Sons of Destiny [CURRENTLY EDITING AND REWRITING]

Beach Birthday Bash 2

Elrond trudged back up the shore and sat down on dry sand. He just couldn't bring himself to trust the eddying bubbles—especially after nearly "drownding." He contended himself by watching the crabs pass by. Picking one up, he shouted to his mother, "Nana, look! I got a crabby fren!"

"Lovely, Elrond," she said absently.

The boy kept on playing, but Cirdain noticed that something beyond the happy occasion was on her mind.

"What thoughts have you, dear one?" Cirdain said with a sympathetic smile.

"I supposed that perhaps by now their father would be. . ." she kept looking wistfully at the horizon.

"Home?" Cirdain finished her thoughts.

"Yes. It feels so strange! The boys seem to have forgotten him, but they often act as if someone was missing."

The twins, sensing that someone was talking about them, cocked their heads in their Nana's direction.

Cirdain chuckled. "Those two are smarter than they appear! Eärendil could not wish for better successors on the high seas."

"That's what I'm afraid of—that once they're done being little boys, they'll wander off into the waves."

"Our families let us go as well, you know," Cirdain's silver beard twitched into a smile.

"They're turning four, Cirdain! It isn't as if they were going out into the world today!" Elwing laughed.

"Actually. . . " the elf smirked. "Eärendil had a little surprise for the boys, and he asked me to oversee it—should he not be here by now."

"What's on your mind, Master Cirdain?" Elwing cast him a worried glance.

Before he could tell Elwing, Cirdain was interrupted by a little boy running into his arms.

"Uncle Cirdain,  it pinched me!!! Do something!" the child wailed.

"I told you not to poke him, Ros!" the other boy shook his little brown head when he caught up to his brother.

Elros whirled around, pain and offense shimmering in his tears. "But you picked it up!"

"I didn' yank Pigen* out of his house!" snorted Elrond.

"But I just wanned to play with it!" Elros retorted, horrified that his brother was defending the crab.

"You gotta be nice to the crabbies," Elrond looked at his brother with all the seriousness a four-year-old can conjure.

"But it PINCHED ME!" Elros howled again.

"Elrond, Elros, be still, please!" Cirdain put a hand on each boy's shoulder. "Elros, show me your finger; 'twas merely a small sand crab."

The raven-haired boy begrudgingly stuck out his hand palm-up. "But it pinched me," he murmured.

The ancient elf had to resist the urge to laugh at the little one's exaggerations. "Not even a scratch," he smiled.

"Told ya," Elrond sneered.

"You little—"

"Elros—GET OFF ME!"

Elros pounced into his twin, knocking to the floor. They tussled around in the sand, shouting and laughing. Elrond managed to pin down his brother.

"Give up, brudder!" he panted.

Elros smirked. "Okay," he panted, pretending to relax.

Just as Elrond slid off Elros's chest, the elder twin leapt up again.

"You're not done fighting me yet!" Elros roared.

"WAIT!"

Again the boys fell to the sand snickering and pawing at each other. Elros had the upper hand—until they took the fight right to the feet of the servant trying to serve lunch.

"Lady Elwing where do you want thi—WATCH OUT!!"

A young human maid lay sprawled on the sand, twins below her, wine ahead.

"Nana! We're.....choking!" the boys called.

"My lady, I am so sorry!" the servant hurried to collect herself as her mistress ran to help her.

Laughing loudly, Elwing made the girl get off her knees. "No need! No need!"

The servants began to stream in--which to small children means more legs to run under.

"Perhaps I should take the boys out of your hands?" Cirdain smiled shyly as some of the waiters desperately avoided the tiny bodies.

Elwing sighed an exasperated "Yes!"

Cirdain led both twins by the hand, far from where the picnic was. Before them stood a tiny dock and a small white boat tied to it.

"Boat trip!?" squealed Elros, who had always marveled at the grown-ups' ships.

"More water?" Elrond groaned. He'd just started liking the beach!

Thanks for the support! Next stop, Sirion's sacking.