The Worst-Kept Secret. by hennethgalad

Chapter 1

   Glorfindel sipped his wine and looked knowingly at Bilbo. 'And have I finally answered all your questions, Mr Baggins ? I would not keep you from your well-earned rest.'
   'You need not tease, I wager that you have a bolt hole somewhere, where you go to do alot of resting, I'm sure you met others than just one hunter from Bree in all your travels. Who, I should like to know, gave you that splendid halter that Asfaloth wears ? All those delicate, lacy silver bells, that is fine handiwork.'
   Glorfindel sat back in his seat, stretched out his long legs and put his hands behind his head. 'I do have a bolt hole, or two... But I rarely spend time in either. Indeed, one is a mere cave. The other... Well. That is not something I shall tell you of today. As to the bells, they were made for me by my lady, who I swore to serve, Idril Celebrindal, daughter of Turgon, king of Gondolin.'
   Bilbo gasped 'Idril Celebrindal ? The Idril Celebrindal ? She made bells for a horses harness ?'

   Glorfindel was summoned by Idril on the morning before her wedding. He wondered what last minute chores he would be asked to do, and smiled. There was no one in all Gondolin who had not been given chores for the wedding. Turgon had joked that there would be no guests, only hosts, but there had been only polite laughter.

  She had her hair wrapped up in a scarf and piled high upon her head, she was wearing an artists apron, and smiled briskly when he entered. 'Aha ! Good, please do sit down, I have a gift for you.'
  He sat and smiled up at her in puzzlement, for she did not have the air of one giving a gift.       But she presented him with a flat wooden box, and a bow. He opened the box and beneath soft cloth was the harness for a horse, but the finest he had ever seen. He lifted it out, gasping with admiration, and held it up to see. The bells tinkled gently, like the first slow drops of light rain. Each bell was a hollow sphere of delicate silver, worked into the shapes of leaves in winter. It was an exquisite creation, Glorfindel was dumbfounded. 'By Aulë's hammer ! Who made this ?'
   Idril looked at him with shining eyes 'I did. Do you like it ?'
   'I think it marvellous ! The patience required to place each... it is truly remarkable, you have done well !'
   'I want Asfaloth to wear it tomorrow, he loves to show off, it will delight him. And...'
her voice tailed off. Glorfindel looked up at her curiously, wondering what she had planned that could give her pause. 'You see, Glorfindel, I want you to wear some of these bells, I want to plait them into your hair.' She inhaled deeply at the wide eyed look he gave her, and shrugged, and said in a sing-song voice 'You see, secretly, I'm in love with you.'

   He smiled then, remembering the time they had been introduced, some time after he had been assigned to the court of Turgon, admiring the young princess from afar, seeing her run past on bare feet, like a wild wood-elf. But when they met, he had seen that she was still a child, and in her child's voice, she had explained carefully to him, as a child to a fool of an adult, "You see, secretly I'm in love with you." 
   Such was her way; trusting all, for none had ever harmed her, and she shared her secret with all who knew her. 
   "Alas, my lady" he had replied "My heart belongs to another. But I shall serve you forever, and give my life to save you."

   She sagged and looked down 'I am sorry Glorfindel, you think I wish to make you look foolish, but it is not so. The whole day will be colourful, and noisy, and crowded, the bells will be as nothing, a delicate sprinkle of herbs on a bright bowl of salad. You yourself will not hear them.'
   'If even I shall not hear them, what is the purpose of wearing them ?'
   'You exasperating child ! You should have spent more time studying your music ! Each flute makes a small sound, but when everyone plays together...' she waved her arms expansively, and Glorfindel laughed.
   'My lady, I am privileged to receive your gifts, particularly your instruction in music. It is true, I am wretchedly ignorant. But I can sit still if you wish to decorate me. Why not ? You have decorated the whole valley, and everything in it.'

   Bilbo laughed 'You wore bells in your hair ?'
   Glorfindel looked solemnly offended for a moment, then laughed 'I did, and she was right, I forgot all about them, except every now and then there would be a little sparkle of sound. Idril was right, it was like a sprinkle of herbs on salad. But it was a gift for me, for only I could truly hear it, only I got to enjoy that gleam of music.'
   'And now Asfaloth wears them still. That’s lovely, that you are still honouring her memory.'
   Glorfindel looked at him with narrowed eyes 'I think you have forgotten whose House this is, ignorant hobbit.'
   But Bilbo gaped at him and smote his own brow 'Elrond's grandmother ! You are here, fulfilling your vow, guarding her grandson, and her great grandchildren ! Bless my toes, I am indeed an ignorant hobbit. 
   But Glorfindel, it’s hard for me to believe that these mythic figures from the old songs are close kin to our dear friends here. I mean, I know that you were there, I know in my mind, but... Well... You are so solid and real and ordinary, eating your pie and jesting with me, it serms incredible that, well, that you are an elf !'
   Glorfindel laughed 'Thankyou, my dear friend, I am glad that you feel so at ease with me that you forget how horribly ancient I am.'
   'No one could ever think you ancient who knew you. You ride up and down the Road, where everyone else scuttles along, you ride up and down on Asfaloth with his jewelled halter with bells on ! With bells on ! Imladris is hidden, the Dunedain are hidden, the Shire is hidden, but you, Glorfindel of the Golden Flower, ride up and down on a white horse with bells on !'