Hi everyone!

As last chapter was a bit shorter, here's a sooner update for you! It wrote itself this weekend and demanded my attention, so I hope you enjoy it.
Reviews make my day, and your feedback is always so amazing so thank you all :)

Lots of love, and enjoy!

MM -x

Dad and I walked along the cliffs, staying off the beach to save my pale dress from looking black about the hem – tonight was the night we would properly introduce Mum and Gil-galad and we were both rather tense. The hour passed far too quickly for my liking and then we were nearing Elrond's home where Celebrian waited at the door with open arms.

"Haldir, Litawen, welcome." She took my hands as Dad relinquished my arm. "It seems our little gathering has grown, for too my own Mother and Father have visited. I did not know to expect them." She looked nervous then, glancing towards the door. "Bernadette is yet in the garden with her sisters. I really do fear for how this is going to go."

"I shall leave you two ladies to worry out the details, and instead shall become reacquainted with the Lady and Lord Celeborn. Excuse me." He bowed his head and escaped into the house, leaving Celebrian and I stood together.

"This will not go well. I adore Bernadette, truly, but she has quite the temper."

"She does. I do not think she will kick up a fuss outwardly, at least not right away, but if she stays for dinner I will be very, very surprised."

"I hope we do not upset her too badly."

"Why not introduce her before dinner, so she has time and space to storm it off?" I suggested. "Perhaps leave it to Glorfindel and Elrond."

"She will feel like she is being attacked if we do so that way – I know how she feels a little on that score." The lady before me looked distant for a moment, and then shook her head. "Perhaps if we have you, Amdiriel and dear Thúlië with her she might reign in her passions just a little."

"Oh, and put me directly in the line of fire?" I huffed and Celebrian laughed just a little, taking my arm and leading me along the path to the gardens. "You had better stay with me, then." I said to her under my breath as I saw her sat on a bench, flute at her lips whilst J and Thúlië danced easily. Maedhros was sat by Mum, long legs stretched out before him with his ankles crossed as if daring his love to trip.

"How is it, between Gil-galad and them?"

"Death has mellowed them all. I think they are willing to at least try and forget, even if they cannot truly forgive. Of all the seven, the two who have been returned to us did what they could to make amends I feel, and now most have become used to the idea the sentiment is generally echoed."

"That is rather sad." I mused, watching as Thúlië purposefully kicked Maedhros as she passed. His eyes narrowed and he stood, grabbing her by the waist easily as she twirled, and then she laughed easily before daring to reach down and kiss him. "They look so happy. Have you had in on the wager?"

"Oh yes." Celebrian looked suitably pleased. "I believe as Bernadette does – five years."

"I begin to think so too; you know both Glorfindel and Maglor believe it will be in the next three months?" I asked as I observed them together thoughtfully.

"I think it will be close, but they shall miss it." She mused. "That aside; good evening Bernadette."

"Hi, Celebrian... oh, Lita, you look lovely! I like your hair like that." She was happy and relaxed as she lowered her flute, grinning at me.

I touched my hair self-consciously with a slight blush. "Dad did it for me; I was having some trouble for the humidity."

"Your Dad is surprisingly skilled when it comes to hair-braiding. I assume he is with the Lady?" She asked knowingly, her hand going to her own black locks that were mostly unconstrained about her.

"Obviously." I drawled in a startling mimic of the elf in question, earning a few chuckles. I felt Celebrian stiffen slightly and I squeezed her arm as slyly as I could before striking up a conversation that was innocent enough. "You have not played like that in some time, nor have I seen both of you two dance since Tath's wedding."

I nodded to J and Thúlië, the latter of whom was standing comfortably in Maedhros' arms, her back against his chest. I noted that it was rather protective – his face typically impassive but I saw the little extra tension in his arms that Thúlië too seemed to spot. Her eyes surreptitiously roamed until she seemed to fix her gaze on a spot behind us and to her credit, she gave nothing away except to stare at me long and hard.

"No, that's true. There has been a flurry of pregnancies so I've been busy – I think I've been at home to sleep, and that's it." She laughed, leaning back into the bench and crossing her legs beneath her.

I suddenly and rather desperately desired to abort this particular encounter, and I saw Celebrian's eyes close as she sensed her husband nearing. A hand at my waist indicated the nearing of my own love and I turned my head, letting his lips briefly linger against my own in greeting as Celebrian let me go at last. "Deep breath; as if you were pulling an arrow." I felt him murmur against my mouth and I nodded, squaring my shoulders. Battle-stations, indeed.

"Mum, I am afraid we haven't quite been honest with you."

I saw her eyes drift over my shoulder and then her head cocked. "You are not one of the mob." She said flatly and I turned to greet the elf in question, bowing my head in a gesture of respect. "God damn it, you are all so fucking dead." She fell into her own tongue out of habit as she stood with her eyes ablaze. "No offence, it isn't your problem." She corrected, noting to speak in Sindarin to Gil-galad. "Lovely to meet you properly."

"I have not yet introduced myself." His brows rose, but she just rolled her eyes.

"Please, you don't need to – this has been in the works for the best part of what, six hundred years?" Her eyes turned on me as she approached me.

"You know I detest being manipulated. Last time this happened I let it go, but sometimes you all take it too far. This is hurtful, Litawen, genuinely hurtful. I thought I raised you better than this." Her eyes, now shining green for the tears that threatened, swept over all of us who stood around her, each as tense. "I... I cannot believe you'd do this. All of you. You know I have a reason for everything and whilst you all might not like it or understand, I at least hoped you'd respect it. Especially you Lita, because you've always been my best friend as well as my daughter. I can't even... I can't even look at you. Excuse me. "

I felt myself flash cold, and I bit my lip as my eyes turned away from her. I knew that she did not truly mean it and that she simply wished to hurt someone as she had been hurt, and I had considered that it would likely be me, but Valar it hurt. I did not watch as she left, my head bowed as a tear escaped before I had a chance to stop it. "Valar, but she can be so spiteful." I said, trying to be cheerful despite it, only to feel like I was falling down a deep hole as the ground swallowed me.

I sat up in bed just as I was about to land at the bottom of the pit, my dream so vivid I at first thought I had truly lived it. Beside me Elrohir stirred and blinked lazily before gazing up at me curiously.

"Love?" He queried as I ran my hands through my hair in agitation. "A dream, I suppose?"

"Yes, you know how they affect me." I began, and then realised that I sounded rather snappish and short so took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "You know... we are doing the right thing of course... are we not?" I queried, chewing on my lip and cheek nervously.

"Well, that was helpful. I mean to say, it would have been terrible if you had not explained yourself fully." Elrohir drawled with his arms behind his head and a smirk upon his lips.

"Oh, shut up." I took one of my pillows and hit him with it, nose wrinkling at his rather distasteful comment. I hugged the pillow to my knees and leaned into it as I thought. "I had a rather awful dream regarding dinner. I was with Dad, and we met your Mother and Lady Galadriel was there for some reason, which is absurd." I shook my head. "Anyway, she met Gil-galad and..." I choked then, wrapping my arms around myself for some semblance of protection as I shivered.

"Go on, Lita." He said soothingly, one hand reaching out to rub my back.

"Mum told me that I was an awful daughter for letting it happen and that she had raised me better than this. No love, hearken to me." I stopped him as he was about to speak. "Usually when I dream I can tell that they are false, but this seemed so real that I woke thinking it had truly happened. I know not if it is a message but I feel in my heart I must heed it. If I do not, I fear that we would set off one of her episodes as you know how it affects her when she feels she is manipulated and set upon."

Elrohir sat up, his hand on my back still. "Of course, Litawen. If your dreams speak so vividly perhaps we should listen – our wisdom is not infinite after all, and I would hate to be the cause of any further stress for her. With Grandmother there too... I would not be surprised then if we have an extra guest or two at dinner. Perhaps she knows of our plotting and seeks for us to reconsider. She knows more than any the hellishness that Benny suffered and remains still troubled by."

Mum suffered from what my Aunts called post-traumatic stress and at first I had not understood it nor the strange term they used, but Osellë in careful words had explained as best she could. It was more often found in warriors, she had said, but any might suffer it after any sort of serious incident as it became an affliction of the mind and of the spirit rather than the physical body. For Mum it was a haunting remnant from the attacks upon her mind and other incidents I knew Mum did not wish to speak of, including her death. It left her sometimes distrustful, occasionally a little paranoid, and she did not like to be startled or left in the metaphorical dark about anything. This plot could trigger any of those things within her.

"She has been so much better recently, and she is so very different than the lady that she was when first she met Maglor, but..." I stopped. "Aman has been wonderful to her, even with our earlier difficulties. She has been so busy of late with so many ladies due with children, I know that she may already be stretched a little thin. Perhaps too thin."

Elrohir nodded in understanding. "I agree, and it was perhaps ill-judged. If ever she might be prone to withdrawing and feeling as if the world were out to hurt her then it would be now. I will speak to Father and Glorfindel after breakfast so that they are abreast of the situation. What should we do instead? Glorfindel has said Gil-galad truly does wish to make her acquaintance, for little other reason than he is rather nosy and as Maedhros did, he wishes to know why we all so rally around her."

"Well, Maglor said that they have already met." I said with a laugh, letting Elrohir pull me back down to bed. "Once at Tatharien's wedding, though I know not what other occasion they crossed paths."

"I see; well, that makes it easier and keeps the blame entirely away from us. Simply go to her later, explain your dream, and that she has already met him. Oh!" His eyes brightened as an idea came to him. "I could remain entirely silent on the whole matter, and have Benny appear rather the wise and knowing lady by saying she was already well aware of whom he was. That would take a little wind out of their sails. Perhaps if they were rather genial towards one another from the start it would confuse all who expected her to have a... a moment." He phrased it delicately and I snorted, resting my head on his bare shoulder.

"Hit the roof, you mean." I grinned, pressing my lips to his skin. "Thank you, love." I said honestly.

"Hush, Lita." His lips lingered upon my forehead as his arms wrapped around me. "Sleep for now, and when the morning comes we shall prevent all madness from breaking loose."

xxxXxxx

"Mum?" I called out as I entered house from the arches in the front room and wandered to the kitchen, grinning when I saw her making bread and happily humming to herself.

"Morning, lovely." I rolled my sleeves up and took the ball of dough she held out to me as she greeted me, joining in with her rhythmic kneading. "So, what brings you up here?"

"I had a dream." I said nervously. "If you promise not to shout at me then I will tell you all."

She eyed me as if I were perhaps a little mad. "Lita, when have I ever shouted at you except when you were about to hurt yourself, or did hurt yourself?" She said patiently and I nodded with a deep breath.

"True, I suppose. We were planning to introduce Gil-galad to you at dinner tonight." I said the words quickly in one breath before I lost my nerve. "Without telling you first."

Silence reigned whilst she absorbed the information, still kneading her bread methodically as she did so. Then, to my ultimate surprise, she chuckled a little and I sighed with unabashed relief.

"Well, that's not even slightly original." She said, lightly at first. "I thought you'd try something different than that! I'm assuming your dream was me taking this particularly badly?"

"You were so... so awful. You looked so ashamed of me and I felt it hurt right within my heart."

"Oh, darling." She stopped her movements and held out her arms to me, hands still covered in flour, and I let myself sink into her embrace. "Never, you hear me? I might get angry and swear, but I promise that not once would I ever dream of saying anything hurtful to you or to the twins. To any of you. Haldir is always there to handle that side of me, but it is so rare now anyway and he knows that I never mean it."

She held me tighter still and I finally cried a little as I had in my dream. "I would never be ashamed of you. I'm so bloody proud of you and for everything you've done, I couldn't even begin to think of a time I would be ashamed."

"It was so real, almost as if a vision came upon me. I could never hurt you, you know that?" I felt her whisper a quiet agreement against my head as she squeezed me and then let me go. "So, as such, I need to tell you the full truth. You have met him twice before, though he did not introduce himself and ensured that it would remain as natural as possible."

"...Oh." Her head tilted to one side, frowning. "Do you know when?"

"I know that once was at Tatharien's wedding. I know not the other occasion."

"Well, damn." She whistled, and then snapped her fingers. "I know when. Some random man came up to me and complimented out song; the one Maglor and I did. Tall and unusually broad for an elf, black hair, quite chatty; I bet it was him. I think I vaguely saw him once before in passing at Elrond's but... I was having a bad day. I'd been playing my heart out in his music room Elrohir, it was the day when we were remembering Arwen. Then Maedhros happened and I totally forgot about it."

"Oh, I see." I said quietly, kneading again. "So... so you are not upset with me?"

She blinked, clearly confused. "Why would I be upset? I've been expecting this for a little while, honestly, and I think I'm as ready as I will ever really be. I'm not even going to pretend I understand why the last High King of the Noldor in Middle Earth is interested in me, but I may as well just deal with it. If you'd sprung him on me I'd have probably had a bit of a moment, but I'd never, ever say anything to you like that."

I felt the tremors in my stomach finally begin to subside and I took a deep breath to calm myself properly before giggling at last. Before I knew what was happening, a puff of flour exploded in my face and I coughed before looking at Mum who was kneading innocently. I frowned and grabbed a handful of my own flour, diving upon her and rubbing it all in her hair.

"Oh, you are so dead." She growled, and so ensued one of the biggest mornings of silliness I had experienced in many hundreds of years. Once we had exhausted ourselves we baked, and then Mum had me explain my dream in full as we sat down with the spoils of our kitchen-war.

"Lita, is everything well... oh Valar." Elrohir knocked on the door to the kitchen and stopped dead as he saw us both sat on the floor eating the bread we had managed to salvage and bake, still covered in the flour and dough that littered almost every surface. We both looked at him as one, and I saw a muscle under his eye twitch. "You look terrifyingly similar when you do that. Stop it."

"Don't think you're safe. I know you're in on it and even if you're not, you're totally getting it until I can get my hands on Glorfindel, Maglor and your Father." Mum told him frankly.

"Lovely." He winced. "I went to Father's, and who do you suppose I came across? My Grandmother."

"Really?" I asked him, and then blushed. "Do you suppose it was she who sent my dream, then?"

"Well she says not, but she is an excellent liar when she wishes to be and devious enough to think about doing so." He sat on the floor by my side and helped himself to some of the bread and cheese. "She thinks it was your conscience telling you that it was perhaps not the necessary course."

"I totally think meddling. You're all so bloody good at it, it has to be genetic."

"If you say so." Elrohir said drily. "Did Litawen tell you of our idea?"

"Noooo?" She drew the syllable out until I hit her in the arm. "Seriously though, what idea?"

"Well, I went primarily to see Gil-galad, but also to hunt and see if there were any wagers. There are, by the way; none in your favour which is what I hoped. Some think you will cry, others think you will get rather angry and storm off, and some have said they think you will hit Glorfindel."

"Well, nice to know you all think so highly of me." She pouted. "I can understand it though, I suppose."

"Indeed. That aside, my thought was that you and Gil-galad could instead wind them up rather thoroughly by being perfectly civil." Elrohir proposed, and to my delight Mum did seem decidedly interested in the idea.

"Now, there's something fun. I bet I could have Haldir make a wager on it, and it would be so unlikely he'd win everyone would laugh him off. Then I can have all the money and split it with said ex-High King."

"He already has in on you punching Glorfindel, I regret to advise you." Elrohir said with a wince.

"He's dead, and can kiss goodbye to his sex life. Okay, who does not currently have a wager?" Mum said easily, a naughty look in her eye as she threatened now easily where before she would have blushed and stuttered.

"You are cruel and unusual in your punishments. As for the wager, Mother was yet to make a call so I have kindly asked she make it for you, as I hoped that we might have in mind the same plan." He paused, glancing around the room with slight distaste. "I did not expect your house and yourself to be in quite the state though, for the elf in question waits just down the path. I will of course distract him for now so you can bathe, if you like?"

"Is he? Oh, sod it, don't worry about it." She waved a hand, standing and wiping her hands on her apron before taking it off. "Come on then, seeing as I've already met the guy anyway it can't possibly get any more awkward, and it gives us a talking point and even an in-joke. We should bathe though, trouble." She eyed me with a sigh. "Let me just get some things, then we can walk and talk."

"Get me some too!" I called to her and she waved a hand in recognition as she reached the door and clambered the stairs. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" I said nervously.

"Litawen, stop." His hands grasped my face and his eyes searched my own in earnest. "All will be well. Let us have a little fun, for it has been so long since I have had a chance to play such a trick upon my own kin."

"I suppose." I let him help me to stand and desperately tried to clean as much flour as I could from my tunic and breeches before giving up. "How embarrassing." I muttered with a blush as Mum appeared again in the doorway with a small bundle for me.

"Not as embarrassing as the whole debacle after the wedding by the sea." She pointed out. "Your vest was mostly see-through, so at least you're covered. It's only a bit of flour."

"Yes, thank you for that." I glared at her darkly. "March, you insufferable woman." I shooed her forwards and she grinned before doing just that, her hair whipping behind her as she laughed outright. Elrohir caught be by the waist and stole a kiss from me before dusting off my face a little with a grin. I rolled my eyes and dared to rub my hands, still floury and doughy, upon his tunic and he narrowed his eyes at me.

"You are an evil woman, love." He tugged me forward. "Come, Benny will have found Gil-galad by now and she is clearly in one of those moods."

Found him she had. "You can call me Benny, and I'd offer to shake your hand but as you can see, I'm covered in flour - long story. I understand we have a little havoc to wreak? Thanks for not introducing yourself properly at the wedding, by the way."

I heard her voice as she encountered Gil-galad on the path – his face was a picture of utter confusion and wry amusement as he was bombarded by the whirlwind that was my Mother. "Apparently so, though it appears you are quite content to do that without any other assistance. Gil-galad at your service, though I somehow doubt now that you require it." She rolled her eyes as she walked past him, and then turned back to gesture for him to follow before she paused.

"I'm so sorry, I just realised you genuinely might have no idea." She said pityingly, and her concern for him did indeed seem to be genuine. "How many members of my family have you actually met?"

"I have met the Lady Jade in the past very briefly, but I confess only otherwise those elves not directly related to you by blood and certainly none of their offspring."

"Jesus wept; it's almost as bad as Maedhros' introduction." She said under her breath, rubbing her eyes before sighing. "Okay, tonight will be fun indeed and you'll need allies. I'd firstly like you to meet my daughter, Litawen." He turned to look behind and I waved awkwardly, an uncertain smile upon my face.

"Good afternoon." I greeted with a bow of my head. "I look forward to making your acquaintance far better when I look a little less... pale."

The dark haired elf laughed then, head falling forward a little as he shook it ruefully. "The pleasure is mine, I am absolutely certain. You know, I had thought the tales of you were a little exaggerated from both Elrond and Glorfindel, but perhaps I was incorrect."

Mum looked up at him then with a slightly wicked grin. "Oh, believe me – they're likely to have watered it down so as not to scare you off. Have you heard their wagers on this whole debacle?"

He frowned then, black brows drawing close. "I did not know of any wagers."

"Whoops?" She looked a little guilty then. "What were Thúlië's five points about the family again, Lita?" She beckoned me forward and I took Elrohir's hand, bringing him with me for a little moral support.

"The first is that we have no secrets from one another so we have very little privacy, and we are rather honest with each other until it almost becomes brutal. The next is that we enjoy a good wager and if there is not one on the go then it is your turn to think of one. The third is that my Mum is usually right about everything." I eyed her with a giggle as she nodded, slightly smug. "And she certainly knows it. Four is that we do nothing by half, and so we come to five; no better family could we ever hope to be a part of despite our strange, mismatched components."

"That includes people Benny somehow comes to adopt too." Elrohir said with fondness for the lady beside me who blushed.

"Yes, thank you, enough of that. We do wagers, and apparently my entire family seem to think I am either going to storm off, cry, or hit Glorfindel. I'm still debating if I should be insulted."

"I would dearly pay to see you try the last." Gil-galad said with wry humour.

"It would not be the first time." I said drily before Mum could say anything, and she looked slightly abashed. "If you expect that he is in any way listened to by anyone or taken at all seriously, you are rather sorely mistaken. Between us all, titles and honours mean very little."

"I confess that does surprise me a little." Gil-galad said curiously, and Benny shook her head.

"I can see what you mean, but when Lita says mismatched, we mean mismatched; balladic heroes, a prince, outcast high elves, damaged ladies, warriors, and five elves who died twice is an overly-simplistic evaluation but nonetheless, it's true. This is why we put the titles aside – we give each other room to be precisely who we are, with no expectations. Odd though it might seem, it works."

"Do any escape such familiar bonds?" Gil-galad tilted his head, and I could see his uncertainty about the whole ordeal etched across his face.

"To a point. Don't think that we have no respect for each other because it's the exact opposite – I realised how badly that came out." Mum quickly added. "Celebrian and Elrond I have tremendous respect for, as I do for Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn. Celebrian chose to throw herself into the madness head-first, but the rest take a little bit of distance. Speaking of the very lady; I think it's about time we get to the matter at hand, as you'll understand how we work tonight at dinner fairly quickly."

"Ah yes, this little get together. It seems that simple friendliness would startle them and so we can certainly do that with ease and familiarity. I am sorry for not introducing myself at the Lady Tatharien's marriage; I was uncertain as to how you might respond after years of indirect refusals."

"About that - please don't think I ever meant to insult you. I sometimes have a crisis of confidence after... everything. I needed time to come to terms with a lot of things, and though it's much better now than it was I sometimes panic even now." Her eyes became clouded.

Gil-galad seemed to notice the change in her, as I had with some concern, and I saw him meet her eyes, grey on green. "I rather expect I might know a little of that, my Lady."

"I suppose you do. It seems I'm surrounded by people more and more who seem to know just how it feels." Her smile was slightly wan then before she shook her head, clearing the darkness away. "Hence why it's good for us all just to be equals, you see?"

"I do; however unexpectedly, I do believe that I see. Do you know, it would be rather... Enjoyable to see Elrond's face if we did so happen to arrive together."

Mum stared at him, face slightly slack, and then her eyes creased as she laughed out loud. "Go on then, let's see just quite how much we can shock them all. We usually go there for eight and it takes about twenty minutes to walk through town from here."

"In that case, we shall have to be just a little late to ensure our impact is unanimous."

"Excellent, that sounds absolutely perfect to me – I'll be ready. Now if you fine gentlemen don't mind, trouble and I are covered in flour and the dough is starting to become solid so I'd like to bathe. It's lovely to meet you finally." She smiled brightly at Gil-galad who bowed his head.

"And you, my Lady. Lady Litawen, a pleasure it has been also, brief though it has been." It seemed to me that all of the great elves in our company seemed to know how to be entirely too charming and I could not stop my smile and brief curtsey whilst Mum headed on down the path.

"I thank you, my Lord, and I hope that you are not too startled by her." I gestured to Mum who was humming and twirling happily down the path.

"A little, but I think she is rather charming regardless. I see now why so many seek to know her. She is so easily open despite the slight darkness that still clouds her, and it is refreshing."

"Do not let her hear you say that, for she does not like compliments and does sometimes think very little of herself. She is poor at best with a bow and so would manage to make it look like an accident." I grinned to show it was meant only in jest. "I shall leave you now with Elrohir, who I am certain can introduce you to my Dad, Captain Haldir. Seeing as he wagered on Mum punching Glorfindel, I would strongly suggest keeping the truth of the matter a secret."

"What matter? I have yet to meet properly the Lady Bernadette with whom everyone seems so enamoured." Gil-galad said with a completely straight face, and from down the path I heard Mum laugh outright again.

"Come on, Litawen!" She called, and I curtsied once more before I made my way down the path, taking her arm easily.

"I'm totally adopting him. What do you reckon, wager on Amdiriel?" She said to me in English and I heard Elrohir laughing as he caught what Mum said, and then half-explained that we used a different language without mentioning quite what we said.

"Leave it be, Mum. Maglor is already plotting, and he needs no assistance. She is truly happy as she is and it should not be forced."

"My little freedom fighter." She laughed, leaning against me. "Well, come on. I feel crusty."

"You look crusty." I peeled a bit of dried dough from her tunic with a tut, and she grinned again before dragging me along.

xxxXxxx

Dinner had been a riot and a half, and even now as I sat in the great gardens around Elrond's hall I could not believe just how perfectly it had gone.

When I had arrived all were fretting about the whole ordeal – not least of all Osellë who had been preaching that she would be the one picking up the pieces. Elrohir and I arrived last but for Mum, who I assured everyone was on her way as I gratefully took a glass of wine from a knowing Celebrian.

"You are only going to cause trouble, Litawen." She warned me quietly. "They will find another way to tease her, you know this."

"I know, but I hope it shall be something a little less cruel. Does Lady Galadriel come this evening?" I asked and Celebrian nodded with a gesture to the gardens.

"They walk together in the gardens where tonight we shall eat, for the summer air is agreeable indeed." She gestured for us all to follow in turn but I hung back just a little to capture Elrohir's hand in my own. He brought it to his lips and I heard his words as his mouth moved against my skin.

"Calm down, Litawen." Elrohir's eyes bored into my own, silvery blue in the fading evening light and full of mirth.

"Come on, you two!" Tori called from the door, gesturing for us to follow with a wink. "Show's about to start, after all."

Elrohir and I shared a somewhat ambiguous glance before we followed Tori out into the garden, and I let myself become absorbed in the simple goodness of the evening. I noted that both Maglor and Maedhros were keeping a considerable distance away, the latter stony-faced and silent but for the moments when Thúlië stole him away. Elrohir's breath came out in a sharp puff before he went to speak to the two of them, and I instead perched upon a chair at the end of the table set for a light dinner.

I suppose you think I had a little to do with your change of heart this evening? I felt Galadriel's voice in my mind even as she spoke at length to Glorfindel. I tried to form a thought – an agreement, and I heard her chime-like laughter on the wind.

In this I had no part – it was but your own mind and a touch of foresight to remind you that not all plots and ploys go well, even if kindly meant.

I accepted her gentle admonishment and smiled faintly, watching as Maedhros let a blissful Thúlië spin beneath his arm then dragged her into a tender kiss before letting her fly off to J again.

"I suppose you know where your Mother is?" A voice interrupted my people-watching and the half-conversation I was having with the Lady.

"Mhmm." I heard then Mum's laugh as she rounded the corner, arm in arm with Gil-galad. She had clearly dressed for the occasion – a delicate silver circlet at her brow and a lilac summer dress that danced in the breeze. To my amusement, he looked rather similar with hair as black as her own and a tunic richly embellished – so alike did they appear in that moment that they could pass for family of blood, not simply by friendship.

They passed into the garden with little thought for the slack-jawed expressions that followed them from some, the open humour from others, but instead paused by Elrond who looked heartily confused.

"Good evening, Lord Elrond. Gil-galad, I'll leave you here, as I'm dying for a glass of wine."

She said as demurely as she could manage, and her companion bowed his head as she briefly curtseyed.

"Of course, Benny, and thank you for your company – it is rather better now you no longer look so wizened with flour. Lady Litawen, the same of course to you!" He dared to joke and Mum rolled her eyes, flicking her hair back and veritably flouncing over to where Father and I stood as I waved his jibe away. "Elrond, are you quite well?" He asked jovially, and I shared a smirk with Mum at his easy

"Litawen, you look beautiful." She reached out her hands to me and I took them as I stood, a mischievous look upon my face as Father stared between the two of us with a single raised brow.

"... Not even a little anger?" He prompted, and I was certain he almost looked hopeful.

"You are going to find yourself in a little bit of a dry spell, Haldir; I'm not even kidding." She said under her breath as she swatted him rather solidly on the arm. "Betting against your own wife? You suck. Come on, Lita." She took my arm again and we left Dad standing, hopelessly befuddled and rubbing his arm, as we greeted Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn together.

"I do so hope you enjoyed yourself, Bernadette." Lord Celeborn said and his tone was slightly mocking as he did so. "A thousand years have yet passed, and havoc seems to follow you wherever you happen to roam as it did across the sea."

"Always a pleasure to wind up Haldir. How are you both?" Mum began, but stopped as we heard an explosion of temper behind us.

"Really? That's really it? I don't understand what the hell just happened!" Tori cried, and the moment she broke the silence equal moans of dissent echoed in the garden but for Elrohir, Gil-galad, Mum who all grinned shamelessly. "Damn it, you knew about the wager didn't you?"

"I shall gladly take my winnings, if you please." Celebrian held out her hand and with a grumble, all came forward to pay her including Elrond who was still a little too shocked to speak.

"Did I break him?" Mum asked then, suddenly worried, and Lady Galadriel laughed from beside us, shaking her head.

"Ah, I am indeed glad I felt such a desire to visit our kin. One's soul always feels a little lighter when around such colourful and pleasant company." I saw her eyes flick to Maedhros who was now with Thúlië again, his sullen expression broken as she pulled him into the mass of elves now placing coins in Celebrian's hands.

"I do not understand it – you are all quite mad." Lord Celeborn's brows were drawn then as he watched the meandering elves. "If you will permit my absence, I must speak to Elrond." He bowed to the three of us and quickly escaped, clasping Elrond's and then Gil-galad's arms in greeting.

"Ah, such fun." Mum gazed around the mass of elves come together in love and in celebration, including Tatharien, Miresgalon and Amdiriel as well as Rumil, who had come over the mountains with the Lord and Lady.

Galadriel's eyes followed the same path from Thúlië and Maedhros, to a helplessly frustrated Maglor, the baffled faces of my Father, Legolas and Orophin, and an exasperated looking Glorfindel who now lingered with Elrond, Gil-galad and Celeborn. "I find myself in agreement with you, Bernadette. Indeed, I think such happiness as we come to find here is rather richly deserved."

"Yes, well if someone could remind Maglor and Maedhros of that we'd all find it a little easier." I mumbled, mostly to myself but Mum caught my words and frowned as I nodded for her to look over her shoulder.

"Are you kidding?" Mum spun and saw that they had retreated again to a corner and she became aggravated once more. "Excuse me, I've got some adopted family to give a bit of a kick." She quickly bowed her head and then crossed the garden in long strides. I chuckled outright as the two brothers almost seemed to cower before her short frame; their height was no match for the towering force of her love, nor her righteous anger on their behalf as she defended them.

"Just what do you two think you are doing? I thought we were well past this nonsense. Come on, we're playing whatever music we can manage and Maedhros, for the love of all that is holy, go be with Thúlië before I smack you too."

"Only Mother could have two elves of such prominence shrinking back as if children again. Queen Bernadette; long may she reign." I quipped, and beside me I heard the Lady's laughter once more as I took a sip of my wine.

"She has ever had a way about her." Galadriel agreed. "I wonder perhaps if we are able to coax more of these dreams from you, Litawen. Have ever such dreams come to you before?"

"Once or twice, my Lady." I confirmed. "I dreamt of my brothers and I grown when Mother was still due with them. The incident came to pass many hundreds of years later and I prevented Callon from becoming seriously injured whilst we hunted, taking the fall instead of him. Then of course, when I met Elrohir I knew..." I trailed off, ceasing my ramblings as I realised how utterly ridiculous I sounded. "No, I am sure they are just dreams. My conscience, as you have said."

"Perhaps, or perhaps not. We shall see." She mused, before watching over our family again. "This family is a blessed one, by the Valar themselves."

"It is." I raised my glass as I caught Elrohir's eye across the garden, and he did the same with his eyes so full of love. "It certainly is."

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