(-)Chapter 11(-)
Bilbo cocked his head to the side slightly, "What is going on here?"
"Honestly we don't know either," Aragorn muttered, "otherwise I'd tell you."
Legolas sighed and shook his head, "We are headed to Rivendell, would you like to join us?"
The hobbit nodded, "I would be most happy to do so."
Aragorn grinned, "Good, come then, ah! I would like to introduce you to a couple friends of mine," he turned and waved towards the two dragons.
Elen stepped forward and smiled, "Well met, I am Elenoharthad, but please, just call me Elen, and this is my brother Menelür."
Menel nodded slightly, "Pleased to meet you..."
Bilbo nodded, "Bilbo Baggins, at your service! The pleasure is mine... please, what brought you out here and into these... interesting circumstances?"
Aragorn frowned slightly, "We were having problems with a rather vile man whom had escaped our wardens."
"Oh? And how did this bring you and the Prince into such an interesting position?"
"I was killed," Aragorn said simply, "I was lucky enough to have been given another chance but... certain circumstances have... denied me access to... me... if that makes any sense," he frowned slightly.
"I believe I understand," the hobbit was giving him an odd look, "I should have realized you'd be one for trouble when you tried to follow us out of Rivendell as a child."
Aragorn grinned.
Legolas raised one eyebrow, "Well, this is a story I believe I'd like to hear."
"No! No we don't have time for stories," Aragorn interupted, wide-eyed, "come then! Let's go before it starts getting dark!"
"No problem," Legolas stated calmly, "we can talk while we walk."
"Legolas I swear I shall drug us just to keep you from hearing this particular story."
"You lost your medical supplies, remember?"
"And do you see those plants with the small blue flowers? Wonderful sleeping herbs, used them on the twins once, they were out for a day."
The elf rolled his eyes, "Threaten me all you wish but in the end this is my body and I have more control over it than you do."
Aragorn sighed, "You're a nasty creature you know that?"
"I know."
Bilbo stood in obvious amusement, "In that case, I believe we have a days worth of stories to exchange."
Aragorn groaned, "Must you?"
"But of course my friend, why not?"
"There are many valid answers to that question but I doubt mentioning them would deter you what-so-ever."
"Then you would be correct in this instance mellon-nin."
Elen stepped closer as they began their trek, "This I would not miss for the world."
Legolas smiled, "Indeed," he glanced down at the hobbit, "Please, do tell us this alluring tale."
Bilbo nodded, a smile spreading across his face, "Well, I suppose I could say it started when Estel met us after night-fall when he first learned of our presence."
Aragorn winced as he started, "I hope you don't mind if I dissapear for a moment... or day."
Legolas shrugged, "You go right ahead and hide in your misery."
He got no answer.
"Please, continue," he grinned.
"As I said, it was after night-fall, he had only just learned of our presence in his home and I suppose curiosity got the best of him..."
(-)Flashback(-)
Estel crept silently down the hall to where he knew their new guests were staying. His curiosity had peaked like a vertical wall when he'd been told and nothing anyone did had kept him in bed.
He squeezed through the first door but before he got very far he was pulled off the ground and carried back outside.
Elladan glared down at the child, "I thought we told you to go to bed," he hissed.
Estel winced, "I know but-"
"No buts Estel, do have to do as you're told."
The child frowned, "Ada said not to listen to you."
The elder twin looked taken off guard, "What?"
"After you said that the monsters under my bed would eat me if I let it get dark."
Elladan frowned, "You know what he meant Estel, I'm being serious, don't bother the guests. Now go to bed," he pointed down the hall towards the child's room.
"Elladan don't be so harsh on him, he's just curious," Elrohir grinned, "you can't say we didn't act like him when we were young."
Elladan frowned again, "Well he has to learn sometime."
"He's only eleven 'Dan."
The elf sighed.
Estel took this chance to try to sneak away from the twins but Elrohir quickly pulled him off the floor.
Elrohir smiled at the child, "You can meet them tomorrow morning Estel."
Elladan suddenly looked worried, "Are you sure that's such a good idea?"
"Consider it revenge for their rather nasty attitude this afternoon," he grinned, "I doubt Mithrandir would mind."
Estel blinked at the new name, committing it to memory.
Elrohir put the child on the floor and knelt in front of him, "Estel, I want you to go to bed now okay? It's well past your bed-time and you don't want to be grumpy tomorrow morning do you?"
Estel shook his head slowly, fully knowing that he was walking into a trap.
"So we both agree then. Will you promise me that you'll go straight to bed?"
The human bit his lip and sighed, "Alright..."
"Alright what?" Elladan asked warily.
"Alright I promise I'll go right to bed," Estel answered after a sigh.
Elrohir smiled, "Thank you Estel, you'll be happier in the morning," he stood and the two elves quickly headed back to their rooms.
The child watched them a moment before following sullenly, but he was quickly stopped when he nearly walked into a door. Startled, he just barely managed to stop. Nearly being hit by doors was not a common happening as any elves would be able to hear the person outside their door and wait for that person to pass first. He blinked and peered around the door, coming face to face with one of their visitors.
The other person winced, "Ah, I am sorry, I did not hit you did I?"
Estel shook his head, "No, I'm fine, thank you. Did we wake you?"
"Well I hadn't been sleeping well before... and when I heard voices I came out to investigate... isn't it a little late for you to be up?"
Estel nodded, "Yes, I was on my way to my room," he admitted.
"I should like to speak with you actually, I feel a little lost here and have been unable to speak with anyone as of yet."
Estel cocked his head to the side slightly, "I would like to, but I promised my brothers I'd go right to bed."
"Well, why don't I accompany you to your room then?"
"Okay," the child smiled, then glanced at him curiously, "you're not a dwarf."
The other looked startled, "No no, of course not! What would make you think that?"
"Ada said there were a lot of dwarves... you're the hobbit he told me about right?"
"That would be me," Bilbo seemed at a slight loss as to what he should say.
The child grinned, "You wanted to ask me something?"
"Not anything in particular, admittedly, but I would not mind if you would escort me to the dining area in the morning," he muttered in a slightly sheepish manner.
Estel simply laughed, "Of course, master hobbit, I would be glad to."
"Ah, forgive me my manners, I havn't introduced myself, I am Bilbo Baggins, at your service," he bowed politely.
Estel quickly returned the gesture with a respectful elven greeting, "Estel, at yours and your friends."
The hobbit smiled, "You live here? Not in the little city behind this place?"
Estel nodded, "I live here with my mom and my ada and my brothers."
Bilbo looked slightly cofused over the elvish name for his father but the westron one for his mother but decided not to comment, "What do your parents do here? From what I figured out only close friends and those who work here live here."
"My mom helps clean because she doesn't want to just sit around all day. Ada says he makes Imladris protected and working."
"Your father is one of Rivendell's soldiers then?"
Estel looked confused, "No, he says he keeps it working but all he does is sit at his desk all day. I don't think he likes it either though otherwise 'Restor and Glor wouldn't do so much work either I think. They help ada."
"He must be very important," Bilbo shrugged slightly, still confused as to this elf's position.
"He is," Estel nodded, "but sometimes all his work keeps him inside for days at a time."
"It mustn't be a fun job."
Estel shook his head, "It looks boring, I'm glad I'll never have to do his job."
"Don't want to follow in your father's footsteps? Most children do," the hobbit laughed slightly.
A/N
Elven Kitten: I'm really sorry this is so late! I tried to get it up early but I've been having some problems with my youngest sister... is incredibly mad at her at I've been unable to get on the computer until... well... today... but it's 11:47 as I write this so basically yesterday... anyhow, no one wants to hear about my problems :P So I'll get on with it :). Well, thanks to sielge, MicroChips, Inuyashaloverfan, invisigoth3, Elentariel, Ilaaris, Aranna Undomiel, AND a HUGE thank you to my two new reviewers; Raven and juut telcontar! I hope you continue reading my story and again, thank you for reading my stories :). As a side note, I'm going away on vacation on the 21 to the 27 so I'll be unable to post on that week. I would if I had a computer but it's one of the luxuries you must give up for camping :P ... (REAL camping people, like... in a tent... with sleeping bags... not a trailer with cable and internet hook-ups :P) lol, I can't wait though! I haven't been camping for so long it's going to be great :D We're going to Osoyoos which apparently has the warmest lake in our country... (not that I'm surprised since it's not very big and is right on the Canada/US border) :) anywho, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, it was the best I could do with so little time XP lol, Namarie!