The Music in My Heart

Title: The Music in My Heart, Chapter 58
Author: Sorsha
Fandom/Pairing: Elrond/OFC, Glorfindel/Haldir, Elladan/OFC, Elrohir/Legolas, others implied
Rating: NC-17
Warning: AU (Story set 770 years after ROTK; Slash and het.
Feedback: This is my first fanfic, so constructive feedback appreciated.
Archive: AFF; FF
Acknowledgements: Many thanks to Alex Cat for her help in betaing this.
Disclaimer: Any of the residents of Middle-earth and Aman that you recognize belong to Prof. Tolkien’s estate. The same is true about Middle-earth and Aman. I’m only visiting and admiring the “views”. Summary: Sauron may be gone, but his legacy of evil still lingers. As Middle-earth faces the threat of another dark lord, a party of elves departs Aman on a mission for the Valar, a mission of mercy long delayed.


Chapter 58 --- Paradox

“The measure of a man is his ability to handle paradox.”
Carl Jung
*****

Utter silence greeted Seere’s proclamation. Those gathered in the clearing were at once both worried and skeptical about her assertion that the way out of the cave was barred by magic, but none volunteered to test that belief. After several minutes, Celeborn offered, “It seems we are faced with a difficult challenge. The cave holds information we vitally need, but there is no way to bring it forth.”

“Indeed, the information will do no good for the one that finds it if they cannot bring it out,” Elrond mused. “Then too we are assuming there is useful information remaining in the chest. Why would he have left it behind if it would help his cause? Perhaps, he sealed the cave for another reason; perhaps to thwart any other that might have obtained a copy of Sauron’s list. He could not be sure he had the only one. What better way to cover your tracks than to kill any that follows in your footsteps?”

“That is possible. Then too, I wonder at the very existence of this cave. It was not there when we surveyed this area for the High King. The rock surrounding it is granite, which does not erode so as to have formed a cavern such as the one Seere describes in so short a time as four millennia,” Erestor pondered, oblivious to the exasperated looks traded by the mortals at his comment.

Continuing, he mused, “For the chest to have been originally buried by Sauron, he must have visited the cave before the end of the Second Age; it is doubtful he was able after the Siege. Between the time we scouted this area and the beginning of the march of the army of the Last Alliance, there was not time for such a cave to have formed. No, the cave must have been there, but we failed to see it, failed to sense any trace of magic that would have alerted us that something was being hidden from us.”

“If it was there when you mapped this region, this speaks of subtle magic. Sauron was more than capable of being subtle when the situation required it. He was at his most dangerous at those times. As Annatar, he hid in plain sight… his evil and corrupt spirit masked so that only a few doubted his claims.” Trading a look with Elrond, one of those few, Celeborn suggested, “Why would he have felt the need to hide the cave so completely? The magic of a dark Maia is not something easily broken, even by another Maia, and the location was remote enough that few would have ventured here by accident. He was hiding something of great worth, perhaps more than the box and scrolls Lhach took when he left here.”

“Then we must find a way to see the contents of the chest!” Grór insisted. “We are sitting here talking when we should be finding out the secrets of that cave.”

“NO! Any that enter that cave through the entrance will be lost to us. I saw this clearly!” Seere exclaimed. “Lord Grór, please believe what I saw… I have no doubts about this.”

Sighing, the dwarf nodded his head, as he reached over to pat her clinched hands. “I accept this, my lady. I know you were given this vision to prevent our being trapped… but there must be a way around this enchantment. You are sure this magic still guards the entrance?”

“I believe it does… my vision gave me no reason to doubt this.”

Erestor, seeing the warring emotions on the faces of the others on the ‘committee’, spoke. “May I suggest we try and test this, so that you are all convinced?”

Puzzled, Seere met her father’s gaze. “How would we do this, Ada? We cannot risk a life to try such a thing. I saw animal bones, as well as, those of men or elves, so the way back is closed to all.”

“I thought to tie a rag to the end of a rope and toss it into the cave,” the Imladrian counsellor replied, a slight smirk teasing at his lips.

“A rag, Ada? I do not see…”

“Aye. We tie a rag to the end of a rope and toss it into the cave. If we are unable to pull the rope back, we know without doubt the magic still holds sway. If we can… we still will have questions,” he replied.

*****

“That is a sight to give a dwarf pause,” Grór muttered, as he stared at the rope hanging in midair in the middle of the cave entrance. “I guess that confirms the magic is still in place. What now?”

Elrond, intrigued by the sight, stepped closer to the cave entrance and extended his hand. An unpleasant tingling sensation rippled across his palm and jangled along his nerves. Shuddering, he stepped back. “I can feel the enchantment he used now that it has been activated. Even then, you must get very close to feel it. For someone in haste, it might be mistaken for the cold chill of a dank cave.”

Stepping to his side, Seere copied his actions. “Aye, I feel it too, melme. This magic is strong.” (love)

“Indeed. This way is truly barred to us,” he agreed.

Grór stepped closer, attempting to peer into the darkness of the cave. “You say ‘this way’. Do you believe this magic goes no further than the entrance?”

Frowning, Elrond considered the question. “I cannot answer your question with certainty, but I would not expect he would have done more than bar the entrance. To do so would require a far more powerful enchantment, one less likely to go unnoticed. Given these facts, this appears to be the only place… Are you suggesting there may be other entrances to the cave?”

Nodding, the dwarf grinned. “Perhaps there are. If not, then I propose we dig one!”

A sudden laugh drew their attention. Looking over, the group found a grinning Legolas leaning against a tree near the bottom of the path. Smirking he offered, “You are indeed a true heir of Gimli! If you cannot go through an obstacle, you go around or under!”

*****

It was mid afternoon before the detail of dwarves found a second, smaller opening into the rock wall of the cliff. It had been long buried under centuries of silt washed from the forested land above. Leary to enter the opening without checking for signs of magic, Grór halted work and sent for Elrond.

“A true heir of Gimli, indeed! Well done!” Elrond exclaimed, as he checked the knot on the rag he was preparing to toss into the opening. “I sense no magic near this opening, but let us be cautious.”

After pulling the rope easily back through the opening, Elrond cautiously eased a lit torch through the opening. A small cave… little more than a cramped tunnel was illuminated, clearly visible to those peering into the opening. “It would seem you have found a way into the mountain… but I believe this cave be above the one we seek to enter.”

“Do you think it safe, Lord Elrond?”

“I believe it is… though I cannot be certain. I sense no magic even when I place my hand close the opening. The rag was not trapped as the other one was and we are able to light the interior with a torch. The torch we held close the other entrance shed no light within.” Sighing, he turned back to face the others that had gathered to hear his findings. “With what we know, I would say the enchantment does not affect this opening, but there is still a risk it is masked in such a way I cannot sense it.”

Squaring his shoulders, Grór declared, “I am a dwarf! I will take a pick and shovel with me for there is no cave that I cannot dig my way out.”

Laying his hand on the dwarf’s shoulder, Elrond asked, “Are you sure of this, my friend? We have no way of knowing it there is anything of worth left inside, so I hesitate to see you risk you life.”

Grinning, the dwarf pointed out, “As you have had to frequently remind us, we have no way of knowing if any site has useful information until we look. How is this one different from the others?”

“Humm? It is not, as you well know… other than the known element of risk it carries,” the elf lord confirmed.

“Well, in that case, what are we waiting for?” After grabbing a pack with supplies and his digging tools, Grór and two of his dwarves took the torch and disappeared into the cave.

*****

Night fell with no further word from the dwarves that had disappeared into the narrow cave under Rauros. The expeditionary force had gathered in shifts for yet another cold meal, mindful of the need to call as little attention to themselves as possible. Apple and pear trees grew wild near the base of the falls; the ripe fruit from their fall crop had been harvested to add to their provisions. A muscadine vine grew along the side of the trail and the sweet wild grape was an unexpected treat to supplement their cold rations.

Seere had spent the day gathering herbs she found growing wild near the falls, trying to take her mind off of worry for Grór and his dwarves. She had known the dwarf since he had been a young child following his grandfather around on visits to Imladris. Very much like his gruff, yet warm-hearted grand-sire, Grór had long occupied a special place in the elleth’s heart. The thought that he might be trapped in the mountain left her feeling sick at heart.

Elrond sat beside her at the campsite watching, an amused smile lighting his handsome face, as she bundled her finds so that they could be draped over the saddles of their supply horses to dry as they rode out for the next site. “You will not be smirking if we have need of these herbs, my love. I remind you we have already used a great deal of athelas and this is a fine batch of marsh mallow that I found further up the trail.”

“I am not disputing the wisdom of having these additions to our stores, beloved; rather I am enjoying watching you work. It gives me great happiness to know we share this passion for herbs and growing things. Our marriage will be rich, for we share much in common. I have been dreaming of the day we marry,” he added.

A sad look overtook her features as she confessed, “That day seems so far away. I miss Imladris and I long to be there, making the plans for our wedding.”

“I share that feeling, Seere nin. Take heart… in a little over a month, we will start for home and the plans for our wedding will begin in earnest.” Sighing, he reached over to draw her closer to his side. “We do not need to wait. Let us begin tonight.”

Looking up into his warm silver eyes, she grinned. “Tonight?”

“Aye. For example, who would you have perform the ceremony?”

“Celeborn… with Glory attending him.”

“You see… we have made our first plan,” Elrond declared. “I would have the same.”

“And you will have your sons and their mates… your grandchildren, and of course, Lindir to stand with you. And I will have Ada… and Haldir, Gimli, and Órecalo to stand with me,” she added.

“I see you have given this some thought,” he commented, a gentle smile lighting his face from within.

Giving him a playful look, she hedged her answer. “Perhaps… a little.”

“Oh… only a little. Then there is much we must still consider. Food… a cake…”

“A many layered coconut cake with chocolate sauce on the side!*” she proclaimed, a small pink tongue reaching out to lick her lips as if already tasting the cake she had planned.

“Coconut… with chocolate sauce on it? This idea just came to you this minute?” he teased.

“Nay, a many layered coconut cake with chocolate sauce on the side. Some do not like chocolate sauce on their cake, so it will be served in bowls next to the cake, to be added by those that want it,” she corrected,

Bending to press a kiss to the top of her head, he noted, “That sounds delicious. Tis a good thing you thought of this…just now, for I will need to include a request that Elladan order several crates of coconuts and an extra supply of chocolate in the orders for our winter supplies in my next message to him. Had you not thought of it until we arrived home, there might not have been time!”

Cheered by his teasing, Seere snuggled a little closer to his side. “I am glad you asked so that I could think of it, beloved! What do you wish for the wedding?”

“A many layered coconut cake with lots of chocolate sauce in bowls next to it! That and you at my side, with our family and friends around us.” Smiling down into her glittering eyes, he added, “All other plans will be exactly as you wish them if I can have that.”

*****

A few feet away, another betrothed couple listened with amusement at the loving banter between the pair. Shifting to stretch out on his back, Glorfindel rested his head in his lover’s lap. Smiling up into the sky blue eyes that were watching his every move, he asked, “Have you made any plans for our wedding, beloved?”

“Plans… no, but I would wish to have it outside. If we are in Imladris, perhaps down by the river in the glade near the large waterfall. If in Lorien, I would propose we take our vows in a lovely clearing near the Celebrant. We have both spent so much of our lives in the open, taking our vows in such a place would mean much to me,” he admitted.

“Do you have a preference for either realm? I know you lived your first life in Lorien, so it you wish to wed there, I would gladly travel there to take our vows,” Glorfindel offered.

Haldir bent to press a soft kiss to his lover’s smiling lips. “Perhaps, but it seems we have both found our way in our second lives in Imladris. It is there we admitted our love, consummated our commitment to each other. My Ada lives there most of the time. If Elrond will permit it, I think Imladris would be my preference, melme.” (love)

Sighing, Glorfindel mused, “The valley will always be my home. Even in Aman, I longed to be back in Imladris, riding her borders and walking her paths. Aye, Imladris it is, my love.” With a mischievous grin, he added, “And I want a huge chocolate cake… with whipped cream on the side.”

Amused by the bright red blush that overtook Haldir’s face, he teased, “And why are you blushing, my love? Was it something I said?”

“I do not think a chocolate cake would be appropriate; perhaps lemon cake with white icing… or…”

“No! I insist on a chocolate cake with lots of whipped cream near at hand, and maybe some chocolate sauce and berries. I have developed a fondness for strawberries dipped in both… or raspberries! Yumm! I love to lick the cream from the tip, then let the whole berry slide into my mouth so I can taste the chocolate… and the sweetness of the fruit,” he purred, shifting his head slowly in Haldir’s lap.

Feeling his lover begin to harden from his movements, coupled with the memory his teasing words invoked, Glorfindel whispered, “I though I made my appreciation of such treats very clear.”

Flashback --- the Midwinter Celebration, Imladris

The family gathering in Elrond’s study had eased the suffocating tension that had descended on the evening’s celebrations after the scene in the dining hall, but it had not completely dispelled the electric energy that had charged the air since word of the betrothal of the Lord of Imladris to the much younger daughter of his oldest friend and counselor had become known. Haldir and Glorfindel had excused themselves from the gathering as soon as the newlyweds had departed for their separate chambers.

“Do you want to return to the festivities, melme? I must confess I am hungry. I was having too much fun dancing with you earlier to sample any of the cake. What say you to seeing what is left of the various desserts provided for the celebrations?” Glorfindel suggested. (love)

“I would not mind a dessert either, but I have no real desire to return to the celebration. I saw the Mirkwood princesses headed that way and I am not in the mood to witness any more of their mischief!” Haldir replied.

Wrapping his arm around his love’s waist, Glorfindel gave his a coaxing grin. “I doubt there will be anyone left in the dining hall after the earlier unpleasantness. Besides, most of those still celebrating at this late hour will be more interested in drink and dance, than sweets. They will be in the Hall of Fire. We will have our pick of what is left. The kitchen will not clear the tables while there are still revelers about.”

Tempted, the Lorien elf cast his companion a mischievous look. “Do you think there is any chocolate cake left? I love chocolate cake!”

‘Tis likely as the cooks undoubtedly make extra knowing you would be in attendance! I sometimes think you love chocolate more than me!” the ancient warrior teased.

“Well, chocolate is sweet, yet heady. It leaves such a pleasant taste on my tongue! As yet, I do not know if the same is true of you,” Haldir countered, before pulling away to race away down the hall in the direction of the dining hall.

‘You will regret that remark!” Glorfindel called after him, breaking into a run to catch his mate. /I am more than ready to let you ‘taste’ all you want, my love. I have found my mate and I do not plan to let you escape me! I am tired of waiting to have you share my bed. Tonight I will make you mine!/

Rounding the doorway into the dining hall, Glorfindel glanced quickly around for Haldir. Before he could say anything, a glob of whipped cream hit him squarely in the middle of his forehead. Stunned, he came to a complete halt, only to be pelted by a second spoonful over his lips.

Narrowing his eyes, Glorfindel slowly advanced on the laughing elf, an elf that had quickly moved to place the dessert table between himself and the silent, glaring warrior. Helping himself to a large piece of chocolate cake, he smirked, “You were right. There is cake left and we do have the dining hall to ourselves.”

In a low, measured voice, his lover asked, “Is the cake to your liking, my love?”

Hefting the hunk he had cut for himself, Haldir took a large bite out of the rich treat. Chocolate icing clung to his smiling lips as he watched the other warrior assess his position and look for a way to attack. Pleased he was safe for the moment from any retribution, he took a second, larger bite, making sure to leave a little of the creamy chocolate on his chin and the tip of his nose. /I am tired of waiting. This beautiful warrior will be mine tonight. I will mark him so he never thinks to leave me!/

Glorfindel came to a stop directly across from Haldir in front of the remains of the stunning array of confections and pastries prepared for the celebrations. Though much of the bounty had been eaten by the huge crowd attending the weddings of the two princes and the midwinter celebration, a lot remained. Making sure the grinning elf was watching, he slowly let his tongue slip from between his lips to take a cat-like lap of the whipped cream clinging to his face. Taking his time, he licked the rest of the luscious white treat from around his mouth.

Knowing he had succeeded in capturing Haldir’s full attention, he looked about for his next weapon in their silent battle of wills. Spying a platter of berries, a winter luxury from the greenhouses of the realm, he casually selected a plump strawberry. After first dunking it in a pot of melted, warm chocolate, he swiped it through the bowl of whipped cream.

With exaggerated care, he raised it to his lips and carefully licked the cream from the tip. Opening his mouth wide, he slowly slipped the berry across his tongue, letting the chocolate coat it, as his lips wrapped tightly around the succulent fruit. Sucking gently, he let the juice mix with the chocolate, a drop or two trickling down the side of his chin to mingle with the remaining whipped cream. Noting that Haldir’s eyes were now riveted on those wayward drops, he suddenly bit the berry in half.

A muffled groan from across the table confirmed that his prey had lost his focus. The chocolate cake, still held in his hands, had been crushed in his sudden grip and oozed between his fingers. Seeing his opening, Glorfindel struck. With little effort, he vaulted over the table and tackled the startled elf, pinning his arms over his head. Rolling fully on top of him, he purred, “I hope you like whipped cream with your chocolate cake for you have some you spilled earlier that needs to be cleaned up,” as he took his lover’s lips in a possessive kiss.

Reminding himself they were in a very public place, Glorfindel reluctantly lifted his head. The sight of his beautiful elf, lips swollen and traces of chocolate and whipped cream smeared across his handsome face, made the breath catch in his throat. “By the Valar, you are lovely!”

Sky blue eyes slowly slipped open to behold the smoldering cobalt blue gaze of his mate. The overwhelming need to claim this elf drove all other thoughts from his mind… all other thoughts save for one. Feeling Glorfindel’s grip on his wrists loosen as he reached down to caress the side his face, Haldir grasped the back of Glorfindel’s head. Kneading the soft golden locks, he pulled him down for another kiss. As the kiss broke, Haldir let his lips slide over to his beauty’s ear. In a sultry purr, he observed, “You look good enough to eat... especially with that chocolate cake matted in your hair.”

Shocked, Glorfindel reared up and lifted his hands to his hair. Finding clumps of the rich, dark cake clinging to the long golden strands, his eyes narrowed. Leaning toward the table, he grabbed a handful of the cake. After taking a huge bite, he glanced down at the amused elf under him. Taking a second bite, he bent down to kiss his mischievous mate.

Against his lips, he murmured, “You like chocolate cake, my love? Then have some of mine!” Rising up quickly, he smashed the remaining cake into Haldir’s smirking face.

Chuckling, Haldir bucked his hips, his hardening member brushing the one above him, and rolled Glorfindel beneath him. Ripping the fastening of Glorfindel’s dress robes apart, he spread the folds wide. Smirking, he reached up and grabbed the bowl of chocolate sauce. With obvious glee, he slowly poured the warm sauce across the exposed, muscular chest of the squirming warrior. The “Ai! Haldir! That tickles!” that greeted his efforts had him reaching for the bowl of whipped cream.

Taking his time to trail his finger through the smooth peaks of the cream, he offered his finger to the elf under him. “And you seem to enjoy the cream.”

A moan slipped from his lips as Glorfindel extended his tongue to lap the offered treat. Pulling the creamy digit into his mouth, he proceeded to gently stroke it with his tongue as he his lips wrapped around it and began to suckle. A loud pop sounded through the room as he let the finger go.

Beginning to pant with arousal, Haldir reached up to pull the tray of berries toward him. Selecting a plump raspberry, he drug is teasingly through the pool of chocolate at the base of Glorfindel’s throat. He was oblivious to the faint tremor in his hand as he held the coated morsel up to his lover’s lips. It too was gently pulled into the moist heat of the Balrog slayer’s mouth.

For several minutes, the former March Warden of the Golden Wood fed the legendary Seneschal of Imladris, both slowly losing track of their surroundings as the sexual tension that had been building for months took control. Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries were carefully coated in chocolate or cream and slipped into the hungry mouth that opened to receive them… a mouth hungry for more than food.

Control finally exhausted, Glorfindel reached up to pull Haldir into his arms. Ravenous lips slid together, drinking deeply of the taste of chocolate and the other. Strong hands grasped the ties of Haldir’s dress tunic and ripped them apart, baring the muscular chest to the questing hands that quickly slipped underneath the parted cloth. Bare skin slid against bare skin and moans whispered softly through the dining hall.

Groaning, Haldir gave into the desire he had been fighting to taste the beautiful flesh burning his own. Hungry lips trailed down from swollen lips, daring teeth nipping as they went, spurred by the need to mark this elf as his. For the rest of his immortal life, Haldir knew the taste and smell of chocolate would remind him of the first time he and his Glory made love. The sticky remnants of the sauce still coated his chest… both their chests, adding a rich undercurrent to the heady taste of his lover’s skin.

The hollow of his throat… the joining of his arm to his shoulder… the flexing muscles of his upper arm, each were tasted and marked. Long swipes of his tongue circled taut, straining nipples, before hungry lips demanded their share of the bounty. A puddle of chocolate had pooled over his navel and was slowly consumed. Eager fingers pulled at the loincloth that barred him from further conquest, luckily, the only other garment his lover had worn beneath his formal robes.

A part of his rational mind was amused to note that the chocolate had managed to seep beneath that final barrier, but his rational mind was no longer in control. Pausing to taste and mark the muscles that covered Glorfindel’s hipbones, he began to purr as he let his tongue scoop up the last of the chocolate from the joining of hip to thigh. Peeking up at his lover’s face, he noted that his elf had plunged his own hand into his mouth to stifle the moans and shouts of pleasure that gurgled behind the self-imposed gag.

Satisfied with the affect he was having, he let his eyes settle on the ultimate proof that this elf’s desire, the huge, pulsing shaft jutting before his ravenous eyes. Slowly, he let his index finger slide up the side of Glorfindel’s proud member, relishing this long anticipated moment. Delicately, he let his tongue lap the tip, savoring the taste of his lover’s precum. “I stand corrected, my love. You taste sweeter than any chocolate could ever hope to be.”

A muffled, “Please! Take me!” brought a predatory grin to his face. “Take you! Oh, I intend to take you, my love, but only when I am ready! I have waited a long time for this… since our time in Aman and will not be rushed!”

Diving down, Haldir took the straining erection into his mouth and began to suck the long length, subconsciously mimicking the technique his lover had earlier employed on his fingers. Purring with utter bliss, he let his mouth move slowly up and down Glorfindel’s cock, his tongue caressing and probing as he went. Frantic fingers buried themselves in his hair, as his lover tried to increase the speed of his movements.

“Ai! Please!”

Lifting his lips long enough to coat two of his fingers with the combination of his saliva and Glorfindel’s precum, the Lorien elf let his fingers drift back to caress the puckered opening to his lover’s body. Taking his time, he let the tip of his fingers circle and caress the tight ring that resisted his gentle attempts to enter. Apparently frustrated with his slow pace, Glorfindel thrust his hips down, impaling himself on the questing fingers. A loud groan was torn from his lips as they slipped quickly into his body.

For several minutes, Haldir worked his fingers into the clinching channel, easing the opening to prepare him for what was to come. A third finger found its way into the tight opening. Curling his fingers, he felt the electric shock that raced through his lover’s body as his fingertips grazed the cluster of nerves centered in his prostate.

Feeling the muscles in Glorfindel’s legs begin to bunch in anticipation of his impending release, Haldir drew back and wrapped his hand around the base of his cock. A hard squeeze left the ancient warrior thrashing on the floor in frantic frustration. “Ai! No!”

Pushed to his limit, Haldir reared up and scanned the area for something he could use to ease his way as he staked his final claim on his glorious elf. Spotting the bowl with the remains of the chocolate sauce, he scooped up the last of the creamy substance and tore open his leggings. Freed from its restrictive confines, his member sprang out, the tip glistening with the proof of his own excitement. Quickly, he poured the handful of chocolate over the head of his pulsing erection. The sight of his member covered in the rich, velvety sauce was nearly his undoing.

Groaning, he grabbed Glorfindel’s legs and raised them to rest on his shoulders. Moving as slowly as he could, he aligned his cock with the tight opening and began to ease inside. A gasp, then a loud moan rang clearly across the vast space of the dining hall.

Taking care to allow his lover to adjust to the intrusion of his large member, Haldir forced himself to stop periodically. Thrusting the last few inches into the clinging warmth, he felt his own end racing forward to overtake him. Several deep breaths helped him regain control, even as it gave Glorfindel a chance to adjust to the large shaft invading his body.

Setting a slow pace, Haldir locked eyes with his lover, losing himself in the blue fire. Knowing he could not last long, he adjusted the angle of his trusts and watched the explosion of pleasure rock through his elf’s powerful form. Reaching down to grasp the throbbing shaft he had abandoned a few minutes earlier, Haldir began to thrust, harder… deeper… faster, timing the motions of his hand to match the motion of his hips.

Within minutes, the pair was slamming against each other as the months of waiting demanded release. A low, keening wail broke from Glorfindel’s lips as his release overtook him. His throbbing shaft exploded, drenching his chest in cream for the second time that night.

The combination of the look of ecstasy and love that lit Glorfindel’s face, coupled with the sudden tightening of the narrow channel as his orgasm ripped through his body proved to be too much for Haldir to withstand. Two more hard, deep thrusts and the most intense orgasm of his long life claimed him. A hoarse shout erupted from his lips as he thrust twice more before collapsing on top of his sated lover.

The room suddenly fell quiet, as the two elves struggled to catch their breath and still the frantic beating of their hearts. It was several minutes before Haldir could raise his head to see meet his lover’s gaze. Shining blue eyes met his. Before he could speak, Glorfindel whispered, “I love you, Haldir nin… forever.”

Haldir bent to press a gentle kiss his lover’s lips. Too overcome by the moment to say more, the only word that left his lips was “Mine!”

Sliding off of his lover’s body, Haldir pulled him close, planning to rest for a moment before urging his lover to dress, as much as they could in their tattered clothes and return to one of their chambers for the rest of the night. Within seconds, they had drifted into a contented reverie.

Neither would ever forget the looks of surprise and amusement on the faces of the kitchen staff when they woke the sleeping elves an hour later as they began to clear the tables of the dining hall. The teasing, “More cake, Lord Haldir? There is plenty left,” caused the blushing elf to roll under the table, pulling the tablecloth closed behind him. It had taken some time for his laughing mate to coax him out so they could return to his chambers for the night.

End Flashback

“Funny… I thought you liked chocolate, Haldir,” Celeborn observed from nearby. “I would have guessed it to be your choice.” Trading an amused look with Elrond, they settled back to watch the embarrassed aroused elf squirm. /If my son thinks we did not hear about the incident in the dining hall, tis time we let him know otherwise!/

*****

A/N --- I couldn’t resist having Seere choose a coconut cake with chocolate sauce on the side. In the chapter where Elrond proposed (Ch 46, if you want to check), I used a quote from the movie “When Harry Met Sally”. In the final credits of the movie, they talk about their wedding and it included a coconut cake… massive with many tiers and chocolate sauce on the side, so that seemed like a logical choice for Elrond and Seere!

Surely a chocolate covered elf rates some feedback!!!!