Glorfindel padded softly down the massive halls, hands tucked into the opposing sleeves of his cream coloured robe. It was early morning, full of a fresh breath of crisp new air, the time of day the Elf enjoyed from time to time. Not very many were up and making their rounds yet, so he had time to be alone.
Glancing at nearby tree, he smiled wanly. The leaves were falling one by one from their recent homes to coat the ground in a cool blanket of gold. Rivendell was always beautiful this time of the year. Then again, Glorfindel noted with a smirk, Rivendell is always beautiful, no matter what time of the year.
Passing through a few corridors, the ancient Elf smiled to himself as he came near to his lord's bedchamber doors. Elrond would still be asleep for all Glorfindel knew, and it would be best not to disturb him. Tucking a few stray strands of hair behind his delicately pointed ear, he started to walk past the huge wooden doors when he heard something he least expected behind them. Giggling.
Not just any sort of giggling. The kind of giggles a child would make when they thought they were pulling a wise one on the grown ups by staying up when they were supposed to be asleep. The sound a child would utter when playing on the bed. Blinking, Glorfindel halted his steps. It reminded him of the soft wind chimes he heard now and then around the House, and of a harp's musical notes being carried swiftly in the afternoon breeze to reach his ears. Out of a whim, the Elf reached for the doorknob and froze. Elrond would not be pleased if he intruded, but maybe he wouldn't mind if he said he wanted to make sure everything was okay. Biting his lower lip, Glorfindel pushed against the heavy door and slowly stepped in.
Looking directly at a little lump under the soft satin bed sheets covering his lord's bed, the Elf cleared his throat loudly to announce his presence. The bundle shuddered, yelped, and scurried over to the other side before lying still. There was some random whispering and a small giggle, then nothing more. Glorfindel scanned the room for any other sign of life before cautiously padding over to the large bed. Taking a chunk of the material in his lean hand, he flipped the covers over to reveal what he least expected.
There, curled into a semi-circle on the side of his lord's bed was a small Elven child, raven hair spilled across the mattress and pale form twisting to face Glorfindel's direction. Two hazel eyes blinked up at the older Elf before two hands came up to hide the face. Glorfindel was speechless. What was a small child like this doing in Lord Elrond's bed? The child resembled the Lord of Imladris himself, looking what Elrohir and Elladan were like when they were small. Puzzled, the ancient Elf sat down on the edge of the bed, extending an open hand to the child.
The young Elf squirmed under the other's gaze, but sat up, a lock of hair curled around one finger hesitantly. He dropped his hands, allowing Glorfindel to see the circlet of silver around his neck and part of his shoulder, causing his eyes to bug out. That was the circlet Elrond wore around his head every day! Coughing unexpectedly, he startled the child, who whined and clutched the satin sheets in two small hands.
"Come now, little one - I won't hurt you at all."
The smaller Elf waited a few seconds before slowly crawling over to Glorfindel's lap, climbing on and immediately grabbing hold of the front of his robes, snuggling close. The elder patted the tyke's back comfortingly, staring down at the dark brown hair. A little dragonfly clip nestled in a cup of wild strands of hair caught his attention, his heart leaping in realization. "Elrond?!"
"Elrond!" the younger Elf repeated musically, giggling and nuzzling Glorfindel's chest. Glorfindel sat numb.
"This cannot be… How did… oh, goddess…"
"Gl-or-y," Elrond chirped suddenly, in a happy tone. Finding the outer robe's opening, he snuggled into the new 'cave' he found and pulled the cloth over his body, curling against Glorfindel's form. "Glor-ry…"
Glorfindel groaned softly, unbelieving. Lord Elrond was a *child*! Just a little Elf! Cupping Elrond's body in his arms, he stood and made his way towards the door. Elrond squeaked at the movement, scurrying around to grab a tight hold on Glorfindel's front, looking up at the distressed face. He murmured a few incoherent words before settling into the firm arms, watching everything with a wary eye.
After a few strides, Glorfindel stopped. Where was he going to take him? Lady Arwen? No, she was visiting a few villages and wouldn't return for a few days. The twins… Elrohir, maybe? Elladan would not be pleased at this new discovery, and would likely be the last to announce this to. Elrohir was smart. He would know what to do. But wait… or should he ride to Lorien instead, and not speak a word of this to anyone? No, Elrond's children would be furious with him and be so worried of where their father disappeared to that he wouldn't ever be forgiven. He was at a loss of ideas.
Elrond, noticing Glorfindel's state of deep thought, carefully slipped out of his grasp and down his robes to the floor, unnoticed by the older Elf. Looking back up to see if he was missed, he scratched his head briefly before taking off in a different direction, leaving the unsuspecting other behind. Turning a corner, he narrowly avoided getting stepped on by a passing maiden. Retreating back into the hallway, he waited until she was gone and he took off in the opposite way, carefully walking along the cold floor chilled by the morning air.
Passing by several rooms, he poked his head into the spacious room where the baths were held, picking up a small vile of a pink liquid, then dashing off to continue his 'journey'. He stopped by the kitchen as well, being so small he was never even noticed. There weren't very many present, either - meaning two - so he was able to snag a full, ripe apple, a clean banana, and a slab of dark chocolate on his cruise through. Rounding the corner, Elrond looked up at a few male Elves walking past him, grinning. Scampering down the hall, he came to two large doors, and he stopped.
Pushing with all his might, he managed to open one enough to fit through without dropping his stash in his arms. Sniffing, his eyes wandered around the room before settling on a form in the bed. Walking over he dumped the load on the sheets, climbing up from the sides. Crawling over to the sleeping figure, he sat right at the head, apple in hand. And he waited.
Glorfindel, meanwhile, was in hysterics. He had *just* realized the little one was gone from his arms, the sneaky impertinence. He began his search not immediately, and within a few minutes of his quest, a familiar voice rang out through the halls.
"FATHER!"
Glancing at nearby tree, he smiled wanly. The leaves were falling one by one from their recent homes to coat the ground in a cool blanket of gold. Rivendell was always beautiful this time of the year. Then again, Glorfindel noted with a smirk, Rivendell is always beautiful, no matter what time of the year.
Passing through a few corridors, the ancient Elf smiled to himself as he came near to his lord's bedchamber doors. Elrond would still be asleep for all Glorfindel knew, and it would be best not to disturb him. Tucking a few stray strands of hair behind his delicately pointed ear, he started to walk past the huge wooden doors when he heard something he least expected behind them. Giggling.
Not just any sort of giggling. The kind of giggles a child would make when they thought they were pulling a wise one on the grown ups by staying up when they were supposed to be asleep. The sound a child would utter when playing on the bed. Blinking, Glorfindel halted his steps. It reminded him of the soft wind chimes he heard now and then around the House, and of a harp's musical notes being carried swiftly in the afternoon breeze to reach his ears. Out of a whim, the Elf reached for the doorknob and froze. Elrond would not be pleased if he intruded, but maybe he wouldn't mind if he said he wanted to make sure everything was okay. Biting his lower lip, Glorfindel pushed against the heavy door and slowly stepped in.
Looking directly at a little lump under the soft satin bed sheets covering his lord's bed, the Elf cleared his throat loudly to announce his presence. The bundle shuddered, yelped, and scurried over to the other side before lying still. There was some random whispering and a small giggle, then nothing more. Glorfindel scanned the room for any other sign of life before cautiously padding over to the large bed. Taking a chunk of the material in his lean hand, he flipped the covers over to reveal what he least expected.
There, curled into a semi-circle on the side of his lord's bed was a small Elven child, raven hair spilled across the mattress and pale form twisting to face Glorfindel's direction. Two hazel eyes blinked up at the older Elf before two hands came up to hide the face. Glorfindel was speechless. What was a small child like this doing in Lord Elrond's bed? The child resembled the Lord of Imladris himself, looking what Elrohir and Elladan were like when they were small. Puzzled, the ancient Elf sat down on the edge of the bed, extending an open hand to the child.
The young Elf squirmed under the other's gaze, but sat up, a lock of hair curled around one finger hesitantly. He dropped his hands, allowing Glorfindel to see the circlet of silver around his neck and part of his shoulder, causing his eyes to bug out. That was the circlet Elrond wore around his head every day! Coughing unexpectedly, he startled the child, who whined and clutched the satin sheets in two small hands.
"Come now, little one - I won't hurt you at all."
The smaller Elf waited a few seconds before slowly crawling over to Glorfindel's lap, climbing on and immediately grabbing hold of the front of his robes, snuggling close. The elder patted the tyke's back comfortingly, staring down at the dark brown hair. A little dragonfly clip nestled in a cup of wild strands of hair caught his attention, his heart leaping in realization. "Elrond?!"
"Elrond!" the younger Elf repeated musically, giggling and nuzzling Glorfindel's chest. Glorfindel sat numb.
"This cannot be… How did… oh, goddess…"
"Gl-or-y," Elrond chirped suddenly, in a happy tone. Finding the outer robe's opening, he snuggled into the new 'cave' he found and pulled the cloth over his body, curling against Glorfindel's form. "Glor-ry…"
Glorfindel groaned softly, unbelieving. Lord Elrond was a *child*! Just a little Elf! Cupping Elrond's body in his arms, he stood and made his way towards the door. Elrond squeaked at the movement, scurrying around to grab a tight hold on Glorfindel's front, looking up at the distressed face. He murmured a few incoherent words before settling into the firm arms, watching everything with a wary eye.
After a few strides, Glorfindel stopped. Where was he going to take him? Lady Arwen? No, she was visiting a few villages and wouldn't return for a few days. The twins… Elrohir, maybe? Elladan would not be pleased at this new discovery, and would likely be the last to announce this to. Elrohir was smart. He would know what to do. But wait… or should he ride to Lorien instead, and not speak a word of this to anyone? No, Elrond's children would be furious with him and be so worried of where their father disappeared to that he wouldn't ever be forgiven. He was at a loss of ideas.
Elrond, noticing Glorfindel's state of deep thought, carefully slipped out of his grasp and down his robes to the floor, unnoticed by the older Elf. Looking back up to see if he was missed, he scratched his head briefly before taking off in a different direction, leaving the unsuspecting other behind. Turning a corner, he narrowly avoided getting stepped on by a passing maiden. Retreating back into the hallway, he waited until she was gone and he took off in the opposite way, carefully walking along the cold floor chilled by the morning air.
Passing by several rooms, he poked his head into the spacious room where the baths were held, picking up a small vile of a pink liquid, then dashing off to continue his 'journey'. He stopped by the kitchen as well, being so small he was never even noticed. There weren't very many present, either - meaning two - so he was able to snag a full, ripe apple, a clean banana, and a slab of dark chocolate on his cruise through. Rounding the corner, Elrond looked up at a few male Elves walking past him, grinning. Scampering down the hall, he came to two large doors, and he stopped.
Pushing with all his might, he managed to open one enough to fit through without dropping his stash in his arms. Sniffing, his eyes wandered around the room before settling on a form in the bed. Walking over he dumped the load on the sheets, climbing up from the sides. Crawling over to the sleeping figure, he sat right at the head, apple in hand. And he waited.
Glorfindel, meanwhile, was in hysterics. He had *just* realized the little one was gone from his arms, the sneaky impertinence. He began his search not immediately, and within a few minutes of his quest, a familiar voice rang out through the halls.
"FATHER!"