When Thranduil woke up he was still wrapped in Glorfindel's arms, who was actually already awake, Thranduil smiled pulling away from him to sit up. His body was a bit stiff but he couldn't think of a better way to wake up regardless of the stiff muscles.
"You close your eyes when you sleep." Glorfindel commented softly sitting up as well. "I didn't notice that before..." He gently kissed Thranduil's temple.
Thranduil smiled at him. "I always have, ever since I was little...for the longest time my father thought something was wrong with me." Thranduil said shaking his head. "Strange that my sleeping mannerism would be the first thing you say to me in the morning."
Glorfindel laughed a little. "Fixation on the simple's things about a person shows attraction..." Glorfindel smiled. "What did you expect?" Glorfindel said.
Before Thranduil could respond Glorfindel practically swept Thranduil into his arms and kissed him passionately, making the other soften and allow himself to be enveloped by the emotion seeping from the other's actions. Glorfindel pulled away smiling at him.
"I love you." He said with a tender tone. "Is that what you expected to hear instead?" He asked a mischievous grin on his features.
Thranduil just shook his head. "I don't expect anything, I have woken up next to you today and it's been so long since I've been this happy...that's all I ever wanted, was to feel this way once more." Thranduil said smiling brightly at his newfound lover.
Terrance awoke as the sun through the drapes illuminated the bedroom. The first few nights he had been sleeping outside, but that pretty dark elf actually was bold enough to invite him to stay with him at his talan. This talan was made for one so he opted for the chair...even though that nice elf tried to convince him to take the bed he wouldn't feel right doing so.
Terrance sat up and walked onto the balcony, it was a beautiful morning...and honestly he felt better than he had a few days before, although he was beginning to miss Thranduil...even if Thranduil never loved him like he once did Terrance was not about to lose him forever. He had vowed to look after and protect Thranduil and his family; it wouldn't be honorable if he simply abandoned them for selfish and foolish reasons.
"Good Morning." Erestor said walking onto the balcony with Terrance. "I wish you had taken the bed...I didn't want you o feel unwelcome." He said.
"You have been nothing but kind to me, and I am very grateful for you invitation to stay the night but taking your bed was a bit much on my part...I'd rather tread softly rather than over step my bounds." Terrance said with a smile.
"So...shall we have breakfast together?" Erestor said with a smile.
"Actually...I wanted to meet with someone today and I need a private moment with him if you don't mind. He's the one you saw me with so often...my Taurelasse." Terrance said.
"...Taurelasse...please I was wondering..." Erestor stopped looking at Terrance.
Terranc shook his head. "He's not my lover, he's my best friend, we had a fight...sort of...I want to remedy this situation while I still can and apologize to him..." Terrance stopped and looked back at Erestor. "It's complicated and...I'll explain later but I need to go now for he is an early riser." Terrance said descending to the floor from the talan.
Erestor frowned; he used such an interesting name to describe his friend...not to mention he knew that his friend rose early...he seemed to know so much about this person. They had to be very close to have known the others bed mannerism. It bothered Erestor although he knew it shouldn't. This elf was honest and would not deceive him, quite unlike another that he couldn't allow himself to love for fear of being hurt. Erestor sighed heavily; this elf reminded him much of the other he couldn't bring himself to trust with his heart.
"Glorfindel." Erestor whispered softly to no one. He had loved that elf, but Glorfindel tended to be fickle with his partners and although he proclaimed his love for him, Erestor couldn't bring himself to trust him so he told Glorfindel he didn't feel the same...that was a lie...Erestor wanted to be with him...but now it was past repairable.
Terrance got closer to the outskirts and slowly made his way toward the talan, he wasn't sure what he would say to Thranduil once he saw him again, he would apologize for being foolish and for leaving him so abruptly, but he needed time to think...a voice broke his thoughts.
"Terrance." Thranduil said from behind him, no one was near so Thranduil thought it to be okay speaking his name.
Terrance turned giving his lord a smile. "You are quick to forget the rules here... Taurelasse." He said softly. Thranduil didn't seem surprised to see him but he didn't seem unhappy about his presence either. "Are you angry with me?" Terrance asked.
"No...I'm glad you came back finally, I was beginning to worry about you honestly." Thranduil took a step closer not seeing Terrance move away so he closed the distance with a brief hug. "You shouldn't have left like that...we should have talked."
"I needed time alone, it wasn't going to hear what I wanted from you...and I didn't want to upset you further so it was best that I left." Terrance said.
"Can...we move past this now then? Do you forgive me?" Thranduil asked.
"There is nothing to forgive, I just needed some time apart is all..." He placed a gentle hand on Thranduil's cheek. "I m content to be by your side, if you will still have me."
"Of course, although I do not believe I am need of an escort here anymore." Thranduil said and Terrance nodded in understanding, he figured Thranduil's friend had taken his place as escort...probably more than escort but that didn't sting Terrance as badly, it still hurt of course, but he was still happy for Thranduil.
"I honestly didn't mean to worry you...." Terrance said.
"It's all right, I believe you were right in leaving, it gave us both some time to think...but where have you been staying? Not outside I pray." Thranduil said.
"The first night yes, but that was by choice I wanted to stargaze and I fell asleep. The last few nights I have been staying in a talan with another...I don't know his name of course but we have had many pleasant talks and such with one another, I'm sure he is an Elder but he acts more childish than you at times." Terrance said with a smile.
"Honestly, can you not stand with me ten minutes without making a joke at my expense?" Thranduil said giving him a playful shove.
The two continued their walk talking and laughing among one another as they walked. They cleared the air easily; their friendship becoming as it was without anymore harbored feelings, Thranduil allowing Terrance to pour out all the emotion he kept bottled up for so long and such a burden had been lifted from Terrance's shoulders.
Thranduil couldn't help but feel slightly responsible for Terrance's inner turmoil but talking did ease his guilt somewhat. It was nice being so close to him again; Terrance was his best friend and always would be. As they walked they came upon Erestor, Terrance was hoping to introduce the two of them. Terrance could easily tell that although he and Erestor were not in a relationship there was an attraction between them, and regardless of intention Erestor did seem to be slightly threatened by Thranduil.
"Ah, Mellonen...I'm glad we came upon you, this is my Taurelasse..." He said motioning to Thranduil. "This is the elf that I have been staying with while we were apart." Terrance said to Thranduil.
"A pleasure." Thranduil said with a slight nod to his head.
"...The same." Erestor said, he was slightly troubled upon getting a closer look at this beautiful elf...and he was striking, Erestor wasn't sure he could compete with this one, at least not easily. "He speaks of you often, and quite splendidly I might add."
Thranduil scoffed. "He has a big mouth." Thranduil said earning a glare from Terrance.
"He said I spoke well of you." Terrance said.
"Ah, empty flattery will get you no where, besides you obviously didn't tell him any good stories about our childhood together...how about..." Thranduil said taking a step closer to Erestor. "The first time we ventured out from Mirkwod together, heading to Lothlorien, although your navigational skills proved awful at best and we became lost having to stop in a village of Men...do you remember the Inn you happened to choose too rest in that night?" Thranduil said.
Terrance eyes widened. "I would never have done such a thing intentionally! How could I have known what type of establishment that was! It was raining and we needed appropriate shelter and...I admit direction." Terrance said.
"Oh yes and a brothel is so very appropriate!" Thranduil said smiling making Erestor laugh as well. "Lets see now, what else can I embarrass you about...the incident involving the stable attendants afternoon swim perhaps?" Thranduil said.
"If you say another word I will reveal your little incident with that dreaded pet falcon bringing you that wonderful gift, if you recall..." Terrance said.
Thranduil held his hands up in defeat, "I'll save myself some embarrassment and stop now." Thranduil gave a warm smile to Erestor.
Erestor couldn't help but smile back, this elf was not so bad and it was relieving to find that Terrance and Thranduil had a deep relationship but they were more like brothers and just as Terrance had said friends...they were defiantly not lovers, that was easy to tell by how they poked fun at one another.
After an hour or so Glorfindel decided to go in search of Thranduil, he wanted to simply stay in bed with him all day but Thranduil seemed like someone who was a slave to routine and every morning he went for a walk.
Glorfindel dressed quickly and began to walk the trail that Thranduil usually took and was happy to see him Lirimaer not to far in the distance and his escort, Thranduil's friend. He sneaked up on the pair. He walked up behind Thranduil wrapping his arms around him surprising him slightly.
"I'm glad the two of you made up." Glorfindel said kissing Thranduil on the cheek affectionately. "You had him quite worried for a while there."
"He can consider it payback for the years I've lost off my life worrying about him." Terrance said with a grin. "I'm glad to see you are well..." Terrance stopped noticing the look Erestor and Glorfindel were giving one another.
Glorfindel released Thranduil slowly. "It's good to see you, are you enjoying the ceremony thus far." He asked Erestor.
Thranduil looked at Terrance curiously the tension between Glorfindel and Erestor was exceptionally apparent. It wasn't just an uneasy silence either, they seemed angry at one another...they obviously knew one another but they seemed less that friendly with one another.
"I am..." Erestor stole a glance at Thranduil. "Up to your normal activities?" He asked obviously implying he was simply playing with Thranduil, it wasn't unheard of but Glorfindel felt very different about Thranduil.
"Now wait a minute...!" Glorfindel began but Erestor cut him off.
"I'd save yourself some heartache Taurelasse and leave him before he has a chance to leave you." Erestor practically spat.
Thranduil frowned, he wasn't an idiot he did suspect Glorfindel of such things, but he knew this elf had changed, Glorfindel would not abandon him...but apparently he had done so to others, however he had changed he was no longer like that.
"And what would you know about it?" Glorfindel shot back. "If I recall correctly you were the one to reject me, not the other way around." He said.
"You didn't waste much time finding comfort in another, and another, you think I could be with someone who was so fickle with his lovers? I wasn't about to lay my heart on the line with you." Erestor said.
"And you didn't! You practically called me a whore and sent me on my way! You didn't even listen to me when I told you I would give it all up for you, if I had known how much you loathed me I wouldn't have even tried...and saved MYSELF from heartache that YOU caused!" Glorfindel yelled. "I would never hurt him." Glorfindel said pointing at Thranduil. "He returns my love, something you could never do." Glorfindel said walking away.
Thranduil gave Terrance's hand a squeeze before going after Glorfindel.
Terrance looked at Erestor. "Mellonen?" He asked seeming to shake Erestor from his daze since Glorfindel's words. Terrance approached him slowly placing a gentle hand on his shoulder and came to the realization that Erestor was crying. "Oh..." Terrance said embracing the dark elf.
Erestor stiffened at first before he allowed himself to weep freely on the other's shoulder. "L-Lathynth." Erestor apologized through his tears.
"Shhhh...no reason to apologize to me Mellonen, it's all right." He said comforting Erestor the best he could with him limited knowledge on what just transpired, he looked to where Glorfindel and Thranduil left hoping maybe Thranduil understood the situation a little better than himself.
"Glorfindel wait!" Thranduil called but his lover didn't stop he just continued his fast pace until he reached the talan, he stopped but didn't enter. Thranduil caught up to him, he could easily tell that Glorfindel was still angry but Thranduil wasn't so sure as to why, he decided to try and talk to him.
"Was that the one you told about me earlier, the one you loved but he didn't return your feelings?" Thranduil asked.
"When he rejected me it was more than a simple 'I do not feel the same' rejection, he felt it right to throw insults and trample my feelings as if I wasn't worth the flesh I'm printed on." Glorfindel grit out, "I would have done anything to be with him and yet he simply hated me for it...and I've found myself returning that same hate."
Thranduil walked closer to him taking his hand in his own. "I'm sorry you were hurt so terribly by someone you love...loved?" Thranduil asked.
"I love you, and that will not change...considering my meeting with him was less than civil." Glorfindel said.
"I do not doubt your love for me Melethen, that's not what I was asking...I was wondering if you still love him at all, as I still love my friend, as I still love my children, where does your heart stand in regards to him?" Thranduil asked.
Glorfindel turned away form Thranduil. "I don't know...we, we practically live together, and we are constantly in the close vicinity of one another for we work together as well. Nevertheless he seems to avoid me at all costs, if I could talk to him without him throwing insults at me maybe...I would but that hasn't happened in years." Glorfindel said.
"You seemed to throw a few insults yourself...I can understand his feeling of betrayal though if you wasted no time in replacing him after he rejected you though." Thranduil said.
"I was heart-broken...I wanted comfort and I've never had trouble finding someone and considering he trampled my heart so carelessly I didn't think he would care weather I was with another or not." Glorfindel sighed. "I did love him, very much...but he hurt me far to much, I could never love him now anyway, I love you and I will not allow anything to come between us, listen not to what he said I would never hurt you like that."
"I know you wouldn't...you say you could never love him again, how about forgive him then? Also apologize yourself considering you didn't know your actions would hurt him so terribly. You said you are constantly in the close proximity of one another, it would be best if you could forgive and forget...be friends as I'm sure you would want." Thranduil said.
"Maybe...but not now, not after what I just said to him. I'll give him some time and try approaching him again later. Our meeting was by chance and it caught me off guard." Glorfindel admitted.
Thranduil gave Glorfindel a slight squeeze and a soft smile. "I'm sure you two can let bygones be bygones...and if not that at least reach some type of truce with him." Thranduil said letting him go. "I was surprised to find my escort with him though, for he has always been somewhat reserved and reclusive from others."
"Like you." Glorfindel said.
"Not really, I don't have much of a social life but my work demands my attention and monopolizes my time...it's not the same with him, he never had a family so he grew up not really knowing how to speak to other people. Also after he was burned so badly, others avoided him even more as he avoided them, so it made matters worse almost isolating him completely from the outside world and others, I was the only one who never cared about his scars or his mannerism." Thranduil said.
"You knew him though before he was scarred right? You can see past them I'm sure." Glorfindel said.
"No, I see them, he wants me to as well...he obtained them helping me, practically saving me, they do not lessen his beauty to me they only magnify it by his pure unwavering devotion to me he is the greatest best friend I have ever had." Thranduil said.
Glorfindel smiled. "You are obviously devoted to him as well." Glorfindel frowned after a moment though he wanted to know more about Thranduil and his escort he wanted to know everything about his new lover. "Tell me, how is it he got those scars...I know he was burnt, but how is it he was burnt so badly his scars did not fade, does he not heal properly?" Glorfindel asked, scars among elf's were rare for they healed so rapidly and well.
"He was burnt...but more than once, he came by them by being tortured, for information he didn't have. Once they realized how fast we healed they simply would burn him over and over again...until his body simply couldn't heal itself anymore, that's why." Thranduil said still feeling guilty about them.
Glorfindel frowned, it explained the scars but why would he be being tortured and by who? Who would do such a thing and for what information? What information could be so valuable that someone would do such a terrible thing? "Who?" Glorfindel asked.
"A band of orcs, caught both of us off guard and too far from home...we were taken prisoner and I believe they were to interrogate us but we both proved tight lipped upon anything they asked us...that's why they tortured us." Thranduil said.
"They tortured you as well?" Glorfindel asked concerned.
"Not nearly as badly as Terrance was..." Thranduil frowned realizing he mentioned the other's name.
Glorfindel gave a slight smile. "His name is Terrance then." Glorfindel said. He noticed the slightly worried look Thranduil wore. "Don't worry it's fine I know his name, I won't say a word...it's an interesting name, it suits him." Glorfindel said.
"I forgot myself, his name easily escapes my mouth I'm so used to being around him and I'm still new the ceremony." Thranduil said shaking his head.
"How about this then, Erestor, that is the other's name that has given me so much grief over the years...we live in Imladris together." Glorfindel said.
Thranduil returned the smile feeling better, but the name Erestor rang a bell in his head...he knew that name. He frowned after a moment as he thought trying to remember where he heard it before, then it suddenly hit him, Erestor was a close friend a personal advisor to Lord Elrond, and Glorfindel said that the two of them lived together.
"Do you dwell in the house of Elrond then...like Erestor?" Thranduil suddenly asked as his brain went into overdrive trying to remember all he knew about the last homely house and it occupants.
"Well...yes..." Glorfindel said slightly surprised Thranduil knew that. "How did you know about the residents in Elrond's home?" Glorfindel asked.
The pieces fell into place and Thranduil gave a soft gasp. "By the Valar...your Glorfindel aren't you? Lord of the House of the Golden Flower, Captain of Gondolin, you returned from the Halls of Mandos...Seneschal to Elrond...oh by the Valar you dedicated your life to him! you are bound to him for the rest of your days!" Thranduil said shaking his head in denial that the love he found was bound to an elvin king of a foreign realm.
Glorfindel shook his head in confusion at first, how did he know all this? "Yes I am..." he trailed off seeing Thranduil's pained expression with the realization of who he was. "Is this such a problem? Most find my position honorable." Glorfindel said.
Thranduil shook his head. "It is an honorable position, I respect you and your title, but my residence is Mirkwood...I cannot leave my home and you cannot leave yours, you are dedicated to Elrond." Thranduil said.
"Why can you not leave? I realize I am asking a lot of you so soon but I am sure Lord Elrond would welcome you and your children into his home, I don't want you to disappear from my life after the ceremony, can you not stay at my side?" Glorfindel asked.
"I can't leave Mirkwood." Thranduil said.
"Why?" Glorfindel asked his heart wrenching in his chest.
"Because my name is Thranduil Oropherion, King of Mirkwood...I am bound to Mirkwood as you are bound to Imladris." Thranduil said his eyes stung from unshed tears as he turned his face away from Glorfindel, it hurt to see the pain he was feeling reflected in Glorfindel's eyes.
"Your King Thranduil...no, this cannot be right, the world in not so cruel to let me find you only to lose you again I am not so powerless as to not change this...I won't allow you to disappear from my life, regardless of who you are and who I am it doesn't matter!" Glorfindel declared.
"I am glad that you would say that but what is there we can do? The only way you can leave your post is if Elrond releases you and the only way I can leave mine is for one of my children to take my place...they are all far to young to assume the throne as of yet." Thranduil said.
"You assumed the throne rather early as I recall..." Glorfindel said, he knew the stories about how Thranduil father had died and ruler ship was suddenly bestowed upon him, he became King at an age considered ridiculous to rule but he proved most capable...Glorfindel's mind was still reeling from the fact that this shy and timid elf, this beautiful and graceful creature that he had fallen in love with was the King of Mirkwood...it literally boggled his mind.
"That was different my father was dead, I would never wish that type of pressure and burden upon one of my children." Thranduil said.
"Oh, no I wasn't making a suggestion it was merely a statement...thinking out loud about what I know about you...what I've read about you...I can request to be released." Glorfindel said his mind was moving so fast he was turning o a dime.
Thranduil looked at him shocked. "You've worked your entire life for that title; you would give it up so easily?" Thranduil asked. "I've read about you too."
"For you? I would happily see the Halls of Mandos once more if it meant I could be with you...I will not leave your side while there is still breath in my body, and even then I'm sure I could arrange something." Glorfindel said with a wink as he wrapped Thranduil in his arms. "I promise you all will be well Lirimaer, do not worry." Glorfindel said.
Site Info
We are the home of 1292 authors from among our 2552 members. There have been 2904 reviews written about our 3820 stories consisting of 10734 chapters and 29400445 words. A special welcome to our newest member, Rosamundeb.Categories
Skin Change
Donate
Help us keep one of the oldest running LotR archives available to all. Even the smallest donation helps!
Many thanks to our previous donors!
Many thanks to our previous donors!
The Library, elsewhere
Other projects
Natul Poika (Becoming Pure) by Nerwen
Chapter end notes: Taurelasse - Forest Leaf
Lirimaer - Lovely One
Lathynth - Sorry
