First off:
I'm incredibly sorry that it took me so long to update, I had a severe case of writer's block and it took me ages to get past it. All I can say is that you won't have to wait that long for chapter seven; I'm already halfway (this was actually the thing that got me past my writer's block, I simply couldn't write anything sensible for chapter six but well, chapter seven that is a different story, that's about Estel's tortu… oops, not revealing anything else *eg*), so I think it'll be up in a fortnight or something like that.
I also want to tell you that this is the first and definitely the last time I'm writing WIP (work in progress), any future stories I'll write won't be WIP (I'll have at least 5 chapters before I post the first one), so I can update more regularly. So my advice to future FF.net (or FP.net) authors is: NO WIP!
Disclaimer & other standard ramblings: see some previous chapter
A/N: I'm still not satisfied with this chapter and may rewrite some parts of it some day, I know it's not a very good chapter, but I promise chapter seven will be better
R2R's:
Elladan - *looks very ashamed* I feel so sorry for not updating sooner! Thank you very much for your kind words and I hope you'll enjoy reading this chapter too
Kawaii BlueBear – Thank you so much for your kind words; I'm a true anglophile and your 'bloody brilliant' comment meant very much to me. Oh, and rest assured, Estel's captor won't _kill_ him, but as for the 'or anything'… you really have to wait for the next chapter *eg*
Belothien – Hmmm, eigenlijk vind ik dit hoofdstuk crap, maar ja, ik heb het uiteindelijk toch maar gepost; MAAR hoofdstuk 7 wordt een stuk beter (hoop ik)
Kaeera – LOL! Chapters are _always_ too short in my opinion; actually the best chapter would be a chapter that would never end, so you can read Estel/Aragorn stories for ever! (okay, it's 1AM now, so please forgive me for being a bit weird *g*) You will find out what happens to Estel in the next chapter, just remember: patience is a virtue!
Cathy - *blushes* Thank you so very much, your words made me glow like a star(okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but hey, it's 1AM, remember!) Chapter 7 will focus on Estel, and yes it are orcs that have captured him. Don't worry: you will get your share of Estel angst! Thank _you_ for reviewing! *g*
Puck – Hey mellonamin! Thanks for being so patient with me, and well, you already read some parts of chapter 7 and I've been blabbering on… and on… and on… about An Estel Story, so I won't go there again. Anyway, _nine_ days to go, and counting! *g*
Arlessiar – Thank you for reviewing and I'll reveal to you that it were orcs that were chasing Estel, but what will happen to him next, you will find out in chapter 7
Elwen – Thank you for taking the time to review! *flinches at Elwen's hiss* erm, I hope you don't mind waiting till the next chapter? *looks _very_ uncomfortable as Elwen advances on her* I'll take that as a no! *runs away*
Anita – *looks really ashamed* Het spijt me echt enorm dat het zo lang duurde voordat dit hoofdstuk uitkwam! Maar wees gerust, hoofdstuk 7, het boeiende hoofdstuk, is ook al in de maak en het zal niet zo heel lang duren voordat ik het post
Emmithar – What 800 page novel were you reading (title, author and genre please), did you like it (if you still remember any word of it, after all this time)? Don't know why but that {very nice cliffe edain} sounded really cool and I felt really honoured by it (yes, I'm strange too *g*) Well, thanks again for helping me out with the Elvish stuff (I'll use 'help me' in chapter 7) and for always reviewing!
SperryDee – Thank you for reviewing and I agree with you that wolves are fascinating creatures. I hope you'll enjoy reading chapter 6!
Happy molecule – Thanks for reviewing and let me tell you: you're name is _so_ cool! It's just so funny! I was smiling all day after I had read your review!
Teddybear888 - *looks very _very_ ashamed* I'm sooooo sorry! I felt (and still feel) really guilty for not updating sooner, but well, all I can say is that you can take comfort in the fact that chapter 7 will be posted in about a fortnight!
Nindë – Bedankt voor je review, ik hoop dat je dit hoofdstuk ook een beetje leuk vindt!
Okay, now let's go on to the actual story *g*
* * * * * * * * indicates the passing of time
Chapter six'Estel.' Elrond whispered brokenly.
Elrohir jumped off his horse, kneeling near the mangled body. 'It's not Estel!' he yelled. 'I don't know who…'
Though Elrohir continued speaking, Elrond didn't listen to his son's words; all he could think of was the fact that Estel still lived. Then he forced himself to pay attention to the younger twin.
'…bones are too long, this once was a full grown man,' Elrohir said, then he looked at the unknown man with pity. 'Hiro hon hîdh ab 'wanath,' he whispered.
He then returned to the searching party, who was still at the place where Estel had rested. As Elrohir completed the group, all heads turned towards Elladan and the elder twin continued with a slightly shaken voice his analysis on the tracks on the ground before Elrohir had interrupted him. 'And I think he rested here for a long while, not knowing in what direction to go. My guess is that he saw the wolf tracks and realized he had to change his course. But he still didn't know where to go, that would explain why there are so many tracks leading from this spot in so many directions.'
'But where did he eventually go, Elladan?' Gandalf asked impatiently.
Elladan hesitated. 'I am not sure, there are many tracks leading to the east, but there are many tracks leading to the west too.'
'Let us split up,' Elrohir proposed. 'I'll go to the east, you go west, if you find anything, whistle.'
As the twins left in opposite directions, Gandalf, Glorfindel and Elrond looked at each other.
'He…,' Glorfindel started to say, but stopped. 'How can I say he is fine? We don't know that! It is no use to try to reassure the Lord of Imladris his mortal son will be fine with words untrue.'
'I still have hope, Glorfindel,' Elrond said softly. 'I am sure Estel evaded the wolves once he realized he was following their route.'
'Yes,' Glorfindel agreed. 'The boy is exceptionally bright for his age, I too have faith that Estel has avoided the animals. I'm still worried, however, there are more dangers than wolves.'
'I know, my friend, I feel it too, something is amiss. My heart fears for my youngest son.'
A whistle resonated through the woods.
'Elladan,' Elrond said, looking into the direction his eldest had disappeared.
Moments later Elladan appeared through the bushes. 'The track stopped after a while and I found a fresher one leading back to this spot.'
Elrohir emerged from behind a tree, but with his keen Elven hearing had heard his brother's last words. 'I've found no indication that Estel strayed from this path, I think we can assume he went east.'
The group mounted and followed Estel's trail to the east.
* * * * * * * *
'Do you think he will be all right?' Elrohir asked worriedly.
'Of course he'll be all right!' Elladan responded. 'He's from the House of Elrond, he is tough!' 'He has to be.'
Elrohir, trying to break the tension he had built by asking whether Estel would be all right, looked at his brother with pity in his eyes. 'You know, Elladan, you never were much of an actor.'
Elladan glared at Elrohir, but then looked away. 'I know, but we have to keep believing he is fine.'
Elrohir's heart cringed at the pain filled tone of his twin and put a hand on Elladan's shoulder. 'He will be okay. After all,' Elrohir said with a twinkle in his eye. 'He has survived living with you under one roof.'
Elladan smiled a little. 'That's not such a difficult thing, I wonder how he survived being with you for even one day!'
Though the twins banter had been light and their words full of hope, slowly but steadily despair started to creep in their hearts.
* * * * * * * *
'He touched these berries, Ada,' Elladan commented, standing near a rowan bush. 'The leaves are crumpled.'
'What?' Elrond exclaimed, dismounting hurriedly to stand next to Elladan who was still studying the berries.
'But it doesn't seem he ate any of them,' Elladan hastened to assure his father.
'And a good thing that is,' his father said. 'For though these specific mountain-ash berries are not poisonous, there are a lot of deadly variants.'
'Oh Estel, muin ion,' he thought, an image of the boy, hungry and thirsty, in filthy and torn clothes filled his mind's eye.
'Elrond!'
Having a déjà-vu feeling, Elrond heard somebody call out his name and he looked up to see the worried eyes of Gandalf, again.
'Elrond! Are you all right?'
The elven lord nodded, mounting his horse and urging it forward. 'Yes, I am fine. Let us continue our search.'
Gandalf stared at the back of the elven lord worriedly. 'I pray we find Estel soon, not only for the sake of the boy, but also for the sake of his family and the future of Middle Earth.' The Istar let out a sigh, 'But my instincts tell me otherwise, I sense that this rescue operation will not be an easy one.'
They heard the sound of clattering water and soon they arrived at a rivulet. It was evident that Estel had drunk water from it and had eaten some strawberries that grew nearby. All companions were relieved to know the Adan had eaten something and drunk enough water to prevent dehydration. Their worries dropped a notch and suddenly Elladan realised he they hadn't eaten since this morning.
'Ada?' he asked, looking back at his father who was riding behind him. 'You don't happen to have something to eat with you, do you?'
Before Elrond could respond, Glorfindel, who rode next to the Elf Lord, threw the twin an apple, grinning widely. 'Lucky I thought about bringing some apples for the horses.'
Elladan grinned sheepishly as he bit into the fruit.
'What would we do without you, oh mighty balrog slayer!' Elrohir exclaimed in jest.
Glorfindel glared at him. 'Do you still want an apple?'
Elrohir just laughed and caught the thrown apple, that was aimed at his head, easily.
* * * * * * * *
Not long after the group had left the rivulet behind, their spirits considerably raised, a sudden warning floated through the forest.
It was strange, Gandalf mused, how fast and sudden the tension that had eased a bit, came back with a vengeance.
Glorfindel looked up to the trees. 'Danger was looming, please let it have nothing to do with Estel.'
Not saying a word, only looking at each other Elladan and Elrohir urged their horses to ride faster at exactly the same time. Though their composure was confident, their grim faces betrayed their feelings.
Elrond's face, however, did not change at all. Only his eyes revealed a glimpse of the Elf's soul: they were full of worry, yet an iron determination to find the youngest resident of Rivendell shone in the golden eyes.
'Danger, foul creatures are roaming in Imladris' Forest, they have to leave, they're dark.'
Gradually the attitude of the trees became more violent, at first it had been nothing but concern, but now the feelings were becoming livid; the trees almost screamed for help.
'They cut of our brunches and burn them, they stamp on the fallen leaves, crushing them, they pollute the rills and rivulets by their mere presence. They're destroying nature, they're destroying us!'
As the anger of the trees increased, thus increased the worry of the Elves. Even Elladan could no longer try to mask his fear for the fate of his little brother.
The company rode in silence, yet their thoughts were anything but. 'Please, Valar, protect Estel, he's so young, he has yet so many tasks to fulfil, he has so many goals to achieve. Please, spare this child!'
* * * * * * * *
'Ada,' Elrohir's face had gone deadly pale.
'Yes?'
'I…,' Elrohir began. 'I think there are orcs nearby.'
Elrond gasped, not questioning his son, he knew Elrohir wouldn't have said anything if he hadn't been sure of his ground.
The younger twin had always been one who was close to nature and had a special gift to 'feel' the warnings of the beasts and plants. Already at a young age, Elrohir had showed signs of becoming a calm and sensitive Elf. Though every Elf was tied to nature, Elrohir was the most nature loving Elf he knew, except for Celebrian of course. Elrond closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. 'Oh, Celebrian, how I wish that you were still with us, that you would see how our children have grown, that you could have guided Elrohir, comforted Elladan and laughed with Arwen. You always understood them so well. How I wish you to meet Estel, I'm sure you would love him, just as much as we all do. Alas, that will never happen for he is mortal and will not sail to the Undying Lands.'
Elrond brought his thoughts back to the present. 'Have you any idea where they are and how many?' he asked Elrohir.
'No, but they are ahead of us, moving from east to west, I think if we keep up this course we'll cross their path.'
A silence fell, until Glorfindel broke it. 'That means Estel will cross their path too.' 'Or has already crossed it,' he added to himself.
'Let us quicken our pace then,' was all Elladan said and started forward.
'Wait!' Elrond said, raising an arm. The twins turned around to look at their father in confusion.
'Elrohir, I ask you again, can you give an estimation of the number of orcs?'
The young Elf looked uncomfortable. 'No, not really.'
Elrond looked at him sternly. 'But I think it are many,' Elrohir finally said softly.
'It is as I thought,' Elrond said. 'We cannot fight them alone.'
Elladan objected, he was familiar with his father's reasoning. 'No! We won't leave now! Estel will need us!'
'Elladan,' Elrond said in a tone that did not take no for an answer, giving Elladan a look that would make Shelob uncomfortable. 'We cannot fight this band of orcs on our own, we need reinforcements…'
'But why do we have to go?' Elladan interrupted, waving his hands between him and his twin.
'Because I don't dare to let anyone go by himself back to Imladris, you two know these woods by heart and you are so used to each other's way that I am sure you will reach Imladris safely.'
'Ada, you seem to forget that we are the best trackers and you'll need someone to track Estel,' Elrohir objected.
'The trail is easy to read and you know perfectly well that Glorfindel is almost as capable as you are.'
'Then why don't you and Glorfindel ride back home to get help?!' Elladan lashed out at his father.
'Elladan!' Elrohir exclaimed shocked.
'Don't cross the line, Elladan, my patience is thin,' Elrond looked his eldest square in the eye. 'And to answer your question: Estel might need be in need of a healer when he is found.'
Elladan's eyes blazed, but eventually he bowed his head.
'We will leave at once,' Elrohir said, nudging his horse.
'Please, take care of him,' Elladan whispered to his father as he turned to ride back to Rivendell.
Elrond nodded resolutely. 'I will.'
The Lord of Imladris watched his sons go and then urged his horse forward again. 'Valar, please watch over my sons, all three of them.'
* * * * * * * *
The twins became aggravated as they were affected by the trees' feelings and their own feelings of doubt; fearing their aid would come too late. They didn't need to speak with each other, linked as they were, and they rode on in silence.
But suddenly they both heard a warning from the trees. 'Danger is coming your way! You cannot handle it on your own, flight!'
'This warning wasn't meant for us,' Elladan said.
'Estel,' Elrohir breathed.
'Maybe there is someone else in these woods nearby,' Elladan said, trying to think positively, but his voice betrayed he had little belief in his words.
Elrohir did not comment on the last statement, only looked at his brother sceptically.
'Danger is coming your way! You cannot handle it on your own, flight!'
Elrond looked up abruptly at the forest's sudden cry.
'Estel,' Gandalf muttered to himself. 'He must be in danger.'
'He must have run into the orcs, the wood wouldn't shout directly to him if he wasn't in serious danger,' Elrond thought, praying to the Valar for the umpteenth time to protect his youngest. 'Be strong, my child, we will bring you home, you will be safe again.'
'We must press on, we have to find him,' he said aloud. 'Glorfindel, please lead the way. Haste is of most urgent, so follow the track as fast as you can without losing it.'
Glorfindel nodded and spurred his horse into a faster trot. 'The orcs have travelled in a straight line for a long time now, I can assume they won't deviate from their course. I will check every now and then whether we are still on the right track.'
* * * * * * * *
'Elrond, what are you going to do when we find him?' Finally Glorfindel had plucked up his courage and asked the question that had been bothering him for some time now.
'I do not have an answer to your question yet,' Elrond answered. 'It all depends on what state he is in when we find him.'
Gandalf looked confused at the two Elves. 'And people claim that I speak in riddles!'
He cleared his throat. 'Would you care to explain to an old man what you are talking about?'
'The Celebfalath potion,' Glorfindel said.
Gandalf waited for Glorfindel to continue his elucidation, but when it was apparent the Elf would not explain further, he asked: 'What has Celebfalath to do with Estel?'
'You do not know that Estel has been given Celebfalath?' Glorfindel asked, but he hadn't even finished when understanding dawned on him. 'Oh, of course, you weren't in Imladris at the time. You remember the nightmares he had when he was brought to us?'
The Istar nodded. He had heard the boy scream and cry during the night, and had once been present when Elrond was holding the distraught child, trying to console him. His heart wrenched as he thought back to the small voice of the edain, 'Please, Ada, make them go away.' However, at the time he had urgent business to attend to and having made sure that the Heir of Isildur was in capable hands, he had left the Elven refuge. When he had come back half a year later, Estel had no trouble sleeping and the wizard didn't want to remind the boy of his nightmares, therefore he did not speak of the matter.
'He wasn't able to sleep properly,' Glorfindel continued. 'He could only rest when someone was holding him and even then he had to be exhausted to actually fall asleep. At first he was only weak and tired, but then he caught a cold. Because of the lack of sleep, his immunity system wasn't working properly and he became very ill. We feared his body could not fight the illness off without proper rest. The problem lay with the nightmares and we had to find a way to remove them, or at least make them less frightening. Finally we found the solution in Celebfalath. The herb would only suppress his memories, not erase them and thus he would be able to revert to his previous experiences and will retain all his abilities.
'We discussed it and all agreed unanimously that letting Estel 'forget' the whole ordeal would be the best solution.'
'I see,' Gandalf nodded understandingly. 'Many questions have been answered as to why he never spoke of the death of his parents.'
'Still the question stands,' Glorfindel asked, turning his attention once again to Elrond. 'What are you going to do this time?' 'And if he's taken captive by the orcs, will that trigger the subconscious memories?' he thought privately, not daring to ask the question, afraid of the answer the Elf Lord might give.
'I don't know yet, it all depends on how he will be influenced by his ordeal.'
The Elven lord stopped, but then continued in a soft voice. 'Maybe it's time that he should learn more about the dangers in the world.'
'It's no use to dwell on such thoughts, we will discuss such matters when Estel is safe,' Gandalf interjected briskly. 'When he'll be with us.'
'If he'll ever be with us again,' Elrond whispered in the air, so softly that even the wizard did not hear his words.
Behind them the setting sun was burning red.
TBC
muin ion = [my] dear son
Hiro hon hîdh ab 'wanath = Let him find peace after death
= = = = = =
Please R&R
Additional note: I want to make sure that I'm a fervent follower of Sio & Cassia and completely agree with them that Estel eventually sails to the Undying Lands, but at the time this story takes place, no one knows this yet
(if you don't know what I'm talking about, go read 'And So The End' , www.fanfiction.net/ read.php?storyid=1032571 , believe me, it's definitely worth reading)