Celebrian, far from objecting, was delighted with the new choice of name and so Alassë Calanoniel was no more and Faelwen Elrondiel took her place. While the child found it unusual at first to be addressed by a different name, she was filled with astounding relief at the thought of never having to hear the name Alassë again.

As another few days passed, the thing which Faelwen really found difficult to become used to was interacting with so many different elves; all of whom were kind to her. She became very attached to the twins almost immediately – and to everyone's astonishment, after two days she could tell which was which straight away – but she was still wary around the elder elves. It pained Elrond to see the way she flinched and blanched when anyone made any sudden movements, only to relax again when she realised that they were not intending to hurt her.

Her behaviour was not surprising though, given the way she had been treated. Any time Faelurinc or her brothers had raised their hands to her, it had been to slap her, pull her hair or hurt her in some other cruel fashion. It had never been, as it now was with the elves here, to pat her head or caress her cheek. She simply needed time to adapt. Thankfully, everyone was extremely patient with her and made many small gestures to reassure and comfort her. Gradually and slowly, in response to his, her confidence began to grow.

The younger members of the household, Elrond was happy to see, were more than ready to accept her and teach her what it truly meant to be an elfling. Her ankle was healing at an astounding rate, so she was allowed to be out of bed very quickly. As soon as she could walk well enough, the twins each took one of her hands and they, Haldir, Legolas and Arwen showed her everything there was to see in Imladris, though they could not venture too far from the house because of the snow.

They showed her the huge library, full to the rafters of leather-bound tomes; the hall of fire, where the kindly Lindir was playing his harp; the gardens; the training fields where Glorfindel and his troops were practising; the river; the kitchens and then finally the study where the elflings had their lessons with the dark-haired Erestor.

Faelwen took to the cheerful Noldor elf at once. He was gentle, welcoming and, according to the twins and Arwen, a wonderfully patient teacher. He spoke softly to Faelwen, seeing that she was still nervous and put the skittish child at her ease. It was plain to see why Elrond's children spoke so warmly of him.

As Erestor had finished the stroll he was transcribing, he offered to walk them all back down to the Hall of Fire and tell them a story while their fathers were still in conference upstairs. It was a suggestion which, naturally, met with instant approval so he put his equipment away and led the small group down to the hall, where they found a tired Glorfindel sitting by the fire.

"We saw you sparring on the practise fields, Glorfindel!" cried Haldir excitedly, rushing over to his hero. "You fought so well!"

"Thank you, little one," Glorfindel was touched by Haldir's enthusiasm. He knew that this elfling was going to be a great warrior some day. "What are you all doing down here? I thought you would be out playing in the snow."

"We were told we could not stay outside too long, as there is another blizzard expected. Erestor is going to tell us a story!" said Legolas happily.

"Oh well, if that is the case, I shall stay and listen to it," grinned Glorfindel, turning a pair of twinkling blue eyes towards his friend. "But may I choose their story, mellon-nin?"

"Certainly, if you wish," smiled Erestor, wondering what on earth Glorfindel was up to this time. There was a decided mischievous streak in the blond Vanya sometimes, and Erestor knew that he must have a specific reason for asking.

"Well…" said Glorfindel slowly, as he lifted Haldir up onto his lap. "I would like to hear the tale of when Thranduil dyed Celeborn's hair with ink, since none of the others will tell me what happened."

Erestor burst into laughter, while the elflings gaped at the two elder elves in astonishment.

"My ada put ink into Lord Celeborn's hair?" Legolas's eyes were almost popping out of his head and his mouth was hanging open.

"Thad he did, penneth. I was there in Greenwood at the time," chuckled Erestor. "Your ada certainly caused his fair share of mischief when he was an elfling."

"Did he get caught?" asked Haldir.

"What happened when Daerada found out?" asked Elrohir gleefully, thoroughly amused at the thought of someone playing a practical joke on his staid and solemn grandfather.

"Tell us, Erestor, please!" begged Legolas.

"Ai, it looks as though I cannot get out of this one!" chuckled Erestor. "Celeborn is going to have your head for this, Glorfindel! All right, elflings, settle down and I shall tell you."

The words had their predictable effect: the children quietened down immediately. Elladan lifted Faelwen onto his lap, while Elrohir did likewise with Arwen and Legolas sat cross-legged in front of the fire. Erestor couldn't help but grin at the eager expressions on their faces; Glorfindel and the twins included!

"Well," he began. "This occurred a very long time ago, back in the second age. Celeborn and Galadriel had been settled in Lórinand – now called Lothlorien – for several years when Celeborn journeyed east to meet with his kinsman Oropher; your Daerada, Legolas. I myself was also there…"

Celeborn had to smile fondly at the sight which met his eyes. Thranduil was still asleep, curled up on his bed, where Celeborn had placed him on an hour ago. The little elfling, only five years old, was deep in slumber, his right thumb in his mouth. He looked incredibly innocent and small while he was asleep.

"Thranduil, come on tithen pen," Celeborn called softly, sitting down on the bed and shaking him gently. "It is time to wake again."

The elfling stirred slowly, rubbing his eyes as he sat up. He blinked dazedly a few times, before turning a sleepy smile towards his older cousin. Circumstances being what they were, Celeborn had seen almost nothing of Thranduil since his birth, but in the two weeks he had spent so far in Greenwood the Great, he had become very fond of his little kinsman. "Good nap?" he queried, smiling back. Thranduil nodded, his blue eyes now bright and alert.

"Can we go down to the river and play with Valien and Carnesîr again today?" he asked Celeborn eagerly, leaping to his feet. The other two elflings were his closest friends and the three of them had had some wonderful games together.

"I'm sure that could be arranged," laughed Celeborn, tapping Thranduil's tiny nose as he sat him on the bed and got to his feet. "Now sit there and I will fetch the brush and braid your hair for you."

"I had a dream I was fighting a dragon!" Thranduil said excitedly, leaping down from the bed again before Celeborn had taken three steps away. "And he breathed fire and everything!"

"Did you capture him, little one?" asked Celeborn picking up the hairbrush and returning to the bed. Thranduil nodded fervently. "Good. Now come, sit down again."

Thranduil's backside had hardly touched the bed before he leapt up again and flashed Celeborn a brilliant grin.

"I put a mithril chain on him and said; 'In the name of King Oropher, I capture you!' I capture you!" Thranduil sang the three words over and over again, dancing round Celeborn's knees excitedly. The elder elf sighed in exasperation.

"Thranduil! Will you hold still for a moment?" he scolded. "How can I braid your hair if you hop about like a bird?"

In all honesty, he did not mind it really; Thranduil was always a bundle of energy until he simply tired himself out. But Celeborn really did need to braid his hair and have him tidy before taking him outside.

"If I cannot braid your hair, then I cannot take you to play with Valien and Carnesîr," the older elf threatened mildly. Instantly, Thranduil froze and his silver-haired kinsman was able to pull him up onto his lap.

"Now, if you sit still for five minutes, I shall be done in no time," Celeborn told him affectionately, as he brushed Thranduil's blond hair and began to braid it deftly.

"OW! That hurts, Celeborn!"

"Sorry tithen-pen, I am nearly done." said Celeborn, as he fastened the braids in Thranduil's hair and turned the little one around, so that he could meet his eyes. "Now remember, you must not tell your Ada and Nana that I have taken you down to the river!"

"Why?" asked Thranduil, reaching out to play with one of the braids in Celeborn's silver hair.

"Because they would get very cross and they would not let me look after you again."

"Why?"

"Because you are not supposed to be down by the river."

"Why?"

Was there ever such an elfling for questions? Celeborn raised his eyes skyward and bit down a laugh.

"Just because, Thranduil, that's why." he answered. "Now come, little sapling. Put on your boots and we will go and meet your friends."

Thranduil, Valien and Carnesîr were splashing about and pretending to sword-fight in the shallow part of the river, while Celeborn watched them amusedly from the bank.

"They are so full of high spirits." said a musical voice behind him. Startled, Celeborn looked round to find a young, golden-haired elleth standing behind him. Blushing at being caught unawares, Celeborn got his feet respectfully.

"They are always the same. Thranduil especially. I confess, it astounds me where he gets all the energy from,"

"They are so sweet." the elleth said, gracefully sitting down by Celeborn's feet. "My name is Eámanë by the way."

"I am called Celeborn." he answered politely, sitting back down again, and they soon fell into a pleasant conversation.

Down in the water, Thranduil and his friends froze, looking curiously at the intruder.

"Who's she?" asked Thranduil. "Why is she sitting with Celeborn?"

"That is Eámanë." Valien replied, screwing his nose up in distaste. "She always talks to my brother. I do not like her! Why does she have to giggle so loudly?"

"And why is Celeborn's face going all pink?" asked Thranduil, a frown gracing his little face. "What's she doing to him?"

"Maybe she is trying to make him fall in love with her," Carnesîr suggested gravely, with the air of one imparting great wisdom. "Saeros says that ellyth are always doing that, so that the ellyn will want to kiss them."

"Yuck!" exclaimed Thranduil in horror. "We must get rid of her. She cannot have Celeborn – he is already in love with Galadriel. He even married her!"

"Let us go and rescue him! If she talks to him too long, then he will not want to spend time with us anymore!" exclaimed his dark-haired friend, and the trio of elflings made their way over to the bank, where, to their horror, the elleth descended on them.

"Aren't you adorable!" she exclaimed, pinching Thranduil's cheek gently. Thranduil's looked as he might have done had he been facing a balrog. He turned a terrified look towards Celeborn with an expression that plainly said 'help me'. But, before anything else could happen, a tall blond elf called to Eámanë from over by the trees. She turned to Celeborn apologetically.

"That is my brother." she told him. "I shall have to go now. I expect I shall see you all at the festival in a few days. Goodbye Celeborn. Goodbye children."

With languid grace, she inclined her head to them and hastened away, leaving the three elflings gazing up at Celeborn, looking very worried. All three were unusually silent as they walked back to Oropher's stronghold and it was not until they had delivered his two friends back to their parents that Thranduil eventually spoke.

"Celeborn, you cannot talk to her when we go the festival!" he said determinedly, as they walked. Celeborn halted in surprise.

"Why not, little one?" he asked, slightly puzzled. "Did you not like her?"

"No, she is irritating!" said Thranduil uncharacteristically – Celeborn had never heard him speak ill of anyone before. "And what is more, she is trying to make you fall in love with her!"

"Trying to make me…stop right there, Thranduil," said Celeborn, now completely bemused. "Where is this idea coming from?"

"She came and sat next to you when we were at the river, and she was giggling really loudly and Carnesîr they do that to get an ellon to kiss them!" Thranduil's face was so earnest that Celeborn was very hard pressed not to laugh.

"Thranduil, an ellon can talk to an elleth without being in love with her, you know," he explained patiently. "Many ellyn have female friends without actually wanting kiss them, strange as that may sound to you. And you seem to be forgetting, little one, that I am happily married and am very much in love with Galadriel. I am not in danger of falling in love with any other elleth on Arda!"

"But she is still trying to make you!" Thranduil exclaimed, frustrated that Celeborn could not see the truth, or at least the truth in his eyes. "You must not talk to her at the festival! She will try to take you away from us!" Celeborn could not help but laugh this time, and patted Thranduil's golden head.

"You will understand when you are older, little one, I promise," he chuckled. "Let us return home now. I have a book I need to collect from Erestor before the evening meal." Chewing his lip thoughtfully, Thranduil followed.

"Mae Govannen, Erestor," said Celeborn cheerfully, as he went into the library where the councillor had spent most of his visit. "I've come to collect that book you mentioned."

"Good afternoon, Celeborn," greeted Erestor with his friendly smile. "It's next door in the map-room. Go on in; it's the black leather one on the table."

Celeborn nodded in thanks and passed through the door into the adjoining room. Meanwhile, Erestor turned to see a very thoughtful Thranduil waiting at the door.

"Oh dear, why such bleak expression, young one?" he asked in concern, gesturing that the children should come into the study. "I should have thought you'd be looking forward to the festival."

"I can't," said Thranduil dejectedly. "That horrible Eámanë is going to be there, and she is going to take Celeborn away from me. She is trying to make him fall in love with her, Lord Erestor!"

"Is she indeed?" chuckled Erestor indulgently, well aware that Eámanë was already betrothed.

"Yes!" exclaimed Thranduil fervently. "Carnesîr said so! His brother has told him all about what elleth try to do to get the ellyn to kiss them!"

"Little one, I am sure that they were only talking," Erestor assured him. "It is permitted, you know, for two elves to talk to each other without falling in love. Perhaps she was just admiring his silver hair!"

Erestor said this as a joke, in an attempt to make the elfling smile, but he had no idea of the idea he had just in a young, determined mind!