Snowmelt by Independence1776

Snowmelt

Read Snowmelt

“Arwen!” Elladan cried as he pushed open the door to her sitting room. Arwen grinned at her oldest brother and stood up to embrace him. It had been years since she’d seen her brothers and she wouldn’t wait another moment. They met in the center of the room, the force of her body making him sway. Elrohir stepped into the room and she pulled him into their hug as soon as he came close enough for her to grab his sleeve.

“How were Grandmama and Grandpapa?” Elrohir said, voice muffled by her shoulder.

“Doing well as can be expected. You should visit them more often; they'd appreciate it.”

Elladan chuckled. “Someone has to stay here to keep an eye on Father.”

She let go of them and stepped back to study her identically dressed brothers. That was more of a tease than a statement, but… “How is he?”

Elrohir glanced at Elladan. “His bad days still happen occasionally, but otherwise things are as normal as possible. It's helped that we fostered Aragost, the current Heir of Isildur.”

“Aragost's been traveling with us; we too have only returned home recently. Two days ago, actually, after stopping by the Angle.”

“We can discuss the politics of that later when we're all more awake,” Elrohir said. “How was your journey?”

“Long, tiring, and boring. All good things, in other words.” Arwen sighed and sat down on the oversized seat she'd vacated. “What have you two been doing-- and don't say hunting orcs with the Dúnedain.”

Elladan gave his brother a long-suffering look and said, “I've been bookkeeping. We'll soon need to trade some cattle with the Dúnedain to prevent inbreeding. Beyond that, trade with the Dwarves has diminished.”

He sat down next to her, crowding her against the right armrest, and leaned against her with his eyes shut. She let him, no matter that he'd pinned her in place; she'd missed them both terribly. Elrohir remained standing in the middle of the room. “I should draw you like this and send it on the next ship West.”

“Do it,” Arwen quietly said. “Though if you add anything funny, I'm going to sneak into your room at night and cut off your hair while you sleep.”

Elrohir gave her an exaggerated frown. “But I haven't done anything.”

“Yet,” Elladan said steadily without opening his eyes. “You can draw whatever you like as long as you make at least one faithful representation. If you want to draw something humorous after, I'm sure Arwen will leave your hair alone.”

Arwen smiled sweetly at him. “I will.”

Elrohir gave her a dubious look and left the room to grab his drawing materials. Arwen suddenly yawned. “Sorry.”

“Don't be,” Elladan said, followed by a yawn of his own. “You've been home, what, half an afternoon after spending weeks traveling? Not that we aren't exhausted ourselves.”

Arwen glanced out the window at the gorgeous, sunny spring day. It was a welcome change from the weather she'd had crossing the Misty Mountains: lots of fog and rain, though the Pass of Caradhras had been clear. She sighed and rested her head on the chair, not wanting to move. “Maybe a walk through the birch-woods before the feast. Or that can wait for another day.” She gave Elrohir a wicked grin as he entered the room with his sketchpad and pen case under his arm.

He paused. “What can wait for another day?”

“Oh, nothing,” Elladan said nonchalantly but with a smirk on his face, to Arwen's delight. The last time she'd been able to gang up on one of her brothers was too long ago.

“You'll learn soon enough,” she said as Elrohir sat down at the small table and opened the sketchpad. She would have to collaborate with Elladan to prank their brother. It simply wouldn't do to imply a threat and not follow through.