Idril tossed and turned in her sleep, skin drawn tightly about elegant features as her mind was caught by a vision. Lips twisting into a grimace, she fought it briefly, then dreamed.
"Nana! Nana!"
She looked up from a book, a beautiful smile turning her lips upward. The yelling continued as footsteps thundered outside the door, announcing the speakers' arrival. Kneeling, she managed to catch both hurtling figures as they flew at her, clasping them to her breast with loving care.
They were both as golden as the sun, silken hair tumbling wildly about childish features and framing eyes of a fathomless blue that echoed the sky outside. The little girl threw her arms around her neck and clung tightly while the little boy hugged her briefly, then wriggled impatiently to be let go.
"I helped Adar shoot a deer for dinner, Naneth!" he exclaimed, drawing back and presenting himself for due praise.
Idril smiled indulgently and looked to the little girl, "Did he, Aarien?" she asked, winking at her.
Aarien nodded imperiously, "He did. But he almost scared it away! Glorinar must learn to be more quiet."
Glorinar shot her a dirty look and wrapped his arms around his naneth.
"I did not! Aarien is telling stories, Naneth. I was good and quiet like Adar told me!"
She hugged them to her again before they could begin squabbling, pressing her face in turn to the tops of their golden heads. Aptly named they were, Sunmaiden and Golden Fire, as brightly maned and eyed as their parents and twice the handful. Full Vanyarin they looked, though twins did not run in Vanyarin blood lines, even fraternal twins such as Aarien and Glorinar.
"And where is this deer that you brought for dinner, Glor?" Idril asked, setting him back from her with a twinkle in her eye, "I don't see it. Or was it an invisible deer?"
Glorinar gave her a haughty look, "Aarien tells the stories, Nana, not me. Adar has the deer…I could not yet carry it."
"He tried though!" a chuckle came from the door as a figured appeared, framed by the doorway.
"Adar!" Aarien cried gleefully, jumping up and throwing herself into his arms for a hug and a kiss.
She was caught easily and set down as her mother released Glorinar and approached her husband, a loving smile gracing her features. He returned the smile and clasped her waist in his hands, drawing her near for a careful kiss, her hands slipping up to twine in his lengths of sunsilk hair. The children squealed their disgust at the action.
"I hear you are terrorizing the local deer with your rugrats," Idril said, eyes smiling joyously, "I thought we'd been over that already, Glorfindel, they did nothing to you."
A laugh, full bodied and rich, escaped his throat and he lifted her in his arms before placing her back on the ground and claiming her lips again.
"Ah, but they are yours too, my love," he said, winking lazily at her.
The last thing she saw was that blue eye, rimmed in luxurious dark lashes, as it winked at her. Her vision drew her out of the house and across the waters to a land that lay dark and destroyed, overrun with orcs and Uruk-hai. Where small pockets of living people fought for freedom, only to be slaughtered mercilessly.
The horrors were abound and everywhere, reaching for her and laughing.
"Thank you ever so much, my dear," whispered a wickedly happy voice.
Idril sat up with a gasp of fright, bathed in a cold sweat, her blue eyes wide and large against her skin.
A glance to the moon told her it had been but a dream.
Childish giggles echoed in her mind, a pair of twin golden heads. Echoes of 'Naneth.'
Just a dream.