Title: Chiaro Scuro

Author: Elladan

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Estel is constantly being teased and bullied for being adan. One day the teasing goes too far, but Estel is convinced that he can find a solution for the treatment without the help of his family. The only problem is that his solution does everything but make his life simpler.

Disclaimer: I am not making any money off this and I am only borrowing Tolkien's characters for a little fun.

A/N: Well, I don't have much to say this time except that I have now decided to put the review replies at the end of the chapter instead of the beginning like I have been doing. Also, I am going out of town for a week and I just found out that I will not have access to a computer, so the next post will be next Friday. I'm really sorry, please don't be angry. Anyway, thank you all so much for all the lovely reviews, they mean so much! Please keep it up. Without further ado, here is the next chapter.

Chapter 4

*****

The first part would be the hardest. He had to convince Raydaion and his friends to follow him into the woods without causing them to become suspicious or giving them an opportunity to beat him up. Estel watched the elves for a few minutes as they wrestled about in the tall grass. He had had plenty of time to choose his words, so with a deep breath he made his way directly to Raydaion. As soon as Raydaion noticed him, a look of superiority and disgust appeared over his previous smile of victory.

"So, the filthy human has come back for more." He sneered.

"Save it, Raydaion, I have a challenge for you." Estel replied with authority and what he hoped was courage and not stupidity. The elf began to laugh and Estel could not help but wince.

"Whatever led you to imagine that I would even consider a challenge from the like of you?"

"I knew you did not posses the guts to take on a son of Elrond, especially his human one." Estel was really out on a limb. If he were wrong then he would face a 'punishment' worse than he could imagine. Raydaion was scowling with his arms crossed on his chest. By now the other three elves had stopped their play and had gathered in hopes of a fight.

"No, you are wrong. The only reason I hesitated was to give you the chance to at least momentarily hold on to the small shred of pride that yet clings to you. Alas, in your stupidity you persisted and I am only too glad to teach you a lesson in the superiority of elves." Raydaion said with pure venom in his voice.

'Perfect,' Estel thought 'now he shall follow me and I shall get revenge.' "If you say so. Come on follow me. And you may bring them if you wish." Estel ordered gesturing to the gawking group of elves. Raydaion shrugged his shoulder with indifference and waved for his friends to follow as he left the clearing after Estel.

***** Elrond flipped yet another page in one of his books, still engaged in the desperate search for the solution to the dwarves' riddle. He had been in his study for most of the past week, only leaving for meals and important matters of state. It was beginning to look as if there was no information in his vast library that would help to solve the problem. The more anxious he became, the more obscure the books he searched through. Currently, in his lap was an old journal of some sort from a forgotten origin. He was about to take a break when he skimmed over a passage that caught his eye.

".I have yet to identify this creature. It takes no permanent shape, but constantly shifts to fit its environment. There is an absence of consistency in the deaths and I am at a loss. I am left without a description, a solution, or even a witness. The only name I could possibly give to such a beast is simply nulla suule (a dark spirit)."

Elrond felt relief, fear, and uncertainty rise in him at once as he read the description. 'I believe I have solved the riddle without discovering an answer. Why have I not heard of this before?' he wondered silently to himself and continued to read. The next mention of the creature was a couple of passages later.

".Finally there is a pattern, but I fear that I do not understand its significance. It is too late, the final death was last night and now the thing is gone. The prey was captured and it no longer lingers by our town. One thing connected the murders together, an partly eaten apple."

He stopped and reread the last line three times in disbelief. 'What does an apple have to do with the deaths? The dwarves mentioned not a solitary consistency.' With that thought, the elven lord left his study in search of Fraylik, the book firmly in his grasp.

*****

A few more feet and they would be there. Estel could barley contain his excitement as they approached the designated clearing. Raydaion and the others had remained relatively quiet and Estel had said not a word.

As soon as they reached the center of the clearing, Estel walked over to one of the bordering trees saying, " Stay there. I have some things behind this tree. Allow me to retrieve them and then we shall continue to the river."

The words had barely left his mouth when a net dropped from the canopy above, successfully trapping the four elves. Estel turned around as he heard the shouts of surprise. The plan had begun. He ran toward the tangled boys as if to free them, but was intercepted by a dark, towering figure. Estel let the corners of his mouth rise in a grim smile.

"Well, look and see the nice little prizes I caught in my net. You weren't planning on letting my precious little ones go now, were you?" Kelvakanta taunted.

"I will not allow you to harm them." Estel said in a low voice, thoroughly concealing his enjoyment. Kelvakanta pulled out a dagger and lunged almost too quickly at him. Estel leaped back in surprise. 'We had not agreed on using blades, but it will add more excitement' he thought unsheathing his own dagger. The elven children stopped struggling as they watched their former victim become their defender.

Kelvakanta slashed out at Estel's face, but he brought his forearm and knocked the man's arm away. Estel sensed more than saw the leg that swung around in attempt to take out his knees. As he had been taught, he flipped backward and landed prepared to strike. Kelvakanta hardly hesitated and flew at him with a series of jabs and slices. Estel had to put all his concentration into avoiding the steel blade. He had yet to make an attack of his own.

'Wow' he thought 'I guess Kelvakanta just really wants to make it look believable.'

He ducked as a fist rushed toward his face, but felt an explosion of pain in his side. 'The dagger! How could I have forgotten to watch the dagger?' he questioned himself as he risked a quick glance. That was all he needed to confirm his suspicion. The dagger was protruding from under his ribcage, still clasped in Kelvakanta's hand. It was at that moment that he realized that something was very wrong. The world almost seemed to stop moving as Estel focused his confused, pain-filled eyes onto those of his assailant. Gone was the kindness that he had though he knew, in its place was a look that could only be described as pure pleasure. The world suddenly spun back into motion as Kelvakanta jerked the dagger from his side. Pain blossomed from the wound and spread like wildfire through his body. He could vaguely hear voices calling his name over the rush of thoughts that consumed his head. Everything was falling apart and swirling together in a tempest that tore across his scorched brain.

Just as Kelvakanta began his assault anew, Estel suddenly had a new objective. A single clear thought rose from the ruin of his mind and became his solitary focus. It was his fault that the other children were here. 'No matter what, I must free them!' he cried to himself. With reflexes faster then he realized he possessed, Estel slashed Kelvakanta across the face and ran to the trapped elves. The man cried out in pain and surprise as his hand shot up in reaction to his fresh wound. His quick retaliation left Kelvakanta stunned, but only for a moment. As soon as he reached the net he began to cut as many strings as possible. The rope was no match for his elven blade and he made what he hoped would be a large enough hole before he heard Kelvakanta behind him.

"Go! Now! Run as fast as you can! GO!" Estel screamed at the frightened and very shocked elves as he spun to once again meet his enemy. The elves scarcely hesitated before they began to work themselves free and flee. Estel did his best to provide a distraction for as long as possible while the others escaped. His side hurt fiercely, but adrenaline sustained him. He parried, attacked, parried, and dodged without repose, but he was no match for the dark man. One final time he spared a precious second to check the net, and what he saw caused him to freeze for an instant. That was all the time Kelvakanta needed to end the fight. With great fury, Kelvakanta brought the butt of his knife down on Estel's head. The last image Estel saw before pain and the blackness of unconsciousness took his mind was a lone elf tangled in the remains of the shredded net.

*****

The door burst open and Elladan and Elrohir walked into the room without a second thought.

"Estel, do you really think that by hiding out in your room you would avoid training with us today?" Elladan called as he entered.

"Aye, titta onooro, you shall not escape your beating this easily!" Elrohir added.

The twins were so sure that their younger brother was hiding in his room that it took them a moment to realize that they were not going to receive a response. It was early evening and they were supposed to be training Estel in hand-to-hand combat. A quick glance around the room showed that not only was their brother not hiding, but that he was not there at all. The two had already searched the rest of the palace grounds and had truly expected to find Estel in his room. It was very strange that he had not met them for training, for Estel always seemed to enjoy learning to fight. Elrohir sat down heavily on the bed and sighed.

"I suppose we shall now have to involve Ada." he said unhappily.

Elladan eyes narrowed in frustration. "I do not understand why Estel did not come to train with us. He had never expressed a dislike for it in the past. I am beginning to fear that something is wrong." He let out a long sigh before continuing. "You are right, Ro', tis time we go and speak to Ada."

As they were leaving the room, Elrohir caught sight of an apple on the top of Estel's pack. 'He obviously does not want this anymore, so I shall put it to good use.' He thought as he snatched the apple and hurried to join Elladan.

A few minutes later the brothers entered Elrond's study without even knocking. This was a risky action and they rarely chanced angering the elven lord, but sometimes the chance was worth taking. Elrond, Glorfindel, and Fraylik were sitting in a tight circle by the fire engaged in deep conversation when the two burst into a room for the second time that evening. The talk stopped immediately and three pairs of eyes shot up to see who would dare to disturb their meeting. Elrond's glare was pure ice and the twins tensed as it focused on them.

"Elladan, Elrohir, why have you disturbed us? May I add that this interruption had better be very, VERY important." Elrond spoke with his voice filled with irritation and warning.

"Ada, Estel's missing." Elladan said pointedly. "He was supposed to meet us to train, but he never came."

"We have searched everywhere and have yet to find him. Normally it would not trouble us so, but Estel is not one to skip training." Elrohir finished as he unconsciously tossed the apple from hand to hand. When he had finished speaking, he brought it to his mouth as if to take a bite.

"Where did you find that apple?" Elrond asked suddenly.

Both Elladan's and Elrohir's faces twisted in confusion. Elrohir looked down at the apple and then back at his father before responding.

"In Estel's pack. Why do you ask, Ada?"

"Please, let me see it, Elrohir." Elrond requested.

"If you want an apple, there are plenty down in the kitchen. I can go and get one for you if you desire it so." Elladan offered and Elrohir once again moved to eat the apple.

"NO! Do not eat that." Elrond ordered sternly and rose to take it from his son. "You said this apple came from Estel's pack. He took no food with him yesterday, for he left right after the midday meal without visiting the kitchens. No, it cannot be." he trailed off. Suddenly an expression of horror took over Elrond's face and he stared wide-eyed at the twins. The room was left in an uncomfortable silence as the occupants watched the terror stricken elf. When he spoke again, Elrond's voice came out strained and quiet.

"You said that Estel is missing?"

"Aye, Ada, what is wrong? Why are you so upset over a simple apple? There are plenty more as Elladan said." Elrohir commented.

"You mistake me, ninion." He turned toward the two figures by the fire. Understanding flashed in both Fraylik and Glorfindel's eyes.

"Lord Elrond, do you mean to say that the nulla suule is here?" Fraylik asked with growing concern.

"Yes, my friend, not only is it here but I fear that it has chosen Estel as its prey." As he spoke, Elrond's eyes drifted to the window. There they met another pair that stared back from the protective darkness of the night. For a spilt-second they locked with his before abruptly vanishing. When they parted both had knowledge of the other, but only one had fear.

***** A/N: Ok, see no cliffie and it was a pretty good length right?

***** b mcnally- Well, I am glad that you are enjoying it and I am sorry for how long it took me to get the pervious chapter up. This one was up faster, I'm trying.

MaverickGirl- Thank you and I hope you enjoyed this chapter also.

Kawaii BlueBear- Yes, poor little Estel. He has no idea what he has gotten himself into this time. Believe me, this will get very interesting. Thank you so much for the review, I am really happy that you like it.

arabella thorne- Did this chapter clear some things up? Yes, those apples are quite interesting and Estel has no clue. Well, soon he shall defiantly get very tired of them. Thank you so much for reviewing.

Xsilicax- Thank you for the review and my leg is slowly getting better. It seems as though the apples were popular and they will continue to play a pretty big role in the next chapter too. Kelvakanta is not a very nice man and I bet you will begin to dislike him quite a bit very soon. Oh well, glad you like it so far.

ThE iNsAnE oNe- Thanks for taking the time to review even though you are so busy. As always I am really enjoying your stories and I love each post so much.

Dujoran- Yes, those apples are very bad and Estel will realize that very soon. Also, I am afraid that our poor little Estel will have a, let me see how to put it.interesting time in the next few chapters. But don't worry he will prove himself and he has already begun by freeing the others.

Emmithar- I found it! I went onto Amazon and ordered the dictionary so it will be here in a few days. Thank you so very very much! Now maybe I can finally get my elfish under control. I do believe that the apples may have a direct affect on Estel and that is what is causing him to act the way he is. Oh, I can't give anything away yet, you will find out much more about them in the next chapter. I hope you got everything done that you needed to and thanks so much for the review!