Post by Rhonda on May 22, 2014 21:48:40 GMT -5
Chapter 11 – Wildfire
Ingorn went racing up the stairs straight to the room that Timagol shared with Orophin. He knocked quickly on the door and then flung it open without waiting to be invited in. “Tima? Tima! Have you heard?”
“Heard what?” the half-sleeping warden said as he sat up groggily in his bed.
“They had a fight!” Ingorn announced as he flung himself down on the foot of the bed.
“Who had a fight, what are you babbling about?”
“Glorfindel and Erestor. They had a major fight; the whole house is talking about it. They were screaming and yelling at each other…they tore their room apart trying to get at each other, they were actually throwing things at each other…everyone is talking about it. And guess what? Lord Elrond has separated them…”
“What??”
“Yes, he has separated them, Glorfindel is now living here in the guest quarters, just down the hall, and he has forbidden Erestor and Glorfindel to have any contact with each other.”
“Ingorn you must be mistaken, Lord Elrond would never insinuate himself into someone else’s relationship like that…”
“He would when it involves his son.”
“His son? One of the twins is involved in this?”
“No, no, I am talking about the boy. Apparently when they were fighting someone threw a bottle, it broke, and the boy was cut. Lord Elrond is furious with both of them and has forbidden them to even speak to each other until further notice.”
“The child was hurt? Is it serious?”
“Tima….focus, the child is fine. Do you not see? Now is your chance to connect with Glorfindel.”
“How did this fight start? What were they arguing over?”
“Well, not that it matters in the long run, but rumor has it they were arguing over you.”
“Over me?”
“Yes, they were arguing and apparently Glorfindel was defending you and…”
“Defending me about what?”
“Oh for Elbereth’s sake Tima, I do not know,” the excited elf said in exasperation. “What does it matter? I thought you liked Glorfindel?”
“I do, but…”
“But what? If I have heard you once I have heard you praising his attributes a thousand times, and now you act as if you are barely interested. What is going on with you, I thought you had true feelings for him?”
“I do, I do…I am just not sure that this is the way I want him to acknowledge my feelings. Arguing with Erestor, which I am glad to hear he is doing, and having feelings for me are two entirely different things. He is probably in a dark place emotionally right now, and I do not wish to do anything to add to that.”
“I understand…but perhaps you can make him feel better? Perhaps knowing for sure that there is someone who values him and will not spend their time fighting with him would lighten his load? You should go to him…”
“Perhaps later, now is too soon. If all this happened today then he needs time alone to think.”
“Well, whatever you think is best, but if you really want a relationship with him just do not wait too long. The longer you wait the more opportunity there will be for him to make it up with Erestor.”
“Please Ingorn…do not mention that elf’s name to me. He has already caused such discord between me and Glorfindel…if it was not for his jealousy Glorfindel and I would have spent much more time together. As it is I feel he has Glorfindel wary of paying any attention to me at all.”
“All the more reason for you not to wait too long. I mean seriously, I like Erestor as much as the next elf, but you are my friend and I want to see you happy…and if Glorfindel makes you happy then I say to the victor go the spoils!”
Tima smiled and patted his friend on the leg. “You have truly been a good friend to me Ingorn; I appreciate your support in all of this, especially after this morning. He went out of his way to embarrass me this morning and now it looks as though he is getting his comeuppance. Now he is the one embarrassed, and it serves him right.”
“Well my friend, do not count on his embarrassment lasting long. He will invariably pull himself together…probably faster than Glorfindel. Do not count on him hiding away in his room until things calm down, he has a house to run, and he will put that before everything else, including Glorfindel.”
“And that is something I can use to my advantage. He will be busy with the house and the servants and whatever it is that he does for Lord Elrond, and I..”
“Will be busy with Glorfindel?”
“Exactly…that is if the gods permit it of course.”
“Of course.” Ingorn responded laughingly. “But I have a feeling the Valar are on your side in this. I mean after all, think about it, they have been sharing a bed forever, yet Glorfindel has never sought to make it a formal union…that says a lot. Perhaps the so-called, ‘exotic’ seneschal is not everything he has been made out to be.”
“Perhaps, but in any event whether he is or not makes no difference now, they are apart and that is the only thing that counts.”
“So what are you going to do?”
Timagol sat in the bed smiling, “I will do what any concerned and compassionate elf would do, when the time is right I will offer my condolences.”
“Condolences? For what?”
“For the demise of course.”
“Demise?”
“Yes, the death of this so-called ‘great’ love.”
“You make it sound so…cold,” Ingorn said warily.
“Sometimes that is the way you need to be in order to get what you want. I will not allow myself to feel sorry for Erestor; he should not have been so intractable with Glorfindel. It is his loss and I intend to make my feelings known.”
“Well just be careful, you do not want to be seen as the instigator of their problems.”
“I will, trust me whatever happens; I will make sure that I am not connected to it.” A strange look came over Timagol’s face as he finished his thought. “Whatever he gets…he more than deserves it.”
“Well still, be careful” Ingorn said as he rose to leave. “I have got to go, I am on duty tonight, and I have some errands I need to attend to before then.”
“Tell me about it, I am on the rota tonight too. Pulling the counterpane up to his neck he flopped back on the bed saying, “I will see you later and we can finish our talk then, I need to get some sleep if I am to stand watch tonight.”
“All right then” he said as he moved to the door, “will see you then.” With that Ingorn left Timagol to finish his sleeping and raced back to his room to organize his errands. As he entered his room he began to think seriously about Tima’s demeanor. “I hope he listens to me, there is trouble brewing there if he is not careful…he could ruin everything if he is not careful.”
~~~~~
Erestor slowly made his way to the corridor that led to Elrond’s bedchamber. Reaching the landing at the top of the stairs he was surprised to see Haldir and Rúmil exiting Elrond’s quarters with Estel in tow. As they came closer he slowed his steps hoping to get a glimpse of the child so that he could ascertain for himself the state of the boy’s well-being. When Haldir got within ten paces of the seneschal Rúmil assumed a position in front of Haldir blocking Erestor’s view of the child and the two proceeded down the hallway in this fashion until they passed the counselor.
Once Erestor was behind them, Rúmil assumed a rear guard position and they continued this way to the stairs. Longingly, the seneschal looked at the boy in Haldir’s arms and wanted desperately to speak, but Elrond’s warning and his own overwhelming guilt prevented him from uttering a sound. As they passed, Estel’s curly head popped up from the warden’s shoulder just in time to see the teacher he loved so dearly. Estel smiled a sad smile and waved at the seneschal saying softly “Bye-bye Westor.” As he waved back Erestor thought his heart would break and as Haldir took to the stairs carrying his little love away, Erestor dropped to his knees in the middle of the corridor as the tears streamed from his eyes. Silent sobs tried to escape his throat, but so intense was his grief that no sound other than the rustling of the sheer draperies at the windows could be heard.
Looking back, Rúmil could see the distress his longtime friend was experiencing. ”Halli,” he said, “go on ahead I will catch up with you in a moment.” Stopping in the middle of the hall he returned to Erestor’s side and knelt beside him. Rúmil placed his arm around Erestor’s shoulder and helped him rise from the floor. Turning the counselor to face him he shook him gently and tried to help him compose himself.
“You must get a hold of yourself Erestor…do you hear me?” he asked as he stared into his friend’s vacant eyes. When the only response he received was tears, he again shook the seneschal by the shoulders, this time more firmly, and repeated himself.
“Erestor…stop this. Estel is fine, and he does not seem to bear you any blame. Stop this now…stop it…Estel is fine, he will stay with me an Halli until the adults around him are calmed…all the adults Erestor, including Lord Elrond. But you my friend must get a hold of yourself; it will do the child no good to see you in this state. You have been his rock, he depends on you Erestor and you must now prove that you are, as you have always been, worthy of that trust.”
Rúmil’s words finally began to seep through the haze of grief that clouded Erestor’s thoughts. Slowly the counselor began to calm, his breathing became less strained as he wiped his eyes with the handkerchief that he always kept handy for Estel. Straightening his robes and standing tall he nodded his understanding to Rúmil and again wiped at his nose.
“Of course you are right Rúmil…if Elrond is to let me have contact with the baby again I must prove that I have myself under control, I must prove that there will be no further unseemly outbursts from me.”
“Exactly,” Rúmil said as he clapped Erestor on the shoulder. “That is better…where were you headed when you came upon us?”
“To speak to Elrond, it appears that we are about to have visitors…a party has been spotted on the trail and the sentries believe it may be King Thranduil.”
“Thranduil? Here in Imladris? If true Halli will be overjoyed to hear it. But Thranduil seldom ventures out…I wonder what could have brought him from behind the walls of his fortress?”
“I do not know. But if I have to venture a guess I would say that after everything that happened with Ivalor, he probably wants to hear firsthand about our battle with the gold-eyed elf.”
“Would he come all this way just for that?”
“Thranduil and Elrond have been friends since the days of the Last alliance, few know it, but they keep in touch, however surreptitiously, they keep in contact with each other…have for many millennia.”
“Well hopefully he comes only for a visit, the last thing Lord Elrond needs right now is the bearer of more bad news.”
“Rúmil, speak truthfully, what are the others in the household saying about Glorfindel and me?”
“Nothing bad…from the little I have heard most are surprised, shocked that an argument of this magnitude even occurred between the two of you. But for the most part everyone seems to be sympathetic, they want only for the two of you to reconcile your differences. You have to understand Erestor, you, Glorfindel, Lord Elrond and the twins…you are the foundation of Imladris, the foundation upon which the rest of them stand. If that foundation is shaken it scares them, they wonder how their relationships can stand the ups and downs of life if those of the ones they admire most are on shaky ground.”
Erestor thought about this for a moment then gave Rúmil a wry smile. “Are you sure that it is Orophin who is the counselor among you? It seems, dear Rúmil, that you may have missed your calling.”
The warden smiled back shaking his head. “I am sure he is the one Erestor, I have not the patience of Orophin, or the wisdom to keep my mouth shut when it needs to be.” “No,” he smiled, “my place is in the trees, making sure that the residents of our home can sleep safely when they lay their heads upon their pillows at night. That is my lot in this life. You on the other hand were born to be an example to others of how success in life and in one’s personal relationships can be achieved. That, despite the machinations of the dark forces, it is possible here on Arda to live happily ever after.”
“Well thank you Rúmil it is very kind of you to say so, however I think that I have ruined that opinion of me quite successfully with my foolishness this day.”
“Nonsense, everyone is entitled to a little misstep every now and again. Today was yours. However, you are past that now and back to being the Erestor we all know and trust. Would you like me to accompany you to lord Elrond’s sammoth?”
“Thank you, but no Rúmil; this is something I have to do on my own. I created this mess and now it is time for me to stand up and face the music. But I thank you for your kind words; you have helped me to bolster the confidence to do what I must.”
“One word of caution Erestor, the twins are with him and they are both highly agitated after Haldir made the decision to remove Estel from the chaos.”
“You say Haldir made the decision?”
“Yes and Lord Elrond concurred. Estel needs peace right now and as long as those around him are still warring with each other he will never have it. So Haldir asserted his authority as Estel’s duly appointed tirn and, well the rest as they say is history.”
“I can imagine how that did not sit too well with the twins.”
“Not even a little.”
“Well there is nothing to it then but to get it over with, face them and move on.”
“Perhaps it will not be as bad as you think Erestor, the twins love you; you helped to raise them…”
“Which makes it that much worst Rúmil, they are bound to feel that I have betrayed their trust…and I am not entirely convinced that they are wrong.”
“Just do not lose faith” Rúmil said as he hurried to catch up with Haldir, “things will right themselves soon enough.”
Solemnly, Erestor turned to continue on his way towards Elrond’s door, the wrath of the twins and an unknown fate when his foot brushed against something on the floor. Looking down he could just see it under the hem of his robe…Niphredil, Estel’s beloved rabbit. “Rúmil must have dropped this when he helped me up from the floor. The baby will need this” he said aloud and had to catch himself from pursuing Rúmil down the stairs. Holding the little soiled rabbit under his nose he inhaled the scent of his sweet boy and was almost again brought to tears. “I will return it to Rúmil later; I cannot risk incurring Elrond’s ire by attempting to see the baby without his permission. I can only pray that he does not miss it right away.” Stuffing the rabbit in his pocket he continued on his way to what he hoped would be a better afternoon.
~~~~~
As the traveling party moved down the trail, King Thranduil reined his horse closer to his son’s. The excitement of the young prince to be in such close proximity to his lifelong friends Elladan and Elrohir was almost palpable. The smile on his face grew ever wider as more and more of the last homely house came into view. Thranduil’s forward guards Anandórë and Perril were equally excited, as this was their first time out of the fortress that was Mirkwood, to visit any other realm. Rolling behind the King and Legolas were the three wagons that contained Thranduil’s much discussed wardrobe. Custom made robes, cloaks, tunics and leggings that he wore both for court appearances and his seldom-made excursions to visit other rulers. The wagon also contained several of his famed jeweled crowns, and an elaborate collection of boots and other footwear as well as the gifts that he’d selected for the House of Elrond.
Driving the lead wagon was Finnor and beside him sat Nilfin the king’s valet. Making up the remainder of their party were the two other wagon drivers Támo and Varyon and the rear guard Rangil and Tyellin, two of Thranduil’s most experienced warriors. All of the elves were anxious for their trek to be over, for it had been a long and tiring trip. But also because the hospitality of the Last Homely House and its Lord Elrond was legendary. The younger elves could not wait to avail themselves of the freedom to walk in his gardens amongst the trees without the ever-present fear of spiders or other foul creatures attempting to end their time on Arda. Along with that came the rumors of scented heated spas, the cooking of the famed aesdan (chef) Lady Nénilya, and the respite from guard duty.
As they rode along, Nilfin voiced a question that had plagued him for many years. “Finnor do you believe there is any truth to the rumor that the ellith of Imladris are as beautiful as it is told?” Finnor smiled at the mindset of the young elf. It seemed that this was at least the hundredth time during their trip that he’d asked that question in one form or another and the answer was still the same.
“All ellith are beautiful Nilfin, the dark haired beauties of Imladris will certainly be no different. Just do not allow yourself to become so taken with them that you forget your duty…or that Imladris is not our home.”
“Home,” the trail weary elf thought. How strange that word felt coming from his mouth. Mirkwood was where he lived, but when he thought of home it was not the Greenwood that came to mind. The only place that he ever truly thought of was Lindon, for that was where he was forced to leave his parents and his precious baby brother. Exiled from Lindon for all time, he wandered middle earth for years looking for a place to set down roots to start again. However, word travels fast and elves are not as forgiving as some would like to believe. His first stop was the Havens and although Círdan was willing to allow him to stay on a conditional basis, the call of the sea was too strong and he was still too stubborn. He wanted no conditions placed on the way he lived his life. Did not wish to live under the constant scrutiny of Círdan or the judgmental eyes of anyone else. He stayed briefly, just long enough to get his bearings, to accumulate a small stash of traveling money and to decide what his next move would be. After much thought he decided that the best thing for him would be to head for Lothlórien.
He’d convinced himself that the elves of the Golden Wood would be more accepting of him. Perhaps he would even be able to earn his keep as a warden. He did have skills as both a bookkeeper and a scribe, but he did not believe that anyone would ever allow him to hold a position where he handled money again. And he was right. When he reached Lothlórien, so well guarded were her borders, that it was difficult even gaining entry to the Elven realm. Once inside he was brought before Celeborn and Galadriel and unfortunately the outcome was not what he’d hoped. The Lady of Light had looked inside his mind, and what she found there did not please her. Discord, anger, bitterness, rage, and blame for everyone except the one responsible for his circumstances – himself. His heart was heavy with resentment and hostility and the Lady did not wish that kind of mindset affecting the harmony that she and Celeborn had worked so hard to achieve…and so he was turned away.
Anger filled his mind and threatened to overtake him completely. He was unceremoniously escorted to the borders of the Golden Wood, and told not to return until he took responsibility for his predicament and cleansed himself of his hatred. Many years passed as he wandered Arda trying to find both a home and himself. Finally, at long last the time came when he, tired of traveling from one backwater town to the next, settled in the southern reaches of Erebor in the city of Dale.
He kept to himself for the most part but was able to secure work as a scribe to a local bookbinder. He lived there contentedly for many years as his heart slowly began to heal. Though he still longed for Lindon and word of his family, he was able to face his demons and acknowledge that he, and no one else, was responsible for the events in his life. However, although his life had taken a turn for the better it was not to last long. In the year 2,770 of the third age, the thriving community was destroyed by Smaug. The devastation of Dale was complete, and few survived, but luck was with him, for on that fateful day Thranduil’s retreating forces stumbled upon him in the debris that was once the bookshop and carried him with them back to Mirkwood. It was there among the Wood Elves that he had happily made his home for the last 165 years.
So now here he was, riding along on the wagon, so deep in thought that he completely missed the call to halt the transport. Nilfin had to pull up on the reins stopping the horses to cover for him before he ran the king and his son off the trail.
“I do not know where you were just then,” Nilfin said, “but I suggest you wake up and come back to us…we are entering the outskirts of Imladris.”
Ingorn went racing up the stairs straight to the room that Timagol shared with Orophin. He knocked quickly on the door and then flung it open without waiting to be invited in. “Tima? Tima! Have you heard?”
“Heard what?” the half-sleeping warden said as he sat up groggily in his bed.
“They had a fight!” Ingorn announced as he flung himself down on the foot of the bed.
“Who had a fight, what are you babbling about?”
“Glorfindel and Erestor. They had a major fight; the whole house is talking about it. They were screaming and yelling at each other…they tore their room apart trying to get at each other, they were actually throwing things at each other…everyone is talking about it. And guess what? Lord Elrond has separated them…”
“What??”
“Yes, he has separated them, Glorfindel is now living here in the guest quarters, just down the hall, and he has forbidden Erestor and Glorfindel to have any contact with each other.”
“Ingorn you must be mistaken, Lord Elrond would never insinuate himself into someone else’s relationship like that…”
“He would when it involves his son.”
“His son? One of the twins is involved in this?”
“No, no, I am talking about the boy. Apparently when they were fighting someone threw a bottle, it broke, and the boy was cut. Lord Elrond is furious with both of them and has forbidden them to even speak to each other until further notice.”
“The child was hurt? Is it serious?”
“Tima….focus, the child is fine. Do you not see? Now is your chance to connect with Glorfindel.”
“How did this fight start? What were they arguing over?”
“Well, not that it matters in the long run, but rumor has it they were arguing over you.”
“Over me?”
“Yes, they were arguing and apparently Glorfindel was defending you and…”
“Defending me about what?”
“Oh for Elbereth’s sake Tima, I do not know,” the excited elf said in exasperation. “What does it matter? I thought you liked Glorfindel?”
“I do, but…”
“But what? If I have heard you once I have heard you praising his attributes a thousand times, and now you act as if you are barely interested. What is going on with you, I thought you had true feelings for him?”
“I do, I do…I am just not sure that this is the way I want him to acknowledge my feelings. Arguing with Erestor, which I am glad to hear he is doing, and having feelings for me are two entirely different things. He is probably in a dark place emotionally right now, and I do not wish to do anything to add to that.”
“I understand…but perhaps you can make him feel better? Perhaps knowing for sure that there is someone who values him and will not spend their time fighting with him would lighten his load? You should go to him…”
“Perhaps later, now is too soon. If all this happened today then he needs time alone to think.”
“Well, whatever you think is best, but if you really want a relationship with him just do not wait too long. The longer you wait the more opportunity there will be for him to make it up with Erestor.”
“Please Ingorn…do not mention that elf’s name to me. He has already caused such discord between me and Glorfindel…if it was not for his jealousy Glorfindel and I would have spent much more time together. As it is I feel he has Glorfindel wary of paying any attention to me at all.”
“All the more reason for you not to wait too long. I mean seriously, I like Erestor as much as the next elf, but you are my friend and I want to see you happy…and if Glorfindel makes you happy then I say to the victor go the spoils!”
Tima smiled and patted his friend on the leg. “You have truly been a good friend to me Ingorn; I appreciate your support in all of this, especially after this morning. He went out of his way to embarrass me this morning and now it looks as though he is getting his comeuppance. Now he is the one embarrassed, and it serves him right.”
“Well my friend, do not count on his embarrassment lasting long. He will invariably pull himself together…probably faster than Glorfindel. Do not count on him hiding away in his room until things calm down, he has a house to run, and he will put that before everything else, including Glorfindel.”
“And that is something I can use to my advantage. He will be busy with the house and the servants and whatever it is that he does for Lord Elrond, and I..”
“Will be busy with Glorfindel?”
“Exactly…that is if the gods permit it of course.”
“Of course.” Ingorn responded laughingly. “But I have a feeling the Valar are on your side in this. I mean after all, think about it, they have been sharing a bed forever, yet Glorfindel has never sought to make it a formal union…that says a lot. Perhaps the so-called, ‘exotic’ seneschal is not everything he has been made out to be.”
“Perhaps, but in any event whether he is or not makes no difference now, they are apart and that is the only thing that counts.”
“So what are you going to do?”
Timagol sat in the bed smiling, “I will do what any concerned and compassionate elf would do, when the time is right I will offer my condolences.”
“Condolences? For what?”
“For the demise of course.”
“Demise?”
“Yes, the death of this so-called ‘great’ love.”
“You make it sound so…cold,” Ingorn said warily.
“Sometimes that is the way you need to be in order to get what you want. I will not allow myself to feel sorry for Erestor; he should not have been so intractable with Glorfindel. It is his loss and I intend to make my feelings known.”
“Well just be careful, you do not want to be seen as the instigator of their problems.”
“I will, trust me whatever happens; I will make sure that I am not connected to it.” A strange look came over Timagol’s face as he finished his thought. “Whatever he gets…he more than deserves it.”
“Well still, be careful” Ingorn said as he rose to leave. “I have got to go, I am on duty tonight, and I have some errands I need to attend to before then.”
“Tell me about it, I am on the rota tonight too. Pulling the counterpane up to his neck he flopped back on the bed saying, “I will see you later and we can finish our talk then, I need to get some sleep if I am to stand watch tonight.”
“All right then” he said as he moved to the door, “will see you then.” With that Ingorn left Timagol to finish his sleeping and raced back to his room to organize his errands. As he entered his room he began to think seriously about Tima’s demeanor. “I hope he listens to me, there is trouble brewing there if he is not careful…he could ruin everything if he is not careful.”
~~~~~
Erestor slowly made his way to the corridor that led to Elrond’s bedchamber. Reaching the landing at the top of the stairs he was surprised to see Haldir and Rúmil exiting Elrond’s quarters with Estel in tow. As they came closer he slowed his steps hoping to get a glimpse of the child so that he could ascertain for himself the state of the boy’s well-being. When Haldir got within ten paces of the seneschal Rúmil assumed a position in front of Haldir blocking Erestor’s view of the child and the two proceeded down the hallway in this fashion until they passed the counselor.
Once Erestor was behind them, Rúmil assumed a rear guard position and they continued this way to the stairs. Longingly, the seneschal looked at the boy in Haldir’s arms and wanted desperately to speak, but Elrond’s warning and his own overwhelming guilt prevented him from uttering a sound. As they passed, Estel’s curly head popped up from the warden’s shoulder just in time to see the teacher he loved so dearly. Estel smiled a sad smile and waved at the seneschal saying softly “Bye-bye Westor.” As he waved back Erestor thought his heart would break and as Haldir took to the stairs carrying his little love away, Erestor dropped to his knees in the middle of the corridor as the tears streamed from his eyes. Silent sobs tried to escape his throat, but so intense was his grief that no sound other than the rustling of the sheer draperies at the windows could be heard.
Looking back, Rúmil could see the distress his longtime friend was experiencing. ”Halli,” he said, “go on ahead I will catch up with you in a moment.” Stopping in the middle of the hall he returned to Erestor’s side and knelt beside him. Rúmil placed his arm around Erestor’s shoulder and helped him rise from the floor. Turning the counselor to face him he shook him gently and tried to help him compose himself.
“You must get a hold of yourself Erestor…do you hear me?” he asked as he stared into his friend’s vacant eyes. When the only response he received was tears, he again shook the seneschal by the shoulders, this time more firmly, and repeated himself.
“Erestor…stop this. Estel is fine, and he does not seem to bear you any blame. Stop this now…stop it…Estel is fine, he will stay with me an Halli until the adults around him are calmed…all the adults Erestor, including Lord Elrond. But you my friend must get a hold of yourself; it will do the child no good to see you in this state. You have been his rock, he depends on you Erestor and you must now prove that you are, as you have always been, worthy of that trust.”
Rúmil’s words finally began to seep through the haze of grief that clouded Erestor’s thoughts. Slowly the counselor began to calm, his breathing became less strained as he wiped his eyes with the handkerchief that he always kept handy for Estel. Straightening his robes and standing tall he nodded his understanding to Rúmil and again wiped at his nose.
“Of course you are right Rúmil…if Elrond is to let me have contact with the baby again I must prove that I have myself under control, I must prove that there will be no further unseemly outbursts from me.”
“Exactly,” Rúmil said as he clapped Erestor on the shoulder. “That is better…where were you headed when you came upon us?”
“To speak to Elrond, it appears that we are about to have visitors…a party has been spotted on the trail and the sentries believe it may be King Thranduil.”
“Thranduil? Here in Imladris? If true Halli will be overjoyed to hear it. But Thranduil seldom ventures out…I wonder what could have brought him from behind the walls of his fortress?”
“I do not know. But if I have to venture a guess I would say that after everything that happened with Ivalor, he probably wants to hear firsthand about our battle with the gold-eyed elf.”
“Would he come all this way just for that?”
“Thranduil and Elrond have been friends since the days of the Last alliance, few know it, but they keep in touch, however surreptitiously, they keep in contact with each other…have for many millennia.”
“Well hopefully he comes only for a visit, the last thing Lord Elrond needs right now is the bearer of more bad news.”
“Rúmil, speak truthfully, what are the others in the household saying about Glorfindel and me?”
“Nothing bad…from the little I have heard most are surprised, shocked that an argument of this magnitude even occurred between the two of you. But for the most part everyone seems to be sympathetic, they want only for the two of you to reconcile your differences. You have to understand Erestor, you, Glorfindel, Lord Elrond and the twins…you are the foundation of Imladris, the foundation upon which the rest of them stand. If that foundation is shaken it scares them, they wonder how their relationships can stand the ups and downs of life if those of the ones they admire most are on shaky ground.”
Erestor thought about this for a moment then gave Rúmil a wry smile. “Are you sure that it is Orophin who is the counselor among you? It seems, dear Rúmil, that you may have missed your calling.”
The warden smiled back shaking his head. “I am sure he is the one Erestor, I have not the patience of Orophin, or the wisdom to keep my mouth shut when it needs to be.” “No,” he smiled, “my place is in the trees, making sure that the residents of our home can sleep safely when they lay their heads upon their pillows at night. That is my lot in this life. You on the other hand were born to be an example to others of how success in life and in one’s personal relationships can be achieved. That, despite the machinations of the dark forces, it is possible here on Arda to live happily ever after.”
“Well thank you Rúmil it is very kind of you to say so, however I think that I have ruined that opinion of me quite successfully with my foolishness this day.”
“Nonsense, everyone is entitled to a little misstep every now and again. Today was yours. However, you are past that now and back to being the Erestor we all know and trust. Would you like me to accompany you to lord Elrond’s sammoth?”
“Thank you, but no Rúmil; this is something I have to do on my own. I created this mess and now it is time for me to stand up and face the music. But I thank you for your kind words; you have helped me to bolster the confidence to do what I must.”
“One word of caution Erestor, the twins are with him and they are both highly agitated after Haldir made the decision to remove Estel from the chaos.”
“You say Haldir made the decision?”
“Yes and Lord Elrond concurred. Estel needs peace right now and as long as those around him are still warring with each other he will never have it. So Haldir asserted his authority as Estel’s duly appointed tirn and, well the rest as they say is history.”
“I can imagine how that did not sit too well with the twins.”
“Not even a little.”
“Well there is nothing to it then but to get it over with, face them and move on.”
“Perhaps it will not be as bad as you think Erestor, the twins love you; you helped to raise them…”
“Which makes it that much worst Rúmil, they are bound to feel that I have betrayed their trust…and I am not entirely convinced that they are wrong.”
“Just do not lose faith” Rúmil said as he hurried to catch up with Haldir, “things will right themselves soon enough.”
Solemnly, Erestor turned to continue on his way towards Elrond’s door, the wrath of the twins and an unknown fate when his foot brushed against something on the floor. Looking down he could just see it under the hem of his robe…Niphredil, Estel’s beloved rabbit. “Rúmil must have dropped this when he helped me up from the floor. The baby will need this” he said aloud and had to catch himself from pursuing Rúmil down the stairs. Holding the little soiled rabbit under his nose he inhaled the scent of his sweet boy and was almost again brought to tears. “I will return it to Rúmil later; I cannot risk incurring Elrond’s ire by attempting to see the baby without his permission. I can only pray that he does not miss it right away.” Stuffing the rabbit in his pocket he continued on his way to what he hoped would be a better afternoon.
~~~~~
As the traveling party moved down the trail, King Thranduil reined his horse closer to his son’s. The excitement of the young prince to be in such close proximity to his lifelong friends Elladan and Elrohir was almost palpable. The smile on his face grew ever wider as more and more of the last homely house came into view. Thranduil’s forward guards Anandórë and Perril were equally excited, as this was their first time out of the fortress that was Mirkwood, to visit any other realm. Rolling behind the King and Legolas were the three wagons that contained Thranduil’s much discussed wardrobe. Custom made robes, cloaks, tunics and leggings that he wore both for court appearances and his seldom-made excursions to visit other rulers. The wagon also contained several of his famed jeweled crowns, and an elaborate collection of boots and other footwear as well as the gifts that he’d selected for the House of Elrond.
Driving the lead wagon was Finnor and beside him sat Nilfin the king’s valet. Making up the remainder of their party were the two other wagon drivers Támo and Varyon and the rear guard Rangil and Tyellin, two of Thranduil’s most experienced warriors. All of the elves were anxious for their trek to be over, for it had been a long and tiring trip. But also because the hospitality of the Last Homely House and its Lord Elrond was legendary. The younger elves could not wait to avail themselves of the freedom to walk in his gardens amongst the trees without the ever-present fear of spiders or other foul creatures attempting to end their time on Arda. Along with that came the rumors of scented heated spas, the cooking of the famed aesdan (chef) Lady Nénilya, and the respite from guard duty.
As they rode along, Nilfin voiced a question that had plagued him for many years. “Finnor do you believe there is any truth to the rumor that the ellith of Imladris are as beautiful as it is told?” Finnor smiled at the mindset of the young elf. It seemed that this was at least the hundredth time during their trip that he’d asked that question in one form or another and the answer was still the same.
“All ellith are beautiful Nilfin, the dark haired beauties of Imladris will certainly be no different. Just do not allow yourself to become so taken with them that you forget your duty…or that Imladris is not our home.”
“Home,” the trail weary elf thought. How strange that word felt coming from his mouth. Mirkwood was where he lived, but when he thought of home it was not the Greenwood that came to mind. The only place that he ever truly thought of was Lindon, for that was where he was forced to leave his parents and his precious baby brother. Exiled from Lindon for all time, he wandered middle earth for years looking for a place to set down roots to start again. However, word travels fast and elves are not as forgiving as some would like to believe. His first stop was the Havens and although Círdan was willing to allow him to stay on a conditional basis, the call of the sea was too strong and he was still too stubborn. He wanted no conditions placed on the way he lived his life. Did not wish to live under the constant scrutiny of Círdan or the judgmental eyes of anyone else. He stayed briefly, just long enough to get his bearings, to accumulate a small stash of traveling money and to decide what his next move would be. After much thought he decided that the best thing for him would be to head for Lothlórien.
He’d convinced himself that the elves of the Golden Wood would be more accepting of him. Perhaps he would even be able to earn his keep as a warden. He did have skills as both a bookkeeper and a scribe, but he did not believe that anyone would ever allow him to hold a position where he handled money again. And he was right. When he reached Lothlórien, so well guarded were her borders, that it was difficult even gaining entry to the Elven realm. Once inside he was brought before Celeborn and Galadriel and unfortunately the outcome was not what he’d hoped. The Lady of Light had looked inside his mind, and what she found there did not please her. Discord, anger, bitterness, rage, and blame for everyone except the one responsible for his circumstances – himself. His heart was heavy with resentment and hostility and the Lady did not wish that kind of mindset affecting the harmony that she and Celeborn had worked so hard to achieve…and so he was turned away.
Anger filled his mind and threatened to overtake him completely. He was unceremoniously escorted to the borders of the Golden Wood, and told not to return until he took responsibility for his predicament and cleansed himself of his hatred. Many years passed as he wandered Arda trying to find both a home and himself. Finally, at long last the time came when he, tired of traveling from one backwater town to the next, settled in the southern reaches of Erebor in the city of Dale.
He kept to himself for the most part but was able to secure work as a scribe to a local bookbinder. He lived there contentedly for many years as his heart slowly began to heal. Though he still longed for Lindon and word of his family, he was able to face his demons and acknowledge that he, and no one else, was responsible for the events in his life. However, although his life had taken a turn for the better it was not to last long. In the year 2,770 of the third age, the thriving community was destroyed by Smaug. The devastation of Dale was complete, and few survived, but luck was with him, for on that fateful day Thranduil’s retreating forces stumbled upon him in the debris that was once the bookshop and carried him with them back to Mirkwood. It was there among the Wood Elves that he had happily made his home for the last 165 years.
So now here he was, riding along on the wagon, so deep in thought that he completely missed the call to halt the transport. Nilfin had to pull up on the reins stopping the horses to cover for him before he ran the king and his son off the trail.
“I do not know where you were just then,” Nilfin said, “but I suggest you wake up and come back to us…we are entering the outskirts of Imladris.”