AN: For Sigebeorn. Thank you for inspiring this story to get out of my head and onto paper. No words can describe my gratitude, and it is my deepest wish that you enjoy this story.
"And this, elloth nin, my flower, is how you tie a knot. Do you see? It must be strong, mustn't it?" Her mother's deft fingers repeated the knot as Lothíriel's small fingers struggled to imitate it.
"Why must ties be so strong?" Lothíriel asked, the sound of her brothers splashing nearby in the sea drawing her attention from the rope in her hands.
"Look at the rope, my flower. Many strands are woven together, aren't they?"
"Yes, nana. They're very tight!" Lothíriel directed her eyes to her mother, focusing as hard as she could.
"That's right. They have to be. Your tie must be just as strong, just as tight. The strands are woven together to be strong, but it takes a knot to give the rope a purpose. Do you understand, elloth nin?"
"Yes, nana! The knot lets a rope hold things or do things, right, nana?"
"Yes, love. So the knot must be stronger than the many strands of the rope, to keep them together, to keep them holding fast. A loose knot is dangerous. The knot must be true to its purpose or else the rope will fail and the whole ship could come apart, should even one rope collapse. Now then, my flower, do you think your knot is strong enough?"
"Not yet, nana. 'Rothos might break it when he yanks on it. I better try again."
"Very wise, elloth nin," Her mother laughed. Lothíriel grinned in response - her mother's laugh never failed to make her smile. Even when Lothíriel didn't understand what her mother found to be so amusing, her mother's laugh was like sunshine. So Lothíriel smiled at her pretty, laughing nana and worked to replicate the tight knot.
The sounds of her brothers running around the deck grew closer and the boat rocked beneath their game.
"Thíri! Save me, little sister!" Amrothos shrieked, ducking behind her to escape Erchirion. Lothíriel giggled as Erchirion growled at her in warning.
"Don't do it, Thíri. Join my team instead!"
"I'll join…" Lothíriel hummed, pretending to decide, "Myself! I'm a pirate and I'll capture me two princes of Dol Amroth!" She grabbed Erchirion and Amrothos by the wrist, her hand not reaching the full circumference of either, and the brothers allowed her to drag them away. Imrahil's wife watched her children play with joy in her heart, but an undercurrent of fear threaded its way through, reminding her that life is short and its shadows long.