This little story is part of a larger story I wrote as a ’missing scene’ for Exile/Return before realizing ’missing scenes’ were a no-no. But this is a stand alone. Hope you enjoy it. nautika

Rating: Surely it's a G, but I'll say PG to be safe
Disclaimer: Love them, but don't own them, wouldn't know what
to do with them if I had them. Definitely not making money from
them. Constructive, not destructive, review appreciated. Please let
me know if you like it!

Author's notes
· Adar/Ada = Father/informal for Father
· Dan & Ro = nicknames for Elladan & Elrohir
· Ion nin = my son

"Estel, sit still please. This is a quiet time. Remember, we each
share something about our day?"

"Yes, Estel. Why don't you settle down and you may go first."
Elladan tried to hide a smile.

Estel sat perfectly still long enough to say, "I helped in the
kitchen." Then he was once again bouncing around the room.

Elrond sighed. He did not like to scold the young human. The child
had difficulty enough sleeping nights without thinking his newly
adopted family was upset with him. But this time together was very
important to the family and Elrond wanted his new son to be a part of
that. He smiled indulgently at the boy.

"If you would just sit still I'm sure you could think of more to tell
us."

"No, thank you. Someone else may have a turn now." The boy was now
hopping across the room with both feet together and then turning and
skipping back.

"Even if someone else is speaking, Estel, you should remain still.
It is good manners."

Estel's shoulders drooped. "Yes, sir." He pulled a cushion off of a
chair where no one was setting down onto the floor and dropped down
next to it, leaning against the chair and began to play with the
cushion's edges, while waiting for one of the elves to speak.

Elrond tried to suppress a sigh of relieve and the twins exchanged
amused glances. Elrohir began to talk about the work he had done
with the horses that day. While mentioning that one of the mares
would probably deliver her foal tomorrow, Ro looked at Estel to ask
him if he would like to come to the stable to watch. To his
surprise, he found the boy had pulled the cushion up onto his lap and
had his arms under it. His feet were pulled up under him so the
massive cushion almost entirely covered him. All he could see were
his brother's eyes peeping up over the top.

"Estel, what are you doing?"

"I'm listening, Ro."

"Must you hide under the furniture to do so?" Elrond inquired of his
young son.

"I'm not hiding, sir. I'm being still."

Elrond sighed. "You are meant to sit on the cushion, Estel. It is
not intended to sit on you. Please put it back and settle yourself
properly."

"Yes, sir." Estel drug the large cushion back into place with help
from Elladan, then turned to the elf lord.

"May I be excused, please, sir?"

Elrond winced. Estel had called him 'sir' 4 times in a matter of
minutes. After coming to live with them, he had fallen easily into
calling the twins Ro and Dan. Ada had taken a little longer, but
Estel had been using it faithfully of late. Elrond wondered what had
gone wrong and when.

"Don't you want to hear about the foal, Estel?" Elrohir had been
looking forward to this birth more than any in a long time because he
thought his new brother would be excited by it. His heart longed to
see the young boy's eyes light up and he had been sure watching a new
foal born would accomplish that.

"Yes, but…"

"But what, Estel? Does it frighten you?"

"No, it's just…I'd rather hear at breakfast, Ro."

"Foaling is hardly a topic for mealtime, Estel." Elrond tried to
speak softly while at the same time remaining firm.

"Fine! Then I don't want to hear. Good night." With this, Estel
fled toward the stairs, leaving three stunned elves behind.

"I think he was crying, Adar." Elladan wanted so much to help the
child, but sometimes the young human left him at a total loss.

Elrond's eyes closed briefly to hide his own pain. He hadn't meant
to hurt the boy. He gathered himself and stood to leave the room.
Ro reached out as he passed. "You didn't do anything wrong, Ada.
It's just going to take time."

The elf lord smiled slightly. "I know, ion nin. Worry not."

Elrond applied some relaxation techniques as he climbed the stairs.
He knocked on the young human's door and opened it slightly, hearing
sniffles from the bed as he did so. So Elladan was right about the
boy crying. "Estel?"

A single sniff, then, "Yes?"

Well, at least he hadn't said 'sir'; Elrond could only hope this was
a good sign. "May I come in, my child?"

Another sniff, another "yes", but this one was weaker than the last.
Elrond entered the room quietly.

"I did not mean to hurt you, Estel. It is my job to teach you proper
behavior…the right way to act." Elrond had learned that the boy
did
not always understand everything he said, even though they normally
spoke Common now. But he was a fast learner and the elf lord felt a
true fatherly pride in this young human.

"I know." Whether he knew Elrond had not meant to hurt him or
whether he understood about his adopted father's responsibilities to
educate him was unclear.

"Why don't you come back down and join us? Your brothers and I enjoy
your company."

"No, thank you . . . sir."

That hurt. Elrond crossed to the bed, needing a physical connection
with the boy. He was almost buried under the bed covers, but Elrond
reached out and gently touched his cheek. "Estel, your cheek is like
frost! What have you been doing?"

The boy sounded old beyond his years when he replied. "Sitting
still."

Tears sprang to the elf lord's eyes as he drew the boy into his lap,
bringing his covers with him. "Oh, ion nin, I am so sorry, so very
sorry. Elves do not feel the cold like humans, but it is inexcusable
of me not to have realized. Forgive me!" Elrond held the boy's head
so it was tucked into the elf's neck and while he rocked him gently
in the bed.

Estel pulled one hand from beneath the covers and reached up to touch
the tears running down his adopted father's face. He patted the elf
lord's cheek with chubby fingers. "Don't cry, Ada. You'd never do
anything inex…inex-use-able."

This only caused the elf lord to pull his youngest closer to him,
rocking him for several minutes more. When the twins came to check
on them, young Estel had fallen asleep in his father's arms. They
crept quietly into the room to kiss their younger brother goodnight.
When they were close enough to see their father's tears, they went to
their knees beside him. "Ada?"

"He was cold." The elf lord's whispered voice broke. "He was only
moving around and using the cushion to try and stay warm."

The twins' distress was no less than their father's. The next night
began a new tradition. Family time was held in Estel's room, with
all four sitting on Estel's bed. It continued to be held there until
the fireplace could be added to Elrond's study.


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