This is just a short little doodah inspired by Pentangle-linnon's numerous stories about Estel and Erestor. It is not meant to steal from her in any way, it is simply inspired by her.(her stories are awesome by the way, I highly recommend them!) :)
NOTE: At the beginning of this story, Estel is about four or five years old. At the end he has just been made king.
Enjoy!
"Erestor! Erestor! I've brought you a present!" Estel shrieked with delight, bounding up the stairs two at a time, and practically exploding into Erestor's study, its former peaceful atmosphere now shattered.
The Advisor winced, feeling every muscle in his body tighten as his fingers clenched around the quill pen in his hand.
"Yes, Estel? What is it this time? Can it wait?"
"No! Erestor, I must give you my present!" The little boy giggled indignantly, wrapping his arms around Erestor's neck, pulling himself up onto the elf's lap.
The Advisor sighed, realizing his quiet afternoon was tragically over.
"Well?" He asked as gently as he could manage, moving Estel into a more comfortable position.
"Here, just for you."
"A stone? Why thank you, Estel, that is most thoughtful. I could use it as a, ah, paperweight." Erestor tried his best to smile as he accepted the stone, apparently a specimen from the garden path outside, but it got lost somewhere in his nose, making something of a frown.
"No no no no no! Not a paperweight, silly Erestor, a worry stone." Little Estel sighed impatiently, taking it back from the confused elf.
"A worry stone?"
"Yes, nana has one. She says whenever she is worried, she rubs the stone and she feels better. You are always stressed, or worried, or especially busy, I thought you might like one too." He explained matter-a-factly, resting the smooth stone on his fingers and rubbing it with his thumb to demonstrate proper stone-rubbing technique to the Advisor.
"Thank you, Estel, that was very thoughtful." Erestor replied, laying the stone on his desk before shooing Estel away, anxious to finish his important work.
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"Where is Lord Erestor?" King Elessar asked, scanning the room for his old teacher.
"He is in his room, he said something about important work, I doubt he wants to be disturbed...but you never cared about that before...I doubt you do now." Lord Glorfindel laughed, pointing the way for the new king towards Erestor and his room.
Aragorn nodded before hurrying down the splendid halls, robe trailing behind him.
He had only been King now for a little while now, and seldom got a moment alone. He had realized Erestor was not with the rest of the elves from his old home at supper, and now was trying to find him in his moment of breathing room in between all his new kingly duties.
"Erestor?" He asked tentatively, forgetting to knock as he swept in to the elf's room.
"Here. What is it, Estel? Can't you see I'm busy?" Aragorn's grumpy old friend growled from the desk tucked away in a corner, occupied in covering pieces of parchment with his small neat handwriting.
Aragorn opened the windows, letting in a little more light than the Advisor had allowed himself, before moving to stand next to him.
"You missed supper."
"Supper? No matter."
"Do you need anything?"
"If you could get me the old brown envelope from my bag, I need some of those documents for reference."
"Of course." Aragorn hurried to obey the elf, pleased that at least he was still treating him as Estel, not as some lofty king.
He undid the trunk full of books Erestor had brought along, but the brown envelope was not there. No matter, Erestor also had a soft bag in which he had packed his clothes, and maybe also the envelope.
Aragorn tipped it over and shook out its contents over the bed. Dark robes came spilling out, as did the brown envelope.
But just as Aragorn reached for it, something else fell from the bag, softly landing on the Advisor's night-clothes.
Aragorn picked it up instead, studying it carefully in the light.
The stone.
It was indeed the stone, the smooth stone Estel had given Erestor from the garden path so many years before.
Except now it was different. It was deeply worn, as if it had been rubbed for years on end.
"Well?"
Erestor's sharp question brought Aragorn back to the present.
"What?"
"The envelope!"
"Oh yes, sorry." Aragorn muttered embarrassedly, grabbing the brown package and carrying it to the elf seated in the corner.
"Thank you." Erestor sighed long-sufferingly, pulling forth several old yellowed documents before handing the rest back to his previous pupil, "I see you found that old stone you gave me, Estel." He continued, voice soft as he focused intently on his papers.
"Oh, yes, I did. I never knew you actually used it. In fact, I had forgotten about it entirely before today." Aragorn admitted, laying the stone on Erestor's desk.
Erestor smiled bitterly, fingering the stone as if it were an old friend.
"You were right, Estel. I needed this. I was always so anxious, so busy, so preoccupied, so flustered about everything. It lived with me, I took it everywhere I went, and it really did help."
"I can tell." Aragorn responded quietly, eyeing the deep indent made from years of use.
"I needed a little friend, especially after you grew up and went off to live your life." He whispered, gazing at first the worn rock, then at the tall man before him.
There was a long moment of silence, both Erestor and Aragorn were thinking. Aragorn was being amazed and please over how much personal information the tight Advisor was letting leak, while Erestor was simply remembering.
"Never tell anyone I told you this," he began, looking away, "but after Glorfindel, you're the best/worst thing that's ever happened to me, Estel. Here, take it, I don't need it anymore, but you will, now that your king."
Aragorn smiled to himself as he accepted the well-worn stone, remembering all the times Erestor would be cross at him, tell him that he was the most vexing little boy in Arda.
"Now get out of here, I have work to do." Erestor growled, snapping back to his usual self.
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After that visit, Aragorn never saw Erestor again.
Soon, Erestor passed into the west along with Elrond, Glorfindel, and all the remaining elves of Imladris, along with those of Lothlorien.
Aragorn kept the worry-stone all the days of his life, using it frequently, as he found being a king a very stressful, worrisome task.
And he never forgot Erestor, who was, quite possibly, one of the best things that had ever happened to him as well.
~fin~
I hope you enjoyed, thank you for reading!
Please leave a review!
~Thurin