Melannen smiled when she saw her young son getting along so well with Glorfindel, in fact their alikeness had finally led her to believe that the Balrog Slayer was indeed the elfling's father. Elros was extremely smart for his young age, even for an Elf, and sometimes annoyingly witty. He had quickly become close to the twins, much to Melannen's obvious disapproval. Though she had not yet allowed him to learn to work with any weapon, not because she felt he wasn't mature enough to handle one, but only because of her own fear for his safety. She had seen the effects of war on Elves, and she never wanted her son to have to face that danger, not ever.
Though, today, she had made up her mind that she was going to let Glorfindel begin to teach him to use a sword and bow, if the twins hadn't already. The though gave her goose-bumps. "Elros!" she called, crossing the practice field.
The blonde Elf turned and looked at her, thinking for a moment before sprinting towards her. "Mother?" He asked, with the saddest pleading eyes she had ever seen. His blue eyes looked up at her, wondering (perhaps knowing) what she was going to do next. Sometimes Melannen swore that he somehow knew what she was thinking.
"Elros, I have decided that you should learn how to use a sword and bow, because during a time like this . . . ." she was cut off.
"Oh, Elladan already taught me how to use a sword." The Elf said, smiling broadly. Melannen felt her stomach drop.
"You didn't need to tell me that."
"I know." He said, grabbing her hand and pulling her over to where Glorfindel stood, a smile on his face. "Glorfindel will make a very good teacher, don't you think?"
Melannen couldn't help but to laugh. "Only if he wants to."
"That would be a pleasure, milady." Glorfindel said, bowing and kissing her hand.
Even though Elros was young, the twins had not had the best effect on him, "Meow."
He caused Melannen to turn crimson. Glorfindel turned to the Elf-child, "Watch it now, there aren't two of you." Elros only smiled slyly. "Okay, are you ready to get started?"
"Sure!" he peeped.
Glorfindel jogged off and returned with a bow and quiver. "We'll start with this." He handed Elros the bow, which was slightly too large.
He showed Elros how exactly to stand and hold the bow, and soon he was ready to try and shoot. The first few arrows went astray but after about three tries one finally embedded itself in the target.
"Good!" Glorfindel said, and Melannen applauded.
"Let me try this one on my own, okay?"
"Alright, Elros. But remember what I said."
The Elfling nodded, "Don't worry."
Elros seemed in deep concentration as he pulled the arrow back, his blue eyes focusing on the target in front of him. Finally he let it go and the arrow sped through the air and landed in the center of the target with a dull thud. "I did it! I got it!" He said excitedly as he jumped up and down.
Glorfindel and Melannen exchanged surprised expressions, he had done it. "That was excellent Elros!" Melannen said, trying to hide her own disbelief. Then her mind wandered back to the distant past.
"Ready?" the Prince asked as he stepped away from her.
Melannen nodded, "I think so, but Legolas it's been so long since I last . . ."
He held up a finger to silence her, "You'll do fine, I know you will."
She smiled at him and released the arrow, and as he had predicted it landed in the center of the target.
"See, I told you." he said, pulling her into an affectionate embrace. He planted a soft kiss on her forehead. "Melannen, I think you worry too much about what you are doing, if you relax, everything is just fine."
Melannen smiled deviously, "Can you, Prince, shoot even under the most intense of situations.
Legolas thought and after a couple seconds nodded, "I think so."
"Be my guest." She said, handing him the bow, he took it and aimed his arrow at the target. Melannen knew that now Legolas was in his element, now he was King. In his own world, nothing else existed but him and the target.
He pulled back the arrow and when he went to release it, the Prince felt lips press against the back of his neck, and his shot went wide.
"Good, very good." Melannen said flirtatiously.
"Now, that was unfair." he said before he tackled her to the ground and began to tickle her relentlessly.
Melannen was snapped back to reality, "Mother?" Elros asked, tugging at her dress. "Mother, what is it?"
She knew she could not cry in front of her son, so she fought back the tears that threatened to spill forth at the memory. "It is nothing, ion nin. Nothing." (My son)
Elros knew that she was hiding something, though he decided to keep it left hidden and soon he took off running back to the city, leaving Glorfindel alone with his mother.
"The memories?" He asked more as a statement than a question.
Melannen nodded, "As soon as I think I've rid myself of them, they return." Tears clouded her grey eyes and her voice was slightly shaky.
Glorfindel pulled her against him, "Shhh, quiet, it's alright. Everything is all right." he said quietly. Even though the last years of Legolas' life they had spent as enemies, Glorfindel still remembered the days when they had been friends, he missed the Prince and he knew many others did too.
Melannen stubbornly wiped the tears from her eyes, "I'm childish."
Glorfindel tilted her head so that she looked at him, "No, no. Do not think that way. The Valar work in mysterious ways, but they do have purpose behind their actions. He did not die in vain. He gave you Elros, that alone is worth dying for."
"How do you know?" she said, "How do you know it was him and not you or Remnul? Is it because you want to blame him? Is that why?"
"No." Glorfindel said truthfully. "I know because I see not myself or Remnul when I look at him or listen to him laugh, but Legolas. His father could be no one else."
"Perhaps you are right. Glorfindel, you have been a most loyal friend." She said blinking back tears.
The Elf smiled, "So have you. You must go now, your son will be wanting you."
