"Stand up straight, Haldir."
"What? I am standing—" This was followed by a low growl as Celeborn shushed his eldest
son with a look. Galadriel had moved on to Orophin and was frowning at his choice of
clothing, and began to pull and tug at the collar and belt and hem of the tunic Orophin
was wearing.
Orophin shrugged his mother off of him gently. "If you please, Nana, you will tear it in
two if you keep doing that!" Galadriel gave one more yank on the right sleeve in an
attempt to straighten the garment out, causing Orophin to huff at her. Galadriel frowned
at Valarda's choice of attire – simple, yet elegant, yet at the same time looking more
like something from the wardrobe of her sons than her daughters. She had learned long
ago that Valarda was one of the few elves she could not win an argument with, and moved
on to Rumil.
Rumil pulled himself up stiffly, tidy and in pristine condition. Galadriel smiled warmly
and patted him on the cheek, then moved her hand to tuck Nenniach's loose braids behind
her ears. She walked on to Celebrian and sighed. "The red dress? No, no, not for today.
Perhaps for the evening…"
"Nana, I do not wish to change halfway through. I can wear this the entire time, can I
not?" Celebrian looked to her father, thinking she would obtain his approval, but
Celeborn appeared more interested in studying the sky than partaking in Galadriel's
inspection.
"Dearest, we must make the proper impression," Galadriel said, placing her hands on
Celebrian's shoulders. "Wear this one this evening, but for now, run up to your rooms
and change into something more appropriate."
"Galadriel," Elrond broke into the discussion, setting Vilya down next to Tallasinde. He
had been trying to keep the elflings apart so that they would not accidentally mess the
formal clothing they were wearing until after their guests arrived. "I think the dress
is just fine."
Galadriel pressed her lips together and took a few deep breaths through her nose,
finally saying nothing more than, "Fine," as she moved on to look at Celebdreth.
Celebrian sighed heavily and turned to go to the house. "Ria, wait." Elrond glanced over
his shoulder to make sure that the girls were not getting into anything, and put an arm
around his wife, drawing her close so that he could speak to her without any of the
others hearing. "Ria, you look fine. They are not going to care what color you are
wearing."
"Well, I am not putting up with her eye rolling and sighing for the next six hours. I
shall return in a moment," promised Celebrian. Elrond gave a sigh of his own and
returned to find Galadriel clicking her tongue at his twin sons.
"Cirdan has one," argued Elrohir. "I have never heard you tell him to shave it off. And
Mithrandir! And Gimli! They are both rather fond of wearing one as well!"
"Elrohir, it will grow back," Galadriel said sweetly, knowing Elrohir could not be moved
by harsh talk and loud arguments.
"But I like it how it is!" Elrohir said, crossing his arms.
"Is this the first impression you wish to give to your great-grandparents? You look
nothing at all like an elf, save for your ears, which you hide behind your hair."
Galadriel continued, looking deep into Elrohir's eyes, and Elladan narrowed his, getting
the idea that she was using more than mere persuasion on Elrohir as his arms started to
loosen. "Right now, you look like one of those scruffy forest rangers you used to travel
with, and that does not look very attractive."
"On the contrary," spoke up Elodien, "scruffy forest rangers are quite attractive." This
comment caused everyone to look down the row of elves to Elodien, who had been purposely
placed on the other end, completely opposite of Haldir. "I know of one elf who I would
like to see with a beard if ever it were possible."
Haldir looked away and straightened up in his spot, getting a nudge from Orophin as he
turned red. Galadriel took a step back from Elrohir so that she could address Haldir and
Elodien at the same time. "As I mentioned earlier, I do not wish to see any
inappropriate intimacies of any sort conducted in this house for the duration of the
stay of our guests. Is that quite clear?" Reluctantly, Elodien and Haldir nodded their
heads, and Galadriel turned to look at her husband, regarding him with a wrinkled nose.
"I hate that tunic."
"Do you?" Celeborn looked down at what he was wearing, feigning innocence. "I thought
you rather liked this one."
"No. I told you to burn that one." Galadriel pointed toward the house. "Go, I think you
have time to—" She was cut off before she could direct anyone any further by the sounds
of a coach approaching. Quickly, she barked orders for everyone to stand in their
places, for the elves to mind the elflings, and asked why Celebrian had not yet
returned, wringing her hands impatiently until Celebrian reemerged from the house in a
more formal pale green dress. When the coach did arrive, no one dared say a thing or
move a muscle until Galadriel gave word to do so.
The customary black horses trotted up to the elves at the doors and slowed to a stop.
There was a moment of hesitation before the door swung open. The first elf out of the
carriage was tall and very proud in appearance. Galadriel grinned upon seeing him, and
those who did not know him could guess this was Finarfin. He smiled widely, and held his
hand out for someone who was inside the coach. Stepping down the stairs in a most
graceful manner was an elleth whose eyes of blue looked both ancient and comforting to
those who met her gaze. She was tall as well, though her height did not quite match that
of the elf who led her forward.
Galadriel took a few steps in their direction, embracing the elf as he held his arms out
to hug her. "Adar. It is so good to see you," she said to him, her voice muffled a
little in the folds of his cloak.
Finarfin took a step back, letting his hands run down her shoulders until he grasped her
hands and held onto them. "Ah, my little baby girl, I never get used to how tall you
managed to grow." Galadriel continued to smile and gave her father a kiss on the cheek.
It was odd, to those who had not been introduced to Finarfin before, to see Galadriel
have to stretch upon her tiptoes to accomplish the task.
Galadriel looked now to the elleth, and practically threw herself into her mother's
arms. "I have missed you as well, Naneth," she said, tightly hugging the elleth who was
just shy an inch or two from Galadriel's own height.
"Well, we know now you do not take after Nana's side of the family," whispered Orophin
through clenched teeth. Haldir discretely pinched Orophin's side, and Orophin had to
bite his lip to keep from yelping.
The other elves in the carriage began to make their way out now. First an elf slightly
more muscular than most emerged, his silver-white hair much longer than that of most
elves. He swept his cape over one shoulder in a majestic fashion that was quite capable
of making many an elf maiden swoon, and stood briefly on the platform to make a visual
sweep of the crowd, in case any elf maidens indeed had thudded to the ground due to his
entrance. To his dismay, he found that elf maidens were in short supply, and in fact,
two of the three were probably no higher than his knee. The third, he believed had
rolled her eyes, and was now whispering something to the strange elf who – well, either
he had a beard, or some sort of disease upon his face, and was now puffing his cheeks to
keep from releasing his laughter. Galadhon gave a little snort, but before he could give
a proper stare across the way to either of the young elves, he was poked in the back by
the corner of a book.
"Are you just going to stand their all the day, or do you intend to let me out of this
thing?" demanded a fast yet lyrical voice. Galadhon abruptly made his way down the rest
of the steps, but instead of helping the other occupant from the coach, made his way
over to his son. He patted Celeborn on the back fondly, and tousled little Tallasinde's
hair best he could, though she hid quite well behind her father's leg. Vilya stepped
forward and gave a proper curtsey, bowing her head and asking `How do you do?' and
received a number of awes and coos from those in the general vicinity.
Back at the carriage, a face poked out of the darkness. The elleth looked around and
shook her head with a scowl when she saw what had happened to her husband. "Thank you
ever so for helping your poor wife from this monstrosity, Galadhon. You really should
not have."
"I – oh." Galadhon sheepishly smiled and was about to turn around except for Rumil's
attentiveness to the situation. Rumil bounded over to the coach, and much to the dismay
of his brothers, managed to do so without so much as putting a hair out of place.
"My lady." Rumil held out a hand, and Lhunerin beamed, taking it and carefully stepping
down and out of the carriage. It was easy to see why she had been dismayed at her
husband's disappearance, as it would have been difficult for her to make it to the
ground without some assistance. Haldir could no longer be told he was the shortest elf
in the family.
Orophin snickered and was on the receiving end of another pinch. Rumil was on the
receiving end of a pinch of his own.
"Such a sweet elf you are, helping your grandmother out of that terrible thing!"
Lhunerin let go of Rumil's cheek and gave him a little pat on the face. Rumil stood back
up, as he had to stoop a bit to allow her to pinch his face in the first place. As
enough activity appeared to be taking place at the other end of the line, Rumil brought
Lhunerin over to meet his brothers, wife, and sister-in-law.
"This is my beautiful wife, Nenniach, a scribe to Elrond's court. Our son Celebdreth is
somewhere over yonder, you will have to see him later."
"A pleasure, and such pretty dark hair you have, my dear," complimented Lhunerin,
patting the back of Nenniach's hands. "Would I know your parents?"
"I am afraid I do not even really know my parents all that well, but it is Erestor whom
I call father," she said.
"Oh." A look of pity was on Lhunerin's face and she patted Nenniach's hands once more.
"I am so sorry to hear that, dear."
"I like her already!" Orophin whispered to Haldir.
"I think she meant she was sorry to hear Nenniach lost her parents, not sorry that
Erestor is her father," Haldir hissed back.
"Actually," Lhunerin said, "a little of both. Oh, but a fine elf he was, only a bit too
serious for me," she added before Nenniach could pout.
“Is,” corrected Nenniach. “He shall be here later.”
“Will he?” Lhunerin frowned a bit. “I do hope we have enough wine to endure.”
"I like you even more," said Orophin.
"You are Orophin," Lhunerin said.
Orophin laughed. "My reputation precedes me!"
"I was warned about you," Lhunerin admitted. "I was told you have a quick tongue."
Orophin nodded. "And a sense of humor." Again, Orophin nodded. "Good. We can tell each
other jokes later." She smiled at Valarda. "And do you have the great misfortune of
being bonded to Orophin?"
"I do, but I make the best of it," joked Valarda.
"This is Valarda," said Rumil. "She was the Captain of the guard while your son was
ruling East Lorien and Commander to Haldir in Lothlorien. Technically also the Crowned
Princess of Lothlorien as well, by default of Haldir renouncing the throne, but we need
not get into details over that," he added with a wink.
"Ah, a strong elleth. Some elves need one of those around." Lhunerin patted Orophin on
the arm, for she could not reach his cheek. "I think you are most like your father of
all of his sons, although there is still one more for me to meet if I am not mistaken."
Rumil nodded, and presented Haldir, who stepped forward and gave a bow. "Captain of the
Galadhrim in Lothlorien, and later the last of the Kings of Greenwood."
"Greenwood!" Lhunerin was quite impressed and put her loose hand on her hip. "Now why
did your father not inform me of that?"
"It was a short lived appointment, I assure you, of little consequence in the grand
scheme of things," Haldir said.
Lhunerin tugged on Haldir's cheek and patted his face. "You should not sell yourself
short, dear. Greenwood is a most respectable place."
"Greenwood * was * a most respectable place," mumbled Rumil at the same time Orophin
murmured, "But he * is * short."
Lhunerin looked at Haldir with more pity than she had Nenniach. "You are the eldest
brother, are you not?" When Haldir nodded, she nodded. "I was the eldest of the three
girls. My childhood was filled with tragedy," she said, but her expression was not so
serious, and Haldir smiled.
"I think I agree with Orophin."
"How is that?" Lhunerin asked.
"I like you already."
"That is good," said Lhunerin. "I like you, too. You are just the right height, I
think," she said, pinching Haldir's cheek once more for good measure. "And where is your
wife?" she asked, noting Haldir's cringe immediately. "Oh, that is not good for you, not
with Earwen here…" Lhunerin glanced down the line at Galadriel's parents, and nearly
gave a shudder. "Such a meddler that one is. You are not at least betrothed yet, are
you?" Lhunerin asked hopefully.
"Not…yet…" Haldir said, carefully avoiding looking down at Elodien.
"Ah. I see. Can you get her here to pretend you are married? Your life will be made so
much easier if you can."
Haldir gritted his teeth and stole a glance at the dark haired elleth, who was trying to
keep Tallasinde from sitting down in a snowdrift. Lhunerin caught the look and put two
and two together faster than a dwarf could have mined a cave of mithril. "Someone
disapproves." A nod. "Her father?" A half nod of sorts. "Mother?" A definite no.
"Grandfather?" Emphatic nod. "How long?"
"Nearly ten years."
"Agh. You poor thing." Lhunerin narrowed her eyes. "Well, that can be fixed easily."
"Oh, no, please, do not fix it," Haldir said, placing a hand on Lhunerin's shoulder to
stop her from leaving. "No, I made a promise and I intend to keep it."
"There is no need for you to wait. It is ridiculous," Lhunerin argued.
"It is more complex," Haldir whispered, pleading now. "I have only six years left and I
do not wish to estrange her. Or myself."
Lhunerin dropped her voice. "What are you, cousins?"
"She is Haldir's great niece," explained Rumil when Haldir did not answer.
"Is that all?"
"She is only ninety-four," added Orophin sadly.
"Ninety-four?" Lhunerin crossed her arms. "I knew of elves who caused less of a scandal
bonding at forty." Lhunerin paused. "Wait, she is not your granddaughter?" She asked
Rumil, who shook his head. "What about you?" she asked Orophin.
"We do not have grandchildren, let alone children," he said.
"Oh…" Lhunerin looked at Valarda. "You might want to pretend you are with child around *
her *." She tossed her head in Earwen's direction.
"Noted," said Valarda unhappily, for it was a plan she and Orophin had come up with the
day before while cleaning their suite.
"So that would make her Elrond's granddaughter? That about explains things." Lhunerin
gave Haldir a pat on the cheek as he hung his head. "Chin up, young one. Six years, you
say? Six years is not too bad. But if at any time the two of you decide you are not
waiting any longer, you just let me know. I will give him a piece of my mind about this
situation. No one should ever try to get in the way of true love." Lhunerin looked over
at her husband, to Earwen, and then to Celeborn and Galadriel. "Ever. Period."
"I think we should adopt you," Orophin decided. "Better yet, a trade. We will take you,
and get rid of Elrond."
Lhunerin reached up, and with some stooping from Orophin, was able to pinch a bit of his
cheek. "I think I am a little too big to adopt, Orophin. But please, dears, keep in
mind, Elrond's house is not the only one open to you here in Valinor." She gave a few
more pats and pinches before joining her husband near the other end of the group.
"What do you think she meant by that?" wondered Orophin to his brothers once Lhunerin
had left.
"I think she may have invited us to mutiny," frowned Rumil.
- - -
"Has anyone seen Tallasinde?" asked Celebrian, trying to maneuver her way past her sons
as she headed down the hallway. The house actually seemed crowded, with only four extra
elves, mainly for the reason that only half of the house was being used. The other half
had been decorated for the evening, and the morning and afternoon visiting was to be
kept to the originally built portion of the house.
Elodien shook her head as she walked toward the parlor. "I shall look for her," she
offered, not taking notice of the elf in the kitchen doorway. As she was about to walk
past, an arm snaked quickly around her waist and she was pulled backwards.
Haldir let the door spring outward and put up a hand to stop it as it swung back into
place. His right arm spun Elodien around and he pulled her close, capturing her lips
before she could protest his actions.
"Haldir!" she scolded, pulling away after their kiss, but he did not permit it.
"What were you laughing about outside?" he asked, grinning at her mischievously.
Elodien frowned and stopped her struggle. "What do you mean?"
"When you spoke to Elrohir. The two of you found something funny." Haldir brought both
of his hands to her sides, wiggling his fingers to tickle her briefly. Elodien gasped
and giggled, trying to push away his hands as her knees began to give way. Haldir
steadied her. "Tell me what was said outside," he demanded playfully.
"I said – stop it! – I said, when that arrogant elf came out of the coach, I said to
Elrohir, `I came to the West for THIS?!' " Elodien managed to grab one of Haldir's
wrists and struggled to get the other.
"You came to the West for that? I thought you came to the West for me!" he pouted,
trying to resume his tickling.
"Haldir, please! We will be heard!" protested Elodien.
Haldir stopped trying to make Elodien laugh and pulled her closer. "Not if I have
anything to say about that," he promised as he brought their lips together once again.
He had had some time to speak with Lhunerin further, and found that indeed, there were
many other places where they would be welcome to live, including the large house
Galadhon and Lhunerin lived in. Though Haldir felt he should still keep his promise to
Elrond and not marry Elodien before her hundredth birthday, it was nice to know there
was another place where they would be welcome, and the idea had made him giddy, though
he had yet to tell Elodien about it. For the moment, he did not seem to care about much,
only the fact that he had had the good fortune to be able to smuggle Elodien into the
kitchen, and was now taking full advantage of the situation.
Elodien did not say much until her mind began to entertain thoughts of them being walked
in on. "Everyone is right in the next room!" she finally warned. "And we told your
mother—"
"—that she would not see us. And she will not see us, for she is busy upstairs right now
convincing Tallasinde to come down. That gives us at least three more minutes." Haldir
had been walking Elodien to the high counter that surrounded half of the kitchen as he
spoke, but frowned when he saw the trays of food set upon every inch of it.
"It was a good plan-" began Elodien, but Haldir was not so easily daunted. Sweeping a
tray of cheese up from the counter with one hand, he wrapped his other arm around the
elleth's waist and hoisted her with little difficulty to sit upon the counter. Still
balancing the tray with one hand, his free hand slid up Elodien's neck as they kissed
once more. Elodien's hands rested on his shoulders, and Haldir stepped forward boldly,
Elodien's legs wrapping around him in a most unseemly manner as his hand moved down and
snaked its way up her dress. Wishing to have both hands free, Haldir quickly looked
around in dismay, finding his options were to place the tray onto a large plate of
cupcakes or dropping it onto the floor. The door to the kitchen swung open.
"Oh, my. Please, do not do that when the ex-Mirkwood delegation gets here," begged
Valarda. "I am going to have to listen to enough comments from Thaladir without him
seeing something of that manner going on in the kitchen. I can not believe what you were
doing is sanitary."
Elodien had hopped down from the counter by this time, and Haldir was placing the tray
back where she had sat. Orophin crinkled his nose, using his foot to stop the swinging
of the kitchen door. "Cheese, brother? I did not know you were into such kinky things."
He winked at the pair, and both of them had the decency to blush as they readjusted
their clothing and hair.
"It is not very nice to tease us," sulked Haldir. "The two of you can grope one another
all you want and none shall think unkindly."
"Oh, but we do not, not in front of guests," Valarda informed him.
"Yes, but…the rest of the time…" Haldir paused. "So, what do you do when guests are
here? Somehow, I do not believe Orophin can just turn himself on and off."
Orophin grinned in a silly manner, with his tongue bit between his teeth. "No, no, no, I
never get turned off," he grinned. His hand slid under Valarda's arm, and she smiled
wickedly at her husband. "Long ago, we learned that we needed something for when we
could not ravish one another on the kitchen counter." Once more, Haldir and Elodien
blushed, and Orophin smirked as his words had the desired effect. "We came up with an
idea both clever and undetectable."
Haldir raised a brow in interest, and Valarda replied, "Elbows."
"Elbows?"
"Yes, elbows." Valarda used one hand to lightly touch Orophin on the elbow. "It seems so
innocent, and yet if you know what it really means, it is rather naughty."
"You just… you touch his elbow?" Haldir asked, intrigued.
"Or, he touches mine. And then, there is a little nudge of the elbows, or a caress, or
even a grab if need be." The various techniques were demonstrated by Orophin and Valarda
as Haldir and Elodien watched with great interest.
"No one else knows of this?" asked Haldir.
"I told Celebrian once when she picked up on it, but she never told Elrond. She did tell
the twins, and I suspect they told Glorcheniel." Valarda said.
Orophin nodded. "You may also see Rumil and Nenniach use the technique once in a while.
With Celebrian, it is amusing, though. If she realizes we are doing it, she will start
touching Elrond's elbow as many times as possible, and he is completely clueless that
something is going on."
"Elbows…" Elodien playfully tried out the idea, pressing two fingers against Haldir's
right elbow. He gave an unexpected shiver when she did it, and Elodien giggled.
"See? Quite a lot of fun when you know what it means." Valarda moved around behind
Orophin and rested her head against his back, reaching along either side to rub his
arms, carefully spending the most time on his elbows. "Just imagine the possibilities,"
she purred.
Haldir looked up as Orophin, grinning, and Orophin grinned back. "A contest," said
Haldir.
"A duel?" Orophin grinned. "I accept."
"We must let Rumil partake," added Haldir.
"I shall tell him." Orophin considering things for a moment. "First one to fifty?"
"That seems fair. Beginning at noonday." Haldir looked at the clock to see the time, but
saw that the large ornate object was still broken. "Or, thereabouts."
"Agreed. Let us find Rumil." Orophin took the lead out of the kitchen with the rest
following behind and into the parlor. As they all found places around the room, Orophin
took Rumil aside and whispered a few words to him. Rumil looked over at Haldir and
grinned, making sure to rub his elbow against Nenniach's as he crossed the room to sit
back down next to his son.
`So it begins,' thought Haldir to himself as Rumil gently gave Nenniach's elbow a quick
squeeze and held two fingers down at his side briefly for Haldir and Orophin to see.
