Finding Hope

Mystkyten - Oops - you might need a tissue for this one then.


‘____’ indicates a little mind talk.

Chapter 16

Erynoron looked into Elrond’s ageless face. His eyes were gray with the light of the stars in them, sparkling like polished silver. His hair was dark as night. Erynoron thought he had never seen such wisdom and kind compassion in any other elf before. “My Lord Elrond?”

“Aye, I am Elrond. Welcome to Imladris, Erynoron. You must lie down and rest, my friend.”

Erestor still held him up, and Erynoron attempted a small bow of his head and upper body. Oh, that was a bad mistake. His head spun and nausea swept over him. He groaned.

Nestoron was immediately at his side, gently pushing Erestor aside and lowering Erynoron as Elrond rolled him to his side. Nestoron grabbed the bowl and placed it in front of Erynoron just in time, as the advisor vomited. Erestor ran to the bathroom to fetch washcloths, towels, and a bowl of fresh water.

Erynoron was so embarrassed, but oh, he felt so sick!

Elrond wiped his face with a cool cloth, as Nestoron took the bowl away. “Erestor, pour a bit more of that tea for me please,” Elrond said. He gently rolled Erynoron onto his back, and slipped one arm under the advisor’s shoulders. “I am going to raise you very slightly, my friend. Just let me do the work. Do not try to move on your own.”
He lifted Erynoron and placed the cup to his lips. “Sip slowly again.” Erynoron sipped the tea obediently, and Elrond laid him back down. “Feeling better?”

“Aye, my Lord. Thank you,” Erynoron answered, his voice unsteady.

“Rest now,” Elrond said. “You will feel better when you wake again.” Elrond laid a hand on Erynoron’s forehead, gently rubbing, soothing him as he again sent minute quantities of healing energy into the advisor. “Rest.”

Elrond’s hand felt wonderful. The hurt in his head lessened, and Erynoron slipped into a healing sleep.

“He will sleep for several hours, Erestor. Go back to your family, my friend. I will send word when he wakes, unless it is in the middle of the night.” Elrond said.

“Thank you, Elrond. Just send for me if you need me.”

When Erestor left, Elrond said, “Nestoron, will you help me put a night robe on him? He should stay warm. Then you may as well go back to your other duties.” Elrond took one of his own warm robes from the wardrobe, and the two healers slipped it on the healing advisor without waking him.

“Send for me if you need me, Elrond,” Nestoron said as he left the room to return to the healing hall.

Elrond was a bit tired after using his healing energy again. He thought about lying down on the sofa, but decided since Erynoron was asleep, he may as well be comfortable. He lay down on the empty side of the bed, and watched the beautiful advisor for a long time before he too drifted off into sleep.

~~~*~~~

Erestor returned to their rooms to find Glorfindel and Gailion happily working on the dollhouse on the sitting room floor as Amdiriel and Faelion watched.

Amdiriel sprang up and ran to Erestor. “Ada, you are back!” she said, happily, holding her arms up to be picked up and cuddled.

Erestor picked her up, kissed her cheek, and hugged her tightly. “Aye, I am back home, my love. Are Ada Glor and Gailion doing a good job with your dollhouse?”

Amdiriel giggled and nodded.

“Is your friend all better, Ada Restor?” Gailion asked.

“Not yet, sweetheart. But he woke up and I talked with him for a few minutes. He is asleep now,” Erestor answered.

“How is he, my love?” Glorfindel asked.

“He has a concussion, but he remembers what happened. Elrond said he would sleep for several hours.” Erestor sat down with Amdiriel on the floor, setting her next to him, and picked up Faelion to hold him on his lap. “It is almost time for dinner. Is everyone hungry? I know I am.”

Everyone nodded enthusiastically. “Ada Restor, can we have dinner outside?” Gailion asked. “We like eating outside sometimes.”

“I think that is a wonderful idea. What do you say, my love?” Erestor asked Glorfindel.

“Aye, I would like that as well. Shall we have dinner in our garden? Would that be all right, little ones?”

“Can Tinnu and Glirien and the kittens have dinner with us, too?” Amdiriel asked.

Erestor chuckled. “I do not think we would be able to keep them away, sweetheart.”

So when their dinner arrived, they laid blankets out under the trees and settled down on them enjoying their picnic. The kittens played together and tumbled around, while Tinnu and Glirien sat quietly waiting for their treats.

“Here you are, you little beggars,” Erestor said, giving the cats some choice tidbits off of his plate. The two kittens ran over when they saw their parents getting food, and sat quietly next to them looking at Erestor with big amber eyes. “Taught them to beg, I see, Tinnu,” Erestor said, grinning. He took two small treats from his plate and fed them to the kittens.

Glorfindel sat holding Faelion cradled in one arm. The baby had gotten cranky and alternated between crying and holding on to Glorfindel’s fingers and pulling them into his mouth. Suddenly, Glorfindel yelled, “Ow! He bit me!”

“I think our little one has started teething, Glorfindel. I am afraid to say it, but we are probably going to be in for some sleepless nights,” Erestor said. “I thought it was about time for that to start.”

“Time for an old Gondolin remedy, then.” Glorfindel whispered into Gailion’s ear, and the elfling got up and ran into their rooms.

“What old Gondolin remedy?” Erestor asked.

“Oh no, if I tell you, you will not let me do it,” Glorfindel said, grinning.

Gailion ran back out, carrying a bottle of brandy.

“Glorfindel, you are not going to give Faelion brandy!”

“My nana used it on me, and look at me! I am not going to feed it to him, sweetheart, just rub it on his gums.” Glorfindel opened the bottle and poured some brandy in a cup. He dipped a finger into the cup, then ran it along the baby’s gums. Faelion cooed and smiled. “See, he likes it.”

“He likes that you are rubbing his gums, Glorfindel, not the brandy, for Valar sake!” Erestor was not particularly happy with the development. He took the baby from Glorfindel, and said, “I will be right back. I am going to take Faelion to Nestoron and see what he says. Brandy, indeed!” With that, Erestor flounced into their rooms and out of the door, heading for the healing hall.

“Ada Glor, is Ada mad at you?” Amdiriel asked.

Glorfindel grinned. “Nay, sweetheart. He is just worried about Faelion. You will see, he will be right back and everything will be fine. Would you like to feed the kittens while we wait?”

So they feed and played with the cats while they waited for Erestor to return.

A few minutes later, Erestor quietly returned with the baby. “Very well, Glorfindel. Nestoron says a little brandy on his gums will not hurt him and will help with the pain. But only four times a day, mind you. And we can start feeding him some mashed up fruits and vegetables. He also gave me some herbs to make into a poultice and rub on his gums.”

“Thank you, my love,” Glorfindel said softly. Gailion cuddled close to Glorfindel, eyes big, but not saying anything.

Erestor handed Faelion back to Glorfindel and sat down. Amdiriel climbed into his lap. “Ada, do not be mad at Ada Glor, please?” The hint of tears sprang into her eyes as she pouted. “I love you, Ada, and I love Ada Glor, and I do not want you to be mad.”

Erestor looked stricken, and wrapped his arms around Amdiriel. “Oh, sweetheart, I am not mad at anyone. I love your Ada Glor very, very much. And I love you and Gailion and Faelion very, very much. I am sorry if I upset you, my precious. I was just worried about your little brother. Please, do not cry sweetheart. If you do, then I will have to cry because I made you cry. And then Ada Glor will cry because I am crying, and Gailion will cry because Ada Glor is crying, and then even Faelion will cry again. And then Tinnu and Glirien will cry because we are all crying and then their kittens will cry. And then Lord Elrond will come to see why we are crying, and he will cry and then Elladan and Elrohir will cry because their Ada is crying. And then Mel and Velon will come and see why we are all crying, and they will cry, and then their husbands will cry, and then everyone in Imladris will cry.”

By the time Erestor was finished, Amdiriel was giggling. “Silly Ada.” So Erestor tickled her, and soon they were all laughing. Even the cats.

~~~*~~~

Erynoron woke, remembering he was in Imladris. But where in Imladris? It was the middle of the night, and the moon shone into the room. This was not his room, Erynoron thought. The room was full of someone’s belongings, and the furnishings were richly appointed. His eyes roamed around the room searching for an answer, until the finally landed the sleeping elf beside him. Lord Elrond? Were these his rooms? He is a great healer. Perhaps he was here so Lord Elrond could care for him? Why would he do that? He would have been fine in the healing hall with the other healers. If these were really Lord Elrond’s rooms, he would have to make sure they moved him out of them quickly. Lord Elrond was so beautiful, but what would a great lord ever want with him?

Erynoron had only become Celeborn’s chief advisor a short time ago. Prior to that he had just been a minor advisor and a scribe. His friendship with Erestor had developed while he as still a scribe and the Imladris elves had visited Lothlorien, but he had not ever seen Elrond before. He was no one special and he knew he certainly did not deserve this special treatment.

He had to use the bathroom, and soon. Not wanting to wake Elrond, Erynoron slowly moved his legs off the side of the bed and sat up. He was a little dizzy, but was pretty sure he could make it. He put his feet on the floor and stood. Holding on to the bedpost, and then the side table, he managed to take a step before the nausea hit him again. He swayed, and groaned, holding on to the table desperately to keep from falling.

Before he could think what to do next, Elrond was at his side and had wrapped an arm around his waist. “Erynoron, what are you doing up! Let me get you back into bed.”

“My Lord, I thought…I need to use the bathroom, and…I thought…I did not want to disturb you,” Erynoron whispered miserably.

“Then let me help you.” Without another word, Elrond picked him up in his arms as if he weighed no more than an elfling and was carrying him to the bathroom.

“Please, Lord Elrond, I can walk,” Erynoron said, thinking he had never felt anything more wonderful than to be in Elrond’s arms.

“Nay, you cannot right now. Let me help you, my friend.” Elrond set him gently on the floor in the bathroom, in front of the privy, still keeping his arms wrapped around Erynoron. “I cannot leave you here alone, or you will fall.

“My Lord, please….”

Elrond moved Erynoron’s hair out of his face, stroking his head. “Just Elrond. Tonight I am just your healer helping his patient,” he said softly, still stroking the blonde hair. “Just a healer. Do you need me to help you, or can you manage the robe by yourself?”

“I think I can manage, my….Elrond.” Erynoron slowly lifted his robe while trying to hide what he was doing. Embarrassed beyond belief, he finally relieved himself with a sigh. “Thank you, my…Elrond,” he whispered, not knowing what else to say.

“You are welcome, my friend. Let me get you back into bed, then I will wash you up a bit.” Elrond gently picked Erynoron up in his arms again and carried him to the bed. “I will be back in just a moment.” He returned to the bathroom, filled a bowl with warm water to which he added a small amount of cleansing oil, and grabbed a washcloth and towel.

When Elrond returned to the bed, he set the bowl on the side. He rolled up the sleeves on Erynoron’s night robe, then took the cloth, wet it in the bowl, and washed his face, arms and hands. “Does that feel better? I wish you could have a bath, but it’s too soon after your injury. I know how it feels after a long journey.”

“Thank you, my…Elrond. But surely there is someone else that can do this? You should not be tending to me yourself, my…Elrond.”

Elrond smiled. He rather liked Erynoron calling him ‘my…Elrond’. Too bad there was that little pause before his name. “And why should I not be tending to you myself? You are Celeborn’s chief advisor, as well as a friend of my dearest friend Erestor.”

Elrond began washing Erynoron’s feet and legs. The advisor did not know what to say to Elrond’s answer. “Are these your chambers, my…Elrond?”

“Aye, they are.” Elrond unbuttoned the top half of the night robe and began to wash Erynoron’s chest.

“They are very beautiful, my…Elrond, but you should have me moved to the healing hall now. I cannot stay in your bed.”

“Why not? I can care for you easier here.” The washcloth moved up the advisor’s chest to his neck, then back down again. More buttons were unbuttoned as Elrond talked to himself in his mind. ‘You are a healer. You are talking care of a patient. It does not matter that he has a beautiful body and you want to see more of it. I am a healer. This is my patient.’ He moved the cloth down and gently washed Erynoron’s groin and member. ‘I am a healer. This is my patient. I am a healer…sweet Elbereth, he is beautiful, and it has been so long.’

Erynoron gulped as the cloth moved over his stomach, then his upper thighs, and finally his groin. ‘Oh, Valar, that feels good!’

Elrond dried Erynoron’s skin with the towel. ‘I am a healer. This is my patient. I am a healer. I am not becoming aroused from doing this. I am a healer.’

“Now, let me turn you over and I will wash your back,” Elrond said nonchalantly. He gently rolled Erynoron onto his stomach. Rinsing the cloth into the bowl again, he washed the back of the advisor’s legs, then lifted the robe up as high as it would go and washed his back, trying not to look too hard at the perfectly rounded twin globes. ‘I am a healer. This is my patient. I am a healer. This is my patient. Oh, so beautiful. I just want to run my hand over them and caress and….. I am a healer. This is my patient. I am a healer. This is my patient.’ He gently moved the cloth over the small of Erynoron’s back, over the perfectly round globes and across the hips and upper thighs.

Erynoron bit his lips to keep from moaning when Elrond washed his backside. It felt like a caress, and he wanted more.

Elrond took the towel and gently dried Erynoron. And if he lingered a little longer than necessary on a certain area, who could blame him?

“There, all done.” Elrond reluctantly lowered the robe. “Now let us turn you over again,” he said as he gently rolled Erynoron back on his back. Erynoron quickly moved his hand to hold the front of the robe together, but could not quite cover everything in time.

‘Oh, sweet Elbereth, did I make him aroused? When he is ill and nauseated? Maybe I have a chance with him,’ Elrond thought.

Tbc….