Cormallen Lullaby
Mar. 7th, 2005 07:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rabidsamfanFor a moment, Elladan thought something had gone badly wrong. But no, the two Halflings were still sleeping, the small chests moving gently under the cloaks which had been pressed into service for blankets. They looked much better now they'd been cleaned up, and from what Mithrandir had said they'd taken some broth and water not too long ago. So what was wrong with Elessar?
He rested a hand on one shaking shoulder, and his foster brother raised his head from his arms, to look and see who had joined him. The young king's eyes were red-rimmed with sleeplessness, but the brightness in them was laughter, not grief. "What?" Elladan began, but Elessar hushed him. "Listen…" he whispered, tugging Elladan down to sit beside the patients' pallets.
Elladan frowned, but did as he was bid, and became aware of two small stomachs, long empty, rejoicing the arrival of water and food with all the undignified mewling of a pair of disgruntled kittens. A particularly beauteous grumble from Sam's insides set Elessar's shoulders shaking again as he covered his mouth like a small boy with a joke.
Elladan grinned, not only for the music of the hobbits' returning health, but also for the memory of that small boy, giddy with exhaustion, doing his best to keep up his eyes open as long as those with more Elven blood in the Hall of Fire, and singing a song for the assembled company that was not one his foster brothers had ever meant for him to repeat.
Warned by that memory, he was able to catch Aragorn now when the Man's eyes flickered shut and weariness turned bones to water. He chuckled when Elessar mumbled a protest, and settled him onto a hastily spread cloak. "Easy, brother," he said. "I shall watch the little ones."
"They've been through so much," tears appeared under the dark lashes, as Aragorn fought sleep. "I should…"
"You should sleep," Elladan said, and soothed him with a hand to his brow. "By the lullaby they're playing, I think they'll do for now." That brought a smile for a moment, before unconsciousness began to smooth away the worried lines. "Sleep," Elladan said again, fondly, as he'd said so long ago to the sleeping child. "Not even the Dúnedain can battle without rest."
He rested a hand on one shaking shoulder, and his foster brother raised his head from his arms, to look and see who had joined him. The young king's eyes were red-rimmed with sleeplessness, but the brightness in them was laughter, not grief. "What?" Elladan began, but Elessar hushed him. "Listen…" he whispered, tugging Elladan down to sit beside the patients' pallets.
Elladan frowned, but did as he was bid, and became aware of two small stomachs, long empty, rejoicing the arrival of water and food with all the undignified mewling of a pair of disgruntled kittens. A particularly beauteous grumble from Sam's insides set Elessar's shoulders shaking again as he covered his mouth like a small boy with a joke.
Elladan grinned, not only for the music of the hobbits' returning health, but also for the memory of that small boy, giddy with exhaustion, doing his best to keep up his eyes open as long as those with more Elven blood in the Hall of Fire, and singing a song for the assembled company that was not one his foster brothers had ever meant for him to repeat.
Warned by that memory, he was able to catch Aragorn now when the Man's eyes flickered shut and weariness turned bones to water. He chuckled when Elessar mumbled a protest, and settled him onto a hastily spread cloak. "Easy, brother," he said. "I shall watch the little ones."
"They've been through so much," tears appeared under the dark lashes, as Aragorn fought sleep. "I should…"
"You should sleep," Elladan said, and soothed him with a hand to his brow. "By the lullaby they're playing, I think they'll do for now." That brought a smile for a moment, before unconsciousness began to smooth away the worried lines. "Sleep," Elladan said again, fondly, as he'd said so long ago to the sleeping child. "Not even the Dúnedain can battle without rest."
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Date: 2005-03-08 07:13 pm (UTC)Oh dear. *wipes eyes* That must be the most funny but sweet line I have read in a long time. Just wonderful! Bless you.