THANK YOU to all the people who have reviewed so far. I am now accepting anonymous reviews (I checked the wrong box accidentally). I had no idea this story would turn out to be funny I had not meant for it to be, but I am glad people are enjoying it. So here is the next part.
ESTEL/ESTELLELegolas could not envision what he could have done so wrong that Lord Elrond would treat him so. He had been a good guest, he was a prince, and he was Estel's best friend. The thought of Estel made the elf turn his attention to the human. Estel was sitting on the window seat wearing his pajamas. He looked pale and drawn and hadn't yet turned towards Legolas even though his entry had been rather attention drawing. Legolas instantly began to panic. Maybe Elrond was mad at him because Estel was really and truly sick. Maybe the human had some dire disease that could have been prevented had he gotten Estel back to Rivendell sooner. Legolas could not conceive of the notion of loosing Estel so soon. Legolas could feel tears spring to his eyes, but before they could fall Lord Elrond brought his attention back to the rather irate ringbearer.
"Well, how do you explain yourself? What possible excuse could you give for your behavior? Explain yourself woodelf." Elrond felt his rage build even more and as he glared at Legolas a huge clap of thunder sounded so loudly it rattled the windows. Somewhere in the back of Legolas's mind he remembered that Imladris was supposed to have beautiful weather, not storms. Then he remembered that it was said that there was nothing natural within the valley that the Half Elf did not have some control over.
"I eep" Was all Legolas could get out before he was pinned against the wall by Elrond's elbow on this throat.
"Did you think you could use him and cast him away like some whore without anyone being the wiser just because he is a human prince rather than an Elvin one?"
"My Lord" something he had not called Elrond in many years, "I have no idea what you are talking about."
Lord Elrond loosened the pressure on Legolas's windpipe, for which the blond was eternally grateful, and said, "Oh really? Well allow me to enlighten you. You, you got my beautiful child in trouble." Elrond was shouting by the end. Legolas on the other hand was even more confused. So he had gotten Estel in trouble, Estel had gotten him in more than his fair share of trouble since the two had become friends.
"So I got Estel in trouble. I fail to see why that is so shocking to you. What do you expect of one like him." Elrond could not believe what he was hearing. He snapped and began to rage in earnest.
"What is the matter with you? Do you have so little respect for my child that you would use him so and not even care? How could you? Though I should have expected no better with your parents. Your father is the biggest bastard I have ever met and the only way your father could assure your heritage was to cloister your mother away from all other men for years." Legolas was growing angry himself at the way Lord Elrond was speaking of his family. It was a well-known fact that the King of Mirkwood and the Lord of Imladris liked each other about as well as Sauron and Islidur, but he could not stand here and take these insults. But before he could counter with an insult of his own the Lord finally explained himself. "Did you think you could just leave Estel pregnant and return to Mirkwood to let him rear the child alone. I guess that was why you were in such a hurry to leave. Hoping to get out before Estel discovered the little gift you left him."
Elrond felt Legolas slump against him. The blond had gone almost as pale as Estel looked at the shock. "Did you say Estel was with child?"
"Yes. From the night you spent together. Estel says you are the only one, and I believe him, do you deny it?"
"No, of course not. I just didn't think"
"NO, you did not think. How could you have been so careless? How could you have been so stupid? Estel is little more than a child, only 20 years old." Normally Estel would have blistered at that last comment, but he was too upset by how angry Elrond was. He had never seen his father so pissed before. It scared him more than a little. He didn't want Elrond mad at him, he hadn't meant to get turned into a woman, and he certainly did not mean to get pregnant. He pulled his knees up to his chest and hugged his legs, almost instinctively trying to block out the angry words being spoken from getting to his baby.
"I was drunk, and so was he. It was a mistake. I never wanted to get Estel pregnant." That was Legolas trying to defend himself, but really still too shocked to do a good job.
"So being drunk is an excuse for running away from your responsibilities. Being drunk is an excuse to befoul a mere child? So being drunk is a reason to ruin someone's life?" Legolas had nothing to say to that. Estel wanted to cry and hugged his legs tighter.
Elrond was so angry his did not know what else to say. He realized if he did not get away from Legolas he was likely to pummel the elf into wood elf paste, and though the image gave him some comfort he left the room slamming the door hard enough to knock several books from their shelves.
Legolas turned and looked at the Ranger sitting in the corner. Estel looked dazed and very pale. He was still huddled on the window seat with his legs drawn up to his chest. To Legolas he did look like a frightened child, not the mother of his child. Legolas couldn't help the rush of joy that ran through him at the thought of having a baby, especially with his best friend. Estel did not look quite so happy though. Legolas tentatively approached the Ranger. "Estel," there was no response. "Estel." Still nothing. Legolas rested a large hand on Estel's slender shoulder. The human flinched as if he had been struck. Estel was fully expecting to be grabbed and thrown out of the house for his indiscretion. He then seemed to realize where he was and smiled shyly at Legolas.
"Ada is really mad." His voice was small and helpless sounding.
"Yes, you father is more than angry." Legolas tried to comfort the human by rubbing his hand down Estel's arm. It didn't seem to help. Estel seemed so tense that he was about to explode. "How are you doing?"
"Stunned I guess would be the best word. Did you know about this?" Estel had still not really looked at Legolas. His eyes were fixed on the swirling pattern of the green and gold carpet.
"No, Estel, I swear I did not know. Are you angry with me?" Legolas was holding his breath waiting for the Ranger to answer. Estel had every right to despise him for what he had done. But then Estel finally looked at Legolas.
"No, I am not angry with you. I just wish you had said something. I mean this seems like the kind of thing you should have told me when I asked you what happened that night. You could have said, 'well you drank a lot, fell on you ass, and by the way we slept together and I may have gotten you pregnant. Just thought you should know.' Or maybe just told me I shouldn't be surprised if in a few months I started getting fat."
"You have to understand, it wasn't like that. That night we had both had a lot to drink. And things just sort of happened. I never intended for us to end up as lovers, but I am not sorry that we did. And I certainly did not mean for there to be a child produced. You have to believe me, I wanted to tell but I just could not find a way to do it. How do you tell your best friend that you accidentally slipped and ended up with your face buried in their crotch?" Estel blushed furiously.
"I just wish I could remember. Why would I do something like that? I have never, not with anyone before. Especially another man." Estel sighed.
"What do you mean you haven't? Are you telling me you were a virgin?" Legolas was quite alarmed. He would feel awful if he had taken his best friend's virginity while they were both privy hugging drunk.
Estel just nodded his head yes. "I had never even seen a naked woman until I took my clothes off after this happened."
"Please understand, I may have never meant for any of this to happen, but I am not sorry. The birth of an Elvin child is so very rare now and should be celebrated. We must get married soon, that way there will be no problem with the child's claim to the thrown of Mirkwood."
"Married!?!" Estel yipped. "Are you insane? I can't marry you. I am a man, and so are you. I can't move to Mirkwood, your father hates me. I hate me right now." Estel began to shiver and pulled his legs tighter to his chest. He was on the verge of hysteria.
"Calm yourself, Estel, that is just one option. We will discuss things later. Right now I am worried about you. Why are you shaking so?" Estel was in fact shaking and shivering very badly. The shock, stress and cold had all caught up with him.
"I am cold and scared and confused and, and, and really nauseous." Estel's voice was almost a whine by the end.
Legolas stood and extended a hand to the Ranger. He wanted to get him to bed before he had to witness a repeat of their trip home. Legolas really didn't like watching people vomit. It always made him feel sort of sick too. Even though he had only ever vomited twice in his life, once from trying to out drink a dwarf and the other when he was very young and disregarded his father's rule about not eating wild mushrooms without first asking one of the older elves if it was safe, he could vividly remember how unpleasant it was. "Come, why do you not retire to your rooms. If nothing else you will at least be warmer in your bed."
Estel began to rise when a massive wave of dizziness hit him. The whole room became washed in grey and his knees buckled. He would have fallen to the floor had not Legolas caught him. "Easy, Estel" Legolas made to lower the Ranger back to the bench when Lord Elrond returned drenched and looking even more angry than he had when he left.
"Get you filthy hands off my child you pervert!" Elrond barked from the doorway. Legolas instinctively released Estel like he was a hot stone. Estel in turn dropped to his knees. "You could barely wait until I left the room to have your hands all over my beautiful Estel could you? I treat you better than your own family treats you and this is how you repay me you thief of virtue." Elrond stopped to take a breath to continue this tirade when he noticed that his beloved child was slumped over kneeling on the floor. Elrond charged over to his Estel shouldering the offending Elf out of the way. "Estel, what is the matter? What have you done to him?"
"Nothing, I swear My Lord. He was shaking and looked very pale. I was going to take him back to his room" Elrond glared more fiercely at Legolas. "Just so he could lie down, nothing more, honest."
Estel moaned, ending Legolas's torment under the older Lord's stare. "Estel, it is alright. Lean forward for a moment." Elrond soothed his child as he gently settled Estel so that he could push his head between his knees. He could see that Estel's hands were still shaking.
It didn't take long for Estel to come too completely and feel very embarrassed over all of the fuss. He tried to stand up off of the cold floor, but Elrond would not allow him to rise unaided. It was a good thing too, because had he not had the aid he would have ended up right back on the floor.
Once seated the Elder elf turned his intense stare on Estel. "When was the last time you had anything to eat?"
"Yesterday I guess." Estel was afraid to look at his Ada. Afraid of the anger he would see there.
"You need to eat. I will send for the cook to bring you some dinner."
"NO." Estel visibly paled at the idea of food.
"You need to eat. It is not healthy to go that long without food."
"Ada, I don't think I can hold it down."
Elrond had no choice but to answer the pleading look in his son's eyes. He could sense how bad Estel felt and it broke his heart that his precious foster child should feel so ill because of the urges of a no good pretty boy wood elf. "Estel, go to your room and lie down. Now." The suggestion came out far more like a command and with far more ire than he felt towards his son and grandchild. But Estel quickly scurried out of the room and to his own shutting the door behind him so no one could see his tears.
"You, stay. I will talk to you in the morning. Do not try to leave. You will be going nowhere until we get this whole mess figured out. Am I understood?"
"Yes My Lord. Just so you know, Estel holds no blame in this. I am by far the older and should have known better. Please to not take out your anger at me on him." Elrond swept out of the room to go talk to the cook about making some special food for Estel's newly sensitive stomach. Legolas on the other hand was already plotting how he was going to escape from Rivendell before Elrond could skin him alive. The thought of leaving Estel and the child he carried was like a knife in the heart, but if he were going to make a life for them in Mirkwood he would have to be in one piece to do it. So he would leave. And when he reached his home, he would send for Estel.
His mind made up, he slipped out of the study and back to his rooms to pack his small bag. Then like a wraith he spirited out of the house and into the valley. Consequently it was also into the worst rainstorm he had ever seen, but that could not be helped. Once outside the rain and wind pulled him in a hundred different directions. He seemed to travel in circles for hours. Every time he thought he had found a way out of the valley, the path would be washed with water that he could not pass. The trees were so bent and bowed with the force of the winds that they could lend him no aid. In fact he thought they were plotting against him. He could have sworn that they changed their positions so that they created an every changing maze. It was no doubt his imagination, but every turn he took eventually ended him back at the courtyard of Elrond's house.
After several hours a thoroughly drenched and bedraggled elf trudged tiredly back into the Last Homely Home and collapsed on his bed almost instantly asleep.
Down the hall things were not so calm and quiet. Lord Elrond entered his foster son's, or was it daughter's he didn't know it made his head hurt to think about it, room to check on him. He could hear the hitched breathing of his child and his heart went out to Estel. This should be a time of joy, not sorrow. He quietly entered the room and sat down on Estel's bed. Estel was facing the window with his back to Elrond.
Elrond sat on the bed for quite some time, not really knowing what to say to make Estel feel any better. Then finally Estel spoke. "Are you going to ask me to leave?" The voice was monotone as if he were fighting back the urge to sob.
"No, why would I?"
"Because you are angry with me."
"I am not angry with you."
"Then worse, you are disappointed in me." Estel gasped in the middle of his sentence and Elrond could see that he wiped at his eyes trying to hide the tears. However the fresh tears were just as visible as the tracks from the older ones to the elf's keen vision. It broke his fatherly heart to see his child so sad. "When you make me leave, can I at least take my horse with me. I don't know how far I can walk feeling like this." Estel was petrified of the idea of being turned away. Regardless of what Legolas had said about marrying him, he knew that the elves of Mirkwood would never accept him and may never accept his child. He had no skill that he could sell in a town. The only thing he was really trained to do was be a fighter and hunter. Neither of which he could really do well in his condition. He supposed he could travel to one of the larger cities and become a scribe, but he didn't know if he could make it until he felt better. There was no reason his father should let him stay in his home long enough to feel better though. "I didn't mean for this to happen, Ada, I now I should have known better, but I don't remember what happened. Please don't hate me."
Elrond could not believe what he was hearing. Why in the world did Estel think that Elrond expected him to leave. He would not let his son out of the valley in his condition much less turn him out. He could feel fear and self-loathing coming form Estel and again his heart broke. Estel must think that his anger at Legolas was directed at him. He reached a hand out and stroked his son's long hair. He could feel Estel shudder under his touch. "Estel, I am not disappointed in you and I most certainly do not hate you. And as long as there is a Rivendell, you will have a home. I would never turn you out. That may be what humans would do, but I am only half human. I am angry with Legolas for taking advantage of you, but I am not upset with you. I am very happy that you are giving me a grandchild. I may not like the circumstances, but that does not mean I do not love you or the child that you carry." While Elrond spoke Estel turned around to face him.
"So I can stay?"
"Of course you can, silly I would not miss the birth of my first grandchild." Elrond smiled and rested his hand on Estel's shoulder. He hoped what he had said would settle the young human, but instead his eyes again filled with tears and this time he could not stop them from falling.
"Ada, I am scared. I don't know what is going to happen to me." Estel's voice was high pitched just before sobs began to wrack his body. Elrond lied down beside his son and wrapped the weeping human in his arms.
"There is nothing to be afraid of, Estel. You are safe and so is your child." Elrond tried to sooth him.
"Daughter." Estel said in between sobs. "It is a girl. I had a dream about her a few nights ago. She will have light brown hair and blue eyes." Elrond hugged Estel tighter trying to imagine what his granddaughter would look like. All the while stroking Estel's back while the Ranger cried himself to sleep in the loving arms of his father.
Some time later Estel the need to use the privy woke Estel. He would never get used to this new body. When he was finished he went to settle himself back in bed when he noticed movement out of the corner of his eyes. It made him jump and gasp in fright before he realized it was his father. "Ada, what are you still doing here? I thought you had left."
"When have I ever left one of my children when they are so very upset?" Elrond smiled at his youngest. Estel smiled back and shrugged. To Elrond's eyes he looked much better. Still pale and tired, but not as bad as earlier. "Do you think you could eat a little something?"
Estel looked skeptical. "I don't know. I am not really hungry." He didn't feel as ill as before, but his stomach still felt very uneasy.
"I know, but you need to eat." Elrond produced a plate of cinnamon raison cookies, Estel's favourite, and a glass of milk. He proffered them to the sick human. Estel smiled and took them. He looked at them for a while trying to convince himself to eat and drink when his queasy stomach kept telling him not to. "Eat, Estel. I had the cooks prepare them especially for you, you wouldn't want to hurt their feelings would you?"
"No, I don't." Estel picked up a cookie and took a tentative bite. He half expected it to come right back up after he swallowed it, but to his surprise it stayed where it was suppose to. He took another bite and then a sip of milk. Every thing seemed to be in order.
He managed to eat two cookies and drink half of the glass of milk before he felt like he couldn't eat anymore. He hoped Elrond would be satisfied. Elrond smiled and took the plate from him, setting it on the side table. "There, it may not have been the most nutritious dinner, but at least we got some food in your stomach." Estel yawned. "I know that it sounds strange, but you will feel less ill if you keep food in you. The pregnancy illness is worse on an empty stomach. When you feel the nausea start, try eating something small. That always helped my wife when she was with child."
"I will try, Ada, it is just hard to eat when you feel sick." Estel slide back down so he way lying on his side. Elrond noticed he was rubbing his stomach.
"Are you in pain?" Estel nodded. Elrond rose and left the room. Returning a short time later with a large flat bag filled with herbs. Estel recognized it as a heat compress. The herbs inside of the cloth reacted with one and other and produced heat. He had been dreaming about one when he was in the wilds with Legolas. He accepted the gift gratefully and pressed it to his cramping lower abdomen. The heat quickly began to sooth away the pain. "Is it very bad?"
"No, just more annoying than anything else. Like a sprained ankle or a pulled muscle." Estel was getting groggy.
"Good, if you feel intense pain or bleeding you must let me know immediately. Do you understand?" Estel nodded.
"Ada, what is going to happen to me?"
"Well, that is hard to say. Given the mixed blood of the child, it is hard to say how long the pregnancy will last and if it will go more like an Elvin one or a human. But my guess will be that you will deliver in about nine to eleven months. The ill and tired feeling should not plague you for more than another month or so." Rather than explaining every gory detail of childbearing to his son he paused. "Tomorrow I will give you a book to read on the subject. Then you can ask me questions. Until then rest, I can see that you can barely keep your eyes open." Estel smiled and began to nod off. "Stay abed as long as you need tomorrow. You need not come to breakfast if you are still tired. I will make sure the cooks keep something warm for you." Estel sighed and was soon asleep.
Elrond on the other hand was awake the rest of the night, watching over his son. The evens of this evening caught him very off guard. He was going to be a grandfather. He had given up on his dreams of ever having grandchildren. None of his children seemed inclined to marry. The only one who paid any heed to such things was his daughter Arwen, who was in Lorien. Her grandmother had said she was quite fond of one of their marsh wardens by the name of Haldir, but that she detected no special attachment.
As Elrond watched his son sleep, he realized that it was going to be a very, very long year. But most disturbing of all, this meant he would have a relation in common with Thranduil. The thought made him shudder.
TBC