They settled into silence a while, until the man found himself breaking the silence with a question. 'Will you finish the tale for me?' The elf's eyes revealed his reluctance but still he spoke.

'I lived after the Battle of Unnumbered Tears for the length of one mortal man's life in the hidden city, doing my Lord's bidding as was my duty'. Glorfindel's eyes welled with tears, though his voice remained steady.

'A mortal man came from the sea bearing a warning from the Vala, Ulmo, that we should remove the people of the city down the Sirion to the sea, but we were full of pride and our city remained hidden from our enemies. The man, Tuor, remained in the city and grew in standing and was well loved, he courted my Lord's daughter, Idril, and won her hand. Fair she was and wise and the man did love her greatly.

My Lord feared for the safety of the city, though he headed not the words of Ulmo. He made the city secure and closed the city off that no elf could come or go, and we blocked and barred all the entrances.'

Haldir looked at the elf startled 'you made yourselves prisoners?'

Glorfindel sighed, 'Aye, in truth we did,

It was in this time that My Lord called for me and he released me from his service. It hurt me greatly to be dismissed in such a way for I knew not what I had done to displease him, but he said I should not take offence, and he bade me, if I was willing, to offer my sword to the son of Tuor and Idril, Eärendil his name. I knew my Lord to be wise and farseeing and I did as he bid and gave my sword to the boy Eärendil Half Elven.

Upon that day Idril came to me and bid me in secret to take charge of the securing of a way out of the city, for she was filled with foreboding. This charge that I undertook was completed but days before the festival of the Gates of Summer, our darkest day.

I was stood upon the eve before that day, upon the walls of the city, awaiting the rise of the sun, as was the custom. The feast was prepared and the city and it's people glad.'

Glorfindel paused, tears flowing freely from his eyes and his voice increasingly unsteady. 'Hold me, please' he asked with pleading eyes. Haldir moved to sit behind the elf and enfolded him securely in his embrace; the elf turned slightly in his embrace and wrapped his arms around the man burying his head into the crook of his neck.

'I know it is hard' the man said reassuringly, 'but I would share this burden with you, for it is too great for one elf to bear alone.' Glorfindel sighed at Haldir's comforting words and held him closer.

'So little warning we had, the enemy was at the walls before we were even aware that there was danger and we were unprepared for battle, most unarmed, The Gates of Summer is a festival of peace, of celebration!

The enemy were within our walls before I had got my men assembled so terrible was their assault, and the enemy brought forth all manner of evils as had not been seen since the Battle of Unnumbered Tears, dragons and balrogs, and I saw Ecthelion fall by the gate and with him his foe.

I hastened to Idril and to Eärendil, my Lord and when at last I spied them, Tuor was fighting with Maeglin, Turgon's sister son and I knew not why, and when Maeglin fell to Tuor's sword and I came to Eärendil's side, Tuor bid me gather as many as could be and to see his son and wife safe out of the city. This I undertook to do, and Tuor gathered more of our people as he could and followed close after.

With a great sadness in my heart I led the people and my Lord to the north and into the highest peaks. We came after a time to the pass of Cirith Thoronath and there we were set upon by orcs in great numbers and Tuor and I, and those of our men that still had strength fought for the safety of our women and children.

Thorondor, master of all eagles came then to our aid, most timely, and scattered the orcs that we might make an escape. As we made our way along the pass, the greatest of foes was then unleashed, a balrog.

I bid Tuor take my Lord and his mother on, that I would distract the enemy's fire and we fought'. Here Glorfindel stopped, Haldir still held him close and soothingly stroked his golden hair. The elf shifted in the man's embrace and pulled away so as to look at him.

'I burned as I fell'

And this was the last Glorfindel said, his eyes red from crying, though he cried no longer, collapsing as if exhausted into the man's arms.

Haldir swallowed hard and whispered in disbelief, 'a balrog?' he instinctively brought the elf closer as if he was charged with his care. 'Did you end it's life? Did you do this alone?'

Glorfindel looked up at the man with wide eyes and murmured 'Alone...Aye...Did I end it's life? ...I know not, and I know not if my Lord was brought to safety, my pledge to him remains unfulfilled'

Haldir still gazed into the sapphire depths of Glorfindel's eyes and he felt his heart change and he felt the first stirrings of love in his heart and mind. Tentatively he cupped the elf's fair face in his hand and watched as the elf's eyelids fluttered shut, for just a moment, and Glorfindel brought his hand up to touch the man's lips as if passing on a secret.

So it was that the story that Vairë started with a single thread came to fruition and an elf and a man found solace, warmth, and love in abundance within each other's arms, and in the acts of love.

And Vairë and Mandos were glad as the darkness that had once resided within the elf's heart was replaced with the love of a mortal man and his inner light burned brighter than ever before.