Chapter 45: Cield (and Galil) Return
Haldir woke up and saw that Legolas no longer slept by his side. Now, Legolas lay on Haldir's chest and had been rising and falling with every breath Haldir took.
Haldir carefully took Legolas into his arms and slowly walked out of the bedroom, careful not to awake the child. He learnt that he and the elfling had been sleeping for such a long time that Galion had already prepared supper and it waited at the table.
"Legolas, Legolas, sweetheart, you must wake up."
Haldir shook the elfling in his arms a few times, and finally, blinking his eyes, he awoke.
"Why Haldiw? Did Carak come?"
"No, Carak will come when it is your actual bedtime. Its supper time now."
"Oh."
Haldir put Legolas in his high chair and helped feed him his baby food prepared by Galion. Sometimes Legolas ate like regular elves, but often he was prepared meals of baby food to ease eating for the prince.
Once Legolas had been spoon-fed all the baby food, Haldir took the elfling from his high chair and sat Legolas on his lap. Legolas watched as Haldir ate his own food, then picked up the elfling and washed his plates all while carrying Legolas in one arm.
"Haldiw, is there dessert?"
"Yes, you may have a cookie."
"Thanks."
Legolas walked over to the cookie jar, and began to jump around for the cookies, but failing. Cield approached him.
"What are you trying to do elfling? Win a prize for jumping about like an idiotic elf?"
Legolas lowered his head at the harsh words, then returned to 'jumping about like an idiotic elf' to get the cookies. Cield sighed and realized he had to help his baby brother, at least, his way of helping.
Cield grabbed his baby brother by his braid (which, I forgot to say in chapter 43, Haldir made) and hoisted Legolas into the air, Legolas now in reach of the cookies but also getting his hair pulled out slowly.
Legolas grabbed a rather large cookie.
"Put me down now Key."
But Cield did not feel like it, and continued to hold Legolas by his hair.
"Key! Please put me down!"
Then, just before Legolas had to burst out in tears to get Cield to stop, Galil ran into the kitchen, knocking over many vases, portraits, plates and antiques in his path. Cield gasped and dropped his brother, rushing over to stop his hound from destroying his father's home.
"GALIL! DARO!"
Cield grabbed Galil's collar and pulled him out of the house, into the courtyard where he tied the dog to a tree right outside the stables.
Legolas, before his brother could return, ran to Haldir and sat on his lap. As soon as Cield returned, he grabbed Haldir's arms and wrapped them around him, keeping him away from harm of his brother.
"Haldir, this letter is for you from my father, it's urgent and he left it before he left in the elfling's room." Tonus handed a note to Haldir, who read it out loud.
"Haldir, on the night of the fourth day you care for Legolas, you must take Legolas to the healers. It is nothing special, just his check up. Just reminding you, I will return on the morning of the eighth day,"
Legolas heard the words 'check up' and ran away. Haldir nearly ran to catch him, but first finished reading the letter,
"Do not tell Legolas he is to get a check up. He loathes check ups and needles and he will surely run off."
Haldir sighed and ran after the elfling.
To be Continued...