Chapter Eight

Dejected Skills: Acquiring Courage

Figwit wandered down the halls in the early morning. The sun had yet to rise, and dew still lingered on the leaves and grass outside the windows. He enjoyed this time of morning, for the solitude and calming effect it had on him. The smells of a new day drifted to his nose. The chill smells of night still endured in the air. The peace that he felt hindered his thoughts of the previous day. He did not notice anything around him, nor did he see Elrond lurking in the shadows ahead of him. It was not until he was almost upon him did he shake himself from his reverie that he quickly apologized.

"My lord!" Figwit gasped quickly. "My apologies."

Elrond glanced at his young aide with amusement. "Good morning, Figwit. What hauls you out of bed this early?"

Figwit smiled bashfully. "I am always out of bed at this hour, my lord."

Elrond nodded. The dark elf lord wandered to the window and pushed the filmy curtain aside to glance out at the pale light that flooded the valley. "Would you care for a drink?" Elrond asked looking over his shoulder.

Figwit hesitated briefly before nodding.

Elrond turned away from the window and motioned for Figwit to follow him into his sitting room. The young elf complied, following into the dim candle lit room. It was the first time Figwit had been permitted into the elf lord's private chambers, and he was surprised to find it in disarray. Stunned he glanced at the many cloaks and robes scattered unceremoniously on chairs. Papers were littered everywhere, and the lord's sword was leaning against the hearth. He raised an eyebrow amused. Figwit wandered over to a chair and pulled the cloak off the back and hung it on a small peg in the stone. Then he sat down and patiently waited while Elrond poured a steaming cup of tea or hot beverage from a pot hooked above the fire.

Elrond handed him a cup and sat down opposite him blowing on the steaming liquid before placing the cup to his lips. "I spoke with Galathil last night."

Figwit paused with the cup to his lips. He lowered the cup and lifted his head confused. "Galathil, my lord?"

"My son's teacher. He is Elrohir's lessons master for tracking, concealment, and silence."

Figwit furrowed his brows searching his memory as to where he had heard the name before. Then it dawned on him. "Galathil!"

He exclaimed. "He was my lessons master."

Elrond nodded smiling. He took another sip off his cup and waited.

"What did he have to say about the events yesterday?" Figwit asked also taking a sip of his drink. The hot liquid poured down his throat, the faint taste of honey and lemon lingering in his mouth. He glanced at the cup in his hands pleasantly surprised.

"All he was able to tell me was that Elrohir was late in attending lessons. He also said that my young son is not quite fitting into the group."

Figwit raised his eyebrows questioningly. "I do not understand my lord. Not quite fitting in?" He paused and took another drink.

"How so?"

"Apparently the other elfling's find it easy to ruffle his feathers." Elrond chucked at himself before continuing. "I think perhaps it is because he is my son, and he is a twin."

"But surely the other elfling's would find it enthralling to behold elven twins."

Elrond chuckled again. "Do you have any siblings Figwit?"

The young elf shook his head. "Nay, I am an only child."

"Being a twin is a very hard concept for one to comprehend."

"I remember the day your son's were born." Figwit started. "I had never heard of an elf birthing two. A rare apperception. I was bewildered, and stunned."

Elrond nodded. "It was only possible through my half mortal heritage. I remember the heartache and distress with being a twin. I can only image what it is like for my son's."

Figwit lifted the cup to his lips again. "So that is all Galathil was able to recall of the events?"

Elrond nodded taking a drink and placing the now empty cup on the corner of the fireplace that was cold from a few nights of no use. "I will have to try to speak with Elrohir again."

"Do you suppose Elladan will be able to rend the information from him?"

"They are close, I think perhaps Elladan will know before the rest of us. Although you were close yesterday."

Figwit smirked. "That was only because I told him a story from my youth. I used to be teased for the color of my hair."

Elrond raised his eyebrows smiling. "Indeed?"

"If you remember Elrond, the elves that I grew up with were all blond fair-haired elves. The only other dark haired elves they had beheld were you and Gil-Galad. They surely wouldn't tease you or him as I recall."

Elrond roared with laughter. "I remember now the many nights I would see you in the gardens overwrought with tears."

Figwit gaped. "You saw that?"

Elrond nodded. "I think that is when I first noticed your courage and strength."

Figwit slowly smiled, memories of his youth coming to the surface. "I assume you no longer have those problems?"

Figwit shook his head. "Who would dare tease my while I am in the company of Lord Elrond?" He smiled quirking a brow.

Elladan rolled over on the soft plush mattress and felt something hard digging into his back. He squirmed and shifted his position to see what it was, only to discover it was his brother's arm. He twisted under the covers and lay face to face with his sleeping twin. He watched his brother's eyelids flutter in dreams, only once in awhile he would mumble something in his sleep. Elladan grinned as he watched. He continued to watch, when finally his brother's eyes slowly opened. They looked glassy and tired.

"Hi." Elrohir said softly.

Elladan grinned. "Hey, you are finally awake."

Elrohir rolled onto his back and closed his eyes again. "How long have you been awake?"

"Not long. I watched you sleep for a few minutes." Elladan confessed sitting up. "I am hungry."

Elrohir remained quiet. His memories drifted back to the day before and he shivered.

"Come on, let's go see what is for breakfast." Elladan said jumping from the bed. He turned when he received no response from his brother. "Ro?"

"I am not hungry. Go ahead without me."

Elladan frowned and wandered back to the bed. He pulled himself back onto the mattress and crawled over to his brother and stared down at him. "You are still sad."

Elrohir rolled away from his brother and curled up into a small ball. "I do not want to go anywhere today. Go away."

Elladan sat back sadly. Downcast, he hopped from the bed and left his brother's room. Why was he brother so sad? He thought while he traveled down the halls of Rivendell. He remembered how he pushed his brother away at first when his dreams had started. Perhaps his brother would seek him out later. Elladan smiled and hopped down the halls and turned the corner stumbling into a pair of legs. He fell hard on his bottom and glanced up accusingly at the perpetrator. It was Glorfindel.

"Well, what have we here?" Glorfindel chuckled. "It is one of the mischievous twins of Elrond." He bent down and pulled the small elfling up on his feet.

"I am not mischievous." Elladan said firmly placing both hands on his hips indignantly.

Glorfindel howled. "Truly not little lord. Where is your counterpart?"

"He is sad and still in bed."

"Sad?" Glorfindel raised a finger to his lips thinking. "Well now why don't we see if we can cheer him up? Let us gather some food and head back to his chambers, shall we?" Glorfindel held out a hand and grasped Elladan's smaller one.

"Glor?" Elladan looked up to the tall elf lord.

"Yes?"

"Why were you afraid of the picture in the book?"

Glorfindel felt his heart flutter. "Which one?" He whispered.

"The one of the monster in fire." Elladan said not remembering the name.

"The balrog?" Glorfindel hissed.

"Yes that one."

Glorfindel stopped and lowered himself to one knee. "That is a demon from my dreams. One who has haunted me for years."

Elladan looked wide-eyed at the blond elf. "You have bad dreams too?"

Glorfindel slowly smiled. "I do little one. Even one as old as I."

"Is your monster real like those ones in my dreams?"

Glorfindel paused wondering how much to tell the little one in front of him. "Yes, little lord. They are. But let us not dwell on monsters and demons. Instead, let us find a way to cheer up your brother." Glorfindel stood up and shivered slightly before casting an uncertain smile downwards.

Figwit shook his head waiting in his chair. Elrond had disappeared into his bedchambers to change out of his nightwear. He glanced around him again and feeling uneasy he stood up and started picking up the scattered robes and papers that littered around him. He heard the door open and he spun around startled.

Elrond roared. "What in all of Arda do you think you are doing?"

"Being one of the most respected elf lords, you have got to be the most unruly one I have ever met." Figwit muttered.

Elrond laughed. "Will you put my robes down and come with me to my study?"

Figwit held the robe in his hand and pursed his lips. Taking a deep breath he sighed. "What shall we discuss today?" He asked placing the robe neatly folded onto a small bench by the window.

"Same as usual. Shall I now call you my maid rather then my advisor?" Elrond asked quirking an eyebrow amused. He watched as Figwit spun around aghast. "Varda, no!"

"Then put down my robes and come with me." Elrond smiled waving his arms to the door. Figwit paused and glanced around him. There were only three robes left on the backs of the chairs.

"Figwit, the robes will just be scattered around again before the end of the day. Leave them, young maid."

"Elrond!" Figwit gasped.

"Well, come on then."

Figwit followed Elrond out the door and chuckled to himself. "I would hate to see the state of your bedchambers my lord."
Elrond pushed Figwit ahead of him and grumbled. "I am entitled to have a bit of disarray in my life. Valar knows I have twins. I am much practiced at it."

"I would think they would be the unruly state in your life, not your chambers."

"Figwit, they are only thus when my wife is away. Now will you please move."

Both elf lords laughed their voices filling the halls of Imladris with glee.

Glorfindel watched Elladan scramble around the kitchen grabbing items off cupboards, counters, tables and stools. The young elf had decided to make Elrohir's favorite breakfast, but he was grabbing everything he could get his hands on instead of preparing the batter for the pancakes.

Glorfindel shook his head amused. "Elladan, why do you think that berries are part of griddle cakes?"

"Glor, we could put them inside the batter." Elladan said as if he had come up with a brilliant idea.

"Alright then, get the bowl there." Glorfindel pointed to the green pottery one sitting by the door.

Elladan looked at his arms, which were filled with baskets of berries, a few apples, some sugar, and a stir spoon. He looked up at Glorfindel his eyes wide and confused as to how he would pick the bowl up with everything in his arms.

Glorfindel laughed. "Put those items over here, and then grab the bowl little one." Glorfindel said pointing to the table, while reaching for the cast iron pan above him.

"I am not little." Elladan stated indignantly.

"Of course." Glorfindel pulled a flint out of a tightly wrapped bag and knelt beside the wood stove. He reached inside and shifted the ashes around before placing tinder inside to catch a flame.

They got the fire roaring and the batter mixed and Glorfindel smiled. "Would you like to add the berries and apples?"

Elladan smiled broadly and nodded excitedly. The elf lord watched as the small elf dumped the cut up fruit into the bowl. Then he allowed Elladan to stir it before he dumped some of it into the pan heating on the stove.

Elladan sat down on the small stool and watched as Glorfindel cooked up the griddlecakes, and smiled as the smells drifted to his nose. "Those smell so good." He said swinging his legs back and forth.

"Aye, they do. Do you think these will lighten your brother's spirits?" Glorfindel asked smiling.

"Oh, yes. My stomach is grumbling, anxious to eat them."

Glorfindel chuckled. He turned his head sideways as he heard the kitchen door open. There stood Figwit and Elrond looking at them amused.

"Good morning. Something smells good in here." Elrond said wandering over to the stove. "What are those?"

"What do they look like?" Glorfindel smirked.

Elrond frowned. "They appear to be griddle cakes, but what are those?" Elrond asked pointing to the blue that seeped through the cooking batter.

"Oh sweet Elbereth!" Glorfindel roared. "Those are berries, Elrond!" Glorfindel flipped the griddlecakes and placed the pan down again.

Elrond shook his head. "I now seem to have a new maid, and a cook." Elrond laughed.

Glorfindel cocked an eyebrow in question, but caught Figwit's shaking head. "Do not ask. You do not want to know."

Elrond glanced over at the beaming face of his eldest son. "Good morning, Elladan."

The young elfling grinned from ear to ear. "The berries were my idea, father. They will make Elrohir so happy."

"Has he said anything about yesterday?" Elrond asked pulling up a stool next to his son.

Elladan shook his head. "He is still sad."

Elrond nodded and turned his head to watch his advisors. Figwit was leaning against the wall, watching Glorfindel cook the griddlecakes and place the cooked ones onto a platter. Silently, he thanked the Valar for the kindness of the two warriors before him. They would do almost anything to lighten the moods of his children. They would also go out of their way, and pause in their duties to assist them in any way that they could. Elrond smiled, two warriors who had hearts that were so big that anyone would smile seeing them around the youths in Rivendell. So kind, yet so deadly that you would run seeing their fury, and anger.

Somehow it caused Elrond to wonder how the memory of a balrog would frighten an elven warrior of such rage and love. He shook his head.

He felt a hand take his and he looked down at his son. He grinned. "They do smell wondrous do they not?"

His son nodded anxiously. "Are they done yet?" Elladan asked the blond elf lord at the stove.

"Almost little one." Glorfindel smiled.

"I am not little, remember!" Elladan cast a warning glare at the elf.

"Right, I forgot." Glorfindel smirked throwing a look at the younger elf beside him watching.

Figwit grinned flashing his pearl white teeth. "No little ones around here, that I can see." He said looking around the room.
Elladan beamed.

Elrohir sat up slowly, looking around his room. He was so bored, and his stomach was starting to hurt. He had not eaten dinner, nor had he had any breakfast yet. He slowly got out of bed and wandered over to the window. He pushed aside the curtains and pushed on the shutters to look out into the growing daylight. He saw some elves around his age racing around playing a game of catch. His smile faded remembering the words of Haevásaion, from the day before. He shivered, and pushed away from the window angrily. 'Why did I not fight back?' He wondered to himself. 'I have as much right to attend training as they do.'

He walked over to his chest and pulled out a clean tunic for the day. He got dressed and pondered what he would say when he refused to go to training. There came a knock at his door and he stopped pacing. "Come in." He said softly.

Elrohir gaped at the three elves and his twin as they entered his room. Something smelled wondrous as they placed a large tray on his small table. "Good morning, Elrohir." Elrond said as he waved his youngest over. Elrohir paused before climbing onto his father's lap and hugging him tightly.

"Morning." He mumbled.

"Glorfindel, and Elladan worked very hard this morning on a surprise for you."

Elrohir glanced at his smiling brother, then at the tall blond elf. His eyes wandered over to the steaming platter and he sniffed the air, catching a faint hint of griddlecakes. He jumped down excitedly, and quickly lifted the lid.

Figwit and Glorfindel sat down on the chairs by the fire and watch silently as the twins and Elrond engaged in their morning meal. Figwit threw a smile at the elder elf beside him, and he hoped that one day he would get to know him better.

"Come you two, join us." Elrond beckoned them over. The elf lord watched as his two advisors stood and walked to the table and helped themselves to a savoury meal. The morning drifted away as they sat and kept the twins occupied. Elrond hoped that by late afternoon he would be able to gather the information he wanted from his youngest son.