First Words

by Jay of Lasgalen  

Stories > Jay's Quick List

Celebrían turned the wriggling, squirming elfling in her arms to face her.  “Nana,” she said clearly.  “Say ‘Nana’.”  Her son wriggled again with an incoherent wail, struggling to be free.  She held him firmly, determined that the twins’ first recognisable word would be ‘Nana’, not ‘Ada’.

Across the room, Elrond was having equally little success.  “Ada.  Can you say ‘Ada’?  Please, little one.  ‘Ada’!”

Parted for too long, both twins started to wail.  Celebrían moved closer to Elrond, with a sigh of despair.  “Will they ever stop this incomprehensible babble and talk properly?”

“Of course they will. They just have to be taught properly!”  Glorfindel appeared beside her.  “Glor-fin-del,” he said clearly.  “Glor-fin-del.”

Celebrían gave a snort of derision.  “If they still cannot manage ‘Nana’, I doubt they will be able to cope with ‘Glorfindel’!”  She leaned against Elrond’s shoulder wearily.  “They should be able to say something by now!”

Elladan stretched out one hand, and tugged at his brother’s hair.  “El!”  he said gleefully – and clearly.  “El!”

Elrohir turned in his father’s arms, and beamed.  “El!” he replied.

Their father gazed at them, one eyebrow raised in disbelief.  “El?”  he repeated in horror.  “My sons’ first word is ‘El’?”

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