Chapter Ten
Erestor's POV
A knock on the door made me look up from the paper I was working on. I looked around my office noticing that hours had passed since Brina and Glorfindel had left me for the training fields.
"I lost track of time again." I groaned to myself softly.
Again a knock sounded on my door this time more insistently.
"Erestor I know you are in there so stop ignoring me." Glorfindel's voice called through the closed door.
I realized I hadn't answered the first knock.
"Come in Glorfindel," I called to the golden-haired elf.
"What could be wrong? Glorfindel never visits me after he and Brina train." I thought as my mind conjured all sorts of possible worst case scenarios as Glorfindel pushed the door open.
I noticed as he walked in that he was still in his dirty clothes from the training fields as he walked toward my desk.
"Is everything alright Glorfindel?" I asked calmly inside silently praising myself for not sounding as terrified as I felt.
"Yes, all is well Erestor. I am sorry if I scared you I just wanted to let you know that Arador will be arriving within the hour." Glorfindel said with a mischievous smile before he turned to head out the door.
"That is wonderful news," I said excitedly then a suspicion took root in my mind.
"Where is Brina Glorfindel?"
I watched the golden-haired elf slide to a stop before slowly turning around to face me. I had known Glorfindel too long not to know when he was trying to hide something from me. I narrowed my eyes at my longtime friend silently daring him to not tell me the truth.
"She went to her room to clean up," Glorfindel said looking nervous.
"What aren't you telling me Glorfindel?"
"She had a bad afternoon," Glorfindel told me.
"Why did she have a bad afternoon?"
"We practiced archery and she missed the target every time. She was quite frustrated when we parted ways." Glorfindel answered.
"I don't understand Glorfindel. Brina is an excellent archer. Why did she miss every shot? Is she feeling well?" I asked with confusion at first that quickly grew into concern.
"She is feeling fine Erestor other than a great deal of aggravation. I do agree she is an excellent archer but as to why she missed every shot the reason she missed is that she was distracted by a certain someone keeping a secret from her." Glorfindel explained.
Guilt hit me when I found out I was the cause of my love's distraction.
I was so lost in my guilty thoughts I didn't hear Glorfindel come around the desk to stand beside me until I felt his hand on my shoulder.
"I just want to surprise her," I whispered softly.
"I know Erestor and she will be overjoyed when she finds out about your surprise. She is just not used to there being secrets between you two. Don't worry mellon nin it is just one bad afternoon. Why don't you go find her? You always know how to cheer her up." Glorfindel said with a warm smile on his face.
"You are right Glorfindel. Hannon le." I said with a smile of my own as I stood up from my desk.
"You are welcome," Glorfindel said as we walked out of my office together.
"Now if you will excuse me Erestor I need to go clean up," Glorfindel said before heading off in the direction of his room.
I stood there for a minute watching my golden-haired friend walk off.
"Glorfindel can get on my nerves sometimes but I couldn't ask for a better friend." I thought to myself before slowly wandering the halls not quite ready to face Brina after being the cause of her bad afternoon even with Glorfindel's encouraging words.
I wandered through the halls of Imladris for at least an hour lost in my thoughts. I was staring off into space when I was startled for the second time in one day this time by the sound of someone clearing their throat to get my attention.
"Hir Erestor." an uncertain looking elf called to me.
"Yes."
"Hir Elrond wanted me to come find you and let you know that Hir Arador has arrived. Also, Hir Arador wishes to see you in his room as soon as possible." the elf whose name I couldn't remember informed me.
"Thank you," I replied.
The elf bowed to me before turning and walking away.
I turned quickly making my way to the guest room that Arador always stayed in when he visited Imladris. I knocked on the door.
I heard a muffled "come in."
I pushed the door open and walked in. Arador stood beside the bed in his dusty travel clothes. He looked like he had been putting his things away before I entered the room.
"Welcome to Imladris Arador." I greeted the chieftain of the rangers.
"Thank you for the invitation Lord Erestor. I am so excited to see my daughter again. Does she suspect anything?" Arador asked me.
"You are very welcome Arador. I know she will be happy to see you and that she has missed her home terribly. No, she doesn't suspect anything but it has been hard to keep this a secret from her."
"So my son has told me you are interested in my daughter. What are your intentions toward my daughter?" Arador asked suddenly serious and sternly staring at me.
I suddenly felt nervous talking to the father of my love.
"Arador I love your daughter more than life itself and I intend to marry her with your blessing if she will have me," I said stumbling over my words.
Arador stared at me without blinking for what seemed like forever.
"Erestor you are a good elf but as her father, I don't think anyone will be good enough for her. As long as you make her happy and she agrees to marry you. You have my blessing." Arador said.
"Thank you Arador," I said gratefully.
"And Erestor if you ever hurt her I will kill you just so you know," Arador told me with a smile that terrified even an ancient elf like me.
"I understand Arador." I gulped nervously.
"Glad we understand each other. Now if you will excuse me I need to get cleaned up before I see my daughter." Arador said.
"Certainly," I said turning and heading out the door. Once I was outside the door I took a deep breath.
"That went better than I thought it would." I thought before making my way to Brina's room.
I hesitated for a second before raising my hand and knocking on her door.
I waited patiently but no voice answered my knock. I knocked again this time a little louder again no voice answered my knock.
"I wonder if Brina is alright. I know she is inside." I thought to myself with concern.
I pushed the door open and walked in. I saw Brina standing beside the window looking out on the beautiful sunset.
"Brina," I called softly.
She didn't stir. I could tell she hadn't heard me so lost was she in the view.
I walked up behind her slipping my arms around her waist. She jumped a little when I slipped my arms around her waist.
"You had me worried meleth nin when you didn't answer my calls."
"I am sorry beloved you startled me I was lost in the beauty of the evening. What time is it?" Brina asked me.
"Don't be sorry my heart I was just concerned especially after the afternoon you had," I said with an understanding smile.
Brina leaned back against me resting her damp head against my chest. It felt nice having Brina in my arms. I took a deep breath catching the scent of Brina's shampoo.
"You have been talking to Glorfindel. I was just distracted by a certain someone keeping secrets from me." Brina said to me.
"I am sorry to have distracted you but I promise that this secret is nothing bad. I will tell you all about it soon please trust me." I said pleadingly.
"You know I trust you beloved with my life," Brina said passion filling her voice.
"To answer your earlier question it is an hour before supper."
We stood there just enjoying being close to each other.
"We should probably go," Brina said with regret coloring her voice.
"Yes let's go meleth nin," I said as I reluctantly released her from my arms then placing her arm through my own.
I headed toward Arador's room.
"Where are we going Erestor?" Brina asked me with a voice full of confusion.
"I want to show you something," I said avoiding making eye contact with her.
I missed seeing Brina narrow her eyes in suspicion at my evasiveness but she still continued to follow me to the guest room where Arador was staying.
"Go on in Brina," I said with a reassuring smile on my lips and a nudge toward the door.
"What is behind the door?" Brina asked with a voice still full of suspicion.
"A surprise meleth nin."
I watched Brina hesitate before the trust she had in our love and the certainty that I would never do anything to harm her won out.
She gripped the knob and pushed the door open to reveal my surprise.
She stood there completely stunned as if she couldn't believe her eyes.
"Ada?" she said uncertainly.
"Brina iel nin how I have missed you," Arador said with a warm smile and arms open.
That was all it took to shake her out of her stupor.
I watched her run into her father's arms clutching him as if she thought he would disappear. Father and daughter stood like that for a long time before she took a step back from her father. Tears of happiness running down her face.
"I missed you too ada so much," she said with a quivering voice.
I felt happiness fill me at the thought I had brought her happiness. I quietly slipped out to arrange the private meal for the father and daughter so they would have time to catch up. After I made arrangements to have the meal sent up to Arador's room I made my way to my own supper. I felt a little lost without Brina by my side but I knew she was enjoying time with her father.
I entered the private dining room to find Glorfindel and Elrond already there.
"How did Brina like her surprise?" Elrond asked me as I took my seat.
"She loves it," I said with a smile that quickly spread to my companions faces as well.
"Let's eat," Glorfindel said and with that, we began eating our meal. Happy in the thought that we had brought joy to the heart of one we all cared about deeply in our own way.