The Forgotten

Birthday fic for Celebwen

Note: I know the Numenor had a different calender then ours, and I know that they only had a intercalary day once every thousand years. (well later once every 441)

And I know Rivendell had a completely different calendar.

But in this fic, they adopted our calendar, so it is an AU I guess.

Another note: As this fic is a surprise birthday gift for my editor, it is edited not by Cel, but by Niniel.. Thanks a lot!

The Forgotten.

It was the 1st of March, third Era 2937, 3 past 6 in the morning and Estel son of Elrond was wide awake.

He wiggled his toes a little and checked the sky. It was dark still.

The boy sighed. Why couldn't time go faster if he wanted it to?

His mother had told the boy that he should not bother Lord Elrond or the Lords Elladan and Elrohir before nine. Not even on such an important day as his 6th birthday.

"Not fair" Little Estel mumbled to himself. He was absolutely certain Ada wouldn't mind. Ada was an elf after all, and he needed way I would use "much" less sleep than Estel and Nana, and Dan and Ro didn't need sleep at all. At least, Estel had never seen those two sleeping.

Estel checked the sky again. Nothing had changed since he checked it five minutes ago.. Not a glimpse of sunlight on the horizon.

He sighed and started singing softly. "Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me.. Happy birthday to me-hee… Happy birthday to me..."

He checked the sky again. Dark still.

He studied his hands for a while. Today was the first day of his life he couldn't count the years of his life on one hand anymore. He grinned. He was almost a grown-up now.

Estel could hit himself in the head for promising Nana not to bother Ada or Dan and Ro early. Why had he been so stupid?

He checked again. Dark.

'On the other hand...' he thought. His Nana was away, visiting his uncles in the north. She would never find out. And she did tell him to have the best of birthdays...

Happily the young boy wiggled himself out of his blankets.

Two hours later Estel still wandered through Rivendell all by himself. His Ada had not been in his bed, and neither had Dan and Ro. The boy was a little worried. The elves wouldn't have left him behind on his birthday, would they?

"Put him on that bed, over there" he suddenly heard Elrond's voice say.
Estel's face brightened. His father was at the Healers' Ward!
Happily the boy skipped trough the hallway, towards his ada
"Ada, ADA! Look! I'm awake, I'm awake and it's my birt..."
"Not now, Estel" his father interrupted without looking up from his work.
"But.." The little boy protested.
"I said: Not now."
"But it's my.."
"Estel.." his father sighed. "I am working on an extremely difficult potion I need to cure a dying man. I do not have time for you today. No come on.. Go play with your friends. I'm sure the twins are out there somewhere."
"But.."

His father looked up now. But it wasn't a friendly look he gave the birthday-boy.

"ESTEL! OUT! NOW!"

Estel's shoulders dropped and he sadly turned around.

Tears formed in his eyes, as he silently slipped away.

"I only wanted to say it was my birthday." he said softly. "I didn't even want a present. I just wanted to say I'm six. Just that I'm six."

But Elrond didn't hear him, he was staring at his herbs again, muttering difficult names as he searched his shelves.

Estel didn't like his birthday as much as he imagined he would. He knew his Ada's work was important and difficult and that Ada needed his concentration, but it was still hard to be send away like that.
Especially on his birthday.
It wasn't fair.

"Hey, Estel. " his thoughts were interrupted by Elrohir. "You're up early, today."
Estel smiled at his older brother. His tears were gone.
"It's my b.."

"Coming, El?" The little boy was interrupted by Elladan, who guided two horses out of the stable.
Estel recognized the horses. They belonged to the twins. His mood dropped.
"Are you leaving?" he asked, fearing the answer.
Elladan ruffled the boy's hair.
"Of course, little one. We've got to make sure that there is enough meat for the big party tomorrow." he said smiling.
"And make sure we are not interrupted by any form of orc-attack." Elrohir added, as he jumped on the back of his horse.

"But.. What about the party today?" Estel asked sadly. "Isn't the party of today more important?"

Elladan ruffled his hair again. "Come on Estel." his oldest brother said. "Nothing could be more important than the party of tomorrow. You of all people must understand that."

Estel didn't understand. What he understood was that his brothers were leaving him alone, on his birthday because they had to hurt for some stupid other party no one had even told Estel about.

"Can I come with?" he asked, giving his birthday one last change to turn out nice.

But the twins shook their heads at the same time. "No you can't." Elladan said as he too jumped on his horse. "You are only five. It's much too dangerous. Good day, little brother" he said. Elrohir gave his brother a smile and they both left at the same time. Riding towards the gates as fast as they could, laughing as they did.

"I'M NOT FIVE! I'M SIX!" Estel called after them, but if they heard him, it didn't change their minds.

"I'm six today, stupids." he said softly as his brothers disappeared.

Estel watched the empty courtyard with tears in his eyes. This was not how he had imagined his birthday at all. He had wanted his family to be with him. He wanted to sit on his fathers lap and hear his brothers sing all kinds of silly songs for him.

But, Estel reasoned, his birthday wasn't completely lost. There was one thing still that could save it.

Cake.

A really big, sweet Birthday cake, with candles on top.

Although the six year old boy had moved as silently as he could when entering the kitchen, he was spotted immediately by the Rivendell cook.

"What are you doing here, Estel?" The cook had learned form long experience that you should always keep an eye on the sons of Elrond, especially when making sweet things.
"I'm not doing anything, sir." Estel replied politely. "I just want my cake, please?"
"Your cake?" The cook replied, not understanding.
"Yes sir. My cake.. I would like to blow the candles. And when I blow them you all have to clap and laugh and sing a song."

The cook sighed. "I don't have time to clap and dance and whatever you wanted me to do, Estel. I'm making preparations for the big party tomorrow."

The boy's shoulders dropped even further.
"Can I please just have my cake then?" the boy said disappointed.
"Cakes should be saved for special occasions," the cook answered.

"I think today is a very special occasion." Estel stated, in a barely audible voice.

But the cook no longer listed. He rushed towards the ovens, as his elven senses had picked up the burning smell, just before Estel's did.

"Estel, OUT of my kitchen! OUT! I'm really busy, I have work to do, OUT!"
"But" Estel tried one more time. His very last attempt to get the birthday he deserved. "But..."

"OUT"

Estel went.

For hours the boy wandered through Rivendell, hoping to find someone who would notice him, someone who would be nice, even if they didn't notice what a special day today was.

But the elves were all busy. Some were working in preparation for the party tomorrow. Some were decorating, others were trying to finish all of their errands today, to be free tomorrow.

None of them remembered anything about today.

His Nana had told Estel that elves didn't celebrate birthdays.

But Estel had never expected that they didn't celebrate HIS. He had thought he was important to Elrond; to the twins, and that therefore the things that were important to him would be important to them as well.

He had felt accepted, a part of Rivendell, a member of the family.

Not anymore.

He had ended up in his own room again and collapsed on the bed.

He couldn't believe how only this morning he had looked forward to this day.

"Happy birthday to me, happy.. birthday... to.. me" he sung, until the lump in his throat did not allow him anymore, and all he could do was to cry.

It was thus Elrond found him, several hours later.

"Estel? Little one, what is wrong?" The elven lord asked worriedly as he felt the boy's forehead."You are not ill. What is the matter?"

The boy looked up at the elven lord with swollen eyes and a red nose.
"You all forgot it was my birthday." he said, between his sobs.
"We did what?" the elven lord asked confused.
"YOU all FORGOT it was MY BIRTHDAY." Estel repeated angrily. "You and Dan and Ro and the Cook and Glorfindel and Erestor and the singperson."
"Lindir."
"And everyone. All forgot my birthday."
"Estel, we didn't forget your birthday, little one."

"YES YOU DID! You were working, and Dan and Ro went hunting and there was NO CAKE and no one said "Happy birthday" and no one sung a song for me. No one did anything birthday-y today."

"But Estel, it is not your birthday today." The elven lord explained softy.
'Yes it is." The boy said. "It says so on my calendar."
"Hmmm" Elrond murmured confused. "Let me see."
The boy jumped of the bed and picked a piece of paper off the wall.

"Here" he said as he handed it to his ada.
The elven lord studied the document intensely.
"This is a very impressing calendar, Estel." Elrond said after looking at the paper. "Did you make it yourself?"
The boy nodded.
"And did you copy it from the calendar I made for you last year?" the half-elf asked.
The boy nodded again.
"Very good." Elrond replied with a smile. "But for one small detail. You see Estel; this year is a little different form last year.
It is a special year.
A leap year.
And the special thing about leap years is that they have one extra day."

The elven lord pointed at the calendar.

"Right here." he said. "29th of February. Today."
"Today?" The boy asked, staring at the place on the calendar.
"Today." Elrond confirmed.

"It's not the 1st of March today?" Estel asked, just to be sure.
"It is the 1st of March tomorrow." Elrond said with a smile.

"When the big party is?" Estel said.
"The big birthday party. Especially for you." Elrond added.
"Will you be there?" Estel asked hopefully, as his eyes grew wide.

The elven lord nodded. "Of course."

"And Dan, and Ro, and Glorfindel and Erestor and the the singperson?"
"Lindir."
"And Cake? Will there be cake?"
"Of course Estel. That is the most important part of birthdays, isn't it?"

The boy grinned.

"I thought elves didn't celebrate birthdays." he said.

Elrond placed a kiss on his head and tugged the boy in.
"Well we celebrate yours. Nothing can keep us from it. It is the most important holiday of the year."

"Now, you must go to sleep, young one. The sooner you sleep, the sooner it will be tomorrow."

Estel grinned and closed his eyes. When he woke he would be six. And having his birthday.

It was the 1st of March, third Era 2937, 3 past 6 in the morning and Estel son of Elrond was wide awake.