The Sweet Sound of Music

Chapter 10

Grey clouds littered the sky as the Lord of Imladris and his party crossed the river. Lothlorien had its beauty, a certain silver haired elleth to be exact, but the elf lord was glad to be home, and a smile crossed his face as he approached the courtyard. His dark advisor and golden seneschal were waiting on the house steps. Those two would make a stunning couple Elrond mused, if they could get along long enough.

Elrond blinked as he entered the courtyard. The elves descending the steps were not his dear friends. The stately blond was Gildor, kinsman to Galadriel and one of the oldest elves on Arda. The other dark haired elf was unknown to the Lord. The question that remained was where were Glorfindel and Erestor?’

“Lord Elrond.” Gildor bowed low. “I hope your travel harbored no difficulties.”

The lord of Imladris looked down from his stallion. “It was uneventful. Pray tell, where are Lords Glorfindel and Erestor?”

“That, my lord, can wait.” At this Elrond raised a single eyebrow, which earned him a chuckle from the unknown dark haired elf. Gildor quickly added, “May I present Ecthelion, Lord of the Fountain.”

Ecthelion gave a humble bow, hand to his heart, and smiled at the surprise in the Lord’s eyes. Apparently, no one had sent word to Elrond about all this. The Imladrim Lord dismounted and returned the gesture.

“We are honored by your return, Lord Ecthelion.” Elrond's eyes widened. Did the mighty warrior just blush?

“The honor is mine, my Lord. I pledge my sword in defense of you and all you hold dear.”

The Lord of the valley handed off his reigns to a stable hand and motioned for the escort to do the same. “Erestor will have rooms for you all,” he told the small group.

“I am afraid that I have taken care of that,” Gildor interjected. “Erestor is rather indisposed; he is resting.”

“He is what?” Elrond pinned the Vanya with a stare.

Coming to the defense of the Chief Advisor as well as Gildor’s, Ecthelion quickly added, “He has been in the healing wing and only this morning returned to his own rooms. He had a riding accident.”

“Resting indeed. I should have known. Erestor does not rest by his own choice. I hope it is not serious. Perhaps I should see him now.”

The other two Lords answered together, “That is not necessary!” Gildor continued, “It is not serious, my Lord. Refresh yourself first, you know how he can be when fussed over.”

Elrond laughed. He knew that the only patient worse than Glorfindel was Erestor, and felt sorry for his poor healers.

“Now, if I may, Lord Elrond,” the gypsy Lord added, “I will show your escort to their rooms. I have taken care of Erestor’s duties during his recovery. Lord Ecthelion will fill you in on details.” With that the Vanya turned to the Galadhrim escort. “This way please…” The group moved toward the guest wing.

Left alone with the reborn warrior, Elrond inquired of Glorfindel’s absence. “Now that you are returned, has Namo reclaimed the Golden One?”

Ecthelion smiled at the thought as he followed Elrond to his private office. “No, my Lord. I assure you, Namo has no desire to reclaim Glorfindel. I believe the ‘Golden One’ is with Erestor.”

“Thank you. I will clean up and see to Erestor shortly. I would, however, like to speak with you after evening meal.”

“Of course, Lord Elrond.” With a nod, the warrior left.

‘Glorfindel is sitting with Erestor?’ Elrond mused, moving to his bedroom. ‘He knew I was returning and did not come to greet me…interesting.’

****

“Checkmate.”

“Ahgh! Even with a knot on your head I cannot get a break!” Glorfindel groaned. It had taken little to get the healers to release the cantankerous councilor. If the sultry advisor had to remain bedridden, Glorfindel would entertain him, so he had taken the chess table to Erestor’s rooms earlier. The other forms of entertainment that crossed his mind required a healthy Erestor. The balrog slayer's eyes twinkled.

Erestor narrowed his eyes at the grinning warrior. “What are you thinking, mellon nin?” He asked cautiously.

“Nothing much really. Only what we might be doing if you were not injured.”

Erestor blushed at the obvious implications. If Glorfindel’s mind traveled the same road as his, things would be far more interesting than a chess game. Now, the advisor was grateful to be propped up in bed with the blankets pulled high on his chest, tucked under his arms. Being so close to his heart’s desire and letting his mind wander left him in an almost constant state of arousal. He was near ready to say damn the throbbing skull; the throbbing between his legs was worse.

Glorfindel wondered about the sudden flush that covered Erestor’s fair face. Before he could inquire, an unwelcome knock came.

“Come.” Erestor called, and Elrond stepped into the room.

“Good day, mellyn nin.” Both elves smiled and welcomed their lord home. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Elrond went into healer mode. He checked eyes, cuts, and bruises, and felt around the brunette’s head. “If I had known that such an injury would make you take a break, I would have spooked your horse myself.”

“Amusing, my Lord” Erestor’s words dripped with the usual sarcasm. “I am perfectly capable of returning to work, however, the watchdog over there is being difficult.”

Glorfindel let out a “woof” and panted with his tongue hanging out. Erestor thought he would die of desire at the sight. He so wanted to just take that tongue and suck on it for a while.

Elrond smiled at the antics. “Relax, meldir. Lay back and let me check your ribs.” Without warning, Elrond pulled the blankets down to just below Erestor’s navel. The advisor blanched when he realized that his arousal was not so hidden anymore. Thankfully, if either of his friends noticed, they said nothing. Perhaps if the advisor had not been so mortified, he would have noticed Glorfindel’s little gasp and his shifting uncomfortably in his chair.

‘Oh Valar help me.’ The warrior thought. ‘Ai! He has to have the most perfect stomach and…’ Glorfindel stood abruptly, nearly overturning the chess table, and made a hasty retreat. “I will be…ah...back. I …um…just want to…to freshen up a bit… um…ah… I will be back,” he stammered. The golden elf all but ran from the room. Erestor and Elrond watched in disbelief.

“Erestor?” Elrond took in the distracted expression on his friend’s face. “Erestor,” he said again, “is there something going on I should be aware of?”

Elrond’s chief advisor looked at his lord thoughtfully. “I do not know.”

“Do not give me that, my old friend. I have watched you for decades - you have feelings for him. Now Ecthelion returns and…”

“They were not lovers, Elrond,” the elf interrupted.

Elrond just stared. This was not what he expected to hear. Suddenly it hit him. “He is available then. When are you going to tell him the truth?”

“Elrond, meldir, I am too tired to get into this with you now. Please, it can wait.” It was true; Erestor did look a bit paler.

“All right, rest now. I will instruct the servants to leave a tray on the table.”

“Thank you.” With a sigh, Erestor closed his eyes and heard Elrond quietly leave.

***

Practically running to his rooms, the frantic warrior burst through his door, nearly ripping it from the hinges. Panting for breath, he fell into the nearest chair. He had never felt this hard before. Just imagining what lay just inches below Erestor’s covers nearly caused him to spend on the spot.

Closing his eyes, he leaned back in the chair and undid his leggings. Slipping a hand inside, he caressed his velvety shaft. Soon his other hand pushed in to fondle his sacs as the leggings slid lower. Glorfindel imagined Erestor’s elegant fingers; how it would feel to have the sensual elf touch him this way. The golden warrior groaned and pushed his leggings down past his hips. While his strokes quickened, his other hand stroked his thighs, and eventually traveled back to the sacs and behind. He thrust up passionately into his hand, imagining ebony hair splayed over creamy silken sheets, pounding into Erestor’s tight heat as his lover cried out his name. With a final thrust into his own hand, the warrior spilled himself, Erestor’s name reverberating around the room.

***
Alone for the first time in two days, Erestor decided to take care of some personal needs. Feeling confident in his strength, the advisor gingerly left the bed and made his way slowly to the bathing chamber. The healers had finally unbound his ribs and head, and Erestor wanted to submerge himself in a nice, warm, relaxing bath. Sitting carefully on the edge of the small pool, the slender elf turned the taps and added his favorite oils. Anor was already low in the sky and long shadows danced across the room. The advisor lit several candles and carefully entered the bath.

Once he was seated on a lower ledge, Erestor picked up a silver pitcher and filled it with water. Rivulets of water ran down his back and chest as he poured the water over his hair. It felt like fingers floating over his skin, like Glorfindel’s fingers. After lathering his hair, he repeated the action. Pouring liquid soap into his hand, he began to wash his body.

As Erestor slid his hands over his chest, his nipples peaked and he let out a long sigh. His hands glided down his stomach and over his thighs. Small tremors coursed through his body as the washing motion gave way to a more sensual motion. Resting his head against the pool edge, Erestor caressed his body as he would a lover's. This was how he would touch Glorfindel. He would ghost over nipples before administering a playful pinch. His long fingers would stretch across the muscled chest, inching down to the golden abdomen, down to a hip. Slipping over where thigh met hip, Erestor’s shaft went rigid at the visions dancing in his head. The advisor gasped as his thumb whisked across the head of his engorged member. Oh, that it were Glorfindel’s hands undoing him. Long legs fell open as Erestor took his hard length in hand and continued visualizing a powerful golden body moving against his. How he would touch and tease the mighty Elda. His own hand mimicked the playful strokes, bestowed with the lightest of grips.

Erestor ignored the ache in his side as his body arched of its own accord, searching for more contact. Back and forth, Erestor’s hand moved over his own weeping shaft; always light and teasing. He knew Glorfindel would be beautiful undone like this. Keeping the torturously slow pace, Erestor let his other hand roam his body; tweaking nipples, sliding back to tease his hidden entrance. His body quivered with desire as his head reeled. Still, he denied himself, as he would Glorfindel. The raven-haired elf wanted to hear the great warrior of Gondolin beg…beg to be touched, licked, engulfed. Erestor cried out as his body bowed and his hot seed covered his hand and chest. Letting his body sink back into the cooling water, the counselor became painfully aware of the pain now coursing through his brain. With a groan, Erestor began to stand, only to fall back again. With the sloshing water and spinning room, he found it impossible to get out. This was not good. Not good at all.