Chapter 3: A Book About Hobbits
Eleniel stood on her tip toes, attempting to reach the book she wanted. Her finger tips briefly touched the spine, and she had a fleeting thought that it would fall into her arms, but of course, she had no such luck.
She blew a stray strand of hair out of her face and sighed. 'I'm never going to get that book by myself.' She thought dejectedly. 'Shouldn't there be some kind of stool around here?' she glanced around and then finding no stool said exasperatedly, "Come on Elrond, not every one is as gigantic as you."
"I'll try not to take that as an insult."
Eleniel whirled around to find none other than Elrond himself standing behind her. She turned bright red (as she was prone to do lately) and bowed her head immediately.
"Forgive me, my Lord. I did not mean to be insulting." She closed her eyes tightly, wishing that she could just fade away.
"Nonsense." Elrond said, his eyes twinkling humorously. "I should have a stool around here for people who are not as…gigantic did you say…as I." The red slowly faded from her cheeks as he reached up and easily got the book she had wanted. "Was this the one you wanted?"
She nodded. "Yes thank you."
"My pleasure." He craned his neck to see the title of the book she had. "What is it that you are reading?"
"It-It's a book about Hobbits."
"Elrohir told me that you were reading a Hobbit book yesterday." Elrond gestured for her to sit with him in two chairs nearby.
"Oh yes." She replied sounding surprisingly eager. "I think-" she blushed. "I think they're rather funny."
Elrond laughed. "That is the way it sounds, isn't it?"
She smiled and pretty soon was laughing along with him.
"I do not believe that I have heard you laugh since coming here, Lady Eleniel." He said to her, his eyes still containing his laughter.
"I have not had a reason to." Eleniel said simply.
Elrond nodded.
"Excuse me, Ada?"
The two of them looked over to where the bookshelves stood to find that Elladan was standing there.
"Yes?"
"Naneth would like to speak with you. She is walking in the gardens."
"Alright." Elrond nodded to Eleniel. "Enjoy your day Eleniel."
Eleniel bowed her head. "Thank you my Lord, I believe that I will."
Elrond nodded to his son as he walked past him.
Elladan stood in the door awkwardly before coming over and sitting in the chair that his father had just vacated.
"What are you reading?" he asked.
"A Tale about a Hobbit." She answered confidently. If she could talk to Lord Elrond himself, then she could talk to his son any day. Even if it was about books.
"I've read that book, it was alright. But Elrohir is more of the book worm of the family. I prefer to spend my time outside-"
"So do I!" Se cried, glad that they had something to talk about, for she desperately wanted to talk with him.
"-training." He finished.
Eleniel nodded mutely. Her courage seemed to be slowly failing her. And Elladan somehow noticed that. What had he said that had made her want to withdrawal into herself? 'Better quick think quick before she runs again.' He thought. What was something that she would want to hear?
"You know," he said suddenly, knowing she would love this story. "I remember a story that Nana told me when I was little."
"Oh?" Eleniel smiled at him. "What was it?"
"Well it was all about this small Hobbit named Gladdy…"
"Gladdy?" Eleniel giggled, and Elladan smiled in spite of himself. "That's an odd name!"
"That's what I said to my mother!" Elladan said eagerly, just as a little Elfling would. "Anyway, the story started with Gladdy and his friends swimming in a pond…"
Eleniel put her book down on the table, drew her legs under her and then hugged a pillow to her chest and listened attentively to Elladan talk. She had a feeling that she would not be reading at all this afternoon.
Some time later…
It had surprised Eleniel greatly that she had been able to sit and talk with Elladan for as long as she did. And it surprise Elladan greatly that he had been able to talk to her for so long without her running away from him. They had started talking and hadn't been able to stop. It was strange, as Eleniel thought that she would never be in this position, not only with Elladan, but with anyone. She had never wanted to be in this position. And oddly enough, when she was with him, she wanted to be.
"…and that's how Elrohir managed to get me tied to a tree." Elladan finished.
"He seems to be very…mischievous." Eleniel said.
"Mischievous…annoying…demonic…is there a difference?" He grinned at her, making her stomach flutter.
"I wish I had a brother…even a sister would be nice." She said wistfully, looking very sad very suddenly. "You're lucky. You have both." She paused, smiling softly. "Not to mention parents."
Elladan didn't know what to say to that. He had no idea how to get someone to feel better. He didn't do that, Elrohir did. But here he was, sitting in front of someone who literally had no family on this side of Arda, looked as though she was going to burst into tears at any moment, and he had no idea what to do.
He remembered when Arwen had been born and he had held her for the first time. She had started to cry after a few minutes (as new born babies were prone to do when not with their parents) and he had nearly dropped her he had freaked out so much. If he had freaked out then, what was he going to do now? (But then again, back then he had never been around babies or even small children all that much, so him freaking out wasn't all that big of a surprise)
"I haven't got any one." She said, mostly to herself. "I'm all alone." Her lower lip trembled, a classic sign (even Elladan knew) for being about to cry. She stood up quickly, the pillow that had been on her lap falling to the floor. "Excuse me." And with that she walked swiftly away.
Elladan sat there for a while, thinking carefully about what had just happened. What was he supposed to do now? Go on with the rest of his day (or what was left of it) like nothing had happened? Go and make sure she was okay? What?
He sighed, rubbing his temples, soothing a non-existent headache. He would never understand females. So what should he do now? A single name drifted into his mind.
Celebrian.
Of course! His mother would know exactly what to do. She could tell him what to do. After all, she was a female and knew how their minds worked, right?
In the Gardens...
"How long to you think that it'll take before one of them comes out of the Library either crying or insulted?" Celebrian asked, leaning her head on his shoulder.
The two of them were sitting in the shade of a tree fairly close to a small lake. It had turned out that Celebrian had planned on stealing him away from his duties for the day and making him picnic with her. It really didn't take all that much convincing. In fact all she had to do was ask. They had spent a leisurely afternoon by the lake side and had even gone for a swim, (as it was still warm enough to do that) and then afterwards laid in the grass, the sweet sunshine drying their clothes. They had now just moved to sit under the tree, Celebrian leaning against Elrond's chest, and talking about their son and the Lady that had so very easily confused him
"I'm going to say a few hours." Elrond replied.
"How long before he comes to one of us for advice?"
"Before that."
"And when his brother decides to tease him about it?"
Elrond laughed. "Before that even."
Celebrian sighed. "I suppose that we could have expected this."
"We could have, but that doesn't mean that we should have."
"You have a point there." Celebrian reached up and kissed him gently.
"Of course I do." Elrond said as she laid her head on his chest again. "I'm the smart one, remember?"
Celebrian laughed. "Right, I remember now."
They sat together in comfortable silence before Elrond said softly, "Our son is watching us."
"Elladan?" Celebrian replied just as softly, so that the son in question could not hear them.
"Was there any doubt in your mind?"
She sighed almost unnoticeably. "Shall we get up or let him come to us?"
"I think we should let him come to us."
"Why my Lord, that sounds quite lazy of you."
"I'm entitled every now and then." He replied and Celebrian snuggled into his embrace.
"I feel like I could fall asleep…" She murmured.
"Then go ahead…we're letting him come to us remember?"
"Right…"
Elladen stood a few yards away, watching his parents fall asleep in each others arms. It made him wonder. Would he ever be that content with life? Would he ever find someone who would make him that happy? Someone who would fall asleep in his arms? Someone who would want to spend the rest of their days with him? Could he find someone?
His thoughts turned to Eleniel. She had occupied her thoughts so much as of recently. His mind was telling him that he was thinking to far into the future, that they barely knew each other. But there was another voice in her head asking him, 'Could she be the one? Could she be the one that will always be in your thoughts? That you will spend the rest of your life with?'
And Elladan couldn't help but want to listen to that voice.
I can't help but love the thought that Elladan has trouble around people who are very emotional and has this kind of "Oh my god, what should I do?" thing about him. Anyway. Leave a review. Many thanks…
