Title & Chapter Number: Tall Tales And The Tutor [Elf Children Series 15]
Author(s): - Author's Index
Website: Tortured Scribes
Fandom: Tolkien
Rating: G
Disclaimer: All things Tolkien belong to his estate; I only borrow them on occasion and always return them in good working order. I write fan fiction solely for my own enjoyment and do not claim any copyright or ownership of his works nor do I have intent to make financial gain. All original concepts and characters are from my own twisted plot bunnies and remain my property. Hwest is all mine! The Book and Ohtarie are Alex's!
Warnings: None
Betas: Hedda
Cast: Rúmil, Legolas, The Twins, Erestor and Glorfindel
Timeline: Early Third Age - AU after Do Not Make Me Stop This Cart
Spoilers: Some for previous works in this series.
Summary: Rúmil and Legolas learn that not all tales are true and not to prejudge people.
Notes: Since there is no date of birth for Haldir, I am taking poetic license with his age. Elves reach adulthood between 50 and 100 years. For purposes of this story, I have decided to make 100 the age of adulthood. Haldir is 62 and essentially a pre-teen.
53 Lairë * 170 T.A. - Imladris
"You are joking," Rúmil asked the twins.
The twins solemnly shook their heads.
Legolas stared wide-eyed at them. "He ate him?"
"Yes," Elladan replied in a hushed whisper. "Just because he did not finish his reading homework."
Rúmil was suddenly skeptical. "Let me get this straight. Erestor killed and ate a student because he did not finish his reading homework. And your father did nothing about it?"
Elrohir looked very grave. "Our father made the salad to go with the meal. He agrees with Erestor's teaching methods."
"You do not dare fail," Elladan added, "or you will end up as dinner."
Elrohir leaned closer as if he were about to impart a great secret. "We used to have an older brother but he failed history."
Both Rúmil and Legolas stared at the twins in horror.
"Why do you think Mother never stays here," Elladan whispered.
Rúmil and Legolas exchanged glances. It was true that Lady Celebrían had left just that morning to return to Lórien. They had only arrived in Imladris the evening before. The thought that she needed sometime away from the children after the painful journey from Caras Galadon never occurred to them.
The twins slowly got to their feet. "Remember what we have told you," Elladan warned.
"We would hate to have to lose such good friends as you," Elrohir said sadly.
Then the twins were gone, scurrying down the garden path. As soon as they had reached the safety of the main building, they burst into peals of laughter.
Rúmil and Legolas journeyed deeper into the garden. They finally settled under a mulberry tree. The branches swept down to the grassy ground creating a small cave of foliage and rich juicy berries. The boys didn't have much of an appetite though.
"What are we going to do?" Legolas asked softly.
"I do not know," Rúmil replied. "I am not very good at history. I suppose I will get eaten." He managed to maintain his composure for a few seconds before he burst into tears.
Legolas nodded. He too was close to tears having never been successful with math.
Their pity party was interrupted by a dark haired Elf with stormy grey eyes peering through the branches. "Are you two okay?" His musical voice was kind and filled with concern.
"Yes," Rúmil managed to say in between sobs.
"I do not want to be eaten," Legolas wailed.
Rúmil nodded vigorously at Legolas' announcement.
Erestor looked wide-eyed at the two young boys. He recognized one of them as Legolas, who was the spitting image of his father, Thranduil. The other boy must be Rúmil, considering his age, the foster son of Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel. He wondered what had possessed the boys to think they would be eaten. He wrongly assumed that they must be feeling a bit insecure in their new surroundings and probably thought they were in danger of an Orc attack. He crawled into the green cave and settled himself in front of the boys. "Now why do you fear you will be eaten?" he asked gently.
"B-because I am not g-good at m-math," Legolas sobbed.
"And I c-can never remember d-dates in history," Rúmil added miserably.
Erestor looked from one boy to the next in stunned silence. "Why would you be eaten for needing extra help with your lessons?"
"Because Erestor eats students who do poorly," Rúmil whispered after looking around fearfully.
Erestor went from stunned to completely shocked.
"He ate Elrohir and Elladan's older brother," Legolas confided tearfully.
Suddenly everything became crystal clear to Erestory. The twin scamps had been at it again. He resisted the urge to laugh. "I happen to know Erestor and I can assure you that he has never eaten any of his students."
Legolas and Rúmil looked carefully at the elder Elf for any sign of deceit.
"But what about the twin's older brother?" Rúmil asked. He was much calmer but still suspicious.
Erestor allowed himself the luxury of a smile. "Perhaps you chould ask Lord Elrond about his supposed eldest child."
"Oh no!" Legolas exclaimed. "He probably made the salad when Erestory ate him."
Erestor had never heard such a ludcrist statement. He knew firsthand how convincing the twins could be and these two young Elflings happened to be a bit more naïve than most. He thought momentarily how he could convince these two they were not in danger of being cannibalized. His word would not mean much once the boys realized who he was. He could get the twins to admit to their cruel prank but he knew how smart they were. No doubt they would recant their confessions afterwards claiming they were in fear for their lives and had no choice but to support Erestor's claim of innocence. Finally, he decided to let the boys decide for themselves who they trusted to tell them the truth. "Who would you trust to ask?"
"What about Lord Celeborn?" Rúmil asked Legolas.
"It would take to long to contact him," Legolas countered. "We could be the main course before he could answer us."
Rúmil sighed. He suddenly wished they were back hom in Lorien.
"What about Lord Glorfindel?" Legolas suggested suddenly.
Rúmil thought about it for a moment and nodded. Despite Glorfindel's terrifying and disgusting revelations about babies, he was the Hero of Gondolin and a slayer of a Balrog. If anyone was brave enough not to fear Erestor it would be Glorfindel.
Erestor smiled inwardly. He would love to be a fly on the wall for this conversation. "You will find Lord Glorfindel in the library," he informed the two Elflings.
"Thank you," both boys chimed before crawling out from under the tree and dashing towards the main building, neither boy stopping to ask Erestory his name.
~*~*~*~
The golden haired Elf was indeed in the library. Glorfindel's handsome face was studious as he studied an old scroll. There seemed to be an aura of light that surrounded Glorfindel. His merry demeanor was as wellknown as he's deeds at Gondolin. He smiled brightly as Rúmil and Legolas entered the room. "What bring you two Elflings inside on such a beautiful day?" he asked as he indicated for them to sit in two vacant chairs opposite him. He could tell by the boys' serious expressions that this was not a social call.
"My lord, we have come to ask you about Lord Erestor," Rúmil asked almost immediately.
Legolas, being somewhat less tactful, blurted out, "We have been told that he eats students who fail his class or forget to turn in homework."
Glorfindel looked from one boy to the other with a stunned expression on his face that mirrored Erestor's when he had heard the same news. "Really?"
The boys nodded vigourously in unicson.
"He even ate Lady Celebrían's oldest son," Legolas informed the Elf-lord in a hushed tone.
"Lord Elrond made the salad for that meal," Rúmil added with great authority.
Glorfindel was unable to control his mirth. He laughed long and hard until tears sprang from his eyes. He finally managed to regain his composure enough to say, "I have known Lord Erestory for a long time and I can assure you that he has never eaten a student."
Legolas and Rúmil exchanged glances. They were beginning to suspect that Elladan and Elrohir had been telling tales at their expense.
"As for Lord Elrond and Lady Celebrían's children are concerned," Glorfindel continued in between chuckles, "three children they have and three you have met. There is no eldest child that was eaten or otherwise dispatched."
Legolas and Rúmil were furious. The twins had made up the whole story. To make matters more embarrassing, Legolas was beginning to suspect that the mysterious Elf who had sent them to Glorfindel was none other then said tutor.
"What does Lord Erestor look like?" Legolas asked.
Glorfindel motioned behind the boys. "See for yourselves."
The Elflings turned to see the very Elf who had sat with them under the mulberry tree not ten minutes before. He was leaning against the arched opening of the library smiling cheerfully. Both Rúmil and Legolas flushed crimson.
"I see that Lord Glorfindel has cleared up any rumors you have heard about your new tutor," Erestor said in his normally placid tone.
"Yes, sir," Legolas and Rúmil said in unison.
"And what have you learned from this little adventure?" Erestor, every the teacher, asked them.
"That Elladan and Elrohir never had an older brother." Legolas answered.
"That they lied to us," Rúmil added.
Erestory smiled patiently, "Yes, those are very good points but what else?
"You don't eat Elflings," both boys answered, faces an even brighter shade of red.
Erestor chuckled. "That is true as well. But the most valuable lesson you should take away from this is not to prejudge people."
Both boys nodded.
"It is fine to consider other people's warnings but you should always form your own opinions."
"We are sorry, Lord Erestor, if we offended you, " Rúmil said quietly.
The tutor smiled. "No offense was taken, little one. Now run along and enjoy the sunshine."
The two boys rose and scampered from the library.
Erestory and Glorfindel exchanged a look and both began to chuckle again.
"I see time with Lady Celebrían has done little to temper the twins' mischievousness," Erestor drawled.
Glorfindel shook his head. "Nay, and the other Elflings from Lorien are just as impish. You will have your hands full I'm afraid. I do not envy you this task. I would rather face another Balrog."
Erestor scowled at his friend. "Thank you, Glorfindel for your compassion."
Glorfindel grinned.
Erestor was about to say more but his sharp ears caught the sounds of youthful shrieks and splashing. If he was right then Rúmil and Legolas were attempting to drown the twins in a nearby fountain. He sighed and rushed from the room before the fight could escalate and someone was indeed drowned, Glorfindel's laughter ringing after him.
The End
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