Title: By Sunlight and Moonlight

Author: Elvensong

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Glorfindel wishes to know more about the elusive advisor to Elrond and in so doing gets caught up in his story and his curse.

A/N: Thank you to all the reviewers and readers! I am shocked by some of the feedback I am getting from this.

My days are insane, but with all hope the next chapter will not be too long in coming.

Chapter Ten

When morning did come and our voyage continued thoughts of the hröa and fëa, body and soul, consumed me. I watched the horse move with me and could not believe it was one and the same with Erestor. As we walked, he became bored with just traveling with an elf and began to play. Hoping around and leaping over bushes to keep himself entertained. A few times the stallion would even wander away from me, but I always knew he was near and sure he knew exactly where I was at all times.

I broke out into laughter one time when I caught up to him. He had found a large open area of dirt and sand and when I laid eyes on him he was on his back, rolling around from side to side, long legs kicking around in the air. When he saw me he finished his fine roll and stood up from the dirt and was now my brown stallion until a good shake threw dust into a cloud hovering around him.

I wonder what that feels like to horses. Maybe I should try it someday.

Anyway, my thoughts kept turning to the fact that I could never imagine Erestor engaged in any type of play. Perhaps this was his mind free of the memories and hindrances Erestor placed upon himself. Would he be freer as an elf if he could be released from this curse? Would his true spirit shine through? It was the object of this quest to find those answers.

All throughout the afternoon it was the same as in the morning. The horse would run around and play and I would walk straight towards our destination.

Later in the afternoon, as he was exploring a stream I saw a large fish come jumping out of the water and nearly hit him. My friend looked like he was going to fall over he was so startled. A black streak came running back towards me and with a snort he walked closely on the other side of me keeping an eye on that water for any more attacking fish. With him this close I found I could actually place my hand on his side and touch him. He did not shy away from my touch so I gently graced his soft skin. Perhaps even more than trust, a friendship was being built. For a while we walked together with my hand touching him almost as an assurance that he was safe with me.

As evening approached we were moving through wide fields. There would be nowhere appropriate for us to camp for some distance and the sun was quickly setting. We continued moving when the last rays of the setting sun began retreating from my sight. It was then that I first saw something remarkable happening to my beautiful companion. My decision had originally been to avert my eyes from him in order to give him some privacy but I found myself unable to look away.

The last ray of sunlight caught itself in his beautiful coat and he reflected back the white light as if there was an inner source inside of him. It began to grow until I could not look at him straight on. The white light continued to expand and brighten until it was almost as if I was standing next to a fallen star, the horse's form lost in its magnificence.

Almost as quickly as the light had come it was gone, retreated away and scattered into the dim evening, and there stood Erestor where the stallion was only seconds before.

"I see we still have a while to walk before we can stop." Erestor said as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

"Yes, we do not want to be caught out in the open when we camp. We should continue."

We walked in silence as the dusk's light disappeared and found some stone outcroppings that looked like they would provide some protection. I did not like the feel of where we were and something was standing the hair on the back of my neck on end.

"What do you know about this area, Glorfindel?"

I kept my eyes darting around for any sign of movement from the darkness beyond, "Not as much as I would like."

Deciding not to give away our location with a campfire, we ate some of the jerky and dried foods I had brought with in case a fire was not possible for cooking.

Usually during the night I would sleep and Erestor would keep watch. No wonder he could spend all night working without seeming to sleep in Imladris. He wasn't! Apparently, the transformation from one form to the other would regenerate him as surly as if he had slept all night. It was coming in handy now as I could relax at night without worry of needing to keep a watch. Sometimes the dark elf would nap, but only for a few moments in the evening well before I would think about turning in.

This night, though, neither of us slept. It almost felt as if we were waiting for something, but for what I couldn't say. There was a tense feeling in the air so thick one could cut it with a blade. It was when the very first trace of light appeared in the east that Erestor spoke.

"Perhaps we should get an early start this morning. I do not like the feel of this place."

"Neither do I," I agreed, "something watches us."

I put on my pack and Erestor strolled out into the field to get a wider look at our surroundings. After peering about he waved me out with his hand and I joined him. We had been walking for a short time when I knew I heard something. It was far away but just as great a threat as an enemy in front of you. The vibrations made my skin crawl.

It was a group, a hoard, on horseback. We turned and with our elven eyes could make them out. They were a band of men but from what realm I could not tell. They were armed and I knew we were in great danger. There was no place for us to run to for shelter from their vision and I knew they would see us soon. Two elves caught by these men would not be treated lightly. All we were to their gaze were two wealthy elven lords; in the minds of many men elves are nothing but lofty beings able to make dreams come true. An elf that didn't deliver on this believed promise would not be treated lightly.

The advantage was with them and their sudden call pierced the air.

"Forward!" Was the cry from our pursuers, "Targets ahead!" They had spotted us!

I turned to look at Erestor and saw that he was much more calm than I was.

"We must run, Glorfindel!" He said and I listened. We took off and as we ran I could finally make out far ahead some woods we could hide and escape in. There we would be able to escape for in the open we could not make a final stand and survive.

But it was so far and our enemy so close, gaining so quickly.

As fast as we were and as hard as we ran, the thought came to me that we would not make it and soon I would need to turn and fight. Erestor sensed my premonition and shook his head.

"Whatever you do, keep your eyes fixed on the horizon, trust me!" He said with certainty, "Do not look back! Just keep running."

I wanted to stop but his words spurred me on. Since I was slightly faster than Erestor, he was falling back a bit so that I could no longer see him out of my peripheral vision and as I turned my head to get a fix on his position his voice once more rang out!

"Keep running straight ahead! Don't turn! Don't stop!"

The ground rushed by underneath me but all my senses were focuses on my eyes and the thunder of the horses as they neared. So close, they were so close now and I made myself run even faster. Any moment now I would feel them on top of me.

'Keep going, Glorfindel! Faster!'

My mind was broken from its trance and silent chanting when I heard the men call out in surprise. It did not slow me, my pace stayed as ever it was and I would not let them trick me into turning.

The sound, right on top of me, coming up beside me.

A flash of black caught my eye!

My stallion, my beautiful horse was next to me and he was slowing his pace to keep with me. In my panic I did not even notice the sun creep over the horizon.

I reached out and grabbed onto him. Pulling myself onto his back and grabbing on with all my might.

We flew.

This is what flying must be like, never had I known such grace and speed, such freedom and power. I snuck a peak behind us and saw the men so quickly left behind. Their horses could not dream of catching us and they stopped, staring at how smoothly and suddenly we became but a speck on the horizon. A sight to confuse, but one to never forget. Perhaps they left that day thinking themselves insane or granted some sort of vision. I would never know.

All I knew was that for the first time we rode as one and never would I experience such a feeling again.

TBC