“ ‘Provisions’? The heck is ‘Provisions’?” questioned Celebdreth, waving the slip of paper at Haldir.
“New category this year,” he explained, shaking up the bag before holding it out to Beineilien for her to choose. “Lots of extra residents are here this winter, plus this way Thranduil doesn’t have to haul everything down with him when he comes, and anything we need from Valimar can be picked up at one time. Makes everyone much happier in the long run.”
Celebdreth leaned to his left to see what his wife had pulled. “Let me know what you’ll need for baking and I’ll be sure we pick it up,” he said after reading her task. “I better go find the others,” he decided. “Any idea who else got this one?” Celebdreth asked as he stood and stretched his arms.
Giving the bag anough shake before holding it out to Rumil, and finally, Nenniach, all of whom were breakfasting together, he said, “I believe Melpomaen also did.”
Excusing himself from the table, Celebdreth sought out Melpomaen. The scribe was not very difficult to locate, for he himself was wandering about seeking out his companions. “That leaves us half-found,” said Celebdreth as Glorcheniel approached them from around the corner.
“Make that three-quarters. Haldir told me to find the two of you,” she said, showing them the slip she had received.
“Excellent. Only one more to find, and we shall have our quorum,” Melpomaen said. Finding their fourth member was not so easy, and so they sought out Haldir instead to find out just who had pulled the fourth slip.
“No one did,” he confirmed. “Some of the groups only have three; one has five.”
The trio at the door watched as Orophin hopped about the room, trying to force his foot into one of the decorative stockings that had been on the wall. “Why can’t we have five?” questioned Celebdreth. “We should have five.”
“You don’t need five,” he said at the same time Melpomaen informed Celebdreth of this.
“Shh, I’m negotiating,” he whispered to Melpomaen out of the corner of his mouth. “Fine,” he said to Haldir. “We shall take another and raise our total to four and be on our way.”
Rolling his eyes, Haldir explained, “The reason you only have four is so that you can comfortably ride in a carriage and fit whatever provisions are required in the carriage without being crowded. Four is too many. Five is ridiculous.”
“Halli? Come help me!” demanded Orophin from across the room, where he had nearly hopped himself through the picture window. “My toes are getting tingly.”
Regarding Orophin for a moment, Haldir turned back to Celebdreth and said, “If you want four, you can have your uncle.”
Celebdreth considered the offer for a moment, then looked at Glorcheniel, who was adamantly shaking her head and Melpomaen, who was staring at Orophin with a worried look. “No, I think we’ll be fine with what we have. Thanks, though.” Scurrying out of the room before any reconsiderations could be made, Celebdreth and the others went to the kitchen, passing Rumil on the way.
“Love? Need anything from town?” asked Celebdreth of Beineilien. She pointed to a sheet on the table which he picked up. On his way back, he noted a tray full of reindeer that were missing their heads, but said nothing. “I expect we shall return in a week’s time, considering we must go to Valimar and to the Kastle to pick things up.”
“What is a week?” she asked, for they had once spent six to eight months of every year apart. “Hurry back safely, come and give me a kiss before you go,” she said, and he did as he was told.
Once the trio had collected the lists from the other groups, they went to the stables to hitch Fool of a Took and Erestor’s horse, Thay, to the carriage. On their way, they found themselves a wandering minstrel and invited Lindir along for the ride.
“This is superb,” he said, relaxing in the carriage sometime after they had started their journey. Instead of going to the King’s Kastle first, which was the closer of their two destinations, they would head straight for Valimar, collect what they needed there, and then go to the Kastle to pick up the ale and wine. “The caroling committee isn’t doing a thing until next week, and even if they were, all I am ever asked to do is play and sing along. No input whatsoever.”
“That’s so sad,” Glorcheniel said. “Surely, they must appreciate you, though.”
“I suppose,” he said shrug. “Anyhow, thanks for inviting me along. So, what is our mission?”
Celebdreth pulled out the lists as the horses clip-clopped their way down the snowy path they traveled along. “Besides the things we need to get from the Kastle, Grandnan requested capes for Elrond and Grandfather, she has colors and measurements and all of that, and I am to deliver them to Gaileth and pick up the garments at the week’s end. Elladan and Elrohir gave me a huge list of assorted items they need, and Haldir has a list of candy to be picked up from my Great-Grandnan’s sweet shoppe.”
“Mmm...candy...” voiced Glorcheniel and Lindir grinned and nodded. Lhunerin’s sweet shoppe was a delight for all elves, young and old. “Did Valarda need anything for her group?”
“No, but Beinie has a list of things, all very common, though. I suppose we can all split up and take a list,” suggested Celebdreth.
Lindir nodded. “That would be a good idea, we would get things done a lot faster that way. I’ll take Tallasinde’s list if you don’t mind.”
“Uhm... which committee is she on?” asked Celebdreth, sorting through the sheets.
“Tree and Yule Log,” answered Lindir, a bit worried as Celebdreth frowned. “Did you lose it?”
“I didn’t lose it,” he answered. “I never got it. I thought the decorators were the ones who took care of the tree.”
“Haldir changed it. Too many, he said, for the four groups we usually have, so he split it into seven,” Lindir informed them.
Celebdreth sighed. “Well... it shouldn’t be too bad,” he said. “I am sure they can make do for decorating the tree, and we have trees all around. It will be easy for them to find a tree in the forest.”
- - -
“Ha! Next year, I nominate you to head the tree committee!” announced Elodien.
Nenniach rasied her hand. “Second the nomination! All those in favor?”
“Aye!” shouted all four of the ladies who had ended up on the tree committee.
“How was I to know how truly difficult it would be?” apologized Celebdreth.
Tallasinde yawned. “It was hard work!” she complained. “But we still don’t know why Lindir was drunk.”
“Slightly inebriated!” he corrected again.
“I was just getting to that part,” grinned Celebdreth. “It really all started as soon as we arrived in Valimar...”
Yuletide 495 by Zhie