Disclaimer: I am trying to scrounge up scholarship money, so I don't think I own these characters.
A/N: I sorry this took so long to post, I've been sick for the past week. Here is the chapter long promised though.
sigh give me an elf: I'll see what I can do. I hope you will enjoy the chapter.
Lirenel: I have to get them out? Good men, aren't you demanding a little hear? Either way enjoy the chapter. (and don't kill me!)
Elven Kitten: Ancestors, friends? Hum… could be… *Shugs* but they could be bad, you'll just have to wait and see like everyone else.
Moonfire1: A death threat! I like it! * Draws out her bow and quiver* you will just have to wait and see. *Draws bow just incase Moonfire1 decides to advance, slightly scared* Enjoy the chapter!
Frisha: Yes, I'm obsessed with the stage production of Lion King, and the song seemed to fit. We'll see if they get out, if you are nice and don't make death threats like our friend Moonfire1 above you *looks warily around once more, keeping her arrow on her bow*, even if they are fun to read. Enjoy the chapter!
Kandice: I'm not one for tradition, Elrond made the decision on his own to put himself at the mercy of the men to protect his son from further harm, not I! I am just an innocent writer being sucked into this story, just as you are the innocent reader. *Alexis tries to look as innocent as possible, as Estel and Legolas glare at her* I'm sorry… As for the proposition, I say it's a deal, just as long as you don't get mad if I occasionally give the twins a hug as well. Enjoy the chapter!!
grumpy: Don't send your attack cat on me, I have a logically reason for not posting sooner! I do! *Silently wonder if the cat is on steroids or just that big of a cat to take out three other cats, then shrugs* Good men, bad men either way will see. As for the prince's capture, not in this chapter. Either way enjoy and I hope you like this chapter, belated as it is.
trustingfriendship: Ancestors and friends, like I said before it could be just that. It would be awesome if he could meet them, I have a few I would love to meet as well. Thank you for liking Elros' daughter so much, she appreciates it, she doesn't get much attention though… she's shy. I think though we'll see a little of what she was talking about, but the majority of it as always is a mystery.
"Elvish"
'Common Tongue'
Italics = thoughts
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Elros looked up from his seat by Elrond's side as Celeborn entered the room holding a piece of parchment in his hand, interrupting his discussion with the twins. Gimli had left when the Peredhil began to explain feeling this was a private family matter. "Mae govannen Celeborn."
"Mae govannen Elros." Celeborn said with a smile. He looked over at his grandsons, whose faces were the color of ashes, their eyes circled with dark shadows, their lips white. Celeborn felt his heart tighten in his chest and his lungs contract at the sight.
"Is this true, what you say about us being able to feel Estel's pain?" Elladan was the first to speak; his arms were wrapped around his chest as he tried to stay conscious. Elrohir was not faring any better, but he was sitting in a chair next to the bed where his brother, father and friend all lay. His head was in his hands.
"What have we done? Our poor Estel, our poor tithen pen." Elrohir murmured under his breath. "None of this should have fallen on you."
Elros just stared at the twins being reminded of his sons, getting up he carefully moved towards them. He pulled Elladan into a hug, supporting him so he would not fall. "It is not your fault that any of this happened. Estel and Elrond are hurt not because anything you did."
Elladan was going to rebut that comment, but his grandfather's deep voice interrupted him. "Elros is right, my grandchildren, you have nothing to do with the pain that Estel is feeling."
"How do you know that? No one can see into the land of dead, not even the Valar." Elladan told his grandfather harshly, breaking away from his Uncle seating himself on the floor next to his twin.
Celeborn shook his head, "No one with the kind of sight that the elves possess, but as for how I know it is due to this." He held up the parchment, Elrohir looked at the paper, then at his grandfather. Elros closed his eyes after seeing the parchment.
"What is it?" Elrohir asked the Sindar elf, rising from his seat to take the parchment from the elder elf. Celeborn handed the parchment over to the younger one.
But Celeborn was not the one to answer, "It is happening in the world beyond the veil of this world and Arda." Elros said quietly.
Elrohir looked at his uncle questioningly before Elladan snatched the parchment from him, but was careful opening it. His eyes grew wide. "Valar no, why would anyone do this to Ada and Estel?"
Elrohir took a better look at the picture, which depicted a bloody scene of a man holding a multi-pronged whip over his head as he was just about to bring it down upon their father who's eyes were closed in acceptance of his fate. Estel looked as if he was screaming in the picture, begging them to let him take his father's place in the beating.
Legolas was kneeling on the ground near Estel, hands bound behind his back with thick rope, men where surrounding him watching his every move as if to make sure he did not try to escape. But Elrohir could see from the picture and from his own knowledge of Legolas that that would never happen, he loved young Estel like a brother and Legolas never abandoned one he loved. They were in a place full of the darkness of hate and despair. Estel had been in that place once before as had they, once long ago…
"They are going to kill them. Those men are going to kill Ada, Estel and Legolas!" Elladan screamed as he continued looking at the picture, seeing the scene totally in its grotesque reality. His hands were shaking, rattling the reed parchment. His hands itched to rip the paper into shreds and destroy this mockery, but something held him back.
Elrohir jumped at the sound of his brother's voice, turning towards his elder brother, with his eyes narrowed in concern and concentration. Then he looked once more at the picture, his face lost any pigment it had retained after so many hard days. Elladan was still screaming and ranting as Elrohir turned himself back towards the heir of Imladris.
Elladan would have said more if Elrohir had not placed his hand on his brother's shoulder. Elladan turned to his twin looking questioningly at what had caused him to stop his ranting.
Elrohir stared at the picture once more, praying that what he saw was not just a trick of the light or some other factor. Then he began to slowly smile as he stared at the spot in question and then back at Elladan. He pointed down at the man's chest that held the whip over his head pointing at his chest. "There Elladan, what do you see there?"
Elladan gave his brother a harsh look for his smile, why should Elrohir be smiling their little brother, father and friend were dying as they spoke. He glanced at the place that Elrohir had indicated and then looked back up at his brother. "I see nothin…"
Elladan looked down again at the sketch, barely believing what he was seeing with his own eyes. Then he began to whoop with joy, grabbing his brother and twirling him around in his excitement. For there was an arrow in the wicked man's chest and the design of which looked very familiar…
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Estel looked warily from his father to the men that were steadily approaching them at a calm pace. After a long moment, Estel rose slowly taking up his sword from the place to the left of him where it had been stripped off of his father. The metal glimmered slightly in the light that he alluded. He smiled at his own sword, the sword of his elven heritage that he had born until his late forties when he had come in more frequent contact with the human race. It had been his fifteenth year birthday present from his father, upon its blade read death to all allies of Sauron. The hilt bore silver and blue thread woven into the black leather symbolizing Imladris and his name written in the thread.
Estel picked up his father's sword off of the cold ground. It was quite similar to his own, bearing only slightly different colors and the blade read Death to all our foes and their friends. Estel could not help smirking as he glanced at the blade as he raised it in his arms. It made sense that his father's blade and his own would once more fight side by side.
Legolas grabbed his bow, quiver, and white knives off of the black ground where they had laid in mockery of the soil of this desolate place. He joined his companion as he walked slowly behind the Lord of Imladris. Estel turned to his brother and could not help but to smile as he looked over for it seemed that once more they were playing royal guards to the half elf, although in their beaten state one would have little fear of them. Legolas looked questioningly into the king of men's eyes and upon seeing the humor that belied the pain from his beating, causing Legolas rolled his eyes as he chuckled slightly.
"Gwador-nin, is there any estel that you will ever grow up?" Legolas asked in a soft voice that only Estel would hear.
Estel's left corner of his mouth lifted slightly, though he maintained a grim face for the most part. "If you need ask, Legolas-nin then you know me naught." His eyes sparkled as he through out the jest.
"Nay, I have known always that your heart is young Estel, for you are still a mere child." Legolas said with a grin.
Estel looked at him in mock offense, "You call me a mere child when it was by your word that declared me more then a mere ranger?" Estel knew that he should be serious as it was possible that they were not yet out of danger, even if his father seemed to know these men but he need the familiar jests to keep his strength up as well as his spirits.
"The words I spoke were true, for you were more then a mere ranger Estel. You are a king and a child of the Lord of Imladris, those are titles that should not be slandered by any person." Legolas said in seriousness. "But you will forever be a child in the eyes of the Eldar."
"As you will in le Adar's eyes Legolas, as well as le Amme." Elrond said turning around to face the dueling two. "Even in my nephew's and niece's eyes are you a mere child in this life for they have existed longer then you have breathed the air of Arda."
Legolas just opened his mouth and shut it, unable to think of anything to say. He looked remarkably like a fish out of water trying to breathe and a blush began to creep upon his cheeks. That sent Estel in a fit of laughter, that caused amusement among the men that they approached. "And to think that the great prince of Mirkwood would be humbled in such a fashion! I never thought that I would live to see the day, has the sky finally fallen into the chasms of the sea?"
Elrond laughed at his son as Legolas glared at him and his eyes spoke of unspeakable tortures. "If that makes me a child Estel, you are only an infant still upon its mother's breast."
Estel just bowed his head, "I have long known that I am only a child among all of the Eldar Legolas, I am just enjoy your realization of your youth in the eyes of others. I mean no offense maer gwador nin (good brother mine) only to jest and lighten our heavy hearts."
Legolas looked at his friend for a long moment, then nodded. "I understand neth gwador (young brother) for I have need of laughter's healing power as well."
Elrond just looked from his son to the younger elf and smiled. "Now if you two are quite finished I would like to introduce you to our rescuers." Elrond noticed that Estel tensed up, his hand clutching his sword's hilt and Elrond's as well. Elrond shook his head and made a downward gesture with his left hand. "You need not worry ion-nin, these men will do us no harm. Hand me magol-nin (sword mine) and sheath your own, as you need put away your weapons, Legolas these men mean to cause us no harm."
"How do we know this Lord Elrond in this land of darkness and deceit?" Legolas asked saying the words that Estel so longed to say yet could not find his tongue to say.
"You can take heart, for we swear upon the light of all fair things in Arda and justness of Atar nin, and the beauty of muinthel-nin (sister mine) that we are not false." The lead man of the group said as he stepped forward, speaking a combined mixture of Sindarin and Quenya, in a slightly accented voice.
"And how do we know that le Atar and muinthel are as you say?" Estel asked quietly, the panic in his chest receding allowing him to find his tongue once more.
Elrond laughed and moved towards his son, laying a hand gently and carefully on the Dunedain's shoulder. "You know them Estel, for both you have met them." He moved away from Estel and Legolas to were the other man stood. "I would like you to meet Vardamir Elrosion and muindor to Manwendil and Tindomiel."
TBC….
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