Hi again! I've decided to respond to my reviewers as I feel that each and every one of you should be congratulated for your continued support. I hope I haven't missed anyone out.
Roccovende: Yes, it was inevitable that Estel was to be caught. I hope this next chapter will make your day.
Elvingirl3737: I'm glad your captivated by this story. Thanks for the positive comments.
Ymmas Sirron: Evil child? You're an evil child because you like torture? Then that must mean I'm one too, since I love reading - and writing - Estel torture. I know - I'm sick and wrong, but that is unfortunately is the way I am.
Grumpy: Unfortunately Estel has a knack for attracting trouble. I can tell you that the elf that tried to kill Estel is in fact the same one helping Deollyn. However at the moment Deollyn has no idea of the elf's true identity or of his true motives. He is just assuming that this elf is an elf that knows that Estel knows who Dilir's killer is. It is all very complicated. Only myself and my friend (fellow author on this site - Annasun) knows what is going on as I've told her everything, but she's forgotten now anyway.
Calisto: The elves have to wait because it is too dark for them to follow. Yes, I know that they have superior seeing abilities but they may miss the right trail and they do not want that. In the light they have a better chance of seeing tracks better. Hope this clears everything up!
Elizabeth Goode: I thought I'd tell you not to fall of your seat as you said that you were on the 'edge of my seat!' in your last review.
Leggtlover03: Your in luck today! Estel pain and angst is coming this chapter. As well as twin angst and Elrond horror in the next few chapters. Enjoy!
Well now that I've got through all the reviews for Chapter 6: here is - at last - Chapter 7 of Just an Innocent Child.
Just an Innocent Child
Chapter 7
I'm All Alone
Day dawned bright in Rivendell. The sun glittered on the river as it rose sending out bright sparkling colours across the surface. However the calmness of outside was interrupted by the shouts of several elves - mainly Elladan and Elrohir.
Both of them were frantic for their younger brother and for the rest of the night had spent time looking for any sign in the direction Deollyn may have taken Estel. So far they had found nothing.
Sîrfalas had been risen from bed and Glorfindel had returned from his little trip in the early hours and hearing the circumstances of the dreadful situation, the two elves had left in the early hours with a torch and headed towards the nearest town where they would ask about any strange doings that Deollyn may have been involved in. They had yet to return.
Now that the sun was rising both twins had wasted no time in meeting their father at the gates of Rivendell with three white horses. They were to ride out and attempt to pick up the trail of Deollyn.
It had not rained in the night so tracking would be harder. Deollyn would be careful not to leave any tracks that the elves could easily follow. But they hoped....hoped that he wasn't being aided.
At first tracks were to be seen but as they followed further into the wild the tracks came softer and light and harder to read. Up ahead the mountains drew closer.
"I can hardly see anything." Elladan moaned as he peered down into the grass. "Where could they be going?"
Elrond closed his eyes. He feared where Deollyn was taken his foster son. He would need to tell them. "The direction they are going in tells me that they are heading towards the mountains above the vale of Rivendell. Just above the Bruinen. They must have planned this."
"You don't believe that Deollyn will take him any further then just above Rivendell?" Elrohir asked.
"No. There are caves ahead where they can hide in. Besides Deollyn knows we will follow. He will want to know what Estel knows. Somehow he has come to the conclusion that Estel holds the knowledge of Dilir's murderer. I do not know what measures he will go to." Elrond said.
"I can't bear that Deollyn may hurt him for information that he does not possess. It in inhuman!" Elrohir said, angrily.
"We must stick to hope. If we are lucky then we may catch them before any harm befalls him." Elrond said.
Then Elladan's voice broke between the conversation. "Father! Elrohir! I've found some tracks!"
Elrohir urged his horse forward and jumped off as he neared his brother. Elladan was bending down looking at footprints embedded into the earth.
"The footprints lead up into the mountains. They double-back. I can see it bending in the distance."
"Then they are heading to the caves above the Vale of Rivendell. We must follow the trail through in case you have read it wrong." Elrond explained. "I do not doubt your tracking skills."
"I know father. It's just to be cautious." Elladan said. "However if Deollyn harms any hair on Estel then I will not be held responsible for my actions."
"Then let us hope that he does not." Elrohir commented, eyeing his brother's darkening look.
*****
The journey through the night had been uneventful. Deollyn, Marihel and Mardil ran through the lands twisting this way and that hoping that if the elves were following they would miss the direction that they were truly heading in. There destination was in the mountains that decorated the Vale of Rivendell.
The sun was raising as they climbed the steep mountain path. Below them the Ford glittered in the morning sun, and just far off in the distance just visible to the human eye Deollyn could see Rivendell. That was one place he hoped not to visit again.
He looked back over his shoulder and saw to his amusement Marihel struggling to climb up the mountain path. Over his shoulder hung Estel silent as the grave. Marihel had been forced all through the night to carry the boy in the same position and his back was aching as he found he had to bend forward to keep in balance.
"Come on Marihel! We haven't got all day! Those elves will be onto us before we even get there at the slow pace you are making us travel at!" Deollyn demanded.
"I'm sorry my lord!" Marihel said. "Perhaps the boy should walk himself."
"That he should." Deollyn said. "Very well make him walk!"
Marihel flung Estel onto the ground then quickly cut away the ropes binding his ankles together and forced him to stand. "Walk boy!" And he pushed him forward up the slope.
Estel stumbled and nearly fell but he regained his balance. He was afraid - afraid of Deollyn - of what he would do with him. He was worried about his ada and his brothers and whether they would come for him. He had learnt a long time ago that elves cared deeply for members of their family, and though he knew that the twins cared deeply for him, it didn't mean that Elrond cared for him. In his heart he knew that the elven lord did care for him. It was just something that he was scared of knowing: that no one cared for him.
At last Deollyn led him into a dark cave that fell back into darkness. Deollyn lit a piece of wood and led them through the cave to the very end. Here Deollyn roughly grabbed Estel and pushed him into the wall.
Unprepared Estel let out a yell as he slumped to the ground. His hands were bound in front of him and he pushed himself so that he could roll onto his back.
Deollyn thrust the torch into Marihel's hands and motioned to Mardil. Stepping forward Mardil listened to what Deollyn had to say and left; he came back moments later holding a whip and handed it to Deollyn.
Deollyn's elven contact had made it clear that if pressured by the bite of a whip Estel would break easily. He had doubts of doing this. He didn't want to hurt a boy but if it meant finding out who killed his son - who cared? But the thing is if the elves caught him then they were bound to do things that could mean his death. Elves rarely let people get away with things that effected them.
"My lord?" Mardil whispered.
"What?" Deollyn snapped.
"Are you having....doubts?"
"No! Of course I'm not!" Deollyn said and to prove that he wasn't he uncurled the whip and thrust out his arm and brought down the whip onto Estel's chest.
The boy curled in letting out a pained gasp.
Deollyn hit again and again then he paused and said: "Did you like that?"
Estel did not answer.
"Answer me!" Deollyn whipped the boy again.
"No." Estel replied.
Deollyn nodded. "Then if you don't want it to continue then answer this simple question: Who killed my son?"
"I don't know." Estel murmured.
Deollyn grew angry and lashed out again, wacking the boy again and again with the whip.
The boy's chest became even more bloody and the welts grew but he did not fall unconscious, no matter how much he wished it to be.
It carried on like this for several more rounds until Estel began panting harder and found it harder to breathe.
Seeing the boys suffering Mardil stepped in the way of the whip, getting a scratch on his face. "Stop it! Deollyn! He's dying! He can't breathe! If you want him alive then stop! Come back later!"
Deollyn paused and looked at the frightened child cowering behind Mardil, slowly wrapping himself into a ball. He could see tears strolling down the boy's cheeks. Indeed he had gone to far. Deollyn, son of Deoll, had broken a child's innocence. But then he thought of the killer - the person who had murdered his son - and this child knew who it was, and he'd go to lengths to get it. If the child died then it was his choice to not tell him the truth; he couldn't be held responsible for his actions.
Wrapping his cloak round his shoulders, Deollyn turned and walked away. "Care for him then, but I will be back later to continue with our little session."
Mardil watched as his master walked away. He kneeled down next to the boy and gently pulled him from his ball-like shape. From the boy's mouth he could hear the sounds of sobs and words being spoken.
"I want to die. I can't do that again. Please, please, Valar, let me die." Estel whispered in a broken voice.
Mardil glanced at Marihel; his heart ripping in two as he heard the boys pleas. "What has Deollyn done to this child to make him wish this?"
"The beauty of a child is his innocence. That child has lost it. Deollyn has caused someone to lose the wonder of childhood." Marihel said. "Something so pure has lost their innocence. He shouldn't have done. I am sorry for helping Deollyn."
"So am I." Mardil said, holding the boy close.
"What can we do?"
"Find the elves. Lead them here. Bring Deollyn to justice."
"One of us has to stay here." Marihel said.
"I will." Mardil replied. "I will stay and make sure that this boy does not die. If we do this you must leave now. This is our only chance."
Marihel nodded and handed his brother the torch. "Good luck." Turning he fled up the path and out of the cave, leaving Mardil alone, holding the torch in one hand and Estel in the other. "Hurry up, brother."
TBC
I hope no one is too confused with Mardil and Marihel's roles in this story. Unlike Deollyn they are not being commanded by the 'Shadow Elf' and are more in touch with their feelings then Deollyn is at the moment.
Next chapter: Elrond and the twins meet up with Glorfindel and Sîrfalas. Marihel meets the elves.
See you next chapter!