Author's Note: Hey everyone! Sorry I've been really irregular with the updates, I've been SOOOOO busy lately. I know! (* ducks rotten vegetables thrown at her.) Here's Chappie 11!

Reviewers to thank: Oh you all are so awesome, thank you!

LE: Hey lady! Thanks for the great review, I hope your I-search went well!

Trusting Friendship: Elrond might know were Estel is........he might not! Tee-hee! I'm evil! Thanks for the great review!

Grumpy: Thanks for all your really nice reviews! You rock!

Here we go........


Childhood Curiosity

Ch. 11: Rebana Iel

The rumble of thunder caressed the milky grey sky as even the heavens seemed to tremble in fear at the sight below. Spilling into an open field, the earth shook underneath the hooves of hundreds of elven horses. With banners bearing the Imladres crest waving proudly in the warm winds, not even the lack of sunlight could stop the glitter of the beautiful mail being seen from miles away. It was a sight for the record books, as a huge elven host in war mail and representational banners sped across Middle Earth. The sight made both man and beast quell into the shadows as the flame of the Valar seemed to emanate from their immortal eyes. And leading the host, if you were lucky enough to see the great elf himself, Elrond could be seen in shimmering Gondolin armor. With his dark hair rippling behind him in the winds, the elven lord sat low upon his horse, clutching a note in his ancient hands. A note that seemed to bear the Lothlorien crest upon it's parchment surface.

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Marcus's POV

Climbing calmly into the wagon before him, Marcus tried his best to quell the pang of fear that had just streaked through him. It had been a long time indeed since anyone in the company had heard Thalia's warning whistle sound. He could feel Rathue's tension beside him like his own, and that did not help anything at all. As the rough material slid across his face, his eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness inside. Silently making his way through the jumble of items below him, he focused his eyes onto the young child that was sitting in front of Thalia. The young boy looked much better than the ragged, half alive mess they had found almost four days ago. Thick bandages on his ribs shown beneath his shirt, along with various other places upon his small body. The cuts all over his flesh were slowly healing indeed, but nothing could marvel the young boy's eyes. Endless silver pools stared straight out from his soul it seemed. They were focused on Rathue beside him, radiating fear and anger from his entire being. With his dark locks messily hanging in front his face, the child was slowly scooting away from their approach. Turning quizzically to look at Rathue, his friend sat down beside Thalia and gave him a look that seemed to say, 'don't ask.' Settling himself beside Thalia as well, he listened to their conversation half-heartedly.

"How is he?" Rathue asked in a low voice.

Biting her lip hesitantly, Thalia replied in a whisper "I'm not sure, damn it all! He speaks only elvish I think. So it all sounds like nonsense to me."

Rathue nodded, but didn't reply. Marcus did not even need to look over to know that his friend was staring at him. Indeed, it was time to put his skills to the test. Moving slightly closer to the child, who flinched at this action, he began to speak in slow, rhythmic elvish.

~ Hello child. My name is Marcus, who might you be?~

Mentally praying to the powers above that he had said everything right, Marcus watched with a wave of relief as the child at once perked up at his question. All at once a smile spread across his now beaming face, and the young boy suddenly seemed to forget everyone else in the wagon. Scooting as fast as his bandaged body would allow, the child came right up to Marcus and began to speak in a rapid, bouncy manner.

~Thank the Valar! I can't believe you actually speak in elvish, you know, I don't understand a thing anyone else says! What's going on here, why am I all bandaged up? Where are my clothes? Where are we, have you seen my Ada? I'm sure he's looking for me, and the twins! They always came for me when I was in trouble. Who are you? And....~

Taken aback at the sudden barrage of words, Marcus felt like he was going to explode translating the child's words as fast as he was. ~ Hold on, child! Slowly, I am not fluent in Elvish!~ He laughed with a smile of his own.

The boy's smile grew bigger and he let out a laugh of his own, his small voice ringing like bells into the sky. ~ Oh, I am sorry my lord!~ He said slowly.

~Who are you now?~ Marcus returned.

~ I am Estel Elrondian. My Ada is Elrond of Imladres, and I am at your service.~ The child stumbled out, not seeming to comfortable with the formal greeting.

Not allowing his face to betray his the shockwave of emotion that was rippling through him, Rathue nodded silently and told the child to wait for a moment. Turning to his companions beside him, Marcus looked at their confused expressions. Struggling to find the right words to say, Thalia urged him on. "What did he say Marcus, who is he?"

As Rathue nodded at her side, Marcus looked into their eyes, and took a deep breath. This could surely not end well. "The child is on the mend to be sure. He is very eager to speak to me, and does not know altogether how he got here," Marcus began uncertainly, trailing off with that last comment.

"And?" Rathue said quickly, a note of impatience hinting in his usually calm voice.

"And," Marcus said with a pause. "And the child's name is Estel. Estel Elrondian, a child of Lord Elrond of Rivendell."

The tension in the air skyrocketed as the two sitting before him let their mouths hang open is aghast. For several moments, the silence was thick in the wagon, seeming to last so much longer than it really was. Breaking the silence after it's span of eternity, a fellow thief stuck his head into the wagon.

"Rathue?" The dark haired man called quickly. "We are very close now to Rebana Iel. Shall we find another driver for your wagon and press on?"

For several moments, Rathue did not answer. At long last, he turned to the man with a serious expression upon his face. Nodding mutely to the man, Rathue turned back to Marcus with an expression upon his face that even he could discern. Was it panic? Concern? Fear? " A child of Elrond.......but how? The boy does not have the pointed ears of an elf, what in Middle Earth is he talking about?" Rathue mused to himself out loud, all the while keeping his gaze upon Marcus. Trying to find out what his friend was saying, Marcus decided to speak up. "Shall I ask him, then?" He questioned. At Rathue's nod, Marcus turned back to the young boy sitting in front of him. Estel looked confused and curious, not really understanding their conversation but desperately wanting to. Formulating what he needed to say, Marcus began to speak slowly.

~ Estel, what do you mean by saying that you are a child of Lord Elrond? He is an elf, and you are a mortal. How is this possible?~

Estel seemed to consider this for a moment before flashing a happy smile at him. ~ Ada says that I'm a Dunedain mortal, he says that's different. Ada adopted me after my papa died and my mama went away. He's the greatest!~

Marcus couldn't hep but smile at the child's upbeat manner as he nodded and held up a finger to Estel to motion for a moment. Turning back to the others with his smile still holding, he quickly relayed what Estel had said. Another silence followed in which the Wagon began to move and sway again, seemingly quicker this time than the last. As Estel's small voice broke into Marcus's thoughts, he turned to listen to the now frowning child.

~ Marcus? Do you know where my Ada is? I think he is going to be very angry at me when we get back to Imladres, because I disobeyed him you know. The twins and Ada told me not to dive off the Imladres falls, but I did anyway. Do you think he will be angry? When are we going to get back to my home, I'm tired and miss my Ada.....~ Estel finished off sadly.

Noting the sparkling of tears in the young boy's eyes, Marcus knew that he couldn't let the child cry. ~ Well, little one. I think that your Ada will simply be happy to see you when you get home to the Valley of the Elves. But we are not going there right now. For a while, we are going to my home, and I think you are going to stay with us. Is that alright?~

Estel, who was now starting to look tired, allowed silent tears to run down his face before he nodded mutely. Knowing that this was all a little much for a boy of maybe six summers, Marcus told the child to lay down and sleep before turning back to his silent companions beside him. With a meaningful look into their eyes, he knew that there was now much to discuss.

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Night of the same day

Breathing in deeply as the moisture filled air hit his nostrils, Rathue felt a relieved smile flit across his lips. Hearing the familiar grinding snap of the great stone doors behind him, he smiled as the cavern of Rebana Iel opened up majestically before him. It had been a long journey indeed, with many unforseen surprises on the way, but at long last the thieves were home and safe in their secret hideout. The cavern was right in the entrance of the Misty Mountains, and hidden by what appeared to be a sheer rock wall. As far as the thieves knew, they were the only ones in all of Middle Earth besides the creators themselves who knew of this wonderous cavern. The place was massive, with only one cavernous room in it's entirety. From the ceiling hung thousands of stalactites, ranging from long, deadly peaks, to the yet growing bumps along the cave wall. Their hues were unmatched by any, as swirls of blues, ivory, yellows, and gold were frozen into their ever changing surfaces. From these came a gentle drip of crystal pure water, which drained into random pools here and there in the cavern. These pools were wonders themselves, holding water that was either crystal blue as a summer sky, or golden yellow and green as spring buttercups. Despite their obvious coloring, the water in the pools was fresh, pure, and light to the taste.

The Stalagmites on the floor of the cave served many purposes besides their profound beauty. They held clothes lines, round wooden boards to serve as tables, and many of the bigger ones held hammocks for the thieve's sleeping quarters. The light was extremely airy in the cave, although no one knew for sure what made it so bright in the cavern. Although it was still a cave, if one didn't know better they might also call it home. Watching as the wagons were driven off to the side of the cavern's entryway, Rathue immediately followed the one carrying Erond's child. As it lumbered to a halt against a rock wall and the horses were lead away, Rathue peeked his head inside the canvas top. He immediately found Thalia and Marcus gathering up the child and his blankets in their arms, maneuvering carefully towards himself and the exit. Nothing was said until they were successfully out of the wagon and heading towards some of the sleeping quarters.

"Estel can sleep in my place," Rathue said quickly finding himself anxiously examining the young boy's sleeping face. The other two nodded silently, their eyes not quite meeting. Rathue knew why they were so quiet. He could almost feel their fear. They had spoken long during the journey about what this child could mean to the group. They were now carrying one of the last few legendary Dunedain with them. Not only that, but this boy was the child of Lord Elrond and the fierce Rivendell elves. (A/N: Yea!) If these ancient creatures thought that they had kidnaped Estel, then they would chase them to the ends of the Earth to see that they got their just punishment. And that thought enough was enough to put untamable fear into each and everyone of their stout hearts. As they wound their way around the many stalagmite-hammocks, Rathue finally found his familiar one right next to Marcus' and Thalia's. Setting the child down, Estel shifted in his sleep slightly, mumbling about his Ada in a small voice.

The three thieves stood there for a second, motionless in the commotion all around them. They each stared at Estel, lost in his or her own thoughts. They had never had a child in the troupe before, this might be interesting indeed. After a few minutes, Rathue called for Arayune the Healer to tend to the boy's wounds again. He knew that he would have to address his thieves soon, but his own eyes were beginning to itch with tiredness. It had been a long journey, and sleep sounded good right about now. At Rebana Iel, he didn't need to worry about the safety of himself and his thieves.

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The Elven Host, camped at around the western entrance to the plains of Rohan.

As the rain washed the earth clean, tumbling down from the heavens in huge cascades, the Rivendell host was camped in the midst of it all. The horses were roaming freely, with their elven masters none to concerned about them for the training that had been instilled into them. They would come galloping back at the lightest call. There were tents set up here and there for the officials, such as Elrond and his advisors, however most of the elves were content to sit in the light rain and watch the confused sky swirl and tumble. In the flagship tent, however, there was much less ease as the leaders spoke out their plans of action.

~*_~*_ Twins POV ~*_~*_

Elledan nudged his fidgeting brother at his side lightly, reminding him to pay attention as the dim torchlight illuminated a map that was currently in deep study. Standing around it was their Ada, whose face looked tired and worried all at once, the fair Glorfindel who's ever-present youth seemed to remain untouched, Erestor, who's ageless face looked more serious than usual in the reddish light, the much younger captian of the guard, Mithuane, and the stranger from Lothlorien, Guathane. Grouped around the ancient map of Middle Earth, the elves were in deep discussion, and although the twins knew that such discussion was important, they could hardly ignore the urge to run right out of the tent, jump onto a horse, and somehow find their youngest brother.

" It is still hard to believe that we lost the trail of the wagon tracks on the plains. I apologize once again, my lord. These thieves must be extremely well skilled indeed to hide their tracks so." Glorfindel said with deep regret filling his baritone voice.

Looking up at him, Elrond nodded and closed his eyes. " Do not apologize, my friend. It was meant to happen, for this is surely a test of the skills of the Elves. With the information of our young friend," Elrond said, motioning to Guathane. " and the information yielded to me by my own future sight, I feel certain that we will find young Estel."

For a moment, there was silence, while Elledan allowed these words to comfort him although they hardly did. Meeting the eyes of Elrohir next to him, Elledan could feel his brother's unease and regret filling his own soul with a weight heavier than the peak of Caradhas. It was almost to much to bear. Tearing his eyes from his' brothers, Erestor's deep voice filled his ears suddenly, slicing through the silence abruptly.

"My lord, I hate to sound the voice of doubt, but I feel I must say what my mind implores me. The reports from our scouts tell that these thieves are ruthless killers and cold-hearted plunderers. We may find young Estel, but in what condition? There are so many things that could have happened to him at this point. He is only a mortal of six summers!" He said, shaking his head slowly as if in bitter shame.

Listening to these words, Elledan felt the weight in his soul suddenly plunge. His vision became blurry, and his mind reeled without end. Words of doubt plagued his mind's eye as visions of a smiling Estel accompanied them. What if he's right? He thought quickly. He's so small, what chance could he stand against such a foe? Feeling the prickling tears in his eyes threaten to fall, Elledan found himself turning on a heel to walk slowly out of the tent. The second he was outside, the tears of the sky pelted him relentlessly as he continued to walk forward. Looking ahead, he didn't really see the plains stretching out before him, or the tumbling sky above him, all he could see was Estel. Estel pouting on the floor of the Great Hall as he wasn't allowed to have his favorite toy at the table. Estel's expressive silver eyes shining with excitement as Ada presented him with his first set of daggers. Estel all around. Abruptly tripping on a rock on the ground, Elledan was snapped out of his trance to find himself upon his hands and knees on the grassy ground. He was someways from the camp, out in a large grassy field with only to sound of the distant horses to quell the rumble of nature. Finally alone without the eyes of such powerful Elves staring at him, Elledan took in a quivering breath and allowed his tears to silently fall to the ground.

Sitting down on the soaking ground without care, the elf closed his eyes to allow the rain to fall upon his face. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he suddenly heard the voice of a Dunedain ranger. The man spoke softly, asking how elves showed so little emotion. How were they so perfect? Letting out a bitter laugh, Elledan thought of how silly he must look. Those who didn't think elves showed emotion were fools. Because right now, he couldn't do anything but express the raw emotion that was eating him alive. Sitting like this for a few moments, his acute hearing suddenly found the sound of slow footsteps approaching him. Opening his eyes only slightly, he found his brother plopping down right next to him. Looking at Elrohir, Elledan found the same emotions and thoughts running rampant through his twin with equal force. The same glitter of tears was in Elrohir's eyes as the rain soaked the elf from head to toe, and they both knew that there was no need for words. Closing their eyes again, each lost each other amongst his own thoughts, finding a little comfort in the knowledge of each other's presence. And for a good long while, the twins of Elrond stayed like that, dripping under the rain in the middle of a field. Each allowing an expression of nothingness to show upon their faces. Until at long last, each heard footsteps approaching them. Looking up at the same time, each felt a tremor of surprise run through them as they witnessed Elrond, standing before them in the pouring rain.

His dark locks ran with rivulets of water, and his ageless face held nothing but an expression of care. In his lightest blue robe of silk, their Ada sat down in front of them on the muddy ground in silence. Finding himself unable to close his agape mouth, Elledan looked quickly to his twin who was in equal surprise. It was hard to find the words to say at first, until finally he sufficed to speak a simple question from his swollen, hurting throat. "A-ada........what are you doing h-here?"

As another rumble of thunder passed overhead, Elrond simply smiled gently. Speaking in a soft voice, even the rain seemed to die down ever so slightly to allow him to be heard. " My sons, I could not simply allow the two of you to sit out in this rain with your emotions. I could feel the regret and pain that was slowly filling your souls like a growing fire. I knew that it would eventually burn out of control." Pausing slowly, Elrond looked up the sky and spoke again. " I do not wish you to despair, my sons. I beg of you to remain strong. Estel is alive, for it is fated in the stars that he one day become the king of men. You both know this as well as I, so we must remain strong for him. Do not ever lose hope, for even in the darkest of hours," Elrond said with emotion, pausing to look his sons right in the eyes. "There is still hope."

Allowing the words of his father to hit home, Elledan hung his head and closed his eyes. He was absolutely right, and both the twins knew it. They had to remain strong, there was simply nothing else they could do. Hating the feeling even more as tears threatened to well up in his eyes again, Elledan suddenly found himself in the embrace of his father. Elrond gave the twins both a strong embrace, and then stood up into the now harder falling rain. Smiling at the twins who were looking up at him, Elledan suddenly found the ability to smile himself. There was new energy coursing through him, and with that he let out a shaky laugh. Looking into Elrohir's eyes and finding the same feeling, he took the hand that his Ada was offering him.

"Come," Elrond said with a fatherly air. "Why don't we go into the main tent, and see what they are cooking for supper."

Standing shakily on his feet, Elledan nodded and said with a smile, " Thank you. Ada."

"Yeah!" He heard Elrohir exclaim next to him. "That sounds grand, I'm famished!"

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Walking under the now pounding rain, Glorfindel looked out into a distant field to check on Elrond and his sons. What he saw brought a smile to him and a lighter heart, as he witnessed Elrond laughing with his twins, that looked to be flinging mud at one another.

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Author's Note: Yea! I had to do a little family scene near the end. After all, what those poor elves must be feeling is beyond my puny writing skills! I hope you liked it, and the next chapter we really get back to Estel! Thanks, and please leave me a review! Love yall, bye!