This one is another Elrond/Glorfindel piece. This means slash, you fools.
I really didn't mean to go in order, but, it looks like I'm going in order.
I've also been asked about who Erestor is. Erestor is an adviser for Lord Elrond. I don't know much about him but he shows up like once in The Lord of the Rings. As I understand it, he has more appearances in The Silmarillion and The Hobbit.
The Hall of Fire was a hall in Elrond's house. A fire was always kept lit there, and while it stood empty during the day, at night it was given over to the telling of tales and singing of songs.
I really should be writing for my Ronin Warriors story, but I can't seem to pull myself away.
Enjoy
Reona
A Walk to Remember
The light breeze drifting in through the open balcony still held the fresh scent of rain. The sky held many large clouds in it, though some were not an innocent white but rather a smoky grey. The sky remembered the storm of last night. Debris from the large Elven house and leaf litter covered the ground. Groups of Elves moved across the gardens and through the house, cleaning and repairing. A pulley system had been set up at the gaping hole in the roof of the west wing to lift away the downed tree that had fallen last night. Although the house would take a little longer to fix, the valley would soon be set to rights by the Elves.
Along the east wing, the open balcony to a room on the second floor allowed many voices to be heard. An Elf sitting at a desk inside in the room stifled a yawn that threatened while the piece of paper in front of his face was switched with another, little difference between the two sheets. He swept back a loose piece of dark hair as he tried to focus on the words being said to him. The Elf wore burgundy robes and a mithril circle graced his head. His long hair was not in its usual elaborate fashion but left loose. A silver ring with a sapphire stone was on his right hand, reflecting the light softly.
Elrond Peredhil, lord of Rivendell, was beginning to wonder if he were not perhaps having some sort of dream. Nay, a nightmare if things continued as thus. Woken up at the break of dawn by a half hysterical group of Elves demanding to know his opinion on everything. Erestor was trying to calm everyone down but it didn't seem to be working. It was almost lunchtime and the Chiefs were still going strong. Elrond wondered how long it would take for Erestor to lose his voice from trying to talk above everyone else.
The storm had damaged more than just the roof of the west wing it appeared. Some of the crops on top of the valley had been blown or washed away. Most of the lowland areas had flooded from the amount of rain they had gotten. Some of the larger trees in the forest had fallen, blocking paths, and the trail to the Misty Mountain's pass had been washed out in some places.
"We'll have a food shortage if we don't do something about the crops, my lords!" cried one of the Elves.
"We'll have nowhere to store any food if we don't repair the housing and buildings damaged!" yelled another.
"Everything will get done in its own time!" called Erestor, mostly getting ignored.
Elrond slowly stood and edged out from behind his desk. Walking cautiously and quietly along the walls, he reached the door to his Study and slipped out. Closing the door behind him, he sighed as he shut in the noise of the other Elves. "You would think I was the only one with answers in this valley." he muttered. Elrond knew that once the other Elven supervisors stopped panicking they would be able to take care of all their demands; they really didn't need him to be looking over their shoulders.
"Sneaking out, my lord?"
Elrond spun with a gasp. Imglín stood behind him, a grin on her face and a tray in her hands. Elrond calmed and lifted one finger to his lips in a hushing gesture. He shooed her backwards while looking warily at the door to his Study. They could still be heard in the hallway and Elrond didn't want to risk getting caught again. The pair slipped around the corner and Elrond sighed. "You have no idea, Imglín."
Imglín chuckled and nodded. "Running around like chickens with their heads cut off, are they?" she said wisely.
Elrond chuckled as well. "I'm confident that my Chiefs will get everything under control as soon as they find their heads." Elrond waved his hand and chuckled again. "They know what to do and the house will not get up and walk away without me."
Imglín laughed and lifted the tray she was carrying higher. It held a small teapot, a cup, some bread and honey, and some slices of fruit. "I was just coming to give you your lunch, Lord Elrond."
"Well, I wouldn't suggest taking it to my Study. Poor Erestor is probably at his wits end by now." said Elrond with mirth. He reached up to take the tray from Imglín and she gave it over to him. "I was just heading over to the House of Healing, Imglín, some Elves were injured during the storm and I want to check up on them. I'll eat there."
Imglín stepped back and bowed. "As you wish, Lord Elrond. Good day."
"Good day, Imglín." replied Elrond. The she-Elf turned and walked away while Elrond headed in the opposite direction toward the House of Healing. The inner halls had been cleared of leaves and pieces of bark that had broken from their trees and blown into the house. He passed by a cleaning group working their way down a hall and stopped to gather a report from one of them about how the cleaning was going. He smiled at the group after hearing that all was going well and continued on his way.
Elrond had to stop at the threshold of an open esplanade when a yawn forced its way past his lips. Shaking his head slightly at himself, he continued along the walkway, gazing out of the arches into the garden blow. Some children were playing in a pile of leaves, making quite a mess in the process. He smiled when he saw Aragorn among the group and scanned the yard until he found the she-Elf nurse that he know would be watching the children.
Elrond stopped and sat the tray he carried down on the ledge, sitting himself as well and leaning back against the side of the arch. Thinking that the promenade was as good a place to eat his lunch as any other was, Elrond poured himself a cup of tea and gratefully took a sip. Laugher drew his attention to the children again and he watched as a war broke out among them, each dunking others into the leaf pile. Elrond ate his bread with some honey and slowly munched on the pieces of fruit as the children exhausted themselves.
Leaning his head back against the stone, Elrond turned his gaze to the view of the waterfalls that rushed down from the top of the valley. A soft wind blew through the arches of the walkway, drastically different from the frantic winds of last night. Elrond drifted through his thoughts, his eyes sliding closed.
Elrond didn't know for how long he had slept when movement near him brought him completely awake. Someone had crept up on him and was now quite close from what Elrond's senses were telling him. He carefully remained still and kept his breathing light for several more minutes. "It seems I have miscounted the number of children in this valley." Elrond said calmly. He opened his silver grey eyes and looked straight into a matching pair. Elrohir froze, two leaves in the hands that were posed over his father's head. A stricken look came over the younger Elf's face as Elrond cocked his eyebrow. "Apparently I must add two more to my list."
"I told you it wouldn't work!" cried Elladan, standing a few feet behind his brother.
"But Ada was really out of it!" exclaimed Elrohir, standing and backing away from his father.
Elrond stood and picked up the tray that had held his lunch. He placed it in Elrohir's surprised hands. "You just developed a great need to go to the kitchens, Elrohir. Satisfy that desire." Elrond said with a smirk.
Elladan laughed as Elrohir's face fell. "Yes, Ada." the younger twin said sourly. Elrohir turned and stomped off, a snickering Elladan following him.
Elrond smiled as they walked away. Glancing out of the arches, he frowned to see that it was no longer mid-day but almost dusk now. Lamps had been lit in the garden and a candle had even been placed near him. "Have a nice nap?"
Elrond turned in surprise to find Glorfindel sitting on the ledge across from him. "How long have you been there?" he asked.
One of Glorfindel's shoulders rose in a half shrug. "Somewhere around late afternoon." he said vaguely.
Elrond fought down the blush that the answer caused. It was summer and dusk came late to the land now; late afternoon had been hours ago. "That is a long time to be watching me sleep, Glorfindel." Glorfindel smiled in the deepening darkness but didn't reply. Elrond cocked his head at the other Elf, confused by his odd behavior. "How goes the repairs for the west wing?" he finally asked when Glorfindel's smile and silence became too much.
The blond Elf stood from his seat. "Come my lord, let us take a walk. Your father's star is rising." said Glorfindel. He grabbed Elrond's hand and led the dark haired half-Elf along the open esplanade and down some steps to reach the gardens below.
Only the other Elf's gentle touch and leisurely pace kept Elrond's concerns at bay. "Glorfindel, is something wrong?" he asked as the blond Elf turned down a path.
Glorfindel shook his head. "Nay, my lord. I just know how much you hate to miss your father's star." he replied. Glorfindel turned again and Elrond noticed that he was taking them quite a distance away from the house. He glanced over his shoulder at the house lights and smiled.
"Erestor is out for my head, isn't he." said Elrond with mirth.
A chuckle drifted back from Glorfindel and the blond head nodded. "Oh yes. Your adviser is quite mad at you for disappearing this afternoon. I plan on hiding you."
Elrond laughed. "My hero." The hand holding his squeezed tightly for a moment and Elrond's mirth tempered into a soft smile.
"ELROND!" Both Elves laughed and began to run, Glorfindel leading Elrond along the denser paths. Although the gardens near the house were kept carefully cultivated, the land farther away was allowed to grow mostly wild.
Glorfindel pushed a leafy branch out of his way and held it for Elrond. "I think we'll be safe for now." said the blond Elf.
Elrond looked around the small clearing with curiosity. The meadow was ringed with trees whose leaves shone silver under the moonlight and the soft grass was a wash of white under their feet. Tiny white clover flowers dotted the ground among a carpet of green shamrock and night-blooming flowers scented the air. Elrond smiled as a nightingale began to sing in the forest.
Glorfindel walked up to him and looked into the night sky. "Now, where…" he muttered.
Elrond unerringly turned toward the correct direction and pointed up into the sky. "There he is." he announced. The bright star twinkled as the Elf lord pointed to it.
Glorfindel looked at the star Elrond was pointing to and nodded. "Let's sit, we could be here for a while until Erestor cools off." he said. The blond Elf walked toward the trees while Elrond followed.
Elrond lowered himself to the ground as Glorfindel sat against one of the trees. The dark haired half-Elf smirked. "How long do you think that will take?"
Glorfindel smiled in the dark. "Oh, hours upon hours. Before morning if we're lucky." he replied.
Elrond laughed quietly and then looked back up at his father's star, the star where Eärendil was said to sail across the sky forever. He remembered so little of his mother and even less of his father but what he did remember was held dearly.
Glorfindel looked at the star for a long moment before turning his gaze back to Elrond. The half-Elf's hair was longer when it was undone such as now, brushing the grass as he sat. Elrond's mithril crown reflected sparks of faint light and the ring Vilya shone just slightly brighter for her wear's contentment. Glorfindel smiled slightly as he leaned his head back against the tree, ignoring the stars in favor of watching the half-Elf next to him.
He noticed that Elrond's eyes were unusually bright just before a tear slid down the other's cheek. Glorfindel leaned forward and used one finger to brush the drop away. "Good memories?" he asked. Elrond nodded jerkily and wiped at his face before returning his gaze to the sky. Glorfindel leaned back and began to pick the white clover flowers from the ground around them. Expertly, he twined the stems together and created a loop of the flowers. Sitting up, he slid the loop over Elrond's head.
The dark haired half-Elf dropped his gaze and looked at Glorfindel, hands going up to touch the flower loop that now rested around his neck. A smile played across Elrond's lips as Glorfindel slid his hand under his hair, meaning to pull the locks out from under the loop. Both Elves stilled as Glorfindel's hand cupped the back of Elrond's neck. They stared at each other for a long moment before Glorfindel began to stroke the soft skin under his fingers. Elrond tilted his head a little with the touch and moved his head closer to Glorfindel. The blond Elf leaned forward again, stopping before their lips touched. "Elrond, is this…?" Glorfindel began to mutter.
Elrond moved the last inch between them and pressed his lips against Glorfindel's mouth, silencing him. He raised his hand to touch Glorfindel's cheek as the other's hand clutched at the back of his neck. "Yes." breathed Elrond against Glorfindel's lips, answering the unspoken question if this was alright. Their lips met again and Elrond's other hand fisted in the grass. Glorfindel's other arm came around Elrond's waist, pulling him closer.
A noise in the wood had Glorfindel up and standing protectively in front of Elrond before the Elf lord could even blink. The wind laughed through the leaves, drifting gently along in the night. "Elrond! Glorfindel! I know you're both in here!" yelled Erestor's voice.
Glorfindel's body relaxed and he turned back to Elrond. He helped the other up and smiled loped-sided at him. "Looks like we've been found." The blond smiled as he reached around Elrond's neck and pulled his hair out from under the flower loop, completing his earlier action. Elrond leaned forward quickly and kissed him on the cheek before stepping abruptly back and beginning to brush off his robes.
The trees rustled and Erestor stepped into the clearing. "There you two are!" he cried. The adviser threw up his arms as he walked toward the pair. "The entire house is looking for you! Dinner will be ready in a few minutes and you're not even dressed properly yet! And I have a few words to say to you Elrond! I've never had to deal with so many idiots in my life!" Erestor ranted. Elrond smiled and walked past him. Erestor turned with his movement and followed behind him, not missing a beat. "You would think that the world had come to an end with the way they acted! The storm must have addled their brains!"
Elrond stopped at the gap in the trees and turned back, cocking his head. "Coming, Glorfindel?" he asked as Erestor paused for air. Glorfindel jerked his hand away from his cheek and hurried to catch up to them. Elrond smiled as he stepped up next to him and Erestor continued his tirade. Elrond slid his arm through Glorfindel's and nodded out along the path. "Now, since you led me here, you can now lead me back."
Glorfindel grinned. "Certainly, my lord." The pair walked down the path with Erestor following them, neither noticing the huge smile on the ranting adviser's face.
A lone candle made its way down the hall, bobbing gently through the dark. The small light stopped at a door and the person holding the candle listened intently for any sounds from behind the door. Elrond smiled as he heard Aragorn's slow breathing from inside his new room, the old one damaged from the storm. Satisfied, the Elven lord continued down the hall, bypassing his older sons' doors because he knew Elladan and Elrohir to still be in the Hall of Fire.
Elrond entered his own rooms and shut the door behind him. Walking about the rooms, he used the candle he held to light the others about the space. Finished, he went out onto the balcony and sat in one of the lounge chairs there. He really wasn't sleepy, he had slept the whole afternoon away.
Elrond lifted his head toward his father's star, which was sinking into the horizon at this time. "Hello, Ada." he muttered. Elrond raised one hand and plucked at the flower loop around his neck. With a sigh, he lifted the loop over his head and lay it in his lap. "I have many things to talk about." he continued. "Let me tell you about a walk I took tonight. It was a walk to remember."
