Erestor's Secret

I hope I'm forgiven my long delay in posting because of my 3 Yule fics. Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed - your feedback keeps me going.

Title: Erestor’s Secret (10/?)
Author: Aglarien
Type: FPS
Pairing: Erestor/Glorfindel
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Not mine, except for the cats. The great Master Tolkien’s estate owns everything else. I promise to return his elves when I’m done playing with them.
Timeline: Gondolin, 501 of the First Age
Warning: AU
Beta: Athos – thank you!
Summary: Erestor takes charge.


Chapter 10


Ecthelion entered Erestor’s room quietly. His brother and Glorfindel rested against the pillows on the bed, Erestor peacefully asleep in his lover’s arms with his head tucked under the golden lord’s chin. Mordithen slept at Erestor’s feet.

Glorfindel glanced up as the door opened, and saw the look on his friend’s face. “What’s wrong, Thel?” he whispered.

After silently moving a chair closer to the bed where he could whisper to Glorfindel, Ecthelion sat and said, “Dringion is fading. It is horrible, Fin. He is so broken – a shell of the elf he was. I would never have believed it if I did not see him with my own eyes. There is hardly any light left in him. He cannot live for more than a day or two unless something happens to stop it.”

“But why? Doesn’t Galdor love him?” Glorfindel was shocked.

“He does – very much. And Dringion loves him. It is the grief over hurting Erestor, over causing his fall. It is killing him, Fin. He just keeps saying how sorry he is. I told him all would be well now, but it did not help. He sees what it is doing to Galdor, and it only deepens his grief. Galdor’s heart is breaking. I fear for him if Dringion fades, and I do not know what to do to help him. Dringion can stomach no food, and it only weakens him further. Galdor told me he weeps in his sleep and cries out for Erestor to forgive him.”

Glorfindel was stunned at the turn of events. “How could things have progressed to this end?”

Erestor had woken when his brother’s whispered words reached his ears, but remained quiet until now. “Dringion caused my fall?” he asked quietly. Glorfindel held him tighter and placed a soft kiss on his head.

Ecthelion nodded. “He did, little one.”

“Tell me everything,” Erestor said firmly. When Ecthelion laid out every part of the story, Erestor looked up at Glorfindel and said, “What would I have done if you did not love me, Glorfindel? I love you so much that I cannot even imagine it. Everything Dringion did, he did out of grief for Galdor rejecting him. Did he even know what he was doing? Was he even thinking?”

“I do not know, my love,” Glorfindel whispered. “If you did not love me…..”

Erestor cut Glorfindel off with a kiss to his lips. “We have to help them, my love. I could not bear it if Dringion faded over hurting me.”

“But how do we help him, Erestor?” Ecthelion asked. “I told him at everything was well and it did no good. I do not know what else to do.”

“I wish to see Dringion, Thel,” Erestor said.

“You cannot be moved yet, my love,” Glorfindel told him gently.

“Then bring him here to me. Thel, will you do this for me? Please?”

Ecthelion looked at Erestor for a long moment, and then nodded. “As you wish, brother. I hope you can help him.”

“It is not just I, Thel. Do you not see what we all must do?” Erestor looked between his brother and his lover.

The realization of what Erestor was talking about dawned on Glorfindel. “We must forgive him.”

“Yes. Can you do that, Glorfindel? Can you do it for me?” Erestor whispered.

Glorfindel cradled Erestor’s face in his hand and said, “I will try, my sweet one. For you, I will try. Perhaps when I see him it will be easier. You could have been killed, Erestor. I do not wish to see him fade, but forgiveness will not come easily to me”

“I have faith in you, my love. And you, Thel?” Erestor asked, “Can you forgive him?”

“I wanted to kill him, Erestor. With my own hands, I wanted to kill him. I would have become a kinslayer for what he did to you. But now, after seeing him…” Ecthelion sighed and shook his head. “Now, it is all changed. Yes, little one. I forgive him. I do not believe he knew fully what he was doing. When you see him, Fin, you will understand.”

After Ecthelion left, Erestor and Glorfindel stayed resting for several minutes, the smaller elf’s head tucked against the warrior’s chest, and each lost in his own thoughts.

Erestor finally stirred. “Will you help me get cleaned up before Thel gets back with them, please, love?”

“Of course I will, sweet one.” Glorfindel stroked Erestor’s hair, and realized it could use a wash. “Let me check the wound on your head and see if I can wash your hair for you.” When Erestor bent his head, he carefully parted the thick, dark hair. “It is healed over. You rest here for a moment while I go and ask the servants to bring hot water.”

Erestor’s smile beamed up at Glorfindel. “You will wash my hair for me?”

Glorfindel gently slid the smaller elf off of him and onto the bed, then knelt on the floor, taking Erestor’s hand into his own. Smiling down at the elf he loved, he said, “I love you, and I am yours. There is nothing I will not do for you, beloved.” He fought off the urge to ravish Erestor’s mouth with his own; now was not the time. “I will be back in moments, my sweet,” he said, placing a chaste kiss on Erestor’s lips.

The smile never left Erestor’s face as he watched Glorfindel leave. Every action the warrior took told him again that he was loved.

True to his word, Glorfindel returned a few minutes later, followed by a trail of servants with pitchers of warm water, towels, and fresh linens for his bed. A long chaise was moved into the bathroom and covered with towels, and a fresh robe for Erestor was carried into the same room. All but the servant waiting to change the linens on Erestor’s bed left, after placing the pitchers of water and more towels in the bathroom.

“Don’t try to help me, love,” Glorfindel said, easily lifting Erestor from the bed. “Just try not to move your leg or your arm.” He carried him into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him with his foot.

“Umm….Glorfindel?” Erestor whispered, blushing prettily.

“It’s all right, love. Remember what Thel said? You should not be embarrassed with those who love you.” Glorfindel smiled down at the smaller elf. “And I love you so very much.” Carefully helping Erestor to stand on one leg, he spoke softly into his ear. “Just remember, my sweet, that I am yours and you are mine, and the day will soon come when I will be your husband and such things will not embarrass us. You may need to help me one day.”

Erestor laughed. “That would be a sight to see indeed, my love. Me trying to pick you up and carry you.”

After helping a still blushing Erestor with what was necessary, Glorfindel laid his little love on the chaise with his head hanging off the foot end and a rolled towel under his neck for support. Kneeling next to Erestor, he whispered, “I think we will have to do this more frequently. You are beautiful when you blush.” Unable to resist the rosy lips, he caressed Erestor’s mouth with his own in a long, gentle kiss. Finally releasing the smaller elf’s lips, he moaned, “Oh, I shouldn’t have done that. Now I want more.”

“Later, my love,” Erestor whispered breathlessly. “They will be here soon.”

Glorfindel nodded and moved back to kneel at Erestor’s head. Placing a tub beneath the dark mane, he poured a pitcher of the warm water over Erestor’s head, chose a bottle of soap to use, and proceeded to gently wash his lover’s hair.

Erestor moaned happily when he felt Glorfindel’s long fingers gently massaging his scalp. “Oh, that feels so nice. Promise me you will do this again after we are wed?”

Glorfindel chuckled. “As often as you like, sweet one. And then maybe you can wash mine?”

“Gladly, my love,” Erestor said. “How big is your bath, Glorfindel?”

“Large enough for both of us, if that’s what you’re asking. What are you thinking of, Erestor.”

“Hmmm…a nice, long, hot bath. You washing my hair…me washing yours…and…other things.” Erestor giggled.

“You are a wicked little elf, Master Erestor.” Glorfindel snorted. “Shame on you. Making me think of things like that right now. I will not be responsible for the consequences if you do not behave yourself.”

“Is that a promise?”

Glorfindel laughed out loud. “Are you flirting with me, Erestor?”

“Flirt? Me?” Erestor paused, and then said with a grin, “Yes.”

“Oh, you just wait until you’re better. You are going to be in so much trouble.”

Erestor was still grinning. “Oh, good,” he whispered. “I can hardly wait.”

Glorfindel finished washing the long hair, rinsed it and wrapped it in a towel. “Now for the rest of you, my sweet,” he said. “Let’s get that stale robe off of you.” He carefully unbuttoned the robe, hardly daring to look at the slim body beneath it. Erestor’s teasing had aroused him to the point where he was finding it difficult to control himself without the added temptation of seeing his lover’s body. Once the robe was fully unbuttoned, he slid his arm under Erestor’s back and lifted him enough to simply pull it way from the side with his broken arm, and remove it from his good arm. Leaving the robe bunched around Erestor’s waist, he added soap to more warm water, dipped a cloth in it, and proceeded to wash the smaller elf’s top half. When that was completed, he lifted Erestor’s hips and pulled the robe all the way off, tossing it on the floor.

Glorfindel’s silence and failure to even look at him was unnerving Erestor. He felt shy and even a little embarrassed, but he hadn’t expected Glorfindel’s actions. The warrior’s eyes had closed, and Glorfindel wasn’t even looking at him as he washed. Was he that unattractive that Glorfindel didn’t want to see him? “Glorfindel?” Erestor whispered, his voice a little unsteady, “Do you not wish to look upon me? Do you not find my body to your liking? I know I am small and not built at all like a warrior, but I had hoped that you wouldn’t mind that.”

Glorfindel’s eyes shot open and he saw the sadness and uncertainty in Erestor’s eyes. Dropping the soapy cloth, he pulled the smaller elf up into his arms, caressing Erestor’s face with his hand and looking into his eyes. “Your body is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, and I find you more lovely than there are words to express. Your kisses are as sweet as honey, you are a feast for my eyes, and I want to touch you so much it is driving me nearly mad. I feel your smooth skin under the cloth, and I long to feel you with my hands. I want to touch every inch of you with my mouth and find all the special little spots that will make you want me. I want to lay my naked body against yours and feel every inch of you. You are not small – you are perfect. You are not built like a warrior, but you are built to fit against me perfectly. You are exquisite, my love, and if I look upon you any more than I already have I will not be able to control myself. I love you, Erestor, with all of my being. But your brother will soon return with Dringion and Galdor, and you have bones that need to mend, and I will not hurt you. Do you understand, my sweet one?”

“Yes,” Erestor breathed.

Glorfindel placed a soft kiss on Erestor’s brow. “Then let us finish and get you out of here, my sweet.”

Erestor was back in his freshly changed bed with a fresh night robe, and sitting up against his pillows by the time Ecthelion, Galdor and Dringion arrived. Glorfindel had towel-dried his hair and brushed it, and Erestor felt ready to take on the problem of the fading elf. But nothing had prepared him to see the state that Dringion was in. The former guard looked pale and fragile as Galdor carried him in his arms. There was no light in his eyes, and his graying hair was dull and lifeless.

Glorfindel slowly closed the door once the three other elves were in the room, and met Ecthelion’s eyes with his own shocked ones. Ecthelion simply nodded, sadly.

“Let me stand next to the bed, love,” Dringion whispered hoarsely. Galdor nodded, and carefully set his beloved on his feet next to Erestor. Dringion sank down to his knees next to the bed and began to speak, his voice quiet and raspy. “Thank you for seeing me…..I needed to tell you before….how very sorry I am, Erestor. I have no right to ask you forgiveness, but I am so very sorry. I did not mean to hurt you….I was not thinking….I am so very sorry.” Tears were streaming down Dringion’s face as he tried not to sob. “I am so sorry. So sorry. I will go now….I just needed to tell you….I did not mean….I am so very sorry.” He shook with sobs and collapsed onto the floor.

Galdor quickly dropped to the floor and pulled Dringion onto his lap, holding him tightly as the broken elf continued to sob.

“Galdor, will you set him on the bed next to me please?” Erestor said softly. When Galdor had risen, holding Dringion, and set him on the bed, Erestor pulled the fading elf to him with his good arm, holding him firmly against his chest, and his heart went out to the suffering elf. “Weep no more, Dringion. I know you did not mean it. I forgive you. I forgive you, and you have grieved enough.”

Dringion raised his teary eyes to Erestor and whispered, “But….how can you forgive me….I almost killed you….I would have been a kinslayer.”

“But you did not kill me, Dringion, and I will be well. I forgive you. It is only a couple broken limbs, and I will heal.” Erestor almost mentioned Dringion’s broken arm, but thought better of it. “Now you must heal, my friend. Do not make me suffer your death. You cannot fade.”

“You would not suffer if I….faded. How can you call me….friend? I understand how you must…hate me. All of you must hate me.” Dringion hung his head again as he rasped out his answer.

“I do not hate you, Dringion. I forgive you, and I would like to be your friend. I do not want you to fade. I would feel responsible for it, because you are fading in grief for me – and there is no need. I forgive you.” Erestor bowed his head and kissed Dringion on the brow. “I forgive you. You must not fade. I forgive you.”

Dringion was shocked to feel Erestor’s lips on his brow, and lifted his eyes. “You forgive me?”

“Yes. I forgive you. And my brother forgives you.” Erestor smiled softly. “You must heal now, my friend. Accept our forgiveness and be well.”

Dringion gripped Erestor’s robe with his good hand, his fingers clutching around the fabric. Collapsing against the elf he had harmed, he sobbed loudly, allowing all his sorrow and despair to rush out of his soul.

Erestor was nearly overwhelmed with the pain he felt leave the sobbing elf, but he did not falter. Holding Dringion in his arm, he rubbed soothing circles on his back and kissed his head, all the while whispering soothing nonsense along with his repeated forgiveness.

Galdor watched everything, hoping against hope that Erestor would stop the elf he loved with all his being from fading. When Dringion collapsed into loud sobs against Erestor, he dropped to his knees and buried his head in his arms to hide his tears. Ecthelion and Glorfindel dropped down beside him, offering their old friend support.

After many long minutes, Dringion finally cried himself out and drifted off into an exhausted reverie with his head tucked under Erestor’s chin.

“Thel?” Erestor whispered. “Will you send someone for some warm food for him? Maybe some hot soup? We will let him sleep for a little while, and then get some food into him.”

Ecthelion nodded. “I will bring it myself so no one else needs to come in,” he said, knowing Galdor would appreciate the privacy. “It is time we all had a meal, so there will be time for Dringion to sleep while I get it.” He rose and left the room, leaving Glorfindel to comfort Galdor.

Galdor took a deep breath. “I am all right now, Fin. Go with Thel and help him, my friend. We will be fine for the short time you will be gone.”

Glorfindel looked at Erestor, who nodded his agreement.

When Glorfindel had gone and Galdor knelt beside the bed stroking Dringion’s hair, Erestor whispered, “Come up beside him and hold him too, Galdor. There is just room for you I think.”

Galdor carefully sat on the bed, wrapping his arms around Dringion. “You are a good friend, Erestor. I will never be able to thank you for this,” he whispered.

“Rest, Galdor. You must be exhausted.”

Galdor nodded, and relaxed next to his beloved, falling into a light sleep. Erestor smiled and watched over the two elves, hoping his brother and Glorfindel would not return too soon. These two needed the rest.

Tbc…