"You," said Celeborn, "I should have known."

He sighed as he dismounted, nodding at the Imladris guards around him in acknowledgement.

"In the flesh," Glorfindel grinned, hopping down from the bough upon which he had been perched.

Celeborn bit back a sigh. "We make camp here," he said to his company, "Lord Glorfindel has most kindly scouted out this area."

Glorfindel snorted.


He felt the tremors of her power, thin and tenuous as she tried to hide it from him, but he knew, and he rose from his place, hands over his knives.

A hand closed on his wrist, and he turned to jerk it away.

"Wait," said Glorfindel, "Wait, Celeborn."

"You know nothing," he said, "You don't understand…"

"Elrond is still there," Glorfindel interrupted, releasing his wrist, face grim and fingers playing with the hilt of his sword, "Elrond is still there. Have faith in him."

Celeborn scowled, but sat back down.

All they could do was wait.


"She is weak," Elrond said, lowering her into Celeborn's waiting arms, "but she will recover."

"I still have my wits about me, and my tongue," she said quietly, pale and frail but very much herself.

"Of course, my lady," Glorfindel chimed in, "one wonders if Elrond will ever learn."

The elf in question chuckled, before bowing and leaving him alone in their tent with her.

He carried her over to the cot, and lay her down in it.

"Glorfindel," he began, "is as insufferable as ever."

She laughed.


"Well," said the steward, "I'm not sure I see the Prince."

"Your eyes do not deceive you," said Thranduil, swinging off his mount, "he did not wish to return, so I sent him off to look for Elrond's ranger folk."

"With all due respect, my lord, what good will that do," asked the steward.

"It'll keep him busy," Thranduil said, waving forward a warrior bearing chests of gems, "and that Noldor will have to take care of him for a while."

"I'm not sure we should have the Prince dally with the Noldor," the steward ventured.

Thranduil laughed.

"You worry too much, my dear steward. What's the worst that could happen?"