And There Was Trouble Taking Place

Chapter 6

Imladris, the next morning

The next morning Arien, the sun maiden, took the sun to the sky like she always did. She peeked in through his window and to her delight found her favourite being still in bed, alone, and lying naked between crumpled sheets. She admired Glorfindel’s muscular form, bestowing the first light of the day upon him. Glorfindel was of the light, a child of the sun, and Arien gladly let her mistress’s rays caress his skin, wishing it were her hands instead.

Glorfindel woke up and thought that a good night’s sleep had done him good. He was determined when it came to winning Erestor’s heart. Haldir’s unexpected meddling in the matter did not discourage him. He would not give up the fight; he would not let go. He had all the time in the world to make Erestor his and nobody, absolutely nobody, would prevent him. Their relationship was written in the stars, of that Glorfindel was sure, but he would not leave everything to dumb luck. He believed that fate was for those who worked hard. Then perhaps the Valar appreciated you were serious and helped you a little on the way to your goal. This meant he would have to come up with a plan to get rid of Haldir. And all the other pursuers Erestor had drooling after him.

Having had to come up with a plan a million times before, Glorfindel knew the best ideas always came to him while he was engaged in physically strenuous activities. Sparring was his favourite. There was something about it, using moves and countermoves so old and well learned that they were more instinct than conscious thought. While thinking about the technique was unnecessary, it occupied some part of his mind, dampening outside influences. He was always cool, calm, and collected while in battle and little did his enemies know that while they were fighting for their lives and losing, Glorfindel was planning the next border patrol schedule or rearranging his personal gardens or coming up with a scheme to win the heart of his loved one. Aye, sparring would do perfectly for his purposes. If against all odds he could find Haldir in his rooms, he could kill two birds with one stone -get a worthy opponent and give Haldir a taste of things to come. Glorfindel bounced out of the bed and went for his training gear with vigour.

Erestor’s day started in the best possible way. He blinked his eyes, the world coming back to focus, and looked around in his spacious bed. He realized he loved waking up in a tangled heap of long, limber legs and arms and blonde hair. Especially after being loved all night by two of the most desirable elves ever known. And his list was well under way, too. Erestor made a mental note about the past nights in an imaginary little black book. He marked down ordinals and the name of the lover: for numbers one, two, three, four, and six he penned in Haldir’s name, five and eight he credited to Legolas, while seven had both their names next to it. Aye, being pressed between the two fair-haired elves had been the most amazing experience in Erestor’s life so far.

Two nights ago, Haldir had found him in the gardens, explaining to one elfling how he could not become his husband just yet.

“I am more than honoured that you proposed to me, Lólindir, but you are still too young to even think about this. You have to grow up and…”

“Grow strong and learn to be a skilled swordsman, if you want to fight off all the other elves who also wish to become Erestor’s chosen one.” Haldir said from behind Erestor.

Lólindir looked up and obviously saw someone he did not want to fight for Erestor’s affections just yet. His eyes widened at the sight of the Lórien elf, for Haldir was a well-known warrior – almost as feared and respected as Glorfindel. Lólindir chose to leave Erestor for Haldir, for the time being, although he promised himself he would be back when he had grown up.

“Thank you for the flowers.” Erestor shouted after the running elfling. He turned around to look at Haldir, who was clad only in loose linen pants. His tunic was thrown over his shoulder and wisps of his blond hair had glued to his face with sweat.

“And would you fight for my affection, Haldir?”

“Husband material I am not, if that is what you are asking. But I can offer you the pleasures of my body for the length of my stay. ”

“Your body is giving me pleasure already.” Erestor answered with laughter, letting his hungry gaze travel over the smooth muscles on Haldir’s chest. “But I prefer my warriors less sweaty.” He got up off the bench and started walking towards Last Homely house.

“Wait.”

Erestor stopped and more felt than heard Haldir approach him. The power of Haldir’s desire was coming off him in waves and Erestor went under, helpless to resist the temptation anymore. He felt Haldir’s hot breath on the curve of his ear when he whispered.

“Then join me in a bath and I will make sure we both need another one by the time the night is over.” Haldir nuzzled Erestor’s collarbone.

How could Erestor refuse an offer like that? He noticed a servant also on her way to the house and took a step away from Haldir. “Nia? The marchwarden will be using my private bath. Could you show him the way and get him clean towels and a robe.” He briefly nodded to a puzzled Haldir and disappeared in the direction of the healing rooms. He might be inexperienced in the games of love but he had read enough erotic literature to know that males loving males needed some help with their couplings. The help was called oil and as Erestor entered the healing rooms, he thought he might ask the healer in charge of pills and potions to also blend in a few drops of bergamot and lavender for their calming effect. He was, indeed, in need of calming down.

With the oil in his possession, Erestor made his way hurriedly to his chambers. Haldir must be enjoying the bath already, as the rooms were empty. Erestor walked to his bedroom, readied the bed, crossed over to a mirror, and examined his reflection. No matter how hard he tried to look, he saw nothing out of the ordinary in himself. Except the eyeliner, but that only brought out the shape of his eyes. And perhaps made his cheekbones more pronounced, but that did not explain Haldir’s sudden interest in him. He would have to think about this, and very soon, but not tonight. Haldir was waiting for him. Erestor lit candles around the room, inhaled the calming fumes from the oil vial before laying it down on the bedside table, and then continued towards the bath.

Erestor’s heart tried frantically to beat its way from his chest and he could not remember when he had been this nervous the last time. He closed his eyes and took a calming breath, thinking about the time centuries ago when they had finished building the third floor to the House. Elrond had asked him if he wanted to have the old main book storage room to be converted to his chambers and he had been grateful for the opportunity to live away from the rest of Imladris’s occupants. He liked his privacy, opulence too, and ended up using more than third of the area for his bath. Even Elrond was admittedly envious of it.

A part of the Last Homely House still had only one floor; Erestor’s rooms were in that part. He had used that to his advantage and his bathroom boasted a window in the ceiling above the tub. The floor was stone tiles, except near the southern end of the room where the ground had been dug up and ivy grew there all year round. The back wall was covered in shelves and cupboards that were filled with oils and lotions and creams for use in the bath and afterwards. It occurred to Erestor that perhaps his trip to the healing rooms had been unnecessary.

Every time Erestor stepped inside, the tension of the day’s work slipped off him. This time was not different. Erestor loved the room and he felt better already –until he looked at the tub embedded in the floor. For in the tub, in the middle of the room, was Haldir. He looked like Ulmo, the Lord of Waters; as he leaned back his hair floated on the surface of the water, surrounding his head like a halo. The hazy light of dusk scattered through the leaf shaped pieces of clear glass in the ceiling, making the drops of water desperately clinging to his body sparkle like diamonds. Haldir heard Erestor enter and sat up.

Erestor gathered all his courage and continued towards the tub, discarding his robes as he walked down the short flight of stairs and waded in the warm water to keep his body’s reaction to Haldir’s presence a secret. He was at a loss what to do for a moment before he decided not to act like a frightened virgin and took a few steps forward. Haldir pulled him down to straddle his thighs and Erestor complied, feeling the marchwarden’s erection brush his thigh as he settled in Haldir’s lap more comfortably.

“So now what?”

Haldir answered him with a kiss. A hungry, demanding, fierce kiss and Erestor had believed his heart lost in that moment.

Remembering the night when Haldir had made love to him the first time, Erestor smiled to himself, a bit sadly. It seemed like ages ago for so many things had already changed since then. Despite his earlier feelings, Erestor knew he did not love Haldir. His heart did not jump in his chest when he looked at the beautiful marchwarden. Other body parts were moved, but that was not what he was looking for. His hröa (body) was screaming with lust and want and hunger but some small corner of his mind was whispering different kinds of words –words like love, spouse, children, and family. Family? Where on Arda was that thought coming from?

Taking a mental shovel, Erestor dug a very deep hole and put the upsetting thoughts on the bottom. He piled moderate-sized rocks on top of them before shovelling the dirt back and then spent good long moment jumping on it, hoping to pack the dirt so tightly, that the thoughts would never again find their way back to the surface. It seemed to work and he got back to thinking about Haldir and what to do with the slight problem he seemed to have in his hands. He came to decision that there was no problem. Haldir had offered his body, there had been no talk about commitment or exclusivity and in that sense love being out of the picture was probably for the better.

Anor’s rays tickled the Lord of Imladris awake. Like so often before, waking up next to the body of a half-stranger did not start his day in the best possible way. The first thing on his mind every morning, and the last every night, was his lover and that he missed him. They had never shared a bed regularly, or for long periods of time, and still it felt like his lover belonged here. The occasional ellon (elf m.) and elleth (elf f.) he bedded were a poor substitute and with age he had almost come to despise those who found their way to his bed and were content with whatever he gave them. Despise? Now there was an interesting word to use, thought Elrond. For if he detested the elves he bedded, how should he feel about himself?

The warm body next to him moved a little, effectively disrupting Elrond’s burgeoning thoughts of self-loathing. He could not remember whom it was he had taken with him from the party and turned to look, when the elf cradled him in their arms more tightly. Ah, male with blond hair and broad shoulders. Why did that not surprise him, he laughed to himself bitterly. Probably one from Arwen’s escort. A very comely elf, but so were all elves from Lórien. Deep blue eyes and delicate, almost ethereal features combined with a long, slender frame. Perhaps he should enjoy the elf. After all, they were both in the bed naked.

Elrond moved in closer and kissed the sleeping elf. For a second the kiss was one-sided but then he felt the lips part for him. He saw a sweet smile and guilt made its way through his system with the same speed the smile spread. Determined to enjoy the pleasures so readily offered to him, he chose to ignore the feeling. He took his time admiring the exquisite body and asked the owner to turn around to lie on his stomach. While he licked his way down the beautiful spine, his mind started to play tricks on him. A picture of his lover arching his back under similar ministrations invaded his mind. Shaking his head, he chased away the image. He nipped at the skin just above the perfect buttocks with his teeth. His bed partner gasped at the sensation, turning his head slightly so that his mouth was visible to Elrond and he was immediately reminded of the perfect bow of his lover’s lips.

Wondering if all the lectures and sermons he had been forced to listen to for centuries were finally taking their toll on him, the Lord of Imladris felt a sheen of cold sweat creep over his body. He suddenly had a hard time breathing and felt light-headed. Pictures flashed through his mind, showing the hordes of elves he had taken to his bed during the six millenia he had lived and the occasional memory of moments spent with his lover. His erection was gone as fast as it had appeared and all thoughts of taking pleasure from the willing body beneath him vanished from his mind. He tried frenetically to come up with some kind of believable reason for stopping their activities but found none until he realized that in a few more moments he would actually pass out for lack of air and that would be an effective end to the coupling. Then his personal servant knocked on the door and announced that a visitor with an urgent request waited to see him. Elrond gratefully accepted the possibility to get away without fainting. He got up, gently kissed the elf in his bed and apologized for the intrusion, all thoughts of guilt washed away already.

Just a few doors down from their father’s chambers, the combination of the sun seeping in through a slit in the curtains and someone nibbling his earlobe in a most insistent way woke Elrohir up. He kept his eyes closed and enjoyed the sensations his twin brother gave him.

“Do not try to fool me, I know you are awake.”

Elrohir decided to continue to ignore his brother and rolled to his other side, pretending to be still asleep and sought friction for his straining cock.

Elladan refused to have any of it. “Stop that. I want to talk to you.”

“You woke me up, now finish what you started. Mmmm.”

“Hear me out first, and then I will take care of you.”

“Are you certain? I get nothing before listening to you?” When Elrohir saw Elladan nod, he sighed dejectedly. “All right. What is so important you had to wake me when the sun is barely up?”

“Gwanunig (twin), I am thinking it is time to take another lover again.”

“This is it? The reason I am not still deep in reverie?”

Elladan nodded again, this time with a mischievous smile, “It is not the only reason. I have been watching you for a while and you looked so edible I had to wake you to have you as soon as possible.”

“You could be well on your way to having me, if you did not insist on talking about this new lover you want us to take. Each time you suggest this, you already have someone in mind. So, please, tell me. Who is the lucky elf?”

“I have no-one particular in mind, but I would love the elf to be blonde.”

“A blonde, you say? Does the scene at the party last night with Erestor and Haldir have anything to do with it?”

“Aye, it certainly does,” laughed Elladan. “And did you notice Legolas disappeared soon after them? I believe Erestor had two blondes. Aye, I want some too.”

“I guess we shall have to start looking then. The few fair elves in Imladris you have all gone through. Perhaps, a trip to Lothlórien?”

“Nay, I think Mirkwood sounds better. Earthier elves, fleshlier pleasures.”

“Fleshlier? Ah, you came up with that yourself. It is not a word. Now, let me show you the fleshly things you put on my mind with that nibbling.”

And Elladan let him, voicing his pleasure about the things Elrohir showed him, first with a soft sigh, then with a needy whimper, and last with a contented moan.


TBC