Chapter 38: Binks and a prince with one less tooth

Haldir got used to pushing Legolas. It took the elfling a minute to get back up, but Haldir was patient. On what seemed like the one-millionth time down, Legolas did not return up.

Haldir waited, expecting him to be back any moment. But once ten minutes had passed, the babysitter got suspicious. He left the palace roof (brushing off any markings they had left so none knew he had let an elfling play on the high roof) and went to the ground.

He was happy to see that the elfling was not at all hurt. In fact, Legolas slept peacefully, still on the sled. Haldir pulled the sled out from underneath the elfling and returned it to the cabin, the picked up Legolas into his arms, carrying him inside the palace, relieved he did not need to force him to nap. The cookies where ready anyways.

On his way inside the palace, something poked Haldir's nose.

"Bink."

Haldir looked down in his arms to see the elfling was awake and 'binking' his nose.

"Bink."

Legolas continued to poke Haldir's nose, making Haldir smile.

"I thought you slept."

"Bink."

Haldir put the elfling onto the floor, and immediately the elfling seemed to be dieing: Legolas could no longer Bink Haldir's nose.

Legolas was much more relieved when Haldir finally took off his jacket and boots, brushed away the snow, and sat down to help Legolas out of his winter clothes.

"Bink."

The prince's pokes made unbuttoning the elfling's jacket much harder, but Haldir managed. The one thing he could not do, with or without the Binks and pokes, was taking off the elfling's hat. His boots, scarf and jacket (along with all the snow that was on the elfling) lay aside, but the elfling would not separate from the hat.

"BINK! NO!"

Legolas pulled his hat over his ears and held tightly onto the edges.

"Why not Legolas?"

"'Cause this is my hat wit da pretty pompom! I love my hat and I don't want to take it off! Bink."

Haldir let the elfling continue with his hat, knowing it could keep him warm.

"Haldiw, can you cuddle me? Im c-cold! Oh yea, BINK!"

"But, sweetie, don't you want some butter cookies?"

"O! YEF! BINK!"

Haldir picked up the elfling, but he slid back down.

"I mean, yef please! Bink."

Then, after adding please, the elfling allowed Haldir to carry him to the kitchen, binkingI'm Haldir all the way.

Haldir took a large butter cookie and sat down, still carrying Legolas. He broke of a small piece and placed it on Legolas tongue, the elfling gratefully appreciating it. Haldir feed the elfling the cookie in pieces, fearing Legolas would choke. Once the cookie was done, Haldir took one for himself. But Legolas seemed to want another.

"Can I have another? Please?"

"Well, I don't know..."

"PLEASE? Bink. I want to eat it by myself!"

"Well, can you eat a cookie by yourself?"

"Yef! And Tonus even told me a story ABOUT COOKIES!"

"Oh really?"

"Yef! It goes:

If you give a warg a cookie, he will ask for more.

If you give a warg more, he will want milk.

If you give a warg milk, he will want it in a dish.

If you give a warg milk in a dish, he will lap it up wit his tongue.

If you let a warg lap the milk wit his tongue, he will spill it on da floor.

If you let a warg spill the milk on da floor, Ada will step in da milk.

If you let Ada step in the milk, he will slip and fall.

If you let Ada slip and fall, Ada will get wet with da milk,

If you let Ada get wet with da milk, he will not be happy,

If you let Ada not be happy, he will be angry.

If you let Ada be angry, he will yell at Leg' Las,

If you let Ada yell at Leg' Las, Las will get sad.

If you let Leg' Las get sad, Leg' Las will cry.

If you let Leg' Las cry, Ada will feel sorry and cuddle me.

If you let Ada cuddle Leg' Las, Leg' Las will bink Ada,

If you let Leg' Las Bink Ada, Ada will get mad.

If you let Ada get mad, he will not yell because I am too cute and he will kiss me instead.

If you let Ada kiss me instead, I will be happy.

If I (Leg' Las) is happy, den the Warg will feel lonely and ignored.

If you let da warg get lonely and ignored, he wills run away.

If you let da warg run away, LEG LAS CAN EAT ALL HIS COOKIES!"

Legolas burst into giggles as Haldir tickled him under his chin and on his tummy. Legolas took Haldir's hand and kissed it as Haldir used his other hand to get Legolas a small cookie to eat.

Legolas took two bites out of the cookie, smiling with each bite. But just before putting the cookie in his mouth for a third bite, the elfling pulled the cookie piece away.

Tears filled Legolas' eyes, then poured out. The elfling began to sob as he looked at the cookie in horror. Blood coated the bite he had just made. Legolas saw something small and pearly white sticking out. Sticking a finger in his mouth, and then taking it out, his finger had plenty of blood on it, followed by a drop of blood tricking down his chin, making the elfling cry more.

Haldir took the cookie and laid it aside, then rocked the elfling in his arms, whispering soothing elven words as Legolas was accustomed with whenever he cried.

"Hush Legolas. It is all right. Hush, hush."

"Haldiw, I'm gonna die! I'm bleeding!"

Tears streamed down Legolas' face.

"Remember what I told you about teeth falling out?"

"Y-yef?"

"Well, that is what happened. And don't you worry, you will grow another one soon. Now, there is too much blood to tell now but-

"TOO MUCH... B-BLOOD?"

Legolas burst into fresh tears.

"Now, now. Don't cry! As I was saying, once we clean away that blood, we will see if a new one is growing in right now. Now come with me and I will clean away all that blood. Loosing a tooth is a great thing."

Haldir pulled the sobbing elfling up in his arms. Legolas lay his head upon Haldir's chest, and Haldir immediately wished he had worn something red: Legolas' blood ran out of his mouth and onto Haldir's newly bought green tunic.

Haldir sat the elfling down on the side of the sink. He took a piece of cloth and wet it.

"Open wide sweetheart."

Legolas opened his mouth wide, whimpering as blood ran down his chin. Haldir wiped away that blood and then placed the cloth in the elfling's mouth.

Legolas did not enjoy this part as he held his mouth open for at least ten minutes.

"All done little one."

Legolas shut his mouth.

"Uh, Sorry. I need you to open your mouth once again to see if a new tooth is growing."

Legolas opened his mouth wide, sighing.

"Oh Legolas, a new tooth is growing in front where the old one fell from! This is great, your Adar will be so proud of you!"

Legolas' eyes widened.

"Weally? B-but, it hurt!"

"Yes, it did a bit."

"It don' seem like a very important thing. Why did I have to loose it if I'd jus get another one?"

"Well, there is something very important that happens every time you loose a tooth. You see, once you loose a tooth, if you put the tooth under a pillow, the magical elf fairy-

"You mean, Yavanna?"

"Well, Yavanna is much different. Yavanna was a Valar, but the magical elf fairy was- special. She was a, er, Toothlar."

"Is that like a Valar?"

"Yes, but instead of caring for the world, they care for lost teeth. You see, the magical elf fairy-

"What was her name?"

"Uh... Carak. Now, Carak-

"Isn't dat the elven word for Tooth?"

"Yes. That is the point. Now, Carak comes to the bedrooms of sleeping elflings and gives them coins for their lost tooth, then she takes the tooth."

"Is Carak scary?"

"No she is pretty."

"What does she do with the tooth?"

"Brings it to the other fairies to look at. And the better you take care of your teeth, the more coins you will get. Just put your tooth under your pillow at night before you go sleep."

"OOO! I want to do that!"

"Then go get your tooth, it is in the cookie you where eating. Why don't we go tell Tonus the-

"And Key!"

"... And Cield, if you want, the good news! They might even have a present for you... or tricks ... or something!"

"Oh, yes!"

The elfling ran off to find his brothers. First, he came upon Tonus who picked him up as soon as he saw him. Legolas excitedly whispered in his eldest brother's ear what had just happened.

To Be Continued

See, it is VERY VERY long Now, go... have fun... BINKS are in bold just to please you.

"Bink", "Binking", "Binks" all mean "Hello" or "Poke". In this case, both.