The dwarf and the golden flower
(Irony POV)
Not having anything better to do, Irony decided to go for a stroll before regaining her rooms. She wondered if she would see the end of the stairs, rooms, and corridors of this place before she would be asked to leave. If that ever happened.
Of course, her shadow, Bodhien, walked silently behind her. He had still not spoken a word to her, and Irony was beginning to think he actually could not speak despite having a tongue. At first she had not minded that he would not utter a word, for she had thought Legolas would be enough to live up her social life. But she had never been so wrong. She had scarcely seen the blond elf since she had partially admitted her feelings to him. "I have duties to attend to" was what he kept telling her again and again. He started to feel like a stranger to her again.
"Ah!" exclaimed Irony when not looking at where she was going, she hit something, that surprisingly, was not a pillar. "You're Tauriel's dwarf!"
The not so tall creature did not seem offended by her interjection. He smiled, and bowed low. "Kili, at your service." Irony wondered if he remembered that she had abandoned him and Tauriel. If he did, he did not seem to care.
"Irony..." she answered, bowing politely. She hated having to do these sorts of courtesies. She failed to understand their usefulness and they made her feel ridiculous. But since it was customary...
Kili raised a brow and looked at Bodhien up and down. "I see the, oh, so generous king of the woodland realm trusts you no more than he does me."
Irony looked around, but saw no other guard anywhere else. The corridor was empty and dark though not scary. "I don't see any guard standing behind you." she told him.
The dwarf smirked then laughed. He looked at Bodhien as if expecting the elf to say something, and when the elf did not react, he turned back to Irony. "I ditched my guard." he said proud of himself. Instinctively, Irony turned to look at Bodhien. After having observed the guard the past few days, she was now unsure if he feigned ignorance and actually understood the common tongue, or if like Legolas had told her, the guard only spoke sindarin. But the elf had his ever expressionless expression on.
"Don't worry, most of them don't understand the common tongue." Kili shrugged. "And even the guards who do, will pretend they don't when they are on duty."
Irony considered that detail for a long moment, while she inspected the dwarf. He had less hair on his chin than most other dwarves had, he was clean, had a goofy smile and seemed like a entertaining fellow. And most importantly, he seemed to know a lot about the elves, and possibly the guards as well.
"Then there is only a slight chance that he would understand it, if I asked you to help me ditch him?" she asked, smirking, pointing at Bodhien over her shoulder with her thumb.
The dwarf frowned a little then sighed and started shaking his head in disappointment. "I doubt the king would enjoy hearing the dwarf and the human of the castle are snooping around in his castle, unaccompanied." He was faking a disapproving tone, and it made Irony laugh a little.
"I doubt you care about what the king thinks." she replied. Kili laughed out loud.
"You seem to enjoy living dangerously." he told her. Then in the space time of a second, he had grabbed her arm and was dragging her away from Bodhien who startled, did not know where to look. But as suddenly as he had broken into a print, the dwarf stopped.
In front of them were Tauriel, with furrowed brows, Legolas who was scowling and a taller blond elf she had never seen before. He was all in armour, a golden one, but the same as Galdor's men, and had longer hair and broader shoulders than the prince. The stranger looked at the dwarf questioningly, then at her with less interest showing on his face. Contrary to all the other elves she had met in this forest, this one seemed to be impressed by the sight of a dwarf in an elven realm, than by the sight of a human.
A cold sensation crept down her spine as she stared at that unknown blond elf. He looked very much like all the others but there was something different about him. Something ancient, kind and yet terrifying.
"Where are your guards?" asked Tauriel. She sounded as though she had ran out dry of patience. Irony glanced at Kili, who was smiling innocently. The dwarf seemed to be incredibly careless and to take every thing for a game. Yet that childishness of his was charming instead of annoying.
"We know not of whom you speak of." he answered elbowing Irony as though they were now accomplices. Irony shook her head at Tauriel, as if to let the elleth know she had nothing do do with whatever Kili had been doing.
Tauriel did not answer Kili but her and her lover seemed to be having a telepathic argument for they shook their heads and nodded at each other putting on different facial expressions. Then Tauriel seemed to have given up. The elleth smiled before leaving for no apparent reason. Kili bowed to every one then ran after her a huge grin on face. They could not be more oblivious.
Legolas and the other elf stared at each other in confusion for a while, before exchanging some words in their singing tongue. Irony felt out of place again. She wanted to go back to her room, but at the same time, she desperately wanted to stay and enjoy Legolas's company, even if not for long.
The human was starting to think that her attachment to prince was absurd. She knew she loved him – a little, and had grown accustomed to the idea, but the way just being near him made her heart race annoyed her. He made her feel more or less like when she had thought she was in love with Guill. Only Legolas she could not get out of her head at any moment to the point that she even dreamed of him. And as of late, I see more in my dreams than in real life...
"I did not know king Thranduil welcomed humans and dwarves in his realm." said the unknown elf, amused. He glanced at her, and she caught him at it.
"My father could not deny Tauriel from the presence or her soul-mate. It would have been cruel." replied Legolas. Irony was glad to hear sentences she could understand. It made her feel like she was given a chance to participate in the conversation, and that was very appreciated since it occurred rarely.
"And who's soul-mate is the human?" asked the elf in armour looking at her up and down. His lips were curling on the sides and the way he was looking at her made Irony feel like she was being challenged.
"The human has a name, elf." she cut in.
Legolas sighed and put a friendly hand on her shoulder. "She is my guest." he told the other elf. "Please forgive her, Glorfindel, courtesy is not something, my lady here, is unfamiliar with." he said, directing the insult at Irony. She did not look at the prince, but could feel him glare at her, and took great pleasure in ignoring him.
"There is naught to forget!" exclaimed the elf called Glorfindel. "I should have remembered my manners, and inquired for your name sooner, my lady...?"
"Irony." she answered not bothering to bow. Glorfindel did not seem like he would mind. Actually, Glorfindel seem like he did not like protocols much more than she did.
"What an unusual name." he said, intrigued. "You may call me Glorfindel." The warrior took her hand and kissed it politely, without breaking eye contact. Unaccustomed to such salutations, Irony looked at Legolas to ask him what she should do next, but the prince seemed just as puzzled as she was.
"Irony..." started Legoas, trying to look away from Glorfindel who was smirking at her, "Where is Bodhien?" The only answer she gave him was a snort. " It is only a precaution." he insisted. Like I would believe that. " If you flee from him again, the king might appoint a second guard to follow you."
"Can't I have another guard than Bodhien? One that acknowledges that I am a living being and talks to me, if it is not too much to ask."
"Bodhien is most qualified to tend to your needs, be there any." he argued. When looking at the prince, Irony wondered if the Legolas she had fallen for was the same one who was standing in front of her. This one was a boring prince and not the curious and adventurous yet serious elf she liked to tease.
"You are right, I think he has proven himself most capable to watch over me. I am certain he would have caught up with Kili and I, had you not been here." Her sarcasm made Glorfindel smile. She could see that the warrior was trying hard not to laugh so hat the prince wouldn't feel too humiliated.
Legolas seemed a little bit angry, but did not act on it. "I will try to find you another guard." he conceded, being careful not to make any promise.
"No need! I've found myself one." She pointed at Glorfindel. The elf seemed surprised, but did not oppose.
"Glorfindel is an honourable guest in Eryn Lasgalen." Legolas argued, embarrassed. "He is the Balrog Slayer from the House of the Golden Flower. Asking him to be your guard would be insulting. And surely he tired after such a long-" answered Legolas, before saying something to the taller elf in sindarin. Irony guessed he was apologizing for her behaviour. She was growing tired of her being treated like a child. She wondered if the way she felt now, was the way Legolas had felt when they had been among humans and she had spoken in his stead and forbidden him to do some things.
"I fail to see how it would be insulting. I am good company." she interrupted, shrugging. "Besides, whatever a balrog is, if he slew one, a woman should not be too intimidating." She put both hands on her hips and looked at Glofindel. The elf raised a brow at her. Contrary to Legolas, he seemed find the situation comical.
"Glorfindel has much to attend to and little time to -"
"Actually," cut in the taller elf. "I would be delighted to be lady Irony's personal guard." he said looking at Irony. "If the prince does not oppose to it, of course. I do not oft see humans, but I find their company most refreshing."
Both Irony and Glorfindel waited for the prince to answer. But Legolas seemed to be torn about what to say. Although, trying to hide it, the prince was obviously displeased with something.
"The prince's not opposing." finally said Irony.
"I am not sure-"
"Then guard me yourself!" she exclaimed. Legolas seemed pained for a second then annoyed, and the muscles in jaw tensed. Irony disliked that she had lost her temper. She did not mean to humiliate Legolas any more than she had already done, and for the first time, she felt like the savage elves seemed to think she was.
"I cannot, I have duties to attend to." whispered the prince. He took a deep breath then turned to Glorfindel."If it is no trouble to you, my lord, I see naught wrong with you guarding lady Irony."
(Glorfindel POV)
The day had gone rather smoothly considered he had arrived in Mirkwood alive. When he had been told that there was a 'big spiders' invasion, Glorfindel had thought Lord Elrond had exaggerated the state of things, and wondered why he was sent to help crushing spiders. However, upon arriving at the border, he had understood that Elrond had used 'big' to describe the spiders and not the invasion. Though, Glorfindel would say that invasion was big and the spiders ridiculously gigantic.
But it didn't matter since on order of King Thranduil, he was not to leave the castle unless to head back to Imladris. If Elrond has foreseen that,he could have spared me the trouble of the road... He was glad that king Thranduil had decided not to send him out in the wild, for he did not fancy fighting another one of those nightmarish creatures any time soon, though he felt bad that all of the field work was now left to the young prince. The young prince who seemed to be dreaming while fully awake, what did not reassure Glorfindel the least.
He remembered Legolas as a small shy child who contrary to Elrond's brats, was serious and enjoyed the company of trees more than the one of other elflings. Then again back then, the young prince was near a baby and now he was full grown and far past the age of courting everything with a skirt on. Elves mostly married between age 50 and 100 or not at all. And Legolas should be more than ten times a hundred by now.
Thinking about how old the young prince was, lead him to wonder how old the human he was walking back to her chambers was. Lady..Irony, was it? She had had been very straightforward with the prince, and both the silvan and his father were unused to bluntness. Yet surprisingly enough, Legolas had not put her back to her place. Looking at her now, Glofindel understood why: she looked fierce.
The girl – or was she a woman? Glorfindel could barely make the difference when it came to humans – was sulking and her brows furrowed a little more every time she caught an elf glancing at her. And since they almost all glanced at her, the top half of her face was a waterfall of wrinkled skin, what made her look like a just born pup with extra forehead skin. A fierce pup with extra forehead skin, yes.
"You do not like it here, do you?" he asked her. The answer was obvious. She gave him a quick glance, but seemingly thinking this question was not worth minding, she did not answer. Glorfindel kept going anyway. "Me neither to be honest. The elves here are wary of every person they did not see grow into adulthood. Even me they searched." He told her hoping it would help them bond. And it seemed to work, for she threw him a mocking smile though, she still gave no answer. "Also, Greenwood's forest is too dark and wild for my taste. Every shadow I see here startle me so, that my hand barely ever leaves my sword. Although, the 'King's Garden', as they call it, is one of the the world's most beautiful places, I have to admit. I could take you there if you haven't seen it yet."
The human smirked. "Why, and follow you, a stranger, in an unknown forest during a moonless nigh? I think not, Findel."
The appellation took him aback, but the answer he liked. "I see the lady is wise and chooses not trust easily."He smirked back at her. "We will get along very well you and I. We have much in common."
A/N: TADAAAH!GLORFINDEL walked in!Bet you did not see that coming 8D
I love Glorfindel, he is basically famous for killing a balrog when he actually just fell off the cliff along with the Balrog (I am exaggerating a bit there) while Etchelion who killed the strongest of the balrogs barely has any recognition x)
Anyway, if you love Glorfindel there is a wonderful fic called 'the Hematic' on fanfic, that I highly recommend.
Also, thank you for all the sweet comments 3 I'll answer to each of you this week end 3