Aug 25 - It Was Going So Well
Title: It Was Going So Well
Author: Grundy
Rating: FR13
Crossover: LotR/Silmarillion
Disclaimer: All belongs to Whedon & Tolkien. No money is being made here, it's all in good fun.
Summary: Buffy isn't the only one getting used to their suddenly much larger family.
Word Count: 2925
Note: This ran longer than expected...
Elladan grinned.
It had been an excellent evening. He had enjoyed getting to know Miryo’s father, Grandmother Nerdanel, Grandmother Lindë, and Aunt Silmë. (By common agreement, she was Aunt even if no one wanted to talk about her husband. Ada called her Auntie and seemed relieved they all liked her.)
He and Elrohir had been with this particular grandmother all day - it seemed only fair, considering Anariel had gotten a whole day uninterrupted with her.
They had been surprised when not only Ada and Nana, but Tindomiel, Maeglin, Mírimë, Anairon, and Uncle Aryo all joined them for dinner. It was impossible to resent the crowd when Nerdanel seemed so pleased to be hosting all of them.
Anariel was Arador’s guest, dining with his family in the lower gardens. Elladan and Elrohir had agreed it was good that she felt at ease with more of their new kin. She seemed happy enough the couple times he’d brushed against her mind. Not that he spent much time worrying - not with so many interesting stories flying. (And stories about flying. He was curious to hear more about Tinu’s device, but more curious to hear about all the failed attempts.)
They were just laughing their way through an absolute howler courtesy of Uncle Aryo - Nana was laughing the hardest at because it featured Grandmother and Aunt Irissë as children. Ada was finding the whole thing funny as much because Uncle Aryo had to keep hushing Mírimë so she wouldn’t try to tell the best parts before he got to them.
That was when someone new arrived.
“Oh my stars.”
He and Elrohir looked up to find someone who must be another relative looking slightly shocked to see them.
“Yes, they really do look uncannily like Turgon, and it’s apparently worse if you’d ever seen Lúthien,” Uncle Moryo said drily. “Irissë can’t stop going on about it.”
“I…suppose in that case I should be happy I did not?” the newcomer offered weakly.
“Finno,” Grandmother Nerdanel chided. “You have terrible timing. Your parents-“
Finno? Elrohir gasped in his mind. Fingon the Valiant?
“Ingo’s already informed me they were having a private dinner,” Fingon said wryly. “I will be a good boy and wait until morning to knock carefully on the door. I may perhaps maneuver Aryo or Anairon into waking them first…”
Elladan couldn’t help the snicker. As eldest sons themselves, they had also on occasion found it the best part of wisdom to ensure their parents had a night to themselves - only they’d had to wrangle younger siblings into the bargain.
Not very lately, you haven’t, Tinu snorted. We’re all grownups now.
Perhaps, Elladan replied. I will tell you another time how Arwen almost prevented Anariel’s begetting.
Tinu unfortunately had been taking a sip of wine as he said that, and the glare Maeglin sent in his direction strongly suggested she’d only just missed snorting it out her nose.
More like choking on it, thank you, his sister wheezed. Does Anariel know about this?
They tuned back into the spoken conversation to find that Uncle Finno had broken the news to Grandmother Nerdanel that Namo had told him Maedhros would be permitted to return eventually - he did not expect it to be immediate, but Maedhros would return.
It was hard to say who was the most affected by this announcement - their grandmother or their father.
“No surprise there,” Tinu said wryly.
All heads turned to her except Elladan’s and Elrohir’s.
“What?” she asked in bemusement.
“How is that not a surprise?” Ada asked carefully.
Do they really not know the answer to that? Elrohir snorted.
She didn’t really say it often, and they did sail fairly soon after the War, Elladan reminded him.
“Anariel’s been crystal clear since Minas Tirith that she expects to get haru back,” Tindomiel said patiently. “Did you really think she’d leave Grandpa Maitimo out of that?”
Their father now had the look he got when he contemplated the collateral damage that occasionally piled up in Anariel’s wake.
“I was unaware of this, dawn child,” he said patiently. “Did your sister mention how she intended to achieve this?”
“She didn’t exactly go into detail,” Elrohir said, intervening to his sister’s relief. “But I believe she planned to use the traditional peredhil strategy as demonstrated by our foremother Lúthien - ‘annoy Namo into giving her what she wants so she’ll go away again’.”
“That was her takeaway from that particular story,” Elladan confirmed, trying not to laugh too hard at the expressions around the table. “I wouldn’t worry, she’s well-equipped for it.”
Aside from young Mírimë, who had already categorized Anariel with Grandmother and Aunt Trouble, everyone else looked slightly horrified.
“It must have worked if Uncle Namo chased Uncle Finno out,” Tinu observed.
“Yes, thank you, Tindomiel,” the uncle in question sighed.
His disappointment seems more with the title than the sentiment… Elrohir said quietly.
Why… Oh. Elladan abruptly ‘connected the dots’ as his sisters would put it.
“So, Ada,” he said aloud. “Are we to call him Uncle Finno or Grandfather Finno?”
His father blinked.
“I hadn’t really considered,” he replied slowly.
“I suggest you consider it now, my love,” Nana said gently. “And quickly, as Uncle Finno is here, and you know perfectly well your children should not be left to think up titles.”
“Nana!” Tinu protested.
“Go on,” Elrohir suggested mischievously. “Tell us what you have picked out.”
“Well I was waiting on Ada to give us a cue obviously,” she said, her tone screaming ‘duh’. “But I was thinking Gramps, considering Granddad, Grandpop, Grandpa, Pop-pop, Grampa, and Grandpapa are all being used at least once each already.”
At the look on his face, she added in a slightly patronizing tone, “you two still haven’t met them all yet.”
Elrohir’s brows drew together.
“You haven’t even met all the ones who are alive yet,” she pre-empted him.
“Gramps,” Finno said in a thoughtful tone.
“It suits you,” Moryo said drily.
“Gramps it is,” Elrohir pronounced. “Even if it seems slightly at odds with the dignity usually accorded to kings.”
“I’m quite happy not to be king anymore,” Gramps Finno shrugged, “and I suspect my dignity can stand it.”
Given how pleased he looked, Elladan doubted their newest grandfather gave a toss about dignity. He also seemed to be looking slightly anxiously at their father.
“Perhaps Atyo?” Elrond offered hesitantly. “Tinu has been quite creative for grandparents, but I’m afraid there are fewer accepted words for fathers, and with most of them so short, there is not much scope for creativity.”
“That’s because most elves don’t have as many fathers as you do,” Tindomiel said blithely. “Three is unusual, and you’ve got four now.”
It doesn’t quite make up for his childhood, but I think it helps, she added slightly more seriously to her brothers and mate.
Gramps Finno positively beamed and gave Ada a hug that would have been called bone-cracking by anyone who hadn’t spent time with Anariel. (Slayer-strength hugs took some getting used to, and at least in the early years had also taken frequent reminders to Anariel that elves could in fact be injured, even if not quite as readily as Men.)
I can see why Maedhros was so taken with him, Elrohir remarked. He’s our most easygoing relative yet.
He prefers Maitimo now, Tindomiel informed them.
Elladan didn’t dignify that with a question. It was quite annoying to have a younger sibling who thought nothing of visiting Mandos to keep dead relatives up to date on family gossip.
You also have a younger sibling who tells Namo what to do. I’m the mild-mannered one, Tindomiel reminded him.
Nana moved her chair down so Ada could do the same, and a new chair was added between Ada and Grandmother Nerdanel for Gramps Finno.
Gramps? Elrohir sighed to Tindomiel.
Wait until you’ve met them all and are trying to keep everyone straight in your head, she shot back. You’re going to be glad I changed it up with all those different names!
“In addition to a son and grandchildren, I hear I also have another nephew?” Finno asked hopefully.
---
It was nearly morning before it occurred to Elladan that he or Elrohir ought to check on their other sister. It would be unlike her not to sleep at least a few hours, and she had not stopped to say good night as they’d expected.
Perhaps it’s as well, Elrohir said quietly. She may want one more peaceful night before…
Elladan sighed. He really didn’t see how his small sister could face the prospect of meeting so many kin knowing they would turn her nights into a parade of horrors.
You go first, I’ll follow? he suggested to his brother.
He doubted the older generation noticed them slipping away, but Maeglin’s eyes gave away his relief.
I suppose he would know even better than we do how bad it was at the end, Elrohir said sadly as they wandered toward the lower gardens.
“I don’t think she’s still with the Inglorions,” he added aloud.
Elladan frowned. Now that he focused on her, his brother was correct - she was no longer at the gathering still going on in the small courtyard full of citrus trees that was apparently Uncle Ingo’s favorite.
“It’s one of Auntie’s favorites as well.”
Artalissë did not smirk as their sisters would have at startling them, but she did look faintly pleased with herself.
“Anariel excused herself several hours ago. Does she really sleep every night?”
Finrod’s daughter sounded more curious than surprised.
Elladan exchanged a glance with his brother. While they did not sleep as their younger sister did, in the style of Men, they did also sleep more nights than not. It was one of the quirks of fate - or what Anariel and Tinu called genetics - that it the one of their parents’ children whose sleep habits were most elven was the one who had chosen mortality.
“Perhaps not every night, but as a rule, yes,” Elrohir answered.
“And as she did not sleep much the night we travelled from our father’s house to Tirion,” Elladan added, “and probably did not sleep at Grandmother Nerdanel’s either, it is no surprise she would decide she should sleep as she usually would tonight.”
“Though I am sure she was disappointed at having to take herself away so early,” Elrohir finished, with one of his more charming grins.
“Atto said not to push too hard to get her to stay,” Lissë admitted, in a tone that said she’d otherwise have done just that.
“But she hasn’t gone back to her rooms,” Elladan said, frowning.
He was sure she was nearby.
“Maybe Arador should have walked her back up,” Lissë said fretfully. “He did offer, but she thought she’d find her way.”
“She may have just found a garden she liked,” Elrohir shrugged. “She didn’t complain about being lost.”
“She wouldn’t have and you know it,” Elladan snorted. “Even if we didn’t say anything, Tinu would.”
“She’s not far,” Elrohir added, before Lissë could get too worried. “What other gardens are there in this section?”
“The herb garden, Grandmother’s rose garden, the orchid garden,” Lissë told them, counting off gardens on her fingers as she spoke. “The kitchen gardens are the other direction, but the fruitery would be on her way…”
“What’s that?” Elrohir asked, nodding at a building nestled between the rose garden and the orchid garden. He was already making for it purposefully.
“That’s the armory,” Lissë said. “She wouldn’t be in there. Would she?”
“I wouldn’t rule it out,” Elladan told her, trying not to laugh. “If she recognized what it was, I’m certain she would want to take a look.”
“One can see why,” Elrohir said as they entered.
It was far fancier than the one they were used to in Imladris, which was more functional than decorative.
Anariel was curled on a backless chair at the far end. For anyone else, it would be more like a stool, but small as she was, to their sister it was practically a couch.
Lissë gave a small shriek. Elladan turned to her in surprise, even as he and Elrohir both reached mentally to be sure Anariel wasn’t waking.
“Her eyes-” Lissë began - and then screamed in earnest.
Anariel hadn’t woken, but the noise had startled her enough that she had instinctively reached for a weapon. Thankfully, it was a light grip, given that she’d seized the wrong end of a dagger.
At least, it was a light grip until the scream.
Her hand tightened, sending a trickle of blood dripping down toward the handle.
Lissë’s scream turned to true panic at that - and Anariel began to thrash about, muttering about Tinu. Elrohir dived toward her, but too late. Anariel knocked into the weapons rack behind her, destabilizing it.
Elrohir aborted his motion just in time for the first spear to fall to miss him by a hair.
Elladan clamped a hand over his young cousin’s mouth before she could scream again as the rest of the blades in the rack cascaded down around and onto his sister. He’d seen before the lengths Anariel would go to if she thought Tinu was in danger, and he did not want to find out how she would react to waking up believing herself under attack and their sister as well.
With his free arm, he grabbed Lissë around the waist and lifted her bodily, whirling her around to face the door before she could get too good a look at the damage. He walked them both briskly out of the armory, needing to put distance between Lissë and Anariel.
He waited until they were several gardens over before he set her down facing him, still keeping a hand over her mouth.
“I am going to let go,” he told her cautiously, making sure to keep eye contact. “You must not scream or yell.”
He let go cautiously, and was relieved to find that the girl kept quiet. Her eyes were huge and shocked.
“I apologize, Artalissë, but I had to act quickly,” Elladan sighed, doing his best to right her tunic and hair. “I believe Anariel mistook you for our younger sister.”
“But-”
Tears were filling her eyes now.
Fortunately for Elladan’s peace of mind, that was when Uncle Ingo reached them, with Gildor only a few steps behind.
Ingo had his arms wrapped around his daughter the second he reached her, and Elladan was unsurprised to come in for a rather fierce glare.
“What happened?” Gildor asked.
“Anariel thought the armory was a good place to take a nap,” Elladan sighed. “And I suppose it was, until-”
“Her eyes were closed, Atto! Like she was dead!”
“Men sleep like that, dear one,” Uncle Ingo reassured her. “As do some peredhil, apparently.”
“There, your father is here, all will be well,” Elladan said, intent on rejoining his siblings as quickly as possible. Things had looked bad, and he had no idea how lucid Anariel might be.
Gildor raised an eyebrow - it hadn’t escaped him that Elladan was trying to make a hasty escape.
“And?” he prompted.
“Lissë startled Anariel and things escalated from there,” Elladan sighed. “I will be happy to explain more fully later.”
Tinu, he added, we do not need any grandparents coming to investigate what’s going on! Particularly not any grandmothers!
We could however do with Ada’s presence, Elrohir added. Rather urgently.
“I’ll try to intercept Grandfather,” Gildor murmured. “And Ammë, should she come to investigate.”
“Thank you,” Elladan replied.
They both moved before Uncle Ingo could protest.
I was going to have Maeglin distract Gramma Anairë, but Gramps kinda got both his parents’ attention, Tinu informed them. You’re welcome.
Elladan was too grateful to see his father striding purposefully toward them to worry about anyone else at the moment.
He explained swiftly what had happened, so Ada was at least somewhat prepared for the bloody mess they found when they entered the armory.
Do try to delay your grandmother’s father, Ada requested. I believe he evaded Gildor.
Elladan only made it three steps before he met Grandfather Arafinwë.
“Don’t even try it, lad. I’ll remind you I raised your Grandmother and Ingo, and have seen quite a few attempts at stalling.”
“I believe Ada has everything in hand-”
He found himself being neatly swung around by his grandfather, as easily as if he were still as small as his sister.
His sister, who was as usual not happy about being asked to lie still…
El, tell her about the injuries, he prompted his brother. I don’t think she’s really feeling them yet. Not enough to take them seriously, anyway.
He suspected that in his sister’s head, laying still was dangerously close to dying. Her instinct was always to get up. She could say all she wanted that Sunny Dale was a brief moment in her past, but Elladan wasn’t so sure.
Glancing sideways, he saw Grandfather Arafinwë’s eyes fixed on the blood puddling on the floor.
That he could do something about. Grandfather might deplore the lack of sense of the Noldor, but they had at least put a drain in so they could clean the tiles easily. By the time Elrohir was hoisting Anariel onto his back, Elladan had fetched several buckets of water from the fountain outside to sluice down the floor.
You should probably follow, Elrohir informed him. I think Grandfather Arafinwë means to have words with Ada.
Elladan would have hesitated longer had his father not also nodded him toward the door.
Author: Grundy
Rating: FR13
Crossover: LotR/Silmarillion
Disclaimer: All belongs to Whedon & Tolkien. No money is being made here, it's all in good fun.
Summary: Buffy isn't the only one getting used to their suddenly much larger family.
Word Count: 2925
Note: This ran longer than expected...
Elladan grinned.
It had been an excellent evening. He had enjoyed getting to know Miryo’s father, Grandmother Nerdanel, Grandmother Lindë, and Aunt Silmë. (By common agreement, she was Aunt even if no one wanted to talk about her husband. Ada called her Auntie and seemed relieved they all liked her.)
He and Elrohir had been with this particular grandmother all day - it seemed only fair, considering Anariel had gotten a whole day uninterrupted with her.
They had been surprised when not only Ada and Nana, but Tindomiel, Maeglin, Mírimë, Anairon, and Uncle Aryo all joined them for dinner. It was impossible to resent the crowd when Nerdanel seemed so pleased to be hosting all of them.
Anariel was Arador’s guest, dining with his family in the lower gardens. Elladan and Elrohir had agreed it was good that she felt at ease with more of their new kin. She seemed happy enough the couple times he’d brushed against her mind. Not that he spent much time worrying - not with so many interesting stories flying. (And stories about flying. He was curious to hear more about Tinu’s device, but more curious to hear about all the failed attempts.)
They were just laughing their way through an absolute howler courtesy of Uncle Aryo - Nana was laughing the hardest at because it featured Grandmother and Aunt Irissë as children. Ada was finding the whole thing funny as much because Uncle Aryo had to keep hushing Mírimë so she wouldn’t try to tell the best parts before he got to them.
That was when someone new arrived.
“Oh my stars.”
He and Elrohir looked up to find someone who must be another relative looking slightly shocked to see them.
“Yes, they really do look uncannily like Turgon, and it’s apparently worse if you’d ever seen Lúthien,” Uncle Moryo said drily. “Irissë can’t stop going on about it.”
“I…suppose in that case I should be happy I did not?” the newcomer offered weakly.
“Finno,” Grandmother Nerdanel chided. “You have terrible timing. Your parents-“
Finno? Elrohir gasped in his mind. Fingon the Valiant?
“Ingo’s already informed me they were having a private dinner,” Fingon said wryly. “I will be a good boy and wait until morning to knock carefully on the door. I may perhaps maneuver Aryo or Anairon into waking them first…”
Elladan couldn’t help the snicker. As eldest sons themselves, they had also on occasion found it the best part of wisdom to ensure their parents had a night to themselves - only they’d had to wrangle younger siblings into the bargain.
Not very lately, you haven’t, Tinu snorted. We’re all grownups now.
Perhaps, Elladan replied. I will tell you another time how Arwen almost prevented Anariel’s begetting.
Tinu unfortunately had been taking a sip of wine as he said that, and the glare Maeglin sent in his direction strongly suggested she’d only just missed snorting it out her nose.
More like choking on it, thank you, his sister wheezed. Does Anariel know about this?
They tuned back into the spoken conversation to find that Uncle Finno had broken the news to Grandmother Nerdanel that Namo had told him Maedhros would be permitted to return eventually - he did not expect it to be immediate, but Maedhros would return.
It was hard to say who was the most affected by this announcement - their grandmother or their father.
“No surprise there,” Tinu said wryly.
All heads turned to her except Elladan’s and Elrohir’s.
“What?” she asked in bemusement.
“How is that not a surprise?” Ada asked carefully.
Do they really not know the answer to that? Elrohir snorted.
She didn’t really say it often, and they did sail fairly soon after the War, Elladan reminded him.
“Anariel’s been crystal clear since Minas Tirith that she expects to get haru back,” Tindomiel said patiently. “Did you really think she’d leave Grandpa Maitimo out of that?”
Their father now had the look he got when he contemplated the collateral damage that occasionally piled up in Anariel’s wake.
“I was unaware of this, dawn child,” he said patiently. “Did your sister mention how she intended to achieve this?”
“She didn’t exactly go into detail,” Elrohir said, intervening to his sister’s relief. “But I believe she planned to use the traditional peredhil strategy as demonstrated by our foremother Lúthien - ‘annoy Namo into giving her what she wants so she’ll go away again’.”
“That was her takeaway from that particular story,” Elladan confirmed, trying not to laugh too hard at the expressions around the table. “I wouldn’t worry, she’s well-equipped for it.”
Aside from young Mírimë, who had already categorized Anariel with Grandmother and Aunt Trouble, everyone else looked slightly horrified.
“It must have worked if Uncle Namo chased Uncle Finno out,” Tinu observed.
“Yes, thank you, Tindomiel,” the uncle in question sighed.
His disappointment seems more with the title than the sentiment… Elrohir said quietly.
Why… Oh. Elladan abruptly ‘connected the dots’ as his sisters would put it.
“So, Ada,” he said aloud. “Are we to call him Uncle Finno or Grandfather Finno?”
His father blinked.
“I hadn’t really considered,” he replied slowly.
“I suggest you consider it now, my love,” Nana said gently. “And quickly, as Uncle Finno is here, and you know perfectly well your children should not be left to think up titles.”
“Nana!” Tinu protested.
“Go on,” Elrohir suggested mischievously. “Tell us what you have picked out.”
“Well I was waiting on Ada to give us a cue obviously,” she said, her tone screaming ‘duh’. “But I was thinking Gramps, considering Granddad, Grandpop, Grandpa, Pop-pop, Grampa, and Grandpapa are all being used at least once each already.”
At the look on his face, she added in a slightly patronizing tone, “you two still haven’t met them all yet.”
Elrohir’s brows drew together.
“You haven’t even met all the ones who are alive yet,” she pre-empted him.
“Gramps,” Finno said in a thoughtful tone.
“It suits you,” Moryo said drily.
“Gramps it is,” Elrohir pronounced. “Even if it seems slightly at odds with the dignity usually accorded to kings.”
“I’m quite happy not to be king anymore,” Gramps Finno shrugged, “and I suspect my dignity can stand it.”
Given how pleased he looked, Elladan doubted their newest grandfather gave a toss about dignity. He also seemed to be looking slightly anxiously at their father.
“Perhaps Atyo?” Elrond offered hesitantly. “Tinu has been quite creative for grandparents, but I’m afraid there are fewer accepted words for fathers, and with most of them so short, there is not much scope for creativity.”
“That’s because most elves don’t have as many fathers as you do,” Tindomiel said blithely. “Three is unusual, and you’ve got four now.”
It doesn’t quite make up for his childhood, but I think it helps, she added slightly more seriously to her brothers and mate.
Gramps Finno positively beamed and gave Ada a hug that would have been called bone-cracking by anyone who hadn’t spent time with Anariel. (Slayer-strength hugs took some getting used to, and at least in the early years had also taken frequent reminders to Anariel that elves could in fact be injured, even if not quite as readily as Men.)
I can see why Maedhros was so taken with him, Elrohir remarked. He’s our most easygoing relative yet.
He prefers Maitimo now, Tindomiel informed them.
Elladan didn’t dignify that with a question. It was quite annoying to have a younger sibling who thought nothing of visiting Mandos to keep dead relatives up to date on family gossip.
You also have a younger sibling who tells Namo what to do. I’m the mild-mannered one, Tindomiel reminded him.
Nana moved her chair down so Ada could do the same, and a new chair was added between Ada and Grandmother Nerdanel for Gramps Finno.
Gramps? Elrohir sighed to Tindomiel.
Wait until you’ve met them all and are trying to keep everyone straight in your head, she shot back. You’re going to be glad I changed it up with all those different names!
“In addition to a son and grandchildren, I hear I also have another nephew?” Finno asked hopefully.
---
It was nearly morning before it occurred to Elladan that he or Elrohir ought to check on their other sister. It would be unlike her not to sleep at least a few hours, and she had not stopped to say good night as they’d expected.
Perhaps it’s as well, Elrohir said quietly. She may want one more peaceful night before…
Elladan sighed. He really didn’t see how his small sister could face the prospect of meeting so many kin knowing they would turn her nights into a parade of horrors.
You go first, I’ll follow? he suggested to his brother.
He doubted the older generation noticed them slipping away, but Maeglin’s eyes gave away his relief.
I suppose he would know even better than we do how bad it was at the end, Elrohir said sadly as they wandered toward the lower gardens.
“I don’t think she’s still with the Inglorions,” he added aloud.
Elladan frowned. Now that he focused on her, his brother was correct - she was no longer at the gathering still going on in the small courtyard full of citrus trees that was apparently Uncle Ingo’s favorite.
“It’s one of Auntie’s favorites as well.”
Artalissë did not smirk as their sisters would have at startling them, but she did look faintly pleased with herself.
“Anariel excused herself several hours ago. Does she really sleep every night?”
Finrod’s daughter sounded more curious than surprised.
Elladan exchanged a glance with his brother. While they did not sleep as their younger sister did, in the style of Men, they did also sleep more nights than not. It was one of the quirks of fate - or what Anariel and Tinu called genetics - that it the one of their parents’ children whose sleep habits were most elven was the one who had chosen mortality.
“Perhaps not every night, but as a rule, yes,” Elrohir answered.
“And as she did not sleep much the night we travelled from our father’s house to Tirion,” Elladan added, “and probably did not sleep at Grandmother Nerdanel’s either, it is no surprise she would decide she should sleep as she usually would tonight.”
“Though I am sure she was disappointed at having to take herself away so early,” Elrohir finished, with one of his more charming grins.
“Atto said not to push too hard to get her to stay,” Lissë admitted, in a tone that said she’d otherwise have done just that.
“But she hasn’t gone back to her rooms,” Elladan said, frowning.
He was sure she was nearby.
“Maybe Arador should have walked her back up,” Lissë said fretfully. “He did offer, but she thought she’d find her way.”
“She may have just found a garden she liked,” Elrohir shrugged. “She didn’t complain about being lost.”
“She wouldn’t have and you know it,” Elladan snorted. “Even if we didn’t say anything, Tinu would.”
“She’s not far,” Elrohir added, before Lissë could get too worried. “What other gardens are there in this section?”
“The herb garden, Grandmother’s rose garden, the orchid garden,” Lissë told them, counting off gardens on her fingers as she spoke. “The kitchen gardens are the other direction, but the fruitery would be on her way…”
“What’s that?” Elrohir asked, nodding at a building nestled between the rose garden and the orchid garden. He was already making for it purposefully.
“That’s the armory,” Lissë said. “She wouldn’t be in there. Would she?”
“I wouldn’t rule it out,” Elladan told her, trying not to laugh. “If she recognized what it was, I’m certain she would want to take a look.”
“One can see why,” Elrohir said as they entered.
It was far fancier than the one they were used to in Imladris, which was more functional than decorative.
Anariel was curled on a backless chair at the far end. For anyone else, it would be more like a stool, but small as she was, to their sister it was practically a couch.
Lissë gave a small shriek. Elladan turned to her in surprise, even as he and Elrohir both reached mentally to be sure Anariel wasn’t waking.
“Her eyes-” Lissë began - and then screamed in earnest.
Anariel hadn’t woken, but the noise had startled her enough that she had instinctively reached for a weapon. Thankfully, it was a light grip, given that she’d seized the wrong end of a dagger.
At least, it was a light grip until the scream.
Her hand tightened, sending a trickle of blood dripping down toward the handle.
Lissë’s scream turned to true panic at that - and Anariel began to thrash about, muttering about Tinu. Elrohir dived toward her, but too late. Anariel knocked into the weapons rack behind her, destabilizing it.
Elrohir aborted his motion just in time for the first spear to fall to miss him by a hair.
Elladan clamped a hand over his young cousin’s mouth before she could scream again as the rest of the blades in the rack cascaded down around and onto his sister. He’d seen before the lengths Anariel would go to if she thought Tinu was in danger, and he did not want to find out how she would react to waking up believing herself under attack and their sister as well.
With his free arm, he grabbed Lissë around the waist and lifted her bodily, whirling her around to face the door before she could get too good a look at the damage. He walked them both briskly out of the armory, needing to put distance between Lissë and Anariel.
He waited until they were several gardens over before he set her down facing him, still keeping a hand over her mouth.
“I am going to let go,” he told her cautiously, making sure to keep eye contact. “You must not scream or yell.”
He let go cautiously, and was relieved to find that the girl kept quiet. Her eyes were huge and shocked.
“I apologize, Artalissë, but I had to act quickly,” Elladan sighed, doing his best to right her tunic and hair. “I believe Anariel mistook you for our younger sister.”
“But-”
Tears were filling her eyes now.
Fortunately for Elladan’s peace of mind, that was when Uncle Ingo reached them, with Gildor only a few steps behind.
Ingo had his arms wrapped around his daughter the second he reached her, and Elladan was unsurprised to come in for a rather fierce glare.
“What happened?” Gildor asked.
“Anariel thought the armory was a good place to take a nap,” Elladan sighed. “And I suppose it was, until-”
“Her eyes were closed, Atto! Like she was dead!”
“Men sleep like that, dear one,” Uncle Ingo reassured her. “As do some peredhil, apparently.”
“There, your father is here, all will be well,” Elladan said, intent on rejoining his siblings as quickly as possible. Things had looked bad, and he had no idea how lucid Anariel might be.
Gildor raised an eyebrow - it hadn’t escaped him that Elladan was trying to make a hasty escape.
“And?” he prompted.
“Lissë startled Anariel and things escalated from there,” Elladan sighed. “I will be happy to explain more fully later.”
Tinu, he added, we do not need any grandparents coming to investigate what’s going on! Particularly not any grandmothers!
We could however do with Ada’s presence, Elrohir added. Rather urgently.
“I’ll try to intercept Grandfather,” Gildor murmured. “And Ammë, should she come to investigate.”
“Thank you,” Elladan replied.
They both moved before Uncle Ingo could protest.
I was going to have Maeglin distract Gramma Anairë, but Gramps kinda got both his parents’ attention, Tinu informed them. You’re welcome.
Elladan was too grateful to see his father striding purposefully toward them to worry about anyone else at the moment.
He explained swiftly what had happened, so Ada was at least somewhat prepared for the bloody mess they found when they entered the armory.
Do try to delay your grandmother’s father, Ada requested. I believe he evaded Gildor.
Elladan only made it three steps before he met Grandfather Arafinwë.
“Don’t even try it, lad. I’ll remind you I raised your Grandmother and Ingo, and have seen quite a few attempts at stalling.”
“I believe Ada has everything in hand-”
He found himself being neatly swung around by his grandfather, as easily as if he were still as small as his sister.
His sister, who was as usual not happy about being asked to lie still…
El, tell her about the injuries, he prompted his brother. I don’t think she’s really feeling them yet. Not enough to take them seriously, anyway.
He suspected that in his sister’s head, laying still was dangerously close to dying. Her instinct was always to get up. She could say all she wanted that Sunny Dale was a brief moment in her past, but Elladan wasn’t so sure.
Glancing sideways, he saw Grandfather Arafinwë’s eyes fixed on the blood puddling on the floor.
That he could do something about. Grandfather might deplore the lack of sense of the Noldor, but they had at least put a drain in so they could clean the tiles easily. By the time Elrohir was hoisting Anariel onto his back, Elladan had fetched several buckets of water from the fountain outside to sluice down the floor.
You should probably follow, Elrohir informed him. I think Grandfather Arafinwë means to have words with Ada.
Elladan would have hesitated longer had his father not also nodded him toward the door.