From Argwon to Ethel

Summary: When young Aragorn comes to Imladris to live, there is a great deal of adjustment made on everyone’s part. Written for the Teitho contest 'Moments of Transition'.

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“Nana, where Ada?”

Gilraen looked up from her embroidery to see her little son gazing up at her with his wide grey eyes, so like his father’s. Her heart clenched at the thought and she had to steel herself to speak normally. “Your ada is right here, little one,” she said softly.

“Estel, come here.”

That was Lord Elrond, sitting at his desk in the library where Gilraen was wont to come and sit away from the hustle and bustle of Imladris. It was always quiet here in Elrond’s library and she thought of it as a refuge. She was sitting on a bench on the balcony overlooking one of the gardens in full bloom this fine summer day. Little Aragorn — No, she reminded herself sadly, Estel. His name was Estel — continued to stare at her, ignoring Elrond.

“Want Ada, Nana. Where Ada?” Now tears were beginning to form in his eyes and Gilraen hoped there wouldn’t be a scene.

It had only been a month since that terrible, fateful day when her beloved Arathorn had been brought home to die. There was barely time for a proper funeral before Elrond’s sons were whisking her and her son away, bringing them to Imladris where Lord Elrond welcomed them. It had been Elrond who declared that her child should go by a different name to hide his identity.

“The Enemy has always sought news of the heirs of Isildur,” he told her. “Your son is that heir and he must be kept safe and hidden from prying eyes. I have already put out that he has died of a fever, which is why you and he were brought here, that I might cure him, but you arrived too late. That, at any rate, is the word that is even now spreading among the Dúnedain… and others.”

Gilraen had been in too much shock then to protest and so she had to keep reminding herself that Aragorn was Estel and that his adar was not Arathorn, her beloved husband and the other half of her soul, but Lord Elrond Half-Elven, Master Healer of Imladris. And she? What was she? She was unsure and was too shy to ask, dreading the answer.

“Estel,” Elrond said again, sounding as kind as summer, “come here to Ada.”

Aragorn turned to the Elf-lord, his expression mutinous. “Not Ethel,” he lisped. “Me Argwon. Want Ada. Want Ada.” Then he ran out of the room, crying.

“Estel!” Gilraen exclaimed, standing.

“No, Gilraen,” Elrond said with a sigh. “Let him go.”

“I’m sorry, my lord,” she said contritely. “I…”

“There is no need to apologize my dear,” Elrond said, raising a hand to stem whatever she meant to say. “It’s going to take time for him to adjust. You have only been here a month, and this is the first time he asked for Arathorn.”

“I don’t know what to do,” Gilraen responded forlornly, sinking back onto the bench. “Half the time I forget and call him Aragorn and he obviously hates being called Estel.”

“I know,” Elrond said, looking thoughtful. “I had thought that with time he would simply accept the change in name, but perhaps we are going about it the wrong way.”

“What do you mean?” Gilraen asked, intrigued.

Elrond smiled gently at the young Dúnadan Woman, who, in an earlier time would have been styled ‘the Dowager Queen’ rather than ‘the Widow of the late Chieftain’. “Let me think about it a little more. In the meantime, why don’t you go to your son and see that he is comforted.”

Gilraen recognized a dismissal however kindly put. She gathered her embroidery, gave the Elf-lord her curtsey and left in search of her child, the only link left to her former life, which even now seemed like a dark dream.

It was some hours later when Elrond summoned her again. Aragorn was fast asleep while one of the ellith of Elrond’s household watched over him during her absence. She made her way to the library where she found, not only the Master of Imladris, but his two sons as well as Lord Erestor and Lord Glorfindel. She hesitated at the door. For some reason, Lord Glorfindel intimidated her as no other of the Elves of Imladris did. She was not sure why, for he was unfailingly polite and when he smiled it was as if a hundred suns had risen. Yet, she instinctively felt his veiled power and knew that in many ways he was more powerful than even Elrond and that frightened her.

The Elves all looked her way and Elrond came and escorted her to a chair. “Thank you for coming, my dear.” He seated himself at his desk while his sons lounged negligently against the nearby map table. Lord Erestor and Lord Glorfindel sat in chairs on either side of Gilraen. Lord Erestor cast her a welcoming smile, which she returned shyly.

“What is this all about, Adar?” one of the Twins asked. Gilraen was still trying to figure out which Twin was which.

“I have been thinking that we need to change our strategy with regards to our young guest,” Elrond said. “We need to be more… insistent about his accepting that his name is Estel, not Aragorn, and that I am his Ada.”

“And in what manner are we to accomplish this?” Lord Glorfindel asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I think Estel will only call me Ada if everyone else does,” Elrond said, smiling slightly at them.

“You’re jesting, of course,” Lord Erestor said in a tone that suggested that terrible things would befall the Lord of Imladris if he weren’t.

“No, I am not jesting,” Elrond retorted. “Estel needs to hear me being addressed as ‘Ada’ as often as possible and that will only happen if everyone calls me ‘Ada’ or ‘Ada Elrond’, if that will be more comfortable for them.”

“Well, I suppose I can remember to call you Ada Elrond,” Lord Glorfindel said with a shrug and then gave them a wide grin. “I’ve called you worse things over the years,” he smirked.

Lord Erestor snorted, muttering something that Gilraen didn’t quite catch, while the Twins exchanged amused looks.

“Yes, well,” Elrond said, clearing his throat, refusing to look at anyone, “let us return to the matter at hand, shall we?”

“Having all of us calling you ‘Ada’ might work, but how do we get the child to accept that his name is Estel?” the other Twin asked and Gilraen promised herself that before another month was gone she would figure out which was which.

“I think the only way that will happen, Elrohir, is if you and Elladan treat the boy as your younger brother.”

Both Twins started. “How…?” Elladan started to ask but Elrond interrupted him.

“I know this is an imposition, my sons, but I think if you spend your time playing with him, calling him Estel and referring to him as ‘hanar’, he will eventually come to accept that role. After all, if I am his ada then it makes sense that you must be his henair.”

“But the Lady Gilraen is not our naneth,” Elrohir said softly, not looking at her, and a stillness settled over the Elves and their expressions were shuttered. Gilraen was unsure what was happening. She knew Lord Elrond’s wife no longer resided in Imladris but beyond that she knew nothing else about her.

“Nor would I want you to think so,” she finally said, turning slightly to face the two young Elf-lords, looking so much alike. “You need not call me ‘Nana’. Frankly, I am not sure I can even call you ‘Ada’, my lord,” she said, turning back to Elrond.

“I understand, my dear, more than you know,” Elrond said. “I think if you just continue reminding Estel that I am his ada that will be enough.” He cast a shrewd look at his sons. “I know how hard this will be for you, but I think it is the only way. For the time being, you are dismissed from your normal duties. Your only duty for the foreseeable future is to play big brothers to little Estel.”

The Twins sighed almost as one but they nodded their assent.

“Well, Ada Elrond,” Lord Glorfindel said with what Gilraen could only call a wicked grin, “shall I so inform the rest of the household or will you?”

Elrond chuckled. “Oh, I would never deprive you of the pleasure… my son.”

“Ha!” was Lord Glorfindel’s only comment as he stood. “Come, Erestor. Let us call everyone to the Hall of Fire and explain Ada’s plan.”

The two Elf-lords sauntered off and the Twins followed, leaving Gilraen alone with Elrond. For a moment or two, silence hung between them. Gilraen was in two minds about Elrond’s plan. She had accepted the role that Elrond had given himself as Aragorn’s new father but beyond that, it was hard for her, harder than she thought it would be.

As if he could read her thoughts, Elrond stood and raised her to her feet, smiling wistfully. “I know how difficult this has been for you, child. You are still in mourning and you’ve had little time to acclimate yourself to your new environment and position. Please believe me that I will do all that I can to make this transition as smooth as possible. Aragorn is young enough that he will eventually forget that he was ever called anything but Estel and that I am anything other than his ada. It will just take a little time. I think if my sons begin treating him as their brother that will go a long way toward helping him to accept his new life.”

Gilraen nodded. “Thank you, my lord. Do not think that I am unappreciative of your efforts on my behalf and on behalf of my son.”

“You are the widow of my brother’s descendant and the mother of another,” Elrond said gravely. “I can do no less than to succor the children of my brother’s house howsoever I may. Now, it is late. I will see you in the morning and we will begin our campaign against one stubborn man-child of the Dúnedain.” He gave her a sly grin and she could not help but giggle, feeling more like a young girl than a grown woman. Elrond kissed her gently on the forehead in benediction and she gave him her curtsey and left, feeling lighter of heart.

The next morning, she was surprised to see the Twins standing at the door of the apartment Elrond had set aside for her and her son, both of them grinning. “We’ve come to claim our little brother,” one of them said. She raised an amused eyebrow and ushered them in. Estel was being dressed by one of the elleth who had taken upon herself to act as Gilraen’s lady-in-waiting, much to the young Woman’s discomfort. The Twins practically pounced on the child when they saw him.

“Here, we’ll finish getting him dressed,” one of them said. “Why don’t you go on to the dining hall, Gilraen, and we’ll bring our hanar Estel with us shortly.”

“If you are sure,” Gilraen said uncertainly.

Both Twins nodded and, giving her son motherly advice to ‘mind your henair’, she left with the elleth. They arrived at the dining hall and Elrond greeted her politely as she stepped up the dais to take her usual place at the high table, asking how she had slept. Then he turned to the rest of the household. “Remember, I am ‘Ada’ or ‘Ada Elrond’ and my sons are Estel’s big brothers.” There were nods and quiet laughter all around. Even as Elrond was giving the order for breakfast to be served, Elrohir and Elladan came in, swinging a delighted Estel between them. They made their way to the high table, plopping the giggling child in his high chair situated between Gilraen and Elrond.

“Good morning, Ada,” both Twins said in unison. Then one of them — Gilraen thought it was Elladan — turned to Estel. “Will you say ‘Good morning’ to your ada, Estel?”

Estel gave Elrond a dubious look then turned to the Twins. “Not Ada. Elwond,” he declared before turning back to the bowl of porridge someone had placed before him.

Silence settled around them and Elrond merely nodded to his sons, letting them know that it was well. Gilraen resisted a sigh as she turned to her own breakfast. As the meal progressed, she was amused at how the Elves took every opportunity to address their lord as ‘Ada’.

“How were the eggs, Ada?” one of the servants asked.

“Would you care for more small beer, Ada?” another enquired.

“I have the household accounts for this month ready for your perusal, Ada,” Erestor told him.

“I think I will have the Greenleaf Company patrol the southern approaches,” Lord Glorfindel said at one point. “What do you think, Ada?”

And so it went. Gilraen stole a glance at her son sitting there clutching a spoon as he watched those around him, a puzzled look on his face. When the meal finished, though, the Twins quickly claimed him, declaring to all and sundry that it was now time to play with their little brother. “Shall we play hide-and-find?” one asked. “Would you like to play horsey?” the other asked. And before anyone could say a word, he lifted Estel up and put him on his brother’s back and the two of them galloped off with Estel shouting, “Faster! Faster!”

Elrond chuckled and there were many amused grins on the faces of the other Elves. Gilraen excused herself and went to see where Elrond’s sons had taken her child, curious to know how they intended to play. She found them in the lower garden, a favorite place of hers, where she often spent the time gazing out across a ravine to the distant waterfalls. Estel was swinging from one of the maple trees with the Twins on either side of him, making sure he was safe.

“Look, Nana!” he crowed.

“I see, Estel. Are you having fun playing with your brothers?”

The boy tried to nod upside down. “Yes, they is fun.”

“And after we finish swinging, we’re going to show our little brother how to float sticks on the water,” said one of the Twins — she thought it might be Elrohir.

“You are surely not taking him to the river?” Gilraen exclaimed in alarm.

“Oh, no. We’re going to play in the pond.”

Gilraen nodded. The pond was artificial and situated in yet another garden. It was happily inhabited by golden carp and frogs and Estel loved playing there.

“So, come, little brother. Let us away to play.” And shortly thereafter the sons of Elrond were off with Estel swinging gaily between them.

Thus the days went. At every opportunity when Estel was in Elrond’s presence, the people of Imladris addressed the Lord of Imladris as Ada and Elrohir and Elladan spent every waking moment playing with Estel. And when it was time for the child’s nap, they insisted on napping with him, singing soft lullabies as the boy lay between them on Gilraen’s bed. Every morning as they were sitting down for breakfast, Estel was always asked if he would say ‘Good morning, Ada’ to Elrond, but he never did, always insisting that he was not ‘Ada’ but ‘Elwond’. Elrond did not seem upset by this and assured Gilraen that it would all work out.

In the meantime, the child was beginning to respond to the name Estel, though occasionally he would insist that he was ‘Argwon.’

“But I think Estel is a much nicer name,” Elladan told him one time when he had protested being called Estel. “It is a very good name and all of Ada’s sons should have the same initial ‘e’ sound to their name.” He then pointed to himself. “Elladan,” he said, then pointed to his twin. “Elrohir and Estel,” now pointing to the boy. The young heir of Isildur gave them both dubious looks but did not further protest.

Nearly three weeks went by and it did not seem as if their plan was working, for Estel still refused to call Elrond ‘Ada’ and only occasionally responded to ‘Estel’. They were all gathered in Elrond’s library — Gilraen, Glorfindel, Erestor and the Twins — to discuss their success or failure.

“It has only been a few weeks,” Elrond said. “Do not give up. Estel is very stubborn but I would have expected no less from a descendant of my brother. Elros could give mules lessons on the subject.” His droll tone set them all chuckling.

“My question is, once Estel begins calling you Ada without being prompted to do so, how long must we continue with this charade?” Erestor enquired.

“Probably not for too long,” Elrond said. “I think if people begin addressing me as they are used to after another week or so that will be well. Remember, Estel is so young that in a few years he will most likely not even remember any of this.”

“I do not mind playing with him,” Elladan said — and Gilraen was secretly pleased that she could now tell them apart. Having them almost as constant companions to Estel had allowed her to become more familiar with them — “but we need to get back to our own duties. And what happens when we do? Estel has gotten used to having us about night and day. He’s going to be very upset when we are no longer there to play with him.”

“Almost as upset as you?” Glorfindel asked with a cheeky grin and Elrohir muttered something that Gilraen did not catch, though apparently the others did, for they started laughing.

“One thing at a time, my sons,” Elrond said once they were calmer, giving the Twins a sly grin. “That magic moment hasn’t happened yet. I think we will wean you away from your toys a little at a time. Estel goes down for a nap and sleeps for two hours. During that time you can be about some of your own duties. Eventually, we will have you not be available to play at other times during the day. I will have others entertain him. In time, he will accept that you are not always there for him but I hope you will continue to play with him on occasion.”

“Oh, no worries there, Ada,” Elrohir said with a grin. “We’ve been having fun and don’t really mind. Estel is a joy and we are very happy to be his big brothers.” Elladan nodded in agreement.

“That is well,” Elrond said and the meeting broke up.

And so they continued as they had with some minor changes. The Twins no longer stayed with Estel while he was napping but one or the other was always there when he awoke. Others began taking their place in entertaining the child. Everyone continued to address Elrond as ‘Ada’ even in private. “So we don’t forget ourselves,” Erestor confided to Gilraen when she commented on it. Gilraen sensed some impatience in many of Elrond’s household and knew that they wished Estel would cave in and call Elrond ‘Ada’ so they could get back to addressing their lord by his correct titles. The younger members, especially, were embarrassed, finding it difficult to address Elrond so familiarly. Elrond continued to be his calm, patient self.

Gilraen did notice, though, that her son was responding to ‘Estel’ more often than not and had ceased to insist that he was ‘Argwon’ but as yet he still would not call Elrond ‘Ada’. She wondered, as did others, if he ever would.

And then, one day, it happened.

There was nothing special about the day. Summer had given way to autumn and the days had turned cool and rainy. Estel was often kept indoors to play. On this particular day, nearly three months after their arrival in Imladris, Gilraen was ensconced as usual in Elrond’s library working on her embroidery while Estel played at her feet. He was drawing. Elrond sat at his desk as usual, perusing some text or other. Elladan and Elrohir had left directly after breakfast to join one of the patrols with assurances to Estel that they would return soon. He had been somewhat tearful at their leaving, but when Elrond brought him into the library and gave him some foolscap and several sticks of colored chalk he was soon happily at work.

“Look, Nana!” Estel said, leaping up to show her his artwork. “Here is Roh and Dan and me.”

She glanced at the drawing of stick figures, two of them larger than the third, the smaller figure between the two larger ones, holding their hands. “And who is that?” she asked, pointing to another figure who was off to one side and appeared to have a book in his hands, though she wasn’t sure.

“That’s Ada reading,” Estel exclaimed proudly and before she could offer any other comment, Estel was running straight to Elrond. “Ada, Ada. Look what I draw.”

She watched as the grave lord of Imladris reached down and picked her son up and placed him on his lap while Estel began describing his drawing. “… and that’s you reading,” he announced. She did not hear what Elrond said to him, only saw the boy nod and turn and give him a hug. “I love you, too, Ada,” he said and Gilraen, though she knew this day had to come, felt something within her die and she mourned for the father of her child, a father who would be forgotten except as a name in the history books Estel would someday learn to read. Elrond glanced her way, his grey eyes full of sympathy, as if he knew her thoughts. He nodded to her gravely and she nodded back.

It would be as it would be. Everything had changed for her and her son on the day Arathorn had died. For now, she had to content herself with the thought that, though she herself was alone, her beloved son now had two older brothers and a new father to care for him. It would have to do.

And then, an errant thought crossed her mind and she smiled, wondering how soon it would be before Lord Glorfindel and the other Elves of Imladris ceased to call Elrond ‘Ada’.

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Words are Sindarin: 

Adar/Ada: Father/Papa

Elleth/Ellith: Female Elf (singular and plural)

Gwedyr: Plural of gwador: Sworn brother

Hanar/Henair: Brother (singular and plural)

Naneth/Nana: Mother/Mama