Mixed Feelings

Eleniel: 15

Estel: 20

It was Yuletide, and after a long, exciting day, a lot of the elves of Imladris had come to the Hall of Fire for some songs, wine, and stories before bed.

Eleniel smiled contentedly as she curled up in a ball next to Erestor, her head on the advisor's lap, who was idly stroking her blonde hair. Elrohir was sat next to her, leaning against the pillows behind his back, Glorfindel and Elrond were on the couch opposite, Estel in a cushioned chair, legs hanging over one of the arms, and Elladan lay on the ground, a pillow underneath his head.

"Well," Elrohir said, "I think it is safe to say that today could not have gone any better."

Everyone agreed, smiling happily as they cheered with their glasses of wine.

Eleniel frowned. "I do not have a drink," she noted, wanting to celebrate properly with the others.

Glorfindel laughed. "You want wine?"

"She most certainly does not," Elrond told him.

"Ah, surely she can try some?" Elladan asked from his place on the floor, sitting up and crossing his legs. He gave his father a look, who seemed to be holding his wine closer to his chest.

"She will not like it," Elrohir said.

Eleniel turned an accusing glare on her brother. "How do you know?"

"Because I know you," the younger twin said, tweaking his sister's nose.

"Can she try some, Ada?" Estel asked, and Elrond sighed.

"Alright," he relented, "you may have a small bit out of Elrohir's glass."

Eleniel rolled her eyes. "I do not even get my own glass?" she said, but she sat up anyway.

"You would get drunk if you had your own glass," Glorfindel stated, crossing one leg over the other. "You are not yet an adult, little one."

Eleniel stuck her tongue out at the warrior, who stuck his own one out in return, and Elrond rolled his eyes at his friend's childish antics.

"Here." Elrohir handed the glass to the elleth.

Eleniel took it and looked at the red liquid inside. "What is it?"

"Dorwinion," Elrohir replied, and Eleniel grimaced.

"This is the wine Thranduil loves."

"Yes, so you'd better like it!" Erestor chuckled, watching with a curious glint in his eyes as she brought the glass up to her lips and took a small sip.

The reaction was immediate and expected by everyone in the room.

Eleniel drew back with a huge grimace, squeezing her eyes shut as she tried to wipe the taste from her tongue. Everyone burst into laughter, and she opened her eyes, ll but thrusting the wine back to her brother as if it were poison.

"So," Elrohir asked, once he had wiped the tears from his eyes and calmed himself, "how do you like it?"

She made a disgusted face. "I have mixed feelings."

"That did not look like mixed feelings to me!" Estel said.

"I think I will like it when I'm older," Eleniel decided. She settled down again next to Erestor once the taste of Dorwinion had almost completely gone from her mouth after she'd gulped down a glass of water.

Glorfindel laughed. "You know the King of Greenwood – you are going to have to!"