On the Lake by Vicki_Turner

On the Lake

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine.

The wooden boards rocked back and forth. Every so often a splash of water crashed over the edges, refreshingly cold on the cloudless summer day. Sprawled out on the deck of the bow, Elrond sighed contently. He rolled onto his back and gazed up at the mast. At the top, Elros flimsily hung with only one hand. Elrond laughed at the nervous face of his tutor, eying the reckless elfling intensely from his seat at the stern. Mightily tempted to scold the boy, the tutor refrained, because Maglor, although consumed with notating his newest melody, was aboard.

To distract himself the tutor beckoned, “Elrond!”

Elrond pushed himself upright, “Yes, Master Erestor?”

“Come here. I want to show you something.”

Elrond kept a steady hand close the side of the boat as he walked. It wasn’t often Maglor took the twins to the lake and he was unaccustomed to the instability. At a brisk trot the lake was still a three day’s ride from their cottage and Maglor fretted about his wards safety in an area nearer to known orc hunting grounds.

“Look at those fish,” Erestor hoisted Elrond up to better see over the boats high sides, “Those are indigenous to shallow waters such as these.”

Elrond watched the school of fish, enthralled by their movement under the glistering waves, while Erestor continued to thoroughly describe the species. Although still a young elf, only several decades past his majority, Erestor was a spewing fountain of knowledge. He had impressed Maglor with his abnormal ability to absorb and recall information. This was a significant reason Maglor had entrusted the twins’ education to him. That Erestor was one of the few willing to travel several hours daily to Maglor’s isolated cottage was, of course, another key factor.

“Whoa!” Elros exclaimed as a strong gust of wind nearly pushed him off his precarious position.

Maglor’s assiduous pen immediately stopped and his head snapped up, “Elros!” He shouted, “Get down from there! Now!”

Maglor plucked the boy off the mast and grabbed him by the shoulders, “What were you thinking? You could have been seriously injured! I know you weren’t raised to be that foolish,” He gently smacked the side of Elros’ head then pulled him into an embrace, “Don’t scare me like that again, understand?” Maglor titled Elros’ chin and stared him in the eyes.

“Yes, Maglor.”

“Good,” Maglor ruffled the elfling’s hair, “Now let me finish a song in peace, for once!” He laughed.

Maglor returned to his seat and music, with disaster temporarily forestalled. Soon, humming and pen constantly in motion, he was lost in a melody.

Erestor gazed back into the beautiful waters, relieved to no longer having to worry about Elros. Meanwhile, Elrond had emptied a small wooden cart of its usual nets and ropes, pulled it over, and stood on it, to better observe the lake’s wildlife.

“Erestor, look!” Elrond pointed as a wondrous colorful fish jumped out the water, and after a few aerial acrobatics returned to the lake with a momentous splash.

“Now that is a rare species indeed!” Erestor, once again, began to regale a captivated Elrond about the unique features of that fish.

And all was perfect under that glorious afternoon sun. A strange, but nonetheless, loving family was enjoying this rare opportunity on the water of a peaceful lake. There was the musician, finally able to solely entertain his melodic muse and contemplate inventive progressions of chords. The scholar, thrilled to detail his overwhelming knowledge to an eager pupil. The student, lost in the wonders of information and pleasure of learning. Last, but not least,-

** SPLASH **

“ELROS!”

- a young scientist, conducting an experiment concerning the rocking of waves and his balance while walking on the sides of the boat.

~ Fin

Chapter End Notes