"So what do I owe you?"
"At least two bottles of wine and a cheesecake. From the Shire, not from the kitchens here," warned Glorfindel as he followed Zhie into her office. "A nice, fluffy cheesecake. Make it two cheesecakes, and a bottle of wine," he decided as he perched on the corner of her desk.
"Done," declared Zhie as she sat down in her chair. It was that moment that someone else came around the doorway, arms crossed, looking slightly amused.
"If you had to bribe him, the least you could do was offer something to me."
"What you want offered is typically unacceptable for the work environment," stated Glorfindel.
Erestor gave an elegant shrug of one shoulder, and smirked. "I find it interesting that the great hero of Gondolin needs to be persuaded with cheesecake and wine in order to--"
"Oh, Erestor. You think I was really going to spoil him without bringing something back for you as well?" Zhie shook her head at the Noldo in the doorway. "I thought you liked an occassional surprise."
"Not particularly," he reminded her.
"Hmm? Oh... must be Elrond, then. The point is--"
"Wait, did you just confuse something about Elrond with me?" Erestor gave a mock look of shock as Zhie rolled her eyes at his dramatics and began to set out the ink and paper she would need to write out writs. "Frankly, I think I should feel insulted."
"Feel whatever you like, dear, but I had no intention of not thanking you properly for assisting me with Bainith." She looked up to see Erestor waggle his brows, and added, "With a nice present that can be gift-wrapped." He grinned lasciviously. "And fits into a bottle," she added pointedly to both of them, for Glorfindel was chuckling now as well.
"It always starts with just a bottle of wine..." he said in a sing-song voice as he left the office.
"Pervert," she said under her breath after he'd gone, but a moment later he and his acute Elven hearing were back.
"Takes one to know one," he said cheekily as he peeked around the corner, then left again.
Glorfindel had been picking up various items from the desk to examine them, but now focused on Zhie. "So, speaking of apprentices... I suspect from the way you and Erestor have avoided discussing your plans for the next month, that your intention is to be in Moria very soon."
"Could be..." She glanced up from her writing slowly, pausing when she saw the worried look. "I am too old, mean, and cranky not to return."
"That is what Balin said," he reminded her. "Do me a favor, now?"
Not used to hearing her former Lord so serious, she set down her quill and looked up to listen.
"Leave Ress and Mitzi and those other ravens that follow you here. I am sure I can take care of them-"
"They are not pets-"
"-and take a bear or a wolf-"
"-I do not trust wolves-"
"-and use the map, because so help me-"
"-I like making my own maps, thank you-"
"-I know where the Halls of Mandos are, and I will come and find you, and it will not be for a holiday."
Zhie folded her arms over her chest, sulking. "I am taking the blood-raven."
"And a bear."
"And a lynx. No bears. Firstly, they are too dense, if what I hear of the ruined areas is true. Secondly, Bandoras fears them, and I will not jeopardize anything by running into his there and having him fall off a cliff because Aigloss was with me."
"From what you have said, he may well fall off a cliff anyhow," recalled Glorfindel.
Zhie nodded. "I just do not want to be the one held responsible."
"And write. I want letters."
"If you want letters, then I need Mitzi with me. She is the only one who can fly them back."
"Fine. But the other birds stay here." He looked uncertain about adding the next thing, but after several minutes of watching Zhie return to her writing, he added, "If you should encounter flame and shadow, do not regret leaving it be."
She paused again and scrutinized him. "That seems odd, coming from you."
"I mean no offense, I know that you have trained against many foes, I know you like to kill the undead and have a special passion for slaying giants and trolls, but the bane of Gondolin is different," he said solemnly. "If you encounter one, it will kill you."
The loremistress attempted to mask her unease with a light shrug. "If it will make you feel better, I will try to avoid them. If there are any -- the rumors--"
"Are probably true," he cut in. "So be careful."
She considered this, chin resting on her hand. "You would prefer I not go to Moria."
"No," he said after a short pause. "I know if you do not go there, you would go back to Evendim. No matter where you travel, there is danger. I know how much it means to you, to atone for sins of ages past, but do not attempt my foolish solution."
"No intentional balrog fighting. I would swear an oath on that, but look where the last one got me," she said, trying with a smile to lighten the mood.
-END-
