"It is so wonderful to see you again, brother," greeted Rumil, giving his younger brother a warm hug. Haldir was less familiar with his greeting, but he meant it with the same sincerity as Rumil as he placed his hand upon the youngest brother's shoulder and gave it a friendly squeeze.
With a silly grin, Orophin, the last of the three eldest Lorien brothers to give his salutations to the baby of the family, gave Erestor a mischievous look. Before Erestor could step out of the way, Orophin had shouted, "Elf-pile!!!" and managed to pounce Erestor onto the ground. With a snicker, Rumil dropped down onto his knees and pushed Orophin over lest he smother their youngest brother. Haldir, proper as always, cleared his throat and gave passersby a look that read `I'm not with these three'.
"We were hoping you would come along with the party from Rivendell, but we were not sure," said Rumil to Erestor. "With how much work His Grumpiness has you doing, we assumed you would be stuck at home. How is Imladris? Do you think you will stay there when your internship expires?"
Erestor had only been in the valley realm for a few years of his twelve year assignment there as an apprentice to one of the counselors. Not one for the harsh border guarding his brothers preferred, the opportunity to work in Rivendell had seemed one worth his time. The smile he gave to his brothers showed that his guess had been correct. "I love it there. I do miss Lothlorien, and the three of you, and Nana and Adar of course, but you should see Imladris! The library, the museum – oh! The Hall of Fire! It is extraordinary – storytelling and singing on days of celebration, and in the evenings most every other night, small groups of scholars
meet there to discuss such interesting things. Except to come here to visit all of you, I think I shall never leave Rivendell until the sea calls unto me," admitted the scribe.
"Really? Hmm. The hall does sound interesting," remarked Haldir, offering his hand to help Erestor up from the ground.
Once on his feet again, Erestor said, "Oh, it is! I have been told on more than one occasion that once in a great while the master minstrel, Lindir, throws a rather debaucherous ball of sorts, for couples and lovers only." Immediately, Erestor blushed. "Rather like the festival here, but... even more wicked."
Haldir's brows rose up at this. "Even more wicked? How very, very interesting."
"I doubt that," spoke Orophin as he continued to sit in the snow on the ground even after Rumil had stood up. "Even if it is, the committee came up with something to make it an even more interesting affair this year than in previous years."
"Honestly?" Erestor wrung his hands nervously, having never actually attended one of the infamous Lothlorien Love Fests previously. His excuse to Lord Elrond for coming back to Lothlorien was to attend this year's festival, and he had yet to tell his brothers his plans.
"Come along – we can go to Orophin's flet, no one will disturb us there," decided Rumil.
"If we're going to Orophin's flet, then Orophin needs help getting up," remarked the ellon on the ground, raising both arms up and wiggling his hands about.
Rumil rolled his eyes before reaching down to take hold of Orophin's hands and pull him up. As soon as he was standing, Orophin let loose a belch right into Rumil's face. "Gah, you orc! I swear, you must be adopted. Haldir, tell me, please, that he is adopted," begged Rumil as he pushed Orophin away and fell into step with his other two brothers.
"I think Nana and Adar said something about finding him floating in the river one day while fishing and they didn't have the heart to throw him back," answered Haldir.
Erestor snorted as Orophin blew raspberries at them from a few feet away. As much as he loved Imladris, he missed this, surprisingly enough.
- - -
"Besides having everyone in the clearing, which is secluded and fenced off as well as guarded so that there is no fear of attack of any sort," explained Rumil, "this year, everyone is going to be blindfolded."
"Oh, dear. Wouldn't that perhaps cause problems if siblings were to happen upon one another? Or parents and their children?" questioned Erestor as he blew over the top of his teacup to cool the liquid it held.
Rumil shook his head. "Every house is given a different password that needs to be spoken when any two elves happen upon each other. If the passwords match, then you move on, obviously."
"Unless your name is `Elladan' or `Elrohir'," said Orophin quietly to himself.
"Hush," scolded Haldir.
"Is that why this rule was invoked?" asked Erestor, fairly happy about it, as it meant not having to tell his brothers his intentions. In fact, it would save him completely – no one would ever know whether or not he had attended.
With a shrug of his shoulders, Rumil said, "One can only assume that the Lord and Lady would rather no one see what everyone knows. Their grandsons made it quite clear that they would be attending, and what they would be doing." Rumil was always privy to the best gossip, as he was employed often as one of the royal guards in the Great Mallorn for the fact he could keep secrets from everyone, save his brothers, who really had no one else to pass the secrets on to.
"Which is going to make things even more difficult for Haldir," spoke Orophin. He was promptly jabbed in the ribs by the eldest.
"What's that?" Erestor looked across the table to Haldir with curiosity. "Were you going to, erm, try for someone in particular this year?"
Haldir sighed, glared at Orophin, and then sighed again. "Just a few days before you arrived, after we escorted the party from Mirkwood into the city, I went back to the borders in order to greet the group from Mithlond. When I arrived at my post, one of the other guards handed me a note that was given to him by someone from Mirkwood. It was very brief, just a note saying that he had remembered me from the last time he was in Lothlorien and wanted to-"
"He?" piped up Erestor suddenly before biting his lip.
"Yes." Haldir straightened up a little. "Problem with that, brother?" he asked defensively.
"Oh! No, no, not at all," Erestor said in a rush before gulping his tea to keep himself silent.
There was a pause before Haldir continued. "He wrote that he wanted to get to know me better – much better."
"How much better?" Erestor couldn't help to ask.
"MUCH better," interrupted Orophin. "I saw the note accidentally," he said in answer to Erestor's mouth opening. Erestor pursed his lips. "He hid it, and, honestly, it's his right to. But," he added, "I do hope he finds whoever wrote that note – would be a shame if he doesn't."
"There was no name?" asked Erestor.
"No, there was no name." Haldir scratched his cheek and yawned. "Which makes me wonder if it is just a joke."
"I know you really do not want anyone to see it," said Erestor, "but I have seen a lot of official documents, many from Mirkwood. Most of the party from Mirkwood was made up of royalty and advisors. Perhaps, I might know who wrote it."
Haldir contemplated this. "Stay here. I will be right back," he said, and he went to the center of the room, climbing down to the flet below where he lived.
"So, I assume the two of you will be attending the festival?" Erestor asked as they waited for Haldir to return.
Nodding lazily, Orophin replied, "Last year, Haldir and I were on guard duty, so only Rumil got to go. That means I've been horny twice as long as him."
Rumil snorted at this. "Right. Next you'll tell me things were noisy here two weeks ago because you were just holding a very exciting game of cards."
"Mmmhmm," nodded Orophin with a smirk. "Actually, this year, I'm hoping to be chosen as one of the cupids."
"The cupids?" questioned Erestor.
"The serving staff," explained Rumil. "Lord Celeborn chooses someone to be a cupid, usually one of his house staff who has done a particularly good job during the year. Then they choose another, then that one chooses another, and so on, until there are twelve. They get to act rather silly as they wait on those who retire to the Great Mallorn for refreshments after the main event."
"It's quite a lot of fun," interrupted Orophin. "They get to wear wings and shoot arrows with no points at couples. They are constantly fondled and are clothed in nothing but a loincloth and a smile. They usually try for very young elves, but I think I still have a few years of youth in me. Actually, Erestor- you'd be perfect."
Erestor blushed. "Errr..."
"Back!" Haldir leaped onto the flet from the hole in the ground, clutching the note in his hand. "Here it is." Handing the note to Erestor, he hovered over his youngest brother. "So? Who is it?"
Pondering over the sheet and concentrating on the scrawl of the words and not the words themselves, Erestor finally let out a sigh. "I don't know. It's very poorly written." He began to skim the note and frowned. "Lots of spelling mistakes, and bad grammar. It wasn't written by any royal I am familiar with."
Orophin snickered. "Probably written by some young chamberboy or stablehand, smitten with our dear old brother."
"At least someone other than my horse wants to kiss me," retorted Haldir, snatching the note back and giving Orophin a glare. "Thanks anyhow, Erestor."
"So, Erestor, what do you plan to do during the festivities?" asked Rumil. Although the main event was a half-drunken gathering in the glade, there were other activities that some pursued. Those who preferred something quieter simply sought out another like soul and wandered themselves to a place of seclusion for the evening. Apparently, Erestor's brothers took him for one of the latter.
"I, uhm, well, I..." Erestor's face flushed again. "I never thought it could happen, but... I think... well, that is, there is someone I find myself interested in."
"Someone more interesting than a scroll or a book?" teased Rumil, nudging his baby brother's arm with his elbow.
"Well, there is this one in particular, that I, uhm, erm..."
Orophin grinned. "What do you mean, there's only one?" he asked with a wink. "So, what are you going to do for her?"
"Uh..." Erestor's blush deepened as Orophin and Rumil began to devise courses of action.
"You know what Rumil did once?" The two middle brothers were soon thick in their discussion of ways to aide their youngest brother. "He had a truth or dare game going. Of course, that was with three very adventurous ellyth, but, night of the festivities, you get the right one in the right mood-"
Rumil snorted. "The kind of girls he's interested in? Please. They'll break his nose. Now, Erestor, listen to me," advised Rumil. "There is nothing more romantic than a thornless rose. Well, perhaps an entire bunch of them."
"A whole bush!" piped up Orophin. "An entire thornless rose bush!"
"Hush, Orophin," scolded Rumil. "Listen, Erestor. What you need to do is-"
"What he needs to do is get away from the two of you!" laughed Haldir, shaking his head. "He has only just arrived, and you're about to wear him out!"
Both Rumil and Orophin backed off, leaving Erestor to smile a little uneasily in thanks to Haldir.
"Besides, he's probably tired from the long trip from Imladris. I suggest that we all get a good night's rest, and in the morning, the two of you can continue offering your insight to him." Haldir's suggestion was heeded, and after everyone said their goodnights, Rumil headed to the next higher flet that he lived on, while Haldir and Erestor took the rope down to the bottom flet. Haldir's was the largest flet on the tree, and it made sense for Erestor to stay here for the duration of the festival. It was that, or be a guest at his parents' home. Obviously, Erestor planned to stay here.
As he was settling in for the night, Erestor realized he was being stared at. Turning around and meeting Haldir's inquisitive gaze, he raised his brow in askance. "You might be able to deceive Orophin and Rumil, but it is obvious to me that you are not in love with some maiden. You need not tell me, but I am wondering who he is."
Erestor sucked in a deep breath and let it out quickly. How it was that Haldir always knew, even when Orophin and Rumil did not, Erestor would never know. Nervously he crawled into the makeshift bed on the couch, positioned so that his back would be to his brother. After the light from the candles went out, Erestor waited a few minutes, then softly called out, "Haldir?"
For a moment, he thought perhaps his eldest brother was asleep. A muffled sound followed by, "Yes, Erestor?" alerted him that this was not the case.
There was another long pause, and finally Erestor said, in an even quieter voice, "His name is-"
Story Notes:
Written for the St. Valentine's Day Challenge issued by Athos at the LothlorienLoversGroup TWO years ago. And I’m finally finishing it now...