Imladris, autumn 3018
Gimli was headed to the training grounds when he ran into somebody's gut.
„Watch it" came from two throats.
After picking himself up the son of Gloin looked at the mobile chicane and blinked. It could not be.
„You look like Aragorn, laddie, but ye can't be him as yer too clean!"
The too-clean to be Aragorn Man guffawed and punched Gimli playfully on the shoulder.
„Father can be ... frugal in his use of soap, that's true."
„Beleg, son of Aragorn, at your service." The young ranger introduced himself in proper Dwarrow style.
„Gimli, son of Gloin, at your and your family's."
„Wonderful, come and met the rest of the family" and bade the dwarf follow. As he had grabbed the scion of Durin's axe off the floor Mahal's creation had to follow
Beleg revealed himself to be a chatterbox, informing him of the names of passed elves, pointing out details of architecture or landscape.
They reached the top of the stairs leading to a lawn where a gazebo had been set up and several people sat or walked in conversation.
„Come I'll introduce you" the Dunedan repeated.
„And you might hear the family story from me and not the gossips. For once the boys are all here, so you won't miss out on anybody."
He started gesturing towards the assembly.
„So, the shaved one is Arahad, the eldest. I'm the next in line – the spare. Then Idris came – the one in the red dress; had she been a boy she'd been the last, but Ma said that being the only girl with two older brothers is no fun. She's probably right, uncles are ... intense" he cracked a broad smile.
„So, for Idris to have a playmate Ma and Da got carried away and produced twins, Melian - she's the one with the knitting, and Mallor – he's got the leather jerkin; a family trait, as the uncles are twins too! And Tarcil - the one holding the wool - was an attempt to round out the numbers. Melian was the only one to notice the runt when he was little so he is her slave forever." He finished with a grin.
„And you've met Ma and Da already."
Gimli felt slightly overwhelmed by the talk and by the quantity of children the pair had produced – Aragorn, quite clean, sitting in a wicker chair with his legs fully extended and puffing on his pipe, with a lazy and benevolent gaze upon his brood, while Arwen was busy downing pastries. The dwarf only managed to say, wittily he hoped:
„Very good numbers, two lads for every lass, the way Mahal intended!"
()()()()()()()()()()
Ages in 3018:
Arahad 36, boy
Beleg 33, boy
Idris 31, girl
Melian 29, girl
Mallor 29, boy
Tarcil 25, boy