Ecthelion
His hands trembled with rage, and his fists were a tight knot of pure fury at his sides. His nostrils flared as he listened to Glorfindel's words, and every syllable reverberated through his soul like an angry drum. His piercing gaze swept the room until it fell upon Amara, her laughter slicing him like knives across his heart. Ecthelion longed for revenge, to make her suffer just as much as he had, or to force her to see the chaos and heartache that trailed in her wake.
It was pointless, though. Nothing he ever did would make her change, and the anger slowly faded as he calmed down. It was difficult to be still dealing with his failed courtship nearly a century later. He felt guilty inside and angry at himself for not seeing the person she was sooner.
"Stop it," Glorfindel said as he threw an arm over his shoulder to lead him out of the hall. "You are too hard on yourself. Let it go."
"I have," Ecthelion murmured. "Mostly."
The two friends made their way out into the courtyard, and Glorfindel pulled them to a stop near the fountain. Ecthelion sighed softly as he took a seat on the edge of the fountain and leaned over the side to run his hands through the water. It was cold, as it always was, but it was a soothing pastime that he enjoyed. All he needed was his flute, and he would be content to sit there the rest of the night.
Glorfindel wouldn't allow him a moment of peace before he sat next to him and gazed at him with a knowing look.
Ecthelion just hummed as this was an old argument between them. Glorfindel would feel guilty about what happened, and Ecthelion would remain quiet, alone with his thoughts. They would spend the evening skirting around the issue because there was nothing more to say. Eventually, one of them would cave, and they would start the long and drawn-out process of talking about everything again. All he really cared about now was that Amara did not go after Kiera because of him.
The night was perfect. Dinner was a lively affair, and Maeglin behaved long enough that they could all have a pleasant conversation. The dance began, and he was asked to dance by a few of his friends, including Veriel, Duilin's wife, and Idril. Ecthelion thought that was going to be the end of his dancing, and he struggled to push away the jealousy he felt as he watched his best friend be asked to dance over and over again. It was incredibly difficult that he could not enjoy one of his favorite things in life because when he asked people to dance, they refused.
Now, after being turned down for decades, he didn't see the point in even asking anymore. He resigned himself to the fact that he would probably only be able to dance with a few people and allowed himself the chance to enjoy that.
For the first time in over 100 years, someone approached him. Keira walked right up to him and asked him to dance without hesitation. Not only that, they danced the rest of the evening together, and it was one of the first nights that he truly enjoyed himself in a very long time.
Leave it to Amara to ruin it all.
Ecthelion skimmed his fingers over the water for a while before he was finally ready to speak. "I will not allow Amara to hurt Kiera."
Unsurprisingly, Glorfindel just replied quietly, "I guessed as much."
"Kiera has been kind to me, and I enjoyed the evening. I will not allow Amara to threaten her or harass her. I will protect her, and I hope that we become friends."
Glorfindel was quiet again, but then he asked flatly, "what is it that draws you to her? I like her, but I notice that you seem to care for her a great deal. Yet, you have only known her a short while."
Ecthelion mused his best friend's words. He knew how to respond, and he knew what drew him to Kiera, but speaking his thoughts out loud was another matter. "She likes me," he replied quietly. "Me and not you."
His friend gave him an incredulous look and opened his mouth to speak, but Ecthelion cut him off. "She notices me. Kiera spoke to me first. She asked me to dance first, and she spent the evening dancing with me until she grew tired. We spoke at each dinner, and she asked me questions about my life and my family. I have not had that in a long time, and it was nice for a change."
Glorfindel bristled next to him, and he narrowed his eyes, "are you saying that when you are with me, I receive all the attention?"
He laughed good-natured, "of course. You, my friend, are a handsome Vanya lord. Women flock to you daily. While I do not fault you for your good looks, it is sometimes tiring. I wish to be noticed as well." Ecthelion smiled at his friend and added, "when was the last time a woman approached me and not you? When has a woman asked me to dance in the last century that is not Veriel or Idril?"
Glorfindel opened his mouth but then closed it quickly. His friend stalled and then spoke slowly, "I was not aware that you were pursuing women again. Did I not set you up with women in my house?"
That made him grimace as the memory came flooding back. Nearly fifty years ago, Glorfindel tried to set him up with a few women around the city. Thankfully, with the war, he used the excuse to stop meeting women. Eventually, Ecthelion admitted, "all of them wished to be married to a lord, but not I. They all wished for me to buy them expensive jewelry on our first outing. They made their intentions known, and I am glad for it. However, the Dagor Bragollach happened, and I used the excuse to focus on the war. I am thankful that I did because the war did come."
His friend nodded thoughtfully at him and suggested, "perhaps I should not have set you up with women in the court. What about a working woman or a fellow musician?"
Ecthelion sighed, "no, Glor. I do not wish to rush into a courtship again. I wish to befriend them first and get to know them better. I am cautious and will not give my heart so easily again."
They both remained silent, and Ecthelion ran his fingers through the water. Glorfindel did not understand. He loved his friend deeply and would be lost without him, but the two were polar opposites when it came to love. Ecthelion had his heart ripped open, and he was cautious when it came to love. He wished to form a deep connection before a courtship so that he may protect himself in the future. It would ruin him to enter another courtship, only for it to end in heartbreak again.
Glorfindel was obsessed with finding his one. It was like a feverish need to prove the maiar wrong and to be madly in love. He spent almost every evening with a different woman, looking for that deeper connection. Glorfindel did not have to put himself out there as much because women usually came to him.
Ecthelion was much more reserved, and his standards were higher. He did not want a woman who only wanted him for his money and title. Nor did he want a meaningless fling. It was proving quite difficult to speak to women after Amara spread her rumors and threatened people who came close to him. No matter what he did, she was relentless and consumed by revenge. He wanted nothing more than for her to leave him alone so that he may have peace. If only it were that simple.
Kiera surprised him, though. She walked up to him and asked him to dance. His heart clenched in his chest as he thought about the moment. Even after Amara threatened her, she didn't let that stop her. Nor did she ask Glorfindel to dance first. It was a night he would cherish forever, and he knew that Kiera did not really understand what that meant to him.
He closed his eyes now and let himself be swept away in the memory. It had been so long since he got to dance the night away. They spent hours together, and he enjoyed every minute of it. He sighed softly, opened his eyes, and stood.
Glorfindel joined him, but neither of them spoke as they walked the familiar route to his home. They paused in the fountains of the south, so he could listen to the musicians. Eventually, the night wore on, and everyone headed home. The two friends parted as he made his way over the bridge to his house.
The house was quiet, with only a few people laughing and drinking in the dining hall. He waved to them but headed up the stairs to retire for the evening. After changing into his night clothes, Ecthelion rested in his chair by the fire as he played a few songs on his flute. Eventually, he grew tired enough to rest, and he fell asleep, happy for the first time in a long time.
—-
The next morning started as it normally did. He woke early and met Glorfindel in the training grounds. After a few sparring sessions, he returned to get cleaned up for the day and eat the morning meal. He spotted Inthel when he walked into the entrance hall and requested some hot water.
She dropped off the water as he was picking out some clothes. Ecthelion arched his brow at her as she waited in the doorway of his closet. "Ecthelion, there are some horrible rumors going around the city this morning."
"About me, again?"
Inthel shook her head, "no, not today. I will speak to you after your bath. Hurry and bathe before the hot water turns cool."
Amused at her chastising, he did as she requested and took a nice hot bath. Whatever rumors were circling, they could not have been as bad as the ones about him. Eager for the hot water to soothe his sore muscles, he sank greedily into the bath. He relaxed as he washed, and then when the water turned cool, he got out and dressed.
Ecthelion made his way down to the dining hall as Inthel appeared next to him. "Ecthelion," she started.
He arched his eyebrows at her and was thoroughly confused by her facial expressions. His handmaiden was never bothered by the rumors around the city unless they were quite dreadful.
That made him stop in the hallway near the staircase. Inthel jumped right in, "there are rumors swirling about lady Kiera. Nasty rumors that she has been rejected by an elf and, in turn, has spent the night with the prince. Maeglin has been heard boasting about their evening together, but I find the rumors to be a little suspicious as they seem to originate from Salgant's house."
His whole body tensed at that, and Ecthelion understood immediately what was happening. "I see," he replied flatly. "Has there been any word yet from Maeglin or Kiera this morning?"
"No, my lord," Inthel replied solemnly. "However, princess Idril has been told the rumors and said she plans to confront Lady Kiera this morning."
All Ecthelion could do was sigh. He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration at the city and the rumors. As much as he loved his best friend, the princess was not the best person to speak to Kiera about the rumors. Idril was young and a little too naive and gullible, and deep down, Ecthelion knew the princess would believe whatever the ladies of the court told her.
"Thank you for informing me," Ecthelion replied softly. "Please keep me informed of any other rumors you might hear. I have a few duties I need to attend to this morning, but I will speak to Kiera this afternoon or later this evening."
"Of course, my lord," Inthel said as she bowed low. His handmaiden left to return to her duties as he made his way down the stairs.
His feet led him into his dining hall of their own accord as his mind played out the events of last evening. Ecthelion could make an educated guess as to what happened and who started the rumors, but he was sure that Kiera did not go home with Maeglin last night. While he did not know her that well, he knew she was not the type of person to do that. She spoke so passionately about her previous relationship and the betrayal that Ecthelion did not believe for a second that she would sleep with the prince to get back at Voronwë. For now, all he could do was try and speak to her later and not feed into the rumors.
Ecthelion finished up his meal and made his way back to his study. The king requested a list of guards who were stationed at the gates and those in the city. Ecthelion needed to put a plan together and build a new guard rotation for the incoming guards at the gates. It was tedious work, but he dug out the old copy of the rotation and started from there.
It took the rest of the morning to compile a list of all the guards and make a new plan moving forward. As much as he disagreed with the king about shutting the gates, he was in the minority. Most of the guards were ecstatic to be coming back to the city, while the rest rejoiced in not having to do their monthly rotation at the gates.
A knock at the door interrupted his work, and he called out, "come in."
Inthel walked in and said quickly, "forgive me, my lord. My husband has just arrived and wishes to speak with you. He says it is urgent."
"Let him in," he replied.
As Ecthelion put his quill down and sat back in his chair, Langon stepped into the room. "Forgive me for leaving my post, my lord."
Ecthelion waved at him to continue, "it is no matter."
Langon nodded and then said, "I have come to find you, my lord. The lady Kiera is on the wall and is very distressed. She has been holed up at the top of the guard tower near Lord Rog's house and has been crying for hours. I can hear the pain and grief in her cries, and I wanted to approach her, but I do not speak the common tongue."
Ecthelion was out of his chair in an instant. "I will go to her. Thank you for informing me."
Inthel and Langon nodded and bowed to him as he fled the room. His heart clenched in his chest at the thought of Kiera drowning in grief alone. She had been nothing but kind to him, and he wanted to help her in any way that he could.
When he stepped out into the bright sunlit courtyard, he only took a few steps before someone called his name.
Ecthelion turned as Celebrimbor ran over to him. "Ecthelion," he cried. "Have you seen Kiera? I have been looking for her since this morning. I need to speak with her."
The panic in the elf's eyes made Ecthelion pause. He did not know Celebrimbor well, but he truly seemed to have bonded with Kiera since she arrived. He spotted her last night laughing with him at their table, and he was glad that they had become friends.
"My guard just informed me that Kiera has been crying all afternoon. I am on my way to speak with her now."
Celebrimbor visibly sighed and looked relieved. However, he shook his head, "I will go to her. I know more about what has been happening than you do."
The two elves stared at one another, and it was an odd moment between them. Ecthelion could feel the tension in the air, but he backed off and said, "she is in the guard tower near Lord Rog's house. Please let Kiera know that I wish to speak with her when she has time."
Celebrimbor gave him a curt nod and then took off towards the wall. Ecthelion watched as he disappeared at the top of the wall. A small part of him felt weird inside as if he should have been the one to comfort Kiera and speak with her. Ecthelion shook himself out of his daze and headed back inside his house.
The rest of the afternoon crept by, and Glorfindel came by before dinner to help him finish the guard rotation. As the evening wore on, Glorfindel joined him for dinner, and the two spoke about small things, including the princess and the rumors. Ecthelion held his tongue as his friend spoke about his niece's troubles. It was not his place to judge the princess, but Ecthelion found it difficult to sympathize with her. The princess had a lot of growing up to do, and he thought that the situation this morning was a perfect opportunity for Idril to finally realize her words have consequences and that she needs to be held accountable for her actions.
Ecthelion did not comment on the matter, and Glorfindel knew him well enough to know his thoughts. Glorfindel did inform him of who started the rumors, and he wasn't surprised in the slightest as he had already guessed. The two retired to his study and broke out a new bottle of wine. It had been a long day, but he perked up instantly when Inthel knocked on the door and stepped in.
"My lord, Lady Kiera is here and wishes to speak with you."
Ecthelion smiled, "please bring her up. I will speak with her."
His handmaiden disappeared just as quickly as she came, and within a few minutes, Kiera walked hesitantly into his study. He watched as her eyes roamed the room and took everything in before her eyes landed on him. He smiled at her as he said, "Lady Kiera, it is nice to see you. Please come in and join us."
She took a seat on one of the remaining vacant chairs by the fire. Ecthelion stood and poured her a small glass of wine, which she accepted.
When he was seated again, he began, "I was hoping I would see you today. I wanted to speak to you about some things. I'm sure you had a very exhausting day, and I hope Celebrimbor found you earlier and helped you."
"He did," Kiera replied softly. A small smile formed on her lips as she looked at him thoughtfully. "Thank you for sending him to me. I really needed a friend today, and Celebrimbor told me you were planning on coming yourself. That means a lot to me, and I just wanted you to know."
She took a sip of wine and then sighed, "today has been difficult, but I just came from Maeglin's house. He has tracked down the rumors, and there will be a statement issued tomorrow that they were false. I'm not sure how much you know, but Maeglin said Amara and Gilwen started everything."
The fury returned as he gripped his wine glass hard. "I heard," Ecthelion replied flatly. "It was also what I wanted to talk to you about. Glorfindel informed me she threatened you last night. Why did you not speak to me about the matter? We danced the entire evening together, and I would have liked to have known that Amara threatened you last night."
The two locked eyes and his eyes and face softened. He kept his voice light and made sure that Kiera understood that he was trying to protect her. "I do not wish to see you harmed because of me. You have shown me nothing but kindness and do not deserve to be treated or threatened as such."
Kiera sniffed and wiped a few small tears. "I'm sorry. The beginning of the dance was horrible for me. By the time we got to dancing, I was finally enjoying myself. I could see you were happy, and I wanted us to have a good evening. I'm sorry if I upset you. I was going to tell you when I saw you again, but Glorfindel asked me during our dance. I did not think it was that big of an issue."
Ecthelion frowned, "I am sure you know the tale by now, but she and I used to be engaged. She is a noblewoman of Lord Salgant's house, and we had become friendly during our time here. We met at a festival, and she often visited the fountains in the evenings to watch me play."
His heart plummeted as he drank a long swig of wine. His eyes found the fire as he repeated the words without emotion. "Or so I thought. Looking back now, I can see that she only came to the fountains when I was with Glorfindel. Over time, I began to develop a friendship, and more feelings came. I proposed to her, and I thought her feelings were genuine. She had me fooled for a long time, and I am sad to admit that I turned a blind eye to her worse habits out of love. She treated my staff and the people in my house poorly, but they were too scared to come to me about it. I made many mistakes during our courtship, but the worst was believing her lies."
"Our courtship ended when I found out her feelings for Glorfindel. As you know, she did not take it very well. She did terrible things right after I ended our courtship. To the people of my house and me. Her true colors came out, and I thank the Valar every day that I didn't marry her. Which is why I was upset that you didn't say anything."
His eyes found hers again as the two stared at one another. "I know you did not know the whole story before, but please do not keep things from me when it concerns her. She is very vindictive and cruel. My heart could not bear it if something happened to you because of me. Amara has already proven that she is willing to do unspeakable things to get her way. Promise me that you will tell me immediately if she speaks to you again or does anything to you."
Kiera wiped a few tears from her eyes as she nodded. "I will. I promise."
He relaxed in his chair again when she added, "you shouldn't punish yourself."
His body tensed as Kiera kept talking. She said softly, "you shouldn't punish yourself. My grandmother told me that after my failed relationship. You are a good person, and you were in love and loved her with everything you had. Do not blame yourself because Amara is a horrible person who uses people. You are not weak, and failing to see that she was using you while you loved her with everything you had, does not make you a bad person. If anything, it shows how wonderful of a person you truly are. Never punish yourself for that."
Kiera's words sent a shiver down his spine as he felt seen. Since the end of his courtship, he had beaten himself down for everything that he did wrong. It was hard not to, and part of him did feel weak and stupid for not seeing everything sooner. Somehow, Kiera knew just what he had felt and what he continued to struggle with. He did not speak as he looked up into her eyes.
Kiera offered him a small smile that warmed his heart. "I know," she added softly. "I know how it feels. My parents, friends, and family told me over and over again that my ex-boyfriend was using me and I deserved better. He cheated on me multiple times, with multiple different women, from the beginning. I saw all the signs, but I was so in love and gave him everything I had. He was horrible, and his choices are his own. Me failing to see him for what he was, does not make me weak, stupid, or a bad person."
Ecthelion couldn't speak, but Kiera seemed to understand that too. "It gets better," she offered. "Life goes on, and I've learned from my mistakes. I continue to put myself out there and hope that love is in my future. I am a little more cautious now, but I also realized I couldn't shut myself off from the world and from love. There are days when it is overwhelming, and I second guess myself and relive the past, but eventually, I keep moving forward."
"How," he managed to choke out.
Kiera thought for a moment and then shrugged, "you just do. For me, anyway, my life is always moving forward. I'm not an elf, nor am I immortal, so I do not want to be stuck in the past. It's hard and extremely difficult to keep growing and changing, but I think that the alternative is just too horrible to think about. I don't want to be a sad, miserable person that hates the world and is bitter and angry over everything that happened to them. I've met a lot of people in my life like that, and I don't want that for my future."
Ecthelion was frozen in his chair as her words sunk in. She was right, and while others had told him the same over the years, Kiera spoke to him from a place of understanding. She had been in the same position as him and could relate to and understand the struggle. It was different coming from her versus someone like Glorfindel, who offered advice that often fell flat. For the first time, he felt relieved at letting go. He had pushed away the feelings for so long that some days they consumed him. Her words helped as he finally began to understand why he was feeling this way and that he was not alone. He opened his mouth to speak, to spill his heart out to her, to tell her how much her words meant, only for Glorfindel to cut him off.
"Thank you," Glorfindel exclaimed. "I have tried telling him the same for years. He did not want to listen to my advice."
Kiera chuckled as she winked at him, "maybe Ecthelion just needed to hear it from someone who has also lived it."
Glorfindel huffed, but that made him smile, and he laughed. "Thank you," he added sincerely. "Your words mean a lot to me, and they have helped me greatly."
"I'm glad," Kiera replied. "You can talk to me anytime, and I will listen."
Ecthelion nodded and then stood to pour himself some more wine. He topped off Glorfindel's glass, but Kiera declined. Instead, she continued, "I think I should be ok for a while. Amara is confined to her house as punishment. Maeglin said for the next two years, she won't be able to leave without an escort, and she can't attend any festivals."
That was good news, but Ecthelion knew it would only slow Amara down. He sighed in relief as he retook his seat while Glorfindel snorted.
"That is good to hear, but two years is nothing for an elf. Merely a day for mortals. Amara is very cunning, and she might still be able to cause problems. She will spend her time planning and plotting, but I promise I won't let anything happen to you."
Ecthelion nodded in agreement, "I will make sure Amara is not causing any more trouble. I would still like to hear if any other elf is threatening you or causing you harm."
"Thank you," Kiera said. "I will keep you informed. I would still like to get to know you both and the people in your houses. She's not going to scare me away."
Glorfindel smiled, "certainly. My house is all very excited to meet our new guests. Both of our houses have many who speak the common tongue, but I'm sure you will be speaking elvish soon. I was also wondering if you had seen Idril yet this evening."
Kiera's face darkened as she glared at Glorfindel and replied with a short, "no."
Glorfindel shot her a hesitant smile. "I understand your anger. I do not excuse Idril's words today, but she was distraught to learn that the rumors were false. She came to my house crying after looking for you around the city. She was very upset that you would not forgive her and that she lost her new friend."
He sighed, "I love my niece, but when things like this happen, it reminds me that she is very naive even though she is quite old. I'm not trying to find excuses for her words, but she does not have many true friends. The women of the court treat her differently because she is the princess of this city. While she is loved throughout the city, not many will befriend her. They think if they say the wrong thing or make her upset, she might make their lives here difficult."
Kiera yelled, "that doesn't excuse her words. I know I haven't been in the city long, and we are still getting to know one another, but she jumped down my throat during lunch. She didn't even give me a chance to respond before she kept accusing me. She claimed that she saw the interactions between Maeglin and me, and she caught me staring. As if I would jump into Maeglin's bed because he asked. I confided in her about Voronwë, and then she thinks I'm some kind of whore who would have sex with her cousin as revenge."
That statement made them both wince as Ecthelion had guessed what Idril had said this morning. Kiera was glaring at Glorfindel with such loathing while he smiled sheepishly at her with a tinge of pink on his cheeks. Ecthelion knew that Idril did not tell Glorfindel the full story about what she said.
He cleared his throat and said, "I agree with you. I think Glorfindel was trying to explain that Idril is very naive and did allow you the chance to give your side of the story. I also believe that Glorfindel did not know what Idril was accusing you of. I am sure Idril did not tell him the full story. Regardless, Idril is scared that you will not forgive her now that she knows the rumors are false."
Kiera huffed but seemed to calm down easily as he spoke. That made Ecthelion smile, as she did not seem to be the type to hold onto anger for long. "Being a lord in this city has taught me that there are many versions of the same story. Without knowing all the sides, it is wrong to assume anything or jump to conclusions. Glorfindel spoke with Idril today and said that a real friend would have listened and not accused outright. While the princess heard the rumors from some of the more truthful women of the court, lies are easily spread. Glorfindel told her that your night at the dance had been difficult, and you had probably wanted a friend to listen to you. She is still learning what it means to have and be a good friend."
He smiled at her and added, "I believe you will forgive her. You are a kind person, and you do not let things bother you for long. I am glad that you had space today to figure things out and that Celebrimobr helped you when you needed a friend. I believe Idril will apologize to you. You and Tuor have treated her like a person first and not a princess. She already cherishes these new friendships, and she would do anything to keep them."
Ecthelion watched, amused, as Kiera leaned back in her chair and huffed. She crossed her arms and sighed as his words sunk in. Ecthelion smiled a knowing smile at her, which made her burst out laughing. Glorfindel glanced between the two as if he missed something important.
"You're right. I knew I was going to forgive her as long as she apologized. It was just one of those days where too much happened at once, and it became overwhelming. It's hard starting over in a new city with not many friends and no family. I wasn't even sure I was allowed on the city walls, but I was so upset I didn't care. In time, it will get better as I made amends with Maeglin today, and I will talk to Idril tomorrow."
That made Ecthelion smile even more while Glorfindel still looked confused. "You may go on the wall," he added. "Not many people in the city do, but I enjoy the peace and quiet. It is a good place to exercise as well. If you decide to train, you will have to begin running to build up your stamina. While I might not have time to train you, I would be available for morning runs on the wall."
Kiera perked up at that and bit her lip before saying, "I was thinking of starting next spring. I want to spend the rest of the fall and winter months exploring the city, getting my room ready, and learning elvish. By next spring, I should only have my morning lessons."
Glorfindel looked excited now. "Excellent. I enjoy training new recruits. Spring will be fine as it will give me enough time to prepare and work out a schedule. Ecthelion is right, though, that you will have to begin running. I suggest you run with him in the mornings before your lessons. We can have our lessons in the afternoon or evenings."
Her face lit up with excitement, and they both laughed at that. He grinned and chuckled as he said, "you will not be excited for long when it starts. I look forward to our morning runs, as no one likes to run with me. It is getting late, though, and I'm sure you could use a good night's rest."
He coughed and looked a little sheepish and hesitant, "Glorfindel and I will be gone from the city for the next fortnight. We are sealing up the gates and attending to guard duties. I was wondering, though, upon my return, if you would share that story with me. I admit I am curious to hear more about your world, and I am very interested in new stories. As I promised, I shall play you a few songs on flute."
"Of course," she exclaimed eagerly. "I would love to share my favorite story with you. It is very long, so we won't finish it in one sitting. I think probably seven nights as there are seven books. I don't mind reading the books to anyone if they are interested, but I'm not sure if they are. Perhaps, I should read it to you first, and then you can be the judge of it." Kiera then glanced over at Glorfindel and said, "you're more than welcome to join if you want."
Ecthelion's eyes sparkled with excitement, but Glorfindel just shrugged. "Ecthelion likes the tales and legends more than I. If he enjoys it and thinks it is good to share, I will join in with the others."
Keira smiled warmly at them both. Then, he said, "I will escort you out."
As they both got up to leave, Glorfindel poured himself more wine. As they walked down the long corridor, Kiera asked, "after you are back, could you stop by the palace? I have no plans at the moment, and my evenings should be free, but I might have something come up on the day you return."
He smiled and said he would. He walked her to the entrance hall door and wished her a good evening. When he returned to his study, Glorfindel shot him a knowing look.
"Yes," he questioned his friend.
"Nothing," Glorfindel replied shyly. "Nothing at all."
Ecthelion hummed at him as he poured himself another glass of wine. He sunk back in his chair and enjoyed the silence as the two friends watched the fire dance in their eyes.