Estel | Aragorn Fanfiction

Lúthien

The odd group and herself had been travelling with each other for a day or so. It would take them at least 3 days to travel through the beautiful forest before they'd even see any signs of elves as most lived in the very center of the forest in Caras Galadhon. There was something off about them. She knew there was and if her instincts were correct then this group, they were the ones she was searching for.

The ones with the One Ring.

She didn't ask them about their quest or what happened to them although it's fairly obvious that they were fighting Orcs. She never asked why Merry had a poisoned arrow in his shoulder and she most definitely never asked why whenever any of the group had a moments rest, a tense grief hung over them, drowning the atmosphere in their dark emotions that nothing but sleep could offer them all any form of peace.

All of them looked at her suspiciously whenever she was around except the Hobbits and Estel. They seemed to think she was okay. While they travelled, you would find her in the presence of Pippin, laughing at the jokes and stories he told, looking over Merry every few hours, and talking with Frodo and Sam about the Shire as it seemed they dreadfully missed home. She also spoke with Estel and answered any questions that he always seemed to have for her.

"Why do your family call you Eleniel?" He asked her one day as they walked at the back of the group, the Hobbits always in the middle with Legolas who was carrying a sleeping Merry, Gimli and Boromir at the front.

"Well why do your family call you Estel? It is an Elvish name yet you are no Elf." She shot back at him, a small smile making its way onto her lips.

He smiled brightly at her. "They call me Eleniel because that is what my Ada wished to call me. My Ada use to always say that I was the star of his life that shone brightly and that even if his life wasted away or became barren of happiness, that I would always be there to guide him out of the darkness." Tears flowed down her cheeks as she thought of her father. Her beloved Ada. Her family. Her brothers. Her people. How she longed to be with them again. How she longed to gaze upon their faces, to bask in their presence but not yet.

Not until the darkness of Melkor and Sauron was cleansed from Arda.

"I am sorry. I have caused you distress by asking you such a personal question." Estel said. Eleniel snorted, quite unladylike before smiling.

"That is hardly a personal question Estel. You asked a question and I answered. I merely miss my family and I shall always until I see them again." She replied, giving him a small smile before looking at the dancing Hobbits in front of them.

"Now, tell me why they call you Estel then?" Eleniel asked him, eager to move onto another topic of conversation.

"I do not know. I think my parents just liked the name and decided to call me Estel." Estel replied, the corners of his mouth tightened as he gave her a rather fake smile. He was lying but that did not bother her. If he did not want to tell her, why would she push him?

She giggled, "Yes well I've met many parents who are like that. It is amusing when some do not know the meaning of the name they call their child but I trust that is not the case for yours." She teased him while he rolled his eyes at her.

"You do not need to worry for me, my lady." he said cheekily, winking at her. She laughed before they settled into a comfortable silence. Estel was a good man she concluded. He did not judge someone on their race or any outside circumstances but on the merits of their character. She knew that she would get along with him just fine.

They walked on for the rest of the day, only having a break for Eleniel to check Merry's wound and to eat although it seemed that the group did not have much so she shared her food with them. It seemed that her tendency to overpack helped this time.