I do not own any characters or places created by J.R.R. Tolkien. This includes Estel/Aragorn, Elrond, Lindir, Erestor, Glorfindel, Elladan, Elrohir, Middle Earth, Imladris, and Rivendell. I have created characters to fill out this story. Said story is for entertainment purposes only, so please read and be entertained.

"Galasmaed?"

The gardener looked up into the widened eyes of his fellow servant. He then looked down again and began to scoop out another trowel-full of dirt. "You should find Estel either in the kitchen or in his bed by now, Lindir.

"Why is he not with you?"

"He became hungry. I took him to those who could feed him."

"The kitchen has been a river of the frantic accomplishment of tasks all day!"

"Yes, but there was food there, and many pairs of eyes to keep him in sight."

"I did not give you permission to leave him with another!"

The gardener looked up knowingly. "Did Lord Elrond give you permission to leave him with another?"

"With a suitable care-giver, yes, which is what I thought I left him with!"

Lindir turned and strode off toward the kitchen. Galasmaed didn't even watch. He did decide to ask Glilenn how Estel had fared under the kitchen staff's care.

Thankfully, for Galasmaed, Lindir asked her first. She informed Lindir. When Galasmaed asked, she was tired, and her frustrations were already purged. So, Galasmaed fared bett

er, but he didn't feel like it.

. . .

Estel stirred beneath the white, smooth sheet. He blinked, raised his short arms above his head, and stretched with a wide yawn. Then he went lax and blinked some more.

Sitting up, the boy looked about, and saw he was alone. The manling sighed in relief. Then a mischievous smile washed over his face.

Estel clambered up to the top of his bed's headboard. From there he leapt back onto the feather-filled mattress. He did this seven times while giggling loudly. Elrond and Erestor heard the familiar sound. They both sighed in relief, not realizing it was the sound of shameless rebellion, and went back to what they were doing.

By his seventh landing, the fact he was disobeying his ada stopped amusing Estel. The manling became melancholy instead. He missed . . . everyone really.

He wanted to ride on Glorfindel's shoulders again. That was his second favorite thing to do. When he rode on the shoulders of the tallest elf in the world, he was taller than anyone!

He missed his brothers. They were Arda's best ticklers! Being tickled by them was his third favorite thing.

His brother's also let him eat things outside of his "ditary requiments," and tossed him back and forth between them. That was his favorite thing. When they threw him through the air, he felt like he was flying! When they caught him, he knew he was safe, and not alone.

Erestor was not as fun, but he answered questions better than anyone. "Is Glorfindel's hair real gold?" Had made his brothers laugh. His ada had just answered "No, Estel, it is not."

Erestor replied, "No, Estel, for gold runs through mountains, like rivers and roots run through the earth. Glorfindel's hair grows from his head. It is also far softer and lighter than real gold, which makes it easier to carry upon his head. However, Glorfindel's hair is just as bright and beautiful as real gold, if not more so."

When Estel had asked his brothers and ada, "Why do snails have shells?" They had said "To protect them." When he asked why they didn't just wear armor, his brothers had said "Because they are too stupid to make real armor." His father had said, "because they have no hands to make armor." When he'd asked, "How do they make shells then," both his brothers and ada became quiet. When he asked "Can you make a shell," they'd asked him if he was hungry.

When he had asked Erestor, he'd said, "Snails have soft and easily harmed bodies Estel, so Iluvatar gave them the ability to form hard shells as their armor. How they do so is one of the mysteries of Iluvatar." When he'd asked his ada, "how does music come out of flutes," his ada had called for Erestor.

Erestor knows everything, Estel thought with a sigh. But Erestor was almost always busy. His father had told him it would be so all day today. Glorfindel and his brothers were away, and ada was with dwarves, whatever they were. He should ask Erestor when he was done being busy.

Estel sat up and crossed his arms. He was tired of being sad! The manling tried to think of something else fun to do. He should do something else he couldn't do with any of the people he was missing.

His eyes lit up. His mouth curled into a wide smile. There was one thing he'd always wanted to do, something even his brothers wouldn't let him do.

Estel went to his closet and crawled through the secret passage into his ada's room. This was his favorite way to leave his own room. It was sneaky. So, it was fun.

Once he was there he exited his ada's room through his door. The elves, who heard him so leave, thought nothing of it. They assumed Elrond was leaving his room with his adopted son. They did not expect to hear their Lord's soundless steps. Those who knew better were distracted.

Lindir was rehearsing how he would explain Estel's disastrous day to his lord. The healer and his assistant were scrubbing away at the soiled tub and had pots of water loudly boiling to cleanse their towels with. Besides, they were all listening for a bell.

So, Estel slipped out. The manling went through hallways less frequented when guests were in the house. He knew he'd be stopped if he was seen. As fast as his almost four-year-old feet could carry him, he dashed to the one room he was not allowed in under any circumstances.

. . .

When Lindir left Glilenn and the kitchen, he went to the healers. He left them feeling much better than he had leaving the kitchen. Instead of striding, he strolled to Estel's room. The servant knew he would soon need to fully explain the manling's day to his Lord. So he used his walk to the child's room to plan how to best to do so. He reached the manling's room and opened the door.

His eyes flew open. The sound of the healer-summoning bell, which should have been reassuring, was emptied of its false promise. The room was empty.

Though his elf hearing assured Lindir neither the small breaths nor the small heart-beat were anywhere in the room, he searched it thoroughly. He only learned what he already knew. If Estel's usual caretakers had known of his disappearance, they would have thought of a few places to check.

Lindir did not know Estel. He also did not particularly want to go to any of those who did. It seemed he would have to though, because Estel was most certainly lost.

. . .

Estel stood in the "Hall of Weapons." His little mouth hung open. His eyes stared unblinking.

It was so . . . awesome. Swords, shields, helms, and spears of nearly every kind the elves ever made hung on the walls. Some swords were in richly detailed scabbards. Others shone in all their full naked, gleaming glory. These most caught Estel's attention. He wanted to get a better look at, and perhaps touch one.

The manling walked about the room. He gazed upon first one weapon, now another. To his disappointment, he found all hung high above his reach. Then Estel's eyes landed on the step ladder.

An elf had been shining all the Hall's artifacts in preparation for the tour their dwarf guests were to be given. The servant had used the ladder to remove and replace the artifacts hanging above his reach. He'd been called away to assist in another housekeeping emergency. Said emergency was taking a much longer time than first expected.

The elf had left the door open in his hurry. He had also left the stepladder standing alongside a wall filled with swords. A particularly beautiful and long blade hung directly above the ladder's top step, one without a scabbard.

Estel grinned. He climbed up the shaking ladder. It was made to hold elves, which meant it was built for the light and extremely talented at balancing.

It ceased to shake after Estel pulled himself up onto the top step. He paused to gaze down at the cold, marble floor below. He was even higher up now than he was on Glorfindel's shoulders.

The manling then turned and stared at his object of interest. His own reflection looked back at him from the blade's polished, steel surface. Estel reached out and pressed a fingertip to it. The cold, kiss of metal sent a shiver up his spine. For a moment, all was silent bliss.

A sound broke the silence. Estel yanked his hand away. He looked over his shoulder, eyes wide.

Two, deep, rather grumpy sounding voices were coming from beyond the door. They were speaking in a language Estel didn't understand. The manling crouched down and waited.

Two beings entered the hall. They were far shorter and stockier than any elf or man Estel had ever seen. Hair as long as his ada's, and thicker, hung down from their faces. The faces' expressions were deep scowls.

Estel swallowed. They had to be the visiting children of Aule. He wasn't supposed to be seen by strangers. These were the strangest strangers in all of Arda.

Estel tried to remain still. He barely breathed. The dwarves continued to walk through the hall and right toward him, grumbling to each other. Estel thought at them as hard as he could.

Please go away! Please, please, Ada will be so angry I was in the Hall of Weapons and seen by you!

Just as the pair walked by him, one threw his arms out with an exclamation. The other rolled his eyes, which raised his gaze to the ceiling. The eyes stopped rolling when they locked with Estel's.

Estel leapt back. His hand reached out to steady himself. It caught a hold of the sword.

The child yelped, jerked forward, and toppled off his perch.

Dun dun duuuuuuuuun! Sorry. I've always wanted to end one of my fanfics like that.

If you'll remember from the first chapter, Elrond did tell Lindir that Estel was not to be seen by their guests. Elrond wants the chances of Souron finding out an heir of Isildur lives to be as slim as possible. Estel doesn't know why, but he does know that Elrond's rule for him is not simply "don't talk to strangers," but "don't be seen by strangers."

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