"We should all take time to ponder these issues." Elrond said solemnly as others nodded in agreement. The only thing that they had quickly agreed upon was that it was time to end the meeting. The appointed councilors, noble Lords and Ladies nearly bolted from the conference room.

"Silsi," Elrond called softy. "Please wait." The feisty healer turned. She was more than a bit startled at the request.

"Yes, my Lord?" Her face was full of question. She noted the way Elrond rubbed his temples. "Anyone would develop a headache under the schedule that the peredhel had set for himself." She thought grimly. It had been little different with Gil-Galad and she had often prepared willow bark tea for the High King.

"How may I be of service, my Lord?" The healer asked, half expecting a request for the tea. But the appearance of Cirulian startled her. It was well known that the Teleri captain and Lord Glorfindel were charged with Elrond's security.

"Elrond, just Elrond when we are alone, Silsi. We have known each other for far too long for such formalities." Elrond turned his attention towards Cirulian. "Thanks for coming."

"Of course, my Lord." The guard returned with a smile. He had hoped to catch a glimpse of the peredhel in disguise. He was still not sure if Glorfindel had been pulling his leg at last week's revelations.

"Silsi, first off, thank you so much for all of your help in determining which of the council and nobles plan to remain in Mithlond and who is most interested in participating in the founding of a new governing body. This information is invaluable."

"No thanks are needed my Lord." At Elrond's raised brow Silsi hastily added. "Elrond."

"Yes, thanks are definitely needed. Your inquiry has placed you in a difficult, nay dangerous situation that I had not anticipated. For that I am very sorry. It has come to my attention that you have received several written threats and experienced an angry confrontation a fortnight ago."

"How did you know?" Silsi gasped. Elrond merely shrugged.

"It matters not. But I worry that you did not relay the incident to anyone." Elrond returned.

"My Lady." Cirulian interrupted. "Allow me to assign you a guard."

"I can handle myself." Silsi's eyes flashed at the memory of her encounter with Sargil. "I will not be cowed by such a lesser Lord. I do not fear him."

"I know you can more than handle yourself in a fair fight." Elrond said in his most soothing tones. "But we do not know who else's ire we have aroused. I value your intellect, council and friendship far too much to put you at any risk. Thus I beseech you, Silsi, as a dear friend and colleague to accept a guard for your security." Silsilalda drew in a deep breath as if she was going to decline Elrond's offer but the sincerity of his voice halted her.

"Please, Silsi, if only for a short while during this tense transition." He entreated.

"Yes, my Lord." She purposefully reverted to his title. "Is there anything else?"

"Yes, senior healer, there is." Elrond smiled. "Master Noenri recently wrote that he intends to return to his post in Mithlond shortly after Yule." Silsilalda's skills were second to only Noenri among the healers of Mithlond.

"I was hoping that I might recruit you to come to Imladris. You would be instrumental in founding a school for healers in the valley."

"But you can do that." The healer protested. Elrond's skills for healing were well known to her as she had helped Noenri train him at the end of the first age.

"You severely overestimate my abilities if you think I can take on such a task myself when I will have other duties as well. We would have to design and build facilities including surgeries, recovery rooms, healing halls, meeting rooms….

"And a library and green houses." Silsi interrupted.

"Yes." Elrond smiled sensing the healer's interest. "And recruit other teachers as well."

"You would grant me discretion to recruit other healers?" Silsi questioned.

"With one caveat – these healing halls would instruct any who seek such knowledge to use for the benefit of all peoples. They would be open to those of pure heart from any kindred." Elrond clarified.

"Such an encompassing directive! The healers of men are so short-lived. You have hardly finished training one before it is time to train the next generation." Silsi mused.

"And yet they are forced to deal with far more illnesses than any healer among the elves. We can make a huge impact – make a positive difference in their lives and well-being and learn much in the process." Elrond watched as Silsi's eyes brightened as she considered the prospect.

"I will have to think on this." She began but Cirulian shifted impatiently.

"There is much to think on and plan." Elrond agreed. "But before that, please go with Cirulian so he can introduce you to the guards who will help ensure your security in Mithlond." The two promptly exited and Elrond walked back towards Gil-Galad's study to ponder the list of possible candidates to head a panel for drafting a new government. As he entered the study his eyes focused again on the package addressed to him in Ereinion's succinct script. Its minimalist lines reflected it's Lord's personality.

"Perhaps tomorrow I will face whatever Ereinion sent." He mused then crossed over to the large desk and began to work. It was several hours later when a knock sounded on the door.

"Come." He called wearily pushing back from the desk for the first time in awhile. The summer sun was already sinking in the sky.

"Eärendilion!" The nurse chided, making him feel a millennium younger. "Child, light some candles! There is no need to read in such dim light. Nor should you forgo meals, young one."

"It is a long time since any addressed me as a child." Elrond laughed, rising to embrace the elleth who had looked after him when he had first arrived in Ereinion's house.

"You will forever be a child to me." Laeste returned. Her eyes sparkled with glee. "I have procured some of your favorites to whey your appetite. Come, leave your work behind and enjoy some dinner out on the veranda." She led him out the glass doors to a mosaic-covered table, placing the covered tray down. Then she went to retrieve two glasses.

"Eat! It is nearly eight o'clock." She chided when she found Elrond still standing looking out towards the setting sun. She lifted the cover exposing a green salad tossed with apples, fiddleheads and smoked salmon. A chilled spicy tomato soup was paired with herb bread. She watched in triumph as Elrond relaxed and smiled.

"Perhaps I can take a small break." He failed to keep a serious tone as she poured two glasses of the sweet blush wine, a summer favorite of Mithlond.

"Perhaps you can, young Lord!" She teased and raised her glass in tribute. "To friends who ever showed us how to live life with joy and harmony! May we meet them again at the feasts in the West." Elrond nodded, the lump in his throat momentarily preventing him from speaking. Finally he added.

"To joyous reunions."

Xxxxxxxx

"At ease Bronwë. Where is your partner?" Glorfindel called. The young guard greeted Glorfindel amiably but did not relax his stance. A telltale munching noise grew louder and a minute later the other guard appeared around the corner with a small bag of crudités.

"My Lord Glorfindel." The other guard hastily greeted him. Glorfindel smiled at him. It was nearly midnight.

"Our Lord still works?" Glorfindel asked.

"Yes, Laeste left a few hours ago." Bronwë reported. "Then he met with Merwen for awhile but he toils again alone."

"Sweep the bedrooms and then return to the family wing post. I will escort Lord Elrond there shortly." Glorfindel said in dismissal. Then he turned and quietly opened the door. He was not surprised when Elrond did not look up. The half-elf was still engrossed in his work. Many candles lit the desk where Elrond was busy writing.

"A moment more, Glorfindel." Elrond said softly. He could sense the joyful aura of his approaching friend. Glorfindel looked at the piles of papers on the desk. On the top was another letter addressed to Celebrían. He smiled, knowing that Elrond had received her last letter only yesterday. He gathered Elrond's robe from the settee. The half-elf had changed into a simple tunic and leggings. A small folded paper stuck partway out of the elf's tunic pocket. It was already wrinkled from being read many times. Elrond put down his pen and sighed.

"I guess that is enough for this evening." He yawned and stood. Glorfindel could read the beginning of another speech. Numerous letters were piled on the corner of the desk all ready for the couriers. He saw messages addressed to Erestor, Aran Thranduil, Aran Amroth, and Pengolodh who had remained to govern Imladris while the others were dealing with the situations in Mithlond.

"Evening! It is well past midnight. Can you not delegate some of these tasks?" The golden warrior chided. Elrond walked out to the veranda to confirm Glorfindel's assessment of the time. Gil-Estel was nearly finished his journey across the sky. Glorfindel moved closer, putting his arm around Elrond's shoulder.

"You and others have already greatly aided me." Elrond sighed. "Many of the council returned their studies and assignments this week. I have been overwhelmed just attempting to keep up. Besides that Pengolodh seeks to govern the refugees in Imladris, much as the High King dealt with the volatile settlements after the War of Wrath. His heavy-handed approach has raised the ire of many in the valley."

"I can well imagine that of the Sage of the Noldor. I wondered why he had not yet sailed." Glorfindel shook his head. The ancient lore master and councilor was a survivor of Gondolin and it was clear that he had been suffering from the sea longing for several decades. Such sea longing did little to enhance the patience of the disciplined and stern elf.

"Gil-Galad assigned him this final task, to watch over the Valley while we set out to war. He will sail as soon as his duty in Imladris is over. The sea longing is nearly too much for him to bear." Elrond sighed. "Another of the elder leaders lost beyond the sea."

"One of us should return to Imladris then." Glorfindel observed.

"I hope to journey back before the snows come again. Erestor wrote that he plans to return to the Valley before winter closes the mountain passes."

"Then there is not need to worry. Come, even elves need some rest." Glorfindel chided drawing the elf back into the room. Elrond's movements were slow and clumsy, as he had spent so many hours hunched over parchments and letters. Glorfindel's swift movements caught him by surprise and the golden elf easily extracted the precious letter from his pocket.

"Another letter from your Lady?" Glorfindel teased. Elrond blushed and stammered an acknowledgement.

"I would not broach your privacy, my Lord." The Vanya pledged in a mocking voice returning the letter with a theatrical bow. Then he proceeded to extinguish the candles on the desk while Elrond took care of the ones on the table. "Though I shudder to think what adventures the two of you will undertake together." At Elrond's silence Glorfindel continued.

"So, are you ever going to open Gil-Galad's gift?" Glorfindel said conversationally as they stepped out into the dimly lit hall. Cleverly designed sloping ceilings and well-placed windows guided the moonlight into the hall.

"Ereinion knew he would not be returning from the war." Elrond whispered.

"Yet he faced his destiny with honor and bravery." Glorfindel said evenly. He now wished he had chosen a different topic. "He had no misgivings about leaving Mithlond in your capable hands."

"Yet it is I who abolishes his kingdom."

"You are not tearing it down." Glorfindel paused searching for the correct words to describe the transformations that were now in motion. "You are aiding its evolution. You are shepherding its development into a new form that can weather the climate of this new age."

"Evolution." Elrond wrapped his tongue around the word. His outlook brightened at the thought. "I suppose it all depends on one's perspective."

"We elves of Middle Earth are adapting as well. The young have been raised to argue and question. Perhaps this change in government is a natural consequence. But the only perspective you should be contemplating is the view afforded behind your closed eyes." Glorfindel smirked while pulling Elrond across the lit chamber to the bed. The guards had obviously searched the room and lit the candles.

"I am not the kind who favors one night stands." Elrond said in serious tones, although the glint in his eyes betrayed his humor. Glorfindel laughed and threw him the sleep clothes from atop the antique chest.

"And most think you are so serious!" The golden elf exclaimed. "Go change! I promised Laeste that I would verify that you actually got into bed this night." Elrond laughed and disappeared into the bathroom.

"And just how are you planning to verify this?" Elrond laughed. "Do any verify that you sleep, Lord Glorfindel?"

"Ah, that is between me and the Ladies." Glorfindel called back.

"Such rumors fly!" Elrond said stepping back into the chamber.

"You should not listen to rumors. And no one would notice if I happened to doze in a meeting."

"If there is but a grain of truth in the rumors." Elrond teased.

"I believe you have had far more interesting escapes, oh, Lord of the masquerade."

"A carefully cultivated public persona can ease scrutiny and interest in one's private affairs." Elrond chuckled. "Now, you golden one, you could never hide in a crowd."

"Is that a challenge?" Glorfindel grinned then blew out the few candles on the desk.

"Perhaps." Elrond said through a yawn. "Good night Glorfindel."

"Sweet dreams of your silver queen." Glorfindel could not help but tease as he exited.