"It wasn't really my idea!" Orophin chased down the stairs after Valarda. His wife was carrying a sack across one shoulder and a bundled blanket under the other arm. "It was the alcohol! My hangover! The bloody purple bunny! Pick what you will, but I am not taking credit for this! And I am not going!" he added, grabbing the items she had just set down and running up the steps with them.
"It was your idea, it came from your lips!" Now the chaser, Valarda marched up behind Orophin, hands on her hips. "If it was the alcohol, your hangover, or the damned rabbit, my congratulations to them, each and every one! Now stop making my existence difficult and leave everything be! We are leaving, you are coming, and that is all there is."
Orophin kicked open the door to their rooms and threw the bag in, followed by the blanket, then shut the door and held the knob tightly, keeping himself in the doorway. "It is a bad idea!"
"Oh, balrog wings, it's a great idea. You're just sore that you said something brilliant and have witnesses to it."
"But the last time! The last time, when Nana tried to find him an elleth, that didn't work out very well!" Orophin said, grasping for an argument.
Valarda crossed her arms. "The last time, as I recall it, was near a thousand years ago. The last time, your mother forced him to entertain the granddaughter of King Thranduil. The last time, it turned out she picked out one crazy, power-hungry, dictatorial elleth from the forest of despair. Oro, that was the most impossible situation I have ever seen – the girl was talking about skinning orcs and taking their skulls and eating giant spiders – even your mother was afraid of her."
"Case in point. We are not leaving Haldir here. For all we know, the little princess is wandering around Valinor, waiting to strike-"
"Oro, we aren't trying to find him a soul mate, we're trying to let him have a breath of air, for Elbereth's sake!" She finally managed to pry his fingers from the door knob, and the door swung into the room. They grappled a bit in the doorway, until Valarda rolled her eyes. "Orophin, my love, I appreciate the concern you have for your brother, but if you do not leave me to pack the rest of our gear, you shall cause the others to come back inside and will have more than me to deal with."
Orophin conceded, taking up residence slumped in the doorway as Valarda once more gathered their items. "I do not know if it is such a good thing, to let those three scoundrels influence him."
"Our nephews are better influence on him than you are."
Orophin huffed and puffed in the doorway for a bit longer, pouting as well, but his wife ignored all of this. Valarda tossed the sack to him as she left the room. "He will be fine, they will be fine. Thank the Valar we did not have children, for I would have killed you after more than a day like this one." She blew at his face in an affectionate manner, and Orophin blinked and smiled.
"Too true, my love, had I not first thrown myself into a pit of wargs upon hearing the news." He shut the door again and followed her down the hall.
"Only if you would have taken me with you," she answered.
Orophin shrugged. "Fine by me." He dangled the bag, swinging it back and forth as they headed downstairs. "You're a silly little elleth, you know that?"
"I am constantly being reminded of- wait, little?" Orophin was lobbed over the head with the blanket. "Silly, yes, elleth, of course, not little. Take it back, or I'll start calling you Orophin the Wise."
"Ai! You'll ruin my reputation, you silly uhm, medium-sized elleth? Big elleth?"
"Close your mouth, Orophin. You get into less trouble that way." Rumil was at the bottom of the steps, glancing out the main door behind him. "What's taking so long? Haldir's starting to rethink staying, said if you were going to be a while, he might just get a few things and come along."
"Oh, no, he doesn't!" Valarda pulled Orophin down the stairs, almost sending them crashing to the bottom.
Outside, two carriages were waiting. Haldir was standing beside the furthest, speaking with whoever was inside, while Nenniach conversed with those in the nearer horse-drawn coach. She approached as the three elves came from the house. "Before I could do anything about it, Haldir had helped Galadriel into one of them, and Elrond made a beeline for the other."
Orophin cursed softly, hoping only those in the immediate area had heard. The plan was to take one carriage while Celeborn, Galadriel, Elrond and Celebrian took another. "I suppose Valarda and I can ride with Nana and Ada, a whole trip with Elrond would wear me out."
"Not to mention you don't know half of what he speaks of," added Valarda in a mockingly serious tone. Orophin pretended it was well-deserved pity, nodding and bowing his head.
"Or... " Rumil shifted gaze to Orophin. "Or, we could ride in with Ada and Elrond, and the ladies could have their own carriage.
Orophin seized the opportunity, knowing how dearly he would pay later for sending his wife off with a group of ladies. "Enjoy the journey! I've been told the scenery is beautiful!" He kissed Valarda quickly before she could react and bounded off to the nearest carriage. A moment later, Celebrian was nearly pushed out of it, a sour look on her face as she made for the other carriage, evicting her father.
A finger was waggled in Rumil’s face. "I hope you understand that by your actions, you will be housing him in your room at the inn," Valarda scowled, looking expectantly to Nenniach. "Well, come then, the carriage isn't coming to us." Under her breath, she added, "To war... "
Nenniach shook her head, turning to Rumil. "I suppose I'll see you when we get there." Rumil nodded, and drew her into his arms, leaning down to speak softly in her ear.
"Don't sit next to Valarda, I hear she bites."
Nenniach giggled. "I'm not averse to biting."
"You aren't?" Rumil tugged on the tip of her ear with his teeth. "I thought you liked nips, not bites."
"I'm always open to experimentation," she murmured. Rumil kissed the spot he'd nipped, then straightened suddenly, caught off guard. He looked over Nenniach's shoulder, and she turned to look as well.
Haldir, some distance away, flushed and looked around at something on the ground. Rumil smiled at Nenniach uneasily, tilting her chin with his index finger so she faced him once again. "I think this trip is going to be good for us and great for him. Poor elf really needs this, I think." Nenniach nodded, and they parted as they kissed, but it was brief, and as Rumil walked to the carriage he would be riding in, he noticed that Haldir had still been watching out of the corner of his eye.
The horses needed no master to control them. No training was required for these steeds of Valinor, though it had been commented upon by Rumil that they lacked the personality that their mounts on Arda had. For Orophin and his many failed attempts at horse training, this was fine by him. It was late in the afternoon when the coaches pulled away from the First Homely House, leaving Haldir in the care of his three nephews.
- - -
It was ten seconds after the coaches were out of site that Elrohir and Celebdreth slid down the rope ladder of the birch tree. "Thank Elbereth! I thought they'd never leave!"
"Now that the elves are away, the elflings will play." Celebdreth looked his uncle up and down. "We're not taking him along in that." His tone was quite critical, and Haldir looked down to his feet, then over his back, to see what was the matter.
"Grey is not your color, uncle," Elrohir finally answered.
"Does that matter?"
"Most certainly."
"Why?"
Elrohir had reached him by now, and after throwing his arm around Haldir's neck, was leading him to the house. "Because we have somewhere to be this evening, and we are taking you with us. You don't expect us to leave you here all alone, now, do you?"
"When dealing with the three of you," Haldir smirked, "I never know what to expect."
"Come, Elladan said he was going to see if you were hiding anything suitable upstairs." Elrohir opened the door and led Haldir to the steps, but Elladan called for them from the parlor. They entered and found he had clothing tossed over nearly every piece of furniture.
"I brought the possibilities down here. No need to waste time going up and down the steps. We're running late as it is." He held up a few shirts, frowning at all of them before tossing them to the couch.
"Honestly, El, you're going to crease them!" scolded Elrohir, picking up Elladan's mess.
"Well, El, if you'd only help me out!" answered Elladan to Elrohir.
"Start with the pants," suggested Celebdreth, who had moved next to Haldir. He lifted one of his uncle's braids and wrinkled his brow. "Much too... march warden for where we're going. I wonder if we'd have time to put any flowers in your hair before-"
"Stop that!" Haldir slapped Celebdreth's hand away, and settled himself down in the overstuffed chair. "I dealt with enough of that from your father." Celebdreth approached again and began replaiting Haldir’s hair, drawing some from each side into a single braid down the back while leaving the rest of hang loose.
"We are going into town not into battle."
"Is there a difference?" asked Haldir.
Elrohir approached with a pair of dark blue leggings and slightly baggier suede pants that were a deep chocolate brown. "Pick one."
"I am comfortable with what I have on, thank you."
Celebdreth noiselessly pulled his long, curved knife from his side, and with a single swipe, slashed the leg of Haldir's black leggings without so much as a scratch to the former Captain before continuing the task of rebraiding his uncle’s hair. Haldir reached for the loose fabric, more impressed than upset that Celebdreth had cut straight across the seam.
Elrohir held the selections out once again. "Pick one."
"Can I not wear both?" Haldir sat up as Celebdreth finished and pointed in the direction of the second pair. They were tossed in his lap as Elrohir went back to the shirts on the couch.
Elladan brought him a pair of brown socks, tossing a pair of tan boots in front of him on the floor. "Hurry up, now, get the pants on so we can see how they look."
Reluctantly, Haldir pulled off the uniform of the Galadhrim and pulled on the suede pants and the socks. A tan colored shirt flew at him, and he pulled it on, tugging at the laces on the front and rolling the sleeves to his elbows. He retrieved the dark boots from his uniform much to the dismay of the cousins.
"Those look hideous."
"How many orcs have been killed with those? I mean, how many have died upon seeing them?"
"Everyone knows you are not a tall elf."
It was the last comment that stalled Haldir. For years beyond those he could reasonably count, he had insisted upon footwear that would increase his height. Few, save for his family, the cobblers he frequented, and Erestor knew of his plight. It was bad enough having parents and siblings who were taller than average. It was worse being an elf under six feet. The shoemaker had done an excellent job with this pair, which had lasted him over six hundred years. Carefully made, they added just over four inches to his height. "And how does everyone know I am not a tall elf?"
There was less menace in his voice than had been expected. Finally, Celebdreth spoke. "We're elves. We just... know these things. Everyone knows you are not a tall elf," he repeated, adding, "No one cares."
Haldir slid his boots on and handed the tan ones to Celebdreth. "I care," he said quietly.
- - -
Not long after, they were on their way to... well, Haldir didn't really know where. They had insisted that if he was coming with them - and he didn't have time to argue that they had insisted he come with them - he would enter their realm with one provision.
He had to be blindfolded.
After being led away from the beach, twisting and turning from one path to the next, Haldir felt the cloth being untied and lifted from his eyes. "We are here." A set of double doors lay in front of him with the words "King's Kastle" painted upon them. He didn't have time to look back and see the surroundings before the doors were opened and he was literally pushed through by Elladan.
"What type of place is this?" questioned Haldir as he followed Elrohir and Celebdreth through the door. Elladan nearly stepped on the older elf's heels as Haldir abruptly stopped. The outside of the building was deceptive, for inside the décor was soft and inviting, unlike the harsh wooden doors that led in. Taking in the dim lighting, the multitude of young ellin and ellith mingling, the many cozy corners and couches, his eyes went wide. He swung around grasping Elladan on the shoulder, his voice a low hiss that only their small party could hear. "Is this a brothel?"
"A what? Uncle, we would most definitely not take you to a brothel, even if we knew where one was," laughed Elladan, and he added quickly, "There are no brothels in Valinor. That we know of. We wouldn't go if there were. We, well, we wouldn't even know about them if there were any. But there aren't any." Elrohir rescued his brother with an unseen nudge, and all three elves smiled at Haldir.
"Dance hall. They call this a dance hall." Celebdreth made a motion around the room. Haldir took in the room once again, noting there was another passage to yet another, much large room, with stairs at either side of the entrance leading up to a balcony.
"You mean... this is for dancing," guessed Haldir.
"Yes, Uncle."
"And you dance here... for fun."
"Yes, Uncle."
"That's not all we do," mumbled Elladan when Haldir turned to look around again, but was silenced by glares from both Elrohir and Celebdreth. Elrohir persisted with a look that said, 'If you keep it up, he's going to leave.' "Come, Uncle, let's take a look in here. You'll love it. Just wait until you find out who runs this place." Elladan linked his arm with Haldir, pulling him toward the doorway.
Celebdreth and Elrohir hung back for a few moments, guarding the door more than anything in case Haldir changed his mind about spending quality time with his nephews. "You know, El, this is going to result in one of two things. Our deaths or his happiness."
Elrohir watched his brother and uncle for another moment, and then turned to Celebdreth, crossing the fingers on both of his hands hopefully. Slapping his cousin on the shoulder, Elrohir motioned with his head in the direction of the main hall and they followed the other elves who were filtering in.
Haldir was bombarded with a multitude of sights and sounds, his eyes and ears pulled in various directions. He found he had been led to the bar, a whimsical, curving counter with comfortable looking plush stools backed with birchwood. Elladan hoisted himself atop the nearest, catching the eye of one of the bartender's with a wink.
Haldir noted as she approached that her skin was dark, for an elf - lightly and perfectly tanned. Her smile and gaze were upon Elladan, though she glanced at Haldir as she approached, almost as if she was sizing up this newcomer. "Elladan, you rascal, what poor soul have you brought here now?"
"Glorcheniel, I should like to introduce you to Haldir, elf of many trades and places. Captain of Lorien, Instructor at Imladris, and former King of Greenwood."
"Ah, yes, your name is quite familiar. I wondered when I might finally meet the elf of so many of Thranduil's stories. A pleasure," the elleth said, giving Haldir a nod.
"Likewise," agreed Haldir. Pause – two – three: "You know Thranduil?"
"I know him well. Very well," she admitted, fixing drinks for Elladan, and his brother and cousin, who now joined them. "I suppose they neglected to tell you this is his establishment."
"Really?" Haldir took another look around, able to see the similarities between the building and the caves of Greenwood. He wondered what had compelled the great King of Greenwood to build a glorified inn. Rather aware of the fact his father was often out drinking with Thranduil, it occurred to him that this might be the exact location they came to. "It's rather nice."
"Care for a drink?" asked Glorcheniel, sliding the others across the counter.
"Just water or juice or something, thank you," Haldir said, memories of a recent episode still fresh in his mind.
Glorcheniel frowned and reached under the counter for a glass. "All right, then. But you needn't worry, we've got rooms upstairs if you get drunk." She smiled at him teasingly. "And we've got rooms downstairs in the caves if you-"
"-get really drunk," finished Elrohir hastily, lifting the glass of orange juice away from Glorcheniel and setting it down in front of Haldir. "Will we find you on the dance floor later, my Golden Goddess?" Both he and Elladan gave her their most winning smiles and she grinned back.
- - -
"Well, you won't find me downstairs in the caves, that's for sure."
"Every moment before we see you next is another lost without you, elleth of the sun." Elladan took up her hand and placed a gentle kiss upon her palm. "Am I right to think there is an event this evening?"
"Aye," answered Glorcheniel. "Something of a surprise, a new game invented."
"We can hardly wait," grinned Elrohir.
"You shall have to, though." Glorcheniel looked down the bar, which was rapidly becoming crowded. "You'll have to excuse me now. Haldir, it was a pleasure."
Haldir nodded, expecting nothing more than a smile back. What he did not expect was for the elleth behind the counter to lean over, slide her hand into his hair, and kiss him. His eyes went wide during the entire incident, and he almost lost control of the drink in his hand. She released her hold, pecked him on the cheek, and left for the other end of the bar without another word.
"She's... very... friendly... " Haldir finally managed, eyes following her as she made the rounds.
"Mmmhmm." Celebdreth was busily scanning the crowd in the hall.
"Does she always do that?" Haldir asked.
"Yeah, she's the bartender, it's her job. She gets everyone drinks," answered Elladan, deadpan.
Haldir rolled his eyes. "No, the kissing."
"Oh, just the elves she likes." Elladan sipped his glass of wine. "She seems to like you."
"I got that impression. I also got the impression she is with someone." He looked to the twins. "Or someones."
"Really, no one here is 'with' anyone. That's the beauty of it. We're all just a bunch of lonely souls, not really looking for anyone, but needing someone." Haldir didn't say anything, and Elrohir continued. "It's a lovely place to meet lovely elves. The atmosphere is friendly, everyone is happy, no one claims anyone, bonds with anyone. No pressure. No heartache."
"No kidding." Haldir watched ellin and ellith greet each other, talk at the bar, and dance on the floor, surprised at how relaxed and informal everything was. "Not at all how things were when I was your age."
"When you were our age - barely over a hundred years ago," Elladan smiled, "there was all kinds of darkness, and a war over a stupid magic ring, and a battle that near claimed your life. Last thing on your mind was passing time with a pretty young elleth."
"Pretty young ellith were in short supply back then in Lorien," said Celebdreth. "I know, I was looking."
Elladan waved the comment off. "Point is, times have changed. This is a new age, Uncle. The age of the elves returned to Valinor. Embrace it."
"I say embrace the ellith, not the age," laughed Celebdreth as he stood. A pair of ellith were approaching from across the room, joking with one another as they lazily walked. Celebdreth held out an arm to one, and then the other. "Good evening, darlings." Haldir had a hard time swallowing his drink as his nephew turned to introduce to him, "Caliel, and Isilwen Arcamenel." Both of them looked upon Haldir with piercing green eyes, dark hair accentuating the color all the more. Haldir put his drink firmly down on the counter, nodding slowly in greeting to each of them.
Isilwen slid near to Celebdreth, and he protectively curved an arm around her waist. Caliel stepped closer, and Haldir realized the vulnerable position he had placed himself in as she reached forward and slid the loose cord from the front of his shirt between her fingers. "So you are the captain who led the elven forces in the very last alliance of men and elves?" Haldir did little more than nod meekly. "How does it happen that such a brave warrior did not come to visit the King's Kastle earlier?"
"He hasn't been in Valinor very long," answered Elrohir for Haldir.
Caliel wrapped the cord around her finger, bringing herself closer and closer to the tongue-tied elf. "Welcome to Valinor, brave warrior." He was kissed a second time that night, not for as long as Glorcheniel had held him captive, but there was something a bit more this time. This was no mere greeting – this was a proposition. She lingered, hovering a moment, waiting for something in return. Haldir did not move, and Caliel drew back. "And welcome to the King's Kastle."
"Thank you," he managed, his voice sounding slightly confused.
"I hope we'll get to see more of you around." Her green eyes slowly drifted down and then all the way back up to meet his again. Still, Haldir did not move. Caliel took Celebdreth's free arm and the trio walked out to the dance floor. Haldir sipped his juice, spitting it back into his glass when he watched what occurred next.
"He just... he wasn't raised that way!" Haldir pointed none too discreetly in the direction of Celebdreth, whose hands had slid down from each of the elleth's waists, firmly grasping something else. Haldir crossed his arms, realizing his pointing was probably drawing more attention to it than he wished. "Rumil would have a royal fit if he saw that!"
"Then it is a good thing Uncle Rumil is not here," Elrohir said, calmly swirling the contents of his glass.
Haldir's jaw flapped a bit, but nothing came out. He turned away from the dance floor, staring at the counter. "That's very... he shouldn't... he's with two ellith!"
"Funny, I know someone else who didn't just touch two ellith this evening, but kissed two ellith. Who could that be...?" Elladan grinned slyly at Haldir.
"No, they kissed me. They initiated it," defended Haldir, turning red as he finished his drink.
"I didn't see you pull back from them in horror. Or run away screaming." Elladan flagged another bartender over. "Just relax. Celebdreth has a particular... taste... and he couldn't say no to either of them."
"The dark hair? The green eyes? The forward nature?" Haldir pushed his empty glass away.
"You have the first two," Elrohir said. "Although the last part holds true only for Caliel. Isilwen, she's the opposite. Sweet and shy to Caliel’s adventurous flair."
"Caliel drank us all under the table once," laughed Elladan. "Little did we know, we found out later that she set it up with Thranduil to have glasses of water sent to her instead."
Haldir looked again around the room. "Is Thranduil here somewhere?"
Elladan shook his head. "Likely not. He may come to announce the competition, but he tends to stay behind the scenes." The bartender began to refill their drinks, and slid an extra one onto the counter for Haldir.
"From the lady near the doors," he explained, and was gone again. Haldir looked at the fizzing blue drink with some trepidation, then turned to look to the doorway. Perched on a stool, the auburn-haired elleth held her drink coyly, swirling it in the glass. It changed hue from red, to orange, and then gold. A wink, a smile, and Haldir turned away, blushing.
"You poor thing, I fear you'll turn red permanently if any of them tries to lure you into the caves," chuckled Elladan.
"Why? What is in the caves?" Haldir looked up to see Elrohir stamping on Elladan's foot. "Tell me what is in the caves."
"Your attention please!" The music trickled off into nothingness and a dark haired elleth on the musician's platform waved her feathered hat above her head to attain the gaze of the crowd. "This evening, for your enjoyment, we are going to present for the first time ever a new game on the back patio. It has been entitled 'Hide and Go Elf'." She waited for the talk between members to die down before continuing. "We remind you that, as always, multiple rounds of the game will be played, and everyone who wants to play will have a chance to participate. The first ten ellin and ellith to volunteer shall go first and should meet directly outside the exit by the patio. Spectators, to the benches! As always, thank you for coming to the King's Kastle!"
"You heard her, let's go!" With one twin on each side, Haldir found himself lifted from his seat and dragged outside to the patio. Numerous elves were lining the benches that were raised on either side of the tall stacks of hay bales that had been placed in the center of the patio to create a giant maze. The elleth who had made the announcement inside was handing out a different colored length of fabric to each of the ellin along with a single rose. When she reached the twins and Haldir she frowned. "Only two spots left."
"We come as a pair!" reminded Elladan. Instead of tying the pale green strip on his upper arm like the rest of the elves had, he used it to tie his right hand to Elrohir's left.
"Fine, but only one rose. We have to have enough to go around." She handed Haldir the last strip of fabric, a silvery grey piece.
Elladan smirked as the elleth walked away. "Perhaps grey is your color."
"Here are the rules, boys!" The elleth had her hat back on, and the feathers fanned out in the light wind. "On the other side of this maze are ten ellith. Each one has to find one of you, whoever matches the color they have. You don't know what color they have, and that is what makes everything all the more interesting. Once the correct elleth finds you, and proves it, you may present her with the rose however you like. There is a limit of five minutes. If the elleth cannot find you, you win. But I think you will all agree this is a game better lost." The elves nodded and laughed in agreement.
"What happens when we lose?" Haldir whispered to Elrohir.
"The elleth claims a forfeit," Elrohir whispered back.
"A forfeit? What kind of forfeit?"
Elladan grins. "Anything she wants. Anything you're willing to let her have."
A few moments later, twenty excited elves entered the maze with one apprehensive old elf.
Four minutes and fifty seconds later, after roaming aimlessly through the paths, Haldir noticed the crowd watching had become quite subdued. Twice, he had been falsely captured, each time completely at a loss of what to say to the giggling ellith who eventually let him go. Both times he had become embarrassed beyond measure, and once alone again took to cursing under his breath in Dwarvish. After the first minute, he noted that the others in the maze, including the twins, had taken to avoiding him.
In his mind, he counted back the number of times he had heard the crowd raise voice in frenzied uproar, and realized he was left in the maze with the last elleth. 'I should have stayed home. I should have stayed home. I should have-' His thoughts were interrupted as a pair of hands slid around his head to cover his eyes. "I did not expect to see you again so soon."
Haldir swallowed audibly, trying to place the voice. It wasn't Glorcheniel, whom he'd met at the bar, or Celebdreth's aggressive friend Caliel. Perhaps the elleth from across the bar, then, for he hadn't heard her speak. As he turned, holding out the rose, he was surprised to find Isilwen standing there, watching him intently with emerald eyes. "I see you did not expect to see me so soon again either." Isilwen slid the rose from Haldir’s fingers, and he let his hands drop to his sides. Bring the flower closer to her, she breathed in the scent deeply and smiled from behind the stem.
Lost again for words, Haldir shook his head. His hands fidgeted at his sides, and now even more aware of the watching crowd, he felt his face flush, the tips of his ears he was sure had turned as red as the rose Isilwen held. He tried again to speak, but Isilwen let the rose dip forward, petals against his lips. "Thank you for the game. And the rose. And... this." The soft petals of the flower slid down to his chin, soft lips replacing them. The rose continued its descent, gliding down Haldir's throat. Then it pulled away, and Isilwen left, leaving Haldir to find his way out of the maze.
- - -
Back at the bar, Haldir had switched to liquor. His head rested in his hands. "I just cannot do this. I cannot speak to them. It isn't that I do not want to, I just can't."
"We were noticing a pattern on that," admitted Elrohir. His eyes had taken to scanning the balcony for an elleth that was having so little fun she would be willing to sit and talk with an elf who apparently had forgotten how to communicate with members of the fairer sex.
Elladan was doing the same on the ground level, taking inventory of those at the seats at the bar. Noticing one particular elleth near the doors, Elladan’s face lit up. "Isn't that the one who sent you that fluffy blue thing earlier?"
Haldir looked up, blushing furiously when he caught her intense sapphire gaze. "That would be her."
"Go ask her to dance," advised Elladan. "She has warmed that stool long enough this evening."
"You go ask her to dance," grumped Haldir. "All that comes out when I try to say anything to them is nothing."
Elrohir sighed finished his drink, and pulled Haldir from his stool. "Come on. I shall introduce you. And the two of you will dance."
"I don't know, Elrohir, I-"
"The two of you will dance," repeated Elrohir. "I am introducing you, and you will thank me for it. Oh, and Elladan has the other boots in a bag behind the counter, in case."
"In case? In case what?"
Elrohir grinned. Moments later, he smiled politely to the elleth. "Mirime, it is lovely to find you here this evening. I wanted to introduce Haldir to you. I think you may have noticed him already." Mirime nodded as Elrohir continued. "He had wanted to ask you to dance, but since you've sat here most of the night, we were thinking perhaps you were waiting to meet someone." Mirime shook her head.
"I would love to dance with you, Haldir." Mirime hopped off the stool, and Haldir blinked. And smiled. And excused himself for a moment.
"Elladan!" Haldir ran up to his nephew, grasping him on the shoulder. "Elladan, I need the boots."
"Isn't it lucky that I brought them," he grinned, motioned over Glorcheniel, who came over and tossed Elladan his sack. Haldir took note that she now had a pale green silken cloth tied in her hair. Elladan grinned at Haldir’s realization and tossed him the tan boots. Haldir quickly exchanged his footwear. "Suppose you wish now that you would have allowed Celebdreth to weave a few flowers in your hair."
"Never!" Haldir grinned, dumping the black boots into Elladan's bag before passing it back to the younger elf.
Taking a deep breath, Haldir marched himself back to the other end of the bar. To his extreme surprise, not a single elf stared at him as he walked, noticeably shorter than he had been when he arrived. Holding a hand out to the short dark-haired elleth, he smiled. "Shall we dance?"
Across the floor they glided, turned, and twisted. Getting to know each other without a single spoken word, they retired as the night sky brought a greater darkness to the candlelit hall. In the first room, they found an unoccupied corner in which to sit and talk. But few words were spoken until Mirime pulled away reluctantly. "I have to go. My sister has appointments in the morning and we shared a horse here."
A thought in the back of Haldir's mind almost launched itself forward, almost asked her to spend the night with him in one of the chambers upstairs. Fear held him back, and he nodded. "Should I help you find her, or... ?"
Mirime shook her head. "Thank you, but I would rather you stay here. So I can sneak another look at you before I go." She nuzzled her head under his chin. "You look so much more peaceful this way than you did in the bar."
"It is difficult not to be relaxed lying across such a comfortable couch with such a lovely elleth." He placed a kiss on the top of her head and she sighed.
"If I don't go now, I'll never leave." To Haldir's disappointment, she detangled herself from him and stood up. "Don't move, not until I go through that door," she said, pointing to the entryway. He nodded, and she turned to go.
His hand flew to hers on impulse, and he pulled her back, embracing her. Somehow he knew if he kissed her again, he wouldn't be able to stop. He wished he had something more to give her before she departed, and pulled the silver fabric off of his arm. "Until next time." He let go, placing the strip into her hand.
"Until then." She took a few steps away. "Remember, stay there until I go."
Haldir stayed, waiting until Mirime and her sister were at the door. Mirime turned, blew him a kiss on the way out, and left quickly.
Deciding it was about time to round up the rest of the family and go home, Haldir went back to the bar. Elladan was on one stool with Glorcheniel in his lap, Elrohir next to him, massaging her feet. The three were talking animatedly about the evening, and Haldir noted the three looked quite tired and likely had danced the night away. "Where is Celebdreth? We should be leaving soon."
Elrohir's eyes widened as he looked at Elladan, but all Haldir saw was Elladan's calm expression. "I think I might have seen him on the patio. Elrohir, perhaps you would be good enough to check and see if you might find him." Elrohir jumped from the stool and skidded from the room, though not to the patio. "If you want to continue to sit in the front room, we shall retrieve you when we are assembled and ready to go."
Haldir nodded, slightly suspicious, but said nothing as he went back into the waiting room, back to the couch he had shared with Mirime. Closing his eyes, he wondered if it would be such a bad thing to fall asleep right now, except that he did not want to leave the First Homely House entirely unguarded through the night. Even with his eyes closed, he felt the presence of two elves walking past. They paused, and Haldir wondered if he should alert them that he was indeed awake. They continued by, and soon after, he began to hear them speaking not far away.
"So that is her son. He's a little short, I think."
"You think everyone is short, my brother."
"Well, this time I mean it. But you can clearly tell he's her son."
"Rumor has it he's having visions."
Haldir sat up straight, eyes blinking open. At one end of the room, over the couches and benches, he saw the flicker of firelight peeking out around the furniture. He did not sense anyone else in the room, and became highly suspicious that he was the topic of discussion.
"As well he should be, as well he should be. Does not need the mirror to do it, either. At least, that is what I hear."
Haldir waited for more of the conversation, but when none came, he got up and began to wander through the room, turning corners here and there to find the elves that had been talking. About him, he was certain now.
Lounging near a small fireplace, two elves, ancient as any elf, sat gazing into the flames. "Pardon me, I could not help but overhear-"
"Of course you couldn't - gets that from the father," replied one of them.
Sitting down between them on the floor, Haldir said, "I don't think we've met. I'm Haldir."
"Yes, you are," confirmed the other as if there was any doubt.
It was silent for some time, and Haldir was content to stare at the fire as well. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure-" he finally began, trying his best to be polite.
The elf shook his head. "We have, but you have not. Elmo is my name. On your opposite side, my younger brother, Olwe."
Haldir gawked, but it was a reverent sort of gawking. "Olwe and Elmo? In the Elmo and Olwe who were in the beginning, with their brother Thingol? ‘And there they awoke, the elder of old, by the waters of Cuivienen.’ You are two of those who came at the first?"
"We must come into this place more often," smiled Elmo to Olwe. "And you told me that elves here wouldn't know their history."
"He spent time among elders, that is clear. Who taught you your history, lad?"
"Much I read in books, and from tales I was told. My friend and mentor, Erestor, taught me the basics."
Elmo chuckled. "Listen to that, Olwe, little Erestor has friends."
"A friend, that we know of," Olwe corrected with a wink.
"Master Erestor is a proud and noble elf," defended Haldir, unable to see why these elves would so ridicule the Noldo. "I see not the humor in your statements."
"A story for another day. So he told you of the awakening. That is good. But you do not know the whole of the story of us and of our brother, Thingol. Upon waking, he was distraught to find he had no brother. He begged the Valar give him a brother, and so they did." Olwe made a motion to Elmo.
"When the second elf awoke, he and Thingol were happy for some time. It was not long, however, that they came to realize that though one brother was sufficient, two would bring greater joy. They began to pray, and a third elf awoke."
"Eventually," continued Olwe, "these elves went down separate paths, each of them having families of their own. The middle brother saw his son marry, and later, two grandsons were born. The youngest brother saw his daughter marry, and she then had with her husband five children-"
"Five children?" Haldir stopped them. That sounded familiar...
"Five children." Olwe repeated. "The youngest of which was a fair maiden, tall and strong, spirited like her brothers. In love she fell with the youngest grandson of the middle brother, and was named by him in one of the truest acts of love ever known."
Haldir was very silent until they paused. "Then... what you mean to tell me..."
"I told you your granddaughter could not be relied upon to relay such important information," scolded Elmo.
Olwe frowned. "Of course. Blame it on her. As if your grandson was too busy to give his children a lesson on genealogy."
That is when Haldir decided he had had too much to drink, for in his mind, he suddenly made all of the connections. "I think I should go now."
"Please, Haldir, you need not worry. You act as if it is some scandal," Olwe laughed. "Well, I suppose it is," he said after a moment. But it's too late to worry about now. I thought at first you had known, however, better to know it from your Great-Grandfathers than some Maia on the street."
Elmo nodded in agreement. "Our family tree is one of Valinor’s greatest jokes. Think of how painful it would have been for you to make the discovery over a drink at the bar."
"Well... thank you for that. And it is so good to have met you both." he shook each of their hands before leaving for the dance hall, numb from what he had learned. Looking back over his shoulder, he watched the pair of elves exit the building. He chewed his lip as he strode up to his nephews, sitting at the bar with Caliel and Isilwen as Glorcheniel stowed bottles of liquor beneath the counter.
"Let us go. Now," he announced. Hastily, the trio bid goodnight to the confused ellith. Neither the twins nor Celebdreth made complaint, instead following Haldir to the front entrance, where carriages and horses awaited those needing rides back home. "Let's take a carriage instead of walking." None objected as they climbed into one of the coaches and closed the door.
Haldir leaned back into his seat, looking perhaps more tired and stressed than he had when they arrived. "Uncle, what ails you?" asked Celebdreth.
"Nothing. I only spoke with some elves about another elf named Thingol."
"You mean Great-great-great-grandfather Thingol?" questioned Elrohir. Haldir sat up from his seat abruptly, causing the other elves to flinch.
"Did Great-great-great-grandfather Thingol have two brothers?"
"Yeah, I think he did. Olme and Elwe or something," Elladan guessed sleepily.
"Elmo and Olwe."
"Yes! Exactly!"
Haldir rubbed his head. This was going to be an even longer night.
