At the Mercy of a Burning Coal

Disclaimer; Three words…I….Don’t….Own.
Note: Again…somewhat short, but I’ve got lots of work to do…seriously.

Glorfindel sat there a few seconds after Lathwen had left. Would he die? He would fade if he didn’t get rid of his grief and anger…and he would die. He could sail to Valinor and be happy for eternity…but he wouldn’t be able to rid himself of the guilt that would pursue him if he didn’t avenge those who *had* died.

Would he die? Would he allow his soul to be eaten away by his emotions until nothing was left and he was an empty shell with no life? So many choices…so little time.

***
“That’s it.” Edhelwen whispered to Lathwen who was at her side. They were both hiding in the shadows, waiting for the opportune moment.

Edhelwen had hired Lathwen to help her play a prank on her beau, Beinion, because of the prank he had played on her. Lathwen agreed without hesitation…it was very amusing to see the sweet couples romping about like shameless children.

Lathwen nodded and quickly scampered soundlessly from the doorway to the wall of the garden. She had found that she could be absolutely silent when she wished to be…an advantage to being part elven. Of course, Edhelwen followed silently also, and whispered directions in her ear.

Lathwen smirked and took the basket full of peaches from Edhelwen. Soft peaches. Rotten peaches. Get my drift? Lathwen and Edhelwen stood up on one of the stone benches, their eyes barely reaching above the wall…the shadows covering them up despite the afternoon sun.

Suddenly, two heads appeared from around the corner of the wall. “That’s him.” Edhelwen breathed, her eyes full of laughter. Lathwen was barely able to contain her own amusement. “Ready?” Edhelwen asked, Lathwen nodded and took a peach in her hand. “Now.” Edhelwen whispered and Lathwen hurled the rotten peach toward the male elves.

Edhelwen mimicked her soon after. Both peaches burst upon contact, spraying the shocked elves with peach juice and fruit. Lathwen and Edhelwen threw a few more and then dropped the basket. They giggled as they heard the shouts and laughter of the ellon’s and they made a beeline for the door.

They hurriedly went inside and closed the door, leaning upon it while gasping for breath. “Now what?” Lathwen asked curiously. Edhelwen’s eyes gleamed with mischief. “Now we run. And hide. Like a never ending game of hide-and-seek until either they find us, or we get tired.”

Lathwen was puzzled. Edhelwen sighed, “Well….we run and they try and chase us. It involves hiding most often so I called it a game of hide-and-seek. Understand?”

Lathwen grinned and nodded. They heard voices floating in from the window. “RUN!” Edhelwen yelped and the girls lifted their skirts and ran like the wind through the many corridors. Thankfully, not many people were occupying the halls, but the few that did stepped aside to let the girls’ go past. Like wildfire they flew, until Edhelwen stopped suddenly and yanked open Lily’s door pulling them both inside.

A surprised Lily looked up along with Nestariel and Nestaron. Understanding flooded Nestariel’s face, “Beinion?” She asked. Lathwen nodded. Nestaron looked at Lily in confusion as she laughed.

The male elves voices could be heard coming down the hallway. “Valar they’re good!” Nestariel said in awe. Edhelwen sighed, “Unfortunately. Come on Bessie! We can’t let the game end so quickly!”

Lathwen looked around wildly and spotted the open window. “Come on!” She hissed to Edhelwen. “If only I were still in leggings, it would be much easier.” Lathwen said in disappointment as she climbed up onto the windowsill and quickly shimmied out, dropping down into the garden below. Edhelwen quickly followed her and they both ran toward the orchards.

“We should split up and make the game more amusing.” Edhelwen said thoughtfully. Lathwen snorted, “But they haven’t even caught up to us yet! Can’t we r—”

“I SEE THEM!” A familiar voice yelled from behind them. Edhelwen laughed, “Were you going to say ‘rest’ Bessie?” Lathwen giggled, “Never mind!” She sped off to the left while Edhelwen went to the right.

Lathwen ran through many apple, orange, pear, and peach trees, dark hair streaming behind her. She ran like a deer, fleetly and silently. She grinned, exhilarated at her speed. Lathwen gasped as she saw a clear blue lake shimmering before her. She stopped quickly at its edge, trying hard not to fall in.

Once she regained her balance, she pushed her messy hair out of the way and dropped the hem of her green dress. Relaxing, Lathwen hummed and walked leisurely around the lake and found a nice oak tree to sit in. Halfway up she sat against the trunk on a thick branch.

Her breathing had slowed and she listened to the pleasant chirping of the birds. She looked below and instinctively huddled into the shadows. Below there was an elf with golden hair, the remains of peaches in his braids.

Glorfindel.

What in Arda was he doing out of the healing ward?! Why was she so foolish as to have thrown peaches at him?! Rotten ones no less!

Glorfindel walked with feline grace toward the pond and knelt down. He washed his hands, pulling the peaches out of his hair and using the water from his hands to dampen his braids. There was a laugh and Beinion came running over, and then pushed the surprised Glorfindel into the pond with a splash.

Glorfindel quickly surfaced, dripping and shouting curses and thunderous oaths at Beinion who was holding his sides in his mirth. “So you haven’t caught her then?” Beinion asked his wet friend as he came out of the lake.

Glorfindel gave him a wry look, “Surely you jest. Finding an Outlaw Maiden, not to mention the leader, is certainly difficult.” Beinion sighed, “I haven’t been able to catch Edhelwen either, though I’ve seen her upon many occasions.”

A giggle came from the other side of the pond and the male elves looked up. “AHA!” Beinion yelled and charged after Edhelwen who was already fleeing toward Lord Elrond’s house. Lathwen couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her tightly closed lips.

Glorfindel stiffened a moment, listening. Then shaking his head, he ran swiftly with elven grace toward the place he had entered the lake. He was backtracking apparently.

Lathwen waited a full minute before letting her laughter ring through the clearing. Quickly, she jumped down from the oak tree and landed with bent knees, which helped to absorb the shock of the sudden landing.

She sprang up and walked lightly to follow Glorfindel with a bounce in her step and laughter in her smiling eyes.

Lathwen quickly walked past the bunches of orange trees, the rows of peach trees, and was in the section with apple trees which grew in great abundance, the lush orchard mostly composed of them.

Lathwen slowed to a halt, feeling the warm breeze filter through her dark hair. She sighed in contentment, but then let out a gasp of surprise. Why?

A pair of muscular, damp arms encircled her waist and held her firmly against a lithe, yet strong body. Lathwen felt the damp hair tickle her exposed shoulders. After all, she had been wearing one of the off the shoulder dresses.

Lathwen felt the vibration of Glorfindel’s chuckle as she realized that she had been caught. “I win.” Glorfindel said cheerily. Lathwen sighed, “I suppose you do. And I also suppose you will not let me forget this for a while.”

She could hear the smirk in his voice as Glorfindel answered, “Oh no…I could not possibly let you forget this.” His arms pressed her closer to him…uncomfortably close in Lathwen’s perspective. Lathwen stiffened, “*Lord* Glorfindel…”
“Glorfindel. Just Glorfindel.”
“Glorfindel then…let me go.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Do it.”
“Do I have to?”

“Yes.” Lathwen answered firmly. Like a disappointed child, Glorfindel slowly let his arms fall to his sides. Lathwen quickly stepped away from him. She turned to face the elf lord, and said, “I have to go.”

A look of disappointment crossed Glorfindel’s face, “One more game?” He asked, “Please?” Lathwen stood there, about to reject the offer when she saw the expression on his face. Loneliness.

Glorfindel, elf lord of Gondolin…a venerated warrior and leader was asking the leader of the notorious Outlaw Maiden’s to play with him. He was lonesome. Truly lonely.

Pity sprang into Lathwen’s heart and she considered the options. A grin spread on her face and she said, “One more game. And this time, you’ll loose.” With a whoop, Lathwen sped off toward Elrond’s house with Glorfindel close behind.

Somehow, Lathwen managed to loose Glorfindel, and he couldn’t find her trail at all. After an exhausting hour of searching, Glorfindel gave up and retired to his rooms. The next time he saw a triumphant Lathwen was at dinner. She gave him a challenging smile, and he didn’t see her again for the rest of the night.

***
Lathwen retired to her room unusually early that night. She was tired out from all of the running and hiding. But to her credit, she had managed to avoid him. A grin tugged at the corners of her mouth and she let out a pure laugh.

But then her triumph was dampened as the facts revealed to her at her meeting with Eothain and Elrond surfaced again in her memory. She frowned now, scowled actually, and pondered the many things she had learned.

She had to find the elves. She had to find the one who had cast the curse. She would have to find out many things though, before she was able to do that. Lathwen’s heart quickened as she remembered the small leather bound book her father had mentioned.

A diary. Her mother had kept a diary. Lathwen had often seen her writing in it as a child…but where was it now? Lathwen paced restlessly, her thoughts colliding and consolidating, making it impossible to think things out.

With a sigh of frustration, Lathwen gave up, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to think clearly at this time of night. In the morning she would find out more…she would find out where her mother’s diary was.