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Elf, Interrupted: Book One: Glorfindel Redux  by Fiondil

35: Post Mortem

"He’s nothing but trouble."

"A disaster waiting to happen."

"Waiting to happen? It already has. He’s been here one day and he’s turned this place upside down and inside out!"

"A child, and a dangerous one at that. Look what he did to poor Alassiel."

"He has no sense of propriety."

"All those centuries among the Heceldi. No wonder he’s so barbaric. And those braids!"

"He does lovely embroidery."

Everyone stopped and stared at Findis, who looked back with a smile. "Well, he does. That robe he was wearing tonight? He did the embroidery on it himself while he was in Lórien. Lady Ercassë told me."

The High King sighed. He had invited several members of his family and court to his study after he had seen that Alassiel and Glorfindel had been taken care of. Both children were sleeping now. Lirulin, Alassiel’s amillë, sat with her daughter, while Elessairon and Lómion had agreed to watch over Glorfindel. Ingwë had decided that neither should be left alone that night.

Beside himself and his two children, Ingwion and Indil, there were Findis and her husband, Valandur, his brother Ingoldo and his wife, Tinwetariel. She had insisted on joining him as soon as she had heard what had happened even though Ingwë had not invited her to this meeting. Hers was the comment about the braids. Along with his family, three of his closest councillors were also present.

His children, as well as Findis and Valandur had witnessed the confrontation between Glorfindel and Alassiel from beginning to end; Ingwë had come upon the scene just before Námo had appeared, though no one had noticed him. Neither his councillors nor his brother and sister-in-law had seen anything. Naturally theirs were the loudest voices in protest.

He looked at his firstborn and heir. "You haven’t voiced your opinion yet, yonya."

Ingwion smiled. "I think he’s the most interesting thing to happen in Vanyamar in a long time."

Indil snorted. "News to me, the way you goaded him, calling him ‘Etyangol' of all things."

Ingwë raised an eyebrow at that and Ingwion blushed. "And I regret it. I was nearly as bad as Alassiel, except I believed every word he uttered about how he died."

"Not all of us believed him," Indil said. "It seems unfair that Alassiel should be punished for it."

"But Alassiel was the only one who was stupid enough to say so," her brother countered. "And Lord Námo said it wasn’t a punishment."

"Could have fooled me." Ingoldo muttered darkly. Ingwë looked at his brother and Alassiel’s anatar.

"Sometimes, the ways of the Valar seem harsh to us, but I assure you that Lord Námo would never deliberately harm any of us, least of all a sweet child like Alassiel. If he thought she needed lessoning, I don’t think any of us would be in a position to argue."

"He didn’t care," Tinwetariel sobbed. "He just stood there and let it happen."

"Who? Lord Námo?" Ingwë scowled.

"No!" Tinwetariel wailed. "That barbarian. He just stood there. He was probably glad my granddaughter was being hurt."

"Oh nonsense, Tinwetariel," Findis exclaimed in disgust at her aunt’s histrionics. "I was there, you weren’t. Glorfindel was as horrified as the rest of us, more so, I suspect. He knew what memories Alassiel was living through. If you had heard him pleading..." She shook her head, the memory of what had occurred still fresh in her mind.

"He showed remarkable compassion towards someone whom he obviously found irritating," Ingwion said musingly. "And remarkable courage."

"Courage?" Ingoldo demanded in disbelief.

"Yes, Uncle, courage." Ingwion gave Ingoldo a cool stare. "He never hesitated to do what Lord Námo demanded of him even though he must have known what he would face. He accepted his humiliation with great poise."

"And how was that insufferable Noldo humiliated?" Tinwetariel demanded.

Findis answered with a wicked smile. "You don’t know much about adolescent ellyn, do you dear?"

"He is not an adolescent!" Tinwetariel exclaimed.

"He might as well be," Ingwë commented with a chuckle. "I have been told by those in the know that Glorfindel will spend the next century or so re-maturing into the adult he was before his death."

Ingwion laughed and turned to Findis. "And Arafinwë and Eärwen have three Reborn ellyn to deal with? I almost feel sorry for them."

"Don’t," Findis sniggered. "Eärwen wrote and told me that my brother has never been happier since Glorfindel and the Sinda... what’s his name?... Sador... came to live with them. I suspect it’s like having my other nephews back."

"Adolescent or not, he’s a menace," Ingoldo added.

Ingwë gave his brother his own cool look. "Odd that you would have such an opinion of one you’ve never met."

"It’s enough to know that he allowed my granddaughter to suffer harm," Ingoldo countered. "I don’t need to meet him."

"Well, at the moment," Ingwë said, choosing to ignore his brother’s dismissive comment, "we’re stuck with him."

"You can always send him back to Arafinwë, my lord," one of his councillors said.

"No. I will not." Ingwë’s tone brooked no contradiction.

"I don’t see where there’s a problem, Atar," Ingwion said in the ensuing silence at the High King’s declaration. "What happened tonight cannot be laid entirely at Glorfindel’s feet. Alassiel should bear some of the blame. Frankly, she only brought it upon herself."

"How can you say that?" demanded Tinwetariel hotly.

"Because, Aunt," Ingwion said with cool self-possession, "Lord Námo intervened on Glorfindel’s behalf, not Alassiel’s."

"Did Glorfindel really stick his tongue out at the Lord of Mandos?" Indil asked curiously. She had helped to take Alassiel to her room and so was not present at the end.

Ingwë nodded, smiling faintly at the memory.

"And Lord Námo didn’t kill him on the spot?" she asked incredulously.

Ingwion laughed. "Not only that, but Lord Námo actually laughed. I think for all his protestations to the contrary, the Lord of Mandos is quite fond of our troublesome Etyangol."

"Exiled no longer," Findis said quietly.

Ingwë nodded in agreement. "His relationship with Lord Námo might prove a double-edged sword, though. At any rate, no serious harm was done. Lord Námo has assured me that Alassiel will recover and perhaps she will have learned some wisdom from the experience."

"So you’re not going to punish the ellon?" Valandur asked, speaking for the first time.

"Should I?" Ingwë asked in surprise. He always valued his niece’s husband’s opinion.

Valandur shook his head. "I think being forced to relive one’s own death...." He grimaced. "I thought Alassiel’s screams were bad enough, but he just lay there, silent and unmoving, his eyes wide open in shock. The single moan that escaped his lips towards the end was more terrifying than anything I have ever heard. I had no idea what he was experiencing except for the description he gave us of his final moments. I hope if it ever came to it I could face such terror with as much courage as he showed tonight."

"Well said, Valandur," Ingwion exclaimed, giving his cousin-by-marriage a nod of approval. "Whatever else he may be, Glorfindel is not a coward. I for one look forward to getting to know him better."

Ingwë smiled at his son. "I am glad to hear that, yonya, because as of tomorrow, he’s your responsibility. You will teach him what he needs to know and perhaps he will return the favor."

Ingwion bowed his head in acquiescence and gave his atar his own smile. "Punishment for my rudeness?"

"Among other things," Ingwë nodded. "One thing — and I speak not as your atar but as your king — Glorfindel is not to set foot on Taniquetil."

"May I ask why, my lord?" Ingwion enquired formally, hiding any surprise he might feel at the High King’s edict.

"The Valar have decreed it so and we will honor their prohibition. He is free to wander through Vanyamar or to travel to Valmar, but he is not to step upon Taniquetil."

"Does he know this, Atar?" Indil asked.

"Yes. Lord Námo informed him in my presence."

Ingwion bowed his head in acknowledgment again. "It will be as you say, my liege."

"Good." Ingwë turned to Ingoldo and Tinwetariel, both of whom were glowering. The High King’s expression was stern and his voice icy. "Glorfindel is under my protection, Ingoldo... mine and my son’s. You may not fear me, but I know you fear Ingwion." He let the implications of those words sink in. "Do nothing to make me regret allowing you and your lady to remain in my court. Not after the last time."

Ingwë had the satisfaction of seeing Ingoldo blanch and Tinwetariel gasp in dismay. He nodded once, satisfied that he had gotten his message across. "That is all. Leave me, all of you. I wish to be alone."

One by one they stood and bowed to the High King, making their way out. Ingoldo and Tinwetariel left first; Ingwion lingered for a moment after everyone else had departed.

"I do apologize for my earlier behavior, Atar," the ellon said. "If I hadn’t goaded Glorfindel, perhaps none of this would have happened."

"If you hadn’t goaded him, yonya, someone else would have. You, at least, recognized your error and have attempted to make amends. I place Glorfindel into your care, Ingwion. Treat him with all the gentleness and compassion you have shown to others and you and he will do well."

Ingwion bowed. "I will do my best, Atar."

"It is all I have ever asked from my children," Ingwë said with a warm smile, standing up to go to his son. "The amazing thing is, they always manage to surpass my expectations." He gave his firstborn a hug and a kiss. "I am very proud of you, my son," he whispered.

"Thank you, Atar," Ingwion whispered back, his eyes wet with tears at his atar’s praise.

Ingwë gave his son another kiss on the brow before sending him off to his bed, then resumed his seat behind his desk. Dawn was fast approaching before he decided he had done enough thinking about the problem that was Glorfindel and sought his own bed for a few hours of sleep.

****

Heceldi: Plural of Hecel, "One lost or forsaken by friends", a name used by the loremasters of Aman for the Eldar left behind in Beleriand.





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