T. A. 241, Fall
"So, what's our exit strategy exactly?"
"Our what?"
"Oh Valar, we're all going to die! You don't have a plan?"
One might wonder if they were in the midst of a prank and were about to get caught, but infact the trio was surrounded by a pack of orcs. A rather large, immensely smelly, pack of vicious orcs who were intent on killing the three elves. Oh, and they were outnumbered. Ducking and weaving beneath the black blades of the wretched things the trio argued betwixt one another with the false cheer of sibling banter in the middle of a nasty skirmish. They had been in quite a few together now, having been placed on in different patrols around their borders and given missions over the many years. Thennil swung her sword and grimaced as she severed the twisted head from an orcs shoulders, it's body falling to the ground with a sickening thud.
"How do we get into these situations? It's been smooth since we left Lorien, we're not even a two day's march from Imadlris!" Elladan grumbled.
"One hundred some years of sibling-hood and I still don't know, so don't ask!" She yelled to him, disarming another orc and ducking the swing of it's companion in one liquid-like move.
"I second that opinion, we just attract trouble, like bees to flowers!" Elrohir jumped in to the conversation as he slashed his way through to join his two siblings.
Twirling, ducking and weaving the trio was like a well oiled killing machine, they each could read the others and acted accordingly, striking and blocking in an elusive blur of black and copper. They were similar to a small army, with the eldest giving the commands and the twins putting them into action and protecting her back when she stepped outside of their small circle.
"I was hoping that this journey would be quick, Naneth's time is close and I didn't want to be half way across Arda on an errand for Thranduil when it happened."
"I agree, so, lets get a move on, shall we?" Elladan stated, running the last of the orcs through with his sword, pushing it to the ground while wiping his blade on a spot of clean grass.
"Agreed, lets get out of here before some other type of trouble finds us!"
Edge of Imadlris, Two Days Later
"So, what do you think that it will be?"
"I don't know, but I don't think that I can stand having another brother, I already have two as it is," Thennil teased from her seat atop her dappled grey mount, "Don't you think, Talagor?"
The stallion snorted and shook his head, snapping his long mane against his neck in agreement.
"What, are we not charming enough?" Elladan teased.
"No, you just lack the feminine attributes among other things less important," she teased back.
Her brothers made faces, pretending to vomit,"Thank the Valar for that, you females are so strange, blek!"
"Strange? Oh I never saw it like that, I think the word you are looking for runs along the lines of smarter..."
"Whatever, I for one want a brother, someone to teach archery to, and fencing!" Elrohir stated from behind them on his own steed.
"You have me for that, big brother!" Elladan chortled, dropping back to punch his brother playfully.
"Aye," Elrohir rolled is eyes heavenward,"And what a trial you are."
The trio burst into laughter, moving down the steed path into the valley, friendly banter continuing as they went. Their horses, sensing that a warm stable and food was not far away, strained at the reins, chuffing at their riders. Glancing at the other's, Elladan smirked, kicking his black steed, Belroch, and shooting down the path. Shouts of surprise and accusation followed his departure, but the sound of pounding hooves followed soon after, getting louder and louder behind him. Soon, a flash of his brother's bay passed him, sprinting towards the finish line like a shooting star. Urging his horse on, Elladan glanced back to look for his sister, she was gone!
"Thennil!" He cried in alarm. Could she have fallen from the path? Even the most sure-footed horse could loose their footing and slip over the side, though it rarely happened, if ever. Slowing his ride down to a slow trot he scanned the raven for any sign of her among the trees."Thennil!"
A snicker from his right caught him off guard as a flash of grey and copper shot past him, galloping at full speed towards the courtyard ahead. His sister streaked forward on her mount, laughter bubbling out of her like a brook. Growling, he nudged Belroch into a gallop in effort to reach his sister before she entered the yard. Leaning low over his rides neck he whispered encouraging words into the horses ear, watching as they caught up to his sister.
Bursting through the gates, she pulled her steed to a stop, watching as her younger brother came careening in a few seconds after in amusement. He was so gullible sometimes, still young. Swinging her leg over the head of Talagor, she hopped gracefully to the ground before being caught in her father's arms. Drawing him close she relished his warmth and security, it had been a long three month trip from the Greenwood to Lothlorien.
Withdrawing, she looked up into his eyes and smiled,"Ada, how are you? Has the-
"I am fine. But your mother would like to see all of you."
"Is she not well!"Elladan and Elrohir gasped worriedly in the same breath.
"Nay, she just misses her children," their father reassured them,"You can have the time to clean yourselves up, then meet me outside our bedroom. I don't know if she sleeps or not. After that you may tell me of your trip and what transpired."
The trio nodded and hurried into the house eager to shed their smelly clothes and wash the stains of travel from their bodies.
Upon reaching her own room, Thennil tossed her cloak onto a chair in the corner and began to strip down. She threw all her dirty things in a pile as she entered the bathing room, and throwing all decorum to the wind ran and jumped into the large spring fed pool that greeted her.
Splashing around in the hot water she lay there floating while tracing the vine patterns on the ceiling with her eyes. She breathed in the moist sticky air, relaxing like she had not been able to do in months. Even among her grandmother's kin she had not been able to settle down, always thinking of her home, her parents, her friends, sparring with Glorfindel and the like. Kicking over to the side of the pool she sorted through her many hair oils and soaps, choosing a rose and lavender concoction to use. Pouring it into her hand she scrubbed her hair thoroughly, leaving no piece unturned.
After having carefully washed herself of the grime of the road, she climbed from the pool. Snatching a towel from the stack on the table, she wrapped the soft cloth around her body and crept silently into her room. Standing before her wardrobe she wondered what to wear. In the front of her closet hung many tunics, pairs of trousers, leather jerkins, and long tunics of her own creation. Pushed to the back were dresses of every color, red, navy, gold, forest green, silver, and many more; all had the long draping sleeves and elegant yet bothersome a-line skirts that drug along the ground. Nudging aside the other clothes she snatched one of the dresses from the hanger and hastily donned the magnificent creation of teal along with all the necessary undergarments.
Tugging at the collar of the dress she huffed,"This is why I wear tunics, they are so much more convenient and don't cause a hassle to put on!"
Still tugging and pulling at the dress, she exited her room and hurried along to hallway to join her brother's at their parents door.
Seeing her mother laying propped up on pillows, but with a radiant smile on her face reminded Thennil of another birth that had happened years before. She smiled softly, walking noiselessly up to the bed and taking her mother's hand in hers. Her mother exchanged a knowing look with her before turning to her two eager sons with a bright smile. They chatted for many long minutes while she waited for the twins to finally realize that something was different with their mother. It was Elrohir who spoke first after letting his brother run his mouth, having been able to sit back and observe the scene with silent silent grey eyes.
"Naneth, where's the baby?"
All the heads in the room snapped to look at his face then swung back to search their mother's for an answer. Elladan was looking up and down her body for the large bump that had taken up what had been her waist. It was gone. Puzzled beyond belief he raised one eyebrow and began to search the room. His eyes came to rest on an ornate cradle that sat near the window.
Both of the boys slowly rose from their spots and inched closer to the cradle, holding their breaths. Tentatively the peered down at the small being that lay nestled among the silk covers, it's dark head of hair a stark contrast to the white frothy material that surrounded it. As if sensing someone watching them, the small child opened to reveal their silvery grey eyes, so much like their older siblings. The small mouth puckered then opened to release a small musical yawn.
"She's beautiful," the boys whispered, as if by speaking any louder that they would startle the small creature before them. They definitely wouldn't be teaching her much about fencing, but they were going to be practicing more to protect her from the world.
"Your sister said the same thing when you were born."
The boys grimaced, pulling faces and glaring at their elder sister.
"It was different then, don't ask me why, I was only ten!"
"So?"
She rolled her eyes, typical.
Taking a step forward she gazed down at her little sister; she was a very beautiful child. Gently she stroked the dark curls that were already starting to form on her forehead, then traced the curve of her cheek with a single finger. Looking up she save a glance pass between her parents, as if they knew something that she did not.
"What's her name?" Elladan whispered, touching the downy hair that curled beneath his fingers.
"Arwen Undomiel."
"Noble Evenstar," Thennil murmured with pride.
"Now I have both my morning star and my evening star, and I doubt that there will be anyone fairer than the two of you," Elrond whispered as he drew his daughter to his side.
Not many days later Thennil sat beneath the great old willow tree that her brothers and herself had dubbed the Hiding Tree. The breeze whispered through the boughs, making them sway merrily. Laying beside her wrapped in snowy white blankets was her small sister. She watched the infants face as it switched between a sleepy smile and a serene blank look. Little Arwen seldomly cried, she was always so content, so quiet. When she did fuss, it was never quiet. She constantly garnered attention from the many elleth that lived in and around the city with her pale features and deep black almost blue like hair. Thennil had warned her father that if he did not sharpen his sword then she would when the time came for the ellon of the valley came acourting in the future. He had laughed and asked her why he should not be doing so with her, she had replied with a short comment that no sane or wise ellon would have a warrior to wife and left it at that.
Her sister stirred abruptly, squirming in her sleep before wailing.
"Shhh, ithildin, shhh, nothing shall harm you," she assured the babe, but it did nothing.
Lifting the infant into her arms she began to rock from side to side, whispering sweet things into Arwen's small pointed ears. When that did not work she thought of the song that her mother had taught her to sing as a small girl.
"Little Child be not afraid,
The rain pounds upon the glass,
Like an unwanted stranger there is no danger, I'm here tonight,
Little child be not afraid,
the thunder explodes and the lightning flashes, illuminates your tear stained face,
I'm here tonight, and someday you'll know that nature is so,
The same rain that draws you near me,
Falls on rivers and land, on forest and sand,
Makes the beautiful world that you see in the morning,
Little child be not afraid, the storm clouds masks a beloved moon,
And it's candle light beams so keep pleasant dreams,
Little child be not afraid."
Holding the again sleeping infant, she felt the weight of the world on her shoulders and the weight of her sister in her arms.
"I will always protect you, even when I am not here," she promised.
Here is the second chapter for this weekend as promised. If you're wondering about the lullaby at the end search for "Thranduil's Lullaby for Legolas" on youtube for the full version.
Thanks, and please review!
Robin