Title: Aragorn's Secret Weapon 9A

Author: Sivan Shemesh

Beta: Manon & Tinorial Peredhil

Rating: PG-13

Warning: Angst full ahead, fluff, and humor. Bad or good endings… lol!

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Tolkien. I just borrowed them for my own evil plans.

Spoiler: Total AU.

Summary: Aragorn has a plan on how he will finally beat Legolas. But will Legolas find out? And if he does, what he will do?

Note: Estel's age is 7, and Legolas's age is 14 and only an elfling compared to the other elves.

Part one: Family

9A.

Elvish Translations at the end of the chapter.

"Stay" is a charming word in a friend's vocabulary.

Louisa May Alcott

Elrond took his son, his tears falling onto the pale face as he feared that he could lose his child any moment.

"Elrohir, prepare the healing room, let Erestor and Glorfindel know, and get Estel to watch over Legolas, now go!" Elrond ordered the younger twin.

Elrohir hurried first to the healing room and prepared everything that his father might need. Then he took Estel and told him to watch over Legolas. Glorfindel stood and watched the twin, worried that something terrible might have happened.

"Glorfindel, call Erestor to the healing room and hurry, my brother's life is at stake."

"What happened?" Glorfindel asked.

"It is 'Dan, he… it was because of me… now he will never forgive me… I almost killed my brother," Elrohir confessed brokenly, and he left the Balrog Slayer alone as he ran back to the healing room.

Glorfindel hurried to find the advisor and tell him the horrible news.

Soon the both of them came over to the healing room. They took notice of Elladan's pale face and Elrohir who sat next to him, holding his brother's hand and praying for him to stay and not leave for Mandos' Halls.

"Do not give up, Master Elrohir, he will be alright," Erestor tried to comfort the twin.

"I do not know what I will do if he dies," Elrohir said brokenly as the guilt rose inside of him. He leaned over his brother and whispered, "I… I am sorry for what I have done, for my words. I wish that I could take them back, but I cannot… I wish that you could forgive me, gwanur-nin…."

"How is he?" Glorfindel asked Elrond.

"I have taken care of him, I gave him all I can, and I… we have to wait and see if he survives the day…. If I lose him, I lose both of them…" Elrond said, his voice broken by sobs as he stared at his sons.

In Legolas' room at the same time…

Legolas could feel eyes on him. He was being watched. He opened his eyes slowly only to find the human playing with his hair. "Estel?" The human nodded. "What are you doing here?" Legolas asked, trying to sit up.

Estel did not know how he should answer his friend. He barely knew what was happening in the house lately, as it seemed his father did not want him to know. "Elrohir left me here," Estel answered.

Legolas could sense by the boy's voice that something was amiss, but he did not know what it was. "Estel, call Elladan in, I wish to speak with him," Legolas requested.

Estel stood, looked at his friend, and turned toward the door to seek his brother.

Estel heard noises and followed them to the healing room, only to find his father, Glorfindel and Erestor staring at something. He remained standing in the doorway.

"Ada?" Estel called.

Elrond did not notice his son because he was deeply preoccupied with Elladan's condition, making him feel vulnerable. "Naa rashwe?" he asked and leaned closer to his son.

"Legolas asked for Elladan. He wishes to speak with him," Estel answered.

"Oh…" Elrond moved his hand over his mouth, not having expected this from Legolas.

"What should I tell him, ada?" Estel asked.

"Tell him that Elladan… tell him that Elladan…" Elrond's sentence trailed off, not knowing how to answer his son.

"Tell him that Elladan is with me, that we are riding to Lothlórien…" a voice came from inside the room.

"But… but that will be a lie…" Estel said and entered the room, only to find his brothers.

Elrohir turned to the youngest son of Elrond, his eyes locking with the boy's. He stared at him, not saying a word, until Estel broke the connection and moved aside.

"No… stop it 'Ro…" Elrond remarked to his son as he noticed the frown and confused look that was on Estel's face. It seemed Estel did not know what to do with him, nor did he know why Elrohir had done that.

Elrond walked over to his son and put his hand on his shoulder. "He did not mean anything but to be honest," he said gently

Elrohir nodded as he swallowed the tears, turning his head toward his human brother. His voice trembled as he said, "Forgive me… I did not… I did not mean it… you can tell him what you know… about Elladan… let him know the truth…"

Estel nodded and came closer as he scanned the twins' faces, noticing how much paler Elladan was, and that his eyes were closed. This made Estel's heart miss a beat.. Then he looked over at Elrohir and tried to comfort him with words of understanding and forgiveness. "I forgive you brother… please let me and Legolas know about Elladan… please…" That was all that Estel wished from them as he looked at them with pleading eyes, staring at them, his own eyes wet from the tears.

"I will send Erestor once we know something, so do not be afraid," Elrond answered in a hollow, hurt voice. He feared for Elladan.

Estel looked at his father and admitted his fears. "But… I am afraid, adar, and you are not telling me how it had happened. And… and I do not want to lose him…"

Elvish Translations:

Gwanur-nin – My brother

Ada – Father

Naa rashwe? - Is there trouble?

End of Chapter 9A.