Beyond Canon
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The next few years were spent keeping up appearances, with Erestor spending the small amount of free time he had either wooing Aranel or secretly teaching Glorfindel how to court Tauniel. The majority of his day was filled with the training and overseeing the newest part of Rog’s army: the cavalry. The one time scholar found himself in the midst of military life, having moved swiftly up the ranks to captain.

Glorfindel’s time was spent less and less in the stables and training fields and more and more in his study or haunting the libraries. Less time outdoors had diminished his tan, and his hair was left to grown past the middle of his back so that when he sat it created a rippling golden pool upon the floor. At first Ecthelion had issued warnings to Glorfindel that his recent behavior was unfit a warrior, but he stopped voicing these concerns after told one day as Glorfindel worked on a particularly difficult mathematical equation from behind his large desktop abacus, ‘Perhaps I do not wish to be a warrior anymore.’

Ecthelion still may have continued to harass Glorfindel about the changes that had taken place, except for one essential fact: Glorfindel spent most evenings strolling in the gardens with Tauni, and it gave Ecthelion great relief to see this change in his friend.

Tonight, Glorfindel was spending extra time readying himself before dinner. Most nights he ate now in the Great Hall, but not with the other lords. Instead, he found a home at the table of high scribes and scholars, where once he used to see Erestor sit for meals. Sometimes he did see Erestor, but when he did, the dark haired ellon took up residence at a somewhat rowdy table of mid-ranking officers from the various houses.

Tonight, Glorfindel was not going to the Great Hall. It was time, he and Tauniel had decided, for him to meet her parents, and more importantly, for him to fulfill his part of Erestor’s grand plan. He checked himself over in the mirror again and again before patting the same pocket of his vest that had been checked over and over. The little box was still there. He pulled it out, opened it, and checked the contents. The silver ring was nestled in the small square of fabric that protected it.

On his way through the corridors to reach his destination, Glorfindel passed by Salgant, who looked startled, and then waddled off quickly with his head bowed. The minstrel, ever since the embarrassing showing at the games, had kept himself scarce. The only time he was heard from was during debates in council regarding the inability of anyone to leave the city. What he once had thought a wonderful idea he now called idiotic and insane. Salgant was now in the process of building a house on some extra land he had, no doubt planning upon residing in it rather than in the tower once it was complete.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Glorfindel knocked on the door and waited to be admitted. The door opened, revealing Tauniel. Glorfindel supposed that any straight, sensible male elf would be delighted to see the elleth as she thusly appeared. Her hair was swept up and cascaded down her neck and back in a waterfall of curls, and the dress she had chosen revealed bare shoulders and a dipping neckline that gave a view of some cleavage. Glorfindel looked at all of the key spots for what he had been told was the appropriate amount of time, while Tauniel smirked, unseen by her parents. “Please, come in. The halls are so drafty.”

“Thank you.” Glorfindel stepped in, carrying a bottle of liquor wrapped in a velvet sack and a bouquet of mixed flowers.

“Oh, how sweet. He brought you flowers, and at such a time when they are mostly frosted over,” said the approaching elleth that Glorfindel took to be Tauniel’s mother. She confirmed this with a curtsey and an introduction. “It is so lovely to have you in our house, m’lord. I am Lasivien, and my husband will be out shortly.”

“Please, please, just Glorfindel. Lasivien, a pleasure to finally meet you. As for the flowers,” he said, adjusting things to hold them out to her, “these are actually for you. I wanted to thank you for raising such an enchanting, kind, beautiful daughter.”

“Oh, for me? Oh, Taunos, look,” said Laivien as an ellon who looked a bit uncomfortable in the formal attire he was wearing entered from a side room. “Flowers, and in the dead of winter.”

“Sir,” said Glorfindel in greeting, giving a slight bow of his head. “I am honored to finally meet you, Taunos.”

“Likewise, your lordship,” Taunos answered, bowing his head lower than Glorfindel had.

Uneasily, Glorfindel shook his head. “Please, just Glorfindel. I much prefer my name to my titles. Sir, your daughter told me you enjoy a good brandy; I thought you would prefer that to a bunch of flowers.”

The group had a good laugh at this which relieved the tension somewhat as the bottle was handed to Taunos. “Interesting. I am not familiar with this type.”

“It was a one-time experiment that Galdor attempted. A great product, but when he found out how long the process took, he vowed never to do it again. A pity, and a promise I hope he does not keep forever.”

“What about my gift? Do I not rate a present?” teased Tauniel.

Glorfindel regarded her with a look which would have fooled anyone into thinking they were in love. “Yours will need to wait until later this evening.”

“Dinner will be ready shortly,” said Taunos. “Perhaps you and I might wait in the study until then, while the girls see to setting the table.”

Glorfindel nodded, his hand absently touching the bulge in his pocket where the boxed ring was. “Actually, there was a matter I wished to speak to you about.”

The ellyn disappeared into another room. Lasivien gave her daughter a knowing look, and Tauniel grinned giddily before skipping her way into the dining room.
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