None would ever say that Harry, Elcalad of Rivendell foster son of the House of the Golden Flower, Wizard from across the stars was the best of heroes. When the hobbits tell carry tales of his many ventures in the future it was due to his kindness, bravery, and listening to the whispers on the wind. The truth of boredom, impulsiveness, and sheer clumsiness were not brought to mind. The men who were in a place to tell of him often saw him as a man of great works for they had known him when they were children. The many times he said; oops, I was bored, it seem the thing to do, would you believe, and it was an accident, were only spoke of by the elves. The situation that Harry found himself in would be a very edited tale and non would ever hear the whole story.

Harry after being reminded that he was one with much to do in the world and the fact that two particular elves were depending on him snapped him out of the stupor he was in. When the creature had laid its head back on it's coils to allow him a chance to rest. Harry began to focus once more on the physical pain. He pushed back the doubts the creature had pressed to his mind and focused instead on what he knew.

His father holding and comforting him.

Lord Elrond gently tending to his many wounds as a child.

Erestor and his never ending stories.

Estel and his steadiness.

The sons of Elrond always having a moment to fill the time with laughter.

Lord Celeborn and his quiet humor.

Lady Galadriel and her soft guidance.

He wrapped his hands tightly around the strap which held many of his marbles and focused on what he did have and that which he could control. He knew the tales of the ancient heroes. He knew the acclaim that the elves held his father. He was also very aware of how uncomfortable it was to become a hero and that the hero of the tales rarely survived. Those that did manager to brake through their story and reach the end were due to sheer luck, he hope that his luck hand not ran out.

His inventory of supplies were a sword, two dozen marbles, and three knives one on his left forearm a gift from Lord Celeborn many years before and two down each boot. He took stock of his body which was now that he thought about it, was to put it simply hurt. He raised his hand to the back of his neck and found that it was sticky from where he had clawed at it. His arm and side were both burning and throbbing, he was sure that his eye was not swollen shut when he first encountered the beast. He decided that he had not been in a worse situation. There was a very soft scrapping nearby and with cracked eye he saw a small shadow creep near the doorway.

Kail the dwarf was determined to save the boy. He had failed the other artisans that had managed to break away from the carnage that Moria, their capital, had become. He and five others had found a chimney and with great care had reached a cave far above in a mountain to the south of Caradhras. The dwarf which had died, to an ill placed hand was the lucky one. After reaching the caves above full of minerals and soft stones they wandered for days attempting to find an exit. Their hearts grew heavier and heavier in time simply fell to their knees. It was no surprise they were soon fell upon, and a troop of lesser orcs captured them. Kail a master mason and stone worker was thrown into a cave and had heard the screams of the others for years. Each was consumed one bite at a time. When it was his turn he had only hoped that his end would come he had lasted for five hundred and ninety seven sleeps. He was sure that it was a twist of fate that his chamber door was left open and that he had the clarity to crawl away. He was sure there was a higher purpose in his survival, for he would have died had the boy not left food for him and managed to kill the others while he was too weak to defend himself.

Having followed the footsteps of the other down he found rooms which had been enclosed and set fire to. He was unsure how it had managed to burn hot enough that the walls had melted in several place or burn without fresh air. He was rather surprised to see that the one which should have been his savior was sitting on a shelf with his face nearly shoved into the stone wall.

He raised his hand to the boy, to which the boy gave him a rather perturbed look. The boy sat forward and hobbled to his feet pulling a sword from his back with one hand and several small balls from a strap across his chest. He then began to toss them across the room. Kail quickly jumped back against the wall when the creature began to stir. He begain to search in earnest for weakness in the stone wall.

Harry rethought how his situation could be worse; he could be saved by a one armed dwarf. Lord Celeborn would never forgive him.

They were both turned from their respective occupation. Harry setting up marbles and the snake to encourage him to regain hope, by a rumbling on the other side of the door the wall began to crack. "Yes a bit more and I shall be free!" It slammed it body against the wall and the crack spread and array of fractures. There was lno time for more planning, which was little in the first place, with a burst of power fire flew up from the marbles around the room.

"What it this?" it jumped up and exposed the neck portion under the feathers. Harry took that as permission and leapt with the sword before him. He was however Harry, and missed. The sword and he landed on a wing the blade ripped through the flesh and his weight sliced it straight down. The beast screamed and he rolled when a coil neatly landed where his head should have been, thus leaving his sword behind.

"Over here you over grown worm!" the dwarf had in his hand Harry's staff which he was jabbing at the belly in front of him. Tied where his arm should have been was his sack of marbles which had been in the pack. The snake attacked the door it's face too big to shove through. Harry pushed more power into the marbles flames turned from a hot red to a shearing white. The walls around the room began to turn black and popping could be heard. The snake looked behind and above; he dove for the door stumbled and landed squarely on the dwarf.

"Give me that." He snatched the staff back and raised the flames to greater heat. The screams echoed around in the caverns. The dwarf went back to the wall where he began to hit at a random spot on the wall.

"What are you doing?" he asked calmly both ignoring the smell coming from beside them, neither would say that it reminded them of roasted duck.

"Well boy if we can break this fracture the stone there," he said pointing to a boulder that was half as tall as a man and twice as wide. "will dislodge and then the whole thing should cave in."

"Should cave in?"

"It could simply fall down." He said with a shrug. He went back and began to slam a rock into the stone wall behind him.

"Give me that." He took the rock and did the work for him. The pain it caused sang into his bones.

"Use your stick to pry a little."

"It is not a stick it is a staff. A wizard staff."

"A wizard boy? I have heard of more peculiar things. Too bad you can't burn it loose like the flames in there."

Harry gently laid the rock down "I am an idiot."

He went back to the room and rolled a few more marbles. Then climbed back to where the dwarf was watching him. He then places a single marbles into the small fissure. It's light was a gentle blue. Placing his staff against the stone and water began to flow from the marble and the stone wiggled. He pushed more power into the stone and it began to shift. Water was flowing down the wall in a stream. The stone finally moved with the waters flow. Harry grapped the dwarf and pulled him back. They both watched the stone slowly slip from the wall, rolling in front of the door. More water continued to flow both on them and into the room.

It was no surprise to the dwarf that the wall began to buckle and cave inward. Harry looked up after a stone knocked him on the head. He saw that the ceiling was shaking much the way the stone wall had been. He grabbed the dwarf by what was left of his shirt and ran. Behind him the creature's screams reached a fevered pitch then stopped. Moments later the itch was gone and it was dead.

Epic battle it was not

They did not stop running as the ceiling and stone behind them were falling. The rooms around them were drooping faster than their broken bodies were capable of moving. They were forced to simply run and hope that the stones that did not land on them. With the sun ahead they made one lash mad dash.

"Ack!" He twisted and swung the dwarf off his feet, He stumbled and let the dwarf pull him to the floor. The fell down and away from the pillar that landed in their path. The dwarf grumbled but they were still alive. The entrence hole was however larger and they fell out ranther run.

They landed against a tree huffing and puffing. They however did turn when the world around them began to shake. The tree promptly dropped them and moved. Harry was forced to acknowledge that he had never seen the trees actually move, it was a peculiar sight. They however were following the tree when the stones under their feet began to shift. The world around them ended, it was fire, boiling water, and rock rained down. It was hot, messy and loud. The only thing that existed was the sound of his breathing the pain in his body and the dwarf by his side.

He looked up and saw that where there once was a sharp cliff was a fall of stones. The entire area had caved in on itself. The trees above below and around had left. It shifted one last time as if in protest and up flew a large gray green feather, it landed neatly at their feet.

"Estel will never believe me otherwise." He stated and stuffed it into his cloak pocket.

"Who is Estel?" he was sure that the dwarf would be concerned to more important things later.

"The Future King, Chieftain of the Rangers of the North and the man whom I regularly annoy."

"You annoy and disrespect a future King?" it was filled with such disbelief he was hard pressed not to laugh.

"He is also the boy that I grew up with. Some years older than my mere six years when we meet it was my honor bound obligation."

"Bah!" he looked back and the new landscape. "It was only supposed to knock down one wall. It should have caved into one room." His voice was rather perturbed.

"I did cause a good deal of damage to the walls. And the flood. I did fill the room with boiling water behind us."

"You weakened many small chambers." He continued on for him. "Filled a mineral cavern full of boiling water? Yes might cause the damage." He then began to snicker which was most likely an inappropriate response but he could not help but join in. Sometime later they rested side by side.

"The name is Kail the finest mason and stone cutter in five centuries son of Groven of the Blue Mountains."

"Harry of nowhere in particular. Foster son of Lord Glorfindel House of the Golden Flower."

"How old are you boy?"

"I am seventy and five."

"Not yet eighty and you are off making trouble why I am of a mind to have a word with that foster father of yours." Harry decide to ignore the grumblings of the dwarf he was sure that they were both hurting enough that anything to take their mind off their pain was welcome, even a dwarf questioning his father mental state. He questioned the mental state of elves constantly himself.

Harry spent the afternoon gathering what herbs he saw along the way. With night coming he they made a stop next at the edge of the next cliff ledge.

The fire burned brightly under the dense canopy. He made a mash of herbs with he applied to the dwarf open wounds. He wrapped his broken bones in pieces of his cloak. The dwarf had made clothing out of his clothing before seeking him out. They were both dressed it was however in stained torn ripped and worn clothing. They were both in a rather sad state.

Harry lay back watching the stars spin above his head he was beginning to feel at peace. He could never relax when he was enclosed.

"Your glowing boy."

"Oh I forgot I lost my hood." Looking over at the dwarf he debated telling him the whole of his story. And was wondering how much he should tell. "I am not born of this world and was brought to this world before I can remember much of my own."

"You were brought to this world?"

"One might say I was reborn in this world."

"You're an odd one."

"I have heard that before." He shut his eyes and let himself sleep with the sky filled with the light of Varda above his head.

"Going to be difficult getting down without a rope." Kail stated the next morning while looking down the cliff some ten yard to the forest floor.

"I had a rope in my pack."

"Where is your pack?"

"Back under the mountain. Along with my sword, food, and many marbles."

"Why did you do that?"

"Kail are you deliberately attempting to bother me?"

"Yes."

"Well it is working."

They over the next week they would get to know one another and learn that they had much in common. They were both underappreciated and only sought out when they were in need of their skills. They were both left to their craft and neither desired to make their name by fighting.

"I dream of discovering a new mountain for our people to explore and make our home where my skills will be of use for creation rather than repair."

"I dream of dumping honey over Erestor's of Rivendell's head. That would be a true show of bravery."

"Who is the Erestor?"

"My tutor and perhaps the one elf that does frighten me."

"What of this Lady Galadriel whom you seem to hold in great esteem?"

"I do not fear her, it is more I hold respect for her power and age."

"Ah." He scratched at the hole that his ear used to be his ear. "So you fear her."

"Hush."

"Ha Ha! I Kail now know the truth Harry of Rivendell fears a bookish elf, bears and a women."

"I do not fear her. I simply …"

"Quack from her wrath, cower at her vengeance, despair her anger.

"I call her Granny thank you very much. I know her to be a powerful person of great magic, she has the gift to look into the future and see what may lay ahead. I also know that she can see into your mind and cause pain in your soul as she pulls your memory from you."

"So you fear her."

"Hush Kail."

"You forget she is the one that sent a us to find you." He looked up beside his head was feet shod in light leather boots. Up the white pants to a white blouse to Lord Celeborn's face.

"Hello my lord. Good thing I did not say I also think she is a bit too proud."

"Celeborn you mentioned him several times. Lord Celeborn the second bravest man he knows for you married Lady Galadriel, the women this boy holds in fear."

"Do not." He muttered.

Neither rose mostly because they were still too sore to move if not necessary, and climbing without rope with broken bones is difficult. Kail complain rather loudly several times 'You do it with one hand you over grown boy' Harry saw no point in pointing out that he was going with just one arm. Kail was also making a point he did not fear the elves after what he survived there was not much an elf could do to him.

"Master Dwarf. My lady wife sent us with food and clothing." He tossed a parcel at him. He pulled a little and a gray cloak and tunic and breeches and leggings of leather. He also removed leaf wrapped bread which he promptly broke off and stuffed into his face.

"A pleasant surprise then." He ate several more pieces then closed his eyes and went to sleep.

He after few moment of staring up at the elves above his head he eased his body up. A hand was behind his back after that and he found himself once more in the care of the elves.

He was surrounded Lord Celeborn, Rumil, and worse the sons of Elrond. The other gave a laugh and sent about with pots which were soon filled with water. He found his side and neck bandage. His bandages of torn clothing were removed and replaced with strips of clean white linen. His shoulder was re-secured.

"I am recalling a time when we were carrying this little one around looking much the way he looks now." Elrohir stated after applying a salve to the missing ears of the dwarf. Kail slept while he was bandaged.

"Yes our Elcalad is still small enough we might still carry him." The twins wasted no time teasing him.

"Do I not receive a greeting before becoming a target for your jest?"

"No." they both said.

With moon high above he ate his fill of lembus bread and his aches were eased by the tea. "I recall this tea it always put me to sleep." He was using Rumil's side as a back rest. Whilst the elves made themselves comfortable.

"That was because we wished you to feel no pain. When you were so tiny if you fell into slumber we knew you felt no hurt, therefore my father might have made it rather strong. As a grown man while still small compared to us you would also revenge should we attempt to carry you."

"I am not that small."

"Ah but you are. You stand with the shorter men of Bree." There was no way he was going to say he was also shorter than some of men of the Druland.

The wilds of the Fargorn Forest did not seem so dark with the elves now with them. They traveled slowly in difference to their newest members. Harry found himself at times leaning on his staff. Kail seemed to find a well of strength that or he did not need for the elves to feel pity.

It was only midday when Harry finally asked the question that had been on his mind.

"How did you find us?"

"My Lady wife said that we would find you and a companion." Celeborn stared he was far to lordly to roll his eyes as a man would have,

"My Lord you again did not say how you found me.

"We went to where the trees were fleeing." Rumil snickered.

"What did he say?" Kail asked.

"Rumil was only commenting on how easy it was to find our Elcalad." Elrohir said.

They wandered for three days together slowly down the mountain side. On the twilight of the fourth night they decided to make one decent. Lord Celeborn commenting that it was the last cliff before they reached the edge of the forest and that had they not picked up cumbersome luggage that they would have reached the edge the night before.

He was the last to go over the cliff, he the rope was retied to make a seat for him as he was still with only one arm. Kail was down on the ground with the others. He was telling Lord Celeborn of the trials that the dwarves went through.

"The creature of fire is awake in the depth. Out great city is lost."

"Too deeply did your people delve." He commented it might have been a haughty had not there been a tinged with sympathy.

"They elves would know nothing of pride and greed. The elves would never go against wisdom of those greater then themselves and loose a place that holds their hearts." It was not a subtle reminder that the elves went against the Valar themselves and were cursed. "Why the Duradains I know to be a mighty people and relation to a great house of elves would never let their pride and selfishness send them from their home. All should emualte the elves in their every action" Harry commented from above

He was slipping his feet into the rope when he felt a slight tug at the back ot his cloak. He turned back and saw that he was once more about to get into a situation.

"Geetings Little Star." To the protest of the elves below he was lifted high into the air. He was meeting the bright berry red eyes of an Ent. The ent then laughed lifted his hand far above the cliff into the open sky above even the tree tops. "Fly once more Little Star go home to your people!" he was given a very light push up to which he clung firmly to the finger that held him. His staff clanked sharply into the the ent palm. The large fingers lifted the staff which was little more than a twig in his large hand. "Rowan? A Little Star uses rowan a tree for the wander, the lost, and protection." Harry was sure that the elves were going to be rather upset for he was being carried away.

The calls of the elves were soon lost to him. Past creek of quick moving water passed caves of tiny fluttering lights they went. He saw a willow tree large and tall which gave him a pang of homesickness. He was shown a nest of young chicks. The Ent took him to a groove of orange blooms which fluttered with the breeze. The Ent reached out to touch a bloom, when the whole groove began to fly. The blooms were butterflies that found a place to congregate.

It was not till they had traveled many miles did the ent rest he was place on a bed of grass littered with fragrant herbs. "Might I have your name?" he asked. Really should have asked before, he thought it had just been the last thing on his mind when he was being taken from the elves whom he knew, by a creature he did not know.

"Quickbeem they call me. I was bid to find you by Fladrif for he will not come down. We will however wish to thank the one that stopped the Sorrow. We could not reach it too deep in the earth did it dwell. The older trees which have seen their brothers and sister fall by the axe still felt their memories pull forward and their pain kept them from their sleep. They are growing drowsy and their calls are not going forth."

"Calls?"

Quickbeem seemed to find humor in that for he laughed bright and lightly. His twiggy hair swished and swayed. "Ofcourse we speak the word of the trees, voices and calls long as dandelion seed float on the wind does our call reach. For many weeks did we hear of a traveling star. We watched for never had a star had legs to walk, then you began to help the trees. Nor once did you cut a green branch." As he was speaking he was pulling a bowl down and set it on a table of stone. His hand gave a soft green light when it dissipated he seemed much pleased with his work. He took a deep quaff then resented the bowl to him. "You aided the trees, drink the drought of the Ents."

Seeing no reason not to he did as he was bid and drank, the water was cool and sweet it settled in to his belly filling him with a feeling of good health. "Thank You Quickbeam for your welcome. I simply must return to the elves for they worry over me."

"Little Star you shall spend time with me and learn the secrets of Faragorn for you gave hope to us once more. Already does the shadow ease." He was lifted once more and with it he knew that the Ent drought was easing his hurts for the jarring did not send pain into his body.

He walked back the way he came. Only more slowly this time he pointed to some of the secrets. "This is one of Faragorn treasures we call them," what came out was a sound that cannot be put into words, it was a sound which brought to mind a bee buzzing by your ear on a warm summer day.
'The elves would call them Gwilwileth Gwaith."

"Butterfly people?" he was set gently on the ground before a huge tree. It was large than any he had seen before. The center was hollowed out and it was glowing from the inside. Turning around he saw that the whole of the groove was glowing in places. Gently he went to the tree and looked inside. The hollow was covered with lichen shelves where tiny people only as tall as his hand were sitting.

They were truly butterfly peoplewith colors more varied than a field of flowers. Some had wings of a dragons fly. One tiny person dressed in what had to be a cobweb for it was sheer and he felt vaguely embarrassed for looking, landed on his shoulder and poked him in the cheek. Another landed on his nose this one was a boy much smaller than the others with a mushroom cap on his head he was surly a child. He was surprised to see that they were drinking out of tiny white flowers, Other were playing on instruments made of reeds and things his poor eyes could not see.

He held out his had to one dressed in a Tulip she had the petals wrapped around her body and the edges were help together by some glowing substance. She gave his hair a tug and a bright smile. Her hair was blue as was her skin in a lighter shade. She then burrowed under his hair.

He slowly stood and reached under to remover her to witch he was poked. He found his finger which was bleeding from a tiny prick. She came out with a sword made of a splinter. To which she went back under his hair.

"She likes you."

"Quickbeam what am I to do with her?"

"The Gwilwileth gwaith do as they will. They sleep when they choose and dance as they will they are completely free. They are without power other than to bring wonder with their being."

Then little boy gave him a smile then bit him on the nose. It was as surprising as being bit by, well… a butterfly. It was too small to hurt any more than a fly bite. Harry him off gently and placed him on a large mushroom cap.

He however found himself soon being attacked no longer were they simply letting him stand there. Anther began to pull at his hair, soon after a flock of them were pulling his long hair. He was being pelted with tiny fragment of seeds and berries. He waved and arm then found his other one moved without pain. He ducked his head, tore off the bandage holing his arm still and waved them rather madly. He jumped back and tripped on a branch they had raised behind him. On his back side he must have dislodged the blue one under his hair. She stood in front of his face waving her arms in a manner of women everywhere. He could not hear what she said but it seemed to stop the others. They were soon no longer smiling but frowning and one came back with a shameful look and kissed his cheek.

"They were having fun sharing their food with you."

"They were playing?" he rubber a spot which he was sure was welted and grimaced. Scrubbing his hand threw his hair he brushed out flower petals and seeds.

The blue one came back to his side and stoked his cheek. She went off for a moment and returned with several other winged people with her they carried with them a leaf covered with dew. He watched it place on the ground where she and began to dance, soon after others danced by her side,yet more poured water on the leaf. The water began to crystalize at their feet. When it was solid they stopped she inspectied her handy work. It pleased her and she had it presented to him.

"Ah a gift from the Treasure of the Forest."

He was sure that there was a reason he was brought there he just couldn't think what was so important. He decided instead to do as he always did and that was give marbles away. He went off gathered stones and piles them together. When he was satisfied with the setup he took one of his oldest marbles on the very top and set it give a slow trickle. It was as tall as his head and covered in layers. Ledges and another pools at the very base it ran into a trench that Quickbeem dug with a single finger. When the water started to flow the little people began to explore the pile. A girl as large as his pinky started to jump up and down in a puddle.

"Such a happy little beings. Come take your gift, you shall walk unmolested by the huron of Faragorn with your gift presented. There are other dangers here you should be wary of. I have other wonders so show you Little Star."

They went on like that for some time. He was shown the wonders of the forest a bear cub and fresh spring; he was shown the canopy from the very top branched of an ancient pine, deer and dark help secrets and beast not found anywhere but there. He was taught which food was good to eat. Some of the wonders he would not share to any. A bird of amazing color he was told was found only in the forest of the huron.

"Little Star here will I leave you on the edge of our forest with the well wishes of our people, in return we hope for your return Little Star before you fly away to your home." Harry had managed to distract the little blue bug as he had taken to calling her with disgust for she would not leave him alone. She placed tiny braids in his hair and seemed to claim him as a pet for she spent time petting him or riding on his head. He stuffed a marble with a tiny amount of water streaming down and splashing off a lichen shelves. She began sliding off the lichen like a slid into the small puddle below. Harry could not convince Quickbeam that he was not a star nor did he fall from the sky.

Whilst he was off on his venture with Quickbeam Lord Celeborn was dreaming ways to keep Elcalad from ever wandering from an elfin haven ever again. He knew he could take the child from and Ent's grip had he not choose to give him up. Nor did he think that he would find Faragorn his old friend to convince the other to give him back. Kail the dwarf whom after Elcalad's not subtle reminder of elf follies which had led to wars, he decided that he should perhaps be more forgiving. The dwarves lost their home and the elves simply moved to the other side of the mountain. The evil was still trapped below.

Kail was sure that he would never laugh again, he was wrong when his new friend was carried off by a tree he was sure he had seen it all. Then when the elves were surly cursing he collapsed onto the ground and giggled. The one that slapped his hand down on his thigh and said 'not again' he gave up all dignity and laughed long and deeply from his belly.

The twins were simply wondering how to explain it to Glorfindel.

Rumil was however wondering if his brother was correct in think that the child was going to drive the sanity from the elves. He saw Lord Celeborn grab the hair on either side of his head and give it a squeeze.

"We shall set camp on the edge of the forest and wait for him to return. Get up Kail for you are going to wait with us." Celeborn found himself a pack to sit and stared into the forest.

Eight days later he walked out of the Forest with a smile on his face. He acted as if nothing had gone wrong and he was simply joining them for supper.

"Hello Lord Celeborn and my other friends. Rumil it is good to see you. Kail have you made yourself acquainted with the elves?"

The elves looked at him with eyes that varied between humor, confusion and relief.

"Elcalad would you care to explain why the ent decided to simply carry you away?"

He bent Lord CEleborn a look he often gave to little Merry. "Why my lord do you ask questions that you most likely will not care to hear the answer to." Kail snickered. The twins simply gave him a look quite amazed at his audacity. 'Eh been alone for too long. You see it is the elves fault."

"Elcalad you never were restricting in your speech. Give us the answer, what business did the ent have with you."

"To say thank you."

"What favor could you have given the Forest?" Rumil asked.

"He killed a monster!"Kail said for him.

"What Monster?" Celeborn was wondering if he could just through his hands in the air and convince his wife they should set sail soon. He recalled very well that Cindar predicted he would sail and that Harry would one day be in the Undying Lands. He thought he wanted to enjoy the land before Harry took over.