Troglodytic

Part 13…


Glorfindel could feel his heart blossoming, with each reassuring beat a blissful feeling seem to unfurl, every rejection, every lost bit of hope that had caused his heart to die a little each time Erestor rebuffed him seemed to heal itself with every step he took until he thought his chest would burst from the sensations. Glorfindel led them back upstream, forced to trudge on foot as Glorfindels mount had been left on the other side of the river when he had dived in after Erestor, and the blonde warrior could barely refrain from humming a merry tune because Erestor, quiet elusive unyielding Erestor, was holding his hand.

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The pair walked in silence under the pelting rain, Glorfindel diligently surveying the tree line in search of the marker that would reveal the secreted sidth tth that was sometime used to enter Mirkwood. They must be getting close by now.

Meanwhile Erestor had not been idle as he walked, indeed his thoughts had run in circles as his eyes were continually drawn to where his hand was clasped in Glorfindels. This was wrong, so very wrong. What had… was he thinking. Just as Erestor had been about to pull his hand away and offer a biting comment Glorfindel halted, a soft ‘ah ha’ leaving his lips as he changed direction to move towards the tree line, pulling Erestor behind him.

Erestor watched as a branch was pushed aside and a path, large enough for four elves to walk abreast, was revealed. “How did you know this was here?”

Using his shoulder to keep the branch at bay Glorfindel raised his arm towards the tree to their left, pointing to where, high in the branches, a single strip of dark green cloth was wrapped around the trunk and tied securely, deliberately colored and situated so that one would not see it unless they knew to look for it.

“I spent a season or two in Mirkwood, if you remember, and had the opportunity to join a scouting party. They were kind enough to inform me of this trail. It is a short cut to Mirkwood and meets up with the main road fairly close to Thranduils gates. Also there is a shelter a short ways from here that we will be able to find rest and perhaps get dry for a time. Come.”

Glorfindel tugged gently on Erestors hand, guiding him beneath the dark green canopy of leaves before following him, letting the branch loose with a rustle to once again guard the trails entrance. The steady fall of rain lessened under the trees and Glorfindel came up along side his companion, smiling before once again taking the lead, Erestors slim hand still held within his own.

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The relief that he had expected was instead filled with a bitter sense of disappointment as they reached the shelter and Glorfindel released his hand. For some unfathomable reason he had been unable to pull away from the comforting grip, and now, standing off to the side of the cave, he watched Glorfindel begin to build a fire.

Glorfindel struck the flint, sending sparks to settle upon the dry leaves and kindling that had been left inside the cave, blowing gently to encourage the flames to spread and grow, adding more wood until a small blaze dance merrily in the circle of stones. Turning he smiled warmly at Erestor, taking in the shivering form as steady drips of water fell to form an increasingly large puddle about his feet. His smile widening Glorfindel pivoted away in search of blankets, missing the flinch his warm smile had elicited.

This was bad, so very very bad. Erestor clenched his jaw and clung to the tattered remains of his control. One moment of weakness and Glorfindel was looking at him like… well he wasn’t certain exactly, but it was not a good thing. His expression was too warm, too… hopeful. Gads, what had he been thinking? Hugging the warrior back, holding his hand? He had to restore the distance between them before the unthinkable happened and his resistance complete crumpled. He could not afford to let himself be hurt, not again.


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Glorfindel moved to the back of the cave, finding what he was looking for in a pile of heavy blankets. Grabbing two he returned to Erestor and after handing one to the dark haired elf he set the other on the floor and once more went to the fire, bending down to tend it. Once satisfied with the strength of the fire he turned to face Erestor, fully expecting the other to be removing his wet garments, only to find that he had not moved and still held the blanket by his side.

“We need to get out of these clothes and warm ourselves by the fire.”

“I’m fine.”

Glorfindel frowned at the toneless words, moving forwards to procure a blanket for himself.

“You can’t stay in those wet clothes. Come, take them off and lay them by the fire so they can dry.” As he spoke Glorfindel began to peel his own wet clothing from his body, grimacing as the material stubbornly stuck to his skin.

“I’m fine.”

Glorfindel narrowed his eyes at Erestor but found his look to be wasted as the other had averted his gaze, apparently wanting to allow Glorfindel his privacy. Glorfindel sighed and striped his leggings off before taking his blanket and, folding it in half, expertly tying it about his waist.

“Erestor, be reasonable. You’re soaking, shivering and dripping water all over the floor.”

Erestor looked at Glorfindel, bristling at the blonde in annoyance. “Who made you my keeper, and the floor... is... stone.” Erestor felt himself falter and stutter as Glorfindels half nude form registered. All that bare, creamy skin, flawless, perfect and… “Beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

Erestor wrenched his eyes from the muscular chest to lock gaze with those blue eyes and he felt himself recoil, casting his eyes upon his own feet, his mouth lightly twisting in contempt at himself.

“We elves like beautiful things, do we not?”

Glorfindel blink at the unexpected comment, wondering at the sad voice with which Erestor spoke. “I suppose we do, yes.”

Silence reigned as the two elves stood across from one another, the only sound being the soft rain outside and the slow dripping noise as the water from Erestors cloak seeped from the material in droplets to join their kin in the puddle upon the stone below.

“You need to get dry.”

The bland stare had Glorfindel sighing and turning his back so he faced the fire. “I won’t watch, I promise. But if you don’t get out of those wet clothes I will ‘help’ you if need be.”

A few moments passed before Glorfindel heard the sound of movement and the slap of wet cloth as it landed on stone. Keeping his gaze steadfastly on the fire in front of him he patiently waited, fighting the sinking despair that the short time that Erestor had seemed to be opening up and accepting him had passed. Catching a motion from the corner of his eye he raised his gaze to the blanket clad form as it moved past him and laid the recently discarded clothing along side his own. Any hope he had that Erestor would join him, possibly even cuddle up to him, was smothered as the dark haired elf settled down across the fire from him, the practical wool blanket clutched in a death grip about his shoulder, effectively concealing even the barest hint of the naked skin beneath.

“So this is the way it is to be then? Back to the way it was before?”

Wary dark eyes looked at him and Erestor seemed to curl into himself, huddling within the protective confines of his blanket.

“I don’t know what you are referring to.”

“Bullshit!” The exclamation stunned both elves but Glorfindel found he could not feel any remorse for his out burst. He was angry and hurting, internally berating himself for his optimism.

“Glorfindel…” Erestors warning was cut off, Glorfindels terse voice filling the quiet cave with its loud whisper.

“Why? Why do you shut me out? I love you. I…”

“Love me?” A humorless laugh. “You do not know me.”

“Only because you refuse to let me close. Erestor...” Pleading now, attempting to salvage whatever had been between them before by the river and while walking to the cave. “Erestor, can you not feel it? This pull between us. Your very presence speaks to me, your spirit, your *soul* calls to mine. How can you ignore it? How have you ignored it for so long?”

“You do not know me, for if you did you would not want me.”

“All I ask for is a chance. A chance to know you, to make that decision for myself. Here. Now. Everything you say would make me not want you... tell me and let me decide. It is just the two of us here, no one else. What ever you say, what ever passes between us will remain between us, regardless of the outcome. Please…”

“Tell you…” A whisper, more for himself than the one staring so earnestly at him, pleading not only with his words but with his eyes. Tell him?

“Let me know you. Tis all that I want, tis all that I ask.”

“You want to know? You want to know me?” A heartbeat. “Then you shall.”

And with that Erestor stood and allowed one hand to loosen its grip on the blanket while the other jerked harshly at the heavy wool, casting it aside in a moment of rashness, allowing his body to be fully bared to Glorfindels sight.

And the blonde warrior, who had experienced two lives, lost so many loved ones and suffered much heartbreak and despair felt his heart clench in pain before it cracked and broke anew.

TBC…


Bwuahahahahahahahahahaha… Really – you didn’t actually think it would be that easy did you? Heh heh heh…


Response to Reviews:
Silverwolf - Glad you're enjoying the story... and I'm sorry the chapters are so short, I just reach a certain point and need to stop (it's like I need to do one solitary scene at a time or something). But... this latest chapter is longer, aren't you proud? *grins*

Brin - Yes poor Erestor, Muse is being a little angsty lately. And I'm glad you like it, am working on getting myself to write longer chapters.

Sheejan - Of course Loriens in trouble, when is he not in trouble? He's a brat... but so cute and adorable. I'm glad you like the story (and you need to quite reading my mind... I swear you always know what I'm thinking or planning... how do you do that?)

Somali - I just can't stop writing sappy stuff... although I am going more angsty with this story than any other I've written (as you might have noticed).