Know Your Enemy.

Epilogue

Bright sunshine filled the entrance to the small cave, heralding the dawn of a new day and an end to the stormy skies, but not an end to the dark mood of Elladan and Elrohir. The firewood had lasted only a few hours, and even wrapped together, sharing the blankets and their body heat, the brethren had been unable to keep the cold at bay. They had spent an uncomfortable night with only the heat of their anger and humiliation to keep them warm.

However, they positively radiated hot fury once more when they reached the courtyard of the Last Homely House and were greeted with enthusiastic waves and smug smiles from the two Elves seated at a small table on Glorfindel’s balcony. After obviously having spent a comfortable night in their respective beds, Erestor and Glorfindel, still attired in their sleeping shirts and leggings, were now enjoying a late breakfast in the warm freshness of the morning air.

Erestor frowned with mild concern at the sight of the bedraggled state of his students. Although he seldom voiced his feelings on the matter, he dearly loved Elladan and Elrohir almost as if they were his own sons, as did Glorfindel. After exchanging a quick glance with the seneschal, the elder elves silently acknowledged that the lesson had gone far enough.

“Elladan! Elrohir! Will you not join us? ” enquired Erestor, offering them both the rarely seen smile of affection that did much to cool the tempers of at least one of his students. Elrohir was far more even tempered than his brother.

“First we must inform Adar of our safe return, but we will join you shortly,” replied Elladan coolly.

“A wise idea. Please tell Elrond he is also more than welcome at our table,” added Glorfindel, smiling inwardly when he saw that the ever efficient Erestor had already made room to accommodate their guests before going to the kitchen to collect a fresh pot of herbal tea.

After a brief reunion with Elrond which necessarily included a fatherly embrace for each of his sons as well as many stern words of reprimand for their disrespectful conduct at Arathorn’s camp, the Peredhil made their way to Glorfindel’s chambers.

“As much as it pains me to say this, Elladan and I are forced to concede defeat, my lords,” offered Elrohir with a slight incline of his head in a gesture of respect that pleased both his Adar and his tutors. “Are we not, Elladan?” The elder twin, obviously still harbouring some anger, remained unmoving even when he felt a sharp poke in his ribs.

“Only if you mean defeat by trickery,” he stated glaring harshly first at Elrohir, then at Erestor.

“Nay, it was not trickery but the result of a combination of our cunning borne of millennia of experience and failure on your part to properly consider the knowledge you possessed of your 'enemy'. Had you done so, perhaps you would have realised that neither Glorfindel nor I would willingly forsake the comfort of our chambers when they were so close to hand,” insisted Erestor who had resumed the strict persona of tutor.

“Also we know you two well enough to be certain that it would never occur to two as proud of their woodsman skills as you both are to seek us in the house rather than the forest,” added Glorfindel, also in a more serious vein, reinforcing the error  in judgement the young trackers had made.

“What do you think, Adar? Was the contest decided by deceit?” asked Elladan turning to Elrond for the support that the lord of Imladris could not in all fairness provide.

“Nay, there was no deceit. You two were simply outwitted by these old warriors and have hopefully learned a valuable lesson,” he told his sons.

“I will expect the study required of you as payment for losing the wager to be ready in seven days,” said Erestor with his usual sternness. This was greeted by a groan of dismay from his reluctant students which he quieted with a raised hand. “However, I will allow a small concession. Since it appears that your Adar could also benefit by having his memory refreshed on the subject of ‘knowing your enemy’, you may seek his assistance with the project.”

Elladan and Elrohir wore matched smiles of delighted amusement and all thoughts of revenge were forgotten as Elrond’s eyebrows arched upwards with indignant surprise at the subtle, but intentional teasing from Erestor.

This time the laughter that echoed across the courtyard was the uncontrolled mirth of all.