Chapter 108: Awful Soup

"Cield... this may hurt. My brother cried hours with no end when he got the glass in his shin, and he cried once it was out." Haldir said as he placed his fingers on a piece of glass.

"OW!" Cield yelped as the glass was pulled out from his skin. "There is still more glass Cield..." Haldir muttered. Cield managed a nod.

"Haldir?"

"Yes?"

"Why would you be pulling glass from your brother's skin anyways?"

"I was training with lord Celeborn and I had brought my little brother Rumil with me. Rumil was drinking apple juice out of a glass since he forgot his little plastic cup with the top at home. Rumil put the gass down to go see if he could train with me, but I sai no, so he went back to where his glass was. The glass had broken in many pieces and Rumil thought someone took him glass, so he just knelt down on his knees, trying to see who stole his glass. But whilst kneeling he got a piece of his glass in his shin, and when Lord Celeborn tried to get out the glass he refused it."

Cield bit his lip as a particularly large piece of glass was removed from his skin.

Haldir washed Cield's back and chest, then wrapped his chest and back with fresh bandages. Haldir tried to get a tunic on Cield, but Cield's bandages where so thick that Cield's tunic was too small to go over them.

Cield stood up, embraced Haldir and was about to go to the kitchen when Firelien stood in front of him.

"Cield, you saved Legolas' life! You saved his young life! I love you so much, so, so much. I cannot believe you hurt yourself to save his life!"

"He is my baby brother, why would I not save him?"

"Cield, Cield Thranduilion... I... I accept your proposal of marriage! I wish to wed you!"

Cield's eyes widened, and looked over at Haldir. The March warden smiled and Cield embraced Firelien, kissing her face and leading her to the kitchen, beaming and singing merrily.

Once Legolas had been cleaned up, Thranduil gave him a quick slap on his backside, a slap very light that made Legolas giggle for no apparent reason, and Thranduil brought the elven child to the dinning halls where Haldir had served dinner.

Legolas ate a spoonful of soup and spat it out.

"Yuck!"

Thranduil tried a spoonful and suffered as he managed to swallow it down, being as polite as he could while he poured his soup in a nearby plant's planter. Haldir tried a spoonful and gagged, Firelien did not even try the soup, and Cield drank the whole bowl, and then vomited it afterwards. Firelien left the table to help Cield, and Haldir felt terrible.

"I guess I am no good cook..."

"Tis alright, I've made worse." Thranduil smiled.

"Really?"

"Of course he has. Lord Thranduil once made a loaf of bread so terrible that if Elrond had not been around, the bread would have killed Elladan!" A smile appeared on Galion's face.

"Yes, that is true, and I believe Elladan never wishes to try my baked foods again, since that loaf of bred made him gag, vomit, faint, turn so pale he looked white and come to the verge of death!"

"Yup, and, remember once Ada, you gave me that funny tasting stuff and I vomited on you."

"Yes, I also made Legolas some berry juice and I accidentally picked foul berries for the juice, because it was nighttime and I could not tell the difference."

Haldir smiled at the king, who tickled Legolas beneath his chin. The elfling crawled onto Cield's lap.

"Hey there Legolas..." Cield smiled, gently running his fingers through his brother's hair.

"Just wait Cield, soon you will have a little one of your own. A Cieldion, or a Cieldiel. A grandchild I may spoil!" Thranduil smiled. Cield repeated 'Cieldion or Cieldiel' to himself a few times and then smiled. "A child." Cield said.

"Yes, a child." Thranduil smiled.

"Ada, can Haldir and I go play outside?" Legolas asked. Of course, Legolas did not ask Haldir first, but that is how Legolas is.

"Ask Haldir first."

"Haldir?"

"I would not mind a bit!" Haldir smiled.

"Then you may. It is terribly hot outside, considering it was snowing just some days ago." Thranduil smiled. Legolas ran outside, Haldir following quickly to keep up with him.

To be continued...