Alright guys, sorry about the wait. This is just a short little piece where Serethiel and Estel are both really young and somewhat older, my next piece, that I've been working on forever, is on its way, as soon as possible. As soon as I'm done with it I'll start posting, hopefully before then end of this month. If you haven't read To Lose and To Gain, you may want to do so before reading this, it will still make sense, but it will help some. Kastle
Two lone horses galloped onto the stone entry of the Last Homely House. All around them darkness and silence reigned. The matching riders gracefully slid of their horses backs leading them toward the stables. Loathe to disturb the quiet of the night, the two worked in tandem, unsaddling their horses, stowing tack, brushing down, and at last settling their horses into large paddocks. Not a sound echoed between the dark figures as they made their way toward the house.
Like the outdoors, darkness had settled over the structure. All of the valley's tenants had long since gone to bed, wondering once again when the sons of Elrond would return, and if they were alright. Despite the dark, the two riders didn't need any light. Both had trod these halls for nearly three millennia, every step and stone was known to them. Lightly dashing up the stairs, they continued their trek towards their rooms. One shadow turned toward the other, long black hair swinging slightly at the movement.
"My room's closer, lets both sleep there this night." His partner, who could have been his shadow, nodded, weariness dogging even his footsteps which landed heavier than any elf would normally find allowable. Pushing open the door, the one who had spoken drew his knife quickly. Something was in his rooms, something that wasn't normally there. Sliding in quietly, the elf stole through the shadows until he could see the bed. Poising to strike, he leapt forward to pause suddenly and twist away, his tiredness causing him to tumble to the ground instead of landing gracefully on his feet. The figure, no, the two figures, in the bed did not wake, merely rolled over with a sleepy sigh.
"What is it, 'Dan?" Elrohir still stood close to the door, his brother's movements had alerted him to something being wrong and he had stayed back to watch rather than interfere.
"It seems we have visitors in my bed, namely our lovely little brother and sister." 'Dan rubbed his forehead, squinting at the dark heads nestled in the folds of his comforter.
"The bed's big enough for four, lets just sleep with them, I'm too tired to care that they kick in their sleep." 'Ro had already begun stripping off his tunic and boots. Glancing up, he could see his brother doing the same. Slipping in on either side of the two young edain, Elladan gathered Serethiel up in his arms, smiling slightly when the girl turned and buried her head in his light shirt. Whispering a goodnight to his own twin, Elladan slipped into the first peaceful sleep in too many fortnights.
15 years later
The moon was casting shadows of the valley where Imladris was settled. All around the chorus of frogs, insects, and owls could be heard. The only sound out of place was the steady beat of two horses approaching. The two riders smiled tiredly at each other as the stone archway of the Last Homely House came into view. Stumbling slightly, the two dismounted and led their horses to the stables. Tack was removed and their faithful companions were fed and groomed before the two riders took their leave.
Stepping inside the door to the house, the slightly shorter figure dropped the hood of the cloak that was draped around muscular, if thin, shoulders. Red hair, sun bleached with blond strips fell down to the tapered waist. The taller of the two had taken a hint and also let the hood fall, revealing shoulder length hair, more brown than red, but still bleached lighter by the sun. Exhaustion clung to both of them, their very postures screamed for rest.
The shorter shadow stumbled slightly, before the taller reached an arm around a narrow waist, straightening the tired body.
"Careful, Ser,' Ada would have a fit if you were injured within his own house," Estel's silver eyes sparkled with laughter for a moment as his sister glared up at him.
"He'd be even more upset when I hurt you for laughing at me," Her own lilting voice slurred slightly. Keeping her midnight eyes open was becoming a challenge, much less make coherent conversation.
Estel merely nodded, paying more attention to where he was going than what he was saying. After what seemed an eternity, they reached the door to Serethiel's chambers. While the twins had long since been given separate rooms, they rarely used both at the same time. Instead, they tended to gravitate toward whichever set of rooms were the cleanest, or the closest.
Dropping her pack inside the door, Serethiel fell bonelessly into the large bed, rolling slightly when the bed dipped, signaling her brother's own collapse. Snuggling against her brother's back, Serethiel's eyes drifted closed, sleep steeling quickly over her.
Elladan woke to the sound of two small crashes. Wondering what could possibly be happening so late at night, he crawled out of bed, slipping a robe over the leggings he'd been sleeping in. Walking down the hall, he could just make out a light shining from under his youngest sister's door. Frowning, he pushed the door open. Laying inside, fully clothed, were both of his youngest siblings. Both were tossing and turning slightly, obviously wracked by night terrors.
"We should probably get them out of those clothes; they can't be comfortable, covered in mud and blood like that." Elrohir's voice ghosted next to Elladan's ear, startling him slightly.
"Aye, and perhaps calm them. They look like they have been to the hells and back."
The elven twins stepped to the bed, each lightly waking one of the edain. Serethiel's midnight blue eyes snapped open, roving around to find the cause to the disturbance to the precious little sleep she had gotten. Two cool fingertips directed her gaze at the face of her eldest brother, Elladan.
"Tithen pen, changing then sleeping is the normal order of things, I don't think that that much is different between the elves and men." Elladan smiled slightly, trying to hide the worry that he felt at seeing his little sister so scared. Putting action into words, he bent over, unlacing her boots and sliding them off. With one look, he quieted her words of protest about being treated like a child, settling instead to flop back onto the soft embrace of her bed.
Once the elven twins had the two edain stripped down to leggings and shirts, they lifted them gently and tucked them into the warm covers. As soon as they were settled, the elves each shed their robes and slid into bed on either side of the edain, smiling at the remembrance of a scene so similar to this, only then it was their spirits that needed the touch. Serethiel snuggled back into Elladan's warm embrace, her eyes again began to close as a small smile graced her face. This was home and for the first time in three years, she felt truly safe.
Finis
Elvish:
Ada Father/dad
Tithen Pen little one
Edain human
Keep a look out for Rage of a River