Erniliel and her husband, Gweldon, were a pair of perfectionists. Even the smallest thing in their cozy tallan in Mirkwood had to be flawless, and as Erniliel was expecting her first baby, the parents were waiting with anticipation for the arrival of their beautiful infant. The two of them had already gone through all the baby books in Mirkwood and had finally found a perfect name for their baby- Liadriel Kirinde.

Three months later, their child was born, but not just one - two! Erniliel and Gweldon were overjoyed, and the twins, who were named Liadriel and Kirinde,

were brought up rather spoiled.

It was on the eve of the twin's second birthday that this story first started. Erniliel, a good and caring mother, had planned out a perfect day for the twin's birthday- starting with an outdoor picnic and ending with presents and cake at their tallan.

So far, the girls had just awoken and were crying in their cribs, while Erniliel went to get them out and Gweldon continued decorating the tallan. All the plain, wooden furniture was covered with sparkly, eye-catching decorations, and Gwel was busy putting up a bright and cheerful sign with the words, 'Happy Birthday Lia and Kiri!'

Erniliel, meanwhile, bent over the twins' beds and smiled down at them.

"Happy birthday, darlings," she cooed, as she took them out one at a time and changed them.

It was going to be a perfect day.

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It was three hours later, when the happy family was finishing their picnic, that something happened that nobody was expecting.

Erniliel was packing away the lunch basket and Gweldon was watching the twins, when the sound of a horn came to them. Gweldon jumped up.

It was the 'danger, enemies are close' horn, and, as Gweldon was a skilled archer, he was supposed to obey the summons.

"I'm sorry, my love," Gweldon murmured. "Don't worry about me, just take the twins back to the tallan, and, please, leave a slice of cake for me."

Erniliel smiled. "Of course, dear." she said. "In fact, I think we'll wait for you for the cake. And-please, Gwel, do be careful!"

But Erniliel wasn't aware that the danger was for her, not for Gweldon. Ten

minutes after he had gone, a large group of dwarves leapt out of the bushes and ran at Erniliel. She only had time to grab for the nearest twin and run, and it was only when she reached the tallan that she realized that she had left Kirinde to the dwarves.

Five minutes late, when Gweldon reached his home, the last thing he had expected was to be met by a hysterical wife, screaming to him, but when he understood what had happened, he ran to the forest with several other elves and prepared to save his daughter.

Gweldon and the elves were too late, however. By the time he reached the place where the Kiri had been, she and the dwarves had long been gone, and had left no trace.

The elves gave up after several hours of searching, and Gweldon went back to his wife, despairingly and wretchedly.