The Balrog by Independence1776

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The Balrog

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"You want me to do what?"

"You heard me the first time, Glorfindel."

"Elrond-"

"I am sure you can handle them for one day. They are just children."

Glorfindel blinked. If the twins sons of Elrond and Celebrían were just children, then he was an orc.

Elrond laughed.

"It won't be that bad. We will only be gone until dinner. Imladris will not fall apart in a day."

Glorfindel shook his head and left Elrond's study. Elrond was right- Imladris would not fall apart in a day. It would fall apart in less. That much he was sure of.

Glorfindel sighed and looked at his two young charges. They had finished breakfast and were patiently waiting on him to finish his. He merely raised his eyebrows and looked at them.

"Don't you two have lessons to go to?"

The twenty year old twins looked saddened, but dutifully trotted off to their teacher. Glorfindel grinned and finished his water. He stood up from the table and went to his study. He could get much of his work done between now and lunch. He knew that the twins' teacher could control them until lunchtime. But after lunch was his turn, and he was not looking forward to it.

When he went down to the dining room, he saw the twins sitting with a couple of children near their age. He smiled, grateful for the momentary respite. But after lunch was over, Elladan and Elrohir came running up to him with grins on their faces. Silently, he groaned.

"Mae govannen, Elladan, Elrohir," nodding at both respectively.

"Mae govannen, hîr Glorfindel," they chorused back.

"What do you want to do, now that your lessons are over?"

Elladan asked, "Is it true that you fought the balrog at Gondolin?"

Glorfindel nodded sharply in reply. It wasn't a fond memory, not anywhere close to one. Being burned to death was not pleasant.

"So you were allowed to come back to Arda," the other twin asked.

He nodded.

"Yes, I was indeed fortunate to be allowed back on Middle- earth."

The twins looked at each other and came to a decision. Elladan took a step forward and bravely asked, "Will you play that with us?"

Glorfindel blinked and smiled.

"I would be honored, young ones."

The twins grinned and ran off. Glorfindel sighed and leaned back against the chair. Why, oh why, did the twins have to pick that story to act out? And why was he foolish enough to say yes? If either one of them got hurt, Elrond would kill him. But he calmly walked out of the room and to the twins' bedroom.

He knocked quietly on the door frame and looked in. The twins had hurriedly changed into clothes they could play in and were just strapping on the wooden practise swords. They looked up when they saw him come in.

"Elladan- look- it's a balrog!"

"Let's get him!"

They quickly ran over to him.

"Glorfindel, you're supposed to run," Elrohir said.

The older Elf smiled and said, "You two are armed- I am not. The balrog I fought was."

"Oh!"

Elladan quickly ran over to his bed and picked up another wooden sword.

"Here you are, hîr Glorfindel."

He gravely took the sword from the child and saluted him.

"Now I am ready to play."

Shrieking, the two of them tried to pounce on him, but he fended them off with his sword and ran down the hallway. The twins ran after him, shouting that they were going to kill the balrog. Elves doing various tasks just smiled as the three of them ran by. They knew how rambunctious the twins were- and were grateful that they weren't getting into mischief with their parents gone for the day.

Glorfindel couldn't help but keep a grin on his face as he stayed steps ahead of the twins. He was enjoying himself, much to his surprise. Finally, they ended up near a balcony that overlooked one of the many gardens. The twins cornered him and started poking at him with their swords. Glorfindel was defending himself, but let his defense have openings. When the younger of the two managed to get him to drop the wooden sword, Glorfindel jumped onto the railing. When Elladan poked his legs, he fell off the balcony with a scream.

Horrified, the twins ran to the railing and looked down. They saw Glorfindel looking up at them from where he was standing.

"Congratulations, Elrondyn, you have slain the balrog."

Quickly, the twins turned around and ran down to the garden. When they got there, they pounced on Glorfindel, who- by then- was sitting on the ground. The twins started wrestling with him. About an hour later, he looked up at the sun and gently removed the twins from his legs.

"Elladan, Elrohir. We need to wash up for dinner."

They groaned but complied. By the time the three of them had each taken a bath, Elrond and Celebrían were due to arrive home at any time. Glorfindel took the twins to the courtyard to await their parents. They rode up barely five minutes later. Celebrían smiled as she got off her horse. The twins ran to her and gave her a hug. She picked Elrohir up and took Elladan by the hand. She walked to the house, greeting people as she went, and disappeared inside. Elrond walked up to Glorfindel and grinned.

"The house did not fall down, now did it?"

Glorfindel sighed and shook his head. Elrond turned and went into the house. Glorfindel followed him, still shaking his head. He walked into the dining hall just as Elladan was saying how they had killed the balrog. Elrond looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. Glorfindel just shrugged and took his accustomed place at the table.