Just a quick story of young Estel.

A spring day in Imladris

It was a beautiful lazy sunny spring day in Imladris. The birds were busy gathering materials for their nests. Bees were buzzing around the early blossoms, gathering nectar.

Elrond, Lord of Imladris, was attempting to focus his attention on reports from the scouting expedition that had recently arrived. He found himself rereading the reports several times, and still not getting any information from them.

He sighed, then laid them aside. He wondered briefly where his sons were. Suddenly, he could hear the sounds of running footsteps in the hall. He waited, knowing what was next. He then heard the sound of someone sliding across the floor, then *thump* as someone collided with the wall.

He arose, starting for the door, when there came the unmistakable sound of two more sets of running footsteps, sliding, then *thump* thump*.

“Elladan! Elrohir! Estel! How many times do I have to explain - NO RUNNING, NO SLIDING IN THE HALL!” said an exasperated Elf Lord. He opened the door in time to see his twin sons pick themselves up from the floor. Estel was looking at him with an innocent look that did not fool his father.

“If you MUST make noise, please do it outside,” said Elrond with a smile. “It would be most appreciated.”

“Yes, Ada,” said three voices at once. With that, all three took off running. Suddenly, Elrohir turned around and picked up the four-year old human, throwing him over his shoulder like a sack of meal. Estel was giggling the whole time. Elrond watched as they barreled through the door into the gardens. Elrond just shook his head.

He re-entered his study, hoping to finish his work. It came to him slowly that it was now too quiet; no running, no waiting for bodies to hit the walls. He wondered what was happening outside.

Elladan and Elrohir were chasing Estel around the gardens, catching him, and tickling him. Estel would run after his brothers, trying to catch them. Of course, they would let him catch them, and the laughing and tickling would begin anew.

Elladan saw his father coming through the hall, heading for the gardens. He signaled to his twin. Elrohir caught Estel, and whispered in his ear, “Ada is coming. Let us surprise him. I’ll take you up into the tree, and we will hide.“

Estel nodded enthusiastically. “Will he see us there?” he asked.

“No, I’ll go up high. We will not be seen.” With that, he took Estel and climbed the nearest tree, with Elladan right behind him.

Elrond looked into the gardens and did not see anyone there. He turned to go back in when his eyes caught a gleam of silver in the tree. He went back out. “Now I wonder where is everyone? Maybe they are riding gwilwileth. Mayhap the eagles came, and they are riding them. No, I know! They are riding dragons! I do hope they return in time to help eat the blackberry tarts that are being made for lunch.” As he spoke, he came closer and closer to the tree where his sons were hiding.

As he approached the tree, he could hear Estel giggling. “Ada is silly. He thinks we ride flutterby and dragons and eagles!” Elrond could hear Elrohir tell Estel to be very, very quiet.

“But, El! We will miss blackberry tarts!” Estel loved the tarts, and could eat an amazing amount if he were allowed to.

“Very well,” said Elrohir, taking pity on his young brother. “We are up here, Ada. We will be right down.” As he was speaking, Elladan started down, with Elrohir following.

Elrohir slipped, but caught himself on a branch.

As they gained the ground, Estel went to his father. “Ada, I hit my owbow when El was coming down.” He showed his elbow to Elrond, who nodded.

“Yes, there is a small cut. I will clean it when we go inside. And Estel, it is ‘elbow’.”

Estel put his hands on his hips and said “That is what I said - owbow.” With that, he turned, and with all the dignity he could muster, entered the door, leaving his brothers and father smiling at each other.

Elrond said, “I stand corrected.” With that, the three elves followed Estel through the door.