Disclaimer: I cannot master learning spanish, how would I write an entire new language? Therefore I could not own Lord of the Rings or any of these characters. (except for the characterizations of some of them, due to the fact they are never described!)

Roccovende: I am glad to have gotten you hooked! It is a true compliment, thank you so much! Here is your update, I hope you enjoy it!

trustingfriendship: I am glad that they are going to find him soon too, though it seems to drag at points *sighs and grumbles* they don't move fast enough, but I guess I have to take into account they are in a land they don't know right? I hope Arwen will get hope too, I'm working on it, but unfortunately it will not be in this chapter. The next I think… As for Tindomiel, I am glad someone likes her because other then for Elrond, Estel, Legolas, the twins, Arwen and Celeborn (Celebrian at times too!) she is one of my favorites, along with her father. But I am glad someone else likes to hear about her. I think we will see a good deal more with Tindomiel for certain reasons…. Alas again, not in this chapter though… enjoy the story!

grumpy: Um.. you have to wait and see? *runs from the arrows and other flying objects* Yes, fine I'll tell.. maybe. *runs away again* I feel really bad about driving Arwen to the edge, poor girl I don't know how much she'll be able to handle. Elrond is going to find him, soon… Enjoy!

Elven Kitten: *sighs and laughs* Your wish is my command.

Lirenel: Here is your next chapter, I hope you like this just as much!

Toria: Um.. can't promise Estel is alright, would you settle for alive? Either way, here is the next chapter for you!

Schizo13: I don't mind you using the word hell, I just said interesting choice of words. *hint, hint!* Trust me I hear a lot worse at school, good luck with your resolution though. (I never thought of it really as a bad word, then again I go to a Catholic school and hear it at least twice a day…) Finals are evil, I have established this earlier, though mine are done and hopefully I won't have to take them again. *knocks on wood* I am glad that Elrond is getting there too, though I think he is moving too slow. Arwen… she'll have some help to get better from someone who has had troubles as well. I'll let you guess who that is. I hope you like this chapter.

Kandice: Flattery will get you no where, you still have to wait! *laughs and smiles* But I still enjoy it, thanks and I hope you like this chapter!

A/N: Serious character torture. (I can't help it I was listening to the Return of the King soundtrack and the last three songs always sound really sad to me!) So please don't hurt me! It will get better, I swear, just not now!

"Elvish"

'Common tongue'

italic are thoughts.

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The track westward had been hard, footprints would appear and then five paces further they would disappear. Never the same tracks, but they were sporadic, as if whoever was traveling it was moving in a hurry. Dark substances dotted the pitch-black ground of the trail, for a long while Elrond was not able to identify it. It puzzled him until he remembered seeing it else where when he was fighting in the Last Alliance.

"Blood, blood spotting the ground." Elrond closed his eyes, this could not be happening. He could not be too late, he must not think that he was too late. He had no time to spend on worries, only on action. He must not fail his son again; he must not fail his family.

Elrond took off, running past black rock and dead brush. Roses bushes, lilacs, evergreens, all dead and rotting. Nothing could survive here, it was the land of death. Do not think, just run, Elrond thought to himself as distant past and present blended into one, must not stop, if I stop it might cause Estel's death. He is bleeding, my little baby is bleeding. They are killing him, they are killing him.

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"Estel? Estel, where are you ion? It is not time to be playing hide and seek, your grandparents are going to arrive in less then an hour and you must be ready to greet them." Elrond called out to his little boy from outside the elaborately carved oak door, putting away all his thoughts of the rumors of strange folk that had been seen around Imladris' borders. Instead Elrond thought of the celebration that was going to take place soon in the great hall, as the Lady and Lord of the Wood came to visit the valley.

If only Arwen was coming back to Imladris but unfortunately Arwen was still unable to face the memories that Imladris held. Elrond had really wanted Arwen to meet her little brother, alas there was always next time. What was important now was getting Estel to come out of his bedroom.

"Estel, this is not the time to be playing games! We have to get you dressed so you look presentable for your grandparents." Elrond tapped his foot, a un-elf like movement, but it fit how he was feeling at the moment. "Estel if you do not open this door right now, I will open it myself and I will not be happy."

Elrond could here the distant song of the crickets, but he could not hear the breathing of his human son. Suddenly Elrond's heart tightened in his chest as panic entered it. Something was wrong, something was very, very wrong.

"Estel? Estel?" He finally just forced the door open with a bang. "Estel where are you ion-nin? Estel." Elrond's eyes swept the parameter of the room looking for any possible place that his son could be hiding. Not underneath the dark blue covers of his bed, nor underneath the bed where the ten-year-old loved to hide most of the time. Elrond rushed over to the closet and threw it open.

Full-fledged panic set in, I should have known! The strangers were too close to our borders. They have taken ion-nin! But how, they should not have been able to get through our borders and guards.

"Lord Elrond come quickly! Hurry please!" Erestor cried from the foyer, the tone of it sent shivers down the half-elf's spine. He took off in a mad dash, not stopping when he ran into on of the servants in the hall. He took the white marble steps two at a time, no please do not let him be hurt please do not let him be hurt.

He reached the bottom of the stairs and saw his advisors' faces and his elder sons. He looked desperately for his youngest son, he had to be with his older brothers, he just had to. Little Estel could not be outside with those bandits on the loose! His little baby, they could not have taken his little child! But Estel was not among his brothers, whose faces were covered in tears.

"W…we are sorry Ada…." Elladan said softly in a voice that was barely audible but he could not finish his sentence. He could not stand to bring any more pain into his father's eyes. No, Elladan could not do that even if it meant saving the entire world.

Elrond continued to look around desperately, "What do you mean Elladan? What is it that you are trying to tell me? Where is le muindor? Where is Estel?"

"Elrond…" Erestor began to say, then biting his lip stopped, he could not tell his friend the horrible truth. "Estel has been…"

Elrond looked at his advisor eyes wide and voice high pitched. 'Estel has been what, where is my son?'

Glorfindel was the one who answered this time. "He was taken by the strangers that we have heard about when the brothers where in the woods. Elladan and Elrohir tried to stop them, but they could not, there were to many of them."

Elrond fell back on the chair by the westward wall, his son his little boy was out there in the hands of those thieves! They could not stay here they must ride, they must find Estel; they just had to find his son!

Elrond rose and stared hard at his advisors. "Saddle the horses, I want all of the guard that can be spared. We must find them before they get too far." Erestor and Glorfindel nodded, turned and hurried to sound the alarm to call up Imladris' guard to find their lord's youngest son.

Elrond turned, rushing up the stairs to change into a tunic and leggings. He got to his room, throw off his robe, leaving it inside out. But it didn't matter to the half elf as he put on hurriedly a blue tunic and black leggings; all that mattered was his son. Elrond strapped on his silver sword and grabbed his beech wood arrows and bow and ran down the steps of the Last Homely house. My little boy, my poor precious child. Ada will find you, I swear I will find you and bring you home safe. The elven lord reached the bottom of the steps, racing towards the heavy double doors at the end of the foyer. And I swear to Illuvator, himself that I ill not rest until I have done just that. Elrond threw the doors open and the bright white light of day met him…

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Legolas felt as if he had been walking for years upon years. Will this ever end or does this track keep running on and on into eternity? Legolas stayed focus though aside from his pessimistic thoughts, listening to every sound, looking at every shape as he ran looking for the tracks that would lead him to his friend.

Legolas stopped suddenly, staring at the dark, dead ground. A large, thick print was engraved into the hard as dried clay dirt, it was the size of his hand from fingertip to palm and the width of his thumb to middle finger. Legolas crouched down, studying the print with eager interest. Yes it was indeed a boot print, but the print was not that deep, only a half an inch deep. A man could not have made this print, Legolas thought to himself. At least one could not without having Elvish training. But was it Estel's or another Numenorean? Or could it possibly be Elrond's prints? That question could only be answered one way. Legolas sighed, straightening his back and legs.

He began to run once more, only this time following the light footprints that dead-ended into a set of heavier ones. Praying that he would find the one he seeked before the pain became to great…

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Elrond finally saw light from a glowing campfire come into view. He kept running towards it hoping to find a trace of his son. Estel had to be among these people, he just had to be! Although Elrond felt as if all the strength had been zapped out of him, still he ran, especially when he saw the trail of blood get bigger by the moment.

He saw the people by the campfire now; Elrond was still too far away to see their faces clearly in this type of light though. But Elrond felt his spine stiffen, Estel was here and there was something very wrong happening. Finally he was close enough to see the faces of the men gathered around the fire. His son was lying on the ground in a heap with all the dead men surrounding him, yet they offered him no help. Some of them were forcing the young man down into the rocky ground.

"Estel?" Elrond could not help but cry out. He began to run faster, as if his life depended on it, maybe it did. "Estel!"

"Ada?" Estel cried sounding like the fourteen year old boy he had been when he had gotten his foot caught in the grinding equipment of Husa, the nearest Edain town. He lifted his head up slightly as a wave of fatigue gripped him. The world spun around him as he strained to focus on his father's glow.

"Ada please help me!" His son struggled against the men who held him on the ground, but it was to no avail. Estel had not the strength to fight them off. Elrond for the first time noticed the red welts and the blood soaked, torn tunic that had once covered Estel's back. If anything it made him run faster, drawing his sword from its scabbard, allowing the blade to sing as it slide out into the dark world.

Elrond had almost made it to Estel when two men tackled him from behind. Elrond berated himself for not seeing it coming; wishing he could spare his son from any more of the pain that he foresaw was to come. His blade fell its deafening clattering to the ground echoed in the empty land, like a dying voice in an empty room.

"No Ada!" Cried Estel as he watched in horror as the men forced his father to the ground, forcing his arms behind his back. Then binding the rope tightly around his wrists and tying it to his neck. Estel felt as if his last fragile hope had fallen, shattering on the floor underneath it. He would never see his family again, never see his friends again.

"It will be alright Estel, it will be alright." Elrond said in the most soothing voice that he could. He needed his son to relax, to have hope that they were going to get out of this alive. But looking into his son's dead eyes, Elrond began to wonder if that would be even possible now. He knew naught what these men had subjected his son to, but whatever it was had torn away his hope.

'Quit ya yammering! None of t'at 'ere talk'n, me don't like it t'at much. T' ain't polite to be talk'n foreign languages in fronta others.' The leader of the group said in a cold voice as he brought the whip down on Elrond's back. 'Seems tat ya need ta be taught a lessin.'

'No!' Estel screamed from where he lay lying on the ground; he didn't want his father to have to go through the same treatment he had had to face. His father did not deserve this treatment. 'Hit me, please do not hit my father!'

"No Estel!" Elrond half screamed and half-commanded. He would not let his son take a beating in his please. He earned another stroke of the whip for his insolence. 'No my son, I will not let you get hurt for what I have done.'

'Wy do ya call tis boy sun, elf? He tain't one ya kin!' The main man dress in all black said with a sneer. He brought the whip back down on to Elrond's back once more. Elrond fought back a yell as chucks of his flesh were ripped out of his back.

'He is one of our people elf, he belongs to us.' One of the men whispered in Elrond's ear, as he lay on the ground.

'No he is my son. Mine! He belongs with his family.' Elrond replied, glaring at the man who had dared to whisper the comment. Estel was his son; no one said other wise. If his hands had not been tied behind his head he would have strangle the man where he stood. Even as another blow struck his back, the glare never faltered until the half elf looked over at his youngest son.

Elrond looked over at Estel, who's eyes where beginning to hold a little hope once more in their depths, give him a small smile. Elbereth let this strengthen his spirits. "I will get us out of this ninion, I will. Legolas came with me, He will help us." Elrond whispered in their native language, taking a blow for speaking the language of their people once more.

"I am sorry Lord Elrond." Came Legolas voice. Estel looked and Elrond closed his eyes, knowing once more that Estel's hope would dwindle once more, as did his. Now how were they ever going to be able to get out of this now?

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'How are they doing Master Elros?' Gimli asked the half elf in front of him. It was hard not to believe that he was not Elrond, they were so similar when they were serious.

'Not very well Master Gimli, not at all well.' Elros said openly. 'It as if they are being hurt in some way…' His eyes were red and puffy, and his voice cracked slightly as he spoke to the dwarf.

He had finally gotten the others to take a rest from their vigil but Elros would not leave his brother, his nephew or Thranduil's child. He couldn't abandon them; not now, after he had told Elrond to seek hope. Now Elros just had to pray that Elrond could find his hope before… before anything bad could happen to either one of them. The lands of the dead were not a place for those who did not belong there. It was perilous to those who attempted to enter it, or so he had been told.

'They will be well, they must for they are all very strong.' Gimli said in a knowing voice, he knew they would survive. 'Aragorn, Legolas and Lord Elrond will pull through. They have always before.'

Gimli thought of all the adventures that Aragorn and Legolas had gotten him into and all the stories Aragorn had told about his father during the ages that he had walked upon Arda's shores. And that had been a long time and there had been many tales shared. But They would all survive, for they had to, there could be no other way for this chapter of the story of life to end. They just had to make it out alive.

'Aye, I know Gimli.' Elros replied softly moving from where he had been standing by the door to the chair next to his brother. 'We just have to have hope now that they will pull through.'

Suddenly the sound of running feet could be heard in the hall. Elladan and Elrohir rushed in. Alas I must be losing my touch, I thought I kicked those two vagrants out of here only minutes ago. He gave the twins the look that Elrond had always been fond of using on him and his children.

'My nephews, what is it that brings you rushing into this room in such a hurry?" Elros asked hoping to demur the brother's from asking about their father, brother and friend. There had been no real change, except the mysterious wounds that appeared on Estel's and Elrond's backs. Legolas had so far shown no signs of such a thing, but Elros did not know how long that would last.

It was Elladan who spoke first. "Uncle, we have come to ask you something of great importance."" He said no more, as if waiting for something, standing completely still as if he was only a statue and not a living being.

Elros stood for a few moments, before crossing his arms in front of his chest. 'And that would be?' Elros asked as patiently as he could in common tongue so the dwarf could understand. He tapped his foot quietly on the ground waiting for one of the brothers to start speaking once more.

Elrohir stepped forward, flexing his fingers and pulling at his shirt. He tensed slightly, Elros noticed, as if he was in pain of some sort. 'Our backs are burning and we have this terrible feeling of dread in our hearts. Do you know anything of what we are experiencing?'

Elros was going to speak but Elladan cut him off. 'If you do not then we understand, but we thought as Ada's brother you might know something, anything.' He spoke in common tongue as well, understanding the dwarf want of knowledge of what was occurring. Elladan looked over at his little brother and then at his uncle, pleading for knowledge of their health.

Closing his eyes, Elros inhaled deeply. He sank down on the bed behind him and put his head in his hands for a moment before looking back up at his nephews. "Aye, Elladan and Elrohir." Speaking in their language out of old habit. "I fear I know what it is that you speak of."

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