-THE GAMES OF THE GODS-
-Disclaimer:-
CS: *throwing random junk out of the nice swirly void-place that is the Disclaimer setting*
Elrohir: Er...Spring cleaning time, I'm guessing?
CS: Yep.
Elladan: Um...I'm almost afraid to ask where all that junk is going.
CS: Black hole. It'll probably either end up on the Andromeda Ascendant or in the SGC, since it's a FanFic Author's black hole...*holds up a mutilated calculator for a moment before tossing it into the black hole* But hey, they'll have fun trying to figure out what all this junk is, and what it does, before realizing it actually is nothing more than junk.
Elladan: *grabs a wineskin as CS goes to throw it into the hole* Hey! That's still good!
CS: *shrugs, continues throwing things out*
Elladan and Elrohir: *watch*
Elrohir: Sooo...you're idea of spring cleaning is throwing everything out, I take it?
CS: Well, when you can just zap up anything you need...
Elrohir: Point.
CS: *finishing* It does need some airing out, though. *wrinkles nose* This disclaimer void smells. *brightens* Oooh, I know just the thing! *disapears*
Elladan: Um, while she's gone, I suppose we should do the disclaimer, since I doubt we'll get the chance when she gets back.
Elrohir: Yes. CS owns *looks around* quite literally nothing...except a big void and a black hole that she uses for garbage disposal.
Elladan: And we're not even sure if she owns that...she said something about Author Powers and Homes being leased for the duration of stories at some point...
Elrohir: True...
CS: *reapears, with Lightning Rain*
Lightning Rain: *runs to the twins and hugs them*
Elrohir: ...why does it suddenly smell like rosemary?
CS: *smirks* Yep, reviewers are handy people to have around.
-76: Thwarting-
We arrived back in Rivendell in late May, and found ourselves cheerily greeted by all that were there. Except for Elrond. Who, apparently, had very severely missed his sons and his seneschal. At least, that's what Erestor told us with a grin as Elrond ordered the three of them back to their duties within a day of our return.
At any rate, now back in Rivendell and with all of Kari's Rivendell lady friends at our disposal - most whom were sympathetic, if slightly jealous - we set about dropping Glorfindel hints again. He remained as oblivious as always, and finally, near the end of June, a month after our return, I decided some more drastic action needed to be taken. It was time to announce that Kari and I were going to head off for Ithilien and Dol Amroth.
Glorfindel took the news quite well, and it seemed for a few days as if the reality of it wouldn't hit, but then, while he, Kari and I were in his study/playground late one afternoon, randomly practicing weaponry while chatting, Elrohir came in, looking upset, and announced that Elrond wouldn't let him go with us. No sooner had he said that, then one of the Rivendell pages arrived with a message for Glorfindel.
The page disappeared directly after delivering the message, and if that wasn't enough warning about what was inside the message, the seal and Glorfindel's face as he read the message let us to know what was in the message. Kari and I backed away slightly from the stormy look on Glorfindel's face, suddenly glad that we'd been up mock-sparring - and therefore a good distance away from Glorfindel - when Elrohir came in. Elrohir himself seemed to want to run and hide, though he apparently found it difficult to move at all. I decided to step in, however, when I saw Glorfindel glance almost longingly towards the weapons hung up behind him.
"He IS your liege lord." I reminded him sternly, and Glorfindel gave a half-sigh, half-growl.
"You two going out by yourselves was bad enough when there was a war on." he said. "I do not wish to have you go off like that again."
"But it won't be like that again." I pointed out. I noticed, out of the corner of my eye, that Kari and Elrohir were discreetly making their way out the door. I sent a mental thanks in their direction as I went over to Glorfindel and sat down in his lap. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close, burying his face in my hair, as I continued, "There is no war going on now, for one thing, and therefore there are no large armies of Orcs wandering around. A few small bands, perhaps, but nothing Kari and I can't handle. And at any rate, Lindir said before that he wanted to come with us again, and there's a good chance we might pick up Haldir - and/or one of his brothers - when we pass through Lothlórien." I felt Glorfindel sigh again.
"I know." he said. "But I do not want to be separated from you for such a long time." Then he lifted his head and smiled at me wryly. "I have not proposed to you yet, though I dearly want to, because I do not want to be forced to separate from you for a year." I blinked at this revelation, and then slowly smiled.
"You've lived several thousand years, and yet you can't stand to be separated from me for a single year?" Glorfindel nodded sheepishly, and I gave him a light kiss on the forehead. "Well, you certainly know how to make me feel special." Glorfindel chuckled lightly.
"Unfortunately, though I might wish to claim that to make myself look better in your eyes, that was quite honestly the LAST thing on my mind." he said. I eyed what I could see of him.
"You look fine enough as it is." I said with an impish grin, and Glorfindel chuckled once again before pulling me in for a deep kiss. It was while I was recovering from this kiss that an idea formed in my head, and I grinned.
"Y'know, if your ONLY reason is that you don't want to be separated from me for a year - the feeling's mutual, by the way - I think I may have a solution to that." I drew back so Glorfindel could see my mischievous grin, and he simply arched an eyebrow, asking without words what in hell I had cooked up now. "I DO come from another world. That nobody but Kari and I know anything about. And, well, who knows what type of strange customs we have there?" I looked at Glorfindel innocently as he looked back at me in surprise. "I mean, who's to say that we don't have a custom where you propose and get married within a few months, and then the husband and wife aren't allowed to be away from each other for...oh, two years shall we say?" I grinned wolfishly, and Glorfindel let out a little chuckle, then another...then another...and finally he burst out into a full-fledged laugh, which I joined right in on.
A few moments later, I noticed Kari poked her head in the door and blinked in surprise, seeing us both laughing our heads off. Elrohir appeared behind her and looked amused. He muttered something about 'meant for each other', and then left, taking Kari with him. This, of course, just made me laugh harder, though it did bring up the one possible glitch in the entire plan. That glitch, of course, was what Kari said about marriage customs where we come from when she got married to Elrohir. I pointed this out to Glorfindel, and he got silent for a moment.
"Kari once told me that the parts of your world where you two both grew up had been termed a melting pot of different cultures." he said thoughtfully. "And who is to say whether or not you both came from the same culture? Your looks will not say otherwise." I blinked at Glorfindel.
"Suddenly the phrase 'all's fair in love and war' makes so much more sense to me now." I said with a snicker, and Glorfindel laughed.
"I do not believe I have heard that one before." he said.
"I don't doubt you haven't, since it's a proverb from my world." I said, grinning, and then abruptly switched back to the topic at hand. "Even though we can claim Kari and I are from different cultures and have different customs, I would like to ask Kari ahead of time just in case she said something about me - unlikely as it is - and to make sure there will be no holes that Elrond can find. Because that would really suck." Glorfindel nodded emphatically in agreement.
"Do you wish to go speak with her now?" he asked. I shrugged.
"Sure. I'll be feeling a little guilty for pulling you away from Elrond when he apparently needs help, anyways, so no need to add to it by distracting you from your work ahead of time." I motioned to the papers littering his desk as I talked, and Glorfindel grimaced.
"I hate paperwork." he said with a sigh. "But I suppose it needs to be done. Go, then - I shall see you at supper." I nodded, gave my Elf-lord a kiss (a rather long one, at that) and then scampered off to track down Kari. I found her dazed and dreamy on the steps along the edges of a weapons practice courtyard, watching Elladan and Elrohir spar - bare-chested. That was a yummy sight all by itself, and for a short while I found myself admiring the twins, as well. Then I recalled how easily Glorfindel could beat them, as well as what Glorfindel looked like bare-chested, smirked, and dragged Kari away from the sight to talk to her.
Kari was Not Pleased to be dragged away from watching, though she got over it quickly when I told her I needed to talk with her about Glorfindel and marriage. From there, it didn't take much to get the answers I was looking for, and Kari went back to her peredhil watching. I joined her for a moment, then decided that I needed to practice with my sword myself, and went and changed into trousers and a tunic and got my sword.
I returned to the ring to find Elladan and Elrohir just finishing sparring, and I quickly roped them into helping me practice a move Haldir had taught me on the last day before we'd split from the Lothlórien contingent. It was a complicated move, involving two opponents, and Haldir had informed me with a smirk that he didn't expect me to get it for several years. I, of course, was trying to prove him wrong and have it down by the time I went back through Lothlórien.
I'd already practiced the move with Elladan and Elrohir before, so they knew what was going on, as did Kari, but I have never brought out my double-bladed sword in Rivendell before, let alone practiced this particular fancy move with it. Therefore, by the time Kari announced it was shortly going to be time to eat and we needed to get cleaned up, Elladan, Elrohir and I had collected a crowd of spectators. They dispersed once we were done, of course, scarily quickly and silently, so that by the time the twins and I had gotten ready to leave the ring, there was only Kari standing there to greet us.
We got cleaned up quickly after that, and then scurried off to the dining hall. It was a late supper tonight, with the sun already set and the sky dark, so the dining hall looked particularly ethereal - and the food looked delicious to me after my afternoon of exercising. But no sooner had I stepped inside, however, than the same Rivendell page that had delivered that annoying message from Elrond earlier appeared at my elbow and said that Glorfindel wanted to speak with me before the meal. There wasn't much time before the meal started, and coming in late was extremely discouraged, but I only shot one slightly longing glance at the food before excusing myself from Kari's and the twins company and following the page off to where Glorfindel was waiting...which happened to be his study.
I absently wondered as we went, once I realized where we were going, when Glorfindel's study's location had stopped being such a secret, or if it hadn't, how long this page had been a page to know where the study was. The next thought to cross my mind was what Glorfindel wanted to talk with me about. Maybe he wanted to know what Kari had said about marriage customs from our world? I pondered that for a time, and then shrugged and gave up on it. Glorfindel would talk about what Glorfindel would talk about. I loved the Elf, but sometimes he was a complete mystery to me. Once more, I blamed the Balrog and Glorfindel's return from the dead. (Never mind that Elrond, Galadriel and Thranduil could all be equally mysterious and they hadn't had encounters with Balrogs that resulted in them returning from the Halls of Mandos)
The page, much to my amusement, disappeared as quickly as he could without running as soon as we arrived in front of Glorfindel's study door and he had informed me that this was where Glorfindel was waiting. I watched him go for a moment, then turned back to the door and, in true me style, simply opened the door without knocking. Then promptly froze in shock, my mouth slowly falling open.
Glorfindel's study had, somehow, been transformed into something amazing over the past few hours since I'd been in it last. First and foremost, the weapons on the rack on the wall were gone, as was the desk they had hung behind - though I had thought the thing to be immovable. The practice ring wasn't even visible anymore, it being covered by a large...well, essentially it was a picnic blanket, though it was rather fancy for one. Around the edges of the blanket was a large collection of very comfortable-looking pillows, and in the center of the blanket was a selection of scrumptious-looking food. It looked much more appetizing than the food in the main hall had.
The entire scene was lit by four well-placed lanterns, each giving off a soothing, golden glow that was much smoother than ordinary candle-light, or even sunlight. The light reflecting off the green plants nearby gave them an emerald glow all their own, and around the ring there were some night flowers blooming, which I had not seen before - though I wish I had, as they were a very pretty golden colour, much like the lights, and resembled lilies somewhat. They, too, glowed in the lights, and I absently wondered what type of lights the lanterns were. Then I recalled I was dealing with a re-born Elf with Vanyarin blood and decided I would probably understand the explanation as much as Glorfindel had my scientific description of him glowing in the dark.
And while we were on the topic of my Elf-lord, where was he? He HAD wanted to speak with me before supper, after all...and though I knew now that had simply been a ruse to surprise me, he should still be here. Elves aren't THAT odd as to set up a nice romantic meal like this and then disappear and leave one person alone to enjoy it.
So, I looked around the study, trying to spot the Golden-haired Elf I had the extreme pleasure of calling 'mine'. He was, however, nowhere to be seen. I frowned lightly, looking closer, and just as I was starting to get really confused, an arm came 'round my waist and Glorfindel's face appeared beside mine. He was smiling slightly, I saw, and watching me out of the corner of his eye.
"Like it?" he asked softly. I turned my head and arched an eyebrow at him.
"What do you think?" I replied, also softly. I felt him shrug, a certain bit of impishness entering his smile. I laughed lightly. "I love it." I supplied, and Glorfindel's smile grew into a full-fledged grin.
"I am glad." he said, taking his head off my shoulder and coming around in front of me to give me a quick kiss. Then he took my hand and led me into the study, and I closed the door behind me with a well-placed foot. Glorfindel shot me an amused look when he heard the door shut, and I smiled back at him as we settled down on the cushions.
To my immense pleasure, Glorfindel didn't even try and do the whole sitting-across-from-each-other thing. He simply sat - well, lounged - on one collection of pillows, then pulled me down with him so that I was half on top of him. This, of course, had the side effect of causing me to kiss him quite happily, which led to several minutes distraction. Neither of us minded, even when the distractions were halted by the growling of my stomach.
"I believe you are the only Elf I have ever run across with a stomach that growls when hungry." Glorfindel commented with a smile.
"Consider it yet another hangover from being human." I said with a shrug and small grin.
"There seem to be a lot of those." Glorfindel replied, and the amusement in his voice showed that he really didn't mind.
"People don't realize it, but being human is as much attitude and habits as it is physical." I supplied, my grin growing.
"My, aren't we philosophical tonight." Glorfindel said, quirking an eyebrow upwards, his grin teasing.
"There's something in the air, I think." I replied with an equally teasing grin. My stomach growled loudly in agreement...or maybe just protest over so much talk, and so little eating. Glorfindel chuckled, then reached over to the food and grabbed a plate of fruit.
There followed a meal more mushy and romantic than any I have ever even heard of, let alone experienced. Glorfindel was definitely not skimping on anything, and was drawing on his years of experience. And though, if anyone had had the audacity to peek in on the meal, they probably would have felt slightly sick from the mushy love-birdness of it all, I was in heaven - because 7000 years is quite enough time to pick up some very romantic things...
----To be continued...with the actual question!----
(And the revelation of Rachel's answer to everybody else!)
-Authors Note:-
For those who want to get the joke in the disclaimer, but don't want to go find Lightning Rain's review, well, she said in her review that she stumbled into her mother's rosemary bush and now smelled 'somewhat strongly' of rosemary...so I just kinda put that into my sugar-saturated brain, and you saw what it came out as. (Hope you don't mind, Lightning Rain. :)
Anywho, all you reviewers seem to be sending my computer lucky vibes, because my computer got a virus on Tuesday...I know, that doesn't sound like lucky vibes, but what happened to that virus is: It turned out it was one of the less harmful viruses that could be removed via another computer. My dad took the computer into the shop, and three hours later, the computer was fixed...when they've never taken less than a day before. So, you people narrowly missed what could have potentially been a nasty delay...*sticks tongue out at virus*
On another note, would any of you fine, knowledgable reviewers out there happen to know if Elven Kings use the Royal Plural? Or I suppose, more specifically, if Elven High Kings use the Royal Plural?
And on that note, thank you to all my lovely wonderful reviewers, it is always lovely to hear from you, or at least see your reviews in my inbox even if I can't read them (stupid out-dated library browsers...).
I'll see you all again on Saturday!
~Crimson Starlight
-Disclaimer:-
CS: *throwing random junk out of the nice swirly void-place that is the Disclaimer setting*
Elrohir: Er...Spring cleaning time, I'm guessing?
CS: Yep.
Elladan: Um...I'm almost afraid to ask where all that junk is going.
CS: Black hole. It'll probably either end up on the Andromeda Ascendant or in the SGC, since it's a FanFic Author's black hole...*holds up a mutilated calculator for a moment before tossing it into the black hole* But hey, they'll have fun trying to figure out what all this junk is, and what it does, before realizing it actually is nothing more than junk.
Elladan: *grabs a wineskin as CS goes to throw it into the hole* Hey! That's still good!
CS: *shrugs, continues throwing things out*
Elladan and Elrohir: *watch*
Elrohir: Sooo...you're idea of spring cleaning is throwing everything out, I take it?
CS: Well, when you can just zap up anything you need...
Elrohir: Point.
CS: *finishing* It does need some airing out, though. *wrinkles nose* This disclaimer void smells. *brightens* Oooh, I know just the thing! *disapears*
Elladan: Um, while she's gone, I suppose we should do the disclaimer, since I doubt we'll get the chance when she gets back.
Elrohir: Yes. CS owns *looks around* quite literally nothing...except a big void and a black hole that she uses for garbage disposal.
Elladan: And we're not even sure if she owns that...she said something about Author Powers and Homes being leased for the duration of stories at some point...
Elrohir: True...
CS: *reapears, with Lightning Rain*
Lightning Rain: *runs to the twins and hugs them*
Elrohir: ...why does it suddenly smell like rosemary?
CS: *smirks* Yep, reviewers are handy people to have around.
-76: Thwarting-
We arrived back in Rivendell in late May, and found ourselves cheerily greeted by all that were there. Except for Elrond. Who, apparently, had very severely missed his sons and his seneschal. At least, that's what Erestor told us with a grin as Elrond ordered the three of them back to their duties within a day of our return.
At any rate, now back in Rivendell and with all of Kari's Rivendell lady friends at our disposal - most whom were sympathetic, if slightly jealous - we set about dropping Glorfindel hints again. He remained as oblivious as always, and finally, near the end of June, a month after our return, I decided some more drastic action needed to be taken. It was time to announce that Kari and I were going to head off for Ithilien and Dol Amroth.
Glorfindel took the news quite well, and it seemed for a few days as if the reality of it wouldn't hit, but then, while he, Kari and I were in his study/playground late one afternoon, randomly practicing weaponry while chatting, Elrohir came in, looking upset, and announced that Elrond wouldn't let him go with us. No sooner had he said that, then one of the Rivendell pages arrived with a message for Glorfindel.
The page disappeared directly after delivering the message, and if that wasn't enough warning about what was inside the message, the seal and Glorfindel's face as he read the message let us to know what was in the message. Kari and I backed away slightly from the stormy look on Glorfindel's face, suddenly glad that we'd been up mock-sparring - and therefore a good distance away from Glorfindel - when Elrohir came in. Elrohir himself seemed to want to run and hide, though he apparently found it difficult to move at all. I decided to step in, however, when I saw Glorfindel glance almost longingly towards the weapons hung up behind him.
"He IS your liege lord." I reminded him sternly, and Glorfindel gave a half-sigh, half-growl.
"You two going out by yourselves was bad enough when there was a war on." he said. "I do not wish to have you go off like that again."
"But it won't be like that again." I pointed out. I noticed, out of the corner of my eye, that Kari and Elrohir were discreetly making their way out the door. I sent a mental thanks in their direction as I went over to Glorfindel and sat down in his lap. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close, burying his face in my hair, as I continued, "There is no war going on now, for one thing, and therefore there are no large armies of Orcs wandering around. A few small bands, perhaps, but nothing Kari and I can't handle. And at any rate, Lindir said before that he wanted to come with us again, and there's a good chance we might pick up Haldir - and/or one of his brothers - when we pass through Lothlórien." I felt Glorfindel sigh again.
"I know." he said. "But I do not want to be separated from you for such a long time." Then he lifted his head and smiled at me wryly. "I have not proposed to you yet, though I dearly want to, because I do not want to be forced to separate from you for a year." I blinked at this revelation, and then slowly smiled.
"You've lived several thousand years, and yet you can't stand to be separated from me for a single year?" Glorfindel nodded sheepishly, and I gave him a light kiss on the forehead. "Well, you certainly know how to make me feel special." Glorfindel chuckled lightly.
"Unfortunately, though I might wish to claim that to make myself look better in your eyes, that was quite honestly the LAST thing on my mind." he said. I eyed what I could see of him.
"You look fine enough as it is." I said with an impish grin, and Glorfindel chuckled once again before pulling me in for a deep kiss. It was while I was recovering from this kiss that an idea formed in my head, and I grinned.
"Y'know, if your ONLY reason is that you don't want to be separated from me for a year - the feeling's mutual, by the way - I think I may have a solution to that." I drew back so Glorfindel could see my mischievous grin, and he simply arched an eyebrow, asking without words what in hell I had cooked up now. "I DO come from another world. That nobody but Kari and I know anything about. And, well, who knows what type of strange customs we have there?" I looked at Glorfindel innocently as he looked back at me in surprise. "I mean, who's to say that we don't have a custom where you propose and get married within a few months, and then the husband and wife aren't allowed to be away from each other for...oh, two years shall we say?" I grinned wolfishly, and Glorfindel let out a little chuckle, then another...then another...and finally he burst out into a full-fledged laugh, which I joined right in on.
A few moments later, I noticed Kari poked her head in the door and blinked in surprise, seeing us both laughing our heads off. Elrohir appeared behind her and looked amused. He muttered something about 'meant for each other', and then left, taking Kari with him. This, of course, just made me laugh harder, though it did bring up the one possible glitch in the entire plan. That glitch, of course, was what Kari said about marriage customs where we come from when she got married to Elrohir. I pointed this out to Glorfindel, and he got silent for a moment.
"Kari once told me that the parts of your world where you two both grew up had been termed a melting pot of different cultures." he said thoughtfully. "And who is to say whether or not you both came from the same culture? Your looks will not say otherwise." I blinked at Glorfindel.
"Suddenly the phrase 'all's fair in love and war' makes so much more sense to me now." I said with a snicker, and Glorfindel laughed.
"I do not believe I have heard that one before." he said.
"I don't doubt you haven't, since it's a proverb from my world." I said, grinning, and then abruptly switched back to the topic at hand. "Even though we can claim Kari and I are from different cultures and have different customs, I would like to ask Kari ahead of time just in case she said something about me - unlikely as it is - and to make sure there will be no holes that Elrond can find. Because that would really suck." Glorfindel nodded emphatically in agreement.
"Do you wish to go speak with her now?" he asked. I shrugged.
"Sure. I'll be feeling a little guilty for pulling you away from Elrond when he apparently needs help, anyways, so no need to add to it by distracting you from your work ahead of time." I motioned to the papers littering his desk as I talked, and Glorfindel grimaced.
"I hate paperwork." he said with a sigh. "But I suppose it needs to be done. Go, then - I shall see you at supper." I nodded, gave my Elf-lord a kiss (a rather long one, at that) and then scampered off to track down Kari. I found her dazed and dreamy on the steps along the edges of a weapons practice courtyard, watching Elladan and Elrohir spar - bare-chested. That was a yummy sight all by itself, and for a short while I found myself admiring the twins, as well. Then I recalled how easily Glorfindel could beat them, as well as what Glorfindel looked like bare-chested, smirked, and dragged Kari away from the sight to talk to her.
Kari was Not Pleased to be dragged away from watching, though she got over it quickly when I told her I needed to talk with her about Glorfindel and marriage. From there, it didn't take much to get the answers I was looking for, and Kari went back to her peredhil watching. I joined her for a moment, then decided that I needed to practice with my sword myself, and went and changed into trousers and a tunic and got my sword.
I returned to the ring to find Elladan and Elrohir just finishing sparring, and I quickly roped them into helping me practice a move Haldir had taught me on the last day before we'd split from the Lothlórien contingent. It was a complicated move, involving two opponents, and Haldir had informed me with a smirk that he didn't expect me to get it for several years. I, of course, was trying to prove him wrong and have it down by the time I went back through Lothlórien.
I'd already practiced the move with Elladan and Elrohir before, so they knew what was going on, as did Kari, but I have never brought out my double-bladed sword in Rivendell before, let alone practiced this particular fancy move with it. Therefore, by the time Kari announced it was shortly going to be time to eat and we needed to get cleaned up, Elladan, Elrohir and I had collected a crowd of spectators. They dispersed once we were done, of course, scarily quickly and silently, so that by the time the twins and I had gotten ready to leave the ring, there was only Kari standing there to greet us.
We got cleaned up quickly after that, and then scurried off to the dining hall. It was a late supper tonight, with the sun already set and the sky dark, so the dining hall looked particularly ethereal - and the food looked delicious to me after my afternoon of exercising. But no sooner had I stepped inside, however, than the same Rivendell page that had delivered that annoying message from Elrond earlier appeared at my elbow and said that Glorfindel wanted to speak with me before the meal. There wasn't much time before the meal started, and coming in late was extremely discouraged, but I only shot one slightly longing glance at the food before excusing myself from Kari's and the twins company and following the page off to where Glorfindel was waiting...which happened to be his study.
I absently wondered as we went, once I realized where we were going, when Glorfindel's study's location had stopped being such a secret, or if it hadn't, how long this page had been a page to know where the study was. The next thought to cross my mind was what Glorfindel wanted to talk with me about. Maybe he wanted to know what Kari had said about marriage customs from our world? I pondered that for a time, and then shrugged and gave up on it. Glorfindel would talk about what Glorfindel would talk about. I loved the Elf, but sometimes he was a complete mystery to me. Once more, I blamed the Balrog and Glorfindel's return from the dead. (Never mind that Elrond, Galadriel and Thranduil could all be equally mysterious and they hadn't had encounters with Balrogs that resulted in them returning from the Halls of Mandos)
The page, much to my amusement, disappeared as quickly as he could without running as soon as we arrived in front of Glorfindel's study door and he had informed me that this was where Glorfindel was waiting. I watched him go for a moment, then turned back to the door and, in true me style, simply opened the door without knocking. Then promptly froze in shock, my mouth slowly falling open.
Glorfindel's study had, somehow, been transformed into something amazing over the past few hours since I'd been in it last. First and foremost, the weapons on the rack on the wall were gone, as was the desk they had hung behind - though I had thought the thing to be immovable. The practice ring wasn't even visible anymore, it being covered by a large...well, essentially it was a picnic blanket, though it was rather fancy for one. Around the edges of the blanket was a large collection of very comfortable-looking pillows, and in the center of the blanket was a selection of scrumptious-looking food. It looked much more appetizing than the food in the main hall had.
The entire scene was lit by four well-placed lanterns, each giving off a soothing, golden glow that was much smoother than ordinary candle-light, or even sunlight. The light reflecting off the green plants nearby gave them an emerald glow all their own, and around the ring there were some night flowers blooming, which I had not seen before - though I wish I had, as they were a very pretty golden colour, much like the lights, and resembled lilies somewhat. They, too, glowed in the lights, and I absently wondered what type of lights the lanterns were. Then I recalled I was dealing with a re-born Elf with Vanyarin blood and decided I would probably understand the explanation as much as Glorfindel had my scientific description of him glowing in the dark.
And while we were on the topic of my Elf-lord, where was he? He HAD wanted to speak with me before supper, after all...and though I knew now that had simply been a ruse to surprise me, he should still be here. Elves aren't THAT odd as to set up a nice romantic meal like this and then disappear and leave one person alone to enjoy it.
So, I looked around the study, trying to spot the Golden-haired Elf I had the extreme pleasure of calling 'mine'. He was, however, nowhere to be seen. I frowned lightly, looking closer, and just as I was starting to get really confused, an arm came 'round my waist and Glorfindel's face appeared beside mine. He was smiling slightly, I saw, and watching me out of the corner of his eye.
"Like it?" he asked softly. I turned my head and arched an eyebrow at him.
"What do you think?" I replied, also softly. I felt him shrug, a certain bit of impishness entering his smile. I laughed lightly. "I love it." I supplied, and Glorfindel's smile grew into a full-fledged grin.
"I am glad." he said, taking his head off my shoulder and coming around in front of me to give me a quick kiss. Then he took my hand and led me into the study, and I closed the door behind me with a well-placed foot. Glorfindel shot me an amused look when he heard the door shut, and I smiled back at him as we settled down on the cushions.
To my immense pleasure, Glorfindel didn't even try and do the whole sitting-across-from-each-other thing. He simply sat - well, lounged - on one collection of pillows, then pulled me down with him so that I was half on top of him. This, of course, had the side effect of causing me to kiss him quite happily, which led to several minutes distraction. Neither of us minded, even when the distractions were halted by the growling of my stomach.
"I believe you are the only Elf I have ever run across with a stomach that growls when hungry." Glorfindel commented with a smile.
"Consider it yet another hangover from being human." I said with a shrug and small grin.
"There seem to be a lot of those." Glorfindel replied, and the amusement in his voice showed that he really didn't mind.
"People don't realize it, but being human is as much attitude and habits as it is physical." I supplied, my grin growing.
"My, aren't we philosophical tonight." Glorfindel said, quirking an eyebrow upwards, his grin teasing.
"There's something in the air, I think." I replied with an equally teasing grin. My stomach growled loudly in agreement...or maybe just protest over so much talk, and so little eating. Glorfindel chuckled, then reached over to the food and grabbed a plate of fruit.
There followed a meal more mushy and romantic than any I have ever even heard of, let alone experienced. Glorfindel was definitely not skimping on anything, and was drawing on his years of experience. And though, if anyone had had the audacity to peek in on the meal, they probably would have felt slightly sick from the mushy love-birdness of it all, I was in heaven - because 7000 years is quite enough time to pick up some very romantic things...
----To be continued...with the actual question!----
(And the revelation of Rachel's answer to everybody else!)
-Authors Note:-
For those who want to get the joke in the disclaimer, but don't want to go find Lightning Rain's review, well, she said in her review that she stumbled into her mother's rosemary bush and now smelled 'somewhat strongly' of rosemary...so I just kinda put that into my sugar-saturated brain, and you saw what it came out as. (Hope you don't mind, Lightning Rain. :)
Anywho, all you reviewers seem to be sending my computer lucky vibes, because my computer got a virus on Tuesday...I know, that doesn't sound like lucky vibes, but what happened to that virus is: It turned out it was one of the less harmful viruses that could be removed via another computer. My dad took the computer into the shop, and three hours later, the computer was fixed...when they've never taken less than a day before. So, you people narrowly missed what could have potentially been a nasty delay...*sticks tongue out at virus*
On another note, would any of you fine, knowledgable reviewers out there happen to know if Elven Kings use the Royal Plural? Or I suppose, more specifically, if Elven High Kings use the Royal Plural?
And on that note, thank you to all my lovely wonderful reviewers, it is always lovely to hear from you, or at least see your reviews in my inbox even if I can't read them (stupid out-dated library browsers...).
I'll see you all again on Saturday!
~Crimson Starlight