A/N: just something small inspired by and written for my best friend who is a teacher and who made me realize that a fluffy teacher-appreciation story was in order :)
Teaching
There was a small commotion on the corridor of the last homely house when two squirming elflings were standing defiantly in front of their father. Lord Elrond nodded his thanks at the maid, who had found his twin sons trying to sneak off and outside through the kitchens and brought them to him. She curtsied politely and left, leaving the twin terrors of Imladris to their fate.
"Now", Elrond began with long-suffering experience that came with being the father of so lively offspring, "why did you try to sneak outside this time instead of going to the library for your lectures with Erestor?"
"We wanted to play outside", Elladan insisted, waving his small wooden sword around for emphasis.
"And what, pray tell were you playing?"
"We were going to hunt Carcharoth like Beren and Beleg." Elrohir replied cheerfully. The adventures of Beren had been his favourite story during history lessons and Beleg Strongbow, the great Captain of the Sindar under king Thingol was somewhat of a personal hero.
"I see", Elrond answered. "And where have you heard the story of Beren's trials and the hunt for the great wolf?"
"Erestor taught us."
The lord of Rivendell nodded solemnly at those words, then seemed to ponder another important question. "The maid says you were sneaking out without any provisions, were you not planning to eat something?"
Elrohir made a face at his father, "but Erestor told us all about what berries we can eat when we're out in the wild." He explained patiently as if that thought should have been clear to his father.
Elrond smirked slightly and was about to ask his sons another question when Elladan interrupted him by speaking to his twin. "Watch out, 'Ro, I think we shouldn't answer any more of Ada's questions."
Their father was startled, "Oh, and why not, Elladan?"
"Glorfy has told us about this, he said that this is what you do when you," he creased his forehead in thought as he tried to remember the exact words the Balrog slayer had used, "when you make a point!", he finally finished proudly.
It took a lot of control from Elrond not to laugh. "Well done, Elladan", he patted his son's head who beamed in pride. "And do you know what was the point I was making?"
It was Elrohir who answered this time, not about to be outdone by his twin. "That it is Erestor who puts 'ideas of mischief into our heads'?" He hazarded a guess, using one of their mother's most favourite expressions.
This time Elrond did laugh. "No, tithen pen, the point I was making was that you want to re-enact a story that Erestor taught you and use the knowledge about poisonous berries you have from him, all while avoiding his lectures. How will you learn a new story for your games if you don't listen to him?"
The twins seemed to give this some serious thought and remained silent.
"Also I daresay Erestor would be quite upset if you didn't show up for his lessons."
Now Elladan and Elrohir were examining their shoes, carefully keeping their eyes downcast and avoiding their father's gaze. They did not want to upset the dark haired chief advisor who was always treating them with so much patience and who told them all the good stories about Glorfy.
"Now off you go, towards the library. I know Erestor has something special planned for you today."
The twins did not even wait for their father to finish his sentence but turned around and dashed off towards the library as soon as the word special was mentioned. An elleth hastily lifted the laundry she was carrying out of the way before she could be run over by the two bundles of energy vaulting down the hall.
They burst into the library and flung their small arms around their bewildered teacher.
"There you are", Erestor exclaimed in surprise. "I already thought you were trying to get out of your lessons again."
"No Erestor." Elrohir said. "Never", Elladan finished not quite truthfully.
"Can we hear more about Beren today?" the younger twin asked. "Or about Glorfy in Gondolin?"
It was hard to resist the pleading looks of the two identical faces, but Erestor had long experience with it. "No, little ones I thought we would go to the Bruinen instead and worked on your swimming skills. On the way there I can tell you more about how Ulmo himself appeared to Tuor and gave him the mission to find Gondolin."
All thoughts about learning about Beren forgotten the twins jumped to their feet in excitement. "Swimming!" they shouted in joy and basically dragged Erestor by the hand out of the door. The raven haired advisor could barely keep up with all the energy projected by the two rascals but he smiled fondly as they ran out the front door of the Last Homely House and bounded over the courtyard outside.
It wasn't always easy or rewarding to try and teach Elrond's sons history, quenya or anything else for that matter, but it was certainly never dull.
The End
Please (please, please) leave a review and tell me what you think :)
