Stupid Stories for Irreverent Elves by darthfingon

The Sun, the Star, and the Other

Ereinion, Fingon, and Glorfindel, FA 450

Ereinion's half-birthday came at the beginning of summer. On the day that he was four-and-a-half years old, Fingon promised him he could stay up until the sun set. "It is a very special thing," Fingon said, "for a little boy to stay up until the bedtime of the summer Sun herself." The promise made Ereinion's eyes widen, and coaxed an excited nod from his small head.

He strained to look over the windowsill at the bright sky and wondered aloud if summer sunsets looked like the sunsets he had seen in winter, until Glorfindel gave him an old sash as a half-birthday present. He tied it around his head so the ends dangled down like lop rabbit ears, and begged Glorfindel to watch him hop. And Glorfindel showed him how to scrunch his nose like a rabbit, until Ereinion tied the sash around his waist to become a dog. If he wiggled as he ran, the sash wagged.

Fingon told them when it was time to watch the sunset. By then, Ereinion was a rabbit again, and he hopped up the stairs. The balcony ran in a wide circle around the tower's summit, but Ereinion knew to look west to see the sunset. Already the sky was streaked in brilliant orange and red. He fell quiet at the sight. He was no longer a rabbit, but a grown-up prince, allowed to stay awake past his bedtime to watch the sun disappear behind the dark ridge of mountains. He tip-toed across the balcony to rest his chin on the rail.

"Fini..." Ereinion said. He clasped the ends of Glorfindel's hair in his hand. "You're the Sun."

Glorfindel smiled. "That's a lovely thing to say, Ereinion."

Ereinion stared at the sunset a second longer, then tilted his head back to look at the darkening sky above. After a thoughtful breath, he said, "And I am a star."

"You are," said Fingon. He reached down to stroke his son's head.

"And ada..." Ereinion began.

"What is Ada, Ereinion?" Glorfindel asked.

Consideration crossed Ereinion's face, and then a smile. "Ada is a black lobster."

Glorfindel started laughing, so hard he had to lean against the railing to support himself, but Fingon only stood straighter. "Thank you, Ereinion," he said stiffly, to which Ereinion smiled brightly. "I think it's time for bed now."

Ereinion turned into a rabbit again, and hopped away down the stairs.