The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings Imagines

The Little Moments That Bring Us Joy -Elladan

(A friend from Tumblr said that the arrival of spring signaled by the cherry blossom that they always see makes them happy so here it is!

I want to put this out there that the image of winter I put here is based on the winter I experienced here in South Africa. It doesn't snow where we live but goodness I love the clear skies and how the sun sets because it turns the grass and the corn and the wheat into gold.

I thought it would be nice to incorporate some of the little things I find joy in. Sometimes we get so overwhelmed by the bad stuff that's happening in the world, we forget to appreciate the little moments that make us smile. I hope this reminds you of them.)

"What makes you happy?"

"The arrival of spring and you can see how every living thing that went to sleep for the winter start to wake up. The fields and trees turn green and the flowers start to bloom. The arrival of spring wakes me as if I have come from a deep slumber, as if I am ready to live again."

"Up you go, my love."

"I told you I could go and get my own horse for this."

"And I told you I would prefer if you are with me."

You sighed as he mounted the horse and sat behind you. He put his arms on either side of you, securing you as he grabbed the reigns. You patted the horse gently as he urged the horse to move forward.

"Where are we going, Elladan?" you asked. "Weren't you supposed to go with Elrohir today?"

"Elrohir and I decided to spend some time with our lovely wives," he answered. You looked up and saw that he was also looking at you with such loving eyes. His dark hair flowed behind him as you rode on. "It is a wonderful day today. It would be a waste if we continued on with our hunting and not make time for you."

You chuckled and nodded. "The both of you are so thoughtful."

Elladan raised his eyebrows. "Just because Elrohir and I are quite mischievous, it doesn't mean we don't know how to be romantic." You could hear the smile in his voice.

You rolled your eyes as you said, "I didn't say you didn't know how." The chuckle that you felt vibrate throughout Elladan's chest made you smile even more. "You didn't answer my question. Where are we going?"

"You shall see."

His answer made you sigh but you didn't question further. Instead, you let him navigate in silence. While you continued to ride, you closed your eyes and enjoyed the breeze that caressed your cheeks. There were times that you would look back and you would see the large house from afar. Rivendell's beauty never ceased to amaze you. But soon the house disappeared from view when you entered a forest.

Others would say that the forest is just a forest—nothing has changed and it will always be filled with trees.

But to you, every season the forest looks and feels different.

Winter has just passed and you will admit that winter has its charms. The clear blue sky was always a sight to see as well as the sunsets. But there was something more, something special when winter bids goodbye.

The grass and wildflowers that have withered away were soon replaced with new ones. And these new ones bring color once again to the world that had gone to sleep. There was so much joy in seeing the fields slowly turn to green again. You had seen countless winters and springs but it never ceases to amaze you to see leaves and flowers bloom up on trees.

The forest was once again teeming with life and it brought joy to your heart.

"We're nearly there," Elladan said, interrupting your thoughts.

"Where is this there?"

Elladan chuckled and kissed your temple but did not answer your question. Instead he urged the horse to gallop and soon the trees grew less dense. You came to a field and you gaped at how green and how beautiful the little flowers added spots of yellow and violet to the picture.

But what caught your eye the most was the tree in the middle of this field. It was a tree you had never seen before. It was filled with pink flowers and when they fall they dance in the air for a little while before landing on the ground. Still looking at the tree, Elladan helped you down the horse.

"I... I have never seen such a tree," you said, looking at Elladan.

"Elrohir and I found it when we were quite young. Our family used to come here and spend time together," he said and took your hand, leading you closer to the tree. "But we rarely visit now ever since our mother..."

You squeezed his hand in attempts to comfort him, to let him know that you understand. He squeezed your hand back and smiled at you, telling you that it's okay.

"But this place is very important to you," you said. "I feel as if I shouldn't be here."

"You should be here," Elladan said. When the both of you were under the tree, he turned to face you. Elladan's hands gripped your arms and his eyes met yours. "You are family now. You are part of me and you deserve to see this. I know how much you love the coming of spring. This tree signals the arrival of spring and it blooms only for a short while. I want you to see it before it fades away."

You sighed as Elladan leaned in to give you a kiss on the lips. When he pulled away, the both of you shared loving smiles before he let you walk around the tree. You held out a hand and caught a falling petal.

"Thank you for bringing me here," you said, looking back at your husband.

He had already taken a seat and leaned against the tree. Elladan smiled at you before saying softly, "You are always welcome, my love."

This little moment did not come often but whenever it did, it made you happy and it made you look forward for the next ones. Elladan told you that the both of you would come back in the next springs to come to see the tree bloom again. But of course it meant you had to wait again for the next spring which was quite a long time. There were also times that Elladan and Elrohir were away for months, trying to hunt down the orcs to avenge their mother. You understood how important it is to them, but it also meant that you wouldn't be able to enjoy spring as much as the others where you were able to spend a day with your husband in the fields. Even so, you held onto the memories and they made the days and years to come bearable.

It made you look forward to something.

It made life worth living.