While the Lord is Away

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While the Lord is Away

Chapter 8 Revelations

When the lovers eventually emerged from Glorfindel’s chambers, they wordlessly escorted the troublemaker to the library where Erestor quickly penned a letter to Thranduil. The seneschal then accompanied the messenger to the stable and charged two of his best warriors to see the young Elf safely to the borders of Mirkwood. Having dealt with that problem, Glorfindel returned to the house and now sat at the kitchen table enjoying the light meal Erestor had prepared.

“So are we finally rid of that foolish young Wood Elf?” asked the counsellor asked as he handed Glorfindel a mug of the herbal tea he favoured.
“Ai, and as arrogant as he proved to be, I doubt he will have the courage to see if you would make good on your threat,” replied the seneschal with a smile. “I have not had the chance to tell you, but I was most impressed with your skill in wielding the sword, especially since it was one you have never held before.”

“Coming from such a renowned warrior, that is indeed a compliment,” replied Erestor with sincerity. A brilliant smile acknowledged the seneschal’s pleasure at his love’s obvious pride in him.

“I would like to see your sword, if I may?”

“You are insatiable, my love. You have already seen it several times,” teased Erestor. Glorfindel rolled his eyes in exasperation.
“And you deliberately misunderstand me, my wicked one. I was referring to the weapon you wear on a sword belt, none other,” scolded the seneschal.

“Oh, what a pity! Very well, follow me,” replied the counsellor as he took his lover’s hand and lead him to his bed chamber where his sword hung decoratively on the wall. He took it down and handed it to Glorfindel who unsheathed it then slashed the blade through the air several times to test its balance.

“This is an excellent weapon, and not only beautifully balanced but also the work of a master craftsman,” commented Glorfindel as he examined the elaborate carvings along the blade.

“My Adar gave it to me on reaching my majority.”

“It looks as if it has not been used since,” said the seneschal.

“I know, but believe me, it has seen many a battle,” Erestor told him.

“Would you care to spar with me, my love?” asked Glorfindel suddenly.

“You wish to test my skill against yours?”

“In part, but I also think you should keep in practice. There are many dangerous creatures in unexpected places these days against which I would give my life defending yours. However if I am not by your side I would not lose you simply because you have lost some of your edge,” explained Glorfindel. Erestor walked up to him and took the sword in one hand, using the other to tenderly stroke his lover’s cheek.

“And I would not cause one moment of worry to crease your beautiful brow. I will spar with you every day if it will ease your fears,” he said, sealing his promise with a soft kiss filled with love.

“Shall we go to the practice field?” asked Glorfindel when the kiss ended.

“Nay, I prefer to keep some secrets from prying eyes. I think Elrond’s private garden will be suitable, we can use it even after he returns. Should he see us, it will come as no surprise to him to see a sword in my since it was he who I most often fought alongside.”

Upon selecting a suitably large area of the garden, they stripped to their leggings and began their ‘battle’. As they sparred both were amazed at how equally matched they were and the sound of metal on metal echoed through the night as blows that were at first tentative, were soon delivered with full force. After more than an hour of strenuous exercise, their bodies glistened with sweat and their eyes were filled with the exhilaration of the contest. Neither wished to yield, but when Erestor allowed himself a moment to admire the way the moonlight played over Glorfindel’s muscles, the seneschal took advantage of his distraction and disarmed him with a quick blow.

“I win this round,” he declared triumphantly.

“Only because you distracted me with your irresistible body,” growled Erestor as he ran his hands over the bare chest that had captured his attention. The touch felt like fire to Glorfindel, and ignited the flames of desire so strongly that he crushed Erestor to him and placed gentle kisses and playful nips from the tip of his ear to the base of his neck. He was rewarded with a deep groan of pleasure from his lover, and with total abandon, the warriors ended their sparring session by making fiercely passionate love under the stars.

“I wish we could sty like this forever,” sighed Erestor as he lay entwined in Glorfindel’s arms after their passion had been spent.
“As do I, there is no place I would rather be than in your arms,” agreed Glorfindel as he nuzzled Erestor’s soft dark tresses. “I imagine Elrond would frown on having his seneschal and counsellor continually lying naked in his garden.”

“I think that likely, and no doubt our reputation as enemies would also suffer,” added the counsellor.

“Are you saying you wish to keep our love a secret?” The servants would return in the morning, and Elrond and his sons were expected back in a month. Glorfindel was certain he would not be able to confine his displays of affection to the privacy of his chambers.

“I most certainly wish to share my happiness with our friends and those we consider family, but… “

“… You do not wish to make a public announcement.”

“Not yet. Do not misunderstand my love, I am not ashamed of our relationship, it is just that it is so new, and so special that I do not wish share it with too many. I want you all for myself,” explained Erestor as he hugged his lover tightly. Glorfindel decided he liked this possessiveness his dark beauty felt for him, and decided to make an offer that spoke of his own commitment.

“Then will you move permanently into my chambers, so that we can be together as much as possible? Now that I know the joy of waking up in your arms, I wish to do so every day,” whispered Glorfindel, his voice once more husky with need.

“Of course I will, but shall we take a bath before we do anything else?” Erestor asked, feeling the renewed stirrings in his groin.
“Have you ever used Elrond’s private bathing room?” asked Glorfindel with a wicked gleam in his eye.

“Nay. Are you suggesting we do so now?” asked Erestor, a little concerned about the propriety of such an invasion of Elrond’s privacy, but nonetheless feeling a certain excitement at the prospect of ‘misbehaving’ in such a manner.

“His bath easily accommodates two, and the room has a wonderful view of the waterfall as well. Besides he will never know,” said Glorfindel enticingly.

“I see now where the twins learned their mischievous ways,” laughed Erestor. “However I have decided that I adore being influenced to behave badly by you. Ai, let us take full advantage of Elrond’s bath,” he said seductively.

As Glorfindel said, the bath was easily large enough for two fully grown elves, with more than enough room to spare when their activities turned from bathing to finding pleasure in each other’s bodies. Just as their sparring in the garden and the loving that followed became a nightly event, so did their enjoyment of their lord’s bathing chamber. Naturally the wet floors, the discarded towels, and the often carelessly forgotten garments did not escape the attention of the chamber maid, and very soon all the servants were well aware of the new relationship between the councillor and the seneschal. Only for the fact that Elrond’s staff had been chosen for their loyalty and discretion did the knowledge remain in the house.

Elrond was the first to find out, for even before he heard the chamber maid’s report of the use of his bath while he was away, the new closeness of the two elder elves by observing that Glorfindel’s usual teasing kisses to Erestor’s were now delivered with lust darkened eyes, or by seeing that whenever the counsellor touched Glorfindel’s arm or hand, that his fingers gently caressed and lingered slightly longer than was polite, made it apparent to all that the elder elves were deeply in love.

Elrond was happy for his friends and had already decided to offer them continued use of his bathing chamber, but not before he indulged in a little tormenting of his friends at dinner.

Erestor had another form of torment in mind for his lover.

As they were dressing for dinner, the seneschal voiced his dismay that the counsellor was once again dressing in his robes of office.
“I prefer to see you in your shirt and leggings,” he pouted as Erestor emerged from the bathing chamber smoothing his dark robes into place.

“You prefer to see me in nothing at all,” he retorted with an affectionate smile.

“True, but even I have enough sense of decorum to realise you have to wear something to dinner, unless of course we are dining in here,” suggested Glorfindel wickedly.

“We can always have our dessert here later,” teased Erestor, “but for now we must welcome Elrond and his sons home in the proper manner.”

“I am not wearing my robes, they make me uncomfortable,” stated Glorfindel wondering at the sudden smirk on Erestor’s face. The counsellor moved closer so that he could whisper into his lover’s ear.

“Perhaps you should reconsider, my love. After all they hide certain problems well,” he added as his hand travelled to the slightly hardening bulge in Glorfindel’s leggings.

“So is that why you always wear them?” he asked as he proceeded to follow Erestor’s example. When his hands ran lightly up thighs that were naked he drew back in surprise.

“Erestor, you have forgotten to put your leggings on!”

“Nay, I did not forget. I am simply wearing your favourite attire under my robes,” he replied as he seductively licked the sensitive tip of Glorfindel’s ear then pulled out of his embrace and headed for the door. “Are you coming?” he asked a stunned Glorfindel.
“I might very well be if you insist on going to dinner dressed like that,” he replied when he finally managed to calm his now raging need back to a dull ache.

“I meant to the dining chamber. Elrond is waiting,” replied Erestor as he stepped out into the passageway and waited for Glorfindel to join him.

The lovers walked arm in arm through the halls, and stopped at the doorway to the dining hall to gaze lovingly into eyes that were dark with their erotic secret before making their entrance. They were met with a gasp of astonishment as, for the first time in centuries Glorfindel arrived at the family meal wearing the formal robes of the House of the Golden Flower.

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