Chapter 3
"Luke, tuck your shirt in."
"Yes Mother."
"Dean, fetch me my shawl from the kitchen."
"Yes Mother."
"Lee, run a comb through your hair once more."
"Okay Mommy."
"And Gabe-" Aurora surveyed her youngest, who was sitting sucking on his fingers, with his hair mused up. "-You just, sit tight."
Gabe grinned back at her, and continued sucking on his fingers. He wondered why his mommy was dressing him and his brothers up. He didn't like his clothes very much, they were itchy and Mommy would get upset with him if he drooled on them too much.
After several sessions of combing hair, folding handkerchiefs, and Dean looking for their mother's shoes and finding them in the linen closet they were finally ready. Now the only thing they had to do was make it to the Citadel without somehow getting covered in mud.
Unfortunately, they did not succeed. Or at least, the boys (with the exception of Gabe) didn't. On their way up there (for they had to walk because they did not own a cart or a horse and Aurora refused to take charity from her in-laws) a cart drove past them, through a puddle, and sprayed them with mud. Except Aurora and Gabe didn't get sprayed because she had the good sense to jump away, pulling Gabe with her. She had tried to pull the rest of the boys with her, but it didn't work.
There wasn't enough time to go home though and change without the royals thinking that she had disrespected them and refused to come after she said she would. They had no choice but continue on and arrive muddy. She would rather them think she was a messy, ungroomed, widow who let her children run wild, then someone who would let a King and those of noble birth (mostly Elrohir came to mind) think that a little bit of mud on her children would prevent her from coming. From what she could tell, the King and Queen seemed like very wholesome, humble people and they wouldn't mind a little mud on her sons...would they?
In any case, they arrived perfectly on time, but covered in mud.
"I am terribly sorry for our appearance." Aurora apologized. "We had a small getting up here and-"
"Oh, pay it no mind." Arwen said hiding a small smile. s happen."
"I suppose we look quite comical." Aurora said, laughing a bit.
"What's this?" A voice said from behind them. They turned to see Elrohir standing in the doorway. "A few boys who had a run in with the famed Middle Earth mud man?" He asked, immediately going into his playful, childish, mode, sitting at eye level with the boys
"The mud man?" The boys looked towards Elrohir with that such innocence that only children could pocess. "Whose that?"
"Well-"
"Elrohir!" Another voice came from the doorway. "Trying to scare some of Gondor's young minds are we?"
"No," Elrohir said in a serious voice. "Just trying to make them more aware."
"Somehow I highly doubt that."
Seeing that it was Elladan, Aragorn beckoned him to come forward and sit with them.
Lee went up to Elladan and stood in front of him, his mouth wide open. He turned to look at Elrohir and then whipped his head back around again to look at Elladan.
"There's two of you!" He exclaimed.
"Lee!" Aurora scolded. "Don't be so rude!"
"But there is, Momma!" Lee cried, clearly both confused and excited by the concept. He hoped that more Elrohir meant more fun. "There are two El-ro-hir's! See?" He pointed and then carefully counted on his fingers. "One, two!"
Aurora opened her mouth to apologize to the twins, but Elrohir shook his head. With a grin on his face he went over to Lee and sat down at eye level with him.
"Although I am impressed at your counting skills Lee, I have to tell you something."
"What's that?" Lee ed his head to one side curiously.
"There's not two of me."
"There's not?"
Elrohir shook his head. "Nope. That's my brother, Elladan." Lee looked up at Elladan who gave him an amused grin in return
"Your brother?"
"That's right."
Lee pondered this for a moment. "But if he's your brother then how come you look exactly like him? Me and Luke are brothers, but we don't look the same."
"Well," Elrohir said slowly. "Elladan and I were born on the same day, at nearly the same time."
"So you have the same birthday?" Elrohir nodded. "You must get big parties then." He said, obviously impressed.
Elrohir and Elladan laughed. "I suppose you could say that we do."
"You have the same Mommy too?" Lee asked.
"Yes."
"Where is she?"
Elladan's smile faded and the light in Elrohir's eyes seemed to go out. Aurora, seeing that this was apparently a fragile subject said quietly, "Lee, I think that's enough questions."
"Okay Mommy."
They were all silent for a few more moments before a servant came in and told them that dinner was ready. Argorn told her thank you and they all went into the large dinning room to eat.
As soon as they got into the dinning room, Aurora apologized once more for the boys having mud on their clothes, as it was sure to ruin the cushions on the chairs. Elrohir told her not to worry, that cushions could be washed and that they should all sit down.
Dinner began well enough and things were going rather smoothly. It gave Aurora a lot of relief to see her boys behaving for once. It gave her one less thing to worry about.
They had been polite and Aurora was surprised to see that Elrohir talked to the boys and as far as she could see was actually interested in what they were saying. She honestly could not but help see how good he was with children, especially hers. Currently he was asking the boys if they had any pets.
"No," Dean said in a disappointed manner. "We want a dog, but mother won't let us get one."
"Why not?" Elrohir asked. "I should think that a dog is something every young boy should have." He paused and grinned as his twin. "Although our mother and father wouldn't let us get one."
"And for good reason." Arwen added. "Those two were the most troublesome little elflings you would ever meet." She told the boys.
"As are my boys." Aurora interjected. "A dog would just cause more than our house needs. That and your grandmother would have a heart attack if she found out."
Dean tried to stifle a giggle. "She would too."
Seeing the curious look she was getting from Elrohir, she elaborated. "My mother in-law is very...structured and believes whole-heartedly in behaving properly as is expected of you." She paused. "She finds my boys to be rather ...unbehaved and that I should press rules upon them more often."
"I don't see how she could think that." Elrohir said. "You all are behaving quite nicely after having to sit in those chairs for so long."
"I agree." Arwen said. "Aurora, do you mind if I have someone help them change into some other clothes? Their muddy ones must be getting uncomfortable."
"I would greatly appreciate that, your Majesty. " Aurora said thankfully as Arwen called for a servant to take the boys (minus Gabe, who was not muddy) into another room to change.
"We'll be right back, Mommy." Lee said, as if she didn't know.
"Alright sweetie." Aurora smiled fondly at her sons as they walked out the room.
"Thank you very much for loaning us the clothes." Luke said politely for all four boys before he left.
"You're welcome." Arwen replied.
"What does your husband say?" Aragorn continued the conversation they had been having. It probably wasn't any of his business, but he had to admit he was curious.
"Oh, he passed away about two years ago." Aurora looked down.
"In the war?" Arwen asked quietly.
"Yes." Aurora could already feel a familiar ache in her heart that appeared every time she though about the day he had died. She looked up with a shaky smile and Elrohir could see the pain in her eyes. "It seems like it was just yesterday."
Note-
(A) I am so so so so so so so sorry about not updating in like forever but I had a huge writer's block and now I think I'm back on track so hopefully the updates will come more frequently.
(B) Okay, I was really gonna put a flashback here, but it was going to make it entirely too long so I'll juts through it in next time and it made for a nice, but not really dramatic or anything kind of cliff-hanger type delio.
So! Leave a review and writing the next chapter will be all the easier having your thoughts and comments behind it.
