A/N No slash, kind of fluffy...sort of interesting? :P I know I got another idea for a possible AU...
Me knows I am inconsistent with some information I should be providing...but for those new to my canon:
Erestor is Thranduil's uncle by being the brother of the first queen of Greenwood/Mirkwood. Laiquendi means green elves and are/were essentially nomads hunter/gatherers.
Aran means king.
Extra note day after publishing: Brought to my attention which I might go into detail elsewhere...: Erestor's sister had the seat of power while Oropher didn't. While he probably got things set up, Erestor's sister was the one who really had any potential to rule over the silvan against some strange sinda given she was in a powerful nomad group and basically related to them. So Oropher in a sense married into the line, not the sister into Oropher's, and thus Erestor's complicated claim to be a legitimate ruler.
Stolen/borrowed older sister's canon by the way.
It was not every day that Glorfindel and Erestor went over architecture plans. The fact that they were was rather impressive, but that was a minor detail. It was every other day that Elrond's five-year-old twins barged in on whatever it was the elf-lords were doing: as the elflings were awed and enthralled with their tutors (primarily Glorfindel, since Erestor to them was boring and only existed to torment them with learning. And what exciting adventures did an advisor have compared to Glorfindel's nightmare fuel?).
That changed on this day of architecture planning.
"This is supposed to be a treasury," Erestor said in a flat voice. "This is not enough space to store whatever giant crystal orbs we have in there."
Glorfindel stared at the counselor. "One: you clearly have not kept input on what treasures we do have. Two: this is for surplus which does not exist. Three: we have no crystal spheres and never did to begin with."
Erestor harrumphed. "It does not matter if we have or ever will get a surplus. Preparation is-"
"Erestooor!" called two high-pitched voices, and the ancient elves immediately put on their nice face and prepared for whatever demands the sons of Elrond wanted.
Glorfindel briefly wondered however why Elladan and Elrohir were seeking Erestor out first. The golden-elf normally was the one the twins sought after.
Erestor opened his mouth to answer but was unable to do so since the elflings just clung to him. Glorfindel gaped while Erestor was grateful he was already sitting down.
"We's been readings!" one of the children said proudly.
"We reads makes you happy."
Erestor blinked, unsure of why the master's sons would be interrupting he and Glorfindel just to announce that they have been doing what the green-elf had ripped his hair out in frustration of not being able to get these energetic elflings to simply sit down and read. "Yes, it makes me happy that you are doing so, but it depends on what you have been reading…" Erestor trailed off warily.
The twins grinned big: some teeth had come out but not all of them. "We learned Erestor is royalty! Is related to elf-kings in big forest!"
Glorfindel felt his brain go numb being reminded of that fact. It was an almost scary thing to think about. Plus he was still in mild shock about not being the center of attention.
Erestor was in a similar predicament, having stored away those memories since the sailing of his sister: the former queen of Greenwood, after the death of Oropher in the Last Alliance. "Yes, I am." The green-elf replied in a careful voice, not sure of where the conversation was going.
"Is you king? Prince?"
'Aran Erestor has a nice ring to it...' Glorfindel thought absently. Erestor was scary when he wanted to be like Glorfindel could be unbearably annoying when he wanted to be. Except Glorfindel was not sure how he could handle the idea of Erestor having a legion of minions under his hand, plus an entire forest at his whim. The problem was that he apparently had gained two minions, and Glorfindel had lost two.
The conquering had already begun.
Erestor actually smirked, surprising the balrog slayer given the subject was a sensitive topic. "I am neither, but if I really wanted to I do have the right to the throne if the royal family disappears…or if they relinquish it." The elf-man sobered slightly. "It is not something I want to happen though."
"Wes cans plays kings and knights finallys!" one of the twins exclaimed, oblivious to the adult's emotions. Taking a blind guess, Glorfindel thought Elrohir pointed in his direction. "We needs nos disputes now. Erestor and Dan can be kings, me and Glorfy knights."
Maybe Glorfindel had not lost a minion after all. "I would be honored to serve my lord." The gold-elf inclined his head to who he thought was Elladan.
The elfling in question giggled while Erestor dealt with an ongoing brain freeze. "Perhaps later," the laiquendë suggested and set the child who had clambered into his lap onto the floor. After a moment's pause, he lifted a brow at them. "Can you bring me the book where you discovered this information?"
The sons of Elrond nodded vigorously, and just as quickly as they came they were gone.
"Aran Erestor is a new title for you," Glorfindel said his earlier thought out loud.
Erestor leaned back into his seat. "That possibility was the last thing I had imagined for my life's course."
"I do not think your sister's husband ending up establishing a realm with your distant kin and making her an authoritative figure was on your life plans either," Glorfindel commented thoughtfully.
Fate had made some interesting endings for all of Eru's children. Two elves of the laiquendi, who were considered to be on the lower scale of structured society in the First Age, ending up in positions of power and of high respect, was something that made Glorfindel wonder at the All-father's will and feel mild regret for his defiance towards the Maker's highest creations back in his youth.
He got a second chance though, so he could not complain.
Erestor shook his head. "I would abdicate the first chance I got if such a thing would occur." He looked at his old friend. "Me being a king would be like saying you were king of Gondolin instead of Turgon."
Glorfindel's eyes lit up and he dramatically tiled his head up to look at the ceiling. "Now that would be interesting."
Erestor snorted. "Forgive me for feeding your ego, but I am not sure how Gondolin would have fared if you had complete control."
Glorfindel frowned. "Everyone loved me, and everyone loves me now. I have not burned anything to ashes since being captain of the guard in Imladris, save for the one time I nearly burned my own tent down." The gold-head blinked and made a face as he came to a realization. "You are redirecting the conversation."
"Is that not the point?" Erestor questioned smoothly.
"Yes, it is, but I do not like it when you do it."
The green-elf smirked in his amusements.
Glorfindel started to stare again. "If I may be bold to challenge you on who will be the twins' favorite teacher by the time they are fifty-"
"Denied," Erestor interrupted. "But I suppose my unwanted privileges has helped me with making sure they do their studies instead of wandering off into dreams." He hummed. "If I had thought of it sooner…"
The twins came back carrying the suspected book-criminal and gave it to the chief-advisor. They ran off again likely to seek their parents. Glorfindel got out of his seat and walked over to Erestor as the green-elf opened the book. It was a book of genealogies, and the gold-elf wondered why this information could be found in this tome meant to record the lineages of Númenor primarily. Elrond's family tree was there too, given Elrond's brother Elros was the first king of Númenor.
Glorfindel became bewildered when he saw Oropher's name, but Erestor was a faster reader than he, and the laiquendë turned a couple of pages.
Erestor began to scowl, "No." And promptly ripped out said pages from their bindings.
Glorfindel's eyes widened in shock. Erestor never harmed books! "What are you doing?"
Erestor slammed the tome shut and stood up. "Too much information. I will rewrite this thing myself!" He called as he left the room to amend whatever sin against history-recording had been committed.
Glorfindel stared at the space where the advisor had just been before glancing at the surplus-treasury plans. Then the gold-head smiled. It was times such as this that required him to be annoying on purpose, especially when Erestor was too confusing to be understood.
Some months later…
Erestor wondered why this day when he looked at his wife she seemed more beautiful than normal. Like a queen. He shook his head mentally. Ever since that day when the twins asked if he was a king or a prince, the thoughts kept plaguing him. The games of knights and kings were not helping, but who could deny the children's innocent requests?
Erestor had to admit that it made him feel somewhat young again.
Today was Erestor's decided begetting day, given he was born during the Eternal Night, and with the rising of the sun and moon it made things complicated on what season he was born. Apparently, he came off as a summer person to most and they decided that was when they would celebrate his begetting day.
Tathardes presented him one of the gifts he was given. Opening the box, Erestor stared disbelievingly at the elaborate gold circlet with emeralds and amber set in the metal. Erestor's face was unchanging as he considered the gift.
It smelled of Glorfindel all over it.
"I am never going to live it down, am I?" He asked.
Tathardes merely grinned. "Do not go all serious please." She gently took the headpiece from the box and looked at her spouse. "May I?"
Erestor sighed with mild resignation. It was the only answer the elf-maid got and she set it on his head.
Once Erestor set the box down, Tathardes admired the enhancement to his noble bearing. She exhaled dreamily. "I wish you would do this more often: wearing your adornments aside from vines and leaves all the time."
"You know I am not comfortable with having so much wealth to my name," Erestor said softly.
Tathardes shook her head and cupped his face with her hand. "You will always be my stinky uncertain nomad regardless of what rank you have. You are my husband; a dear friend to others and an adored uncle by your nephew and his sons. We love you just the same."
Erestor felt the discomfort dissipate with the words, feeling warm and fuzzy inside, and he leaned down to kiss her.