Story Downloaded from Open Scrolls Archive (https://www.openscrolls.net) Title: Mosquito's and Ivy and Bedbugs, Oh My! (#3716) Author: Dawnblossom Chapters: 2 Archive: Tolkien Category: Lord of the Rings Description: Estel's gets a rash, Glorfindel feels Erestor's wrath, Lord Elrond has various panic attacks, Cirdan's beard becomes an object of interest and the twins come into play. A series of drabbles. Published: 17 Feb 2008 Updated: 17 Feb 2008 Warnings: None that I can think of at the moment Type: Humour Characters: Estel; Glorfindel; Erestor; Elladan/Elrohir; Lord Chapter 1 - Glorfindel's Ants Disclaimer; I no more own Tolkien than I own the Dead Sea. Although I could make a pretty wad o' cash if I did... Elladan and Elrohir walked up to Erestor with identical innocent expressions on their faces. The Chief Advisor put down his quill, giving the twins one of his signature 'death glares'. The twins smiles didn't falter...which frightened Erestor considerably though he didn't show it. "What?" Erestor asked flatly, not in the mood for their games. He had a pile of paperwork at least as tall as he was sitting on his desk. Curse Glorfindel and his various border reports! It always ended up like this...lazy Glorfindel leaving Erestor to do the work. How he despised that elf sometimes. "We're bored." Chorused the twins. That, by the way, was never a good thing. Erestor sighed and picked up his quill again, "Really?" The twins nodded and Elladan asked, "Have you seen Estel?" Erestor shook his head, "No but if I do I'll be sure to warn him." Elrohir whined, "There's nothing fun to do around here Erestor!" "Well then, why don't you put your brains to the test and contrive another one of your tricks to repay Glorfindel for the mountain of paperwork he gave me." The twins grinned at each other and snickered. Erestor looked up hurriedly, "You do know that I was not serious..." It was to late, the sons of Elrond had walked out of the door and onto their next task...mischief. Erestor groaned, if Glorfindel found out, he would be dead. A slight smile graced Erestor's lips. But perhaps the mighty warrior of Gondolin deserved it... *** Two days later there was a knock at Erestor's door. The advisor eyed the door suspiciously...no one ever knocked and then waited for a reply... "Come in." Erestor called out, praying it wasn't who he thought it would be. The door opened. It was. Side by side Elladan and Elrohir walked up to Erestor's desk. They had serious, almost business like expressions on their faces. Only those who were close to the twins knew that those were the faces they put on when dealing with their pranks. They valued their ability to prank people highly, and therefore protected their ability by being serious about it and not throwing all caution into the wind. "All right Erestor...we've set up a plan, but to make it work...we'll need payment." Elladan said seriously. Erestor looked at them both sharply, "I don't think so. I was not serious when I asked you to-" "But we already wasted a few days thinking about it! You could at least honor our tireless effort and thinking by agreeing!" Elrohir said. Elladan added, "Admit it Erestor...you've been wanting to do something like this for a long time." The advisor was silent and Elladan grinned, "Good then." Erestor looked up, "What would your payment require?" Elladan grinned, "Only your help dear advisor. Your job is to lure Glorfindel into the trap." Erestor closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. He considered the pro's and con's. "Is anyone else involved?" He asked abruptly. Elladan grinned, "Only Estel, and he doesn't even know it." Erestor looked at them sharply. Elrohir added, "He will not be harmed or anything. He'll just be up in a tree in the woods like always..." Erestor sighed, "Done." *** Erestor flew into Glorfindel's study without even knocking. Glorfindel took one look at the advisor's panicked face and asked, "What is it?" Erestor ran his fingers through his raven hair, "Estel," He said in distress, "He's stuck in one of the oak trees in the swamp." Glorfindel blanched, "And you want *me* to get him down? I just washed this morning!" Erestor temporarily returned to his sarcastic self and snorted, "We know...we can smell the soap you use all the way in the west wing." Glorfindel sighed and stood up, long used to the Chief Advisor's jibes. "I"m coming." He said wearily. He walked out the door and behind him Erestor was grinning like a cat high on cream. *** "Where exactly *is* this oak tree Erestor?" Glorfindel asked. Erestor hid his smile behind a concerned expression and said fretfully, "It was somewhere over here..." Glorfindel sighed and tried to avoid the swampy patches that dotted the area while swatted swarms of mosquito's that buzzed around his head. They were in the boggiest place in Imladris, and going in deeper. Glorfindel was getting a bit sweaty from the exertation...they had been walking for a long while. Glorfindel frowned and slapped at a mosquito on his arm. Funny...normally the bugs bothered him, but this was just ridiculous. Right before the elven lord's eyes, another swarm of mosquito's joined the first. Glorfindel waved his arms around his head, trying to get them away, but they just flew right back, hovering over their prey. Glorfindel moved faster, looking at the ground so as not to accidentally step in the puddles and mud. The swarm buzzed louder, and now mosquito's in two's and three's desended upon the elven lord and tried to suck his blood. "Grrr...Erestor you'd better find that tree soon because I'm being eaten alive." Receiving no answer Glorfindel frowned and looked up, "Erestor?" He couldn't believe it. The Chief Advisor had disappeared. "Erestor?" Glorfindel called uncertainly. Nothing answered him but the hoot of an owl. An owl...Valar, it was nightfall, and the mosquito's were becoming more and more abundant. Glorfindel blinked and cursed as one flew into his eye. Growling, the elf lord stumbled toward the exit of the forest, rubbing his eye desperately. Erestor would have to help Estel himself. He couldn't do everything for- It all clicked. Estel wasn't in trouble...at all. Erestor *never* let Glorfindel help him when it concerned Estel...and today he had asked for help. It had all been a prank...no doubt involving the twins too... "Oh, you're a very good actor Erestor!" Glorfindel muttered evilly under his breath and darted toward Imladris and in his wrath, he never felt the dozens of mosquito's latching onto him. *** Erestor watched in satisfaction as a grumpy Glorfindel walked into the dinning room, scratching his arm absentmindedly. Even from where he was sitting with Estel, Erestor could see the many red bumps from where the mosquito's had bitten him. The twins had put a few herbs from their fathers store into a soap mix, poured it into a mold and let it harden. Then they scrubbed it against the flagstones a few times to make it look worn. They had quickly replaced it with Glorfindel's old soap. Of course, the result had made Glorfindel into some easily irritated monster, and given Lord Elrond a few panic attacks when the normally cheerful Glorfindel stomped through Imladris, muttering and barking orders. Come to that, it had frightened even the twins, which was no easy to do. "It's a very sweet scent," Elladan had assured Erestor, "No mosquito could resist." Erestor knew that Glorfindel would be to busy thinking about something else to notice his soap's slightly different scent. He watched all through dinner as Glorfindel repeatedly scratched his neck, his head, and his arms. It looked as if he was doing a dance in his seat. Estel, along with many others, watched the renowned warrior with big eyes. He leaned over and said to Erestor, "Does he have ants in his pants 'Restor?" Erestor snorted into his wine goblet and quickly put it down, "No Estel, he just had a little quarrel with mosquito's...and my name is *Erestor*. You're old enough to say it properly. Who told you about ants in people's pants anyway?" Estel ignored that last comment and kept watching Glorfindel with wide eyes. He leaned over again and said, "I think the moose-kito's won 'Restor. Glorfindel didn't run fast enough." Erestor smiled, "I think you're right Estel." Chapter 2 - Estel's Diseased Rash Disclaimer; I don't own Tolkien, most likely never will, and I'm certainly not doing this for money. Note: This drabble is in response to LuthienTinuviel's Challenge: "Something Itchy This Way Comes" I'm sorry it isn't very humerous... Erestor winced as his sensative ears picked up the sound of panicked shouts and tears. He knew they belonged to the whirlwind Lord Elrond fostered. Estel, the human child he gave lessons to, was running down the corridor, toward his teacher's study, screaming and crying and most likely bothering all of the inhabitants of Imladris. Sure enough, the door was flung open with a bang and a tiny child hurtled across the room and jumped onto Erestor's lap. Erestor sighed and put down his quill, settling for holding the child gently instead. "Hush...hush Estel. What is the matter?" Watery grey eyes looked up soulfully into his own dark ones. Erestor asked, "Does it have to do with the twins?" Estel's lip quavered as he fought to stop crying. He nodded and scratched at his arm. Erestor rolled his eyes to the heavens, "Mighty Eru preserve us." Estel sniffled and wiped his nose on his sleeve. Erestor sighed and pulled a hankerchief out of his pocket, handing it to the child in his lap. Estel blew his nose and crumpled up the linen in his small hand. "'Restor, do I have a dis-eaze?" Erestor smiled down at the little on in his arms, "Disease, Estel." The child nodded and scratched his arm again, saying impatiently, "That is what I said 'Restor." The Chief Advisor corrected yet again, "My name is Erestor. Come now, you are old enough to say it." Estel huffed impatiently and said, "But I am saying your name 'Restor." Erestor let it go and said wearily, "You have no disease that I know of Estel. Why do you ask?" The little imp scratched his arm furiously and wailed, "Ell'dan and Elrohir said that I had a dis-eaze on my arm and they ran away from me! I wanted to play with them but they ran away!" Erestor smiled slightly. Poor Estel, if he knew anything it was that Estel's feelings were easy to hurt. Any child's would be if they had been refused by a playmate. "Show me your arm Estel." The child pushed up his dirty sleeve and Erestor drew in a sharp breath. Estel heard it and wimpered in fear. There were patches on Estel's arm that were red and swollen, and judging by the dried blood, the child had been scratching it before. Estel made a move to scratch at his arm again but Erestor swatted his hand away. Estel looked up into the worried face of the advisor. "Am I gonna die from the dis-eaze 'Restor?" Erestor kept his eyes on the arm, examining without touching, "Of course not Estel. Come, we will pay a visit to your father." *** Lord Elrond looked up in surprise, and then fear as he saw his Chief Counselor enter his room with a child in his arms. Erestor set Estel down and said calmly, "Excuse us my lord, but I do believe Estel is in need of your assistance." Estel wandered over to a seat and sat down, curling up. Lord Elrond got up from his desk and walked over to his Chief Advisor. "What is it?" Erestor's face now betrayed panic and concern, "That's just it Elrond...I don't know! It's nothing I've seen before..." Fear gripped Lord Elrond's heart, but he kept it in check and asked, "What is it Erestor?" "A rash I believe...Estel has been itching it and now it's..." He trailed off as the lord of Imladris went over to his son and softly whispered in his ear. Estel nodded and pushed up his sleeve. His foster father took one look at the rash, looked at Erestor, then back at Estel, and laughed. Estel looked at Erestor in a panic. The Chief Advisor almost hyperventilated. Lord Elrond was having a panic attack! Dear Eru what should he do? He put a hand on his lord's shoulder and said calmly, "It's all right my lord, Estel will be fine, he's-" He was cut short as Elrond's door was slammed open, and a harried looking Glorfindel dragged in two crying elflings. Elladan and Elrohir broke away from Glorfindel and rushed to their father, babbling all sorts of nonsense. Erestor looked at Glorfindel and said wildly, "Estel has a diseased rash and Lord Elrond's having a panic attack! Glorfindel get these two out of here!" Glorfindel shook his golden head and said in a just as panicked way, "I can't! I brought them to their father because they to have rash! It is red and swollen and they were itching it so it bled! Am I just supposed to leave them like that in the training fields? Honestly Erestor, I do have a sense of mercy!" Erestor shouted, "You certainly don't show it towards me! Barging into my study...the library...messing up my schedule and Valar know I don't get any work done when you're around, you-" Lord Elrond stood up quickly and bellowed, "SILENCE!" Glorfindel and Erestor stopped bickering, Elladan and Elrohir ceased to speak, and Estel sat there solomly waiting for his foster father's verdict. Elrond sighed and turned toward Estel. He said tenderly, "Estel, this is not a diseased rash. It is just a minor case of poison ivy. Whoever told you otherwise..." Here he shot a glance toward his twin sons, "Will apologize to you." Elrond turned to his advisors, "Thank you Glorfindel, Erestor. You are excused." The two turned to go but then Lord Elrond said mildly, "And Erestor? I was not having a panic attack. I was merely amused by the fact that a calm elf such as yourself should become worried at a case of poison ivy." Glorfindel smirked at Erestor who blushed. "My apologies." The advisor said smoothly, not willing to admit he had no idea what poison ivy was. Glorfindel answered that question by asking tentatively, "My lord...what is 'poison ivy'?" Lord Elrond answered, "A rash that comes from a plant Glorfindel. This plant spreads a certain oil that causes inflamation of the skin. Being of mortal blood, I'm surprised Estel and my sons have not managed to obtain it yet." Glorfindel looked relieved, "Ah. Only mortals are affected by it?" "That is my guess. Would you like to test it out?" Glorfindel and Erestor looked at each other nervously...Lord Elrond was getting slightly annoyed by their presence. "Er...no thank you my lord. We'll be going now." Glorfindel voiced. The two practically fled their Lord's study, pitying the mortals affliction. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Downloaded from Open Scrolls Archive (https://www.openscrolls.net) on Sun Nov 15, 2026 2:30 am