Chapter 10

A young teen of about 15 was standing near a pillar and watching the elflings dance in the hall of fire. He was dressed in blue and was wearing a thin Mithril crown that held the design of a simple star in the center. It had a white diamond it the center as opposed to the pink diamond in the twins. His boots were black but trimmed with silver at the calves. He wore his hair in a long braid that barely managed to contain his fine brown hair. His eyes were following the dance with an unwavering concentration. When the dance ended, the boy walked up to a young eliath who was sitting with a few other elflings.

Elrond watched with his heart in his throat as Estel walked up to the eliath. This was the fifth ball Estel was attending and so far none of them save for Glorfindel and the twins have danced with Estel. And that in itself was embarrassing because while the others danced with partners their own age Estel was the only one dancing with the elders.

Estel for his part had tried though, he had approached over a dozen elflings both male and female, but he was always refused, sometimes politely and sometimes not so politely. Once an elf had told him he smelt and Estel had walked back to an isolated corner and had sniffed himself to check if it was true. But this time, Estel's one and only childhood friend, Numavia, has returned from her stay in Lothlorien and Estel knowing about it weeks ahead had prepared for it. He had asked Elrond to teach him the etiquettes of asking a lady to dance. The twins accomplished dancers themselves, have trained him personally for this and Erestor and Glorfindel after much argument among themselves have found him a stunning costume to go with.

Estel confidently bowed in front of Numavia and smiled shyly. She looked up and gasped and shook his hand and said something that made Estel blush. The elflings around them laughed. Elrond tried hard to listen and still be discrete while the twins were even then consciously moving towards a pillar at the groups back.

Estel was by now shyly clearing his throat and asked "Numavia, will you dance with me." He bowed and extended his hand.

Elrond held his breath. Numavia smiled and said, "Of course Estel, but I can't. You are not an elf and you can't keep up with our moves."

Estel slowly lifted his head and looked at her. For the first time with what looked like pride, "I know the steps Numavia. Dan and Ro taught me."

"Oh really, Dan and Ro eh? But…" Elrond in that moment knew that there was no way the young lady was going to let Estel dance with her. Estel had done a grave mistake in mentioning his brothers. The familiarity with which Estel spoke of his family is a bone of contention for years now and had even cropped up in council meetings.

Just as if on cue, a young elf came and asked her to dance. Numavia benignly smiled at Estel and mumbled a sorry before she left to dance with the elf.

Elrond's heart twisted in pain, but Estel merely smiled at her as if nothing had happened and walked back to the pillar where he was standing before. The twins walked up to him again and first Elladan and then Elrohir took a turn with Estel. It was a funny site and the twins tried to make him smile by their antics. Estel laughed and seemed to enjoy but then he looked at Elrond and his pained eyes looked like as if they were pleading Elrond for help. Elrond can't do a thing about others but then, he walked towards Estel who was just finishing his dance with Ro and calmly asked Estel to dance with him. The whole place came to a stand still. Elrond had not danced since the day Celebrian left on her fateful trip to Lothlorien. But then Lindir started playing a song and Elrond and Estel started dancing.

For a human, Estel did dance very well and Elrond thought that if the others don't see this much, then Estel was better off dancing with the elders. Estel was still pained but he also thanked Elrond gratefully.

For one so young Elrond noticed that Estel was quiet good at keeping thing to himself. Except for his immediate family and friends, no one could have realized how much Estel would feel hurt. Because of the height, Elrond almost carried Estel around with Estel's feet just skimming the floor, but still it was a beautiful dance. And both of them enjoyed it. Just as the dance was ending Estel heard someone nearby say, "Well, that was funny. And to think Elrond chose him to dance with after all these years."

Estel did not show any emotion at all. He merely bowed to Elrond who carefully watched him, but Estel did not look at him and asked him politely if he may be excused. Elrond nodded and watched as Estel walked out of the hall with as much dignity he could muster. If he had stayed, he would have heard Elrond refuse others who asked him to dance with them saying, "I already had my best dance." If he had stayed any further, he would have seen a poor elf sprawling on the floor after taking an unfortunate step while dancing with Elrohir.

Elrond went in search of Glorfindel and Erestor. Something has to be done about the way Estel get treated by the other elves of Imladris, and the sooner the better. This was just not the way to boost Estel's confidence and it's high time, Estel started feeling equal to the others rather than as a lowly being tolerated by them.

Meanwhile Estel was standing in his room, watching the moon outside his balcony and slowly removing each loop of his coat. He was trying so hard not to cry and was wondering if it would have been the same if he had gone with his mother all those years ago. His mother visits him every two years and she invariably asks him if he would rather come with her and try some human healer. Even though he was feeling more and more out of place in Imladris, he just cannot bear to leave his ada and brothers. He knew what he told his father all those years ago was still true.

"Estel…"

He turned to see Elladan leaning on his door and Estel's face crumbled. Dan and Ro always had that effect on him. He cannot hide anything from them; he cannot run away when they asked him what was wrong.

"Dan…" whispered Estel before Elladan took two quick steps and wrapped him in his arms. "Why do they hate me so, Dan?" "I can dance well, and I don't look that bad do I? And I don't smell do I?" Estel was asking so many questions and crying so hard that Elladan knew was better left unanswered until he calmed down. He managed to remove Estel's coat and loosen his own when Elrohir came in and sat next Elladan.

He rubbed Estel's back soothingly and sat in silence on Estel's bed for a while.

Estel's crying had subdued. And he was now comfortably lying on Elladan's chest while Elrohir continued to rub his back.

"Why do you love me?" Estel asked suddenly.

"Because you are special Estel. You brought us hope." Elrohir replied.

"Then why don't they see me as special?"

"Because they don't see what a nice boy you are."

Estel did not reply and the twins exchanged a glance. Then Elrohir began, "Estel, think of it like this. You belong to a race that everyone thought was inferior. But then you proved them wrong, now obviously they don't like you. Also, while there are so many elflings in Imladris, who gets the chance to learn sword fight and archery from the balrog slayer, who gets to be taught politics from the greatest strategician of middle earth? Who gets to be cuddled with the most handsome and fearsome Orc slayers? And who gets the chance to dance with the most graceful lord of all Imladris?"

The twins were smiling now and so was Estel, still in a doubtful voice, he asked, "So, they are jealous?"

"Yes, of course they are. Hell, even Dan and I are jealous of you sometimes."

Estel's eyes widened in surprise, "Why?"

Elrohir smiled and ruffled his hair as he said, "Because you get to jump in the mud and get dirty and still step inside the house, you get to wake up late and ada brings you breakfast to you room, because you get to plait Glorfindel's golden hair and he keeps in despite it looking ugly and because you get your brothers to pose for you sitting hours on end, just so you can paint an ugly picture of them…"

Estel was laughing now, "that's not fair, ada said the picture looked good."

The twins laughed and Elladan said, "Ada will say it was good even if you drew him in a yellow robe. He will also say you are handsome and you smell nice even if you turn into an orc. But we won't so let's go bathe Estel."

"Yeah, but you won't do a clean job of it and besides, we want to proudly show all the dimwitted elves of Imladris that we don't have an orc for a brother but a quiet nice little boy."

"I am not a young boy." Estel protested even as he got up and started taking his things

"So you are an orc?" was Dan's reply.

"No…." Estel whined as he followed his brothers to the bath.

That night Elrond walked into his chambers after quiet a satisfactory discussion with his advisors only to see a small white form curled up on his bed. Elrond smiled and got ready for a good nights sleep.

A week since the ball, it was a new dawn that brought a lot of surprises for Estel. First he was rudely woken up by Legolas, whom he had not seen since his 13th birthday. Next he met Dan and Ro, on the dinning table with their heads together plotting something. That in itself was not strange but what was strange was that they had their bow and swords ready with them. At first Estel thought that they were going hunting, but then they were wearing their ceremonial robes. Even as he wondered what it was all about Elrond walked in dressed similar to the twins.

"Ah, Estel, why aren't you ready yet?" Elrond was positively chirpy, which almost creeped Estel out. The last time Elrond was chirpy; Estel had to endure a hundred sloppy kisses on his tender seven-year-old cheeks when Elrond decided to celebrate Estel's birthday the elvish way.

"Ready for what ada?' Estel asked dubiously.

"Legolas, you didn't tell him?" Elrond looked at Legolas who looked at the twins who looked at Elrond.

"Oh fine, we are having a contest here. Hakara had left for Lothlorien to settle there permanently and as is the tradition, we are promoting a few up the rank and selecting a new guard from Imladris to fill his space. In another hour, all the young of Imladris will compete with each other in archery, sword fight, wrestling and strategy and we will select the best."

"Oh okay, wait ada, I will be ready in a minute."

The twins sniggered as Estel ran back to his room. Estel came down dressed in his ceremonial robes in the color of Elrond's house. Elrond couldn't help but smile how handsome Estel looked but he said "Estel, what are you doing wearing your robes, go dress in your practice cloths. You are participating in the name of the house of Elrond."

Estel just stood there shocked. He knew Elrond had something up his sleeve, but this was mad.

"Huh, ada, you want me to participate. But, how? I can't compete with elves." Estel protested.

"Why not, haven't you practiced with Dan, Ro, Legolas, Glorfindel and Erestor? Glorfindel says you compete on the weekly sparing matches with the regular class. That means you have already fought almost all of them."

"That's different ada"

"Estel, go get ready." Elrond said firmly.

"You clumsy stupid oaf, why can't you just die a bit earlier and spare us all this torture?"

"You wanted to dance with Numavia huh? You should know you are not one of us and no one will dance with you. Ah wait, you did that just to get the Lord's attention as always didn't you?"

"You will never be worth anything more than charity. You know why you have to be here don't you? Else you will turn into a Morgoth's spawn."

Estel shook his head; those taunts were not merely words.

"No!"

Estel's voice resounded in the whole hall. Shocked elves looked at Estel as if he had stabbed Elrond. Estel just stood there furious. When he spoke his voice was harsh and loud.

"Why do you want to humiliate me in front of everyone? You know I won't fare well. Are you mocking me just like everyone else? Your pitiful human is not an elf. It's a disgusting smelly thing that will one day die and rot." Legolas was the first to recover, he moved to touch Estel, but Estel jumped as if he was burnt. "Don't touch me, don't patronize me."

Estel was shaking now. His whole body shook as if he was doused in ice water. He appeared small and vulnerable with tears waiting to spill from those hazel eyes. But no one dared to get near him. Elrond recovered after what seemed like a full minute. He then calmly said in a matter of fact tone.

"I did this to prove that my son is better than half the elves of this realm. Either you can prove me right or prove me wrong. But you will always be my son." He looked up at Estel with piercing eyes and said, "If you think I have lied to you by not agreeing with the others, then so be it. If you think any less of me for this, so be it. But I won't change a thing about you nor the way I feel about you. Now you can fight for your honor or you can stay, it's up to you."

Elladan and Elrohir looked at Estel with understanding, but they did not jump to defend Estel.

Elrond walked out, followed by the twins. Estel's breathing was harsh and still his whole body shook. Legolas gave him a minute and then roughly pulled him up. "Are you going to fight or not?" Estel just stared at him. "Well, say something, are you going to let all those people who believed in you feel like fools. Are you going to let them mock Elrond for believing in you?" Estel said

"But, how can I fight with elves? And if I lose…"

"If you lose, you still would have fought! You fight as you always do and always will. Don't be selfish, this is not you alone here. This is about Elrond who has never bent his head in defeat to anyone, even in the last alliance. This is about your brothers who have bet a lock of their hair that you will win. This is about me, who has pledged his life to you."

"Legolas! What are you saying?"

"Yes, I pledge you my life. I won't leave middle earth as long as you walk here. Your father, or should I say Lord Elrond, had fought with half the council yesterday to include you in the contest and when they said that if you loose, some elf might just kill you in hatred, he said he would kneel in front of the elf and plead for your life if needed. Your Dan and Ro had bet their hair that you will win the sword fight, no matter which elf fought you."

"Legolas…"

"It's up to you Estel."

They sat there silently for a few minutes and then Estel drew in his breath. "Let me get ready. Wait for me."

Elrond sat in his chair flanked on either side by the twins. Glorfindel was calling out the names for the first round of selection at the archery field. Elrond's face was grim, he really hoped he could do something for Estel, but he was afraid that the damage was already done.

Just as Glorfindel read out the last name, Estel walked out with his bow and arrow. Glorfindel smiled and nodded including his name too. Elrond smiled and watched. Estel turned and bowed low to him and when he straightened; his eyes said a hundred apologies. Elrond gave him an open smile that said all was forgiven. An action not lost on many.

The archers took their stance. Legolas gave him last minute tips as he moved away to the sides. When Glorfindel gave the signal, the archers started firing. At the end of a minute, the arrows on the target were inspected. The other elves had hit about six or seven arrows all within the range of the bulls eye. Estel had hit only four but all of them were in the bulls eye.

Next was the sword fight. Estel won that easily. His short frame made him as nibble as the elves and he had more practice. Erestor left half way to meet a party from Lotherian. When he finally lifted his sword in victory, the first to rush to him were the twins, grinning like mad, they gleefully dragged the loosing elf and demanded that he run naked as promised by him the day before if he lost.

Elrond saw the respect reflected in a lot of eyes now. He himself saw Estel in new light. In front of him was a young man now, no longer the little Estel but still his Estel.

Estel also tied the strategy round with another elf. Now the decider was the wrestling. Elrond himself came down to wrap his hands in thick canvas and encourage him to fight with his heart. The match was such that it will go on until one gave up or lost consciousness or lost ground and only then will it end. Elrond loving pulled Estel's messy hair and tied it back. He then said, "I am proud of you Estel, you are a fine young man now."

Estel looked at him with glistening eyes, "I am sorry about what I said ada."

"It's alright Estel, if not us, who will you be a brat to. Now go, show them who you are."

The ring was set and Glrofindel read the rules. Estel's was the fifth fight. He waited calmly and then took the stage. He had fought with Glorfindel a hundred times and he knew all the moves. Glorfindel had taught him how to fight effectively with his human qualities. So, he was quiet sure he could win, that is until the first blow fell. Something cut deeply as the opponent elf's wrapped knuckles grazed his cheeks. Estel reeled back and touched his cheeks and found blood. A hush fell on the crowd. But Estel quickly recovered and started to fight. It was pretty clear to everyone that the elf had something sharp in his canvas, but no one can do a thing until Estel called a stop. Soon, Estel was filled with cuts all over while his opponent had few. But Estel kept at it until a sharp blow landed on his stomach. The hidden blades cut through skin and Estel screamed. Elrond was up in a second and was screaming for them to stop. He was about to jump over when Glorfindel stopped him. "Don't Elrond. Let him make his choice. There is no other way."

Estel heard his ada, and what he saw was a frantic Elrond arguing with Glorfindel. He slowly stood up and took a stance again. The other elf was not smart so Estel knew he can defeat him, if only he lasted to get a chance. A few blows later, Estel was woozy but the elf was getting over confident and started to look at his friends and smile. Estel was bleeding badly now, but he took a breath and waited. When the elf hit, he got it full on his chest. The pain was unbearable but he ignored it and immediately pulled the elf's hair back and aimed a powerful blow to his temples. The elf crumbled and did not move. Estel smiled and moved towards Elrond who was easily jumping over the fence.

"I won ada." Estel smiled and fell forward.

Elrond caught him and lifted him in a hug. He rushed to the healing ward, scarcely noticing his daughter standing with an anxious expression. Nor did he see, his sons, dragging the now recovering elf by the hair out of the arena. Glorfindel did not utter a word nor did Erestor.

Estel became a captain but he had to wait for 2 months to do so. His body this time did not recover as much as it usually did owing to a raging infection to his abdominal cut. Many nights he moaned and tossed in fever and sometimes he just lay there dead to the world and the anxious eyes watching over him. Once, he saw a vision of a fair maiden radiant in the dark, standing and watching him with a smile. He raised his hands to capture the ethereal being and to his surprise he did, but later he thought it was a dream.

Legolas was a constant companion and so were the twins, but Elrond was curiously absent. Something twisted inside Estel, and he wondered if he had done something wrong. But then he thought that Elrond could be busy taking care of things, even though he knew he was fooling himself.

Somewhere when Estel regained consciousness he was properly introduced to Arwen. He was fascinated by her to say the least and he was shy. She found it endearing in him that he should blush every time she smiled at him. She brought him flowers and she brought him food. She told him stories about Lotherian and the Lords of the Golden Woods. He hung to every word she said until an exhausting sleep would claim him. In the morning Legolas will come by and take him for a walk. Then the twins will join them and Estel would watch them spar while he himself rested under the shades of a cool tree.

Days went by and by then Estel was sure that he had done something wrong and that's why Elrond did not visit him. He thought over the match again and again and wondered where he had gone wrong. What he had done to shame Elrond. Estel was so good at keeping things to himself that no one wondered what was wrong when he was still recovering from the ordeal. But soon he grew anxious and people started noticing. One day he asked the twins, but they brushed it off as Elrond being busy. Then he asked Glrofindel who told him that Elrond was going to Mirkwood along with Legolas the following week. Estel knew that his friend was leaving but that Elrond was leaving hurt him deeply.

The final straw was when a day before Legolas' departure Estel tried to get Elrond during breakfast. He woke up early and waited for Elrond at the table ahead of everyone. When Elrond finally strode in, the elf looked startled just for a fraction of a second but then strolled away with his usual dignity and smile. Estel though knew his father and he noticed the slight haste in his steps and the smile that did not reach his eyes. Tears prickled his eyes but he did not shed them where passing maids can see. He dragged himself to his room and locked the door. A kind of rage was building inside him. He was sure he had done something and he hated himself for it. Without Elrond, it felt like he was pushed into a dark well. He thrashed his whole room in his rage and then disregarding his healing wounds, jumped out through the balcony and ran as fast as he can. He knew it was childish but he wanted to do something with all the anger. A sane part of him told him that he should return before he did worse damage to himself. Estel grimly acknowledged but still kept running.

Arwen was the one who found his door locked. Legolas was with her and together they urged Estel to open the door. But there was no response. The twins joined them and then the advisors and then finally Elrond who was busy readying the necessary documents for his journey. Finally they had no option but for one of them to get through the balcony and open the door; the room was in total disarray with glass broken and strewn on the floor. Erestor found the drops of blood that lead to the rails, not that it was difficult to know what Estel had done. But Erestor simply said,

"Well, now you have no other go but to find him and talk to him."

Elrond drew in a breath and gave him an angry look.

"Ada, you have to ada, I am sure he will understand if you explain. We know what he did was foolish ada, but it was not because of you."

Elrohir pleaded but Elrond shook his head miserably. He then finally said, "I know Elrohir, don't you know this hurts me more than anything? But he has to be weaned out of my shadow. If he can willingly die for mere words spoken, what will he do in battle? What will he do when he has to take tough decisions? He has to know that emotions alone are not good. He could have died in his foolish pride. His worship of us has gone long enough."

"Such is the ways on men Elrond. Such is their strength too. If only I hadn't spoken to him…" Legolas said.

"He still would have done it, although he would have taken a bit longer. We know Estel." Ro cut in.

"But this is how he is. He has always done impossibly foolish things for you Elrond. Parvion is a living proof."

"I know Legolas, and that is why I have to do this, this is not good for a man and least of all a future king. Let him come back on his own and I am sure he will. Then I will talk to him."

Elrond strode out but the twins waited, they exchanged a look with Legolas and all three of them jumped over the rails and silently went looking for Estel. They came back in the evening without Estel. Elrond himself was growing worried but he waited. A storm was brewing, whether it was a natural one or the one he is stirring in his mind that was in chaos was beyond even him. But Elrond had enough sense to calm down and let it get down to a drizzle.

Finally at midnight a lone figure stumbled inside the last homely. Estel was unsteady to say the least but he kept on walking. Chunwe was warned and he stepped up to help Estel to the infirmy, but he was rudely pushed aside. Erestor watched but did not move. Glorfindel tried talking but Estel did not hear him. He slowly pushed himself to Elrond's room. Elrond was not asleep, and he knew who was coming even before the door opened. But he did not turn. Estel was gulping for air now. But he made his way to Elrond. The others stayed outside afraid what was going to happen next.

Estel gently tugged at Elrond's robe, just as he had done since he was two. Somehow the gesture melted Elrond beyond anything. With tears in his eyes, Elrond turned to explain, but Estel beat him to it. He slid to the ground on his knees and looked up. Eyes as lost as he was a child.

"What did I do? I don't know ada. Maybe something un- unforgivable, but please ada, don't let me go there."

Elrond look at him baffled.

"Dark..."

"Estel… What are you saying?"

Estel spoke like a drunken man, "they… coming for me ada. Just one more time, love me ada, and then set me free."

Elrond was shocked and confused. He just stared at him. Nobody dare move, "Just one more time, please ada, give me a hug and say you love me even if you don't. And then I can go ada, please, I am begging you."

Estel was badly wheezing by now, but he slowly crawled towards Elrond's foot and tugged at his feet. Elrond moved forward a step in shock. Estel fell forward and he looked at Elrond with eyes so pathetic that Elrond took a step towards him. The full implication of what Estel was saying was just hitting everyone including Elrond. Estel sobbed and bent down on all fours with shuddering limbs. Only then did Elrond notice the blood pooling on the floor.

"Estel! Oh Valar, what have you done." Elrond had fully recovered and he was gathering Estel in his arms. Estel was wet and shivering but he seemed not to mind. He stuttered and whispered, "I don't know ada. Please tell me what I did ada. Please I am sorry, I am sorry ada please ada, please, sorry. Cold ada, cold and dark, can't see ada can't see. Ada don't leave me here ada, don't leave me here. They will take me ada. Please sorry, am sorry"

Elrond indicated for someone to get the fire, and asked Elladan to get dry cloths. Chunwe was already waiting with fresh bandages.

Elrond lifted Estel to his own bed and started cutting out Estel's soaked cloths and blood stained bandages. But Estel seemed to be totally unaware. He kept repeating sorry.

"Estel, look at me" Elrond's command penetrated the foggy brain of Estel and he focused, but his eyes kept rolling.

Estel's slurred sorry still kept falling though.

Elrond, carefully examined Estel's scratches and something stuck him. "Get the jar of leaches. He is poisoned. Also get the Nanari leaves and make a paste and effusion."

Elrond moved to get the nearby table set, but Estel gripped his robes and pleaded, "ada, I am sorry, sorry, don't leave me, don't leave me alive here, ada. If you leave they will take me. I don't want… not without you ada… dark…"

Elrond gasped and said, "No Estel, I am not going anywhere, I am not. See I am here." But Estel hardly seemed to be aware. "Don't leave me, sorry, sorry, It's dark its dark, ada, don't go, I beg you I beg you, please, please please..."

And only then, the healer in Elrond took a step back and he hugged Estel close to his chest and cried his heart out.

Estel, kept repeating his words, but he was getting exhausted and his speech was getting more and more slurred. His eyes were dialated and unsteady. And the trembling was becoming something like a seizure. His breathing was so difficult by now that he was gasping for air. By the time, Elladan was cutting Estel's cloths and Elrohir was also examining the scratches closely.

Erestor was watching from the entrance, he looked thoughtful and then he said,

"You think he is reliving his childhood trauma?"

"Yes, he used to get dreams of Orcs chasing him… but…"

"Elrond, I know that he was poisoned by those thorns, do they cause delirium though?"

Elrond looked at him from where he was still holding Estel in his lap, "Yes".

"So, can we safely assume that what Estel is blabbering now, is in real his deepest darkest fears?"

Elrond did not answer, he just stared at Erestor and so did everyone else. Glorfindel shook his head slowly. Elladan and Elrohir exchanged that understanding look that they get when they are thinking together. Legolas just stared at Estel and Elrond alternatively.

"Ah, well, seems like the damage is already done. You will not be going to Mirkwood will you Elrond?" No one can accuse Erestor of tact.

The leaches drained out the poison but also left Estel weak. He could barely stay conscious for more that a few minutes the following week. Legolas stayed for two more weeks but couldn't stay any longer. Finally, when Estel was able to stay awake for a while and his blood replenished in its own time, Elrond sat down to talk to him.

But Estel, seemed to have forgotten what he spoke in this poison induced delirium. He asked Elrond what he had done to make him avoid him for weeks.

"You put your life on the line for a worthless contest Estel, and that too because I told you to. It's foolish and stupid to do such a thing. What if he had killed you there Estel?"

Estel did not reply but just hung his head, "I don't know ada, I am unable to think like you do sometimes. At that moment, all that mattered was that I should make you proud. That I should win even if the odds were against me."

Elrond, understood then. No matter what he thought, Estel's mind will always work like a human and in his own way he was right.

"I am always proud of you Estel. But I would have been heartbroken if you had died right?"

"Yes ada, I am sorry for making you feel so bad. It's really okay that you wanted me to win. It wasn't your fault."

Elrond looked at him startled. How this young man sitting in front of him could read him like an open book. The guilt that has been eating away for so long in Elrond since the incident surfaced and made his eyes hard.

"I am sorry for putting you through that Estel"

"Oh ada, if you don't push me, I won't go anywhere. For you, I can do anything ada and that's what makes me happy anyway."

Suddenly everything was simple and plain bright with no gray. That innocence of Estel in merely giving all and being happy about it made Elrond feel like the richest man on Arda.