Half the Distance

Title: Half the Distance
Series: Innocence Stripped Away
Chapter: Ten : Falling
Author: Orchyd Constyne
Contact: soultornasunder@gmail.com
Website: http://www.hithanaur.net/
Update List: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nairn_orchyd/
Beta: Alex Cat

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Imladris, Spring, Third Age 2086

He had to admit it; it had been his idea. A bad idea, yes, but his idea entirely. The superficial small talk had died perhaps an hour ago, and now the pair rode in uncomfortable silence.

Haldir seemed to pretend nothing was out of sorts as his eyes continually scanned for any prey they might run across. Glorfindel, on the other hand, couldn't take his eyes off Asfaloth's mane. He hadn't looked up for the last ten minutes, one question repeatedly echoing in his head, begging to be voiced.

And voiced it finally was.

"Did you sleep with Erestor?" he blurted out.

Haldir stopped his horse and turned to stare oddly at Glorfindel. "Recently?" he asked mildly.

Glorfindel's temper flared. "You know what I am referring to, Haldir. Did it happen?"

"That was a long time ago," Haldir said. "But, yes, I did. He and Celeborn mastered me, and I found the entire thing enjoyable."

"Everyone knew Erestor was with me!" Glorfindel yelled, startling Asfaloth. "You knowingly took him to your bed when he was with *me*!"

Haldir crossed his arms, remaining calm in the face of Glorfindel's ire. "Glorfindel, it was not a romantic encounter. I did not, and do not, love him. It was once. Something done in the playroom and not discussed again. In fact, I can hardly believe you are bringing it up now. Why?"

"He... he accuses me of sharing myself with King Thranduil," Glorfindel reluctantly shared.

"Are you?"

Glorfindel shot a withering glance at Haldir. "I would never betray him. *Never*. Not like he betrayed me."

"It was hardly a betrayal," Haldir pointed out. "Even if it had been, does it matter now? It is long done, Glorfindel. If you did not demand he make amends when it happened, you can hardly expect him to now. Your silence was acceptance."

"I did not know I could ask for that at the time," Glorfindel said. "I was terribly confused, and lines had blurred."

Haldir shook his head. "Again I ask, why dig up the past? What good do you hope to accomplish with the confirmed knowledge from me that he did take me centuries ago?"

"I do not know," Glorfindel bitterly replied.

"Do not dredge it up as ammunition to harm him. It will do no good." Haldir regarded Glorfindel for a long, drawn out moment before he spoke again. "I have no business in this quarrel of yours with Erestor, but let me offer what advice I can, for you are both my friends. Do not take Thranduil to your bed in the hope of avenging some slight against your honour. No one believes Erestor was unfaithful to the love you shared when he had me, and sleeping with Thranduil will only destroy what is tenuously trying to survive."

*****

The muvael gripped the chains that secured him to the bedposts, his breath short and his muscles tense. Thranduil's lash was harsh, and the skin it kissed was on fire. He was painfully aroused, and he could sense Thranduil's own growing need. The energy within the room almost crackled, but it was the sound of the whip that broke the silence. The muvael moaned, trembled, and feared he might not be able to withstand the session. Oh, how humiliating it would be to utter that dreaded word that would call to a stop the glorious pain he felt!

But he didn't need to speak that word.

A knock on the main door to the chambers interrupted them.

Thranduil would not usually answer any summons, but he was not in his own realm. He was in Elrond's, and for all he knew, there was something direly important happening. He tossed the whip aside, pressed his chest to his muvael's bloody, hot back, and licked along his ear. "I promise to make this up to you," Thranduil whispered, and the muvael shivered with lust.

As he wiped his chest, Thranduil cursed whoever was on the other side of the door. The curse, however, died the moment he opened it. Glorfindel, his hair mussed, his cheeks flushed, and his eyes bright, stood nervously. It was odd to see Elrond's Seneschal nervous. Even when Thranduil had been taunting and seducing him in Mirkwood, Glorfindel had always been confident.

Glorfindel took one look at Thranduil, groaned, and bowed his head. "I am interrupting you."

"No, come inside. We were done," Thranduil lied smoothly. "I will release him and send him to the baths while we talk." He returned to the bedroom, with Glorfindel close behind, where the muvael still stood bound to the bed, highly excited and bleeding.

Glorfindel watched with detached envy as Thranduil cleaned the muvael's back, spoke softly to him, kissed his lips tenderly, and sent him on his way to the baths. Thranduil, Glorfindel acutely realised, was devastatingly beautiful only half-clothed, semi-aroused, and completely in his element. He couldn't help but stare, and Thranduil's amused laughter told him that the King was well aware of Glorfindel's interest.

"What is it you have come seeking me for, Glorfindel?" Thranduil asked forwardly. "Neither of us has time for games of decorum. Speak your mind."

Glorfindel took a deep breath and met Thranduil's oak eyes. "I love Erestor. I would walk through Morgoth's hells for him, Thranduil. In fact, I think I have, in some odd way. No one can replace him. No one *will* replace him. He... is so much a part of me, of the very Song of my soul, so if your intent is to put yourself in his place, I need you to know it will *never* happen."

"All right," Thranduil said. "I can accept that."

"Good." Glorfindel sighed with relief. "I want you. I cannot deny that, and I will not deny it. You knew it in Mirkwood, and you have taken great pleasure in reminding me here. What you do not seem to understand is that I am not stupid. As much as I want you, you want me even more. If not, you would not pursue me with such disregard to etiquette."

A slow smile spread across Thranduil's face. "You are observant."

"More than you know," Glorfindel said seriously. "I do not know if Erestor will come back to me. All I know is something is terribly wrong with him, and certain needs are not being met. I have never been with another Ingor. I have only ever been Erestor's. But, in Mirkwood, I discovered that there is a different sense of freedom and trust with another Ingor like yourself. There is something for me to learn in all of this, and I wish to be taught."

Thranduil considered this. Mulled over it as he sat on the bed. "You are saying that you wish to be mastered by me, and nothing more?" The terms of this contract needed to be clear, and he hoped to negotiate better compensation.

Glorfindel lifted his head proudly. "For the time being, Thranduil. We may revisit the relationship at a later time."

"Very good, then," Thranduil said, a triumphant gleam in his eyes. "Come back to this room in two nights. We can begin then."

*****

The muvael withdrew his ear from the chamber door, tears in his eyes.

He was being replaced!

Being replaced by *Glorfindel*. How could he compete with that? Glorfindel was a hero, a valiant warrior who came back from the *dead*. Being a common lust slave picked from a harem of available and eager slaves hardly constituted anything of substance. He was a common Elf who had unwisely fallen in love with his master.

And now his master was falling in love with another.

He had seen how Thranduil had looked at Glorfindel when the Elf had come to the Mirkwood court. By the Valar, he had seen the adoration his master had gazed upon Glorfindel with, and he had *known* time was running out. After that, he had tried to be everything and more that Thranduil could want, but still, he fell short.

Hot, angry tears found their way down his cheeks as he took refuge in the empty bathing chamber in the family wing.

Maybe he should seek out Erestor. Thranduil was a possessive, jealous Elf when it came to the things he perceived to own. Erestor was obviously in need of a Tumbo with broad limits, if the rumours of what had occurred between Glorfindel and Erestor were to be believed.

If Thranduil could not see what was in front of him, the love and devotion willingly being offered, the muvael would have to *make* him see it.

And Erestor was the key to that.

TBC...