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Elf, Interrupted: Book Two: Glorfindel's Quest  by Fiondil

21: Reclaiming Elflings

They left Vanyamar the next day. It amazed the Vanyar how quickly the tent city had been dismantled overnight. Finrod merely shrugged when Ingwion commented on it.

"You learn to move quickly when you have a horde of orcs on your trail," he said with a slight smile. Laurendil was seen to roll his eyes and mutter something incomprehensible while Arafinwë chuckled, well aware from his own experiences during the War of Wrath just how true that statement was.

There was a brief ceremony of farewell on the front portico of the palace as Ingwë and Elindis gave them their blessings.

"I think this place is going to be too quiet once you are all gone," Ingwë said with a sigh.

"Now Uncle," Arafinwë said with a light laugh, "admit it. You’re glad to see us all go so you can actually sleep at nights."

"Well, some of you," he retorted mildly and that got a laugh from everyone, Glorfindel especially.

Soon, they were on their way. Their first stop would be Eldamas. From there the various parties would split: Olwë’s and Arafinwë’s parties would continue on to Tirion and Alqualondë. The Tol Eressëans would also accompany them. With them would go Glorfindel, Sador and Beleg. A smaller party, consisting of Finrod, Laurendil and Ingwion, would continue to Lórien. The Valar were none too happy about the three Reborn not going to Lórien where they could be ‘monitored’ as Irmo put it to Manwë, but the ellyn could not be convinced to go there.

"We cannot continue to run back to Lórien every time we fall down and scrape our knees," Glorfindel said rather succinctly when Lord Irmo broached the subject with them. "We need to look forward, not back, or we will never be able to reclaim our lives."

"I did not think I was running back to Lórien," Finrod retorted mildly, though in truth he agreed wholeheartedly with his gwedyr’s decision.

Glorfindel shook his head. "You have responsibilities there and people who need you. We," he indicated the other two ellyn, "need to find our own purposes in our new lives and we will not find it sitting around in Lórien."

So it was decided, though none of the elves were aware of the rather heated discussion among the Valar about it. In the end Manwë assigned Manveru and Roimendil to keep an eye on Glorfindel and Beleg, respectively.

"And Sador?" Oromë asked with some concern. "No one ever seems to think he needs looking after."

Námo gave him a hug. "On the contrary, my brother, I plan to assign Vanimeldë to watch him for us. She was his main attendant in Mandos and has a special fondness for him."

That mollified Oromë somewhat. "I would have assigned one of my People..."

Námo shook his head. "Best let one of mine watch over him. He’s been too accepting of things lately. I think we will see a backlash of emotion from him and Vanimeldë is better equipped to handle such from long experience in dealing with the Reborn."

To that, Oromë had no objections and so, unbeknown to the elves, the party heading for Tirion was increased by three Maiar, who remained unclad.

When they reached Eldamas, Beleg became very excited and insisted on introducing everyone to the woodcarver who had taken him in after his release from Lórien. Thus, it was a rather surprised Vánandur who looked up from the chair he was carving when he heard someone call out his name and found several people entering his workshop, only one of whom he actually recognized.

"Turindil!" he said with a huge smile, opening his arms wide to welcome the Reborn ellon. "How did you fare at the tournament?"

Beleg smiled at his friend and mentor. "I won," he said simply and without pretension.

"And was there any doubt?" the woodcarver replied with a laugh, planting a kiss on the ellon’s forehead. "Now, who are your friends?"

Beleg then introduced the others who had accompanied him to Vánandur’s workshop: his gwedyr, Finrod, Glorfindel, Sador, and Ingwion, and his uncle, the king of the Teleri.

Vánandur gave Olwë his obeisance. "My lord, I am pleased that Tur... I mean, Beleg, has finally been reunited with family. It grieved me more than I can say to see him looking so lost and bereft when he first came to live with me." He put an arm around Beleg’s shoulders and gave him another hug.

Olwë smiled at them both. "I am only happy to know that someone was willing to look after my nephew until such time as I could claim him."

"I still do not understand why you could not do so from the beginning," Vánandur said, and though his tone was non-accusatory, there was a hint of disapproval in it.

Olwë shook his head. "The Valar, for reasons of their own, never informed me, else I would have been there to greet him."

"Hmph," was the woodcarver’s only comment. "Well, you’ve found one another at the last and I suppose that is the important thing."

"Thank you for everything," Beleg told him shyly.

Vánandur gave him another hug and a smile. "You are most welcome, child, and you will always have a place to stay whenever you come to Eldamas, which I hope will be often."

Beleg cast a questioning glance towards Olwë, who nodded. "You may be sure of that, good Vánandur. I will see that Beleg visits his... um... other uncle," — here everyone laughed — "on a regular basis."

"That would be well, my lord. I thank you." Vánandur gave the king another bow and shortly afterwards they all made their farewells, for Olwë and Arafinwë meant to travel on to Tirion that day. Beleg was most reluctant to leave Vánandur, and was nearly in tears, but in the end, armed with assurances that he would see his friend again, he allowed Finrod and Glorfindel to lead him away. Vánandur stood at the doorway of his workshop and watched them go. It was some time before he went back to working on the chair.

****

There was another tearful farewell when the larger party left Eldamas but plans were made for them all to gather again at the summer solstice. Finrod spoke briefly with his atar. "If I feel it warranted and Lord Irmo thinks it wise, I will send the three older elflings to you as we had planned. Lindorillë is the one who concerns me the most for several reasons."

Arafinwë nodded. "Do what you think best for them all," he said. "I have every faith in you, yonya."

At the last minute, Glorfindel announced he was going to go with Finrod to Lórien. Everyone but Finrod evinced surprise and, in some cases, dismay at the announcement. Unseen and unheard by any, the three Maiar looking on started laughing. Manveru shook his head and threw his arms up in a gesture of defeat as if to say, ‘I can’t keep up!’.

Arafinwë gave the ellon a piercing glance. "Were you not the one who said you do not wish to go back, only forward?"

Glorfindel nodded, "Yes, I said that and I still hold it to be true, but...." Now he looked uncertain.

"What is it, yonya?" Arafinwë asked, gathering the ellon into an embrace. "You have been somewhat quiet today. What are you thinking?"

Glorfindel sighed, closing his eyes. "I do not know, but the closer we’ve come to Lórien the stronger this feeling I have within me that I’m needed there. I do not know why. I thought I left all that behind."

"Do you think... er... someone is trying to influence you?" Sador asked unexpectedly.

"You mean the Valar?" Glorfindel replied, looking startled at the thought and then his expression darkened. "If they are... they will regret it."

The absolute coldness of his tone shocked them all. Manveru frowned and relayed the conversation to Manwë whose only response was a sigh as he instructed Manveru to keep a closer than normal eye on the ellon. Námo and Irmo were also informed and there was a brief discussion about possibly sending him on to Nienna with Ingwion, but Nienna nixed that idea.

*I’m too busy with the others to deal with Glorfindel right now,* she told them with some exasperation. *Best let Irmo deal with him if need be.* Then she asked a question of her own. *I wonder what or Who is inspiring that impossible ellon to go to Lórien?*

*Ah... now I see....* Manwë said with a note of satisfaction in his voice. *We will let Atar handle this then.*

There were several sighs among the Valar at that, though not all for the same reason, and not all of them were sighs of relief either. In the meantime, Arafinwë reluctantly gave his permission for Glorfindel to go to Lórien with Finrod.

"Though I am loath to let you out of my sight," he said with a rueful grin.

Sador said nothing, just giving his gwador a hug; Beleg was more effusive in his farewells, promising to see them all again in a few months’ time. With that, the cavalcade departed, leaving Finrod, Laurendil, Ingwion and Glorfindel with their escort, plus one unclad Maia, behind. They left Eldamas the next morning.

****

Lórien was much as Glorfindel remembered, especially the serenity of the place, and he said so to the others as they approached the main gates of the Gardens.

"Except when someone recently come from Endórë and suffering from war-related trauma is screaming their heads off," Laurendil objected with a grin.

"Or some Reborn becomes fractious," Finrod chimed in with his own grin, "and refuses to eat his vegetables."

"All right, all right," Glorfindel retorted with a laugh. "In spite of all that, though, I suspect that ‘calm’ is the watchword of the day in my Lord Irmo and my Lady Estë’s demesne."

To that, the others had no argument.

*Well, that won’t last now that Glorfindel is here,* Estë bespoke her spouse with amusement, as the elves were entering Lórien.

Irmo did not deign to answer. Instead he gave Manveru explicit orders. *Do not take your eyes off him for a second.* Manveru gave the Lord of Lórien a bow but otherwise offered no comment.

As soon as Finrod had greeted Irmo and Estë he insisted on seeing the elflings, especially Lindorillë. Irmo offered to act as his escort. "The other elflings are all attending to their respective duties," he told him, "but you will be able to see them at the nooning."

"Then, by your leave, aranya," Laurendil addressed Finrod with a bow, "I will go seek out Manwen and let her know I am back."

"And I can show Ingwion around in the meantime," Glorfindel offered. "I don't think he's ever seen the groves set aside for the Reborn."

Ingwion nodded. "When I was here last there were not as yet any Reborn residing here."

So it was decided and arrangements were made for everyone to meet again for the noon meal.

"I see Alassiel is not with you," Irmo said to Finrod in a casual tone as he led him down the sward towards the grove where Lindorillë lay.

"Her term of service to me ended with the tournament," Finrod replied somewhat distractedly, "although I think she will be attaching herself to my betrothed’s entourage soon enough." He flashed the Vala a knowing smile. "At least that is the impression I got when I left Vanyamar."

Irmo nodded. "Ah... here we are."

They entered the grove and went into the pavilion where they found Melian and another Maia Finrod did not know sitting by Lindorillë’s cot softly singing. Melian looked up with a smile at Finrod’s entrance, rising to offer him an embrace. "It is good to see you, my dear," she said. "We were all rather worried."

"Thank you, Aunt," Finrod said, returning her hug. "How is Lindorillë?"

"She has not worsened, but neither has she improved," said the other Maia, whom Irmo introduced as Lisselindë and whom Finrod was made to understand had been especially assigned to watch over the elleth.

"Then let us see what I can do." Finrod knelt beside the cot, gently stroking the elleth’s hair. Lindorillë neither moved nor acknowledged his presence in any way, her eyes open and unseeing, her breathing too low. "Lindorillë," he whispered, "what doest thou here lying on thy cot when thou should’st be up and attending upon thy lord?"

There was no immediate response. Finrod continued stroking her hair and her cheeks, laying a kiss on her brow. "Come child, heed not Lord Námo’s call but returnest thou unto Life. Thine atto and ammë would grieve for thee, as would I. Áty’ entulë, yeldenya, iCálenna. Avátyë saca Ñuru, mal Coivië."

His words, for all that they were spoken barely above a whisper, were full of power and command. For several more minutes, the elleth did not stir, her eyes staring sightlessly at the ceiling, and then she blinked — once, twice — and gave a small gasp. Finrod continued stroking her hair. "Time to wake up, child," he said in a louder voice.

Tears started forming in her eyes as she moved slightly, still unseeing, yet obviously reaching towards consciousness. "Un-unca’ Fi-finda?" she rasped, leaning into his caress.

Finrod stole a glance at Irmo and the two Maiar who all had identical looks of amusement on their faces. He rose, seating himself on the edge of the cot and gathering the elleth into his arms. "That’s right, child. Your Unca’ Finda’s right here."

"I missed you, Unca’ Finda," she whispered, tears raining down her cheeks. "I... I looked for you but I couldn’t find you." Now she was weeping in earnest and Finrod held her tighter, rocking her gently.

"But you have found me now and all is well again," he answered her and that appeared to calm her, for her tears abated and soon she was falling into a natural sleep. Finrod continued rocking her until he felt her go limp and then he laid her back down.

"Very good," Irmo said, laying a hand gently on her brow, deepening her state into a healing sleep. "I think we can expect a full recovery."

"Will you send her to Tirion?" Melian asked him.

Finrod shook his head. "I think not. It may be best for her to remain near me for the nonce. We don’t want a relapse."

Irmo nodded. "All the children suffered to one degree or another from your disappearance," he said. "I do not think sending any of them to Tirion would be wise at this stage."

"Yet in Tirion they would get proper training under my atar."

"Proper training... or love?" Irmo asked shrewdly.

Finrod nodded. "Both, I guess."

"Do you think they cannot get either from you?" Melian asked.

Finrod shrugged. "I had intended to concentrate on Eruanna and Veryandur first, as they will be released at the solstice." He gave them a sigh. "I don’t think I can deal with all of them at once."

"I’m sure Laurendil and Manwen will be willing to help," Melian suggested.

"No," Finrod countered rather forcibly. "They are both apprentices still and have their own duties."

"And if I release them from those duties?" Irmo offered.

"I would not wish that," Finrod replied categorically. "I know how much Manwen desires to achieve her mastership and Laurendil is only just beginning to accept his new role."

"I will not have my own People..."

"Nor would I want you to, lord," Finrod retorted, standing to face the Vala. "I will decide what to do after I’ve had a chance to speak to and observe the children myself."

The Lord of Lórien nodded. "That is well. Veryandur has been learning herbology while Eruanna has been learning embroidery. Queen Elindis was teaching her during her stay, but Lady Indis has taken over her instruction."

"Anamillë?" Finrod asked in surprise.

Irmo nodded, smiling. "You may wish to visit her. She would love to see you again."

Finrod gave Irmo a disbelieving look. "She refused to see me before."

"She has had a change of heart."

Finrod’s expression became more thoughtful, though he still looked doubtful. "Then perhaps I will pay her a visit soon," he finally said.

"Good, good," Irmo said, then continued. "The two older ellyn have been assigned to tend to the Reborn. Master Meneldil suggested it and it seems to be working out well." He gave a chuckle, shaking his head. "Almost too well. Those two ellyn went from trying to act ‘grown up’ to playing one trick after another on some of our residents, usually with the help of one of the Reborn." The last was said with a wry grin which Finrod echoed.

"I’ll see if Glorfindel will teach them any of his tricks."

"Don’t you dare!" Irmo exclaimed with a mock scowl. Finrod just laughed, giving Melian and Lisselindë a wink. The Maiar smiled benignly at them both.

"Why don’t you go get settled in, Nephew?" Melian suggested. "Lisselindë and I will stay here and watch over Lindorillë."

"Yes," Irmo added, "that sounds like a good idea. Go freshen up and I will see that the other children are made presentable for luncheon."

"Why don’t I have the luncheon at my pavilion then?" Finrod asked. "It will give us more privacy."

Irmo nodded. "I’ll see that everything is made ready and all parties are informed. I’m assuming you would like Glorfindel and Ingwion to be there."

"Yes, let Laurendil and Manwen know they need not join us. They deserve time to themselves."

"It will be as you say then."

Finrod gave the Vala his obeisance, and Melian a hug and a kiss as between kin. He quietly thanked Lisselindë for watching over the elfling and then bent down and kissed Lindorillë gently on the brow before exiting the pavilion.

****

Luncheon was a happy affair all around. None of the other elflings had been told of Finrod’s arrival, merely directed by their Maiar attendants to clean themselves up and put on their best tunics or frock and then they were led to Finrod’s pavilion. As usual, whenever he saw any of the Maiar, Sorondil asked after his sister, but this time, instead of answering in the negative, Irmo’s People were able to assure him that Lindorillë had woken earlier and was now expected to make a complete recovery. The relief on the ellon’s face was palpable and they were forced to stop for a few moments while he got himself under control. The other elflings hugged Sorondil and let him know how happy they were for him.

After a few moments they continued on their way and when they were led to the grove and saw Finrod standing there with Glorfindel and Ingwion flanking him, Eruanna gave a squeal of delight and ran into his open arms. Finrod picked her up and swung her around, laughingly planting a kiss on her brow.

Veryandur was not too far behind and ran joyfully into Glorfindel’s arms while the two older ellyn were a bit more sedate about it, giving the three Elf-lords their obeisance as they approached, yet, the older elves could see the looks of relief on their faces and knew that they had been just as worried as the younger elflings.

"Well now, my children," Finrod said once everyone had calmed down and they were seated at the table that had been set up outside the pavilion under a spreading oak, "how are you faring?"

"But, m-my lord," Oromendil stuttered, "where have you and Lord Glorfindel been? We... we saw you...disappear and thought...." He couldn’t continue and all could see him struggling to maintain control. Finrod noticed that the other elflings looked equally stricken at the memory of the last time they had seen him and sighed.

"Where we were, we are not permitted to say," he finally said, "but know that I never ceased to worry for you... for all of you... and wondered how you were faring without me."

That admission seemed to startle the children, as if none of them had ever considered the idea that this rather intimidating Elf-lord into whose service they had been thrust would actually worry about them. It gave them a new perspective on just who their lord was.

"So, tell me what you have learned while I was away," Finrod said then, and one by one, beginning with Veryandur, they spoke of their duties and the things they were learning. The youngest of the elflings regaled them with a catalogue of all the different herbs he had helped tend, even going so far as to list their medicinal properties.

"It sounds as if we have a future Lóriennildo in our midst," Glorfindel said with a smile and a wink for Finrod.

Finrod smiled back reaching over to where Veryandur was sitting next to him and ruffling his locks, much to the youngster’s disgust. "I can think of worse occupations," he said.

Eruanna, when she spoke of learning her stitches, gave Finrod a shy look. "I’m not very good," she said with a sigh, "but Lady Indis says I will improve in time."

Finrod nodded. "My anamillë is well-known throughout Eldamar for her embroidery. You could not have a better teacher."

The elflings all stared at Finrod in surprise, only dimly beginning to realize just how powerful and nobly born he truly was.

Ingwion, who had remained quiet for the most part, nodded. "Aunt Indis has always been praised for her work. Atar was grieved when she refused to return to Vanyamar after... well after everything." He looked troubled for a moment and the other two older elves understood what had caused his dismay and offered him sympathetic looks, though the children showed signs of confusion.

"Well, that’s all over and done with," Finrod said brightly for the children’s sake and Ingwion forced himself to smile and nod, though his eyes were still dark with remembered pain. Finrod turned to Sorondil and Oromendil, giving them a bland look. "Lord Irmo says you are helping Master Meneldil with the Reborn and causing all sorts of trouble."

The two ellyn shared guilty looks. "We’re just...playing with them," Sorondil explained.

Oromendil nodded. "Some of them know really good games."

"Oh? What sort of games?" Finrod asked with just enough disinterest in his voice as he pretended to poke at his salad to lull the ellyn into a false sense of security.

"Um... well, once we... er... that is... Gwindor came up with this idea to switch all the labels on the herbals in Master Meneldil’s apothecary," Oromendil offered somewhat reluctantly.

"Oh? And why did you think that was a good idea?" Ingwion asked, looking intrigued.

Oromendil gave them a sour look. "Most of them taste bad!" he exclaimed with some disgust. "We were hoping by switching the labels we might be given something good for a change."

"And why were you even being given herbals anyway?" Glorfindel asked, looking a bit confused.

Interestingly enough, all four elflings sighed, though it was Sorondil who answered. "They’ve been giving us these herbal teas every day. Horrid stuff. They said we had to take them because we’ve been sad."

"We were a lot sadder whenever we had to drink them," Veryandur stated ingenuously. The other three elflings nodded in agreement.

The three Elf-lords looked at each other for a moment and then burst out laughing.

"So what else did you and... Gwindor? Yes, what else did you and he come up with?" Finrod asked once he calmed down. He had started at the name, though only Glorfindel and Ingwion noticed. If this was the same Gwindor, son of Guilin... He shook his head slightly to clear it as he returned his attention to what Sorondil was saying.

"We really didn’t do anything bad..."

"Except for switching labels on the herbals and that could have caused serious problems for others," Finrod retorted.

"Luckily, my Lord Irmo assigned a Maia to each of the elflings, so we were able to switch the labels back after they went on their merry way."

Everyone looked up to see Ingil standing there smiling at them with great amusement. Finrod, Glorfindel and Ingwion gave the Maia abbreviated bows, while Eruanna and Veryandur gave him bright smiles. Sorondil and Oromendil, however, looked even guiltier than before. Finrod gave the Maia a shrewd look. "Something tells me that you’re just dying to relate to me all the things these two did."

Ingil laughed. "Nay, I will not tell tales out of turn, as I think the saying goes, but there was one incident about which you should know for everyone in Lórien is aware of it."

"Oh?" was Finrod’s only response.

Ingil nodded. "We’ve been referring to it as the... um... ‘Great Paint Job Incident’."

"Oh!" Eruanna said with an excited gleam in her eyes. "That was funny."

Veryandur nodded and giggled in agreement. Sorondil and Oromendil both looked as if they were wishing the earth would open up beneath them and swallow them whole.

The three Elf-lords, divining they were about to be entertained, refilled their goblets and settled back in their chairs. Finrod gestured to Ingil. "Pull up a chair, Ingil, and tell us all about it."

Ingil smiled and suddenly a chair appeared. There was a little bit of shuffling about before the Maia was comfortably seated between the two ellyn, casting them fond looks and putting an arm around their shoulders before addressing Finrod.

"You should know that my Lord Irmo holds no grudge against these two for what they did. When dealing with the Reborn... and elflings, one learns to take certain behavior in stride."

Both Finrod and Glorfindel nodded, their faces wreathed with wide grins at the memories of their own time in Lórien.

"So what happened?" Ingwion asked, feeling a bit left out of things, for he had no knowledge of what his cousin and Glorfindel had experienced while residing in Lórien, learning to reintegrate themselves into Amanian society. Neither Finrod nor Glorfindel ever spoke of that time except in the vaguest of details. He was curious to know what it might have been like for them.

"Well," Ingil said with an amused smile, "it all started one day when Gwindor, Sorondil and Oromendil’s special friend among the Reborn, complained that there was too much green in Lórien...."

****

Áty’ entulë, yeldenya, iCálenna. Avátyë saca Ñuru, mal Coivië: ‘Returnest thou, my daughter, unto the Light. Seekest thou not Death, but Life’. When personalized, Ñuru refers to Mandos.

Anamillë: Grandmother.

Historical note: Gwindor son of Guilin of Nargothrond joined Beleg in the attempt to rescue Túrin and then later warned Túrin of the sack of Nargothrond just before his own death at the Battle of Tumhalad. 





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