Chapter Forty One-Logistical Anomalies

Glorfindel opened the door to the house and showed me into his abode. The front of the house had a cute little garden with a red cement path leading to the front door. Four steps led to the door, which was wooden with glass inlay. The living room was just off the front hall, and had a lovely little fireplace. The dining room was on the other side and Glorfindel had everything furnished in cottage cozy. Dark green couches and mahogany side and coffee tables were ensconced in the living room, and the dining room had a red accent wall, with a Queen Anne dining table and balloon back chairs. I have a balloon back chair and I know how expensive they are. I had no idea how Glorfindel could afford this place, let alone the furniture. Glorfindel led me to a couch and had me sit down.

"I suppose you have a lot of questions," he started.

I nodded, "Uh yeah, how do you afford a swanky place like this, and manage to furnish it too? And how come you've been here three years? And you don't have an accent anymore, what happened? And why did Eru…"

Glorfindel held up his hand to silence me, as he slid in close. He touched my face gently and I shivered from the memory of being with him.

"When we were last together, when we kissed, I felt you go. Upon opening my eyes, I realized you had not pulled away, but were truly gone. I had Imladris torn apart to find you. Elrond was kind enough to allow me to send rangers out across Arda looking for you. We found nothing and by the Spring, Elrond called off the search. He advised he would sail at the end of September, and he would like me to join him. I could not. I was so distraught at losing you. I knew you were alive because I could feel your life force through our bond, but I could not locate you. I dreamt of you every night and thought I could see you out of the corner of my eye. When I would investigate I realized my mind was playing tricks on me. I felt I was losing any sanity I had left. Finally Mithrandir came to me during midsummer and advised me that there was a solution to my dilemma," he paused as if to gather his thoughts.

"Okay, and then what?" I was a bit anxious to get all the details.

Glorfindel caressed my hand with his fingers and looked into my eyes, "He arranged to have any unfinished business completed for me so that I could leave. I entrusted my assets to Elrond, who knew what was going on, and I made my goodbyes. Mithrandir told me that Eru had granted me passage to your world and all the arrangements had been made. I would be able to speak your language, I would have all the documents to prove I was from your realm and I would have money to help me survive. Mithrandir told me I would have three years to establish myself in your world before I would be allowed to search for you. He said I would arrive before you left and it was important that I not try to find you until after the day you left. Something about ruining the timeline. When the time for me to leave had come, I stood in the courtyard just before dawn with Elrond, the twins, and Mithrandir, waiting to cross. Elrond wished me good fortune and Mithrandir asked me to say hello to you. He then chanted some words and a blue light formed. I stepped through it and into your world."

I gasped when he spoke about the bluish light. Galadriel's mirror had been correct! I had 'seen' that moment in the mirror. "Where did you arrive?"

"In a park. I found out later that I had arrived in Stanley Park, near a place of ancient power. I felt the power when I arrived, but I was intent on finding my way out of the wilderness I had landed in. When I stumbled upon a well used path, I followed it until I heard strange sounds. A noise not unlike the dull roar of water, but with a smell so different, I could not place it. I walked until I stepped upon a path that was hard and black. I know this is blacktop now, but then I had no idea. I walked for a time until the sound of the roaring was much louder. The path led out of the trees and before me was a roadway with, what I now know are cars, speeding along its path. I had accidentally stepped onto the road when a driver of a car leaned on their horn and I was so startled, I jumped back onto the path. That was the first time I had heard such a terrible noise. I didn't know where to go, but I saw people off in the distance, walking and some were running. I decided I should go to them. As I got nearer, I realized I was not wearing the clothes I had left in. I was wearing dark loose leggings, like the ones I first saw you in, and a light shirt. My footwear was something I had never seen, not even on you. I found out they were called 'runners'. Odd name," he mused.

"So, jeans, a t-shirt and runners, eh? I'd have loved to have seen that," I remarked.

"I could show you now, if you like?" he got up, pulling me up with him.

"I think we could spend our time in a better way, than engaging in a fashion show," I replied a little huskily.

Glorfindel caught my drift like an all-star receiver catching a pass, and ran with it. Taking my hand, he led me back into the hall and upstairs to the master bedroom. The bedroom was done in rich blues and creams, with a large four poster bed dominating the room. Glorfindel pulled me to him and kissed me deeply, holding me tightly to his body. I let myself melt into his form as I kissed him like a starving man at a feast. His hands reached for my sweater and he pulled it over my head, only breaking the kiss to let the sweater get by. I had unbuttoned his shirt and was slowly sliding it down his arms while he unbuttoned my jeans and unzipped them. His hands guided the cloth down over my hips and let them drop to the floor. Having taken off my shoes at the door, I had no impediment keeping me from shaking my pants off, which I did expediently. Then I undid his pants and let them slide to the floor after I pulled them over his hips. Did I say he looked good in khakis? Cuz, damn. He does. He made quick work of my bra and panties, as I slid his boxer-briefs down.

Suddenly, he swept me up into his arms and took me over to the bed. My body trembled in anticipation as he gently laid me down near the centre of the bed and crawled up beside me. He stroked my body lovingly, as he watched my reaction.

"I have missed this, you, being like this with you, so much," he whispered.

I nodded, "I thought I had lost you forever. I was so distraught when I found myself back on Earth. I don't ever want to lose you again."

"Never," he whispered in my ear, "I am yours oialë ar illumë."

"Oialë ar illumë," I repeated like a prayer.

Our lovemaking was intense, as he reacquainted himself with my body. I climaxed quickly and hard. Twice. Before he even got to his own climax. I felt like I hadn't been touched in years and my body craved the feeling of his skin in close contact with mine. I whispered his name over and over, never wanting our lovemaking to end. Glorfindel moaned my name when he reached his climax, and afterwards clung to me like a long term prisoner greeting his rescuers for the first time.

"I love you," I murmured in Glorfindel's ear.

"Amin mela lle," he whispered back.

"Will you finish your tale?" I asked gently.

He pulled the quilt that had rumpled up by our feet over our naked bodies and slid himself in closer to me. I let my body mould to his as I lay my head on his shoulder.

"I mentioned I had seen people in the distance, correct?" I nodded. "Once I approached them, I had to decide how to ask them about my current location. I walked up to a couple walking a small dog and asked them where I was. They looked at me oddly and told me I was at the entrance to Stanley Park on Georgia Street. I asked in what city, and they laughed, asking me if I had hit my head hard. I remembered what your story was when you came to Imladris, so I told them that I had fallen in the woods and was unsure of what had happened. The man opened a small device, which I remembered you had called your 'cell phone', pressed something into it and then spoke into the device. A short while later I heard a strange wailing sound, followed by a sharp horn in a staccato rhythm approach. A car, followed by a larger vehicle, pulled in front of me and three men got out of the vehicles, identifying themselves as they approached me. One was a police officer, who began to question me. The other two were paramedics, who wanted to treat me for my 'fall'. I kept up the charade, which was not hard, considering I really did not know where I was; except for a few rudimentary pieces of knowledge that I had gleaned from you. The police officer and paramedics agreed I needed medical attention and took me in the car to the hospital. I knew Eru had ensured I would be able to survive as I was able to read the writing on signs and I was apparently speaking your language without any difficulty. The healers, or doctors as I overheard, were quite perplexed and sent me for several tests. The police officer had found my identity in a wallet I supposedly had in my jeans. I was 'Finneas Gabriel Mills', and apparently I was born June 6th, 1965. The officer had found a driver's licence, bank cards, and cash in my wallet. I had confounded the doctors enough, and they set up some appointments for me to attend later in the week and sent me home with the police officer. That is how I arrived at this house. Eru had ensured all the details for my life here with you. After the officer had driven me home, he took me inside the house using keys he found in my pocket, and watched me wander from room to room. I heard a ringing sound coming from one of the rooms and walked towards it, but the officer had already picked up the device, and began to speak into it. I found out it was called a phone. The officer handed me the phone and told me it was my boss wondering where I was. I took the receiver and said hello. A man began speaking on the other end and was telling me that everyone was worried sick about me not showing up for work, and how this was not like me at all. I asked him what I was like and momentarily confused him. Seeing how my remark may not have made sense, I advised him of my accident and resulting memory loss. He said he would send someone over to check on me and told me to stay inside until they got there. He then asked me to hand the phone back to the officer. The officer and the man spoke for a short time. Once the officer returned the receiver to the base, he turned to me and told me he would stay until the person from my work came by," he took a breath and stroked my face.

I kissed his hand and remained silent. I knew there was a lot more and I didn't want to interrupt.

Glorfindel swallowed and began to speak some more, "The person who had come by was a woman who called herself my 'assistant'. I found out I worked as a partner in an environmental consultant company, and I had been driving out to see a client on the North Shore. When I did not show, the client called the office and the office started to try and track me down. I had no idea how, but Eru had established a whole life for me before I crossed to your universe. I literally walked into my life already in progress. The next day, after my assistant was sure I would be fine to come into work, I was driven to the office. My car was apparently missing, and the police were trying to locate it through its theft deterrence device. When I walked into the office, it was as if a door had opened in my mind, and I had all this new knowledge inside my head. I knew everyone there, and I knew what I did for a living and how I did it. I remembered everything from my 'past', and I knew what was going on in the present and what was planned for the future. It was surreal, as I could also remember everything from my thousands of years living both in Aman and Arda, but I also had this new 'life' that was implanted in my memories. Everything felt completely natural and nothing clashed with anything else."

My mouth gaped, "You were implanted with whole new memories? Like on Star Trek or something?"

Glorfindel laughed, "Had you said that back on Arda, I would have no idea what 'Star Trek' was. Since I have been on Earth, I have had ample opportunity to research all your cultural references; and I am happy to say, I get you. I totally get you Karyn. You had confounded me with your linguistic preferences, but now I have been indoctrinated into the geek club, of which you are a member, and I know exactly what you mean."

I choked back laughter that threatened to overtake me, "Well baby, I'm glad you get me. It would be an awkward marriage for the next fifty-odd years, if you didn't adapt." I stretched my neck up and kissed him on the lips.

Glorfindel played with my breast in a preoccupied manner, "Meleth nîn, I also know that while our marriage is binding in Arda and Aman; it is not recognized here. I wish to make it legal, as they say. I wish to remarry as soon as possible and as the man says, 'when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.' I would like it to begin today, but I do not think we could obtain a marriage licence before the Vital Statistics Office closed."

"Nope. They close at 4:30, and it's 6pm now. I think there's a step you're missing though," I added.

"What?" he let his fingers play along my skin.

"You have to meet my folks. Plus, I think my family would have a coronary if I didn't get married with them present," I answered.

"Ah, yes. Your family. If I remember correctly, you have a sister, and two brothers, correct?"

"Yeah, a twin brother, older sister and older brother. I also have seven nephews and nieces, and I know my youngest niece would be terribly disappointed if she couldn't be a junior bridesmaid. She's a girly-girl," I confirmed.

"Ahhh, well I would not want to disappoint my new niece, or any other members of your family," Glorfindel said sagely.

"Yeah, I'm the last of the kids to marry, so I know we'll have to be a bit traditional and have everyone there. By the way, did your new implanted knowledge include driving a car? I mean, did you need to take lessons or anything? And, how on earth did you get a Social Insurance Card? I used to be Federal Government, and I know the rules to obtain one," I asked.

"Yes, the knowledge on how to drive was there. I don't know how Eru did it, but the Social Insurance Card was in my bureau here at home. I don't know the rules, but I believe Eru could get around them," he answered.

I shrugged slightly, "Okay, but you still have to meet my family. So I'll call everyone to set up a meeting and we'll get the preliminaries out of the way."

Glorfindel shrugged and moved himself down my body, "All right. But now I want to enjoy being with you. The calls can wait."

We made love again and fell asleep in each others arms late in the evening without even bothering to eat dinner. I dreamed of Glorfindel and my family's reaction to the news.

Oialë ar illumë- forever and always (Quenya)

Amin mela lle- I love you

Meleth nîn- my love