"Adar?" Orophin ran down a flight of stairs with a heavy bundle clutched to his chest. "Adar?" He took a look around the flets on the sixth level and frowned before leaping down another flight. "Adar? Oh, Adar, where are you?"
"Orophin!" Celeborn took note of his son's calls from where he was waiting in the library and frowned when Orophin approached. "What is the matter? Why are you not dressed?"
Orophin shifted from one foot to the other. "I think...I think someone must have mixed something up," he explained, letting the garment he held unfurl to the floor. "This cannot have been meant for me."
Celeborn looked at the rich royal blue fabric that Orophin held and nodded. "That is yours. I had the seamstress finish it last night as the Mirkwood delegation is going to be earlier than anticipated, so I suggest you put it on."
Wide eyed with terror, Orophin did not move. He simply whimpered at the item in his hands. After an incident on the Northern Fences, during which he had calmed the Galadhrim and kept them from mutiny against Haldir (an incident that Orophin, in fact, had started), Haldir had kindly suggested to their father that Orophin be allowed to help at the upcoming negotiations with Mirkwood. Orophin had not had border duty for the last two months while he studied the various treaties and contracts the two realms had. He would spend at least another four months in the city. He liked the position well enough until now. This unexpected turn of events, however, made him wish for the cold comfort of the Northern Fences. "But Adar..."
"What now, Orophin?"
"Adar...it's a dress..."
"They are formal robes, very similar to the ones both Erestor and I wear. I believe you have seen Elrond wear them as well."
Orophin's frown deepened. "It still looks like a dress."
Celeborn raised a brow and smoothed out the fabric of his own robes.
"Oh, but, you look very good in a dress, Ada," Orophin said quickly. "Elrond, also. And Erestor - fabulous in a dress. As for me, I shall not wear this."
All Celeborn had to do was meet Orophin's eyes. He said nothing as the younger elf stared back. Finally Orophin kicked the floor with his foot. "Fine. But I will not wear this after today. One day, that is all."
Celeborn looked back to his reading and turned the page. "The seamstress should be finishing robes of gold and white for you tomorrow. If you find those more to your liking, you may wear either of them for the duration of the conference." Glancing up once more, he added, "You *will* wear the formal robes while you assist me with these negotiations."
"Everybody hates me," pouted Orophin, throwing the robes over one arm. "I will be so embarrassed, walking around in a dress. I do not think I can go out in public without pants on."
"You needn't," Celeborn assured him. "There is enough room for you to comfortably wear the robes over leggings."
"Oh." Orophin held up the velvety fabric, admiring for the first time the black and silver threads that adorned the cuffs and collar with whimsical patterns. "I didn't think you wore pants under your robes."
"I don't." Celeborn plucked a stray particle from his sleeve and dropped it to the floor. "I said there is enough room to, if you wanted."
Orophin stared with his mouth agape. Finally, he heard himself ask the question that had been in his head. "What...do you wear underneath?"
"I don't think you want me to answer that question."
"No, for some odd reason, I really do wish to know the answer."
"Well, I don't want to answer that question."
"I think you just did."
"Just...go put your robes on before I find one of your mother's dresses and make you wear that instead," scolded Celeborn.
Orophin sighed. "I suppose you're going to tell me she doesn't wear anything under her gown when she goes to these dip-plo-ma-tic func- tions."
"On the contrary," Celeborn said, closing his book. "She's almost always wearing leggings and one of those, uhm, what is it called..."
"You've been married how long now and you don't know what to call the thing she wears?" Orophin gave a little smile as Celeborn struggled to come up with the word.
"Oh, you know it's a..." He motioned with his hands a little, "...but there's no..." again, he tried to pantomime the description as he pointed to his shoulders, adding, "...and then that part, across the back...oh, stop it, Orophin, you know what I'm talking about."
"Sure. Of course I do," Orophin said, not really sure at all. "One of those...things..." he mimicked his father's movements a little, smirking. "You know, Adar, if she's really wearing leggings all the time..."
"You can't make any 'she's the one wearing the pants in the family' jokes that Celebrian and Haldir haven't already told me."
"Damn."
"Orophin?"
"Yes?"
"Go put your dress on."
Lord Orophin by Zhie