There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.
William Shakespeare, "Hamlet", Act 2 scene 2
Elves are secretive by nature. Thousands of years of life makes one pile up more than a few skeletons in their closet. However, not all secrets are of a scandalous or harmful nature. Some are just kept for the simple reason that we fear their outcomes. Those who know the prophecies always try to run from them, to prevent them from occurring. But you can not fight fate. And what the Valar wills is what will inevitably occur.
Galdor of the Havens had always loved coming to Imladris. The minute one entered the realm of Rivendell a feeling of comfort came out to envelope and greet you. The Homely House was quite so. One could never tell what types of beings they would run into, or what elves of great legend and merit you would find yourself seated next. Galdor always loved speaking with Glorfindel of his past life in Gondolin, gaining insight of his namesake, Glador of the House of the Tree.
However, most entertainment in Imladris was provided by the various children and foster-children of the Valley's Lord. It seemed every orphaned elf in Arda came to dwell in the House of Elrond. And this was most likely, for who would not wish to be raised in such a lovely and tranquil place?
Tranquility was not present today. As Galdor observed from his very comfortable seat in the gardens, one of the twins was going to be severely harmed by one of the advisors. Rian, he believed. And it would be injury by a very heavy tome. He wondered which twin it was.
"Elrohir, the Valar Forsake you!"
Question answered.
"Rian, I did not tell him! Arwen did!"
"Leave it to a male to blame his own folly on a female! His sister, no less!"
"Elrond believes those two should just wed and stop the inevitable."
Galdor started at hearing Glorfindel. He had not even heard the Elda creep up.
He smiled, "I would think Elladan and Morwen would be more likely to wed than Elrohir and Rian."
Glorfindel gave a small laugh, "Oh, no. Not at all. Feelings of lust and romance have never risen between those two and they never shall. If they ever do wed it will only be for reasons of eternal companionship but never for pleasures of the flesh."
"You are so sure of this?"
"I have never been more sure of anything in my life. Besides, Elladan desires Lady Aerlinn."
"And Elrohir seeks Lady Nithiel. However, childhood fancy which we often mistake for love wanes when one is in the presence of the person the Valar has chosen for them."
"Ahh, and what of those of us who never outgrow our childhood fancy?"
Galdor jumped again, yet another elf having sneaked up on him. This however was the Lady Morwen, and he had not spent much time in her presence. Despite his surprise he did not miss the look shared between her and Glorfindel at that very moment. One would have been blind to miss the meaning in that gaze. Ahh….so here is the reason Morwen will never wed Elladan.
"My Lady, how are you today?" Galdor asked politely.
"Quite well, I assure you. I was sent to look for you. Erestor is in need of an unbiased opinion for the decorations and games being set up for the festival. He seeks your opinion the most. It has been some time since you have dwelt under our roof."
Galdor smiled, "Yes, it has, but the number of elves passing through the Havens has increased. I have not had much time to come for long visits. That tale, I am afraid, is for another time. I shall make haste towards Erestor's study before he finds a way to kill himself or another."
"Oh do not worry. Elrond had all sharp and relatively heavy objects removed from his office a week or so ago. One never wishes to be within Erestor's throwing distance this time of year."
Morwen sat down next to Glorfindel taking in the scene of commotion above them.
"They act like children." She noted.
"That they do. Galdor seems to think it is secret love they harbor for each other."
"I must disagree."
"Oh?" Glorfindel arched one of his golden brows, "And why do you say that?"
"A lady never reveals her secrets, Lord Glorfindel."
Glorfindel gave her a cynical look,
"Funny how I recall a young elven girl, running around in the orchard with her braids flying behind her, trying her best to locate me to tell me of her newest secret hiding place."
"You would dare to hold my childhood against me? My, you are a rogue."
"So it has been said."
Glorfindel lifted a hand up and took one of Morwen's loose braids between his fingers,
"Although, I find it quite endearing you can not keep your braids in the proper style that befits a woman of your station. Wild and free you have been and wild and free you always shall be. I pray no one ever tames you, my little gypsy spirit."
Glorfindel went silent, his mind obviously going to some place of memory past.
Morwen gave a concerned look to her childhood hero,
"Glorfindel, are you alright? Do I need to call for Elrond?"
All the members of the Last Homely House knew Glorfindel could sometimes stray into the dark memories of the life he once lived, and the guilt he still carried from the foolish fall caused by his sinful pride. When the dark memories came upon him it was best to leave him in the presence of Elrond or Erestor, seeing as how they were there when the balrog slayer had returned.
Morwen sometimes wondered if Glorfindel's punishment was being sent back to Arda.
"Glorfindel?"
The golden elf snapped out of his trance,
"My apologies Morwen, my mind does seem to wander these days. Old age and all its trappings. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I shall go join Erestor and Galdor. Have a nice day, my lady."
"Aye." Morwen muttered, very confused.
Elladan watched Lady Nithiel as she continued her long and boring conversation with Lindir. A minstrel's talent truly came in music and not in conversation. Elladan was almost asleep from their talk. Why Elrohir felt attracted to her, Elladan could not comprehend. She was not right for his brother, which was obvious. Of course, his brother said the same about Aerlinn when Elladan mentioned her in passing. Perhaps Glorfindel was correct, these…infatuations of theirs were just out of what the twins believed they were supposed to desire. Not that Elladan truly trusted Glorfindel's advice when it came to love. In both of the elf's lifetimes he had not been bound, to male or female, and had not fathered children. He seemed to be the tragic elf of solitude. Even Erestor had more relationship experience than Glorfindel, and that was just pathetic. Elladan was not naïve, he knew lust and love were not the same in the least. But even Glorfindel's lustful flings lasted a day at best. What was he trying to run from…that could be the answer.
Elladan shook his head, those thoughts were too serious. He must watch himself or else he would be made a councilor.
Rian.
Now, there was a perfect female for his brother, or Glorfindel for that matter. However, he already had his plans for Glorfindel. And Rian was not a part of them. Elladan continued his observation of Nithiel, she had to be considered the owner of the most beautiful voice in Imladris, that was without doubt. Her temperament could use some fixing, a bit more smiles as opposed to those blank looks forever on her face. She wasn't a simple elf at all, why she tried to appear as one was beyond him. Oh, well. If Elrohir wished to obtain her charms then he would assist.
Finally the conversation between the two minstrels ended and Elladan approached the Lady.
"Lady Nithiel?" He asked, using his most charming purr. Hours of practice had gotten it just right.
Nithiel looked up with wide eyes, clearly not expecting one of the sons of the Lord to approach without reason.
"Yes, my Lord?"
"I was wondering if you could assist me. You see, my dear friend Morwen, she has decided to lighten some of poor Erestor's burden with the upcoming festival and banquet. And as she tends to do, she took great advantage of my presence and unloaded some of the burden onto me. I have been placed in charge of the seating arrangements. Now, I found your normal place on the sheet of parchment Morwen so cruelly shoved into my hands, but I was not able to find the name of the fortunate person who will be accompanying you. Could you please inform me of this oversight?"
Nithiel lowered her blonde head, her eye lashes swooping down to cover her eyes. Her face was a perfect picture of the demure female.
"The reason there is no name beside mine is because no one has asked me yet. I do not understand why. Last banquet many offers came, but now there are none."
(Because Elrohir has warned most of those trying to catch you as their prey off. You should really thank him for that), Elladan thought.
"That is a crime, my lady." Elladan stated in the prefect pitch of disbelief. "I must correct this grievous error. If it would please my lady, I will accompany you to the banquet and ball."
The blue eyes of Nithiel lit up with hope and excitement. (Finally, true emotion). Elladan's thoughts were really not kind at the moment.
"Truly, my lord?" Nithiel asked, doubt and a bit of suspicion in her tone. Elladan was no rogue, but he did have a trickster inside of him.
"Truly." Elladan glanced at the window. "Oh, you must excuse me, my lady. I must get these table preparations to Morwen before dinner. I will speak to you later of our arrangement. Have a good day."
Nithiel nodded, "You as well."
Erestor took a deep breath. For the first time in weeks it seemed he had finally located a moment of calm. It had started at dinner and had stayed. The Household seemed calm as a whole.
It could only mean one thing: a storm was about to hit, and it would hit hard.
The young ones would be the cause of this storm, with all the pain and drama that goes with the young and their relationships. However, this storm would be even more fierce, because it not only involved the young ones, but one of the ancient ones as well. The re-born warrior from the First Age.
Erestor found Glorfindel in the normal spot his friend went to contemplate the fate the Valar had set out for him.
Erestor located Glorfindel on the balcony that overlooked his favorite waterfall. He claimed the water soothed him. Odd, considering water led to the death of both Glorfindel and one of the closest friends of his past, Ecthelion.
"You will have to tell her the truth soon." Erestor stated, barely above a whisper, knowing what had brought his friend here.
"I truly wish not to. Can we not just act as if the decree never happened?"
"Glorfindel." Erestor shook his head and sat down next to his friend, placing a comforting arm around his shoulders.
"She will discover the truth soon, all secrets are eventually revealed. Why not ease both her suffering and your own? You know she will not be able to find true happiness in anyone else but you."
Glorfindel turned towards him, "Could you tell someone that? Tell them that their existence is solely because they are part of a bartered agreement made by the Valar? Could you tell someone of such sweet spirit that the minute she was born her parents left, her mother not staying even to nurse her? That they detested the idea so much of having another child they did not even stay for her first week of birth? I can not do that my friend, it would kill her. She would come to hate herself, her family, and most of all, us. All of us that lied to her and kept the truth hidden. I can not take the happiness in her soul away from her."
"You can not avoid it, Glorfindel. You will have to claim her in the end. She is yours."
"She is no one's. She is a wild spirit and I must keep her free."
"At the price of her heart? She will not love another willingly."
"We all must make sacrifices."
"Yes, we must, and we get rewarded for them. That is why the Valar decided upon your return that.."
"That what, Erestor? That they would purposely put me into a situation to which I can not find a way out? That they would torment me even more than what I felt in those Halls? Have you not realized that this is my punishment? To be so close to that which I want and to be denied it? All because of my foolish pride."
Erestor pulled Glorfindel into a strong hug, it was not often the elf became bitter, but when he did it was horrible. He placed a chastely kiss on the golden head.
"It will work itself out in the end, my friend, you shall see."
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