Chapter Seven
The hobbits parted to let them through and Legolas followed behind them. Gandalf stayed and talked to Arwen and Aragorn for a minute, and then headed to where the group was gathered. "Are you hungry? Or tired?" asked Thranduil. "I'm a bit hungry..." confessed Alcarin. "I didn't have any breakfast this morning..." said Emeriel. "Madeline!" shouted Legolas' father. Two seconds later, "Do you hear something?" asked Legolas, head cocked slightly to one side. They all listened. Hard. "I'm hearing nowt," whispered Jenny, breaking the silence. "Yes, I hear it too," said Thranduil, walking towards the closed door. Murmers whispers and a couple of quiet squeals were coming from behind the door. Thranduil pulled it open gently, and half a dozen maids and valets came tumbling on to the floor. They stood up and several servants followed behind them. "I suppose that we are not the only ones who are interested in our visitors," he said amusedly to Gandalf. He turned back to the bright red maids, searching. "Ah, Madeline, could you please take our guests to the kitchen and give them something to eat?" he asked. "Yes, of course, sir," she said in her common speech. "Come this way girls." Emeriel, Estriel, Alcarin and Jaena followed her gratefully to the large kitchen. There was a large oak table in the middle of it, surrounded by solid looking chairs, all of which were slightly larger than normal. "Take a seat," offered Madeline. They all did, and just as the maid was going to ask them what they wanted to eat - a tall, not very dark, but definitely handsome elf appeared in the doorway. "I came to see if there was anything else that you needed," he said in a slightly nervous voice. Alcarin smiled, looked around at the others and mouthed, "fit!" "And also to introduce myself. I am Elrohir, son of Elrond." "He can be the son of Mrs. Hooper for all I care, he is gorgeous!" whispered Alcarin. "I'm Estriel, this is Emeriel, Alcarin and Jaena," explained Estriel, while the others giggled. "Where is your brother?" said Emeriel, breaking his gaze from Estriel. "You know of my brother?" he asked, bewildered. "Don't ask - long story," said Jaena, rolling her eyes. "You can come and sit with us if you want," said Estriel, eyes sparkling. "Thank you. However, I must find Legolas - I have not seen him for a long time, and he is an old friend," he said. Emeriel glanced at her friend. It was clear that she liked him. She smiled, she was glad that she did, who knows - something could happen, she thought. Where was his TWIN brother again? "Elladan is speaking with Thranduil," said Elrohir, answering Emeriel's question. "They are talking of war." "Would it be alright if I went, do you think?" asked Emeriel. "I am sure it will be, they were having great problems when I went past," said the handsome elf. Emeriel got up, and made her way gingerly down the corridor to Thranduil's study. "Twin? There's TWO of him?" screeched Alcarin, after Elrohir left. "You say it's like it's a bad thing..." said Jaena. "Oh it's definitely not a bad thing..." muttered Estriel. "Look at you all twinkley eyed," said Alcarin. "All in LOVE!" exclaimed Jaena. "No I'm not..." said Estriel in a very unconvincing way. The hot toast with butter and jam that Madeline had offered to make them was served. It was gorgeous, and was very much appreciated by the four hungry girls who were not used to being waited on. "I've only just met him," said Estriel as she bit in to the delicious toast. "Love at first sight..." said Jaena, grinning. "You just looked into his eyes and knew that he was the one you wanted to spend the rest of your life with..." joked Alcarin, using the appropriate sarcastic hand movements. They all burst out laughing.
The hobbits parted to let them through and Legolas followed behind them. Gandalf stayed and talked to Arwen and Aragorn for a minute, and then headed to where the group was gathered. "Are you hungry? Or tired?" asked Thranduil. "I'm a bit hungry..." confessed Alcarin. "I didn't have any breakfast this morning..." said Emeriel. "Madeline!" shouted Legolas' father. Two seconds later, "Do you hear something?" asked Legolas, head cocked slightly to one side. They all listened. Hard. "I'm hearing nowt," whispered Jenny, breaking the silence. "Yes, I hear it too," said Thranduil, walking towards the closed door. Murmers whispers and a couple of quiet squeals were coming from behind the door. Thranduil pulled it open gently, and half a dozen maids and valets came tumbling on to the floor. They stood up and several servants followed behind them. "I suppose that we are not the only ones who are interested in our visitors," he said amusedly to Gandalf. He turned back to the bright red maids, searching. "Ah, Madeline, could you please take our guests to the kitchen and give them something to eat?" he asked. "Yes, of course, sir," she said in her common speech. "Come this way girls." Emeriel, Estriel, Alcarin and Jaena followed her gratefully to the large kitchen. There was a large oak table in the middle of it, surrounded by solid looking chairs, all of which were slightly larger than normal. "Take a seat," offered Madeline. They all did, and just as the maid was going to ask them what they wanted to eat - a tall, not very dark, but definitely handsome elf appeared in the doorway. "I came to see if there was anything else that you needed," he said in a slightly nervous voice. Alcarin smiled, looked around at the others and mouthed, "fit!" "And also to introduce myself. I am Elrohir, son of Elrond." "He can be the son of Mrs. Hooper for all I care, he is gorgeous!" whispered Alcarin. "I'm Estriel, this is Emeriel, Alcarin and Jaena," explained Estriel, while the others giggled. "Where is your brother?" said Emeriel, breaking his gaze from Estriel. "You know of my brother?" he asked, bewildered. "Don't ask - long story," said Jaena, rolling her eyes. "You can come and sit with us if you want," said Estriel, eyes sparkling. "Thank you. However, I must find Legolas - I have not seen him for a long time, and he is an old friend," he said. Emeriel glanced at her friend. It was clear that she liked him. She smiled, she was glad that she did, who knows - something could happen, she thought. Where was his TWIN brother again? "Elladan is speaking with Thranduil," said Elrohir, answering Emeriel's question. "They are talking of war." "Would it be alright if I went, do you think?" asked Emeriel. "I am sure it will be, they were having great problems when I went past," said the handsome elf. Emeriel got up, and made her way gingerly down the corridor to Thranduil's study. "Twin? There's TWO of him?" screeched Alcarin, after Elrohir left. "You say it's like it's a bad thing..." said Jaena. "Oh it's definitely not a bad thing..." muttered Estriel. "Look at you all twinkley eyed," said Alcarin. "All in LOVE!" exclaimed Jaena. "No I'm not..." said Estriel in a very unconvincing way. The hot toast with butter and jam that Madeline had offered to make them was served. It was gorgeous, and was very much appreciated by the four hungry girls who were not used to being waited on. "I've only just met him," said Estriel as she bit in to the delicious toast. "Love at first sight..." said Jaena, grinning. "You just looked into his eyes and knew that he was the one you wanted to spend the rest of your life with..." joked Alcarin, using the appropriate sarcastic hand movements. They all burst out laughing.