The Littlest Warrior

Chapter 5 – Lost and Then Found

As morning finally dawned over Imladris, its Lord stretched and opened his deep gray eyes to a new day, an insistent knocking on the door to his chambers, and the agitated voices of his twin sons.

“Adar!” called Elrohir through the door, and his call was immediately echoed by his elder brother.

“Adar,” repeated Elladan as he burst through the door, pushing past his brother without further knocking, “Adar, Estel is missing!”

“We searched everywhere Adar, he is not in his room and we cannot find him anywhere in the house,” called Elrohir over his brother’s shoulder.

Elrond threw back the covers and rose from the bed reaching for his robe as he did.

“Calm down sons, are you sure Estel is not in his room? He has a new game now you know…he likes to hide from me in the mornings…make me search for him before he gets washed up for the morning meal.”

“We are positive Adar, we searched the room high and low, and he is not there.”

Elrond pulled his robe around himself and headed for the door, “Come with me,” he said over his shoulder as he exited and set off to Estel’s room. As he reached the room, he signaled the twins to quiet, shushing them with a finger to his lips. Gingerly he placed his ear against the door and listened for any sounds that might come from within. Hearing nothing, he quietly pushed it open, and quickly scanned the room.

“Estel…come out now son, you have worried your brothers quite enough for one morning…come on now…it was a fine game, and you won, but now it is time for us to get ready for our day. Estel? Estel!”

“Now do you believe us Adar? Estel would never ignore you if you called him,” Elrohir said worriedly.

“Aye, and you know how much he loves the morning meal…he would never hide and miss it,” chided Elladan.

Elrond stood quietly; taking stock of the situation, then turned and gave the twins his instructions.

“Alert the servants…I want every room of this house searched…thoroughly…I do not care what they are doing or how important it might be…nothing is more important than finding your brother. Elladan, go down to the stables, check with stable master Colwandë – Estel was very excited about Asfaloth last eve, find out if Colwandë has seen any trace of him this morning. Elrohir, go and awaken Glorfindel and Erestor, have Glorfindel check with the sentries, maybe one of them saw him outside this morning, and send Erestor to me. He is very close with Erestor, perhaps he knows of places where Estel likes to play that we do not, hurry I do not want to lose any more time, we must find him now!”

“Find who Ada?” piped a little voice from the doorway.

The three elves turned and spoke almost simultaneously, “Estel!”

Elrond rushed forward and swept the little one, his rabbit, and his yellow blanket up into his arms, “By the Valar Estel…where have you been? We have been worried sick about you, where were you little one?”

“I believe I can answer that question for you my Lord,” said Erestor from the doorway. “Estel arose somewhat ‘early’ this morning and came to Glorfindel’s and my chambers…he…ahh…”

“Speak up Erestor,” Elrond said irritably, “what is going on here, we were half out of our minds with worry…are you saying Estel was with you this morning?”

“Yes my Lord, I am sorry we did not alert you sooner to his whereabouts, but we thought you were still asleep…we were just coming to let you know that he spent the night…well at least part of it, with Glorfindel and me.”

Estel looked at Elrond with big apologetic eyes, his right arm wrapped around Elrond’s neck, his hand holding on tightly to Nif. With his left hand, he took the corner of his blankey and rubbed his father’s cheek, and shaking his little head said “Don be mad at ‘Westor Ada…I had a good time. ’Westor and Glorfy let me sleep in their big bed…and then me an ‘Westor played a trick on Glorfy an then…”

Elrond listened carefully as Estel outlined every detail of his time with Erestor and Glorfindel. As frightened as he had been, he found himself hard pressed to sustain his anger as he watched the smile spread across Estel’s face as he recounted his big adventure. The more Estel talked the more relaxed Elrond became, and the more he thanked the Valar for this wonderful gift he’d been given.

As Estel continued to tell his tale, his brothers made themselves comfortable on his bed. Elrond sat down in the rocking chair with Estel in his lap, and gave the child his full attention. Erestor tried to slip quietly from the room to give them their privacy, but Estel caught him and reminded him…

“Don’ forget ‘Westor we have to have our big breakfast…but first I have to get Ada and my gwedeir dressed and evathin’…a’right?”

Erestor, like Elrond could hardly contain his smile, but answered the little one as seriously as he could.

“All right tithen meleth nín, I will not forget…I will save a place for you at table, join me as soon as you are dressed…and as soon as you have…attended to your charges,” he said with a smirk, then turned and closed the door behind him.

An exuberant Estel scooted down from Elrond’s lap and began to demonstrate how he managed to get Glorfindel’s door open. As the child showed his father how he enlisted the help of his friend Niphredil to gain entry into the room, Elrohir quietly studied Elladan.

The older twin sat leaning back against the headboard of the boy’s bed lovingly watching Estel’s antics. The child had been with them almost two years, his fourth birthday would be upon them in a matter of weeks; but already he had stolen their hearts; and the hearts of just about everyone else he met.

Elrohir could see how his brother struggled to hold back the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes. Gently he placed his hand on Elladan’s thigh, rubbing it slightly and gaining his attention. No words were needed; he could see the relief spread across his brother’s countenance. Estel was safe. Safe in his own room and showing the world just how capable he could be, if he needed to be. Elladan secretly prayed that he never lost this innocence, this joy for everything new and unlearned. He prayed that he would always be as independent and sure of himself as he was at this moment…showing the world how he got that tunic on…all by himself.