Elfwine Chronicles (new LoTR stories, You Want What? posted, 12-7-22)
Eomer’s daughter makes a surprising request during the Yule celebrations. (Fluff, seasonal)
You Want What? - (Dec, 13 IV)
Eomer led his family into Meduseld and they gathered around the firepit to warm up after their day’s outing in the snow. Suspecting the younger children needed a nap – Theomund had been dozing on the way home in the sleigh – Lothiriel asked, “Elfwine, would you get the children into dry clothes and tell them a story while they lay down for a while?”
Her eldest son grinned knowingly at her. This was not the first time she had used this tactic to get his younger siblings to take a nap without complaint. The idea of a story, while they laid on the bed, was sufficient distraction, and they were asleep before they even noticed. The two were eagerly tugging at Elfwine’s hands, anxious to hear one of his tales, and he followed them off toward the nursery.
Lothiriel was not far behind, as she made her way to her bedchamber to change into dry clothes before overseeing the preparations for the evening’s feast. The two days prior to Yule and the two days after Yule were primarily only spent with family and friends, but for the two days of Yule anyone in Edoras could come to Meduseld to celebrate, if they so desired. Even so, the merriment was more family oriented than many feasts that were held, and drinking to excess was not a particularly accepted activity for these two days.
Eomer checked in with the housekeeper and let her know he would return shortly to help set up the tables in the main hall. For these two days, everyone pitched in and the work was not left for the servants to do it all. Families that came to the feast brought food with them to contribute and ease the cooking burden, and the men all turned up to do the manual labor tasks of setting up tables and benches, hauling extra firewood and the like. Even the king was not exempt, which rather pleased him.
Over an hour later, Eomer, Gamling and Eothain sat talking quietly, enjoying one another’s company and a tankard of ale while they awaited the beginning of the festivities. A thundering of feet attracted their attention, and the three men turned to see Eomer’s youngest children, Theodwyn and Theomund, running toward them.
“Guess who’s awake?” Eomer murmured to this companions, who grinned in amusement as the toddlers launched themselves at their father.
“Papa, Papa!” exclaimed Theodwyn, scrambling up into his lap and tugging Theomund up behind her.
Eomer settled a child on each thigh, and then reached for his tankard of ale and took a swallow. Just as he did, Theodwyn blurted out loudly, “Papa, can we get an Oliphaunt?”
The tankard slammed down on the table as the contents of Eomer’s mouth spewed across the table, causing Gamling and Eothain to lurch sideways out of its path. Coughing, Eomer gasped, “Can we get what?”
“An Oliphaunt! Elfwine told us all about them and how you killed two of them in the War. Can we get one, please! I would take care of it! I promise!” She began bouncing on his leg in her enthusiasm and he fought to restrain her.
“Hold on, dearest! Oliphaunts are not pets. They are huge and mean and deadly. I killed two of them so that they did not kill many more of us. Why would you want one?”
“We could tame it!” she pleaded. “We could build a paddock outside the walls for it to live in and it could eat the grass on the plains and I could go for rides on it! I bet I could ride all the way to Gondor in just one day! Please, Papa! It would be so wonderful!”
Theomund decided to lend support to his sister. “The’wyn get Ol’fant? Please, Papa?”
Eothain and Gamling sat smirking across the table, having wiped off the ale that had splattered them. Sarcastically, Gamling inquired, “Shall I draft a letter to the Haradrim, my lord?”
continue reading on AO3:
https://archiveofourown.org/works/42555441/chapters/109314846
