Elrond woke slowly, lying peacefully for a few moments before focussing on
his surroundings. He had been woken by the faint noise of a child crying.
Now that was not something that had happened for many centuries.
He was most unnaturally excited he decided as he washed and sat down to braid his hair. It was good to have a child back in the house again. Looking back, most of his happiest memories were from the sadly short years spent with his wife and young children. He could still remember the feeling when Elrohir had first grasped his finger or Elladan's first faltering steps, or when Celebrian had passed him the swathed bundle that was Arwen.
Elrond wandered into the sitting room and looked out of the windows to their garden beyond. His two sons were down there, Elrohir resting against a tree trunk and Elladan stretched out on the grass, deep in a discussion.
~*~
"It will be fun to have a little brother," Elrohir said, smiling at the thought, "It has been so long without children in the house."
Elladan plucked a piece of grass and began chewing on it, smiling at his own memories of his tiny sister and the mischief they had got up to.
"It will be a lonely childhood," he said at length. There were no other children in Rivendell.
"He will not have a twin to drag him into all sorts of trouble" Elrohir laughed, trying to make light of the problem, "You must not be a bad influence on him"
Elladan kicked lazily at his brother.
"Me? A bad influence?" Elladan asked with mock innocence, grinning broadly, "Never!"
Elrohir threw one of last autumn's nuts at his brother.
"He will have our company," he spoke reassuringly, "And I saw the look Ada gave him. He will not lack love".
Elladan laughed, sitting up.
"For the Lord of Rivendell, Ada is a softy"
Elrohir smiled as together they walked to the terrace where their father was waiting. He liked being home.
~*~
Gilraen sat on the edge of her bed, brushing her son's fluffy dark hair. They were both ready to go, but she was unwilling to leave her room as yet. Clenching her free hand for courage she opened the door and walked towards the living area. She could hear her new family talking, two voices calm and one close to laughter.
Today would be the hardest. The first day always was.
~*~
The elves stood up as she came in, Elrond drawing up a chair and Elrohir grabbing some additional cushions from a bench with which to boost the height of the child's seat.
Gilraen settled her son into his seat and then sat down herself. Elrond smiled at the woman. She was not crying today, but she looked worn.
"Welcome Gilraen, I trust you slept well?"
"Yes thank you, My Lord" Gilraen's voice sounded almost pathetically pleased to be welcomed.
"Elrond," he frowned slightly as he spoke. Gilraen smiled sadly at him.
"Good morning" the twins spoke together, causing her to smile suddenly. Elrohir reached over to Estel and ruffled his hair. The child giggled and wriggled happily.
"Ada" Elladan had uncovered the basket of bread rolls and offered them to his father. Elrond looked quickly at Gilraen.
"Gilraen, would you like some bread?" Elladan whisked the basket in her direction.
Gilraen smiled and took two rolls, breaking one into small chunks for her son. Although by the end of the meal several chunks were in his hair, on the tablecloth and in Elladan's cup most were inside the small human who was now teetering perilously on his chair in an attempt to get down and play.
"No Ar. . ." Gilraen began as the pile of cushions toppled, depositing her son in Elrohir's lap.
"Estel," Elrohir looked into the surprised blue eyes, "That was not a good idea".
Estel giggled and reached for a handful of dark hair.
"No Estel. No. Not for eating." Elrohir protested in vain as the toddler struggled against the larger hands. Finally his grasp was removed and Elrohir sat back.
"Ada, were we this bad?"
"Oh much worse!" he laughed, "There were two of you".
He was most unnaturally excited he decided as he washed and sat down to braid his hair. It was good to have a child back in the house again. Looking back, most of his happiest memories were from the sadly short years spent with his wife and young children. He could still remember the feeling when Elrohir had first grasped his finger or Elladan's first faltering steps, or when Celebrian had passed him the swathed bundle that was Arwen.
Elrond wandered into the sitting room and looked out of the windows to their garden beyond. His two sons were down there, Elrohir resting against a tree trunk and Elladan stretched out on the grass, deep in a discussion.
~*~
"It will be fun to have a little brother," Elrohir said, smiling at the thought, "It has been so long without children in the house."
Elladan plucked a piece of grass and began chewing on it, smiling at his own memories of his tiny sister and the mischief they had got up to.
"It will be a lonely childhood," he said at length. There were no other children in Rivendell.
"He will not have a twin to drag him into all sorts of trouble" Elrohir laughed, trying to make light of the problem, "You must not be a bad influence on him"
Elladan kicked lazily at his brother.
"Me? A bad influence?" Elladan asked with mock innocence, grinning broadly, "Never!"
Elrohir threw one of last autumn's nuts at his brother.
"He will have our company," he spoke reassuringly, "And I saw the look Ada gave him. He will not lack love".
Elladan laughed, sitting up.
"For the Lord of Rivendell, Ada is a softy"
Elrohir smiled as together they walked to the terrace where their father was waiting. He liked being home.
~*~
Gilraen sat on the edge of her bed, brushing her son's fluffy dark hair. They were both ready to go, but she was unwilling to leave her room as yet. Clenching her free hand for courage she opened the door and walked towards the living area. She could hear her new family talking, two voices calm and one close to laughter.
Today would be the hardest. The first day always was.
~*~
The elves stood up as she came in, Elrond drawing up a chair and Elrohir grabbing some additional cushions from a bench with which to boost the height of the child's seat.
Gilraen settled her son into his seat and then sat down herself. Elrond smiled at the woman. She was not crying today, but she looked worn.
"Welcome Gilraen, I trust you slept well?"
"Yes thank you, My Lord" Gilraen's voice sounded almost pathetically pleased to be welcomed.
"Elrond," he frowned slightly as he spoke. Gilraen smiled sadly at him.
"Good morning" the twins spoke together, causing her to smile suddenly. Elrohir reached over to Estel and ruffled his hair. The child giggled and wriggled happily.
"Ada" Elladan had uncovered the basket of bread rolls and offered them to his father. Elrond looked quickly at Gilraen.
"Gilraen, would you like some bread?" Elladan whisked the basket in her direction.
Gilraen smiled and took two rolls, breaking one into small chunks for her son. Although by the end of the meal several chunks were in his hair, on the tablecloth and in Elladan's cup most were inside the small human who was now teetering perilously on his chair in an attempt to get down and play.
"No Ar. . ." Gilraen began as the pile of cushions toppled, depositing her son in Elrohir's lap.
"Estel," Elrohir looked into the surprised blue eyes, "That was not a good idea".
Estel giggled and reached for a handful of dark hair.
"No Estel. No. Not for eating." Elrohir protested in vain as the toddler struggled against the larger hands. Finally his grasp was removed and Elrohir sat back.
"Ada, were we this bad?"
"Oh much worse!" he laughed, "There were two of you".