Onto the grass flopped Glorfindel. “I am home,” he announced with a groan.
Erestor, who had been leaning against a tree and reading, looked up at Asfaloth, from which Glorfindel had simply slid off of. The horse pawed the ground and snorted into the mass of blond hair spread on the ground before stepping over his master and wandering back to the stable. “Welcome home,” replied Erestor before looking back to his book.
“You should ask me how the patrol was.”
“No, I think I shall not,” answered Erestor, turning the page of his book and choosing a piece of licorice from a bowl beside him.
Pouting, Glorfindel squinted from the sunlight and said, “No, really, ask me about my patrol.”
“I respectfully decline,” said Erestor, trying not to smirk.
“Errrggghhhnn.” Glorfindel stretched his arms and legs before lying still again. “Come on, ask me.”
“No,” said Erestor just as his book was snatched away. “Fin! Give that back!”
“Ask me how the patrol was,” prodded Glorfindel, shoving the book under his back as he settled into the grass again.
“I refuse.” Erestor glared at the warrior while the sounds of the young peredhel of the valley approaching caused his ears to twitch. Trying another tactic, Erestor picked up the bowl. “If you give me my book back, I will share with you.”
Lifting his head to see what was being offered, Glorfindel pulled a face. “Why can you not humor me?” he asked.
“Because all you will do is complain, and the day is too beautiful to listen to you bemoan the abilities of your fellow trackers and guardians,” explained Erestor as he picked through the candies. Arwen was the first to make it to them.
“Uncle Finny’s home! He’s home!” Arwen practically pounced Glorfindel, tackling him with an ‘ooof!’ that was overexaggerated by the warrior. “Did you bring me something?”
“Arwen! You cannot ask him that every time he comes back,” scolded Elladan as he joined them, with Elrohir on his tail. “Welcome back, Glorfindel.”
Glorfindel was rummaging through his pockets, with Arwen sitting now on the grass next to him. He pulled a smooth piece of violet-colored quartz from one of his pockets and handed it to her with a smile. She grinned, and threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you, Uncle Fin! It’s so pretty!” Arwen happily turned it over and over in her hand, admiring the way it shined and sparkled.
Glancing around and frowning when he saw Erestor concentrating on his candy dish, Elrohir asked, “Did you leave that poetry book in the house, Erestor?”
“No, it was stolen,” said the advisor calmly before popping another candy in his mouth. He offered the dish out to the children. Two of them grimaced as Glorfindel had, but Elladan perused the items and smiled in thanks after taking a few pieces for himself.
“Oh, no...” Elrohir wrung his hands. “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.” Erestor poked his bare foot at Glorfindel’s shoulder. “He stole it.”
“Uncle Fin stole from Uncle Erestor?” Arwen frowned. “That is not nice,” she scolded Glorfindel. “Nana says that sort of thing is unacceptable.”
Before he could defend himself, Glorfindel heard Erestor say, “I was just about to tickle him to get it back – ‘tis under his back, by the way – but then you arrived, and-“
“Get him!” shouted Elladan, and Elrohir, always heading his brother’s advice (good or bad), leaped down upon Glorfindel as his twin did. Arwen scooted off to the side and onto Erestor’s lap a safe distance away as Glorfindel let out a gasp of surprise. This was followed by loud, boisterous laughter and demands for them to stop. Rolling to the side in an attempt to jostle the twins away, Erestor saw his chance and seized up the book, setting little Arwen aside. He handed her the dish of candy, patted her head, and took off toward the house with the book.
As Glorfindel rolled back, he immediately figured out what had happened while he was trying to fend off the twins, who were now taking off in the direction of the woods. He glanced one way, and then the other. Although the house was closer, it would be more difficult to catch up with the youths than it would be to catch a barefoot advisor wearing long robes.
Not ten feet from the steps of the house, Erestor’s joyful grin was wiped from his face. He found himself being hoisted into the air and tossed over Glorfindel’s shoulder.
“You do know, going barefoot leaves you open to a most merciless attack,” Glorfindel said playfully to the somewhat upside down Erestor.
“Do not dare!” shrieked Erestor as Glorfindel’s free hand danced across the soles of the dark elf’s feet. “Fin!”
“Sorry, what was that?” Glorfindel lightly teased the wiggling toes.
“Stop it!” S-s-s-stop!” Erestor squirmed and shook with laughter. “By Eru, Fin, put me down! You are embarrassing me in front of everyone!” he laughed, which was not completely true, but there were a fair number of other elves around who were watching them, laughing at his predicament.
Glorfindel moved to tickle the advisor’s ankles now as well. “What was that? Did you just ask me how my patrol was?”
“No, I asked no such- yes, yes! How was your patrol?!” Erestor shouted as Glorfindel attacked more ruthlessly.
“Oh, alright.” Glorfindel gently knelt so that he could put Erestor down without dropping or hurting him. “Very uneventful, and very boring, which is a good thing. And, I missed you,” added Glorfindel in a more subdued and sincere tone.
Erestor, still holding the book tightly, tucked it into the fold of his robe and reached out to pat Glorfindel’s shoulder. “Well, for what it may be worth, I missed you too, you rogue.”
Arwen had just arrived, having followed them. She handed the candy dish, which she had carefully carried back, to Erestor. Seeing her parents on the porch (who had rushed outside upon hearing from a worried Melpomaen that ‘Erestor and Glorfindel were fighting in the courtyard’), Arwen ran to them calling out, “Uncle Fin’s home! And Elladan and Elrohir are gonna be in trouble with him for tickles!” Arwen looked up at her parents very seriously. “I was good. I have a pretty rock, too.” She held the quartz up for them to inspect.
Celebrian smiled and nodded at her daughter’s excitement over the rock while Elrond walked down the steps. He gave his chief staff members a very stern look, but it soon dissolved into light laughter. “Sometimes I wonder, did either of you ever truly grow up?”
“No, and I have to hunt down your sons and tickle them, so if there is anything more...?” Glorfindel stood up and brushed the dirt from his clothing.
Elrond gave Glorfindel a long, hard look. Finally, he said, “Do you need any help?”
As Glorfindel and Elrond jogged off in the direction of the woods, Erestor took a moment before making it back to his feet as well. “Wait for me!” he shouted after them.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Glorfindel returns home