"Per aspera ad astra." [To the stars through hardship.]
- Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Author's note: The idea is actually not mine, it belongs to Celeste Jade. In one of her chapters in her "Estel's Childhood" story, she discovered the fact that Aragorn was ten when Bilbo set off on the adventure in "The Hobbit" and what if-. But she never wrote in that direction, so with her consent I decided to do so myself. This is the opening to a very hard-to- write fic, and reviews are encouraging, but I'll write this even without, because I feel this story needs to be told. Special thanks to Galahan for putting up with my nonsense and questions and helping me out and being a terrific Beta Reader! But I didn't get the fixed file, so I decided to just go on ahead with it and fix it later!
**
"Omnium rerum principia parva sunt." [Everything has a small beginning.]
- Marcus Tullius Cicero
Estel son of Gilraen and Lord Elrond sat on a tree branch, watching the sunset. It was, in his eyes, one of the most beautiful marvels to behold in Rivendell and at the tender age of ten winters he felt it a wonder that after parting, the sun would return the next morning. Though he loved to watch the sun rise, he felt the setting of her to be more special, for in his eyes when the sun set and left the kingdom of the sky to the moon and stars, she went on an adventure to a forgotten land. Why would she want to return after such an adventure, day after day, was beyond his understanding.
Estel's ears perked as he heard dim and faint voices. His bright grey eyes opened in horror as he remembered that he was not allowed to stay out that late, especially without notifying his father. He jumped down from the branch, which was not that high up because young Estel had not yet reached his full height and could not climb that high and began to run back to his house. Perhaps if he snuck in, the Elves would fail to notice he was gone. It was a silly thought, but it was the only hope he had, so off he went, as quiet as he could be and reached the window of his room. No one heard him stalking up to the house, and his stealth would make an Elf proud, as it was his brothers- Elladan and Elrohir who taught him to sneak up on a wild boar. Though there was a marginal difference between a boar and an Elf, they too did not notice him and he smiled, striking another winning blow for the 'man-elf.'
Indeed perhaps that was the reason why he insisted on testing his limits, in getting himself in trouble as well as in contests with the other boys. They would ridicule him, calling him "Ai edan", little human, because his ears were not shaped like their own. He knew the only reason that his ears were different was that his mother was a human. His hair and eyes he associated with his father, the venerable Lord Elrond. Their teasing only strengthened his resolve to be the best elf there was and so he trained long and hard with a bow and any other art of his race. Including moving without being detected.
Estel was on his hands and knees, under the bushes of his window. He looked up and noted with a frown that it was some stories up, meaning he would have to climb something to get to it. He quickly looked around before his keen eyes saw a barely visible (in the near total darkness) vine from the nearby tree. That too was attributed to his Elf characteristics. Estel jumped several times in the air, cursing his lack of height, before he finally caught the thin vine and dangled in the air. He quickly started climbing it slowly, like his brothers many years ago showed him, and was now finally at the height of the window ledge. He heard voices in the halls, urgent and loud and he guessed they were frantically searching for him. And judging from the loudness they weren't too far away, either. He gulped and tried to reach the window with his short arms to no avail.
Begrudgingly he started to swing the thin vine towards the window, moving forward and backwards, the window just out of reach. He couldn't tell from the dim light, but he hoped that the window was open, otherwise it might be unpleasant. As his swings grew broader, he heard a silent 'snap' and gasped when he realized- it was the vine! He knew he didn't have much time, so with a final huge swing he jumped to the window, just as the vine snapped and fell to the ground below. Estel clutched the windowsill and started to lift himself up and was soon sitting on the ledge panting. When his heart stopped beating in a frantic pace, he cautiously placed his hand in front of his face, remembering he closed the window this morning. His fingers were already looking for the knob when they found nothing but air and he lost his balance, tumbling into his room.
"Hello there," A voice greeted him in Elven. He would recognize that voice anywhere- Elrond!
Estel quickly got to his feet and did not dare to respond, or look his father in the eye.
"What is this?" Elrond asked mildly amused as he got up and lit a torch. "You cannot think of anything to say? Glorfindel tells me that is rare to happen." He looked at his son sternly. "Do you know why I make these rules?"
"T-to protect me," Estel finally muttered, gaze downcast.
"Indeed," Elrond's voice softened. "You age me so, little one. I think it is worrying for your safety that causes me to be weary more than any other factor. Why can you not listen to my orders?"
"I do not know, father," Estel spoke at last, daring to look him in the eye. "There is a great. Fire burning in me. I do not know what it wants me to do, but I yearn for adventure! Do not misunderstand, I love you and my mother greatly, and I love my home, but there's a whisper in the air, telling me the joys of travel."
"When you come of age, you will travel indeed," Elrond said sighing. "But you are still young and you must grow some more before that time comes!" Estel looked at him disappointed wishing he would understand his need for travel. It was as if the answer to every question was in the world outside, all one had to do was find it!
"I understand," Estel shifted in his place, eyes downcast. "I am sorry I am a burden."
"One we are most happy to carry, my son." Elrond said gently, stroking his long and tangled black mane. "You must put your plans for the road on hold, and leave it for another day," his eyes grew dark. "For I see great danger ahead of you, that you cannot possibly be aware of now." Estel shivered, feeling some of the threat. Even though he did not see into the future as often as his father did, he too, like his mother and her parents before her, had glimpses into the future. At one time he saw a man bearing his eyes clad in muddy clothes with a serious and frowning face, a moment later dressed in white and shining like the brightest star. He could not know what this meant and did not give it much thought.
"And so I regretfully must punish you, in order to make sure you understand how grave the matters are." Elrond continued sadly. Estel's eyes grew in fear.
"I will not raise my hand at you, if that is what worries you," Elrond said quickly. "But you are not to leave your room, other than schooling for several weeks, is that understood?"
"Yes, father," Estel said quietly, before being embraced into a tight hug.
"Your mother and I both love you very much," Elrond said, before leaving. "That is why we act the way we do." And left at that note. Estel slumped on his bed and glanced out of the window at the stars, wishing he were anywhere but there.
***
One morning, long ago, Bilbo Baggins was standing at his door after breakfast smoking his wooden pipe, when an old man with a staff came along.
"Good morning!" Said Bilbo sincerely.
"What do you mean?" The man said. "Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?"
"All of them at once," said Bilbo. "And a very fine morning for a pipe of tabacco out of doors, into the bargain. If you have a pipe about you, sit down and have a fill of mine! There's no hurry, we have all the day before us!" He sat crossed leg and blew a fine grey ring of smoke.
"Very pretty!" Said the stranger. "But I have no time to blow smoke-rings this morning. I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it's very difficult to find anyone."
-END PART 1-
- Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Author's note: The idea is actually not mine, it belongs to Celeste Jade. In one of her chapters in her "Estel's Childhood" story, she discovered the fact that Aragorn was ten when Bilbo set off on the adventure in "The Hobbit" and what if-. But she never wrote in that direction, so with her consent I decided to do so myself. This is the opening to a very hard-to- write fic, and reviews are encouraging, but I'll write this even without, because I feel this story needs to be told. Special thanks to Galahan for putting up with my nonsense and questions and helping me out and being a terrific Beta Reader! But I didn't get the fixed file, so I decided to just go on ahead with it and fix it later!
**
"Omnium rerum principia parva sunt." [Everything has a small beginning.]
- Marcus Tullius Cicero
Estel son of Gilraen and Lord Elrond sat on a tree branch, watching the sunset. It was, in his eyes, one of the most beautiful marvels to behold in Rivendell and at the tender age of ten winters he felt it a wonder that after parting, the sun would return the next morning. Though he loved to watch the sun rise, he felt the setting of her to be more special, for in his eyes when the sun set and left the kingdom of the sky to the moon and stars, she went on an adventure to a forgotten land. Why would she want to return after such an adventure, day after day, was beyond his understanding.
Estel's ears perked as he heard dim and faint voices. His bright grey eyes opened in horror as he remembered that he was not allowed to stay out that late, especially without notifying his father. He jumped down from the branch, which was not that high up because young Estel had not yet reached his full height and could not climb that high and began to run back to his house. Perhaps if he snuck in, the Elves would fail to notice he was gone. It was a silly thought, but it was the only hope he had, so off he went, as quiet as he could be and reached the window of his room. No one heard him stalking up to the house, and his stealth would make an Elf proud, as it was his brothers- Elladan and Elrohir who taught him to sneak up on a wild boar. Though there was a marginal difference between a boar and an Elf, they too did not notice him and he smiled, striking another winning blow for the 'man-elf.'
Indeed perhaps that was the reason why he insisted on testing his limits, in getting himself in trouble as well as in contests with the other boys. They would ridicule him, calling him "Ai edan", little human, because his ears were not shaped like their own. He knew the only reason that his ears were different was that his mother was a human. His hair and eyes he associated with his father, the venerable Lord Elrond. Their teasing only strengthened his resolve to be the best elf there was and so he trained long and hard with a bow and any other art of his race. Including moving without being detected.
Estel was on his hands and knees, under the bushes of his window. He looked up and noted with a frown that it was some stories up, meaning he would have to climb something to get to it. He quickly looked around before his keen eyes saw a barely visible (in the near total darkness) vine from the nearby tree. That too was attributed to his Elf characteristics. Estel jumped several times in the air, cursing his lack of height, before he finally caught the thin vine and dangled in the air. He quickly started climbing it slowly, like his brothers many years ago showed him, and was now finally at the height of the window ledge. He heard voices in the halls, urgent and loud and he guessed they were frantically searching for him. And judging from the loudness they weren't too far away, either. He gulped and tried to reach the window with his short arms to no avail.
Begrudgingly he started to swing the thin vine towards the window, moving forward and backwards, the window just out of reach. He couldn't tell from the dim light, but he hoped that the window was open, otherwise it might be unpleasant. As his swings grew broader, he heard a silent 'snap' and gasped when he realized- it was the vine! He knew he didn't have much time, so with a final huge swing he jumped to the window, just as the vine snapped and fell to the ground below. Estel clutched the windowsill and started to lift himself up and was soon sitting on the ledge panting. When his heart stopped beating in a frantic pace, he cautiously placed his hand in front of his face, remembering he closed the window this morning. His fingers were already looking for the knob when they found nothing but air and he lost his balance, tumbling into his room.
"Hello there," A voice greeted him in Elven. He would recognize that voice anywhere- Elrond!
Estel quickly got to his feet and did not dare to respond, or look his father in the eye.
"What is this?" Elrond asked mildly amused as he got up and lit a torch. "You cannot think of anything to say? Glorfindel tells me that is rare to happen." He looked at his son sternly. "Do you know why I make these rules?"
"T-to protect me," Estel finally muttered, gaze downcast.
"Indeed," Elrond's voice softened. "You age me so, little one. I think it is worrying for your safety that causes me to be weary more than any other factor. Why can you not listen to my orders?"
"I do not know, father," Estel spoke at last, daring to look him in the eye. "There is a great. Fire burning in me. I do not know what it wants me to do, but I yearn for adventure! Do not misunderstand, I love you and my mother greatly, and I love my home, but there's a whisper in the air, telling me the joys of travel."
"When you come of age, you will travel indeed," Elrond said sighing. "But you are still young and you must grow some more before that time comes!" Estel looked at him disappointed wishing he would understand his need for travel. It was as if the answer to every question was in the world outside, all one had to do was find it!
"I understand," Estel shifted in his place, eyes downcast. "I am sorry I am a burden."
"One we are most happy to carry, my son." Elrond said gently, stroking his long and tangled black mane. "You must put your plans for the road on hold, and leave it for another day," his eyes grew dark. "For I see great danger ahead of you, that you cannot possibly be aware of now." Estel shivered, feeling some of the threat. Even though he did not see into the future as often as his father did, he too, like his mother and her parents before her, had glimpses into the future. At one time he saw a man bearing his eyes clad in muddy clothes with a serious and frowning face, a moment later dressed in white and shining like the brightest star. He could not know what this meant and did not give it much thought.
"And so I regretfully must punish you, in order to make sure you understand how grave the matters are." Elrond continued sadly. Estel's eyes grew in fear.
"I will not raise my hand at you, if that is what worries you," Elrond said quickly. "But you are not to leave your room, other than schooling for several weeks, is that understood?"
"Yes, father," Estel said quietly, before being embraced into a tight hug.
"Your mother and I both love you very much," Elrond said, before leaving. "That is why we act the way we do." And left at that note. Estel slumped on his bed and glanced out of the window at the stars, wishing he were anywhere but there.
***
One morning, long ago, Bilbo Baggins was standing at his door after breakfast smoking his wooden pipe, when an old man with a staff came along.
"Good morning!" Said Bilbo sincerely.
"What do you mean?" The man said. "Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?"
"All of them at once," said Bilbo. "And a very fine morning for a pipe of tabacco out of doors, into the bargain. If you have a pipe about you, sit down and have a fill of mine! There's no hurry, we have all the day before us!" He sat crossed leg and blew a fine grey ring of smoke.
"Very pretty!" Said the stranger. "But I have no time to blow smoke-rings this morning. I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it's very difficult to find anyone."
-END PART 1-
