Chapter 4

The valley was quiet and not of the peaceful kind of quiet, it was a tense feeling followed by the growing feeling of dread. She had tried to push it down, ignore it but now by the cliff closest to her home, she felt her body weak with the news she had heard whispered in the market place.

Her herbs had finished having used up her stash this past months which led her to the market stalls in hopes of restocking, her hair knotting and tangling was not an ordeal she wished to endure for any reason, at least that's what she believed.

"I am sorry child, there are no herbs at this moment, the roads are closed" the stall keeper said, his face grim from the information he had gathered personally.

"Why? What has happened?" Rina said in concern, this was not the news she hoped to hear on a day like this.

"Orcs, merchants have been attacked on the roads, it is no longer safe to make the journey" the elf said" to which Rina startled. The elf continued.

"The world has grown full of peril, it is best you find another solution until a safer way can be made to travel".

She clenched her jaw whilst overlooking the edge of the cliff, the gorge in-between was deep, dark and seemingly unending. She had been told by one of the stall merchants that here, she would find one ingredient she needed which was Mallos, a golden flower that grew mostly in the south.

She made her way down gently and slowly, making certain to grasp the edges firmly as she made her decent. She scanned the area quickly and found a small bushel not far below her and thought out her route patiently.

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Scouts had given their report within the week stating they had heard it, the unmistakable blood curdling shriek in far the distance. It meant they were close.

Glorfindel made his way across the bridge and to the lonely cottage which was his intended destination. He had hoped to see her briefly before leaving the very next morning. He intended to ride early in hopes he would have some advantage in finding Estel and the hobbits quickly.

He had noted the silence around the cottage and realised she was not home, a thought that did not occur to him, He imagined she was out in the city and decided he would look around. As he turned around to leave, he heard a piercing cry ring out and ran.

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!

She had intended to make a lengthy cross from her position to a rock jutting out which was closest to the flowers near by. She swing her body side ways...and missed.

Her hand scraped against the jagged edges and she felt rock tear into her skin of her palm, forcing her to cry out on pain. She held on to the singular branch that struck of the cliff and grunted in further pain as she felt the blood trickle down her arm.

Her heart beat wildly, her eyes fleeted from the branch to edges of the cliff, there was no one to call for help and even if she did, who would come for her? She had to think quickly, anymore delay meant the branch would break and she would plummet to her death.

Shifting her weight forward, Rina winced trying to ignore the pain shooting down her arm and stretched her leg forward trying to touch an edge jutting out. The pain bloomed again as she pushed against the branch unto the body of the cliff and wondered how she would make her way back to the top

"My Lady?" Rina gasped and looked up in surprise. She called out in relief.

"My Lord Glorfindel!" Glorfindel stood at the edge, his expression alarmed and serious.

"Stay where you are! I'll come to you" Glorfindel's eyes scanned the walls of the cliffs and moved quickly.

Making use of his light footing he slid down the cliff and grabbed the petrified woman and volted against the protruding rock. Ricocheting against jagged edges on the wall, Glorfindel made it to the top of the cliff and made his way to the cottage with said owner bundled in his arms, flustered and quiet.

Bursting into the living room, he set her on a chair by the table and made his way over to the small shelf where she kept her herbs and grabbed the jars with a few labled potion bottles before setting them down on the table next to her and she tried to speak.

"My L-lord-I" She went silent as he tore the hem of his tunic having found no bandages around.

"-Please give me your hand" Rina made note of the sternness in his voice and decided to comply quietly. She extended her wounded hand to the expectant ellon before her, biting her lip behind her veil to hold back a pained sighed while Glorfindel gently removed the wooden splinters and debris from her bleeding palm.

"What were you doing down there?" He asked quietly while he worked to clean her wound.

"I-ah...I was trying to retrieve some Mallos from the edges of the cliff" she winced and looked away from his intense gaze. She did not like this sight of him, stern and displeased with her over a foolish decision she had made.

"It was a very dangerous thing you did, had I not thought to come at this hour...let us thank the Valar for our fortunes being in our favour" Glorfindel said gently as he dabbed the open tear with water before setting her hand down on the table to mix a salve from the herbs he had carried.

She had not stopped trembling, he noted while he was cleaning her wound and thought it best he not let his words not bite into her any further.

"I'm sorry...what I did was a stupid thing, I should have known better..." Her voice trembled slightly and Glorfindel felt his chest tighten at the sound of her voice.

"This will hurt a bit..." He said with an apologetic tone and gripped her hand firmly, quickly smearing the salve onto her palm before wrapping the strips of cloth of around the hand.

He felt her jerk back in reaction and knew it stung her dearly. "...No one is perfect Lady Zarina, not you and certainly not I. We all make mistakes but the true sign of wisdom is choosing to learn from those mistakes" The Golden haired elf said as he finished tying a knot over her bandages arm.

"Thank you, I do not know what I would've done had you not been there" She said solemnly, nursing her aching hand in her other hand . "But why did you wish to see me?" Her eyes peered at him as he sat up to look at her.

"I leave for the borders again at first light tomorrow" Glorfindel answered, he wistfully wished that it had her veil not her hand instead that had been torn up, for his purpose in coming to see her had been defeated.

"Oh...I see, well thank you for telling me. When will you return?" She asked, the feeling of disappointment already blooming in her heart. Is this not what she wanted? For some time to think about her new found feelings and what to do with them?

"I cannot say, the threat at the borders may pose more serious this time around"

"Then that is understandable, a lord of your station and skill would prove an easy solution to whatever threats come to the border" She said quietly.

She glanced over at his damaged tunic and her guilt overwhelmed her, he had ruined such a fine tunic for her sake and she decided she make a new one for him whilst he was away at the borders.

"Why do you need Mallos?" Glorfindel asked out of the blue and Rina blinked in suprise.

"Oh...It is simply one ingredient I need for my hair oils" Her cheeks grew hot over her admission and couldn't look at the elf Lord before her for fear of chastisement

"Why not get some from the merchant stalls rather than risk hair and limb for an insignificant amount, surely they would have freshly plucked Mallos"

"If only that were so, they say the roads are closed so they cannot trade any goods for now...for fear of attacks they say and I grew desperate"

"I imagine your hair would suffer a great deal without it..." He stood up in the small cottage and moved to return the jars back to their rightful place.

"Our hair is coarse and thick yet light in weight...it tangles so easily and Mallos is needed for the slime in its center to smoothen it" Glorfindel watched her from across the living room and listened to her. After all, he had not made it known he had seen such parts of her and he had no intention of letting her know.

"Do all Haradhrim make use of such mixtures?" I cannot imagine the men there care for beauty much less hair treatment" At this Rina giggled.

"No, they do not. The women pride themselves in reveling in such acts, the more attentive they are to such treatments the higher they stand to attract a strong and reliable husband"

"Even women who are unwed?"

"Yes especially women who are unwed" her brow creased in confusion as she answered.

"How did the men know to choose a woman who yearned for their attention?" He asked with a calmness that made her self aware. He was staring at her as though he meant to look beneath her veil.

"W-Well...there were many ways, like some women who fancied a man would let them know by pouring a drink in his cup only..." Glorfindel moved towards her still asking curious questions.

"Interesting, please continue"

" Some would dance before the man they wanted until he chose to accept her invitation" Rina felt the heat spread to her neck.

"A intriguing method of declaring interest"

"It was devised to ensure their veils were not removed and their honour untarnished"

"And if a man chose his bride what then?" Glorfindel sat back down, his eyes still locked on hers, his mind envisioning her face without the veil.

"If he chooses a bride then...he must declare a duel to claim her as his earned right and if he wins, she ties a string made from her veil round his wrist to announce his victory"

"Would you show me?"

"I-I suppose..." She rose and went to her thread basket and drew a red thread from a thread ball and gestured to his hand, to which the elf shifted his chair closer.

She leaned closer to his hand and concentrated on an elaborate knot and felt even more self aware given that he sat much closer to her and did nothing but watch her demonstrate a cultural reference. Once she finished Rina looked up to find him still watching.

"T-there...are different styles the women tie" Rina said as she moved to loosen the thread.

"No leave it...it's beautiful, I shall keep it as a souvenir to the border" He rose and turned with the intention to leave.

"But you mustn't, others will assume-" She tried to grab his hand but failed given the speed with which he pulled away.

"-You have nothing to fear, I doubt anyone would understand the significance of such a fine accessory" He held his hand above his head, chuckling as she stood on her toes to try and reach his hand with determination.

"I would know! Perhaps when you win a duel for your chosen you may have one tied to your wrist!" She grabbed his shoulder and tried to hoist herself high enough to grab his hand but the action left her unbalanced.

Glorfindel wrapped his unoccupied arm around her waist to steady her, however that meant she was pressed firmly against his chest.

"Oh" Rina gasped, her eyes grew round in shock as she realised what she was doing. Her face flushed in shame and she meant to withdraw but for the arm holding her in place, she could not move.

"Then who is it I must challenge to win your thread fair Lady Zarina?" Glorfindel said softly. Rina felt the air escape her lungs and looked away mortified, this was the very last situation she had intended with him.

"My Lord need not fight anyone for my sake" She mumbled seriously as she made a silent attempt once more to free herself from his hold.

"If not then how would I know what lies behind this mysterious veil of yours?" He responded locking eyes with hers with a smile.

"My Lord must not jest in such a manner...it is unbecoming of you" Rina said as she finally managed to step away from the imposing elf.

"I do not" Glorfindel said seriously. He was tempted to draw closer but understood he might chase her away if he was too forward.

"I see, well I appreciate your concern but I'm fine and thank you again...for earlier" she said anxious for him to be away from her.

"You're welcome" Glorfindel smiled.

"How..." She instantly regretted it as soon as she uttered the first word.

"Yes?"

"How does an elf choose an elleth to love?" She had hope to speak on something else however it was a question that gnawed at her silently.

"Well, one cannot say, sometimes we marry for the sake of strength our houses and in other cases our fea chooses who we wish to be with and..." He said as a thought came to him.

"...And" she asked with interest clear in her tone.

"We court them, of course with their consent and for a time" Deciding to end the details of his explanation there. He stared at her, very clearly expecting her to ask the question that he knew she wanted to ask.

"Well I shall pray for your safe return" She would not bite.

Glorfindel nodded and left. Certain he was gone, Rina shut the door and sank to the floor.

The air was becoming thicker everytime he was near her. How long could she continue this, whatever it was between them? She did not know if her heart could bear this friendship between that was clearly turning into something else.

She looked at her hand noted the pain had lessened greatly and rose up to her feet. She would choose to spend the rest of her day indoors and keep herself occupied with preparing dinner, there would be no more adventures for the rest of the day

He crossed the bridge and leaned on a nearby tree, sighing in the loudness of his thoughts. He let out a wry chuckle at the memory of her soft breasts squishing against his chest as he held her close with her scent hitting him full.

It was no use, no amount of restraint he exerted made no difference in the face of his desires.

She was at ease with him, with no sense of caution around him, no thought to the urges that he held at bay every time he saw her...What would she think, in what manner would she react? If she knew what images of her lay in his mind, the things he yearned to do with her.

He heaved and walked determined to his home, the warriors had already been notified of their hour of departure, he needed his mind clear for the impending task ahead for the days ahead would be truly dangerous.

Half way home, he made the decision to seek out someone he knew could help him with his predicament.