Title: By Sunlight and Moonlight

Author: Elvensong

Summary: Glorfindel wishes to know more about the elusive advisor to Elrond and in so doing gets caught up in his story and his curse.

A/N: I am locked in my house, for people have camped out at my door and there are Balrogs circling my windows.

Warning: Angst ahead, oh the angst!

Chapter Fourteen

I now had only one option left to me.

I raised the blade up.

May the Valar please forgive me.

The moment seemed to last forever. My thoughts turned to Elrond and his prophecy. The Lord of Imladris had said Erestor would be free of his curse, but could he have possible meant this? Elrond and Erestor were close friends and had been for many years beyond count. How could he possibly see his friend and advisor's death and not warn me? Yet now was not to time for contemplation, but for action. Believe me, Elrond would face my wrath upon my return to Imladris.

Perhaps, I would never go back.

Right now my thoughts were far from there, but in this moment, this oath I must fulfill and the fate of one I held dear.

The sword swung down. Its aim was true. The blade went into his chest and pierced his heart.

A cry of pain scorched the silence and quickly the thin, fast legs gave out beneath him and the beautiful horse came crashing down to those dark stones of the floor. Tears blurred my vision and long from my thoughts were the soldiers standing in shock at the doorway.

Sounds of labored breathing rang in my ears. Blood poured upon those stones of power.

The horse suddenly lay still, the breath gone from his body. His spirit flown from this place. Death had at least been swift and hopefully as painless as possible.

My heart pounded. It was not supposed to end this way; this could not be how we part. I did not even tell Erestor goodbye when last I saw him on his final night. Valar! Why are you so cruel!

Sobbing echoed around the chamber and it took me a moment to realize it was my own. I felt as if it had been my heart that was pierced. Numbly, I pulled the sword from my friend's body and was nearly sick that his blood covered the blade I had wielded for millennia. Would it ever be clean once more? Could I ever wield it after this day?

Slowly, the stones starting glowing faintly, coming to life as if from a long sleep. The body of the horse absorbed that glow until; I could not look upon him. It was just like the light of his transformations at dusk and dawn. When finally it faded I looked once more. I looked upon Erestor. He was an elf again, but the power of the stones could not heal the wound upon his chest and death still had him trapped in its eternal sleep.

Slowly, my gaze turned to my enemy. We stood almost in a standoff. They did not seem to know what to make of this whole situation and something kept them from charging against me. Finally, they seemed aware of their duty and made a motion to move forward and I stood in a defense position when we were all halted in our tracks.

A shout stopped us. It was Asenath. She had appeared where she was standing moments ago and screamed her rage at me.

"NO!" she shouted, "What have you done?" She ran to the Erestor's body and gently touched his neck, finding no life pulse there.

"My love." She whispered and she looked like someone staring at a dear one who had been long away. Perhaps a maiden awaiting her lover after a perilous journey. I saw innocence and, yes, even love shine deeply in her eyes and I knew the passion he had held for my friend. Indeed, they had been separated for a long time, but her devotion and obsession over him were still strong. I almost pitied her.

Reverently, she knelt low to place her forehead on his soft, warm skin and after a moment she rose to face me.

"How could you kill him? You've taken him from me!"

My anger had never been this fierce, even when I was fighting the Balrog my rage had not been this hot. It threatened to burn me from within.

"It was his wish!" I yelled, "You took him from the world! Took him from all he held dear. This is your fault and I will see you pay for your crimes."

"Murderer!" Asenath growled, "Not even I could take his life."

Those words were like daggers to me. How dare she think she could label me such?

"You ended his life the moment you cast down your hellish torment upon him. You might as well have held the blade, but your death for him was painful and lingering. Nothing but suffering have you brought to him, suffering and death!" I could not control my body any longer. My arms moved of their own accord and I brought down my vengeance upon her. The blade, still wet with the stallion's blood, came sweeping upon her and struck her down. A swift blow, a deadly blow, and she was long dead before her body came to rest next to that of Erestor's.

Her blood mingled with his upon the stones and I could not help but think of the irony of this ending.

'You have your revenge, Erestor,' I thought 'may you now find peace in the Hall of Mandos where I am sure you will be dearly welcome.'

With an almost detached interest my eyes lifted to look upon the men. I had no doubt that money alone and perhaps no little fear brought their actions and with their tormentor now dead, they did not advance upon me. In fact, they slowly turned and marched away, having no more fight with me; this most crushed of elves standing alone.

I moved away from Asenath's body in order to be closer to my dear friend. I knelt down and gently stroked his dark hair. I knew I would be missing something special from the rest of my life.

TBC?