Finding Hope

Chapter 7 is a little on the short side, so here's another one.

Note: Conversations indicated with a single ‘…..’ are Erestor and Glorfindel silently mind speaking to each other.

Chapter 8

In the morning, Erestor and Glorfindel woke to the sounds of a baby crying. Faelion was wet and he was hungry. Erestor was closer to the cradle and made it to the baby first.

“Shh, sweetling, Ada has you. Oh, my, you are thoroughly soaked. Ada will fix that while Ada Glor goes and gets your milk for us, yes he will!” Erestor laid the baby back in his cradle to change the diaper, remembering to strategically cover him after he had removed the sopping diaper. Glorfindel threw on a robe and dashed to the kitchens with two empty bottles.

Erestor cooed at the baby and tickled his feet to try and stop the infant’s wails, all to no avail. Finally dry and freshly diapered, he picked up the baby and offered him a finger to suckle on. It didn’t work. The baby still sobbed.

Amdiriel ran to the cradle and retrieved the elfling’s little horse, and held it up to Erestor. “Give him the horsey, Ada.”

Erestor took the horse and showed it to Faelion. The elfling grabbed it and immediately stuck a leg in his mouth and quieted. Erestor wiped the baby’s tears away, and looked down at Amdiriel. “Thank you, sweetheart. That was very smart of you to think of the horse.” Erestor sat down in the rocking chair with the baby, then made room on his lap for Amdiriel.

Glorfindel returned to the room with Faelion’s bottles to find Erestor rocking their two youngest elflings on his lap, while Gailion sat at their feet, his arms on Erestor’s lap. “Oh, what a lovely picture. What a beautiful family I have,” he said quietly. He took the baby from Erestor to feed.

Erestor lifted Gailion onto his lap. They sat watching Ada Glor feed Faelion while they rocked together for long minutes, until a servant arrived with breakfast for the rest of the family.

“Are you hungry, my little ones?” Erestor asked. Two little heads nodded. “Shall we be very lazy and eat breakfast before we get dressed?” Nods again. “Come then.” He wrapped an arm around each elfling and carried them to the table, sitting them down in their chairs. Glorfindel sat in his chair with the baby.

Erestor poured milk for the older children and tea for Glorfindel and himself, then arranged muffins, eggs and fruit on the children’s plates. “What else would you like, sweetlings? Maybe jam on your muffins?”

The two elflings looked at each other, then back at Erestor, then smiled and nodded.

“Ada Restor?” Gailion said. “We don’t have porridge for breakfast?”

“Not this morning. Would you like some?”

“Oh, no Ada. We don’t like porridge,” Amdiriel said. “We like this better.”

“Oh, good,” Erestor said, handing each elfling their muffin and jam. “Don’t forget to eat your eggs and fruit too, all right?”

“We will, Ada,” Amdiriel said.

Erestor winked at Glorfindel. ‘They must have only gotten porridge for breakfast before.’

‘Aye, looks that way, my love,’ Glorfindel silently said.

After breakfast, Erestor washed and dressed Amdiriel. He chose her light green gown with the cream flowers around the neckline. It fit her perfectly. He combed her hair, leaving it free with its soft curls around her face. “You look enchanting, sweetheart. A perfect little princess. Would you like to visit with the kittens now, while I take care of your little brother?” Amdiriel nodded. Erestor moved the cat’s basket into the bedroom so she wouldn’t be alone.

Glorfindel had been taking care of Gailion, and he was soon clean and dressed in his new leggings and tunic. He had chosen a pair of dark blue leggings with a light blue tunic. Glorfindel braided the elflings hair to match his own, and fastened the braids with one his gold hairclips bearing the symbol of the House of the Golden Flower. Gailion moved his hand to the back of his head and touched the clip, smiling. Glorfindel then found a lovely pale blue gown for Faelion. “Will you sit with your sister and the kittens while I go and help your Ada Restor, little one?”

“Yes, Ada,” Gailion answered.

Erestor had finished bathing the baby, and was putting a fresh diaper on him. Faelion’s soft blond hair curled around his little head and his blue eyes were watching everything. The happy baby gurgled and cooed at Erestor, and little hands grabbed strands of dark hair, bringing it to his mouth.

“I know your Ada Restor is good enough to eat, little one,” Glorfindel said, as he unwound the baby’s fingers from Erestor’s hair, “but we really should leave him some hair or he’ll look funny.”

Erestor smirked and kissed Glorfindel soundly. “Want to dress him while I change, sweetheart?” Erestor looked down at his wet nightshirt. “I think I got a bath, too, but I forgot to undress first.”

Glorfindel chuckled and took the baby. “Come on, sweet one. I have the perfect little gown for you and your blue eyes.”

Erestor dressed in dark green robes, lined with a light green. “They need shoes, my love. We can’t have them running around in bare feet and getting hurt.”

“I will go to the market today and see if there are any house shoes available, and order sturdier shoes for outside for them,” Glorfindel answered. House shoes were softer and did not require a perfect fit like outside shoes or boots did.

“I believe we are ready to go visiting and check on your friends, little ones,” Erestor said to the children.

“We’re going visiting?” Gailion asked.

“Aye, we thought you would like to see your friends this morning,” Glorfindel said.

“Oh, yes, Ada. We’d like that,” Gailion answered.

Glorfindel carried Faelion in one arm and held Gailion’s hand. “My blue and golden elves,” Erestor said.

“Aye, and my green and dark elves,” Glorfindel answered as Erestor picked up Amdiriel. “I think we all look perfectly……perfect to go calling.” Glorfindel grinned. The children carried their horse, oliphant and doll with them.

The family left the room, closely followed by Tinnu and Glirien. “Look, Ada. The kitties are going visiting with us!” Amdiriel said.

“Aye, they are. They must want to visit your friends, too,” Erestor said.

Entering the hall, they walked all the way to the next door and knocked. Amarion greeted them and invited them in.

“Down, Ada, please,” Amdiriel said. When Erestor set her down, she rushed over to Laerien and the two little elflings hugged, then sat and compared their dolls. Gailion rushed over to Lainon and Saercaeron, and an oliphant, a pony and a bear were soon engaged in a mock battle on the floor. The cats wandered around the children, sniffing, as little hands reached out and petted them.

The adults sat and quietly compared notes on the elflings. Amarion had taken Faelion to hold until he fussed for his Ada and was returned to Glorfindel.

It wasn’t long before Caladir, Gurvelon, and their little elflings joined the group. The little girls joined their friends on the floor, and squealed over the cats, petting them softly with little hands.

“The girls woke screaming after only five minutes of sleep last night, and we had to keep them with us in our bed,” Gurvelon said softly. “How did the others fare?”

“Ours slept with their new big brother, and we didn’t have any problems,” Diwen said. “Your poor little girls. It was their first night without being right next to Caladir since the awful day. Hopefully, their fear will begin to lessen.”

“How did you two do, Erestor?” Gurvelon asked.

“They slept fine for some time, but them Amdiriel came to our bed. She was afraid the Orcs would get me. We explained to her that wasn’t going to happen, and we ended up with both of her and Gailion with us for the rest of the night. Amdiriel seems to be getting better by the hour, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens tonight,” Erestor said.

“Don’t stop trying to put them to sleep in their own beds, Gurvelon. It really will be better for them.” Diwen said. “They will let you know if they need you. And don’t expect a major improvement all at once. They may sleep soundly for two nights, and then be back to screaming in terror. They will not recover from the trauma after just a night a two. We were lucky last night, but that could change tonight.”

“We’ll do as you recommend. After all, you are a healer and a mother.” Gurvelon grinned at Diwen.

“We are really going to have to do something about living quarters soon, though. We don’t even have a place for the children’s clothes,” Erestor said.

“Diwen and I were talking about that last night,” Amarion said. “We were thinking of asking Elrond if we could have a cottage, as she would like to have our own home with the elflings. These quarters are larger than either of yours. You could divide them in half, and easily have room for a bathroom and two or three bedrooms on each side. You could even have room for a common playroom and a small kitchen in the middle. That way, neither of you would have to relocate, and your children would be close to each other. If you wouldn’t mind, I could bring mine over when I come to work each day, and both Diwen and I would help mind the children.”

“That sounds like a very good solution, Amarion,” Glorfindel said. “What say the rest of you?”

“Aye, thank you, Amarion. A good suggestion it is,” Caladir said, as Gurvelon nodded.

“Well, if we’re all in agreement, perhaps we can ask Elrond to stop by and see if he agrees?” Erestor said. The others nodded.

“Erestor, you didn’t by chance remember to bring any diapers did you?” Glorfindel asked.

“Oh dear, I never even thought of it. Let me take him, and I’ll go change him. And don’t talk about anything too interesting until I get back,” he snickered.

The cats followed him out and back to their rooms. Erestor quickly changed the baby. Taking a bag, he tossed in some diapers and a bottle of milk, then picked up Faelion and headed back to the others. Unseen by Erestor, there were now four animals following him.

Erestor returned to find Elrond sitting with the others, talking about the suggested move and improvements.

“I think it’s a wonderful idea. There is a cottage available, and we could start the changes to these rooms as soon as you want. I was actually a little concerned about how far my Chief Councilor, Seneschal, and their “second-in-command” would be from their offices and me, and this is a perfect solution!” Elrond exclaimed.

“Ha! You were supposed to wait until I returned!” Erestor teased the others, placing his bag on the floor and taking his seat again.

Just then, Tinnu walked over to Gurvelon and deposited the gray and white kitten he was carrying into the scribe’s lap. Glirien went to Diwen, and deposited the gray kitten in hers.

“Erestor, what are they doing?” Gurvelon asked.

“I think…..Tinnu, are you and Glirien giving them a kitten for their elflings?”

Tinnu meowed, and nosed the kitten further into Gurvelon’s lap.

“I believe that is a definite ‘aye’. Did you see how they were in here earlier checking the children? I think they wanted to make sure they would be good for their kittens,” Erestor snickered.

“What a good idea! Thank you Tinnu. Thank you Glirien,” Diwen said. “The kittens will be perfect to help the children heal.”

Gurvelon and Caladir thanked the cats as well, then called the girls to see their new little friend. “This is Cenedril, little ones. You must be very careful with her, because she is just a little cat, like you are little elves,” Gurvelon explained. The elflings petted the kitten on their Ada’s lap gently, and smiled.

“May I hold her, Ada,” asked Calariel.

Gurvelon nodded and handed the kitten to the elfling. Calariel took the kitten and held it against her chest, rubbing her cheek on the soft fur. “Oh, she’s so soft. You try now, Glawen.” Her sister took the kitten and held it against her face, giggling.

“And you can come visit your kitten anytime, Tinnu,” Caladir said. The cat meowed loudly, as if to say “Well, of course I will, what did you think?”

Diwen called to Lainon and Laerien, “Come see your little kitten, little ones. Her name is Gwathren. Tinnu and Glirien brought her for you.” The elflings rushed over to their new Nana and claimed the kitten, setting her on the floor with their older brother for the three of them to play with.

Tinnu was pleased he had been able to talk Glirien into parting with two of their kittens. The non-elf had told him that little elflings would be coming, and would need his kittens to help them heal.

“Tinnu,” Elrond said to the cat, “I am very proud of you for doing this, my friend. You and Glirien will help our little elflings so much by sharing your kittens with them.” Tinnu purred. “Now, the rest of you, I have been thinking. I believe it would be wise for you all to take as much time off as you can right now. The children need your full attention right now.”

“Elrond, you cannot possibly do everything by yourself! However would you manage without us?” Erestor asked.

“My sons will be back in a week. They can take over Glorfindel and Caladir’s duties. In the meantime, we have Suithoron and Torladen that can step in. And it will be good experience for Elladan and Elrohir.” The two warriors nodded.

“But who can replace me and Gurvelon?” Erestor asked.

“Well, my very dear friend and exalted councilor, I just happened to far speak with Celeborn last night. I thought he should know about what happened to the village, and would enjoy hearing about the elflings. My esteemed father-in-law insisted on sending his own chief advisor to us for an extended period. Melpomaen will assist him. Will that be alright with you?”

Erestor grinned and nodded. “Aye, that will do, Elrond. Erynoron is an excellent elf and adviser. I have known him for many centuries, and he will serve you well.”

“Amarion, I thought to have Lindir take over your duties for the time being, if that is alright with you. And Diwen, as long as we don’t have anything happen to cause a lot of injuries, the rest of the healers will be able to manage if you’re not there. What say you?”

“Thank you, my Lord, we accept,” Amarion answered for them, gratefully. It would give them time to spend with the elfings and set up their new home.

Tbc…

The non-elf Tinnu referred to is the Vala Lorien.

Erynoron – Forest flame.

Kitten’s names:
Gwathren – shadowy. Solid gray.
Cenedril – Mirror. Looks just like her mother, Glirien. Gray with white paws and chest and neck.