A mission from Lord Elrond

The hunter opened the door to the library with a trained gesture, motioning for his companion to enter before following her himself. The heavy doors clicked shut with barely a sound, leaving the library in its usual reverential silence.
Following her guide through the aisles of books, the elf once again looked around. She had been to the library before, of course, but it still filled her with awe and a feeling of inadequacy. Had the Lord of the Last Homely House really read every book in this place?
"Lord Elrond." The guide bowed down to the figure sitting at one of the richly carved reading tables and spoke softly into his ear. "I brought the one you asked for."
The Elf-lord nodded. "Thank you, Niffaron."
"My Lord." The Elf-maiden curtsied, remembering her station.
"Ah... Eirien." Lord Elrond looked at the Elf-maiden with a blank expression on his face. "We have met before, have we not?"
Eirien, unable to form an answer, just nodded.
"Thank you, Niffaron, you may leave us now." Again, the Lord nodded to the Hunter, dismissing him. The elf bowed and turned around silently, leaving with soft steps.
Lord Elrond leaned back in his chair and gestured at the Elf. "Please, sit."
Eirien, still overawed, shook her head silently.
"Sit." The Lord's voice was silent, but distinct. She felt herself compelled to sit down on the chair opposite the Elf.
"I have called you because I have a mission for you."
"Lord?" Eirien looked up, daring to look into the Elf-Lord's face for the first time.
"It is something that concerns a mutual friend of us."
"Lord?" What mutual friend...?
"The Lord Eglanel, of course." He smiled as he saw the young elf's shocked face. "Oh, don't look like that. As the master of the house, I sooner or later learn everything that is going on in the vale. And even so, it is not a particular secret that the Lord Eglanel has fallen in love with the Lord Andarne's nursemaid."
The Elf blushed hotly, but saw the Lord's raised hand and closed her mouth again.
"I shall be blunt and honest with you, and in turn you will also grant me that favour. As much as I would like to, time is at the moment not a commodity I can afford to spend much of, and I would like this matter sorted. Agreed?"
She nodded, waiting for her instructions.
"I have received this letter from the Lord." He pushed a letter across the table at the Elf-maid and nodded at her questioning glance. "Yes, you may read it."
He steepled his fingers in front of him and waited as the young elf slowly deciphered the lines. "It details where he is to be found, and why."
Eirien nodded, putting the letter down and looking the Lord in the eyes with newfound resolve. "And I am to be the bait who brings him back to put himself into danger again."
Elrond gave a wry smile to the elf. "Ah, there is more going on in this pretty head of yours than you would let up. Yes." He looked at the elf over his fingers. "Do you resent that?"
Eirien hesitated. She resented to being used, yes, but...
"I thought we were much the same in this. We would both rather see our friend happy than safe. Is that not so?"
The elf-maiden frowned. He was, of course, completely right, and she was not sure whether she liked the taste of that. It felt a lot like not being in charge of your own fate...
"Eglanel still has a part to play ere this war is over, and we both know it." The elf-lord sighed. "And, perhaps, so do you... for that I cannot tell. So, will you go to him?"
Eirien considered this for a moment, but she already knew the answer. "Yes."
"Excellent. And when you have brought him back, you two shall surely set out again... but this time, you shall ask for the aid of your friends. Do not go alone, whatever happens."
She nodded. A silence desccended.
"Am I free to go then?"
The Lord nodded. "I shall have my stables ready a fast and reliable horse for you. We will take care of the Malledhrim horse you use in the meanwhile. The steed is trained to walk in the mountains and will not fail you."
She nodded, rising up. "Thank you, Lord."
He smiled wryly. "Do not see me as commanding you. See me as... putting things in motion that would have happened anyway, for would you not have gone if you had learned otherwise?"
She sighed, frowning a little again. "Yes, Lord."
"Then go with my blessing, Lady Aelir of Lórien."
The audience was obviously over. She gave a curtsey and turned to go, then hesitated for a moment.
"Lord...?"
"Yes?"
"It's Eirien, Lord. And I am a nanny. I do not nurse."
She turned around, her head held high as would befit an Elven Lady as she walked away.
Elrond shrugged dismissively and turned back to his book. Only when the footsteps of the elf had almost faded in the distance, he allowed himself a grin and a chuckle.