The Jewel of Mirkwood

(A/N) This Chapter should come before the one just gone......sorry about the mix up but I can't go back an edit it cause my computers having a paddy and is taking far too long to download it all, so you'll just have to kind of work around it. I'll see if I can fix it but until then, just read them out of order. They still make sense just a little awkward that's all. OH and thanks to the reviewer who pointed that out to me.

Chapter 119

Elrond tiptoed quietly into his bedchamber trying desperately not to make a sound. If what Elrohir had told him Erestor had left earlier than anyone else at the first signs of the debate in the great hall, which meant his lover had been in bed from some considerable time and was probably fast asleep. Elrond felt kind of guilty for having not noticed his lover leave and even worse for sneaking back into their rooms. To avoid making any unnecessary noise Elrond silently stripped himself of his clothes in the outer sitting room of his chambers before shifting silently into the bedroom. The inner bedchamber was still lit by a single candle on Elrond’s side of the bed and the fire, which had burned low over the evening. From the lump beneath the covers on the bed it was clear that Erestor was fast asleep and so Elrond continued his stealthy movement around the room until he gently went to ease back the sheer curtaining and climb into bed beside his lover. Elrond had only managed to get one foot under the covers when the lump on the other side turned over and the elvan lord was pinned to the spot with a pair of shining green eyes.

“I……I’m….sorry my love I didn’t mean to wake you.” Elrond was a little stunned by the coldness of Erestors’ glare and struggled to find his voice to apologise. Erestor did not however say anything as he merely turned back over with his back to Elrond. Elrond knew that Erestor was angry with him and while he did not know the specifics the Lord could very well guess what had triggered Erestor’s annoyance. Feeling a draft from the open window on his naked flesh Elrond climbed quickly in beside Erestor and spooned himself up behind the taunt body at his side. Hoping to lessen Erestor’s mood Elrond nuzzled playfully against Erestor’s neck his hand snaking about the advisors waist to begin drawing circles on Erestor’s lower abdomen. Although not acknowledging it Elrond could feel as Erestor’s taunt body became pliable under his own, the advisors resolve wavering just as it always did beneath the touch of his lover. “Erestor…..” Elrond whispered softly against Erestor’s ear his breath pushing away the dark strands of hair that fell about his advisors face. “Are you angry with me my love?” Elrond tried his best to sound as sweet and innocent as possible but Erestor’s reply proved the attempt was thoroughly transparent.

“Yes. Very angry with you.” Erestor turned a little further from Elrond’s grasp but didn’t get very far, the elvan lord following so tso that he was hovering above Erestor’s shoulder to look down on Erestor’s face. Pouting a little too dramatically than was necessary Elrond creased his forehead in confusion and question.

“What did I do Erestor?” Elrond cursed himself the moment the words left his mouth as Erestor spun over and glared at him pointedly before hastily rising from the bed and wrapping his robe around him. In an effort to apologise Elrond rose from the bed as well, hastily following Erestor who had stormed into the sitting room and was intently pouring himself a glass of warm fey wine. “Please Erestor, I am sorry but I do not know what I have done to upset you. Indulge my old age and tell me straight, I do not want to fight with you.” Elrond winced a little as Erestor spun around from the table he was stood at to look blankly at the elvan lord.

“You do not want to fight with me, yet you willingly fight for the fate of the elvan races with those who we should look to for alliances. Besides this is not a fiit iit is a disagreement, if you want a fight I will gladly give you one.” Erestor promptly sat himself down in the rocking chair by the fire and folded his arms across his chest, the glass of few wine he’d guzzled like it was water now forgotten on the table beside him. Elrond sighed inwardly and passed a hand over his creased forehead. He was in truth to tired to argue with Erestor but if he was to get any sleep he would have to resolve his problems with his lover.

“Please Erestor you must understand that as Lord of Imladris that I can not accept the proposals put forward by Thranduil or even Celeborn. I have a duty to protect the best interests of my people and what the King and my Father in law are suggesting is not acceptable.” Elrond moved forward to kneel before his lover and take Erestor’s hands in his own, but the advisor looked away from him and promptly tore his hands from Elrond’s grasp.

“The best interests of your people, what are they may I ask? You are prepared to reject all offers of an alliance because of your pride at the cost of sending our people to war divided, leaderless and with little hope of success.” Erestor paused and stood up abruptly from the seat catching Elrond’s chin on his knee and making the elvan Lord wince and fall back a little in shock. “Imla is is young Elrond, many of your people have not seen the horrors of war as those of Mirkwood and Lorien, and those who have are still too fragile with grief to risk sending them again to the front. Do you not see that they will die? There is no hope for us in this war if we do not unite; yet you sit there at a table arg argue about the alliances of old. Gil-Galad is dead as is the once mighty King of Greenwood. We can not change the past yet you condemn your own people to the same fate because you can not agree on the terms of engagement.” Erestor was screaming now tears streaming down his face as he paced frantically back and forth across the room in a state Elrond had never witnessed in his advisor before. Elrond barely ducked as one of the books from the shelving near Erestor’s scene was hurled in his direction from the angry advisor.

“Erestor please I……….” Elrond didn’t get his sentence out as another heavier book was thrown at him this time catching his arm and tearing his robe before taking a considerably gash from the Lord’s arm, which began to bleed. Erestor didn’t even notice the injury he had caused his love as several guards came rushing into the room followed hastily by Glorfindel and Celeborn who had been stood outside the hall conversing when the raucous had begun upstairs. It took only a moment for Glorfindel and Celeborn to realise what was going on but having seen his Lord injured Glorfindel rushed over to Elrond’s side where the blood from his wound had begun to drip onto the rug in front of the fire. The guards went to restrain Erestor but halted when Celeborn held them back.

“I will not stand by and watch you make the same mistakes as Gil-Galad did. I have faith in you Elrond yet you have disappointed me. When Glorfindel leaves for the borders I will go with him. There is nothing I can do here and I will not spend another war running meaningless errands and writing letters of disagreement while our people die. My skills are better served saving lives on the battle field than facilitating your frustratingly useless arguments.” Without thinking Erestor let another of the books from she shelving fly at where Glorfindel was crudely strapping Elrond’s wound from the previous book. Luckily the book missed both seneschal and lord this time rebounding off the fire surround and breaking some of the ornaments on the mantle.

“Erestor….” Celeborn went to grab the advisor and calm him but Erestor shrugged of the Lord’s grasp and stormed from the room leaving everyone thoroughly shocked at seeing the calm, collected advisor so out of character. For a moment everyone merely watched the tapestry swing violently back and forth across the entrance to Elrond’s chambers, where Erestor had left. The silence was then broken by Elrond’s sobs as he collapsed into Glorfindel’s arms his pain clearly audible to anyone who was listening. “Out, get out now.” Knowing that the guards were now staring at their broken Lord, being comforted by Glorfindel, Celeborn quickly ushered them out of the room. Elrond was shivering and shaking both with cold and fear as Glorfindel ungraciously picked the dark haired lord up from the floor and carried him carefully back to the bedroom. Celeborn followed quickly with a warm glass of wine and some herbs he knew his son-in-law kept in the draw below the wine decanter.

“Shhhh calm yourself Elrond, he is just angry and will regret what he has said to you in the morning when he has cooled down a little.” Softly speaking in Quenya Glorfindel stripped his Lord of his bloodied sleeping robe and eased Elrond back under the warm covers and blankets of the bed before sitting down beside him and continuing to try and sooth his pain away with his hug.

“Here, let him drink some of this it will calm his nerves.” Celeborn hoisted up his own robes and climbed ungraciously onto the bed beside his son-in-law to help Glorfindel spoon-feed the warm wine and herbs to a very shaken Elrond. Glorfindel cursed a little as most of the liquid dribbled down Elrond’s chin onto the bed sheets but rejoiced silently as the small amount the Lord had swallowed began to instantly work its effects. Within moments Elrond’s shakes had calmed down and the Lord fell limply unconscious into Glorfindel’s chest. “It will keep him out for most of the night but I will stay with him just in case he should wake.” Glorfindel eased Elrond back to the pillows and promptly tucked the elvan Lord in with loving care. It had not been the first time Glorfindel had seen Elrond so upset and he had cared for the half elf more than once. It never got easier however, seeing such a stately strong leader so helpless and dependant.

“Do you wish me to stay?” Glorfindel rose from the bed and washed his sticky hands in the basin by the window as Celeborn settled himself in a rocking chair beside Elrond’s bed, his hand gently soothing the elf lord’s forehead.

“Nay return to Legolas but tell the guards on your way to find Erestor and keep him in sight at all times. I do not know how rash or impulsive he may become and it is better we keep an eye on him at least until he has returned a little of his sanity.” Glorfindel nodded and bowed respectfully to Lord Celeborn who merely smiled distantly at the seneschal as the blonde began towards the doorway to the room. “Glorfindel….” Glorfindel paused at the entrance to the room and glanced questioningly back as Celeborn called his name. “It is perhaps the best decision if this incident is kept to ourselves at this time. Please use your discretion when informing others of Elrond’s sudden illness.” Glorfindel nodded in understanding before bowing again and leaving the room. There was so much happening that none was spared the pressure of decisions and Glorfindel was rather glad that Legolas would be somewhat protected from the war because of his situation…..

TBC.....................................