Chapter 7: Begetting Day Cake

"Ow! My nose! I'll kill you, you little-

"NO!" Haldir screamed and ran out of the room.

"Orophin! Go get your brother and apologize to him right now." Arhael ordered. Orophin lowered his gaze to the floor as he followed his brother's muddy footprints to where he hid. All the family heard was Haldir screaming when he saw Orophin had followed him and then Orophin trying to calm the elfling. Soon, Orophin returned carrying Haldir, who from his facial expression did not seem very comfortable.

"Haldir has wet himself." Orophin could not help but grin at the fact that his big brother had just wet himself.

"Here, give him to me. I think he'll need a diaper because he's so little…" Mallriel took Haldir, who jumped down.

"No diaper! No!" Haldir screamed, running off but before being able to leave the room, Arhael picked him up by the collar of his tunic. Haldir frantically kicked and squealed as his mother approached him. Mallriel took the elfling in her arms and left the room with him wailing about the diaper.

"He can't have turned much older than three. You've best find a way to get Haldir back to his usual state fast, or he will just disappear into nothing." Arhael told Illiendal and his sons.

"But why today? If he's going backwards, shouldn't he have just disappeared by now?" Illiendal asked. The brothers thought about this, and finally Rumil realized it.

"Every day on this day when we where children, Haldir always took my cookies and toys and I never told nana and ada because he had an excuse I found was fair… He said it was his birthday! Maybe every time his birthday passes, he grows younger instead of elder!" Rumil exclaimed. Illiendal and Orophin gasped, Arhael sadly nodding his head.

"This is the day that Haldir was born, many years ago. Mallriel and I forgot, too worried about his current dilemma to care for such a day. That means in three years at the most Haldir will be nothing, if not sooner." Arhael said. Mallriel returned with Haldir, who you could tell had a cloth diaper on.

"So what are your plans then?" Mallriel asked. "When will you be leaving?" She added. Rumil and Orophin looked at each other, then at Illiendal's pregnant belly.

"Soon. Tomorrow, if Illiendal allows it. We need to get there before Illiendal gives birth, if she gave birth during our travels…" Rumil shuddered. "I'd have to help her deliver. I'd rather not, but since I am the only one of who are going to escort Illiendal who has any talent as a healer…" Rumil said. Illiendal smiled.

"Don't worry Rumil. If we leave tomorrow, I'm certain we will make it to Mirkwood." Illiendal whispered. Rumil nodded.

"So tomorrow it is." Orophin declared. The two brothers talked amongst them whilst Illiendal cradled her elfling-husband in her arms and Arhael explained to his wife what Rumil had figured was happening to their eldest son who was now youngest by much.

Mallriel got up and whispered something softly in Rumil's ear, then the same thing in Orophin's. She would have told her plans to Illiendal, but the she-elf's pregnancy could get in the way so she only spoke with her boys. They nodded their heads and followed their mother. Illiendal, Arhael and Haldir watched as Mallriel, Rumil and Orophin left in silence, entering the kitchen.

"Where they go?" Haldir asked quietly.

"It's a surprise, Haldir." Arhael said quietly to his soon. Haldir clapped his hands.

"Goodie. I like that." The elfling squeaked.

In the kitchen, Rumil and Orophin had been asked to help Mallriel prepare a cake for Haldir. They knew very well that Haldir would love a cake, being so small and not caring if he became a chubby little elfling.

Rumil and Orophin ran around the kitchen getting any ingredient their mother needed. Haldir was being restrained by Arhael, for the tiny child was very curious to know what his brothers where doing that everyone would not let him see.

Haldir could smell the cake baking. When Mallriel smiled at Arhael, the elf knew it was all right. Arhael let Haldir run through the door, where the little child saw his two brothers icing what looked and smelt like a chocolate cake. Mallriel picked up her tiny precious son and brought him near the cake.

"Do you know what day it is, Haldir?" Mallriel asked the child. Haldir shook his head.

"Nope." He giggled as Rumil put a drop of icing on his finger, Haldir licking it and grinning.

"Well, you where born on this day. It's your begetting day, and so we have made you a cake, your brothers and I. Would you like to help Rumil and Orophin ice it?" Mallriel offered. Haldir giggled and nodded. Rumil picked up the bowl of icing and a spoon and showed Haldir how to put the icing evenly on the cake. Haldir took a large spoonful and stuck it in his mouth. Rumil gasped and pulled the spoon out, Haldir swallowing a large spoonful of icing.

"Haldir, don't eat that! You have to have enough to put on the cake. If you are a good boy and you do not eat any more, you can lick the bowl and spoon after we ice the cake. Agreed?" Mallriel asked.

"Oh… Okay…" Haldir said, using the technique that Rumil had showed him to ice his cake until almost all the icing was gone. Then, Rumil put Haldir on the floor and gave him the icing-covered spoon and bowl to lick. Haldir licked as Orophin evened out all the icing, since Haldir had put on big, uneven globs.

The cake was ready and Haldir was finished licking the spoon and bowl, so Haldir was brought back into the dining room and Rumil and Orophin picked up the cake, about to go sing happy birthday to their little brother. First, they needed a candle…

To be continued…

Haldir's heart and Soul: Well, we'll be seeing Gandalf soon.

Mesozoic Flower: Rumil was mean… Bink will be back in Haldir's Return, too…

Mistopurr: Hehe, what a cool car!

Caprice Ann: Which mad man? Rumil?

A. NuEvil: Not too smart…

Bberry06: Ah, but he's such a sweet little elfling when he's smaller!

Ain't-No-Angels: I'm glad you like the plot.