A light snow was falling as Elrond, last Host of the Homely House and ruler of Imladris, turned down the bedcover and drew the curtains on the big windows quietly. It was late; he had been up, poring over old accounts as was his wont, and Celebrian already lay asleep, her silver hair glinting in the light from the snow against the cloudy sky. Elrond kissed her slightly-parted lips gently and got into bed beside her. Really, there was nothing like a peaceful evening alone with his wife.
The silence was suddenly shattered by a thin wail from the next room. Elrond sat bolt upright, startled out of his reverie. Celebrian stirred, then her lovely eyes came back into focus. "What is amiss, Elrond?" she asked, her voice sleepy.
Elrond smiled and got up. "Sleep, my love. I will look after it." He padded quietly out of the room and into the next, where the dominating feature was a big circular crib, standing in the middle of the room. Barely visible in the light, a tiny figure sat upright inside it, making whimpering noises and rubbing small fists into his eyes.
"Ahh, nin tithen pen, what is wrong?" Elrond reached in and stroked the elfling's back. His brother, exactly identical but a tiny bit smaller, lay beside him, undisturbed by his companion's distress.
The baby looked up at his father and stretched out his little arms. Elrond couldn't resist such a show of dependency; he lifted the little one up and cradled him in the folds of his soft robe. "There now, Elrohir. No need to cry." He checked the baby over; he wasn't ill, nor was he hungry, because his last feeding had been but an hour ago. His bottom was dry, and he was warm.
The baby's big grey eyes shone a little in the pale light and he whimpered, pressing closer to his father. "Are you afraid of the night, little one?" Elrond smoothed back the elfling's fine growth of hair. "Don't be afraid."
He walked with Elrohir to the window and pulled the drapes a little, so that the baby could see outside. "Look, Elrohir. The stars are falling." Elrond pointed at the whirling snowflakes. Elrohir reached a tiny hand out towards the window, trying to touch the sparkling whiteness. But his hand came in contact with glass, and he whimpered again in disappointment.
"It is a little cold, mell pen, to take you outside. But maybe I can give you some falling stars of your own." Elrond touched his ring gently and a few sparks of whiteness cut the shady darkness. The baby reached out his hand for them, and giggled when they brushed his tiny fingers.
Elrond waved his hand a little, and a tiny five pointed star, made completely of sparkling points of light, hung in the air. He hung it above the crib, and after making sure that Elrohir was comfortable, he slipped him back under the warm blankets. "Now you too will have a little light, yes?" He rubbed the baby's back and smiled as Elrohir burrowed under the blankets, his eyes closing.
And outside, the snow whirled on.
The silence was suddenly shattered by a thin wail from the next room. Elrond sat bolt upright, startled out of his reverie. Celebrian stirred, then her lovely eyes came back into focus. "What is amiss, Elrond?" she asked, her voice sleepy.
Elrond smiled and got up. "Sleep, my love. I will look after it." He padded quietly out of the room and into the next, where the dominating feature was a big circular crib, standing in the middle of the room. Barely visible in the light, a tiny figure sat upright inside it, making whimpering noises and rubbing small fists into his eyes.
"Ahh, nin tithen pen, what is wrong?" Elrond reached in and stroked the elfling's back. His brother, exactly identical but a tiny bit smaller, lay beside him, undisturbed by his companion's distress.
The baby looked up at his father and stretched out his little arms. Elrond couldn't resist such a show of dependency; he lifted the little one up and cradled him in the folds of his soft robe. "There now, Elrohir. No need to cry." He checked the baby over; he wasn't ill, nor was he hungry, because his last feeding had been but an hour ago. His bottom was dry, and he was warm.
The baby's big grey eyes shone a little in the pale light and he whimpered, pressing closer to his father. "Are you afraid of the night, little one?" Elrond smoothed back the elfling's fine growth of hair. "Don't be afraid."
He walked with Elrohir to the window and pulled the drapes a little, so that the baby could see outside. "Look, Elrohir. The stars are falling." Elrond pointed at the whirling snowflakes. Elrohir reached a tiny hand out towards the window, trying to touch the sparkling whiteness. But his hand came in contact with glass, and he whimpered again in disappointment.
"It is a little cold, mell pen, to take you outside. But maybe I can give you some falling stars of your own." Elrond touched his ring gently and a few sparks of whiteness cut the shady darkness. The baby reached out his hand for them, and giggled when they brushed his tiny fingers.
Elrond waved his hand a little, and a tiny five pointed star, made completely of sparkling points of light, hung in the air. He hung it above the crib, and after making sure that Elrohir was comfortable, he slipped him back under the warm blankets. "Now you too will have a little light, yes?" He rubbed the baby's back and smiled as Elrohir burrowed under the blankets, his eyes closing.
And outside, the snow whirled on.