Right… I've may have become slightly addicted to Tolkien's books… maybe… a little. So here's one idea that been dancing around my head for weeks…
The Golden of Hair and the Spirit of Snow.
Glorfindel of Gondolin took a deep breath. Facing off a Balrog of Morgoth so his companions could escape might have been grand, but it also seemed like a great way to gain a pass into the Halls of Mandos – Not that he fancied meeting the Valar so relatively early in his life, but he was a Lord, a high born and an Eldar, so favored by the Valar themselves he'd not be confined with Mandos forever. Going to Valinor after that and listening to the other elves that have sailed after the fall of Lindor sing about him and his deeds was humbling, but it did not compare to what the Valar still had in stock for him.
"With the Third Age Meiron's Power will grow once more, however this time his fall will be permanent and will mark the rise of an unlikely hero as well as the ascension of the lost king of Numenor." Manwe's gravely voice sounded like thunder to Glorfindel. "And you will play a part in what is to come, Valinor's doors will always be open to you, however your time to settle here has not come yet" And the golden Elven Lord understood then.
Being kicked out of Valinor because of a minor part he'd play in Sauron's timely fall was even more humbling than listening to the bards' song about his valiant battle against Morgoth's fiery servant. And of course he'd never, ever tell them he only died because the foul beast pulled him down by his hair… his lush, long golden hair.
The best of Ellyn had his vanity as well.
"Go to Rivendell, house and lair of Elrond Half-Elven and become Glorfindel of Rivendell" He heard the Valar speak and nodded, he met Elrond and liked him well enough to accept becoming a ward in his house; he'd retain his title as Lord of the House of the Golden Flower and have a sit in Elrond's White council.
"Must I go now?" The Golden of Hair asked. The Valar shook their head.
"You have endured much, son of Gondolin, take time in the Gardens, heal and regain your strength, in a thousand years you shall leave"
And so Glorfindel spent a millennium in Valinor, healing and regaining his strength that would be much needed in Arda when the time came.
..
He was dreaming, consciousness streaming through the universe as stars streaked by him lending their light and warmth. His body laid resting in Irmo's realm, so he felt safe to explore the universe with his Fea. To his delight, his light was keen to the stars around him and burnt just as brightly.
He gravitated around stars and visited planets never seen from Arda before, he touched every sun and every moon his spectral fingers could reach and felt himself spreading the happiness radiating from his very fea, sharing this feeling of joy and warmth with anyone who'd have it. It was like a song resonating all around the cosmos and it was such a beautiful melody that the Golden of Hair felt as if he'd burst from it. This has got to be the best dream he ever had in his very long life.
It was when he felt the first rays of his own sun touch his resting body that his merrymaking around Eru's garden came to a halt. The shock of being stuck between a dream and the waking world was peculiar but not unpleasant, he had Irmo's blessing to do with his dreams as he wanted, and right now he didn't want the dream to end.
Having been halted by the slight shock of feeling his body while his soul wasn't in it, Glorfindel took the time to appreciate the world he stopped in. It was something he never seen before, glorious and alive, untarnished, pure. Snow drifted lazily toward the cobbled pavement while warm lights flickered on top of poles. The houses were made of clay bricks and wood, but in a style he couldn't recognize. The houses were aligned with the street – he willed his fea to follow this street, for he could hear sound of laugher and playfulness.
It was obviously the small town main square. There were stalls settled by the corners where various vendors offered their wares in bright colors. Having no nose with which he could smell, he couldn't fully absorb the variety of smells coming from the offered foods and drinks. Children pooled around these vendors who happily gave them what they wanted while the parents watched with smiles on their faces.
In the center was a small stage where a band of bards played a giddy tune to the delight of many who danced to it around a large bonfire, built to ward off the chilly air. Flags of all colors and material adorned the light poles, people wearing all sorts of strange outfits mingled about, and the feelings of peace, calm and elation reached Glorfindel and caused a smile to bloom on his figural face.
But it was the figure in white entertaining a group of people who ultimately called to his attention. Had he not known better, he'd have taken her as an Elleth, so ethereal was her beauty. Hair the color of mythril, it would be enough to make Celebrimbor jealous of its purity. Face fair and young, with laugh lines around her eyes and a smile stretching rosy lips. The nose was proud, upturning slightly and lightly freckled. The light he could feel emanating from this woman compared to a Maiar – it was powerful and enchanting, so much he couldn't help himself but bask in it, allowing his own massive golden presence to wrap around her.
Eyes the impressive color of a stormy sea rose in a startle. She could feel him taking her in and Glorfindel found her even more curious.
"Elsa, Elsa, make the bunny again, please!" One child pleaded, distracting the woman, Elsa, who smiled indulgently and raised a dainty hand – to the Golden Haired Lord's amusement, a white, icy shade formed and danced to life following a melody only Elsa could her. An Ice structure brought to life by her small powerful hands. "Look, the bunny is so pretty! Thank you Elsa!" Soon other children were bombarding her with requests after their own icy animals and Elsa indulged each and every one of those.
Curious about the woman, Glorfindel started to listen to the people around them, finding clues about his newest interest.
"It's been a year since that day" A woman commented to another one, both were lounging on a bench outside the bonfire's circle.
Smoothing down her peasant dress, the other woman nodded, eyes crinkling in a smile. "It was princess Anna's idea, our Queen's heart is as pure as the snow she yields so our princess had the winter festival settled up to cheer everyone still sore about last year." There was an amused snigger.
"I think she did good, no one blames her Majesty anymore. But Never mind that we're in the middle of July! With our Queen, 'tis winter every other month of the year" Both giggled.
"Had our princess her way, it would" The other added. Glorfindel only became more amused. So the Ice mistress was also this realm's Queen? Entertaining children with her gift like a parlor trick, only to hear to the little ones sounds of happiness… Were her powers so great she could control the very weather like the Maiar?
Drifting away from the gossiping Edain, Glorfindel found himself surrounding Elsa as the children ran away to play with their icy animal counterparts. She was as lovely as he first perceived, but now with a flush of delight on her face she was even more so.
"I do not know who, or what are you. But I feel no ill intentions so allow me to caution you that should that change, you will feel my wrath" the Queen's eyes became chilly. The storm raged in her eyes in such a way that even in his ethereal form Glorfindel could feel the drop of temperature. There was no way he could communicate with her verbally, however she could apparently feel his light, so he pulsed his power accordingly to his beating heart and smiled when she gasped, then allowed himself to be pulled back into his body.
..
"In your travels through the vast space, you've come across a very interesting world" Irmo's voice woke the Golden of Hair fully from his slumber.
Glorfindel smiled, radiating peace and contentment. "I did, not so much a world but one of its realm's Queen" Irmo smiled back, eyes twinkling merrily.
"That world is special for it houses a vast amount of power not unlike Arda, though that world is also plagued by war and strife, the power of good within its inhabitants allow them to rise higher than any evil – we, the Valar valor their hero's virtues even if we are not the ones Eru trusted that world to. We love Arda since it was the very first world created by our song, but amongst the worlds strewn across the universe, that uncommon little world is one of our favorites" Irmo explained with care on his face. Sat beside Glorfindel, the Elven Lord could see and feel and relish in the calm radiating from the Valar.
"That Queen, she has powers unlike any I've seen before" the Golden of Hair commented after a while.
The owner of the Garden of Healing nodded, before talking. "Her name is Elsa and for so long her dreams were plagued by darkness and fear. She was blessed by a powerful winter spirit and didn't understand her power until she almost took the life of the one she loves the most, her younger sister, Anna. Through Anna's journey to free Elsa from her fears, the Ice Queen found a counterfeit to her freezing touch and that made her much wiser and stronger." With an impish grin, Irmo looked over Glorfindel. "I fear she also found an Eldar Lord who became enamored"
Grinning even giddier, The Golden of Hair laughed freely, the twinkling sound echoing around the garden and spreading warmth along its dwellers whom all stopped to share in the light feelings. "Maybe she did, my Lord, maybe she did"
..
With Irmo's blessing, since it would do no harm to continue to contact the Ice Queen, Glorfindel decided he'd try for the lady's friendship at least while he rested in Valinor. He still had many years to come, but he was unsure of Elsa's life spam. Was she like Edain? Would her power extend her life like Numenoreans of old? Or would she fade away in her mortality, wither and lose her physical beauty as the curse of men claimed her? Would her fea come to Mandos? He knew he didn't have the right to ask for this favor when many Eldar who loved mortals had to part with their loved ones when time claimed them, Valinor was a no Men's land after all.
Pushing the thought of ever having to part with the lady he had yet to properly meet to the back of his mind was hard, but Glorfindel was naught but persistent. Laying down on a nest made of fresh and fragrant leaves in the midst of Irmo's garden, the Elven Lord allowed sleep to claim him, willing his fea to part from its healing flesh case and rise to the stars – looking for that bright explosion of light that was Elsa's world and then her presence.
Finding it again was easy enough, though when he arrived night had already claimed Elsa's realm in the comforting darkness of sleep. Following his favored light, he was led to a castle built over the sea on a coral reef and serving as a first wall of protection to the town on shore. The structure rose from the water right where river met sea and a long bridge connected it to the town. Along the bridge was the port where various ships were settled. His military mind concluded that the positioning of the castle and its walls would effectively stop any attack coming from sea, protect the river from invasion and the town was verily protected by the mountain chain around it.
A favorable place for a kingdom to flourish. The Golden Lord smiled, flowing along the ocean's wind and going through the castle walls as easily as the breeze did. Locating Elsa's chambers, the Golden of Hair hesitated about entering a lady's bower without being invited in. "Go inside her dreams Eldar Lord, she will be less weary and you will be able to talk without language barriers, for you shall talk fea to fea" The Lord of Dreams' voice echoed in Glorfindel's mind.
"Then I shall" was the whispered return, marked by the Elf moving to the ethereal realm and touching Elsa's light only to be sucked in it.
Wavering, Glorfindel compacted his presence into a single flaming ball. His aura still spilled warmth and light around him, but did not measure as much. He could feel Elsa all around him and took comfort in her presence, like a babe in his mother's arms or a lover in another's embrace. It's been long since he was held cradled in love and he enjoyed this chance, finally finding reason why Irmo would allow him to do it, it offered a boost to his healing that the Valar were not able to offer.
Only Elsa's love wasn't for him, for he invaded her dream and it was a good, happy one. Even then he found revelry in the feeling and searched for the source of it. And there she stood. Elsa's dream-self sat atop a hill overlooking her burnished town under the shade of a crop of trees. Approaching slowly so he could watch what she was watching, Glorfindel admired the scene that captivated the Queen.
A little red haired girl playing alongside one who could only be Elsa as a child. The red of hair was giggling and laughing, completely besotted by Elsa's gift as he himself was. "Oh Anna…" Elsa muttered under her breath. The soft words were taken by the winds and brought to the Elven Lord making him smile. The red of hair was Elsa' sister then, and the Ice Queen was seemingly enjoying a fond memory in the realm of Irmo.
Wanting to partake in conversation with the powerful woman, yet not wanting to startle her, Glorfindel pulsed warmly behind her, announcing his presence as gently as he could. He noticed Elsa feeling him and had to suppress a smirk as her power flared to life and froze the ground beneath her feet when she rose to stand up straight and proud.
"You again" She noted with a ring of recognition in her voice. It made his light pulse faster in his giddiness at being remembered by such a lovely creature. "Now you enter my dreams…" He could detect the slight warning, and controlled himself to form a shape of his body by only his light. A faint contour of a man formed by light was all he could do, but he saw how Elsa blanched and stepped back, cautious.
"I am not here to hurt you or yours my Lady, I am simply a curious being enchanted by your beauty and light, attracted to you as I passed through your realm. Please allow us to indulge in conversation while in your dreams, for it is the only way we can do so" His aura flared golden while hers was a brilliant argent. They clashed like the sun and the moon, like moving poetry and song echoing around them in the chimes their fea created as they touched. It was intimate and innocent in its simplicity, yet the cacophony was enough to bring emotion in his being.
Elsa wavered, torn between her own curiosity and fear of the unknown entity. In the end, she could also feel the harmony of their lights meeting and curved her neck in a small, shallow bow from one who is a rightful Queen recognizing another noble born, which he reflected with a smile on his light formed face.
Looking over to the dream version of her realm, Elsa leant against a tree. "What are you?" She started the conversation with the same curiosity he showed Irmo when asking about her. Elation filled him that she was giving a chance and he wasted to time to plop his ethereal self down beside her. He mourned that she wasn't able to stare at him for long, his light was bright enough to be akin a small sun and would blind her with time should she stare at it without the bounds of a flesh body.
Grinning despite all, Glorfindel started to spin his tale. "I am Glorfindel of Gondolin, an Eldar and First Born created by the Valar to share in the Song of Creation, I come from Arda, Middle Earth, a world far away from this one. In my first life, I was chief of the House of the Golden Flower and King Turgon's captain" He spoke, voice entrancing to the young Queen… Elsa leaned in with interest and the Elven Lord smiled at her with utter peace in his shiny golden face.
"Eldar?" Her eyes sparkled. She was a curious little thing after her suspicions were resting and her guard was down. Mayhap she realized this is her dream and he was a guest in it, and had nothing to fear from him by feeling his light.
"Elves in the common tongue, my dear Queen – We are immortals in the way time does not affect us, though we can be killed by grief or a mortal wound" The Golden Lorde revealed, then his smile grew gentler. "The First Born because when the Valar brought life to Arda, the Eldar came first, then came the Edain, the Second Born, the race of Men who were born with the curse of mortality in which they'd never be able to reach the Undying Lands"
"But how come you found your way here in my dreams?" His curious Queen asked. "Were you killed?" Her voice flickered with worry making Glorfindel laugh delightfully glad he met this woman.
Seeing the affronted look growing on her face, the Golden of Hair hastily answered. "I do not laugh out of scorn, my dear Queen, but out of the sheer happiness I am feeling that you worry yourself over me, I see I am growing in your esteem and that makes me very content" His golden light shape bubbled with joy. Elsa calmed down, blinking her eyes at the sheer magnitude dealing with an Elf like Glorfindel was. "To answer your questions, yes, I did die and was brought to the Halls of Mandos, where the soul of the departed Eldar goes after their health fails – In the presence of the Vallar, it was decided I'd be given a second chance for my fate on Arda had yet to be concluded, thus I am to spend a thousand years healing before being allowed to return to Arda. During this time, my spirit can soar through the vast cosmos and that is how I found you"
Elsa blinked. Glorfindel caught her off guard by offering so much about himself. He'd never do it under normal circumstances but he felt he owned the young Queen for the shameless gossip Irmo offered. And it was no sorrow for him to share himself with this brilliant creature, he found, Elsa's presence hummed in that frozen quicksilver quality that made his gold shine all the more brightly.
The Queen offered a small smile. She was young and inexperienced and completely confused as to why an entity such as he has been entranced by her. The Golden Lord yearned to have fingers with which to touch her, though he knew it was completely impossible – his body back in Valinor has no way of reaching for Elsa so far way the same way his fea could.
"I am sorry to hear of your death, Lord Glorfindel of Gondolin, yet it is not every day I get to meet a visiting, disembodied Eldar" The large grin she offered was proof that her words were half in jest. "And if it is only in dreams we can talk, then you are welcome to mine if you wish to part with tales from your land, or about yourself" There, the invitation. Glorfindel grabbed it and cradled it in the space beneath his heart to keep it safe.
"I would like that, my dear Queen, and I would like even more if you part with tales of your own"
It was the start of a very strange friendship.
..
"Elsa's fea is made from the same song that brought the Maiar to us. Should she chose so, she can live an immortal life – however as she is, she is likely to follow her mortal sister's fate." Irmo told a brooding Glorfindel. The joy that usually painted the Lord's face has diminished before the grief that gripped his heart. Lord Irmo's words brought little comfort to the Golden of Hair for he already knew of Elsa's mortal fate.
He watched it happening day after day she dreamed and they conversed… Fifty years was naught but the blink of an eye to an Eldar as old as he was, and those years passed fast and furiously, bringing him much joy and happiness as they went by. "I know of the Ice Queen's fate, my Lord, for she has grown old and weak even if her light still burns strong"
Irmo touched Glorfindel's arm lightly, bringing the Elf Lord out of his revelry. "Hope is not lost, son of Gondolin, for the lady's fea has grown attached to your own as you have grown to hers, you love her and she loves you and she will come to you should you call" The Lord of Dreams revealed, to the Golden of Hair' sudden flutter of hope and fresh breath of air.
"Would Lord Namo allow Elsa entrance in the Halls? She is not from Arda" Glorfindel pointed out, swallowing his hopefulness in lieu of the problems that might arise.
Irmo grinned, pointed to something behind Glorfindel.
"Oh Glorfindel, you silly Eldar" A very familiar voice called, causing the Elven Lord to stumble in is hast to gather the speaker in his arms. Love radiated from them as the sun radiated warmth and Irmo basked in the glory the feeling brought his beloved Garden. He sent a silent thank you to Mandos who helped architect their plans. Glorfindel alone was powerful, Glorfindel with the Ice Queen in his arms was unstoppable.
Yet he had to look away with a secret smile when Glorfindel, now wearing flesh finally gave into temptation and broke his fast with the Lady's lips.
..
A few centuries later and Glorfindel found himself staring at the unmoving face of Cirdan. The Elf has stood strong and proud for some horrible years and the Golden Lord felt proud of his old acquaintance. Cirdan's face then broke into a welcoming smile and his arms opened for an Ellyn hug.
"You have returned from Valinor, Lord Glorfindel of Gondolin – I never thought I would see one of my ships returning to these shores, yet one came back baring the Golden Lord" Glorfindel smiled back.
"I am glad to be back, I missed Arda while in the mercy of Irmo" He motioned with his hand and another figure descended from the ship, enshrouded in the Golden Lord's cloak, Cirdan couldn't see her face but could see the chilly silver light haloing her form. She stood beside Glorfindel and together their combined presence was awe inspiring even to an old veteran such as him. "Meet my lady wife and dear Queen, Elsa of Arendelle, Elsa, this is Cirdan an old friend of mine"
The cloak lowered, allowing the curious Elven Lord to see the face of the one who had Glorfindel in balance. She was a fair creature, beautiful even in the Eldar's presence. Cirdan didn't remember ever seeing her, nor the name of Arendelle from where she came from. "I welcome you to Arda as well, my Lady"
"Thank you, my Lord, it was very nice to meet you" Elsa laced her arm in the crook of Glorfindel's offered elbow, and after bowing to the ship builder, the pair happily started the track that would lead them to Rivendell…
The Elven Lord then Finally understood why he'd never seen Elsa before. She felt like a Maiar.
Cirdan suddenly wished he could see Lord Elrond's face when he saw the woman Glorfindel managed to wed. He would bet with anyone willing that soon, the Lord of Rivendell's family would not be the only one with Half-Maiar blood.
..
And if in a few years a couple of Ring Wraiths found themselves forever frozen in the form of hideous statues of ice adorning the edges of Rivendell property, it was another story altogether.
..
End! x)