This is another version of the drabble 6. Sorry for the delay but I've been through a bad time.

Drabble 6

The leaders of Imladris were troubled. The tidings brought by the Star-twins, Elrohir and Elladan, were evil. After four centuries of apparent peace, in which nothing had been known of the Dark Lord, rumors had begun again. For many years, the King of the Nazgûl had not been seen, and Orc raids were scattered. And though neither Elves nor Istari had lowered their guard, it still had seemed that Sauron had lost all power.

But the White Council knew that the Enemy was not defeated. He was gathering his strength in preparation to strike the harder. But though they had not laid by their weapons, others had, and as the Orcs began to traverse the lands again, the people were unprepared.

And little by little, the foul creatures were nearing Rivendell, perhaps to obtain some information. The Greenwood was slowly submerging into darkness, but the realm of the Lady of Light still remained fair and pure. …

"And then what shall we do?" Asked Lord Érestor solemnly, his brows furrowed above his piercing grey eyes. "It is needful to keep them at bay. A direct confrontation would be the wisest."

"I think not." said Lord Glorfindel thoughtfully, remembering the massacre in Gondolin all too well. "The Orcs are not witless; they are driven by the malice of their master."
"But we cannot allow them to keep advancing forward, unhindered. The nearer to Imladris they are, the more danger we run." argued Érestor. "It is essential to keep them as far as possible from Rivendell. A direct confrontation may perhaps dismay them."

It was Celebrían who spoke for Glorfindel. "Not so, my Lord. We have no news of the Enemy, no tidings of him." The fearsome daughter of Galadriel, the silver haired Elf-woman had proved a greater warrior than many how aspired to that title, and the war council listened carefully to her advice.

"Mithrandir has gone looking for answers." said Érestor, relapsing in his chair with a sigh. It would be an unwise person who dared to argue with Celebrían. She spoke seldom, but she always spoke wisely, and countering her opinion was one only the foolishly brave ventured to do.

"True, but who knows when he will return, or what answers he will bring us." returned the Lady of Imladris, her blue eyes sharp.

"So, it must be us who gains the tidings." said Elrond quietly. "It is from the Orcs we will get our answers. Lord Glorfindel, choose the warriors you think are the best. We need the tidings."

Lord Glorfindel nodded and rose from his chair

"And be careful." added Lord Elrond, "Outside the borders of Rivendell, danger lurks everywhere and ..."

Lord Glorfindel waited in the doorway for Lord Elrond to finish, but the Elf-lord only added. "I wish to see you before you leave."

"What is it, Lord Elrond?" asked Glorfindel uneasily.

The Lord of Rivendell did not answer for a moment. "I am great concerned. Who knows what dark webs our Enemy is spinning?"

Lord Érestor seemed willing to accept Lord Elrond's answer, for he said nothing. But surely his attitude would have changed completely if Lord Elrond had told him what he had just seen through his gift of foresight.

Lord Glorfindel hurried down the steps that led through the gardens and to the armory, wondering how tell Renny the news. He did not wish to upset her, but she must be told and he must go. He sighed again, thinking of the insurmountable barrier his red-haired fíriel had raised up, a wall of friendship he could not break down. Renny had a will of iron, it was only she who could lower it, and he wished desperately that she would, that she would look and see and return the love he felt for her.

He looked up as movement caught his eye, to see a small figure moving down the pathway in the gardens, the long fire-colored mane hanging in disheveled curls behind her.

"Mae Govannen, Renny." said a very pleasant male voice.

Renny turned sharply at the sound of his voice, as her heart stopped for a moment. "Glorfindel!" she greeted him cheerfully. "What's up?"

The Elf lord smiled. "I have finished my meeting, so I thought of spending a few hours with you."

"Oh! Perfect!" exclaimed Renny delightedly, showing him her sketchbook. "So instead of drawing a landscape, I can draw a very handsome Elf-Lord!" She giggled, raising her eyebrows inquiringly.

Glorfindel laughed. "Where were you going to draw this landscape?"

Renny shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. But you're my guide, where should we go?"

Lord Glorfindel laughed. Taking her hand, he led her away.

"Don't move!" exclaimed Renny reproachfully. "For an Elf you move too much."

Lord Glorfindel shifted. "The Elven-folk move, Renny, we are not statues."

"Yes, but surely you can sit still if we can." she said, as she continued to sketch, her head bent over her book.

Lord Glorfindel sighed. He would have much preferred to be walking with her in the forest, but he did not complain.

As he sat there, he was able to admire her. Though she was not beautiful, nor was her body delicate formed, she had an innate grace to his love-stricken eyes. And her hair, which hung in wild curls about her, was unique. He had only seen it once before, in Nerdanel's ringlets, which seemed to be constantly windswept.

He looked up to meet Renny's gaze, who smiled cheerily at him. "You can move now, my friend. I'm done!"

The Elf Lord sighed inwardly, but took the sketchbook. There was no doubt that sketch was excellent, not only showing him but his character, the Lord of the House of the Golden Flower. He turned to her, as she murmured questioningly. "What do you think?"

"It is beautiful, Renny. You draw very well." he said admiringly, blue eyes meeting blue.

She blushed, fiddling with the pencil in her hands. "Really? Even after my reference kept moving?"

Lord Glorfindel chuckled. "Ah, will you ever forgive me?" he asked, taking her hand.

"That depends." she said impishly. "You must teach me the Song of Nimrodel."

"Of course I can teach my songbird that."

Renny laughed. "So it turns out I am a bird!"
Lord Glorfindel smiled at her, seeing she had once more raised the wall.

For a few hours, as the sun came dappled through the leaves, Lord Glorfindel and Renny talked, and whenever Glorfindel tried to break through the barrier, she missed it and simply continued talking.

The two of them stood on the balcony of Imladris. The Elf Lord had not as yet told her what had been discussed, as they leaned on the balustrade. The sun had long disappeared, but light still hovered on the western sky, where heavens were bathed in streaks of gold and red and pink. The color of each streak bright towards the center, and then paling. Here and there golden clouds and crimson islets were surrounded by soft blue seas. And out of the limits of this sun-kissed pale, the blue o thre sky grew darker and darker, stars appearing to hover over the graceful, silent pines.

"Renny, I need to tell you something." he said something.

Renny's heart stopped. Would she tell her what she longed desperately to hear? "Yes, of course. Tell me!" she replied with a smile.

"I'm leaving Rivendell tomorrow."

Renny's eyes were wide. "W-why?"

"Orcs. I must go and rid the land of them." said Glorfindel quietly. Renny paled as he continued you, watching her closely. "I hope it will not take long. Perhaps the time Ithil takes to wax and wane, perhaps only a fortnight. I will hurry. However, I will come back to you, Renny. You are my sunbeam."

Renny was staring at the wisteria below, her breathing frenzied. Finally she looked up. "Alright." she stammered. "Yes…um….I guess you have to prepare."

Lord Glorfindel knew well what was crossing Renny's mind, but he remained silent on that matter. "Yes, but the night is young."

"Yes, well…" Renny shifted. "Well…you have to get ready and I-I must pray to Erù Ilúvatar that you remain safe."

Glorfindel took her hands gently. "Thank you, Renny. Thank you so much. You are a treasure, Válar-sent, to me."

Renny laughed shakily. "Indeed! Thank you, Glorfindel, you place to much value on a fíriel from another realm."

A sharp, tearing pain raced through the Elf-Lord's heart, but before he could speak, they turned at the sound of footsteps. A ellon was standing there, and with a slight bow, he murmured. "Lord Elrond requests your presence."

Renny nodded, slowly taking his hands from hers. "I have to go. Good luck, my friend." Then she was gone.

Renny reached the bedroom, closed the door, and fell back on the bed. What the Elf Lord had told her was ... was ... he'd never said anything like that! No one had ever said anything like that!

You see? He loves us, said her heart, still pounding franticly.

Nonsense. snapped her mind.

Do not be a fool! retorted her heart impatiently. He is quite clear! Even among the ellith it would be a confession of love!

Fool! You are the fool! retorted her mind, annoyed.

Renny sat up with a groan, and knelt down before the window, leaning her chin on the sill. "He does love me." she said, shifting guiltily. "After what I said about being a simple fíriel from another realm…." She trailed off. "Friend. I always call him a friend, and I am an idiot!" She laid her red head on her arms with a groan.

Lord Glorfindel patted Asfaloth absently. This brave horse had borne him through many battles, bloody and dangerous, and the noble beast was already ready for the hunt. The new-risen sun was coming bright and youthful, gilding the lofty summits of the Misty and Mountains and glinting on the white stallion, who pricked up his ears with a whinny. Glorfindel followed his gaze to see Renny standing in the doorway.

Renny pulled back a tangled curl. She had not been able to sleep well. "Um…..hello….mae govannen, Glorfindel." she murmured.

"Hello Renny." he said cheerfully. "Are you rested?"

"Ah…yes. Yes, and you?"

"I am well. I was preparing my things."

Renny swallowed, trying to meet the Elf Lord's piercing eyes. "Be at peace, Renny. All will be well." he said tenderly.

"Yes, but Orcs are, well, Orcs. Monsters." she muttered rebelliously, looking up through her lashes to see the cerulean eyes.

Lord Glorfindel took her hand. "I have fought worse, Renny. Take courage, you are a brave woman. Trust in the Válar that I will come back."

Renny shuddered, trying to laugh. "Yes, you'd better! Because if you dare to die without my permission, I'll go and fetch your body, and then kill you again myself!"

Glorfindel laughed softly. "You're going to kill me, Renny? How?"

Renny shrugged. "That's not a pertinent detail. But if you want to know, I'll go find the Middle-Earth Book of the Dead, resurrect you and then kill you."

Lord Glorfindel frowned. "The Book of the Dead?"

"Yes. It's a famous book on Earth." she said.

Glorfindel's face was grave. "Do not play with Life or Death, Renny. Those strands are not yours to weave."

Renny chuckled. "I must explain to you what the Book of the Dead actually is."

"Yes, certainly, for I am baffled." answered Glorfindel frankly, a bemused expression on his face.

There was silence and then Renny said. "Well, I came to wish you good luck and say….goodbye to you. I will be very lonely, and royally bored."

Glorfindel patted her arm. "There will be Lady Celebrían and Gilornel."

Her voice was muffled. "It's not the same thing. No one is like you." She drew in her breath, realizing what she had said, and hastened to amend it, but Glorfindel shushed her, looking down at her. Finally he asked softly, "Renny, permit me to kiss you."

Renny stammered, watching his deep blue eyes. "Y-e-s." she finally whispered. "You can….you mean like the Elves do? In greetings, when they kiss each other's forehead?"

"Yes." he said quietly, and a shiver of disappointment ran through her, but she muttered. "Yes, yes, of course."

The Elf Lord smiled and bent down, taking Renny's head in his hands, and kissed her forehead. Renny closed her eyes, as chills ran up and down her spine. This was so much more than a friend's kiss of farewell, it was a kiss that had a hidden message in it.

As Glorfindel's head touched her, the golden-haired Elf saw the barrier, smooth and without one crack. But then lines began to run down, first as thin as hair and then widening, deepening. He began to climb it, dashing towards the top, but the ledge he was using as a hold was disappeared, so that the Elf lord, slipped until he reached the base and without any chance of climbing up again.

Lord Glorfindel broke the kiss and looked into her eyes. But there was a light of sadness in his gaze. He had been so close to knowing what was behind that wall! But Renny had succeeded to put up her g uard once again.

He sighed without realizing it.

" Do not be sad, Glorfindel," she reproached him softly, thinking he was sighing over leaving Rivendell.

The Elf stifled another sigh and smiled at her. "I have to go, Renny." he murmured, touching a stray curl. "Take care. I wish to see you soon!"

He mounted Asfaloth, and soon the cadence of hoof beats died away, as Renny, leaning against the wall, watched him go, and when he could not hear her, she whispered. "Good luck… my dearest love."

As she leaned there, she felt the inner turmoil begin again. She almost wished he had been able to scale the wall she had placed there, she almost wished…..for so many things. There was so many hints given her that the Elf Lord loved her, but she did not-would not-listen to them. Tears sprang in her eyes, as the battle inside her suddenly ceased. There was no sound. Her mind had gagged her heart, and there was only silence left.

With stuttering steps, she left the stable. The sun bathed her face and the soft green grass, but her heart throbbed behind its bars.