An Anthology of Middle-Earth by tinni

"Well my sons," said Nolofinwë one morning

"Around Tirion I have hidden seven red roses

Roses made of the finest crystals

Find them and you shall have

As many sweets as the there are petals

Petals on the flowers you have."

Findekáno and Turukáno smiled broad smiles

And took off on the wings of wind

Across fair Tirion they searched,

In boards, baskets and breads

This proved a good thing

Since one red rose was in the morning bake

Two they found in the pockets of their grandfather

Another in their mother's dresser

One they found up a tree

Another down a hill

The last they found in the hands of their uncle

Their uncle Fëanaro who thought them pretty

But not as pretty as the ones he made

Richly he laughed when he heard of their game

And asked to see which brother had more

Than Findekáno and Turukáno look to their hands

And saw that they had three each of the ruby red roses

Fëanaro asked who wanted the last

The brothers laughed and clasped his hand

"You can have the last flower" they said with a smile

"It's always more fun when we share with others."

Down, down it goes
Down to the bottom
Bottom of the sea
Up, up it comes
Whenever I lay down to sleep
Shiny jewel, pretty jewel
All I have left is you
Paid for by lives of many
Dear to father
Bane to brothers
Stay with me forever never

In darkness deep as the void I call his name
In light as bright as the silmarils I call his name
But he comes not when I call

Well made copper, tall and well formed
Was he who I call through ages long
But he comes not when I call

Long ages I have passed in the halls of waiting
Waiting from him to whom my heart belongs
But he comes not when I call

He fell long ago into the chasm of fire
Come to me son of the spirit of fire
Yet he still comes not when I call

Why do thou not come my love
To this place where all fëar are bound
Tell me not that the oath has claimed thee
For thy father sits here in sadness and gloom
Yet thou are not here and come not when I call

Come to me my love, I wait for thee…

Eternal spirits feel no pain

Eternal spirits feel no fear

Eternal spirit know no darkness

Eternal spirit do not die

I feel the pain of his burning whip

I feel the fear of his dreaded shadow

I know the darkness that closes upon me

I sense death is on my heels, yet

I am an eternal spirit

Eternal spirit I was once

Eternal spirit I am still

Eternal spirit I will ever be

Many burdens I took on

To serve the greater good

Many oaths I took on

To serve men and elves

Some I will discharge today

When I take you on, brother

We are alike, you and I

We were both spirits immortal

You were corrupted

Bound to the substance of Arda

I bound myself by my free will

Come than brother let us free ourselves

And become what we once were

Eternal spirits, spirits divine

He played upon his silver flute
A tune both sad and filled with hope
Upon the shores of Aman he sat
Facing the sun as she climbed the heights

In the midst of jewel scattered sand he waited [i]
For the return of his friend, dearly beloved
From distant shores he is to come
Golden hair blazing in the light of the sun

Then the harp of gold will sing anew
With the flute of silver, songs old and new
So the Lord of Fountain played his tune
Blessed Flower, still hidden from his view [ii]

Lo! the sun revealed a white ship with golden oars [iii]
But the piper's eyes were caught by one alone [iv]
The one who stood upon the bow of the ship
With eager eyes that searched out his

At last they met upon the blessed shores
Their long parting for greater good [v]
The harp and flute burst into song
The Golden Flower in the Fountain swam

Thus united Glorfindel of the house of the Golden Flower
With Ecthelion of the house of the Fountain
Captains of Gondolin that rests on the ocean floor
Swearing that they would not part, ever more

Chapter End Notes

[i] The Teleri were said to have scattered the jewels the Noldor gave them upon the shores of Aman. Page 61 The Silmarillion

[ii] Due to his self sacrifice when fighting with the Balrog Glorfindel was granted Maia like powers

[iii] I don't know if elven ships had oars, but it is a distinct possibility since the sea near Aman is said to be windless. Page 61 The Silmarillion

[iv] I am well aware that a flute is not a pipe and thus a flute player is not a piper, however "But the flute player's eyes were caught by one alone" just doesn't work

[v] I think it's in The History of Middle Earth that it is said that Glorfindel was sent by Manwë himself in the Second Age to aid Elrond when things got really hairy with Sauron