Chapter 8
The figure was coming closer to them, he was on a white horse, elven. And had long golden tresses that went past his shoulders and wafted in the little breeze. He was injured, quite a bit. Bandages covered certain parts of his torn body and he swayed tiredly on his mount.
The sun that had just began to once again peek its head over then hills, it's golden beams spilling out over the lands surrounding the elven refuge. The rays of sun bounced beautifully off the wounded elf's hair.
"Suilad." Galanion called out as they approached each other. "Where are you going?"
The injured elf seemed to think a moment and then looked back at the Mirkwood elf. "I am in search of-"
"Ai! ESTEL?!" he had noticed the small limp figure in Galanion's hands and was riding closer to take a look.
"You know him?"
"Yes, he is Lord Elrond's son!" Glorfindel replied with a tear streaking his face, he gently grabbed the young mortal from the Mirkwood elf's arms and held him close.
"Hep apa Estel!" Glorfindel begged the unconscious nine year old. "Aquista Estel!" Glorfindel's head shot up to Galanion. "You must take him." He ordered. "Take him to Lord Elrond, do not stop for anything or anyone, I would go myself but I can not go any faster, not in my current condition." he pointed to the path before the Mirkwood elf.
"ono Im-"
"Aquista nin mellon, please my friend!" The blonde elf lord handed the boy to the warrior. "Noro lim!"
"Namarie!" Galanion called as he shot down the path towards the house of Elrond.
Glorfindel turned on his horse and followed the blonde Mirkwood eldar but at a much slower pace. He looked ahead to see that the two had already gone far on ahead. He continued on at the same pace hoping to reach Rivendell soon, and hoping that Aragorn would make it.
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"Hold on Tithen pen, hold on!" Galanion pleaded with the unconscious child in his arms, the mortal did not stir, all he did was moan and the elf could see a tear of angst trickle down his cheek.
"It hurts!" the Mirkwood elf was surprised by this little voice and looked down to see pain clouded silver eyes starring at him. "Please, make it stop, it hurts so-so bad!" more and more tears fell down the boys fever flushed face.
"I know, I am doing the best I can, you need to hold on though. I will get you home, and your ada will make you better."
"I will…..t-try." sobs racked the small body and he began to cough violently.
Galanion tried to think of ways to get the child's mind off of the pain, but nothing came to mind. 'A story, children love stories.' a voice inside his head commented. 'About what?" he searched his mind for all the stories he knew but none came to mind. 'Idiot! You have plenty of life experience; tell him about the time you fought those orcs, or spiders, something!'
"Estel?" he lowered his eyes to the frighteningly light child in his arms.
"Hmmm." Aragorn felt he had not the strength to speak, he turned his eyes back to the elf's face.
"What about a story, would that help?"
The nine-year old nodded softly and fixed feverish pained silver orbs on the elf as he told the exciting story.
" Long ago, when I was about two-thousand, I became a soldier in King Thranduil's patrol. I was young and foolish and a stupid idiot." he smiled as the boy smiled huge and giggled a little. "My troop was going to visit Lord Elrond, we had a message and a gift for the lord of Imladris, it was because we had heard of Celebrian and we wanted to help him through his difficult time." Galanion looked ahead to see the borders of the hills making soft lines in the landscape, he knew they would soon be in the elven refuge. "I made a horrible mistake, I was not watching and led the troop into a nest of spiders." the elf shook his head.
"We killed all the spiders, but lost the gift, and the note. I had not the courage to return to King Thranduil. So I……I ran away." He confessed. "I ran from all my comrades and fled to the forest. I have not seen my family or friends since." The young boy saw a tear trickle down his cheek and it fell on his hand.
"W-why…..not…..g-go…..b…ack?" the mortal said with great difficulty.
"Because, I was the only one who made it out alive, or at least I could have helped the others, but instead fear overtook me and I fled."
"Oh."
"Alas, these years have done me good! I have learned great skills, tracking, hunting, all the wonders of the wild, all the wild herbs."
"Would you teach me, once I am out of bed, when Ada sees me he will most likely confine me to bed for at least 20 years."
"I doubt that tithen pen." Galanion chuckled.
"Oh really, then you must here the story of how Elrohir was made to stay in bed for one year."
The elf's eyebrows raised up and he looked at the mortal boy with great curiosity. "I would much enjoy that story." he chuckled again.
"Nae, all of the sudden you look quite pale Estel, you must rest a while and then when you get home, tell me."
The nine year old nodded softly before closing his eyes and drifting off into a peaceful sleep.