Disclaimer: The characters are not mine and I make no money from writing this fiction.

(Back to Elrond's point of view).

"Estel."

He peers round the door to my study then enters, standing as far away from me as possible without actually being outside the room.

This is not going to be easy.

"Are you warm now?" I ask.

"Yes, Papa. And I had some soup. And Halbarad had some too and now Elladan's showing him his room and he's going to wait for me and then I'll show him the river and the waterfalls and everything." He looks at the floor, then out of the window. Everywhere except at me.

"And you're well?"

"Yes, Papa. My arm is all right and my side, I think, and I only knocked my knee a bit on the rocks." He is back looking at the floor. He looks cleaner than when he arrived about an hour ago. I watched my sons arrive, learned who the older boy was then asked Elrohir to see to Estel's bath.

I wanted to hug the boy when he returned to me. I still want to. But I must talk to him first. Then I will speak to the twins. Then I will decide what to do with my errant son.

"Come and sit here," I tell him. When I work, he often sits by me on a tall stool. When he was little, paper and pencil were enough to occupy him quietly. He would pretend to organise the papers just as I organised mine.

He drags his feet but comes to sit on his stool.

"Now, Estel. You must tell me all about your adventure. Then, I shall talk to Elladan, and Elrohir, and to Halbarad. Then I shall judge whether you need to be punished."

He looks at me curiously. "You're not going to make me stay in my room?"

He is expecting to be punished, then. I want this to be a serious talk but I hope he will see that I shall be fair with him. I do not altogether understand why he feels punishment is due.

"No, I am not. If you need to be punished it will be different this time. Now, tell me what happened."

He tells me, clearly and factually, all the events of his river journey with Elrohir. He does not play up his own part, nor does he exaggerate the dangers. He gives praise where it is due and his admiration for his new-found friend shines through. I must tell him immediately something which will surprise him.

I wait until he comes to a natural pause in the story then put my hand on his arm. "Estel. You have chanced upon a great friend indeed. I know of Halbarad. He is kin to you."

He looks at me, his grey eyes big. "Really, Papa?"

"Yes, Estel. And he will be very welcome to stay. I have sent a message to his people to tell them he is here. I hope he will be able to stay a month at least."

Estel is off his stool now and dancing around the floor, far too excited to remember that he is awaiting punishment. This is just as well, for I have already judged that he only needs a few tasks to keep him closer to home. I know in my heart that whatever I say or do, if this child wishes to leave me, he will. Better then for him to know he is loved and hope that is enough to hold him here.

"A whole month! Can I teach him – teach him something, Papa? Will there be something I know that he doesn't know?"

"I am sure we shall find many things to teach him, my son. And I think he will need to teach you to swim, when your arm is healed."

He laughs out loud. "Elrohir has tried, and Elladan, but I just sink like a stone! Right down to the bottom of the river!"

His good humour is sudden and catching. I stand and watch him whirl round, his hands out, and he is laughing and singing. As he spins past me I catch him and hold him under his arms. I spin him round, like I used to when he was much smaller, and he laughs and laughs.

But when I set him back on his feet he is silent, and his face is concentrated . I know that look.

"Where do you hurt, Estel? Is it your arm?"

"My side hurts. It's sore."

"Let me look, child." He turns to me, trusting me to set things right. I pull up his tunic and inspect the cut there, the one made by an orc blade. It is a little reddened and tender to the touch, but he is not fevered. I take him by the hand.

"Come. Let us go and find the right ointment for you. Then you can help me decide what your list of tasks will be."

"Oh," he sighs. "I've already done that."

I look down at the boy who is leading me. He is a source of endless wonder to me. I try not to say anything which will show he has surprised me.

"You have? Here is the key, Estel. Open the door."

We go inside and he hops up on the bed, holding his tunic up carefully and trying to look at the wound. "I thought I could help out in the gardens and learn the names of all the plants," he says, sticking out his thumb. I wonder what he is doing until his forefinger is stuck out as well. He is counting off his punishments. "And I must find a new horse and care for it really well. Ouch! Papa, that's cold!"

I warm the ointment in my hand for a moment before spreading it thickly over his cut. "What else will you need to do?" His self-punishing sounds a little too like the things he wants to do but I suppose he has the right idea.

His middle finger joins the rest. "Teaching Halbarad something."

"Ah yes." I wrap the wound carefully and pull down his tunic. "Anything else?"

"I shall do my lessons without grumbling."

I resist the temptation to say that I have never heard him grumble, or had any complaints from the various people who have tutored him. Perhaps he keeps his grumbling to himself.

One finger left. He seems puzzled now. "I can't remember what the other thing was."

"Perhaps," I say, unwrapping his arm and reaching for the fresh comfrey I gathered this morning, when the messenger told me my boys were returning.. I wonder if I am going too far, but it must be said. "Perhaps you should stay at home now, as your last task. For a while, at least. For a month or so."

He looks up at me as I place the leaves on the skin over his broken bone. "Yes, Papa. I think that would be a very good idea."

When I have finished binding him up I wash my hands and go back to sit beside him. He rests his head on my shoulder.

"I didn't really want to go away. It hurt such a lot when Ruby died." He pauses. "Can I go and see if Halbarad is ready to go and see the river now? I can start my lessons when we come back. I promise I won't be late."

I nod and busy myself putting away the ointments and bandages. He jumps down from the bed.

"I'm glad I'm home," he says and I turn to look at him.

"I am pleased you are home, too, child. It was very quiet without you."

He smiles. Then he runs off in search of his new friend, his kin, and the sound of him skittering away down the corridor is a sound I hope to hear often over the coming weeks.

Estel is home.