Chapter Thirteen

~ Legolas ~
"Welcome, Legolas, son of Thranduil!" Celeborn greeted, giving me a warm smile. I inclined my head the silver-haired Lord of Caras Galadhon, feeling a certain measure of relief that we were finally inside the protected borders of Lóthlorien. Celeborn then proceeded to welcome all the other members of the Fellowship by name.

Except Elena.

"All of you are known to me, save you," Celeborn said, studying her with great interest. I was surprised by his announcement. Celeborn was one of the oldest Elves in Middle-earth, and his wife Galadriel knew much of everything that happened. For him to not have known or not have been told about her . . . that was momentous.

Elena stepped forward. Galadriel remained silent as she approached and came in better view, but Celeborn's eyes widened in surprise.

"I am Estel Elessariel," Elena declared. Her voice was suddenly regal and powerful, the voice of a ruler. "A daughter of Gondor, and of Rohan, and of Númenor."

I stared at Ele-Estel. Elessariel? Aragorn's daughter? Aragorn, however, only looked on patiently. He did not react to Estel's announcement.

Galadriel smiled now as shock filled Celeborn's expression and he looked sharply at his wife. "Ah, yes. Welcome to Lothlórien, Estel," Galadriel greeted, her voice as melodious as a flowing river. "We have awaited your arrival since last we greeted a child of Númenor here."

Puzzlement showed momentarily on Estel's face, but she accepted the statement and bowed. But as she turned to leave, Galadriel commanded, "Wait, Elessariel. There is someone I wish you to meet."

She transferred her gaze to Haldir. "Bring him here, will you?"

"I thought he was on patrol this month in the northern borders," he said.

Galadriel shook her head. "I took the liberty of having him recalled when Elrond contacted me concerning Elessariel."

Haldir bowed out gracefully, vanishing into the dark with a few quick steps.

Estel looked confused as she turned to rejoin us. I couldn't help but stare at my best friend's daughter and feel betrayed. Why didn't you tell me, Aragorn? Why did you feel that you could not trust me with this secret?

Estel touched my arm, startling me. "Legolas," she began.

"Estel?"

An incredulous male voice suddenly echoed across the clearing. A young male dressed in the colors of the Galadhrim wardens had appeared beside Haldir. At first I dismissed him as an Elf, but then he came closer, and as the light fell upon him I realized my mistake.

This was a human.

Estel's face lit up. "Eldarion!" she cried.

~ Estel ~
"Estel?"

The sound of my true name jolted my attention back to the Lord and Lady. A young male – one of the wardens, by his dress – stood there next to Haldir, who had apparently returned. He was staring at me with wonder and awe.

It was then that it registered with me that while he dressed like an Elf, he was not an Elf.

And he looked like –

"Eldarion!"

With a happy cry, I raced toward my brother. Eldarion caught me in a tight hug, spinning me around before setting me down lightly. The movement brought tears to my eyes. My brother had always greeted me this way when I was young, except then I had been a lot lighter.

"I thought you had perished when Mother and Tinúviel," he said in a hushed voice.

I shook my head, gazing at my brother and trying to memorize his every feature. He looked very much like a younger version of Aragorn, I realized with a start. Many people had said so, but I had been too young to remember then. In any case, his pale blue eyes seemed no different, although they seemed to have a sort of independent sparkle that I didn't recall from before. His wavy dark hair was roughly the same length as Aragorn's, and was longer than I remembered.

"No. Aunt and Uncle took me for a surprise visit to Minas Tirith, so I wasn't there," I explained. "What about you? Uncle came in and said that Father was dead, and that you were missing. And then the stewards told us that you had fled into the forests of Mirkwood and – "

"Mirkwood?" my brother exclaimed, interrupting me mid-explanation. He started laughing. "Does this look anything like Mirkwood, Estel?"

"I was three years old, Eldarion! Don't blame me for not knowing where you were every – "

Celeborn cleared his throat from behind us. I turned to him, blushing furiously for my outburst, but Celeborn was merely eyeing us with fatherly amusement. "May I suggest that this reunion continue once Estel has eaten and washed, Eldarion?" he asked.

Eldarion bowed. "Yes, my lord," he answered. His hand came to settle on my shoulder. "Thank you, my lady, for reuniting me with Estel."

Galadriel smiled faintly. "It is a debt we are glad to pay for your services to Caras Galadhon," she countered. "And thanks properly belong to Elrond of Imladris, for it is he who made me aware of Estel's coming."

"Elena, who is he?" Merry asked, still using my other name.

"Oh! Sorry," I apologized. "This is my older brother, Eldarion. It is he who was gifted the Ring of Barahir," I said meaningfully, locking gazes with Aragorn. Aragorn inclined his head to my brother – who offered a short bow in return, immediately recognizing the future King – while the other members of the Fellowship merely looked confused.

"Eldarion, this is the Fellowship of the Ring."

~ Eldarion ~
After Estel had washed and eaten and changed into better clothes, I took her to meet some of Elven wardens that I'd become friends with over the years. In particular, I wanted her to introduce her to Haldir, the marchwarden.

"Haldir was the one who found me when I woke up in Lothlórien," I explained to my sister. Lady Galadriel had most generously gifted Estel with a new dress that shone silver in the evening. My sister's long dark hair shone with the lights of Caras Galadhon, and her grey-blue eyes sparkled in the dim twilight.

Estel was no longer the childish tomboy I'd left behind. Now she was a young woman with grace and beauty. She was not as eye-catching as Tinúviel had been, granted, but the blood of the Eldar that ran ever so faintly in her veins still gave her a measure of beauty no mortal woman could match.

"He's been a most gracious companion," I continued. "He taught me all the skills of being a warden." Indeed, Haldir had. I'd thought at first that a mere mortal would be way below Haldir's area of notice, but he had taken me under his wing. He taught me how to make my own bow, how to fletch my arrows, how to shoot. He'd even taught me all that I knew of the sword as well.

Haldir then interrupted my line of thought and our conversation, dropping down in front of us as silently as he always did. He looked slightly surprised, but before long Estel had won him over and we were all talking like old friends.

After a long time, we bid Haldir good-bye and went for a long walk next to a stream that ran through Caras Galadhon. "I've missed you," she said suddenly. "Grandmother missed you too."

I drew my sister closer. "I know," I replied somberly. "What fools we must have sounded like! Both saying 'I thought you were dead' in front of everybody."

Estel laughed. "Probably. But Boromir already thinks I'm a fool, so – "

"What?"

Estel blushed, looking down. "During the Council of Elrond, I interrupted their fight," she explained sheepishly.

I rolled my eyes. "Estel, you don't have to –"

"Excuse me."

I leaped to my feet, whirling around to face the intruder. It was with surprise that I saw Legolas Thranduilion standing there. I was not surprised that he had managed to sneak up on us; the Elves of Lothlórien had been doing that to me for all the years I'd stayed here. But I was surprised to sense some trepidation emanating from the Elven Prince.

"Yes, Legolas?" Estel asked, either not picking up on Legolas's nervousness or choosing to ignore it.

"Pardon me for asking, but . . . are you really brother and sister?"

I exchanged a confused glance with Estel. Why are you nervous about asking if we are related? "Yes."

"And you are . . . Aragorn's children?"