"One does not misplace a cottage," Erestor assured him, patiently waiting as Glorfindel fixed the flowers in his dark hair. "We are still on the path, and if we do not soon come to it, we will simply drag Celeborn out here by his ear and he can show us where it is."
Hoisting up his pack higher on his shoulder, Glorfindel did not vocalize his thoughts, but he was hit just the same as Erestor heard them. "No, if we drag him out here, he cannot join us!"
"What if he wants to join us?"
"Then the two of you can sort it out with Artanis, for I shall have no part of it," Erestor said, stabbing the ground with his walking stick.
"Oh, I was joking."
"I know you were. You would not still be among the living had I not know that," Erestor assured him. It had yet to be a full day spent in Valinor, and already they had been more than welcomed. Spending the remaining night in Elrond's house by the sea, they were then gifted with ownership of a cottage that Celeborn and Galadriel no longer had use for. If only they could find the cottage.
Grinning, Glorfindel hurried his step. "If we do not find it in ten minutes, I think we should go back."
"Oh, ye of little faith," chided Erestor. "You are only sore because you are being made to walk. So spoiled you are, after so long with that horse."
Glorfindel shoved his hands into his pockets and kicked a stone in the path. Asfaloth, in reality, Nahar, had been safely brought back to Valinor, and in the night had quietly slipped away. Glorfindel knew he would see the mighty steed again, but it made the parting no less hard. "I am not spoiled."
"You are, too."
"Perhaps," said Glorfindel at last, "but I make up for it with my charming wit and handsome good looks."
Erestor practically doubled over with laughter, propping himself up with his walking stick. "You are just jealous!" Glorfindel shouted over his shoulder as he continued on, but he stopped suddenly and hurried back, grabbing hold of Erestor's arm. "Ress, I found it! You have to come see it!"
Dropping his walking stick, Erestor was pulled forward a few feet past some overgrown flowering bushes, and then they stopped. "Oh, my word..." He slowly continued up the path in awe to the small cottage.
"It seems quite nice," nodded Glorfindel as he followed behind.
"No, you do not understand…" Erestor approached the door and looked up at the thatched roof above. "This is exactly like the cottage I lived in when I used to live here, in Valinor. She knew they were not going to live here long. She must have known," Erestor said, referring to Galadriel and Celeborn. "The same height, the same colors, everything is the same. Even the same sort of flowers I used to plant in the garden, although, I kept things quite a bit neater," he said, looking around at the way the plants were beginning to overtake the house.
"Are you sure? Perhaps she just liked your old house, and it was just luck or fate that they moved in with Elrond. Poor Elrond," added Glorfindel with a chuckle.
"Perhaps." Erestor tried the door and found no lock on it, and smiled. "I never locked our door, either. She remembered that, too." Into the cottage they ventured, and as soon as the door was closed behind them, Erestor strained to listen. "Do you hear singing?"
"Hmm?" Glorfindel raised his head, as he had just bent over to sniff a vase full of fresh silver and golden roses. "Sorry, I do not hear-" He paused, and an extreme calm washed over him. "No, I was wrong, there is singing," he said slowly, looking to the stairs that went upwards.
Erestor glanced at the vase, realizing someone had been in the house very recently, and was apparently still in the house. He started for the stairs, and turned around to retrieve a mesmerized Glorfindel before proceeding.
In the sunlight that streamed into the master bedroom, a lithe maiden danced effortlessly around the room as she arranged flowers in vases and fluffed pillows and generally fiddled around with anything she could find in the room, all while softly singing a tune that was more of a continuous string of notes, for the language itself was music and the words unknown to the elves that entered.
"Excuse me?" Erestor hated to break the spell of the song, but instead of an abrupt stop, the music faded away comfortably as the maiden turned to regard the pair at the doorway.
"Erestor!" The maiden twirled her way to the elves, and slid her arms around Erestor's neck, huggling him. "Erestor, it is true, as father willed it for you to come back, and you have! Ever have I wanted to meet you!"
"Well...Erestor..." Glorfindel nudged his companion in the ribs, and was given a sour look.
"Glorfindel, I do not know this elleth," he replied. Giggling followed from the stranger, and the maiden spun away and hopped to the bed, straightening the sheets.
"You are so silly, Erestor!" she pronounced, and from thin air, she pulled a handful of golden flower petals and left them to drift across the bed. "Me, an elleth," she laughed and shook her head, and said, "I hope you do not think I am overdoing it, but I thought it would be nice for you to have things special the first day."
"My lady, not to anger you, but I must discourage your actions," pleaded Erestor, setting down his pack on the floor at the door. "I know neither your name, nor whom you are."
Humming as she gracefully moved toward him, she asked, "Did father never tell you about me?"
Staring at the maid blankly, Erestor turned when Glorfindel let out a loud laugh. "You do not see it, do you? Of course not." Glorfindel grinned. "I know something that you do not. Or rather, I have found it out before you have. That is ever so amusing."
"And would one of you kindly tell me the end of the joke?" asked Erestor, not at all amused.
"She is not an elleth, she is one of the Valar -- are you not, sweet maiden? Or shall I call you sister?" offered Glorfindel to the smiling maiden. She nodded happily and embraced Glorfindel now. Erestor gave Glorfindel a look as if to say everyone in the room except himself was mad, and Glorfindel stepped back from the maiden. "Erestor, look at her! You heard her voice, she is a Vala!"
Erestor, crossing his arms, looked quite distraught. "No, I know all of the Vala. She is not one of the Vala."
"Yes, I am," she countered, but there was no anger in her voice. "I am quite surprised that father did not tell you about me."
"I am going to take a shot in the dark," said Erestor, still looking quite confused. "Is your father the one who is known as Orome?"
"As is yours, brother!" The maiden threw her arms around Erestor once more, but the elf continued to remain quite shocked.
"He had no other children!" exclaimed Erestor suddenly.
"No, he had no other son."
Erestor's mouth was wide open as he tried to recall all the history he knew of about the Valar. "No, he- wait, who is your mother?"
"She is Vana. His wife." Giggling began anew. "You are so very silly, Erestor."
"But..." Erestor moved to the bed and sat down to balance himself. "Vana is ever-young, and so said, had no children," he argued.
"What books are you reading?" questioned the vala, her laughter now stopped.
"I just... from what I interpreted..." Erestor paused and looked up. "I am truly sorry, I have been rude, and I apologize. Forgive me, sister."
"Of course, brother!" she was next to him on the bed a moment later and hugging him sideways. "Not only one brother, but two!" She smiled as Glorfindel grinned and plopped down next to her and she embraced him as well. "I shall leave you to explore your new home, but I hope you shall let me visit in the future."
"Come here anytime you like, my lady," answered Glorfindel. "Our door is ever open to you."
The vala smiled and gave each of them one final hug. "Lord Namo chose well for you, brother, I can see the happiness within you," she said to Erestor before joyously dancing her way from the room.
Scooting closer to Erestor, Glorfindel put an arm around his lover's waist and leaned his head upon Erestor's shoulder. "I like your sister. Too bad she does not come with the house," he smiled, and kissed Erestor's cheek before settling his head once more.
"But why did he not tell me of her?" questioned Erestor.
Glorfindel shrugged. "She does not seem the type you would be friends with. Maybe he was afraid you would not come back if you knew about her. I do not know. She likes you. I think she likes me. I like her."
"Yes, she is quite a... pleasant... hoppity little thing."
"She dances well," commented Glorfindel.
"She certainly does," confirmed Erestor.
"Can you dance like that?" wondered Glorfindel.
Erestor turned his head and gave Glorfindel a withering look. "I cannot and I will not."
"She could teach you!" Glorfindel suggested.
Erestor shook his head and shrugged off Glorfindel, moving to inspect the room. Everything was fresh and new - even the bed, for he was somehow aware of the fact that no one had rested in it before or used it for other purposes. Unexpectedly he swiped a tear from his eye as he realized the thoughtfulness his former lover had put into readying the cottage for his arrival. This, coupled with the knowledge that he had a sister was a bit overwhelming, and he went to the window, leaning out with a sigh. It was so good to finally be home.
"Ress?"
"Yes, Glorfindel?"
"You sister - did she say what her name was?"
Erestor thought for a minute, cursed under his breath, and headed for the door to try to catch the maiden before she left.
Chuckling to himself, Glorfindel leaned back to relax on the bed. "I like Valinor," he called out to Erestor. "I think I shall stay."