The Pavilion of Finrod by hennethgalad

Chapter t

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The Pavilion of Finrod

 

 Gildor sealed the canvas door closed behind them, the roar of Mereth Aderthad diminished a little, and Glorfindel's eyes began to adjust to the dim light of the interior of the pavilion. Above his head flaps of canvas were raised on thin silver twigs, casting narrow beams of light across the furniture and letting the warm breeze stir the curtain which hung between the rooms. The curtain itself was fashioned of ropes of pearl, with hollow silver beads scattered among them, which tinkled softly as the curtain rippled. Bright light came from behind it, Glorfindel moved towards the curtain, and stared through it in astonishment. 

 The back of the pavilion had been opened to lead onto an enclosed garden, whose walls were formed by the back and sides of three other large pavilions. Within the green space, three silver birches grew, and a silver hammock was hung between two of them. There were flowering shrubs in beautifully painted earthenware pots, there was a low couch, a table with four chairs, and a small silver statue, of Oromë with a sleeping hound at his feet.

 Glorfindel looked down at Finrod, who lay naked in his arms,

 'This is how you live when camping in the field ?' he said in astonishment, his eye caught by the silver beads of the curtain of pearls; they were formed out of skeletal silver leaves, curved into beads, hollow and transparent, letting through the light and air, still tinkling in the gentle breeze.

 'Mereth Aderthad is not 'the field', at least, not for me. I must help with the work of diplomacy here, the alliance has many problems within itself - it would be toil enough without the enemy, you know well how quarrelsome my family are, and I must entertain them here. The field...' he laughed softly 'The field is the dining table and the dance floor. And the quiet conversation in the garden. ' He closed his eyes and leaned his cheek against the tunic of Glorfindel 'Help me...' he said in a whisper.

  Glorfindel pressed Finrod against his chest for a moment, still gazing through the curtain; in the other room there was great bed with a silver cover. Embroidered hangings of silver thread shimmered in the moving air, there was another couch, another table and chairs, bedside tables, a mighty chest, deep green carpets on the floor, and in the middle, surrounded by towels, a silver bathtub, resting on silver tree roots. Glorfindel, who had been a guest in more than one palace, nevertheless found himself astonished at the luxury in Finrod's quarters, in a tent in a field. He turned to look at the main room, it was huge, a great dining table filled one half, in the other an ornate desk and carven chairs faced a third couch with two comfortable chairs grouped near it around a low table. There were more green carpets on the floor, and another silver statue of Oromë, but this time the hound sat up, its ears pointed forwards alertly, it looked ready to race into action. They were wonderful sculptures, Glorfindel was about to ask who had created them when Gildor spoke.

  'My lord, it is time for your bath and your massage.' Glorfindel noticed then that Gildor was wearing an apron over his fine clothes, and had a towel draped over his arm. He looked at Gildor with narrowed eyes

 'Do you tell me that you bathe and massage Finrod every day ?'

Gildor lifted his chin proudly 'It has been my honour to look after my lord Finrod since he left the care of his parents, sir.'

 'Thankyou Gildor' said Finrod into the astonished silence of Glorfindel 'But I think I will manage without you today.'

 'Very well sire. Shall I have breakfast brought to you ?' Gildor glanced coldly at Glorfindel for a moment, but Finrod spoke again

 'Something cold, I think, small delicacies, you know the kind of thing I like. ' he glanced up at Glorfindel 'Is there anything you would prefer for breakfast, is there something particular that you enjoy ?'

 Glorfindel felt his stomach clench with hunger 'I should like whatever you have ordered, but also some soup, and fresh bread ?' 

 Gildor bowed, hand upon breast, then put the towel into Glorfindel's fingers, and looked seriously at him

 'Take good care of him Glorfindel, or you will face the wrath of his entire family' he clenched his teeth and narrowed his eyes at Glorfindel 'And I, Gildor Inglorion, will pursue you to the end of the world if you hurt him.'

 'Thankyou Gildor, I am glad that you care for him so much. I hope you will stay with him, although from now on I shall bathe and massage him myself.' He looked down at Finrod with gleaming eyes, and Finrod felt the breath catch in his throat. 

 Gildor bowed again 'With your leave, sire ?' Finrod turned and smiled at him 'Of course, but I hope you will not leave altogether, although I fear that the presence of Glorfindel will add to your labour. Perhaps an assistant ? ' he smiled 'We shall speak more on these matters. But now, you may go, and let none be admitted, I shall not be receiving guests for lunch today; please send my apologies and tell them I shall apologise in person later.'

 

 When Gildor had gone, Glorfindel sighed, then carried Finrod through the tinkling curtain, and lowered him gently into the silver bath. The water steamed slightly, the metal rim was warm beneath his hand, he shook his head slowly. Firod looked up at him in concern

 'What ails you, my love ?'

Glorfindel smiled and kissed Finrod on the forehead 'It is merely my awe at the luxurious manner of your life. I am only a soldier from a farm in the countryside, this urbane elegance makes me feel... simple, simple and unsophisticated. Foolish, in fact, and coarse.'

 Finrod smiled up at him 'You are Glorfindel, the finest athlete in Valinor, and doubtless in the whole of middle-earth; your beauty is a matter of song; and I love you so much that it hurts...

   But you are embarrassed by my furniture?'

 Glorfindel's cheeks reddened, but he smiled as he spoke 'You see ? I was right, foolish and coarse. It's merely... it is all so different...'

 Finrod sat upright for a moment  'But you are Glorfindel himself, of whom I have heard many tales, indeed, I myself saw you win the garland at the last games, though I am still surprised that we have never met. Members of my family speak of you as a friend, you must have visited their homes in Tirion, surely ?'

 Glorfindel nodded 'I... yes... I have been even in the palace of Finwë himself, but you, you are the lover I caught bathing naked in pools of Eithel Ivrin, ' he frowned 'How can you also be Finrod Finarfinion, king of Beleriand ?' he shook his head 'It is too much, I cannot imagine it.'

 Finrod was silent for a while, but Glorfindel's hands moved over the pale golden body in the silver bath, covering the long limbs with the smooth foamy soap, and rinsing them with the silver ewer. He could not grasp how they would get through this first day together, much less how he himself could find a place in such a world. He looked down at Finrod, gleaming in the water like a half-submerged statue of silvery gold; he paused, his heart pained him with the intensity of his love, and the fact that Finrod had yet to even suggest that he be freed from the chains choked him with love and longing. Finrod looked up at him, a warm smile in his eyes 

 'Tell me where you came from, farm boy, tell me of your childhood.'

 

 Glorfindel paused for a moment and gazed out at the rustling trees 

  'My mother was of the Vanyar, her sister is married to a distant cousin of Ingwë, so we are remote kin ourselves ' he smiled dryly at Finrod 'But I was never invited to the House of Ingwë, though I never grieved at the loss. For I was raised to the north of Tirion, in a quiet way, on a farm amidst my father's beloved orchards. He himself came from Cuiviénen, and wanted no part of life in the city.' 

 Finrod exclaimed wordlessly 'I knew that ! Of course, you are Glorfindel himself, I too cannot grasp it in my mind. ' he looked wildly at Glorfindel 'What is happening to us ?'

 Glorfindel stooped and kissed the warm lips, they were silent for a while, as Glorfindel slowly bathed his perfect lover, the elf of his dreams. 

 'We are falling deeper in love' he said finally 'I think it is not the differences between us that disturb our minds, it is the swiftness with which our hearts have united. '

 He helped Finrod to his feet and began to cover the rest of him with soap. Finrod looked thoughtfully down at the golden head bent over him, his eyes seemed to burn him as love swept through him, with the unstoppable power of the ocean.

 'I would do anything for you, my love, you mean more to me than all of this' his arm jerked as though he would gesture around him, Glorfindel, his head still bowed, smiled secretly to himself, feeling the blood course in his veins, feeling the desire rising in him, that soon he could sate, for a while, in this exquisite body, this exemplar of elves. But Finrod was speaking, Glorfindel looked up, to see shining eyes gaze down at him 

  'You mean more to me than all of Beleriand, I would leave with you now, should you ask it of me.'

 Glorfindel swallowed 

  'I know that you would. But I am a mere soldier, I cannot keep you even moderately, out in the wild, it would be a matter of hard endurance for both of us. We cannot leave, we would be miserable. Besides, we cannot abandon our friends, nor you your family, we are needed here.'

 Finrod grinned at him, he raised his eyebrows, Finrod laughed then, 'I have a plan, which I will not share with you until you speak of your childhood. What was the name of your farm ?'

 Glorfindel, unused to pondering weighty matters, soon grinned back 

 'It was called Little Gold Tree. ' but Finrod was gaping at him in astonishment 'You come from Little Gold Tree ? My...we... I was raised on your produce, we used to collect the labels, because of the gold trees, your pastries... the one with a whole peach inside, stuffed with rasperries, I was always given that as a treat on Begetting Day. It was you !'

 Glorfindel laughed 'Not I, my beloved, my older sister created that recipe, she makes all the pastries. My father tends the orchard and my mother grows the herbs. I ran around getting in everyone's way until I was sent off to learn at the feet of Manwë, who sent me to follow in the train of Oromë. ' he smiled at the statue, then turned to Finrod 'Where your cousin Turgon saw me, and spoke to me of swords, and I became a soldier for his House.'