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Chapter Twenty-Four: Oira

Glorfindel found himself in a daze the evening and next day after he had come upon Elrilya in the library. During the meetings with Cirdan's lords and councilors he paid enough attention to the goings on and discussion but just on the edge of his thoughts he mulled over their reunion. Elrilya had shown no anger toward him and was quite the contrary of what he was half expecting.

Many unanswered questions went through his mind as he contemplated the reasons of her return. Cirdan had been overly busy with the meetings and at times his councilors wished to have private talks, which left Glorfindel at times to his own devices alone. Elrilya had been scarce as well when he had wandered around the city and Cirdan's halls though he was not exactly searching for her but had thought that there would be some chance of running across her. He determined she had to be preparing to leave with him and certainly a day was not nearly enough time for one to gather things accumulated over a quarter-century or say farewells. Glorfindel contented himself with the thought that he would learn more once they were on their way back to Vinyamar concerning her decisions to come back.

Evening came and Glorfindel had taken to walking along the docks in the harbors to pass time. He enjoyed traveling by land much more than by sea but every once in a while he had to enjoy the beauty of the vessel experts like Cirdan who built such amazing ships to traverse the great ocean. It did not take long for him to reach the pier where his own boat was docked where a great deal of activity was occurring. Coming closer, Glorfindel saw that some of his crew and the sailors of Eglarest were loading items onto the deck of the ship. He wondered what was being taken on board until he spotted Elrilya looking over everything.

Strolling up behind her and leaning in close, Glorfindel said, "I hope she won't sink from all of the belongings you are putting on board."

Elrilya turned with smile on her face, "Not even close to it. Everything is rather light and it's not nearly as much as you might think."

"I hope so," Glorfindel said, an impish curve to his lips. "Otherwise the hull will be sitting on the sea bottom and we'll never make it to Vinyamar."

She narrowed her eyes at him in mock annoyance, "What is it do you think I am bringing with me?"

"One can only imagine," he said with a look toward the ship then back to her.

"As you can see," she said motioning to the near empty dock. "I only have two items left to put onboard and the ship is not even near sinking."

"I suppose you are right," he said with a fake sigh of resignation. "I will leave you to your loading then so I will not disturb you."

"You never disturb me, Glorfindel," Elrilya said with a smile. "Until morning."

"Till then," he said with a short bow of his head before going on his way to see what the final decisions were from Cirdan.

*
The sea air whipped quickly along the deck, the sails on the masts open fully to greedily use the wind in speeding the ship on its way. Glorfindel went down below after seeing that they were well underway. The wind had picked up the night before their departure and there was no need for the use of oars on the return trip to Vinyamar thus giving the crew more free time in the bowels of the ship. Elrilya had been given quarters where Glorfindel slept the couple nights of the voyage to Eglarest. Since ellyth as single passengers rarely came onboard and would typically share rooms on longer voyages, Glorfindel offered to have her room there instead of with crew members. Glorfindel did not mind sleeping elsewhere since it was a short trip. He could hear the crew laughing and carrying on in the mess and kitchen and he chuckled to himself at their high spirits despite the threat of war on the horizon. Soon enough, Glorfindel came to his former quarters and knocked.

"Enter," came the feminine call and Glorfindel opened the door.

He found Elrilya seated on the cushions beneath one of the few windows the ship had so that she could have the last of the daylight to read before night came. She was leaning back against the pillows with her feet tucked slightly underneath her.

"Are you comfortable?" he asked her.

"Well enough," she said kindly. "And how do you fare?"

"The same," he said while taking a seat next to her. "You did not forget anything behind I hope. We are already far from port due to our good fortune of the wind."

"Nay, I did not," she said with a shake of her head, then turned her eyes on him. "Or perhaps do you mean someone?"

Glorfindel eyed her cautiously then said, "I meant nothing but jest in my question. If you think otherwise then you are mistaken."

"I apologize," she said, turning a little red from her impoliteness. "I still have my doubts in my head."

"Concerning what?" he asked her.

"That you are still upset with me," she said.

Glorfindel sighed, "I have not been angry at you all this time."

"Then why did you not write like the others?" she asked curiously.

"I did not want to upset you more or interfere," Glorfindel said honestly. "We did not leave on the best of terms and I had hoped we would still be friends but wanted to wait till we could discuss it together like we are now."

"I cannot fault you for that," she said. "For I did not want to anger you more with letters if I wrote you."

Glorfindel smiled with a chuckle, "Then we both erred in our judgments and actions."

"Have you forgiven me for my ill-said words to you?" she asked hopefully but looking like a scared kitten who had done something wrong.

"Long ago I did," he said taking her hand from her lap and squeezing it. "I cannot stay angry at your for long especially considering you did not know all that had happened."

"I was foolish," she said with downcast eyes. "I should have listened to my better sense in my mind but I was too distracted to realize it in enough time."

"At times we all do things we are ashamed of but when one accepts that they acted wrongly and will accept that, then that is enough to give forgiveness. I was unforgiving and not patient enough with you when you came to my door and I hope you can see I was foolish, too," he said sincerely. "However, it is useless to speak words that shame us. We both acknowledge our faults in this problem between us. Let's just be happy that we are friends and are together again."

She nodded with a small smile, glad they had taken that step to clear the air between them. Though, there is much more she wished to say.

"I want to tell you though what happened while I was away," Elrilya started. "I did not write about all that I went through in Eglarest."

"If you want to discuss it then you may," Glorfindel said. "I will listen."

He waited for her to begin but she seemed to be searching for where to start. Glorfindel began to wonder if she was well after she still did not speak for some time. It was when she shifted her position and curled up next to him, saddened eyes looking up to him. Instinctually he wrapped his arm around her for comfort and she laid her head on his shoulder and chest. She let out a shuddery breath as she nuzzled her head against him.

"I needed this," she said then turned her gaze up to him. "When things did not go well between Taurnil and myself, and also eventually when we separated, I did not have anyone as close as you or Idril to go to for talk."

Glorfindel leaned his head down on hers in the protective hold he had on her. He did not like to see Elrilya upset and he hoped that she did not suffer too much in her separation from those she was close to most. His heart skipped a beat while a tiny voice inside seemed to shout for joy that Taurnil was no more.

"It is good that you were strong on your own, though," he said.

"I did not want to come back right away when I first separated from Taurnil," she explained with a sigh. "It was hard for me to accept I was wrong and should have listened to you from the first warning and lie."

"We must learn to realize these things," he explained to her while still feeling saddened that he had not stayed steadfast enough in patience to show her Taurnil was very deceiving. "Everyone makes mistakes at times and this is one that will help you later."

"He never meant to stay with me. He was falsely leading me from the beginning," she said as she sat up and looked Glorfindel in the face. "Taurnil knew he would return to Doriath eventually but he knew well that I would not be so open to going to such a realm with a king who is quietly hostile toward my people and family."

Glorfindel was aware of these facts about King Thingol and his realm. Since discovering details about the Kinslaying in the Blessed Realm begun by Fëanor, Thingol had forbidden anyone to speak Quenya in Doriath and was incredibly strict about who of the Noldor could enter his domain. At one time only the children of Eärwen, a Teleri kin of Thingol's, and Finarfin would be permitted to enter.

"It is good you realized this," Glorfindel told her, tucking strands of her hair behind a pointed ear. "If he truly cared for you, he would respect the reservations you have and make the sacrifices to be with you."

She nodded solemnly then spoke, "If I had realized it sooner I would not have been away so long."

"You have eternity, Elrilya," he said encouragingly. "There is much more to do and have experiences in the many years you have ahead of you. Staying away from home for a while is not terrible. Neither is wanting to stay away for pride's sake."

She pursed her lips timidly a moment, realizing his advice was sound.

"For now, I think, that I will take a little time from seeking the affections of others," she said quietly. "This relationship I had with Taurnil exhausted my mind and heart greatly. I do not know if I could go through another so soon. I shall wait for a time."

Glorfindel felt a lump in his throat at her declaration. Some of his hopes seemed to sink in his heart at the announcement and he grew quiet. He quickly gained his composure, protecting his feelings inside so that his face and eyes would not betray him.

"If that is what you wish to do and think that is best, then do so," he said. "I am glad that you have thought this through."

"I believe this is good for me at this time," she said with a nod.

"Good," he said with a forced smile. "Well, I am going to go above deck to see how the crew is. If you need anything else I will be here."

"Thank you," she said as he rose and stepped out the door.

Dusk had fallen while they had talked and Anar was only a glow below the unending horizon of water. Glorfindel leaned onto the railings along the bow's port side of the ship. He clenched his hands, gripping the wood tightly as he felt as if he were tossed an unfair turn of events. Why did it have to be when she returned to be near him that she shields herself from the attentions of others? And, too, once he had finally acknowledged his interest in her? Glorfindel hung his head in surrender as he felt the emotional whirlpool that he had been in for the past few years start to fully engulf him.

"If he truly cared for you, he would respect the reservations you have and make the sacrifices to be with you."

His own words resurfaced in his mind as he contemplated his predicament. Glorfindel realized if he were to say such things he should follow his own word.

"You have eternity, Elrilya."

"Eternity," Glorfindel said aloud to himself.

A flicker of hope was lighted inside him as he thought about these words. He, too, had eternity and if it took many more years for her to open up herself to others then he could wait just like she would.

Glossary
Oira: eternal