Lindir's Adventurers 23
“He’s definitely waking up this time.”
Lindir stirred and opened his eyes - and beheld a small circle of elves all watching him.
“Lindir?” Fellerien stood arms akimbo beside Erestor, and Gildor beside them looked sardonically amused.
“Hallo?” Lindir essayed, cautiously. “Um - did you want me for something?” He looked around. The flet seemed airy and very well-appointed. More than one bedroll was evident, though all except the one he lay on were neatly stowed in a wall niche out of the way.
“Is Tallath here as well?” He sat up. It seemed rather a long way. “Oh.” He swayed, not very clear-headed. This was not Tallath’s flet, surely.
Erestor knelt beside him. “I’m sorry, Lindir, I don’t know where he stays and brought you here rather than search out his talan with you before you - felt better.”
Lindir looked into the slightly troubled grey eyes. “Oh.” He found his feet and patted himself here and there. A worm fell out of his shirt. “I seem a bit untidy.”
Gildor forestalled the others, taking pity. “You had a good time, that was all. Erestor thought you might like somewhere on the dry side to finish your nap. Come down and get something to drink and we’ll get you back to Tallath.”
In an aside to Erestor and Fellerien, he hissed, “Lend him some clean clothes for pity’s sake. Nothing of mine will fit him.”
They bundled Lindir into a clean tunic, more or less the right size, that Fellerien provided - all Erestor’s things were a bit on the fancy side for a sober brotherly meeting and his travelling blacks were just as unsuitable.
Erestor shook the worn clothes over the edge of their platform, carefully dropping the worm to safety. Then they all went in search of water for a wash before bearding the brother’s den with someone to show them the way.
“Erestor, what happened?” Lindir asked urgently, refraining from plucking the other’s sleeve.
“You met Orophin who apparently invited you to a truffle-hunting party,” said Erestor, kindly avoiding the details.
Lindir frowned, puzzled. “So where is Tallath?”
“Where you left him? I’m not sure. We’ll find out. I thought it might be best not to seek him out until you were awake.” Erestor carried on a few steps more before asking what was on his mind.
“Lindir, you said you were looking for me. I don’t suppose… no, well.” It was clear that Lindir felt befuddled, and now was hardly the time for personal conversations.
***
“What on earth?” Tallath was amazed to see his little brother escorted home by three of the elves of Imladris.
“Oh, he just went for a walk and got lost,” explained Gildor, insouciantly. “It’s a big place, as you know.”
Tallath visibly quelled his own first reaction, perhaps reluctant to start an argument. “Well, Lindir, good evening. Come up, do. I was wondering where you’d got to.”
Lindir climbed up with a subdued ‘thank you’ to his escort.
A spare glance from Tallath at the others with barely a courtesy nod left them standing below the flet eyeing each other.
“I don’t like that elf,” declared Gildor, making little effort to keep his voice down.
Slowly Erestor nodded, beginning to wonder if this journey had been a good idea.
Lindir stirred and opened his eyes - and beheld a small circle of elves all watching him.
“Lindir?” Fellerien stood arms akimbo beside Erestor, and Gildor beside them looked sardonically amused.
“Hallo?” Lindir essayed, cautiously. “Um - did you want me for something?” He looked around. The flet seemed airy and very well-appointed. More than one bedroll was evident, though all except the one he lay on were neatly stowed in a wall niche out of the way.
“Is Tallath here as well?” He sat up. It seemed rather a long way. “Oh.” He swayed, not very clear-headed. This was not Tallath’s flet, surely.
Erestor knelt beside him. “I’m sorry, Lindir, I don’t know where he stays and brought you here rather than search out his talan with you before you - felt better.”
Lindir looked into the slightly troubled grey eyes. “Oh.” He found his feet and patted himself here and there. A worm fell out of his shirt. “I seem a bit untidy.”
Gildor forestalled the others, taking pity. “You had a good time, that was all. Erestor thought you might like somewhere on the dry side to finish your nap. Come down and get something to drink and we’ll get you back to Tallath.”
In an aside to Erestor and Fellerien, he hissed, “Lend him some clean clothes for pity’s sake. Nothing of mine will fit him.”
They bundled Lindir into a clean tunic, more or less the right size, that Fellerien provided - all Erestor’s things were a bit on the fancy side for a sober brotherly meeting and his travelling blacks were just as unsuitable.
Erestor shook the worn clothes over the edge of their platform, carefully dropping the worm to safety. Then they all went in search of water for a wash before bearding the brother’s den with someone to show them the way.
“Erestor, what happened?” Lindir asked urgently, refraining from plucking the other’s sleeve.
“You met Orophin who apparently invited you to a truffle-hunting party,” said Erestor, kindly avoiding the details.
Lindir frowned, puzzled. “So where is Tallath?”
“Where you left him? I’m not sure. We’ll find out. I thought it might be best not to seek him out until you were awake.” Erestor carried on a few steps more before asking what was on his mind.
“Lindir, you said you were looking for me. I don’t suppose… no, well.” It was clear that Lindir felt befuddled, and now was hardly the time for personal conversations.
***
“What on earth?” Tallath was amazed to see his little brother escorted home by three of the elves of Imladris.
“Oh, he just went for a walk and got lost,” explained Gildor, insouciantly. “It’s a big place, as you know.”
Tallath visibly quelled his own first reaction, perhaps reluctant to start an argument. “Well, Lindir, good evening. Come up, do. I was wondering where you’d got to.”
Lindir climbed up with a subdued ‘thank you’ to his escort.
A spare glance from Tallath at the others with barely a courtesy nod left them standing below the flet eyeing each other.
“I don’t like that elf,” declared Gildor, making little effort to keep his voice down.
Slowly Erestor nodded, beginning to wonder if this journey had been a good idea.