Disclaimer: See Chapter One.
A/N: Hey there folks! Thank you all so much for your reviews! I would like to take this time to say thank you to Spirit of Tolkien for pointing out my error on the spelling of Galadriel's name. I would also like to take this time to point out the fact that I have read the books and I am very sorry about the error. I lent my copy to one of my friends and had to rely on my own memory. Many many thanks to enb2004 for being such a great and understanding beta who has two fabulous HP fics that you have to read! As promised, here is Chapter 23. Have fun!
After most of the people had gone to help their grandmother, Arwen shot the twins another of her devious looks.
Erestor groaned softly to himself. He knew that an embarrassing story was coming and only prayed that he would not be included in it.
Erestor did not mind helping to cheer up Elrond's youngest, especially after tonight. That did not mean however that he wanted to be featured in such a story.
"Arwen, just which embarrassing story are you going to tell Estel?" he asked trying to be nonchalant and not succeeding in the slightest.
Arwen grinned at him, realizing the advisor's discomfort. "Fear not Erestor, this story will solely feature my dear older brothers and Legolas, not you," she said genuinely smiling at Erestor.
Erestor let out a breath that he had not realized that he was holding. When Arwen told embarrassing tales, she made sure not to leave out any of the details. He felt just a tiny bit sorry for the twins and Legolas for a moment.
After a moment however, he decided he shouldn't and would not pity them in the least after all the pranks that they had played on him and countless others. Whatever they got, they deserved.
"Please tell me Arwen?" Estel asked adoringly, his fear and pain momentarily forgotten.
"Of course Estel," Arwen said pulling the toddler on to her lap.
"This particular story happened, oh, I'd say 500 years ago. The twins, Ada, Amme, and myself were all visiting Mirkwood for a season, much to our excitement. You see Estel, King Thranduil and Ada have always been close friends, though it may not appear to be that way at times. Our families have been close for centuries and that particular visit was for King Thranduil's birthday," Arwen said grinning in remembrance.
"Arwen!" Elladan and Elrohir exclaimed. They thought that they knew where she was going with this but desperately hoped that they were wrong.
Erestor laughed and shook his head. He too saw where Arwen was going. He remembered the incident quite clearly and very fondly. It was most certainly one of the twin's more embarrassing moments.
Elladan and Elrohir's fears were confirmed, much to their dismay, as Arwen continued the tale.
"We had been at King Thranduil's palace for a few days, enough time for the twins and Legolas to engage in a little prank war. The twins had taken to waking Legolas up each morning with a bucket of ice cold water, despite the fact that it was in the middle of winter. After a few days had passed, Legolas had grown somewhat tired with the wake up call," Arwen said smiling, remembering her friends disgruntlement.
"Somewhat? Come on Arwen. If you're going to tell the tale that you had better do it right," Elrohir said teasingly.
Arwen frowned and shot a look that resembled their father's at the younger twin.
"Anyway, before I was rudely interrupted, I was saying that Legolas had grown quite disgusted with the various pranks. On the eve of his Adar's birthday ball, Legolas decided to strike back. He and the twins had had lunch together in his room and he drugged their wine. Once Legolas was sure that they were asleep, he cut off most of their hair. Their hair was just below their ears, it twas one of the funniest things I have ever seen Estel!"
Estel laughed out loud picturing his brothers with hair that was shorter than his. He could not quite imagine it. They had had long hair as long as he could remember!
"That was not all that Legolas did however. Aside from cutting their hair, he also took all of their formal tunics that they had brought with them for the occasion and hid them where the twins were certain not to find them. All the twins were left with were their warrior tunics, hardly appropriate for a formal birthday ball! When the twins awoke from their 'nap' they immediately noticed the other and started screaming as though they were being murdered."
"We did not!" Elladan exclaimed hotly.
"We were just surprised," Elrohir said, his cheeks red with embarrassment.
"Oh yes you did. Do not bother to deny it. Anyway, our father heard them screaming from downstairs and thought that they were just carrying on like usual. He told them that they had better get ready for the party for it was starting in five minutes and they were required to attend it. When they came downstairs, after much prodding and yelling from our father and King Thranduil, the whole party broke into hysterical laughter. It was so funny Estel! Ada and King Thranduil were holding on to each other so as not to fall over while laughing. I was laughing so hard that I had tears in my eyes and Amme was not much better. Needless to say, the twins didn't stay very long, what with Legolas and all his older siblings making comments about the new hairstyle and their choice of outfits. For the rest of the trip the twins hardly left their rooms!" Arwen said laughing.
Elladan shook his head ruefully. "Let me tell you right now Estel. When you eventually meet Legolas (and trust me, you shall) never, ever, get on his bad side. We learned that the hard way," he said remembering the incident very clearly.
"Aye, is that not the truth. It took years for our hair to grow back to the length that it used to be," Elrohir said, motioning towards his long ebony locks.
"All right you four, that is enough for now," a slightly amused voice said.
"Ada!" Estel said happily and reached his arms up to be picked up, only to whimper when the motion strained the stab wound.
"Ai! You must be careful my tithen pen. That wound is going to hurt for quite some time yet," Elrond cautioned while carefully picking Estel up and hugging him before setting him back down on the bed.
Estel nodded miserably. His arm hurt him so badly!
"It will be all right tithen pen. Here, drink this. It will help to ease the pain," Elrond said while bringing over a cup of tea.
Seeing the tea, Estel grimaced in disgust while Erestor, the twins, and Arwen shot sympathetic looks at him.
They had all had the dreaded tea many times and could sympathize with Estel. The tea truly was disgusting and was very bitter. If one tried to add sugar of honey to try to sweeten it at least somewhat, the drugs would be rendered useless. So, they all had to put up with the taste and the effects of the drugs.
"I know that it does not taste very good ion nin, but it will dull the pain in your arm," Elrond said gently.
Estel nodded his okay. If the tea made the pain go away then he would take it.
"Good Estel, drink now," Elrond said holding the cup to Estel's mouth and guiding the liquid into Estel's mouth as Estel could not hold the cup himself.
Estel swallowed as quickly as possible in order to rid his mouth of the awful taste. Soon, he felt his eyes begin to droop and he felt very sleep. He yawned and blinked up tiredly at his Ada.
"Shhh, close your eyes and go to sleep Estel. We will be here when you awaken," Elrond said softly.
"Love you Ada," Estel said sleepily before finally closing his eyes and immediately falling into a deep sleep.
Elrond smiled fondly as his little one fell asleep and then turned to his advisor and elder children.
"I must talk to you four right away in my study," Elrond said turning serious.
"Ada? What's the matter?" Arwen said picking up on her father's serious and worried mood.
"I shall explain once in the study. Fear not, your Grandmother and Grandfather will stay with Estel as they already know the news I must tell you," Elrond said with an air of sadness and hostility around him.
The twins, Arwen, and Erestor all exchanged looks and wondered if this had something to do with what had called Elrond and the others away a few minutes ago.
"Go on my grandchildren, Erestor. We shall watch over Estel. Should he awake he shall not be alone," Galadriel said entering the room with Celeborn right besides her.
Everyone but Elladan nodded and reluctantly followed Elrond out of the room, taking one last look at Estel in the process.
"Sweet dreams, our tithen gwador," Elladan murmured and quietly left the room and followed his siblings and Erestor to their father's study.
Once the twins, Arwen, and Erestor had entered the study, Elrond sat down on one of the couches and rubbed his temples wearily.
Glorfindel, who had already been in the room, noticed this and sat down next to Elrond and squeezed his shoulder in silent support.
Arwen sat next to her father while Erestor and Haldir sat down next to the twins.
"Ada? Where is Mithrandir? Should he not be here as well if it is very important?" Elladan asked feeling a sense of foreboding.
"Aye Elladan, he should be here and that is precisely what brings you here. Haldir, myself, Elrond, Celeborn, and Galadriel all know. Only you three and Erestor do not," Glorfindel said heavily.
"Know what Glorfindel?" Elrohir asked, becoming somewhat impatient. He too felt a sense of foreboding and it was beginning to grate on his nerves.
Elrond sighed and turned to his children and Erestor.
"Earlier, you heard Galadriel call for me. She called for me because she needed help tending to Mithrandir who had been injured in an attack," Elrond said hoping that they would figure out the rest.
Erestor looked puzzled as did Arwen and the twins.
"But Elrond, how did Mithrandir come to be injured? He is an Istari, an attack on him should have proved fruitless," Erestor protested.
"Aye, I know but I'm afraid that Gandalf was already very weary from tonight's events and was not up to his usual caliber," Elrond said wearily.
"Wait a moment Elrond. Gandalf was.... NO!" Erestor exclaimed, disbelief and horror etched onto his face.
"Erestor? What is it?" Elladan asked suddenly feeling as though he was missing something, something very important.
"Elladan, Gandalf was guarding Gorothdil. I'm afraid that Gorothdil has escaped," Elrond said wearily.
"WHAT!" the twins roared together while at the same time Arwen burst into tears and hugged her father tightly.
The twins were struggling to get to their feet and it took the combined efforts of Glorfindel and Haldir to keep the twins down.
"Elladan, Elrohir, I know that you desire revenge, as do I. The fact of the matter is that Gorothdil has escaped and by now, is long gone. We will send out trackers in the morning but I highly doubt that they will find anything," Elrond said soothingly, trying to keep the twins calm.
"Ada!" the twins said together in protest.
"Nay! Elladan, Elrohir, as much as it pains me to say this, your father is right. We can not track Gorothdil in the dark and come daylight, he will be long gone if he is not already. Believe me, I wish that this was not so, but it is," Erestor said softly but firmly.
Seeing that the twins were still distressed, Haldir gently sat down next to them and squeezed Elrohir's shoulder comfortingly while Erestor and Elladan gave each other support.
"Ada, what if he tries to go to Mirkwood under the guise of wanting a new home?" Arwen asked, still holding tightly to her father while tears dripped down her face.
"Fear not iel nin, I will send a letter to Thranduil telling him of the circumstances. He will not allow Gorothdil within his home and if he sees Gorothdil, I am sure he will do everything that he can to capture him," Elrond told his daughter reassuringly.
"Rest assured that I shall always be on the lookout for the disgusting traitor. I myself will go looking for him come the morn, although I do not hold out much of hope of finding any sign of him," Haldir said.
The twins nodded at him in silent thanks. They would go with him but their little brother would desperately need them in the coming days. Nor were they willing to part with Estel after what had happened. Look at what had happened while they were away once! They would not risk that again, not anytime in the near nor distant future.
"I understand perfectly well my friends. If it were my brother that was concerned, I would not wish to be parted from him either," Haldir said understandingly.
"Thank you mellon nin, for everything. Without you, I doubt Estel would have survived Gorothdil's attack," Elrohir whispered.
"It was nothing and I'm sure when Estel is older, he would do the same for me," Haldir said waving off the thank you casually.
"You are quite correct Haldir. I do indeed believe that Estel would do the same for you when he is older. That time is far away though. Haldir, Glorfindel, Erestor, you may all certainly retire to your beds should you wish, but you are welcome to join us in the healing wing should you wish too.
"Of course we wish to Lord Elrond! I would not be able to sleep any more this night anyway. I also wish to watch over Estel and make sure that no further harm comes to him. Gorothdil may have taken off for the woods, but we can not be sure. I would feel much better if I could stay and watch over him," Haldir said firmly.
"Of course you can mellon nin. Glorfindel, Erestor, I assume the same goes for you?
"Of course Elrond! We love Estel as though he were one of our own, you of all people should know that!" Glorfindel exclaimed with Erestor nodding in agreement.
"Of course, how silly of me. Come, I do not wish to be parted from Estel any longer than I already have," Elrond said standing up and motioning towards the door.
The others nodded and quietly followed Elrond back to the Healing Wing and Estel.
Translations:
Ion nin: My son
Tithen pen: Little one
Tithen gwador: Little brother
Mellon nin: My friend
Ada: Dad/Daddy
Adar: Father
Iel nin: My daughter