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Chapter Twenty-Two: Imbe Melmen

Glorfindel passed down the stairs from Turgon's room to head to his own, itching for a warm bath and a comfortable bed. The golden lord finally had returned to Vinyamar and went to his friend as soon as he had arrived. Turgon always wished to hear the news after every patrol reported in at the end of their three months. It appeared to Glorfindel that the orcs were retreating back north into Angband, leaving the lands free and undisturbed again. He had anticipated that this change would be welcomed well by Turgon, which was more of an understatement of the reaction the elf-prince had.

He also learned of his friend Cirdan visiting for the next week. He hoped that during this time back he could spend it with the shipwright before his return back to Eglarest. The elf-lord of the coasts had already retired to his chambers with some nightly entertainment and Glorfindel did not wish to disturb him. He could wait till the morn to visit his close acquaintance.

Glancing up, the Vanyar noticed he was approaching Elrilya's room. Glorfindel decided he could delay his relaxing bath for a time so that he could greet his friend. A knock on her door and no return answer revealed that her rooms were empty. With a sigh, Glorfindel continued on and hoped he would see her the next morning. A few minutes later he was at his door and, taking one of the torches from the hallway with him, unlocked his dark room. Lighting a few candles and small torches in his room, Glorfindel did not at first notice the huddled figure in his bed until he heard the rustle of the sheets and comforter.

"Who is there?" he asked looking into the shadows.

"I did not know it was time for your return," Elrilya said sleepily as she raised her head from the pillows.

Surprised at first, Glorfindel did not answer but instead came to her side, lighting one of the candles at the bedside. He sat on the edge and smiled as he took her hand in his.

"Have you not counted the days as you once did when I first started the patrols?" he asked jokingly. "Though that does not explain why you are here in my room much less the question of how you entered without my key."

She smiled though it did not quite reach her eyes, the usual sparkle of mirth not present in her irises.

"Things have been different this time," she said after a few moments. "I do owe you a reason as to my being here but it can wait until morning. I realize you need your rest tonight."

She began to rise but he stopped her by placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Please stay, it would be good to talk with you again after being away," Glorfindel answered. "I will only be a few minutes."

Elrilya nodded and he retreated to his bathing room and closed the door. Going straight into routine despite her presence in the other room, Glorfindel began to remove his armor and clothing and tossed them into a dirty pile in the corner to be cleaned later. Moments later he had eased himself into the warm water he had drawn while undressing. A soft sigh escaped his lips as he leaned into the soothing waters and arched backward to rinse his hair. A contented moan escaped his lips as he further slipped into the comfort of the bath.

Elrilya sat alone in the dim room as thoughts became present again in her mind as to her recent predicaments. The importance became real again but the doubt resurfaced again as to the decision she had made earlier that day.

Glorfindel came back to her side; his damp hair hanging loosely and he wore a pair of loose-fitting leggings and a nightshirt. She had sat up to face him and to not hide beneath the sheets. She needed to find out what she had been seeking the answer to in her mind that night by asking Glorfindel directly now that he had returned.

"Tell me what thoughts you dwell on," he said softly.

"I apologize if I hurt the trust between us by being here without you knowing," she said.

"That is of no consequence," he said with a wave of his hand.

Glorfindel waited patiently as she took a few deep breaths before going further.

"I came here to think," Elrilya began. "I needed clarity on whether a decision I made earlier today was indeed what I should do. I always seek your wisdom in such matters but with you gone, I wanted something familiar of you to help me."

"What is this decision you have made?" he asked of her.

"While you were away, I met an ellon who has shown me so much and has brought out another side of me I did not know I had," she said quietly. "Cirdan's kinsman, Taurnil, and I have become closer than friends."

Glorfindel felt a pang hit him inside his chest and felt saddened suddenly. At first he did not react, unsure of what he was feeling but then recoiled as he realized a strange envy had entered his mind. He tried to push it away, reminding himself they were just close friends and that he only felt jealous because she had spent her time that he usually had with her with someone else, their differences in relationships notwithstanding.

"It is good to seek out the attentions of others," Glorfindel tried to explain to her, ignoring the reservations at the back of his mind. "You gain experience and learn from those encounters so that you know when you are with the one you will bind to for eternity."

"Taurnil's relations with me are much more than testing relationships," she sighed. "He has asked me to return with him to Eglarest to be with him."

This was different than Glorfindel had thought and he had expected such a thing to happen but somehow felt as if it should not.

"And this is the choice you have made?" he asked her and received a nod in reply before he continued. "What is your decision then?"

"I wish to go with him," she tried to say firmly but it came out weak and insufficient. "But I have misgivings still. That is another reason why you have found me here," she said, squeezing his hands and inching closer to him. "As my Atar, Turgon has given me leave to go with Taurnil and Idril is happy for me to be open to such invitations; however, I seek your thoughts on this matter as a close friend but also possibly more."

Glorfindel narrowed his eyes in thought as she finished speaking. He did not realize the meaning of her words until he felt the soft touch of her hand on his cheek and looked into her searching eyes. There was something more to her gaze, which he had seen before over the decades but only for fleeting moments before it disappeared. Yet, this time, what he saw within did not vanish immediately but stayed strong in her eyes.

"How do you mean?" he asked the obvious question though he was half-expecting a certain answer.

"I do not wish to endanger our friendship but I have to know if you believe there is the possibility for more between us," she put forth. "If there is that chance, I would want to stay and see where it may lead us but only if you wish it of me as well. I say these things because I have sensed within me feelings that one holds for a love. Tell me if I am wrong in thinking that or if you feel the same as I."

Glorfindel bowed his head, closing his eyes as he took in the confession she spoke. For once in a long time he felt afraid of what he would say to someone. His own feelings were a tumultuous quandary that he could not make sense of and after his encounter on patrol, he was unsure of what the truth of these thoughts of his were. The problems and encounters of obsessive ellyth like Celegiell invaded his mind, casting the same shadowy identity onto Elrilya. Too many possibilities ran through his mind, fogging his usual rational and organized thinking. When she pleadingly raised his head with her fingers and he looked into her eyes did he finally find his voice.

"We are family and friends. Nothing more," he whispered and averted his eyes, feeling ashamed deep in his mind the moment after he said the words.

He almost immediately felt her retreat from him, pulling back her hand and shifting her weight on the bed.

"I appreciate your honesty," she said softly, trying to keep her voice steady. "I must go now and leave you to your slumber."

Glorfindel did not stay Elrilya as she slipped from the mattress and went out the door.

*
The next day dawned with a muggy morning, clouds and an oppressive humidity. Glorfindel found his mood as gloomy as the weather since he had a restless sleep the night before. Breakfast alone with Cirdan hardly lightened his disposition but his friend did not pry at the reasons the Vanyar was acting so unlike himself. After his meal, Glorfindel thought it best to see to his troops and since Ecthelion had planned training for the day, it was the perfect time to address the warriors and see their progress.

However, a different scene welcomed him when he approached the training fields. A small crowd mixed with soldiers and onlookers surrounded the circular sparing area as a battle was waged between one of Cirdan's fellow visitors and one of Glorfindel's own. Several ellyn and ellyth stepped aside as the golden-lord stepped up to the edge of the commotion in search of his fellow captain. Finding Ecthelion on one side of the circle, he strode up next to him.

"What is it we have here?" he asked the dark-haired guardsman of Turgon.

"Some of Lord Cirdan's troops wished to train with us lately and we have been holding matches between them so that both our people may be introduced to different styles of fighting."

"It will be good for their anticipating attacks and the unknown," Glorfindel nodded.

Moments later, the ellon from Eglarest in the ring managed to disarm his Vinyamar opponent and stood triumphantly in front of the crowd who murmured and cheered at his achievement. He raised his sword high as he soaked in the praise he received.

"I seek another opponent!" he called out to the crowd of soldiers.

None spoke up at first and Glorfindel wondered what had become of his men. Stepping forward toward the silver haired elf, Glorfindel showed his interest in sparing against the rather arrogant youth.

"I shall fight you," he offered and took a shield from a nearby warrior but with his own sword already at his side.

"Lord Glorfindel challenges you," Ecthelion called over to the young Sindar.

A mischievous smile spread across the ellon's face as he walked up to Glorfindel and they clasped each other's arms in greeting.

"Hannon le. I had hoped to find a formidable foe," he said. "I am Taurnil, kinsman of Cirdan. I have heard much of you, my lord."

Glorfindel felt the nuisance of jealousy poking at him again as he came face to face with the one Elrilya was sought by. Taurnil taunted him with his eyes, daring Glorfindel to beat him. There was a strange mirth behind the Sinda's stare that bothered Glorfindel but he met the gaze with his own without flinching.

"Of you I have heard some and I welcome you, the kinsman of my good friend, to my field," he answered him. "Shall we get started?"

"Of course," Taurnil said with a nod and stepped back a few paces.

Readjusting his shield and pulling his sword out, Glorfindel stood ready as Taurnil crouched into a similar stance. The Sindar charged him at full force with his sword in striking position. He stabbed at Glorfindel who dodged and struck Taurnil's blow quickly before spinning to meet him rather than have his back to him leaving a prime target and opportunity. The golden-haired lord darted and slashed down at the Sindar as he was shifting his weight, catching him off balance at first. He quickly recovered and brought another stab at Glorfindel's side.

A block by his shield deflected the attack from Glorfindel but Taurnil was not finished with his volley. A swift turn and a switch of stance brought a new torrent upon Glorfindel, driving him backward a ways. The Vanyar threw his force into one of the blows, driving Taurnil's sword into the shield thus making him unable to pull it out. Glorfindel tossed it aside, causing Taurnil to drop his sword as the heavy shield remnants were thrown.

Without a second of hesitation, the silver-haired ellon pulled out two long daggers from another set of sheaths on his belt. He met Glorfindel's blows but had to adapt to the closer movements and attacks. Suddenly, Glorfindel jumped away with harsh grunt and the redness of blood on his arm was visible from a slight twist of Taurnil's blade that had caught him.

"There is no need to draw blood on a fellow Elda during training," Glorfindel chastised him.

"It was a slip of the wrist, my mistake," Taurnil apologized though there appeared to be a satisfied gleam to his eyes when he said it.

Glorfindel came at him again with a swipe then eluded an attempt by Taurnil to blindside him and knock him to the ground. Instead, Glorfindel sidestepped and meant to trip the Sindar, sending him sprawling onto his stomach on the ground; however, Taurnil tried to make a last-ditch save by grabbing Glorfindel's arm. The move was anticipated and Glorfindel moved aside but Taurnil did not move fast enough and caught the rounded end of Glorfindel's hand and sword hilt in the face then fell to the ground.

A few giggles and shocked gasps came from the crowd at the surprised movement and ungraceful fall but moments later it was apparent that Taurnil had not come out of it unscathed. The skin around his right eye was already starting to swell and blood trickled from his broken nose. Glorfindel stepped back as the Sindar stood up, touching his face gingerly and finding the blood on his hands.

"You play roughly, maethor," he said and spat some blood on the ground. "Watch yourself."

Glorfindel did not say a word as Taurnil walked back toward the walls of the city, most likely in search of the healers to mend his face. Several of the spectators dispersed, a few following Taurnil to see if he was all right. Ecthelion came up behind Glorfindel to his side.

"That was a rather ridiculous move he made," he said softly as he handed Glorfindel a cloth to clean his own wound. "If I saw one of my own soldiers pull that I would have him disciplined. It almost appeared on purpose."

"Indeed," Glorfindel agreed.

"Come, I'll take you to one of the healers in the barracks," Ecthelion said, leading him away. "I do not think it would be wise to visit the healers at the same time as he while a certain Noldo is working there today."

*
Glorfindel was alone in his study the next day when a loud knock came at his door after an attempt by the knocker to open it first. Rising from his desk, he walked over to the door and unlatched before pulling it open. An angered Elrilya stood outside his doorway with eyes stormy. He could sense the tension she had and simply opened the door wider to let her enter instead of have their confrontation in the hallway. As soon as he had closed and latched the door again she spun on him.

"I cannot believe you would purposely hurt someone for revenge," she accused him, her face flustered red.

"That was not the case," Glorfindel said calmly, he had to not react to here tired so that the conversation would not become a shouting match. "Taurnil was not careful with his attacks and has now learned from it."

"Giving him a bruised eye and broken nose is hardly teaching him a lesson," Elrilya yelled, not quieting her voice. "He deserves an apology from you."

"There is no need for one when it is his own fault for causing his injuries," he responded with a sigh. "Perhaps you should speak to others who witnessed it. They certainly would enlighten you on what happened."

"Taurnil told me what happened out there," she said harshly. "I was in the healing rooms when he came in covered in his blood. I do not see you doing that to any of your soldiers to 'teach them a lesson.'"

"You are trying my patience, Elrilya," Glorfindel said, his eyes narrowing. "I hardly expected you to be carrying on like an elfling throwing a tantrum without finding out the facts before making accusations."

"Do not take your bitterness out on me," she spat at him. "To harm him to get back at me for not staying here with you is a terrible deed."

"That you betray the words of a close friend to believe one you hardly know is saddening," he said with his voice low and serious. "I thought you better than that, Elrilya, for I have always said I would never hurt you and to accuse me of injuring one close to you in order to bring you pain is dishonorable. If you do not take heed and watch your tongue, you shall be very lonely one day. Perhaps a Sindar liar would care to have you in his presence but I do not. Be gone! Go with him to Eglarest and out of my sight."

He strode to the door and held it open for her so that she would leave. Her face was still flustered but her eyes deceived her inner feelings of surprise and sudden uncertainty. She searched his face for the caring soul she was used to but found nothing but a cold and stone-hard stare at her. Bowing her head she left without a word and had the door shut heavily behind her.

*
"I will write often, I promise," Elrilya said to Idril as they hugged on the pier.

"You should or else I will have to come and get you," Idril teased. "Do let us know how things are and what comes of this."

Elrilya nodded, knowing full well what Idril meant. She had already said her farewells to the rest of the family and Ecthelion, Cirdan's ship behind her awaiting her to board. Elrilya paused, looking around for any sign of Glorfindel on the dock but she found no sign of him. The day after their argument he had ridden out early on his departure to again be with the patrols without the usual month off. Elrilya had later found out how Glorfindel had been hurt as well in the sparing match and she felt worse that she had not known that before confronting him. She had hoped he would return to see her off but appeared he still did not wish to see her.

Sighing resignedly, she said farewell one last time to her family and boarded the ship to head to Eglarest. Taurnil waited onboard, his eye still a little swollen from his encounter with Glorfindel. He took her hand and pulled her close to him, bestowing a kiss on her lips as the gangplank was pulled onto the ship as she disembarked.

Glossary
Imbe Melmen: between love
Atar: father
Maethor: warrior