Tyelkormo's Great Escape by Aprilertuile

Some company

When Tyelkormo opened his eyes in the morning, at the hour of the emergence of Laurelin’s rays in the air, Tyelkormo found himself nose to nose with… A goat.

“Why is there a goat here?! No better question, where the fuck do you come from?” Tyelkormo asked the animal, blinking.

“Our friendly goat is here because you have a not entirely weaned fawn without a parent with you and it comes from my wife’s garden. Hi Tyelko.” Oromë said with an amused smile, sitting as he was in front of a fire that should definitely not be as strong as it was.

“… My lord. Welcome… What may I do for you?”

“Your mother came to me.”

“Right.”

“She wants you back home.”

“My lord, I refuse to go back home before spring, and I say this while sound of mind and free of speech.”

Oromë snorted in amusement.

“I thought you’d say that, and so of course, I will not force the issue, you are an adult elf and free to do as you will. Your father found your escape hilarious by the way. Apparently when his father, your king, did to him what your mother did to you, he escaped and toured all the rivers in Valinor to check them for precious stones.”

Tyelkormo snorted in amusement at that:

“That does sound like dad. So… The fawn. Where are its parents? Its mom at least?”

“Dead. An uneducated hunter took her life. The herd fled the area but the fawn was left behind. It was lost.”

Tyelkormo escaped a growl at that.

“I was going to send my hunters to track down that little one to put it out of its misery when I felt it come in your company. It’s not too young to start eating solid food, but it’s not yet weaned either so… I brought you a goat.”

“Instead of bringing the fawn to a deer herd?”

Oromë smirked at him at that:

“You started so well. Besides you’ll need something to do this winter and on top of that you know it’s not that easy. This little one was born late, no other deer that I can sense is still with milk.”

“Ah. Alright then. I’ll have company for the winter. Cheers.”

“I knew you’d like it.” Oromë answered with a grin full of wolf teeth.

“I don’t suppose you’d feel like taking the three of us back to your Hall, would you, Oh my lord and master? The fawn would be better in a less cold environment.”

“You know, I’m a firm believer of people reaping what they sow. If you’re careful, it’ll be fine. Enjoy your winter, Little Deer of Mine.”

Tyelkormo’s face showed how unimpressed he really was as Oromë disappeared with a laugh.

Fantastic.

Now Tyelkormo had a fawn AND a goat to take care of during this winter… Why was he even friend with his Vala? His sense of humor was terrible.

“It’s all your fault, you realize right?” Tyelkormo told the sleeping fawn. “And I’m talking alone again. Great.”

At least, as Tyelkormo noticed, Oromë provided the goat with a lot of hay, left at the back of the cave. Hopefully it’d be enough until spring.

“And here I thought the season would be calm, and quiet.” He noted before he rose to his feet. “Wait, I didn’t come with that bowl… Oh no. Absolutely not. I’m not learning to pull milk from a goat. The deer can feed itself. It can right?” Tyelkormo asked, vaguely horrified at the idea, to the very uncaring goat, who was busy munching on some hay.