Title: Glorfindel's Darkest Hour.
Author: Morgana
Email: morganalebeau@yahoo.com
Pairings: Glorfindel/Elrond, Glorfindel/Erestor and
Elrond/Haldir.
Rating: NC-17.
Summary: Saruman plans to breed a new, even stronger
race of Uruk-Hai and wants Glorfindel, the Balrog
Slayer for this experiment. When Glorfindel is taken
by the Wizard's creatures, Erestor is determined to
rescue his friend. 
Series/sequel: no
Genre: slash.
Warnings: Male pregnancy (Glorfindel) and rape. 
Author's Notes: Readers who know me, know I always go
for happy endings!


Chapter one
Games

“Ah, you can do much better, pen-neth!” Glorfindel
laughed, amused, as he disarmed Elrohir, who had
accepted the challenge to best him. “I thought I had
taught you better than that!”

Elrond chuckled softly, seeing Elrohir’s disappointed
expression. “Maybe you can defeat him with the help of
your brother?” 

Elrohir decided he liked his father’s suggestion and
signaled for Elladan, who was sitting on the grass, to
join him. “Come on, brother, I do not want him to
defeat me again!”

Elladan, who had already been bested by Glorfindel a
few moments ago, wasn’t thrilled to be invited to join
in the mock fight, but he couldn’t desert his brother
either. Sighing deeply, he pushed himself to his feet
and then stood at Elrohir’s side. 

His eyes shifted from his twin to his father and
Erestor, who sat in the shade beneath an old oak tree.
Elrond was watching them with interest, whilst Erestor
pretended to read. But he had seen the amused gleam in
the advisor’s eyes. “Don’t give me that look, Erestor.
You cannot hold your ground against Glorfindel
either.”

Elrond raised an eyebrow and his chuckles grew louder,
as his gaze traveled from Elladan to Erestor. “Aye,
Erestor, you cannot even wield a sword properly.”

Erestor shook his head at Elrond’s words. It was best
to play along. He had worked hard for the twins and
Glorfindel to think of him as a scholar and Elrond’s
taunting words weren’t going to change that. “My
weapon is the quill, not the sword.”

At that, Elrond burst out into laughter, which earned
him surprised looks from his sons and his seneschal.
But he was nearly bursting with secret knowledge. He
was the only one, apart from Erestor himself, who knew
of the advisor’s hidden talents. He didn’t put it past
Erestor to best Glorfindel. 

Elladan simply sighed, drew his sword, and joined his
brother when Elrohir charged Glorfindel. This time the
sparring match lasted longer, and even a single drop
of sweat appeared on the blond’s brow before he
disarmed first Elladan and then Elrohir. 

“Your performance is disappointing,” teased
Glorfindel, mercilessly. 

“Maybe Ada or Erestor will do better,” remarked
Elladan, sarcastically. “What do you say, Ada? Would
you like to put Glorfindel in his place? He is
becoming too cocky.”

But Elrond raised a hand, declining. “It has been too
long since I wielded my sword.” And he had absolutely
no desire to be humiliated in front of his sons. 

“What about you, Erestor?” Elladan’s eyes narrowed. “I
cannot remember ever seeing you with a sword in your
hand.”

“Well, why should I try now then?” Erestor directed a
stern look at the oldest twin. “Never having fought
before puts me at a distinct disadvantage, does it
not?” Oh, he would play along as long as was
necessary. 

“Come on, Erestor,” said Glorfindel, enjoying
tormenting the calm advisor, “I will go easy on you,
and you should know how to defend yourself at any
rate.”

“Aye, Glorfindel is right,” chuckled Elrond. It would
be entertaining to see Erestor clueless when in
reality the advisor had trained alongside him and
Gil-galad. The annoyed glare Erestor shot him only
made him feel giddier. “Go on, accept the challenge.
Maybe Glorfindel can teach you how to defend
yourself!” 

Erestor was very much aware of the game Elrond was
playing with him, and he decided to get even with the
half-Elf later. First, he had to find a way out of the
situation Elrond had maneuvered him in to. With mock
defeat, he placed the book on the grass and rose to
his feet. “Show me then.” He didn’t mind being the
laughing stock for a brief moment, as long as his
secrets remained just that. 

Elladan grinned and handed Erestor his sword. His grin
turned smug, hearing Erestor sigh at the weight of the
metal in his hand. 

Elrohir disliked his brother and his father’s tactics
and moved closer to Erestor. “You do not have to do
this.” Warm and caring eyes met his. 

“It is all right, pen-neth. I do not mind being this
afternoon’s amusement. Trust me,” he said, glaring at
Elrond and Elladan before returning his gaze to
Elrohir, “I will make them pay.”

Elrohir smiled and nodded his head once. “Be careful.
I do not want you injured.”

Erestor felt touched by Elrohir’s concern, and decided
Elrond and Elladan would pay for putting him in this
position later. “Well, I am ready for my lesson,” he
announced, facing Glorfindel, who was smirking.

“Raise your sword, Erestor… No, not like that! You
need a firm grip… Deflect my blow… Ah, this won’t
work.” 

Glorfindel felt slightly disappointed when Erestor
unsuccessfully wrestled to keep his sword arm
extended. He didn’t meet any resistance when his sword
collided with Erestor’s and the advisor seemed
startled at the sound. “You are a pitiful excuse for a
warrior,” teased Glorfindel, goodheartedly. 

“Well, you are a poor excuse for a diplomat… and a
teacher!” said Erestor, returning the teasing. He
could never get cross with Glorfindel. Ever since the
day the blond had joined their household he’d had a
soft spot for the Elda. Over the years, his affection
and interest had changed into love, but he had never
revealed any of his feelings.

Glorfindel was way out of his league. The blond shared
Elrond’s bed at times and although the two of them
weren’t in love, they found great pleasure and some
amount of happiness in this arrangement. Had Elrond
and Glorfindel not been together in *that* way, he
might have taken his chance and confessed to the
blond. But that was out of the question now. 

Glorfindel mockingly placed his hand over his heart.
“That hurt! Aiya, your words *are* sharper than the
blade of my sword!” Dramatically, he sighed, and his
eyes sparkled with mirth. “We should abandon this
lesson.”

“Aye, we should,” agreed Erestor, smiling brightly.
Although he loved the attention Glorfindel had just
paid him, he knew it would never be more than a
teasing encounter. The blond only had eyes for Elrond.
Averting his eyes, he looked at the grey sky. The
clouds were darkening and rain was in the air. “We
should return home. It will start to rain shortly.”

Elrond nodded his agreement and got to his feet as
well. He had noticed the smothering look of desire
Erestor had given Glorfindel and the half-Elf’s heart
felt heavy, like it always did when he intercepted
such a look. He had even briefly broken things off
with Glorfindel to allow Erestor his chance, but his
advisor had never tried to draw the blond’s attention.
Sighing, he realized Erestor didn’t plan on ever
revealing his feelings.

Erestor handed Elladan his sword and picked up his
book. After closing it, he slipped his hands into the
wide sleeves of his robes and followed Elrond, as the
half-Elf headed for the Last Homely House. He was
looking forward to taking a long, hot bath before
turning in for the night.

Glorfindel took up last position, making sure everyone
safely returned home. The smile remained on his face
and he mentally replayed the scene that had just taken
place. He had thought Erestor knew how to handle a
sword, but apparently he had been mistaken. How was it
possible that the Elf, who was Elrond’s chief advisor,
didn’t even know how to defend himself? Well, luckily
there were always well-trained guards close. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I actually felt sorry for Erestor,” whispered
Glorfindel, who was propped up against some pillows in
Elrond’s bed. He had been looking forward to having
sex with the half-Elf, but for some reason Elrond
wasn’t in the right mood and had retreated to the
chairs in front of the fireplace. “You are brooding.”

“Aye, I am.” Elrond tiredly rose from the chair and
slowly walked toward his bed. The flaxen-haired beauty
had been his bed partner for many decades now, but a
deep sense of love had never risen between them,
something he regretted. 

Glorfindel extended his arm and curled his fingers
around Elrond’s, pulling the half-Elf into bed with
him. “What is it that troubles you? Maybe I can
distract you for a while?”

Elrond knew what that offer entailed, but he shook his
head. “I am sorry, Glorfindel, but I am not in the
mood tonight.”

Glorfindel sighed, but nodded once. “Would you prefer
to be alone?” Elrond guarded his privacy well and he
knew when he was considered redundant.

“Aye, I would like to be alone. I need to think and
you distract me.” Smiling, he pressed a fingertip
across the blond’s lips. “I will make things up to
you.”

Glorfindel smiled, saddened, also regretting that
their relationship had never deepened. “You know where
to find me in case you grow lonely.”

Petting the blond hair, Elrond whispered, “Don’t count
on me seeking you out tonight. And tomorrow you will
leave to take your turn at leading the border patrol.
I will see you again in a few days.”

Glorfindel reluctantly left Elrond’s bed and gathered
his tunic and leggings. After putting on his clothes,
he headed for the doorway. He wished he could whisper
words like, *I love you,* but he couldn’t, because it
would be a lie. 

Closing the door behind him, he soundlessly headed for
his private chambers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Erestor rested his head against the pillow he had
placed on the rim of the tub, relaxing, as warm water
surrounded him. He would probably turn into a prune
one day, but he loved bathing. It had started when he
had worked for Gil-galad, operating behind enemy lines
at the Battle of the Last Alliance. Having to pass for
an Orc had been challenging, but he had gathered all
the information Gil-galad had needed. When he had
finally been able to wash the dirt and grime from his
body he had loved the sensation and had become
addicted to bathing since then.  

The only thing better than taking this bath alone
would be taking a bath with Glorfindel, but that would
only happen in his dreams. Sighing, his hand stole
down to his groin. The mere thought of the blond’s
smile had caused him to grow hard and he stroked
lazily, closing his eyes and imaging it was
Glorfindel’s hand that was bringing him to orgasm.

His breathing quickened, arching his back as he
reached his climax. For one moment he felt blissfully
at peace, but then realization set in; he was deluding
himself. He was alone in the pool. A tormented sigh
left his lips, as he forced himself to get up and dry
his skin and hair. What good was clinging to a love
that would never come true? He had to find a way to
get over Glorfindel.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Erestor had retreated to the fireplace, reading, when
a hesitant knock sounded on his door. Who would seek
him out at this late hour? “Enter.” His hand moved to
the small knife, which he kept hidden beneath the
chair, but his hand returned to holding the book,
seeing Elrond enter. 

“Erestor? Can we talk?” Elrond, clad in his heavy
velvet evening robes, waited for Erestor to nod and
then closed the door behind him. 

“Please sit down,” said Erestor, putting away his
book. After Elrond had seated himself, he asked, “What
is keeping you from falling asleep?” The brooding
expression in the half-Elf’s eyes easily gave Elrond
away. 

“So many things,” said Elrond, sighing. He gathered
his robes around him and stared absentmindedly at the
fire. “For example why you won’t tell Glorfindel you
have feelings for him.”

This topic had come up before and like previous times,
Erestor reacted defensively. “Don’t meddle in my
private affairs, Elrond.”

“I only want to help.”

Erestor privately cursed. Yes, he knew Elrond wanted
to help, but the mere fact that the half-Elf
occasionally shared his bed with Glorfindel wasn’t
helping. “I do not wish to discuss this.”

Elrond gave Erestor an apologetic look. “I hope you
are not still cross with me for playing along with
Elladan and Glorfindel?” 

Erestor shrugged once. “I did not mind.” It was the
truth; he had gotten a few precious moments out of it
when Glorfindel’s attention had been focused on him.

“You always were the perfect actor, Erestor,” said
Elrond in a melancholy tone. “You always managed to
fool people. At times, I wonder whom I am dealing
with.”

“You know me,” said Erestor in a soft tone. “And you
know why I am the person I am today.”

Elrond nodded. “I saw your pain when he died.”

“Don’t speak of him!” hissed Erestor, “In my dreams I
see him die all over again. Don’t remind me of the
loss.”

“We all grieved with you,” whispered Elrond, as he
reached out and placed his hand on top of Erestor’s.
“I wish you would try again.”

Erestor’s sharp glare softened. “I do not want to take
away the comfort you find in Glorfindel’s presence and
touch.” Rubbing Elrond’s knuckles, he added, “Maybe if
he had not come to your bed, things would have
developed differently.”

“But it is not love what we feel for each other. It is
lust, understanding, and maybe some affection, but it
is not love.” Elrond had only found love once before;
in the arms of his wife. “I gave up on Glorfindel once
before and I asked you to make your move, but you did
not. How is Glorfindel supposed to know you love him?”

“He is not supposed to know,” said Erestor and his
tone had gone from warm to chilly. “And you won’t tell
him.” Erestor stared into Elrond’s eyes. “Is there
another reason why you came here?”

“Actually, there is.” Elrond leaned back in the chair,
disappointed that he hadn’t made any progress with
Erestor. If only the stubborn Elf would admit to
Glorfindel he loved him!

“What is it?” Erestor hoped Elrond had a good reason
for coming here and disturbing his peaceful evening,
other than meddling in his non-existent love life.

“There have been an increased number of sightings of
Orcs near our borders. Some of them even crossed into
our lands. I am sending Glorfindel to investigate, but
I assume you would like to take a look as well.” 

“Aye, I will. I do not want any of those creatures
near Imladris. I will look into the matter.”

Elrond sighed and slowly rose to his feet. “I feel old
tonight,” he whispered, wondering if Middle-Earth
would ever know true peace.

Erestor got to his feet as well and rested a hand on
the half-Elf’s shoulder. “That burden is ours to bear.
With the passing of the millennia we grow weary.”

Elrond smiled and briefly covered Erestor’s hand with
his. “You have always been a good friend and I regret
not having been there for you when you needed my
support.”

“You were trying to convince Isildur to destroy the
ring. If anyone is to blame it is me.” 

“No, it is Sauron.” Elrond moved closer and hugged
Erestor momentarily. /I just wish you would let love
into your heart again./

“Do not delude yourself, Elrond. We both know
Glorfindel is not interested in me. I am content to
steal a few moments of his time.”

“Like during the sparring match today. Mellon-nîn,
your eyes were full of love. It was there for anyone
to see.”

Erestor tensed slightly. “Then I must be more careful.
I do not want them to figure this out. Not the twins
and certainly not Glorfindel.”

Elrond released a deep sigh, feeling drained. “I wish
I could change your mind.” Letting go of his friend,
he headed for the doorway. “I want you to report to me
when you return.” Like always, no one would notice
Erestor’s disappearance and when he came back, the
dark-haired Elf would have gathered all the
information he needed. 

“I will give you my report tomorrow evening.” 

Elrond nodded and closed the door behind him,
returning to his empty bed.

Erestor’s eyes glimmered as he stared into the dying
fire. No Orc would threaten the peace Elrond and he
had built here so many centuries ago. He would stop
them. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Glorfindel was growing frustrated. For hours he and
his escort had searched the lands for any raiding
Orcs, but all he had found were deep footsteps in the
grass. Why couldn’t he find them? Elrond trusted in
him to keep the borders safe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unknown to him, a few miles south Erestor was
observing three Orcs, which were giving their report
to an Uruk-Hai. During these last few moments he had
learned a lot. The foul creatures were searching for
Elves. They had orders to take as many Elves prisoner
as possible. 

That was something he couldn’t allow to happen. He
waited for the Uruk-Hai to leave and then followed the
remaining three Orcs into the woods. 

Before leaving Imladris he had slid his long hunting
knifes into the scabbards, which he carried across his
back. Uncovering them, his eyes narrowed. He couldn’t
afford to make any mistakes and he had to take them
out as quickly as possible. He couldn’t allow them to
get away.

Sneaking closer, he hid behind the trunk of an ancient
tree and waited for the Orcs to pass him by. When
their backs were toward him, he acted. The metal
swooshed through the air, alerting them. One Orc never
realized what happened as Erestor buried one knife
deep inside his chest. Swirling around, he aimed for
the throat of the second Orc and kicked the third in
the back of his knees, bringing him down. Within
seconds, he had ended their lives as well. 

Blood dripped from his knives and he cleaned the
blades by running them along his victims’ tattered
clothing. Considering his next move, he decided to
head back for the Last Homely House. Elrond expected a
report and once the half-Elf knew how serious the
situation was they could take proper measures.

Sheathing his knives, he turned around and disappeared
into the forest. He left the three corpses behind,
hoping they would serve as a warning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hours later, Glorfindel and his men happened upon the
three dead Orcs. Lowering himself onto his heels, he
studied their wounds. A sharp knife had ended their
lives; very sharp and very lethal. The blade that had
ended their lives had to be Elvish. “Search for
clues,” he ordered, as he rose to his feet again.

He walked a little away from the corpses, needing a
moment to think. It was imperative that he found the
Elf who had dealt with the foul creatures.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Erestor had hurried back to Imladris, urging his horse
to gallop even harder. 

Arriving at the stables, he dismounted and ignored
Elladan’s surprised expression as he passed the
half-Elf by. He wasn’t in the mood to keep up the
pretence and would come up with a believable
explanation later. 

He headed for Elrond’s study, entered without knocking
and told the advisors to leave. As they had seen
Erestor in this state before, they left without
voicing any protests.

“Is it that bad?” Elrond rose from behind the desk and
joined Erestor, who was staring out of the window. 

“They are under orders to capture as many Elves as
they can.”

Elrond sighed deeply. “And how did you learn this?”

“I tracked down a party of three Orcs and one
Uruk-Hai. The latter was to report to Saruman about
the progress they were making. I let him leave as I
did not want to attract any attention.”

“The Orcs?” Elrond already had a pretty good idea what
had probably happened to them.

“I killed them.” 

Erestor’s icy tone made Elrond shiver. He had heard it
too many times before and he had hoped to never hear
it again. But Saruman and his creatures were now
targeting Imladris and Erestor’s old instincts were
showing. 

“What do you suggest we do?” There was a reason why he
had made Erestor his chief advisor. Only a few knew
that Erestor was millennia older than he was and he
had even advised Gil-galad when the High King had been
in need of wise counsel. And Erestor’s advice had been
sound, for they had defeated Sauron. But the prize had
been high; they had lost Gil-galad. 

“Send out a large number of patrols. If necessary
contact Celeborn and ask him for reinforcements. We
must secure our borders. I will organize the patrols
and make sure experienced warriors lead them. You in
turn must inform Glorfindel of our plans.”

Elrond nodded. “He will want to take charge.”

“Let him. Keeping the borders safe is his duty. But
make sure he knows how serious the matter is and how
high the stakes are.”

“What will you do in the meantime?”

“I will mobilize my own guards and spies. Hopefully
they will supply all necessary information so
Glorfindel can deal with Saruman’s beasts.” Elrond’s
hand settled on his shoulder and he probed the
half-Elf’s eyes. “I have seen enough slaughter to last
a life time. We will keep Imladris safe.”

Elrond heard the determination in Erestor’s tone and
nodded once. “I know I can count on you, mellon-nîn.” 

“We protect our own,” said Erestor grimly. 

“Aye, we do.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beta read by Lizzle, thanks!


Part 2
Danger


The pack of Orcs and Uruk-Hai appeared out of nowhere,
giving Glorfindel and his escort hardly a chance to
defend themselves. Glorfindel had drawn his sword and
was trying to take down as many of the foul creatures
as possible, but there were too many of the beasts.
One by one, Saruman’s creatures murdered the members
of his escort. Finally, he was closed in. Raising his
sword, he wondered if this would be the end… Again. 

But to his utter surprise the beasts remained at a
distance and their gazes were now aimed at the
Uruk-Hai who seemed to be their leader. A growl left
the fanged mouth and Glorfindel barely repressed the
shivers that traveled down his spine. Things didn’t
look good for him. 

The Uruk-Hai’s fangs flashed in the sunlight when he
nodded. “This is the one the master wants. I saw him
in the black stone… This is the Balrog Slayer.”

Glorfindel’s eyes narrowed. /The *master* wants me?/

“Saruman will be pleased to learn we achieved our
objective. Take him, but make sure he remains
unharmed. The master needs him in one piece.” The
Uruk-Hai sheathed his sword, grinning menacingly.

If the creature thought he would surrender without a
fight he was dead wrong. Glorfindel raised his sword,
ready to strike. Two Orcs charged and he deflected
their blows, but then he heard movement behind him and
he spun around to defend himself against another
attacker. The problem was that there were too many
Orcs attacking him at the same time and he was only
one against many. It was a matter of time before they
would take him prisoner. 

The air swooshed behind him and suddenly something
hard connected with the back of his skull. The impact
of the blow sent him reeling on his feet and his sword
slipped from his grasp, as he sank onto his knees.
Within seconds several Orcs had trapped his arms and
legs. His head was spinning and black spots danced in
front of his eyes. 

Due to his temporary weakness he barely managed to put
up a struggle when the Uruk-Hai tied him hand and
foot, using Elven rope to restrict his movements.
Feeling helpless was something he hated and he growled
angrily when the Uruk-Hai holstered him up to his feet
and then draped him over his shoulder. The sudden
movement made him nauseous and a splitting headache
was forming where he had been hit. 

“Let go of me!” His protest came out weak and he
closed his eyes, as this morning’s breakfast made a
return visit. 

The Uruk-Hai cursed and threw him unceremoniously onto
the ground where Glorfindel emptied his stomach. The
Orcs and the Uruk-Hai were laughing at his weakness
whilst he waited for the now dry heaves to stop. Once
his breathing was steady, he was picked up and draped
over a shoulder. It worried him that the Uruk-Hai
carried him with such apparent ease. He shuddered;
wondering what would happen if Saruman sent more of
these creatures into Imladris. 

“The master will truly be pleased,” mumbled the
Uruk-Hai. “Maybe I will be rewarded for capturing
you.”

Glorfindel’s shudders worsened, seeing the lustful and
predatory expression in the vicious eyes. 

“I surely know what I want as a reward.”

Glorfindel sucked in his breath when one of the
Uruk-Hai’s hands squeezed his buttocks through the
fabric of his leggings.

“Saruman wants you unharmed.” The Uruk-Hai laughed
unexpectedly, “but maybe I will find ways to enjoy you
anyway.”

The words caused goosebumps to form all over
Glorfindel’s body.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I am telling you, Elrohir, Erestor was actually
riding a horse! And by the looks of it, he is an
experienced rider. Now, who would have thought that?”

Elrohir shrugged his shoulders. “Elladan, stop talking
about Erestor. Ada expects us to join him for dinner.”

“But you can count on me watching Erestor more
closely.” Elladan had a strange sense of foreboding
that there was more to their former tutor than met the
eye. And if there was, he would find out!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Erestor wished dinner was already over. He felt
restless and couldn’t sit still, even if he tried.

Elrond noticed his friend’s unease and smiled
reassuringly. “Dinner won’t last long and your spies
are already at work. There is nothing you can do at
this moment.”

“I could be out there killing more of Saruman’s
creatures,” hissed Erestor, but then he settled down,
seeing the twins approach. He read growing suspicion
in Elladan’s eyes. He had been careless when arriving,
but he had been in a hurry to report to Elrond. Now he
had to restore the damage his sudden arrival had
caused.

The twins seated themselves opposite the two elder
Elves and Elladan’s eyes searched Erestor’s face for
clues. He noticed that the advisor’s eyes had a
slightly aggressive expression and he decided against
addressing his suspicion. Erestor had never made him
feel uncomfortable before, but there was something in
the dark eyes that warned him not to push the elder
Elf. 

Elrond sensed the tension between Elladan and Erestor
and tried to engage Elrohir in some small talk, but
even the youngest twin seemed troubled.

Suddenly a hard knock was heard and Lindir hurried
inside. The white-haired Elf’s expression was shocked
as he hurried toward their table. “My Lord Elrond,
something horrible has occurred. Please come with me
to the Healing House.”

“What happened?” Elrond immediately rose from his
chair and noticed that Erestor and his sons were
following suit. 

Lindir finally caught his breath. “One of Lord
Glorfindel’s men has returned. His wounds are severe
and the healers fear he might lose consciousness.”

Erestor tensed at hearing the blond’s name. Had
Glorfindel happened upon more Orcs and had the foul
creatures attacked the patrol? He exchanged a look
with Elrond, who seemed equally worried. He sighed,
relieved, when they finally reached the Healing House
and they followed Lindir to the room where the injured
guard was resting in. 

Elrond entered the room and immediately headed for the
bed. He would listen to the healers’ assessments
later. First he wanted to learn what had happened to
the patrol. He cautiously sat down on the edge of the
bed and made eye contact with the guard, who had been
struck in his chest and shoulder. “Who attacked you?”

The guard did his best to keep his gaze focused on
Elrond. “Orcs… Uruk-Hai… They appeared out of nowhere…
They outnumbered us… I was one of the last to fall… I
ended up behind a bush… and watched them… They took
out Lord Glorfindel and tied him down.”

Erestor’s hands became fists, hearing the distressing
news. “Where did it happen?”

“The south border…” whispered the guard, who was
clearly growing weaker. “The Uruk-Hai said… that
Saruman had sent them… to capture the Balrog Slayer…”
His eyes closed momentarily but then flashed open
again. “They are taking him… to Orthanc and I could
not stop them.”

“Rest now,” said Elrond, calmly, while signaling for
one of the healers to attend to their charge. “I will
make sure Glorfindel returns safely.” His words seemed
to reassure the guard, who relaxed when his eyes grew
vacant with sleep. Rising to his feet, Elrond made eye
contact with Erestor. “We need to talk.”

Erestor had no desire to *talk*. He wanted to leave
for Orthanc and make Saruman pay for abducting
Glorfindel.

Seeing the fury in his friend’s eyes, Elrond drew in a
deep breath. “Go. I will take care of Imladris’
defenses.” Keeping Erestor here against his will
wouldn’t work. It was best his friend left now when
the trail was still hot. 

Erestor nodded once and hurried out of the room. 

Elladan and Elrohir stared at their father in shock.
“Ada, what is happening and where is Erestor going?”

Elrond had always known that Erestor’s secrecy would
backfire one day. “Erestor will find Glorfindel and
bring him back.” He signaled for them to step into the
corridor with him. The guard needed rest and their
talking might disturb him. 

Elladan exploded the moment Elrond closed the door
behind him. “Ada! You cannot send Erestor after
Glorfindel! He cannot even wield a sword! Let Elrohir
and I go! We can free Glorfindel!”

Elrond gave them a long, hard look and then sighed.
“If anyone can free Glorfindel it is Erestor.”

“Ada, I must agree with Elladan,” said Elrohir,
softly. “It is madness to send Erestor on this
mission. He does not possess the necessary skills to
free Glorfindel.” Puzzled, he wondered about the
thoughtful look his father gave him. “You cannot want
to endanger Erestor in that way.”

“Follow me to my study,” said Elrond, signaling for
them to follow.

“We are wasting precious time!” Elladan didn’t agree
with his father. “Elrohir and I should be leaving
*now*!”

“My study -- now,” decreed Elrond in a clipped tone. 

The twins recognized that tone; their father was
serious and wouldn’t be denied. “We will follow,” said
Elrohir in the end, silencing Elladan with a glare
when his older brother wanted to protest again. 

Once they were on their way to Elrond’s study, Elrohir
grabbed Elladan’s arm and whispered, “We will humor
Ada and listen to him. Then, after he dismisses us, we
will leave and track down Glorfindel.”

Elladan realized it was their best option. He nodded
his agreement and hoped their father would dismiss
them quickly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Erestor opened the chest, made from ancient oak, and
sighed deeply, staring at the clothes and weapons that
lay inside. When Elrond and he had chosen this place
to build Imladris he had vowed to never use these
weapons again, but now that Glorfindel was in danger
he no longer had any choice.

Shedding his heavy, formal robes, he stepped into the
dark-blue leggings. Next was the black shirt and Elven
cloak, also made from black material. Sitting down in
front of the mirror, he braided his hair, something he
hadn’t done in centuries. He couldn’t afford missing
an opponent because a lock of hair obscured his view. 

He uncovered a pair of soft, leather boots and stepped
into them. Girding on his sword, he pulled it from the
scabbard. The weight in his hand was familiar and
comfortable. After sheathing it again, he strapped on
the black leather harness that held his long hunting
knives. Bow, and a quiver filled with black arrows,
completed his outfit. Never knowing when he might need
the outfit and weaponry again, he had kept everything
in prime condition. 

Feeling melancholy, he stared at his reflection in the
mirror. It had been centuries since he had last worn
these clothes and had used these weapons, and yet it
felt like it had only been yesterday. Grabbing the
saddlebags, he added a spare shirt, leggings and a
blanket. There was no way of knowing what state
Glorfindel would be in upon finding the blond and he
liked to be prepared.

He left his rooms and stopped in the kitchens to stock
up on water, miruvor and lembas. Fully set for
departure, he headed for the stable where his horse
was waiting for him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elladan took up position near the window, closely
watching the courtyard where several patrols were
being dispatched. “Ada, what is it you want to tell
us?” He wanted to get this over with so they could
join the search parties.

“I do not want you to venture into Orthanc. I need you
here.” Elrond sat down behind his desk, realizing it
would take a lot of convincing to make sure the twins
stayed in Imladris.

“Respectfully, Ada,” started Elrohir, who looked
deeply into his father’s eyes, “We care about
Glorfindel and we want to help.”

“You will help me best by staying here and organizing
the patrols and search parties.” Especially now when
he couldn’t count on Erestor’s counsel.

Elladan gasped, seeing Erestor, clad in dark clothes,
emerge from the kitchens. The dark-haired Elf was
heading for the stables and the older twin couldn’t
believe his eyes, realizing Erestor was armed to the
teeth. “Elrohir? Come quickly!”

Hearing the urgent tone in Elladan’s voice, Elrohir
immediately joined his brother and followed the
direction of his twin’s stare. His eyes widened as
well, seeing Erestor mount a black stallion and then
take off like the wind. Part of him had a hard time
believing what he had just seen and moving as one,
they turned to face their father. 

“Ada?” Elrohir gave Elrond an inquisitive look.
“Erestor is armed and his hair is braided like that of
a warrior’s.” Looking over his shoulder, he caught one
last glance of the quickly fading dark figure. “And
the way he is riding that horse… It is like Sauron
himself is breathing down his neck.”

Elrond realized he couldn’t keep the truth from his
sons any longer. “Erestor is not what he seems.”

His curiosity piqued, Elladan arched an eyebrow. “In
what way?”

“He is more than a scholar and advisor. At the Battle
of the Last Alliance he fought behind enemy lines,
gathering information and guiding our steps.
Originally Erestor was trained as a spy and…”

“And what?” Elrohir frowned, growing concerned at his
father’s tone.

“When the threat the Orcs presented first registered,
our forefathers selected certain Elves to train as
spies and assassins.” 

“Are you telling us Erestor is one of them?” Elladan
shook his head. He had a hard time believing that, but
he had seen Erestor leave, fully armed. 

“At the Battle of the Last Alliance he worked for the
High King and Gil-Galad trusted Erestor completely.”
Elrond was growing more uncomfortable with every
passing moment.

“Why was this kept from us?” asked Elrohir, puzzled.
He couldn’t think of a reason why Erestor wouldn’t
want them to know. 

“Erestor decided to change his ways after Sauron was
defeated. He had his reasons to bury this part of his
past, believe me.” Elrond decided not to discuss
Erestor’s personal loss. His friend was entitled to
some secrets. “He wanted to start anew and I gave him
that chance.”

“And he pretended to be a scholar,” said Elrohir,
slightly disappointed. “I feel like I do not know him.
I regret he did not confide in us when we were old
enough to understand.”

“Assuming you told us the truth, he could have taught
us things Glorfindel could not,” remarked Elladan. 

Elrond cleared his throat; he didn’t really want to
volunteer this information, but realized the twins
would find out eventually. “He did train Estel.”
Elladan glared at him. “You must understand. Estel is
destined for great things and needed these skills.”

“So that is why Erestor and Estel always disappeared
whilst Glorfindel was busy training us? I wondered
about that at the time,” whispered Elrohir. He still
regretted the fact that Erestor had kept them in the
dark. “But now I understand why you send Erestor to
free Glorfindel. It does seem like he is the best
choice.” He ignored the dirty look Elladan gave him. 

“Can we go now, Ada? I am sure they need help
organizing the search parties and patrols.” Elladan
was careful not to mention that he planned to follow
Erestor. He still didn’t really believe their former
tutor could hold his own against an Orc. 

Elrond nodded once; trusting he had convinced his sons
to stay in Imladris and help him. “Aye, you may go
now.” He watched them leave and when he was alone, he
finally acknowledged the queasy sensation in the pit
of his stomach. He was worried about Glorfindel and
hoped Erestor would get to the blond in time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Glorfindel felt bruised, after having been draped
across the creature’s shoulder for hours. The Orcs and
Uruk-Hai had run relentlessly, seldom pausing and the
distance between him and Imladris was quickly growing.
He was still sick to his stomach because his head
wouldn’t stop hurting and he was afraid things would
even get worse. 

Somehow he had to think of a way to escape and find
his way back to Imladris. The Uruk-Hai had hinted
Saruman wanted him in Orthanc and he shivered,
wondering about the Istar’s plans for him. They
probably entailed a lot of pain. 

“We will rest now!” screamed the Uruk-Hai and the pack
came to a standstill, dropping onto the grass to catch
their breath. Directing his pack, the Uruk-Hai told
some of them to hunt so they could eat later on.

Glorfindel, still hanging helplessly in the creature’s
grasp, was suddenly dropped onto the ground, hard. He
repressed the pain-filled groan that almost escaped
him. Still bound tightly, he could only watch, as the
Uruk-Hai sat on his heels, unexpectedly running a
clawed hand through his hair. Jerking hard at the
roots, the Uruk-Hai forced him to lift his head and
look at him. 

To his dismay, he found that he was quite some feet
away from the rest of the pack, and hidden behind a
rock. The lustful glance the creature directed at him
made him shiver, but he maintained eye contact,
refusing to back down. 

“I inhaled your scent the entire time and it drives me
crazy,” panted the Uruk-Hai, his eyes simmering with
lust. “And you *will* serve me.”

Glorfindel’s jaw was set firmly, as he shook his head.
“Never.” He spat at the beast, knowing he was making
things worse for himself, but he wouldn’t give in
without a fight. 

“You will pay for that, Elf,” hissed the Uruk-Hai,
wiping the spit from his face. “I can think of a much
better way for you to use that impertinent mouth.”

Glorfindel flinched in spite of his bravado. Tied down
like this he was defenseless and the beast could do
whatever he wanted. Rough hands buried themselves in
his hair, pulling him close. His eyes filled with
pain, but his lips remained a narrow line. 

“Open up, or I will make you.” 

Another sudden jerk ripped some hair roots from his
skin and droplets of blood flowed down his brow and
onto his cheeks. One of the hands left his hair and
fingertips pried his mouth open. Anger blazed inside
him. “I will bite it off.”

The Uruk-Hai burst out laughing. “Do that and I will
make your kin pay.”

Glorfindel grew motionless. His kin?

“You are not the only Elf we caught. Resist me and the
others will pay.”

Glorfindel suddenly didn’t feel that confident any
more. He didn’t care what hurts they inflicted on him,
but he refused to cause someone else’s pain. 

“Ah, I thought that would change your mind.” The
Uruk-Hai laughed, amused. “Now open up, Elf.”

Glorfindel still refused, but cruel fingers pried his
lips apart and pushed inside. Shallow pain washed
through his jaw, as the pressure increased and he
unwillingly opened his mouth. 

That was just what the Uruk-Hai had waited for. Within
seconds he pushed forward, rubbing the head of his
erect cock against the Elf’s lips.

Glorfindel nearly retched at the stench and his eyes
widened when the hard flesh was pushed into his mouth.
The beast’s hands regained a tight hold on his head
and actually moved him in the desired rhythm. Gagging
on the sensation, Glorfindel’s stomach contracted with
nausea. 

Thankfully it only took the Uruk-Hai a few moments, -a
few deep thrusts-, to reach orgasm. But Glorfindel
hadn’t realized what would follow that. A bitter,
biting essence crawled down his throat and he was
suddenly released, thrown onto the grass, where he
instantly began to throw up as his body rejected the
foul seed. Glaring at the Uruk-Hai, he vowed to take
revenge one day. No one used him in that way! But the
creature just laughed. 

“You will get used to it,” said the Uruk-Hai. “Stay
here. If I catch you trying to escape, the others will
pay.” The Elf didn’t need to know there weren’t any
others. 

Tears of fury escaped Glorfindel’s eyes when the
creature joined the pack, finally leaving him alone.
“You will pay for this…” But right now, he was utterly
helpless.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“We should make camp for the night,” said Elladan,
frustrated that their horses needed to rest. “We
cannot read the tracks when there is no moon.” They
would make speed tomorrow and hopefully catch up with
Erestor. It was the strangest thing; they had found
the tracks the Orcs and Uruk-Hai had left behind and
they were following those, but there was no sign
indicating that Erestor had passed by on his horse.
There were no extra tracks. “I think Erestor never
found their tracks.”

But Elrohir wasn’t so sure of that. “Maybe Erestor
knows of a way to hide his tracks? If what Ada told us
is true, he might be able to do that.”

“Do you think we can risk a fire?” Elladan had built
an improvised shelter for the night, consisting of
branches and leaves, just in case it would start to
rain. 

“We are still within Imladris’ borders,” said Elrohir,
thoughtfully. “Go ahead.” 

Elladan started the fire and they sat close to
another, sharing a warm blanket. “I still cannot
believe the things Ada told us… About Erestor, I
mean.”

Elrohir handed his brother some lembas and they
munched on the waybread. They drank some water and
then retreated beneath the shelter. “I am not sure I
can sleep tonight.” 

Elladan wrapped his arms around his younger brother
and held him close. “We will find Glorfindel and take
him back.” He chuckled softly. “And maybe we will have
to rescue Erestor as well.”

“I feel tired, but…” Elrohir buried his face in
Elladan’s dark hair. 

“Try to sleep. I will keep watch, but we should be
safe here.” Elladan tucked the blanket around their
forms and watched his brother’s eyes close. For
someone who proclaimed he wasn’t able to sleep,
Elrohir fell asleep amazingly quickly. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Erestor, sitting on his hunches, stared at the twins
in disbelief. What were they doing here? Didn’t they
know how dangerous these woods were with Orcs close?
/Glorfindel taught you better than that./ But he
imagined the twins were concerned for their former
tutor’s well-being and weren’t thinking rationally.
/Not thinking your actions through can get you
killed./ It was time the twins learned a lesson they
would never forget.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Holding his sleeping brother, Elladan allowed himself
to doze off a little, confident that he would pick up
on any sounds that were not made by the night.
Suddenly his air supply was cut off by something
digging into his throat. His hands flew up and
encountered a rope around his neck. While pulling at
it he managed to suck a breath into his lungs, but
otherwise the rope wouldn’t budge. 

Elrohir awoke as his brother made some abrupt
movements. He then sensed something sharp and cold
moving down his throat. The sensation caused
gooseflesh over his body and his eyes opened,
startled. A dark form hunched close to them, hood
drawn over his face, obscuring their attacker’s
features. A slight glance toward his brother showed
that Elladan was grasping something around his throat
and looking panicked at the stranger.

Growing angry with himself, Elrohir remained
motionless. The sharp blade was too close to his
throat to make him feel cocky. They had been caught
off-guard like inexperienced Elflings. What had they
been thinking? One of them should have stood watch
outside the shelter whilst the other slept. But they
had needed the comfort, the closeness, and had thrown
caution to the wind.

Elladan considered reaching for his dagger, but the
stranger’s blade showed clearly against his brother’s
throat and he stopped his action. “What-t… do you
w-want?” Even if there was only a small chance to talk
his way out of this, he would, but the rope around his
throat was making it hard for him to speak.  

“You are much too careless. Go home.”

Elrohir frowned as the knife moved against his throat;
that voice sounded awfully familiar.

“You will get yourself killed, pen-neth.”

“Erestor!” Instantly, the blade was removed from his
throat and Elrohir sat upright staring at the dark
form, which now cut the rope at Elladan’s throat.
Elrohir reached out to soothe Elladan, who was now
struggling for breath and massaging his throat.

Erestor pushed back his hood and revealed himself to
the twins. “Seriously, Glorfindel would not be pleased
to learn I crept up on you so easily.”

Elladan swallowed hard. “Erestor? Why did you do
that?” He didn’t want to admit it aloud, but the elder
Elf had scared him. He hadn’t so much been worried for
himself as for Elrohir. He would never have forgiven
himself if someone had killed his brother. And Erestor
was right; they should know better. “Is that really
you?”

Erestor sat cross-legged, put the dagger away and
wondered about them. “Elrond must have told you to
stay in Imladris.”

“He did,” replied Elrohir, studying his former mentor.
“But he also told us about you.”

“He shouldn’t have,” sighed Erestor, “but I assume he
felt it was necessary.”

“Were you really trained as a spy and an assassin?”
Elladan now sat up fully as well. He was still angry
with himself for letting Erestor sneak up on them like
that. 

“I was,” said Erestor calmly. “But I cannot discuss
this with you. I am wasting precious time talking to
you. I need to catch up with the Orcs that took
Glorfindel.”

The twins nodded simultaneously. “But Erestor,”
started Elladan, “won’t you let us come along? You
might need help.”

“No, pen-neth. I refuse to endanger you like that. I
stand a far better chance at helping Glorfindel when I
can operate alone. I want you to go home. Elrond will
need you.” Erestor got to his feet and looked at the
two half-Elves. “Don’t continue to follow me or I
might be forced to make sure you return to Imladris
and you will not like that.”

Elrohir saw Erestor’s clenched fists and realized the
elder Elf was desperate to leave and take up pursuit.
“Is it Glorfindel?”

Erestor frowned momentarily and considered pretending
he didn’t understand why Elrohir had asked him that.
But in the end, he decided differently. “Aye, it is.”

Elrohir ignored his brother’s confused look. His eyes
softened, realizing what Erestor had also kept a
secret. “You love him.”

Now Elladan’s curiosity was piqued. Decades ago they
had discovered about their father’s ‘nightly’
activities, which often required his seneschal’s
presence in his bed and they had kept quiet, figuring
it was a private matter that only concerned Elrond and
Glorfindel. But their father had never hinted at any
love between them. And now Erestor loved Glorfindel?
“Does Ada know?”

Erestor nodded once. “But, pen-neth, I do not have the
time to talk about this now.”

Finally Erestor’s abrupt departure made sense to the
twins. Elrohir rested a hand on his brother’s arm and
said, “We should not keep him.”

“But we can help!” protested Elladan. “You might face
a large pack of Orcs and—“ But Erestor silenced him. 

“I have my ways to deal with them. I know that you may
find this hard to believe, but I work best alone.” He
hoped they understood. He didn’t want them to see how
cold-hearted he could be if the situation called for
it. They had always seen him as a warm and caring soul
and he didn’t want that to change. “Elrohir…”

Elrohir smiled, reassuringly, reading the worry in
Erestor’s dark eyes. “Gwador?”

“I never lied to you when I said I loved you and your
brother. If I’d had children of my own, I would have
liked them to be like you.” He had never felt this
insecure before; he really didn’t want the twins to
think he had deceived them completely.

Strangely enough, it was Elladan, who replied instead
of Elrohir. “We do not question your affection for us.
We just feel saddened that you hid this part of your
personality.” 

Elrohir nodded firmly. “Why did you hide it?”

“That is something I do not wish to discuss.” Seeing
Elrohir’s crestfallen expression, Erestor carefully
hugged the younger twin. “Promise me you will return
to your father. Elrond should not have to worry about
the two of you with Glorfindel missing.”

“We promise,” whispered Elrohir. When the elder Elf
finally pulled back, Elrohir wasn’t ready yet to let
go, but Elladan’s arms settled around his waist, and
the comfort which he found in that contact, convinced
him it was okay to let go. “Be careful, Erestor. We do
not want to lose you.”

“I will bring back Glorfindel,” vowed Erestor,
passionately. 

Elrohir and Elladan exchanged a glance when Erestor
suddenly moved and disappeared between the trees.
Elladan’s arms remained tightly wrapped around his
waist and Elrohir sighed, deeply. “I hope Erestor will
succeed. I do not want to lose them.”

Elladan nodded his head once. “Maybe we should just
put our trust in him like Ada did.”

“Aye, but it is strange,” said Elrohir, thoughtfully.
“To me, Erestor always was a scholar, our teacher, and
not a trained assassin.”

“I know how you feel, Elrohir. I need time to accept
this revelation as well.” Elladan turned toward their
shelter. “I will take first watch. No one will sneak
up on us again.” He had learned his lesson. 

TBC
Beta read by Lizzle, thanks!


____________Warning! Rape!__________________


Part 3
Pain


Elrond stood on the balcony, watching out over the
courtyard and immediately noticing the return of his
sons. Both looked emotionally drained and
disappointed. He could only think of one reason why
his sons had returned; Erestor. What had his friend
done in order to make them come back?

He left his study and stepped into the courtyard. His
sons had dismounted and now walked toward him. “You
went against my wishes,” he said, sternly. But in
reality he was rather relieved to know them safe in
Imladris. He had grown worried when Lindir had
reported the twins’ departure. 

“We are sorry,” said Elladan, regretfully. His stare
was directed at the ground, unable to meet his
father’s eyes just yet. 

“What did Erestor do?” Elrond knew he had guessed
right when he saw Elladan’s startled expression. “He
scared you, did he not?”

“He sneaked up on us,” admitted Elrohir, “We were
careless and deserved to be taught that lesson. We
went to sleep.”

Elrond sighed. “That is exactly the reason why I do
not want you to go to Orthanc. You are excellent
warriors, but you are too inexperienced to venture
into the lion’s den. Let Erestor do this.”

“He really scared me,” confessed Elrohir in a heavy
tone. “I woke up with a blade pressed against my
throat.” 

Elrond couldn’t help but smile. “Oh, do not feel too
bad. He did the same thing to me once.” 

Elladan frowned. “Just how old is Erestor? I always
assumed he was younger than you.”  

“Erestor is about eight thousand years old, Elrohir.
There is a good reason why he is my chief advisor.”
Elrond signaled for his sons to follow him back to his
study. 

Elrohir and Elladan exchanged a glance. There was
something they wanted to discuss with their father.
After seating themselves opposite the ancient desk,
Elrohir addressed Elrond. “Ada, I want to ask you a
question of a delicate nature.”

Elrond raised an eyebrow, wondering what was on his
son’s mind. 

“Glorfindel and you…” said Elladan, taking over. The
exact same thing had been on his mind as well. 

Sighing, frustrated that this had to come up *now*,
Elrond nodded for his sons to continue.

“Do you love him?” asked Elrohir; knowing
instinctively what Elladan wanted to say.

“Love,” said Elrond, thoughtfully, “Nay, I care for
him, but our friendship never deepened into love.”
Suddenly he realized where this was going. “You found
out that Erestor loves Glorfindel.”

The twins nodded once and then Elladan continued, “We
also know Glorfindel occasionally shares your bed.” He
felt somewhat amused, seeing the blush on their
father’s face. “Ada, we do not understand. If Erestor
loves Glorfindel, then why is he in *your* bed?”

Elrond cleared his throat and briefly considered
telling them that this was personal and that he had no
desire to discuss this, but then reconsidered. “When
Glorfindel arrived in Imladris, I had no idea Erestor
felt attracted to him. Erestor is very good at hiding
his feelings. He only lets you see what he wants you
to see.” 

The twins now realized that as well. “What happened?”
asked Elrohir, curiously.

“Glorfindel came to my rooms one night and admitted
that he felt attracted to me. I was lonely,” he
offered apologetically, “and accepted what he offered.
I told him there was no love on my part, but his
nightly visits continued. In the end, I confessed I
found some comfort in his touch and we continued to
see each other that way. 

Then, one day, I caught the smoldering expression in
Erestor’s eyes when he was looking at Glorfindel and I
suddenly realized I had missed something very
important. I questioned Erestor about his feelings for
Glorfindel, but he was quite stubborn. He knew about
Glorfindel and me, and refused to admit his feelings
to Glorfindel. I even broke things off once with
Glorfindel to give Erestor his chance, but nothing
happened. When Glorfindel sought me out again, I was
unable to dismiss him.”

Elladan felt saddened; it was a tangled web indeed.
“What will happen now?”

“Now?” Elrond inclined his head. “We will wait for
Erestor and Glorfindel to return to us.”

“You are very confident that Erestor will succeed,”
observed Elladan. 

Elrond’s tone was remarkably gentle when he said,
“Elladan, Erestor loves Glorfindel. He won’t give up
until he has found him.”

Elrohir reached out and placed a hand on his brother’s
arm. “Ada knows best.”

“I just hope we did not make a mistake in letting
Erestor continue alone. He is only one Elf against
many.”

Elrond nodded once, hearing Elladan’s words, but then
said, “But he is one Elf I would not like to face in
battle.”

The three of them grew quiet, hoping Erestor was
gaining on the Orcs and their prisoner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Keep up with the pace or I will carry you the rest of
the way,” said the Uruk-Hai, displeased that their
prisoner was slowing them down. “Forget about someone
coming to your rescue. No one would dare to attack my
pack.”

Glorfindel hated to admit it, but the creature was
right. The sight of nearly twenty Orcs and several
Uruk-Hai would change anyone’s mind who wanted to help
him. 

The pack had set a grueling pace and normally he would
be able to keep up, but not with this terrible
headache that continued to make him feel nauseous. And
then there was this bitter taste in his mouth. The
Uruk-Hai had given him a few sips of stale water, but
that had done little to rid him of the creature’s
taste. 

His hands were tied behind his back and the other end
of the Elven rope was in the Uruk-Hai’s hand. The
creature never left him out of his sight and so far
he’d had no chance at escape. 

In the distance, the dark tower of Orthanc had
appeared and chills of foreboding shook his frame. He
had no idea what Saruman wanted from him, and he
feared he might never return to Imladris now that the
Wizard’s creatures had gotten their hands on him. 

“Don’t stall, Elf…” The Uruk-Hai was growing
frustrated with his uncooperative charge now that the
Elf didn’t move.

Glorfindel mentally shook himself and was about to
obey and start running when a strong hand roughly
grabbed his hair. The headache instantly increased and
his eyes nearly bulged from their sockets when the
beast slung him over his shoulder. “I can walk! I will
run!”

“Too late.”

Dismayed and shaking, Glorfindel bit his bottom lip
when the Uruk-Hai’s hand settled on his backside
again, rubbing through the fabric of his leggings. He
realized he was extremely fortunate that the creature
held himself in check, but something in the beast’s
yellow eyes told him that the Uruk-Hai counted on
having his way with him in the end.

The pack picked up speed again and Glorfindel tried to
hold on as best as he could, draped over the
Uruk-Hai’s shoulder. In a few hours, they would arrive
in Orthanc. He shivered at the thought of having to
face Saruman, knowing instinctively that the Istar had
had him abducted for a reason. /I do not want to find
out what that reason is!/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hours later, Glorfindel had abandoned hope. The pack
now entered the dark tower and the Uruk-Hai carried
him up the stairs, probably eager to deliver him to
Saruman’s doorstep. 

Bruises had formed on his skin from being hauled about
in this manner and he breathed a sigh of relief when
the beast finally dropped him to the floor. 

Looking about, he quickly scanned the room with his
eyes. Dried herbs hung from the ceiling and a stone
altar stood in the center of the room, made from black
marble. Candles had been placed around it and the mere
sight of it made him shiver. 

“Strip.”

The Uruk-Hai’s command took him aback, but the order
was hardly a surprise. He had expected something like
this all along. Suddenly the beast moved forward, cut
the rope around his wrists and leered lustfully. 

“I said, strip.”

“No…” Glorfindel pressed himself against the wall,
kneeling on the cold floor.

The Uruk-Hai grinned, obviously pleased. “Even better.
Now I get to make you.” He raised his dagger and
advanced on the trembling Elf.

“Wait!” Glorfindel raised his hands defensively in
front of him, realizing it was a bad idea to challenge
the creature. “I will obey.” He had to remain
relatively uninjured if he wanted to escape and the
beast’s eyes told him he was eager to inflict pain. 

The Uruk-Hai stopped in his tracks, leaned against the
wall, and grinned. “Strip.” 

Glorfindel shakily got to his feet, wishing his head
would stop spinning. Slowly, -stalling-, he first
removed his boots and socks. He made it a point to
ignore the Uruk-Hai when he removed his cloak and
shirt. Gooseflesh had formed over his body and he
shivered fiercely, as he stepped out of his leggings.
Standing naked in front of the beast, his hands
involuntarily went down to cover up his private parts.


His breath caught, seeing the beast approach. The
Uruk-Hai lifted his hand and teased his nipples, which
had grown hard due to the chill in the room. He
squirmed away, but the creature reacted at once by
curling his fingers around his throat. Violent shivers
coursed through his body when the Uruk-Hai ground his
groin against his hip. The creature was hard and he
tried to get away from the beast. But the grip on his
throat tightened and suddenly he was lifted and then
slammed onto the altar. The cold marble beneath his
back froze his skin and he panted hard, trying to
remain conscious, as the Uruk-Hai continued to choke
him. 

Slowly, darkness rose around him and his eyes closed.
A moment later a vile fragrance invaded his nostrils.
He managed to half-open his eyes and found that a
grayish-black smoke twirled around him, laying itself
over his body like a blanket. 

It was becoming harder to think rationally and he felt
adrift on the sedative smoke that seeped into his
pores. In the background he heard the spidery language
of Mordor, spoken at a demanding tone. He didn’t need
to see Saruman to know the Istar was casting a spell
on him. The murmuring lasted a few more moments, and
then stopped unexpectedly. 

“Take him to my room.”

/Saruman’s voice,/ realized Glorfindel, feeling
strangely detached. 

“And tie him to my bed. I do not want him to ‘wander
off’.”

The Uruk-Hai’s growl told Glorfindel that the beast
would carry out the Wizard’s orders and suddenly he
was draped across a very familiar shoulder. His
insides rebelled, but there was nothing in his stomach
to throw up and the Uruk-Hai continued, carrying him
through a long, dark corridor.

Something soft and warm suddenly rose to meet him and
he vaguely realized he had been lain down on a bed.
His hands and feet were pulled toward the bed posts
and tied tightly. 

“My time will come, Elf…” hissed the Uruk-Hai, before
leaving the room.

At first Glorfindel listlessly stared at the ceiling,
but he then managed to slightly lift his head to look
about. He was in Saruman’s bedroom all right, tied to
the Wizard’s bed. Naked and feeling incredibly weak,
he shivered and waited for the Istar to make his
appearance. In his heart he knew what would happen and
he hoped Mandos would allow him entrance to the Great
Halls after his body had been violated. This could
only result in his death.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saruman entered his rooms slowly, and indulged
himself, letting his gaze travel down the blond’s
naked body. He thoroughly enjoyed seeing the panicked
expression in the Balrog Slayer’s eyes. Glorfindel was
doing his best to appear courageous, but was unable to
pull it off. 

Glorfindel shivered over his entire body, hearing the
soft footfalls. He was naked and helpless, tied to the
bedposts and Saruman could do whatever he wanted.
/Please, Elbereth, give me strength./

Saruman came to a stand still next to the bed and
placed a cold hand on Glorfindel’s chest. Savoring the
feel of the Elf’s smooth skin, he ran a sharp
fingernail down the hairless chest, teasing a hardened
nipple on his way down to the blond’s groin area. “You
are perfect. Your courage and your extraordinary
skills are just what my fighting Uruk-Hai need. You
will start a new race of them, stronger, more enduring
and way more cunning. But before letting them have
you, *I* will enjoy your body.”

Glorfindel’s shivers turned into violent tremors, as
the Istar’s hand settled near his lax member. He had
long realized what the Wizard planned to do to him,
but part of him still couldn’t believe Saruman would
follow through. He had respected Saruman the White for
millennia. How was it possible that the Istar had
degraded into something this evil? 

“A… new… race?” Glorfindel hated the shaky tone to his
voice, but he had to know what Saruman’s plans were.
The Istar couldn’t be serious! He shivered as a sharp
fingernail settled against the perineum and then
traveled down, scraping along his cleft until the
fingertip settled against his  opening. “No… do not do
this.” He gasped when a sharp fingernail pressed
inside.

“Oh, but I will. Glorfindel, you do not realize it
yet, but you will help me win this war and defeat
Sauron. Your offspring, which will carry Uruk-Hai
traits, will help me gain victory.”

Glorfindel continued to shudder, as Saruman’s finger
probed deeper inside his passage. It hurt. “You lost
your… mind,” whispered Glorfindel, trying to bite down
the pain that now radiated from his lower body. “I
won’t be… part of this!” He struggled against the
bonds, but stopped when Saruman’s nail tore his
insides. 

“But you have no choice in the matter, my dear Elda.
You are wide open for my… ministrations.” Saruman
laughed, amused, and cruelly scraped his fingernail
against the blond’s soft flesh before pulling out.

Glorfindel’s eyes widened at the pain and humiliation.
“You are… insane.”

“Insane? You are quick to judge. No, I am brilliant.
My magic will ensure you conceive and you will give
birth to a new breed of Uruk-Hai, which Orthanc will
nurture and multiply.”

Bound spreadeagled on the bed, Glorfindel pulled at
his bonds again, slowly realizing just how hopeless
his situation was. At least Saruman was now walking
away from the bed, giving him a moment to recompose
himself.

“I would enjoy you more if I had the luxury of making
you submit to me, but I am running out of time. Sauron
already directs his gaze to Orthanc, suspecting I
might betray him. But I cannot refuse someone like
you… I must have you before my Uruk-Hai do!” Saruman
licked his lips.

Glorfindel wanted to look away, but found that an
invisible source rendered him motionless. Staring
blindly, he subjected to Saruman devouring him with
his eyes. Suddenly the bounds snapped and his eyes
widened, taking heart, but when he tried to move, he
felt paralyzed. He was completely immobile!

Feeling detached from his body, he watched Saruman sit
down on a chair. His body now moved against his will,
as he rose to his feet and walked toward the Wizard.
Inwardly he screamed, but his body refused to obey and
he now came to a halt in front of the Istar. 

Saruman’s eyes smoldered with lust as his fingers
moved against the armrest, directing Glorfindel as if
he were a mere puppet. With his other hand, the Wizard
freed himself from the confines of his robes. 

Anger rose in Glorfindel when he crawled onto
Saruman’s lap, positioning himself above the long,
thin shaft. /No. I do not want this!/ But his body
still didn’t obey and he was suddenly breached, as
hard flesh invaded his unprepared and already hurting
passage. Groans of pain tumbled from his lips, as his
body raised itself, only to impale him on the Wizard’s
erection again. 

The agony that ripped through his body was almost too
much to bear and Glorfindel wished it was enough to
make him lose consciousness, but Saruman’s power kept
him awake. Endless waves of pain moved through him and
he couldn’t hold back a choked whimper when a hot,
burning essence filled him, making his skin crawl.

Panting softly, Saruman looked absolutely ecstatic. “I
would almost think you were a virgin. You are tight…
but then again, I know Elrond Half-Elven enjoys taking
you as well. Now I understand why he is so fond of
you.”

Saruman’s icy words burned his very soul. How dared
the Wizard insult Elrond like that! “Elrond… never…
raped… me,” he hissed between clenched teeth.
Saruman’s now sated sex slipped from his body and
Glorfindel stared at the Istar in pure hate. It was
easier to hate than to show the pain and humiliation
that threatened to overwhelm him.

“Ah, but you might learn to like it.” Saruman used his
powers to lift the trembling Elf from his lap and then
dropped Glorfindel unceremoniously to the floor, which
caused the blond to yelp in pain, but Saruman ignored
it. “I hope that put you in your place… If not, my
Uruk-Hai will.”

Glorfindel stared defiantly at the Wizard through a
red haze of pain. “You sentenced me to death… Mandos
will claim my soul before your foul plan can come into
action… I will never give birth to your despicable
race!”

Saruman slowly shook his head. “Your body will find
pleasure in this act the next time you are subjected
to it. How can it be rape then? Besides, my power will
keep your spirit from fading away. I also doubt Mandos
has a personal interest in you. He will hardly
challenge me to get to your battered soul.” 

Glorfindel stared at the Istar in pained disbelief.
“How can you be that cruel?” 

“You are nothing to me but a vessel to carry my new
breed of Uruk-Hai.”

Biting down the pain that had settled in his lower
body, Glorfindel managed to crawl closer to the wall
and then glared at Saruman. “I will fight you until my
last breath.”

“I know you will,” purred Saruman, “It is the very
reason I chose you. You defeated a Balrog… Your
offspring will be strong.” His eyes gleamed with an
insane glow, letting his gaze linger on the Elf’s
naked form. But then his gaze shifted to the doorway.
It was time for the second part of his plan to be
carried out.

Tensing, Glorfindel watched the door to Saruman’s
right open. His nemesis, the Uruk-Hai, entered, naked,
and clearly aroused at seeing him crouch on the floor.
He decided to fight and inflict as much pain and
injuries as he could on the Uruk-Hai who stared
predatorily at him. Saruman laughed, amused, when the
creature entered the room. 

With his back against the wall, Glorfindel was already
cornered, but he still had some strength left to fight
the foul creature. Long fangs glimmered in the candle
light and the corners of the monster’s mouth twitched
in eager anticipation. Glorfindel’s hands turned into
fists, ready to defend himself. He would rather die
than give in without a fight! No one abused his body
in that way!

He felt humiliated when the Uruk-Hai’s eyes devoured
his naked body. /It is a matter of time. Mandos will
have pity on me and call me to him. I won’t dwell on
Arda much longer./ He doubted Saruman’s spell was
strong enough to keep him here. Being raped once was
bad enough, but now he faced an Uruk-Hai who delighted
in making him scream in pain. 

Grinning wickedly, Saruman closed the door behind him.
He would have loved to witness the Elf’s utter
humiliation, but he had more important things to do.
Sauron needed to be contacted and more Uruk-Hai would
be born from the earth under his guidance. And soon --
very soon -- his creatures would be even more powerful
due to Glorfindel’s legacy. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ah, still beautiful in your pain and anger,” growled
the Uruk-Hai, closing in on the blond Elf. “But that
beauty won’t help you now…” 

Glorfindel swallowed hard, realizing the treatment he
had received at Saruman’s hands had been gentle,
compared to what the Uruk-Hai had in mind for him. He
couldn’t let the monster get to him! Why didn’t he
have any weapons to defend himself with and why did he
feel this weak? 

The Uruk-Hai laughed cruelly. “You will fight me,
won’t you, Elf? Good, that will make it even better!”

Glorfindel pushed himself back onto his feet, trying
to keep some distance between them. “Stay away from
me!” 

“Not a chance!” 

The Uruk-Hai suddenly charged, completely surprising
Glorfindel. Two strong hands were brutally wrapped
around his throat and his feet no longer touched the
floor. Reacting instinctively, he kicked at the
monster, trying to regain his freedom, but he had to
stop his struggle when he was slammed into the wall.
The breath was knocked out of him and he hung limply
in the creature’s grasp. 

The monster licked his lips and Glorfindel shuddered
violently. /I cannot let this happen again, but…/ The
Uruk-Hai’s hold was suffocating and he had to fight
for his next breath, though he wasn’t sure why he was
still fighting. He should simply give up and wait for
Mandos’ call – but what if it never came?

“Oh, I am going to enjoy you…” 

The Uruk-Hai’s tone sent ripples of loathing through
his body and Glorfindel found his strength again,
kicking once more to free himself. But this time the
creature wouldn’t allow it. One hand left his throat
and he felt encouraged, trying to wrestle free, but
that hand now gained a tight hold on his wrists,
capturing them above his head. Whimpering against his
will, he shivered, as a stabbing pain moved through
his shoulder.

The creature turned him around and pressed him face
forward into the wall, leaving him no space to
maneuver. The shivers became violent tremors, as he
realized what would happen next… What would happen
*again*! 

But he refused to beg for mercy! He was a warrior! One
of Imladris’ finest and he wouldn’t beg! Hard flesh
twitched against his already aching opening and when
the creature pushed inside, the air was forced from
his lungs, compelling him to release a keening wail,
filled with agony. 

Unexpectedly, the Uruk-Hai shoved him onto his knees
and Glorfindel had no other choice than to give in.
Fighting the creature while the monster was inside him
was a bad idea; he would end up even more hurt.
Pressed down onto the floor, the Uruk-Hai placed his
hands on his hips, piercing soft skin with his claws.

“Ah, Elf. Now you are not that cocky and proud any
more, are you?”

The taunting words hardly registered with Glorfindel,
as the beast’s thrusts grew more brutal. Biting deeply
into his arm, he tried to smother his yelps of pain,
not wanting the creature to know just how much he was
hurting. 

The hard and brutal thrusts shoved him over the floor,
bruising and scraping his skin in the process. Sharp
fangs buried themselves in his neck and loud growls
sounded in his ears. Waves of deep pain washed through
him, and he wished Mandos would finally free him of
this pain, but the call never came. Warm blood dripped
down his thighs. 

“I am going to fill you with my seed, pretty Elf, and
our offspring will serve the master. Our son will be
the first in a new race of Uruk-Hai. You should feel
honored, for contributing to his cause in this way!”

Glorfindel nearly choked, as a particularly vicious
and hard thrust damaged him deep inside. The beast
suddenly pulled hard at his golden mane, causing a
strangled whimper to flee his lips. Why couldn’t the
Uruk-Hai just finish and leave him alone? 

“Argh… now…”

As the monster released his tainted seed deep inside
him, Glorfindel failed to stop the tears that had
filled his eyes during these last few moments. /Please
let me die…/ 

Unexpectedly the Uruk-Hai pulled out, and Glorfindel
released an anguished scream. Lying on the floor,
naked and tainted, he tried to curl up into a tight
ball, but his lower body ached too much for him to
move. 

Callused fingers buried themselves in his hair and
forced him to look at the creature, which was sitting
on its heels and grinning at him. 

“Not that haughty any more, Elf? Breeding material;
that is all what you are now. You had better get used
to serve me in this way. The master said I could take
you as many times as I want to… As long as I make sure
you live…”

Glorfindel’s eyes widened when he was rolled onto his
back. Uncaring fingers curled around his lax member,
which began to respond, as the creature stroked him.
“No…” He cringed, hating himself for showing this
weakness. “Don’t do this…” The beast’s strokes aroused
him, coaxing him into hardness. No, this couldn’t be
happening! He couldn’t be responding! 

“The master says you cannot die when I make you come,
Elf. And the master does not want to lose you. You are
valuable to him. You will give birth to the first
Uruk-Hai that has fully developed Elven senses. Oh,
what an edge we will have on you puny creatures.”

Glorfindel didn’t want to feel like this, didn’t want
to be aroused, but a few moments later, he reached
orgasm, much to the beast’s amusement. Biting down his
shame and pain, he closed his eyes in an effort to
lock out the Uruk-Hai’s amused laughter. /Just leave
me alone!/

The creature rose from the floor and grinned
menacingly. “The master is very generous indeed to let
me have you…I told you I knew what I wanted as my
reward.” Cocking his head, he added, “And I chose
well.”

Glorfindel was able to deal with the degrading words,
but he flinched when the monster spat at him in
disgust. When would this humiliation finally end?

“You will still look pretty when your belly has
swollen with child,” chuckled the Uruk-Hai, as he
headed for the doorway. “I will continue to enjoy
taking you even then.”

/With child… Swollen with child… Elbereth no… I do not
want to give birth to a new breed of Uruk-Hai… Oh, I
beg you, Elbereth…. Mandos, have mercy on me and do
not let me bear this fate… Please call me to the Great
Halls.../

But no one answered his plea and he remained on the
floor, slowly curling up as he wrapped his arms around
his waist in an effort to make himself feel safe.

TBC

Beta read by Lizzle, thanks!


Part 4
Found!


Erestor stealthily moved through the long and dark
corridors under the black tower. Using these
passageways was dangerous, but as he was alone, he
felt confident that he could easily hide should he
happen upon Orcs or Uruk-Hai. Had the twins still been
with him, moving about would have proven more
difficult.

The corridor split, and he now had to decide what
direction to head in. He had never been here before
and didn’t have the luxury of a map, so he had to use
his senses instead. 

Each Elf possessed senses to detect evil, danger and
impending disaster, but his were just a little
stronger. It was one reason why he had been chosen to
be trained by the Elders. Hiding behind a velvet
curtain, he centered himself, casting forth his
spirit, searching for Glorfindel’s presence. What he
found startled him. 

/He is in pain. What did these foul creatures do to
him?/ Now that he had a general sense of direction, he
chose the corridor to his right and climbed the stairs
for many minutes. Finally, he came to a halt. Erestor
hid in the shadows, biding his time. 

Getting inside had been easy, but he doubted leaving
Orthanc would prove just as easy. After making sure
that the corridor was empty, he sneaked toward the
entrance and pressed down the door handle. He opened
the door and then quickly slipped inside, closing it
behind him.

The room was dark, only illuminated by the light of
the moon, and for some reason he shivered. It was a
bedroom; the bed was in wild disarray and he startled,
seeing the ropes tied to the bedposts. /Glorfindel,
what did they do to you?/ Looking about, he saw a
faint shimmer of flesh in a corner and a soft groan
flowed through the room.  

“Glorfindel?” 

Another whimper prompted Erestor into action. Within
seconds he had covered the distance between them and
knelt on the cold floor. “Glorfindel?” Cautiously, his
hands moved over the cold skin, rolling the blond onto
his other side so he could look at the Elda’s face.

The sight that greeted him made him feel sick to the
stomach. Blood clung to the golden mane and
Glorfindel’s face sported several dark bruises. His
bottom lip was split; droplets of blood still
possessively clung to the soft flesh. What worried him
most was that Glorfindel’s eyes were closed. 

“Glorfindel? Please open your eyes?” Erestor was
beginning to panic. Was Glorfindel shutting him out?
Or had the blond lost consciousness during his ordeal?

Not receiving an answer, Erestor’s hands continued to
move down the blond’s body in search of injuries. He
hissed angrily, encountering blood and semen on
Glorfindel’s buttocks and thighs. “No…”

Fear and helplessness suddenly overwhelmed him and he
pulled the unconscious Elf close. Just when he thought
he had settled Glorfindel against him, he found more
blood. His eyes widened in shock, seeing the slit
wrists. “Melamin, no…” At that moment it didn’t matter
to him who had slit those wrists, may it be Saruman,
an Uruk-Hai or Glorfindel himself. All that registered
was that he was going to lose a love which he had kept
hidden his entire life. 

“I am too late…” stuttered Erestor in disbelief. “I
should not have let the twins keep me. I am so sorry,
melamin.” Rocking Glorfindel in his arms, he pressed
his lips onto the blood-stained locks, kissing the
blond for the first time in his life. “Now you will
never know I love you.” 

Tears left his eyes and dripped onto Glorfindel’s
bruised skin. He continued to rock his charge,
whispering softly. “I should have told you I love you…
but you were never interested in anyone except Elrond…
I am sorry he is not here to say goodbye to you…” His
breath came in spurts and his vision had blurred due
to his tears. Part of him realized he was making
himself an easy target, but he just didn’t care. What
good was life without Glorfindel? 

“I have lived a long time,” whispered Erestor, as
determination took shape in his voice. “I have loved
once before… and I lost him as well… Sauron killed him
and now I have lost you to Saruman... I wish there was
a way to reclaim you.” Erestor brushed back a stray
lock and finally looked upon the blond’s features,
which were relaxed in impending death. “This is so
unfair, melamin… You are not supposed to suffer like
this… Or to die a second time.”

Uncovering one of his daggers, he watched, fascinated,
as a silvery moonbeam caressed it and reflected his
face in the metal of the blade. “I do not want to lose
another one I love... I nearly joined Gil-galad when
he died, but knowing that he wanted me to go on
stopped me… And it became so much easier when you
arrived in Imladris… You never suspected how much I
love you…” Grimly, Erestor placed the tip of the
dagger against his throat, easily locating his carotid
artery. 

Looking at the blond’s peaceful expression, Erestor
sighed. Glorfindel’s breathing, which had been
shallow, now stopped. “I won’t let you travel to
Mandos’ Halls alone, melamin.” With one determined,
swift flick of his wrist, he slit the blade across the
skin, opening the artery. His death would be swift. He
laid his head on Glorfindel’s chest, wanting to stay
as close as possible to his love so he wouldn’t lose
him when they entered Mandos’ Halls of Waiting. “I…
love… you…” 

A moonbeam carried his words to Mandos, followed
quickly by their souls. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was the strangest sensation, standing in the Great
Halls of Waiting, whilst life was still leaving his
body. Looking about, Erestor tried to find Glorfindel,
but the blond was nowhere in sight. What was he to do
now?

“Erestor…”

A dark voice boomed through the ancient hall and made
him spin around. A raven-haired Elf, dressed in
exquisite garments stared back at him. The grey,
probing eyes seemed to pierce his very soul and read
his every thought. “Who are you? What will happen
next?” His eyes narrowed, as his senses told him that
this wasn’t a regular Elf. There was a powerful and
wise expression in the stranger’s eyes. 

“Let us start with that first question. You wanted to
know who I am. My name is Námo, but I am known to you
by the place I dwell in. I am Mandos!”
 
Erestor gasped in surprise. “Mandos?” Well, he had to
admit it made sense, being in the Halls of Waiting.
But why would the Doomsman of the Valar want to talk
to him personally? 

Although Mandos was the Caretaker of the Houses of the
Dead and the Summoner of the Spirits of the Slain,
Erestor had never expected to meet the Vala in person.
Taking the initiative, he asked, “Where is Glorfindel?
Why did you take him away from me?” He had to find his
love, had to be reunited with him. He wanted to soothe
Glorfindel in whatever way possible.

“Glorfindel… This is his second arrival in my Halls
and I had hoped not to see him again for several
millennia.” 

Mandos walked toward him and Erestor barely refrained
from shuddering at the Vala’s presence. He had never
felt such power before. “Can I see him?”

Mandos shook his head. “Not yet.”

Erestor’s heart thundered in his chest. At least he
would be reunited with the blond later, if he had
interpreted Mandos’ words correctly. “Is he in any
pain?”

Mandos waved away his question and Erestor was growing
frustrated with the Vala’s elusiveness. “Please… Tell
me if he is in pain. The last time I saw him… he… he…”
The look Mandos aimed at him made him tremble. 

“Why are you here, Erestor?” 

Erestor nervously cleared his throat and decided to be
brutally honest with the Vala. “I am here because I
love Glorfindel and I do not want to live without him.
When I cannot be close to him in life, I will be in
death.” Erestor felt slightly relieved, seeing Mandos
nod. Apparently his answer had pleased the Vala.

“What would you prefer? Having Glorfindel live out his
life on Middle-Earth or for him to stay here in these
Halls? And why?” Mandos aimed his piercing gaze at
Erestor. 

Erestor shivered under the intense probing glance and
bit his bottom lip, trying to come up with a good
answer. “Glorfindel is loved by many and we will
support him during his recovery. He enriches our lives
and…” Erestor bowed his head in defeat. All he had
given Mandos so far were excuses, but not the real
reason. “I would like to see him overcome this and
live out his life on Arda.”

“What if I refuse to give him another chance? What if
I keep him here?” Mandos studied the brave Elf in
front of him. Not many Elves dared to challenge him in
the name of love. 

Before confronting Erestor he had consulted his
brother Irmo about this Elf who was so willing to
follow Glorfindel to his Halls. As the Vala known to
the Elves as Lórien, Irmo was the master of Dreams and
Visions. During their talk his brother had told him
some things about Erestor’s past, present and possible
futures. In those futures Mandos had encountered a
feasible way to send both Elves back to Arda. But
first he wanted to know if this Elf was worthy of his
help.

Erestor gulped, but stood his ground. “Then I would
ask your permission to stay as well so I can keep him
company. I do not wish for him to be lonely.”

“You would dwell here?” This young one truly intrigued
him.

“It would be a small sacrifice, knowing I could ease
some of his suffering.” Erestor’s hands became fists
and he stared stubbornly into the Vala’s eyes. “I will
do anything you want, but please, do not keep me away
from him when he could be in pain.”

Mandos slowly paced the hall, and occasionally glanced
at the young upstart. “I will speak frankly. Sending
Glorfindel back in his current state would only cause
him to fade within weeks. Being violated stole his
spirit, his inner light, and not even I am powerful
enough to give that back to him. Nor will my brother’s
wife, Este, who is the Healer of Hurts and Weariness,
be able to prevent it. ”

“Is there no other way?” Erestor took a tentative step
toward the Vala. “I would do anything! Just ask and I
will give it.”

Mandos’ brow furrowed. He didn’t know why he was
actually considering helping Erestor and Glorfindel.
“You said you loved him.”

“I do,” said Erestor, firmly. “I would lay down my
life for him.”

“You just did,” Mandos said, reminding Erestor that he
had slit his carotid artery in order to come here.
Studying Erestor, he reached a decision. “You are
right; there is a way.”

“What do I do?” Hope flared inside him and Erestor
took another step toward Mandos, throwing caution to
the wind. “Please tell me!” An insane urge to shake
some sense into the Vala overwhelmed him, but he
managed to keep himself in check. 

“How much do you love him?” asked Mandos, cocking his
head. “Do you love him enough to bind yourself to
him?”

“Bind?” Erestor’s eyes nearly bulged from their
sockets. “Please explain yourself.”

“Your souls would become one and Glorfindel would draw
his strength from you. Your love would be the one
thing keeping him alive and strong. But it works both
ways,” cautioned the Vala. “You will need him in
return.”

“I will do it,” replied Erestor within a heartbeat.

“It is dangerous,” warned Mandos. “He might reject
you. Do you think he cares for you as well?”

“As a friend, yes.”

Mandos slipped his hands into his sleeves, and
considered Erestor’s strength. “Physical contact is of
the essence. There cannot be any distance between the
two of you.”

“I will stay close to him.” Erestor sobered
momentarily. “Or is it required that he loves me
back?” For then the plan would fail. He doubted
Glorfindel would ever feel that way about him. “I have
loved him for centuries and I plan to love him for the
rest of my life. I won’t desert him.” Erestor meant
every word he had said. 

Mandos knew it was true. Erestor loved Glorfindel so
much that the Elf was willing to die for him. “I hope
I won’t regret this. It is folly to give in to you.”

“Then why are you considering doing just that?”
Erestor had never thought he would convince Mandos to
give Glorfindel another chance.

“Because I can see you truly love him,” sighed the
Vala, “But I cannot send Glorfindel back with his
memories completely intact. The memories of the rapes
would cause him to fade at any rate.”

/Rapes?/ Erestor swallowed hard. /He was violated more
than once?/ Erestor nodded determinately. “Aye, take
away his worst pain.”

“But,” Mandos started, turning to face Erestor again,
“there is a price. He won’t remember you reclaiming
him. He won’t know that you were willing to die for
him and that you challenged me.”

Erestor swallowed hard. “I will pay whatever price you
demand.” 

“And your life will be in service to his. Do you
understand that you can never take a lover? That
Glorfindel depends on your love for him? If he does
not feel the same way about you, your life will be a
lonely one.”

“I will say it again; I will pay whatever price you
demand.” He wasn’t discouraged by the bleak future
Mandos painted. “I might never have his love, but I do
have his friendship.”

“I hope it will be enough,” said Mandos dryly. “Then
listen to my conditions, Erestor.”

Erestor tensed slightly, but he was even more
determined than before to follow through. “What
conditions?”

“You must convince Glorfindel of your love. He must
accept you.” Mandos searched Erestor’s eyes. “He must
accept your love.”

Erestor frowned. “What do you really want from me?”

“You will bed him.” 

Erestor’s eyes widened. “How can you ask that of him
after what he has been through? He won’t be able to
bear my touch! And I refuse to hurt him in that way!”
He hadn’t thought the Vala could be that cruel. 

Mandos smiled momentarily. Erestor’s desire to protect
Glorfindel pleased him, but he would insist they made
love. “You must understand. Here, in my Halls, pain
does not exist. His body is whole. It is his soul that
is hurting and you can heal that hurt to some degree
by showing him how much he is loved. The choice is
yours.”

“What will happen if I decline? Will I be allowed to
stay?” Erestor couldn’t possibly imagine making love
to Glorfindel after having seen the evidence of rape
on the blond’s body. 

“Nay, I will send you back.”

“But my body is dying.”

Mandos’ lips became a narrow line. “You took your
life, Erestor. It is not beyond my power to undo
that.”

“You would make me leave him behind,” said Erestor in
a resentful tone.

Mandos’ expression softened. “Love is about
sacrifices, Erestor. At least… in your case it is.”

Erestor’s glare hardened as he stared at Mandos. “You
want me to make love to him, form a bond and then you
will erase his memories?”

Mandos nodded. “You said you wanted what was best for
Glorfindel. Or are you doing this for yourself? In
that case your selfishness won’t save him. Only your
love will.”

Erestor’s defiance broke, hearing the soft reprimand.
“You are right; I want what is best for Glorfindel.
But what if I fail and he won’t accept me?”

“Then at least you tried and you can live your life,
knowing you did all you could.”

Erestor shuddered at the choices presented to him.
“You are correct again. I would never be able to live
with myself, knowing I had not tried.”

“Then convince Glorfindel you love him. Make love to
him in order to prove that and I will restore life to
both of you.”

“I accept your terms.” Erestor’s gaze met Mandos’, and
the Vala nodded once. 

“So it begins…”

Suddenly his vision darkened and Erestor felt himself
falling… Falling toward the weak light that was left
of Glorfindel’s soul.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Glorfindel stared at the floor, brooding, now that he
had found himself in the Great Halls of Waiting. He
had wandered about for some time and had then
retreated into this desolate room. 

The Halls were still a gloomy and lonely place, but
this time he didn’t find himself fighting the prospect
of having to stay here. The quiet soothed him and he
tried hard to deal with what had happened to him at
Saruman’s hands.

As a warrior, he knew that rape wasn’t about sex. It
was about dominance and power. And Saruman and the
Uruk-Hai had clearly demonstrated that. Their only
goal had been to make sure he conceived and carried
the first one of a new, stronger race. The thought
appalled him and he wrapped his arms around his waist,
rocking himself.

When he had realized that Mandos wouldn’t call his
soul to the Halls, he had become desperate. Apparently
Saruman’s sorcery was stronger than he had thought.
The spell would keep him alive and in his despair, he
had used a pair of scissors, which he had found on the
Wizard’s dressing table, to slit his wrists. He had
grown cold, when life had left his veins and he had
eagerly accepted the pull, which felt familiar. Mandos
was finally calling him to his Halls. He doubted he
would have died, hadn’t he slit his wrists.

Now that he was in the Great Halls, he felt lonely and
cold. His body, which he had left behind in the dark
tower of Orthanc, had been recreated in a semblance of
his old one. He felt whole and all aches had left his
lower body, but the memories still lingered, though
they had lost some of their intensity. He now felt
detached and viewed everything that had happened to
him in a distant way. 

Saruman’s actions had left him little choice but to
take his own life. He refused to carry the child
Saruman wanted and preferred the Halls’ loneliness.
Rocking himself, he wished he had said goodbye to
Elrond and the twins; wished he had been allowed to
hold Elrond and his children one last time, for they
had grown precious to him and he loved them. But fate
had denied him a last goodbye. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Erestor found him that way, rocking and mumbling
softly. Listening momentarily, he recognized Elrond’s
name and those of his children. He couldn’t imagine
how badly Glorfindel was hurting, being left alone
after centuries of shared affection. 

He didn’t want to intrude on what was clearly a very
private moment, but his need to comfort Glorfindel
urged him on and he stepped into the room.
“Glorfindel?” he whispered his friend’s name softly,
trying to discretely announce his presence.

Glorfindel’s head snapped up, and he stared at Erestor
in shock. “Erestor?” What was the dark-haired Elf
doing here? 

Erestor slowly approached the blond, giving Glorfindel
a chance to grow used to his unexpected presence.
“Aye, I am here.” He sank onto his knees in front of
the Elda and placed his hands, palms turned upward, on
the blond’s knees. 

Glorfindel frowned. “What are you doing here,
Erestor?” He couldn’t believe the advisor was here
with him. But when he looked into the dark eyes, he
saw something he had never noticed before; love and
dedication. “Let me rephrase that; *why* are you
here?”

“I am dying,” offered Erestor in a soft tone. He
gathered Glorfindel’s hands, which now rested in the
blond’s lap, in his, and rubbed the soft skin. “That
is why I am here.”

“Dying?” Glorfindel probed Erestor’s eyes, wondering
why he was seeing such love in them. Focusing on
Erestor provided him with a much-needed distraction.
At least now he didn’t have to think about his own
misery. “How can you be dying? What happened?”

Erestor first wanted to tell Glorfindel a lie, but
then reconsidered. Mandos would not be pleased about
that. So he decided on the truth instead. “I followed
you to Orthanc and—“ 

Glorfindel’s eyes widened. “*You* followed me?” How
could Elrond have let that happen? No wonder Erestor
was dying! The advisor had no weapons’ skills and the
Uruk-Hai probably had easily dealt with him! Part of
him was also disappointed that Elrond hadn’t come
after him personally. He had thought the half-Elf
cared about him. 

Glorfindel’s face was an open book to Erestor. “Elrond
would have come for you, if he could, but Imladris
cannot do without him. So I came instead.”

“But why you? You are not a warrior…” But then
something else registered; Erestor’s clothes and the
warriors’ braids he was wearing. Freeing one hand, he
tentatively touched the raven hair. “Why are you
wearing these?”

“It is a long story,” sighed Erestor, “And we do not
have the time for it now.”

Hearing those words made Glorfindel frown deeper. “We
have all the time we can possibly need, Erestor. We
are in the Great Halls of Mandos.”

“But there is still a way for us to return to
Imladris,” said Erestor with fire in his eyes. Seeing
Glorfindel’s puzzled expression, he added, “Mandos
will allow us to return to Arda, if…”

“Erestor, you are deluding yourself. Aye, he let me
return to Arda once before, but why would he extent
that privilege again? And to both of us?”
Absentmindedly, his fingers trailed down the braids,
marveling at the fact that Erestor was wearing them.
Many questions swirled in his head and he didn’t know
which one to ask first. “How did you die, Erestor?”

Erestor bit his bottom lip. “I opened my carotid
artery,” he admitted, giving into temptation, and
resting his head on Glorfindel’s knees. 

Glorfindel gasped, hearing Erestor’s answer and then
the most amazing thing happened; the dark-haired Elf
rested his head in his lap. Involuntarily, he
continued to caress the raven strands of hair beneath
his fingertips. “You took your own life?” A distant
part of him wondered how it was possible that Erestor
even knew where his carotid artery was located. “Why
did you do such a foolish thing?”

Erestor closed his eyes, savoring the momentary
closeness. Glorfindel was stroking his hair and he
sighed blissfully. “Because you took yours.”

Glorfindel, stumbling from one surprise into another,
gently cupped Erestor’s chin in his hand and then
raised the Elf’s head. “You really ventured into
Orthanc for me?” How else could Erestor know he had
slit his wrists?

“Aye, I did.” Erestor lost himself, staring into those
heaven-blue orbs. He had never been this close to
Glorfindel; had never felt such intimacy between the
two of them and his hungry soul eagerly soaked up the
attention the blond was giving him. “I wanted to
rescue you.”

Glorfindel raised an eyebrow inquisitively. “You are
carrying weapons… Old and well-used by the sight of
them.”

“And I even know how to handle them,” said Erestor
quickly. “I pretended I was inapt at handling them
when I am not. I fought alongside Elrond and the High
King.”

Glorfindel, too emotionally drained to question
Erestor further on this subject, just nodded. “That
explains how you managed to reach Orthanc. But it does
not explain why you took your life.”

Erestor swallowed the lump of emotions that had formed
in his throat. Looking adoringly at the blond, he
whispered, “Because I do not want to live without
you.”

“I do not understand you,” mumbled Glorfindel
confused. Resting one hand on the dark hair, he probed
Erestor’s eyes once more. 

“I love you,” sighed Erestor, “I love you so much that
I do not want to live without you.”

Revelation upon revelation hit Glorfindel and his mind
was reeling. “You… love me?” He had never noticed
anything like that and had a hard time believing
Erestor. But the ordeal he had suffered at Saruman’s
hands had changed him and he now looked past the
emotions that Erestor usually presented him with. It
was true; a different emotion shone from the dark
eyes. “I never noticed.”

“I made sure you did not,” admitted Erestor, averting
his gaze. Glorfindel was still cupping his chin and he
relished the sensation too much to pull away. “I did
not want to take you away from Elrond. I know how
lonely he has been since Celebrían left.”

Rendered speechless, Glorfindel stared into Erestor’s
warm eyes. “This is a lot to take in, mellon-nîn.” 

“I know it is, but… I had to tell you.”

“Why?” After speaking the word, Glorfindel smiled
briefly. “I do seem to be asking that a lot lately.”

Seeing that smile warmed Erestor’s heart. “Because
Mandos offered to restore us back to life.”

The smile faded from Glorfindel’s face. “Why do you
think I want to be alive again?”

Erestor suddenly wrapped his arms around the blond’s
waist, and deeply looked into the azure eyes. “I know
you are hurting. I found you; I know what Saruman did
to you, but you are strong and I believe that you can
overcome your pain.”

Glorfindel, saddened, shook his head. “You do not know
everything.”

“I know he… violated you,” said Erestor, breathlessly,
when Glorfindel rested a fingertip against his bottom
lip. “But you have Elrond’s support and the twins’,
even Arwen, Galadriel and Celeborn will support you.
And you have my love… if you want it.”

Glorfindel couldn’t deny the ache in his heart,
hearing their names. Oh, how he longed to return to
them! To hold Elrond in his arms and find that the
twins had gotten themselves into trouble again! But he
couldn’t. The risk that he had conceived and would
bear a child was too prominent. “I have to stay here.”

“Why?” Erestor shook his head. “Is it because I, and
not Elrond, came after you?” 

Glorfindel slowly rubbed his fingertip against the
other’s lip and caught the ripples of delight at the
touch in Erestor’s eyes. “I no longer doubt you have
feelings for me, mellon-nîn, but—“

“Will you not give me a chance to prove my love for
you? Won’t you give us a chance?” Erestor pleadingly
looked at Glorfindel, hugging him as close as
possible. 

Glorfindel absentmindedly wondered why he so easily
accepted Erestor’s closeness and touch. After the
treatment he had suffered, he had thought he wouldn’t
be able to bear anyone’s touch. But for some reason,
he was touching Erestor in return. “You have no idea
what you are asking.”

Erestor’s jaw set firmly, addressing Glorfindel again,
“If you do not want to try for me, try for Elrond and
yourself. I know you want to return to him.”

Glorfindel sighed, dejectedly. He couldn’t bear the
thought of Erestor learning the true reason why he was
so hesitant to return to them. It was bad enough that
he had been raped, but the possibility of having
conceived terrified him. 

“Glorfindel?” Erestor held his breath when the blond
finally made eye contact again. “Let me love you? Let
me show you there is a reason for you to return to
life?”

Glorfindel moistened his lips. “Love me?”

Erestor suddenly felt shy after his courageous plea.
“Mandos will only restore us back to life if you
accept me… my love… and let me make love to you.”
Lowering his gaze, he waited for Glorfindel to deny
him. After what he had heard he was certain the Elda
would refuse him. /But Mandos was right; at least I
tried./

Glorfindel shivered at the thought of having to be
intimate with anyone, even Erestor. “That sounds just
like Mandos.” He had dealt with the Vala before. 

Erestor’s despair had increased and he made one last
effort. “Please? I have had a male lover before and I
know how to make it pleasurable for you. There won’t
be any discomfort, I promise you.”

The tears that were now gathering in Erestor’s eyes
deeply touched Glorfindel. His heart urged him to
accept, but his mind told him to refuse Erestor. After
releasing a deep sigh, he said, “You followed me into
Orthanc.” 

Erestor nodded, feeling confused. He had already
explained that to Glorfindel.

“You took your life when you found me dying.”

Another nod, and this time the tears flowed freely
from Erestor’s eyes. “Aye…”

“And you challenged Mandos for me?” At least, that was
what he had gathered from Erestor’s words. The mere
fact that Erestor had faced Mandos for him filled him
with deep respect. 

“I had no choice. He would not let me near you. I
could not bear the thought of you being alone or in
pain. I told him I would do anything to get you back.”

“You must really love me,” mused Glorfindel, cocking
his head. In his heart, he already knew the answer to
Erestor’s question. “Ask me again.”

At first, Erestor didn’t know what Glorfindel wanted
to hear, but seeing the yielding expression in the
blond’s eyes, realization dawned. “Will you let me
love you? Will you accept my love for you? Will you
trust yourself to me? Will you return to Middle-Earth
with me?” Now that he had asked his questions, he grew
quiet, but this time he felt slightly more hopeful. “I
do love you.”

Glorfindel drew in a deep breath and then nodded his
head. How could he possibly deny the love that
radiated from Erestor’s eyes? “I accept.”

TBC
Beta read by Lizzle, thanks!



Part 5
Making Love.



Now that he had Glorfindel’s permission, Erestor
briefly felt at a loss. He knew what he had to do, and
for the first time he wondered if he could follow
through. But suddenly the blond surprised him by
lowering himself onto his knees and they were now
level with each other, staring into the other’s eyes.
“I love you so much.” It sounded dramatic, even to his
own ears, but it was exactly how he felt about the
flaxen-haired beauty next to him. “I never thought I
would get the chance to tell you.”

Glorfindel, feeling nervous as well, lowered his gaze
momentarily. “Erestor, I do not know how I will react
when… when you make love to me.” He had been through
so much these last few days. “Although Mandos healed
my body, or at least this representation of it, I am
afraid my mind is far from being healed.”

“Trust yourself to me,” pleaded Erestor, as he slowly
raised his right hand to stroke the long, blond mane.
“I love you and will never hurt you.” Cocking his
head, he waited for Glorfindel to make eye-contact
again. “Tell me what you want me to do.”

Glorfindel frowned, but then realized Erestor was
giving him control over the situation… And that
knowledge helped. “I need to see you at all times.”

Erestor nodded in obvious understanding. “Of course.”

“I… I still remember the pain… and my helplessness…”

“You will be in control, melamin,” said Erestor
reassuringly. 

“Melamin…” Glorfindel searched Erestor’s face. Elrond
had never called him that, but then again, Elrond
didn’t love him in that way. They were casual lovers
at best. “It has been a long time since anyone said
that to me.”

“Melamin,” repeated Erestor, smiling radiantly at
seeing the sparkle in the blond’s eyes. “May I kiss
you?” Mandos had told him it was important that
Glorfindel accepted his love and he planned to
demonstrate just how much he loved the Elda. 

“Kiss?” Glorfindel nodded his head once. “I think I
can deal with that.” But he still trembled when one of
Erestor’s arms enfolded his waist and soft lips
descended onto his, delivering a butterfly kiss to
them. “Oh…” The soft sound escaped his lips
involuntarily. Maybe it was because he had experienced
pain and humiliation at Saruman’s and the Uruk-Hai’s
hands… Or maybe it was because he was in Mandos, but
that kiss felt more sensual than any other kiss he had
ever received. 

Erestor couldn’t refrain from smiling smugly. “Oh, I
think you dealt with that quite well.” 

Returning the dark-haired Elf’s smile hesitantly,
Glorfindel forced himself to remain relaxed when the
sweet lips claimed his for another gentle kiss. He
reminded himself that this was Erestor, an Elf, a
friend, and not Saruman or one of his creatures.
Erestor loved him and through that love, they could
return to Middle-Earth. He had to hold on to that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mandos, standing behind a curtain, watched them.
Glorfindel’s reaction pleased and reassured him.
Normally he wouldn’t insist that they made love, but
it was important they did. He knew that being in
Mandos would strengthen Glorfindel and the warrior
would find the courage to accept Erestor’s love. /I
regret taking this memory away from him, but a
sacrifice must be made./ He would, however, reward
them eventually. 

Smiling at the two Elves, he closed his eyes
momentarily. Calling on his strength he gently poured
some of his power into Glorfindel’s mind. /Be happy,
and make sure I do not see you again for a few more
millennia./

Turning about, he left them to their lovemaking.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Glorfindel kept his gaze focused on Erestor, for he
was scared that, when he closed them, his tormentors
would reappear to taunt him. “Can you make me forget
them? Their vile touches? The pain they inflicted? The
humiliation?”

Erestor’s heart contracted painfully, hearing the soft
plea. “I can try.”

“I trust myself to you,” whispered Glorfindel,
wondering why he had never seen the love in those
smoldering, dark eyes before. 

Erestor felt overwhelmed, seeing the trust in those
blue eyes. “I wish we had more time.” But this had to
be done now. “Would you like me to undress first?”
Maybe having the opportunity to see him naked first
would help the blond. 

Glorfindel considered the question and then nodded his
head once. “That would help.”

Erestor, who was still kneeling, unfastened the
harness that held his hunting knives and the quiver
and placed them aside on the floor. Next he unclasped
his cloak, -slowly- and dropped it onto the floor as
well.  Then he indulged himself by kissing Glorfindel
again, making sure all kisses and touches remained
light.

Glorfindel, realizing Erestor was trying to reassure
him, forced himself to smile. After all, he had known
Erestor for many centuries and they were friends. So
why did he feel like an Elfling who was about to make
love for the very first time in his life? Maybe he
should break the ice, by breaking the silence? “Have I
ever seen you naked before?”

Erestor smiled warmly. “No, you have not. I never put
myself in that situation.”

Suddenly Glorfindel realized why. “Your attraction to
me might have showed.” To his surprise, he managed a
smile. “Did you ever consider telling me about your
feelings?”

Erestor shook his head. “No. I realized quite quickly
that you preferred Elrond.”

Glorfindel’s eyes darkened. “I felt attracted to him,
but it was never love.”

“I know that too,” whispered Erestor, who now began to
unbutton his shirt. “Tell me if I make you
uncomfortable. You are in control, always remember
that, please, melamin.”

Strangely enough, Glorfindel felt like he didn’t need
the extra assurance. Just by looking in Erestor’s warm
eyes he knew that he was perfectly safe with him. “May
I?” He raised a hand and waited for permission to
remove Erestor’s shirt.

“Always…” The trust, which he saw in Glorfindel’s
eyes, nearly brought tears to his own. He trembled
when the blond pushed down his shirt, revealing his
torso. Seeing the frown on Glorfindel’s brow, he
asked, “Is something wrong?” Did his appearance
displease the blond? He hoped not. 

“You are more muscular than I thought.” Glorfindel
wasn’t sure what he had expected Erestor to look like,
but he was lean and obviously built for endurance.
“Not what I expect a scholar to look like.”

Erestor nervously licked his lips. “Would you like to
see more of me?” He would do whatever necessary to
keep Glorfindel’s discomfort down to a minimum. 

“Actually, I do feel curious,” admitted Glorfindel,
and it was the truth. He wasn’t sure he would still be
this courageous when they made love, but for now, his
curiosity had been piqued. 

After taking off his boots, Erestor rose to his feet,
undid the laces of his leggings and stepped out them.
Naked, he sat down again, wanting to be as close to
Glorfindel as possible. “Well?” he asked teasingly. 

Glorfindel wondered about the absence of fear. He
should feel intimidated after what he had been
through, but he didn’t. And strangely enough,
Erestor’s physique did please him. 

“You may look, you know,” said Erestor teasingly. As
long as they could maintain this relaxed atmosphere
this might work. 

Erestor’s remark actually made Glorfindel smile.
Raising an eyebrow, his gaze dropped. Although he felt
relieved at the sight that Erestor was not *that* well
endowed, he kept that knowledge to himself. He would
have felt more nervous, -he might even have panicked-
if Erestor had been… larger. For that he felt
grateful. 

Erestor cleared his throat, and got more comfortable,
sitting cross-legged. “Maybe I can convince you to
remove your shirt as well?”

This time, Glorfindel released a soft chuckle.
Something in Erestor’s manner really reassured him
that everything would be all right. “I might.”

Erestor returned the smile, but made no physical
contact at this time. Glorfindel was beginning to feel
secure and in control, and he wanted that feeling to
grow stronger. 

Glorfindel suddenly realized that the cold, which had
lingered in the room upon his arrival, had gone. Now,
he felt comfortably warm and bright rays entered the
window, illuminating the room. If he didn’t know
better, he would think Mandos was playing matchmaker.
Unbuttoning his shirt, he slid it down his shoulders
and let it pool around his waist. 

“You are beautiful, melamin,” whispered Erestor,
admiringly. Oh, he understood only too well why Elrond
had never stopped sharing his bed with the blond.
“Exquisite.” To his surprise, a blush surfaced on
Glorfindel’s face. “It is the truth.”

Glorfindel shrugged his shoulders. “I feel different
now…” He could tell the remark puzzled Erestor, and he
explained, “The way they touched me… Used me… It feels
like they left their mark on me.”

Erestor swallowed hard. “Then let me wipe it away.”
Slowly, he leaned in closer, watching Glorfindel
intensely. “Remember, you are in control. I will do
nothing you do not wish to happen.”

Glorfindel nodded once. “I know that.” But he
appreciated the fact that Erestor gave him time to
grow accustomed to his touch. When the dark-haired Elf
cupped his cheek, Glorfindel cocked his head and
leaned into the touch. After the pain and humiliation
he had suffered, his soul yearned for love and
affection. 

Erestor touched his lips to Glorfindel’s and lazily
kissed him, taking his time. He didn’t press his
tongue against the blond’s teeth, waiting for
Glorfindel to grow comfortable enough to part his lips
out of his own volition. 

Raising his right hand, Glorfindel rested it at the
nape of Erestor’s neck. When Erestor parted his lips,
he tentatively invaded the dark-haired Elf’s mouth,
exploring at leisure. Kissing was better than he had
expected. 

Erestor immediately yielded and let Glorfindel taste
him. After a moment, when the blond pulled back, he
smiled adoringly. “You are an excellent kisser.”

“Normally I am not this…insecure,” Glorfindel said. He
had wanted to say ‘afraid’, but when he examined his
feelings, he realized there was hardly any fear left.
It felt like Erestor was coaxing him into letting go
of his pain. “How are you doing this?”

Erestor instinctively knew what Glorfindel was asking.
“I love you.” 

Glorfindel accepted that truth and sighed. Slowly,
maintaining eye contact with Erestor, he rose from the
floor and stepped out of his breeches, feeling
strangely shy when he was naked. 

Erestor sensed Glorfindel’s unease and extended a
hand. “Sit with me?”

Glorfindel sat down, grateful that the floor didn’t
feel as cold as ice any more. Warmth radiated toward
him, and as he looked to his right, he found that the
fireplace was housing a warm and gentle fire. “He *is*
playing matchmaker.” 

“Who is?” Frowning, Erestor wondered what Glorfindel
was talking about. 

“It is nothing.” Glorfindel drew in a deep breath,
fully aware of the fact that they were both naked. “I…
I do not know what to do next.”

“But I do.” Erestor curled his fingers around
Glorfindel’s hand and raised it to his lips, pressing
a kiss on the knuckles. “Let me love you.”

Glorfindel nodded, after realizing that Erestor was
waiting for his explicit permission. “Make love to
me.”

Erestor inched a little closer and wrapped his arms
around Glorfindel. “Always look at me. I will know
when to stop… or to continue.”

Glorfindel’s mouth suddenly went dry as Erestor’s lips
caressed his skin. The touch was slow and sensual. The
dark-haired Elf left a trail down his throat, gently
suckling the skin beneath his collarbone. He kept his
eyes trained on Erestor’s face, finding comfort in the
love that shone from the dark eyes. And when Erestor
laid him down, gently kisses kept his fear at bay. Now
that they were face to face again, he stared deeply
into Erestor’s eyes. 

Erestor stroked the blond’s sides, keeping his touch
as light as that of a butterfly. He hesitated briefly,
wondering what he could use for lubrication. Stealing
a glance through the room, he didn’t see anything that
could ease his way in. Fortunately, he had been in
this situation before and he drew from that memory.
Kneeling next to Glorfindel, he was careful not to put
any weight on the blond. “Would you…” he whispered
sensually into Glorfindel’s ear, “Allow me to touch
you… there?” 

Panic and pain surfaced and made Glorfindel’s eyes
widen. “No…” Tremors shook his body, as he recalled
the humiliation he had been forced to endure. “It
will… hurt.”

The nearly child-like tone of Glorfindel’s voice
almost made Erestor reconsider, but unexpectedly the
blond folded his arms around him, pulling him close. 

“I cannot bear that pain again… I am sorry…”

“Shush now, melamin. I will never hurt you. And you
are in control, always.” Erestor settled down next to
Glorfindel, holding him close. Lying face to face with
each other, he stroked the Elda’s back, keeping up a
constant reassurance. “No one will ever hurt you
again. You are safe with me. I love you. I will never
hurt you.” Rubbing Glorfindel’s back, he waited for
the other Elf to compose himself again. Brushing back
some damp locks, he smiled warmly, seeing the
expression in Glorfindel’s eyes.

Glorfindel began to grow calm again, realizing Erestor
had stopped touching him in *that* way. And although
the embrace should have made him feel cornered, it did
nothing of the sort. He felt cherished instead. “I do
not understand my feelings.”

“You need time, but unfortunately Mandos decided
differently.”

Tentatively, Glorfindel let his fingertips ghost over
Erestor’s hip. /I must focus on the present. I cannot
let Sar… them rule my life. I am a warrior, a fighter,
and I will overcome their abuse and for the child…
Elrond knows of ways to terminate a pregnancy./ 

“What are you thinking?”

Glorfindel curled his fingers around Erestor’s hand
and rested it on his hip. “I want you to take me home.
Make love to me.” Taking charge of the situation, he
pressed his lips against Erestor’s. /He wants me to be
in control… I can do that./

The sudden fire in Glorfindel’s kiss sparkled
Erestor’s, and as the kiss continued, his groin
stirred. Constantly probing the blond’s eyes, he tried
to gauge Glorfindel’s reaction when his erection
pressed against the Elda’s hip. 

Glorfindel’s eyes widened momentarily, but then he
stared hard into Erestor’s eyes. He brought his arms
up behind Erestor’s back, and once he had a hold on
the dark-haired Elf, he rolled Erestor on top of him,
parting his legs. He hadn’t thought it possible, but
this felt right, surprisingly right.

Erestor startled, finding himself settled between the
blond’s thighs. “Are you sure?”

“I am sure,” Glorfindel whispered, realizing that he
trusted Erestor fully. His friend had assured him that
there would be no pain and he clung to that promise. 

Erestor now proceeded to explore the blond’s body,
kissing, licking and tasting the sweetness of
Glorfindel’s skin. When he hit a hardening nipple, his
tongue circled it, and then the tip teased the hard
nub. Looking up at Glorfindel, he saw the trusting
expression in the blond’s eyes. /Aye, you can trust
me./

Moving down Glorfindel’s body, he gently nibbled on
the insides of the blond’s thighs, even drawing a
chuckle from Glorfindel. His touches were having the
desired effect and pleased, he noticed that Glorfindel
was slowly growing erect. It was more than he had
hoped for. “Trust me,” he whispered, holding onto the
eye contact between them. “Let me make love to you.”

“I cannot believe I am saying this, but I do trust
you,” panted Glorfindel, softly. Suddenly he threw
back his head as eager lips closed over his half-erect
shaft. “Oh…” 

Erestor was determined to make this as pleasurable as
possible for Glorfindel, and relaxing the muscles in
his throat, he took the blond deeper, licking down the
length of his erection, which was growing firmer. He
took his time lavishing the head, but made sure his
partner didn’t come yet. Pulling back, he smiled,
hearing Glorfindel’s disappointed mew. 

Looking about, he took hold of his cloak, folded the
material and then placed it under Glorfindel’s hips. 

A frown appeared on Glorfindel’s brow. He had expected
Erestor to take him and finish quickly, but it looked
like the dark-haired Elf wanted to take his time with
him. He needed to see what Erestor was doing, needed
to know what would happen next, but he was still taken
aback when a wet, swirling tongue touched his
entrance. The sensation was completely new and he
marveled at Erestor –it amazed him that the Elf was
willing to do this for him- for he had noticed the
absence of any oil they could use. 

Erestor briefly looked up and smiled at Glorfindel. “I
won’t hurt you, always remember that.”

Glorfindel nodded shakily and then lay down, burying
his hands in Erestor’s dark hair. The gentle, warm,
wet probing made his erection throb harder and he
continued to wonder about Erestor, whose tongue was
surprisingly talented. He hardly noticed the first
digit that easily slid inside and a wave of intense
pleasure washed through him when Erestor located the
hidden gland in his passage. 

Erestor tightly controlled his own passion, taking his
time to properly prepare Glorfindel. Oil would make
this easier, but he was confident he could make love
with the blond without Glorfindel experiencing any
discomfort. A flash of sadness moved through him,
recalling times when he had made love with Gil-galad.
But now he felt thankful for that experience, as it
allowed him to reclaim Glorfindel. 

The grip that Glorfindel had on his hair was
tightening and he could tell the blond was nearing
orgasm. Kneeling between Glorfindel’s legs, he
positioned himself against the blond’s entrance and
then slowly –extremely slowly– began to enter him. At
the same time, he curled his fingers around
Glorfindel’s erection, stroking luxuriously. 

A distant part of Glorfindel realized Erestor had
sheathed himself to the hilt, and another part told
him he should be panicking. But the part that savored
the ecstasy that was running through his body silenced
them both. 

Erestor didn’t move; there was no need to move,
because just being inside Glorfindel was enough to
push him over the edge. By Elbereth, he hadn’t come
this quickly since he had been an inexperienced
Elfling! Belatedly, he wondered if Glorfindel wanted
him to pull out before reaching orgasm, but it was too
late now, as he came inside the blond’s body. 

Glorfindel felt another surge of panic, recalling how
Saruman and the Uruk-Hai’s seed had burned him, and
mentally he prepared himself for a similar pain… which
never came. Instead, warmth moved through his body and
cocooned his mind.

Erestor, staring breathlessly, found that Glorfindel’s
eyes glowed golden. It was the most stunning sight he
had ever seen. “I love you…” he whispered, holding
Glorfindel tightly when the blond came in his hand. He
couldn’t help himself and brought his hand to his
lips, tasting the sweet essence. 

Glorfindel, who was finding it hard to think or focus,
clung to Erestor, and to this warmth that healed him
from the inside. “Thank you…”

Erestor smiled warmly. Although he felt tired and
drained, he took his time, slipping out of the blond’s
body and then wrapped him in a tight hug. “Thank you
for letting me do this for you. I know how much trust
was involved.”

Glorfindel’s eyes, which still shone golden, settled
on Erestor, and he finally saw the full extent of that
love. “I feel… whole again.” There was an ethereally
soft tone to his voice, which tingled with love. 

Unable to keep back tears of happiness, Erestor
released them, pressing his lips on first one, and
then Glorfindel’s other eye, kissing the eyelids. “I
will always love you.” No matter what happened next,
he would hold on to this memory for the rest of his
life. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Standing in the stone circle in Valinor, where they
always held their meetings, four of the Valar were
present to discuss the state of affairs concerning
Erestor and Glorfindel. Mandos, his wife Vaire, Irmo
and Este were staring into the mirror of Visions and
Dreams, watching the two Elves hold each other.

Mandos turned around to exchange a glance with his
brother’s wife, Este. “Erestor’s love is true.”

“Aye it is,” she said, softly, “I bless their union.
And, as it is in my power to do so I will guard
Glorfindel’s rest and help him heal by taking care of
his memory. I am going to let the emotions and
memories of the rapes fade, decreasing them as time
goes by. It is unfortunate that I must erase his
memories about the Halls of Waiting and Erestor’s love
first. But there is no other way.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One moment Erestor was cherishing the feel of
Glorfindel in his arms and staring dotingly into
golden eyes. The next, they were falling into
darkness.

TBC

Beta read by Lizzle, thanks!



Part 6
Returning to Life.


Glorfindel screamed in agony, returning to life, to
consciousness. His entire body burned with pain and he
was shaking violently, his fingers opening and closing
frantically. Suddenly hands descended onto his body,
and he reacted the only way he could, by kicking at
the offending limbs. No one would touch him against
his will ever again!

“Calm yourself, Glorfindel. It is I, Erestor.” His
heart bled, seeing the panic in Glorfindel’s dilated
pupils. Mandos’ words returned to him; Glorfindel
wouldn’t remember he had been reclaimed and that a
bond had been formed between them. The Vala had taken
that knowledge away from his friend. Erestor sighed;
it was a sacrifice worth making, for it had brought
Glorfindel back to Middle-Earth.

After Erestor had regained consciousness, he had found
the wound on his throat closed and his body once more
filled with blood, doubtlessly the Vala’s doing.
Taking advantage of the fact that Glorfindel had still
been unconscious, he had wrapped the blond’s still
dripping wrists with stripes of his cloak. After
grabbing a blanket from the bed, he had then wrapped
it around the blond to give Glorfindel a sense of
warmth and safety. But covering the Elda’s naked body
didn’t seem to help much. The injured Elf pushed away
from him and another keening wail ripped through the
air. 

Glorfindel tried to make sense of what was happening.
The last thing he remembered was being ravaged by an
Uruk-Hai. The memories seemed to be fading, but he
still vaguely remembered the pain as the vile creature
had forced itself on him. 

Glorfindel’s face, which had been slammed into the
wall, hurt, and he couldn’t be bothered to talk. He
simply stared at the dark-haired Elf kneeling in front
of him. It took him a moment to identify his savior.
At first, he had thought Elrond had come to his
rescue, but now he saw it was Erestor. /What is he
doing here? And how did he manage to get here in the
first place?/ He recalled the embarrassing performance
Erestor had given when handling a sword, and he
couldn’t believe the advisor had managed to sneak into
Orthanc unharmed. 

“Hush now, mellon-nîn, and calm yourself. You are
safe. I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again.” Erestor
forced back his tears, seeing the battered and bruised
state the blond was in. It was hard to reconcile this
scared Elf with the loving Glorfindel he had claimed
in the Great Halls, and he cursed the Vala for not
taking away more of the blond’s pain and memories. “I
will take you home.”

“Ho…me…?” Glorfindel stuttered and wished he could
pass out and forget this had ever happened. Why hadn’t
Mandos claimed him? Suddenly a warm and gentle wave
washed over him when Erestor wrapped an arm around his
waist to help him onto his feet. He had expected to
flinch away from the touch, but instead he found
himself eagerly leaning into it. 

Seeing the surprise in Glorfindel’s eyes, Erestor
tried to comfort him. “I promise that everything will
be all right in the end. Please trust me.”

Glorfindel continued to stare at his friend. What in
Elbereth’s name was the scholar doing here? /What if
they find him…?/ He failed to finish that thought. He
was afraid to think of what might happen if the Orcs
and Uruk-Hai found the raven-haired Elf. “Leave… me…
be…hind…” He would slow his friend down and they
couldn’t take that risk.

“Oh, no. I just found you. I am not letting you go
ever again.” Erestor maintained a tight hold on the
blond and then lifted Glorfindel, carrying him in his
arms. The expression in the Elda’s eyes would have
been comical, had their situation not been this
serious. 

“What… are you… doing?” Instinctively, Glorfindel
rested one hand at the nape of Erestor’s neck, holding
on for support.

“Carrying you out of here.” Erestor soundlessly moved
through the corridors, pausing occasionally to hide
when he encountered Saruman’s creatures. Glorfindel
was now clinging to him, shaking like a leaf. He
wanted to soothe the blond, but knew he had to keep
quiet instead, as he didn’t want to draw attention to
them. 

Pain coursed through his lower body and abdomen, but
Glorfindel bit it down, realizing they needed to move
soundlessly. He still hadn’t completely accepted the
fact that Erestor had come for him. The scholar
usually spent his days in the library or Elrond’s
study. What had possessed Elrond to allow Erestor to
come after him? It was amazing that Erestor hadn’t
been caught yet!

Pressing both of them close to the wall, Erestor used
his Elven cloak to hide them from view when an
Uruk-Hai passed them by. He could easily have taken
out the creature, but he preferred to remain
unnoticed. 

After the Uruk-Hai had vanished from sight, Erestor
judged it safe to continue.

Glorfindel briefly closed his eyes, realizing with a
sense of dread that he was too weak to defend himself,
let alone Erestor, should they be caught. 

“It won’t be long now,” said Erestor reassuringly.
“And once we have left Orthanc behind us you will feel
better.” The bond that had been established between
them in the Great Halls would sustain Glorfindel and
make him stronger. All he needed to do was to stay
close. It didn’t matter that the blond didn’t love him
back. All that mattered was that Glorfindel was in his
arms.

“Better,” whispered Glorfindel. After what Saruman and
his creature had done to him, he would never feel
‘better’, but he was grateful that the memories
weren’t that invading. Even the pain in his lower body
faded somewhat, when he rested his head against
Erestor’s shoulder.

“I know it is hard to believe, but I promise you will
feel better.” Concentrating on his love for
Glorfindel, he briefly rested his chin on top of the
blond’s head. 

Glorfindel startled when a sudden warmth and a sense
of deep comfort traveled through his body and he let
Erestor’s words soothe him. For one moment he allowed
himself to drift on the warm feelings. He had no idea
where they were coming from, but he welcomed them
nonetheless. 

Feeling Glorfindel relax against him, Erestor headed
for the concealed doorway through which he had
entered. To his dismay, he found it guarded by an
Uruk-Hai, who hadn’t been there when he had arrived.

Looking up to find out why Erestor had stopped
walking, Glorfindel’s breath caught, seeing one of
Saruman’s creatures only a few feet away from him. His
eyes pleadingly sought out Erestor’s, begging him to
leave this corridor. He gasped sharply when Erestor
slowly lowered him onto the floor. What was that Elf
thinking? Erestor was a scholar, not a warrior! He
couldn’t possibly take out that monster! “Don’t… He
will… kill…you.” He wasn’t worth dying for; not any
more.

“Stay here.” Erestor made eye contact with Glorfindel
and smiled reassuringly, seeing the fear in the azure
eyes. “He won’t hurt you.” His heart ached, seeing
Glorfindel in such anguish. When Mandos had said he
would take away Glorfindel’s pain, he had hoped the
blond would stop hurting. But apparently the memories
were still there. /Mandos could have shown mercy and
let Glorfindel remember I love him. That might have
comforted him./ But Mandos had decided differently.

“You… can… not…” Glorfindel could only think about
stopping Erestor from carrying out this suicide
mission. “He will… kill… you.”

“No, he won’t.” Erestor wished he could press a kiss
on the tangled blond mane, but he knew instinctively
that Glorfindel wouldn’t allow it. Once they were back
in Imladris, Glorfindel would seek comfort in Elrond’s
arms and not his. “Just be quiet and do not get
involved.”

Glorfindel stared at Erestor in obvious shock when the
raven-haired Elf drew a hunting knife from its sheath.
Why hadn’t he noticed before that Erestor was carrying
weapons? That fact only registered now. He couldn’t
recall ever seeing Erestor carry weapons before.

Erestor exchanged one more look with Glorfindel and
then vanished from the blond’s sight, sneaking up on
the Uruk-Hai, which he needed to take out quickly and
quietly. He couldn’t allow the creature to alert
others. 

Glorfindel wondered if he was still caught up in some
sort of dream when he saw Erestor appear behind the
Uruk-Hai. Then the raven-haired Elf acted almost too
fast for him to see, and a moment later a sharp blade
had slashed the creature’s throat. The Uruk-Hai’s eyes
widened and he seemed to gag on his blood when it
erupted from his throat.

Erestor quickly attained a tight hold on the creature
and eased it down soundlessly. 

Glorfindel gasped, seeing the predatory and
calculating expression in Erestor’s eyes. The
raven-haired Elf no longer resembled the scholar and
advisor, whom he had known for centuries. /Did I ever
know him at all?/

Erestor cleaned his knife by running it along the
Uruk-Hai’s chest and then sheathed it again before
returning to Glorfindel’s side. 

“I do not… understand,” whispered Glorfindel, stunned
by Erestor’s actions. His world was tumbling down
around him and he felt lost now that not even Erestor
was what he had thought him to be. 

While gathering Glorfindel in his arms and lifting the
blond, Erestor tried to explain. “I was originally
trained as a spy. I served Gil-galad in that capacity
during the Battle of the Last Alliance.” There was no
reason to lie to Glorfindel now that the blond had
seen him take out the Uruk-Hai. 

“I never… suspected… a thing,” whispered Glorfindel in
a drained tone, resting his head against the other
Elf’s chest. It amazed him that he could still feel
this comfortable with another close. He hadn’t thought
that possible. Surprised, he realized he craved the
contact.

“I did not want anyone to know. I made the decision to
start anew and being a scholar suited me. When you
joined Elrond’s household I saw no reason to change
that.” Carrying Glorfindel through the dark tunnel, he
felt the blond relax further against him, which was an
unexpected, but pleasant sensation. “I will keep you
safe until you are strong enough to take care of
yourself again.”

Hearing those words soothed Glorfindel, whose mind was
in an upheaval from what he had endured these last few
days. “I…still wonder… why… I… am alive.” He had
always believed that an Elf who had been raped would
travel to the Halls of Mandos. Or was it because they
had forced him to come as well? He winced, realizing
he was condemned to live out the rest of his life in
shame. 

“Maybe Mandos thought having you there once was
enough?” Erestor tried to go for a teasing note, but
failed miserably. He sighed relieved, finally fleeing
the depressing darkness of the tunnel, but the sight
that now awaited them was horrid as well. 

Glorfindel’s heart clenched in agony, seeing the
damage Saruman and his creatures had done to the once
beautiful valley. The trees were gone and the Isen had
been stopped in its tracks. “What a… terrible waste…”
Nature had been raped as well. 

Erestor pressed the trembling blond close to his chest
and carried on with stern determination. He dodged a
group of patrolling Orcs, and then headed for the
safety of the forest, where he had prepared a cave for
their arrival. He had left behind his horse and the
supplies he had taken with him. He was fairly
confident Saruman’s creatures wouldn’t find them
there. They would expect him to keep running and to
put as much distance as possible between them and that
was just what he was counting on.

Glorfindel, who was still trying to cope with
everything that had happened to him, couldn’t help
being fascinated, seeing Erestor’s purposeful and
stealthy ways. He had never expected to find a warrior
hidden beneath the scholar. /But I can dwell on that
later. First, I need to rest…/
 
“Hold out a little longer,” said Erestor
encouragingly, seeing Glorfindel’s eyes grow vacant.
He might need the blond awake. “I know a
well-concealed cave where we can rest.” 

Too tired to meddle with Erestor’s plans, Glorfindel
allowed his friend to take charge. His head was still
reeling from the revelation that Erestor had a hidden
side, --one, which he had never suspected existed. It
made him wonder what else the raven-haired Elf was
hiding. 

Erestor headed for the direction the cave was in,
wanting Glorfindel to get a chance to rest. /And I
need to sort out my thoughts and feelings. So many
things happened since I left Imladris. Mandos truly
upended my life./ 

And the amazing thing was, -something which he only
now realized-, he had been in the Great Halls and
hadn’t even bothered to call out for Gil-galad. His
every sense had been reaching out for Glorfindel
instead. 

Looking at the charge in his arms, he found that
Glorfindel had slipped into a deep sleep, which would
hopefully aid his recovery process. “I will take good
care of you, melamin.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Erestor settled Glorfindel on the blanket, cautiously
laying the blond down.
 
Taking advantage of the fact that his charge was
unconscious, Erestor ventured outside again and
collected some spring water. Once he returned to
Glorfindel’s side, he kneeled and attended to his
friend’s injuries. First, he gently removed the blood
and semen from the blond’s backside and then carefully
washed the long legs. When he was done with his lower
body, he moved onto the chest, arms and finally he
uncovered the bandaged wrists. Relieved, he found that
the wounds had closed and were healing. Mandos must
have strengthened their healing ability for them to
have survived. 

After taking them off the horse’s back, he reached
into his saddle bags and withdrew the shirt and
leggings, which he had brought with him. Cautiously,
he manhandled Glorfindel whilst sliding on the
leggings. Glorfindel was a dead weight and Erestor was
panting softly when he had finished with the shirt.
All he had to do now was tend to the tangled, blond
mess of hair. 

Sitting down behind Glorfindel, he pulled the blond
close to his chest. With grim determination he combed
the dried blood clods from the flaxen mane. Searching
his saddle bags again, he uncovered a few leather
strings and used them to braid the golden hair. “I am
sorry that I cannot offer you a decent bath, but I am
sure we will reach Imladris within a few days and then
you can take all the baths you want.”

Glorfindel blinked once, hearing Erestor’s apologetic
tone. He had been awake for a few minutes now and had
remained motionless, enjoying the feeling of Erestor
braiding his hair. The tenderness in the raven-haired
Elf’s touches had kept him relaxed. He should have
panicked, feeling a warm body behind him, but he
didn’t. His reactions baffled him. He laid back his
head, resting it against Erestor’s shoulder. He had
never before realized that he trusted Erestor this
much. “Thank you…”

Unexpectedly hearing Glorfindel’s voice startled
Erestor, who had thought the blond sound asleep. “I
regret being unable to offer you more comfort.”

Glorfindel shook his head. His hands traveled down the
shirt, which he was wearing and a shy smile surfaced
on his face. “You came well-prepared.”

Erestor was delighted to hear Glorfindel’s remark and
handed the blond a small flask. “Drink the miruvor.
You need the extra strength. It will take us a few
days to reach Imladris; they will be searching for
us.”

Glorfindel’s hand trembled when his fingers closed
over the flask, sipping slowly. The potion warmed his
throat and then settled in his stomach, causing a
pleasant sensation to spread through him. Next,
Erestor removed the flask and pressed some lembas into
his hand. 

“Try to eat?” Erestor’s heart pounded with happiness
now that Glorfindel seemed to accept his closeness and
support. It was the best thing that could happen to
them. His love for the blond easily slid over the
invisible connection that now existed between them,
strengthening Glorfindel. 

After trying to nibble a few bites, Glorfindel gave
up. “My… jaw hurts.” He flinched momentarily,
recalling that the Uruk-Hai had thrown him face first
into the wall. 

Suddenly fear clawed at him and his hand settled over
his stomach. “Oh, by the Grace of the Valar… No…”

Glorfindel’s panic, traveling down the golden cord
that bound them, hit Erestor, and he instinctively
wrapped his arms around the blond, not considering how
badly his charge might react to being held like that.
“What is it?” Something terrified Glorfindel and he
was determined to find out what it was. “You can tell
me. Please confide in me. I won’t betray your trust.”

Glorfindel closed his eyes, grateful that Erestor
wasn’t looking at him. “I do not want to tell you.” He
had no idea how Erestor would react when learning the
horrible truth. But in the end, he gave in. “Saruman…
cast a spell on me…” 

“What kind of spell?” Erestor kept his tone warm and
reassuring. 

“He wanted me to conceive…” Glorfindel tightly closed
his eyes in an effort to keep the tears from falling. 

“Conceive?” Erestor frowned; had he misheard?

“He wants to start a new race…” Unable to force his
tears back any longer, they flowed down his face.
Acting on impulse, his hand clawed at Erestor’s arm,
which was folded tightly across his chest. “He… forced
me and then… then… the Uruk-…Hai…” 

Erestor whispered softly into Glorfindel’s ear, “Hush,
mellon-nîn, your ordeal is over now.” If he could, he
would carry the blond’s pain and burden, but alas…..

“No, you do not understand…” Glorfindel cocked his
head and reluctantly looked over his shoulder at his
companion. “I am afraid that I… I conceived… and will
have to… carry this… this…” 

Erestor smoothed a braid away from Glorfindel’s face
and held the blond’s gaze. “The spell might not have
worked.”

“But what if it did?” Glorfindel found he couldn’t
look away from Erestor’s compassionate eyes. “Do you
think Elrond knows of a way to end a pregnancy?”

Erestor nodded once. He wasn’t sure if herbs could
undo this magic of the darkest kind, but he needed to
reassure Glorfindel. “We will worry about that later.
First I need to get you back to Imladris… to Elrond.”
At hearing that name hope blazed in the azure eyes and
Erestor’s heart broke just a little further. /If only
you would look like that when thinking of me./ 

“Elrond… Elrond can help me…” Talking had exhausted
him and Glorfindel’s eyes slowly grew vacant again. 

“That is it, mellon-nîn, go back to sleep.” He waited
until Glorfindel was sound asleep and then pressed a
chaste kiss on the golden hair. “I will do whatever is
necessary to see you happy again. You will always have
my support, no matter what the future brings.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Glorfindel woke slowly, being moved about, and blinked
sleepily. Looking about, his gaze immediately fastened
on Erestor. The dark-haired Elf had led the stallion
outside and now first folded and then draped the
blanket over the saddle. Realizing he was just outside
of the cave, lying on soft grass, he continued to
observe the raven-haired Elf. Erestor then walked
toward him and lowered himself onto his heels.
Glorfindel appreciated it that they were level again;
he felt less vulnerable now that Erestor wasn’t
towering over him. “Are we leaving?”

Erestor nodded once. “A search party of Orcs passed by
without noticing us. We can leave now.” 

Glorfindel nervously moistened his lips, staring at
the stallion, which patiently waited for the Elves to
mount. “I am not sure I can ride for a long period of
time.” His body still ached. 

“I already thought so and we will stop when Ithil
rises.” That would be one, two hours at maximum. “But
now we need to get you on Bronwe’s back. Do you think
you can stand up?”

“I am not sure.” Glorfindel drew in a deep breath and
began to push himself to his feet. Erestor watched him
closely.
 
Waiting for Glorfindel to get to his feet was one of
the hardest things he had ever done. His instincts
urged him to help, but he wanted Glorfindel to try
first. 

Glorfindel released a deep sigh after struggling to
his feet, but then swayed. Still too groggy to balance
himself properly, he suddenly felt Erestor’s arm
around his shoulders, steadying him. /Why don’t I
flinch at his touch? How is it that he can get this
close to me? I never realized I trusted him that
much./

Pretending not to see the puzzlement in Glorfindel’s
eyes, Erestor guided his charge to his horse. 

Glorfindel suddenly realized his predicament. There
was no way he could mount that horse. The lingering
pain in his lower body wouldn’t let him. “I cannot…”
Lowering his eyes, he stared listlessly at the ground.


Erestor’s eyes swam with tears, but didn’t release
them. Leaning in closer, he whispered softly into the
stallion’s ear.

Glorfindel gasped momentarily, seeing Bronwe fold his
legs beneath him, kneeling down on the grass. 

“But now you can. Let me help.” Erestor assisted the
blond when Glorfindel cautiously climbed onto the
stallion’s back. 

Glorfindel now understood why Erestor had been fussing
with the blanket. It served as a pillow and absorbed
most of the impact once the horse got into motion. 

“Slowly,” whispered Erestor and the stallion carefully
got back onto its feet. Erestor’s gaze shifted to
Glorfindel and he questioningly searched the azure
eyes. “Are you comfortable?”

“It will do,” replied Glorfindel, blushing. He felt
embarrassed that Erestor had to go through such great
lengths to get him back to Imladris. Movement to his
right caught his attention and now Erestor mounted as
well, sliding into place behind him. 

“Lean against me.” Erestor reached past the blond and
gathered the reins in his hands. Remaining alert, now
that they were moving, he waited for Glorfindel to
either accept his offer or refuse. His heart missed a
beat, feeling his charge lean his back against his
chest. “Tell me when you grow tired.”

Glorfindel nodded absentmindedly. He still wanted to
ask Erestor a million questions, but he didn’t have
the strength to phrase them. He could ask Erestor
everything he wanted to know once they were back in
Imladris. “I am not sure I can stay awake.”

“You do not have to,” said Erestor reassuringly.
“Sleep, then.”

Glorfindel sighed tiredly, rested his head against
Erestor’s shoulder and drifted back into sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Erestor told Bronwe to stop, sensing a threat, which
was closing in on them. Glorfindel moved in his arms
and Erestor regretted that the blond’s healing sleep
had come to such an abrupt end. 

“What is it?” whispered Glorfindel, slightly
disorientated. Feeling a warm body pressed against
him, momentarily puzzled him, but did not scare him.
/Amazing…/

“A group of Orcs has set up camp to our right,” said
Erestor, his sharp eyes now making out the enemy. “And
we need to pass them before we can rest.”

“You will need to take a different route then,”
whispered Glorfindel, afraid to raise his voice. He
dreaded drawing their attention. 

“I am not willing to add a few days to our journey
just because they are in our way. You need to return
to Imladris as quickly as possible.” Erestor’s eyes
narrowed. “I will deal with them and then we will
continue on our way home.”

Glorfindel looked over his shoulder at his companion.
“How many are there?” 

“Eight… No, nine.” Erestor considered his options. “I
want you to stay here.” He slid out of the saddle and
soundlessly landed on his feet. 

“But you cannot take them out alone!” Glorfindel felt
torn. He didn’t want to fight those Orcs in his
current condition. He could end up badly injured. 

Erestor smiled. “What do you prefer? Staying up there
or resting on the grass?”

“Erestor,” said Glorfindel in disbelief. “You cannot
take them out alone!”

“Let me worry about that, mellon-nîn, and now answer
my question.”

“I will stay up here.” Glorfindel didn’t want to tire
himself by dismounting and then getting onto the
horse’s back again. “We should detour instead.”

Erestor wondered about Glorfindel’s expression. Was
the blond worried about him or…? No, it had to be
something else. “Wait here.” After seeing Glorfindel
nod, he leaned in closer and whispered softly into the
stallion’s ear. 

Glorfindel tried to catch the words, but they were in
a language unknown to him. /Another mystery./

“Trust me, Glorfindel, I will be back within a few
moments and then we will continue our journey.”

“Whatever you do,” said Glorfindel, hesitantly, “Do
not get yourself killed.” Erestor was his lifeline and
he wasn’t sure he could survive without his friend’s
support. 

Erestor grew quiet momentarily, trying hard not to
read too much into Glorfindel’s words. /He is just
worried he won’t make it back to Imladris. This is not
about me./ Returning Glorfindel’s concerned glance, he
said, “Bronwe will take you to Imladris in case I do
not return or if we get separated. He knows the way
back.”

“You are not leaving me, are you?”

The naked fear that shone back at him from the depth
of those sapphire eyes worried Erestor. It would be
some time before Glorfindel would be able to put these
fears behind him. “I promise to return.” Gingerly, he
squeezed the blond’s leg.

Glorfindel stared at the hand on his knee, but didn’t
feel the urge to shake it off. The touch was soothing,
comforting, and he wished Erestor would stay with him,
but those Orcs needed to be dealt with. “I will wait
for you.”

Erestor grinned, trying to do away with the tension
that Glorfindel radiated. “You do not really have a
choice, meldir. Bronwe will make sure you stay.” He
was overjoyed to see a hesitant smile on Glorfindel’s
face. “I won’t be long.”

Seeing Erestor draw his sword and disappear into the
bushes still amazed Glorfindel. It would take him some
time to get used to this new Erestor. /But I like him…
I really do./

TBC
Beta read by Lizzle, thanks!


Part 7 
Escape 
 
 
Glorfindel shivered now that he was alone. He knew that Erestor had  
to take out those Orcs, but he wished his savior hadn't left him.  
Glancing about, he hoped none of the creatures were hiding between  
the trees. Strangled sounds echoed through the air and shivers went  
down his spine, realizing what was happening several feet away from  
him. /Please survive, Erestor. I cannot do this on my own./ 
 
The sounds faded and involuntarily he held his breath, staring at the  
bushes in which Erestor had originally disappeared. /Come back, come  
back, please come back!/ He was trying hard to will Erestor to  
return! /Don't leave me alone. Please come back./ His thoughts kept  
running in circles and he gasped for breath, never realizing he had  
been holding it.  
 
Leaves rustled softly and Glorfindel sighed relieved, seeing Erestor  
emerge from the bushes. There were spatters of blood on Erestor's  
clothes and some braids had come undone, but as far as he could tell,  
the raven-haired Elf was uninjured. /Thank you for coming back to me.  
I was so worried./ He caught himself just in time, making sure he  
didn't speak the words aloud. He didn't want to appear *that* weak  
and vulnerable.  
 
The link told Erestor about Glorfindel's apprehensive feelings and he  
regretted scaring his friend. That had never been his intention. "It  
is safe to continue," he announced, sliding back into the saddle  
behind his charge. Glorfindel instantly leaned his back against him,  
eagerly reestablishing contact. The fact that Glorfindel trusted him  
filled Erestor with a deep sense of respect. He rested his chin on  
the blond's shoulder and felt how some of his life force traveled  
down the link to strengthen Glorfindel.  
 
Glorfindel closed his eyes momentarily, feeling warm and secure now  
that Erestor was back at his side. Instantly, he felt better. "Did  
you get them all?"  
 
Erestor nodded, relishing the sensation as Glorfindel's hair moved  
against his cheek. "They were lax. I easily disposed of them."  
 
Directing Bronwe to the right direction, they resumed their journey,  
which would take them past the Orcs' corpses. Glorfindel stared at  
them empty-eyed. Several throats had been slashed and Erestor had  
used some of their own weapons against them, burying them in their  
backs or chests. Glancing over his shoulder, he only encountered a  
mass of black hair and inquisitive brown eyes. "I still cannot  
believe you managed to fool me for so many centuries." 
 
"Elrond once told me I am a very good actor. Don't feel bad about not  
having seen through the pretense." Erestor kept one arm tightly  
wrapped around Glorfindel, when the blond leaned heavily against  
him. "You are growing tired. We will rest shortly." Glorfindel nodded  
against his shoulder and Erestor's worries increased. Glorfindel  
needed to be warm and resting, not traveling for hours.  
 
"I am…" Glorfindel hesitated; he had wanted to say fine, but lying to  
Erestor didn't feel right. "I am coping." And Erestor's company did  
take off the edge of pain and suffering. "I will manage." 
 
But Erestor wasn't so sure. "We will rest when we encounter a  
suitable spot," he decided, concerned that Glorfindel was  
overestimating himself.  
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
Rain came pouring down on them and Erestor steered Bronwe toward a  
small cabin, which he had spotted. "We can rest now." Cocking his  
head, he managed to look at the blond, who was almost asleep. "Just a  
little longer."  
 
The wind grew stronger and the birds had stopped singing, a sure sign  
that a severe storm was brewing. He needed to get Glorfindel inside  
*now*!  
 
Gently, he helped Glorfindel dismount, constantly keeping an arm  
wrapped around the blond's waist. "Only a few more moments, mellon- 
nîn, and then we will be warm and dry." After pushing the door open,  
he guided his charge inside. Quickly scanning the room, he located a  
bed in a corner and led Glorfindel toward it. "Lie down. You must be  
tired." 
 
Glorfindel wondered why he was shivering and feeling chilled to the  
bone. He had never felt cold before. Elves didn't get cold!  
 
Examining the state of Glorfindel's clothes, Erestor found the  
leggings and shirt still dry and he quickly removed the wet cloak,  
which he had wrapped around the blond earlier on. Using a dry corner  
of his own cloak, he towel dried the golden hair. He helped  
Glorfindel to lie down and covered him with the blankets. "You should  
drink some miruvor. Let me get it." 
 
Glorfindel, feeling confused and in need of support, grabbed  
Erestor's hand and refused to let go. "Nay, stay… Please…" He didn't  
care about the panicked tone to his voice. All that mattered was that  
Erestor didn't leave him alone. 
 
"I need to retrieve the saddle bags, mellon-nîn, but I will return  
quickly." Seeing Glorfindel in this distressed condition, Erestor  
reached out and eased a damp strand of hair away from the blond's  
face. "Trust me, I won't desert you." 
 
Glorfindel released a deep sigh. "I trust you." 
 
Hearing those three little words were very important to Erestor. He  
might have preferred to hear; `I love you', but knowing Glorfindel  
trusted him was a huge step in the right direction. "Good," he said,  
smiling warmly.  
 
Erestor rose from the bed, opened the door and quickly retrieved the  
saddle bags. Bronwe had found a secure spot behind the cabin and  
whinnied happily at seeing him. "You did well, Bronwe." The horse had  
trod extremely carefully, trying to make the ride go as smoothly as  
possible for the injured Elf. "I am proud of you." The horse whinnied  
again and seemed sorry to see him go, but he couldn't leave  
Glorfindel alone too long.  
 
Closing the door behind him, Erestor walked over to the bed, where  
Glorfindel was peeking from beneath the blankets. His eyes were big  
and haunted, and the blond immediately extended his hand, needing the  
contact. 
 
Erestor came to a halt next to the bed. His clothes were dripping wet  
and he didn't want to get Glorfindel wet now that the blond was  
growing warm. He sat down on the floor and uncovered their supply of  
lembas and miruvor. "Here, drink this." He handed Glorfindel the  
miruvor and drank some water himself. Next was the lembas. Looking at  
the blond, he found that a blush had settled on the cheeks,  
doubtlessly as a result from the miruvor.  
 
"I feel better," whispered Glorfindel, his tone colored with  
surprised disbelief. "I never thought I would, but you were right." 
 
Erestor indulged himself and brushed a stray lock away from  
Glorfindel's face. "I told you so," he said teasingly. "Would you  
like to get some sleep? It will be a few more hours before the storm  
will settle down and we are stuck here until the skies clear." 
 
"I think I can sleep…" His eyes were already losing their sparkle, as  
he began to doze off. Suddenly, they flashed alive again. "You will  
stay, won't you?" He couldn't be alone. Not yet. 
 
"I will stay," said Erestor, experimentally resting his hand on  
Glorfindel's brow. To his delight, the blond didn't flinch at his  
touch. "I will watch over you. Know that you are safe, mellon-nîn."  
 
That was exactly what Glorfindel had needed to hear. "Thank you… I  
can go to sleep now."  
 
Erestor watched as the azure eyes grew vacant. His fingertips hovered  
above the bruises that Glorfindel's face still sported and he wished  
he had Elrond's healing skills. Maybe then he could have soothed the  
injured Elf. "I will lose you to Elrond again… No, that is not fair.  
I have never had you to begin with." Saddened, he wished Mandos had  
taken pity on him and had let Glorfindel remember that he was loved.  
 
After getting to his feet again, he slipped out of his wet clothes  
and laid them out to dry. It took him a few moments to get a fire  
going, but then he settled down in front of it, whilst keeping an eye  
on his charge. He would keep his promise and watch over Glorfindel. 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
A keening wail startled Erestor awake. His first concern was  
Glorfindel, seeing the blond thrash on the bed. He hurried over to  
the bed and sat on the edge, feeling grateful that he had wrapped a  
blanket around him before going to sleep. At least now he wasn't  
naked. He had no idea if seeing him naked would aggravate  
Glorfindel's terror, but he had no desire to find out.  
 
"Glorfindel, everything is all right. You are safe." He desperately  
wanted to reach out, but seeing the horrified expression in the Elf's  
eyes told him that it would be a bad idea.  
 
In his dreams Glorfindel had found himself back in Saruman's rooms,  
back at the mercy of the Wizard and Uruk-Hai. The pain had returned  
and so had the humiliation that he had felt. His hand settled on his  
abdomen, scared of the new life that could be growing inside him.  
 
"Glorfindel? Look at me. You are safe. I am taking you home." Erestor  
hoped that the sound of his voice would reassure the blond and it  
looked like it was working.  
 
Glorfindel's panic lessened somewhat, hearing Erestor's soothing  
tone. Slowly, he became aware of his surroundings and with a relieved  
sigh, he realized that these weren't Saruman's rooms at all.  
 
"Please, Glorfindel, I want to help, but I do not know how." His  
fingers itched to curl around the blond's, but he didn't reach out.  
If Glorfindel wanted to be comforted in that way, the Elda would let  
him know. "You had a nightmare, mellon-nîn, something which is to be  
expected." 
 
His gaze finally focused on Erestor and Glorfindel gasped,  
remembering the advisor had come to his rescue. No, not an advisor, a  
spy and… His head reeled, unable to remember everything  
correctly. "A… n-ni..ghtmare…" 
 
"Aye, you had a nightmare." Erestor smiled reassuringly. "You will  
suffer those for quite some time, I am afraid. You are still trying  
to deal with all that has happened to you. Is there anything I can do  
to help?" 
 
Surprised, Glorfindel realized there was something Erestor could do  
to make him feel better. But that line of thought stunned him. "W- 
woul-d you… hold-d m-me?" His eyes widened, actually hearing himself  
speak those words. Trembling, he brought his hands up from beneath  
the blanket and opened them, palms upwards. For some insane reason he  
wanted to be touched, to be held, but only by Erestor.  
 
Erestor's heart contracted painfully, seeing the lost expression in  
Glorfindel's eyes. "Are you sure that my closeness won't trigger more  
nightmares?" That was provided Glorfindel succeeded in going back to  
sleep.  
 
"I do not k-now," whispered Glorfindel, "but I d-do know that I can n- 
not be alone…P-please?" Why did he need Erestor this close? He didn't  
understand the need. His eyes widened slightly when Erestor moved  
further onto the bed. 
 
Erestor rested his back against the wall and then opened his arms,  
letting Glorfindel decide just how close he needed him to be.  
 
Glorfindel realized Erestor's intentions and gingerly moved closer.  
The blanket had slipped down and part of Erestor's chest had been  
uncovered.  
 
Seeing the look Glorfindel gave him, Erestor shifted and pulled the  
blanket back into place again. Then, he waited for his companion to  
reach a decision.  
 
Drawing in a deep breath, Glorfindel moved closer and tentatively  
rested his head against Erestor's chest.  
 
Erestor was cautiously trying to remain motionless, as he didn't want  
to startle Glorfindel.  
 
Appreciating the fact that Erestor let him be in control, Glorfindel  
hesitantly wrapped one arm around the raven-haired Elf's waist. "H- 
hold…  
m-me?" 
 
Erestor released the breath he had been holding and slowly returned  
the embrace, folding one arm loosely around Glorfindel's  
shoulders. "Like this?" The blond nodded against his chest and  
Erestor allowed for a smile to surface on his face. /I love holding  
you. It is a pity it will stop once we reach Imladris./ Then,  
Glorfindel would doubtlessly seek out Elrond instead. 
 
Being in Erestor's arms felt amazingly well and Glorfindel relaxed.  
His tense muscles loosened and he was beginning to let go of the fear  
and pain. /How can I feel comfortable with someone close after all I  
have been through? I do not understand./ 
 
"Do you think you can go back to sleep?" asked Erestor, feeling  
equally relaxed and comfortable now that Glorfindel was in his arms.  
He barely refrained from rocking his charge when the blond snuggled  
closer to him. /Mandos, I will never forgive you for erasing his  
memories of us making love, but I am grateful that our pact resulted  
in him trusting me./ 
 
A relieved sigh fled Glorfindel's lips, as a sense of deep  
contentment washed through him. "Maybe I do not w-want to go back to  
s-sleep," he mumbled, but his eyes were already filling with  
sleep. "I do not want to have n-night… mares…"  
 
"I wish I could take them away; unfortunately I do not possess that  
power," said Erestor regretfully, "but I can make sure you are not  
alone when you wake up." 
 
Glorfindel relaxed further, enjoying Erestor's closeness. The  
realization still baffled him; he wanted Erestor near! "That w-would  
help… I think." 
 
"I am always at your service," said Erestor sincerely, "And now try  
to go back to sleep. You need the rest to recuperate." 
 
"I will try…" Glorfindel's voice faded as Erestor's closeness lulled  
him into sleep again.  
 
"You are so brave," whispered Erestor, sensing his charge was finally  
asleep again. "And I love you so much…"  
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
Erestor was growing frustrated with their low pace. This way, it  
would take them another day to reach Imladris, but he didn't dare go  
faster. He could tell that Glorfindel was still hurting whenever  
Bronwe took a misstep. The blond would cringe, lean heavily against  
him and sigh relieved once the trod was reestablished.  
 
Growing tired again, Glorfindel wondered when he would finally heal.  
The ache in his lower body had somewhat resided, but was still  
present. His hand moved down to his abdomen. Countless times he had  
already wondered if he had conceived or not. By Elbereth, he hoped he  
hadn't. But Saruman's magic was strong… 
 
Through the link Erestor sensed that Glorfindel was brooding, but he  
didn't have the heart to address the matter. The blond was entitled  
to his privacy. His right arm was once more wrapped around  
Glorfindel's waist and his charge didn't seem to mind, leaning in  
even closer.  
 
"At least it stopped raining," said Erestor, trying to make  
conservation when Glorfindel's brooding silence continued.  
 
Tiredly, Glorfindel nodded. The journey was beginning to wear him  
down. Instead of getting better, he felt like he was growing worse.  
He was grateful for Erestor's presence, but he longed for Elrond's  
reassuring touch. The half-Elf `s healing skills would speed up his  
recovery process. "When do you think we will arrive in Imladris?" 
 
"Tomorrow." Part of Erestor regretted that they were nearing the Last  
Homely House, for then he would have to hand Glorfindel over to  
Elrond. Looking at the horizon, he found that Arien was setting. He  
would have preferred to keep riding through the night, but he could  
tell Glorfindel needed to rest. After locating an acceptable spot,  
Erestor told Bronwe to halt.  
 
The sudden stop confused Glorfindel, who looked at Erestor when the  
dark-haired Elf slid out of the saddle and onto the ground. "What are  
you doing?" 
 
"We will rest here tonight. Don't dismount yet, mellon-nîn, I need to  
build a shelter first." The clouds had taken on a gloomy, grey tint,  
but he hoped it would remain dry tonight. "It will only take me a  
moment." Making sure that he remained in his friend's view, he  
gathered large branches with ample leaves and used those to construct  
a temporary shelter. It was not big enough to stand in, but after  
lying down they would be sheltered from any rain or wind.  
 
With mounting amazement, Glorfindel watched Erestor. His companion  
continued to surprise him, displaying skills he had never seen  
before. Clutching his cloak tighter around his frame, he waited  
patiently for his friend to finish. Finally, Erestor walked over to  
him and helped him dismount. When his feet touched the ground, a  
small shock traveled through him, causing his lower body to ache in  
protest. /Why is it taking me so long to heal? I have been wounded  
before and it never took this long!/ But these wounds had also been  
inflicted on his soul, not just his body. Maybe that was why it was  
taking this long.  
 
Having grown accustomed to feeling Erestor close, he allowed his  
companion to help him lie down. It felt good to be off his feet.  
Staring at the leaves and branches above him, he realized he liked  
sleeping this way. It made him feel cocooned by nature.  
 
"Are you comfortable?" Erestor joined him, rolled onto his side and  
studied his secret love. "Would you like more miruvor? I have still  
got a little left." 
 
"Don't you want some as well?" Taking great care to move slowly,  
Glorfindel also rolled onto his side, wanting to look at Erestor.  
Although it was dark beneath their ceiling of branches and leaves,  
some star light made it through and enabled him to see clearly. "You  
have only drunk water these last few days." 
 
"You noticed that?" Glorfindel's observation pleased him, for it  
meant that the blond was more alert than he seemed. "Do not worry  
about me, mellon-nîn, I am fine." It was true. Mandos' blessing  
seemed to have helped him recover quickly and whenever his fingers  
touched his skin, they didn't find any scars where he had slit open  
his throat. He only wished Glorfindel's recovery would speed up as  
well.  
 
Glorfindel accepted the flask, filled with miruvor, and sipped from  
it. The liquid warmed him from the inside and made him relax. Erestor  
was studying him and for some reason he began to blush under the  
Elf's probing expression.  
 
That blush made Erestor smile. It amazed him that the blond could  
still blush at his age. The moment didn't call for any words between  
them so instead he raised one arm, indicating that Glorfindel was  
welcome to snuggle up to him, if his friend desired so.  
 
Glorfindel accepted the invitation and rested his head against  
Erestor's shoulder. He carefully watched the dark-haired Elf fold his  
arm around him. "It puzzles and amazes me," he admitted after a  
moment's thought.  
 
Raising an eyebrow, Erestor asked, "What does?" 
 
"That I long for your company. After what… what I endured… I thought  
that I would not want anyone close to me." 
 
/It is because of the bond we share,/ thought Erestor, eternally  
regretting being forbidden to speak about it. /You trust me like I  
trust you./ Stroking flaxen hair that danced lightly against his  
cheek, he said, "I am grateful that you can allow me close." 
 
"I find comfort in your closeness," admitted Glorfindel, his eyes  
already darkening with impending sleep. "Thank you…" 
 
Erestor had a hard time stopping himself when he wanted to press a  
chaste kiss on the golden mane. "You are welcome…" 
 
Glorfindel fell asleep with a smile on his face. /I trust you and I  
feel safe around you…/ If he was able to enjoy Erestor's presence,  
then he would probably rejoice at feeling Elrond's arms around him  
once they had arrived in Imladris.  
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
The nightmares slowly crept up on him during his sleep and soon  
Glorfindel found himself back in Orthanc, being manhandled by the  
Uruk-Hai. Gasping in shock, he released a strangled scream.  
 
"Hush, Glorfindel. Hush, mellon-nîn, you are safe. You are with me  
and we are on our way back to Imladris. It was another nightmare. Now  
calm down and breathe for me." 
 
Drawing in a deep breath, Glorfindel shivered at the memories. The  
darkness that surrounded him almost made him panic again, but then  
Erestor's presence registered and he sighed deeply. "E…res…tor…" 
 
"Aye, I am here with you. You are not alone. I am here, just as I  
promised I would be." Smoothing back some damp locks, he found that  
cold sweat had settled on Glorfindel's brow. "Try to breathe  
steadily, mellon-nîn." Oh, how he wished to whisper different words,  
words that would ensure Glorfindel that he was loved and that he had  
his undying love and support, but he couldn't.  
 
"Another… nightmare…" whispered Glorfindel shakily. And yes, Erestor  
had kept his promise to be there when he woke from a nightmare.  
Erestor's arms were wrapped around him, holding him close and for one  
brief moment he panicked. But the panic quickly left and a feeling of  
security replaced it. Instead of pushing the raven-haired Elf away,  
Glorfindel found he was snuggling up closer to him. "Why won't they  
leave me alone?" 
 
Erestor swallowed hard. "It only happened a few days ago. Give  
yourself time to work through this." 
 
"Why didn't Mandos call me to his halls? I wanted to die…" 
 
Glorfindel's words tore at his heart. Erestor shivered, wondering if  
he had been selfish by reclaiming his secret love. "Are you serious?  
Would you have preferred to stay in the Halls of Mandos?" 
 
"Aye," whispered Glorfindel, trembling. "Now I am doomed to bear  
this… `child'… that Saruman forced upon me." 
 
Erestor's world shattered. "You do not want to be alive?" 
 
"Nay." 
 
His heart stopped beating momentarily and Erestor forced himself to  
remain calm. /Oh, melamin, I thought I was doing the right thing when  
bringing you back. It never crossed my mind that you would have  
preferred to stay there./ Dark guilt shrouded his hurting soul and he  
was about to release Glorfindel from his embrace, when the blond  
tightened his hold on him. Defeated, his eyes filled with tears and  
he felt grateful that Glorfindel couldn't see him, as the blond`s  
head was tucked beneath his chin. /I *was* selfish in bringing you  
back. I should not have challenged Mandos. He warned me this might  
happen./ 
 
Sensing some of Erestor's distress, Glorfindel acted on impulse,  
rubbing his companion's fingers. "Thank you for being there for me…"  
Sleep was already pulling him under, knowing Erestor would be there  
the next time he woke. "Thank… you…" 
 
Erestor released his tears, feeling Glorfindel go to sleep against  
him. "I am sorry, melamin. I am so sorry for being selfish…So sorry." 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
Waking up the next morning, Glorfindel felt surprisingly rested, even  
in spite of Erestor's absence. But he could see his companion  
saddling Bronwe so they could continue their journey. Moving slowly,  
he managed to leave the shelter and to stand on his own two feet  
without any help from Erestor. 
 
Seeing the blond on his feet pleased Erestor. "You *are* getting  
better." 
 
Glorfindel nodded slowly. "Do you think we will reach Imladris  
today?"  
 
"Aye, I do." Erestor helped Glorfindel onto Bronwe's back and took up  
position behind the blond. His thoughts constantly drifted back to  
Glorfindel's admission last night. Had he been wrong to challenge  
Mandos? Should he have let Glorfindel die? 
 
Glorfindel was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't notice  
Erestor's silence. "What do you think I should do?" 
 
The question pulled Erestor from his musings. "Do what?" 
 
"Upon our arrival in the Last Homely House." Glorfindel's gaze  
darkened. "I do not want them to know what has happened to me." 
 
Erestor cringed. "Elrond has to know if he is to help you." 
 
"But not the twins! I could not bear the looks they would give me."  
Glorfindel bowed his head in defeat.  
 
Erestor didn't want to bring this up, but he had to. "But what if you  
*are* pregnant? Once you start to show you won't be able to hide your  
condition." He cursed privately, feeling his secret love tense  
against him. "I am sorry. I am sure Elrond will find a way to  
terminate the pregnancy. It is still too early to think about that." 
 
"But I do not want the twins to know…" whispered Glorfindel in a  
broken tone.  
 
Drawing in a deep breath, Erestor chose his next words  
carefully. "You will need support in order to deal with this. Don't  
shut them out. But I agree that you should not tell the twins about  
the… treatment, which you suffered at Saruman's hands. We will tell  
them that you were seriously injured, even tortured, and that you are  
still recovering." 
 
"And what if I am pregnant? What when I will start to show?" 
 
Erestor's heart twisted in agony, seeing the swimming tears in  
Glorfindel's eyes when the blond looked at him over his shoulder. "We  
will decide what to do when that happens." 
 
Not quite reassured, Glorfindel rested his back against Erestor's  
chest. How foolish he had been to think that his ordeal was over. It  
had only just begun! 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
"Look," whispered Erestor, regretting he had to wake Glorfindel, but  
he was sure the blond wanted to see for himself that they had  
arrived. "We are home." 
 
Glorfindel bleary-eyed stared at the Last Homely House and suddenly  
dread overwhelmed him. He had thought he had wanted to go home, but  
now he wasn't so sure anymore. "How do I bear their glances? How can  
I go on?" 
 
"By knowing that you are loved, mela… mellon-nîn." Erestor cringed.  
He had almost let that one slip. He had to be more careful in the  
future. "Elrond greatly cares about you and he will see you healed.  
Don't fight him when he confines you to bed or makes you drink some  
vile potion," said Erestor, trying to lighten Glorfindel's  
mood. "Elrond knows what is best for you. Let him fuss over you… and  
let the twins fuss over you… The three of them will lovingly take  
care of you." His heart ached, realizing that within the hour his  
services wouldn't be needed anymore. He didn't want to let go. He  
wanted to continue to take care of the blond, but rationally, he knew  
Glorfindel was better off in Elrond's tender care.  
 
As he directed Bronwe toward the Last Homely House, he cherished  
these last few, precious moments with his secret love. 
 
TBC 
Beta read by Lizzle, thanks!


Part 8
Reunion.


Border guards had already informed Elrond that
Glorfindel and Erestor were approaching. Instead of
sending out an escort, he decided to wait for them in
the courtyard. Had Glorfindel’s state been truly
worrisome, Erestor would have let him known by sending
ahead one of the guards.

“Ada? Is it true?” Elladan, -quickly followed by his
younger brother-, joined Elrond. “The guards told us
that Erestor and Glorfindel are approaching.”

“It is true. I am waiting for them to arrive.” A smug
grin surfaced on Elrond’s face. “I told you Erestor
would not give up until he had found Glorfindel.”

“Aye, you were right,” whispered Elrohir, as Erestor
and Glorfindel finally came into view. 

Elrond sighed dejectedly, seeing Glorfindel’s bowed
head. The blond leaned heavily against Erestor, who
had a stern expression on his face. “They have hurt
him.”

The twins had reached that same conclusion. “Then we
should take him to the Healing House,” suggested
Elrohir. 

Elrond considered their situation. “Elladan, you will
stay with me and help to care for Glorfindel. Elrohir,
make sure Erestor freshens himself up, rests, and only
then will you escort him to the Healing House. I need
to talk to Glorfindel without Erestor hovering over
him.” Now that he got a better look at the blond, he
caught sight of the fading bruises, which must have
been spectacular a few days ago. 

The twins nodded and Elladan was relieved that he
hadn’t been chosen to take care of Erestor. The fact
that Erestor had so easily sneaked up on them still
unnerved him. 

“Erestor, it is good to see you made it back with
Glorfindel.” Elrond exchanged a glance with his old
friend and instantly noticed the concern and love in
those brown eyes. “Let me take care of him.”

“He has fallen asleep again,” whispered Erestor
softly. “Help me lower him onto the ground.”
Immediately, two pairs of hands opened to gently guide
Glorfindel down from the horse. 

Elladan and Elrond made sure they had a tight hold on
Glorfindel when Erestor handed the blond to them. 

The movement woke Glorfindel. Blinking his eyes, he
tried to get his bearings. The first thing he saw was
dark hair and he automatically assumed it was Erestor,
before leaning against the warm form. 

Elrond smiled pleased, feeling Glorfindel lean against
him, but suddenly the blond jerked away from him, eyes
wide with terror. “Be at peace, Glorfindel. You are
home.”

Glorfindel stared first at Elrond and then at Elladan.
Their touches made him shiver and he cringed,
realizing they would find out shortly what had
happened to him. Shivering like this would evoke
questions, most certainly on Elrond’s part, and the
half-Elf wouldn’t rest until he knew the truth. 

“Where is Erestor?” For some reason Glorfindel yearned
for Erestor to be close and wished he could get away
from the half-Elves’ touches. 

“I am here, mellon-nîn,” said Erestor, quickly sliding
out of the saddle. But he remained at a distance,
knowing it was Elrond’s presence the blond really
wanted. “I will check with you later. Let Elrond take
care of you.”

Glorfindel didn’t really like the sound of that. /But
I want *you* to take care of me!/ That thought
surprised him. He had also believed he would prefer
Elrond’s touch, but that didn’t seem true.

“Come with me. We are wasting time when you should be
resting.” Elrond had seen the look of discomfort on
Glorfindel’s face when Elladan and he had caught him,
but he didn’t want to draw any conclusions yet.
Glorfindel would inform him about the nature of his
injuries once the blond was lying down comfortably. 

Glorfindel forced himself to put one foot in front of
the other. He had seen the worried look in Elrond’s
eyes and he would do anything to prevent being carried
to the Healing House. 

Erestor watched them leave and with every step that
made the distance grow between them, his heart ached
just a little more. /But I will visit with him
shortly. And Elrond will keep Glorfindel safe. He is
not my responsibility anymore./ A responsibility which
he had enjoyed and treasured. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Erestor? You look tired. Come, let me prepare a bath
for you and once you feel rested we can visit with
Glorfindel.” Elrohir, recalling the incident in the
woods, tentatively rested a hand on Erestor’s
shoulder. He felt insecure in dealing with the elder
Elf, who had deceived them in the past by pretending
to be someone which he wasn’t. And at the same time
Erestor was all that, but also so much more! His head
reeled. “I do not want to impose myself, but my father
asked me to take care of you,” he added in an
uncertain tone.

Seeing Elrohir shuffle his feet and fidget with a
corner of his shirt, Erestor realized only too well
that the younger twin felt uncomfortable around him.
That fact saddened him. After sending one look full of
longing in Glorfindel’s direction, he sighed and
placed his hand on top of Elrohir’s, which still
rested on his shoulder. Shivers traveled through the
half-Elf’s body and he intensely regretted
disappointing the younger twin. “Aye, I should clean
up. You are right.” The dark blood of Orcs and
Uruk-Hai still clung to his clothes.

Erestor walked toward the doorway, but then realized
Elrohir wasn’t following. Sighing, he turned around
and said, “Are you coming with me, pen-neth, or did
you change your mind?”

“No!” Elrohir hurried over to Erestor’s side and fell
into step beside him. “It is just… I do not know how
to act around you.”

Walking down the corridor, another sigh fled Erestor’s
lips. He really had made a mess of things! “I owe
Elladan and you an apology,” he said sincerely, “I
should not have startled you, but you were extremely
careless, going to sleep like that. There are Orcs out
there and trust me, they would love to get their hands
on you.” He shuddered at the thought of what could
have happened had Orcs found the sleeping twins. Now
that he knew what Saruman and his creatures were truly
capable of, he found himself even more protective of
his loved ones. “You should not venture into the woods
for some time. Not even with an escort.”

Elrohir realized Erestor was right, but, “We cannot
leave them to roam Imladris!” Elladan and he had
killed their fair share of the foul creatures and
wouldn’t be denied now.

“Elrohir,” said Erestor, coming to a halt in front of
his rooms, which they had now reached, “Look at what
happened to Glorfindel. And he had an escort.”

Rendered speechless, Elrohir gave in. “You are right,
but I still do not like it.”

“Stay at home for a short while,” said Erestor,
“Promise me, pen-neth. Do not let that thick-headed
brother of yours talk you into chasing those Orcs, for
they will turn the tables and hunt you down instead.”

“I promise,” whispered Elrohir reluctantly. He knew
Erestor had made a valid point, but it felt like he
was being treated like an Elfling all over again. 

“Trust me, not even your father will venture into the
woods.”

“And what about you?” 

Erestor pushed down the door handle, considering
Elrohir’s question. The twin already knew of his
feelings for Glorfindel, so there was no reason to
hide them any longer. “I will stay close to
Glorfindel. That must take preference above killing
any of Saruman’s creatures.”

/You are right again,/ thought Elrohir, following
Erestor into his rooms. He suddenly realized that he
had never been in here before. As long as he could
remember, Erestor had guarded his privacy closely,
making sure neither he nor Elladan entered. And now he
was allowed inside? 

Looking about, Elrohir’s eyes searched the rooms. They
were more luxurious than he had thought. Rich
tapestries decorated the walls, a golden chandelier
hung from the ceiling and a big four poster bed took
up nearly one quarter of the room. Next, he walked
over to one of the bookshelves, finding scrolls which
even his father didn’t have in his famous library.
Next to the bed, several daggers hung on the wall.
“Your rooms are nothing like I thought they would be.”
And that was probably the exact reason why Erestor
hadn’t allowed him in before. But now that his secret
was out…

Erestor reverently placed his sword, daggers, bow and
quiver onto the bed and then headed for the bathroom.
He pulled the door ajar and peeled off his dirty
clothing. Whilst letting the large tub fill with warm
water, he undid his braids. Once he was naked, he
stepped into the tub and released a pleased sigh. 

“Uh? Erestor?” Elrohir knocked on the bathroom door,
uncertain what to make of his former tutor’s behavior.
“Can I come inside or…?”

Erestor’s eyes flashed alive after almost dozing off
due to the pleasant warmth. “Aye, you can come
inside.” He had almost forgotten about Elrohir. Seeing
the younger twin gingerly shuffle inside amused him.
But it also made him realize that they needed to talk.
He pointed at a chair and told Elrohir to pull it
closer to the tub and sit down.

Elrohir seated himself and waited for Erestor to take
the initiative. 

“Pen-neth, I never lied to you or your brother when I
said I love you.” Erestor hoped Elrohir believed that
at least. “Your mother and father, Arwen and Elladan
and you are very dear to me.”

“I believe you,” said Elrohir thoughtfully, “But why
did you keep so much of your past a secret? Ada told
us that you are eight thousand years old and that you
fought at his side at the Battle of the Last Alliance.
Why would you want to hide such an honorable past?”

“You are young,” whispered Erestor saddened. “You do
not know yet what pains and sacrifices lay ahead of
you. Please understand that I had my reasons to bury
this part of my past.” Erestor needed to get away from
Elrohir’s inquisitive look and reached for the soap to
wash his hair with. Busying himself, he waited for
Elrohir to reply.

“It is… strange,” said Elrohir eventually. “I always
thought of you as someone who had dedicated his life
to books and now I have learned that there is this
whole side to you that I never knew about.”

“Would it help if I answered any questions you have?”
Erestor wondered if he had to do the same thing all
over again when Glorfindel had recovered sufficiently
to question him. 

Elrohir nodded once. “Aye, it would.” 

“Then ask your questions.” Now that he had finished
bathing, Erestor reached for the towel and rose from
the water, ignoring the blush that was forming on
Elrohir’s face. 

Elrohir quickly averted his gaze, allowing Erestor his
privacy. “Why did you decide to bury your past?”

Erestor towel dried his hair and then moved on to his
skin, carefully removing all dirt that might have
remained. Walking into his bedroom, he signaled for
Elrohir to follow him, which the half-Elf did. After
slipping into a warm and soft robe, he seated himself
in a comfortable chair beneath the window, where
Elrohir joined him. 

Elrohir wondered about the nervous twitch that had
appeared near Erestor’s mouth. It told him that the
elder Elf wasn’t looking forward to telling him. 

“My lover died at the Battle of the Last Alliance. His
death devastated me and I needed time to recover from
the loss. I had seen enough slaughter to last eternity
and decided on a different course. I became your
father’s advisor.”

“Ada…” Elrohir frowned. “What were you before becoming
his advisor? A comrade in arms? Did you fight
alongside each other?

Erestor slowly shook his head. “I worked behind enemy
lines, supplying the army with information on the
enemy’s movements.” 

Looking over at the bed, Elrohir frowned. “I never
knew you possessed any weapons.” The sword looked
magnificent and suddenly his feet were carrying him
toward the bed. Looking at Erestor, he asked, “May I?”


Erestor wavered, but in the end, he nodded. He watched
closely as Elrohir carefully lifted the sword,
studying it, and he wished he had never taught his
pupil to read Tengwar. 

“You even named your sword,” whispered Elrohir awed.
The name carved on it, --Gil-galad,-- would have
surprised him, but not any longer, not now that he
knew Erestor had fought in the High-King’s army. “I
have never before seen the likes of it.”

Erestor swallowed hard, hoping Elrohir wouldn’t
realize the truth, hoping the half-Elf wouldn’t figure
out the identity of his lover who had died at the
Battle of the Last Alliance. He wasn’t ready yet to
tell Elrohir. 

Cautiously, Elrohir placed the sword back onto the
bed. Turning around, he asked, “Would you like
something to eat? I can fetch something from the
kitchens.”

“I would like that,” said Erestor, inclining his head.
It would also give him a moment to sort out his
thoughts. 

“I will be back shortly,” said Elrohir, walking toward
the doorway. Looking at Erestor, he found that the
elder Elf radiated a sense of authority, which he had
never detected before. 

He hurried to the kitchens, wondering how badly
injured Glorfindel was. The blond hadn’t looked well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Elladan, fetch healing herbs, hot water for tea and
washing up, and towels.” Elrond wanted a moment alone
with Glorfindel. He had to know what had happened to
the blond and Glorfindel would feel more comfortable
when it was just the two of them. 

Nodding his head, Elladan decided to take his time to
run this errand. He was intelligent enough to realize
his father wanted a word in private with Glorfindel.
Closing the door behind him, he hoped Elrond would
know how to aid their friend’s recovery. Something
about Glorfindel’s behavior worried him immensely. 

Elrond made sure Glorfindel was comfortably resting on
the bed, propped up against a pile of pillows. “I am
so glad you are back.”

Glorfindel managed a weak smile. “Erestor freed me.”
He had a million questions about his savior, but he
knew they had to wait until after his talk with
Elrond. 

“Mellon-nîn, I need to know what they did to you. It
is the only way for me to treat your injuries
properly.” His heart missed a beat when Glorfindel
averted his eyes. “You know you can trust me,
Glorfindel. I am a healer and I want to see you whole
again.”

“I do not think I will ever feel whole again,”
whispered Glorfindel miserably. 

Elrond reached out and wanted to curl his fingers
around the blond’s, but his hand remained hovering
above Glorfindel’s, seeing his friend flinch at the
expected touch. “Please tell me what happened.” 

Glorfindel closed his eyes and sighed nervously.
“Saruman has this insane plan… He wants to breed a new
race of Uruk-Hai, stronger and smarter…” He needed to
pause and hesitantly sought out Elrond’s eyes. The
half-Elf was listening closely, eager to help.
Elrond’s warm and loving expression encouraged him to
continue. “And he wants me to… to give birth… to the
first one.” His mouth suddenly went dry, seeing the
shock in Elrond’s eyes. “He cast a spell on me… He
wanted me to… conceive.”

Tears began to flow from his swimming eyes. “I am s-so
sc-ared… What if… what if his m-magic worked and… and
now I am… I am…w-with child-d?” Shaking like a leaf,
he wrapped his arms around his waist. “I s-slit my
w-wrist-s, b-but Erestor f-found me and… we f-fled
and… I g-grew 
s-stronger…”

Elrond’s eyes were misted, listening to his friend’s
horrid tale. He hated to ask this, but he had to make
sure. “Glorfindel, how did Saruman work his magic?” He
ached to reach out to his friend, but he began to
understand why his touch provoked tremors. 

Glorfindel raised his swimming eyes and pleadingly met
Elrond’s. How he wished the half-Elf would enfold him
in a tight hug like Erestor had done. He needed to
feel safe, but Elrond kept his distance. Was it
because he had flinched away from that first touch?
“He… He… ra…ra…raped… me…” The admission was hard to
make, but he still had to tell Elrond what had
happened after that.

Elrond’s eyes had widened with shock. “But…” But then
his friend had to be fading! Mandos would be calling
out to him! But when he looked at the blond, he didn’t
see any of the first signs of grief. Although
Glorfindel’s eyes were swimming, they were very much
alive and didn’t bear the shadow of death in them,
like Celebrían’s had before sailing to Valinor. 

Glorfindel suddenly needed to get this over with.
“And-d then, Sa… he g-gave me to… to…to one of… his…
c-crea…tures…” Raising his hands, he buried his face
in them. He felt so ashamed at having to admit this to
Elrond, but at the same time anger flared in his
stomach. “He had d-drug-ged me… I could n-not fight
him off.”

Elrond sagged back into his chair, shaking his head in
disbelief. “Saruman must have lost his sanity…” He
needed a moment to compose himself. /Why are you still
alive, mellon-nîn? Why can’t I see the first signs of
fading on you? Having been raped twice should have set
you free to travel to the Halls of Mandos, so why are
you still with us?/ 

Glorfindel peeked at Elrond and cringed at seeing his
friend’s stricken expression. “I w-want it-t g-gone…
Can you a-… bort it?”

“I do not know,” whispered Elrond, stunned after
hearing Glorfindel’s tale. “I should examine you
first.” And he had to check if the blond was bleeding.
There was a distinct chance that his attackers had
torn him. “I need time to think about this.” Lifting
his hand again, he slowly let it descend onto the
flaxen hair. 

Glorfindel flinched at the touch and shifted in the
bed, ignoring the aches that washed through his body.
He didn’t want to be touched! Not even by Elrond! /But
why do I crave Erestor’s closeness then?/ “Do not
touch me… Please…”

Elrond’s heart contracted painfully, hearing those
words. “Glorfindel, I need to examine you and I want
*you* to decide if you want to be awake or asleep when
I do that.”

Glorfindel didn’t have to give the matter much
thought. “I would prefer to be asleep.” The mere
thought of Elrond touching him intimately caused
shivers to travel down his spine. 

Elrond had stopped caressing the golden strands and
looked concerned at Glorfindel. “Thank you for telling
me what has happened to you. It cannot have been
easy.”

“It w-was the hardest thing I e-ever did. I do not
want you to… to look at me with pi-pity in your eyes.”
Glorfindel fumbled with a corner of the blanket that
kept him warm and glanced at the half-Elf. 

“No pity,” corrected Elrond quickly, “but affection,
concern and admiration.”

“Admiration?” 

“You are coping extremely well for someone who has
been… violated.” Elrond saw Glorfindel cringe, but
continued, “You are very strong and brave to remain on
Middle-Earth.”

“I do not know why M-mandos does not want m-me…”
admitted Glorfindel in a shocked tone. “When I s-slit
my w-wrists, I expected to… to d-die.”

Elrond realized that something was wrong. “May I?” He
reached out to examine the blond’s wrists.

Glorfindel forced himself to nod. Feeling Elrond’s
fingertips touch his skin made him uncomfortable, but
he managed to control his raging feelings. 

“The wounds have nearly healed.” It seemed
Glorfindel’s healing ability was still intact, which
puzzled him. An Elf, who was fading, lost his healing
ability. “You are not fading, mellon-nîn.” 

Glorfindel bowed his head in defeat. “I know I am
n-not f-fading, but I do not understand w-why.”

Elrond patted Glorfindel’s hand, hoping the blond
would grow accustomed to being touched again. /I
definitely need to talk to Erestor. Either Glorfindel
is hiding something, or he honestly does not know why
he is not fading./  Glorfindel’s azure eyes pleadingly
met his. “What is it, mellon-nîn?”

“Can I go to sleep now? I feel… I do not know… what I
feel.”

“Aye, you should rest. We will talk later.” Elrond
signaled for Elladan, who now entered the room, to
hand him the hot water and healing herbs. 

Elladan remained at a respectful distance, not wanting
to infringe on the injured Elf’s privacy. He would
find out what was wrong once they tended to
Glorfindel’s wounds. 

“Sip slowly, Glorfindel. The tea is hot.” Elrond had
added herbs to the hot water and now placed the cup at
the blond’s lips. “You will be asleep for a few
hours.”

Between sips, Glorfindel nodded gratefully. “I do not
mind… being asleep.”

Elrond realized Glorfindel needed time to come to
terms with what had happened to him, but he would not
let the blond run away from his pain. They would face
and discuss everything that had happened to the Elda
together. 

A few minutes later, Glorfindel had emptied the cup
and was staring at the ceiling. He was content to lie
there, slowly drifting asleep. Suddenly Elrond’s
soothing voice reached his ears. 

“Sleep, mellon-nîn. Elladan and I will take good care
of you.”

/Nay, not Elladan! I do not want him to know what has
happened!/ He tried to voice his thoughts, but his
vocal chords refused to cooperate. The sleeping potion
was spreading through his body, luring him into a deep
and healing sleep.

“Ada?” Elladan waited for Glorfindel’s eyes to go
completely vacant before addressing his father. “How
badly injured is he?”

Elrond shook his head. “I do not know, Elladan.
Glorfindel should not be alive right now.”

Elladan’s eyes widened with shock. “Not alive?”

Elrond released a strangled sigh. “I need your help,
Elladan. Use plenty of water to remove dirt or blood
from his body. I will tend to his injuries in the
meantime.”

Elladan nodded, feeling strangely numb, realizing what
had probably happened to Glorfindel. /Ada said
Glorfindel should not be alive, that can only mean…/
His gaze met his father’s. “Ada, was he… raped?”

“I am afraid so,” admitted Elrond. Elladan would find
out any way and it would help his son to know what
they were up against. “We need to be very careful
around Glorfindel.”

“Will he fade? Or will he travel to Valinor like Nana
did?” He still missed Celebrían every day of his life.

“I do not know,” whispered Elrond, growing frustrated.
“I cannot explain why there are no signs of fading on
him. They should be there, but they are not.”

Elladan couldn’t help feeling relieved. “Then
Glorfindel will stay with us?” The Elda had always
been one of his heroes –together with his father of
course- and he didn’t want to lose his former tutor.

“Maybe,” mumbled Elrond, “Let us hope and pray he
will.”

TBC
Beta read by Lizzle, thanks!
 


Part 9
The Vision


Elrond was amazed to see how well some of Glorfindel’s
injuries had already healed. The bruising on the
blond’s face and body was nearly gone. The wrists,
once slit, sported new skin and he couldn’t find any
tearing inside his friend. Glorfindel was on the way
to recovery, but the reason why eluded him. 

“Ada? How badly injured is he?” Elladan, who had just
finished washing the flaxen mane, used his fingers as
a comb to untangle the mass. Once his father had
finished his examination, they would wash all
remaining grime from Glorfindel’s body. 

Elrond sat back in his chair and studied his injured
friend. “I cannot explain it.”

“What?” At his father’s signal, Elladan began to wash
Glorfindel’s feet. Then he moved up the legs, doing
the backside first. He had assisted his father before
when Elrond tended to injured Elves, and hoped to
become as good as a healer as his father one day. 

“He is nearly healed. Physically, that is. Emotionally
it is a completely different matter. I have never seen
or heard anything like this. Glorfindel should be
fading, but he is not; he is healing. His healing
ability even seems strengthened.” Elrond shook his
head in confusion. “Maybe Erestor can tell me what is
going on here.”

“I am glad you assigned Elrohir to tend to Erestor,”
said Elladan, shivering. “I do not know how to act
around him.”

“Like you always did,” advised Elrond. “Elladan,
Erestor may be more than the scholar you have known
all your life, but that does not change the fact that
he has always loved you, and Elrohir and Arwen for
that matter. When the three of you were born, he vowed
to protect you with his life.”

Elladan blushed slightly. “It is just… He suddenly
seems so much… more?” The word didn’t quite feel
right, but lacking a better one, he had to settle for
it. “I am finished,” announced Elladan, “We need to
turn him around so I can do the front as well.”

Elrond rose from the chair and helped his son to
gently roll Glorfindel onto his back. “Just let me
examine him first.” There could be bruised ribs,
broken bones; one never knew. Gently moving his hands
over the healing body, they stopped mid-air when
encountering a slight swelling in Glorfindel’s
abdomen. “Oh… Elbereth… no.”

Elladan raised an eyebrow at hearing his father’s
shocked tone. “Ada?”

“It is true then…” Elrond had no idea how Glorfindel’s
pregnancy could be progressing this quickly, but he
knew what his fingers were telling him. The blond was
with child. 

“What is true?” Unexpectedly, Erestor’s voice echoed
through the room. 

Elrond’s head whipped up, making eye contact with his
old friend. “He is pregnant.”

The twins’ eyes widened, staring at each other. What
was their father talking about?

Erestor’s eyes hardened. “I am going back to Orthanc
to kill them.”

Elrond instantly knew who Erestor was referring to;
Saruman and the Uruk-Hai who had ravaged Glorfindel.
Quickly reaching out, he placed his hand on Erestor’s
arm. “Nay, you are staying. Glorfindel needs you
here.” He shivered momentarily, meeting Erestor’s
predatory glare. “You know better than to run off,
chasing after revenge, when he needs you here.” He
hoped his words would get through; Erestor could be
stubborn at times. 

Suddenly Erestor’s eyes softened. “You are right.” He
had told Elrohir only moments ago that they needed to
stay at Glorfindel’s side, instead of hunting down
Orcs.

“Ada? May I ask what this is about?” Elrohir felt
truly lost now. 

“Continue your examination,” said Erestor, addressing
Elrond. “I will tell him.” Glorfindel had said he
didn’t want the twins to know, but now that an
advanced pregnancy was showing he didn’t have any
choice. “Elrohir,” started Erestor, placing his hands
on the half-Elf’s shoulders. 

Elrohir’s gaze shifted from Glorfindel to Erestor. 

“Pen-neth, Saruman cast a spell on Glorfindel, making
it possible for him to conceive. It clearly
demonstrates the degree of insanity Saruman has
degraded to. He plans to start a new breed of
Uruk-Hai. It is my guess that they are to become the
packs’ new leaders. And he wanted Glorfindel to carry
the first in the hope that this Uruk-Hai would inherit
our friend’s courage and cunning. It is an insane
plan.”

Elrohir silently stared at Glorfindel. 

Elladan, who had managed to remain calm during
Erestor’s tale, had now reached the blond’s abdominal
area. The wash cloth tenderly moved over the slightly
swollen abdomen. “And what do we do now?”

“In the end, it is Glorfindel’s decision,” replied
Erestor, as he made eye contact with Elrond, “but he
mentioned to me that he wanted the pregnancy
terminated.”

Elrond shook his head. “I am not sure my herbs can end
a magically induced pregnancy, especially when it is
advancing this rapidly. I have never seen such a
reaction. Normally it takes Elves several months
before they start to show any signs of pregnancy and
this…” Tenderly, he rested his hand on the swelling.
“This is Saruman’s doing; it won’t be a normal
pregnancy.”

Erestor nodded once. “You should talk to him about
this when he wakes up.”

“I will.” Elrond searched Erestor’s gaze and waited
for Elladan to finish washing Glorfindel. Once his
oldest son was done, he asked them to give them a few
private moments. 

Elladan and Elrohir were happy to oblige, for it gave
them a chance to discuss this development privately.
Both still felt shocked after hearing what Saruman had
done to Glorfindel. 

After the twins had left, Elrond signaled for Erestor
to sit down. 

Erestor gingerly sat down on the edge of the bed and
gathered one of Glorfindel’s hands in his. “Be honest
with me,” he said, addressing Elrond.

Elrond continued to observe Erestor. The love his
friend bore Glorfindel had never been more obvious,
and the way Erestor was clinging to the blond’s hand,
told him that Erestor planned to be there for the
Elda. /Good./

“Elrond?” Erestor looked at the half-Elf
inquisitively, when he didn’t get an answer. 

Elrond cleared his throat. “Glorfindel is healing
fast. I expect him to make a complete recovery in a
day or two.”

“And emotionally? Did he tell you…?” Erestor didn’t
want to accidentally blurt out something that
Glorfindel hadn’t told Elrond yet.

“He told me he had been raped, twice, and that, as a
result, he slashed his wrists.” Elrond shifted in the
chair. “What I do not understand is how he can still
be alive. I assume that it is your doing?”

“I cannot tell you,” whispered Erestor regretfully. He
wasn’t sure Mandos would allow it. “But aye, it is my
doing.”

Elrond inclined his head. “I do not know what you did,
mellon-nîn, but I am glad Glorfindel is still among
the living. One visit to the Halls of Mandos should be
enough.”

“I agree,” whispered Erestor, “What do you plan to do
next?”

“I will talk to him. Chances are that the pregnancy
cannot be terminated and judging by the speed with
which the child is developing I estimate that it will
be born in a few weeks. This is by no means a normal
pregnancy.”

Erestor closed his eyes momentarily. “A few weeks?” A
normal pregnancy would last a year. “This will be hard
on Glorfindel… I am glad he has your support.”

“Mine?” Surprised, Elrond raised an eyebrow. “Do you
not plan to be there for him then?”

A stab of pain moved through Erestor’s heart. “We both
know that he prefers your company, -your support-, to
mine. He always did. I doubt that is about to change
now.”

But Elrond wasn’t that sure. “We will see,” he said
cryptically. “For now, I have one other question. Does
he flinch at your touch as well?”

“At first he did. Do not be discouraged by it. He will
grow accustomed to your touch as he did to mine. It
just takes time.” But, being honest with himself,
Erestor wasn’t sure that was true. /I share a bond
with Glorfindel; Elrond does not./

“But you will visit with him regularly? He will need
his friends close during these next few weeks.”

“Glorfindel has, -always had-, my undying love and
support,” said Erestor, staring deeply into Elrond’s
eyes. “I will be there for him until the day I die.”

“Good.” Elrond rose from his chair and studied his
patient. Elladan had covered Glorfindel with a blanket
before he had left and the healing Elf’s body had
grown warm again. “I will talk to him about the child
when he wakes. By the looks of it we cannot waste any
time.”

Realizing their conversation had come to an end,
Erestor got to his feet as well. Bowing slightly, he
said, “Thank you for taking care of him. Please keep
me informed about his condition.”

“But of course, mellon-nîn.” Elrond placed a hand on
his friend’s shoulder, looking deeply into the dark
and clouded eyes. “Do not despair, Erestor. Part of
his child might be Uruk-Hai, but…” Uncertain of what
he wanted to say, his voice trailed off. 

“But we will love it because it is Glorfindel’s flesh
and blood as well,” finished Erestor for the half-Elf.


“Aye, those were the words I was looking for.” Elrond
managed to smile weakly. “We will make sure the child
is raised properly.”

“And loved,” added Erestor. “Being loved can make the
difference. If the child has Uruk-Hai traits…” Now it
was his time to struggle in finding the right words.
But he meant what he had said; he would love this
child because it was Glorfindel’s flesh and blood. 

“I will leave you so you can tend to him.” Reluctantly
Erestor moved toward the doorway. He would have
preferred to stay, but Glorfindel would want to be
with Elrond. 

“I will keep you informed,” promised Elrond, “And I
expect you to visit with him regularly.”

Erestor nodded and placed his hand on the door handle,
but then Elrond’s voice made him freeze. 

“When will you tell him you love him? Have loved him
since his arrival in Imladris?”

Shivers coursed through Erestor’s body, hearing those
questions. Slowly, he turned around to face Elrond.
“We both know Glorfindel chose you centuries ago when
he came to your bed.” He quickly raised a hand,
stopping Elrond who was about to voice his protest.
“And no, I never blamed you for accepting what he
offered. You were lonely and did not know I had fallen
in love with him. My feelings are not important right
now. The only thing that matters is that *you* give
him the support he needs.”

“But, Erestor—“

“No, trust me on this, Elrond. Knowing he would return
to you was the one thing that pulled him through.”
/Well, the bond might have helped a little./ “It was
your name that encouraged him to follow through.”

Elrond sighed dejectedly. “I wish you would
reconsider, Erestor. I really believe that Glorfindel
has a right to know.”

But Erestor shook his head. “Glorfindel learning the
fact that I have been in love with him for these last
few centuries would not change anything about this
situation,” said Erestor in a saddened tone. After
exchanging one more glance with the half-Elf, he
closed the door behind him and headed for Elrond’s
study. Now that the healer was tending to Glorfindel,
he would handle all formal matters for a while. 

/I wonder how the twins are dealing with this./
Erestor sighed. /I know you did not want them to know,
Glorfindel, but you will need their support as well./

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elrohir and Elladan sat in the rose gardens, which
their mother had designed and planted. Both were
trying hard to understand what had happened to
Glorfindel, --what was still happening to the blond’s
body.

“I cannot believe it,” said Elrohir eventually, “A
male Elf being pregnant is unheard of.”

“It is Saruman’s doing. Erestor is right, you know. We
should go to Orthanc and take care of the insane
wizard.”

“Peace, Elladan. Remember, he is the mightiest of the
Istari. I doubt we can end his life.” And Elrohir did
regret that. “Why did Saruman do this? Why bring a
life into this world in such a way?”

“You know what we have to do, don’t you?” Elladan
looked at his twin. “We need to be there for him.
Erestor was right when he said that Glorfindel needs
us here, needs our support.”

Elrohir nodded once. “We will support him. Glorfindel
is part of this family.” 

They felt better now that they had made up their mind
and he smiled weakly. “And then there is Erestor,”
mused Elladan thoughtfully. “I do not know what to
make of him.”

“I feel the same way,” admitted Elrohir, “Maybe we
should make an effort to get to know him all over
again?”

“I am still embarrassed about the way he could creep
up on us like that.” But at the same time Elladan’s
eyes glittered with excitement. “Do you think he would
teach us some of his tricks?”

“We can ask,” replied Elrohir, smiling at his brother.
“I think they will be done talking and Ada will want
us to take turns in sitting with Glorfindel.”

“Aye, let us return to the Healing House.” Elladan got
to his feet. There were long and troubled days ahead
of them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

/Am I dreaming? Or did I die after all?/ Glorfindel
looked about in amazement, unable to identify his
surroundings. /Where am I?/ The last thing he
remembered was talking to Elrond and then falling
asleep again. 

“Glorfindel? Come over here…”

A woman’s soft voice pulled him from his musings.
Following the sound, he approached a stone circle. In
its midst sat a she-Elf, weaving a burgundy and gold
colored tapestry, -- and suddenly he understood. 

“Aye, you are in Valinor… Well, your mind is,” said
Vaire, looking up from her weaving to meet his glance.


Respectfully, Glorfindel bowed his head. He felt lost
for words and after raising his head again, he tried
to peek at the tapestry. He gasped, catching sight of
himself in one section. 

“I am Vaire,” she said. “Wife to Mandos.”

“You weave Arda’s history into these tapestries,”
mumbled Glorfindel awed. But he still wondered why he
was here and why Vaire had chosen to talk to him. 

“Aye, and I wove your fight with the Balrog into a
tapestry that now adorns the Halls of my husband.” She
raised a hand and signaled for Glorfindel to approach.
“And now I am working on a new one.”

Glorfindel nodded nervously. “Why am I in it?” He
hoped it wouldn’t depict the humiliation he had
suffered at Orthanc! 

Vaire smiled reassuringly. “You still have a very
important part to play, Glorfindel.”

Now that he was focusing on a section of the tapestry,
-which constantly changed under her hands-, he saw he
was sitting up in bed, holding a bundle of some sort.

“That is your son,” said Vaire tenderly. 

“My son? Why can’t I see his face then?” Glorfindel
was growing uncomfortable under her look. Under her
hands, Erestor’s face took shape on the tapestry. The
dark-haired Elf was sitting next to his bed, smiling
at the blond. 

“You cannot see your son’s face because he has not
been born yet.” Vaire looked him in the eyes. “You are
here because you need to know that this child, and the
union whence it came from, is blessed by the Valar.”

”You want me to bear this child?” Glorfindel flinched.
How could the Valar be this cruel? “But I do not want
to.” Why would the Valar bless this child, this union?
Union? It hadn’t been a union! It had been rape!  How
could she call it a union?

“Glorfindel,” Vaire said, momentarily abandoning her
weaving so she could rise from her chair and look
straight into the Elf’s eyes. “You must trust me.”

“Trust…” Glorfindel cringed at his tone. “I…”

“I know you are hurting, but know that you will be
rewarded in the end.” Her smile warmed. “You will love
this child. You will treasure it and… you will be
loved in return.”

Glorfindel lowered his eyes. /I doubt an Uruk-Hai is
capable of giving love…/ But he didn’t voice his
doubts, reluctant to contradict the Vala. 

Vaire sensed he needed more convincing and added, “Not
just the child will love you. There is another.”

“Another child?” Glorfindel looked stricken. He
couldn’t be carrying twins!

Vaire laughed amused. “Glorfindel, be at peace. There
is only one child in your future, but there is also a
lover. A very dedicated lover. One who would challenge
Mandos himself to prove his love for you.” She
regretted being unable to tell him about Erestor’s
love at this moment, but all would be revealed in
time. “He loves you more than life itself.”

Glorfindel frowned. “A lover?” Had Elrond finally
fallen in love with him after all these centuries?
Maybe the Valar weren’t that cruel after all. 

Vaire sensed his thoughts, knew he had reached the
wrong conclusion, but didn’t enlighten him. Glorfindel
had to find out for himself. “Will you keep this
child? This gift from the Valar?”

Glorfindel sighed deeply. “I do not really have a
choice.”

“I am afraid you are right, Glorfindel, you do not
have a choice.” Vaire smiled warmly at him and
squeezed his shoulder. “Elrond cannot undo this
pregnancy. Saruman’s magic is strong and it almost
proved too strong for us. We had to work with it,
instead of against it.” She sat down and returned to
her work, beginning to weave another section of the
tapestry. 

Glorfindel watched a moment longer, but he was already
being pulled back to consciousness. The last thing he
saw on the tapestry was himself, smiling warmly and
happily at his son who was bundled up tightly in his
arms. But still the baby’s face remained hidden to
him.

“You must go now,” said Vaire, looking at him over her
shoulder. “Trust me. Let this child be born and accept
the love that has come into your life. It has been
there for centuries, but you never saw it. He did not
let you see it.”

Frowning at her words, Glorfindel’s vision exploded
with light and the next moment he was back in the
Healing House. He was staring at the ceiling and
immediately grew aware of a warm hand, tenderly
clasping his. /Elrond… Vaire must have been referring
to Elrond!/ 

Turning his head to the right, he expected to see
Elrond seated at his side, holding his hand and gently
rubbing the knuckles. 

But it wasn’t. 

It was Erestor.

TBC
Beta read by Lizzle, thanks!



Part 10
Erestor.


Erestor caught the disappointment and surprise on
Glorfindel’s face at finding him holding his hand
instead of Elrond and it caused even more heartbreak.
“I am sorry, mellon-nîn, but Elrond has been at your
side these last twelve hours and I had to send him to
his rooms to rest.” Had he known Glorfindel would wake
shortly, he would have told Elrond to stay. “I can
fetch him for you.”

Erestor’s waterfall of words nearly drowned him and
Glorfindel raised a hand, trying to stop the
dark-haired Elf. “Peace, Erestor. I feel… well.” It
was the truth. The unrest and discomfort that had
haunted him when Elrond had sat at his side were gone.
Instead, he felt secure again. /Erestor, why is it
that I want to put my trust in you?/ Glorfindel pushed
himself into an upright position and leaned his back
against the headboard. He felt surprisingly well.
Realizing that Erestor’s fingers were still wrapped
around his, made him frown. How was it possible that
he flinched at Elrond’s touch, but craved Erestor’s?
That didn’t make sense! 

“Is there anything I can do to make you more
comfortable?” asked Erestor concerned. The look that
Glorfindel gave him made him feel nervous. “Is
anything wrong?”

“I had this strange dream.” Glorfindel would have
preferred to confide in Elrond, but maybe Erestor
could help as well. So far the dark-haired Elf had
turned out to be a rock of support and dedication,
something that surprised him. 

“A dream?” Now that was an answer Erestor hadn’t
expected. 

“My mind traveled to Valinor and I spoke with Vaire.
She was busy weaving a tapestry, which depicted me
holding my son.” Glorfindel paused, thoughtfully. “She
told me that the Valar had blessed this child and that
they wanted me to give birth to it.”

Erestor’s heart ached; he could tell Glorfindel was
thoroughly confused. Suddenly he realized he was still
holding the blond’s hand and he wondered if Glorfindel
wanted him to let go. He hoped Glorfindel would let
him know if he was making the blond uncomfortable. 

“She also said that I would love the baby… I find that
hard to believe.” Glorfindel bowed his head and stared
at their joined hands. Something about that struck him
as very familiar. “Then she said something that
*really* puzzled me. She said that someone loves me
and that this person has kept it hidden for
centuries.” Glancing at Erestor, an absurd thought
entered his mind. /I cannot be Erestor… Can it?/ Yet
the raven-haired Elf did pale considerably at hearing
his words. In spite of his problems, Glorfindel
couldn’t help being intrigued. /Nay, it cannot be.../

“She was probably talking about Elrond,” said Erestor,
trying to keep his fierce emotions in check. He
couldn’t tell the blond that Vaire had been talking
about him. Mandos knew the truth about him and there
was a distinct chance that his wife knew as well. 

“I thought the same thing,” but Glorfindel wasn’t that
sure any more. /You came after me, rescued and took
care of me, but you never told me why./ He realized he
was on the brink of a revelation, but then his hand
settled on his stomach and he felt… felt… 

“Nay!”

At first, Erestor had no idea what had caused
Glorfindel’s outburst, but then he saw the blond rub
his hand over his abdomen. Forcing himself to remain
calm, he met azure eyes, hiding nothing. “It is true.
You are with child, mellon-nîn.” The tears that left
Glorfindel’s eyes made his swim in turn.
Instinctively, he inched closer. “I am so sorry that I
did not find you any sooner. Maybe I could have
stopped Saruman.”

Shaking his head, Glorfindel whispered, “He is one of
the Istari. There is no way you could have stopped
him.”

“I could have tried…”

Another flash of revelation swept through Glorfindel,
but it was gone too quickly to hold on to it. “Do you
think I had a… vision? That I really talked to Vaire?”


Erestor realized it would help Glorfindel to believe
Vaire had promised him future happiness and he
couldn’t rule out that the Vala had indeed sent
Glorfindel a vision. “Aye, I believe she sent you a
vision to comfort you.”

Looking down, Glorfindel’s fingers twitched inside
Erestor’s hand. “I do not want to give birth to this
abomination. It will be part Uruk-Hai. How can I love
such a creature?”

Erestor drew in a deep breath and then rubbed the skin
of Glorfindel’s hand. “I will love your son.”

Glorfindel blinked in disbelief. “What?” Had he heard
correctly?

“I will love your son,” repeated Erestor firmly. 

“But why? How can you love a creature like that when I
cannot?”

“Because he is your flesh and blood, mellon-nîn.
Uruk-Hai were Elves once, before the dark forces
corrupted them and changed them into Orcs. Who knows
what will happen when one of them is loved, cherished,
sheltered. Maybe their Elven heritage will show? How
do you know your son cannot love you in return?”

“Vaire said my son would love me…” whispered
Glorfindel. Raising a hand to his head, he wished his
thoughts would stop spinning. 

“How can anyone not love you?” Erestor hoped he had
gotten the teasing tone right. He didn’t want
Glorfindel to see through his pretense. 

Glorfindel blinked again. /What did you say?/

Realizing he had revealed too much, Erestor tried to
distract Glorfindel. “Elrond doubts he can terminate
the pregnancy. As you… discovered… the child is
growing at an alarming rate. Elrond thinks you will
give birth in a few weeks. It is not a normal
pregnancy.”

Glorfindel swallowed hard. “A few weeks? I will be
giving birth that shortly?” And then something else
made him panic. “How will the child be born? I am not
a she-Elf, I…”

Erestor reassuringly squeezed Glorfindel’s hand and
waited for him to calm down. “Elrond and I discussed
that as well.” Seeing Glorfindel’s puzzled look, he
explained, “You have been asleep for many hours and…
Elrond was shocked as well.  He needed someone to talk
to.”

Glorfindel nodded his head; Erestor’s explanation made
sense. “What did Elrond say?”

“That he would have to open your abdomen for the child
to be born.”

Glorfindel’s eyes nearly bulged from their sockets.
“Aiya.”

“But he has done this before when the baby was too big
or in the wrong position to be born,” said Erestor
soothingly. “He does not foresee any complications.”

Absentmindedly, one of Glorfindel’s hands rubbed his
abdomen. “I still cannot believe Saru… man did this to
me.” He still stuttered when saying that name. 

Erestor desperately wanted to enfold Glorfindel in his
arms, but he didn’t know for sure how the blond would
react to being embraced. “Always remember that you are
not alone. Elrond, Elladan and Elrohir, and I are
always there for you.”

A smile appeared on Glorfindel’s face and suddenly he
surprised himself by leaning forward and wrapping an
arm around Erestor’s shoulders. He pulled the other
Elf close, making sure he couldn’t leave. “Stay with
me?”

A lump formed in Erestor’s throat and he eagerly gave
in when Glorfindel pulled him close. “Always,
mellon-nîn.” 

Glorfindel rested his head against Erestor’s shoulder,
like he had done before. Suddenly the words tumbled
from his lips. “I do not know why, but I feel safe
with you.”

Rendered speechless, Erestor tried to swallow the lump
of emotions in his throat. Things had never felt this…
intimate… between them before and if it were up to
him, he would never let go again. But in the end,
Glorfindel sighed and the blond leaned back into the
pillows. His heart bled when he had to let go. “You
should rest. It was a lot to take in.” 

“My decision has been made for me then,” sighed
Glorfindel dejectedly. Erestor gave him a puzzled look
and after gathering his courage, Glorfindel said, “I
will allow this child to come into this world.” /It is
not like I have much choice. Elrond cannot terminate
the pregnancy and even Vaire wants me to have this
child./ But what had truly convinced him were
Erestor’s words that the dark-haired Elf would love
this child because it was Glorfindel’s flesh and
blood. What was it about those words that made him
thoughtful?

Seeing the brooding expression on Glorfindel’s face,
Erestor opted for distraction once more. As he
released the blond’s hand, he thought to see
Glorfindel reach for him, but that must have been his
imagination. “Here, now that you are awake you should
eat and drink something.” He reached for the tray,
sitting on the nightstand and placed it on the blond’s
lap. 

“I am not sure I can eat,” whispered Glorfindel, as
one hand automatically reached for Erestor’s,
instantly curling his fingers around it. It was an
instinctive reaction, subconsciously. 

Erestor didn’t know what to make of that gesture. He
sat down on the edge of the bed, determined to coax
his charge into eating. “Try some fruit. You need to
eat.”

Glorfindel cast a panicked look at Erestor. /Of
course… The child./ After pushing the fruits around on
the plate, he eventually selected a strawberry and ate
it. 

“Now try another one.” Erestor offered him a peach,
which he had cut into slices. He sat quietly, watching
Glorfindel eat. Now that the bruises had faded, the
blond looked ethereal again, absolutely beautiful.
“Some freshly baked bread?”

Glorfindel ate it because he wanted to please Erestor,
not because he was hungry. His appetite had left with
the realization that this child would be born after
all. 

Erestor remained quiet, not wanting to pressure
Glorfindel in any way. /I am sincere, melamin. I will
always be there for you./

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After finishing his meal, Glorfindel fell asleep again
and Erestor leaned back into the comfort of his chair.
Unexpectedly the door opened and Elrohir shuffled
inside. Of course; it was the twin’s turn to sit with
Glorfindel. If it were up to him, he would stay
instead, taking Elrohir’s turn as well, but it
wouldn’t do him any good to grow even more attached to
the blond. 

Rising from his chair, he walked over to Elrohir.
“Glorfindel woke two hours ago and ate some bread and
fruit. He was coherent and accepting of the situation.
Yet, should he wake, I would advise you to send for
your father. Elrond knows best how to deal with this
situation.”

Elrohir saw the exhaustion in Erestor’s dark eyes and
stopped the elder Elf from stepping outside by placing
a hand on his arm. “And what about *you*? How are
*you* doing?” 

“Ah, pen-neth,” said Erestor, smiling saddened. “There
is no need to worry about me. I always survive.”

“Survive, aye, but is that enough? Shouldn’t there be
something more than just survival?”

Erestor blinked at Elrohir’s words. “You are truly a
caring soul, pen-neth.” 

Elrohir involuntarily held his breath when Erestor
leaned in closer, pressing a chaste kiss on his brow.
His eyes widened with surprise at the affectionate
gesture. 

Seeing the surprise in Elrohir’s eyes, Erestor smiled
warmly. “Take good care of him for me, pen-neth.” He
headed for the doorway, but Elrohir suddenly addressed
him. 

“Did you tell him you love him?”

Erestor shook his head, still smiling. “You really
take after your father, pen-neth.” Not so long ago,
Elrond had asked him the same question. “Nay, I
haven’t and you won’t tell him either.” Hearing
Elrohir sigh, he stepped into the corridor, knowing
his secret was safe with the youngest twin.

Elrohir didn’t approve of Erestor’s decision to remain
quiet, but would respect the elder Elf’s wishes. As he
sat down on the chair Erestor had vacated, his gaze
came to rest on Glorfindel. The blond’s features were
relaxed in sleep. Recalling Erestor’s comment, he
realized that his father must have also encouraged the
elder Elf to finally reveal his feelings to
Glorfindel. /Well, if Erestor remains stubborn much
longer, I might just ‘accidentally’ blurt out
something about his feelings. This is absurd!/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elrond had first searched for Erestor in the Healing
House, but when his search remained fruitless, he
headed for his study. It wouldn’t be the first time
that Erestor had taken over his duties temporarily.
After Celebrían’s departure Erestor had ruled Imladris
for a short while. It was good to know the lands were
in the best of hands during his absence. 

Stepping into his study, he found Erestor seated
behind his desk, working his way through a pile of
papers. “Meldir, what are you doing here? You should
rest as well.” 

Erestor looked up and didn’t even try to hide his
fatigue when Elrond walked up to him. “I needed a
distraction.”

Elrond seated himself opposite the desk and studied
his friend. “Elrohir told me Glorfindel has been
awake?”

“Aye, and I told him what he needs to know.”

“How did he react?”

“In the end, he accepted his fate.” Erestor sighed,
distressed. “And he had a dream. Vaire appeared to him
and told him that the Valar wanted him to have this
child.”

“And he believes it to be a true vision?” He
understood that Glorfindel would find comfort in the
thought that the Valar wished for this to happen. 

“Aye, he does.” Erestor leaned back and finally met
Elrond’s gaze. “I suggest you stay with him tonight.
During our way back he suffered from nightmares and I
doubt tonight will be an exception. He will need you
close to comfort him.”

Elrond frowned. “I have been thinking…”

Erestor’s heart missed a beat. “About what?” 

“I think you are wrong. It is not me that Glorfindel
needs close. It is you.” Elrond closely observed his
friend and caught the nervous twitch that always
appeared when Erestor was struggling with something.
“You know it is true.”

But Erestor shook his head determinately. “I might
have saved him from Saruman’s claws, but *you* are the
*healer*. He needs you.”

“I doubt that. Erestor, you are being stubborn again.”
Realizing he wouldn’t get through to his friend,
Elrond rose from the chair. “Aye, I will sit with
Glorfindel, but I still think you are making a
mistake.” Leaning in closer, he placed his hands flat
on the desk. Staring into Erestor’s eyes, he saw fear
of rejection and sadness. “You doubt yourself too
much.”

“I am being realistic,” replied Erestor dead-panned. 

Elrond sighed; disappointed that he hadn’t been able
to convince Erestor otherwise. “I will relieve Elrohir
now. And Elladan will sit with Glorfindel through the
morning. I expect you to take your turn tomorrow
afternoon.”

“I will be there.”

Shaking his head at his friend’s stubbornness, Elrond
headed for the Healing House.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Glorfindel was awake by the time Elrond arrived.
Elrohir actually felt relieved, seeing his father. He
didn’t know what to say or how to act to make
Glorfindel more comfortable.

Elrond dismissed his youngest son and then sat down,
studying his patient. “You look better.” 

“I feel rested.” Glorfindel folded his arms around his
waist, and was reminded of the life growing inside
him. “There is really no way to stop this pregnancy?”

Elrond’s soft gaze met Glorfindel’s. “I do not think
so. This is a magically induced pregnancy and I am
afraid of eventual side effects, should I use the
herbs that would normally terminate one.” 

“I still do not want to carry this child.”
Glorfindel’s features contorted. “I feel so restless…
so… alone.”

“But I am here now,” said Elrond soothingly. /But it
is not my presence you wish for, is it? It is
Erestor’s./ He kept silent though, realizing his two
friends had to figure this out for themselves. 

After clearing his throat, Elrond said, “I will stay
with you tonight. Elladan will sit with you in the
morning and then Erestor will take his turn.” As he
had been watching Glorfindel closely, he noticed the
obvious relief in the azure eyes at hearing Erestor’s
name. /Maybe it is time I took charge of this
situation. This cannot continue any longer./ 

“I will try to sleep,” whispered Glorfindel, giving
in, but he wasn’t sure he could sleep at all without
Erestor close.

“Oh, I am going to make certain that you will sleep!”
Elrond reached for the tray, which he had brought with
him and poured Glorfindel some herbal tea to which a
sleeping potion had been added. “Sip.”

Glorfindel sipped obediently and handed the empty cup
back to Elrond. “Thank you for… for staying… with…
me.” He couldn’t remember if the sleeping potion had
ever unfolded its effects that fast before, but he was
already drifting off into sleep. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Glorfindel lay motionless, wondering if he had enough
strength to pull in his next breath. He had woken due
to another horrid nightmare and his first reaction had
been to curl around Erestor. But he had found his bed
empty and Elrond asleep in the chair next to him. An
open book still lay on the half-Elf’s lap. 

/Erestor… I want to be close to Erestor… I need him
close…/ This overwhelming urge made him push back the
covers and slowly place his feet on the floor. He felt
thankful that they had dressed him in a warm sleeping
robe. At least he wasn’t naked any more. 

After making sure that Elrond was sound asleep, he
pushed himself on to his feet, relieved when no pain
radiated from his lower body. /I must be healing after
all./ A sneaky suspicion surfaced. /Do I owe my
recovery to the Valar? After what Vaire said I would
not put it past them./

Standing on his feet again, he placed a hand against
the wall for support. He walked slowly, but
soundlessly, and headed for the doorway. An invisible
force was pulling him down the corridor, as he headed
for Erestor’s rooms. /How will he react? But I cannot
stay in that room any longer. Not even Elrond’s
presence makes a difference. I thought I wanted to be
near him, but I was wrong. I want you, Erestor./ 

After long minutes he finally arrived at Erestor’s
private chambers. His hand trembled when he raised it
to knock on the door. He hoped Erestor would let him
in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The fact that someone knocked on his door at this late
hour startled and worried Erestor, and his first
thought was for Glorfindel. Had the blond’s condition
worsened? 

He hurried over to the door and opened it. His heart
missed a beat, seeing Glorfindel standing in the
corridor, with a lost and confused expression in his
eyes. “Mellon-nîn, what are you doing here?” He was
amazed, but also pleased that the blond was on his
feet again and walking unaided. “I will escort you
back to the Healing House.”

“Nay…” Glorfindel’s voice was barely a whisper. “Can
I… can I stay… here? I want to stay… Can I? Please?”
He extended one hand, reaching for Erestor. “I need
you close… I do not understand it myself, but… I…
need… you, not Elrond.” He held his breath in
anticipation of Erestor’s answer. /Please do not
reject me./

Erestor released a strangled sigh. How could he
possibly deny Glorfindel? Acting on impulse, he
clasped the blond’s extended hand in his, pulling him
into his rooms. “Of course you can stay. I would never
turn you away.” Guiding the trembling Elf to his bed,
he sat Glorfindel down and seated himself next to him.
“You could have sent for me. There was no reason to
come here. Elrond confined you to bed.”

“Elrond is asleep… and I did not want to wake him…”
His breathing finally calmed down and so did his
thundering heart. “I cannot explain it, but… I need to
be close to you. When I woke from a nightmare and you…
you were not there… I panicked. You had promised you
would be there.”

“I am sorry I let you down,” whispered Erestor
sincerely. “It won’t happen again.” Keeping a close
eye on his charge, Erestor laid Glorfindel down,
covering him with blankets once the blond was settled
comfortably. 

A blissful sigh fled Glorfindel’s lips. Now that
Erestor was close, things didn’t appear that bleak any
more. “Will you hold me? Hold me all night?”

Lying down on top of the covers, Erestor nodded.
“Always.”

Glorfindel smiled radiantly, and rested his head on
the dark-haired Elf’s chest. A protective arm curled
around him and for the first time since returning to
Imladris, he felt truly safe and comfortable. Without
realizing what he was doing, he wrapped his fingers
around a strand of raven hair, subconsciously making
sure that Erestor couldn’t leave him. 

“Rest assured,” said Erestor soothingly, “I am close
and I won’t leave you.” 

Hearing those words reassured Glorfindel and he
stopped fighting against sleep. His eyes grew vacant
and this time his sleep was deep and peaceful.

“I love you.” Erestor placed a chaste kiss on the
golden hair, cherishing having Glorfindel this close.
“I will always love you.” 


TBC
Beta read by Lizzle, thanks!



Part 11 
Glorfindel's Choice. 
 
 
 
Elrond and Elladan exchanged a pleased look at finding Glorfindel  
safely tucked away in Erestor's embrace. When the younger half-Elf  
had arrived to relieve his father in the morning, Elrond had awoken,  
startled to find his patient gone. They had first searched the  
Healing House and then Elrond had decided to check Erestor's quarters  
next. "I was right then." 
 
Elladan smiled, but then looked at his father quizzically. "In what  
way?" 
 
"You know that Erestor loves Glorfindel?" 
 
"Aye…" 
 
"I have the feeling that Glorfindel is beginning to return that  
emotion. He is falling in love with Erestor. That is why he can bear  
Erestor's touch and wants to be close to him." Elrond frowned. "A  
bond, -a very strong bond-, has formed between them." 
 
"Is that a good thing?" Elladan wasn't sure if Elrond felt pleased,  
for such a bond meant that his father would lose his lover to Erestor. 
 
"Aye, it is," said Elrond, nodding once. Soundlessly, he closed the  
door behind him, leaving his friends to their healing sleep. Elladan  
fell into step beside him as they walked down the corridor. "I will  
check on them this afternoon. I am certain Erestor will take good  
care of Glorfindel." 
 
Elladan still wasn't completely reassured. "Do you not regret losing  
Glorfindel to Erestor?" He knew it was asked bluntly, but he trusted  
his father to understand his concern for all involved. 
 
Elrond took a moment to consider his son's question. "I was very  
lonely when Glorfindel approached me. Celebrían had sailed for  
Valinor and I was hurting. Glorfindel managed to heal that hurt to a  
certain degree and for that I am thankful. But I do think these two  
were meant for each other and I won't stand in their way." 
 
Reaching out instinctively, Elladan stopped his father and wrapped  
his arms around him. "You will always have Elrohir and me… and Arwen.  
Hopefully she will return from Lothlórien shortly. I miss her." 
 
"I miss her as well," admitted Elrond. Composing himself again, he  
smiled at Elladan. The twins were the only joy which he currently had  
left. "You can find me in my study if you need me." 
 
Elladan watched his father walk away and although Elrond had assured  
him he could deal with losing Glorfindel to Erestor, he, on the other  
hand, wasn't that sure. "You are lonely… You have been since Nana  
left." And the sad thing was that he couldn't do anything to change  
that. 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
Glorfindel was the first to wake when Arien's rays finally reached  
their comfortable and warm bed. Erestor's face was relaxed in sleep  
and he seemed so much younger. Glorfindel smiled, realizing the dark- 
haired Elf's arms were tightly folded around him, holding him close.  
A sense of utter safety settled in his bones and he sighed happily.  
 
The question why he enjoyed and craved Erestor's touch and closeness  
returned to him and made him wonder. When Elrond had tended to his  
injuries he had cringed. And the half-Elf's touches and caresses,  
which had been meant to soothe him, had unbalanced him. Yet now that  
he was with Erestor he felt completely at ease.  
 
/And when I looked at the tapestry Vaire was weaving, it was Erestor  
sitting next to me and not Elrond./ Studying his savior's features,  
he wondered about Erestor. /Do you love me? Love me enough to venture  
into Orthanc to get me out? Is that why you are taking care of me?  
Why I feel so comfortable around you?/ But what if it wasn't? He  
didn't want to get his hopes up, uncertain if he could deal with the  
disappointment of finding those thoughts incorrect.  
 
Momentarily closing his eyes, his thoughts drifted off to the growing  
life inside him. The decision to give birth to this child had been  
made for him. At least, it felt that way. There was no way to end  
this pregnancy and everyone had encouraged him to follow through,  
even Vaire.  
 
What would the child be like? Being half Uruk-Hai and half Elven?  
Would the primal side dominate? What if claws would tear him from the  
inside when the moment of birth arrived? Shivering, he released a  
strangled sob against Erestor's chest. 
 
Erestor woke, feeling movement against his chest. Growing aware of  
Glorfindel shaking in his arms, he immediately soothed the distraught  
Elf. "What is wrong, meldir? Was it another nightmare? I am here now.  
I will always be there for you. You can confide in me. Please tell me  
what is troubling you." 
 
"The…child," admitted Glorfindel in a hoarse tone. "What if… if it is  
more Uruk-Hai than Elven? What if… it has fangs? Claws? What if—" 
 
Erestor stopped him right there and then. "What if the child is more  
Elven than Uruk-Hai? What if he takes after you? What if he has long  
golden hair and your eyes, -- the most stunning eyes I have ever  
seen?" Oops, he shouldn't have added that last sentence, but he had  
been caught up in the moment.  
 
"Stunning?" Flabbergasted at hearing Erestor say those words,  
Glorfindel searched his friend's eyes. "You think my eyes are  
stunning?" Where had that come from? Why would Erestor say something  
like that? 
 
"Aye, I do." Erestor desperately tried to think of a way out of this  
predicament. The way Glorfindel was looking at him was making his  
heart flutter with desire and butterflies tickled his insides. "What  
I am trying to say is that you should not worry so much. Vaire  
blessed the child. How could she bless anything evil? Have faith in  
her." 
 
Erestor's words did reassure Glorfindel. "You are right, but I cannot  
help feeling apprehensive." He was content to lie there, letting  
Erestor hold him. "This is nice." Cuddling with Elrond had never  
given him such warm and pleasant feelings. "Can we stay like this?"  
 
Erestor rested his chin on the flaxen hair, letting some of his life  
energy seep down the connection to strengthen the blond. "Of course  
we can." He doubted he would ever be able to deny Glorfindel  
anything. The blond didn't know it, but he could easily wrap him  
around his little finger.  
 
"Are you sure? Won't Elrond miss you? I am sure a lot of work is  
waiting for you."  
 
"I am sure. Let Elrond work through those papers. He *is* the Lord of  
Imladris and I am not. The twins can help him." 
 
Erestor's words made Glorfindel smile. "The twins will only create  
mayhem, especially Elladan. I know they mean well, but paperwork is  
not something they are good at." 
 
"Let us not worry about that," said Erestor soothingly. "Would you  
like to go back to sleep now?" 
 
"Nay, I want to stay like this. Just savor the peace and quiet, --  
the moment." 
 
Erestor hugged his secret love close, honored that Glorfindel trusted  
him this much. "We will stay like this until lunch then." Hearing the  
blond's disappointed sigh, he added, "You must eat, mellon-nîn."  
 
"I will eat," said Glorfindel softly. "But will you promise me  
something?" 
 
Erestor grew alert. "What is it?" 
 
"Don't take me back to the Healing House. I do not feel comfortable  
there." Raising his eyes, he met Erestor's dark ones. "I feel  
comfortable here. I know I am a burden, but can I stay close to you?" 
 
"No burden. Never a burden!" Erestor gave in to the need to stroke  
the golden hair. "But I need to talk to Elrond first and make sure  
you have recovered sufficiently to leave the Healing House."  
 
"I walked all the way over here," said Glorfindel thoughtfully. "That  
tired me, but I am no longer in… in any pain." 
 
"That is good to hear." Erestor smiled, but then panic overwhelmed  
him. /What is happening to me? Us? Glorfindel should be with Elrond!  
Not here in my arms! I do not understand…/  
 
Glorfindel sensed some of Erestor's discomfort and wondered about  
that nagging sensation as it entered his thoughts. "Stop worrying,  
Erestor." The negativity of those doubts made him tremble. "Just  
continue to hold me… All is well for now." 
 
"And now *you* are suddenly comforting *me*?" But it drove away the  
shadows of doubts that haunted him and Erestor laughed warmly. "You  
never cease to amaze me, mellon-nîn."  
 
"Now stop talking… I want to rest… Just hold me…" 
 
And Erestor did just that. 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
Despite his intention not to fall asleep again, Glorfindel dozed off  
and the nightmares stayed away. Instead he dreamt of Erestor holding  
him, but they were naked and had fallen asleep after making love.  
 
Slowly, he woke up, whilst his body still tingled pleasantly. That  
dream seemed to have strengthened him and he was looking forward to  
leaving the bed. Looking at Erestor, he found his companion looking  
at him with a warm and fuzzy expression in his eyes.  
 
Erestor had been worried at first when Glorfindel had begun to rub  
himself against his body, but then soft purrs had erupted from his  
lips, clearly demonstrating that the blond was having an enjoyable  
dream and not a nightmare. He had desperately tried to remain  
motionless and had ruthlessly crushed his arousal when it had  
started. What if Glorfindel woke, found him hard, and panicked? He  
couldn't take that risk.  
 
Several tormenting minutes later Glorfindel had first tensed and had  
then relaxed against him. A sigh had happily fled the blond's lips  
when finding release and Erestor had sighed as well, but due to  
relief. Luckily Glorfindel hadn't woken. But he did wonder about the  
golden-haired Elf's erotic dream. Wasn't it sort of odd for  
Glorfindel to be aroused after all he had been through? 
 
He didn't know how long he had been lost in thought, but the sapphire  
eyes, filled with warmth and energy, made him swallow hard. Aiya,  
Elbereth, what was he supposed to do now? Maybe make a  
suggestion? "Would you like to take a bath?"  
 
Glorfindel's eyes sparkled radiantly whilst he eagerly nodded his  
head. "I would love to." 
 
"Then you will have to let go of me; I cannot prepare your bath  
otherwise," said Erestor teasingly. The impish grin Glorfindel gave  
him made his heart thump louder.  
 
Reluctantly Glorfindel let go. But his eyes followed every move  
Erestor made.  
 
Erestor gathered his sleeping robe around him and headed for the  
bathroom, where he filled the bathtub and added flower-fragranced  
oils.  
 
With Erestor busy in the bathroom, Glorfindel sat upright and then  
pushed himself onto his feet. He no longer swayed and didn't have to  
reach for support. If it hadn't been for his slightly swollen  
abdomen, he would have thought himself fit again. Through the fabric  
of his sleeping robe he rubbed his abdomen, wondering what the child  
would look like. Now that he had accepted that it would be born, he  
decided to stop angsting over it. What was destined to happen would  
happen. There was nothing he could do to change that. 
 
Walking over to the bathroom, he halted in the doorway to observe  
Erestor. The dark-haired Elf had filled the bathtub and delicious  
fragrances floated through the room.  
 
Erestor looked over his shoulder, hearing movement behind him. "What  
would you prefer? I can fetch some of your clothes from your rooms or  
you can borrow some of mine." 
 
The decision was easily made, as Glorfindel didn't want Erestor to  
leave. "I will borrow some of yours. I assume you have a spare shirt  
and leggings in your closet? No robes, please."  
 
Smiling, Erestor nodded once. "I will return with the clothes and  
some towels once you are in the water." He stepped aside and headed  
for the doorway now that Glorfindel had reached the bathtub. "I will  
be in the bedroom." 
 
/Good, for I do not want you to stray too far away from me./  
Glorfindel smiled warmly, but didn't voice his thoughts.  
 
Closing the door behind him, Erestor left Glorfindel to his bath. In  
the meantime he would send Elrond a message to tell the half-Elf that  
his patient was with him. He didn't want Elrond to worry  
unnecessarily.  
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` 
 
As he removed the sleeping robe, Glorfindel frowned deeply, finding  
he had found release during his sleep. The realization puzzled him  
momentarily; that pleasant dream must have made him reach orgasm.  
 
He was enjoying his bath when Erestor entered to place towels and  
clothes on the floor. Momentarily he felt nervous, but he quickly  
realized there was no reason to feel like that. Erestor was his  
trusted friend and he was beginning to suspect that Vaire had been  
referring to Erestor after all. He wasn't sure he was reading the  
signals right, but it did seem like the raven-haired Elf was  
attracted to him.  
 
"Thank you," whispered Glorfindel, smiling warmly at Erestor. He  
caught the weak blush that settled on the other Elf's features before  
retreating back into the bedroom. /I never thought I would reach this  
conclusion, but it does seem like Erestor cares about me in that way.  
Who would have thought?/  
 
He regretted ending his bath, but his stomach was growling. As he  
rose from the bathtub, one hand came to rest on his abdomen. He  
cringed, realizing he had been right earlier on. The swelling had  
increased slightly. A few weeks… That was how long Elrond estimated  
his pregnancy would last. How could he endure this misery? 
 
His mood darkened and he quickly slipped into the shirt and leggings.  
He felt more comfortable now that he was wearing clothes, but the  
core of his problem remained; he was going to give birth to an Uruk- 
Hai. 
 
"Glorfindel?" 
 
Looking at Erestor, he grew aware of the other Elf's concerned  
expression. "I was worrying about…" He didn't have to finish his  
sentence, as Erestor understood only too well. His stomach growled  
loudly and made them laugh.  
 
"Come with me. It is time to eat lunch." Erestor was about to turn  
around when Glorfindel unexpectedly extended his hand. Seeing the  
hopeful expression in the blond's eyes, he smiled reassuringly and  
placed his hand in the Elda's.  
 
At the contact, Glorfindel's eyes regained their sparkle.  
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
Elrond had taken a break from work. He was hungry, tired and  
downright miserable. He wished he could terminate the pregnancy, but  
even that option was unavailable. It was just another occasion on  
which he had let a loved one down, another failure to add to the  
score.  
 
Elladan had joined him for lunch and Elrond forced himself to eat,  
instead of just poking at his food.  
 
Both Elves looked up when Erestor and Glorfindel entered  
unexpectedly. Elrond immediately noticed the radiance to the azure  
eyes. /And they are holding hands as well./ Seeing his suspicions  
confirmed made his heart ache. He had definitely lost Glorfindel to  
Erestor, and although he should be happy for his old comrade in arms,  
he mostly felt sad. Glorfindel's presence had kept his loneliness at  
bay. Now he was alone again. But he hung onto his composure. He  
wanted to be happy for his friends and forced a smile onto his  
face. "You look well today, -- both of you." 
 
Glorfindel blushed weakly at finding the two half-Elves in the dining  
room. Instantly his discomfort reappeared, but as long as Erestor was  
close, he was confident he could manage. "I feel better, thank you.  
The fact that I managed to rest helped." Glancing at Erestor, he  
thought, /It was *your* company that helped./ 
 
Erestor and Glorfindel seated themselves and sipped their tea.  
 
Glorfindel hesitantly made eye contact with Elladan. Seeing the  
insecure expression in Elladan's eyes, he just knew that the twins  
had been informed about his pregnancy. The silence was beginning to  
make him feel pressured to start some conversation, but he didn't  
know what to say! Luckily Erestor came to the rescue. 
 
"Glorfindel told me that he would rather not return to the Healing  
House and I tend to agree. I could keep an eye on him," offered  
Erestor, addressing Elrond. The look that passed between them spoke  
of everything they needed to know.  
 
Elrond nodded, accepting the fact that Glorfindel had chosen to be  
with Erestor. And this time, Erestor had accepted. The two Elves  
might not fully realize that yet, but it was obvious in their touches  
and interaction. /I am happy for you, mellon-nîn. Glorfindel and you  
are well suited for each other. But I cannot help feeling the way I  
do… Alone./  
 
"You might be right," started Elrond, trying hard to hide his true  
feelings, "If Glorfindel's recovery will be sped up by staying with  
you, I won't keep him confined to the Healing House. But I will still  
check on my patient regularly."  
 
Glorfindel released a relieved sigh. "Thank you, Elrond." He gave the  
half-Elf a grateful look. They would have to talk in time, but at  
this moment he couldn't deal with Elrond's feelings, and he trusted  
the half-Elf to be strong enough to cope with their changed  
relationship. /What? A changed relationship?/ The thought baffled  
him. Until now, he hadn't realized that their relationship had  
changed! But it was true; instead of longing for Elrond's company and  
affection, he now wanted Erestor's.  
 
Elladan, who had been quiet until then, suddenly realized that  
Glorfindel was holding Erestor's hand under the table. An impish grin  
surfaced on his face. /They are *so* in love, but they do not even  
realize that themselves!/ 
 
"It is decided then," said Erestor, smiling at Glorfindel, "You will  
stay with me." Although he felt ecstatic that the blond had chosen  
him above Elrond, he still felt a stabbing pain in his heart. For  
when he looked at Elrond, he saw sorrow and solitude in his misty  
eyes and he almost reconsidered. But, looking at Glorfindel's radiant  
smile, he realized the blond needed *him* and not Elrond. That  
realization deeply moved him.  
 
Gently squeezing Erestor's hand, Glorfindel smiled. Any doubts, which  
he might have had, were gone. /I want to be with you, Erestor. I want  
to get to know you. And I *will* find out if you love me./ 
 
Unable to tear his eyes away from the blond, Erestor lovingly rubbed  
Glorfindel's knuckles to demonstrate his support. If only he didn't  
feel this guilty about taking Glorfindel away from Elrond! 
 
"My Lord?" Lindir bowed respectfully when he approached the party  
seated at the table.  
 
"Yes, Lindir?" Elrond wondered if he would ever get a moment of true  
peace in the next decade; probably not with a baby around.  
 
"One of the Galadhrim has arrived, carrying a letter from the Lady  
Galadriel." Lindir exchanged a worried look with Elrond. "And he is  
injured. He is limping." 
 
/More work…/ But Elrond would never turn his back on someone in  
need. "Take him to the Healing House. Offer him some food and herbal  
tea, and tell the healers that I will join them shortly." 
 
Lindir nodded, turned about and left to carry out his Lord's  
instructions. 
 
"You look tired, Ada, maybe I should tend to the Galadhrim?" Elladan  
disliked seeing the beginning of dark circles under his father's  
eyes. Elrond was burying himself in work to escape his loneliness. He  
made a mental note to tell Elrohir that they needed to spend more  
time with their father.  
 
"Nay, Elladan. I need to read that letter at any rate." He was  
surprised that Galadriel had sent a messenger to deliver a letter to  
him. Galadriel usually far-spoke with him when something troubled  
her.  
 
"Well, should you need to rest, please let me know. Elrohir and I are  
perfectly capable of taking care of the injured." Elladan placed his  
hand atop of his father's, offering him his support. 
 
The gesture made Elrond smile weakly. "Thank you, Elladan." His  
children meant the world to him, especially now that he had lost  
another companion. Pushing back his chair, he got to his  
feet. "Excuse me, but it seems one of the Galadhrim needs my healing  
skills. I will check on *you* later, mellon-nîn," he said, looking  
deeply into Glorfindel's eyes.  
 
Gathering his courage, Glorfindel slowly rose from his chair. After  
walking over to Elrond, he bit his bottom lip and folded his arms  
around the half-Elf.  
 
Elrond froze, scared that any movement might startle Glorfindel, and  
he calmly accepted the embrace. He knew that reaching out like this  
was hard on the blond and he felt honored that Glorfindel had set  
aside his fears in order to hug him.  
 
"Thank you, Elrond," whispered Glorfindel into the half-Elf's ear.  
These words were only meant for Elrond. "I know you greatly care  
about me and that you would have seen me through this ordeal, but…  
for some reason I feel more comfortable around Erestor. I cannot  
explain it myself." 
 
/But I can./ Elrond met Glorfindel's eyes and to his surprise, he  
realized that the blond wanted his permission to move on. "Your  
health is of the utmost importance to me, Glorfindel, and as you will  
find love and support with Erestor, you have my blessing to be with  
him."  
 
/*Love* and support?/ Glorfindel frowned, pulling away from  
Elrond. /Love? Was I right after all? Does Erestor love me?/  
 
The confusion in Glorfindel's eyes made Elrond chuckle. "You *will*  
find out," he promised softly. He walked toward the doorway, looked  
over his shoulder and gave Erestor an approving nod. /Take good care  
of him./ 
 
Erestor nodded in turn, having a fairly good idea what was going  
through Elrond's mind. /I will love and cherish him as long as I  
live./ 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
Elrond nearly dragged himself over to the Healing House. Until now, - 
until actually losing Glorfindel to Erestor, - he hadn't realized how  
much he cared about the blond. But still, it wasn't love that he was  
feeling; it was desperation. He just didn't want to be alone.  
 
The healers welcomed him and took him to the room the Galadhrim was  
in. Before opening the door, Elrond drew in a deep breath,  
straightened his robes and tried to appear as regal and controlled as  
possible.  
 
Opening the door, he resolutely stepped inside. "My healers tell me  
you are…"  
 
His voice trailed off, entranced by the beauty of the Elf sitting on  
the bed. Long, silver hair cascaded down the grey and greens of  
Lothlórien and hazel eyes seemed to see right into his soul. A  
slightly haughty expression colored hypnotizing, hazel eyes and  
Elrond realized he should finish that sentence before the silence  
became uncomfortable.  
 
"Injured…" he finished awkwardly.  
 
Amused, hazel eyes met his, as the Galadhrim struggled to his feet.  
 
"Master Elrond, I presume?"  
 
"Aye…" Elrond moistened his lips, enraptured by the silver-haired  
beauty. 
 
"Then allow me to introduce myself… I am Haldir of Lórien." 
 
TBC! 
 
Beta read by Lizzle, thanks!G



Part 12 
Haldir. 
 
 
 
Haldir's amusement was merely exterior; on the inside his heart  
fluttered madly in his chest. He had never met the Lord of Imladris  
before. Each time Elrond and his family had visited Lórien he had  
been away with his brothers, guarding the borders. But he had heard  
songs and tales, which spoke of Elrond's wisdom. It seemed they had  
forgotten to mention just how attractive the half-Elf was. 
 
Taking a moment, he studied the Noldorin Elf in front of him. Half- 
Elven, he reminded himself, but still very attractive. It was the  
eyes, he decided, stormy and slightly misted over, grayish-blue like  
the heavens after a thunderstorm. /Simply exquisite./  
 
He was shaken from his reverie when he swayed on his feet. His left  
leg still throbbed fiercely and yet he managed to bow respectfully.  
Extending his left hand, he offered Elrond Galadriel's letter. With  
his other hand, he involuntarily reached out to steady himself.  
Being on horseback for several days had worsened his condition and  
he felt weaker than ever before. But weakness was something he would  
never show!  
 
Elrond saw the fine lines of pain on Haldir's brow and acted. "Sit  
down whilst I read this letter." He had managed to compose himself,  
but he still caught himself staring at the silver-haired beauty.  
There was an anguished expression in those hazel eyes, and he  
instinctively knew that they would normally shine with pride and  
confidence. Oh, this one was truly magnificent.  
 
"Thank you…" Unable to remain on his feet any longer, Haldir slowly  
sat down on the bed. Although the pressure on his leg was gone, the  
constant pain remained. It was quickly gaining in strength, turning  
into shattering agony.  
 
Elrond broke the seal and began reading, instantly recognizing  
Galadriel's handwriting.  
 
My dearest Elrond, 
 
I am sending Haldir to Imladris because his wound will not heal. He  
needs your expertise and skills.  
 
Haldir was wounded when a pack of Uruk-Hai tried to invade our  
northern borders. A poisoned arrow buried itself in his thigh and  
the wound refuses to heal. Hopefully you can help him.  
 
I would also ask of you to keep Haldir in Imladris until he has  
fully recovered. He is rash and impatient at times, and he will want  
to return to his duties as quickly as possible.  
 
Haldir is very dear to me. I raised him and his brothers as if they  
were my very own and I would ask of you to take good care of him.  
 
Elrond folded the letter and thoughtfully looked at Haldir, who was  
biting his bottom lip, apparently still in pain. "Galadriel says  
that a poisoned arrow buried itself in your leg. I assume the wound  
is still troubling you?" 
 
Haldir raised an eyebrow. "I thought it was rather obvious that it  
is still troubling me." Frustrated, he inched further onto the bed.  
Cold sweat was forming on his brow and he craved lying down, but  
that wouldn't be proper in Elrond's presence.  
 
"By all means, lie down and rest," said Elrond, walking toward the  
bed. "The journey must have exhausted you." 
 
Haldir's eyes burned intensely. "I have endured worse pain." 
 
Elrond chuckled softly. This one was feisty as well as beautiful. "I  
said, lie down. I can make that an order if you want me to." 
 
"I only answer to the Lord and Lady of the Golden Wood," said  
Haldir, frustration mounting.  
 
"Ah, and stubborn as well," mumbled Elrond bemused.  
 
Had it not been for the pain that spiraled through his leg, Haldir  
would have objected, but now he simply lay down. He was exhausted,  
tired, and he wished he could find some relief in sleep. But the  
throbbing pain kept him from sleeping properly.  
 
Elrond sobered, seeing the agony in Haldir's eyes when the Elf  
stared at the ceiling. "It seems to me that you are in a great  
amount of pain," he started, raising a hand when Haldir wanted to  
protest, "I will examine the wound now." 
 
Haldir bit down the wave of pain that washed through his leg. He  
closely watched Elrond when the half-Elf took hold of a small knife  
and then approached the bed. His eyes widened slightly, wondering  
why Elrond had picked up that knife. But everything fell into place  
when the healer sat down on the edge of the bed, cutting away the  
fabric of his leggings. Clenching his teeth, he tried hard to keep  
silent when a yelp threatened to leave his lips. 
 
After removing the cloth, Elrond carefully cut away the bandages,  
which showed fresh blood. "The wound has reopened." That was a bad  
sign. /I wonder why Galadriel made you ride all the way here. I  
could have visited Lothlórien instead./  
 
Haldir's hands became fists, which clutched the sheet. He tried to  
keep from whimpering when Elrond removed the bandages, revealing the  
damaged area. He didn't want to look at the festering wound; he had  
seen it before and turned away his head. 
 
Elrond's stomach contracted with empathic sympathy, seeing the dead,  
black flesh surrounding the wound. "The poison is still present in  
the flesh." Letting his hand hover above the damaged area, he  
concentrated. "Can it be that small shards of the arrow head are  
still buried inside your flesh?" When he didn't receive an answer,  
he looked at Haldir and found that the silver-haired Elf was biting  
his bottom lip in an attempt to stop himself from admitting his  
pain.  
 
"I do not know…" groaned Haldir through clenched teeth. "The healers  
did not know what to do when the wound refused to heal. I assume  
that is why the Lady Galadriel sent me here." His eyes followed  
every move Elrond made, afraid that the half-Elf would want to touch  
the wound. He knew from previous experiences that such a probing  
touch would hurt. 
 
"I will need my herbs, clean bandages and some assistance." Elrond  
stared thoughtfully at the damaged area and realized that Haldir was  
in more pain than the Elf wanted him to know. "I will leave you for  
a few moments. Try to rest. When I return, we will deal with this  
injury." He knew only too well how dangerous the poison was.  
Celebrían had been in agony when he had tended to her. 
 
Haldir managed a nod, and then closed his eyes in an effort to  
suppress his pain. He would do whatever it took to be healed. He  
wanted to return to his brothers' sides so they could defend their  
borders once more. It had hurt when Galadriel had relieved him of  
his duties. It made him feel useless.  
 
Unexpectedly a hand settled on his brow, rubbing his skin. His eyes  
flashed open in surprise. Staring into Elrond's eyes, he began to  
relax, --feeling sleepy. The pain still lingered, but was lessening.  
 
Elrond smiled warmly. Sometimes a kind touch brought relief. "Rest." 
 
Elrond's soft voice relaxed Haldir further and he surrendered to the  
pleasant sensation. He winced slightly when Elrond removed his hand.  
 
"I will be back shortly," said Elrond reassuringly. It was amazing;  
he had met Haldir only a moment ago and he already felt hesitant to  
leave the silver-haired Elf's side. He wanted to stay close. What  
sweet madness was this? 
 
Haldir nodded again, trying to hold on to the serenity that had  
descended onto him, driving away his worst pain. Hearing the door  
close, he released a strangled breath. /Aiya, it hurts./ In the  
past, he had lost all sensation in his left leg and collapsed. It  
had happened when he had joined his brothers during a patrol. His  
brothers… He missed Rúmil and Orophin. They were seldom apart and he  
felt lonely now; he didn't enjoy feeling like that. Hopefully he  
could return home shortly. 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
"Elladan? I need your help." Elrond had found his oldest son in his  
rooms. It was Elrohir's turn to lead the patrol and Elladan had  
settled down in the sun, soaking up the warmth of the sunrays.  
 
Hearing the concern in his father's voice, he rose to his feet. "Is  
something wrong with Glorfindel?" 
 
Elrond smiled warmly. "Nay, all is well with Glorfindel. It is the  
Galadhrim I am worried about. I need you to assist me." 
 
Elladan walked over to his father and fell into step beside him. "I  
recall Lindir mentioning that he was limping." 
 
"An Orc arrow is poisoning him from the inside." Elrond sighed  
distressed. Now that he was with Elladan, he voiced his  
fear. "History is repeating itself." 
 
"Nana," said Elladan, understanding at once. "Do you think it is the  
same poison?" 
 
Elrond nodded once. "The wound is festering, with black and dying  
skin surrounding it. I instantly recognized it." 
 
"The Galadhrim… How strong is he? Strong enough to recover?"  
Celebrían had been too weak, and wounded in other ways as well.  
 
"I hope so," said Elrond, as they entered the Healing House. "We  
need to wash out the wound and dress it again. Tell one of the  
healers to brew a tea from the roots of Athelas. He has been in pain  
for some time, but won't admit it."  
 
Elladan signaled for one of the healers to approach, relayed his  
father's instructions and gathered clean bandages.  
 
Once they had collected everything they needed, they stepped into  
the room, finding Haldir trembling minutely. Elladan exchanged a  
glance with his father, sharing Elrond's concern.  
 
Haldir slowly turned his head, looking at the two half-Elves.  
 
"This is my oldest son, Elladan," said Elrond, addressing  
Haldir. "He will assist me in cleaning and binding the wound." 
 
Elladan nodded once, smiling reassuringly. "We will take good care  
of you." Helping the Galadhrim heal had become personal to him and  
he suspected the same thing applied for his father. They had been  
unable to heal Celebrían, but maybe Haldir was strong enough to make  
a complete recovery.  
 
Elrond seated himself next to the bed and looked into Haldir's hazel  
eyes. "First, I want you to drink this tea." He signaled for Elladan  
to pour a cup, which his son did.  
 
Haldir struggled into an upright position, but pain shot through his  
leg, making him tremble. Only sheer determination and will power had  
kept him going when he had journeyed from Lothlórien to Imladris and  
he had finally reached his limits.  
 
His hands shook when he curled his fingers around the cup, which  
Elrond now handed him. He identified one of the fragrances that  
invaded his nostrils; Athelas. He sipped slowly, as the tea tasted  
surprisingly bitter.  
 
Elrond turned his attention back to the wound and told Elladan to  
pour water and hand him a cloth. They needed to wash out the wound,  
but he would wait with probing the damaged area until the effects of  
the tea had unfolded, clearing Haldir's mind from the pain and  
putting him asleep.  
 
Haldir realized he had been drugged when a slow, lazy feeling  
descended over him, nearly causing him to fall asleep. Startling  
awake again, his eyes widened, trying to keep focused on Elrond, who  
was still smiling at him.  
 
"Stop fighting me, Haldir," said Elrond reassuringly. "I suspect  
that you haven't been sleeping properly since you were injured and  
your body needs to recuperate. Let yourself drift off into sleep.  
Elladan and I will look after you." 
 
Elladan, carrying clean bandages, a bowl filled with tepid water and  
a wash cloth, came to a stand still at his father's side. Placing  
the bowl on the bed, he handed Elrond the bandages.  
 
The last thing Haldir saw was the concerned expression in their  
eyes. Then he slipped under, finally falling asleep after too many  
days filled with pain.  
 
Elrond's hand returned to gently stroke the clammy brow. "He is  
strong, this one, --and stubborn. He has a good chance to recover  
from the poison." 
 
They worked in silence, cleaning the wound. Elrond gasped, removing  
a metal shard from deep within Haldir's flesh. "How could they  
oversee this?" How much damage had this metal shard done? How much  
poison had the tip carried? 
 
"You removed it," said Elladan calmly. "Maybe this is why he was in  
such pain."  
 
"I hope so." Elrond methodically examined the wound and once he was  
convinced no metal had been left behind, he pressed sachets, filled  
with healing herbs on the wound. After binding it he sat back,  
feeling drained. "That is all I can do for now." 
 
Elladan, hearing the fatigued tone, knelt in front of his father and  
placed his hands on either side of Elrond's head. "You need to rest,  
Ada. You are not taking care of yourself." 
 
A loving smile appeared on Elrond's face. "I will rest, then." But  
the problem was that he didn't want to return to his empty  
chambers. "I might take a nap right here…" 
 
"At least lie down." Elladan got to his feet, extended his hand and  
guided his father into the next room. "Sleep for some hours."  
 
Elrond lay down, stretched, and smiled gratefully at his son. "I  
want you to wake me in case Haldir's condition worsens." 
 
Elladan nodded. Haldir would hopefully remain asleep, and in the  
meantime, he would watch over both Elves. 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
Erestor was happy to let Glorfindel take the lead. After lunch, the  
blond had pulled him into the gardens and they were now heading  
toward an ancient oak tree with luxurious green leaves. The fact  
that they were still holding hands surprised him, but he didn't want  
to let go either. Several Elves had already looked at them funny,  
but then an approving expression had appeared in their eyes,  
baffling him.  
 
Studying Glorfindel, he found that the Elda was smiling brightly. He  
hadn't seen a smile like that since his abduction.  
 
"Let us sit in the sun for a little while," said Glorfindel, turning  
around and smiling at Erestor. The dark-haired Elf seemed  
comfortable to follow his lead and he was grateful for that. The  
last thing he wanted was to be smothered with pity or concern.  
Acting carefree was making him feel better.  
 
Sitting down, he pulled Erestor down as well, making sure the raven- 
haired Elf stayed close. Glorfindel rested his back against the  
trunk of the tree and smiled dreamily. Right now, he felt good, safe  
and balanced. Absentmindedly he rubbed Erestor's knuckles. It almost  
felt like a wave of energy coursed through his arm, eventually  
enveloping him completely.  
 
Erestor remained quiet, as no words would come to him. He made  
himself comfortable and shifted slightly. Suddenly Glorfindel's head  
rested against his shoulder and the blond pulled his hand  
possessively into his lap.  
 
They sat like that for long moments, silent and simply enjoying each  
other's company.  
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
Erestor hated waking Glorfindel, but it was growing dark and it was  
time to join the others for dinner. "Wake up, mellon-nîn." Oh, how  
he wished he could call Glorfindel melamin instead!  
 
Glorfindel's eyes slowly focused, and whilst stretching like a cat,  
he raised his head to look at Erestor. That was the best nap he'd  
had in decades! And the amazing thing was; no nightmares. Erestor's  
presence had kept them at bay.  
 
"It is time for dinner, mellon-nîn. We should go back inside." His  
hand itched to stroke a stray lock behind the blond's pointed ear,  
but he managed to control himself.  
 
Glorfindel smiled, but then his expression darkened. His hand, which  
was still holding Erestor's, moved toward his abdomen and he placed  
their joined hands against his stomach. "I am still scared. I do not  
know what to expect." 
 
Erestor swallowed hard, seeing the misery in the azure eyes. "We  
will face this together, mellon-nîn. You have many friends and we  
will care for you and your son."  
 
Glorfindel's eyes grew misty. "It continues to grow. Yesterday I  
barely felt it, and now…" 
 
Erestor nodded. "A few weeks," he whispered, wishing he knew how to  
comfort the blond. "I am sure your son will take after you, mellon- 
nîn. He will be a ray of golden light to your life." 
 
Glorfindel's misty eyes swam with tears, which now began to flow  
down his face. "I am afraid to hope that he will look Elven. I am  
not sure how I will react, seeing claws and fangs." Unable to deal  
with this momentarily, he flung himself at Erestor.  
 
Instinctively Erestor raised his arms and buried the blond in a  
tight hug. "Always remember that you are not alone." He almost  
kissed the golden locks that danced against his lips, but kept back.  
Glorfindel needed a friend, not someone who lusted after him! 
 
Glorfindel clung to Erestor for many minutes and slowly his calm was  
restored. A warm, loving sensation settled in his heart, whilst  
being held. When he pulled away it was with obvious reluctance. "I  
am hungry again," he admitted softly. "Do you think it is because of  
the… child?" 
 
"I think so," said Erestor, replying in a similar soft tone. Making  
sure he still maintained a hold on Glorfindel's hand, he slowly got  
to his feet and then pulled Glorfindel to his.  
 
Taking their time, they slowly walked back to the Last Homely House. 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
When they arrived in the dining room, they found they were alone.  
Neither Elrond, nor Elladan had joined them for dinner. Seeing  
Lindir enter, Erestor gave the white-haired Elf an inquisitive look.  
 
Lindir inclined his head and said, "Elladan asked me to inform you  
that the Galadhrim's injuries demand their presence. You will have  
to dine alone." 
 
Glorfindel felt momentarily disappointed, but then a smile surfaced  
on his face. As long as Erestor was close he didn't mind.  
 
They seated themselves and Glorfindel reluctantly let go of  
Erestor's hand when the raven-haired Elf reached for the food.  
 
"Eat," said Erestor, after filling their plates with grilled  
vegetables, freshly baked bread and cheese.  
 
Glorfindel ate more than his fill and leaned back, sated. "I wonder  
what other things to expect." After a moment of thought, his  
features contorted. "I hope I will be spared any morning sickness."  
 
"At least your pregnancy will be a short one. She-Elves have to  
carry their child for a year. You will be back to a normal shape  
within a few weeks." Erestor filled Glorfindel's glass with fresh  
spring water. "I am not so sure you should drink wine." 
 
A sigh fled Glorfindel's lips. "I'd better not drink any then."  
Sipping the water, he studied Erestor. /You have no idea how much it  
means to me that you are staying close./ Yawning, he wondered why he  
was sleepy again. He had just napped for several hours! "I am sorry.  
I do not know why…" But that wasn't true. Now that he thought about  
it, he did know why he felt this tired. "It must be the…child." He  
still had a hard time thinking of the abomination as his child.  
 
"Then let us return to my rooms and tuck you in." Erestor pushed  
back his chair and extended his hand. "Or would you prefer to stay  
in your rooms?" He would gladly move into the blond's rooms if that  
was what Glorfindel preferred. 
 
"I am comfortable in yours… We can stay there." Glorfindel rose from  
his chair, once more curling his fingers possessively around  
Erestor's.  
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
Erestor swallowed the lump of emotions that had formed in his throat  
upon seeing Glorfindel making himself comfortable in his bed. Long,  
golden hair lay on his pillow and now Glorfindel was pushing himself  
deeper into the comfort of his mattress. He had dreamt of having  
Glorfindel in his bed, but not like this. Not when the blond was too  
scared to be alone. He wanted him in his bed because Glorfindel  
loved him, not because he couldn't bear Elrond's touch.  
 
Lying down on top of the covers, -like the night before-, Erestor  
watched Glorfindel closely. Immediately, the blond inched closer,  
resting his head on his chest. Erestor folded one arm around his  
secret love and used the other to stroke the blond mane.  
 
Yawning again, Glorfindel lifted his eyes and studied his companion.  
Erestor's eyes were warm with affection and seemed to devour  
him. "You cannot be tired yet," he realized, suddenly feeling guilty  
for taking up so much of the raven-haired Elf's time. "And I am  
keeping you here, confined to bed." His first instinct was to let  
go, but he couldn't bring himself to release Erestor. He needed him  
close!  
 
"I do not mind holding you…" Now *that* was an understatement! He  
loved holding Glorfindel, no matter when or where.  
 
Glorfindel rested his head on Erestor's chest once more. "Now I feel  
guilty…" 
 
Erestor chuckled softly, determined not to give into Glorfindel's  
darkening mood. "Ah, mellon-nîn, there is no reason to feel guilty.  
You must believe me when I say that I like holding you." 
 
Glorfindel's eyes narrowed momentarily, but now that his head rested  
on Erestor's chest, the raven-haired Elf couldn't see the expression  
in them. /So you *are* the one Vaire hinted at. Why didn't I see the  
love in your eyes before? How stupid am I? So that is what Elrond  
meant when he said I would find love and support with you. By the  
Grace of the Valar, does Elrond know? And if so, why didn't he tell  
me?/ He would ask Elrond these questions the next time they met.  
Hopefully the half-Elf would confirm his suspicions.  
 
At last Erestor's behavior made sense now. Gentle caresses were  
bestowed onto his hair. Did Erestor think he was already asleep? He  
felt too drained to deal with this right now. Involuntarily, his  
right hand settled on his stomach and the other reached for Erestor,  
entwining their fingers. Feeling comfortable, safe *and* loved, he  
allowed himself to fall asleep, giving his body the rest it needed. 
 
Erestor, now fully convinced Glorfindel was asleep, kissed a lock of  
golden hair. He concentrated on the link and sent as much energy as  
he could spare down their connection. "I will see you through this…  
I promise."  
 
TBC 
 
Beta read by Lizzle, thanks!


Part 13 
Secrets 
 
 
Haldir slowly returned to awareness. His whole body felt comfortably  
warm and a pleasant tingling moved down his leg. The pain, which had  
become familiar during these last few days, was gone now. Looking  
about, he caught sight of the young half-Elf sitting next to his  
bed. After a moment's thought, he recalled the name. "Elladan?"  
 
Elladan looked up from the book he had been reading and smiled. "Ah,  
so you decided to wake up again?" 
 
"How long… have I… been asleep?" Cautiously, Haldir pushed himself  
into an upright position. The lack of pain puzzled him, but then he  
saw the new bandages and sachets filled with herbs that showed  
beneath the cloth.  
 
"A few hours," said Elladan, shrugging his shoulders. "My father  
removed a remnant from the arrowhead that still penetrated your  
flesh and the herbs pulled the poison from your body." 
 
"Will I… recover?" Haldir had finally made himself comfortable, but  
he instinctively tried to move as little as possible, as he didn't  
want to wake the pain that slumbered in his leg.  
 
Elladan nodded once. "My father thinks you will make a full recovery  
and he is seldom wrong." 
 
"Then I should thank him for tending to my injury." Haldir sighed,  
relieved that his body felt relaxed.  
 
"You can do that when he wakes up. He is currently asleep in the  
next room." Seeing Haldir's puzzlement, he explained, "He has been  
busy these last few days." 
 
It wasn't his place to question the young half-Elf and Haldir  
remained quiet, brooding. He hadn't dared to hope that Elrond would  
be able to heal his injury, but now it looked like he would recover  
after all. Hopefully he would get his chance to properly thank the  
healer later.  
 
A servant entered, carrying a tray filled with food items and hot  
tea. Elladan signaled for her to take the tray to the bed. "Please  
eat whilst I check on my father."  
 
Haldir mumbled a `thank you' and then proceeded to drink some of the  
tea. He ate several pieces of fruits, before eating the bread and  
cheese. Until now he hadn't realized just how hungry he was!  
 
Elladan stepped into the next room, walked over to the bed and sat  
down on the side. "Ada?" Elrond might be hungry as well. When the  
blue-grey eyes opened, Elladan searched them. He was relieved to see  
that some of the dark circles beneath his father's eyes had faded.  
 
Elrond smiled, still feeling sleepy. At first he wondered where he  
was. This weren't his quarters, but then he recalled Haldir's  
arrival. "How is he?" 
 
Elladan understood at once. "He seems better, Ada. He is eating  
dinner right now." 
 
Elrond felt relieved at that. "Is he displaying any signs of a  
fever?" 
 
"Nay," replied Elladan pleased. "Removing that tiny shard might have  
been the key to his recovery."  
 
"Good, I will check on him and then I will return to my rooms. I  
need to bathe and to change into a new set of clothes." Elrond  
pushed himself into a sitting position and then got to his feet.  
After straightening out his robes, he followed Elladan into the  
adjoining room.  
 
Once more, he was stunned, seeing the silver-haired Elf's beauty.  
Now that the hazel eyes were free of pain, they sparkled brightly.  
The life energy was strong in this one and so was his healing  
ability. Elrond remained standing in front of the bed, carefully  
hiding the attraction he felt toward Haldir. "My son tells me you  
are feeling better?" 
 
"I do feel better. Thank you for your kind care." Haldir bowed his  
head respectfully. "I am in your debt." 
 
"There is no debt," said Elrond lightly. "But you are far from  
healed. You will have to stay in bed for a few more days." Elrond  
regretted that he had to leave, but drawing this out wouldn't help  
either. Haldir would stay until his wound had healed and then return  
to Lothlórien. It was best to ignore this attraction, which could  
never flourish. /Haldir probably has a mate at home. Someone this  
beautiful must have a lover./ He didn't stand a chance anyway.  
Haldir wouldn't settle for an old half-Elf like him.  
 
Reminding himself that Haldir was his guest, Elrond inclined his  
head and said, "Maybe you will be able to join me for dinner before  
you return to Lothlórien. I would like to know how everyone is  
doing, especially Galadriel and Arwen." 
 
Haldir nodded, gracefully accepting the invitation. "The last thing  
I heard was that Arwen is enjoying her stay in the Golden Wood.  
Galadriel and Arwen often seek out each other's company. They are  
well."  
 
Elrond smiled thankfully. "That is good news indeed." He knew he was  
stalling, but he didn't want to leave yet. He enjoyed looking at  
Haldir and talking to him. /I am setting myself up for heartbreak./  
And he wasn't sure he could currently deal with that. It would be  
best to keep some emotional distance. "The healers will continue to  
look after you and I will also check on you regularly." /Stalling  
again!/  
 
Elladan cleared his throat, trying to draw his father's attention.  
The tension that had formed between Haldir and Elrond was obvious  
and made him wonder. "Ada?" 
 
"Ah, I need to go." Reluctantly, Elrond turned around to face  
Elladan, who signaled for him to follow him into the corridor. 
 
Elladan closed the door behind them and then rested a hand on his  
father's shoulder, turning him around. "Ada, what is going on?" 
 
Elrond sighed; why couldn't he ever hide things from his sons? "It  
is nothing."  
 
"I do not think so. Something is on your mind, tell me!" He hoped  
his father would confide in him.  
 
Elrond shook his head. "Really, Elladan, it is nothing."  
Involuntarily, he looked over his shoulder at the door, wondering if  
Haldir was asleep again. Now that the poison was losing its hold, a  
healing sleep would come over the Elf for the next few days.  
 
Elladan's eyes narrowed. "I really am stupid," he whispered  
eventually. "It took me long enough to recognize the look in  
Erestor's eyes whenever he looks upon Glorfindel. That same look is  
in your eyes now. Ada, have you fallen for Haldir?" Puzzled, he  
probed his father's eyes. Haldir had arrived only yesterday!  
 
Elrond had the grace to blush. "Elladan, I am not comfortable  
discussing my feelings with you." It was the truth. This attraction  
was still too new,  
--too fresh.  
 
The blush and Elrond's hesitant tone told Elladan all he needed to  
know. "You are falling in love with him!" For one moment that  
knowledge confused him, but then a huge smile surfaced on his  
face. "That is fabulous!" 
 
Elrond cringed, seeing his son's enthusiasm. "But Elladan—" 
 
"Nay, think about it! You might have lost Glorfindel, but Haldir…"  
Suddenly his smile faded. "We need to find out if he already has a  
lover. Oh, I can do that! Leave that up to me!" He was surprised to  
realize how eager he was to play matchmaker!  
 
Elrond sighed deeply and placed a hand on Elladan's, which still  
rested on his shoulder. "You are forgetting something very  
important. Haldir might not feel the same way about me. Actually, I  
am quite sure he does not." 
 
"How do you know? Did you ask?" Elladan was shuffling his feet,  
eager to return to Haldir's side and talk to the Elf to find out if  
he was already bound to someone.  
 
"Elladan," said Elrond, smiling weakly. He loved Elladan, but  
sometimes his son's perception was black and white. "He is one of  
the Galadhrim and he will return to the Golden Wood shortly. Why  
should I pursue this?" 
 
"Because you are in love with him!" A sly grin appeared on Elladan's  
face. "And now that Glorfindel is unable to perform his normal  
duties, we need a seneschal temporarily. Haldir has the necessary  
experience and skills…" He let his voice fade away, hoping his  
father understood.  
 
Elrond did understand the hint, but shook his head. With a fond  
expression on his face, he said, "I know you mean well, but this can  
only end in tears." 
 
"We will see about that," said Elladan softly, eyes sparkling.  
Turning around, he opened the door and stepped into Haldir's room.  
 
Elrond briefly considered stopping him, but he knew his oldest son  
well enough to know that Elladan would do as he pleased. He could  
only hope Elladan wouldn't do too much damage. Slowly, he walked  
down the corridor, heading for his private rooms. 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
Haldir had eaten his fill and now watched Elladan enter the room  
again. The sly grin that seemed glued to the half-Elf's face  
surprised him, but he decided not to mention it. He was growing  
sleepy again and knew better than to fight it. It was his body's way  
of telling him a healing sleep was about to set in.  
 
Elladan sat down and busied himself with preparing more of the  
herbal tea that relieved Haldir's pain. It would also help him sleep  
soundly. "You probably miss Lothlórien. I have only been there  
twice, but the Golden Wood is exceptional in its beauty." 
 
"Aye, it is." Haldir frowned, wondering why Elladan was bringing up  
Lothlórien.  
 
"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Elladan handed Haldir a cup  
of the healing tea and smiled friendly.  
 
Haldir realized Elladan was up to something. He had seen that  
expression before, usually on Rúmil's face when his youngest brother  
wanted a favor from him. "I have two younger brothers, Rúmil and  
Orophin." 
 
"Oh, you are the eldest then?" Elladan grinned impishly. "They can  
be trouble, younger brothers." 
 
Haldir nodded and then sipped his tea. What were Elladan's  
intentions? He could tell that the half-Elf was steering him in a  
certain direction. Normally he would call Elladan on it, but he felt  
too sleepy to make an effort. 
 
"Does your lover not mind having them around? Younger brothers can  
be a pain." 
 
/My lover?/ Haldir's brow furrowed. Why did Elladan want to know  
about his lover? He considered ignoring the question, but he was too  
curious to see what reaction his answer would draw from the half- 
Elf. "I am bound to no one." 
 
/Yes!/ Elladan failed to keep the ecstatic grin from his face.  
Chuckling, he nodded his head once. /Ada, you might have a chance  
after all./ 
 
Haldir, always direct and honest, asked, "Why? Are you interested in  
me in that way?" 
 
Elladan nearly choked at hearing that question. His eyes widened  
comically. "Nay, I am not interested in you."  
 
At hearing that answer, Haldir dismissed the notion. Apparently  
Elladan simply lacked conversational skills. "If you are done  
interrogating me, I would prefer to go back to sleep." 
 
"But of course!" Elladan decided he liked Haldir; the silver-haired  
Elf was amusing. "Either my father or I will check on you later  
tonight." 
 
Haldir nodded once and suddenly a curious thought entered his  
mind. /What if he is inquiring on behalf of his father? Is Elrond  
interested in me? Elladan asked me if I have a lover for a reason./  
He liked the idea that Elrond might be interested in him, because he  
had felt the sensual tension between them as well. It had been there  
from that very first moment.  
 
Elladan watched Haldir's eyes grow vacant again. He took the now  
empty cup from Haldir's fingers and grinned broadly. /Looks like I  
will be playing matchmaker after all!/ 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
The next morning, Glorfindel awoke to stomach cramps. Feeling  
nauseous, his features contorted. He had hoped morning sickness  
wouldn't hit him, but it had after all. Looking about, he recalled  
he was in Erestor's rooms and slowly he entangled himself from the  
raven-haired Elf's embrace. He needed to visit the bathroom! 
 
Glorfindel's moving away from him woke Erestor. Seeing the pained  
expression in the blond's eyes, he acted at once. "Tell me what is  
wrong." 
 
"Bathroom… Now…" Glorfindel quickly covered his mouth with his hand,  
hoping Erestor would move out of the way.  
 
Erestor did more than that. He slung an arm around Glorfindel's  
waist and assisted him when they walked into the bathroom. They had  
just reached the sink when Glorfindel doubled over, emptying his  
stomach. Erestor tenderly gathered the flaxen hair in his hand, and  
continued to support Glorfindel. He quickly reached for a wash  
cloth, turned on the water and pressed the wet cloth against the  
blond's sweaty brow. "Do not fight it, mellon-nîn."  
 
Glorfindel leaned heavily against Erestor, letting his companion  
support him. He had wrapped one arm around his waist, and the other  
rested against the wall. When the heaves finally stopped, he bleary- 
eyed looked at Erestor, grateful that the other Elf was close.  
 
"Rinse your mouth and drink some water," advised Erestor. 
 
Glorfindel cupped some water in his hands and followed Erestor's  
suggestion, but he only drank a few sips, uncertain how much his  
stomach could handle. "I… do not… feel… well." 
 
"That is very understandable. Come, I will help you to get back to  
the bed." Erestor maintained a tight hold on the blond and helped  
him to lie down again. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he studied  
Glorfindel. "You should talk to Elrond. He can tell you what to  
expect during this pregnancy." 
 
"One thing I am already aware of… Morning sickness," said  
Glorfindel, trying for a joking tone, but failing. Raising a hand,  
he massaged his brow. "Would you mind if I go back to sleep?" A  
headache was building behind his temples. "You do not have to remain  
close." 
 
Erestor's heart ached in sympathy, seeing the blond's misery. "I  
will stay." Gently, he caught Glorfindel's hand in his, lowered it  
and took over massaging the other Elf's brow and temples.  
Glorfindel's sigh pleased him. "Good?" 
 
Glorfindel nodded slightly. "Very good." Erestor's touch seemed to  
drive away the headache and he hoped that the raven-haired Elf would  
continue the massage.  
 
"I will ask Elrond to make time for you this evening, so the two of  
you can talk." He had recalled Lindir's words and assumed Elrond was  
looking after the Galadhrim at the moment. "Try to rest in the  
meantime. I won't stray far away from you." 
 
Grateful for his friend's care and concern, Glorfindel rolled onto  
his side, curling up into a tight ball. "Don't stop," he whispered  
pleadingly, when Erestor withdrew his hand.  
 
Erestor smiled and inched further onto the bed, resting his back  
against the headboard. Fascinated, he watched as Glorfindel moved  
closer, resting his head on his thigh. Involuntarily, his hand  
returned to stroking the smooth skin, hoping his touch would relieve  
the blond's pain.  
 
"Do you think I will feel like this every morning for the next  
weeks?" asked Glorfindel, worried. He still felt queasy, but now  
that his stomach was empty, it was settling down. Rubbing his  
abdomen, he flinched, feeling a distinct swelling.  
 
"Maybe for a few days," said Erestor soothingly, but the truth was  
that he didn't have a clue. He had never before looked after someone  
who was pregnant.  
 
Exhausted, Glorfindel sighed. Reaching out, he curled one arm around  
Erestor's leg, using the Elf's thigh as his pillow. With his other  
hand, he searched for Erestor's.  
 
Seeing the movement, Erestor gently curled his fingers around the  
Elda's, rubbing the skin, whilst he continued to stroke the blond  
hair as well. "Rest. You must feel drained." 
 
"I…do…" Already surrendering to exhaustion, he fell asleep again.  
 
Erestor couldn't help being worried. /We will talk to Elrond  
tonight. We must know what to expect./ 
 
/Tonight… Tonight…/ Erestor's eyes widened. /How could I forget  
about tonight?/ Looking down at Glorfindel, he felt conflicted. /I  
cannot stay with you tonight./ It was the one night in which he  
needed his privacy. /But I can make sure you won't be alone. I am so  
sorry, melamin, but I need tonight to remember my lost love…/ He  
hoped Elrond would be willing to look after Glorfindel this night.  
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
Elrond had been restless all day long, but he had ignored the urge  
to check on Haldir again. Now that the silver-haired Elf felt  
better, he didn't need constant supervision, plus Elladan was  
already keeping an eye on their patient. Haldir might wonder why  
Elrond would pay him more attention than a healer normally would,  
and he didn't want to arouse Haldir's curiosity.  
 
During the day he had busied himself by catching up on the paperwork  
and reading the reports of this week's patrols. Their borders still  
weren't free of Orc activity and he decided to double the number of  
patrols. This was a moment where he would have appreciated Erestor  
and Glorfindel's advice and support, but his two friends were  
currently unavailable.  
 
In the afternoon, he had eaten a light meal and had then retreated  
to his rooms. His heart was telling him to check on Haldir, but he  
decided to keep his distance instead. Now, he tried to concentrate  
on reading, but his thoughts continued to stray to Haldir. What was  
it about the other Elf that had instantly attracted him?  
 
Sighing, he gave up, closed the book and put it away. Maybe an early  
night's sleep would help. He was about to change into a sleeping  
robe, when suddenly a knock sounded on his door. /I hope it isn't  
Elladan./ He didn't have the energy to deal with his oldest son  
right now. But the knock sounded again and he walked over to the  
doorway to open the door. To his surprise, he found Erestor and  
Glorfindel in the corridor. "Please, come inside," said Elrond,  
frowning. What had brought them here? 
 
Erestor remained one step behind Glorfindel and then stood behind  
the blond, as the Elda sat down near the fireplace.  
 
Elrond could tell they were worried and he quickly joined them,  
seating himself opposite Glorfindel. "Is there anything I can do for  
you?" 
 
Glorfindel nodded once. "I need to talk to you about my pregnancy." 
 
That was Erestor's cue to excuse himself. Gently resting a hand on  
the blond's shoulder, he waited for Glorfindel to look at him and  
then said, "You are in the best of hands. Would you excuse me for a  
few hours? There is something I need to do." 
 
Glorfindel frowned at the vague explanation, but nodded. "Of course…" 
 
Erestor gave Elrond an apologetic look. He was certain the half-Elf  
would understand why he needed this night to himself.  
 
Elrond inclined his head and watched Erestor leave. He wondered  
about the request as well, but dismissed it, seeing the worried  
expression in Glorfindel's eyes. "What do you want to know, mellon- 
nîn?"  
 
"This morning… I felt nauseous." 
 
"Morning sickness. That is quite common." Elrond nodded  
encouragingly. "It will continue for some time. You might also  
experience food cravings."  
 
"I hope it does not want raw meat," Glorfindel said, shivering. 
 
"It?" Elrond frowned disapprovingly. "Try not to think of your son  
in that way." 
 
"I cannot stop myself. I am scared," admitted Glorfindel in a timid  
tone. 
 
"Give yourself time to get used to this, to accept this," advised  
Elrond. "You might surprise yourself." 
 
"I do not think so," said Glorfindel, feeling miserable. He doubted  
he would ever be able to accept this.  
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
Now that the evening had finally come, Erestor slipped into the  
black leggings and blue shirt that he had removed from his chest.  
Not bothering to arm himself, he reached beneath the weapons in the  
chest and withdrew a blue cloak. Made of velvet, it would keep him  
dry on this rainy night. It was only fitting that the star-speckled  
heavens released their tears tonight.  
 
After fastening the cloak, he checked if his warrior's braids were  
still in place and then headed for the doorway. He closed the door  
softly behind him and sneaked down the corridor, taking great care  
in not being seen. Tonight he wanted to vanish and he stole onto the  
courtyard, keeping close to the shadows of the wall.  
 
But one pair of eyes caught sight of him and followed his form. 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
"Glorfindel?" Elrond sat near the fire, but hearing the blond gasp  
in surprise caught his attention. He had hoped that his company  
would keep the Elda from brooding too much about the child that was  
growing inside him. "Glorfindel!"  
 
This time Glorfindel looked at Elrond, hearing the half-Elf's  
persistent tone. "It is Erestor. He is leaving."  
 
Elrond frowned and then a sigh left his lips. "I should have  
remembered." Whilst he had been taking care of one friend, he had  
forgotten about the other. "It is *his* night." 
 
"His night?" Glorfindel's brow furrowed. "Elrond?" Looking at the  
half-Elf, he waited for Elrond to join him in front of the window.  
 
Elrond's eyes found the dark figure and he sighed saddened. "I  
cannot tell you what Erestor is hiding, -- but he is suffering. I  
suggest you follow him and find out." He suspected that Erestor  
wanted to tell Glorfindel about his past lover, but lacked the  
necessary courage, afraid of the blond's reaction. "Take my advice,  
mellon-nîn, go and talk to him."  
 
Glorfindel wasn't so sure that it would be the best thing to do. "It  
looks to me like he wants to be alone." 
 
Elrond shook his head, once more blaming himself for ever taking  
Glorfindel into his bed. /Once I knew Erestor had feelings for you,  
I should have set the two of you down to talk./ But he had let  
Erestor dictate their steps and although he knew Erestor's counsel  
was wise at times, he also realized that his friend was hiding from  
himself.  
 
"Trust me in this, Glorfindel." Elrond moved to a closet, removed  
one of his warmer cloaks and draped it across the blond's  
shoulders. "It is raining and you must be careful in your…  
condition." 
 
Glorfindel flinched. Why did Elrond have to remind him of the evil  
growing inside his body? "Can't I stay here instead?" 
 
Elrond shook his head. "Nay, the two of you need to talk. Go to  
him." He hoped Erestor was ready to lower his walls and let  
Glorfindel in.  
 
Reluctantly, Glorfindel walked over to the doorway. He looked over  
his shoulder, his eyes silently begging Elrond to reconsider, but  
the half-Elf shooed him out of the room. Sighing dejectedly, he  
stepped into the corridor. Why was Elrond making him do this? 
 
But no, Elrond couldn't make him do anything. He was giving in  
himself. Part of him was curious to find out more about his solitary  
savior and now that Elrond was encouraging him, he decided to take  
this step and follow Erestor.  
 
Pulling the warm cloak tighter around his frame, he put up the hood  
and stepped into the rain.  
 
 
TBC 
Beta read by Lizzle, thanks!


Part 14 
Take My Hand. 
 
 
Erestor marched with grim determination. The rain had grown worse  
and the wind had picked up, tugging at his clothes, but still he  
struggled on.  
 
Once he had reached the Bruinen, he sank down onto his knees and  
stared at the water, watching the wind whipping it around. Feeling  
the cold earth underneath his knees pulled him back into reality.  
Memories were trying to pull him under, and like the water, he  
struggled. But in the end, pain won.  
 
Lifting his eyes to the heavens he searched the dark sky for stars, – 
one star in particular-, and sighed finding it shining  
brightly. "Aiya, gîl-nîn, how I miss you." Feeling miserable and  
lonely, he wrapped his arms around his waist, rocking himself. This  
night would pass slowly and he would suffer in silence like he had  
done these last few centuries. The dark of night resembled the  
darkness in his mind. He struggled to hold on to their happier  
moments, but there were so few! 
 
The wind tugged at his hood and pushed it down, revealing his tear- 
streaked face to the heavens. His eyes, large and swimming with  
tears, stared at the stars and he raised his arms in an effort to  
touch them. At moments like these, Gil-galad felt so close, -- close  
enough to touch. He merely needed to whisper, as the wind carried  
his words for miles. "Oh, gîl-nîn, I have tried so hard to tell  
myself that you are gone…" How many lonely nights had he spent,  
trying to move on after his lover's death? Too many to count.   
 
"But the pain – this pain – is just too real." Murmuring, he placed  
his right hand over his heart, remembering the love they had shared,  
honoring its memory. "And there is just too much pain that time  
cannot heal…" His heart had never healed, – truly healed –, for only  
a love as dedicated and deep as Gil-galad's had been, would set his  
heart free.  
 
"Aiya, Glorfindel…" The bliss Glorfindel and he had known in Mandos  
was now only a memory, -- one that cut his heart in two, and there  
wasn't so much left of it to begin with.  
 
Bowing forward, he placed his hands on the wet earth and dug his  
fingernails into the grass, needing to connect to reality, as he was  
seeing Gil-galad's eyes in his mind.  
 
"Erestor?" 
 
At hearing his name spoken that hesitantly, he looked over his  
shoulder. His first reaction was to chase the one away who had dared  
to approach him in his grief, but seeing it was Glorfindel, he  
remained motionless… and he waited for whatever was to come. 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
Glorfindel had struggled to get here. The wind was brutal and had  
stopped him several times. The gale lessened in strength and he  
gingerly approached the kneeling figure.  
 
"Erestor?" He spoke in a gentle, soft tone, one which only Elven  
ears could pick up on above the wind. Erestor had heard and was now  
looking at him over his shoulder. His heart missed a beat and then  
sped up its rhythm, realizing that it wasn't just rain that was  
dripping from Erestor's face. /Why are you crying?/ 
 
"You should be inside, warm and safe, not out here." Erestor  
swallowed his pain and sorrow and slowly pushed himself to his feet.  
He felt heavy, like a tremendous regret was pushing him down – and  
wasn't that true? "Go back to Elrond's rooms." 
 
Glorfindel shook his head. "Nay. I want to know what you are doing  
here… And why you are crying," he added hesitantly. Erestor confused  
him. The raven-haired Elf had proven to be someone else than he had  
thought him to be and he still didn't know what to think about that.  
 
Erestor's shoulders slumped forward. "Leave me here and go back to  
Elrond." 
 
"Nay," repeated Glorfindel, inching closer. "What are you doing  
here?" 
 
Looking at the blond, Erestor felt guilty. "You are wet, shivering."  
He couldn't help feeling protective of his secret love, especially  
now that he knew the blond was struggling to accept his pregnancy.  
Glorfindel didn't need this. "Please go back and get warm." 
 
"Only if you come with me." Glorfindel's jaw set determinedly. "I am  
not leaving you out here in the rain… In the dark." 
 
It was those last three words that caused Erestor to sob softly. "I  
have been lost in the dark for so long…" But, looking at Glorfindel,  
he saw the light that radiated from the Elda's form. "Nay, I do not  
have the right…" Glorfindel was already carrying enough pain; there  
was no reason for the Elda to carry his as well.  
 
Glorfindel was worried about his friend. Erestor was acting  
strangely and he wanted the raven-haired Elf inside, out of the rain  
and nowhere near the Bruinen. The water was whirling savagely and  
about to break free from the river bedding. Considering the obvious  
emotional state Erestor was in, it was important to get him away  
from here.  
 
Raising his right hand, Glorfindel brushed wet locks from his face  
and struggled to keep his eyes open when a particularly hard wave of  
wind hit his face. "Come with me, mellon-nîn." Extending his hand,  
he hoped that Erestor would accept. "It is the only way to make me  
go back inside," he added, hating that he had to resort to emotional  
blackmail, but Erestor's behavior worried him. He had never before  
seen such an unfocused stare in those dark eyes. "Come with me," he  
repeated, taking another step closer toward the trembling Elf.  "All  
you have to do is take my hand." 
 
A bitter laugh escaped Erestor's lips. "All I have to do is take  
your hand… Glorfindel, you have no idea… Leave me be." 
 
"Nay! By Elbereth, stop being stubborn and come with me." 
 
More tears welled up in Erestor's eyes. "You have no idea what you  
are asking of me." This night, his sorrow belonged to Gil-galad. 
 
"You are right. I do not know why this is so hard for you, but I  
refuse to give up on you."  
 
Erestor stared at Glorfindel's hand, still extended and beckoning  
him. Large raindrops dripped from the fingertips and the wind seemed  
to caress the blond's skin, moving over the palm. Shakily, he raised  
his own hand and placed it in Glorfindel's, but the guilt, sorrow  
and pain didn't lessen.  
 
Acting on impulse, Glorfindel wrapped an arm around Erestor. As  
always, the ease with which he reached out and touched Erestor,  
surprised him. With Elrond, he cringed when being touched, but  
Erestor's touch was different. "You are wet and shivering, so let us  
seek shelter and warm ourselves." 
 
Leading Erestor away from the Bruinen, they started their way home.  
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
Glorfindel decided on using Erestor's rooms, hoping the raven-haired  
Elf would feel less tense in his own chambers. During their way  
back, Erestor had been as tense as a bowstring and had seemed ready  
to bolt several times. It was amazing that Erestor had allowed him  
to take him home.  
 
Erestor sighed deeply, feeling nervous and scared now that  
Glorfindel seemed determined to watch over him. He rested his hand  
on the door handle, turned about and looked into Glorfindel's  
eyes. "I…" He had wanted to thank and dismiss Glorfindel, but now he  
didn't want to part from his companion.  
 
"You watched over me for many nights. I can do the same thing for  
you… I *want* to do the same thing for you," Glorfindel clarified.  
 
"I should not burden you with my memories…" 
 
"Your pain," corrected Glorfindel. He knew he was right, seeing the  
haunted expression in Erestor's eyes.  
 
Erestor nodded once, wondering why he was giving in. He pushed down  
the door handle and stepped into his rooms. His heart contracted  
painfully, realizing he had left the chest open. His gaze traveled  
to his bed and he cringed, finding that he had forgotten to put some  
items back.  
 
Glorfindel saw Erestor's peculiar reaction, but thought nothing of  
it. Erestor was acting strange at any rate. "Why don't you get out  
of your wet clothes?" 
 
Erestor shook his head. "Nay… I must wear them until sunrise."  
Emotionally drained, he sank down onto the floor, sitting cross- 
legged and rocking slightly.  
 
Alarmed, Glorfindel shrugged out of his wet cloak and reached for  
the blanket at the foot of Erestor's bed. Sitting down next to the  
hurting Elf, he wrapped the material around Erestor's shoulders. He  
would have preferred for his friend to remove his wet clothes, but  
this had to do for now. "Why? Why must you wear them?" Curiously,  
his gaze was drawn to the items on the bed. A sword with  
inscriptions in Tengwar and a mithril circlet rested near an open  
chest. "Erestor?" 
 
Glorfindel's voice pulled Erestor from his memories and he shivered,  
seeing the blond stare at the sword and circlet. Why did Glorfindel  
have to seek him out at the Bruinen? He knew the Elda good enough to  
know that Glorfindel would only settle for the truth. Was he ready  
to share his pain?  
 
Reaching to take hold of the sword, Glorfindel's arm remained poised  
in mid air, seeing the sudden distress on Erestor's face. "I won't  
touch it," he said reassuringly, wondering why his friend was  
reacting like that. "But it is magnificent." How many times had the  
steel been folded to create this perfect blade? 
 
A sad smile appeared on Erestor's face and he made his decision that  
very moment. "It belonged to my lover." 
 
"Your lover?" Glorfindel's eyes widened. That answer revealed so  
much! "You had a male lover then?" It was a man's sword, broad and  
heavy.  
 
Erestor nodded once, but didn't speak. He was afraid his voice would  
betray just how emotional he was.  
 
"And he…" Glorfindel didn't want to say the words, but… "He died?" 
 
A large tear slipped from Erestor's eye and slid down his  
cheek. "Aye, he is dead." 
 
"Is that why you are so… sad?" The right words didn't want to come  
to him and Glorfindel hoped that his presence didn't worsen  
Erestor's pain. He was beginning to understand why the raven-haired  
Elf had wanted to be alone.  
 
"He died at the Battle of the Last Alliance." 
 
Recalling something Erestor had mentioned during their escape from  
Orthanc, he said, "You were trained as a spy, if I remember  
correctly. Please forgive me if I am wrong, but… my memory is  
clouded when it comes down to… that period." He didn't want to  
address the state he had been in when Erestor had found him. It was  
best to focus on his friend for now.  
 
"You are right again." Erestor averted his eyes, wondering what else  
Glorfindel wanted to know. The blond was getting too close to his  
pain. "You do not have to stay. I will be fine." 
 
But Glorfindel didn't believe that. "Why tonight?" 
 
"This is the night in which he died… and he took my heart with him."  
Erestor bowed his head and stared at the floor. "I have done this  
each year since his death. This night belongs to his memory." 
 
Glorfindel's heart twitched with pain. "Do you not think it is time  
to let go?" The enraged expression in Erestor's eyes briefly  
startled him. "I mean no offense, but… wouldn't your lover want you  
to move on?" 
 
"I never asked myself that question," sighed Erestor, feeling  
drained.  
 
"Why don't you tell me about him? Maybe that will help?" But what he  
really wanted was to get Erestor out of his wet clothes, into  
something dry and warm, and then to settle down with him in front of  
a fire with a glass of miruvor. Unfortunately, it didn't look like  
Erestor would cooperate, intent as the dark-haired Elf was on  
feeling miserable. "Why don't you start by telling me his name?" The  
look Erestor gave him made his heart miss a beat. Why was Erestor  
guarding this so passionately? "I promise I won't tell anyone." 
 
Erestor gave in; knowing very well that Glorfindel wouldn't go away  
before the blond knew what was tormenting him. Wringing his hands,  
he averted his eyes, unable to look at the Elf, whilst making his  
admission. "His name was Gil-galad." 
 
Glorfindel gasped in surprise. "The High-King himself?" He briefly  
wondered if Erestor was making this up, but then his gaze drifted  
back to the sword and circlet. Reading the inscriptions, he realized  
it was the fabled High-King's sword. "I do not understand." Leaning  
back against the bed post, he tried to catch Erestor's evasive gaze.  
 
Sighing deeply, Erestor opened up to Glorfindel. "It began a few  
years after I had reached majority. The Elders chose me to be  
trained as a spy and assassin. They realized the threat Evil  
presented and wanted to be prepared. I absolved the training and was  
then assigned to the High-King's personal guards." 
 
Glorfindel couldn't help but stare at Erestor. "And yet you let us  
believe you were a scholar." 
 
"I buried that part of my life after he died," offered Erestor  
softly.  
 
"I am sorry I interrupted, please continue." Glorfindel saw how hard  
this was on the dark-haired Elf and tried to radiate calm and  
support. Erestor had been there for him in his darkest hour and he  
wanted to do the same thing for his friend. He extended his hand,  
offering it to Erestor and hoping the raven-haired Elf would accept. 
 
Erestor stared at the offered limb, touched that Glorfindel wanted  
to comfort him. He knew how hard it was for the blond to touch and  
trust. Slowly, he placed his hand in Glorfindel's. The smile that  
now surfaced on Glorfindel's face made him smile weakly in return.  
 
"Please tell me what happened next." Glorfindel hoped that Erestor  
would feel less listless after telling him.  
 
"We fell in love," whispered Erestor as his memories took him  
back. "I fell in love the first time I saw him, but I did not dare  
think he would accept me as his lover, but he did." Seeing  
Glorfindel's questioning look, he added, "One night Orcs penetrated  
our defenses when Gil-galad was walking in the gardens. I saved his  
life. I took the poisoned arrow that had been meant for him. In my  
fever, I raved deliriously, telling him I was in love with him." 
 
Glorfindel smiled brilliantly. "And he loved you back?" 
 
Erestor gave the blond a weak grin. "It turned out that he had  
noticed me before that incident, but had thought the attraction was  
one-sided. Once he had learned differently, he confided in me."  
 
Squeezing Erestor's hand encouragingly, Glorfindel waited for him to  
continue.  
 
"We were happy for a while, until Sauron's power forced him to make  
a stand. I was working behind enemy lines, conveying information to  
our forces. When he faced Sauron, I was nowhere in sight." Erestor  
closed his eyes, but still tears escaped from them. "Maybe he would  
have survived, had I been there." 
 
"You do not know that," said Glorfindel, tasting the guilt in  
Erestor's voice.  
 
Erestor shrugged. "I will never know, but I find some comfort in the  
fact that Elrond tried to keep him safe, even if he failed." 
 
"Elrond…" Glorfindel's eyes widened. "He knows… I assume?" 
 
Another sigh fled Erestor's lips. This emotional bloodletting was  
draining him. "Elrond supported me after Gil-galad's death. Without  
him, my soul might have joined my lover's in the Great Halls. But  
like you, Elrond pointed out to me that Gil-galad would want me to  
live and maybe find happiness again." 
 
Something didn't make sense to Glorfindel. "Then why did Gil-galad  
give Vilya to Elrond and not to you?" 
 
Erestor shook his head, trying to clear it of the painful  
memories. "I was not there. I was spying on the enemy, whilst Elrond  
was close. Elrond told me that Gil-galad wanted me to have the ring,  
but I have no use for it. I kept his sword and circlet instead.  
Those two things mean more to me than a ring of power. I care  
nothing for it." 
 
Glorfindel was trying to deal with everything he had learned. It was  
so much information in so little time that his head reeled. "And  
after the battle…" 
 
"I stayed with Elrond. Emotionally, I was crushed. I would stare at  
the stars at night and refused any nourishment. Only Elrond's  
healing skills kept me alive. I vowed to always stand at Elrond's  
side and to protect and guide him for he was the only friend I had  
left. I am no leader, mellon-nîn, I follow Elrond. I needed his  
guidance in return. When we built Imladris it was *our* dream we  
created, not just his. We both wanted peace, – a sanctuary."  
 
"I always wondered what made you so special that Elrond chose you as  
his chief advisor. Now I know." Glorfindel drew in a deep breath,  
feeling tired as well. It had been some exhausting days.  
 
"You were right," said Erestor unexpectedly. "I do feel somewhat  
better now." But his voice belied that, sounding heavy and sad. "You  
are a good friend, but I can tell this is wearing you down and you  
need your rest." 
 
"I said I would stay with you tonight and I will," said Glorfindel  
firmly, surprising himself at feeling this determined. "You are in  
no state to be alone tonight. Not this night." 
 
Erestor didn't know what to say in answer to those words. He had  
been alone during this night for too many years and he felt that  
Glorfindel should not take on this burden. But at the same time, he  
craved the blond's presence. It was like Mandos had said; it worked  
both ways and tonight he needed to feel Glorfindel close. Sighing,  
he got to his feet. It was time to break with tradition. "We should  
remove these wet clothes. Do you want to change first?" He opened  
the closet, took hold of a sleeping robe and handed it to Glorfindel. 
 
Glorfindel nervously moistened his lips, appreciating Erestor's  
thoughtfulness. He wasn't ready yet to undress in someone's  
presence. Disappearing into the bathroom, he looked over his  
shoulder and caught one glance of Erestor, who reverently kissed the  
hilt of Gil-galad's sword before putting it back into the chest.  
Feeling like an intruder for watching that private scene, he closed  
the door behind him and changed into the sleeping robe. 
 
Erestor's fingertips lovingly caressed the circlet before putting it  
into the chest as well. "Am I ready to move on?" But then the  
bathroom door opened and Glorfindel appeared, wearing one of his  
sleeping robes. /Oh, how I wish you knew I love you…/ But Mandos had  
erased Glorfindel's memories of the passion they had shared in the  
Great Halls. Another burden he had to bear. 
 
After collecting another sleeping robe, Erestor disappeared into the  
bathroom to change, considerate of Glorfindel's feelings. 
 
Reaching the bed, Glorfindel cocked his head in thought. Much of  
Erestor's actions made sense now. It explained Erestor's decision to  
live as a scholar and bury his past, but the pain was still there,  
barely buried beneath the surface. He slipped beneath the covers, a  
now familiar ritual. Maybe he should simply move into Erestor's  
rooms as he seemed to be spending most of his time here at any rate.  
Waiting for his companion to join him, his thoughts kept straying  
back to Erestor's admissions. /Gil-galad and he were lovers… I never  
suspected a thing!/ 
 
Erestor announced his return by clearing his throat. Making eye  
contact with Glorfindel, he slowly approached the bed. He lay down  
on top of the covers, like he always did, but this time he wished  
Glorfindel would move just a little closer. During these past few  
nights he had held the blond during his sleep, and now he longed to  
be held close in return. But he couldn't possibly ask Glorfindel to  
hold him. 
 
Some of Erestor's feelings seeped through the bond they shared and  
Glorfindel instinctively reached out, folding an arm around  
Erestor's waist and slowly, but insistently, pulled him close. "You  
can give in, mellon-nîn, I feel comfortable around you. You know  
that."  
 
Erestor gingerly gave in to Glorfindel's pull and rested his head on  
the blond's chest.  
 
Sparkles of delight and joy tingled down their connection and both  
sighed blissfully.  
 
Smiling, Glorfindel stroked Erestor's hair, just like the raven- 
haired Elf had done for him during those long and tiring nights. "Go  
to sleep now. You are not alone any more." 
 
The words touched something deep inside him and Erestor repressed a  
strangled sob, pretending he was clearing his throat. 
 
But Glorfindel knew better. While continuing to stroke the long,  
dark tresses, he listened closely and waited for Erestor's breathing  
to slow down. /Yes, sleep, mellon-nîn. I have suffered great pain  
physically, but your pain is of the soul./ Privately, he promised  
himself to pay more attention to his friend's feelings and  
hopefully, he could ease Erestor's suffering a little.  
 
Holding Erestor close, he savored the other Elf's closeness, --and  
lulled into a sense of safety--, he fell asleep as well. 
 
TBC 
 
Beta read by Lizzle, thanks! 
 
Note; I used and changed some lyrics from a band called Evanescence  
and the song is called My Immortal. When I wrote this part I was  
listening to that song and trust me, if you can listen to it as  
well, you might recapture some of the feelings I had when writing  
this! At the time, the chapter felt pretty intense to me! 


Part 15
Admission. 


The next time Glorfindel woke, he looked into calm,
dark eyes. Erestor was studying him and suddenly he
became aware of the blissful, warm sensation coursing
through him. This felt right, --incredibly right.
Slowly, recalling the doting expression he had seen
earlier in Erestor’s expressive eyes, he raised a
steady hand and pressed its palm against the
dark-haired Elf’s cheek, rubbing the soft skin. 

Erestor remained absolutely motionless, uncertain why
Glorfindel was touching him in this tender manner. His
mouth felt dry and he was at a loss for words. He
wanted to reach out so badly and return the caress,
but he wasn’t sure the blond would welcome it. Tremors
shook his frame when Glorfindel’s fingers moved closer
to his lips, trailing their outline. “What are you
doing?” he whispered breathlessly. Speaking the words
made the blond’s fingers move against his lips. 

Glorfindel studied Erestor’s expression for a decisive
moment and then said, “For how long have you been in
love with me?” He felt fairly certain he was right.
There was no other possible interpretation for that
warm and loving look in those dark eyes.  Erestor
though, seemed utterly stunned by the question.
Glorfindel retained a tight hold on the raven-haired
Elf, when he tried to move away from him.

“I… am-m… n-not…” Erestor stopped stuttering, when
Glorfindel placed a finger across his lips. 

“Do not deny it. I am not *that* blind.”

Erestor sighed deeply and closed his eyes. He couldn’t
look at Glorfindel any longer, knowing that his
feelings were palpable in his eyes. 

“Tell me the truth, Erestor, and make sure it is the
*whole* truth.” Glorfindel felt surprisingly calm.
/Maybe I feel this calm because I have long ago
accepted that he feels about me in that way. I was
just too preoccupied to realize it. My own feelings
puzzled me for some time as well, but I understand
them now. Somewhere along the line I fell in love with
him as well./ 

“For centuries,” whispered Erestor eventually, knowing
that lying wouldn’t get him anywhere. “It began the
day you joined Elrond’s household.”

“That long?” Now that did surprise Glorfindel. “Why
didn’t you say something?”

Erestor forced himself to open his eyes. Glorfindel
deserved to look him in the eyes when hearing his
reply. “You preferred Elrond’s company.”

“Aiya…” Glorfindel had hoped that his nightly
escapades had remained hidden, but apparently he had
failed to keep them a secret. “Who else knows?”

“The twins… Arwen… Lindir… Most members of Elrond’s
household.” Erestor cringed, seeing the guilty
expression in Glorfindel’s eyes. “I assumed you were
happy with that arrangement and I did not want to come
between Elrond and you. Elrond has suffered much after
Celebrían’s departure and he is entitled to his
happiness.” 

“And what about *your* happiness?” Glorfindel tenderly
fingered a lock of dark hair and Erestor’s sigh told
him how much the dark-haired Elf craved his touch. 

“I am still mourning Gil-galad’s death… And I did not
have the heart to tell you, for I did not want to
destroy the little happiness Elrond had found with
you.” Erestor trembled upon feeling Glorfindel’s
fingers tangle in his dark tresses. “You never gave me
any reason to believe you were interested in me in
that way.”

“Very true,” admitted Glorfindel, “But it seems that
has changed. Ever since waking up from my… ordeal… I
crave your touch. I want you close. I want you to hold
me… I think I have fallen in love with you. I do not
know when it happened exactly, but it did.” 

Erestor slowly shook his head and the movement caused
Glorfindel’s fingers to caress his skin and raven
hair. “You cannot be in love with me.”

“But I am!” Glorfindel smiled enthusiastically. “I
wish it had happened earlier, then you would not have
suffered that much. Seeing the disbelief in Erestor’s
brown eyes, he leaned in closer and, gently but
determinedly, pressed his lips against Erestor’s soft
ones. “I want to kiss you.”

Glorfindel’s words, which displayed genuine desire and
interest in him made Erestor feel weak. “Are you sure?
I—“

Glorfindel effectively silenced the raven-haired Elf
by pressing his lips against Erestor’s. The kiss was
slow and lazy, as they both knew there was no reason
to rush this. They had all the time they could
possibly want. His heart missed a beat, seeing the
tension flee from those dark eyes when he brought up
his hands to place them on either side of Erestor’s
head, holding him tightly in place. 

Erestor temporarily lost his ability to think
logically when a sweet and demanding tongue pressed
against his teeth. Eagerly, he parted them, allowing
Glorfindel entrance. 

Maintaining eye contact, Glorfindel searched Erestor’s
eyes. /I was blind not to see this. This is why he
came after me, followed me into Orthanc and brought me
back./ Glorfindel made the kiss last, but had to pull
back when they grew short of breath. “You are a good
kisser.”

“Thank you,” whispered Erestor shyly. “It has been a
while though, since I last kissed someone.” He had
kissed Glorfindel in the Great Halls, but he couldn’t
tell the blond that.  

Glorfindel understood. /Gil-galad./ He didn’t want to
say the name aloud, afraid it would remind Erestor of
what he had lost. “Then it is a shame you had to wait
this long to be kissed again.” Smiling radiantly, he
claimed Erestor’s lips, engaging their tongues in a
sensual duel. Erestor easily awarded him the victory.
He frowned a little at that, but ignored it. Erestor
would grow more comfortable around him in time and he
reckoned the treatment he had suffered in Orthanc had
much to do with the raven-haired Elf’s extremely
cautious behavior toward him. 

Erestor gently suckled and nibbled Glorfindel’s bottom
lip. There was little else he was still capable of.
All he felt was the blond’s body pressed close and
soft lips against his. It was utter bliss. Happy to
let Glorfindel take the lead, he watched the
golden-haired Elf pull back, regretfully, but with a
huge smile on the blond’s face. 

Caressing a plait, Glorfindel looked inquiringly at
Erestor. “May I undo them? I like it when you wear
your hair loose.”

“I will never be able to deny you anything,” whispered
Erestor truthfully. “Of course you may.” He closed his
eyes temporarily, concentrating on the feel of
Glorfindel’s fingers, moving through his hair. It felt
good to have his hair loose again and he smiled warmly
at the blond when Glorfindel fingered a strand. “What
do we do now?” He was afraid of the answer, but he
needed to hear it anyway. 

Glorfindel frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Do we go back to being… friends, or would you like me
to court you?”

The frown deepened. “Why would I want to go back to
being friends?” The only thing he could think of was
that Erestor didn’t want to be with him because of the
abomination he was carrying. “Oh, I understand…”
Involuntarily, one hand left the dark hair and settled
on his stomach. 

“Nay!” Erestor understood at once. “I meant what I
said earlier. I will love the baby because he is your
flesh and blood!”

Glorfindel’s frown remained. “Then I feel truly lost.”

“I can imagine you would want to go back to Elrond…”
He couldn’t help feeling insecure and in need of
reassurance. This was so unexpected, so unreal! Not in
his wildest dreams could he have imagined Glorfindel
having feelings for him! 

Glorfindel’s eyes filled with compassion and
understanding. “I am sorry that I never noticed you
had feelings for me, but you could have told me.”

“You chose Elrond…”

“Because I did not know you were interested in me!”
Glorfindel was growing frustrated. Determined, he
placed his hands on either side of Erestor’s head and
waited until he had the other’s complete attention. “I
chose Elrond because I was attracted to him, but he
told me at the very start that he did not feel that
way about me. But like him, I was lonely too. I had
been reborn and thrust into a new life without much to
hold onto. I needed someone, -someone wise- who would
help me find my way and Elrond did that.” 

Erestor swallowed hard. That was one admission he had
never thought to hear and he could tell that
Glorfindel wasn’t finished yet. 

“There was an understanding between Elrond and me, but
there was never any passion, nor the love that I feel
blossoming in my heart right now. I do not know what I
would have done, had you told me, but as you didn’t,
we will never find out. If I have learned one thing in
my life --well two lives actually-- it is that you
have to let go of the past and focus on the present
and the future. Can you let go of your resentment?”

“Resentment?” Erestor’s eyes widened.

“You resent the fact that I chose Elrond whilst you
were in love with me. You have to let go of that
feeling or it will always keep us apart. We can start
anew right now.” Glorfindel’s heart was pounding and
his mouth had gone dry. “Can you?”

Erestor focused inside and had to admit Glorfindel was
right – to some degree. “I always felt jealous of
Elrond, because he had you.” Seeing the accepting look
in the azure eyes, he added, “Aye, I can let go
because I love you.”

“Say it again,” whispered Glorfindel dreamily. 

Erestor grinned smugly. “I love you… melamin.”

Suddenly something clicked in Glorfindel’s thoughts.
“You once almost called me that on our way back, did
you not?”

“You noticed?” He had thought Glorfindel barely
coherent back then. 

“I did, but I did not pay it any attention at the
time… Again?”

“I love you!” exclaimed Erestor, growing giddy. “Love
you, love you, love you!” Boldly, he bestowed
butterfly kisses onto the blond’s smiling face. “I
have loved you for so long.” He had even challenged
Mandos for Glorfindel. He had never thought things
would work out for them. “I love you so much,
melamin.”

Glorfindel examined his own feelings thoroughly. “I
love you too, Erestor.” It was true. He had fallen for
his mysterious, raven-haired savior. He giggled
softly; Erestor’s light kisses made his skin tingle. 

Erestor smiled and rested his head once more on
Glorfindel’s chest. “I am sorry I made you come after
me into the storm last night.”

“That was my decision. I saw you leave and Elrond
suggested that I should follow you to find out why you
were leaving.” Glorfindel nodded once in sudden
understanding. “He knew you wanted to honor the love
you had for Gil-galad.”

“Aye, he did,” whispered Erestor, suddenly feeling
guilty for having lost his heart again. “Part of me is
still grieving.”

“He must have been exceptional for you to love him
that much.”

“He was. I just wish I had been there to protect him.”

Glorfindel raised a hand and soothingly stroked the
black tresses. /I am glad you weren’t, for else I
might have never known your love./ Holding Erestor
close, he sighed deeply.

“Why the sigh?” 

“I am glad you finally decided to confide in me. Had
you denied that you love me, we would still be
suffering in silence.”

Erestor raised his head slightly to look into
Glorfindel’s eyes. Quizzically, he asked, “We?”

Glorfindel nodded, once more caressing Erestor’s soft
skin as his fingertips explored the dark-haired Elf’s
face. Licking his lips, he said, “In my vision Vaire
hinted that someone had been loving me for centuries,
and I had no idea who she was talking about. But
during these last few days I began to love you back
and I wondered if my love would be unrequited. I was
suffering too, not knowing if you wanted me.”

“How could I not want you?” Disbelief colored
Erestor’s voice. “I love you!”

“Aye, I know that now, but I did not earlier.”
Glorfindel applied minute pressure to force Erestor to
lay down his head again. Resuming the soothing
caresses to the dark hair he looked through the
window. “We can still sleep a few more hours.”

“I *am* still tired…” admitted Erestor in a fatigued
tone. Carefully, he wrapped his arms around
Glorfindel. Sleepily, he whispered, “Love… you… mel…
amin…” 

The words caused Glorfindel to smile. “I love you too,
nîn bellas.” He felt like a burden had been lifted
from his shoulders and he snuggled closer to Erestor,
returning the hug. “You are mine now.” And he
definitely noticed the underlying tone of possession,
when speaking those words. “Mine.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few hours later, a familiar sound woke Erestor from
his sleep. Glorfindel was trying to leave their warm
bed, hand covering his mouth. He was on his feet
within seconds, gently supporting the blond when they
made their way into the bathroom. 

Whilst Glorfindel submitted to the nausea and heaving,
Erestor tenderly brushed the long blond locks away
from Glorfindel’s face and pressed a cool wash cloth
against the other’s brow. 

Glorfindel rode out the heaving and then leaned
against Erestor. “I am not sure… how much… more of
this… I can take.” 

Erestor realized it was time to take action. He helped
Glorfindel sit down on a chair, which was standing in
a corner of the bathroom and then began to let the
pool fill. Glorfindel felt clammy and maybe a bath
would refresh him. 

Glorfindel watched Erestor absentmindedly. One hand
had settled onto his abdomen en he was involuntarily
rubbing his distended stomach. 

After adding some soothing oils to the water, Erestor
turned around and knelt in front of the blond. “Can
you undress yourself or do you need my help?”

Glorfindel’s first reaction was to decline any help,
but then he reconsidered. Both of them needed to grow
closer physically. “Help me…”

Erestor smiled adoringly and helped Glorfindel to
shrug off and then step out of his sleeping robe.
Glorfindel looked uncomfortable now that he was naked,
but Erestor found comfort in the fact that the blond
didn’t flinch at his touch. He assisted his lover when
Glorfindel stepped into the pool and placed a pillow
under the other’s head. “Comfortable?”

Glorfindel nodded. “I think the bath was a good idea.”
For the first time in days his tense muscles seemed to
utterly relax. 

Erestor, sitting on his heels, gently stroked the
blond hair. “Would you mind being alone for a few
minutes? I want to consult the healers for some kind
of potion that will lessen your morning sickness.”

Glorfindel considered the question. He didn’t like the
idea of Erestor leaving his side, but then again, this
morning sickness was exhausting. “As long as you hurry
back I will be fine.”

Nodding his head, Erestor leaned in closer and placed
a chaste kiss on the flaxen hair. “I will be right
back!”

Azure eyes followed him when he left the room and then
closed blissfully; he was truly enjoying the soft
caresses the water bestowed on his body. For the
moment, all was well!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After quickly changing into a shirt and leggings,
Erestor hurried over to the Healing House. As he
wasn’t looking where he was going, he suddenly bumped
into a warm body. He was about to whisper an apology
when he realized it was Elrond. “I was looking for
you.” Getting his first good look at his friend today,
he frowned. Elrond looked troubled. 

Elrond cleared his throat. “I hope Glorfindel found
you… and that you talked to him. You worried him by
leaving that unexpectedly.”

“I am sorry,” said Erestor sincerely. 

“I know last night was important to you,” whispered
Elrond softly, “But you must put Glorfindel first. He
needs you.” 

“I know that,” admitted Erestor, now beginning to feel
guilty for leaving Glorfindel without a proper
explanation. “And you are right. I talked to him. I… I
told him I love him.”

Elrond smiled warmly at hearing that. “And what did
Glorfindel say?”

“He loves me back.” Hesitantly Erestor met Elrond’s
eyes. “He actually chided me for not speaking up
earlier.”

Elrond’s smile warmed even further. “At least you told
him now. I am happy for the two of you. I always hoped
you would make your move.”

“I know you did.” Erestor moistened his lips. “Are
you… How do you feel… about… You know… that we are…”
He just didn’t know how to ask this. Was Elrond mad at
him?

Elrond easily read the emotions in Erestor’s eyes. “As
I said, I am happy for the two of you. Glorfindel and
I were never in love. We just needed each other.”

“Do you *still* need him?” asked Erestor, acting on
impulse. He would hate for Elrond to feel lonely. 

A hesitant expression appeared in Elrond’s eyes, but
it quickly vanished again. “I am sure I can find my
balance again. It will just take some time.”

Erestor’s heart contracted painfully. “You are always
welcome to spend time with us, Elrond.”

Elrond’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Erestor,
I know that the two of you are my friends. I do…”

“I hope so.” Erestor was determined to keep an eye on
the brooding half-Elf. “Mellon-nîn, Glorfindel
continues to suffer from morning sickness. Do you have
a potion that might relieve his agony?”

“I think I do,” said Elrond calmly. “It is a pity that
his pregnancy came about under such grave
circumstances.” Deciding to confide in his friend, he
said, “Last night, he referred to the baby as ‘it’.
That worries me.”

Erestor, falling into step beside Elrond as they
walked toward the Healing House, nodded once. “I
understand your concern, but you weren’t there when I
found him. He really was in a bad way.” His thoughts
drifted back. “The mere thought of having an
Uruk-Hai’s child makes him feel intensely sad and
angry. He had no say in this. Saruman forced him to do
this.” 

Elrond understood, but he still worried about his
friend’s mental health. “What else did he say?”

“He is afraid that the baby will have claws and rip
him open when the moment of birth comes.” Erestor
wrung his hands. “I try to reassure him, but he is
afraid to hope for the best.”

“I will talk to him again. Maybe I can reassure him.”
Elrond stepped into the hallway leading to the Healing
House and signaled for Erestor to follow him. “I will
give you the herbs that should relieve Glorfindel’s
morning sickness. I suggest you try baths and light
meals throughout the whole day.”

“I left him in the pool,” said Erestor, “He looked
happy when I left him. I think the hot bath helps.”
Erestor gladly accepted the sachets filled with herbs,
which Elrond handed him. “How much longer do you think
he will suffer from morning sickness?”

“I am not sure of anything, mellon-nîn. I have never
supervised a male pregnancy before.” A soft smile
illuminated his features. “And then of course the food
cravings will start. Now, that might be interesting.”

“Interesting?” Erestor cringed. “Glorfindel is scared
the baby will make him eat raw meat.”

“Even Elven maidens occasionally feel that craving
during their pregnancy. I would not worry too much
about it. Now return to Glorfindel. He will probably
be eagerly awaiting your return.” He had sensed the
tight bond that had formed between them and he knew
that Erestor craved being close to the blond as well.
“And try to make him eat something!”

“I will!” Erestor nodded thankfully and then quickly
left to hurry back to Glorfindel’s side.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elrond instantly felt guilty, finding Elladan asleep
in a chair next to Haldir’s bed. /Oh, my…/ He had
forgotten to relieve his son! Soundlessly, he entered
the room to check on the silver-haired Elf, letting
Elladan sleep. His oldest son was a light sleeper and
would probably wake up any moment now. 

Sitting down on the side of the bed, he rested one
hand on Haldir’s brow to check for any fever. Yes, it
was still there, but fortunately it had lost some of
its intensity. Haldir wasn’t burning up any longer. 

“Ada?” Elladan tiredly rubbed his eyes, trying to wake
up fully. Blinking twice, he sat upright and smiled at
Elrond. “He is doing much better now that the healing
sleep has come over him.” Then he remembered; his
father was attracted to the ‘Lórien Elf and Haldir was
bound to no one. Once Elrohir came back, they would
come up with some sort of plan to get Elrond and
Haldir together. /I want Ada to be happy./ 

“The healing sleep will continue for at least one,
maybe two more days.” Elrond’s hands moved lower to
unwrap the bandages. After removing the sachets, he
probed the wound, eliciting soft groans from Haldir.
“It is healing well.” Looking at Elladan, he added, “I
am confident that he will make a complete recovery.”
/I could not heal Celebrían, but at least I healed
this one./ 

Indulging himself momentarily, he studied the furrowed
brow of his patient. Something seemed to trouble the
Elf, even in his sleep. Acting instinctively, he
gently rubbed the lines of worry with his fingertips
until they were gone. Haldir’s sleep was peaceful once
more. “You do not have to stay with him, Elladan. I
will sit with him for a while and then the healers can
keep an eye on him.”

Elladan slowly rose from the chair, stretched and
smiled at his father. “Haldir is not bound to anyone,
Ada.” He grinned impishly at seeing Elrond’s shocked
expression. 

“You did not tell him, did you? Elladan!” Elrond was
stunned. “This is private!”

“Ada, calm down. I just asked if he was bound to
anyone and he said he wasn’t. I did not mention that
you feel attracted to him. Your secret is still safe.”
Elladan shook his head. “You did teach me some
diplomacy!”

But that didn’t reassure Elrond at all. Elladan had
never exalted at diplomacy. “Don’t make this any more
complicated, Elladan. If I want Haldir to know I will
tell him myself.”

Elladan cocked his head. “Now that is something I am
not sure of you will do. Don’t worry, Ada, if you
don’t tell him, I will do it for you!” He grinned and
left the room, leaving his father behind, completely
stunned.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In spite of his curiosity, Haldir managed to remain
motionless. Elrond thought he was still asleep and he
had no desire to change that notion. The truth was
that he had heard most of their conversation, waking
up when Elrond was probing his wound. 

/So I was correct after all. It is the father and not
the son who is interested in me./ That thought made
his heart flutter. He had a hard time acting as if he
was still asleep, feeling Elrond’s fingers return to
caress his brow. /Well, Elrond Half-Elven, we shall
see if you feel inclined to tell me. If not, I might
seduce you./ The half-Elf’s touch was intoxicating and
he already craved more contact. And what he wanted, he
was accustomed to get!


TBC
Beta read by Lizzle, thanks!


Part 16
Sweet Cake And Hot Milk.


Erestor tiptoed into his rooms, trying to move
soundlessly as Glorfindel was resting on the bed. Had
talking to Elrond taken him this long? As he reached
the bed, he sat down, watching Glorfindel sleep. A
golden glow seemed to burn from deep within, giving
the Elda a warm and caring appearance. Sighing deeply,
he raised a hand and gently brushed some stray locks
out of the blond’s face. “You are beautiful, melamin.”

Glorfindel moved at hearing Erestor’s voice and he
smiled lazily, looking into affectionate eyes. “You
are back. What took you so long?” Pushing himself into
an upright position, he yawned sleepily. 

“I am worried about Elrond,” admitted Erestor,
reaching for the tray with food items and hot tea
water, which a servant had brought whilst he had been
gone. Using the herbs Elrond had given him, he
prepared the tea. 

“Worried?” questioned Glorfindel. Seeing Erestor reach
for the fruits was enough to make his stomach contract
painfully. “I do not think I can eat anything.” 

“Elrond thinks these herbs will help to calm your
stomach.” Erestor finished preparing the tea and
handed it to Glorfindel. “Try it. Maybe it will work.”

Glorfindel sipped slowly as the tea was still rather
hot. “You mentioned being worried about Elrond; why?”

“He looked tired.” Erestor shrugged. “’Tis a feeling.
I have known him for millennia and something feels
off.” 

Glorfindel sighed distressed. “When I asked him why he
had taken me into his bed, he said he was lonely.
Maybe he misses appropriate company? He always seems
so sad. I tried to distract him…” Glorfindel blushed,
seeing Erestor’s knowing expression, “but in the end,
even that was not enough. His heart yearns for true
love.” Glorfindel raised a hand and tenderly caressed
Erestor’s skin, trailing his fingers down the Elf’s
jaw line. “I want him to have what I have.”

“We cannot force this,” said Erestor thoughtfully.
“Love happens in its own time. We will keep an eye on
him though.” 

Glorfindel’s features contorted, finally finishing his
tea. “It tastes awfully bitter.”

“That would be a small price to pay if it takes away
your morning sickness.” Erestor took hold of the now
empty cup and ran his fingers through the tangled
blond locks. “Would you like me to braid your hair for
you?”

Glorfindel nodded, a blissful expression appearing on
his face. “Aye, I would like that.”

Erestor got to his feet and retrieved comb and brush.
Sitting down behind Glorfindel, he wondered how close
the blond wanted him. He received his answer when the
Elda moved toward him, leaning his back against his
chest. Inhaling his lover’s musky scent, he smiled
into the golden hair. “I love you.” He would never
grow tired of saying those words! 

Glorfindel purred and looked over his shoulder at the
raven-haired Elf. “I love you as well, nîn bellas.” He
then bowed his head slightly, giving Erestor access to
the tangled mess of golden hair. 

Gently, Erestor removed the tangles from Glorfindel’s
still damp hair and then began to braid it. “Is your
stomach already settling down?” This was the first
time that the blond wasn’t making his way into the
bathroom because he felt nauseous. 

Glorfindel frowned, suddenly realizing that his
stomach had calmed. “Elrond’s potion is working,” he
said relieved. “I hope it will keep its effect
throughout the day.” Whilst Erestor’s fingers
continued to move through his hair --braiding it -- he
reached for the tray and selected a piece of fruit,
slowing peeling and then eating the orange. He waited,
curious if his stomach would act up again. Nothing
happened and that encouraged him to reach for an
apple, already sliced into small parts. 

Erestor felt pleased, seeing Glorfindel eat the
fruits. Elrond’s potion was working all right.
Finishing the plaits, he then swept aside any
remaining locks and placed a chaste kiss at the nape
of the blond’s neck. The fact that Glorfindel accepted
his caress, and didn’t flinch at his touch, filled him
with happiness. He had been scared that the Elda
wouldn’t be able to bear any touch for a very long
time. Thankfully, he had been wrong. “It looks like
your stomach is capable of handling food again.”

Glorfindel nodded happily. This time, he pulled a
chunk from the loaf of freshly baked bread and nibbled
on it. The cheese proved tempting as well and he
managed a few bites of it. “Remind me to drink a cup
of that tea each morning.”

“I will.” Erestor involuntarily held his breath when
Glorfindel leaned his back against his chest after the
Elda had finished eating. Cautiously, he wrapped his
arms around Glorfindel. He tried hard to keep the
embrace loose, though he instinctively wanted to
tighten it protectively. “Are you still comfortable
like this?”

“More than comfortable,” sighed Glorfindel blissfully.
“Being close to you always makes me feel better.”

“It is the bond,” whispered Erestor in an unguarded
moment. His eyes widened in fright, realizing what had
just slipped from his lips. 

“Bond?”

Hearing the wonder in Glorfindel’s voice, Erestor knew
he had to act quickly. “Aye, I do believe there is a
bond forming between us.”

Glorfindel carefully considered the words. He felt
like he was missing a very important piece to this
puzzle. “You are right; there is a bond -- a
connection -- between us. I realized that when I went
to Elrond for comfort instead of you. I only feel
comfortable when you are close. Aye, I think you are
correct; we are bonding.”

Erestor involuntarily released a relieved sigh. He
felt extremely fortunate that Glorfindel wasn’t
questioning him further. “I like the idea of a bond
between us. How do you feel about that?” His heart
thumped nervously, hoping Glorfindel liked the idea as
well. 

Glorfindel nodded once and then looked over his
shoulder at Erestor. “I like being bonded to you. I
really do.”

Erestor forced himself to accept that answer and not
question it. Part of him still wondered if Glorfindel
wouldn’t prefer to be with Elrond, but he refused to
dwell on that subject any longer. “This is happening
awfully fast, is it not?”

Glorfindel nodded again. “But I do not mind, I am glad
you are here for me.” Smiling, he turned in Erestor’s
embrace until they faced each other. He raised a hand
and gently caressed the raven-haired Elf’s face.
Slowly, he leaned in closer and pressed his lips
against Erestor’s, who tenderly returned the kiss. 

Erestor’s heart fluttered with delight now that
Glorfindel was kissing him. He hadn’t dared to hope
that the blond would ever take the initiative like
this. Maybe Mandos had kept his word and had taken
away the worst of Glorfindel’s memories; he hoped so.
The Elda’s current actions seemed to confirm that. 

He eagerly gave in when Glorfindel placed his hands on
his shoulders, slowly pushing him down until he was
flat on his back. His body tingled when Glorfindel
placed his body atop of him, enfolding him in a tight
hug whilst continuing to kiss him. This felt nice --
no, better than nice -- this felt divine. After all
these centuries of loneliness he was finally holding
his beloved in his arms. 

Glorfindel slowly pulled away and gave Erestor an
adoring smile. “I feel a lot better now. That must be
due to your kisses.”

Erestor couldn’t help himself; he giggled.

Chuckling as well, Glorfindel pressed another kiss
onto Erestor’s lips. “I want to go outside and walk in
the gardens. I do not want to stay inside.”

“Of course we can go outside.” Erestor would do
anything to please his lover. “But that means you will
need to change into more formal clothes. We cannot go
outside wearing our sleeping robes.”

Glorfindel nodded eagerly. “Let us change then. I want
to walk in the sun!” 

Erestor placed a kiss on the blond’s brow. “Aye, let
us get you into the sun!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tired, Elrohir opened the door to his rooms. He never
expected Elladan to literally jump him and pull him
toward the bed. Studying his twin carefully, Elrohir
wondered about the excitement in his brother’s eyes.
“Elladan, I am tired.”

“You must listen to me, Elrohir!” Elladan gently
pushed Elrohir onto the bed. Enthusiastically he began
pacing the room, wildly gesturing whilst he spoke.
“Elrohir, you won’t believe this, but it actually
happened!”

Elrohir resigned himself to Elladan’s enthusiasm.
“What won’t I believe?” He wished he could lie down
and sleep instead of listening, but it was obvious
that Elladan needed to tell him now. His twin seemed
ready to burst with excitement. 

“Ada is in love!” exclaimed Elladan enthusiastically.
“He tried to deny it at first, but it is rather
obvious!”

“In love?” Elrohir raised an eyebrow inquisitively.
“Who is he in love with then? Anyone I know?” His
curiosity had been piqued. He couldn’t possibly think
of anyone his father would want to be with in that
way.

“An injured Elf from ‘Lórien arrived a few days ago
and Ada has been tending to him ever since. Ada
admitted to me that he was falling in love, but he
refuses to tell Haldir!”

“Haldir?” That name sounded familiar to Elrohir. “Does
he have any brothers?”

Elrohir nodded once. “Rúmil and—“

“Orophin,” finished Elrohir for Elladan. “I met
Orophin once when I was visiting Nana in ‘Lórien. If
Haldir takes after his brother, Ada might be in for
some interesting moments.”

Now it was Elladan’s time to raise an eyebrow.
“Interesting moments?”

“Orophin is a flirt,” said Elrohir, smiling brightly.
“He showed me around and we often took midnight
strolls. Now do not look at me like that! Nothing
happened! He felt I was too young.” Elrohir shook his
head, grinning. “I tried to change his mind, but
failed.”

“A flirt?” Elladan’s enthusiasm faded away. “A flirt
is not good enough for Ada.”

“Aiya, I might have phrased that the wrong way,” said
Elrohir thoughtfully, “Orophin may flirt, but that
does not mean he just beds anyone he likes.”

“Oh,” whispered Elladan. “I am no longer sure if I
should…”

“Should what?” Elrohir could tell his brother was up
to something. He knew that expression only too well.
It usually meant that they would end up in trouble.
“Tell me.”

“I was thinking about telling Haldir that Ada likes
him in that way. I doubt Ada will do that himself and
I want him to be happy.” His expression grew sad. “I
thought he was happy with Glorfindel, but looking at
it now, I do not think he was. Really happy, I mean.”

“You are right,” said Elrohir, sighing, “But I am not
sure you should meddle in this, Elladan.”

“If I don’t, nothing will happen. Ada looks tired, and
miserable. You have not seen him these last few days,
but he does not look well, and even less happy. Maybe
Haldir can render that.”

“And what if Haldir is not interested in Ada?” asked
Elrohir, concerned that Elrond’s feelings might be
hurt by Elladan’s manipulations. “Just be careful,
Elladan. We do not want to make Ada even more
miserable.”

“So you will help me?” Elladan turned on the puppy dog
look, eyeing his twin pleadingly. “Please, I know that
you want Ada to be happy too! What do we have to lose?
Nothing!”

Elrohir shook his head, sighing deeply. “I am not so
sure about this.”

“Maybe you will change your opinion after a good
night’s sleep.” Elladan began to fuss over his
brother. He knew how to wind Elrohir around his little
finger. “Let me help you undress and then I will fetch
you some food from the kitchen. You must be hungry and
tired.”

Elrohir let Elladan help him remove his clothes. Lying
down, he pulled the sheet up to his shoulders. “I
would like something to eat… and some wine.” Maybe
Elladan was right and he would think differently about
this matter after a good night’s sleep. 

Elladan energetically walked over to the doorway. “Try
to stay awake until I get back, brother!”

”I will try,” said Elrohir, smiling. After Elladan had
left the room, he mumbled, “But you had better hurry,
because I am awfully tired.” He hoped he could stay
awake until Elladan returned with his food.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elrond lost himself in Haldir’s handsome features. The
hazel eyes, once more vacant with healing sleep,
seemed to pull him closer, making it hard for him to
leave the room. He should have returned to his study
an hour ago, but the pleasure that he found in just
looking at the silver-haired Elf made him stay. It had
been ages since someone had captivated him like this. 

/Celebrían was the last one to capture my heart./ He
had loved his wife dearly and had cried bitter tears
at her departure. If only he had been able to heal her
completely, but the emotional wounds had been too deep
and had begun to mentally poison her. Sailing to
Valinor was the only way to ensure her sanity and
happiness. 

And now he found that his heart was fluttering madly.
Butterflies tickled his insides and an adoring smile
surfaced on his face. There was a unique beauty to
Haldir and he hoped that the silver-haired Elf’s
character was as stunning as his appearance. /But why
am I pondering these things? Haldir is quickly
recovering and he will return to the Golden Wood
shortly./

Curious, Elrond leaned in closer to stroke back a
strand of wayward hair that had settled in Haldir’s
face. Brushing it away, he tucked it behind a pointed
ear. Suddenly, Haldir stirred at his touch and the
eyes quickly filled with awareness. 

Elrond involuntarily held his breath, feeling caught.
Shaking himself mentally, he forced himself to smile.
“You have slept for several hours.”

Haldir blinked once, focusing on the half-Elf, who
quickly moved away from him. He could tell Elrond felt
somewhat uncomfortable, being caught in a gesture that
could be considered intimate. Shifting cautiously on
the bed, Haldir found that the agony in his leg had
vanished. There was some mild discomfort, but not
enough to seriously bother him. 

“How do you fair, Haldir? Are you still in any pain?”
Elrond leaned back into the comfort of the chair,
increasing the distance between them. He carefully hid
the attraction he felt toward the silver-haired Elf. 

“The pain is gone. Thank you for looking after my
injury. The healers in Lothlórien had given up.”

Hearing that surprised Elrond. “How long have you been
ill? When did that poisoned arrow hit you?”

“About one turn of the moon ago,” said Haldir, pushing
himself into an upright position. A sigh left his lips
and hearing it made Elrond lean in closer in obvious
concern. “I am well,” said Haldir, reassuring the
half-Elf. “I just want to find out how much I can move
about. How much longer before I can leave this bed?”

Elrond smiled fondly at hearing Haldir’s impatient
tone. “Haldir, you still need to rest. Orc poison is
strong and it takes time for your body to deal with
it.”

“I feel well enough to leave my bed,” said Haldir
stubbornly. 

“Nay, you will rest for at least one more day. Do not
leave your bed yet.” Elrond forced himself to rise
from the chair. He would have loved to spend more time
with Haldir, but that would only strengthen this
attraction. “I will leave you now so you may rest. A
servant will bring you something to eat later.”

Haldir wondered about the half-Elf. The sensual
attraction was still there and he knew they both felt
it. So why was Elrond fighting this? Weren’t they old
and wise enough to simply acknowledge this attraction?
Or was Elrond just waiting for him to make that first
move? Well, that could be arranged. 

Clearing his throat, he looked at Elrond from beneath
luscious eyelashes. “I hope you do not consider me
forward, but I was wondering if that invitation to
dinner still stands. I would like to properly thank
you for your care.”

“You have already thanked me sufficiently,” replied
Elrond, feeling hopeful now that Haldir had mentioned
the dinner invitation. “Aye, it still stands.”

“Then I accept. Maybe I can join you for dinner
tonight?” Why waste any time? Haldir smiled warmly,
hoping the half-Elf took the hint. 

Elrond wondered about Haldir’s eagerness and allowed
himself to grow hopeful that maybe the silver-haired
Elf was interested in him as well. “Aye. But not
tonight though. I do think you should rest.”

“Tomorrow, then?” asked Haldir, hopeful. 

Elrond wondered if it was wise to encourage this, but
then he nodded eagerly. “Tomorrow it is.”

Haldir grinned victoriously. “I am already looking
forward to dinner.”

Elrond grew slightly flustered at hearing the purring
quality to Haldir’s voice. /Is he trying to seduce
me?/ And he had just agreed to have dinner with the
silver-haired Elf! What had he gotten himself into? “I
will talk to you tomorrow, then.”

Haldir gracefully inclined his head. “We will talk.”
Amused, he raised an eyebrow, seeing Elrond almost
flee the room. /Ah, lirimaer, prepare to be seduced!/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Glorfindel had thoroughly enjoyed their walk in the
rose gardens. The flowers’ rich fragrances had had a
calming effect on him and by the time they returned to
Erestor’s rooms, Glorfindel felt at peace. 

Sitting down on the bed, he looked at Erestor, who had
briefly detoured to the kitchen to fetch them dinner.
Time had passed quickly whilst walking in the gardens.
His first reaction was to wave away the food, but his
stomach protested, growling loudly. “I must be
hungrier than I thought!” 

Erestor placed the tray on the floor in front of the
fireplace and sat cross-legged on the nearby rug.
Glorfindel joined him, realizing he was practically
drooling at the sight of the food. He ate small bites
of everything, but found that he was hungry for
something completely different. Although the stew
tasted excellent it was not what he wanted -- what he
craved.

Erestor caught Glorfindel’s slightly disappointed
expression. “Is something wrong?”

Glorfindel gave his lover an apologetic look. “I crave
something else.”

“Tell me what it is that you crave and I will bring it
to you.” Erestor smiled warmly. He would do anything
to please his lover.

“Sweet cake… Cake with raisins, apples and cinnamon.”
Saliva gathered in his mouth, just saying the words.
“Maybe with roasted nuts and some sugar.”

Erestor smiled broadly. What Glorfindel wanted was a
treat usually given to Elflings and he was perfectly
capable of acquiring it. “Anything else?”

“Hot milk… with honey!” Glorfindel enthusiastically
nodded his head several times. “Aye, I would like
that. Cake and milk.” 

Erestor got to his feet and headed for the doorway. “I
will be back in a few minutes.”

Glorfindel looked at the bed, as if considering
something. “I might lie down for a while.”

Erestor nodded. “Make yourself comfortable. I will be
back with your cake and milk shortly.” After closing
the door behind him, he made his way to the kitchen.
/That particular cake used to be my favorite as well.
Even when I was an Elfling it was popular. I might
just try some myself./

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Erestor returned to his rooms, he found that
Glorfindel had uncovered his chess game. He hadn’t
played for ages and had forgotten he even possessed
one. Glorfindel, looking at him, shot him a startled
glance. 

“I did not want to infringe on your privacy, but I saw
it on top of your closet and I wondered if you would
like to play against me?” Glorfindel smiled
seductively. He had made himself comfortable in
Erestor’s bed, propping a pile of pillows behind his
back. But thoughts about the game were quickly
forgotten when cinnamon and other spices invaded his
nostrils. “You managed to get your hands on that
cake!” 

Fondly, Erestor smiled at the blond. After placing the
tray on the bed, he sat down and moved into place
beside Glorfindel. “I even brought you hot milk.”
Seeing Glorfindel’s eyes widen with pleasure, warmth
descended onto him. “You can have as much as you want.
There is more in the kitchen.”

Glorfindel actually licked his lips. Reaching for the
cake, he tore off a small piece and greedily put it
into his mouth. “Mmmmmm…” It was delicious! After
giving Erestor a thankful look, he proceeded to eat
more of the sweet cake. Only belatedly did he offer
Erestor some. “I am so sorry…” Breaking off a small
piece, he lifted his hand and signaled for the
raven-haired Elf to open his mouth. 

Erestor obeyed, and involuntarily his tongue caressed
one of Glorfindel’s fingertips when the blond pushed
the cake inside. Bestowing another lick onto the
digit, he was surprised to see his lover blush. 

Feeling strangely shy, Glorfindel giggled. “I do not
know what is wrong with me,” he confessed, finishing
the cake and then reaching for his mug filled with hot
milk and honey. 

Erestor studied his partner, having a fairly good idea
what had upset the blond’s internal balance. It had to
be the pregnancy. 

Glorfindel gulped down the milk now that it had
slightly cooled and then pleadingly looked at Erestor
from beneath long eyelashes. 

“Go ahead,” said Erestor amused, as he handed the Elda
his mug as well. 

“Thank you!” Glorfindel sipped slowly this time,
studying Erestor in turn. “You think it is…the… baby.”
He had to force himself to call it that. He still
thought of it as an abomination. Part of him still
couldn’t understand that Erestor willingly accepted
the product of Saruman’s spell in their lives. 

Erestor saw the puzzled look in Glorfindel’s eyes. “I
love your son because I love you.”

“I cannot be that simple.”

“It *is* that simple,” said Erestor warmly. Now that
Glorfindel had eaten the cake and drunk the milk, he
placed the tray on the floor. “So you want to play
chess… It has been ages since I last played. I doubt I
will be much of a worthy opponent.”

“It has been decades since I played,” said Glorfindel,
returning Erestor’s smile. “We will be evenly matched
then.”

“I hope so.” After Erestor had brushed a wayward lock
of blond hair behind Glorfindel’s ear, they smiled and
concentrated on the game.
 
T.B.C.

Beta read by Lizzle, thanks!



Part 17
Reassurance


Erestor grew instantly alert, hearing the door open
slowly. His hand moved for the dagger, which he kept
hidden beneath the mattress. He was always prepared
for a possible attacker -- especially now that he was
guarding Glorfindel’s sleep. He arched an eyebrow at
seeing first one, and then another twin shuffle
inside. Both half-Elves looked shy and nervous and he
knew he was partly to blame for that. He had scared
them to death by attacking them in the dark of the
night. 

Elrohir gingerly made eye contact with Erestor and a
silly smile surfaced on his face, seeing Glorfindel
curled up around the dark-haired Elf’s form. “Can we
talk to you for a moment?”

“Aye, you can always talk to me. But why at such a
late hour?”

Elladan cleared his throat. “We wanted to make sure
that Glorfindel is all right. We were worried.” They
had waited until Elrohir had eaten and rested for a
few hours and had then decided to check on their
former tutors. They hadn’t really had a chance yet to
talk to Glorfindel and they hoped Erestor would
reassure them that the blond was doing fine. 

Resigning himself to their curiosity and concern,
Erestor signaled for the twins to approach. 

Elrohir and Elladan remained standing in front of
Erestor’s big four poster bed. Elrohir realized that
he had never been here before. His eyes searched the
rooms, realizing these quarters were more comfortable
and luxurious than he had thought. First Elrohir, and
then Elladan sat down at the foot end of the bed,
watching Glorfindel sleep.

“Don’t worry, pyn-neth, (young ones) he is doing much
better,” said Erestor reassuringly. “We even played
chess, but he grew sleepy. Must have been all that
warm milk he drank.”

“Warm milk?” Elrohir grinned. “I cannot remember
seeing him drink milk before. Glorfindel always
preferred wine.”

“Things are different now that Glorfindel is…
pregnant,” said Elladan thoughtfully. 

Erestor nodded once. “He has a hard time accepting
that he will give birth to this child.”

“He is probably afraid that it is part… monster,”
whispered Elrohir shakily, seeing awareness return to
Glorfindel’s azure eyes. “He is waking up.”

Erestor instinctively tightened his hold on the blond
and smiled warmly at Glorfindel. “There is no need to
wake up, melamin (my love). You can go back to sleep.”

But Glorfindel had now located the twins at the foot
end of the bed. “Elrohir? Elladan… What are you doing
here?” He yawned, stretched lazily, and then realized
that Erestor’s arms were tightly wrapped around him.
“Erestor? Why are they here?”

“They want to make sure you are recovering,” explained
Erestor patiently. 

Glorfindel understood the twins’ concern and smiled
reassuringly. “I am fine, pyn-neth. Erestor is taking
very good care of me.” 

Elrohir returned the smile and slowly raised his hand,
wanting to rest it on Glorfindel’s arm. He watched the
blond carefully, ready to pull back should Glorfindel
become uncomfortable and flinch. 

Glorfindel tensed slightly, but Erestor’s presence
reassured him and he didn’t pull away when Elrohir
rested a hand on his arm. 

“Glorfindel, Elladan and I…. We… We want you to know
that…” Elrohir pleadingly looked at Elladan, uncertain
how to phrase this. 

Elladan helped his brother out. “We want you to know
that we will be there for you if you need us. Even if
it is just to baby sit your son.”

Glorfindel swallowed hard. “My… son.” His *monstrous*
son!

Sensing Glorfindel’s darkening mood, Erestor reacted
quickly and rubbed the blond’s arms. “Aye, your son.” 

“’Tis hard to think of it in that way,” said
Glorfindel in a shaky tone. 

“I understand,” replied Erestor calmly. Addressing the
twins, he said, “Glorfindel needs to rest and so do
you. I suggest you go back to your beds, pyn-neth.” 

Elladan and Elrohir rose from the bed. Glorfindel
tensed again as Elrohir leaned in closer, pressing a
chaste kiss on his brow. “Take good care of yourself,
mellon-nîn.” (my friend.)

Glorfindel’s eyes began to swim, sensing some of the
love that Elrohir bore him. A tear left his eyes when
Elladan leaned in closer as well, pressing a kiss on
his hair. 

“We love you,” said Elladan warmly, giving Glorfindel
a wink. 

“I love both of you,” whispered Glorfindel, his voice
trembling with emotion. 

Erestor tucked Glorfindel’s head beneath his chin and
watched the twins leave. He felt somewhat relieved now
that the two half-Elves were gone. Glorfindel needed
peace and quiet. 

“It was nice of them to drop by and check on us, don’t
you think?” said Glorfindel in a sleepy tone. 

“Aye, it was… But they disturbed your sleep.” And the
blond needed his sleep now that a baby was growing
inside him. “Try to go back to sleep?”

“I… already…” Another big yawn escaped Glorfindel’s
lips, as he began to fall asleep again. “Love… you…”

Erestor smiled, hearing Glorfindel’s breathing even
out. Pressing a kiss on top of Glorfindel’s head, he
whispered, “I love you more than you will ever know!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reassured that Glorfindel was safe within Erestor’s
arms, the twins returned to their rooms. Arien would
rise within a few hours and they wanted to catch some
more sleep. After leading the patrols Elrohir was now
entitled to some days of rest and it would be another
few days before Elladan would be called upon to join
the patrols. Both of them looked forward to spending
time with their father and their former tutors. *And*
they had to make sure their father admitted his
feelings to Haldir.

Snuggling up to each other, Elladan buried his twin in
a warm hug. “I missed you. I hate it when you go on
these patrols without me.” He had accepted that they
would be apart at times, but he didn’t necessary like
it. Therefore, he cherished these moments spent with
his twin. 

Elrohir shrugged in his brother’s embrace. “I am back
now.” He always slept better in his brother’s arms and
yawned. “Erestor had the right idea. We should go back
to sleep.” He rested his head on Elladan’s shoulder
and closed his eyes.

Elladan nodded. “Aye, we should sleep.” Holding his
brother protectively, he found he couldn’t find sleep
yet. “Did you see the way Erestor was holding
Glorfindel? And the look in their eyes?”

“They are in love,” said Elrohir, nodding against
Elladan’s chest. “I am happy for them.”

“That means we have to make sure Haldir returns Ada’s
feelings.”

“You cannot force love,” said Elrohir softly, already
dozing off. “If they are meant to happen, they will.”

Elladan sighed, knowing instinctively that his brother
was right. /I just hope Ada and Haldir are both
attracted to each other. Ada needs someone to love…
and to love him back./ Worried, he followed his twin
into sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Glorfindel? Melamin, wake up.” Erestor had crept out
of bed after Glorfindel had had another erotic dream,
finding release whilst rubbing himself against him.
Feeling somewhat shy, Erestor had left their bed to
fetch them breakfast from the kitchens. He had also
prepared the tea that would counter the blond’s
morning sickness. He sat down on the bed again,
holding the cup with hot tea in his hand. “Wake up,
nîn ind.” (my heart)

Glorfindel’s mind slowly returned to awareness.
“What…?” Not fully awake yet, Glorfindel pushed
himself into a sitting position, afraid that morning
sickness would hit any moment now, but the mere
fragrance of the herbs seemed to appease his stomach.
Wrapping his hands around the warm mug, he nodded
thankfully. His mouth felt dry, and he nearly slipped
back into sleep again. 

“Stay awake long enough to drink the tea, melamin,”
said Erestor softly, supporting the blond’s hands,
which trembled slightly. “I assume this rules out
getting up early in the morning from this moment on.”
Amusement colored his voice. “Elrond will have to find
someone else to take over your duties for the next few
weeks.”

Glorfindel tried to shake the cobwebs from his head.
Taking his first sip, he sighed happily. Despite the
bitter taste he felt thankful that Erestor had
prepared the tea. “I hate morning sickness.” 

“Finish your tea. I will prepare your bath in the
meantime. Maybe that will wake you up.” Erestor slid
off the bed, whilst Glorfindel nursed his tea. Sleepy
eyes followed his movements as he disappeared into the
bathroom. He would love to share that bath with his
beloved, but had no idea if Glorfindel was ready for
such intimacy. 

One of Glorfindel’s hands settled on his swollen
stomach, distinctly feeling the distention. “I think
Elrond is wrong.” 

Although Glorfindel’s voice had only been a whisper,
Erestor had caught it. “In what way?” He stepped back
into the bedroom, and found that Glorfindel was gently
rubbing his abdomen through the fabric of the sleeping
robe. 

“It is growing so fast! Only a few days ago I felt
nothing and now…” His voice trailed off. Having
finished his tea, he placed the cup aside and slowly
rose from the bed. When morning sickness didn’t hit
him, he felt more confident and walked over to the
bathroom, passing Erestor by like the raven-haired Elf
wasn’t even present. 

Glorfindel’s behavior worried Erestor and he followed
the blond, glancing away when the Elda removed his
sleeping robe and stood naked in front of the mirror.
He didn’t want to be caught staring and was about to
turn and leave when Glorfindel’s voice called him
back. 

“Stay.” Glorfindel cocked his head, studying himself.
All marks Saruman and the Uruk-Hai had left on his
skin were gone. The only reminder of his ordeal was
his swollen belly. Placing one hand on his abdomen
again, he cringed; it seemed to have doubled in size
since yesterday. “I doubt it will take ten to twelve
weeks for this one to be born.”

Erestor didn’t know what to say or do. In the end, he
walked up to Glorfindel and came to a standstill
behind the blond. Staring at their joined reflection
only one thought came to mind. “I love you so much.”

Momentarily shaken from his troubled thoughts,
Glorfindel smiled warmly. Acting instinctively, he
reached behind him, took hold of Erestor’s right hand
and brought it in front of his body. Slowly, he rested
Erestor’s warm hand against his abdomen, letting the
raven-haired Elf feel just how quickly the baby was
developing. “It is a monster.”

“Nay, it is not.” Erestor summoned every ounce of his
courage and wrapped both arms tightly around the naked
Elf, pulling Glorfindel close to him. He rested his
chin on the blond’s shoulder and whispered softly, “He
is your son. He will be as lovely as you are. Do not
torment yourself like this. Remember your vision.”

Glorfindel’s sigh sounded distressed despite Erestor’s
reassurance. Only now did Glorfindel realize how close
the dark-haired Elf was and how good it felt to be
held like this -- to feel Erestor’s fingers on his
skin. “I owe you an apology.”

Erestor frowned deeply. “Why?”

“I discovered I came in my sleep. And I know it
happened once before. I did not do it on purpose.”
Glorfindel flushed and even the tips of his ears
turned a dark pink. “I cannot explain it. I mean, I
came in my sleep before, but I did not think it
possible that it would occur after… after what
happened to me.” 

Erestor instantly soothed him. “Nîn ind, do not worry
about it. I see it as proof of how much you trust me.”


Horrified, Glorfindel realized he was growing hard
again! Closing his eyes, he tried to will his arousal
to go away. “I am sorry,” he whispered brokenly. He
tried to break free from Erestor’s hold, but his lover
wouldn’t let him. His eyes flashed open and he
gingerly searched the dark eyes, reflected in the
mirror. There was no disgust, nor disapproval, only
love and adoration -- plus something else that could
be labeled as shyness or nervousness.

Erestor cleared his throat, growing flustered as well.
“I would love to touch you and bring you relief, but
only if you want me to. I will never pressure you in
any way.” Averting his eyes, he deeply inhaled
Glorfindel’s scent. His body was waking up as well. 

Now that his curiosity was piqued, Glorfindel turned
in the embrace until they were face to face. “Look at
me?”

Erestor moistened his lips and forced himself to meet
Glorfindel’s sapphire eyes. “I do not know how far to
take this. You will have to take the lead. I do not
want to go too far and make you feel uncomfortable.”

“I understand,” whispered Glorfindel, raising a hand
and settling a finger across Erestor’s lips in order
to silence him. “I know you love me and that you would
never hurt me. I feel safe with you and I want to try
this.”

Erestor’s eyes widened. “Try what?”

“Remove your sleeping robe, nîn bellas. (my strength)”
Glorfindel stepped away from his lover and moved
toward the pool, now filled with warm, welcoming
water. It was big enough to hold several occupants.
“And then join me.”

Erestor swallowed hard. He couldn’t believe that
Glorfindel was taking this step! Thoughtfully, he took
his time to disrobe and when he was naked, he locked
gazes with the blond, uncertain what reaction to
expect. Certainly not the bright smile Glorfindel gave
him, nor the blond raising his arm in invitation. 

Slowly, he made his way into the pool, sitting down on
the carved seats. The water now reached his chest and
he wondered what to do next. He was so terribly
worried about pressuring Glorfindel that he felt
frozen to his seat.

Amused, Glorfindel’s smile broadened. “I had not
thought you shy,” he whispered, inching closer to
Erestor. Meeting the large, brown eyes, he reached out
and tried to pull Erestor closer to him. But his lover
seemed paralyzed, and in the end Glorfindel straddled
the dark-haired Elf’s hips, wrapping his arms around
Erestor’s shoulders and resting his head on his
lover’s shoulder. “Hold me.”

Glorfindel’s words shook Erestor from his temporary
paralysis and he reacted by enfolding the Elda in a
tight hug. He was doing his best not to grow aroused,
uncertain how Glorfindel would react to feeling his
hard flesh pressed against a buttock. 

“I love you,” whispered Glorfindel seductively.
Erestor was much too passive for his taste. “You may
touch me, nîn bellas. Your touch won’t scare me or
bring back memories; they have faded throughout these
last few days. I want you to touch me. Will you make
me beg?” To some degree he understood Erestor’s
hesitance to touch him intimately, but they had to put
that behind them. Taking hold of one of Erestor’s
hands, he lowered it and curled his lover’s fingers
around his hard member. “Please touch me.”

A lump of emotions formed in Erestor’s throat. Looking
at Glorfindel, he only found trust and genuine desire
in the midnight blue eyes. “Are you sure?”

Glorfindel smiled and nodded once. “Absolutely.” As if
to prove his point, he reached for Erestor’s
semi-erect shaft. “Please do not be scared to touch
me. I know the difference between being touched in
love and in hate.” 

Erestor gasped; Glorfindel’s fingers were curled
tightly around his member, which had grown hard under
the blond’s cunning touch. “Aiye, nîn ind.” Moaning
softly, he returned the pleasure and stroked
Glorfindel’s hard flesh as well. “Im mela lle. (I love
you.)” 

Glorfindel swallowed hard, seeing his lover’s pupils
dilate and the irises turn into the deepest black he
had ever seen. Erestor seemed so hungry for his touch
that it made him ache inside. Leaning in closer, he
claimed Erestor’s lips, possessing them completely. A
moan, coming from his lover, slid into his mouth. When
he pulled back, it was with a smile on his face. 

The smile on Glorfindel’s face, which could be labeled
both predatory and seductive, took Erestor aback; he
hadn’t expected to see such an expression for ages
after what the blond had been through. But it seemed
that the bond Mandos had created was strong and it had
healed Glorfindel’s emotional scars. Suddenly his
lover sped up and he matched his strokes to
Glorfindel’s. When the blond leaned in closer again,
he expected Glorfindel to claim his lips, but instead
the red lips sought out the tender skin of his throat,
nibbling at first and then sucking the skin -- hard! 

Glorfindel lost himself in the sensations and came in
Erestor’s hand. The intensity of his orgasm took him
aback. Never before had he known such bliss, such
complete ecstasy! Panting softly, he released the
bruised skin from between his lips. Looking at
Erestor, he found that his lover had not reached
orgasm yet. Seeing the pleading look in the dark eyes,
he kissed Erestor again, forcing himself a way past
lips and teeth to chase his lover’s tongue in a wild
dance. While stroking harder, he suckled the tip of
Erestor’s tongue. Even in the water Erestor’s essence
felt hot as it hit his hand. 

Satiated, Glorfindel gave his lover a lopsided grin.
“Love you…” he whispered breathlessly, before resting
his head on the other Elf’s shoulder again. “I cannot
remember… it ever being this intense… before…”

Erestor whispered softly, “It never was like this
before.” He felt tired, but in a pleasant way. He
didn’t mind Glorfindel wearing him down in this
manner. “What would you like to do today?”

“We will visit the kitchens first. I am hungry again!”
exclaimed Glorfindel, smiling giddily. The fact that
he had been able to take this step with Erestor made
him feel relieved. “And we should check on Elrond. You
mentioned being worried about him and I have some
questions about my pregnancy.”

Involuntarily Erestor’s hand came to rest on
Glorfindel’s abdomen. “You are right. The baby *is*
developing at an amazing rate and I think that you had
your first food craving last night.” Seeing
Glorfindel’s puzzled expression, he explained, “The
twins were right. I cannot recall you ever drinking
milk before.”

“My first food craving… Aiya, what is next?”
Glorfindel leaned against Erestor, letting the
dark-haired Elf hold him close.

“Muscle cramps,” said Erestor reluctantly. “And you
might crave either more or less sex.”

“More, definitely more,” whispered Glorfindel,
smiling. Now that he felt comfortable he wanted to
confide in his lover. “When I have these erotic dreams
I see us making love -- slow, tender love.”

“And you… like that idea?” probed Erestor cautiously.

“Of course! I come, don’t I?” Glorfindel chuckled
softly. 

Erestor licked his lips, uncertain if he should ask
his next question or stay silent instead. “*How* do we
make love?”

Erestor’s question momentarily puzzled Glorfindel, but
then he understood. “It differs. In my first dream I
took you and… This morning’s dream was about you
making love to me.” He nervously cleared his throat.
“I liked both ways.”

A soft smile shone from the depths of Erestor’s eyes.
“I would love that as well.”

Considering their conversation closed for now,
Glorfindel planted one more kiss on Erestor’s lips
before rising from the water and wrapping himself up
in warm towels. 

Erestor followed suit, towel drying his skin as well.
He couldn’t help stealing glances at the blond. “We
will visit the kitchens first then?”

Glorfindel nodded his head once and his stomach
growled hungrily. Absentmindedly his hand settled on
his abdomen. Lost in thought, his eyes darkened with
questions.

Erestor quickly joined Glorfindel and rested his hand
atop of the blond’s. “I will love the both of you.” 

Glorfindel smiled, kissed Erestor and followed his
lover’s lead to get dressed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was midday before one of the healers finally gave
Haldir permission to leave his bed. Thankfully the
healer had now left; the she-Elf had been staring at
him, making sure he didn’t overdo things. He had
stared at her in turn and in the end she had averted
her eyes, leaving him alone. 

But now he was struggling with his clothes. A servant
had brought him a new set of clothes, as Elrond had
been forced to cut the fabric of his leggings to get
to the injury. He had managed to slip into the blue
shirt, but found himself at a loss when it came to
putting on the leggings. His leg was still
uncooperative and moving about too much had caused a
constant throbbing in his thigh. Maybe Elrond had been
right and he was pushing himself. Maybe resting for
another day would have been the best thing to do. 

But Haldir wasn’t one to back down from a challenge,
no matter how painful.  

“Do you need any help?” 

Elrond’s soft voice took him by surprise. He hadn’t
even heard the half-Elf enter! “I am afraid so.”

Elrond walked over to the bed where Haldir was sitting
and helped the silver-haired Elf to put on the
leggings. The entire time he tried to keep his
thoughts pure, but that proved difficult when his
fingertips brushed the soft flesh of Haldir’s thigh.
The touch traveled straight to his groin and, as if
burned, he quickly took a step away from the guardian.
“You still wish to join me for dinner?”

“Aye.” Haldir shot Elrond a curious look. The
half-Elf’s behavior puzzled him; the attraction was
still there -- even growing stronger. 

“I will have dinner served in these rooms then. That
way you do not have to walk,” said Elrond. /What did I
say? I should have told him dinner would be served in
the dining room! What was I thinking? We should not be
alone!/

Haldir didn’t like that suggestion one bit. “In these
rooms? Aiya, they remind me of my pain. I would rather
venture outside. Maybe we can dine in your rooms? That
would also give me a chance to explore the Last Homely
House.”

Elrond bit his bottom lip, never really noticing he
was doing it, but Haldir did, and seeing it made his
member twitch with anticipation. “Master Elrond,
please do not keep me confined to these rooms. Now
that I am healing I want to move about.”

Knowing he couldn’t deny his guest and patient, Elrond
nodded reluctantly. “A servant will take you to my
rooms at dinner time.”

“I am already looking forward to having dinner with
you,” purred Haldir, leaving little to the
imagination, as he licked his lips sensually. The game
was afoot. He was determined to make Elrond his before
Arien would rise again! 

TBC

Beta read by Lizzle, thanks!


=====
"You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your 
love and
affection." 
-Buddha




Part 18 
The Art of Seduction… By Haldir.  
 
 
Haldir was growing impatient. The day didn't seem to come to an end,  
and he was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the servant that would  
take him to Elrond's chambers. During the last few hours he had  
thought of many possible ways to seduce Elrond, but much depended on  
the half-Elf's mindset.  
 
He was rather surprised that the fabled Lord of Imladris hadn't  
taken any action yet, as the attraction was so obvious. /Can it be  
that he is still mourning the loss of his wife? But Celebrían  
departed many centuries ago./ He had lost lovers himself, but he had  
always allowed himself to love again, knowing his lost loves would  
want him to be happy. Wallowing in self-pity was an alien concept to  
him. Plus it was hard to pout or mock with his two younger brothers  
around. They always cheered him up when he felt listless.  
 
A knock on the door announced the servant's arrival, and after  
calling out `enter' Haldir slowly got to his feet. His leg still  
throbbed, but he determinedly bit down the dull ache. 
 
A rather handsome Elf with long, white hair bowed slightly.  
Amusement shone from grey eyes, as the other Elf took in his  
appearance. "My name is Lindir. Lord Elrond asked me to escort you  
to his rooms."  
 
Haldir caught the playful note to the Elf's voice and wondered about  
it. Had this one realized his intentions in just a few seconds?  
 
"Please follow me," said Lindir bemused. He had helped the healers  
tend to their silver-haired patient, and he reckoned no one had told  
Haldir that he had whispered Elrond's name during his healing sleep.  
Not even Elrond himself was aware of that fact! 
 
Haldir's slow pace forced Lindir to slow down as well, making sure  
their guest could keep up with him. In the end, he fell into step  
beside the guardian. "How do you like Imladris so far? I realize you  
have seen very little of our beautiful realm."  
 
"I plan to make up for the loss once I am fully mobile again," said  
Haldir thoughtfully. "But what I have seen so far is beautiful  
indeed," he mumbled beneath his breath. 
 
Lindir smirked. "Aye, our Lord is beautiful, as well as wise."  
 
Haldir's eyes narrowed. He knew a formidable adversary when he saw  
one. "And what is your… task in this household?" 
 
Lindir laughed amused. "I used to be Celebrían's right hand. After  
she left I took over her duties."  
 
Haldir raised an eyebrow. So Lindir wasn't without power and had  
direct access to Elrond. Maybe he could get some information out of  
the white-haired Elf. "Your Lord must have been devastated when his  
Lady left for Valinor." 
 
"Aye, we mourned her departure, but she did not have a choice."  
Lindir had a fairly good idea where this conversation was headed and  
allowed it. "Frankly, I do not think Lord Elrond ever dealt with the  
loss." 
 
Haldir licked his lips, steering the conversation in the desired  
direction. "Would it not have been wise to take a lover then to  
counteract the grief?" 
 
Lindir grinned smugly. Oh, this one was truly transparent! "He did,  
but found no happiness in a casual relationship. His heart yearns  
for true love."  
 
"Found?" Haldir wondered about the past tense Lindir had used. "He  
is no longer in this relationship then?" He reckoned that Lindir  
knew by now why he was asking these questions. The white-haired Elf  
struck him as intelligent and cunning.  
 
Lindir inclined his head, watching Haldir intently. "At the moment  
his heart is available, but I doubt he will give it away in a fling.  
He desires more. Let that be a warning. You might mean well, Haldir  
of `Lórien, but no one wants to see him get hurt again. He is still  
hurting inside and we won't let you add to his pain." 
 
Surprised at the bold tone and Lindir's directness, Haldir nodded  
once. "I won't hurt him." 
 
"Aye, but you will." Seeing Haldir's indignant expression, Lindir  
explained, "You will return to the Golden Wood once you are fully  
recovered." 
 
Suddenly Haldir wondered if seducing Elrond was such a good idea  
after all. Lindir was right; he would leave for Lothlórien within  
the next few days, leaving Elrond behind. "You speak wisely." 
 
"I care for my Lord," said Lindir in a sharp tone. They had reached  
Elrond's rooms and he knocked, announcing their arrival. "Do not  
play games with his heart," Lindir said as a final warning and then  
turned to leave.  
 
Watching Lindir leave, he nearly missed the softly  
whispered `enter'. Composing himself, he opened the door and stepped  
inside. Elrond's rooms were extremely spacious and luxuriously  
furnished. Beneath the window stood a table already set for dinner.  
In one corner he could see an ancient and impressive desk covered  
with papers. Behind it sat Elrond, who now rose to his feet. 
 
Elrond drew in a deep breath, hoping he wouldn't make a fool of  
himself during these next few hours. All he had to do was to stay  
calm and controlled until Haldir had left. Then he would probably  
never see the guardian again.  
 
"Greetings, Haldir. I hope you bring a good appetite with you. The  
cook prepared salmon, freshly caught from the Bruinen." 
 
Haldir inclined his head in greeting. "I thank you for your kind  
invitation to dinner tonight, Lord Elrond."  
 
Elrond cringed. "There is no need for titles in here, Haldir." He  
raised a hand and signaled for Haldir to follow him to the  
table. "Does your leg still hurt?" 
 
"Not enough to bother me," said Haldir, but he did feel relieved  
when sitting down. His leg still throbbed, but he didn't want Elrond  
to know. The half-Elf would probably confine him to bed again. And  
what was a bit of discomfort when he could have dinner with the  
fabled half-Elf? "I am honored that you looked after me yourself." 
 
Elrond seated himself, sweeping his long, formal robes aside when he  
made himself comfortable. "It was the least I could do. Galadriel  
thinks highly of you and she was rather concerned about you."  
Reaching for the carafe filled with sweet, but potent wine, he  
filled first Haldir's glass and then his own. "The speed of your  
recovery pleases me, Haldir. It was fortunate that I found the  
remnant of that arrowhead. It continued to poison you."  
 
As host, Elrond placed a rather large piece of smoked salmon on  
Haldir's plate, and added several slices of freshly baked bread as  
well. "Please, eat. You need to make up for the weight that you lost  
during your healing sleep." In an unguarded moment, Elrond caught  
himself staring at the `Lórien beauty and it was his heart, instead  
of his groin, that stirred. The hazel eyes seemed to probe his soul  
and he quickly lowered his gaze, staring at his plate instead. He  
forced himself to eat a few bites, but he had lost all appetite now  
that the object of his desire was just a few feet away.  
 
Haldir caught himself poking at the fish, but felt unable to enjoy  
it until this sensual tension between them had been addressed.  
Keeping Lindir's warning in mind, he tried to come up with his next  
move.  
 
Trying to think of a topic for their conversation, Elrond made the  
mistake of looking into Haldir's smoldering eyes. /Aiya, he feels it  
too./ That complicated matters. Until now he had managed to fool  
himself into believing that the attraction wasn't mutual.  
 
"May I ask you something personal?" Haldir leaned back into the  
comfort of the chair, holding his glass, filled with delicious wine,  
in his hand.  
 
Elrond startled, but then met Haldir's probing gaze. "What do you  
wish to know?" 
 
"How old are you, Elrond?" Haldir thought he might have found an  
opening for the conversation he wanted to have with the half-Elf.  
 
Elrond raised an eyebrow, but deemed the question a harmless  
one. "Over six thousand years." 
 
"Old enough to realize and acknowledge that we are attracted to each  
other, and yet you seem determined to ignore this sensual tension  
between us." He pretended not to notice Elrond's apparent distress  
and continued, "Why is that?" 
 
Elrond hadn't counted on Haldir being that direct. He had thought  
that the silver-haired Elf would play along and pretend they weren't  
drawn to one another. Uncertain how to handle this matter he decided  
to opt for honesty. Lying would only make this worse. "Aye, it is  
true. I feel this attraction as well." 
 
"But you choose not to act on it. Why?" Haldir's eyes narrowed,  
suddenly realizing how nervous the half-Elf was. The Lord of  
Imladris looked positively cornered.  
 
Elrond sighed and shook his head. "This attraction will only cause  
us pain." 
 
/Cause *us* pain?/ Haldir frowned. /You have been hurt in the past  
and I do not think it is solely because of Celebrían's departure  
that you cannot trust again./ Pushing back his chair, he slowly rose  
to his feet, catching Elrond's concerned look when he briefly  
swayed. After steadying himself, he covered the distance between  
them and remained standing next to Elrond's chair. Extending his  
hand, he invited the half-Elf to rise from his chair as well. 
 
Elrond released another troubled sigh and accepted the invitation,  
getting to his feet. He allowed Haldir to gather his hands in his  
and he quivered at the contact. "I cannot deny there is… some  
attraction between us." That was quite an understatement. He  
trembled with desire as Haldir tenderly rubbed his knuckles. Holding  
his breath, he watched, entranced, as Haldir raised one of his hands  
and then pressed a chaste kiss onto his palm. "What are you doing?" 
 
Haldir shot him a wicked glance. "Acting on this attraction. We are  
old enough to know this does not happen too often. We should thank  
the Valar and enjoy what they are giving us." Pushing up the sleeve  
of Elrond's formal robes, he exposed more skin. He pressed his lips  
against the half-Elf's wrist, momentarily letting his tongue lap at  
the skin before gently suckling it.  
 
Elrond closed his eyes in utter bliss. Never before had his feelings  
been this intense, -- not even with Celebrían. Was Haldir right? Had  
this been ordained by the Valar? /What a pompous thought. The Valar  
do not care about my needs. Why would they send this silver-haired  
beauty my way?/ Did he even stand a chance fighting this? And why,  
in Elbereth's name, *was* he fighting this? 
 
"Let me take away your troubles. Trust yourself to me. You know this  
is meant to happen. Why fight this?" Haldir had moved behind Elrond,  
whose eyes were still closed and he swept away the long, dark mane  
to press his lips against the column of Elrond's neck. "Let me make  
you forget your problems. Let me make love to you." 
 
The words shook Elrond from the bliss he had been in. Abruptly, he  
pulled away, putting some distance between them.  
 
Haldir let the half-Elf move away, but kept a close eye on Elrond.  
The inner struggle that was taking place in the half-Elf was written  
all over his face. "Why are you so determined to fight this?" 
 
Elrond stood in front of the window and stared outside, mesmerized.  
He wanted what Haldir so willingly offered, but he couldn't take it.  
Movement to his right told him that the silver-haired Elf had joined  
him. Haldir placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing reassuringly.  
 
"Pray tell me." 
 
Elrond finally met Haldir's gaze again. "In a few days you will  
leave for the Golden Wood. I am sorry, mellon-nîn, but I cannot set  
myself up for more heartbreak. My heart is already fragile enough as  
it is." 
 
Haldir recalled Lindir's words, realizing the white-haired Elf had  
been right. "Would it make a difference if I stayed?" Elrond laughed  
and Haldir startled at its bitter tone.  
 
"Let us assume you were to stay another week. You would either grow  
bored or homesick and you would leave for Lothlórien at any rate.  
Let us not delude ourselves." Elrond barely refrained from shaking  
off Haldir's hand. At this point the physical contact actually made  
his heart ache.  
 
"Bored? I am sure you will find some duties for me to perform. It is  
not like I am without qualifications," mused Haldir aloud. He was  
surprised to find that he was willing to stay in Imladris to be with  
Elrond. He would surely miss his brothers and his Lord and Lady, but  
somehow Elrond seemed more important right now. "I have served my  
Lord Celeborn for many millennia, as his personal assistant and as  
his seneschal." Haldir was surprised when Elrond's gaze suddenly  
locked with his.  
 
"That might work." 
 
"What might?" Haldir grew hopeful again, seeing the warm expression  
in the half-Elf's eyes. Drawing Elrond closer, he managed to fold an  
arm around the half-Elf's waist. Elrond barely seemed to notice.  
 
"Glorfindel cannot carry out his duties for the next few months…  
maybe even years." Once the child was born, the baby would need  
Glorfindel close. "You might fill in for him until he is capable of  
returning to his duties."  
 
Haldir nodded once and smiled. Although he was curious to learn what  
ailed Glorfindel it wasn't a priority right now. "I will fill in for  
him." Haldir wasn't sure what he had just gotten himself into, or  
how to explain this to Celeborn and Galadriel, but he would find a  
way. He just couldn't stand the pain and loneliness in those blue- 
grey eyes.  
 
While resting his hand at the nape of Elrond's neck, Haldir leaned  
in closer and gently claimed the half-Elf's lips. He suspected that  
a wild fire burned deep inside those cool blue eyes, and he didn't  
mind being burned. Elrond's lips parted and he accepted the  
invitation; his tongue now nudged against the teeth, gently, but  
insistently.  
 
Elrond couldn't believe that he was actually going along with this,  
but in the end, he parted his teeth as well. The need to be part of  
someone was overwhelming. And Haldir… -- Haldir was seductive, like  
liquid silver in his arms. The same arms that he had involuntarily  
wrapped around the Elf, holding him tight. Panting softly, his gaze  
pierced Haldir's hazel eyes. He found lust and love there, mingled  
with curiosity and concern. /What kind of lover are you, Haldir?  
Possessive? Demanding?/ 
 
Haldir sensed Elrond's surrender and pulled back, licking his  
lips. "Let me assure you that I do not take lovers lightly, Elrond  
Half-Elven. There have only been two and both died in times of war.  
Once you have me, you will find me possessive, but also extremely  
loyal." 
 
"Oh, but I want that," whispered Elrond in an unguarded moment.  
Haldir's talented hands had somehow undone the buttons to his outer  
robes and now slipped inside; rubbing his skin through the white  
linen undershirt he was wearing.  
 
"Talk to me, lirimaer. Tell me what is on your mind." Haldir  
suspected that Elrond had kept things inside for much too long. "Do  
I please you? Do you want me? How does it feel when I kiss you?"  
Planting kisses on Elrond's throat, he maneuvered the half-Elf  
toward the bed. The need to become one urged him on and he knew that  
Elrond felt it too. The half-Elf was now tugging at his clothes as  
well, quickly undoing all laces.  
 
Laying the half-Elf down, Haldir indulged himself and studied his  
new lover. Long dark hair lay fanned over the sheets and hooded blue  
eyes stared at him pleadingly. The luscious, red lips were slightly  
bruised and the half-open robes made Elrond even more tempting to  
Haldir. He had to admit that he had expected things to develop  
differently, but he didn't mind being asked to play this role. He  
had thought Elrond would want to dominate their first encounter, but  
the half-Elf's surrender was too beautiful to ignore.  
 
Raising his arms, Elrond urged Haldir closer and the silver-haired  
Elf obliged at once, lying down beside the half-Elf. Slowly, taking  
his time, he removed Elrond's robes completely. The revealed body  
was muscular, Elrond's abdomen flat, and the long legs wanted to  
curl around his. /How long since you made love? Really made love?/  
 
"Undress me, lirimaer," said Haldir, lightly caressing Elrond's  
chest with the tip of his tongue. 
 
Elrond slowly sat upright and helped Haldir out of his shirt and  
leggings. Suddenly his brow furrowed. "What about your injury? You  
should be rest—" 
 
Haldir cut him short, taking Elrond's lips in a brutal kiss.  
Ignoring the throbbing in his thigh, he straddled the half-Elf. He  
pushed his arms beneath Elrond's back and lifted him slightly,  
pressing him close. "I would love to take my time with you… To bring  
you to the edge and back again before making you come, but my leg  
does still hinder me."  
 
"We do not have to do this n—" 
 
Again, Haldir's lips silenced him. A demanding tongue chased his,  
and in the end he moaned helplessly, rubbing himself against Haldir,  
who was hard as well. Haldir had to pull back when he grew short of  
breath and Elrond used that moment to whisper, "Open the top drawer  
of the nightstand."  
 
Haldir obeyed and retrieved the phial filled with musky oil.  
Wiggling an eyebrow, he opened it and poured the liquid over his  
fingertips. "I assume you have done this before?" Lindir had hinted  
at a lover, but had not mentioned this lover's sex.  
 
"Aye, I have." But Elrond forgot to mention that it had been  
Glorfindel who had been on the receiving end. Haldir was the first  
to take him.  
 
Haldir saw something in Elrond's eyes that made him hesitant, but he  
couldn't label the sensation. "Roll onto your side, lirimaer, that  
way there will be less pressure on my leg." 
 
Elrond eagerly obeyed and pulled his knees close to his chest,  
giving Haldir easy access to the entrance of his body, trembling  
with anticipation. This was a first he had thought would never come.  
 
Spooning behind the half-Elf, Haldir wriggled until his hard flesh  
lay nestled comfortably against Elrond's buttocks. "You fill my  
every sense, lirimaer. I've never experienced anything like this  
before. It feels like you are in my blood, my every vein. Your voice  
fills my ears, even when you are silent. I crave you." 
 
Elrond curled his fingers around his erection, stroking slowly. He  
paced himself as he didn't want to come yet, but he also knew there  
would be some discomfort during his first time. Keeping himself on  
the edge might help him through the initial pain.  
 
Haldir, thinking he was dealing with an experienced lover, coated  
his shaft with the oil and then positioned himself at the half-Elf's  
opening. He frowned, finding Elrond tense and unyielding, and an  
unpleasant suspicion formed in his mind. "You *have* done this  
before… haven't you?" 
 
Elrond sighed, realizing he had better be completely honest. "I have  
never been on this end before." 
 
Suddenly Haldir understood. Smiling, he leaned in closer and licked  
the tip of Elrond's ear. "You should have told me." He reached for  
the oil again and this time he coated one finger. He placed the  
digit at the half-Elf's opening and massaged the guardian ring. "We  
can still reverse roles." 
 
"Nay," panted Elrond softly, as that first digit slid inside his  
body. "I want this. I want to experience this."  
 
"You want to let go for the briefest of moments," said Haldir in  
understanding. "I will take good care of you." Removing his finger,  
he added more oil and returned with two to stretch his lover  
properly. He pushed his other arm underneath Elrond's body and then  
wrapped his fingers around the half-Elf's semi-hard member. "I will  
make you let go. You will come in my arms and forget everything that  
troubles you. I will make slow, passionate love to you."  
 
Haldir's whispers relaxed Elrond and the hand that was stroking him  
was slowly taking him to the edge again. He quivered with  
expectation when Haldir removed his fingers. A moment later, the  
blunt head of the silver-haired Elf's shaft was placed against his  
opening and he threw back his head, hoping Haldir would finally end  
their torment. 
 
Deeming his lover ready, Haldir inched inside. He paused, feeling  
Elrond tense against him and gave his lover the time he needed to  
grow used to the invasive feeling. "You are beautiful in your  
surrender, lirimaer. I will always treasure this moment. Let me love  
you." Feeling Elrond relax minutely, he inched deeper inside.  
Pausing again at intervals, he matched his movement with the half- 
Elf's breathing until he was fully sheathed.  
 
Sweat had appeared on Elrond's brow. Biting his bottom lip, his  
breath came in gasps. Haldir felt incredibly huge inside his body  
and he forced himself to relax. 
 
Haldir chose that moment to pull out and thrust again. Angling his  
stroke, he brushed the hidden gland inside his lover's passage.  
 
Elrond's eyes widened and his body trembled when that first wave of  
ecstasy swept through him. He had done this to Glorfindel many  
times, but he had never felt this sensation himself. /If I had known  
it would be like this, I would have asked Glorfindel to take me a  
long time ago!/ 
 
Haldir grinned into the dark, tangled mane and established a firm,  
but gentle rhythm. Now that he knew that his lover was inexperienced  
in this way of lovemaking he was extremely considerate, making sure  
he brushed Elrond's sweet spot with every stroke. 
 
In his hand, Elrond's shaft had grown completely hard and the half- 
Elf was leaking pre-ejaculate, telling Haldir that his lover was  
about to come. While pistoning in and out of his lover's body, he  
stroked harder, wanting the half-Elf to reach orgasm first. 
 
Elrond shook in Haldir's arms. The ecstasy that coursed through him  
robbed him of logical thought and he surrendered to the rocking  
motion. When he came, he screamed out Haldir's name, shaking hard.  
 
Haldir held Elrond close, making sure the half-Elf felt cherished  
and loved. It was hard though, because his lover's inner muscles  
contracted around him and had brought him to orgasm as well. "Hush,  
lirimaer, everything is fine." The intensity of their lovemaking had  
taken him aback as well.  
 
Elrond cocked his head and managed to catch Haldir's lips in a  
bruising kiss.  
 
Haldir smiled; Elrond's eyes sparkled and he thought he even saw  
tiny specks, tiny stars in the irises. "You *are* an absolute  
delight, Elrond Half-Elven." 
 
Elrond felt light, like he had been freed of a terrible burden.  
Wasn't it ironic that he had found bliss in the arms of  
another `Lórien Elf? But there was no mistaking Haldir for  
Celebrían. This love was completely different. "I can… not… explain…  
this…" he panted, pushed to the limit of his endurance. This last  
week had been taxing. After worrying about Glorfindel, finding  
release with Haldir felt like an anti-climax.   
 
Haldir heard Elrond's pained mew when he pulled out. He had been  
extremely careful, but he couldn't rule out that he had hurt the  
half-Elf. Quickly, he checked for blood and was relieved when there  
wasn't any.  
 
Turning in the embrace, Elrond made himself comfortable when they  
were face to face again. "Are you a romantic, Haldir?" 
 
Haldir considered the question. "I have been told that I am direct…  
and possessive… demanding as well… No one ever told me that I am a  
romantic, but if you so desire I will try hard to please you."  
Smirking smugly, he pulled the half-Elf close. He draped his  
uninjured leg over Elrond's hip, making sure the other Elf couldn't  
leave. "You seem less troubled now, lirimaer." 
 
"I feel less burdened," agreed Elrond, snuggling up to Haldir. "Did  
anyone ever tell you that you are cocky?" 
 
"Many did," chuckled Haldir. "But I am glad that I acted on this  
attraction. If I had left it up to you we would still be dancing  
around each other." 
 
"You are right." Elrond enjoyed being held close by Haldir. "I  
haven't slept properly for days," he admitted. The last time he had  
slept had been in the Healing House when Elladan had watched over  
the two of them. 
 
"Then rest. Go to sleep, lirimaer." Haldir pressed a kiss on  
Elrond's brow, tightening his hold on the half-Elf. As Elrond fell  
asleep against him, he was overcome by an immense feeling of  
protection. /My, I think I love you, Elrond Half-Elven./ 
 
TBC 
 
Beta read by Lizzle, thanks! (But all remaining mistakes are  
completely mine!)


Part 19 
Breakfast, As Defined By Haldir. 
 
 
In the early hours of the morn, Haldir snuck out of Elrond's bed.  
Smiling warmly at the half-Elf, who was still lost in a deep sleep,  
he slipped into his clothes. Tiptoeing toward the door he felt  
grateful that his injury no longer hindered him. He followed the  
sweet scent of freshly baked bread to the kitchens.  
 
Last night, after he had cleaned them up, he had distinctly noticed  
the heavy, dark circles under Elrond's eyes. They had urged him to  
let his new lover sleep, whilst he collected their breakfast. Elrond  
had mentioned preferring a somewhat romantic lover and he was  
determined to do his best to please the half-Elf. 
 
Entering the kitchen, he addressed one of the cooks. The Elf quickly  
agreed to prepare a breakfast tray for Elrond and bade him to wait.  
Nibbling on some bread, he inclined his head in greeting when  
Elladan entered.  
 
"You are up early, mellon-nîn," started Elladan, "And what are you  
doing here? Shouldn't you still be resting in the Healing House?" 
 
"Your father discharged me." A smug grin almost surfaced on his  
face, but he controlled himself, as he didn't want the twins to find  
out yet. He had always prided himself on being discrete and  
tactical. Elrond would want to tell his sons himself.  
 
The cook presented him with a tray filled with delicious food items.  
Especially the baked omelets smelled temptingly. The cook had also  
added some small, grilled sausages. When he had held Elrond last  
night he had wondered about the half-Elf's too thin body. Rest and  
food what was Elrond needed! 
 
He took his time making his way back to Elrond's quarters. He didn't  
bother to knock and simply entered, putting the tray on the half- 
Elf's desk. Soundlessly, he moved back to the bed. Elrond, lying  
flat on his back, sported an impressive morning erection and the  
half-Elf moaned softly in his sleep.  
 
Wiggling an eyebrow, Haldir grinned wickedly. Being careful not to  
rouse his lover from his sleep, he knelt on the bed, studying the  
half-Elf. The long, dark hair was tangled and Elrond's lips were  
still slightly bruised and swollen. He looked good enough to eat --  
and a seductive, already erect half-Elf was just what Haldir wanted  
for breakfast -- before digging into the real food. 
 
On all fours, he crept closer. Making sure he wasn't putting any  
weight on the half-Elf, he carefully straddled him. To him, Elrond  
was like a vintage wine, an acquired taste, wasted on anyone who  
didn't see the true inner beauty shining through the stern features.  
Without realizing it, he had lost his heart to the half-Elf. He just  
hoped Elrond would guard it wisely.  
 
Leaning forward, he licked his lips, grinning mischievously. Elrond  
was thrusting slightly, begging to be touched. Haldir quickly  
obliged him. Using the tip of his tongue, he licked the head of his  
lover's erection, drawing a delirious groan from his sleeping lover.  
After bestowing more cat-like licks to the hard flesh, he pulled  
back and exhaled deeply, sending cool air over the inflamed head.  
 
Elrond arched his back, thrusting harder and squirming beneath  
Haldir.  
 
Haldir, always striving for perfection, closed his lips over his  
lover's hot flesh. Relaxing the muscles in his throat, he took his  
lover deeply. A tormented whimper left Elrond's lips and the half- 
Elf's hands found their way into his silver-hair. Hard himself, his  
erection strained against his leggings.  
 
One of Elrond's hands gently caressed his hair, whilst the other  
urged him on, mutely begging him to set a firmer and faster rhythm.  
Licking up and down his lover's length, Haldir wrapped his fingers  
around the hard shaft, stroking lightly.  
 
Elrond was lost in this erotic vision. A hot, eager mouth engulfed  
him and he thrust deeply, trying to find relief. Part of him  
wondered if this was a dream or reality, but he was too close to the  
edge to give it much thought.  
 
His eyes opened, when a digit probed his entrance, expertly sliding  
inside. Instantly he grew aware of the silver-like hair that  
caressed his body. /Not a dream then. No, definitely not a dream./  
He sighed blissfully when Haldir moved his finger inside his  
passage, confidently locating his hidden gland. 
 
Staring at the bobbing head, he surrendered to the sensations  
coursing through his body. He couldn't remember ever having been  
this thoroughly possessed before. Haldir played his body cunningly,  
keeping him on the edge. "Ha…ve… mer…cy…" whispered Elrond, panting  
hard, regretting the fact that Haldir's face was hidden behind a  
curtain of liquid silver.  
 
Taking pity on his lover, Haldir brushed the sweet spot inside the  
half-Elf's body repeatedly. Elrond tensed, and his hands -- buried  
in Haldir's hair --  tightened, tugging at the long strands. Reading  
the signs of impending release correctly, Haldir prepared himself to  
swallow every drop of his lover's essence. 
 
Elrond had managed to push himself half upright, overcome by the  
urge to see Haldir swallow. "Ai…ya… Hal…dir…" A passionate fire  
consumed him, as he reached orgasm and he groaned helplessly when  
Haldir pulled back, licking him clean. The silver-haired Elf bore a  
remarkable likeness to a large, predatory cat, licking his lips  
after removing the last droplets of come from his softening  
member. "Nîn-naur…" This fire had never before been kindled inside  
him.  
 
Haldir leaned in closer, still on all fours, and claimed his lover's  
lips, allowing Elrond to taste himself. Pressing the half-Elf down  
onto his back, he kissed his new lover breathless. When he finally  
pulled back, he contentedly noticed the sated expression in Elrond's  
blue eyes. "I might not be a romantic, but I *am* a good lover," he  
stated confidently. 
 
Elrond agreed with a lazy tone to his voice. "You are, nîn-naur.  
There is a passionate fire inside you that makes me feel things I  
have never felt before." Raising a hand, he brushed back a wayward  
plait. "You are beautiful, Haldir of `Lórien." 
 
Haldir grinned cockily. "I know I am," he said teasingly.  
 
Elrond chuckled amused. "And I am most fortunate that you chose to  
share that fire with me." Haldir might act cocky, but he saw beneath  
it and realized the Elf's true, generous nature. "Thank you for  
waking me in that way, but I must warn you --I might get used to  
this wake up call." 
 
Haldir licked his lips suggestively. "We will see about tomorrow  
morning then." 
 
Elrond sighed deeply. If he hadn't felt this satiated he might have  
grown hard again. Opening his arms, he pulled Haldir on top of him.  
 
Haldir gladly blanketed the Elf, ignoring the stain that now formed  
on his leggings. He scowled at Elrond playfully. "You could have  
cleaned up first. I do not have a spare set of clothes." 
 
"I will let you borrow some of mine," said Elrond teasingly.  
 
"We are hardly the same size." Enjoying their bantering, Haldir  
raised an eyebrow suggestively.  
 
When Elrond finally realized the pun and was about to make a remark,  
Haldir silenced him, kissing him deeply.  
 
A sudden commotion coming from the doorway made them stop. Elrond  
cocked his head and startled. What were the twins doing here? 
 
Elrohir swallowed hard, growing nervous at having caught his father  
at such an intimate moment. Elladan suddenly elbowed him in his side  
and he cleared his throat.  
 
Elladan tried to save the situation. "We… thought you might like  
some… breakfast… But it seems you are… occupied otherwise." He  
managed not to blush and complimented himself, realizing Elrohir had  
grown flustered.  
 
"Aiya…" Elrond panicked. He didn't want his sons to find out about  
Haldir in this way. Certainly not when their relationship was only a  
night old!  
 
Haldir caught their panic and decided to take action. "Place the  
tray next to mine, pyn-neth and then leave us." Leaning in closer  
again, he ignored the startled expression in the large, expressive  
blue eyes and pressed his lips against Elrond's.  
 
Elladan felt somewhat relieved now that they were given a way out.  
The fact that Haldir continued to kiss their father pleased him. /He  
seems proud to have Ada for a lover and this is what Elrohir and I  
set out to achieve. I should feel pleased!/ 
 
Elrohir quickly placed the tray next to Haldir's and giggled  
nervously. Pulling at Elladan's tunic, he dragged his twin into the  
corridor, quickly closing the door behind them. "My brother, that  
was…" 
 
"Too much…" finished Elladan for him.  
 
"Way too much information. Did you see how startled Ada was?" A wild  
giggle escaped his throat. "By the Grace of the Valar, Haldir gave  
him a passion mark. Did you see that?" 
 
Elladan rumbled, "I did not look *that* closely, Elrohir. Seeing Ada  
in that situation was…" Rendered speechless, he shook his head.  
 
Elrohir giggled, folding one arm around his brother's shoulders. "I  
always thought Ada would be the one on top!" 
 
Elladan's eyes widened at hearing his brother's words. "I cannot  
believe you ever thought about that!" 
 
Elrohir shrugged his shoulders, still laughing bemused. "One  
wonders!" 
 
"Well, I do not!" Elladan shuddered slightly. "Let us join today's  
patrol. I need to clear my head and the wind in my face is what I  
need, right now! I do not want to be anywhere near Ada's bedroom at  
this moment!" 
 
Still amused, Elrohir laughed warmly. "Ah, brother, find comfort in  
the fact that Ada has found love after all, or would you have  
preferred for him to remain lonely? He might not admit it, but  
losing Glorfindel to Erestor must have caused some emotional  
turmoil." 
 
Elladan nodded once, instinctively knowing that his brother was  
right. "I am happy for Ada… for both of them." Smiling at his  
brother, they stepped into the courtyard to join today's patrol. 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
Like Haldir, Erestor had also risen early and was now preparing the  
tea that would prevent his lover's morning sickness. While seated  
cross-legged on the bed, he studied the golden-haired beauty that  
was curled up beneath the sheets. Glorfindel had never been more  
attractive to him.  
 
"Melamin? Wake up, I prepared your tea, which you should drink  
*now*, before the morning sickness hits!" 
 
Erestor's voice woke Glorfindel and his eyes grew focused again. The  
first thing he saw was a cup filled with bitter-tasting tea. Pushing  
himself into an upright position, he propped some pillows behind his  
back. Feeling the first wave of nausea, he quickly sipped his tea. A  
few moments later, his stomach settled down. "I would be miserable  
without this tea." It kept him from throwing up all morning. Moving  
about, he groaned softly.  
 
The sound instantly worried Erestor. "Is something wrong?" 
 
"I am still tired." Glorfindel forced himself to finish the tea and  
handed the empty mug back to Erestor. "And I am hungry." 
 
Erestor handed Glorfindel the warm porridge the cook had prepared  
for the blond.  
 
The blond sniffed the air disapprovingly. "I do not want to eat  
that." 
 
"It is healthy. You need to maintain your strength. If you eat this  
now, I will find some more sweet cake for you later." Erestor hoped  
the bribe would work. When Celebrían had been pregnant with Arwen,  
she'd had mood swings and he feared Glorfindel might develop them as  
well.  
 
Glorfindel mumbled some protest, but ate more than half of the  
porridge. "I feel full," he remarked surprised. Erestor handed him  
some fresh orange juice and he sipped the sweet liquid, having to  
pause regularly. Involuntarily, one hand settled over his stomach  
again. "It is growing." 
 
Moving slowly, Erestor raised a hand and placed it atop of  
Glorfindel's. "Your *son* is growing," he corrected in a kind  
voice. "Maybe it would help if you named him?" 
 
Glorfindel shuddered. "What name should I pick? Elven or Uruk-Hai?" 
 
Erestor cringed. Seeing the lost expression in those azure eyes, he  
slowly enfolded the blond in his arms, rocking his lover  
reassuringly. "I love you, *and* your son." 
 
Glorfindel hated being this emotional, but he just couldn't stop his  
tears from falling. "I wish I had your faith." 
 
"Who needs faith when you have love?" Erestor drew in a deep breath  
and rocked his lover as Glorfindel cried softly. /I assume this is  
your first mood swing. Elbereth help us./  
 
Pulling himself together, Glorfindel wiped away any remaining  
tears. "I never cry," he panted softly, trying to calm his breathing. 
 
Erestor pressed a chaste kiss on top of the blond's head. "I have  
the feeling you will cry many more times before this baby is born." 
 
Glorfindel gasped, recalling Celebrían's unpredictable  
moods. "Elbereth, nay -- not that!" 
 
"I am afraid so." But Erestor made sure he said it with a loving  
smile on his face. "We will cope with them." Stroking a silky lock  
away from Glorfindel's face, he tried to offer his lover the  
porridge again. "Can you eat some more?" 
 
Glorfindel shook his head. "I still feel full. And I want that cake  
you promised." 
 
"I will get it for you later." Erestor felt amazed, seeing a  
brilliant smile surface on Glorfindel's face. Reading his lover's  
moods would be hard, if not impossible for the next few weeks, but  
he would try hard. "Would you like to take a bath now?"  
 
Glorfindel looked shy all of a sudden. "Shouldn't we return to our  
duties? You cannot continue to pamper me until it… -- he -- has been  
born." Knowing Erestor wanted him to stop thinking about the baby  
as `it' he corrected himself. "We cannot be idle the entire time.  
Someone has to be coordinating the patrols and Imladris' defenses,  
and Elrond needs you to—" 
 
Erestor cut him short, kissing him on the lips. A soft `oh' escaped  
Glorfindel, who then returned the kiss, deepening it. Pleased with  
the result of the kiss he had instigated, Erestor regretted pulling  
back. "I assume that is a yes?" 
 
"Aye…" Glorfindel smiled happily. "And are you sure we are not  
needed?" 
 
"Elrond and the twins will have to manage without us. It will be a  
good learning experience for Elrohir and Elladan." Erestor rose from  
the bed and walked into the bathroom to fill the pool.  
 
Glorfindel still felt tired when he joined Erestor in the bathroom.  
Thoughtfully, he slipped out of his sleeping robe. Being naked  
around his lover was becoming easier. He no longer felt the shame or  
unease he had initially felt. But when he stepped in front of the  
mirror, his features contorted. His abdomen showed a very distinct  
swelling. "How many more weeks do you think?" 
 
Erestor sighed and took Glorfindel into his arms. "I am not a  
healer, but judging the speed by which the baby is developing I  
would say a few more days at the most." 
 
"Days? Saruman did not want to wait too long for his… creation to be  
born," said Glorfindel, flinching. "At first, I did not believe him  
when he said I would become pregnant…" His voice trailed off as he  
was losing himself in his memories.  
 
Erestor mentally prepared himself, sensing another mood swing. A  
moment later, tears reappeared in the blond's eyes and Glorfindel  
angrily wiped them away. "Do not fight this, melamin," advised  
Erestor, "The pregnancy will take its course." He guided Glorfindel  
to the pool and watched him sit down in the warm water. "Are you  
comfortable?" 
 
Glorfindel nodded, but a hint of misery remained in his eyes. "What  
should I do when it… -- he -- is born?" 
 
"We will love your son. And you should think of a name for him."  
Reaching for the soap, Erestor began to wash the blond's hair.  
Although he would love to join his lover in the pool he didn't dare  
create such a delicate situation when Glorfindel was this emotional.  
Only the Valar knew what memories still lingered in his lover's mind  
and he didn't want to evoke them.  
 
Enjoying the attention, Glorfindel closed his eyes, surrendering his  
lover's tender care. "I do not deserve you…" 
 
"Yes, you do," said Erestor bemused. After rinsing Glorfindel's  
hair, he got to his feet. "I will leave you soaking a little longer,  
but I will return shortly."  
 
Glorfindel, who had been lured into dozing, looked at his lover  
suspiciously. "Where are you going?" 
 
"I want to talk to Elrond. I need to tell him that we cannot perform  
our duties for the next few months." 
 
"Months?" echoed Glorfindel. 
 
"You cannot go back to work when the baby has been born. He will  
need you close."  
 
Suddenly it hit Glorfindel fully; this child would always be part of  
him -- his life. Saruman had ruined his life, forcing him to carry  
this monstrosity. "I hate him!" he hissed angrily.  
 
Erestor understood at once. Once more, he lowered himself onto his  
heels, caressing Glorfindel's face. "Do not give into hate. It will  
poison you from the inside." 
 
Glorfindel sighed. Rationally he knew Erestor's council was sound,  
but emotionally… "I hate him! Hate him!" 
 
Seeing the intense emotions in his lover's sapphire eyes, Erestor  
realized he had to postpone his visit to Elrond. /Please, Elbereth,  
do not let these mood swings grow worse. I am not sure how long I  
can handle them. I will be worn out when the baby is finally born  
and Glorfindel needs me in a good shape, not exhausted!/  
 
After shedding his sleeping robe, Erestor descended into the pool  
and gathered Glorfindel in his arms. "I know you hate him, but try  
to focus on the good emotions -- like my love for you."  
Subconsciously, he used the link to calm his lover and to reassure  
him. Glorfindel finally calmed down and rested his head against  
Erestor's shoulder.  
 
"I love it when you are this close. I do not know why or how, but  
when you are close I feel at peace. I feel warm." 
 
Erestor bit his bottom lip -- he desperately wanted to tell  
Glorfindel about the bond Mandos had created between them, but the  
Vala had demanded his silence. "I also love having you this close  
and I am not planning on ever leaving your side."  
 
Glorfindel snuggled up to Erestor. "Elrond and I talked about…  
giving birth." 
 
"What did he say?" 
 
"He doubts I can actually give birth. He will have to… cut me open  
and retrieve the baby." Glorfindel shuddered. /That is if the little  
monster does not tear me open first!/ 
 
Hearing that, made Erestor swallow hard. "I will always be at your  
side." Glorfindel still had a long and painful road ahead of  
him. "Elrond is a very skilled healer. He will take good care of you  
and your son." Glorfindel shivered in his arms. "Would you like to  
leave the water? Maybe a walk in the gardens will lift your spirits." 
 
"I would like that." Glorfindel looked at Erestor guiltily. "And we  
should talk to Elrond to let him know he is without a seneschal." 
 
"Replacing you will be difficult."  
 
"I hope Elrond finds someone. I would hate letting him down." 
 
"I am sure Elrond understands." Erestor slowly left the pool,  
pulling Glorfindel along with him. After wrapping the blond in warm  
towels, he shooed Glorfindel into the bedroom to dress him in  
comfortable robes, figuring his lover wouldn't feel comfortable  
wearing a shirt and leggings, for then his distended stomach would  
show too clearly.  
 
Glorfindel slipped into the green robes, which Erestor handed him.  
Acting on impulse, he wrapped his arms tightly around the dark- 
haired Elf. "I do not want to be this… emotional -- unpredictable. I  
am so sorry…" Seeing Erestor's reassuring expression, he quickly  
added, "I love you. I am sorry for putting you through this, but I  
need you close and… Did I already say I love you?" 
 
"Aye, you did, but do not hesitate to say it again." Smiling  
brightly, Erestor returned the hug. /Oh, Elbereth, give me the  
strength and patience to deal with his mood swings!/ 
 
TBC 
 
Beta read by Lizzle, thanks!


Part 20
Claiming Haldir.



“Erestor?” Glorfindel had indulged in a catnap during
the evening and before going to sleep he had
possessively folded his arms around his lover, forcing
Erestor to stay. Sometime during the nap, Erestor had
fallen asleep as well and now Glorfindel was enjoying
waking up the raven-haired Elf by placing butterfly
kisses on his lover’s lips. “Nîn bellas?” (My
strength.) 

Erestor’s eyes filled with awareness when they looked
at Glorfindel. “Is something wrong, melamin?” What was
it *this* time? Glorfindel’s mood swings had continued
throughout the day and had made him weary. 

“My back hurts… Would you… help me?” Looking
pleadingly at Erestor, he pouted his lips. “Please?”

/Oh, I cannot possibly deny you./ Erestor smiled
warmly. “Would you like a backrub then?” 

Glorfindel looked at Erestor from beneath his golden
eyelashes. Suddenly his mood darkened. “That is if you
still want to touch me. I will be big and fat shortly,
rather undesirable!” 

“You...? Undesirable?” 

Glorfindel suddenly bowed his head, and unexpectedly
released Erestor, turning away from the dark-haired
Elf.

Erestor instinctively knew what was going on in
Glorfindel’s mind. “Melamin, I will always desire
you!” 

“Even when I am fat and…” Unable to finish, Glorfindel
rubbed his distended abdomen. “It is still growing.”

Erestor sighed, hearing that ‘it’ had slipped back in
again. It was time to distract the distraught blond.
“Here, let me.” He piled pillows atop of one another
and then eased Glorfindel into them, until he was
lying half on his side, face first. 

His breath caught when Erestor pushed his robes out of
the way, easing them over his head. Turning his head
to one side, Glorfindel wrapped his arms around the
pillows, resting against them. Settled down
comfortably, Glorfindel sighed blissfully when
Erestor’s warm fingers rested against his skin. 

Erestor picked up the phial of scented oil on the
nightstand and let some of it flow into the palms of
his hands. After warming the oil by rubbing his hands,
he set out to massage Glorfindel’s neck. Soft mews,
almost smothered by the pillows, gently floated
through the room, telling him how much the blond
enjoyed this. The sounds brought a radiant smile to
Erestor’s face. He could literally feel Glorfindel
relax beneath his fingertips. 

Glorfindel’s mews turned into pleased purring. The
warm hands moving over his back sent a tingling
through his body. Being touched by his lover felt
incredibly good. /It is amazing. My memories of my
stay in Orthanc have nearly faded and images of
Erestor have appeared instead. I crave his touch and I
feel warm and cherished when he is around. He even
wants to be a parent to my… ‘son’. Son -- monster is
more like it./

“You are growing tense again,” remarked Erestor,
slightly displeased that his massage was losing its
desired effects. Leaning in closer, he pressed a
passionate kiss on a shoulder. “Don’t brood. Don’t
feel burdened. Just enjoy the massage, the attention.
I want you to relax for me.”

Glorfindel sighed deeply, not wanting to disappoint
his lover. Driving all distressing thoughts from his
mind, he concentrated on the feel of Erestor’s hands
on his back. “Aiya…” He couldn’t keep quiet when his
lover worked on a particularly sore area. 

This massage would work better with Glorfindel lying
on his stomach, but Erestor was hesitant to suggest a
change in position. Lying face down might be
uncomfortable for a pregnant male. Erestor also didn’t
want to spark any fading memories. Adding more oil, he
gently worked on the tense muscles, which finally
relented beneath his expert touch, losing their
tension. The sigh that left the blond’s lips sounded
different now. “Better?”

“Much better,” said Glorfindel, his words muffled due
to the pillows. 

Erestor continued his ministrations, occasionally
slipping in a kiss. The fact that Glorfindel
completely trusted him made him feel honored. “Are you
hungry?” The time for dinner had long passed, but he
would be able to find something edible in the
kitchens. 

Glorfindel carefully considered the question and
protested when Erestor stopped the massage. But he was
hungry all right. Sitting upright, he looked over his
shoulder. “I want some fruit.”

“Not something more substantial?” The baby needed more
than fruit to grow properly. Erestor tried again.
“Maybe more of that cake? You seemed to like it
earlier.” 

“And some warm milk? With honey?” suggested Glorfindel
hopefully. 

Erestor nodded. He was about to leave their warm nest
when Glorfindel reached out and took hold of his
wrist, keeping him from leaving. 

“You never told me what Elrond said when you informed
him that I cannot perform my duties.”

Erestor sighed, settled down again and looked deeply
into Glorfindel’s eyes. “We talked. It turns out there
might be a suitable replacement for you after all.” He
had phrased it carefully, not wanting to hurt the
blond’s feelings. Glorfindel had to feel needed right
now. 

“Who is it?” Glorfindel tried not to feel hurt. He had
thought it would take Elrond longer than this to find
someone!

“Haldir of ‘Lórien,” said Erestor with a smirk on his
face. “He arrived some days ago in need of Elrond’s
healing talents. Now that his wound has healed Haldir
has agreed to stay and fill in for you.”

Glorfindel didn’t know how he felt about that.
“Haldir?” Haldir was a formidable warrior and had been
Celeborn’s seneschal and confidant for millennia. The
‘Lórien Elf was a good choice and he couldn’t begrudge
Elrond a fine replacement. “And how about *your*
duties?”

“I will do some of the paperwork in here, or you can
accompany me to my study. Some exercise would do you
good.”

“Aye, I have been sleeping an awful lot,” agreed
Glorfindel. He briefly considered accompanying Erestor
to the kitchens, but then dismissed the idea; he was
way too comfortably in their warm bed. “I should
consult Elrond.” His thoughts grew troubled again. “It
is growing much faster than Elrond predicted.”

“We do not know the details of Saruman’s spell,” said
Erestor thoughtfully. “The baby could be fully grown
within a week, or it could take another turn of the
moon. We just do not know what to expect.”

Glorfindel cupped Erestor’s hand in his and placed it
against the fabric of his robe so his lover could feel
the growing bulge. “It has doubled in size since
yesterday.” 

“May I… look at your stomach?” Erestor felt the
distention and grew worried as well. 

Glorfindel nodded hesitantly, lay down and unbuttoned
his sleeping robe to reveal his abdomen. Guiding
Erestor’s hand, he placed his lover’s fingers against
his skin. 

Erestor watched in amazement. Glorfindel was right;
the baby’s development had sped up. Gently, he
caressed the taut skin. Lying down, face to face with
Glorfindel, he studied the heavily clouded eyes. “What
worries you the most?”

Swallowing hard, Glorfindel whispered, “That he will
tear me apart when he is ready to be born. An
Uruk-Hai’s claws are sharp. I would probably survive,
but…”

Erestor instinctively wrapped his arms around the
trembling blond. “That will not happen, melamin. Once
Elrond believes that the baby is fully developed he
will act accordingly.”

Glorfindel shivered violently. “And then the ordeal
truly starts. My ‘son’ is part Uruk-Hai and I am tied
to him for the rest of my life.”

“Aiya, nîn ind, (my heart) we will raise him properly
and being loved might bring out the best in him. Do
not give up hope yet.”

“Would you… Would you fetch Elrond for me? I want him
to examine me. I need to know what to expect.” 

Erestor cringed. It was already late and Elrond had
probably retired for the night. “I will fetch you
something to eat first and then I will go see Elrond.”

Reluctantly Glorfindel agreed. He would prefer it if
Erestor fetched the healer now, but he also realized
it was already late. “I am… scared.” He hated to admit
the truth. “I am afraid this monster will ruin our
lives -- our love.”

“He won’t,” said Erestor firmly. “Now wait here for
me. Don’t go to Elrond alone.” Erestor placed a kiss
on Glorfindel’s brow and then left the bed. After
tucking the sheet around the blond’s form, he left the
room and hurried to the kitchens. On his way over
there, he fought back his tears. Glorfindel’s fears
affected him as well. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After collecting fruits, cake and hot milk, Erestor
hurried back to his rooms. Once inside, he quickly
headed for the bed, placed the tray on the nightstand
and slipped beneath the covers. Glorfindel’s big, blue
eyes looked at him with a child-like, trusting
quality. Leaning in closer, he mumbled, “I love you,
melamin. And I love your son. You still need to think
of a name for him.”

Glorfindel briefly closed his eyes. /How do I name a
monster?/

“Sit upright, nîn ind.” 

Glorfindel elbowed himself into a sitting position.
Then Erestor placed the tray on his lap and Glorfindel
studied the food items his lover had brought. The
berries looked sweet and tasty and he tried some of
them. “You are spoiling me.”

Erestor ate some cake before Glorfindel moved onto it
and then leaned back, sipping tea, which he had
brought for himself. He hoped his lover had calmed
down and that they could see Elrond in the morning,
instead of having to drag the half-Elf out of his bed
at this late hour. 

Glorfindel focused on the food. Erestor was
comfortingly rubbing circles on his back, after having
slipped his hand beneath the fabric of his robes. The
skin on skin contact soothed him like it usually did.
“Aren’t you fed up with being stuck in bed with me?” 

Erestor couldn’t keep his face straight and burst out
chuckling. “Ah, nîn ind, I won’t ever tire of having
you in my bed.”

“The way you say it, it sounds…” 

“Seductive? Inviting?” Erestor raised a hand and
traced the outline of Glorfindel’s lips with a
fingertip. “Here, have another berry.”
Unceremoniously, he pushed the fruit past the blond’s
lips. 

Glorfindel mumbled something unintelligible and then
tried to glare at Erestor. He completely failed and
burst out in a brilliant smile instead. “I love you…”
Leaning in closer, he claimed Erestor’s lips. “So
much…”

Erestor desperately wanted to make love to Glorfindel,
but he knew instinctively that he would be moving too
fast. They had to settle for kisses and touches. 

After Glorfindel had devoured his cake and sipped his
hot milk, Erestor disposed of the tray and signaled
for the blond to lie down again. He raised an arm and
invited his lover to snuggle up to him. 

Glorfindel reacted at once, moving in and settling
comfortably in his lover’s arms. Involuntarily his
hand came to rest on his abdomen. /I want this gone. I
do not want to give birth to this monster. I…/ His
thoughts faltered, feeling Erestor’s hand settle atop
of his. Raising his head, he met Erestor’s gaze,
reading the love in the dark eyes. 

“Everything will be well, I promise,” said Erestor
passionately. 

But Glorfindel didn’t share his lover’s optimism. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elrond had seated himself in a comfortable chair next
to the fire that was blazing in a corner of his rooms.
Haldir was moving through his quarters, putting away
the few personal belongings he had brought with him.
With amazement he finally realized that Haldir had
just moved himself and his things into his rooms. A
grin surfaced on his face. The silver-haired Elf was
somewhat of an enigma to him. 

“You are watching me,” said Haldir, turning around to
catch Elrond’s gaze. “Do you find me pleasing to the
eyes?”

“Very pleasing,” replied Elrond in a similar smug tone
as Haldir’s. “Would you sit with me for a moment?
There is something I want to discuss with you.” 

Haldir nodded and seated himself opposite Elrond.
Curiously, he watched his new lover. Something
obviously troubled the half-Elf and he hoped he could
somehow help. 

“I talked to Erestor,” started Elrond, catching a
sparkle of recognition in Haldir’s eyes. “I assume you
and Erestor met?”

“Aye, I met him during his visits to Lothlórien.”

Elrond plunged into the deep, realizing he had to be
honest with Haldir. “Erestor and Glorfindel are
expecting a child.” There was no need to inform Haldir
about the abduction and Saruman’s vile actions
directed at Glorfindel. 

Haldir raised an eyebrow. Male pregnancy was extremely
rare. He had heard about it only once or twice. “That
is highly exceptional.”

“Aye, it is. And it is the very reason why Glorfindel
cannot perform his duties. Therefore I am in need for
a seneschal, and you offered.” He trembled; what if
Haldir had changed his mind and wanted to return to
the Golden Wood? What if the Galadhrim didn’t want to
stay with him?

“And I am still offering you my services,” said
Haldir, inclining his head. He easily read the fears
and doubts in Elrond’s eyes. /He thinks I am leaving
after all./ In time, Elrond would hopefully realize
that he was a man of his word. 

“How will Celeborn and Galadriel react? Wouldn’t they
prefer for you to return to them?”

“I doubt they will begrudge me my happiness, but you
are right. I should contact them and obtain their
formal permission. I will write them a letter, asking
for their approval.” He had served the Lord and Lady
for many millennia and looked upon them as his
parents, as his real parents had abandoned him and his
brothers. Celeborn and Galadriel had always told him
that they wanted him to be happy. 

Elrond nodded once. He would feel more confident once
Celeborn and Galadriel had agreed to this plan.
Abandoning this topic for now, he pointed at Haldir’s
brush and comb, which had found their way onto his
dressing table. “I assume this is your way of telling
me you would like to share my rooms with me?”

Haldir grinned and demonstratively licked his lips.
“Aye.”

Elrond’s groin tightened, seeing the pink tip of moist
flesh slide along those full lips. “I suggest you
write that letter now.”

Haldir inclined his head. “I will.” After rising from
the chair, he headed for Elrond’s desk, sat down
behind it like he owned it, took up the quill and
began to write. 

Elrond chuckled. He definitely liked his lover’s
cockiness and his desire mounted. Tonight he wanted to
possess the silver-haired Elf like Haldir had never
been possessed before. It was time to return last
night’s favor. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elrond hadn’t bothered to dress again after taking a
bath. He looked out of the window, but made sure no
one caught him naked. Staying in the night’s shadows,
his gaze drifted to the window that belonged to
Erestor’s rooms. He was pleased that everything seemed
to be working out for them, as well as for him. Haldir
was truly exquisite; a lovely treat that he wanted to
savor tonight.

Haldir stepped into the bedroom, licking his lips when
Ithil’s beams outlined the half-Elf’s lean body. He
had felt Elrond’s gaze on him when writing his letter
and he was experienced enough to realize what Elrond
wanted tonight. That was the main reason why he had
physically prepared himself for some fierce love
making after he had taken his bath. 

Hearing Haldir approach, Elrond turned around to look
at his naked, silver-haired lover. Haldir was built
sturdier than he was and the Galadhrim was slightly
shorter, but not by much. Elrond cocked his head,
leaned in closer and pressed his lips against
Haldir’s.

Haldir surrendered willingly when Elrond’s arms came
up behind his back, pulling him close. Their erections
brushed and he helplessly thrust against his lover,
knowing it would be a while before Elrond would grant
him release. 

“I want you,” whispered Elrond possessively. Tonight,
he wasn’t in the mood for much foreplay. “I want to
bury myself inside your body and make you scream my
name.”

Haldir swayed in Elrond’s arms at the intensity in the
half-Elf’s voice. “Then take me. Take me in whatever
way you wish.”

Elrond’s eyes flashed with fire, hearing those words.
“I will make you mine tonight, Haldir of ‘Lórien. You
will never want another lover again.” His fingertips
trailed down the silver-haired Elf’s spine before his
hands settled on the firm buttocks. Rubbing the two
mounds of flesh, he pressed Haldir close to him. 

Haldir panted. His eyes were hooded when they made
contact with Elrond’s. “I knew you would claim me. I
already prepared myself for you.”

Those words sent a flash of desire through Elrond’s
groin, making him growl possessively. “Turn around for
me, nîn-naur. (My fire.)” His voice was remarkably
steady when Haldir turned away from him. Slowly, his
hands slid down Haldir’s arms, forcing his lover to
bend forward. After guiding the silver-haired Elf’s
hands to the wall, Haldir willingly parted his legs
for him. 

Haldir’s breathing sped up, realizing Elrond wanted to
take him here and now. Placing the palms of his hands
against the wall, he stood widespread, wriggling
slightly to gain a more comfortable position. Bowing
his head, he waited for Elrond to claim him. He had
never felt this excited before and his hard member,
still untouched, hung heavy between his legs. 

Elrond parted the firm buttocks and teased the opening
before letting a finger slide inside. Haldir was
already slick and stretched. “Ah, nîn-naur, tell me
you want to be taken.”

Even in this vulnerable position, Haldir couldn’t help
but grin. Would his words heighten Elrond’s desire?
Oh, he hoped so! “I want you to take me… and take me
hard. Possess me, make me yours. Mark me!” Wriggling
his butt, he looked over his shoulder. “Take me now!”
He trembled, seeing the predatory grin on the
half-Elf’s lips. Elrond remained quiet, but Haldir
already felt the blunt head of his lover’s arousal
pressing against his entrance. “In one thrust…
Please.”

Elrond obeyed eagerly. After pushing past the guardian
muscle, he continued to slide inside, burying himself
completely. “Aiya, you are tight, nîn-naur!” Panting
softly, he attained a firm hold on Haldir’s hips
before beginning to thrust. 

Groaning, Haldir briefly closed his eyes. The pleasure
that spiraled through his body was making him dizzy.
Elrond’s first thrust took him by surprise, making him
moan loudly. Throwing back his head, he managed to
look at the half-Elf. Elrond’s brow was furrowed with
concentration, as his dark-haired lover forced himself
a way into his willing body again… and again. “Ai!” He
whimpered softly when Elrond managed to stroke the
hidden gland, bringing him unspeakable pleasure. 

Elrond, feeling Haldir tremble, wrapped his arms
around the silver-haired Elf and pulled him away from
the wall until Haldir was standing upright. A wicked
grin spread on his face, rolling an erect nipple
between his fingertips. One hand stole down to his
lover’s groin and he fondled the sac, teasingly
rubbing the smooth flesh. 

Haldir was abandoned to Elrond’s thrusts. Now that the
angle had changed, his lover constantly brushed
against his sweet spot and he yelped helplessly.
“Don’t… want to… come yet.”

“You won’t.” Elrond squeezed hard at the base of his
lover’s hard flesh. The Galadhrim helplessly rocked
against him, trying to increase the speed of his
thrusts. “Ah, nîn-naur, I think I forgot to mention
that I have excellent stamina. You are in for a *long*
ride.”

Haldir’s eyes widened as Elrond obliged him, taking
him hard and deep. But the position left much to be
desired. “Can we… move this… to the… bed? Floor…
Chair?” He wasn’t sure his legs would support him much
longer. Spirals of ecstasy made his heart thunder
madly. 

Elrond considered the request. “Aye, let us move this
to the bed.” He regretted pulling out of his lover’s
body, but he did, and guided Haldir to the bed. “On
your back, melme.” (Love.)

Haldir quickly sat down. He had grown flustered,
realizing Elrond would make this last… long. 

Placing his hands on Haldir’s shoulders, the half-Elf
pushed his lover onto his back. A vulnerable
expression appeared in the hazel eyes and he smiled
reassuringly. “I said I would make you scream my name…
and I keep my promises.”

Trembling, Haldir let Elrond manhandle him until he
was flat on his back. He followed Elrond's
instructions when the half-Elf told him to bend his
knees and lift his feet into the air. He shivered with
anticipation, seeing his dark-haired lover lean in
closer. The soles of his feet now rested against
Elrond's chest, exposing him.

Elrond smiled possessively and positioned himself at
his lover’s slick opening. He effortlessly slid
inside, sheathing himself to the hilt, always
carefully monitoring his lover’s reactions. 

Haldir released a passionate yelp at Elrond’s next
thrust. The half-Elf’s hard flesh constantly stroked
his sweet spot and in his unfulfilled need, Haldir
clawed at the sheets. 

Elrond looked at the silver-haired Elf beneath him,
who was biting his bottom lip in order to control some
of his moans, and found him utterly beautiful. But the
sensation wasn’t intense enough. He wanted to hear
Haldir scream. Driving himself in harder, he almost
pulled out, and then plunged back in again, setting a
fast and somewhat brutal pace.

Haldir curled his trembling fingers around his hard
member, stroking in rhythm to Elrond’s thrusts. He
reached release too quickly, screaming at last. His
eyes widened and then focused on Elrond’s dark ones. 
“El… rond!” He screamed, finally finding release. 

Elrond closed his eyes momentarily, feeling his
lover’s inner muscles clench him. “Ah, so sweet,
Haldir… so tiiiii….aarg…” Coming hard, he found
release deep inside his lover’s body. Collapsing onto
Haldir’s legs, he parted them, so he could blanket his
lover’s body. Shakily, he pressed a demanding kiss on
Haldir’s lips. “I… made you…scream,” he panted,
slightly breathless.

Haldir smiled tiredly. “I finally know… why you…are
never on… the bottom.” None of his lovers had made him
feel like this and he wrapped his arms and legs around
Elrond, displaying a similar possessiveness. 

Elrond pulled out slowly and then rolled them onto
their sides, face to face. A film of sweat had formed
on Haldir’s brow and he brushed back a strand of damp
hair. “You are rather passionate yourself, nîn-naur.”
While stroking the damp hair, he leaned in closer,
touched his lips to Haldir’s, and parted his teeth
invitingly.

Haldir accepted, letting himself be lured inside the
moist cavern. Their tongues danced passionately and a
deep sigh of content satiation flowed into Elrond’s
mouth. 

Elrond smiled knowingly. He quickly pressed another
kiss onto Haldir’s lips and then tucked his lover’s
head under his chin. “Rest now…” He would clean them
up later; it was now time to rest and hold one
another. 

Haldir smiled against his lover’s chest. “I love you,
Elrond Half-Elven.”

Elrond sighed blissfully and then pressed a kiss on
the top of Haldir’s head. “And I love you, nîn-naur.” 

They rested in silence; their need for words gone.

TBC
Beta read by Lizzle, thanks!
All remaining mistakes are mine!


Part 21
Your Time Has Come.


“Elrond?”

Elrond looked up from hanging herbs at the ceiling,
where they would dry so he could use them for his
healing potions later. In the doorway stood Glorfindel
and Erestor. The dark-haired Elf’s arm was slung
tightly around the pregnant Elf and Glorfindel
appeared to be leaning into the embrace. Smiling
brightly, Elrond signaled for them to enter. “You seem
happy.”

Erestor beamed with love. “We are, but… Glorfindel has
some questions about the baby.” He guided his lover
closer to the half-Elf. Glorfindel was nervous and
Erestor was doing his best to emotionally and
physically support his lover. 

Nodding his head in understanding, Elrond met
Glorfindel’s concerned eyes. “Let us find a bed for
you to lie down in so I can properly examine you.” His
gaze drifted lower, and he frowned, encountering the
obvious distention. 

Feeling nervous, Glorfindel grabbed hold of Erestor’s
hand, dragging his lover along when he followed Elrond
into a room. “You are not leaving me alone with him.”

Erestor nodded reassuringly. “I will stay if that is
what you desire.”

Having overheard the private conversation, Elrond felt
extremely pleased. When Glorfindel had returned to
them, the blond had been terrified and insecure.
Erestor’s company and support had done wonders for the
Elda’s confidence. Turning about, he addressed
Glorfindel, “Please remove your robes and lie down.”
His friend grew flustered and Elrond quickly added,
“You can keep your leggings on, meldir.” (Friend.)

Glorfindel nodded thankfully and slipped out of his
robes. In order to do so he had to let go of Erestor’s
hand for one moment, but he immediately reclaimed it,
squeezing it tightly. 

”Everything will be fine,” said Erestor, repeating his
promise. 

Reassured, Glorfindel slowly lay down, tightly holding
on to Erestor.

Elrond, who had been waiting for Glorfindel to settle
down comfortably, now approached and placed a hand on
the blond’s swollen stomach. His expert fingers probed
carefully, trying to establish how far along his
friend was. After examining Glorfindel for some
minutes, he said, “Had this been a normal pregnancy
you would now be six months pregnant, half term.” 

Glorfindel gasped at the news and squeezed Erestor’s
hand again, missing the pained look in his lover’s
dark eyes at the strength he was using on the poor
limb. “It only took a few days…”

Elrond helped Glorfindel sit upright and draped warm
robes over his patient’s shoulders. “I was wrong when
I said it would take weeks. Judging by the rate at
which your baby is developing, I can safely say that
you will give birth in a few days. Saruman made sure
the baby’s development would be sped up when he cast
that spell.”

Glorfindel shuddered violently and then stared into
Erestor’s calm eyes. “Do you think Saruman will try to
get his hands on… my baby?” He only used ‘my baby’ to
please Erestor. If it had been up to him he would have
said ‘the monster’.

The question made Erestor apprehensive. “I hope not.”
But he couldn’t rule out the possibility that Saruman
would try to get to Glorfindel and the baby. “We will
be careful.” Looking at Elrond he said, “We should
double the number of guards.”

Elrond nodded his approval. “It will be done. I will
tell Haldir.” Mentioning his lover’s name made him
uncomfortable. He hadn’t told Glorfindel yet  that he
had been replaced.

But Glorfindel caught the look of discomfort on
Elrond’s face. “Erestor told me that Haldir has agreed
to take over my duties. You chose well.”

Relieved that Glorfindel seemed to accept this, Elrond
smiled thankfully. “He offered his services and he has
served as Celeborn’s seneschal. He was a logical
choice.” Elrond moistened his lips. “But I do expect
you to return to your duties once your personal
situation allows it.” The thankful expression in the
azure eyes told him everything he needed to know;
those were the exact words Glorfindel had needed to
hear.

“What do we do now?” asked Erestor. He wanted to be
ready when the moment of birth arrived.

“We will monitor the baby’s development closely and I
will examine Glorfindel daily. I think we can deliver
the baby in less than one week.” Elrond caught
Glorfindel’s shivers and understood only too well. “We
will do this together, meldir. You have a family
here.”

Glorfindel’s eyes filled with tears of gratitude.
Elrond, a bit startled at seeing them, looked at
Erestor questioningly.

“Mood swings… and his are even worse than
Celebrían’s,” said Erestor softly. Glorfindel was
still sitting upright in bed and Erestor quickly
seated himself next to his lover. After wrapping his
arms around the blond, he rocked his lover and
whispered soft reassurances. 

Elrond cleared his throat, trying to gain their
attention and it worked. “Glorfindel,” he said,
pulling up a chair and sitting down. “These next days
will be hard on you. The child will continue to grow
and the added weight might make you uncomfortable. You
should only eat small portions, drink lots of fluids
and take sufficient rest.” He hesitated briefly,
uncertain of Glorfindel’s reaction to his next words,
“The baby might start to move about and you will be
able to feel his movements.”

Glorfindel grew deadly pale, hearing Elrond’s words.
Things were beginning to feel too real and he wasn’t
sure if he could deal with feeling the baby’s kicks.
“I wish this were already over with.”

Elrond and Erestor exchanged a concerned look. In the
end, the half-Elf addressed them again. “I will
examine Glorfindel each morning in your quarters. Try
to convince him to stay in bed and make sure he eats.”
After seeing Erestor nod, Elrond concentrated on
Glorfindel again. “Any child of yours will be
courageous and charming. Have faith in yourself,
mellon-nîn.” (My friend.)

Glorfindel snorted, but remained quiet. When Erestor
urged him to his feet, he obeyed, letting his lover
support him. 

“I will see you early in the morning.” Elrond watched
them leave, feeling concerned about Glorfindel. He
could only hope that the baby would be more Elven than
Uruk-Hai.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Haldir’s first order as Imladris’ new seneschal was
doubling the number of guards. He wasn’t sure why
Elrond thought they were in danger, but he trusted the
half-Elf to know best. After a long day of getting
acquainted with his staff and guards, he returned to
Elrond’s private chambers, finding his lover looking
out of the window. 

“You are worried.” Haldir walked up to the Peredhel
and wrapped his arms around Elrond. “Will you tell me
why?”

Elrond had privately debated if he should confide in
Haldir. It was only a matter of time before his lover
found out the truth about Glorfindel’s pregnancy.
Seeing a baby, part Uruk-Hai, would make Haldir turn
to him with lots of questions. “There is something you
need to know,” said Elrond, turning in Haldir’s
embrace. “Let us sit down and then I will tell you.”

Haldir, feeling apprehensive, followed Elrond and they
seated themselves near the fire. He listened in shock
when Elrond told him about the abduction and Saruman’s
actions. It was hard to believe that the Istar had
done such a terrible thing to an Elf. 

“I understand.” Haldir sighed, realizing why Elrond
had needed a new seneschal. “Glorfindel has my
sympathy and my support.”

Elrond nodded thankfully. He felt drained and needed
to grow calm again. “I would like to walk in the
gardens for some time.” His mind was preoccupied with
the upcoming birth, as he had to deliver the baby. The
prospect of performing such surgery on his friend
worried him. 

“I will join you then.” Haldir rose from his chair,
extended his hand and smiled when Elrond took it.
Rubbing the half-Elf’s knuckles, they ventured into
the gardens. /I will hold you tightly tonight./ He had
long read his lover’s mood and realized there wouldn’t
be any passionate lovemaking tonight. Elrond needed to
be held and reassured instead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
That evening, Glorfindel sat on a comfortable chair,
which Erestor had moved onto the balcony so he could
enjoy the stunning sunset. Erestor was back in the
kitchens, fixing him something to eat. During the last
few hours, he had tried hard to make his peace with
the fact that this baby was coming into the world,
regardless of his feelings. Erestor had tried to help
him accept this fact and had urged him to make the
best of it, but how could he? He was carrying a
monster inside his body. How he could love an
Uruk-Hai? 

Moving about on the chair, he tried to attain a more
comfortable position. He had been sitting in the same
position for too long and now his legs had cramped up.
Lifting his robes, he frowned, seeing how swollen his
ankles were. Tears appeared in his eyes, but he fought
them back. Crying wouldn’t help him. 

“Melamin?” Erestor, who had arrived only a moment ago,
saw the sullen expression on his lover’s face. He
placed the tray with food items on the table and knelt
in front of the blond. “Cramps?”

Biting his bottom lip, Glorfindel nodded once.
Speechless, he watched as Erestor began to lovingly
massage the abused limbs. “How can you still find
pleasure in touching me?”

“Because I love you,” was Erestor’s simple reply. He
continued to work on the long legs until Glorfindel
released a pleased sigh. The massage had apparently
eased the cramps. “Can I tempt you with some food?”

Glorfindel began to shake his head, but then realized
that the soup smelled delicious. “I will try some.”

Erestor filled a bowl and handed it to the Elda, who
began to eat slowly, almost thoughtfully. Erestor
pulled up a chair and sat down next to his lover,
feeding him bits of freshly baked bread, which he
teasingly pushed past the blond’s lips. 

Now that his appetite had returned, Glorfindel asked
for more soup. Nursing the warm vegetable soup, he
studied Erestor. “Only a few more days. Are you sure
you still want to be with me? I would not blame you if
you decided to leave me.”

“Aiya, melamin, I want to spend the rest of my life
with you. You won’t chase me away so easily!” He
poured Glorfindel some wine, which had been made less
potent by adding water to it, and handed it to the
pregnant Elf. “This will help you relax.” 

Glorfindel looked at the wine thoughtfully. He was
surprised to realize that he worried about the
possible negative effects it might have on his baby. 

“I asked Elrond. It is safe for you to sip.” 

Trusting Erestor, Glorfindel sipped. His eyes widened,
feeling sudden movement in his belly. Gasping, he
panted for air. 

Erestor quickly retrieved the glass and placed it
aside. “What is it?” Concerned, he leaned in closer.

“I can feel it… It is moving about…” Tears, which he
had fought down earlier, now flowed down his face. “I
am scared.”

Erestor reacted at once by wrapping his arms around
the blond and holding him tight. “I won’t leave your
side, melamin, you know that. I will take care of both
of you.”

Glorfindel involuntarily placed his hand on his
abdomen. The baby hadn’t settled down yet. Acting on
impulse, he grabbed Erestor’s hand and placed it on
his stomach as well. 

Erestor beamed at his lover. “He is strong. You should
be proud of that.”

“Proud,” repeated Glorfindel in a bitter tone. “I
never wanted this.” Saruman had forced him to carry
this child. He frowned, realizing he hadn’t thought
about the rapes for some time, and when he tried to
recall those horrible moments, he found them nearly
gone from his memory. He recalled being abducted,
arriving in Orthanc, but then his memories went black.
The next memory he encountered was Erestor holding
him. Wasn’t it strange that he had forgotten the
details of the rapes?

Erestor, sensing that Glorfindel was brooding, used
the link to send the blond soothing feelings. “We will
love this baby and he will love us back.”

Stunned, Glorfindel looked at his lover. “How can you
have such faith?”

“I have to believe nothing evil can come forth from
you.” 

Glorfindel briefly closed his eyes. “Oh, I love you,
nîn bellas.” (My strength.) He held on to Erestor for
long moments, and then began to feel sleepy again.
Elrond had warned him that he would need rest almost
constantly. 

“Let me help you to the bed. You should lie down.”

Azure eyes flashed open. “But you will stay with me?”

“Of course.” Erestor gave his lover a reassuring
smile. “Always.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Erestor released a sympathetic groan, when Glorfindel
moved about in bed. They had turned in an hour ago,
but the blond was unable to find sleep. Erestor
loosened his hold, allowing Glorfindel to roll onto
his other side. Now facing each other, Erestor brushed
a wayward lock away from Glorfindel’s face. Large,
sapphire eyes stared at him pleadingly. 

“I cannot find a comfortable position to sleep in
and…” His voice trailed off, unwilling to admit this
to Erestor.

But Erestor had a good idea what else was wrong. His
hand moved down the distended stomach until he found
his lover’s erection. They were only wearing thin
sleeping robes and the material was easily brushed
aside. “Maybe I can help you fall asleep?” Tenderly,
he stroked his lover’s hard flesh. 

Glorfindel gulped at the touch, but then welcomed it.
“Would you? Please?” The erotic dreams had continued
these last few nights and he hungered for Erestor’s
touch. 

Eager to please his lover, Erestor nodded and gently
maneuvered the blond onto his back. “Allow me…” He
unbuttoned his lover’s sleeping robe and smiled
wickedly, licking his lips in anticipation. 

Glorfindel squirmed; seeing Erestor lick his lips was
making him even harder!

“Relax for me and enjoy.” Erestor knelt next to his
lover and leaned in closer. “You are beautiful.”

“My stomach is in the way,” said Glorfindel in a
miserable tone. He couldn’t understand why Erestor
still wanted to touch him. Then Erestor did something
that took his breath away. The dark-haired Elf
showered his growing belly with kisses and licks.
Tears welled up in his azure eyes and he buried his
fingers in the mane of dark hair. “I love you, nîn
bellas.”

Erestor just grinned wickedly and bowed forward,
bestowing a delicate lick to the head of his lover’s
erection. Glorfindel moaned his surprise and Erestor
decided to take his time. His fingers cupped his
lover’s sac, gently rolling their content in his palm.
Glorfindel’s eyes widened at that move and Erestor
continued the manipulation. 

Glorfindel stared at his raven-haired lover, who
seemed to thoroughly enjoy this, given the smug
expression in the dark eyes. He sucked in his breath
when a warm, wet tongue licked its way down his length
to nibble gently at his sac. His breath came in gasps
when Erestor took first one, and then the other
testicle in his mouth, manipulating it with his
tongue. “Oi…” Glorfindel wasn’t capable of intelligent
speech whilst that warm mouth enclosed his shaft,
licking and suckling gently. 

Erestor continued to roll the sac between his fingers,
cunningly manipulating to make his partner last
longer. Relaxing his throat muscles, he took his lover
completely. 

Unable to hold still, Glorfindel thrust. For one
moment he worried about his lover, but Erestor
expertly took him in, allowing him to continue
thrusting. Accepting that invitation, he arched his
back, utterly possessing his lover’s mouth and throat.


Erestor slipped one hand beneath his lover’s buttocks
for support, allowing Glorfindel to thrust as hard and
deep as the Elda desired. The blond lasted
surprisingly long, but then tensed against him. Warm
cream erupted from his lover’s hard flesh and he
swallowed it, taking everything Glorfindel offered. 

Panting hard, the Elda stared at his lover, who now
released his softening member. Erestor licked him
clean, and the dark-haired Elf reminded him of a
large, predatory cat, ready to defend him against all
possible intruders. His body relaxed, sated, and his
hooded eyes grew vacant with sleep. 

Looking up at the blond, Erestor grinned. “I think we
found a way to put you to sleep.” After buttoning up
his lover’s sleeping robe, he curled himself
protectively around Glorfindel. He rested one hand on
the Elda’s stomach, feeling another kick beneath his
fingertips. “Everything will be all right,” he
repeated, “I promise.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During the next few days, Glorfindel mostly stayed in
bed or sat in the sun on the balcony. Erestor fussed
over him, enduring the blond’s mood swings and
frequently helping him to the bathroom. Backrubs
became an essential part of their daily routine and
Erestor tried hard to lift his lover’s darkening
moods. He had also asked Glorfindel to think of a name
for the baby, but the Elda still refused. At night, he
held Glorfindel close, whispering soft declarations of
his love. 

At one time Glorfindel had asked him to take him, to
make love to him, and Erestor had been stunned. After
gathering his wits, he had refused the blond, not
wanting to hurt the baby accidentally. He had also
been afraid to trigger unpleasant memories. Glorfindel
had pouted, but when he had taken the blond into his
mouth again, his lover’s protests had changed into
soft, contented mews. 

But that morning things suddenly changed. Glorfindel
was in pain and had curled up in fetal position.
Alarmed, Erestor had quickly fetched Elrond, who
quickly finished examining his patient. 

“Glorfindel? Your time has come.” Elrond caught the
terror in the sapphire eyes and placed his hand on his
friend’s brow. 

“Nay…” Glorfindel sobbed softly. During these last few
days, he had become increasingly emotional. “I do not
want to live through it!”

Elrond understood. “I will put you to sleep, meldir.
You won’t be conscious during the delivery.”
Glorfindel was too tense and Elrond was afraid the
blond wouldn’t cooperate during the birthing process. 

“Erestor?” Glorfindel clung to his lover’s hand,
resting it above his heart. “Don’t leave me alone.”

“I won’t,” said Erestor, leaning in closer and
pressing a chaste kiss on the blond’s brow. 

Glorfindel closed his eyes, gathering his strength and
courage. After composing himself, he looked at Elrond.
“Do it.” He wanted this ordeal over with.

Elrond nodded his approval. “We will transfer you to
the Healing House, then.” He reached for a pouch,
filled with herbs. “Open your mouth and chew on
these.”

Glorfindel obeyed, but shot Elrond a questioning look.

“They will help you relax and eventually you will go
to sleep.” Elrond tenderly stroked his patient’s brow.
“I will take very good care of you.”

“I know you will,” said Glorfindel, growing sleepy.
“Please… do not… let it… kill me…” His eyes lost their
sparkle as the troubled Elf fell into a deep sleep.

Elrond sucked in a deep breath and exchanged a knowing
look with Erestor. “He is still afraid.”

“Can you blame him?” Erestor shrugged his shoulders
once. “We should take him to the Healing House.”

Elrond nodded. “Elladan will assist me. We already
went through the procedure and we know what to do.”

Slightly reassured, Erestor looked at his lover, who
was thoroughly asleep. Now all he could do was wait
and hope for the best.

TBC

Beta read by Lizzle, thanks!
All remaining mistakes are mine.


Part 22/25
Secrets No More. 



Elrond’s relief showed clearly in his sigh whilst he
cleaned the blood from the baby’s tiny body. The boy
had very dark hair, which obviously wasn’t
Glorfindel’s legacy. Seeing the distinctly pointed
ears, the already graceful limbs and the big blue
eyes, Elrond wondered at the absent Uruk-Hai traits.
Instinctively, he knew that neither Saruman nor the
Uruk-Hai had fathered this child. This beautiful baby
was untouched by evil, an innocent. 

“Elladan, hand me a clean towel.” Elrond accepted the
towel en tightly wrapped the soft fabric around the
baby. 

Elladan, who had been afraid for Glorfindel’s mental
well-being, now felt relieved as well. “No Orc or
Istar fathered this child.”

Elrond nodded his head and then sat down in the
rocking chair, trying to gauge the baby’s features,
which reminded him of someone. He just couldn’t
identify that person. Rocking the baby in his arms, he
kept a close eye on Glorfindel as well. The Elda was
still asleep and would continue to sleep for a few
more hours, giving his body a chance to heal. 

“Glorfindel will be relieved to learn that his child
is fully Elven,” whispered Elladan, “but I do not
understand how that is possible.”

Elrond was trying to solve the same riddle. “Who
fathered this little one?” Large, blue eyes stared at
him in delight and a smile seemed to curl the corners
of the baby’s mouth. 

Elladan suddenly slapped his forehead. “Ada, there was
one Elf present: Erestor. He freed Glorfindel.”

Elrond sucked in a sharp breath. Elladan had made a
valid point. “You must be right. There is no other
explanation, but what happened?” Being the father
would explain Erestor’s constant hovering and the
pained expression that sometimes showed on the Elf’s
face. “I wonder if Erestor knows.”

“Would you like me to fetch him?” Elladan gently
placed his palm on Glorfindel’s brow, relieved to find
most of the cold sweat gone. Glorfindel felt warm to
the touch and his breathing had grown steady once
more. During these last few weeks he had been
extremely worried about  the Elda, much like the rest
of them. They had been concerned for the blond’s
mental health, but now that the child was finally
born, Glorfindel might find his emotional balance
again. At least, Elladan hoped so. 

“Aye, fetch Erestor for me.” Elrond was already trying
to come up with a way to question his advisor on this
subject. Maybe he should go for the direct approach
and place the baby in Erestor’s arms while closely
observing the Elf’s reaction. 

After Elladan had left the room, Elrond smiled at the
baby, googooing and gaagaaing like he had when his own
children had been little. It felt good to have another
baby in the house and he was already looking forward
to watching this little one grow up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Erestor frantically paced the waiting area. His hands
were behind his back and he wrung them nervously.
/Please let Glorfindel survive as well as the baby,
please…/ But he doubted the Valar were listening to
him.

“Erestor?”

He spun around, hearing Elladan’s soft voice. “Is
Glorfindel alive? And what about the baby?”

Elladan nodded reassuringly. “Glorfindel is asleep and
will recover quickly.”

“And what about… the baby?” Erestor cringed. /What if
the baby is part Uruk-Hai?/ He had promised Mandos to
never leave Glorfindel’s side and it was that very
promise that kept the Elda on Arda. He would never
break it, but life would be so much harder from now
on. 

“I think you should see for yourself.” On his way over
here, Elladan had realized he didn’t have the courage
to confront Erestor. It would be best if he let his
father handle the situation. 

/*That* bad!/ Erestor lowered his eyes, feeling
miserable and defeated as he stared at the floor.
Slouching, he reluctantly followed Elladan. His heart
beat nervously in his chest, whilst he steeled himself
for the sight that awaited him. /Regardless of what
may be, I will stand by his side and support him. The
Valar know I love him and together we will get through
this./ 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After he had finished cleaning the baby, Elrond
wrapped him in a warm sheet and then cradled the
little one against his chest. Glorfindel should be the
one holding the baby, but the Elda was still
recovering and deeply asleep. It would be a few more
hours before the blond would wake up. He could barely
imagine Glorfindel’s relief when realizing he had been
blessed with a fully Elven child.

A knock on the door drew his attention away from his
musings. “Enter.”

First Elladan and then Erestor shuffled inside. His
old friend seemed reluctant and hesitant and he
remained hovering near the doorway. Erestor’s eyes
were drawn to the bundle in his arms and Elrond
wondered how Erestor could possibly explain being the
child’s father. 

Erestor’s glance moved away from the wrapped up bundle
in Elrond’s arms and settled on Glorfindel’s face. His
heart leapt in joy at finding his lover alive and in a
healing sleep. “How does Glorfindel fare?” His feet
already carried him toward the bed.

“His body needs time to recover, but I expect him to
be back on his feet in a few days.” Elrond carefully
monitored Erestor’s reactions. “He will make a full
recovery, meldir.”

“Good…” muttered Erestor absentmindedly. He sat down
on the edge of the bed and stroked the blond locks. He
had to convince himself that his beloved was
recuperating. 

“Do you not want to see the baby?” asked Elrond,
exchanging a look with Elladan, who had seated himself
close to Glorfindel so he could monitor their charge.

Erestor flinched as memories of finding Glorfindel
battered and bleeding returned to torment him. “I am
not sure.” Seeing Elrond’s puzzled expression, he
added, “I love Glorfindel with my entire being, but… I
am scared to see the baby’s features.”

Elrond understood. “Erestor? Come over here and look
at the baby.”

Erestor drew in a deep breath and gathered his
courage, slowly walking toward Elrond. 

“Sit down beside me.”

Erestor seated himself next to Elrond, but tried hard
not to look at the baby. His heart ached for his
beloved; if he had been able to carry this burden for
Glorfindel, he would have. But Mandos had not given
him that choice. 

“Here…” Elrond involuntarily held his breath, placing
the baby in Erestor’s arms. His friend looked
absolutely terrified. /He probably expects the baby to
be part Uruk-Hai./

Erestor trembled, feeling the tiny, warm body against
him. He was scared to look at the baby, but he would
accept reality because he loved the Elda. /This is
Glorfindel’s flesh and blood, and therefore I will
love this baby./ 

Pushing away his fears and doubts, he finally looked
at the baby. His breath caught in surprise. Where he
expected to see Orcish features, there were none. His
breath slowly escaped; so the child was half-Elven,
Saruman’s offspring. 

But then he frowned; his fingertips slowly trailed
along the fully pointed ears. Not half-Elven? His
frown deepened when he finally looked up at Elrond,
desperate for an explanation. 

Elrond chuckled in spite of the situation. “Why did
you not tell me that Glorfindel and you were lovers?”

“Lovers?” Erestor shook his head in denial. “We were
not lovers at that time!” His gaze returned to the
baby’s features and dark hair. “How is this possible?”

Elrond remained calm. “Why don’t *you* tell *me*?”

Erestor’s confusion mounted when he realized what
Elrond was implying. “This cannot be *my* child!”

“Why not? Erestor, he has *your* hair color and
features.” Elrond did his best to remain patient, but
he wanted answers and so he pushed on. “Erestor, it is
time for the truth.”

“The truth…” Erestor’s mind flashed back. “The truth
is that I love him. I always did. That is why I
volunteered to venture into Orthanc to reclaim him. I
could not let Saruman have him.” The baby cooed softly
and then snuggled up to him, reaching for him blindly
with tiny fingers. Instinctively, Erestor held him
close. “I should tell Glorfindel first.”

Elrond’s eyes widened. “What secrets are you hiding?”

Erestor realized he might need Elrond’s support when
Glorfindel woke up and reconsidered, deciding to
confide in Elrond first. “When I found Glorfindel he
had taken his own life and his soul was on its way to
the Halls of Waiting. I desperately tried to reclaim
him, but could not reach him. In my despair I could
only think of one way to get through to him after all
the pain he endured.”

“You followed him into death,” whispered Elladan, who
had been quiet until now. 

Erestor sighed dejectedly. “Aye, and by doing so my
spirit was also cast forward to the Great Halls.” A
bitter laugh escaped him, but he bit down the rest of
his bitterness, feeling the baby move restlessly at
the sound. “I challenged Mandos himself and he
accepted.”

Elrond frowned deeply. “By the Valar, Erestor, what
did you do?”

Erestor shrugged. “Mandos bonded our souls. My love
keeps Glorfindel here… Alive.”

“And then the Valar blessed your union by giving you
this child. Erestor, you are truly blessed.” Elrond
was beginning to relax, realizing his two best friends
had been bonded by the Valar themselves. “Does
Glorfindel know how you reclaimed him?”

“Nay, and I desperately wanted to tell him,” said
Erestor honestly, “But Mandos had taken pity on
Glorfindel and took away his worst pain and most
shattering memories. That is why Glorfindel survived.
He also forgot I ever touched him in that way and
later on, I lacked the courage to confess to him. I
was not even sure Mandos would allow me to confess. I
am surprised he does now. I had not thought that he
would.” Erestor’s eyes were swimming. “I never
suspected that I had fathered the child.”

Elrond smiled, seeing the baby fall asleep against
Erestor’s warm body. “You should think of a name for
him.”

“Glorfindel should name the baby.” His gaze longingly
drifted to the blond. “How do I explain this to him?
He will want to know why his son is fully Elven.”

Elrond’s frown returned. “You must tell him the truth.
He deserves no less.”

“But…” Erestor bit his bottom lip. The child was
absolutely adoring and he had already lost his heart
to his son. “I do not know how to tell Glorfindel.”

“He will understand.” Elrond placed a hand on his
friend’s shoulder and squeezed gently. “You saved his
life!”

Erestor angrily wiped away his tears. “I know I have
to tell him the truth, but I am not sure I possess the
necessary courage. I do not know how he will react.”
Staring dotingly at the baby in his arms, he realized
he was truly infatuated with the little one. “I do not
want to lose Glorfindel, or my son.”

Elrond and Elladan exchanged a confident look. They
were both fairly sure the situation would solve itself
once Glorfindel woke.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elrond had placed the baby in the crib next to
Glorfindel’s bed and had then left, ordering Erestor
to stay until the blond woke. He wanted the two of
them to talk and do away with all secrets.

That order left Erestor shaky and nervous. He was
deadly scared to face Glorfindel and to tell him what
had truly expired at Orthanc, but he also realized
that Elrond would lock him into this room if
necessary. This was something he had to do. Elrond was
right; Glorfindel deserved to know the truth.

Sitting at the Elda’s side, he claimed Glorfindel’s
hand. Soothingly, he stroked the skin and rubbed the
knuckles. A soft groan caught his attention and he
clung to Glorfindel’s hand for support. The dark blue
eyes blinked, filled with awareness and then searched
the room. 

Glorfindel felt utterly exhausted and his first
reaction was to go back to sleep, but then he recalled
what had happened. Elrond had delivered the baby, --
his son. Instinctively he tried to curl up on his
side, but pain erupted from his abdomen and he froze
instantly. At the same time he grew aware of the fact
that someone was holding his hand. His gaze first
shifted to his hand and then traveled to Erestor, who
sat next to the bed. Seeing his lover reassured him.
He had been afraid that seeing his half-breed son
would drive the raven-haired Elf away. 

“I will always be there for you… I keep my promises,”
said Erestor softly. He lost himself in the azure
eyes, like he always did, and pressed a kiss on
Glorfindel’s knuckles. 

“What about… the child?” Glorfindel trembled
violently. When Erestor let go of his hand he felt
deserted, but then he realized that his lover wanted
to show him the baby. 

Glorfindel slowly propped himself up on his elbows and
then rested his back against the pile of pillows,
which had been placed against the headboard. Tremors
whipped through his body and his stomach contracted
with nervousness. Would he be able to love his son?

He noticed Erestor’s hesitance and expected the worst.
His son had probably been born with those hideous
Uruk-Hai fangs. “Elbereth, give me strength,” he
prayed when Erestor gently placed the tiny bundle in
his arms. 

Involuntarily, Glorfindel had closed his eyes and he
now slowly opened them to look at his son. His eyes
widened in surprise, seeing the perfect, elegant
features and already intelligent eyes which were
staring back at him in wonder. Shocked, he brushed
back the dark hair and examined the pointed ears.
Next, he waited for the little one to part his lips,
and when the baby released a pleased sound,
Glorfindel’s heart jumped in joy, finding no fangs. “I
do not understand,” he whispered pleadingly. And where
was Elrond? The half-Elf might be able to explain this
to him. 

Erestor’s fingernails dug into the armrest of his
chair. “I have a confession to make.” He prayed
Elbereth would give him the strength he needed. 

“What kind of confession?” Glorfindel had trouble
taking everything in. His son was apparently fully
Elven, having no Uruk-Hai features at all. And had he
been Saruman’s son, some human features would have
shown. 

Erestor tightly closed his eyes, unable to look at
Glorfindel. “When I found you, your spirit had already
left your body and I could only think of one way to
reclaim you. I wanted to show you that I loved you… So
I followed you into death.” Erestor heard Glorfindel’s
startled gasp, but kept his eyes tightly closed and
chided himself for the coward that he was. 

Glorfindel stared at Erestor in stunned disbelief. So
many emotions were at war inside him! “You did what?” 

“I slit my throat. I set my spirit free in order to
join you at the Halls of Waiting. Mandos was impressed
and agreed to let you return to Arda, but there was a
stipulation. He demanded that I made love to you --
that I took you and made you mine. At that point I did
not know you could conceive or bear a child.”

Glorfindel tiredly sagged back against the pillows
with his son tightly cradled against his chest.
Erestor’s words hadn’t fully registered with him yet.
“When I am asleep at night I always hear Este’s sweet
voice, assuring me everything will be all right. I did
not understand… until now.” Glorfindel rested his head
against the pillows. “I am too tired to discuss this.”

“Aye, you should rest. Would you like me to call
Elrond?” His lover might have questions for the
healer.

Suddenly, Erestor’s admission fully penetrated the
foggy recesses of his mind and Glorfindel finally
realized the truth. Unexpectedly images came alive in
his mind. Slowly, his memories returned, showing him
how tenderly Erestor had taken him. “You… made love to
me,” he whispered, reliving that special moment. “You
challenged the Valar themselves to take me back with
you.”

As the memories found their place in his mind,
Glorfindel smiled weakly. He was thankful that he now
remembered that special occasion --their first time.
“So this is –our– son?”

“Aye,” whispered Erestor, seeing understanding and
remembrance in Glorfindel’s azure eyes. He was
surprised that the Valar had allowed Glorfindel to
remember his stay in the Halls of Waiting, but he also
felt immensely grateful.  

Glorfindel lovingly looked at his son, who was fast
asleep in his arms. “He is beautiful.” He had expected
to be confronted with an abomination – a monster – and
not with this lovely sight. Their son was perfect.
Instinctively, he counted the baby’s toes and fingers.

“Melamin,” started Erestor in an emotional tone, “I
had no idea this would happen. At the time I wondered
why Mandos insisted I made love to you, but I obeyed
nonetheless. I cannot live without you! I love you!”
 
Bliss overwhelmed Glorfindel at hearing Erestor’s
declaration of love. He smiled contentedly. “I am glad
you reclaimed me, nîn bellas.” Raising a hand he
caressed his lover’s face and his gaze fastened on
Erestor’s. “Our son still needs a name.”

Erestor nodded his head once. “You should name him,
but there is time. First, you should rest. I can hold
our son whilst you sleep or I can place him back in
his crib. Elrond usually checks on him each hour.”

“You hold him,” decreed Glorfindel, his eyes
occasionally growing vacant. He didn’t want to let go
of his son, but the baby was in the best of hands with
Erestor: his father. 

Erestor, still sitting on the edge of the bed, locked
gazes with the blond. “I love you so much, nîn ind.
And I love our son.” 

Glorfindel’s eyes swam with tears and fierce emotions.
“Thank you for reclaiming me, nîn bellas. Thank you
for giving us a son. I am not sure I could have dealt
with a son, who was part Uruk-Hai.” His eyes grew
vacant again, but he struggled to remain awake. 

“Melamin, you are exhausted. Rest.” Erestor carefully
took hold of their son and held him close. With his
other hand, he pulled up the sheet and tucked the soft
fabric around his recovering lover. “Sleep, nîn ind.
You and our son are safe with me.”

Glorfindel’s last thought --before giving into this
healing sleep -- was that the Valar had indeed blessed
them. His son was fully Elven and stunningly
beautiful. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Elrond ventured into the room again, he found
Erestor in the rocking chair, holding his son.
Soundlessly, he walked toward the bed and studied
Glorfindel in his sleep. The blond’s features were
relaxed and all worries and fears had left his
features. “You told him,” said Elrond, addressing
Erestor. 

Erestor sighed softly. “Aye, I did.” But Glorfindel
knew only part of the truth. The Elda still didn’t
know about the bond they shared. 

Elrond seated himself and continued to study his
friend. “What did he say?”

“He is immensely relieved that the baby is fully
Elven. I know how afraid he was that his son would be
part Uruk-Hai.” Erestor gently rocked his son in his
arms. “I now know how you felt when you held your
children in your arms. It is the most amazing
feeling.”

Elrond nodded and let his thoughts drift off to the
past, when he had held his children for the first
time. But then he was pulled away from his musings. 

“Erestor?”

Glorfindel’s voice took them both aback and Erestor
smiled happily at his lover. 

Glorfindel, now fully awake, pushed himself into a
sitting position. He was relieved to find that the
pain in his abdomen had lessened. He would probably
carry a scar for the rest of his life, but it was a
small prize to pay for giving birth to their son.
After watching his lover for a moment, he cleared his
throat. “Erestor?”

Erestor took that as his cue to place their son in the
blond’s arms. “Did you decide on a name yet?” Sitting
down on the edge of the bed, he smiled warmly. He
raised a hand and stroked the long, golden hair.
Leaning in closer, he placed a passionate kiss on
Glorfindel’s lips.

Glorfindel returned the kiss eagerly. “I love you, nîn
bellas.” Erestor sat back and Glorfindel smiled
dotingly at his son. He was taken aback when he
inhaled his son’s sweet scent. Large, blue eyes
-definitely his legacy- stared at him, pleased. Part
of him was afraid he would wake up and find it had
just been a dream. “Our son is perfect.”

“Aye, he is,” said Erestor pleased. “And he has your
stunning eyes.” 

Glorfindel smiled adoringly at his lover. “I wish to
name our son after you. You have saved my life and
given him his. His name will be Erion. He represents
our union and I want all of Arda to know that my
gorgeous lover is the father of this beautiful
Elfling.” 

Erestor blushed and nodded his head. He felt a little
overwhelmed that their son would carry part of his
name, but he approved of the choice. “You chose well.
It is a good name, nîn ind.”

Glorfindel smiled tiredly. Shifting cautiously, he
realized he still felt sore. “I feel… weak,” he
admitted softly. The blond had only been awake for a
few minutes and already dark exhaustion was pulling
him under again. 

Seeing Erestor’s apprehensive expression Glorfindel
grew worried. “Why do you look like you are still
keeping something from me?” That thought made him
nervous. 

Erestor sighed, realizing he had to tell Glorfindel
the entire truth. “When Mandos agreed to send you
back, he bonded our souls.” Moistening his lips, he
averted his eyes. “It is my love you draw strength
from.”

Suddenly certain things made sense to Glorfindel.
“Upon our return from Orthanc I noticed I felt drained
when you were not near. And when you touched me I felt
better.” 

Elrond nodded, recalling the healing potions he had
tried to strengthen Glorfindel, to no avail. The
blond’s condition had begun to improve when in
Erestor’s company. “The two of you are bound together
in body and soul.” 

Glorfindel smiled as a tiny hand reached for one of
his fingers and he happily obliged his son, offering
his index finger to play with. Recalling Erestor’s
admission, he locked eyes with the raven-haired Elf.
“I am bonded to you for the rest of my life?” 

Erestor didn’t want to make his next admission, but he
felt like he had no choice. “The bond works both
ways,” explained Erestor, “I need you close as well.
We would probably both fade should we decide to go
separate ways.” 

Glorfindel arched an eyebrow and exchanged a look with
Elrond. “Is this possible?”

Elrond nodded. “It sounds like something the Valar
would do. They would ask for some sort of sacrifice.”

Erestor said, “Glorfindel, I will love you and our son
as long as I will live.” Again, he leaned in closer,
planting a tender kiss on his lover’s lips.

Glorfindel’s eyes swam with tears, as Erestor’s love
traveled down their connection, strengthening him. 

Erestor, seated on the side of the bed, smiled at his
lover. His gaze was immediately drawn to Glorfindel’s
hands, caressing the baby’s skin. “I am sorry he does
not have your hair.”

“I am not,” said Glorfindel, smiling. 

Erestor rested his hand on Glorfindel’s, strengthening
the bond between them. His lover felt weak and needed
his energy and strength. 

Glorfindel determinedly curled his fingers around
Erestor’s. A tantalizing sensation ran through his
body at the touch. For the first time he fully
realized the true extent of their bond. 

Elrond, feeling quite the voyeur at that point, rose
from his chair and walked toward the doorway. His
friends were entitled to some privacy after everything
they had been through. Closing the door behind him, he
remained nearby, just in case they needed him.

Glorfindel’s gaze traveled back to Erion, who was
still sound asleep in his arms. His son’s fingers were
wrapped around his in a possessive gesture. “I feel
grateful that Erion takes after you, nîn bellas.” He
couldn’t help adding his next, somewhat teasing
remark. “He is already quite possessive, claiming my
finger like that. It seems he inherited some of *your*
character traits as well.”

Erestor had the grace to blush. “He must love you as
much as I do.” 

Glorfindel patted the space next to him, inviting
Erestor to lie down beside him. 

Accepting the invitation, Erestor laid down, cradling
Erion between them. Looking at his lover, Erestor
smiled warmly. He wrapped one arm around the blond,
who snuggled closer to him. Holding his lover and son
in his arms, Erestor sighed happily. “Thank you for
this gift, nîn ind.”

Glorfindel’s eyes darkened with impending sleep. “I…
love… you.” he mumbled fatigued. Now that his lover
was close he felt safe, and he surrendered to
exhaustion.  His eyes turned vacant with sleep. 

“I will always love you,” said Erestor, pressing a
kiss onto Glorfindel’s brow. Next, he looked at his
son’s azure eyes. “Aiya, you are adorable.” 

Erestor held them tightly throughout the night.

TBC

Beta read by Ilye and Niamh, thanks!
All remaining mistakes are mine! 



Part 23
Taking Care Of…


Erestor found that he was unable to leave Glorfindel’s
side during the next few hours. Even whilst his lover
was asleep, he continued to fuss over him; tucking the
sheet around him, tenderly stroking the still damp
hair and regularly checking on the wound, which was
covered by bandages, filled with healing herbs. Elrond
had told him that a faint scar would remain on
Glorfindel’s abdomen, an eternal reminder of having
carried their son. 

Erion was asleep in the crib and a contented sigh
escaped Erestor. The Valar had truly blessed them. He
had thought Mandos harsh and unjust in his actions,
but now he realized the wisdom in them. 

He sat down on the edge of the bed, hoping Glorfindel
would wake up. The blond needed to eat and drink in
order to keep up his strength. And he had the feeling
Erion would be a handful once he woke up. /If he takes
after us, we will be constantly busy./

The movement of Erestor sitting down woke Glorfindel,
who stretched and released a lazy yawn. He was
delighted to find Erestor at his side and reached for
his lover’s hand, clasping his fingers around the
limb. “How does Erion fare?”

“He is sound asleep.” Erestor stared at the blond.
Although he had believed it impossible, his feelings
for Glorfindel had deepened even more. Reaching for
the glass of fresh spring water, he handed it to his
lover, who sipped thankfully. “And how do *you* fare,
melamin?”

Glorfindel gave Erestor a stunning smile. “I have
never before felt better. An enormous burden has been
lifted from my shoulders, knowing my son is fully
Elven. I was so afraid he would be part Uruk-Hai.”

At hearing Glorfindel’s words, Erestor leaned in
closer and placed a kiss on his lover’s brow. Staring
deeply into the azure eyes, he said, “When we were in
the Great Halls, I wondered why Mandos demanded I made
love to you. I was scared to touch you because you
still remembered what had been done to you—“

Glorfindel raised a hand and placed one finger across
Erestor’s lips. “I remember what happened in the Halls
of Waiting. I also remember how carefully you made
love to me. I remember everything you said to me.”

Erestor swallowed hard. “Melamin, I could not live
without you. What I did was utterly selfish, but I am
glad I reclaimed you.”

Glorfindel nodded, smiling. “Mandos wanted us to make
love so I could conceive Erion. He must have worked
around Saruman’s magic somehow. I still conceived but
Mandos ensured *you* fathered my son.”

“I wanted to tell you what had happened in the Halls,
but Mandos had forbidden me to ever mention it to you.
I am surprised the Valar allow you to remember now.”
Erestor desperately wanted to enfold his lover in his
arms and kiss him breathless, but Glorfindel had
admitted that he still felt somewhat sore; his
abdominal region felt tender. He didn’t want to add to
his lover’s discomfort by accidentally applying
pressure during an embrace.

Glorfindel cocked his head, looking at his son. “I
never thought he would be this beautiful.”

Erestor chuckled softly. “I am glad he has your eyes.”
Leaning in closer, he finally claimed his lover’s lips
in a passionate kiss. 

Elrond, who just now entered the room, cleared his
throat, announcing his arrival. But the kiss continued
and his friends only stopped when they felt
comfortable with it. There was no haste, shame or
discomfort in their touch and Elrond greatly approved
of that. His friends had finally found the happiness
they deserved. “I regret disturbing you, but you have
visitors.”

Glorfindel raised an eyebrow. “Who are they?”

“Elladan and Elrohir would like to congratulate you.”
Elrond took a few steps closer to the bed. “They are
happy for you.”

Glorfindel nodded his head. “Let them enter.” He was
tired, but confident he could stay awake during their
visit.

Elrond opened the door and signaled for his sons to
enter. Elladan and Elrohir slowly shuffled inside.
Although Elladan had seen the baby before, he was
eager to see Erion again. 

Elrohir, who was about to get his first look at the
baby, shuffled his feet nervously. Elladan had told
him that the baby was fully Elven and that his
features already resembled Erestor’s, but he wanted to
see for himself. 

Erestor regretted having to let go of Glorfindel’s
hand, but he needed to leave the bed in order to pick
up the baby. With his son safely cradled against his
chest, he placed Erion in his lover’s arms. 

Glorfindel smiled blissfully and signaled for the
twins to approach. He then pushed down the blanket
Erion was wrapped in, revealing his son’s features. 

Taken aback, Elrohir sank down onto a chair close to
the bed and stared at the infant in wonder. “Elladan,
you were right. He does resemble Erestor, but his
eyes…” The azure eyes were distinctly Glorfindel’s.
“He is beautiful.” Looking at his former tutors, he
easily caught their happy gazes. He rested a hand on
Glorfindel’s arm and was pleased when the blond easily
accepted the touch. Glorfindel no longer flinched.
“May I?” He wanted to hold the baby for a moment. 

Glorfindel hadn’t believed it possible, but he felt
reluctant to let go of his son, even for the briefest
moment. After angsting about his son being part
Uruk-Hai he felt incredibly relieved that his child
was fully Elven. But in the end he shook himself and
placed Erion in Elrohir’s arms. 

Erion, now fully awake, looked at Elrohir curiously. A
moment ago he had been asleep and then he had woken in
his father’s arms. But now a strange Elf was holding
him and he didn’t like that. Testing his lungs, Erion
shrieked, wanting his father back.

Erestor reacted at once and gathered Erion in his
arms. “Aiya, little one, you are safe with me. Do not
cry.” Rocking his son, he shot Glorfindel a pleading
look. 

Erion did calm down, but his blue eyes searched the
room. Encountering a golden form, he raised his tiny
arms, trying to get closer to it. 

A wicked smile appeared on Erestor’s face. “He wants
*you*.” Placing Erion in Glorfindel’s arms, he hoped
the Elda’s presence would soothe the wailing baby.  

Glorfindel cradled his son to his chest. It was the
strangest feeling when Erion suddenly went quiet in
his arms. A smile erupted on Glorfindel’s face. “He
likes me.”

“He loves you,” said Erestor, correcting his lover. He
shot Elrohir an apologetic look. “We are new at this,
pen-neth. I might have helped to raise Arwen, your
brother and you, but this is different.” 

Elrohir nodded his understanding. “Erion definitely
inherited Glorfindel’s charms and your looks, Erestor.
I am glad this turned out so well.” 

Elladan nodded as well, locking gazes with Glorfindel.
“We will help any way we can, meldir.”

After that, Glorfindel only had eyes for his son,
whose tiny fingers had buried themselves in his shirt.
Frowning, he looked at Elrond, realizing something
very important. “I cannot feed him.”

“I already thought of that,” said Elrond in a gentle
tone, revealing the bottle filled with milk he was
carrying. He walked over to the bed and sat down in
the chair when Elrohir vacated his space. Elrond
showed Glorfindel how to hold the baby when feeding
him. 

Placing the bottle against his son’s lips,
Glorfindel’s eyes widened, realizing how hungry Erion
was. The baby was drinking furiously and had emptied
the bottle within minutes. 

Elrond laughed, amused. “I am confident Erion will be
a strong warrior one day.” The baby’s appetite was a
good sign. “Now make sure he burps.”

Glorfindel’s eyes widened, but he did as he was told.
Erion released a soft burp and then cooed, pleased. A
few moments later, the blue eyes began to grow vacant.


“Erestor? Erion needs to rest.” Glorfindel placed
Erion in his lover’s arms and watched Erestor’s every
move when the dark-haired Elf placed their son back in
his crib. During his pregnancy he had been afraid and
worried, but now that his son had been born, he felt
proud and extremely protective. 

A yawn sneaked up on him and Glorfindel pressed deeper
into the comfort of the mattress. 

“It looks like Erion is not the only one who needs to
rest,” said Erestor teasingly. 

Elrond and the twins exchanged a look, realizing it
was time to leave and give the couple some privacy. “I
will check on you later,” said Elrond, signaling for
his sons to follow him. 

Erestor’s gaze met Elrond’s. “Thank you for
everything.” 

“You are welcome.” Elrond shooed his sons into the
corridor and after agreeing they would meet again for
dinner, he headed to his quarters, where hopefully
Haldir would be waiting for him. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

Haldir sighed distressed, putting down the letter he
had been reading. Tears simmered in his eyes and
whilst staring at the writing he felt strangely
vulnerable. He was so engrossed in his own thoughts
that he didn’t hear Elrond enter and approach. 

Noticing his lover’s dark mood, Elrond came to a stand
still behind him. Possessively, he wrapped his arms
around Haldir’s shoulders, resting his chin on the
silver-haired Elf’s shoulder. “What ails you?”

Haldir startled momentarily, hearing Elrond’s voice
that unexpectedly, but he relaxed as his lover stroked
his long hair. “I received a letter from my brothers.”

Trying hard to be patient, Elrond moved toward the
desk and sat down on it. He studied his lover closely
and realized something had truly upset the march
warden. “What is it?”

“The news of my speedy recovery has reached the Golden
Wood and my brothers want to know when I will return.”
He lifted saddened eyes and met Elrond’s gaze. “I do
not want to leave Imladris. I promised you I would
stay and I keep my promises.”

“But…?” Elrond realized where this was going and he
didn’t like it. 

“I miss my brothers. I am the oldest and I… I want
them close. But at the same time I do not want to
leave you either.” 

“And your letter is still on its way to Celeborn, so
they do not know yet that you requested to stay as my
seneschal.”

Haldir nodded. “I wonder how they will react when
learning that fact.”

Elrond frowned momentarily. There had to be a solution
to their problem. “Why don’t you invite your brothers
to stay in Imladris? That way they can convince
themselves that you have made a complete recovery and
you can spend time with them.” 

Haldir smiled brilliantly, hearing that suggestion.
“That might work!”

/And who knows,/ Elrond thought, /maybe they will like
it here so much that they will want to spend their
spare time here. That way you can see them regularly…
and there will be the odd trip to Lothlórien we can
undertake./ He was willing to go to great lengths to
keep the silver-haired Elf happy.

“I will write them a letter as well, inviting them to
come and stay in Imladris.” Seated at Elrond’s desk,
he grabbed paper and quill and began to write
furiously. 

Elrond let him be, enjoying having Haldir in his
rooms. “I will be taking a bath, nîn-naur. Take your
time writing your letters.”

Haldir didn’t look up and merely nodded his head.

Bemused, Elrond gathered several towels before heading
into the bathroom. He felt tired and was looking
forward to a long soak. Delivering Erion had been
taxing and he had used some of his healing powers on
Glorfindel to stimulate the Elf’s recovery. He was
already looking forward to going to bed, eager to get
some much needed sleep. And Haldir didn’t seem in the
mood to make love either, which suited him best
tonight. His lover was too preoccupied sorting out his
private life. 

Quickly he undressed and then slipped into the pool of
warm, welcoming water.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Haldir returned to Elrond’s rooms after entrusting his
letters to a messenger. Closing the door behind him,
he found Elrond seated on the bed, staring blindly at
the wall. Haldir frowned; why hadn’t he noticed before
how drained the half-Elf looked? He had been so
consumed by his own problems that he had forgotten
about Glorfindel and the birth of the Elda’s child. 

“How do Glorfindel and his son fare?” Haldir knelt in
front of Elrond and brushed wet hair behind slightly
pointed ears. Elrond hadn’t bothered to dress, but had
slung a large towel around his frame. Occasionally a
wave of shivers coursed through the ruler of Imladris.
Haldir had already realized that Elrond was
susceptible to cold and he wondered what else he would
discover about his lover. “I trust the delivery went
well?”

Elrond nodded once. “They are both well and resting.
But delivering the baby was not easy.”

Haldir changed his position and sat down on the bed
next to Elrond. “Tell me about it.” At the same time,
he wrapped an arm around his lover, sharing his
warmth. 

“A male’s body is not suited to carry a child and at
one point Glorfindel was bleeding profusely.”

“What did you do?”

“The only thing I could. I used my healing powers to
close the wound.” Elrond sagged tiredly against
Haldir, resting his body against his lover. “Using
them drains me.”

“Come, lie down and rest.” Haldir felt somewhat guilty
for not having noticed before how tired Elrond was and
he now eased his lover down onto the bed.
Instinctively he began to knead the tense muscles
beneath his fingers. 

  “Ah, that feels good.” Elrond released a pleased
groan. 

“Turn around.” Haldir first removed the towel and then
helped Elrond to lie down on his stomach. He reached
for the oil on the nightstand, poured some into his
hands and warmed the substance by rubbing it between
his palms.

Elrond looked over his shoulder at Haldir. “What are
you doing?” He wasn’t sure what to make of Haldir’s
moves. Although making love had proven to be ecstatic,
he was too tired to do so now. 

Haldir wiggled an eyebrow. “You are much too tense.
Let me help you relax.”

Elrond surrendered, realizing very well that once
Haldir’s mind was set he could do little to change it.
Suddenly warm, slick hands settled at the back of his
neck, massaging the tense muscles and soon he was
moaning softly. Haldir’s hands worked their magic on
his sore spots and he began to relax. 

Feeling the half-Elf’s tense muscles loosen under his
touch, Haldir’s hands slid lower, now working on the
small of his lover’s back. “You are lovely, lirimaer.”


Elrond grinned into the pillows, but didn’t respond. A
soothing laziness coursed through his body and all he
wanted was to lie here and enjoy the massage Haldir
was giving him. His breath caught when a hand began to
knead his buttocks, first one and then the other. His
reaction was immediate; he grew hard, which surprised
him as he had been too tired to make love tonight.

Sensing Elrond’s response to his massage, Haldir
grinned wickedly. Adding more oil, he worked on the
long legs, paying special attention to his lover’s
calves and feet. His hands now returned to his lover’s
lower back, while he contemplated his next move.
Leaning in closer, he whispered into Elrond’s ear,
“Are you hard?”

“Aye…” Elrond quivered as one slick finger slid down
his cleft. “Melme, I am not sure I have enough energy
left to make love to you… I am tired to the bones.”

“Then let me do the work. Simply lie there and let me
attend to your needs.”

The offer sounded too good to dismiss and Elrond
groaned his approval. Tremors shook his body as his
lover’s finger easily slid inside. He parted his legs
a little further to give Haldir better access. 

The silver-haired Elf knelt between his lover’s legs.
Quickly, he located his lover’s sweet spot and he
rubbed it lightly, drawing mews of want from the
half-Elf. Bowing forward, he placed kisses on Elrond’s
back and then suckled the flesh he encountered. 

Elrond now squirmed beneath him, trying to rub himself
to orgasm. Haldir, still fully clothed, lay down next
to his lover and rolled Elrond onto his side, facing
away from him. Spooning behind the half-Elf, he added
another finger, insistently rubbing the hidden gland.
His other hand stroked up and down the long back.
 
Reaching past the half-Elf, Haldir wrapped his fingers
around Elrond’s leaking member and stroked lazily,
taking his time. Adding another finger, he now moved
three of them inside his lover’s body. “Ah, you like
this, don’t you, Elrond? You like feeling me inside
you. I am surprised I am the first to do this to you.
Your body reacts to my every touch. Can you feel me
within you? Can you feel me moving inside you?”
Wriggling his fingers inside his lover’s body earned
him a pleading wail. 

“Hal… dir… I… oh… Ai… now… pl…please…” He was too
close, so very close!

But Haldir grinned mischievously and then squeezed
hard at the base, keeping his lover from coming. 

“No!” Elrond wailed miserably at being denied and
tried to look over his shoulder, but then Haldir
resumed stroking him inside. He thrust back
automatically and wished Haldir would resume pumping
him as well. “Please, melme… Let me come…”

Haldir inched closer to his lover and caught the tip
of Elrond’s ear between his teeth, nibbling teasingly.
“Do you want to come that badly?”

“Aye… I… need to… ah… come…” Haldir had stopped moving
inside him and Elrond was now thrusting back in tune
with the strokes Haldir bestowed on his hard flesh;
taking himself. 

Haldir licked down the curve of Elrond’s ear and then
settled for suckling his lover’s earlobe. Seeing
Elrond move like that took his breath away. “You are
amazing, melme. Take yourself harder.”

Elrond responded by pushing back hard. Haldir’s
fingers now rested against his sweet spot and the
sensation was maddening. One more stroke to his shaft
made him come. 

“Aye, that is it, lirimaer. Come for me.” Haldir
pressed a possessive kiss at the back of Elrond’s
neck, trying to make his lover’s orgasm last. When the
contractions ceased around his fingers, he slowly
pulled out. He pushed himself up onto all fours and
crawled over the bed until he was in front of the
half-Elf. Elrond looked utterly sated, his blue-grey
eyes already closing with fatigue. “My words aroused
you even more. My, I do think you like it when I say
things like that.”

“I do,” whispered Elrond tiredly. He wanted to go to
sleep now that he felt this satiated, but he couldn’t
be that selfish. “You still need to come.”

Haldir’s grin returned. Within seconds, he had removed
his tunic and leggings. Naked, he slipped into
Elrond’s open arms. Lying face to face, he pressed a
kiss on his lover’s lips. “Do not worry about that.”

“But…” Elrond’s breath caught; Haldir had curled his
fingers around his still hard member and was stroking
slowly. “Oh…” Unable to say anything else, he stared
at his lover, who was bringing himself to orgasm. 

It didn’t take Haldir long to find release. He had
been holding back whilst making Elrond come and now
his body demanded release as well. Warm cream dripped
from his fingers, making him grin impishly. 

Swallowing hard, Elrond reached out and pulled Haldir
close. Seeing his lover bring himself to orgasm had
been an extremely erotic sight. “You must do that
again for me… later,” he clarified. “I am too
exhausted to fully appreciate your stunning beauty.”

Haldir grabbed his tunic and cleaned them up. He now
had his fair share of clothes and they hung next to
Elrond’s robes in the closet. “My, you are a voyeur,
lirimear.”

Elrond chuckled softly, fighting the sleep that was
slowly sneaking up on him. “I wonder what you will do
to me next, Haldir of ‘Lórien. You will wear me down.
I am only an old half-Elf, you know.”

“We must work on your stamina then,” decreed Haldir.
“I can think of ways to make it last longer…”

Elrond buried his face against Haldir’s chest, craving
his lover’s closeness. 

Sensing Elrond’s needs, Haldir pulled the half-Elf
close and buried him in a tight hug. His lover’s
steady breathing told him that Elrond had fallen
asleep. “You are a treasure, lirimaer.” 

Haldir remained awake for many hours, concentrating on
the feel of Elrond in his arms. The half-Elf fitted
perfectly against him. And in the end, sleep claimed
him as well.

TBC

Beta read by Lizzle, thanks!
All remaining mistakes are mine!


Part 24
This time...


Glorfindel stared entranced at his son’s blue eyes.
Erion was tightly cradled against his chest, cooing
happily. “He is a true delight,” whispered Glorfindel
blissfully, briefly casting a look at his dark-haired
lover, who was now seating himself next to him on the
bed. 

Erestor slung an arm around Glorfindel’s shoulder,
smiling radiantly. He had expected for the baby to
wail constantly, but Erion mostly cooed and when he
wasn’t cooing, he was sound asleep. It almost seemed
like their son could sense their love and was soothed
by it. 

“Elrond thinks that you can leave the Healing House
tomorrow,” said Erestor, giving his son a finger to
play with. Erion tried to reach for it, succeeded and
released a sound that closely resembled giggling.
“That brings up the question of our housing. So far we
have stayed in my rooms, but…”

Glorfindel gave Erestor a warm smile. “I like your
rooms.”

Erestor released a sigh, giving in easily. “Then we
will make it our home.” The smile that Glorfindel gave
him was blinding and the blond placed a quick kiss on
his cheek. “Would you like to rest some more? Or would
you prefer a short walk?” Glorfindel was healing
quickly and Elrond had given the blond permission to
leave his bed. But so far Erion had kept them inside
the room, as they didn’t want to stray far from their
son.

A knock on the door interrupted them, and after
Erestor had called out ‘enter’, Elladan stepped inside
the room. 

It was Elladan’s turn to offer his services as a
baby-sitter. The happy parents had declined any offer
to watch Erion, but he hoped they would accept this
time. Glorfindel looked pale and some fresh air and
sunlight would do him good. “I can watch Erion if you
want to step out.” 

Until now Glorfindel had refused, but as he looked out
of the window, he longed for the warmth of the
sunbeams. “I might take you up on that short walk, nîn
bellas,” he said, addressing Erestor. But he wasn’t
sure he could leave Erion alone. “Can’t we take Erion
with us?”

“In a few days,” said Erestor soothingly. “Erion is in
the best of hands with Elladan.”  He disliked the idea
of leaving Erion as well, but he also realized they
needed some quality time together.

“Aye, Erion is in the best of hands with me,” repeated
Elladan firmly. Sitting down, he extended his arms,
hoping Glorfindel would take the hint and hand him
Erion. 

Seeing Erestor’s pleading expression, Glorfindel gave
in. After rising from the bed, he carefully placed his
son in Elladan’s arms. His own arms suddenly felt
empty and he almost gathered Erion close again. But
Erestor was right. They needed some time alone -- they
needed to talk.

Erestor wrapped an arm around Glorfindel’s waist and
slowly, but insistently, guided him toward the
doorway. “We will only be gone for a few minutes.”
Glorfindel still needed to rest regularly and
therefore they couldn’t go for a long walk. 

After releasing a tormented sigh, Glorfindel allowed
his lover to pull him along. Looking over his
shoulder, he tried to focus on Erion as long as
possible. When they rounded a corner, a stabbing pain
moved through his heart. “I cannot believe how much I
love him.” He leaned against his lover, needing
Erestor’s emotional support now that he was away from
his son for the first time. 

“I love him too,” said Erestor, smiling, “And I feel
the same way you do.” He guided Glorfindel, who was
walking slowly, toward a bench and sat him down. The
sun showered them with warmth and he eagerly opened
his arms, allowing Glorfindel to settle into them. “I
am happy, melamin. I am so happy everything turned out
well.”

Glorfindel’s eyes darkened as he tried to recall his
abduction and humiliation at the hands of Saruman and
his creature, but accessing those memories proved
nearly impossible. They had blurred and images of
Erestor and Erion had replaced them. He could barely
remember the rapes! “Did Mandos do something to my
memories?”

Erestor, who never expected that question, startled
momentarily, but then forced himself to tell
Glorfindel the truth. “Aye, he did. He took away your
worst pain. He was afraid you would fade otherwise.”

Suddenly, Glorfindel said, “And he took away my
memories of you reclaiming me. Why?”

“He said it was about sacrifices, at least in my case.
I was so desperate, I would have done anything he
wanted. I just wanted you back!” 

Hearing the urgency in Erestor’s tone, Glorfindel
cocked his head and searched the dark eyes. Why hadn’t
he seen the love in them before Saruman had gotten his
hands on him? “I love you, nîn bellas.” Passionately,
he claimed the other’s lips. “And I want to make love
to you.” Erestor startled and stared at him, and the
expression in his lover’s eyes made Glorfindel smile.
“Not now, but shortly. Once I am completely
recovered.”

Erestor released a relieved, yet tormented sigh. “I
want to make love with you too,” he explained, seeing
the puzzled look in Glorfindel’s eyes, which had
appeared at hearing his sigh, “But not while you are
still somewhat sore and hurting.”

“And we already had our first time,” said Glorfindel
wickedly. “But I would like to make love with you
without a Vala watching us.”

Glorfindel’s fingers tangled in his dark mane and
Erestor sighed blissfully. “What would you like it to
be like? Our love making?” 

Glorfindel understood the question perfectly. “My
memories of Saruman and the Uruk-Hai have faded and I
would gladly give myself to you, though I must confess
my greatest desire is *claiming you*.” 

“Then you will have me,” said Erestor breathlessly. “I
am yours… I always will be.”

His fingers caressed Erestor’s face, marveling at the
other Elf. “You defied Mandos for me, nîn bellas. That
makes me yours as well. We are bonded to one another
until the end of Arda.” Amazement appeared in his
azure eyes. “You upended my life, Erestor.” Claiming
his lover’s lips, he easily lost himself in the
sensation and his body responded accordingly. Panting
slightly, he released Erestor’s lips and gave the
raven-haired Elf a possessive look. “I *will* claim
you shortly, nîn bellas.” 

Tingles of eager anticipation coursed through Erestor
at hearing those words. “Claim me whenever, wherever
you will, melamin.” 

A wicked expression appeared in Glorfindel’s eyes.
Erestor deserved to be loved, to be claimed, and he
would make sure his lover would thoroughly enjoy their
lovemaking. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Haldir felt slightly nervous, opening the letter. It
carried Celeborn’s official seal and he knew that this
letter would decide his future. If the Lord and Lady
commanded him to return to the Golden Wood, his heart
would break. 

“Nîn naur?” Elrond walked toward his lover and came to
a stand still behind him. “Is the letter from
Celeborn?”

Haldir nodded, not trusting his voice. Breaking the
seal, he unfolded the letter, devouring the words with
fearful apprehension. His gaze hurried down the lines
and suddenly he turned to face Elrond, who had
discretely taken a step away from him, giving him his
privacy. “They give me permission to stay! And my
brothers are allowed to visit me whenever they like!”
Feeling incredibly relieved and happy, Haldir flung
the letter onto the desk and then hugged Elrond close.
He showered the half-Elf’s face with kisses and then
laughed warmly. “Now I am truly yours to command, Lord
Elrond. I am your new seneschal!”

A gigantic burden was lifted from Elrond’s shoulders,
hearing those words. A part of him had been worried
that Celeborn would call Haldir back to Lothlórien. He
wholeheartedly returned the embrace, enjoying his
lover’s happiness. Holding Haldir tightly, he allowed
his love to blossom fully. His lover was here to stay
and now they were free to commit to each other and
build their life here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few days later, Elrond finally allowed the couple to
take their son outside for the first time. Elrond
smiled fondly, seeing Glorfindel cradle his son
against his chest. The blond had been incredibly
fortunate that Mandos had helped him; otherwise
Glorfindel might have given birth to a creature part
Uruk-Hai. 

“Thank you,” whispered Glorfindel softly, so as not to
wake Erion who had just fallen asleep again after
drinking another bottle of milk. Erion’s appetite had
even surprised Elrond, but the half-Elf had assured
them it was a good sign. Elrond had been there to
attend to him these last few days and he was
constantly thanking the other Elf for delivering his
baby. “I had not thought it possible, but Erion is
perfect.”

Erestor, who was watching his lover from across the
room, smiled. He had taken Glorfindel and Erion to his
rooms yesterday and the two of them seemed completely
at ease here. 

“What are you doing?” Glorfindel frowned, realizing
Erestor was girding on his sword. “We are merely going
to the gardens.”

Erestor shook his head, determined to carry arms as he
worried about their son’s safety. It surprised him
that so far Saruman hadn’t tried to get to Glorfindel
and Erion, and he was worried that the Istar might
still try. “I just want to be prepared.”

Glorfindel’s frown deepened; he hadn’t considered the
threat Saruman still presented. Seeing Erestor hide a
dagger down his boot, he said, “Do you think it is
safe for Erion to be close to such dangerous weapons?”

“I will make sure he won’t get hurt,” vowed Erestor;
making sure Erion was safe was the very reason why he
was taking his weapons with him. Saruman would not
catch them off guard. The stakes were too high. He had
lost Glorfindel once before and it wasn’t happening
again. Nor would the Istar get his hands on Erion. 

Rising from the chair, Glorfindel continued to hold
his son close. “Are you ready?” He was eager to sit in
the sun. He had been locked up inside for much too
long. 

Erestor exchanged one more glance with Elrond. The
healer had assured them that Erion was strong enough
to go outside, but he still worried about his son. 

“Go,” said Elrond, smiling, “Enjoy yourselves whilst
Arien still warms Imladris.” In the meantime he would
see to the paperwork that had piled up on Erestor’s
desk and Haldir would take care of Glorfindel’s
duties.

Erestor wrapped an arm possessively around
Glorfindel’s waist and then led his lover into the
corridor. Taking the shortest route, he guided them
into the gardens. He noticed Glorfindel’s distinct
sigh of pleasure once Arien’s beams engulfed him. 

Glorfindel let himself be led to an old oak tree,
where they sat down. Erestor rested his back against
the trunk of the tree and Glorfindel lay down, resting
his head on his lover’s thigh. Erion, who had woken by
now, blinked his blue eyes and then smiled. His tiny
hands reached for warm, golden beams and he cooed
happily. 

Stroking his lover’s golden hair, Erestor had never
before felt more at peace. “I love you, melamin, and I
want to thank you for having Erion. You did not know
he would be fully Elven when you decided to give birth
to him.”

Glorfindel deeply looked into his lover’s eyes. “It
was your promise to love me and Erion that made me
follow through. Having your support and unconditional
love helped me through this ordeal. And look what we
have been rewarded with!” Erion, who was seated on his
father’s stomach, was trying to catch a butterfly, but
it elegantly danced through his fingers. 

Bowing down, Erestor placed a kiss on his lover’s
lips. /This is perfect… Too perfect./

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A dark cloud obscured the sky, making it impossible
for Arien’s beams to reach the ground. The sentry
immediately sensed the evil that was sneaking closer
to Imladris. Attaching a note to one of his arrows, he
shot his bow, knowing the next sentry would relay it
further until the message eventually reached Lord
Elrond. 

Keeping one eye on the darkening sky, the sentry now
also heard the roar of approaching Uruk-Hai. The
beasts’ growls echoed through the valley and he
released a second arrow, relaying more information to
the next sentry. Suddenly, strong hands settled around
his throat. He had never heard the monster sneak up on
him! It snapped his neck, sending his soul to the
Halls of Waiting. His last thought was that he hoped
that the warning would reach their Lord in time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Elrond!” Haldir rushed into his lover’s study,
ignoring the advisors who shot him irritated glances.
It was important that he informed the half-Elf now!

Seeing the urgent expression in the silver-haired
Elf’s eyes, Elrond rose from behind his desk.
“Haldir?”

“A wave of Uruk-Hai is moving over the land, quickly
approaching Imladris. According to the last message
that I received the pack will reach the Last Homely
House within minutes! We must arm ourselves!”

Elrond nodded, immediately assuming command. “Gather
all remaining guards close, and make sure all women
and children are safe.” Suddenly his eyes widened,
realizing what the reason for the attack was.
“Glorfindel… Erion!” He cursed loudly, realizing the
couple had taken their son outside for the first time.
“We must make sure they are safe!”

Haldir, reacting at once, hurried from the room to
join the guards, knowing that the upcoming battle
would be an ugly one. 

Elrond followed him and together they gathered the
remaining guards. “I suspect Glorfindel and Erion to
be their target.”

Haldir understood perfectly. “Saruman is behind this.
He wants the child, but why? Erion is fully Elven.”

“Saruman might not know that,” replied Elrond,
grabbing hold of a sword when one of his guards handed
him the weapon. It had been centuries since he had
last wielded one, but now that he felt its familiar
weight in his hand, the nearly forgotten knowledge
returned to him, as did his fight lust. His eyes
darkened with anger, hearing the first roar that
announced their enemy’s arrival. “We won’t let them
defile this sanctuary,” he growled angrily. “We will
stop them!”

His guards, eager to drive away the intruders and to
extract revenge for their fallen comrades, followed
Elrond and Haldir into battle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The hair at the back of Erestor’s neck stood rigid as
his instincts kicked in, alerting him to danger.
Rather unceremoniously he got to his feet and his
unexpected movement caused Glorfindel to groan
frustrated, as he now lost his comfortable pillow. 

“Nîn bellas, what…?” Glorfindel grew silent, seeing
the alarmed expression on Erestor’s face. Following
the direction of his lover’s gaze, his breath caught
and he instinctively crushed Erion protectively to his
chest. “No…” In the distance a dark cloud of dust had
appeared and from it rose growls, which he only knew
too well. 

Glorfindel realized their predicament. They were alone
in the gardens and all they had to defend themselves
with were Erestor’s sword and a dagger. “What shall we
do?” He doubted they would reach the safety of the
Last Homely House in time.

Drawing his sword, Erestor quickly made up his mind.
“Run for cover. I will try to stall them.”

But Glorfindel shook his head. “They will kill you.”

“We are losing time! Run! Now! Take Erion into
safety!” At the same time, he pressed a dagger into
Glorfindel’s hand. “Go!”

Glorfindel continued to hesitate. His every instinct
told him not to leave Erestor, but Erion was now
wailing softly. Their son had to come first! Running
toward the Last Homely House, Glorfindel didn’t dare
look over his shoulder. Erestor faced an overwhelming
enemy!

Erestor gritted his teeth when the dark cloud of dust
lifted, revealing the first Uruk-Hai, which he
beheaded with one swift stroke of his sword.
Concentrating on his attackers, he managed to take out
one after the other, but there were too many of them.
/By the Grace of the Valar, I will walk the Great
Halls once more./ There was no way that he could
defeat this hoard!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Elrond! Haldir!” Glorfindel called out to the two
Elves, who were leading the guards into battle.
“Erestor is still out there!” 

Elrond came to a halt, but Haldir and his guards
continued, running toward Erestor. “Glorfindel, take
Erion inside and stay there!” The blond was still
somewhat weak from the birthing process and he wanted
Glorfindel to stay clear of the battle.

“No!” Glorfindel wasn’t leaving his mate out there to
fight without someone to watch his back! Spotting
Lindir near the entrance of the Last Homely House, he
reluctantly placed Erion in the white-haired Elf’s
arms. “Take good care of him!” He didn’t want to part
from his son, but Erestor needed him!

Lindir looked slightly shocked at suddenly finding
Erion clutching his robes. He wrapped his arms tightly
around the baby and exchanged a puzzled look with
Glorfindel. During the silent communication that
passed between them he realized that Glorfindel
trusted him to guard Erion with his life. After
nodding his head once he ran inside, heading for the
safest part of the Last Homely House. He hoped that
after barricading himself with the women and children,
the Uruk-Hai couldn’t get to them. 

Glorfindel’s heart ached, but he successfully fought
the urge to run after Lindir to be reunited with his
son. One of the guards handed him a spare sword and he
joined them, charging as well. The mere sight of these
Uruk-Hai enraged him and in his mind flashed the image
of the monster that had hurt him so badly. In a
blinding rage, he began to take them out, killing them
whatever way he could, trying to move closer to
Erestor.

Erestor’s heart missed a beat, seeing Glorfindel
return to his side. At least the blond was fully armed
now. He would have preferred for his lover to stay
with Erion, but Glorfindel was a warrior and wouldn’t
be denied. Fighting back to back, they focused on the
second wave of Uruk-Hai. The mere force of that attack
forced them to retreat, setting them slightly apart
from the others. 

“Ah, my pretty one. We meet again.”

The sound of that voice shook Glorfindel to his core.
Lifting his eyes, he met his nemesis’ glare. “You!” He
hissed the word with utter contempt. *This time* he
wasn’t helpless. *This time* he could extract his
revenge. Through a red haze, he attacked the monster.
“You are dead… You just do not know it yet!” Raising
his sword, he prepared to deliver a crushing blow, but
the Uruk-Hai blocked it. 

Having heard his lover’s words, Erestor’s eyes
hardened. It didn’t take much to figure out why
Glorfindel wanted to kill this particular Uruk-Hai and
he was tempted to deal with the monster himself. But
this was something his lover had to do. He continued
to watch Glorfindel though, ready to come to his
lover’s aid if necessary.

Glorfindel moved entranced, using every tactic he had
ever learned and in the end, he landed one lethal blow
to the creature’s throat. Blood splashed from the
beast’s throat as the Uruk-Hai dropped onto his knees.
Panting hard, Glorfindel raised his sword to deliver
that last blow that would end the monster’s life. 

Erestor’s breath caught, seeing the vicious and
hateful expression in his lover’s eyes. This was one
personal demon Glorfindel had to exorcise in order to
regain his mental calm. Whilst fighting off new
attackers he managed to keep a close eye on his lover.

“Saruman’s plan failed. My son is fully Elven… and you
are dead!” Glorfindel stated triumphantly. The scream
that sounded in his ears wasn’t the Uruk-Hai’s; it was
Saruman’s! The Istar had somehow heard his words!
/Good, maybe now he will call off the attack!/

With one fierce blow, he beheaded the Uruk-Hai. He
watched with grim satisfaction, as the creature’s head
dropped onto the ground, rolled toward him and then
came to a standstill. The monster’s grin had finally
disappeared from his ugly face! 

Now that he’d had his revenge, he felt strangely numb.
He would have loved to wrap his arms around Erion and
hold him close, but the Uruk-Hai were still attacking.
Saruman was probably enraged and would try to take as
many lives as possible!

Returning to Erestor’s side, he and his lover
exchanged a glance. In Erestor’s eyes, he read
understanding. His lover knew why this particular
Uruk-Hai had deserved to be killed! /He probably
wanted a piece as well, but I had to do this myself./

And aye, Erestor would have loved to be the one to
avenge Glorfindel’s honor, but taking out the Uruk-Hai
had boosted the blond’s self esteem. “Stay close!” he
panted the words in between blows. Seeing Glorfindel
nod, he realized his lover was his centered self
again. 

Erestor searched his surroundings, realizing Haldir
and the guards were still engaged in battle as well.
He saw the twins fighting, side by side. But where was
Elrond?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Haldir tried to stay close to Elrond, but the half-Elf
was moving away from him and a group of Uruk-Hai was
closing in on his lover. After signaling some of the
guards to move closer to Elrond, his gaze returned to
rest on his lover’s form and his breath caught. “Look
out!”

One particularly viciously fighting Uruk-Hai had
sneaked up behind Elrond and now raised his sword,
ready to strike. 

Elrond realized the danger too late. Terrible pain
slashed through his back, and the sheer power of the
blow flung him to the ground. Using his last strength,
he raised his head and focused on Haldir. /Melme, I do
not want to lose you…/ 

Haldir released an angry scream and charged forward.
The Uruk-Hai had lifted his sword again and was going
in for the kill. /Elbereth, let me reach him in time!/


Time seemed to freeze when Haldir raised his sword,
desperately hoping he was in time to rescue his lover
from certain death.

TBC

Beta read by Lizzle, thanks!



Part 25/25
Claimed.



“No!” Trying hard to fight down his panic, Haldir
pushed the dead Uruk-Hai out of his way so he could
kneel beside Elrond. Gently, he gathered the half-Elf
in his arms. He breathed a sigh of relief, realizing
his lover’s chest was rising. Elrond was still alive.
Looking about, he saw that the guards were taking down
the last of Saruman’s creatures. They had won. 

Erestor’s gaze met Elrohir’s. The younger half-Elf was
fighting alongside his brother and had seen Elrond go
down. Elladan however, didn’t know yet what had
happened. Erestor, seeing the last Uruk-Hai go down,
quickly turned to Glorfindel. The blond’s eyes were
fastened on Elrond and Glorfindel seemed thoroughly
shaken. He quickly wrapped an arm around his lover,
forcing him to focus. “Melamin, check on Erion and
make sure all women and children are reassured.” He
wanted to join his lover when checking on their son,
but he was still needed here.

Glorfindel nodded once and drew in a deep breath. His
gaze settled on his nemesis, who had fallen under his
onslaught. This was one demon he could finally put to
rest. Walking away from Erestor, he stepped into the
house, heading for the inner chambers where he would
find Lindir and Erion.

Elladan, who turned around, froze in his tracks,
seeing Haldir hold his father’s fallen form.
“Elbereth, nay…” Elrohir’s hand settled on his
shoulder and he found comfort in his brother’s touch.
“Please tell me he is still alive.”

“I can tell he is breathing,” said Erestor, who had
joined the twins. “Haldir and I will take care of him.
Would you make sure the Uruk-Hai’s corpses are
gathered and burned?”

Elladan desperately wanted to trade places with
Haldir, and be the one holding Elrond. But at the same
time he realized that Haldir and Erestor were the ones
best suited to take of his father. Nodding once, he
drew in a deep breath. “We will make sure the corpses
are disposed of.”

Erestor now hurried to Haldir’s side. Hazel eyes,
obviously scared, met his. “Let me examine him.” His
gifts as a healer didn’t compare to Elrond’s, but he
felt confident he could help. 

Reluctantly Haldir allowed Erestor to gather Elrond in
his arms. 

“Elrond? Meldir? Can you hear me?” Erestor thoroughly
examined the wound, and although the half-Elf was
losing blood rapidly, he didn’t think the injury was
mortal. 

After blinking his eyes once, Elrond managed to focus
on his old friend. “I… hear… you…”

“I will take you to the Healing House, mellon-nîn.”
Erestor lifted Elrond carefully in his arms and gave
Haldir a reassuring smile. “Do not worry too much,
Haldir. Elrond has survived worse injuries.”

Haldir sighed relieved and quickly followed Erestor to
the Healing House. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Glorfindel ran down the corridors, eager to be
reunited with his son. Slaying his nemesis had freed
him of a burden he hadn’t known he carried. He had
never delighted in killing someone before, but taking
this Uruk-Hai’s life had filled him with a bittersweet
feeling of satisfaction. 

Catching sight of Lindir, who was reassuring the women
and children, he quickly informed them that the attack
was over. 

Lindir, relieved to see Glorfindel unharmed, tenderly
placed Erion in the blond’s arms. “He is a brave baby.
He did not cry once.”

Glorfindel smiled and cradled Erion close to his
chest. Erion’s blue eyes sparkled with delight and
Glorfindel pressed a loving kiss on his son’s brow.
“We are safe, Erion.” Saruman now knew that his plan
had failed and hopefully the Istar wouldn’t bother
with him again. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Erestor placed the half-Elf on the bed and then
stepped back, letting the healers take over. After
exchanging a glance with his old comrade in arms,
Erestor folded an arm around Haldir and led the
shocked Galadhrim to the waiting area. “Elrond will be
fine. He trained the healers himself and they will
take good care of him. Do net fret. Elrond is strong.”

Haldir suddenly remembered something. “But he is
half-Elven. Doesn’t that mean he is weaker, compared
to us?”

Erestor sat Haldir down and removed the sword from the
silver-haired Elf’s hand. Haldir was still tightly
clutching it. “I would never dare to call Elrond
weak,” he said teasingly. 

Realizing he was still holding onto his sword, Haldir
relaxed his fingers and let Erestor place it aside.
“Are you sure the wound is not mortal?”

“Aye, I am sure.” Erestor gathered one of Haldir’s
hands in his and rubbed the knuckles. “Elrond will
recover. It is only a matter of time before the
healers will let you visit with him. But they need to
tend to him first.”

“I need to see him, talk to him. This sweet madness
has never possessed me before and my heart aches with
the need to be close to him.” Haldir pleadingly looked
at Erestor. “Do you understand?”

“I do,” said Erestor reassuringly. “I feel the same
way about Glorfindel and Erion.”

Haldir forced himself to relax. Elrond was in the best
of hands. Erestor was right; it wouldn’t be long
before he could visit with Elrond. He clung to
Erestor’s words when the dark-haired Elf once more
reassured him that Elrond’s wound wasn’t mortal. /I
cannot lose him! I love him!/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“How badly injured is Ada, do you think?” Elladan
found it impossible to concentrate on his task of
disposing of their attackers. “Do you think Erestor
did not want us near because Ada is seriously injured?
What if…?”

In an effort to reassure his twin, Elrohir rested a
hand on his brother’s shoulder. He waited for Elladan
to make eye contact with him and then said, “Ada was
breathing and conscious. We won’t lose him.” Between
the two of them, Elladan had taken losing Celebrían
the worst. And no matter how much he tried to comfort
his twin, Elladan still hurt inside. 

“We can take care of this,” said one of the guards,
who had seen the worried expressions on the twins’
faces. “You should be with your father.”

Elladan shot the guard a thankful look and then
dragged Elrohir toward the Healing House.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Erestor rose from the chair when the twins entered.
Seeing their worried expressions, he tried to soothe
them. “The healers are attending to Elrond’s wounds.”

Elladan took up pacing the waiting room whilst Elrohir
seated himself next to Haldir. The silver-haired Elf
was biting his bottom lip and a frightened expression
shone from the hazel eyes. Elrohir felt like he should
comfort Haldir and smiled reassuringly. “Ada will be
fine.”

At exactly that moment a healer entered the room,
informing them that Elrond was conscious and willing
to receive visitors. The twins and Haldir immediately
hurried into the next room, eager to be reunited with
Elrond.

Erestor however, turned away and left the waiting
area. He needed to see Glorfindel and Erion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elrond should have known chaos would erupt within the
sick room when his sons and lover stormed inside. He
had hoped they would take turns visiting him, but all
three of them now huddled near his bed. 

Haldir possessively claimed one of his hands, rubbing
the skin. It was obvious that his lover needed the
physical contact and he allowed it, pleased that their
love ran this deep.

Next was Elladan, who flung himself at his father.
Elrond tensed momentarily and Elladan immediately
pulled back, realizing his father was hurting. “How do
you fare, Ada?”

Elrohir had managed to stay into the background.
Seeing Elrond awake and coherent was enough to
reassure him.

“Elladan, I cannot deny I am hurting, but I hope to be
on my feet again in a few days. For now, the healers
have confined me to bed.”

“And you *will* stay in your bed until they give you
permission to rise,” said Haldir firmly. “You made
sure that I rested when I was injured and now I will
do the same thing for you.”

Elladan caught the tension between Haldir and his
father and stepped away from the bed. Elrond’s wound
was clearly not life-threatening and he could safely
leave his father in Haldir’s capable hands. “You
scared me, Ada.”

Elrond smiled apologetically. “He surprised me. I did
not realize someone was behind me. I should train more
regularly. I do not want to be taken out again.” 

“I will help you get back in shape,” promised Haldir,
who now carefully sat down on the side of the bed. 

Elladan gave in when Elrohir began to pull him toward
the doorway. He realized Haldir and his father wanted
a moment alone, but he didn’t want to leave Elrond
yet. 

“Come with me, brother. Ada does not need us. We
should help our injured comrades instead.” Several
guards had been injured, and as Elrond had trained his
sons in the art of healing, they should offer their
help and look after the wounded. 

Elladan nodded once. His father was in the best of
hands with Haldir. Looking up, he suddenly realized
that Erestor had left. /Probably to check on his son./
Elrohir pulled him along and they joined forces with
the healers, tending to their wounded.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Erestor opened his arms and caught Glorfindel in them.
Erion, now cradled between them, cooed happily at
having his parents close again. “Everything is well.
Elrond’s wound is not life-threatening and we
successfully dealt with Saruman.”

Glorfindel nodded. “Now that Saruman knows his plan
failed he will hopefully leave us alone.”

Keeping one arm folded around his lover, Erestor
guided him and their son back to their rooms, where
they cuddled up on the bed and started playing with
Erion. /I thank the Valar no one was killed or
seriously hurt. I would not have survived losing
Glorfindel and Erion./

Similar thoughts were racing through Glorfindel’s
head. “I am so glad we dealt with this threat
successfully.”

“And you killed… *him*.” 

Glorfindel swallowed hard and met Erestor’s eyes. “It
was he, who…”

“Who hurt you,” finished Erestor for his lover. “How
do you feel now?”

“Better… relieved, knowing he cannot hurt me any
longer.”

“You fought well,” said Erestor, complimenting his
lover. Glorfindel could have easily frozen in the heat
of the fight, but the blond had stood his ground.

Glorfindel smiled radiantly at Erestor. “I feel whole
again.” Kissing Erestor on the lips, he held his lover
and son close. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Haldir still wasn’t used to seeing Elrond sleep with
his eyes closed, and he regularly checked on his lover
to make sure the half-Elf was still alive. He couldn’t
help worrying; his thoughts were still racing, making
him relive the moment he saw Elrond go down, over and
over again. 

“Do not brood,” said Elrond, who had just woken from
his healing sleep. The healers had laid him on his
stomach so they could easily tend to his wound and he
had to cock his head uncomfortably in order to look at
Haldir. 

Haldir shook himself from his dark musings and moved
closer to Elrond. Kneeling, he deeply looked into
Elrond’s eyes, which, he noted thankfully, were free
of any pain. “My heart stopped beating when you went
down. For one terrible moment I thought I had lost
you. Until then I did not realize just *how* much I
love you, but I know now.”

Elrond managed to smile weakly, wishing he could sit
upright and wrap his arms around the silver-haired
Elf. “The healers already told you that I will be on
my feet in a few days, so why are you still this
worried?”

“I could have lost you, Elrond,” said Haldir in a
serious tone. “The thought of losing you is
unbearable. I am afraid I would have followed you to
the Great Halls of Waiting as my heart would have been
consumed with grief.”

Those words took Elrond aback. “Nîn naur, I am alive
and I will make a full recovery. Stop worrying about
losing me. I am here to stay.”

Haldir sighed relieved. “For the next few days you
will want for nothing. I will read your every wish
from your eyes.”

Elrond grinned wickedly, momentarily forgetting the
ache that throbbed through his back. “And what is my
wish now?”

Haldir laughed. “You are too easy to read, Elrond.”

“I want a kiss…” Elrond tried to roll onto his side,
but a wave of pain stopped him. Immediately, he felt
Haldir’s hands on him, holding him in place.

“Stay.” Haldir’s face inched closer to Elrond’s. The
silver-haired Elf managed to capture Elrond’s lips and
bestowed a tender kiss on them. “Do not move and do
not try to rise from the bed. Rest.”

The determined expression in the hazel eyes told
Elrond that his lover was serious. “I promise to
rest.”

“Good,” said Haldir smugly. “And now you will go back
to sleep.” The healing sleep would aid Elrond’s
recovery.

Elrond reluctantly agreed; Haldir was right. But first
he needed to ask some questions. “How does Glorfindel
fare? And Erion? Did we suffer any casualties?” He had
seen his sons, so he knew they hadn’t been injured. 

“Glorfindel killed many of the beasts. And after the
end of the fight he rushed inside to be reunited with
his son. They are both well.”

“Any casualties?”

“Several sentries were killed when the Uruk-Hai washed
over the land and during the fight some more guards
were injured.”  Haldir raised a hand and stroked the
tangled, long dark hair. “Let me worry about the
guards. You should rest.”

Reassured that all was relatively well, Elrond allowed
himself to relax and he slowly began to fall asleep
again. The soothing caresses to his hair continued and
he smiled, happy that he had found true love with
Haldir.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Thank you for looking after Erion tonight.”
Glorfindel appreciated Elrohir’s offer to baby-sit
Erion. Erestor and he had planned a romantic encounter
and knowing Erion was safe with the younger half-Elf
would help them relax and enjoy this night. 

“You are welcome, meldir. It is a pleasure to look
after Erion,” said Elrohir, smiling. Erion’s
expression was a little doubtful, but Elrohir was
confident the baby would feel comfortable with him
eventually. Arwen had loved to play with him when she
had been little. “Do not worry about Erion,
Glorfindel. Go, be with Erestor.”

Glorfindel blushed weakly, realizing Elrohir knew only
too well why he wanted to be alone with his lover.
‘Thank you,” he whispered again and then turned
around, leaving the corridor Elrohir’s rooms were in.
Tonight, he would finally claim Erestor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Erestor stared at the star-lit sky, recalling
Glorfindel’s worried reaction when he had beseeched
the blond to make love under the stars. It had taken
him some time to reassure Glorfindel; the Elda had
been worried that making love in the open, beneath the
moon and stars, would remind Erestor of losing
Gil-galad. But that wouldn’t happen. 

“I am still not sure why you want to do this here,”
said Glorfindel puzzled. He carried a blanket with him
and a glass vial filled with oil. 

Erestor came to a standstill and signaled for
Glorfindel to spread the blanket over the grass. “I am
a free spirit, melamin. You may not know this, but
there have been nights I sneaked out of the Last
Homely House to spend my nights under the star
speckled heavens.”

They both pried off their shoes and Glorfindel sat
down on the blanket, pulling Erestor down with him.
They settled comfortably, resting in each other’s
arms. The night was long and they had all the time
they needed. Nothing would be rushed tonight. 

“I miss Erion,” admitted Erestor softly. “He has
become part of my life so quickly. I never thought I
would have children one day.”

“Neither did I,” confessed Glorfindel, “But I thank
the Valar for granting us Erion. We will find great
joy in seeing him grow up.”

Erestor nodded against Glorfindel’s chest. The urge to
feel Glorfindel’s skin on his overwhelmed him and he
brought up his arms behind the blond’s back,
effortlessly rolling his lover atop of him. “When will
you finally claim me? I crave your touch, melamin.”

Glorfindel smiled dotingly. “Soon, nîn bellas.”
Slowly, he began to unbutton his lover’s shirt, and
then slid it down the shoulders, revealing his lover’s
upper torso. “I remember being surprised at seeing
your well-trained body. I never knew you were hiding
such a lean form beneath your robes.” 

Erestor swallowed hard as the tips of his lover’s
fingers ghosted over his skin. Glorfindel’s
fingernails teased his nipples into hardness and his
leggings suddenly were too tight, as his arousal
strained against the fabric. He fought for control,
allowing Glorfindel to be in charge. 

Glorfindel saw the strain and tension in his lover’s
dark eyes. With practiced moves, he removed his own
shirt and lowered himself until their chests touched.
Rubbing his nipples against his lover’s, they moaned
in unison and shared pleasure.

“I am afraid I won’t last long, melamin.” Erestor’s
breath came in short gasps, as he lovingly ran his
fingertips down Glorfindel’s back. 

“I remember how careful you were when you prepared
me,” whispered Glorfindel, undoing the lacing of
Erestor’s leggings. “There was no oil and you…” 

“I promised not to hurt you,” panted Erestor softly.
Unexpectedly, Glorfindel pushed down the fabric,
sliding the leggings down his long legs until the
blond flung them aside. His erection stood proud,
arching slightly and already leaking pre-ejaculate. 

Glorfindel loved feeling Erestor squirm beneath him.
After removing his own leggings, he pushed a knee
between his lover’s legs, which eagerly parted for
him. Settling down between the muscular thighs, his
fingertips explored his lover’s body. Erestor’s was
rubbing his lower body against him, eager to find
release and the sensation made him smile as another
memory returned to him. “You came the moment you had
buried yourself in me.”

Erestor stared into Glorfindel’s eyes, feeling
entranced by the blond’s closeness. “I had wanted to
make love to you for so long and when it finally
happened I was unable to keep back.”

Glorfindel had opened the vial and poured some oil
into his hand. He liked the way Erestor’s eyes widened
when he stroked himself, spreading the oil over his
hard flesh. “I hope I will last longer. My body is
also tense.” “I want to be inside you, melamin,” he
said as he rubbed some oil in between Erestor’s
cheeks.

“Then take me.” Erestor lifted his head and claimed
Glorfindel’s lips whilst his hands guided his lover’s
erection into his warm and welcoming body. 

Glorfindel sighed deeply, sheathing himself in one
fluent thrust. “Melamin…” Now that he was inside the
tight passage, he felt like coming, but he forced
himself to remain motionless. Blanketing Erestor’s
body with his, he wrapped his arms around the
dark-haired Elf. 

Erestor wasn’t sure what to make of Glorfindel’s
actions, but after a moment he felt it as well. The
connection, which had been formed by the Valar,
sparkled with energy and love. Wrapping his long legs
around the blond’s waist, he rocked slowly,
encouraging Glorfindel to thrust. 

“I love you so much.” Glorfindel pressed a tender kiss
on Erestor’s brow before accepting the challenge and
setting a slow rhythm. Kissing, their tongues chased
each other lazily. Their love intensified their
pleasure and slowly he picked up speed. 

Erestor arched his back and met each of Glorfindel’s
thrusts. Moaning, he surrendered to his lover’s
passion and awarded the invading tongue victory.

With firm and determined strokes, Glorfindel made sure
he constantly hit that hidden gland inside Erestor’s
passage. “Come for me, melamin. Show me how much you
love me.”

Those words pushed Erestor over the edge. He bit his
bottom lip until a droplet of blood appeared -- which
Glorfindel kissed away -- and then released a
contented moan. 

Erestor’s twitching inner muscles helped Glorfindel
reach orgasm, finding release deep inside his lover’s
body. Holding Erestor tightly, he claimed his lover’s
lips in a lazy kiss.

Satiated and spent, they stared into each other’s
eyes. The air around them sizzled with energy and for
one brief moment they saw the golden cord 
-- their connection -- that bound them together. It
faded the moment ecstasy left their bodies. 

“Please do not pull out yet,” whispered Erestor, “I
like feeling you inside me.”

Glorfindel obliged and pressed closer to Erestor’s
quivering body. “I am never letting you go again.”

Erestor smiled, hearing the possessive tone to
Glorfindel’s voice. “I have always been yours.”

Glorfindel lifted his head and nodded once. “Yes, you
are mine.” He rested his head on Erestor’s chest and
deeply inhaled his lover’s scent. “And I am yours.”

In his darkest hour, Erestor had been his guiding
light. It was the dark-haired Elf’s love that had seen
him through and for that he would love Erestor
forever.

The End
May 2003

Betaed by Lizzle, thanks for betaing this monster!
Email addy for Fb (and I would love some!) 
morgana@avalon.cobweb.nl or morganalebeau@yahoo.com

Hope you enjoyed the ride!