Lalbes was arranging things on a tray when Glorfindel backed into the suite with Ecthelion cuddled gently in his arms. She straightened up, casting a measuring eye over them.

'Be careful you do not drop your husband, Lord Glorfindel! Now, there is spiced tea here, and soup in the stone jar on the hearth with bread and cheese and fruit on the platter for your daymeal. If you need anything, call.'

'Thank you, Lalbes.' Glorfindel set Thel down on the sofa, sitting next to him. 'As usual, you're amazing.'

'Yes, well, just you remember, simply because you are elves and can miss a few meals with impunity, it does not mean you ought to… make sure you eat. Both of you. Bruiven and I will look after the little goats for you, Lord Glorfindel, so you can take care of Lord Ecthelion today.'

'That sounds pleasant,' Ecthelion said once alone with his husband, trying for a lightness of tone that belied the dread that had gripped him so recently and which still had not entirely faded. 'Although I am not sure I want the daymeal just yet.'

'No?' Fin grinned. 'I was going to feed you soup, love.'

'Ai… can you imagine the spillage…?'

Glorfindel's grin widened. 'So we'd perhaps better get undressed first, just in case? It's very hot in here with that fire blazing away…'

Ecthelion smiled.

'That would be rather fun, although I must admit I am feeling the cold just a little…'

'What, still?' Glorfindel turned anxious eyes on his husband. 'Now you're worrying me…'

'No, do not fret, my darling friend. Just give me a little of that tea. Of course,' Ecthelion accepted the cup and sipped carefully. 'If you are too warm, you could always divest yourself of your garments.'

'Now, that's my kind of plan!' Fin lost no time stripping down to his leggings. After removing his boots, he unclipped his braid clasps and shook out his hair. 'Barefoot and unbound, Thel, my moonlight song, just as you like me.'

'Ah, I like you many other ways too, or had you not noticed?' Thel set down his cup, half closing his eyes and leaning in to bring his mouth close to Glorfindel's face. 'My darling beloved, I think the best way to ensure I am thoroughly warm would be if you were to share your body heat with me… do you think you might do that for your poor, cold husband?'

Glorfindel swallowed, suddenly overwhelmed by the surge of love he felt for his fëa-mate.

'Huddle together for warmth? Oh, I think I could manage that for you, Thel.'

He took Thel's hands and gently helped him up from the sofa. Ecthelion smiled down into his face and kissed the tip of Glorfindel's nose, making him grin.

'Thel…'

'Take me to bed, my most lovely Glorfindel, with your guardian eyes so blue…' Ecthelion closed his eyes to kiss Glorfindel's mouth, a slow, sensual meeting of lips that managed to be chaste and erotic at the same time. 'Undress me with your wonderful hands, stroke my skin with your strong fingers, touch and kiss me, let me feel you in my arms, in my body… make me real by the reality of your touch, the weight of your body, the warmth of your love. Take me.'

'Oh, Thel, sweetheart…'

Glorfindel cupped Ecthelion's head in his hands, his thumbs framing his face, and kissed him hungrily, pressing his bare chest close as Thel put his arms around his golden love. Gently moving back, Fin steered them towards where he remembered the bed to be, too busy enjoying the kiss to want to open his eyes and look. He stopped with a bump as he collided with the foot board. The kiss broke.

'Oops.'

'Oops, indeed.' Ecthelion smiled and drew a finger down Glorfindel's throat to weave across his collar bone. 'You are so delightfully bare, my sunlight, while I am encumbered…'

'Let me help you, then.'

Glorfindel reached for the fastenings on Thel's coat, slid it from his shoulders, tugged at the ties of his shirt. The wide neck gaped as Fin pulled apart the lacings, revealing silky, milky skin and giving just a glimpse of one rose-tinted nipple as the garment slipped. Fin swallowed, pushing his hands under the soft linen fabric and pulling it off over Ecthelion's head before drawing him in for a close-body hug.

'Just to make sure you're warm enough, my moonlight, my love. You'd be warmer in bed, yes?'

'Darling, yes…'

Easing Thel down onto the yielding mattress, Fin pulled off his husband's boots and unlaced his leggings, sliding him free while shoving away his own leggings so that he could lie naked and hot on his beloved, covering him and enjoying the soft and hard and firm contours of Thel's body, cool against his, but not cold, not so cold, how worried he had been…

He shook the thought away, returning to the beautiful body waiting for him… that Thel loved him still, after everything, it was humbling and moving…

'Glorfindel, beloved sunlight, I need you.'

…and that was what was so stunningly unbelievable, that someone like Thel could need someone like Fin…

…but when Glorfindel rolled to bring Thel over on top of his body, there was no doubting the yearning in his kiss, the passion in his heart, and Fin set aside his self-doubt because, really, how could he be so silly when his senses were filled with Ecthelion's love and desire, and yet Thel was trembling, his eyes somehow anxious, shining with unshed tears.

'Thel, I love you, my moonlight armful of love.'

'Oh, my Glorfindel…!' Ecthelion lost the lightness, the teasing tone of his voice and instead the rawness of his emotion came through. 'When I heard Triwathon declare himself…! I knew in that instant that I could not live without you; I would fade, even here, even in Valinor…'

'You never thought I'd leave you? Oh, my poor Thel, lovely Thel, I wouldn't! I love you, I'm married to you, I made all the promises in the world to you…' Fin swallowed, shaking his head. 'Of course I wouldn't do that. If… if you had, you know, faded… I would have walked straight into the sea and not turned back. Because I wouldn't want to be without you, Thel, I couldn't do it. Not again. Not even to save the world would I give you up… I couldn't…'

'I know, my beloved, I know, but… the fears of my fëa were stronger than my reason. My love for you was too much to think through…'

'Well, then, the best thing you can do, sweet Thel, is stop thinking. Works for me.'

It was said to make Thel smile, and it worked, after a fashion. Glorfindel lifted up for a kiss and Ecthelion latched onto his mouth, leaning in to press Fin down on the pillows again. An urgent, hard push of Glorfindel's groin as his body hardened caused Thel's own need to quicken, and he shivered as Fin ran slow fingers down his spine to cup his buttocks, fingers pressing into the soft flesh and fine muscles, grazing more delicate, sensitive places. Thel gave a whimper and rocked his hips against Fin's body.

'Then take me, Fin,' he said amongst the kisses. 'Stop me from thinking, just fill me, my body, my heart, my fëa, make everything you are and everything I am the same…'

Glorfindel rolled again to bring himself over Thel's long body, flailing with one hand for the flask of oil on the nightstand, suddenly desperate to do as Thel asked, to be buried deep in the centre of him, to be lost there and find himself again.

Encouraging Thel to turn for him, he slicked his fingers and reached around Thel's body with one hand while oiling himself with the other. Ecthelion gasped softly and twisted round to fasten his mouth on Glorfindel's, jumping as Fin's questing fingers caused a spark of pleasure to spike inside him. He was turned again, the kiss breaking, and he caught a glimpse Glorfindel's eyes, hugely blue, deeper than the ocean, focussed on him with love before he was facing downwards, his body supported by pillows and the hard, blunt promise of Fin's erection pushing against him.

He felt heated breath on his hairline, Glorfindel folding his braids out of the way to kiss his neck, between his shoulder blades, down his spine.

'Beautiful, my Thel, so beautiful…' He drew his hands along Thel's side to grasp his hips and wriggled just a little, making Ecthelion whimper and push. 'Yes, Thel, love? Yes?'

'Yes, beloved light, yes, I need you, my golden sunlight, I…'

Fin slid into Thel's body as if it was a blessing. He groaned and pulled Ecthelion's hips back and pushed further in, feeling the heat of him, the tight, hugging closeness.

'Thel, oh, my Thel, that's right, that's where we are, together, that's what's real.'

'My light, my love…'

Thel moved against him and Glorfindel leaned forward to encircle him with his arms, to hold close against him as he thrust with his hips, finding a rhythm, seeking the right angle for Ecthelion's bliss. When Thel cried out into the pillows and shivered beneath him, he knew he had found it, he was there, and the quickening response of his beloved made his own desire and need the more potent as Ecthelion whimpered and gasped and moaned with every push and thrust and pull.

'I love you,' Fin said, timing his thrusts to his words, as if to emphasise them. 'You, Thel, my moonlight, my home, my haven.'

'Ah, my Fin, my sunlight, my soul…' Ecthelion shuddered, dipped his head forward. 'Hold me, my love, now, hold me, and… ai…!'

Glorfindel reached round to take Thel's erection in his hand, encompassing him snugly, his other arm close around his waist. He could feel the building pressure, the heady jolts of excitement rising in his loins, could tell from the closeness of Thel's body around him that his beloved was close, and he held on, trying to prolong the moment for him until Ecthelion quivered and shouted into the pillows, his orgasm bursting out of him and his body grabbing at Glorfindel, pulling him to his own climax, a wash of heat and singing blood and ecstasy and his own voice joined with Thel's in rough harmony as they shuddered together into the slow, subsiding peace that followed.

Gently easing free, Fin settled on his side and slid his arm under Thel's neck, cuddling in, holding him as close as Ecthelion held him when he needed to cry but couldn't admit it.

It didn't feel as if Thel was crying, but there was a silence to him Fin couldn't quite read. He didn't want to be quiet, though, not after so intense a loving, not when he wasn't quite sure Thel was all right. He thought back to what Ecthelion had been saying, that he wanted Fin to make him real. Well, he knew what that was like for himself, at least.

'The thing about being real,' he began. 'According to Námo, that is – it's a mingling of what we think it is, and what other people think it is, too. We make our own reality, sort of thing. And for me, what's real, what makes me real, is being with you, being loved by you, loving you. You bring me back, you remind me what matters isn't me, it's us. Where I get muddled is when other people's ideas try to make me into their idea of the Hero of Gondolin, the Balrog-Slayer… they see me as this perfect, noble ellon and we both know I'm not that. Don't want to be that, however much I play up to it.'

Ecthelion stirred against him, stroked Glorfindel's encompassing arm.

'You do so only to hide your true nature, beloved light. It honours me to be trusted with your personal truth.'

'Love you, Thel. Never going to stop loving you. That's the only personal truth I know, or need.'

Ecthelion turned in Fin's arms, the silver tracks of tears shining on his face.

'You have the most beautiful soul, my beloved. Thank you. Thank you for seeing my need, for your generosity, your loving.'

'Any time, my sweet Ecthelion.' Glorfindel grinned. 'Well, perhaps not every time, I love it when you take me, the strength of you and so gentle. But…'

Thel smiled and kissed his brow.

'For now, my light, hold me. Kiss me. When you are ready…'

'I'm always ready for you, my Thel!' Glorfindel protested, bumping his groin into Ecthelion.

'Ah, and so you are! But indulge me, my most beloved Glorfindel, my shining golden joy! What shall we do with such a magnificent display of desire?'

He pulled himself up out of Glorfindel's arms in an elegant, fluid surge of muscles to kneel astride him, arching back to free his own erection, to stretch out his back and Fin gasped at the beauty of the long, moonlight body, the slide of those muscles, the elegant power displayed. He sighed, suddenly desperate again, longing to feel Ecthelion buried deep in the centre of him.

Ecthelion smiled down at him, plied the oil, investigated Glorfindel's secret places and pulled the pillows down to push beneath his hips as he lifted Fin's legs to lock around his waist to give him access to his beloved's body.

A little – a very little wriggling and writhing and he felt Glorfindel open to him, pushing onto his erection Sitting back up with his eyes closing in concentration, in bliss, he pressed in and invaded Glorfindel's body with slow, tentative ease.

'Ah, my Glorfindel, that feels wonderful!' He flexed his hips and felt Fin shudder beneath him. 'Yes, you hold me so close, and I fill you and our bodies fit together as do our fëar. Perfect.'

He dropped forward suddenly, his weight on his forearms placed either side of Fin's shoulders, his mouth finding Glorfindel's again, the kiss an urgent meeting of mouths and he felt Glorfindel's legs lock more tightly around his waist, his arms lock around his neck and they moved together in frantic, heady love until Glorfindel tightened and whimpered and bucked his hips, and Ecthelion threw back his head and thrust, and thrust, and spent himself with delicious bliss in his centre and everything came together in the most perfect reality.

Presently, Glorfindel carried Ecthelion into the bathing pool, washed him and kissed him, anxious to be sure he had taken no real harm, and later they had their daymeal by the fire, lounging in silk nightwear and exchanging smiles and looks and occasional words. But most of the talking had been done; all they needed now was to allow themselves to settle back into their routine of being Ecthelion and being Glorfindel, being together and delighting in the simplicity of their lives together.

Next morning, Ecthelion found himself waking to gentle butterfly kisses on his forehead, his cheeks, his lips.

'It's early, love, I know, but I want to show you something. To see it with you, sort of thing.'

'Hmm?' It was the closes approximation to 'what now, beloved?' that Ecthelion could manage at that moment, but Glorfindel took it for agreement.

'Here's your robe – I know you don't need it, but Lalbes has arrived early and she does scold if she sees too much skin before breakfast. Come on. There, that's it.'

'Where are we going, my sunlight? To watch the dawn come up across the Seas?'

'Not the dawn, gorgeous Thel. The tide.'

He took Ecthelion's hand and tugged him out of their rooms, through the house and onto the balcony.

'Do you see, Thel?'

'I am not sure… what am I looking at?'

Below, the tide was racing, higher than usual, Ecthelion thought, and yesterday high tide had been in the middle of the day, but he still did not quite grasp…

And then he saw the footprints on the soft sand that lay above the tideline, imprints of several pairs of feet. As the realisation began to settle on him – that was where Triwathon had declared himself to Glorfindel, where Glorfindel had backed away from him, where Parvon had hurried down to his spouse once Glorfindel had come to Ecthelion's side, the imprints of yesterday waiting for the wind to slowly, inexorably, brush them away.

Except for the actions of the rushing tide, surging up the beach, claiming more sand with every wave, withdrawing to show a fresh-washed strand. Every ebb and flow reached further, refreshing more of the sand.

The clatter and bang of a door at the other end of the villa, prim footsteps on the wooden veranda.

'Save us, my lords! Are we going to be washed away?'

'I think not, Mistress Lalbes; I think it is simply a cleaning of the beach for us. An unexpectedly high tide.'

'And a good thing too, my lords! We don't want to be looking at the sand and thinking about that nasty incident for any longer than we have to, do we? Well, if you are sure our dear Lord Ulmo is not cross with you for anything, my lord Glorfindel, I will go and start your breakfast. It is good to see you looking better today, Lord Ecthelion. But you ought to dress, you know; there is still a cool breeze coming off the sea.'

'Mother hen,' Ecthelion said, and leaned in to kiss her cheek. She batted him away, pleased but flustered, making Glorfindel laugh.

'Good idea, though, clothes,' he said. 'And we might have time to look in on the kids before breakfast if we hurry.'