Title: Estel and Elanor
Summary: Gilraen's company of rangers is ambushed by Orcs on the way to Rivendell, with her last breath she tells 4-year-old Aragorn to take his sister and run to Rivendell and not to look back. See how the two siblings grow up knowing that they are different.
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN! All people/places/things recognizable belong to J.R.R. Tolkien and his descendants. I only own Elanor.
A/N: NO FLAMES! Not accepted. Thank-you.
2nd A/N: I know Aragorn is an only child – but I've given him a little sister. She's about 2 years younger than him and looks up to him, like any younger sibling. BTW I hate the beginning of this chapter but it gets better. So give it a bit and it will gain momentum. I also understand that it jumps quite a few years, but I wanted them to grow up pretty fast. Just give them time.
Chapter One: Up Til Now
4-year-old Aragorn blinked at the scene before him. He didn't understand. He knew that his mother and their friends were hurt but why? Why did he have to hide with El? He slowly emerged and made his way, with El behind him, to their mother. Gilraen was still alive. Aragorn dropped to his knees.
"Aragorn…" Gilraen breathed gripping her son's wrist.
"Mother…we'll save you. We'll take you to the elves! They'll help you!" He said. Gilraen smiled softly.
"It's too late my son. You have to do as I say Aragorn," She said.
The 4-year-old nodded, "Of course."
"Look after my Elanor…alright? Look after your sister. I want you to take Elanor and run. Run to Rivendell and don't look back." A sound brought their attention to the brush nearby.
"They're coming back. Run Aragorn. Take Elanor and run. Don't look back. Go now! Run!" Gilraen gave her son a little push and Aragorn took off gripping his sister's hand tightly as they ran. Elanor may have only been 2-years-old but she could run with her brother. They could hear faint screams from behind them but they kept on running, until they were inside the gates of Rivendell. Aragorn was tired but he slowly led his sister away from the gates. Their eyes settled on four elves. Three with dark hair and one with blonde hair. The elder of the four frowned. But it softened when he realized who the children must be.
"You must be Aragorn and Elanor. Yes?"
"Yes my lord." Aragorn said cursing himself for the lisp he hadn't yet been able to shake off.
"Elves!" Elanor cheered, she still couldn't form full sentences. Aragorn smiled and nodded at her. She giggled.
"How old are you both?"
"I am four, My Lord." Aragorn said, while Elanor held up two fingers.
"I assume your sister is 2-years-old?" Aragorn nodded, "very good. Elladan, Elrohir could you show out two little guests to their rooms? They must be tired." The elder Elf said, before he turned back, "young Aragorn, you may call me Elrond." Aragorn smiled and allowed himself and his sister to be lifted into the arms of the two younger elves. They didn't talk a lot or at least not what Aragorn could tell. He couldn't understand a word of what they were saying. They were talking in a strange language. But Aragorn thought no more on it. As he let sleep take him as it already had his sister.
5 Years Later
"Elanor concentrate!" Erestor snapped as he rapped the parchment in front of the 7-year-old. She jumped and returned her attention to the book she was supposed to be copying a passage from. She paused again and her gaze once more went to the window.
"Erestor can't we work outside today? It's such a lovely day! It seems such a waste!" At 7 Elanor was very well versed now in English and Elvish, "Please Erestor. The sun is shining; it seems such a waste to spend it inside!" the young human child pleaded.
"If we go outside young lady – you will not work at all. I want you to finish that passage and then I will let you out, because I fear my patience is wearing thin." Erestor said.
"Really Erestor? Maybe tomorrow we could work outside?" Elanor said as she continued to copy out the passage, the passage was in English and she was to copy it out and translate it into Elvish.
"Maybe Elanor. Maybe." Erestor said as he took the now completed parchment from Elanor. Elanor packed away her quill, ink and spare parchment before running out of the library to find her brothers. Even if Elladan and Elrohir were not really her brothers, she considered them such as she was only 2 when they first arrived in Rivendell; she didn't see them as anything other than older brothers. Like Aragorn. She knew her brother as Aragorn but was requested and taught that her brother's 'nickname' was Estel. Estel was now 9-years-old and also was quite well versed in Elvish and English like his sister. He had been outside learning how to use a bow and arrow with Elladan and Elrohir. As Elanor raced down the corridor and bounded out the large oak doors towards the practice field she wore her large smile as she raced through the south garden and past her father who was sitting at the edge of the garden. Elrond turned to watch his wayward daughter run through the grounds. He knew where she was going. To the archery fields to find her brothers.
As Elanor neared the fields she saw that Elladan was teaching Estel how to notch his arrow properly and the little boy was having trouble doing it right. A group of elflings off to the side were hiding their giggles behind their hands. Elanor knew they might be several hundreds of years old as they were still small. But had a few years on Estel and herself. She walked over and stood near them. Close enough to hear their whispers but not so close that they noticed.
"He's a human why are they helping him? He's going to be hopeless. I'm surprised he can see the target!" One said he seemed to be a little older than the others and they all nodded and agreed as though they were afraid he'd hurt them if they didn't. Elanor was lucky of her long hair that hid her ears from sight. She put on a small smile.
"I don't know about that. I think he's brilliant." The elflings turned, they frowned as if they didn't know her.
"What are you saying?" the older elf asked, "are you saying you think a human is better than one of your own kind?"
"No. I'm saying that young Estel is probably better at archery than you are." Elrohir had turned from helping Elladan with Estel at the sound of the conversation that had started. The slightly older elf, Elanor would find out later was named Túion, had several years on the rest of the group and he was their 'leader' but Elanor wasn't going to go down without a fight. When she challenged Túion, he pounced. They wrestled until Túion saw enough of her ears to shout that she was human and he began to pound her with punches but Elanor was quick and before he had landed more than four punches she had pinned him to the ground. Her knees on his elbows and she straddled his chest.
"So humans are stupid and clumsy and can't see as far as elves can? True we are not as smart or as graceful or as far-sighted. But we can handle ourselves in close combat rather well don't you think?" Túion grumbled about being beat by a girl, before the 7-year-old was lifted off the young elf and settled on her big brother's hip. Elrohir to the rescue. Elladan and Estel were with him.
"I think, Túion, you owe Estel and Elanor an apology." He said seriously. The young elfling, who had never been caught bullying the young human to his friends, blushed madly and said a quick I'm sorry before running off with his 'friends'. Elrohir ran a hand over Elanor's hair.
"Why did you do that?" He asked.
"They were being mean to Estel. I just stood up for him." The 7-year-old shrugged, Elladan raised Estel up onto his hip and the children slapped high-fives. Estel was proud of his sister, she was very clever and she always had her smile firmly in place.
7 years later
"Why can't I learn Archery too?" Elanor whined to Elladan as he took her back inside the manor by the arm, where the 14-year-old was supposed to be learning the art of healing with her father.
"Because, you're a girl, El. I'm sorry. But Ada says you have to do healing while Estel learns archery and sword-skills. But I'll tell you what. If you do your work this morning, that may include a few patch up jobs on Ro and myself, depending on how good Estel is at archery, then maybe – just maybe you can watch us do our sword practice okay?" Elladan said. Elanor brightened then frowned.
"Only watch?" She asked, disappointed.
"Yes. Watch." He told her, before knocking swiftly on his father's study door. The door swung open a moment later to reveal Elrond, Glorfindel and Erestor.
"I found your student, Ada." Elladan said; he still had hold of Elanor's arm. She grimaced as his hold slightly tightened. Elrond looked down at his daughter and slowly shook his head.
"Thank-you Elladan. Your lessons will begin momentarily Elanor. Come in and sit down." She did as she was told, though her face clearly told the Elf lord she would rather be elsewhere.
"We will working outside today, my Daughter." Elanor's head snapped up.
"Outside, Ada?" Elanor loved to be outside, so much so her pale human skin had tinged a slightly golden colour from her several long days spent outside.
"Yes. We will be studying the herbs and learning what they can be used for." Elrond said, before he turned his attention back to Glorfindel's report on what the patrols had reported. Elrond, though listening to Glorfindel, watched as Elanor looked longingly out the window at the sunlight. It was still early morning and she loved to be outside. She was already skilled in healing. It was the herbs she had to learn about. As much as Elrond wanted to leave his daughter to her own devices, she needed to learn something. Archery was not the sort of thing young girls learnt. It was needle-point or healing or something like that. After their other lessons of reading, writing and other such lessons that drove Erestor insane with her longing to be outside. But Elrond knew that she would need her skills one day. One day that she would not regret. One day that Aragorn would be happy she would break a promise. One day when she would meet a nice human boy. One day when she might just seal her future.
"Ada?" Elrond looked up at his foster-son, 16-year-old Estel, who stood at his desk in his study. Elanor was off to the side, writing down some of the herbs and their uses from a book that lay open beside her as she lay on the floor of her father's study.
"Yes Estel?" Elrond said. Estel seemed to deflate a little.
"I want El to learn archery and do sword lessons too. She deserves to be able to protect herself. Doesn't she? I won't always be here, nor will 'Dan or 'Ro." Estel explained. Elanor almost sat up but remained where she was and tried to look as though she was not listening in. She continued to copy out the herbs and their uses. Her legs bent at ninety-degree angels, her skirt gathered at her knees. Elrond glanced down at her and frowned.
"She did put up quite a fuss when Elladan brought her back up here this morning. Maybe she will, but not yet. Not until she's 16. Is that alright Estel?"
"That's alright I guess. What do you think El?"
"I'd like to learn Archery and Sword-fighting. I can wait two years." Elanor said handing a piece of parchment up to Elrond. It had the list of herbs and their uses printed neatly and clearly on the page.
"Good. You can go now El. You've finished for the day." Elanor grinned and raced out past her brother, who rolled his eyes at Elrond.
"She's gonna get hurt one day." Estel said, Elrond nodded.
"Let's just hope that it was fair way off." The Elf lord smiled and Estel nodded his agreement.
4 years later
Elanor was 18 when she realized that she had started to fall in love with one of her brothers. One of her Elven brothers. This was not good. She panicked. The first person she told was Estel.
"Elrohir? But doesn't liking one of them mean you'll like the other as well? They do look alike."
"Oh Estel! Really? 'Dan and 'Ro are two very different elves! You know that! Dan is impulsive and head-strong. Ro is placid and a thinker. You know what I'm like."
"Yeah, just like Dan. So of course Ro would rein you in. But…why not a nice Human boy?" Estel said, Elanor cocked an eyebrow in critism.
"Why Estel…why not a nice human girl?" It was common knowledge that Estel and Arwen were 'together' although they were not permitted to marry until Estel, took his real name of Aragorn and became King of Gondor. He had been told of his heritage but a habit was hard to break and Elanor was no nearer to calling her brother Aragorn again anytime soon. She sat down on his bed and put her face in her hands.
"How do you broach that subject with Ada, Estel? How did you tell him you loved Arwen?" She asked.
Estel blushed, "I kind of blurted it out, El. I didn't plan it." Elanor groaned and lay back on her brother's bed. There she stayed until she had her speech for her father planned out in her head. Getting up she made her way to her father's study but before she knocked she could hear voices.
"I don't understand Elrohir. You love her?" Elrond was saying.
"Yes Father. You can't deny that El has grown up." There was only one person her brothers called El. That was her.
"But she's still a child!" Elrond protested.
"She's 18. In human terms she's an adult." Elrohir countered.
"She's still under my care." Her father said.
"So is Estel, but you're letting him be with Arwen." Elrohir said in return still calm and controlled.
"That's different." Elrond said. To him it was. Arwen hadn't been in Rivendell for years, so she had been under her Grandmother's care. And Estel had grown up not knowing her. It was natural that the human could fall in love with Arwen. But Elrohir had watched Elanor grow up. It wasn't possible.
"Is it? Elanor is beautiful father, she clever and she can handle herself in battle you saw her disarm Elladan yesterday didn't you? Ada please, understand. I love her." Elrohir said. Elanor turned away from the door and found herself wrapped in a pair of strong arms. She looked up into the face identical to the one she wanted to look down at her with love shining in those grey orbs.
"You heard didn't you?" She nodded, "do you feel the same?" Another nod. Elladan nodded slowly and pushed open the door, the two elves inside looked up.
"El? Are you alright?" Elrohir asked seeing his sister cradled in his brother's arms. Feeling protective all of a sudden. He wanted to be the elf to hold her if she was upset or hurt.
"Oh she's fine, Ro. She just heard that entire conversation." Elrohir went scarlet, "and she feels the same about you." Elanor nodded at the unasked question of confirmation. Elrohir took his sister from his brother's arms and took her down the corridor away from their father.
"Ada, you let Estel and Arwen be together, and they are happy. If Elrohir and Elanor were separated I am afraid we would see Elrohir fade. He would not be happy. You want him to be happy don't you?" Elladan asked, Elrond nodded.
"Mortality is what concerns me 'Dan. Elanor is mortal. Elrohir is not." Elrond said sadly.
"Is it possible that if he loves her like he says he does, he may forsake the immortality he has and stay with her. It is his choice." Elladan said softly, before leaving his father with his thoughts.
"Why didn't you come and say something to me, El?" Elrohir asked as he walked with his sister in the gardens. Elanor sighed.
"I don't know. It is more a question of how would I have said it I guess." Elanor said. Elrohir wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Well, at least now we both know." He said.
"How could you talk to Ada about it? I feel almost sure that my speech would have been totally different from yours."
"I just came right out and said it. I told him that I loved you as more than a brother should. He told me he would forbid it and then our argument started."
"Do you really think I'm beautiful Ro?" Elanor didn't see it. Elanor saw dark hair that would never sit right, dark brown-green eyes that reminded her vaguely of swamp water, and freckles. She didn't see any beauty at all.
"You know what I see?" He asked, she nodded. He didn't say anything for a while until they had reached the fountain in the middle of the garden. Unaware that Elrond and Elladan could see them.
"I see a girl that is kind, caring, fearless, clever, witty, and just so perfectly unique. That is what makes you beautiful, Elanor. It's not always beauty in looks. You are beautiful inside and out. Lots of people are. But it takes a special kind of person to capture one's heart." He said softly, "it's her beauty that catches your eyes; it's her personality that catches your heart." Elanor smiled maybe this could work. Just maybe.
It was a week after the confessions that Elrohir and Elanor faced their first great challenge. Estel was leaving with the rangers of the north; Elanor knew she would never be quite herself without her blood-brother. Estel was no more. Now he was Aragorn, son of Arathorn, 16th and final chieftain of the Dúnedain. Aragorn had said that if Isildur, his ancestor, was corrupted by the One Ring, what's to say that he wasn't going to be? Aragorn was strong, Elanor knew it, but would her brother know when the time came? Aragorn moved along the line of his family giving them all a hug. His sister was last. Aragorn watched as tears filled the brown-green eyes that reminded the young man of his mother. Aragorn had inherited his father's eyes, blue-grey and powerful, strong.
"I'm proud of you, sister." Aragorn whispered as he pulled her into a hug, "keep yourself safe alright?" He said as he kissed her cheek.
"I'll miss you Gwador." She replied, dropping in the Elvish word for brother.
"And I you Seler." He smiled dropping in Elvish word of sister. Elladan glanced at Elrohir and they shared a look. The two would miss each other dearly. The only thing that could save them was the fact that they weren't elves. They would never die from grief.