Chapter 19
All that night, Estel was too excited to sleep, until finally his mother started swatting at him to try and make him go to bed. "Estel! You need to get some rest. Dawn will come earlier than you think."
"Fine, fine. I'll try to go to sleep. But I can't promise anything. It was so fascinating to hear how Ada and Glorfindel met. I've been caught between those two when things weren't always right, so I know how Haldir and the others must have been feeling. It's like being caught between two wizards- no one willing to give in." Estel shuddered and pulled his blankets in closer, as he lay awake on his bedroll.
Sleep did not come easily this night, but gradually Estel felt his eyes drop, though not of his own will. He was terribly excited as if he was going to a party the next day. Eventually, he did manage to sleep somewhat restfully. But before the dawn rose, he was up and ready to go. Quietly, he snuck out of the room so he wouldn't wake his mother.
Haldir found him sitting in one of the trees looking out across the Anduin valley. Estel made no movement or suggestion that he had acknowledged the elf's presence. "I did not know that the sons of Elrond- whether adopted or not—had grown wings and were able to climb to the very dizzying heights of a Mallorn."
Estel turned and looked at the elf whose head was peeking out through the branches. "I found this tree when I was roaming the forest while waiting for you to return so that we could begin my training. I found out that this tree has the best view of the river and I can look towards home from here. And I had to learn how to climb otherwise; my brothers would have never let me hear the end of it. But one day we were out fishing in one of the streams that flows out of the Bruinen and it began to rain, but we were down in one of the valley's bowls and were unable to escape the fast overflowing waters, so they basically threw me into the closest tree. After that, they taught me how to climb by myself. I like being above the leaves, somehow the air seems clearer up here. And trees are good hide-out places."
Estel grinned at Haldir and in an unspoken challenge, met the elf's eyes as if in gesture to see who could reach the bottom first. Before Haldir even realized it, Estel had shot past him and was already halfway down the tree. "You will have to move faster than that, Master Elf if you want to beat me!" Estel laughed as he shimmied down the tree. He stopped on one of the lower branches to wait for Haldir to catch up. He did not mean to show up his teacher, so he planned to let Haldir win.
The trees had also come as a merciful escape from his brothers' torment at times. He was the fastest climber in Imladris and everyone knew it. Once he was up in the tree, it was very difficult to get him to come down. Sometimes, he even stayed in his hidden refuge long enough for a meal to get cold. This worried his mother, but Elrond quieted some of her fears and told her to just let him play, for he would only be young once.
Estel waited patiently for the blonde haired elf to catch up. Haldir finally made it to where Estel was waiting. "You put the training of the guards of Lothlorien to shame with your speed. You truly have a gift; hold on to it for as long as you can. Trees can become places of refuge when you are hunting as well. If an animal should ever turn and catch your scent, run up the nearest tree as high as you can get. This will not stop some animals, but if you are faster than they are, it might." And with a grin, Haldir jumped gracefully from the tree.
After Estel had done the same, Haldir looked at him again in astonishment. "Again, I must say, I never knew that it was possible for men to grow wings. I have not been in the company of very many men, but Estel, you truly are a marvel to your race. Estel turned a shade of crimson at the elf's words and mumbled a polite "thank you."
"Shall we continue your lessons now?"