Betrothal To An Elf 24

Betrothal To An Elf

Part 24

Posted: September 28, 2007
Title: Betrothal To An Elf
Author: Inwë Sáralondë

Summary: Elladan gets a dressing down from his twin.

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When the twins returned to the house, they found Glorfindel waiting for them. “Your father and grandmother wish to see you,” he said softly, taking in the two very different expressions on the twins’ faces.

“Grandmother is here?” Elrohir asked.

“Aye. She came two days past.”

“But how…?” Elrohir began, but Elladan cut him off.

“Adar would have mind-spoken with her. She must have ridden almost non-stop for her to already be here.”

“I believe she did,” Glorfindel responded. “She saw the matter of grave enough importance to do so.”

“And, of course, you know why she is here.” The sarcasm was evident in Elladan’s voice, and the seneschal frowned slightly. “Hence the summons to immediately see her and Adar,” Elladan continued, his voice rising in increasing anger.

“Elladan!” Elrohir turned on his older twin, his own face flushed. “You go too far,” he whispered to Elladan. “Glorfindel has done nothing to deserve your ire. Now cease!”

Surprised, Elladan stared at Elrohir. He opened his mouth to say something more, but immediately shut it again, seeing the anger glittering in the younger Peredhel’s eyes. Suddenly, he had the sudden wish to crawl into some dark corner, away from his brother’s anger. Glorfindel, he saw, was standing and looking at him, his face blank, whether it be from a desire not to show what he was thinking, or because Elladan had truly shocked him.

Elrohir turned to Glorfindel. “Could you please tell Adar and grandmother that we will be there as soon as we have had a chance to freshen up?”

The seneschal smiled grimly, understanding the underlying message. In the short time since the twins’ return, it was obvious that Elrohir had more quickly accepted the idea that he and Elladan were soul-mates, whereas Elladan was proving to be resistant. ‘There is going to be more than just fireworks before this is resolved,’ Glorfindel thought as he turned and walked back into the house.

“Just *what* has gotten into you?” Elrohir demanded. “Can you not keep a civil tongue in your head?”

Elladan had the grace to look a little shame-faced. “I suppose you are going to call me a troll,” he said weakly. When they were elflings, it was the name that Elrohir would call the elder twin after Elladan had brought him to anger. But Elladan’s poor attempt at humour fell flat.

“We are no longer elflings, Elladan, even though your behaviour just now was that of a spoilt elfling in good need of punishment,” he hissed. “Now I suggest you show some restraint when we go and see Adar and grandmother.” Elrohir began to follow in Glorfindel’s footsteps, then stopped when he realised his brother was not following him. “Are you coming?” he asked.

“Is this a curse we are under?”

Elrohir stared at his brother. “Define ‘curse’, Elladan,” he responded dryly. “In my opinion, having you as my brother at this point in time is probably as close a definition to ‘curse’ as one could get.”

“I do not blame your brother for thinking that, Elladan.” Both turned to see Erestor at the top of the stairs, his gaze unwaveringly on the elder twin. “You owe Glorfindel an apology. He is with your father and grandmother in your father’s study. Now go, both of you.”

“Will you be there as well?” Elrohir asked.

Erestor’s gaze softened as his focus shifted to the younger Peredhel. “Aye. Your father has requested that I be there, along with Glorfindel.”

Elrohir smiled at his former tutor before turning back to his brother. “Come, Elladan.” The younger Peredhel’s voice was gentle, and the elder twin gave a small smile as he followed the other two elves into the house.

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Elvish translations:

Adar – father

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