The Paradise of Elves – Part 74:  Well Met by Moonlight

‘You want to hope that your adar has not yet noticed that she is missing,’ Elrohir said softly as he approached from the shadows.

‘I have not stolen her,’ Legolas replied, continuing his gentle rocking.  ‘Adar’s attention, like Elrond’s and Miriwen’s, is fixed on my naneth and this little one wanted some admiration of her own.’  He glanced towards the wide windows in which many candles burned.  ‘We are only a step away.’

Elladan joined them, peering over his friend’s shoulder with the confidence of familiarity.  ‘She is beautiful,’ he said.

‘She is,’ Legolas agreed. ‘And,’ he turned towards the doorway, ‘I believe her adar requires her presence.’ 

Moving with easy grace, he transferred the sleeping baby to Thranduil who gathered her jealously in his arms and took her back inside to continue her acquaintance with her naneth.  Legolas raised his face to the moon and allowed the light to bathe his face, linking his hands behind his head and stretching until it seemed as if his bones would crack.

‘It is a nervous time,’ he remarked.  ‘Worse, I think, when you are less intimately involved.’

‘I am not sure of that,’ Elrohir considered.  ‘But certainly the hours pass more slowly.’

‘And people tell you even less,’ Elladan added.

‘I wonder how long it will be before Miriwen emerges,’ Legolas said thoughtfully.  ‘We should be able to drag more information out of her.’

‘Do not count on it, my friend.’ Elrohir sat on the top step of the elegant stairway that curved up the tree trunk to the suite of rooms used by Thranduil and his wife.  ‘Miriwen has learned her views on confidentiality from Adar – and he would refuse to tell you it was raining if he felt it was better for you not to know.’

‘Elladan can torture the truth from her.’ Legolas yawned.  ‘Can you remember when last we ate?  I am feeling hungry.’

‘We could go and raid the kitchen,’ Elrohir suggested.  ‘And liberate a bottle of your adar’s best to wet the baby’s head.  Sirithiel has gone to check on the elflings – and ensure they are sleeping the sleep of the oppressed.’  He grinned.  ‘They were furious when she and Elerrina insisted that they should go to bed.  Even Eleniel complained that it was not every day that you got to attend the birth of your aunt and it was most unfair to dismiss them as if they were babies.’

‘They will not be sleeping then,’ his brother observed ‘but sitting up and pinching themselves to keep awake – just to show us all how totally unreasonable we are.’

‘They can sleep late in the morning,’ Legolas said easily.  ‘There will be far too much excitement going on to compel them to attend lessons.  And they can spend the afternoon helping prepare the feast with which my sister’s arrival will be greeted.’

Elrohir frowned.  ‘Will she not be rather young to attend a feast?’

‘I doubt even Adar will be there – except perhaps for a few minutes,’ Legolas shrugged.  ‘But a feast is, nonetheless, inevitable.  There will be another in a few days, when Naneth will preside and Adar will present the little one for all to see.’  He grinned.  ‘We do not hold to your Noldor customs, you know.  If we Wood Elves are going to celebrate anyway, we might just as well ensure that the party goes well.’

‘Are the elflings expected to attend?’ Elladan asked.

‘Well – apart, perhaps, from Ellanthir – although that is your choice.’  Legolas raised his eyebrows.  ‘Why do you ask?’ 

‘I was considering tormenting them,’ Elladan suggested.  ‘Having them work on the preparations, but telling them that, after their disturbed night, they would be far too tired to stay up for the feast.’

‘No,’ Elrohir vetoed firmly. ‘Try anything like that, my brother, and I will leave you to deal with my disgruntled daughters.’

‘Galenthil and Eleniel would know you were teasing them,’ Legolas told him, ‘Elrin would be sure you were not including him and Ellanthir is too young to care.’

‘You are all growing remarkably tedious as you get older, you know,’ Elladan complained.  ‘You are turning into your own parents.’

‘It is not tedious to wish to avoid meaningless disputes,’ his twin protested.  ‘If we deliberately upset my daughters, I might end up having to forbid them to attend the feast as a penalty for their consequent behaviour.  And that would be unfair.’

‘Oh, very well.’  Elladan admired the peace of the silver-painted night.  ‘Shall we go and see if Naneth has organised anything for us all to eat?  She is bound to know that we will be craving food and wine after all this emotional stress.’

‘That sounds a very good idea,’ Legolas approved.  ‘And your naneth might have twisted some extra information from Elrond and Miriwen.’

‘You can try,’ Elrohir said doubtfully.  ‘But I am of the opinion that, short of Thranduil spilling the information, you will remain as much in the dark to the details as your children.’

‘Well, at least there is one thing I know one thing you, as yet, do not,’ Legolas asserted as they headed for the stairs.  ‘I know her name.’