Námo Takes a Holiday

A/N: Forgive me for taking so long in getting this posted. I hope you enjoy and also that you have a wonderful New Year filled with awesome fic!


Chapter Two:

Time, which had been inconsequential to one of the Valar, suddenly became Námo’s worse enemy. He sat up all that night taking in the stars and thinking about the beautiful dark elf which had entranced him so. Days were limited, moments precious.

The morning finally came with a beautiful golden light spreading across the land. Námo dressed himself in lovely blue robes and clothes preparing to go to breakfast and hopefully see Erestor. When he arrived though, another new emotion was introduced to him.

Disappointment.

“No, Ániero,” Glorfindel said between bites of toast, “Erestor never takes breakfast with us. He usually grabs something small on the way to his office to begin work before the sun’s light is visible.”

“I see.” Námo replied quietly and took a sip of orange juice.

Elrond raised an eyebrow at the exchange. Their new guest was upset at not seeing his chief advisor? He would have to watch this development very carefully.

As soon as was proper, the disguised Valar left the table and began his search. Being so forward as asking where his interest’s office was would be inappropriate, so he would search himself.

“Can I help you?”

Námo turned and saw a small elf with silver hair and a harp under one arm. Lindir, very blessed with talent upon his arrival in Middle Earth.

“I am searching for the offices.”

Lindir gave a small smile, “Lord Elrond’s is down that hallway,” he said with a gesture, “and Glorfindel’s is down that way with the other Captains.”

Perhaps Erestor would have his office near his Lord’s. It was worth a shot. “Thank you.” He said and gave a graceful bow to the minstrel.

Instincts were always faithful to him and Námo found himself in a doorway one door down from the ornate offices of Elrond. As opposed to those, this room was simple. More intended for hard work than pleasantries with foreign dignitaries. In the middle of scrolls and parchments sat Erestor hard at work composing a letter to a Rohan metal supplier.

“Erestor?” He spoke quietly, breaking the sound of the quill scratching the parchment.

Dark eyes looked up in surprise.

“Ániero.” Erestor stood stiffly, “I am pleased to see you.”

Námo smiled and walked to the Councilor. “You are deep in your work, my friend?” He asked.

“Simple correspondence and the like, nothing that cannot wait.” Námo’a eyes followed Erestor as he walked smoothly to the side table taking a flask in hand. “Would you care for a drink?”

“I would.”

Again, silence ruled their company together, but again, it was not unwelcome. The sweet drink tasted so nice on his tongue and he felt relaxed in the presence of his friend. They sat near each other in plush chairs along the wall and Námo decided a move was necessary.

“Do you mind?” He asked.

“Mind what?” Erestor replied turning to his companion and found his mouth suddenly taken over by the lips of another. A sweet taste invaded his senses and after so long alone, he found himself engrossed by another.

Námo’s eyes closed and he wanted nothing more than to lose himself in the moment. Suddenly a flash overwhelmed his sight and a vision came sweeping over him and took him away…

*There was a bed, large and decorated with furs and pillows. It was a warm night and he could hear sweet summer rain coming to cool everything down. He moved and next to him he saw Erestor. The elf was on his back and naked. Evidence of their actions was still covering him and he appeared lethargic after what must have been a wild coupling. Slowly, the dark eyes opened and came to look at him. Then a smile, free from the pains of the past, came upon Erestor’s face and Námo thought he had never seen a smile so beautiful.

“I love you, Ániero.” He whispered, “You have my heart.”*

Suddenly the vision began moving through a tunnel of time and Námo found himself in a time not too long after their lusty encounter.

*An elf stood alone in front of a large window overlooking the gardens. Black robes blew softly in the breezes. Fear gripped Námo. For as the Valar of Death, he could see the path this solitary elf was on and the horrible slow decay that awaited him. This elf was fading. Over time, his body was begin fail him, but what was worse was that his mind would lose all grasp on reality and the tortures he would put himself through before the end would be horrendous. This one was broken, his heart ripped from his body. A call got his attention and he slowly turned to leave. Breath left Námo’s body as he saw who it was.*

As swiftly as the vision had come, it flew away like a leaf on a quick autumn’s wind and he found himself still kissing Erestor in his office.

Námo broke the kiss and gasped out loud. Fear overcame him and he stared into Erestor’s questioning eyes.

“I must go.” He whispered quickly and left the dark elf alone and confused in his office.

The Valar ran down the corridor and found himself in front of the other door the minstrel had mentioned. He knocked with an alone insane urgency and heard someone moving quickly.

“Glorfindel!”

“My Lord?” the warrior questioned, “Please, come in.”

He followed Glorfindel into his office and he blond elf barred the door to give them some privacy. A glass of wine was put into his hand and he was lead to two chairs by the fireplace. A moment passed in silence.

“Please, My Lord, tell me what has happened.” Glorfindel began, trying to prompt the other along.

Námo swallowed nervously. “I kissed your chief advisor.”

The Balrog-Slayer stayed quiet. He was not surprised, all at the table that night had seen their new arrival’s interest in Erestor.

“While we were kissing,” Námo confessed, “I vision came upon me.”

“Yes?”

“I saw us together. Sharing ourselves in the physical way and then…”

The elf leaned forward, “Then…”

The Valar looked at the floor, “Erestor pledged his heart to me.”

Glorfindel fell back in his chair.

“Yes, Glorfindel, he told me of his love and then I saw his future. After I leave him with no explanation and destination. He will be alone once more and after so long without sharing his heart he will suffer ultimate pain. After the pain of his youth his fëa will no longer be able to sustain such a blow.”

“He will fade?”

Námo nodded.

The crackle of the fire was the only sound.

“I can save him.” Námo whispered.

Hope sprang into Glorfindel’s eyes, “You can?”

“Aye, but not in the way you are thinking, Glorfindel.”

“How then?” He questioned.

“I could take him now. Prevent him from the pain and languishing of fading.” He said.

It took a moment for the real implication of what Námo was saying to sink in. “Take him now?”

“With me to the Halls.”

The warrior sprang to his feet, “You mean kill him!”

“You use such an inelegant word for it.”

“It is what it is, My Lord. You mean to take his life from him.” Glorfindel said.

Námo stood toe to toe with the blond elf; “I mean to spare him from the inevitable slow death he is facing.” He reached out and grabbed Glorfindel’s shoulders. “It would be quick, Glorfindel, he would feel no pain. I could simply lay my hand upon his chest and stop his heart.”

Glorfindel shrugged off the embrace. “You do not know that your vision would be his fate. You saw yourself and Erestor in bed together having shared physical love?”

“Yes.”

“And you have not done so yet?”

The words sunk in, “We have not. Only the briefest of kisses have we shared.”

“Then his fate is not sealed.” The elf quietly said. “You could spare him heartbreak and leave him with his life. Look in your heart, is it his time yet? Are you perhaps thinking, if only the tiniest bit, about yourself and that you could have him with you for eternity?”

The word rang true. If he took Erestor, then the dark elf could forever be with him in the Halls. Perhaps the scholar would be happy there, with someone who loved him and away from his pain, but no, there was love for Erestor yet here in the living, only he did not yet know it.

An elf he had not yet come to really know.

“I must leave.” Námo said and took a book from Glorfindel’s desk before leaving.

Alone once more, Glorfindel knew he meant that sentence more ways than one.

Sprinting down the hallway back the way he came, he hoped that he would have the power to give the elf he cared for this one gift before leaving.

He barged into Erestor’s office and found the elf once more behind his desk with rosters and reports.

“Ániero,” Erestor sighed, “I was afraid I had offended you.”

“Never.” He replied, “You could never do such a thing.”

As the dark elf came around from behind his desk Námo grabbed him and placed his hand upon his chest, feeling the beating of his heart.

Another new feeling came upon him in this moment, temptation.

Instead of stopping the immortal beating of his heart, though, he simply spoke soft words.

“How I wish I could tell you who I truly am. That you could know me.”

As a questioning gaze came upon Erestor, Námo leaned forward and gave him a very light kiss, more for the contact than anything else.

When they parted, the elf felt as if he was just waking from a deep sleep. Upon opening his eyes, he found someone standing before him.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized, “can I help you?”

Námo smiled, “I do not require anything. I am merely visiting and wanted to return this book I had borrowed.” He gave to Erestor the book he had taken from Glorfindel’s office.

“Oh, thank you.” Erestor said.

The Valar smiled and turned to leave when Erestor called out, “Who are you, My Lord?”

“I am simply Ániero.” He spoke and then left the office.

Erestor placed the book on his desk and ran to his doorway and when he entered the hall, he saw no one there. After standing for a moment, he turned to reenter his office when he ran into something, which turned out to be a someone.

“I’m sorry.” Erestor apologized.

“My fault, really, my mind was in the clouds.”

They made eye contact and Erestor found himself looking into the most lovely eyes he had seen in quite a long time. Throwing caution to the wind he asked the elf in for some tea.

Lindir smiled and accepted.

From the Halls, Námo smiled and saw great stories and true love in their shared future on Arda.


~Fin