Thankful Heart

Title: Thankful Heart
Author: Chloe Amethyst (chloeamethyst 'at' aol.com)
Type: FPS Slash
Pairing: Erestor/Elrond
Rating: NC-17--Adult
Beta: Patricia, for whom I am truly grateful
Archive: OEAM, AdultFanFiction.net, others please let me know
Feedback: Constructive criticism very welcome.
Warnings: None, except for imaginary Elven holiday
Disclaimer: I have no legal claim to characters and situations that are copyrighted by the Tolkien estate or by other persons or institutions. This is written for personal entertainment purposes only and not for remuneration.

Summary: Erestor gives comfort to his beloved.

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"The unthankful heart...discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find in every hour, some heavenly blessings."--Henry Ward Beecher
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The Lord of Imladris walked silently down the long hallways, peering into the shadows that seemed to dance and weave, cast by the flickering candlelight from sconces along the way. He heard no movement, no conversation, nearly no sound at all coming from behind the closed chamber doors he passed. The hour was very late, and most of the occupants of the Last Homely House were deep in dream filled slumber, having imbibed much after the day long celebration.

It was late Hithui [November], and today they had celebrated the end of the harvest and the approach of Hriw [winter], giving thanks to Ilúvatar for all of his creation, and for the bounty bestowed upon them in their valley sanctuary.

Lord Elrond presided over the celebration, leading the other Elves in singing praises and asking for the blessing of the Valar. Then the time for feasting and dancing began, and the Elves made merry well into the night.

Casually glancing at their Lord during the festivities, the celebrants saw a smiling Elrond, enjoying the wine and conversation, and even dancing a time or two with his daughter or others of the court. But for those who knew him well, his eyes revealed a glimmer of pain and longing, the result of happy memories of other celebrations when his lady was whole and joyful, and still with them. The pleasures of the past only made him feel his regret and sorrow more keenly, especially when he looked at his children and knew they felt the same way.

But Elrond was still thankful, even more so now that he grew closer to his destination, for though Ilúvatar had taken away much from him, the Father of All had also seen fit to give him a remedy to soothe his battered heart. And this was the one that Elrond now sought--the one he knew would be waiting for him.

He arrived at the chamber door. Before he raised his hand to knock, he cast furtive glances up and down the hallway to be sure no one else was about. Then he rapped his knuckles lightly upon the door, in a tap-tap, tap-tap-tap pattern that would be a signal to the occupant within. A soft and gentle voice replied, "Come in," and Elrond's heart did a small leap from excitement at hearing that voice.

The Loremaster opened the door and stepped over the threshold, then turned and shut the door as silently as he could. His eyes widened as he looked about the room. Small candles resting on mirrored tiles lined the top of each piece of furniture around the perimeter of the room, casting an ethereal, yet soothing glow. His nose caught the scent of rose, sandalwood, and patchouli incense. He looked down and saw a path of red rose petals laid out at his feet and leading to the huge bed on the other side of the room. A bottle of wine and two crystal goblets stood next to the bed on a small table. He felt his heat begin to rise as he contemplated the one who awaited him at the end of the floral path and the delights they would share.

"Is all this for me?" he asked, as he gestured around the room with his arms.

"Ai, híren [my lord]," came the reply.

Elrond approached the bed, sat down upon the edge, and let his eyes take a very pleasing tour of the one who reclined there. Erestor's midnight eyes glittered with the reflection of the candles. His black hair was unbound, and it shone where it lay upon the pillow and over his milky white shoulders. He lay naked under the burgundy silk sheet that was pushed down very low at his waist in a pretense of modesty. Under that sheet was a telltale bulge that Elrond reached out to caress, eliciting a soft hiss from Erestor.

"And is this, too, for me?"

"Ai, it is...," Erestor breathed out rather than spoke in reply.

"Mmmm, pen vain [beautiful one]," Elrond said as he softly stroked the growing hardness beneath the sheet.

The Lord of Imladris then stood, and never taking his eyes from his lover's visage, he undid the clasps of his robe and let it slide to the floor. His under tunic was next to hit the floor, leaving him standing in his loin cloth. He watched as Erestor's eyes moved up and down his body eagerly, finally resting on his own growing hardness beneath the cloth. Erestor reached up and pulled his lord down until Elrond lay atop him and their lips met. The kiss was soft at first, playful, but built in its intensity just as their desire was growing. Elrond's tongue pushed its way into Erestor's sweet mouth, where it was welcomed and savored.

Elrond pulled back and gazed once more into Erestor's eyes, which had grown even darker with desire. The Lord of Imladris then turned his attentions to Erestor's neck. Erestor lifted his chin to grant better access and let out a soft moan when those lips began to suck hard just above his collarbone, marking him as his lord's own.

That truly gifted mouth then moved down his chest, slowly, until it came first to one nipple and then the other. Erestor groaned louder as Elrond's tongue and lips worked their magic upon him. Elrond suckled gently at first but with growing insistence, as Erestor arched his back to press himself further into the mouth upon him.

Erestor writhed beneath his lord, pressing his groin against his lover but frustrated at the sheet and loincloth that still lay between them. He reached his long arms down and stroked along Elrond's sides, over the curve of muscles and sinew, over scars earned in ages past, and found the loincloth's ties on either side of his lord's hips, and nimbly undid them. He pushed the silk away from Elrond's backside and began to knead the flesh and press him hard against his body. Elrond pulled himself up and cast aside the cloth altogether, and then pushed the sheet away from Erestor. Grabbing his undulating hips in order to hold him still, Elrond took his counselor's erection into his mouth and all the way to the back of his throat, causing Erestor to quickly forget that he was anything but flesh seeking release as he mumbled incoherently his appreciation of Elrond's skill.

Hearing Erestor's breath come faster and faster, and feeling the shaft within his mouth swell and twitch with impending release, Elrond pulled away, bringing forth a long, low growl from his lover at the loss of suction.

"Turn over, seron vell [beloved]", Elrond commanded. “I want to run my hands through your hair as I die inside you."

"A faithful servant always does as his lord desires," Erestor replied with a sly smile. He turned onto his stomach, spread his thighs and pulled one knee up, and tilted his backside so his most intimate place was open and available to his lover. He heard the drawer on the table by the bed open, and then a cork popped, and he began to tremble slightly in anticipation, as he always did.

Elrond warmed the oil in his hands and then coated his erection. Slowly, he pushed one oiled finger inside Erestor, and then another as his dark haired lover moaned. Withdrawing the digits, he stroked himself a few more times, and then gradually penetrated his lover, feeling the resistant rings of muscle begin to give way and allow him entrance as Erestor breathed deeply, moaning with each exhalation.

No matter how many times Elrond had coupled with Erestor this way, he could not help but marvel at the tight heat that gripped him, or at Erestor's feral moans and growls, or the gentle swell of his lover's buttocks as he felt his own hard flesh disappear between them. Their joinings always felt new and full of wonder.

With one hand firmly holding to Erestor's hip, Elrond reached forward with the other and gathered a thick handful of Erestor's long, black hair. It felt impossibly soft as it moved between his fingers, dark strands flowing over white skin. Closing his fist over a handful, Elrond gently tugged. Erestor arched his head back toward his lord as the pace and force of their lovemaking increased.

Elrond felt close to the edge, but held back his fulfillment. He reached his other arm around to grasp Erestor's hard and leaking member, and began to stroke him in earnest. All the while his hand stayed tangled in the fall of black hair.

Erestor's cries transformed from low moans and growls into near shouts as he forgot himself, but he quickly remembered that he could not risk their discovery and stifled himself as best he could. His lord's pounding became nearly punishing in its intensity, but the hand stroking him pushed the pleasure way ahead of the pain. He felt himself surrendering completely to sensation, and to his lord's demands of his body.

"Come for me, meleth. Come now!" Erestor could not refuse his lover's command, and he felt himself reach the peak of his desire and then topple over in abandon, covering the sheets and his lord's hand with his essence. Elrond followed close behind, grunting with each powerful thrust as the hard spurting filled his lover deep inside.

They lay, still joined, as they both panted hard and tried to recover their senses. Elrond slowly withdrew, turned onto his back, and pulled Erestor close to him, his heart still thumping wildly and sweat droplets running down his brow. Erestor tilted his head up and Elrond kissed him.

"Aiya, Erestor, you make me feel like a young stripling again. I hope I never grow too old or too weary for such exercise."

Erestor chuckled. "Half-elven though you may be, híren, I doubt age will ever slow you down. After all these years, you mate like a stag in his first rut!"

Elrond let out an undignified snort. "Well, that is good to know! But if I do, it is only because the sight of you brings my blood to a boil." With that, he kissed his advisor again, quite thoroughly.

They were quiet for a few minutes as their bodies cooled. Then Elrond let out a sigh that sounded to Erestor more of melancholy than of relaxation.

"What is wrong, meleth?"

"Nothing, seron vell. Only...only that sometimes I feel I do you an injustice. I come to you late at night, skulking down the hallways like some thief, afraid to be seen, when I really wish I could shout our love to all around us. You deserve better."

"Nonsense! I want only you, however I can get you." Erestor kissed him, and then snuggled closer and lay his head underneath Elrond's chin while drawing slow circles on his chest with one finger. "I saw sadness behind your eyes at the feast today, though you tried hard to hide it. What troubles your heart? Were you thinking of the past?"

"I was thinking of my children and how much they miss their mother at these celebrations. Celebrían did so love all the planning and preparation for this time of year, as well as the gathering together of our friends and loved ones. I know that Arwen and the twins cannot help but think of her and miss her terribly, though they do not speak of it to spare me."

"And you miss her, too."

"Ai, I do. But most of all I regret that I could not make her whole and keep her here for their sake. I do not want to hurt you, Erestor, by bringing up these feelings; and I love you deeply, more than I thought I could ever love anyone. Discovering that love after Celebrían sailed is a miracle to me. Please forgive me for allowing the past to intrude upon our time together and..."

Erestor pressed a kiss to Elrond's lips, interrupting him. "Shh, my lord. There is nothing to forgive. The Lady is a part of who you are, and I love all of you--your past, your present, and our future together. I know that who you are now, the one I love, is in part because of her. She tempered the warrior within you and brought out the gentler aspects of your heart, especially that part that loves and nurtures not only your family, but all those that dwell within Imladris. For that I thank her. And I miss her too, though I always feel that her presence lingers, especially when I look at your children."

"They are grown, but still so young in heart. I cannot bring myself to tell them that their mother released me from our bond before she left us. I do not think they would understand. How could they?" He paused with a frown. "You must think me a coward."

"No, híren. I think you are a father who dearly loves his children, " Erestor replied as he reached up to caress Elrond's brow. "There will be a time when they are ready to accept the truth. Until then, I am content to hold you in my arms whenever I can. I need no affirmation from the public to know how much I adore you or to keep on adoring you. Time will remedy everything, gûren [my heart]. The day will come when your children will be able to understand our devotion to one another. Meanwhile, I shall simply love you as deeply and as ardently as I can."

As he talked, Erestor's finger began circling around Elrond's nipple, hardening it instantly. The counselor then caressed the small peak with his tongue, which he knew would have a nearly instant effect on the venerable lord's groin.

"Mmmmm, I do not know what I did that Eru should bless me with your love, Erestor, but you are a comfort and a delight to me. For you, I am truly thankful."

"As am I, gûren. As am I."