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Fire, Shadow and Terrors of the Night
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The cool air drifted in through the sheer curtains from the open balcony, carrying with it the scent of fresh rain upon spring trees that surrounded the hidden valley.
It was still too hot in his chambers. Within his fevered sleep, he had twisted his bedsheets around his almost naked body, drenching them in cold sweat and tears as fire burned in his dreams. Flame and shadow tangled and knotted before his eyes to form the outline of a huge, horned figure. It charged towards him and, he towards it and they met in a clash of light against dark. He pierced it's armour as it clamped it's dark hand around a few locks of his golden hair.
They both fell to their doom, screaming in both terror and agony.
"Glorfindel, mellon-nín wake up!" He sat up in in bed, gasping for air, his body and hair soaked in sweat.
"Can't breathe…" He gasped, clutching his throat as the heat threatened to suffocate him. He was hauled off of his bed and half-carried out onto his balcony, where he collapsed to his knees and began gulping in breaths of cool air.
"Glorfindel look at me." The stranger ordered softly, forcing his chin around so that their eyes met. "You are safe, it is year five hundred and ten of the third age. You are in Imladris and I am your friend. You're safe mellon-nín. You're here now…" The voice had an edge of panic towards it but it was no less comforting. The images of flame cleared from his foggy mind and the concerned, grey eyes of Elrond became more focused.
"El…"
"Hush now, it's alright friend. I'm here. It was just a night terror; you have nothing more to fear now. You are safe."
"There was fire and shadow and screaming."
"It was a memory, nothing more." The healer replied, leaning forwards to kiss the golden elf's forehead and wrap his arms around his bare shoulders. "You are safe." Glorfindel reluctantly returned the embrace, allowing the scent of his long-time friend to ground him back to reality. The pair sat for a short while, under the moonlight whilst Glorfindel fought his way back into the present.
"Did I scream out loud again?" He whispered after a while. Elrond pulled back and looked into the troubled eyes of the older elf.
"You did, although it was only because of my passing across your door that I heard. You have not had a dream so violent in almost a century…"
"It is two ages past since…" Glorfindel trailed off and horror dawned upon Elrond. It was the year 510… the age anniversary of The Fall of Gondolin, the loss of his friend's home and of his first life.
"I am truly sorry 'Fin." He whispered, re-embracing the ancient being; the crude nickname falling from his lips. "I did not realise."
"I still miss it El. The shining towers, the splendour of the fountains, the faces of my friends. Galdor, Duilin… Ecthelion, Valar I miss them all!" Fresh tears had started to roll freely down Glorfindel's cheeks and the Ñoldorin lord could do nothing, except tighten his hold on the ancient being.
After almost half an hour the golden-haired elf cried himself to sleep and Elrond dutifully picked him up and carried him back into his rooms. He was relieved to see that the sheets upon his friend's bed had been changed, courtesy of the duty night maid, whom he had encountered before entering Glorfindel's bedchambers. He laid the light being down upon the feather mattress and covered him over with the light sheets before sitting down heavily in the large armchair, which was placed at the side of the bed. He found the thin, pale hand of his friend and took hold of it making the decision to stay watching sentinel over the Gondolindrim's sleep.