Title: Gifts
Series: Elf Children Series
Author: Mayetra
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Tolkien characters belong to the Tolkien Estate. Original characters belong to me. No profit is made from this story.
Timeline: AU after Cry Havoc...
Archive: Tortured Scribes; Elf Lore; Haldir Lives
Author's Note: Since these are tales for my son, I have taken poetic license with Tolkien's canon for the purposes of plot. This fic is also part of a Holiday Challenge on the Tortured Scribes.
Summary: Orophin learns that it is not the gift, but the thought that counts.
27 Hrívë 170 T.A. – Caras Galadon, Lórien
The Rhîw festival was a week away and Orophin could barely contain his excitement. Strolling down the path toward the clubhouse, he spied a small rock nestled next to the base of a bush. Stopping to pick it up, he took a moment to study it. It was small and a slightly pinkish tint.
"Look, Hwest!" Orophin exclaimed as he rolled the tiny stone in his palm. "If you turn it just right it looks like a little heart. This will be perfect for Lady Galadriel's necklace. There is a hole already at the top of the stone. Haldir will be pleased!"
Happy with his find, the young Elfling stuffed the stone into his pocket and continued on his way. He was almost at the clubhouse when his sharp eyes caught a flash of blue fluttering on the wind. Upon closer examination, he realized that it was a blue jay feather.
"This will be perfect for Lord Celeborn's arrows," he gushed to his little black stuffed cat. Orophin could hardly believe he had the good fortune to have such wonderful treasures. He carefully tucked the feather into his tunic, before hurrying the last few paces to the clubhouse ladder. He couldn't wait to show Haldir and Rúmil what he had found.
Haldir sat hunched over at the round table performing the tedious task of stringing tiny beads onto thread-thin strands of gold. He merely grunted when Orophin came bursting into the main room chattering excitedly at him. He was busy trying to make sure he didn't lose his count. If he missed so much as one bead, the necklace pattern would be ruined.
"Haldir, look at what I found!" Orophin gushed as he ran up to his eldest brother, with the tiny stone in his hand. "It is a heart for Lady Galadriel's necklace."
Haldir reached a stopping place and glanced over at the rock in his brother's hand. "That is a nice... heart, Orophin, but I do not think it would look good on the necklace."
Orophin tried to keep the hurt from his face. "But I found it and I want to help with Lady Galadriel's necklace."
Haldir chuckled and reached over to ruffle his youngest brother's blonde hair. "Do not fret, Orophin. Just because you are not working on the necklace does not mean your name will not appear on the gift. You run along and play now, I have a lot of work to do if I am to finish the necklace before the Rhîw festival."
Before Orophin could respond, Haldir turned his attention back to the necklace, dismissing his youngest brother from his mind. The young Elfling turned with slightly drooping shoulders and walked to the side balcony where Rúmil was working on Lord Celeborn's arrows.
Rúmil was carefully sorting the snow white feathers that he would use on the arrows he was making. He wanted to make sure that he only chose the best ones. He barely spared his youngest brother a glance when Orophin moved to stand next to him.
"Rúmil, look at the pretty blue feather I found for Lord Celeborn's arrows." Orophin proudly displayed his find. It was only slightly rumpled from being stuffed into the young Elfling's tunic.
Rúmil didn't even bother to look at Orophin's offering. "That is nice, Orophin, but the fletching for the arrows will be white."
"But I wanted to help too," Orophin protested.
Rúmil sighed. "You are too little to help, Orophin. Do not worry; I will put your name on the gift too. You should go play so I can finish the arrows."
Orophin shuffled from the balcony, crossed the main room of the clubhouse and out the front door. He carefully put the feather back in his tunic along with Hwest and climbed down the ladder. It was not fair. Haldir was making their gift to Lady Galadriel and Rúmil the one for Lord Celeborn. They would not let him help at all. He wanted desperately to be a part of the gift making.
"What was that, Hwest?" Orophin asked his stuffed kitty as he pulled him free of his tunic.
There was a moment of silence as the stuffed cat seemingly repeated whatever he had said, though Orophin was the only one who could 'hear' him.
"That is a great idea, Hwest!" Orophin exclaimed. "You and I shall make our own presents for Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel!"
Orophin studied the rooster as it strutted about the fenced meadow. The bird's tail feathers were a glorious mix of shining blue and green. The young Elfling had to have one of them for the arrow he was making Lord Celeborn.
Creeping slowly out from behind the hen house, Orophin made his way stealthily towards the bird. He was just about to grab the rooster when it turned its head and looked right at him. For a moment, the two stared at each other.
Then, the chase was on. The rooster was off in a flurry of flapping wings, Orophin hot on his heels. The bird crowed his protests and ran right for the gaggle of chickens on the other side of the meadow. The hens scattered in frightened confusion. Some ran with the rooster, while others made short- lived flights into the air. All of them clucking and screeching shattering the tranquil peace of the small glade.
Orophin ran as fast as his little legs would carry him, over the feeder, around the yard in a dizzying path of lefts and rights. Twice, he followed the rooster through the small doorway that led inside the hen house, only to have his prey escape him through an open window.
The young Elfling was red faced and panting from his exertions when he finally made a leaping dive towards the bird. The ground was hard as he slammed into it. His hand reached out wildly and managed to wrap around a few of the tail feathers. He jerked hard and was rewarded for his efforts when two feathers pulled free.
With a squawk of indignant pain, the rooster turned on the young Elfling and began to attack. Orophin screamed as the bird's sharp claws dug into his shoulder. This scream was followed by shrieks of pain as the rooster began to ruthlessly peck his back and head.
Orophin reached back awkwardly with his free hand trying to dislodge the beast only to have his hand savagely torn into by the bird's sharp beak. "Hwest! Get help," he screamed to his best friend, who was watching the entire scene from the other side of the fence.
As suddenly as the attack begun, it stopped. The rooster walked off with as much dignity as his mangled tail feathers would allow. Orophin got to his feet and scrambled to the gate, his prize still clutched in his hand. Pausing a moment to retrieve Hwest, he made his way back to the main part of the city.
The night the Elves of Lórien presented their Rhîw gifts to their Lord and Lady was at hand and Orophin could barely contain his excitement. He had worked extra hard to make sure his gifts were perfect. He had lovingly wrapped each gift with scraps of fabric and ribbon, even though his hand was heavily bandaged.
The Lady Galadriel had been very upset when she saw his injuries when he finally arrived back at the Royal Talan after chasing down the rooster. He barely had time to hide the feathers in his pouch before she snatched him off his feet. The gentle lady had tenderly cared for his wounds and wiped away his tears, her words a mix of comfort and admonishment for chasing the rooster. Unable to lie outright to his guardian, Orophin had opted for a half-truth, leaving off the bit about ripping feathers out of the poor bird's behind.
The unwrapping of the presents had begun and Orophin watched as each gift was unveiled. The beauty and craftsmanship of the items were without compare, beautiful goblets of etched silver, hand embroidered robes of various colors, and intricate pieces of jewelry. Lord Celeborn has been presented with a beautiful dagger and several bundles of arrows for his bow.
Orophin suddenly didn't feel so happy anymore as he thought of his gifts. Their wrappings, which he had been so proud of minutes earlier, now seemed an eyesore sitting amid the pristine wrappings of the other gifts.
He thought of the single arrow he had made Lord Celeborn. The shaft has a slight bent to it because the Armory Master has refused to let him select from the ones reserved for the wardens. Orophin had to make his selection from a basket of discarded ones. The feathers on the end of the shaft were not the neat, straight white topping the ones at Lord Celeborn's feet, but a riot of color and uneven. The young Elfling had scoured all of Caras Galadhon for stray feathers. Aside from the blue one he has found first, he had collected four red ones, two brown, a handful of white ones from the ducks that lived in the pond near the Lady's garden, and the two prized rooster feathers.
The unwrapping of gifts continued, and he watched as Lady Galadriel pulled a necklace of exceptional work from the folds of cloth. It was comprised of tiny seed pearls strung along a thin strand of silver. Orophin had used fishing line to hold together the necklace he had made. He thought now of the four mismatched beads he had gotten from Lady Celebrían. The rest of the beads he had made himself from clay. What before had looked like beautiful balls, he now realized were misshapen clumps. He had even painted each bead a different color so the necklace would resemble a rainbow. The heart shaped stone hanging in the center of the piece.
Orophin looked around at those present as they exclaimed over the beauty of the gifts the Lord and Lady had already received. What would they think of his gifts? He just knew they would laugh. His heart sunk lower and lower in his chest. He wanted to cry. Why couldn't he be satisfied with allowing Haldir and Rúmil to add his name to the gifts they had made?
The young Elfling slipped from the crowd and fled the glade in a haze of tears. He had just wanted to make something nice for his guardians and instead, he had brought shame upon himself with the ugly things he had given them. He continued to run until he reached his favorite spot in Lord Celeborn's garden. He sat under the low flowering bush, buried his face into Hwest, and cried.
Thirty minutes later, Orophin was completely lost in misery. His sobs had trailed off to a few sniffles and the occasional hitch of his chest. He was too ashamed to return to the party. He didn't even think he could stand to face the Lord and Lady ever again. He wondered if Haldir and the rest of the gang would let him and Hwest move into the clubhouse.
He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt someone gently brush a few stray hairs back from his face and tuck them behind his little pointed ear. He looked over with a gasp to find the Lady Galadriel sitting on the grass next to him. She had a worried expression on her face and to his horror, she was wearing the necklace he had made her. He quickly averted his eyes back to Hwest, who was trying to maintain his cat dignity despite the fact his fur was mussed from Orophin's tears.
"Why are you crying, Orophin?" Galadriel asked tenderly. "Do your wounds pain you still?"
"N-Nay, my lady," Orophin replied in a soft whisper.
"Has Haldir been picking on you again?" Her tone held an underlying note of steel.
"Nay, my lady." This reply was quieter if it were possible.
"Then why the tears, my sweet?"
Orophin hung his head. "I feel ashamed, my lady."
"For what, Orophin?"
"The gifts, my lady." Orophin risked a look over at the necklace about her neck. "I am sorry..." The rest of his apology was lost amid fresh sobs.
"Oh, my sweet little Elfling," Galadriel cooed as she pulled Orophin into her lap. "You have nothing to be sorry for, your gifts were the best kind."
Orophin looked up at her, fat tears sliding down his face. "How can you say that, my lady? I saw the other gifts you received, they were beautiful."
Galadriel smiled gently at him. She wiped the tears from his face and placed a kiss upon his forehead. "Your gifts were made by your own hand, Orophin and from your heart. It is not the worth or grandeur of the gift, little one, but the love and thought that goes into its creation."
Orophin searched her face for any deception, though he knew the Lady would never lie to him. "D-Do you m-mean that, my lady?"
"Yes, Orophin," She touched the heart shaped stone on the necklace she was wearing. "This necklace is just as precious to me as the richest gift I received tonight. Of all the necklaces I received this evening, I think this one is the prettiest."
Orophin beamed under her praise. "I found the stone and made most of the beads all by myself."
Galadriel smiled. She turned one of the fat clay beads so that little Elfling could look at it. Clearly seen on the surface of the bead was one of Orophin's tiny fingerprints preserved for eternity. "Every time I look at this bead, I will remember you and how hard you worked on this gift."
The young Elfling smiled with pleasure at her words.
"Now, I know Lord Celeborn was rather disappointed you were not there when he opened his gift. He was very pleased with the arrow and wished to thank you. Perhaps we should return to the festivities, so that he can tell you how much he liked it. "
"Yes, my lady."
"But first, I want a hug." Galadriel wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a tight embrace. "Thank you, Orophin, for the lovely necklace."
"You are welcome, my lady," came the muffled reply.
Galadriel released him and Orophin stood up. He reached down and helped his lady to her feet, though in truth, she stood on her own power. It was with great pride that he escorted her back to the festival.
The End
27 Hrívë – Elvish date for 17 December Hwest – Sindarin word meaning Puff Rhîw – Winter
Series: Elf Children Series
Author: Mayetra
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Tolkien characters belong to the Tolkien Estate. Original characters belong to me. No profit is made from this story.
Timeline: AU after Cry Havoc...
Archive: Tortured Scribes; Elf Lore; Haldir Lives
Author's Note: Since these are tales for my son, I have taken poetic license with Tolkien's canon for the purposes of plot. This fic is also part of a Holiday Challenge on the Tortured Scribes.
Summary: Orophin learns that it is not the gift, but the thought that counts.
27 Hrívë 170 T.A. – Caras Galadon, Lórien
The Rhîw festival was a week away and Orophin could barely contain his excitement. Strolling down the path toward the clubhouse, he spied a small rock nestled next to the base of a bush. Stopping to pick it up, he took a moment to study it. It was small and a slightly pinkish tint.
"Look, Hwest!" Orophin exclaimed as he rolled the tiny stone in his palm. "If you turn it just right it looks like a little heart. This will be perfect for Lady Galadriel's necklace. There is a hole already at the top of the stone. Haldir will be pleased!"
Happy with his find, the young Elfling stuffed the stone into his pocket and continued on his way. He was almost at the clubhouse when his sharp eyes caught a flash of blue fluttering on the wind. Upon closer examination, he realized that it was a blue jay feather.
"This will be perfect for Lord Celeborn's arrows," he gushed to his little black stuffed cat. Orophin could hardly believe he had the good fortune to have such wonderful treasures. He carefully tucked the feather into his tunic, before hurrying the last few paces to the clubhouse ladder. He couldn't wait to show Haldir and Rúmil what he had found.
Haldir sat hunched over at the round table performing the tedious task of stringing tiny beads onto thread-thin strands of gold. He merely grunted when Orophin came bursting into the main room chattering excitedly at him. He was busy trying to make sure he didn't lose his count. If he missed so much as one bead, the necklace pattern would be ruined.
"Haldir, look at what I found!" Orophin gushed as he ran up to his eldest brother, with the tiny stone in his hand. "It is a heart for Lady Galadriel's necklace."
Haldir reached a stopping place and glanced over at the rock in his brother's hand. "That is a nice... heart, Orophin, but I do not think it would look good on the necklace."
Orophin tried to keep the hurt from his face. "But I found it and I want to help with Lady Galadriel's necklace."
Haldir chuckled and reached over to ruffle his youngest brother's blonde hair. "Do not fret, Orophin. Just because you are not working on the necklace does not mean your name will not appear on the gift. You run along and play now, I have a lot of work to do if I am to finish the necklace before the Rhîw festival."
Before Orophin could respond, Haldir turned his attention back to the necklace, dismissing his youngest brother from his mind. The young Elfling turned with slightly drooping shoulders and walked to the side balcony where Rúmil was working on Lord Celeborn's arrows.
Rúmil was carefully sorting the snow white feathers that he would use on the arrows he was making. He wanted to make sure that he only chose the best ones. He barely spared his youngest brother a glance when Orophin moved to stand next to him.
"Rúmil, look at the pretty blue feather I found for Lord Celeborn's arrows." Orophin proudly displayed his find. It was only slightly rumpled from being stuffed into the young Elfling's tunic.
Rúmil didn't even bother to look at Orophin's offering. "That is nice, Orophin, but the fletching for the arrows will be white."
"But I wanted to help too," Orophin protested.
Rúmil sighed. "You are too little to help, Orophin. Do not worry; I will put your name on the gift too. You should go play so I can finish the arrows."
Orophin shuffled from the balcony, crossed the main room of the clubhouse and out the front door. He carefully put the feather back in his tunic along with Hwest and climbed down the ladder. It was not fair. Haldir was making their gift to Lady Galadriel and Rúmil the one for Lord Celeborn. They would not let him help at all. He wanted desperately to be a part of the gift making.
"What was that, Hwest?" Orophin asked his stuffed kitty as he pulled him free of his tunic.
There was a moment of silence as the stuffed cat seemingly repeated whatever he had said, though Orophin was the only one who could 'hear' him.
"That is a great idea, Hwest!" Orophin exclaimed. "You and I shall make our own presents for Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel!"
Orophin studied the rooster as it strutted about the fenced meadow. The bird's tail feathers were a glorious mix of shining blue and green. The young Elfling had to have one of them for the arrow he was making Lord Celeborn.
Creeping slowly out from behind the hen house, Orophin made his way stealthily towards the bird. He was just about to grab the rooster when it turned its head and looked right at him. For a moment, the two stared at each other.
Then, the chase was on. The rooster was off in a flurry of flapping wings, Orophin hot on his heels. The bird crowed his protests and ran right for the gaggle of chickens on the other side of the meadow. The hens scattered in frightened confusion. Some ran with the rooster, while others made short- lived flights into the air. All of them clucking and screeching shattering the tranquil peace of the small glade.
Orophin ran as fast as his little legs would carry him, over the feeder, around the yard in a dizzying path of lefts and rights. Twice, he followed the rooster through the small doorway that led inside the hen house, only to have his prey escape him through an open window.
The young Elfling was red faced and panting from his exertions when he finally made a leaping dive towards the bird. The ground was hard as he slammed into it. His hand reached out wildly and managed to wrap around a few of the tail feathers. He jerked hard and was rewarded for his efforts when two feathers pulled free.
With a squawk of indignant pain, the rooster turned on the young Elfling and began to attack. Orophin screamed as the bird's sharp claws dug into his shoulder. This scream was followed by shrieks of pain as the rooster began to ruthlessly peck his back and head.
Orophin reached back awkwardly with his free hand trying to dislodge the beast only to have his hand savagely torn into by the bird's sharp beak. "Hwest! Get help," he screamed to his best friend, who was watching the entire scene from the other side of the fence.
As suddenly as the attack begun, it stopped. The rooster walked off with as much dignity as his mangled tail feathers would allow. Orophin got to his feet and scrambled to the gate, his prize still clutched in his hand. Pausing a moment to retrieve Hwest, he made his way back to the main part of the city.
The night the Elves of Lórien presented their Rhîw gifts to their Lord and Lady was at hand and Orophin could barely contain his excitement. He had worked extra hard to make sure his gifts were perfect. He had lovingly wrapped each gift with scraps of fabric and ribbon, even though his hand was heavily bandaged.
The Lady Galadriel had been very upset when she saw his injuries when he finally arrived back at the Royal Talan after chasing down the rooster. He barely had time to hide the feathers in his pouch before she snatched him off his feet. The gentle lady had tenderly cared for his wounds and wiped away his tears, her words a mix of comfort and admonishment for chasing the rooster. Unable to lie outright to his guardian, Orophin had opted for a half-truth, leaving off the bit about ripping feathers out of the poor bird's behind.
The unwrapping of the presents had begun and Orophin watched as each gift was unveiled. The beauty and craftsmanship of the items were without compare, beautiful goblets of etched silver, hand embroidered robes of various colors, and intricate pieces of jewelry. Lord Celeborn has been presented with a beautiful dagger and several bundles of arrows for his bow.
Orophin suddenly didn't feel so happy anymore as he thought of his gifts. Their wrappings, which he had been so proud of minutes earlier, now seemed an eyesore sitting amid the pristine wrappings of the other gifts.
He thought of the single arrow he had made Lord Celeborn. The shaft has a slight bent to it because the Armory Master has refused to let him select from the ones reserved for the wardens. Orophin had to make his selection from a basket of discarded ones. The feathers on the end of the shaft were not the neat, straight white topping the ones at Lord Celeborn's feet, but a riot of color and uneven. The young Elfling had scoured all of Caras Galadhon for stray feathers. Aside from the blue one he has found first, he had collected four red ones, two brown, a handful of white ones from the ducks that lived in the pond near the Lady's garden, and the two prized rooster feathers.
The unwrapping of gifts continued, and he watched as Lady Galadriel pulled a necklace of exceptional work from the folds of cloth. It was comprised of tiny seed pearls strung along a thin strand of silver. Orophin had used fishing line to hold together the necklace he had made. He thought now of the four mismatched beads he had gotten from Lady Celebrían. The rest of the beads he had made himself from clay. What before had looked like beautiful balls, he now realized were misshapen clumps. He had even painted each bead a different color so the necklace would resemble a rainbow. The heart shaped stone hanging in the center of the piece.
Orophin looked around at those present as they exclaimed over the beauty of the gifts the Lord and Lady had already received. What would they think of his gifts? He just knew they would laugh. His heart sunk lower and lower in his chest. He wanted to cry. Why couldn't he be satisfied with allowing Haldir and Rúmil to add his name to the gifts they had made?
The young Elfling slipped from the crowd and fled the glade in a haze of tears. He had just wanted to make something nice for his guardians and instead, he had brought shame upon himself with the ugly things he had given them. He continued to run until he reached his favorite spot in Lord Celeborn's garden. He sat under the low flowering bush, buried his face into Hwest, and cried.
Thirty minutes later, Orophin was completely lost in misery. His sobs had trailed off to a few sniffles and the occasional hitch of his chest. He was too ashamed to return to the party. He didn't even think he could stand to face the Lord and Lady ever again. He wondered if Haldir and the rest of the gang would let him and Hwest move into the clubhouse.
He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt someone gently brush a few stray hairs back from his face and tuck them behind his little pointed ear. He looked over with a gasp to find the Lady Galadriel sitting on the grass next to him. She had a worried expression on her face and to his horror, she was wearing the necklace he had made her. He quickly averted his eyes back to Hwest, who was trying to maintain his cat dignity despite the fact his fur was mussed from Orophin's tears.
"Why are you crying, Orophin?" Galadriel asked tenderly. "Do your wounds pain you still?"
"N-Nay, my lady," Orophin replied in a soft whisper.
"Has Haldir been picking on you again?" Her tone held an underlying note of steel.
"Nay, my lady." This reply was quieter if it were possible.
"Then why the tears, my sweet?"
Orophin hung his head. "I feel ashamed, my lady."
"For what, Orophin?"
"The gifts, my lady." Orophin risked a look over at the necklace about her neck. "I am sorry..." The rest of his apology was lost amid fresh sobs.
"Oh, my sweet little Elfling," Galadriel cooed as she pulled Orophin into her lap. "You have nothing to be sorry for, your gifts were the best kind."
Orophin looked up at her, fat tears sliding down his face. "How can you say that, my lady? I saw the other gifts you received, they were beautiful."
Galadriel smiled gently at him. She wiped the tears from his face and placed a kiss upon his forehead. "Your gifts were made by your own hand, Orophin and from your heart. It is not the worth or grandeur of the gift, little one, but the love and thought that goes into its creation."
Orophin searched her face for any deception, though he knew the Lady would never lie to him. "D-Do you m-mean that, my lady?"
"Yes, Orophin," She touched the heart shaped stone on the necklace she was wearing. "This necklace is just as precious to me as the richest gift I received tonight. Of all the necklaces I received this evening, I think this one is the prettiest."
Orophin beamed under her praise. "I found the stone and made most of the beads all by myself."
Galadriel smiled. She turned one of the fat clay beads so that little Elfling could look at it. Clearly seen on the surface of the bead was one of Orophin's tiny fingerprints preserved for eternity. "Every time I look at this bead, I will remember you and how hard you worked on this gift."
The young Elfling smiled with pleasure at her words.
"Now, I know Lord Celeborn was rather disappointed you were not there when he opened his gift. He was very pleased with the arrow and wished to thank you. Perhaps we should return to the festivities, so that he can tell you how much he liked it. "
"Yes, my lady."
"But first, I want a hug." Galadriel wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a tight embrace. "Thank you, Orophin, for the lovely necklace."
"You are welcome, my lady," came the muffled reply.
Galadriel released him and Orophin stood up. He reached down and helped his lady to her feet, though in truth, she stood on her own power. It was with great pride that he escorted her back to the festival.
The End
27 Hrívë – Elvish date for 17 December Hwest – Sindarin word meaning Puff Rhîw – Winter