Hi! This is another short one (it's only going to be about two chapters.
Two really short chapters). In response to Elanor's review, I am currently
working on a longer story about Aragorn, long after the Fellowship (I'm not
too far on it, but I'm getting there!), and these are just little stories
that I'm fooling around with. Oh, this story skips around a bit, sorry!
Thank you to everyone who reviewed my last story.
* * symbols thought.
Summery: When you are young, and sheltered from the harshness of the world, you have innocence. There comes a point in everyone's life when you lose that innocence. A young Estel (Aragorn) story.
Innocence: Part One
Estel raced along the halls of Rivendell, and ducked behind a statue of an elegant Elven woman.
"Estel? Estel, where are you?" Elladan called, walking past the statue, his brother Elrohir behind him. A giggle was heard, and Elladan pounced on the young human, picking him up. "There you are! What were you doing?"
"Hiding," Estel giggled.
"Did you hear that, Elrohir, he said he was hiding, from us!" Elladan exclaimed. "We can't have that, now can we?"
"Definitely not," Elrohir responded, fighting the smile he could feel beginning.
"What are you gonna do, El'dan?" The five-year-old asked cautiously.
"Nothing much," Elladan said, grinning.
Estel wriggled out of Elladan's grasp, and slid to the floor. "You have that look on your face like you do when you're gonna tickle me, and I don't wanna wait to see if I'm right." And he tore off down the hallway as fast as his short legs would carry him.
"He's a lot smarter then some of the Elves give him credit for," Elrohir remarked, grinning at his brother. "Many of them still don't recognize that look."
"Oh be quiet," Elladan said lightly. "Come, we need to go find Estel now. Father wanted him for his lessons."
Later that afternoon, Estel was sitting still. Or rather, TRYING to sit still. It wasn't working. "Ada, why do I have to learn to read?" he asked for the tenth time in just as many minutes.
"Because it is important that you learn how to read, so you can then learn how to read all of the books in my library," Elrond replied, not looking up from the document he was reading.
Estel sighed. "You said that last time, and the time before that, and-" He stopped, his eyes suddenly widening. "I won't have to read ALL of the books, will I ada?" he asked quietly.
"Not if you don't want to," Elrond replied, chuckling.
"Oh good."
There was a knock on the door, and Glorfindel walked in. "Elrond, there is a messenger here from Lorien."
"Send him in."
Glorfindel left, and a minute later, a fair-haired Elf clad in Lorien colors strode in. "Lord Elrond," he said, bowing. "I bring a message from the Lady Galadriel and the Lord Celeborn of Lorien."
Elrond took the offered letter, opened it quickly, and scanned the contents. He frowned. "Estel, why don't we end the lesson here today?"
"Okay," Estel replied hesitantly, catching the Elf Lord's mood. He gathered his things into a neat pile, and fled, nearly running into the messenger. He wandered around until he found himself outside the doors to the library. Quietly, he opened the doors, and went inside. There were thousands upon thousands of books in bookcases that wound around every wall, stacked (according to their subject and alphabetical order) everywhere, wherever they could fit. Grinning, he hurried over to a book case marked "The Second Age", and pulled out a book titled "The First Born." He really did love reading; he just didn't like reading the books his ada gave him, which were filled with boring history.
Estel drug the book over to the couch, and sat down, opening the book to where he had left off last time. "And then the O- the Ors? What is an Ors?" He slid off the couch, and went to find Elladan and Elrohir. "El'dan? 'Ro?" he called as he wandered through the halls.
"Yes Estel?" Elrohir asked, poking his head out of Elrond's study. "What is it?"
"'Ro, what is an Ors?"
"An 'Ors'?" Elrohir repeated. "Do you know how is it spelled?"
"O-R-C," Estel said.
Elrohir sighed. "It is pronounced 'Orc'."
"Oh. But what are they?"
"They are ugly creatures created by Morgoth," Elrohir explained. "And they are not nice."
"Do they kill Elves?" Estel asked, eyes wide.
"Sometimes," Elrohir responded. "Where did you hear about the Orcs?"
"From ada's library," Estel said. "I was reading a book."
"I thought you did not like to read," Elrohir said, raising his eyebrows.
"I just don't like to read the books ada gives me," Estel replied, wrinkling up his nose. "They are boring."
Elrohir laughed, and ruffled Estel's hair. "I have to agree with you about that. Now run along. Elladan, Glorfindel and myself are talking with ada abut how to get rid of the Orcs."
"Oh, okay. I hope you get rid of them all," Estel replied sincerely. "I don't like them."
"Neither do I."
For the rest of the afternoon, Estel could either be found in the library reading, or outside, running around.
Seven years later, Estel stood, fidgeting by the gates. He heard the sound of horses, and craned his neck, trying to see. Today was the day that Elladan and Elrohir were coming home after being away for three weeks.
The small troop of Elves finally came into view, and Estel started jumping up and down, ecstatic to have his brother's home again.
"Estel, calm down," Elrond said softly, laying a hand on his son's shoulder. "They will get here soon enough."
"Sorry ada," Estel said, and stopped jumping. "I'm just happy to have then home. I missed them."
"I know you did," Elrond replied, smiling slightly. "But jumping about will not get then here any faster."
Estel sighed, and stood perfectly still. It seemed like hours to him, though in reality it was only five minutes, before the hunting party finally stopped, and Elladan and Elrohir dismounted. Not being able to contain himself any longer, he ran forward, and hugged his brothers fiercely.
"Estel," Elrohir gasped, "It is hard to breath!"
"Sorry!" Estel exclaimed, stepping back.
"You've grown," Elladan said by way of greeting, and ruffled the human's hair, then turned to Elrond. "Hello father."
"Hello Elladan, Elrohir," Elrond responded. "Welcome home, all of you."
Estel stood back, watching the warriors. They looked so tired. One by one, they left, until only Elladan and Elrohir remained.
"Estel, what's wrong?" Elrohir asked, looking over at Estel.
"Nothing, Just," Estel paused, then, "The two of you seem, I don't know, upset."
The twins shared a meaningful look, before Elladan said, "It was the Orcs, Estel." He ran a dirty hand through his hair distractedly, his eyes unfocused, remembering things he didn't wish to. "We didn't get all of them."
Estel watched them go back up to Elrond's house. He wasn't entirely convinced that was all. Then he noticed Elladan was limping. Badly. His eyes widened, and he ran after them. "Elladan! What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Elladan said guiltily.
"Elladan," Elrond said sternly. "Let me see."
Elladan sighed, and pulled up his pant leg. There was a bloody bandage wrapped around his leg.
"Come," Elrond said. "I looks like more then nothing." They were crowded around Elladan's bed as Elrond bandaged up Elladan's leg. "Tell me what happened."
"It was the Orcs," Elladan explained. "I was fighting them, and was distracted. I slipped, and fell. When I was down, an Orc slashed at my leg."
Estel sat down in a chair as Elladan explained what had happened. *They are horrible creatures, Orcs, and I will revenge my parents, and everyone they have ever hurt, when I am older.*
TBC...
I know, the ending is rather abrupt, but I couldn't think of any other way to end this chapter.
* * symbols thought.
Summery: When you are young, and sheltered from the harshness of the world, you have innocence. There comes a point in everyone's life when you lose that innocence. A young Estel (Aragorn) story.
Innocence: Part One
Estel raced along the halls of Rivendell, and ducked behind a statue of an elegant Elven woman.
"Estel? Estel, where are you?" Elladan called, walking past the statue, his brother Elrohir behind him. A giggle was heard, and Elladan pounced on the young human, picking him up. "There you are! What were you doing?"
"Hiding," Estel giggled.
"Did you hear that, Elrohir, he said he was hiding, from us!" Elladan exclaimed. "We can't have that, now can we?"
"Definitely not," Elrohir responded, fighting the smile he could feel beginning.
"What are you gonna do, El'dan?" The five-year-old asked cautiously.
"Nothing much," Elladan said, grinning.
Estel wriggled out of Elladan's grasp, and slid to the floor. "You have that look on your face like you do when you're gonna tickle me, and I don't wanna wait to see if I'm right." And he tore off down the hallway as fast as his short legs would carry him.
"He's a lot smarter then some of the Elves give him credit for," Elrohir remarked, grinning at his brother. "Many of them still don't recognize that look."
"Oh be quiet," Elladan said lightly. "Come, we need to go find Estel now. Father wanted him for his lessons."
Later that afternoon, Estel was sitting still. Or rather, TRYING to sit still. It wasn't working. "Ada, why do I have to learn to read?" he asked for the tenth time in just as many minutes.
"Because it is important that you learn how to read, so you can then learn how to read all of the books in my library," Elrond replied, not looking up from the document he was reading.
Estel sighed. "You said that last time, and the time before that, and-" He stopped, his eyes suddenly widening. "I won't have to read ALL of the books, will I ada?" he asked quietly.
"Not if you don't want to," Elrond replied, chuckling.
"Oh good."
There was a knock on the door, and Glorfindel walked in. "Elrond, there is a messenger here from Lorien."
"Send him in."
Glorfindel left, and a minute later, a fair-haired Elf clad in Lorien colors strode in. "Lord Elrond," he said, bowing. "I bring a message from the Lady Galadriel and the Lord Celeborn of Lorien."
Elrond took the offered letter, opened it quickly, and scanned the contents. He frowned. "Estel, why don't we end the lesson here today?"
"Okay," Estel replied hesitantly, catching the Elf Lord's mood. He gathered his things into a neat pile, and fled, nearly running into the messenger. He wandered around until he found himself outside the doors to the library. Quietly, he opened the doors, and went inside. There were thousands upon thousands of books in bookcases that wound around every wall, stacked (according to their subject and alphabetical order) everywhere, wherever they could fit. Grinning, he hurried over to a book case marked "The Second Age", and pulled out a book titled "The First Born." He really did love reading; he just didn't like reading the books his ada gave him, which were filled with boring history.
Estel drug the book over to the couch, and sat down, opening the book to where he had left off last time. "And then the O- the Ors? What is an Ors?" He slid off the couch, and went to find Elladan and Elrohir. "El'dan? 'Ro?" he called as he wandered through the halls.
"Yes Estel?" Elrohir asked, poking his head out of Elrond's study. "What is it?"
"'Ro, what is an Ors?"
"An 'Ors'?" Elrohir repeated. "Do you know how is it spelled?"
"O-R-C," Estel said.
Elrohir sighed. "It is pronounced 'Orc'."
"Oh. But what are they?"
"They are ugly creatures created by Morgoth," Elrohir explained. "And they are not nice."
"Do they kill Elves?" Estel asked, eyes wide.
"Sometimes," Elrohir responded. "Where did you hear about the Orcs?"
"From ada's library," Estel said. "I was reading a book."
"I thought you did not like to read," Elrohir said, raising his eyebrows.
"I just don't like to read the books ada gives me," Estel replied, wrinkling up his nose. "They are boring."
Elrohir laughed, and ruffled Estel's hair. "I have to agree with you about that. Now run along. Elladan, Glorfindel and myself are talking with ada abut how to get rid of the Orcs."
"Oh, okay. I hope you get rid of them all," Estel replied sincerely. "I don't like them."
"Neither do I."
For the rest of the afternoon, Estel could either be found in the library reading, or outside, running around.
Seven years later, Estel stood, fidgeting by the gates. He heard the sound of horses, and craned his neck, trying to see. Today was the day that Elladan and Elrohir were coming home after being away for three weeks.
The small troop of Elves finally came into view, and Estel started jumping up and down, ecstatic to have his brother's home again.
"Estel, calm down," Elrond said softly, laying a hand on his son's shoulder. "They will get here soon enough."
"Sorry ada," Estel said, and stopped jumping. "I'm just happy to have then home. I missed them."
"I know you did," Elrond replied, smiling slightly. "But jumping about will not get then here any faster."
Estel sighed, and stood perfectly still. It seemed like hours to him, though in reality it was only five minutes, before the hunting party finally stopped, and Elladan and Elrohir dismounted. Not being able to contain himself any longer, he ran forward, and hugged his brothers fiercely.
"Estel," Elrohir gasped, "It is hard to breath!"
"Sorry!" Estel exclaimed, stepping back.
"You've grown," Elladan said by way of greeting, and ruffled the human's hair, then turned to Elrond. "Hello father."
"Hello Elladan, Elrohir," Elrond responded. "Welcome home, all of you."
Estel stood back, watching the warriors. They looked so tired. One by one, they left, until only Elladan and Elrohir remained.
"Estel, what's wrong?" Elrohir asked, looking over at Estel.
"Nothing, Just," Estel paused, then, "The two of you seem, I don't know, upset."
The twins shared a meaningful look, before Elladan said, "It was the Orcs, Estel." He ran a dirty hand through his hair distractedly, his eyes unfocused, remembering things he didn't wish to. "We didn't get all of them."
Estel watched them go back up to Elrond's house. He wasn't entirely convinced that was all. Then he noticed Elladan was limping. Badly. His eyes widened, and he ran after them. "Elladan! What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Elladan said guiltily.
"Elladan," Elrond said sternly. "Let me see."
Elladan sighed, and pulled up his pant leg. There was a bloody bandage wrapped around his leg.
"Come," Elrond said. "I looks like more then nothing." They were crowded around Elladan's bed as Elrond bandaged up Elladan's leg. "Tell me what happened."
"It was the Orcs," Elladan explained. "I was fighting them, and was distracted. I slipped, and fell. When I was down, an Orc slashed at my leg."
Estel sat down in a chair as Elladan explained what had happened. *They are horrible creatures, Orcs, and I will revenge my parents, and everyone they have ever hurt, when I am older.*
TBC...
I know, the ending is rather abrupt, but I couldn't think of any other way to end this chapter.