Chapter 16

Disclaimer: do I have to? Lawyers: yes. (Rolls eyes) fine…..i don't own Any thing!

Estel had fallen into the flow of the castle and his life was a repetitive routine of waking up, eating, learning, doing homework and going to bed, it was not hard for a ranger to fall into such a routine but the lack of freedom was getting to him. He now very rarely saw Gandalf and was constantly avoiding Draco Malfoy. He had also started to have to avoid girls who were love struck by his looks. He was in the common room doing homework with Hermione while Harry and Ron were at Quidditch practice, they were mostly silent not only had Estel fallen into a routine but also a depression from everything going on in his life. He had often found himself writing letters to his brothers but never had he sent them though he doubted he could, been in a parallel world and all.
"Estel?" Hermione broke him out of his musing quietly.
"Yes?"
"Are you alright?"
"Yea, why?"
Hermione sighed, "You just seem upset, are you sure you are alright?"
"Positive," Estel plastered a well practised smile onto his face, but it didn't fool Hermione.
"Estel, the boys and I just want to help you but we can't if you won't open to us," Hermione placed her hand on Estel's, "Please let us try."
Estel smiled genuinely this time, "If you really want too," he placed her hands between his.

"They are just creating a friendship!" he snarled.
"Exactly, the closer he bonds with the people the weaker the boy will be when the Ranger dies. We must cut the Ranger off from old friends such as the prince to make sure they are his life line," he explained, "Trust me."

Harry and Ron entered the common room and found Estel and Hermione asleep on two large arm chairs with homework scattered and mixed around them.
"Do you think we should wake them?" Ron asked.
"No, but we better clean up the homework or it will be trodden on," The two set to work sorting the homework into two piles.
"What are you doing?" a voice made them both jump.
"We just got back from training and your stuff is scattered and mixed with Hermione's," Harry explained.
Estel rolled off the lounge and began to help, when they were finished he said, "We better wake up Hermione so she can go to bed."
"Okay," Ron said nervously hoping she wouldn't get mad.
Estel carefully woke Hermione and doing something his father often did he soften his features, "Bed," he said in a soft but firm voice. She voiced no protest just did as she was told.
When Hermione was gone Ron turned to Estel, "How did you do that?" he demanded.
Estel smiled, "She was to tired to really think for herself, it is what my father used to do."
The three made their way to bed for a good nights sleep.

Halbarad watched holding his tears at bay as Gilraen was buried, the pain in his heart was great and he did not know what he would tell Aragorn when he returned…no, he corrected himself IF he returns.
Elladan looked over at Halbarad and knew he was trying to be strong, as the last people left he and Elrohir made their way to him.
"You need not hide your grief from us," Elrohir said gently.
That was all that had to be said Halbarad fell to his knees letting out ragged sobs, he blamed himself in his eyes this was his entire fault…all of it.

Gandalf smoked his pipe; he had written quiet a long letter for Elrond but was unsure if he should send it he did not want Estel to be upset with him for telling Elrond that he was alive and safe. Estel wanted Elrond to worry about him, to regret his anger, to feel pain. It was a cruel deed, but it was Estel's choice. Gandalf shook his head, Estel need not know about the letter he would tell Elrond to say nothing of it. Yes, that would do nicely.

Estel gasped as he ran straight into someone in the hall, "Sorry….," looking at the other person it was Draco Malfoy, "…no I am not, hope you got hurt," Estel stood up and Draco quickly did the same.
"Where are your so called friends?" Malfoy sneered.
"Does it matter?"
Draco suddenly raised his wand and shouted out a spell, Estel was flung back and fell down a small flight of stairs going unconscious. Draco smirked walking off he swore he heard a bone crack, he hoped he had and he hoped healing would be painful. He brushed himself off and left the hall.
Estel lay still on the ground, this was not a busy hall and who knows how long I would take for him to be found. But Estel was not in the hall, he was far away.

The Autumn leaves fell upon the ground and he ran merrily jumping into large piles, Elladan and Elrohir laughed as they ran along with him through Rivendell's many gardens. This was the time they enjoyed, the time with Estel when they were not hunting orcs but playing with the innocent child. Estel fell into a large pile and sunk under, the twins laughed but after a moment all movement stopped and Estel did not emerge they looked at each other in fear and ran to the pile.
"Estel!" they cried digging away at the leaves until they got to the bottom and there he lay motionless. Fear gripped their hearts they could not loose him!

Estel's breathing began to slow and his skin pale, the darkness called him. He could hear his mother's sweet voice and with it the deep one he had only heard in his dreams the one from distant memories, his fathers. They called for him to pass on to leave the world of the living, and he walked forward he had nothing left to him now only that which was dead and he was about to follow it.

Elrond awoke from his sleep, he could feel Estel's light fading and this time he knew it was for real….