Disclaimer: All recognizable characters, places, events, and concepts are the property of the J.R.R. Tolkien Estate.

Responses to reviews follow the chapter, and comments and questions, as always, are more than welcome.

--Aranel (aranels@hotmail.com)

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Chapter Three

The ceilings were so very, very high here. What had happened under them? What had all those stone creatures peeking out from the dark grey corners seen? Elurín put his fingers to the wall, staring up at the grey ceiling as he walked along. Even if he were on Ada’s shoulders he would not be able to touch the stone branches that crisscrossed high above his head---nay, he would hardly be any closer to his goal. He could remember the house by the falls, and having jumping contests with Eluréd to see if one of them could graze the wooden ceilings with their fingers. Once Ada had seen them, and grinning, he had walked through the door, his hand held above his head, the palm pressed flat to the ceiling. Elurín stared wistfully at the pattern of stars that had been carved between the branches. Someday he would be tall enough to lay his hand to the ceiling. 

“Come along; you want to watch your ada, do you not?”

Glassell continued down the hallway, a small hand in each of her own, feeling very proud of herself. She glanced at the two little people in her grip, wanting to grin at herself a bit. She had managed, alone and by herself, to get both of twins into the proper apparel for their father’s first public appearance. They were perfect, right down to each carefully twisted lock of hair and each silk jacket tie.

Eluréd sucked on his lower lip, wriggling his fingers within Glassell’s grasp to check how tightly she held him. Awfully tight, just like the silly twists his hair had been forced into and the crisp front of his blue jacket. He twisted about in the garment a bit, attempting to get it to wrinkle about himself a little better, but to no avail.

Glassell led the way to the balcony that Dior would be speaking from, happy to see that the benches had been recently cleaned off and pillowed. It would be hard for the two small children to sit still through out their father’s speech and the greetings that would follow, but at least they would not have to sit on cold stone. “Look here,” she smiled, “A good place for you to sit and watch your adar.” She let go of the boys’ hands, watching as they pushed themselves up onto the stone bench, “Soon your naneth will be here; will that not be nice? I am going to fetch a few books for you to look at.”

Elurín nodded slightly, picking up one of the grey pillows and hugging it to his chest. If he stretched his neck very high he could see through the guard rails of the balcony to where the people were gathered in the large courtyard below. There were so very, very many people. 

“You both look so nice,” Nimloth’s airy voice sounded as she stepped slowly onto the balcony, Elwing blanketed in her arms. She lowered herself onto the bench between her sons, planting a gentle kiss on each forehead, “Look how nicely Glassell did your hair.” The dark locks of her sons’ had been tamed into careful twists secured by tiny silver stars, something she never would have been able to successfully complete. Her little boys looked perfect, and yet she rather wished that she had had the time and energy to help them get ready herself.

Eluréd gave his mother a small smile, settling onto the bench better. Elurín snuggled close to her arm, wishing she would put it around his shoulders. He glanced up to her face, following her gaze as she looked over the far wall and the high ceiling. Nimloth’s eyes continued to travel around her surroundings, but her son’s lingered on a long crack in the balcony railing. How had that gotten there? He wanted to get up and let his fingers feel it out, to find out if anything was wedged inside or not. Elurín drew in a long breath, fingering the beadwork on his mother’s long sleeve. He was supposed to stay on the bench.

Eluréd gripped the edge of the bench with his fingers, glancing about and trying to make sense of the loud murmur that came from the people below. Their voices began to quiet after awhile though, and Eluréd turned with a wide smile to see his Ada walking up onto the balcony and then approaching the guard rail.

The people below saw Dior appear tall and stately in robes of deep blue and crimson, his long hair hanging as a dark fall down his back. Always before he had stood at his grandfather’s elbow, hanging a little behind. When he took his wife’s hand, speaking and standing before them all with confidence it was suddenly easier to see him as the king his line had destined him to be.

Eluréd sat on the bench, little Elwing held tightly in his arms, hoping Nana would return soon to take the baby. How long would she and Ada stand over there? When was Glassell going to be back with the books? Elurín glanced at his brother, seeing that Eluréd looked almost nervous. His fingers gripped the bench pillow tighter when a cheer went up all around them all, and Eluréd held Elwing close, startled when his little sister let out a long scream of surprise.

Nimloth glanced over her shoulder slightly, seeing her sons looking terribly worried, her daughter squirming out of the blankets. She had not expected to be standing with her husband during his address and afterwards. Her attention, however, was quickly diverted to the people now milling onto the balcony to speak with her, detaining her with questions of Lanthir Lamath, of her return, of the three little children waiting for her on the bench.

Elurín was not quite sure why he felt so worried when the people started to come, but he shrank back onto the bench, the pillow clutched close to his chest. He sidled closer to Eluréd, seeing his brother’s darting glances around the room.

Eluréd pushed his nose against Elwing’s silky hair, blinking back tears as his sister continued to wriggle and cry. What was wrong with her? Why wasn’t Nana coming to take her?

“Ah,” there was a long, light sigh, and the sons of Dior found themselves peering up at a tall, lithe woman in glittering white, her golden hair shimmering around her head, “Here, little one.” She put out her long white hands, gathering the fussing Elwing up and snuggling the blankets back around her. The woman glanced to the tall silver-haired Elf near her elbow, smiling and smoothing Elwing’s fluffy curls, “Is she not wonderful, darling?” Her husband nodded only slightly, watching the children carefully.

Eluréd stole a glance at his brother, feeling the pain of driven back tears under his eyes. “You…you can’t have her,” he managed carefully, “She’s our sister.” He made to get up, hoping that this lady would hand Elwing back.

“Of course not!” the lady smiled, almost laughing, “I only desired to hold her for a moment.” She lowered Elwing back into Eluréd’s arms, traveling towards his parents as she spoke again to her husband, “We must tell your brother where they are. He is going to want to see them.”

It was then that more people began to come, people who smiled at them and then spoke to each other, people who stood rather too close to them and patted their heads or tilted their chins up with long fingers or patted the sides of their faces.

“Look at Dior’s beautiful children, they are all still so small! Twins and a tiny one, they are. Have your eyes ever beheld three of the same family all so little at once? And look at their hair, dark as Luthien’s it is. Such sweet little maiar they are.”

Dior caught sight of his children on the bench, looking noticeably frightened as person after person stopped to speak with them or simply look at them. He felt Nimloth reach for his hand as she began trying to push through the crowd, then noted the boys’ nursemaid hurrying up the steps to the balcony before stopping to speak with a silver-haired Elf that he recognized. He sighed in relief, catching a calmed look from Nimloth. The two would be with the children in less than a minute, probably taking them back to their nurseries.

Eluréd pushed himself against the wall behind the bench, still feeling all the people’s touches on his face. Elurín pushed his chin into the pillow he held, effectively ending the tilts of his head. Elwing’s blanket was coming loose again, and he noted this with a sideways glance. In a moment the pillow was exchanged for the large pinkish blanket, which he balled up in his own grip despite his brother’s protests.

“You can’t take that; Baby needs it,” Eluréd tried to hold Elwing with one hand while grabbing for the blanket, “Give it back.”

“Just wait. Here,” Elurín spread out the blanket over their laps, then pulled his section over his head. Soon Eluréd and Elwing had joined him under cover, and he and his brother pulled their feet up onto the bench.

Passersby saw only a large reddish lump on the bench, not letting their gazes linger long enough to worry over it. Underneath the blanket Eluréd and Elurín exchanged hushed whispers. Deprived of attention, Elwing decided to fuss again, kicking her feet and wiggling.

“If she cries they’ll come back,” Elurín stared at his brother, starting to wonder whether or not Nana would forgive him for clamping a hand over his sister’s mouth. He really had not liked all those people coming so close to him, people that he had never seen or met before.

Eluréd bit his lip, trying to keep a grip on Elwing. “I know,” he started pushing her towards his brother, “You hold her. She likes this.”

Elwing was soon propped up against Elurín, and started to cry louder, her small hands waving about. Eluréd pushed the baby’s silk gown and soft slip up, drawing in a deep breath.

Several heads turned towards the bench as an odd sound was heard from beneath the blanket, soon followed by the giggling of small children.

Eluréd gave his brother a wide smile, his eyes shining in delight. Elwing had stopped fussing and was now smiling at them both. Elurín shifted the happy baby onto a few pillows, taking his own turn at blowing on his sister’s tummy. Their laughter erupted again as Elwing’s little face scrunched up in pleasure.

Nimloth glanced to her husband, unsurprised by the blank look on Dior’s face as he stared at the blanket-covered bench against the far wall. She was not entirely sure what to think of this turn of events, and it was obvious that her husband had no idea what to do. A crowd of people still milled between them and their blanketed children, and already several people were smiling at them or whispering to each other. Glassell stood against the wall laughing behind the books she had been carrying, and the Elf she had been speaking to was traveling towards the noisy bench.

“Elwing likes tummy-blowing,” Dior and Nimloth could hear one of their sons singing, “Yes, she does; yes, she does.”

“Oh, she does, does she?” an inquisitive voice spoke to the lumpy blanket, and underneath Eluréd felt a soft pat on his head. Next to him Elurín stopped singing, and light quickly re-entered their tiny world as someone lifted the blanket away.

“Yes, she does,” Eluréd managed, staring at the Elf who had suddenly appeared. His silver hair was drawn back from his face with a clip of jade and beryl that matched the layered green clothing he wore, and his eyes held an amused glint.

“Well, then she is just like my little girl,” the adult managed to lift Elwing off of the bench, cradling her in an arm. The baby squirmed around, suddenly able to see much more from her new vantage point. The Elf tapped her nose, attempting to get her to look at him, “Just like her, are you not? I think we shall have lots of fun together.”

Eluréd slid off the bench, quickly standing next to the big Elf and holding his small hands up for Elwing, “I want her back.” Perhaps the lady did not want to keep his baby sister, but this person seemed to like her a little too much.

“She is all right with me,” the big Elf reached over to pat the little boy’s head, and then smiled at the other child, who was scrunched up against the wall on the bench, Elwing’s blanket clutched in one hand. They certainly did not seem glad to see him, though perhaps that could be expected. He glanced between both the twins, trying to remember what he had been told about them. Which boy was which?

“No,” Elurín managed from the bench, “You’re a stranger.”

A rather pained look passed over the Elf’s face, and he quickly smiled against it, sitting down on the bench. Of all the people here, they should have at least known him. Hadn’t their parents, or their mother at least, mentioned that he was coming to meet them? “Did not anyone point me out to you both?” he glanced towards Dior and Nimloth, and then at his brother and sister-in-law before returning his gaze to the children, “I am your grandfather, Galathil.”

Author’s Notes

Galathil, by canon, is both Nimloth’s father and Celeborn’s brother. Tolkien never mentioned very much about him, so it is possible that he was in Doriath during Dior’s reign. As for Celeborn and Galadriel being there—I am not sure if they were or not. If there is canon that contradicts this, please point it out to me.

Responses to Reviewers

Thank you all for your comments and notes—I enjoy them very much, and love to hear about what you like or what you thought of certain parts of a chapter or the story in general.

*Findis: I am glad that you are enjoying the happier times the family is currently sharing. It is definitely not anyone’s ideal situation, but certainly better than what eventually happens.

*Dragon-of-the-north: I am glad that you enjoyed the scene between the boys and their guard—I do enjoy writing the children’s views and ideas in situations like this. Writing the twins has been a lot of fun for me because I actually get to write interaction between two children who know each other well, as well as getting to write about their interactions with their younger sister.

I did not plan any symbolism with Elwing being the most eager to eat—I wanted her to come on as a very strong character personality-wise, since female canon characters usually get looked over. She is just a baby now, but definitely a baby who knows what she wants. I’m glad that you like her.

As for Dior…I’ve always wondered exactly how he would feel about becoming king of Doriath. It must have been very unexpected,  and he has a young family, and yet Tolkien mentions in the Silm. that he was well-received by the Elves of Doriath and (from what I can gather) that he took quite a lot of initiative to restore Menegroth, which was not such a pretty place when he arrived.

Thank you for all of your wonderful comments—they are all very encouraging, and it is so much fun to read over them.

*Dragon Confused: Yes! I did update, and now, after about two months, I have finally updated again!

I’m glad that you liked the part with the guard—I wondered how the boys’ might respond to having a guard after spending all of their lives at Lanthir Lamath. I’m happy too, that you liked Dior and little Elwing too. *g*

*Elberethia: So Elurín is your favorite, hmm? I think when he is just around his family, he is definitely the less serious of the twins.

Can you have the dream guard…? Hmm…he has still got to guard the boys for a few years, but perhaps after that… *Dream Guard waves in Elberethia’s direction* 

And do I think Eluréd and Elurín survive…? I like to think that they do.

*Nerdanel: I am glad that you enjoyed the descriptions, and am very happy that I didn’t bore you. *g*  I hope that you enjoyed this chapter as well.

*Querida: I’m very glad that you enjoyed the second chapter. This third one was a little different, but I hope that it was likable as well. *g* The guard is not Celeborn, but you probably caught his appearance in this chapter.