The duties of an advisor and a minstrel do not lead to an overabundance of physical activity and Erestor and Lindir made a decision to sit and eat the lunch the kitchen staff had packed. The day was warm and Erestor was wearing a tunic and leggings under his robe, but he was not the kind of elf to take off his outer layer of clothing. So he was thankful for a respite and a chance to rest and quench his thirst.
Lindir was not tired so much as depressed. Between his news the day before, and Elrohir's absence, he was again feeling teary-eyed. He played with his food, tearing it into tiny pieces and feeding it to the birds, reserving only a section of apple for himself.
"You are with Elrohir more in his leisure than I, Lindir; do you have any idea what could have caused his flight or where he could have gone?" Erestor asked.
Lindir did not hear the question. He was in another world, thinking about the conversation he had with his lover the day before. It was the quiet times such as this that brought it close to mind and he could not help the tears that welled in his eyes. It took him a moment to realize that Erestor had asked a question. But the advisor could have asked if the sky was falling and would not have received a reaction from Lindir.
"Lindir?" Erestor asked again, softly.
Lindir sighed, looking at the ground. "I am sorry, Lord Erestor, I did not hear what you asked. Could you repeat your question?"
"I asked if you had any idea where Elrohir could have gone or why he would take flight?" Erestor said, looking at Lindir carefully. "His absence truly has you upset. We will find him, Lindir."
"Yes, milord." Lindir mumbled, picking up the remains of his lunch and stuffing them in his carry sack. "We had best continue our search, we have wasted too much time already." He stood, turning his back to Erestor to wipe the wetness from his face, only to turn around and find the advisor standing only inches from him.
Erestor reached out a hand and gently lifted Lindir's chin so their eyes were on the same level. "There is nothing you could have done to prevent this, Lindir; it is not your fault. If anyone can find him, Lord Glorfindel will. He is an excellent tracker and knows these lands like the back of his hand."
"I am fine, Lord Erestor," Lindir said in an irritated voice, pushing the advisor's hand away. "We need to go now."
Lindir was embarrassed for his weak moment. Yes, he was upset over Elrohir, but if he had not been so heart-broken over his lover's betrayal, he would not have been reduced to tears. He was a grown elf, for Elbereth's sake, and it had been quite a few centuries since he reached his majority. Erestor must think him extremely sensitive. Now that he had something to focus on other than his misfortune, his anger rose to the surface. Why did Erestor not leave him alone? They should concentrate their efforts on finding Elrohir. He started down the path not even bothering to see if Erestor was behind him.
Erestor watched Lindir for a few moments before quickening his pace to catch up to the minstrel. Lindir was behaving oddly and for a few moments he wondered if the white-haired elf knew more than he was letting on about Elrohir's disappearance. But he immediately dismissed the idea as ridiculous. Lindir would never hold back information that would jeopardize his charge. No, something else must be bothering the minstrel, and when this was all over, he would see if he could figure out the puzzle. For now, a lost elfling was their main concern.
