Dedicated to Sir Christopher Lee, who was undoubtedly the best person they could have picked to ever play Saruman. May he rest in peace.
Ah, I see you've decided to join me tonight for the stroll through Imladris. It's nice to see you. Where would you like to go first?
The gardens, you say? Well, there's not much going on there, but let's go there anyway. Come, through the door here. Do you see those trees that line the pathway? Yes, that leads to the garden. Let's go through there, but please, remain silent. We may be unseen, but they can still hear us.
Oh see, it looks like the minstrels are enjoying the night air as well! We shall go see what they are doing…
-.-
"Is everyone here?" asks Lindir, standing up and looking around at the circle of fellow minstrels sitting on the ground around him.
"You know we're all here, there's only ten of us," calls someone from the back, and everyone laughs.
"Fine," says Lindir, who is also known as the Head Minstrel, and seats himself. "Very well, then, the Midnight Meeting of the Minstrels shall now commence."
"It has a nice ring to it," another minstrel muses.
"Yes, I came up with it myself." Lindir looks around the ring of seated musicians. "Now for the first part of the meeting. Does anyone have any new songs or ballads they want to introduce?"
No one volunteers anything, but then someone a few people to Lindir's left speaks up. "I'm working on a song," he says. "I'm just adding the final touches to it."
Lindir nods, and the elf to his right jots it down. "How many stanzas, and what instruments can play it?"
"Fifty. Only the harp and lyre can go with it so far, but I'm working on adding an oboe part."
"Excellent. As long as you've completed it by next week, we can add it to the weekly playing." Lindir glances over everyone else. "Now that we've got that settled, does anyone have new gossip to share?"
Everyone bursts into laughter again.
-.-
Well now, that was certainly interesting. We'd better leave before they really do start spreading the recent news…haven't you ever wondered why the minstrels seem to know everything that's happening in Imladris? Now you know!
No, believe me; you really don't want to know what they talk about.
Oh, look, up there! Yes, that's the main housing building – the high-ranking elves live there, like Lord Elrond and his family, his counselors, and the captains in the guard. The light is on in Lord Elrond's sitting chambers…should we go see what he's up to?
Quietly now, don't disturb the birds nesting on the balcony railing.
-.-
"…and then the mighty archer swept up his love and carried her away into their house, where they lived happily ever after!"
"Oh!" Arwen, a few weeks past her 20th begetting day, which is about equivalent to an 8-year-old mortal, claps happily. "How sweet!"
Elrond, who had also been listening to his wife's tale, laughs and leans back in his seat. "Cel, dear, that's not how it ended."
The silver-haired Lady pouts prettily at him. "So I changed the ending a bit. Why should it matter?"
"Ada, do you have a story you can tell?" Arwen asks her father eagerly, knowing that he had quite the collection of tales that he could tell.
Elrond shakes his head and chuckles. "I don't think so, Arwen, it's your bedtime now."
"Aww." Arwen turns pleading eyes to her mother. "Do I have to?"
"Your Ada's right, dear," Celebrían says with a smile. "Why don't you go ahead and run to your room; I'll be along to tuck you in after a minute."
"But Ell and El get to stay up," Arwen says, turning up the charm even more with her wide eyes and quivering smile.
"Nice try," Elrond says as he stands up. "But your brothers are fully grown and can stay up however long they wish, as long as they're present at the breakfast table the next morning. You, however, need to get your rest. Come along now; don't argue with your Nana."
"Sorry, Nana," Arwen says, and dances out of the room with a twinkle in her eyes.
"She is definitely up to something," Celebrían says, recognizing the familiar mischievous sparkle. She has seen it too many times in her husband's and sons' eyes not to know what it meant.
"I'm sure she is," Elrond says. "I'm going to follow her and make sure she gets to her room." He gives his wife a quick kiss and follows Arwen's bouncing footsteps down the hall.
-.-
It looks like Arwen is certainly up to something. That's not what we're here to see now, though, so let's go along and check up on Arwen's older brothers – do you really think they're staying up late? Somehow, I don't doubt it.
Of course I know where they are – in the Hall of Fire, where they always stay late at night. Probably talking to some friends…but surely causing mischief, I expect.
Come down from the balcony, but make sure you don't make much noise. Through these bushes, along the path…turn right here. Can you see that huge open building there, with the fires scattered throughout? Yes, I know the fires are dying down. But that's the Hall of Fire – very aptly named, isn't it?
Go through here, along the pillars, but make sure you stay in the shadows! We don't want our fun to be spoiled prematurely, do we? Ah, look! Just as I thought – there those troublemakers are, beside the fire. Let's go a little closer so we can hear what they're saying…
-.-
"Hold still!" Elrohir scolds, but he's laughing as Elladan tries not to move. They're close to the fire, surrounded by fellow warriors, and most are shirtless because of the heat from the fire. Sweat glistens on Elladan's bare torso as he balances carefully on the balls of his feet. There are empty wine bottles standing on his outstretched arms, and one on his head, and they waver unsteadily every time Elladan takes a breath.
"Think he can take another one?" someone asks, holding up another bottle that had just been drained of its contents.
"I don't think so," Elrohir teases, standing directly in front of his brother and waving a hand in front of Elladan's face.
"Quit," says Elladan, though his eyes are closed tightly in concentration as he endeavors to keep the glass bottles balanced, muscles quivering. "I can take one more…on my shoulder."
"Toss it," Elrohir calls, and the bottle is thrown to him. He rests the bottom of the bottle against Elladan's shoulder, then pushes it upright and lets go of it.
Everyone takes in a collective breath as it wobbles precariously, then release the breath when it stays.
"All right!" Elrohir exclaims. "You've gotten the record so far!"
"Two more than you, at least." Elladan finally opens his eyes and grins, but his arms are trembling.
"Ten seconds," a warrior calls from just over Elladan's shoulder. "Just ten, then we'll take them all off."
"Think you can handle it, brother?" Elrohir smirks, circling him and seeming as if he's about to tip one of the bottles, but he doesn't.
"Longer than you can," Elladan shoots back.
"Nine!" someone shouts.
Elladan clenches his eyes tightly shut; the bottles quiver on his arms.
"Eight!" The others are joining in.
"No one will judge you if you don't make it," Elrohir whispers annoyingly, making sure to not to jostle his brother, but bothering him nonetheless.
"Seven!"
"You shut it," Elladan murmurs, barely moving his lips.
"Six!"
"I'm just saying," Elrohir says, grinning and stepping back.
"Five!"
"Well, don't."
"Four!"
"What do you think would happen if I poked you?" Elrohir says conversationally.
"Three!"
"Then I'll kill you," Elladan replies tightly, taking short gasps to keep from jostling the bottles.
"Two!"
"That's not very nice," Elrohir scolded.
"One!"
Everyone bursts into laughter and a few of them clap when the count is over, and Elladan finally relaxes. Elrohir helps take the bottles of his arms and shoulders, and the one off his head, and slaps him on the back when they're all gone.
"Great job! You want to try for sixteen now?"
"I'd fight a legion of orcs before I did," Elladan retorts, accepting a full bottle of wine and taking a gulp from it.
"Hey, let's do something with the fire," someone suggests.
Elrohir snatches the wine bottle from his brother and drinks deeply from it before turning to the others with a grin. "Let's see who can jump the highest over it!"
-.-
That's our cue to leave. Once they start getting crazy like that, there's no telling what will happen. And what did I say? Didn't I say they would be causing mischief? Oh, that was you that said it. Quite right, then.
Here, careful of the trees – it's dark. Don't hit your head on the low-hanging branches. I'll move this one aside for you…there you are. There's that path again, let's follow it.
Shh, we must be silent as we go here; this is where the warriors' barracks are. The ones here who are actually sleeping will awaken at the slightest noise, because of their time spent patrolling with orcs nearby, I daresay. Past the chambers, into this door now…and along the corridor.
No, there's no one living here. This is the offices and studies, and the libraries are further down. Past that, there's the storing area – everything not used immediately is put there. It's quite dark in here, as well, but –
Oh! What's that, you ask? A light coming from the main library? Of course, of course. I had forgotten that you didn't know. Come along here; it's easier to show you than to explain.
And here is the most important place to remain silent, so please do so. It's of the utmost importance that you do not say or do anything that could cause one of the people in here to see us. He has very good hearing, you see.
Now here, look around the door, but quietly.
-.-
"Oh, come on, Erestor," Glorfindel is complaining as he winds a strip of leather around his hair to keep it back. "You've already beat me three times; why would you want to do it a fourth time?"
Erestor laughs, a sounds rarely heard by anyone but his very close friends. He is resetting the chess board, putting each piece back precisely into its place. "How are you ever going to get any better if you don't practice?"
"I practice," Glorfindel says sullenly, tying the leather and letting his hair fall from his hands and down his back in golden waves. "But you still beat me."
"You're getting a little closer to my level," Erestor says, smiling and places the last pawn on the board. He sits back and folds his hands in his lap. "If you don't want to play chess, what, then?"
"I have an –"
"And nothing ridiculous like you did last month," Erestor interrupts him.
Glorfindel throws his hands up. "I was just accepting your challenge!"
"I dared you to act like a statue in plain view, not painted white and standing half-naked in the fountain in the courtyard," Erestor retorts.
Glorfindel grins. "Admit it; you enjoyed seeing Elrond angry at me about that."
"That part was funny," Erestor agrees. He looks around and frowns. "Where did that plate of sweets go?"
"You ate all of them," Glorfindel says, gesturing at the empty plate.
"Oh," says Erestor disappointedly, but then he sees that Glorfindel had left an uneaten pastry on his side of the table, so he reaches across and grabs it.
"And really, you're right; I'm the older one, I should know better than to obey the younglings." Glorfindel smiles innocently.
Erestor pauses just before taking a bite of the pastry he had snatched, and jabs it at Glorfindel. "That's absolutely ridiculous, Glorfindel. You know perfectly well that I'm older than you."
"You are not!" Glorfindel exclaims, mock-affronted.
Erestor bites daintily into the pastry and swallows. "Yes, I am. I was born before you were re-embodied, therefore I am older than you."
Glorfindel's blue eyes glint mischievously. "But you're not counting my first life. From that alone, I'd be older than you."
"Previous lives don't count," Erestor says haughtily, but the effect is spoilt when he stuffs the rest of the sweet into his mouth and gulps it down.
"Of course you would say that," Glorfindel laughs. "But fine, say that it doesn't count. I was sent back with a fully healthy body, in the prime of my life – that has to be over 500 or so. Just admit it, Erestor, you –"
"Fine, Glorfindel, good grief." Erestor rolls his eyes. "But then you'd have to let everyone know that someone younger than you is beating you at chess."
Glorfindel is looking around and under the table for his missing pastry. He hasn't even realized that Erestor just took it and ate it; or if he does, he's pretending to be oblivious. He straightens up and sulks. "Where'd my strawberry tart go?"
"That's improper grammar," Erestor corrects, as he always does; and as always, Glorfindel ignores him. He eyes the advisor with a suspicious glint in his eyes. "Did you take my tart?"
Erestor sniffs arrogantly. "Really, Glorfindel, you're accusing me?"
"Well, I didn't eat it," Glorfindel points out. "And you're the only person left in the room."
"I'm insulted," Erestor says, licking the remaining strawberry filling from his lips. He stands. "Well, come on." He turns and heads for the door of the library.
Glorfindel follows him after grabbing his cloak from a bookshelf. "Wait up, Erestor, where are we going?"
"You said you didn't want to play chess anymore," Erestor calls over his shoulder. "And you want another pastry, correct? Therefore, we shall go fetch some more from the kitchens."
"But that would be stealing," Glorfindel says, grinning. He's still following him, though.
"Fie," Erestor says, waving a hand flippantly. "No one's going to tell me off if I want a midnight snack."
Glorfindel finally catches up to him as they reach the door. "Okay, but I get the strawberry ones."
-.-
Oh! Duck behind this curtain! Shh! They're going by…don't move!
The golden one seems to have heard us…quietly now, don't do anything…he's looking this way, but the dark one is hurrying him along.
I apologize, that was much closer than I thought. Who knew they would do that? Ah, quiet, they're not gone yet!
There they are, gone around the corner now. We can come out now; we're safe. That was certainly interesting, wasn't it?
So! Have you learned anything tonight? Yes, you're right; nights in Imladris certainly are very interesting, indeed. What would you say was the most fascinating conversation tonight? Oh, I can't decide, but really, what would you think? You can't make up your mind either?
Well, it was all very enthralling, I agree. Have you enjoyed yourself? Yes? I'm glad to hear that!
Of course! I'd love for you to join me again sometime, please feel free to do so! Just remember…you must be quiet…and don't let anyone here know that we've visited.
Well, this was…it was…
I don't know. It was fun to write. I'm bored and depressed, because my sister went on vacation without me. ;-)
So I wrote this one-shot. Please review!