"Have you seen a more beautiful spring day?" asked Tallasinde, opening the drapes to let in the light in the parlor.
"Nay, I have not," replied Vilya, who was on the couch, sorting out the colored threads in her needlepoint bag. "But then I tend to think each is lovelier than the next."
Tallasinde smiled with a nod and glided to the couch, sitting down next to her niece. Although she was Vilya's aunt, she really felt more like her sister- they were, after all, born just months apart from one another, and grew up as the best of friends. No one would have believed that Vilya was the daughter of her sister and not her very own sister from how they acted, but their looks tattled on them. Tallasinde, like her siblings, was fair haired, with golden locks like her sister (her brothers had silvery-blonde hair, all three of them, something akin to the color of wheat), and her eyes were pale and blue. Vilya, on the other hand, was a perfect model of a dark-haired elleth, with eyes of deep grey and a serious look about her. She was her father's child, of this there was no doubt, while Tallasinde's nature was more playful, though more and more modest as the years wore on.
Neither had reached her majority, but they were both taller now than Tallasinde's oldest brother, Haldir. According to her next oldest brother, Orophin, this was some sort of milestone, and her youngest brother, Rumil, had gone so far as to bake them a cake for it. Both Tallasinde and Vilya were in agreement that they had the silliest brothers.
And the silliest in-laws.
In fact, it was decided that the entire family was just plain silly.
With one exception.
There was a sudden rumbling sound, of something scrambling away in terror from something else, and both were flying down the stairs at an incredible rate. Each elleth looked at the other, wondering the same thing - What now? - as Orophin rushed into the room, looking over his shoulder.
"No! Absolutely not!" he shouted amid his laughter. Rumil suddenly came into view with a wicked look on his face. "You look SO much better in a dress than I do."
"This is non-optional," shouted Rumil in a voice that was inappropriately loud. "I will hold you down myself if I have to, and your wife told me I could do it!"
"Oh, my wife's in on this? Well, let's go do this then," he said, and the pair left the room. "Oh, let me grab some cream and chocolate on the way," added Orophin as they passed by the kitchen.
"Villy," asked Tallasinde as she tightened the canvas she was working on, "does it ever occur that you hear something and don't have the vaguest idea what is going on?"
"All of the time," Vilya answered, pulling the thread through the fabric as she embroidered patterns of stars and swirls on the collar of a shirt for her favorite uncle. He wasn't really her uncle, but she and Tallasinde called him uncle. In fact, if one worked things out, he was Tallasinde's cousin's husband, and something further removed from Vilya, but he had always been their uncle. Uncle Ressi, and they were the only two given permission for that, with the exception of his husband, who called him Ress.
They were also the only two who were permitted to call Glorfindel 'Uncle Fin', and Vilya readily admitted that it was he, with the exception of Tallasinde, who was her favorite extended relation. Uncle Fin was the storyteller, the historian, the brave warrior, and on occasion, the best elf to chase monsters from closets, though that had not happened in some time.
"Get back here with my wife!"
Tallasinde looked to the door with a start, while Vilya had simply ignored the sudden outburst. Moments later, Haldir, carrying Elodien, stumbled into the room and nearly fell into them on the couch. He smiled apologetically, and tumbled into the big comfortable chair while Elodien gave a delighted shriek. "She's my wife, too!" Haldir reminded Legolas as he stomped into the room.
"Is she, now?" Legolas sauntered to the chair, dropping down on the other side of Haldir's lap. "Prove it." Elodien giggled furiously at the smirk Haldir gave to Legolas.
"When?"
"Now."
"Where?"
"Here if you like," answered Legolas, reclining against the arm of the chair.
Deciding that things were being quite personal, and should not be continued, Vilya cleared her throat in the manner that she heard Uncle Thranduil's friend, Thaladir, clear his when someone terribly unseemly was occurring. The trio looked up and Legolas snickered and stood up, holding out a hand for Elodien. "I'm sorry, I thoroughly apologize for that," he said, "I did not see the two of you there." He took hold of Elodien's hand and yanked her up, then ran with her out the door before Haldir had the proper chance to react. Giving a growl, Haldir leaped up and gave chase.
"I feel invisible sometimes," pouted Tallasinde, dropping her needlework to her lap.
"It's better this way," Vilya said. "Then they don't make us partake in it. Chin up, Talli, pouting is most unbecoming of you."
Tallasinde smiled with a nod and returned to her work again until they heard a crash near the front door. Both of them stood up in alarm, meaning to see if things were alright, until they heard the voices of Tallasinde's parents.
"Damn, Elrond's had that planter there since they built the house."
"It was the ugliest bloody thing I had ever seen," countered Celeborn. There was a bit of a shuffling noise, and then he said, "We can tell him later. Right now, my saucy wench, tell me where you want me to have my way with you."
With a sigh, the girls sat back down, intent on ignoring any further conversation.
"Let's go to the parlor and you can ravish me on the couch like you did last week."
The girls were up from their seats before they had time to properly straighten their dresses.
"Better yet, take me to our room... you've not tied me to the bed in the longest time," drawled Galadriel, and the pair went up the stairs.
Slowly, Tallasinde turned and regarded the couch, looking as if she might either vomit or cry. Vilya stepped up to her and put her arms around her sister's waist, leaning her head on her shoulder. "Perhaps today would be a lovely day to pay a visit to the cottage. I'm sure Uncle Fin and Uncle Ressi are in."
Tallasinde nodded, not taking her eyes off of the couch the entire time that they spent packing up the needlework. Vilya pulled a few books from the shelf, and the two donned their riding capes and hoods before going to the barn to retrieve their horses, gifts from Uncle Thranduil, who was probably the third favorite on each of their lists, but they never really visited him much, for he lived quite far away. Forgoing saddles and bridles, the girls mounted, with Vilya securing the bag over her back, and Tallasinde opening one of the books. They read to one another while their horses trotted up the slope that would take them to the cottage on the cliffs.
- - -
"So, I am sure you can understand our dilemma," said Vilya over tea and biscuits with Glorfindel. The blonde nodded his head. "That is why, and I know it is bold to ask, but we thought that perhaps we could stay with you. Just for a few years, until we reach our majority and are able to go where we please. I know taking guardianship would be a burden, but we can think of no one else to ask, save Uncle Thranduil."
Glorfindel rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I would not object, but I don't know about Ress. He... we... well... there's something that you probably don't know about-"
"Oh, that," Vilya said. "I know all about that."
Eyes widening, Glorfindel replied, "You do?"
"Of course. Everyone knows. It's fairly obvious," stated Vilya.
"It is?" Glorfindel shifted rather uncomfortably. "I thought we did such a good job of hiding it," he mumbled to himself.
Feeling very sorry for the way she had informed him, Vilya moved to the chair closed to Glorfindel and put her hand upon his. "Well, we do have Uncle Haldir and Uncle Legolas around, and though it isn't quite the same thing since they have Aunt Elodien with them-"
"Oh!" Glorfindel chuckled. "Oh, yes, dear, everyone knows about THAT." He laughed to himself. "If that were a secret to anyone, I would be shocked at this point."
"Ah." Vilya removed her hand from his and crossed her arms. "Well, then what's this thing you've been hiding?"
- - -
"I would gladly take both of you in, but it isn't my decision. That is up to your parents," Erestor said, walking down the path with Tallasinde. "I do not think you would have very much fun, living with two elderly elves in a small cottage without many of the comforts of the First Homely House."
"Oh, but we would!" exclaimed Tallasinde. "We long for peace and silence, and we would not be idle," she added. "We would gladly help in the orchard, and we both know how to milk the cow and take care of the chickens."
"That isn't all," said Erestor, plucking a flower from a wandering vine. "We lead a very different life." He stalled in the path, and Tallasinde stopped to face him. "We are in bed at sundown, we rise at sunup. Our work comes first, and then we relax for the afternoon, evenings for quiet reflection and prayer. It is indeed much, much simpler than what you are used to."
Tallasinde nodded her understanding. "That is what we want. It is truly what we desire. We may seem young," she said, and Erestor smiled at her determined look, "but in our hearts, I think we are older than those at the house!"
Erestor bowed his head, grinning and nodding. "I believe your words," he told her. "And if you would like, I shall speak with your parents." He held out the flower to Tallasinde and said, "How can an old elf like me resist your charms?"
Tallasinde smiled and took the flower from him, tucking it in her hair over her left ear. "Thank you, Uncle!" she said, kissing his cheek. "I am sure they will agree."
Erestor smiled, but did not look so sure as they walked back to the shaded table in the yard behind the cottage where they had left Glorfindel and Vilya. Vilya was wearing a smirk as Erestor approached. He looked uneasily from her to a sheepish Glorfindel. "You told her, didn't you?"
"I thought she knew!" blurted out Glorfindel, holding out his open hands before him.
"How did you think she knew?" questioned Erestor.
Glorfindel sighed. "She told me she knew, but that's not what she meant."
"So you told her."
Bowing his head, Glorfindel nodded. "Yes."
"Told you?" Tallasinde looked around in confusion. "Told you what?"
Vilya stole away from the table, and giddily whispered something into Tallasinde's ear. When she finished, Tallasinde shrugged. "I already knew that."
"How did you know that?" wondered Vilya. "I didn't even know that!"
"Well, it's obvious that he's not an elf!" Tallasinde offered in explanation. None of the others said a thing, and Tallasinde continued, "His eyes don't ever change color, Villy," Tallasinde said as if everyone should know what that meant.
"He's so calm, that's why." Vilya looked to Erestor. "That's not why, is it Uncle Ressi?"
Erestor shook his head. "You're the first to notice, Tallasinde. Not even Glorfindel made that connection."
"I just knew that they were the most beautiful eyes I'd ever seen," answered Glorfindel with a smile to Erestor.
"So what was the thing you thought that it wasn't?" Tallasinde asked Vilya.
Vilya blushed. "Well, that's not quite appropriate for mixed company, but, well..." She motioned with her hand. "You know, the things that..." When Tallasinde looked even more confused, Vilya hissed at her, "Well, they ARE married."
"So?" shrugged Tallasinde, but a moment later, that was replaced with an "OH!" and her hand covering her mouth. "Oh. Oh, my. Well," she blushed, and said in a rather flustered voice, "I don't see why that should matter at all, except- well, what I mean is... the couch is... safe, right?"
"Safe?" asked Glorfindel.
"Yes. Yes it is," Erestor said quickly, looking slightly embarrassed at the turn of the conversation. "That sort of thing is confined to only the places where it is proper."
"Ah. So, the patio, and the porch, and the kitchen-"
"Perfectly safe," Erestor said quickly. "From the time, perhaps we should go to speak with your parents about the arrangement, shall we?"
The girls nodded happily, and Erestor and Glorfindel excused themselves to retrieve their horses. "Well, that could have turned ugly," whispered Glorfindel once they were inside the barn. "Let's hope they never ask us about the well."
All Grown Up by Zhie