Enedeth looked about her room and hugged Polly with a big grin. She was home, her arm didn't really hurt much and most importantly, her grandmother loved her.

And today, maybe Arwen could spend the night!

Enedeth got up and carefully cleaned her room. She even got some roses and put them in a mug by her bedside. She looked at her rather plain bed and hoped Arwen wouldn't mind it. It was not quite as wide as hers. And with the two dollies it would be rather crowded, but cozy.

As she tucked away her hot porridge for breakfast, Enedeth thought about the day ahead while kicking her heels: The two of them could practice their song too!

She looked at her splinted arm and sighed heavily. If only it were not broken. It made using the swing hard and certainly made playing castles and dragons hard.

Enedeth tried to help Mallinfar clean up breakfast, but after almost breaking a bowl, Mallinfar chased her out of the warm kitchen with a laugh. "Now go play little bee! It looks as if it might rain later. Do you want to go up to the High House and fetch Arwen now?"

Enedeth bit her lip.

"Grandmamma, I think I will try to wait a bit. Arwen probably has lessons and I do not want to disturb her."

Mallinfar nodded. "All right. Well, in the meantime why not go out in the yard and play with Carach a bit. He looks a bit sad out there."

Enedeth looked at the dog, whose head lay between his paws, his big brown eyes looking at the kitchen door hopefully. She ran out, bringing one of Carach's favorite toys, a knotted piece of old kitchen towel. He loved tug- a-war. She scampered out and waved the cloth in front of the dog who wagged his tail and lunged at Enedeth who quickly dodged away laughing.

After the mid day meal, Enedeth, who was sitting in the swing and singing the song to Polly, heard the excited cries of her friend.

"Enedeth! Enedeth! I have come! Ada and Mama say it is all right for me to spend the night!" Arwen held up a bulging rucksack out of whose mouth Enedeth could see the head of Cimbelin. The two girls ran together and hugged and then Enedeth took Arwen into the kitchen where the girls excitedly told Mallinfar their news.

The she-elf smiled at all their excitement. "Why not go get Arwen settled upstairs sweet pea? And then you two can play with some salt dough and make things, all right?"

Yes!" Enedeth shouted and the two girls ran upstairs.

After making a good mess on the kitchen table with their salt dough, the girls, with much giggling, cleaned up the left over gobs and splotches of flour. Arwen had made her mother a swan and her father a stag with rather droopy antlers. Enedeth made a dog like Carach and while Arwen helped Mallinfar snap out the table cloth in the yard to shake off all the loose flour, Enedeth quickly made a cow in honor of "The Princess and the Dairy Maid." She was going to save it and give it to Arwen at the Midsummer festival. Running it upstairs, she hid it quickly in her wardrobe. Enedeth leaned out her bedroom window to watch the two she-elves clean the tablecloth. Folding her arms, she felt a twinge of pain from her broken arm as she rested it on the window ledge. Sighing unhappily, she watched Arwen race across the yard and jump on the swing and rock it back and forth while standing on the seat.

Enedeth felt a little tired as she went downstairs and stood in the kitchen door watching her grandmother hang the tablecloth over a large bush on the side of the house. Arwen jumped off the swing and came over to Enedeth and said excitedly, "Let us practice our song and our harpmony." Enedeth cheered up at this and sat in the grass, waiting for Arwen to start. Once she did, in her clear soprano, Enedeth dropped her voice some and sang lower than Arwen.

The girls practiced a good portion of the afternoon, but the day beckoned and soon they were running around the yard singing parts of the song back and forth, as if passing a toy to and fro.

Soon, they were trying to out shout each other. As they ran about, Enedeth led Arwen out beyond her grandmother's farm, up where the ground started to climb up the gorge. Enedeth showed Arwen a collection of the beehives and they were both careful not to get too close.

Arwen exclaimed, "They look like big baskets set upside down!"

"Yes, they are woven from corn stalks and willow branches. The bees like living in them."

"What do they eat?"

"Flowers, I think. We will have to ask grandmamma. I wanted to show you this great cave that Grandmamma uses for more hives. It is kind of spooky and there is a little stream that runs out of it that I find pretty rocks and sometimes, polliwogs!"

A few minutes more hiking and the two girls reached the cave.

Arwen grinned at her friend and the two bent down and looked for stones and polliwogs.

There were no polliwogs yet, but they both found a handful of pebbles to save.

Arwen started singing again as she peered through the clear water for stones. And Enedeth joined in. Their voices rose again as they tried to out sing the other, the song echoing around them, which got them more excited.

Then Enedeth splashed Arwen and Arwen giggling, splashed Enedeth back. Both girls continued singing loudly and splashing. Taking off their shoes, they started to run up and down the tiny streamlet, their splashing echoing too.

Enedeth leaped to the top of a small boulder and shouted out the last chorus of the song, just as a loud clap of thunder sounded overhead. Startled, both girls cried out and Arwen just about to join Enedeth on the rock, slipped and grabbed Enedeth's sleeve and both girls fell in the water, Enedeth on top of Arwen. Hitting the rocks, Arwen cried out and the elbow of Enedeth's broken arm hit a rock and made her whole arm tingle unpleasantly.

Both girls got up crying and wet and then the rain began in earnest. Holding on to each other, the two slipped and slid down the hill. Once on level ground, they both ran harder as more thunder sounded and lightning struck nearby. The wind whipped leaves and twigs around them.

Suddenly a branch from a nearby maple tree cracked and crashed down in front of them. Terrified the girls stopped and held each other crying again, heedless of the raining pouring down.

Then with a concerted effort, both ran faster and in minutes burst into Mallinfar's kitchen just as she was pulling out a loaf of fresh baked bread.

Hastily putting it aside, she gathered both girls up and held them tight. "There, there little ones, it is only a spring storm. It will blow away soon." She pulled back and looked at them with a fond smile. "You are both soaked! Come, let us go upstairs and get you out of your wet things."

Both girls nodded, swallowing sobs. Enedeth clutched her broken arm, still painful from her fall as she followed her grandmother and Arwen up the stairs.

Enedeth waited numbly while he grandmother undressed Arwen and helped her pull off her chemise. Tucking the little she-elf under Enedeth's quilt, she gave her Cimbelin and squeezed her hand.

Then she turned to her woebegone granddaughter, who stood shivering and holding her arm.'

"Poor little bee!" She hugged her and then carefully pulled off her wet gown and put on a dry chemise. She had not missed Enedeth's pale face or how she held her arm. Once her granddaughter was settled next to Arwen holding Polly, the she-elf returned downstairs. She already had a pot of tea made, so she poured two mugs and then carefully added some of Elrond's tincture to Enedeth's.

Bringing the tray up with half a lembas for both girls, she lit the candles on either side of Enedeth's bed and then getting the two little ones to sit up, she handed them each a mug.

"Just a little snack and a hot drink girls to warm you up. A nice nap might help too."

"Thank you Lady Mallinfar," Arwen said around the edge of her mug.

"You are welcome sweetheart." But Enedeth, her arm beginning to ache said nothing, but drank the tea down. When she finished, she rolled over and closed her eyes tiredly.

Arwen, yawning, put her mug on the table next to her. Her bottom hurt and she rolled over too and scrunching up next to the silent Enedeth, she was soon asleep.

Mallinfar, coming to get the mugs, frowned slightly at the two girls, especially Enedeth. Sighing, she took away the cups and blew out the candles.

Enedeth awoke first, her arm still aching but not as bad as before. Arwen yawned and sat up when she felt Enedeth stir. Arwen smiled at her friend, "Well I feel better, how do you feel?"

Enedeth nodded but said nothing as her throat was feeling raspy. She got up and went to her wardrobe and got a clean gown as well. Soon both girls were staring out at the lessening storm, watching the clouds tear apart in the sweeping wind.

Arwen turned to her friend. "My bottom is sore from all the rocks. How is your arm? Does Ada need to fix it again?"

Enedeth bit her lip. She hoped not. Shaking her head, she replied hoarsely, "No, I don't think so."

Arwen laughed at the sound of her friend's voice. "Enedeth, your voice sounds different!"

"My throat is just a bit sore is all."

"Why does your voice sound funny?"

"I do not know. Maybe because it is sore." Moving away from the window, she added, "I will go ask Grandmamma."

Mallinfar looked up from the chicken she was stewing when she heard the two girls come downstairs. "Have a nice nap ladies?"

Arwen piped up as she climbed onto the bench by the kitchen table. "Enedeth's voice sounds all different."

Enedeth threw her friend an unhappy look and smiled at the older elf. "Can I have some more tea, Grandmamma?" she asked hoarsely.

Mallinfar smiled and pulled down some tea for both girls, making sure to put a lot of honey in it.

Enedeth drank hers quickly and held her cup out for more. Arwen finished hers more slowly and then looked at Enedeth. "How can we practice our song some more? The festival is next week!"

"I-I can hum under your singing."

Arwen nodded and took Enedeth by her good arm and they went outside in the now windswept afternoon. She led Enedeth over to the swing and set her down.

Arwen started singing and then stopped when her words were squeezed into silence by her throat.

"Oh Enedeth, I cannot sing either!! What happened to us?" Arwen's voiced cracked.

"I am not sure!" The two spent some time trying to sing around their dry throats. Finally, Enedeth said, "We had better ask Grandmamma."

When the girls returned to the kitchen, Mallinfar was just preparing to leave. She smiled and handed them both a piece of fresh bread with butter and jam, which they took eagerly.

"I am off to see Beroniel to have him make me more hives to replace the ones lost in the storm. I shall only be gone a few hours and will return in time for supper, all right?"

Both girls nodded mouths full and said nothing further as the she-elf left. They finished their bread and jam quickly.

Arwen and Enedeth looked at each other. Now what? Enedeth looked around the kitchen. Perhaps more tea?

The coals were a deep red and so Enedeth, having watched Mallinfar knew how to put some logs on the fire so the flames would reach the kettle on the hob.

Once the fire was going she and Arwen hunted through Mallinfar's supply of dried herbs. Not sure which to use, the girls smelled several. They picked the nicest fragrance-peppermint. And put some each in a mug, just enough to cover the bottom.

Once the kettle started to whistle, Enedeth grabbed the cloth Mallinfar used to move pots off the fire. She wrapped the cloth around the handle and carried the heavy kettle one-handed to the table where Arwen waited with the two mugs.

Enedeth straining with the effort to lift the kettle high enough over the table, banged it on the edge tilting it back and pouring hot water on herself!

Arwen, without thinking, quickly tried to grab the kettle and burned hands on the metal surface.

Arwen's shrieks joined Enedeth's as she dropped the kettle and water splashed on both their ankles.

Gasping, Enedeth ran to the sink and stuck her hands into the cold water, Arwen rushing to join her. Both girls tried to swallow their sobs.

"I want my Ada!" Arwen said crying as her hands hit the water.

Enedeth, in great pain from the water splashed on her tummy and legs just nodded. "Me too!"

Arwen looked at their hands and then looked at the angry red blisters on her ankles. "I do not know if I can walk all the way home."

"May-maybe we can find someone to take us to-to your Ada. Lets go out on the road."

Nodding, Arwen joined Enedeth and they went out down the path between the apple trees, but their dresses rubbed against the burns on their ankles and holding the dress hems up for Arwen hurt her hands. But they had at least managed to get to the main road. Enedeth, the pain making her dizzy, sat in the tall wet spring grass. "Arwen, I-my legs and my tummy really burns. I need to sit."

Arwen nodded and looked at her red hands. Maybe someone would come by?

Enedeth lay back in the grass, and Arwen saw her friend was pale and sweating. She lay next to her and put an arm around her careful to avoid her tummy. "Someone will come, Enedeth."

The two lay in the damp grass for some time.

Enedeth, lost in a haze of pain, roused herself when she found she was being lifted up. She opened her eyes and looked into the face of Arwen's oldest brother, Elladan.

His long hair brushed her cheek and he said his grey eyes looking at her intently, "Enedeth, what are you doing here laying in the grass?"

"I poured hot water on my tummy and it splashed and Arwen burned her hands and our ankles and-and---" she broke done in tears and started crying.

Arwen, in the arms of Elrohir started crying too and held up her hands, which Elrohir inspected carefully. "Oh Arwen, what have you girls done? Where is Mallinfar?"

"She has gone to get more hives for the bees. She did--- it is not her fault!" Enedeth said hoarsely. "I was trying to make tea for us. Our throats are all sore."

The twins looked at each other, shaking their heads. Quickly remounting handing off each girl to do so, they road back at a gallop to their home.

Enedeth bit her lip and shivered. Oh no what would Lord Elrond do this time? Would he be angry that she had burned Arwen? She tried to sit up, swallowing her pain. Her tummy felt very hot and sore. But maybe if she pretended she was not hurt so bad, Lord Elrond would feel more sorry for Arwen and not be too upset.

As Elladan was talking to his brother, he missed Enedeth's gasp of pain as she sat up. "I am not so very hurt my lord. Arwen, she got burned on her hands and her ankles and it is all my fault."

"Shh, little one, no one is blaming you for anything."

"But, but I do not want your Ada to not let Arwen be my friend because of this!"

Elladan looked at her with a slight smile. "Of course not Enedeth! You should have seen the messes Elrohir and I got into when we were your age, why we---"

"Elladan, that will be enough! You do not need to give the girls any ideas!"

Enedeth laughed, which made her stomach hurt.

Soon they clattered across the bridge and the two lords slid off their horses gracefully. Elrohir spoke to the elf who ran out of the stables and he led their horses away.

"I, I can walk Lord Elladan, really, Arwen is the one who really got hurt."

Looking at her he nodded and set her down carefully. Biting her lip, she let the tall elf take her by her hand gently and they slowly followed Elrohir who was talking to his sister as he carried her.

Enedeth concentrated very hard on not crying.

Elrohir with his long stride, went in to Elrond's study first and before Elladan and Enedeth entered, she could hear exclamations and Arwen's dry voice excitedly talking.

Enedeth slowed down and gulped. She really did not want to see Arwen's Ada now. It was just going to hurt and she did not want it to hurt any more. She hung back, and surprised, Elladan tugged her into the study. There she saw Lord Elrond bending to examine a tearful Arwen's burns. He looked up and smiled briefly at Enedeth and continued talking to Arwen.

"There, there princess. Let me get some salve on those burns. You know you should have waited until Mallinfar returned before you made tea. The kettle is not an easy thing to lift." He rose and went quickly to his cabinet of medical supplies and pulled out some thin linen and a pot of salve. Enedeth stood leaning against Elladan, who put a hand on her head as they watched the healer tend his daughter.

Arwen sat before her father, lower lip trembling as he gently tended to her burns. She looked up at Enedeth once and smiled.

Grateful Elladan had not moved, Enedeth sagged against the older elf's leg.

Arwen spoke up watching her father's work carefully, "Ada says we should not have made tea Enedeth. We should have waited. I told him I hurt my bottom on the rocks too."

Enedeth nodded and looked at the floor. Oh, Arwen's Ada was going to be unhappy. But their throats had hurt! She swallowed dryly.

"Elrohir," the elf lord spoke up as he wrapped Arwen's hands, "Would you ask the kitchen to make a pot of peppermint tea. And bring some honey as well. And we will need to send a message to Mallinfar."

"Of course Ada," and the young elf left the study quickly.

Enedeth was shivering and trying very hard not to cry out when she felt Elladan nudge her gently forward towards his father.

She smiled tremulously at the healer and said softly, "I am, I am. sorry---," and then her head whirled and she fell and kept falling until she could not feel anything more.