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. It is also not betaed
Chapter 37
Elladan and Elrohir were overcome with grief. Not only had they lost their father but now Estel was gone. The five of them had been sitting on the docks now for over nine hours, and yet the twins still had not budged.
Erestor the normally calm and collected advisor had grabbed Legolas and began to shake him roughly. "What were you thinking! he is but a human, a mortal on a ship bound for Valinor! Surely he will perish on this journey, and if not he will be cast back into the sea once Manwe has found out he is there. You have sent Estel to his death!" Erestor screamed, Legolas still in his grasp.
Thranduil saw that Legolas had not even tried to get away, and went to help his son. "Let go of him!" he yelled. "Legolas cannot bring Estel back now, no matter how much we wish it."
Erestor let go of Legolas, seeing the same pain he felt in Thranduil's eyes as well. "Forgive me. I did not see the pain it causes you as well."
"We must leave here, return home now," Thranduil sighed, but no one followed him. "Come we can do nothing else here."
It was Elladan who turned his tearful eyes to him, and that is when Thranduil saw the haunted look that dwelled deep within the pools of blue. "I have no reason to leave here. My family is here, what is left of it. I shall await the next ship and I shall sail to Valinor."
"Do not sail Elladan. Arwen is still here, your grandparents. They need you, Arda needs your help, your guidance as do all those in Imladris. Your grief will pass."
Elladan and Elrohir let themselves be led away from the docks, but Legolas had not budged. "Legolas come, there is nothing more we can do now," his father urged, and still he sat there. Thranduil went to sit beside him, and it was then he wished he hadn't. A thousand deaths he would have taken rather than see the pain that haunted the eyes staring at him.
"I have killed him Ada. I sent him to find his Ada, to tell him goodbye as I never got to say to Amme' and now he is probably dead. How can I go on knowing this. How can I wake tomorrow knowing he will not?"
Elladan and Elrohir went and sat down beside him. "I do not blame you Legolas. He would have gone had you helped him or not. Estel was stubborn and brave, and I am glad you got to know him as I did. I will never forget him," Elrohir said, before the tears came anew.
In Valinor ...
Elrond sat watching the child sleep, and only when his chest rose and fell with ease did he dare to look away. Celebrian sat across from him a look of both worry and wonder on her face. "Come I shall explain," Elrond said, motioning for her to follow him to the table nearby.
Elrond waited for her to sit down and then poured them both a cup of tea. "I shall start by saying I do not know why he is here, but only that I am glad he is. In my heart though I fear the reason. Elladan and Elrohir would never have let him come, lest they were dead."
Celebrian began to cry softly then, the tea forgotten. "Do you think that is what happened?"
Elrond wrapped his arms around her, "I do not know, and the one who does still sleeps. Answers will come when he awakens."
As if on cue Estel stirred in the bed, tossing and turning as if caught in a dream. His forehead was soaked in sweat, his face twisted in agony. "Ada!" he screamed, sitting upright in the bed. "Do not leave me Ada!"
Elrond dropped his cup and ran to the beside, Celebrian on his heels. "Sshhh Estel," he soothed. "I am here."
Estel opened his eyes and saw his father staring back at him, and his grip on him tightened. Words seemed to come tumbling out then. "Ada, I had to find you, but I searched and searched and you were not there."
Celebrian cleared her throat, and Estel only then realized they were not alone. His face turned red, and he tried to look away rather embarrassed.
"Do not fret Estel, for I will not harm you," Celebrian assured him, stroking his hair.
Estel peeked out from the folds of his father's robes. "I know. You are the lady Celebrian and Dan was right you are beautiful." Celebrian's heart melted just a bit at the mention of her son's name.
"Estel, why do you not tell us how you got here while I go and make us something to eat."
Estel started the story, but he did not want to let go of Elrond, preferring to sit in his lap as he told them. "When Dan and Ro were attacked by the wolves I thought they were dead. I cried Ada, real hard because I was scared and hid in the bushes like you taught me too. When I woke up there was another elf, and his name was Legolas. He took me home with him and I got to meet his Ada."
Celebrian gasped out loud then. "You went to Mirkwood?"
Estel nodded his head. "Yes, and they are not all mean, even though some are. King Thranduil said I could be his son until you came back, but you never did and I missed you. They took me back to Imladris to find my family and that is when I found out Ro and Dan weren't dead Ada."
Celebrian wiped the tears that had been flowing at the news that her sons were still alive and well. She took the tea and biscuits she had made and sat down beside Elrond. "Take this tea and tell us more Estel."
Estel grabbed the tea and drank it down in two gulps, thirsty from the long trip. "Dan and Ro were alive and I was so happy. I hugged them and kissed them on their cheeks, and asked where you were. They told me you were gone but I did not believe them. I told them you promised you wouldn't leave me ever, but you did Ada you left me!" Estel shouted, a fresh set of tears wetting his cheeks.
"Thranduil told me he would take me to the Grey Havens to talk to you but that I couldn't go to Valinor because I was mortal, but Legolas and me snuck out and went anyway. I hope you aren't mad Ada, but I had to come."
"I am not upset with you Estel. You have given me a great gift by coming here. I thought it not possible, and you have assured me that it is. Tell me though how did you get upon a ship full of elves and make the journey here?"
Estel told them how he had pretended to be an elf in Mirkwood and had fooled Thranduil, and that Legolas told him if he could fool his father he could fool anyone. By the end of the story Estel was yawning.
"I believe it is time for little ones to be asleep," Celebrian said. Estel did not answer as his eyelids drifted shut. His hands twisted up in Elrond's robes, his head on his shoulder, but when Elrond went to lay him down on the bed, Estel began to whimper.
"I think it would be wise to stay with him tonight." Celebrian said, reaching to pull the covers up over them both. "Do not think me foolish. I know who it was that used to sneak into the twins' room at night when they too had bad dreams. Sleep well both of you, for tomorrow I am sure Manwe will know of his arrival."
A/N: See you next week!