What if . . . Glorfindel?

[Keeper of Dol Guldur]

Okay, the last what if turned up a decent amount of people agreeing, and futile as it is, this is the best place to get over gripes with the movies and to do so, I've decided to propose alternate takes on scenes that everybody practically wants to have happened anyway. But anyway, last time was the Grey Company - a little more pressing and important and less talked about so far, but this time it's a what if for Glorfindel.<P>"What's this, a Ranger caught off his guard?" said a slightly sarcastic voice. Aragorn felt cold steel press against his neck. He glanced up. A white glow fell on his face and twinkled in his eyes. He grinned at the newcomer.<P>Frodo lay struggling, freezing, but something in him made him look to his side, and then he saw a white light coming closer, an elf stepped out from that light (kinda like Gandalf in Fangorn later, aye?).<BR> "Who is he?" asked Pippin.<BR> "He's an elf," said Sam.<BR> "Yes he is an elf, said the voice of Strider from behind Sam, "and the last of his people in Middle Earth. Glorfindel is a reminder to us of the glory of the elder years, lord of elves, and he has been my friend for many years." <P>Glorfindel looked down at Frodo. "He is fading, Aragorn. I must get him to the house of Elrond, this wound is beyond our help."<P>Glorfindel hops onto Asfaloth, his deep blue cloak reflecting his inner luster. Aragorn lifts Frodo in front of him. "Ride hard, ride fast."<BR> "Asfaloth will outmatch any nazgul steed!"<BR> "NORO LIM ASFALOTH" and the horse leapt to.<BR> Sam stood, speechless.<P>As Glorfindel rode, he felt the presence of the Nazgul as they closed in over the long miles. The wraithes closed in - he drew his elvish sword (a standard second age blade), rode on. The wraithes drew closer yet - we see the Witch-King through Frodo's eyes, no longer a blank face, there is a pale face deep beneath the black cloak, a grim face. The gauntlet reaching towards him bears a ring. Asfaloth leaps forward and escapes the grasp of the wraithes, which we now see (having the 'viewpoint' of both Frodo and the ethereal Glorfindel) the wraithes as they are in the world of shadows, but with black cloaks on as well. Glorfindel seems to glow brighter as he crosses the ford. He stops, preparing to speak the words for only Elrond to hear. The King Wraith rides forward. Frodo screams;<P>"GO BACK TO MORDOR!"<BR> "GIVE US THE HALFLING, ELF."<BR>Glorfindel glows even brighter.<BR> "IF YOU WANT HIM, COME CLAIM HIM!" The Witch-King moves forward, the other Nazgul come a bit slower. Unlike with Arwen saying it, Glorfindel's threat doesn't seem idle. He whispers the words . . .<P>The riders are in the water, when we hear a spellchant of letting loose the river from the valley upstream - the voice of Elrond, it is all Frodo can hear as he stares at the Witch-King. Then it is joined by another voice, as the water crashes down the river in the shapes of horses charging; an old, kind, familiar voice, displaying a power he had never heard it use. The Nazgul turned around, attempted to ride back to the other side, but Aragorn and the Hobbits were there - they set fire to the nearby brush - the horses reared and ran back into the stream. While the eight had turned back, the Witch-King was charging Frodo, then the power of Hithaeglir hit the wraithes, and they were washed away from that valley . . . Far away. Three elves ran down the path to meet Glorfindel and Frodo; two wearing garb not disimilar to Aragorn's, if not less subtle, and a woman of such beauty, none could compare her to anything but Luthien of old. <BR> "We must get him to father," she said.<BR>Elladan and Elrohir lifted Frodo gently and placed him on a bier, with Glorfindel riding behind them, but Arwen looked across the river towards Aragorn; their eyes meet across the surging waters, and he looked toward Frodo; she turned toward Frodo . . .<BR> "What grace has given me, let it pass to him," she whispered to herself, and looked back toward Aragorn.<P>And so, we'd get her giving Frodo her gift, seeing Aragorn, and have Glorfindel - AND set up Elladan and Elrohir for later parts. The lines would practically write themselves, the ones that don't stay the same or switch characters in the context.<P>Kills two birds with one stone, yet again.