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Chapter 2

It Would Not Be The First Time

Legolas was completely at a loss. He entered another room of the Last Homely House, searching every shadowed corner, every cabinet and behind every piece of furniture. But once again, he came up empty-handed. The prince frowned to himself.

He was here in Imladris as official courier, though the prince strongly suspected the king had devised some excuse to send him specifically, hoping he would find some rest and healing after an especially difficult year. With the darkness in Mirkwood spreading, and the Shadow in the south pushing further north and engaging the elven patrols regularly. There had been many casualties over the last months, including three elves in Legolas' patrol, with whom he had been close. Legolas supposed the king believed a couple months in the haven of Imladris with the twin sons of Elrond would help soothe the pain of those losses.

The golden-haired prince knew it would take more than his time here to heal the internal wounds. Those three elves had been some of his closest friends for centuries. The pain of their deaths was not an injury Lord Elrond could treat, only time would soothe the ache left by the death of those dear to him.

Legolas had anticipated going out with the twins on patrol, or spending some time lounging in the many beautiful gardens surrounded by rushing waterfalls. What he had not expected was the small human child who was being fostered by Lord Elrond and whom Elladan and Elrohir saw as a younger brother. As one of the youngest elves in Mirkwood, Legolas did not have much experience with children, other than his infrequent visits to Laketown handling certain affairs for the Woodland Realm. He found the human youngsters he came across quite amusing with their antics and games.

Four year old Estel was one of the most delightful children the prince had ever encountered. When he first arrived two weeks ago, Legolas had been unsure of the child and how to respond to him, but Estel had grabbed his hand and led him on a tour of 'his' garden. It had been strange and uncomfortable at first, spending time with a child, but after a few days, Legolas warmed up to the small boy. Since his arrival, the Mirkwood prince found himself involved in more games than he had played since he was an elfling…and enjoying them immensely. He did not miss the patrols or the sparring he usually engaged in while visiting Imladris. Instead, he woke each morning looking forward to a new game or chatting with the bright-eyed, energetic boy who had captured his heart.

The fair-headed elf shook his head in dismay as he looked behind a curtain. Nothing. He had turned the place upside down, it seemed, and could not find the small boy he was hunting. Looking around the room one more time for any hiding place he might have missed, he wondered if the twins had perhaps had any luck.

That was when a shadow darkened the doorway to the porch outside, and Legolas narrowed his eyes, trying to make out the face of the elf who was slinking around the side of the Last Homely house. The elf never turned in his direction, but from what Legolas could see, he resembled Lord Elrond. Surely, he must be mistaken, for the Lord of Imladris wouldn't be skulking around outside his house. The mysterious elf seemed to have his attention focused on something beyond the porch, so Legolas moved to the doorway and looked in the same direction. He was surprised to see the object of his search in the company of two tall guardians, one golden-haired in casual tunic and leggings, the other with dark locks wearing more formal attire. Estel was chattering excitedly, and both elves and the child were looking constantly over their shoulders, as if trying to avoid being seen as they headed for the furthest garden near the high falls.

Legolas grinned to himself and headed for a different exit from the house. It would seem little Estel had enlisted help finding a better hiding place. Now that he knew where to look, Legolas would give the child more time to think he had succeeded in throwing his new friend off track.

A nagging sense that he had forgotten something tugged at the back of his mind, pausing him momentarily, but the arrival of Elladan and Elrohir distracted him from the elf moving discreetly from tree to tree outside, and instead the prince told them of Estel and his unusual helpers. Together, the three elves moved towards the back of the house and the trail that would lead to above the high falls, where they could observe the garden unseen.

ooo

And so, Lord Elrond continued trailing his prey undetected, a smile on his face as he watched his small son laugh, swinging from the arms of his Captain and chief counselor.

ooo

The garden was one of the most breathtaking in Imladris and Glorfindel's favorite for the fact it was a more natural setting, very different from the meticulously manicured gardens preferred by many elves in the valley. The small plot sat further from the Last Homely House than the others, actually part of the rocky hillside around the valley and overlooking the most beautiful falls, lying right against the gorge where the water tumbled down. Smaller, hardy evergreen trees were here, fitting for the rocky slope. Mosses and plants which grew easily in rocky areas filled haphazard beds. The only true sign that it was a garden, rather than just part of the surrounding slope, was a low fieldstone wall along the edge keeping visitors and small children from straying too close to the rim of the rocky ledge that sheered off into the water below.

In the center of the garden, Glorfindel sat under one of the largest trees, an old oak, somewhat out of place on the sloping, rocky hillside. His head rested comfortably against the bark of the gnarled trunk as he watched Estel's antics. The child was bouncing from one flowerbed to another, Erestor following after the boy as Estel insisted on showing the elf every flower and stone in the garden.

Glorfindel sighed in pleasure. Ah, outdoors, a happy child, even an amused Erestor…perfect. A bird began to sing on a branch above him and his eyes slid shut as he listened to the perfect melody. A light wind teased strands of his golden hair, drifting them across his face. The elf-lord allowed himself to relax completely, letting himself become one with the nature around him.

Estel's childish chatter drifted to him and he could not stop the grin that spread across his face. Erestor was answering question after question, and Glorfindel found himself wishing the councilor would incorporate more 'hands-on' instruction such as this in Estel's lessons. Elrond's chief counselor had recently agreed to be one of the child's most prominent tutors…at least in certain areas of study such as history, reading and writing.

Cracking an eye open, the elf-lord watched Estel point excitedly at a flower hanging just over the low wall separating him from a sharp drop.

"Please, 'Re'sor? I could give it to Ada! He would like it…it would make him smile. Ada likes pretty things." Estel begged the dark-haired elf to retrieve the bright red blossom dangling just out of reach.

Erestor looked at the blossom, then back at the small boy, a look of uncertainty on his face. Then the elf smiled and patted Estel on the head. "Why not? I think it would look lovely on Lord Elrond's desk. I even have a nice vase in which you can put it." Erestor reached out for the flower, leaning slightly against the stone wall.

It all happened so fast, Glorfindel hardly had time to think. He sensed a change and a warning came to his lips, only a split second too late. A rumble of rock sounded, and the ground shifted beneath the barrier on the edge of the rock face. The section of wall Erestor was leaning against crumbled, giving way. The elf found himself falling with the stones, slipping over the edge of the gorge towards the water and sharp boulders some distance below.

"'RE'SOR!!" Estel cried out, terrified as he watched the ancient elf fall.

Glorfindel was on his feet even as the rock began to give way. He ran swiftly, his long strides bringing him to the wall as Erestor slipped over. The tall elf lord dove for the dark haired elf, sliding to the edge through the hole in the wall on his stomach, reaching for the falling elf.

Sharp, loose stones bit cruelly through his tunic and into skin. Hanging halfway over the lip, Glorfindel caught the plummeting elf by the wrist with one hand, but Erestor's momentum pulled them both further downwards. Spreading his legs outwards, the elf-lord managed to catch his feet on the remnants of the wall surrounding the newly formed opening. It would not hold them for very long. He looked down into the terrified eyes of the dangling elf.

"Hang on! I will pull you up…somehow." Glorfindel began to use his free hand to try to find a way to reverse their downhill path. His fumbling with the rock face caused him to slip a little further, jerking Erestor when it stopped.

"Let me go, Glorfindel! You cannot pull us both up! You will only get us both killed!" Erestor yelled, trying to loosen his friend's fingers.

The golden-haired elf tightened his hold on the elf's wrist. "If you go, I am going with you! I will not release you!" Glorfindel returned, continuing to try somehow to inch backwards.

"You always were a fool! Do you wish to die again?" Erestor asked, still prying at the vise-like grip holding him.

"It would not be the first time I have fallen off a rocky cliff, though I do believe I had better company last time! Now cease your struggling, it is not helping!" He narrowed his eyes at the irritating counselor below.

"Better company? Last time you fell with a Balrog!" Erestor complained.

Glorfindel smirked, "EXACTLY! Now, be still or I swear I will haunt your every step in Mandos' Halls, and you will never be rid of me!"

The struggling ceased. Above, the lord of Gondolin felt something grab onto his left leg and he risked a glance over his shoulder. Estel had latched onto the leg and was pulling with all his might, but a four year old boy could have no effect against the weight of two grown elves.

Sensing his tenuous hold slipping, the elf yelled up at the child. "Let go, Estel! Release me and go find help!"

Estel shook his head violently, a determined look on that small face. The little boy continued to yank and pull at the elf's leggings, stubbornness unfathomable in his blue-grey eyes. But the tugging was too much for the rock wall; it crumbled more and with a cascade of dust and rock, the two elves fell. Behind him, the last thing Glorfindel heard Estel's terrified scream, and then all went dark.

TBC

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