Thank you so much, everyone for your enthusiasm for this story already. You are right, EverleighBain. I do love Elrond and his family! Next to Legolas, Elrond is my favorite elf, and I just adore his family. I was wondering if a dead rabbit was good enough description or not. I really wanted something more colorful, but couldn't think of anything at the time.
Onto chapter 2. Should I make this just one story, or after this ailment, turn this fic into one shots of little Estel getting sick or hurt? Or maybe just more one shot fics of that? Please let me know!
Estel spent the rest of the day gloomily in bed. Elrond had business matters to tend to with Erestor, Glorfindel, and others, so that left Elladan and Elrohir to entertain and tend Estel. Naturally, they exchanged jokes and tried to tell Estel funny stories, anxious to cheer him up because he looked so unhappy. Much to their chagrin, their attempts had the opposite effect. Estel would gag and start crying, clutching his throat. By the fourth story, Elrohir hurried out to fetch Elrond because Estel was sobbing.
"What's wrong, Estel?" Elrond asked. He knew the underlying problem, but wanted specific answers so he knew how to properly help his son.
"Ada, make them stop! It...hurts too much!" Estel wailed.
"What hurts too much?"
"I can't laugh." Estel sniffled. "It hurts to laugh." Elrond sighed and gave his sons a pointed look.
"We're sorry, Ada. We were only trying to cheer him up!" Elrohir spoke up defensively.
"I know, sons. You didn't mean any harm." Elrond said quietly. "But Estel doesn't feel good, and encouraging him to laugh is only scourging his already raw throat. I suggest you find something more quiet and restful to entertain him with."
"We're sorry, Ada." Elladan hung his head. "We are not familiar with what this sickness feels like, so we have a tendency to forget."
"It's alright." Elrond nodded. "Now, I must go. But I will be back later."
"Ada, don't...go. Please." Estel whined.
"I'm sorry, Estel. But I have some matters I must take care of quickly. I promise I will come back to see you as soon as I am finished."
"Okay." Estel mumbled. Elrond smiled then walked out the door.
"Would you like me to read to you?" Elladan offered.
"No. No more funny stories." Estel swallowed hard. It was so painful.
"This will be a quiet one, I promise." His oldest brother said. Estel shook his head. Elladan glanced at his twin for help.
"This is more difficult than I thought." Elrohir remarked. "I wish Arwen was here. Our sister would know what to do."
"Ai, she would." Elladan agreed, thinking of their beautiful, sweet sister who was living with her grandparents in Lorien right now. "Well, what would she do if she were here?"
"What would Arwen do? What would Arwen do?" Elrohir mused to himself. "I think I've got it! Estel, would you like some more cool juice?"
"Yes, please!" Estel nodded quickly.
"I'll be right back, Tithen gwuindor." Elrohir smiled. Elladan sat on the bed when he noticed Estel shivering.
"Are you cold?" He asked. Estel nodded, his teeth chattering. Elladan felt his sweaty forehead and drew his hand back. Estel was really hot. Fetching the basin, he dipped the rag in some cool water and brushed it across Estel's messy curls. Estel flinched.
"C-c-cold." He groaned.
"I know." Elladan said sympathetically. He sat up against the backboard and pulled Estel's head into his lap. He rubbed his small shoulders and ran his hand gently through the dark curls.
"I hate being sick. It's no fun." Estel grumbled, leaning his head on Elladan's thigh.
"It sure isn't. I don't even know what it feels like! But it sure looks very unpleasant." Elladan smiled. Estel shivered more and his brother wrapped his arms around him.
"So c-c-cold!" Estel moaned, twisting and turning trying to kill off the chills plaguing the inside of his body. Elrohir returned at that moment with some juice and a visitor.
"Fresh juice, as promised." He smiled, handing the glass to his brother. Elladan gave Estel a few sips, but then the little boy pushed it away and his small body shook even harder. "Estel! Should I go get Ada?"
"He's having chills. We need to try to calm him." Elladan said.
"Poor little fellow. That looks extremely disorienting!" Lindir exclaimed.
"Ai." Elrohir nodded as he tried to help soothe his trembling little brother. Elladan rocked Estel back and forth while Elrohir rubbed his arms up and down, then his stomach, and then his back. Estel still shivered, but soon the convulsions died down. "Come on, Estel. Ada said you need to drink a lot." Elrohir said. Estel obeyed and drank half the juice.
"Th-thank you." He gulped.
"You're welcome, little brother. Hey, how about if Lindir sings a song for you? Would that make you feel better?" Elrohir suggested.
"Mmm-hmm." Estel nodded. Lindir smiled and started playing a soothing Elvish tune on his lyre, and sang softly. It took Estel's mind off how miserable he felt, and soon he was sound asleep. Elladan still wiped his face with the cool, damp rag until Estel didn't feel so hot anymore.
"Hannon le, mellon. You did a superb job." Elladan smiled at Lindir who blushed.
"I'm happy I could be of service." He said. "I do not like to see anyone suffer, but especially little ones."
"Not...little..." Estel mumbled in his sleep. The older elves all laughed.
Elladan left Estel's room to go over the weekly schedule with Erestor while his brother stayed with Estel. When Elrond returned, his found the little boy asleep in his brother's arms. "How is he doing?" Elrond asked.
"Better, Ada." Elrohir said. "His fever is lower than it was, and he isn't shivering. He hasn't for a couple hours."
"I'm glad to hear that." Elrond approved and was glad to see the glass of juice was only half full. "I will sit with him for a while. When he wakes up, he'll need some more medicine." Elrohir left while Elrond sat in a chair next to Estel's bed. He watched the boy as he slept. Estel was 7, growing into a little man. But when he slept, he still looked like a little baby. Elrond smiled as he thought of how Estel detested being called 'little', or 'small'. "Get some rest, my little one. You'll need it!" Elrond whispered.
Estel slept all through the rest of the day into the night. But by 10, he was stirring and moaning. He started shivering again and holding his throat. Elrond was in the room and grabbed the glass of fresh juice and sat down close to the boy. "Here, Estel. Drink this." Elrond encouraged him. Estel gulped down the juice then let out a small cry.
"It burns, Ada." He whimpered.
"I know, my son. And I'm sorry. But hopefully, you will be feeling better soon." Elrond said, stroking his face. Estel rubbed his eyes as tears poured down his face.
"It really, really burns." He cried.
"Is it extremely painful to swallow?" Elrond asked. Estel nodded. "Let me see inside your mouth again." Estel obeyed and Elrond frowned again. Estel's throat looked worse, not better. "I have some medicine I need you to take."
"Is it...the kind...that makes it...n-not h-hurt so m-much?"
"That's right." Elrond replied. Estel wolfed down the medication, surprising and worrying Elrond. The kid hated taking medicine, and usually it took a promise of reward to get him to swallow it! For him to scarf it down without being coaxed was not like him. And Elrond noticed how hard it was for Estel to swallow. "That's a good boy." He praised him.
"I'm s-so c-c-cold." Estel's jaw trembled. Elrond lay next to his son on his side and draped his arm across Estel, holding him closely. Estel clenched his arm with his small hands and buried his head into Elrond's shoulder, snuggling towards his father for warmth. Elrond nuzzled his face and felt it with his hand. He began to sit up but Estel clutched his waist. "Stay with me, Ada!" He pleaded. Elrond stretched his arm over as far as he could then nestled back down, wiping his son's face with the cool cloth as he did.
"Go to sleep, Estel." He murmured quietly.
"Will you stay with me?" Estel begged.
"Of course, son."
"Will you be with me when I wake up?"
"I will, Estel. Now close your eyes, ion nin." Elrond shushed him gently. Estel moaned pitifully as he had to swallow again. Elrond placed his hand on his son's head and whispered a sleeping chant over him, then he nestled closer to him and sang an Elvish lullaby. Estel soon drifted off to sleep, worn out from his awful convulsion.
For the next two days, Estel was still sick. By morning of the third day, Elrond was growing concerned after examining his son. The medicine was not improving Estel's condition, and his throat hurt so badly that now he could barely talk at all. By that afternoon, Elrond was reaching an unpleasant conclusion. It was beginning to look like Estel had an acute, severe case of tonsillitis. Elrond wished to give it more time, but if Estel did not improve by the next day, then Elrond would have to make a decision about a different cure that he hoped he wouldn't have to.
It was the third night. Estel was having convulsions again, and his throat was plaguing him horribly. He was sobbing because the pain was too much to bear, and the crying only made it worse. Elrond held his weeping, sick son in his lap, embracing him and whispering a healing spell over him, praying it would work. "It burns! It...burns!" Estel wailed. "Make it go away, Ada! Please...make it go...away!" Estel begged and pleaded. Tears filled Elrond's eyes seeing his son suffer so.
"I will, ion nin." Elrond promised.