Author's Note: Hey everybody! Ooh, I got so many wonderful reviews for the last chapter. I really love it when you all say such kind things. Thank you every one, so so much! And I hope you all like the next chapter! See ya!
Reviewers to Thank: I love you all, thanks! Oh, and by the way, I now accept reviews from those who are anonymous. Thanks for the tip!
TrustingFriendship: I'm really glad you like the fic, thank you for your support!
Happy Molecule: he he! Estel is coming up with some good excuses, strange, because I myself am a terrible liar. How amusing, and thanks!
Webster: Thank you for your kind commentary, I'm really glad you like my story!
BabeyRachey: I love Estel as well, he is SOOOO adorable! Thanks for your support, I hope you read on!
LegolasGreenFrog: You really think my story has great potential? Thank you, you're soooo kind!
Disclaimer: Nope, sure as hell don't own LOTR.
Quickie: Glorfindel is, in this fic, the same Glorfindel as Gondolin's GLorfindel. He he he, I love Glorfindel, he's so childish in my opinion. Also, Estel will refer to him as "Findy." Hey, he's six, he's gotta be just that much more cute, eh?
Childhood Curiosity
Ch. 4 : Glorfindel's Favorite Tree
Walking leisurely down the sunlit halls of Imladres, Glorfindel the Balrog Slayer wore a contented smile as he led a still slightly sleepy Estel by the hand down towards the dining hall. It was indeed a beautiful day, as the sun shone brightly over the elegant buildings of Rivendell. There was no breeze just yet, but the air was warm and light so that it did not really matter. Glancing out of the open walkway that he was striding along, Glorfindel listened to the melody of a nearby bird, singing a low-tuned lullaby to it's nest of young. His eyes grew misted for a moment, as if recalling some long lost memory, but he quickly shook his head and looked down at Estel. The young human was dressed in his tracking clothes today, a dark back outfit of rough cotton and animal hide. Glorfindel walked slowly, so as not to rush the small boy. After all, he thought warmly, it is often hard enough for him to keep up with full grown elves. Estel's eternally grimy black hair bounced about his face as he stared ahead of them silently, his eyes unfocused and half shut. Tightening his hold upon the little boy's hand ever so lightly, Glorfindel smiled even bigger. Feeling a fatherly mood wash over him, he wondered to himself how such a small mortal had managed to impact his life so much.
*~*~*~*~*~
"I think just a simple bowl of porridge will do, if you could?" Glorfindel said distractedly, helping Estel into his chair as they found themselves on the dining hall. Setting himself into a chair next to Estel, he glanced up at the fair faced kitchen maiden who smiled sweetly down at him before whispering a gentle, "Yes, my lord."
Looking about the streams of sunlight that were cascading into the open hall, Glorfindel smiled as Estel piped up sleepily.
"I don't like porridge 'Findy.. It's runny and it tastes yucky." He said in small voice. Turning his limpid grey eyes up to Glorfindel's face, Estel looked imploringly at the Elven lord. Smiling, Glorfindel ruffled the boy's hair gently. " Well little one, how about I ask for some honey to put in it, would that be better?" He asked.
Estel nodded, and yawned widely. The maid returned not a minute later, holding a tray of porridge, a glass of water, and strangely enough, a small pitcher of honey in her arms. "Here you are, my lords." She said sweetly, her musical voice ringing lightly across the empty hall. Setting the tray in front of Estel, she carefully lifted the honey and began pouring the thick golden syrup into the bowl. After a few seconds, Estel nodded his head, and looked sleepily up at the maiden to thank her.
As the maiden turned to leave, she inquired briefly if Glorfindel would like anything. "No thank you, but how in Middle-Earth did you know that Estel would want honey with his porridge?" He asked curiously. The maiden smiled warmly, and said with a musical laugh, "Oh, Estel will never eat his morning breakfast without some form of honey in it!" With that, she turned and left as silently as she had come, leaving Glorfindel with the now hungry Estel.
Watching the young boy carefully, Glorfindel winced as the boy hurriedly scooped up great globs of the thick mixture and stuffed it into his mouth. The porridge seemed to be disappearing faster than the twins when Elrond was looking for them. Deciding to strike up a conversation in hopes of preventing the ravenous boy form choking, Glorfindel laughed. "So Estel, why are you so sleepy today?" He asked quickly.
Estel froze momentarily, suspending a heaping spoonful of porridge inches from his bulging mouth. Quickly resuming his stuffing, Estel replied thickly," ah, I coudn' seep las night." Laughing again, the fair faced elf said with a grin, "Swallow your food Estel, or you'll choke!"
Gulping his food down loudly, Estel turned to Glorfindel with now energetic eyes. The turbulent grey pools swam with expression as he studied the young boy carefully. "I couldn't sleep last night 'Findy." Estel said with a nod. Watching Estel's stormy eyes with his own sharp elven ones, he watched as they gleamed with something odd. Of course the little one was lying, but why? Deciding not to press the matter, Glorfindel stood smoothly as Estel finished off his breakfast. Soon however the young human had popped up to join him.
"So what are we doing today, 'Findy?" He asked happily, watching the Elven lord with bubbling energy. Glorfindel once again took Estel's hand and smiled, turning toward a door that lead from the dining hall to outside. "Well little one, after we have a lesson in tracking, you have a lesson in history and the common tongue with Lord Erestor." He answered thoughtfully as he walked steadily on.
Not able to resist his grin spreading as he heard the child groan, he listened to Estel complain with renewed vigor. "Auw, but I don't wanna learn history! It's boring and not as much fun as being outside!" Estel whined.
"Yes, I know that you have a distaste for it Estel, but your father wishes for you to learn it." Glorfindel answered simply, breathing deep as they emerged from the hallway and out into the crisp courtyard. "However, why don't we simply enjoy the time we have?" Glorfindel added as a sudden idea struck him. "Ok," Estel pouted grumpily.
"Well alright then," Glorfindel said craftily, edging a bit furthur ahead of Estel. Suddenly letting go of Estel's hand, Glorfindel burst into a light jog. "I'll race you to the stables!" He called playfully behind him.
Smiling with satisfaction, Glorfindel listened to the excited squeal that sounded behind him, but frowned as a small blur of black and peach unexpectedly raced ahead of him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Frowning in concentration, Estel crept slowly across the ground on his hands and knees. Ignoring the rustle and crunch of the leaves under him, he screwed up his eyes to try and find what he was so desperately seeking. He was currently somewhere in the forests of Imladres, learning how to track animals from their prints and tracks. Glorfindel had left about ten minutes ago after he let go of a rabbit, telling Estel to track the creature and that he would be watching him elsewhere.
Bending closer to the mural of green and brown leaves below him, Estel desperately searched for a sign. This one is hard! He thought in frustration. Wait! That leaf is bent strangely, it went this way, and there's a heel mark, it turned this way! Feeling a rush of excitement, Estel grinned and took off on his hands and knees after his newfound trail. Crashing trough bushes and mud puddles, he paid no mind to anything but his goal. "I'm going to find that rabbit, this time I'm going to win this game!" He whispered gleefully.
After about five minuets of his pursuit, Estel pushed through one last bush to find himself dripping and dirty in the middle of a very small forest clearing. Focusing his stormy grey eyes upon the last bit of trail, Estel looked up to find his prey sitting about ten feet away. He couldn't help but allow a huge grin to snake across his lips as he watched the quivering young rabbit sit in a huddled lump so close to him. Standing as motionless as he could, Estel's thoughts were filled of nothing but the thought of victory. Beginning to inch slowly but surely toward his target, Estel watched the rabbit's beady eyes spinning suspiciously around it's surroundings. It knows I'm here, he thought unhappily. Inching closer still............ Estel kept his form light upon the ground........... he was only a few feet away now........... SNAP! Estel froze as his palm set upon a dry twig, crushing it with a resolute sound that rang uncomfortably across the somehow quiet forest. In one infinitesimal second, the Rabbit's ears perked, it's eyes met Estel's, and the young boy made a desperate lunge for this prey. Throwing himself forward, the young human net with only hard ground and soil as the rabbit burst into the forest like a lightening blur of grey and silver.
"Dammit!" Estel pouted loudly, sitting up unhappily as he let off a stream of very un-childlike curses. A musical laughter reached his ears a moment later, halting Estel's tirade as he looked up sharply to survey his surroundings for the first time. He was indeed in the middle of a very small, natural clearing in the dense forest. Streams of sunlight were pouring radiantly onto the ground all around him, brilliantly highlighting the patches of natural wild flowers that were clumped randomly upon the mostly softly grassed ground. Yeah, soft everywhere except where I landed, he thought bitterly. But what caught Estel's attention next nearly made his heart skip a beat.
At the end of this small clearing, the ground itself seemed to be violently interrupted as it's smooth flowing surface erupted into a twisted jumble of massive roots. These huge wooden tendrils seemed to wrestle themselves out of the earth to wrap into a huge maze, forming the base of a goliath tree. The roots smoothed into a very knobbly trunk, at least as thick as five other trees strung together. Branches of every shape and size protruded from the trunk, covered with lilly-pad like leaves that hung heavily from the tree. As this behemoth of a tree continued to twist upwards, it's highest point seemed to tickle the heavens above, just barely tasting the milky clouds of the sky. Estel felt speechless as his eyes swam with the vision before him. And then suddenly, everything about him seemed to rush around him faster than the strike of lightening. The melodic laughter from an unknown voice rang about him, his breath returned in excited gasps, and his mind reeled at the vision before him. This has to be the biggest tree in all of Arda! Estel thought excitedly. His mind was made up before he was even sure of the feat he was promising himself. Yes, he would climb this tree. He would get to the top, and touch the heavens with his own fingers. This would surely by his greatest accomplishment ever, and Estel's face shone with childish excitement as half-formed thoughts of glory raced around his head.
Suddenly aware that the laughing had stopped, Estel tore his eyes momentarily from the tree to see Glorfindel's lithe form drop lightly from the bowls of the massive tree to the forest floor. The golden-haired elf was smiling excitedly as he walked lightly over and began congratulating Estel on his achievements in tracking. "Estel, I am very proud of you! Tracking a rabbit is a very big step for you, young one, and you tackled it easily! " The elf said happily.
Estel, however, had returned his attentions to the tree behind Glorfindel halfway through his statement. He was so in awe that he wasn't even aware that his mouth was hanging slightly open.
"Uh-huh," He muttered absent-mindedly.
"And simply look at your clothes, Lord Elrond is going to be furious at me! Come, let us.....get.........Estel?" Glorfindel suddenly said, noticing the blank expression covering the human's face. Estel's eyes were large and dreamy, and upon following his line of sight, Glorfindel found himself staring at the goliath tree as well. "Ah, you are no doubt staring at my favorite tree?" Glorfindel said with a sudden smile, nodding at the young boy's expression.
Estel took a moment, before shifting his gaze over to Glorfindel. "Your favorite tree, Findy?" He said wonderingly.
"Aye, little one. This tree before us has existed for thousands of years. Legend has it that the Eldar themselves planted it here in our valley, long before Imladres existed. Ere I have long treasured it's refuge, seeking peace within it's dark confines." Glorfindel stated, his own voice suddenly becoming distant as the elven lord momentarily lost himself in long passed memories.
For a moment, there was mutual silence between the two companions. The small Dunadain boy continued to stare in marvel at the tree before them, while the elven warrior beside him relived ages past in his mind, seeing places and people that were no more upon Middle-Earth. Suddenly snapping out of his dreamy thoughts, Glorfindel grinned once more. Glancing quickly up into the sky, he shook his head and looked down at Estel. "Come little one, for we must sneak you back to Imladres and change your clothes. We are late as it is, and Lord Erestor is going to kill me. He hates it when we keep him waiting."
Without waiting for a response, Glorfindel took Estel's muddy hand into his own and headed into the forest again toward Rivendell. Looking up ahead of him, the Elven lord failed to notice that the young ranger was paying more attention than usual at their surroundings. Making heavy footprints and running his hand into bushes, Estel snapped twigs as if playing his own games. In truth, he was congratulating himself in his mind. After all, he had to leave some trail to get back to the clearing tonight. That tree was calling to him, and Estel could not resist it's cry.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Heading straight from his recent meeting, Lord Elrond strode fluidly down the hallways of his house. Gritting his teeth together lightly, he tried his very best not to acknowledge the throbbing headache that had been gnawing at him for most of the day. Having just adjourned a meeting with the representatives of Lothlorien, he sighed again as the recent issues swam menacingly about his mind. There was a orc problem near the eastern borders of Lothlorien, a Warg problem near the northern borders of the Mirkwood forest, and now he was having to seek out his own sons to find out if he was having a problem in his own house! Honestly, he thought ruefully, you would think that Middle-Earth itself is falling to pieces with all of the problems that have been going on lately. Turning down a hallway that lead to the twin's joint room, Elrond's face was a perfect mask of age-perfected calm. Sweeping to a halt in front of the simple ivory door before of him, he reached up and knocked gently upon the door. Stretching his keen elven hearing beyond the door, he held a smile back from his face as he heard a fresh argument start up between the twins.
"Elledan get up and answer the door, I have not yet finished dressing!"
"Well then hurry up and answer it yourself, I care not for any visitors right now."
" I don't care if you feel like it or not, answer it anyway! It is all YOUR fault that I had to take another bath in the first place!"
"Nay brother, it is not my fault that all your elven grace did not allow you to see my foot there. You simply need to be more aware! Honestly 'Ro, tripping into a pond like that in front of an entire group of maidens......tsk tsk."
Simply rolling his eyes as he heard a large crash, a loud yelp, and then the unmistakable sounds of another wrestling match begin, Elrond silently opened the door and strode into the room. Closing the door behind him, he was greeted by the sight of Elledan covered in sticky, yellow bath soap, Elrohir only half dressed with his shirt now effectively torn back open, and the both of them rolling about on the floor cursing playfully as they tried (And failed ) to successfully subdue one another. Glimmering in the afternoon sun, Elrond's eyes caught the remains of a shattered glass jar upon the floor and wall by Elledan's bed. So that is what that crash was, Elrond mused silently. Ignoring the feeling of a smile creeping up upon him, he stood up as tall as he could. Setting his face, he prepared himself for yet another lecture to his twins. Clearing his throat loudly, he watched the twins look up from their game to find a stern faced Elven lord watching them with raised brows.
Author's Note: He he he!!! I love where I ended this chapter. I really hope you liked this chappie, because the next one will hopefully be even better! The twins deny the evidence, Elrond
gets another headache, and Estel sneaks out to........well, I'll leave that unsaid! Oh, and just FYI, after the tree adventure, Little Estel is about to get into a whole myriad of other adventures that I have planned for him. (Evil authoress laugh!) But let me know how you liked this chapter, Please please please leave me a review! Thanks, and I hope to see you in the next chappie! Love, ya!
~ Pua