Author's Note: Hey everybody! Well, right now I'm in the mood to write, because the most gorgeous, perfect, honorable guy just gave me a private lesson in Karate..........( *Sighs* ) Ah, I'm floating right now.....positively floating people! The most perfect blue eyes.........
Reviewers to thank: Goodness, I love you all so much!
BabeyRachey: You really want me to update sooner? That's so nice! Thanks for all your encouragement!
Grumpy: Hehehee, Estel probably learned his cursing habits from the twins, but I, the evil authoress have a slight cursing problem myself. Thanks for your support!
LE: Lorien lady! EEEEEEEE, it's so cool that you reviewed my fic! Hehe, I love the nicknames that Estel has for everyone. He's six, he's gotta be that much cuter. After all, he Estel! Thanks for the review!
Ariastel: Hehe, you've got a very common metal image of Estel, but yes, he is very adorable! Thanks so much for your encouragement!
TrustingFriendship: You like paternal Glorfindel? Really? Thanks, I thought for sure I was gonna get flamed on that one! The twins are always fun, just like Elrond! But Elrond is fun in a very.....erm.......serious way! Heh heh, thanks for your comments!
Nienna Nir: Hehehe, who's gonna pick up the pieces of Estel? (* looks nervously around for packs of rabid fan girls) uh..........heh heh, I've got no idea what you're talking about! Nope, not a thing! ( *Evil authoress laugh ) Thanks for your support!
Lutris: So, you really like the scenes between Elrond and Estel? Thanks so much! Hehe! Oh, and I knew I was bound to make some mistakes, I apologize if they bothered you!! Thanks for your support!
Happy Molecule: Hehe, the twins are rather mischievous, aren't they? Heh, thanks for the review!
Disclaimer: Hell no I don't own LOTR. Tolkein is the man, the myth, the legend!
Quickie: ( *Sighs dreamily again.....) Oh, er..........heh, heh, oh yeah. I have forgotten to mention that the twins have a slight mental and spiritual connection with one another. You will see what I mean in a minute!
Childhood Curiosity
Ch.5: Moonlight Escape!
Looking up at the noise to his left, Elrohir stopped grappling his brother just long enough to see who was trying to get their attention. Feeling the vice-like grip upon his shoulders relax slightly, he knew his twin was doing just the same thing. It was only when he caught the sight of a very stern faced Ada standing in front of them, did he release his grip on Elledan hastily and get to his feet. Coming up to eye-level with his Ada, Elrohir could feel a slight blush spreading across his face as he suddenly became very aware of his lack of a shirt, messy hair and scratched face. Fixing an innocent expression on his features as fast as possible, he tried to ignore all of the horrible thoughts that were currently buzzing about his head. What if Ada knows that we snuck Estel out last night? What if Estel squealed on us? Or worse, what if he found out that we were planning to put vinegar into the evening stew next week?!?
Hearing his twin speak with an age-perfected clam voice beside him, he forced himself to focus upon the situation at hand. "You wished to speak with as Ada? Or so I presume." Said Elledan neutrally.
Elrond remained silent for a moment, Staring hard into the shining eyes of his sons, before answering them slowly and decisively. "Yes, I wanted to speak to you two concerning Estel."
Upon hearing the word Estel, he felt not only the unpleasant turn of his stomach, but his brother's as well. Forcing it down furiously, Elrohir choked his best calm voice into play and spoke innocently. "Estel, Ada? What about him, is something the matter?"
Elrond sighed lightly before answering his Elrohir's questions with another question. "Where were you two last night?" He asked quietly.
Elledan answered their Ada this time, his voice firm as he spouted the excuse that they had thought of before even taking Estel climbing. Finally thanking Elledan's brain for once, Elrohir nodded seriously along with the alibi. "Oh, we went to bed after listening to the choirs in the Hall of Fire. We were quite tired from our patrols earlier in the day, you know. Why do you ask?"
Elrond looked at them seriously for a moment, before proceeding to list off all of what he had found. Listening to Elrond say all of the evidence that they had not covered up, Elrohir could feel his face draining of color. Groaning mentally, he knew that they were caught this time. Well, at least I'll sleep well after cleaning the entire palace top to bottom, he thought ruefully. Looking back up at Elrond, he forced himself once again to remain calm. There just had to be a way out of this. Speaking the first thing that came to his mind in the wake of Elledan's silence, Elrohir said quickly, " And how does all of this pertain to us, Ada?"
Hearing his own voice speaking, it took Elrohir only a split second to realize that he had just said the very thing that might have saved them.
_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_
Hovering close to the door, Elledan listened to the footsteps of Elrond fade softly into the distant halls. Both he and his twin waited with baited breath until at last the halls around their door silent, before allowing a grin to consume his lips. Turning on a heel to find Elrohir grinning identically, Elledan burst out into a fit of laughing, falling back into the soft folds of his bed for support.
"I cannot believe that we just got away with that, I was sure Ada would have us scrubbing Imladres again!" He managed to choke out, finding breathing difficult in-between his laughter. Looking up at Elrohir who was chuckling silently and shaking his head, Elledan watched his twin turn and head into the wash room before springing up to follow him.
Striding happily into the light filled washroom, Elledan caught sight of himself in a mirror and frowned. His hair and skin glistened and sparkled oddly with the now crystallized soap that had smashed all over him. Hearing his brother pipe up behind him, Elrohir voiced exactly what Elledan himself had just been thinking. "You look like a maiden with all glittering potion upon your face, brother!" Elrohir said, finally allowing his laughter to bubble forth upon his twins' appearance.
Frowning again, Elledan quickly replaced it with a confident smirk as he strode over to the fireplace in the corner. Looking into the large, finely wrought cauldron that hung over the fire, he smiled as he found more than enough hot water to bathe in. Lifting it off if it's rack, Elledan made his way over to the bathtub, calling out to his brother over his shoulder. "And what of you, my brother? Don't tell me that you weren't nervous when Ada was questioning us. I felt your fear gnawing away at you! You cannot fool me with your confident mask!"
Hearing an indignant sputter behind him, Elledan's smirk grew even bigger as he filled up the large, porcelain tub before him with the rich, steaming water. "Not so!" Elrohir said, watching his brother as he pulled a clean tunic on for dinner. Elledan shook his head as he replaced the cauldron, and pulled the filmy curtains around the bathtub. "Yes, keep telling yourself that brother. Just as you weren't blushing brighter than Earendel when you tripped this afternoon. Honestly Elrohir, you can clear a courtyard of Maidens faster than Erestor in a bad mood!" Slipping his clothes off and sliding into the warm water with a contented sigh, Elledan chuckled to himself as he heard his brother mutter something about immature elves and swift revenge.
For a moment there was silence, as Elrohir tried to comb out his hair and Elledan scrubbed all of the glistening soap from his skin. Than suddenly, Elledan voiced his own thoughts quietly. "Do you think that Estel said anything to Ada? Perhaps we should drop by and ask him tonight."
Hearing the laughter in his brother's voice, Elledan felt assurance blanket his mind's fears. "Nay brother, Estel said nothing. All of the evidence left behind was of our doing. Perhaps next time we should not drink so much of Thranduils' spring wine at dinner beforehand."
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It had seemed like an eternity since last Estel had come from seeing the mighty tree. He was quite sure that the day had purposefully stretched itself longer to torture him! But at long last, night settled over the valley of Imladres. The inky night sky was cloudy, veiling the light of the stars ever so slightly, but not enough to hinder the determination of one six year old Dunedain who was laying fully awake and alert in his bed. Estel searched the confines of his room restlessly, images of nothing but himself climbing to the top of the goliath tree filling his mind. It will be the greatest thing I will ever do! He thought surely. Letting his silvery eyes dart out the window yet again, Estel had been monitoring the progress of the moon for sometime. Looking up at the large, luminescant globe up in the sky, Estel felt a jump of excitement in his stomach. It was very high up in the sky, meaning that it was very late indeed. Leaping out of bed, Estel landed on the floor with a small thud. Immediately freezing, Estel chided himself for being so loud before quickly getting dressed in his day clothes again. Ada has really good hearing, I must be more quiet! He thought as his eyes darted about for anything he might hear or see coming. Pulling on his boots, Estel crept quietly to his window , where his eyes slightly watered from the veiled but still intense light of the moon that spilled about him.
Looking down at the far ground below, Estel bit his lip as he tried to remember how the twins had escaped from his room. It was some sort of........vine thing. He settled lamely in his mind, scanning the walls below for the image he had in his mind. Finally spotting a vine covered trellis, Estel winced at how far a reach it was to climb onto it from his window. Certainly it was much farther than he remembered? Replying images of himself at the top of the tree and touching the heavens, Estel steeled his determination. It's now of never, he thought with a flutter of nervousness. Turning backwards, Estel ignored the lump in his throat as he climbed gingerly onto the window sill, gripped the edge with every ounce of strength he had in him, and lowered himself down against the wall. Experiencing a moment of panic as his face squished against the smooth marble of the wall, he stretched his feet down until he was confindent that he had nestled them into the first few rungs of the trellis. Ok, he thought jumpily, just balance.......... Letting go of the sill, Estel prayed to every Valar he could think of as he scrunched his body down until his hands found the edge of the trellis. Once Estel felt the carved wood and soft, living vines, he grabbed hold, and remained frozen in his awkward position. Taking in deep calming breaths, Estel reminded himself of his goal, and repeated this process until at long-last, he felt his shaky feet touch the leaf-strewn ground. Quickly turning from the wall, he faced into an empty courtyard before him. Looking quickly about him, he began to slip as silently as possible towards the not to distant forest, and the trail he had left himself earlier.
_*~_*~ (About twenty minuets later......)
The silvery moonlight shone only in small patches as little Estel struggled to find his way through the dense Imladres forests. His eyes, sharpened by hard elven training, jumped and bounced about his dark scenery to find the tell tale signs that he was going the right way. Estel walked as silently as possible, knowing it must have been an act of the Valar that he had not met any of the sentries that often patrolled these woods. Finding a large foot-print here, a broken twig there, and a scratched tree every now and then made Estel breath a tiny sigh of relief. Despite the looming darkness, he could think only of himself feeling the heavens above on top of that massive tree. He didn't know how long he had been walking, but Estel knew he was getting close. With his mind swimming in thoughts of stealth, secret trails, mighty deeds, and everything else, his tense body felt a flood of relief when at long-last the young dunedain stepped into the now slightly blinding moonlight and the clearing of the tree. The long, rippling leaves of the tree now before him looked like mirrors as their massive forms reflected the moonlight above, and indeed the tree looked more like a thing of legends at that moment than a mere root of Arda. His mind briefly clearing, Estel grinned and began running forward toward the tree, all thoughts of stealth forgotten.
~!_~!_~!_~!_~!!!!
The twins stood, dumfounded, in the empty room belonging to Estel. Each was running through fears of where he might be at this time of the night, the silence between them weighing like thousands of tons upon them. Facing toward the empty bed, lost in their own thoughts, the only thing that managed to be said was by Elledan. "By the Valar, brother. I told you that human would be a hell raiser."
Elrohir nodded mutely, as the silence returned. And so there they stood, so wrapped up in their own thoughts that neither of them noticed Estel's door open quietly behind them, or the lord or Imladres and the Balrog slayer walk softly into the room.
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Author's Note: BWAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!!!!......uh, urm.......Anyways! I'm cutting this chapter off here! The full length chappie is actually about 10-11 pages long. So I decided to cut it in half! I'll post the other half in about 1-2 days. Okey-day? I got so many lovely reviews, thanks again! But, please tell me what you thought of this chappie! Review review review!! Thanks, and I'll see you in the next chapter, very soon! Bye!