Haldir held the picture of a young girl in his hands, hoping that he would one day see her again. The girl was his only child. Her name, the name that he and her mother gave her, was...oddly enough...Estel, named for her godfather, Aragorn. But, as he found out, she went by Little Spirit. That's what her friends call her, as he was told.
Spirit...It seems to fit her, he thought. The picture was of Estel and her friends. The young girl next to Estel was called River, a Reader like Lady Galadriel. The tall and menacing man behind River was River's lover, Jayne.
Haldir chuckled, 'Jayne.' The dark skinned woman next to Jayne...(laugh)...was Zoe. A beauty indeed. The man next to Zoe and behind another young girl was Malcolm. He was told that River and Estel called him 'Captain Daddy', because he was overprotective and paternal towards them.
Haldir was glad for it. The woman next to Malcolm was called Inara. She was very beautiful, almost a She-elf. The other young girl next to Estel was the 'grease monkey' as she was referred to...Kaylee. 'Pretty,' he thought. And next to Kaylee in front of Inara, was Kaylee's lover, Simon.
He was glad that his daughter was so well taken care of. He was surprised to hear that they took to her so well, full well knowing what she was. ½ Elf and ½ Katagari panther.
Haldir was woken from his thoughts by a knock on the door of his talan.
"Haldir, hurry up," called his brother Orophin.
"Why?" He asked.
"Because Estel is here," Orophin answered.
Haldir jumped up, setting the picture of his daughter and her friends on the side table next to his 'couch'. Haldir and Orophin left to go meet with Estel and her friends.
Estel and her friends were talking with Galadriel and Celeborn when Haldir and Orophin got there.
"Estel?" Haldir called to her.
Estel spun around, seeing her father.
"Daddy!" Estel said happily, running to Haldir and hugging him.
"It's been too long, my dear," He said to her.
"Yes, it has," She agreed.
Celeborn cleared his throat.
"(in Mandarin) Go suck an egg!" Estel said to the Elven Lord.
Her friends laughed.
"Mei-Mei, be nice," said Inara.
"I haven't seen my father in a long time, so bite me." Es
Inara smiled and shook her head.
"Mei-Mei? What does that mean?" Orophin asked.
"It means little sister, Uncle," Estel said, not wanting to let her father go.
"You'll have ta let him go sometime, Mei-Mei," Malcolm said as Orophin, Haldir, and Estel walked over to the group.
Estel reluctantly let Haldir go.
"So, these are your friends," Haldir mused.
"(in elvish) Strange group, are they not?"Estel
"Yes."Haldir
"I wouldn't have it any other way."Estel
Mal and the others looked a little confused.
"He was just asking about you."Estel
"Oh."Mal
"So, Little Spirit, glad to be home?"Simon
"Yes."Estel
"Well, it's gorramn beautiful here. How can't she?"Jay
Before Haldir could say anything, Estel rolled her eyes and interrupted the Jayne speak.
"He means that he likes it here. He can see why I wanted to bring them home with me."Estel
"Oh."Haldir
"He may be big, dumb..."Simon
"Hey!"Jayne
"And good with a weapon, but if River's happy with him, then..."Simon
"Good on them."Simon/Estel
River and Estel laughed.
"Estel, why don't you take your coat off?" It seemed like Lady Galadriel was up to something.
"No way."Estel knew what Galadriel was up to.
"Please."Galadriel knew that there was no way that Estel could say no to her.
Estel had River help her. When River handed the coat to Jayne, Haldir's mouth dropped. Haldir sized her up, not in the lustful way, you sickos.
Estel was muscled for her body type. She was lean with washboard abs and long legs. He noticed the weapons that she carried with her. Two thigh holsters with throwing daggers, one holster on her left leg and one holster on her right.
She had on these black shiny boots that stopped 2 inches above her knees. She wore a little black skirt that ended ½ an inch above the hilt of the daggers. Her belly button was pierced! His daughter, a She-Elf, had a pierced belly button. He saw that her top was made of the same material that her skirt was. He saw that her clothing left little to the imagination.
Estel saw her father's reaction.
"Now, do you see why I didn't want to take it off," She whined.
"Yes, I do."Galadriel
Jayne gave Estel her coat back.
"I do have a question, Estel."Haldir
"Yes, Father?"Estel
"Why do they call you Little Spirit?"Haldir
"Because I am River's size...as you see we are both small and Jayne coined that actually saying that I was small and full of spirit. Hence, Little...Spirit."Estel
"Oh."Haldir
"Immortals. They can be like children."Estel
River laughed.
"What did she say?" Haldir asked her.
"She said that Immortals...Elves...can be like children." Ri
Haldir gave Estel the 'Oh really' look.
"Well, they can be. I mean, you have to explain things to them all the time and it can be bloody gorramn annoying to do so," Estel groaned.
Haldir only laughed and patted his daughter on the shoulder.
"So, where do you plan to stay, exactly?" asked her Uncle Rumil as he walked up to them.
"Uncle Rhu!"She hugged her uncle.
"Rhu?"Haldir grinned.
"Rhu, the tiger king," River explained.
"And she would call him that, why?" Kaylee finally spoke up.
"Because his name is Rumil and Rhu is how his name begins, Kaylee," River stated.
"Oh."Kaylee smiled happily.
Estel laughed.
"That girl is too happy for her own good," She said to her uncle.
"Yes, but in these times, my dear niece, it is needed," He said back to her.
"I guess you are right."Estel
"You know it!"Rumil
"Brat!"Estel
"Furball!"Rumil
"Them's fightin' words."Estel
Rumil laughed.
"I see that Jayne has rubbed off on you, my dear," Rumil chuckled.
Jayne looked up.
"How's that?"Jayne
"She said 'Them's fightin' words' almost exactly the way you do."Rumil
"Oh."Jayne
Jayne looked proud at what Rumil said. While her family and friends talked, Estel hummed Hoku Ho's 'What you need'. Galadriel noticed the young panther She-Elf looking around, that's when she decided to step in.
"Why don't I take Estel, River, Kaylee, Inara and Zoe to the gardens and you can meet us later?" Galadriel asked.
Estel perked up as did the other women.
"Sounds like a good idea to me," Zoe stated.
The women walked with Galadriel to the gardens.
"It's all so beautiful," Inara said breathlessly.
"Thank you. I spent many a century building this city up, of course I didn't do any of the actual work," Galadriel smiled.
Estel seemed fascinated by a white rosebush.
"Do you like white roses, Estel?"Galadriel
"Yes. Don't know why, though. Silly, ain't it?"Estel
"No, my dear. Your father has been waiting for you for many a year. He almost gave up ever seeing you again, but I believe that Rumil and Orophin beat some sense into him," Galadriel smiled, "There will be a proper welcome home for you tomorrow, my dear. Your grandparents insisted on it. They asked me to plan it, but I have no idea how you would like it."
Estel smiled.
"She likes deep colors," Kaylee chimed, "Like royal blue, and purple, and burgundy, and emerald green, and gold."
"Thank you, Kaylee, that will be most helpful." Galadriel
"She likes soft things too. Like velvet and silk and satin and downy feathers. Has down feather pillows and satin sheets on the Serenity."Kaylee wanted to help Estel by telling Galadriel things about her.
"Deep colors and soft things. What else?"Galadriel
"Flowers. She may not seem like it, but she's a real girly girl."Kaylee
"Flowers. We have plenty of them in the gardens. It can be held here."Galadriel
Galadriel loved Kaylee's brightness and enthusiasm.
"Boys."River
Kaylee giggled.
"Got plenty of those," Galadriel joked.
Estel turned almost as red as some of the other rosebushes.
"Pretty boys. She likes 'em real pretty," Zoe teased.
Estel was red.
"Like I said, plenty of those," Galadriel smiled.
Estel hid behind one of the tall rosebushes.
"The only boys that she's ever really been around...with us...is Jayne and Mal," Zoe stated.
"Well, that can be easily fixed."Galadriel
"It's going to take time for her to adjust to being here, Lady Galadriel," River said, watching her friend stroking rose petals, "She's been away for so long that she's forgotten so much. Just give her time."
The women watched Estel amongst the roses. Meanwhile, the men were sitting around comparing weapons.
"Bow's nice," Mal mused, "And light. Inara would love it."
"She probably would."Simon
"I am told, Simon, that you are a Healer."Haldir
"Yes. I am."Simon
"That is good. With more of the orcs pressing on the borders, we need all the help we can get."Haldir
There was an awkward silence.
"I actually helped Estel with a problem a while back," Simon offered.
Haldir looked a little worried.
"What happened?" He asked.
"Well, to save us...she let herself get captured. She was tortured and beaten."Simon didn't want to tell Haldir everything for fear of him worrying.
"What was done to her?"Haldir
"They cut her ears off."Simon
Haldir choked back his reaction.
"But I was able to reattach them and they healed perfectly. They are just more sensitive than they were before. She was very brave, Haldir. The only reason they even beat her was that she refused to let them get to her, refused to give up."Simon
"Why?"Haldir
"Did she refuse to give up?"Simon
"Yes."Haldir
"Because of you. She wanted to see you again."Simon
Haldir was only slightly relieved.
"She's strong. River had relapses and Estel helped her, helped her where I couldn't. She talks to River in your language and it calms her. And there is only one other thing that can calm River."Simon
"Jayne, I am guessing."Haldir
"Yes," Simon sighed, "Odd enough as it is."
Jayne, luckily didn't hear Simon's comment.
"What do you think the women are doing?" Mal offered.
"Knowing my wife, they are scheming. Galadriel said something about giving Estel a proper welcome home. Our entire race only found out her existence 2 months ago. They are wanting to see her in person. Never before has there been one like her," Celeborn looks to Haldir, "She's special...very valuable. Not just to her family, but to an entire race. Although, I am beginning to suspect that Haldir does not want to share his daughter with anyone. I do not blame him. My only child died of poison long ago. So, Estel means a lot more to Galadriel and I than anyone knows."
The women walked up to the men.
"If I knew you loved me that much, I would have come back a lot sooner," Estel laughed as she went to her father's side.
River took the weapon called 'Vera' from Jayne and sat in his lap. Galadriel went her husband's side, putting an arm around his waist and her head on his shoulder.
"What have you girls been schemin'?" Mal asked.
"Lots of thing, Big brother, lots of things," Estel smiled. "There will be people arriving late in the night and early tomorrow morning to see you, Estel," Celeborn stated.
Estel shrank in her father's embrace.
"She has a fear of really big groups. Scares the big cat in her," River said, her head on Jayne's shoulder.
"Don't worry, Daughter, we will all be here," Haldir reassured her.
Estel was more relaxed by her father's reassurance.
"Aragorn and Legolas arrived shortly. Legolas' brothers wouldn't let them come alone, so Arwen, Erutan, and Roqan are coming, of course."Galadriel sighed.
River smiled.
"Mei-Mei, what are you thinking?"Inara asked.
"That we should dress Estel up. I mean, she hasn't seen her godfather since she was a little girl and she's going to be getting so much attention tomorrow...She needs to be noticed for what she doesn't think she is," River replied, standing.
Haldir was curious as to what River meant. Then River looked him in the eye.
"She was only seen for her humanity, seeing as Katagari or Arcadian are part human. No-one saw her as an elf," She told him, "She wants to be seen for what she is. Not what others think she is."
There was some silence until Inara spoke up.
"I have some clothes that she could use. I had them back when I was 16, they should fit her," She offered.
"Elven beauty in Companion clothing," Kaylee mused, "That I gotta see."
Estel blushed at Inara's offer and Kaylee's compliment.
"What do you think, Little Sister? Should we?"Inara
"Yes. Daddy would probably have a heart attack, though."Estel laughed.
Haldir looked at his daughter and said, "Why do I get the feeling that you just laughed at me?"
"Because I did," Estel stated as she, River, Inara, Kaylee, and Zoe went off to their talan.
When Aragorn and Legolas arrived, Haldir was so nervous that his ears were red.
"So where is she?" Aragorn asked.
"Uuhh..." Haldir didn't know what to say.
Galadriel came up to them.
"She and her friends are changing. It took them a long time to convince her not to wear her weapons. River says that she gets nervous around people," She answered for him.
"Oh."Aragorn
"My father wanted to know what kind of Katagari she was," Legolas said to Galadriel.
"Panther," Galadriel answered, "But, dear boy, make no mistake, Estel is not just a Katagari, she is an elf."
"Tell that to my father," Legolas groaned.
"I will," Galadriel fumed.
There was an almost uncomfortable silence until someone cleared their throat. It was Inara.
"Inara, dear, is Estel ready?" Galadriel asked the Companion.
"Yes, milady, she is. She's just panicking," Inara replied.
"Why?"Haldir
"Because she's about to see someone that she has not seen for ages and it's making her nervous. I do not blame her, though, being ½ elf and ½ cat, I'm guessing, makes you very neurotic."Inara
It was only 'til now that they noticed that Legolas was distracted.
"Who's that?" He managed to say.
Everyone turned around. It was Estel. She smiled when she saw Aragorn. She came running up to him, hugging him.
"It's good to see you, too, Kitten," He said to his goddaughter.
Estel left her head buried in Aragorn's shoulder. She finally let him go when River sent a mental message. Aragorn took a chance to see what Legolas seemed to be drooling over.
She was wearing deep burgundy slippers, a floor length burgundy silk and satin skirt, and a burgundy corset with gold chain straps. Her pale blonde hair was piled on top of her head in an abundance of curls.
"Now I see what Legolas was staring at," He whispered to Estel.
Estel smiled and Legolas turned red.
"No need to be embarrassed, Legolas. Estel isn't, surpisingly," Aragorn said, patting his ex-lover on the shoulder.
"I don't see why it's such a surprise that I'm not embarrassed. I mean I had a huge panic attack before I came out here."Estel latched onto her father.
"You're babbling, Estel."Aragorn smiled.
"And you're a dick."Estel stuck her tongue out.
"Be nice, Mei-Mei," Inara warned her.
Estel blushed when she realized who was looking at her. Inara got an idea.
"Legolas?"Inara
"Yes?"Legolas
"Why don't you take Estel for a walk, I need to speak to her father, anyways."Inara