Following the instructions directly as told from his mother, Thranduil carried a weeping Erestor by his side. Remembering his promise, he held her tight. Inside he wanted to cry, but he couldn't. Even though the passage was dark for his elven eyes, it was bright enough. With a steady pace, they continually climbed down. Therefore he knew that they were going down all the levels, but in a separate part of his home.
So much had happened to him in the last 20 minutes. He had witnessed his friends being slain, his home being broken and having to have left his mother behind. He didn't want to- but he sensed his mother's seriousness when she last spoke to him. Not fully understanding at this moment that this might be the last time he saw his mother, he kept a steady heart and made it his sole purpose to keep Erestor safe. His mind would become a blur, unless he kept focus on one thing. A pain started to grow in his heart, and tears were beginning to form in his eyes, but he was to determined to uphold his mother's wishes and protect his little sister.
She didn't understand what had happened; all Erestor knew was that she suddenly had to leave her mother behind, with these terrible people, who wear harming all her friends, who then wouldn't get up after they fell down.
She in a state of shock, she wanted to have things as they were before. No matter how hard she wished, things wouldn't changed, so all she could do it cry. She pleaded with Thranduil to stop and help their mommy, but he wouldn't turn back, he appeared not to be even listening to her.
As they continued to go downwards, they start walking at a slower pace.
Shortly afterwards, though they reached the second part of their journey, as Thranduil thought of it as. Suddenly he'd forgotten which way he was supposed to take.
He'd concentrated so much on protecting Erestor and his mother that his memory forgot which way to go.
Humming to himself Thranduil tried to think of which way to go. Soon however, he gave up and collapsed on the floor, silently crying.
Looking up at her older brother, suddenly released the truth of the whole situation. Knowing the hardship her brother was going through, she just looked at him.
"I don't know which way to go." Thranduil said silently, his voice laced with shame and anguish.
"It will be alright Thranduil-don't cry." Erestor said confidently, hugging her older brother.
Looking up, Thranduil remembered his mother's words.
-Look after Erestor; make sure she lives a good life-.
Hugging his little sister back, he found new hope. He picked her up and looked at both ways. Taking a wild guess he took a left; this was his decision and with Erestor in his arms, hugging him; this was the path he took. It was up to him now- to protect her. She's the only thing that mattered; she was the last girl in the Feanorian family and the only relative he had left in his life. The only thing left in his live that made it worth living for him- for the first time in his life- he felt the emotion of desperation.
When they finally reached the end of the tunnel, Thranduil found a trap door in the ceiling above him. Much to his dismay, there was no stairs or anything.
He set, a now sleeping Erestor on the floor. She had silently cried herself to sleep. He took his over tunic off and laid her head on it. Surprisingly it was quite cool, 'even in this dank tunnel', thought Thranduil to himself.
His patience was starting to run thin after a while, when he couldn't find any means to reach the trap door.
Looking around, he found one long stick, no shorter then a meter roughly.
Thinking as hard as he could, he stared at the rounded think stick. It seemed liked ages; finally Erestor woke up behind them. Looking around at her, Thranduil looked to see if she's alright and then turned back to his thoughts.
"What are we waiting for, Thrandi?" Erestor questioned her older brother, rubbing her left eye.
"Nothing." Replied Thranduil, still deep in thought.
"If we're not waiting on anything- why don't we leave?" Said Erestor sitting upright.
"Because." Replied Thranduil back dully.
"Because?"
"Because."
"Because what, Thrandi?"
"I'm thinking!" Shouted Thranduil back at his little sister. Causing her to recoil, from shock and the pain of being yelled at from her older brother, whom she greatly admired and looked up to.
Looking at her, Thranduil suddenly felt a pang of great guilt, for yelling at her.
"Erestor I'm sorry. I had no right to do that. I- I can't figure out a way, to reach the trap door." Thranduil looked up at the ceiling.
Still feeling hurt by his yelling, Erestor didn't move. Sensing this, Thranduil walked over to his little baby sister and gave her a big hug. Looking up at her brother, Erestor then remembered how her brother stressed must be.
Letting her go, Thranduil plopped down next to Erestor. Resting his chin on his knees he closed his eyes- he hadn't done that in a long time.
Looking at him, Erestor copied her older brother. Then her eyes caught the stick on the floor. Looking at the wall closet underneath the trap door, Erestor suddenly had a idea spark in her head.
Clumsily getting up, she patted her back side and walked over to the damp wall.
"What are you doing acorn?" Thranduil asked his sister. He had given her that nickname a long time ago; when she had eaten a whole acorn with only 5 months. It had sent him into a fit of giggles, because she had the hiccups for the following 3 days.
Ignoring her brother, she probed the damp wall with her finger. Seeing how deep it went in, she then pulled it out and studied her index finger closely.
"Acorn? What are you doing?" Thranduil inquired once more, this time opening his eyes.
Like before, she ignored him, but this time she walked over to the stick laying on the floor, picked it up and presented it to her older brother.
Looking up, Thranduil was left completely baffled. This in turn just resulted into Erestor shoving it further more into his face.
"What?" Thranduil asked lifting his head slightly.
"Argh." Moaned Erestor, rolling her eyes.
"Break it." Said Erestor in a semi-annoyed tone.
Just about to ask why, Thranduil then stopped. He realized how tired he wasn't about to argue with her.
"How many pieces, Acorn?" Thranduil enquired taking the stick from her.
"Erm? Four pieces…please." Hummed Erestor, leaving it to him and walking back over to the wall.
Doing as his sister had instructed him, Thranduil broke the meter stick into four (to his best ability) equal separate pieces.
Presenting the pieces to his little sister, Thranduil stood back and watched in amazement as Erestor put the first two in separate places. Building up them up, on top of each other.
Turning to her brother, Erestor looked at him-pointing upwards.
Walking over to her, Thranduil got the hint that she wanted to be lifted up.
When she stuck the fourth one in, Thranduil let her dangle there. He stared at amazement when he realized what she was doing.
She had built something like a bridge or steps into the wall. Dangling there, Erestor looked down at him, waiting, but when he didn't do anything, she reminded him, that she wasn't that tall or strong to hold on for a long time.
"There now we can climb up." Erestor said beaming bright, obviously happy with herself.
"Blessed be that child." Said Thranduil sweeping low in a bow; just like his mother or other used to do, when he amazed them with his fighting skills, or his sister amazed them with new words or something else she had learnt that day.
Gathering his sister on his back, he clumsily climbed on the sticks placed in the wall. Soon he reached the ceiling and pushing upwards with his hands, his head and Erestors head. Suddenly it sprung open.
Both siblings suddenly popped their heads up from the ground. Looking around, they released suddenly it was night time.
Climbing out of the hole, Thranduil closed the trap door and walked a couple of centimeters forward before standing still.
Erestor that could only see the back of his head didn't have to wait long, to find out why her brother wasn't moving.