Disclaimer: See Chapter One.
A/N: Hey there people! Thank you all so much for your incredible reviews! I love you all! Well, the end of this fic is drawing ever closer. No worries though, for the first chapter of The Edge of a Knife will be up only three days after the last chapter of Estel and Greenleaf. Cool huh? Many many thanks to my wonderful beta enb2004! Where on earth would I be without her? Love you girl! As promised, here is Chapter 21. Enjoy!
As they rode on to Mirkwood, all Elrond could think about was Iaurdil's words. Iaurdil had said that Himband did not believe that Estel would survive. On the other hand, Himband had no experience with mortal illnesses and could be wrong. It was that slim hope that Elrond had to hold on to.
He had to believe that Estel would be just fine. Estel was his son and he would never give up on him, never.
Before he knew it, the gates of Mirkwood were before him.
"Ada, we are here," Elrohir said from besides him.
"Don't worry Ada, Estel will be just fine, you'll see," Elladan said from the other side of him.
"Come mellon nin, let's go see Estel," Glorfindel said while dismounting.
Elrond nodded and did the same. Upon reaching the courtyard, they found that King Thranduil was already there and waiting for him. The scouts they had passed earlier must have warned the King of their approach.
Seeing Thranduil made Elrond all the more nervous about his youngest's condition. Thranduil was pale and looked as though he had not slept in days. His hair was mused and his clothes were disheveled.
"Elrond, oh thank the Valar that you are here. Estel's condition is deteriorating by the moment! Himband is with him right now," Thranduil said while embracing Elrond.
Elrond paled at Thranduil's words and took off a dead run for the healing wing with the twins right on his heels.
Thranduil watched as Elrond kept no dignity about him as he ran for the healing wing. "He truly does love Estel, doesn't he?" he asked Glorfindel. It was not Glorfindel who answered however.
"He loves Estel with all his heart and soul Ada. You should have seen him when I first found them. The only thing they could think about was Estel despite the fact that they had just survived a battle with orcs," Iaurdil said.
Thranduil turned around and stared at his eldest incredulously. "Orcs!"
Iaurdil winced. He had not meant to tell his father about his little run in with the foul creatures. Too late now.
"Yes Thranduil, orcs. Iaurdil here saved us by throwing himself into the fray. Before he came we were starting to tire and the orcs were many. Your son saved all our lives and for that, we are in your debt," Glorfindel said while completing ignoring Iaurdil's silent pleas for him to stop.
"You did what! Valar, what am I going to do with you?" Thranduil said shaking his head with despair. "Nonetheless, I am grateful that you were able to help."
"Iaurdil, would you do me a favor and run ahead and tell Elrond that I am with your father for the time being?" Glorfindel asked.
Iaurdil looked between his father and Glorfindel in some confusion. Generally, as the Crown Prince of Mirkwood, he was entitled to know almost everything that his father knew with very few exceptions. Apparently, this would be one of those exceptions.
Looking at his father though, Iaurdil saw that his father did not have a clue either as to what Glorfindel wanted. Iaurdil exchanged a confused glance with his father before turning to Glorfindel.
"Of course. Should I stay with Estel for a bit?"
"If you would that would be very helpful. We shall join you shortly Iaurdil," Thranduil said looking at Glorfindel with open curiosity.
Iaurdil nodded and quickly left.
"What's this all about mellon nin?" Thranduil asked Glorfindel once Iaurdil was out of hearing range.
"Not here. We need to speak in a place where no one will overhear us," Glorfindel said eyeing the open courtyard for any who might be listening in.
If Thranduil was surprised by Glorfindel's comment, he didn't let on. Nodding in understanding, he led Glorfindel into the palace and into his private study. After giving orders to his guards that they were not to be disturbed unless it was an emergency, Thranduil closed the doors and turned to face Glorfindel.
"I must say Glorfindel, all this need for secrecy is making me more than a little on edge. What is this all about?"
"I take it then that Legolas has not yet told you about Estel," Glorfindel said.
Thranduil looked at him curiously. "No he hasn't, but then he had not been coherent for more than five seconds due to the pain killing herbs that he is on. What about Estel though mellon nin? If you mean that he is mortal I know that already. I assure you though that it came as quite a shock to my system when Himband told me. From what my children tell me, my expression was quite amusing."
Glorfindel could not help but smile. "I do not doubt that for a second mellon nin. Estel does look quite like an elf if one ignores his ears."
"Aye, that he does. What is it that you wish to speak of though Glorfindel. You continuously skirt around the issue at hand," Thranduil stated.
Glorfindel sighed. "Aye, that I do. Forgive me mellon nin. I know your dislike of men and I am not quite sure how to say this."
Thranduil rolled his eyes at Glorfindel. "Mellon nin, by now you should know that while I do dislike most men, there are exceptions to that rule. Estel is one of those exceptions. How could I not like him? Mind you, I have not even officially met the child since he has been unconscious the entire time, but from what Iaurdil says he is a sweet and loyal little boy. Did you know that he led Iaurdil to Legolas?"
"What! Never mind, I'll corner Iaurdil later," Glorfindel said trying not to imagine what circumstances could possibly have led to Estel leading Iaurdil to Legolas.
"I am sure you will," Thranduil said dryly. He knew well of Glorfindel's protectiveness towards Elrond's offspring. Estel was apparently no exception to that rule.
Glorfindel sighed and tried to think of a way to break Estel's heritage to Thranduil gently. While Thranduil had said that he liked Estel, he was very hesitant to tell Thranduil just whom Estel's ancestors were. There was no avoiding it however.
"Mellon nin, as you have probably ascertained by now, it is imperative that Estel survive, and not only for Elrond and his family's sake. The reason why is thus. Estel is of Elrond's blood, if very distantly," Glorfindel said. He hoped that Thranduil would figure it out from there.
It was not to be however. "Glorfindel, you are making no sense mellon nin. How is Estel of Elrond's blood? Despite his appearance, he is mortal as this illness of his has proven."
Glorfindel sighed. Damn it all, where was Elrond when you needed him? He would just have to spell it out. "Mellon nin, Estel's true name is Aragorn, son of Arathorn and Heir to the Throne of Gondor. He is Isildur's heir."
For a moment, Thranduil blinked several times before sitting down in chair rather shakily. "Do you mean to tell me that I have the savior of the race of men dying in my healing wing?" he asked faintly.
Glorfindel nodded his head sadly. "Yes Thranduil, I'm afraid you do."
"Wait just one moment though. We were told that Arathorn, Gilrean, and their only child had been killed!" Thranduil exclaimed.
"Aye, that is what everyone was told in order to ensure Estel's safety. You were supposed to be told, but there was a miscommunication between Elrond and the twins. You can take it up with them later," Glorfindel said.
"Ai! Believe me, I shall. Sweet Valar," Thranduil said putting his face in his hands.
" Let us hope though that Estel is not dying as you say he is. I do not mean any offense towards Himband, but he is not familiar with mortal illnesses and could be overreacting."
"I hope that you're right Glorfindel, for all our sakes," Thranduil said wearily.
Glorfindel nodded in agreement as he looked in the direction of the healing wing. "For all our sakes."
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In the healing wing, Elrond and the twins found Estel in dire condition. Upon entering, he froze at the doorway while taking in Estel's unconscious form.
Estel was pale, oh so pale! The only color in him was his cheeks which were flushed with what was apparently a very high fever. Even from the doorway, Elrond could hear Estel's breathes were raspy and shallow. It looked as though Estel was hovering on death's doorway.
"Lord Elrond! Thank the Valar that you are here. I have done all I can for him but it is not enough! None of the herbs that I have used have succeeded in bringing his temperature down. I am at a loss I'm afraid," Himband said, his face betraying his weariness and frustration over not being able to help more.
Himband's words sent Elrond and the twins into motion. "Fear not Himband, is it no fault of yours. You have never dealt with mortals before," Elladan said while pushing the exhausted healer into a nearby chair.
"You should rest while you can Himband. Ada will take care of Estel," Elrohir said.
Himband glared at the twins. "I am perfectly fine and do not need to rest," he snapped.
"I would disagree. Estel and Legolas arrived nearly four days ago and you have not rested once since then. Listen to the twins, sometimes, they do know what they are talking about," Iaurdil said suddenly.
"Iaurdil, I though that you were with your father and Glorfindel," Elladan said while trying to keep Himband in the chair.
"Aye, I was. They had something to discuss though," Iaurdil said with a hint of puzzlement in his voice.
The twins exchanged looks at Iaurdil's words. They knew what it was that Glorfindel was discussing with Thranduil.
Iaurdil noticed this and threw his hands up into the air. "What does everyone seem to know that I don't!"
"Well, I for one," Himband said crossly while glaring at the twins.
"SILENCE! All of you!" Elrond yelled suddenly.
As one, they all turned to Elrond and watched with some confusion as he put his ear next to Estel's chest.
"Oh sweet Valar," Elrond said as he stood up and caught the eyes of the others on him.
"Ada? What is it? What's wrong with him?" Elladan asked fearfully. He didn't like how scared his father looked. Very rarely had he seen his father this worried about a patient. He was usually only this worried when the patient had a real possibility of dying.
"He has pneumonia," Elrond said in tight voice.
The twins gaped at Elrond for a moment before diving for Himband's supply of herbs.
Himband and Iaurdil looked at one another in confusion. What was pneumonia?
Elrond must have sensed their unasked question for he started talking while he prepared a mixture of herbs.
"Pneumonia starts usually starts off with an ordinary cold, which Estel probably caught when he was outside. The cold develops into into pneumonia if the person is exposed even more to cold weather or another very ill person. In Estel's case, it would be the former. Normally, if caught right away in an adult, it can be treated successfully. However, Estel is a very young child and many human children die from it every year."
Iaurdil and Himband exchanged horrified glances before glancing at the very ill boy on the bed.
"Does that mean Estel is going to die?" Legolas's tired voice said suddenly.
Both Himband and Iaurdil leapt to their feet and were at Legolas's side before anyone could blink.
"No Legolas, although Estel is very very ill it does not mean that he is going to die. I will make sure of that. Estel shall be fine," Elrond said firmly.
No one in the room had anything to say about that. They knew as well as Elrond that there was a high chance that Estel would not make it. Like Elrond though, they refused to believe that and instead, held onto hope that Estel would pull through.
"Of course he'll be fine Ada. He's Estel, he just has to be," Elladan said.
The room fell silent after that with the only sound being Estel's harsh breathing and the sound of medicine being made.
Translations:
Ada: Dad/Daddy
Ion nin: My son
Mellon nin: My friend