To Live Again: In her Hands {Lord of the Rings / Thranduil fanfic}

17. Entwined

Early SA- Amon Lanc, Greenwood.

The banquet had ended and the nights festivities were in full swing.  I remembered it being a funny kind of thing to celebrate the birth of an elfling, but I was really only an elfling myself and for the most part babies bored me to tears.  Parties, however, did not.

I was a youth, old enough to stay up late and dance with pretty ladies if I should be so lucky, but not so old that I could steal my Adar's finest wine.

But...that had not stopped us.

Torphen and I, along with Oliel - who was much too young to be up this late - had expertly nicked a bottle from the cellars and had deposited ourselves in the shadows of one of the empty balconies.

I remembered that neither Torphen nor I liked the wine, and both of us had spat most of it out. It would be some years before I developed a taste for the finer things.  Oliel had refused to try some, and had threatened Torphen repeatedly that she'd rat him out if he continued to be mean to her for tailing along with us.  I did not mind her presence, though I know it irked Torphen terribly that his little sister was a constant thorn in his side.  I found most of their arguments amusing. Oliel was feisty and her brother was impulsive, which made their company incredibly entertaining.

We sat that night, overlooking the elder elves enjoying the party, and mused about what our futures would be like.

Torphen sat crossed legged peering through the gaps in the marble wall, his head in his hand and a bored look on his face.  Oliel had whined and sobbed until I had relented and let her play with my hair, which effectively ended any rough housing between her brother and I.  I was admittedly relieved for the break because Torphen had boundless energy, and sometimes I really did not want to scuffle just for the sake of it.

"I wish my hair was pretty like yours," Oliel sighed her small fingers nimbly braiding a line of three intricate braids from my left temple.

"You don't want hair like an ellon!" Torphen pulled a face and I snickered in response.  "You are so embarrassing Oliel, I am glad we have a baby brother instead of another stupid sister!"

"I am not embarrassing...you are!" Oliel pouted and stamped her foot.  "And I hope our new baby brother turns out to be a lot nicer than you."

"Ai, Oliel...do not listen to him, he is teasing you, on purpose, to make you leave," I chuckled ignoring the disapproving scowl her brother shot my direction.  "He does not mean any of it...and I hope the new baby is a lot nicer than you two squabblers."

"He will be!" Oliel confirmed, "anyone could be nicer than Torphen."

"Ack hush up Oliel," Torphen grumbled whilst I suppressed more laughter - honestly this was entertainment.

"Well, at least you have siblings," I said and gave my friend a meaningful look.  "I don't think I ever will."

"I do not think that is such a bad thing," Torphen replied with a lazy smirk, but I could tell my statement had made him think, for his features became a little more thoughtful.

"Do you not think the Queen will have another prince or princess?" Oliel asked suddenly, pausing her braiding to sit down beside me and watch me intently for an answer. 

"Well I don't know," I shrug and glance out at the party my Naneth threw for her dearest friend at the birth of her third child.  "I asked once and she said that these things were in the hands of Eru...I guess she is happy with just me."

"Why would you want an annoying sister," Torphen butted in swiftly, but he winked at Oliel, the gesture enough to let her know his teasing was weightless.