Summary: Children follow their own rules, the ones created through the innocence of youth. Will it help or harm Estel and Legolas?
Disclaimer: I do not own them for they would be covered in drool.
A/N: This fic is AU, not canon.
Chapter 21
Glorfindel searched the house the following day. It was midweek and the twins had not yet spoken to him about their plans for their birthday the next day. He had even searched the rooms of Elrond and Estel, although he had to glare at the guard. The guard had moved swiftly out of his way, but not until Glorfindel had promised him a swift journey to meet Mandos.
He searched the entire house and even the stables, but still he did not find either one of them. Glorfindel was about to give up in his search when he saw a pair of raven haired elves sitting by the river Bruinen. He began his walk over to them, wondering if he was over stepping his bounds. True, he had known both of them since they had been born, but he had never seen them this way, not even when their mother had sailed away.
"Elladan.." Glorfindel said gently, placing an arm on his shoulder, but Elladan did not turn to face him.
"Are you to celebrate your birthing day this year?"
It was not Elladan who spoke, but Elrohir. "How can we celebrate when we have not yet finished mourning. Nay, Glorfindel, we have talked it over and we will spend the day not in celebration, but rembrance."
Glorfindel sighed deeply, but yet he shook his head in affirmation. "As you wish it then, but do not forget to live while you mourn. Estel was full of life, full of curiosity. He would have regaled the day with open arms, welcoming another year on Arda. Will you not honor his memory and your father's?"
Elladan and Elrohir both broke down crying as they had never cried before. Glorfindel would do nothing but hold them. "Now you will start to heal," he whispered.
It was not true, however. Elladan and Elrohir both cried that day, but neither felt any better. Pieces of their very soul had gone; they would never be whole again, but they had decided to go to the lake the next day. It was a place that Estel loved, and the last place they had seen their younger brother.
Estel sat beside Legolas as the elf fletched arrow after arrow. Estel had seen very few of the elves of Imaldris fletching their own arrows. The twins had shown him how once, but he had not wanted to learn. Legolas on the other hand almost made it seem fun. Estel had wanted to hold the knife, but Legolas said he was too young, and to this Estel exploded, "I am not too young! My brother let me hold his dagger all the time. I even still have it!" Estel said, pulling Elladan's dagger from his belongings.
Thranduil could hear the edge on Estel's trembling voice and see the elfling's face turning a deep shade of red and intervened.
"Legolas, my son, I believe you have forgotten Estel comes from Imladris, where elfllings are taught the art of the sword at an early age. Perhaps Estel is not too young, just be careful."
Legolas handed the small knife to Estel and apologised profusely.
"It is all right, Legolas, I am just sad is all. Tomorrow is my brother's birthday, I mean it would have been," Estel said "I won't be home in time for it, and I am sure Ada will be sad with no one there."
Thranduil stood up from where he sat enjoying the sunny day and began packing the bedrolls up.
Adar?" Legolas questioned from where he sat.
"Come, Legolas, you heard Estel; he needs to be home before the end of tomorrow. If we hurry we may just make it before the sun rises on the following morning."
Estel's reaction was immediate. He flung his around the elven king. "Hannon le," he said, tears of joy springing to his eyes.
"I would not have you troubled, Estel. I have grown quite fond of you, little one."
Legolas agreed with his father, for he, too, had come to think of Estel as his little brother, even going so far as to make him a small bow. Estel did not know it, but the arrows they had been fletching were his own. Legolas had not found the right moment to give them to Estel just yet.
The bedrolls packed, the fire put out, they were off again at a much faster pace.
"We will ride the night and rest some tomorrow. It will be a short rest if we wish to get there in time. Are you up for it, Estel?"
Estel nodded his head yes, anything not too miss being with his Ada. Anything to be there for him when Elladan and Elrohir could not.
Elrohir bid Erestor and Glorfindel a good night and then he an Elladan went up to bed. Both changed clothes but then they sat on Elladan's bed in silence for many hours.
"What are you thinking, Dan?"
Elladan sighed, "I am thinking of how I sat here for many nights hoping Estel would come running in, how I dreamt it, and how cruel it seemed when it never happened."
"Aye, I have had the same dreams, the same ones I awake from to find no Estel. I never knew how empty and quiet it was around here before he left. Now the halls are filled with silence. No one to hide from Erestor's wrath, no on to sneak down to the kitchens and steal the cook's pies. Do you think he is happy in Mandos, Dan?"
"His father and mother are there; they will protect him."
"Estel, does not remember them, he will be frightened. The only father he knows is Ada."
Elladan hugged his pillow to him and then walked out onto the balcony. Elrohir followed, but spoke no words. Elladan sighed, but his gaze did not waver from staring up to the stars. "Be glad he is with Arathorn, for Ada is gone now, an Estel would be lost without him, much like I am now."
They stared at the stars for a long time, neither one ready to fall asleep and face the next day. It was Elrohir who turned to Elladan this time. "I shall do as Glorfindel suggested and spend the day doing all the things that we would have done had Estel been here. Perhaps then I will be able to remember his laughter and smile, for the sight and sound of it eludes me now except in my dreams."
"Let us sleep, then, and face the day together. Tomorrow we are another year older, two thousand eight hundred and five, to be exact."
"Aye, I do not feel a day over a thousand. If Estel were here, he would remind you that you are as old as the ocean, or even older than the trees in the garden," Elrohir said with a smile.
"Do not forget, Ro, you are as old as I. Come, let us get some sleep, for tomorrow comes in but a few hours. If we wish to do all the things Estel would have done, we will need all of our energy."
Both of them laid down again, but just before Elladan's eyes glazed over in sleep, he could hear his brother saying good night to his Ada and Estel. Elladan fell into a deep slumber and his dreams were filled with a small adan who's laughter made him smile even in sleep.
A/N: See you next week!