Not Old Enough Chapter Three
By: Eleniel
For full heading, including disclaimers, see Chapter One.
Estel awoke early the next morning. He was utterly exhausted and completely bewildered, and, to make it worse, hungry.
"Ada…" he cried softly. His eyes were still closed and his mind asleep, too far gone to remember anything. This proved to be a bad combination, as Estel rolled out of the nest of intertwined branches he'd slept on.
"Ahhhhhhh!" His terrified screech echoed through the woods around him. Far, far away, his brothers heard his cry, being on the opposite side of the narrow canyon he was in. The sounds had carried through, bouncing off the canyon walls. Elladan and Elrohir had been preparing to return home, having seen the floods go by and been caught in it themselves. They stopped, however, when they heard the far off, nearly silent wail. No one but an elf would have been able to hear it, but the sons of Elrond did and they hurriedly packed their camp, heading towards it. Somewhere deep within their hearts they had the fleeting feeling they knew that scream...
Back in Rivendell, Elrond and Glorfindel prepared once more to head out. The Elven Lords were both in a somewhat sorrowful state, neither having slept at all, or indeed having taken time that morning to braid their hair or do anything more time consuming than washing quickly with a wet cloth over their bodies. Within minutes – minutes Elrond thought could ill afford to be lost as he went about hurrying the search party along, much to their annoyance – the team was ready. Several of Glorfindel's better archers and his best trackers were along, though the archers were different than those who had accompanied them last night. Later musing on this decision, Glorfindel would berate himself for not choosing his best, for it would have made things much easier.
Heading out midmorning, many munching on apples or other portable, small food items as they went, the Elves marched deep into the woods. This day, unlike the previous night, was clear and warm, the perfect autumn day. Too perfect, thought Glorfindel. He glanced at Elrond, thinking he may have used Vilya to influence the weather in his distress. He could see nothing more than a grim determination and deep sorrow, however.
"Well, we've officially lost his trail. What now?" a very irritated member of the party asked. His name was Haloisi, the youngest in their party and third youngest Elf in Imladris. He hadn't even wanted to come, thinking it certain Estel was dead in the floods.
"We have lost the visible trail, but the trees are whispering of him. He went that way, to that large tree over there. That's where he slept," Legolas said, pointing to a very large, very old tree.
The Elves immediately ran to the tree, heedless of any danger that may rest there. Fortunately, this was not a problem, as there was no danger.
"Estel! Estel!" Elrond called. Hearing only silence in reply, he called again. "And of course, the only time I would give anything to have the boys here instead of out where they can't do harm to Imladris, they're long gone," he muttered bitterly after a moment.
While most of the group looked a bit unsure what to say, Legolas looked incredibly focused.
"Wait, Elrond, you will not find him there. He fell out in the middle of the night."
"What? Well where did he go to then?" Elrond demanded to know. Legolas hesitated a bit before telling him.
"He fell out when a pack of wolves started howling beneath him. Then...then the floods came. He's gone. He's no longer in the valley at all…" Legolas muttered quietly. He did not enjoy having to break this news. Elrond obviously did not like taking it; he'd turned a deathly shade of white, and his mouth was open.
"He's gone?"
"I'm afraid so. I suggest we look for him outside of the valley, he's bound to be there somewhere. Come on, let's go," Glorfindel ordered, taking control. It's a little unnerving watching Elrond react like this. The child is special, yes, but…
The party marched in the opposite direction, rushing straight through Imladris itself (shocking a few of the residents, who weren't accustomed to seeing the Guard in full armor dashing past, determined and dangerous). Soon enough they were out of the forest, not far from where Estel had woken up that morning.
On an intercept course for Lord Elrond, his twin sons were also investigating the faint cry they'd heard just a few short hours ago.
The twins were slightly held up by a few wargs and an Orc band, but all in all they made decent time. Elrond's search party had begun to move into the unsearched area as Elladan came running in, looking again for the call.
"Elladan, Elrohir, what on earth…" Elrond said, puzzled. Elrohir had popped out of the bushes right behind his brother.
"We were packing up to come back after the floods last night, and we heard someone screaming this morning. I'm surprised you didn't hear...it sounded like a child, and no decent Elf would leave a child in danger. We came back this way to find the source," Elladan explained simply while Elrohir looked around.
"That child may well have been Estel," one of the Elves in the party said quietly. Both twins' eyes widened.
"Estel! What was he...he didn't...oh..." Elrohir was having difficulty speaking at this revelation.
"Yes, Elrohir, I'm afraid he did," was the only response. Legolas was too focused on the trees to notice much. Before long, however, he turned to the group.
"These trees are not speaking much. They know only that Estel slept here, he was here once, but they say no more."
Elrond's brow furrowed. He began to search furiously, like someone who had lost his soul. It was nearly noon now, and Estel's small nest in a tree was clearly visible after a bit of looking. Unfortunately, it was no longer occupied, nor had it been for a quite a while, a few hours or so.
Upon closer inspection, Elrond found something beneath the makeshift nest.
Nearly unnoticeable beneath the water left from the floods (the ground was unusually hard and nonporous in this part of the forest, and water stood long on top of the soil) there was a water filled depression. Something must have hit the ground hard to make such an imprint on such hard soil.
It was the imprint of a small child, undoubtedly Estel. However, the child was no where to be found. Only a small tunic was left, hanging from a branch that had apparently snagged it while he was falling.
"Oh Estel..." Elladan murmured quietly. He hadn't expected the little one to try to follow them, and he was wrestling with the feelings of guilt that always seem to come when harm befalls a loved one. He could not help feeling responsible, as if it was his fault for refusing to let Estel come in the first place.
"Elladan, Elrohir, you search over there. Elrond, you and I will search here. My soldiers, split into groups with..." this was as far as Glorfindel was able to get in his orders.
Without warning, a large warg leapt from the bushes and attacked the group. Screaming after it came its apparent master—the animal had an Orc saddle on it, but no rider.
The Orc in question saw the armored Elves and screeched, calling out to his clan. Soon enough, at least a hundred or more Orcs rushed out of the woods, attacking the Elves.
The Elven archers weren't prepared, but it did not take them long to get the idea. They let fly arrow after arrow, but more and more Orcs seemed to pop out of the earth itself. It was a losing battle—several Elves were already sporting bloody wounds and one had apparently been poisoned, falling to the ground in a full-blown seizure.
It was all the Elves could do to retreat. The search for Estel wasn't going to do anyone any good if the party died in the process.
I find it difficult to believe Estel would still be alive with that band of bloodthirsty abominations loose in this forest...it is not safe here Haloisi thought while carrying his fallen friend out of the battle. The Elf, named Aira for his copper colored hair, was still twitching and crying out in apparent pain.
The group rushed back to Imladris with all due speed. Aira was treated and was expected to recover fully, although he'd be out of the Imladris Guard for a little bit. The rest of the search party was not seriously harmed, though some sported bright white linen wrapped around them in various places—arms, legs, torsos, even one with a head wound.
Estel still had not been found, and the treatment of the Elven injured had taken Elrond most of the night to accomplish. It was too dark to search when he finished.
Praying to Elbereth that his human son was still alive and uninjured, and would make it through the night, Elrond clutched the tiny boy's shirt. It was stained and bloody, but it was all Elrond had to go on.
He had a sinking feeling in his chest...they weren't going to find Estel in time. He knew it in his heart, in his bones...his youngest would be lost.
Elrond prayed his premonition would not come true, before sitting down on his bed and drugging himself so he could rest in order to search again in the morning.
He could only hope there was still a child to search for...