Well here is the third chapter :) Thanks to Glenstorm63 for all the corrections ! I hope you will like it ^^
PS : for the song in French with English subtitles search on Youtube "Anastasia - Once Upon A December French (S + T)" It's really beautiful !
107 years later
Little Estel could not stop crying. He had no tears left, but his body continued to shake uncontrollably, his breathing difficult. It was his fault. He knew it. But it didn't lessen the utter terror he was feeling. He shouldn't have followed the strangers when they had left Imladris, but the boy of only six years had been so curious about them!
His father had been angry at him for running in the halls and the winding passages. The twins had left a few days before for Mirkwood, so he didn't think he would be missed if he was outside for an hour or two. He had followed four mysterious men who had stayed in Imladris for only a week.
From what he had heard they had been attacked by orcs on their way to a hall that lay beyond Imladris and had stumbled into the valley, obviously not intending to find an elvish community there. When they had been detected Glorfindel had been charged to bring them to Elrond and their leader, Ranfar, had asked for sanctuary. They had been kept apart and closed guarded during their stay, so had had no chance to hold converse with them. Following them secretly, Estel had tracked them for an hour all by himself and then announced his presence, hoping to talk with them and learn more about the outside world.
But they had not talked. In fact as soon as they had seen him they had snatched him and tied him up. When Estel had wanted to scream they just had shoved a dirty cloth in his mouth and put him on a horse in front of Ranfar. Whilst the little boy had been crying all the way he could hear the men laughing and debating about how much money they could do with him. They had rode a few hours until they arrived at a small village where they took him immediately to a small tavern.
The room was full of old men, all of them eyeing Estel as if he were a tender piece of meat. The only women were the three serving women and they did not seem interested in aiding the little child. But then he felt another type of stare on him and turning his head, he could see into the far corner on his left. There was what to his sharp eyes somehow seemed to be a woman, entirely clothed in black, wearing light leather armor. She also had a cloth veiling her nose and mouth and was wearing her hood, hiding all her features except for her gleaming eyes.
Mercenary his mind immediately supplied. Well, he couldn't hope for help from her either, as the mercenaries were known to always mind their own business. He could hear the men talking about him and was becoming more and more desperate. Their conversations were taking a path he did not truly understand but that frightened him all the same.
"Oh come on! Just a night with him! Look how pretty he is, I'm sure he is a wonderful bed-warmer !" one man was commenting loudly.
"No no, Enfor, if you really want the boy it's five pieces or nothing. And really you know he is a virgin, so it's truly fair price."
After a loud 'humpf' the man who addressed as Enfor gave the coins to Ranfar and looked at Estel with a sickening lust.
That was when a clear calm voice was heard to say, "Close your eyes tithen pen, do not open them until I tell you otherwise."
The order was given in Sindarin, which surprised the little boy and all the persons in the room. The one who had spoken was the mercenary. She had arisen and was making her way toward them. All warmth seemed to have left the room and she moved with mortal purpose.
When Estel met her eyes he gasped. They were two orbs, shining with the light of the Moon, intense, cold… deadly. But somehow he knew she was more truth-worthy than the men actually holding him. So he closed his eyes, praying to Eru to save him. At least if she decided to kill him it would be fast and probably painless.
When she was sure the little boy couldn't see her anymore the mercenary turned her cold gaze upon the men in front of her. "I know what are the rumors about the Guild of the Mercenaries, but let me tell you this, we do NOT accept rape, especially not of a child. Now, will you let us leave peacefully, or do I need to kill you all?"
It may be that if they had not drunk so much of the ale of this house, they would have read her threat aright.
"What? You think you can kill all of us? Alone? Go back home little girl, let the grown men make their own deals."
Thinking his point made, the man who wanted the little one focused his attention again on the boy, reaching for him. His hand never touched Estel. Its owner fell, dead, a knife resting deeply in his chest. It took little time for the other four to regain their minds, but it was also time enough for the dark figure to unsheath her twin knives and begin her next move. Within a moment they were all dead, never really having had a chance to defend themselves.
Everyone in the room except the child was now eyeing the assassin in fear, not knowing what to do.
"You do not have to share their fate, but you will let us leave. And you will share this tale. You shall warn all of the fate that befalls a stealer of children and those who deal in rape for sport and money."
None made any move to get up or attack as she slowly made her way to the child. When she saw the tear-stained cheek and the trembling body she almost sighed. 'In what kind of mess I am in now…?'
When he felt a hand on his eyes Estel began to panic again but then the voice was there again.
"Come with me child, we will leave this place."
He was not sure if it was a good idea to follow the mercenary, but already she was guiding him outside, a hand still on his eyes. After a moment the hand left his face and he could see again. He nearly tried to run when he saw her holding a blade but she only used it to cut his wrists free and take the cloth from his mouth. She took him to the stables before quickly preparing her horse. He heard her speak in elvish to the horse. Its name appeared to be Shadow. Without another word, the woman put Estel on the saddle, took her place behind him and urged her mount to a gallop.
It was only half an hour later that they slowed down and came to halt, her horse blowing. She quickly dismounted and took hold of the boy to put him down. Estel still did not know what to think and was more than a little wary of the stranger.
Who was she? She was an elf obviously but also a mercenary. He could remember some of the disturbing stories his brothers had told him about them, not all of which he understood. Still, she seemed much safer than the men at the tavern, his mind supplied.
"Well youngster, my name is Dollaew, but if it pleases you, you may call me Laew. And you? What is your name boy?" She studied him again. There was a brief hesitation and then a shy answer. "Estel, mae govannen Lady Dollaew."
Laew couldn't help but laugh at that. "Truly Estel, just Laew is fine. I think it has been years since someone called me a 'Lady'. So tithen pen, from your clothes I guess you are from Imladris. Am I correct?"
So it was his clothes! Estel had wondered how the mercenary had anticipated he would know how to speak elvish. At the mention of Imladris tears threatened to fall again. "I want to go home..."
Seeing his crestfallen face her Laew could not help but crouch down in front of the boy and smile. "Then it is a good thing we are together. For that is where I intend to take you."
At this a mixture of joy and shame showed themselves in the boy's eyes along with his fright and exhaustion. "And I have nothing to pay you."
The mercenary looked at Estel bemusedly. "So! Do you really think that after having saved you from those men I would leave you all alone in the wild?"
The cheeks of the kid reddened and he lowered his eyes before mumbling "But my brother said that mercenaries always ask for money and that if you can't pay they will take you and sell you as a slave !"
Fury flashed briefly in Laew eyes before she calmed herself.
"Well Estel let me tell you something, we mercenaries may like to mind our own business and mayhap we do not always have a lot of morals, but we are not without a heart. Most of us have a tragic past, and that is why we will always help the ones in danger. Because it is the role of the strong to help the defenseless. That is why we would never tolerate abuse or slavery, do you understand?"
Now Estel was looking at her with an awed expression. What she had just said was exactly what he wanted to be! It was just like the Rangers who came from time to time to see his father !
"So you'll take me home?" This time his voice was light and happy, already knowing the answer.
"Yes little Hope, we have a few hours before us, but you shall see your family again."
With that the mercenary lifted the child onto Shadow's back once again and took her place behind him, urging the horse forward. Seeing the boy's eyes beginning to close with relief as much as exhaustion Leaw did the only thing she could think of. She sang a lullaby she had heard from one of her companions who had come from the far East. When he had translated it for her she had laughed at the irony.
"Des images me reviennent
Comme un souvenir tendre
Une ancienne ritournelle
Autrefois en décembre
Je me souviens, il me semble
Des jeux qu'on inventait ensemble
Je retrouve dans un sourire
La flamme de mes souvenirs
Je me souviens, il me semble
Des jeux qu'on inventait ensemble
Je retrouve dans un sourire
La flamme de mes souvenirs
Et en moi, un écho
Comme une braise sous la cendre
Un murmure à mi-mot
Que mon cœur veut comprendre
Une ancienne ritournelle
Loin du froid de décembre"
It was some time after that Laew woke Estel. She had just passed the frontier of Imladris and she could hear horses coming their way. But when she saw exactly who were the riders her blood turned to ice in her veins. There, just in front of her, had come to a stop, Elrond the Lord of Imladris, Glorfindel the Balrog Slayer, the Peredhel twins, and Erestor.
"My Lords, my name is Dollaew from the Guild of the Mercenaries, and I bring this child back to your house." She tried to keep her voice several octaves graver than usual, swearing in Dwarvish for her bad luck.
Upon seeing her the twins had immediately took hold of their bow and two arrows were now directed at her. However, seeing that she obviously did not wish to cause his foster-son any harm Elrond asked them to lower their weapons,which they did slowly and with some reluctance.
"Ada!" cried Estel in direction of the Lord of Imladris.
'Oh shit' thought Laew, she hadn't envisaged for a moment that Estel's foster-father would be Elrond Peredhel himself. 'Okay, breathe in, breathe out. It has been almost 100 years since Elrond, Glorfindel or the twins saw you. You are safe, so do not panic.'
With ease the elf lord came near Shadow to take the little boy in his arms, gripping him as he would grip to life itself. Estel was crying softly in his father's arms, telling everything that had happened, loud enough for everyone to hear.
"… and then Laew told me to close my eyes during the time she knocked all the bad men down, and ..."
She was receiving some glares, mostly from the twins and Erestor, but some surprisingly grateful ones from Elrond and Glorfindel. All were now truly aware of what she had truly done.
During all this time, the mercenary kept her head lowered, her gaze directed to the ground. She always kept a black cloth around her hair under her hood, so no one could see it, but better be careful. Of course all this caution became obsolete when she heard.
"… And she has such pretty eyes Ada ! They are gray and shine like the Moon!"
All the elves present now stared at her, There were both distrust and curiosity displayed.
'Oh sweet Eru ! Can I not stop you talking for a moment little boy! So now, can I panic?'
Knowing she had been discovered Laew looked up, meeting the stern stare of the Lord of Imladris.
"You are far from home, child."
Feeling a storm of emotions raging in her heart the mercenary simply replied "Indeed, my Lord. The base of the mercenaries is not in this neighborhood."
Elrond raised an eyebrow but did not insist on further explanation, despite the hostility he could feel from his twin sons against the stranger. This elleth had saved his foster-son, the hope for the future of the kingdom of men.
There may have been many reasons to ask her to forsake her own kin but now was not the time.
"Then will you follow us back to Imladris? I believe I owe you a great debt. I would like to thank you properly."
In truth Laew longed to accept the offer, but she knew better. She could not reveal herself.
"It would be an honor my Lord but unfortunately my path is long and I am expected elsewhere. I shall have to decline."
She could see disappointment in Estel eyes but knew it was for the best. "And before you ask, I do not wish any kind of repayment, for mercenaries take it upon themselves to look after those in desperate need."
This part was said with a glare directed to the Peredhel twins, while Estel's face shone with pride… and some relief. Elrond sensed a story behind this and intended to ask about it later.
"Very well then. I wish you a good journey, and remember that my doors will always be open to you."
Not wanting to risk staying any longer Laew simply turned Shadow around and left. Once she was out of earshot Glorfindel, who had been silent until now, approached his Lord. "Elrond, I ...", but the Peredhel interrupted him. "I know, I feel it too."
"What is the matter, Ada?" It was Elladan who had asked the question, distrust for the elleth showing with every word. Elrond didn't bother lecturing him, it was not the time or the place, It would have to wait for later. So he just answered what both he and Glorfindel had not yet spoken.
"It is almost as if we should have somehow recognized her."
I hope you liked it ! Please r&r and give me your opinion :)
