FicWad

Disclaimer: I own nothing and make nothing financially off of my writings. I owe everything to the Great Bird of the Galaxy and Great Wizard of the Universe.

Chapter Four: Discussions

The breakfast the next morning was enjoyable as Picard joined Elrond and Glorfindel in Elrond's study. The three spoke freely for once, hearts lifted and unhindered without concerns about what should or should not be said. Always the student interested in cultures, Picard asked many questions about the world they lived in, which he learned was named Middle-Earth. The two elves were content to quench his thirst for knowledge while also hoping to learn more from Picard in return.

"If you would like to hear the tale of our arrival in these lands, it is Lord Glorfindel's chance to tell a story at our fire tonight," Elrond offered to Picard as they walked to the stables after breakfast.

"That would be enlightening to hear the old legends of your culture," Picard said with a smile.

"Legends?" Glorfindel laughed as he went to the other end of the stable. "I lived those days!"

Picard heard a chuckle beside him from Elrond as they watched Glorfindel go to fetch the horses.

"Never expect to understand him fully," Elrond explained. "Glorfindel lived a lengthy, event-filled life. This second chance of his he takes as a blessing every moment. Yet he will not tell stories of Gondolin, his home, for it was a very terrible memory he does not wish to relive in its retelling. He leaves that to me or others."

"I could not imagine what it is like for him to remember his own death," Picard said. "However, I know from experience how one cherishes second chances."

Elrond nodded then changed the subject, "We have tack if you wish to use it on your horse. We elves do not use it except for distant traveling."

"Yes, I would prefer it," Picard answered. "I do not know if I am ready yet to give voice commands like you."

"I understand," Elrond smiled. "Come, Glorfindel is ready for us."

Four horses were led outside by the golden lord. A stable-hand followed close with a saddle and halter in hand. After equipping one of the horses with the tack and prepping another for carrying supplies, the three mounted and set off. A little discomfort and pain stretched through Picard's midsection but it quickly passed. They were not in a hurry so a fast trot set their speed. The supply horse was tethered to Picard and he followed obediently while Elrond and Glorfindel rode the other two.

"It may take us an hour or so to reach the foothills," Glorfindel said as he let his white horse take the lead for them to follow. "We should also be able to see more once at the crest."

"Do you like it here thus far?" Elrond asked Picard. "I noticed your gaze through the forest and fields."

"Yes, very much so," Picard mused. "It reminds me of my home."

"Where you come from, of course, not your ship," Elrond said.

"Labarre is green and bright like this in the summer months," Picard described. "The forests would be filled with the songs of birds and rustlings of animals. Father or my brother, Robert, would be out all day tending to the vines and grapes so that we would have a good harvest."

"Even with technology filling the world the simple and traditional still continues," Elrond commented. "Would you join them in the harvest?"

"No, not always," Picard said, quieting a little. "I liked to study more in the library. Reading about history, archaeology, and traveling the stars."

"Do you regret your decision?" Elrond asked, noticing Picard's tone.

"Never," Picard answered. "I am glad, however, that Robert and I finally came to an understanding with our two loves of exploration and tradition."

"You speak of him as if you have not seen him for a while," Elrond said. "Do you visit him often?"

"Not anymore," Picard said somberly. "He, his wife Marie, and my nephew Rene died in a fire not too long ago."

"I apologize," Elrond said. "I did not mean to pry into sad memories."

"It is all right," Picard said. "I should think and speak of them more. I am all that is left of the Picards, the only one to remember them."

"Tell me about them," Elrond offered. "I shall remember them with you."

Somehow it was easier for Picard to talk to Elrond about his deceased family, even more so than any friend, including Counselor Deanna Troi. Time passed swiftly as Picard told tales of growing up as a boy with his brother in France. Elrond listened intently, much like Picard had to him at breakfast, asking questions and laughing at antics. Glorfindel chipped in a few comments form time to time. Soon enough they reached a clearing as they topped one of the highest hills overlooking the plains and mountains. The two elves gave Picard a moment as he looked about in awe.

"That vicinity there is where we found you," Glorfindel pointed to a glade of trees. "We did not see anything else at the time."

The three scanned the landscape until Elrond said something.

"Over there in that section of the forest," he pointed out. "It looks as if it has been cleared or destroyed."

Squinting, Picard could make out a clear path of broken trees along the ground with a cleared path as well.

"That is a long walk for an injured man," Glorfindel commented.

"I do not remember leaving at all," Picard said in confusion.

"You may have been delirious," Elrond said. "If you had walked the other way, you would have wandered into the mountains. Glorfindel would not have come across you there."

"Luckily for me I did not," Picard said. "Shall we?"

They headed down the hillside in the direction of the strange path they had seen. Picard was quite certain it was where the yacht had landed. It was reminiscent, but smaller, of when the Enterprise-D had crashed on Veridian III. The last half hour of travel was passed in silence until they reached the crash. Branches, grass, covered the silvery, metal hull and dirt and the nacelles appeared intact but damaged. The main cabin seemed to have fared well enough.

"This way," Picard led them after they tied the horses nearby.

Inside was a mess with Picard's belongings and parts of the ship tossed around. Power was offline but Picard was not going to try just yet since he wanted to see if he could repair it himself. However, the preliminary glance he had taken did not look promising. The distress beacon and transmitter also appeared to be damaged. The yacht was too far away from Imladris for Picard to take up residency there without assistance nearby. It was after considering this that Picard decided the best option was to take some of his belongings, tools, and the beacon back to Imladris. Hefting a few bags of clothing and a toolkit out of the yacht, he went to the beacon to pry it out of its latched-in compartment.

"Is this all you wish to bring back?" Elrond asked. "Or do you plan to return for more another day?"

"No, this is all," Picard said as he finally dislodged the beacon. "I can lock the doors so that nothing else is taken."

"I doubt many will traverse this area of the woods. It is far enough away from the well-traveled roads," Elrond said as he helped Picard lift the beacon and carry it outside.

Glorfindel was already attaching and tying the packs to the fourth horse then helped them secure the beacon on top. Picard finished locking the door and headed back to his horse as he watched Elrond make a quick walk around the vessel.

"Quite a wonderful ship this is, Jean-Luc," Elrond said as he mounted his steed next to Picard. "I hope you are able to salvage it."

"I believe we will," Picard said, smiling at the turn of familiarity and informality from Elrond.

At first the two of them were fairly procedural as they were accustomed to calling each other by Elrond's title and Picard by his last name. There was no need to tell the other when it became appropriate because it all seemed to have changed the night before when the air was finally cleared between them.

"How long do you intend to remain with us?" Elrond asked.

"I am not certain how long it may take me to fix the beacon," Picard said. "I do not mean to impose on you either."

"You do not," Elrond assured him. "Our home is yours while you are here."

"Thank you," Picard said. "I doubt my crew will look for me anytime soon. They expect me to be away on a trip for another couple months."

"I see," Elrond nodded. "Now that you are in better health, I thought you may like to have more privacy in our own room."

"That is a kind offer," Picard said. "I do not want to take away from anyone who has nowhere to stay."

"Everyone has a home," Glorfindel chimed in. "We have many empty rooms in the main hall since the families have separate homes while more are being built as we speak.

"Good," Picard said. "I look forward to it."

"It may be best to leave your beacon in my study, however," Elrond offered. "It may surprise and confuse the chamber-maids when they come by to clean."

"All right," Picard agreed. "It may be best to keep it hidden for now."

"Where was it you were going to when you crashed here?" Glorfindel asked. "You mentioned you had planned to be away."

"Ah, yes. I was to have my own expedition on another planet," Picard said. "I have a hobby in archaeology."

"You enjoy learning of the past, then?" Glorfindel queried. "The people as well?"

"There is a lot one can study from things left behind," Picard said. "Only so much, though."

"We have many places like that here," Elrond spoke. "If you had time to spend, I would show you. However, it is also not a safe time to travel."

"The war," Picard confirmed.

"Yes," Elrond said softly. "Peace will not come soon but we shall fight until it does for all the free-peoples of Middle-Earth."