******

Gilraen woke fast of heart as her last desperate grasp of a dream or vision slipped away. Only foreboding remained. She consulted the window for some sense of what today might bring. The weather had cleared after a night of summer thunderstorms, leaving greenery more vibrant and sweet smelling with the dawn. Already Elvish singing echoed down the hallways as the household began chores.

Waking her son, she readied him for the day, anticipating a knock on the door. Occasionally Elrond sent word to suspend the morning's activities. Gilraen had ceased inquiring towards his reasons even casually, for none would specify. "He is required elsewhere," went the usual explanation, followed by an invitation to some other occupation. No messenger came.

Estel squealing from the doorway startled her out of preoccupation. Realizing what her difficulty had been, she put the right foot into the right shoe. "What is it today, Estel?"

"Horsy!"

Once dressed, she came to the hall in time to watch the second race conclude. Estel galloped to a stop before her and presented the winner, a fine steed carved of driftwood that, her son explained, would be too lonely if left behind during breakfast, being a horse -- which apparently made perfect sense to him.

As they went, Gilraen watched Estel frolic ahead and remembered seeing driftwood in the storehouses' supply earlier that month. Telmoth might know when it had arrived in Rivendell, or who brought it. Such information could prove vital in Gilraen's quest to discover who had been responsible for the many gifts left for her son over the months.

In the banquet hall, Elrond was not among those breakfasting. After seating her son with a meal, Gilraen approached Lindir where he sat, who often carried messages. "I do not think Master Elrond would leave you to wonder," said the Elf. "And I've heard of no changes to this morrow. But why do you ask?"

Smiling, Gilraen replied with an elvish adage: "Just something the wind said." Lindir chuckled until she returned to Estel, and then relayed their exchange to the next Elf who came in. If he noticed her evasiveness, she noticed he only answered for the morning.

Later, they met Elrond in the library. Still on watch for anything abnormal, she only noticed that he seemed to have just arrived himself. He received them as usual. After an excited greeting from her son and a problematic introduction of his nameless horse, Elrond suggested that a name be appointed anon, and spoke to Gilraen as the boy pondered.

"Telmoth is away on an errand," he said. "You are welcome to remain or see to other things as you wish."

"I would be glad to stay." She took a seat and wondered what kept Telmoth away.

The past weeks adopted this pattern: Gilraen emerged at dawn with Estel to breakfast with the earliest risers of the house. If Elrond sat not among them, he could be found here, always able to interest her son in hearing a tale or two. While Estel was entertained, Telmoth came to borrow Gilraen; thus she had gradually been taught those duties required of a delegate for Elrond's House.

This morning, Estel showed little interest to continue yesterday's saga; instead he and Elrond sat discussing which names were fit for a horse and why. Gilraen watched with amusement. Elrond suggested places and people and qualities. Estel proved more creative, suggesting 'Run' and 'Leapt' and 'Trek'. Elrond kept from laughing without apparent struggle, commending each addition as unique and fair, while Gilraen hid behind her hand.

"Well, virtues and things are common names," said Elrond. Estel had asked why she called his choices 'special'. "But you liked Bestest in particular, did you not? That is a fine name," he glanced at Gilraen, her smile reflected in his eyes, "and being an un-word, 'tis very special indeed."

This led Estel to wonder if 'Unword' was even better than Bestest, then suddenly, he became fervent to see pictures of real horses, all prior business forgotten as only a child of three could manage. Their new mission led them throughout the house. Paintings were plentiful, yet the majority of them hung in no single area. Estel galloped ahead with Gilraen and Elrond following the echo of his whinnies, until horse and master quieted when it came time to listen as Elrond told the tale each image represented. If he made it up, Gilraen admired his storytelling; if he did not, she marveled at his memory.

Once when Elrond had lifted Estel for a closer view, Gilraen turned from another illustration to see her son sound asleep, head upon shoulder as if it were the softest pillow. At first, she thought Elrond still spoke; a step closer and she heard the end of some ditty, whispered.

"I've been meaning to ask," she said. "Does he always nap before I return in the daytime? Because if not, he fibs."

Elrond smiled. "It is later than you think," he said, and rested his own head with closed eyes a moment. It struck Gilraen that they looked alike -- or no, a trick of the light. Estel's hair was more brown than black, his eyes closer together, he was paler.

"He will not wake." Elrond had been speaking.

Deriving purpose from his position, she moved to shift Estel into her arms. He readjusted to her smaller shoulder, and stirred no more. "The thunderstorm kept him-- well, us, awake much of last night. He'll probably sleep all the afternoon away."

"Then you should both rest," said Elrond. "When Telmoth returns I will tell her not to look for you."

After thanks and farewells Gilraen headed for her room. In truth, she was sleepless before the thunderstorms gave Estel cause to join her. She had considered and decided against telling Elrond of her strange foreboding that persisted. Surely if something were amiss, he would know already.

When they passed through the last hallway, a horn sounded from afar. Recognizing it as the sentry announcing a rider's return, she proceeded unconcerned. A nearer horn followed moments later, the note changed and with it the message. Gilraen turned the handle back and forth as her thoughts wavered between beholding what her heart had long feared and locking everything away inside that room.

She retreated to a window that overlooked the courtyard below. There Telmoth sat upon her horse stomping in distress. Before her stood Elrond. They exchanged a few words before Telmoth rode off, towards the stables or elsewhere, Gilraen could not see. Elrond remained, still as stone, looking towards the road. In that moment, a passing Elf paused beside her to peer outside. "Have any healers arrived, I wonder-- ah good, Elrond is there." Shaking his head, he sighed. "Alas that they shall become hale only to leave again."

Once he no longer blocked her view, Gilraen saw that more Elves had emerged from the house, and from the road, two familiar grey horses. One was riderless and distraught even as an Elf tried to soothe the animal. The other bore two riders whose backs faced Gilraen, but whose identities were writ upon Elrond's face as he approached them.

A twin dismounted, the blood on his clothes and the expression he wore relaying the severity of words muted by glass and distance. The other remained slumped on the horse, shivering despite his brother's cloak over his own under the noon heat. Elves rushed up carrying a bier between them, and Elrond transferred his son to that support. Thus turned, his ashen face contorted in pain came into plain view.

Flinching at that, she dropped her eyes to her son, unaware in his sleep of what transpired or that he would cause the same grief in his own time. Unaware of what foresight revealed to his mother. Scraped knees from running too fast would be snakebites from learning woodcraft, then cuts and bruises from training would be broken bones from battle -- with Elrond to tend them all, just as he takes back his sons full of holes and lets them go away full of wrath. Gilraen blinked. She did not know that.

She left to put Estel to bed.

***

Estel, after peeking inside their room, backed away from the doorway. "Where's Masser?"

His curiosity had not subsided since supper, when he first noticed 'Masser' Elrond was absent. "Sleeping, Estel. Time for us to sleep too now. Come inside please."

He stomped along, fussing to be undressed, washed, and put in a nightshirt, until Gilraen felt certain that he would fall fast asleep spent from the effort -- but not yet. Someone knocked on the door. Estel leapt out of bed, chanting 'Masser, Masser' as he sprinted towards the entry. Gilraen had only enough time to cover herself with a robe before he tipped the footstool over and hefted the door open. Little rascal.

Elrond looked bemusedly at Gilraen across the room until Estel caught his attention below. "Ah," he said, and smiled. "I had hoped to find you both yet awake."

While Estel raised a finger and raced off to accomplish some task, Gilraen came to say quietly, "Are they all right, lord, your sons?" At Elrond's look, she added, "I saw them ride in earlier." By that same look, she thought better of mentioning how Elves had been speaking of it through supper.

He nodded. "Elladan is resting comfortably at last." Seeming to think or remember, he paused. "He asked of your wellbeing, in fact, and that of your son. I told him you both were well of course, but occupied." Another hesitation. "He had also asked to see you." When Estel returned with his horse, so too returned Elrond's smile, and he knelt. "Though I digress. That is not why I came."

Amid other talk, they revised their earlier exchange of possible horse names. By the time Elrond stood again, Gilraen had decided to say, "Still, if you see no harm in it, lord, then I am not opposed. We could have a short visit and not be too late to bed. Right?"

Estel agreed heartily, then asked of what.

Elrond was slower to consent, until she had assured and reassured him that it was no trouble even at this hour, that she had even considered it beforehand, and that Elladan had earned even greater favors. On the way there, she alternated between thinking Elrond looked relieved and expecting him to turn round and lead them back; he neither stopped nor spoke, until they came to a dim room brimming with the smell of athelas.

On opposite sides of the doorway, they waited. Gilraen lifted Estel to her hip. Inside, an Elf bent over a figure who must be Elladan, twisting on a bed. Elrond's eyes followed each movement. "The poison had already begun its work before I could begin mine," he said. "When I left, he had fallen asleep. I see he has woken. He may not be--"

"Father?"

The rest of his words dissipated in a sigh. Elrond ushered Gilraen further within and went fast to the bedside, where the Elf backed away, hands spread and head shaking.

"Happening again, father-- I am falling, falling!"

"Nay. Here, take mine hand. The bed is underneath thee. Thou cannot fall."

"Tis all wrong. Stars, lost them, so many."

"Shh, shh."

Elrond put his hand to Elladan's brow, who soon relaxed. Until then, Gilraen thought she saw harm in bringing her son here after all, that he witness this. She whispered in his ear that Elladan was only having a bad dream, and tried to keep him otherwise distracted with his horse. Elrond came near them again to fetch water that Elladan had asked for. For her hearing, he said, "This is what I feared, that he would not be-- himself."

"It's all right," she said, guessing his mind. "We can go. We'll come back another time."

"Are they here?" Apparently Elladan was himself enough to switch to Westron when speaking of her.

Elrond looked first to Gilraen, and with a gesture like a shrug, returned to sit upon the bedside. "Have some water, my son."

Gilraen came up behind him. Assisted, Elladan drank a little, and fell back against pillow as one exhausted. Though upon seeing her, some animation came into his wan face. "There you are." He raised his hand in an effort that missed Estel by two feet, and gave up.

While Gilraen was occupied trying to think of something lighthearted to say, the Elf brought a chair for her. She sat down and offered, "We are calling him Estel now."

"You did get it. Good boy. Told Lindir. He forgets." Estel leaned forward in her lap to parade his horse along the mattress, educing a faint smile from Elladan at the expense of his open eyes. "I-- more careful. Teach you better, Arahad. The best. Promise."

She saw Elrond flinch and heard the Elf gasp from elsewhere in the room. For a while no one moved, save her son in his playing. When Elrond reached over to adjust the blanket covering his son, Gilraen stood up. "Say goodnight, Estel." She waited until his horse finished one last leap across Elladan's wrist, and then picked him up. Estel said goodnight. Elladan spoke no more.

Elrond followed them to the door.

"We can find our way back alone. It's all right." She saw him waver. "You should stay with him, lord, truly, I insist."

Looking back, he nodded once. "I thank you, and on Elladan's behalf as well. He is-- in a confused state, at present, but I think he will remember that you came."

Gilraen was in a confused state of her own, and she would sooner forget the whole affair.

"Arahad. Arahad, nana!" Estel shook the horse under her nose as they went. She did not answer.

*******