Anomen has recovered sufficiently from the fall he suffered in "Elfling Retribution" to set off on a new adventure.
Dragon Confused: Something was buggy in fanfiction.net the day you posted that review. I logged in but twice found myself inside somebody else's profile and had to exit and come back in again. Probably if I had posted a review that day it would have shown up under somebody else's name. Anyway, thank you for the kind review!
Jebb: Elrond has to put up with a lot, and it's not going to get any easier!
Farflung: Oh, I am so glad you picked up on the tattoos! Um, did you happen to notice that Anomen's fall parallels a real-life fall in the life of the actor who plays Legolas? (Hopeful expression on author's face.)
Karri: One sequel coming up.
Dragonfly: Yes, Anomen's 'punishment' was indeed an appropriate one. Who flamed me? I don't know—it was an unsigned review. Again, I think it was just somebody who gets off on being abusive. I didn't really take it as a legitimate response to the story. As far as I can tell, the people who like these stories read them and sometimes respond in writing; the people who prefer different genres go elsewhere, but they don't abuse me because I'm not writing the stories they're interested in. Fanfiction.net is a big place, with plenty of room for everyone's tastes.
After so many days spent recovering from his fall, it felt odd to be out of bed and walking about. Anomen took each step carefully as he made his way through the garden. He paused under a tree and looked up into its branches. Elrond had said no tree climbing for a while, but the canopy looked so very tempting. He looked around. No one was in sight. He gazed once more into the canopy, opening and closing his hands as he thought of how the bark would feel upon his skin. No. He shook his head. He'd had a lot of time to think whilst lying in the bed. He was really, truly going to obey Elrond from now on. And Glorfindel and Erestor. And Mithrandir, too. Although, he considered, Mithrandir didn't so much give him commands as obliquely hint that such and such a course of action may be a desirable one.
From his vantage point standing by a window, Elrond smiled as he watched Anomen turn and walk slowly away from the tree.
"I wouldn't celebrate too soon," said a voice in his ear. "He's only been up for a day now."
"Ah, Glorfindel, mellon-nîn, always the optimist," rejoined Elrond, turning about to greet the balrog-slayer. "How went the training this day?"
"Elladan and Elrohir's elfling archers are coming along rapidly now. I almost wish that the twins would commit another transgression so that I could keep them on as archery instructors to those little ones."
"I am sure that it would take very little encouragement for my sons to pull a prank of some sort."
"I said, 'almost wish', Elrond."
Elrond laughed. "Mayhap it will only be a little prank, my friend."
Glorfindel rolled his eyes. "With Anomen and the twins, there is no such thing as a 'little' prank!"
Elrond nodded, but he still smiled. "It may not sound rational to an old bachelor such as yourself, but a parent who has feared losing a child cherishes that child unreservedly once he recovers him. In his relief, he takes joy in all his child's doings, no matter how mischievous. Had Anomen climbed that tree just now, my delight in his strength and agility would have outweighed my aggravation at his ignoring my instructions."
Glorfindel shook his head disapprovingly. "Do not the humans have a saying, 'Spare the rod and spoil the child'? Too much indulgence is not a good thing for either manchild or elfling."
"Do not fear, Glorfindel. As the days pass, I will recover my equanimity and become as strict as always."
"Oh, that's a great consolation," said Glorfindel sarcastically. In his eyes, Elrond at his strictest was never strict enough. "But never mind. I know that it is fruitless to discuss elf-rearing with you. No, I am here to discuss a scouting mission. I am troubled that Anomen sensed danger to the west. Scamp though he may be, he reads the trees with uncanny accuracy. I would like to journey westward, as far as the settlements of Bree-land to determine what this danger may be."
Glorfindel had the satisfaction of seeing a look of surprise flit across Elrond's face. Elrond had known him for so long that he could usually anticipate his next move. This time Glorfindel had taken him unawares. The look of surprise vanished as quickly as it had appeared, however, and when Elrond spoke it was with his usual calmness.
"To the west? Ever has danger threatened us from the south and the east."
"Aye, but mayhap the world is changing. It would not do for us to be caught unawares by a threat from the west."
"True. Very well. How many scouts do you plan to take?"
"I will ride with only one companion."
"Only one?"
"I do not wish to attract attention. An elven troop riding into Bree would create quite a stir."
"Who will you take as your companion?"
"Anomen."
"What!?"
Glorfindel chuckled. He had surprised Elrond twice in one day. Another Age might pass before he duplicated this feat.
"Elrond, of all the Elves in Rivendell, Anomen has journeyed farthest and is most comfortable in unfamiliar settings. He would be of great service to me on a journey such as this. Moreover, a Man and his apprentice will draw no notice. For that is how I plan to travel. We will cover our ears and masquerade as a trader and his assistant. No one will spare scrutiny for such innocuous travelers."
"May I remind you that Anomen is not one of the "Elves in Rivendell"; he is in fact one of the elflings in Rivendell. We do not venture our elflings on dangerous missions."
"True, but it is Anomen's very youth that I plan to make use of. Moreover, whatever lies to the west, it is a subtle danger. No word has reached us of wargs or Orcs in that direction. Yes, there are Trolls here and there along the road, but they are easily avoided or dealt with. I will not be leading Anomen into any immediate peril. I merely wish to determine if the Men to the west have been contacted by any evil force that may be seeking to corrupt them. I go in search of information only and do not anticipate that there will be any cause for combat."
"You may not anticipate combat, but it may await you nonetheless."
"Elrond, I wish to stave off the need for such combat by learning well in advance if any in the west may be likely to turn ill-disposed toward us. Any threat would not be realized until years, mayhap decades, into the future."
Elrond nodded reluctantly. "I must agree with you there, but Anomen has only been up for a day. Mayhap he lacks the stamina for such a journey."
"I do not set out at once. I will spend at least a fortnight in the library with Erestor reviewing various of his maps. Anomen will be ready. And," Glorfindel teased, "with Anomen's penchant for wandering, wouldn't you rather have him under my eye than gallivanting about alone, as he will no doubt do if left to his own devices."
Elrond sighed. "Very well, Glorfindel. You may take Anomen. But I will skin you if anything happens to him."
"Elrond!" Glorfindel took mock offense. "That is my line!"
"I will have your head!"
"Also my line," said Glorfindel calmly.
"I will make sure that you never have any elflings of your own!"
"I don't want any elflings of my own," replied Glorfindel, unperturbed. "Your elflings are quite enough for me to deal with, thank you very much." Glorfindel arose. "Shall I send the scamp to you so that you may inform him of his mission?"
"Yes, Glorfindel. Please do so." Glorfindel turned to depart.
"Glorfindel!"
The balrog-slayer turned back.
"Yes, Elrond?"
"Have you given any thought as to how weapons training shall be conducted in your absence?"
"Oh," Glorfindel said airily, "Elladan and Elrohir forgot to put away the bows and quivers after yesterday's lesson. That is worth at least another month, do you not agree?"
Elrond laughed heartily. "I think you had better send the twins to me as well."
"Indeed, I was planning to!" With that Glorfindel strode from the room.
A short while later three very nervous elflings approached the chamber hesitantly. Glorfindel had assumed his most serious expression when informing the elflings that the Lord of Imladris wished to see them at once.
"I have only been up for one day," said Anomen. "What could I have possibly done in such a short time?"
"You did not have to share our punishment," Elladan reminded him, "because you could not move from your bed. Mayhap he will now assign you a task to make up for that."
"Oh, no," objected Anomen. "Elrond said that I had been punished enough by my own efforts. He said he could not think of any punishment more appropriate than my having to lie still for weeks and weeks."
By then the three had arrived at the door to Elrond's sanctum. They stood silently outside it for several minutes. At last Elrohir screwed up his courage and knocked upon it.
"Enter. Ah, come in. Be seated."
The elflings looked at each other. Elrond seemed very genial—very genial for Elrond, anyway. They sat and stared anxiously at the elf-lord. Elrond decided this time not to torment them by forcing them to wait for clues as to his purpose in calling them to his chamber. He would speak directly to the point.
"Elladan, Elrohir, I must tell you that Glorfindel is very pleased with the progress that the elflings have been making in archery. Indeed, he is so pleased that he wishes you to continue as their teacher for a while longer. This is not meant to be a punishment," Elrond added hastily as he saw the look of dismay that spread over the faces of the twins. "Glorfindel is going on a journey. In his absence, he needs someone to assume responsibility for the training of the elflings, and he is convinced that no one would do better than you two."
Elladan and Elrohir looked at each other, surprise and pride mingled in their expressions. "Thank you, Ada," they declared simultaneously.
Elrohir smiled at twins and then turned his attention to Anomen.
"Anomen, Glorfindel also has a task that he wishes you to perform. As you have journeyed in many lands, he wishes you to accompany him as he travels west on a reconnoitering mission."
Elladan and Elrohir felt as if they had been 'suckered'. They had just thanked their father for assigning them to teach the littlest elflings for another month. Anomen, however, had landed the plum assignment of a scouting mission with the balrog-slayer! On the other hand, it was a scouting mission with the balrog-slayer. Mayhap Anomen would shortly regret that he was not the one training elflings. Both twins grinned impishly at Anomen.
As for Anomen, he hardly knew how to react. It was not a punishment, and he did like to explore strange lands, but with Glorfindel?
"Um, thank you, Lord Elrond?"
Elladan and Elrohir burst out laughing. They were sure they knew the reason for the hesitation in Anomen voice. Their father quelled their mirth with one severe look.
"Anomen," he said kindly, "do not fear Glorfindel. He has a fierce exterior, but I am sure you will find that he is a most considerate and careful master. He will not let any harm come to you."
"Yes, Lord Elrond," said Anomen doubtfully. It wasn't the harm that might come to him that concerned him; it was the harm Glorfindel himself might do! He hoped that the balrog-slayer had truly forgiven the elflings for the unfortunate incident of the arrow in the elf-lord's backside.
Elrond gestured his dismissal of the elflings. The three politely arose and bowed.
"You may be excused from your lessons with Erestor for the next fortnight," said the elf-lord in parting. "A little break is in order, I believe, since you will be shortly taking on such great responsibilities. You, Elladan and Elrohir, will have sole command of the elflings, with no elf-lord to superintend or assist you. Anomen, you will undertake a strenuous journey into parts little frequented by Elves. Stay well, my sons."