(no subject)
This is not a recent effort, nor really a speed-written one, nor indeed anything particularly good. It's just a short vignette I wrote for Lenine around Christmas for some reason I no longer recall. I think perhaps it was to annoy her: after all, few things are more annoying than receiving a "special" handmade gift and having to make the appropriate appreciative noises.
Anyway, this vignette is about Glorfindel and Ecthelion, involves the word "fluffy", and is meant to go along with that Skiing Glorfindel icon I had at the time.
Glorfindel let himself into Ecthelion's room in silence, but the moment he had locked the door behind himself his volume increased considerably.
"I cannot believe," he said, "that you voted against my proposal in today's council."
Ecthelion set the mandolin he'd been tuning aside. "Well, I cannot believe you actually made that suggestion."
"What do you mean? I thought you agreed that skiing really is the best way to send reports down from the mountain guard-posts. At least in winter."
"I do. And so does everybody else: it is completely self-evident. Which is why," said Ecthelion with a Look, "I see no need for you to personally lead an expedition to investigate the feasibility of the method, and pick the best routes. If you want to go skiing, do it in your time off."
"You know I do." Glorfindel threw himself down into one of the fireside chairs and looked up at the ceiling, avoiding the Look. "But the snow is so fluffy this year. It seems a shame to miss it. And it is not as if I would be depriving some other officer of pleasure: most of the obvious alternatives are still too weighed down by memories of the Ice to get any joy out of skiing."
Glorfindel would, of course, have thought about this before making the proposal, Ecthelion realized. Guilt drowned out his self-righteous disapproval. "If it means that much to you," he said, "I'll swap some shifts with you, and take over some of the others--help you free up some time, so you can take advantage of all the fluffiness."
"Hmm." Glorfindel ran a hand through his hair. "That is a tempting suggestion. However, I cannot accept. Quite apart from the fact that doing so would make me feel uncomfortably selfish, it would cut into the time we get to spend together this winter."
This was true--but it would be selfish to mind, and to deprive Glorfindel of something he so enjoyed for that reason. Ecthelion decided to lighten the mood. "Oh, I am not sure about that," he said.
"No? Why?" Glorfindel sat up. "Would you come with me--no, you could not, if we are to swap shifts… But maybe we could both swap with--"
"I only meant that it would give you more of an opportunity to injure yourself. Like that time you broke your leg climbing, and I offered to bring you daily reports."
"Yes…" said Glorfindel dreamily. "Yes, that was fun… It is almost a pity that-- You know, I did have one particularly adventurous idea. I suspect scouts would get to the city faster if they just jumped off cliffs instead of skiing around them… But someone should try it, first. Someone like me. After all," he continued more confidently, "*that* is the sort of investigation I would feel uncomfortable passing onto anyone else. Yes, I think I will need to resubmit my proposal."
Sometimes, Glorfindel's physical courage was a little worrying. "I think I will need to veto that proposal, as well," said Ecthelion.
Anyway, this vignette is about Glorfindel and Ecthelion, involves the word "fluffy", and is meant to go along with that Skiing Glorfindel icon I had at the time.
Glorfindel let himself into Ecthelion's room in silence, but the moment he had locked the door behind himself his volume increased considerably.
"I cannot believe," he said, "that you voted against my proposal in today's council."
Ecthelion set the mandolin he'd been tuning aside. "Well, I cannot believe you actually made that suggestion."
"What do you mean? I thought you agreed that skiing really is the best way to send reports down from the mountain guard-posts. At least in winter."
"I do. And so does everybody else: it is completely self-evident. Which is why," said Ecthelion with a Look, "I see no need for you to personally lead an expedition to investigate the feasibility of the method, and pick the best routes. If you want to go skiing, do it in your time off."
"You know I do." Glorfindel threw himself down into one of the fireside chairs and looked up at the ceiling, avoiding the Look. "But the snow is so fluffy this year. It seems a shame to miss it. And it is not as if I would be depriving some other officer of pleasure: most of the obvious alternatives are still too weighed down by memories of the Ice to get any joy out of skiing."
Glorfindel would, of course, have thought about this before making the proposal, Ecthelion realized. Guilt drowned out his self-righteous disapproval. "If it means that much to you," he said, "I'll swap some shifts with you, and take over some of the others--help you free up some time, so you can take advantage of all the fluffiness."
"Hmm." Glorfindel ran a hand through his hair. "That is a tempting suggestion. However, I cannot accept. Quite apart from the fact that doing so would make me feel uncomfortably selfish, it would cut into the time we get to spend together this winter."
This was true--but it would be selfish to mind, and to deprive Glorfindel of something he so enjoyed for that reason. Ecthelion decided to lighten the mood. "Oh, I am not sure about that," he said.
"No? Why?" Glorfindel sat up. "Would you come with me--no, you could not, if we are to swap shifts… But maybe we could both swap with--"
"I only meant that it would give you more of an opportunity to injure yourself. Like that time you broke your leg climbing, and I offered to bring you daily reports."
"Yes…" said Glorfindel dreamily. "Yes, that was fun… It is almost a pity that-- You know, I did have one particularly adventurous idea. I suspect scouts would get to the city faster if they just jumped off cliffs instead of skiing around them… But someone should try it, first. Someone like me. After all," he continued more confidently, "*that* is the sort of investigation I would feel uncomfortable passing onto anyone else. Yes, I think I will need to resubmit my proposal."
Sometimes, Glorfindel's physical courage was a little worrying. "I think I will need to veto that proposal, as well," said Ecthelion.