Summary: These are a series of drabbles written for the Mellon Fic 100 Challenge on the mellon chronicles group.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, sue me and find yourself poor as well.
A/N: The majority if not all of these drabbles will be AU.
Chapter 10 Not Enough
Legolas often saw Estel through the years, but this year was to be special. This year Estel was going to be allowed to venture past the watchful eyes of Lord Elrond, and join Legolas in Mirkwood.
The twins were bringing him and as each day passed it brought his friend closer to him. At last the day came, and Legolas rushed from his room at the sound of the horses entering the courtyard. He ran so fast he did not notice his father standing off to the side with his advisors, nor did he care.
As soon as Estel's feet hit the ground, Legolas enveloped him in a hug. "It is good to see you again gwador nin."
At these words Thranduil's eyebrows rose. He knew that Legolas thought highly of the sons of Elrond, but he did not think it proper for Legolas to grow too close to the human child. He knew he would speak with Legolas later on about such things, when they were alone.
The festivities were well underway, and much was said and done during that time. Legolas pleaded with them all until they went down to the archery field to test their skills with a bow. True, as always Legolas beat them one and all. Estel as always had tried his best, but he came up rather short in the contest against the elves. Sighing, he decided that he would show Legolas his new acquired skills with the sword.
Estel held his ground for a long time, but in the end the endurance of his elven brothers and Legolas had him raising his hands in submission.
"You fight well Estel. Better than any adan I have ever seen," Legolas commented.
"But, it was not enough to best any of you," he sighed again.
"Anyone who can hold out that long against the whirl of Elladan's blade should know they are worthy."
After lunch the four of them went to rest up before they were to take the path into the forest. Estel laid down on his bed and tried to sleep, but sleep would not come to him. Slinging his legs over the bed, he went in search of Legolas, hoping his friend was awake as well.
When Estel stepped into the hallway it was silent, but as he neared Legolas' room he heard heated voices from inside. "I know you care for him, but you have called him brother. Legolas he cannot be a brother, he is human."
"Adar, you do not understand. I have no brothers, and just as I think of the twins as my brother, so do I think of Estel. He does not have to be an elf for me."
Thranduil sighed once more. "I only wish to protect you. Though I admire Estel, I do not wish for you to mourn his loss when he leaves for the Halls of Mandos."
Legolas smiled then to his father. "I know you are trying to protect me Ada, but I am no longer an elfling. If I mourn Estel, it will be because I have lost a brother, someone I hold dear, but that will not make me love him any less than I do now, despite your warnings."
"I see you will not be moved in this matter so I will go now. Get some rest, for I am sure you and Elrond's son will surely find something to get into later." With that Thranduil walked from the room. He did not notice the door closing down the hall as he walked away.
Estel sat atop his bed, and held back the tears threatening to fall. Legolas' father was right in a sense. He would die a mortal death, and Legolas would be left to mourn him. Estel laid down in his bed then, and let the conversation run through his head. He had been so preoccupied that he did not hear his door open, until Elladan stood beside the bed.
"I see you have not rested Estel. Is there something bothering you?"
Estel smiled up at Elladan. "Nay, I was just thinking. Come or we will be late, and Legolas will leave without us."
The four of them left out, and headed deep into the forest. They were to have a swim in the lake nearby and then return for dinner. Just about halfway, Legolas climbed up an old maple tree. "The trees speak of danger. We should take to the trees for safety on the way there."
Elladan and Elrohir soon climbed up after him, but Estel could not reach the lowest branch which was over twenty feet up the tree. "Come Estel, I know I have seen you climb a tree before."
Estel scowled, "Not when the lowest branch is twice my height. I will stay on the ground, just do not get too far ahead."
Elladan was worried but vowed to watch the forest floor and keep an eye out for any spiders there. They were so busy scouting ahead that they did not see the massive spider coming closer. Estel stared up every so often at his friend and brothers, and his eyes grew to the size of saucers. Not but a few feet away from Legolas was a spider.
Estel knew if he yelled to them, it would not only alert them to the spider, but possibly alert other spiders that he could not see to their location. Seconds later the spider lunged from its hiding spot amongst the leaves and grabbed Legolas' quiver with its legs.
Elladan and Elrohir quickly drew their swords, but even with elven agility they could not stand still enough while on the tree branch, and both fell to the forest floor below. Elrohir jumped up quickly, brandishing his sword at the oncoming spiders, but Elladan cried out when he tried to stand.
Estel watched in horror as the spider drew Legolas to it, his friend struggling with all his might to get out of the sticky web. Before he could think too much on it Estel drew his bow and notched the arrow. Closing one eye he aimed for the spider and released the arrow. His arrow sailed true and the spider fell dead from the tree, but Legolas no longer moved.
Now he and the others were surrounded by spiders. The battle was long, but in the end Estel stood, bloody and bruised but still alive. "Estel! Are you hurt?" Elrohir yelled, as he rushed over.
Estel swayed where he stood. "I am tired, but I am not dead if that is what you are asking."
Elrohir helped Elladan to his feet, bearing most of both their weight. "We must get back to Mirkwood and warn them that the spiders have attacked."
Estel stared at his brother in horror. "We cannot leave Legolas. He is trapped up there, and may be hurt."
"We cannot stay here Estel, Elladan is hurt, and I fair no better. My arm is badly sprained, and I cannot climb the tree to get Legolas down. Please Estel follow me back and we shall send help for him."
Estel shook his head vigoursly. "I do not care, I am not leaving him."
Elrohir sighed. "You are not an elf Estel. You don't have enough skill to climb the tree to get him down."
Elrohir tried for another few minutes before Estel convinced him he would be fine till he got back with the help. "Please hide if more spiders come. I would not lose you both gwador nin."
Estel waited and watched Legolas hanging from the branches, wrapped in the web. He stood to stretch his tired legs, and found that indeed his arms ached as well. Knowing it would not be but perhaps an hour more before the twins came back with help he scanned the area. He looked to his right and saw nothing but the dense foliage of the forest, but as he looked to his left he saw other spiders, coming his way.
Estel lifted his sword, but the spiders were not after him, they had taken to the trees to take what had already been wrapped in webbing. Estel ran over to the tree and wrapped his arms and legs around the trunk. He tried several times to scale the tree but all he ended up doing was scraping his legs and arms till they bled. Glancing through the trees he spotted the spiders growing nearer. "I will not let you take him!" Estel shouted, and with as much effort as he could muster he wrapped his legs around the tree again and hoisted himself as hard as he could.
One foot, three feet, further and further he climbed, tearing flesh from both arms and legs as he did so; until at last he reached the branch and pulled himself up. He was bloody, and tired, but Estel climbed until he stood beside Legolas and then grabbed his friend and started back down the tree.
Once he stood on the ground he took off running, Legolas over his shoulder. There wasn't time to wait for if he did the spiders would catch up to him.
At the palace ...
"Sire! There is no time to wait. We must send help now! Estel stayed there with Legolas, as we could not persuade him to come back with us. Both will die!" Elrohir screamed.
Thranduil jumped from his chair and ran down the long hallway and out the front door. He called to his guards and sent them running for the stables and his horse. "Prepare to leave! My son and the son of Elrond are still in the forest. Spiders have attacked!"
Thranduil's heart raced. Legolas was left with a mortal, against spiders that killed on a whim. He dreaded to see what was left of his son. Elrohir had told him Estel could not scale the tree if the spiders came. He hoped to find his son alive, though he feared both he and the adan would be dead. Holding back any emotion, he stood ready to mount his horse when the guards called from the gate.
'Someone is coming!"
Thranduil, followed by Elrohir raced for the gate, thinking Estel had left and followed them. What they saw made them both gasp. Estel hobbled through the gate, blood oozing from every visible piece of flesh, but yet Legolas was in his arms.
When he noticed that his brother and King Thranduil were coming Estel then fell to his knees, dropping Legolas when he did, and finally the exhaustion took over. When he awoke he found four sets of eyes staring back at him.
"Welcome back Estel, son of Elrond."
Estel blushed at having all of them stare at him, and pushed himself up in the bed, grimacing at his sore arms. "Legolas, it is good to see you well."
"It was by your doing that I am well."
"How Estel? How did Legolas get from the tree?" Elladan asked. Estel noticed his ankle was bandaged.
"I saw the spiders coming. I could not leave him there, so I climbed up."
"You could not climb up before Estel, how could you then?"
Estel's eyes misted with tears. "He would have died. They would have taken him, and I would have had to watch my friend, my brother. I could not let it happen."
"By the looks of you, it was a hard task indeed that you undertook," commented Thranduil.
"It was one I was glad to do."
Elladan and the others got up to leave so that Estel may rest, promising that they would return at breakfast, but Thranduil stopped at the door. After making sure the others were gone he came back and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"I have a confession to make Estel. Just today I told Legolas, that though you were a son of Elrond, that you would only cause him grief in the end."
"I am not elven enough. Not enough of anything really," Estel said, his eyes again prickling with tears.
Thranduil reached down and lifted his chin. "You are human that is true, but never say you are not enough of anything. You have not only proven that you are far more worthy than most, but you have proven to me that you are the best choice in a brother Legolas could have chosen. You may not be enough of anything, but you are enough that I shall from hence forth call you a son of Thranduil as well."
Estel talked for a bit more with the king before Thranduil left his room. He knew now that not being an elf meant nothing to him, that it was courage, and loyalty that had won his heart. Estel closed his eyes, and went to sleep. He was hungry, and in a few hours there would not be enough elves in all of Mirkwood to keep him from the kitchens.