Chapter 6: Smaller and Smaller

Haldir sat on Illiendal's lap, relaxing, glad Rumil was gone and not hurting his little elvish ears anymore.

Orophin had made sure to bring Rumil home to their father to make sure Rumil was properly punished, although he did not think it would be at all fair to see Rumil beaten, though he doubted their father would do such a thing, after all, Haldir was an elfling only on the outside and Orophin knew very well that give a fully grown Haldir enough dwarven ale, he'd do a stupid thing like pierce his ears with a stick.

Orophin did not tell their father Arhael what happened, Arhael brought Rumil into another room to hear it from his son who was involved.

After having a long talk with his father, Rumil came out of the room, hanging his head, with Arhael behind him. Orophin did not ask anything as his brother and father left the room, so followed. Arhael and Rumil left the house, and as Orophin followed he realised they headed towards Haldir's home.

Orophin followed his father and brother as they entered the house.

"Haldir?" Rumil whispered, Arhael observing Rumil closely. Haldir gasped and cuddled against Illiendal, for protection. Rumil got down to his knees so to be face to face with Haldir.

"Haldir, I'm sorry. I hurt you when I pierced your ears, it was a stupid thing to do for revenge. Can you forgive me Haldir, ever?" Rumil asked gently. Haldir looked angrily at Rumil.

"When I get bigger, I'll get back at you, but for now your okay." Haldir said, shrieking as Rumil jabbed him in his ribs, making the tiny elfling scream with laughter.

"Now, as for you Haldir, I want you to go to a corner…" Arhael said as Rumil stopped tickling the child.

"Why? I was the innocent one here!" Haldir protested as his father brought him to a corner. He was glad when Rumil was told to go to a corner as well, but he still found it unfair that he was in a corner.

"Perhaps this time, but I am aware of you doing such things to Rumil when he had been small, so now, both you and Rumil shall have to stay in a corner and think of what you've both done." Arhael said, sitting on the floor in between both sons. "You two may leave. I will keep watch on my boys." Arhael told his daughter-in-law and second son. Orophin nodded his head and he left the room with his brother's wife.

Days passed like this. Weeks. Rumil and Orophin often visited to keep their brother content, and often their parents visited as well, or Haldir was brought to their parents. Illiendal could not leave the house though because of being so pregnant, so Rumil helped her.

It was morning. Haldir was curled up sleeping soundlessly beside Illiendal, who was slowly waking up. Illiendal nearly screamed, but held it in with much difficulty, as she looked beside her. Haldir's clothes were lying there, with no elfling in sight. Picking up the garments, they where heavy, and a little naked elfling fell out of them. The elfling woke up, curiously looking around and down at himself.

It was Haldir, certainly, but he was very tiny, smaller than before. And he did not look like he could speak much at all. He giggled as he ran around in circles on the bed naked. Illiendal just watched him. It could not be possible that Haldir had only grown younger, but that was what it seemed to be.

"Haldir?" Illiendal whispered. The elfling stopped running, looked at Illiendal, smiled, and continued his running.

Illiendal grabbed the now even smaller elfling and held him down, attempting to fit him back into his clothes. It did not work the clothing was too big.

"Come on Haldir, we're going out, okay?" Illiendal got the elfling a blanket to wrap up in, but she could not carry the bundle. She was far too pregnant to barely keep up with him in the first place.

Haldir had the blanket on around his waist, like he would wear a towel when coming right out. Elves gave the elfling questionable looks when he followed Illiendal looking fresh from the bath, but he did not care, he was far too amused in his follow Illiendal game.

Rumil greeted them both and immediately saw the small size of Haldir. Illiendal demonstrated hoe the clothes simply slid off him because of how big it was. Luckily, Haldir's parents had kept their children's baby clothes so that they could use it when they had their own young ones, so Mallriel quickly brought little elfling clothes that could fit a three-year old, which fit Haldir perfectly.

"He has yet to spoken. Do you think he's… Forgotten everything?" Illiendal had trouble saying that, and it showed in her voice as she spoke.

"Well, there's no way of telling…" Rumil muttered.

"I cannot believe this has happened, and to Haldir of all elves that this could have happened to! I need him, I'm so worried about giving birth without Haldir… Speaking of such, I… I think I will be returning to Mirkwood. I think I will leave Lorien soon to go to Mirkwood." Illiendal said quietly. Haldir stopped in his tracks (he had yet again been running around naked, this time in a mud puddle covered in mud). Haldir fell backwards and started to sob.

"No Mirkwood." Haldir sobbed. "Stay! Stay!" He added. Rumil pulled him out of the mud and wrapped him in a towel, cooing.

"My family, I mean my blood family for I consider you all my family as well, are all in Mirkwood. If I'd want to deliver this child with anyone aside from Haldir, it would have to be my father or my brother, either Cield or Tonus. You understand, don't you? But I doubt that would be possible without an escort. I'd also want to bring with me Haldir, but I can barely get there on my own and-

"You need not say anymore! I, and perhaps Orophin as well, can escort you! And besides, your father always gives us such excellent meals for being the brother of your husband!" Rumil smirked. Illiendal smiled and kissed her brother-in-law's cheek.

"Rumil, thank you so much… I wanted to be in Mirkwood when the baby was to come even before this happened to Haldir, but Haldir is… very commanding… And preferred our child was born and raised in Lorien, and I listened to him but now… Mirkwood may be best, with having Haldir and this baby, and I do not want to burden any of you, whereas in Mirkwood there will be hired help and I have three brothers, my father and my brothers' children and wives to help wit my two…" Illiendal said. Haldir had barely understood any of what Illiendal had said, though if he had he most probably would have thrown a fit.

"I'm worried for Haldir, at the moment. If he is aging backwards, then what happens eventually? He ages into nothing and is completely gone from Middle earth as we know it, or does he simply go back to his adult age? I do not want my brother to disintegrate into nothing!" Orophin said. His family had not considered that, not even Illiendal was first to notice, and they all worried now more than earlier.

"You are correct Orophin. I hope if I bring Haldir to Mirkwood we can find someone skilled enough to help Haldir. Are you both willing to come with me, Rumil? Orophin?" Illiendal asked. Both brothers nodded.

"Of course we will join you! I hope to see Haldir as my elder brother again soon, aving Orophin elder than I and only Orophin elder will not do at all." Rumil said Orophin nodded.

"And two little brothers are too much trouble for m. It would have been nicer if it had been this way from the start, but a sudden change like this is no good on my own behalf, or on our dear little Haldir's behalf. What does Haldir say on the traveling?" Orophin asked the elfling. Haldir looked at him curiously and poked Orophin in his nose. Orophin gasped and touched his nose, the poke being rather harsh and careless.

"Bink!" Haldir giggled as his brother's nose turned red.

To be continued…

Spike's girl Luna ash: Of course I will!

Aranna Undomiel: Well that really depends on what you mean by cute. I guess so, since Haldir is a cute elfling and a sexy adult, so yep, there must be a difference.

OpalKitty: They both got sent to the corner. How is that?

Mesozoic Flower: Thought so. Rumil is still the littlest of three on the inside so he is a tad immature.

CapriceAnn: Lets just buy a cloning machine, shall we? Only one clone plus the original so no one but us can have Haldir, and the clone shall be identical so no one has to fight over the original Haldir.

Bberry06: That's really all that passed through your mind and mattered, wasn't it? Haldir, dress… Yep, that's basically all that mattered anyways.

Haldir's Heart and Soul: Both punished, lightly though… But no one really knows what Rumil's father did or said when talking with Rumil in the room.