To explain the lateness of my update I would like to pass the blame to my Fiancee (yes, I am engaged, yes he is adorable and yes, it is entirely his fault.) Shortly after the last chapter posted, I sent him a link and asked him to read it to give me an outside view of the story. Well, he took forever, ages, eons to read even past the tenth chapter. When he asked why I haven't put up any more chapters I explained I wanted him to catch up completely so I had a complete view of the story before continuing. Knowing that I wouldn't update until he was finished, he continued to take forever. When I told him he is making all of you wait, he said this, and I quote: 'Send them my twitter handle to cuss me out.' So here it is: skittlesmoker

If you have any complaints on how long it took for you all to enjoy my writing again, please forward them to that twitter. I will enjoy every single one of them he tells me about.

I know this is shorter than you expect, but I wanted to skip some of what was happening, and to be honest, I wrote the first half of this while drunk off my ass, and I had to completely re-write it because it was just... God awful. I apologize for that as well and promise the next chapter will be longer.

Now then, onward to the story!

-I do NOT own LotR or it's characters

-I DO own Heather and the plot

BOLD ENGLISH

ITALIC ELVISH

~*~Please Review~*~

The morning sun shone red against Heather's eyelids as she slowly drifted up from the darkness of her slumber. Grumbling softly under her breath, she rolled onto her side and squinted against the bright light shining in through the window of her room with a frown. "Why are the curtains open?"

"Ah, my apologies, I thought you might like the fresh air and sunlight in the early morning." Lanta appeared seemingly out of nowhere with a tray of food. Setting it down on the table beside Heather, he hurried over and gently pulled the curtains closed again, blocking the worst of the sunlight with an apologetic smile in her direction.

"Don't worry about it, Lanta. Just wasn't expecting to have my retinas blasted with sunlight the second I opened them." Stretching her arms over her head, she yawned wide then reached for the breakfast her new friend had so thoughtfully brought for her and dug in. "What are the plans for today?"

"Your betrothed asked for you when he woke up. Is it safe to assume you want to go back to his room once you are finished eating?" The ellon sat in his usual chair beside her bed as she dug into the bread and fruit with gusto, a small smile hovering around his mouth as she did.

"Absolutely." Heather mumbled around the bite of pear in her mouth, ignoring Lanta's exasperated look and sigh when she did. Swallowing, she flashed him a smile and reached for the glass of water next. "How is he today?"

"Still tired, but his energy is returning at a faster rate than expected." Lanta brushed a hand through his hair thoughtfully. "He and the others should be able to leave in a few weeks if he keeps healing at this rate." Looking back over at Heather, he blinked and leaned forward when she stopped eating. "Perhaps it will take longer, there is no telling how fast one heals when everyone is different." He added quickly, realizing he had essentially told her that her fiancee would be leaving her for the season faster than anticipated.

"No, it's good. They'll be able to leave before the snow flies." Heather forced a light laugh and smile on her face as she looked back up and Lanta. "It would be so much worse if they had to travel back during a storm." Picking up a piece of bread, she nibbled on a corner thoughtfully.

Sitting in silence while she finished eating, Lanta studied the young Elleth thoughtfully. He had heard the stories of the strange woman that appeared in the woods outside of Rivendell. Her elvish stuttered now and again, her mannerisms were far more suited for that of Man and the way she spoke, creating a single word with two different ones. It was all so odd, but he had grown accustomed to it over the time he's spent with her.

"Alright, I'm done, let's go." Heather put the tray back on the table next to her and moved to climb out of bed only to be stopped by Lanta's hand resting on her shoulder. "Let me check your leg first, L-" Snapping his jaw shut, he stopped himself from calling her Lady once again and coughed. "Heather."

"Nice save." She laughed, holding out her leg so he could remove the bandages. Leaning forward, Heather watched the white cloth move away from her skin and clicked her tongue against her teeth in light frustration when the skin around the wound still appeared slightly red. "I'll never be able to train with a leg like that..."

"No, I am afraid not." The ellon murmured, picking up a small jar of paste and reapplying a thin coat after washing her leg and drying it thoroughly. "Not for another week or two."

"How am I supposed to keep up my sword training if I can't even practice?" She groaned, flopping back against her bed as he finished wrapping her leg back up with practiced ease.

"There are muscle strengthening exercises many of the soldiers use when they are unable to train properly." Lanta offered, standing up straight and looking down at her with some amusement at the obvious pout she had plastered across her face. "They may be interested in showing you if asked nicely."

"Yeah, I suppose so, but it isn't the same as actually holding your blades." Accepting the hand he offered to help her up, she got to her feet and tested her weight against the wounded leg with a light grimace. "Better not keep him waiting any longer. Otherwise he might just stumble his way in here without any help."

"This is a beautiful place." Glorfindel murmured to Heather as he leaned forward and rested his chin on her shoulder from behind. Humming in agreement, she glanced over at him and smiled lightly at the peaceful look on his face. "It's been two weeks, Old Man, don't tell me you haven't healed all the way yet."

The ellon let out a playful groan and straightened back up, a hand passing through his hair. "Do not remind me, Melisse. I do not like the idea of leaving you so quickly."

Turning around to face him, Heather leaned her back against the railing behind her and folded her arms across her chest, teeth worrying her lower lip. "I don't want you to either, but it would be better if you leave before it gets too close to winter. There's already a cold wind starting to blow from the west and snow won't be too far behind it."

"I know..." Reaching out, Glorfindel gently grabbed one of her wrists and tugged her into a hug. "We will be leaving by the end of the week unfortunately. Small thanks be to the healer that insisted we wait to go until the scar on my leg heals a bit more." Resting his chin on her head this time, he closed his eyes and listened to her breathe quietly a moment. "Do you wish for us to carry letters home for you? I am sure your father would wish to know how you are fairing in your own words rather than mine."

"You know he trusts you, if he didn't he wouldn't have let you anywhere near me." Heather laughed softly, imagining the look on Elrond's face if he heard about Glorfindel wanting to propose to her when he didn't like the ellon to begin with. "Listen, when you leave, I want you all to be careful, and please find our brothers... No one has heard anything from either of them since the attack."

"Of course, if the Valar are with us, they managed to return home before anything happened to them." The older elf murmured, rubbing a hand against her back when he felt her stiffen at the very idea of her twin brothers hurt and/or dying out there, alone. "We will keep an eye out for them as we travel."

"Thank you..." Burying her face in his chest, Heather gripped the edges of his sleeves and relaxed into his warm embrace. Closing her eyes, she just soaked up the warmth he offered, enjoying the feeling of his arms around her as she stood there. "Glorfindel?" She said suddenly, refusing to look up when he made a curious noise, feeling his chin shift when he moved to look down at the top of her head. "Will you write me every day?"

With a hum, he rested his cheek against the top of her head and nodded silently, even if she hadn't of asked him, he still would have. If anything, he would most likely write more than one a day. With the weather during the winter, it could become nearly impassible for even the birds to carry messages safely. There would be a chance that they may not hear anything from one another for a week if not more if the storms are bad enough.

"Of course, Melisse, every day. Every hour even." He promised, enjoying the weak laugh he coaxed from her for his efforts. "Perhaps I will take the time to write a sentence every minute we are apart. And once we are reunited in the spring, I can have each letter bound into a book for us to read when we are older."

"I'm not sure you'll be able to read anything at that point." Heather's voice came out stuffed, as if she had been trying to not cry. "I might have to read it to you."

"Ah, yes, rest my weary eyes and bless my ears with your angelic voice in my old age." He smiled into her hair when she finally laughed outright, one that wasn't muffled, quiet or sad-sounding. He would miss that sound more than anything during the months apart. "I will forever be handing you my dusty tomes just to hear you read to me."

"With all that dust, we might not be able to breathe." She pulled back and looked up at him, redness rimming her eyes but no tears on her face as she smiled wryly. "Might have to open a window then."

"But if we do that, the books may blow away into ash as their age reflects my own."

"Does that mean I have to worry about you turning into a pile of ash at the slightest sneeze in your direction?"

"Possibly, carry a carved box should such a thing happen, so you may keep my remains safe." Resting his forehead against hers, Glorfindel grinned at her laughter and closed his eyes, memorizing it and how it seemed to bounce from every direction like bubbles on a pond during the rain.

"I will miss you." She breathed out finally once she managed to catch her breath and calm back down. "Terribly."

Reaching up, he gently touched the necklace he gifted her, watching as her own hand came up and wrapped around it gently in her usual habit whenever stressed or upset over something. "I will always be with you, Heather. Never forget that."

"I know I just..." She sighed and seemed to deflate a bit at some thought. "I don't have anything to give you to remember me." Ah, so that was what bothered her, she had a physical item of his adoration, and yet it was unbalanced in her eyes despite it being traditional in Elven terms. Her human heritage begged she give him a gift as well. Straightening up, Glorfindel studied her, watching her eyes flick up to meet his curiously.

Catching sight of something, he smiled and reached out to gently, so carefully flick one of the rings hanging from her ear. "This looks large enough."

She frowned, eyebrows scrunching in the middle in obvious confusion as her hand reached up to touch the ring with her own fingers. "What?"

"I may be able to fit that on my smallest finger. It would serve well as a reminder of you." He explained his idea, gauging her reaction carefully, not entirely sure how important the rings were to her. For all he knew, they were something she wouldn't be willing to part with under any circumstance. Privately he hoped not, they captured his attention on many occasions, shining under the sun and the soft clink they made when tapped against one another. They would serve as the perfect reminder of his unusual Elleth and all that she meant to him.

A moment as she processed what he said before her eyes widened in realization and excitement. "It would be perfect. Even if it Didn't fit properly, I'm sure the smiths can make it a bit Bigger so you can wear it." A bright smile spread across her face as she started to fiddle with the ring he had singled out, Glorfindel looking on curiously as she easily removed the small ball at the bottom of the ring, revealing a gap which he proceeded to slide through the hole in her ear and off. Sticking her tongue through her teeth in concentration, Heather carefully reattached the ball and held it out to him with a smile. "It won't pop off unless you really mess around with it. You might want to get it fixed into place though, because sometimes it likes to fall off for no real reason."

Raising an eyebrow at her jumbled words, some had come out in a blend of Elvish and her old language, such as it did whenever she spoke too quickly, but at best guess he could understand what she said. "I will have them look at it as soon as we return home." He promised, sliding it onto his finger with little difficulty. He was right, it fit his smallest finger perfectly, with just enough room to spin around without much resistance.

Heather reached out and gently clasped his hand between the two of hers and lifted it to her lips, pressing a soft kiss to his knuckles with a gentle look on her face. "Now I'll always be with you." She looked up at Glorfindel, catching sight of the faint pink coloring his cheeks with a cheeky smile. "Don't you forget it."

"I would never dream of it, Melisse." Moving to stand beside her, Glorfindel threaded her arm through his and began the walk back towards their rooms. It was getting late, and the smell of food was beginning to waft around in the air, calling the two of them with it's promises of good taste and full stomachs.

A slim hand slid into Heather's, startling her out of her dour thoughts and over to where her sister stood beside her, an understanding look on her face as they both stood in front of the small group of Elves that were preparing to depart the forest. Glorfindel's blond hair bobbing between the elves as he helped everyone with their packs and ensured they all had what they would need for the long, hard ride back to Imladris.

Heather had been standing there, watching them with a small scowl, one born of worry and irritation. Worry they would run into more trouble, irritation she wouldn't be there to help them. She itched to slide into a saddle and ride off with them, and if her sister wasn't there, if she hadn't of specifically asked her to stay with her in Lothlorian, she would have already been on the horse and waiting to go.

"They will be fine, the horses they have are swift, the weapons they hold some of the best in all of our kin." Arwen tried to reassure her, it helped, some, but not by much as the image of Glorfindel, wounded, unconscious and helpless draped across the back of his horse flashed across Heather's mind eye once again. "They will reach home quickly and safely, Heather. Have trust in them."

Taking in a deep breath, Heather let it out slowly, eyes shut as she tried to visualize them riding through the gates of her home, safe and sound, her brothers will be there to meet them, no doubt with a tale of their own that will have been blown completely out of proportion over the weeks it had been since it happened. For the whole night, they will repeat the story to anyone who will listen, the details slowly growing and changing until they weren't sure entirely what had happened themselves.

Feeling somewhat calmer, she opened her eyes and looked up as Glorfindel strode over to them, looking remarkable in his borrowed clothing and armor as it glimmered under the soft light filtering through the trees. "I believe we are ready to depart." He said easily, bowing his head lightly to Arwen as she nodded and subtly slipped away to give her best wishes to the others. Giving them some privacy without needing to be asked.

"Be safe." Heather blurted out suddenly, her voice shaking with some anxiety as the happy image she conjured moments ago shattered under the reality of the moment. "Please, be safe."

Dropping his polite facade, Glorfindel moved towards her, gathering Heather into his arms and hugging her gently as she gripped the edges of his armor tightly, fingers white as she struggled to calm down some. It wasn't exactly the image of a healthy Elleth if she broke down into a sobbing mess right now. "Melisse, I will keep all of our company safe as well as myself." He murmured as she shook slightly with repressed tears. The fear rolling off of her, he could practically taste it in the air with how thick it was. "We will be safe, this I swear to you."

Not trusting her voice at the moment, Heather nodded, ignoring the tiny voice screaming in the back of her head demanding she drag him away and keep him locked safely in a room. Away from anything that might just hurt him. It was frightening, this was nothing like her, she knew he could take care of himself. She knew what had happened was bad luck, none of them expected it when it happened. Now they would be more wary, there was little chance of it happening again. Squashing the voice down firmly, Heather finally pulled back and looked up at him, smiling lightly at the worried pinch around his eyes. Reaching up, she brushed some of his hair back from his face and tugged a lock playfully. "I expect a letter as soon as you arrive home. No later."

A smile touched at the corners of his mouth at her attempt of humor, one eyebrow climbing up at her demand in amusement. "Not even a bath?"

"Write it in the bath then."

"Of course, anything for you. Shall I send some of the bubbles as well?" Resting his forehead against hers, he enjoyed the gentle huff of air that escaped her at his poor joke as she shook her head.

"You may keep your bubbles." Heather finally said with a roll of her eyes, ignoring the pleased look on his face at her reaction. "But you best get going. Or you'll be riding in the dark before you reach the plains." With a gentle push, she stepped back and ran a hand through her hair, pulling it back from her face and smiled up at him, a simple, pure smile that he returned, a hand swiftly touching her cheek before he turned and strode to his horse and mounted with a fluid motion the others copied behind him.

Arwen moved to stand beside her as they held hands once more, others raised in farewell as the small group rode past them in a wave, light rippling along their armor until they could no longer be seen through the trees.

Taking another deep breath, Heather let it out slowly and turned to look at her sister with a small grin on her face, trying to keep some levity to the atmosphere as the other elves that came to see them off dispersed. "Now that it's just us, and I'm still too wounded to train, what shall we do now?"