Disclaimer: Chapter One.
*
Estel ran, faster than he thought he could have possibly run, towards to the gardens, where the plants and trees provided ample hiding place for his small form. Unfortunately, the human boy, not looking as his wallowed in his own world of self pity, rammed straight into Emuilen. The elfling looked shocked and a bit pale as he gazed up at Estel, who had immediately sprang back from him upon contact. Shuffling, his usual exuberant and outgoing attitude discarded, Emuilen looked sheepishly up at Estel as he stood. Estel looked oddly at him. Emuilen stammered slightly as he tried to speak while not looking Estel in the eye.
'Estel, I... I suppose that me... My friends and I were wrong... wrong to provoke you. I... I'm sorry.'
Estel looked at him in surprise, watching as Emuilen squirmed under his gaze. A soft smile broke over his features.
'Yes, I forgive you. Let's just be friends.'
Emuilen, who had been expecting rejection, looked up, a bit hesitant to believe he was pardoned until he saw the genuine look of compassion on Estel's face.
Lord Elrond was right. "The race of Edain is only so bad as we make them to be, evil only when misguided, but true to heart." Maybe easily swayed, but with a compassion like this...? Let us be friends!
Smiling, Emuilen laughed along with Estel as they went off together to have some fun of their own. The two became fast friends.
*
A Day Later...
*
Elladan smiled appreciatively as he clapped his brother on the back, eyeing the finished product on the table.
'I suppose your colour taste was not that foul after all!'
'Not foul? In comparison to yours?'
'Leave you banter, brother.'
'Why so?'
'You know you will loose.'
Elrohir gave Elladan a friendly punch on the shoulder, of which his twin veered away from as he gazed at Elrohir's paint smeared fingers in distaste.
'Touch me not with you paint soaked hands! I happen to like this tunic!'
'Fine, but you speak for yourself! Then let's wash up before Glorfindel the Ever-Neat comes screaming at us for being messy.'
As the twins walked away with their brushes and palettes to the washrooms, they let their newly finished paint job dry. Upon the desk was a row of soldiers, a small fortune of colourful blocks and even the odd catapult, all painted in various hews and shades, each and every piece of woodwork hand carved and exquisite, waiting for Estel's birthday to arrive. The twins were soon back, and the paints dried off quickly enough. Instead of quarrelling over paint, they amused themselves by bickering over how to wrap their present. How they managed to finish the job, only Eru knew.
*
Estel was amazed. His ada seemingly had planned an entire day of activities for him and his brothers. A whole day. Only one thing puzzled him, as he left with his family to head over to the Bruinen for a picnic and to fish: Why Glorfindel and Erestor were seemingly quarrelling over a bunch of pink streamers. Estel shrugged nonchalantly, clutching his ada's hand and swinging it as he laughed at a squirrel chase another up a tree. It had to be an elf-lord thing.
It was a perfect day.
So perfect and so caught up in his happiness, Estel completely forgot one thing.
It was his birthday.