Something sharp and heated came to life in Harry's chest as he narrowed his eyes. "You not boss for mine," he said in mangled Sindarin. "I fly, you quiet, you no speak." Harry desperately wanted to switch to Westron but he saw Erestor lurking in the background so he made do with Sindarin instead.
Glorfindel crossed his arms and took a step closer so their chests almost touched. "I am the Captain of the Guard and it is my duty to see to everyone's safety, including yours."
"You see me fight." Harry raised his chin up, jaws clenched as he stared into Glorfindel's sapphire eyes. "I am good fighter. I am safe."
"Perhaps we should briefly retire to my quarters," Elrond said, appearing out of nowhere. "This is not the place for a quarrel." Elrond waved a hand around, indicating the dining hall and its many inhabitants, most who were giving them curious yet worried looks.
"Yes, good," Harry muttered, following Elrond closely. Glorfindel fell into step with him, resolutely not looking at Harry. Elladan and Erestor were not far behind and Bilbo and Gandalf brought up the rear as they all made their way through the main building towards Elrond's private quarters. Harry had never been there before, but he had little time to closely observe it because Glorfindel immediately started talking in rapid Sindarin that was too fast for Harry to completely understand.
Elrond must have noticed the frustration on Harry's face, because he raised his hand to silence Glorfindel. "For now I suggest we speak Westron, so Harry will have a chance to speak his mind."
"Fine," Glorfindel said as though he hadn't been interrupted. "As I was saying, it is far too dangerous for Harry to travel to Lothlórien by himself."
"I'd be a bird," Harry said at once, relieved he was able to defend himself properly in a language he knew well enough. "I'd be flying quickly. No one would have a chance to hurt me."
"Except whatever orcs are lurking in the Misty Mountains and who love to shoot down anything that passes overhead." Glorfindel looked like he very much wanted to roll his eyes.
"I would fly very high, out of reach of their arrows," Harry countered, rolling his own eyes because this whole situation was absurd. "Listen, I am a grown man. You cannot command me what to do."
Glorfindel ignored Harry completely, as though he was a child that could easily be ignored in favour of the adults in the room. "It is not just the journey that concerns me," Glorfindel said, giving Elrond an urgent look. "What do you think Galadriel would do if an unknown wizard bearing magical gifts suddenly showed up in her realm."
Elrond, who until that moment had only looked vaguely amused by the drama unfolding in front of him, suddenly appeared downright worried. "She would not take that well."
"Exactly." Glorfindel's shoulders seemed to sag with relief now that someone else appeared to understand his reasons for keeping Harry in Rivendell.
Harry himself was starting to understand the scope of the problem as well. He'd been told the story about how Sauron had appeared as a bloke named Annatar to give the elves amazing magical gifts. The last thing he wanted was to upset any of the elves in Middle-earth and give them any reason to attack him.
"Hmm." Gandalf frowned, his bushy eyebrows drawing down. "The Lady Galadriel would be most unkind to any who would threaten her realm. Harry would not be safe there."
Bilbo cleared his throat. "How many can fit on that flying broomstick of yours, lad?"
Harry blinked as he stared down at Bilbo before cracking a big grin. "Two fit on there. I could bring an elf with me to assure Lady Galadriel I have good intentions."
Tucking his hands into the pockets of his vest, Bilbo beamed up at Harry, clearly chuffed he'd been the one to come up with a solution.
Elladan and Elrohir exchanged a quick look before Elrohir said, "Glorfindel should go with Harry. He's old and powerful enough that grandmother would accept his reassurances."
"I cannot just forsake my responsibilities here," Glorfindel said, though he sounded like he didn't really mind accompanying Harry.
"Of course you can," Elladan said at once with a charming smile.
"You've trained us yourself for millennia. We can keep our home safe for a few weeks while you go visit Lothlórien," Elrohir added, giving Glorfindel a look that clearly dared him to argue.
Elrond nodded in agreement and clapped his hands together. "Then that's settled. Glorfindel will accompany Harry on his trip to Lothlórien. I wouldn't mind being able to speak to Arwen to see how she's faring."
Glorfindel gave Harry a dubious look. "I would see how this flying broomstick of yours works with two occupants."
"Let's go then." Harry grinned at seeing Glorfindel so clearly uncomfortable with the idea of flying. Harry nodded his goodbye to everyone else and then led the way to his own chambers to get his broom. Glorfindel followed him readily enough but Harry could tell from his tense gait that the elf was feeling just a bit nervous.
"There's nothing to fear," Harry said as he opened the door to the terrace and urged Glorfindel to step into the gardens with him. "I'm an excellent flyer."
Glorfindel merely nodded as he carefully watched Harry mount his broom. When Harry gestured him closer, Glorfindel seemed to visibly gather his courage before swinging a long leg over the broomstick and settling down behind Harry.
"Hold on tightly," Harry said as he got used to the extra weight on the broomstick. It had been a while since he had an extra person on his broom. The last time was when Ron and Hermione's kids were small and wanted to go on broom rides with their uncle Harry. Glorfindel slid his arms around Harry's waist, which Harry really didn't mind. Having Glorfindel's large, strong body press against back wasn't the worst feeling in the world.
Though Harry was sorely tempted to shoot off into the sky at breakneck speed, he didn't want to traumatize Glorfindel for life and turn him off flying forever. So instead Harry pushed off nice and slow, letting the broom rise into the air at a leisurely pace. He stopped ascending when they were about ten feet in the air and calmly steered the broom forwards.
"Not so bad, right?" Harry said over his shoulder, giving Glorfindel an expectant look.
"No, this is fine," Glorfindel said and he seemed to mean that. He even managed a tentative smile as Harry sped up a little and zigzagged in between some nearby trees until they hovered over the raging river.
"How far is Lothlórien anyway?" Harry asked, because while he'd seen a map of Middle-earth in the library, he hadn't yet had the chance to study where all the settlements were.
"About half as far as Bree is," Glorfindel said after a brief moment of thought. Harry was grateful Glorfindel gave such a clear example, because that gave Harry a good idea of how quickly they could travel there.
"If we leave this afternoon," Harry said, speeding up a bit again and gaining a bit of height. "We can camp for the night and we'll reach Lothlórien by tomorrow afternoon."
"Truly?" Glorfindel sounded like he didn't quite believe Harry could get them there that quickly.
"Yeah," Harry said with a laugh. "Hold on." And with that, Harry accelerated his broom while steering up into the sky. He didn't even push the broom to its maximum capacities, but held it at a fast but even flight. They shot up and over the edge of the cliffs around them until Rivendell was but a small settlement below them.
Glorfindel released a string of curses in Sindarin while he tightened his arms around Harry even more. But he held on and didn't panic so Harry counted that as a win.
Harry slowed the broom down a bit again so he could talk without having to shout. "If I pushed the broom as fast as it could go, we could make it to Lothlórien in a day probably. But that would not be very comfortable."
"Best take it a bit slower then," Glorfindel quickly agreed, and when Harry looked at him over his shoulder, Glorfindel even managed a small but heartfelt smile.
After circling over Rivendell a few times, Harry steered them down again where they saw several familiar figures standing in the gardens, watching them. Bilbo and Gandalf were both puffing on their pipes while Elrond seemed content to quietly watch Harry's flying skills.
Harry touched down gently in front of them and Glorfindel released a deep sigh, obviously relieved to feel solid ground beneath his feet again.
"We can leave after the midday meal," Harry said, pretending not to feel sorry when Glorfindel released him and got off the broomstick. "I'll have to put the finishing touches on Arwen's mirror but then we can go."
"So soon?" Bilbo looked at Harry with wide, worried eyes.
"We'll be back within a couple of days, a week at the most," Harry said with a reassuring smile. He couldn't imagine staying any longer than that. He had plenty to do in Rivendell, after all.
"I will inform those elves whose spouses accompanied Arwen. They will want to give you letters to deliver." Elrond nodded at them and quickly turned to head into the main building.
"I will pack some clothing," Glorfindel said as he made to follow Elrond. "Do I need to bring anything else? Food?"
"Nah, I have plenty of food." Harry now recalled he still had some boar meat frozen in his tent. "But bring a warm jacket or cloak. It gets cold when flying fast high up in the air."
Glorfindel nodded and left without another word.
Gandalf cleared his throat. "While I have no doubt that your intentions are good, Harry, I do advise you to keep your magic use in Lothlórien to a minimum. Lady Galadriel, while kind and wise, has more reason than most to be wary of unsolicited magic."
Harry gave him a understanding nod and a grateful smile before making his way back to his own room. He finished enchanting the mirrors for Arwen and Elrond and then went over his backpack, to make sure he had everything he needed. He kept his down jacket, a knit wool hat and a pair of lambskin gloves to the side as he packed everything else. As he considered Glorfindel's usual wardrobe, Harry grabbed two clean washcloths and transfigured them into a pair of thick gloves. A small towel got turned into a wool hat similar to Harry's own.
Lastly, Harry gave his broomstick a careful onceover, making sure all the twigs were in good condition. He cast a couple of diagnostic spells to make sure all the charms were still functioning as they should. It was a good idea to go over those things before embarking on a long journey over rough terrain.
A knock on his door announced Glorfindel's arrival. Harry opened the door, backpack over his shoulder and broom in his hand. He smiled up at Glorfindel, looking forward to the time they'd be spending together. Harry was still awfully attracted to the elf, and though he had no intention of jumping Glorfindel's body anytime soon, he simply enjoyed spending time with him as often as he could. And Harry was also genuinely curious about what Lothlórien looked like. From what he understood, it looked quite differently than Rivendell.
"I got you these," Harry said, giving Glorfindel the hat and gloves. When Glorfindel gave the items a dubious look, Harry chuckled. "Trust me, you'll want to wear them once we're at altitude. It gets cold up there when you're moving at high speeds."
"Very well." Glorfindel accepted the items and tucked them away on top of the bundle of clothes wrapped in a grey blanket he had hanging over his shoulder with a leather belt. He wore his sword on his belt and he had a few more knives than usual placed around his waist.
"I need you to navigate," Harry said as he and Glorfindel strolled side by side through the corridors. "I have no clue how to get there, aside from crossing the mountains."
"Are you speaking Westron again?" an outraged Erestor demanded as he appeared behind them.
"Lord Elrond insisted on it," Glorfindel said smoothly before Harry could react. "Harry is to take a mission to Lothlórien on the behest of Lord Elrond and his family and we needed to be able to coordinate our travel plans."
Erestor narrowed his eyes, clearly not believing a word Glorfindel was saying but also not wanting to go against the word of his leader. He harrumphed and shook his head. "Just for this mission then. But afterwards I'd best be hearing only Sindarin from you, Harry."
"I promise," Harry said in Sindarin before quickly walking away, unable to hold back a grin.
Glorfindel looked quite smug for a moment before giving Harry a more serious look. "As much as Erestor can be a pain in anyone's behind, he is right about this."
"I know, I know," Harry said with a small sigh as they walked towards the dining hall where the midday meal was being served. They would have a bite to eat and leave immediately after. "I promise to go back to Erestor's rigorous educational plans the moment we return from our trip."
"That works for me," Glorfindel said as they got in line for the buffet. "You are making remarkable progress. Just a few more weeks and you'll be able to speak as fluently in Sindarin as you can in Westron."
Bilbo waved them over once Harry and Glorfindel had their plates filled with flatbreads filled with stewed vegetables and cheese. The elves really were excellent cooks, able to turn simple ingredients into delicious meals.
"I envy you," Bilbo said once Harry sat down across the table from him. "I have always wanted to see Lothlórien."
"Perhaps, once I've met Lady Galadriel, she'll let me return without an elven escort and then I could take you with me," Harry suggested, because he wouldn't mind taking a trip with Bilbo to explore more of Middle-earth. Glorfindel frowned a little at hearing that but didn't protest, so Harry figured that at least was a good sign.
Bilbo got a rather constipated look on his face. "I would love to, but I'm not sure I would enjoy sitting on your flying broomstick very much. It looked like you were going very fast earlier. The wind would probably blow me right off."
Harry laughed and shook his head. "Just for you, Bilbo, I'd go slower. We'd take a week to get there, but you wouldn't have any reason to be afraid."
Bilbo beamed at him, looking awfully satisfied with himself. "Then I'd gladly join you on a future trip sometime. For now, make sure you observe your surroundings closely so you can tell me all about it once you return."
Right after their meal, Harry and Glorfindel stepped out into the garden where a small group of people stood waiting for them.
Elrond handed Harry a small bundle of letters, the names of each recipient written on the rough paper in Sindarin. "I have included a letter for Galadriel and Celeborn from myself, to explain who you are."
"Thanks," Harry said with a deep nod. He didn't think elves were the types to capture unwelcome visitors and throw them in a deep, dark dungeon for life, but who knew what other elven realms were really like. Not everyone could be as welcoming as Lord Elrond, after all. Harry offered Elrond one of the mirror he'd enchanted and explained how they worked. "Keep it close and I'll have Arwen call you as soon as she gets her mirror."
Elrond nodded in gratitude and studied the mirror in his hands carefully.
Harry gave Bilbo a tight hug, promising to return in one piece. "We won't be very long, Bilbo. A week at the most, but probably less than that. I've got the mirror I made for you so we can talk and I can even show you parts of Lothlórien as I walk through it."
Bilbo's eyes grew as wide as Harry had ever seen them. "That's right! I've got the mirror. I'll keep it on me the entire time you're gone."
Harry briefly lowered the broomstick to the grass as he pulled on his down jacket, his hat and his gloves. Then he gave Glorfindel a pointed look.
With a sigh, Glorfindel fastened his thick, blue cloak around himself and pulled the wool hat down over his golden hair. It looked rather ridiculous, but Harry managed not to laugh. Elrohir and Elladan made no effort whatsoever to hide their amusement and laughed outright.
"Oh, hush, lads," Bilbo scolded mildly as he glared at the twins. "That looks like a fine hat. Harry should make me one when he returns. The winters in the Shire get plenty cold and such a hat would be a welcome addition to my wardrobe."
Harry shook his head and quickly mounted his broom before Bilbo could make even more demands. Thanks to the hobbit Harry was apparently going to be a magical tailor on top of being a magical plumber. Glorfindel got on behind Harry without any comment and slipped on his gloves before winding his arms around Harry's waist.
"You two are in charge of the Guard while I'm away," Glorfindel said with a pointed look at Elladan and Elrohir. "There had best not be any problems once I return or there will be consequences."
That sobered Elladan and Elrohir up enough that they both swallowed and quickly gave Glorfindel deep nods.
They said a few more goodbyes before Harry kicked off. He kept to a reasonable speed as they flew down the length of Rivendell, but as soon as Harry crossed over the cliffs he sped up towards the towering, snow-capped mountains in the distance.
"There shouldn't be many orcs or goblins left near the high pass," Glorfindel said loudly over the wind that whipped around them. "Most were wiped out in last year's battle near Erebor."
"I'll keep a decent altitude anyway," Harry yelled back because he did not feel like being shot out of the sky by some sort of fairy tale monsters anytime soon. The afternoon was clear and sunny, so they had a perfect visibility as they flew over the lower peaks. Harry didn't dare fly over the higher mountains, since he was unsure how tall they were exactly. If they went too high up they would run out of oxygen and Harry wanted to prevent them falling to their deaths. So they followed the outline of the high pass. They saw plenty of wildlife. Mountain goats clattered straight up and down the rocky cliffs while any number of birds of prey soared around the valleys.
Glorfindel kept quiet for the most part, his arms constantly keeping pressure around Harry's waist. Harry concentrated on getting them safely and quickly through the Misty Mountains. All in all, it took them a little over an hour to clear the mountain range, since Harry wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.
Just as they saw fields of green stretch out before them as the mountains grew smaller and smaller, a huge shadow flew over them. Harry banked sharply to the right and descended quite a bit while he glanced up to see what on earth could be flying over them that was big enough to make such an enormous shadow.
It was an eagle. A giant eagle, easily the size of a single propellor airplane.
"What the fuck," Harry muttered in English as he quickly descended some more, not wanting to become eagle food. The bird might very well pluck them right out of the sky if it was feeling a bit peckish.
"They won't hurt us," Glorfindel yelled, just as Harry picked up speed again to get away from those enormous beasts. "They are merely curious. They aren't used to seeing humans or elves fly."
Harry swallowed and slowed down a bit so he could look at the eagles again. They were soaring overhead of them. Harry counted three now and all of them were looking at the broomstick with its two occupants with curious yellow eyes. They were amazing, Harry could admit that much now that he no longer feared for his life. He had a weak spot for eagles anyway, since it was his Animagus form, and seeing such huge ones really was a welcome sight. Harry remembered that early on, when he and Bilbo had been travelling to Rivendell, the hobbit had mentioned eagles and how they'd saved Bilbo and his dwarven friends by giving them a ride. At the time Harry had simply assumed that he had misunderstood Bilbo, since his understanding of Westron was still very much in development at the time.
But now that Harry saw the size of these eagles he had to admit that it was entirely possible that these beasts had carried people to safety on their backs.
"Hi!" Harry finally said with a quick wave. It never hurt to be polite. Behind him, Glorfindel chuckled and managed a quick wave of his own. One of the eagles released a sharp cry in return, which Harry assumed was some sort of greeting.
The eagles accompanied Harry and Glorfindel for another hour or so as they travelled south, gliding on the updrafts high above the ground.
Harry's stomach was starting to rumble when they saw a river in the distance.
"That is the Gladden river," Glorfindel called. "That is about the halfway point."
"Then let's call it a day and set up the tent there." Harry descended quickly and touched down on a stretch of long grass beside a cops of trees, the river just a few yards away.
Glorfindel released a deep groan as he stepped off the broom. He stretched his hands over his head before taking off his hat, leaving his golden hair just a bit tousled. "It is a fast way to travel, but I cannot rate it highly for comfort."
Harry stretched as well as he dropped his broom to the grass. "You're not wrong. In my old world, very few people used it to travel long distances. Brooms are mostly used for fun and to play sports."
While Harry got the tent out of his backpack and set it up with a few flicks of his wand, Glorfindel gave him a considering look. "I cannot imagine leaving my entire world behind."
Harry's answering smile was full of quiet sorrow. "My friend found that ritual decades ago. It took me that long to decide to leave. I waited until all the people dear to me had already passed on." Harry walked around the tent and waved his wand around, casting a number of wards to protect them during the night.
Glorfindel didn't speak until they both entered the tent and shed their outer clothing. "To be honest, I wasn't sure how I would fare flying through the Misty Mountains."
Harry quirked an eyebrow at his companion in a silent question.
"When I died," Glorfindel said slowly as he stood in the middle of the tent. "I did so by falling off a mountainside. Before then, heights never bothered me. But since that moment I have not felt comfortable at great heights."
"You should have said something," Harry said at once, feeling very foolish indeed that he'd all but hauled Glorfindel onto his broom if the elf was afraid of heights.
Glorfindel quickly held up his hand to silence Harry. "I didn't want you to know. I wanted to challenge myself, see how I would feel. And I managed it just fine. You are an excellent flyer and I had faith in you to keep us safe."
Inexplicably, Harry felt his cheeks heat up at hearing Glorfindel compliment him in such an obvious manner. "Thanks," Harry muttered and shuffled towards the kitchen. "Do you mind if I cook using magic? I'm really hungry and it takes a lot less time than cooking without it."
"Be my guest," Glorfindel said as he stepped closer to Harry, clearly curious to see how Harry would use magic to cook.
Harry pulled his wand out and set to preparing them a delicious meal. He pulled a small wild boar roast from the freezing cabinet, defrosted it with a spell and then roasted it with another spell. All in all, it took less than a minute to have a perfectly cooked roast ready to eat.
"That is fast," Glorfindel said with an impressed curve of his brow. "And that smells delicious."
Harry smiled at him and got two large potatoes, which he peeled, cut into chunks and roasted with magic. He sprinkled some salt and pepper on top of them and on top of the roast. Finally he opened and heated a small can of creamed corn. With a flourish of his wand, Harry summoned plates and cutlery and set the table in a flash.
"Would you like some wine?" Harry asked as he levitated the dishes to the table.
"You have wine from your old world?" Glorfindel asked as he sat down. "I would love to try some."
"I do." Harry opened up a cabinet and pulled out a crate that held an undetectable extension charm as well as a load of cushioning charms. He pulled out a bottle of red wine. "Don't tell Bilbo I had wine this entire time," Harry said as he popped the cork with a flick of his wand. He grabbed two glasses and carried them to the table. "We were almost robbed at sword point our first night in the wilds, and after that I didn't dare drink alcohol just in case we were ambushed again." Harry gave Glorfindel a cheeky grin. "But now I have a strong elf with a big sword to defend me, so I don't mind getting a bit sauced."
Glorfindel laughed as Harry poured them each a glass of wine. "My sword and myself will keep you safe from any brigands, though I doubt we have to worry about those out here in the wilds."
Harry sat down opposite Glorfindel and urged his friend to fill his plate. They ate in silence for a while, but it wasn't awkward at all. In fact, it was rather companiable, the air between them full of peace and a quiet understanding.
"I lost my home, too, though it is not quite the same as what you went through when you came here," Glorfindel said once they were done eating. He reached for his wine and took a long sip. "In the first age, we built an amazing city hidden between mountains. I was one of its Lords and a good friend of mine, Turgon, became our king. It lasted nearly four centuries before it was destroyed." Glorfindel frowned and stared down at the tabletop while he turned the glass of wine around in his hand. "It is strange, in some ways, how I still consider Gondolin my true home. I have lived in Imladris for thousands of years now, and I do consider it home as well. Yet it doesn't hold the same place in my heart as Gondolin does."
Harry couldn't help but smile. "I know exactly how you feel. My first true home was Hogwarts, the magical castle where I went to school. Even after I left it and got a home of my own to live in, Hogwarts always remained my home in my heart."
Glorfindel seemed pleasantly surprised that Harry understood this so well and gave him a warm smile.
"Though, as I got older, I've often thought that perhaps my feelings for Hogwarts were clouded by a lot of nostalgia," Harry said, remembering the discussions he'd had about that very issue with Hermione.
"Elrond insisted it was nostalgia as well once or twice over the years," Glorfindel said with a chuckle. "And perhaps he is right. I have forgotten the ever present threat of Morgoth that we faced in those days, how difficult it was to leave the city and travel to other places to visit distant kin and how Turgon cut us off from the rest of the world eventually."
"Hogwarts was fraught with danger in the years I attended it," Harry reminisced with a knowing smile. "I almost died there quite a few times while I was still just a child. Logically, I should despise the place, but no matter what happened, I still consider it home."
Glorfindel nodded and took another long sip of wine. "I died as we fled from Gondolin, the city overrun by the forces of Morgoth. A Balrog came and I fought it, giving the others, including Turgon's daughter, a chance to flee to safety. I lost many dear friends when Gondolin fell, and yet I cannot hate it as one might expect. For a time, it was a true home unlike any I've had before."
Harry refilled their glasses of wine while Glorfindel kept talking. "It is different for you, though. I will see my departed friends again in Valinor one day." Glorfindel gave Harry a look full of intense sadness. "You have lost your friends forever. I cannot imagine your sorrow."
Harry shrugged and sipped his glass to give him a chance to consider his next words. "I miss them terribly. But ever since I figured out I was now immortal, I knew this was coming. I've had decades to prepare myself for it, to lose those closest to me. It still miss them, but once they were gone I was determined to move on in my own way. Find a new place to one day perhaps call home."
"I certainly hope you have found it here in Middle-earth," Glorfindel said with a small bow of his head. "It has been a pleasure to have you."
Harry remembered how suspicious Glorfindel had been of him at first and quickly masked a disbelieving snort with a small cough. "Let's hope Lady Galadriel will be just as welcoming as Lord Elrond has been."
Glorfindel shrugged, leaning back in his chair with an unconcerned air about him. "If she is not, we shall simply return to Imladris and enjoy your company there."
"I'll drink to that." Harry raised his glass of wine and Glorfindel clinked his own glass against it. They spent another hour or two sharing stories about Gondolin and Hogwarts and other adventures they'd had in their lives. It was a comfortable evening spent with someone Harry could now easily call a friend. He was still awfully attracted to Glorfindel, but he was still unsure how to approach that situation. The last thing he wanted was to ruin their growing friendship with a quick shag.
Did elves even have relationships with humans? Of course, Harry was no ordinary human, so perhaps whatever rules there were didn't really apply to him. Still, Harry was determined to find out before he made a move on Glorfindel.
They finished off the bottle of wine between them before turning in for the night.
Their journey the next day was much the same as the previous day. It took them the whole morning to reach Lothlórien. A vast forest with enormous trees appeared on the horizon and at the urging of Glorfindel, Harry slowed his broomstick and descended to the edge of the forest.
There was magic in those woods, Harry noticed as he and Glorfindel dismounted the broom in between the trees. Harry could feel several layers of power that protected the forest.
"Best let me go first," Glorfindel said as Harry kept a tight grip on his broom in case they were met with hostility and needed to make a quick getaway.
"Glorfindel, is that you?" a voice asked in Sindarin. A second later, a blond elf stepped out from behind a nearby tree, bow in his hand. "I did not recognize you in that strange hat."