Oropher had caught the tail end of the comment but didn't need to hear the start to know he was not a fan. He turned the coldest stare he could manage on the Noldor Lord, "What did you say about my children?"

The lord almost sneered but didn't, "I said something about your child."

The singular word was stressed nearly until it was comedic, and had he not been so angry it was likely Oropher would have laughed in his face as his pathetic excuse for intimidation.

"My children," with each word Oropher took a threatening step forward.

This time the lord rolled his eyes, "You only have one son of blood."

"And two of heart." Oropher snapped.

The rest of the room had been growing steadily more silent as their confrontation continued but Oropher paid them no mind. He could deal with insults about himself, but he would not stand idly by while somebody else raked the names of two of the best young elves Oropher had ever met through every inch of mud on Arda. He would not allow it.

"What judgments do you have to pass, hmmm? After slaying your own kind and casting the consequences upon the rest of us."

The Noldor Lord took the final step to almost completely close the distance between them, Oropher being just a few inches taller. Not that the darker haired elf noticed nor cared, "What judgments? Plenty! They're conceited, arrogant, difficult to deal with, rash, poor leaders, trouble creating street rats! Destined to pull all nearby down into their murky level."

Oropher tipped his head to the side and ignored the rushing of anger in his ears, "I didn't ask you to explain your own personality to me. I asked for your grievances against my children."

This time the Noldor Lord did sneer as a rumble of whispers broke out across the room. The circumstances in which the Noldor arrived upon these shores was not often taunted about so blatantly.

"They're just like you. Worthless."

After that it was all a bit of a blur. Oropher could vaguely recall landing several punches to the Lord's face before anger stole his vision entirely. He did not begin to start coming back to himself until after he was making his way back home through the now deserted city streets of Lindon's capital.

He rounded the final corner and pushed open the gate that led to the house where he, Thrandul and Ferdan lived still trying to piece the incident together. There was two near identical thumps as the two aforementioned youth dropped from either one of their balconies or the tree overhead

They must have been sitting and waiting for his return.

"Ada!" Thranduil gasped in shock and concern, it was then Oropher became aware of a few dull aches on his face for the first time and assumed he looked like quite the sight.

Ferdan's voice held much more humor and less concern, "We heard there had been a fight at the meeting and were wondering what started it. But I see that it came to us."

As he finished, Thranduil descended upon Oropher and began fussily turning his head this way and that under the moonlight, trying to properly assess the injuries.

"I'm already, my dear son. I'm alright." Oropher tried to assure him.

"Your nose is broken," Thranduil deadpanned but kept inspecting.

Oropher gently began to extract himself from his son's vice grip of concern, "Its been broken before. It will be broken again."

"Yeah but Ada," Thranduil objected, moving his inspection to Orophers bruised and bloody hands instead, "This is the first time it's been from a fight!"

"No, it isn't." Oropher corrected.

Both boys stared at him with wide eyes and Ferdan promised, "We'll be returning to that topic, later."

"Alright, this is the first time it's been broken by anything but an accident since I've been alive." Thranduil corrected, looking sympathetic when Oropher winced as Thranduil discovered three of his knuckles were broken, "Ada what did you hit?"

"Somebody's face. A few times, I think."

Ferdan cheered with a mixture of surprised and delight, while Thranduil just kept starting at him with shock, "But Ada-"

Oropher lovingly placed both hands on Thranduil's cheeks, "I am alright. It is not a big deal. Disagreements happen. Life will go on."

"What if it keeps happening?" Thranduil asked worriedly. He knew how high some of the tensions ran between the various Elven groups living under one king. He knew they were only getting higher, and likely to continue moving in that pattern.

"It won't," Oropher said and began ushering them both inside the house, "It won't because I think it's time for us to move on. Build our own kingdom with our own values where we will be free to exist and act as we have always done or in any other manner we like and remain equal."

A few last words drifted out as the door slowly eased itself shut, "This place and their judgments weary me."