Erestor looked calm in his reverie and Gil-Galad was pleased to see it, sure that he was right to confiscate the report that Erestor had been compiling.

"My Lord?"

Gil-Galad looked towards Rosuil, "My Lord, Erestor was wondering why Glorfindel has not visited him."

"What did you tell him?"

"That he was busy with other matters." Rosuil shrugged, "I didn't know what else to say."

Gil-Galad looked thoughtful, "it seems odd to me that Erestor should ask such a question, Did it seem as if he was hoping that he would not?"

"Nay, Nay I really think he was hoping that he would, he seemed concerned."

"Well, I won't permit it till Erestor is able to tell us what happened."


"What in Arda did you think you were doing, giving Erestor the task of three scribes while he is lying in the healing house with a near fatal wound!"

Corupeth looked up startled, Gil-Galad was standing in front of his desk, but he had not heard him approach.

"My Lord, I…"

"Is it not enough that I am worried sick about the events in the mountains and that my elflings are attempting to slay each other, that you felt the need to ensure his demise by allowing him no rest!"

"My Lord, sit down!" Corupeth was taking a chance, but he knew Gil-Galad well, and knew that he tended to anger over the slightest matter if his worries grew too great. He was confident that the Elf Lord would obey his order.

Gil-Galad fell into the chair in front of the desk, while Corupeth rose. After checking that the corridor was empty he shut the door and returned to the desk.

"My Lord, Erestor has been pleading with me for months to give him something useful to work on, it seems he is tired of theorising."

Gil-Galad looked perplexed, "he is an odd elfling, I find him hard to fathom."

Corupeth chuckled, "Aye, I expect you do." Gil-Galad raised a brow at that, which made him laugh more, "Erestor is a rare breed, his interest is also his talent. I understand him well enough."

"He is an apprentice healer, are you actually in need of another scribe? Or are you just trying to irritate Finuial?"

"Therein lies the crux. Erestor will perhaps make a fair healer one day, but he is already an exceptional scribe."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, My Lord, that he is wasting his Valar given talents in the healing house, I would take him on as an apprentice."

Gil-Galad raised his brows in surprise, "That is no small compliment, my friend, but I was under the impression that you had more assistant scribes than you knew what to do with?"

"You misunderstand me, My Lord, I would take him on as an apprentice to me, an apprentice advisor."

Gil-Galad laughed, "don't be absurd! He's only twenty eight years old!"

Corupeth smiled slightly at that, "Aye he is, and while I appreciate that he will be in the background for some time to come, I would like to start his apprenticeship sooner rather than later. My Lord, I realise that you might not want to hear this," The advisor looked apologetic, "If the events in the mountains have lost us our King, you will be needed to fill that roll, and I am going to need more help."

Gil-Galad sighed, "Aye, you are right, you do need more help." His Lord's terminology was not lost on the advisor and his expression turned grave. "I will speak with Erestor, if it pleases him, you may take him as an apprentice."


Mithrandir was looking nervous, very nervous indeed. He was watching Glorfindel leaning out of the window, balanced only upon his arms, his legs swung free off of the ground.

"Glorfindel, could you please not do that?"

The golden elf laughed, "Do not fret Mithrandir I am quite safe, and if I am not permitted to leave these chambers I see no other way to feel the wind upon my face."

The Istari snorted, "I am more concerned with the fact that you must pose an interesting sight to the castle residents, in the middle of Summer dressed as if it were the dead of Winter, though of course if you were to fall to a second death, that might well be taken badly by the Valar."

Glorfindel seemed to take the point and sat within the window frame instead, his expression wistful "Did you ever see Gondolin, Mithrandir?"

"Nay, I did not, my business never took me that way."

Glorfindel nodded, "it was quite the most beautiful of cities, I shall miss it and I shall miss the friend's I had there. Mithrandir, it has only been a day, how is it that I do not feel the loss? It is there," Glorfindel put his hand over his heart, " but I do not feel it as acutely as I think I should."

"I cannot say with any degree of certainty, perhaps you were afforded enough time for grief before you were returned, or perhaps it is a gift from the Valar. I do not know." The wizard shrugged.

Glorfindel nodded, "it is likely just as well, for I cannot imagine carrying that amount of grief with me, while my mind is so muddled with foreign thoughts."

After a pause he continued "Mithrandir, do you know how I died?"

Mithrandir's brows furrowed slightly, "Aye, I saw it, why?"

"Then you know what I was doing on the Pass of Cirith Thoronath, were they saved? Did Tuor and Idril make it to safety? Were the remnants of our people saved?"

Mithrandir nodded slightly, "By your brave act my friend."

Glorfindel appeared to breath a sigh of relief. "Then it was not in vain. I should like to return to Tuor's side, I would have him as my Lord now that Lord Turgon is lost."

"Your place now, is at Gil-Galad's side." Glorfindel looked ready to protest, Mithrandir raised a hand to silence him. "You are sworn to serve the High King are you not?"

"Aye, but Lord Turgon was my liege, and my friend, I also owe his family my service."

Mithrandir shrugged, "By serving the High King, do you not do both? Glorfindel I realise this must be uncomfortable for you, but your allegiance is first to the High King. The descendents of Turgon will always be grateful for your sacrifice, but your service is no longer required by them."

"You are correct, I am uncomfortable with this turn of events, and you are also correct that to satisfy my honour, I am bound to High King Gil-Galad's service." Glorfindel sighed defeated.

They sat in silence a time.

"Does the dining hall here have a large tapestry depicting the two trees of Valinor?

"It does, you are beginning to remember Balar then, this is good."

"It is strange, for it is as if these memories are mine, yet I know that I have not been here before, so it seems that they are and yet they are not." He paused looking out to the sea, "Erestor features in many of those memories."

"The two of you are close."

"The elf that I was, loved him."

Mithrandir frowned, "This disturbs you, why?"

"He is only an elfling. I have never known love, Mithrandir. Not true love, in all my years, but I can feel the warmth that the elf that I was felt for this elfling, it does concern me."

Mithrandir sighed, "I do not think you should let it worry you, he will grow, and you will come to know each other better, perhaps the infatuation that you had for Erestor will pass."


A/N I'm going to be away from my PC for a couple of weeks but I promise an update as soon as I return, in the meantime I hope the double update will keep you going, Thanks for reading :o)