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Chapter Four: The Fellowship of the Green Dragon

   Faramir woke up to soft voices, and someone touching his face.

   “He’s really small, Elda,” said a girl’s voice.

   “That’s alright. He has brilliant ideas, Theo, and he can charm anything. He’s coming.”     That voice was Eldarion’s. Faramir opened his eyes, and saw his friend and a strange little girl with long golden hair and green eyes standing next to his bed.

     “Good morning, Faramir!” Eldarion said, when he saw that Faramir was awake. “This is Lady Theodwyn, daughter of Lady Eowyn and Prince Faramir. We’ve come to see if you can come to our council.”

      Faramir yawned, and tried to sit up one handed. Lady Theodwyn-who looked to be about his age, only bigger-put a hand on his back and pushed him up. Faramir smiled shyly at her. “Hello.”

    “Hello,” she replied. “We already asked your parents; they said that you can come if you feel better. Do you?”

     Faramir hesitated. His left arm didn’t hurt nearly so much, and he was well rested from the long sleep that he had had. “Yes,” he said. “I can go.”

     “Good!” cried Eldarion. “Theo, go get Lady Took, and tell her that Faramir’s awake, and wants to play, please.” Theodwyn nodded and ran from the room. “My father says that we have to play gently, because I can only hobble, and your arm is broken.”

     Faramir frowned, concerned. “Did you get hurt, too?”

     Eldarion raised his foot proudly, displaying the bandage around the ankle. “I’ve got a sprained ankle. I can’t really walk, but Theo helps me around. I asked her to this morning. She’s a good helper, and very smart.”

     Faramir nodded. Then, the door opened and Diamond came bustling in. Eldarion smiled at her.

      “Good morning, Lady Took,” he said.

       “Eldarion, how many times must I tell you, I’m not Lady Took, I’m Missus Took,” Diamond asked, laughing. “We’re not so formal as that in the Shire.”

      Eldarion grinned, and Diamond quickly dressed Faramir, being mindful of his broken arm.

    “There, love,” she said, when he was dressed in trousers, a clean shirt and a proper green waistcoat. His arm rested in a small sling. “You look quite nice. Now come on, there’s breakfast to be had.”

      Diamond led the children from the Took and Brandybuck’s quarters to the great Dining Hall. All of the ambassadors and royalty were seated, and eating. Faramir found himself sitting with the children at one end of the table, near to the Sons of Elrond and Legolas. There were a lot of children, Faramir thought. There were four that he could see. There was Theodwyn; another dark haired, bright-eyed lad who looked as though he were her brother; Prince Elfwine of Rohan, whom Faramir had met, and liked a lot; and one little girl who could only be an Elf, she was so beautiful. She had long, almost black hair, and big blue eyes. She grinned at Faramir when she saw him staring at her, and he ducked is head and blushed.

      “Mae govannen,” the Elf child said to him. “I am Elanorallie, from Imladris. You must be Faramir Took. My adar knows yours.”

       Faramir looked up, curiosity sparked. “Who is your adar?”

       “I am,” spoke up one Son of Elrond, which one, Faramir had no idea. “Ella is my daughter.”

        Legolas, seeing the utterly confused look on Faramir’s face, came to the rescue.     “This is Elrohir, Faramir,” he said, and the hobbit nodded. He had never seen an Elf child before.

      Breakfast progressed without a hitch. Introductions were made, and Faramir learned that the other dark haired lad was Rowan, son of Prince Faramir. Cairbre, son of the ambassador from Laketown, was too old to sit with the children, much to their disappointment, as he was apparently quite fun (according to Eldarion). As soon as was polite, Eldarion led them from the table.

     “Poor Estel,” said Elladan as they watched the children parade out in a close, whispering group. “He has no idea what is about to hit him.”

    Legolas frowned over at his friend. “What is that supposed to mean?”

    Elladan grinned and leaned back in his chair. “If Faramir and Eldarion alone are troublemakers, what do you suppose will happen when you add one Rohir, two crossbreed Rohirrim and Numenorians, and that particular Elf child?”

    Legolas groaned as Elrohir laughed. Why did he have the sinking feeling that this group was a walking fiasco?

     “To children,” he said resignedly, raising his glass. “Long may they keep us on our toes.”

*****

     Eldarion directed his followers to the playroom in the Royal Apartments. It was a bright, cheerful room, perfectly suited for a large number of children, and it contained no large pieces of furniture that could fall on them. They sat down in a semi-circle in front of the window seat, where Eldarion was perched.

     “I hereby call this council to order,” The Prince said, looking over his subjects.

      “What are we going to talk about?” Elfwine asked, curiously. “Are we going to have a war?”

    “A war? We would get into trouble for fighting, Elfwine!” Theodwyn replied. “Besides, we don’t have anything to fight a war about. There isn’t a Ring anymore.”

       Elanorallie looked profoundly relieved. “Thank the Valar for that,” she said. “That was a grim time.”

     Five pairs of eyes turned to the young Elf in astonishment. “You-you weren’t there, were you?” Faramir faltered. “It was a long time ago.”

     “Yes, I was. I’m an Elf, I’ve been around for several decades already.”

     The eyes turned back to Eldarion, the supposed oldest of the group. He hurriedly began talking again, not wising to lose his ground. “I thought that we could make a fellowship, like our families were part of. We don’t have to fight for anything. I think that we should have a Games Contest, instead.”

     This was something new. A games contest would be very interesting, and quite do able in the Citadel. They could play all kinds of things, too. There were Rohirric games that Elfwine could teach, Shire games from Faramir, and Gondorian games from Eldarion, Theodwyn, and Rowan. Even Elanorallie-who insisted that they call her by the same nickname as her family, Ella-had something to contribute. Eldarion wrote it all down on a sheet of paper, which he took safely from a drawer, where Arwen had placed an entire stack the night before.

      “Alright,” he said, “Now we need to name our Fellowship. Are there any ideas?”

      “The Fellowship of the Rangers,” suggested Rowan.

      “The Fellowship of the Rohirrim,” said Elfwine, a blatant son of Eorl.

       “But we’re not all Rohirrim,” replied Eldarion. “Theo, Faramir, Ella, what do you think?”

      “The Fellowship of Friends,” said Theodwyn, and Ella seconded her.     

      “The Fellowship of the Green Dragon!” Faramir cried, thinking of his father’s favorite Hobbiton pub.

    This was greeted with a resounding chorus of “Yes!” and “Brilliant idea!” and one, “I’ve always wanted a dragon!". Faramir grinned proudly, pleased that his idea had been accepted.

      “I hereby dub us the Fellowship of the Green Dragon!” Eldarion said, quite grandly. “All in favor, say aye!”

         “Aye!” the children cried in unison.

         Theodwyn stood up and turned to them. “Alright, what should we do first?”

        I know a game,” Ella said quietly, they all turned to her. “My ada and I play it with the others in Imladris. You have to try to catch any designated Elf.”

     Five young faces lit up. This was a game that they would enjoy.

     “So,” said Elfwine, “Who should we hunt?”

TBC.

Author’s Note:  I really couldn’t resist giving at least one of the Sons of Elrond a family. They’re certainly old enough for them.

    The ages of the children are thus: Faramir: 8; Eldarion: 9; Theodwyn: 9; Eothain: 8; Rowan: 7, and Ella: 26 in Elf years, 9 in human years.