“Good morning to all of you,” greeted the elf standing in the doorway. Orophin gave a bit of a wave to him, and Rumil smiled, being that he had his hands full cradling his baby sister. Haldir scowled at him over a mug of cocoa.
“When do you plan to learn to knock?”
“Lord Elrond said I am welcome here always.” Legolas grinned as Celebrian motioned to an empty seat at the breakfast table. The five siblings had begun to have breakfast together on a regular basis, once a week to catch up on events, and their pseudo-sibling often showed up for the gathering. Even living in the same house, one could not know all of the events that occurred. They had chosen the day past midweek, for it was usually the least eventful and was Rumil’s day with Tallasinde. Haldir and Orophin had yet to master being able to feed Tallasinde and themselves at the same time, and Celebrian tended to defer her days now to Haldir as her due date approached.
“But when do you plan to learn to knock?” pressed Haldir, passing the plate of sausage Legolas was pointing to.
“You mean to tell me that the ears of the great Captain of the Galadhrim are not able to pick up the sound of my footsteps from a mile in the distance?” grinned Legolas, helping himself to bread and jam as well.
Haldir raised a brow. “I heard you well enough. Still, there is a knocker upon the door. And a bell to ring, as well,” he said, referring to the large brass bell attached to a cord that could be pulled if no one answered the summons of the knocking.
Celebrian shook her head. “You know full well he comes for breakfast with us.” She effectively shushed her brother from further comment with a wave of her hand. Defeated, Haldir rested back into his chair and sipped from his mug.
“We missed you yesterday, Legolas.” Rumil shifted the now-sleeping bundle in his arms.
Legolas looked up too suddenly, and a bit of fearfulness flashed in his eyes. “Yesterday?”
“Yes, yesterday.” Rumil reached for his orange juice, his focus still on Tallasinde. “One of the goats gave birth. Bad time for it,” added Rumil. “Too snowy for the poor kid to roam much, but, he seems a sturdy fellow. It was great fun, though, once he was on his legs, he romped about in the barn, silly thing.”
“Oh,” Legolas said quietly, and his expression loosened a bit as he bowed his head slightly to regard his plate. Although some of the siblings at the table missed the look Legolas had, most had not.
“Clebri, I planned to spend time with the goats this morning. Does Elrond have plans that you know of, for I would like for him to join me,” said Rumil.
“None that I am aware of,” Celebrian told him. “It would give Elrond something to do while I am occupied, for I promised Nana that I would help her with baking a cake.”
“What for?” The same worried look was in Legolas’ eyes once more.
Celebrian shrugged, apparently unaware of the odd behavior being exhibited by their guest. “It is a new recipe, and she likes to have a second opinion on things.”
Legolas nodded. “No special occasion, then.”
“She did not say there was one.” Celebrian looked over to Rumil. “Perhaps the new goat?”
“Could very well be,” said Rumil, tucking the blanket around Tallasinde.
“Ah.” Legolas once more looked down at his plate.
Haldir set his mug down and poured maple syrup over his eggs before starting to eat them. “I wonder if the invitations have arrived yet.”
Legolas nearly choked on his meal, and received a pat on the back and a worried look from Celebrian. Still coughing, Legolas looked up at Haldir in askance.
“We are hosting the Merende Earende. Festival of the Sea. It’s been such a long time since there was one.” Haldir drizzled more syrup onto his plate, adding, “It shall not take place for well over a year, but time must be given for the performances to be prepared.”
Legolas nodded, taking a long drink of the water Celebrian had offered him.
Orophin, who had remained silent for the entire time with the exception of his eating finally burst when he looked up to see the small group assembled at the kitchen door. “Alright, Legolas, how old are you this year?”
Legolas dropped his fork, his eyes wide.
“Surprise!” Legolas jumped around from his seat to find many of the house’s inhabitants along with a few others, including his parents and brother, in the doorway.
“You have to tell us!” begged Orophin. “Do you know how difficult it was planning this without knowing your age?”
“You should see the invitations, laddie.” A familiar voice said, and Gimli stepped forward, holding out a folded paper to Legolas. On the front was an advertisement for the King’s Kastle, meant to disguise what was inside – an invitation that began ‘Join us in surprising Legolas on his ?th Birthday.’
“Invitations?” Legolas glanced at Haldir.
“We ARE hosting the Merende Earende, but, yes, those are the invitations of which I spoke.”
“Cake?” His eyes moved to look at Celebrian.
“Baked yesterday,” she admitted. “We knew we could never lure you here on your actual birthday, but just in case, it was finished yesterday in the afternoon.”
“Goat?”
Rumil smirked. “Didn't you always want a goat?” He laughed as Legolas narrowed his eyes at him. “There is no goat. I must say, it was amusing watching your reactions.”
Legolas narrowed his eyes further. “Glad to be of service. You do understand, elves do not usually celebrate their birthdays once they reach fifty,” Legolas informed the elves sitting at the table grinning at him.
“This is a new age, full of new traditions.” Elrond walked into the room, holding a party hat covered in pink fluffy feathers. “Here you are. Your birthday crown,” he said, presenting it with flourish, poofing up the feathers. “Glad I saved it.”
“I am to wear…THAT?” Legolas pointed at the hat and wrinkled his nose.
“It could be worse,” Elrond told him, settling the hat onto Legolas’ head. “You could have awoken to find a flamingo in your room.”
“Or, we could have blindfolded you, tied you to a tree, and later pushed you into a pit filled with honey,” explained Haldir.
“I am ever so disappointed,” Legolas said rather unconvincingly. “But I suppose when an elf gets to be- gets to a certain age,” he stopped himself in time, “it is expected that they act in a certain manner and do not do such things as an elfling would.”
“Worry not, for Haldir came up with a few excellent games for this evening,” Orophin said with a grin.
“You.” Legolas pointed across the table, adjusting the hat so that it would not tumble off. “You set this up, didn’t you?” Haldir’s grinning spoke volumes. “You, of all elves.”
“Perhaps you forget, but you were supposed to aid me in my escape from my own birthday festivities, and I ended up unconscious on the floor of the King’s Kastle.”
“One good turn deserves another, then?” sighed Legolas.
“Aye,” Haldir smiled. “Happy Birthday, Legolas. Whichever one it might be.”
