Vocabulary Builder
Topic: Alphabet Games
J. juvenile (ju've-nile) a.: young, pertaining to youth

Erestor, Lindir

"Why are you looking so sad, little muse?"

Lindir look up with big, shining eyes at the tall elf standing before him from his seat on the floor. "I am sad, Erestor." Lindir did not feel the need to lie to Erestor, he had known the advisor since before he could remember. Erestor had practically become his Adar after his real Ada had died many years before his majority. If there was one being on all of Middle Earth that thought he was beautiful, it was Erestor. He buried his head into the older elf's robes as he settled on the floor beside him. Erestor pulled him in the circle of his arms with a sigh.

"Is this about Orophin?"

Lindir did not answer the question, "I think I would like to color my hair."

Erestor rolled his eyes heavenward, "Your hair is already colored. It is white."

"I mean a normal color...like blond, brown or red."

"Not black?"

Lindir hugged Erestor closer, "Black is not a normal hair color for an elf. I could not name two elves with black hair and I have been to all three elven realms." The small artisan felt the broad chest under his head shake with laughter and pulled back to look into his mentor's amused face...a face that was surrounded by the absolute blackest hair he had ever seen, unrelieved by highlights of any color. "Oh..."

Erestor smiled, "Yes, oh," he teased the young elf. "So, you see that hair color will not stop you from living your life or doing anything you want in life. It has not stopped me, has it?"

Lindir frowned, reaching up to touch the jet strands, "But your hair is beautiful. It is long and straight and shiny. It would look good in any shade. My hair is a wild, wavy horror. My best attempts at taming it still leaves it with huge waves that tumble everywhere. It is almost longer than I am tall. It is a nightmare!"

Erestor laughed out loud, "It is not as awful as you make it, small one." He winked, "If there is one thing that is proven to attract elves, it is an abundance of hair. Unusual hair makes the attraction even stronger."

Lindir was silent for a moment, "There is always someone trying to touch my hair...but I thought it was just out of a type of morbid curiosity. I have never seen anyone playing with your hair." He raised and eyebrow and pierced Erestor with an inquisitive look.

Erestor smirked, "That is because I broke the hand of the last elf that tried millennia before you were even born. There are still those that gaze at it longingly and from time to time I receive sonnets and poems praising my," he lowered his voice mockingly, "midnight tresses."

Lindir laughed then sobered quickly, "It is just...I...thought...that maybe he would be different from the others that used to laugh and point at me when I was younger."

Erestor stroked a hand over the wilder than usual white curls on Lindir's head, "Do not let Orophin's juvenile behavior bother you. He did not mean anything by his remarks. Orophin often speaks before his thinks, it is his way...and the way of his brothers. He can not help himself. In fact, he told me that he thought you were most enchanting and would very much like to make up for his bad first impression. You should give him another chance. He is a good elf at heart."

Lindir looked doubtful, "Maybe...he's kinda...."

"Kind of what?"

"Scary."

Erestor frowned, "Orophin? Lindir, did he do something to you that I did not see? I would not have you afraid in your own house."

Lindir was quick to reassure Erestor, "No, no, he did not do anything to me. He is just...big and intense...and hard."

Erestor nodded solemnly, "Hard? Obviously, you made a better first impression than you give yourself credit for."

Lindir sat still for a moment then blushed to the roots of his hair, "Erestor!"

The raven hair elf laughed at the amount of embarrassed outrage Lindir managed to put into his name.

Tomorrow the Letter K.