What's a Fire?

[with-rainfall.livejournal.com]

Title: What's a Fire?
Author: with_rainfall/Mistrali
Prompt: Summer Romance
Rating: PG to be safe.
Warnings: None.
Summary/Notes: Yeah, I don't even know. Wee!Arwen and Elrond, and wee!Haldir. Title from - yes, go ahead and laugh - The Little Mermaid. Feel free to tell me if this is silly and cliched, by the way. Promise I won't flounce. :P Ditto wrt conflicting with canon (LotR, Silm, UT or Hobbit) in any way. As you can probably tell, the Elves don't take the phrase 'summer romance' literally.
Disclaimer: Everything is the Tolkien Estate's, I make no profit, &c.

"Can I have a summer romance, Ada?" asked Arwen hopefully, already an expert cajoler at the tender age of fifteen. She wasn't sure what it meant, but she knew it must have something to do with adventures and having your name sung in the lore-books for all time. Besides, Lúthien had had one, and everybody except for Ada said she was like Lúthien. It would be exciting to sneak away in the middle of the night and defeat a Balrog or steal the Enemy's Palantír. Haldir had said he would go with her and rescue her on a mighty steed, instead of which he had shown off only his brother's toothless old hunting hound with vines slung round its neck, too frail to do much but lurch disappointingly around the sward. When Arwen had gleefully pointed out that it was Lúthien who had ridden Huan to glory, he had desisted.

Ada glanced up from his book and frowned. "Child, what in Arda do you mean?" When she'd finished explaining about the bit of Pengolodh Elladan had read to her - silly adults, always wanting to know why you were thinking something - Ada coughed and turned hastily away. "Imladris isn't... quite warm enough at present, I'm afraid," he said, voice muffled by his teacup.

Arwen regarded him. "Are you laughing at me?" she asked finally. "Not at all," said Ada, turning serious and pressing her palm between his. He explained that a summer romance was a special kind of friendship - usually between an elleth and an ellon - that ended much too quickly, regardless of the season.

Arwen wondered out loud how you could stop being friends with someone. Haldir was far too impulsive for her to live without, even if she had to put him in his place a few times. Racing on horse or foot, working at lessons or hunting for treasure in the great labyrinths of the further wood - sometimes finding a jewel-bright bit of cloth or a little puddle-sized freshet, but more often seeds and flowers - was no fun unless you had someone beside you.

"In another few years," said Ada sadly, "You'll understand."

Comments

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

This was great fun. I enjoyed it.

[with-rainfall.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :) I'm glad you got some fun out of it.

[tanis2014.livejournal.com]

Ahhhhhh ... they grow up so quickly, don't they, Elrond? The Master of Imladris had best keep an eye on that Haldir though, or he'll be off enlightening Arwen about summer flings.

You had me laughing out loud at Haldir riding an old toothless hound and Arwen primly telling him it had been Luthien, not Celegorm, riding Huan!

[with-rainfall.livejournal.com]

Yes, well, my version of Haldir will definitely have that in mind soon enough, much to Elrond's bemusement (maybe amusement?). Thanks for the comment, and I'm relieved that it made you laugh!

[paranoidangel]

Aw, that's sweet. I love how Arwen thinks a summer romance is an adventure.

[with-rainfall.livejournal.com]

Thank you, and I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)

[ladyelleth.livejournal.com]

Little Arwen is adorable, but this took such an unexpectedly bittersweet turn with Elrond's involvement and the foreshadowed ending... I want to sneak into this fic and leave a comforting cup of tea for everyone.

When Arwen had gleefully pointed out that it was Lúthien who had ridden Huan to glory, he had desisted.

And this is probably my favourite line. Little Arwen astride a hunting hound is just too precious a mental image, even though Haldir's dog probably wouldn't appreciate that kind of attention. :D

[with-rainfall.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the lovely comment! Let's hope Haldir's poor dog got a good meal after he got home!

Yeah, I can never quite resist the opportunity to sneak in a bit of sadness. XD But I'm sure Elrond would've had a good laugh over that conversation with Celebrian or Erestor or someone.

[binkaslibrary.livejournal.com]

Poor old dog... ;)

This was such a heart-warming and touching story. Wonderfully done! Thank you so much for sharing.

[with-rainfall.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think the dog rather got the worst of it. I hope he had a good meal when he got home, as a reward for the indignity! :)

You're welcome, and I'm glad it worked for you! It's my first piece of Tolkien fic longer than 200 words in quite a while. :D

[elliska.livejournal.com]

Poor Elrond! Both because of the shock that question must have elicited and because of the flash of foresight at the end. The was a delightful glimpse at Arwen's childhood.

[with-rainfall.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much! I have something of a weakness for Arwen as a kid/an adolescent, so I hope to write some more for her this month.

[kittotter.livejournal.com]

So cute and charming, and a little sad, as well. I can't help but think that Elrond possesses a bit of foresight into the nature of his daughter's true summer romance, which "ended much too quickly." But we can see the roots of Arwen's logic for falling for a mortal!

[with-rainfall.livejournal.com]

Thank you! You know, that never even occurred to me, for some reason, until people pointed it out; I was thinking it was simply Arwen growing up that Elrond was sad about.

[independence1776]

Aww, this is adorable!

[with-rainfall.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :)

[hhimring]

I like this childhood friendship with Haldir. It's cute and funny--but you can also see already how loyal she is, although she has her own head, of course.

[with-rainfall.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I tend not to be very subtle with my fics, so I'm glad people found it cute and funny rather than overwrought. :)

And yes, she is loyal, isn't she?

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

Ahh, that was so cute! Loved poor Haldir, such a Boy with his elderly hound (oh, and giggled at the neat little reminder about Huan)- such a sweet friendship. They do grow up so fast though, don't they?

[with-rainfall.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :)

[astris-eldalie.livejournal.com]

Awwwww, that was so cute! I love little Arwen thinking about Lúthien, and Elrond trying so hard not to laugh. Also Arwen and Haldir's friendship, because that is the most adorable thing ever.

[with-rainfall.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :) I'm glad it worked for you. I'm not entirely sure where the Haldir-Arwen friendship came from; his was just the first name that occurred to me as a Lorien elf.

[ysilme]

This is such brilliant, hilarious fun! :o))) I love your characterisations, they fit so well and show such sweet personalities.

Arwen regarded him. "Are you laughing at me?" she asked finally. "Not at all," said Ada, turning serious and pressing her palm between his
*g* Perfect!

[with-rainfall.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :D I have a bit of a soft spot for Arwen and Elrond.

[pandemonium-213.livejournal.com]

You know, it is not at all easy to write a child's POV and keep it child-like. You've achieved this beautifully with young Arwen's voice. Really well-done! And hey, it is not clichéd in the least.

Haldir had said he would go with her and rescue her on a mighty steed, instead of which he had shown off only his brother's toothless old hunting hound with vines slung round its neck, too frail to do much but lurch disappointingly around the sward.

LOL! That is fantastic!

[with-rainfall.livejournal.com]

Thank you! The fics I write for my main fandom tend to be fluffy to the point of sappiness, in part because the fandom is one of those feel-good ones, so I always worry when I write family/friendship fic for other fandoms.

I'm especially stoked that the child's voice worked for you! And Arwen's too realistic for Haldir- she tells it like it is. ;)

[blslarner.livejournal.com]

Cute!

[with-rainfall.livejournal.com]

Thanks!