As Erestor pulled his carriage off to the side of the road, he could already hear the laughter and music coming from within the large log cabin. It was still within Rivendell, just on the outskirts of the valley, and nestled against the side of a cliff, atop a low plateu. In fact, part of the inner wall of the structure was the sheer rock. A cheerful fire was puffing wisps of smoke up through the chimney, and a trio of hunters were standing upon the porch where the snow drifts did not deter their smoking.
Erestor nodded in greeting to them as he stepped down from the carriage. From the lower area where passengers might usually sit he took out several packages. One of the hunters set his pipe on the wooden railing and came to help him. “Nothing too heavy,” said Erestor as they divided the supplies. “A lot of blankets, warm socks, and long undergarments.”
“Much appreciated, whatever it is,” said the hunter kindly, but in a gruff voice.
Erestor pushed back the curtain to reveal two barrels as well. “An early Yule gift from Master Elrond.”
The hunter smiled and gathered up the packages he was to carry in. “We shall be back for that swiftly. I am sure Galen will pass along his thanks and blessings.”
The pair entered into the Lodge of the Elkhounds, or The Lodge, as most referred to it. Here lived numerous menfolk, some claiming kinship to Elrond via thinned branches of the family tree. In the better months, they spent their time in tents or in the open air, but when cold came they took up residence in The Lodge, a refuge within the Elven realm away from the Elves. While The Lodge was by no means as large or sprawling as the Last Homely House, it was a massive structure of three stories and nearly a hundred rooms. The low level was the common room, with many rustic posts of whole tree trunks supporting the upper levels. In this room, there was a fire in each corner, and a great many places to sit. Erestor preferred a stool at the round bar counter at the center of the room. He looked there now as they entered, and was slightly shocked to see a certain lady at the counter.
Once the rest of the cargo was inside and salutations were exchanged between Erestor and those he knew, he sat down upon the stool to Gilraen’s right. “Good evening. Now, what is a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?”
“Your attempts at romantic lines need work.”
“No, really,” said Erestor as he waved the barkeep over. “This is the sort of place fellows like I come to. Does Elrond know you are here?”
“I asked Elrohir to watch Aragorn, and that I would be out for a while. Elrond was very busy today, and I did not wish to bother him.” Gilraen had been pushing an empty mug back and forth from one hand to the other. “I walked here this afternoon.”
“Perhaps it was sunny despite the snow, and that helped keep you warm, but it is bitterly cold now,” warned Erestor. “It is a good thing I happened to come here this evening; you can ride back with me.”
“I can walk back, thank you,” said Gilraen.
“Elrond would make me sleep out in the snow if he found out that I left you here to walk. I came by carriage, and that is how you will return. End of discussion,” warned Erestor when Gilraen tried to protest. “This has nothing to do with your gender. If I had come out here and found Elladan or Elrohir or Lindir, and they told me they had walked, they would be returning with me via carriage as well.” The barkeep approached and Erestor pointed to an oak keg behind the bar. “What do you have tonight?”
“Moonbeam Ale, a strong mead, and Maritime Stout.”
Erestor weighed his choices as he removed his riding gloves. “Mug of stout, and a shot of Shitkicker Wiskey,” he said without blinking an eye.
“Two,” said Gilraen just as the man was about to step away.
“Two it is,” replied the barkeep as he went to retrieve the bottle of liquor from the top shelf. Erestor pulled coins from his pocket, but Gilraen had some down on the counter that she slid forward.
“So now I cannot even buy you a drink?” asked Erestor.
“Certainly not.” Gilraen made sure the bartender saw where her payment was when he returned. “I will accept the ride back, but I will not have my drinks paid for by a chaovanist.”
Erestor rolled his eyes and looked to the barkeep for sympathy as the man brought two fresh mugs out from beneath the bar. “Has she been like this all evening?” The bartender only smirked, set their drinks down in front of them, and slid the coins into his apron pouch. Erestor lifted up the shot glass first. “What shall we drink to? Health? Wealth? Happiness?”
Gilraen looked through the liquid in the glass, her view beyond distorted as it still spun slowly in its container. “Yes.” She gulped the spirits down and hit the glass back onto the counter.
There was no intention for Erestor to stay very long, and soon after finishing his drinks he was saying farewells and packing items into the carriage to take back to the house – salted meats and animals pelts, and leather hides. Finally he retrieved his nearly forgotten gloves from the counter of the bar and tapped Gilraen upon the shoulder. “Shall we?” He offered his arm, but was not surprised when she simply nodded and started off towards the door without him.
By the time they arrived back at the stairs of the Last Homely House, Gilraen had dozed off in a nest of furs inside of the carriage. Erestor hopped down from his perch where he had led the horse back to find a rather angry Elrond tapping his foot and looking none too happy when he saw Gilraen sit up, stretch, and yawn inside of the carriage. “Madam, I shall tolerate much, but this is unacceptable. Not knowing where you were – many of us have been terribly worried!”
“I—“
“I am sorry, Elrond,” began Erestor. “I did not expect that I should be gone for so long. Gilraen expressed an interest in seeing the Lodge, and I thought we might be back sooner. It was her first visit, and there was much to see, and many people for her to meet.”
Elrond’s expression softened slightly, especially after he saw the apologetic look from Gilraen. “Just be sure to tell someone where she is going to be next time!”
“And who would you like me to tell?” Erestor dared to ask. “Your seneschal is away, and your chief of staff was with her.”
“Tell me, you fool,” scolded Elrond.
Erestor bowed slightly, his hands clasped together. “As you wish,” he said carefully.
The scene had brought out a few onlookers from the Hall of Fire, and opened a few windows on the second floor where both Men and Elves peeked down. “A fine woman, she is,” someone was heard to be saying to someone else in a not-so-discrete manner. “I can see how Elrond has become jealous of her.”
“She will make a fine replacement for the lady of the house,” another replied back.
Elrond pretended not to have heard. “Gilraen, come, it is late, you must be tired. Come inside and rest.” He helped her from the carriage and ushered her inside.
Once the door was closed, the gossip began. “My, my, councilor, stealing the lord’s wife before she is even betrothed.”
“She is a widow, and he is much in the same position for as long as he dwells here,” warned Erestor. “Do not say that which you will regret come morning.”
“Is it true they have taken up residence with one another?” asked a young woman who stood at her open window as she nursed her baby. “I thought Elves could do no such thing before marriage.”
“Marriage between Elves happens in only one night,” someone shouted up to her from the courtyard with a wink. “More than enough time for them to take up residence.”
“Honestly. I am going to write a proposal for an after-hours rumor tax,” warned Erestor. “Now off with you all, lest I call for the warden to arrest you all for loitering!” He waited until everyone was either back inside or shutting their windows before whistling for the footmen to come help with his cargo.
- - -
“So theoretically, I think the best solution will be to keep the boy with his mother in the house. I know that you want them to have as normal of a life as possible,” said Erestor as he sipped from his teacup, “but as it stands their life is nowhere near normal any longer.”
Elrond sighed and looked out the window. “I understand that. I want them to have some semblance of normal as well. I am certain that they will be safe in the valley, in the cottage.”
“The one that you and Celebrian took holidays in?” asked Erestor. Often, the family would pack a few essential items and ride to the cottage, a small guardhouse that had been remodeled when a larger guardhouse was eventually built. It was cozy, with four bedrooms, a large sitting room, and an upper loft. In the days when their children were younger, Elrond and Celebrian would take one room, and each of the children would take their own. For Elladan and Elrohir, living in separate rooms for a few days a year was a perfect way to strengthen their bond the rest of the time. For Arwen, it was her little castle away from her big castle. For Elrond and Celebrian, it was a delightful escape into a what-if, allowing them a moment now and then to just be a family without the fame, the royalty, or even the responsibilities they had to tend to daily.
“The same. I went over the other day to inspect it. Everything seems to be in working order,” said Elrond.
“What will you do? Deploy a contingent to watch the house at all hours? Assign guards to her?” Erestor waited for an answer before he continued. “Are you doing this for them, or for yourself?”
Head snapping back, Elrond narrowed his brows and pursed his lips. “I do not like what you are insinuating, Erestor.”
“Who else will say it?” Erestor drained his cup and set it back upon the saucer with a clink. “I do not wish to see you unhappy, or Gilraen and her son unhappy, but I do think what you are suggesting will cause that. If you are doing this because she wishes it, do so with my blessings.”
“I have not asked her opinion yet,” admitted Elrond. He sighed again and once more stared out the window. The cottage was so far away that even if the fires of the stove had been lit, it would be impossible to see from the Hall of Fire, or anywhere else at the Last Homely House. “I am afraid of what will happen if she stays here,” he whispered. “I have become... protective, and not in the fatherly way I had expected.”
“I thought that might have been the issue.” Erestor reached forward and placed his hand upon Elrond’s shoulder. “You will do nothing improper, I am sure of that. If you are concerned of what others might say, I would gladly involve myself in a scandal to take the focus off of you if you like.”
“I sincerely appreciate your offer,” replied Elrond. “However, I doubt your reasoning would be completely one-sided.”
“Can I help it that I enjoy some of the trouble I find myself in?” Erestor was not the only one smiling now, and Elrond could not help but chuckle. “I am an occupational hazard to myself!”
“And everyone else, if given the chance,” murmured Elrond. Before he could further the conversation, a ruckus began across the room, and the two looked abruptly towards the more inhabited portion of the room to see flames licking the side of a wooden rocking chair favored by Glorfindel. They were upon their feet in a moment, and rushed over just as Elladan took a glass from his brother’s hand and threw the liquid upon the fire, causing it to rush up the side of the wood where it landed.
“Buggers! I thought he was drinking water!” Elladan jumped out of the way as the flames leapt up onto the seat of the chair and threatened to alight a nearby curtain. “Elrohir, your cloak!”
Before any more damage could be done, Erestor grabbed hold of the rocker by the arm that was not on fire and carried it quickly to the center of the room where the largest of the fire pits was located and tossed it in. The entire chair was engulfed in flames in a matter of seconds. “His cloak is flammable, too,” reasoned Erestor to the entirety of the hall, as everyone was staring now staring at him. When they continued to stare, he added, “I had to do something.”
“Glorfindel is not going to be happy when he comes back this spring,” said Elrohir quietly as he approached the fire. He looked at Erestor. “That was a bad idea.”
“But... I had nothing to do with it starting on fire. And I certainly had nothing to do with it being more on fire than it would have been if—if anyone is at fault, it is Elladan!” he exclaimed. He looked to Elrond for assistance. “Help me out a little here.”
“If this is your idea of a scandal, you might need to do better,” he muttered as he came alongside his friend. “Elladan? I expect you will replace this item before Glorfindel returns.”
“What? Me? I was not the one rocking so close to the fire!” He glared at his brother. “This is your fault.”
“My fault? I told you I was tired and did not wish to be here,” complained Elrohir. “You asked – begged, no, demanded that I come with you!”
“Boys!” Elrond felt his cheeks flushing in embarrassment over the outburst from his sons, and hoped he might blame it on the heat of the room. “I care not who is at fault – know this. Come the first week of spring, a new chair will be set here in this room for our captain, or you will not wish to know the punishment I shall create for you both.”
“Yes, father,” said both of them resignedly. Elrohir left the room then, knocking a shoulder into his brother as he went. Elladan made to follow, but Erestor took hold of him by the sleeve and did not let go until after the younger was out of the hall.
Elladan tugged his shirt away and looked at the flames and the destroyed chair. “Glorfindel is not going to be happy. That was a gift from Gildor. I have no idea how we are going to replace it.”
“I would suggest you find a way, and quickly. The frost has been sparse, and who knows if he might return early this year.” Elrond crossed his arms over his chest and gave his eldest son a stern look. “Since it is late, I would suggest that you retire for the evening.”
“I...” Elladan caught sight of the expression, and bowed his head. “Yes, sir. Good night.” He quickly left the room, not looking back.
Once his sons were gone, Elrond made eye contact with Lindir, and a formal nod made the minstrel break into a jolly tune about the unknown eighth son of Feanor and something about a unicorn that Erestor strained to hear as Elrond pulled him away into a corner of the room so that they could continue their conversation. “Days like this make me want to take the next ship West.”
“Mmmhmm.” Erestor looked around for his teacup, which had not held tea, but it seemed to have been cleaned up by a maid while the situation with the chair was being dealt with. “I know what you mean.”
