As they slowly went through the halls to their rooms, Celebrian came around the corner and paused, hands on hips. "Well, it looks as if all of you have been in the water. Girls? Elladan, Elrohir?"
"Yes Nana Celebrian."
"Yes Nana."
All the children hung their heads.
With a big sigh, Celebrian took both elflings by the hands and then looked at Racell. "I trust you and your sister can clean yourselves up?"
"Yes, Nana Celebrian." Racell whispered and took Dinna by her hand and walked quickly to their room. But instead of heading straight for the bathing room, Racell sat heavily on her bed, pulling her sister to her side.
"What Racell? What is the matter?" Dinna hugged her hard.
"I-I want to go home. I just do." Racell's lower lip quivered and tears began to streak her cheeks. "Uncle Nagron MUST get better. He must! So he can take us both home to our farm. Nothing is working out right!" Racell turned and threw herself behind her sister full length on the quilt behind them.
Dinna lay slowly atop her sister and put her thumb in her mouth. She didn't want to go home as much as Racell, but she did miss Mum and Daddy. And if Uncle Nagron wasn't around, well then what would she and Racell do?
Whimpering, she curled up around her sister.
Racell lay there for a half an hour and then slowly rose, her head hurt from crying. She dragged herself and a sleepy Dinna into the bathing room and the two slowly washed up.
Dressing, the two finished and sat on their bed again. Were they to be punished? Racell knew she and Dinna and the twins had come back to the House filthy with river weed, mud and sand. The twins had even gotten it in their hair.
Perhaps it was best if they stayed in their room. Dinna grabbed her new dolly and went to the window seat. Racell joined her and the two girls just sat there holding their dolls and looking out the window as evening glowed in the Vale of Imladris.
A quiet knock stirred Racell out of her lowering thoughts and she said quietly "Come in."
Celebrian looked around the edge of the door and then slipped into the room. "Girls, come are you not hungry? Did you not hear the dinner bell?"
Racell looked at her sister who hugged her doll and ducked her head. The older girl stood up and said taking a deep breath. "We know we did not do right today. I should have stopped the twins and I should not have let Dinna get all dirty too." She dropped her head. "I figured we were not going to get supper tonight."
Celebrian frowned in confusion. "No supper? Why of course you get supper. Unless you are not hungry?"
Racell looked up at the beautiful she elf, who seemed to glow softly in the twilight room. "But, but we were bad girls..."
Celebrian came up to them both, opening her arms. With only a moment's hesitation the two ran to her and buried their faces in her soft gown. "No, no little ones. Neither my husband, nor I are angry with you. You all just got carried away down at the river. No one was hurt and even your clothes can be cleaned. Everything is all right. Come and eat."
Racell and Dinna both looked up at the gently smiling she-elf and nodded. Wiping their eyes they let the Lady of Imladris take them each by the hand and lead them to the dining hall where they sat with the twins.
"There you are Racell and Dinna," said Elladan, brushing bread crumbs off his face.
Elrohir said, as he broke his dinner roll into little pieces. "We thought you would never get here. We are so hungry."
"Chasing polliwogs makes me want to eat ALL my supper," added Elladan.
The girls laughed and shyly took the bread that Celebrian offered them. Elrond indicated to the server near them that dinner could be served and soon the whole hall was awash in the sounds of low conversations and the sound of cutlery clinking against pottery.
Racell smiled down at her plate of tender venison in a raspberry sauce and licked her lips. She was starving.
As dessert was served, Celebrian looked at Racell and said "Tomorrow, would you like to help me in the garden Racell? After you are done with lessons?"
Racell looked up, licking sweetened cream off her lips. "I would like that."
Dinna looked at the she-elf. "Can I come too?"
"Dinna, you and the twins will be given riding lessons tomorrow. Racell is old enough and already knows the basics of handling a horse." She smiled at the older girl. "You'll have more advanced lessons later in the week."
Both girls grinned. Riding lessons! They finished their desserts and after the assembled sang a song of thanksgiving, they left the dining hall with the elf lord's family.
They walked slowly to the Hall of Fire and when the girls entered they looked about with shining eyes. Already beautiful music filled the air and the room itself glowed with warm firelight and scented candles.
They had never been in the Hall of Fire before and wide-eyed let themselves be led to a low dais where two extra cushions had been set on the floor. As the Lord and Lady sat, the conversations slowed and one she-elf came forward, A small bow and she began a beautiful lament in Quenya. The girls sat close to the twins and listened opened-mouth at the beautiful singer. They did not understand Quenya, but the sadness moved them anyway.
The girls spent an enjoyable evening with their elvish family, even joining the twins in a spirited dance that included most of the elves in the Hall.
But once the harpist played his soft lilting melodies, all the children were half-asleep at the feet of the Lord and Lady.
Glorfindel and Erestor seeing the drowsy children rose from their places near the fire and gathered up the small ones between them. They carried the four out of the Hall and to their respective beds, where they were tucked in.
Late that night, Racell woke up. She looked about her room, now softly lit by the light of the half moon, or Ithil as the elves named it. Dinna lay next to her curled up with her dolly Almana. A slight breeze outside the window made the trees toss gracefully, but none of the branches touched the glass.
What had disturbed her sleep?
She heard low conversation outside her door and getting up quietly, she went and peeked out. Lord Elrond and another elf were walking towards his study.
And his surgery.
Glancing back at her sleeping sister, Racell tiptoed behind the two adults.
She waited a minute after they went into the study. Taking a deep breath, she went in as quiet as a mouse.
"...you did the right thing Tifinial. I expected this." The two elves came out of Elrond's still room and went to where Nagron lay.
Racell felt her heart drop. Could Uncle Nagron be dying?
Biting her lip the youngster went to the room, now glowing softly with candlelight. The two elves bent over Nagron. One carefully holding him up by the shoulders, the other tipping a goblet of some medicine no doubt to the Ranger's mouth.
Racell watched frowning. Oh Uncle Nagron. By candlelight his face looked pasty and pale, his eyes sunken in. Racell brought a hand to her mouth and her eyes filled with tears.
Once the elves had settled the man back, Racell threw caution to the wind and ran to his bedside. She put her arms around him. Her ear against his chest could barely detect a heartbeat.
The two adults watched her, their eyes soft and dark with compassion. Finally Racell sat up, still holding her uncle's hand and looking at Elrond she said quietly, "He's dying isn't he?"
Elrond simply nodded. "He is in no pain Racell. His spirit is at ease."
Racell turned to the comatose human and held his hand tightly. She felt a slight pressure in return, but there was no other response.
She sat there until dawn, fighting sleep. Finally a deep rattling breath startled her out of her doze and she looked at her uncle's face. The rising light softened his features, and for a moment it looked as if he smiled. Racell felt his spirit leave as he hand went slack. Swallowing, she lay his hand down gently, just staring into his well-loved face.
"Good-bye Uncle Nagron. We will remember your song," she said softly a hitch in her voice as she swallowed dryly.
Elrond, who had been sitting on the other side of the bed, rose from his seat and stretching slightly, he bent over the man and lay a hand on his ribs for a long moment, and then lay his head on his chest.
As the healer straightened, Tifinial, who had also kept vigil nearby, looked up at him. "Shall I see to the body my lord?"
"If you will. We will bury him at the edge of the high meadow, beneath the old oak there."
Tifinial bowed and Elrond led a tired Racell away.
As they walked slowly down the corridor slowly filling with morning light and the forms of other elves, Racell thought tiredly how empty she felt. She should be crying but all she could feel was exhaustion. Which was exactly how she had felt when her parents had died. It had taken days before the tears came in a flood.
Rubbing her eyes, she swayed a bit when they stopped by her bedroom door. She should be crying she thought again as she yawned. But before she knew it, she was back in bed next to the still sleeping Dinna. She looked up at the elf lord at her side. He was smiling slightly, his eyes filled with warmth.
"Sleep now Racell." She nodded and yawned again.
The last thing she felt was the soft palm of the elf lord across her eyes.