Sorry for the wait! Anyway, here's chapter 9 ...
Halt cursed as he clumsily stood up, leaning against a gnarled tree for support. He spat out dried leaves from his mouth, and wiped the dirt from his face and beard. His head throbbed painfully, and he clutched his arm as it too throbbed lightly. He glanced up, hearing a soft nicker of a horse nearby.
Talathir's horse stood not too far from Halt, and the ranger beckoned the steed nearer. The creature tilted his head to the side, curious. Yet he walked on over to the ranger none the less.
Halt stood up straighter, shaking his head until the throb turned into a dull ache. He lightly gripped the horse's mane and got close enough to whisper, "Lead me to that clumsy master of yours."
The horse's eyes shone in amusement at this, and slowly, he and the ranger walked deep into the Trollshaw. Halt only then realized he was no longer in familiar lands.
Glorfindel could get no sleep that night. Nor did he want any. After bidding goodnight to Elrond, the elf changed into clean clothes and sat alone in the Hall of Fire, slowly drinking the wine he poured himself earlier.
It was too late into the night for any minstrel, singer or story-teller to stay in the hall to entertain. Even Lindir decided to sleep for the night after he gave Glorfindel a tired smile. He didn't even have the energy to exclaim and question where he had been.
Glorfindel sat there alone, drinking the last few drops of his wine in silence. His mind was still lost in his time in Araluen.
It couldn't be a hallucination. He thought, gazing into the dying flames intently.
It was all too real. But after all the things he had seen and done, from the magnificence of the Hidden Kingdom he once dwelt in to the beasts of fire and fear from Angband, he had never thought it possible that there was land beyond this world.
He still remembered clearly the woods he walked in. The trees strange and silent, not uttering a single word as the breeze caressed their leaves. The forest looked not much different from the ones here in Arda; but it felt different. The wind that blew and the sun that shone. The moon and stars that shone against the dark night.
That pony. The grey pony that cared so much for his master. Will. Glorfindel could still picture the boys dark hair and bright eyes. His humor and his adoring gaze for his mentor.
Their friendship is strong, Glorfindel noted, smiling as he remembered mistaking Will for Halt's son.
It was also hard to forget Halt. The scruffy ranger who loved sarcasm and had high suspicions of Glorfindel. He remembered how he also, however brief, looked admiringly at his apprentice.
Glorfindel's smile widened. 'The Ranger and His Apprentice' – would make a fine book to read.
He recounted the stories Will eagerly told him of his adventure against the tyrant Morgarath and his deadly Wargals and Kalkara, of his time being a slave in Skandia and fighting off the Temujai with Halt and Cassandra.
Morgarath ... sounds a bit like Morgoth. He thought, scowling. He sighed and placed his wine glass on a small table in front of him, and was about the rise when the door was thrown open.
He half expected Erestor, or a minstrel who had forgotten his lute. His eyes widened and his expression brightened at the sight of a certain Peredhel.
"Elladan?" the golden-haired warrior half smiled. "Forgive me for the wild goose chase I sent you and your brother on,"
His grinned widened as Elladan quickly paced towards him and clasped a hand on his shoulder.
"And I'm sorry you came back empty-handed." he added quickly.
At this, it was Elladan's turn to smile. His grin sending uncertainty pulsing in Glorfindel's bloodstream. "Not empty-handed, mellon nin," he stepped aside for his friend to take a better look through the open doorway. "but with a friend of yours."
Glorfindel saw Elrohir, leaning against the frame of the door lazily, grinning an identical grin to his brother's. And a short boy beside him, eyes wide in fascination and wonder. It didn't take long for the elf warrior to recognize him.
"Will?"
Will beamed as he saw Glorfindel, and he almost ran to the elf and would have embraced him, had he not collapsed in exhaustion on a divan by a marble pillar.
"Glorfindel," he breathed, tilting his head back, eyes closed and smiling in bliss. "your home is amazing."
"Ranger?" a young voice called.
Talathir lightly strolled from tree to tree, hoping he would find the short yet deadly ranger he had acquainted.
"Ranger!?" he called out again, louder.
He began to worry. He was so sure he saw him disappear with him! But a huge weight was lifted from his chest – he was no longer in a foreign place.
"Barahon!" he tried calling for his steed, and was rewarded when he heard his horse nicker and emerge from a thick canopy of trees, with the ranger he was seeking sitting upon him.
"Ah, Ranger!"
"It's Halt," he sat awkwardly on the animal, and steadied himself after almost falling off. "and how do you sit on these huge horses so easily?"
Talathir smiled and chuckled softly. "I'm guessing you've never ridden one before?" he asked, stroking Barahon's mane.
Halt gave the elf a glare. "Oh, I ride alright. Faster than you dare to go, it's just …" he mounted off the horse lightly. "We ride ponies instead."
Talathir nodded, and squinted to see far ahead through the dark trees.
Halt sighed and gazed at the night sky. "Any idea where we are then? Or are you still a dazed and confused elf boy?"
Talathir looked at Halt, smiling. "Your demeanor is one to ponder on, Halt. I rather like it."
Halt narrowed his eyes. "Are you going to tell me where we are, or do I have to guess?"
The elf sighed and tapped his long knife in its scabbard continuously. "I'm guessing … a couple of miles from the Bruinen." with that, he mounted Barahon and started on a slow trot. "I do not think we shall reach Imladris until dawn,"
Halt followed in dead silence, keeping his pace fine and never falling behind. "Imladris?"
"Yes, that's where I live." Talathir glanced at Halt. "You will receive good rest and healing there, and Lord Elrond will be more than glad to let you stay until it suits you."
Halt took a long, quiet breathe in. So he was in a different land now. Transported here in a way unknown, and following this elf into what possibly could be a whole town of elves. Great.
"I don't want healing or rest," he said at last. "I just want to find my apprentice."
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