Chapter Text
Prelude
“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched –
they must be felt with the heart.”
Helen Keller
Gondolin, the Eve of Midsummer, F.A. 510
Lanterns glistened from doorways, gardens, fountains, and pathways; and colorful lights sparkled in the tree groves in preparation for the festival of the Gates of Summer. The young Elfling, Alcarion, looked down from the rooftop of his home, his feet unable to keep still with excitement.
Where was Ecthelion? And where was his brother’s best friend? Glorfindel was Alcarion’s favorite person in the whole world after his brother. Alcarion loved it when the fair-haired Lord of the House of the Golden Flower sang his special song, a song that Glorfindel had written just for him. There! He saw the two tall Elves striding across the courtyard, and his feet bounced. “Ecthelion! Glorfindel!” he called out, receiving smiles and waves in return.
Alcarion raced down the stairs into the main house, hurrying to the main entrance, where he was swept up into Glorfindel’s arms.
“Happy Begetting Day!” Glorfindel exclaimed, swinging the little Elfling around in his arms. “Your brother tells me you have been very well behaved today and are very deserving of the gift I’ve brought you.” He smiled as he placed Alcarion back on the floor.
“You brought me a gift?” Alcarion looked up hopefully. “What did you bring me? May I have it now, or must I wait until after the Gates of Summer tomorrow morning?”
“You may have it now, of course,” Glorfindel replied, “as today is your begetting day, not tomorrow.” He led Alcarion over to a small table as Ecthelion looked on, drew an object out of a pocket in his voluminous cloak, and placed it on the table.
“What does it do?” the Elfling asked, looking at the object in wonder. It was wooden, about the size of a large drinking flagon, and was carved in the form of a fountain. “It’s our fountain in the courtyard. Does water flow from it?”
“Not water,” Glorfindel replied, “but music. This is a music box, and I made I just for you.” He lifted the carving, and showed Alcarion a handle in the base. This he carefully turned and said, “Turn it gently to wind it up, and stop when it resists so it does not break. You must handle it very gently.” When he was done winding the music box, he placed it back on the table, and it immediately began to play. The room filled with the sound of a lilting melody.
“It’s my song!” Alcarion clapped in delight. “The song you wrote for me. Oh! Thank you, Glorfindel!”
“You must take special care of the music box, little brother,” Ecthelion said. “This is a very special gift that Glorfindel crafted himself, just for you, and you must take care of it and treasure it always. Will you do that?”
“I promise. I will treasure it always and I will take care of it,” Alcarion solemnly replied to his brother.
Chapter One – Arrival
“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.”
Andre Gide
Imladris, 1105 of the T.A.
Elrond stood in the courtyard with Erestor, watching as a rider who sat tall and erect on his horse approached the bridge. The rider’s blue cloak streamed behind him, and his golden hair shimmered in the sunlight. As the figure came closer, they could hear the soft jingling of bells from the white horse’s headstall.
“Why only you and I to greet him? Surely Glorfindel is deserving of a grander welcome?” Erestor asked.
“We will give him time to rest from his journey before we announce his coming to our people,” Elrond replied. “If Celebrían and my children were here, they would be with us, of course, but they were gone before we knew of Glorfindel’s coming.”
Erestor nodded. “Time for our people to meet him tomorrow then. I expect he is weary from the journey, and he will need the remainder of today to settle into his rooms and find his way about.”
“You will make sure he has what he needs and show him everything?” Elrond asked.
Erestor nodded and smiled at Elrond in response, before the two of them resumed watching the newcomer.
Elrond shaded his eyes from the afternoon sun. “He is tall and straight and quite fair, from what I can see.”
Glorfindel’s features became clearer as he came closer. “The light of Valinor is about him. He is a mighty Elf-lord. Even more so than when he was in Gondolin,” Erestor said.
“He possesses great wisdom, and great power over evil,” Elrond said, “and power over this earth perhaps even stronger than Galadriel’s. His face is full of both joy and strength. He is indeed a mighty Elf-lord. It shines about him.”
Erestor nodded. “Yes, it would be so. After he was re-embodied, Glorfindel remained in Valinor because Gondolin was destroyed and his kin perished. He had no home or family to return to Middle-earth for. He is powerful because he has been returned to the primitive innocence of the First-born, and lived among Elves who never rebelled, in the companionship of the Maiar, especially Mithrandir, for ages.” 1
Conversation stalled as Glorfindel crossed the bridge into the courtyard and dismounted.
Elrond stepped forward and greeted Glorfindel. “Welcome to Imladris, Lord Glorfindel of Gondolin. I am Elrond, and this is my chief counselor, Erestor. Both Mithrandir and Círdan sent word to us of your coming.”
The tall Elf dismounted, and looked Elrond squarely in his eyes. “Glorfindel of Gondolin no longer, my Lord Elrond. I am pleased to serve you and Imladris. It is for this reason I was returned to Middle-earth.” He bowed, and then stood tall once more and his face broke into a broad smile. “I thank you for your welcome, but please, may we dispense with the titles and ceremony except where they are necessary? I am content to be simply Glorfindel, returned from the Blessed Lands to serve the grandson of my friend, Idril. It is my pleasure to meet you as well, Erestor. Círdan speaks highly of you.”
Erestor bowed his head at the compliment, but remained silent, deferring to his Lord.
Elrond returned the smile, taking keen pleasure in the presence of Glorfindel’s joyful spirit. “And I am simply Elrond, son of Eärendil.”
Glorfindel clasped Elrond’s arm in both a meeting of equals and recognition of Elrond’s position as Lord of this valley before saying, “I was told you have a family, Elrond? I look forward to meeting the Lady Celebrían and your children. But perhaps a little later after I have cleaned the mud of the road from my attire? It has also been a long journey from the Grey Havens, and I would dearly love a meal.”
“I fear my family is not in Imladris at the moment,” Elrond replied, “having set out before we heard of your coming. Celebrían, along with our daughter, Arwen, is at present visiting with her parents in Lothlórien. My sons, Elladan and Elrohir, are traveling alone and in secret to investigate rumors of evil rising out of Mirkwood and establishing a foothold in Dol Guldur. They should be bringing us news within a few months, but I do not expect my wife and daughter to return until this coming winter is past.”
Elves quietly arrived and bore the white horse off to the stables, while what little baggage Glorfindel carried was removed to the house.
Motioning for Erestor and Glorfindel to accompany him to the house, Elrond said, “Come, Glorfindel. I will leave you in Erestor’s good care to get settled in your rooms, and while he is doing that, I will have the kitchens send you food and drink as soon as may be. Your horse will be cared for in our stables, and your belongings are being taken to your rooms.”
1. History of Middle-earth Volume XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth, Chapter XIII, Last Writings.