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Summer 1098, Rivendell:
“Damn it!” Erestor cursed when he tripped over a root
and thanks to his long and heavy formal robes
almost fell. Why was it always him to find the wayward warriors and bestow upon
them their newest tasks? //because you are the Chief Counselor. Can’t have Lord
Elrond stumble around here like you do!// Ah, by the Valar, he longed to be back
in the study. Out here it was far too hot for his attire, no breeze cooled
the sweat that already showed on his forehead.
The sound of fighting told the tall, slim elf that he
was hopefully nearing his target. He stepped into a clearing where the guards
held their sparring-sessions. The smell of sweat was heavy in the air and all
around him were rather muscular warrior-elves in different states of nakedness,
sharpening their weapons, oiling leather or tending to their horses.
Erestor wrinkled his nose as he did not enjoy the rude
company of the battle-worn elves. They fell silent one by one: after all
Erestor was a rare sight out here. His eyes spotted the Lord Glorfindel, head of
guard in Lord Elrond’s house. The elf was sparring with two short swords
against one of his officers. Both elves were dripping with sweat that left
trails on their dust-covered bodies.
“Lord Glorfindel!” Erestor called out.
The blond Noldor turned his head in surprise, a move
his opponent took immediate advantage of, sending his captain spinning around
and falling to the ground. The twist had the golden hair shed a spray of sweat
onto the onlookers, not sparing an utterly disgusted Erestor, as the Lord of
the House of the Golden Flower came to a halt in the dust in front of Erestor’s
feet.
“Now, what is it?” Glorfindel grit his teeth as he
stood, glaring at Erestor, trying to dust-off his pants.
“The Lord Elrond wants you to ride to Orthanc and
deliver this message with great urgency.” Erestor answered stiffly, taking a few
steps backwards. Glorfindel was not the elf to be around when angered. And he
REEKED of sweat!
Glorfindel grinned wolfishly, satisfied that he had
managed to scare the scholar. He reached out for the letter but Erestor refused
to hand it over “I suggest you take a bath first or you will ruin the message
‘ere you even set out.”
“Oh, I offend your fine nose, counselor. My apologies!”
the impish grin would not leave Glorfindel’s face. He took pleasure in teasing
the tamer elves, the bookworms as he called them. “I was told that writing puts
one under less physical strain. Although I cannot judge that with all the
fabric you wrap around yourself.” He tried to poke Erestor’s chest to test the
muscles there but the counselor flinched. The guardians laughed. They thought
not too highly of the bookworms either.
“Don’t you dare soiling me, Lord Glorfindel!” Erestor
hissed, “I will hand you the message once you’re clean and in a more civilized
state – if you know how to achieve such.” Erestor turned on his heels and
stiffly walked back into the houses.
+++
“What is this?” Glorfindel had just readied himself
for the task given to him: take that message to Orthanc and escort a negotiator
to Lothlorien, which laid on his way. His steed, Lilta-nar, fire-dancer for her
red fur and quick temper, waited for him with two more horses. One was a
sturdy-build beast that carried an incredible pile of luggage, the other one, a
dark gray gelding, the negotiator who was clad in completely inappropriate
attire. “You are NOT traveling like this, are you?”
“What do you mean?” Erestor was at a loss.
“I am in a hurry. Besides: what is it that you plan to
carry along?”
“Why, clothes.”
“Clothes? Do you see me carrying around a load of
wardrobe, counselor?” Glorfindel was armed to the eyeballs, had a bedroll that
– admittedly – contained one set of spare clothes.
“I’d say that your idea of appropriate clothing
differs a lot from mine. You cannot expect me to arrive at ‘Lorien like a
beggar. After all will I represent the house of Lord Elrond!” Erestor justified
his luggage.
“In addidion your heavy robes slow down your horse.
Now please go and change.”
“I don’t see why I should. I have to represent –“
“Fine. All right. Do as you like. But then go and find
somebody else to escort you!” Glorfindel strapped his bundle onto the saddle
and was about to mount when Elrond’s voice stopped him.
“By the grace of the Valar! What is this?” the lord of
the house exclaimed.
“Thank you, my Lord, for supporting my case here!”
Glorfindel bowed deeply and then grinned spitefully at Erestor.
“But…my Lord….” Erestor stammered.
“Erestor, you need to travel at great speed. Which
means you need to travel light. Take along ONE robe, maybe another set of
clothes, a cloak and that has to suffice. Please, you need to change, Erestor.”
“My Lord, I don’t have such clothes!” Erestor blushed,
feeling utterly out of place. He was not in the mood for traveling in the wild!
Why could he not stay at Rivendell?
“Come with me. Glorfindel, will you please find
somebody to unpack the spare horse in the meantime?”
Twenty minutes later Erestor emerged from the Last Homely
House again. He wore dark green leggings, a black tunic and sturdy, brown
boots. None of the clothes really fitted his slender frame. A bedroll dangled
from his shoulder. The Chief Counselor felt naked without his thick, heavy
robes covering him.
Glorfindel grinned “Now, that is sensible for a
change. That way neither you nor your horse will trip. Let’s go!”
TBC...
