Footprints

King Elessar entered the sitting room where Arwen was embroidering. He asked her, with a smile, “Your daerada is here, is he not?”

“He arrived last night. Is something amiss?” asked the Evenstar.

Aragorn scratched his head. “Well..not really amiss, just a little..” his voice trailed off, but the Queen saw his grin.

She sighed. “Tell me, meleth nin. What did he do?”

Instead of answering, he merely asked “Is Eldarion with him?”

Arwen closed her eyed. “Do I want to know any more?” She knew Celeborn was known for his pranks, especially with Eldarion, his great-grandson.

Aragorn took his wife’s hand and led her to the hall. He motioned for her to look up at the ceiling.

Her eyes grew wide at the sight of small footprints covering the ceiling. They looked as if the one making them was chasing Orcs.

Aragorn started to laugh as he looked. Arwen looked at her husband, then said, “What is so amusing? And why do you assume it was Celeborn and Eldarion? How was it done?”

King Elessar laughed even harder. “It was Celeborn and our son. How do I know? Simple. The same footprints are on a hall ceiling in Rivendell. They are mine. Ada was not amused when he saw them, however. As to how it was done, it is simple. Celeborn had me walk through dust, then he turned me upside down and held me as I ‘walked’ across the ceiling. I am sure he did the same with our son.”

Just then, Legolas came around the corner. He, too, looked up and started to laugh. “I see Lord Celeborn is here. He seems to have a penchant for turning youngsters upside down and have them walk across ceilings.”

King Elessar quirked an eyebrow at his friend. “Am I to assume there are footprints on a ceiling somewhere in Mirkwood?”

Legolas laughed and said “Aye. Ada was not amused, either.”

“Men!” snorted Arwen as she re-entered her room. What neither Legolas nor Aragorn saw, however, was the smile on her face. For she remembered a long-ago day, as her grandfather held her up so she could ‘walk’ across the ceiling in her flet in Lothlorien.