A Lonely Love

Chapter 15

Carandhol went to find Sirlith. He walked to the barracks, the training grounds, even to the stables; however, he could not locate his lover anywhere. Refusing to ask anyone if they had seen him, he entered his own chambers. He walked around looking at everything that he and Erestor had acquired over the years; various artifacts, large volumes of books and scrolls, a few paintings, and he realized that he himself had added nothing to their quarters. To him it had just been a place to keep his clothes, to bathe, to occasionally sleep and to sometimes sleep with Erestor…nothing more. He was about to change his clothes when he heard a knock at the door.

Upon opening the door, he saw Sirlith standing on the other side. Carandhol stepped back to allow him to enter. "I was searching for you," whispered Carandhol, as Sirlith brushed past him.

"I know," sighed Sirlith, walking further into the room.

"You went to see Erestor?" Sirlith said as a fact and not as a question.

Carandhol nodded his answer.

"Is he fading, as the rumors say?"

Here Carandhol looked down to his feet and sighed heavily, "So it seems."

"Will he recover?" Sirlith asked trying to look into his lover's eyes.

"I-I do not know." Carandhol answered truthfully, finally looking into Sirlith's eyes.

"I do not want my brothers-in-arms to shun me!" He glared at Carandhol.

"Oh, and you think I do?" Carandhol answered back in disgust.

"What are you going to do about this?" Sirlith ran a hand quickly through his hair in frustration at the situation that they had found themselves in.

"If Erestor awakens… I have asked for the dissolution of our marriage. I went before Elrond to ask to see him, and then asked for forgiveness. I put on quite a show..." here he paused and winked at Sirlith with his un-bruised eye.

Sirlith smiled and came close enough to put his arms around his lover. "You, meleth, are quite the naughty one," he gave a heated kiss to Carandhol’s lips. Cara deepened the kiss as he pulled Sirlith closer, rubbing their erections together.

"Yes, I expect to be forgiven by all, even if Erestor sails or fades... though...there was some truth to my words. After all, I do owe it to Imladris and to Elrond.”

"Yes, and to me," Sirlith pouted as he licked Carandhol's ear.

Carandhol purred, "ah, yes, to you..."

Elrond left the healing wing to have a quick dinner with his wife and sons. He left Erestor in Tuluiel’s skilled hands and Glorfindel’s ever-watchful eye.

Tuluiel walked over to Erestor with a bowl of warm lemon scented water and sat it on the table beside the bed. She unfolded a towel and laid it on the bed next to the sleeping counselor… as she looked at the steadfast warrior at Erestor’s side. “Lord Glorfindel, will you help me to roll Master Erestor onto his stomach to bathe him?”

Glorfindel looked over at the healer as if not really hearing the words she had spoken to him. “Lord Glorfindel?” she asked again trying to gain his attention.

Nodding as realization hit him he went to the counselor’s side. “Forgive me, my mind was somewhere else.” He apologized to her.

“Please, gently, roll him onto his side.” She coaxed him, adding…“no… yes, like that… good.”

Glorfindel cradled Erestor to his chest as one large hand held his bare, smooth hip. He closed his eyes to the sight revealed to him, not wanting to take advantage of Erestor’s helplessness before him. It took all his strength of will not to glance down at the beauty before him.

Tuluiel nodded to Glorfindel, “My lord, place him back now, and thank you for your help.”

Glorfindel absently nodded as he smoothed Erestor’s hair, placing stray strands behind his ear. Leaning over, he kissed his brow as he whispered into the small, perfect ear, “You can get better now…. please.”

Tuluiel took pity on the scene in front of her, the mighty warrior looked disheveled, his eyes heavy with dark circles due to both worry and lack of sleep.

“Lord Glorfindel, please… eat and rest, I will watch over Master Erestor.” She urged him with concern in her voice.

“Nay, I cannot, this may be the last I have to look upon him.” He answered her with glassy eyes. All knew their beloved advisor would be leaving soon to sail.

Turning to offer him privacy, she cleaned up after herself and moved into the next room.

Glorfindel pulled his chair as close to the side of the bed as he could and took Erestor’s hand in his as he gently stroked the arm held before him.

Meanwhile, Elrond and his family ate in the dining hall together. He always tried to eat with them, even if he was busy, to show how important his family was to him. He knew all too well how all of that could change in a heartbeat.

"Is there no chance of him awakening now?" whispered Celebrian for Elrond's ears only as the their sons munched away happily at the intimate table setting.

Elrond looked deep into his wife's eyes and sighed. "I suppose there is always a chance..." he trailed off as a dollop of mashed carrots hit his left hand. Looking down, he stared at the offending food. Slowly raising his eyes, he glared at the twins across the table from he and Celebrian.

"Sorry, Ada," smiled Elrohir coyly, as he batted his long eyelashes.

"Why did you throw your food at me Elrohir?" asked a slightly amused Elrond. He was trying hard to hide the twinkle in his eye. He glanced sharply sideways as he heard Celebrian fake a cough to cover her giggles behind her delicate hand. He just raised an eyebrow at her and she shrugged her shoulders in reply.

"I, I was throwing at 'Dan, not you, Ada," answered Elrohir matter-of-factly.

"We...do not.... throw...food," Elrond instructed with a glare.

To his dismay both of his children began to giggle, as did Celebrian.

"Can we just put it on someone?" Elladan asked.

"No!" replied Elrond sternly.

"How 'bout just the food that is yucky?" Elrohir intoned this time.

"No."

Together, they both crossed their arms and pouted, sticking out their bottom lips in defiance.

"You, are as bad as they are," Elrond teased Celebrian and she bit her lip to keep from laughing aloud.

"I must get back now." Elrond stood and kissed the top of Celebrian's hair and then moved onto the twins. He kissed the head of each one and rolled his eyes at the sight of the floor beneath them, food was everywhere. Shaking his head he began to leave the dining hall.

"Ada?" Elladan called.

"Yes, Elladan?" Elrond inquired of his oldest son.

"'Restor is waked up now."

Elrond and Celebrian froze as Elrohir nodded in agreement.

"Can he play with us now?"

Elrond spun around and ran all the way to the healing wing.

Celebrian came to kneel before her beautiful sons with tears in her eyes. "Are you sure of that which you have said?”

They each touched her face, "Yes, silly, Nana." Oblivious as to why their mother did not know this fact as well.

She hugged them both as tears of joy fell down her face; ignoring the food that now clung to her favorite pale blue dress.

Glorfindel found that he could not stop staring at Erestor’s face. He was memorizing every detail to his mind…the color of his ebony hair, the silken feel and shine to it, the long dark lashes that framed chocolate eyes that were now closed in an unnatural sleep. He closed his eyes so as to commit Erestor’s features to memory better; he saw the long nose, sharp cheekbones and full sensual lips. So lost was he in his thoughts that his mind did not register the slight squeeze of his hand. Again there was a slight squeeze and this time he felt it. His eyes flew open as his heartbeat sped up, and he sat up straight in his chair. He looked at the hand he was holding and then into the most beautiful chocolate eyes he had ever seen….

TBC…