Chapter Five

Warnings: none

...
(Glorfindel)

A peal of mirthful laughter sounded ahead of me where the elleth Linneniel and my friend Lenwë rode beside each other, joking and talking as they followed the flow of the party moving onwards.

It was apparent from Lenwë's wild gesticulations that he had been recounting a rather lewd story about his escapades in the lower wings of the halls of Vinyamar. And if I recalled correctly, one that also involved me and several violent swans. I'd rather prefer it if that story was never told again.

Huffing in annoyance, I urged my stallion into a trot, quickly catching up to where Linneniel was still in a fit of violent giggles. Lenwë was no better off.

"I see you've been busy spreading around certain…stories." I said dryly, pulling up beside Lenwë, who made no attempt to suppress his laughter.

"Well someone has got to tell them, Glorfindel, and it just so happens to be me." He said without a trace of remorse. I sighed.

"My lady, pay no attention to this poor excuse of an elf." I said pointedly to the elleth, who I noted, had the grace to look apologetic, "he has yet to learn the meaning of the word discretion."

She chuckled at this while Lenwë looked mildly affronted.

"He's never really gotten over being beaten off by swans, milady, never been the same ever since, poor chap." He whispered loudly to her conspiringly. She giggled. I glared at Lenwë as he put on a look of complete innocence, which only served to further Linneniel's giggles. Catching the look on my face, she instantly tried to sober up, but ended up with severe hiccups. Lenwë looked extremely pleased with himself.

"Here milady, try to breathe deeper, it will help." Lenwë said to her. She followed his instructions, reducing to the occasional hiccup while stealing guilty glances in my direction.

"See what you have done to the poor girl?" Lenwë said turning to me, sounding as if the whole thing was entirely my fault. "Alas, no one is safe in your company." He shook his head sadly.

"What I have done to her? You should not have been telling such stories to her in the first place!" I exclaimed indignantly. "It is not fitting for an elleth's ears; it is not fitting for anyone's ears for that matter."

"Oh do lighten up, mellon nin." He said, "It could have been a lot worse – I could have told her about the incident at Mereth Aderthad."

I blanched at his words, looking pleadingly at my friend. I had no wish whatsoever for that particular incident to resurface anytime in the near future. I still wince whenever that memory of the Feast of Reuniting came to mind. Lenwë had a dangerous look in his eye, one that I knew all too well.

"What incident, my lord?" Linneniel asked curiously, looking questioningly at my friend. That look on Lenwë's face was definitely not a good sign.

"Why the time that the Lord Glorfindel overdosed on Elu Thingol's finest wine and proceed to dance –" He was cut off abruptly by me leaning over in my horse and clapping a hand over his mouth, silently cursing myself for ever encouraging him.

"It is nothing. Do not listen to him." I said to the elleth who was now looking highly amused at the sight of Lenwë struggling to get free.

"hmm mmph mmm stripping on the table in front of the highest nobles in the whole of Middle Earth!" Lenwë finished off, wresting my hand from his mouth. I winced, biting back a string of curses that I did not want to give voice to in the lady's presence. Linneniel looked shocked and then bursted into a new fit of laughter, a hand to her mouth. Lenwë had said that loud enough for half the company to hear. I was glaring daggers at him while he continued on deliberately.

"I did not think it was possible for King Fingolfin's eyebrows to go so high." He said eagerly, "They practically flew into his hairline. But that was nothing compared to what Thingol looked like because you have no idea what this princeling here did next – " Lenwë paused dramatically. I knew exactly what was coming and I thought frantically of a way to deter Lenwë from what he was obviously going to say next.

"Look Lenwë! Naugrim!" I said, pointing.

"Nice try Glorfindel." He said, without even a glance in the proffered direction, he continued the story with me sitting helplessly nearby bracing myself for what was coming next. "And then – this little princeling here had the audacity to sit on Queen Melian's lap wearing naught but his leggings." I closed my eyes in horror. That had been the most embarrassing thing I had ever done in my entire life, it being all the worse because my gossip of a friend had been witness to it. I had spent long years trying to forget that horrifying revelation Lenwë had told me when I woke from my wine-induced stupor the following morning.

Linneniel's light eyes went so wide that they resemble two large pools of clear water. Lenwë, of course, being pleased of his handiwork, chuckled quietly to himself. I was still stunned by the realization that he had told the most embarrassing story of my life in front of the half the population of Nevrast (not that some of them didn't know it, but at least if they did they had the grace to keep it to themselves) and Linneniel in particular. I was rendered speechless for several moments while it sank in.

"Oh, Thingol was not so amused, I can tell you that." He continued on, taking advantage of my momentary loss of speech. "You should have seen the way he looked at Glorfindel. I was truly afraid for his life at that point, Thingol was not one to take such things lightly. But the Queen only smiled and patted him on the head – patted him – and then had several of the guards peel him off her person. Oh Eru it was absolutely THE most hilarious thing I had ever bore witness to in my life. I do not know how I ever managed to keep myself from bursting out in laughter."

"Now that is something I would paid good money to see." I said sarcastically, "Lenwë for once in his entire life learning to keep his mouth shut."

"I'll have you know that I nearly choked to death on my wine, Glorfindel." He said, "It was a rather painful experience."

"Eru be praised." I muttered under my breath. Linneniel was watching me and Lenwë with an amused look.

"Master Lenwë, I suppose I should expect - if such an embarrassment should happen upon me – to hear of it spoken of around the campfires for the next, oh say, century or so?." She said at last, after watching us with a serene smile for some time. Lenwë looked shocked. I silently rejoiced at watching her wipe that infuriating smirk from Lenwë's face.

"Well now, I would not presume…definitely wouldn't..." He spluttered, his ears turning a bit red. He then mumbled something about having to go speak to his assistant about replenishing the stock of herbs before retreating quickly. I smirked.

"Thank you, my lady." I said to her quietly, "He had that long in the coming." Linneniel smiling, nodded, and we lapsed into a companionable silence as we let ourselves be carried on the flow of the march steadily making its way towards looming shadow of the Ered Wethrin.

The welcome silence allowed me to reflect on the events of the last month since Linneniel had woken from her death-like coma. She had recovered incredibly from the fragile and delicate half-dead elleth I had happened upon that fateful morning that seems so long ago now. Under the watchful care of Lenwë, she had recuperated much faster than to be expected.

Scarcely a week after she regained consciousness, she had recovered well enough to ride a horse with relative comfort, though she had been a bit reluctant at first. Now, she had a healthy glow about her and did not tire easily at all as she did at first, even on my rigorous march schedule that even Turgon had hinted briefly upon just yesterday afternoon. And of course, Lenwë complained about everything and anything in general.

And still, there were many things about her that I had no clue what to make of. When she had been well enough, I had brought her before Turgon to ask what would become of her. She had no relations to Círdan's people in the least, and she had said that she did not belong to any of the other settlements of the Noldor or the Sindar either.

Turgon had made it quite clear to her what she would be subject to if she insists on following us. She would come under the first and foremost law of the Hidden City: she would never be allowed to leave as long as it endured, unless Turgon gives her leave. She had agreed to it readily without any qualms, and with a curious remark. "What are a few ages of Arda to me? I have all the time in the world to return where I wish." She had said.

There was often a time when I could not make head or tail of what came through her lips. When I expressed my concerns to Lenwë, he had only shrugged and said the sea water must have gone to her head (And then suggest that I may be in need of a healer as well).

For an elleth, Linneniel seemed to be one quite young, though she never told me her exact age. Everything she saw was a curiosity to her, even the smallest of things could fascinate her and keep her amused for hours. She would wander amongst the company of people quite unabashed, enquiring of one thing or another, stopping to talk to complete strangers and watching the blacksmiths or some other artisan at work when we stopped for the night.

She had become fast friends with Lenwë (to my great unease) and they spent much time in each other's company, with me popping in whenever I was free from my duties. In truth, as a healer Lenwë had not much to do throughout our trek across Beleriand. Elves are careful creatures: we do not often hurt ourselves unless it was injury in battle and being subjected to neither disease nor old age as did the Atani whom we came upon in our return to Middle Earth, few and seldom are the times one of the Eldar of our company sought Lenwë for his aid.

So it is that Lenwë could now be often found at Linneniel's side, telling a joke or another to entertain her on the long and arduous journey. Truly, I do not begrudge my friend of her company, but there comes times that the familiar prick of irritation would return when I see her laughing and joking at his side.

Whenever I look at her, an overwhelming feeling of protectiveness would come upon me. I had long since came to look upon her as my ward and responsibility - that I, being the one who found her and rescued her from the shores of Nevrast, should be obliged to look out for her well-being and ensure that she was happy and content. And she was, so I was appeased.

And then there were the moments when I thought I saw in her eyes, a flash of that brilliantly radiant light that eradiated from her very soul itself. And I would be suddenly reminded of one warm summer's night, many years ago on the beaches of Nevrast, when I came upon the ethereal Maia who named herself Merlassë, the singer of the water. Even her name, Linneniel, echoed faintly of the Maia of the sea. Maiden of the watersong she was, and yet, she bore none of the exuding power of one of the kin of the Maiar. She was an elleth, though there were times when she appeared to be such an otherworldly creature.

Oh yes, Linneniel was quite a mystery.

"My lord Glorfindel!"

I looked up to see one of Turgon's advisors looking expectantly at me.

"The King requests your audience concerning an important matter." He said, "You must come with me right away."

Sighing, I nodded. "I shall be there momentarily, tell the King that." The messenger bowed and retreated, merging back into the stream of people.

"I apologize my lady, I must take your leave." I said turning to Linneniel, who had also been shaken from her quiet ponderings by the messenger's words. "I trust you will be fine on your own?"

"Do not worry about me, Glorfindel. I can take care of myself." She said placatingly. I smiled at her use of my name, holding her gaze of lightest blue for a fraction of a moment.

"I shall return shortly. If you are need of anything, look for Lenwë." I added, reassuring myself more than her. She nodded

"Now go." She said laughing, "I'm not a little child for you to dote upon me so." Grinning, she made shooing motions with her hands.

I cast a quick smile back at her before urging my stallion into a brisk canter, leaving her behind in the stream of people.

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"We must take the greatest of cautions." said Turgon with a face of great seriousness. "This is not a matter that can be taken lightly."

Heads nodded around the room, where Turgon and his advisors had gathered to discuss the issue of entering the Hidden City. We had made camp early for the night, Turgon having summoned all his counsellors for a meeting of the utmost confidential matters.

For almost two turns of the moon we had travelled, following the mountains that bordered the south of Nevrast and Dor-Lómin. By nightfall tomorrow, the company will have crossed the river Narog, reaching the Falls of Ivrin at the foot of the Ered Wethrin. As we neared our destination, so the chances of discovery increases. The servants of Morgoth frequented the Pass of Sirion, often slipping past the nets of our diligent kin, and we simply could not afford discovery.

"Did not the vala Ulmo say that he himself would protect us on this journey?" a voice rang from the corner of the room.

I turned to see that the speaker was Ecthelion, a trusted counsellor of the king and a true and loyal friend of mine.

"Aye, it is so." Said Turgon, "But we must not presume to let down our guard because of that."

There were several more nods to his words around the room. The King gestured back towards the large map spread across the table, turning once more to address us.

"I want to have double the number scouts sent before us from tomorrow on." He said firmly, "We must form an impenetrable net to ensure not one living creature sees us pass. Ecthelion, you will be in charge of this task." "Yes, my liege." He replied promptly, bringing a hand over his heart and bowing.

"Glorfindel, you will see to it that none of the company wanders off beyond our nets." He said, turning to me.

"None shall, my lord." I answered, giving a quick bow, though I was a bit confused as to why he would assign this task to me. There are none who would wish to leave the safety of the camp to risk the dangers of the wild. But before I could voice my question, Turgon had past by me.

"Duilin. We shall have need of your archers." Turgon said, moving on to the captain of the guard whose archers had a legendary reputation. "Anything that comes within sight of our camp, be it bird, man or beast, must be shot down. With no exceptions."

Duilin blinked twice. "With no exceptions, my lord?"

"No exceptions." Turgon said resolutely. "I will allow no risk of it at all."

"But, my lord, what if –" but he was cut off by the King once again.

"I shall not repeat myself again Duilin. If any man or elf comes upon us, then consider him unfortunate. It will be Ecthelion's job to keep them out of harm, because I will suffer none to live who has seen us." The King was adamant.

Ecthelion shifted uncomfortably where he sat in the corner of the room. It was an incredibly heavy burden to lay on him. One careless mistake he made could cost the life on an innocent person.

There was an awkward silence in the room as everyone took in what Turgon had just declared.

After a moment, Turgon spoke again. "I do believe that is all, you are free to go." He announced. As everyone turned to leave, Turgon pulled me aside.

"Glorfindel, there is something I must speak to you about privately if you would stay for a moment." He said quietly. I nodded.

"Please, sit." He said motioning to a chair, after the tent had emptied of all except us. I sat down and Turgon did the same. I waited patiently for the King to speak.

"Glorfindel, I trust you above all others, I know you will not fail me." Turgon said gravely, looking directly at me. I nodded at his words, curious to hear what he would say.

"I need you to carry this letter to Fingon, my brother." He said, pulling out a piece of parchment with a gold seal from his sleeve. I took it from him, catching a glance of the seal which was unmarked.

"You must go in utmost secrecy, my friend." He continued, as I looked up from examining the letter. "And speak to none save Fingon or Fingolfin. Wear no badge upon your clothing, ride swift and return as soon as you can. It would be best if you rejoined the party before we enter the city. I will wait three days for you if you do not meet us then, no more."

"I will be swift, my lord." I said, nodding. Turgon's face was grave.

"Make sure you are not followed, Glorfindel. The eyes of the Enemy are abundant here." He instructed.

"I will, my lord." I replied in equal seriousness. Bowing, I stood to leave, tucking the scroll of parchment into the sleeve of my robes.

"Glorfindel." Turgon called after my retreating back as I made my way to the opening of the tent. I turned to face my King once again. His eyes were full of concern. "Take care, my friend."

I nodded at his words and bowed once again, before exiting the spacious quarters of the King's tent. Quickly, I made my way to my own tent to change into more suitable travel clothes for the chilly climate of where I was headed. I must leave before sunset, and the sun was already sitting low among the treetops. Choosing the most non-descript clothing I had with me, I hastily changed into it, pulling the hood of my dark cloak around my head. Exiting the tent, I took my stallion by the lead and merged quietly into the woods. Ecthelion's guards were not to take post until sunset, leaving me a small time window to take my leave without discovery by the guards. Even so, I remained as silent as possible, walking my horse a ways away from the camp before mounting and riding swiftly north towards the towering peaks of the Ered Wethrin.

The pass through the mountains would take at least a week, if not more. I would be hard pressed to return in time. And the manner of my return would be difficult as well. With the heavy guards around the company, I do not know how I would slip back in without raising a great alarm among Ecthelion's guards or get myself shot by Duilin's archers. I hope that Turgon would have the sense to give them at least a little warning. However, I trusted the King's good judgement and knew he would inform them of it…somehow.

'He better.' I thought to myself. The idea of being spitted by one of Duilin's expertly trained archers did not appeal to me in the least.

...
(Merlassë)

I was left to my own thoughts once again when the golden-haired ellon who was called Glorfindel left to attend to some business for his King.

It had been a turn of the moon since I had awakened to find myself lying in a tent (the strange dwelling made of canvas length) in a camp of the Quendi. They were the people of Turgon, whom Ulmo had told me about that day I met him by the river. They were heading towards the city they built, hidden deep in the mountains in the north of Beleriand.

I was reluctant at first to speak with them, these curious beings so unlike my own kin. I had thought to accept their aid and then be off when I could. But the weeks I had spent in their company filled me with great fascination of the lives they led and I was urged to stay and learn more about these beings that my beloved Father had created.

They were a merry people, full of joy and laughter. They loved music and dance and the beauty of the earth they lived in. But I also saw in them, a great sorrow, a shadow cast over their kind from their rebellion against the Valar and the wariness brought on by the wars against Melkor the traitor.

I became great friends with the dark-haired ellon who had nursed me back to some semblance of health in the past weeks. He was called Lenwë by his people and was respected as an expert in the arts of healing. He was a jolly little thing really, always with a joke or two (or three or four) at hand which he told often in our journey towards the high mountains wherein housed the eagles of Manwë. He had taken me under his wing and had taught me much about the ways of the Firstborn in the short time I spent with him. He had patiently answered all my questions and even thrown in bits of information in addition to that which I enquired about. He had thought it highly amusing though when I asked him the function of the little pot kept at the side of the bed.

Lenwë had also introduced me to several others that he worked with and whose company he kept when we made camp for the night. There were Aranel and Belagos, both healers whom he had worked with when they lived in the stone halls by the sea. There were also the ellith Elenwen and Mirellas who were good friends of theirs, and being well versed in herb lore the ellyn often sought their aid in foraging for the curative plants. But Lenwë was also great friends with a counsellor of the King, who (as Lenwë confided in me) was high in the confidence of the Turgon the King.

Glorfindel he was called, and he was aptly named, for his golden hair shone brilliant as the light of Arien. His eyes were blue as the waves of the Belegaeur. He, of all the company of the Eldalië, intrigued me most of all.

For you see, he was the first out of all the Quendi that I ever spoke to.

I recalled that one summer's night, when he had surprised me on the white shore of Beleriand, startling me out of my song. I knew he was one and the same for his cerulean eyes that had captured me so. To have for once, such a unique creature stare back into my own soul, I would never forget such a feeling. After further questioning Lenwë, I had discovered that he was indeed the one who had rescued me from the beach of Nevrast (the name the Noldor gave to the regions of the northwest of Middle Earth, bordered by the Mountains of Shadow).

As Lenwë was playful though, Glorfindel was solemn and dignified. Every word he spoke was measured and he had a commanding air about him. I learnt (courtesy of Lenwë, he never could keep a thing to himself) that he was of noble blood, and was related to Turgon himself through the Vanyarin wife of Finwë. Lenwë seems to think that it explained a great deal of why he was so 'insufferably snobby, bossy and unsociable in general'. However ill Lenwë spoke of him though, I could tell that he respected his friend deeply and they were very close in friendship.

I also noticed that Glorfindel commanded a great deal of respect from his peers as well. Regardless of what Lenwë had said about the entire company resenting him for the rigorous march schedule, I saw that they held him in high esteem and would follow his leadership unquestioningly. He was a caring, gentle and kind soul, who would not hesitate to help anyone who sought his aid, and it was this quiet strength in him that I admired most.

And though I now live daily among the elder children of Eru, I never ceased to be amazed by them: their vibrantly different personalities, their joy in life, and most of all, how strikingly similar they were to us in some respects. These exquisite creatures were almost like to us in every way, save in power and stature.

I suppose you could say I was enchanted by them. And day by day, I fell more in love with them and lost all desire to leave them and dwell again in solitude. I have had a taste of the joys of society and it has spoiled me for all else.

Oh you could scorn me as foolish – my brother certainly would. He loved the Eldalië, of course, because they were the children of Eru. But other love for them than that alone, he had no desire to further pursue. To my brother, they were simply little creatures to be guarded, and occasionally, to dote upon. They held no further value to him than that. How wrong he was! But then my brother was always one who was hasty in his judgment.

"Linneniel!"

Through the haze of my thoughts, a single voice penetrated through to my consciousness.

"Mellon nin, stop! Or you shall walk clean out of the camp by the rate you're going."

I stopped.

A slightly flustered Lenwë half-ran up to the side of my mare and grabbed her bit as if he was afraid that I would surely wander away again in my absentmindedness.

"We make camp early tonight." He said, turning my mount around and leading her back towards the main camp.

"The King has summoned his advisors in council."

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"Where is that arrogant-cold hearted-utterly mannerless-pathetic excuse of an elf! Where is he!"

It was just after sunset, and I found myself sitting near one of the numerous fires in the camp enjoying a bit of soup (apparently it was vegetables, fish and meat all boiled together in a vat of water. However unpleasant that may sound, I must admit it was pretty delightful) and watching Lenwë's progressively more frenzied pacing around and around the campfire.

"He is probably just held up by Turgon, Lenwë." Said Aranel, lounging lazily by the fire, "No need to work your underpinnings in a knot."

This earned a glare from Lenwë, as he continued to wear a rut in the ground from his pacing. Mirellas and Elenwen stifled a laugh.

"Ellyn." Whispered Mirellas exasperatedly, rolling her eyes. Elenwen hid a laugh behind her hand. I only smiled bemusedly.

The truth was, none of us had seen or heard of Glorfindel since this afternoon, when he had been summoned away by the King. And however busy he was, he should have dropped by for a quick visit – be it a brief hello or an irate word of reprimand – by now. This was indeed highly unusual.

Lenwë, however, was firmly convinced that Glorfindel had at last worked himself to exhaustion, and could be found fainted dead away in a ditch somewhere.

"A ditch somewhere, Lenwë? How thoughtful of him! Saves us all the trouble of someone spotting and rescuing him then." Replied Belagos.

Lenwë obviously thought it was not something to be joked about, because he stopped his pacing then and silenced him with a glare.

"This is not something to be joked about, Belagos." He said vindictively.

"Oh would you just sit down and shut up, Lenwë." Said Aranel, "Glorfindel is perfectly capable of taking care of himself. Now leave us all be or go take a nice quiet walk somewhere by yourself."

"A nice quiet long walk." Added Belagos helpfully.

Lenwë cast another glare in the direction of the ellyn and stomped off in a huff, muttering to himself.

"I can scarcely make up my mind as to who's worse, Lenwë or Glorfindel." Said Mirellas gloomily, after Lenwë had gone out of earshot.

"I swear Lenwë is, when he gets into his spells like this." Said Belagos. Elenwen nodded in agreement.

"Ah, but you have never suffered under the Eye of No Relent." Replied Aranel. Looks were exchanged and they all shuddered.

"The what?" I asked curiously.

It was Belagos who answered.

"Well, you see, Aranel here used to be a scribe of sorts." He said, gesturing towards the gloomy Aranel, "And several summers ago, he was assigned to serve under Glorfindel."

"It was horrible." Aranel said.

This was followed by a flurry of replies.

"You should have seen him –"
"Not eating properly –"
"Wind could've blown him over like a stick-"
"Face pale as death –"
"Never a moment to himself-"

"And that, is why, my friend, I became a healer." Said Aranel. The others nodded fervently.

I chuckled.

"Surely it is not that bad." I said, half smiling.

"It is." They all said quickly in unison.

I smiled again and stood.

"I think I shall take a nice walk also." I said. Then, smiling to myself, I left the campfire.

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"Milady, you cannot leave the camp."

I was thus deterred at the edge of the encampment by a raven-haired guard.

I raised an inquisitive eyebrow at his words. He squirmed under my glance but maintained his stance.

"I'm sorry milady, it's just that Turgon had given orders to the archers to shoot anyone found outside the camp, stranger or no." He said, looking down at his boots, "And I would blame myself if you got hurt."

I smiled kindly at him and turned back towards the camp, to his great relief. But as soon as his face was turned, I slipped past him into the night beyond.

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So, for reasons unknown, the page break button on my screen will not work. So I have been forced to use alternatives. Anyways, for your viewing and reading pleasure Ladies and gentlemen - my latest chapter.