~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Their arrival did not go
unnoticed and soon the entrance was lit by many lamps and humming with elves, all
curious and chattering. A stable-boy took care of the horse and soon the
travelers retired to Elrond’s private study.
Gandalf had quickly
finished his report.
Elrond did feel slightly
overrun yet he saw what a chance this offered.
"Very well then. I
shall trustfully hand over the task of teaching Legolas to my most capable
hands: Glorfindel will teach him all skills needed in the field and whatever is
needed concerning the physical education of a young lord and Erestor shall
instruct him in all intellectual things. And I want the childe to learn Quenya
as quickly as possible."
"Yes, my Lord."
Glorfindel bowed his head. "I am looking forward to the task. The young
prince had taken the situation rather well." he looked over to the settee
where they had laid down the sleeping elfling.
"Fine. That will be
all for now. Oh, Glorfindel, would you carry the little one to Erestor's rooms?
He shall stay there until we have readied his own."
"Of course my
Lord." The Guard Captain immediately jumped to action, gently cradling
the youth in his strong arms and exiting the room.
All the while Erestor had
tried to protest, opening and closing his mouth several times. Now he knew not
what to do. On the one hand there was this impossible task laid upon him by Elrond,
on the other obnoxious Glorfindel was on his way to his personal rooms,
unguarded! Well, first he had to talk some sense into Elrond.
"My Lord, may I
request that you think this over again?" Erestor ventured.
"Why? Is anything
amiss, my friend?" Elrond's eyebrows arched up.
"That is no task for
me, my Lord."
"Of course it is! You
raised me and my brother and without wanting to appear vain or arrogant, I may
say you did a wonderful job." Elrond was mildly surprised that Erestor
would oppose.
"That was.... back
then I was whole....it is different now." Erestor whispered, hating to be
forced to admit his physical ineptness. How should he keep up with such a young
whirlwind?
"You educated my
children not too long ago, Erestor. There is nobody else I would want to
entrust with this important task, Erestor."
"My LORD!"
Erestor was exasperated. He did not want to have to work with that Guard
Captain more than was absolutely necessary. To confer with that dumb fighter
over the education of a prince was a hilarious idea. He would have to educate
Glorfindel himself first of all!
"Don't 'My Lord' me,
Erestor, that has never worked in the past and will not work today. You have my
trust and I expect you to do your best - as you always do, dear friend. "
"But....but, Elrond! How
shall I cooperate with that....brute?! I'm afraid he is going to ruin all that
I could achieve with Legolas. With your children it was different - Angalda
(Iron-Tree) was different." Erestor was one of the few people who could
always speak openly with Elrond. Angalda had been Glorfindel's predecessor who
had been slain by orcs three hundred years ago. Erestor had liked the
soft-spoken, intelligent elf-warrior who had often played chess with the
advisor. Now, that had been an elf worthy to instruct a prince, for sure!
"Erestor, you will
find a way - after all are you my best diplomat, aren't you?" Elrond
offered Erestor an encouraging smile.
Admitting defeat, Erestor
nodded and stood slowly. "I guess I have to. If you will excuse me? Good
night my Lords." he shuffled through the hallways, anxious to reach his
rooms.
"Why is it that you
seem so incredibly contend, Mithrandir?" Elrond had well noticed the small
smug smile on the Istar's face.
"Oh, just... good to
see that Legolas will be in capable hands. That's all." the Istar blinked
a few times.
"You know that I
usually agree to your ideas, Mithrandir." Elrond started. "But, with
all due respect, I would like to be informed beforehand."
"I meant no
disrespect, Lord Elrond, nor did I want to circumvent your decision. It
happened solely out of convenience and hurry on my side. I am sorry if I
undermined your authority."
"It is well then. Now,
let me tend to your wound - and don't try to fend me off!"
~~~
Glorfindel had to ask a
servant for the way to the bookworm's rooms. He entered and after quickly
looking around and not finding anything but the - broad four poster - bed to
lay down Legolas he tucked the elfling in there. A strong, calloused hand
brushed a strand of flaxen hair from the young one's face before the
Balrog-slayer stood.
Turning around his eyes
caught a glittering above the mantelpiece. He turned his head and saw a
well-worn sword hung there between two long daggers that some elves preferred
them in close combat.
Glorfindel lifted his
lantern to take a closer look at the weapons: the daggers had white handles -
made of bone, probably - and were
completely unadorned. so was the sword - or wasn't it? Glorfindel stepped
closer to find one single word etched into the blade. The letters were of very
old style and hard to read. It read "Blood-drinker". //what a weird
name...// Glorfindel thought.
The blades seemed
well-cared for without any rust. Glorfindel wondered if they were still sharp
and reached out for the sword with one hand, thumb testing the blade's edge.
"Nosey, are we?"
the voice was cold as ice.
The unexpected voice made
Glorfindel flinch. "I...uh...I'm...." Glorfindel felt like an elfling
caught at stealing honeyed ginger-bread and for some reason he did not know
what to say. What, in return confirmed once again what Erestor had always
known: Glorfindel was a mindless brute who could not tell quill from poker when
left alone.
“You are bleeding.” Erestor
pointed out.
Indeed, Glorfindel had cut
his thumb – the blade was so sharp that he had not even felt the cut when it
happened. Cursing under his breath he stuck his thumb into his mouth as he
turned to face Erestor who gave him his most condescending glare.
"Thank you for
bringing Legolas here. You can leave now - and mind my carpet! I don't need
blood-stains on it." a long white finger pointed towards the gaping door
and Erestor's stern look spoke volumes. Glorfindel was an unwelcome intruder
and Erestor - tired, unnerved and aching - wanted to be alone.
As soon as the door had
closed the counselor shed his clothes with a relieved sigh. He cleaned himself
in the bathroom and slipped into a light nightshirt before he shuffled to the
bed where he stopped dead in his
tracks: the bed was
occupied! Of course. Legolas. Erestor stared at the bed's occupant. What now?
Oh, he had been looking forward to sleeping in a comfortable bed again and now
this!
//It will still feel better
than the forest-ground.// Another deep sigh escaped his lips before he crept
under the covers, painstakingly avoiding any contact with the little one. With
a bit of breathing-exercise Elrond had told him long ago, Erestor was able to
drown out the pain and slip into reverie.
TBC...
