Disclaimer: See Chapter One.
A/N: Hey there people! Okay, a bit of bad news. For a little while, I won't be able to update every day as I have been doing. The thing is that I am in a play, that is currently about to take off and my director is already panicking. And if I don't get my lines down, it will be my head on a silver platter. So, I won't be able to update everyday, but I do promise to update within four days of the last post. Okay, enough of that. Thank you all so much for your reviews, and thank you so much enb2004 for being the best beta ever! Here is Chapter 12 and enjoy!
Walking into the dinning room, the assembled group of grandchildren, grandparents, and parent, found Glorfindel, Erestor, and Gandalf waiting for them already.
"What took you?" Glorfindel asked while smirking at Erestor for some reason.
Galadrial scowled at him. "If you must know, we had a slight run in with two rather rambunctious twin elflings," Galadrial said, shooting the mentioned "elflings" a viscous look.
"Hey, we resent that comment," Elladan said indignantly. " You know very well that we are not elflings Grandmother!" Elrohir exclaimed.
"True, very true. My apologies. You are certainly not elflings but infants," Galadrial said thoughtfully.
"Grandmother!" the twins said together in mock anguish.
Estel giggled at the the funny look on both of the twins faces, while Mithrandir laughed out loud.
Galadrial knew how to wound the elven twins pride, that much had most certainly been proved.
"Do you find the twins funny tithen pen?" Celeborn asked, gently putting Estel down into his chair right next to Elrond.
"Yeah!" Estel exclaimed happily.
"Just wait until you get older ion nin. You will not find them so funny them," Elrond stage whispered to his young son.
"Ada! You wound us with your words! Of course Estel will still find us funny when he is older," Elladan said mock seriously.
"Do not listen to word they tell you Estel. Trust me, when you are young, as you are now, it is rather funny. But once you are grown, that's when older brothers can suddenly become very annoying," Arwen said.
Estel was a bit confused but didn't let that bother him. "You're funny too Arwen. Does that mean you'll annoy me when I'm older?" Estel asked innocently.
Elrond laughed aloud at the look of righteous indignation on his daughter's face at Estel's innocent question.
There was no doubt about it, Estel was certainly learning from the best.
"I shall not even dignify that with an answer," Arwen said somewhat annoyed that her own words had been turned against her by a four year old.
Estel looked at Arwen and shrugged before turning to his Ada.
"Ada, is dinner ready? I'm really hungry," Estel said, his stomach rumbling.
"Oh yes Estel, dinner is ready and I believe, about to be served even as we speak," Elrond said.
And sure enough, only moments later, the servers came out and set the delicious looking food in front of everybody.
"Tuck in everyone. No need for formalities," Elrond said when he saw that everybody was waiting for him to do or say something.
As one, everybody started loading their plates and eating their dinner.
Halfway through the dinner, everyone was talking and having a grand time. It was a nice change to have almost the entire family under one roof.
Elladan looked over at Estel to see how his little brother was coming along with his dinner, only to find Estel's eyelids drooping.
Elladan smiled. Today had been a very exciting day for Estel. It was not every day that one got to meet their grandparents and big sister for the first time.
Elladan nudged Elrohir in the ribs in order to get his attention.
"What?" Elrohir asked somewhat annoyed at the interruption by his twin. It had been a long time since he had seen his little sister and he wanted to catch up with her.
"I think our little brother is up past his bed time," Elladan said, indicating his head towards Estel.
Elrohir looked at Estel and saw that he was slowly falling asleep at the table. Elrohir smiled fondly and nodded his agreement to Elladan.
"Ada, should we take Estel up to bed?" Elrohir asked, seeing that his father had yet to notice that his youngest was practically asleep.
Startled by his Elrohir's words, Elrond automatically turned to Estel, only to see that Estel was well on his way to being fast asleep.
"Nay Elrohir, that is all right. I shall take him. It has been an exciting day for him. I am not surprised that he is exhausted," Elrond said, about to stand up in order to retrieve Estel.
"Nay Elrond, do not get up. We shall put him to bed this night. We have yet to have the chance to, having only met him today," Galadrial said, with just a hint of annoyance in her tone. She had not quite forgiven Elrond for not telling her that she had a third grandson.
Elrond nodded his acceptance. It twas only fair really. He had been tucking Estel in for a whole two years while his grandparents had never had the chance. Tonight was their night.
Galadrial and Celeborn rose from their chairs and made their way over to Estel.
Galadrial gently picked the boy up, and smiled when Estel nestled into his grandmother's chest.
"Goodnight ion nin," Elrond said softly while kissing Estel on the brow, before sitting down once more.
Both Elladan, Elrohir, and Arwen stood up as well, and said and kissed their little brother goodnight, before returning to their meal.
"Come Celeborn, let up put the little one to bed. We shall be right back Elrond," Galadrial said with a smile.
"Galadrial wait. Do you know where Estel's chambers are?" Elrond asked quickly, before the two left.
"I would guess that it would be the previously empty one next to the twins," Celeborn said.
"Aye, it is," Elrond said.
"Fear not Elrond, Estel is in good hands," Galadrial said before leaving the dinning room with Estel and Celeborn following right besides her.
As they climbed the stairs that would lead the to chambers, Estel fell asleep completely. Galadrial smiled as Estel fell asleep against her.
"He is such a sweet little boy. So angelic looking," Celeborn said quietly, brushing a stray piece of hair away from Estel's face.
"I know exactly what you mean my love. He is so precious. I only wish that Celebrian could have known this precious little angel. She would have adored him with all her heart and soul," Galadrial said sadly.
Celeborn nodded. "I know Galadrial, I know. I do not think our daughter would want us to dwell on what might have been, but on what is. What is, is that Estel is our precious four year old grandson who could steal the heart of nearly any being in this Middle Earth," he said softly.
Galadrial could only nod quietly, for once, having no words of wisdom to share as her husband had said them for her.
"Come my love, let us get our tithen pen into bed and rejoin our other grandchildren downstairs. Besides, I know you my beloved, you and the twins are planning some kind of revenge on Elrond," Celeborn said, eyes sparkling with mirth.
"Now whatever in Arda would give you that idea Celeborn? Honestly, I do not know what had become of my family as of late," Galadrial said teasingly.
"You know very well my dear. I do believe that the twins inherited their grandmother's sense of humor as well as their fathers," Celeborn said.
"Now you are truly dreaming Celeborn," Galadrial said while opening the door to Estel's chambers.
"Here, take him for a moment while I turn down the bed," she said, shifting Estel to Celeborn.
Celeborn took the little boy joyously and was amazed when Estel did not wake when he had been shifted.
"You have had a tiring little day, haven't you my prince," Celeborn said softly to Estel, despite the fact that he was sleeping.
"Here Celeborn, the bed is turned down," Galadrial said smiling at what Celeborn had said.
Gently, Celeborn laid Estel down onto the bed, and both he and Galadrial pulled the blanket and the sheets up, so that Estel would not become cold, during the night.
"Goodnight tithen pen, may your dreams be filled with pleasant things," Galadrial and Celeborn whispered together, for it was the same thing they had said to their daughter when she had been little.
Silently, they blew out the candle, and left the room to go back and join the others for the remainder of their meal.
Little did the Lord and Lady know that the traitor of Imladris had been listening in on their conversation and observing their actions for the better part of the day.
Gorothdil had not always been a traitor to the elven lord whom he served. He had once been true and loyal and faithfully served in the armed patrols led by Glorfindel. He still did serve in the patrols, but not faithfully.
Everything had changed for Gorothdil the day that little human pip squeak had entered the lives of Lord Elrond and his sons. How they could claim the thing as their child he knew not. How he hated the edain!
They brought nothing but pain and misery into the lives of anyone unfortunate enough to have contact with them. He would not accept the urchin, never, and that, was what lured him to the dark. He did not know who the child truly was, only that it was rare for an edain child to be adopted by elves, and royal elves at that.
He reported the child to the orcs, who then told their master. Gorothdil was then told to meet with the orcs on the edges of Imladris, and report on the child. For once he had done the Eye's bidding once, he was lured into the darkness for good. The Eye was interested in this child that was being sheltered by Elves, and Gorothdil did his master's bidding.
Why the Great Eye was interested, Gorothdil did not know, but truly he did not care. He would do anything in his power to rid Imladris of the little urchin, more so now that the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien claimed it as their grandson. This had to be reported and soon. Then, he would get his orders and obey his master, no matter what the cost.
Translations:
Mellon nin: My friend
Ada: Dad/Daddy
Ion nin: My son
Arda: Middle Earth
Tithen pen: Little one