Do Not Go Gentle

Persie The Cowardly Demigod

"It is good to see you, Lord Glorfindel," Geoffry told his general, as they grabbed each other's forearms in an odd-elven greeting. "Tell me, is Lord Elladan well?"

The normally bright face of Glorfindel had gone dark. "He is still being looked over by Lord Elrond," he informed us, his voice stiff and unfeeling. "From the looks of his wounds, I believe Lord Elrond will be able to heal him just fine."

I nodded, letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding. "Thank the gods."

Goldilocks looked down at me sternly. "I heard a few things from the encounter in the valley," he said. "Lord Aldarian spoke of you ordering the others to leave, and said you expected that you would be left alone to deal with the pack?"

Geoffry looked between Goldilocks and my stare-off. "I will go check on Lord Elladan and see if any assistance is needed."

The once brave elf had turned into a scardey-cat under the imperious gaze of Elrond's War General. "Coward," I muttered.

Glorfindel's eyes narrowed. "The only coward I see here is you, Lady Persephone."

I blinked. "Woah, just wait a second, did you just call me a coward?"

His lips thinned. "Yes, I do believe it is you I am talking to."

Anger flared up in my bones. "I am not a coward."

An eyebrow raised. "Everything I have seen from you has certainly proven to me that you are indeed a coward. And not a very smart one, either."

"So you called me a coward and now you just called me stupid. What is wrong with you?"

Anger flashed in his eyes. "You are the most infuriating being I have ever met."

I crossed my arms. "So? Many people find me infuriating. Doesn't mean I'm dumb or a coward."

"What you did today was unintelligent. Trying to take on an entire pack of orcs by yourself is not something any sane being would ever try to do and reveals the cowardice of your actions. It is your lack of fear for death that is cowardly, Gwingil. You would rather die than face your adversary and leave your friends behind to mourn you and pick up the pieces."

A wave of air rushed from my lungs.

Glorfindel's eyes calmed slightly as he placed a strong hand firmly on my shoulder. "That is what is infuriating, Lady Persephone. You have woven your way into the hearts of those dear to me and knowing that you are taking their feelings so lightly is troubling."

For the second time that evening, tears started to well up in my eyes. "I did not think of that," I admitted.

He nodded in understanding and squeezed my shoulder once before letting his arm drop back to his side. "I do believe you have had a similar conversation with Lady Almarian before?"

I paused. "How did you know that?"

A smirk spread slowly onto Goldilocks's face. "I have eyes and ears everywhere, Gwingil. There are few things I do not hear of."

I shrugged, before turning around swiftly and walking away. I didn't need to deal with this elf's power games, no matter how fun he was to look at. It seems like the best-looking males are always the most arrogant ones as well.

I quickly wiped the tears from my eyes and started to scurry away to the healing halls.

Seemed to me like Goldilocks was quickly becoming a waste of my time when I had other more important things to worry about. Like the current state of the elf who took an arrow to his side, for starters.