Before the Darkness by chrissystriped

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Chapter One

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Mablung stood in the crowd at the finish line of the race track. He’d been standing here for hours to have a good place. Damrod and Díriel stood beside him, his friend had come from Alqualonde because of the race – or rather because he’d spoken about nothing but this race for weeks.

“Want some?” Damrod offered him a bag with roasted almonds and Mablung helped himself with a word of thanks.

It was the festival that celebrated the Noldor’s arrival in Aman. The meadow before the town was full of tents, craftsmen were advertising their goods, musicians played.

Mablung grinned at his friends. “Did I promise you too much?”

Díriel shook his head. “But shouldn’t they arrive soon? I want to see your Glorfindel.”

Mablung felt himself blush. “He’s not my Glorfindel”, he mumbled and slipped an almond into his mouth.

Yes, maybe he’d talked a lot about Glorfindel Los’loriol. He couldn’t help it, the elf seemed to be everywhere suddenly and especially in his head. And he was such a fantastic rider! Mablung hoped he would win, this beautiful man who was so often in his mind. He stood here because of him. Damrod craned his neck when the crowd further down the race track started to shout. He was the tallest of them, although Díriel wasn’t that much shorter. All of his friends had shot up in the last years. It annoyed Mablung that he wasn’t growing at all. His body... changed, but it didn’t want to grow upwards.

“Patience”, his mother had said and left unmentioned that she wasn’t very tall herself. With his luck, he’d stay so short.

But Mablung didn’t have time to mope now, the riders came in sight. He felt the thunder of the hooves under his feet. Glorfindel’s fair hair that had given him his name, flew after him like a flag, another rider beside him. Mablung spurred him on, coaxing the horse to run faster. Then they were past them and he couldn’t say who had crossed the line first. Mablung stretched to see what the referees would decide and cheered with the crowd when Glorfindel was crowned with a garland of birch leaves.

And then their eyes met, against all odds Glorfindel looked directly at him. It seemed to Mablung as if time had stopped for a moment when Glorfindel’s blue eyes met his. He seemed to hesitate, the smile on his face becoming even wider. He pointed at his neck and Mablung realised that he had noticed the pendant, his little sister had gifted him. Made by herself with the help of a gold-smith she had talked into teaching her in the summer holidays. It was a golden flower, the sing of Glorfindel’s house. Coincidence. And yet... Glorfindel winked at him before he was swept up in a crowd of congratulators. Mablung jumped when Damrod laid his arm around his shoulders.

“Don’t you want to go to him?”, he asked with a grin.

“Are you crazy? That’s Glorfindel of the Golden Flower! You don’t just go to him and introduce yourself if you are me!” Mablung shook his head. The thought alone... “I’m a servant.”

“I thought you hate that.”

Mablung grumbled a Yes. But as it meant that he saw Glorfindel at the palace now and then, he didn’t mind it so much anymore that he was wasting his time with waiting for someone to want his service.

“I do, but it doesn’t change the fact. He’s above me. You don’t knock at Olwe’s door and introduce yourself either.”

Damrod huffed. “That’s something different. Olwe is my king. Glorfindel is just... something you strange Noldor invented. Where did Díriel go to?”

Mablung noticed only now that Damrod’s brother had vanished.

“Let’s search him.”

Mablung turned his eyes from Glorfindel, who was basking in his friends’ attention.

“We can walk through the market, maybe he’s there.”

His parents had given him a little money to spend and grandmother Finya had slipped him a few coins, too, the last time he had visited her. Secretly, of course, his father would tan his hide if he found out. He didn’t want Mablung to spend time with her, she had a strange reputation. But Mablung liked her and she was always happy to see him. She told him exciting stories of dark woods and strange animals. Cats as big as horses...

“But we have to be careful to not meet my parents”

Damrod grinned. “Let me guess: You gave them the slip.”

“Of course. I don’t want to spend the day with my parents and my little sister.” Although he was sorry to abandon Liriel.

“Your sister isn’t so bad.”

“Do you like her?”, Mablung asked with a grin.

Liriel was fourteen and although Mablung liked to tell her she was too young to come with them, he knew that she was changing, too. And he wanted to pay Damrod back in kind for his teasing.

“Rubbish.” Damrods ears reddened. “Look. Marzipan!”

Mablung wanted to tease him for changing topic so suddenly, but when he saw the delicacies at display, he forgot everything else.

 

Later, they had found Díriel at the booth of a glass blower and Mablung had bought there a little, colourful ear stud for his sister, they sat tired and stuffed with sweets under a tree at the outskirts of the meadow. Mablung was leaning against the trunk, chewing on a blade of grass.

“If only every day could be like this”, he sighed.

It wasn’t that the work at the palace was very exhausting, but he missed the long days alone in the mountains or at the sea with his friends.

“Growing up is stupid. And then we aren’t even really grown up, yet. I can’t live on my own and no one takes me seriously. I mean, it’s years until we’ll be fifty. Why should we have all the drawbacks without the advantages?”

Díriel nudged him with his elbow. “Hear who’s wining! At least you stay dry in that palace. Damrod and I have to go fishing in every crappy weather. I’d like to see you try to haul a net in while the wind is whipping sleet in your face. Am I right, Damrod?”

Damrod nodded in approval. “Sometimes I think, the Valar don’t like us. Why else would be weather like that?”

“But everyone knows that’s...”, Mablung lowered his voice, “HIS fault.”

His father had always been very distrustful of Melkor’s conversion and didn’t allow his name to be spoken in his house since his part in the fight between Feanor and Fingolfin had been found out. Mablung was rarely of one mind with his father but in this case he had been right.

Damrod was opening his mouth to answer, when he noticed someone coming their direction.

“Look, your crush is coming for you.”

Mablung got ready to leap at him – he just couldn’t stop! – when he realised that Damrod was right. It was really Glorfindel who had been strolling in their direction and was now speeding his step as he recognised him. Mablung stood up and brushed blades of glass off his trousers.

“There you are, my lucky charm.”

Glorfindel again had this smile on his lips that made Mablung think about how these lips would feel on his. He didn’t know what to say and glanced at Damrod and Diriel. Damrod giggled and pulled Diriel up.

“Come, brother, let’s go. I promised father to head home before dark. We should try to get one of the boats. By the way”, he said to Glorfindel, before running in the direction of the river, “his name is Mablung.”

“Mablung, yes? You surely know that I’m Glorfindel.”

The elf pointed at Mablung’s necklace. Mablung realised much too late that he should have bowed.

‘Idiot!’, he thought. ‘Great first impression.’

“Ah, yes. That’s coincidence, actually.” He played nervously with the necklace. “My sister gifted me this.”

‘Idiot, idiot, idiot!’ Why was he telling him that!

“But of course I cheered you on”, he hurried to add.

Mablung was sure that his face was beet red. But Glorfindel was still smiling, so it couldn’t be that bad.

“Your friends aren’t Noldor, are they?”

Mablung shook his head. “They are from Aqualonde. I know them... since always.”

Valar! He sounded like a child.

“Good friends are worth a lot. Would you like to meet the fastest horse in Aman?”

Mablung felt a wave of happiness wash over him. “Really?”

“Come with me.”

Glorfindel nodded in the direction of the paddocks. They walked side by side, not talking. Mablung tried desperately to think of something to say, but nothing came to his mind. And maybe it was better if he just kept his mouth shut.

One of the horses lifted its head when they came closer and ran over when Glorfindel whistled. Mablung didn’t know much about horses, he couldn’t ride, but he wouldn’t tell Glorfindel if he could help it.

“That’s Súrion and he did very well today.”

Glorfindel scratched the ear of the dapple grey horse. The stallion nudged him with his nose and Glorfindel laughed.

“He knows that I have something for him.” Glorfindel took an apple from his bag. “Do you want to give it to him?”

Mablung had a thorough respect of the horse’s big teeth, but he’d rather bitten his tongue off than admitting to it. He nodded and offered the apple on his outstretched palm. The lips that took the apple were surprisingly soft.

“He’s beautiful.” Mablung patted the horse’s neck warily.

“He’s more than just a horse.” Glorfindel smiled at him. “He is like a friend and it is a wonderful feeling to sit on his back, the world rushing past us.”

Mablung shyly smiled back. “I can imagine...”

“Mablung!”

He grimaced when he heard his mother calling. They were searching for him. Better to excuse himself now before his parents humiliated him in front of Glorfindel.

“I have to say goodbye now, herunya.”

Mablung bowed hurriedly and ran back across the meadow, his parents coming towards him.

“We’ll talk at home, young man.” His father glared at him. “You can’t just vanish for a whole day!”

Mablung grumbled something intelligible. He’d rather spent his time with Glorfindel than listening to his father’s lecture while getting spanked.

 

“Does it hurt?” Liriel closed the door behind her. Mablung lay on his belly on his bed and groaned. “Suits you right. How can you  abandon me on such a day!”

Mablung looked away, feeling guilty. “I’m sorry”, he mumbled. “I just didn’t want them to watch my every move.” He rummaged around in his bag. “I have a present for you. As compensation?”

“That’s beautiful!” Liriel admired the colourful swirls inside the glass pearl and put the stud in her earlobe. “But I’m still angry with you!”, she said.

Mablung nodded seriously. “Of course.” But she didn’t really look angry anymore and so he said: “I talked to Glorfindel today!” He had to tell her or he would burst.

“Really?” Liriel grinned, then she furrowed her brow. “No, I’m not interested.”

Mablung chuckled. “Sure? He admired the pendant you made for me.”

“What? Really? Tell me!” Liriel sat down on the bed beside him.

“I thought you were angry?”

She waved it off. “I can be later again. Now tell me! How did you meet him?”

“He noticed me, after the race, because of the flower.” Mablung played with the pendant. “He searched for me. I was allowed to pet his horse.”

“Will you see him again?” Liriel winked at him.

Mablung shook his head. He should have asked him! But his parents...

“You interrupted us before we came to that. So no, probably not. He’s surely not troubling with searching for me again.”

“Then go to him. You are acquainted now!”

“Are you mad?” Mablung laughed. “They’ll never let me into the house. I’m just a servant, did you forget that?”

Liriel shrugged. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained – if you ask me. But it’s your business of course. And he’ll be in the palace now and then.”

Mablung bit his lip. “You would talk to him?”

“I don’t have a crush on him. But yes, if I did, I would try – I’ve been telling you that for months.”

“Yes, I know...”

Mablung tasted blood and licked his bitten lip. Along the thought of approaching Glorfindel made him nervous. Tomorrow he’d be serving drinks at the feast, maybe an opportunity would present itself.

 

Glorfindel was only listening with half an ear to Ecthelion’s effusions  about a groundbreaking new composition. When it came to music, his friend could go on and on – almost as bad as Maglor. Now and then he made encouraging sounds while he scanned the room. The boy had slipped away so quickly yesterday, had just run off as if he were in a hurry to get somewhere.

Not that Glorfindel was discouraged by that. He’d find him again, at least he knew his name now. And he had seen the crest on his jacket, marking him as a member of Prince Turgon’s household. If he was servant, he might attend the guests today. Glorfindel craned his neck a little more.

“And... you aren’t listening at all, are you?”, Ecthelion asked irritated. “What are you searching for? Or should I say ‘who? Are you on the hunt or what?”

“Maybe.” Glorfindel winked at him.

“Who?” Ecthelion, too, craned his neck now and tried to see who Glorfindel was looking at.

“I haven’t found him yet. He caught my eye yesterday, after the race – and then he gave me the slip before I could properly talk to him. I think he’s a little shy. And probably much too young for me.”

Glorfindel had a hunch that Mablung wasn’t of age yet and wouldn’t be for many years.

Ecthelion rolled his eyes. “I’ll never understand what you see in these whelps. Virgins are so complicated – no matter the gender.”

Glorfindel grimaced. Ecthelion might have lovers of both genders, but he favoured males. Women were so... curvy.

“I know.” He sighed.

He tried to not get involved with minors, it usually led to problems, although there wasn’t a law that forbade it. Underage or not, what his friends and he were doing was frowned upon anyway. Sex before marriage, with different lovers – it was almost a scandal. But Glorfindel didn’t mind how people talked about him. He was young and handsome and rich, his father was close to Turgon and he wasn’t lacking in suitors. Why should he have to choose? All his lovers knew what they could expect from him: Sex, nothing more and nothing less.

It was always difficult with minors, they usually had such a romantic view of love, Glorfindel couldn’t and didn’t want to indulge them. He believed that it was possible to find the one true love, but why wait for the One, if he could have so much fun in the meantime? The younger they were, the less they understood this and he didn’t want to hurt anybody. It wasn’t even that adolescents particularly attracted him, but it was hard for him to estimate age and sometimes someone caught his eye who was too young.

But he wanted to talk once more with Mablung, at least. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he was just small for his age and his shyness could make him looking younger than he was. Glorfindel smiled when he finally found him. He stood close to one of the doors that led to the balcony, a tray of glasses in his hands.

“Excuse me, Thel?”

“Of course.” Ecthelion patted his back. “Get him.”

Glorfindel moved through the crowd, greeted acquaintances but didn’t let himself be pulled into a conversation, he had a goal. He saw the moment when Mablung noticed that he was approaching him. His eyes went wide, his body tensed. Maybe he really was a hunter, Glorfindel mused. Mablung, at least, looked like a roe who’d just smelled a predator. Glorfindel smiled down at him – he really was short.

“Good evening, Mablung.” He took a glass of sparkling wine from his tray and drank, still locking eyes with him. “You vanished quickly yesterday.”

Mablung blushed. “My parents...”, he mumbled. “They were looking for me. Please forgive me, herunya.”

“It’s fine.”

He was wearing livery today, the uniform hugging his lithe body. Glorfindel looked him up and down and let Mablung notice – his blush deepened.

“You could make it up by going for a ride with me.”

The glasses clinked when Mablung shivered.

“I...” He bit his lower lip.

Glorfindel looked quickly around to see if they were watched before he traced Mablung’s mouth with his fingertip. Mablung’s eyes widened.

“Don’t break your beautiful lips”, Glorfindel said softly. He saw him gulp.

“I can’t ride”, Mablung whispered.

“No?”

Glorfindel was surprised, but maybe he shouldn’t be. Mablung was a servant. Not everyone could afford a horse.

“Well, it would be my pleasure to teach you. When is your next day off?”

“Menelya in two weeks, herunya.”

That was later than he had hoped, but at least it didn’t sound as if Mablung had objections.

“Meet me in the stables on this day at the third hour of Laurelin. And don’t call me herunya, I’m Glorfindel.”

Mablung smiled shyly. “I’ll come gladly... Glorfindel.”

Glorfindel winked at him and mixed with the other guest, he was in very good spirits.