Chapter 6:  disappointed expectations

The expressions on both Elf-lords faces were so alike that Tinár had to suppress a smile despite the grave situation. He could almost see the wheels turning in both minds.

While Lord Elrond looked at him if he had just said something incredibly stupid, Lord Glorfindel searched his face if he suspected he were the victim of a cruel joke.

Tinár was aware that his exclamation had sounded more than unbelievable. When his apprentice had informed him earlier, he had reacted much the same.

Before he could form another thought, however, Lord Glorfindel had stormed past him, closely followed by Lord Elrond. Tinár sighed and reached for the door-handle.

“Of course, I will close the door, my Lords. No matter,” he muttered under his breath. Hurriedly, he turned and headed after the two elves. He was curious to see how the woman would react to the warrior´s presence.

She had not reacted in any way to him or the other healers. She had simply opened her eyes for a minute. That was all. With no outward reaction did she acknowledge that she was even aware of others in the room. When nothing had changed, Tinár had decided to consult Elrond.

It was ironic. For three months, Glorfindel had barely left the woman’s side for more than a few hours, but when she decided to awaken, he had not been there. All the more now, the healer hoped that the woman would come out of her catatonic state when the Elf-lord arrived.

Tinár slowed his hasty strides when he entered the infirmary. He wanted not to interrupt a process or startle the woman, if she already had reacted in some way. Yet he was disappointed.

While Glorfindel had sat at the edge of the bed and taken the hand of the she-elf in his, Elrond was standing by the headboard just out of sight.

The woman was still staring at the ceiling and not reacting in any way to the warrior´s silent words. Tinár narrowed his eyes while silently stepping closer. What had he expected? Maybe the woman was not even recognizing anything around her, much less comprehending the silent words.

Even Glorfindel must have recognized this, because he directed a nearly helpless gaze at the Master healer after stopping to speak.

Elrond motioned for the warrior to follow him while he ordered Tinár with a gesture to stay with the woman. While the young healer took the warrior´s place, the two Elf-lords drew back into a small alcove.

When Glorfindel looked at the healer expectantly, Elrond took a deep breath.

“Glorfindel, please listen to me. Even if it’s almost a miracle that she has awakened, you should not expect too much. You should give her time. You are overwhelming her. Maybe she does not even recognize you….”

“But Elrond, she has awakened and you thought even that impossible and what now….?” the warrior interrupted. Glorfindel was already turning to return to the bed.

Elrond caught the warrior´s arm at the last moment. His face was expressing anger.

“Glorfindel, stop. You are doing her no good,” Elrond’s voice had risen ever so slightly, but Glorfindel knew this tone well. The healer was highly agitated and he was well advised to heed this warning.

Relenting after sending another look in the woman’s direction Glorfindel turned back to the healer.

“Maybe you are right. I do not know what is happening, maybe it’s because she’s like me…from a time long past….from a land long forgotten……

Elrond took a deep breath. He had just realized that his friend’s eagerness was no fleeting concern; maybe he yarned for a mate, for a companion as old as he.

Elrond swallowed. Never had he considered that Glorfindel could  wish for a companion, a woman, never had he hinted in the slightest at such a possibility, apart from that had Glorfindel had never been someone given to sadness but now Elrond was no longer sure.

What was behind the warrior´s eagerness to bring this poor soul out of the darkness?

When an unearthly cry sounded through the room both elves turned as one, their discussion forgotten.

Glorfindel knelt again next to the bed taking the pale and cold hand in his.

“Halleth, listen to me, you must not be afraid. You are safe, no one will harm you.”

Elrond again kept his distance not wanting to overtax the woman. He narrowed his eyes when the she-elf kept screaming, and not in the slightest reacting to the soothing words of Glorfindel.

When the screams intensified in volume and pitch Elrond stepped next to the bed and slapped the woman’s cheek.

The cries instantly stopped. Ignoring the angry glare from Glorfindel, Elrond was for the first time under the impression that the woman was aware of her surroundings. Her eyes had lost the blank stare and were darting around.

Briefly, she locked her gaze at the fair haired warrior sitting on the bed now, but only for a minute. Elrond was not even sure if it was a conscious gaze. As suddenly as she had opened her eyes, she closed them again and appeared as lifeless as before.

“Elrond, how could you….”

“Commander, you are again overstepping your boundaries. I’m perfectly aware of my actions and this was the only way to interrupt a hysterical fit. And now I have work to do, which I’m sure you too. Let her sleep and let us hope for another opportunity to communicate.”

Without waiting for a response the healer turned and left the room, leaving a few stunned elves behind.

……………………………………

To Elrond’s great surprise, Glorfindel returned to his desk in Elrond’s great study half an hour later.

He had said nothing about the happenings in the infirmary and Elrond had also kept his silence. Glorfindel had only nodded at his entrance which gesture Elrond had returned.

For two hours the Elf-lords had worked, concentrating on papers and reports, on schedules and stock lists. Glorfindel had even arranged patrols and assigned them. His second in command had appeared and gratefully received the plans.

With growing amazement, Elrond observed how Glorfindel worked through the mountains of papers as if eager to make up for his three months of neglect in one afternoon.

Even when a servant brought the afternoon tea, he refused it as he was engrossed in a report from the northern border patrol.

Elrond sighed; as much as he had demanded that Glorfindel undertake his work, he had not meant it all to be done on one evening, but this was also Glorfindel. Always extreme. A smooth middle course seemed not to exist for the ancient elf.

For some time Elrond kept his mouth shut, really appreciating that the warrior was helping him out. The arrival and now three month stay of the mysterious woman had affected nearly everyone in this household.

Elrond was as intrigued as Glorfindel to find out more about the she-elf, yet assumedly out of other motives.

His healer’s mind refused to believe that she could be as old as Glorfindel indicated. Of course he did not know how long the Istari had imprisoned the woman, but judging by her state and the bricked cell they found her in, Elrond feared it was a long time. But was it possible that she could be dated back to a time long before the Istari’s coming, when the great Kingdoms still had power in this world?

Elrond looked up and narrowed his eyes when he found Glorfindel’s seat empty. His head snapped around at the sound of a flipping page and he saw the warrior sitting on the comfortable settee with a heavy tome on his knees. He had not even noticed the warrior getting the book.

Elrond did not need to look at the title, he knew it so well. It was a very ancient book about family histories and genealogies going back to first elves living at Aman.

So the woman was back on Glorfindel´s mind. Elrond slowly rose and sat beside his friend. He grabbed the left part of the book and stabilized it while placing it over his own lap. Glorfindel looked up briefly and nodded his thanks. Elrond’s gaze however was already drawn to a beautifully painted family tree with the elf Turgon, once the glorious King of Gondolin, in the centre.

Elrond knew this history well, Turgon being this great-great grandfather if nothing else.

Suddenly however Elrond looked up at his friend. What was Glorfindel searching for?

“You could not possibly believe that this woman is related to King Turgon, or one of these other ancient elves?”

Glorfindel did not answer. His gaze became suddenly distant and his eyes narrowed. Elrond instantly recognized this state. Glorfindel was remembering long forgotten times.

Elrond hold his breath. Seldom did Glorfindel speak of his life before his death. This could be a special moment and the Lore Master was willing to take advantage of this moment.

Yet, as quickly as the mystical moment had appeared as quickly did it vanish. The warrior lost his fixed gaze.

The healer sighed. Glorfindel was even not to be urged – again.

Elrond closed the ancient book with a thud and rose to place it back on the shelf, when the warrior suddenly begun to speak.

The healer had to strain his senses. Not because the warrior was speaking so quietly but in a language not used or heard of late.

“Once I knew a beautiful woman. Her name was Elvëa. It was the first day of hrívë….” he begun to confide in perfect Quenya.

To be continued…………………………