By: Eleniel
For full heading (summary, rating, warnings/spoilers, disclaimer, and A/N), please see first chapter.
Just a reminder, encompasses thoughts, flashbacks, and - indicates the passage of time.
Also, I am operating on the basis that Glorfindel of Imladris is in fact the reincarnated Glorfindel of Gondolin, who perished battling a Balrog at the Fall of Gondolin. I know there are people who disagree, but Tolkien did say they were the same (although not intended to be at first). If you disagree please take all freedoms you want, but be civil.
...Just as the she-wolf's jaws began to close, piercing the skin on Estel's head, a quick-moving noise caught her attention. Raising her head for a moment, she saw something no one ever wants to see.
A white wall of water was rushing straight at her. Yipping to the other wolves, she took off in the opposite direction as fast as her long legs could carry her.
Estel awoke as the first droplets of icy cold water sprinkled his forehead. His entire body ached, especially his head and his arm. The first thought springing through his groggy mind was a desperate wish for his ada and brothers.
His wish soon disappeared though, as he felt himself swept up in a torrent of freezing water. Panicking, he opened his eyes and kicked desperately. Estel knew how to swim, Elladan had taught him that very summer, but his small kicks and weakly paddling arms were no match for the flood's power, and he could not find his way to the surface.
Despair swept over him as he dimly realized that if he did not breathe, and soon, he would die. I don't wanna die! he thought, but his head was spinning and he HAD to breathe, NOW.
Kicking one last time, Estel's head contacted the valley floor. Reflexively, he drew a breath.
The little human thought his lungs were going to explode, the pain was so terrible. Screaming in his mind, Estel's lungs heaved and burned even more as he tried to spit the water back up and draw in air. Unfortunately, there was no air, only water. Refusing to give in, oblivious as only children can be that it was likely he would not make it out of this, Estel reversed direction and kicked as hard as he could for as long as he could. Just as he was about to black out, Estel's head broke the surface.
Coughing and sputtering, Estel drew as much air as his still waterlogged lungs could hold. Looking around, he realized the floodwaters had carried him past Imladris and were heading quickly for the edge of the valley.
Flipping and falling down a few sets of tiny waterfalls, Estel realized he was no longer in the valley at all. Instead, he was in an unfamiliar, frightening place. While the land was just like that in the valley, the trees appeared somehow...older. Somewhat worn with time. Inside Imladris, everything seemed to be magical, standing up to time and weather over hundreds of years as if it were mere seconds.
The floodwaters had dispersed now, and left Estel standing in an ankle deep lake. Shivering with cold and pain, the little boy retched in the water, falling to his knees. He looked up, breathing harshly and shaking so badly he could barely stand. Wishing more than ever for Elrond and the twins, Estel hobbled to the nearest tree, having enough sense to know he needed to get up high again, high so any more floods couldn't reach him.
"This...was a bad...idea" he sniffled. It took a while to find a tree he could climb with an injured arm and near frozen legs, but Estel found one, passing out as soon as he was into the branches.
-
Earlier that day...
Elrond sighed wearily, looking out into the golden August sky. As the guests from Mirkwood, including Prince Legolas, departed to freshen for supper, Elrond followed. Instead of going to the guest chambers, however, he headed towards his son's room. Elladan and Elrohir were gone on a short hunt, and they hadn't taken their brother, so it was safe to assume Estel would be lonely as could be in his bedroom. The child had no Elven children to play with, as Arwen was the last Elf born in Middle Earth and she was very much older than Estel. He would be lonely today, without his brothers.
"Estel" Elrond asked, opening the door to the human's room. "Estel, are you in here" There was no answer.
Spying a bulge underneath the covers that had been shoved to the bottom of the unmade bed, Elrond approached, thinking Estel may have fallen asleep. A soft prod in the center of the bulge proved otherwise, though, and Elrond found himself puzzling.
Perhaps he went to play in the woods, he thought, looking casually out the window. There was no sign of the boy, but then, having been raised with Elves, when Estel did not wish to be seen he usually wasn't.
Elrond shook his head once more and headed back to his own chambers to wash and prepare for supper, thoughts of Estel almost overshadowed by the weight of the messages from Mirkwood. Orcs were once again extremely active in the forest, and the spiders were getting bolder. Dol Guldur was becoming more active also, which was most troubling of all news.
"Lord Elrond" It was Erestor, approaching quickly. Nodding his head to the Lord of Imladris in the proper way, he continued. "I am sorry to hinder you, but I thought you may want to know, a pack of wolves has been spotted by the sentry in the outermost tower, facing the woods. I've presumed that since Estel is not in his room, nor anywhere in the building, he is in the forest. He needs to be alerted immediately. I have sent Uruin to search for him."
Nodding his approval and concealing his concern, Elrond thanked Erestor. Fussy and rule-oriented though he was, the Elf was quite good company if you could get him to loosen up. Unfortunately, he tended to do so only when he'd been given a few glasses of wine.
"Erestor. Your presence is requested in the Hall of Fire in five minutes, if you can be ready by then" Elrond called, heading towards the Hall. He arrived in the magnificent part of his home early for supper. Glorfindel was already there, dressed in his formalwear and talking amiably with Prince Legolas of Mirkwood. Catching the blond Elf's attention, Elrond motioned towards himself and then down a little used passageway. Ironically, it was the same one Estel had used hours earlier to hide from his seekers.
"Excuse me, Prince Legolas, it seems I am needed elsewhere for a moment, I will not be long" Glorfindel said, standing and heading towards Elrond. "What is it? What has happened" he asked, knowing Elrond would not call him away for idle talk.
"Wolves have been spotted near the watchtower by the wood. Estel is…" Elrond paused mid-sentence. A puzzled look had overtaken Glorfindel's face, a look not often seen on him. It was very difficult to cause Glorfindel of the Golden Flower of Gondolin to puzzle in such a way. Confusion appeared in his eyes and around his mouth; not on his entire face.
"Pardon, hîr nin, but we have not been the only ones here today." Elrond turned to look and saw that indeed, the sixth door down the hall was slightly ajar. Frowning, Glorfindel asked"I was not aware anyone but you, your children, Erestor and I knew of this passage. It is hidden, is it not"
"No one but us knows of this, and Estel is not numbered among those who do. Come, carefully, let us see who our intruder is." Glorfindel stepped to Elrond's side, and the two made their way down the passage to the door. Quietly drawing a dagger always hidden in his boot—one never knew when it might be needed—Glorfindel whipped the door open.
Nothing happened.
Peeking inside, the Elf Lords discovered no occupants. Still holding his dagger readily, Glorfindel stepped fully inside, lighting his eyes upon an imprint of a small shape in the light dust covering one of the boxes in the space.
"Elrond, look. Someone very small has been in here."
Elrond examined the print for a moment before saying"This is Estel's print. I was not aware he knew of this passage. Still, my heart is trembling. Something is amiss. Estel, I fear, is in danger. Glorfindel, I need you to go to the forest and search where he should be. If you do not find him, come back as quick as you can. I will make your excuses." Moving swiftly back down the passage and into the Hall, Elrond quickly made a decision. Standing at the head of the table he addressed the group quickly.
"Mellyn nin, I must inform you my youngest son is missing. Things very dangerous to a seven-year-old have been spotted in the woods of the valley. Therefore, Lord Glorfindel will not be joining us, but shall search for Estel. I trust that he shall find my son, but should he return without him I wish you to know I will head out immediately, regardless of the time" he said, cutting out his suspicions. Estel may have followed his brothers. Elbereth, please protect him until I can find him.
Some of the Mirkwood guests appeared a tad angry that their host would be willing to abandon them in the middle of the celebration planned for that night if need be, but most Elves in the hall appeared shocked and worried.
"We understand, Lord Elrond" Prince Legolas said quietly after a moment. While he was not young, he had no children and did not fully comprehend Elrond's distress. Still, he knew very well Elrond would not leave guests unless he had no choice, having been to Imladris many times before. His father and Elrond may have a rift between them, but the Prince and Elrond did not.
"Thank you, Prince Legolas. Now, let us begin our meal, for it will get cold if we do not" was Elrond's reply, and he sat down to his supper of venison and various delicacies. Talk in the Hall was mostly about the missing prince of Rivendell.
No more than an hour after the meal was finished, just after dark, Glorfindel returned dirty and empty handed. The celebration was slowed as many turned to look at him, talking hurriedly to Elrond.
The Lord of Imladris wore an extremely worried expression on his face. Standing once more from his seat, he hushed the crowd.
"Estel has not been found. I regret to leave like this, but I will not abandon a child in the forest alone at night. I give you my apologies as I take leave to find my youngest."
Glorfindel smiled quickly at the silent group before following Elrond out of the Hall. Legolas slowly followed.
"Lord Elrond, Lord Glorfindel, I wish to help. If you give me but a moment I will be ready" he said seriously. Elrond opened his mouth to refuse, but Legolas did not give him the chance. "I wish to help. The forest is no place for a child, and one more pair of eyes can do no harm." Legolas dashed to his chambers without waiting for an answer and prepared while Glorfindel gathered his best archers and trackers. Legolas was right, one more pair of eyes would do no harm, and the Prince was one of the best archers in Middle Earth.
"Glorfindel, I do not ask you to go out again. You look as though you could use a wash, and I'm sure you would not mind a little merriment" Elrond turned to his faithful protector. "You do not have to go."
"I would not be merry knowing Estel is out there alone. As Legolas said, one more pair of eyes will not hurt, and I must warn you that if I do not go with you I will go on my own" Glorfindel answered. His eyes flashed. Stepping closer to Elrond and placing his hand on Elrond's arm, he looked his long time friend in the eye. "I know I do not have to go, but I swore to protect you and your family, and I mean to keep that oath. I have failed once, I shall not do so again."
Elrond sighed and clapped Glorfindel on the shoulder. "Thank you" he said quietly. Legolas had returned by this time, but not wanting to interrupt the Elf Lords he wisely chose to remain on the stairs. He almost waited too long, however, as the Elves turned and began to leave.
Once the entire search party had gathered, gear in hand, they set off into the forest, searching in the thunder for a tiny child, lost somewhere out there.
"Aye" one of Glorfindel's men, a member of the Imladris Guard, cried. "I've found a trail"
"Good work, follow it as fast as you can without losing it. The rain that is sure to come will wash it away, so make haste" Glorfindel replied, whistling to the rest of the group. They followed the trail closely into the forest a ways before it began to rain, hard. So hard that the trail, which had been easily followed, even in the dark, was now near impossible to find, much less follow.
Suddenly, without warning, the sounds of a flash flood were heard. The would-be rescue party climbed swiftly into the tops of the trees, letting the water rush by swiftly below. The flood headed out towards the edge of the valley. The wet Elves climbed down from the trees, but the trail they'd been following was gone along with most of the loose litter on the bottom of the forest. One of the older members of the Imladris Guard sighed softly as they watched the flood head towards the far edge of the forest, bypassing Imladris only because Elrond at that moment reached out with Vilya and turned it away.
None of the Elves, either in the search party or in the city watching the flood roar past saw the dark head tumbling about in the water.
"Elrond! It is folly to continue searching in the dark, in the rain, with floods running through here and wolves likely waiting to pounce. We must go back" Glorfindel nearly whispered the last part. He was torn inside, knowing that if he was not found soon, Estel would not live to be found, but also unwilling to risk the life of his men and his Lord. His own life Glorfindel would play with, but not anyone else's.
"Glorfindel, I cannot leave him. It is impossible to think I would stop searching, I would search through life and death to the ends of the world" Elrond replied, searching once more for the trail. Glorfindel shook his head and motioned for his men, the best trackers and archers (besides Elladan and Elrohir) in the Imladris guard, to return to Imladris. His men obeyed without question, and Glorfindel was left alone with Elrond.
Approaching the Elf Lord, Glorfindel cleared his throat. "Hîr nin, I cannot let you continue. If you are lost, which is very possible in this storm with the dangers this far out in the forest, Estel would have no hope. Imladris would founder, and your sons and Arwen would die. They love you too much to be parted with you in such a way. Please, Elrond, come back. I swear we will begin anew first light, but in order for that we need to go back now."
"All right, all right, Glorfindel, I understand. But it is so hard to leave him here, he's only a child, he cannot make it on his own" Elrond said quietly. He turned to leave, but before he took a step an idea struck him. "Wait a moment, I can push these clouds away…we could continue searching."
Glorfindel sighed and rolled his eyes, stepping behind Elrond and guiding the younger Elf back towards Imladris. "Elrond, we need these rains. You cannot push them away." In his mind Glorfindel had hoped Elrond was too worried about his son to realize that he could push the rain away until they were back to the Last Homely House, even though Imladris was too in need of the rain to send it off.
"I am sorry, Elrond, mellon nin. I will set out first thing in the morning" Glorfindel assured quietly. Elrond nodded slightly, walking with heavy steps back towards his home.