"Mithrandir, it is a pleasure to see you again. And you as well, master Baggins." The lord
of Imladris greeted his guests as they approached the steps of the main building. "Thank
you Lord Elrond, it is a pleasure to return once again to your halls." Gandalf replied. "Yes,
Thank you." Bilbo Baggins added. The duo allowed their horses to be taken by the servants
that came to take the beasts to the stables, and then followed Elrond into the building.
Once inside, Elrond lead them down several corridors until they came to the Hall of Fire,
here they were served refreshments; wine and a platter of cheese and cold meats were
brought to hold the weary travellers until supper time.
"I have heard some of your exploits, you have done quite well." Elrond mentioned once his
guests were seated and munching and sipping contentedly.
"Yes, we certainly have." Gandalf agreed as he reached for his pipe. "I must say, Bilbo
responded to this, adventure, even better than I foresaw."
"Certainly better than I foresaw, or at least in the beginning, better than I wanted to." Bilbo
put in.
Elrond smiled at the hobbit, he had thought that perhaps the little hobbit would turn out
better than others expected when they came through Imladris with the Dwarves on their way
to Erebor. Though Elrond did not really have any experience with hobbits, he had known of
them of course, but he had never dealt with them. Now he thought that maybe he should,
they seem to be most hardy folk. The door to the hall opened and Erestor stepped in, after
a bow to his lord and the guests he stated his business. "My lord, there is something to
which your attention is urgently needed."
"What is it Erestor?" Elrond asked and quickly becoming worried by the anxious
expression on the face of his normally calm and composed advisor.
"We are unable to find Lady Gilraen's son, no one has seen him for nearly two hours."
Elrond's stomach clenched a little, not that he was really worried about the young boy, but
he just couldn't help but feeling a little sick when the child turned up missing. He had only
been in Rivendell for four months, but he had been missing six times already. Only once
was he actually in any danger, he had made his way to the large pond in the gardens. He
had spied a frog on the leaf of a water lily and was trying to reach it. Elrond came around
the corner just in time to see the two year old boy leaning out dangerously over the water,
water which was considerably deeper than he was tall. Elrond leapt forward but didn't reach
the child before he lost his footing and plunged into the water with a cry. Elrond was still
nearly four paces from the waters edge, but he took a running dive into the water and
quickly came up with a very wet and very frightened child. After they were all dried off, the
boy promised never to go near the ponds, or fountains, or creeks, or rivers, or any water for
that matter except for his bath, unless someone else was with him until he was much older.
Every other time, he was found fast asleep and quite safe. Once under his bed, another
time in his closet, once in a vacant guest room which provided a beautiful view of the
setting sun. Another time he was found in the kitchens, he had managed to get onto a chair,
and then onto a counter, and so reach a jar of cookies. Elrond knew that neither the Lady
Gilraen nor himself had shown him the location of those treats, but he suspected that one of
his own sons had during their watch over the boy. After the most recent disappearance, he
wasn't found for over ten hours. They noticed his absence a little after suppertime, by five in
the morning, all the residents of Imladris had been up all night looking for him. Several
people finally decided to take their horses and go looking for him elsewhere in the valley,
including Glorfindel. Glorfindel went to get his horse, and there was Estel, snuggled up quite
comfortably next to Asfaloth, who was laying protectively next to the small child.
"Please excuse me, I should not be too long. But if I am delayed, someone will come to
find you when supper is prepared and to show you to your rooms when you are ready."
Elrond gave a low bow and left with Erestor. When they were gone, Gandalf and Bilbo sat
quietly by the fire for several moments. "Gandalf" Bilbo finally inquired. "Do you know who
this boy is that they're looking for?"
Gandalf turned his blue eyes to the hobbit beside him. "No, I do not. Though I imagine he
must be a relative of Elrond's house, if Elrond himself is going to look for him."
After a few more minutes of silence, they began to speak of their adventures of the last
few months. Listening to their conversation, Bilbo could hardly believe that he had actually
done all that he had. He had ran out of his beloved Bag End with thirteen Dwarves. Trekked
all across Middle-earth, nearly eaten by trolls, captured by Goblins, rescued by Eagles,
lodged with a skin-changer and rescued companions both from spiders and Elves. He had
ridden a barrel from Mirkwood to Lake Town, spied out a dragon's lair, and survived the
Battle of the Five Armies.
Gandalf stood up and sighed. "Ah, I will be back soon Bilbo. But I have a need to speak
with a friend of mine here, I shan't be long."
"Very well then, I shall remain right here were it's warm and comfortable." Bilbo replied.
Gandalf smiled at his small friend before leaving the room.
Bilbo was deep in his own thoughts, staring intently at the fire when he heard the door
open. 'It must be Gandalf or Lord Elrond returning.' Bilbo thought. 'Or better yet, someone to
tell me that supper is ready.' The Halfling grinned a little in anticipation for the evening meal,
recalling the last food he had here. He hadn't bothered to look to see who was coming, but
soon realized that it couldn't be and Elf, since he could here the footsteps of the approaching
person. 'Must be Gandalf.' Bilbo thought, he was about to say something about the wizard
taking longer than he hinted he would. It was then that he became aware of a large pair of
shining grey eyes staring up at him in wonder. Bilbo started a little, he hadn't expected to
see a human child here in Rivendell. "Hullo, what can I do for you?" Bilbo asked the child.
The boy continued to stare, sceptically Bilbo noticed, at the hobbit before answering. "Don't
tell anybody I'm here." The child finally answered. "Oh, and why shouldn't I? It is getting late, I
imagine that your mother will be looking for you to put you in your bath and then to bed!"
Bilbo inquired, feigning to be stern. "I have had my bath, and I am not ready to go to bed, I
am not tired." The boy replied. He had moved around in front of Bilbo and closer to the fire,
but never took his big grey eyes off of the hobbit. Bilbo was starting to feel rather curious
about this child, and for a moment wondered if this was the boy that they were looking for.
'Surely not, why would Lord Elrond personally go off looking for a human child?' Bilbo sat up
a little straighter in his chair to try to appear taller. "You may not be tired, but if your mother
says it is your bedtime, you had best get to bed right now." The boy took a defensive
stance, at least as best as he knew how, as if he expected Bilbo to come after him and
force him to go to bed. Bilbo had to try hard to suppress the smile provoked by the sight.
"Now now, I have no intention of trying to make you do anything, I am too tired for that
myself." Bilbo said and held up his hands to demonstrate peace, the child seemed
convinced and relaxed. "What is your name?" Bilbo asked. The child sat down on the
hearth with his back to the fire, he still hadn't taken his eyes off Bilbo. "Estel." He
answered slowly, almost haltingly as though he was pronouncing a new word. "What's
yours?" Estel asked in return. "I am Bilbo Baggins." Bilbo answered, although for a
moment he considered giving Estel the same answer he had given Smaug the Dragon,
about being a barrel rider and ring winner and such. Estel seemed to ponder this
information for a moment.
"Estel doesn't seem like a very mannish name, it sounds Elvish. Are you from here?" Bilbo
asked, wanting to break the silence. It may sound somewhat silly, but even though he was
only a child, the intent stare of those grey eyes were almost making Bilbo a little nervous. "I
am from that way." Estel pointed with his finger to the north. "I see," Bilbo answered. "And
what may you be doing here in Rivendell, are you visiting some friends?" Bilbo had become
quite curious about this human, although he imagined that Estel felt the same about him.
Seeing a hobbit in the Last Homely House was not an every day occurrence. "I- I don't
know." Estel answered as he stood up, and though he tried to hide it, tears welled up in his
eyes. Bilbo's heart clenched, what WAS this kid doing here? "Aren't you here with
anybody? Where are your mother and father?" Bilbo asked.
Estel looked away for a moment and hastily wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.
"My mama's here, I don't know where my papa is." Bilbo instantly regretted his question.
Estel looked back at him, confusion and grief written all over his face. "I don't know what's
going on, or- or why we came here without my papa, or why we came here at all. Or why I
have to be called Estel." He added the last part quietly, almost to himself. "You mean that
isn't actually your name then?" Bilbo asked. Estel moved his eyes from where he had them
fixed on the floor back to Bilbo's face. "No, but El-rond says that I'm not supposed to tell
anybody my real name. But you don't look so bad." Estel eyed Bilbo up and down. "No, I'm
not." Bilbo answered quietly, he was hardly even aware of what he was saying. Estel was
quiet for several minutes, he sat back down on the hearth and re-fixed his eyes on the floor.
This time it was Bilbo that kept his eyes locked on Estel, the boy didn't seem to take any
further notice of the hobbit. Probably ten minutes passed in silence, Estel either seemed to
have forgotten that Bilbo was there or didn't care about conversation anymore. Bilbo was
now trying desperately to think of some way to comfort this poor boy.
"Aragorn." Estel said quietly without his eyes leaving the floor.
"What was that?" Bilbo asked.
Estel looked at Bilbo again. "Aragorn. My name is Aragorn." Estel said again. "My momma
said that some bad people might try to hurt me if the find out who I am. And that we have to
stay here for a while because it's safer here. And then El-elrond says that everyone is going
to call me Es-tel so no one will know who I am." By the time Estel was finished explaining,
his voice had risen almost to a yell and he was sobbing uncontrollably. Bilbo's heart was
breaking, he wished that there was something he could say or do that would take this child's
pain away. Suddenly, without warning Estel flung himself into Bilbo's lap and wrapped his
arms around Bilbo's neck. Bilbo was somewhat stunned for a moment before reacting and
wrapping his arms around the sobbing child. Estel seemed to be comforted by Bilbo's
embrace as his small body quit shaking so violently from sobs.
Another fifteen minutes passed and both Estel and Bilbo were asleep; Estel on Bilbo's
lap securely wrapped in the hobbits embrace. Such was how they were found by Gandalf
when he returned. He was indeed much later than he planned, the friend that he wanted to
speak with was Lord Glorfindel. It was Glorfindel that had gotten Gandalf looking for the
young heir of Isildur, almost four hours had passed since Gandalf left Bilbo. Gandalf entered
the Hall of Fire, he was coming to ask Bilbo if he would help look for the missing Dunadain.
When he laid his eyes on the scene before him, he stopped in his tracks. He paused for a
moment before he quietly backed out of the room and closed the door.
"My Lord Elrond!" Gandalf cried as he hurried up to the worried group of searchers.
Elrond and his sons, Erestor, Glorfindel and of course the Lady Gilraen were gathered
together. They were starting to get truly worried as to Estel's whereabouts. "What is it
Mithrandir?" Elrond asked when Gandalf came to an almost skidding stop before the
group. "I have found your child." Gandalf panted, it was no short distance from the Hall of
Fire to the gathering. "You found him! Is he alright?" Gilraen questioned. "Yes, he is alright.
He is in the Hall of Fire with the Halfling." Everyone let out a collective sigh at Gandalf's
news.
Bilbo was startled out of his sleep by the sound of a door being loudly thrown open and
many footsteps coming towards him. "Estel!" A woman's voice exclaimed from not very far
away. Bilbo opened his eyes just in time to see a tall, fair haired woman hurrying towards
him and scooping the sleeping child off of his lap and into her arms. Estel stirred and
looked a little stunned when he first opened his eyes, before he realized that he was being
held by his mother. He buried his sleepy face in his mothers shoulder and wrapped his
arms around her neck. Bilbo sat up straight again, only to realize that he now had a kink in
his neck. He got out of the comfortable chair to see exactly what was going on. "Thank you
for keeping my son safe, master hobbit." The woman Bilbo assumed was Estel's mother
told him. "You are most welcome, my lady." Bilbo answered, still somewhat sleepy. Looking
around, Bilbo saw Gandalf and Elrond, two elves that looked allot like Elrond and exactly
like each other, another Elf with dark hair and another one with gold hair. "That was the one
you were looking for?" Bilbo quietly asked Elrond. Elrond smiled slightly. "Yes, he is."
Later that night, Gandalf and Bilbo were just about to go to their rooms for the night, but
Bilbo had something that he had to ask. "Gandalf, may I ask you something?"
"You just did. Was there something besides that?"
"That child, Aragorn or Estel or whatever his name is, who is he?"
Gandalf smiled kindly. "I did not know until this night, but that child is very important to his
people, though he does not know it yet. You have heard of Gondor?"
Bilbo nodded.
"What about Isildur? He was the king of Gondor long ago."
"No, I do not know that name, but I do not know much of anyone's history except the
Shire's."
"Well, Isildur was the king of Gondor, and is Aragorn's ancestor."
Bilbo's jaw dropped. "That child is a king?" Bilbo asked.
Gandalf nodded. "He is of that line; he may be the one to sit on Gondor's throne. His
people have long been in exile. And it is that child that is the hope of all his people. His
father was killed by orcs no more than eight months ago; his mother brought him here to
protect him. If the enemy learned of this child's whereabouts, they would do everything in
their power to kill him."
Bilbo lay in bed that night and tried his best to sleep, but all he could think about was little
Estel.