Archive of Our Own ^beta

                Glorfindel’s eyes were as legendary as his deeds. To look into them was to see the clearest blue sky of a cloudless day, but to also gaze into a wisdom and light of long ago. Eyes that saw far deeper than even the renowned vision attributed to his race. His eyes saw death then life again. Even the most minute of details could not escape those eyes, which helped make him a warrior of legend. It also leant for wisdom to distinguish truths from falsehoods and made him invaluable to Lord Elrond and to all of Middle Earth in the tumultuous time they were living in.

                It was Glorfindel who told his lord that his wife was lying about her well being. He read it in her every movement whenever Celebrían thought her husband was not looking. He could see the heaviness of her soul’s torment. She wanted to be whole again but could never be so: nightmares wracked her sleep each night and filled every waking moment of her day, just below the façade of normalcy.

                It was he who saw the fear hidden under the rage that her twin sons held upon their mother’s rescue that fateful day they found her torn and broken in a den of Orcs with her mind almost gone. He saw his lord, known for his kindness and wisdom, almost fall under the enormity of the weight he bore during their long lives.

                The House of Elrond was never quite the same refuge it had been before Celebrían sailed west. It was slightly less peaceful, less happy, less of a sanctuary than before, but many did not see this. Glorfindel saw everything.

Glorfindel took on others’ problems with grace and ease and was often called upon for guidance along with Lord Elrond’s chief advisor, Erestor. The two were best of friends. None were happier upon Glorfindel’s return then Erestor. They both had dwelled in legendary Gondolin and saw its fall. They were often found together at day’s end, enjoying a friendly talk or playing with Erestor’s young daughter, Calairiel. Glorfindel was singing with Calairiel in the Hall of Fire when Elrond walked hurriedly into the hall with a weary and disheveled twin son at his side. Everything stopped when the doors opened, all music, all talking, everything except those two voices raised in song came to a halt. Sensing something wrong by the look on her father’s face, Calairiel also stopped singing, which left Glorfindel alone in song for a few seconds. “Glorfindel,” was all Erestor said to bring his singing to a stop as Glorfindel turned to find his lord and his lord’s son in front of him.

Glorfindel stood abruptly. “Where is Elrohir?” He could always tell the twins apart even when their parents couldn’t. Elladan faltered at his words.

“Taken,” was all Elladan said before he fell to his knees in grief. Glorfindel, Elrond and Erestor were immediately at his side.

“I tried to save him. I followed him for days, but I lost track in a terrible storm. The torrent washed away all signs.” Elladan faltered.

“Who took him?” questioned an angry Glorfindel.

“Filth, Yrch,” snarled Elrond who had already questioned his son. Then he turned and stared straight into Glorfindel’s eyes. “I can’t go through this again,” he whispered.

Glorfindel nodded once and turned on his heels. With a whistle, he signaled for his elite fighters to follow, and then immediately left the hall. He grabbed a pack, his sleeping roll, water skin and some elven waybread. Next he gathered his weapons and walked to the stables. Thirty minutes later he was ready to leave with his men. He mounted his trusty steed, Asfaloth, and turned to see Lord Elrond, Erestor and a now mounted Elladan waiting for him. He knew Elladan would go. He needed his expertise as Ranger and his knowledge of the terrain; most of all he needed his unique bond to his twin. Besides, Glorfindel knew there was never any doubt nor reasoning with Elladan--he would go to save his brother and there was no use even attempting to persuade him otherwise.

Erestor clasped his long time friend’s hand. “Keep safe, bring him home. Here, Calairiel wanted you to have this.” Looking down, Glorfindel smiled at the lock of raven hair braided with a blue ribbon that now rested in his hand.

“She’s a sweetheart,” he whispered as he tucked the lock into his shirt for safe keeping.

Elrond stepped forward. His face was passive but his eyes betrayed his distress. “Bring my son home.”

“I will do all in my power to do so, my lord.” Glorfindel honestly replied. Elrond nodded and watched until the last horse and rider left the vale.

They rode all that day and into much of the night before Glorfindel called a halt to rest and feed the tired horses. He chose a spot by a small stream in a heavily wooded area. After tending to their horses’ needs first, they let them wander by the stream knowing the powerful bond between horses and riders would keep them close.

The elves lit no fire as it was too risky, so they sat in the darkness drinking from their water skins and sharing lembas and dried meat. Glorfindel took first watch, allowing his men to sleep first. The camp was quiet except for the fiddling of crickets, the occasional hoot of an owl, and the scratching of the nocturnal animals of the deep wood. When his time was up he spoke the name of his fellow warrior who woke up immediately to take his commander’s place on watch. Never did one nudge awake a sleeping warrior!

Placing his bedroll down, he lay with his hands behind his head and sighed deeply. Elladan stirred not three feet from him and spoke softly towards Glorfindel.

“You worry,” he told his friend and commander of his father’s warriors.

Glorfindel looked over and nodded. “Aye.” Then Glorfindel looked deep into Elladan’s dark eyes and spoke softly, “You haven’t slept, have you? Rest Elladan, for your strength will be tested.”

“I cannot. Each second away from him our bond grows dimmer. I must find him, Glorfindel. We’ve never been apart this long.” Elladan’s voice hitched at the last word.

Glorfindel then turned to face Elrond’s first born son. “We will. You have my word. Sleep now.” Glorfindel then reached out and grabbed Elladan’s hand in a gesture of warmth. Elladan would not let it go.

This is how it went for the next few weeks until they grew close to Dunland. Each day Elladan grew more withdrawn and each night Glorfindel found himself caring for Elladan’s state of mind. On one such night, Glorfindel found Elladan sitting alone with his back against a tree seemingly asleep, with his head down and his hands curled in his lap.

“Elladan,” Glorfindel called to him and received no response.

“Elladan…”

“Elladan!” Glorfindel grunted his name angrily and sat down in front of him. “Ranger, look at me now!” commanded Glorfindel finally.

Slowly, Elladan looked up and the saddest gray eyes looked into Glorfindel’s own. Glorfindel worried inwardly for surely he would lose Elladan if they lost Elrohir. Something stirred Glorfindel’s soul with that look for it conveyed hopelessness. Glorfindel knew that look all too well. He saw it in the eyes of the Elves of Gondolin on that fateful night of betrayal.

Taking Elladan’s hands into his own, he spoke softly but commandingly. “I know you are in pain. I know you feel helpless, but this is not saving your brother. This is giving up. You need to be the Ranger you are and search within yourself for clues to where Elrohir may have been taken. You will not succumb to your sadness. You will not, do you hear me, Elladan of Imladris? Your father needs you, your sister needs you. Your brother needs you, and I need you.” Glorfindel was gently rubbing his thumbs over the back of Elladan’s hands that he held fast. Elladan’s eyes widened a little at that last statement. What did Glorfindel mean?

“Elladan, reach out and search for the bond you and Elrohir share. I will lend you my light. Search for him and find him. Let him know he is not alone. Let him know we are coming for him. Give him hope, and in doing so, give it to yourself.” Elladan’s eyes spoke his willingness.

Glorfindel began to glow softly. He sang a song of supplication to Eru. Soon, Elladan and he were surrounded by a white light. The other warriors stood around them in a protective circle. They knew they were witnessing the power of Glorfindel. The light of the Eldar was strong in he who saw the Two Trees. The warriors who rode with him in the Battle of Fornost had experienced this light before, and they were still in awe of the legend before them. His peers often forgot Glorfindel’s greatness due to their daily familiarity with him.

Elladan and Glorfindel stayed like that for hours until finally Elladan felt the faint flicker of Elrohir’s being grow stronger and stronger until he spoke to his twin in his mind. Glorfindel felt it as well through the bond he was now sharing with Elladan. Their minds were flooded with images of the landscape that Elrohir remembered as he rode chained and bound in the back of a cage inside a wagon driven by a small band of Orcs. He traveled a road near the southeastern side of the last of the Misty Mountains, not too far from where they were now in Dunland. And then the image went blank.

Elladan opened his eyes and gasped. He relaxed a little for the first time in weeks and squeezed Glorfindel’s hands. Glorfindel nodded in agreement, and together they stood and told their fellow warriors of what they saw.

A few days later they found themselves picking up signs of obvious tracks that the Orcs didn’t cover. Elladan was the first to pick up when the signs started and lead their small group of warriors forthwith. Taking to the trees easily, they surveyed their surroundings and watched as Orcs came and went into a small cave. There were always at least two guards at the entrance at all times. They weren't sure how many Orcs were inside so they decided to wait and try to find a routine, much to Elladan’s consternation. Glorfindel glared and put his arm out to restrain Elladan who had started to climb back down. "Think, Elladan, or stay back. Exposing us too soon will put us all in peril!" Elladan refused to look up for anger and embarrassment at his actions. Elladan nodded once and sighed.

“Forgive me. I keep letting my heart react before my mind. Elrohir has always been the voice of reason between us. Not I.” Glorfindel nodded with a smirk on his face, remembering all the times the twins had gotten into mischief in their youth.

“After mother, Elrohir and I were in such a rage, it was the only time I never had to goad him into following my lead.” The look in Elladan’s eyes was that of such sorrow that Glorfindel felt his heart would break. Glorfindel knew he would do all he could to make Elladan smile once more. Reaching out his hand, Glorfindel stroked Elladan’s cheek in comfort. To his surprise Elladan leaned into that gentle touch. “Glorfindel, long have I-...” Elladan was cut off from his speech by a sudden commotion below.

“Out, you pig!” snarled an Orc as he pushed Elrohir outside of the cave. Landing face forward onto the rough stone, blood began to pour from Elrohir’s forehead. He was covered in bruises and crusty scrapes along his arms, face and neck. His hair was matted with dirt and blood.

“Master said to bring him alive!” growled another Orc who came out of the cave. Elrohir groaned in pain.

“See, he’s alive,” laughed the Orc who had pushed Elrohir.

Glorfindel raised his hand and in an instant all his warriors notched their arrows silently and aimed at the Orcs below them. The signal was given and before they knew what hit them, the two Orcs and the two Orc guards fell dead, each with an arrow in their skull. Seeing the commotion, six more Orcs ran out of the cave. Four more instantly fell dead. In a flash, Glorfindel and Elladan jumped gracefully down, swords raised high, and sliced the heads off the remaining two. The other Elven warriors followed their lead and went inside the cave cautiously; the cave was now empty.

Glorfindel and Elladan rushed to Elrohir’s side. “Brother, what took you so long?” coughed Elrohir. Elladan smiled and cut off his brother’s rope bonds.

Glorfindel cautiously looked over Elrohir. “Anything broken?” Elrohir sighed and shook his head no.

“Just a headache to rival when we drank the last bottles of father’s Mirkwood wine.”

Elladan laughed out loud in remembrance. “We had to muck out the stables for a month!”

Glorfindel whistled, and about ten minutes later, Asfaloth and the other steeds came into view. “Can you ride?” asked Glorfindel.

“Aye, as long as it’s not in the back of a caged wagon.” Elrohir joked to the amazement of all. Leaning down, Glorfindel laid his hands on Elrohir’s head and began a healing chant in the old Quenyan Elvish language. His aura of light shone bright and soon Elrohir’s head felt much better.

Helping Elrohir upon Asfaloth, Glorfindel sat behind him and they began the long journey back home, ever wary of being followed or running into any new Orcs.

They stopped only when they were sure they were safe and made camp for the night near a small stream. Elladan took Elrohir to wash away the filth of all he endured. As they washed, Elladan spoke quietly to his brother and best friend.

“Did they hurt you?” Elladan emphasized the word hurt, meaning the way their mother was hurt, unable to return to her former self without sailing to the Undying Lands to heal.

“Nay, brother, just what you see.” Elladan visibly relaxed at the news.

Glorfindel came into view with clean clothes. “We all donated something for you. It’s not befitting a son of Elrond, but it will do.” Elrohir lifted an eyebrow in feigned disgust. Glorfindel turned laughing and went to sit first watch.

Elrohir saw the way Elladan watched Glorfindel walk away. “So, brother, have you told him yet of your feelings for him?” Elladan tried to scoff it off. “Oh please, you could never hide your true thoughts from me and you well know it.”

The camp was quiet with the sounds of the sleeping forest and Elves. Glorfindel’s watch was nearly done when he heard the sound of Elven booted feet approach. Thinking it was his replacement, Glorfindel turned and was surprised to see Elladan standing before him. “Is anything wrong, is Elrohir ill?”

“Nay,” spoke Elladan with a queer look in his eye. “Glorfindel, I need to tell you something. I, I, am in love with you, for so long that I cannot remember when it came to be. I hope you don’t reject me too harshly, I’m sorry, forget what I said, I feel so foolish, I, I…” Elladan spoke in a rush of words, his ears growing red from embarrassment.

“Hush,” was all Glorfindel said before Elladan felt the softest of lips upon his own. The kiss grew bolder and more heated until both were caught up in their long repressed feelings for one another. Finally pulling away for air, Glorfindel placed his forehead against Elladan’s as both breathed deeply.

“It’s about time,” Elrohir smiled wide as he leaned against a tree. “I can’t wait for father’s reaction.”

THE END.

Calaireil=Bright Meadow