The Teacher

They went to the room that Elrond would be sharing with Glorfindel first so that he could retrieve his bag of herbs. Then they went back to Penda’s roomrondrond opened the door, allowing her to go in first. “That Millie,” Penda thought to herself. A small fire was burning in the fireplace, her bed had been turned down and a long tub sat near the fireplace, full of steaming hot water for bathing. Lighting a candle on the table by the bed, Elrond found a note from the woman, which he read out loud; “Penda, I thought you might enjoy a hot bath. Have Emma come up and help you with your hair, Millie.”

“I’ll remove the bandages, then I’ll go down and get Emma for you,” Elrond told her. Penda sat down by the tub. Elrond knelt down in front of her and gently removed the bandages. Then, one by one, he removed her boots, knowing they would probably give her the most trouble.

Penda looked at the top of his head as he knelt front of her. His hair looked so smooth. She wanted to reach out and touch it, to run her fingers through it, but she wouldn’t. The one time, many years ago, that she had touched a male, her human father had threatened to beat her. When he was finished, Elrond went through his pack, looking for the herbs he would need. “I will go get Emma now,” he said as he turned and went out the door.

As he closed the door Penda stood and began to pull her tunic off. Suddenly she lost her balance and with a shriek, fell into the tub. Hearing her, Elrond came back. As he stepped into the room he stopped in mid-stride. There was Penda, sitting in the tub, her feet hanging over the edge and soaking wet from the head down. It was all Elrond could do to keep from laughing.

“Penda, let me help you up,” he told her as he hurried over to the tub.

“I am fine, milord, I can get up on my own,” she replied as she struggled to her feet. She grasped the side of the tub and tried to pull herself up, but she lost her grip when pain went shooting through her yet unhealed left hand, causing her to fall in again.

“Now, will you let me help youlronlrond asked. Penda nodded her head.

Stepping around to the other side of the tub, he grasped her by the arms and lifted her to her feet. “Be still now,” he said, “and I will get you a towel.”

Penda did as she was told. After getting a towel, he stepped to her side and, taking her by the hand, helped her out of the tub. “We will need to get you out of these wet clothes,” he told her as she began to shiver. Wrapping the towel around her, he could not help but notice how her wet tunic clung to her, outlining her ample breasts, her nipples hard from the cool air. Clearing his throat, he said, “I’ll see if I can find Emma,” then he turned and walked out the door, closing it behind him.

Her shivering became worse. Deciding not to wait for Emma, she moved to stand in front of the fireplace, dropping the towel. Untying her leggings she managed to peel them off. She tried to pull the tunic off but only managed to pull it up a short way before her hand began to hurt so she had to stop. She heard someone tapping on the door. “Come in,” she called out, assuming it was Emma, “I got my leggings off, but I’ll need help with my…,” she said as she turned to face Emma, but it wasn’t Emma, it was Elrond. They stood there, staring at each other for several moments. Elrond was mesmerized.

When he had walked in, he did not think he would see her like this. Standing in front of the fireplace; the light from firefire shinning off her tussled hair. The tunic still clinging to her; covering her only to the top of the ‘v’ where her legs joined. Her bare legs se to to go on forever.

“Penda, I didn’t mean to…” he said in a soft, low voice.

“I thought you were Emma,” she interrupted him, her voice just as soft.

“I could not find her,” he replied. “Nor either of the other girls.”

Suddenly they heard moaning coming from the rooms on either side of Penda’s room. The moans became soft cries of pleasure from women, and then they heard louder cries of pleasure, from elves.

“I think we just found them,” Penda said, her face turning red.

“Yes, I believe you’re right,” Elrond agreed. He wished that he had put her in a room away from the elves. He knew this could, and probably would, go on for most of the night.

“Penda, I don’t believe there is anyone else here that could help you,” Elrond said, “I could go wake Millie.

“No, no, don’t do that. She works hard enough as it is, and n’t n’t want to get the girls into any trouble,” Penda told him. “Perhaps… ” she whispered, and then stopped, turning her head.

“Perhaps, what?” Elrond asked, his voice becoming soft and low again.

“Perhaps,” she said quietly, “you could help me.”

“Penda, I don’t think… ” Elrond began.

“I know; it was silly of me to suggest it.”

“No, it wasn’t silly. I just…” Elrond stopped in mid sentence.

“I will do it. I’ll manage somehow. My hair will just…,” she began.

“Penda,” Elrond said, silencing her.

“Yes, milord?”

“Lift your arms,” he told her as he moved towards her . Penda did as she was told. “Now, I will close my eyes, while I pull your shirt up,” he told her as he grasped the end of her tunic. “You pull your arms out, and then climb into tub.tub. I will stand outside the room. When you are ready, call me and I will come in and wash your hair.”

He didn’t give her time to argue. Once the tunic was over her head she quickly pulled her arms out and climbed into the tub. Elrond dropped the tunic, then, with his eyes still closed, he turned and walked out the door, bumping into a chair as he left..

As he stepped out, closing the door behind him, he exhaled. It had been hard standing there, so close to her, wanting to reach out and touch her. Reaching down he touched himself. Gods, he was hard, so hard it hurt. He heard a doorn, ln, looking down the hall he saw Glorfindel step out of their room.

“Milord,” Glorfindel said, “what are you doing out here?”

“I should ask you the same, Mellon,” Elrond replied. “I thought you were entertaining Emma.”

“I am, milord, but she is worn out. I thought I would let her rest for a short time. What of you, Mellon?” Glorfindel asked again, “Why are you out here?

“Penda is taking a bath. I am waiting for her to finish so that I can help her with her hair,” Elrond answered him.

Glorfindel looked at his friend. He could see his friend’s desire for Penda in his eyes. “Oh, I thought you two were….” He began to say.

“Were what?” Elrond asked, interrupting him.

“The way you two have been looking at each other milord, I thought perhaps you were spending the night with her,” Glorfindel finished.

Elrond turned to his friend. “As I said earlier, Mellon, I have no intention of spending one or two nights in her arms, then leaving her alone we we arrive in Imladris. It would break her spirit,” Elrond replied.

“Then perhaps, milord, you would care to ‘dally’ with Emma; she is willing.”

“Oh?” Elrond replied, raising an eyebrow.

“She asked earlier if you would be joining us. She seemed disappointed when I told her no,” Glorfindel told him. “You don’t have to stay long. It would give you some much needed relief, and Emma can do some amazing things with that mouth of hers.”

Elrond turned and looked at the door to Penda’s room. “Alright,” he replied, “I will join you, for a short time,” and then, both elves went into the room where Emma was waiting.

In the meantime, Penda had found several extra buckets of water, climbing out of the tub; she was able to push them near the fire place to warm them. Then, using her right hand, she managed to pick one up and dumped the contents into the tub. She found some lavender bath oil and added a small amount to the water, then slid back in. The water was soothing for her, and it wasn’t long before she dozed off, her head resting on a towel behind her.

Some time later, Elrond stepped out of the room that he and Glorfindel were using. Normally, he would not have done anything like this, but he knew he would burst if he didn’t get some relief. Glorfindel had been right about one thing; Emma was quiet good with her mouth.