Title: Aragorn's Secret Weapon 9C

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

9C.

Estel left the room hurriedly, worried that something might have happened to Legolas. "Adar! Adar!" he called as he ran.

Elrond heard his son's voice from inside the healing room. Noticing the panic, he quickly left the room and caught Estel.

"What is it, my son? Tell me what is wrong," Elrond requested, his eyes set on his son's.

"It… it is Legolas, he fell asleep, and it is only daylight outside…" Estel hastily explained, not knowing what he should do at that moment.

"Calm down, my boy, he will be alright, just make sure that he drinks the herbs twice a day, and do not let him leave the room. Do you understand, my son?"

Estel nodded and Elrond suggested, "Go to him, watch over him, and get some sleep yourself."

"But it is only daylight," Estel argued half-heartedly as worry for his friend grabbed him. Then an idea seemed to come to him and he asked, his eyes pleading, "Can I play with Glorfy and Eres? Please… adar?"

Elrond looked at his son then nodded with a deep sigh. He was still trying to keep calm. "As night falls, you need to bring Legolas the herbs, remember what I said."

Estel hid his smile, not quite certain of his father's words, and asked again, "Can I play with them, adar?"

"You can," Elrond said. When he noticed the sparkle in his son's eyes he added, "But do not forget what have I asked you, alright?"

Estel nodded and hurried outside, shouting to Glorfindel and Erestor, "Glorfy, where are you? Eres… I am in the GAAAAAARDEEEEEEEEEEN!" Estel emphasized the last word as he ran, his hands in the air, still shouting.

Glorfindel and Erestor could not ignore Estel as they heard him yell. The blonde-haired elf looked at the advisor and, noticing the worried look that was on his face, grinned at him with a shy smile. "I guess we do not have any choice…"

Erestor looked back at him and added, "We better hurry; he could wake Elrohir. I know that he has not rested since he found his brother. I noticed when I went to the healing room that he was asleep."

"Good point, that means that we must hurry." Glorfindel grinned and left the room, Erestor following him.

Estel was pleased as he saw the lords stepping out into the garden. He ran towards them with mischievous smile and jumped on Glorfindel, almost causing the elder elf to fall.

"What is it, Estel?" Glorfindel asked as he scanned the wary look on the boy's face, knowing that there was something amiss and feeling a need to find out.

"Would you consider canceling the plan?" Erestor questioned him with pleading eyes.

"No!" Estel said quickly. He still thought of the plan, and it made him smile every time he did think of it.

"Then why are we here?" Glorfindel asked softly, wanting to know the real reason.

Estel lowered his head, then raised it slowly, appraising the lords. "What happened to 'Dan, Glorfy, Eres?" he asked.

With deep sigh, Glorfindel tried to answer as best he could. "You need to ask your father, Estel. We are not your family, we are only your father's friends, and lords here…"

Estel looked at them. He did not want to argue with them, but he felt the need to clarify. "But to me, you are my family, no matter what Father or anyone else says."

Erestor leaned towards Estel until his eyes were the same level as the boy's. Not wanting to disappoint Estel, he asked as softly as he could, "Has Elrond given Legolas something? I noticed that he had some herbs before… how is Legolas?"

"Doing fine, I suppose. Father gave me the herbs and told me to give them to him twice a day, when the sun in the middle of the sky and when the sun is going to set," Estel answered, and then his face brightened as he remembered something. "Father said that these herbs are for Legolas' body, so that he may strengthen, for he is weak."

"And what was Legolas' body's reaction to the herbs?" Erestor asked worriedly.

It was not the first time that Elrond had given herbs in that manner. All the elves knew that when someone was ill, the lord himself showed up and healed the unfortunate being.

Erestor was worried when he heard Estel's words, and he hoped that nothing bad had happened to Legolas. He remembered what had happened to Elrohir, when the twins had invited their grandparents to Imladris. It had led to a comedy of errors and left Elrohir ill, making his father distracted in so many ways that he had almost forgotten to heal his own son… but that is another story.

In the healing room…

Elrond entered the room; his eyes were wet from the tears he had shed every time he saw his sons. He was tired, but he could not let himself sleep, not until he saw with his own eyes Elladan and Elrohir smiling and being friends again.

Memories from the past came back to him as he remembered his wife, Celebrían. He remembered all the times they spent together as a family, but the memories now were like cracked glass. His wife had sailed across the Sea to the Undying Lands, awaiting him, and he had had to raise his children almost by himself, with his friends trying to help him as much as they could.

'I wish that you could help me somehow, I am in dire need of it,' Elrond thought. He grew paler and did not feel very well. He was dizzy, having neither eaten nor slept.

He walked slowly to his son, Elrohir, and leaned on him. He whispered, "Elrohir…" and collapsed on the floor.

In the meantime, in the garden…

Erestor noticed the sun was beginning to set. He had to let Estel to know. "Estel, look at the sky," Erestor said and added, "Should you not give something to Legolas? I mean the herbs."

Estel looked up at the sky, noticed the sun was nearly gone, and ran inside.

As Estel vanished, Glorfindel turned to his friend, his face curious as he asked, "Do you think that Elrond did not want Legolas to see what had happened? Do you think that Elrond drugged him?"

Erestor looked at his friend, not knowing why he asked the question. He felt that Elrond hadn't drugged the elf, but he also felt that something was amiss with the elven lord. Yet he said nothing. He was not quite certain about anything.

Glorfindel scanned his friend's face and realized Erestor was loath to answer him. Raising his hand, he just said, "This is not the Elrond we know, my friend. He must be having a hard time now…"

End of Chapter 9C.

Poke Legolas a little, and covered behind the blankets Lol!

Please don't kill me...