" Elladan," Glorfindel almost sobbed…..

" I am losing my hair… I think I might be going bald."

Elladan was speechless. Of all the things he had thought could be the problem this was not one of them. Elves did not lose their hair. Was Glorfindel hallucinating? Paranoid maybe? How on earth was he supposed to manage delusions like this?

He gazed at Glorfindel taking careful note of his hair. It looked fine. In fact it looked as glorious as it always did. A wonderful, shiny, golden cascade. He truly had no idea how he was going to deal with this.

"Glorfindel, I think you are mistaken. Your hair looks perfectly alright to me. You could even say it was…beautiful."

" I am NOT mistaken. Do you think I do not even know my own hair? Have a closer look. Touch it and you will see exactly what I am speaking of."

Elladan stood and cautiously stepped behind where Glorfindel was seated. He peered at the hair. It still looked magnificent.

" It is alright Glorfindel, honestly. I can see you have been worrying about this, perhaps your concern has meant that worry has got out of hand? Believe me when I say your hair is perfect, as perfect as it has ever been," Exactly what he would do if he couldn't convince Glorfindel to believe this Elladan didn't know.

" I said TOUCH it!"

Elladan hesitated. Touching Glorfindel's hair suddenly seemed terribly …. intimate. The threat of the 'bedroom skills demonstration' was still fresh in his mind. Glorfindel appeared to be slightly unhinged. There was no telling what he might do.

"For goodness sake boy, I will not bite. I have said you can touch it. Go on."

Elladan sighed softly to himself. Obviously there was no getting out of this. He glanced at the door. Well at least the path was clear if he needed to make a quick getaway. Gingerly he reached out and touched the hair. Assured that Glorfindel wasn't going to suddenly leap on him he grew bolder, running his fingers through the long locks of gold.

To his alarm he discovered Glorfindel was absolutely and completely right.

Glorfindel's hair was most definitely thin. There was significantly less of it than there should have been. He bent closer, parting the locks with his fingers. Now that he was paying close attention he could even see what could almost be …..bald patches!

Horrified he jerked his hands out of the hair and stepped back several paces. What was happening? What was he going to do? Why, why did he promise not to tell his father? Skilled healer he may be but he had never heard of such a thing, didn't even know where to start. In his panic an image of Glorfindel tall, proud and utterly totally bald flitted through his mind. He hurriedly choked back the giggle that threatened to erupt at the thought of it. He could not laugh, oh Elbereth, whatever he did he could NOT laugh.

"I told you," Glorfindel hung his head in sorrow. " Tell me now it is not true."

" Um, yes, well it does seem there is rather…..less of it than I would normally expect," Elladan's mind whirled, what should he do, what should he say?

"Have you put anything on it that you would not normally?" He knew he was grasping at straws here but honestly he had nothing.

" Of course not!" Glorfindel was forceful in his reply.

Elladan walked around to sit opposite Glorfindel. He had to be honest. There was nothing else he could do. He had to convince Glorfindel to allow his father to know of this.

"I am sorry Glorfindel. I don't know what to do, what could be causing this. I have never heard of such a thing. It has never been documented, no one has spoken of it. I cannot help you,"

"You must! I cannot, I cannot become bald. Do you understand me?"

"My father –"

" Your Father must NEVER know of this. It is bad enough as it is without him teasing me, the snide comments, I would never hear the end of it."

" He would not, as a healer he is sworn to secrecy . He would say nothing. I promise –"

" Oh he would say nothing to others, but to me… Your father, he has always envied me. I am sure of it. Yes we are friends but he watches me. Sometimes I see him ….. looking… He is jealous of my gloriousness I am sure. I do not blame him of course but this. He will not be able to miss this opportunity to finally gloat. You will NOT tell him. You will NOT."

Elladan frowned as he desperately tried to remember anything, anything he had been taught which may be useful to this situation. There was nothing.

" Perhaps, perhaps this is something to do with your rebirth? After all we do not know the effects, there is no one else but you … Perhaps with time…..it wears off…." His voice faded away as he realised the enormity of that possibility.

" So you suggest I will age like a mortal? My hair will fall out. I will get …wrinkles…." Glorfindel's lip curled in disgust. " That is ridiculous. I will not entertain such possibilities. You must find a solution to this Elladan. I rely on you. I will not accept failure. This WILL NOT happen!"

"May I speak with Father," Elladan rushed on before Glorfindel could object again. " I mean if I didn't mention you, a hypothetical patient. He would never presume it was you."

" Yes well that is acceptable I suppose. Do that. Do whatever you must, and do it fast."

Glorfindel rose and went to leave, turning as he stood in the doorway. " Remember, no one else must know. Definitely not your reprobate brother." He swung around, his hair flying out in a golden cloud about him, ( well what was left of it) and departed.

Elladan collapsed on his bed. Whatever was he to do. Why him. Why did these things always have to happen to him.

….

Glorfindel gritted his teeth as he entered yet another silent room. Elves avoided his gaze. Eyes hurriedly fixed on the floor. You could hear a pin drop yet he was sure as he had approached down the corridor he had heard shouting and laughter.

Enough was enough, what ever they were up to it had to stop. Due respect was one thing but this was something completely different. Subversive almost. He would go immediately to Elrond and put in a formal complaint, insist that he take his elves in hand and damn it, this time he would make sure Elrond listened. Perhaps he should even say something now. Force them all to explain this behaviour. He cleared his throat in preparation for what was sure to be a terrible, awe inducing tirade.

And paused.

Suddenly he was struck with an idea that was so terrifying, so horrible he felt deathly ill. A wave of cold, ghastly dread washed over him. What if, what if ….

They knew.

What if they all knew. The silences, the way they avoided looking at him, avoided speaking to him. It was not because they were intimidated by his obvious glory but that they couldn't bear to look at his hair. The laughter that suddenly ceased when he appeared…..they were laughing at him! Laughing at the great warrior Glorfindel. He felt nauseated. Yes Elladan seemed not to have noticed, at least not until he paid very close attention but Elladan was so ….good, so naïve and kind hearted. The poor boy had probably known the whole time. He would never have actually drawn attention to it, would never have done anything that would cause embarrassment to Glorfindel.

Oh the horror. He wished the ground would open up and swallow him. He wished to be invisible. This couldn't be happening.

"My Lord?" Glorfindel was startled out of his reverie. Elrohir was right in front of him, peering at him anxiously. How had he got there without him noticing?

" My Lord, are you well?"

Glorfindel hurriedly stepped back. No one was going to get close enough to see the full monstrosity of the hair.

" Of course I am well boy." he put on his most imperious voice. " Why would I not be?"

" It's just….you have been standing here in the middle of the room for several minutes doing nothing. We thought you wished to speak but….. You have just been standing here. Forgive me, I am sorry, it just seemed slightly odd."

" Well I can reassure you I am fine," he had to get out of here. "There is absolutely nothing wrong, I will have you know my hair is perfect, glorious, just as it has always been." What was he saying, why did he mention the hair? What was happening to him?

" Your hair?" Elrohir looked confused, no, Elrohir looked concerned, worried even. "Glorfindel, Please, I can explain, honestly we mean no harm–"

" No need, no need" Glorfindel was stumbling over his words now so eager was he to escape this nightmare. " Just remember all of you, my hair is as it has always been. Nothing is different…..nothing!" He forced himself to walk calmly out of the door and then he ran, panicked down the hallway finding himself without even knowing why tumbling through the door of Elrond's study.

Elrond jumped with a start as Glorfindel staggered unannounced through the door. He slammed the drawer he had been rifling through shut, locking it as he did so.

"Glorfindel, what brings you here?" He enquired hurriedly.

Glorfindel narrowed his eyes. Was it possible Elrond was nervous about his arrival?

'Stop it Glorfindel' he said to himself. 'You jump at shadows, you see problems where there are none. Compose yourself.' He was certain if Elrond had indeed known about the unfortunate hair situation he would not have been able to resist rubbing his nose in it.

" Glorfindel, Did you want something?"

" Ah, yes" Glorfindel found his mind was blank, after all he had no idea why he had run here in the first place.

" I wanted to…. complain," Internally Glorfindel kicked himself, why had he said that? Still he better go ahead with it now. " About your elves," he continued, " and the lack of respect, total disregard for my station." He was getting carried away now but he just couldn't stop.

Elrond sighed loudly. " What exactly are they doing this time?"

" They are silent!" Glorfindel announced triumphantly. " Silent I tell you."

" Let me get this straight. You wish to complain about my elves being silent. Glorfindel, just a month ago you were here to complain that they weren't silent enough. You found their chatter disrespectful. Perhaps you had better spend some time deciding what it is you want exactly."

" Their silence is subversive Elrond. They are up to something, they talk behind my back, they laugh at me. I can not ignore it. Your son…..your son is the worst of them!" Glorfindel couldn't help himself. It felt so good to finally get this off his chest.

" You are overwrought. Have you listened to what it is you are saying. People laughing at you? Really Glorfindel, this has gone on long enough. I know Elrohir can be wild and yes even disrespectful but laugh at you? –"

" I tell you he is –"

" Enough!" Elrond was losing his temper.

" We have spoken about this at length before, how many years have you been here? I keep telling you this is not Gondolin. I am not Turgon. We are relaxed here, more laid back. You MUST learn to adjust Glorfindel. There will be no saluting, no standing to attention when you are near. Try and be less intimidating. Now I think maybe you should go and have a lie down…. Elves are too silent indeed . If that is all…I was actually busy with something before you launched yourself in here."

Glorfindel suddenly realised he had just been dismissed.

" I tell you Elrond you are making a mistake here."

He was not going to let Elrond have the last word. Then salvaging what dignity he had left he stomped away. Well Elrond was right about one thing he thought to himself. Rivendell certainly wasn't like Gondolin. Not at all.

…

Elladan gazed morosely at his plate full of food. He had spent all afternoon in the library looking for anything there might be that was helpful when dealing with hair loss in elves. Piles and piles of books he had searched through only to come up with nothing. He had to face the fact. Elves simply did not have bad hair days.

He glanced across the table at Glorfindel. He looked utterly miserable. His head drooped. His shoulders slumped. There had to be something he could do to help him. Elladan gathered his courage, there was nothing for it but to try and talk to Father. He hoped desperately he could pull it off. He really wasn't a good liar. That was much more Elrohir's area of expertise.

" Father. I have been pondering a rather unusual medical question. Do you mind if I ask your opinion?"

Across the table Glorfindel's head perked up.

" Of course Elladan. Anytime. You do not have to ask."

" I was wondering if you had any experience, if you had ever come across hair loss in elves?"

Next to him there was a loud splutter as Elrohir nearly choked on his wine. For a moment there was silence as Elrond looked at him intensely.

" What an unusual question to ask son, whatever has made you think of that? Elves do not lose their hair. It is quite unheard of."

" So you have NEVER seen it Father?" Elladan was beginning to feel a wave of desperate panic engulf him.

" Perhaps in half elves maybe? After all the mannish blood, maybe it has some effect?"

Elrond let out a laugh.

" Is that what is bothering you son? Relax, Half Elves don't lose their hair. Look at me. I am hundreds, thousands of years older than you and I still have all of mine. You have nothing to worry about."

Privately Elladan actually thought perhaps his fathers hairline WAS receding a bit if you looked very carefully. Elrohir and he had laughed about it often but perhaps this was not the time to point this out.

" Thank you Father for putting my mind at rest," he mumbled.

Across the table Glorfindel stood abruptly, pushing his chair across the cobblestones as he did so.

" Excuse me Elrond. I find I have urgent business to attend to." he barked as he turned and strode out of the room.

Elladan cringed inwardly. Glorfindel was upset and no wonder. He should go and reassure him…..If he could.

He stumbled to his feet.

" I am sorry, I have just remembered I promised to help Glorfindel with…something…."

He rushed from the room before the others had a chance to ask him questions. He entered the corridor just in time to see Glorfindel turning the far corner.

" Glorfindel," he cried running after him, "wait! I am sorry." Elladan continued when he drew abreast with Glorfindel. " Perhaps a Man can help us. Obviously they will have experience with this kind of thing. You could accompany Elrohir and I when we go to ride with the Dunedain next and we could ask them,"

" You are not due to go there for at least a year." Glorfindel snapped. " I am sure it will be too late by then. Now if you will excuse me, I want to be alone." And he turned into his quarters slamming the door behind him.

Elladan walked dejectedly on to his own room. He sat at his desk by the window and wallowed in misery. He wasn't helping Glorfindel at all and try as he might he could not stop the succession of images of a balding Glorfindel that were running through his mind. All of them being highly amusing.

" I am surprised to find you here brother" his thoughts were interrupted by Elrohir leaping in his window from the balcony.

" I thought you more likely to be in Glorfindel's rooms the way you ran after him. I didn't know you had it in you."

" No. It is not like that. I am helping him with something that is all."

"So you said," Goodness Elrohir could be frustrating at times.

" I am sure you WERE helping him with something! Don't be shy Brother. Glorfindel is quite a catch you know. You have been very tense today, more so than usual and I must say Glorfindel was acting VERY oddly this afternoon when I saw him. It is obvious the two of you have something going on."

" Nothing could be further from the truth," Elladan protested.

" Relax," drawled Elrohir grinning at him " Your secret is safe with me. Here, I have bought us some wine to share. Let me pour you some."

As Elrohir reached across in front of him to pick up a glass something caught Elladan's eye. He reached out and grabbed his brothers arm holding it tightly.

"Elrohir," he gasped. His eyes grew wide as he slowly, slowly drew back his brothers sleeve and gazed upon what lay there.

" Oh Elrohir, what is this?!"