A Lonely Love

Chapter 13


Carandhol awoke the next day in Sirlith's strong arms. He stretched and yawned, wincing from the pain caused by such an action. His cheek ached, his right eye still swollen and bruised. Overnight a lump had formed from where his head had hit the shelves. Cursing, he sat up after removing Sirlith's arms.

Sirlith stretched, sitting up as well. Anger welling in him upon looking at his lover's bruised and swollen face. "How do you fair this morn?" Sirlith asked as he rubbed Cara's back affectionately. "I will be fine," answered Carandhol while walking to the bathroom. He looked back over his shoulder, “care to join me?"

Sirlith stretched his long legs and walked towards his lover. Running his hands across Carandhol's muscled arse, he licked Carandhol's ear in response.


Glorfindel had slept fitfully, nightmares kept surfacing in his mind. He dreamt of death. Death, fire and falling. Sitting up with a start, covered in a sheen of sweat, he shook; as he had not had that dream of his death for many, many centuries now. Feeling nauseous, he quickly bathed, dressed and headed for the healing wing.

Upon entering Erestor's room in the healing wing, he was awed by the picture in front of him. Celebrian's light was shining vividly about her as it flowed into the sleeping counselor's stilled body. He could feel the power in the air, it almost sizzled, and at this moment he was reminded of her mother, the Lady Galadriel, in all her glory.

Sensing another's presence in the room she slowly pulled her energy back and leaned into the comfort of the chair. Glorfindel was immediately at her side. "My lady, are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

"Aye, my friend, just a bit tired." She smiled at him through weary eyes.

"Go take your rest for those twin mops of raw energy you call your sons." He smiled as he gently teased her.

"That I shall do, my friend," she smiled as she took the offered hand.

Easily helping her stand, Glorfindel bowed slightly in respect. She smiled wide and kissed his brow. "He needs his tea in an hour, "Fin." Turning to leave she looked back into worried blue eyes, "he needs your love most of all, give him your love my friend."

Glorfindel's eyes shone wet with tears, "How will we be as one Celebrian? He has a mate already."

Celebrian saw his utter despair and felt herself tear up, "Do not worry meldir, Elrond will think of something." She quickly left not wanting to cry in front of him.

Glorfindel sighed as he smoothed Erestor's hair and kissed his still cool brow. A tear escaped his eye and landed on Erestor's cheek, slowly sliding into his slightly parted lips.

"I love you Erestor, I do not know how, but one day, we shall be together, if you so desire it." Leaning down, the mighty balrog slayer placed his lips onto the unusually pale lips of the beautiful sleeping counselor. Pressing a little harder than their first shared ghost of a kiss, he kissed Erestor sweetly, stood up and then leaned down again to kiss him once more.

……………………..

Meanwhile, Carandhol and Sirlith went to eat their lunch in the main dining hall as usual. The hall fell silent as they entered. Feeling eyes upon him, Carandhol defiantly kept his head up and eyed his fellow warriors as he sat in his regular seat. One by one each warrior stood, turned their backs to the two and left the dining hall promptly.

Sirlith grew nervous; this was a show of their broken confidence in a fellow warrior. He did not want to be ostracized by his fellow soldiers. He looked at Carandhol to see what it is he should do, but his captain was visibly shaking from the display he just witnessed. His men now had no faith in him. This, more than anything else that had happened, upset him to the core. He was a warrior through and through. He lived it, breathed it, ate it, slept it. It was all that he was and everything he ever strove to be. And now it was being ripped out from under him. He couldn’t even look at Sirlith, though his eyes were drawn to another in the room…

……………………..

Elrond awoke from a restless sleep as well and he immediately dressed and went to check on Erestor. Upon entering the room he saw Glorfindel faithfully by Erestor’s side once more. “Any change meldir?” Asked Elrond.

“Nay,” whispered Glorfindel as he ran a hand through his messy golden hair.

Elrond then began a thorough exam of his patient once more. He seemed unchanged as well, though no worse.

“ ‘Fin, if he does not getter better by tomorrow, he will need to sail or he will be lost to us.” Elrond sighed heavily. “I see no other option, I will send a messenger ahead to alert Lord Cirdan of the need.”

Those words were as a blow to the gut of Glorfindel and the mighty warrior fell to his knees clutching his abdomen, though it was his heart that was in pain. Elrond rushed to his side and Glorfindel embraced his lord and friend’s waist as his head lay against his abdomen. Glorfindel shook as he sobbed openly now and Elrond hugged his friend tightly, whilst he caressed his golden head.


……………………

Carandhol’s eyes were drawn to the blue eyes of Lady Celebrian. He found he could not look away even as he wanted to. Steadily she walked over to him and he stood transfixed.

“You have not even inquired about how Erestor fairs!” she said through clenched teeth. “After all the years you have lived with him, you feel nothing at all? I can not even imagine what “horror” our beloved counselor has done to you to deserve such treatment!” Celebrian was shaking and her face was red from her ire at the red-haired captain of Imladris. “You not only dishonor Erestor, you dishonor yourself and all of what Imladris was founded for!” In a swirl of light blue dress, she turned and left the hall but not before she glared at Sirlith as well.

Sirlith looked after the Lady Celebrian, looked at Carandhol who did not meet his gaze, and shaking his head in confusion, slowly walked out of the hall as well. Carandhol did not follow.

………………………

The night came and they watched in shifts with Glorfindel and Elrond leaving only to quickly eat or to take care of necessities. Tuluiel saw to it that all kept their strength up. Sometimes forcing one or the other to take a break and to ensure them that she was perfectly capable of taking care of Master Erestor.

There came a knock at the door. Celebrian peeked her head in. “Elrond, they wish to see Erestor and refuse to sleep until they see for themselves that he is still with us?” Celebrian asked her husband with tired and pleading eyes. He knew they were most likely giving her a difficult time.

“Let them in my love,” he nodded in understanding.

Ever slowly, two identical dark heads in sleeping robes of deep blue entered the room, their eyes wide in fear. Elrond stood and crossed the room taking the nearest twin’s hand and lead him to Erestor. Clutching their parents’ hands they walked over to their tutor and friend. Elladan pulled at Elrond’s hand. Elrond bent down, “yes my son?”

“Why is Restor’s eyes closed?” Elladan asked.

“Is he Peredhil?” whispered Elrohir.

“Nay, my sons, he is in a healing sleep. He is very sick.” Elrond told them.

“Can we touch him?” Elrohir asked.

“Of course,” Celebrian took them to Erestor as one stood on each side and took his hand.

“He feels cold,” said Elladan.

“Why is he sick?” asked Elrohir.

The three adults looked at one another not knowing how to respond.

“Restor’s heart is broked, ‘Ro,” answered Elladan matter-of-factly. Elrohir nodded to his twin like this was a logical reason.

The three adults could not speak; they were moved to tears by the innocence of the elflings.

“Ada? Can we give Restor a hug?” they asked in unison.

Elrond nodded as he and Celebrian picked their sons up and each twin crawled out of their parents’ grasp only to lay their head on either side of Erestor’s chest.

“I know ‘Ro, let’s tell him a story,” whispered Elladan to his twin.

“K, Restor likes stories,” agreed Elrohir.

They sat up on the bed next to him and each kissed a cheek of the counselor. “We’re going to tell you a story Restor,” said Elladan into Erestor’s ear.

“Nana, can we?” Elrohir asked his mother whom their father was holding tightly.

She nodded her answer for she could not speak for want of crying.

“There once was a teacher, his name was Restor,” Elladan began.

“He liked to tell us stories,” added Elrohir.

“Restor was sad cause he wanted hugs.”

“He didn’t get any”.

“Then he told ‘Ro and ‘Dan.”

“They hugged him and he got better.”

“The end.” They said together as chubby little hands smoothed Erestor’s face and hair and they hugged his neck hard.

“You can get better now Restor,” they smiled and held out their arms for their parents to take.

All three elves were crying from the ease and simplicity of the elflings before them. Elrond and Celebrian left to take their sleepy sons back to bed.
Glorfindel wiped his tears and took Erestor’s hand in his.

“You can get better now Erestor,” he copied the twins.


TBC……