I.
Glorfindel was getting antsy waiting outside Ecthelion's house, his foot tapping against the white stone pillar that made half of the doorway. Where was he? They weren't going to have much sparring time today at this rate.
About half an hour ago, Glorfindel had told the butler of the main house to tell his friend that "Goldie was waiting for his blue arse to hurry up". The butler, mortification in his eyes, had scurried off. Glorfindel had chuckled as he went to go stand out in the courtyard where he now stood and hadn't moved since.
Currently, the vast courtyard of the House of the Fountain stood unsurprisingly empty at the early hour of morning. The sun was just cresting over the distant mountain tops, tinting the sky pink with fresh rays of light. The archways of the other villas were casting shadows upon the smooth, white granite paths that wound about the shrubbery and the silvered fountains. It was easily the simplest of all the Gondolin House gardens. The quietest too, as the fountains hadn't begun to flow yet. Glorfindel preferred the Tree Courtyard more, but he was not about to admit that to his best friend, Ecthelion.
He was listening to the leaves of the bushes rustle in the gentle morning breeze, when he caught a sight of movement to his left. He turned his head slightly and watched as a brown-haired elleth clad in simple blue robes, sleeping robes, much to Glorfindel's surprise, walk with a surprising speed over to the western fountain. He frowned. Elleths weren't known to haughtily stomp out into public scantily dressed.
However, instead of calling out to her, he watched her produce a simple silver pitcher from beneath the folds of her thin gown. She held it out in front her as she sat on the fountain's edge and began to chant something. Suddenly curious, he tuned in. He caught snippets of Sindarin, the elven language native to Arda. She said something about rivers and gifts, which was about all he could manage. Sindarin still wasn't the easiest thing to him, considering he had spoken Quenya for the majority of his life up to this point.
After about a minute of this, she then tilted the pitcher and clear water spilled into the well of the fountain. It didn't stop until she filled it up all the way. Then she did something else Glorfindel was not expecting. She clambered up to stand on the edge of the tall basin and leaned forward to the upper tiers of silvered fish that adorned this particular fountain.
Suddenly Glorfindel feared that she would fall in. Before he was even fully aware of what he was thinking, he was already halfway across the garden.
"What in Arda are you doing? Be careful!"
The elleth looked up for the first time in his direction, startled. Unfortunately that was all it took for her to lose footing and slip. Glorfindel tried to catch her as he got up there, but he was a tad too slow. A resounding splash echoed against the high-reaching walls of the courtyard.
He reached down into the flurry of ripples to get her out. He managed to grab her arm and practically yanked her to the surface. Another reason to dislike fountains. They were deep enough to be drowning material.
She gasped to catch her breath and Glorfindel helped her step out of the fountain and onto the paved granite. Though she was drenched–hair and nightgown clinging to a lithe figure he hadn't really noticed until now–her face was livid, shown through a set of fearsome copper eyes alight with rage.
"What in Eru's name were you thinking?" she shouted, pointing a dripping finger at him.
Glorfindel was taken aback. He had been so kind to warn her of the danger and even save her. Why was she acting this way? "I'd like to know the same of you. A thank you would be nice," he replied as coolly as he could.
She scoffed. "Why should I thank you for stalling my duty? I'm one of the five fountain maids." She said it as though it were common knowledge. Glorfindel had no idea what that was and at the moment he was beginning to dislike her attitude.
"Just how is tip-toeing on a full fountains edge in sleeping attire a duty?"
She threw up her hands, flinging water every direction, including Glorfindel's. He blinked the water away and narrowed his eyes.
"I'm a fountain maid," she repeated, voice rising in volume. "I have to fill the basins and start them so they run all day!"
"Isn't there a safer way to do that?"
She huffed. "You're pretty daft aren't you?"
Glorfindel's thin patience wore out. "I'm sorry, but how am I daft when I see a woman leaning over a fountain, so close that she could fall in?"
"I was doing fine until you decided to yell out of the blue! Where did you even come from?"
"I was standing over there!"
"By the prince's arch? Great Manwë, how long were you watching me?"
"Long enough to see you use that magic pitcher!"
"It's a water vase!"
Glorfindel was about to retort that vases held flowers and didn't dump water, when he heard a familiar voice behind him.
"What is going on here?"
They both whipped around. A raven-haired elf dressed in a dark blue chestplate and with a blue cape with silver embroidery was approaching them. It was Ecthelion, much to Glorfindel's relief. If it was anyone else, they would be alarmed to see the head of the Golden Flower half wet and a completely drenched and partially naked elleth bickering. He did not want to be looked down on in this situation. Some may call him prideful, which wasn't necessarily untrue, yet this was pretty embarrassing. Ecthelion was standing on the path about a yard's length away, his black boots firmly planted. His dark blues were eyeing the situation quizzically, already trying to deduce what had happened.
The she-elf immediately bowed. "My prince."
"Please no need for formalities right now. The sun still hasn't fully risen and it seems my dear friend here has already caused some ruckus on this fine morning." Ecthelion raised a dark eyebrow in Glorfindel's direction, a smile flickering into place. That little snot, trying to throw the apparently comical ordeal in his face. He was going to pay for that later.
"She was starting this fountain and almost fell in," Glorfindel explained with growing frustration.
Ecthelion raised both his brows. "Looks to me that that didn't happen."
"Your friend here is quite unaware of the Fountain's customs," the elleth huffed.
"Yes, he is a slow learner, but I would like to know why you, my dear, are still in your night clothes."
Glorfindel was definitely going to get him back at training today.
"Yes, why is that?" he added as he and Ecthelion watched her cheeks begin to pinken.
"Well, I wanted to get a head start on the fountains today. My fellow maid has just had a baby, as you should know already, your Highness," she said with a matter-of-fact tone. So I decided to take over her duties as well as my own. I thought that I would be able to get these fountains going and then change to go and complete the other ones in the city. I wasn't planning to have company," she finished, glaring at Glorfindel with her arms wrapped around her chest, finally trying to cover up.
"I see," Ecthelion began, untying his blue cape that reached below his knees. "I hadn't yet heard word of that, but thank you for letting me know. Here's my cloak. I will have Ranis finish up the work here, while you dry off and prepare for the day lady…"
"Sîrneth," she finished, accepting his cloak and wrapping it around herself.
Glorfindel translated her name automatically. Sîrneth. River Girl. Suited the elleth really well, considering the strange water magic and her sharp wave of a tongue.
"Mae g'ovannen Lady Sîrneth. I'm sorry we had to start the day off this way," Ecthelion said with an apologetic smile.
Glorfindel turned to face her and sighed, making an effort to calm himself down. "My utmost apology Lady Sîrneth. I merely panicked for your safety and wanted to help you. I should've let you do what you knew was for the best. Next time, however, please wear more suitable clothing, your lovely figure and fellow lords would appreciate it."
"I wouldn't consider myself lovely and while it's rude to spy on a lady, I accept your apology…?" She raised her eyes in a mocking manner. For the love of the Valar, she hadn't an ounce of respect for strangers.
He bowed flamboyantly, hair sweeping into his face. "Prince Glorfindel, lord of the House of the Golden Flower."
Sirneth's eyes widened in alarm and a small 'o' formed at her lips. Served her right. She nodded and blushed fiercely now, quickly scrambling to pick up the "water vase". Glorfindel laughed internally against his will, once again surprised at how this elleth had reacted to everything.
"Thank you dear!" Ecthelion called out to her as she rushed to where she had come. She didn't answer. Glorfindel and Ecthelion watched her disappear beneath the arch.
"Spying on 'lovely' maidens now mellon-nín?"
Glorfindel huffed, heat undeniably creeping up his ears from his friend's words. "She was being foolish! How was I supposed to know she was working and not carrying out a strange suicide plan?" he protested. "I wouldn't call her lovely-"
"But you did," Ecthelion added with a grin.
Glorfindel rolled his eyes exasperated. "She called me daft, Ecthelion! No one has ever said that to me before!"
Ecthelion only laughed really hard now. "What a spit-fire! Besides it's about time someone stood up to you and she also wasn't that bad looking either, I have to say."
Glorfindel let loose a choppy laugh. "Now what would Liriel say to that statement?"
At hearing the name of his beloved, Ecthelion smirked.
"She would slap my arm playfully and give me a kiss on the cheek. Then she would then say something along the lines, 'Come now, my love, you already know where your taste lies'." Ecthelion mimicked her musically lilting voice.
They both laughed heartily at that.
"Would you like a towel or do you want to go spar now?" Ecthelion asked sobering slightly.
Glorfindel shook his head. They were already late for their daily warm-ups with the other household heads and he figured he would be dry by the time they arrived at the barracks.
"No let's go, I would like to avoid retelling this incident to the others," Glorfindel said carefully.
"Is little Goldie embarrassed?" Ecthelion teased as they started to walk the entryway.
Glorfindel just chuckled and shook his head at his dearest friend. Internally, he hoped he never encountered this Sîrneth again. She had disgraced his self-image and that would not be forgotten. However, from living in Valinor for a couple thousand years prior to living in Gondolin, he couldn't shake the feeling that fate was already working against his own will.
Sindarin to English
mae g'ovannen = well met/hello
mellon-nín = my friend