Glorfindel led them through covered galleries, up
flights of stone steps and across a terrace paved with
colored marbles, not to the great hall itself but to
the withdrawing room behind it. Uncle was there, of
course, in his high backed chair. And Grandmother and
Aunt Ellian and Aunt Gilraen.

No question but it was a first class occasion;
Grandmother was wearing the Nauglamir, a maginificent
golden necklace set with jewels of adamant, opal and
beryl made long ago by the Dwarves of Nogrod for
Finrod Felagund, with a star upon her brow. Aunt
Gilraen had put aside her usual mourning for a sea
blue gown and pearls. And Aunt Ellian was in leaf
green with carcenet and bracelets of mithril and
beryl.

Glorfindel's own wife, the Lady Lorellos, was
pouring wine for three Dwarves, uncomfortably perched
on chairs to big for them holding their crystal
goblets gingerly and looking as if they'd very much
prefer something a bit stronger, and Gandalf who gave
the children a friendly wink.

Not entirely unaccustomed to such occasions the
five of them had automatically fallen into their
proper order: Estel alone in front with the two girls
immediately behind him and Hallam and Amin bringing up
the rear.

"My Lord Thorin son of Thrain son of Thror,
rightful King Under the Mountain," Uncle intoned
formally, "this is the Heir of Isildur; Aragorn son of
Arathorn, Lord of the Dunedain."

Estel stared. The famous Thorin Oakenshield
himself? then remembered to bow. "Hail Thorin son of
Thrain, Heir of Durin, King of the Dwarves."

Thorin slid off his chair to return the bow. "Well
met, Aragorn Lord of the Dunedain, Friend to the
Dwarves."

Uncle looked austerely pleased and Estel knew he'd
acquitted himself well - so far.

Elrond presented the others: "Region daughter of
Argaladh, Lady of Carnarthon." Meleth bobbed a quick
curtsey. "Beruthiel daughter of Belegorn," this was
Berya, "and Halladan and Barahir, sons of Halbarad."
which was Hallam and Amin.

Thorin bowed gravely to each in turn. Chairs were
brought for the children and Estel tried to think of
something to say. Making conversation with strange
grown-ups is never easy, especially when one is
expected to act like a prince instead of a small boy.
It would be rude to ask why Thorin was here or about
the Dwarf child. Estel settled for hoping all was well
back back in the Blue Mountains.

It was. Thorin responded with the usual questions
about lessons and after a few minutes of politely
stilted conversation pleaded the fatigue of a long and
difficult journey and bowed himself and his two
companions out of the room. Glorfindel left with them
but Gandalf remained in his chair, sipping his wine
and eyeing the children consideringly. Oddly the Lady
Lorellos stayed too.

Uncle assumed a sterner mein, regarding his
fosterlings with something less than his usual
affection. The children quickly got to their feet
forming a chastened row in front of his chair as their
mothers left their seats to stand behind them.

"A curious thing happened this afternoon." Uncle
began. "Somehow one of the waterfalls was diverted
into the garden. Would you know anything about this?"

Berya blushed. "Yes, sir. It was my idea. We'd been
climbing you see and I thought we might make a pool to
cool off in. But the water didn't pool, it just found
another spot to go over the ledge."

Gandalf made himself very busy filling his pipe but
did not quite succeed in hiding a suspicious upcurl to
the corners of his mouth. Grandmother didn't even try
to hide her amusement and Elrond's frown relaxed
slightly.

"We didn't do it on purpose." Hallam chimed in from
his end of the row.

"Of course not." said Lady Lorellos quickly and
warmly. "Elrond -"

Uncle silenced her with a look before returning his
attention to the children. "I am sure you did not.
However the water came down right on top of the
Ivonwin's Cornfield."

"Oh no!" Berya's eyes flashed in alarm to from
Uncle to Lady Lorellos. "Was the Corn ruined?"

"I fear so." The Lady admitted.

Berya, Estel and Meleth all looked suitably
appalled, Hallam and Amin merely puzzled. They had
only been at Rivendell a year but the other three had
lived there practically their whole lives and knew as
much about Elven ways as if they were Eldar
themselves.

The sacred Corn for making 'life bread' or Lembas
had been a gift from Yavanna herself to the Fathers of
the Elves to sustain them on the journey to Aman. It
was grown in small plots tended by the Ivonwini,
Handmaidens of Yavanna, under the direction of the
Mistress of the Household. As Lady Celebrian had gone
oversea and Lady Arwen was away in Lorien that duty
had fallen to Lorellos, who was not only Glorfindel's
wife but a near kinswoman to Elrond. Ruining an entire
crop of the Corn was practically blasphemous.

"We didn't know!" Meleth said earnestly. "If we had
we'd have come right back instead of climbing out of
the Valley."

Suddenly all the grown-ups, even Gandalf, looked
very serious indeed and Uncle's frown became much more
intimidating.

"You left the Valley?"

"That was my idea." Meleth explained. "Since we
were going to be punished anyway I thought we should
do something bad on purpose to deserve it."

Grandmother's lips twitched, as if that line of
reasoning was not entirely unfamiliar to her, but
managed to maintain a grave front.

"You are forbidden to leave the Valley
unaccompanied because the High Fells are dangerous."
Uncle said sternly. "Gandalf and King Thorin's company
encoutered three Stone Trolls not far from here."

"But this was in daylight." Hallam protested. "We
came down well before sunset."

"There are other dangers than Trolls and Orcs that
are not stopped by sunlight." Uncle began, then
hesitated as if uncertain how to continue.

"Aragorn."

Estel looked apprehensively at his Grandmother.
Calling him by his formal name was a bad sign.

"You are Lord of the Dunedain." she continued
gravely, "your life is not your own but belongs to
your people. You betray them if you risk it without
need."

Estel swallowed hard, trying not to cry as
Grandmother's stern eye moved past him to the others.

"As for the rest of you, you are also of the Line
of Isildur. Aragorn is not only your kinsman but your
liege lord. It is your duty to guard and advise him,
not to lead him into dangerous follies."

Berya wiped her eyes furtively with the corner of
her sleeve. Hallam went red then very white. Meleth
sniffled forlornly and Amin hung his head.

"We won't do it again." Estel promised.
**************************
NOTES: (Warning! Most of what appears below is Fanon,
not Canon!)

Note One: Who Are These Women?
'Grandmother' is of course the Lady Ellemir, Widow of
Arador and mother of Arathorn, 'Aunt Ellian' and a
second son, Armegil. 'Aunt Gilraen' is Aragorn's mother.
She usually wears mourning for his father, (Dunedain
mourning is deep grey) only putting it aside on very
special occasions.

Lady Lorellos is both Elrond's niece by marriage,
her mother being Celebrian's elder sister, and his
first cousin through her father Elured, brother of
Elwing.

Note Two: Names
The Gondorians' silly legend that Aragorn was
brought up incognito is probably based on a
misunderstanding of the Northern Dunedain custom of
'child-names' usually given by the mother and used
throughout childhood in place of the 'formal name'.

Aragorn's child-name 'Estel', meaning Hope, refers
to the prophecies surrounding his birth. Berya and
Hallam's are clearly allusive to their formal names;
Beruthiel and Halladan. Meleth means 'love' or
'beloved'. And Amin means faith.

The Isildurioni and certain other ancient
Numenorean families also give their children names in
the 'high tongue' or Quenya which are almost never
used. Aragorn rules the Reunited Kingdom under his
Quenya name, Elessar.

Note Three: Who Exactly Are These Children?
Meleth, (aka Region) is a distant relative,
descended from Aranarth's youngest brother. She is the
last of her House and heiress to the Wardenship of the
Red Hill Country, (Carnarthon). She was little more
than a year old when her parents' died and has been
raised as Estel's sister.

Berya, (Beruthiel) is Ellian's daughter. She has an
elder brother, Belecthor, off learning to be a Ranger.
Her father Belegorn was killed trying to rescue Arador
from Stone Trolls. Ellian and her children then went to
live with Arathorn and Gilraen and after Arathorn's death
followed Gilraen and Aragorn to Rivendell.

Hallam and Amin's father is the same Halbarad who
will lead the Grey Company to Aragorn's aid during the
WR. He is also of the Line of Isildur being a nephew
of Arador. His three children, there is also a baby
daughter, joined their cousins at Rivendell after the
death of their mother last year.

Note Four: The Corn of Yavanna
This is canonical. Its origins and the ritual of
its planting and harvesting are described in 'Of
Lembas' an essay in 'Peoples of Middle Earth'.