Mother and Child Reunion

Disclaimer: Not mine, sigh. All Tolkien's.

Rate: PG (for angst)

Summary: Elrond has fostered Estel for two years after his father Arathorn had been killed by orcs. Now, Estel's mother Gilraen wants her son back. Elrond knows he has to let his foster son go, but will he be strong enough to get over the loss?

Warning / A/N: AU. I know, Gilraen spent her days in Imladris after Arathorn was killed and she never took Aragorn away from Elrond. Well, probably she won't do it in this story either. But we will have to wait and see. :)

Beta / Credits: Many thanks for Trinka for simply putting up with me and my plot bunnies and for encouraging me all the time. :) Also thanks to Alina for her help with this story! :)

Special thanks to Isis Whit for pointing out my mistake concerning Gilraen coming from Gondor. I know she most likely would have come from some place in Arthedain, Cardolan or Rhudaur (all three parts of Arnor) - sorry for mixing things up. I got confused by the fact that Aragorn became King of Gondor in the end and, yes, to be honest, I didn't think much about where exactly Gilraen would have come from when I wrote this chapter - not because it is unimportant in general but because to put it frankly it is absolutely unimportant for the greater meaning of this story lol :) Thank you nonetheless for notifying me! :)

Mother and Child Reunion - Chapter 1 (revised)

No, I would not give you false hope
On this strange and mournful day
But the mother and child reunion
Is only a motion away.

Elrond and his oldest son Elladan watched the small child run around in the sun-flooded gardens, chasing after Elrohir. Happy laughter rang through the small grove – coming from both the little human boy and the younger twin son of Elrond as they ran after each other. Amazing how everything seemed to be so normal and yet it was the saddest day Elrond could recall after his wife had left him to sail West so many years ago.

The Lord of Imladris sighed. Not long now and he would not hear that laughter anymore. Soon this joy would be taken away from him and from his family. Already the one who could do such a cruel thing to them was on her way to Imladris. And Erlond knew that against this one person he would not fight with all his might. This day she would arrive to claim back her son, her only child. After two years, she would snatch him away from Elrond. Just like that. His friends and advisors had told him to let it go. To let it be as nature wanted it to be. A child belonged to its mother. And he was not even the boy's real father after all. But why did his heart simply keep on telling him the young boy with the wild dark curls and the open, intelligent grey eyes and a spirit brighter as the sun was his son?

Oh, little darling of mine,
I can't for the life of me
Remember a sadder day.
I know they say let it be
But it just don't work out that way
And the course of a lifetime runs
Over and over again.

Then again, who was he to keep a child away from its mother? Now that she had fully recovered from the orc attack that had taken away her beloved husband's life, and she felt well enough to take care of her son again, what could he do? He had no right, no claim on the child, no matter how much he wished he had.

A few days ago he had already informed his foster son, his Estel, that he would be reunited with his mother soon, and the joy he had seen in the eyes of his heart's son told him that he had made the right decision. Mother and child belonged together. No matter how cruelly it broke his heart.

No, I would not give you false hope
On this strange and mournful day
When a mother and child reunion
Is only a motion away.

A small noise from the door snapped his attention away from the child that now was securely wrapped up in Elrohir's arms as he swung him around, much to Estel's wholehearted delight.

Elrond saw Glorfindel approach with a solemn expression on his face, and he knew it was time. She was here.

Oh, little darling of mine,
I just can't believe it's so.
And though it seems strange to say
I never been laid so low
In such a mysterious way
And the course of a lifetime runs
Over and over again.

Elrond heaved a sigh and turned back around. There was no need for Glorfindel to say anything. He knew. Elrond's gaze was caught by Elladan's who had stood by and watched just like he had. And in Elladan's eyes Elrond could see the same pain he felt in his heart. His oldest son nodded in understanding, which didn't go unnoticed by Elrohir. The younger twin instantly stopped swirling Estel around, his laughter died upon his lips and he looked down on the still beaming child in his arms. He securely sat the boy back down on his feet, trying hard to fight back the sadness that threatened to overwhelm him.

"Again, 'Ro, please…" Estel pleaded, holding out his arms to be picked up again and his innocent smile broke Elrohir's heart. He swallowed around the lump in his throat and looked helplessly at his father, his eyes brimming with still unshed tears.

Elrond approached the two and from behind swept Estel up in his arms, kissing the child's cheek playfully.

"Come now, my darling, you have a visitor." He tried his best to smile even though he knew that this smile would hardly reach his eyes.

"Nana is here?!" Estel exclaimed excitedly and started to wriggle on Elrond's arm.

"Ada, Ada, please, down!" He wriggled more and reluctantly the Lord of Imladris sat his foster son down on the ground. The child raced away from him into the direction of the main entrance. Elrond, Glorfindel and the twins followed listlessly.

There she stood, dressed in a deep blue gown, her dark hair neatly tied back in a royal knot at the back of her neck, an unreadable expression on her fair face.

No, I would not give you false hope
On this strange and mournful day
But the mother and child reunion
Is only a motion away.

Estel held no shyness towards her. She had written to him frequently (even though the twins had to read the letters to him because he couldn't read yet) and had even visited the valley on his two birthdays he had held there. So he rushed towards her and hugged her legs fiercely.

"Nana, you are here!" He cried happily.

She laughed, bent down and kissed the top of her son's head lovingly.

Elrond felt his heart clench painfully in his chest. Everything felt so tight and cold and empty all of a sudden. The moment had come. He would have to set his most precious treasure free. He would have to let him go. Now. And with every step he took towards the woman, he felt as if she was stabbing him with a dagger. He knew she wasn't to blame for his pain though. And yet his heart faltered until it seemed to stop completely…

Oh, oh, the mother and child reunion
Is only a motion away.

to be continued…

Inspired by "Mother and Child Reunion" written by Paul Simon