Mistaken Identity (a fanfic starring Elrond from 'the rings of power')

changing roles

My brother looks terrible, pale and like a mouse who's run into a trap. It is the morning of his departure. I hate everything about it. It's father! He could never except the fact, that Finjor isn't really a sword-yielding, beast-slaying young elf. Instead, he likes to study, likes to pray. It has always been Finjor 's wish to live at the temple but only I know that. Father would be furious if he would hear such 'nonsense'! Finjor is the male heir, he will go to court and serve there as a squire to whichever Knight he would be appointed to. Finjor is scared, that the Knight he will have to serve, will be rough and treat him even worse, when he finds out, that Finjor is basically useless as a squire. Typical Finjor, he usually get's hung up on the worst case scenario.

I'm a disappointment too, according to my father, too wild and not lady like enough. In the early days my father used to enjoy my eagerness to ride, or to shoot with my bow and arrow. Later on, he realised, that it had been a mistake and he tried to force me to become like a lady. In the end, I learned both. The good thing was, if I complied than father would leave me alone and I could do, what I wanted to do. However being with my twin, was and is the best times spend and now we were supposed to life apart?

"Please Finja let's go to the tree! I need to go somewhere, where I feel safe and where I can maybe clear my head!"

The tree is our favourite place. It was a lot smaller, when we were young, now it has grown up and so did we.

We climb into the highest branches. From on top here, we can look far into the distance and feel free, up here nothing has changed.

"I can't go, Finja, I can't! But, what else can I do, I could go to the temple instead but when father finds out that I'm not at court, he will come and drag me all the way there. I tell you, I'd rather be a homeless vagabond than having to do that, which I despise! Finja, you know I hate fighting, killing and the likes!"

He has me worried, I think he might be serious but living by the roadside would be rather dangerous, especially because he is, the way he is. He would be like a tiny boat out at sea, totally at it's mercy.

What can I do? And than I know, I will go to court! I will pretend I'm Finjor and he can go and live at the temple, study and do what he likes. I have learned all the things they would expect from Finjor, since I was a small child, so why not?.

Finjor loves my plan! Of course, he can do what he wanted to do all along. Me? I don't really know what I want to do, I most certainly do not want to marry some stranger and be his little wife... staying behind without my brother seems very daunting too, without him, there is nothing that keeps me here. I will say I've run away, our father would very much believe that, I've always been the wild, unbending one.

We run all the way to Lydia's place. Lydia is the village witch. Well, at least that is what everyone calls her. Not Finjor and I . She helped us once, when I fell on my head and had a mild concussion, I had been unconscious and Finjor had been completely at loss. Lydia had taken us in and since than, we are her allies and she is our.

We tell her about our plan and she helps without arguing. She knows us well and I think she understands. She cuts my hair, whilst Finjor runs back to the house. He will leave my note on my bed and than try to convince father once more, to let him stay. We both know that father wouldn't allow it but this way it is more authentic...

It takes Finjor some time before he is back. He brought his baggage he had packed for the court, as well as another bag, he will need at the temple. I change into my squires outfit. Now, I look the part but, will I be able to pull it off though?

And than, we are on our way. We can travel together for most of the way but eventually we reach the point, where we have to part. It is the hardest and strangest thing I've ever done in my live! I'll probably only fully come to turns with it, when he is gone because right now, it doesn't seem real at all. I am so very used to having my brother around. I can't help it, I cry a little as I hug him good-bye.

"Will you be alright?" Finjor asks me. I think for Finjor it is a little easier, at least he will go where he always wanted to be.

"I will! We can write, tell me everything, every detail as often as possible, alright? Than while I read your letters, I will imagine you and I in our tree, telling each other about the little adventures we had during the day!" And than it is I who takes the first steps towards my new life. It has to be done. I turn around a few times, waving at him, trying to take in every little detail until he is gone. From now on I'm on my own!

Many hours later, I have to find shelter for the night. I come across a human guest house. Here I make my first appearance, as a young elven male in puplic. I'm nervous but after a while I realise that they simply just think I am a male, so I relax a little. I make sure I behave in a male way, at least I try. My problem is that I havn't really had proper male examples. Certainly not Finjor and my father, he was hardly ever there. So, I watch the male guests at the guesthouse and I try out a few of the gestures I'm observing. I suppose this will be one of my new roles now, the observer. As I lie awake, I have to think about Finjor, I'm really glad that he would have arrived at the temple just before night time, he would have been scared otherwise, like me... I miss him so very much! He wouldn't have survived living rough!

Two days later I arrive at court. I report at one of the guards at duty. He looks me up and down and than he says teasingly:

"The new squire, hu, a little scrawny but don' worry, we'll be putting some meat onto you." He laughs and looks over to the other guards. They're all laughing now.

In that moment two elf arrive, two higher ranked elfs, so it seems. They look imposing and the guards bow in front of them. I bow too.

"Rise," the older one has spoken, he looks weathered and tuff. All of us stand tall once again. I try to stand like a guard too. I'm not sure about the older elf, his expresion is stern. The other is younger and he has a kind smile. I smile back. He is also very attractive, I divert my eyes.