(A/N-the dialogue in italics is where Elvish is being spoken)

Chapter Thirty Four-Hero Worship

Dinner that evening was a sumptuous affair, at least according to the people of Rohan. Huge slabs of roasted beef and chickens were served with vegetables, and lots and lots of beer. I thought it was a pity that the hobbits weren't here, as they would've enjoyed themselves immensely. So would Gimli. Sap was mad about beer. Thought he was the best drinker in all of Arda. I took his claims with a large grain of salt. I watched Eowyn with Faramir sitting together and talking into each other's ears. The looks of love on their faces reminded me of how Glorfindel and I look at each other. I felt giddy watching this love blossom before me and I wanted to celebrate it. Excuse me if I'm a softie at heart.

Arwen caught my eye as she gestured towards the couple and smiled. I grinned back at her and kissing Glorfindel on the cheek, I stood up.

"I'm just going to speak with Arwen for a moment baby. Don't go anywhere okay?" I said. Glorfindel smiled and waved me off.

I wandered over to Arwen and sat down beside her. "So what do you think? I say they'll be betrothed by the end of summer."

Arwen laughed, "I think they will be betrothed by the end of July."

"Ooh, that's a bet I'll take," I grinned and shook her hand. "Shall we drink to the happy couple?"

"Absolutely," Arwen picked up her mug and we both drank to the romance of Eowyn and Faramir.

Galadriel saw our handshake and subsequent drinking and came over to us. "What is this about? I saw a handshake. Are you agreeing to something I should know about?"

Arwen laughed, "We are just wagering over when the happy couple will announce their betrothal."

Galadriel looked over at Eowyn and Faramir and thought for a moment, "I will say they will announce near the middle of August. I am sure they will not wait any longer than that."

I nodded and held out my hand, "All right my Lady. Arwen says the end of July, I say the end of summer, and you say near the middle of August. Shall we drink to our wager?"

Galadriel nodded and shook my hand and then shook Arwen's. "To our wager. I know the males would wish to place gold on a wager, but I think we should place a task on the losers. Do you not agree?" she smiled as she spoke.

I laughed, "My Lady, are you suggesting we perform some act of humiliation if we lose?"

Arwen grinned, "I do not trust you grandmother. You have the uncanny ability to see what is to happen even without your mirror, and I do not think it would be a fair wager to add such tasks."

Galadriel just smiled demurely, "My child, I would never deign to deceive you or Lady Karyn. I will withdraw the request."

I spoke up, "All right Lady Galadriel. We place the wager with no tasks or money added. Just for amusement to see who is correct."

Arwen and Galadriel nodded and we all shook hands again and took sips from our mugs.

I got up and curtseyed to both ladies, "I will take my leave from you then. I should be seeing to my husband's happiness."

Arwen and Galadriel smiled in a conspiratorial manner and let me go. I returned to Glorfindel and sat down beside him.

"Those two are trouble with a capital 'T'," I remarked, "Lady Galadriel wanted to wager to Eowyn and Faramir's betrothal with tasks for the losers."

Glorfindel laughed into his beer stein, "Sounds like her. She is an incorrigible wag, and has been all the time I have known her."

I laughed and kissed Glorfindel's hand, "It's a good thing I didn't agree to that. She could've had me running through Minas Tirith buck naked if I lost. I'm not down with that."

Glorfindel leaned into me, "Naked hmmm? I would pay to see that. Why not retire to our rooms and you can show me what you would have had to do."

I laughed and poked him in the ribs, "Dirty boy. Perhaps we can find something more interesting for us to do, other than watch me run around the room without any clothes on."

Glorfindel got up quickly and pulled me to my feet, "Let us hurry then. I suddenly have a terrible urge to practice other things."

We hurried out of the great hall and back to our rooms. Shutting and bolting the door behind us, Glorfindel pulled me to him and kissed me deeply. I ran my fingers through his hair and moved my lips to the tip of his right ear. I heard him groan, and then I was swept up into his arms. Glorfindel was giving me a heated look as he carried me into the bedroom area.

"Shall we test the strength of the bed?" he asked as he tossed me onto the bed, and then stripped off his tunics, boots and leggings.

"Oh god yes," I pulled off my shoes and was trying to untie the back of my dress when Glorfindel moved up on the bed and helped me undo the ties I couldn't reach.

Soon we were both as naked as the day we were born. Things progressed rapidly and we were quickly in the throes of sexual passion. I was biting my lips so I wouldn't cry out, but then Glorfindel pulled my lips out from between my teeth with his fingers.

"Scream for me," he panted. I shook my head. He thrust deeply into me, "Scream. The walls are two feet thick, and made of solid stone. No one will hear you. Scream for me."

His thrusting increased in tempo and rigor and I couldn't help but cry out. The bed we were lying on was a huge four-poster getup, and I didn't think it would've moved unless there was a geological shift in the tectonic plates. I was wrong.

Glorfindel and I were having at it with such enthusiasm, that the bed actually shifted maybe a centimetre and the curtains wiggled a bit. When we reached our climax, Glorfindel fell across me in a heap and I laughed.

"What do you find so humorous meleth nîn?" he asked as he pulled a strand of hair off my face.

"Did you feel that? We made love so hard, the earth moved," I laughed.

Glorfindel gave me a look and then laughed, "Yes, I believe it did, in a matter of speaking. The bed, at least, did move somewhat."

I looked into Glorfindel's eyes, and we both simultaneously collapsed in laughter. I am positive that even if no one heard our vociferous lovemaking, then they most certainly would've been able to hear our cackles of crazy laughter.

We fell asleep still giggling in sporadic fits, in each others arms.

The next two days were a buzz of activity, as the elves obtained provisions for the rest of our journey; and Eomer, Eowyn and Faramir prepared to come back to Minas Tirith for the wedding, and to bring Théoden King back home for burial. When I was told the date when Théoden King died and the fact that he was only just being brought home now, it made me wonder about the death rituals these people had. I wondered if they embalmed, or preserved the body in some other way, as decomposition would be quite advanced by this time and handling a body at this point could result in passing along bacteria that causes illness if the body contained it before death. I just remember the protocol that was given after the Oklahoma City and New York City bombings. They said people should be wearing full protective gear and use disinfectants to prevent any transference. I asked Glorfindel what he knew, and he said that Théoden King was buried temporarily in a tomb outside of Minas Tirith, and would then be transported home in a casket and with a full military guard.

I didn't get to know Eowyn all that well, as she spent most of her time with Faramir, when she wasn't running around preparing for the trip back to Minas Tirith. She did ask if Glorfindel and I found our quarters sufficient, and I replied yes, everything was fine. Eowyn did take a moment to say that Faramir admired my husband a great deal; and if it was acceptable, could they ride near us back to Minas Tirith, as she knew Faramir had many questions for Glorfindel. I said the company would be welcome and I was sure Glorfindel would enjoy discussing his adventures with Faramir. I never got anywhere near Eomer, as he was busy with the business of running the kingdom, and trying to rebuild after such a tragic war. I found out from listening to people all around me, that there were huge losses of men, and many families were left without a male head of household to support them. I wondered if the tax base was strong enough to start a welfare project and do some job training for the women left behind. I told Glorfindel about my ideas and he said to wait until we reached Minas Tirith and broach the subject then, as no doubt Gondor had the same issues.

The 19th of June finally dawned and we all gathered at the gates of Edoras on our horses, waiting to leave. The air was warm already, even though we had just past dawn an hour prior. It felt like the entire town had shown up to bid farewell to the new King and the Elves. I was secretly happy to be leaving the smell of the open sewer behind. I hoped Minas Tirith had a closed system, as from what Boromir had told me and Glorfindel had confirmed, the city was a stone fortress of multiple tiers and was built into the side of a mountain. An open sewer in that environment would be an absolute disaster. Especially with the destruction a war could levy on a city. The rubble and small debris could really muck up sanitation.

We began the ride after Eomer ordered the gates to be opened, filing out in a long line. We rode out over the barren plain and headed farther south. I had to laugh as Faramir wasted no time in bending Glorfindel's ear. They were riding behind us and Faramir kept asking questions about this battle and that fight. I was spending most of my time biting my lip and snorting into my riding gloves. Faramir was acting like an excited little boy, and his enthusiasm was egging Glorfindel on. Glorfindel wasn't pompous or anything, but he was grinning widely and giving such detailed descriptions of what he had been through, I was sure he was enjoying this just a little too much. Blatant hero worship can be quite the intoxicating drug. At least I knew Glorfindel was just enjoying himself, and not planning world domination or anything. I kept thinking of that bit in Austin Powers when Dr. Evil holds the world hostage for one meeellion dollars. I knew I was safe from such shenanigans with Glorfindel, but that didn't mean I wasn't reminded of such silliness from home.

Home. No, my home was anywhere Glorfindel was. Earth was a place where Glorfindel was not, so I couldn't really see it as home. I may have family there, but I wasn't bonded to them. I was bonded in both body and soul to Glorfindel. Glorfindel was home. My home.

Eomer was not the type to miss the conversation between Glorfindel and Faramir, and even though he was farther up the line, he somehow finagled a way back to us and rode beside us, listening to Glorfindel intently. It was like watching a sponge soak up all the liquid knowledge. I knew that was a form of hero worship too. Glorfindel was such an important part of Arda's history, a living historical monument, and I knew he had impacted more than just Men with his actions. I was married to a legend, but all I really knew was the person. The person I had fallen in love with and had such a tight bond to.

We rode for twelve days until we saw the city of Minas Tirith rise before us like a pyramid on the sand. We rode across the fields and I realized this was where the battle took place. The echoes of the dead skittered across my skin.

Glorfindel leaned over and said quietly, "You are feeling the dead on Pelennor Fields. Many lives were lost to gain our freedom. May we never have to fight this great evil again."

Elladan and Elrohir moved to the front of the escort and unfurled a banner I had not seen before. Glorfindel and I rode next, and then Galadriel and Celeborn. Elrond and Arwen were at the back of the procession with Eomer and his entourage following a short distance behind. The mood had progressively gotten more sombre the closer to the gates we were. By the time we went through the gates I was sure a funeral dirge was going to start, it was positively gloomy. I knew everyone was sad that Arwen would be mortal and would not be joining her kin across the seas, but it was a wedding for crying out loud. It is bad form to be gloomy on the eve of a wedding. Martha Stewart would be apoplectic. I kept my mouth shut, but I wanted to shake some heads.

Estel and the entire Fellowship was waiting for us just inside the gates, and he greeted us as we dismounted from our steeds. Elrond and Arwen came up from behind us and then Elrond gave Estel this sceptre, which I hadn't realized he had been travelling with. Then Estel showed us into the city. I think giving his daughter was the hardest thing Elrond had ever done, but I felt she was getting the best deal. The love of your life isn't exactly something you turn down, just because you want to live forever.

Meleth nîn- my love