Do Not Go Gentle

When It's Not All Black And White

"So, I heard from my brother that you were arguing with Lord Glorfindel last night."

I looked up from the book I was struggling to read, blatantly ignoring the suggestive smirk plastered on Alma's face. When did she get all this confidence, anyway? "You should know by now that I argue with everyone, Alma."

Her grin was both bright and annoying. "Not everyone is Lord Glorfindel, Persie."

The elven test below me was suddenly becoming a lot more interesting. "Can you help me understand this book, now?"

She leaned back in her seat, the sly grin still curled on her lips. "Why are you trying to change the subject?"

"Why is this even a subject?"

Alma didn't acknowledge my question. "Why was Lord Glorfindel so mad at you? My brother told me that Lord Geoffry ran out as soon as things started to become intense."

I pursed my lips, remembering the light pain in my chest that came when Goldilocks went and called me a coward. That was one thing I will never be able to handle being called. I'm a hero. I've always been a hero. I'm not a coward.

"I'd rather not talk about it," I decided. "Now, what about-"

"But I wonder why he was so mad at you in the first place," she continued, completely ignoring the glare I shot her way. "He had no reason to be, after all, you did save Lord Elladan's life with your quick thinking."

I let out a sigh, placing my head in my hands with a soft groan. Alma was supposed to be teaching me how to read and speak Sindarin, and here she was, trying to get some juicy gossip out of me like some sort of old lady. But, I guess, in some ways, she really is an old lady.

We were in the library again, which ended up becoming our normal spot to focus on my studies. It was possible that I was slightly in a bad mood because Gerda made me wear a dress today, hiding all of the pants that were in my rooms to force me to put one on. I was slightly impressed at her deviousness but wished it wasn't targeted at me.

The dress was oddly comfortable, which did a little to bother me because I found myself actually enjoying the open air and non-restrictive fabric. Not that I'd ever chosen to wear a dress in the first place, but I suppose this one wasn't that bad. Especially because it was blue.

"Look, Alma, Goldilocks and I have had a rough relationship in the past, especially because I kicked his ass in the training arena. It's only natural that he'd find any way to get back at me," I told her. "I'm sure there's nothing to read in to, here."

Alma shrugged, turning back to the parchment she was looking at. "I suppose you might be right. It is just odd that he would get worked up over you defending us. I have never heard of him acting out in such a way."

I watched her fiddle with the ink pen for a few moments, before turning back to try and read what was below me. It was starting to become even harder to focus, considering what I had just discovered. Was there actually something different in the way Goldilocks acted last night? Why would he act differently over something I did?

There was a pattern that was starting to develop, and I didn't know if it was good or not. Goldilocks had a habit of getting annoyed with me much easier than he did anyone else; one would think the person in charge of training the twin princes would be fine with me but I guess not.

At least it ended rather well.

But Alma didn't need to know that. At least, not yet. Not while this whole thing between Goldielocks and I is so confusing.

"Did he tell you what he was mad about?"

I sent a halfhearted glare her way. "Of course not. If he did, I wouldn't be so confused in the first place!"