*Aragorn: 6 years old

https://youtu.be/q117T7-XD_k

A/N: Chapter 5-7: this song is were i got the idea to write this section of the story. This song is called "Beloved" and its by Jordan Feliz. It is a Christian song and since Tolkien incorporated lots of religious things into LOTR, i thought i would try. Anyway, this song is basically a summary of this chapter and i would encourage to to listen to the lyrics. They are perfect for this chapter! :D

Aragorn started waking up sluggishly to the faint sounds of his name. His arm was numb holding back the pain, but his stomach felt sick. He heard his name be called out many times, but he tuned it out thinking that his mind was playing tricks on him.

It wasn't until he could see firelight wave through the trees that Aragorn really thought he was hallucinating. He watched the light curiously, his mind was slowly processing what was going on due to the fever setting in.

Elladan bent down to the ground, his fingers tracing the image of a boot print on the muddy forest floor. The boot mark was pointed in the directing they were going. He found another, and another and followed the trail.

"Over here!" Elladan called out to his father and brother.

The storm was lessening making it easier to call over the rain. Elrohir and Elrond hurried to Elladan's side and looked to the ground at the boot marks.

"There!" Elrohir said excitingly.

He grabbed his twins arm and drug him to the base of a huge tree with a hollowed-out hole in the center of the base. As they peered through the hole, they saw the shape of a small, hidden human inside.

Elrond pushed his sons back and knelt to the floor so that he could see the little boys hiding place. Aragorn still wasn't sure if he was hallucinating or not, so he pressed himself further back against the tree. Elrond saw the child cringe back and he slowed his next movements.

Aragorn was shivering, yet his face was flushed and he still held his left arm close to his chest tightly. Elrond saw the purple- blue bruises stand out on his white arm where the bone had broken. Aragorn's silver-blue eyes locked onto Elrond's blue ones.

"I'm sorry," Aragorn whispered now understanding he wasn't imagining things.

"Whatever about?" Elrond questioned him softly.

"That I am a human," Aragorn said as tears leaked once again from his eyes and trickled down his cheek.

Elrond closed his own eyes and tried to hold off the pain he felt in his heart.

"That matters not to me," he whispered to the boy.

"They said it did," Aragorn whispered, his breath hitching.

"They were wrong," Elrond said as he took a blanket from Elrohir from behind, "Forget the lies you heard,"

He slowly wrapped the blanket around Aragorn's shoulder.

"They said I am only adopted," Aragorn said as he held tight to the edges of the soft blanket, "They said it was bad,"

Elrond shook his head and corrected his child,

"My child, being adopted is a very special thing, indeed. I chose you, my Estel. I wanted to be with you for the rest of my time here. You are a gift from the Iluvitar to this very family of mine. You are my son in every way and your brothers, sister, and I love you so much. You are so beloved by many and I don't want you thinking otherwise,"

Elrond reached into the hollow tree where the boy was and gently stroked his wet wavy hair. As he did so, he could feel the unnatural heat of the fever setting in from the cold outside. They had to get Aragorn out of the cold as soon as possible before he got even more sick.

"No one could ever take away my love for you, Estel," Elrond continued and opened his arms inviting to Aragorn in.

Without hesitation, Aragorn fell forward into Elrond's arms. Elrond's strong arms caught the boy and his arms wrapped around his small body tightly.

"They made fun of my ears," Aragorn sobbed into Elrond's chest.

"Your ears are perfect the way they are, Estel," Elrond leaned down and kissed one of his ears, "They are perfect the way they are,"

"I'm sorry I believed them. Sorry I got lost," Aragorn whispered softly as Elrond shifted the child in his arms and stood to his feet.

Elrond bent his head low so that Aragorn could hear him and said,

"We will get you home, don't worry,"

Aragorn slightly nodded and let his head rest on Elrond's chest. He snuggled against his warm body and fell asleep before they reached Rivendell.

-----

Elrohir was watching Aragorn and Elrond from the doorway of Aragon's room. The Elf Lord was slowly rocking the boy to comfort. Aragorn was sleeping cradled in Elrond's arms.

Elrond had given the human a sleeping drug so that he could fix his broken arm without any further pain. The splint that he made Aragorn was strapped up across his chest to that it stayed in place. His fever had also broke away sometime in the night and Elrond had never left his side.

"Do you want to take a break? I can look after Estel," Elrohir suggested.

Elrohir walked fully into the room and sat on a chair across from the bed Elrond was sitting on.

"Did you hear what he said?" Elrond asked his son, ignoring his offer of looking after Aragorn.

Elrohir shook his head.

"He believes that I would think less of him because he is human and we are Elves," Elrond explained as he touched the child's soft cheek with his fingers, "Before he fell asleep, he asked me a question. He asked why his mother and I had named him, Estel,"

"What did you tell him?" Elrohir asked.

"I told him that he held great hope. He had brought so much joy and laughter back into my home and that in time he would realize just what his name acually meant," Elrond looked from his son down to Aragorn, "He fell asleep at that point, but I saw him smiling,"

Elrond gave his own smile down to Aragorn.

"He will never feel less again," Elrohir whispered, his protectiveness over Aragorn showing once more.

"He must know that he is dear to us and wanted," Elrond said as he shifted his hand under Aragorn's splinted arm for support, "Estel, has a big future ahead of him. He is destined to face great trial and hardship to his upcoming life. He is in fact a human and they are a lot different from us,"

Elrohir nodded and said,

"He will know he is loved,"

Elrond smiled at Elrohir and looked down to Aragorn as he felt small fingers wrap around his own. Elrond and Elrohir looked down to Aragorn. Aragorn's eyes met with Elrond's and he whispered,

"I do know,"

Elrond smiled and kissed the boy's forehead. He shifted Aragorn out of his arms and into the warm blankets on the bed next to him as he said,

"Don't forget it. You are essential, not accidental,"

Aragorn pulled his arm closer to him and smiled.

"As of right now, I need you to get more rest," Elrond said as a command.

"Yes, father,"

"If you need anything, we will be right here," Elrond said and stood up from his bed.

"Father?"

"Yes?"

"I love you," Aragorn grinned as he watched Elrond's face light up.

The Elf walked back over to were Aragorn lay and whispered,

"I love you too, with all my heart,"

Elrond closed his eyes and smile as Aragorn wrapped his good arm around his shoulders and kissed him on his cheek. It was good to see Aragorn home again, where he belonged.

A/N: If you are wondering why i wrote chapters 5-7, its becasue i really wanted to show the love that Elrond has for his adopted son. :D