YULETIDE TALES 2003
"THE TW(ELF) DAYS OF YULE"
This is a series of 12 ficlets, pure fluffy silliness, which will be rated G - PG-13, depending on the day. Gen, het, slash - something for everybody. Beta-read by Eveiya, thanks a lot!
I wish you all a joyful festive season. And if you, between unwrapping presents and digging into the Christmas dinner, should stop a moment to think of those who have less or nothing, you might feel like sharing your happiness, and go here:
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
5 dollars can make a difference - and a donation in honour of somebody rather than presenting him with another tie or ashtrey he or she doesn't need might be a nice idea this Christmas, too...
Thanks!
Erestor
THE SECOND NIGHT OF YULE
"'t was the second night of Yule, the kitchen was buzzing
the child made a mess, the advisor was fussing"
"I only have one question, Glorfindel," Erestor asked, picking up one of the cookies from the tray and inspecting it with curiosity.
"No, I will not look after Arwen's children. I am not qualified," the warrior with the golden hair grumbled, as he helped Estorel, his little son, to press the cookie cutters down into the sweet dough. Estorel was covered from head to toe in flour, sugar and other substances, which did not dim his enthusiasm in the least; if anything, being all dirty and sticky seemed to please him.
"That was not what I was about to ask, Fin," Erestor said, dusting some flour off Estorel's tunic, "though, as you have successfully fought Balrogs and Cave Trolls, one should think that you would be qualified to look after a couple of Elflings."
Fin looked up, and rolled his eyes.
"Erestor – I am qualified to fight Balrogs. I have no licence to look after any children but my own. Especially not Arwen's Elflings – to survive an afternoon with those, you must be a Balrog. But to answer your question: this is, as everybody with a working pair of eyes can see, a cookie in the shape of a horse."
"A horse?" Erestor said, and cocked an eyebrow, turning the cookie in his fingers.
"This looks more like a cow to me, to be quite honest".
Fin grinned, and shrugged.
"We shaped the cookie-cutter after your horse, darling."
Erestor snorted, stroked Estorel's hair lovingly and pressed a kiss on his brow. Then he tugged on one of Glorfindel's braids, making the warrior yelp.
"I shall remind you of this next time you wish to borrow my horse for a ride," he said, and made to leave the kitchen, "and direct you to the cow-shed instead."
"No problem," Glorfindel replied, "I am not afraid of cows."
"That is good to hear - just make sure you do not saddle the bull, Fin," Erestor's voice could be heard from the hallways.
The servants giggled.
Fin glared at them, and they quickly turned around, returning to baking, brewing and cooking.
Estorel, encouraged, poked Glorfindel in the side.
"Bull! Bull!" he giggled, and Glorfindel sighed.
"There I agree, penneth," he said, and passed the Elfling a cookie-cutter shaped like a goose, "and now let us make some Galadriel-cookies."
* * *
"Day two has passed
Tomorrow you'll see,
What happened on Yule Day
number three..."