Valours Children
By Claudia
Feedback: PG
Beta: Nobody, allgrammar errors and typosare mine, mine alone. ;-)
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to the Tolkien
Estates. I only borrow them for a short time. The persons you
do not know are mine, please do not use them without permission.
Summary: After some horrible events during a journey to Lorien, 13
year old Estel must learn how to survive in the wilderness and he is
not alone.
Inspired by the wonderful book "My side of the mountain" by Jean C.
George.
Valours Children
Chapter 1: Departure
There was still some time left until the sun would graze the roofs of
the houses of Imladris with her early rays. The darkness of the night
still lingered in the rooms and outside the Last Homely House, when a
small shadowy figure made its way through the hallways. It had not to
walk for long, there were only two doors between its room and it's
destination.
The soft padding of bare feet on a marbled floor and the rustling of
a blanket dragged over the floor were the only sounds that could be
heard, until the feet stopped in front of the chosen door.
A small hand grabbed the door handle while the little girl stood on
her tiptoes to reach up to it. Hanging her full weight on the handle
she managed to push the door open and sneaked into the room.
It was almost as dark inside like it had been in the hallway, only
the dim light of the moon shining through the open windows
illuminated some spots on the floor and the only sounds she could
hear was the breathing of two people in deep sleep and the soft
rustling of the curtains swaying in the gentle breeze of the night
wind.
She padded over to the bed and climbed up on to the mattress with
some difficulties, catching her breath she watched her sleeping
parents for a short time.
Her father had wrapped both of his arms around her mother, both heads
leaning lightly against each other, red hair mixed with golden
tresses on the pillow.
The girl crept up to her father's head and poked one forefinger in
his cheek, with her other hand she tugged on his hair.
"Ada!..." another tug on his hair, not as gentle as the one before.
"Ada!" This time her father stirred, blinked slowly and turned his
head to face her.
"Tindómë, why are you not in your own bed? Did you have a bad dream?"
Glorfindel whispered, not wanting to wake up his wife.
"No Ada, no bad dream. You said that we will leave for Lorien this
morning, and it morning now..."
"Little one, it is still dark outside and there are still a few
candle marks left until it is time to get up."
"I want to go now..." the little girl stated stubbornly, she was very
exited, because it would be the first time she would leave her home
and she did not want to miss the departure.
"I have slept enough and I'm ... not ... tired." Tindómë replied
around a yawn, pouting and rubbing her eyes.
"Come her little one." Glorfindel shifted a bit to make place for the
young one to lie down between her parents. Tindómë crawled over her
father, who gasped when one of her knees hit him under the ribcage
and took his breath away.
When the child was settled he grasped the coverlet and draped it
around her little body, Tindómë was fast asleep the moment her head
hit the pillow.
He smiled over her when he felt Yáviëwen trembling in his arm.
"Since when are you awake?" He whispered.
"Since she came through the door, as you have been too." Yáviëwen
whispered back, still trembling with suppressed laughter.
"I do not understand why you fake sleep, when you know how she will
wake you up. I do not mind, because I love to watch her attempt to
wake you up." Yáviëwen lifted her head and feathered a small kiss o
his lips.
"Should she continue her kind of waking me, one day you will wake up
beside a bald man." Glorfindel teased her and stole another kiss from
her.
"Hm, I think we should try to sleep again, before I think about
something completely different."
Yáviëwen poked him in the ribs and hit one of his ticklish points
that earned her a light chuckle.
"Behave yourself…Remember, the little one is here."
"Hmmm ..." He purred in her ear. "...There are other places..."
"Go to sleep!" She commanded.
"...the stables..."
"Sleep!"
"...the hay barn..."
"I said, sleep!"
"...Elrond's study..."
"What?"
Hearing her outburst, Glorfindel chuckled and she knew that she had
fallen prey to his joke.
Still giggling Glorfindel wrapped his arms around his two ladies, and
shortly after their even breaths showed that they were asleep again.
The next morning found the family in the courtyard, where the party
gathered who would soon leave for Lorien.
It was a small group only four elves beside Glorfindel, Tindómë and
Estel and the young human was fidgety with excitement, this journey
would be the first for him without his brothers.
Since he had started his archery training two years ago, he had
practiced every spare minute, but he had been not allowed to go on a
hunting trip with his brothers, so this journey could be his
opportunity to show them that he was able to hunt, and maybe they
would take him on their next hunting trip.
They had packed provisions for the whole journey but he knew that the
elves would go hunting occasionally and hopefully he would accompany
them.
Proudly he stood beside his horse and watched Yáviëwen, how she
watched over the packing of the horses.
This load was the reason why they would travel to Lorien.
Yáviëwen had finished her work on some swords and daggers which would
be delivered to Lórien to serve as gifts and for ceremonial matters.
Glorfindel wanted his daughter to see the wonder of the Golden Wood
with her own eyes and this journey was the perfect opportunity, he
did not know how long it would last until he would be able to visit
Lórien again.
It was a time of the year which would allow a fast pace and they
would reach Lorien in about three weeks time.
The group would travel over the High Pass and then turn southward
following the river Anduin.
They would take some boats when they would reach one of the villages
on the banks of the Ningloron and travel down the river until they
would approach the Golden woods.
The spring was in full blossom, the days were warm, but not as hot as
they would be in summer and the nights were fresh but not too cold,
so that the little one would not be bothered by extreme temperature
differences. Being a child Tindómë was not able to withstand the
temperatures like an adult would be.
Yáviëwen would have loved to accompany them; she had not seen the
Golden Woods and her friends there since the day 7 years ago when she
had moved to Imladris to stay with Glorfindel.
But the pile of work that waited for her forbid it and she wanted to
use the time of his absence to finish her present for Glorfindel
until the summer solstice.
It had been a hard work to hide her little secret but she had
accomplished it, and now that he would leave for a few weeks would
allow her to finish it.
It pained her that she would not be with her family for that time,
they had never been separated since the day the girl had been born,
but her thoughts would be with them and that had to be enough.
She had to finish the pile of swords, daggers and trinkets, which
were supposed to be delivered to Mirkwood in a few weeks.
The wood elves had their own very talented blacksmiths, but those
were too busy to do more than forging the weapons for the war against
the dark forces, so they ordered their gifts and ceremonial weapons
in Imladris.
She fastened the last leather stripes on the pack and padded the
horse's neck.
Turning around she let her gaze rambling over the different groups,
who were gathering in the courtyard.
There were the four warriors, already mounted waiting for the signal
to depart, who would guard the little company.
Beside the warriors stood the Peredhel family, Estel with a wide grin
on his face, obviously very proud to be allowed to travel alone.
Beside him, the twins, fussing around the no more so small human boy,
to assure themselves that the young boy has not forgotten to pack all
the things they thought he would need.
Elrond stood a little aside, watching his sons silently, on his face
nothing but pride for them while he watched the antics of the twins
with an amused twinkle in his eyes.
A joyful squeal and the musical laughter of Glorfindel turned her
attention back to her own little family.
Tindómë sat on the horse's back, secured by the hands of her father,
who stood at the horse's side, Glorfindel had tickled the little girl
and she squirmed with delight.
With a few steps Yáviëwen closed the distance between her and her
family and wrapped her arms around Glorfindel's waist.
"It is time." She whispered in his ear.
Glorfindel lifted Tindómë from the horse, this time not his faithful
Asfaloth, the stallion had been injured a few days ago, and had now
to rest until he was fully recovered, and turned around, the girl in
his arms.
"Why don't you say good bye to uncle Elrond while I talk to your
mother."
Tindómë nodded with a bright smile and struggled to be let down.
Both watched their girl running through the gathered elves and horses
straight over to Elrond.
The lord scooped her up and whispered something in her ear that made
her giggle.
Elrond looked over to Glorfindel and Yáviëwen and raised one eyebrow.
Glorfindel's response comprised of a raised eyebrow too, Elrond
nodded in understanding and turned to leave.
"Let's see little one, if we find something for you in the kitchen."
"He spoils her to no end and we will have to work against it." With
these words Glorfindel turned around, embraced Yáviëwen and leaned
his forehead against hers.
"You are not better, believe me." Was all Yáviëwen said, then they
stood motionless for minutes, memorizing every detail of the other's
features.
Glorfindel captured her lips in a deep kiss that left hem both
breathless when they parted.
Hearing the laughter, both turned, not breaking their embrace. They
were greeted by the laughing faces of the crowd which had watched
them closely,
Both blushed furiously, what earned them another round of laughter.
In the meantime Elrond had returned with Tindómë from the kitchen,
the child safe on his arms, Tindómë nibbled on a piece of honey cake.
Yáviëwen broke the embrace and lifted her daughter out of the lord's
arms, hugging her tightly and wiping away some honey off of the
girl's mouth.
"Lord Elrond you spoil her too much!"
"Oh, it has been a long time since I had the chance to spoil a little
elleth, so let an old lord have his fun." Elrond replied with a mock
hurt look. "Besides, it is not spoiling to give someone something to
eat."
"I am sorry to interrupt this little discussion, but it is time to
leave before it becomes too late." Glorfindel explained and turned
around to face them, before his gaze swept over their group and gave
them a sign to get ready to leave.
The warriors took up the reins of their horses and the ones of the
packhorses and made their way towards the great archway that would
lead them out of Imladris.
The twins and Elrond hugged Estel one last time, Elladan did not
leave the opportunity slip by to give him some more advice how to
behave and tell Estel that he would be in deep trouble should he fall
off a cliff once more, before they let the boy mount his horse.
The human laughed about the antics of his older brother and told him
that there were no cliffs on their way to Lorien, before he nudged
his steed into a slow trot, to close the distance to the warriors.
Glorfindel had mounted his stallion too, before he took Tindómë up
and placed her in front of him. Securing his precious little girl
with one arm around her waist he bent down and whispered something
into his wife's ear that made her blush, laughing he gave the sign to
depart and one by one the horses disappeared through the gate, Estel
and Glorfindel at the end of the little column.
Elrond, the twins and Yáviëwen stood together in the now empty
courtyard and watched their families leave.
Shortly before the troop went out of sight, they saw the face and
arms of Tindómë appear over the shoulder of his father, the piece of
cake still tightly clutched in one hand, while she waved her mother
and her uncles a good bye with the other.
Yáviëwen and the others returned the gesture and watched them until
they disappeared in the distance.
She felt a light touch on her shoulder and turned around to meet
Elrond's gaze.
"They will be fine, the roads to Lórien are safe, the patrols have
not reported orc activities around the area. They will be home in a
few weeks and then we all have to endure the tales which your little
one and Estel will tell countless times."
With an assuring squeeze on her shoulder Elrond left her and walked
back to the house.
With a sigh Yáviëwen cast one last glance to where the company of her
family had disappeared and headed towards the smithy.
Had they known what awaited their beloved ones they all had been on
their way immediately to bring them back.
tbc
If you want to know how Glorfindel came to a family, you can
find "Glorfindels Fall" and "To be a father" here on too.
Thank you for reading this story, comments are always appreciated.