Title: To Mend What Has Been Broken
Part III
Author: Elizabeth Goode
Disclaimer: I don't make any money from writing fanfiction. It would be less than worth your time to sue me.
The sons of Elrond, accompanied by the Prince of Mirkwood departed from Rivendell two days after Mithrandir had detailed their quest. If Elrond had gone a bit overboard in packing food and medical supplies, no one said anything about it. It was better by far to be overly cautious than to have need of the unavailable. Estel's shoulder still twinged occasionally, but it was almost fully functional, and he had two overprotective elven brothers and an equally protective elven prince to watch out for him. There was no reason to believe that things would not go according to plan, and Elrond knew that he could not justify keeping Estel at home without hurting the young human's dignity. There had been too much hurt recently for him to knowingly add more. Standing with Mithrandir at the gates of Rivendell, Elrond waved goodbye to his sons and to Legolas, hoping that the feeling of foreboding in his heart was habit rather than foresight.
"Estel! Would you put away that map! Terrible things have been known to happen to those who try to read while riding a horse!" Elladan reached over and snatched the map out of his youngest brother's hands.
"Give it back! I'm trying to familiarize myself with the area. I'm a ranger, remember? I need to see where we are, where we are going to, and commit to memory the route we have taken to get there. I'm not old enough to have had as much wilderness experience as some of the other Rangers, but if I'm to lead them, I must practice!" Estel scowled at his brother, making a grab for the map.
"Not while you're on horseback. It's dangerous." Elladan refused to budge.
Elrohir took the map from Elladan and folded it carefully shut. He then passed it back to Estel. "Elladan was once unseated from his horse while doing the same thing. He healed quickly, being an elf, but you would not. In his rather belligerent way, he is trying to spare you the same hard lesson."
Estel took the map and left it closed, placing it in one of his saddlebags. "I see. Why did you not just say so, brother?"
"Would you wish to admit to your younger brother that you had done something so silly as to fall from your own horse due to lack of attention? If you knew how careless I was, it might knock me from your pedestal of hero-worship, might it not?" Elladan grinned, his good humor returned.
Estel returned the grin, laughing. "I have no such pedestal, brother. Do not fear, you cannot be knocked off of an imaginary pedestal."
"I hate to interrupt your brotherly squabble, but it is nearly time to make camp for the night. Who will have first turn at cooking duty?" Legolas reined in his horse, causing the others to do the same.
Elrohir volunteered, preferring to get his least favorite trail duty out of the way as soon as possible, and as soon as a campsite was chosen, he got to work taking out the necessary supplies while Estel and Legolas built the fire. Elladan took the horses to a nearby brook to let them drink their fill.
After a satisfying meal of a stew made with dried venison, wild onions, carrots, and a bit of bread, they unpacked their bedrolls and prepared for nightfall.
Elladan had the first watch for the night. He sat with his back against a tree, listening and watching for any sign of trouble. The air was sweet and clean, no wafting scent of orc or warg was detectable here. Satisfied that they would be safe this night, Elladan began to let his mind wander in thought. Elrohir was sound asleep in his bedroll, lying on his side. Some distance away, Legolas was curled up in his own blankets, also asleep. Nothing was visible of Estel save his dark hair sticking up out of the bedroll. A fierce protectiveness rose in Elladan's heart. His human brother had borne so much pain in his short life. Most recently, with the creature of Sauron that had played on his worst, deepest fears. He shuddered at the memory of that creature in his own mind, the things it had driven him to believe and to consider.
Late in the night, when Elladan was just about to wake Elrohir to take over the watch, he noticed some movement from Estel's bedroll. Estel had begun to shift uncomfortably in his sleep. He saw Legolas sit up and lean over the young human, whispering softly in Elvish, his hand planted firmly on Estel's chest. With some astonishment, Elladan saw that while Estel's movements were slight, tears slid silently down his cheeks, silvery in the dim glow of the firelight. He wanted to go to him and give comfort, but it seemed that Estel was not entirely awake, and Legolas was calming him with the air of one well used to his task. This had happened before. The thought made Elladan's heart ache.
He waited for Legolas to finish settling Estel. The golden-haired prince seemed to know that Elladan would want to talk, and made his way over to sit beside him under the tree.
"Estel weeps at night?"
"In his sleep. He makes no sound." Legolas closed his eyes for a moment, leaning back against the rough bark.
"How long has this been going on?"
"It began shortly after he was – after the exile. It has gotten worse rather than better."
Elladan beseeched, "Why did you tell no one? Surely Ada could have given him something to help him sleep."
"Estel asked me – begged me – not to tell. He does not always remember in the morning, and he has never told me what exactly he sees in his dreams that distresses him so."
"We thought the nightmares had gone, that he was doing better …"
"They have not gone, but subconsciously, Estel has learned to be silent in his suffering."
"Could it be … the creature of Sauron that sought to destroy him before?"
Legolas shook his head. "No. I asked the same question, and Estel vehemently denied it, though he would not tell me what made him so certain."
"Next time, if this happens again on this quest, allow me to tend to him. Perhaps if he sees that I already know of his problem, he will confide in me, as he did when he was small."
Legolas patted his friend's shoulder encouragingly. "Perhaps. It is certainly worth a try."