Chapter 7
"Someone needs to go to Rivendell and let Father know about the Necromancer." Elladan searched the faces around him.
With no one else volunteering, Elrohir relented. "Come Estel. Miruvorë and massa await us at home."
Estel looked at Elrohir with knitted eyebrows. "I haven't been this far from home before. I wish to see King Thranduil and the palace. May I stay with Elladan - and Legolas?"
Elrohir seemed hurt by this perceived abandonment.
Elladan soothed his brother, "Fear not, my brother. Estel has not deserted you. I feel that he has developed a desire to see new places and new Elves, after meeting Legolas."
Estel dropped his gaze to the ground and tried hard not to look at Legolas.
Elrohir shook his head and smiled. "I shall miss your company, Young One. But you must do what is in your heart." To Elladan, "I will return to Mirkwood at the beginning of the new moon."
"May Elbereth guide you," Elladan bid his brother farewell.
Elladan, Legolas, and Estel watched as Elrohir swiftly departed in the direction of Rivendell.
"It is still three days until we reach home." Legolas turned to Estel. "Do you require food or rest before we begin?"
Estel's eyes were drawn to the face of the fair Elf. Legolas saw a question and something else, but only heard, "I would like to rest for awhile. The journey has been long and we have moved quickly with few stops."
Elladan frowned slightly at this. He knew Estel thrived on difficult journeys and though human, had little trouble keeping up with Elves. Thinking back, he couldn't remember a time when Estel had not wanted to be the first on the road. There was something more going on here, with his Gwador.
Even with his back turned to Estel, Legolas could feel his eyes upon him. Turning, Legolas caught the look of puzzlement on Estel's face as he stared at him. This quickly vanished as Estel busied himself with getting food from his pack.
Elladan seated himself between the two of them and was surprised when Estel suddenly reached out and took hold of Legolas' arm. Estel was frowning deeply and pulled back his hand to look at it.
Legolas jumped at the unexpected contact.
"Estel! What is it?" Elladan was shocked. He had never seen Estel do this before.
"No! It is all right, Elladan. I was just surprised," Legolas recovered. There was something about that touch that sent a vibration throughout his body.
"Elladan, do you not see it? Legolas is glowing." Estel looked at the golden Elf with astonishment on his face. "What does it mean?"
Legolas' face was blank as he looked at Elladan. At first Elladan was also confused, but then he looked at Legolas. Sighing deeply, he bowed his head. Realization came to him as Legolas was still confused and Estel waited patiently for an answer.
"I had not realized that you would be able to see it. That is the Light from the Other Side." Elladan looked to Legolas to see if he should continue.
Legolas looked down at his palms. That was the thing that had been drawing his attention earlier. He was watching the glow from his palms. An invitation? A warning?
Legolas did not stop him, so Elladan continued. "Legolas was recently lost in Shadow on the Other Side. What you are seeing are remnants of the Light. He has come back to us, but I feel that he has not made the decision to stay, yet." Elladan looked at Legolas, eyes shining bright with concern and love.
Legolas looked into the eyes of Elladan and knew he would hear his thoughts. "But they call to me. I cannot shut them out."
Elladan's gentle inner voice was a salve. "They do not call you to join them, Little Brother. In time, the voices will lessen. This I know."
Estel became embarrassed and felt as an intruder observing the communion of the two Elves, so excused himself pleading a need to answer the call of nature.
Once he was gone, Legolas had to know. "He is human. How did he see? That is impossible."
Elladan smiled. "Ah, he has you intrigued, has he? As well he might." He looked in the direction that Estel had disappeared to be certain that what he said next would not be overheard.
This had now definitely caught Legolas' attention.
"He is not just human. He is of the blood of Númenor."
This took Legolas aback. "But I thought them extinct."
A determined look came over Elladan. "No, not all. They are few but strong." Elladan's voice lowered and he looked at Legolas meaningfully. "Estel is Isildur's heir."
Legolas rocked back on his heels trying to assimilate this new information. He could only look at Elladan with shock.
"Estel does not know his true identity, nor is it our place to tell him." A light shone from Elladan's eyes as he continued. "Father has a vision. He believes Estel is destined for great deeds. I believe this also. There is a fire that burns in him, which once touched, will either consume you or ignite something within your own soul."
Legolas had indeed felt the edges of that flame.
"He has courage and a strength that is enduring. It may sound strange, but Elrohir and I have bound ourselves to him, though he knows it not and is yet a child. My blood tells me that Estel will somehow be the force that will unite Middle Earth when Darkness threatens all. Elrohir and I will be at his side."
This was all new to Legolas. He had only thought of the Necromancer invading Mirkwood, his home. This was a different viewpoint altogether. There was more at stake than just Mirkwood. He saw how Elrond was laying plans for a much bigger conflict to come. That was the reason for the alliance. And for his sheltering the future king in his home. Hiding Isildur's heir unbeknownst to even Isildur's heir.
Estel came back into the clearing and Legolas looked at him trying not to appear eager.
Legolas saw the future in front of him as Estel favored him with a grin.
His heart skipped a beat and he looked down at his palms.
The familiar glow was gone.
TBC
"Someone needs to go to Rivendell and let Father know about the Necromancer." Elladan searched the faces around him.
With no one else volunteering, Elrohir relented. "Come Estel. Miruvorë and massa await us at home."
Estel looked at Elrohir with knitted eyebrows. "I haven't been this far from home before. I wish to see King Thranduil and the palace. May I stay with Elladan - and Legolas?"
Elrohir seemed hurt by this perceived abandonment.
Elladan soothed his brother, "Fear not, my brother. Estel has not deserted you. I feel that he has developed a desire to see new places and new Elves, after meeting Legolas."
Estel dropped his gaze to the ground and tried hard not to look at Legolas.
Elrohir shook his head and smiled. "I shall miss your company, Young One. But you must do what is in your heart." To Elladan, "I will return to Mirkwood at the beginning of the new moon."
"May Elbereth guide you," Elladan bid his brother farewell.
Elladan, Legolas, and Estel watched as Elrohir swiftly departed in the direction of Rivendell.
"It is still three days until we reach home." Legolas turned to Estel. "Do you require food or rest before we begin?"
Estel's eyes were drawn to the face of the fair Elf. Legolas saw a question and something else, but only heard, "I would like to rest for awhile. The journey has been long and we have moved quickly with few stops."
Elladan frowned slightly at this. He knew Estel thrived on difficult journeys and though human, had little trouble keeping up with Elves. Thinking back, he couldn't remember a time when Estel had not wanted to be the first on the road. There was something more going on here, with his Gwador.
Even with his back turned to Estel, Legolas could feel his eyes upon him. Turning, Legolas caught the look of puzzlement on Estel's face as he stared at him. This quickly vanished as Estel busied himself with getting food from his pack.
Elladan seated himself between the two of them and was surprised when Estel suddenly reached out and took hold of Legolas' arm. Estel was frowning deeply and pulled back his hand to look at it.
Legolas jumped at the unexpected contact.
"Estel! What is it?" Elladan was shocked. He had never seen Estel do this before.
"No! It is all right, Elladan. I was just surprised," Legolas recovered. There was something about that touch that sent a vibration throughout his body.
"Elladan, do you not see it? Legolas is glowing." Estel looked at the golden Elf with astonishment on his face. "What does it mean?"
Legolas' face was blank as he looked at Elladan. At first Elladan was also confused, but then he looked at Legolas. Sighing deeply, he bowed his head. Realization came to him as Legolas was still confused and Estel waited patiently for an answer.
"I had not realized that you would be able to see it. That is the Light from the Other Side." Elladan looked to Legolas to see if he should continue.
Legolas looked down at his palms. That was the thing that had been drawing his attention earlier. He was watching the glow from his palms. An invitation? A warning?
Legolas did not stop him, so Elladan continued. "Legolas was recently lost in Shadow on the Other Side. What you are seeing are remnants of the Light. He has come back to us, but I feel that he has not made the decision to stay, yet." Elladan looked at Legolas, eyes shining bright with concern and love.
Legolas looked into the eyes of Elladan and knew he would hear his thoughts. "But they call to me. I cannot shut them out."
Elladan's gentle inner voice was a salve. "They do not call you to join them, Little Brother. In time, the voices will lessen. This I know."
Estel became embarrassed and felt as an intruder observing the communion of the two Elves, so excused himself pleading a need to answer the call of nature.
Once he was gone, Legolas had to know. "He is human. How did he see? That is impossible."
Elladan smiled. "Ah, he has you intrigued, has he? As well he might." He looked in the direction that Estel had disappeared to be certain that what he said next would not be overheard.
This had now definitely caught Legolas' attention.
"He is not just human. He is of the blood of Númenor."
This took Legolas aback. "But I thought them extinct."
A determined look came over Elladan. "No, not all. They are few but strong." Elladan's voice lowered and he looked at Legolas meaningfully. "Estel is Isildur's heir."
Legolas rocked back on his heels trying to assimilate this new information. He could only look at Elladan with shock.
"Estel does not know his true identity, nor is it our place to tell him." A light shone from Elladan's eyes as he continued. "Father has a vision. He believes Estel is destined for great deeds. I believe this also. There is a fire that burns in him, which once touched, will either consume you or ignite something within your own soul."
Legolas had indeed felt the edges of that flame.
"He has courage and a strength that is enduring. It may sound strange, but Elrohir and I have bound ourselves to him, though he knows it not and is yet a child. My blood tells me that Estel will somehow be the force that will unite Middle Earth when Darkness threatens all. Elrohir and I will be at his side."
This was all new to Legolas. He had only thought of the Necromancer invading Mirkwood, his home. This was a different viewpoint altogether. There was more at stake than just Mirkwood. He saw how Elrond was laying plans for a much bigger conflict to come. That was the reason for the alliance. And for his sheltering the future king in his home. Hiding Isildur's heir unbeknownst to even Isildur's heir.
Estel came back into the clearing and Legolas looked at him trying not to appear eager.
Legolas saw the future in front of him as Estel favored him with a grin.
His heart skipped a beat and he looked down at his palms.
The familiar glow was gone.
TBC