Disclaimer: I don’t own any of these characters. JRR Tolkien does.

Ok. This is the sequel to Before He Was King. It won’t follow the timeline or events as in the books.

CHAPTER 1

Two years passed since the attack by the Orcs. Estel had nightmares frequently for some time afterward, but eventually the attack became a distant memory. Elrond allowed him to begin his lessons with a sword and bow. Estel excelled at the art of weaponry. He still had a hard time making friends with the Elven children. He was considered inferior by all who did not know his true origin. Such was the thought among most elves, that the Edain were weak. But Estel felt loved, for his family never dwelled on his differences and he was raised as any Elven child would be. But much to Elrond’s frustration, Estel followed him and the twins around. They were his only source of recreation. But Elladan and Elrohir never treated him as anything other than a pesky little brother. In all reality they enjoyed his company. Elrond was delighted to have Estel with him most of the day, but he feared the child would grow to have social weaknesses, as he never had any friends his own age.

Estel was a very good student. He became fluent in the Elvish language, though he rarely used it around anyone but his family.

Estel sat at his little desk that had once been Elrohir’s, in Elrond’s study. He tapped his quill pen on his piece of parchment, trying to get his foster father’s attention. Elrond was staring out the window, waiting for Estel to finish his arithmetic problems. He heard his foster son’s tapping and turned to look at him thoughtfully.

“Let’s try a little history, shall we?” He knew Estel loved history. The eight year old smiled and sat up attentively in his chair.

“Tell me Estel, how were the Rings of Power distributed amongst the races of Middle Earth?”, Elrond asked.

Estel thought a moment, then smiled. “Nine were given to the race of men, seven to the dwarves, and three to the elves!”, he answered proudly.

“Very good.”

“That one was easy, Ada! Ask a hard one!”

Elrond smiled, accepting the challenge. “Very well. When Illuvatar created the Ainur, which tried to rebel and create his own song?”

Estel was stumped. He looked at Elrond blankly. Elrond smiled, proud that he had stumped his foster child.

“You never taught me that, Ada. But it was Melkor”, he smiled.

Elrond was shocked. “How on Middle Earth did you know that?!”

“I read it in your library.”

Elrond reached forward and ruffled his hair. “Sometimes I think you are too smart for your own good! Alright, you may go off and play. We have done enough for the day.”

“Ada, can I read your book about Illuvatar? Your special one?”

“Estel, I think you are a little young for that book. The words are not meant for an eight year old.”

“Please Ada! Glorfindel has been telling me stories about Illuvatar!”

Elrond sighed. “Wouldn’t you rather go outside to play?”

Estel frowned sadly. “With who? The other children do not like me because I am Edain”, he replied, remembering the cruel taunts.

Elrond lifted Estel’s chin with his finger. “The book is in the top drawer of my bureau. You may borrow it so long as you take very good care of it.”

Estel smiled. “Thank you Ada!”

The Elven Lord sighed as Estel ran out the door toward his bedroom.

Estel opened the door to Elrond’s chambers and stepped inside. It was nearly the most beautiful in Rivendell. The windows were made of stained glass, depicting the stars of Elrond’s  long departed parents. Elrond’s bed was adorned with burgundy blankets, lined with gold. Matching draperies hung from the windows. Outside stood an enormous oak tree. Estel walked over to the oak bureau and opened the top drawer. Inside he found the book he sought. But further back he saw a small velvet box. He opened it up and gasped. He couldn’t believe it! It couldn’t be! It was one of the three Elven rings of power. Estel couldn’t resist. He removed the ring and looped it over his thumb. The light filtered through the window and shone off it.

“How can this be powerful? It’s just a ring.”

But Estel was wrong. It was not JUST a ring. He jumped as a loud rumble was heard. An instant later there was a loud crash as the branches from the oak tree flew through the stained glass windows in an explosion of wood and glass. He yelped as a shard of glass sliced through his right calf. Estel could have sworn the tree had jumped through the window. He lay still, not moving for fear of another explosion. He looked up from the floor when he saw the feet of someone who had entered the room. Elrond stood in the doorway and froze in horror.

“Estel?! Are you in here?!”

“Ada! I’m under here!”

Elrond ran over and pulled away the branches, helping him up.

“Are you hurt, child? What happened?!”

Estel looked up at the worried expression on his father’s face. He didn’t know what to say, so he just removed the ring form his thumb and handed it to him.

Elrond’s face went from pale and worried, to red and furious. The change was instantaneous.

“YOU PUT THIS ON YOUR FINGER?!”, he bellowed, aghast.

“Y-yes. I just wanted to see it”, Estel whimpered. “I didn’t know.”

Elrond grabbed him by the arms and began shaking him.

“HOW DARE YOU?! This Ring is not yours to play with! It is extremely dangerous for ANYONE to wield it. Let alone an EDAIN CHILD!”, he spat.

 Estel cringed.

“What in the name of VARDA has gotten into you? What were you thinking?!”

“I’m sorry!”, Estel wailed as the Elven Lord shook him mercilessly.

Elrond’s grip on his arms tightened to an almost bruising hold. “You could have KILLED someone!”

“I didn’t mean to, Ada!”, Estel cried.

Glorfindel ran into the room, to find out the source of the crash he had heard from the garden. He took in the scene before him and froze. Elrond looked as though he were possessed. He was shaking Estel so hard, the eight year old’s head was snapping back and forth. Estel merely sobbed and pleaded for his foster father to stop. Glorfindel ran over behind Estel and grasped Elrond’s shoulders.

“Elrond stop!”

But the Peredhil  merely shook harder. To anyone else it would look as though he were trying to kill the eight year old.

“ELROND, YOU’RE  HURTING HIM!”. Glorfindel finally shouted.

Elrond froze. It was as if those words had snapped him out of a trance. His grip loosened and he stared at Estel who had a look of complete terror on his face. Estel wrenched himself away and took off at a run. Elrond started shaking as he stared at his hands in disbelief.

“Elrond?” Glorfindel stared at the Elven Lord worriedly.

“All destroyed”. Elrond mumbled.

Glorfindel stared at him. Elrond looked as if he were in shock. He took him by the shoulders and led him down the hall.

“Let’s go to Arwen’s room. I think you need to rest.”

“It is my fault. Gil-galad was right. It is my responsibility. Everyone could have been killed. I should have been more careful”, Elrond mumbled to himself.

Glorfindel sat his friend on the bed and sighed.

“Wait here. I will bring you a sleeping drought. You need to rest.”

Elrond bent down, putting his face in his hands. “It is my fault. He is only eight years old. He was curious. He could not have known.”

Glorfindel stopped and stared at the Elven Lord.

“All of Rivendell could have been destroyed, so quickly. I am careless! Gil-galad would be SO ashamed of me!”, Elrond cried.

Glorfindel sighed sadly. “No Elrond. He would not have been ashamed. You have done well. You could not have foreseen this. Rest here. I will be back.”  He turned to leave but Elrond’s muffled voice stopped him.

“Glorfindel. Please check on Estel. Please just…..make sure I-I did not hurt him.”

“Do not worry my friend. He will be fine.”

Meanwhile…….

Estel ran into his bedroom and shut the door tightly. He pushed a chair against the knob, securing it in place, then backed up against the wall sliding down to the floor, hugging his knees. The eight year old could not stop the sobs that wracked his small body. Visions of the previous moments kept flashing through his mind.

“Let alone an EDAIN CHILD!”

Estel had heard it plenty of times from the eleven children as they mocked him. But never from Lord Elrond, the man Estel cherished more than the sun and the moon. The man who had protected him from Orcs and bad dreams. The father that never hesitated to tell Estel he loved him as he tucked the child into bed. Estel put his hands over his ears to block out his father’s voice as it echoed and replayed in his mind. “Why did he tell me I was no different than his REAL children? He could have told me the truth. I would have understood!”, Estel cried to himself.

“You could have killed someone!”

Estel winced. “I didn’t mean to.” He felt as though the world was spinning around him. He knew his life was about to change. It was now up to him to decide how he would accept it. He jumped up and suddenly remembered the glass in his leg. He reached down and felt the sticky substance rub onto his fingers. Blood. It would have to wait.

Estel walked over to his closet and pulled out his pack. He remembered Elrond’s words.

“Seven pairs of socks, Estel. And two dark shirts.”

Estel sobbed as he finished stuffing his clothes into his pack. He picked up the small sword and bow that the Elven Lord had given him before their first voyage. He walked out to the balcony with the pack strapped to his back, his weapons sticking out form the sides. Being careful of his leg, it took him only a moment to climb down the side and run to the stables.

TBC……….

Please  R&R