Title: Flower in the Sand
Disclaimer: All Tolkien's
Word count: 1136/1136
Pairing: ?
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Slight violence, prejudices
Summary: An experiment has a slightly different outcome than expected
Timeline: Gondolin, years before its fall
AN: Don't be shocked about the 'boy' part, he's past his majority, but compared to Glorfindel...

Chapter 1

„My Lord."

Glorfindel furrowed his brow, slightly annoyed about being disturbed during dinner.

"He is here."

His angered expression instantly turned into a big grin and he put his napkin on the table, rising hastily.

"He is waiting for you in the entrance hall."

Glorfindel nodded in acknowledgement, hurrying past the servant, towards the entrance hall. Now that the boy had arrived he could finally begin his project.

A skinny, young boy was waiting for him, head lowered, his dirty-blond hair covering his face, whilst his hands nervously fumbled with the hem of his shirt. He did not look up as Glorfindel entered the room, but lowered his head even further.

Gaelion, Glorfindel's head servant, bowed before his master, stepping aside dutifully as Glorfindel strode towards the boy.

Glorfindel stopped in front of him, waiting for the boy to greet him. But the young elf remained silent and continued to play with his shirt, not even looking up at him. Glorfindel waited for some moments, but when the boy still did not react in any way he grabbed the boy's hair to force him to look at him and gave him a slap that made his ears ring.

The boy gasped in shock, his hands releasing their hold on the shirt, as he staggered back, his balance lost from the impact, but Glorfindel's grip on his hair was tight and he held him upright.

"I am your Lord and teacher," Glorfindel told him firmly. "You will greet me properly. I won't accept such disrespectful behaviour. Understood?"

The boy nodded hastily, or at least tried to, not quite succeeding as Glorfindel still held him by his hair. The Lord of the House of the Golden Flower could feel him shaking under his grasp and his breath gasped loudly in the quiet of the room. Glorfindel released him, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Now?"

He saw the boy swallow hard, trying hard to regain his composure enough to bow before his Lord. Finally he managed an insecure bow, his voice shaking as he whispered. "My Lord."

This was far from a proper greeting, but for now Glorfindel decided to not follow this further. Scaring the boy right at the beginning so much that he would be shaking and whimpering as soon as Glorfindel even looked at him would lead to nothing.

"What is your name?" Glorfindel asked, calmer now, and in a friendlier voice.

"E-" The boy had to swallow hard, once more, before he could speak. "Erestor, my Lord."

Glorfindel smiled slightly at the 'my Lord'. The boy seemed to have some manners after all.

"Good. Erestor it is." Then he proceeded to thoroughly examine the boy. Extending his hand he moved to lift the boy's head, grasping his chin. Turning his head to all sides, he thoroughly studied the boy, eyes narrowed. He could feel him still shaking and see the fear in his eyes. He was pretty, Erestor, but nothing special. He had a normal peasant face, a normal peasant stature and probably a normal peasant intelligence. In other words, just what Glorfindel needed. And he seemed to be healthy. The last thing he needed was a sickly subject who would influence the outcome of this project in any undesired way.

"I don't want to see any more disrespectfulness from you," Glorfindel said firmly, staring down his nose at the boy. "I hope you know how lucky you are in being brought here and being given the chance to learn how to read and write, among other things. You better use this chance and don't endanger it by improper behaviour. "

The boy nodded hastily, the only colour in his pale face the red imprint of Glorfindel's hand.

"You will go with Gaelion now. He will show you your chamber, explain you the rules you will have to follow and give you proper clothing. I expect you tomorrow morning at 6 in my study, no earlier, no later. You better be there on time."

"Yes, my Lord," Erestor whispered, even managing a slight bow.

Turning about Glorfindel left him in Gaelion's care, leaving the room. The elf who had announced him the boy's arrival was waiting on front of the door for him and fell in step beside Glorfindel, as the Lord motioned him to follow him.

"Salgant's subject has arrived as well?"

"Yes, my Lord. They were delivered at the same time. We made sure to choose two subjects with conditions as similar as possible. They are twin brothers, my Lord, having been raised in the same family, under the same circumstances, doing the same work. The circumstances are as favourable as possible."

"Good." Glorfindel smiled slightly. "I hope their parents weren't too reluctant to give them away?"

"Oh no, my Lord. Not at all. There was nearly no conviction needed. They were only too willing to give us their children and the price they demanded for that was ridiculously low. I'd be surprised if they got more than a cow for that!"

"Peasants," Glorfindel simply said and the other elf nodded approvingly. "They have no sense of honour or loyalty. They'd sell everything for a little money." With a movement of his hand he released the elf, smiling contentedly. Everything was as perfect as one could wish for. He really looked forward to the challenge and he hoped the boy wouldn't disappoint him. On the other hand, he hoped his brother would make sure to disappoint Salgant.

The boy's arrival at his house was the result of a discussion with Salgant that had gone on for months. The main subject of this discussion was the question, if peasants were intelligent enough to learn. Everybody knew that they were by far lesser beings then the members of the Houses, but perhaps it was possible to teach them a thing or two. It was without question that they'd never reach the level of understanding and proficiency of the nobles, but perhaps they could at least learn how to write and read some easy texts.

Together Glorfindel and Salgant had decided to give it a try to see what would come from it, and Glorfindel had sent his servants to look for a pair of peasants young enough to at least have a chance to learn, and with similar background.

Twin brothers. Just perfect. The boys were exactly the same, providing himself and Salgant with exactly the same chance of succeeding. Of course it did not only depend on the boys, an important factor was the skill of the teacher, and Glorfindel had no doubt that he himself was far more skilled in this matter and would have far more success than Salgant, if at all.

Smiling triumphantly Glorfindel returned to his dinner, contentedly looking forward to his first lesson in the morning.