Disclaimer: See Chapter One.

A/N: Hey there people! Thank you sooo much for your reviews! I am totally in shock by how many I have. It's funny, this story was actually only supposed to be about 10 chapters. Well, my muse decided to start plant plot bunnies and I had to listen, so here we are. I'm glad that you are all enjoying this fic! Many many thanks to my beta enb2004 who has two great HP stories that you have to read! Thank you all again! Here is Chapter 21 as promised. Enjoy!

While the many elves watched over Estel, Mithrandir was watching over Gorothdil.

Gandalf had many questions for the traitor and decided now was as good a time as any to get some. The traitor did not deserve to sleep anyway.

"Gorothdil, awaken," Gandalf said commandingly.

Gandalf watched closely as Gorothdil's eyes began to lose their glazed look.

"Good, now that you are awake, I have many questions to ask you," Gandalf said fiercely, yanking the gag out of the traitor's mouth.

Gorothdil glared at Gandalf but said nothing.

"Why did you betray Imladris and Lothlorien," Gandalf asked fiercely.

"I did not betray them. I merely went about trying to remove the burden that had been placed upon them that never should have been," he said fiercely.

"If you mean Estel, he is no burden and never shall be! Lord Elrond and his sons and daughter love him! As does the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien as well as your, as of now, former commanding officer, Lord Glorfindel," Gandalf said fiercely, resisting the urge to yell out of respect for the sleeping household.

"He is nothing but a pitiful edain who should never have been allowed to live! Elladan and Elrohir should have left him to die where they found him," Gorothdil spat.

Gandalf started to see red at Gorothdil's statement, but reigned in his temper, barely, but he held it in check.

"Estel is more precious that you could ever hope to realize. And what of it that he is edain? Does that mean he should be treated with any less respect than the Eldar?" Gandalf questioned furiously.

Gorothdil looked up in honest surprise at Mithrandir.

"Of course that means that he does not deserve the same sort of respect. He is of the second born who bring nothing but pain and misery to all of Arda. I would have thought that you of all people would have realized that," he said.

Gandalf shook his head in disgust. "You know nothing Gorothdil but your own ignorance and prejudice. May the Valar have pity on you, for no one else shall. Least of all Elrond, his sons, daughter, in-laws, Erestor, and Glorfindel," he said sadly.

"Now tell me, who do you work for traitor!" Gandalf asked.

"I shall never speak of whom I serve," Gorothdil growled, while discreetly picked up a piece of broken glass that was on the floor and began to saw at his bonds.

"What is it that you want Estel killed, other than the reason that he is edain!" Gandalf said, seeming to grow taller as he spoke.

"I said answer...." Gandalf started to say, but never got the chance to finish. So involved was Gandalf in his questioning, he did not see Gorothdil's actions, and as a consequence, was unprepared when Gorothdil suddenly stood up and punched the wizard in the face.

Gandalf was dazed by the unexpected punch and tried to defend himself and recapture Gorothdil, but the elf saw that the wizard was dazed and used that to his advantage.

He ducked underneath the swing of Gandalf's staff and used grabbed the staff, pushing the the stunned wizard to the floor.

Taking advantage of Gandalf's position on the floor, Gorothdil brought up the staff and smashed it over Gandalf's head.

Gandalf groaned once and collapsed to the floor unconscious with blood running down his gray hair and beard.

Seeing that the wizard was down and out for the count, Gorothdil let go of the staff and took of for the stables.

Gorothdil wanted to do nothing more than head for the House of Healing and finish what he had started, but he knew that he was far outnumbered as the urchin had his "family" around him.

Knowing this, Gorothdil went straight for the stables and quickly mounted his horse and took off in the dead of night.

"We shall meet again little urchin, just you wait. You will not be nearly as lucky the next time we meet," Gorothdil thought silently and was soon far beyond the borders of Imladris.

Galadrial was still humming her lullaby. She was not able to fall back asleep and she did not wish to. Someone needed to be awake if Estel awoke again. Estel would need all the love and support that his family could give him in the coming days.

This incident would surely lead to nightmares and possibly trust issues, though privately she doubted that. Estel gave his love so willingly and freely, she was willing to bet that if Gorothdil apologized, Estel would accept it, not that his family would though.

No, Gorothdil had much to pay for. She looked forward to having... words with him. She suspected that Gandalf was having words with him while she was sitting humming her lullaby.

While she was humming, she heard a muffled thump coming from far down the hallway.

Galadrial frowned but hearing nothing further, thought nothing of it and started to hum once more.

Seconds later though, she heard it again and then nothing. Galadrial frowned once more. There should have been no noise coming from the hallway, other than a few muffled words.

"Elladan, Elrohir, wake up and watch your brother while I check on something," she said shaking both the twins in order to wake them.

"What? Grandmother? What's wrong?" Elladan said half asleep.

"Elladan, wake your brother and watch over your little brother. I need to go and check on something," Galadrial said quietly but urgently.

Elladan became awake at once. He had heard the urgency in his Grandmother's voice and nodded to her that he would.

Seeing that Elladan understood, Galadrial hurried down the hallway toward where the sound had been coming from.

Galadrial hurried her pace when she realized that she could not hear Gandalf and Gorothdil talking, when only minutes before, she had heard them.

She came to the hall only a minute later and gasped at the sight that was before her.

Mithrandir was unconscious on the floor with blood running down his hair and beard. Next to Mithrandir, were the bonds that had previously held Gorothdil that were now cut.

The realization of what had happened hit Galadrial like a ton of bricks. Gorothdil had escaped.

"ELROND! GLORFINDEL! I NEED HELP DOWN HERE!" she shouted, knowing that they would be able to hear her or Elladan and Elrohir would at least.

Knowing that it would be a few minutes before anyone could reach her and Gandalf, she turned to Mithrandir and started to clean the injuries the best she could with what she had available.

Translations:
Edain: Mortal/human
Eldar: the elder race, the elves
Arda: Middle Earth

A/N 2: Okay, okay, I know that was short but it was a good place to stop. I promise that the next one will be longer, promise! See you next time!