Threads

Eleniel: 15

Estel: 20

"Ada?"

Elrond turned his head to the open door to his room. He lowered his book and frowned, eyes coming to rest on his daughter. "Eleniel? What are you doing awake?"

"I… couldn't sleep," she replied, wrapping her arms around her from where she was still stood at the door.

Elrond nodded. He had a feeling this sudden wakefulness was to do with her brothers and Glorfindel leaving for their patrol tomorrow. "Come here," he said, placing the book down on his bedside table and opening his arms for his daughter.

Eleniel smiled, immediately moving forward. She climbed onto the bed and lay down, her head resting on her father's chest.

"I suppose this is about tomorrow?" he asked.

"What is 'this'?" Eleniel asked as the older elf lifted the covers and pulled them over himself and his daughter.

"Out of all my children, you are the best sleeper," he told her with a quiet chuckle. "Never once have you come to me saying that you cannot sleep. That is Estel's job."

Eleniel giggled at that, but quickly quietened. "I don't want them to go."

"I know you don't. Neither do I, but you know that they have to."

"I suppose."

"What is different about this time, hm?"

"What do you mean?"

"Usually you will be upset to see them go, but not say much about it. This time, you cannot sleep and have been acting distant all day. What is wrong, tithen fileg nin?"

Eleniel stayed silent for a moment, not sure how to respond. "I don't know."

Elrond nodded, moving his hand to rub his daughter's back gently. "Alright. We shall talk about it when you do know, yes?"

"Okay." Eleniel sighed, quickly reaching up to wipe a tear which had begun to fall down her cheek. "And now I am crying!"

Elrond smiled fondly, lifting his daughter's chin up to meet his eyes. "Do not worry about your brothers and Glorfindel – you know they will be fine, as they always are. Dry those tears and we will talk about something a bit happier before we sleep."

Eleniel nodded with a smile, blue eyes shining in the candlelight. They turned as a knock sounded at the door and it had opened, and Estel's head was peeking in. He smiled at the sight of both his father and sister on the bed and walked into the room.

"Ada."

"Estel. Are you having trouble sleeping? Would you like to climb into my bed and stay with Eleniel and I?"

Eleniel snorted at that, quickly bringing both hands up to cover her mouth as she buried her head under the covers.

Estel rose an eyebrow and gazed curiously at the smiling elf lord. "No, thank you," he said after a moment, before sighing at the muffled giggles coming from the lump on his father's chest. Remembering what he had come in to say, he walked over to the bed, holding up a tunic. "I wanted to know if you had a tunic I could borrow. Dan and Ro are already asleep – I would have asked them otherwise."

Elrond frowned. "Where are all of yours?"

At this, the man made a guilty face and started fiddling with the material in his hands.

Elrond rose both eyebrows, beginning to understand. "You let them pile up in a corner of your room instead of taking them to be washed, I assume?"

Estel sighed, hanging his head. "You assume correctly."

"Mhm."

"Sorry."

"I am sure."

"Tunic?"

"Yes."

"Thank you, Ada."

"You are welcome, ion."

Estel smiled tightly, walking to the wardrobe in Elrond's room and taking out a navy-blue tunic.

"What about the one in your hands?" Eleniel asked, having recovered.

"Threads are coming out of it, and so I am taking it to a maid who will hopefully re-stitch it for me," Estel told her, walking over to his sister and leaning down. He placed a kiss on her forehead and stroked the blonde hair out of her face. "Good night. I will see you in the morning." At this, he straightened and looked quizzically at his father, unsure if he was seriously mad or just pretending.

Elrond saw this, and a wide smile spread across his face. "Come here, my wild child," he said, opening his arms. Estel grinned and bent down to hug the elf.

"Sleep well," he said, turning to leave and quietly shutting the door behind him.

Eleniel sighed. "How he manages to look after himself while on patrol is a mystery."

Elrond laughed, leaning over to blow out the candle. "He has two older brothers that keep both eyes on him at all times, that is how," he said. "Now, let us sleep."

The elleth nodded. "Good night, Ada. Love you."

"Sweet dreams, my little one. I love you, too, as I always will."

Elvish used:

Ada – Dad/Daddy

Tithen fileg nin - My little bird

Hey! How are you doing? :) I thought this might be a good opportunity so see if my reviewers would like to request a fic... it would help me, also, as I'm having difficulty coming up with a plot for each prompt. Here are the ones I have left:

Earth, Rebellion, New Race, Filling In The Gaps, Documentation, Down The River, Valinor, Justice, A Simple Delight, Learning, Anyone Of Us, Friends Forever, Feuds, Vanity, Point Of View, Oaths, From Afar, Lifeline, Hidden, Harbor, Flaunting, Parlay, I Know You, But Where?, First In Mind, Fellow Sufferer, The Flag Of Surrender, and Beyond The Circles Of The World.

Hope you enjoyed! ~ Gre3nleaf