Chapter One: Bad Day
The small elfling stomped through the trees, seeking to be alone. But the four ellons behind her would not give up.
"Come on, Gwaleth-nin!" One of them called. "Tell us what is wrong!" But Galadriel paid no attention to him or her other three brothers. She only wanted to be alone. It irritated her that her brothers would not respect her wish. Galadriel began to run. She ran and ran, her four brothers following suit. The wind whipped her hair around her angry face, twigs snapped under her feet, her new, green dress snagged on low lying branches as if they were intent on stopping her. She grimaced. Her naneth would not be happy about the dress.
"Boo!" Galadriel uttered a soft scream of surprise. Her oldest brother, Finrod, had suddenly dropped out of the tree and landed right in front of her. Before she could evade him, Finrod grabbed a hold of her and slung her over his shoulder.
"Put me down, you big orc-head!" She shrieked. Finrod's fair face took on an expression of amusement. He didn't think he wanted to know where his little sister had learned such language. His amused expression suddenly turned into a frown when he realized she'd probably learned the term "orc-head" from him.
"You need to tell me what's wrong first." He instructed.
"Not until you put me down." Galadriel huffed. Finrod grinned and gently set his sister on the ground, maintaining a firm yet gentle hold on her just in case she tried to run.
"Now, tell me what's wrong." He said. Galadriel glared and the cold, leaf-covered forest floor. "Galadriel, look at me." The elfling did as she was told. She fixed her bright blue eyes on her brother's soft brown ones.
"My day is not going well at all." She sighed, her voiced colored with unhappiness. Finrod nodded, his face nothing short of serious.
"Why is that?" He asked. Galadriel kicked at the leaves, narrowly missing her oldest brother's shin.
"Everyone expects me to be a good elleth that sits inside and does her embroidery." She muttered. "And my stupid brother-"
"That stupid brother wouldn't happen to be me would it?" Finrod interrupted, his eyebrow raised. Galadriel shook her head.
"Orodreth." She told him. Finrod nodded. Orodreth could be an idiot sometimes.
"And what did our stupid brother do?" Finrod asked.
"He called me a girl!" Galadriel exclaimed. Despite all the effort Finrod put into not showing any amusement, he smiled and unsuccessfully bit back a soft snort. Galadriel's glare intensified and Finrod suddenly became very serious.
"Sorry, 'Driel. What else happened?" He asked.
"Those stupid ellons took Rómil." She retorted. Finrod nodded. Rómil was her toy robin. She slept with it every night and was convinced that it kept the nightmares and the monster under her bed away.
"Did you get him back?" Finrod asked in concern. Galadriel nodded and looked down at the ground.
"Eventually." She mumbled. Finrod nodded and picked his sister up.
"Ontop of that, I've ruined my new dress." She sighed as she wrapped her arms around her brother's neck and rested her head on his shoulder. Finrod nodded. His sister's dress was torn in several places.
"You can blame it on me. Tell naneth I chased you into the bushes." He told her. Galadriel looked at her brother in shock.
"But that would be lying!" She exclaimed. "And it will get me in more trouble."
"Yes, but it is partly true, isn't it?" Finrod replied, a look of pure mischief on his fair face.
"You, big brother, are more silly than Orodreth." Galadriel laughed, her mood finally brighter.