Deny Me Not

Disclaimer: LOTR belongs to the creative genius of JRR Tolkien, not me.

Pairing: Erestor/Glorfindel

Deny Me Not

Chapter 1

As was customary, all new arrivals to Imladris were warmly welcomed with a banquet in the dining hall followed by a night of festivities in the Hall of Fire, and it fell to Erestor to make the required arrangements. The chief counsellor and head of the household staff surveyed the empty dining hall with satisfaction. Every last detail met with his approval. The garlands decorating the walls were hung in exactly the right places, the tables were set with the best linens and there were small posies of wild flowers guarding the places reserved at Elrond’s table for the wife and young daughter of Galin, the new scribe from Lothlorien. The Elf had been honoured to accept such a prestigious position, offered with Lord Celeborn’s recommendation no less, and was due to begin work the day after the official welcome.

Pleased that all was in order, Erestor made it his business to offer a word or two of praise to his assistants and then made his way to the kitchens to see that all was in readiness for the evening meal. To his surprise, he found his lover seated at the breakfast table, quietly sipping a mug of tea.

“Glorfindel! What are you doing here? Should you not be showing Galin and his family around Imladris?” he asked taking a seat beside the seneschal and helping himself to some tea and one of the pastries from Glorfindel’s plate.

“And so I was until Elrond took my place,” he replied with a grimace of distaste that confused Erestor.

“Is that rare frown of annoyance I see because Elrond relieved you of your task, or because you found your companions unpleasant?” he asked, gently brushing a stray lock of gold back behind a delicately pointed ear. The frown eased a little at his lover’s touch and Glorfindel lightly kissed the counsellor’s cheek.

“Galin and his wife are very likeable, but their daughter is another matter, there is something about her I do not like.” Erestor was intrigued; he had never heard Glorfindel openly admit a dislike for anyone, particularly a lovely young maiden like Amien. Certainly everyone who came to Imladris was immediately smitten with some level of adoration for the charming and handsome Balrog slayer, but none with a love as deep and everlasting as Erestor held in his heart.

“Really? She seems nice enough to me, what is it about the young one that causes your disquiet?”

“Amien has air of mischief about her that rivals that of Elladan and Elrohir, and she behaves in a most unbecoming way considering she is but one year past her majority,” he said with a hint of disgust.

“Unbecoming? In what manner?” Erestor asked, easily guessing the maid had fallen for his lover’s charms.

“Let us just say that in a matter of a few brief hours she has developed an infatuation for me, and is rather forward in seeking my affections,” Glorfindel sighed. Erestor could see that his lover was becoming distressed by the conversation and decided to continue it in private.

“Come to our chambers, my golden love. I have a bottle of wine and an ear willing to listen,” Erestor offered. Glorfindel accepted with a smile and taking Erestor’s hand, they walked in silence to the chambers they had shared for barely a year.

“What exactly happened?” Erestor asked once they were settled in the armchairs in front of the fireplace with their mugs of wine.

“The brazen young thing kissed me full on the lips as the moment her parents left us alone!” he declared angrily.

“I have never heard you complain about being kissed before.” Erestor could not help a small smile of mirth even as he gazed into eyes filled with deep affection.

“But your kisses are so sweet, my love, and the only ones I desire,” Glorfindel said in a voice husky with need as he leaned forward to demonstrate just how much. Erestor responded eagerly, turning a simple brush of lips into a deeply passionate kiss.

“It is not funny, Erestor.” Glorfindel glared when they finally parted to catch their breath and he saw that his lover was still smiling.

“I am sorry, but I find it so. However no one of her tender years, nor many of a more suitable age for that matter, should even dare to try and steal a kiss from you, especially in my presence.” Dark eyes glittered with possessiveness and Erestor assumed a more serious demeanour as he continued. “Did you not tell Galin what happened when he returned?”

“Of course I did. The fool did not believe me, and then proceeded to warn *me* to keep away from the girl!” Glorfindel declared, rising from the chair to pace angrily in front of the fire. “I was about to tell him of our betrothal when Elrond caught us arguing and asked me to leave, assuming the task of guide in my place and allowing me no chance to explain my ire.”

“I see. I am sorry you found yourself in such an unpleasant situation and think it best you speak with Elrond as soon as possible. Perhaps even at the banquet tonight?” Erestor suggested with a raised eye brow. Glorfindel nodded. “Good and I will have a quiet word with Galin when he reports for work tomorrow.” The seneschal stopped his pacing and reached out to take Erestor’s hands in his, pulling him into a warm embrace.

“Aye, that is sage advice from my wise counsellor, as always. Let us hope that the matter is soon finished and that all will be forgotten at the dancing tonight. A pretty young maid like Amien will undoubtedly attract considerable attention,” Glorfindel said as he bent to claim his lover’s lips once more, willing to forget the incident and mark it as the immature behaviour it seemed to be

To Glorfindel’s immense relief, Amien behaved exactly as he predicted, and spent the night dancing with many different partners, including Elladan or Elrohir. There was still tension between Glorfindel and Galin, but Erestor’s talent for diplomacy and the bottle of Dorwinion he offered to share with the seneschal, saw to it that the evening passed without further incident.

Although most of the inhabitants of Imladris were aware of Erestor and Glorfindel’s relationship, the betrothed couple were not normally demonstrative in public, but Erestor deemed such a display appropriate this night. He was somewhat disturbed to notice that although Amien seemed fully occupied by her dance partners and the outrageous flirting of Elrond’s sons, Erestor caught the maid staring at Glorfindel with eyes that spoke of desire and trouble whenever the Balrog slayer kissed his lover’s cheek, or smiled seductively at the words of love Erestor whispered into his ear.

As the night wore on and the bottle of wine diminished, the lover’s state of arousal increased, and they left the hall for their chambers and a night of lovemaking. Many pairs of eyes followed their retreat, all but one, which were darkened with jealousy, smiling with happiness for the lovers.

**************

Several days passed free of incident, other than the maid’s solicitous behaviour towards Glorfindel, particularly at meal times when she saw to it that his cup was never empty and that his favourite dishes were always to hand. The seneschal, ever aware of his lover’s comforting presence as their hands or knees brushed, always smiled and thanked her politely, unknowingly encouraging her to continue her pursuit.

Amien was soon often seen at the training grounds, watching the seneschal spar with his warriors, or visiting his office afterwards seemingly to engage in polite conversation, but this last time arriving just as Glorfindel was changing his tunic. The seneschal was already somewhat embarrassed by the unwanted attention and the remarks regarding his fidelity that he occasionally overheard, and but now realised that it was time to try and discourage the maid with his words.

“Amien, walk with me in the gardens, I wish to speak with you,” he said one day after she had again come uninvited to his office.

“It would be my pleasure, Glorfindel,” she replied, her eyes alight with delight, and carefully disguised lust. She reached for his hand, and frowned slightly as Glorfindel pulled away, walking briskly ahead to avoid further contact. Amien followed in silence.

“I think this will do, please be seated,” he said, indicating the stone seat in the middle of one of the larger gardens where they could easily be seen by anyone who happened to be walking by. A precaution Glorfindel was astute enough to deem necessary.

“What is it you wish to say?” Amien asked, ignoring the request and moving to stand close enough to put her arms about Glorfindel’s waist. The seneschal was alarmed by this action and gently pried her arms loose.

“Amien, it is totally unacceptable for you to enter my office unannounced, particularly when I am changing my tunic,” Glorfindel stated as he stood with his arms folded across his chest.

“You could always lock the door,” she observed with a wicked gleam in her eye.

“If you had any sense of propriety I should not need to,” he retorted angrily, annoyed with him because she was right of course, but the thought had simply not occurred. “Be that as it may, I am unable to return your obvious affection for me, my heart belongs to another,” he stated candidly.

“Adar told me you are betrothed to Lord Erestor, but can I do nothing to change your mind, my lord?” she whispered, the warmth of her sultry breath brushing against his ear. Had the words come from the only one he desired, they would have elicited a pleasant sensation, but the object of his lust was not this wanton maid.

“Nay, and I urge you to reconsider this unseemly behaviour towards a bound Elf, please refrain from attempting such intimate touches,” he replied, too late realising it had been a mistake to approach this one on her own when he took a step away and she followed, her eyes now dark with awakening desire.

“Oh, but you are not wed yet, and thus remain unbound and I want you so very much,” she answered, grasping a handful of golden silk and pulling a momentarily startled Glorfindel’s mouth to hers. Their lips did not touch as he angrily threw his head backward, leaving a few golden strands of hair wrapped around the maid’s fingers.

“Your naiveté is understandable, for one as young as you can know nothing of love’s song. My heart is already bound forever to Erestor’s. You must seek to satisfy your needs elsewhere,” he replied, anger flashing in his eyes and unable to bear her presence any longer.

“If you leave you will be sorry,” she warned, as he turned and walked away, the tears and pain of rejection adding to the hardness in her voice.

“Do as you will, I care not!” The seneschal hissed over his shoulder, finally losing his temper and laughing derisively at the immature threat.