Into the Fire

BTW trying to write a story in this arc when your "g" and "f" buttons have issues is really kind of difficult.

Disclaimer: See previous installments.

Once I Was: Story Eight:

Duty

Imladris, TA 133

“This must be Elrond’s fault.” Glorfindel said as he looked at the two juice covered dark-headed elflings in front of him.

Lindir, standing in the doorway slacked jaw, surveyed the room.

“So, you won’t be able to watch Morwen then?” Erestor asked as he stood behind Lindir, the sleeping female toddler in his arms.

Glorfindel turned to Erestor with a terrified look, “Have you lost all sense? Do you not see the destruction wrought before you? You are suggesting I add a poor innocent elfling to this evil? They will kill her. Or eat her. Or something else equally unsavory.”

Erestor shook his head. “Clean them up, Glorfindel and bring them to the nursery. I am sure they will cause little harm if they are contained.”

“When are Elrond and Celebrian returning?” Glorfindel asked.

“Not until night fall.” Erestor said. “Do not begrudge them this much needed break. You have only been alone with those twins for an hour.”

“And let use see what they have done in that hour.” Lindir said from the doorway.

Erestor gave him a dark look, “Lindir, please assist him in cleaning the twins.”

“Me?” The minstrel asked. “I do not see why I must be punished with…” Lindir stopped at the look on the Chief Councilor’s face. “Right. Twins. Bathe.”

“Very good.” Erestor said.

Glorfindel turned back to his charges. Only true evil could look so innocent and sweet with those bright smiles and the twinkling eyes.

“I have faced a balrog you know.” Glorfindel told the twin elflings.

“Daddy said you fell.” Elladan informed Glorfindel.

“I am well aware of that, Elladan, as I was there.” Glorfindel said.

“Does facing a balrog count if you fell?” Elrohir asked.

“Glorfindel fell with the balrog therefore I believe it does count as you say, Elrohir.” Erestor said. “Now, if you wish to hear a story from Gondolin you boys will be perfect elves as Lindir and Glorfindel clean that juice off of you, correct?”

“Yes.” Elladan said as Elrohir nodded and silently agreed.

Erestor nodded again before turning to leave the room; the elf child in his arms still sleeping.

“It always works for Erestor.” Glorfindel muttered.

“Even elflings would never dare to defy him.” Lindir said as he held out a hand for Elrohir to take.

Glorfindel watched the two depart and marveled as Elrohir was the picture of perfect elfling restraint as he was led to the bathing chambers. Glorfindel turned back to Elladan and studied the elf child before him.

Elladan had three fresh scratches on his face, a slight bruise forming on his cheek, and was covered from head to toe in his juice. Three-year-old elflings were not supposed to be this troublesome. Glorfindel almost envied the humans, whose children’s minds took much longer to mature than an elf-child’s. Other members of Imladris had assumed the half-elven twins would take longer than the requisite one-year to begin speaking in full sentences. Glorfindel knew better; before a year Earendil was singing through all hours of the night much to Gondolin’s amusement and Tuor and Idril’s parental annoyance. Elrond’s sons had been born loquacious, speaking for hours long before the words had any discernable meaning.

Glorfindel attempted to stare Elladan into submission but Elladan merely rocked back and forth, a wide smile on his face.

“Elladan, would you please tell me why you threw your juice on your brother?”

Elladan laughed, “Fun.”

“Fun. Your ever revealing answer is ‘fun’?” Glorfindel shook his head, “Well, how am I to argue you with such a thing.” Glorfindel pressed a hand to his forehead.

“Daddy does that whenever I pour juice over paper.” Elladan informed Glorfindel.

“I am sure your father does more than that once your mother has escorted you from the room.” Glorfindel picked Elladan up, grimacing as he felt Elladan place his sticky hands on Glorfindel’s shoulder.

“Bath now?” Elladan asked.

“You must admit, you are in need of it.” Glorfindel said. “Bath now, play later.”

“With Elrohir?”

“Yes.”

“Morwen?”

Glorfindel smiled, “Possibly; she needs to rest though.”

“She sleeps too much.” Elladan stated.

“She is younger than you; she needs all that sleep just to keep up with you and Elrohir while she is awake.” Glorfindel told him.

“Mommy said we’re not to wake her up in the night anymore.” Elladan informed Glorfindel as they came to the stairs.

“It is very rude to wake a sleeping person up, Elladan.” Glorfindel said as he picked Elladan up; grand staircases were not meant for elfling legs.

“What’s rude?” Elladan asked.

“I would say ‘you,’ but as I am certain you would not understand such a thing, let us simply say it is something you do not want to be. Good elflings are not rude.”

Elladan nodded, “Erestor said rude people should be fed to a dragon or forced to visit King Thranduil. Is King Thranduil rude?”

“King Thranduil is merely…” Glorfindel searched for a word Elladan would understand. “King Thranduil is like Erestor; but he even gives rude people a place to rest.” Glorfindel told Elladan, neglecting to inform him said resting place was usually the dungeons. Thranduil had reportedly ordered ten more cells to be made.

As Glorfindel pushed open the door to the bathing chambers with his hip he smiled at the sound of Elrohir laughing. Elladan hopped down from Glorfindel’s arms and made to run off but Glorfindel simply reached a hand out and held Elladan up by the back of his shirt.

“Elladan, what are we not supposed to do in the bathing chamber?”

“Run.” Elladan said.

“And why is that?” Glorfindel asked.

“Because I will fall down and get hurt. Or I will fall down and get someone else hurt and there are only so many healers in Imladris.” Elladan said.

“Very good. What else do we not do?” Glorfindel asked as he continued their routine lecture.

“Go into the bath fully dressed.”

“Very good.” Glorfindel answered as he carried Elladan over to a bench and quickly took the juice ruined clothes off the elder twin. There would be another order to the seamstresses. Grape juice never seemed to come out of the twins’ clothing. Glorfindel gave Elladan a fierce look as he tied up his hair and shrugged his shirt off before gathering the boy in one arm and a basket of towels and soap in the other.

Glorfindel wondered how a vow to Turgon’s line could leave him in this position, but even he could not keep his frown in the face of the laughing and singing voices of elfling children.

******************************************************************************

Erestor tried not to laugh as he noticed Lindir and Glorfindel were much more soaked than their charges. The young Thandrog, barely out of his own childhood, trailed behind the minstrel and the captain, with the twin boys on each side of him.

“Did they fall in?” Erestor asked as he gestured to Lindir and Glorfindel.

“I assume so; the yelling is what brought me and half the guard to the bathing chamber.”

“Those are not elflings.” Lindir muttered as he shook out his wet hair. “Those are servants of the…”

“Lindir, we must not say such things around impressionable minds.” Erestor cautioned.

Thandrog placed the impeccably clean twins, dressed in equally pristine clothing, down on the floor. “If you are no longer in need of me, I would like to get back to my lessons.”

“You are dismissed.” Glorfindel said as he brushed out his wet hair. “I thank you for your assistance though I wonder, how did you become so skilled at changing elflings?”

Thandrog shrugged, “I have three siblings and am the eldest. Mother and father waited until I was twenty and then had twins; my younger sister followed a few years later.”

“How did your parents survive such a thing?” Glorfindel asked.

“Why would your parents do such a thing?” Lindir wondered.

Thandrog laughed, “They like elflings and to answer your inquiry, Captain, they had help.”

“Clearly you have been taught well.” Erestor said. “Good day, Thandrog.”

Thandrog nodded before leaving the room, he waved at the twins before he closed the door.

Erestor shook his head as he regarded both Lindir and Glorfindel. “Two warriors of the Last Alliance taken down by two elflings. What has Arda come to?”

“We were unaware!” Lindir protested.

“That is your defense?” Erestor asked, clearly unimpressed.

“Dumb.” Morwen said from the chair next Erestor’s side.

“Indeed, dumb.” Erestor agreed.

“She speaks.” Lindir said.

Erestor shook his head, “Of course she speaks, Lindir. She’s nearly a year old.”

“She never speaks to me.” Lindir said.

“Perhaps she finds you boring.” Glorfindel said as he walked over to Morwen, smiling as squirmed away from the strands of wet hair he was teasing her with. “Morwen and I have long talks, don’t we?” Glorfindel asked.

Morwen nodded silently as she wrapped a hand in Glorfindel’s hair.

“And what can you two possibly speak of?” Lindir asked.

“Stars, rainbows, dreams.” Glorfindel said. “All those lovely things.”

“She’ll be speaking in full sentences any day now.” Erestor said, proud as any parent. “She already understands more than the average elfling if I do say so myself.”

“That most likely has to do with Elladan insisting she is there for all of his lessons.” Glorfindel murmured.

“That is very likely.” Erestor agreed as he crouched down to Elrohir who was tugging on his robes. “Yes, Elrohir?”

“Can we go down to the Hall of Fire to hear the minstrels?”

Erestor merely raised a brow.

“May we go down to the Hall of Fire to hear the minstrels?” Elrohir tried again.

Erestor looked at Lindir.

Lindir sighed as he pulled on his shirt. “As long as you are quiet and well behaved.”

Elladan stood beside his brother. “We will be.”

Erestor nodded, “Then I shall allow you. I only need to feed Morwen first.”

“I’ll do it.” Glorfindel said as he stood up, the elf child in his arms. “I am headed to the kitchens anyway.”

“Are you certain, Glorfindel?” Erestor asked. “There will be juice involved.”

“Morwen would not dump her juice all over herself.” Glorfindel said.

“Maybe not herself but she might drop it on you.” Lindir muttered. “I certainly recall last week when she did such a thing.”

Erestor sniffed, “Glorfindel startled her then; any elf child would have lost control of their cup.”

“You have no bias at all in that judgment.” Lindir answered. “Either way, we best be off. I know how the twins covet the most central seats.”

“Only the best for the Lord’s sons.” Erestor answered as he ushered everyone out of the room.

************************************

Glorfindel carried Morwen past the offices of the councilors, the artist’s chambers, the sewing rooms. All the time the elfling kept up a commentary as she pointed out her favorite things to Glorfindel. They were just past the doorway down to the laundry when Glorfindel came to a stop at the sound of his name and the overwhelming smell of carnations. Glorfindel shared an exasperated look with Morwen, who seemed quite angered at the sudden stop of their journey, before he turned to meet the calculating eyes of Lothien.

If ever there was an inopportune time to run into one’s former bedmates, it was when one held a young child in their arms. Especially when one pondered the particular fate of said child.

“Lothien,” Glorfindel said, “I thought you had gone to the Havens.”

“I decided it was not yet time for me to sail.” Lothien said as she rested a hand on Glorfindel’s arm.

If Glorfindel could read an elfling’s mind, he would be certain the look in Morwen’s eyes meant ‘kick.’ Glorfindel took a step back. “Your family must be thankful you are staying for sometime.” Glorfindel said. “Well, I must be going.”

Lothien placed a hand on his arm again, “It is quite good of you to spend such time with that foundling, Glorfindel. Such dedication to duty.” Lothien stated, her tone softer than the expression in her eyes.

“I think it is far more Morwen’s duty to keep me occupied than the other way around.” Glorfindel said. “After all, she could be in the Hall of Fire right now listening to Elladan butcher the Lay of Earendil instead of entertaining me with her favorite sites of Imladris.”
Glorfindel laughed as the tiny fingers pressed into his shoulder. “I am sorry, Lothien, but it appears the little one wishes to be off now.”

Lothien reached out a hand to pat Morwen at the head, but at her slight whimper Glorfindel stepped to the side. “I fear our little Morwen does not desire to be touched by those she does not know and it is far past time for her mid-day meal.”

Glorfindel smiled at the ever increasing attempts of Lothien to regain his favor. She was a perfectly fine elf, but really, had she no sense of propriety to approach him when a child was in his arms? Glorfindel gave her one last nod before dashing down the hallway. When they were a safe distance away and entering the kitchens, Glorfindel whispered into Morwen’s ear
“Morwen, you do not like Lothien do you?”

Morwen shook her head in the negative.

“May I ask why?”

“Lothien smells bad.” Morwen answered simply before raising a hand to wave at the kitchen staff.

Glorfindel only pondered for a moment bragging to Erestor that he had been the first witness to a full sentence, with true meaning, spoken by Morwen but as the dark-haired elf was blood to the elfling in his arms, and had an even deeper connection with her, Glorfindel decided to keep the moment to himself.
“I’ve always found the scent of carnations quite lovely.” Glorfindel informed the elfling in his arms.

Morwen wrinkled her nose and sneezed.

“Ah,” Glorfindel said as he gladly took the cloth offered by Laugoneth, “That’s it then.”

Laugoneth laughed softly as she set down a light meal for both Glorfindel and Morwen.

“I was expecting Erestor.” Laugoneth told him.

“He’s watching over the twins as they watch over the minstrels.” Glorfindel answered as he carefully helped Morwen hold her spoon steady.

Laugoneth patted his shoulder before turning back to her bread making, “Celebrian is going to yell at you for not teaching Morwen how to hold that spoon like a lady.”

“Celebrian never yells at me.” Glorfindel scoffed though he did switch Morwen’s handle on the spoon.

“You truly enjoy this, don’t you?” Laugoneth asked.

“Children are very amazing creatures.” Glorfindel said. “They do not come into this world knowing what should be loved and feared; heroes and everyday elves are all the same, mere warm bodies to rest against as one naps. They do not care for titles; they are not yet poisoned by politics. As much as watching them can exhaust me they also rejuvenate me.”

“Shame about this one though;” Laugoneth said as she gestured to Morwen, “such an adorable little thing and her parents aren’t here to see her grow.”

“She is loved; is that now what matters most?” Glorfindel asked as he put down the spoon and helped Morwen with her cup.

“Yes, I suppose it is.” Laugoneth answered.

Morwen’s other hand patted against Glorfindel.

“Done?” Glorfindel asked her.

She nodded before leaning back against him.

“What do we say to Laugoneth?”

“Thank you.” Morwen dutifully answered.

“Would you like to see the minstrels now?” Glorfindel asked Morwen as he used the cloth from earlier to wipe away the slightest traces of the meal from Morwen’s face.

Morwen nodded.

“Glorfindel, will you not eat?” Laugoneth asked as he stood to leave.

“I can wait.” Glorfindel said as he studied Morwen; happy to note there was hardly a speck of food on her and no juice to be seen.

**********************************************************

Elladan and Elrohir were dancing, or at least attempting to, while Morwen sat perched on Erestor’s lap and clapped her hands to the fast-paced tune of the minstrels. The child did not even seem to care Erestor was using the crown of her head as a book rest.

“You could be denting her skull.” Glorfindel warned him.

“It is a soft cover.” Erestor replied. “It’s a mere copy of what will become hardbound.”

“Using an elfling as a book rest, what is the world coming to.” Glorfindel said.

Erestor smirked, as he turned a page, “Some of us merely know how to balance duty and pleasure in more efficient ways than others.”

“On the head of a one-year-old.” Glorfindel muttered.

“Eleven months and 16 days.” Erestor informed him.

Glorfindel scoffed, “That makes it so much…”

“Shh.” Morwen ordered him.

“You heard the elfling.” Erestor said as he turned back to his book, body shaking in silent laughter.

Glorfindel sniffed, “Well, that’s the last time I help feed you, Morwen.”

Morwen did not much seem to care as she was too busy laughing in delight as Elladan and Elrohir spun each other around the room.

Glorfindel allowed himself to look over the room at all the elves who were singing and dancing. Balanauth, not on the training field Glorfindel noticed with a raised brow, was busily chatting with Edlothiadeth, one of the healers.

Lindir was busy encouraging one of the minstrel’s children to sing a verse with them. Glorfindel believed the child’s name was Nithiel, but he wasn’t quite certain. So many families were having children these days in fear the time of peace would soon end.

There were many children in the room, ranging from newborns to elves on the verge of their majority. This was their reward, Glorfindel decided, the elder generations. This was their reward, to see a room full of young and innocent youths with no hint of a dark lord to be found.

Glorfindel glanced down as he felt an elfling impact with his leg.

“Yes, Elladan?” Glorfindel asked.

“You are thinking too much. Mother says thinking too much is bad.”

“She says father is the worst at it.” Elrohir continued.

“What would your mother suggest if she were here to reprimand me?” Glorfindel asked the twins.

“That you dance.” Erestor said from his chair. “Don’t you think so?” Erestor asked Morwen.

Morwen nodded and said, “Dance.”

Glorfindel was uncertain if it was a suggestion or an order.

“As the young lady bids.” Glorfindel said as he allowed himself to be pulled by the twins to the center of the room. He ignored the whispers about how sad it was to see a proud warrior and war hero duty-bound to the whims of children. Truly, Glorfindel would have it no other way. This was happiness. This was joy. This was peace. This was so far from duty, Glorfindel could almost weep in relief. Instead, he simply danced.

**********************************************

Glorfindel collapsed on to one of the chairs in the nursery; smiling at the sounds of sleeping elflings. Elladan and Elrohir had been placed in separate beds, but were currently curled up together in Elrohir’s bed. Glorfindel wondered if they had tried to “free” Morwen again. The last time Celebrian had walked into the nursery and found Morwen in Elladan’s bed as opposed to her crib, a near panic was reached. Elladan often woke many times throughout the night and caused all sorts of mischief, having designed many a plan to reach the door knob and escape from the room. Celebrian and Elrond had taken to stopping by the nursery once ever few hours to make certain all elflings were in their beds and not hiding under some poor elder councilor’s desk or a chair in the library.

He would have to thank Elrond and Celebrian for this day; as much as the parents needed a break, Glorfindel and Erestor needed this day to spend with the sheer uncomplicatedness of the children.

“Why up?” A soft voice inquired.

Glorfindel walked over to Morwen and kneeled by the side of her crib, “I could ask the same of you.”

“Elladan loud.” Morwen answered.

Glorfindel walked over to Elladan, smiling as the young elf-child snored and snorted.

“But he is loveable.” Glorfindel assured her.

Glorfindel walked back over to Morwen, obeying the silent command of her upheld arms.

“Would you like to hear a story?” He asked.

The elfling shook her head, ‘no.’

“A song?” Glorfindel asked.

A weary head nodded, ‘yes.’

“So, I shall sing you to sleep as I do every night. Fair enough.” Glorfindel said as he cradled Morwen to his side. He walked over to the open window and let the warm breeze blow over the child’s skin.

Glorfindel searched his mind for the many lullabies he knew and finally settled on the one for the night. Taking a deep breath, he sang,

“

Lay down your head and I'll sing you a lullaby

Back to the years of loo-li lai-lay

And I'll sing you to sleep and I'll sing you tomorrow

Bless you with love for the road that you go

May you sail far to the far fields of fortune

With diamonds and pearls at your head and your feet

And may you need never to banish misfortune

May you find kindness in all that you meet”

Glorfindel laid the sleeping elfling down in her bed, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. He walked over to the twins and smiled at the sight they made. Elrohir was turned around facing the end of the bed while Elladan was hanging off of the side; the blanket had long ago fallen to the floor. Laughing quietly, Glorfindel carefully placed the twins in proper positions and laid the blanket over their bruised and scratched legs. Kisses were bestowed on soft dark-haired heads before Glorfindel re-latched the window and blew out the candles. The hands which expertly held swords and bows twitched as Glorfindel desperately tried to close the door without making a sound. He breathed a deep sigh of relief as the door closed; separating the sleeping children within from the vivid sounds of the waking world outside.

“It is comforting, is it not?” Celebrian’s ethereal voiced breathed from behind him.

Only centuries of battle-trained reflexes saved him from collapsing against the door in surprise.

“When did you return?” Glorfindel asked.

“An hour ago; I opened the door as you started your song, but I see you did a fine job of sending the children to play in Lorien’s fields.”

“It was nothing, Celebrian, merely a song.” Glorfindel said as he held out an arm to guide the Lady of Imladris down the hall.

“It was beautiful and comforting.” Celebrian said. “Just as it was meant to be.”

“Did you have a good day of rest from your duties?” Glorfindel asked.

“Marvelous.” Celebrian assured him. “I thank you and Erestor for your gracious offer of elfling minding.”

“Lindir helped as well; as did the young Thandrog.”

“Truly?”

“There was a juice incident.” Glorfindel told her. “I needed assistance.”

“Ah.” Celebrian laughed. “I fear the twins have developed a habit of dropping their juice on each other. They quite like the sound Elrond makes when they do such things and then place their sticky hands and faces all over his books and papers.”

“That was the squawking I heard the other day.” Glorfindel exclaimed. “I had thought Imladris had acquire a new species of morning bird.”

“I fear it is only the same old species of annoyed Elrond Halfelven.” Celebrian said, her laughter barley restrained.

“Those sons of yours are quite a spirited handful, Celebrian.” Glorfindel informed her.

“I know.” Celebrian said, “I am so proud.”

Many elves stopped in their evening tasks as they heard the lovely sound of Lady Celebrian and Lord, Captain, Seneschal and recent child-minder Glorfindel laugh wholeheartedly; though many were left wondering what could produce such a reaction in both.

In the nursery three small elflings slept, oblivious to the world around them. Elladan woke only once that night, as a shining light from a bight star passed through the window; the elfling greeted the star before going back to his dreams full of scary dragons, grand horses, and glorious battles.

****************************************************

A/N 1: The “lullaby” Glorfindel sings is from the song “Sleepsong” by the group Secret Garden from their Earthsongs album.

A/N 2: Our favorite part of Morgoth’s Ring “The Law and Customs of the Valar” states The Eldar grew in bodily form slower than Men, but in mind more swiftly. They learned to speak before they were one year old; and in the same time they learned to walk and to dance, for their wills came soon to the mastery o their bodies. Tolkien, The History of Middle Earth Volume X: Morgoth’s Ring: The Later Silmarillion Part One. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1993. 209-10. Hence my reason for very early speaking and walking elflings.