The Jewel of Mirkwood

(A/N) My appologies for not updating this sooner but UNI is tying me down and with having a trip down to Sydney as well I've not had a lot of time. Anyway these few chapters haven't been edited cause I didn't have time so any really foul cockup's on my behalf I appologise for and will fix them when I get a little more time this weekend.

Chapter 70

Elrond, Erestor and Elrohir sat quietly at the head of the table as they watched in disgust as the elves and men of their enemy eat like pigs from the feast they had demanded. Since the ient ent that afternoon Elrond had worked all evening with his councillors and Erestor to find out who the elves were and what they wanted. It had come as no shock to any of them to realise what Echthelion’s demands were to be. Erestor had to admit though he had been shocked to learn that the blonde elf before them was once Glorfindel’s lover. At the very thought of his friend Erestor glanced silently to where Glorfindel was sitting passively next ththehthelion. Erestor had been concerned by what the healer who had been allowed to tend to his friend had said. The wound in Glorfindel’s shoulder was not healing as it should have been and Erestor wondered if it had something to do with his separation from Legolas. Still that would have to be discussed later more pressing things of urgency were now currently laid at his feet. Apart from that Glorfindel’s eyes held nothing but hatred as he glared at the untouched plate of food in front of him. Despite everything all Erestor could see was the angry tension in his friend’s body, slowly building up to its climax, which un-doubted would leave nothing untouched. Glorfindel was well known for his kind compassion and understanding ways but he was also known for his skill and cunning as a warrior. Having fought beside him in two wars Erestor knew that Glorfindel was a fierce fighter and that once annoyed nothing could stand in his way.

Glancing away from his friend Erestor looked sideways at Elrond, whose gaze was firmly trained on that of his eldest son sitting next to Echthelion’s second in command opposite them. Elrond had tended his son’s wounds and while he was satisfied by Elladan’s healing it was clear the younger elf was mentally torn. His anger of his son’s continued captivity had been Elrond’s driving force over the evening. At dusk Elrond had secretly sent a message to Lorien, outlining their dire situation and their need for help from the Golden Wood. While it had been a good strategic move Erestor knew now by the look on Echthelion’s face that any help from the Golden Wood would arrive too late. They were affectively on their own in facing Echthelion and his demands, and while Lord Elrond had no plan Erestor had already plotted his own. What ever the consequence Echthelion was not to learn of Legolas’ whereabouts, even if it meant death to them all. Celeborn had said upon their rescue of Legolas from Keeldon’s hothatthat Legolas protection was more important than anything in all of middle earth and it was only now after Erestor had seen the connection betweeorfiorfindel and the Prince that he knew that was true. Legolas had to survive no matter what happened to the rest of them.

“You are brooding Lord Erestor, the scowl upon your face does not suit you.” For the first time since they’d entered the hall that evening Echthelion spoke breaking the thick tension that swam like a mist in the room. The calmly spoken elvish silenced his soldiers who still continued eating but were now focused on their leader. Erestor forced his face back to its passive emotionless stare cursing himself for having showed his hatred of Echthelion so liberally. Echthelion chuckled at Erector’s quick reaction before leaning back in his chair to slide his hand possessively to Glorfindel’s head were he buried his fingers in Glorfindel’s unkempt mane of golden hair. Erestor saw the shudder of loathing that ran through Glorfindel’s body at the touch but remained silent even as Echthelion leaned across and forced a passionate kiss upon the unwilling seneschal, not caring for his audience. A couple of Echthelion’s soldiers grunted their approval of their leaders display of dominance over the submissive seneschal. Echthelion pulled away from Glorfindel and smiled triumphantly at Lord Elrond, and Erestor. “As you can see my seneschal is still as obedient aleftleft him. I owe you Lord Elrond for keeping him so well tamed in my absence.” Erestor felt Lord Elrond tense at his side but after a deep calming breath Lord Elrond finally spoke to the enemy sitting opposite it at the large banquet table.

“You owe me nothing Echthelion.” Lord Elrond’s tone left nothing to be desired and Erestor had never heard his Lord speak so coldly to someone before. The blonde across from them nodded understandingly his eyes sparkling as he ran his hand back and forth across Glorfindel’s neck caressing it like a pet. Erestor could see the mounting determination in his friend’s eyes, withry try touch Echthelion forced from him Glorfindel’s anger rose.

“So true Lord Elrond, I do owe you nothing.hthehthelion paused and brought a chalice of wine to his lips sipping from it cautiously before replacing it on the table. “Now let us get down to business. I have no doubt you know what I have come for.” Erestor noticed instantly that the playful glint in Echthelion’s eyes turned suddenly deadly serious as the blonde elf gestured casually towards Lord Elrond.

“You are mistaken Echthelion, we are no more wise of your intentions than you of ours.” Elrond’s passive naivety did not seem to go down very well with Echthelion and immediately Echthelion was on his feet, his clenched fists slamming down onto the wooden table making all of his soldiers immediately draw to their arms, the feast forgotten.

“Do not play me for a fool Elrond, for I am not to be trifled with.” With a rudely pointed finger Echthelion gestured to Erestor. “You, you know what I speak of. Now where is Prince Legolas of Mirkwood, youngest son of King Thranduil?” Erestor merely shrugged his shoulders in reply trying to remain as calm as possible as Echthelion roared with fury. “I will rip this place apart if you do not tell me where he is. It would be in your favour to deliver him to me now!” Erestor cautiouslanceanced from Echthelion to where Glorfindel still remained in the chair next to his old tutor. While he had his hands tied behind his back from the knowing look that he threw Erestor’s way the dark haired tutor knew they were plotting the same thing.

“You may tear my house down around me Echthelion but you will not find the Prince, because he is not here.” Elrond was still remaining calm even as Echthelion jumped clean over the table and clenched the front of Elrond’s robe before pulled the slightly small elf Lord to his feet so that his face was barely inches from Echthelion’s. Erestor and Elrohir were at Elrond side in an instantly their weapons drawn ready to strike should Elrond’s life be threatened. They were vastly outnumbered however by the soldiers who had now risen from the table and were at their own swords poised to attack should their leader give the word.

“You lie, he is here because I saw him enter the wood and no one has left since we began watching the borders.” Echthelion sneered into Elrond’s face but in true elvan styleond ond remained passive calm and merely pushed Echthelion’s hands firmly from his robe.

“Then you are mistaken Echthelion, Legolas left Imladris two days ago with his mentor. He will be on a boat sailing for valinor by now.” The next words from Elrond nearly floored everyone in the room including Erestor and Elrohir. As far as they had known Elrond had not got any plan, yet here standing before them was a silently confident elf Lord. Erestor did not miss the fleeting glance that passed between Elrond and Glorfindel, and despite not knowing what was going on it seemed the Lords seemed to understand one another perfectly.

”What! You cannot be serious? Lord Elrond –half elvan has let the gifted one of the valar sail for the westwingwing we will all fade if he has not completed his fate.” This time it was Elrond’s turn to chuckle and Erestor saw the delight his cunning Lord took in laughing blatantly in his enemies face.

“Now it is you who think me a fool Echthelion.” Erestor backed off a little as Elrond advanced on his enemy his eyes glittering in unconcealed contempt e gee gestured casually towards where Glorfindel was sitting passively in his chair, the only elf that now remained seated in the room. “Your coming here is as waste Echthelion. Your rebirth would have been better-spent tutoring elflings again than aspiring to have something that was never meant for you. You would have not had Legolas, even if he had been still here, cause he is already carrying Glorfindel’s child.” Everyone in the room could hardly believe their ears and despite trying to foreign indifference Erestor could not help but turn to Elrond agape in confusion.

As in a split second the stunned focus turned from Lord Elrond to Glorfindel who now sat smugly in his chair his gaze firmly meetilronlrond’s across the banquet table. Suspicion suddenly set into Erestor’s mind as he saw the mischievous glint sparkle in both Glorfindel and Lord Elrond’s eyes, unseen by anyone else. What had just been said could not possibly be true. Glorfindel had sworn an oath that he would follow traditions and not bed Legolas till they were bound and Erestor knew his friend would not break an oath. True also was the fact that Erestor would have certainly been told by Glorfindel if any such activity had taken place, which he had not. This of course meant only one thing that Lord Elrond was lying through his back teeth and obvly hly had a plan. Not that it was surprising considering that Erestor knew Legolas was in the mountain keep not sailing west as Elrond and spoken of. Still despite Erestor’s realization Echthelion seemed to buy the story but what happened next no one could have planned.

Before Erestor could act Echthelion had produced two coned ked knives from within his tunic one of which slashed into Erestor’s arm in protection and the second of which he let fly out of his hand directly towards Glorfindel. As if in slow motion Erestor cried out to his friend in warning and while Glorfindel made an effort to stand from the chair and dodge the knife it was already too late. Erestor felt the wind being knocked from his lungs as he watched the curved silver blade embed itself into Glorfindel’s chest. For a moment Glorfindel’s expression was one of complete shock as he glanced sideways to look at Erestor. The moment was brief however and the shock was quickly replaced by a stricken wash of pale as Glorfindel dropped to his knees beside the table his hand clutching desperately at the blade. The room feel silent as everyone watched in horror as Glorfindel’s eyes rolled back in his head and he fell backwards with a sickening thud onto the floor of hall… he she silence was thick as Glorfindel’s body lay crumpled on the floor, even the men among Echthelion’s soldiers stared at Glorfindel’s body in complete shock. Here before them dying in a heap lay the legendary Balrog slayer, so revered through the lands of men, elves and dwarves as the strongest hero that ever lived. A sound like a wild beast rang through the deathly silent hall and out into the silent night as Erestor screamed his friends name before literally throwing himself down at Glorfindel’s side.

“No, please no. Don’t take him from us a second time.” Erestor repeated his prayer over and over again in all the languages he knew as he crouched over Glorfindel’s limp body and wept freely. The sound of Erestor’s desperate tears could be heard as far as the borders, the silence in the realm echoing the pain to the other couentuent elvan realms which all now mourned the loss of the greatest warrior to grace middle earth. Life seemed to stop as if day and night would never be again the realms now locked in the moment of Glorfindel’s death for all of eternity. It was Echthelion’s voice however that brought Erestor’s sobs to a halt.

”Well I hope for your sake Lorrondrond your were telling the truth about Legolas situation, considering Glorfindel’s unfortunate demise.” Echthelion smiled pointedly over his shoulder at Elrond who looked for all the world that he had lost one of his own sons. Without speaking Elrond struggled forward still in shock that this could have happened. Everything was meant to be as the valar spoke it, Legolas was meant for Glorfindel yet here before him lay that very elf his body lifeless and his breath gone from his lungs. Hope had deserted him and for the first time since his birth Elrond felt truly defeated and not in control. There was silence as Elronll tll to his knees beside Glorfindel’s body, where Erestor was still hovering over the blonde’s figure like a fading shadow. Shaking, Elrond passed his hand over Glorfindel’s emotionless face feeling the seneschal’s marble skin and warmth still radiating from the body. From the entry point of the blade it was clear it had punctured his heart and while Elrond knew he had healing abilities, nothing could save the already dead elf before him. Unable to hold himself up any longer Elrond slumped over in grief before turning his head slightly towards where Echthelion was still standing with his men.

Erestor knew the instant he saw the pain in Elrond’s eyes what the lord was going to do but despite everything Erestor did not want to give up. Legolas was counting on them and yet Elrond had given up hope in the face of his friends death.

“Please Elrond don’t do it. Please he does not deserve that fate.” Erestor pleaded with his lover as Elrond shook his head determinedly as he glanced weakly at his two son’s who were now standing together after the soldiers had been ordered to let them go. Elladan saw it in his father’s eyes just as easily as Erestor saw it and he too pleaded with his father not to do it but Elrond my shy shook his head before laying himself down on Glorfindel’s unmoving chest in utter defeat.

“Legolas is in the mountain keep below Imladris. He is there with his tutor and no other, you can enter it via the passage in my library, Erestor will show you were it is. Get what you came for and leave.” Elrond’s voice stuttered as the elder elf Lord broke down into hysterical sobs as he clutched to Glorfindel’s body having confessed thcretcret.

“No, No, No.” Erestor shook his head determinedly as Echthelion bellowed heartily in triumph before grunting at half his guards to go prepare the horses to leave, and the other half to grab Erestor. Erestor tried to resist the hands that grasped him firmly and pulled him roughly from Glorfindel’s body. “This can’t be right, the valar said it would be Glorfindel, it has to be him Elrond. Legolas loves him, he is the one.” Erestor screamed at his elf Lord even as Echthelion’s men began to drag him from the room. Elrond merely shook his head sadly as he glanced up from Glorfindel’s body to watch his closest advisor being dragged away.

“No Erestor we were wrong. If Glorfindel was the one the valar would not have taken him from us a second time, but he is gone so that can only mean one thing.” Echthelion’s snort of satisfaction made Erestor’s skin crawl but in truth Elrond was r. Al. Alis tis time they had been wrong. Thranduil had been right in protecting his son, in locking him away from harm. Yet he and Glorfindel had given Legolas freedom, but to a fate worse than captivity. The valar was cruel and unforgiving and Erestor now felt empty and hollow inside.

TBC>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
(A?N) OH MY FUCKING GOD I JUST KILLED GLORFY....................

Dedicated to the birthday person......you know who you are. :) *Hugs and kisses* Hope you're birthday was everything you wished for......god knows I've been asking for Orlando Bloom dipped in chocolate with a bright blue bow for the past three birthdays but do you think I get what I want?????