Be Careful What you Wish For
By: Rhonda
Rating: PG Slight angst, nothing bad or even bloody though.
Disclaimer: hmmmm let me think........no, still not mine, darn! And I SO want that ranger!
Summary: Estel, feeling very unloved and ignored, decides that the only way to get Elrond's attention is to become one of the sick the mighty healer tends.
Author’s Note: This is just a fic from my late night demented thoughts. I would love to thank my beta Sina who without nothing would be possible.
Please Note: Much like Cassia and Sio, I feel that when Tolkien said that Aragorn was "raised in the house of Lord Elrond" he meant that Estel grew up in Rivendell with Elrond as his father and the twins as his brothers. Also in this fic (again like Cassia and Sio) I feel that Aragorn's mother died along with Arathorn, and she has no place in this fic.
Estel was wandering the halls of Imaldris. He was bored and there was no one to play with. His brothers were out hunting and would not return home till tomorrow.
As the little adan wandered outside he was met with the fresh fall air. It was clean and the leaves were beautiful hues of red and gold, however none of this mattered to him, all he wanted was someone to play with him.
Estel spotted his father standing by the gate and rushed over to him. "Ada. Will you play with me?" he questioned hopefully.
"I can not" Elrond replied. "I must wait for the wounded men of the hunt to arrive. Perhaps later Estel" he finished looking slightly flustered as he waited for the injured to arrive.
Estel, now pouting because no one seemed to have time for him, left for the stables to find Glorfindel. When he arrived there he asked, " Glorfy do you have time to play with me now?"
"No I must assist your father with the wounded." Glorfindel answered the young human as he hurried from the stables in the direction of the front gates.
Estel was mad now. No one had time for him. The only ones they ever had time for were the people who were sick. At that thought a slight idea began to form in the back of Estel’s mind, he shoved it aside for the moment but it was now there if he needed it later.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Later that evening Estel ate all alone in the kitchen because everyone was in the healing ward. He sat there glumly, hardly eating anything.
"Why so sad tithen pen?"a kind cook by the name of Cer asked the small boy quietly.
"No one has time for me" Estel said as tears welled up in his eyes.
"Surely your father will be here as soon as he is done with the injured and sick." Cer tried to reassure the boy.
Sighing Estel went up to bed. ‘Maybe Ada will come to tuck me in.’ he thought hopefully.
Hours later Estel lay crying into his pillow, his Ada had not shown up. His mind whirled with hurt and angry thoughts.
‘So I guess you have to be sick to get any attention around here’ At this thought a smile crossed his face. His idea from earlier resurfaced. He knew what he would do. His Ada would spend lots of time with him and he knew how.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
The next morning Estel jumped from his bed eager to put his plan in action. As he entered the diningroom he saw his brothers and Ada. ‘Maybe I won’t have to go through with my plan, perhaps today they will have time for me, or at least maybe ‘Dan and ‘Ro will have time for me.’ Estel thought hopefully.
"Good morning Ada, ‘Ro, ‘Dan. What have you planned for today?" Estel greeted his family.
Elrond smiled at his youngest son, he knew he had not seen him all day yesterday, but he must check on his patients now and after that he had much work to do in his study. "I am sorry Estel, but I fear today I will be busy also. Perhaps this weekend we will have a picnic by the river." Elrond answered his son’s hidden question.
"Okay" Estel said, trying to fight the disappointment in his voice. ‘I suppose I will have to go through with my plan after all.’ Estel thought ruefully. He had planned it all night for he had not been able to sleep
He could pull this off as long as he didn't slip up. As everyone was finishing up their meal Estel looked up to see that no one was watching and made himself sick all over the floor.
"ESTEL!" Elrond cried worriedly as he came over to see what was the matter with his youngest son.
"Ada, I feel bad" Estel cried, and he really did feel bad now. Elrond gathered the boy in his arms and carried him up to his bed. There he sat with him until Elladan ran in.
"Father one of the men's fever has spiked." Elladan said frantically. Elrond smiled at Estel. "Estel I must leave you for awhile, but you seem much better now, so it should be well. I shall return soon to check on you." he finished rushing out of the room.
Estel was now infuriated. ‘Even when I’m sick Ada does not have time for me’ he thought a little hurt by the thought. ‘So when Ada returns I will make him spend some time with me.’ he thought and began once again to make plans on how he could get his ada to spend time with him.
His mind thought long and hard until sleep finally took him. He awoke later as he heard Elrond speaking to Glorfindel just outside his door.
"I am going to check on Estel and then retire for the night." Elrond stated quietly, exhaustion colored his voice.
As Elrond approached what appeared to be a sleeping child Estel began to gasp for air.
"ESTEL? ESTEL? are you alright?" Elrond asked frantically. Elrond was now shaking the boy. Glorfindel, hearing the yells ran in to see what was wrong, as he approached he saw Estel turning blue.
Estel did not know how much longer he could keep this up for he was becoming light headed. "BREATHE ESTEL BREATHE!! please Estel" Elrond pleaded as tears formed in the corners of his eyes and worry creased his brow.
‘I will play this for a moment longer just to make sure.’ Estel thought. ‘Surely father will not leave me for the others now.’
With one last gasp he fell onto the pillow as if he had passed out. Elrond was frantic.
"What could be wrong Glorfindel?" Elrond asked, completely confused. "He was fine when I left him a few hours ago. I will stay with him tonight and make sure he is okay." With that the elf lord layed down on the other half of Estel’s bed, careful not to wake him. Glorfindel bid him a goodnight and departed.
Estel seemed so lifeless as Elrond watched him sleep. Estel turned over a smile now upon his face. His Ada was here with him, his plan had worked. With that happy thought the young human let the darkness of sleep steal over him.
Estel waited all afternoon for Elrond's return. It was just at dusk by the time he finally entered the small child's room.
"Estel how do you fare now?"Elrond asked gently.
"I still feel bad Ada" the boy said. Elrond moved to the bedside to check his son over.
"Well you have no fever so I think you will be fine before too long. Try to get some sleep and if you need me in the night I will rush right here." Elrond's fatigue was catching up with him and he needed a full nights rest.
"Ok Ada," Estel said trying once again to hide his disappointment. As the door slowly closed Estel was already hard at work thinking. Hours passed and, suddenly an idea came to him in the middle of the night. All of those books with illnesses his father kept in his study. He would go there and find something. But Elrond had told him not to leave his bed. Estel struggled with this for a few minutes.
"Oh well, I will risk it." he thought, it is for a good cause, it is so I will have more time with him. He carefully eased the door open and peeked out. Seeing no one he tiptoed past the twins’ rooms and almost holding his breath passed Elrond's.
Finally, he came to the study and let out a sigh of relief as he closed the door behind him. He started pulling books off the shelves and putting them back careful as not to alert anyone that he had been there. This was going to be harder than he thought.
Finally, he came across a book with pictures in it. All the people in the pictures looked very sick. ‘Well that is good’ Estel thought. He found one picture of a plant and thought, ‘I have seen this one in father's herbs.’ No longer thinking about getting caught, he ripped the page from the book and placed the book back on the shelf. ‘I will find this. Surely it will keep Ada by my side for at least a couple of days.’ he thought happily.
As dawn was but a few hours away he crept back to his bed. He finally drifted off with a smile on his face thinking of the time he and his ada would spend together.
A couple hours later Elrond entered to check on his son. Elrond was feeling much better after some sleep, and was prepared to face the day. Estel stirred with the opening of the door.
"Good morning Adar."
"Good morning to you tithen pen"
"Ada can we play today?"Estel asked hopefully.
Elrond chuckled, "No Estel you need to stay in bed. You have troubled me deeply and you are not to leave this bed today."
"But Ada" Estel whined.
"Is that understood Estel?!"
"Yes Ada", Estel relented mournfully.
"I will return after breakfast with something for you to eat." Elrond stated and then left his youngest to rest.
Estel pulled the picture from his tunic pocket. "I hate to disobey father but I must find this." He carefully got dresses and peeked outside the bedroom door. No one in sight, and he sighed with relief. Breakfast would soon be starting and he knew Elrond or one of the twins would be in his room to check on him soon.
Just as he was sneaking to Elrond's herb room, Elrond himself was coming back to Estel’s room. "Estel are you awake?" not hearing a reply he entered. All he saw was a mass of blankets. Thinking the child had fallen asleep he closed the door quietly. ‘I will check on him after breakfast’ Elrond thought.
As Estel entered his father's herb room his stomach did flips. Should he be caught here he was certain there would be punishment. He carefully looked through all the herbs placing each one back neatly. At last he came across what he thought was the plant in the picture. Estel pulled the picture out of his tunic and compared them.
"Yes," he said "a perfect match."
He took two flowers out wondering if that would be enough. After a few moments of debating with himself he decided more was better and took half of the bag. He placed the jar back on the shelf and slowly made his way back to his room. ‘Good’ he thought ‘no one had noticed his absence.’
Moments later the twins burst in the room. "Maer aur Estel." they said together. Estel smiled at the sight and antics of his brothers.
"Come we are going to breakfast join us." said Elrohir.
"Okay" Estel said happily jumping on Elladan's back for a ride downstairs. As they entered the diningroom Elrond looked up and a smile graced his face at the sight of the siblings.
"Estel are you sure you feel well enough to be out of bed?" Elrond asked.
"Yes Ada, and I am hungry!" This provoked a chuckle from the elf lord which he fought to hide. "Father we must go to Lorien and deliver those messages to grandfather and grandmother at once." Elladan stated once they were all seated.
"Oooo can I come?" Estel almost yelled the question in his excitement.
"I am afraid not Estel" Elrond stated as his eyebrows arched so to end any arguement before it started. Estel slumped down in his chair, hunger had now eluded him for some reason.
Elrond noticed the change in Estel and asked what was wrong. "Nothing Ada may I go back to bed now?"
"As you wish Estel. I will join you after breakfast."Elrond stated softly, shoeing his youngest up to bed.
Upon returning to his room Estel moped. ‘All I wanted was to get someone to play or spend time with me and no on will.’ he whined to himself tears now rolling non stop down his face. It then that the thought of the plant dawned on him and he pulled it from his pocket. Smiling once more, Estel quickly ate them all. ‘Ada will spend LOTS of time with me now’ he thought.
Suddenly, the room began to spin and his vision blurred. As if that were not enough his stomach began to cramp and his throat constricted. Estel's final thought before he hit the floor and lapsed into unconsciousness were ‘What have I done?’
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I will ready your horses for you both while you pack" Elrond said to the twins.
"Thank you Ada this will give us a chance to bid Estel farewell." Elrohir stated. "I must bring Estel a gift home to cheer him, he was so disappointed he could not go." he continued.
"No brother we will bring him home something" was Elladan's reply.
"Must you always try to best me?" Elrohir taunted teasingly.
Each ran the length of the hallway ducking the other's playful jabs. They entered Estel's room still laughing and teasing. All play stopped as they laid eyes on their little brother.
"ESTEL!!!" they both yelled together. Elrond stood by the horses, he had just laid the packs across them as the yells of his sons pierced the air. Dropping everything, he took off in a run to the house.
"Estel? Estel? Wake up Estel" Elrohir said through tear filled eyes, clearly panicking. "Why will he not waked ‘Dan?"
Elladan stood there too shocked to move for he had noticed something his brother had not,Estel was not breathing. He was almost knocked to the floor as Elrond came barreling in followed by Glorfindel.
"Oh Elbereth NO!!" Elrond cried as he took in the still form of his son.
"Father, Father Make him breathe!" Elladan was now shouting as his voice returned.
"Oh Valar Estel breathe,Breathe my tithe pen." Elrond whispered to his youngest. Tears welled in the mighty elf lord's eyes and silently spilled down his face. Glorfindel had watched long enough "ELROND pull yourself together!"
Elrond, upon hearing this, snapped out of his stupor of self pity. He began to shake Estel and pound his chest. "Breathe Estel please." he urged him all the while.
After what seemed like hours he sucked in a breath. Elladan had now fell to the floor to join his brother. They had already lost someone they loved, to also lose their little brother would surely kill them both.
Elrond, regaining his senses, laid Estel on his bed. He put a hand to his head. "He feels hot, Elrohir get me some water and athelas."
Elrohir left to do Elrond’s bidding, but Elladan remained, the look of horror still upon his face. Glorfindel helped him to a chair and spoke to him."Elladan, Estel will need you to be strong for him now. Can you do this?"
Elladan's eyes blinked as Glorfindel's words sank in. "Yes I will be by him day and night," his face full of determination.
Elrond worked throughout the night as Estel screamed, whether the screams were from pain or dreams he did not know. Many times he would stop breathing for a minute only to start again. All this puzzled Elrond and he could not figure out how to heal him. Nothing was working.
"Boys can you watch your brother while I step out for a moment?"
"Yes" came the answer in unison neither having left Estel’s side.
Elrond took a walk through the garden to clear his head. There had to be something he was missing, but what. He slumped down on a bench as a few tears rolled quietly down his face.
"Elrohir help you brother, let us change Estel into some fresh clothes." Glorfindel suggested. Elladan grabbed a new tunic as Elrohir and Glorfindel helped take the other one off the lifeless form of Estel. As they pulled it over his head something slipped from the pocket and fell upon the bed. Glorfindel picked it up and glanced at it as the twins were lying Estel back on the pillows. A look of utter shock came upon his face as he realized what was Estel's ailment. He rushed from the room without explanation to find Elrond.
Elrond sat on the bench trying to figure out Estel's strange health when Glorfindel came barreling into the garden as if being chased by a balrog. "What is it mellon nin?"Elrond asked the winded elf.
"Estel....ate....iest". Glorfindel said between gasps.
"NOOOO!" Elrond cried and Glrofindel had to catch the elf lord as he slumped to the ground. "Elrond, Elrond wake brannon nin." Glorfindel tried to wake the elf lord gently. Valar knew he had taken enough shocks for one day.
Elrond's eyes fluttered open trying to focus on the person calling to him. "Glorfindel WHAT?" he started, then the reality of the situation hit him.
"Estel" the word was torn painfully from the elf lord’s throat. "Glorfindel he will die."
"Nay, not if we can ride to Mirkwood and back in time."
"You know as well as I that it is a week's journey to Mirkwood and Estel only has 8 days" Elrond replied.
"Then I will leave with all haste" replied the mighty balrog slayer. "Try to keep him alive until I return" With this he left the elf lord still lying in a crumpled heap on the ground. Elrond sighed at the thought of telling his other sons what had befallen their brother. A single tear slipped and rolled down his face at the thought.
"Dan I fear for him" Elrohir said
"Aye brother, he look so still as if he has already left us"
Both now turned as they saw their father enter the room. He did not speak but instead went straight to the bed and knelt down beside it. He sat stroking Estel's face. Elladan could not take it any longer. "Ada what is it that has claimed our brother?" Elrohir now looked upon his father too and noticed his tear stained face.
"Ada what is it?" he said as he came to stand by his brother.
"Estel has taken iest" Elrond said as new tears dared to spill again from his eyes.
"NO!" the twins cried as both knew that this would kill their brother. Both ran to the bed and now lay atop Estel sobbing.
"Dartho!" Elrond said,"We must all try to keep him alive until Glorfindel comes back from Mirkwood with the antidote."
Elladan looked at his father horror in his eyes,"But Ada I do not know if I can watch him suffer like that."Elrond looked into his son's pleading eyes and understood the pain that dwelled within them.
"We will try my son and pray that Mandos does not call him home" With this he pulled his sons into his embrace and three sets of eyes fell upon the still child.
Glorfindel was almost within sight of Mirkwood. "Estel must live for his death would deal a crushing blow to Elrond." he said to himself.
"Who dares the enter the king of Mirkwood’s realm?" came voice from the trees startling Glorfindel from his thoughts.
"It is I, Glorfindel, young elfling" came the reply.
"Glorfindel I am sorry did not know it was you. Have you come for a visit?" asked the elf merrily.
"NO! I must see the king at once, it is very urgent." he replied. Shocked by the look on the mighty lord's face the elf took off at a run to alert the king of his arrival.
"What?" King Thranduil asked as a guard ran into his diningroom. "Lord Glorfindel wishes your counsel sire." Puzzled as to what Glorfindel could want with him he got up to leave. At once a hand shot up to him along with a puzzled face.
"Father may I join you?" asked Legolas
Thranduil smiled at his son "I don't see why not" he said. As they reached Thranduil's study where Glorfindel waited for them a sense of foreboding seem to cling to the air.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Two faces were now sitting half lidded after a full night of tears and anguish. However, one did not sleep and that was Elrond who sat by his son holding his hand. The child had started to stir only moments earlier and was calling out to him.
"Ada I am sorry, Ada please help me. It hurts" he now sobbed still in his dream state. This awoke the two which were moments earlier asleep. "Father what does he speak of?" asked Elrohir.
"I do not know my son, his dreams take him to a dark place it seems." The sobs turned into gasps. Elladan was on his feet knocking the chair to the floor. "Ada help him please!" he cried.
Elrond was already holding the child shaking him. "Estel ion nin breathe for me." Elrond whispered gently, but urgently in elvish. At these words he seemed to calm.
"Adar he needs to eat he grows so thin." Elladan said after a moment.
"Alas I cannot get him to take any food. " Elrond sighed. Their rest was short lived as Estel screamed in agony clutching his stomach. Elrond held his son trying to relieve some of the pain. He, once again, felt tears cascading down his face for his son’s pain.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Glorfindel what bids you come here?" Thranduil inquired curiously.
"It is Elrond’s youngest, Estel, he has taken the poison iest." At this statement a gasp was heard from the corner where Legolas sat with eyes wide in horror. He had only met the little edain the previous summer. He had grown quite fond of him while in Rivendell.
"We must find the plant and make the antidote for it only grows here." stated Glorfindel.
"Of course I shall assemble a scouting party at once to find it." Thranduil stated swiftly.
"Father may I join them" Legolas asked quietly. Thranduil smiled at this request "Yes, my son, go now and get the others ready." Thranduil knew his son had grown close to the edain, he was not sure he approved, but he did not want to see the little one die especially not when he knew that his death would break many elven hearts, his son’s included.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Elladan now sat staring at his little brother. He was unsure of what to say he just wanted to be near him. As Estel stirred in his fevered sleep Elladan stroked his damp hair whispering kind words in elvish to soothe him.
As he began to calm Elladan moved next to him in his bed and cradled the sleeping child in his arms. This is how Elrond found them hours later, his oldest son acting the protector once again. He worried that if Estel died he would take Elladan's very soul with him. The thought of losing either of them would break his heart completely in two.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Glorfindel take some rest, they will find it soon I am sure." the king said.
"I worry for the fate of all of Imaldris if he dies." the mighty lord confessed quietly. "He carries all of our hearts with him and if he dies I fear that Elrond and the twins will soon follow."
"Father! Father I have found it!" Legolas shouted as he ran in.
"Thank Valar! Let us hurry and make the antidote so you can leave within the hour Lord Glorfindel." Thranduil comanded. Glorfindel prayed he would make it back in time for Estel.
Within the hour he was mounted and leaving. "May the Valar watch over you and make your journey back swift." Thranduil said. With this Glorfindel was off praying once again that he would make it in time for it was a two day ride to Imaldris and Estel only had one left.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Please my lord eat something" a servant pleaded with Elrond. "You have not eaten in two days or slept for that matter. You cannot go on like this." he finished, begging his lord to understand, to come to reason. As Elrond got ready to reply Estel sat up with a blood curling scream.
"GO! Leave us!" was the elf lord's only reply as he rushed to his son's side. The servant ran from the room closing the door behind her. Elrond was met at the bed by his twin sons who had be woken from their sleep by the screams.
"Please Ada I don't want to go." Estel whimpered. "Help me" he screamed..
"Adar his fever is too high" Elrohir said worriedly. "’Dan help me!"
At these words Elladan's face turned ashen. "Ada is there nothing we can do?" he whispered, staring at his little brother in shock.
"I am sorry my sons there is not." Elrond said his words dripping with sorrow and regret for the pain he could not help ease. Estel stopped screaming and slumped back onto the pillows.
"Is he?...he isn't..." Elrohir could not bring himself to say the words. Elrond laid his head upon Estel's chest and his worst fears came to surface. His son was leaving them, his time was almost up.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Where am I?" Estel wondered. He walked through the mists of the strange place and saw someone approach him. He recognized her immediately, even though he had never met her "Amme." he called "it is me, Estel" Even though she was not he thought of her as his mother, much like he thought of Elrond as his father.
The woman smiled down at the small child. "Do you know where you are child?" At this question the child seemed puzzled. "No I do not fair lady and I want my Ada," he said as he began to wail.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Elrond sat holding his youngest son, the twins at his side not wanting Estel to be alone in his last moments. A gasp was heard from the child and tears rolled from Elrond’s closed eyes.
"May you always know the love we have for you ion nin." Elrond said through choked sobs. Would his other sons or himself be able to recover from this loss? A strange sight came to him as he saw a smile cross Estel’s face. ‘Maybe he has found peace from his pain.’ Elrond thought feeling grateful for that at least.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I am Celebrian, Estel and I have been sent here to tell you that you are still needed in Imaldris." A smile appeared on the child's face and he flung himself into her arms. ‘He looks so much like Elros’ Celebrian thought while holding the child gently.
"Ada misses you so" Estel told her.
"Yes I know, little one, I miss him too." She stated softly.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Elrond and the twins all lay atop Estel’s sobbing for his loss, as his life slowly slipped from him. This is how Glorfindel found them as he ran into the room.
"Is it too late?" he asked fearful of the answer. His entrance had brought Elrond to his feet. "Mellon nin hurry please for I think he is almost gone, noro."
They lifted Estel's head and poured the drink down his
throat. Now all they could do was wait and see if it had been in time.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Estel you are to return, but I have something to ask of you." Celebrain told him softly.
"Anything Amme." Estel said.
"First, tell your father that I love him as much today as when we first met under the tree many years ago and I long to see him again. Second, go to your father's closet and in there you will find a box. Look in the box and remove the bear inside and give it to your brother Elladan for I fear he blames himself for my passing." she requested gently.
"Yes Amme I will do these things" Estel said.
"Estel I must go now for my job here is done."
Estel flung himself into her arms and hugged her. "Namaarie Amme"as he said this he heard voices calling his name.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Estel come back to us my son." Elrond pleaded.
"Estel please" Elladan cried. Elrohir for the first time he could remember, could not seem to comfort his brother.
With a gasp Estel sat up and looked into the eyes of his family. His eyes were met by four tear stained faces. Glorfindel seeing that this was a family moment quietly exited as he wiped the tears of relief from his eyes.
No words were said as three elves all tried to embrace him at the same time. The silence was broken by Elrond who looked at his son and asked,"Estel why? just tell me why did you eat the plant, why?"
"So you would spend time with me Ada. Everyone is so busy they forget about me." Estel confessed softly. As this set in a new flood of tears came. "I am sorry ion nin, I let other things come before you please forgive me."
"Ada it is alright, I am sorry too, and Amme said to tell you that she loved you now as she loved you when she met you by the tree and that she will be waiting." As he finished these words all three looked at him with sad eyes. Each of them knew the little one had left them only to be brought back by their Celebrian. Estel now tried to suppress a yawn "I don't know why but I am so tired." he said
"Rest then my son but do not leave this bed again. I am going to inform the rest of the house that you are alright." Elrond stood and shuffled the twins to the door. At the last glance back he saw Estel had fallen back to sleep only this time with a smile upon his face.
Elladan ran back to the bed for one last hug silently thanking the Valar for protecting his little brother since he could not. "Elladan come your brother needs rest." Elrond commanded gently. Elladan reluctantly got up.
"But Father I wish to stay with him." he protested.
"Very well but try to get some rest too."
Elladan curled up in the chair next to his brother laying his head upon his bed. He would watch over and protect him. Sleep finally took the exhausted elf and his eyes glazed over.
Estel stirred in the night and awoke. As he looked about the room his eyes came to rest on Elladan who was asleep in the chair next to the bed. He loved his brother so. A flash of memory hit him and he realized he had forgotten the second part of his promise.
He slowly eased himself off the bed and swayed as his feet hit the floor. It had been a long eight days for the young boy. He made his way to his father's room holding on to the wall for support and slipped inside. He made his way to the closet quietly as not to wake his father. He doubted he would wake since he looked like he needed sleep. He found the box that Amme had spoken of. As he looked inside there laid an old stuffed bear. He picked it up and thought of Elladan snuggling with it at his age. For some reason sleep was trying to overtake him again and he did not try to fight it, he just curled up right there and fell asleep.
Elladan stirred and reached out for his brother. As his hand found nothing he suddenly became wide awake fear racing in his heart. He searched the entire room and when he could not find him he went to Elrohir's room to wake him.
"Elrohir!" he shouted "I can not find Estel" The fear that laced his words was enough to send Elrohir tumbling from the bed.
"What?" Elrohir said as he jumped from the bed. One look at his brother showed the fear in his eyes as well as his voice. Elrond now came through the door as he had heard the shouting and came to see what it was about.
"Ada we can not find Estel." Elladan said urgently. The elf lord's voice caught in his throat.
"Hurry let us go and search the house." he said as he found his voice once more. Each room that came up empty caused them to panic more. Tears welled in their eyes for they had just gotten him back and now it seemed they had lost him again.
As they entered Elrond's room to search a scream was heard as Elladan entered the closet having stepped on his brother. "Estel" he cried in surprise, quickly embracing the child.
"Estel did I not tell you to stay in bed?" Elrond sighed. He knew the boys boy was not well.
"Yes Ada, but Amme sent me here." Estel said looking at the floor. A gasp was heard from the three. "She said to give you this ‘Dan" with that he thrust the bear he was holding to Elladan. Elladan recognizing the bear cried shamelessly thanking his brother over and over. All of the years of doubt washed away now.
"Okay, come my sons it is time Estel got some rest." He shooed them all out of the closet. "Tonight you will sleep here in my room where I can make sure you do not wander away again in the night." he told them all gently.
"Good night Ada" came three voices. "Good night ion nins" the elf lord said. He now laid with them all in one big heap.
This is the sight Glorfindel saw the next morning as he approached the bed. Elrond laid on the bed a twin in each arm and Estel upon his chest. What a beautiful family they made all five of them. The elf lord ,his sons and the bear.. He chuckled to himself as he walked out and closed the door behind him.
The End
Dartho - stay
Brannon nin - my lord
Mellon nin - my friend
tithen pen - little one
Amme - Mother/Mommy
Ada - Father/Daddy
ion nin - my son
noro - hurry
Namaarie Amme - Farewell Mother/mommy