Stranger in a Strange Land. by Cheeky

Chapter 6

Glorfindil had a headache, not just a headache but his head was being crushed by a small Dragon he was sure if it........or was it a Balrog?? Whatever it was it most definitely hurt. He turned over in the bed and flung his arm out towards where he was sure Erestor had been. There was nobody there. He was certain he remembered Erestor staying the night, he could not have imagined that could he? 
 
 
Groaning he pulled himself upright and squinted against the bright light shining through the window. What time was it? It must be mid morning at least......and what on earth had been in that wine Galadriel had brought with her last night? He could not remember when he had last felt this awful, even in his past life. 
 
 
 
A loud knock sounded at the door, he winced against the sound as his head pounded in sympathy. 
 
 
 
"Go away!" He called out. He definitely did not want visitors.
 
 
 
"Let me in Glorfindel."
 
 
 
He couldn't believe it. It was Galadriel. How on earth was she up and knocking on people's doors. Why was she not feeling at least as terrible as he was? There was nothing for it, he would have to let her in. Reluctantly he fumbled about for his shirt. He certainly wasn't going to meet her half naked.
 
 
 
"Glorfindel!"
 
 
 
Did she have to be so impatient he thought and he stumbled over to the door. His legs for some reason didn't seem to be working particularly well. Now that he was up he had rather vague memories that made no sense floating into his head... And why was his shirt so damp?
 
 
 
He opened the door, trying his best not to look as wretched as he felt. 
 
 
 
"You look terrible." Galadriel pushed her way past him into the room. 
 
 
 
"That's fine of course Artenis, Come on in, feel free." He replied with no little amount of sarcasm.
 
 
 
She sat herself down in a chair in the corner of the room, arranged her dress just so, looked up at him and smiled. How on earth was she managing to look so good? 
 
 
 
"Thank you for a good night last night Glorfindel. I have not had that much fun in centuries." She said calmly.
 
 
 
"What was in that wine?" He demanded, "and do you have any idea where Erestor has disappeared to?" 
 
 
 
"I saw him at breakfast, I must say he looked as miserable as you do." 
 
 
 
"You went to breakfast?" He was astounded. How had she managed that? How had Erestor managed it?
 
 
 
"I must admit it was a bit of a struggle but it was worth it to see Elrond". She let out a laugh. "Oh the look on his face as we chased him down that corridor last night was priceless. I will not forget that for a very long time." 
 
 
 
Glorfindel's heart sunk to his feet. He had hoped that memory had been some kind of alcohol induced illusion.
 
 
 
"We really did that?"
 
 
 
"Oh yes. I must say Erestor was a very convincing Fingolfin. I didn't know he had it in him."
 
 
 
Glorfindel had to admit Erestor had been quite commanding. He sat down heavily in the chair opposite Galadriel. His legs simply didn't want to stay standing any longer.
 
 
 
" You must come to Lothlorien some time." She continued, " so we can repeat the experiance." 
 
 
 
"Um...maybe..." At that moment Glorfindel thought he would be pleased if he never had another drink of wine again.
 
 
 
Galadriel's smile suddenly disappeared and she leaned forward, her expression somber.
 
 
 
"I need to talk to you Glorfindel." Her tone was serious and unexpected.
 
 
 
"Of course." He said, rather taken aback at the change in atmosphere. He wasn't really in the mood for a serious discussion....still she had made him those scones....
 
 
 
Galadriel paused and looked almost ......nervous....she fiddled with her sleeve as if she was trying to convince herself to continue. He had never seen her look anything but completely composed before. He was intrigued.
 
 
 
" I need to ask you something....I hope you don't mind...."
 
 
 
He felt a shiver of alarm. What could she possibly have to ask him that made her so......not her usual self? Had he done something he shouldn't last night? He couldn't remember anything. He frowned and tried to concentrate on the rather bizarre collection of disjointed memories flowing around in his brain. He remembered chasing Elrond......and then........being rather amorous with Erestor who in his guise as Fingolfin had become incredibly, irresistibly masterful. Had that offended her? Did she think they were showing disrespect for her dead uncle? Help! He had better do something to fix this.
 
 
 
"I am sorry if Erestor or I upset you last night," he said "We didn't mean any insult....... I mean.....I have nothing but the utmost respect for Fingolfin."
 
 
 
She smiled which was quite unnerving in itself.
 
 
 
"Well that was VERY obvious. I never knew you were so keen on him Glorfindel."
 
 
 
"No! No," he hurried to explain himself. "It was Erestor......he was just so .......I have never felt that way about Fingolfin, oh no, not at all." He made sure he sounded absolutely, completely definate about that.
 
 
 
"Oh that's a shame," Galadriel said with a straight face. "I am sure he would have taken you up on it if you been as enthusiastic as you were last night!"
 
 
 
Oh! Glorfindel thought, if he had only known that! 
 
 
 
Galadriel leaned towards him,
 
" But this is not about Fingolfin, it is that........well we have heard rumours Glorfindel, Cirdan's sailors bring back information from Valinor.......is it true........that Finrod is back?"
 
 
 
Glorfindel was horrified at himself. What had he been thinking? He should have told her of this the moment she got here. How selfish had he been!
 
 
 
He reached out and took her hand. It wasn't until he held it he wondered what on earth he was thinking holding hands with Galadriel, he almost expected her to strike him down. He noticed she was wearing a rather odd ring, strange that he hadn't noticed earlier. Elrond wore one very similar, maybe they were in some kind of Elven cult or something?
 
 
 
He took a deep breath before continuing.
 
" it is true. He is back." 
 
 
 
She gave a small gasp, almost for a second he thought she might cry. Oh please no, he said to himself. He was hopeless with crying females....and this was Galadriel, how on earth did you deal with HER tears? Luckily for him the waver was for but a second and then it was gone and she slid behind her perfectly composed mask again.
 
 
 
"How is he? Did you see him?"
 
 
 
"Yes." He said. "He asked to meet me when he heard I was back. He is well. It seems he has taken up......horticulture. He spends rather a lot of time looking at trees with your Father."
 
 
 
"Trees?" She exclaimed, " That does not sound like Finrod. Or my Father!" 
 
 
 
" I think it keeps him away from Amarie," Glorfindel surmised. 
 
 
 
"Oh!" Galadriel was unimpressed. "Don't tell me he has gone back to that woman? She is terrible! I never understood what he saw in her. It was such a relief when he decided to ditch her to come here." 
 
 
 
" I think she may be keener than he is." 
 
 " What did he say?" Galadriels eyes shone brightly, " When you saw him?"
 
 
 
"He spoke of Turgon mainly," Glorfindel had not actually understood that. " I was there for hours and Turgon was all he wanted to hear about. It was tricky I can tell you. I like Turgon but....well he is not the most scintillating topic of conversation." 
 
 
 
" How strange!" Galadriel seemed surprised at that. " Well I suppose they were good friends once. Was he well? How did he look? There were no scars?"
 
 
 
"He was very well," this Glorfindel was confident about, " and as for scars, well I have no burns do I. He is as he always was, though I cannot speak for any scars he may carry inside." And as he spoke this he turned  away from his own scars hidden in the deep ressesses of his mind.
 
 
 
Then Galadriel smiled and her smile was brilliant.
 
" Thank you Glorfindel, you have no idea how it uplifts me just to know he is back. Even if I will not see him" 
 
 
 
And Glorfindel once again cursed himself for making her wait more than a single second for this news of her Brother. He has been so focused on how different everything was here he had forgotten all about Finrod.
 
 
 
Galadriel stood to leave.
 
 
 
"Glorfindel," she said, " I understand it will be hard for you here. You must decide where it is best for you to be. If you wish to relocate to Lothlorian you are welcome. I thought, when they told me you were back that being here with Erestor would be best.....but maybe that is not so?"
 
 
 
Glorfindel sighed,
 
 
 
" I imagine there are just as many odd things happening there. There is nowhere here I will feel comfortable I fear. If only Erestor wasn't so changed. I don't know why he stays here with this Elrond who is tied up in knots, and the elves who wear dresses and have forgotten how to have fun."
 
 
 
" Sadly this horrendous fashion for robes has also reached Lothlorian so you will not escape it there. Do not be too hard on Elrond," she gave a small smile. " I do enjoy annoying him, it is so entertaining, but he is a good man and has a good heart. He would be a good friend to you if you let him and he could do with your support. He has lost much. You have heard the story of his twin?"
 
 
 
Glorfindel nodded. Erestor had filled him in on that.
 
 
 
" As for Erestor, it is no surprise why he stays here so close to Elrond." 
 
 
 
" It is to me." Glorfindel frowned, " He even told me he was lonely." 
 
 
 
"Come on Glorfindel, think. Elrond was raised by Maglor. He misses him almost as much as Erestor I think. I know they spend much time together speaking of him. Until you arrived who else is there here who would even speak well of him. Let alone love him.......as we both know Erestor does." 
 
 
 
Glorfindel hung his head. He should have thought of that, now it was quite obvious.
 
 
 
Galadriel gave him one last sweet smile before she left, she looked like the girl he had once known rather than the imposing figure she had become.
 
 
 
"You could do much good here Glorfindel. Not all our changes are bad ones."
 
 
 
..........................................................................
 
 
 
 
 
Elrond bent over the papers he was reading. For some reason he just could not focus on them properly today. He kept remembering last night and the embarrassment of it all. Running down the corridor crying at the top of his voice that he wasn't Feanor while being chased by that group of madmen......and woman. 
 
The sooner Galadriel left the better. She was always so difficult and hard to manage. She got her kicks out of making him uncomfortable, but really, dancing around in the fountain had to be some new record for uncontrollability even for her! 
 
 
 
He pushed his hair out of his eyes. It was all very well for her to complain about his hairdo but having no braids at all was proving to be an incredible nuisance. Maybe he should just cut it all off. Then he would look like no one at all.........except Maedhros maybe if his hair had only been red. Thinking of Maedhros made him feel even worse for he missed him.
 
 
 
He put his pen down and placed his head in his hands. 
 
 
 
The door opened and someone strolled in. He did not have to look up to know it was Gladariel, who else would barge in here uninvited? She really was so smug.
 
 
 
" Elrond." She didn't even bother excusing her incredibly rude entrance. Galadriel never made excuses for anything she did.
 
 
 
"Your hair is looking so much better," 
 
 
 
"It is annoying," he snapped.
 
 
 
She sat opposite him,
 
"Maybe if you put some ribbons in it." She tilted her head sideways as if to see him from a different angle.
 
"Hmm, I think I might even see a bit of a resemblance to Fingon if you did that." 
 
 
 
"Really?" He looked up, oh he wouldn't mind looking like Fingon the Valiant! 
 
 
 
"Anyway," as usual Galadriel abruptly changed the conversation for her own purpose with no warning.
 
 
 
"I have bought you this."
 
 
 
She deposited a large bundle of handwritten papers on his desk.
 
 
 
"What is it?"
 
 
 
"Recipes." She said. " Make sure your cooks get them. There is a lot we can't change that makes Glorfindel uncomfortable, but if he at least recognises what he eats I am sure  it will go a long way to helping him settle in." 
 
 
 
He picked up the papers and thumbed through them.
 
 
 
"Apple Crumble?" He mused aloud. "Custard? Macaroni Cheese? Oh! I remember this one. Meatloaf! It was Maglor's favourite."
 
 
 
"I think you may find many here that my cousins used to like Elrond." She took the sheaves of paper from him and rifled through them," If I remember rightly, Maedhros was particularly fond of this..." She past the recipe to him and his eyes lit up with excitement.
 
 
 
"You are right!" 
 
 
 
In the end they spent a good hour pouring over the recipes together while he recounted his memories of the food of his childhood and she told him stories of her cousins in Tirion. She even mentioned Finrod who she never usually spoke of. 
 
 
 
Elrond could not remember when he had enjoyed himself so much.
 
Who knew recipes could be so interesting?
 
 
 
 
 
............................................
 
 
 
 
 
Glorfindel strode through the courtyard on his way to his room. Galadriel had been right, he had to admit. Things had improved. Elrond seemed to have changed his cook for one thing and that had made him feel so much better.
 
 
 
There had been some things that would not change, he could not get Erestor out of those foolish robes for example........although he did wear trousers on.......special occasions. But all in all life was much better now.
 
 
 
He was even slowly warming to that poor Elrond. Although he had started prancing round, his hair decorated rather oddly with ribbons. What was that all about? he wondered. Did he think he was Fingon or something? Glorfindel smothered a laugh at that ridiculous idea. Well at least he should be thankful Elrond had left the Fingon obsession at the ribbons and hadn't decided to become focused on carrying a harp with him at all times.
 
 
 
He reached his room and threw open the door. Much to his surprise Erestor was there reclining very provocatively on his bed. And he was wearing trousers! Oh glorious day!!
 
 
 
"Hello, My Lord." He said bowing reverently as he entered. "How can I be of service?" 
 
 
 
"Ah Glorfindel," Erestor sounded very majestic and intimidating. "Come in, take a seat. There are things I need seeing to I am sure only you can handle for me." 
 
 
 
Glorfindel's eyes danced with delight. Now THIS was something that was better than before. Why had it taken a drunken night with Galadriel for them to discover how good this was?
 
 
 
He could not resist Erestor when he was like this. He was so commanding. If he closed his eyes he could almost imagine it really WAS Fingolfin he was visiting. This play acting was glorious.
 
 
 
Who would ever have known Erestor had it in him?
 
 
 
"I am at your service. Fingolfin,"he said reverently.
 
 
 
Oh this was going to be a very good night!
 
 
 
Perhaps being reborn wasn't really that bad after all.