Chapter 2: Family Conversations Always End In a Fight (Of Some Sort)

Rumil and Idril wended their way towards their flets - all of them, the three brothers and Idril, were situated in separate flets in the same grand mallorn tree, keeping their 'family' together! As they were passing through an avenue of trees with numerous low-hanging branches, a figure sprang down in front of the silent pair, closely followed by another - making Idril jump, and Rumil snigger at her reaction; she was all too easy to alarm, he thought. Orophin laughed as Idril sent a jokingly reproving and resentful look at he and Haldir as they came forward and gave her a quick hug.

He sent a mischievous glance to Rumil as he bent towards Idril's ear and mock-whispered to Idril.

'Rilla, you had better be careful about allowing your betrothed see you with Rumil, or he might get the wrong idea about what has been happening between you the last hundred years!!!'

This was met with a snort of surprise from Rumil, a quick roll of the eyes from Haldir and a haughty glare from Idril.

'Indeed, is that so!' She was now getting worked up - now with a half decent audience she may have more chance of receiving more acceptable sympathy!

'So, not only am I soon to be forced into a marriage with Glorfindel, whom I have not seen for over a century after he left after a disagreement,' there was a snort here from Rumil and Orophin about the word 'disagreement', 'I must be 'careful' with my brothers now, or is it that now I am most likely to be married, perhaps I am no longer your sister?'

The three brothers frowned simultaneously, and Haldir came in front of her immediately and took hold of her wrists very firmly, looking at her sternly. Idril at once felt she may have gone a little bit far in her melodrama…

'Idril.' His voice, disarmingly low and dangerous, made her tremble slightly in something akin to fear - though she knew that was ridiculous - but it sent her back to her elfling years after she had behaved in a reprovable manner…

Her eyes lowered from his stern and unyielding gaze.

'I am s-sorry…' her voice faltered, 'I was wrong to say that.'

The tension lifted and the two behind Haldir shifted, very willing to allow Haldir take care of this.

'Indeed you were, Rilla, but we understand how you feel at the moment.' Seeing her dubious look, Haldir continued.

'We do, Ril. We can not feel like you are at the moment, but we can understand to a point what you are currently going through. Still, Orophin is somewhat correct.'

Rilla's head came up militantly, but before she could protest Haldir forestalled her, placing a strong hand over her indignant mouth.

'Shh. Let me speak.' Orophin and Rumil exchanged grins at Haldir's cavalier treatment of Idril - suddenly they seemed to have reverted back to Rilla's childhood…

'Though we shall always be the most faithful and devoted brothers to you, Rilla, you must understand that even ellons are somewhat protective about their wives and betrotheds - you have seen me with my wife! Even though Glorfindel completely understands us as a family, I doubt that he will appreciate the fact that his betrothed's adopted brothers receive and give more kisses and caresses from you than he does!'

A dawning light of comprehension lit up in Rilla's eyes.

'Oh my…!!!'

With an amused glance to the two who were now level with him, Haldir echoed her.

'Oh my…yes oh my indeed, Rilla!'

Giving a careless tap to her small nose, Haldir turned, continuing on their walk towards their flets.

'Still, you are our little sister, Idril. There can be nothing that happens in this world that will change that between us. However, there will be a slight change with our claim upon you. Soon enough Glorfindel will arrive here, having a much dearer claim on you than we ever have.'

'He obviously thought very little of that 'much dearer claim', 'Dir, as these last hundred years have proved…'

Haldir interrupted,

'I know you were hurt, and still are hurt by Glorfindel's seeming rejection of you. However, my dear little sister, mayhap you could for once suppose that there was something about his leaving that was not in the least a rejection of you.'

At Idril's confused look, he continued.

'I am not at leave to tell you very much Idril but,' he stopped, making Idril stop also, 'Glorfindel's leaving was not a rejection of you.'

'Then…' Idril's mind was sceptical, but her faith in Haldir's trustworthiness was all-powerful, 'then, why did he leave?'

'You could say…it was more through guilt, aier.' Seeing the look of her face he went on quickly, 'No, Rilla, I am not telling you anything more. It is up to Glorfindel to explain everything to you. And, it is up to you to be as fair and open-minded as possible, in regards to him.''

Idril gave into her feelings and with a small sob, buried her face into the front of his tunic.

'I…I'll try, Haldir. But I don't want to leave, you, and Orophin and Rumil. You are my only family.'

'And you are our only family on Arda. We shall always be family.' The three brothers gathered around the distraught elleth, in an attempt to comfort her.

Haldir stroked the back of her head, and with a cheeky smile he commented down to the hidden face.

'You know, I somehow seem to remember an ellon with whom you were infatuated with most of your elfling life…referred to him as 'Mandy' most of the time, for when you first met him you mistook him for Mandos…'

Idril make a sound like an infuriated kitten, causing her brothers to laugh, as she wriggled her way indignantly out of the circle they had made around her, and flounced off towards her flet.