"Thranduilion!" Glorfindel called, quickly closing the gap between them. As they met Asfaloth turned sharply, instinctively heading back toward the traveling party. The two fair Elves slowed their riding to an easier pace.

"Mae govannen, hír Glorfindel!" Legolas called back, slowing and riding up alongside Glorfindel and Asfaloth. "I have an important message from...," there was suddenly a mischievous glint in the Wood-Elf's sparkling eyes, "your lover," Legolas said in a whisper with a leering grin.

Glorfindel attempted to look annoyed, but failed. Even he had to admit that he was rather proud of the fact that Legolas had pointed out. "Well? What is it?" Glorfindel said, now actually being somewhat annoyed - or was it more concern?

"It is for you to ask Aragorn," Legolas said self-righteously, riding passed the Balrog-slayer and knowing he could get away with it only because of his association with the Ring quest.

As Aragorn saw his best friend riding into view his heart stopped momentarily. What had happened that was so urgent that Legolas was sent out? Aragorn thought of the man from Harad who was still unaccounted for and his own wife and unborn child. The King forced those thoughts out of his mind though. He had never been one to jump to conclusions, especially negative ones, and he refused to start, he told himself. Still, he could not bear to sit there atop Roheryn and wait, instead he broke from the crowd and rode toward his friend. He did not even wait for a greeting from Legolas, asking him immediately, "is she all right?" He had to know that first, anything else he could deal with.

Legolas grinned at Aragorn's panic. Ever had he been so impassive and calm, one could have mistaken him for an Elf... had he been but a bit cleaner; but now it seemed that kingship had taken its toll and softened his friend. "Everyone is quite well," Legolas assured him. "You should not fear unnecessarily, it ages you. You are already beginning to look about 6000 or so, even if you look young to one of your kind. I bring you good news," Legolas said, holding forth the message.

Aragorn scanned the note and passed it to Gandalf who had appeared at his side without his realizing it. Faramir he heard riding up to him and turned to his son. "Your Rangers have apprehended him," the King said to the Steward, and at once Faramir understood.

"In that case," Faramir said, "we need to make up for lost time. How long has it been, Legolas?"

"I rode out from the city three days ago," the Elf replied. "It was just that day that the company returned from Pelargir."

Aragorn nodded. "I agree with Faramir. We should hasten back to the city, but considering our circumstances...," he said referring to the troop of soldiers who had come along, mostly for show and to set up tents at night, as well as the coach which conveyed Elboron and his nurse.

"Not to mention the fact that some of us have been riding much too fast for too much of our extensive lives," Gandalf said rather huffily.

"He's just moody because we've been riding in a deluge for the last few days," Glorfindel nonchalantly explained to Legolas.

"Why did you not ride with the women and children, Mithrandir? Surely they would account the particularly agéd as part of their faction," Legolas said with his trademark Silvan grin.

Gandalf decided to ignore the remark and rode back to the assembly muttering about youth and their lack for healthy doses of fear.

"And i thought i was bold..." Glorfindel said. "Aragorn, you, Legolas, and Faramir should get quickly back to the city. Gandalf and i will follow as quickly as we may with the troops and the coach. Belthil should be allowed to decide for himself."

Aragorn and Legolas nodded, but Faramir dissented. "I would much rather prefer to have Belthil or Glorfindel go ahead in my stead," he said, concern in his tone. He hesitated for one moment to voice his reason, but knew that none with him would ever fault him for it. "I do not wish to away from my son so. Not just now."

"If Belthil so wishes, he may come with us," Aragorn said. "There is no need for you to come along immediately. I can handle the circumstance until you get in. Though i will wish you to sit in judgment with me on this," Aragorn said understandingly to his son.

Faramir just nodded. He knew enough about Gondorian law to know that a trial could be very complicated indeed and he wondered if Erestor had enough legendary Elven foresight to have already had a notice sent to the rulers of Harad.

---

It was another four days before Aragorn, Legolas, and Glorfindel arrived in Minas Tirith again. The moment the three rode through the gate trumpets blared in salute to the King. Aragorn did his best to ignore it, difficult as it was, for he truly hated to be have his presence announced in any fashion.

Legolas and Glorfindel only wished they could ignore it. Minas Tirith might have boasted Middle-earth's finest trumpeters, but it was not exactly music to Elven ears. Legolas decided to abscond and see how things were going out at Osgiliath, it was as good an excuse as any to get away from the trumpeting that threatened to wound his ears.

Glorfindel bore with it, though, and rode on with Aragorn as quickly as they could through the crowded and busy streets of the White City. Aragorn dismounted quickly before the tunnel up to the Citadel and left Glorfindel to see Roheryn and Asfaloth to the stables. He raced across the courtyard, hoping to see Arwen before anyone else. Despite Legolas's assurance, it was a week ago that such had been the case and he needed to see her with his own eyes before he could truly relax.

"Estel!" a dark-haired Elf called to him as he rushed into his "home."

Aragorn forced himself not to sigh. "Erestor, i must see Arwen, i shall meet with you afterward."

"Sidh, mellon!" Erestor said with a calming smile, such as he rarely displayed to anyone. "She is well as ever, and we need not counsel immediately. But you shall not find your Lady Queen at home. She is in the Tower Hall."

"Hannon le, Erestor," Aragorn said, going quickly back the other way.

Erestor himself went toward the tunnel and slipped into the back door of the stables, moving with the sort of silence that only an Elf can. The gleaming golden Elda was currying his horse and never noticed the one who was standing just behind him until a pair of strong arms wound around his waste, tossing aside the dagger he kept there on his belt.

The Golden One snickered lightly and did not resist when the left arm about him tightened, the right brushing his long golden hair back over his shoulder. There was a nibble on his earlobe which quickly turned into a bite. Glorfindel purred and was just glad that this playfulness remained at his earlobe, such a bite on his ear-point would have sent him howling in pain. But, of course, Erestor would know that.

The next sensation Glorfindel was aware of was one that chilled him. There was a very cold bit of steel resting against his throat. Glorfindel chuckled nervously. "Very well, Erestor, you've taken your revenge. I promise that i shall not sneak up on you again. Erestor... mela... you can put that away now, really. Erestor?"

Just then there was another bite on Glorfindel's ear, this time not on his lobe. There were two simultaneous cries of pain and the dagger at the Vanya's throat was dropped and the grip around him was released. Glorfindel turned in shock only to see Erestor indeed standing there, dropping a bloodied dagger from his grasp, but there was someone laying on the stable floor between them, a spreading redness covering his back.

Glorfindel recovered from his shock and stepped over the body to catch his lover in a tight embrace, nearly as tight as Erestor held him. "Mela...," Glorfindel whispered. "You saved my life," he said, pulling back just enough to look into Erestor's beautiful, dark eyes.

Erestor smiled at his Vanya and comfortingly kissed his aching ear-tip. "My bed has grown cold in these weeks. I did not wish it to be cold until Lord Námo decided to send you back again," he said with a blasé shrug.

Glorfindel laughed and held him tighter still. "I think we better call a guard to clean up this mess... Estel might be interested in hearing this as well."

---

Any guesses about Glorfindel's attacker?

Thranduilion - Son of Thranduil

Mae govannen, hir - Well met, Lord

Sidh, mellon - Peace, friend

Hannon le - thank you

mela - love

linda: Travel in Middle-earth might not have been easy, but at least gasoline didn't cost $45 a barrel. I really hate driving, but i can handle horses. Even if they are big bratsthat are only nice to you because you are on the side of the fence with the clover and they aren't, and because they know that you have a nice, fresh apple just waiting.

Elenhin: People do make the mistake of wearing too much. But not only too much, but the wrong materials as well. Jeans NEVER dry in the rain and those plastic rain ponchos that every wears are worse than getting wet, especially if the rain ends up cooling things off, then you have that wet plastic sitting on your cold skin and trapping your body's own heating, causing sweating and keeping your downright cold. Linen or leather are really your best bets in the rain. Pip's Faramir might well make an appearance in this very story. We shall see. I doubt i want to project that far into the future though. He was born in year 10, Fourth Age. More likely in the next story in this series though.

flowerbee: You don't hate me. You love me. Everyone loves me, because i said so :-D Actually,a bunch of people probably don't love, and Faramir is probably their captain. Even though i reunited him with his dad and all... i guess i have done a lot to make the poor guy pretty miserable. He ought to be used to that though. At least i haven't set him on fire... yet.