Manwë's Birthday Party by Dawn Felagund, Tarion Anarore, , Rhapsody, , oshun, , Isil Elensar, , pandemonium_213, , Beatrisu

Chapter 2: "The First Guests" by Isil Elensar

Tinkle-chime!

He pressed the button with a flourish this time, knowing no one would see except the birds, of course. They wheeled and soared and swung all over, and yet, several surprised, inelegant squawks could be heard. Ah yes. His furry, four-legged friends had indeed followed him up here. And with such tempting flying morsels, who could blame them? A laugh bubbled up from his chest and a grin erupted on his face as he imagined the look on Manwe’s face when he caught sight of his guests.

Tinkle-chime!

Good grief, they answered the door slowly here, he thought. Of course, the bells down below had been ringing practically all day, so maybe the lord and lady couldn’t hear the doorbell. Oh well. He lifted his arm, extended his finger and prepared to ring the bell several times, in succession. Surely they couldn’t miss that, could they?

Tinkle-chime, tinkle-chime, tinkle --

The door whipped open and before him appeared the grumpy visage of Lord Manwe.

"Oh. So you heard me," Legolas said, unable to keep himself from laughing in the Vala’s face. "We came for the party." He bent to pick up the bag of Cokes and other various carbonated drinks, and also the several bags of alcoholic beverages of choice. Personally, he was ready for some coconut rum.

"We?" Manwe’s deep voice rumbled. Legolas watched him search for others. Obviously, they were not all present and accounted for, but another series of squawks heralded their location. Manwe’s thick brows lowered and almost met in a scowl as he looked to the skies. Birds were flying their way. They wheeled and soared and swung chaotically --

Coming directly for them! Legolas had just enough time to put down his offerings to the party when the first aerial assault buzzed over his blond head.

"Well, they were right behind me, but I’m thinking they got distracted again." He ducked another angry avian assault and glanced pointedly at Manwe. "Your birds don’t seem to care for them."

Awareness dawned on the grumpy Vala’s face. "You didn’t…"

"I did," he answered, even though it was a rhetorical question. "Of course, the cats had plenty of incentive to follow me." He nearly kissed the ground beneath his feet dodging another attack. "Can I come in?"

A speculative gleam twinkled in Manwe’s eyes, and a faint smile tugged at the Vala’s lips. "I’ve half-a-mind to leave you out here at their mercy," came the somewhat amused response. "I know how much you prize that pretty blond head of yours. To bring Queen Beruthiel’s cats to my party, frightening my birds?" They both ducked what seemed like an entire battalion of screeching birds. And then the cats came charging out onto the path. Manwe cried, "HOLD!!" The cats all stopped, but they gave him blatant, unamused kitty glares for daring to halt their hunt. Manwe snorted and issued a firm directive at them. "Harm one of my birds and you’ll find yourselves flying tail over whiskers back to your mistress. And I care not if you have to peel yourselves off the ground after your landing!"

Legolas was impressed at the show of contrition from the cats. They slunk their way toward the door, using maximum delay against ankles and the doorjamb as they went into the house. "I should have brought some Tylenol or Advil or something for Lord Grumpy," Legolas muttered to himself.

"I heard that," Manwe said, but he stood back and opened the door wider. "Varda will know what to do with your drinks." He gestured for Legolas to enter.

Legolas grinned and laughed again, doing his own slinking past Manwe with the bags of beverages in hand. He followed the sound of kitty adoration, and in the kitchen found them meowing at Varda. Their green eyes gazed intently at her hands, which held tidbits of raw meat. They sat in a semi-circle around her. Then, one by one, she tossed the bits at them and they were deftly caught by each cat, with nary a scuffle between them. Legolas managed to put the bags down on the counter before he doubled over laughing and Manwe grumbled from behind him.

"Eru deliver me…" he moaned, but the doorbell interrupted him.

Tinkle-chime!

"Wasn’t me!" Legolas laughed at Manwe again, who had scrunched his eyes closed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Aren’t you going to answer the door?" Varda asked brightly.

Manwe chose not to answer that, and Varda laughed with Legolas who was practically rolling on the floor.