Chapter 2
Elrond smiled and spoke, "The whole thing I suppose could be said to have started when the twins went out on a hunt with his father..." he paused, "but I'll start at the point when he was brought back to Imladris."
......Flashback......
Elladan rode into the courtyard swiftly, carrying a small, shivering bundle with him. His brother followed closely behind with a young woman leaning against him, looking tired, worn and heartbroken.
Elrond walked down the front steps with a frown, "Elladan? Elrohir? What happened?"
Elladan was the first to dismount, "We were attacked," he paused, "Arathorn didn't make it ada... he was shot in the eye..."
Elrond bowed his head and glanced up again, "Gilraen?"
The woman looked up at him, her eyes looked dull, almost lifeless.
Elrond made his way over to her and helped her down from the horse, "Are you well?"
Her eyes flashed, "I just lost my husband lord Elrond! Do you think I am well?!"
The elf stayed perfectly calm, "Nay Gilraen... are you wounded."
She continued to glare at him for a moment before calming down and lowering her gaze, "I am sorry..."
Elrond shook his head slowly, "Don't be, 'T is your right to be upset."
"But I didn't have to take it out on you... and no... I'm not wounded..." she glanced over at Elladan who was holding her son.
The elder twin brought the squirming bundle over and handed him to Gilraen who took him eagerly.
The small child was indeed just that, small for his age. The child clung to his mother and whimpered slightly.
"He hasn't spoken since the battle," Elrohir said quietly.
Elrond frowned, "Come inside. We'll get you all cleaned up and you can rest."
Gilraen simply nodded tiredly, obviously not strong enough to argue at the time.
Elrond glanced down at the child who stared back up at him with huge, blue eyes.
The child sniffed and stared up at the elf that simply watched him calmly. The young child looked slightly scared of the elf yet his immense curiosity overwrote his fear.
Elrond hid his amusement; the child simply continued to stare at him but the serious elven lord did not even smile in his direction.
This seemed to frighten the child more but it also raised his curiosity to new levels. He continued to stare at the elf, as if willing him to move as his want.
Elrond led them to one of the larger guest chambers and Gilraen paused.
"Would you mind watching him for me while I clean up?" she asked hesitantly.
Elrond glanced down at the child and nodded, "Of course I can."
The young woman handed him the child and went into the bathing chambers connected to the room.
The child stared up at the elf, his eyes had grown slightly.
Elrond turned and brought the child down to the main room and sat on one of the large couches.
The child shifted to accommodate him and bit his lip.
Elrond stared at the child for a moment, it had been quite some time since he had to deal with one so young. After a moment where the two simply stared at one another the elf smiled slightly. He had to admit it was difficult not to.
The child smiled when he saw this and the elven lord couldn't help but laugh slightly, causing the child to giggle, not fully understanding why the elf was laughing.
"Are you hungry little one?" the elf asked.
Aragorn blushed slightly and nodded, looking hopeful.
Elrond laughed again, "Come then oh hopeful one, we'll get you a treat before your lunch," he grinned and winked at he child, "don't tell your mother."
...........................
Elrond sat at his desk in his study, Gilraen sat across from him. They had been here for three days now and the two had just come to the decision that they would stay in Imladris and that Aragorn had to be hidden. They had therefore decided that no one should know of his bloodlines. Not even him. As much as it hurt Gilraen she knew that this would mean the child would forget his father, but she understood why it had to be done. They had decided he had to be given a second name as well.
Gilraen nodded slowly, "So it shall be... he will be called Estel. For hope he is."
Elrond nodded, "Then Estel he shall be."
Though the elf lord wouldn't admit it he had become quite amused and almost fascinated by the child. He didn't speak a word, yet he made what he wanted quite obvious. And though they didn't think their father knew the twins had become quite close to the child.
Elladan and Elrohir had been playing hide n' seek with the child and the young being had decided it was their turn to hide.
The child had been wandering around the large room for a while now, a frown on his face. The twins had said that they wouldn't leave the room, yet he couldn't find them anywhere. He had crawled under the table and chairs and had been behind the drapes and looked behind the cabinet but couldn't find them. He glanced out one of the windows and watched as a small squirrel climbed up the tree outside. He paused, climbed? With a grin he glanced up to the top of the cabinet and spotted the two twins who looked quite at home there. He wondered if they did that often.
The two leaped lightly from the cabinet and laughed.
"Good job little one," Elrohir laughed, "You want to continue?"
The child shook his head and thought for a moment before glancing outside at the stables in the background. He turned back to the twins and blinked before pointing out the window.
"You want to go outside?" Elladan asked walking over to him.
The child grinned and nodded.
Elrond walked over just as they were about to open the doors, "May I speak to our young guest for a moment?"
Elladan smiled, "Of course ada."
Elrond smiled at the child and they went and sat down on a nearby couch, "Your mother and I have decided that you two are going to stay here little one."
The child blinked up at him, various emotions flashing in his eyes and he nodded.
"We've also decided that we are to change your name..."
The child's gaze shot up, he looked confused and he frowned, cocking his head to the side slightly.
Elrond sighed, "'T is for your protection little one. You will understand when you're older."
The child nodded slowly in acceptance and bit his lip. He glanced back up at the elven lord and cocked his head to the side again, a more curious light in his eyes.
"Your name is to be Estel," he paused and smiled, "do you know what that means?"
Estel nodded his head in an almost proud manner.
Elrond laughed, "Okay then little Hope, go back to the twins."
Estel hoped off the couch and moved over to where the two were talking he paused for a moment and listened to what they were speaking of.
"What do you think Elladan?"
"Elrohir he's too little, you know that," he laughed, "but we could ride down to the waterfall... perhaps we could let him help us fish!"
Estel ran over to them and clung to Elladan's legs and looked up at him with pleading eyes.
The elf laughed, "Okay little one, let's go!"
Elrond smiled, "You two watch Estel and be careful."
The twins glanced at each other and took note of the new name, "Of course adar."
The three walked down to the stables... well... the twins walked; Estel ran circles around them trying to convince them to go faster.
When they reached the stables Elladan lifted the child and swung him up onto his horse and mounted behind him.
"Come on! Let's go."
Elrohir rode next to his brother, "You ever been fishing Estel?"
The child shook his head with a smile.
"Do you like fish?" the elf hoped he could get the small human to speak.
Estel grinned and nodded.
The elf grinned wryly, "How about worms?"
The child giggled and stuck out his tongue.
Elladan laughed, "Have you ever been swimming?"
Elrohir raised one eyebrow.
The child bit his lip for a moment then held his hand out, his forefinger and thumb a little ways away from each other.
"A little bit?"
The child nodded then bit his lip and shook his head slightly.
"Not too well?"
He shook his head again.
"Well that is to be expected, you are very young after all," Elrohir smiled, "besides, if we do any swimming we'll scare the fish away."
Estel giggled.
......End Flashback......
Elrond glanced outside, "'T is getting late. We should all get some rest," he smiled down at his son sadly.
Teralin got up and left with the twins. Legolas watched the elven lord a moment longer.
"Come and get me if anything changes, please," Legolas said quietly.
"Of course young one," Elrond said with a small smile.
A/N
Elven Kitten: There! What'd ya' think? lol, hope u liked, sorry 4 taking so long.
The Voice: Get me out of the well! PLEASE!
E.K.: Okay... where is it coming from?!
Elf Side: ... how about... the well?
E.K.: That makes no sense...
starlit jewel- lol! Of course! Hmmm... future... deaf? lol
sielge- Yay! Glad u like! He'll be going back to Gondor before the end of the story nods lol hope u liked this chapter too!!!
Pippin the hobbit-elf- Blinks waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting? I just finished my last one a little while ago... I may have been a while but I don't think I took that long... Oo... lol! Hope u liked!
marbienl- lol! I figured you'd like that... grin I'm so glad! lol. And yesh you had commented on his first year before... that's actually why I wrote this one. So I'm glad you like it!!!
DISCOMBOBULATED CHEEZE- lol, I'm glad you likey!
Eponine-t- Yay! Grin I'm glad u like it!!!
grumpy- Thank ya'! And yesh, very good thing they went to Lothlorien nods and grins
Iorhael- lol, actually, since I had writen Aragorn and Legolas's meeting when Aragorn was twenty there will be no young Legolas... unfortunetly... pouts although... to even it all out in the end maybe I will write something about him... grin thank you for the idea! And about Frodo... I'm not sure he's born yet... hmm... I'll have to check that out... one sec... walks off to find her book........ finally finishes after 15 minutes huh... what do you know... he'd be 8 years old during this... kewl! He probably wont be in this story tho... but maybe I can work him into the next! Yay! grin
E.K.: WELL! Has pulled 'The Voice' out of the well it was the bread... Oo... IT SPEAKS!!!! Throws it out the window
E.S.: ... Okay... well, we'd better be going... namarie!
Elenmeoi