Tale of Two Brothers

Title: Tale of Two Brothers, Chapter 9,
Author: Larien Elengasse
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, they are the property of Tolkien.
Special Warnings: This story contains male slash pairings and explicit sexual content, and incest. If you find this offensive, or you are under-age, I strongly suggest you stop now.
Beta: Larian Elensar
Cast: Elladan/Elrohir/Glorfindel, Glorfindel/Erestor
Archive: Elves and Men, All others please ask
Summary: Glorfindel is wounded on patrol; Glorfindel and Erestor have a talk.

Months had passed and the three continued to meet in secret, spending their nights making love to each other before they went their separate ways before dawn. Glorfindel fell deeply in love with both of them, and it was a love that went beyond physical needs and wants; it was a love that bound their hearts and spirits together, that bound their paths together for all time.

He readied Asfaloth for patrol; he was leading a group of seven to the outskirts of Imladris, to check on reports of strange travelers on their borders. The twins were to ride out on another Orc slaying venture; there had been reports of Orc packs sighted near Isengard. Glorfindel's patrol would ride out with them then separate near the border. It would be the first time they had been separated since their strange relationship began, and he worried about them. He had always worried about them, even before things had become so complicated; now he worried even more, but they were determined to slay as many Orcs as they could to avenge their mother's torture.

Elrohir entered the stable followed closely by Elladan, and the younger twin smiled broadly at the warrior as they entered. Elladan stopped by the door and looked around, closing it behind him as he also approached Glorfindel.

"Mae Govannen, my Lord. Are we riding out earlier than planned?" Elrohir asked.

"We are leaving at the time we discussed, Elrohir. I could not sleep, so I came out early to groom Asfaloth and check the supplies. Why are you and your brother up so early?" cou could not help but smile as they played this ridiculous game, the twins knew full well why he was up so early, they were there for the same reason, but pretenses had to be kept up.

"The rest of the patrol is not here then?" Elladan asked with a smile.

Glorfindel smiled in return, "No, Elladan. It is only the three of us until after the morning meal."

The twins grabbed him and shoved him back into the tack room, as they laughed quietly. Glorfindel grunted as he collided with the wall and they pressed into him, kissing his mouth and his neck as they ran their hands over his powerful body.

Elladan whispered in his ear, "Ai, Glorfindel, you have corrupted me terribly. I cannot be near you without touching you."

Elrohir drew his tongue along the curve of the warrior's ear, "Elladan is right, we think of you all the time, night and day." He softly suckled the point of his ear and a quiet moan escaped the warrior's lips. "My favorite time of day is dusk, because I know that in a few short hours we will be together and we will be spending the night in one another's arms."

Glorfindel wrapped his arms around them, pulling both of them close to him. "Please be careful, Peredhils, I do not know what I would do if anything were to happen to either of you."

The twins hugged him tight, burying their faces in his hair. Their voices whispering in unison in his ears, "We will; we cannot wait to come home and be with you again. We wish you could come with us."

"As do I, my loves, as do I. But you know I have my duties to perform here." He pressed a kiss to each of them. His heart and his body already acher thr them, even though they were still there. He had always missed Elrohir when he left and it had been painful, but this was twice the longing, twice the heartache, and it seemed on the verge of being unbearable. He held them tight and ran his hands through their hair, whispering loving words in their ears as they snuggled against one another. They did not talk, nor did they seek to pleasure one another, they only wanted to be together, to hold each other, to get enough of the other to last them through their coming separation.

The sounds of the troops coming down the hill from the dining hall roused them from their moment of intimacy, and they reluctantly pulled away from one another before returning to their horses.

* * * *

They were a day's ride from the road that the twins would take south toward Isengard. The clear night sky was illuminated by a full moon and the sound of crickets floated upon the air. The night guard had taken up their posts and Glorfindel walked through the dense forest, finding a moment of solitude before retiring for the night. The twins were on guard duty and had taken up their posts and the warrior stood leaning against a tree, looking at them silhouetted against the soft moonlight. He loved them so much; they made him happy and made him proud. He was proud to have trained them, and proud to have taken a small part in their upbringing.

The unmistakable stench of death began to fill his nostrils and he wheeled around, drawing his sword and listening intently. The twins as well changed their relaxed stance as if they became aware of something moving in the darkness. The high pitched whine of arrows rin hin his ears, and before he could move, he was struck. The first one hit him in the shoulder, pinning him to the tree; the second struck him in the thigh as he growled in response.

Elrohir turned when he heard the sound of his lover being wounded in the trees behind him. Elladan leaped from his perch, pulling Elrohir to the ground as another hail of arrows flew at them from the thick line of trees to the south. They clambered to their hands and knees and began to scramble quickly across the ground toward the tree line that had been at their backs. The rest of the troops began to fire back, taking cover behind outcroppings of rock and brush, some climbing into the trees to get a better vantage point from which to return fire.

"Glorfindel has been wounded, we have to get to him!" Elrohir shouted to his brother as they hurried toward where their lover had last been seen.

Elladan answered, “Watch your head, gwador. Stay low to the ground.”

As they entered the thick trees they were ambushed by a group of Orcs, but were able to fight them off using their swords and knives. They found Glorfindel pinned to the tree by an arrow, still trying to fight off two of his attackers with his yet unwounded arm. He was bleeding heavily and they could see he was beginning to weaken. Elladan and Elrohir fired their bows and killed the remaining two Orcs and ran to help Glorfindel. Elladan removed the arrow from his shoulder and Elrohir helped him to the ground. Several members of the patrol followed the fleeing Orcs into the forest as the remainder stood guard.

Elladan worked quickly to administer aid to his fallen lover as Elrohir knelt beside him and kept watch. “Glorfindel, wake up. Can you hear me?” Elladan stroked his face as he continued to whisper to his lover, “Please, Glorfindel, a’maelamin, open your eyes, look at me.”

Elrohir whispered to his brother, “We have to get him out of here, Elladan. We have to get him home so Father can help him.”

Elladan looked up at his brotheThe The arrow was poisoned, Elrohir. He is growing cold, we do not have much time.”

Elrohir whistled for the horses, helped Elladan put Glorfindel upon his horse, and climbed on behind him. Elladan swung up upon his own horse and the two of them galloped off with two members of the remaining patrol. Keeping to the road, they made good time and were not followed; they were back at the Last Homely House by dawn. Elladan carried an unconscious Glorfindel to the healer’s rooms andohirohir fetched their Father. The two of them sat beside their fallen lover as Elrond went about his work. After several hours of attention, which included healing the wound and using his considerable powers to counteract the poison that had been working to end the warrior’s life, he informed his sons that the warrior would survive. He left them alone with their seneschal to get some rest.

They both sat beside the bed, one on each side, each holding one of his hands and silently praying. Elladan rested his cheek against Glorfindel’s hand and looked across at his brother who looked to be on the verge of tears. He reached across the warrior’s body and took Elrohir’s hand, leaning over and pressing a kiss to it. “He will be all right, Elrohir, he will be as good ew sew soon, do not weep.”

Elrohir turned his tear stained face to his brother, “What if we had lost him, Elladan? What if we had not been able to help him? I do not think I could bear it, I do not know if I could live without him, I have loved him my whole life.”

“I know, gwador. I love him too, I could not bear to lose either of you, nor could I bear to see you in such pain.” He looked at the bed, “Perhaps the time has come for us to stop taking crazy chances, to stop the endless cycle of revenge we seek. Perhaps we should just be with each other and love each other.”

Elrohir sat up suddenly and Elladan looked over his shoulder. Erestor was standing in the doorway and looked very pale and sullen. He quietly walked to the bed and placed a hand upon Elladan’s shoulder as he knelt beside him. “Will he recover?” he whispered quietly.

Elladan nodded, “Yes, Father has healed him.”

“Can I have a moment alone with him?”

Elladan nodded to Elrohir and whispered, “Yes, of course you can.” He took Elrohir’s hand and led him from the room.

Erestor sat in the chair beside the bed, holding the hand of his best friend and past lover. He reached out at softly stroked his hair as a tear fell from his eye. “Thank the Valar you will recover, a’maelamin. I do not know what I would do if you did not.” He blotted a tear away with his sleeve and quietly sniffed. “My beautiful warrior, always putting yourself in harm’s way to protect those you love. You are the most astonishing creature, Glorfindel. Fierce in battle and fierce in love, yet kind and gentle, loyal and devoted, selfless beyond compare. ‘Tis no wonder the Twins have fallen hopelessly in love with you. How could they not? How could anyone who truly knew you not love you? By Elbereth, I do, more than you will ever know.” He sat quietly with his best friend, holding his hand in his, and watching him sleep. His thoughts began to wander as he stared into the warrior’s beautiful face. Suddenly he was aware of bright blue eyes staring at him and he blinked back from his reverie.

Glorfindel smiled is fis friend, and croaked out a greeting, “Mae Govannen, Erestor. How are you, meldiramin?”

Erestor laughed softly, “Ai, Glorfindel. Only you could be so cheerful after what you have been through. Does nothing spoil your optimism?”

The warrior croaked, “No point in being sullen, I am not the first to be felled by an Orc’s arrow. ‘Tis still better than the Balrog.” He coughed and cleared his throat, “It is good to see you meldiramin, I have missed you.” Erestor handed him a cup of water and the warrior struggled to sit up, wincing at the pain in his shoulder. After taking a deep drink of the water, he smiled and reached out to caress Erestor’s face with his uninjured hand.

Erestor looked at the floor and pulled away slightly and Glorfindel frowned. Erestor looked back up at him and tried to smile, “I am sorry, meldir. As much as I care for you, I cannot bear for you to touch me, not any longer, it reminds me too much of what I had.” Glorfindel opened his mouth to speak but Erestor silenced him by placing his fingers upon his mouth, “I suppose I never really had it, but I came close, and that is enough. I will always be your friend, Glorfindel, always. But I cannot bear to be reminded of what once was, please understand that.”

Glorfindel looked at the bed and answered quietly, “I understand. Please forgive me, Erestor, I never meant to…”

Erestor silenced him again, “Sssh, meldir, no apologies, I knew that your heart belonged nothnother, I have always known it. Love makes its own rules, Glorfindel, all we can do is live by them.”

The Twins appeared at the door and Elrohir could barely contain his excitement when he saw Glorfindel awake and sitting up. He quickly crossed the room and threw his arms about him, burying his face in the warrior’s golden hair, “Thank the Valar, you are awake, a’maelamin.”

Elladan joined him, placing one arm around Elrohir and taking the warrior’s uninjured hand in his, “Elrohir and I have been so worried about you, Glorfindel. How do you feel?”

“I am fine, tired and sore, but fine. What of the patrol?”
Elrohir answered, “Two came with us here and the rest stayed behind, they were pursuing the remaining Orcs when we left, but we believe they had matters in hand. We will have to step up patrols, that attack was bold and quite unlike them. Reinforcements have already left to meet them at the border.”

Erestor rose from his chair, “I will leave you three to discuss military matters. I have a message to prepare for Lord Celeborn and the herald leaves at dawn. I am glad to see that you are recovering, meldir. I will check back on you later.” He smiled at the twins and left the room, closing the door behind him.

The three lovers embraced as best as they could and the twins sat with Glorfindel until he fell back asleep. They reluctantly left his bedside when they could no longer stay awake.


To be continued…


Gwador = brother
A’maelamin = beloved
Meldiramin = my friend
Meldir = friend