Uninterrupted tranquility has reigned in Imladris for the last couple of days-you know it can't last...
Elrond discovers Gimli and Arwen in the library, their table overflowing in a minor avalanche of books, parchment and quills. The dark head and the russet are close together and the whispering is enough to trigger instant unease in Elrond's mind.
"May I ask what is happening in here, or do I really want to know?" he asks.
Arwen looks up and smiles sweetly, causing the fine hairs on the back of Elrond's neck to rise.
"Just studying, Ada"
"Why should such a simple statement make me nervous?" thinks Elrond, but he decides to play along. Arwen has been deceptively docile lately.
"A noble pursuit," Elrond comments. "The improvement of one's mind is always to be desired."
Gimli smiles proudly. "We are attempting to refine Arwen's engineering skills. She has expressed interest in the timing process of mechanical devices."
Elrond experiences a surge of relief. "Perhaps I have just been overly paranoid lately," he thinks.
"Excellent, dearest! Are you planning to attempt clock making?"
He leans over her shoulder for a closer look at the book they have been perusing. The page is filled with various examples of intricate gears, levers, and pulleys- all of which stir a vague memory he can't quite place. Curious, he flips the book to display the title page, immediately wishing he hadn't.
"Siege Engines of the Second Age, Especially as Pertaining to the Last Alliance"
Hurriedly, he reaches for another volume in the heap surrounding them.
"Formulae and Application Regarding Incendiary Devices."
The momentary relief he felt has vanished, and his shoulders slump in defeat. Running in the background of his thoughts is the following litany...
"IdontwannaknowIdontwannaknowIdontwannaknow..."
Resignedly, Elrond walks over to the shelves, chooses a volume, and comes back to the table to claim a chair. He pauses momentarily, drags the chair several feet away, and starts to sit down. He pauses again (obviously reconsidering the wisdom of turning his back on them) turns the chair around, and flops into it.
Gimli and Arwen are watching this process with mild curiosity. Elrond opens his book at random, seemingly ignoring them. They exchange a glance, shrug their shoulders, and return to the page they were studying when Elrond arrived.
"Now, lassie...do you see why your design didn't work the way you thought it would?"
"Yes! The timing was good, but the vector was wrong! The anvil wasn't supposed to hit Glorfindel in the back of the head, it was supposed to trigger the snare loop..."
Across the room, Elrond is slumped even further down in his chair with the book over his face. They can hear a slight moaning noise coming from underneath it.
Gimli leans forward to whisper. "Is he gonna be alright?"
Arwen sighs, and gazes upon her father with loving concern.
"Eventually. He probably has another headache. I can hear his eyebrows twitching."TBC