The room was silent save for the scratching of a quill against paper, and empty but for the one figure at the desk. Erestor sat back slowly, lowering his favored quill before leaning back with a tired groan. Arms stretching up as high as they would go back twisting first to the left, and then to the right, sighing in satisfaction at the loud cracks issued from his spine after such stretching. It was a few months after the ring had been destroyed, and all of Middle Earth was busily trying to right itself after such loses. After learning of the rings demise, most of the elves had decided to remain on these shores a few years more, so there was a lot of work to be done restoring the beauty of their cities.
Erestor's arms returned to rest softly on his lap, as he leant back in his chair, head turned to the side of him as he gazed out at the beautiful sunset spreading out across Imladris. His mind wandering as the golden-red beams warmed his face, bringing a sad smile to his face. The stress from long hours huddled over his desk draining from him before a sharp knock at the door snapped him from his reverie with a jolt.
"Uh, come in!" He ventured, hurriedly smoothing back thick black locks as he tried to resume his air of hardworking advisor. The door cracked open and a blond head peered through the small gap. The person's azure gaze lit up instantly on spying Erestor alone in the office and the rest of the person hurried in, closing the door behind them softly, as if afraid of breaking the spell. Erestor smiled fondly at the person, before lifting one hand to gesture at the plush seat in front of his meticulously tidy desk. "Glorfindel, so lovely to see you...for the third time this hour." His loving smile wasn't returned, and quickly turned into a worried frown at his lover's expression.
"Glorfindel?" Leaning forward in his chair, clasped hands resting on the desk as the dark haired advisor tried to rouse the blond's attention.
His companion shook himself from his thoughts, letting out a sad sigh as he looked up at his raven haired love. "Erestor, I have received some unpleasant news..." Sapphire orbs fixed on the fidgeting fingers at his side, desperately wishing the news away.
"What is it?" Erestor had braced himself, and wore a wary expression as he waited for the reply, this wasn't about them running out of bath salts again was it?
"Your sister," Erestor's eyes widened at this, "she is dead." Glorfindel's last three words came out as barely a whisper, but the advisor's sharp elven ears had no trouble picking it up. He showed no sign of hearing Glorfindel, completely frozen in place and hardly seeming to breathe or blink.
Not many had known about Calianna Kalisiel. She was many years younger than her brother, and had gone into hiding when times had gotten dark for their people. The resemblance could easily be seen however, as Calianna had had the same brown eyes as her elder sibling, and wild black hair.
The siblings had been raised separately, and by separate sets of parents. But they had always known of each other, and as Erestor grew he had watched his baby sister from afar, filled with brotherly pride. While being very similar in appearance, they were vastly different in personality. Where Erestor was reserved and wise, Cali was lively and outspoken. Her voice could be heard from miles, and the fiery passion hidden within both siblings was much more noticeable in Calianna.
After growing up as Erestor's secret sister Cali had decided, on passing her majority, that it was only fitting for her to go on to become somebody's secret wife, and not fifty years later, she had been wed.
Haldir and Cali had been very close, and had produced three adorable children. Their happiness on the birth of their twin boys wasn't to last, as the very next day Haldir had been sent to help in a battle at the human dwelling of Helms Deep. On hearing of her husband's death, Cali had desperately tried to go on, for their children if nothing else, but in the end she lost this fight, and surrendered to the darkness that had been calling her for the past four months.
Glorfindel sighed heavily. Shifting on the bench as he looked to his right, at the shell of his precious Erestor. The Noldor hadn't spoken a word since the news of his baby sister's death, and his formally bright, sharp gaze was now dull, almost unseeing. Erestor didn't seem aware of his surroundings, but a harsh and official tone barking out his name seemed to draw his attention, much to Glorfindel's surprise.
"...as your own, I know I can trust you with these precious burdens."
The advisor shook his head slowly, confusion clearly shown on his face.
Turning to Glorfindel, he tried to figure out this mystery.
"What...?" Letting his question hang in the air as a small girl was suddenly pushed towards them. She seemed to be the splitting image of her father, the five year old's pale cheeks stained with dried tears, red rimmed eyes staring up at the couple hesitantly.
Erestor and Glorfindel exchanged a curious look, before slowly rising to their feet. The officiator of the proceeding had begun explaining everything to a shell shocked Erestor and so he focused his attention on not missing it this time, ignoring the surprised yelp from Glorfindel as twin bundles were shoved into his arms.
"The girl is Pylia, and she has recently turned five. The twins are now four months old, the blond is called Fislan, and his brother is Firlan."
Erestor stared down at small girl, his mouth opening and closing silently a few times before his eyes rolled back into his head, hearing a concerned yell from Glorfindel before everything went black.