Author's note: This is a sequel to Bonds of Honour. It's perfectly understandable to read on its own (probably) but if you're going to read the first story, read it now. If you wait until you've read this one, it'll spoil all the cliffhangers.
***
Arwen was noticeable in her absence from dinner that night, but no one commented or found it particularly strange. Lord Elrond said nothing throughout the meal, and even the twins were subdued and somewhat dismal. Yet none of this was cause for remark. Everyone knew what the date was, and what it meant.
It was ten years to the day since Estel had disappeared.
No one knew why he left or where he went. Ten years later and still no one had found any trace of him, or any explanation to his disappearance. One day, he had simply not been there anymore. His bow and some of his clothes were gone, but his sword had been left behind. There had been no note or message. Just an empty room and a worrying family.
His adopted family had been shaken and shocked by his vanishing, but none more so than Arwen. No one would have guessed how close she was to her human brother. For weeks she had stayed in her room, asserting that he would come back to her and crying. It had seemed that she might die of grief, and Estel would not be there to see what he had done.
Even now, after ten long years, the shadows of that day hung over the household. The date brought back memories of the boy's lively spirit, his kindness and his enthusiasm. His laughter had filled the halls of Rivendell as he played with the twins or learned from them how to fight. He had been so strong in mind and body that it seemed that nothing would defeat him. But something had, and no one knew what.
Lord Elrond excused himself from the meal early, leaving before desert was served, but no one blamed him. He missed his human son as much as if Estel had been a child of his own blood. The twins watched him leave without comment before continuing eating their own food, simply because they must, though they hardly tasted it as it passed their lips.
They remembered their brother and the joys they had shared during his childhood, and they missed him still, more keenly with each day that passed as it reinforced the terrible truth, that Estel would not be coming home.
***
It was growing late, and still Legolas had yet to rid himself of his persistent shadow. Whoever was following was extremely skilful, able to keep up no matter what Legolas did to mask his trail. There were times when Legolas thought the tracker lost, but then a small sound alerted him to the continued presence.
At first it had been amusing, but now it was getting annoying. Whoever it was hadn't made any threatening moves yet, but it was unlikely they were there for any good purpose and he had no intention of going to sleep with a potential enemy lurking behind him.
He decided that the only way to learn the truth was to find a way to confront his follower. A fast-flowing stream had cut a path ahead that might proof useful. If he climbed down to the water's edge he would be out of sight of his tracker for a few minutes. Once there, he scuffed a few marks and the edge of the stream and splashed the ground a little, as though he had stopped to drink. He then made a few prints on the soft earth, as though he were heading upstream, before darting back to hide under the shelter of an overhanging rock.
He took his bow from his back and bent it quickly. He placed an arrow on the string ready for when the tracker showed himself. A few minutes passed, and Legolas remained silent and still under the shadow of the rock. There was no noise from above, but eventually the mysterious someone began his descent.
He might have been an elf for all the sound he made climbing down the bank, but Legolas didn't think so, despite the lithe form. The someone reached the stream, and bent to examine the false tracks Legolas had made.
Instead of heading upstream at once, the tracker hesitated, perhaps suspecting that the marks were false. Whatever the reason, Legolas chose that moment to step out from his shelter, the arrow ready to fire should this person prove hostile. The tracker was well armed, with a bow across his back and both a sword and a dagger at his belt.
"Turn round slowly," Legolas ordered, "and make no move for your weapons."
The tracker straightened, and turned slowly, hands outstretched so that Legolas couldn't mistake the gesture. As the face was revealed, Legolas tried not to show his surprise.
"Who are you and why are you following me?" he demanded of the girl standing in front of him.
***
As they made their way to their rooms after dinner, the twins saw their father standing at the doorway of the house, looking out at the courtyard. He was watching the gate, as though hoping that his son would come riding through as he had done so often in the past, grinning and apologising for being late. The twins considered going and talking to him, but it was clear from his stance that Lord Elrond had no desire for company.
Tears rolled down his face in his solitude, as he watched bleakly for his errant son to return. As the sun set, he brushed away the tears. He waited. Waited for the event he had been imagining since Estel had first disappeared. Ten years to the day.
He stood there as hours went by and the night crept across Rivendell. He stood there as the lights were extinguished and the household departed for bed. He stood there as the stars danced their steady dance across the sky above and midnight came ever closer, bringing another day and an end to his hopes.
There was no one else still awake to witness when someone did indeed come riding through the gate. A man dismounted from his horse, looking very little like the youth that had left in secret ten years earlier. There was no cheerful grin at his mouth. Instead, his face was covered by a mask which showed no trace of whatever emotions might be playing beneath. He was tall and strong, a warrior and a survivor. Childhood had long since left him. The clothes he wore, though as rich as those he had once worn in Rivendell, were tired and worn from weather and use.
Elrond barely recognised his son in this stranger, but the face was there nonetheless. The pride of noble lineage showed through the dirty appearance. Elrond held in check the desire to throw his arms around the man and hug him forever, since it was apparent that such actions wouldn't be appreciated. For ten years he had pictured this moment, and now he found himself unable to say all the things he wanted to. He wished he could say just how much he loved this man, but couldn't.
"I was beginning to think you weren't coming," Lord Elrond said instead, with no other word of greeting.
"After ten years, I could not miss this day," replied the man who had once been Estel.
"Will you be staying?" Lord Elrond asked.
"In one of the guest bedrooms." That answer told more than just the meaning the simple words contained. He was now a guest here, no longer a family. The ten years that had passed had been far longer for the human than for the elves, and he had changed completely into someone almost unrecognisable. Estel was gone and Elrond knew it.
There was no sign of warmth or affection as they spoke these words to each other. No one observing the two of them would have suspected they had once been father and son.
The man turned without an invitation to do so and began to lead his horse to the stables. He did not seem dismayed by this cold greeting or even surprised, though, as the man walked away, the moonlight seemed to glint on moisture in his eyes. He had returned home, only to discover his home was gone.
***
Author's note: What do you think so far? Any theories as to what's going on? There's one thing I'm absolutely certain you won't get, but you can try and prove me wrong if you'd like.
***
Arwen was noticeable in her absence from dinner that night, but no one commented or found it particularly strange. Lord Elrond said nothing throughout the meal, and even the twins were subdued and somewhat dismal. Yet none of this was cause for remark. Everyone knew what the date was, and what it meant.
It was ten years to the day since Estel had disappeared.
No one knew why he left or where he went. Ten years later and still no one had found any trace of him, or any explanation to his disappearance. One day, he had simply not been there anymore. His bow and some of his clothes were gone, but his sword had been left behind. There had been no note or message. Just an empty room and a worrying family.
His adopted family had been shaken and shocked by his vanishing, but none more so than Arwen. No one would have guessed how close she was to her human brother. For weeks she had stayed in her room, asserting that he would come back to her and crying. It had seemed that she might die of grief, and Estel would not be there to see what he had done.
Even now, after ten long years, the shadows of that day hung over the household. The date brought back memories of the boy's lively spirit, his kindness and his enthusiasm. His laughter had filled the halls of Rivendell as he played with the twins or learned from them how to fight. He had been so strong in mind and body that it seemed that nothing would defeat him. But something had, and no one knew what.
Lord Elrond excused himself from the meal early, leaving before desert was served, but no one blamed him. He missed his human son as much as if Estel had been a child of his own blood. The twins watched him leave without comment before continuing eating their own food, simply because they must, though they hardly tasted it as it passed their lips.
They remembered their brother and the joys they had shared during his childhood, and they missed him still, more keenly with each day that passed as it reinforced the terrible truth, that Estel would not be coming home.
***
It was growing late, and still Legolas had yet to rid himself of his persistent shadow. Whoever was following was extremely skilful, able to keep up no matter what Legolas did to mask his trail. There were times when Legolas thought the tracker lost, but then a small sound alerted him to the continued presence.
At first it had been amusing, but now it was getting annoying. Whoever it was hadn't made any threatening moves yet, but it was unlikely they were there for any good purpose and he had no intention of going to sleep with a potential enemy lurking behind him.
He decided that the only way to learn the truth was to find a way to confront his follower. A fast-flowing stream had cut a path ahead that might proof useful. If he climbed down to the water's edge he would be out of sight of his tracker for a few minutes. Once there, he scuffed a few marks and the edge of the stream and splashed the ground a little, as though he had stopped to drink. He then made a few prints on the soft earth, as though he were heading upstream, before darting back to hide under the shelter of an overhanging rock.
He took his bow from his back and bent it quickly. He placed an arrow on the string ready for when the tracker showed himself. A few minutes passed, and Legolas remained silent and still under the shadow of the rock. There was no noise from above, but eventually the mysterious someone began his descent.
He might have been an elf for all the sound he made climbing down the bank, but Legolas didn't think so, despite the lithe form. The someone reached the stream, and bent to examine the false tracks Legolas had made.
Instead of heading upstream at once, the tracker hesitated, perhaps suspecting that the marks were false. Whatever the reason, Legolas chose that moment to step out from his shelter, the arrow ready to fire should this person prove hostile. The tracker was well armed, with a bow across his back and both a sword and a dagger at his belt.
"Turn round slowly," Legolas ordered, "and make no move for your weapons."
The tracker straightened, and turned slowly, hands outstretched so that Legolas couldn't mistake the gesture. As the face was revealed, Legolas tried not to show his surprise.
"Who are you and why are you following me?" he demanded of the girl standing in front of him.
***
As they made their way to their rooms after dinner, the twins saw their father standing at the doorway of the house, looking out at the courtyard. He was watching the gate, as though hoping that his son would come riding through as he had done so often in the past, grinning and apologising for being late. The twins considered going and talking to him, but it was clear from his stance that Lord Elrond had no desire for company.
Tears rolled down his face in his solitude, as he watched bleakly for his errant son to return. As the sun set, he brushed away the tears. He waited. Waited for the event he had been imagining since Estel had first disappeared. Ten years to the day.
He stood there as hours went by and the night crept across Rivendell. He stood there as the lights were extinguished and the household departed for bed. He stood there as the stars danced their steady dance across the sky above and midnight came ever closer, bringing another day and an end to his hopes.
There was no one else still awake to witness when someone did indeed come riding through the gate. A man dismounted from his horse, looking very little like the youth that had left in secret ten years earlier. There was no cheerful grin at his mouth. Instead, his face was covered by a mask which showed no trace of whatever emotions might be playing beneath. He was tall and strong, a warrior and a survivor. Childhood had long since left him. The clothes he wore, though as rich as those he had once worn in Rivendell, were tired and worn from weather and use.
Elrond barely recognised his son in this stranger, but the face was there nonetheless. The pride of noble lineage showed through the dirty appearance. Elrond held in check the desire to throw his arms around the man and hug him forever, since it was apparent that such actions wouldn't be appreciated. For ten years he had pictured this moment, and now he found himself unable to say all the things he wanted to. He wished he could say just how much he loved this man, but couldn't.
"I was beginning to think you weren't coming," Lord Elrond said instead, with no other word of greeting.
"After ten years, I could not miss this day," replied the man who had once been Estel.
"Will you be staying?" Lord Elrond asked.
"In one of the guest bedrooms." That answer told more than just the meaning the simple words contained. He was now a guest here, no longer a family. The ten years that had passed had been far longer for the human than for the elves, and he had changed completely into someone almost unrecognisable. Estel was gone and Elrond knew it.
There was no sign of warmth or affection as they spoke these words to each other. No one observing the two of them would have suspected they had once been father and son.
The man turned without an invitation to do so and began to lead his horse to the stables. He did not seem dismayed by this cold greeting or even surprised, though, as the man walked away, the moonlight seemed to glint on moisture in his eyes. He had returned home, only to discover his home was gone.
***
Author's note: What do you think so far? Any theories as to what's going on? There's one thing I'm absolutely certain you won't get, but you can try and prove me wrong if you'd like.