Dinna held her uncle for a few minutes and then looked up at him. "You are
so hot Uncle Nagron. You must have a fever." She looked at his bedside
table. "Are you not taking your medicine? You know you must, even if it
tastes bad. We did!"
"You did?" He smiled wanly.
"Me and Racell had a fever together and Ada Elrond fixed us right up. He's fixing you right up too."
"Yes poppet, he is." Nagron closed his eyes tiredly.
Elrond, concerned for his patient's failing energy, lifted off the five-year-old, holding her comfortably in his arms. "We shall let your Uncle Nagron rest all right?"
Dinna nodded, her eyes fixed worriedly on her uncle's pale bandaged face.
Elrond turned to Racell and carefully put Dinna down. "You girls say your farewells for now. And if he is feeling better, perhaps you can see him at dinner time."
Both girls nodded and with small waves, left the room.
Elrond once again turned his attention to his patient. "Are you all right Nagron?" Elrond lay a hand on his forehead sending healing energy into him.
A few minutes passed and the elf lord raised his hand and smiled down at the Ranger.
"Thank you my lord. I feel a bit better now." He plucked at the quilt fretfully. "The girls, they will be no burden to you as they grow?"
"No, of course not. They are dear ones already Nagron and they have twined themselves around our hearts."
Elrond sat carefully on the edge of the bed, his eyes on the man, dark and compassionate. "Nagron do not fear for them. They are under my care and my love. I, and Celebrian will watch them and love them and help them to grow. As will the twins."
Nagron stared back at the elf lord unblinking for a moment. He yawned and Elrond smiled and then, leaning over, lay a hand over the sick Ranger's eyes, easing him into deep sleep.
Standing slowly, he sighed as he looked at the now sleeping man. His days were few. Elrond sent a silent prayer to those who watched over the edain to give him peace and comfort until he left.
Once out in the hall, he went to his study to find the elf who would watch Nagron's sleep this night. A young apprentice healer Tifinial awaited him. He was sipping tea and reading a book.
"Shall I go my lord?"
"Yes please. If necessary the medicine he needs is on his table. Do not hesitate to get me if there is any change in his condition."
"Of course." The young elf straightened his pale green apprentice's robe and with a slight bow, left the elf lord.
Elrond sat at his desk heavily and opened his journal. In minutes he was ensconced in his writing.
Dinna and Racell had gone back to join Manarenil. They both sat at the table and stared at the surface silently.
Manarenil could see they had been stunned by the news Lord Elrond had brought them and realized that further study would be pointless.
Rising, his expression went soft looking at the two bowed heads. "Come girls, tell me what troubles you."
Racell looked up, her eyes full of tears. Dinna's cheeks were wet too.
Taken aback by their sorrow, he opened his arms and the girls, only hesitating a moment, got up and ran to him.
Both of them flung their arms about him, turning their faces into the warmth of his soft tunic.
He tightened his grip around them and began to hum a song under his breath.
The girls sighed and he could feel them relaxing. If only he had both legs! It would then be no trouble for him to pick them both up and walk with them.
Sighing, he said softly to them, "What is the matter little sparrows?"
Racell wiped her face. "Tha-That is what Ada Elrond calls me, little sparrow." Dinna nodded. "Me too."
"Is it all right if I call you that too?"
"Yes Manarenil."
"Yes please." Dinna added.
Racell sat up straighter. "Ada Elrond and the other elves found Uncle Nagron."
"That's wonderful Racell."
"He's dying." She whispered.
Dinna burst into tears and the elf held her close.
Clambering carefully off the elf, Racell stood by the table, staring at the beautiful handwriting samples Manarenil had been working on while they had been with their uncle.
Dinna, watching her sister said quietly, "Ada Elrond can't save him. Even with all his medicines."
"Sometimes little ones, nothing more can be done and so the light of Iluvatar flees the body."
"Who is Illuvatar?" asked Dinna.
"He sang all of this," he waved his hands to encompass the room and all beyond, "into being."
"Did he sing us into being?" Racell asked shyly.
"Yes. All things."
Dinna smiled at her sister. "We are songs Racell."
"Uncle Nagron is too."
"But his song is stopping," Dinna said frowning.
"But you and I will remember, won't we? Just like we remember Mum and Daddy."
Dinna nodded and sighed as she slipped off Manarenil's lap to join her sister.
Racell looked up at the concerned elf and said, "May we be excused Manarenil?"
"Yes, of course."
Racell nodded and both girls bobbed a curtsey and then left.
Racell, holding Dinna's hand, wandered down the hall until they reached outside stairs which swept down to a large lawn. Beyond the lawn were several smaller gardens. Racell picked one with many peonies and freesia and all manner of lovely scented flowers.
She took them deep into the garden and sat on a bench near a small bubbling fountain.
Finally, after watching the moving water for sometime, Racell said thoughtfully, "We are going to be all alone Dinna. Uncle Nagron is dying."
Dinna leaned against her sister. "But we have Ada Elrond and Nana Celebrian and the twins---"
"---who are elves Dinna. We are the only humans here. We cannot run as fast or climb as easily or walk as softly." Her head drooped.
"We don't have pointed ears." Dinna added with a whisper.
Racell hugged her sister closer. "And we don't live forever."
The two girls sat wrapped in their unhappy thoughts until the twins discovered them.
"Come Racell, come Dinna. We are going to look for the baby chicks hiding in the barn. Cerwal says we may move them back to the hen house where they belong."
Racell looked at Dinna and when she nodded, he two girls followed the swiftly running twins to the horse barn.
They spent an enjoyable hour or two chasing the mother hen and her brood of six chicks around the horse barn under the watchful eyes of the stable hands.
Finally, all had been run to ground and the baby chicks put in a basket for the short trip to the chicken coop.
Racell as the biggest, held the mother hen tightly and correctly, not dropping her even when she pecked at her arm angrily.
The four watched the hen and chicks get settled in the coop.
"That was fun! Maybe there are more?" asked Dinna.
"No, just one moma," said Elladan. Elrohir nodded." We know because we explored the barn really good."
Racell looked at him. "We could show you how to make a polliwog pond."
Elrohir grinned. "Oh yes! I love polliwogs. Let us go get our buckets."
"You won't need them. Come on, we'll show you."
Soon the four were happily chasing the wriggling amphibians and spent the rest of the afternoon caching polliwogs and building sand houses.
As the sun slid down to the edge of the western wall of the gorge, Racell stood up and brushed her skirt off. "Come, we must go back to the house. Nana Celebrian said we always needed to be home by the time the sun touches the edge over there."
"But I want to take the polliwogs home," Elrohir pouted, chewing on a braid, as the others released the small creatures.
"There's plenty here Elrohir. We can come back tomorrow," Said Elladan removing rocks from their pond.
"But I want them now!"
"There is no way to being them back," Elladan pointed out, kicking aside the last of the remaining rocks, allowing the polliwogs to swim free.
Angry, Elrohir pushed Elladan in the water. Up like a shot, Elladan id the same to him.
Soon they were dunking each other and pulling on each others braids, rolling in the river sand.
Racell jumped in and pulled them apart, grabbing a squirming Elladan. "That's enough! Come let us go home."
Dinna remained silent and quietly took Elrohir's hand. Sullenly he walked with her, finally tugging his hand free.
"You don't need to hold my hand. You are not my mother."
Racell glanced down at the unhappy elf at her side. And with a small sigh, let his hand go.
"Shut -up Elrohir. We are in trouble now" Elladan.
The foursome went back to the House slowly. Racell and Dina, who had enjoyed their afternoon with the twins, felt their spirits plummet as they got closer to the House.
By the time they reached the steps all of them were drooping with thoughts of impending doom.
"You did?" He smiled wanly.
"Me and Racell had a fever together and Ada Elrond fixed us right up. He's fixing you right up too."
"Yes poppet, he is." Nagron closed his eyes tiredly.
Elrond, concerned for his patient's failing energy, lifted off the five-year-old, holding her comfortably in his arms. "We shall let your Uncle Nagron rest all right?"
Dinna nodded, her eyes fixed worriedly on her uncle's pale bandaged face.
Elrond turned to Racell and carefully put Dinna down. "You girls say your farewells for now. And if he is feeling better, perhaps you can see him at dinner time."
Both girls nodded and with small waves, left the room.
Elrond once again turned his attention to his patient. "Are you all right Nagron?" Elrond lay a hand on his forehead sending healing energy into him.
A few minutes passed and the elf lord raised his hand and smiled down at the Ranger.
"Thank you my lord. I feel a bit better now." He plucked at the quilt fretfully. "The girls, they will be no burden to you as they grow?"
"No, of course not. They are dear ones already Nagron and they have twined themselves around our hearts."
Elrond sat carefully on the edge of the bed, his eyes on the man, dark and compassionate. "Nagron do not fear for them. They are under my care and my love. I, and Celebrian will watch them and love them and help them to grow. As will the twins."
Nagron stared back at the elf lord unblinking for a moment. He yawned and Elrond smiled and then, leaning over, lay a hand over the sick Ranger's eyes, easing him into deep sleep.
Standing slowly, he sighed as he looked at the now sleeping man. His days were few. Elrond sent a silent prayer to those who watched over the edain to give him peace and comfort until he left.
Once out in the hall, he went to his study to find the elf who would watch Nagron's sleep this night. A young apprentice healer Tifinial awaited him. He was sipping tea and reading a book.
"Shall I go my lord?"
"Yes please. If necessary the medicine he needs is on his table. Do not hesitate to get me if there is any change in his condition."
"Of course." The young elf straightened his pale green apprentice's robe and with a slight bow, left the elf lord.
Elrond sat at his desk heavily and opened his journal. In minutes he was ensconced in his writing.
Dinna and Racell had gone back to join Manarenil. They both sat at the table and stared at the surface silently.
Manarenil could see they had been stunned by the news Lord Elrond had brought them and realized that further study would be pointless.
Rising, his expression went soft looking at the two bowed heads. "Come girls, tell me what troubles you."
Racell looked up, her eyes full of tears. Dinna's cheeks were wet too.
Taken aback by their sorrow, he opened his arms and the girls, only hesitating a moment, got up and ran to him.
Both of them flung their arms about him, turning their faces into the warmth of his soft tunic.
He tightened his grip around them and began to hum a song under his breath.
The girls sighed and he could feel them relaxing. If only he had both legs! It would then be no trouble for him to pick them both up and walk with them.
Sighing, he said softly to them, "What is the matter little sparrows?"
Racell wiped her face. "Tha-That is what Ada Elrond calls me, little sparrow." Dinna nodded. "Me too."
"Is it all right if I call you that too?"
"Yes Manarenil."
"Yes please." Dinna added.
Racell sat up straighter. "Ada Elrond and the other elves found Uncle Nagron."
"That's wonderful Racell."
"He's dying." She whispered.
Dinna burst into tears and the elf held her close.
Clambering carefully off the elf, Racell stood by the table, staring at the beautiful handwriting samples Manarenil had been working on while they had been with their uncle.
Dinna, watching her sister said quietly, "Ada Elrond can't save him. Even with all his medicines."
"Sometimes little ones, nothing more can be done and so the light of Iluvatar flees the body."
"Who is Illuvatar?" asked Dinna.
"He sang all of this," he waved his hands to encompass the room and all beyond, "into being."
"Did he sing us into being?" Racell asked shyly.
"Yes. All things."
Dinna smiled at her sister. "We are songs Racell."
"Uncle Nagron is too."
"But his song is stopping," Dinna said frowning.
"But you and I will remember, won't we? Just like we remember Mum and Daddy."
Dinna nodded and sighed as she slipped off Manarenil's lap to join her sister.
Racell looked up at the concerned elf and said, "May we be excused Manarenil?"
"Yes, of course."
Racell nodded and both girls bobbed a curtsey and then left.
Racell, holding Dinna's hand, wandered down the hall until they reached outside stairs which swept down to a large lawn. Beyond the lawn were several smaller gardens. Racell picked one with many peonies and freesia and all manner of lovely scented flowers.
She took them deep into the garden and sat on a bench near a small bubbling fountain.
Finally, after watching the moving water for sometime, Racell said thoughtfully, "We are going to be all alone Dinna. Uncle Nagron is dying."
Dinna leaned against her sister. "But we have Ada Elrond and Nana Celebrian and the twins---"
"---who are elves Dinna. We are the only humans here. We cannot run as fast or climb as easily or walk as softly." Her head drooped.
"We don't have pointed ears." Dinna added with a whisper.
Racell hugged her sister closer. "And we don't live forever."
The two girls sat wrapped in their unhappy thoughts until the twins discovered them.
"Come Racell, come Dinna. We are going to look for the baby chicks hiding in the barn. Cerwal says we may move them back to the hen house where they belong."
Racell looked at Dinna and when she nodded, he two girls followed the swiftly running twins to the horse barn.
They spent an enjoyable hour or two chasing the mother hen and her brood of six chicks around the horse barn under the watchful eyes of the stable hands.
Finally, all had been run to ground and the baby chicks put in a basket for the short trip to the chicken coop.
Racell as the biggest, held the mother hen tightly and correctly, not dropping her even when she pecked at her arm angrily.
The four watched the hen and chicks get settled in the coop.
"That was fun! Maybe there are more?" asked Dinna.
"No, just one moma," said Elladan. Elrohir nodded." We know because we explored the barn really good."
Racell looked at him. "We could show you how to make a polliwog pond."
Elrohir grinned. "Oh yes! I love polliwogs. Let us go get our buckets."
"You won't need them. Come on, we'll show you."
Soon the four were happily chasing the wriggling amphibians and spent the rest of the afternoon caching polliwogs and building sand houses.
As the sun slid down to the edge of the western wall of the gorge, Racell stood up and brushed her skirt off. "Come, we must go back to the house. Nana Celebrian said we always needed to be home by the time the sun touches the edge over there."
"But I want to take the polliwogs home," Elrohir pouted, chewing on a braid, as the others released the small creatures.
"There's plenty here Elrohir. We can come back tomorrow," Said Elladan removing rocks from their pond.
"But I want them now!"
"There is no way to being them back," Elladan pointed out, kicking aside the last of the remaining rocks, allowing the polliwogs to swim free.
Angry, Elrohir pushed Elladan in the water. Up like a shot, Elladan id the same to him.
Soon they were dunking each other and pulling on each others braids, rolling in the river sand.
Racell jumped in and pulled them apart, grabbing a squirming Elladan. "That's enough! Come let us go home."
Dinna remained silent and quietly took Elrohir's hand. Sullenly he walked with her, finally tugging his hand free.
"You don't need to hold my hand. You are not my mother."
Racell glanced down at the unhappy elf at her side. And with a small sigh, let his hand go.
"Shut -up Elrohir. We are in trouble now" Elladan.
The foursome went back to the House slowly. Racell and Dina, who had enjoyed their afternoon with the twins, felt their spirits plummet as they got closer to the House.
By the time they reached the steps all of them were drooping with thoughts of impending doom.