grass on a hill up a head, and joy filled his heart for the first time in a long time when he realized who they were. Happy tears welled up in his eyes and he ran to them, pouncing on both of them at the same time. Whimpering, he clung to his older brothers, not wanting to let them go.

For the first time in a long time, he was finally home.