46: A Belated Begetting Day

When Námo and his ‘rescue squad’, as Irmo later called them, arrived in Lórien it was to find the Lord of Lórien holding Glorfindel at arm’s length by the neck as the ellon was struggling to escape. They were in one of the pavilions used by the elves as lodgings. Finrod, on the other hand, was crouched behind a cot screaming "He’s deadhesdeadhesdead...." while Estë attempted to calm him.

Estë looked a bit put out. Irmo looked faintly amused. He gave Glorfindel a gentle shake when the elf began swearing in Sindarin. "Stop that, you naughty elfling," he said then turned to his older brother in the Thought of Ilúvatar. "You need to keep better track of your pets, Brother. I don’t like them upsetting my guests."

"I’ll try better next time," Námo laughed, then gestured for Manveru and the other Maiar to take Glorfindel in hand while he knelt in front of the still screaming Finrod.

"Findaráto! Na quildë!" Námo’s voice was deep and commanding and Finrod obeyed almost immediately, giving a slight hiccup as he nestled further into Estë’s arms looking lost and forlorn. "That’s better, hinya. Glorfindel is not dead."

"But..."

Námo put a finger to Finrod’s lips. "He is not dead. I give you my word. He suffered a psychic shock recently and he seems to be slipping out of his hröa and running off at the slightest provocation. We don’t know why but we’re trying to help him."

Finrod looked over the Vala’s shoulder to where he could see Glorfindel’s fëa between two Maiar. "N-not dead?"

Námo shook his head. Finrod, though, did not seem to find comfort in that and began weeping quietly. Estë gathered him closer into her embrace and began crooning a lullaby to help calm him. Námo stood up and faced his brother.

"I’m sorry about this, hánonya," he said. "Glorfindel gave us no warning and we wasted time thinking he was returning to Gondolin."

"Well, as long as it doesn’t happen again..." Irmo gave Námo a wry look and Námo snorted good-naturedly. Irmo then sighed, looking at the still weeping Finrod, shaking his head in disgust. "All my good work wasted."

"Can you not ease his memory, my lord?" Manveru asked as he and his brother, Erunáro, gripped the still struggling Glorfindel a little harder.

Irmo shook his head. "It’s not something we do lightly and not without Eru’s permission."

*Which you have,* came Manwë’s reply. *For both of them.*

Both Fëanturi sighed with relief. Irmo gave Námo an ironic look. "Well, I’ll take care of Findaráto while you see to your pet Balrog-slayer."

"Since when has he become my pet Balrog-slayer?" Námo asked with an amused smile and a quirk of an eyebrow.

"Since just now. Off with you, hanno. You’re beginning to give this place a bad reputation."

Námo laughed and embraced his brother, then turned to the Maiar. "I’ll take him."

At that Manveru and Erunáro gave the Vala relieved looks and gratefully handed Glorfindel over to him. Námo held the ellon tightly. Whether he recognized the Vala and knew that he was safe or he had simply exhausted himself, Glorfindel became quiescent almost as soon as Námo embraced him.

"Time to go, best beloved," Námo whispered in the elf’s ear and then they were gone.

****

Glorfindel opened his eyes and saw Námo looking down at him. He had no idea what had happened or how much time had passed. His last conscious thought was wondering if he could have some more of that delicious strawberry juice....

"What was in the juice?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Námo gave him a small smile. "Nothing. How do you feel?"

Glorfindel shook his head, not interested in answering Námo’s question. "Why?"

It was probably not the most cogent question he had ever asked, but Námo did not seem to have any trouble figuring out what he was trying to say.

"We don’t know. We think a memory triggered something and you panicked. Next thing we knew you were trying to run away."

"I seem to be doing that a lot lately," Glorfindel said somewhat acerbically. "And I seem to do it whenever I’m around one of you." He closed his eyes with a sigh, wishing he were back in Lórien with Sador... and Finrod. Life was getting too complicated for him and he longed for the simplicity of living that he remembered as he wandered through Irmo’s gardens.

Námo’s expression turned grave. "Look at me, Glorfindel," he said quietly and Glorfindel reluctantly opened his eyes, unable to ignore the command he heard in the Vala’s voice. Námo knelt by the bed and began stroking the ellon’s head. Glorfindel sighed and leaned into the Vala’s hand. "You have a right to feel resentful, Glorfindel," the Lord of Mandos said quietly, "even angry, but you need to direct that anger in the proper direction. Neither I nor anyone else is responsible for what has been happening to you. One of the reasons we asked you to come to Valmar was that we’d hoped to find an answer." His smile was ironic. "You gave us quite a merry chase, you know, and gave my brother Irmo a scare."

"Huh?" Glorfindel asked in disbelief.

"He claimed you were upsetting his guests, appearing like that from nowhere."

"Finrod!" Glorfindel cried as he attempted to sit up, but Námo held him down.

"Finrod does not know you were there, child. Now, lie still so I can examine you."

"Ex-examine me?" Glorfindel clutched the blanket covering him with some trepidation.

Námo merely nodded and stood up. He held his hands approximately six inches above Glorfindel’s body and moved them slowly up and down. When nothing untoward seemed to be happening, Glorfindel began to relax. In fact, he relaxed so much, he fell asleep.

****

The next time he awoke, Námo was gone, but Ingwion was there.

"You know, you are one crazy Noldo," the Vanyarin prince said with a grin.

"I’m glad you approve," Glorfindel retorted somewhat sourly.

Ingwion laughed loudly at that and pulled Glorfindel into his arms and gave him a fierce hug that nearly squeezed the breath out of him. "Indeed, I do, hanno. You’re the most interesting thing that’s happened in my life in a long time and I will be forever grateful to the Valar for introducing you to me."

"You’re welcome."

Ingwion released Glorfindel from his embrace with a start and the two ellyn were stumbling to their feet with Glorfindel nearly falling on his face as his legs got tangled in the blanket. It took a minute for him and Ingwion to straighten themselves out and attempt some kind of bow as the Elder King looked on with amusement, shaking his head ruefully.

Manwë gestured and both elves went to him. He laid a hand on each of their shoulders, looking into their eyes. Somehow he managed to capture both their gazes at the same time. Glorfindel found himself falling into azure blue ringed with gold, the blue calming him and the gold warming him. He felt a wave of something near to ecstacy that did not physically excite him but left his fëa feeling replete, all desires satisfied in a way he could never fully comprehend. He gave a deep sigh of contentment as he came back to himself. Manwë nodded in satisfaction.

"That’s better. Now, you both have had a busy day. I suggest you take advantage of Lord Námo’s hospitality and avail yourself of a nice soaking bath and a light meal afterwards. We have a surprise for you, my young Balrog-slayer." Manwë gave Glorfindel a gentle smile and Glorfindel gulped, looking suddenly nervous.

"I-I don’t like surprises," he said faintly.

"Ah, but you’ll like this one," Manwë assured him. "Now, the bathing chamber is through that door." He pointed to one of the doors in the room. "You’ll find all that you need there including fresh clothing. Take your time. When you’re ready leave by the door you will find opposite this one."

"H-how long have we been here, my lord?" Glorfindel asked.

"It’s now the fourth hour after sunset," came the surprising answer, surprising at least to Glorfindel. Then the Elder King was gone, leaving the ellyn quite alone.

The bathing chamber proved to be everything the Elder King promised and soon the ellyn were sighing in contentment as they slipped into the steaming hot water. Ingwion stayed only a little while but Glorfindel was reluctant to leave the bathing pool at all. Eventually Ingwion convinced the Noldo to come out by pouring a pitcher of cold water over his head. The shock caused Glorfindel to shriek in pretended rage as he leapt out of the pool to chase the Vanyarin prince around the room, threatening dire punishment. Glorfindel was laughing so hard, though, that when he finally caught up with Ingwion, his threats didn’t sound very convincing and both elves fell to the floor in mirth.

"Well, as long as you’re out," Ingwion said with a smirk once he got himself under control, "you might as well get dressed. I don’t know about you but I could eat something right about now. We’ve missed two meals today already."

Glorfindel agreed and soon they were both dried off and dressing. Glorfindel pulled on a cream-colored shirt of fine linen and fawn breeches made of light wool. The cuffs and neck of the shirt were embroidered in blue and green thread in an intricate geometric pattern. Over this was a tunic that came to just below the knees. It was a deep azure blue lined in light blue satin and embellished with silver thread embroidery and sea pearls. The sleeves came to just below his elbows. The neck was round and there was a front placket for ease of donning. A silver brooch set with an emerald cabochon closed the slit. The tunic was cinched at the waist by a leather belt, intricately tooled, the clasp of which was silver and in the form of two intertwined birds. Fawn leather ankle boots completed the ensemble.

Ingwion was similarly dressed except his tunic was a deep forest green lined with yellow-green satin. It was embellished with gold thread embroidery and yellow topaz. A brooch made of gold set with a star ruby graced his throat. The clasp of his leather belt was in the shape of gold leaves linked together.

Ingwion helped Glorfindel braid his hair, the gemstones and beads carefully placed. Ingwion gave a sigh of envy as he finished the last braid. Glorfindel gave him a sad smile and shook his head.

"These braids come at too high a cost, hanno," the Noldo said. "Do not envy me or them. Neither is worth it."

Ingwion gave Glorfindel a pensive look. "Would you have done things differently?"

Glorfindel shook his head. "Do you mean, would I have turned back and followed Arafinwë? I don’t know. I don’t think anyone can know. I only know that I didn’t, for whatever reason or for no reason. I didn’t turn back. All else flows from that." He paused as he stood in front of an ornate mirror and gazed into his reflection. He took one of his braids in his hand. "Every time I braid my hair I am reminded of what I had to do to earn them and sometimes the very memory sickens me." Then he turned back to Ingwion, letting go of the braid. "But I have accepted those memories and these braids remind me of who I am, truly am."

"Who are you, then?" Ingwion asked, barely speaking above a whisper.

Glorfindel smiled ruefully. "Someone who has died... and lived to tell about it."

Ingwion snorted at that and soon the dark mood that had descended on them lifted and the ellyn left the bathing chamber. While they had been bathing and dressing, Ingwion had told Glorfindel as much as he knew of what had happened, which was little enough.

"I’m afraid I didn’t understand most of what was being said or done," Ingwion admitted as they traversed a long hall, "but I do know everyone was very calm about it, almost as if they have fëar running away from them every day of the week."

Glorfindel snorted at that but otherwise did not comment. They came to a door and stopped. Ingwion gestured to Glorfindel. "Go ahead and open it. The surprise is for you."

"I hate surprises."

"You’ll love this one. Go on."

Glorfindel sighed but complied, steeling himself mentally for some kind of shock, but when the door opened and he stepped into the room, all was in darkness. He gave Ingwion a glance and shrugged. Ingwion followed him in and gently closed the door. There was nothing but silence, then, softly, slowly, a single white candle flickered into being. Then another appeared and another and soon the entire room was awash in candlelight as a hundred candles were lit. The ellyn gasped in wonder. Every candle was held by a Maia, except for the fourteen held by the Valar themselves and the seven held by the elves who had accompanied Ingwion and Glorfindel to Valmar.

As the candles flamed into existence a song was heard, soft at first, but as the number of lit candles increased, it swelled to a crescendo of sound that caused Glorfindel’s fëa to soar. As the last candle was lit the song came to an end on a high note of solemn joy. There were no words to the music and Glorfindel could not ascertain its source. It was as if the very room were rejoicing in his presence.

Glorfindel stood there in awe, and tears fell heedless from his eyes. Manwë stepped forward and beckoned for the two ellyn to approach. He smiled as he placed a hand on Glorfindel’s shoulder. "Happy Begetting Day, my Balrog-slayer."

Glorfindel’s eyes widened. "Be-begetting day?"

"Oh, we’re a little late in celebrating it," Námo said as he joined the Elder King, "but we didn’t think you would mind."

Glorfindel looked around the room at all the people grinning at him. "This... this is for me?"

Manwë nodded. "Does it please you?"

Glorfindel could only nod, overcome with emotion. He wiped the tears from his face. "Thank you," he whispered.

"You’re most welcome, child," Manwë replied in a gentle tone, giving the ellon an encouraging smile. "Now, do you want to see your gifts first or eat first?"

"G-gifts? I have gifts?" he asked in wonder. He had quite forgotten about Begetting Day celebrations and was having difficulty trying to remember the rituals that went with them.

For some reason everyone found that funny and light laughter rang through the chamber. Ingwion clapped Glorfindel on the back. "It isn’t a proper Begetting Day without them, you know."

"And here’s your first gift, from us," Námo said, gesturing to include the other Valar and Maiar, as he handed Glorfindel a small box. The elf opened it to find a ring. It was gold and the central gem was a teardrop-shaped peridot, its green light glowing gently against the gold in which it was set. Surrounding it were several small citrines. Glorfindel gasped at the gift and looked up at Námo, who merely smiled.

"Try it on."

Glorfindel took the ring from the box and placed it tentatively upon his left ring finger. It fit perfectly. As soon as Glorfindel slipped the ring on he felt strengthened in spirit and hope was renewed within him. He gazed at the Lord of Mandos and smiled. "Thank you, my lord."

That seemed to break the ice and the other elves gathered around Glorfindel to offer him their gifts. Elessairon and Lómion gave him a joint gift of a new knife with a mithril hilt and a tooled red leather sheath to go with it. Findis gave him a small book of poetry, beautifully illuminated, while Alassiel shyly gave him a sword pendant made of gold with little flakes of emeralds and rubies on the pommel.

"Until you are given your own sword back," she whispered. Glorfindel smiled hugely and gave the elleth a light kiss on the cheek before undoing the clasp and putting it around his neck. The sword hung just under his throat for all to see.

Ercassë and Elemmirë gave him different colored ribbons, mostly greens and golds with some shades of blue and red. "In case you want to do any more ribbon embroidery," Ercassë said with a sly grin. Everyone laughed because all knew that she was considered an expert in the art. She and Glorfindel had often amused themselves by seeing who could make the most realistic looking flowers.

Ingwion and Indil gifted Glorfindel with the chaplet of gold in the shape of malinornë leaves that he had worn to his meeting with the Elder King the evening before.

"Atar gave it to me so you might wear something appropriate for your meeting with my Lord Manwë," Ingwion explained, "but I do not think he will mind that Indil and I have gifted it to you. It actually was a bride-gift to our Aunt Indis when she married Finwë. I’m not even sure how it ended up in Vanyamar. Anyway, as you are a member of the Noldorin royal family, it rightly belongs with you."

"Should it not go to Findaráto, instead?" Glorfindel asked, not sure if he could accept such a princely gift.

Indil shook her head, her grey eyes merry. "Findaráto has his own set of coronets and crowns. I don’t think he needs another. I think it looks very nice on you." With that, she took it from the box where it had lain and put it on Glorfindel’s head. Everyone clapped and Glorfindel turned an interesting shade of red, much to their amusement.

But the best gift of all was from Olórin, who suddenly appeared, wearing a wide smile. Glorfindel went to him and gladly hugged the Maia in greeting.

"So, I see Valmar is still standing in spite of your presence," Olórin said with a wink and Glorfindel laughed, his eyes bright and merry. Everyone there secretly rejoiced, for it was the ellon’s old laugh, full of joy, and they were pleased to see the light of the Trees shining once again in his eyes.

Olórin handed the ellon a small green velvet bag with long drawstring ties that would allow one to wear the bag around one’s neck. "Happy Begetting Day, child," he said and kissed Glorfindel on the brow.

Glorfindel stared at the bag for a moment, suddenly looking pensive.

"Glorfindel, what’s wrong, hinya?" Námo asked quietly, silently alerting the Maiar. The ring he had given the ellon had been especially designed by Aulë to give Glorfindel strength to resist the psychic breaks from which he had been suffering and to promote a sense of hope, joy and optimism in his life. It was hoped that the ring would offer the elf some small protection and prevent any further slippage of the fëa. Glorfindel would not know how closely he was being watched at that particular moment in case he ‘slipped his leash’ again.

Glorfindel looked up at the Vala with a frown. "Which Begetting Day?"

Everyone breathed a mental sigh of relief, though Námo sent a silent warning to the Maiar not to relax their vigilance too much. Outwardly, Námo smiled. "Does it really matter, Glorfindel? A Begetting Day is just a way to celebrate one’s coming into Arda. It does not matter when you celebrate it, only that you do in acknowledgment of the gift of Life that Ilúvatar has granted you out of love for you."

Glorfindel pondered the Vala’s words for a moment then nodded, giving Námo a shy smile. "Now, why don’t you open Olórin’s gift," the Lord of Mandos said with a grin, "before your companions all die of curiosity and I have to open another Hall in Mandos just for them."

Glorfindel laughed at that, as did everyone else, and he opened the bag to reveal a square of blue silk in which lay a single large tumbled beryl. Glorfindel gasped. "Olórin! This is beautiful. Wherever did you find such a perfect stone?"

"Oh, you know, here or there," Olórin said with a laugh and Glorfindel gave him a glad hug. He showed the stone eagerly to his friends before putting it back in the bag and slipping it over his head, pushing the bag under his shirt next to his skin.

Manwë suggested that perhaps they might like to have some refreshments and soon they were all eating and drinking, Glorfindel sticking to water, though it was the sweetest water he had ever tasted and left him feeling refreshed and invigorated as he had never felt before. It was a joyful celebration that went on for some time.

Eventually, though, Glorfindel began to feel his energy flag and it was decided that he should remain in Námo’s mansion for the night along with Ingwion as a precaution. The other elves bade the two ellyn good night and left with Olórin as escort. Soon only the two ellyn, Námo, Ulmo, Manwë and Varda were left, Vairë having given them her farewells earlier. If there were any Maiar about, they remained unseen by the two elves.

Manwë smiled at Glorfindel and Ingwion. "A very busy day for you both. Go and rest. Tomorrow you should spend the day wandering the city and relaxing. I believe Lord Ulmo would like you to visit him as well."

Glorfindel and Ingwion looked to the Lord of Waters, who nodded. "Come at the second hour past the nooning and we will talk."

Then only Námo was there and the Vala showed them to a small bedroom with two beds. "Sleep well, children. Do not fear, for no evil may enter here and my people will guard you." With that the Lord of Mandos bowed, leaving the two elves alone. For a few minutes they talked softly as they prepared for bed but soon the only sound was their light breathing as they both slipped onto the Path of Dreams.

Neither was aware of the fourteen warrior Maiar who filled the room with their invisible presence, half of them warding Glorfindel, the other half Ingwion. Námo, it seemed, was not taking any chances.

****

Na quildë!: Be silent!

Peridot: A green gemstone considered protective against evil and when set in gold, especially helpful against night terrors. It signifies strength, both individual and within a relationship, as well as the promise of new growth in years ahead.

Citrine: A bright yellow gemstone symbolic of hope and strength. It dissipates negative energy and promotes warmth, joy, and optimism in one’s life. Ideal for helping anyone to get through the tough times in life, and Glorfindel certainly can use all the help he can get right now!

Ruby:considered to be the most powerful gem in the universe. It is the symbol of royalty. It gives the wearer the ability to see things in a true and correct manner.

Beryl: The proper name for the Emerald: used to ward off demons and evil spirits. It is said to protect travelers from danger, brings wisdom, growth, and patience and is considered symbolic of love and fidelity, as well as faith and hope. Aragorn refers to it as an ‘elf-stone’ [FOTR, I, 12 "Flight to the Ford"] when he finds the beryl left at the Bridge of Mitheithel by Glorfindel. It is possible that this is the same beryl with which Olórin gifted the Balrog-slayer.