Down the River
Eleniel: 16
"You disobeyed me."
"It's not as simple as that."
"Oh, I think you will find it is just as simple as that. You asked if you could go, I said no, and what did you do?"
"... I went."
"Mhm, yes. You went. A clear example of disobedience, I am sure you will agree with me now."
A sigh. "Yes, Ada."
Elrond said nothing, instead choosing to remain where he was and simply stare at the elleth stood in front of him. His arms were crossed, eyebrows raised, and the sternest look was glinting dangerously in his grey eyes. As expected, the elleth was very much displeased to be on the receiving end of this look, and so had resorted to staring down at her wet boots, hands clasped behind her back in silent surrender.
"So," he said, "why, pray tell, did you do it?" No answer. "Eleniel." That tone was enough to send her head flying up to meet his firm gaze, and the moment their eyes locked onto each other, she bit her lip and began fidgeting with her hands. Elrond heaved a sigh and shook his head slowly. "Why did the Valar bless me with the most subordinate of elflings?" he muttered to nobody in particular before grasping his daughter's arm and pulling her towards his desk, gently pushing her to sit in the chair. He reached over and grabbed another one, dragging it over to put in front of her. He sat down and crossed one leg over the other, leaning back. Eleniel swallowed and shook her head.
"I thought I was doing the right thing," she mumbled with a small shrug.
Elrond's brows rose higher. "No, you did not. I told you what the right thing was, as your brothers did. The right thing would have been obeying my orders and remaining here. The right thing would have been letting the twins deal with the matter. The right thing would have been not risking your life for that of a cat." He crossed his arms over his chest and softened his gaze slightly. "I realise you wished to help, but why ask me if you could do it yourself when you were going to do it anyway?"
Eleniel was unsurprised to find her vision blurring slightly with tears, and she glanced down at her twiddling fingers to ensure her father didn't see. Of course, Elrond hardly needed to see her crying to know she was upset. "I was not going to," she said, voice trembling slightly. "I was going to listen to you and stay here, but the twins were just taking so long to get ready, and I knew I could get to Whiskers quicker than them. Plus, Mil and I were the only ones who knew where she'd fallen in, and Dan would not even let us come to show them! They could have completely missed her, and she could have died! And Mil would be so upset… I could not risk it. So, we ran back together, and I went in to get her. And I know it was dangerous, and I know I could have been hurt, but she was barely hanging on to the branch…" She visibly deflated, not bothering to reach up and rub away the tears falling from her eyes. "But now I am in trouble, and you are angry… and I don't like it." She went silent at that, loose hair shielding her face, but the heaving chest and occasional tremor was enough to show him she truly had reached her breaking point.
He waited a moment before leaning forward and taking one of the small hands in his. Eleniel lifted her head a little, glassy eyes looking at him nervously, but she relaxed the slightest bit when he leaned back once she could see him and opened his other arm slightly in obvious invitation. She moved to get up but hesitated a little at the last second, causing the corners of Elrond's lips to curl upwards before he rolled his eyes. "Oh, come here," he said, pulling on the arm in his grasp, "I will not bite you."
Eleniel allowed her father to tug her over and into his lap, where she proceeded to curl into his chest, feet on his right leg, head tucked under his chin and hands grabbing fistfuls of his robe. Elrond had half a mind to pull her wet boots off before they dampened his clothes, but she quickly made herself comfortable in his lap, and he did not wish to disturb her for something as small as that. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her close to him and leaned back, feeling her trembling and faint sobbing die down a little. "You know," he said quietly, "I do not quite enjoy you being in trouble, either." He rubbed a hand between her shoulder blades. "But when you do something which lands you right in the middle of it..." He shook his head and tutted softly. "Eleniel, I told you to leave your brothers to the kitten's rescue because the river is currently very unstable. It always is during the winter, and you very well know that. I am glad you recognised the fact that it was dangerous and you could have been injured, but did you not stop to think that you could just as easily have been swept under by the strong currents and died?" He paused for a moment, tilting his head down slightly to look at her face. Her eyes were closed, but it was obvious she was still alert and listening. "Your brothers are much, much older than you, and far more experienced than even you know. They have dealt with that river many times, especially during the winter months, and I can assure you that, had you and Miluiel explained properly where her kitten fell in, they would have undoubtedly been able to find it."
Eleniel opened her eyes at that, sniffing softly. A few residual tears clinging to her lashes ran down her cheeks as she blinked, readjusting her grip on the elf lord's robes. Elrond sighed, perching his chin back on top of her head. "I am not impressed, tithen pen. I understand that your intentions were purely to save the kitten, but in saving her you risked a lot... now, by the look of your dry clothes, it is clear that the water only came up to your knees, but that is more than high enough to bring you down and carry you straight towards the waterfall. If your brothers had not found you in time, it could easily have been a different scenario."
"But I saved her..." Eleniel murmured quietly.
"Yes, you did, but it is not about that. Elladan went in after you to help you safely back to the riverbank, did he not?"
Eleniel nodded once. "More like drag me back."
"Well," he said, raising both eyebrows, "I can imagine he was fairly frustrated at being scared half to death at the sight of his little sister in the middle of rough waters. If he had not done what he did, that short journey back to the bank alone could very well have been your downfall." He waited a moment to allow his daughter to process his words. She sat quietly, eyes staring at her hands, yet it was obvious she was thinking, as not a moment later she slowly turned her head to look up at him.
"I really am sorry, Ada," she said, blue eyes teary. "I did not think, I just acted... I should not have done that. I should have waited for the twins to get her. Goheno nin."
Elrond nodded and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I will accept that apology and deem it all now forgotten. As long as you never pull a stunt like that again, we will never speak of it again. Understand?"
Eleniel nodded and sat up slightly, moving to wrap her arms around her father's neck. "Sorry," she said again.
"I know you are, tithen fileg," Elrond told her, rubbing her back. "As I said, we shall not speak of the matter again. Though..." He placed his hands on her shoulders and waited until she had drawn back and was facing him until he spoke. "You can expect that balrog-slayer of yours to wake you up early each morning for the next week to help him down at the training grounds." He rose an eyebrow and Eleniel sighed before nodding dejectedly. She had been expecting some sort of punishment, after all.
"Okay."
"And I believe your brothers would very much appreciate an apology, too."
"Yes."
Elrond smiled, bringing her back in for another hug. "Good girl," he said. "You know, I would have expected Estel to do something like this... but you? My sweet little star?" He breathed a short chuckle. "No. Definitely unexpected."
Eleniel smiled. "Well, I have to have gotten it from somewhere."
He rolled his eyes and gently squeezed her side, causing her to giggle. "Not me, I can assure you. Glorfindel, on the other hand... well. I believe that speaks for itself."
Elvish used:
Ada – Dad/Daddy
Tithen pen – Little one
Goheno nin – Forgive me
Tithen fileg – Little bird