Ciran came running. At the sight of Thranduil viciously sending a stream of fire at his son, he called a bubble of water out of the river, floated it over Thranduil's head, and let it drop.

Thranduil's fires went out with a hiss. He dropped to his knees with a gasp and wrapped his arms around himself, shivering. Jaiz fell on his back, still holding onto his shield. He collected himself and got to his feet. He stumbled toward Ciran and Thranduil, slightly dazed.

"Ion-nin, are you all right?" Ciran grasped Jaiz's shoulders worriedly.

Jaiz nodded. Ciran turned to Thranduil. "I am sorry, gwador-nin. I had to do what I did. Are you all right?"

Thranduil was shivering, his knees drawn up to his chest, his arms wrapped around him. His eyes were closed. Ciran shook him. Thranduil's eyes flew open.

"I feel ill," he moaned.

Ciran lugged his brother back to camp and got him out of his armor. As soon as Thranduil was near the fire, he stopped shivering. He stared into the flames and said quietly, "Now there are two of us with gifts we cannot control."

Ciran huffed. "I can control mine! What set you off like that?"

"Pain," Thranduil said, touching the cut on his cheek.

Jaiz looked ashamed. "I am sorry."

"I am sorry to," Thranduil said. "I did not mean to get angry. Everything happened so fast. I could not control the fire or myself. I do not know how I came to have such fire within me. I always felt the drive but I have never called it out of myself like that."

"I can help you learn to control it," Ciran offered. "I suppose the heavens must have been aligned in the fire symbol the day you were born."

"But what about me?" Jaiz demanded. "Thranduil is supposed to be teaching me!"

"We will continue to train," Thranduil said. "But only after I have learned to control my gift." He touched the elfling's cheek. "If I get angry again and loose control, I might end up killing you."

Jaiz nodded, swallowing. "I-I understand. Did it—did it hurt when ada dumped water all over you?"

Thranduil shuddered, squeezing his eyes closed. "Valar, it was devastating! All my fires went out. It felt like I had died!"

Ciran looked guilty. "I am deeply sorry."

"You were only doing what any father would do in such a situation," Thranduil said quickly. "Now, where are those fish you promised for dinner, eh?"

Ciran slapped a hand to his forehead. "I forgot! One minute while I go fish for them." He departed for the river, returning with seven fat fish.

"Water is irresistible," Ciran said, rolling a ball of water in his hands. The fish were roasting over the fire.

"No, fire is," Thranduil said, resting his chin on his knees and staring at the coals.

"I think the Tower of Guarded Secrets is even more irresistible," Jaiz said loudly.

Ciran turned a baleful eye on his son.

"Hey, everyone was giving their opinions on the irresistible so I joined in," Jaiz said in defense.

"Thranduil, no!" Ciran cried out. "You cannot control it!"

Thranduil put his hands into the fire. The fire came to him. It traveled up his arms and legs, burning with delicious heat yet not harming him. His hair burst into flame. His eyes glowed. Thranduil felt alive. He looked at Ciran as he withdrew his hands from the campfire. The fire on him continued to burn.

"If I do anything rash, put me out," Thranduil said. He closed his eyes, feeling the heat of the fire. He wrapped his mind around the fire, dominating it. The fire bent to his will, roaring up at his command. Thranduil kept himself in check. He ordered the fire down and it all went out. He did not want to try anything too advanced and hurt the ones he loved.

Ciran relaxed. He looked at Thranduil with approval. "Time to eat," he said.

Thranduil was just about to bite into his fish when he had a curious feeling of dread and he looked up. A boulder was hovering above him!

"Stay where you are and no one will get hurt!" A scrawny, ragged boy emerged out of the tall grass, obviously the master of the ominous boulder.

Thranduil froze. He was not about to risk the weight of the huge rock hovering over his head. The boy moved toward the fire. He had the lithe build of an elf and the slanted eyes but no pointy ears were visible through his hair. It was all rather odd. He sat down by the fire and began to devour a fish, one hand outstretched to keep his hold on the boulder active.

"Do you bend earth?" Ciran asked pointlessly.

The boy did not answer. He kept hungrily chewing on the fish. After a moment, he maneuvered the boulder away from Thranduil and let it drop. Using both hands, he could eat the fish faster. His dark eyes darted around, looking at Ciran, Jaiz, and finally Thranduil.

"What is your name?" Thranduil asked, returning to his dinner. "I am Thranduil, this is my brother, Ciran, and my nephew, Jaiz."

"Ellhamier," murmured the boy, reaching for another fish.

"Where do you live?"

Ellhamier shrugged.

Ellhamier was an elven name. But for all his peering, Thranduil could not make out any pointed ears. Yet the boy was obviously an elf. Or maybe he was not? Maybe he was some wicked trick designed by Sauron to lure elves into traps? Thranduil leaned forward and pushed Ellhamier's back. What he saw made him gasp and his sympathetic eyes met Ellhamier's startled ones.

Thranduil spoke in elvish, anger trembling in his voice. "Who dared do this to you?"

Ellhamier answered back in elvish. "Slavers. They made me work in their mines for 25 years. I made the tunnel collapse. I killed them all."

Thranduil let Ellhamier's hair fall back into place. "When you are done eating, you must let me tend to your ears."

Ellhamier nodded and ate the last two fish. He watched Ciran streaming water into a pot over the fire. "You are all benders to."

"We are still learning," Ciran said with a smile.

Ellhamier nodded. "Me to. I did not realize I had this power until I needed it. One of the overseer's was punishing me for not working. I could not; I was too weak and hungry and sick. He would have killed me. That was when I earth-bent for the first time. I escaped right after that."

"How old are you?" Thranduil asked, taking out his comb and combing out Ellhamier's hair. The elfling's hair was filthy, full of bugs and dirt.

"37. I was enslaved when I was only seven. My family were all killed. I escaped when I was 32. I have been wandering around for five years now."

The water in the pot over the fire was heated. Ciran dipped a cloth into the water. Thranduil held Ellhamier's hair back. Some cruel person had cut off the tips of Ellhamier's ears in such a way that the tops of his ears now looked like a W. The wounds had not healed; they had festered. Pus and blood oozed from the cuts.

"Years of this," Ciran muttered in disbelief. He started peeling off the infected scabs.

Ellhamier bit his lip, drawing blood. He tried to ignore the pain. He knew his kin were trying to help him but it hurt. It hurt so badly.

Ciran thoroughly cleaned the injuries. The flesh still wept but the worst of it was gone. He plastered some chewed herbs onto the cuts and bandaged them on. Ellhamier collapsed against Thranduil with a sob. Thranduil held him awkwardly and whispered soothing words. After a few minutes, he relaxed and stroked Ellhamier's hair. Ellhamier snuffled, snuggling against him. Thranduil felt tears prick his eyes. This was probably the first time Ellhamier had been touched kindly in a long time. Ellhamier fell asleep. Thranduil stood up and ducked into the tent. Jaiz followed him and prepared another bed. Thranduil knelt down and let Ellhamier slip gently to the floor. Ellhamier stirred slightly. Thranduil tucked the heavy blanket over him.

Ciran put out the fire and came into the tent. He looked at Ellhamier with a smile on his lips. Jaiz was getting out of his armor. He shed everything but his trousers and flopped down by his father on their bed. Ciran beckoned for Thranduil to join them. Thranduil lay down on Jaiz's empty side. Jaiz rolled over and cuddled up against him. Ciran yawned and rolled onto his stomach. It was not that he was tired of holding his son but he was okay with letting Thranduil take the ache of it for one night.

There we go; we now have our earth-bender. Any thoughts or comments are greatly appreciated.