Finding Hope

Chapter 15

A Week Later……

The renovations to the rooms that had been Amarion and Diwen’s were progressing nicely. There would be two bedrooms and one bathroom for the children added on Erestor and Glorfindel’s side, and one large bedroom and a bathroom for the little twins added on Caladir and Gurvelon’s. The extra bedrooms would be accessed through the sitting rooms, and the bathrooms from the new bedrooms. Next to the bedrooms, a hall would lead to doors that opened onto a large shared playroom. The playroom could easily be divided into separate rooms later when the children were older. Each family would also have their own dining area on the other side of the hall, and their own kitchen.

Erestor and Glorfindel knew that Amdiriel would not want to stay by herself in a separate room until she and the boys were older, but one day she would want a room of her own. For now, they would make the extra bedroom into an office and move Glorfindel’s desk out of the sitting room.

A worker was showing Erestor the kitchen area. “The stove will go here, my Lord. It is made of iron, and the fire goes underneath, so you can cook or heat things on the top. And there is a separate space next to the fire that you can use to bake things for the little ones. It will also provide more heat than a fireplace in the winter.”

“And where will you put the ice box to store the milk? Surely not here, next to the stove?” Erestor asked.

“Oh, no, my Lord. The ice box will be there,” he pointed to the other side of the room. “And you will have a work table in the middle. Next to the stove will be shelves for storing your cooking implements, and next to the ice box, a cupboard for storing food items.”

Erestor nodded. “I think that will work very nicely. But I am a little worried about having the stove with the baby. He will begin walking soon.”

“I have already thought of that, my Lord,” the worker smiled. “I have young ones of my own, so you will have the same arrangement that I use. It is a folding metal barrier, but it has bars to allow the heat into the room. The bars are too close together for the little one to put his hand or arm through. It is lightweight, and the sides are on hinges. You just open it and set it a few inches in front of the stove. The sides will reach back to the wall, so the little one will not be able to move it any closer to the stove. My wife even leaves it up when she cooks.”

Erestor smiled. “Thank you. That was kind of you to think of that.”

“The other thing you will need, my Lord is a tub of some kind for washing up. This isn’t like the kitchens where it is convenient to the outside. I will put a tap for water in it, and a drain to below the house for you to empty the water. Just like a bathtub. Where would you like it to be placed?”

“What about on the back wall? That should be a convenient place.”

“Aye. I can put it there.”

They moved into the rest of the new rooms to make sure Erestor would be pleased with everything.

~~~*~~~
Lord Celeborn’s Chief Advisor, Erynoron, was arriving. Elrond, Erestor, Glorfindel, Melpomaen, Lindir and Taurfaeron had gone down the steps to greet him just as he and his escort entered the courtyard. Suddenly the Advisor’s horse stopped and reared up on his hind legs. Erynoron hung on tightly to the reins, but the horse’s movements only got wilder, bucking and rearing again and again. A member of the Lothlorien escort attempted to control the horse without success.

Erynoron lost his grip and was thrown violently onto the cobbled courtyard. His head hit the ground hard, and he lay unmoving as blood began to seep onto the cobbles. His escort immediately moved in between the fallen advisor and his crazed horse to protect him from further harm as the Imladris elves rushed over.

Glorfindel grasped the horse’s reins and spoke to him gently, reaching to gently stroke his nose. It was then he saw what had caused the horse to react so violently. He had been stung by an insect, probably a bee, and the long stinger was still imbedded in his nose. Still talking quietly to the animal to calm him, Glorfindel led him away from the commotion in the courtyard to the stables where he could be attended to.

Elrond knelt by the unconscious advisor and gently assessed the damage. “There are no broken limbs, thankfully, but the wound to his head could be dangerous,” Elrond said. “Erestor, have the healers bring a litter over quickly. And tell Nestoron I need him as well. We will take him to my private rooms where I can watch him and care for him personally.”

Erestor quickly ran to the healing house and moments later, he returned with Nestoron and two other assistants with a litter. Elrond and his chief healer picked Erynoron up carefully and laid him on the litter. “We will take him to my chambers,” Elrond said.

When they reached his rooms, Elrond ran ahead of them and quickly pulled the bedclothes down so the assistant healers could place Erynoron on the bed. “Remove his robes, Nestoron, so we can examine him for any other injuries,” Elrond told his healer, as he gathered herbs, bandages, and other supplies he would need. Erestor went to the bathroom and emerged with the bowl of warm water and cloths.

Nestoron’s assistants helped him remove the advisor’s robes. “Only his head appears to be seriously injured, my Lord,” Nestoron said, after his assistants had helped him turn Erynoron on his stomach. He motioned to the assistants that they could return to the healing house. The elves silently bowed and left the room. “There are some abrasions to his arms and back, but not serious.” Nestoron took the bowl of water and cloth from Erestor and bathed the wound, removing the blood from the pale blond hair surrounding it. When he was done, Elrond took a clean cloth and applied gentle pressure to help stop the blood flow, as he sent healing energy into the region from his hands.

“That is enough, Elrond,” Nestoron said, speaking quietly. “You are draining yourself.” He removed Elrond’s hands from the unconscious advisor’s head. “Erestor, will you help him lie down for a few moments to recover?”

Erestor wrapped an arm around Elrond’s waist and helped him walk to the other side of the large bed and lie down. “You used too much healing energy again, Elrond,” Erestor chided him.

“What was I supposed to do, Erestor? This is Celeborn’s Chief Advisor.”

“Aye, Elrond, I know perfectly well who it is. He happens to be a friend of mine. But that is no excuse…” Erestor was cut off in mid-sentence.

“Rest and regain your strength, Elrond. I will make sure Erestor waits until you are recovered before I let him scold you anymore,” Glorfindel said, as he entered the room.

“What happened to make that horse do that?” Elrond asked.

“ A bee sting. The poor animal was stung on the nose, of all places. The only place that would guarantee he would be crazed with it. A healer is tending to him,” Glorfindel answered. “Now rest or we will have my husband scolding both of us.” Elrond laid back, and almost immediately fell into a light healing sleep.

“How is he, Nestoron?” Erestor asked.

Nestoron had applied the herbs and bandages to Erynoron’s head, and was smoothing salve on the abrasions on his arms. “We will have to wait until he wakes to be sure, but I hope with Elrond’s healing he will recover. Head wounds bleed profusely, even if slight, but I think we can be sure he has a concussion at least.” The healer took the bowl of bloody water into the bathroom to empty and rinse it, then returned and placed the empty bowl on the nightstand. “He may be nauseous when he awakens, so we will be prepared. Come, both of you and help me turn him on his back again.”

Erestor and Glorfindel turned Erynoron on his back as Nestoron placed soft pillows beneath his head, being careful not the disturb the bandages, and pulled the bedcovers up to his shoulders.

“Glorfindel, my love, I would like to stay and be here when he awakens. He knows me, and my being here may help make him feel more comfortable, just in case he is not himself when he wakes,” Erestor said. “But I have not been away from the children for so long since they came. I am torn.”

“I am sure Gurvelon and Caladir are taking very good care of them, but I will go and get them and stay with them. I can always bring them into Elrond’s sitting room to visit with you, sweetheart.”

“Oh, would you Glorfindel? Then I can feed Faelion and spend a little time with Amdiriel and Gailion before you take them back to our rooms.” Erestor smiled at Glorfindel and kissed him sweetly before he left to bring their elflings to visit their Ada Restor.

Nestoron drew a chair along side the bed. “Erestor, go and make yourself comfortable in the sitting room. I will be here watching over these two and will call you if Erynoron starts to wake.”

Erestor nodded. “Thank you, Nestoron.” He left the bedroom, quietly closing the door behind him. He made himself comfortable on the sofa where he could sit with all the children and Glorfindel.

It wasn’t long before Glorfindel arrived with their three quiet elflings. Gailion sat next to his Ada Restor as Amdiriel climbed up into Erestor’s lap, and said “Did your friend get hurt, Ada? Ada Glor said we have to be real quiet because your friend is hurt.”

“Aye, little one. My friend Erynoron hurt his head when his horse threw him off in the courtyard, and he has not woken up yet. But Lord Elrond will take care of him and he will be fine. Ada just wants to be here for him when he wakes up because he does not know anyone else in Imladris very well, except for Taurfaeron.”

“When will he wake up, Ada?”

“I do not know, my love. We just have to wait.”

“Oh. I missed you, Ada.”

“I missed you too, sweetheart. That is why Ada Glor brought you and your brothers here.” Erestor smiled down at his little daughter and hugged her, then pulled Gailion into his lap as well for a cuddle. “Did you two have fun with Gurvelon and Caladir today? I missed you all very much.”

“Aye, Ada Restor. Caladir is making dollhouses for Calariel and Glawen, and he let me help,” Gailion said.

“And Velon played with us and then he took us to the kitchens and we had cookies and milk,” added Amdiriel.

“Soon we will have our own kitchen in our chambers, and then we can bake cookies and all kinds of good things. Would you like that?”

Amdiriel smiled and hugged Erestor. “We like cookies. Will you teach me how to make them, Ada?”

“Of course, sweetheart. We can all make cookies together. That will be fun.”

The two elflings nodded. “Ada, will you make cookies with us, too?” Gailion asked Glorfindel.

Glorfindel sat next to Gailion holding the baby, who was contentedly sucking on his bunny. “I would not miss it for anything. I remember making cookies with my nana when I was just a little elfling in Gondolin. I will teach you how to make the kind of cookies we made. Would you like that?” Gailion smiled and nodded.

“Erestor, my love, would you like to feed this little elfling before he eats his bunny?” Glorfindel asked as he pulled out a bottle of milk from the bag he carried.

Erestor unwound his arms from the other elflings and held them out for the baby. He laid the infant on his lap with his head on Gailions’s lap and his feet on Amdiriel. Erestor chuckled, “See, you all fit. Are you hungry, my beautiful little one? Is my little elfling hungry?” He tickled the baby’s tummy, and Faelion giggled and merrily lifted his arms up and down in the way that babies everywhere do.

Erestor fed the baby, and talked to the other elflings about what they had done during the day.

“You know, Gailion, I have to make Amdiriel’s doll house. Now that you have helped Caladir, perhaps you will show me how?”

Gailion grinned. “Silly Ada. You do not need to know how to do it!” The elfling laughed.

“But I have never made one before, and you have.” Glorfindel gave Erestor a wink.

“A doll house, Ada Glor?” Amdiriel asked. “I will have a doll house, too?”

“Aye, love. Gailion and I will make you a nice, big one for all of your dolls. Would you like that?” Glorfindel asked.

Amdiriel grinned and nodded excitedly. “Thank you, Ada Glor.”

“You are welcome, sweetling. Maybe we can start working on it when we go back to our rooms, alright?”

They talked and sat together for a while longer until Nestoron came and told them that Erynoron was starting to wake. Erestor kissed his family goodbye, then went to the bedroom. He moved a chair to sit next to Nestoron. Elrond woke, feeling refreshed, and got up to join Erestor and Nestoron on the other side of the bed.

Erynoron mumbled something every minute or so, and moved restlessly. “Erestor, speak to him and see if you can wake him up. You see how his eyes are dilated? He definitely has a concussion. Are his eyes normally that color, Erestor?” Elrond asked, concerned.

“Aye, the color is normal, Elrond, do not worry,” Erestor replied. Erynoron’s eyes were a unique shade of deep green with gold specks in them. “I always teased him about the color.”

Elrond looked into the unusual eyes, thinking how beautiful they were. “He must have been named for his eyes. He is a stunning.”

“Aye. He is most fair. And among the kindest, wisest elves I have ever known,” Erestor replied. “Rather like you, in fact.”

Erestor moved to the bed, sat next to the advisor and took his hand in his own. “Erynoron, my friend, it is Erestor. You are in Imladris. Can you wake now, my friend?” He rubbed Erynoron’s hand and continued to speak to him. Finally the advisor’s eyes began to focus. “That’s right, my friend, wake now. It is I, Erestor.”

“Erestor?” Erynoron’s voice was horse and shaky. “What happened? Why am I here?”

“Your horse threw you, my friend, and you hit your head on the cobbles. You have a concussion.”

Erynoron looked confused for a minute, then said, “I remember now. The horse went wild.”

“He was stung by a bee on his nose,” Erestor said.

“May I have something to drink?” Erynoron asked.

Elrond filled a cup with tea that would hopefully help with the advisor’s healing. “Erestor, may I exchange places with you?” Erestor rose and Elrond sat next to Erynoron. “Raise his shoulders just enough for him to drink.” When Erestor was carefully holding Erynoron up enough, Elrond put the cup to the advisor’s lips. “Take little sips. Do not try to drink it too fast.”

Erynoron drank several sips. “Thank you,” he said. He looked up into the face of Elrond for the first time, and felt his heart beat faster.

Tbc…..


Erynoron – Forest Flame