Erestor's Secret

My dear readers,
My sincere apologies for taking so long to update! See the note at the bottom for why!

Title: Erestor’s Secret (8/?)
Author: Aglarien
Type: FPS
Pairing: Erestor/Glorfindel
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Not mine, except for the cats. The great Master Tolkien’s estate owns everything else. I promise to return his elves when I’m done playing with them.
Timeline: Gondolin, 501 of the First Age
Warning: AU
Beta: Erviniae
Summary: Dringion grieves and Erestor wakes.


Chapter 8


“Nestoron, why does he not awaken?” Ecthelion asked. All night long, he and Glorfindel had remained beside Erestor as he slept, and it was now well past the dawn of the new day. “Are you certain he is asleep? His eyes are still closed.”

“It is a deep, healing sleep, my Lord. He will awaken when his body has other needs, which will most likely be soon. He will be in pain when he does awaken, however,” the healer answered.

“How much pain? How bad?” Glorfindel asked quickly.

“His broken limbs have already begun to knit, but will ache. And I am certain his head will hurt. He was unconscious for many hours after his injury, and we do not yet know what damage may have been done. He will also be thirsty, and must drink to restore his body’s fluids. I have a tea ready for him that will reduce the pain and help him heal further.”

Ecthelion and Glorfindel nodded and resumed their watch on the elf they loved.

~~~*~~~

Galdor lay holding his beloved secure in his arms after Dringion had finally fallen into a troubled sleep. While the healer set his arm and examined his broken nose, the guard had remained silent and compliant. Once the healer had departed, however, Dringion had sobbed out his grief and regret for hours, and there was no comforting him. Finally as dawn neared, exhausted, he slept. But it was far from a peaceful sleep. In the few hours that had passed, he continued to weep in his sleep, and would cry out, begging Erestor to forgive him.

Galdor knew his pride and stubbornness had caused this, and his own thoughts tormented him. It was nearly a year ago when fate had put them in each other’s path, and the need for additional warriors had put him with Galdor’s own men for a few days instead of with Turgon’s. The attraction had been nearly instant. The fact that Galdor was the head of his house and Dringion a simple guard had never troubled him. Dringion was an honorable elf, and had frequently demonstrated not only attention to his duties, but a kindness and sweetness that was rarely seen in the palace guards. For months they had quietly kept each other’s company, their affection for one another growing, until the day that Dringion had confessed his love. Until the day that Galdor had rejected both the feelings of his own heart and Dringion. Until the day that Galdor had broken Dringion’s heart.

As he held his beloved through the night, Galdor’s tears of regret mingled with Dringion’s. He had loved Dringion deeply, and had pushed that love aside, trying to fulfill his dream of a house filled with sons. He had foolishly refused to see that without love, he would never have a happy family. His loneliness and longing for Dringion had been consuming him, and still he refused to see, until this. Dringion was his family. He was all the family he needed or wanted.

“Please, dear Eru, do not let it be too late,” Galdor whispered. “Do not let me loose this dear and sweet elf to grief. He was always so good until I broke his heart….until I did this to him. Forgive my stupidity. I was too blind to see. Erestor has to heal. If he does not, it will destroy him. It will destroy me. Please….I love him….do not let it be too late.” As his own tears fell on Dringion’s bruised and battered face, he softly kissed their mingled tears away.

~~~*~~~

Erestor groaned and stirred. The kitten and elves at his side were instantly alert. Nestoron added hot water to the potion he had brewed and set it on the table next to the bed.

“He is waking,” the healer said. He picked up Mordithen and placed the kitten at the end of the bed. “Speak to him. Tell him to wake, my Lords. We must make sure that he will be well and suffer no great damage from his head injury.”

“Erestor, my sweet, wake now.” Glorfindel gently stroked Erestor’s cheek and squeezed his hand. “Wake up, my love. Come back to us now.”

“Erestor, it is time to wake up now, little brother.” Ecthelion stroked his brother’s arm.

Erestor moaned, and his eyes slowly fluttered open. He blinked, then focused his eyes on Glorfindel.

“Erestor, my love…,” Glorfindel whispered. “You are awake. You came back to me.”

“How do you feel, brother? Are you in pain?” Ecthelion asked. “Can you look at me, Erestor? Can you speak to us, little one?”

Erestor’s eyes shifted to his brother. “Hurts,” he croaked. “Thirsty.”

Nestoron took the cup from the table and handed it to Ecthelion. “Raise him up gently, Lord Glorfindel; just enough for him to sip the tea. Drink slowly, Master Erestor. Take small sips at first. It will ease your throat and dull the pain.”

Glorfindel carefully pushed an arm under Erestor and raised the upper part of his body from the bed only enough for him to drink. His beloved still looked pale and drawn, and Glorfindel was afraid the movement would be too much for him.

Held up in Glorfindel’s arms, Erestor took small sips of the tea from the cup held by his brother. Little by little, he finished the entire cup.

Glorfindel laid Erestor back down against the pillows and Ecthelion kissed his brother gently on the check. “Feeling better now, brother?”

Erestor took Glorfindel’s hand with his free one and closed his eyes as his beloved stroked his brow. “You are still so pale, my love, and you were unconscious and then slept for many hours. Can you tell us how you feel? Are you feeling better than when you first woke?”

Erestor held onto Glorfindel’s hand tightly and opened his eyes. “I…do not feel very well. My head is throbbing.” Erestor tried to move his other arm, and found he couldn’t. “What happened?”

“The girth on your saddle….broke….my love. You have a broken arm and a broken leg, and you hit your head.” Telling Erestor what really happened could wait until later. “I was so afraid I would lose you, Erestor, but you came back to me,” he ended in a whisper.

“My Lords, I really must examine him now,” Nestoron said. As Ecthelion and Glorfindel moved aside to make room for him, he said, “I do not think you will have any lasting effects from the fall, Master Erestor, but you must rest quietly for a day or two while you continue to heal.” He removed the bandage from Erestor’s head and checked the wound. “Good, it is healing nicely. I think we can dispense with the bandage. You must try not to move your broken arm and leg while it heals. Are you in pain from them, or just your head?”

“They…ache, but it is not bad. My head is just throbbing so,” Erestor replied quietly.

“You do not seem to be having any adverse effects from drinking the tea; I will fix you more with stronger herbs to dull the pain in your head. Are you hungry?” the healer asked. “Would you like to try to eat some warm soup, Master Erestor? It will warm you and help your head. You have not eaten since midday yesterday.”

“I will try, Nestoron. But may I have more of the tea first?” Erestor asked.

“Of course. I will fix it for you now.” The healer moved to the foot of the bed. “Perhaps there is something else here to help you as well.” He picked up the little cat and set it along side Erestor where the injured elf could reach it.

“Mordithen! How are you here? It is good you see you, little one.” Erestor reached out to stroke the kitten, who nuzzled his hand and purred.

“Idril gave him to me last night for you. She thought he would help,” Ecthelion said. “And he did. He washed your face and you regained consciousness and fell into a healing sleep.

Erestor pulled the little kitten onto his chest to pet him better. “Thank you, Mordithen. You are a special little kitten,” he told the animal. Nestoron had moved away to prepare more tea and Erestor looked at his beloved. “Glorfindel, would you….would you hold me? Help me sit up, and then hold me?”

“Of course, my sweet. Thel, help me put the pillows behind him,” Glorfindel said. He set the kitten on the bed, earning a testy meow. “Just a minute, Mordithen, and you can sit on Erestor’s lap.” He lifted Erestor’s back gently and held him up as Ecthelion pushed the pillows behind his brother to support him, then gently laid him back. The kitten crawled into Erestor’s lap and curled up comfortably.

“How is that, little brother? Are you comfortable?” Ecthelion asked.

“It’s good, thank you Thel,” Erestor said. Glorfindel sat beside him and gently pulled him into his arms. “This is better,” he sighed, resting his head on the strong warrior’s shoulder. “I just feel…bad…and I need you close. You make me feel better. I love you so much, Glorfindel.”

“I love you, my sweet Erestor. I will always be close, beloved. I am just so sorry you are hurt. I would take the pain from you and bear it myself if I could.”

Erestor sighed and closed his eyes, letting the comfort of Glorfindel’s love seep into him. “Thel? I love you too, brother. Very much. But I love Glorfindel differently.”

Ecthelion chuckled. “I should hope so, little one. Don’t worry, Erestor. I understand. I know you love me.”

Nestoron had brewed more tea, then left in search of a servant to bring food for Erestor. Returning to the room, he brought the tea to Erestor. “Here is more tea, Master Erestor. Try to drink it all.”

Glorfindel took the cup and held it to Erestor’s lips. Wanting the pain to leave, Erestor quickly drained the cup. “Thank you, Nestoron,” he said, putting his head back against Glorfindel.

“I will leave you now, My Lords. I believe Master Erestor will be fine in time. The food should arrive shortly. Fix him more of the tea every two or three hours, and make sure he rests. I will return this evening to check on him, but call for me if you need me sooner.” Nestoron bowed to Ecthelion and left with the thanks of the other three elves.

“Thel? Ummm…” Erestor began.

“Would you like me to take you to the privy, little brother?” Ecthelion asked quietly.

“Yes, please, Thel. I’m sorry…I just don’t think I can…”

“Hush, little one. That’s what brothers are for.” Ecthelion moved to the bed. “Don’t try to help me – just let me get you.” Glorfindel took the kitten from Erestor’s lap and Thel easily lifted the slight elf up in his arms. “I will bring him right back, Fin. If you are lucky, perhaps you can do this next time.”

Glorfindel chuckled and Erestor hid his head against his brother. “I would be happy to take you to the privy, Erestor,” Glorfindel said.

Erestor looked back shyly at Glorfindel. “I fear you will have to yet, my love, if it is many days before I can walk. Aiya, this is so embarrassing.”

“One should not be embarrassed with those who love them, little one, and those they are close to. Glorfindel and I will take care of you,” Ecthelion said.

After helping Erestor, Ecthelion laid him back in Glorfindel’s arms just as their meal arrived. Neither Thel nor Glorfindel had eaten since Erestor’s fall, and both realized they were starving. Erestor insisted on feeding himself with his free hand, and managed his hot, rich soup well enough with the tray on his lap.

Managing to finish half of his soup, Erestor laid the spoon on the tray and leaned back against Glorfindel. When the others had finished eating, he said, “Glorfindel, will you stay with me? Can you? Or are you needed elsewhere?”

“There are others who can attend to my duties, my sweet one. I will stay with you for as long as you want me to. How are you feeling now after eating something? Is your head better?”

“A little better. I am so tired. I just want to rest with your arms around me.”

“Then rest, beloved. Sleep. I will be right here holding you when you wake.” Glorfindel stroked Erestor’s soft hair and placed a kiss on his head. “I am not going anywhere.”

“Love you, Glorfindel,” Erestor whispered as he drifted off to sleep, secure in the arms of his beloved, the kitten once again curled up on his lap.

“Fin, I need to go and visit Galdor,” Ecthelion said quietly as he removed the tray from the bed. He had told Glorfindel everything that had happened with Dringion and Galdor during the long, wakeful night. “They need to know that Erestor will recover. I do not know if I can ever forgive Dringion for what he did, but I do pity him. For Galdor’s sake I will be civil to him.”

Glorfindel nodded. “I do not know if I can ever forgive him either, Thel. But you are right – for Galdor’s sake.”

“What are we going to tell Erestor?”

“The truth – all of it,” Glorfindel whispered. “He would hear it all anyway, Thel. You know what palace gossip is like. It is better if he hears it all from us. I will see how he is when he wakes, and if the time is right, I will tell him.”

“I will go to the palace first and inform our king of Erestor’s condition, then go to Galdor. Take care of him for me, Fin.”

“Always, Thel. I love him so much. I meant what I said yesterday. My little sweet one has utterly stolen my heart and soul from me and made me his.” Glorfindel looked up at Ecthelion and searched his eyes. “Thel, I want to bond with him when he recovers. I cannot bear to be parted from him. If he agrees, will you give us your consent?”

Ecthelion nodded. “I will, if he wishes it. I do not know how it happened, Fin, or why after all this time. You and he have known each other since his birth, but I thank the Valar it happened now. Erestor has such strength in him. Not physical strength, but inner strength. He is one of the strongest elves I know in intellect, wisdom, and determination. He has never feared to speak his mind. And now he wants nothing but for you to hold him and stay with him. He loves you, Fin. He truly loves you.”

“And I him, my friend,” Glorfindel whispered, resting his chin on Erestor’s head. “So very much. My little love. My little sweet one. I will love him and no other forever.”


Tbc….


Author's note: Now, for why this is so late. Well, there was this little American Red Cross auction, and I was asked to make a quilt for it. Of course I said yes. End result? No writing done, but $1500 made for the American Red Cross! Hopefully there won't be another interruption for so long with this story! Thanks for your patience.

Emerald Amber and Tanya G - Thank you so much! I'm so glad you're enjoying it.
Elle - No, not all sweetness and light in this one. But it *will* have a happy ending.
HHS - And you wanted me to make Dringion suffer, lol. Glad he got to you. He really is an okay elf. Thanks for reading & reviewing - so glad you like it!
Archnemesis - I swear, the twist came out of nowhere - or I picked up a Galdor muse, lol. He just walked right in and said he wanted to play too. Erestor really was unconscious, and the kitten brought him back to consciousness - and sleeping. Belated Happy Birthday! Glad you're enjoying it!
Maelle - I've been reading your stories on Aff, hon. You have nothing to worry about! Go post them on Erestor Lovers! Thanks again, sweetie.


My apologies if I forgot anyone here. I don't mean to - Thank you for reading!