By: Katie (Padawan to the Mute Mush Shadow)

Rating: G
Feedback: sailrscout@cox.net or JediPhoenix21@hotmail.com
Spoilers: The Mellon Chronicals
Disclaimer: I own nothing of Middle Earth or any of Tolkien's worlds or
characters. Everything recognizable belongs to JRR Tolkien, anything
else belongs to me. I have no permission to use these characters
and am receiving no money for this story. This story was written
for enjoyment only.

Disclaimer#2: This is a back story to the Mellon Chronical fic “Vilya.” The Mellon Chronicals are owned my Cassia and Sio, who are wonderful, beautiful people and allowed me to write in their world. THANK YOU!!!

Summary: A young Aragorn feels forgotten, and his brothers give him a special gift to show him he is not.


~*~
From: Vilya
By: Cassia and Sio
~*~

Elladan, reading the signs just as clearly as Legolas, gave a small,
strangled cry as he bent down to retrieve an object that lay partially
hidden in the dirt near where the tracks disappeared. Holding the object up
so the others could see, he showed them that it was the brooch off the neck
of the tunic that Aragorn had been wearing only a few hours ago. Elladan
and Elrohir recognized it immediately.

"It's Estel's..." Elrohir said with difficulty, touching the nearly
identical brooch that was at that moment fastened to one side of his cape.
"Elladan and I had them matching, and when Estel was little..."

"I gave him mine," Elladan finished his twin's sentence.

~*~

Fourteen years earlier...

~*~


Two young elves, Lómil and Celamir, talked merrily to each other as they waited in the meadow for their friend, Estel to appear. The three had made plans some time ago to spend the day hiking up the highest hill of Rivendell.

The elves had arrived far earlier than they indented and did not expect for Estel to arrive for awhile yet, so they busied themselves by playing in the tall grass and challenging each other to wrestling matches. Suddenly, a group of elves on horseback road up to them, and the young elves were stunned to see the great elf, Glorfindel, smiling down at them from his white stallion.

“Lómil, Celamir,” the golden-haired elf said to the awed children. “What are you doing out here so far on this fair day?”

“Nothing, really,” Celamir replied, forgetting what entirely their original plans had been when facing the older elf.

“Well then,” Glorfindel smiled brightly to then. “Perhaps you would like to do something, and join us on the hunt today?”

“Really?!” the elf children cried in unison. Being asked to join Glorfindel and his party for a hunt was practically a dream come true.

“Of course,” said the golden elf. “The younger generation must learn sometime, right?”

He helped Celamir and Lómil onto his horse, and together they road off into the woods.

The elf children forgot completely about Estel and the plans they had made with him. But, they had gone back on plans before and the human had always understood. He would have to understand this now as well –– there was always next time.
~*~

Little Estel ran through the woods happily, anxious to arrive at the meadow to meet up with Lómil and Celamir. The boy had never managed to reach the very top of the hill they were hiking to. But today he was determined, and his friends promised to help him all the way.

The young boy practically burst into the meadow where he was to meet his friends before they started off. The two young elves were no where in sight, but Estel was not worried. He was a little early, and if his friends had gotten a late start, it may be a few more minutes before they came around. Sitting himself on the thick, tall grass, Estel rummaged through his pack he carried –– making sure everything he attended to bring was indeed there.

A caring and considerate child, Estel always went out of his way to make others happy. He would often make a little gift or do something special for people for no particular reason, simply because he liked to see those he loved smile, and because he had a good heart.

Today, with the help of his brothers Elladan and Elrohir, Estel packed a surprise picnic lunch for his friends –– taking care to bring some of their favorite foods, along with sweet-rolls and pastries for later in the day. The child hoped Lómil and Celamir would enjoy the special meal he had prepared, he wanted only for them to be happy.

Satisfied that everything was accounted for, the patient child –– unusually patient for a child at the age of seven but when one lives with elves one learns quickly –– waited for his friends to arrive.

An hour went by, then two, finally after three hours of watching the shadows cast by nearby trees slowly move to the shifting sun, Estel knew his friends were not coming. They had forgotten...again.

The boy sighed heavily as he thought of the several times before when the same thing happened, almost more times than he could count. There was always some sort of excuse or reason. It had slipped their mind, something had come up, they had forgotten they had already made plans for that day, the list went on and on.

Although always slightly disappointed, Estel never became angry with his friends. He understood that things did not always turn out as planned, and he was not angry now either...he was very sad. Sad that he had once again been forgotten by the friends he cared dearly for. But it was not only the two young elves who tended to forget about him, he realized...everyone did.

Once he had been standing outside the stable doors, waiting there for his brothers as he had been told. Suddenly, the doors swung open forcefully as an elf on a stallion burst through them, hitting the child standing just outside and sending him sailing several feet and crashing to the ground –– the impact had broken the boy’s arm.

Estel remembered Elrohir gently taking him into his arms while Elladan raged at the elf on horse back for such careless handling of the animal when he had known Estel was just outside the stable doors. The elf apologized for his actions over and over, stating he had simply forgotten the child was there.

Estel’s thoughts then turned to the time, although he did not remember much of it, he went out to play in the rain. Everyone had forgotten about him, and by the time they realized he was missing, the human child had already become gravely ill.

Estel was not sure just how sick he had been, he only remembered the relieved look on his father’s face and the tears in his brothers’ eyes when he finally woke from his fever induced sleep.

As these thoughts ran through his mind, the boy wondered why he was so easily set aside and forgotten.

“Because you’re not important enough to be remembered,” a mocking voice in his head told him. “A lone human in a world of elves, easily overlooked and pushed aside.”

Estel did not want to believe these things, but as he continued to think about all the times he had been forgotten by those who should remember, the reality of the words began to sink into his heart –– a heart that seemed far to big for someone so small.

Grabbing the bag filled with food meant for his friends, the boy ran back into the woods the way he had come, tripping ever so often as his vision hazed with tears.

The house of Elrond loomed into view, but Estel did not rush into the building to search out his father for the love and guidance his hurting heart needed. Instead he veered to the left, towards his favorite hiding place –– a spot he frequented when he wanted to be alone.

A small bridge provided crossing over a stream and flowing waterfall above. Estel jumped off the bridge, no more than two feet off the ground, and landed on the slippery bank it covered.

Crawling under the bridge, the little child curled his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. Tears began to spill from his eyes, his heart all but breaking as a single word rang over and over again through his soul. “Forgotten...”

~*~

“I’m telling you, Elrohir, it’s not here,” Elladan fumed to his brother while rummaging through a satchel filled with herbs.

Spring was fading, and soon the Summer sun would dry out many of the healing herbs their father used. The elven twins had spent the day collecting enough of the important plants which would not survive the Summer’s heat, and could not be collected again until the following year.

The twins were arguing about one such herb that their father had specifically said they were low on and needed. Although Elrohir assured his brother he had collected the herb and put it in the pack with the rest, Elladan was just as certain the plant was no where to be found.

“It’s there, Elladan! I remember packing it. You’re just not looking in the right place.” They stopped on the bridge that would lead them home, not wanting to return to their father’s halls still arguing and still unsure of where the herb was. “Here, let me look.” Elrohir reached to take the pack from his brother, but Elladan held it out of his reach.

“Not a chance. You’ll just end up losing something else!” Elladan was really only teasing his brother now.

“Let me see!” Elrohir jumped to snatch the satchel from Elladan, knocking the pack from the elf’s hand and sending it splashing into the trickling stream below them.

“That’s great, Elrohir! Now look what you’ve done.”

“Me?!” Elrohir protested as Elladan jumped off the bridge to retrieve the pack. “Oh wait, I forgot, everything’s my fault! You know, Elladan if you would just...” but the rest of his words were cut short at his brother’s stunned and concerned voice.

“Estel?”

Elrohir instantly jumped down next to Elladan, and peered down to where the slightly older elf was looking. It was indeed their little human brother, curled in on himself under the far corner of the bridge. The fact the child did not turn to acknowledge them alerted the twins that something was not right.

“Estel,” Elladan called out soothingly, and this time the boy lifted his head to stare back at the two elves who were smiling warmly to him. Elladan held out his hand. “Wont you come out, little brother? Please?” Estel nodded and accepted the offered hand –– the elf lifted the boy into his arms and then set the child on his lap.

As Estel rested his head against Elladan’s chest, his red eyes and tear stained cheeks were easily noticed by his elven brothers –– their concern for him only grew.

“What happened today that upset you so, Estel?” Elrohir asked while gently brushing the hair out of the little human’s eyes. “I thought you were going hiking with your friends?”

“They didn’t come,” Estel said, bitting down on his lip to keep the threatening tears at bay. “They forgot.”

It was only then that the two elves noticed the pack of food that they had helped the child prepare that very morning lay untouched under the bridge where he had been hiding. The twins had feared something like this would happen. So often their little brother would come home long before he had been expected, stating that his friends had forgotten about him. The two elves, along with their father, tried to explain to the child that his friends should not treat him as though he could be pushed aside. But, Estel had to good of a heart to believe his friends would do such a thing. “They only forgot,” he would defend the ywo young elves, though disappointment and hurt still fresh in his eyes. “It’s nothing, really. We can go out again another day.” Only today it seemed the boy did not want to make excuses for his friends.

“I’m so sorry, Estel,” Elladan said. “I know how hard you worked to make the lunch for your friends and how much you wanted to spend the day with them.”

“Elladan and I will take you hiking tomorrow, if you’d like,” Elrohir comforted. “We can go up to the River-Falls and camp there for the night.” But Estel was shaking his head.

“It’s not that,” the child explained as he fiddled with the clasp on his brother’s cloak. “It’s not the lunch or not getting to hike today...it’s that...” Estel lowered his eyes and spoke in a hushed voice that was really no more than a whisper. “They always forget about me. Everyone always forgets. Why?” He looked up to his brothers again, his sliver eyes pleading for an answer. “Why do I always remember people, and they never remember me?”

The question and hurt it held pained the two elves, but what pained them more was the fact that they did not have an answer.

“I don’t know, Estel,” Elrohir said while gently stroking the child’s hair. Elladan moved the boy’s head so that it rested over the elf’s heart –– the soft and steady beating soothing the child’s weary mind. “I wish I did. If everyone on Middel-Earth was as kind and generous as you, we would all be living in a better place. But know, dear brother, that not everyone forgets you. Father and Elladan and I love you very much, and will never forget about you.”

“And I want you to take this,” Elladan said as he unclasped his brooch that matched with Elrohir’s from his cloak and fastened it to Estel’s tunic. “So you always remember that.”

“But Elladan,” Estel was stunned at his brother’s gift. “I can’t take your brooch. You and Elrohir have had them for...well, for forever!”

The twins both laughed lightly at the little human’s attempt to comprehend just how long ago the brooches were made.

“Indeed we have worn them a long time, little brother,” Elladan explained. “They were made for us during hard times, so Elrohir and I could always feel connected to each other if we were ever lost or alone. And it is for that reason I give it to you. This way when you feel that all have forgotten and there is no one left who cares –– you will have it to remind you of those who will always remember you. Father and Elrohir and I will always be with you and remember you. We love you, little Estel, and may you always remember that.”

Tears spilled from the boy’s eyes again, but they were not tears of pain as they had been before. These were tears of joy, and tears of love for the family who meant so much to him.

Estel flung his arms around his brothers in a tight hug. “Thank you,” he said to them tearfully. “Thank you both so much.”

Elrohir kissed the top of the child’s head and brushed away his tears. “You’re welcome, little brother. Never forget, promise?”

“I promise.”


“We should get home,” Elladan said, shifting the boy’s weight in his arms –– standing with him and turning to face their father’s halls not fair in the distance. “It’s getting late –– father might be worried.”

“Elladan?” the human child asked in a sleep-filled voice.

“Yes, Estel?”

“Can we still go to the River-Falls tomorrow?”

The twins laughed, and the three brothers started off towards home, Estel carried safely in Elladan’s arms. “Of course we can, little brother. Of course we can.”

~*~

Lord Elrond of Rivendell stepped into his adopted son’s room to say good night, and found the child was already fast asleep. Elladan and Elrohir had told their brother a story and sung him into pleasant dreams. They looked up as the noble elf entered the room and came to sit on the bed next to his sons.

“It seemed this one had a tiering day,” he said, looking at the sleeping human fondly. The twins had informed him of Estel’s trials today, and of the very precious gift they had given him.

“Emotionally tired, I think,” said Elrohir. “Thinking you are forgotten by all who you love would do that to anyone. And at his age it must have been all the more draining.”

“It isn’t fair,” Elladan said fiercely, the overprotectiveness he felt for the little human shining through. “That they think they can treat him in such a way simply because he is kind and does not become angry with them. His good nature is not something they should take advantage of, or take for granted.”

“Indeed not,” Elrond agreed. “It is hard for him, and it will become harder still as he grows older. Estel’s fate lies down an uncertain road, and the love you showed him today may be the only thing he has when destiny calls.”

The two younger elves were saddened at the thought of their human brother not being with them one day, but their father was quick to comfort them. “Worry not, my sons,” he said to them, taking their hands in his own. “That day is long off yet. We will still have Estel to brighten all of our lives for many years to come. And,” he smiled lightly to them. “As you told Estel, no matter what the future brings the love we all share for each other will see us through, as long as we remember it.”

Elrond squeezed his sons’ hands and leaned forward to kiss the forehead of his youngest child, who gave a soothing sigh at his father’s touch and love.

Tucking the blankets around the sleeping boy, he turned back to the two young elves watching him and said, “Know of my love, my children...always.” The elf lord slowly began to walk from the room, but stopped just outside the doorframe, smiling mischievously to his sons. “By the way, since you are going up to the River-Falls with Estel tomorrow, would you be so kind as to bring back some of the herb I asked you for earlier? I could not seem to find it in the pack you brought today.” Elrohir’s jaw dropped as his father exited the room, a soft chuckle being heard from him as he went.

“But I put it in the pack!”

“Elrohir!” Elladan scolded in a whisper. “Don’t be so loud! You’ll wake Estel!”

“But I know I put it in the pack!”

“Let it go, Elrohir.” Elladan placed a hand on the elf’s shoulder in mock comfort. “Just let it go.”


The End