Because cliff hangers are my favorite past time ;P

In Times of Trouble

Scribbles-on-Parchment

December 11, 2021

Chapter 18 – Finding Estel

As Elladan stormed away from his ada's second in command, he felt his frustration and worry grow. Why was it never simple with his family? Why could Estel not cause trouble for once in his short life? And why was he always the one left to try and sort everything out and pick up the pieces?

The Noldo's loose brown hair flowed out behind him as he strode down the long hallway that led towards the training ground and then the stable. If he knew anything about his ada then he knew that the elda would waste little time in sending out a company to search for his sons. Though Elrond was an elf lord in name and appearance, he was still concerned and worried ada in his heart. He would sacrifice anything to secure the safety of his children, and that realization worried Elladan. Did Elrond's love for him and his brothers outweigh his love for his people? At what point would he stop sacrificing for…

Elladan forced these awful thoughts from his mind as he burst out into the fresh air and saw his ada standing a little way off talking with a group of patrol leaders.

"Ada," Elladan called out, "I must speak with you."

He paused for a moment as the elf lord turned to look at him upon hearing his name called out. Elrond did not seem surprised by his son's sudden appearance

"Hi!"

Elladan watched from where he stood by the door into the house and watched as his ada excused himself from his conversation and made his way over towards him.

"I need to speak with you," the elder twin said softly as the Elrond drew close, "Somewhere where we cannot be overheard."

"I would like to speak with you as well, ion nín," the elf lord replied, his wrinkled brow showing his distress, "Come, let us go to my chamber where we can talk is peace."

Elladan found himself pacing back and forth across the large balcony that was attached to his ada's rooms. Elrond stood quietly by the railing, looking out at the valley that stretched out before him. He was still trying to understand what his eldest son had just told him.

"Do you not see, ada," Elladan continued, "These council members are using you. They are trying to start a war with the Greenwood and they will stop at nothing until they do so. Estel saw this and he feared for the life of the young prince who resides there in the darkness. You know this. He went out because he could not think of any way for him to do anything of importance. He thinks you are going to start a war, ada."

The ellon paused for a moment, to allow his emotions to calm before he said anything that he would regret.

"And what do you think, ion nín?" Elrond's voice was soft, betraying nothing, "Do you also think me yielding to the pressure of the counsel? Do you think there will be war?"

Elladan knew that by the sound of the elf lord's voice he already knew what he, his son, was going to say.

"Of course not, ada. I know that you would never give in to such demands. But I also worry. For while I know that it is not in your desire to start any kind of conflict with King Thranduil and his people, it would seem as if there were others here that would work around you and bring this into fruition whether you give your blessing on it or not. There is something evil at play here and I do not like it."

"Nor do I, Elladan. But I must also ask you to have trust in me. I have dealt with betrayal amongst my people before and I am wise to the games that darkened elves will play. Do not let doubt enter your mind over this."

Elladan bowed his head at this statement. He had heard from Tamír and Glorfindel of Gwathedir, the darkened eldar who had resided in his ada's counsel for many years. The elf had strayed onto evil paths when the death of his son had made him resort to consulting dark magic in an attempt to bring the elfling back to life. From what Elladan had heard, in the end Gwathedir had become a mere shell of his former self and had threatened harm against any eldar that crossed his path. After many years of Elrond trying to ride the ellon's body of the darkness, his ada had been forced to do the unthinkable. He had put the Gwathedir into a sleep in which he never awoke from – he had killed the elf. Elrond had never spoken about this to any of them and even now Elladan could hear the grief in his voice.

The elder twin came to a stop next to his ada. The elf lord was gripping the railing and staring out at the valley before him. Elladan sighed softly and laid his hand gently across that of his ada's. He knew the eldar had his own demons that haunted his steps and he could only fathom the pressure that had been laid across the elf's shoulders.

"What are you going to do ada?" Elladan said softly, "What plan do you have to stop this evil plan from coming to fruition?"

There was a moment of silence between them in which Elladan feared his ada would not tell him anything. Yet, at long last Elrond breathed,

"Aiwanithar."

"Aiwanithar?" Elladan wrinkled his brow at the name of the patrol commander, "What of him?"

"He is mounting a patrol to leave this every day."

"Why? I already told you that Elrohir will be back soon with Estel. There is no need to get others involved in this trivial…"

Elrond held up a hand to silence his son,

"They will not be searching for your brothers. I have no doubt that Elrohir has already found Estel and is bringing him back even now. Nay, they are setting out for the Dunland. I have gotten reports in the past several months speaking of signs of wargs packs prowling along our borders. And where there are wargs, evil is not far behind."

"But what of the council? How will this stop those who plan for war? Those like Omalaern?"

Elladan watched as his ada's eyes darkened at the sound of the former council member's name.

"Omalaern and those others who are found with such dark intentions in their hearts will be dealt with according to the crimes they have committed. However, I must tell you ion nín, that Omalaern was reported missing from his quarters today by his wife. If my theory is correct then he has gone to meet with someone on the plains of the Dunland."

"And with grace from the Valar, the one behind this will be found and made known."

"Yes, and as for young Estel's worry that there shall be war against the Greenwood, I can speak with assurance that that is something that will never happen – or at least not while I remain here on Arda."

"You have convinced the soldiers otherwise? You have explained the false decree?"

Elrond turned to look at his son,

"Nay, I had to do nothing. Do you truly believe that every soldier in Imladris is willing to engage in war with their own kin?"

"Then you shall not be sending out soldiers?"

The elf lord smiled softly at this as he replied,

"They shall be sent out, but not to the Greenwood. They shall make it no further than the Dunland. For I believe that is where they shall encounter their true enemy. And when that battle begins, we shall know who amongst us has fallen into darkness."

Elladan shook his head,

"You had this planned all along, ada. It was your intention all along to use Omalaern's treason to find the source of the spreading darkness. Who knows of this plan or have you told no one?"

The elf lord turned to look at his son once more,

"Well, you are the first for me to tell of the entirety of this. Yet I fear that Glorfindel will have something else to say of this manner. But he was the one who guided me in this plan so I have not had to tell him anything."

Elladan resisted the urge to groan. He had forgotten about the elven commander who even now stood guard at the door behind them.

"However, ion nín, I must swear you to secrecy. I do not desire to have anyone but you to know of this, not even your brothers. Elrohir I trust and shall consult with upon his return, but Estel is not yet the level-headed man that I wish for him to become. I fear what would happen should he be told. Tell him just enough to stay his worries and if he insists on knowing more than send him to me."

The Noldorin twin nodded before placing his hand over his heart and saying,

"I shall tell no one of what we have spoken of here today. You have my word, ada."

Elrohir resisted the urge to curse at his youngest brother as he once again scanned the open plains around him for any signs of the human. He had been forced to travel further out into the Dunland than he would have liked. The sun was now high in the sky and the glare of it was causing the Noldo to develop a headache which did not help his mood in the least. Eru help Estel when he was found, for Elrohir had several choice words to use on him and none of them were pleasant. If he was forced to spend much longer looking for the human, they risked not being able to travel back to Imladris in the sunlight.

"Mas ledhiach…" Elrohir grumbled to himself.

How could one young human have gotten so good at hiding? The man was akin to a young elephant in all of his daily wanderings. How had he managed to seemingly vanish into the tall grass like a ghost?

The eldar ran a hand frustratingly through his hair. He could only hope that Elladan was faring better than he was in his task.

Elrohir was jolted out of his thoughts by a soft neigh from his steed. The mare had come to a stop and was pawing at the ground as if anxious about something. The elf was instantly brought to high alert. He had almost forgotten the dangers that lurked out here on the open plains in his frantic search for Estel. A soft growl coming from a sparse gathering of tall bushes and half-dead trees, caused Elrohir to instantly reach for his blade as his adrenaline began to kick in. Another growl sounded solidifying the Noldo's fear – there was some beast hiding the outcropping not a stone's throw away from him.

Giving his mare a whispered command in elvish, Elrohir slipped down from the horse's back and landed softly in the grass. Drawing his sword, the elf slowly began to creep towards the place where the growling was emitting from. He was loathe to bring his mare into a battle as she was young and unused to dealing with the likes of these beasts. The last thing Elrohir wished was to be thrown from the back of a horse in the middle of a fight.

The growl came again from right in front of the Noldo. Elrohir found himself gripping the hilt to his sword even tighter. The sound was soft so he doubted that whatever was making it was large in any way, yet he was not going to take any risks.

The noise came again. The elda raised his blade and leapt around the tall bush and gently waving grass ready to strike whatever he found there. However, as soon as he was able to see around the low-hanging branches and tangled weeds, he came to a sudden stop. There was nothing there, only dark shadows and a blanket of dead leaves. Elrohir cursed. Never before had his ears led him astray. How could there be nothing here? Not even a fox?

Elrohir was about to sheathe his sword and return to his mare to continue his search when a solid force slammed into him from behind. The sheer power behind it sent him sprawling forward. As the eldar landed ungracefully in the grass dirt, he was already preparing to jump up and face his attacker, when a heavy weight landed on top of him. The eldar hissed as the air was forced from his lungs. A split second later a hand tangled in his hair and forced his head backward.

"Remember me, Elrondion?"

Elvish Translations:

ada – dad

hi – now

ion nín – my son

mas ledhiach – where are you