Disclaimer: No, I do not own any of the characters, I'm just tinkering with them and will leave them in good shape so they can grow up to their parts in the trilogy. I also do not own the song "When I see you smile."
Sometimes I wonder how I'd ever make it through
Through this world without having you
I just wouldn't have a clue.
Sometimes it seems this world's closing in on me
And there's no way of breaking free
Then I see you reach out for me.
Oh, sometimes I wanna give up,
Wanna give in, wanna quit the fight.
Then one look at you baby
Can make everything all right
Make everything all right.
Elrond was having a really bad day so far. Already he had been called upon to settle a dispute and it was not even noon. Also, his sons were very late returning from a hunting trip and to top it off, a very important envoy was expected from Mirkwood. The elf lord sighed heavily and then looked up as his foster son Aragorn cracked open the door of his study cautiously.
"Yes, Estel, did you need something?" he asked politely after counting to ten to keep his surge of irritation from showing. It wasn't the boy's fault after all.
The seven-year-old gazed up at the only father he knew and smiled. Elrond almost reeled from the intensity of love that seemed to light up the room on the gloomy day. "Here, Ada, I picked these special, just for you." Out from behind his back he brought a bouquet of wildflowers, freshly picked, though the Peredhil didn't know where such would be growing.
When I see you smile
I can face the world
Oh, you know I can do everything.
When I see you smile
I see a ray of light
Oh, oh, I see it shining right through the rain
When I see you smile,
Baby when I see you smile at me.
Elrond looked closer at the flowers and realized that several were from the athelas plant. "Where did you get these, nin ion?" he asked curiously. He hadn't known athelas grew anywhere nearby and had never been able to cultivate it, though he had tried more than once.
"Glorfindel told me to find you some flowers to cheer you up because you were having a bad day. He said as long as I could still hear the elves singing I could go as far as I liked."
Elrond mentally raised an eyebrow and made a note to speak to his friend as soon as he could find him. Out loud he said, "How about we have a different class today instead of history?" He looked up at the position of the sun, though it was hard to see behind the clouds. It was almost noon. Normally Estel learned to use weapons in the morning under Glorfindel's tutelage and was taught bookwork by Elrond in the afternoon if possible, or if something came up by Erestor or Lindir. This arrangement was so the boy would have worn out his energy and would sit still.
"Yippee!" Aragorn shouted, acting like the child he was, which rarely showed. Having grown up among elves that were all much older than him, he was generally very mature for his age. Elrond laughed at his son.
"I'm going to get a book out of the library; I'll meet you at the door." He took the flowers and added, "We're going to have a picnic, just the two of us." Aragorn whooped again and shot out of the room. Elrond followed at a more decorous pace, stopping for a book on botany in the library and a basket of food from the kitchen. At the door he slung his bow and quiver over his shoulder and made sure Aragorn had his dagger. He had received it at his last birthday as a reward for learning to use it so well. He had been training a year and a half now and would soon be ready to learn swordwork.
"So, will you take me to where you found those flowers? I'm sure it will be a lovely place for a picnic." Together father and son set off. It was quite a distance, but the boy refused to be carried. Finally they came to a place near the river. It really was beautiful, even on that cloudy day, and Elrond spread a blanket on the ground after making sure there was no animal life or athelas places occupying the area. Aragorn meanwhile had found the energy to run around in delight at the prospect of a private meal with Ada.
Baby, there's nothing in this world that could ever do
What the touch of your hand can do
It's like nothing I ever knew
And when the rain is falling
I don't feel it cause you're here with me
And one look at you baby
Is all that I ever need, all that I ever need
"Estel!" Elrond called, "come here or you can't eat!" With that dire threat, the child looked around and finally located his father standing near the river. Running to him, he nearly bowled the elf over as he enthusiastically hugged him. "Come on, let's wash our hands."
The cook had packed a great deal of food but between them, they managed to finish it off. After they had washed their hands and faces again, Elrond opened up the book to the section about athelas. It was rather windy and chilly so they snuggled up together, sitting on half the blanket with the other half held tightly around their shoulders. After reading out a description of the flower, while Aragorn examined the very good picture on the opposite page, Elrond told Estel to go find a few samples. "Make sure you don't strip any of the plants you find, just get one or two flowers from each, say ten altogether." He smiled as the boy ran off and then looked at the flowers nearby. Several were healing herbs while others were used in cooking. This truly was an amazing place.
When I see you smile
I can face the world
Oh, you know I can do everything.
When I see you smile
I see a ray of light
Oh, I see it shining right through the rain
When I see you smile
Baby when I see you smile at me
Then he thought back to a time he had sat in a similar place in Lothlorien, with his beloved wife Celebrian. They had been so much in love. A few tears rolled down his cheeks as his heart ached with sorrow. That beautiful lady had been horribly tortured by orcs.
Just as he was working himself into a state of deep depression, Estel came running up with the flowers and crawled onto Elrond's lap. "Is something wrong, Ada?" He kissed his father's cheek and gave his a big hug. "There, that will make it all better," he said authoritatively. Elrond had to smile through his tears.
Sometimes I wanna give up
Wanna give in, wanna quit the fight
Then one look at you baby
Can make everything all right
Make everything all right
"Nin ion, thank you, that does help. You are truly Illuvatar's gift to me. I don't know what I'd do without you." --Thank you Illuvatar, for my son—he prayed silently. Then he hugged Estel close and began reading out loud the properties of the plant athelas.
Thus did Glorfindel find them, having been searching everywhere for the Master of Rivendell to inform him that his sons had safely returned from the hunt, and were speaking with the envoy who was an old friend.