Conversations

Chapter 4 - Tira

Trelan. I am now saddled with a sulky wood-elf. He showed up saying Raina had practically forced him out of the house and made him come to New Hampshire. I simply rolled my eyes and asked if he had any messages.

"Yes, she said not to fret, the story will be done soon she's just been busy…or something." He shrugged. "And Elrohir, Dan says you have permission to tell Tira his story. I am going outside."

"Good…oh, and be careful."

I almost grinned when he stopped and gave me a hard look, but managed to keep my face neutral. "Why should I be careful?"

"Because I let Varda, Dan, Námo, Eönwë and Findel out with Ari and Chippy. They're running free in the yard."

Trelan looked shocked, and I could see Elrohir trying to control his laughter. "You named two of your wargs after Valar and one after a Maia? How do you dare?"

"They were good names." I shrugged now. Elrohir had already known of the 'shocking' names of my wargs. "And you forgot Glorfindel."

"Glor- never mind. I'm going outside." Trelan made quick his escape.

"Do you think he was appalled?" I asked my elf, who lounged on my bed. He was waiting for me to boot up the computer so we could begin writing.

"Oh, he'll get over it I'm sure. After all, I did."

"Though it took you a little bit." I giggled.

"Indeed. Are we going to write tonight?"

"Yes, yes, we're going to write tonight…are you going to tell me anything about Dan?"

"I don't know." Ro frowned. "I mean, it's very personal, despite whatever he said I was allowed to do."

"Oh, I understand if you don't want to, I just figured I would ask. Raina and I are really worried about him, you know."

"Oh, I know, but this is a hard thing to talk about. And personal, very personal."

"I can't even get a hint? I mean, really. Some of the things he has written into the last story were cruel!" An idea suddenly dawned. "He's never run away from someone like that, has he?"

Elrohir glared at me. "No, he's never been in love that I know of, except for-" He cut the sentence off abruptly and plopped into the desk chair.

"Except for Raina?" I teased.

"I'm not telling you anything. Let's write."

Elrohir studiously ignored me from then on, typing away. I, of course, was not convinced in the least. He was hiding something about Elladan's love life, and it wasn't about Raina, at least not directly. I narrowed my eyes. I had once told JLyH that when I wanted to know something, I would find a way to know it, somehow. I peeked over his shoulder at what he was writing.

The messenger rode harder than he ever had before…

"Um, Tira?"

"Yes dear?"

"What should I name the guy?"

"Which guy?"

"The messenger guy."

"Which messenger guy?" I asked, slightly exasperated.

"The one going to Imladris."

"Why is he going to Imladris?"

"To tell Antiel and Elladan about Cade."

"Alright. So who is he?"

"Um, I was going to make him related to Cade somehow."

"Call him Arveldir." I replied.

"Royal friend?"

"He is related to Cade, who is related to Thalion, who was Antiel's sentinel. See?"

"Oh, yes." He went back to typing. Relieved to be getting a break from the mind-bending work of, well, thinking, I lay back on the bed, in the same spot where Ro had been five minutes before. It was still warm. I wondered what could be so disastrous in Elladan's life that he would take it out on his character in these fictions. Ro had very clearly said it was not a replica of the story he had helped to write, at least not the love part (which relieved me greatly, for Raina's sake). So if it wasn't love it had to be something else, but what? I have never been good at riddles like that, for all that I do those logic problems in the magazines. I hoped he could come to grips soon, because it was terribly worrying to see him torture himself like this.

Sitting up I peeked over Ro's shoulder again to see how he was doing and giggled. He was teasing the poor character, Arveldir, that he had just created. Poor little mortal. I was bored, so I stood up and just stood behind Ro, even though the other chair was empty.

"I'm hungry." Elrohir said suddenly. He saved the document (smart elf) and turned to look at me. He likes that office chair because he can spin in it. Sometimes we see who can get dizzier, me or him, and still walk fairly straight and do all those other tests the cops make you do, like touch your nose and say the alphabet backwards. I always win, because I grew up with three little brothers. That and saying the English alphabet backwards is easy-peasy. The Sindarin one on the other hand, a bit more difficult.

"Well…" I checked to see what I had for money. "We could go downtown and see what we can find. I don't feel like cooking anything."

"All right." He agreed. When we stepped outside I scanned the yard looking for Trelan, who I discovered sulking in a tree in which three little wargs sat below, tongues hanging out and panting. It was Glorfindel, Eönwë and Námo. Whistling I called the pups to me and shut them back into the shed, which we're in the process of rebuilding to make it bigger.

Trelan looked less sulky now that he was able to move freely. "Why did you choose the only tree that wasn't near any other?" I asked, referring to the fact that it had been the peach tree he had climbed, which is a lone tree closer to the little pond than the forest.

"Because I like the peaches." He blushed slightly.

"So you're my peach-thief." I giggled. "That's okay, you can eat all you want. We're going into town to find something to eat. Care to join us?"

He looked at the tree again, then back at us. "Sure, I'll come. Raina tells me I'm too sulky anyway, that I need to get out more."

"You do. Trees are quite fun to be with and talk too, but being with friends is just as fulfilling."

"You're right." He smiled.

"Of course I'm right, right Ro?"

"Right. What are we talking about?"

"Elrohir!" I wailed.

"I'm sorry!" He looked apologetic. "I was just thinking about how hungry I was."

"Men!" I looked up into the darkening sky. "No matter the race, all they can think of is food!"

"Hey! I resemble that remark!" He gave me a crooked grin.

"Of course you do, dear." I began walking and they followed.

When we finally reached the town, about three miles away, we had decided to go to the café, Lafayette's, then stop in at the Triplet's shop to see if they wanted me to make a deposit or anything for them.

When we got to Lafeyette's and Audrey greeted us (she knows us well, since Ro and I are here almost every day, and I have been coming here for years with my best friends, the aforesaid Triplets of Death), I ordered the BLT, extra bacon, extra crispy, no mayo. Elrohir, the pig, ordered a hamburger, a BLT my way except with the mayo, a salad, and the apple pie. Trelan was much more gentle on the wallet and ordered just the hamburger and fries. Everything here is homemade, none of it is frozen or anything like McDonalds, which is why I come here.

As I sipped my coke, I noticed Ro fidgeting. I waited for him to tell me what was making him so uncomfortable and finally he did.

"Tira, my dearest, I thought I would tell you a little bit about our past, and some of why Elladan is the way he is."

My interest was piqued, and I could see Trelan concentrating on his hamburger a bit too intently. So, seemingly, he didn't know either. Interesting. "All right, so where did you want to start?"

"Well, I don't really know where I should start."

"I find beginnings to be good places." Trelan answered unhelpfully.

"Yes, well, I don't quite know what exactly the beginning is."

"Why'd you bring it up in the first place then?" I grumbled.

"Because Elladan said I could."

"Well, forget him. Tell me about you. Ever been in love?"

He choked on his soda, or an ice-cube. Something. I raised an eyebrow. This was interesting to say the least. I took in his pale face, the fact that his fingers were fairly shredding a poor napkin, and his lip biting. Glancing at Trelan I saw him frowning down into his cup. Curiouser and curiouser, to quote Alice.

"It's a yes or no question, Ro."

"No, it's not. Have you ever been in love?" He shot back.

"I thought I was, but it turned out to be just a filler." I answered honestly. "I've always been yours, since before I knew you were real."

This made him pause. "Well."

"So, yes or no, have you ever been in love?"

"I guess…I guess…no. Not until you."

"See, now we're getting somewhere. What about Elladan?"

Elrohir went back to biting his lip, and Trelan suddenly started looking around for Audrey and the check. This was getting to be such a weird conversation, and it was obvious that both Elrohir and Trelan were hiding things.

"What, does he have some sort of secret love child with…oh, I don't know, one of Trey's cousins?" I asked facetiously.

Trelan startled and spilled the remainder of his soda. "What? No, that's ridiculous."

"Yeah." Elrohir frowned at me. "Elladan is…Elladan is pure, to my knowledge."

"Well, I guess that will reassure Raina."

I hailed Audrey and paid the check, because I could tell my elves were getting antsy. I hadn't particularly learned much of anything, but I certainly had plenty of intrigue for a great story if I wanted. And I had noticed what Elrohir wasn't saying. He had not professed to them being pure, only Elladan being so. Not that it mattered, personally. I had my own secrets, and I was definitely no virgin. But you can't say you'll tell someone something, then not tell them anything.

Maybe I should write a scathing, scandalous story about Elrohir, just to serve him right.

On second thought, I can't do that. It's far too mean. I love my elf, and I may be absolutely insane, but I'm not mean without a purpose.

Sigh. At least I could reassure Raina that her elf was pure.