Suspected cases

Elrond rode side by side with Estel into the city. Of course, the inhabitants stared, but he was used to that all his life. An army of elves entered the city, led by a half elf, an even greater curiosity. And then he was him again. Sometimes fame was a millstone, he found. Gil-galad had always laughed when he said that he would be just as happy with his life if he had become a farmer or a simple rural healer. Although... probably the latter. In the end, this attitude was probably simply due to his childhood: He had been raised quite modestly; in the end, uncle Maglor and uncle Maedhros had hardly possessed any of their former wealth.

After all, people stared not only at him but also at Estel. The boy was probably well suited to being accompanied by him, so everyone could see at once that he stood by his foster son and what allies he had. And at least for this moment Elladan and Elrohir could control themselves.

Out of old habit, he immediately took a look at the city's fortifications. He quickly saw that there was still much to be done here, but understandably, when rebuilding the city, the emphasis was initially placed on the city itself rather than on its defense. Who expected still now, after Sauron's fall, a greater threat from orcs?

Maybe they should have. But if neither he nor Galadriel had suspected anything ... And he had not received any news from Círdan either. So how could they have known? He should not blame himself, he scolded himself.

"This will not be an easy task," he heard Rethtulu whispering softly on Quenya behind him.

"Cenanye," he replied in the same way. "But we'll be able to work it out. We had already fought much more hopeless battles. It won't be that bad."

"If I could share your optimism," Estel interjected softly enough that passersby couldn't hear him. "I was actually told that the construction work was much more advanced than it actually is."

Elrond looked at him questioningly. "Are you saying that you have been lied to?"

"Well..." Estel printed a little bit around. "I don't want to lean too far out of the window and judge too quickly. But it almost looks like it... We will at least perhaps soon find out, there is the mayor in front of us."

Elrond checked once again whether his appearance was right, after all he had learned quite quickly after he had come to Gil-galad that much depended on appearances. Unfortunately, as he found, but it could not be he tried to look as majestic as possible and sat upright on his horse - while he secretly wondered why not everyone saw how fake it must look.

The mayor was, how clichéd, a small and on top of that fat man in much too exaggerated, overpriced robes, who welcomed the new arrivals on the steps of the town hall. Estel and Elrond rode ahead, while their people lined up in the square in front of the town hall as best they could. At a reasonable distance, they dismounted their horses and went to the mayor. The mayor bowed to them deeply but rubbing his hands while his flanking guard sank to his knees.

"Welcome," said the little man, and Elrond quietly remarked to himself that he could not take him seriously, dressed up as he was. "My name is Valandil, Your Grace has surely heard of me."

"I am pleased to meet you personally, Valandil," Estel exchanged the usual phrases of politeness.

Valandil again bowed extremely low; almost too low for Elrond's taste. Then he pulled himself together. Why was he so prejudiced against this man? It couldn't have been just the appearance!

But it was the behavior, a soft voice whispered in his ear.

And that was true, he realized. Valandil was too submissive. Hadn't Estel also just hinted that not everything looked exactly as he had been told? Perhaps he should do some little research, he thought.

Valandil now turned to him. "You too shall be honored, Master Elrond," he said. "I am most pleased to welcome you to my city. So much is heard of you, I hope I can make your stay pleasant!"

Elrond smiled cool. "I am delighted to enjoy your hospitality. I'm sure it is exquisite."

A broad smile flitted across Valandil's face and he clapped his hands. "Then all shall be made right!"