6

So engrossed was the little elf, she did not realize how much time had passed until she heard the sweet chime of the Visitor's Bell.

"Daernaneth and Daeradar!" Pausing just a moment to assess her drawing she moved her head from side to side to see how it looked. Not completely happy with the far horse pulling the sleigh, Arwen picked up the drawing and rushed to Legolas' room. He was still asleep. Arwen frowning slightly, left the drawing on his bedside table. Should he really still be sleeping? Why hours must have passed by.

Shrugging, she was about to run down the corridor to greet her grandparents, when her mother called out from the door of her suite. "Arwen, you cannot rush off as you are. Come here and let me do your hair."

Reluctantly, Arwen sighed and turned towards her mother. Passing Legolas' door again she commented, "He is still asleep. Should he be so sleepy?"

"You will have to ask your father, Arwen, but I should think that sleep is good for him."

"All right." She allowed her mother to pull her into the sitting room and stood patiently while her mother wove her hair into a coronet, which she then placed some holly berries in.

"There, I think that shall do." She spun Arwen slowly around. "Would you get your blue satin side-less surcoat and I will slip it over your gown. "

Dutifully running off to her room, she returned to her mother in a few minutes with the needed item of clothing.

Celebrian slipped it carefully over her daughter's head and then adjusted it. "There, pretty as a picture."

Arwen smiled up at her mother "You are always pretty as a picture Naneth." She hugged her mother around her waist. At that moment, Elrond stuck his head around the sitting room arch. "Ah, I see my ladies are ready. Come let us go greet the Lord and Lady."

Arwen, taking a hand of each of her parents, tried to contain her excitement. She whispered aloud, "Do you think they will like me now that I am all grown up?"

"Oh of course sweetheart," her mother replied with a low chuckle. "They will love you no matter what age you are. They have been quite looking forward to this Yule."

Arwen was silent thinking things through and then piped up. "Does that mean that they are looking forward to seeing Elladan and Elrohir, even though they are so much older?" She looked sideways at her mother. "They are not children anymore."

"No they are not. They are my most handsome young elves," and Celebrian squeezed Arwen's hand affectionately as the twins joined them. Arwen stopped in the middle of the corridor and stared at her brothers, and then at her father. "You are all formal! You all have crowns and I do not." She refused to go further and pulled her hands from her parent's grasp and crossed her arms in front of her. "I want to be formal too."

Elrond swept her up and balanced her on his hip. "We are wearing our circlets to show your grandparents respect."

"Well I respect them too."

"And well they know it, sweetheart. Come, let us see them."

Not completely happy about not having a circlet, she sat stiffly in her father's arms until they reached the Main Hall of Rivendell where a great crowd of elves stood, many talking and moving about. Arwen was suddenly glad her father held her.

As the family of Elrond entered the Hall, the elves assembled grew quiet and parted. Arwen drew back against her father as a couple, tall and stately, and pale, of silver and gold shades turned to face the Lord of Imladris and his loved ones.

Arwen smiled suddenly as she saw the smiles on the faces of what could only be her daeradar and her daernaneth. She slipped out of her father's arms and ran happily towards Celeborn and Galadriel whose faces lit up with smiles. Celeborn stretched his arms out and scooped up the little elfling and held her briefly over head and then dropped her into his warm embrace. He kissed her on top of the head, which made her giggle. Galadriel stepped close and her radiant face, the soft golden wash of her hair filled Arwen's eyes as she first looked upon the Lady of the Golden Wood. Galadriel kissed Arwen on the brow, but before she could step away, Arwen held her arms out and only momentarily taken aback, Galadriel gathered her granddaughter close with a big smile.

Celebrian came forward at that and hugged her father and moments later the twins joined the family reunion. Elrond as befit his status came last. And though he did no hugging, his smile was as warm as anyone's.

Once the two families had blended, the formal mood dissolved into a much more relaxed atmosphere and they all moved towards the dining hall.

Arwen was enchanted with her grandparents and spent a great deal of the rather long meal just staring at them. Barely touching her meal, she was surprised when the fruit pastries and thick sweet cream were set before her. Could dinner be almost over? She stood on her seat to look around the twins but could not get either her mother or father's attention.

"Elladan," she turned to her older brother who was deep in a conversation about hunting in Lothlorien with Elrohir. Still standing, she shook Elladan's shoulder. "Elladan!" He finally turned to see his sister practically standing on the table. "Arwen, sit down! You are about to step on my dessert."

She flopped back into her seat. "Was not." Looking at Elladan who was frowning at her she frowned back and said pouting. "I want to go to bed. I am tired. Dinner is not fun anymore." She folded her arms across her chest. "I cannot see or talk to daeradar or daernaneth." Tears threatened to fall and Elladan could see his sister was really upset. He bent and whispered to Elrohir who turned to his mother. Celebrian stood up, causing all the high table to focus on her. She said nothing further but went over to Arwen and picked up her tired child. Celeborn seeing what she was about, stood and went to his daughter. Taking Arwen from her he asked for directions to Arwen's room and took the elfling out of the dining hall.

Arwen had been so surprised, she said nothing until her grandfather and she were half way to her room.

"Daeradar, I am very sorry to take you away from dessert. I am sure if you ask, Resaldil will save you some in the ice room."

The rumble of Celeborn's laughter tickled Arwen's ear, which lay against his chest. "My little flower, I am content to pass up your excellent cook's no doubt equally excellent dessert to spend a few moments alone with you."

Arwen yawned and snuggled closer to him. "I am so glad Daeradar. I thought perhaps that I was not as interesting as Erestor and Glorfindel. I know I cannot talk about battles and hunting very much, save if you would like to hear about how I saved a little bird from freezing by climbing out on my apple tree in the middle of the night." She looked up at him, and he warmed her with his smile. "And it was very cold."

"That was very brave of you Arwen. You are much like your mother, who climbed up to the top of the main mallorn tree in Caras Galadon to do much the same thing. Save it was a young robin who had fallen and she was returning it to its nest." He kissed Arwen and hugged her briefly. "My brave little princess."

"I am a princess? Wait until I tell Legolas!"

"Thranduil's son?" He frowned slightly. "He is here?"

"Yes. He got hurt in the snow and ice on his way home from the Grey Havens. You must see him." Arwen scrambled out of his arms, and he let her go as she rushed down the corridor they were in and pushed open Legolas' door.

This time the prince was awake.

"Legolas! Look who I have brought to see you! My Daeradar!"

Legolas who had been drinking a glass of water, almost spit it out all over his quilt. Hastily putting the glass down, he pulled himself up awkwardly and executed a very formal bow. "My Lord Celeborn."

The elder elf came up to the little prince and sat carefully at his side. He looked at him intently and then lay a hand on his head and then ran it slowly it down the prince's cheek, sliding it down his arm to finally grasp the broken wrist gently. Legolas slowly dropped back into his pillows, blinking.

Arwen remained silent until Celeborn lifted his hand his eyes still on Legolas. "Daeradar, Ada has fixed him. He has just needed to sleep. Though I should think he might be getting tired of sleeping now."

"Young Legolas is coming along very well, Arwen. His body is just working hard to heal." He looked at his granddaughter with a smile. "I think you can help him too."

"Me?"

"Certainly Arwen." Celeborn turned to Legolas, his expression warm. "Make him feel welcome here Arwen."

"I did Daeradar, I curtseyed and everything." She ran to the night stand. "See, I did a drawing for him, but he was asleep when I left it."

"Well, he is not asleep now. Stay with him love and I shall see you in the morning." He went to her and picked her up, kissing her on both cheeks. Letting her down slowly to the floor, he then turned back to Legolas and going to the little prince, he bent and kissed him softly on the brow. Smiling at both children, the elf lord left the room.

Arwen turned to Legolas about to say something and noticed he was still and staring out into the room. With a grin Arwen clambered onto the bed. "He is nice for being Lord of the Golden Wood, isn't he? Ada says he has fought many battles and is very wise." She turned to look at the closed door. "I think I like my daeradar."

Legolas turned to her and smiled slowly. "I like him too." His glance went to the drawing in her hand. "I think that is a very nice drawing. Can you tell me the story of it?" He had not been certain what the picture was about and was afraid there might be a many-legged monster involved. (too many legs for certain.)

"Why of course." Arwen then proceeded to tell him of her day and Legolas laughed when she described her brothers all covered with snow.

"We do not get much snow in Mirkwood. It does get cold, but mostly we get frosts and some sleet. We are not so high up like Rivendell. I should like to go out in the snow. It sounds so thick and soft." Legolas looked down at the drawing again. "Do you suppose, well, if your father or daeradar are not too busy seeing to the kingdo---um Rivendell, they might allow me to go sleigh riding with you again?"

Before Arwen could answer, Legolas added. "If it is too much trouble because there are so many important things to do, I could wait." He grinned at her. "I am very good at waiting."

Pulling herself up into her haughtiest height, she said, "I shall see what I can do for you, my good prince. I am a princess now, my daeradar says so." She bowed and turned to go out the door. "Good night!"

Pleased by the attention he had received, did not contradict Arwen. "Good night Princess Arwen. I look forward to tomorrow."

"Yes! It is the Eve of Yule tomorrow! You will love it! There are presents and everything......" Her words trailed off as they brought all her worries about her lack of presents crashing down on her again. She immediately flopped down to the floor and pulling her knees up, rested her chin dejectedly on her knees. "Oh dear Legolas. It IS the Eve of Yule tomorrow and the Candle Ceremony. What am I going to do?"