Chapter 33: Fixing wounds and hot chocolate
"Haldir, sir, I suggest I take the elfling. You honestly need healers."
Galion followed Haldir around, though Haldir did not once show any sign that he cared about the butler's service. Haldir sat Legolas down on a chair in the kitchen and took out some chocolate and milk. Combining the two ingredients in a pot, he picked the pot up to take it to the fire to heat it, but he let out a loud cry and dropped the pot, Galion sliding under and catching it (having experience at this as he had been catching dropped food ever since Tonus was a young elf just learning to cook).
Haldir whimpered quietly, holding his arm tightly. Galion shook his head at the elf and put the milk and chocolate above the fire.
"You need your arm fixed."
"I'm fine."
"Haldiw I'm COLD!"
"Oh Valar! Cield, quick, come, Haldir looks awfully hurts."
"Galion! Do something! Tonus is correct about your terrible wound."
"HALDIW! COLD!"
"Haldir, you need healers."
So many where talking Haldir was certain he'd get a head ache during this. Finally he had to agree with Galion.
"Alright Galion, you win. I do need my arm fixed... though re-locating it will be just as painful."
Galion began to lead Haldir from the room when the small Legolas followed, pulling at Haldir's cloak.
"Leg 'Las is cold."
"Sweetie... I must go for just a moment to do something very painful to my arm, but it will make me feel better. Your brothers will change you and care for you until I return."
Legolas watched his babysitter being escorted from the kitchen. Cield lifted the elfling by his wrist into the air, about to carry him to his room as so.
"OW! KEY THAT HURTS! KEY! KEY! STOP!"
The young prince squealed and yelped because he was held in such an uncomfortable position by his wrist. The elfling's blood circulation stopped at his wrist as Cield's grip was firm.
"Daro Cield!"
Legolas understood clearly elvish, it being his first language, barely knowing English. He could tell Tonus had said stop and Cield. Cield released Legolas and Legolas was driven out of thoughts as he was dropped onto the floor, letting out a small whine as he hit the marble floor.
Tonus pulled Legolas into his arms as he glared at Cield.
"I-I'm c-cold... Tonus will you make me warmy?"
Tonus gently embraced the elfling and carried him to his room, Cield following behind.
Tonus sat his baby brother on his bed and took off his jacket and snow clothes, plenty of snow falling from inside the woolly jacket. Tonus took off his boots and looked at his baby brother, the snow all over his bedroom.
A loud yell of pain came from Haldir's mouth in the healing room, startling Legolas.
"Is Haldiw hurt?"
"Don't worry for dilith gwador [little brother], Haldir will survive. You, on the other hand, could get a cold if we don't change you."
Tonus pulled off the elfling's leggings just as Haldir walked into the room. Haldir's face was pale and he held his shoulder, pain across his face. His face brightened when he saw the baby Legolas, and he knelt down beside the prince and unbuttoned his tunic.
The small elfling was now only clad in his little green elfling boxers. (a/n: Yes middle-earth had underwear varieties... Gandalf has a... well, go see for yourself but it wont be pretty) Legolas wrapped his arms around Haldir's neck and kissed the elf on his forehead.
Haldir smiled and took out two thick tunics for the prince, putting each one on and making the elfling very warm. Haldir fetched two pairs of thick leggings which Legolas insisted on putting on himself, though he only managed to pull the first pair on, the second barely making it past his ankles without Haldir's help.
Legolas then jumped onto Haldir's arm.
"OOOG!"
Haldir fell over, crushing the elfling. Legolas squirmed around until Haldir got of him. Haldir explained to Legolas he had hurt that arm, so Legolas jumped onto the other one.
Haldir carried the elfling into the kitchen. Galion suggested something to Haldir, which the babysitter thought was a great idea, and to Legolas' surprise, he was told to remove both layers of leggings.
Galion re-entered the kitchen with two pots of boiling water, one on top of each other. He placed one beneath Legolas' feet, and one next to Haldir's feet, for he was busy still getting his own leggings off.
Legolas swayed his feet back and forth, enjoying the smell of the heating chocolate. Haldir realized the elfling had no intentions to do anything with the water, nor did Legolas know what the water was for. Haldir even doubted that Legolas realized there was water beneath his feet and steam rising around him. Haldir, now legging-free and about to put his feet in the water, went over to the elfling.
"My feet are cold."
"That is what the water is for. Put your feet down in the water."
"I don't want to bathe!"
"No, no. It is not a bath. It is just to warm up your little feet. Nothing of it is like a bath."
Legolas nodded his head, his hair waving freely. He sunk his feet into the water, then yelped and pulled them out again, water splashing all over the floor, the elfling's leggings that where abandoned on the floor and all over Haldir, as well as one of his feet kicking Haldir in his mouth and causing his gum to bleed. Haldir ignored the taste of his blood in his mouth and returned to caring for the elfling.
"O, Haldiw... I'm sorry, I did not mean to make you bleed!" A single tear ran down Legolas' face.
"Now Legolas, you must keep your feet INSIDE the water."
"B-but it's... hot!"
"I know that pen dilith [little one], but your feet will get used to the heat if you just keep your feet in for a few minutes. It will feel really good and you will stay warm, until we return outside after hot chocolate milk... as well as some yummy marshmallows and... perhaps some... cookie baking is in order? Then while the cookies bake we can play outside."
Legolas nodded his head and smiled happily at the thought.
"Can we put icing on the cookies?"
"Er... okay, if you want."
"What kind of cookies?"
"What kind do you want?"
"Butter cookies!"
"Then butter cookies it is."
Haldir knew at once he would need to diet when he returned to Lothlorien.
Legolas embraced Haldir tightly.
"Haldiw, you is the nicest elf ever. I wish you lived in Mirkwood, then I could see you all the time. You is more fun than Tonus and Cield. I love you Haldiw." Legolas whispered.
Haldir could tell how much the elfling looked up to him and Haldir loved the boy as if he was his own son. Haldir gently ran his fingers down the elfling's hair and kissed his on the top of his mess of hair, then sat him back into his chair and placed his feet in the water. Legolas nearly yanked his feet back out, but Haldir stopped him from doing that and soon the elfling was pleased. Haldir returned to his own water and moaned in relief as his feet warmed.
Legolas kept his eyes on the pot of chocolate and milk as Galion gave it a stir and beckoned Haldir over.
Haldir dried his feet off on a towel beneath the pot of water and poured the chocolate milk into a plastic cup for Legolas, dropping a few big marshmallows in the cup (not adding too many as the elfling was hyper enough).
Haldir gave Legolas the cup only when the hot chocolate was cooled enough. The elfling eagerly slurped all the milk as Haldir slowly drank his own. He smiled as he looked at the elfling who had finished the milk and was now fishing around with one finger, trying to hunt down his two marshmallows he had not eaten while the glass was filled with chocolate milk.
When the elfling finally caught the marshmellows he ate them quickly and stood up, walking out of the pot of water. He made small wet footprints everywhere, until he got to Haldir who pulled him onto his lap.
"I love you Haldir 'cause your nice and you play with me... and you don't get angry at me that much... Which is nice. That's why I love you. I love you alot... I wish you were my nana, then I would have a nana 'cause my nana died." Legolas whispered.
Legolas gently rubbed his face against Haldir's arm. Haldir kissed the elfling upon his forehead (disgusting Legolas) and rocked him in his arms, his chocolate milk finished and aside on the countertop.
Galion was meanwhile taking out ingredients: butter, flour and all the ingredients the prince and babysitter would need as well as a few spoons, bowls and a sprayed cookie tray. Galion lit a fire to cook the cookies on, and kept it going as Haldir stood up, holding the elfling with both arms (one arm hurting badly as he did so) and quickly dried his feet off, then carrying Legolas over to the cooking area, prepared to bake cookies with the little prince.
To Be Continued...
If you think I am posting too many chapters at once well... I just have nothing better to do. Well, actually, I do have better to do, I just don't feel like doing anything else. And I hope to get most of the chapters up before school starts...