Listen, I know I write short chapters, but writing in smaller increments is what motivates me to do long projects. If I wrote long chapters, this would maybe be at 15,000 words by now. How do I know? Because that's how fast I update Lamentations. So please, stop telling me things I already know.
The office is really more of a study lined by bookshelves and cabinets, with a sitting area around a fireplace to one side. Arasion's gaze goes to the large desk in the center, where a very familiar-looking elf is sitting and writing. Oh bloody hell, Arasion thinks as it suddenly occurs to him that his dreams might have gone both ways. Will Elrond recognize him even though he's a child instead of an adult? He ducks into Barades's side a little bit, worrying his lower lip with his teeth.
Elrond looks up before anyone can speak and Arasion is struck by how keen his eyes are as they sweep quickly over the group. To his surprise, they don't stop on him.
"Caron," Elrond says warmly, passing whatever he was working on to an elf standing at his side. He rises and rounds the desk to embrace the other ellon. "I had not expected to see you so soon."
Caron laughs as he returns the embrace. "Neither had I expected to return so soon," he replies wryly. "There were extenuating circumstances."
Elrond's eyes dart only briefly to Arasion. "Indeed? Well, I am glad to see you nonetheless."
"And I as well. Please, my Lord, come meet my newest charge."
Arasion reflexively hunches a little as both turn to him, but he allows Caron to take him from Barades without a fuss. He latches on to the adult's shoulders and peers up at Elrond from beneath his hood. "Arasion," Caron says in a tone reserved for soothing skittish horses, "this is Lord Elrond. My Lord, Arasion."
A strange expression crosses Elrond's face as he looks at Arasion. "Well met, little one," he says after a brief pause. "I have been looking forward to meeting you for quite some time."
"Well met," he parrots, trying very hard not to grin at the mild exasperation in the last half of Elrond's statement. They must have had quite the experience trying to chase him down. He doesn't regret it one bit. He wonders what happened to the twins and the sun-haired elf who almost found him, but wisely doesn't bring it up.
This brief exchange seems to be the extent of his interrogation for the moment, because Elrond turns to the elf who had been standing behind him earlier and says "Erestor, if you could show them to their rooms and arrange for private meals until further notice?"
"Of course, my Lord," Erestor says, bowing slightly.
Elrond offers one last smile to Arasion before addressing Caron again. "We will speak at length later, my friend, but for now I have preparations to make. Thank you for bringing the little one here safely."
Caron smiles and offers his own shallow bow. "It was our pleasure, my Lord. I look forward to a more lengthy discussion of our arrangements."
If Arasion had actually been his physical age, he never would have noticed the intense subtext of their brief exchange, but it's no challenge for an adult. Clearly they need to discuss him but they don't want him there when they do. He purses his lips, thinking about ways to listen in, but sets the problem aside when they exit the study after Erestor.
"Now can I walk?" he asks—demands—looking over to Barades.
"We did promise," she says, and Caron sets him down with only a little reluctance. She firmly takes his hand in her own and they continue on. His bare feet stick slightly to the cold stone, making little slap-slap sounds with each stride. The adults start talking in that language he can't understand, much to his displeasure, so he occupies himself looking at the art and architecture.
Arasion only realizes how sleepy he is when Barades ushers him into a bedroom, Cabedon close on her heels, and says "naptime, little one."
He grunts, glancing back at the door to see Cariel, Caron, and Erenil pass by just before Cabedon closes it. They must be in the rooms next to this one. The elfling only gets more sleepy as the anxiety-induced adrenaline rush wears off, so much so that he doesn't fuss when Barades helps him strip down to his trousers and crawl into the overlarge bed. Cabedon says something, stroking his hair back from his eyes, but he's too far gone to hear it. Within moments, he's soundly asleep.
Arasion wakes about an hour later to the aroma of fresh food and the sound of Barades and Cabedon conversing in low tones. He snuffles, rubbing at his eyes, then rolls over and presses his face into his pillow. The bed linens smell strongly of flowers and cold air. After a few minutes he gives up on continuing his nap and sits up.
"Hello, Arasion," Cabedon says, and the elfling looks over to find him and Barades sitting at a small table beneath a window, sharing lunch. Hedwig is perched on the back of his chair, apparently taking a nap of her own. Her snowy feathers fairly glow in the afternoon light. "Come, eat."
Food does sound pretty good, so he rolls over to the side of the bed and clambers down, drowsily cursing his tiny body when he has to slide over the edge on his stomach to reach the floor. Barades makes a sound that's probably stifled laughter as he stumbles over. He has to pause in the middle of his trek to yawn.
"Did you sleep well, Arasion?" she asks, reaching down and pulling him up onto her lap.
"Uh-huh," he says, entirely forgetting to protest the coddling and demand his own chair. Plus she's warm and soft and comfortable, and when he leans back against her chest she hands him some kind of flatbread stuffed with vegetables. Alertness returns a little bit with each bite. He hums contentedly when the whole thing is gone, licking sauce from his fingertips. Cabedon smiles and moves a bowl of cut-up fruit toward him.
"So what are we doing today?" he asks when they've all finished eating and Barades is stacking their dishes on a wooden tray.
"Resting," she says. Cabedon takes the tray and stands, putting it on the floor outside of the door to their room. "Why, do you want to do something specific?"
I wanna know what the hell you're going to do with me, he thinks, but instead he says "can we go play outside?" Traipsing around the halls should be enlightening, and it might even give him a chance to figure out how he's going to spy on Caron and Elrond's conversation. He really, really needs to know what they think of his magic. Which reminds him, he needs to steal back his wand.
He nearly misses the glance Barades and Cabedon exchange. It's cautious and thoughtful, a shared nonverbal 'I don't know…
"Perhaps, in a little while," Barades says diplomatically. "Cabedon needs to speak with his father first."
Cabedon needs to know where we're allowed to go, Arasion reasons. So he nods and doesn't throw a fit. Cabedon kisses Barades quickly, then takes him by surprise with a kiss on the top of the head. He swoops down and out the door before Arasion even realizes.
"Eew," he complains, more out of reflex than anything else, wiping at the top of his head. Apparently this is hilarious, because Barades laughs.
"Oh Arasion, you are terribly precious," she says, standing and carrying him back over to the bed. She hands him his pack without being prompted. He's relieved to see that they didn't try to unpack while he was asleep, since he has no idea how they'd react to a bottomless pack. The thought makes him pause in the middle of pulling a shirt on. Actually…
"Barades?" he says, looking up.
She turns from where she'd been fiddling with her own pack, blinking curiously. "Yes, little one?"
Arasion only hesitates for a moment before plowing ahead. "You know I'm…" a freak "...different."
Her expression turns cautious. "I… suppose so."
"Well, since you know, you should also know that my pack is enchanted."
"Oh?"
"Uh-huh. Look." He opens the flap and begins pulling things out. The elleth's expression remains mildly confused as he pulls out his dirty, wadded-up clothing, then the clean and neatly folded outfits Hermione packed. It's only when he starts extracting entire stacks of books that confusion turns to disbelief.
Which is to say, her jaw literally drops.
"...h-how are you doing that?" she stutters when he pulls out the twentieth volume of the Encyclopedia Magica (which, geez Hermione, overkill much?)
"It's enchanted," he repeats patiently. Satisfied that the point is made, he reflexively reaches for his wand to re-pack everything. Of course, it's still not on his hip and his hand closes around air. He pauses, then decides asking can't hurt. "Can I have my wand back now?"
It takes a few seconds for the grown-up's brain to kick back into gear. "I—I. Yes, I—" She's still staring at his pack, but she reaches around and pulls his wand from where it had been tucked into the back of her trousers.
"Perfect, thank you," Arasion says, repacking everything he dug out with a quick spell.
"Who—" Barades's face is white as a sheet. He feels a twinge of impatience with her reaction because honestly, this is one of the mildest ways to introduce her to his abilities. She didn't react so badly to him making orcs explode. Well, to be fair that was probably because she had him to worry about immediately after. "Who gave you this, Arasion?"
"My friend Hermione made it," he replies, and it startled by the intense stab of grief he feels saying her name aloud. His eyes water, just a little, but that's enough to snap Barades from her horrified trance.
"Shh, it's alright," she says, her pale grey eyes full of compassion as she sits down next to him on the bed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you hurt."
"S'okay." Arasion swipes an arm quickly across his face, forcing the hurt down. Now isn't the time. Then, to forestall any questions she might ask later: "She...died. I miss her."
Barades sighs a sad 'oh' and lifts him into her lap, but doesn't say anything. They stay like that, silent, until Cabedon returns.
"I bring good news," he says cheerfully, though his smile falters for a moment when he sees their expressions. Barades must make some kind of face at him because he rallies himself and continues. "We have permission to play in one of Lady Celebrian's private gardens until supper time. That is, if you would still like to, Arasion."
Arasion perks up. Aha! Time for reconnaissance. "Yes! Let's go now. But I'm walking there, ok?"
Barades chuffs in amusement at his stern tone, helping him down from her lap and once more taking his hand. "Alright, Arasion, you can walk to the gardens, but no running off. I will carry you all day if you do, am I clear?"
He rolls his eyes where she can't see, pulling her insistently toward the door. "Yes, nana."