A/N: Yule greetings to all! This is my gift to you! I only received one vote for a christmas story. No worries, though as I am sure many of you are likely occupied with family, as I am too. Evil relatives...not a moment of peace and quiet...lol! See you all in the New Year! SpiritChild

Wine, Snowballs, and Stalking

Dedicated to Arden Skysender

Winter in Lothlorien was cold. Not bitter cold like the season was in the northernmost Elven realms, but still cold, to a mortal anyways. Azalea skipped across the top of the freshly fallen snow, leaving not a single footprint, even for the large pack she was shouldering. Her breath made soft puffs of steam in the just below freezing air. She paused to readjust the pack on her back and gauge her position. Her quarry should be just ahead.

Soon enough she heard the laughter that was unmistakably Orophin. Haldir gave a soft snort and soon Rumil's hearty laughter joined in. A smirk crept across her features as she eased her burden to the ground. How could she resist such an opportunity? She crouched down low and slunk along silently across the fine white powder. Just ahead, the three unsuspecting brothers didn't realize they were being stalked. She peeked through a bush at them gathered around a small fire, remnants of a pouch of warden fare lay about. Oh this was just too much! How many times had Haldir chided her not to let her guard down? He wasn't even within arm's reach of his weapon!

Time for a bit of fun.

Azalea let out a particularly large breath of steam, knowing Orophin would see it as he was the one facing her hiding spot. Sure enough, he tensed immediately. She was quickly gone from there and creeping around behind Haldir. Now the brothers were on full alert to a visitor. She waited several moments before snapping a twig and once again vacating her spot. Haldir had jumped and turned quickly, the other two on their feet as well. Azalea watched them glance to where their weapons were, then back to where the noise came from.

It was likely they were thinking a large mountain cat was now circling their small encampment. For what else could move with such stealth? The only elf who would play such a game was tucked away in her talan in the city. Right? Azalea grinned deviously and slipped further around the encampment. It was time for the finale. With their backs to her she slipped into the clearing, holding her bag once again. She took a deep, silent breath. "Yule greetings!"

All three elves yelped and spun to face her. "Is something amiss?" She asked innocently.

Three sets of eyes narrowed simultaneously. "YOU!" They all cried in perfect unison.

She merely smirked and set her pack down. "I have no idea what you are talking about. I did not come all the way out here to be accused of such nonsense. Merely thought you could use a little company on Yule." She pulled several flasks from her pack, wrapped in heated towels. "I even had the forethought to bring mulled wine. You should be nice to me." She began pulling out wrapped loaves of fresh bread, ripe winter fruits, and roasted game fowl, along with spiced stuffing and sweet-smelling baked apples wrapped in mallorn leaves.

Haldir merely shook his head. "I should have known you would find a way to make my words haunt me." Still smirking, she handed him a flask. "Where did you get all of this?"

"Elensar and I packed it. She's taking some to the wardens on the Western March. As a matter of fact many of the wardens who are on leave are taking similar packages to those out on the fences."

Rumil smiled gratefully at her. "Whose idea was this?"

"Lady Galadriel's." Azalea said as she pulled out plates as well as a knife to cut the game with. "She felt that you deserved a decent meal on Yule. I offered to deliver it since I really have no family in the city to spend the holidays with. You three have become as close as family to me. Who better to spend Yule with?"

Orophin nodded his agreement and pulled Azalea down onto the blanket rolled across the snowy ground. "Then stay and join us. We will not take no for an answer."

She smiled brightly and snuggled up against him. "I had hoped to. Why do you think I brought so much wine?"

Rumil snickered. "All that drinking is going to turn you into a Dwarf!" Seconds after that comment left his mouth, it was full of snow. His mouth that is. Azalea's snowball had hit it's mark with perfection expected of an archer of the Galadhrim. Silence reigned for several moments before Haldir launched a snowball right into the side of Azalea's head.

It all went downhill from there.

Over an hour later all four elves were curled up in a pile, beneath a mountain of blankets in a flet near the clearing, sippping the mulled wine they had reaheated on their tiny campfire before putting it out. Their uniforms lay off to the side soaked from al the snow fighting. The black undertunics and leather leggings were the only dry items they still had, and even the sleeves of the black tunics were sopping wet. Hence the blankets were being used to speed the drying process. Most of the food Azalea had brought had been eaten, leaving the pack considerably lighter for the return journey. They all lay on their backs gazing up at the stars visible through the canopy of mallorn branches.

"Azalea?"

"Aye Haldir."

"I have been thinking lately of giving you Captaincy of your own patrol."

"Really?" She propped herself up on an elbow to gaze over Rumil at him.

"Aye. You have truly proven yourself as of late and I think you would make a fine Captain."

"I am truly honored by the faith you have in me, Haldir. Hanon lle."

"Then it is settled. Upon our return to the city I will speak to Lord Celeborn about this and confirm my decision to make you a Captain."

"Valar save us all." Rumil murmured. Azalea scoffed and elbowed him in the side. "Ow! That hurt, Zal!"

She merely smiled and snuggled back down into the cocoon of blankets. Pulling her flask back over to her, she finished it off in one drink and slid it across the floor to stop near her pack. Her eyes flick back up to the stars. "The stars are especially bright tonight."

Orophin sighed wistfully. "Aye, they are. Elbereth must be pleased about something."

"Perhaps it is that we are admiring her work that brings her pleasure." Whispered Rumil, finishing off his wine as well. "Hanon lle, Azalea. You have made our Yule watch far more bearable this year."

"You are most welcome."

The four elves lay content for several hours, barely speaking, merely enjoying the peaceful company. Until a gigantic snowball soared unexpectedly into the sanctuary of thier flet, catching them quite unawares. And so it was that the annual War of the Wardens came to be held upon each Yule on the Lothlorien Fences.

A/N: Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, or whatever holiday it is you may be celebrating! I'll see you in the New Year with chapters aplenty! SpiritChild.