Thanks for the encouragement from the following reviewers: Arwen Undomiel, Jebb, Kitsune, Melissa, Catmint, Athena Diagon Cat, Startlit Hope, Dragonfly, Karri, and Joee.
"Are you mad, Elrond!" exclaimed Glorfindel. "Sending Erestor to Mirkwood!? You know not what you do!"
Elrond was perplexed.
"Glorfindel, the two of you have traveled to Mirkwood before to conduct trade negotiations, and not so long ago, either. Don't you remember? It was the century when Legolas attached himself to your party under the guise of Durrandîr and very nearly was slain by spiders. You raised no objections to Erestor's presence then. Why do you do so now?"
"I raised no objections because it was the first time we had so traveled. Now I can object because I have the memory of that last trip to justify my complaints."
"You did not complain upon your return."
"No, and why should I? There would have been no object in complaining. But now I do have reason. Elrond, Erestor is wise and his counsel is good—no one doubts that—but of all Elves he is the worst horseman I have seen in any Age. Sometimes I think he must be half-human, so ill does he keep his seat."
"Ahem." Elrond Half-elven cleared his throat.
"Your pardon," Glorfindel said swiftly. "Yes, I know you are peredhil, and I meant no disrespect. Still, for an Elf, Erestor seems exceptionally ill-talented when it comes to horsemanship. As an equestrian, he makes Dwarves look good."
"Glorfindel," Elrond said calmly, "such hyperbole is unnecessary."
"But it is not hyperbole!"
"It is true that your great horse once threw him, Glorfindel, but then no one but you could ride that horse—even I would have been thrown if I had been so foolhardy as to mount him."
"Estel once rode him," Glorfindel pointed out, "and he merely a child, too. And Legolas vaulted onto his back and maintained his seat."
"True, but I think your horse forbore to injure either because of their youth. Erestor was not so lucky. Still, he will do well enough upon an ordinary horse. You have no need of haste and may proceed at a comfortable pace, so even if Erestor's equestrian skills are not to your liking, he will not delay the party."
Glorfindel shook his head.
"I am certain, Elrond, that you are going to rue the day that you permitted Erestor to ride off to Mirkwood in the company of Elladan and Elrohir. No good will come of it, I am sure!"
"If no good comes of it," replied Elrond calmly, "it will be because Elladan and Elrohir are along, and not because of Erestor's presence."
Glorfindel gloomily shook his head and departed. "Well," he thought to himself, "I wanted some excitement, and now I am going to get it."
Elladan and Elrohir were no happier when they heard that Erestor as well as Glorfindel would be accompanying them to Mirkwood.
"Ai!" lamented Elladan, "it is bad enough having Glorfindel along to glower at us if we do not hold our weapons just so; now we will have to put up with Erestor lecturing us upon etiquette!"
"It is important to remember the distinction between a King, a Steward, and a Lord," declaimed Elrohir in a passable imitation of their old tutor. "Elladan, do you suppose Erestor will insist that we treat Legolas as if he were a prince rather than our very good friend?"
"In public?" said Elladan. "I am sure of it. Else he will claim that we are disgracing our House."
"Then we shall just have to contrive to meet in secret with our foster-brother," exclaimed Elrohir. "I don't mean to spend all our time with him bowing and bobbing! It may be another century before we see Legolas again."
Just then the two young Elves spied Estel peeking around the corner at them.
"Well done, Estel," declared Elladan. "I did not hear you creeping up. You were as quiet as any Elf."
Estel beamed at the compliment, but it did not distract him from his errand.
"Elladan, Elrohir, is it true that you are journeying to Mirkwood to visit Legolas?"
"Aye, brother, 'tis true," replied Elrohir.
"Take me with you! I want to see him, too!"
Elladan shook his head. "Nay, brother—"
"Wait!" exclaimed Elrohir. "And why not?"
"Elrohir, it is a long journey, and Estel is still quite young."
"True, but—ahem—Erestor will be along to look after him."
"Nonsense," Elladan began to reply, but Elrohir again cleared his throat and looked meaningfully at him. Elladan caught on.
"Oh, yes, of course, brother! What an excellent idea! Estel, we shall go at once to Ada and plead your case."
"Thank you, Elladan!" said Estel fervently. "Thank you, Elrohir. You are ever so kind!"
Elladan and Elrohir were as good as their word. They hastened at once to Elrond's chamber.
"Enter," called their father, and the twins practically stumbled over each other in their eagerness to present their father with their idea.
"Ada," they both began at once. They looked at each other. "Ada," continued Elrohir, "Estel wishes to accompany us to Mirkwood, and we would like to have him."
Elrond looked suspiciously at the twins. Lately they had not distinguished themselves as loving brothers, for they were spending much energy in coming up with ways of shaking little Estel so that, unencumbered, they could dally with the elf-maidens. Why the sudden urge for his company?
"He is rather young, don't you think?"
"Ada," Elladan pointed out, "when Legolas was Estel's equivalent in elf-years, he traveled all alone from Mirkwood to Imladris. Estel, on the other hand, will be surrounded by guardians, amongst them Glorfindel, Erestor, and ourselves."
"Besides," added Elrohir, "with Glorfindel and Erestor gone, whatever will Estel do with himself? There will be no lessons in the morning in the library, no weapons training in the afternoon on the fields. There will be no one to look after him—unless," Elrohir added slyly, "you dedicate yourself to that task."
In truth, Elrond had been thinking of this fact ever since he had granted Erestor permission to join the riding, and he paled at the thought of being totally responsible for the little human all the live-long day. Still, it was a very long way to Mirkwood….
"Ada," said Elladan urgently, seeing the doubt upon Elrond's face, "with Erestor gone, Estel will fall dreadfully far behind in his studies. If Estel were to accompany us, Erestor would have an opportunity to tutor him as they ride along together."
"True," mused Elrond, "and that would also mean that Erestor might be too preoccupied to trouble Glorfindel overmuch." The truth suddenly dawned upon him. "Ah," he added dryly, "that would also mean that Erestor would be too busy to o'erlook your behavior. Is that not so?"
Both twins colored a little, but they nodded their heads.
"Well," said Elrond, "I suppose there is some sense it what you say. Estel will be overjoyed, both because he will be going on a journey and because he will see Legolas at the end of it. Erestor will be happy because he will have someone to oversee. You two will be happy because Erestor will not try to manage you. Similarly, Glorfindel will be delighted because Erestor will have something to do with himself and will not be continually telling him how best to lead the company." Elrond suspected that it was this habit, and not Erestor's poor riding ability, that had made Glorfindel object to his inclusion in the company. "And I," Elrond went on, "will have real peace for the first time in, oh, about an Age. Yes, this idea of yours pleases me greatly! Pray tell, when are you leaving?"
"Ada!" laughed the twins, "won't you miss us in the slightest!?"
"Of course I will," replied Elrond, bestowing a kiss first on the forehead of one son and then on the other. "But you have become so persuasive," he teased, "that I am all for seeing you launched upon this quest at the earliest opportunity. Now be off with you. Ask Glorfindel to join me in my chamber, if you please."
The twins bowed to their father and hurried off to do as they were bidden. Soon Glorfindel arrived at Elrond's sanctum, wondering what it was that could have made Elladan and Elrohir gloat so as they told him that their father wished to speak with him.
"There is news, Elrond?"
"A change in plans, Glorfindel. Estel will be joining you."
"What!?"
"Nay, Glorfindel, do not look so. It is for the best. Erestor must have somewhat to do, else he will occupy himself with a running commentary upon each and every one of your decisions—is that not so?"
"Aye," growled Glorfindel. "'Tis the truth."
"How better to distract him than to assign Estel to his care?"
Glorfindel's face lit up.
"Of course! Estel is the proverbial handful. Erestor will scarce have time to wipe his own arse, so busy will he be saving Estel's!"
"Glorfindel!"
"'Tis only a saying."
"Aye, but a Dwarvish one. I prefer a higher level of discourse in my chamber."
"Oooh, a 'higher' level of discourse! That's good, Elrond, very good."
"Glor-fin-del," growled Elrond.
Glorfindel smirked. "Your pardon, Elrond, but I should return to making preparations. I shall tell the cook that we will need provisions for one other, and I will look o'er the herd to see which pony would be best suited to carry Estel on this journey."
With that, a very satisfied balrog-slayer strode rapidly from the room, leaving behind an elf-lord who wondered how it was that everyone in Rivendell seemed to be engaging in the most unaccustomed speech and behavior. Once again, and not for the last time, he thought to himself that surely the Age must be drawing to a close.