Instadrabbles by Kaylee Arafinwiel

Afternoon Adventure

This takes place shortly after the first rising of Anor. Oropher is a young child and his brother Vehiron an infant. Their parents take them for an afternoon trip on the river...

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{ospreys, yellow, shadows, passing}

The shadows lengthened as the yellow light of Anor burned brighter. Too bright, too hot... Neldiel squinted into the sunlight - would she ever be used to it? - as their raft sped along, passing under the beeches of Neldoreth.

She held Vehiron tightly to her breast as the ospreys cried from the branches, and stilled his wails with an offered breast.

Beside them, Oropher climbed into Celepharn's lap, winding his arms about his father's neck. "Adar, will we be there soon?"

"Soon, hil-nin," Celepharn confirmed.

If the raft does not get confused under this shadow! At least the Great Lights may drive away the Shadow of the Dark Hunter, if our queen speaks true.

A Midnight Tale

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{Afternoon, old, midnight, temperature}

"Ada?"

"Yes, guren." Oropher returned from his reverie, remembering the shadows of that long-ago afternoon adventure, and realising the darkness of midnight now lay over the Greenwood. He was still in his office, face to face with his sleepy-eyed son. Thranduil had his stuffed rabbit Helvui under one arm, of course, but was fixing him with an accusing look. "Ada, you're supposed to be in bed."

So are you, laes-nin, Oropher thought with fond exasperation. He merely raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"The sun's asleep, so you should be asleep."

"That is what I tell you, my elfling," Oropher said with a wry look. "You are still young, sweetling; you need the sleep more than I."

"Does that make you old?"

I walked right into that one, Oropher sighed, but shook his head. "Old enough," he allowed, "not to need sleep every night. It is midnight; you ought to have been in bed long ago."

"I was in bed." Thranduil trotted into the office, closing the door behind him, and went to Oropher. He climbed into his father's lap. "But you never came for my story, even though you told Ivy you'd tell me." He reached up to feel his father's forehead. "Do you have a temperature? Ivy says if you do you're poorly and that makes you cross and not remember things."

"Ivoniel does know quite a bit about that," Oropher conceded. She had been his nurse, and his brother's, before she was Thranduil's. "I do not, I promise. I have been very busy with my work. I am sorry, sweetling."

"King things must be hard," Thranduil said, tightening his grip on Oropher. "But prince things are hard, too."

"Mmm. I am sure they must be," Oropher allowed, giving his son a fond kiss. "Come, I will put you back to bed and tell you a story."

"About Anor?" Thranduil suggested.

"About Anor," Oropher agreed, and on the way to the nursery, he began, "Once upon a time in the Kingdom of Doriath, the sky was lit only by stars..."

The Judgement of Prince Thranduil

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{sentencing, possible, court, division}

The next morning, when Thranduil woke, his cousin Saeldur was there to help him dress in formal clothing. He grimaced. "Saeldur, I haven't even had breakfast yet. I might possibly spill on these," he said dubiously. He tugged on his blue silk tunic, embroidered with the emblem of Elu's winged moon combined with the great tree of Greenwood. "Do I have to wear that?" he demanded, as Saeldur carefully put the elfling's circlet on him.

"Yes, you do," Saeldur said. "We'll have breakfast after morning court."

"But court comes after breakfast, and elflings aren't invited," Thranduil protested.

"This one is different," Saeldur said, dividing Thranduil's tresses to work in his house braid.

"Can I have Helvui?"

"I suppose," Saeldur sighed, handing the rabbit to his cousin.

Thranduil hugged Helvui close and followed after his much older cousin as the two walked toward the minor throne room. Saeldur slowed his steps, keeping them carefully measured so Thranduil could keep up. When they entered, Saeldur took his seat on a bench at Oropher's left hand, with his father. Queen Felith lifted Thranduil onto her lap, seated on her throne.

The miscreant brought before Oropher was a kitchenmaid, who had been caught wolfing down the royals' jam pastries! No wonder breakfast had been delayed..
"What sentence would you give her, Thranduil?" Oropher asked his heir, who blinked.

"Um..." Frowning, he thought. "If she ate our breakfast, she has to make more? And stand in the corner after," he added. "Because that was naughty."

Oropher very carefully did not grin as the young elleth blushed scarlet. "The judgement of Prince Thranduil has been rendered," he intoned. "Let all depart in peace."