Part II
Supper was nothing out of the ordinary, though Estel and his brother did find themselves listening to a mild scolding due to the mud on their clothes. So, before they ate, he had to take a bath. He decided the baths were far more evil than orcs.
Estel had finished his meal and decided to wander around the inside of the Last Homely House until he would be called for bedtime. He currently found himself in the library, and he was bored. Why was the library connected to the dining room, anyway? It was an odd design to him. If he had designed it, the library would be far, far away, so that people would have trouble finding it. Then they would not have to read books.
Humming to himself, he looked disparagingly at the shelves.
Books, books, books. Did they not have anything better? He wanted to see weapons, but the armoury was off-limits to him unless he was accompanied by Glorfindel, Ada, or one of his brothers.
'You must wait until you are older before you can handle a real weapon,' they had told him.
'But I want to be a warrior now!' he had said, stubbornly. 'Then I'll be grown-up, and I can protect everyone!'
'You will,' they had assured him, 'in time.'
But they could not understand that he wanted it now. He clung to the banister and let his palm squeak across it as he headed downstairs, to the first floor.
I wish Dan and Ro were here. He descended the last few steps. But they had to go out to-night for patrolling. And Glorfindel is in Mirkwood at the moment…
He sighed loudly before taking up his humming again. I'm so bored…He glanced around this room; here and there were artefacts, paintings, and tapestries.
Well, at least this was more interesting. Estel peered through the large arched windows at the orange-pink dusk sky. The trees surrounded this area, as if protecting this place.
'It's as if I'm half-inside, half-outside,' he said to himself as he began circling the room. 'It's nice. I think I will ask Ada if I can have my lessons here…'
The boy came across a painting and halted. 'Is-Isildur,' he slowly read the inscription on the bottom, 'And S-Saron?' No, it should be Sauron. 'Isildur and Sauron,' he corrected himself, raising his eyes to properly view the picture. 'Oh…' He stared it for a while, taking in the scene.
Isildur was really brave, he thought, but it's too bad that he wasn't brave when he was supposed to throw the Ring away. If I were him, I would have kicked the Ring into the fire and said to Sauron, 'So there!' Such thoughts made him giggle, and the sound echoed faintly in the large room.
He turned away and glanced at the far side of the room. The statue of a lady holding something seemed to beckon to him. Curious, he walked toward the statue, and as he drew nearer, he saw that the something was the shards of broken sword lying on a piece of purple fabric.
'That's strange,' he spoke aloud. 'Why would Ada keep a broken sword in this special room?' He stared at it. 'At least it's not all rusty.' Someone must be truly bored, to polish pieces of a shattered sword.
Nonetheless, he wondered if he could touch it.
Ada said nothing about the sword in this room, he reasoned, I think it would be all right it I just picked up the hilt and put it back after looking at it.
With this, he darted forward up the steps, hand outstretched—
Another hand shot out of nowhere and clamped down on his wrist.
'Ai!' he yelped, trying to pull away.
'Just what do you think you are doing, Elrondion?'
'Let me go!' he tugged.
'I thought your father taught you better manners then that.'
It dawned upon him who was holding him, and he shrank back a little from the other. 'F-forgive me, Lord 'Restor, I didn't see you there.'
'I asked you a question.' Erestor looked at him, eyes unreadable.
He did? Frantically, Estel thought back. 'I-I am allowed to go anywhere except the armoury,' he said.
'Do you not have duties? Your lessons?'
'I finished them before I went out to play with Dan and Ro this afternoon.' He ceased his movements. 'Could you please let go of me?'
Erestor loosened his grip, but did not release his hold. 'But did any of them say anything about touching weapons?'
'Um,' he nervously began. 'Ada never said anything about this room.' He raised his eyes, daring to look straight at Erestor.
The elf's gaze was piercing—like Ada's, but more harsh, he decided. Still, he tried to hold it, so that the other could see he was sincere.
You look so sad, 'Restor…
However, before he could say anything about this, Erestor averted his gaze. 'Come with me.'
'Where are we going?'
'To see your father.'
'But—'
A frosted look made him quickly close his mouth, and he quietly allowed Erestor to lead him to his father's study.
They reached the closed door, and Erestor knocked against it. Estel heard his father's muffled voice, and then Erestor opened the door, lightly pushing him in.
'Erestor? Estel?' Elrond put his quill down. 'What is the matter?'
'My lord, he attempted to handle a sword.'
'As that so, Estel?' Elrond looked at him, and his heart began to beat faster.
'I-I w-wasn't in the armoury, Ada,' His words tumbled over each other as he tried to explain himself. 'I was in the—in the room where there were lots of pictures and things—'
'—the floor directly below the library,' Erestor supplied the location.
'It wasn't even a whole sword,' Estel quickly went on, 'It was broken, and you never said anything about it, so I thought it would be all right to just—'
Elrond held up hand. 'Thank you for informing me, Erestor,' he said softly. 'You may go.'
The elf dipped his head once before releasing Estel's wrist and leaving the room.
Estel laced his fingers together, rubbing his fingers in an agitated way. When Elrond beckoned to him, he moved forward, dragging his feet a little.
'What did I tell you about weapons, iôn?' Elrond asked.
'Not to touch them until I am given permission,' he answered, 'But…I thought you meant only the armoury,' Estel tried to explain. 'I didn't even know there was a sword in the room.'
'Then you should have asked.'
'I guess so.' A minute ago, he was sure he was right. Now he felt terrible. 'Sorry, Ada.' He fidgeted. 'Am I going to bed early?'
'What do you think?'
'I think I should,' he decided, 'And tomorrow I won't go out to play, and you can only give me bread and water to eat.'
His father raised an eyebrow at this. 'Oh?' he said. 'Do you think I am that harsh on you?'
'Uh…' Estel froze his movements.
Elrond smiled at him. 'Can I trust you not to touch the sword again?'
'…yes.'
'Then you will go to bed early, and that will be your punishment.'
Estel nodded at this, secretly relieved. When his father held out his hand, he took it. He hated going to bed early, but at least that was it.
As they walked through the hallway, his mind turned upon Erestor.
He was so angry, but he also looked so sad. But he doesn't look mean. I don't know why everyone says to stay from him, Estel thought. I wonder what happened to him to make him so sad and…
Lonely.
Yes, that was the word. Lonely.
They reached his room, and he hopped onto his bed to wait for Ada to find his sleeping clothes.
No-one talks to him unless it's about those things that Ada likes to talk about with all the adults. He never smiles, and I've never heard him talk about himself.
Estel changed into his night clothes and kissed his father's cheek, distracted from his thoughts for a few moments as Elrond tucked him in, bid him good night, and closed the door.
If he really is that old, then he should have a lot of experience, but I don't hear him say anything about it. He turned on his side, his eyes adjusting to the dim light coming from his window.
'It seems that the only way to know everything would be to ask Erestor himself,' Elrohir had said, 'But no-one dares to.'
Hmm…he chewed on his lip. Then maybe I can be the first to ask.
He won't hurt me. He's an elf.
If I ask him nicely, he will not refuse—right?
Pleased with this plan, the boy closed his eyes, trying to go to sleep so that morning would come more quickly.
And maybe when I ask, I can find a way to make you smile…
TBC…
Translations:
Elrondion – Son of Elrond
Iôn – son