“Yes.”
“Yes, what?”
Glorfindel was sitting in bed reading when Tauniel entered the room. There was no good evening, nor any other pleasantries. He simply offered the single word in greeting, and kept reading his book. Tauniel came around the side of the bed and looked down at him quizzically.
“Yes, what?” she prodded again.
“Yes.” The book was pulled out of Glorfindel’s hands. He looked up and calmly removed the new pair of spectacles that had arrived just before dinner. “May I have my book back?”
“Yes, what?”
“To your question.” Glorfindel took the book back and found his place again just as it was once again taken from him. His glasses were replaced, and he continued to read.
“What question?” This time, Tauniel closed the book and placed it under her arm. “I do not recall asking you a question when I came in here this evening.”
“No, you asked me a question a few weeks ago. Now you have my answer, unless, of course, you have changed your mind.” Glorfindel removed his spectacles again and placed the delicate eyewear on the night table. “I still really hate the idea of... well, hopefully we will only need to do it once.”
“Oh, that!” Tauniel handed his book back to him, which he placed next to his glasses. “Really?”
“Really.” Glorfindel smiled as Tauniel squealed happily and threw her arms around his neck. “Just remember, you are going to have to take care of him. Or her. And... there is something else I need to tell you.” His voice was much more serious now as he detangled her arms from him and coaxed her to sit on the bed. He explained what had transpired that afternoon, including his personal fears and eventually his acceptance of the fact. “If I only have sixty years, that means if we have a child in the next ten, then I will probably be able to see them grow up, and those memories will keep me content once I am in the Halls of Mandos, and will sustain me while I remain there. I need something happy to focus on for eternity.”
“Surely, even if what this healer has said is true, even if you were to die... have you never read The Laws of the Eldar? You would be reborn.”
“Maybe. I am familiar with what you are referring to, although I have not read it. Then again, no one knows of anyone having been reborn before, and even so, that would be across the sea, not here. And being reborn means, well, being reborn. My childhood was not a pleasant experience. I do not think I want to chance another one. To be perfectly honest, I would welcome a rest after the things I have seen and done. Perhaps to some the Halls of Mandos is only one step on a journey that has been temporarily halted; for me, it would be a final destination.”
Tauniel nodded. “I will not argue with you regarding that. Let me change; I shall be right back.” As she headed to the closet she asked, “Do you want me to find that wig?”
“No. Thank you.” Glorfindel tapped his foot nervously as he waited for Tauniel to emerge. “So, uhm... do you have a preference?”
“Preference?” she called out from the closet.
“You know, boy or girl? I will admit, I am hoping for a boy,” he told her. “One that really, really likes girls. A lot.”
Tauniel laughed as she came back out, wearing a shear robe. “Maybe you and I will cancel each other out.”
“That would be great,” said Glorfindel as his wife sat down on the bed and touched his bare chest with the palm of her hand. He swallowed immediately and begged her, “Please be gentle with me.”
After a short outburst of laughter, Tauniel crawled into the bed and snuggled up against Glorfindel. “You poor thing. Being made to have sex with a lady. How dreadful!”
“You have no idea,” he answered.
Six hours later, Glorfindel yanked a shirt from the dresser in frustration. He could hear Tauniel’s soft laughter through the fabric as he pulled it over his head. As he picked up the loincloth that had been discarded on the floor, he shook it at her and announced, “If our roles were reversed, I would NOT be laughing at YOU!”
The sight of Glorfindel, naked except for a hastily donned green shirt with long sleeves, made Tauniel laugh harder in spite of herself. “Sorry,” she attempted to apologize as he fumbled to put the undergarment on.
Glorfindel stormed out of the bedroom and into the sitting room, where he found Erestor and Aranel pretending to be in the midst of a chess game. “There is no way all of the bishops could be on black spaces,” pointed out Glorfindel sourly.
“I knew he was cheating somehow!” announced Aranel.
“Stop trying to convince me you were merely playing an innocent game and not listening to us in the other room.” Glorfindel flopped down onto the couch with a sigh. “I am hopeless.”
“You are nervous,” corrected Erestor. “You just need to relax.”
“I have been trying to relax for the last few hours!” Glorfindel ran his hand through his hair and rubbed his eyes. “There has to be an easier way.” He leaned over so that he could rest on his right side. “I am so sore right now.”
“What were you doing in there?” wondered Erestor.
“Trying to make a baby,” grumbled Glorfindel.
Erestor frowned. “Well, with that attitude, it’s no wonder you are having trouble. Have you considered getting really drunk and crawling into bed?”
“No, but I will add it to the list.”
Tauniel emerged from the bedroom. “Do you want to come to bed? I fluffed up the pillows and fixed the sheets.”
“Sure.” Glorfindel sat up and sighed. “I have a feeling I am going to need some sleep if we are going to try again tomorrow.”
After Tauniel helped Glorfindel to bed and tucked him in, she went back to the sitting room. “I need a drink,” she announced as she walked to the bar.
“That bad?” asked Aranel sympathetically.
“I have no idea.” Tauniel sorted through the bottles until she found the one she wanted. She poured a glass for herself and paused before she recorked it. “Do either of you want any?”
“Not me.” Aranel rubbed her belly as a reminder.
Erestor shook his head. “I swore it off.”
“Right. I forgot.” Tauniel came over and moved a misplaced bishop across the board to take out a queen of the same color. “What a night.”
“What happened?” whispered Aranel.
“Oh, he fell asleep already,” said Tauniel in reference to Glorfindel. “Well, where to begin... I think he would have been more comfortable with me if I had a penis.”
“Obviously,” answered Erestor.
Tauniel snuggled her way between them and sipped her drink. “He shuddered so many times I had to ask if he was having a spasm. No matter what position, no matter how many times we tried, right before we were about to get right to the point, he... drooped.”
She received a sympathetic look from each of them. “This could be a challenge for you,” said Erestor.
“There is an understatement,” agreed Tauniel.
“What if we left the two of you alone for a few days?” offered Aranel. “Mother has wanted to have more than a few hours with me for weeks now, and... Erestor, I know you and father are having some sort of disagreement right now, but I think the two of you need to take a little time to talk about it.”
Erestor grimaced, but finally conceded. “I probably should. I need to separate work and family, and I do not do that very well.”
Plans were made, and after an early breakfast the next day Erestor and Aranel packed a few bags and headed to the House of the Hammer for a few days. Tauniel let Glorfindel sleep in while she hurried to the market and picked up enough food for the next few days, as well as a few other items. During her excursion, she bumped into someone who gave her a brilliant idea on how to proceed.
While Tauniel and her cohort plotted through the afternoon, Glorfindel was left to peacefully sleep the day away. He later awoke to butterfly kisses upon his nose and cheeks. As his eyes fluttered and his vision cleared, he gasped slightly to see who had woken him up.
“Good morning, sunshine,” purred Faelion.
