Alrighty, I'm back, people! Chapter three of Elves and Rangers part 1 is up now! Enjoy, :)
-Nescit Cedere-
"Wock!"
"Estel, please do not climb on that!" Elrond lifted the toddler off of the stool he had been standing on and placed him onto the ground for the umpteenth time. Ever since Elrond had taken them in two years ago, the two toddlers had grown accustomed to the Elven home and to the people around them, though they were still not used to having Elrond and his twin sons as their Father and brothers. They had tried for the past eighteen months to get Estel to call Elrond Ada and Elladan and Elrohir 'Gwador' but he didn't seem to understand. Elrond found that he was growing to love the little twins of Arathorn dearly and his sons had already taken a liking to the two. It appeared many in the Elven household were wrapped around their little finger. Glorfindel would often watch over them should the twins and Elrond be busy or Lindir would take over if Glorfindel was off on patrol. Estel and Dyn turned out to be very curious toddlers and the Elves had to watch them closely or else the two would stir up trouble or drive everyone insane.
But you could never be angry with the two for long. They always found a way to bring a smile on everyone's face. Ever since Celebrian left for Valinor and Arwen went to live in Lothlorien, the household had been dreary and quiet. Every once in a while, the son of Thranduil would come to visit and things would become lively, but once he left, everything returned back the way it was. Estel and Dyn had not lived there for more than two years and already there was booming laughter down every corridor, smiles gracing everyone's lips, and a bounce in every step any took. Elladan and Elrohir had stopped Orc hunting but Elrond knew they would continue with their mission to avenge their mother. Right now, Elrond had taken Estel into his study after a small incident in the kitchen and was trying to work while watching the child, which was proving to be quite a chore!
"Wock!" Estel repeated, staring up at the Elf Lord's desk. Elrond sighed and shook his head, looking for what it was that caught the child's attention. He looked to find a rock lying on his desk and blinked. When did that get there? Where had it come from? Estel looked up at the Elf Lord, pointing at the rock. "Wock!"
"Yes, Estel. That is a rock." Elrond nodded. He was relieved the child was comfortable enough to speak more than he usually did. Estel was also very quiet when he arrived in Rivendell, not as silent as his mute sister, but quiet still. He would make noises whenever he pleased but when it came to talking, he wouldn't say much. Every once in a while, he would say something but most of the time, he would remain silent, watching everything around him with his twin. "Where is your sister, Estel?" Elrond asked the toddler, who continued to stare at the rock. Estel's eyebrows drew together as he thought about how to pronounce his next word.
"Bwawe." He replied and Elrond tilted his head in confusion.
"Where?" He asked.
"Bwawy." Estel repeated himself but the word was just too difficult for him to say!
"I do not understand, child." Elrond said and Estel sighed.
"Fe wibwawe!" He attempted to say again.
"The...What is the brairy?" Elrond asked himself before realization dawned over him. "The library! Of course!" He should have known. Dyn loved to sit in the library and flip through the picture books Rivendell had and would spend hours going through the same book over and over again until she felt she understood the story it was trying to portray. Her favorite, which was not at all surprising, was the one about Glorfindel and the Balrog. The toddlers loved Glorfindel very much and took every chance they had to be around the Balrog Slayer. Elrond guessed it was because he was the first person they had met other than the twins. Glorfindel was also a very kind and gentle Elf with a comforting aura. The toddlers felt very safe whenever they were with the Balrog Slayer. Glorfindel did not appear to mind having two shadows following his every move and did everything he could to make the two feel included, taking time of his work to sit down and answer any question Estel had for him.
Estel absentmindedly nodded, his eyes fixed on the rock. "Wock!" He reached up to grab it but fell short. He grunted and dropped his arm, looking up to Elrond.
"You want the rock?" Elrond asked and Estel nodded. "I do not see why...but very well." Elrond handed the child the rock. Estel beamed up at him, hugging his leg before darting outside. Elrond shook his head. That child still continued to confuse him. "As long as he is happy." He told himself.
Estel smiled as he played with his new friend, the rock. He laughed as he tossed it into the air and caught it, tossing it here and there and then chasing after it. Several Elves shook their head at the child with lazy smiles. He was a very bright child and was happy with anything. Estel tossed his rock again and watched it sail over into the shadows of a nearby tree and went after it. Estel's little legs got caught against a tree root and the toddler was sent sprawling on the ground. He blinked before sitting up and dusting himself off. He looked at his hand to see a cut stretching from his thumb to his wrist bleeding. He blinked but didn't care about the cut. All he cared about was his rock. He stood up and spun in a circle, trying to see where his rock had escaped too.
He couldn't find it.
"Wock?" He called, dropping to the ground to see if any of the rocks there were his. None of them were. "Wocky!" He sat back on his heels, confused as to where his friend had gone. Then he saw it. The rock was in the middle of the path that led to the garden. Squealing with glee, Estel ran towards it, but before he could reach it, the ground suddenly opened up and his rock disappeared. Estel skidded to a stop, shocked at what he had just seen. Did the...
Did the ground just eat his rock?!
Estel felt tears gather in his eyes. The ground ate his best friend! How could it do such a thing?! He was having so much fun and the ground just HAD to go ahead and eat his rock!
Glorfindel tilted his head when an odd sound caught his attention.
Sniffling.
Someone was crying? He turned, excusing himself from the Elves around him and went to find the person who was crying. It sounded like a child. He felt concern fill him. Had Estel or Dyn hurt themselves? He peered around a rather large tree to find Estel sitting in the middle of the path, holding his hand, tears slipping down his cheeks and wetting his shirt.
"Estel? Tithen pen?" Glorfindel walked over to the child, crouching down beside the child. Estel looked to Glorfindel. The look of overwhelming grief tore at Glorfindel's heart as he reached out to brush some hair out of the child's face. "What is it, little one?" He asked the boy, who glared accusingly at the ground. Glorfindel followed his gaze but found nothing out of the ordinary and looked at Estel in confusion. "What is it?"
"Fuh gwoun' ade my wock." Estel answered.
"The ground did what?"
"Ade my wock."
"The ground ate your rock?" Glorfindel repeated and Estel nodded. "Estel, the ground cannot eat things."
"Fis un cun!" Estel replied, crossing his arms and sniffling.
"No, Estel." Glorfindel shook his head, amused at the child. "This ground cannot eat your rock. Are you sure you have not dropped your rock anywhere else?"
"No. Gwoun' ade i'!" Estel firmly told the Golden Elf. "Te' i' tuh gif i' ba-k!"
"I cannot tell it to give your rock back, Estel, when the ground did not eat it in the first place."
"Bu' i' did!" Glorfindel sighed.
"Whatever you say, Estel. If the ground ate your rock, I suppose the ground ate your rock." Glorfindel leaned forward and tapped on the ground. "See, Estel? Nothing-" He was surprised when part of the ground raised itself up and looked to see two, large, glowing eyes looking up at him. Alarmed, Glorfindel snatched Estel into his arms and leaped back. "What in Eru's name?!" He exclaimed. He watched as something long shot out of the ground and wrapped around a caterpillar nearby, pulling it back and closing the part of the ground it had raised. "And we are off!" Glorfindel said as he turned and quickly walked away from the area. Estel looked smugly up at the Golden Elf.
"Fee? Fuh gwoun' ade my wock!" He told him.
"So I see..." Glorfindel nodded, glancing over his shoulder to see if the creature was still there. "I will have to get Erestor to see this."
Just a really fast drabble! I had to do a little Estel thing and well…I thought this was cute because a little boy I babysat had a best friend that was a rock and he lost it somewhere but claimed the ground had eaten it. I spent hours laughing about it and it was inspiration for me!
