23: Discussions Concerning Elflings

Lindorillë joined them the next morning before the breakfast hour still looking pale, her manner subdued and uncertain. Her brother and the other elflings greeted her joyfully. Glorfindel gave her a discerning look. "Feeling better, then?" was all he said. At her shy nod he gave her a brilliant smile. "Good, good."

Finrod gave her a brief hug and a kiss on the top of her head. "Welcome back, hinya." Then he introduced her to Ingwion, who knelt before her, taking her by the shoulders and giving her a brief shake and a stern look. "The High King was most displeased when he was told of thine attempts at running away," he said.

The child looked at Ingwion in confusion. "I... I only tried running away once, lord," she whispered, "but my pony...."

"And dost thou think that fading is not a form of running away?" Ingwion countered, his tone relentless. "Nay, child. Only cowards flee from unpleasant circumstances and I do not think thou’rt a coward."

Lindorillë shook her head in dismay. Ingwion nodded. "That is well then. My atto commandeth me to scold thee and I have done so." He paused and glanced at Finrod for a moment before returning his attention to the child before him, his expression less forbidding, brightening with humor. "And my ammë commandeth me to give thee a kiss." He followed words with action, giving her a light kiss on her brow before standing. "Now that I have performed my duty to my lieges, I may speak my own thoughts." He stroked the elleth’s hair and gave her a gentle smile. "I am very glad thou’rt still with us, child, for I know how grieved my cousin would have been had you faded in truth."

The elleth looked up uncertainly at Finrod who nodded but said no word. It was Glorfindel who spoke then. "Fading is not the answer, Lindorillë. For one thing thou didst not ask leave of thy lord to do so."

The child’s eyes widened in surprise and she gave Finrod a wondering glance. Finrod nodded to her gravely. "I’m sorry," she whispered, casting her eyes down.

Finrod leaned down and gave her another kiss on the top of her head. "I know you are, child."

All this time the other elflings had stood by patiently (more or less) waiting for the adults to finish, but finally Veryandur had had enough. Moving to Finrod, he tugged on the prince’s tunic. "Can we eat now? Narmollë is hungry." As if to emphasize the point, he thrust his stuffed toy at Finrod who gave the ellon a fond smile.

"By all means let us break fast."

The elflings all cheered and nearly fell over each other in their rush to reach the table first while the three Elf-lords grinned at their enthusiasm. Even Lindorillë looked eager to eat, though she in fact ate very little. Afterwards Finrod gathered them around him, sitting outside the pavilion.

"As you know," he began, "I originally had intended to send Sorondil, Oromendil and Lindorillë to Tirion." The looks of dismay on all the children’s faces did not escape the notice of the adults. "However, circumstances have changed," he continued. "Veryandur, I understand, is learning herbology and Eruanna is learning embroidery from my own anammë. Sorondil and Oromendil are helping Master Meneldil with the Reborn, which is a most worthy task and I hesitate to take them from it, so I have decided to keep you two here in Lórien."

The two ellyn breathed sighs of relief and exchanged broad smiles. The two younger elflings were also pleased, Eruanna even clapping with delight. Only Lindorillë looked pensive, even somewhat fearful. "Wh-what about me, lord?" she whispered.

Finrod gave her a grave look. "I understand you were helping in the kitchens before your... illness."

She nodded, looking glum. "I was being punished."

Finrod smiled gently at her, though with her eyes cast down she did not see. "Would it help to know that Lady Alassiel also worked in the kitchens as part of her punishment when she was here in Lórien?"

Lindorillë looked up in shock. "Wh-why was she being punished?" she exclaimed. "Only elflings are punished."

That statement caused more than one eyebrow to be raised among the Elf-lords. Unbeknownst to any of the elves, the children’s Maiar were standing about unclad, still watching over their charges. Lisselindë snickered and bespoke her fellow Maiar. *They do not realize that to us they are all elflings!*

*Just as well,* Cucuandur said with a laugh, *or we would never hear the end of it.* The other Maiar all joined him in laughter.

Finrod, meanwhile, was speaking. "Why, is unimportant. Suffice to say, I think you’ve been punished enough. So we need to find something for you to do at those times when I am not here."

Lindorillë looked crestfallen. "I... I want to stay with you," she said.

Finrod shook his head. "There will be times when I will not be in Lórien, child, for I have my own work to accomplish. While I am in residence here you will attend me as you did during the tournament, you and the others. When I am away, though, would you not like to learn some skill that would be useful for you to know, such as embroidery or herbology?"

Lindorillë shook her head. "I want to stay with you," she reiterated, her eyes pleading.

Finrod resisted a sigh and gave Ingwion and Glorfindel a wry look. "I think you have a new admirer, brother," Glorfindel said in Sindarin and laughed when Finrod growled something back that had the unclad Maiar rolling their eyes and then snickering when Eönwë appeared in their midst with the Book, studiously ignoring them as he recorded Finrod’s words. Then he gave them all a wicked grin as he closed the Book and left them.

Lindorillë, seeing Finrod’s expression, and not understanding what had been said, started weeping. She jumped up, intending to flee, wishing to be alone in her misery, but Finrod caught her and held her tightly to him. "Hush now. There is no need for tears," he whispered, rocking her to stillness. "Well with Vorondil at Lady Nienna’s I no longer have someone to help me keep my pavilion in order. How is your handwriting?"

She gave him a quizzical look at the seeming non sequitur. "Ammë says my handwriting is beautiful."

Finrod cast an enquiring glance at Sorondil who nodded in affirmation. "Well then. Perhaps you can also act as my secretary. Would you like that?"

The brightness of the elleth’s smile rivaled that of Anar.