Disclaimer: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work.

Chapter 3- Wild berry pie

Third Age 2550

Eruanna hummed to herself while picking wild berries in the woods. Ithilwen had sent her on this errand as a surprise for Haldor. He was due to return home from the court of Thranduil where he spent much time as a military advisor but had, in more recent years, limited his involvement in favor of raising his granddaughter. Haldor simply adored his wife's wild berry pie and so she and Eruanna decided to make him the treat to welcome him home. Eruanna was so looking forward to Haldor's return and the chance to make something special for him that she shot out the door, nearly forgetting her basket as she went. Eruanna looked down at her basket; it was nearly half full. She tried her best not to eat too many as she collected the lovely ripe fruits from the bushes that grew near her home. She continued humming the little tune as she worked.

It had been weeks since the last time Eruanna sang. She would work quietly beside her grandmother, listening to the elleth's beautiful voice. The more she listened, the more she realized how truly terrible her own singing was. Not wishing to ruin the lovely sounds her grandmother made she stopped joining in Ithilwen's songs.

One afternoon, her grandmother confronted her about her silence.

"What is wrong child? Why do you not sing with me?"

"I don't like singing anymore," was the elleth's quiet reply.

"Not like singing!" Ithilwen exclaimed in surprise. "I have never known a child who loved singing more than you." Ithilwen studied Eruanna carefully.

"Perhaps I am not a child any longer." The words came out of Eruanna's mouth painfully, knowing that a true elf would still be a child for many years to come.

Ithilwen smiled at her granddaughter and embraced her tightly. "I forget sometimes," she paused, "will you permit me to sing to you, still?" she asked the young elleth.

"Of course, grandmother." Eruanna loved Ithilwen's voice and if she herself could not sing, at least she would have the beautiful voice of her grandmother to sing for her.

Eruanna continued picking berries until she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. An ellon stood, leaning against a tree trunk, watching her. It was the same ellon who weeks earlier had frightened her by jumping out of a tree. She met his gaze evenly, pushing down the memory of his laughter.

"You're not very observant, are you?" the ellon stated flatly.

Eruanna felt anger rise in her throat at the elf's haughty words. She made no reply but continued picking berries.

"I'm surprised you haven't been eaten by orcs or spiders yet," he continued, watching her.

Eruanna looked him in the eye and spit the words, "I see your manners haven't improved." She continued picking berries.

The ellon smiled. "Forgive my rudeness, I should introduce myself. My name is Feredir. My brothers and I have been rotated to the eastern borders for the next several years."

Eruanna's heart sank, she had hoped she'd never see the three terrible ellyn again, but it seems they would be in the region for some time. She made no reply but turned back to her work.

"And your name? I have given you mine," he walked silently toward the bush where she was collecting the berries.

Eruanna lifted her head to find that the ellon had moved to the other side of the shrub. She did not wish to tell him her name but her good manners would not permit her to remain silent. "My name is Eruanna."

"Really?" he raised an eyebrow at her, skeptically. "You don't appear very graceful to me."

Eruanna's head shot up at the rude remark. She wondered briefly if the ellon had intended to insult her or if he knew not how his words stung. It was then she remembered that to join the border guard an elf needed to be over 500 years old and most were far older. It was not possible for an elf to live so long and be oblivious to the impact of his words.

"I must be going now." Eruanna wanted nothing more than to escape the arrogant ellon but he moved to block her path.

"May I have some?" he gestured to the basket of berries.

Eruanna glanced back at the shrub she had just picked the berries from. There were plenty more on the plant. "These are for my grandfather's pie, pick your own." She moved to go round him but he matched her movement and would not let her pass.

"But I want those," he said, looking at the basket.

Eruanna's frustration was beginning to get the better of her. "I don't care what you want," she snapped, "now get out of my way."

The ellon stepped aside. She moved to rush past him and would have made a clean getaway if the warden had not extended his foot to trip her. Eruanna fell hard on the ground. She heard a snapping sound in her wrist and her basket of berries tumbled to the ground. Eruanna clasped her wrist in her hand and watched as the ellon's boot came down on the scattered pile of berries.

Feredir laughed at the squishing sound the berries made as he ground them underfoot. "I guess you won't be getting any either." The warden looked back over his shoulder seconds before Eruanna heard the sound of two more ellyn approaching.

"Feredir, where are you?" a voice called out.

"Over here Sadron," the ellon called back to his brother.

Eruanna climbed to her feet holding her right arm against her chest staring down at the ruined berries.

Sadron entered the grove and took in the scene before him. "What happened?"

Feredir shrugged his shoulders. "She tripped over a root, the child is very clumsy," he smiled at Sadron, who laughed.

"Stop laughing. It isn't funny." The third brother moved to pick up the fallen basket and handed it to Eruanna.

"Oh come on, Maeron, it is so funny," Sadron covered his mouth with his hand chuckling.

Feredir looked down at the mess on the forest floor and then back at the elleth. He spoke in a condescending tone. "You should be more careful next time. Now your grandfather has no berries for his pie."

Eruanna looked at the berries smashed into the dirt and back up at the warden's smiling face. She turned and ran once more from the ellon and could hear the echoes of his laughter following her home.

Eruanna returned home empty handed late that afternoon.

"Where have you been, child, it is getting late." Ithilwen did not bother to turn to the door as her granddaughter entered. "Put the berries on the table."

"I…I don't have them," Eruanna answered quietly.

"What do you mean you don't have them?" The elleth exclaimed rounding on Eruanna. The elleth's expression changed as she took in the sight of her granddaughter. The young elleth's dress was covered in patches of mud and grass stains and she clutched her arm to her chest.

"Eruanna," she walked swiftly to the child's side, "what happened dear?"

"I tripped," she hung her head in guilt for the lie she was about to tell, "over a root."