Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any characters and/or places
thereof.
Author's note: Major shout-out to anyone who identifies the chapter titles!
*****
"I can hardly believe my luck!" Estel cried, falling backwards into a pile of damp straw--damp with what, he did not consider. His euphoria at the fact that he and Legolas had managed to return Rokko and the warhorse to their stalls without being observed had made his head a bit fizzy inside.
"Nor can I," Legolas replied honestly. "Now get up. Your luck may need to stretch for two to-night, Estel, and we are not yet in a safe place. Help me look after this horse!" Realizing that Legolas was correct, and that there was yet a chance of Elrond finding the boys with the warhorse. Grumbling the slightest bit, Estel rolled out of the straw and approached his friend, who had gently taken the bit from the warhorse's mouth. "Here," he said, handing Estel the metal-and-leather bridle sticky with green saliva. "Put this away while I start grooming him."
With a nod Estel took the bridle and slung it over his shoulder. Carefully he rubbed it clean on his tunic, then hung it up properly. "I cannot believe my luck in this," he admitted. "If Ada knew, I would be mucking out stalls until the end of my days!" When Legolas made no reply, Estel grew worried. Slowly he became painfully aware of one very terrible fact. "I am going to be mucking out stalls for the rest of my life, aren't I?" He asked, not turning in the hope that Legolas was just playing around.
"I should think so, if you are incredibly fortunate."
Estel closed his eyes. There was no mistaking that voice: he was in trouble now. Biting his lip and searching for a plausible explanation, he turned. "Ada, I--"
"I can explain," Legolas jumped in. Elrond, who had earlier been watching Estel expectantly, turned with great surprise to the blonde Elf, who stood before the stall door with a grooming brush in his hand.
"You were responsible for this?" Elrond queried. "Legolas, I would never have expected such a thing from you. This is a surprise." Truly, his tone said, this is more of a disappointment.
"No, no he was not!" Estel said. Legolas turned to him with a surprised and almost angry glare. "This was my doing, Ada, and I'll not abide Legolas taking the blame for it. I. . .I suppose I am in trouble now?" Elrond nodded to this. "Regardless of the fact that I did not have explicit permission to ride this horse, and although I have never ridden any mount more than fifteen hands nor been given permission to do so, I have also never been told not to."
Elrond gave him a disbelieving look. He began to speak, thought better of it, then said without taking his eyes from Estel's face, "Legolas, if you would leave us a moment?"
"Yes, of course, Lord Elrond," Legolas said. He wanted to say something reassuring to his friend, but could think of nothing, and slipped out of the stable.
Estel was left facing Elrond, his stomach twisting with irrational fear. He had not feared falling into disfavor with Elrond for at least two years, and now the feeling returned tenfold. Elrond himself was torn. He could not recall Estel justifying his actions at all since Eregion, not could he recall Estel acting so outrageously stupid since that fateful journey. Did this mean, did he dare hope, that Estel was his old self again? "Estel, simply because you have not been told not to do something does not mean you are permitted to do it. Common sense should tell you this much. I had some measure of trust in you before. Now I cannot trust you without worrying for your own safety."
Much to the surprise of Elrond, and of Legolas who had not granted them quite the privacy Elrond had asked him for, Estel only nodded to this.
"You do not protest this?" Elrond asked. "You have no argument that I should trust you?"
"No, Ada," Estel replied quietly. "I know what I did was wrong. I wish you could still trust me, Ada, but riding the warhorse was a danger to me and also to Legolas, who was with me at the time. I showed bad judgment."
There were so many things Elrond wished he could say to this. It was tragically mature and utterly heartbreaking. Elrond himself had been caught in delusion, believing as Estel swirled within the numbness of the past months that his Estel was as he always had been. He had thought that Legolas could bring that person back. This desperate hope cast asunder, the Elven Lord knew not what to say. Estel had returned, but not his Estel.
*****
To be continued
Sorry for the shortie! I've started preparations for my English final already. . .gah. . .things are a bit hectic for me so I AM DOING MY BEST WITH UPDATES. However, I must ask your patience. Actually, I've asked it before, but I'm asking again.
Reviews are always appreciated!
Author's note: Major shout-out to anyone who identifies the chapter titles!
*****
"I can hardly believe my luck!" Estel cried, falling backwards into a pile of damp straw--damp with what, he did not consider. His euphoria at the fact that he and Legolas had managed to return Rokko and the warhorse to their stalls without being observed had made his head a bit fizzy inside.
"Nor can I," Legolas replied honestly. "Now get up. Your luck may need to stretch for two to-night, Estel, and we are not yet in a safe place. Help me look after this horse!" Realizing that Legolas was correct, and that there was yet a chance of Elrond finding the boys with the warhorse. Grumbling the slightest bit, Estel rolled out of the straw and approached his friend, who had gently taken the bit from the warhorse's mouth. "Here," he said, handing Estel the metal-and-leather bridle sticky with green saliva. "Put this away while I start grooming him."
With a nod Estel took the bridle and slung it over his shoulder. Carefully he rubbed it clean on his tunic, then hung it up properly. "I cannot believe my luck in this," he admitted. "If Ada knew, I would be mucking out stalls until the end of my days!" When Legolas made no reply, Estel grew worried. Slowly he became painfully aware of one very terrible fact. "I am going to be mucking out stalls for the rest of my life, aren't I?" He asked, not turning in the hope that Legolas was just playing around.
"I should think so, if you are incredibly fortunate."
Estel closed his eyes. There was no mistaking that voice: he was in trouble now. Biting his lip and searching for a plausible explanation, he turned. "Ada, I--"
"I can explain," Legolas jumped in. Elrond, who had earlier been watching Estel expectantly, turned with great surprise to the blonde Elf, who stood before the stall door with a grooming brush in his hand.
"You were responsible for this?" Elrond queried. "Legolas, I would never have expected such a thing from you. This is a surprise." Truly, his tone said, this is more of a disappointment.
"No, no he was not!" Estel said. Legolas turned to him with a surprised and almost angry glare. "This was my doing, Ada, and I'll not abide Legolas taking the blame for it. I. . .I suppose I am in trouble now?" Elrond nodded to this. "Regardless of the fact that I did not have explicit permission to ride this horse, and although I have never ridden any mount more than fifteen hands nor been given permission to do so, I have also never been told not to."
Elrond gave him a disbelieving look. He began to speak, thought better of it, then said without taking his eyes from Estel's face, "Legolas, if you would leave us a moment?"
"Yes, of course, Lord Elrond," Legolas said. He wanted to say something reassuring to his friend, but could think of nothing, and slipped out of the stable.
Estel was left facing Elrond, his stomach twisting with irrational fear. He had not feared falling into disfavor with Elrond for at least two years, and now the feeling returned tenfold. Elrond himself was torn. He could not recall Estel justifying his actions at all since Eregion, not could he recall Estel acting so outrageously stupid since that fateful journey. Did this mean, did he dare hope, that Estel was his old self again? "Estel, simply because you have not been told not to do something does not mean you are permitted to do it. Common sense should tell you this much. I had some measure of trust in you before. Now I cannot trust you without worrying for your own safety."
Much to the surprise of Elrond, and of Legolas who had not granted them quite the privacy Elrond had asked him for, Estel only nodded to this.
"You do not protest this?" Elrond asked. "You have no argument that I should trust you?"
"No, Ada," Estel replied quietly. "I know what I did was wrong. I wish you could still trust me, Ada, but riding the warhorse was a danger to me and also to Legolas, who was with me at the time. I showed bad judgment."
There were so many things Elrond wished he could say to this. It was tragically mature and utterly heartbreaking. Elrond himself had been caught in delusion, believing as Estel swirled within the numbness of the past months that his Estel was as he always had been. He had thought that Legolas could bring that person back. This desperate hope cast asunder, the Elven Lord knew not what to say. Estel had returned, but not his Estel.
*****
To be continued
Sorry for the shortie! I've started preparations for my English final already. . .gah. . .things are a bit hectic for me so I AM DOING MY BEST WITH UPDATES. However, I must ask your patience. Actually, I've asked it before, but I'm asking again.
Reviews are always appreciated!
