Disclaimer- If I owned all this I would be rich, but I am scrambling to apply for scholarships for college. Therefore I cannot possibly own this franchise. *glares at lawyers* Are you happy now?
A/N: Do not kill me! I had a load of homework, tests, work, and senior projects I had to do. (by the way it is 12:30 at night and I just finished typing this eight page paper for all of you. Plus, a guide explaining some of the unfamiliar characters at the bottom of this chapter.) So please don't kill me, I felt horribly guilty but I had work to do. I hope this appeases all of you. Goodnight now, I have to catch up on my sleep!
Elven Kitten: Yes you were right, they are his ancestors, way to many of them in my opinion. Enjoy!
Kandice- Thanks for understanding and our deal still stands. Sorry that you have been sick, I haven't been up to par either due to homework in all of its evil. I am sorry this is so late. I hope you like this chapter though! ;)
Schizo13- I am purposely making this slightly confusing to make you pay attention. Tindomiel knows things but she doesn't realize she knows things (either that or she is in major denial.) I will explain about the living and dead thing later, but THEY ARE NOT DEAD! *Checks Estel's pulse* Nope not dead, it is steady as a rock. Enjoy the chapter!
grumpy- rest assured I have a little guidebook at the end of this chapter. As for names, you have to really read the Unfinished Tales and Lost Road two other of the history books of Middle Earth. I have a tendency to draw from these, along with Silmarillon and probably from the others when I get my hands on them. I am glad you liked the bit of humor I thought those two needed some cheering up. *laughs* I hope you like this chapter just as much!
Lirenel- I am glad you like Vardamir! As for the Valinor, I don't know, but I do know that there would be quite a few people who would love to see him once more.
LalaithoftheBruinen- Thank you so very much! I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much!
Frisha- No threats, they just make me feel horribly guilty when I am trying to finish five projects, homework and tests. I hope you enjoy this chapter though.
Arwen swam to the top of consciousness; not wanting to wake up knowing there was something horrible waiting for her in the world of living; although what that exactly was she knew naught. Slowly she blinked her eyes waking from her open-eyed slumber to see her room with its red curtains and red velvet covered bed. Slowly she looked about the room to get any clue of what was happening in the world. She was in a large cedar wood room with large windows. Everything was draped with red fabric and other bright colors. My room, Arwen thought to herself. Arwen glanced around the room once more, then saw a small dark haired girl on the window seat facing away from her not even five feet away from here. From where Arwen was sitting on her bed it looked like she was sleeping. Slowly and carefully she got up as her muscles in her legs protested from the blood rushing back into them. Quietly she walked over to the young girl and smiled as she got close to the girl.
Arwen looked at the child, who looked similar to her own eldest daughter. Vilya, my daughter you have come home at last. She shook the girl for a brief moment before releasing the child and then stepped back to wait. The girl flickered her grey eyes open once, closed them again, stretched and yawned then opened them once more.
"Good morning Undomiel!" Tindomiel said joyfully, then peeping outside, a dark overcast sky loomed above her as she smiled. "Or should I say good evening?"
"Good evening to you to, Tindomiel." Arwen said in a quieter voice, she had expected it to be her daughter to awake in Tindomiel's place, where was her child and husband? The tears welled up in the elf princess' eyes, causing the very thing she had fought to forget come back to her threefold she flinched back horror. Tindomiel who had seen the change in the elf's kind serene face jumped up from her bed on the red cushioned window seat and attended to her kinswoman. Her small hands grabbed hold to Arwen's arm's and the slightly shorter figure held Arwen up to the best of her ability until the daughter of Elros managed to bring Arwen over to the window seat.
"He is gone, they killed him, she killed him." Arwen began to cry once more as Tindomiel wrapped her arms around her shoulders pulling her into a hug. Arwen could smell sandalwood in the woman's hair and as she inhaled the scent she could feel herself relaxing to its strong clean smell. Soothingly the human princess rubbed her cousin's back in circle's trying to calm the elf girl slightly.
"Nay Arwen, your grandmother has done Estel no harm, nor has anyone else. Something went wrong, no one knows what it was, but something went wrong." Tindomiel pushed cousin out so she could look into Arwen's face, gentle pushing away the strands of hair that had fallen into those blue depths. "Nothing you did caused this to happen neth Undomiel (young eveningstar). No one here did this to Estel or caused any of this to happen; it was just a unexpected twist of fate."
"But Estel is out there all alone with no one to help him." Arwen said as she looked into the gray eyes of her cousin, expecting to see the naivete of youth and confusion in their depths. But instead she found composure and a light in her cousin's eyes. Tears had welled up in Numenorean's eyes but she did not ever allow her eyes to leave those of Arwen's.
"Nay, he is not alone Arwen he has his gwador and Adar with him, hen. (child) There no need to worry all will be well soon. You have to hold to faith Arwen in Estel and in life." Tindomiel smiled softly, her warm semi dark sounding voice gave Arwen the impression of a mother and of a child sharing the same body at one time.
"But they are in the lands of the dead, are they not?" Arwen moved away from her cousin, a look of puzzlement and concern.
The other girl just looked calm, as if she was reciting the tegwar in class, serene and her eyes sparkled in combination of grief and humor as she thought about Arwen's question.
I wish she would pick one mood and just stay with it Arwen thought to herself as Tindomiel laid herself down on her stomach on the window seat, placing one hand underneath her head raising it to meet Arwen's blue eyes.
"Aye they are in the lands of the dead, but you must as what it truly is that frightens you Arwen. The idea that they are there or the idea that they must be dead because they are in those lands?" Her voice had a tone of amusement but one look at her face belied the humor that had once been present on the girl's face seconds before. Lips set in a straight line, eyes reflecting everything, yet were focused solely on Arwen.
Arwen looked at the older girl for a long moment in anger and wonder. Older, yes that was right but at the same time so young; was that how the eldar seemed to all those who gazed into their eyes for all of those years? It must be, but she does not even realize how she appears to those who gather around her. The idea of the naïve princess lit a light in Arwen's eyes that had steadily been growing dimmer in the days since Estel's spirit had been taken to the lands of the dead. Estel would have enjoyed her humor, speech and mood…
"Aye, Tindomerel." Arwen used the formal name that she had heard her grandmother use for the young woman when she first arrived here on the boat in a time that seemed like a lifetime ago. She deserves to be called by that name Arwen smiled inwardly at the thought. It was hard to think that this slip of a girl that could transform herself from a little girl to a royal figure, tall, drawn to her full height, bearing her presence and announcing her authority to everyone she greeted when she desired so.
Tindomiel sighed, why must all these people take such joy in using my Quenyan name today? Well time to play fair, if she wants formality, she will get formality. "Arwen Undomiel Elrondiel, all will be well. They are not dead for they still draw breath and they will come back."
She got up from her position on the window seat moving towards the table in the center of the room. Tindomiel looked at the table for half second before she drew herself up as tall as she could and inhaled swiftly. She took the glasses that she had placed there, setting them down, then taking up the pitcher of water. Swiftly she filled the blue and white ceramic glasses with the cool liquid and returned back to where Arwen sat waiting. Tindomiel handed one glass to Arwen, which the young elf just stared at for half a second before taking it into her hands.
"Drink this cousin." The young artist softly, raising her glass to her lips staring absently in the direction of the bed. "All will be well soon enough. All will be well."
Arwen looked her cousin surprised at her change of mood once more, then slowly sipped the water from the glass. "Those lands are not all bad Arwen, not the actual lands that were intended to be placed behind the veil of the world."
She turned and looked at her cousin for a moment, then lay back down facing the window facing the willow tree watching it slowly wave back and forth as the wind blew against it. "The hold so much more then that gwenthal (sister sworn)." A smile crept slowly on to the princess' lips; her eyes glazed as if she was dreaming a land that held happy endings and joy.
Arwen stared at the young woman in who lay next to her, her eyes wide open and mouth ajar. "Then you have seen those lands gwenthal." Arwen used the title of sister as well for it seemed to be a very important moment, if Tindomiel truly knew of these lands… there was hope yet.
Tindomiel turned to look at her cousin's eyes once more, seeing the confusion and hope that was in those bright crystalline blue depths of this young angel before her only caused the older girl to shake her head and laughed slightly. "Aye Arwen I did once upon a time..."
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Estel had never been in such pain in his short life. These men had taken him from his homeland and where travelling as quickly as they could but the poring rain was slowing them down. The Bruinen had swollen and had risen greatly in the night.
I never should have left the sanctuary of Imladris, alone without weapons Estel thought to himself as his eyes felt the burn of tears once more.
The travel would not have been so bad, he was used to training, Elladan had him run two miles a day around Imladris with only short breaks to train him to have endurance of an elf or as close as he could get. Estel had other training as well, often had to have to practice his sword motions without the training swords to get him prepared for the long fights that he would one day have to fight with the orcs. But the whip had to be one of the worst creations ever made. The tongs dug into his back and there was no way that he could escape the men's hold each time they brought the whip out. All Estel wanted to do was cry and to be held by his Ada and by his brothers.
But I have to brave as Amme had been as she was being beaten by the orcs. Elladan and Ada never spoke of the day that the twins had found her, but Estel could imagine that it was similar to this pain. The orcs were much more cruel, Elrohir had told that their mother had been beaten and had had countless unmentionable things done to her for six days before they had found her in that cave. The whip was raised now and fell on to his unprotected back once more, where welts of fiery red crisscrossed on the child's back. His flesh was ripped, torn and profusely bleeding. Estel tried his hardest not to scream, although he wanted to so very badly. His tiny brow contorted and he bit is lip to hold back a scream as the whip fell once more. The pain was almost unbearable when coupled with the exhaustion from being forced to march for such a long time and a sprain ankle. *Crack* *crack*
Tears filled young Estel's eyes as he screamed in his mind, Amme lend me strength, bring me help, I'm scared. Help Ada find me, please! I do not want to die!
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Celebrian woke up with a start and placed her head into her shaking hands. Estel, the poor child, may Illuvator protect him from further harm. No child should have to face that kind of pain, not one of our sons. Who would do such terrible things to a child! I never wanted one of our sons to go through that type of pain. Never let one of our babies hurt in such a fashion but it has happened.
She remembered the cries of that child and cries of the man who had been that child faced the same pain once more. All she could do was close her eyes to block out the horrible images that cascaded in front of her eyes. Pictures of what had been and what was or had happened in the Lands of Arda and in the Lands of the Dead.
I pray that ion-nin never truly has to face that again, how can someone do that to anyone. Tithen pen… Elrond hurry home and bring our child and the prince back with you. Do not let them get our child or any more harm to befall him.
She looked around the room, she needed to do something, and worry for all of her children lay heavily on her mind as she lay on her bed. I know naught who protects the people of those lands but whoever you are, guard my family, all three of them, and lead them to safety. Please take care of them! Then a deep sleep over took Celebrian and she knew no more as pitch black engulfed her sight taking her away from her torturous dreams. But the fear of all that had happened to their child still lurked fresh in the depths of her mind.
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"You are Uncle's eldest son?" Estel asked so carefully, causing Vardamir to look slightly confused. Did not Elrond marry an elf?
But upon looking closer at the young man standing before him he realized how much alike his Uncle and Estel actually were. Both were standing with their arms crossed over their chests and the look on Estel's face, was that what Uncle Elrond had called him, looked exactly like the one Elrond had used to question his siblings and him all those times when the prank wars had begun. So it appears that Thingol was not the last of nobility to foster a human child after all.
"Aye Elrondion, I am Vardamir." Vardamir was careful to speak only in Sindarin for it seemed easier for the young man in front of him to understand at this point. Poor boy, by the look of him those rats had him for a long time before we found him.
"I am Estel, of course you know Adar-nin." Elrond laughed as Estel pulled him into an affectionate hug which Elrond reciprocated being careful of Estel's wounds and pains. They released each other and smiled just glad to be reunited once more without anyone holding them back. Then Estel turned back to Vardamir and gave him a grin as he moved over to where Legolas stood. "And this is Legolas Thranduilion, mellon-nin."
Legolas inclined his head to the unofficial second king of Numenor. "It is a pleasure to met the eldest of Elros' children and the cousin of Elrond's children."
Vardamir smiled back at him and surprise was evident in his eyes. "As it is a pleasure to meet you Thranduilion, we remember your father well here." Legolas looked puzzled as he looked at Vardamir.
Another man stepped forward from the crowd, "Aye we do and all the tricks he played with muinthel in Atlantie before it fell into shadow and on Arda."
Vardamir laughed at the man's talk, he placed his arm around the new man with light sparkling in his eyes. "Mellons I would like you to meet muindor nin Atanalcar."
Atanalcar gave his brother a smile and turned to his cousin, uncle, and their friend. "It is well to see that Thranduil recovered, we all worried about him and how hard he had become after Din-."
Vardamir's hand clapped over his brother's mouth, his lips turning down at the corners. "I am sorry Legolas, muindor-nin speaks too often of things not everyone understands."
Legolas glanced over at Estel with his eyes, which Estel met with a look of pure confusion. When they looked over at Elrond they saw him standing stone still, Estel moved over towards his father, his brow was creased making his young face look similar to the he had left behind on the shores of Arda.
"Ada? What is it Ada?" Estel whispered to his father, his father's brow was creased once more making him look ten times his age. "What is this that Atanalcar speaks of?"
Elrond looked over at his son and gave a sad smile. "What he speaks of, even the Eldar forgot nin hen, something I will not speak of right now until we leave this desolate place."
He glanced over at the puzzled Legolas, and in a louder voice so both of the friends could hear him, yet he still spoke in hushed tones. "All will be told in time ion nins but not here and not now." Legolas nodded his consent, although he was curious as to who had had his father in such worry and why. Estel gave his father a small smile and a quick hug.
"He is right." Another man spoke from the crowds, he was tall, black of hair and grey eyed. "We must linger in this place of despair. More of their troops will come if we do not leave soon."
"Turin is right." Another voice cried this time, a man of slighter stature and whose dark hair fell only to his shoulders. Elrond recognized him as Tar-Palantir, the father of Miriel, the Numenorean who tried to restore the old ways of peace and kindness to lands of Numenor after the corruption of the kings had began. "It is time for us to depart from this place."
Vardamir nodded and look up at the dark sky, "Then we will depart." He turned towards the family. "We will lead you to the true dead lands, I think you will be able to find your way back to your world there."
"Then let us leave, for it the true lands are any better then this desolate place then I gladly go with you freely." Legolas said in utter certainty.
"As do I." Estel replied softly, though this had not been the first time that he had been beaten it had been the worst episode since he had been taken by those men when he was young. He did not wish to relive those memories anytime soon. He swayed suddenly and would have fallen over if it had not been for his father taking a hold of him, sliding his arm gently around Estel's waist.
"Lean on me, ion nin and walk slowly. You have taken much hurt and need to slow down and allow your body to heal." Elrond whispered softly to his son.
"As have you, Ada. You should allow Legolas to help you for you have taken a beating as well as have I." Estel said softly to his father.
"Estel, I am le Ada it is my job to take care of you. I will do so until the end of world and beyond." Elrond spoke with conviction as he looked over at his son.
Estel looked at his father's eyes before they began walking, looking into the silver depths searching for any trace of… he did not know what but still he looked. "You will not find any disgust in my eyes Estel just as you did not find any before."
Estel turned and looked over at his father once more. "But you have looked over me since I was a babe Ada, you should not have to bear this burden of me, not now as an adult."
Elrond smiled at his son who had stopped moving at all and Legolas behind them just watched the family stare one another in the eyes. 'That is the job of a father Estel, you should know this by now or else I would not have the four grandchildren that I do. Although Elros has been bragging lately how he has more and they are better suited for life.' Estel rolled his eyes at his father, the elf could just be so silly sometimes, but he did understand what his father was getting at.
'All right Ada I will stop trying to see things that aren't there.' Estel whispered to his father as they started to follow the group that was getting far ahead of them.
'Only the negative things, hold on to the good things and your hope.' Elrond said with a wry grin as they sped up their walking with Legolas still trailing behind.
Estel laughed and grinned a true smile, 'I think that would be utterly impossible, I have come close in my life time but I have never reached that end.'
'And I hope that day never come ion-nin.' Elrond said with a look of seriousness on his once merry face reminding Estel of the dark days before the ring was destroyed.
Legolas decided that it was time to interrupt this discussion before it progressed any farther, for this was not the time or place for these kind of chats. This place made him weary and stirred the fear in his heart. "So Lord Elrond, do you know all of the men we have seen so far?'
Elrond and Estel both raised their eyebrows, and Elrond gave him a smirk. "I am not that old Legolas Greenleaf. But as for the majority of the men we have seen so far, aye I know them, though may I thought I would never see again."
Estel was looking at one man in front of them whom had just caught the king's eye. He looked vaguely familiar, then Estel inhaled sharply. "Ada, Ada do you see him?"
"Iston Estel, I see him and I had a feeling he would be here." Elrond replied to his son as they continued to walk as Legolas wrapped his arm around Estel's waist on the other side to better support him.
Legolas looked baffled as the two dark haired beings stared at someone in front of them. "What is it that you see, my lord? Estel."
Elrond didn't answer but Estel did in a soft voice of both wonder and a touch of fear. "Isildur."
TBC
A little guide to people that I have talked about for those who do not know
Celebrimbor- The maker of the rings of power. He is a supreme craftsman…er elf with metal and has many friends among the dwarves. He is the grandson of the man that made the Silmarils.
Earendil: Elros and Elrond's father, a Peredhil, he sailed to the Valinor to save both of his kindreds during the War of the Jewels to save the people from Morgoth. He was not allowed to return back to the shores of Arda, so he was placed in the sky with his ship to sail the sky until the end of time with a silmaril upon his forehead.
Elwing: Elrond's and Elros' mother who throw herself into the sea in order not to give up the silmaril to the sons of Feanor, who were searching for them.
Morgoth: one of the Vala who disobeyed Eru (the creator, God) and became the first evil
Manwe: the head of the Vala, king of Arda. Wind is his forte and he is directly connected to Eru. But not even he knows what happens to mankind when they die.
Varda: One of the queens of the Vala, the lady of stars and most beloved to the elves. Spouse to Manwe
Nienna: the Vala of compassion, wisdom, and strength in sorrow. Rarely goes to the city of joy where all the rest of the Valar is, but often is in the hall of Mandos, her brother, comforting those in sorrow.
Ulmo: Vala of the sea, who likes both man and elf equally, though mankind can not understand his words he tries to bring us comfort. He does not dwell in the Valinor.
Mandos: Actually named Namo, but he is the doorman of the Vala and the keeper of all those who have been slain.
Este: the Vala of rest, wife of the Vala called Lorien.
Tuor: Earendil's father, human but was raised by grey elves. He was the messenger of Ulmo for Earendil's grandfather Turgon. Married to Idril. Up to this story, he was the only man allowed to pass from this land and go to the Valinor being counted as elven kind.
Idril: Earendil's mother, married to Tuor.
Beren: A mortal man who stole a silmaril from the crown of Morgoth (he stole them from Feanor, Celebrimbor's grandfather.) He married Luthien Tinuviel, and his grandchild mentioned is Elwing, though he had others.
Luthien: also call Tinuviel, meaning either Nightingale or Daughter of Twilight. She is the only one who was able to the Valar bring back a person from the dead. She chose the life of man in order to save Beren who had died. They were both granted a second life and were not seen by elf or man again. She also helped get the silmaril from Morgoth, actually she saved Beren many a time…
Thingol: Luthien's father, King of Doriath. He also took Turin as a foster son.
Turin: a tragic hero of Tolkien's stories. He, his sister, father and mother were all cursed by Morgoth causing evil to follow him where ever he went. He was raised in Doriath, Thingol's kingdom and is related to both Tuor (His father's nephew.) and Beren (through mother.) When he met up with his younger sister Nienor, he did not recognize her through an enchantment placed upon her by Glaugrung one of Morgoth's servents (a dragon) and married her. Both of them later committed suicide after finding out.
Tar-Palantir- The second to the last king who tried to reform the ways of the people of Numenor, whom had turned their backs on the Valar. His daughter, Miriel, would have followed his rule but it was stole by her first cousin Ar-Pharazon. He was of the Faithful, who had been persecuted in Numenor for many years and kings.
Miriel- The daughter and heir of Palantir, but she was forced into a marriage to Ar-Pharazon, who stole her throne. Was given the name Ar-Zimraphel She would have been Numenor's forth ruling Queen, and when her husband left to attack the Valinor, she fled to the holy mountain. Sadly she was lost in the downfall with the majority of her people, except for the Faithful lead by Elendil and his sons. Also known as Tar-Miriel by the Faithful.
Elros: Elrond's twin brother that chose to be apart of the race of man. He has four children and his wife was Tesia (a person of my own creation). He chose (in my story) to go to the Valinor after his death to be with his twin brother, from who he never wished to be parted from.
Manwendil- Elros' third child, little is actually known about him, except that his name means Manwe lover, so most of what you see about him I have made up. I see him as a very gentle soul, who's protective of his older sister. Born in 76 S.A.
Vardamir: Elros' eldest child. Second of Numenor, although he didn't take the throne. A more serious child although he is known to pull pranks. Born in 61 S.A.
Atanalcar: Elros' youngest child. Bold and sometimes tends to say what is out of place in a situation. Devoted to his elder siblings. Born in 83 S.A.
Tindomiel: Elros' second eldest child. Little is known of her but the meaning of her name (Twilight's daughter in the high tongue of the elves) and the fact that she is the only daughter. In this story she is a twin to Manwendil. Again I had to flush out the very little details about her. She is a shy girl, that when she speaks usually speaks with a knowledge that is uncanny for her "age". She has a hot temper and is best friend's with Legolas' father Thranduil. Also called Dinel, Tindomerel, and Tinu.
Elvish dictionary
Tithen pen- little one
Ion nin- my son
Tithen muindor- little brother
Gwador- sworn brother
A'maal- beloved
Mellon nin- my friend
Tithen hen- Little child
Neth- young
Tegwar- Elvish form of writing (the characters I believe)
Gwenthal- sworn sister
Atlantie- the name of Numenor after it fell. It means downfall.
Muinthel- sister by blood