Dear Mercury, Mary Sue, Arian and Author Unknown, thanks for keeping up with me in spite of my long update pauses. I really appreciate your reviews and I would love being able to update more often but since I don't even own a computer any more it usually takes me two days off and all in all 500 kilometres to update. I moved out a little more than two months ago and apart from my mobile phone a (not electrical!) typewriter is as modern as it gets with me. I will continue writing ( I am way too stubborn to let a story of mine go unfinished!) and if you'd like to find my updates sooner, you can always have a look at Thanks for reading still!

Chapter 16

Legolas and Eldarion failed to hide their grins as a very ill-tempered looking Himli entered the great hall in the morning. Curious looks followed the scowling dwarf, who was already wearing his helmet.
"Why my dear friend," Legolas smiled broadly as he feigned surprise, "Are you already feeling hot and bothered this morning? Maybe your age is starting to get to you... I have been told so often that one can never be sure with all these beards and..."
Eldarion'a laughter was cut short as Legolas suddenly found a lot of growling dwarf and sharp axes on his chest. Aragorn, Arwen and the royal guards stared in shock as the cold metal of a throwing axe pressed against the tender skin of Legolas' throat.
"There's only one thing bothering me, you nancing, flower-picking menace," he hissed, "And that's you! How could you do that to me?"
"Me?" Wide blue eyes blinked innocently, "I haven't done a thing!"
"I know it was you!" The axe pressed closer.
"My dear master dwarf," Legolas glared at his friend, making no effort to get the dwarf off him, "I have no idea what you could be talking about."
"You have till tonight to rectify this situation. If you do not I will consider your actions," he paused briefly to glare at Eldarion, "A decleration of war. Have I made myself clear?"
"Absolutely." Legolas smiled. "May I get up now?"

Aragorn released a breath he did not know he had been holding and smiled apologetically at Arwen as he let go of her hand. "How are we to make it through their visir without blood-shed in our halls?" he whispered to his wife, still shaking his head as elf and dwarf got up, grimly staring at each other before marching off to different ends of the breakfast table.
Arwen frowned as she noticed the half-hidden satisfied smile on Legolas' face and the guilty look on her son's face. Something was wrong. Everyone was acting out of character this morning. Even Aragorn, whose moods were usually easy to read. Sighing she reached for the bread, keeping an eye on the others during the silent meal.

"Glorfindel?" Erestor asked, tiredly rubbing his eyes. With a sigh he put the last parchment with inventory lists away. Why did they have to do this every year? Imladris had enough of everything, why bother wtih counting what would be there anyway? A frown marred his brow. Glorfindel had spent the whole morning in the library, browsing through the shelves at first and then settling down on the rug in front of the fireplace with s pile of books and innumerable rolls of parchment. The blond had barely moved all morning and had still not reacted to his name.
"Glorfindel?" he repeated, "What in Eru's name are you doing?"
"Hmmm?" Startled blue eyes stared at him.
"I'm sorry for bothering you," Erestor crossed his arms in front of his chest, "But I'd like to know what is interesting enough to grab your ususally rather short-lived attention for so long."
Glorfindel smiled. "Stop scowling, Restor."
"I am not scowling and my name is not Restor. And you haven't answered my question."
"Haven't I?" That infuriating smile again. "It must have slipped my mind."
"Glorfindel!"
"Yes?"
"Stop these games or I'll call you Glorfy for the rest of your life."
"Restor!" Glorfindel pressed his hands against his heart, "So cruel to me? What have I done to you today?"
"You," Erestor glared at the blond, "Havent answered my question."
"Which queston?" Glorfindel teased, smiling innocently as he set a book away, "I only remember hearing you insult my intelligence."
"I asked," Erestor's eyes burned into Glorfindel's, "What you were doing before I supposedly insulted your intelligence."
"Oh that," somehowe Glorfindel managed to speak without letting his smile fade, "I'm trying to teach myself the letters of the common tongue."
"You what?" Erestor's eyes were wide.
"I want to learn the common tongue," Glorfindel stated calmly.
"But why?" Erestor frowned in irritation as the seneschal got, crossed the room and sat down on the edge of his desk. He relaxed into his chair, arching an elegant eyebrow at the blond. "Well?"
"I told you about the creature we were hunting because it abducted Elrond?"
"Yes?"
"On our first evening in the wild I found a book in my saddlebags," Glorfindel explained slowly, staring off into the dancing flames in the fireplace, "There were some drawings and watercolours in the book and one of them comes very close to what the creature must look like."
"That still doesn't explain your desire to learn the common tongue."
"the texts in the book were written in common."
"I see," Erestor nervously interlaced his fingers as he got up, black robes fanning out behind him, "Perhaps I can be of assistance to you. I have some knowledge of human languages and the like."
Glorfindel frowned. Was that a tremor in the advisor's voice? His eyes narrowed. And why was Erestor acting like they barely knew each other?

"Are you sure that you don't want to talk to me?" he asked. Shadows parted, making it appear as though he just appeared in their midst.
"You said you would not pressure me or ask any further," she ceased her frantic pacing.
Celeborn winced at the flat tone in her voice. "I know, but it pains me to see you like this. The last time I saw you in such a state was after the attack on Celebrian."
"Please don't remind me." Galadriel stepped away from her husband and rested her cheek against the intricately-carved wood of the window frame. She wrappped her arms around herself. "I cannot help being this way. I sense evil gathering again and I know that I have to do something against it but I don't know what to do because I'm not even able to find out what this new evil is!"
"But what if there isn't anything you can do about it?"
"There has to be," Galadriel insisted shivering, "How can there not be?"
Robes rustled as Celeborn embraced her. A silver tear escaped from the corner of her eye and dampened her husband's hand.
"Because some things are bound to happen and if the mirror didn't show you a way to prevent these things, then they are probably the will of the Valar and cannot be stopped."
"No," Galadriel shook her head weakly, "The things I have seen cannot be the will of the Valar."
"But what if they are?"
"No," Galadriel insisted, "The Valar could never be that cruel."
"I cannot judge that," Celeborn gently reminded her, "Since you haven't told me what you have seen."
"I know," she sighed, "But I cannot. I feel that talking about this visions will make them more real. He's still talking to me... whisperinf to me..."
"Who?"
"Always warning me..."
"Galadriel!" Celeborn shook her shoulders, "Answer me! Who is warning you?"
Galadriel's gaze was lost in the golden light of the wood. "In my dreams... wings everywhere... wings... always wings... can't you hear him whisper? He always whispers of things yet to come... darkness all around... and wings..."
"Galadriel!"
"Offering so much knowledge... wisdom in the dark... can sense it..."
"Orophin!"

"My lord?" Orophin asked as he stepped into the room. He frowned at once as he saw how tight Celeborn's hold on Galadriel was.
"My wife is feeling unwell," Celeborn rushed out, "Go fetch a healer. And quickly!"
"Yes my lord." Orophin bowed curtly and ran off, hands clenched to fists at his sides. Many strange looks followed him.

"What is it?" she asked, crossing her arms and staring at her husband. Startled grey eyes looked up at her.
"What is what?"
"Don't ypi dare try this game with me Aragorn, son of Arathorn!" she hissed, "I may only have been married to you for ten years but I know you and I know Gimli and Legolas as well. Something is wrong."
Aragorn shuffled through the parchments on his desk, moving a few of them out of her sight.
"I have received some very disturbing reports."
"What about?" Aragorn looked up again as Arwen's hands firmly planted himself on his desk. "I want to know what has you and your friends behaving like this!"
"Fine," Aragorn sighed heavily, "If you insist..."
"I do!"
"I'm getting more and more reports about Orcs moving back into our lands and there are also tales of other dark creatures being seen again."
"And that is all?"
"All?" Aragorn's laughter was mirthless, "No, it's not all, it's everywhere. Imladris, Mirkwood, Lothlorien... even Eomer hints at Orcs and maybe even Uruk-Hai terrorizing isolated villages!"
"I thought we had defeated them," Arwen whispered, her face pale, "I though they were all dead..."
"So did I." Aragorn suddenly seemed years older. "And above all this seems to be more than a simple return of darkness."
"What do you mean?"
"Some of the reports claim that tthe Orcs are also much faster than even Saruman's Uruk-Hai were... and stronger."
Arwen gulped. "Stronger?"
"Yes, and there are also bands of Moria Goblins closing in on the Golden Wood."
"Moria? But what if..."
"No, there was only one Balrog in Moria and it has been defeated. But who knows what evils may still lurk within the twisted mines? Balin's Tomb seems to have opened its gates."

Lindir was close to crying and screaming with frustrazion as they finally reached the rosegardens. Bellmaethorion had been as flirtatious and courteouos as always, but had studiously avoided saying anything too personal or important.
He forced a smile, glanciung quickly at the blond elf walking next to him.
"You have been with us for quite some time now," he tried again, vowing that it would be the last time, "How long are you planning to stay now that you know Prince Legolas isn't with us?"
"I don't know," bellmaethorion plucked a rose from th bed of flowers, "My king is not always... just. And my failure to find his son will not sit well with him."
Lindir smiled nervously, hopefully, "So you might decide to stay?" The minstrel blushed as Bellmaethorion reached for his hand.
"I will if your lord Elrond permits me to stay." Bellmaethorion smiled weaklly, "I doubt that I'll be allowed to stay much longer if your lord doesn't return soon."
Lindir frowned. "Why?"
"Because Erestor obviously doesn't want me around, that's why."
"You must be mistaken," Lindir gave Bellmaethorion's hand a squeeze, "Erestor never harbours unjustified grudges and you haven't done anything he could take offense at."
"He still doesn't want me here."
"Has he told you so?"
"No, but the way he acts around me says it clearly enough."
"Erestor has not been himself lately," Lindir aceeded, "He'll be back to his usual cheerful self as soon as Elrond is home again."
"Perhaps," Bellmaethorion threw the rose away, "But I am not mistaken when I say that Glorfindel doesn't like me at all."
"Glorfindel?" Lindor stopped, eyes wide, "Glorfindel doesn't like you?"
"Yes."
"That can't be! Glorfindel never dislikes anyone!"

"Please take me with you, Sir." the young elf in front of him begged, green eyes almost wet with tears, "It's too dangerous for you to go alone! If you do not wish to take an escort with me, let at least me come with you."
"No," black riding gloves slid into place as the dark elf turned, "I told you that I have to do this on my own."
"But you cannot! It will kill you!"
"And it will kill you as well if you ride with me," Erestor pointed out, glaring at the green-eyed elf in front of him, "You may be my squire but I am not going to throw away your life."
"But Sir!"
"I said no, Luthiel."
Helplessly Luthiel stared at his commander, thoughts racing, "I know how much you care about Gondolin and how far you would go to protect it, Sir," he said finally, his voice shaking only a little, "But I will not allow you to die for the city."
"You will not allow?" Erestor snorted, "You are hardly more than a child, Luthiel. How are you going to stop me?"
"I don't know," Luthiel tried to glare at Erestor but failed miserably, "But I will try and if I fail and you still refuse to take me with you then I will follow you."
"You will not."
"I will. Do you want me with you, where you can watch over me or somewhere behind your back, watching you and wide open for attack?"
"Luthiel..."
"No," the young elf crossed his arms in front of his chest, "I have been your squire for over a decade now and I know you. You always take more risks than necesseary. Sometimes I even think that you're looking for a way to kill yourself and I won't allow that. Gondolin still needs you."
"Luthiel..."
"I need you." This time the blond elf managed to glare .
For a moment Erestor stared silently at his squire. "Very well," he said finally, "Go get your sword and bow."

"Erestor? Erestor answer me!"
"Sorry meleth(love)," Erestor smiled, gently cupping the anxious hand on his shoulder, "I was lost in a memory."
"From the absence of blood and the look on your face I almost daresay that it was a pleasant one."
Glorfindel grinned as Erestor answered.
"Not necessarily a pleaseant, but at least a happy one," the advisor's gaze returned to the notes in his lap, "I think I managed to translate this paragraph."
"Oh really?" Glorfindel peered over his shoulder, "So fast?"
"Yes."
"What does it say?"
"It's indeed a journal," Erestor paused, "And who ever wrote this seems to have been some sort of soldier in Gondolin.ö"
"Gondolin?" Glorfindel repeated, "Really? I might know him then. He is probably long-dead, though."
"Probably," Erestor agreed, hating himself for telling Glorfindel yet another lie."