Glorfindel finished his letter and signed his name, careful not to smear the wet ink. He blew on it gently to help the ink dry before folding it in half. He addressed it to Lord Elrond or Lord Erestor. It mattered not to him which one of them read it. All that matter was that they did not read it before the proper time. After sealing it with wax, Glorfindel stood before his mirror and braided his hair in the usual style. He walked over to his weapons chest and took out his favorite dagger. It had been given to him by Lord Elrond, he remembered, the day Glorfindel had been appointed Seneschal, Head of the Guards. The dagger was a beautiful creation and had served him well in the past. It would do so again today. He removed the small gold and blue ring from his finger and set it down on top of the letter with a small sigh. Taking one last look around the room, making sure everything was in order, he left silently.

The servant girl knocked politely on Lord Glorfindel's door. There was no response. She knocked again, impatient to deliver the note to the lord and get back to the kitchens. There was still no response. Lord Elrond had told her that if no one answered to leave the note on Lord Glorfindel's dressing table. She opened the door warily nonetheless, just in case the lord was in his chambers and had simply chosen not to answer. He wasn't. His rooms were perfectly clean and completely empty of people. She walked over to the dressing table and sent the note down. She was on her way out when a small patch of white on the desk caught her attention. Walking over, she saw it was a letter, addressed to either Lord Erestor or Lord Elrond. On top of the letter was a ring, clearly intended to be sent with the letter. She picked both up and put them in her pocket. She would deliver it on her way back to the kitchens.

Elrond looked around the room and noticed that Glorfindel had still not arrived. Where was he? Granted, his seneschal might not be the most punctual of Elves, but he was never this late. Elrond racked his brain trying to think of any reason why the Seneschal would be so very late. Instantly, the Elven lord thought of the note he had sent Glorfindel that very morning. He had finally worked up enough courage to write a note to Glorfindel, expressing his feelings about the golden haired beauty. And this was what happened. Elrond's heart sank. Maybe Glorfindel was not interested in him at all and was too uncomfortable to come to the meeting. But he had never seemed to be that sort of person. Glorfindel had always met things head on. No, the note could then not possibly be the reason. Perhaps something was amiss in the barracks? Or perhaps.... Elrond glanced worriedly at Erestor. Erestor met his gaze and Elrond could see his own worry reflected in Erestor's eyes.

"Perhaps he just slept late. He does have a habit of doing that. This is an early meeting. Do you want me to go awaken him? "

"Yes, please. I don't think he will be sleeping but do look for him. He has never been this late for anything before." Erestor nodded and left. If anyone could find Glorfindel in this house, it was him.

Erestor walked briskly through the halls of Imladris, bent on arriving at his destination as quickly as possible. Leave it to Glorfindel to hold up the meeting. If he found him still in bed, that elf was going to get a nice lecture on punctuality and needlessly worrying others, just after he got a pitcher of cold water on his head. He arrived at Glorfindel's chambers and - not even bothering to knock - burst in. The rooms were empty and eerily clean. He had been in Glorfindel's rooms before and they had always been everything but clean. Well, the next place to check was the kitchens. If Glorfindel had risen late, that was where he would be. He had just started down the hall when a servant called out his name.

"Sir, I have a letter for you. I found it Lord Glorfindel's chambers early this morning." Erestor thanked her and sent her on her way, slightly curious as to why she had been in Glorfindel's chambers to begin with. Glorfindel's neat script adorned the front of the letter and Erestor turned his attention to the ring that the girl had given him. He had recognized it immediately. It was the ring Glorfindel always wore. In fact, it had been the only thing Glorfindel had been wearing when he had been found reborn. When Lord Elrond had asked him about it, for surely to be reborn with it, it must have some great significance. The golden haired elf had just shrugged his shoulders and said he had found it on a street one day and how curious it was that he still had it. If Elrond had sensed that there was more to the story, he did not pry. But Glorfindel had never taken it off. Erestor opened the note, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Glorfindel moved through the forest, finally somewhat at peace. Soon his task would be over and he would be released from this pain. He was willing to risk whatever penalty the Valar would enact on him, just to finish it. He knew the twins would miss him for awhile, he always had time to listen, but they would soon get over it and move on with their lives. They were young and would soon forget. Lord Elrond and Erestor would most likely miss his skills and knowledge, but they too would soon adapt and forget all about him. There were others just as capable as he. When the Valar had sent him back, they must have not considered the difficulties he would have. In truth, life was not so difficult, it was the living that was painful. He had been happy in Gondolin, surrounding by friends and family. He had found a lover and they were dedicated to each other. The two of them had been planning to be bonded. Then Gondolin had been attacked. Glorfindel had defended the city bravely, but fell defeating a Balrog. He had lost everything. Then the Valar had sent him back, why he did not know. He now had no chance of reuniting with his lover. He had nothing in this life. Everything he knew, everything he was familiar with was gone. Even the language had changed. The only thing he had from his previous life was a ring, blue and gold, that he had found on the street just before he had met his love for the first time. Oh but the Valar were cruel! The guards of Imladris had found him and the Elves there had taken him in. He had entered Lord Elrond's service, but not his household. He was the outsider, the legend, and everyone was either too awed or too scared to befriend him. Lord Elrond and Erestor were nice in their own way but were busy with their own lives. But now that was all behind him. The pain had gotten too much for him to bear but soon it would be over. So very soon.

Elrond was becoming increasingly uneasy. He did not know what it was, but a sense of trepidation and urgency was rising up in him and he was unable to stop it. A slight breeze blew in through the open window, ruffling his hair. His tension grew. As he watched the other Elves chat quietly with each other, waiting for Erestor's return, his trepidation grew stronger. and the breeze turned into a strong wind, scattering the Elves' papers everywhere. While they leapt up to catch them, Lord Elrond went to the window. The wind was trying to tell him something, he understood that now. Something was very wrong in the forest. It wasn't a danger to Imladris, he knew immediately. Suddenly, the fear that begun to well up inside him turned to panic, and Elrond was out the door, running down the stairs, into the courtyard and out into the forest. He shed his formal robes as he ran, for they would only slow him down.

Erestor was in a state of shock. That Glorfindel would actually go so far as to..... He had to tell Elrond. Erestor stood and raced back to the council room, only to find Elrond missing and all the other Elves running around the room, trying to catch errant papers blown about by the wind. Not to be defeated, Erestor searched all over Imladris for the lord, but no one had seen him since this morning. Erestor slapped the wall in frustration. With both Glorfindel and Elrond gone, Erestor could not leave Imladris to hunt for Glorfindel. He could only hope the Elrond would return from wherever he had gone before it was too late. Standing in the courtyard, he looked out over the small field before the forest when something lying in the field caught his eye. It was Elrond's robes. Erestor looked closer and could see the path Elrond had left through the grass. He must have been in a great hurry to leave so obvious a trail. Erestor hoped that whatever had drawn him into the forest at such a speed was Glorfindel and not trouble for Imladris.

Elrond entered the forest at breakneck speed and almost immediately had to stop. The clamor of the trees and the wind was so loud it hurt him. He gently laid a hand on the tree next to him and managed to get its attention. He asked it to ask the others to be quiet. He could not understand any of them if all of them were talking, he explained. It took awhile, but eventually all the trees were silent. Elrond thanked them, then asked the trees to please show him the way to the trouble. Instantly, the trees to his right started talking again. This way, come this way. Hurry, hurry, they said and Elrond was once again filled with a sense of urgency. He began running, trusting the trees to guide him.

Glorfindel knelt in the middle of the clearing, drew out his dagger and laid it beside him. He carefully rolled up his sleeves past his elbows, he didn't want to ruin the fabric, though why he cared he didn't know. He picked up his dagger and, placing it firmly against his wrist, drew it down his arm, down to his elbow. Blood welled up from the deep wound. He did the same to his other arm. He waited and soon received his reward. None too quickly, the world began to dim.

The trees, the wind, and the ground around him screamed. Their connection to the Elves was strong. Elrond staggered back and fell onto his knees, cradling his head. Then it stopped and a sense of panic filled him to the core. He stood and ran faster than he thought possible, wondering and fearing what he would find at the end of the trees' road. Almost there! Hurry, hurry! He neared a small clearing and by the tone of the trees all around, he knew that was where he would find the source of the fear.

The twins were playing quietly together, giggling softly every now and then. Their nurse smiled. They were growing up so fast. Then, the twins stopped playing and went very still before both of them burst out in tears. The nurse was horrified.

"What's wrong? What's the matter, Elladan, Elrohir?" The twins gave her no answer, only sobbing louder. She knelt down beside them and drew them into her arms. Whatever it was that was bothering them, she could not see it. She tried to comfort them, but they would not have it, soaking her shirt with their tears.

Elrond entered the clearing and gasped. On the ground in the middle, there lay a fair-haired elf. Elrond feared whoever it was was dead, but then saw a slow rise of their chest. He shook himself and ran over to the elf, turning them over. He froze. It was Glorfindel, his face white and his eyes closed. Then Elrond noticed a wet warmth on his fingers and looked down. His hands were covered in blood. He quickly found the source. Glorfindel's arms were slit, from the wrist almost to the elbow. For a moment, the implications of the deep wounds froze Elrond in his tracks then his healer's training took over. Ripping long strips from his tunic, he bound the now sluggishly bleeding wounds tightly. It took many strips to stop the bleeding and Elrond prayed it was not too late. Placing a hand on Glorfindel's chest, Elrond sent as much of his energy and healing power into Glorfindel as he dared. He had to get Glorfindel back to the house, but how? Elrond was not a big Elf and Glorfindel was quite larger than he. He thought a moment, then used what was left of his tunic and his shirt to make a sling. After carefully rolling Glorfindel onto it, he slipped it over his back so Glorfindel crossed his chest at arm level. Gathering Glorfindel into his arms with a prayer to Elbereth, Elrond began to run.