12 Days of Christmas - 7: Some Assembly Required

[grundyscribbling]

Title: Some Assembly Required
Author: Grundy
Rating: FR13
Summary:  Nerdanel has a nice quiet dinner with her parents, son, and grandson.
Word Count: 1310
Note: Missed posting yesterday because there was a New Year's Eve gathering.

 

Nerdanel smiled as she looked around the table.

Little Anariel had gone to visit Nerdanel’s parents before she absconded, and her father finally had time to come to town to tell her his side of that story.

It was a shame he’d picked a day when the girls were both off elsewhere – Lindë in particular appreciated hearing all about her grandchildren. And it would have been nice to have so many gathered for dinner.

The more of these family meals she hosted, the more she realized how much she had missed them. She had known that on some level, of course, but with the room so full of people and life… How had she managed without it for so long?

“She’s a sweet thing, but a handful,” her mother sighed. “Even without Huan at her side, we’d have spotted quickly enough why Moryo thought of Tyelko first.”

“It really was only the colors,” the boy in question sighed. “He hadn’t sent Huan to mind her yet at that point.”

“Yes, that only occurred to him when Tinu told the story of how Anariel’s grand entrance went,” Miryo snickered.

“I was surprised that he was the one most adamant about her needing supervision,” Moryo added. “I would have expected it to be Maitimo or Kano.”

“Maitimo had already sent a guard,” Nerdanel reminded him. “I’m sure he thought his man would suffice. I’m told he kept Elrond out of trouble for the best part of an Age.”

“Unfortunately for that theory, a princess of the Noldor can blithely go where Pelendur needs permission to tread,” Miryo snorted. “And I’m sure he wasn’t aware just how adept she is at sneaking out. She’s even evaded Galadriel a time or two.”

“Where under the stars did she learn that?” her father wanted to know.

“California,” Miryo said bluntly.

“An interesting place, by all accounts,” Ammë murmured.

Nerdanel didn’t know much about it, really only what she’d heard from Tindomiel and occasionally Celebrían in passing. But she had a notion she’d find out more with patience than she would pushing Anariel about it.

The girl might know how to sneak – yet another thing that would draw comparisons with Tyelko and his habit of slipping in and out as he pleased. But from what Nerdanel had seen, it wasn’t her first impulse. She’d been open enough about what she wanted to do with the fountain. She might not have told her other grandfathers directly, but she’d let not only Mahtan but Yúlon in on her idea. And of course, Nerdanel, Silmë, and Lindë had heard all about it when she explained why she was appropriating Fëanáro’s own workshop.

At the rate the girl was going, half of Tirion was going to know about the fountain before Náro returned. And that was if he returned fairly quickly. If Namo decided to keep him a while longer, it might well be all of Tirion, his brothers included.

“To be sure,” Atto chuckled. “Surprised Aulë hasn’t been picking her brain about it. Then again, perhaps he has? She mentioned seeing his hall.”

That was news to Nerdanel – and to Miryo, judging by his expression.

“Nienna help us all,” he muttered.

“I don’t think it’s quite so worrisome as all that,” Ammë laughed.

“Tindomiel wanted to fly,” Miryo sighed. “But I’ve a notion there are less amusing devices of California. What hasn’t been said over the years has been as informative as what was.”

“Hm.”

Atto sounded more intrigued than worried.

“Also, I did see one or two of their movies,” Miryo added. “They only shared ones that were meant for entertainment, and not all of those. But it was instructive all the same.”

“Oh?” Moryo prompted.

“California has devices every bit as destructive as anything Morgoth or Sauron came up with,” Miryo said flatly.

“You think Lord Aulë was cautioning her?” Atto asked, stroking his beard thoughtfully.

“No, I doubt she needed telling,” Miryo said slowly. “I’d say they were very careful, as young mortals go, in what they said or showed us.”

“It might do to warn her all the same,” Nerdanel pointed out. “The Noldor are curious as cats, and more than one has been known to experiment first and think about whether they ought to have tried that after.”

“I’m quite certain anyone would have a time dragging much about the worst of California out of her,” Miryo said slowly. “She and her mortal siblings destroyed several of the discs that held the movies after their first few years in Imladris. They decided there was too much in them they didn’t want to be responsible for bringing to Middle-earth.”

“And yet they brought the discs.”

“They did, Grandmother, but that decision was made when they were almost entirely ignorant of Arda. Celebrían did not have time to tell them much – as I understood it, there was only a day or two between the decision to leave California and putting it into action. They had to pack in haste, and without understanding what might or might not be appropriate.”

“For someone who needles the girl as often as you do, you’re defending her rather strongly,” Moryo snorted.

“She’s as bad as Elros ever was, but her heart is in the right place,” was Miryo’s explanation. “And I don’t think even Grandfather Mahtan would get very far attempting to recreate things she doesn’t care to talk about – one can’t very well question her about them without her noticing.”

“A fair point. She needs to have a good think about even this device she wishes to make – I can’t see her blithely holding a lecture on something she’s already decided this world does not need,” Atto nodded. “I must say it’s a relief that it’s sound she’s playing with, not light. Naro might get touchy about her joking around with something that was a focus of his.”

“From I hear, he’s not about to get touchy about anything the girl does,” Nerdanel sighed. “Once he established she was his granddaughter, Nolo and Ara were utterly forgotten. He’ll fume more over her appropriating his workspace than anything she does with the fountain.”

She might have said more, had the girl in question not chosen that moment to speak to her as clearly as though she’d been in the room with them.

Gramma! Meet us at Ada’s house? Uncle Moryo and Miryo should come too!

She was gone as quickly as she’d arrived, before Nerdanel could form any coherent question. She supposed she shouldn’t be surprised – the girl had spoken to Ara from the far side of the Sea, which was a good deal farther away than anywhere she could possibly be at the moment.

“What under the stars, little one?” Ammë asked. She was sensitive enough to have realized someone was speaking to her, but not so sensitive as to have caught the osanwë directly.

“We’re asked to Imlanthiriath,” Nerdanel sighed, wondering what mischief – and whose – she was being called on for.

“How urgently?” was Miryo’s question.

He looked more worried than curious.

“Anariel didn’t say,” Nerdanel told him. “Though she did want you and your father to come along.”

“I take it that doesn’t clarify anything?” Atto asked.

“Not really,” Miryo shrugged. “Though it’s interesting that it was Anariel and not Elrond asking.”

“I suppose we’d better do some quick packing of our own,” Nerdanel sighed. “I do hope Elrond doesn’t expect us to set out tonight.”

“Anariel is sensible,” Ammë assured her. “She would have said if it were that urgent. Morning will be soon enough.”

“Whatever is going on, I hope she’s not grounded,” Nerdanel sighed.

It took several minutes for Miryo to stop laughing to the point that he could explain just why that was so funny and tell the tale of the first and last time Celebrían had attempted to ground Anariel in Middle-earth.