No Home Here

Chapter Seventeen: Glorfindel and Gardens

Elrond, lord of Imaldris, bearer of one of the three elven rings and enemy to all evil was bored. As much as the elf hated to admit the fact: life in Rivendell was rather dull without his children. Yes, he was worried about them, but seeing as there was absolutely nothing that he could possibly do about anything, he settled on being bored.

Elrond had already rejected three books, a heap of political documents and a walk in the gardens as unsuitable pastimes, and was just contemplating bothering Glorfindel when said advisor appeared in his library.

The blonde elf popped his head around one of the bookshelves, somehow managing to make himself look both juvenile and extremely condescending at the same time. Elrond almost snorted: only Glorfindel could possibly pull that off. Fortunately the elf lord contained any noise of frustration that he would have made and simply nodded at his advisor and close friend.

“Good evening, Glorfindel.” He said distractedly, absently running a finger over the inlaid wood designs on his desktop. The blonde elf stepped the rest of the way around the shelf before speaking.

“Fretting again? Don’t worry, the twins will doubtlessly find his and drag the boy home.” With a satisfied smirk Glorfindel waited a moment for Elrond to answer before deciding that his friend was not listening.

“So… I have money against Erestor that it will be Elrohir that collapses on the threshold of Imaldris this time, though the daft elf is still holding out that it will be Elladan. Would you care to place a wager?”

Elrond nodded absently, obviously very intent on the pattern of swirling leaves on his stationary. With a malicious smile the blonde elf whipped out a small sheet of parchment from one of the inside pockets of his robe. Studying the numerals and names on it briefly, he once again addressed the elf lord.

“Well, the majority is in favor of your eldest, but you’d have very good odds if you chose either Estel or Sadron. If I were you I would go for the horse: no doubt the least anticipated is most likely that which should be expected.” Glorfindel put on a sage face, nodding twice more for emphasis.

“Whatever you think would be best, my friend.” Elrond said blandly.

“Ah!” Said the blonde elf with a smirk. “Sadron it is! I knew you would trust my judgment. I shall put you down for… let’s say a week of kitchen duty should your bet not hold true?” At Elrond’s nondescript nod Glorfindel allowed himself the briefest of smiles.

“Well then, sign and date here, my old friend.” He said, presenting the document with a flourish. Hardly glancing at the parchment, Elrond picked up a quill and scrawled his signature at the place where Glorfindel pointed.

“Very good, now that we’ve gotten business out of the way, what do you say we go for a walk in the gardens? Get you out of this stuffy room.” Lord Elrond once again nodded, but made no move to stand. Glorfindel rolled his eyes.

“Up”! He said sternly, mustering all the vocal powers that he could manage. This seemed to catch the elf’s attention, and he almost immediately snapped out of his stupor.

“What were you saying, Glorfindel?” he asked with a slight frown.

“I suggested that we go for a walk in one of the gardens. You have been sitting inside for hours.” Elrond nodded, stood up, and moved around the desk. Side by side, the two old friends walked towards the direction of one of the side doors.

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The two elf-lords sat on a stone bench in a garden, separated from the path leading to Rivendell’s front gates by a tall hedge. Their conversation ceased as hoof beats were heard along the road, slowing down as they neared the gates. Instead of passing through the iron structures and past the guards, however, the horses stopped where Elrond estimated would be just out of sight of the main house.

The dark-haired elf shot a questioning look at Glorfindel, who just shook his head and put a finger to his lips. Elrond smiled and waited for something to happen on the other side of the bushes. Surely enough, mortal voices soon reached the ears of the two elves.

“Tann, are you sure we have to do this?” Asked a male voice.

“Yes, can we not just turn around and tell mother that we made our amends? She would never know the difference!”

At this Glorfindel looked confused. The second voice had seemed to belong to the same person as the first. Elrond, however, just smiled. He held up two fingers, then put on a cheeky grin and pretended to lean back to back with someone else. The blonde elf nodded: that was a position that the twins took when trying to show off for the elf-maidens. Elrond had obviously recognized the fact that the two voices were twins. The people on the other side of the hedge, however, kept on talking.

“…Course she would know, I would tell her! Your mother put me in charge of you young rascals, and I am to take you to Rivendell and personally make sure that you have apologized to them. I do not care how many times you threaten, manipulate, or plead with me: you are going in there!”

The two elven lords looked at each other for a moment before shrugging and getting up from the bench. The people on the other side of the bush kept arguing, and Elrond decided to make a particularly ingenious entrance.

Moving to a small iron gate a while towards the house, he pushed it open as silently as was possible, then stepped through. Glorfindel smiled broadly as he followed the younger elf through. Though he could see the logic behind Elrond’s plan (if the twins won the argument the elves might never know what they were up to) the blonde elf clearly appreciated it more for the effect that they would make upon their visitors.

The gate leading back up into the garden was pushed closed silently, and the two elf lords proceeded to sneak up upon their prey like wolves stalking their next meal. When they were a mere few feet in front of the three horses, they stepped out of the shadow created by the hedge and into the path.

The men, obviously too engrossed in their bickering to be paying much attention to minute details, simultaneously jumped in surprise. Not allowing himself the smug grin that threatened to creep up onto his face, Elrond swept out his hand in a polite greeting to the newcomers.

“Welcome to Rivendell!” He called in a booming voice, trying to ignore Glorfindel’s muffled snickers behind him. “I am Lord Elrond, master of this house. Will you not enter? It is surely more comfortable inside than it is standing outside in the heat.”

The three men nodded mutely, and Elrond took the opportunity to study each of them carefully. The obvious eye-drawers were the identical boys to his left. They were both brunette with fair skin and brown eyes. The other man was a blonde with blue eyes that didn’t look more than five years older than the other boys. It was the oldest who took the lead.

“Our thanks, Lord Elrond. We would much appreciate it if we could come inside. These young men have something to discuss with your sons.” At this Elrond pursed his lips and Glorfindel downright frowned.

“Of course.” He said with a strained smile. “Please, I am sure we have much to talk about.”