"Legolas!" Estel sprinted and screamed cheerfully with surprise and delight towards the elf's direction, before he could even get off the horse. He hugged the elf affectionately with his head resting alongside the elf's smooth, delicate golden hair. He was so happy and moved, that even some tears of joy fell down his cheek, onto the elf's hair. The boy noticed it, and he stood up, trying to rub it off with his little hands.

"Oops." He said with regret, "Sorry. Tears fell. I shouldn't cry. Meldarion said, If anything fell on your friend's perfectly brushed hair, he would think that it is a big deal."

Legolas laughed out loud at the vivid imitation Estel made. He hugged Estel up in the air tight. "No. I wouldn't. Not to you. Not to anyone. Hey, little boy, I really missed you. Have you grown?"

"Yeah. By two teaspoons. Meldarion measured it for me." Estel said with his chest proudly squared, grinning, tiptoeing and jumping to touch the elf's chin, "See, see? I can touch your chin! Last time I could only reach your chest."

"Hey, hey! Teaspoons is not the correct unit of measurement! It's inch!" Legolas squatted and put his hands on Estel's shoulder, and whispered mystically: "Shhh. Don't hang out with Meldarion anymore."

They both laughed at this little joke. Meldarion was the mentor Elrond assigned for Estel, the Hope of Men. He was a scholar, but quite a funny one. Legolas and Estel both knew that he would always teach Estel the right thing, and help him remember it, till he totally had the skills. And then the dark-haired elf would teach him a parody version of what he just taught. He would tell the kid that 'dwarves are originated from orcs' while he taught him 'dwarves are noble people who digs for gold'; 'pray "kind Meldarion, my Mellon forever" before eating and when in distress' while Estel just learned that 'pray "A Elbereth Gilthoniel" before eating and when despair fell'. Elrond didn't know any of it, but Legolas thought that it was good for the child. It kept him humourous, or at least funny and cute for the moment.

He did not get too grim. It's not good for Kings-to-be.

"Come on, my friend!" Estel called out loudly, "You promised me to string my bow. Go down to the garden and wait." He winked and smiled adorably.

"So, what's on your mind, Legolas? Why have you not visit me since winter has passed? What happened?" Estel said while fiddling with his newly strung bow, wondering at the crafting skills of a wood-elf.

"Estel." Legolas replied with his name. Short, but frank. "It is indeed something important, and I think it is time for you to know and think about it. You mentioned this in your letter to me, too." He paused for a second, as if what he was about to say was as sour as a half-grown apple, "Someone who was very dear to me passed away months ago. She died in a battle. A very, very epic, tragic and solemn battle."

"What? Passed away?" Estel turned around, dropping his bow onto the ground. He reached for the elf's hand, and asked with anxiousness in his eyes, "Does that mean, she died? In a battle? But I thought that elves don't die! Is she an elf? Oh, I'm so sorry."

"Yes, she is an elf. She was very strong, but she was still killed by orcs. She slain many. She had done great deeds. She was a leader. This incident, it made me hate the orcs more that I had ever been." Legolas uttered many choppy words and short sentences, because mentioning this was hard to him. "No, my dear Estel. Elves die. Not of any nature cause, nor of diseases and age, but of great sorrows that lies within their hearts and if they are badly injured."

"..." For a long time, Estel wanted to say something, but he did not open his mouth. He sat their, pondering about what the elf just said with a solemn face.

"But you, my dear Estel, whether by war, or diseases, or of the old age, you will die. I hate speaking of this to you, but you must know. I love you so dearly, and I hope that we can spend our lives together. But you will somehow pass away."

Estel swallowed. His eyes filled with an unknown fear.

"No, no, don't be scared, my dear boy." Legolas went to hug him, "Our lives are just a very long corridor. Like the one to Lady Arwen's chamber. You walk it slowly, very slowly. And when you finish the long walk, there is a door at the end. And you open the door. That is what Death is about. It is just a door to a new path. A new corridor. You understand, Estel?"

Estel responded to what the elf said quickly, "Yes, I understand. Legolas. But will you be there, at the end of my corridor?"

"This I cannot say. But it's enough for the day. Come on, go play. Go find Eli and ask what he saw on the journey." Legolas patted on the boy's shoulder as he ran away merrily, being happy once more.

Silentness.

"So you've been to Lady Arwen's chamber?"

"Shut up, Meldarion."