Perfect Matches by Cirdan

Chapter 1

Ecthelion rode atop Glorfindel with his legs on either side of Glorfindel's head. He had two fistfuls of the golden tresses, and he pulled harder than he meant to with his right hand.

"Ouch!" Glorfindel protested. For some reason that was beyond Glorfindel's comprehension, Ecthelion didn't register that "ouch" meant "that hurt." Instead, Ecthelion pulled on his golden hair again. This time, Glorfindel didn't bother to cry out in pain.

"There, Glorfindel, there!" Ecthelion demanded. He tugged again with his right hand and thumped Glorfindel's chest with his swinging legs until Glorfindel sighed and gave in. He turned right and moved to the sweets counter.

There were hundreds of children in Tirion. All of them understood that sweets were a treat, something that they received when they were good, and this was called "positive reinforcement." Of course, Ecthelion had to be the one child out of all of the children of Tirion who decided that he didn't want to wait to be rewarded with sweets. He wanted them now, now being any time he could find a way to get them. Unlike every other household, the sweets in the House of the Fountain were kept on a high shelf in the kitchen so that they were out of reach of young Ecthelion. Of course, that didn't stop the boy. He used any method he could to get at the sweets, and today's method was to use Glorfindel.

As soon as they were within reach, Ecthelion's little hand stretched out to hover over the many jars of chocolate-dipped cookies and biscuits. He was never greedy about his desire for sweets, and he'd never eaten himself sick. In fact, he was rather picky and particular about what he wanted. Today, it was the jar of milk chocolate-dipped pirouettes, vanilla biscuits rolled into the shape of flutes. Mmm, a good choice. Glorfindel headed for the milk to go with their hard-earned treats while Ecthelion strained himself to open the lid of the jar.

Now, if anyone in later years doubted the genius of Feanor, here was evidence to decisively prove the matter. Feanor had captured the very snows of Taniquetil into jewels, and the essence of snow within those jewels made them brilliant and white and, most importantly, cold. One of these ice crystals in a well-insulated box was enough to keep foods fresh for days. In this case, it provided Glorfindel and Ecthelion with chilled milk, which Glorfindel had found to be even more delicious than fresh, warm milk. (It also made it possible for them make ice cream, another tasty invention brought over from the shores of Middle-earth.) Glorfindel poured a glass of milk for each of them and then brought Ecthelion to the table. By then, Ecthelion had gotten the lid off the jar and was already helping himself to one of the chocolate-dipped pirouettes, incidentally dropping crumbs into Glorfindel's hair.

"Hey, squirt, you could've waited," Glorfindel complained.

"Sorry." Ecthelion started sucking the crumbs from his hair. Not only did it tickle, but Glorfindel also had a sneaking suspicion that Ecthelion was smearing the chocolate from his lips onto his golden hair.

"Eew! Stop that already!" Glorfindel deposited the boy into a chair and tried to brush what crumbs he could from the top of his head.

Ecthelion didn't bother to wait for Glorfindel. The boy took one of the flute-shaped wafers and stuck one end into his glass of milk. He sucked the milk up through the other end. Glorfindel sighed. Ah, sweet, innocent childhood. He couldn't stay mad at such a cute little elfling for very long. Glorfindel took one of the chocolate-dipped pirouettes and started drinking his milk in like fashion. Ecthelion looked at Glorfindel with his luminous deep grey eyes, and they twinkled in delight as Ecthelion's lips curved into a dimpled smile around the end of the pirouette sticking out of his mouth. Glorfindel understood immediately why Ecthelion was smiling; most adults would've chided him and told him to eat more properly. Ecthelion crunched on the chocolate-dipped end of his pirouette as he continued to suck up milk. He took another from the jar and offered it to Glorfindel.

"Why, thank you!" Glorfindel said brightly as he accepted it.

"No, thank you for helping me." Ecthelion flashed Glorfindel one of his adorable little smiles then had another pirouette. Just as Ecthelion was about to start on a fourth, they heard his parents coming home. Ecthelion quickly stuffed the pirouette that he had in hand into Glorfindel's mouth and ran away.

"Glorfindel?" Glorfindel's attention had been on the fleeing Ecthelion and so, when he turned to Ehtele, the pirouette was still sticking out of his mouth. Telperien burst into helpless giggles at the sight, and even Ehtele was chuckling. "Really, Lord of the Golden Flower," Ehtele took the pirouette from Glorfindel's mouth, licked the chocolate tip, and then took a bite from the pirouette, "where are your manners?"

Alas! It was useless to blame the situation on Ecthelion, for Glorfindel was also known to have a sweet tooth. It wasn't his fault! He'd never previously been so interested in sweets. He could resist honey and caramel without too much difficulty. But ever since the Lord and Lady of the Seas had brought the secret of chocolate to the Falmari, Glorfindel had made it a habit to raid the household of the Fountain, for Ehtele was close in friendship to King Olwe and often received generous gifts of chocolate and chocolate-covered goods.

Telperien nudged her husband and looked meaningfully at the second glass of milk. "Corrupting Ecthelion again, I see," she observed. "Sometimes, I think we have two young ones running amok."

Glorfindel stayed to chat with them for several moments longer before excusing himself. He found Ecthelion waiting for him at the front of the mansion. One leg was crossed behind the other, and he looked up at Glorfindel with a worried expression and a pout.

"Did you get in trouble?" he asked.

Glorfindel knelt down. "Horrible, horrible trouble," he said gravely.

Ecthelion pecked Glorfindel on the lips in a quick kiss. "There." He grinned broadly. "That should make it all better." It was what Glorfindel had done when Ecthelion had scraped his knee.

Glorfindel laughed and shook his head. "Yeah, that did make it all better." He ruffled Ecthelion's silver hair. "I'll be back for more chocolates later," Glorfindel said in a low tone. He winked at Ecthelion.

"I know you will," Ecthelion said with an amused glint in his eyes. "You always come back for more."