Glorfindel liked this place; he sat on a small balcony above the main entrance of their new home in Valinor and savored the stunning view over the land surrounding it. It was the complete opposite to Imladris with its wide fields and visibility, which meant you are not only seen, but could see visitors approaching for a good amount of time before they arrived and he loved to greet them and talk and laugh with them. No fear of bad news or danger approaching, only joy to see each other. It definitely felt good to be here, surrounded by all those people again he had missed so dearly after their departure and most of all to have Celebrían back as healthy and mischievous as he remembered her to be.
The Lady Galadriel visited regularly, even without Nenya impressive as ever, even if she was worried Celeborn hadn't sailed with him and the twins after he had lived with them in Imladris after her departure. Glorfindel told her about his intention to stay until Thranduil would finally be able to sail and a look of utter love and absolute understanding had passed above her face, so unexpected that the blonde warrior had feared his jaw might drop open without him being able to do something against it, but luckily it had not.
The only thing that really worried him was that Legolas hadn't arrived yet. The grief stricken elf should have sailed before Glorfindel and the twins, truth to be told he should have sailed decades before them but nothing was able to move one of Orophers line if he had made up his mind and decided otherwise; Glorfindel knew that from experience. He feared Gimli hadn't been able to get him on a boat in time; he shuddered at the thought and what might happen when Thranduil would arrive someday, only to learn that his son wasn't here and will never come. He got the distinct impression that the Valar would be begging Eru to deal with Feanor again when they were confronted with the incredible force that was a furious and worried Thranduil, whenever Legolas was concerned, demanded to sail back to middle-earth and search for him. They would possibly help him to build a boat and provide him with enough food and water to last the journey.
But his thoughts were interrupted as a white horse galloping in his direction came into view. He could tell that it was a beautiful horse even if he couldn't see the rider yet.
There were only a few elves in possession of a horse in Valinor, because you seldom need one and so he guessed that the rider had had a long way to get here.
When his eyes fell upon the dark long hair his eyes grew wide and he stood to get a better look, this couldn't be true. He grabbed the railing so hard that his knuckles turned white, but as the horse slowed down to a trot his suspicion was confirmed and as it came to halt in front of the house even the last doubt vanished instantly. Glorfindel starred down in disbelief, infinite happiness battling down the scenes of death and destruction in his mind. And then he jumped down from the balcony in one fluid motion and found himself in a tight embrace seconds later. He couldn't bring his arms to raise and hug the other one back shocked as he was until a choked "I've missed you, ai Valar, I've missed you so much" reached his ear.
Glorfindels arms closed around the other elf as he buried his head in the space between shoulder and head and breathed in this long forgotten scent and he did so deeply.
He can't say how long they stood there when his long lost friend took a step back and looked him in the eyes. "I am deeply sorry. I've heard what happened, that you died too. It was…" he took a deep breath "I am so sorry. My last thoughts were with you and I hoped that you would be able to live and…" His words stopped, tears pooling in his eyes and this time it was Glorfindel who embraced him, making some soothing noises he made to the twins when they were little elflings and truly upset about something.
A decent clearing of the throat reached Glorfindels ears and he turned his head around to see Elrond standing behind them, who didn't say something about the two clearly happy but deeply upset and tear streaked faces, he only smiled genuinely and spoke in a unobtrusive but firm voice.
"I don't want to interrupt you but maybe you'd like to have a little bit more privacy for this reunion. You could lead your friend to Celebríans garden if you want."
Glorfindel looked up sharply at that. Elrond had said 'your friend' which meant he didn't know the other elves name, otherwise he would have called him by that, which meant he had never met the other Lord before and so he turned a little bit more around and bid Elrond to come closer, so he could look at them both. He grabbed Elronds right hand and he had never let go of his friends left one, before he spoke.
"Thel, I want to introduce you to Lord Elrond, son of Earendil, the one I came back to serve and protect after my rebirth. Elrond, this is Ecthelion of the Fountain, former Lord of Gondolin and a dear friend to me as he had been for your grandparents too.
And while Ecthelions face lit up at this words, because he saw what his dead has protected; Elrond bowed deeply before he spoke.
"I am in your debt Lord Ecthelion, because your sacrifice and that of so many others saved my father's life and made mine possible. Thank you, the doors of my halls will ever be open for you and your friends and I would be glad to call you a guest for some time."
Ecthelions grin widened even further. "It would be my honor to stay under your roof for a few days. Your name and your great doings had reached this land long before you stepped onto this beach."
They followed Elrond inside and through the family wing, past the painting of Arwen and Aragorn on their wedding day, positioned at the same spot the door to Arwens room would have been if she had chosen to sail, and walked into Celebríans private little garden behind the house. The family wing was the only way to enter and so they would be totally undisturbed. Elrond led them to a small pond, where some fruits, nuts and water stood on a nearby table. Then he left them alone with the promise to fetch them for dinner and prepare a guest room, but Glorfindel decided Ecthelion would stay with him for the time being and the other elf didn't object.
They sat for hours in the warmth of the sun and chatted above everything that came to their minds as if it hadn't been millennia since their last talk with each other. They didn't speak about that day, coming to the wordless agreement that it was far too early for that conversation.
Glorfindel sat on some rocks, bare feet in the cool water of the pond while Ecthelion preferred to lie at his back in the grass, because he didn't feel the urge to drown again. And even if he had said it with a laugh in his voice, Glorfindel was wiser than to say something about that, because it wasn't the day to speak about fears and bad memories. But there was something that interested him deeply.
"So how do you found out that I am here? Is there a place somewhere with a list, announcing every new arrival from the sea or out of Mandos halls? Or how does it work?"
Ecthelion laughed, that hearty and true sound Glorfindel loved so much. "No, but that would be incredible helpful for all of us. But as far as I know there isn't something like that and you have to hope that someone had heard something from one elf or the other that someone had seen somebody. In your case it was Turgon who told me."
"Turgon is back?" Glorfindels heard missed a beat at that information. His king was here, he could see him and talk to him. Maybe the others were back, too?
Ecthelion must have sensed his train of thoughts and smiled up at him, not totally happy but not really sad either.
"Yes he is. He came back a decade or two after me. He is as stubborn and infuriating as ever, but able to actually listen to your advice and then he goes and does it his way anyway. Egalmoth returned at the same time as I did, he survived Gondolin, but you probably know this."
Glorfindel nodded, he had done a lot of research and had been happy to see his friend had survived only to find out that he had died by the sons of Feanor a short while later.
"Rog isn't back from the halls yet, but thinking about his rather impatient nature he should join us rather sooner than later."
There were so many others they could talk about, but it was enough for the time being, the four of them were the important ones and they had only to wait for Rog and he would come, of that Glorfindel was sure.
"So Turgon told you I am back. But how could the less informed elf from all of Arda as it once had been knew something like that? I am not here for centuries, we are talking about weeks, months at the most."
"Oh, Gandalf visited. You know him, right?"
Glorfindel only rolled his eyes.
"Yeah I get it. You know him, I get the distinct impression that every one of the third age knows him and isn't too happy about it. It seems he meddled a lot."
The former Lord of the House of the Golden Flower snorted at that. "You should talk with Thranduil about him, he will be able to tell you a lot about Gandalf and his meddling abilities."
Ecthelion frowned. "Thranduil?"
"King of the woodland realm, Orophers son, distinct relative to Thingol or so. He fought Sauron for millennia without help; he is a great and loved king over a realm burdened with war and grief. He has a formidable son who helped to destroy the One Ring. But back to the matter at hand, Gandalf met Turgon, why?"
"Gandalf brought Glamdring with him and gave it back to Turgon as he came back to Valinor and felt the need to look at it again or something like that. And while they were talking he mentioned a visit to Cirdan, who told him that Gil-galad had visited Elrond and found him very happy over your arriving. So gossip travels fast in this land as it seems."
Glorfindel laughed and was glad about this kind of gossip and had to admit that Gandalf seemed to be able to meddle for the good as well, but he only did so to himself; no need to wake false ideas within Ecthelion and then another thought shot through his mind.
"Thel, I have to tell you something!" he declared with a gleam in his eyes and his whole body full of restless energy as he sprang up, fishes swimming away panicked because of the sudden movement in the water and Ecthelion laughed at the sight he knew so well and had seen so often in his younger days, Glorfindel brimming with excitement and happiness he had to share because he would burst otherwise.
"What is it this time?" He asked dryly, but couldn't hide his smile.
"I made a prophecy and it became true. And there are witnesses to confirm it! Well, there had been witnesses." He said, remembering Earnur with soft melancholy in his eyes, before they lit up again. "But it is all written down and the books are here in Elronds library to confirm it!"