Laurelen was indeed changed. She was far more open to others, and
began to laugh along with them. But everyone learned that they would have
to be wary, for the slightest comment could set her on them, eyes blazing
with anger and resentment, when just moments before she had been laughing
and singing. Whenever she turned her wrath on another elf, they tolerated
it with an embarrassed silence. Poppy was amazed that Laurelen could
inspire so much unease, and secretly found it funny that her friend could
and would intimidate people who were so much taller than her.
Finally, though, Elrond could tolerate no more. He was tired of seeing his people forced to endure Laurelen's tirades, even though most lasted only a few seconds. During another of her outbursts, he finally stood and said, "Laurelen, save your anger! There are better uses for it."
The young elf turned to the lord of Rivendell with blazing eyes and a snarl curling her lip. "What makes you think I would listen to you? You have no claim on me." Her voice was harsh, low and deadly.
The other elves standing around gasped in surprise. No one had ever spoken so disrespectfully to the master of Rivendell.
For a moment Elrond closed his eyes, and it seemed he would make no reply. But when he opened his eyes, they were snapping with anger. "Heed me, young one! No person here has ever tried to harm you. And yet you walk as if all of Middle-Earth was against you. You behave as a spoiled child, a spoiled human child! If you will not be more civil to others, you shall spend the rest of your days in solitude." He paused to take a breath, and went on in a softer voice. "I will ban you from Rivendell, if I must."
Laurelen opened her mouth in surprise, and then closed it again, not sure what to say. But she could not contain the anger she held for long. "Fine! I do not need your company, or the company of anyone else here." She deliberately avoided Poppy's eyes as she stormed out of the room, leaving the stunned halfling with a hurt look on her face. Aragorn and Arwen started to follow, but the stern look they received from Elrond stopped them.
The lord of Rivendell closed his eyes again and sat down wearily. "She must learn this lesson herself."
* * *
Elrond forbid anyone from going out and searching for Laurelen. And sure enough, three days later she returned. She was pale and dirty, and there were tearstains running down her face. She looked as if she had not rested since she left.
But the most remarkable thing was the change in her attitude, which was most apparent in her eyes. They still had fire in them, and always would, but Laurelen had made a decision to control the fire.
She went straight to Elrond, even before finding something to eat. He was standing under the walkway that faced one of the smaller courtyards, discussing something with his two sons and Aragorn. She walked slowly to meet him, and bowed her head humbly when he turned to her. And in the presence of Elrond, Elladan, Elrohir, and Aragorn, she apologized for her actions.
Elrond bowed his head gracefully. "I accept your apology, and I welcome you back among us."
"Thank you, sir," Laurelen replied. "But do you know where I may find Poppy?"
"I can answer that," Aragorn said. "She is out in the stables with Arwen." He smiled. "It was all we could do to keep her from hunting you down herself."
Laurelen's eyes widened. "Really? Well, thank you." She turned quickly and sprinted off, eager to see her friend again.
When she reached the stables, she was encountered with the warm smell of the horses. She had never really been in the stables before, only seen them from the outside. And she had seen elves taking horses out of the stables, but not once had she encountered one of the elvish horses up close. She and Aragorn had ridden horse often, but they were usually common ones, not very intelligent or pretty.
So now when she entered the stable, her eyes widened. The horses all turned to look at her, hoping for a treat or a ride. Their beautiful dished faces and large intelligent eyes were set on long slender necks that stretched out to sniff at her. And it was then that Laurelen fell in love with the horses. She had always liked them, but never really desired one. And now as she saw them up close, she wished to have one for her own.
Poppy found Laurelen standing in the middle of the stable, stroking the nose of one of the horses. Its eyes were drooping closed under the soft touch, and it looked about to fall asleep. "They're beautiful, aren't they?" Poppy said softly.
Laurelen jumped and turned swiftly. "I didn't hear you." The horse nudged at her hand, and sighed regretfully when she didn't pay any attention to him. "I came looking for you, and got.distracted."
Poppy smiled. "I'm surprised you've never been down here before. It's rather peaceful, especially this time of day. Everyone is in for the noon meal, and no one travels in the middle of the day. What did you want, anyway?"
"I came to say I am sorry," Laurelen said softly. Then she looked about. "I was told Arwen was here, too. Where is she?"
"I forgive you. I knew you didn't mean what you said. Arwen was here."
"I am here." Arwen's soft voice startled both of them. "Welcome back, Laurelen." As she spoke, the horses lifted up their heads, and shrill whinnies came from their throats. Arwen smiled. "They welcome you also."
Finally, though, Elrond could tolerate no more. He was tired of seeing his people forced to endure Laurelen's tirades, even though most lasted only a few seconds. During another of her outbursts, he finally stood and said, "Laurelen, save your anger! There are better uses for it."
The young elf turned to the lord of Rivendell with blazing eyes and a snarl curling her lip. "What makes you think I would listen to you? You have no claim on me." Her voice was harsh, low and deadly.
The other elves standing around gasped in surprise. No one had ever spoken so disrespectfully to the master of Rivendell.
For a moment Elrond closed his eyes, and it seemed he would make no reply. But when he opened his eyes, they were snapping with anger. "Heed me, young one! No person here has ever tried to harm you. And yet you walk as if all of Middle-Earth was against you. You behave as a spoiled child, a spoiled human child! If you will not be more civil to others, you shall spend the rest of your days in solitude." He paused to take a breath, and went on in a softer voice. "I will ban you from Rivendell, if I must."
Laurelen opened her mouth in surprise, and then closed it again, not sure what to say. But she could not contain the anger she held for long. "Fine! I do not need your company, or the company of anyone else here." She deliberately avoided Poppy's eyes as she stormed out of the room, leaving the stunned halfling with a hurt look on her face. Aragorn and Arwen started to follow, but the stern look they received from Elrond stopped them.
The lord of Rivendell closed his eyes again and sat down wearily. "She must learn this lesson herself."
* * *
Elrond forbid anyone from going out and searching for Laurelen. And sure enough, three days later she returned. She was pale and dirty, and there were tearstains running down her face. She looked as if she had not rested since she left.
But the most remarkable thing was the change in her attitude, which was most apparent in her eyes. They still had fire in them, and always would, but Laurelen had made a decision to control the fire.
She went straight to Elrond, even before finding something to eat. He was standing under the walkway that faced one of the smaller courtyards, discussing something with his two sons and Aragorn. She walked slowly to meet him, and bowed her head humbly when he turned to her. And in the presence of Elrond, Elladan, Elrohir, and Aragorn, she apologized for her actions.
Elrond bowed his head gracefully. "I accept your apology, and I welcome you back among us."
"Thank you, sir," Laurelen replied. "But do you know where I may find Poppy?"
"I can answer that," Aragorn said. "She is out in the stables with Arwen." He smiled. "It was all we could do to keep her from hunting you down herself."
Laurelen's eyes widened. "Really? Well, thank you." She turned quickly and sprinted off, eager to see her friend again.
When she reached the stables, she was encountered with the warm smell of the horses. She had never really been in the stables before, only seen them from the outside. And she had seen elves taking horses out of the stables, but not once had she encountered one of the elvish horses up close. She and Aragorn had ridden horse often, but they were usually common ones, not very intelligent or pretty.
So now when she entered the stable, her eyes widened. The horses all turned to look at her, hoping for a treat or a ride. Their beautiful dished faces and large intelligent eyes were set on long slender necks that stretched out to sniff at her. And it was then that Laurelen fell in love with the horses. She had always liked them, but never really desired one. And now as she saw them up close, she wished to have one for her own.
Poppy found Laurelen standing in the middle of the stable, stroking the nose of one of the horses. Its eyes were drooping closed under the soft touch, and it looked about to fall asleep. "They're beautiful, aren't they?" Poppy said softly.
Laurelen jumped and turned swiftly. "I didn't hear you." The horse nudged at her hand, and sighed regretfully when she didn't pay any attention to him. "I came looking for you, and got.distracted."
Poppy smiled. "I'm surprised you've never been down here before. It's rather peaceful, especially this time of day. Everyone is in for the noon meal, and no one travels in the middle of the day. What did you want, anyway?"
"I came to say I am sorry," Laurelen said softly. Then she looked about. "I was told Arwen was here, too. Where is she?"
"I forgive you. I knew you didn't mean what you said. Arwen was here."
"I am here." Arwen's soft voice startled both of them. "Welcome back, Laurelen." As she spoke, the horses lifted up their heads, and shrill whinnies came from their throats. Arwen smiled. "They welcome you also."