I did not create Estel/Aragorn, Elrond, Lindir, Erestor, Glorfindel, Elladan, Elrohir, Celebrian, Imladris, Rivendell, Greenwood the Great/Mirkwood, or Middle Earth. Tolkien did. The only character I created is Mellolaes.

This story is for entertainment purposes only, so please read and be entertained.

In answer to my wonderful reviewer Saphira. You're absolutely right. Elladan and Elrohir should have known better than to chase a Silvan elf through a forest. We'll see if love is in Mellolaes' future. ;) However reliable foresight might be, foresight scenes seem to be big with readers. Legolas and Thranduil won't actually make an appearance in this story, but they are heavily involved in the midquel "How Estel Got a Nurse." I will hopefully start posting it right after this one is finished. The next chapter should be the last.

During dinner, Mellolaes was careful to sit at the end of the table. This allowed Erestor to sit next to Estel and hear all about the day's adventures from him. The steward listened with a grave face and nodded appropriately. Once or twice a spark of humor lit his eyes and a corner of his mouth lifted, particularly when Estel explained how his brothers were out maneuvered.

After dinner the elves took Estel up to bed while Mellolaes slipped into her room across the hall to finish her unpacking. Elrond washed his son's face. Erestor brushed his student's teeth. Glorfindel garbed the manling in his nightshirt, and the twins tucked their little brother into bed.

"Now it is time for your story Estel. Who would you like to tell it tonight?"

"Everyone!"

The elves chuckled. Elrond looked to his steward.

"Is there a story we can all tell him?"

"We can tell him of the creation of the stars, moon, and sun, as well as our people and his," Erestor replied.

"That we can," Glorfindel agreed. The twins grinned. Elrond nodded. The steward turned to the manling and began.

"Once upon a time, the Valar were concerned, because they knew Iluvatar was going to bring a race of people into being. They also knew their enemy was waiting to hurt them as soon as they were made. So, Elbereth filled the sky with stars. Their silver light shone upon all of Arda."

Elrond, Elladan, and Elrohir began to sing in the highest, clearest, and most piercing tones their voices could reach. The music did indeed remind the elven ears that overheard it of the voices of the stars. Mellolaes heard them in her room across the hall.

As if drawn without her knowledge, the elleth made her way to the doorway of her charge's room. There she stood and listened as Erestor raised his voice to continue the story. She remained unnoticed as the steward spoke on.

"The enemy and his creatures of darkness fled from the brightness of the stars. They hid from the new lights in deep, dark places trembling in fear. While Elbereth kindled these new wonders in the sky, a new thing appeared on Arda. The race of elves was born beneath the new lights. So the elder race began. This is why we are called the 'children of the stars.'"

The voices of Elrond and his twin sons changed. They now sang in their most comfortable ranges. The song was joyful, for it was even older than the sorrows of the elder race.

"What beauty is this? What do we hear and what do we see? What music surrounds us? Where are we? Who are we? We are the elves. The music we hear is coming from everything we see. So we will also sing, like He who brought us into being. Iluvatar is He. Our creator and the singer of all we hear and see."

Another voice had joined them as they sang the ancient song. Estel sat up and looked toward the doorway. Mellolaes stood there. Her mouth was open as her own less refined, but warm, bright voice joined those of his family. As soon as there was a pause in the song the boy held his arms out towards his nurse.

"Melly!"

Mellolaes closed her mouth. She smiled at the manling as the elves in the room turned towards her. The boy began to pat the empty space on the bed beside him.

"Come tell me the story too, Melly."

Mellolaes glanced at her employer. She had meant to give Estel's older caretakers this time with him. So caught up into the song and story had the elleth become, Mellolaes had done what she'd planned not to without realizing it.

However, Elrond's expression remained gentle. While looking at her, the elven Lord nodded towards his son. Mellolaes smiled.

Instead of stepping over to the bed and lowering herself onto in a dignified way, the Silvan sprang into the air. Elves on either side of the room backed out of her flight path. Mellolaes landed on the mattress, crawled over it, and flopped down beside the manling. Estel was laughing. His nurse lay down atop the coverlet pulled over Estel, and leaned back into the same pillow he was propped up against.

Elrond's features were a dispassionate mask, but a glint of humor shone in his eyes. The twin hid their amusement less successfully. Glorfindel looked from face to face with his usual warm grin that was just a little warmer and wider than usual. Erestor did not appear amused at all, but went on with the story.

"Many, many years later, the enemy destroyed the trees of light and returned to Arda to hide from the Valar and continue to hurt the children of Iluvatar. The Valar mourned for the destroyed trees."

Glorfindel bowed his head as the memories of the darkness that preceded and followed the destruction of the trees, whose light he had been born beneath. He had been filled with rage at their destruction. He had left Valinor partly out of loyalty to Turgon, but also to help retrieve what remained of their light and strike out at the one who'd destroyed them and stolen it. He'd never felt as if he'd accomplished any of these things.

None of the Noldor who'd set out succeeded in gaining back a Simirill. While he'd slain many of Morgoth's slaves he doubted he had ever done anything that had even begun to make the Enemy of All pay for what he'd done. That had all been accomplished by others. Turgon had been slain, he had left him during his greatest need.

Yet . . . Glorfindel looked to Elrond, the twins, and the manling. He had accomplished something. This time though, he was glad to have the Valar's blessing to be in Arda. The Golden warrior came out his gloomy thoughts to turn them back to the story.

"One last fruit and one last flower appeared on the trees. The Valar lifted them up and hung them in the sky they gave them into the keeping of two of the fiercest of the Maiar. The moon made the journey first."

Elrond began to sing a song of battle, as he did Erestor went on.

"So the moon's light joined that of the stars," here the twins began to sing the high, clear, bright tones again, "in chasing the enemy and his servants back into their fortress. He who had rejoiced in the harm they'd done now gazed in terror upon this wonder. But, the greatest wonder had not yet appeared."

Erestor now turned to Glorfindel. The ancient warrior opened his mouth and sang. His voice sounded just like the sun; warm, golden, and powerful.

Erestor continued. "If the light of the moon had made the enemies flee, this new wonder made them cower. Under the new light of the sun many things awakened that had slept since before the elves were born.

The other three singers opened their mouths to continue, and then shut them again. Another had already begun to sing of wild things awakened by the warmth of the sun's touch. Silvan words told of the joy of its first rising and journey through the sky, of new bird songs, new flowers opening, bees first buzzing, butterflies first fluttering, of how wondrous it was to not only see all these new things, but to see them so clearly beneath the light of day.

None in the room noticed the passage of time, until she stopped. Then Erestor finished his story. "Along with all the awakening of all these other things, a new free people were born. Far to the South, men first appeared upon the earth, under this brightest of lights in the sky. So they are called 'the second born,' 'children of the sun.'"

All elvish eyes in the room turned towards Estel. His own were closed. His chest was rising and falling in a slow rhythm. Mellolaes kissed him on the forehead, rose from the bed, and walked out of the room without asking for permission to leave. She turned at the sound of Elrond's voice.

"Merilvaidian, will you please wait in the hall outside? I would like to speak with you"

She nodded, "If you wish."

Since E. Peterson is a guest reviewer I cannot message back, I am going to attempt to respond to this wonderful reviewer here.

Firstly E. Peterson, thank you for reviewing! :D

Secondly, yes, I did intentionally name Mellolaes "friend of baby." I think you are the first person to catch that. I also tried to give Nithrestil a name that meant something similar to show their shared passion for caring for the young. I try to give my original elven characters Sindarin names that make sense for their personalities, histories, culture, ect. I am attempting to learn Sindarin. As you have already seen with "ion nin" instead of "ionneg" I do not always succeed with my attempts at using the language. I have procured a book on the matter though. So, I hope to get better. Thank you for explaining Iellig, I may use that later. :)

Thirdly, about "Deer in Spring" I imagined a classical, but light and joyful piece, with long strings of fast notes (a deer running) and sudden long, high notes (a deer leaping). No, I do not expect you to drop everything in your real life to compose it, but if you want to try for the fun of it you may. :)

If you liked something please tell me, if you didn't like something you can say that too. Reviews are greatly appreciated and often responded to. :)