Growing Pains- Chapter 8

Next chapter everybody! I am still feeling pretty sorry for poor Estel. Things are not over yet, and as I have said to some people in reviews, Estel has some choices ahead of him, and some tough things to realise. But not yet- the four of them have to get home and confront Elrond first.

Disclaimer: see Chapter 1

0-o-0-o-0

Estel gradually began to come around to the sound of whispered conversation from beside him. For a few moments he lay there still, his head on something soft and warm, and listened to what his brothers and Legolas were saying.

He heard Elrohir's voice first, cold and dark, like steel. "We have to hunt them, and soon. They will get away otherwise."

Legolas' voice, Estel noticed, was different to his brothers. It was lighter and more lilting, a different accent that Estel couldn't quite place. "I am not disagreeing with you, mellon-nin. Yet what can we do now?"

Elladan's voice came next, and Estel still prided himself on the fact that he could tell their voices apart without seeing them. "They hurt our brother, they hurt you, Legolas. We have to stop them." Estel suppressed a slight sigh at what he saw as vengeance in his brother's dark tone.

"I know," said Legolas, and his voice was soft, almost sounding tired. "But I know orcs well. They will most likely not leave the area for a few days. They have a plentiful supply of food, thanks to our horses, and they are out for blood. I counted my remaining arrows- twelve of them are dead by my hand at least, and more can be added to the count. I was not the only one who harried them." Estel got the feeling that Legolas was looking over at Elrohir at this point.

Elladan sighed. "You are right," he murmured. "We must think of other things first. It will be dark soon, and I am uneasy spending the night away from Imladris with Estel's injuries and your ankle."

Estel heard Legolas start to say something, but one of his brothers shushed the blond elf quickly. "If we are not careful," Estel hear Elrohir say, "It could become worse. You should be thankful it is not poisoned." Somehow Estel found his tone accusing.

It seemed that Legolas also noticed it, because when he spoke again, his voice was less soft, colder than before. "I did not mean to injure myself," he said abruptly. "You know this."

"Aye," said Elladan, seeming to rise to the challenge in Legolas' voice. "Yet trouble seems to follow you, follow all of us, does it not?"

"You cannot be blaming me, or yourselves, for this," said Legolas. "You know that this is not our fault." He paused, and Estel felt someone's eyes land on him. A moment later Legolas spoke again.

"Estel's injuries are not anyone's fault, Elladan. Not mine, and certainly not yours. I know you are both thinking it, but you are both far too seasoned as warriors to believe it. I know this."

There was silence for a moment, before Elrohir spoke up. "Yet he is our little brother, Legolas. If he gets hurt, it is on us. We have to protect him." Estel felt a surge of annoyance at these words. He wanted desperately to prove that his brothers didn't need to do that.

"I know," said Legolas softly, and all the fight seemed to have gone out of his voice. "But we have lived far too long, and seen far too many things, to still blame ourselves when things go wrong and people get hurt." He settled into silence, and Estel pondered his words. How much had he and his brothers seen? How long had they been fighting against the darkness, the shadow that was covering the land. For a brief moment, he saw things from their eyes, saw the long, dark years go by, and wondered how any of them were still willing to try and protect others, to protect him, after everything they had seen.

He heard the noise of shifting fabric, and then Legolas spoke up. "So how far away are we?" he asked softly.

Elladan glanced up at the sinking sun. "A few hours, maybe less. We can take the more direct route into the valley, the one only Adar, Glorfindel and us know. Regardless, it will be dark when we make it back."

Estel heard Elrohir sigh slightly. "All the more reason to start moving now," he said. Estel felt a hand lightly grasp his shoulder and gently shake him. "Estel?" asked Elrohir softly. "Estel, wake up."

Estel cracked open his eyes again and raised his head, wincing slightly at the spinning sensation it caused. He realised now that the thing his head had been resting on had been his brother's leg, with a cloak pillowed over it. At some point, they had moved him to a more comfortable position. He didn't know whether to be grateful or ashamed.

Estel blinked, and pushed himself up into a sitting position. "Aye?" he asked, pretending he had just woken up and had not listened to their conversation.

"We are leaving," said Elrohir, getting to his feet and pulling Estel up with him. Elladan was already on his feet, gathering up the few supplies they had taken out of their packs. Elrohir picked up a waterskin. "Here," he said, handing it over. "Drink."

Estel took a long gulp, his eyes straying from brother to brother to Legolas. He could tell that his brothers especially were still angry, a strange and unsettling calmness having settled over them. He had no doubt that their minds were still thinking of the orcs. The same calmness was over Legolas as well, though to less extent, as he winced, getting to his feet and limping slightly to the horses.

And Estel knew at that point that his brothers and Legolas would hunt down those orcs and kill them. They would have done it even if Estel had not been harmed because of them, but Estel guessed that now it was a little more personal for his brothers. For as long as he could remember, Elladan and Elrohir had sought to protect him, and now he had been hurt, and they had not been able to prevent it, not fully.

Estel thought that maybe Legolas felt the same way. After all, the blond elf spent his whole life fighting orcs and all manner of foul creatures, and protecting others, like he had protected Estel earlier today. Estel supposed he did not like seeing those he was meant to protect getting hurt.

Elrohir helped Estel, though the young man only accepted it grudgingly, up onto his horse. Elladan mounted up, and Legolas passed him up the few remaining packs, before buckling his quiver back on, and checking his knives, quickly pulling them out and looking over the blades. Estel glanced over at him, wondering why he was checking his weapons thoroughly when they were inside the borders of Imladris, and were safe.

Legolas glanced up and saw Estel looking. He sheathed his blades and picked up his bow, carefully running one hand down the string. "What is it, Estel?" he asked, limping over to the horses.

Estel frowned. "We are inside Imladris' borders. Why check your weapons so well?"

Legolas chuckled slightly. "This is not a thorough check, Estel. But it is a force of habit. In Mirkwood, we may be called upon to fight at any moment. It is habit to keep our weapons at hand and ready." He gave a brief smile, but it did not reach his eyes, which were tinged with something else.

Elladan held out a hand to Legolas. "We need to move out if we want to use the remaining daylight," he said. "We must hurry." Legolas nodded and grasped Elladan's hand, jumping up off of his good ankle and vaulting up behind Elladan on the horse. Estel felt Elrohir leap up behind him on his horse, and then the two horses began to move off down the track towards Imladris.

Estel leant back a little against Elrohir, and he felt his brother's arm encircle his waist, holding him steady as they cantered down the track. His eyelids began to grow heavy, and despite the throbbing pain in his splintered arm and the slight dizziness, he slowly sank back into sleep once more.

0-o-0-o-0

The next time Estel opened his eyes, it was dark. Estel could tell they were still moving from the rocking motion of the horse's canter underneath him, and the gentle rustling of the wind. The light from the moon was enough to see vague shapes by, but Estel could not tell where they were.

He groaned slightly at the ache in his arm, and shivered. Now the sun had gone in, it was cold. The arm that was wrapped around his waist tightened slightly, and Estel felt Elrohir shift a little beneath him.

"Hold up," he called out, Estel supposed to Elladan and Legolas. "I think Estel is awake."

Estel felt the horse slow down and finally come down to a walk. He shifted in the saddle and sat up a little. "How far out are we?" he muttered.

Estel felt Elrohir shift behind him, and then a waterskin was pressed into his hands. "Drink," Elrohir said softly. "We are less than a league out of Imladris. We should be home soon."

"Good," muttered Estel, taking a long sip from the waterskin. The cold water seemed to seep into his stomach, waking him up a little and making him feel sick at the same time. He grimaced and handed the skin back to Elrohir.

"How long has it been dark?" he muttered, his eyelids already drooping again from exhaustion.

"Not long," said Elladan from nearby. "Less than an hour, maybe. There is enough light from the moon to see by, though." Estel looked over to see Elladan, with Legolas sat behind him. Legolas' blond hair almost shone in the moonlight, and the white bandages around his ankle stood out harshly against the greens and browns of his clothing. But had Legolas had the hood of a cloak up, Estel would have hardly been able to see him in the near darkness. It was impressive.

"We need to move on," said Legolas, his voice soft in the darkness. He glanced around him. "Bad weather is coming soon, I think."

Estel glanced up at the sky. It was clear, the moon bright, and there was not a cloud that he could see. He knew storms often rolled rather quickly into the valley, and could come on in a few hours, but he doubted that there would be one tonight.

"Are you sure?" asked Elrohir, thinking along the same lines as Estel. Legolas nodded.

"The trees are almost nervous," he said. "We are in the borders of Imladris, and they are not worried for us or anything else specific. Usually this means a storm in Mirkwood."

Estel frowned, but both Elladan and Elrohir seemed to instantly accept Legolas' claims, for they both turned their horses down the track, and nudged them on towards Imladris.

Estel's eyes began to droop shut, yet he did not fully sleep. He dozed instead, listening to the steady rustle of the woods around him, and sometimes the hushed conversations of his brothers and Legolas. He didn't bother to make out the words, though. The cold steel tones of his brothers, and the tight answers of Legolas, made him think it was probably a conversation he didn't want to listen to. From the few words and phrases that slipped through into his mind, Estel figured they were talking about the orcs. They weren't arguing, though. Estel could tell from the general tone that they were all in agreement over whatever the conversation was about.

And then suddenly the sound of the hooves striking packed earth changed to the clattering of hooves on stone, and Estel opened his eyes to see the familiar and very welcome sight of the house of Imladris, the doors open and a golden light spilling from the hall. The two horses pulled up in the courtyard, and Estel felt Elrohir slip off from behind him, and he leant forwards and dismounted, Elrohir's steadying hand on his back.

A moment later Estel glanced up to see Elladan putting out a hand to steady Legolas as he stepped on his injured ankle and stumbled. Legolas rolled his eyes and muttered something, but he briefly accepted Elladan's hand on his arm as he tested his ankle again, before stepping forwards with a limp towards the doorway.

And then Legolas paused, glancing up the steps to see a silhouette in the light from the doorway. Elladan and Elrohir followed his gaze, Estel looking up a second later, and all three elves then seemed to share a glance of what Estel would have sworn was worry. But that couldn't be right, because they were in Imladris now, and there was nothing to be worried about.

Or maybe there was, thought Estel, as the silhouette turned into Glorfindel, running down the steps and onto the courtyard. The blond elf's face was worried as he looked over all four of them, his fingers tapping lightly on the sword at his belt.

"First things first," he said. "Is anyone hurt?"

Estel felt Elrohir look pointedly at him, before speaking up. "Estel has broken his arm, and hit his head badly, and Legolas has cut up his ankle, but other than that we are alright. They can both walk."

Glorfindel turned to Estel. "Are you alright, penneth?" he asked, his voice softer. Estel nodded, the exhaustion that had been creeping up on him throughout the ride back to Imladris threatening to overwhelm. He leant into Elrohir, who slipped a supporting and comforting arm around his shoulders. Glorfindel looked at him, looking like he was not entirely convinced, but turned to Legolas.

"How badly injured are you?"

Legolas sighed slightly. "I am fine, Lord Glorfindel. The skin is torn, but it is nothing bad."

Glorfindel sighed. "I will believe that when I hear those words from Lord Elrond's mouth, Legolas. But seeing as you are standing without assistance, and do not look like you have more blood outside you than inside, I will take your word."

Elladan and Elrohir chuckled at that, and even Glorfindel smiled a little, some of the worry leaving his face. "So now I know that nothing is life threatening," he said. "Will someone please explain what in the name of the Valar has happened?"

All three elves' expressions hardened. Legolas spat out one word. "Yrch."

0-o-0-o-0

The door flung open and Glorfindel walked into the healing wards. Elrond looked up from where he was sitting, setting the plaster around Estel's arm. Legolas was sitting in the next bed over, his newly wrapped ankle propped up on a pillow. Elladan and Elrohir were standing at the foot of his bed, watching as Elrond looked after their little brother.

Both of the twins looked over as Glorfindel entered. "What's happening?" asked Elrohir.

Glorfindel looked out of the window at the night sky. "We cannot send out riders," he said. "A storm is brewing at the head of the valley, and I can't risk the horses in the dark and the mud. A patrol will ride out in the morning to scout out the orcs' location."

Elladan shook his head. "By the morning, we will be able to ride out."

Elrond looked up and shook his head. "Ion," he said softly.

Elladan stared back at him stubbornly. "We are going, Adar. If we delay any longer, the orcs could be too far away from here to track them quickly." There was a set to his jawline, mirrored by Elrohir, which Estel knew meant that neither of his brothers would be dissuaded from their course of action. And Estel knew that his brothers had more reasons than they were giving, for hunting the orcs as soon as tomorrow.

Elrond looked carefully at his two sons for a few moments, his gaze unreadable. Finally he sighed ever so slightly, and turned back to Estel's arm. Elladan and Elrohir nodded at Glorfindel, who gave a resigned sigh and nodded back at them. "The storm should blow itself out by the morning," he said. "Though some of the weather may still linger. It looks like heavy rain."

Legolas shifted on the bed with a grimace, and an annoyed look from Elladan. "For the love of the Valar!" Elladan cried in irritation. "Can you not stay still?"

Legolas grinned. "My apologies," he said wryly. He glanced out of the window as a roll of thunder sounded over the valley. "The tracks are going to be lost soon," he said. "Though the starting point will be easy enough to find with the horses."

Estel gulped as he remembered the frightened scream of Legolas' horse as it had fallen in the snare, and the blood that had spilled from both of their necks. He breathed in deeply, quelling the nausea that had risen at the images of their dead horses. He was getting quite good at not being sick.

Legolas shifted again, and then swung his legs off the bed. Elrond glanced up. "Do not damage that ankle any more," he said. "If you do, I shall make sure Glorfindel chains you to that bed."

Legolas chuckled slightly, and gingerly stood up. Elladan moved over and gripped Legolas' upper arm tightly as the blond elf put some weight on his ankle. A few moments later he nodded, standing up straight, and Elladan let go.

"It is fine," said Legolas, walking a few steps. He was only limping slightly. He looked up and caught Elladan and Elrohir's sceptical gazes. "I am telling the truth!" he said. "It is not too bad."

Elrohir looked over at Elrond. "Adar?" he asked. "Is he telling the truth?"

Elrond looked over at Legolas, and was impressed by the innocence that the young Thranduilion managed to suddenly portray, though he had seen the act before. He smiled slightly. "Aye, he is, ion," he said.

Elrohir snorted softly. "For once," he muttered, glancing over at Legolas, who flashed a smile at him. Elrohir's gaze fell back to Estel. "How are you doing, tithen muindor?"

Estel glared at Elrohir, but seeing as his hair had fallen over his face, the resulting look was cuter than he intended, and both of the twins grinned at him. Estel sighed.

"How much longer do I have to wait?" he asked. "Surely the plaster is set by now."

Elrond smiled slightly. "Almost done," he murmured, tapping the plaster covering Estel's arm from below his elbow to his hand. "A few more minutes, and then you need to go and sleep." He glanced up at Glorfindel, standing nearby. A silent conversation passed between them, and then Glorfindel nodded, the faintest of nods.

The blond elf, in turn, looked over at Elladan and Elrohir, who were standing on either side of Legolas now. The archer looked irritated with this, and was refusing to steady himself on either of them. Actually, thought Glorfindel, the young Thranduilion looked remarkably steady on his feet, and alert. Perhaps the wound was as minimal as he said.

Glorfindel caught Elladan's eye, and flicked his eyes back to the door, inclining his head slightly. Elladan raised his head, and then nodded in understanding. He turned to the two other elves beside him.

"It is late," he said, an unspoken conversation going on between the three elves as he spoke. "We should retire if we are to leave tomorrow." There was a nod of agreement from both Elrohir and Legolas, and then the three elves quietly left the room, Glorfindel following. Elrohir gently squeezed Estel's shoulder as they passed, and Elladan reached over to ruffle his hair. Estel ducked, but he was unsuccessful. Legolas chuckled as he watched, and briefly grasped Estel's shoulder.

"Sleep well," he murmured, before the door swung shut on them. Estel turned back to his father.

Elrond looked up at his son, with a sad smile. He was still so young. It was remarkable how much Estel was growing to look like his forefathers, like Elendil and Isildur of old. In fact, it was becoming an argument between himself and Glorfindel about who Estel looked like more, Elendil or Isildur, or possibly Anarion.

"How are you, ion?" he asked softly.

Estel almost groaned. "Adar, I am fine," he said exasperatingly. He wasn't, of course, but he didn't want to talk about it, definitely not to his father. For some reason, talking it over with Elrond did not feel like something he wanted to do. He didn't know why. Estel's gaze fell down to the cast on his arm. It wasn't hurting anymore, the limb immobile. It wasn't even a bad break, according to Elrond, and would only take a few weeks to heal.

"Estel."

The voice was soft, and Estel glanced up to meet Elrond's concerned gaze. The elf sighed, and gently placed one hand on Estel's shoulder, his fingers running over the tense muscle underneath them. Still so young.

"Estel, you are not alright," he began softly. "You need time to think this through, ion, but if you need to talk to someone-"

"No," said Estel abruptly. "I don't need to talk to anyone. I can handle this, Adar. I am not a child."

Elrond nearly argued back, nearly said that yes, he was still a child, but he stopped himself. He gently rested his hand against Estel's cheek. "It will look better in the morning, ion-nin," he murmured. "Go and get some rest."

Estel stood up quickly, blinking as a sudden dizziness assaulted him. He nodded, paused for a moment, and then turned to go towards the door. Elrond watched him leave.

At the door, Estel paused. He didn't know what to think. He certainly didn't know what to say. Would things look better in the morning? Was all he needed time, time to sort out the jumbled mess of thoughts and emotions in his head? He didn't know.

He coughed self-consciously; suddenly aware he was standing there with one hand on the door, about to push it open. He turned around and looked over at where Elrond was sat, clearing away the supplies on the bed in front of him.

"Goodnight, Adar," he said softly. Elrond looked up and smiled.

"Goodnight, ion."

The door swung open and then shut, Estel leaving. Elrond watched the closed door with a small sigh.

"He needs time to think," he said to what seemed like no-one, standing up and beginning to clear away the mess of bandages and cloths from treating Legolas and Estel.

A shadow moved amongst shadows in the corner, and then Glorfindel was leaning elegantly against the wall. "Will he not talk to you?" he asked softly.

Elrond shook his head. "Nay, he said. "But I can tell what is on his mind. He is afraid, afraid that he is not brave or strong enough to be a man, to do what his brothers do. And he is ashamed that he feels fear. He is ashamed that he was scared when he was in that tree with the orcs milling beneath him, that he did not know what to do, and that he had to rely on his brothers and Legolas to save him."

Glorfindel sighed. "He does not understand, then," he murmured. "Maybe if I…"

"If you talked to him?" questioned Elrond. "I fear that would do more harm than good, maybe. Estel looks up to you, mellon-nin. You are a fabled warrior, and for someone like you to know about what Estel supposes is a weakness…" He trailed off. "Suffice it to say that he will not be less ashamed."

"Yet he needs to understand," said Glorfindel pointedly. "If not us…" He sighed, rubbing his face with one hand. "Then whom? There is no-one here who is even close to his age. Maybe if Gilraen was here, then she could help, but she is not returning for another month at least." He sighed again. "She always knows what to say to him."

"She is mortal," pointed out Elrond. "We are not."

"What of Elladan and Elrohir?" asked Glorfindel. "They seem more like mortals; they are more present, if that is the right word. Legolas, as well, is like that. Maybe Estel would listen to them. Maybe Legolas would be able to say something. He is, after all, the youngest of them, and he has spent a lifetime fighting the darkness and teaching others to fight it as well. He could speak to Estel tomorrow." Glorfindel suddenly stopped, and shook his head. "I forgot. He is going with Elladan and Elrohir at first light."

"What?" asked Elrond, looking over at Glorfindel. The blond elf shrugged.

"I spoke to him, and he seemed adamant about it. You know as well as I do that we have little sway over what he truly sets his mind to. If it helps, I made him promise to stay up in the trees, unless he truly had to be on the ground. His ankle does not seem that bad. Both you and I suspect he has fought with worse in Mirkwood."

"Aye," said Elrond, grinding his teeth slightly. "Yet it is foolish, Glorfindel."

"Would you rather he stayed behind, and your sons lost one of the best archers acting as backup for them as they hunted orcs?" asked Glorfindel quietly. Elrond looked up at him.

"Did you manipulate Turgon the same way?" he asked with a tight smile. Glorfindel chuckled.

"Aye, and Ecthelion when the need arose," he said. "It worked, Elrond, and it is working now. Believe me, I would be happier if they all stayed here, but that is not going to happen. Elladan and Elrohir are going to hunt those orcs regardless of what we say." He sighed. "Yet another thing I doubt Estel fully understands. He has a lot of growing up to do."

"He is safe for now," said Elrond softly. "We will keep him safe for as long as we can."

Glorfindel pushed off from the wall, moving to stand by the door. One hand came to rest on the handle. "He cannot be kept in the dark forever, Elrond," he warned. "Estel is growing up. Soon I think he will start asking questions, and then how long can we keep his heritage hidden? He wants to be a man, Elrond. He wants to grow up. And we cannot stop that."

"I know," said Elrond softly. "But we have both seen too many people grow up too fast, mellon-nin. He is still a child."

"Not for much longer." Glorfindel opened the door. "Goodnight, Elrond," he murmured.

Elrond nodded back. "Goodnight." The door swung shut.

To Be Continued...

Is it all over? Seeing as there is well over hald of the story left to go, I doubt it! But then I am the writer. I have inside knowledge :) Next chapter will be on Thursday- please review! it does make my day.