Everyone stood (Elladan and Elrohir with some difficulty), and followed Gandalf, Elrond and Glorfindel to the comfortable daybeds and lounges in the Hall of Fire. Glorfindel and Gandalf practically threw Elrond down on a daybed, while Arwen pushed Elladan and Elrohir to one next to their father, whereupon they giggled and immediately fell asleep.
Elrond looked confused. ''Stor? 'Dan? 'Ro?'
'They're all here, Elrond, don't worry,' Glorfindel reassured him.
Gandalf looked at Glorfindel and spoke quietly. 'Stay here, I'll go and get the tarias potion.'
Glorfindel smiled gratefully. 'Thank you, Mithrandir.'
The potion Gandalf spoke of was a special tonic Elrond kept on hand. Its effect was so potent that even the drunkest Elf was sober within half an hour. Only Gandalf knew what it was made from - basically, it was pure caffeine extracted from coffee beans.
Glorfindel looked over to the sleeping twins on the lounge next to his charge, who was quietly mumbling to himself. He smiled fondly - they slept curled up next to each other, their ebony hair so mingled it was hard to tell where it ended and began. They were so alike it was hard to tell them apart, so close they could never be separated. Glorfindel knew that whatever choice they made, which was coming very soon, they would make together. He knew Elrond still carried grief for his brother and he wished that Elros had chosen the life of the Eldar. Glorfindel knew in his heart that Elladan and Elrohir would either choose to live forever or eventually die together.
Erestor also looked on, watching Glorfindel's face as he observed the sleeping twins. Another piece of unspoken knowledge - Glorfindel loved all of Elrond's children as his own. Erestor cared very much for the children as well, although this was not always the case when they were growing up. Elrohir and Elladan hated Erestor's stiffness, as he was not used to children, so he was the constant subject of pranks. This was also the catalyst for many fights between Glorfindel and Erestor. Erestor had no idea why Elrond had chosen two dramatically different people to be his advisors when there was constant friction between them due to their clashing personalities. It all changed when Arwen was born, though. Elladan and Elrohir were fully grown (although in some ways not fully mature) and Erestor loosened up finally. He adored Arwen, as did many people, and he and Glorfindel became great friends.
Aragorn and Legolas, watching quietly in awe of the situation before them, just exchanged blank looks. Even though Aragorn grew up in this house, and Legolas had known Elrond for many thousands of years, they were still at a loss to understand what the Imladris Elves were doing. They shared a secret giggle as Gandalf came back bearing a bottle and a teaspoon.
'You doing, 'Thrandir?' Elrond groggily asked as Glorfindel helped prop him up.
'Just open your mouth for me, Master Elrond.' Gandalf poured a dollop of thick brown-black liquid on the spoon and popped it in Elrond's mouth. Judging from the look on his face, it wasn't the most pleasant-tasting mixture, but it seemed to do the job. Elrond closed his eyes and lightly dozed off.
Arwen was standing over this whole mess, arms folded, looking both stern and embarrassed. Gandalf had seen that pose many times before, but only on Celebrían. Arwen took a lot of her dark looks from her father, but her mannerisms and stance were an exact replica of her mother's. She looked at her father and brothers in drunken snoozes on the lounges and shook her head. Ageless, dignified Elves, raised in the highest courts on Endor, exhibiting behaviour such as this! She could only think of what her daeradar and daernaneth would say if they were here now. Daernaneth would be horrified. Daeradar would pretend to be horrified but there would be a twinkle in his eyes to show how funny he would think the situation was.
Aragorn stood beside her. 'Come on, meleth nin, it's not that bad. They just had a good time, a rare thing to be found in these dark times.'
Arwen sighed. 'I suppose you're right. It's just, I've never seen Ada like this before, drunken, silly, very unlike him. Usually he's the one frowning upon us. And now he's sprawled out like this...' He was indeed sprawled, his head lolling to the side, snoring quite loudly. Arwen started to titter, and then burst out in giggles. She looked at Aragorn as she did so, her face and eyes lit up with a huge smile. It warmed his heart to see Arwen smile like that, even for that moment. Lately she had been so grave.
Everyone sat down and made themselves comfortable, talking quietly, waiting for the master of the house and his sons to awaken. Eventually slight groans started to emanate from Elrond's prostrate form. He sat up slowly, Glorfindel assisting him. He looked at Glorfindel, bleary-eyed.
'What happened to me, Glor? Did I get hit over the hit with a wine barrel?'
Glorfindel smiled. 'No, my lord. You just had a bit too much of the Dorwinion.'
'Oh, Eru, why didn't you stop me? You know what I'm like.' Elrond was hunched over, holding his head, and then he noticed his slightly snoring sons.
'Let me guess, they got hit over the head with a wine barrel too?'
Erestor grinned. 'You could say that. Can you stand?'
Elrond nodded, and Glorfindel and Erestor held his arms as he stood, keeping him steady. Elrond looked up to see Gandalf standing before him.
'Mithrandir, you didn't give me the tarias, did you? No wonder my mouth feels like the bottom of the aviary.'
Gandalf smiled mischievously. 'I could not let my gracious host miss his own feast! Master Elrond, you've reached a new record. Drunk before sunset. Now come, outside, into the snow. I have a feeling that could soothe your aching head.'
'What about the boys?'
'Leave them there,' Arwen said. 'They can sleep it off. Serves them right for stuffing their faces.'
'Arwen!' Elrond exclaimed. 'That isn't very Midwinter-like.'
Arwen stood with her arms crossed again, staring at her father in her Celebrían-like way. Eventually, he nodded and indicated for everyone to come outside, leaving Elladan and Elrohir to sleep.
They took a slow walk, the snow crunching under their feet, coming thick and fast, but nothing to worry about. The staff had cleared a path that morning, leaving a large bank on either side of the stone paths the guests walked down. As they walked across the main square, Glorfindel let out a mighty cry of pain and surprise. Everyone turned around sharply.
'What is it, Glor?' Elrond asked.
Glorfindel reached around to his back and his hand came away wet. 'A snowball, it seems.'
He looked to his right, which is where it seemed to have come from. This time, a snowball hit him right in the face. Two ebony heads popped over the bank, laughing loudly. They ducked again quickly as Glorfindel threw a snowball at them. Suddenly, it was a free-for-all.
Gandalf wisely ducked out of the way. Aragorn and Arwen took cover with Elladan and Elrohir. Glorfindel and Erestor dove behind the opposing bank, taking Elrond with them. Legolas stood for a second, trying to decide what side to take. He decided to take the lords' side, to even up numbers. Elrond's children were most offended.
'Legolas!' shouted Aragorn. 'You traitor!'
Legolas popped his head up to scream back but he was hit with a particularly vicious snowball.
'This means war,' he said quietly to himself.
He gathered a snowball and silently crept over, out of sight to all. He sneaked up on Aragorn. Arwen saw him but said nothing, seeing what Legolas was about to do. Legolas gave her a big grin, grabbed Aragorn's collar, and shoved the snowball down his back. Aragorn screamed, arching his back to get rid of the snow, arms flailing wildly, flicking snow into Legolas' eyes. Elladan kept flinging snowballs at Glorfindel as Elrohir leaned against the bank, laughing hard at watching Aragorn's eyes widen and his wild squirming. Aragorn quickly hit Legolas with a snowball, Legolas responding by pouncing him, tipping him over the bank, wrestling in the no-man's-land between the banks. Gandalf watched this, pipe in hand, laughing. Elladan and Elrohir were whipping snowballs at Legolas, who was on top of Aragorn, both screaming, 'Get off my brother!' Erestor was covering Legolas by throwing them back at Elladan and Elrohir, his legendary aim always true.
In the midst of the confusion, Elrond was watching the playful wrestle between Aragorn and Legolas. Arwen silently made her own snowball, carefully lined up her aim, and threw. The snowball nailed Elrond right in the face. Elladan and Elrohir laughed at the priceless expression on their fathers' face. Elrond initially looked stern, and for a moment Arwen had thought she had hurt or aggravated him. She wasn't expecting the snowball sailing at her, but she ducked it anyway. She laughed and threw one back.
Even though he was copping snowballs from Erestor and Glorfindel, Aragorn had pinned Legolas down and was straddling him. Legolas was half laughing, half pleading with him to get off. Aragorn smiled devilishly at him and held his tunic open with one hand and used the other to stuff snow down it, onto his bare chest. Legolas cried out involuntarily from the cold and Aragorn stood up, feeling his work was done. His brothers were cheering him on, but he wasn't expecting what happened next.
Legolas got up and crash-tackled him, forcing him down on his stomach. As quick as lightning, Legolas had shoved snow down the back of Aragorn's pants.
'Legolas!'
Aragorn got up and ran off. Well, more like waddled, due to the sheer amount of ice sticking to his backside and running down his legs. Aragorn ran back to the main house for a change of clothes and swearing revenge.
Gandalf thought he'd better stop the silliness. He stood in the middle of the no-man's-land with arms raised to stop the snowballs. Elladan thought it would be amusing to hit him with a snowball from behind, but Gandalf was one step ahead. With one wave of his staff, Gandalf sent the snowball hurtling back into Elladan's very surprised face.
'Come on, all, back inside now. Peredhil, you'll catch your death in those wet clothes.'
Elrond smiled, knowing Gandalf was jesting. Suddenly, he thought of Aragorn.
Eru, what if he gets a cold from this? That's certainly not the best way to start any Quest.
'Come on, all, inside,' ushered Gandalf. 'Put on a change of clothes and go sit by the fire in Elrond's study, that's it, come on.'
Glorfindel smiled. 'Mithrandir, we're not Elflings.'
'Oh really, dear Glorfindel? You could have fooled me. Inside.'
Aragorn came running from a different entrance in dry clothes, not realising they had all gone. As approached the corner, he let out a huge battle cry and came prepared to throw his mighty snowball when he realised it was deserted.
'Oh.'
He dropped his snowball and followed the footprints. Shame. It was a nice snowball.
Aragorn found his back to Elrond's study, where everyone was thawing out by the fire. The sun was starting to set and the chilly winds had a nasty bite to them. Elrond was idly chewing on some herbs to dull his headache, while Legolas sat by the fire with a blanket around him, Arwen rubbing his shoulders to warm them up.
'Oh for Eru's sake, Legolas, you're an Elf, you don't get that cold.'
'On the contrary, Dúnadan, I'm freezing.'
'Spare me. If I'm unable to father children after this, it's all your fault.'
Elrond spat the herbs out discreetly. 'Estel, that's enough.'
Aragorn smiled. 'I'm just jesting.'
Glorfindel looked upon everyone who was gathered in the study. 'Well, children, did we all enjoy ourselves?'
'Who're you calling a child?' Elrond looked most annoyed.
'Well, Elrond, I am older than any of you here.'
Gandalf subtly cleared his throat.
'Well, except you, Mithrandir. But anyway, did we have a good time?'
The three who did not know of these proceedings, Elladan, Elrohir and Arwen, all vigorously nodded.
'Very much so,' replied Elladan.
'Thank you, Ada,' Arwen quickly added.
'Don't thank me, iell melui, it was Glorfindel and Erestor's idea. Mithrandir, Estel and I merely helped deceive you.'
Elrohir smiled. 'The only time I've ever liked being deceived. It was just like old times, Ada.'
Elrond knew what his son meant by old times - the days when Celebrían was still here. When Midwinter festival was still filled with happiness and joy. Not that they weren't nowadays, of course, but the joy was diminished ever since Celebrían left all those years ago - 500 years, a small time to Elves, but five lifetimes of Men. Elrond could not wait till he could see her again, to spend another Midwinter again as a family. But if his daughter would not come - it did not bear thinking about. Elrond shook the thoughts out of his head when he saw the joy of the day's proceedings in his loved one's faces, even if Elladan and Elrohir were nursing headaches and bruises and Legolas and Aragorn were freezing and slightly annoyed from their snow wrestling. While they were getting changed, Gandalf has cleared the feast table and got everything ready for the cooks to tidy up the next day. Also, he made a steaming pot of hot cocoa for everyone to be warmed by, and he brought the mugs in while they were talking.
'Oh, Mithrandir, I bow at your feet,' Legolas said, gratefully taking his mug from Gandalf's tray. Gandalf was clearly amused. 'Just a simple thank you will do, Prince Greenleaf.'
Elrond looked sidelong at Gandalf. 'Are you completely sure your crafts do not extend to the mind?'
Gandalf chuckled. 'I have lived a long time and seen many things, Master Elrond. I know when a bunch of Elves need cocoa.'
Glorfindel and Erestor got to their feet and raised their mugs. 'As the perpetrators of this most ingenious plan, Glorfindel and I would like to say something,' began Erestor.
Glorfindel cleared his throat. 'Well, my dear friends, my family. This plan was hatched between myself and Erestor to merely show our gratitude towards our great friend and host, Master Elrond. Being with him ever since the beginning of the founding of this realm was difficult, to say the least, but not for the reasons you may think. It all began with his marriage to fair lady Celebrían, whose continual mischief ensured that not much work was done,' he chuckled. 'But she was a welcome distraction, and we both miss her dearly. And then it all got worse with the birth of these two vagabonds!'
Elladan and Elrohir looked at each other proudly. Glorfindel grinned as he saw them do so. 'Having these two around was not an easy task. Between pranks, scrapes, accidents, fights, tears, laughter, torn documents, ruined clothes and frazzled advisors, it was living hell.' Glorfindel's smile was broad. 'But we wouldn't have changed a minute of it. It was an arduous task, but you two grew into two of the finest Elves I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. And since I've met a lot of fine Elves, that's a high compliment indeed!'
Elrohir and Elladan grinned back and raised their mugs in reply.
'And then it got better,' Glorfindel continued. 'Finally the twins were fully grown, and the little girl was born.' Arwen looked slightly insulted at being referred to as 'the little girl', but she still smiled lovingly at Glorfindel. 'True to her name, she was our princess. She was the most beautiful, sweet little Elfling, but we did not know for some time what she would become, our Evenstar. The elanor bloomed in Lothlórien to welcome her, and her grandfather first noticed that she was Lúthien come again. Her birth was mixed with sadness, for the Evenstar heralds nightfall - the last-born of Middle-earth, the end of the Golden Age of the Elves. But our Evenstar had a mischievous streak, no doubt influenced by her brothers. Whereas they took after their father, right down to the pranks,' at this point Elrond affected an innocent look, 'Arwen took after the loveliness and intense patience of her mother, and for that I am glad, for I could not handle another one like the twins!'
Everyone laughed, and Glorfindel's love-filled glance turned to Aragorn, much to his surprise.
'And then Estel arrived in tragic circumstances, and everyone loved him. The joy of children had not been known to us since Arwen, so everyone flocked to play with and help raise Estel. He was the most cheerful, chubby, gorgeous little child, with an inquisitiveness that was matched by none. But I have never seen a messier child in all of my years. In the end, I am glad he came to us. He was the light in some very dark days for us, and he lived up to his name. He was Hope for all of us.'
Aragorn bowed his head and placed his hand on his heart. Glorfindel did the same. Erestor again spoke.
'So, in conclusion, the reason why we held this celebration was to show you all how thankful we were that we were able to share these years with you, and to show you how much we love you. Some of us are about to part forever, and we could not stand by and let these words forever remain unsaid.' Erestor raised his mug, and everyone did the same. 'To Imladris. The place of many happy and sad moments, the beautiful place we call home.'
'To Imladris,' everyone murmured, taking a sip. Elrond applauded loudest.
'Very well said, my friends. But I must thank Mithrandir, the only constant in this chaos.'
Gandalf's eyes twinkled. 'It's quite all right, Master Elrond.'
'And Legolas!' Elrond exclaimed. 'Bless me, it's his begetting day and we've been leaving him out nearly all day.'
'No, it's fine, Master Elrond. Thank you, you made me feel loved when I am far away from home.'
Elrond smiled. 'It's the least I can do for the best friend and companion my sons ever had.'
Arwen was sitting on the floor, watching this with tears in her eyes. She stood up and embraced Glorfindel, tears running down her cheeks. She would miss him almost as much as her father and brothers when he departed to Valinor as well.
Glorfindel drew back and wiped her tears. 'No tears, Undómiel. Not yet. Just laughs and smiles. Keep these memories forever.' He kissed her brow.
'I will, Glorfy. I promise.'
The party spent the rest of the night in Elrond's study in various ways. Elrond, true to his nature, started recording the events of this day for his children. Erestor, quite a talented harpist, played a tune and Elladan and Elrohir started dancing, eventually joined by Arwen, Aragorn and Legolas. Glorfindel and Gandalf provided the percussion by clapping, their hearts warmed by the happiness of the younger Elves and the token mortal. Looks full of unspoken knowledge were exchanged among the elders, most notably Glorfindel and Elrond, whose history and love ran deep. Elrond could not bear the face the next few days, when Aragorn, Legolas and Gandalf were due to depart. He did not want to leave Endor, but he had to lead his people to Valinor. But he knew that when he got there, he would look upon this day as one of the happiest of his life. If only Cel were here to see this.
------------------------------------------
Iell melui - Beloved daughter
Elrond looked confused. ''Stor? 'Dan? 'Ro?'
'They're all here, Elrond, don't worry,' Glorfindel reassured him.
Gandalf looked at Glorfindel and spoke quietly. 'Stay here, I'll go and get the tarias potion.'
Glorfindel smiled gratefully. 'Thank you, Mithrandir.'
The potion Gandalf spoke of was a special tonic Elrond kept on hand. Its effect was so potent that even the drunkest Elf was sober within half an hour. Only Gandalf knew what it was made from - basically, it was pure caffeine extracted from coffee beans.
Glorfindel looked over to the sleeping twins on the lounge next to his charge, who was quietly mumbling to himself. He smiled fondly - they slept curled up next to each other, their ebony hair so mingled it was hard to tell where it ended and began. They were so alike it was hard to tell them apart, so close they could never be separated. Glorfindel knew that whatever choice they made, which was coming very soon, they would make together. He knew Elrond still carried grief for his brother and he wished that Elros had chosen the life of the Eldar. Glorfindel knew in his heart that Elladan and Elrohir would either choose to live forever or eventually die together.
Erestor also looked on, watching Glorfindel's face as he observed the sleeping twins. Another piece of unspoken knowledge - Glorfindel loved all of Elrond's children as his own. Erestor cared very much for the children as well, although this was not always the case when they were growing up. Elrohir and Elladan hated Erestor's stiffness, as he was not used to children, so he was the constant subject of pranks. This was also the catalyst for many fights between Glorfindel and Erestor. Erestor had no idea why Elrond had chosen two dramatically different people to be his advisors when there was constant friction between them due to their clashing personalities. It all changed when Arwen was born, though. Elladan and Elrohir were fully grown (although in some ways not fully mature) and Erestor loosened up finally. He adored Arwen, as did many people, and he and Glorfindel became great friends.
Aragorn and Legolas, watching quietly in awe of the situation before them, just exchanged blank looks. Even though Aragorn grew up in this house, and Legolas had known Elrond for many thousands of years, they were still at a loss to understand what the Imladris Elves were doing. They shared a secret giggle as Gandalf came back bearing a bottle and a teaspoon.
'You doing, 'Thrandir?' Elrond groggily asked as Glorfindel helped prop him up.
'Just open your mouth for me, Master Elrond.' Gandalf poured a dollop of thick brown-black liquid on the spoon and popped it in Elrond's mouth. Judging from the look on his face, it wasn't the most pleasant-tasting mixture, but it seemed to do the job. Elrond closed his eyes and lightly dozed off.
Arwen was standing over this whole mess, arms folded, looking both stern and embarrassed. Gandalf had seen that pose many times before, but only on Celebrían. Arwen took a lot of her dark looks from her father, but her mannerisms and stance were an exact replica of her mother's. She looked at her father and brothers in drunken snoozes on the lounges and shook her head. Ageless, dignified Elves, raised in the highest courts on Endor, exhibiting behaviour such as this! She could only think of what her daeradar and daernaneth would say if they were here now. Daernaneth would be horrified. Daeradar would pretend to be horrified but there would be a twinkle in his eyes to show how funny he would think the situation was.
Aragorn stood beside her. 'Come on, meleth nin, it's not that bad. They just had a good time, a rare thing to be found in these dark times.'
Arwen sighed. 'I suppose you're right. It's just, I've never seen Ada like this before, drunken, silly, very unlike him. Usually he's the one frowning upon us. And now he's sprawled out like this...' He was indeed sprawled, his head lolling to the side, snoring quite loudly. Arwen started to titter, and then burst out in giggles. She looked at Aragorn as she did so, her face and eyes lit up with a huge smile. It warmed his heart to see Arwen smile like that, even for that moment. Lately she had been so grave.
Everyone sat down and made themselves comfortable, talking quietly, waiting for the master of the house and his sons to awaken. Eventually slight groans started to emanate from Elrond's prostrate form. He sat up slowly, Glorfindel assisting him. He looked at Glorfindel, bleary-eyed.
'What happened to me, Glor? Did I get hit over the hit with a wine barrel?'
Glorfindel smiled. 'No, my lord. You just had a bit too much of the Dorwinion.'
'Oh, Eru, why didn't you stop me? You know what I'm like.' Elrond was hunched over, holding his head, and then he noticed his slightly snoring sons.
'Let me guess, they got hit over the head with a wine barrel too?'
Erestor grinned. 'You could say that. Can you stand?'
Elrond nodded, and Glorfindel and Erestor held his arms as he stood, keeping him steady. Elrond looked up to see Gandalf standing before him.
'Mithrandir, you didn't give me the tarias, did you? No wonder my mouth feels like the bottom of the aviary.'
Gandalf smiled mischievously. 'I could not let my gracious host miss his own feast! Master Elrond, you've reached a new record. Drunk before sunset. Now come, outside, into the snow. I have a feeling that could soothe your aching head.'
'What about the boys?'
'Leave them there,' Arwen said. 'They can sleep it off. Serves them right for stuffing their faces.'
'Arwen!' Elrond exclaimed. 'That isn't very Midwinter-like.'
Arwen stood with her arms crossed again, staring at her father in her Celebrían-like way. Eventually, he nodded and indicated for everyone to come outside, leaving Elladan and Elrohir to sleep.
They took a slow walk, the snow crunching under their feet, coming thick and fast, but nothing to worry about. The staff had cleared a path that morning, leaving a large bank on either side of the stone paths the guests walked down. As they walked across the main square, Glorfindel let out a mighty cry of pain and surprise. Everyone turned around sharply.
'What is it, Glor?' Elrond asked.
Glorfindel reached around to his back and his hand came away wet. 'A snowball, it seems.'
He looked to his right, which is where it seemed to have come from. This time, a snowball hit him right in the face. Two ebony heads popped over the bank, laughing loudly. They ducked again quickly as Glorfindel threw a snowball at them. Suddenly, it was a free-for-all.
Gandalf wisely ducked out of the way. Aragorn and Arwen took cover with Elladan and Elrohir. Glorfindel and Erestor dove behind the opposing bank, taking Elrond with them. Legolas stood for a second, trying to decide what side to take. He decided to take the lords' side, to even up numbers. Elrond's children were most offended.
'Legolas!' shouted Aragorn. 'You traitor!'
Legolas popped his head up to scream back but he was hit with a particularly vicious snowball.
'This means war,' he said quietly to himself.
He gathered a snowball and silently crept over, out of sight to all. He sneaked up on Aragorn. Arwen saw him but said nothing, seeing what Legolas was about to do. Legolas gave her a big grin, grabbed Aragorn's collar, and shoved the snowball down his back. Aragorn screamed, arching his back to get rid of the snow, arms flailing wildly, flicking snow into Legolas' eyes. Elladan kept flinging snowballs at Glorfindel as Elrohir leaned against the bank, laughing hard at watching Aragorn's eyes widen and his wild squirming. Aragorn quickly hit Legolas with a snowball, Legolas responding by pouncing him, tipping him over the bank, wrestling in the no-man's-land between the banks. Gandalf watched this, pipe in hand, laughing. Elladan and Elrohir were whipping snowballs at Legolas, who was on top of Aragorn, both screaming, 'Get off my brother!' Erestor was covering Legolas by throwing them back at Elladan and Elrohir, his legendary aim always true.
In the midst of the confusion, Elrond was watching the playful wrestle between Aragorn and Legolas. Arwen silently made her own snowball, carefully lined up her aim, and threw. The snowball nailed Elrond right in the face. Elladan and Elrohir laughed at the priceless expression on their fathers' face. Elrond initially looked stern, and for a moment Arwen had thought she had hurt or aggravated him. She wasn't expecting the snowball sailing at her, but she ducked it anyway. She laughed and threw one back.
Even though he was copping snowballs from Erestor and Glorfindel, Aragorn had pinned Legolas down and was straddling him. Legolas was half laughing, half pleading with him to get off. Aragorn smiled devilishly at him and held his tunic open with one hand and used the other to stuff snow down it, onto his bare chest. Legolas cried out involuntarily from the cold and Aragorn stood up, feeling his work was done. His brothers were cheering him on, but he wasn't expecting what happened next.
Legolas got up and crash-tackled him, forcing him down on his stomach. As quick as lightning, Legolas had shoved snow down the back of Aragorn's pants.
'Legolas!'
Aragorn got up and ran off. Well, more like waddled, due to the sheer amount of ice sticking to his backside and running down his legs. Aragorn ran back to the main house for a change of clothes and swearing revenge.
Gandalf thought he'd better stop the silliness. He stood in the middle of the no-man's-land with arms raised to stop the snowballs. Elladan thought it would be amusing to hit him with a snowball from behind, but Gandalf was one step ahead. With one wave of his staff, Gandalf sent the snowball hurtling back into Elladan's very surprised face.
'Come on, all, back inside now. Peredhil, you'll catch your death in those wet clothes.'
Elrond smiled, knowing Gandalf was jesting. Suddenly, he thought of Aragorn.
Eru, what if he gets a cold from this? That's certainly not the best way to start any Quest.
'Come on, all, inside,' ushered Gandalf. 'Put on a change of clothes and go sit by the fire in Elrond's study, that's it, come on.'
Glorfindel smiled. 'Mithrandir, we're not Elflings.'
'Oh really, dear Glorfindel? You could have fooled me. Inside.'
Aragorn came running from a different entrance in dry clothes, not realising they had all gone. As approached the corner, he let out a huge battle cry and came prepared to throw his mighty snowball when he realised it was deserted.
'Oh.'
He dropped his snowball and followed the footprints. Shame. It was a nice snowball.
Aragorn found his back to Elrond's study, where everyone was thawing out by the fire. The sun was starting to set and the chilly winds had a nasty bite to them. Elrond was idly chewing on some herbs to dull his headache, while Legolas sat by the fire with a blanket around him, Arwen rubbing his shoulders to warm them up.
'Oh for Eru's sake, Legolas, you're an Elf, you don't get that cold.'
'On the contrary, Dúnadan, I'm freezing.'
'Spare me. If I'm unable to father children after this, it's all your fault.'
Elrond spat the herbs out discreetly. 'Estel, that's enough.'
Aragorn smiled. 'I'm just jesting.'
Glorfindel looked upon everyone who was gathered in the study. 'Well, children, did we all enjoy ourselves?'
'Who're you calling a child?' Elrond looked most annoyed.
'Well, Elrond, I am older than any of you here.'
Gandalf subtly cleared his throat.
'Well, except you, Mithrandir. But anyway, did we have a good time?'
The three who did not know of these proceedings, Elladan, Elrohir and Arwen, all vigorously nodded.
'Very much so,' replied Elladan.
'Thank you, Ada,' Arwen quickly added.
'Don't thank me, iell melui, it was Glorfindel and Erestor's idea. Mithrandir, Estel and I merely helped deceive you.'
Elrohir smiled. 'The only time I've ever liked being deceived. It was just like old times, Ada.'
Elrond knew what his son meant by old times - the days when Celebrían was still here. When Midwinter festival was still filled with happiness and joy. Not that they weren't nowadays, of course, but the joy was diminished ever since Celebrían left all those years ago - 500 years, a small time to Elves, but five lifetimes of Men. Elrond could not wait till he could see her again, to spend another Midwinter again as a family. But if his daughter would not come - it did not bear thinking about. Elrond shook the thoughts out of his head when he saw the joy of the day's proceedings in his loved one's faces, even if Elladan and Elrohir were nursing headaches and bruises and Legolas and Aragorn were freezing and slightly annoyed from their snow wrestling. While they were getting changed, Gandalf has cleared the feast table and got everything ready for the cooks to tidy up the next day. Also, he made a steaming pot of hot cocoa for everyone to be warmed by, and he brought the mugs in while they were talking.
'Oh, Mithrandir, I bow at your feet,' Legolas said, gratefully taking his mug from Gandalf's tray. Gandalf was clearly amused. 'Just a simple thank you will do, Prince Greenleaf.'
Elrond looked sidelong at Gandalf. 'Are you completely sure your crafts do not extend to the mind?'
Gandalf chuckled. 'I have lived a long time and seen many things, Master Elrond. I know when a bunch of Elves need cocoa.'
Glorfindel and Erestor got to their feet and raised their mugs. 'As the perpetrators of this most ingenious plan, Glorfindel and I would like to say something,' began Erestor.
Glorfindel cleared his throat. 'Well, my dear friends, my family. This plan was hatched between myself and Erestor to merely show our gratitude towards our great friend and host, Master Elrond. Being with him ever since the beginning of the founding of this realm was difficult, to say the least, but not for the reasons you may think. It all began with his marriage to fair lady Celebrían, whose continual mischief ensured that not much work was done,' he chuckled. 'But she was a welcome distraction, and we both miss her dearly. And then it all got worse with the birth of these two vagabonds!'
Elladan and Elrohir looked at each other proudly. Glorfindel grinned as he saw them do so. 'Having these two around was not an easy task. Between pranks, scrapes, accidents, fights, tears, laughter, torn documents, ruined clothes and frazzled advisors, it was living hell.' Glorfindel's smile was broad. 'But we wouldn't have changed a minute of it. It was an arduous task, but you two grew into two of the finest Elves I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. And since I've met a lot of fine Elves, that's a high compliment indeed!'
Elrohir and Elladan grinned back and raised their mugs in reply.
'And then it got better,' Glorfindel continued. 'Finally the twins were fully grown, and the little girl was born.' Arwen looked slightly insulted at being referred to as 'the little girl', but she still smiled lovingly at Glorfindel. 'True to her name, she was our princess. She was the most beautiful, sweet little Elfling, but we did not know for some time what she would become, our Evenstar. The elanor bloomed in Lothlórien to welcome her, and her grandfather first noticed that she was Lúthien come again. Her birth was mixed with sadness, for the Evenstar heralds nightfall - the last-born of Middle-earth, the end of the Golden Age of the Elves. But our Evenstar had a mischievous streak, no doubt influenced by her brothers. Whereas they took after their father, right down to the pranks,' at this point Elrond affected an innocent look, 'Arwen took after the loveliness and intense patience of her mother, and for that I am glad, for I could not handle another one like the twins!'
Everyone laughed, and Glorfindel's love-filled glance turned to Aragorn, much to his surprise.
'And then Estel arrived in tragic circumstances, and everyone loved him. The joy of children had not been known to us since Arwen, so everyone flocked to play with and help raise Estel. He was the most cheerful, chubby, gorgeous little child, with an inquisitiveness that was matched by none. But I have never seen a messier child in all of my years. In the end, I am glad he came to us. He was the light in some very dark days for us, and he lived up to his name. He was Hope for all of us.'
Aragorn bowed his head and placed his hand on his heart. Glorfindel did the same. Erestor again spoke.
'So, in conclusion, the reason why we held this celebration was to show you all how thankful we were that we were able to share these years with you, and to show you how much we love you. Some of us are about to part forever, and we could not stand by and let these words forever remain unsaid.' Erestor raised his mug, and everyone did the same. 'To Imladris. The place of many happy and sad moments, the beautiful place we call home.'
'To Imladris,' everyone murmured, taking a sip. Elrond applauded loudest.
'Very well said, my friends. But I must thank Mithrandir, the only constant in this chaos.'
Gandalf's eyes twinkled. 'It's quite all right, Master Elrond.'
'And Legolas!' Elrond exclaimed. 'Bless me, it's his begetting day and we've been leaving him out nearly all day.'
'No, it's fine, Master Elrond. Thank you, you made me feel loved when I am far away from home.'
Elrond smiled. 'It's the least I can do for the best friend and companion my sons ever had.'
Arwen was sitting on the floor, watching this with tears in her eyes. She stood up and embraced Glorfindel, tears running down her cheeks. She would miss him almost as much as her father and brothers when he departed to Valinor as well.
Glorfindel drew back and wiped her tears. 'No tears, Undómiel. Not yet. Just laughs and smiles. Keep these memories forever.' He kissed her brow.
'I will, Glorfy. I promise.'
The party spent the rest of the night in Elrond's study in various ways. Elrond, true to his nature, started recording the events of this day for his children. Erestor, quite a talented harpist, played a tune and Elladan and Elrohir started dancing, eventually joined by Arwen, Aragorn and Legolas. Glorfindel and Gandalf provided the percussion by clapping, their hearts warmed by the happiness of the younger Elves and the token mortal. Looks full of unspoken knowledge were exchanged among the elders, most notably Glorfindel and Elrond, whose history and love ran deep. Elrond could not bear the face the next few days, when Aragorn, Legolas and Gandalf were due to depart. He did not want to leave Endor, but he had to lead his people to Valinor. But he knew that when he got there, he would look upon this day as one of the happiest of his life. If only Cel were here to see this.
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Iell melui - Beloved daughter