Rescued Lord

Disclaimer: I do not own any of them, the characters belong to J.R.R. Tolkien


Rescued Lord

Chapter one - New Master

The market was full of chattering people. Temporary wooden stalls
blazed with colors to catch the attention of purchasers. Everything
could be found there, fruit and vegetable, farm animals, wooden
pots and crockery, baskets, every type of cloth - from raw woolen
to the softest silk, furs, foreign carpets, jewels even weapons.
And every merchant praised his wares to the skies with their noisy
voices. Vendors walked among the purchasers and offered cold water
or crispy cakes. And a few guards walked among the people to
checked on the trading.

'Human.' A tall figure in gray hooded cloak looked around the
market until his eyes stopped on a charming being with glimmering
eyes next to him. He nearly sighed. He knew what he could expect
and he cursed the moment when he let himself be persuaded to
visiting the small city and the market. It will be a long boring
afternoon when Lady Arwen will browse the wares.

"Oh, Glorfindel, it's amazing, isn't it?" she enthused.

'It's not,' he would like to answer but he only nodded
politely. 'If only Elrond knew!'

"Look!" With her hand covered by fairfair silky fabric of her robe
she pointed at the stall with colorful birds in cages. They stood
at the entrance and Arwen could not decide where they should go
first. So he stood next to her and behind them a few of armed elves
in the hooded cloaks hiding their fair hair and pointed ears. Who
knows what they could expect from the humans. Rarely elves came to
them...

Glorfindel's attention was caught by few passing men. Two of them
dragged a cart with harvest. Thnothnother two men nearly sagged
under full back baskets and the last one was a fat merchant who
hurried them. And then a hill of wicker baskets moved behind him.
One could suspect another man under them.

"Hurry up!" the merchant shouted and pushed him when they were
passing the group in cloaks. The pyramid of the wicker baskets
swayed. The merchant screamed but not until the worst could happen,
and Glorfindel caught the falling hill. For a while a dirty
wi
with dark hair and huge dark eyes appeared from behind the baskets.
Surprised and frightened eyes gazed at his unknown saver.

"Oh, sorry, my lord," the merchant squealed next to him and
immediately those dark eyes disappeared. "Sorry," he bowed. "He's
such an oaf!... Move!"

Surprised, Glorfindel watched them walk away, the merchant bowing
several times. But until questions would come to his mind, Arwen
caught his attention when she decided to move. He guided her with a
sigh followed by his men. The stall with jewels caught the
attention of the beautiful elven Lady, and it was also near to the
colorful fabrics and foreign animals...

While Arwen was occupied with the golden jewels guarded by the band
of mercenaries and was talking to the birds in cages, walking
among the stalls with silky fabrics and hand made carpets,
Glorfindel was mindlessly looking around the market.

And then he saw them again. Near a fence for horses, where Arwen
stopped for a while to offer the not so long bought apples to the
animals they opened their stall, in fact the cart. His sky blue
eyes narrowed when he saw the slim figure dressed in scraps that
hid in the shadow and the slim fingers started to wreathe the
osiers. Something about the young man caught his attention but he
couldn't tell what.

Glorfindel raised his hand to indicate to his men to stay with Lady
Arwen, who looked at him in surprise when he left lost in his
thoughts. But her attention was easily caught by an old man with
three little puppies in the box standing next to the fence.
Glorfindel halted near the cart, his eyes still fixed on the dark-
haired young man. There was something about him...

After a while the youth raised his head and his matted long dark
hair revealed the dirty face with big dark eyes which laid on
Glorfindel uncomfortably. This simple movement was enough to widen
the elven warrior's eyes in surprise. Glorfindel forced himself to
avert his eyes. Slowly he approached the merchant arguing about a
price on a bunch of carrots with a villager.

But when the merchant noticed Glorfindel's interest he agreed with
the offer and pushed the woman aside. He bowed several times to
the elf.

"Oh, you again, my lord... my honor you found my stall interesting
to look at... What could I offer to somebody as you?" He paused.
It never happened to him that one of the nobirthirth wanted to buy
something at his stall. And the young man in the silver embroidered
cloak had to be the noble birth. Nearby his beautiful lady laughed
at the shaggy balls in the box. No, he was sure that they were not
ordinary. What could the young man want from him?

"Oh yes, that must be it! Certainly you caught sight of
strawberries you want to buy for your pretty lady. They're gathered
this morning, fresh and sweet... Hey, you muff! Bring the
strawberries!" he shouted over the cart.

Glorfindetchetched in wonder as the dark figure appeared
immediately. In his pale thin hands he carried a small hand-basket
with red fruit. For a while his dark eyes looked at Glorfindel.
Then the merchant took the strawberries and pushed him back. "Go!"
The young man tilted his head and returned to the place where he
worked.

"Who is that?" Glorfindel asked before the merchant could take a
breathe and continue in his speech. It seemed that the question
surprised him because he breathed out again without a word.
"Nobody, my lord. Just a servant."

Glorfindel arched eyebrows in surprise. A servant? How was it
possible? He leant to the merchant.

"I want him!" he said quietly.

"But, my lord... what would you do with such an oaf? He knows
nothing, he doesn't even speak."

"I will pay for him," Glorfindel offered.

"But, my lord..." the man objected. Obviously he didn't want to
give him up.

"Just say a price... You will get rid of that muff as you call him
and I will pay you for him," he lowered his voice to the
conspirator tone.

"It's alluring, my lord, and I'm a merchant. One can profit by
various things..." he thought loudly and bit his lower lip in
temptation. "But I'm not sure I'd profit by selling him..."

"What would like? Silver? Gold?..."

"He's quite precious for me..."

"Mithril..." Glorfindel added.

The man looked at him in surprise. "What did you say, my lord?...
Mithril...?"

"It's a high price," the elven warrior stepped back. "Is he worth
that price?"

"Oh yes, my lord, of course, he is worth. "This time a merchant
leant to him. "He's been in my family for generations... he's an
elf," he whispered.

"An elf? Do you make a fun of me?" Glorfindel laughed. "He does
not look like as an elf."

The merchant snorted. "With all my respect, my lord, have you ever
seen any?"

"No," Glorfindel answered. "But I heard they are fair, beautiful
and this one is none of that..."

"Well..." the man clicked his tongue fastidiously. "When he takes a
bath he doesn't look so bad. At those his pointed ears... Believe
me, my lord, he is an elf.." Glorfindel narrowed his eyes. He
didn't like the merchant's expression neither the look that laid on
the dark-haired elf.

"So how much?" he asked quickly. Better to finish that as soon as
he could. He took a purse from under his cloak. "Two hundred
golden...?" He saw a flash in merchant's eyes. Obviously he had
never seen so many gold at once. The man scratched his chin.

"You said Mithril..."

'I did,' Glorfindel sighed. He would pay any price to get that elf
from this dishonorable station. So he took out a thin dagger made
of the shining metal with a big sapphire. Then he arched his
eyebrow when the merchant rubbed his hands. "This is my last
offer," Glorfindel pronounced quietly. "Two hundred and this...
Take it or not. But I assure you that you should agree."

The man quickly noticed a threat in his voice. And a quick glance
behind Glorfindel where his men stayed assuring Glorfindel that the
merchant understood. He smiled. "Well I can't resist," he said
quickly. "Hey, you!" he shouted over the cart again.

Immediately the dark eyes appeared and the elf came closer. The
merchant took his shoulder and pushed him to Glorfindel. "He is
yours, my lord." The dark eyes stared unbelievably at the small fat
man and then they shifted at the sky-blue eyes in the beautiful
face of the unknown lord who smiled at him.

"What's your name?" Glorfindel asked.

"He doesn't speak, my lord," the merchant answered with a strange
smile. But his eyes didn't release the little treasure in
Glorfindel's hand even for a while. "I call him muff because it
suits him. He knows only how to make baskets." He quickly grabbed
the offered gold and it immediately disappeared in the hiding place
in his cloth. He bowed several times. And then he gave a small hand
basket with strawberries to Glorfindel.

"For your beautiful lady."

Glorfindel with the fruit basket in his hand looked over his
shoulder at Arwen who still played with the puppies. Unbelievably
he shook his head hidden in the hood. 'It about time to go.' But in
that moment the she-elf gave a golden coin to the old man. 'Late,'
Glorfindel corrected and sighed. Now he could only watch as two
fluffy balls were given to his company and the third stayed in her
happy arms.

"Come," Glorfindel returned his attention to the dark-haired elf
who still stared at him in wonder. He smiled at him and took a step
to his people. 'We will need one more horse,' he thought. After few
more steps he halted because he walked alone. But in that time the
merchant pushed the dark elf. "Go!" he barked.

Those huge dark eyes searched again the new master. It was not
possible. He was just sold. As a ordinary thing, as an
animal... 'You are of no use!"a voice sounded in his head. 'If I
sold you I'd spare some food!´So had it come. Uncertainly he took
a
step to the noble man. He had never seen anybody like him or his
lady. They were beautiful, exactly that way the merchant described
rich and noble people. But why did he buy him? He heard the quiet
conversation very well. That man wanted him and was ready to pay
any price. Why? 'Gods! Those eyes!' a hateful woman's voice sounded
in his head. 'They can make everybody crazy! If only I had
scratched them when I met you for the first time.' Was there
another reason that the noble man took an interest in? He realized
his piercing eyes watching him when he was making a basket.

So he walked a step behind his new master. What could he expect?
He was given two smiles. Did the man want his trust? And he caught
himself in the thought that he would like to trust those blue
pools. He looked at the pretty face with the expression of
displeasure. He blinked in surprise when they stopped before the
lady holding happily the puppy in her arms. How was she beautiful!
He hold a breath. Long lashes disclosed her grey smiling eyes. She
looked at them and her lips curved in pleasurable smile and unknown
word caressed them... Unknown? He did not understand them but he'd
swear he heard them before.

"Oh, strawberries. Lord Glorfindel, you overcame yourself!" she
twittered not even noticing his annoyed look laying on the agile
ball of hair. Until he could object she gave him the puppy and took
the fruit.

"You can't be serious, Arwen! What do you want to do with them?" he
stretched his hand with the dog in front of himself and pierced it
with his eyes in displeasure. "Do you realize that we travel?"

But Arwen's attention was caught by the dirty figure Glorfindel
gave her puppy to. She leant so that she could see him well. On for
the first time her grey eyes met the wondering and scared dark
eyes whose looked from the fluffy animal licking his hand. His
dirty face was hidden behind tufts of the dark hair.

"Who is it... Oh, Elbereth! He is an elf!" she screamed quietly.

In that moment other six pairs of eyes looked at him. Uncertain he
took a step back. He didn't understand any of her words but the
sudden attention was uncomfortable for him.

"It's hard to believe, isn't it?" even Glorfindel turned to him.

"What happened to him?" Arwen thrust the basket with the
strawberries back to Glorfindel's hands and approached the dark-
haired elf. She raised her hand to pull his matted long tresses
from his face.

Uncertainly he watched her as she uncovered his features. He had
never liked to be in the center of an interest, it had never
brought anything good. He wished to run away. Yet he couldn't avert
his eyes. She was so kind and soothing.

"I've just bought him from one merchant," Glorfindel completed the
information.

Arwen widened her eyes in surprise. "You have bought?" She turned
to him.

But Glorfindel only shrugged his shoulders. "That was my best idea
at that moment.." He gave her the basket with fruit. "Well then, I
think it's time to move again. We are delayed enough... I'll go to
buy just another horse. I hope you can ride a horse," he addressed
to the elf that looked at him immediately. When he realized that
the elf obviously did not understand them he repeated his question
in common tongue.

Riding a horse? His dark eyes widened even more. He had never been
allowed to ride a horse. May be they frightened that he could
escape. And before? What had been before he didn't remember. He
shrugged his shoulders resignedly.

"We'll see," Glorfindel smiled at him. "Give that dog back to Arwen
and we will go to buy a horse..."

Arwen? So the lady is called Arwen. He looked down at the ball of
hair which fall asleep in his arms... Wait a second! His master
wanted to buy a horse? For him? They will travel somewhere? Of
course, how could he be so stupid! They came from some distant
land. He had never seen them here before neither of the villagers
on the market. But a horse?... He gave the puppy to the smiling
lady and uncertainly looked at the sky-blue eyes patiently waiting
for him.

Walking a step behind his master among many small or larger fences
he wondered. There were tens of horses but any was ... acceptable.
What animal were they searching? All of them were good enough for
him. Why then were they trying to find another horse? 'As a servant
of the noble man you can not ride a donkey!' he laughed in his mind
at the situation.

"Do you like it?" Glorfindel addressed him suddenly while walking
along the fence with a black mare.

Completely surprised he looked up and around. Why would it depend
if he liked the horse? He watched his master who jumped over the
fence elegantly and went to the animal. The mare came to meet him.
It was beautiful, yes, he would like that horse.

"If you like it, the mare will be yours. Otherwise we will go to
search another horse," Glorfindel called to him caressing its soft
fur. Yes, the mare was precious. Then he realized that there would
not come any answer from the dark-haired elf. So he turned to him.
Doubts shining from the dark eyes stopped him. 'He's been in our
family for generations.' His heart constricted when the merchant's
words sounded in his mind. Did those words mean that the elf had
lived as a servant of the provincial merchant for all his life? And
today they sold him. To him. To the stranger he had never seen. No,
he didn't buy him to own him. No, he bought him to buy him a
freedom.

He approached the elf who watched him suspiciously. He has to
explain to him everything. But this time and place did not fit the
situation. In few days they will be back in Imladris and then he
will make an explanation, with the help of Lord Elrond.

"I'm Glorfindel. Glorfindel of Imladris."

Glorfindel... His name sounded foreign and still as he had heard
it. Maybe before...

"We are coming home, to Imladris."

Home... such a bitter word. He had never heard about Imladris.
Where is it?

"I know it's difficult for you now," Glorfindel sighed. "I acted
without thinking when I bought you. But it seemed right to me. But
first I shall ask you. I hope you're not cross with me. If you wish
to go back you can, I will not stop you. Or somewhere else..."

The dark eyes watched him as he had just went mad. Glorfindel
sighed again. No, this certainly was not a right place for a
talk... "At least tell me if you wish to go back."

Go back? Lord Glorfindel bought him, now he owns him. So why that
question? He shook his head. No, he really didn't want to go back.
Maybe he had a luck and his life in Imladris will be less shady
than at the merchant's family.

"Do you like it?" Glorfindel smiled at the confuelf.elf.

Those dark eyes looked at the black mare. If he didn't like it
would they go to search another? He nodded.

After a while the horse was ready for him and Glorfindel led it out
of the fence. He gave the reins to the dark elf and started
walking back. But after a few steps he realized that the dark-
haired elf didn't follow him. He turned back. The elf stood there
scared as he watched the animal. "We should go?" Glorfindel
asked. "I'd like to leave as quickly as possible." He didn't feel
in his skin among so many human.


TBC