Aila was running as fast as her willowy legs could carry her. She swept through the courtyard, jumped over a small fence, and finally reached the great gates of Imladris. The other children, including Thranduil's nephew Rogaen, caught up with Aila at the gate, their breathing was hard and gasping through their frozen smiles and chattering teeth. Snow had fallen thickly upon the earth last night, covering Imladris in a surreal glow of blinding white. The trees drooped with crystal icicles and the ground was a smooth canvas where tiny feet had not yet penetrated its powdery surface. The children gathered around Aila, the oldest in their group, panting, and stood facing the gate with an inpatient expectancy.
After several minutes a small, mousy boy quivered with frustration, "Aila, WHY aren't they here yet? I'm so COLD! Must we wait OUTSIDE for them to get here?"
"Of course, Rielen!" replied Aila, "How else are we supposed to ambush them? Once we're inside, the twins' ada will catch us and we'll be sent back to doing something 'useful' which will most likely entail 'dusting the banisters'! Do you really want to do that?"
Rielen glanced glumly towards his snow covered boots and with a shake of her head Aila began to give orders.
"Rogaen and Fearthas you hide behind that knot of trees over there. Elrohir and Elladan go dig yourselves a fort in a drift behind that log… and Rielen," she said with a rather stern and bossy look in her eye, "you're coming with me. I can't have you sneaking off just because your toes are freezing! How are you supposed to be a future Galadhrim when you can't even stand around in the cold?"
Rielen sighed and followed Aila with slumped shoulders. They found their way to the base of an old, knarled tree and pulled a thin rope out of a crevice in the bark. Scampering up into the branches they glanced around the scene below them at their comrades in arms and gave the signal to suit up. The six of them pulled white linens from their knapsacks and threw them over their warm robes, thoroughly blending in with the surrounding snow.
Down below Elladan couldn't stop giggling as Elrohir did his best to keep his own giggles in check.
"Shut it you two! We can't have you giving us away!" Aila hissed. The giggling stopped though a few soft snorts could be heard coming from under the log.
Aila glanced across the frozen path to gaze at the white lumps that were hiding behind a large oak. The two waved at Aila and she nodded, returning her attention to the path.
Rielen excitedly gasped and whispered, "Aila, Aila!" he couldn't stop tugging on her sleeve, "Is that them?" he asked with his thin finger pointing to a group of people about a mile down the path.
Indeed it was them! Perhaps Rielen will make an excellent sentry? though Aila. She then signaled the others to be prepared. All traces of giggling stopped, though the faint crunching of snow could be heard as the children packed it together in their palms. As the figures in the distance came closer the snow crunching stopped and the children held their breaths in complete silence, for elven ears are sharp and quick and they had no want to be caught before it was absolutely necessary.
Four figures came into full view before the scheming elflings. Near the back walked Aniriel with her long brown hair and a smile as blazing as the rising sun. Her dress was of palest blue and thrown over it was a thick cloak of emerald green that looked so foreign to this whitened wood. Next to her walked her good friend Orophin who was trying not to laugh as Aniriel stealthily slipped pieces of ice down Rumil's shirt, the owner of whose expression glowered even more each time he flailed his arms in vain attempts to grasp the icicles before they melted. Orophin and Rumil, who were brothers, looked quite similar in both size and appearance with blonde hair and slender physiques. Finally in the front, walking stoically and apparently thinking it quite immature to be shoving handfuls of snow down other persons' backs, strode Haldir. Haldir, like his brothers Orophin and Rumil, had pale blonde hair and a chiseled face though he was slightly taller and broader than his siblings. His red cloak swept the ground in an almost regal manner and Orohpin, Rumil, and their childhood friend Aniriel sniggered frequently towards one another with rude comments aimed at his pompousness.
As the elves drew near the children, Aila and her comrades began to tense. Finally, with Haldir in reach, they pounced.
"AIYA!" screamed Aila as she leapt from her branch closely followed by Rielen who fell after her rather stiffly.
Aila tackled Haldir to the ground, laughing hysterically at the mortified look etched onto his face. Snowballs filled the air as the others joined in and Aniriel, forgetting about Rumil's soaked shirt, grinned and began throwing snow back at her attackers. The snowball fight lasted not nearly as long as Aila had wished but it was still quite spectacular. Everyone burst out laughing as Haldir raised his head from the gound and stood up as melting snow ran off of his glaring face in clumps. Shaking his head like the mane of a lion, Haldir released the last droplets of frozen water that clung to his skin and even his grumpy personage could not hide the slightest hint of a smirk upon his lips as the others sputtered at the ice dripping from various parts of their faces.
Finally, after many greetings, hugs, and a few more tossed snowballs, they began their trek to the Last Homely House and the twins, Elrohir and Elladan, ran forward, covered in snow, to hug their friend Haldir as Rumil and Orophin gathered up Rogaen, Rielen, and Fearthas. Aila held Aniriel's frozen glove as they began to walk through the gate. The enthusiastic and frozen group made their way up the stairs with many smiles and giggles as Aniriel picked up her favorite pastime again - shoving snow down Rumil's shirt.
Upon their entrance the lords and ladies of the house, amused, covered their mouths with their hands as Haldir tried vainly to recapture his look of dignity though snow was still dripping from his hair. Elrond, grinning with great amusement, stepped out into the chill to greet his visitors. Soon after he was joined by Legolas who grabbed his cousin Rogaen's hands before he could pelt him with the snowballs still clutched in his tiny fists.
"Aw come on!" begged Rogaen, "You're no fun, Legolas!" as he sulked away with his entire mein forming into a bodily pout.
Chuckling, Legolas clasped his friends' hands in greeting (though he would have hugged them had they not been dripping with the frozen snow). Turning to Aniriel he kissed her hand and blushed slightly at her knowing smirk and he turned to lead them down to dinner mumbling something about the chill.
That evening a magnificent Yuletide feast was prepared with several roast turkeys and mountains of steamed peppers, broccoli, asparagus, various other vegetables, bowls of mashed potatoes, tureens of gravy, endless baskets of fresh, warm bread, and finally an immense assortment of pies and jellied pastries. With their bellies full and their minds content, the residents and visitors of Imladris began to disperse for the evening.
Legolas, feeling slightly warm from the amount of wine that he and Haldir had conquered, felt not at all opposed to a small nap and he began to head back to his guest rooms with thoughts of warm blankets and soft feather pillows.
Haldir, suddenly alert (though a little tipsy), beckoned towards his siblings and Aniriel as Legolas left the hall. Elrond, seeing them with their heads bent together and their shoulders shaking in humor, narrowed his gaze and prayed that he was not to be on the receiving end of their humor. Nodding slightly, the group split up. Rumil and Orophin, whistling suspicious tunes, left the hall on the same route that Legolas had taken, Haldir slipped outside, and Aniriel left to go down to the kitchens with a devious smile upon her lips that frightened more than half the house into hiding!
Legolas, upon returning to his room from a round-a-bout way, discovered Rumil waiting outside his door.
Smiling, Legolas greeted him, "Hello, Rumil! Pleasant evening, was it not?"
Rumil just nodded and continued to watch him. Legolas, slightly confused and feeling akward but in no way deterred from his wish to nap continued into his room only to be met by Rumil's brother.
"Orophin!" He cried, perturbed, "Whatever are you doing with that rope?" Before he could begin to wonder about its purpose, the rope had been strung around his middle, effectively pinning his arms to his sides. Without another thought a handkerchief was shoved into his mouth, drowning out his panicked protests. As Rumil led the way down the hall, followed by a stuggling Orophin, the two brothers could not contain their laughter any longer. Legolas' face had the most satisfyingly angry look!
The quite unhappy and bound Legolas was dragged outside into the cold and shivered in contempt. Though still warm from the liquor, he could feel the bite of winter and longed to be soundly sleeping in his warm bed! With each passing moment, as they drew farther and farther away from the heated houses of Rivendell, Legolas became more and more nervous. Finally, realizing the trap and supposing its outcome, he started to twist and turn with a new vigor.
Haldir, who has busily been constructing a sort of sliding slope out of snow that led down to an enormous pile of fluffy white, grinned from ear to ear as he heard the jovial notes of his siblings voices mixed with the panicked grunts of their captive coming from just down the path. Upon entering the scene, it only took Legolas a few seconds to grasp the plan that they had prepared to carry out. Aniriel suddenly appeared behind them, a bucket of cold water clenched under her warm, woolen mittens.
Grinning, she giggled, "Thought you'd avoid getting snow on your precious leather boots, did you? Ha!" she exclaimed as Legolas' expression took on one of horror, "We'll see how you do with this!"
Without further ado she flung the water down the slope which instantly began to freeze, making it undeniably slippery. In one fast movement Rumil and Orophin released Legolas of his bonds and gag and pushed him down the hill. He lingered on the brink for a moment but could not recover his balance in time, sliding unhindered down the hill towards the inevitable pile of snow!
Legolas was not amused. After digging himself out of the snow mound he quickly began a retaliation. His doubled-over friends soon understood his intent however as their faces dripped with snow. The endless stream of snow missiles never missed any of their marks until the others began snap into action.
A snow battle of epic proportions ensued. After what seemed like hours (but in reality was probably no more than thirty minutes) the five combatants called a truce. Legolas and Aniriel, who had formed a team half-way through the fight, walked over to shake hands with the three siblings. They laughed through frozen teeth and, wrapping their arms about each other in both an attempt to conserve what warmth they had left and a show of comraderie, trudged back up the path to the guest quarters.
Later that evening Aniriel, who had found an enticing book after bathing and donning a warm robe, sat inside one of Elrond's many libraries huddled in the corner of a small couch. The rhythmic falling of the snow outside and the crackling of the fire in the hearth brought a feeling of contentment and general pleasantness to the room. A small smile graced Aniriel's lips as she turned a page in the book. Legolas entered the room just then and her small smile turned into a genuine grin. She gently patted the open spot next to her on the couch and caught her breath as Legolas sat down beside her. But before he could open his mouth to ask what she was reading Aniriel had placed the book on a table and snuggled up to his warm and comforting form.
Legolas smiled knowingly and curled his arms about her slender shoulders. They remained sitting there for some time before Legolas got the feeling that she had fallen asleep. Looking down he could see her closed lids and slightly parted mouth as she dreamed of snow and laughter. Chuckling gently, he leaned down to kiss her forehead, then, settling back into their couch, he smiled.