The Paradise of Elves – Part 58: Wanting

Elladan looked at his friend and grinned.  ‘They will not arrive any more quickly for your sitting and staring at the road,’ he said.  ‘Have patience, Legolas.’

‘You are a fine one to talk,’ the fair haired prince accused him.  ‘You are not the one whose wife and children have abandoned him for intolerably long months, when all it seems to have done is rain.’

‘Four months,’ Elrohir said mildly.  ‘At most.’

‘It has felt longer.’

‘We could ride further,’ Elladan suggested.  ‘You do not seem to be able to sit still anyway.’

‘We might miss them,’ Legolas protested.  ‘They are bound to pass this point.’  He stood in a single graceful moment and began to pace.

‘I do not know why we agreed to come with him,’ Elladan looked wearily at his restless friend.  ‘It is worse than being in charge of an elfling – he is wearing me out.’

‘We brought him so that your wife could have some peace,’ his brother reminded him.  ‘Sirithiel said that, although Miriwen was finding his impatience more that a little entertaining, she really needed to rest.’  He paused and considered.  ‘Are you sure that she is not going to add to the family’s collection of twins?  She is expanding at a remarkable rate.’

‘Valar, no!’ Elladan exclaimed.  ‘Of that I am totally certain.  A son.  A single son, who will, I hope, be as reasonable as his brother.  Although I am not counting my chickens.’

‘You have been lucky once,’ Elrohir agreed.  ‘It would be most unfair if you were to have another easy-going elfling.  It would make me feel even more inadequate.’

‘Where are they?’  Legolas turned and looked at his friends accusingly.  ‘You are not tormenting me here, by any chance?  They will be arriving today?’

‘My friend!’ Elladan looked hurt.  ‘As if we would tease you on such an important matter.  Gwathor reported that they were on their way – and he has no reason to feed you false information.’

‘I would not have believed,’ Legolas admitted, ‘that I could miss them all quite so much.  It is almost enough to make me wish that I had joined their expedition to visit Elerrina’s parents.  Almost.’

‘I thought you had outgrown your hostility to each other,’ Elrohir observed.

‘We are not hostile at all,’ his friend replied with dignity.

‘Not, at least,’ Elladan grinned, ‘as long as there is a range of mountains between you.’

‘Taryatur will never entirely forgive me for stealing his daughter,’ Legolas admitted.  ‘Particularly not since I dragged her away from civilisation and imprisoned her in the forest.  Elerrina was not looking forward to trying to convince him – again – that she is perfectly happy here.’  He looked thoughtful.  ‘Or, indeed, that it is the best possible place for growing elflings.  I am sure he thinks that Eleniel and Galenthil will turn into savages.’

‘They are elflings,’ Elladan said easily.  ‘Savagery is a natural state of affairs.’

‘Perhaps Linevende and Taryatur would feel better about it if they were to come and see the forest for themselves,’ Elrohir remarked innocently.

A bird’s piping song rang in the moment of silence like mocking laughter.  Legolas stiffened into complete stillness.  ‘Are you hinting at something, my friend?’

‘There appear to be rather more returning than left,’ Elrohir allowed, hiding his amusement heroically.  ‘Although we have no means of knowing who are among the additions.’

‘Are you feeling unwell, Thranduilion?’ Elladan’s voice was filled with a mock-concern.  ‘Perhaps you should sit down before you swoon.  I am told that shocks are bad for the system.’

Legolas’s eyes narrowed.  ‘I will be sure to educate your new elfling in the history of all his adar’s mischief,’ he threatened.  ‘And, while I am about it, I feel sure that Elrin is now old enough to learn the truth of many half-heard tales.’

‘Have pity,’ Elrohir said lazily.  ‘The infant will have Aewlin and Nimloth as older cousins.  I am sure they will do all they can to corrupt him without any help from you.’

A rustling in the trees and a sound of distant voices made Legolas turn sharply enough for his hair to swing out in a pale arc.  Without thought, he leapt onto the nearest welcoming branch and began to race towards his approaching family.

‘Do you think he has considered how he is going to get back?’ Elrohir asked, shaking his head.  ‘Ahh, the impetuousness of youth – at times Legolas makes me feel quite old.’

‘I daresay Elerrina will be quite happy to ride with him.’ Elladan grinned suddenly.  ‘And, if it is indeed true that she has returned with her entire family in tow, it might be the closest he will get to her for quite a while.’

Elrohir’s smile was warm with affection.  ‘We will continue to wait here with the horses, then’ he agreed.  ‘And consider what we can devise, so that when they arrive, we will be ready to offer what distraction we can.’  He laughed.  ‘It should prove more than a little entertaining – for us, at least.’