The Robe of the Golden Flower

Disclaimer: LOTR belongs to the creative genius of JRR Tolkien, not me.

The Robe of the Golden Flower.

Part Two.

As soon as Glorfindel turned the corner and passed out of sight, Elladan and Elrohir quickly headed to Elrohir’s chambers, which lay in the direction Legolas had gone. Neither of them bothered to peer into the study as they hurried past, and so did not see that Elrond was seated in his favorite chair, sipping a glass of wine with a rather strange smile on his face as he reflected on the events of the past few minutes. Not that he would allow Glorfindel the satisfaction of hearing him say it, but he enjoyed his friend’s quirky sense of humor, even if the jest had been at his expense. He had also witnessed the exchange between Legolas and Glorfindel as they left, and he was relieved, and pleased to see that Legolas also saw the humor in the incident.

Elrond considered that the three young friends who had inadvertently caused the embarrassing scene were often accused of being trouble makers, but they could not have had a better tutor than the Lord of the House of the Golden Flower, and he raised his glass in a silent toast to his lifelong friend.

*****

Glorfindel made his way unhurriedly for he did not, in all honesty, expect to find Elladan and Elrohir in the kitchen. He was certain that they had been there with Legolas, but he sincerely doubted they had waited this long for their accomplice to return, especially if they suspected that he had landed in trouble with Elrond. When he entered the room, he smiled as he noted the newly kindled fire, and the three sets of clothing spread out on the hearth. There was the undeniable absence of any sense of the presence those he sought. Rather than seek them out, dressed as he was now in only his under tunic and leggings, he merely stoked the fire a little, turned the damp clothes over so that they would dry properly, and then returned to his own chamber.

*****

“What did you make of all that?” Elladan asked his brother as he closed the door behind them. Elrohir had gone straight to his wardrobe and selected two of his winter robes, donning one and handing the other to his brother.

“I know what it looked like, but… well… Legolas has never mentioned that he has ‘those’ kinds of feelings for Glorfindel,” he said, still unable to quite believe what he had seen.

Elladan accepted the robe, and nodded agreement as he wrapped himself in the welcome warmth of the thick cloth.

“No he has not, but now that I think on it, does it not seem strange that Glorfindel frequently finds reason to visit Mirkwood?” he asked as he settled himself on the end of Elrohir’s bed.

“Ai, it does. Do you want some wine?” offered Elrohir, preferring to see to his own comfort before continuing the discussion.

“Why Elrohir, is that not a bottle from Adar’s forbidden cellar? How does it come to be in your possession?” Elladan asked suspiciously as he watched his brother pour the wine.

“There was not enough room for this bottle in the cabinet after Adar received the last delivery from Thranduil,” replied Elrohir with feigned innocence, the slight pink tinge to his ears indicating he was not ‘quite’ telling the truth.

“I see,” said Elladan, his total disbelief apparent in his tone of voice. “Had I not come here tonight, would you have invited me to share it?” he asked with a tinge of genuine hurt in his voice at the thought of Elrohir keeping the wine to himself.

“Do we not share everything?” asked Elrohir in reply as he lightly kissed his brother’s brow and handed him his glass of wine. “It only arrived yesterday, and I was so cold when we returned this evening that I completely forgot I had it. There was no need for Legolas to go to the study, as he was very eager to do. I wonder if he knew Glorfindel would be there?” he mused, obviously still disturbed by whatever he imagined had happened

“Or maybe Glorfindel saw him in the hallway and simply followed him there. Do you think we should ask Legolas which was the case?” asked Elladan, his curiosity piqued.

“Nay, I do not wish to invade his privacy,” said Elrohir rather sharply.

“You sound as if you disapprove of his behavior,” said Elladan.

“And you do not?” countered his brother.

“As you say, his private life is his own, whether I approve or not is of no consequence. Yet… I admit I would not have believed he was interested in Glorfindel unless I had witnessed it for myself,” conceded Elladan.

“Perhaps we are mistaken, and it was something perfectly innocent,” suggested Elrohir his eyes alight with hope.

“Perhaps… but rather than ask him, and earn his wrath if we are mistaken, we should just observe their behavior towards each other for a while. It will soon be obvious whether they are more than friends,” said Elladan.

“Well, if we are going to do that, I suggest we both take some rest. You heard Legolas tell Glorfindel he would return his robe in the morning, let us see if he does.”

“And how long it takes him to do it!” added Elladan with a wicked grin that disappeared rapidly when Elrohir threw a cushion at him, causing him to spill his wine.

As it happened, the day was already several hours old before either of the late night adventurers stirred, and to their combined dismay they were summoned to the study as soon as they had finished a late breakfast. They exchanged a meaningful look when Glorfindel, who had come to deliver Elrond’s message, also informed them that he and Legolas were going riding.

“Alone?” asked Elrohir. Glorfindel frowned at the cold disapproval he heard in the younger Elf’s voice.

“Ai, but we will not venture too far beyond the boundries of Rivendell," he answered, assuming Elrohir was simply concerned for their safety. There had been reports of increasing numbers of raids by Orcs in the area of late.

“When are you expecting to return?” asked Elladan. The elf lord raised an inquisitive eyebrow at the question which sounded more like a demand than a polite enquiry.

“When we choose to return, I expect. Why do you wish to know?” he asked, confused by the attitude being displayed towards him by the brothers.

“We were planning to show Legolas the new fishing spot we have discovered,” replied Elrohir, averting his eyes from the elder Elf’s gaze. It was not really a lie; they had discovered such a place, and intended to take Legolas there some time before he returned to Mirkwood.

“I doubt you would have found the time today,” said the stern voice of Elrond as he beckoned to his sons to enter the study and dismissed Glorfindel with a nod of his head.

“Have we done something to earn your anger, Adar?” asked Elladan, judging by the look on his Adar’s face, and the words he had just spoken, that they were about to be punished.

“Indirectly... Legolas was found in my study in the early hours of this morning, helping himself to a bottle of my wine. When questioned by Glorfindel, he said he was seeking something to warm his blood. Since you two returned Rivendell with him, in the same wet and cold state, and I know neither of you would disobey me, I assume you asked him to get the wine?” Elrond said, sounding as if he was merely stating the facts, rather than asking for an explanation.

“We did mention it would help warm us up, but he offered to come and get it,” said Elladan. It was the truth, and Elrond easily sensed it was so.

“Yet you made no attempt to stop him, and had he returned, you would have helped him drink it, I assume?” They both nodded. “I am most disappointed in all three of you. I have accepted Legolas’s apology for his behavior, and the matter is at an end. However, as far as you two are concerned, I think that an afternoon spent collecting firewood for the kitchens will give you time to reflect on your disobedience towards me,” Elrond decreed.

“We are both very sorry Adar, and it will not happen again,” said Elrohir with sincere regret for angering Elrond.

“That is a promise I have heard often form you both, and is not easily kept,” said Elrond with a smile at the words he had heard uttered on many similar occasions over his son’s lifetimes.

******

“Adar was right, it will take us all afternoon to find dry firewood,” complained Elladan as they trudged through the waterlogged undergrowth looking for branches that had not been exposed to the downpour of the previous night.

“What I want to know is why Legolas is immune to punishment? He should be here with us, not riding through the forest with Glorfindel!” declared Elrohir, snorting with disgust as he stepped into a large puddle of mud.

“From what Adar said, it appears that Glorfindel spoke in his defense, and that Legolas definitely has his favor,” commented Elladan sullenly.

“I wonder what they are doing now?” mused Elrohir as he threw aside another sodden branch.

******

Elrond had received word that a band of Orcs had been seen near one of the villages that were but a few hours ride from where the Rangers were camped, and he had asked Glorfindel to inform them as soon as possible.

Legolas had heard part of the conversation when he returned Glorfindel’s robe to him, and had offered to accompany the elf lord. Although well able to take care of himself, Glorfindel was nonetheless more than willing to accept the company of such a skilled archer. They rode in swift silence to their destination, and stayed only long enough for the message to be delivered over mug of herbal tea and some freshly baked bread that Legolas had brought from Rivendell.

By mutual agreement, the ride back was at a much more leisurely pace and Glorfindel took advantage of the opportunity to speak privately with Legolas.

“Did you notice Elladan and Elrohir behaving rather strangely this morning?” he asked his companion.

“I can not say, for I have not spoken to either of them since last night,” said Legolas. “What makes you call their behavior strange?”

“There was an unusual coldness, a distinct sound of disapproval in their voices when they spoke to me. I sensed that I must have offended them in some way, but I know not how,” he explained.

“That does not sound like them at all. Why, only last night they were singing your praises to the Rangers, and I know they regard you as their favorite tutor, as you are mine,” said Legolas affectionately eliciting a smile of delight from his elder.

“Perhaps they were simply anxious as to why Elrond summoned them,” suggested Glorfindel, thinking out loud.

“Although, they are so often in trouble, one would think they would be well accustomed to facing lord Elrond’s displeasure,” scorned Legolas.

“Indeed they should,” agreed Glorfindel, laughing merrily, his good mood restored.

“It is more likely that they were angry with me,” said Legolas. “Had I neen een attempting to steal the wine, none of us would have been in trouble.”

“Ai, but neither would I have had such an unlooked for chance to tease Elrond, or you, my dear Legolas,” said Glorfindel with a gleeful smirk. “I wonder what Thranduil would have thought if it had been he, and not I who had ‘caught’ you in Elrond’s arms!”

“Much the same as you did, I suspect, although I doubt he would have been amused,” replied Legolas. “You do not intend to tell him, I hope?” he asked as they dismounted, having reached the courtyard of the Last Homely House.

“No, rest assured it will remain our little secret,” vowed Glorfindel a he placed his arm around his young companion’s shoulders and hugged him affectionately, eliciting a brilliant smile of gratitude from Legolas.


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