"You are going on a journey, and we are not!?" It was all Elrohir could do to keep himself from pouting like an elfling.
"Aye, Elrohir, but it will not be a grand adventure—just a trading and diplomatic mission. If it will console you any, I swear that I will try to stay as bored as possible."
"That," said Elladan, "is a promise you will never keep. You are like Mithrandir: where you go, adventure is sure to follow."
"Because he himself follows in Mithrandir's wake," chortled Elrohir.
"Oh, I don't know about that," said the wizard under discussion as he stepped through the doorway. "From what your Adar has told me, Anomen is quite capable of precipitating adventures entirely on his own—as well, I might add, as dragging along anyone who has the ill fortune to be in the vicinity when the fireworks begin."
"That's not fair," argued Anomen. "Elladan and Elrohir were responsible for my latest adventure. If they hadn't let themselves be dragged off by the Southrons, I would have been able to stay comfortably in camp—that is, as comfortably as one could whilst cleaning up after an entire band of warriors."
"As if we could have helped being dragged off," protested Elladan. "But Mithrandir, why are we not to go?"
"Have you two any reason to go?"
"But we want to go!"
"At your age you have not yet learned that you can't always get what you want?"
"Very well, then, we need to go."
"Hmph! I very much doubt that. But the truth of the matter is this: Glorfindel is much impressed with your tracking skills, Elladan and Elrohir. He was loath to spare the two of you from the patrol in his absence."
Anomen's face fell. Had the balrog-slayer found his skills to be lacking?
"Hah!" Elrohir started to gloat, but then he saw Anomen's face.
Mithrandir laughed at the young Elf's crestfallen expression. "Anomen, Glorfindel thinks you are a fine tracker. He merely objected to the patrol being deprived of all three of you at once. He has grudgingly acceded to our request that he spare you, but he insisted that Elladan and Elrohir remain on duty. There now, that explanation should satisfy all of you."
Judging from the smiles on the faces of the young Elves, Mithrandir had indeed placated each of the trio.
"Mithrandir," asked Anomen, "why are you not to be a member of this delegation?"
"Ah, pen-neth, what do I know about horse-trading?"
Elrohir looked puzzled. "But I have heard Ada say that you are an excellent horse-trader."
Mithrandir laughed. "Yes, I am an excellent horse-trader, but I am not especially well-versed about the desirable qualities of mares and stallions."
"How can you be an excellent horse-trader without knowing such particulars?" asked Elladan.
Mithrandir laughed again. "Ask Erestor to define 'horse-trading' for you. Then you will understand how it is that a wizard can both be and not be an excellent 'horse-trader'."
"But, Mithrandir," Anomen insisted, "horse-trading is only part of our mission. Why is it that you yourself are not traveling to Isengard, Lothlórien, and Greenwood? Again and again you have expressed your concern about Dol Guldur, but yet you are not to take part in the negotiations regarding an alliance against the enemy. Why is this so?"
"If a Council is held—as I hope it will be—then I shall attend. Meanwhile, I have business in the North."
"Ah," said Elladan wisely, "you are off to visit Shire, the land of your Periannath friends."
"The Shire," Mithrandir corrected him. "Yes, I do have some business there. But now I am come to collect Anomen. Erestor wishes to go over certain maps with him so that he is becomes more familiar with some features of the lands he is to cross."
"Ugh, geography. Will I never be old enough to be excused from these lessons!?"
"If you are wise, you will never consider yourself too old to benefit from the knowledge and wisdom of others." Mithrandir looked stern.
Chastened, Anomen nodded. Then he turned to say farewell to Elladan and Elrohir.
"I told you," he said wryly, "that I was going to be bored."
The twins laughed, and Elrohir said, "Well, perhaps it will not be as difficult for you to keep your promise as we thought—not if Erestor keeps you pouring over maps."
With that, Anomen left the room in the company of Mithrandir.