Pen-Estel

The next chapter... which brings more smut. *eg* We hope you will enjoy reading this as much as we enjoyed writing it! ;)

ElenaDiVita: Awww, don't forget that Glorfindel is doing it because it turns Legolas on, too! Actually, Glorfindel is the one who is surprised that he finds the thought hot... *g*

Chapter Thirty

Dazed and breathless, Legolas couldn’t even frame the words to form an answer to Glorfindel’s question. It was just as he had feared, to be tied to this bed, with him… and then… Legolas moaned again, feeling his desire begin to uncurl within him again even though he was already spent.

The long nights he had spent with Elrond had been a pale precursor to Glorfindel tying him down. While then he had felt helplessly aroused and mindless at times, here with Glorfindel, Legolas had been surprised at the intensity of feeling that flooded through him.

Yes – because while with Elrond the binding of his hands had made him excited and jittery, as soon as Glorfindel had decided to make him so helpless, Legolas had almost swooned. Even if had wanted to fight it – which he didn’t – it would have been impossible. Something about the very idea seemed to make him weak and defenceless, as if his muscles had forgotten how to move.

It wasn’t fear, though. Legolas loved to be made helpless. Surprising really that when he had gained so much respect and confidence out of the bedchamber, he still wanted this from Glorfindel – but he did. It felt like a privilege, to be the one Glorfindel desired, and when the Lord teased him, he begged without even knowing that he was doing it. The softest touch of Glorfindel’s fingers was clemency and cruelty combined. And to know that beneath it, he couldn’t get away even if he wanted to, made Legolas so hot that he felt he must find release or go insane.

But then they had been interrupted, and Legolas had strained to see through his blindfold to know what was happening around him. Seemingly even his helplessness there aroused him still further – until Glorfindel had spoken to Elrond.

The very idea of it was enough to make him come. Elrond watching while Glorfindel teased his body with the mere touch of his fingers. It was so wrong, but Legolas found himself carried away by it, wondering what part, if any, Elrond would play in this.

In truth he had spoken Elrond’s name without really thinking about it, and then Glorfindel had stopped teasing him. Entertainment, Legolas had thought, the meaning of his Lord’s words finally sinking in while he writhed under Glorfindel’s demanding grip as if he were only a toy. But he couldn’t hold back anymore in the face of it, and he imagined Glorfindel looking down at him, and he saw Elrond watching him, and he unknowingly begged them both. What for he couldn’t say. Pleasure? Perhaps. But maybe for something so simple as mercy.

Stopping Glorfindel had never been an option for Legolas. Not since they had first met, and yet that thought didn’t sadden him anymore, not when he came in obedience to the movements of Glorfindel’s hand, even if his Master was saying something else. Belatedly, he realised it was a trick, a game he couldn’t help losing, and he only moaned when Glorfindel asked him to choose his punishment – because he knew that however he answered, Glorfindel would have what he wanted. And Elrond… Elrond would watch.

“Well, roch neth? I’m waiting for an answer,” Glorfindel purred into his ear, and Legolas moaned because feeling Glorfindel’s breath against his ear was already too much stimulation. But how could he choose his own punishment when he could not even think anymore?

“Please,” he begged helplessly, turning his head to Glorfindel, but his Lord only chuckled and continued to torment him by running a fingertip along the rim of his ear.

“Choose, Legolas,” he said unmercifully while Legolas whimpered, hardening again at the teasing caress – or maybe at the threat that could be heard in his Lord’s voice. Although he was still wearing the blindfold he closed his eyes, trying to blend out Glorfindel’s touch so that he would be able to think. He was to be entertainment… but what would be entertaining for Elrond to watch and still please Glorfindel?

Suddenly Legolas remembered Elrond’s reaction to the traces Glorfindel’s spanking had left on his skin – how Elrond had suddenly become so strict with him and forced him to recount his punishment for his enjoyment…

Legolas groaned but he knew that this was what he would have to ask Glorfindel for… what he would even beg for if they forced him to it! He hated it already – not the punishment in itself, because while Glorfindel always made certain that it hurt, it was something he could nevertheless easily bear. He did not even hate the way that this particular punishment was mostly designed to embarrass him. What he truly hated was that he loved the shame of it, and that they both knew it.

“My Lords,” he whispered, then hesitated, biting his lip. But already he was excited at the thought, squirming as much as he could in his tied state when he imagined Elrond’s eyes on him while Glorfindel’s hand punished him. “I… I deserve a punishment that I will remember. Something that will remind me to be obedient the next time. And maybe it would please Lord Elrond to… to watch you mark my skin…?” He swallowed, his cheeks burning with embarrassment when Glorfindel laughed softly.

“Are you asking me for a spanking?” Glorfindel asked, sounding almost malicious despite the laughter in his voice. “Oh yes, I am certain that Elrond will enjoy watching your skin redden… And I will enjoy making you cry for us.”

Legolas trembled for a moment longer before he felt Glorfindel freeing his wrists and ankles. When he was able to move, Legolas automatically brought his hands to the blindfold that still covered his eyes, which Glorfindel hadn’t thought or remembered to remove. His mouth became dry when he imagined what he would see. Not just Glorfindel, but Elrond too. How would he look? Would he be amused? Impassive? Aroused?

A soft sound of longing escaped him, and as if he had drawn Glorfindel’s attention with it, the Lord spoke to him.

“Don’t,” he said quickly, “don’t remove it.” Legolas stopped, and his hands fell to rest on the bed beside his head in obedience. “Turn over,” Glorfindel suggested, even more quietly, and Legolas swallowed before moving to lie on his front, his head resting on his arms so that he wouldn’t have been able to see anyway, even if the blindfold had been gone.

He lay in silence for a moment, and Glorfindel didn’t touch him. “Do I have to tie you to keep you still, Legolas?”

“No, my Lord,” he answered immediately. Hands were in his hair then, and Legolas realised Glorfindel was loosening the blindfold. He stayed still as the length of material came to rest at either side of him, draped softly over his bent elbows. A length of steel chain couldn’t have held him more immobile.

When he felt a hand caressing his buttocks, he remembered what was going to happen, and he almost whimpered. “I am sorry, my Lord,” he tried, having forgotten all about Elrond now. All he could think of was what Glorfindel was going to do.

There was a soft laugh, and Legolas shivered. “Wait,” Glorfindel advised darkly, “then apologise.” The meaning was quite clear, and Legolas waited, holding his breath. Still, when the hand slapped his skin, the sound of it shocked him as much as the sudden sensation and he almost cried out.

He managed to hold it in, and then he was glad he did, because Glorfindel didn’t really intend to make him cry yet. The blows that fell on him were not as sharp or stinging as he was used to. At Glorfindel’s encouragement he spread his legs a little, so that some of the slaps landed on his thighs, those at least making his eyes water, even if there was no force behind them.

“I think Elrond would like to join in, roch neth,” Glorfindel confided then, and Legolas moaned out loud at the reminder they were not alone. “Why don’t you tell him how it feels to be punished like this? Why don’t you tell him how much you enjoy it?”

“Oh, please!” Legolas entreated desperately, and as if he had begged for it, the slaps became harder and more punishing. He cried out when Glorfindel’s hand truly began to hurt him, and although he wanted to move more than anything, he didn’t even lift his head.

“It feels…” he began, trying to find the words he needed when it was impossible to think – but then a particularly harsh slap fell on his exposed skin and he cried out. “Oh, it hurts!” he gasped. And now it really did hurt. He felt the tears that had been threatening spill from his eyes and soak the material of the blindfold he rested upon.

The flurry of blows stopped, just long enough for Glorfindel’s whisper to penetrate his mind. “Good. Now, tell Elrond how much you enjoy it to feel my hand on you like this.”

“I don’t…” Legolas whimpered, too embarrassed to admit to something so shameful, but then Glorfindel’s hand came down again for another shockingly loud slap, as if to punish him for his lie.

“I do, I do!” Legolas sobbed, feeling grateful now that he could hide his face between his arms so that they would not see his tears. “I don’t want to, but I do!” And true to his words he was hard, rubbing against the sheets every time Glorfindel’s hand fell. It was not the pain – it was the shame of being punished like a child, of being shown that Glorfindel held all power and could do to him whatever he pleased, even humiliate him in such a way – and it was this strange mixture of humiliation and excitement that curled in his belly and made him shamefully aroused while he wept like a child.

“Tell Elrond why you enjoy it, too!” Glorfindel purred, and Legolas gasped when Glorfindel forced his legs further apart so that he could cover the tender skin of the inside of his thighs with harsh slaps. With a miserable moan Legolas thought of what he must look like to Elrond now – shamelessly spread open, willingly agreeing to such a humiliating treatment, and worse, openly admitting that he wanted it…

“It shows that you own me, that you can treat me any way you like, even shame me so,” Legolas sobbed, “and I want it, I want you to shame me, because I want to be yours, I want to please you more than anything else, my Lord!”

“Oh, and I am pleased,” Glorfindel chuckled, stopping for a moment to rest his hands on Legolas’ buttocks to squeeze them, admiring their colour and heat while the youth moaned miserably, his thighs trembling with the effort to hold still under the painful caress.

“You provide particularly good entertainment tonight, roch neth – Elrond is quite amused,” Glorfindel said and laughed without pity when Legolas whimpered at the reminder that today he was suffering solely for the entertainment of another.

“Now raise your hips,” Glorfindel then commanded, the order substantiated with another slap to make Legolas cry out before he quickly obeyed.

Mortified, he moaned again when he realised that this new position – kneeling with his shoulders still resting on the bed – was even more embarrassing, and gave Elrond a far better view of what this punishment was doing to him, that despite his tears, despite the humiliation, he was painfully aroused.

“Shall we show Elrond now that you have learned from your punishment? That you can remember to obey?” Glorfindel said, and Legolas almost sobbed when he realised what his Lord intended to do. A finger circled his opening, teasing him for a few moments before it entered him, and Legolas moved back to force it even deeper inside him, breathlessly pleading with his Lord for more before he even realised what he was doing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The words were meant to drive the youth on, and they did their job admirably. As Legolas moaned and begged, his body trembling and obedient to his touch, Glorfindel forgot what it was all for. He forgot the lie he had told, and he found himself pushing Legolas back down so that he could take him.

He was slow and he made it count. Not because he wanted to draw a further response from Legolas – the youth was already as submissive as he could be – but just because he didn’t want to rush. He wanted to stretch it out, to savour every ounce of pleasure the act could give to him… and to Legolas.

By the end Legolas was breathless and incoherent with lust, his body clenching and desperate because in encouraging Glorfindel, his own release would be granted. He gave the order at last and buried himself in Legolas with a groan of desire mixed with surrender. There was no denying it. He was addicted to the youth’s submission and need. Nothing would ever change that, not even if Elrond were to watch them.

At last he allowed Legolas to turn over, and watched him carefully as he looked around and found the untruth. To his surprise Legolas didn’t seem at all disappointed. At the realisation Glorfindel had only been toying with him he smiled, and gifted Glorfindel with such a loving, happy kiss that he found himself laughing in pleasure.

“You are mine, Legolas. I wouldn’t really –” He stopped short at that. Would he? He remembered his thoughts when he had come all over Legolas’ bound body, carried away by the mere thought of it, and he wondered. But Legolas didn’t seem to notice the abruptly ended sentence, already drifting into reverie in his arms. Glorfindel smiled, and pulled the covers around them. It merited thought, but that was easily attended to in the morning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day, at breakfast in fact, Glorfindel found himself confronted with the fantasy again. Was it a fantasy of his or Legolas’? He didn’t know, but as the morning meal drew to an end, he found himself with a sight that was too tempting to resist.

Elrond sat gazing at Legolas across the table. They hadn’t spoken – Glorfindel was well aware of that. They had kept their distance from each other ever since the time around the birth. But now, probably because of the night before, Glorfindel noticed that Legolas was reluctant to break the eye contact with Elrond. It gave him the most wicked impulse, and being Glorfindel, he simply gave in to it.

Almost accidentally, he brushed the back of his hand against Legolas’ thigh under the tablecloth. When the two continued staring at each other, he let his fingertips dance over the material of his leggings, noting with a smirk how he was becoming hard. There would be no escape then.

“Are you thinking of something, roch neth?” he asked in a low voice, something only the two of them could hear, caressing Legolas lightly at the same time, keeping a careful look of innocence on his face as he looked to make sure Elrond was still watching.

“My Lord,” Legolas said, and then swallowed, reaching down to still his hand as if it pained him. “Please!” he hissed urgently. Glorfindel only continued.

“To make it end you only have to look away,” he advised in a whisper that was almost a kiss to Legolas’ ear. He moistened his lips, catching a little of the delicate skin with the tip of his tongue, enjoying the slight tremors of Legolas’ body that he could feel, even if they couldn’t be seen. “Or do you truly want to be watched?” He waited for his answer, his hand continued to rub lightly at the bulge in his lover’s leggings, and Legolas didn’t look away from Elrond. Glorfindel looked over at the Lord himself, and saw loneliness and desire.

“Look away,” Legolas repeated, as if he was instructing Elrond to do so, although the Lord couldn’t possibly hear him. Glorfindel laughed softly. At last it was Elrond who lowered his gaze, looking blankly at the empty plate in front of him, completely unaware of the little game being played out at the opposite side of the table, and at last Glorfindel’s hand ceased its torment.

“Very revealing, roch neth,” he said at length. “I’ll remember that.”

Legolas blushed when he at last looked away as well. “Don’t, my Lord,” he said weakly, “it does not mean anything…”

But already Glorfindel had stood and was walking around towards Elrond, bending down to whisper into his ear once he stood behind him.

“Join me for a glass of wine this evening, my friend,” he said warmly, yet his eyes were watching Legolas all the time, who blushed even more but once again could not bring himself to look away.

Oh, don’t, please! Legolas mouthed, but Glorfindel’s smile only grew wider when Elrond nodded and hesitantly agreed.

“It has been far too long since we have whiled away an evening in front of the fire with a bottle or two in front of us… And I still have an entire cask of that Laketown vintage you so like!” Glorfindel exclaimed, clasping Elrond’s shoulder until the Lord nodded again in agreement.

Later, back on their way to their rooms, Legolas finally dared to voice his discomfort with Glorfindel’s plan, but all his hesitant protest brought him was another of those dangerous little smiles that made him tremble with fear and excitement.

“You will be on your best behaviour tonight,” Glorfindel purred, pressing Legolas against the wall so the youth had no choice but to focus completely on his Lord and his words. “You will serve us – care for the fire, pour our wine, do whatever else is asked of you. And you will be perfect, Legolas… my perfectly obedient, graceful pet. Do you think you can do that, aras neth?”

Legolas opened his mouth to answer, but immediately Glorfindel pressed on. “For if you don’t, if you disobey me even in the smallest thing, I will be forced to discipline you right there in front of my guest, and believe me, I will not hold back – I will be stricter than ever before if you shame me in front of my Lord. Do you understand?”

Legolas swallowed. “Yes, my Lord,” he said hoarsely, his face flushed with shame because he had once again grown hard at his Lord’s threats.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Throughout the long day, Legolas grew more and more nervous about what the evening might bring. Indeed, Glorfindel had to reprimand him a couple of times for being jittery and jumping at the slightest touch, and by the time the appointed hour arrived, Legolas actually felt quite sick. He was alone in their rooms, Glorfindel having left some time ago to talk to one of the Captains on night duty. He had promised he would return, but as the evening grew darker, Legolas began to wonder what he should do if Elrond came to the door and Glorfindel wasn’t around. Should he invite him in?

The sound of the door being opened once the children were asleep made Legolas cry out in alarm, and he jumped up from where he had been seated to face the door, only to break into a relieved smile when he saw Glorfindel.

He walked to meet his Lord, anticipating how safe Glorfindel’s embrace would feel when he was so nervous, and so he didn’t immediately notice that the Lord was not alone. Only when he had submitted to a deep and passionate kiss that left him breathless and dizzy did he realise they were being watched, and he stumbled back out of Glorfindel’s arms in sudden guilt and a strange kind of excitement.

“Pour us some wine, roch neth,” Glorfindel said quietly as if he hadn’t noticed Legolas’ strange behaviour, giving him exactly what he needed at the right time, and Legolas nodded, pulling himself together. He wondered if Glorfindel knew how much he needed to hear a command at that moment, and then saw the slight smile on his Lord’s lips. He acknowledged it with a smile of his own as he turned to obey.

He willed his hands not to shake when the two Lords began discussing trivialities behind him. After all that he had been through, the sound of their two voices as they mingled together made him feel unaccountably weak and helpless.

When he had himself under control, he took a goblet of the wine to Glorfindel, and then served Elrond, not daring to look into the Lord’s eyes as the offered wine was taken from him. He stared at the floor, and then turned away as soon as he was able, glad of the chance to kneel before Glorfindel where he sat on the small settee and remove the Lord’s boots.

The menial task gave him a chance to gather his composure, and it also meant he was faced away from Elrond, who had to know what this was about. He did, didn’t he? Legolas became unsure, and he looked up at Glorfindel in uncertainty, only to be met with an amused glance. He looked down again, unlacing the second of his Lord’s boots with a silent sigh.

When he had done he automatically leaned down to kiss Glorfindel’s bare feet as he had begun to do when they were alone, only to realise that it was the wrong time to do it. He heard Elrond’s voice as he calmly added to the conversation, perhaps asking a question of Glorfindel, and Legolas knew that he had gone too far to back out now.

Quickly, he kissed Glorfindel’s feet and then sat up to take his customary place on the floor beside Glorfindel.

“Are you not going to attend to our guest too, Legolas?” asked a warmly amused voice, and it was a moment before he realised that Glorfindel was talking to him. As soon as he had taken his place, he had found himself gazing at Elrond helplessly, even though the Lord was not looking back at him. He tore his gaze away to look up at Glorfindel, silently pleading.

“Oh, that won’t be necessary,” said Elrond, diffusing the situation easily, and Legolas relaxed in gratitude as Glorfindel laughed softly. He blushed and closed his eyes, understanding that his Lord had been joking with him. He felt Glorfindel’s hand in his hair, his fingertips occasionally brushing against his ear so that he leaned into the caress with his head on Glorfindel’s knee, his hair spilled out over the Lord’s lap like golden silk.

The two talked of inconsequential things, and before long Legolas became relaxed and almost sleepy, leaning back against Glorfindel, glad that no more was to be asked of him. Surely then, Glorfindel had only been teasing him earlier? The Lord’s warm hand continued to touch him, until he found himself sighing at the way Glorfindel’s fingertips felt running over his collarbone like that.

He moved back further to let the Lord undo the laces of his tunic, giving him access to more of his shoulder and chest – then he realised where he was. Legolas sat up straighter, and opened his eyes, only to find Elrond staring at him as he spoke; something about Elladan being calmer since the events of the night Gloriel was born.

Unable to dare speaking a word of protest after Glorfindel’s warning earlier, all Legolas could do was allow his Lord to bare some of his skin to Elrond’s eyes, and worse, he couldn’t keep in the moan that spilled from his lips when Glorfindel accidentally touched a nipple as he pushed the material of the tunic down over his chest.

Helplessly Legolas closed his eyes to escape Elrond’s gaze, trembling while his heart beat ever faster. Now that he had bared a part of his chest, Glorfindel’s hand took up the caresses again, touching him everywhere – and always, always returning to tease his swollen nipple, forcing more of the soft moans from Legolas. The youth trembled with embarrassment, trying to keep quiet, but it was impossible when Glorfindel knew all of his weaknesses. Legolas shivered, wishing there were another command, another order that would show him what to do – but then Glorfindel gently pinched his nipple so that Legolas’ eyelids fluttered and he softly cried out, relaxing back against Glorfindel as he finally understood.

These were Glorfindel’s orders – his fingers commanded, and all Legolas could do was to obey, to tremble and moan as his nipples were teased to hardness, to show his submission by offering his arousal as entertainment to his Lord and his guest.

Elrond and Glorfindel were still talking, but Legolas was no longer even trying to listen as he finally abandoned himself to Glorfindel’s touch, stretching beneath the Lord’s caresses like the pet he was. Every now and then Glorfindel’s fingers would return to play with his nipple so that Legolas moaned softly, or whimpered when they tugged on him. Glorfindel’s fingers were wet now, and Legolas knew that his Lord must have teased the milk from him, but he did not dare to open his eyes and see for himself. It was bad enough to imagine it – to imagine Elrond watching while Glorfindel showed him and his body off.

He moved uncomfortably beneath Glorfindel’s hand, feeling ashamed at what he was doing yet loving it at the same time. Then Glorfindel moved, and Legolas sighed in disappointment when the warmth of Glorfindel’s hand was gone. His eyes opened in surprise at a sudden touch to his lips, but when he saw that Glorfindel was now gently pressing his fingers against his mouth he moaned again and began to clean them slowly, his eyes closing once more as he concentrated on his task, loving the saltiness of Glorfindel’s skin mingled with his own sweetness.

A while later Glorfindel removed his fingers and Legolas sighed with regret, but soon afterwards he could once again feel their touch at his chest. Fingertips were brushing over his erect nipple over and over again until he was trembling with desire once more, brought close to release by nothing more than this teasing, cruelly drawn-out torture. “Please…” he moaned softly, unthinkingly, then paled and finally opened his eyes at his mistake, ready to beg for forgiveness. “My Lord,” he began, but then the words died on his lips when he saw who it was that had touched him.

Elrond’s fingertips were gleaming wetly with his milk, and Legolas ceased to breathe as he looked into the Lord’s eyes, feeling helpless at the sudden, intense arousal that had come over him. Finally Elrond swallowed and looked away, leaning back in his chair again as if nothing had happened, but when he raised his hand to his lips to taste them as if it were completely natural, Legolas moaned again, unable to tear his eyes away from what Elrond was doing even though Glorfindel’s hand was once again possessively splayed over his chest.

“I have a question for you, roch neth,” Glorfindel said quietly while Legolas watched Elrond lick the sweet milk from his fingers. “And I want you to think carefully about the answer.”

“Yes, my Lord,” Legolas said automatically, feeling in a kind of daze when Elrond looked at him, the desire in his eyes so strong that he almost moaned at the sight of it. Glorfindel encouraged him to move until he knelt between Glorfindel’s thighs, still facing Elrond, and then leaned over to rest his hands on Legolas’ shoulders.

“Elrond believes that I should stop touching you,” Glorfindel said, his voice deadly soft, “like this.” He let his hands creep down to Legolas’ chest; warm palms hard and flat against his sensitive nipples, making him press against the Lord’s hands in desire.

“Please! Don’t stop!” Legolas said on an exhalation of breath, anticipating what Glorfindel would say next, staring at Elrond defiantly because he really didn’t want it to end, whether Elrond was watching or not. Glorfindel only laughed.

“All right, roch neth. Calm down a little. That wasn’t going to be my question.” Oh. Legolas shivered as Glorfindel palms moved against him a little, and he moaned.

“Anything!” he declared passionately, all the while looking at Elrond helplessly.

“Answer me this, since you have the experience of both. Would you like Elrond to touch you again? Or,” now Glorfindel’s voice dropped so low that it made Legolas’ entire body sing in answering awareness, and Glorfindel paused for a long breathless moment, “would you prefer that I touch you while he watch?”

Something must have changed in his eyes, Legolas thought incoherently, because Elrond suddenly looked surprised. He actually sat back a little in his chair as they gazed at each other, and Legolas closed his eyes to escape, because he already knew what answer he would give, and he didn’t want to hurt Elrond.

“I would prefer that you touch me, my Lord,” Legolas begged.

“And you don’t mind how I touch you?” Glorfindel asked, and Legolas just shook his head as Glorfindel’s hands wandered further down to just below his stomach, making him writhe in the Lord’s embrace.

“Because I can be cruel…”

“No! Please, do anything you like, only touch me!” Legolas vowed desperately, willing Glorfindel’s hands to move just a little further down.

“While he watches?” Glorfindel pressed, and Legolas didn’t really care anymore who was there as long as Glorfindel would possess him.

“Yes! Anything!”

“Good. Now prove it to me,” Glorfindel suggested, and Legolas’ eyes flew open in confusion. “You can get up and give Elrond the kiss he seems to want, or you can beg me to punish you while he watches.”

For a moment Legolas was shocked almost out of his lust. He saw Elrond lick his lips, and it all came back. It was an impossible choice! But then he remembered the night before, when Glorfindel had pretended Elrond was in the room, and he smiled in a mixture of regret, defeat and submission.

“Please, punish me, my Lord,” he breathed, astounded to hear himself saying the words while Elrond sat there in front of him. But it didn’t seem to matter anymore. As always, all that mattered was what Glorfindel wanted – he wasn’t made for anything else than pleasing his Lord… until, that is, Elrond stood up to leave.

Despite the lust in his eyes, Elrond angrily put down the goblet and rose to his feet, towering over Legolas where he knelt. Straightening up, Legolas surged to rest properly on his knees, ready to beg Elrond to stay, but he didn’t need to. Only when Glorfindel spoke did Legolas understand what the two of them had been discussing while he hadn’t been paying attention.

“Do you think I have coerced him?” Glorfindel asked of Elrond suddenly, dropping the familiar husky tone so quickly that Legolas felt the loss of it and moaned. Elrond only glared at Glorfindel, dragging his gaze from Legolas at last.

“If it is your intention to make him submit in such a fashion that he has no confidence, then I want no part of it! Play whatever games you like with someone else, Glorfindel, and pray that he never realises what you take from him.” For a moment, Elrond looked down again, and Legolas became breathless when he recognised the same love he had known with Elrond just a few short months ago. Now it seemed a lifetime away, and he hadn’t known how much he missed it until it was before him again. His eyes filled with tears of longing, and he blinked rapidly to keep that wonderful look Elrond bestowed on him in focus.

“Legolas,” Glorfindel said behind him, his voice full of the same deep emotion that was in Elrond’s eyes, and Legolas felt truly blessed then. This Glorfindel was the father of his children, the Glorfindel that would hold him when he had nightmares, the protector that had taken him in when he was homeless and frightened, the Lord who had given him a home, family and love.

“Don’t give me the answer to this question,” he advised. “Tell it to Elrond instead.” He paused, and Legolas waited, certain that he would agree to it – whatever it was. “Are you strong enough to submit to me?”

Legolas laughed inside with joy. It was so easy! And he looked up at Elrond, and he smiled. “I am strong enough,” he said, speaking to Elrond as he had been bid. “And it is because of you.”