Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord of the Rings, Middle-earth or any of the recognisable characters.

I do own Rilla, Yolande, Varya, Hwestawen, Neminari, Vincere, Querdin, Lenodarin, Jorluin, Finlath

and Emrallan, and the actual wording of the story and happenings.

Many of my characters name, are, as you may notice, definitely not Elvin. I, not being close to the

internet when I was writing, created their names momentarily as a temporary substitute. However,

I have grown fond of them, and will not change them.

In one of the chapters, Glorfindel speaks to Idril of Lord Namo. I wrote this chapter based on the

extraordinary work of Fiondil, from Stories of Arda, in 'Elf, Interrupted' which is about our favourite

elf, Glorfindel, after his death at Gondolin. I recommend everyone to read this amazing piece of work.

This all happens between the time of Third age 1000 to 2500 ( have not exactly decided when)

Glorfindel, you would have to presume, could be well over 10 000 years old

Haldir I would suppose could be perhaps 3,4 or 5 thousand (If I am wrong, PLEASE tell me!)

Elladan and Elrohir would be from 900 to 2400 (haven't made up my mind!)

Orophin, I think, would be younger than the twins, say around 1000, and I believe Legolas to be around this age too

Querdin and Hwestawen are around 800

Rumil and Vincere are around 700

Lenodarin is around 400

Vari is around 200

Yolande is 84

Neminari is 60

Jorluin is 55

Rilla is 15, elf years, in her first meeting with Glorfindel, 50 on her second, and between 50-51 later.

She is around 150 when Glorfindel returns.

The other characters, such as the twins, Querdin, Hwestawen, Vincere, Lenodarin, Legolas, Vari, Yolande,

Neminari and Jorluin, are not seen in the story a hundred years later, so their ages all correspond to when

one sees them in the story.

Friendship

or

The Beginnings of Love

Chapter 1: Glorfindel Returns, Creating Some Consternation Among Involved Parties

'Glorfindel??? He is returning here? Tomorrow???'

Idril's words increased in their expression of disbelief, horror and anger.

'Rumil! Why has no one told me before this?'

The youngest brother of the March warden of Lothlorien looked suitably dismayed.

'Ril, Rilla, I am sorry!' He pulled a strand of his loose hair in distraction, annoyed that he had put himself into this position.

'Haldir said the Lady had told him that no one was to inform you in case you decided to act rashly…'

A look of realisation and some slight amusement crossed Idril's face abruptly, and disappeared again behind her mask of discontent, but not before Rumil noticed it.

'Exactly!' He felt relieved… 'You know it yourself - there was all the reason in the world not to inform you previously! You would have done something utterly ridiculous…like tried to run away or ambushed Lord Glorfindel's party…!'

Idril growled under her breath, knowing it to be all too close to the truth - Rumil's handsome, kind face broke into a sunny smile, brimming with mischief, now that he seemed to be out of danger of Idril's fury about being left uninformed of the Lord's arrival.

'You should rejoice, lirimaer, for tomorrow you will see the famous balrog-slayer's perfection once again, in all its … glory? Yes indeed glory!' He laughed, amused, as he caught the hand that had flown at him, 'I wonder whether Glorfindel quite remembers your lamentable temper - and,' he added with a glance towards the hand he held, 'and your apparent liking for hitting people?'

He put on a 'musing face' and appeared to think hard upon the subject, enjoying frustrating and irritating the poor elleth he had so long considered a very dear sister.

As he and his two elder brothers had practically raised her, this was understandable!

Idril's parents had gone to Mandos when, while travelling to Lothlorien from their home in Rivendell, their company had been attacked by a large band of travelling orcs. They had been hardly a mile from the borders of Lothlorien, but the Galadhrim had arrived too late for them. Idril, however, being at this time very young, had been treated to a ride with one of the guards, who had ridden ahead into Lothlorien.

Therefore, she was saved from the attack, but was left an orphan. The youngest border guard - Rumil - had looked after the scared and bewildered elfling, and it was with little, or rather, no persuasion of his two elder brothers that they adopted little Idril as a sister, with the Lady Galadriel's permission, as she had no relations living on Arda.

'Rumil! You are not helping! It has been a century since he returned to Rivendell without a farewell! He left me, Rumil! And we were just betrothed! I do not understand…it was hardly an argument…and no word for a hundred years! Now, just as was beginning to forget my fate, he turns up on our doorstep!'

' 'Your fate'?! My dear elleth what melodrama!' Rumil grinned in appreciation, 'You sound as if Glorfindel was the balrog that he is so famed for destroying!'

A thought hit him like a wet codfish, (sorry, random idea...i love Asterix!), bringing another delighted smile to his face, 'I shall have to tell him that…his dear friend and long-betrothed Rilla considers him to be a balrog, or mayhap worse!!!'

Idril stood up abruptly from her perch on a ground-sweeping branch with a glare at her brother. Rumil, being seated closer to the tip of the branch, found himself scrambling to steady himself on the branch as her weight left it, which caused Idril to smile slightly in triumph, but all too quickly her face returned to its pensive and troubled demeanour. Rumil noticed this lack of true triumph, and standing behind her with a hand on her shoulder, he tried to read her face.

'Rilla…What do you fear so?'

'What do I fear?' her voice was lifeless, and devoid of hope. 'I fear a loveless marriage. A marriage that is carried upon respect and like, but nothing more. I fear to live my immortal life without feeling anything but fondness for my husband! That is what I fear.'

Rumil, slightly troubled by her despondency and lack of hope, encircled her from behind with his arms, and rested his chin upon her dark hair. Rumil, Orophin and Haldir had all been outraged at first by what they had considered a slight on their adopted sister, all those years ago. However, after having spoken to the Lady Galadriel, they had understood that Glorfindel's removal from Lothlorien had nothing to do with rejection of Idril, and all to do with the actual circumstances that led to the betrothal…

Ever since, to Idril's chagrin, the brothers had been strangely silent and unwilling to speak badly about Glorfindel, having been forbidden by Lady Galadriel to inform Idril what she herself had informed them of.

'It is Glorfindel who must do that - not you' had Lady Galadriel said.

'I know you and Glorfindel did not part on the best of terms a century ago…but…I do not feel that what you fear will be your fate,' Rumil became hesitant about his next words, 'but Ril…I know you might wish to deny this, but you and Glorfindel were very close…exceedingly close…a century ago - before your fight that is…and you were betrothed…but…I believe your love for him was slightly different from his for you…' Rumil could feel her stiffen. But she did not attempt to remove herself from his loose hold.

'I-I…think I have realised that over all these years.'

There was an almost audible beat.

'I have thought greatly upon it, Rum. It has been a century, you know.' There was a sad little smile given here. 'When he first left…I thought he would come back. Soon. I thought that …if he did…come back soon, that is…Oh it is no matter!

He didn't come back then! He is coming back now! And I don't know why! I…You know what I think, Rumil?' she gave a brief look up at him, calm and decided,

'I think Glorfindel has come to accept that our betrothal cannot be broken. And that he means to marry me now, because of that realisation. But is scares me Rumil!'

Her face lost that essence of calmness, 'I've been thinking, oh so strangely, oh so darkly of late…' she turned to face him, grasping his tunic almost desperately,

'What if we weren't supposed to be married, Rumil? What if I, so young and thoughtless, was not meant to accept him so unwisely then?

What if we were never meant to be!!!'

Rumil leant down and kissed her cheek lightly.

'But what if you were?'

This is my first fanfic ever - I know this chapter was a bit melodramatic and silly, but I believe it does get better (I have finished it all, and I'm going to post a chapter every few days or so)

I would love a review or two!

Varne

Corrections shall be very much appreciated, and changed as soon as I work out how to!