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Chapter Quote: "Do you try to shove me back out the gates into the valley, Dinineil?"

Chapter Three

Return of Three

I ran from the stables like a frightened horse, pushing past the Elves who were gathering in the front of the building. I could not tell if Elrond had followed me or not, I only want to see Estel. Estel. My friend and my brother, name-giver. The pain in my chest was throbbing now, the tender ribs a reminder that I was not perfectly healthy. I ignored it however and continued to shove my thin body through the crowd until I had reached the front of it.

I smiled as my eyes clearly saw Estel riding through the gates of Imladris and up to the stables. Two other riders flanked him on either side, but to them I paid no heed. I ran to Estel, not possessing enough patience to wait for him to come to me. And as I reached him, he smiled, dismounted, and caught me in a loving embrace as I flung myself into his arms. He stumbled back a few steps, laughing as he regained his balance.

"Do you try to shove me back out the gates into the valley Dinineil?" He asked, smiling still as he set me down.

Never! I screamed silently, shaking my head furiously in reply. I scowled at him suddenly, don't you ever leave me for so long again. Somehow he must have gotten the message, for he smiled apologetically.

"It was only two weeks Dininiel, not a life-time."

It might as well of been. I though glumly. He knuckled my chin and tilted my face up in order to look into it. "Well." He said, "I'm here now."

My smile returned and I hugged him tightly, burying my head in his chest, my small stature prohibiting me from kissing his cheeks with my burst of affection for him.

"It seems you have an admirer Estel." Said a rider from one of the horses.

I looked up, my eyes searching for the owner of the new name and watching his face as he smiled at me. He was an Elf, the pointed ears clearly marking his race.

"Rather young for you isn't she Estel?" Came another voice from the rider opposite of him. I looked at him with a sharp twist of my head. My eyes widening as I looked at the two of them in astonishment. They looked exactly the same. Both were Elves, with dark brown hair and dark eyes which seemed to radiate a sort of laughter and joy as they spoke.

Estel laughed heartily as I hid behind his cloak, looking shyly up at the strangers as they smiled down kindly at me. "Do not fear Dininiel." He said to me, taking my hand and pulling me out gently from behind him. "These two rascals are my friends."

"Dininiel is it?" Asked one of the strangers as he walked over to me.

I nodded.

"Dininiel, these are my brothers, Elladan," Estel pointed to the one standing in front of me with the cocky smile on his face. "And Elrohir." Pointing to the one standing by the horse. Elrohir waved and walked over as well.

"When did you find this little one brother?" Asked Elladan. It was strange that I could tell them apart...but both had discerning characteristics that made me able to do so. Elrohir had a wider smile and a more flippant manner of speaking. Elladan was slightly more serious...if such a thing were possible...and his eyes showed more mirth then his other facial expressions, though he too was quick to smile.

Estel was telling the two of them of my coming, a tale that I had asked of Elrond many times in hope of recalling something of my distant past, but to no avail. I smiled, Estel ... Elladan ... Elrohir ...all 'e's.

"Why did you not tell us on our return journey brother? We only had two weeks to ourselves." Asked Elladan, grinning at me and causing me to blush and duck back under Estel's cloak.

"I wanted to surprise you, Dininiel did not know of your coming either." Estel looked down at me and smiled encouragingly. "Come on Dininiel, you need not fear these two beasts, no matter how fearsome they might seem."

Oh, they are not. I thought shyly.

"Well, shall you greet them?" He asked.

I raised my brows, it was almost as if Estel was reading my thoughts. I shook my head, choosing to ignore this astonishing thought and then I stepped out slowly from Estel's cloak. I bowed, dropping to one knee and lowering my head, a manner of greeting that was so familiar to me and yet had no place in my memory. I looked back up and both Elves seemed pleasantly amused at my sign of respect.

"You raised her well in our absence." Said Elladan with a chuckle.

Elrohir dropped to one knee in front of me in order that he might be level with my gaze. "Has Estel treated you well?" I nodded. "Did he show you the best treats of the kitchens?"

My brows raised, treats? I thought in confusion.

"Oh!" Elrohir covered his mouth in mock shock. "Estel has not shown you the treats? The sugary pastries filled with strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and all sorts of other sweet things?"

I turned to Estel, playing along with the game that Elrohir had begun, the treats, though I was not sure exactly what they were, were beginning to sound increasingly inviting. I put my hands on my hips and cocked my head, a stance I had seen Elrond used when Estel was what he called, 'fresh' with him.

Estel shrugged helplessly, realizing that his brothers were quickly winning my affection and approval. Elrohir stood as I turned back to him and reached out to take my hand. I took it without hesitation and he squeezed it encouragingly. "If you show us where our father is, I promise to you that Elladan and I will make up for Estel's mistreatment of you with a raid of the pantry."

I grinned broadly and nodded, this sounded like an excellent idea. It had only just dawned on me that Elladan and Elrohir looked like younger versions of Elrond. I wondered how and why Estal called them brothers, for Estel was not an Elf. Pushing this aside as a question for another time, I began to lead the two elven brothers forward. Elladan took my other hand as some of the other Elves led their horses away. Then, smiling happily, I led the three of them back to the house where Elrond waited with anxious anticipation for the return of his three sons.

" 'Tis sad brother, that Dininiel had to wait so long for our return in order to find out what treats awaited for her." Said Elrohir, besides Estel, I liked Elrohir slightly better then Elladan...I wasn't sure why...though it might of had something to do with the sweet flavor bursting inside my mouth.

Estel laughed and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "I do not think Dininiel minded too much."

I looked up at him with a strawberry treat in my mouth. It was delicious and I grinned at Elrohir who sat across from me as I did so. Elrond was seated at the end of the table, and the four were talking of the twins travels and of the journey home with Estel. It seemed that they had been gone for nearly four years, and had not seen Estel since he was fifteen. It was such a large number to me, but I knew to the ageless Elves that this time-span was no more then a passing week.

I watched Estel as he talked in Sindarin and I was able to pick up fragments of the conversation with difficulty. Understanding their language was still remarkably difficult to my young mind, so I did not pressure its learning too quickly.

"How is mother?" Asked Estel, I looked up, slightly pleased that I had been able to understand this part of their conversation and still yet curious. Estel had a mother? I had never heard Elrond mention having a wife.

"She is well. She enjoys her cottage by the river that you made for her, she spends most of her time there." Replied Elrond, sipping a cup of tea.

I tugged at Estel's tunic to get his attention. He turned to me, still smiling. "What is it Dininiel?" He asked in the tongue I knew. You have a mother? I thought, but knowing he would not understand me, I began to look for something to write on, hoping that my limited knowledge of the strange marks they made on paper would suffice to ask my question.

"Yes Dininiel, I have a mother." I stopped, looking back at him. But Estel did not notice my inquiring glance, had instead looked briefly at Elrond. "Has Dininiel not yet made my mother's acquaintance?"

"Your mother has not left her cottage for some time now. She enjoys this time of year, always has. I believe she likes to be alone, so I have not bothered too much about her."

Elrond was looking at me now for I was trying to gain both man and elf's attention by tapping my fingers on the wooden table. Elrond and I had made a sort of hand language that I had soon become a master of. I was hoping that he would help me teach it to Estel. "Is Estel's mother...your wife?"

Elrond shook his head slowly, then translated my quick signs to the others. "No, she is Estel's real mother."

"Then where is your wife?"

He paused and I could hear Elrohir take in a sharp intake of breath.

"That is a story for another day." Elrond said, smiling sadly. I could see the raw emptiness in his eyes. A loneliness that I had never seen before. He had loved her...whoever she was. Loved her very much.

Estel cleared his throat, making a much needed change of topic, one which I welcomed though my curiosity had been aroused by this bit of intriguing information.

"Father tells me that you are fond of horses Dininiel."

I nodded rigorously, though my passion had only really been discovered today, I was anxious to see the stables once more. It did not occur to me until later that the four of them had been talking about me.

"Shall we go see them?"

"But surely Estel you must rest." Interrupted Elrond, "You've only just returned..."

"I'm rested well enough. Resting is an evening chore. Let Elrohir and Elladan get settled in once more and I'll take Dininiel to the stables."

Elrond did not persist with the matter, only chuckled. "Well, you seem to have this well thought out haven't you? All right then, go on you two. Be back by dusk for supper."

I was bounding like a newborn colt as Estel led me through the stables and past the large doors. I stopped at each one that I knew the name of, I remembered quite a few. It was good to have Estel home once more, he was family to me now. I laughed silently as he told me of his journeys with his brothers, both of which it seemed were terrible pranksters. I stopped suddenly at a stall door, peering in through a crack in the wood.

"Who is this?" Estel asked for me, looking over the door. "Ah, you have found one of my father's favorite mares."

She was tan, with a white mane and tale and sparkled in the light from the high windows above.

"Her name is Valanna."

She mare pricked her ears at the sound of her name. Palomino. She is palomino. Why the name of her coloring had come so easily to my mind was strange to me. A memory unbidden, a term uncalled for, it had just been there. Valanna, she was justly named. I pushed open the door without wondering about Estel would say, and I looked into her eyes and she looked back at me. She was tired, I could see the weariness written about her fair features. And her middle gave way to a wide girth.

"She is heavy with foal, due almost a week ago." A passing groom said, pausing in his work to greet Estel and then watching me as I approached her. "She is not feeling well, the foal hurts her." The groom added.

I reached out my hand, breathing hard through my nose. Not out of fear...it was more of a habit. A way of greeting her that I knew from somewhere long ago. She reached out and touched my hand with her muzzle, the velvet skin making my palm tingle. She said something to me, words known only to those of her kind...but somehow they seemed strangely familiar...the sounds forming messages that I could almost understand. I frowned, why was it so hard to remember? The mare was growing impatient and even more sorrowful as our touch lengthened. I slid my hand down her silky coat and patted her neck slowly. She was comforting...and I couldn't help but feel that she knew something...something that she wished to tell me but couldn't.

"Dininiel?" I heard Estel call, but I did not answer. Valanna turned to look at me and then I saw a bright flash of light.

The city was burning, the flames screaming pain and horror to the dark sky. People were screaming...the tormented faces...and monsters with no faces cutting them down with curved swords stained dark with blood. I wanted to help them, I wanted to ease their pain. But I was unable to, my hand gripped tightly by another's who was pulling my away from the flaming city and from the monsters. I could hear the person's harsh breathing as they pulled me along, we were running towards the forest. We stopped, the trees looming tall above us and even higher still, were tall mountains. The person was saying things frantically to me, things that I could not understand. I was shaking with fear, tears streaming down my cheeks. I could feel warm blood running down my side. My blood, and then the person was screaming. And it was gone.

"Dininiel?" Estel called slightly more sharply. Valanna sighed and turned away from me, slightly alarmed at Estel's raise in voice. He was frowning. "Are you all right?"

I nodded slowly, Valanna was watching me with her sorrowful eyes, silently speaking the words that I could not understand. She turned away and took a deep, rattling breath. Estel had taken my hand, was leading me out of the stall. The way in which he did so reminded me briefly of the image...the burning city. I shook it away, none of it made sense.

He looked down at me once we were in the aisle way. "You scared me. Are you sure your all right?"

I nodded, smiling a little to encourage him. For some reason I did not want to tell Estel about the burning city and the red flames.

"Come on then, we should be getting back."

A/N: And that is the end of chapter three. I am really thrilled on how this is working out, though sometimes its depressing not getting any reviews... Hopefully I'll get the next chapter up soon. And a little tidbit about the next chapter, we will be meeting Aragorn's mother, Gilrean! Thanks to all who reviewed! And to my beta, Kiann!

TO BE CONTINUED...