Chapter 21: An Ode to Glorfindel

“Just look at them, circling each other like prey,” Istawen pointed out.

Rainiel rolled her eyes, “My brother and those two are too easy to distract.”

Istawen giggled, “Just look at the look on our husbands’ faces, they know their defeat is at hand. Rainiel you knew only too well how to distract these ellon [male elves].”

“My brother and friends are as consistent as Arien and Tilion crossing the skies. ‘T was not hard to convince Elladan and Elrohir to *join* with us in exacting retribution from these Mirkwood four.”

“But you would think these formidable orc hunters, sons of Elrond, lore master, would be clever enough to discern that you were merely using them to distract Legolas and Aní from their plotting,” Istawen added incredulously.

Rainiel chuckled lightly, “Yes you would think those two would be more discerning and not rush into aid me without considering what they were aiding, but such is and has been the folly of males- to fall unawares into the sweet smiles of the fairer sex.”

Istawen bent over and whispered into her daughter’s ear, “Pay heed to the lessons you are learning for they will aid you greatly in all the paths you choose to walk.”

Lotórie’s eyes were bright with understanding, and added most seriously, “So it is true then, that elleth [female elves]are indeed more intelligent than ellon [male elves].”

Istawen and Rainiel had to suppress their laughter, and Rainiel finally answered her young niece, “Ai Lotórie, well said, well said!”

Rainiel, eyes burning with the efficiency of a master technician, glanced over to Lenmana, “Pray tell Araswen, how *experienced* are you with the weaker sex?”

Lenmana’s eyes squinted with confusion, her voice littered with uncertainty, “I do not understand your question.”

Rainiel reformulated her question to the young mortal, “Have you laid with any men, that is have you frequented in the physical pleasures between two mortals?”

“Oh,” Lenmana’s mouth opened in realization, “I have taken husbands but these partnerings were brief due to the instabilities faced… out there.” Lenmana’s vision seemed to retreat inwards as she remembered her life before that moment.

But before she became too lost in memories, Istawen prodded Lenmana with more pleasant questions, “So our young maiden is more experienced in the ways of the wide world than we would think. Would receiving such pleasure anew present a problem for you?”

Lenmana could not help but laugh at the last question, and she answered as any true warm-blooded woman would, “Not in the least bit, in fact I fear it has been too many winters since the warmth of another body has pressed against mine. “

Lenmana’s face suddenly grew serious with realization of how she was going to be involved in the *plans*. She whispered somewhat concerned, “Do you mean that I am to actually play along with those three?”

Rainiel reached over to wrap her arm around Lenmana’s shoulders, “Now that we are understanding one another, what say you, can you do it? You only stand to reap the benefits, and of course we stand to watch those men humiliated by their own egos.”

Istawen pressed the mortal, “You yourself have said that it has been too long since you have felt the heat of another, and I can speak truthfully when I say, you will be most pleased with the prowess of elven males.”

Lenmana could not help but giggle, her cheeks burning with the images the words were conjuring in her head. She answered the female elves, “I would be dishonest if I did not admit that the beauty of all of you has not bewitched me, but the beauty of your males is beyond what I could imagine in men, and my body warms with the thought I may…” Her voice trailed off as she blushed deeply, hiding her hot face behind her hands.

“Then let us proceed, and you my dear have nothing to loose,” Rainiel spoke lightheartedly, grabbing Lenmana’s hands from her face and holding them reassuringly.

Rainiel added, “If you think these elves are delectable, just wait until you meet my Adar’s newest guest. He arrived but moments ago. It seems our Imladris guests have tarried too long away from home and their father has sent their keeper to find out about their whereabouts.”

***

“So what do you know about our young mortal guest,” Elladan pressed Aní.

“Not much,” Aní admitted.

Legolas interjected, through a wicked smile, “I think that she is unknowing of the many ways of the mortal world.”

Elrohir replied sarcastically, “But then what would you know dear friend. You yourself admitted surprise that she spoke our tongue.”

Elladan added, “But you did quite well in concealing your surprise at hearing her strange accent pronounce Sindarin words.”

“Ai, it was a surprise. I did not think she spoke our tongue. I know not when this occurred, nor how long she could understand and communicate in Sindarin.”

Aní’s eyes grew wide with realization, “Legolas, do you think she understood us when we went to greet her earlier this evening?”

Legolas smacked Aní upside the head, “Do you ever stop to consider the words that fly out your mouth? You do not think that she somehow, I would dare say miraculously began to speak our tongue just hours ago? It is obvious that she understood us when we went to greet her. I wonder just how long she has been able to understand us?”

Elrohir flicked his finger sharply across Legolas’ ear, causing the golden haired elf to flinch with pain, “And that you Legolas Thranduilion, Prince of this realm, decorated warrior, was not able to perceive that this mere mortal maiden understands, nay speaks our tongue?”

It was Aní’s turn to smack Legolas upside the head, which elicited a quick jab in Aní’s side from a flustered Prince.

As Aní rubbed his aching side, Legolas shook his head, laughing at his own misjudgment of the mortal maiden.

“You do know that it was Mithrandir’s doing,” Elrohir announced to the perplexed duo.

Elladan added, “Would you believe it? The Valar themselves interceded and helped our youngest stranger to be gifted with the knowledge of our tongue.”

Legolas nodded in understanding, “It could only be Mithrandir who could conjure up such miracles. His power is indeed beyond anything I know. Not only can he summon the Valar, they actually listen to him! How many times have I called out for help and had my pleadings remain unheard.”

Elladan shook his head in agreement, “One can never truly understand the ways of Mithrandir and much less of the Valar. And Legolas, pleading to the Valar that your hair be the most glorious hair in all of Arda is not a selfless act.”

Aní snorted, “No indeed, not in the least bit.”

Aní quickly received another jab, this time to his uninjured side, and Elladan was swiftly knocked onto his bottom. As a surprised Elladan glanced up at his aggressor, he could see Legolas looking down at him, a most innocent smile gracing his lips.

“Elladan you must be more careful, you never know what wood spirits you conjure when you insult their dearest prince.” Legolas was sweeping his hand in an exaggerated manner through his hair, “The Valar not need intercede on behalf of this elf, no aid is needed here.”

“Ai, Elladan, I believe that in place of Legolas I am seeing a certain resurrected Lord, chief of the House of the Golden Flower,” Elrohir exclaimed, clutching his heart in mock adoration.

Elladan replied, “ ‘T is true my brother, this type of display can be none other than Glorfindel the beloved!”

These taunts elicited a hearty laugh from Legolas. He knew all too well the playful nature of the mighty Glorfindel, although many times he and the twins suspected that behind Glorfindel’s playful façade existed a certain pompousness.

Legolas held out his chest, and struck his most imposing stance as he bellowed, “I am indeed Glorfindel of the House of the Golden Flower, mighty Balrog slayer, friend of Thorondor Lord of the Thoronath of old, released from the Halls of Mandos to serve the mighty line of Noldo Kings.” Legolas then touched his hand to his heart in the formal elven greeting, and as he bowed he extended his hand in front of him, adding a series of exaggerated hand flourishes. (1)

Elladan was now lying on his back, laughing mightily.

Elrohir decided that the play acting needed further embellishment. He threw himself at Legolas’ feet, clinging to them in mock adoration. Elrohir threw his head up towards a Legolas who was trying hard not to break his serious demeanor, and with eyelashes batting Elrohir purred in his best imitation of a feminine voice, “Oh fair one, I throw my life at your feet for I fear I shall not be able to live out the night!”

Legolas spoke, attempting his best mighty Glorfindel voice, “Fear not weak one, for I have in my heart the remembered vision of the thoron [eagle]. My memory leads me to see from the Crissaegrim to Hithaeglir, my hand remembers the strength I drew as I defended the hosts of Gondolin and as I slew the Balrog come to destroy us at Cirith Thoronath, the Eagles’ Cleft.” (2)

As if on cue, Elrohir started crying and swooning at Legolas’ feet. Legolas had a hard time keeping a straight face as true tears fell down Elrohir’s cheeks. Elladan on the other hand, was rolling on the ground in an attack of laughter. Indeed, Legolas and Elrohir’s performance had attracted a host of elves as audience, and so inspired by the multitude, the two descended into further mockery of the survivor of the House of the Golden Flower.

Legolas knelt down, and began to wipe away the tears from Elrohir’s face. Elrohir looked at Legolas with pleading and enamored eyes, clutching the golden haired elf’s hands.

Legolas struggled to speak through the fits of laughter that were overtaking him, “Do not cry fair beauty, too many tears unnumbered have fallen. Remember who stands before you!.” At this point Legolas stood again, and Elrohir wrapped himself around the standing elf’s leg, swooning in anticipation. (3)

Legolas held out his hands towards his audience, bellowing, “For I was there, aiding my Kings, in the fifth battle- Nirnaeth Arnoediad, where Fingon fell, and Turgon of Gondolin thus carried forth the hope of the Eldar as new King. And I with Ecthelion defended our people from the swarming hosts of Angband, to the pass of Sirion! Success came, but with much loss, but I Glorfindel, of the House of the Golden Flower, persevered with much valor, courage like no other!” (See 3)

Legolas looked down to Elrohir who was trying to swoon, but was more caught up in fits of laughter. Legolas' serious face broke into a wide and silly grin, and he ended his questionable tribute to Glorfindel, balrog slayer.

The audience was eerily quiet, but Elrohir and Legolas paid no mind to the silence. Legolas concluded, his voice shrill from trying to contain the laughter that attempted to overcome him, “ ‘Ai, ai! A Balrog is come!’ A Balrog of Morgoth! You were not able to vanquish this golden head for I have returned, returned and outlived your master in these lands, to see that the line of Kings continues! But more importantly to allow all on this middle earth to walk next to me, behold my beauty, to behold the glory of the Golden Flower in all its brilliance!” (4)

Elrohir let out a loud swoon and fell as if dead at the feet of Legolas, and Legolas bowed deeply before his audience. The only sound heard was Elladan’s snorting and the singular clap of appreciation from an audience member.

Legolas and Elrohir glanced at each other through their hair, their brows furrowed in confusion. Normally, the crowd gathered before them would be hooting and yelling, cheering their performance, but not this time- something was amiss.

In fact, something was amiss, as the performers looked up towards their audience, their eyes fell on the single elf clapping, but this elf was no mere elf. On his tunic were embroidered golden flowers, symbols of his house, and his hair fell, as true to his name, the golden-haired . There, in front of Legolas and Elrohir, stood Glorfindel, the balrog slayer, now appointed caretaker of the twins by a concerned Elrond, clapping, and wearing a deadly smile, a smile that could only be conceived by one returned from the Halls of Mandos.

“Thranduilion beware of the iaur [ancient], for an ancient cardh [deed] in the long history of the Eldar has a way of repeating itself,” the ancient lord warned.

Legolas swallowed hard as the imposing Glorfindel spoke, his warning not ignored, but its meaning not quite clear in the younger elf’s mind. Legolas took the elder elf’s statement to mean that his folly could take him to such an end as Glorfindel’s.

Legolas queried cautiously, “At your hands hir nîn [my lord]?”

“Nay Legolas, not by my hands although they do itch to ring your neck at this moment. Nay Greenleaf be wary of the Valarauko [balrog], these demons of might and fire may still prey the depths where shadow looms undisturbed.”

The dark tone of the decorated elder Legolas to shudder, and in the currents of his thoughts was foreshadowed a deep and terrible fear he would one day meet, so the melody of the Ainur whispered.

“Eh-hem,” Glorfindel cleared his throat, snapping Legolas’ attention back to the elf lord, “And dearest Elrohir, I did not know that you too have fallen victim to our dearest Prince’s fair virtues?”

Elrohir was about to protest Glorfindel’s acerbic comment but decided that it would best suit him to remain quiet. After all, why was Glorfindel in Mirkwood?

As if answering Elrohir’s silent question, Glorfindel’s lyrical but stern voice rolled out the response, “It seems that the sons of Elrond do not find it necessary to report to their father in a timely manner, causing said father to worry when no word is received from his orc-slaying sons. And being Lord of Imladris your father found it necessary to send me to locate the likes of you two.”

Elladan and Elrohir glanced at each other, their faces turning white.

Glorfindel continued in his lecture, “But I insisted, ‘Lord Elrond, I am sure your two sons are uninjured. In fact I assure you that they are probably running amuck somewhere.’ But your Adar would not heed my advice, being overcome by the worry that often accompanies parenthood, and to the likes of you two nonetheless. Your Adar has been tired of late, reaching his senses to dark places that are stirring mightily, struggling as is his fate with the Shadow that threatens to consume us all. Such his state as you two are both intimately aware of does not allow him to ascertain your safety.”

*You two should know better* Glorfindel thought silently.

“And so I find myself a guest of King Thranduil, but to my surprise I find that Mirkwood’s youngest Prince and Imladris’s own Elrohir are enraptured in a dubious tribute to myself with Elladan rolling on the ground in laughter most unbefitting for his station. I thank you deeply for your welcome and am glad to know that despite my traveling through dark places to find the likes of you, you all hold me in such high esteem.”

Glorfindel’s icy declaration ended and the silence that surrounded the twins and Legolas was deafening. The three felt as if they were mere elflings being scolded by a disappointed parent. What they failed to see was the winks that were exchanged between Glorfindel and Thranduil.

Lenmana was tugging on Rainiel’s sleeve rather urgently, “Of all creation, who is this elf?!”

***********

(1) Thorondor was the King or Lord of Eagles of the Crissaegrim (See 2). Thorondor himself bore the body of the slain Glorfindel out of the deeps of the pass the Eagles Cleft where both Glorfindel and the Balrog he slew fell. Silmarillion

(2) The Crissaegrim are the mountain-peaks south of Gondolin. The Hithaeglir is the Sindarin name for the misty mountains which I presume Glorfindel would also be knowledgeable of since Imladris lies just west of them. The Silmarillion

(3) From Silmarillion, the Nirnaeth Arnoediad- the name given to the fifth battle where Gothmog slew Fingon, the Noldor King, also named Tears Unnumbered

(4) This quote is taken directly from The Fellowship of the Ring, in the chapter, “The Bridge of Khazad-Dûm.” You can say this a bit of foreshadowing which Glorfindel most keenly and spookily points out.