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Elrohir peeked into the living room to find Elrond with Arwen on his lap, speaking with his wife. They stopped at his entrance and turned in their seats to look at him. Elrohir looked at his twin behind him as he crept into the room.
"I have been trying to forgive you," he said, looking at Elrond and Celebrian. He bit his lip. "But I cannot seem to do it. I-I have tried everything I can think of. I know you have changed and you will not spank me again but my inner mind does not believe it. I cannot find a way to convince it and, until I do, I will not be able to forgive you either."
"Thranduil says we will find a way," Elladan said. He squirmed. "We thought—we thought you could help us forgive you. I do not know how . . . or if it will work . . . but we have tried everything else."
"We would be happy to help," Celebrian told him, reaching for Elladan's hand to pull him into a hug. "We are here to help you. And no matter what it takes, we will convince your inner minds what your hearts feel."
Elladan rested his chin on her shoulder and nodded. He looked up as Legolas ran into the room, breathless and laughing with Thranduil behind him. Arwen slid to the floor and tugged at Thranduil's robe, asking, "Chase m'to!"
Elrohir made a dash for Elrond's free lap as Thranduil wrangled Legolas out of the room after Arwen.
"All children seem to like him," Celebrian said.
"It is what you get for being raised by Harune," Onyx said, whirling into the room. "I cannot run away from my little ones soon enough after I am done teaching them to dance."
OoOoO
Legolas snuggled beside his father. "Spring is almost here. I will miss Elladan and Elrohir when they go home."
Thranduil shifted beside him. "I will miss them to. But I know we will see them again. It seems we are both confident Elladan and Elrohir will be ready to return home soon."
"Elrond has made a lot of progress," Legolas said, looking up at his father. "Do you not think so?"
"I do think so. Would you feel safe being with him now?"
Legolas considered. "Yes. But I still like being with you more."
Thranduil chuckled and squeezed Legolas to him. "Elladan and Elrohir need to feel safe with their father before they return home. I think they will feel safe soon."
Legolas hesitated. "But . . . ada, what if Elrond spanks them again in Rivendell because you are not there to stop him?"
"That is what holds the twins back now," Thranduil said softly. "We have to believe for Elrond's sake and theirs, he will not fall back to spanking."
Legolas winced. "I would not like to be spanked. If I had to choose between being hit and told I was loved and being beaten . . . I think . . . I would prefer to be beaten."
Thranduil ran a hand over his cheek. "I will never force you to make such a harrowing and unwelcome choice. Now will you blow out the candle for me, please?"
Legolas scrambled out from under the warm blankets and extinguished the flame, plunging the room into dim light. He dove under the covers and cuddled back into Thranduil's embrace.
"Thank you," Thranduil said.
Legolas laughed. "You are welcome. Goodnight, ada."
OoOoO
Glorfindel swung off his horse and pulled off his gloves. He put the reins in the hands of a waiting stable boy and walked toward his neat white house at the top of the hill. A few drifts of snow fell off his cloak from his ride through the Misty Mountains though Rivendell showed signs of thawing out after the cold winter.
A fire blazed in his hearth, set by a servant girl minutes before, and a hot bath steamed in the marble bathroom. After a quick wash and a change of clothes, Glorfindel pinned on a fresh cloak and flung open the door to descend the hill toward Erestor's house halfway down the slope. He would be in time for dinner.
Erestor's house sat in a little dell, a hill rising behind it toward a tree line. Another bulging hill concealed the house from view from Elrond's mansion, and a flat stretch of ground had been dug into the hill. The slope rolled downward toward the river at the bottom of the valley, the white bridge across it in clear view. Several other houses dotted the hill. The long stairway down the hill from Elrond's front door showed up in flashes between hills as Glorfindel arrived at Erestor's door and banged on it.
The door popped open and a woman exclaimed, "Valar sakes alive, what is the matter with you, I should like to know? A baby in the house and elven ears as sharp as ever, and you here banging up a storm!"
Glorfindel seized her hand to bow and plant a kiss on it. "I am honored to meet you, my lady Ariel. I am Glorfindel."
"Well," said Ariel, "That is all well and good. Erestor will be thrilled to see you after so many years."
"May I enter your charming abode?" Glorfindel asked.
Ariel's dark eyes glared at him. "And what about a congratulations from my husband's closest friend?"
"I am delighted to congratulate you on your marriage and the birth of your first child," Glorfindel said as he entered the foyer and ridded himself of gloves and cloak.
Ariel smiled. "Come into the living room. Erestor is with Nightwing."
Erestor untangled himself from the floor in a flash as Glorfindel appeared in the doorway and leapt to grab the elf's arms. "Glorfindel! Mellon nin! We did not expect your return. It has been too long since we last spoke."
"Indeed," Glorfindel said as he crushed his friend in an embrace, noticing the light in Erestor's eyes and the hints of pride showing through in his movements. "I suppose we will not be bachelors together after all."
Erestor grinned. "I am sorry I had to leave you in the trenches of loneliness alone. But come meet my son, Nightwing."
The toddler on the floor turned around from amidst the pieces of his puzzle and Glorfindel started. The boy's hair was as black as the night and his snapping black eyes were unlike Erestor's brown ones and Ariel's blue ones. Even the baby's soft features showed no resemblance to either parent.
"Your . . . son?" he said uncertainly.
Erestor nodded with pride in his eyes. "Yes. He was born two years ago. Nightwing, this is Glorfindel."
The toddler stood up and tilted his head. "Del?"
Glorfindel ruffled the boy's silky hair and listened to him giggle. Nightwing tugged on his finger and asked, "Help me make puzzle?"
Erestor flopped back down alongside the pieces as Glorfindel and Ariel sat down on the floor. Nightwing pushed a pile of wooden pieces to Glorfindel.
As he put a piece into place, Erestor said, "Ariel and I would be very happy if you will agree to be Nightwing's honorary uncle. He does have several, of course, but I have no siblings and you have always been like a brother to me."
Glorfindel blinked. "I would be honored to be an uncle to your son."
"And concerning our son," Ariel said. "You should know about his birth."
OoOoO
Celebrian came up behind the twins as they stood with their noses pressed to the window. The snow melted outside under the onslaught of sudden spring sunshine, showing grass putting on green colors. Tiny buds were on the leaves.
Elladan and Elrohir took their hands off the glass to look at her.
"The weather is warming," Celebrian said. "We should return home before next winter."
Elrohir nudged the ground with his toe. "Thank you for not pushing us to go home."
Celebrian put her arms around him. "I know you need time to come to your decision. And we want you to come home happy."
Elrohir wriggled out of her embrace. "Will you come with us to see Landion? Healer Jailil says he will be able to leave bed any day now."
The twins and Celebrian arrived at Landion's room to find Jade and her family clustered by the door with Harune and Vandril. Thranduil and Legolas were there to, and Elrond held Arwen on his shoulders. Landion clutched Onyx's hands as his numb legs came back to life with each stumbling step he took.
Healer Jailil hovered behind the elfling, demanded, "Does anything hurt?"
"My legs feel like wood," Landion said, laughing as he tripped and Onyx caught him. "But where the arrowhead was, it does not hurt."
Onyx gripped Landion under his elbows. "Take a few more steps."
"You may move back to your room," Healer Jailil said. "I will send a healer to examine you every day. You will not do any running or strenuous physical activity."
"What can I do then?" Landion asked, feeling his legs responding to the blood flowing through them.
"You can take nice, quiet walks and read books."
Landion groaned and pushed Onyx's arms away. He tottered toward Harune with his hands held out in case he tripped. Harune caught him in a hug and kissed the top of his head.
"I will take him on a walk," Svain volunteered. "I am strong enough to carry him home if he flops over."
Landion looked insulted and Mervyn grinned at his son.
"You have the wrong image of elves," Landion said. "I am not a rag doll. I will come for a walk tomorrow at noon; I am hungry now."
Harune held out his hand. "Come, you can eat at the table with us today."
Landion bounded to the table in the open dining room, spread with streaming trays of dinner. Vandril hesitated in the doorway but Harune pushed him inside. "There are no hard feelings between us, mellon nin, and you are welcome at our table any time. Legolas Greenleaf, hands out of the candied almonds until after dinner."
First off, an apology for this update being a day late! Do please forgive me.
Elladan and Elrohir are opening their hearts to their parents! That is one of the best things they can do. Was Glorfindel's meeting of Nightwing all you hoped for?
Thank you so much for reading! I love hearing your suggestions and thoughts on each chapter.
Next Chapter: The Hall of Remembrances is paid a visit.