A/N: Here's another little chapter. Next one will be R or NC-17. Sound
good? By the way, any requests for situations or suggestions would be
considered. Basically, if you want to see it, I'll probably write it. And
a great big THANK YOU as always to the reviewers out there.
TIMEFRAME: After Somewhere Between
WARNINGS: Irate Elf Lord ahead.
************** Advice **************
Glorfindel swallowed nervously as he rapped on the heavy wooden door in front of him. Nervous, he thought, I do not get nervous. I have seen more wonders and dangers than any Mortal, and most Elves have. I am nervous.
"Enter," a voice from the room beyond called.
Glorfindel pushed the door aside and stepped into the room. Lord Elrond was there at his desk in the study, bent over a piece of parchment. He looked up sternly at whoever was interrupting him, but his features softened as he saw Glorfindel.
"You do not need permission to enter my study, Glorfindel," he said, the smile evident in his voice. "You are always welcome here."
Glorfindel nodded, though he could not force himself to smile in return.
"I came to seek.advice from you, my Lord," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Elrond frowned. "What ails you so, old friend? I will give any wisdom that I have in the matter."
Elrond gestured towards the arm chairs set before the fire and Glorfindel gratefully took a seat. Elrond sat across from him, waiting for Glorfindel to speak.
"The matter is difficult to discuss," Glorfindel started. "But it is a problem centuries in the making."
"This is grave indeed," Elrond mused. "Is it a matter of state, or of a more personal nature?"
"A matter of the heart, my Lord," Glorfindel answered. "I believe that I love someone, but I have no way of knowing if that love is returned."
Elrond's features broke into a wide grin. "And who might this 'someone' be?"
Glorfindel made an almost distressed sound. "I do not think I am at liberty to say at the moment-"
"Glorfindel, we have been friends-and family-for longer than most of the ages of Arda. Who can you tell, if it is not me?"
Glorfindel shut his eyes and took a deep breath. "Must you know?"
"Yes," Elrond said firmly, though Glorfindel could hear both the concern and mischief in his voice.
"Elrohir," Glorfindel breathed, barely audible above the crack of the fire.
He did not open his eyes in the long silence that followed. There was no shouting or breaking glass, which was generally a good sign. Finally, he screwed up enough courage to look at Elrond through lowered lashes. Lord Elrond sat silently, head in hands, staring at the golden-haired Elf Lord in front of him.
"You.you do not know if your affections are returned?" Elrond asked slowly.
"No, my Lord."
"And you thought it best to ask ME for advice?"
"Yes, my Lord."
"Ah."
Silence again reigned for several long moments.
"Do you still want my advice?" Elrond finally asked, voice deceptively calm.
Hesitation. "Yes?"
"I advise you to stop looking as though you must fight ten cave trolls single-handedly, and simply speak to Elrohir about this. He has been in love with you since he knew what the word meant."
Glorfindel's eyes sparkled at the admission. "Truly? I.I thought that the infatuation had faded years ago."
"No, my friend. He has only become more accustomed to hiding it. Go speak to him yourself, and you will see."
Glorfindel stood, smiling widely though there was still a little trepidation in his eyes.
"And Glorfindel?" Elrond continued. "Do NOT ever, ever ask me for advice in wooing my own son again. Ask Arwen, Elladan or Legolas, but not ME."
Glorfindel heard the teasing in his voice, and quickly bowed. "Yes, my Lord. I will remember that in the future."
"Just go," Elrond waved him off, turning back to the parchment left abandoned on his desk.
He heard footsteps leave, headed towards the courtyard and he sighed, alone again. He picked up his quill and was just about to set it to paper again when his study door opened quickly and slammed shut again. Elrond spun around in his seat to see Elrohir slide down the closed door to sit on the floor.
"Elrohir," he groaned. "I believe that Glorfindel was just looking for you."
"Is he here?" Elrohir asked frantically.
"No, he just left."
"Good! Ada, I need to talk to you. I think I'm in love with Glorfindel.."
TIMEFRAME: After Somewhere Between
WARNINGS: Irate Elf Lord ahead.
************** Advice **************
Glorfindel swallowed nervously as he rapped on the heavy wooden door in front of him. Nervous, he thought, I do not get nervous. I have seen more wonders and dangers than any Mortal, and most Elves have. I am nervous.
"Enter," a voice from the room beyond called.
Glorfindel pushed the door aside and stepped into the room. Lord Elrond was there at his desk in the study, bent over a piece of parchment. He looked up sternly at whoever was interrupting him, but his features softened as he saw Glorfindel.
"You do not need permission to enter my study, Glorfindel," he said, the smile evident in his voice. "You are always welcome here."
Glorfindel nodded, though he could not force himself to smile in return.
"I came to seek.advice from you, my Lord," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Elrond frowned. "What ails you so, old friend? I will give any wisdom that I have in the matter."
Elrond gestured towards the arm chairs set before the fire and Glorfindel gratefully took a seat. Elrond sat across from him, waiting for Glorfindel to speak.
"The matter is difficult to discuss," Glorfindel started. "But it is a problem centuries in the making."
"This is grave indeed," Elrond mused. "Is it a matter of state, or of a more personal nature?"
"A matter of the heart, my Lord," Glorfindel answered. "I believe that I love someone, but I have no way of knowing if that love is returned."
Elrond's features broke into a wide grin. "And who might this 'someone' be?"
Glorfindel made an almost distressed sound. "I do not think I am at liberty to say at the moment-"
"Glorfindel, we have been friends-and family-for longer than most of the ages of Arda. Who can you tell, if it is not me?"
Glorfindel shut his eyes and took a deep breath. "Must you know?"
"Yes," Elrond said firmly, though Glorfindel could hear both the concern and mischief in his voice.
"Elrohir," Glorfindel breathed, barely audible above the crack of the fire.
He did not open his eyes in the long silence that followed. There was no shouting or breaking glass, which was generally a good sign. Finally, he screwed up enough courage to look at Elrond through lowered lashes. Lord Elrond sat silently, head in hands, staring at the golden-haired Elf Lord in front of him.
"You.you do not know if your affections are returned?" Elrond asked slowly.
"No, my Lord."
"And you thought it best to ask ME for advice?"
"Yes, my Lord."
"Ah."
Silence again reigned for several long moments.
"Do you still want my advice?" Elrond finally asked, voice deceptively calm.
Hesitation. "Yes?"
"I advise you to stop looking as though you must fight ten cave trolls single-handedly, and simply speak to Elrohir about this. He has been in love with you since he knew what the word meant."
Glorfindel's eyes sparkled at the admission. "Truly? I.I thought that the infatuation had faded years ago."
"No, my friend. He has only become more accustomed to hiding it. Go speak to him yourself, and you will see."
Glorfindel stood, smiling widely though there was still a little trepidation in his eyes.
"And Glorfindel?" Elrond continued. "Do NOT ever, ever ask me for advice in wooing my own son again. Ask Arwen, Elladan or Legolas, but not ME."
Glorfindel heard the teasing in his voice, and quickly bowed. "Yes, my Lord. I will remember that in the future."
"Just go," Elrond waved him off, turning back to the parchment left abandoned on his desk.
He heard footsteps leave, headed towards the courtyard and he sighed, alone again. He picked up his quill and was just about to set it to paper again when his study door opened quickly and slammed shut again. Elrond spun around in his seat to see Elrohir slide down the closed door to sit on the floor.
"Elrohir," he groaned. "I believe that Glorfindel was just looking for you."
"Is he here?" Elrohir asked frantically.
"No, he just left."
"Good! Ada, I need to talk to you. I think I'm in love with Glorfindel.."