First Word

Eleniel: 13

Estel: 18

"You are quite adorable, you know?"

Eleniel lifted her eyes slightly and looked – more like glared – at Elladan.

She was sat in a bed in the healing rooms, her leg in a cast, and slowly pulling segments of an orange apart, placing them in her mouth and chewing for what seemed like hours.

The sun was only just beginning to rise, but already the day had started off terrible.

Elrond had decided to take time off from his work and spend it with his children – just the five of them. Everyone had been looking forward to it, and it seemed that Eleniel had been especially excited as she had woken up extremely early, ran down the hallway to her brothers' rooms, and tripped… the consequences of that being a smashed vase, an overturned table, and a broken leg.

The plans had been completely ruined, and the youngest Peredhel had been sat in bed for just over an hour, now. She looked very sorry for herself and hadn't uttered a single word since her father had fixed her leg and given her a special tea to help with the pain. He and Estel had gone to see to some of the other patients in the healing rooms, and now Elladan and Elrohir were sat on chairs on either side of their sister's bed, smiling fondly at the downcast expression on her pale face.

The older twin smirked when he saw the glare directed at him. "What?" he asked innocently. "It is true." And it was. Eleniel looked especially sweet, sat up against the headboard, damaged leg laid out in front of her, blue eyes lacking their usual brightness, as she popped orange segments into her mouth one-by-one.

The elleth said nothing, determined on keeping her mouth shut. She couldn't believe it. She had been looking forward to this day for ages, now, and what had she done? Completely, and utterly, messed up everything.

"You know we can do this again some other time, yes? It is not the end of the world, El," Elrohir told her as he uncrossed his legs and moved his chair closer to her, leaning his elbows on the bed.

It sure feels like the end of the world. You're not the one with the broken leg, Eleniel thought to herself, but still said nothing, instead picking up another piece of the orange.

The younger twin flicked his eyes over to his brother and smirked.

"Why are you not speaking?" Elladan asked, following his twin's lead and scooting his chair closer to his sister.

Eleniel ignored them, slowly putting the fruit in her mouth.

"Surely you are not mad at us? It was your own fault, after all, for falling head-first into that table."

Eleniel glared at the older twin and quickly picked up another orange, throwing it straight at him.

However, Elladan was expecting this, and quickly moved his head, opening his mouth and laughing victoriously when it landed perfectly on his tongue.

Elrohir threw his arms up with a cheer. "How on Middle-earth did you manage that, Elladan?"

"Talent, my dear brother," Elladan said with a wink at his sister, who giggled.

Elrohir's eyes widened. "Did you hear that?" he asked.

Elladan nodded. "I did. She… laughed."

"That is the first thing she has said for almost an hour."

"Well, she didn't exactly say anything."

"Hm, no, I suppose she didn't."

"I want to hear her laugh again."

"What a brilliant idea, Dan!"

"Will you laugh for us, tithen fileg?" Elladan asked sweetly as he cocked his head to the side. "Or will we be compelled to force you?"

Eleniel stuck her tongue out. It was probably the most elfling-like thing she could have done, but it was the only thing she could think of at that moment.

Elrohir looked gravely at his brother. "She has made her decision," he said, standing up.

Elladan cracked his knuckles. "It would seem so. I did not want it to come to this, but it has."

A smile slowly found its way onto Eleniel's lips, and she mentally cursed herself for letting her idiot brothers make her forget about the ruined plans and her injured leg. She quickly ducked under the covers.

Elladan grinned at Elrohir, before the two of them set to work, tickling through the blankets, which didn't help to protect the poor elleth underneath. Unsurprisingly, she started giggling uncontrollably.

"DARO!" she cried after a while, and the covers were immediately thrown off, the two ellyn flopping down on the bed on either side of her.

"She said something!" Elladan said, poking his sister in the side.

"Stop it!" Eleniel laughed.

"By the Valar," Estel said as he walked in, "what have you done to her?"

"We forced her from that shady corner she has been in for the past hour," Elladan said, a serious raise of an eyebrow aimed in his sister's direction.

Estel nodded, understanding what his brothers meant. When he had left with his father a while ago, Eleniel had been sat there, a forlorn expression on her face as she depressingly ate an orange. Now, she wore a huge grin, and what was left of the juicy fruit had been thrown onto the floor during the siblings' tussle.

"I am glad," he said, "for someone has heard about Eleniel's accident and decided to drop in for a quick visit before he continues on his travels."

The three Peredhil looked confused for a moment, but their eyes quickly widened as a familiar old man with a grey hat and staff walked into the room.

"Mithrandir!" Eleniel chirped happily, sitting up immediately and attempting to get off the bed.

"Whoa, there," Elrohir warned, grabbing her. "Broken leg, little one, remember?"

Eleniel grimaced as her eyes dropped to the white cast. She looked at the wizard. Gandalf chuckled, before moving forward and – mindful of her injury – swinging the young elleth effortlessly into his arms.

"Now," he said with a deep chuckle, "how did you manage to do this?"

Before Eleniel could reply, Elladan spoke up from behind them. "She fell head-first into a table."

Eleniel made to protest, but quickly shut her mouth. She glanced at Gandalf and shrugged. "That is true," she admitted, and the whole room burst into laughter.

Elvish used:

Tithen fileg – Little bird

Daro – Stop

Elladan and Elrohir are idiots, but there's no one in this world who can say they don't love them. ;) ~ Gre3nleaf