Title: Too Noisy to Sleep
Author: Carrie (CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur)
Rating: PG, if not G
Characters: Haldir/Lindariel (OFC), Cirithon (OMC). Told from Haldir's POV.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything other than the computer that I typed this vignette with. This takes place several years after "The Messenger" from the Fourth JFA Challenge.
Summary: Haldir is trying to take a nap, but his five-year-old son has other ideas.
Notes: I know that elflings more than likely mature at a faster rate than human children, but bear with me on this one. It is not much of an idea, but it did make me laugh.
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Too Noisy to Sleep
How is it that little children are so intelligent and men so stupid?
It must be education that does it. Alexandre Dumas
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"Ada!" Cirithon yelled as he came sliding into the couch I was trying to take a nap on.
"What do you need Cir?" I asked as I sat up and rubbed my eyes.
"Are we having dinner with Celeborn?" He questioned.
"That is Lord Celeborn, and yes we are once the delegates from Mirkwood arrive." I answered. "Now may I get back to my nap?"
Cirithon smiled and turned to walk away, but then stopped. He came running back, and again had a question. "Ada?"
"Yes, Ciri?" I asked through half-closed eyelids.
"When is my Begetting Day party?" He asked.
"The day after the Mirkwood Elves leave." I answered, once again laying back to try and sleep.
"Ada?" My son quietly asked.
"What now Cir?" I answered, starting to get fed up with my own elfling.
"I had a forgotted dream, that I just I remember when…." He said, trailing off.
"Ciri, what was the dream about?" I asked my son.
"I don't know, Ada. I forgotted it." He said. "I have something else to ask you."
"Then what, Ciri?" I asked.
"When Unca Rúmil goes hunting, does he take the leaky barrel to still waters, or does he turn temptation inside out and wait with a sweet or spicy baited hook?" He finally finished his question.
"Cir, where in all of the rainbows in the waters of Arda do you come up with these questions?" I asked my son, dreading the answer because I knew my moral dilemma was if I should tell my bright and beautiful son just one tiny lie to get him to leave me alone so I could take my nap.
"Ada? Are you listening to me? I asked you a question, and you didn't answer me?" Cirithon broke into my musings.
"What did you ask this time?" I queried.
"If I go to target practice with you and Unca Rúmil and Unca Orophin, and I am really really good and I stay good through Lurien's lesson that is always really really boring, will I get a reward?" He slowed down and took a breath.
"Well, your naneth and I should be able to come up with some kind of temporary arrangement with Rúmil and I am sure it would be Orophin's dream to watch you long enough for us to go on a treasure hunt to find something to reward you with." I answered him.
"Ada?" He asked once again.
"Yes, Ciri?" I questioned.
"Will it be a new dog or pony or kitty cat?" He asked.
"I am sure it will be a reward well earned. Now go play so I can get some sleep." I said as I herded my son towards the door of our talan. I knew, however that as there is a chance of fire in a summer storm that he would be back. Just a short time later he was.
"Ada?" He whispered loudly in my ear. "Ada, are you awake?"
"Yes, Ciri, I am. What do you need to know now?" I asked.
"Ada, what is more than myth, kisses at midnight or Rivendell revelry or onions and beans for supper?" He asked.
"Cir, you cannot be serious?" I asked, really starting to wonder if the Valar did just not want to be helping Haldir today.
"I'm not Sirius Ada! That is a guy from those Harry Potter books Unca Rúmil and Unca Orophin read to me. I'm Cirithon, your son." He said, quite pleased with himself.
"Yes, you are." I answered.
"Ada, is it true that birds of a feather helped to rescue the Hobblits who destroyed the lost ring?" He asked.
"It is Hobbits not Hobblits, and yes, some of the Giant Eagles helped to rescue Sam and Frodo from the slopes of Mt. Doom." I said thinking that maybe he had listened to the lessons we had been grooming him for success with.
"Ada, are you going to take me for one last ride on your shoulders while you are raking around the leaves that have taken the fall off our tree?" He asked.
"Yes, I will. Before we met, I don't know who ever kept me so entertained. But I really would like to get back to my nap. Can you promise me forever to keep the noise down to a dull roar?" I asked my son.
"Okay, but I only have a couple more questions." Cirithon stated.
"Okay, go ahead and ask them." I answered.
"What does Unca Rúmil mean when he says that he has caught the scent of an elleth?" He asked.
"Cir, I am not answering that one, ask your Uncle Rúmil the next time he is on a date." I said.
"Okay, Ada. Ada, what is the Fletching Fiasco that Unca Orophin and Lurien told me to ask you about?" He asked.
"Ciri! I am not about to answer that!" I said rather upset with my own brother and the Sentinel for even mentioning that debacle.
"Ada, who left the lembas in the rain?" He asked.
"Cirithon I am finished answering these silly questions!" I raised my voice, and then turned towards the main room of the talan. "Lindariel, come and get your son! It is too noisy to sleep in here!"
"Oh, so he is your son when he is an angel, but he is mine when he starts asking questions?" My wife asked.
"Yes, exactly." I said as I gave up on sleep and walked over to my wife to give her a kiss.
