Well I had time so you get an update!:p

"I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge. That myth is more potent than history. That dreams are more powerful than facts. That hope always triumphs over experience. That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death."

― Robert Fulghum

Arrai was in council with Galion at the war table when Captain Orek and his southern patrol arrived, a week and several days late, armor covered in dust and grime but that didn't stop the Captain from demanding an immediate audience with the King immediately after seeing his men to the healer's wing.

Captain Orek was a tall elf, dark hair flowing behind him armor shining like starlight. He all but threw open the doors to the once feasting hall. Though not an elder elf nor as old as Galion he was quite a force to be reckoned with on the battlefields. His eyes twitched incredulously as he beheld the younger elf not yet having heard of what had occurred ere he was scouting. Captain Orek studied the familiar features with confusion but waved it off as exhaustion on his part. No doubt this elf must have come from Rivendell or Lothlórien with a report of his own. "Is King Thranduil otherwise occupied?"

"Yes," Galion quickly interjected, interrupting the younger elf who looked as if he were about to speak. "I would have you report before you take your rest. There is much I must tell you."

"Right, of course." Orek made his way to the long table large maps unfurled on it. He shifted several of the pieces. "I was sent as you well know to scour the southern borders." He drew a path with his index finger eyes on Galion. "I passed the mountains of Mirkwood and even dared to go toward Dol Guldur." His finger trailed off to the darkened image on the map.

"You made it as far as the black tower?" The younger elf asked his face inscrutable. Orek shook his head. "I did not, I pushed till I dared push no further. Long have our blades ceased to glitter at the presence of the orcs. I was merely attempting to confirm something I discovered when I was taken unawares by the Orcs myself, here by the old forest road."

Galion frowned. "What have you discovered?"

"As King Thranduil feared the forests are becoming more populated with orcs, but that is a report from a time ago, for the past decade now their numbers have been growing. The discovery I made refers to my lack of sensing the orcs. I decided to travel as far as I could, to see how much we elves could still sense."

Captain Galion's eyes narrowed. "That is highly dangerous Captain; you could have lost your entire party in an ambush." Orek shifted several more pieces hand lingering at the tower. "Ai it was, but we were on guard and I was cautious. We treaded high and low and the blades that were of old make glittered by the nests of the Umai as they always do. Yet the orcs we could not sense like we do the foul insects. We kept traveling toward the dark tower. It was uninhabitable I can say that much. We then turned our gaze toward the Anduin, I wanted to press on but our rations would not last. So I turned back in hopes of word from Lothlórien. Are you from Lothlórien elf?"

Arrai looked up at that. "I fought in the area my scouting party so to speak as we were only three riders made it as far as the North Undeep, it was there we sensed the darkness gathering."

Galion frowned, his eyes scrutinizing the younger elf. "You did not tell me of this when you came."

"No, I did not want to give an unnecessary report, my presence here was necessary for dark enough reasons. It was only after I had read the reports of Mirkwood's scouts did I realized that the events were intertwined. As it stands I should speak of what I saw in the North Undeep. Galion's brow darkened. "What did you see?"

"Myself and two others followed the Anduin here, seeing a party of orcs we followed and tracked them to the North Undeep, it was there we saw the shadow."

Captain Orek's eyes widened. "You speak of the Nazgûl?" Arrai's lips twitched into a frown a haunted look in his eyes and though the younger elf answered the look was far more than enough to tell the captain what it was he had faced. "I do nine there should be, but only one did we see."

Galion looked to Arrai sharply voice full of wonder. "You fought this creature and came out alive?"

Arrai chuckled darkly. "We were fortunate it rained when it did Captain Galion, or I doubt I would be standing before you now."

Galion shook his head. "You're fortunate indeed young one. It seems however that we established several things here however, which I deem a good thing. For one we now know what we are dealing with."

"Indeed," Orek put it, "At least we can still sense the accursed Umai, and from your report it seems the riders can be sensed still though how that it a good thing I cannot say."

"If we can sense it, it can sense us and the blades of old elven make." Arrai put in his eyes now on both Captains. "And Lady Galadriel believes it is not the Witch King who has awoken."

"Praise Valar." Captain Orek fingered a figurine on the map shifting it, lips twitching into a tired smile, "Perhaps all is not lost."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Captain Galion said face darkening to Orek's confusion. "You may wish to sit for this." Captain Orek settled down face a mask of concern. Galion sighed, "There is much you need to hear mellon nin, and much darkness that will cause your ears to ring in pain." Orek's face paled. "Speak then."

It took around half an hour more so because Galion sought to break the news as gently as he could do his longtime friend. By the time he was finished the Captain was sitting down face in his hands trying to contain his tears at the sheer horror of what had occurred ere he road south. "Sweet Eru!" His lips twisted into a grimace, his cousin had been in that patrol and Lihnnor his friend his comrade in arms, he wanted to weep but no tears came. He wanted needed something to make it right but nothing seemed to come. He rose at length, his armored hands coming down on the map. "I, I will go rest."

Galion frowned as the Captain left. "We must gather a full council and inform all the Captains of this. Arrai gave a nod of assent. "Perhaps we should seek whether King Thranduil wished to join the council chamber."

Galion's lips pressed into a thin line. "I pray that he wishes to do so." For in truth Mirkwood needed its king more than ever now.

It was a warm day in Rivendell. Glorfindel sat in his study located immediately as one entered from the back garden and greenery of the abode no doors necessary between the two, his hands resting on a wooden writing desk, a wall with shelves and scrolls of elven lore on his right hand side. Light filtered in through the large apertures that served as windows. A frown graced Glorfindel's lips as he observed the tiny elfling preoccupied on a marble bench on the opposite side of the room pressed almost to the wall. It had only been two days and already he was worried. There was something very wrong with the elfling he could feel it even as surely as he knew whatever it was if he did not fix it, it could be that the tiny thing could fade right before his eyes.

For one the elfling never sang. He had not asked for food nor anything for that matter. He barely spoke choosing to communicate in a sort of point and nod and smile method, granted he was very young, four in human years to be exact but still elven children at this age were all over the place, full of life and song and full of demands and caprices wanting this sweet or another until they outgrew such child fancies. Another thing troubling thing was that Arrai insisted on being in whichever room he was at any and all times, following him around like a shade as if at any moment he could and would simply disappear.

Glorfindel's eyes narrowed as he observed the tiny elfling stretched out on the bench playing with two flowers he must have torn from the gardens, when Glorfindel did not know, only that he couldn't recall it happening. One had a red bud the other white petals. The little one was moving them around in a sort of dance pattern curious eyes wide as he twirled the flowers stems around as if they were the most interesting thing in the world.

"Do you want to go and play outside?" The child froze at his words face turning to the left, dark blue eyes locking on his own; the eyes just kept staring at him questioningly. Then the head tilted in a nod of dissent. "Are you sure?" Another nod.

Glorfindel sighed returning to the scrolls Elrond had given to him to translate in his free time, something he had much of now. The scrolls were in an old elven dialect, one seldom used and one the Elder elves like himself were more accustomed too. They needed translation so that elves with less lore such as Mirkwood could still read them should they have need. There were not many who could translate such things so the role fell to him to rewrite these archives of elven knowledge especially since up until two days ago he had had no child to occupy his time with. He sighed as he rubbed a hand over his face tiredly. Translating was not for him, it was for elves, who preferred lore over blades. Several more minutes with a quill and he was ready to rip the texts to shreds regardless of the fact that they were priceless. He couldn't do this, ever since he took the tiny elfling in he had been frustrated, too frustrated to properly concentrate on anything for more than several minutes. He jotted down a quick note in request to send this and the other blasted scrolls to Lothlórien. Rumil could do the job, though not an Elder elf Haldir's brother was more than qualified to do the translations and quite frankly possessed the patience for such mundane things. A thin smile graced his lips sometimes age was a good thing. He could have others doing things he didn't like for him.

The moment passed and his eyes were once more on the tiny elf making odd noises which Glorfindel assumed was him playing out some sort of scene with the two flowers. "We're going outside." It was a statement. The tiny elf observed him, as if judging what he should do. Slowly he rose and tottered after Glorfindel a good few feet between them.

The two exited into the gardens. At length Glorfindel settled crossed among the vast expanse of grass trees fruit trees around them his ward following suit. "Ion nin, do you not want to play?" A shake of dissent. "What about climbing trees?" Another shake. Glorfindel ran a hand through his hair. What was he thinking? He couldn't take care of the child, he didn't even know how! He was a warrior, he could fight orcs and goblins and Nazgûl and even Balrogs but this? This he couldn't do. He couldn't be the boy's father; he wasn't even the boy's father. The two sat in relative silence one observing the other being observed, the sun high in the sky indicating time for a midday meal.

"Are you hungry?" The child who now stretched out on the ground with more flowers added to his collection of makeshift dolls so to speak paused and looked up at Glorfindel. The tiny elfin features scrunched up in thought until the elfling rose and in a fluid motion made his way to the Everwhite's swaying slowly in the warm breeze. Spending several moments hovering over the flowers the elfling tore some up and then returned and offered the torn flowers to Glorfindel a wide smile on his face. Glorfindel's eyes widened. Granted flowers were edible, but such things were used in only the most dire cases when no other fruit or sustenance was around. For one the flowers were bland, it was like eating grass, for another it was more of a filler and did not provide as much nutrients as a growing child required. He remembered the elves living on such rations when there had been little else to eat after the flight from Gondolin. Though quite a while ago, he could still recall the elfin children forcing themselves to choke down the mash made up of these same flowers.

His jaw clenched involuntarily. "Who taught you to eat these?"

"Naneth." The child answered as he tore of a white bud and popped one into his mouth. He frowned, his eyes widening at how easily the elfling was eating the trife, when had Lady Ingwe began fading? He had recalled Lady Ingwe weaving garlands out of these same flowers, had she given them to the elfling to eat? Had no one realized that her condition was that dire? For an elven parent to not even be able to properly feed their child? That was saying a lot, why had he not noticed? Why had Elladan or Elrohir not noticed? Or Elrond? He swallowed heavily, trying to keep the memories of the makeshift camps the elves were forced to live in after the sacking of Gondolin at bay. The elfling sensing his distress clambered on his lap and hugged him around the mid riff eyes on him. Glorfindel closed his eyes briefly accepting the hug rather awkwardly as he was quite unaccustomed to such things, the child deserved better than this, he needed a better Ada. He sighed, "Ada is not happy with you eating flowers ion nin, they are not healthy for you, and they taste bad, do you understand?" A nod. "Good, Ada will get you food okay?" He poked Arrai's tiny nose for good measure, causing the child to laugh as he rubbed his nose. Was this how a normal Adar interacted with his child? Well it seemed he still had much to learn. Though asking Elrond for advice would be quite humiliating as his friend would have no qualms of laughing off his inability to deal with children it would be far better than if he didn't know how to handle the child.

Glorfindel rose putting the child down and made his way to the fruit trees alighting on one of the branches. The eyes of the elfling widened as he followed Glorfindel to the tree eyes warily on him. "Ada!" He could hear traces of worry in the voice but he gave them little heed. "Don't worry Ada knows what he's doing ion nin." Glorfindel chuckled as he climbed higher, until he heard a sob, frowning he looked back down and then the elfling started bawling his heart out. Cursing under his breath he alighted from the branches and jogged toward the elfling. "Arrai, Arrai! Look at me!" Kneeling by the elfling he shook the bawling child eyes full of worry.

Glorfindel sighed lifting the child up making soothing noises and rubbing the elflings back. His heart constricted as he attempted to stop the crying. He hated tears; he never quite knew what to do when others cried. "Why are you crying ion nin?" At length the crying turned into hiccups and the child tugged on his hair for attention. Dark blue eyes meeting his. "Ada, stay."

"Adar isn't going anywhere ion nin. Adar knows how to climb trees very well." The elfling shook his head. "No?" Glorfindel frowned. Sweet Eru talking to this child was like talking to a wall. Another nod. "No Adar can't climb trees?" A nod. "Because Adar might fall?" shake. "Because Arrai wants to climb with Adar?" A nod. Glorfindel sighed. "What if Arrai climbed with Adar?" A hesitant glance at the tree, then a nod.

The child screeched in delight as he climbed. "Higher Ada! Higher!" Glorfindel pushed himself above several more branches realizing he had been chuckling the whole time. The day passed quite pleasantly after that what with the child trying to stuff every fruit he could into his face, never having eaten something quite so good it would seem. It caused Glorfindel to frown as he observed the child tearing another orange open and forcing it into his hands. "Adar, eat." He demanded. "Adar is full." Glorfindel chuckled. The rest of the day was used in teaching the elfling how to climb on his own though Arrai still insisted Adar lift him so they could climb together.

It was night before Glorfindel knew it and having not slept the past two nights, not sure how the child would respond to him leaving to his own room he had stayed and translated texts in the little ones room, he was practically falling asleep on the spot. After telling the child a story or trying to because the young one seemed to fall asleep after the first few sentences he lingered on gazing at the ceiling. His own house had been quite close to Elrond's own but the child needed a more remote place to stay and as Lady Ingwe's house or the abode that she had taken up residence in was the perfect distance from the other elves to raise the child in relative quiet until the child got accustomed to his presence, away from the twin terrors the distance would also keep him away from prince Legolas should the young prince or his father decide to visit Elrond unannounced. He wondered vaguely how he would do it; raise the elfling, who knew being an Adar was so hard? His eyes began to flutter closed, the nest thing he knew it was the middle of the night and someone was shoving him awake. "Adar! Don't go!" His eyes snapped open as he observed the child crying into his chest.

"Arrai. Adar's right here."

"You weren't waking up!" The child all but sobbed his poor eyes out. He put his arms around the child trying to shush him. It took several moments for everything to click into place Glorfindel wanted to bang his head against the wall at how foolish he had been. What did an elfling understand about fading? One moment his Naneth was here the next moment she was gone. "Adar was sleeping. What if Adar promises never to leave you?"

Blue eyes met his own. "You left Naneth!"

Glorfindel sighed. "Your Naneth died."

"Died?" Confused eyes met his own.

Glorfindel's brow furrowed. "Naneth loved you very much, but Naneth never told me she was hurting. If I knew she was hurting I would help her."

"Naneth looked at you and cried."

"You mean the painting of me?" A nod. It was really a painting of Thranduil but in truth the child couldn't catch the difference probably assuming it was when his Adar was young.

"You know Naneth also had a Naneth and an Adar?" Confused eyes met his own. "Naneth Naneth?" Glorfindel chuckled lightly. "Something like that yes. Your Naneth was sad because her Naneth and Adar died and your Adar didn't know she was hurting."

"Adar didn't know?"

"No your Adar loved your Naneth very much. If he would have known he would have tried to make Naneth better." The child didn't catch his third person reference but he was sure that if Thranduil knew she was dying he would have done something. "Ada loved Naneth?"

"Yes ion nin your Adar loved your Naneth and he loves you very much."

"Adar loves Arrai?" Glorfindel frowned, this was the most Arrai had spoken in the past two days. "Yes ion nin, Ada loves Arrai very, very much." He murmured into the child's hair. "Adar wants to know why Arrai doesn't speak when he can do it so well."

"Naneth wanted quite." The child answered solemnly his blue eyes boring into Glorfindel. "Well Adar loves when Arrai speaks." Only realizing after he said it he was actually referring to himself at this point. How could the child so easily weasel his way into his heart was beyond him. Arrai frowned tugging at Glorfindel's hair. "Okay Ada." Glorfindel's face softened as he stroked the hair of the sleeping child, perhaps, perhaps it wouldn't be so hard to be an Adar after all, and without realizing it, he himself was smiling. And if only for a moment all was well in middle earth.

"Glorfindel…" The Elder elf looked up startled from the campfire eyes meeting Haldir's. "You have need of me?"

Haldir looked to his madly chuckling brother then back at Glorfindel worry flitting over his face. "Have you heard anything I just said?"

Glorfindel's face broke into an apologetic eyebrow raise, how the Elder elf could pull of such innocent looks was beyond Haldir. "I am sorry mellon nin I was thinking about my son…"

Haldir nodded in understanding eyes back to the fire. "I have said this before but you worry overmuch Lord Glorfindel your son can take care of himself." Orophin who had been silently listening to the exchange commented hands busy cleaning his bloodied bow with a cloth.

"Say that when you have your own children muindor." Haldir gave his younger brothers neck a good squeeze making Orophin shudder away from him and causing both Haldir and Glorfindel to chuckle at his expense. "Lord Glorfindel you must agree Haldir's behavior is simply unacceptable! First jesting on how the Lady Galadriel spends her time then abusing his younger brother such actions cannot be left unpunished!"

"Making jests at Lady Galadriel's expense?" This had Glorfindel's full attention a feral grin at the corners of his mouth. "This I must hear. Please, don't allow my presence to hinder a retelling."

Haldir swallowed slowly accusing eyes on his younger brother. "I was merely repeating a jibe on how the white Lady spent over much time in the company of the grey wizard ere he came last spring."

"Oh do tell and did this presence somehow add to the tongues in Lothlórien?" Orophin rolled his eyes putting his bow aside. "Saes it is only because nothing ever happens in Lothlórien that such things are even brought to attention. And I must confess where did you pick up such a thing?"

"No wait," Glorfindel raised a hand eyes full of mischief, "Allow me, the owner of this joke was Celeborn was it not."

Haldir paled. "Well I…" The two elves burst into bouts of laughter. "Yes, it was he who came up with it; though he had preferred no one who repeated such a thing would repeat it from his name."

"Yes his wife can be quite formidable if his humor turns to her expense." Glorfindel chuckled. Haldir sighed, "Well as I seem to have your full attention Lord Glorfindel I would like to advise we spend several more days in this forest lest any orc think to return or lead us to perhaps another one of their accursed dwellings."

Glorfindel nodded in assent. Arrai would most likely be bored to no end in Lothlórien or Rivendell wherever he chose to travel but at least he was safe. Sighing Glorfindel rose and made his way to his makeshift bed praying to Valar that these skirmishes and frays with the orcs had nothing to do with the darkness he was beginning to sense. Middle earth had suffered much already more then enough in Glorfindel's ageless eyes.

More background here on Glorfindel and Arrai I'm trying to flesh the characters out so any feedback on that would be helpful. This was a bit of a speed type so if I make grammer errors I will most likely go back and fix them etc. Regardless if you read and liked review!