The title for this story comes from an Ursula Leguin novel, 'The Dispossessed.'

In Peoples of Middle-earth, HoMe 12, Late Writings Glorfindel is postulated to have returned to Middle-earth from Valinor in the Second Age between 1200 and 1600. Christopher Tolkien mentions the end of the essay having the note 'Númenorean ship,' presumed to be his method of return.

The essay also contains "it seems far more likely that he was sent in the crisis of the Second Age, when Sauron invaded Eriador, to assist Elrond, and that though not (yet) mentioned in the annals recording Sauron's defeat he played a notable and heroic part in the war."
I have interpreted this to allow me to have Glorfindel fight in the Last Alliance as well as against Sauron's invasion of Eriador.

Miles or leagues? Tolkien mentions both measures of distance in LotR.

When planning this story, I spent a lot of time thinking about how the villagers would view the men from the sea, and how that might change over time in the transition from the 'Days of Help' to the 'Days of Dominion'.

Nath pointed me towards 'Tal-Elmar', a fragment at the end of "The Peoples of Middle-earth", HoME 12. This fragment deals with a small village that sees the coming of Numenorean ships, and has frightening legends about what that will mean. My villagers were not quite as rough, and had a bit more information about the sea-men. I gave them enough political sophistication to see ambiguity, and they had heard of elves, which Tal-Elmar's village had not. Of course, it all depends where along the coast, and what year.

If I am reading things correctly, there were men of several groups living in the sparsely settled areas south Eriador. There were the kin of Haleth, said to reproduce more slowly than others, and also the kin of the folk of Hador. I gather the Bëor were more in the North and East, although there was much mixing.

It would have been most reasonable for inhabitants of southern Eriador in the prewar Second Age to have been of the folk of Haleth. This would have left me with a difficult language problem, since their language was different from that of the other Edainic peoples. Their characteristics were different as well, as they are described as "less eager for lore. They used few words, and did not love great concourse of men; and many among them delighted in solitude, wandering free in the greenwoods…" I chose instead to use the more social and "long in memory" folk of Hador in order to capitalize on legends of their origin. Since Tolkien said there was much mixing of folk, I have used names of all three kin.

Tolkien notes that many of the Edain were afraid of the sea, and I refer to that, and base it on the memory of the drowning of Beleriand.

Tolkien briefly mentions flatboats in The Hobbit; many early civilizations developed commerce along rivers, and flatboats were easy to build and disposable; thus avoiding a difficult return trip upriver.

The Old Forest Road in the Hobbit connects to the Great East Road, also called the Dwarf Road. This was built very early, possibly as early as the First Age when Finrod travels the 'Dwarf Road' in Beleriand east toward the Ered Luin. It is conceivable that this is an extension of that same road. Obviously there would be some road connecting Eregion and Lindon where there would have been much coming and going, especially early on.

Gwilwileth e-Gaearon translates as 'butterfly of the ocean.' Hathil and the townsfolk should rightly shorten it to i ‘Wilwilith instead of Gwilwileth, 'the butterfly' but they don't speak Sindarin and don't know any better. Glorfindel, courteous person that he is, does not correct them.

I owe thanks to many people for their help - Aerlinnel and Ithildin for Sindarin names of places and things; those knowledgeable about horses who kept me from making a fool of myself: Arwen Lune, Anglachel, Jen Littlebottom, Elemmire. Special thanks to ErinRua who was kind enough to do a 'horse beta' for one chapter. I am also grateful to all those willing to discuss Second Age politics with me - Tyellas, Marnie, and above all Anglachel.

Levade was most encouraging and willing to discuss Glorfindel. And always, AfterEver who betas, encourages, and - to my great relief - nags when necessary. Any remaining errors are all mine, alas.