Tyelkormo's Great Escape by Aprilertuile

Tirion

Tirion was always very colorful for the season. It was never missing its chance to become an eyesore of epic proportion in Tyelkormo’s not so humble or silent opinion.

It wasn’t even like it was really getting all that cold in Tirion anyway, not like in Valmar that was higher up in a mountain. There was never any actual snow in Tirion. And an elf would be comfortable enough in those temperatures but no, the city of Tirion as a whole was acting like winter was different.

It only was different in mountains or up north where his father was tempted to build a house - closer to those of their people who settled there.

Maybe he shouldn’t criticize the people’s desire to keep decorating Tirion like that since it meant that his father and his lamp making colleagues were kept well in business but still… To his eyes, that amount of unnatural colors and light was more headaches inducing than nice.

Tyelkormo dismounted, preferring to walk through the busy streets of Tirion. His horse let itself be led calmly.

He would go to Tirion’s market and fill a bag with travel bread. And some wine. He would find water easily on the way, but wine… And jam if he found any.

Hopefully his father would be busy in the palace and he’d be long gone from Tirion by the time his father would poke his nose outside.

In the marketplace, Tyelkormo managed to secure a nice pack of travel bread, and if he wasn’t completely stupid about it or added to it by hunting and gathering, it should even be enough to last him until he didn’t need it anymore.

He secured a couple of jars of honey, and dried fruits, but alas no jam. Oh well… He’d do without.

However when he turned to go to another merchant who seemed to have various wines in various containers, Tyelkormo spied his father dealing with said merchant.

His blood froze in his veins and he pulled his horse to the nearest side street he could see. He still could hear his brother warning him against meeting their father in Tirion if he could help it.

He didn’t know for sure what Maitimo had in mind, but whether it was because their father would take their mother’s side and bring him back home whether or not he wanted to, or because he’d be sympathetic to his plight and would start another argument with their mother, Tyelkormo didn’t think he’d enjoy the outcome.

Their parents were unbearable when they argued. It happened far too often for the sake of his sanity for one.

And for a second, shall his father take the side of his wife, he’d have to fight against both his parents and that would certainly not be a success.

The parental unit could be downright terrifying when they agreed on something.

The street was a very narrow street that had his horse throw him a threatening side-eye, but Tyelkormo pulled the animal through, and the creature followed placidly enough.

“So, what do you think? Stay here and risk encountering dad somewhere else, or leave Tirion now?”

The horse snorted, and shook its head and Tyelkormo sighed:

“You’re of absolutely no help, you know that right?”

He looked around quietly, but finally sighed again:

“Alright, let’s go to the northern gate and leave. I’d rather be without alcohol than meet dad here. Come.”

Tyelkormo carefully avoided the area of the market and started to walk toward the northern gate…

“Hey cousin Tyelko!”

He jumped out of his skin as he turned to face the voice…

That belonged to his insufferable cousin Findekáno. Right. No. Absolutely not, he was not doing that. Findekáno was a good friend of Maitimo, but certainly not of him.

Out of patience, Tyelkormo mounted his horse in one jump and sent it trotting away. He heard grumbling behind, but he didn’t turn around or acknowledged in any way that he heard or saw his cousin.

At least he was close enough to the gate of the city that the streets were actually almost empty of people at this time of the day.

It really was just bad luck that he crossed paths with his cousin.