Beyond Canon
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"Over valley, over brook In the dark of night
Almost everywhere that you look
There's a covering of white

Under mountain, under sky
Under shining star
Snowflakes fall down from high
And cover land afar"


"Stop right there," Orophin said, holding up his hands. "How many more verses are you going to sing about the snow?"

Haldir shuffled the pages he had in his hands. "Four." He scratched his right ear uneasily. "Not enough?"

"Not enough? What are you trying to do, put everyone asleep?" Orophin shook his head.

"You hate it, then," Haldir sighed, tossing the papers onto the kitchen table.

Picking them up to look them over, Orophin answered, "No, but I greatly dislike it."

"Same thing," mumbled Haldir. "I'm sorry, I'm not the world's best songwriter. And, on top of that, I am stuck with my mother and my pregnant sister, both of whom are a tad more busy than usual with things."

"Not my fault," Orophin said. "I told you, we should just let everyone choose what they wanted to do. But no, we'll pick things at random, sayeth you. Then deal with it!" Orophin dumped the sheets back onto the table. "I changed my mind. I do hate it!" he announced, and with that, left the room.

"I like it," spoke Rumil. Haldir gave him a small smile as he gathered up the discarded pages.

"But...?"

Rumil drummed his fingers on the table. "But it's too Elvish. It would be lovely for winter, just for us to sing at the fire, but what they sing for this Yule Celebration are faster, more upbeat things."

"Such as?"

Thinking back to the conversation he had had with Frodo Baggins earlier in the week, Rumil replied, "I was told that some of the favorites of Bilbo include 'A Hobbit Holiday', 'Snow Shoe Shuffle', and 'Hot Chocolate Memories'."

"No words or music for any of those, though, are there?" asked Haldir, and Rumil sadly shook his head.

"Frodo can't remember them, and Samwise was able to recall a verse here and there, but not the whole thing on any of them. Besides, like I told you, it's hobbit tradition for new songs to be written each year."

"What if we make a new Elven tradition that we just hum a little," suggested Haldir.

Rumil laughed and took the pages from Haldir. "Can't you rewrite this, make it a little more upbeat and personal?"

Haldir stared at him for a moment. "Personal?"

"Oh, you know. Like, recalling playing in the snow instead of just watching it. If it were me, I would sing about the time I built a snowelf and nearly froze my fingers off!"

"How did that happened?" Haldir asked with worry.

"I was just being silly, that was all. Let me think..." Rumil looked off at a distant point outside, focusing on the gentle waves of snow. "Something like...


"One wintry morn I went outside
To build the biggest ever snow elf
To my delight and great surprise
He turned out looking like myself

His face was cheerful with happy eyes
A chunk of carrot for his nose
Red maple leaves to make his grin wide
But sadly, he hadn't any clothes"


Rumil began to laugh in spite of himself. "Oh, was Nana ever sore with me!" he exclaimed. "By the time she made it down the stairs, I was nearly naked, in just my thin little leggings because they wouldn't fit on him!"

Grabbing a spare sheet of paper, Haldir reached for his quill. "Can you sing that again? And what's the rest of it?"

The laugher eased, and Rumil shrugged. "I don't know the rest of it, and you're supposed to write your own song."

"I can't! I tried!" Haldir put the quill down and rubbed his face with his hands. "I have nothing to sing about, apparently."

"Sure you do. What's your favorite winter memory?" asked Rumil. When Haldir blushed fiercely, Rumil rolled his eyes. "What's your favorite family oriented winter memory?"

"I don't think I have one," answered Haldir.

Snorting, Rumil rolled up his list of supplies he would need for cookie making. "I'm sure you do. Why don't you go and take a nap? You're probably just overstressing yourself." Rumil kissed the top of his brother's head before leaving the room.

- - -

Still finding his bed uncomfortable, Haldir opted to draw the shades in the parlor and nap on the couch. It was early evening when he awoke to the sounds of whispered secrets and giggles and the smell of fresh pine. When he opened his eyes, there was a bough not an inch from his face. "What the-" He swatted at the branch, causing laughter from Elrond and Elladan. Valarda lifted away the bough and winked.

"Rise and shine, Arabeleg," she teased him. "You're being evicted."

"What? When?" Haldir sat up, trying to clear his head.

"Right now," Elladan answered. "We have to move the furniture to the edges of the room and find a space for the tree."

"Why?" Haldir stood and moved away from the couch so that Elladan and Elrond could move it back against the sidewall.

Tossing the branch in a heap by the door, Valarda answered, "This room needs to have more space, to fit as many as possible. We still don't know how many we're expecting for this, and we won't know until Celebdreth and Celeborn return with the list." Celebdreth and his grandfather had decided on a trip into the cities, to visit relatives and invite those who might be interested to the celebration. Elrohir had been invited along, but did not wish to be separated from his brother, and so was elsewhere in the house planning the gift exchange.

Sleepily, Haldir meandered into the hallway, where a tree in a pot was awaiting its placement in the house. It only came up to Haldir's nose, but he suspected it was quite large for a hobbit tree. Why the tree needed to be indoors was beyond him, but Haldir accepted it, as it was nice to have a bit of nature within their home.

Lining the hallway were a few wooden crates, each with their own distinct item and scent. One of them contained holly with berries, another containing mint leaves and cinnamon sticks. The last of the boxes was small, and Haldir lifted off the cover of it, pulling out a clump of leaves with white berries, tied with deep purple ribbon. There was a bell hanging from it, and Haldir lifted it up to inspect it closer.

"If you want to make yourself useful, Arabeleg, you can-" Valarda stopped short as Haldir turned around in the hall as she approached. He was still holding onto the odd adornment as Valarda advanced and took hold of his wrist, raising it a little higher over his head. She ducked down and kissed him innocently on the lips. "Well, that was rather nice," she winked, and took the mistletoe from his hand. "Thanks for helping me test it out. Now, if you don't mind, you can carry those in here while Elrond and Elladan finish with the rugs and chairs." Valarda left a blushing Haldir to move the decorations into the parlor.

"For the next two weeks," announced Elrond as Haldir and Elladan situated the tree in the corner of the room closest to the windows, "this will be our base of operations. We will work out from this room, but do most of the preparing here. What we need to decide is-" Elrond paused. "Haldir, you're not in our group."

"Well, no," he answered, "but my group has been preoccupied with other things as of late."

Elrond nodded. "Then shouldn't you be taking care of the needs of your group instead of in here with us? We have three for decorating, that should suffice."

"Oh. Right." Haldir tried to be indifferent, but the truth was, he was rather enjoying himself. Giving the box of holly a longing look as he left, Haldir climbed the stairs to seek out the rest of his group.

- - -

"Nana?"

"Shh..." Galadriel stood up from her rocker and came to the door. "Your sister is asleep. What can I do for you?"

"Nothing much, I was only hoping we might discuss the songs we are going to sing," said Haldir.

Galadriel closed her eyes. "I'm very tired, Haldir, can it wait until tomorrow?"

"Of course, of course. I'll see if I can find Clebri."

"I think she's sleeping, too," warned Galadriel.

"Oh." Haldir nodded. "Well, we can all perhaps get together tomorrow, then."

Nodding, Galadriel smiled. "Tomorrow sounds like a good idea. Good night," she said before he had a chance to answer, and she shut the bedroom door.
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