The Littlest Warrior

Bathing and dressing completed, Estel held his father’s hand and skipped merrily along as they approached the downstairs dining hall. Entering the room, Elrond took note that the hall was unusually quiet and strangely absent of warriors; he was just positioning Estel in his chair when Glorfindel came rushing through the doors.

“Brannon nín, (My Lord) our sentries have spotted a small contingent of travelers headed in our direction. Given the increased activity of the Yrch of late I thought it best to turn out all warriors, with the exception of the household guard, to the field.”

“Is there any indication who these travelers might be?” Elrond queried.

“At first we thought them to be strangers, but now it seems that they may be our brethren from Lórien.”

“Lórien?”

“Yes my lord, they are heading right for us and appear to be traveling as quickly as the trail will allow. We could not tell if they were being pursued, so I…”

Elrond completed his sentence, “Sent our warriors to meet them…you did well Glorfindel, if they are our people it would not do to have them waylaid by Yrch this close to safety.”

Just then Estel spoke, eyes wide with fright and holding tight to the side of his father’s robe.

“Are da orcs comin’ to get us Glorfy?” the child asked fearfully.

Glorfindel smiled reassuringly at the boy and knelt down by the side of his chair to answer…“You have nothing to fear little one, no Yrch shall ever pass the gates of Imladris, or set foot in this house…I give you my word. Besides, your brothers ride out to meet our guests, and you know how afraid the Yrch are of them…they would not dare cross the paths of Elladan and Elrohir, and Braneth and four other warriors ride with them to ensure their safety. Cilinwë, Ecthíras, and I decided to stay here with the rest of the sentries to guard the house.”

“See Ada…you dinna have nothin’ to be ‘fraid of…right Glorfy?”

Elrond lovingly looked down at the child. Estel had developed a habit of pretending that someone, other than he, was afraid whenever he felt frightened or threatened. Those close to him had learned to play along as it helped to bolster the child’s confidence.

“Yes Melyanna, I see that Glorfindel has everything under control…we are quite safe, and there is nothing to fear,” he said as he gently caressed the soft curls in Estel’s hair.

“Numbers Glorfindel?”

“The first spotters counted five with a wagon, there are now believed to be at least seven. They are moving quickly, too quickly for a trail so narrow, and may be in need of assistance.”

“Very well, keep me informed, let me know as soon as you have ascertained the number arriving and the nature of their haste. In any event, I will have Erestor alert the healing wing and the household staff. If they are this close, Lady Nénilya will want to be notified as soon as possible, the only thing she dislikes more than strangers in her kitchen, is not knowing there will be extra mouths to feed at table.”

“Aye my lord, I will see to it.” Turning, Glorfindel left the room as quickly as he’d entered and Elrond looked down on a little face that appeared to him to still be somewhat frightened.

“There now, now that you and I have all the morning business taken care of what say we break our fast and make plans for our day? It looks as though we will have visitors, and we should make plans to entertain them properly.”

“Ada…”

“Yes Estel?”

“Ada are you sure you not ‘fraid any more?”

The old elf smiled as he answered, “I am sure ion nín, Glorfindel and our warriors will take good care of us. I do not think there are any Yrch around, but if there were…”

“If dere were what den Ada?” the child asked apprehensively.

“Then they would be running from our borders in fear…running all the way back to Mordor little one, for your brothers are the most feared orc hunters in all of Arda…the mere mention of their names has orcs scrambling to find rocks to hide under,” he said laughingly. Elrond’s warm smile comforted Estel, if his Ada was not afraid, then he had nothing to worry about. The Lord of Imladris had long ago realized that Estel, as young as he was, still remembered the night his parents were slain. He could not be sure how much Estel had seen that awful evening, but one thing was certain – he had seen the orcs, and smelled them. Elrond’s face stiffened as he allowed his memories to momentarily take him back to that event.

(Flashback)

After delivering the child to their father, the twins, following a short rest, went back out hunting the foul beasts. They returned two days later, Elrohir with a small wound to his hand and Elladan with one to his leg; both were covered in orc blood, Roh with small amounts of the blackened sludge still dripping from the hilt of his sword. Erestor, after much pleading from Glorfindel, had grudgingly relinquished the baby to Elrond’s care for a complete physical examination, and when the twins entered the infirmary for treatment, the child, who up to that point had been contentedly playing with Elrond’s braids, began screaming at the top of his lungs before he even saw them, Elrond later concluded that it was the smell of the orc blood that triggered Aragorn’s outburst, for as soon as the twins were bathed and redressed, they sat on the floor of the infirmary and the child happily toddled back and forth between them touching their faces and giggling, as he tried to figure out why there were two of the same person in the room.

The first few days after the babe’s arrival in Imladris had been painful ones, with the boy waking from dreams that sent him into screaming fits of terror. The sound of the child’s pain near brought Erestor to tears, and usually it was only Glorfindel’s hand that could sooth and quiet him. The two elves spent several sleepless nights comforting the boy before Elrond overcame his own anxieties about becoming a parent again and decided that he would indeed take on the responsibility of raising young Aragorn. The child’s cries had awakened Elrond from a dream, a dream where he saw who this boy might become. A dream in which this child sat on his knee, held his hand, and stood, as a man, at his side along with the twins. When he awoke…he knew. He had foreseen it; there could be no denying it now. This child was to be his child.

That very night he rose from his bed and followed, almost blindly, the sound of Aragorn’s cries to Glorfindel and Erestor’s chambers. After being admitted to their sammoth by a distraught and tearful Erestor, he moved silently across the room to where Glorfindel sat gingerly on the side of the bed, rocking the crying child. Without a word, he outstretched his arms, and Glorfindel rose and placed the still sobbing baby into his embrace. Holding the boy close to his chest and patting him softly on the back, caused the babe to calm almost immediately. Big silver eyes looked up into dark grey ones and the connection was complete. It seemed that Elrond was not the only one who knew…little Aragorn knew too. This was the one who was to be his, what was that word that the two-people used? Ah, yes…this was the one who would be his A-da. As Elrond exited the room with the boy he announced over his shoulder to Glorfindel and Erestor…

“He is starting a new life this night…he must have a new name. I have decided to call him Estel, for that is what he brings, that is who he is.”

Glorfindel smiled knowingly saying, “For a while there you had me worried my gwador, I was beginning to think that you would never realize your fate…or his.”

As Elrond carried the sniffling child back to his chambers the newly named little one curled his fingers around one of the ancient elf’s braids. Raising his head from Elrond’s shoulder the boy looked at him questioningly and said,

“A-da?”

Elrond gently pressed the child’s head back against his shoulder and answered softly, “Yes little one…I am your Ada.”