Chapter 4.  Epilogue

"I'm Elrohir!" 

Lenniel heard the elfling's yell as she left him sitting on the hallway floor, but she ignored him and marched away.  Lenniel was furious.  Her knee hurt.  Her elbow ached.  Her special Begetting Day dress that her grandmother had given her was dirty.  It was all stupid Elladan's fault.  If he had simply kissed her like he promised instead of pretending to be Elrohir, nothing would be wrong.  With each step, Lenniel grew angrier.  Her march turned into a stomp.  She stomped through the halls of Imladris oblivious to the reactions of the elves she encountered.  Disapproving adults stepped aside and watched her pass.  Frightened elflings fled into nearby doorways as Lenniel stormed by.  As she thought about her encounter with Elladan, Lenniel's anger drove her to use words she had heard older elves use.  She didn't know what the words meant.  But she knew that those words were the ones to say when a grown elf like her was feeling very, very mad.

"Careful now, little one.  Your mother would not like to hear you say words like those."

For the first time, Lenniel noticed the person she had passed.  Lord Glorfindel was smiling down at her, his eyes twinkling.  Lenniel didn't know the elf-lord too well.  She knew that Elladan liked him very much though.  Right now, that fact made him her enemy.  Even still, Glorfindel was an elf-lord.  If Lenniel was rude to him, he might tell her parents.  Swallowing her pride temporarily, Lenniel curtsied and apologized politely for her bad words.  Glorfindel nodded his acceptance and walked on.

Stupid Glorfindel!  Stupid Elladan!  She thought as she started stomping down the hall again.  Lenniel had only made two loud stomps and uttered three bad words when she stopped in mid-stomp at another louder and more ominous sound.

"Lenniel!"

Slowly Lenniel lowered her foot.  Turning, she looked through an open doorway to the room beyond.  Sitting in the room was the Lady Celebrían and five others.  Lady Celebrían and four of the ladies seemed mildly amused by the sight of an elfling in a dirty dress raging through the hallway.  The fifth lady was not.  In fact, the fifth lady -- the one who had yelled -- seemed very, very upset.

Nana!

End