Santa's Secret:

Summary- Little Arwen is very excited to see Santa. Elladan and Elrohir get a visitor in the middle of the night. Tiny little Christmas ficlet.

Imladris lay quietly in the shadows of the wintry night. It was well past midnight, and every resident of the Valley was fast asleep, deep in Elven dreams. Everything was quiet.

In the quarters of the twin sons of Lord Elrond, a tiny patter of feet sounded. A small, ebony haired elfling looked up at her older brothers with bright grey eyes, before prodding the nearer twin's back.

Elladan grunted and raised himself sleepily on his elbow. "Arwen?" he asked incredulously. "What are you doing awake? Tis way past your bedtime, little one."

Arwen frowned at being called little, before pushing Elladan. "Wake up Dan. Santa is going to come soon."

Elladan groaned and turned to find his twin looking at him amusedly. "Sure."

"Yes," Arwen said impatiently. "And I don't want to be late to greet him. I want to see him this Yule."

"Arwen," chastised Elrohir, finally turning to look at his sister. "Santa won't be arriving so soon."

"Yes, he will," Arwen said, tears starting to well up. "You say that every Yule and then I miss him!"

"Arwen!" exclaimed Elladan, lifting the young girl on the bed. "Do not cry, little sister."

Arwen sniffed, before blinking her tears back. She nodded, ebony curls bouncing. Elrohir patted the top of her black head. "Now that's a good little girl."

Arwen ignored the compliment. "Will you come with me to see Santa?" she asked. The grey eyes widened pleadingly.

"Arwen, why don't you go alone?" asked Elrohir.

"I'm afraid," Arwen admitted. "Glorfy said that Mandos keeps ghosts and when an elfling is bad, he lets them out at night so they can eat the elfling up! And I was bad! I hid 'Restor's books and I spilled soup on Ada's robes!" she wailed, burying her face in Elrohir's tunic.

The twins could barely hide a laugh at this tale. However, they were going to have a talk with Glorfindel for telling their sister such things.

"Arwen," assured Elladan. "Mandos is not a bad Vala. He is good. After you die, he cures you and his potions are much better than Ada's. After he heals you, he sends you to Valinor."

"Oh. He doesn't seem so bad," said Arwen, smiling hesitantly. "But can we see Santa?"

Elladan and Elrohir groaned simultaneously. "Arwen, Santa won't be here so soon." If Arwen would go down now, she would see the big man in the red suit and white beard was nothing but a myth and the person who was supposed to be him was their Ada himself. The twins had discovered Santa's secret at the tender age of six, and it had killed them. They didn't want this to happen to their baby sister.

"Why won't he be here?" objected the girl. "Naneth says that Santa always comes around midnight and Naneth is never wrong."

"Well, she might be wrong this time," suggested Elladan and Arwen gave him a good first attempt at a withering look. Elrohir suddenly found the need to bury his face in the pillow.

"Arwen," whispered Elladan in a conspiratorial tone. "Santa won't want to be seen."

"Why?" asked Arwen.

"Well," said Elrohir surfacing; this time with a straight face. "Santa doesn't like to be seen."

"Why?"

It was Elladan's turn to provide an answer. "Santa hates being seen. He wants his existence a secret. Why else do you think he comes at midnight?"

Arwen screwed up her face in thought. "Probably because there are so many gifts to wrap that he doesn't have time in the morning?"

The twins groaned together. Trust their incorrigible sister to come up with an answer for every riddle on the face of Arda!

At that precise moment, the door creaked and the willowy shadow of a woman was thrown on the wall; illuminated by the stripes of moonlight from the windows.

Arwen didn't have any trouble recognizing her mother's figure. "Hide me," she begged, diving behind Elrohir. The younger twin swallowed his smile and put on a solemn look.

It was barely few seconds before they heard Celebrían's brisk footsteps and their mother entered the room. She arched a thin eyebrow inquiringly at the sight of her daughter hidden behind Elrohir. Elladan just shook his head mysteriously.

Putting on a puzzled expression, Celebrían asked, "Have you seen Arwen? She seems to have disappeared."

"Oh Nana, she told us she was going on an adventure," informed Elrohir gravely. "All by herself!"

"What on Arda possessed her to think of that? Well, well, it seems we have lost our little star. Pity, she was such a good daughter. I might have to give the gift Santa is going to leave for her to another little girl."

A giggle was stifled. "What has she been doing Elladan?" asked Elrohir.

"Well, she rode out alone with the scouts, and she crossed blades with a troll, and she managed to slay a dragon, and she defeated an entire Orc pack on her own!" informed Elladan.

"My, my," said Celebrían. "She has grown into such a good warrior. But, I wonder, can she block my attack?"

Without warning, Celebrían pounced and grabbed her daughter's arm. Arwen squealed as Celebrían tossed her into the air and caught her again.

"You, my darling little star, were supposed to be asleep!"

"Oh, but Nana!" Arwen protested, clinging to her mother. "I want to go see Santa!"

"Darling," said Celebrían. "Santa doesn't like to be seen. It is his secret. If you see him now, he might get angry and then he won't leave a present for you! Would you like that?"

Bright grey eyes widened before Arwen shook her head vigorously. "No Nana. I think it is better if I don't see Santa. I want a present. It will be awful if I do not get one."

"Won't it?" agreed Celebrían. "Time for bed, you little rascal."

"Good night, 'Dan, 'Ro," said Arwen, waving sleepily at her twin brothers. One thumb quickly found its way into her mouth and she sucked contentedly upon it.

"Goodnight, Arwen," replied the twins.

Outside, the wind howled, and the snow fell cold, but the atmosphere in the Last Homely House was warm, brightened by the laughter of a small elfling.

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Arwen is around four in human years, and the twins are around fourteen.

Translations:

Nana/Naneth- Mother

I hope you enjoyed this little fic! Please do review!