It was a particularly rainy day today. Water was falling from heavy, grey clouds far, far above the heads of every living being drumming down mercilessly against leaves and treetops, trunks, rocks and the roof. Cold it was outside, but not unenjoyably so. In fact, after many days of the bright sun, it was almost refreshing with a little drop in temperature and some water to freshen up the gardens. The Lord of Rivendell, in particular, was enjoying the tapping against his window while reading his paperwork. He would glance outside every once in a while with a content look on his face, before then lightly licking his fingertips and flipping the yellowed pages of the next contract, letter or scroll. Dipping the pen in raven-black ink, he would then fluently write back on the next paper.
The corridors and rooms were fairly quiet at the moment, due to most of the elves of Rivendell spending their time in the Halls of Fire or in the dining halls, as it was now close to afternoon, the light of day already beginning to fade into darker shades. It was enjoyable, the silence, Lord Elrond thought with a smile to himself as he let his finger run over a letter from his daughter, who was currently staying in Lothlorien with her grandmother. His sons were presumably out training or down eating dinner at this time.
It was one of those days where the usually busy, dark-haired Lord was able to relax himself a little, as he had most of the day already, now having much to take care of. Or so he would think, at least, until something came up.
Because in these calm days, there could never be complete peace, not even in the Houses of Healing.
"You could also just stop being so stubborn and actually, I don't know, listen to me for once in a while!"
"Oh excuse me, but perhaps saying something relevant would give me a good reason to listen to you!"
"I highly suggest that you do not try to offend an elf carrying a sword, Erestor!"
"And you, Glorfindel, should know better than to try and threaten an elf with a book, just about the right size to knock some sense into a certain elf's thick head!"
Elrond flinched. The delicately tipped feather pen pressed a little to hard into the paper, successfully both bending that, and dropping a dot of ink in the middle of a sentence. With a frustrated sigh, the Elf Lord put down the now broken pen, raising his gaze to look towards the door to his study, where, just outside, two voices were still bickering endlessly. The truth was that this had been going on for weeks. Probably more, if he bothered to think that far back, but it was barely necessary to do, because thinking just a few days back would prove more than enough to him, sadly, and much to his annoyance.
Glorfindel and Erestor, the Balrog Slayer and the Head Councellor, had constantly been on eachothers necks for the last while. That was, more than usual. They had never been too good friends, that had always been clear, for the differences between a warrior and a librarian was great, and they would rarely do anything but be a bother to eachother, thus resulting in bothered reaction from Lord Elrond and nearly everyone in Rivendell.
They were a dangerous pair to have near eachother, Elrond mused silently, keeping his eyes on the door. It was troublesome, as they were both some of his most trusted people, and they could not get along to save their lives, even less agree on a political or well, any situation whatsoever. Perhaps if he ignored them for the time being, they'd continue down the hall and he could deal with it later...
"You are absolutely hopeless regarding everything remotely useful within these walls, other than making a mess!"
"Please, as if you would survive a day with even the quarter of an army in your charge!"
Alright, clearly, that was not going to happen, he could tell already as they had stopped in front of his study now, and yet not lowered their voices. Pushing his chair back, Elrond let out a frustrated sigh, striding to the door with long steps and opening the wooden door, thus easily shutting the mouth of both the arguing elves, who turned to face him with equally questioning expression, if still with a slight glare in the eyes from their very recent, heated discussion.
"Could you two come in here with me, please?" His voice was polite and calm as ever, but not very tolerating at the moment, and it was not that hidden. The Noldor was fairly tired of his two helping hands constantly being in a vocal war with eachother, and if not that, at least some sort of staring contest every time they passed each other in the hall. It was time to do something about it.
Both figures quickly straightened their backs and muttered their consent before joining, walking inside the study and shutting the door behind them before sitting into the seats opposite of Lord Elronds dark, wooden desk.
Glorfindel was obviously just back from a recent patrol. He was still carrying his ever faithful sword at his left hip, clad in golden armor and with his almost just as golden, wavy hair pulled to his neck and tied up with a black leather strap to keep it out of the way. Fresh droplets of water still clung to his fair face and pointed ears, as well as leaving small, shiny streaks down the metallic surface of the armor, and dark spots to the heavy cloak draped over his shoulders in protection of the water.
Erestor had just been on the way to his library, where he often was to be seen. Carrying a heavy book of myths and legends under his arm, and a couple of ancient historic scrolls to his chest, he was wearing a simple, dark red robe with some silver embrodery in the shapes of swirly patterns along the edges. A silver cirlet was placed on his brow, just like on Lord Elronds and Glorfindels, effectivly pulling his hair back in a neat, easy and practical way. A little bit of dust was clinging to the tips his otherwise very clean, dark hair, after having ruffled through some old pages in the archives and then hurriedly headed up without realizing it.
Said librarian now cleared his throat, adjusting a little in his seat and looking at their Lord with an ever so slightly tilted head and straight back. "Can we do anything for you, my lord?"
Elrond looked between the two of them for a while before leaning back in his own chair and folding his hands on the desk before him."In fact, yes." He replied calmly, though pausing a little before continuing.
"You two have been arguing far too much as of late, and half of Imladris has already been bothered quite enough in listening to it. It is not very matue of either of you to act in such a matter, especially because you are, sadly, not doing a very good job concealing it to your own times." Blunt words, but there was no lie in them. "This will not allow this to continue further than so, as it is too much of a hinder to many things, and is not helping anyone in the slightest."
A stern look came across the Elf Lords face, and while Erestor and Glorfindel both looked partly guilty for needing to be put in place like elflings, they also cast a glance to the other person as if to indicate that they mainly blamed their counterpart for the situation at hand.
Elrond continued, "I cannot have my commander of the armies, and my head advisor disagreeing on every small topic – This will be solved, and since I know that the two of you will not do it by free will at this point, I will have to decide for you."
Both of the figures looked ready to protest, but an effective little handmotion from Lord Elrond silenced them before they could think to speak any words of argumen against it. They still did not look very satisfied, perhaps even a little worried at what the Lord was not about to suggest. "
Based on your little argument outside my door just now," (The Noldor made sure to emphasise the 'just outside my door' phrase) "I have decided what to do with the two of you for the time being. Erestor, you complained that Glorfindel, apparently, cannot do anything useful within the walls. So, I will assign him to help you in the library for a week, for both of you to be proven either right or wrong. Contrary, Glorfindel, you seemed to think that Erestor could do nothing involving milirary service properly, so he will do just that by joining you on the long, closecheck patrol to the outer borders." Elrond stated idea here was not thought entirely through, but he figured that something had to be done and this was worth a try as much as anything.
A stunned silence fell over the room after the announcment, though. The blonde warrior had raised both his eyebrows in disbelief at the words, his lips having slightly parted in a not very successful attempt to form a sentence that would express his dislike of the idea without offending his Lord right in front of him.
Erestors eyes had narrowed by just a bit, brows knitting together in a faint frown, looking as though he was trying to figure out if his old friend was trying to make a fool out of them. But Elrond looked as serious as ever, patiently looking between the two of them for a reaction.
Said librarian was the first to recover. "My Lord, I mean no offense to yourself or Master Glorfindel," Though his words were fairly polite, it sounded dangerously cool at the mention of the Balrog slayer, "But I really do not think that it is a good idea to let a warrior help in the library. It requires a sense of patience, systematic sense and, most of all, silence and care to handle the old books and scriptures. I would not want to risk them breaking-"
"Well, if I may, I do not think a border patrol is very suit for someone as delicate as Master Erestor." Glorfindel threw in his word just as coolly, "It is dangerous these days, we risk running into a greater pack of orcs. I would not want for him to get hurt, now."
"Could you please stop interrupting me?"
"You were offending me while I sit right next to you, I do not think the biggest concern here is interrupting!"
"Why, you dare to-"
"Both of you, be quiet!" Lord Elronds voice raised by just a notch and both the dark- and golden-haired snapped their mouthes shut, yet not ceasing their glaring at each other.
Elrond sighed heavily, rubbing his forehead a little. "This is exactly why I want both of you to try what the other does, with eachother – You cannot have a single conversation without starting to argue."
"My Lord Elrond, I really do not think-" Erestor tried again, earning a glare from the Balrog slayer, but Elrond once again silenced him.
"No. I have already decided, and so it will be. From tomorrow, Glorfindel will join you in the library until next week. That should roughly fit with the trip around the border in the following days. I will not hear protests from any of you, for this is how it is going to be and I will not change my mind until I have seen how this goes – For both of your sakes, I'm hoping for the best. You are dismissed, but keep in mind that you will have to do this no matter what you think. Try to agree with eachother a little, please."
Simultaneously, Glorfindel and Erestor stood up and respectfully bowed, but they did not say a word, not to Lord Elrond, and not to eachother. They did, however, throw eachother one last glare before turning stiffly on their heels and moving out the door, letting it fall shut behind them before turning opposite ways down the hall and leaving without looking back at eachother.
The lord of Rivendell leaned forward when the door closed, elbows on the table and chin lightly resting on his folded hands, another faint sigh slipping past his lips.
This had either been the best idea, or the worst mistake he had made in years, and he was not sure if he was eager to figure out which one it was.