Disclaimer: See Chapter One.
A/N: Hey there folks! Okay, okay so I lied. This is not the last chapter but the second to last chapter. The last chapter will be Chapter 25. Eee gads! I can't believe that this story is almost at an end! Wow. Don't worry though, the first Chapter of The Edge of a Knife will be out only a few days after the last chapter of Estel and Greenleaf. If you're all very nice I just may include a preview in the last chapter of this story. Anyhow, thank you all a million times over for your lovely reviews! I adore them all! Also, a billion thanks over to my beta enb2004 who has an excellent HP story that everyone should read. As promised, here is Chapter 24. Enjoy!
It was in the very early hours of the morning when Estel showed the first signs of consciousness. Himband was staring vacantly at nothing in particular and was pondering when the drugs he had given Elrond would wear off. They probably wouldn't for at least another four hours. He had given him a very heavy dose after all.
He couldn't help but smile at that. Elrond was sure to be angry but he wasn't afraid of Elrond. After all, he had drugged his King and had lived to tell the tale. Surely if he could survive Thranduil's wrath he could survive 't he?
Himband was brought of his thoughts by a slight moan. He frowned and looked around at the sleeping elves. None of them should have been up yet. Not after the hour they had finally gone to sleep.
He heard the moan again and realized it was coming from the bed which held Estel. He jumped up and saw that Estel was moving about and seemed to be coming around.
"King Thranduil! Elrond, everyone, get up!" Himband shouted. At once, everyone save Elrond jumped up and looked at the healer who was hovering over Estel's bed.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Legolas asked as he tried to get out of bed.
"Legolas Thranduilion! You stay put on that bed young prince and if you don't, not even the Valar will be able to help you," Himband said with a glare. "And nothing is wrong. Estel is waking up I believe."
Hearing this, Elladan and Elrohir shoved their way over to Estel's bed, with King Thranduil right on their heels.
Upon coming to the bed, they saw that Estel was moving around a bit and his eyes were fluttering beneath closed lids.
Gingerly, Elladan and Elrohir sat down on the bed next to their little brother. "Estel, tithen gwador, it is time to wake up now," Elladan said.
"Yes, you have been asleep for far to long baby brother," Elrohir added.
Estel moaned and moved around on the bed when he heard the twin's voices.
"Yes, that's it. Keep on talking to him you two, I think you're bringing him out of it," Himband said excitedly. Finally, things would be right again.
"Himband, see if you can't rouse Elrond out of his drugged state," Thranduil ordered as he watched the twins trying to rouse their little brother. He knew that Elrond would quite possibly flay Himband alive if he missed his son waking up because of those drugs.
"Come on Estel, wake up and let us all know that you're all right now," Legolas said from his bed while glaring at Himband. He wanted to be next to Estel! The last time Estel had seen him was when he was trapped under two dead wargs and bleeding. He needed to reassure Estel that he was all right not to mention reassuring himself that Estel would be all right.
"Come on tithen pen, don't make me tickle you," Elladan said somewhat desperately.
Whether it was Elladan's comment about being tickled, or pure coincidence, no one would be sure but Estel finally opened his eyes.
"Estel?" Elrohir questioned, his voice full of hope.
"Ro? Dan?" Estel croaked out harshly.
"Shhh, don't speak just yet. You have been very ill little one," Himband said as he approached the bed with a glass of water. "Here, drink a little bit of the water."
Estel gulped the water greedily. He couldn't remember the last time he had had something to drink.
"Easy tithen pen, easy. Not too much at a time," Elladan said while holding the cup to Estel's mouth.
"Where's Ada?" Estel asked, not noticing that he wasn't in the familiar healing wing of Imladris.
"He is sleeping young one. You gave us all quite the fright and your Ada spent nearly every waking hour tending to you," Thranduil said while sitting down on the other side of the bed.
Estel turned large silver eyes on the elven King. "Who are you?"
"Estel!" Elladan and Elrohir exclaimed together in embarrassment.
Thranduil just laughed and motioned for the twins to calm down. "Do not worry about it young ones. It is only natural that he is curious. To answer your question Estel, my name is Thranduil and I am the ruler of the realm called Mirkwood, which is where you are now."
Estel's eyes widened as he struggled to sit up. "Your Leggie's adar!
"Estel, lay still tithen pen," Elrohir said while trying to press the squirming child back down onto the bed.
Thranduil laughed. That was certainly a new name for Legolas, one that he wouldn't live down any time soon judging by the looks on his other children's faces.
"Ada!" Legolas groaned. Why oh why did Estel have to say that name in front of all his siblings and his Adar? He would never live this down, never.
"Yes Estel, I am Legolas's father. As Legolas's father, I wish to thank you young one for saving my Greenleaf's life," Thranduil said with a smile.
Estel's eyes widened as he suddenly remembered the last time he had seen Leggie. "Leggie? Is he all right? What happened? Iaurdil?"
"Legolas is just fine Estel. Look, he's right over there on the bed next to yours," Iaurdil said.
Elladan gently lifted Estel up so he could see. "Leggie!" Estel cried out happily as he tried to get off his bed and on to Legolas's.
"Estel! For the love of Valar, stay on your bed! You are still ill young one, although you may not feel it right now due to all the herbs that are running through your system," Elrohir said, helping Elladan hold on to the still squirming toddler.
After a few seconds, Estel finally relaxed and allowed himself to be pushed back onto the pillows.
"Himband, have you been able to wake our Ada?" Elladan asked. For Himband's sake, he hoped he had.
Himband cringed. "I'm sorry to say I haven't been able to wake him. The drugs I gave him were really strong. He'll probably be asleep for another few hours."
Everyone in the room gave him pitying looks. "I am so sorry Himband. I thought you were doomed before. I see now I was wrong. You are beyond doomed," Aruviel said with a sympathetic glance.
"Beyond doomed indeed," Delelen muttered under his breath.
"If I were you Himband, I would consider leaving for Mordor, right now," Iaurdil said with a slight grin.
Glorfindel gave Iaurdil a look of surprise. "Mordor you say? Iaurdil, have you lost your senses? Mordor isn't nearly far enough away and neither is Valinor come to think of it. No, perhaps the Halls of Mandos is where you should go Himband. Unfortunately for you, the only way to get there is to be killed."
Himband winced openly. He knew that there would be no getting out of this once Elrond awoke. He knew he had been pushing the limits when he had drugged Elrond in the first place. What he had not counted on, though, was Estel regaining consciousness this morning. He was doomed and he knew it.
"All right, all right, I know that I am doomed. Still, there is not reason for all of you to seem merry about it," he snapped.
"Ah but there is my dear Himband," Legolas said with a grin.
"Yes, just consider it... pay back for all the times you have kept us in here far longer than we needed to be," Elladan said, his eyes dancing with laughter at poor Himband's expense.
"YOU LITTLE...." Himband started to say.
"Shhh! All of you," Fuina whispered menacingly.
Upon seeing their questioning looks, she motioned for Elladan to look down at the child he was holding.
To his surprise, Elladan found that Estel had fallen asleep against his chest sometime during their teasing of Himband.
Himband walked over and quickly made sure that Estel was truly sleeping. "Relax everyone, it is a true natural sleep. He needs the rest after everything he has been through. I don't believe that I need to remind you that he is still healing."
Everyone nodded in agreement. "Why don't you all get some more sleep? I'll stay up and watch over Estel," Thranduil said.
"Nay, tis fine. I shall stay up," Elladan said as he felt Estel snuggle in closer to him.
"Are you sure Elladan? You have not had much sleep," Himband said.
Elladan waved his hand, dismissing the fact that he had had little to no sleep. "Do not worry so Himband. I am not that tired."
Himband looked at him skeptically but reluctantly backed down. "Very well, but you must promise to wake me should either Estel or Elrond wake."
Elladan smiled and nodded in acceptance. "I suppose I could do that."
Unfortunately for Himband, he failed to see that Elladan winked at his twin and Legolas before turning back to the healer.
Himband sighed in relief. "Good, hannon le Elladan. Come, let the rest of us get some sleep."
With some hesitation, one by one every one, save for Elladan, fell asleep.
For two hours Elladan watched Estel like a hawk. He wouldn't be reassured that Estel was truly well until his little brother was back to his normal hyperactive self.
As the hours passed though, Elladan relaxed somewhat as he saw that Estel was having no difficulties. As he relaxed his guard, the weariness that had been accumulating for some time finally caught up with him and he fell fast asleep without even realizing it.
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The next time Estel woke, it was late in the morning and the sun was already high in the sky. This time, upon waking, he really didn't feel all that well. He wanted his Ada!
He looked around hoping to spot his Ada but to his surprise, he saw that everyone was asleep. Why where they all sleeping in the morning?
Despite the fact that he didn't feel that well, Estel wriggled himself free from Elladan's grasp, which was tight even in sleep, and slowly climbed off the bed.
He found though that standing was a not a good idea as he suddenly felt even worse. He forced himself not to cry out though. He was a big boy and could find his Ada himself!
Keeping still for the moment, he took in all the different elves in the room with wide eyes. Most of them he had never seen before! But where was his Ada?
After many moments of scanning the room, Estel's gaze caught sight of Elrond's long ebony locks. Holding on to the bed with one hand, Estel stepped forward and walked towards where his Ada was lying down on a bed. After several painstaking moments, he made his way to the bed and climbed up onto it.
Seeing that the elf's eyes were half open and glazed, Estel knew his father to be asleep. Suddenly feeling quite tired himself, he yawned and snuggled next to his father. Within no time, Estel had fallen asleep with his head resting against Elrond's shoulder.
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When Elrond at last woke from his drug induced sleep, his first thought was to kill that sneaky Himband who apparently was an orc in disguise. It was the only logical explanation. His next thought was Estel.
Upon thinking of Estel, Elrond suddenly bolted right awake. He went to sit up and go check on Estel only to find that someone had their head resting on his shoulder.
Looking down, Elrond found, to his surprise, Estel sleeping soundly and seemingly quite content next to his father. He smiled gently and pushed some of Estel's hair away from his face while checking for fever.
To his pleasure he found none. It would seem that Estel was truly on the mend. Satisfied that Estel was all right and was on his way to recovery, Elrond allowed his mind to drift to other thoughts which mainly consisted of killing Himband in the most painful way imaginable.
Elrond scowled at the sleeping Himband's form who just happened to be across him from him. The nerve of that healer! Because of him and his sleeping drugs, he had missed Estel waking! Himband would live to regret that for a very long time, a very long time indeed.
For now though, he would let him sleep. Looking around the room he noticed that everyone was still asleep although it was nearly midday. Then again, they had all had an extremely long and worrisome few days.
Looking down at Estel once more, Elrond kissed his son's brow before settling back down. For now, everything was right in the world. With Estel sleeping soundly next to him, he felt as all was right in the world. At least, for the time being.
Elrond gently pulled Estel against him and inwardly thanked the Valar for saving his little boy yet again. Estel sighed contentedly and snuggled closer into Elrond's embrace.
Elrond smiled and gave his own little sigh of contentment. For his own piece of mind, he draped his arm over Estel so he would know if Estel happened to wake or needed him.
After making sure that Estel was comfortable, Elrond allowed his eyes to glaze over in elvish dreams once more all the while knowing that he had had his little boy back. The Valar had been kind to him and his family once more and he would be forever thankful.
Translations:
Ada: Dad/Daddy
Adar: Father
Ion nin: My son
Tithen gwador: Little brother
Tithen pen: Little one
Mellon nin: My friend
Hannon le: Thank you