Dramatis personae: Erestor/Glorfindel, Orophin/Elladan, Galadriel/Rúmil, Eldanar and Alandel, formerly known as "lice-boy" ;-)
Rating: blue
Beta: Special thanks to Miss Zimraphel, and I hope Feronil will recover soon
Warnings: AU (set directly after "Finding Námo"). Sap! Major, giant, big honking spoilers for "Finding Námo"!
Dedications: for Miss Zim
Summary: The little boy that Orophin, Feronil and Melpomaen brought to Imladris needs a family. One thing is clear, at least from Eldanar's side: it will not be his family!
Have fun, and a merry, peaceful Yule time to all of you. And if you feel like being generous: Doctors without Borders always need donations. Thank you!
YULETIDE TALES, DAY 8:
An Elf of many talents
"You seem to be in dire need of a cordial, my dear," Galadriel said. Nellas nodded enthusiastically. She wiped off the snow on the other side of the lawn seat and sat down beside Galadriel.
"Indeed," Nellas sighed, brushing a strand of hair back behind her ears. The renowned artist looked exhausted, and from time to time her nose twitched nervously. "This has been the third sitting with Lord Feronil, and I am not certain I will survive a fourth."
Galadriel laughed.
"Oh, Feronil! Ah, his bark is worse than his bite. Was he rude? Insulting? Or did he tell you embarrassing and salacious anecdotes about his last visit to Lothlórien?"
Nellas shook her head.
"No, I could live with that. But after three hours of his self-aggrandizing and ego-stroking, I was close to stabbing him with my paint brush. How Lindir manages to bear him is beyond me."
Galadriel searched in a pocket of her robe and pulled out a small silver flask which she offered to Nellas.
"Here, take a swig or two from this. It is a wonderful elixir from Lothlórien which will help you regain your strength."
"You are very generous, my lady," Nellas said, and bowed her head in gratitude. Then she unplugged the flask and took a healthy swig.
It was as if she had swallowed fire. The liquid burned in her throat, her nose began to run and her eyes became all watery. Nellas coughed and wheezed, and Galadriel patted her back helpfully.
"This... this is... alcohol!" Nellas groaned. Galadriel, who was patting her helpfully on the back, nodded.
"Of course it is. Milk or water would not have kept me on my feet through the Ages. There, there... see? You will feel much better, trust me."
Nellas very much doubted that, but she was too polite to oppose. After another bout of coughing and taking in a deep gulp of air, she regained her composure and returned the flask to Galadriel.
"Thank you, my lady. I feel much better now."
Galadriel winked at Nellas.
"This little gift of the Valar has helped me in many critical situations," she said," maybe you should take a bottle of the draught with you for the next sitting."
The artist laughed.
"I might, though artists should keep a clear head. But as long as I do not see him double..."
Galadriel chuckled.
"I would say the one head he has is big enough as it is already, we should not overdo it and give him two. So, my dear, I have to leave you and see after Rúmil. He is persistent in trying to escape the House of Healing, and very much annoys all those who have to work there. I only hope Elrond did not really tie him down."
Nellas looked a little worried.
"So he is doing better then? I am very glad to hear that."
"Indeed," Galadriel replied, "he has recovered remarkably quickly. He is still feeling dizzy, but I cannot tell whether this is from his injuries or from learning that Celeborn is his father."
Nellas scratched behind her ear with a quill.
"With all due respect, my lady: such a revelation would have shocked me as well! Since I have come to Imladris, I have discovered new and complicated family relations almost daily! There is Master Erestor, who is the father of Melpomaen. Rúmil, who is the son of Lord Celeborn. Elcallon being the brother of Orophin. Good grief, my lady, this makes even my head spin!"
Galadriel laughed and clapped her hands.
"Oh, this might be the liquor, my dear! But you are right, it is complicated. Maybe it is best to follow Glorfindel's advice: hear nothing, see nothing, speak nothing and get drunk."
She stood up, waved Nellas good-bye and headed for the House of Healing to see after her beloved warrior.
* * *
The painting was almost finished, and Feronil was very happy with it. What an inspired idea! Not surprising as it had been his. Without a doubt Lindir would be delighted. Who would not upon receiving a life-sized painting of Feronil in his ceremonial robes? Ah, purple really was his colour.
A dopey smile appeared on Feronil's face. He really was a delight to look at, he decided. No Elf in Imladris, and possibly all of Middle-earth surpassed him in beauty, charm, wit and intelligence. Agreed, Elrond was very wise, and Lindir very fair, but only he, Feronil, combined all desirable attributes in one perfect Elf.
A knock on the door pulled Feronil out of his self-admiration.
"Feronil, please hurry up, the meeting will start any moment!" Orophin called from outside.
"Only fools and peasants hurry up," Feronil grumbled. "An Elf with style merely increases his speed."
But as Lord Elrond was rather stern when it came to punctionality, Feronil nevertheless hurried up and joined Orophin on his way to the council chamber.
* * *
The courtyard was alive with Elflings who were in the middle of a snowball fight. The large Yule tree, decorated the day before by Haldir, Orophin and, due to Rúmil's injury, Elrohir, sparkled in the winter sun, and the laughter of the children added to the overall Yule-spirit. Haldir would have enjoyed it more, though, if it had not been his duty to watch over the children this afternoon.
Haldir ducked, but still the snowball hit him right in the face. It was the third, and while he admired Eldanar's marksmanship, he would have preferred not being his favourite target.
He wiped the snow off his face and shook his head.
"Eldanar, I would really appreciate it if you could --"
The sentence was cut off by the impact of another snowball coming from behind, and the giggle to go with it told Haldir that Estorel had been the culprit.
"You rascals!" he cried. "I will tell your adas what--"
Another snowball, this time from the side. Much to Haldir's displeasure, the thrower had been Bramble.
"Oh Valar, help me," he groaned, "Why do always I have to be the one to look after the Elflings!"
Haldir had learned in his long life as a warrior that attack was the best defense, so he knelt down and began forming snowballs. Soon enough, there was laughter and yelling and the occasional yelp, for Haldir's marksmanship was excellent.
One child did not participate in the fun, and Eldanar was the first to notice. While the children of Imladris pelted each other with snowballs or built snow Elves, Alandel, formerly known as "lice-boy" and brought to Imladris only a few weeks ago, stood aside and looked shyly at the playing Elflings. He was wrapped up in many layers of warm clothing, and a bright red scarf was slung around his neck.
Responsible for his outfit was Orophin, who had offered to look after the little boy until a family could be found for him. Elladan and Orophin would have loved to take the boy up themselves, but their plan had met the bitter, vocal and determined resistance of Eldanar, who had not the slightest intention of sharing his parents.
Under normal circumstances, Orophin would not have allowed his son to blackmail him into a decision, but he agreed with Elrohir that Alandel needed a lot of love, time and attention. Love was not the issue, but time and attention were. The boy had to learn the language of the Elves, needed medical care, had to learn such simple tasks like brushing his teeth and closing buttons. And Eldanar, despite being such an open, happy Elfling now, still had issues from his former sad days, and needed all their love and attention.
So another solution had to be found, and this finding process, so Eldanar correctly concluded, was the reason why Alandel stood alone and sad in the snow. As the threat of a possible competitor for his parents' love was thwarted, Eldanar had readily offered Alandel his friendship and taken him under his wings, as he was the only child in Imladris who spoke Alandel's language.
Eldanar threw one last snowball at Haldir, then he trudged through the snow to Alandel.
"Don't you want to play with us?" Eldanar asked, and Alandel looked around, as if it was not possible that Eldanar had talked to him.
"Do you mean me?" he asked, and stared at Eldanar with big eyes.
"Of course I meanted you," Eldanar replied, rolling his eyes. "Don't always look so scared, I'm not going to eat you!"
Alandel risked a shy smile, then his gaze wandered to the Last Homely House and he sighed deeply. Eldanar turned his head to see what Alandel was gazing at.
"Oh, the meeting! Don't be scared, they will find you the bestest of all families. With a nice nana who will tuck you in at night, and a nice ada who will read you bedtime tales. Not as nice as my ada, of course, because I have the bestest of all adas, but grand-ada Elrond will make sure you will have a nice family."
Alandel was still very confused about the complicated family relations in Imladris. Eldanar was an Elf, but he did not have pointed ears. Orophin, Alandel's great hero, was married to Lord Elrond's son, which was very odd. Alandel had never heard of two males being married, but as Orophin could do no wrong in his eyes, he quickly accepted the matter, which was by far not the most confusing in Imladris.
For Alandel, being in Imladris was like living in a dream. Everyone was friendly with him, he had enough food, could wear nice, clean clothes, nobody expected him to carry heavy buckets of water all day long, and nobody threatened to hit him. The children had been very welcoming and played with him though they could not understand what he said, and Orophin had promised him that he would get a dog for himself once he had learned how to write the names of all his friends in Imladris.
The boy had put on some weight and was blossoming under the Elves' loving care like a flower in the sun. And now he would have his own family! A real family, with parents and maybe even siblings?
"Do you think someone wants me?" Alandel asked anxiously.
Eldanar hugged the younger boy.
"Of course! A lot of families will want you! And you will have the nicest of all parents, just wait and see!" he declared enthusiastically.
Alandel bit his lip. Nobody was as nice as Orophin and Feronil, his great heroes, but well, a water-boy could not be choosy, and he was very grateful for all the kindness he had experienced. The little boy looked up to the windows of the council chamber and sighed again. If only they would decide quickly!
* * *
"I think we come to a quicker decision if we name those families who cannot take the little one," Elrond said, and all present nodded. Glorfindel studied the paper in front of him and frowned.
"Very well. Orophin and Elrohir have already stated that they cannot take Alandel, which is very unfortunate. Erestor and I cannot take him, either."
Erestor, holding tiny Lórindol in his arms, looked at Glorfindel gratefully. As much as he liked the little boy, and though he really wanted to help him, he would simply not have been able to cope with another child to look after. Estorel had turned into quite a wild thing these last months, the Plains Elf heritage shining through more and more by the day, and new-born Lórindol needed all the attention he had.
Glorfindel smiled at Erestor, then he returned his attention to the sheet in front of him.
"Three families have offered to take Alandel, and they are all very kind and loving people who would look after him wonderfully. Talking about looking after: how is Alandel's chamber coming along, Feronil?"
The advisor, who had sat with a frown and arms crossed over his chest, started and looked around. It had been a surprise for everyone when Feronil had insisted that he would be the one watching over the renovation of Alandel's chamber, which used to be a study and had not been used for many years. For the moment, Alandel shared a room with Eldanar, which, considering Eldanar's enthusiasm for telling scary tales, was not the best of all arrangements.
Feronil cleared his throat and gave Glorfindel his most arrogant look.
"It goes without saying that Alandel's chamber will be the best-equipped and most tastefully decorated in the Last Homely House, with exception of my own chambers, of course. Indeed, I dare say it is a great piece of luck for young lice-boy that it is I who supervises the work. Elegance, combined with functionality - in other words: perfection."
Glorfindel rolled his eyes, and secretly, he pitied poor Alandel who would have to live in a nightmare of velvet, plush and draperies.
"Good, good," Lord Elrond said, and tapped his fingers on the table. "So we have to make a decision among those three families, I understand? Well, I suggest you introduce them to us, Glorfindel, and we shall come to a decision."
Glorfindel began to introduce the families, but was rudely interrupted by Feronil who stood up and pushed back his chair.
"I have some work to do," he said, "and I do not see what my presence here can help in this matter. It is boring, and I do not have any dealings with those families, anyway. As far as I am concerned, you can throw dice to decide this. Do I have leave to go, Lord Elrond?"
Elrond, immune to Feronil's outrageous manners after many centuries of working with the advisor, nodded and waved him off.
"Go then if you must, Feronil. Just please do it without further noise and commotion."
Feronil nodded briefly, then he hurried out of the door.
"One wonders what important work is waiting for him," grumbled Orophin. "Probably his tailor waiting with his 345787th robe."
Glorfindel cackled, and Elrond hid a grin as well, then he coughed lightly.
"Please let us return to our task, dear friends," he said. "A family has to be found for Alandel. Please continue with your list, Glorfindel."
Glorfindel opened his mouth to do as he was asked to, but Erestor interrupted him.
"Lórindol just wet his nappies and ruined my robe, so I have to go and change him. But if I may share my thoughts on this matter: we do not have to discuss this at length. I, for one, know perfectly well what family Alandel belongs to. So if you are willing to follow my advise, my son can have dry nappies very shortly and you can go to prepare for the Yule feast. So?"
All eyes were on Erestor, and then he shared his suggestion.
* * *
Feronil pulled out the key he wore on a chain around his neck, and carefully opened the door to the chamber which would soon be Alandel's. After the basic work had been done, all craftsmen and servants had been banned from the room, and Feronil had worked his magic. Day after day he had carried bags and boxes into the chamber, locked the door behind him, and had turned the chamber into a haven for a child. Feronil's family had been very poor, and he remembered well what he had dreamt of when he had been an Elfling. For Alandel, those dreams should come true.
The chamber was sunny and airy, the walls colourful, and all the furniture was crafted beautifully, decorated with carved animals. The shelves were filled with toys and books, and in the wardrobe, clothes of the finest and most expensive clothes waited for the boy to wear them.
Feronil looked around. The chamber looked perfect; all was there that the boy would need. The advisor had never been overly fond of Men. Hearing about the boy's fate and seeing the small, skinny, miserable figure for the first time had cemented his opinion. How could any being with a heart treat a child in such a way? Upon thinking that the little one had carried heavy buckets of water for years, that he had never had enough food, not even a name, and that nobody had loved him, a hot, hard ball of anger formed in Feronil's stomach. Yes, his family had been poor, and yes, there had been nights when he and his siblings had to go to bed without a night meal, but their parents had always loved them, and this had made everything bearable.
Well. Whatever family would take Alandel, they had better look after the boy in a way Feronil approved, for he had every intention of keeping a close eye on them and supervising all goings-on in Alandel's new home.
He pulled out his handkerchief and began to polish the shelf to his right.
* * *
"Oh, look, there comes Master Erestor!" Eldanar cried, and pulled on Alandel's sleeve. The boy stared at the tall, tark Elf with big eyes. He was a bit scared by Erestor, who seemed to be nice enough, but he was so tall and dark and - well, maybe it was just because he was so serious. Glorfindel laughed more often and made jokes; it was easy for everyone to get along with him. But there always seemed to be an invisible wall around Erestor.
Now, however, Erestor was smiling, and the tiny Elfling in his arms, wrapped in furs, made the Elf look less scary. Alandel resisted his first impulse of running away; instead he pulled his cap deeper into his face and chewed his lips.
"Ah, here you are, young Alandel. I have come to bring you to your new family. Are you ready?"
Alandel was not ready in the least, but he nodded automatically. Erestor saw the fear in the boy's eyes, and so he crouched down in the snow, balancing the baby, and took one of Alandel's small hands. It was ice-cold, and Erestor rubbed it gently between his long fingers.
"You must trust me, little one. We all want you to be safe and happy, and we have found the perfect family for you. Will you follow me? Will you give them a chance?"
Alandel saw that Erestor was not half as scary as he had thought, and that his eyes were not black, but dark brown, and that the tall Elf looked at him with great warmth. He nodded. "I will," he panted.
"Wonderful! Here, take my hand, I will lead the way," Erestor said. Alandel took a firm hold of Erestor's hand, and then trotted beside the advisor towards the Last Homely House and into a new part of his life.
* * *
All shelves had been polished twice over now, the books rearranged, and Feronil had even opened all drawers to see if really everything was where it should be. Not even for a pedantic Elf like him was anything left to do, so he finally put his handkerchief back in his pocket and he straightened up. He was just about to leave and hear the decision of the council when a knock on the door started him.
Feronil quickly turned towards the door, surprised about the disturbance. Who knew that he was here? Pretending to be absent was no option, the one outside must have heard him walk around. So Feronil took a deep breath and opened the door.
"Erestor?" he asked, and then his surprised gaze wandered from his fellow advisor to the boy by his hand.
"What are you doing here?" he asked arrogantly. "Do you not have nappies to change or baby buttocks to powder or Balrog-slayers to feed?"
Erestor rolled his eyes.
"The Balrog-slayer feeds himself, thank you for asking. As a matter of fact, I have come here to return your son to you, Feronil."
Feronil made a very odd, squeaking sound, and Erestor returned his attention to Alandel.
"We have discussed the matter, Alandel, and came to the decision that the best Elf for you to stay with would be Feronil. Do you agree with this? If you rather not stay here, you may say so, for we do not wish to impose a decision on you that might make you unhappy."
Alandel's eyes became big like saucers.
"You mean - you mean I can stay with Feronil? Forever? Really?"
Erestor nodded. "Yes, if this is your wish, you may."
Feronil narrowed his eyes.
"I assume nobody is asking whether this decision imposed on me makes me unhappy?"
Erestor arched an eyebrow and wrinkled his nose.
"Your assumption is correct. And now stop pretending that this is not what you have wanted all the way. And if you should not be a textbook example of a loving father for the child, I will make sure that your duties will involve dozens of crying infants, a lot of nappy-changing and powdering of buttocks."
He turned to Alandel and gave him an encouraging smile, then he left the brand new family to itself, closing the door behind him.
For a moment, the boy and the Elf stared at each other. Feronil had no idea what to say or do, his head was spinning and he did not know whether to cry or laugh about the fact that his dearest and most secret wish had been granted.
"This - this is your chamber," he finally said, making a helpless, swiping gesture.
"This? All of this? For me?"
Alandel could not believe it. He stared at the shelves and the soft blue carpet, the large bed with the carved horse-heads and the beautiful pictures on the wall. This should be for him? Forever?
But this was not the most important question for Alandel. He looked at Feronil, who stood so tall above him, and the boy shuffled his feet.
"And - is it true what Master Erestor said? Are you my father now like Orophin is Eldanar's father? Will we decorate a tree and will you read me stories? And give me cake and tell me off and... and.... and..."
This was where Alandel's ideas about the duties of a father, based almost exclusively on Eldanar's colourful tales, ended.
Feronil crouched down and looked at the boy. Thoughts were racing through his mind, and they were not all of the kindest. Children were bad-mannered and obnoxious. Having a child would mess up his perfectly organised life, would fill it with ink blotches and dirt stains, with noise and trouble. Could he live with that? And what would Lindir say?
Lice-boy. Who would have thought?
"Yes, I will," Feronil finally said, and opened his arms. The child all but flew into them, and clung to Feronil like a leech. The advisor hugged the boy close and kissed his hair.
After all, nobody could see them, and this aside, he really loved him.