Hair Braiding/Cutting/Care found family prompt for Elwing and Idril in the havens of Sirion? Elwing is still so young (8) when this other princess who lost 'her' realm and much of her family arrives in Sirion, maybe Idril teaches her some things? Not necessarily with Idril being maternal if you don't feel like that, but some little moment of kinship of spirit and experience.
29. Hair Braiding/Cutting/Care
Idril could see at once that the poor little princess had hardly any ellith looking after her. Ellyn were not so different from their female counterparts, not reallyābut little girls needed other ladies in their life, and poor Elwing had none, or very few.
Which was why, before any politics or even settling in, she handed EƤrendil off to Tuor and requested an audience with the princess of Doriath.
āYour Highness,ā said the girl, curtsying properly. She was so youngāeven if she was part mortal, like Idrilās son, and grew faster for that, she was too young to carry such weight. Idril wanted to lift some of that off her, let her be a little girl for once.
āNone of that,ā Idril said firmly, plopping herself down on a cushion she knocked off a chair. āFrom one exiled princess to anotherāif we canāt be honest with ourselves, who can we be honest with?ā
Elwing stared at her, then giggled. She, too, plopped down on the floor.
āIām Elwing,ā she said shyly.
āIām Idril,ā she replied. She tilted her head. āGoodness! When was the last time an elleth braided your hair?ā
Elwing shrugged. āEvranin, my nurse, she...well, the orcs got her last year. Thranduilās in charge of me now, but heās only a few decades older than me and heās not happy about looking after a child.ā She said the word with some distaste, and Idrilās heart squeezed.
āMay I?ā Idril asked, and was relieved when Elwing nodded, scooting closer to her.
āI know a thing or two about nurses and young lords who donāt want to look after you,ā she sighed, her hands busy unraveling Elwingās braid. āI was young when my mother diedāolder than you, you brave girl, but still youngāand when anyone managed to distract my father long enough for him to let go of me and get some sleep...ā She shook her head. āWell, Uncle Finno had a good heart, but he had a lot on his mind.ā
āThranduil doesnāt have an excuse,ā Elwing grumbled. āHe just thinks heās too cool to take care of me. Not that I need taking care of.ā
āOf course not,ā Idril hummed, though Elwing looked to be the same age as EƤrendil and certainly needed a minder. But you canāt tell an eight year old that and expect them to take it well, especially not one as proud and stubborn and damaged as Elwing. Maybe it wasnāt that Elwing needed space to be a child; maybe she needed someone to take her seriously, too.
āTell me what life is like here, Elwing,ā she suggested, beginning to twist her hair into Vanyar-style braids. āMy people look to me...but I need help from a wise princess like you to tell them what to expect.ā
Elwing sat up a little straighter, and Idrilās heart broke a little more. āWell,ā she began, āaside from orcs thereās Kinslayers to avoid, and we mustnāt forget how fickle OssĆ« can be...ā
Sheād be alright, this one, Idril knew. But while she could, Idril wanted her not to be aloneāand she was happy to help in that regard.
Idril needed a friend, too.