Why you should Never Mess with a Staff
By Evenstar of Hogwarts
"Ada, Ada, look what I can do!" yelled a young, seven year old Estel.
Elrond, Elladan, Elrohir, Glorfindel, Erestor and various other elves were in the Hall of Fire. Estel had convinced Gandalf into lending him his staff. Mithrandir had been loath to give it up, but Estel had pleaded and finally he had had to give in. After all, what damage could a seven year old young human do?
Elrond smiled as he turned to face Estel. "Yes, child, do show us what you can do." He chuckled. So far, Estel had been shouting random words pretending they were spells. The other elves were all smiling as they looked at Estel's antics.
Now, however, Estel banged the staff hard against the ground, shouting out a few random words. Everyone watched in horror as a bright light made its way towards Elrond, who himself stood paralysed in fear.
In the blink of an eye, Glorfindel pushed Elrond away, jumping in front of the spell. For a moment, he felt nothing. Then he started screaming as mind shattering agony coursed through his veins. Glorfindel began to shake uncontrollably and his screams became even more blood curdling as his body started to shift.
Elrond felt tears of guilt and anguish fill his eyes as Glorfindel started to sweat, silver tears rapidly making their way down bright red cheeks. Then Elrond felt the light throw him outwards, and engulf Glorfindel who started sobbing violently. Estel was choking back tears too.
Everyone shielded their eyes against the light which had surrounded the Balrog Slayer completely. In those few moments it had gone immeasurably brighter.
Then, as the light faded, Glorfindel's screams ceased. Elrond, Erestor and Gandalf ran forwards and fell to their knees. They gasped at the sight of a small lump moving around in the oversized robes.
Erestor made to grab the lump, but Gandalf stopped him. "Wait. We do not know the spell Estel has used. We do not want to harm Glorfindel more."
"Call yourself a wizard!" exclaimed Erestor roughly. Gandalf raised a bushy eyebrow.
"Please," Elrond pleaded, a quiver to his voice. "I need to remove those robes. He'll suffocate if I don't." Gandalf grudgingly obliged. Elrond lifted his right hand and gingerly pulled back the robes to reveal a pale little beautiful face.
Elrond's mouth fell open in a silent O as he took in the bright, innocent sea green eyes and long, golden silky locks, the exact hue of Laurelin's leaves, framing a cherubic little face. This was Glorfindel himself, dwindled to elflinghood.
Gandalf chuckled lightly. "The spell young Estel used has turned Glorfindel into an elfling."
Glorfindel, seeing the horror struck and awed faces in front of him began to whimper. Erestor, forgetting Gandalf's warning ran a hand down the smooth cheek.
"Erestor no!" screamed Elrond ad Erestor quickly removed his hand, making Glorfindel wail louder.
"Maybe he needs some human contact, that's why he is wailing," Arwen suggested. Erestor replaced his hand, cautiously stroking the baby soft skin. Instantly, Glorfindel's wails subsided to slight hiccups.
Erestor felt a sudden stab of protectiveness as Glorfindel looked up at him with huge, tear filled eyes. He wrapped the robes around the tiny body. Erestor forgot that this was the same elf who had caused him many a headache. He forgot that this was the twice born, seasoned, mischievous warrior. Right now, he was just a small, vulnerable elfling, hardly older than three. He lifted him into his arms.
"How old are you, Glorfindel?" asked Elrond gently. Glorfindel hesitantly raised three chubby fingers.
"Oh. Then, pray tell what makes a big boy like you cry?" asked Elrond, effectively silencing the laughter with a glare.
Glorfindel vigorously shook his head. "Ada said to not talk to stwangels."
Many people had to supress snorts at the sudden return of baby talk.
"Well, your Ada told you right then!" encouraged Erestor. "But we are friends of your Ada. In fact, your Ada sent you to us himself."
Glorfindel brightened for a moment before his expression turned into one of utmost horror and he began to thrash uncontrollably in Erestor's arms.
"Sowwy!" he screamed. "I din't mean fol my ball to hit Daelada! It was an aggident. I don't want punishment! Ada alweady locked me in my woom without swolds and awwoys fol a week. No mole punishment. I pwomise I won't do it again!"
"Glorfindel, saes!" exclaimed Elrond in distress. "We are not here to punish you, little one. Your Ada sent you to us because he was going for a meeting."
Glorfindel stopped his kicking and the wails quietened down to the occasional whimper.
"What happened, Glorfindel? Would you like to tell me? Who is your Daerada?" asked Erestor softly.
"My Ada is Angwod. My Daelada is Finalfin. But I didn't hit Daelada Finalfin with my ball. It was Daelada Feanol. Ada was vely angwy. But I am sowwy."
Elrond had to bite back a chuckle. Of all people to hit with a ball, Glorfindel chose the one with the hottest head. "Do not dwell on it. Such accidents happen from time to time. Your Ada isn't angry with you anymore. Why, I knocked my own Ada down the stairs by mistake when I spilt some water at the top."
Glorfindel's face cracked into a grin. "Weally?"
"Yes," said Elrond. "Now its high time for bed."
"Er, but who ale you?" Glorfindel asked innocently.
Elrond's palm met his head. "Oh how silly of me! I am Elrond."
"Elwond."
"I am Erestor,"
"Elstwoll," Glorfindel said with difficulty.
Erestor chuckled and picked Glorfindel up. Once they were out of the Hall of Fire, Glorfindel said, "I walk!" Erestor firmly shook his head. He wouldn't have an elfling running stark naked around Imladris. They stopped on the way in Estel's room, to pick a pyjama Estel had grown out. Once in Glorfindel's room, Erestor dressed him in the pyjama. It was still a bit oversized.
Once he was done, Glorfindel clambered up the bed and began to jump up and down on the mattress. "Bouncy!" he squealed.
"Glorfindel, no! Get down here, elfling!" Erestor barked.
Glorfindel paused in his jumping. Then he quietly slid off the bed and ran towards Erestor. "Sowwy," he said, tears glistening in his blue green eyes.
"Just don't do it again," Erestor sighed kneeling down and allowing Glorfindel to hug him, sniffling softly in his robes.
"Time for bed," Erestor said, once the former Balrog Slayer had calmed down. It was apparently the wrong thing to say.
"No bed!" Glorfindel squealed, wriggling out of Erestor's arms and taking off down the hallway.
"Glorfindel!" Erestor yelled, taking off after him. He tore through the hallways in pursuit of the elfling. He groaned in vexation. Trust Estel to mess things up!
Meanwhile, in the Hall of Fire…
"Estel, how is it that wherever you are, chaos is inevitable?" Elrond asked, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Thanks to you, Glorfindel might have been killed!" Estel gulped.
After lecturing his foster son for ten more minutes, Elladan interrupted his father. "Ada, that's enough. The damage has already been done."
"How long will it take for Glorfindel to change back?" Elrohir asked.
"I can't say. Around six months probably." Gandalf answered, fingering his chin thoughtfully.
"Oh, great!" Elrond exclaimed. "What are we going to do?"
"Well," said Arwen. "I think we could write a letter to Daernana. She was Glorfindel's aunt. She might be able to help."
As all of them sat in contemplative silence, the door burst open, causing all of them to jump.
Glorfindel ran into the room, Erestor hot on his heels. "Glorfindel, get back here!" Erestor screamed. "Catch me fil-oomph!" Glorfindel yelped, running headlong into Elrond's legs and falling back.
Elrond resisted the urge to laugh, picking Glorfindel up. "May I inquire why you were running through the halls?" he asked.
"No, not allowed." Glorfindel giggled. Everyone burst into laughter. Many were convinced they had seen Erestor laughing too.
"Very funny, Glorfindel. I told you to go to your room and sleep, not run around." Elrond said, rolling his eyes.
"But I'm not shleepy." Glorfindel whined, followed by a huge yawn, which the child tried to stifle in vain. Elrond gave the elfling a smug look. Then seeing, Glorfindel's crestfallen face, an idea wormed its way into his mind.
"Erestor will read you a story, won't he?" Elrond asked, looking pointedly at the advisor.
"If you want," he grumbled.
"That's settled, then. Go to your room now and don't let me catch you wandering about again." Elrond warned.
"All right." Glorfindel said brightly. "Though you didn't catch me; I bumped into you."
Elrond face palmed.
Once Erestor had led Glorfindel back to his room, it took fifteen minutes to decide a story. Glorfindel was extremely picky; no fairy tales for him, he needed a story about a war.
Erestor brightened up with a stroke of inspiration." Glorfindel, I'll tell you the story of a great warrior who died fighting a Balrog. He shared your name." he said, smiling.
"Yes, pwease!" Glorfindel yelled, clapping his hands.
"Not so long ago, there was a brave elf called Glorfindel. He was strong and daring and handsome." He started.
"Just like me." Glorfindel quipped.
Erestor decided against telling him that it was in fact his story he was narrating.
After many more interruptions from Glorfindel, the story was finished. Erestor got up. Glorfindel was finally asleep. His hard work had paid off. He hurried to the Hall of Fire.
Once he had described the story telling session, everyone was roaring with laughter. "Oh dear, I guess you had a hard time, 'Stor!" Elladan said, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. Erestor proceeded to describe the trouble Glorfindel had given in choosing a suitable tale and also of his chase. That wiped the smiles off everyone's faces.
Elrond rubbed his temples. It were going to be three long months…
REVIEW, REVIEW AND REVIEW! AND DID I FORGET TO MENTION REVIEW?!
A plotbunny sank its teeth in my leg and refused to let ago until I had written this! PLEASE R& R. I hope Glorfindel's baby talk wasn't hard to read.
Translations:
saes- please.
