Title: Estel's Childhood

Disclaimers: Haven't you been reading this long enough to know that absolutely none of this is mine?

Note: This is my last chapter for this story, but I'm working on a story where I bring the peoples of Middle-Earth here. By peoples, I mean races, except for some of the Elves… It was meant to be a serious story, but it may turn out to be humor, not exactly sure…

Estel's Childhood

      Elrond stood by the bridge, waiting for the search party to come back. A messenger had just arrived the day before, saying that they had found Estel. Gilraen was standing next to him, a hopeful expression on her face. He sighed contentedly as he looked around the peaceful valley and smelled the crisp air of winter turning to spring. He had just finished meeting with some of the wisest people in all of Middle-Earth. They had been deciding what to do about the rising threat that Sauron was presenting. He was glad to be back in his house, away from all the stress. It was probably adding more wrinkles to his face than he needed. He peered up the slope of the valley and saw the group of Elves. Glorfindel was waving at him. Forgetting his dignity for a moment, he raised his hand and waved back.

      In a short while, the group stood right in front of them. Estel pulled forward on the hands of Legolas and Glorfindel. They released him and he ran to his mother. Elrond blinked and did a double-take. Legolas? What was he doing here? He bowed his head to the prince. ~Greetings, Prince Legolas.~

      ~The same to you, Lord Elrond.~ Legolas replied, bowing to the owner of the house. He turned to look at his newfound friend. Estel was in the arms of a woman, presumably his mother. He was babbling to her excitedly in Elvish.

      ~Won't you stay here for tonight, Legolas?~ Elrond's voice interrupted his thoughts.

      ~Thank you, Lord Elrond, I accept your hospitality.~ Legolas followed as Elrond led them back into the large house. He was shown to a medium-sized room done in white. He dressed up as best he could for dinner that night, but all he had with him were his traveling clothes.

      The next morning, he said farewell to Estel and walked back out of the valley on his way back home. Estel stood in a tree near the edge of Imladris to watch Legolas for as long as he could. As the Elf disappeared from his sight, he got the strange feeling that this would not be the last time he saw Legolas.

      Estel spent the next few months uneventfully. In the middle of spring though, someone showed up; a Hobbit by the name of Baggins. Even though he was supposed to leave Heru Elrond's guests alone, Estel still managed to sneak a couple looks at the Hobbit. He was a source of great curiosity for the child. They didn't see many Hobbits in Imladris. The very first time he saw Baggins, he had to blink to make sure he wasn't seeing things. He'd seen that same man twice before! First, when he came out of the Misty Mountains, and then in Mirkwood, when he first saw the Elves. He wondered if this Hobbit had been following him the entire way. Or, maybe, fate was just messing with his mind. He found out that the Hobbit's first name was Bilbo from listening to the Elves talk. Bilbo stayed through the spring and into the summer. Estel got to see him many more times, but never actually met him. Another man had come with Bilbo, one whose name Estel did recognize: Gandalf the Grey. As he watched them leave, he got another feeling that this would not be the last time he'd see them. He wondered how many more people he would meet before his life was through, how many adventures he would have. A small voice inside him said, You don't want to know, Estel. You just don't want to know…

 I hope that was a satisfactory ending… Never was terribly good at the endings to stories, I always think mine sound somewhat weak.