Chapter 18: Meeting Glorfindel
A/N: I looked to see if there was any mention of Haldir’s ancestry and there’s not, so this is my version. Tolkien never mentions how Glorfindel and Elrond meet either.
“I was young when my parents were slain by the forces of Sauron. They were traveling back to Lindon from Doriath, where they been visiting friends when they were way laid by orcs on the road. When they did not return at the expected time, we all feared the worst. Those suspicions were confirmed when some of the Doriathian Elves found their discarded bodies in one of the orcs’ hideouts that had long been in disuse.”
“They were in the service of the High King Gil-Galad at the time, so I remained in his household. When I became of age, Elrond and the High King instructed me in the elvish arts of warfare and lore as well. I went on many a hunt with them.”
“Then Sauron began to regain power and everything good in the world had to be put on hold. Gil-Galad decided it would be best if Elrond took some of the people to help protect Eriador. So, the Lord Elrond took leave of his friend and began traveling West. While I had spent time with Gil-Galad, my heart was not content to stay in Lindon, so I joined Elrond in his journey West and stayed with him in Imladris until I decided to come here to Lorien. Along this journey is when Glorfindel joined us. We found him in one of the mountain caves high in the passes.
Glorfindel was with a small band of hunters when Elrond’s party stumbled upon them, seeking a refuge from the night. One of the scouts came to Glorfindel and told him that a company of travelers was headed to the cave. He could not tell if they were men, but informed his lord that they were advancing at a fairly fast pace.
He ordered his companions, “Loose your weapons, just in case, but do not fire an arrow nor unsheathe any sword until I give the command.”
Glorfindel positioned his men at the back of the cave, while he himself sat near the front with arrow lightly notched in his bow.
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Elrond’s party was getting weary. They had traveled through the mountains for almost an entire day without rest. A few of the company had gone ahead and came back to report that they had found a cave.
Elrond looked to the sky, “Ai, we must hurry. The sky is about to shed her tears.” The Elves had long ago pulled the hoods of their cloaks over their heads when it began to get colder. They all took Elrond’s advice to heart and spurred the horses to move faster.
They reached the cave just before the sky opened.
Elrond noticed a dark figure sitting in the entrance of the cave with arrow lightly notched. He was surprised when the being began to speak to them as if he had already known of them.
Glorfindel asked them in the common speech, “Who are you? And why have you braved these mountains?”
“We are just weary travelers who are eager to escape the weather and the night,” Elrond replied. He made no mention yet of who he was as he had heard the distinguishable traits of an Elven voice in the stranger he was looking at. “Mae Govannen, friend. Did you think it so easy to hide that fact by changing the language in which you are speaking?”
”Nay, of course not. But we were unsure if you were men because of the hoods. That is the reason I chose to address you the way I did. We have become weary of wandering in the mountains hunting orcs. We have reason to be leery of strangers in these days. Our settlement was attacked by wild men and we have been on the move ever since. Yet you have not answered my question yet, who are you and where are you going?” While he was speaking, Glorfindel gradually put his bow down and motioned for his companions to do likewise.
Elrond reluctantly gave his name and the names of his companions. “We are traveling these passes because we have been under the service of the High King Ereinion and he has asked us to help protect the regions of Eriador from the shadow that lives in the East. I am called Elrond, Peredhil, son of Elwing and Eärendil.”
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Haldir was shaken from his memory by the sound of a bell tolling. “And with that, I saw a greater royalty revealed in Elrond than I had seen up to that point. When he made mention of his parents, he threw back his hood and made a gesture of remembrance.”
Haldir stood up and cleared away his place. “I must go and rejoin my company until sundown. We will resume our lessons tomorrow morning in the same place we met today.” He saw the look Estel was giving him and added, “And yes, I will continue to tell you more stories of the Lords of Imladris as long as you promise to pay close attention to everything my brothers and I are trying to teach you.”
Haldir stuck out his hand in offering for Estel to shake it and make their deal a true promise. “Deal.”
Estel watched as the blonde elf left the room and was left with a feeling of pride. He had a lot to think about until morning….
A/N: I looked to see if there was any mention of Haldir’s ancestry and there’s not, so this is my version. Tolkien never mentions how Glorfindel and Elrond meet either.
“I was young when my parents were slain by the forces of Sauron. They were traveling back to Lindon from Doriath, where they been visiting friends when they were way laid by orcs on the road. When they did not return at the expected time, we all feared the worst. Those suspicions were confirmed when some of the Doriathian Elves found their discarded bodies in one of the orcs’ hideouts that had long been in disuse.”
“They were in the service of the High King Gil-Galad at the time, so I remained in his household. When I became of age, Elrond and the High King instructed me in the elvish arts of warfare and lore as well. I went on many a hunt with them.”
“Then Sauron began to regain power and everything good in the world had to be put on hold. Gil-Galad decided it would be best if Elrond took some of the people to help protect Eriador. So, the Lord Elrond took leave of his friend and began traveling West. While I had spent time with Gil-Galad, my heart was not content to stay in Lindon, so I joined Elrond in his journey West and stayed with him in Imladris until I decided to come here to Lorien. Along this journey is when Glorfindel joined us. We found him in one of the mountain caves high in the passes.
Glorfindel was with a small band of hunters when Elrond’s party stumbled upon them, seeking a refuge from the night. One of the scouts came to Glorfindel and told him that a company of travelers was headed to the cave. He could not tell if they were men, but informed his lord that they were advancing at a fairly fast pace.
He ordered his companions, “Loose your weapons, just in case, but do not fire an arrow nor unsheathe any sword until I give the command.”
Glorfindel positioned his men at the back of the cave, while he himself sat near the front with arrow lightly notched in his bow.
---------------------------------------------
Elrond’s party was getting weary. They had traveled through the mountains for almost an entire day without rest. A few of the company had gone ahead and came back to report that they had found a cave.
Elrond looked to the sky, “Ai, we must hurry. The sky is about to shed her tears.” The Elves had long ago pulled the hoods of their cloaks over their heads when it began to get colder. They all took Elrond’s advice to heart and spurred the horses to move faster.
They reached the cave just before the sky opened.
Elrond noticed a dark figure sitting in the entrance of the cave with arrow lightly notched. He was surprised when the being began to speak to them as if he had already known of them.
Glorfindel asked them in the common speech, “Who are you? And why have you braved these mountains?”
“We are just weary travelers who are eager to escape the weather and the night,” Elrond replied. He made no mention yet of who he was as he had heard the distinguishable traits of an Elven voice in the stranger he was looking at. “Mae Govannen, friend. Did you think it so easy to hide that fact by changing the language in which you are speaking?”
”Nay, of course not. But we were unsure if you were men because of the hoods. That is the reason I chose to address you the way I did. We have become weary of wandering in the mountains hunting orcs. We have reason to be leery of strangers in these days. Our settlement was attacked by wild men and we have been on the move ever since. Yet you have not answered my question yet, who are you and where are you going?” While he was speaking, Glorfindel gradually put his bow down and motioned for his companions to do likewise.
Elrond reluctantly gave his name and the names of his companions. “We are traveling these passes because we have been under the service of the High King Ereinion and he has asked us to help protect the regions of Eriador from the shadow that lives in the East. I am called Elrond, Peredhil, son of Elwing and Eärendil.”
-------------------------------------------------
Haldir was shaken from his memory by the sound of a bell tolling. “And with that, I saw a greater royalty revealed in Elrond than I had seen up to that point. When he made mention of his parents, he threw back his hood and made a gesture of remembrance.”
Haldir stood up and cleared away his place. “I must go and rejoin my company until sundown. We will resume our lessons tomorrow morning in the same place we met today.” He saw the look Estel was giving him and added, “And yes, I will continue to tell you more stories of the Lords of Imladris as long as you promise to pay close attention to everything my brothers and I are trying to teach you.”
Haldir stuck out his hand in offering for Estel to shake it and make their deal a true promise. “Deal.”
Estel watched as the blonde elf left the room and was left with a feeling of pride. He had a lot to think about until morning….
