Disclaimer: If I owned them I would not have to struggle to pay car insurance and college tuition. I am struggling, thus I do not own them.
"" Elvish
'' common tongue
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"Estel, this is Prince Legolas of Mirkwood. Legolas, this is my son, Estel." Elrond introduced the sixteen-year-old to the elf prince, both of whom were glaring at each other. They had been fighting not even five minutes ago, before Elrond had broken it up. "You will be respectful to one another."
There was a simultaneous answer of "Yes Ada." and "Yes Lord Elrond." The pained looks on both of the youths faces were hysterical, it took all Elrond's will power to just keep his face stern and glaring at the two of them. Although Elrond knew this peace he had gotten them to promise to was only a temporary solution, Elrond could not help feeling a little proud. For if given a chance, Elrond couldn't help to think that these two would become the best of friends in time of course. Maybe he could speed up the process.
"I'm going to attend to things in my study. You two are to stay here until you work out the differences standing between you two."
"But Ada..." Estel looked desperate at the thought of being left alone with Legolas.
"But Lord Elrond..." Legolas looked angry at the thought of being left with Estel.
"There is to be no buts, you two. If there is to be peace between Mirkwood and Imladris (Rivendell), we must be able to respect each other and not get into fights." Elrond said softly with conviction.
Estel looked up at his father's hopeful and gentle face and then at the prince of Mirkwood, who looked unsure but still raring for a fight. His father had worked so hard for this peace between Mirkwood and Rivendell, Estel knew he had no right to throw away all that hard work.
"All right Ada, I will try and keep my temper in check."
Legolas looked surprised at the human's admission. Why would he agree to this? Elrond is not his real father; he does not have to really obey him. But Estel must really love Elrond to do that, is that possible? Legolas looked at the boy's face, so hopeful, determined and kind. It shocked Legolas so much that he couldn't speak.
The elven lord nodded his head toward his human son, "That is good nin Estel." Estel couldn't keep from grinning at the small praise, he always desired to please his elven father.
"I will try, too. To keep my temper." Legolas said softly, when his voice had returned to him. If this human boy was willing to put away any anger between them, then he will do so as well. He gave Estel a small smile.
Elrond nodded again, "Good Prince Legolas. I am glad to see that you are both willing to try. Many good things will come out of this alliance if we just have the determination to see things through." Estel gave his father a look of awe and Legolas just looked surprised at the half-elf. Giving his leave, Elrond turned and walked away, leaving the two boys in his wake.
But even as he walked away, his elven ears picked up Estel's question to the prince.
"So you want to go torment my brothers?" His son asked casually, as if it was nothing. Elrond heard Legolas laugh and agree. Maybe this would be worth it after all, even if he would have to patch Estel up again once his brothers got their revenge...
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"You are Aragorn son of Arathorn." Elrond told him gently. Then he sat back and waited for the anger and the demanding of an explanation.
"Can I still call you Ada?" Was his only reply, surprise the elven lord.
Estel must have seen the confusion on his face, for he clarified. "I want to know if I could still call you Ada, for you are the only father I have ever known. So can I?" Estel asked, as the twenty-year-old began to fidget.
Elrond stood shocked for a moment before recovering. "Yes of course you can ninion." His voice was soft, warm, and surprised. "Why wouldn't you be able too?"
"Because I thought you might not want me anymore." Estel said softly, unsure even though Elrond had called him son.
Elrond caught the real meaning behind Estel's words. He reached over to his son. "No, I will always love you, even if you are in love with Arwen." The young man stiffened slightly and Elrond couldn't stop the smirk that pulled at the corners of his mouth. "So if I can still love you though you are in love with your sister, why shouldn't I love you when you're Isidur's heir."
"You know?" Estel asked bewildered how was it possible that his father knew.
"I'm a parent, I know all." Elrond said lightly with mirth glowing in his silver eyes.
"Is that so?" Estel asked raising an eyebrow, mirth had come into his own silver eyes as well.
"Of course." Elrond could barely keep from laughing. It looked like his son was having a hard time keeping a straight face as well. "Parents always know everything about their children."
Estel's face lost its humor, "Then you know that I am terrified about what you said earlier."
Elrond's features changed back into seriousness, "Which part? Arwen or being Isidur's heir?"
"The former the later, both. I do not know Ada. I have not even talked to Arwen yet, so I have no idea how she feels about this. For some reason I don't think she likes me. And the other thing, the other thing scares me to death." Estel answered trufully. "I'm not sure I'm strong enough for that. To go up against that kind of weakness."
"Ion-nin you do not have to worry." Elrond said kindly, "You are stronger then you think Estel-nin. (My Estel)"
"Ada do I have to be... you know.... Now?" Estel looked scared to death, he hadn't even heard the last part of what his father had spoken for it had been spoken so softly. "Can I still just be Estel for a while longer. Just be le ion (your son)?"
Elrond's heart went out to the young man; he wrapped his arms around his son and held him tight. "You will always be my son and you will always be Estel, even if it is just in your brothers, Legolas, your, and my minds." He drew back from his son and looked him straight in the eyes, "And to answer your question, no you don't have to be king just yet."
His son relaxed as the fear raced out of his body and a smile returned to his face.
"But we do have to talk about you and Arwen." Elrond said seriously getting a groan from his dear human son.
"Ada!" Estel cried in anguish, and Elrond laughed...
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"Ada.." Twenty-two year old Estel started out softly.
"Yes what is it Estel?"
"Will you tell me what Amme (mommy), what your wife, Lady Celebrian was like?"
Elrond was slightly taken aback by the question, but it made sense. If Celebrian had stayed in Middle Earth she would have been Estel's mother. And she would have loved every moment of it.
"What would you like to know about her ion-nin?" There was slight pain in the half-elven lord's voice.
"I..I am sorry Ada, I do not mean to cause you pain." Estel said quietly. "You do not have to tell me if it is too painful."
"No, it is all right Estel. You are just curious, if she had stayed she would have been your mother. And she would have been very proud to be just that and to be called Amme by you." Elrond replied.
"As I would be proud to call her Amme." Estel said as he smiled at his father, "Well then, will you tell me everything about Amme?"
Elrond laughed, "Aye, I will tell you everything. I first saw by a waterfall in Lindon, she was going for a swim. Oh Elbereth, she was the most beautiful creature I had ever set eyes on......."
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"Ai Estel.(Oh, Estel)" Elrond said as he looked at his son's injuries closely. "I want to know why you can never come home without you or Legolas being injured."
"It is a gift Ada, it is a gift." Estel answered dryly through the pain of his shoulder, which his father was working on relocating, again. It was the second time in the past year, Elrond was beginning to wonder if his son was trying to set a record for dislocated shoulders.
"I am serious Estel. Can you two try not to nearly get yourselves killed for once?" Elrond asked as he popped his son's should back into joint. He was answered by his son's scream. Then he went about to check on his son's other injuries, a sprained ankle, broken fingers, and multiple cuts.
Legolas wasn't any better off, for he had suffered a broken left forearm, multiple cuts, and a sprained back. How he had managed the last injury, Elrond could not begin to comprehend, and frankly he did want to know. But the wounds would not stop the two best friends from meeting and staying in one another' rooms.
Estel looked pained, "I do not know, I do not go looking for trouble, Ada, I don't! Trouble seems to find me and Legolas no matter what I try to do to prevent it."
Elrond placed his hand on his son's good arm, "Iston Estel (I know). I just worry about you that is all. You always get into situations that elves my age wouldn't dare to enter."
Estel sighed, "Iston Ada (I know). But I always feel like I have to prove myself to everyone, sometimes I think that is part of the reason I get in so much trouble. But only part of it I swear."
Elrond sighed, he hated having his son feel inferior to the rest of those in Rivendell...
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"Why can't you give her up?" Elrond asked angrily of the human that he had considered his youngest son. "She needs to be with her people."
"Because I love her!" Aragorn shouted desperately for he didn't want to hurt his foster father, "I love her! What would you have me do Elrond? I don't want to destroy her! I swear to the Valar that I don't ! I just want her to be happy." He was sobbing now.
"Tell me what I must do! For I know not." Aragorn said through his sobs. No Estel, his son said through his sobs. "I know I am not worthy of her, but I know naught how to stop the feelings that boil up inside me when I see her. Tell me what you want me to do. I need your council, for I have not the wisdom for this venture. Please, I'll do anything you ask Elrond. I will tell her to go to Gray Havens and leave Arda, to be with her people. Please tell me what I should do Lord Elrond."
Elrond felt a stab of pain as his son's use of his first name and title sank in. Suddenly the anger that had controlled him dissipated and his thoughts cleared. What was he doing? Trying to rip his family apart? He loved Estel just as much as he loved Arwen. Estel was his son, just as Arwen was his daughter. They were both were apart of his family, they were young and in love. He had to be strong and give her up. He could not destroy both of his children.
"I'm sorry ion-nin, I lost my temper." Elrond said softly, "I don't know how to...I guess you see now that parent are not perfect after all."
"You don't want to lose her." Estel said softly, with more wisdom then any his age or of his race. "You feel like you can't bear to lose one more person. Especially iel-le (Your daughter)." He was surely thinking back on all the stories his brothers had told him about all the losses his foster father had faced. Elros, Celebrain, Gil-Galad, and the countless others Elrond had lost of the centuries.
"No, I'll lose both of you. iel-nin a ion-nin.(my daughter and my son)" Elrond said locking eyes with his son. "Yes my son is the person you will always be in my heart. Even though you are not my child by blood, I love you Estel just as I love Arwen and your brothers. It will kill me the day you no longer think of me as le Ada. (Your dad)"
Estel looked unsure for a moment, then he raised his eyes to his fathers, "Do not worry Ada, that day will never come. You are Ada-nin, always. Even death can't change that."
Elrond stared at the man standing in front of him and thought not for the first time if the elves hadn't misjudged humans, for how can something so easily willing to forgive be evil...
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"I see you have managed to bring yourself home undamaged, and yet you have brought with you a hobbit that has been stabbed with a ulaire (ring wrath's) blade." Elrond called out from behind Aragorn. It was entertaining to watch his youngest jump sometimes. Then again Estel would pay him back for it later, how the young human was able to sneak up on him, he would never know.
It surprised Elrond though that his son's hair was short, usually it was to his shoulder blades. Must have been necessary for a mission. His son was always trying to keep his hair out of his face, and it being short would not help.
But Estel just smiled as turned around, "Hello Ada... I'm glad to see you too."
Elrond rolled his eyes and opened his arms to give his son a hug. When he pulled away he was grinning. "You can't blame your old father for commenting on an usually situation, can you?"
Estel just shook his head, "Really getting old Ada..."
Elrond mocked disbelief, "Ninion you are suppose to respect your elders..."
"I meant that line Adar (Father), but if you want to talk about your age..." Estel said with a grin and mirth in his eyes.
Elrond playfully cuffed his youngest in the back of the head, chiding him. "Hush now child, or I will not let you out of the house for a few years."
Estel just grinned wider, "Really? What if I run away?"
Elrond raised his eyebrow, "Not if you don't want to be stuck here for the next decade, you will not."
"It wouldn't be such a bad thing being here Ada. I love Imadris" Estel said sincerely and his father gave him a true smile. Then Estel raised his eyebrow and looked deep into his father's eyes, questioning what he saw there. Then he smiled, "Admit, my beloved father, you just miss me when I am not around the house."
His father laughed at the comment, "Yes I guess I do, though it is much quieter without you here." There was a mock glare from his son, "And I do not have your gwadors pestering me to send out a search party to go find you because you are not back when you said you were going to be back."
"A search party? For me? And here I thought they did not love me anymore." Estel said teasingly, but there was a brief look of surprise that had shone on his son's face. Only Estel would think that his brothers didn't care for him.
Elrond rolled his eyes, "Yes, they pestered me the minute it turned midnight the day that you were suppose to return." Then he looked as serious as he could, "They worried themselves sick."
Now that shocked Estel, for elves couldn't get sick. That was always what he had been told and what he had witnessed. "They what? Tha...that's not possible Ada! Are they okay?"
Upon seeing the shocked look on his son's face Elrond laughed, causing Estel to quickly realize that his father was joking around. "That was not funny Ada."
"Well it is not funny either when our tithen gwador (little brother) does not returned home on time." Elladan said annoyly crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"Yes, then Adar wouldn't let us go out and look for you." Elrohir said glumly with a touch of annoyance in his voice. He mimicked his brother's position on the other side of the room, "You are not going anywhere for a very long time Estel for all the worry you put us through."
"I was detained, I swear!" Their little brother said desperately.
"By what, may I ask?"
"Gollum, then the hobbits, then Ulaire, then Frodo getting pierced by a Ulaire blade. And that was just on the way to get here!"
Their father couldn't resist joining in the discussion again. "And where did you meet up with the hobbits?"
"What does it matter?" Estel asked and was met with three stony faces. "Fine Bree."
"Bree what were you doing in Bree?" Elladan asked inquisitively.
"Playing a hunch!" Estel was really getting desperate now.
Elrohir snorted in disbelief, "You should have been on your way home, little brother."
"I am sorry, I am sorry."
Seeing that the teasing had gone too far the elven lord quickly cut it off. "Elrohir, Elladan leave le gwador (your brother) alone, he has had a rough week."
Turning to Estel he said seriously. "It is not your fault Estel, if you had not been in Bree the hobbits would have been killed, and Sauron would have the one ring."
Estel relaxed at his father's words. "Thanks Ada."
"You are welcome Estel, but next time send us a letter when you decide to play a hunch."
"Yes Ada."
"So is anyone going to tell me my friend, what this council that I was called to, is all about? No one at the gate could tell me." asked a voice behind Estel, and Elrond could not help but to smile at the giddy look that came to his youngest's face.
"Legolas! Oh my friend how good it is to see you! It has been a long time." Aragorn turned and gathered his friend in an embrace.
"Good to see you as well Estel. And it has not been that long, you were in Mirkwood a few weeks ago." There was a glare for Legolas to keep quiet, which sent Legolas laughing. Estel's whole family raised their eyebrows at the young prince's comment.
"Maybe you will be able to convince my son that writing to his family on the road is a good thing." Elrond told his sons' friend with a wink as Estel groan complaining he had wrote four times.
"I will try my lord." Legolas said with a smirk as he glanced at his friend. "You couldn't resist getting into trouble could you. You're a trouble maker Estel."
Estel raised his eyebrow, a trick he had learned from his father. "Really, I seem to remember you being the one that got us in all that trouble last time. You are the trouble maker."
The twins were about to join in the teasing when Elrond shut them all up by saying, "You all are trouble makers, no more. Tomorrow is a busy day."
The twins finally noticed Estel's short hair, "Gwador what did you do?"....
TBC