Child of the Woods by Aprilertuile

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Chapter 14: days out and a request

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While his brother, sister-in-law and parents were in Aulë’s Hall doing he didn’t want to know what, Tyelkormo was taking care of little Telperinquar. The twins were enjoying hunting for the family.

Tyelkormo took little Telperinquar every day or so to the nearby woods. The place was nice and safe, perfect to teach Telperinquar some appreciation for the wildlife and some much needed appreciation for things that had nothing to do with a forge.

Curufinwë would murder him in his sleep if little Telperinquar learnt to love the outside more than the forge...

Telperinquar was happy to run around in the woods with Huan and his uncle.

“What’s that?” The child asked his uncle every time he met something new.

What Tyelkormo loved in these moments was that the questions touched plants as well as animals of all sorts.

“Uncle...?” The child called one day.

“Yes kid?”

“Are there animals that live only at night?”

Tyelkormo chuckled at that question.

“There are indeed, though I’m unsure at what species are most likely to roam around here. Why?”

“I wanna see them.”

“I’m not sure your parents will appreciate that, kiddo.”

Tyelkormo almost cackled when Telperinquar made a face that his father often made too. The stubborn frown that said that things would go his way ‘or else’.

And indeed that evening, when the family gathered again, the child went straight to his father:

“I wanna see the animals that live in Telperion’s light.” He said.

Curufinwë raised an eyebrow at that and looked at his brother:

“Dare I ask?”

“Natural curiosity, brother dear. Your kid is just one, you were exactly the same at that age.” Tyelkormo answered amused.

He could know, he was the one who used to babysit Curufinwë the most often.

“But... At night...”

“It’s not like there’s danger around, brother.”

“Because it’s Valinor?” Curufinwë asked with a derisive snort.

“No brother. I can say there’s no danger around because I’ve been around quite a lot recently and I can prove what I say. The nearest cliff is well away or so far underground as to be of no consequence, Aulë’s workshop is well protected, Oromë’s Woods are out of the way far down south with all its tricks and traps, and the dark creatures that sometimes appear, do so generally around the Avarthar, so quite a distance away. Huan is actually the most dangerous being around and he’s a big ball of fluff. Unless Manwë and Yavanna get into a spat and we get a storm that destroys trees, we’ll be quite safe outside.”

“That doesn’t actually happen.” Aulë’s voice said from deep within the Forge.

Fëanáro frowned at that clear breach of privacy, but said nothing, while Tyelkormo chuckled, used to the presence of the Valar in every corner of their respective domains.

“I’m aware, lord Aulë, hence why I said earlier that there are no dangers around.” Tyelkormo answered cheerfully.

“Not alone.” Curufinwë decided.

“Family outing?” Tyelkormo offered.

“No thank you.” Nerdanel decided.

“We’d go.” Ambarussa commented.

“Great, three kids for company.” Tyelkormo said teasingly.

“You mean that Huan will have 4 kids to babysit?” Fëanáro said with a teasing voice.

“Because you’re so ancient, dad...” Tyelkormo answered with a snort of amusement.

“Respect your elders, darling son of mine.” Fëanáro answered with a smile.

“I only respect those elders who don’t explode themselves at their own workshops.” Tyelkormo answered flatly.

“It was...”

Nerdanel raised an eyebrow next to her husband, looking at him warningly.

“A calculated risk. I might have made a slight... Inconsequential mathematical mistake in the process.” Fëanáro said a bit cautiously, looking pointedly not toward his beloved wife.

Nerdanel rolled her eyes at that even as Anwindë was trying to muffle her laughter.

“A very understandable mistake.” Curufinwë nodded the most seriously ever.

Tyelkormo had the vague but persistent feeling that his brother had been right there with their father and as interested in the result of that famous experiment as their father had been.

Carnistir nearby was looking less than impressed. Exactly what Tyelkormo felt.

“Daddy!” Little Telperinquar said with a whine.

“Alright, fine. You can go with your uncle.”

“Tonight?”

“Only if you take an early nap.”

Telperinquar was in bed before his father could finish his sentence. Tyelkormo looked amused at that.

“Bribery?”

“Whatever works to avoid a cranky tired child tomorrow.”

“That’s fair.”

When Laurelin’s rays started to mix with Telperion’s softer glow, Tyelkormo went to get Telperinquar who looked awake and well aware upon the door opening.

The fair elf snorted in amusement and resolved to not tell his brother that. He refused to deal with a cranky child deprived of something he wanted AND with a cranky brother unhappy at his child’s clear tricks.

“Ready to go?”

“Yes uncle!”

Tyelkormo shook his head in amusement. The child was precious. He picked him up, and carried him out, picking up the bag of food his sister-in-law prepared. He had yet to figure out whether to take offence or not at her lack of trust in his abilities to feed his little nephew but a more important _and fun_ task was ahead: He needed to spend the night with the child outside.