Certain differences

The theft soon became the subject of public discussion and the number one topic of conversation. Lord Elrond was of course furious and probably half of Rivendell heard Lord Glorfindel being verbally shredded. Then the great search began, but no trace of the culprit could be found. He had disappeared from the face of the earth.

A few days later, Legolas and Gimli took advantage of the first really beautiful day in weeks and took a little walk through Rivendell's gardens. Contrary to their plans, they had stayed longer in Imladris, because the weather had tied them up, because in such weather conditions it was no easy task to cross the mountains. They had already sent word to their fathers that they would not worry about why their arrival was delayed.

"Well, do you have any idea who it could have been?", Gimli asked now.

Legolas shrugged his shoulders. "How should I know?" he replied. "I slept as deeply as you did that night. And you know what they say: Not even Lord Elrond's guard dogs sounded the alarm."

"When I think of Garahû, it is no wonder," teased Gimli.

The laegel poked him in the side. "Don't be so mean," he said with a wink. "Garahû is the only beast of the pack that is so spoiled."

"Are you sure it won't carry over to the other dogs? They're the same breed after all."

"Gimli..."

"Yes, yes, I'll stop." After a while of silence, Gimli returned to his original theme: "Don't you even have a guess who the thief might have been?"

"Nobody from here, that's for sure," said his friend. "I cannot imagine that any Elf here would steal from Lord Elrond."

"Do you think...", and here the naug lowered his voice, imploring, "do you think one of Aragorn's men could have done it?!"

"No, no way!" Legolas said vehemently. "That's not what I meant! It must have been somebody completely outside, somebody who doesn't stay here."

"That makes sense," Gimli agreed. "Especially since I heard that the stolen ring was very valuable."

"Yes, a ring of power, I have also heard," Legolas said. "Not one of the great rings, but only one of those rings that the Mírdain of Eregion made for practice in the Second Age, but still! With such stolen goods in their pockets, no one would dare stay here any longer than necessary.

"A ring of power?" Gimli marveled. "I thought they were all gone. Then how does Lord Elrond come by such an artifact? Especially since I thought Eregion was destroyed long ago by Sauron.

"He may have succeeded in saving this ring before finally losing Eregion to Sauron - he was leading Eregion's armies in the name of Gil-galad in the war against the Black Enemy. Or someone brought it to him afterwards. Celebrimbor is said to have been very creative in hiding his treasures," Legolas explained.

"It didn't do him much good." But before Legolas could reply, Gimli had already discovered something new: "Look there, there is Earenis. Come on, let's go to her."

Legolas' mine was about to darken. "I don't know, Gimli," he tried to make excuses. Since he knew who her father had been, he could not help but feel as negatively as most of the others here about her. Yes, she couldn't help it, but still he found it disgusting that she was half orc.

Gimli didn't seem to take his hesitation too seriously and was already holding out for the girl, who was sitting on a bench, still unsuspecting, enjoying the late autumn sunrays. Sighing, Legolas followed. It could only end in a disaster.

"Hello," Gimli greeted Earenis enthusiastically and did not even let this wolf beast called Mistaroa, who was watching him suspiciously again, get upset.

"Hello," Earenis growled not very pleased. Her face became even more closed when she spotted Legolas. So the dislikes were two-sided after all.

"Beautiful day, isn't it?" Gimli chattered away.

"Hmm..."

Legolas had positioned himself beside the bench, arms crossed in front of his chest and looked down at the bastard. Earenis returned the look just as hostile. Only now did Gimli seem to notice the icy atmosphere between the two.

"You could have said hello," he said to his friend.

"No," it came immediately and certainly from him.

Earenis sparkled at him even darker and now Mistaroa growled too. This beast seemed to listen to his mistress much too well even for a dog, it was uncanny for Legolas.

"You are not so unfriendly otherwise, she never did anything to you," Gimli defended the woman.

"But she could," Legolas countered determinedly.

"Racist!" Earenis hissed angrily. "As if I could do something for my parents!"

"Not that, but you're alive, that's enough!" growled Legolas.

"Legolas!", Gimli chimed at him.

"Stay out of this," the laegel held up.

"So the noble princeling is too fine a person to surround himself with scum like me or what? You could have let me die in the cave," nagged Earenis.

Legolas was about to go for her throat. "Don't you dare talk to me like that!"

"Stop it, both of you! This is worse than with two little children!" Gimli tried to save what could be saved, but was completely ignored.

"What a pity daddy is so far away!" Earenis countered bitingly. "Can't you cry with him, little boy?"

"There'll be consequences, you bastard!" Not much more and he forgot himself.

"Ha!", she said arrogantly. "Go for it." And with those words she stomped off. "Mistaroa, come!"

The dog jumped up and ran after her. Legolas stared angrily at them both and wished for his bow. Orcs should be killed, not nursed back to health by Lord Elrond!

Gimli looked at him in astonishment and seemed to consider whether he should follow Earenis, but then decided against it. "What was that all about?!" he said to his friend.

Legolas, on the other hand, didn't go for it and stomped off in the opposite direction.