Elrond was now pacing Erestor’s room, as he had been for the past twenty minutes. He had just explained that his sons had come home that evening to practice their math lessons, and asked for his assistance. Elrond was pleased to hear they were learning about probability and statistics, and appalled when he found out they were playing poker in class. “This is just not working. Despite the fact he is teaching something innovative, I will not have the children gambling.”
“But were they really gambling? Using money?” asked Erestor.
“They are children. They have no money. No, he had them using jelly beans. Which is completely beside the point.”
“Using jelly beans to play a game is hardly going to turn the youth of the city into hardcore gamblers,” argued Glorfindel. “However,” he amended as Elrond gave him a lengthy glare, “it does seem highly unsanitary. I will address this issue tomorrow.”
“I will address the issue,” corrected Elrond. “Orophin is obviously unsuitable for this position.”
“If we get rid of Orophin, someone is going to need to teach the class,” said Erestor.
Elrond nodded. “A message has been sent to Lothlorien. I have requested that Haldir return immediately. Until he is back, Glorfindel, you will need to teach the math courses.”
“Who, me?” Glorfindel shook his head. “No, I am not a lecturer, and you know that. My classes are best taught on a training field. I have no skill behind a podium.”
“Your recruits will be placed in Orophin’s care. I do know that he is more than capable as an archery instructor. As soon as Haldir returns, you can rejoin your recruits.”
Something of a subdued whimper came from Glorfindel, but he did not argue further. Instead, it was Erestor who came to his aid. “So, let me be sure I am entirely clear on this. You are going to remove Orophin from a room where we can at least watch what he is doing with these jellybeans you seem so concerned about, and we are instead going to put him in an open area, with lots and lots of sharp, pointy objects. Are you bored, by chance, Elrond? Not enough work for you in the infirmary?”
Mouth open slightly and eyes narrowed just so, Elrond took a moment to contemplate this. Then, he turned to Glorfindel. “Erestor has a valid point. I would rather end up with a generation that cannot add properly than a company of soldiers aiming their arrows in my direction in jest. See if you can talk to him and get him to do something else until his brother returns.”
“I will do what I can,” promised Glorfindel. “In the meantime, do you want me to come and help Elladan and Elrohir with their lessons, or are you content with continuing to play dealer?”
Elrond shook his head. “Orophin had better hope none of his students end up with gambling addictions before he leaves.”
“What about after he leaves?” wondered Glorfindel with a smirk.
“Those, I will blame on you. Good night,” Elrond said with a mirthful look at his captain before he retired for the evening.
- - -
The next morning, Glorfindel went to Orophin’s classroom an hour early, to be sure to avoid the students. He ended up waiting nearly fifty minutes before the substitute showed up. It happened to make him a little grumpier than he was when he arrived – Elrond’s unexpected appearance had cut any chance he had for spending any further time with Erestor.
“Glorfindel, what a surprise! To what do I owe the—“
“You can stop right there, Orophin. I know what you are up to. Elrond is getting an idea of things as well, and least of all does he appreciate the use of gambling in your class.”
“But you were the one who suggested I come up with something a little more practical,” Orophin reminded the Vanya as he arranged his roster on the podium and put fresh chalk in the tray.
“There is a difference between being innovative, and being ridiculous. You are walking on the line between them right now, and I suggest that you stop with the poker. Please. Elrond is talking about replacing you,” he added when Orophin pretended not to be listening.
Looking up in a very serious manner now, Orophin said, “Today, we were going to work on fractions and percentages. There will be no poker, and nothing that resembles gambling – but I suggest, if Elrond fears them using candies as their ante, he reconsider some of the other games the children around here play.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Go and listen to some of the songs the children sing when they skip rope, or watch them pretend to kill one another with sticks for swords. Did you know there is a popular game that elflings play called ‘Balrog Slayer’? I can see by your reaction you did not know. Now, if you will excuse me, I see my pupils are beginning to arrive, and I have a lesson to teach them.” Orophin gave a very pointed look at the door.
Glorfindel, not about to begin a harsh exchange of words with the students arriving turned to leave. “Thank you for your cooperation with adhering to the rules set forth by the Oropher Memorial Academy of Higher Learning!” he cheerfully called out as he left the room. He then went to track down some young ones to see if he could find out about this mysterious ‘Balrog Slayer’ game.
Orophin waited until Glorfindel had gone before he took his favorite spot behind the desk. He propped his feet atop the stacks of papers yet to be graded from the first lesson on and when the last student entered, motioned that they should shut the door.
“Good morning, class, so good to see all of you and your bright, shining faces!” Orophin noticed some lint on his tunic and flicked at it until it drifted off onto the floor. “Today, I have two special treats for you. First, there will be no homework this evening!”
This was met by many cheers from the class. “And, the other?” asked Elrohir.
“The other, is that today, we are going to work on a new subject. How many of you have experience in fractions?” Two hands timidly rose up. “Spectacular. And how many of you have done anything with percentages?” Both hands dropped back down. “Well, I think we are all going to benefit immensely from this lesson.”
Opening the desk drawer, Orophin brought his legs down and pulled out a lemon. He then brought out a small knife and a cutting board. “Now, this,” he said, holding the fruit up as he stood, “is a ‘whole’ lemon. We could say this is ‘one’ lemon. We could also say that this is 1/1 lemon.” Orophin went to the board, and wrote:
1 = 1/1
“The number on the bottom is the total number of pieces, and the number on top is the number of pieces you have. We have, one lemon,” he said, holding up the fruit, “and, we have all of the parts of it. Of course, it is easier to say one, and not one-oneth. That would be silly, and people would think you were either being much too precise, or that you were trying to show you were smarter than they were – or they might think you were doing both, in which case, they would think you were Erestor. And none of use wants to be mistaken for that!”
As the class laughed, Orophin cut the lemon down the center. “Now, I have two pieces. If I give Elladan this piece,” he said, handing the peredhel one of the chunks, “how many would you say he has?”
“He has one,” said Elrohir.
“Yes, but as a fraction. Remember, he has one piece, but it is only a part of the whole,” prompted Orophin.
Calisil raised her hand. “He has one-over-two, because there are two parts.”
“Very good. You could more commonly say, he has one-half. If I cut my piece again, and give it to you,” said Orophin, doing so and handing it to Calisil, “then how much do you have?”
“One-third?” she guessed.
“Close... I have one piece, and you have one piece, but Elladan has two pieces; his are still just connected.”
Everyone looked around, puzzled, until Elrohir snapped his fingers. “Sure, I get it! Your pieces and Calisil’s piece, put together, are equal to Elladan’s. Cut Elladan’s in two, and each of his pieces are equal to one of yours. So Calisil has one-quarter!”
“Excellent! Excellent,” repeated Orophin. He took the lemon slices back from Elladan and Calisil and brought them to the cutting board, where he chopped Elladan’s piece in half, and then reached into his desk for another lemon. “For today’s lesson, we need to be in groups of four. When you get into your group, you will move three or four desks together in a line, put three chairs on one side, and have one of your group mates stand on the other side.”
“What if we have three?” asked Elladan, looking about and unable to find a fourth for his group.
“Then you get me,” said Orophin cheerfully.
