Chapter 9

A gust of wind tugged at Estel's curls and he giggled. Sunlight streamed through the branches and leaves overhead throwing speckled gold spots onto the forest floor. The air was warm and fragrant and alive with joy. The trees surrounding him and his father might not be able to move, but they were more than just bark, root and leaf - much more.

He looked at his father who was still singing quietly, wondering whether he could hear more than the rustling of leaves overhead. His mother had told him that elvish hearing was better than that of men and certainly much better than his - how else was she to explain that he never seemed to hear her requests of getting dressed or brushing his hair? Estel did not know either, but now he wondered just how good his ada's hearing was. Could he hear the trees talk?

Someone had once told him that some elves could even talk to stones, though he had scoffed at the idea. But the way his father was holding his head as if listening even while he hummed. The way he seemed so calm now, despite all the events of this day, made Estel wonder. And so he asked.

"Ada, what are the trees saying?"

Elrond interrupted his song and gave him a smile. "That your brothers will be back this afternoon."

Estel opened his eyes wide. "Are they sure?"

"Yes. They passed the Trollshaws yestereve." Elrond smiled, then added: "And the trees hope that you will bring them here. They enjoyed your company today."

"They did?" Estel gasped. The trees were talking about him! He looked away from his father then, back at the evergreen spruce behind him, feeling suddenly like it was watching him. Wondering whether he ought to bow to it.

"Did you tell them we will plant more trees?" he asked.

"I did indeed, tithen pen."

"And? What did they say?"

Elrond laughed. "That you should plant them right over there," he replied, pointing ahead at a sun-bathed spot of green. Windflowers bloomed at its edges, their green heart-shaped leaves forming a perfect backdrop for the brilliant white blossoms. Estel held his breath.

"It's perfect," he whispered. Awed by the beauty of the spot. But his silence was short lived. New enthusiasm flooded him at the prospect of getting to plant the acorns and he grabbed Elrond's hand.

"Come!" he said, "We have to see if Dan and Ro have returned so we can plant the trees. The forest is waiting."

-o0o-

It was good to be home.

With Talagor and Belroch safely stabled they delivered a short but detailed report to Glorfindel and Erestor who had been awaiting them in the courtyard. Gildor had sent message, as he had promised, and all that was left for them to report was the outcome of their labors and the details of what they had found.

After the long trek back, the days spent riding faster than was perhaps advisable with sprained ribs and an injured leg, it was hard to not sink onto one of the inviting stone benches that lined the edge of the open plaza, bordering their mother's garden. Right now he could not imagine comfort beyond them. Though he ached for the possibility to run a bath, to wash off the grime and strain of their travel, he doubted he would even make it up the steps to the Last Homely House until his feet had gotten accustomed to not being on horseback.

But despite the weariness there was joy in being home, being back in Rivendell where he could rest, body and soul, and where music and song and laughter was always in the air. Except that the laughter he was most looking forward to was still absent.

Estel had taken their father to the Twins' Wood this morning, Erestor had informed them with a twinkle in his eye that suggested he had had a part to play in that turn of events.

The Twins' Wood. Elrohir mused on the implication, and on the forest itself. Here was another forest that owed its existence to the elves, and though not quite awake the trees were heavy with presence there. It was almost as strong as the lingering memory of their mother that flitted there between the boughs, dancing upon open wounds and haunting his frayed conscience with her laughter. He found solace in her garden, but the forest was too wild for him, too carefree. It had been left unattended, left alone for too long.

The thought brought a sudden pang of guilt to his heart - were the Twins' Wood - his mother's beloved forest, the one she had started to honor her children and had delighted in during every stroll of the valley, and the Old Forest all that different? Were the trees there bound to end up the same, resentful, angry at the elves who had once shown them love and wonders and had then disappeared?

He had felt responsible for the trees in the Old Forest, but what effort had he even ever shown here at home to keep the living things in this valley protected. Could he only ever protect with the blade of his sword and the sharp tip of his arrows? Was the destruction of evil the only thing that he could do to preserve that which was good?

"We will await Adar's and Estel's arrival here," Elladan spoke suddenly next to him, breaking a silence that Elrohir had not noticed descend. A moment later his twin's hand landed on his shoulder, gently but irresistibly guiding him towards one of the very benches he had considered earlier.

Elrohir sank down on the nearest one in gratitude. Sunlight splayed across his hands, dappled from where the rays of Anor were passing through the leaves of a hanging vine snaking across an arched garden gate above them, playing and dancing with the air that rustled through the leaves.

A new silence fell, enveloping them like the smell of roses from the nearby garden, a protective blanket. Elladan did not speak but his fëa was a reassuring presence at his side. Steady, steadfast, reliable. And wrapped in the comfort of home, Elrohir felt the lure of the painful memories ease, felt the burden of responsibility lessen. He could not right all wrongs in this world, and the path he had chosen, the path he walked with his twin by his side could not constantly be second-guessed. They did the best they could. It had to be enough.

Silently he vowed himself to visit his mother's forest. He found comfort in her garden, in the memory of her lingering presence, there was no reason to assume the forest would not be the same. And he might still have a chance to get through to the trees of the Twins' Wood. A chance to find that kinship he had sought in the Old Forest, a chance to honor his mother's memory rather than avenge her. A chance at redemption, at peace.

With his eyes closed he could pinpoint the precise moment the song of the warbler behind him broke off, only to be replaced a moment later by the excited voice of a cheerful child. Estel, going by the incessant chatter of questions and exclamations, had enjoyed his visit to the Twins' Wood.

Elrohir opened his eyes to share a smile with Elladan and then they rose to welcome Estel, just as the sound of his skipping steps turned into a full out run, as the small mouth opened for an excited shout. "Dan! Ro!"

He bowed down to catch the running Estel in his arms and lifted him up, wincing as the movement tore at his injured ribs. Thankfully Estel remained blissfully unaware. "You are back!" the boy said cheerfully, "How was the Old Forest? Are the trees there really alive and moving? Did they surround you and trip you with their roots? Erestor said you would be immune to them but how can you be immune to tripping? Did you fall on your face? Did Elladan? Is that why he has scratches on his cheek?"

Elrohir laughed at the onslaught of questions, the innocent curiosity and vibrant imagination of his adopted brother, as he sat Estel back down. The boy was getting too large to be lifted with ease. "Peace, tithen gwador," he begged, raising his hands to forestall any more questions. "The Old Forest is - at rest," he eventually settled for, "and, no, the trees' roots did not make us fall on our faces. Not even Elladan."

"Elrohir fell on his bum though."

His head whipped around at his treacherous twin, but Elladan ignored him, a wide grin plastered on his face. It matched the one that bloomed across Estel's as their baby brother turned to Elladan as well. "Really?" he giggled.

"Truly," Elladan confirmed, enjoying himself overly much. "And then the tree that tripped him ensnared him beneath its roots." Estel's mouth turned into a small 'o', hanging to his oldest brother's every word, who was now explaining in great detail how he had rescued his 'clumsy twin' from beneath the large willow's roots - any moment now he would tell their little brother about the trolls. Estel loved to hear of their adventures and Elladan was more than happy to oblige him, painting each of their fights into heroic deeds void of any of the actual horrors of combat.

Bemused by the interaction between his boasting twin and his impressed little brother, Elrohir failed to notice his father step up to his side. "Was it the tree or the trolls then, that damaged your ribs?"

Elrohir winced. He should have known better than to think he had managed to hide his pain from his father. Elrond had spoken quietly, not interrupting Elladan's story or drawing Estel's attention and Elrohir's voice was equally low, when he admitted: "Both. But both Elladan and I are mostly healed. A fresh application of a thyme and clove ointment would help with the pain," he admitted. His father appreciated honesty when it came to their injuries. Pretend to be fine and all you would succeed in was to be confined to the healing wing for the foreseeable future.

"No!?", Estel gasped, his voice a mix of fascination, disbelief and trepidation. He turned his large silver eyes to Elrohir. "The troll stepped on your bow? How terrible." His words were belied by his excited giggles and the demand for more information, more tales of daring defiance, that stood in his eyes. "Did you kill it in recompense?"

"That is quite enough questions for now, Estel," Elrond interjected smoothly, "Your brothers have only just returned and are in need of rest so that they may accompany you on your quest tomorrow." The momentary defiance in Estel's eyes, arguing with the untimely interruption was quickly redirected and replaced with a different type of excitement at the mention of his 'quest'.

"Yes!," he exclaimed, as if having been reminded of a sugary treat that awaited him in the kitchens. "We will go to the Twins' Wood tomorrow," he informed both Elrohir and Elladan, making it clear that 'we' included them as well, "to plant new trees!"

Exchanging a look above Estel's head, Elrohir found Elrond giving him and his twin a small, almost imperceptible nod of agreement. And Elrohir was surprised at the smile that spread over his own face at the idea, this plan of Estel's. Leave it to his little brother to find fresh joy in things left undisturbed for centuries, to bring light and peace back into dark places - be they forests or hearts.

-o0o-

Estel practically flew over the meadow, approaching the edges of the deep green forest ahead, sunlight dancing across the grass at his feet. The air was crisp, fresh with the smell of morning dew, a memory of a cold night and the promise of a warm day ahead.

It would be a perfect day, Estel decided. A day on which trees were planted that would grow huge, taller than the main house with its thatched roof and little tower. They would be wondrous oaks, strong and steadfast, valiant and wise - just like his brothers.

He turned around to them then, dismayed to see that they had fallen behind again. They were walking beside their father, talking while striding across the grassy green, soaking up the sunshine.

Estel fought the urge to roll his eyes. Did no one realize how important this day was? He crossed his arms over his chest as he waited for the elves to catch up - trying very hard not to pout or tap his foot. His mother had said that made him appear to still be a small child - and Ro and Glorfy always did smile at him in that way that suggested they found him cute when he did it. So she might have a point.

Anyway, he did not tap his foot. And there was only a tiny scowl on his face when his father and brothers finally caught up. It deepened when Elrohir ruffled his hair.

He reached up and brushed his brother's hand away. "Come on!" he said, his urgency clear in his voice, "it's this way!"

The forest opened up before him as he turned and strode beneath the boughs, and again he felt like the trees were welcoming him. Like the warm air was alive with music created by rustling leaves, buzzing insects and the smell of forest flowers in bloom. A smile came to his lips and he thought he finally understood why the elves surrounding him would occasionally burst into song - surely if anything was worth singing about it would be this forest on this wonderful day.

Turning to his family again, Estel saw the same delight on his brothers' face that he felt himself. Like yesterday, with his father, he wondered what they were hearing, what messages the forest was singing to them, what welcome they received. Judging by the sparkle in their eyes and the contended smile on Elrohir's face it was a good one.

And it was about to get even better.

He rushed over to his brothers, grabbing both of them by the hand and dragging them further still. Through a small path held clear of undergrowth and roots, over springy moss and past blooming wind flowers all the way to the clearing the trees had found for him and his father yesterday.

"Here we are!", he declared, reached into his pockets and pulled forth the two perfect acorns Elrond had found. "The perfect place to plant new trees."

His brothers grinned at his excitement. And their smiles, as identical as the acorns still held in his hands, were even better than the warm sunshine and the living welcome of the trees. He beamed.

Then he directed them to dig, carefully scrutinizing their work before relinquishing his hold on first one, then the second of the acorns, to place them into the shallow holes that were swiftly covered with little mounds of soft soil.

"Perfect!", he declared.

"Not quite, ion nin," Elrond interrupted, then held his hand out towards Estel. "You forgot this." On his palm was another acorn. The smaller one, Estel realized, that he had himself put into his father's hand when Elrond had been reeling from the vision he had seen.

Estel's eyes widened and he looked up at Elrond. He hadn't even considered this. A tree? For him? His father smiled. "One tree," he said, "for each of my children."

-o0o-

Dusk was settling over the land, the last rays of the setting sun alighting on the tops of the trees in the Twin's Wood, turning them a vibrant orange as Elrond returned to the clearing where they had planted three acorns earlier that day. Around him the trees still resonated with the same quiet joy, the sense of contentment and tranquility that he had so enjoyed earlier that day. For a moment he allowed himself to close his eyes and open his heart, to breathe deeply and just be, to share in the trees' memory of Celebrian. It felt like a gift, rediscovering the beauty of this forest, discovering it for the living memento of her that it was. He should have seen it sooner, but he was glad that he had found it now. And that Estel had rejuvenated the old tradition of planting new trees into this wondrous forest.

His hand slipped into his pocket and closed around the single acorn he carried there. He brought it forth with gender care and, digging a small whole right beside that of its brethren, planted the final acorn into the soft soil. One tree for each of his children.

The End

A/N: The last chapter was late so you get this one early, surprise! Though the real reason for me posting early is that I will start posting my this year's advent calendar stories starting tomorrow. Join me for 24 days of hurt/comfort and angst in my whumpvent calendar :D

In the meantime I would again like to thank everyone who left a review! Thank you! And one last time to shamelessly beg for more: Pretty please let me know what you thought about the story now that it's finished?