This one-shot is set in an AU of my story Proud, Beautiful, Strong. It is for all my readers who are avidly "Team Glorfindel" esp. Lady Silverfrost...

You don't really need to read P,B,S to understand, just know that Gil-wen was briefly contemplating courting Thranduil but has now ended up with Glorfindel. The pinecone is from the story P,B,S Chapter Ten…He gives it to her on one of their walks...

I may add to the story, but for now, it is a one-shot!

Enjoy.

L'Chaim…Philosophie88

Gil-wen sighed as she lay aside her sewing. She looked back out the window waiting for the sound of Asfaloth's bells to herald Glorfindel's return. It had been three days since Elrond had sent him to look for Estel and the halflings. The Nazgul were abroad again and Gil-wen feared for her mate's safety. She could not imagine her life without him and prayed to the Valar that he would return safely to Imladris. He was all she had-her father had died, her mother had sailed and the little elflings she had so desperately desired had not been given to her or her husband.

She heard a faint tinkling of bells in the distance and immediately flew up out of her seat, sewing forgot, to race through the halls and down the stairs to the entrance of the Last Homely House. But it was not Glorifindel who sat mounted on his horse, but a strange and sickly little man-a little man with furry feet! A halfling! Gil-wen watched as the halfling was lifted off the horse and carried into Elrond. Where was he? Her face fell in anguish.

"Do not worry, my lady," came a young voice beside her. "If the hobbit is here, then Glorfindel safely found the ranger and the others. No doubt they sent the halfling on his way first and are to follow after."

Gil-wen turned to face a younger version of her cousin. "Let us hope so, Dan." She said gently and moved to take his arm and be led back inside to the house.

It was as Elladan had said and a few hours later Glorfindel arrived with Aragorn and three other halflings. Gil-wen went out to graciously greet her husband and his companions and see to it that the hobbits were given food and drink and shown to their quarters.

When they were alone, Gil-wen and Glorfindel shared several kisses to make up for the time they had spent apart.

"I had feared the worst when the halfling returned in your stead, meleth," she said into his embrace.

"I am sorry to trouble you so, gur nin (my heart), but it was pertinent that Frodo ride Asfoloth, as he had to escape the wraiths."

Gil-wen shuddered. "So much darkness is creeping back into the world. Is it true what he carries?"

"I fear so, meleth." And he held her tighter as if to shield her from all such evils. "There will be a council to decide what to do with it."

"I hope that it can be destroyed…and we can have peace…"

"Yes, peace…" He kissed the top of her head, nuzzling his nose into her hair, "and with that peace, perhaps the Valar will be kind enough to grant us elflings…"

Gil-wen fiddled with the ties of his doublet upon his chest and smirked. "Perhaps we can at least practise tonight, so the Valar know that we are ready…"

Glorfindel returned her look with darkened, passionate eyes and eagerly obliged.

The next day, Gil-wen made her way to the gardens to sit for a while and read when, rounding a corner, she ran into a rather lost looking ellon.

"Oh, pardon me, my lady!" He said.

"It's alright…" she started to reply merrily, but her cheerfulness was cut short when she saw his face. "Thranduil…" She whispered and shook herself. "You've changed…"

The elf laughed merrily at her assertion and answered: "Nay, I am not my father, though we do look similar and confuse the mortal delegations every now and then. I am Legolas Thranduilion, my lady." Legolas placed his hand over his heart in greeting. "You knew my father?"

Gil-wen still had not fully recovered from her shock, but answered anyway. "Yes, yes, I did. I met him only once, long ago. I had assumed he married, but for some reason, I had never reasoned he had a son. I do not know, why it is perfectly logical."

Legolas laughed merrily; his grey-blue eyes twinkled-so like his father's… "I am one of six sons, my lady; actually, six sons and two daughters."

"Eight children! He has outdone Feanor!"

"Yes, my lady, it is one of his proud accomplishments."

Gil-wen laughed at the thought of Thranduil being proud of outdoing a Noldo. She had thought of the Elven King often since his last and only visit to the valley. It had been when his own mother was leaving Middle Earth. Thranduil and she had spent many delightful afternoons conversing and flirting, and she had thought there had been some spark between them, but he had returned to his homeland through Lorien and she had wed Glorfindel a year later. Then, as the shadow of Dol Guldur grew, the Greenwood had become Mirkwood and Thranduil had isolated himself in his halls away from not only the world of men, but also his own kind. Gil-wen still thought of him throughout the long years and wondered how he was and if he had found someone - here now was her answer, standing in brown and green before her.

"I should suppose so. He was always quite proud of outdoing my kin. But tell me, Legolas, you looked lost, can I help you in anyway?"

"Aye, indeed, my lady," he replied. "Thank you. I am trying to find my way to a bit of garden where I can breathe the fresh air of the valley."

"Well then, come along with me and I will show you, as I am on my way there myself. Tell me of your family. I should quite like to hear of them."

And Gil-wen proceeded to walk with him in the direction of the gardens, which she had done so long ago with his father.

Glorfindel returned to his chambers late that night after the Council to find his wife sitting wistfully by the bed holding a small pinecone and turning it over again and again in her hands.

"Meleth," he said gently, crossing the room and kneeling before her. "What is the matter?"

Gil-wen sighed and turned her gaze to meet her husband's. "He has a family, Fin. EIGHT children, several grand-elflings…" She sniffed. "Time and the Valar have blessed him."

Glorfindel wiped the tears from her eyes tenderly. He knew of whom she spoke. The Elven King had set a spark in her that had never been quenched. Indeed, had Thranduil returned to Imladris after he sent his mother on the way, he would have most likely won Gil-wen from the Balrog Slayer. Gil-wen had no regrets in her choice, and Glorfindel knew this, but the fact that Thranduil had a large family that could have possibly been her own disheartened his princess greatly.

"You met his son, then, Gil?" He questioned.

"Yes, meleth…" she laughed softly. "I am sorry I am crying over this…" she gestured to the pinecone. "but it brings back so many memories of his brief stay here-our walks, our fights, Finwe's messes that only seemed to occur as a result of his arrival… to think that we established such a fiery friendship in such a short time and then he left, and I have not seen him since. He is happily bonded, you know, and his family sounds delightful…" she left off wistfully at the mention of family.

Glorfindel kissed her briefly on the lips then pulled her into his lap. "Meleth, we shall have elflings! I promise you… do not despair! And perhaps, when peace has come back to these lands, you will meet the king and his family and thus see Thranduil again."

Gil-wen eyed him curiously, "You wouldn't mind if I did? You were rather jealous the last time…"

Glorfindel laughed at the memory and pulled her in close. "The last time you were not solely mine, gur nin. There was always the possibility that he could have stolen you from me. But this time, this time you are mine!"

Gil-wen snuggled back into his arms. "Yes, I am yours, maethor beleg nin (my mighty warrior), I am yours."