Chapter 2
A/N Thanks to all who reviewed. This chapter has been reposted because it was posted wrong. As some of you pointed out it had a lot of grammatical mistakes. This is because When I was editing I forgot to hit the save button to my corrections. It has been fixed had I hope this makes the story more enjoyable.
In the days following the beginning of Legolas and Estel's friendship, Rivendell was turned upside down. With The Terrible Twins always ganging up on him his whole life, Legolas was thrilled to have the devious Estel on his side. At the moment the new pranking duo were incorporating the help of a very pretty she-elf that both the twins had a crush on to help with the prank.
"Oh Elladan! Elrohir! Could you help me please? I can't seem to reach the top button of the back of my dress." She called silkily.
Both Estel and Legolas smirked as they heard twin feet running for the door and as soon as the door opened, honey drenched the twins that now stood still in shock. Without missing a beat Legolas and Estel ran to dump a bucketful of feathers on each twin and the uncontrollable laughter of the elf maiden could be heard clearly as the prankers ran out of the house and into the forest.
"You're both going to meet Mandos today!" The twins shouted as they ran after the shrinking figures of their friend and brother.
The chase lasted all the way to the lake that rested a little way outside the houses. Legolas and Estel were the first ones there and they quickly hid in near-by underbrush until the twins passed them. "You think they went into the lake?' Elrohir asked as he and his brother arrived. As Elladan shrugged in response they both heard two war cries and where suddenly pushed into the lake followed shortly by Estel and Legolas. When the four friends surfaced, Legolas and Estel were laughing hysterically while Elladan and Elrohir exchanged annoyed glances then tackled the other two. They all spent the rest of the day playing in the lake and just as dusk was about to set, they pulled themselves ashore and all the twins said was, "Let it be war on you both."
That night after everyone had dried off and gone to bed, Estel tossed and turned trying to deal with nightmares…of his parent's death. Being as Legolas' room was right next-door he heard the noise and got up to check on his young friend. Silently he crept into the dark room and was surprised to see…nothing. The boy was nowhere to be seen.
"Estel?' Legolas called thinking that he might be hiding but there was no answer.
Next the elf noticed that the window was open and he went to investigate. Directly beneath him was one of Rivendell's many gardens, which had grown vines all the way up the side of the house. Legolas decided to climb the vines to the roof of the house where he was rewarded to find Estel sitting perfectly still with his knees tucked under his chin and staring at the adjacent tree.
"Estel?" Legolas asked again.
"I can't climb that tree." The boy responded never averting his gaze.
"You climbed up here pretty well." Legolas said with a smirk as he sat down next to the child.
"I can't reach the branches."
"I could help you." Legolas offered and this got Estel to look at him.
"I would like that." Estel said and then tuned to look at the tree again. "I had another nightmare."
"About you parents?" Legolas asked knowingly. Estel nodded.
"I can barely remember my mothers scent or my fathers voice but I can see their downfall in my head almost every night."
Legolas put his arms around the small boys shoulders. 'This poor boy.' He thought. 'Stripped of his innocents far too young,' "Estel, I wish I could take away these painful memories but not even my elvish magic could do that. I wish it could."
A small rueful smile graced the boy's lips. "Just…sit with me, please?"
"Of course Estel." And the two of them sat there with Estel staring at the tree and Legolas keeping his charge warm as he reflected on how the boy was much too mature for his age. A few hours later Legolas felt a new weight on his shoulder and looked down to see that Estel had finally fallen asleep. Nimbly, in a way only an elf could manage, Legolas gently picked the boy up, climbed down the vines, and carefully tucked the boy in. With a fond smile Legolas slipped out of the room and back into his own bed.
The next morning Estel slowly opened his eyes to see a blurry person towering over him. When his eyes cleared Estel saw a grinning Legolas looking at him happily. "So you wanna talk to a tree?" The elf asked. Estel grinned and jumped out of bed. After the dark haired boy had gotten dressed and the pair had eaten breakfast, the friends went outside and hiked to the trunk of the massive tree. As soon as Legolas touched the bark he began to laugh and said, "He says he's glad to see you Estel." The boy backed up with shock on his face.
"He knows me?"
Legolas nodded and said, "He likes your determination in trying to climb up and I just asked him to help you." Just as Legolas had said that a tree branch bent down and it's leaves tousled Estel's hair. The boy enthusiastically grabbed on and for the first time in his short life Estel got to climb his favorite tree. Legolas also nimbly jumped into the branches and helped Estel from time to time until they reached the top and poked their heads out of the top of the foliage.
Estel gave a small gasp and a 'wow' and Legolas grinned happily at the sight before them. All of Imladris could be seen and it was a breathtaking sight that made the friends seem as if they were on top of the world. The House's of Elrond were perfectly visible as well as a few inhabitants of the houses. The whole place glowed angelically with an unearthly light that seemed to radiate from within. The woods surrounding the haven were also a thing of beauty as they could be seen from miles in all directions and remained untouched by the spreading evils.
The friends stayed there in silence, just enjoying the sight, until they got hungry for the mid-day meal and then they began to make their way down from the tree. Legolas helped Estel most of the way until they were about fifteen feet from the ground when Estel decided he would make it the rest of the way on his own. Legolas saw no problem with this as they where almost there anyway.
Unfortunately Estel misjudged the distance to the next branch and his foot slipped. He fell without so much as a scream and even the tree could not stop the boy's fast descent. Legolas yelled his name in horror and hurried down the tree double pace and reached the ground quickly but not before Estel had hit the ground and there was a distinctive 'snap' heard by the Prince's elven ears. In an instant Legolas was at the boys side and gently turned his young friend over to see a tear streaked face.
"It hurts Legolas!" the boy sobbed and Legolas' heart broke.
"Where does it hurt young one?"
"My arm. I want Ada!" Legolas nodded and scooped the boy up as he himself neared tears. The elf ran all the way to the healing wing of the house where he knew Lord Elrond would be at this time of day, with the twins most likely. When the young elf did finally reach the healer's domain that is exactly what he found.
"Legolas!" The twins said in unison before whatever comment they were going to make died on their lips as they saw their little brother trying valiantly to cease the tears.
"He fell out of the tree and his arm is broken. I tried to catch him I really did!"
"Hush Legolas! This is not your fault." Elrond said taking Estel from the distraught elf. "Elladan, mix some of my special tea for your brother. Elrohir, take Legolas and wait outside." At Elronds instructions the twins hopped to. Legolas just managed to mouth 'I'm sorry' before Elrohir guided him out of the room.
Half an hour later found Legolas nervously pacing in front of the healer's door while Elrohir sat watching him wondering how long it would take for a hole to wear in the floor.
"What could be taking so long?" Legolas cried for at least the millionth time as he whittled nervously at a piece of wood.
"It takes time mellon-nin! Be patient. What are you working on?"
"It was going to be a birthday present for Estel but I think I'll give it to him now. Assuming of course your father ever lets me near him again." Legolas said sadly.
"Princeling! My father does not blame you nor does Estel. If my father prohibited every person who has ever injured Estel from seeing him than Elladan and I would never see our brother!" Legolas laughed at this and went back to whittling. Fifteen minutes later Elrond opened the door looking tired but not worried or angry. "Legolas you can…" Elrond stopped mid sentence and raised an eyebrow at all the wood chips in the hall. Legolas looked sheepishly at the Lord of Imladris and mumbled an apology before asking how Estel faired.
"He will be fine. He will be confined to his bed for a couple of days and then he will have to be careful with his arm for a few weeks but it was a clean break and should heal fast. You may see him if you like." Elrond said and Legolas all but shoved Elrond out of the way as he entered the room. Lord Elrond smirked at Elrohir who just shook his head in amusement.
Inside the room Estel sat, propped up in a bed looking a bit worn but still a happy little boy, considering. He had one plastered arm cradled to his side in an attempt to protect it from being jostled.
"I am so sorry!" Legolas said grabbing the boy in a careful but fierce hug.
"Legolas! The boy must breath to get better!" Elladan said as he prepared to leave the room.
"Oh, sorry." Legolas said releasing the boy and taking a seat next to him.
"It was not you fault mellon-nin. It was an accident. Actually I think it was a small price to pay to get to climb my tree for the first time." Estel said looking perfectly innocent. Legolas laughed at the logic of a child.
"Well I'm just happy you are going to be alright and I shall keep you company during you days of captivity to the healer's wing. Oh and I made you something." Legolas said taking out the now finished statue he had been working on. The finished toy turned out to be a beautifully sculpted three-inch tall statue of a horse, one of the great horses. Estel's eyes widened to the size of saucers as he gingerly accepted the gift. The detail and thoughtfulness of it was not lost on the boy.
"It's wonderful Legolas! But it seems so…familiar." Legolas nodded knowingly with a smile on his face.
"Your mother had one just like it for you when you were a baby. It was the only thing that would calm you down when you were upset." Estel lovingly rubbed the horse and looked at Legolas in amazement.
"You knew my parents?" The boy asked in surprise. Legolas' alerts went off in his head as he remembered he could not tell Estel anything important about his parents.
"Aye, I knew them. Please understand that you cannot ask me about them. They were good people. I was very fond of them and I know they loved you so much!
Estel smiled wistfully as though remembering something and then he lunged at Legolas and wrapped one of his small arms around the elf's neck, careful not to hurt the injured one. "This is the best gift I've ever gotten Legolas! Thank you gwador-nin! I love you." This time it was Legolas who was the one to have tears in his eyes as he embraced his self proclaimed little brother.
Elrond and the twins had witnessed the loving scene from the doorway and Elrond currently swatted at his eyes as it ended.
"Ada are you crying?" Elladan asking in disbelief.
"I do believe I am ion-nin." Both the twins hugged their father and all five people in the room enjoyed the feeling of family love pulsing all around them.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Now Elladan, I do believe we need to be planning revenge for a certain prank played on us earlier." Elrohir said with a mischievous grin on his face that Elladan matched perfectly. "Yes my dear brother I think we do!" And with that the twins tried their hand at the best evil laugh they could muster. Elrond, Legolas, and Estel just raised an eyebrow…before dissolving into laughter of their own!
The End