Title: The essentials of life

Rating: G

Summary: Elrond has to deal with a bored child on a hot summer's day. Written as a birthday gift from me to everyone else on my birthday following the customs of the hobbits. This story was inspired by the Middle-earth Express challenge #72: Life. This story is also dedicated to all those parents out there whose children are on summer vacation. Good luck. lol

Disclaimers: They're not mine, I don't make any money from this.

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"Ada, I'm bored."

Elrond glanced over at the child reclining on a sofa across the room from the desk where he was trying to write several letters. Estel was lying on his back with one leg draped over the arm of the chair, foot idly swinging back and forth. "Why do you not go outside and play, then? Go climb a tree or drag your brothers to the practice field."

Barely turning his head to glance at his father, Estel sighed heavily. "It's too hot outside. I'll roast. Do you want me to roast?"

The question was asked in a plaintive tone of voice, but contained a distinct whine to it that was beginning to grate on the lord of Imladris' nerves. The child had been lying in his office for the last hour, complaining that he had nothing to do. "Then you can read a book, or work on your lessons," Elrond suggested, well aware of what response that suggestion would garner.

Sure enough, he heard the same response as the last three times he had made the same suggestion. "I don't want to read. It's too hot to think."

Sighing, Elrond was barely able to keep from rolling his eyes in his exasperation, a distinctly un-elven motion showing how frustrated he was becoming with his youngest son. "Please go find your brothers and have them help you find something to do. I am busy, Estel, and I need to get these letters written today."

Giving his father a hurt look, Estel swung his leg off of the arm of the chair, stood and slowly shuffled out of his father's office. Elrond shook his head and tried not to feel guilty about chasing the eight-year-old out of the room. But he could not get his work done if the bored child was constantly interrupting him. Settling down to his work, he soon lost himself in the routine of his paperwork. He glanced up in exasperation when he heard the knock on his door a mere half-hour later. "What is it now?" he asked, looking up to see Elladan, not Estel standing in the doorway. Waving a dismissive hand at the look on his son's face, Elrond gestured for the elder twin to join him. "Forgive me, Elladan. I was expecting Estel with another litany of complaints about being bored."

"It is out of concern for Estel that I am here," Elladan said, stepping into the room.

"Has something happened?" Elrond asked, standing abruptly and moving toward the door. "Is he well?"

"Nothing has happened, but I fear he may not be well," Elladan answered his father, looking worriedly back over his shoulder. "He is flushed and sweating, seems listless, almost wilted, and nothing will hold his interest. He has been complaining since the moment he found Elrohir and I, and that is not normal for him."

Elrond's brow furrowed as he thought about Elladan's concerns. He had been annoyed enough with the child that he had not stopped to consider how out of character his actions were. Looking out at the summer day, with the sun shining brightly down, Elrond realized what the problem might be. "It is unusually hot today, is it not?"

A shrug was Elladan's response. "I had not noticed."

"I fear we sometimes forget how strongly your brother is affected by extremes of either heat or cold. It does not always occur to us, as elves, that his moods can be affected by the weather in such a way." Standing still for a moment, Elrond gazed out the window and then came to a decision. "Gather your brothers and meet me on the front steps. I think I know how to remedy this."

Elladan gave his father a quizzical look, then moved to do as asked. Elrond moved through the house, gathering a few things and placing them in a basket, then met his sons in front of the house.

"Where are we going, Ada?" Estel asked as he trudged along behind the others, his pace slow in the heat. "I thought you had work to do."

"It can wait," Elrond said, leading them through the valley to a secluded grove. Pushing the branches of a low-hanging tree aside, Elrond revealed their destination to the others, a large clear pond. The water was clear enough to see to the bottom of the pond, to the smooth pebbles lining the floor. A small waterfall entered the pool from the north, providing fresh, cool water from the mountains, and a stream exited in the south. Turning his gaze away from the water, Elrond watched as Estel's face lit up. It was only a matter of moments for the child to shed his outer clothes, then take a running leap into the cool water. Elrohir gave them a wide grin and then shed his clothing as well, following his little brother into the water with a yell.

Giving his father a grin, Elladan gestured toward the two frolicking in the water. "This was a very good idea, Ada. You certainly brought him back to life." Elladan began removing his own clothes, preparing to join in the fun.

"It was your comment about Estel seeming wilted that made me think of this," Elrond admitted. "Sometimes, children are much like plants. To keep one happy, they need to be watered every now and then."

Laughing at the twinkle in his father's eye, Elladan turned and jumped into the water, causing a great wave to splash his brothers.