One week later.

Elrond's dark-haired advisor turned atop an equally dark-haired steed, looking back at the Last Homely House as if he might never see it again. His thoughts were a flurry of "did i do this? Did i see to that? Lindir will not be able to handle things if i did not-"

His thoughts were cut off when a white horse purposely walked into his. It's rider also matched its coloring with his fair blond tresses swept back in warrior's braids. "Pardon Asfaloth, good Erestor," Glorfindel said with a grin. "This early departing hour does not go well with him." It was no secret in Imladris who set such schedules.

"And i should order the schedules for the entire house based upon the whims of a horse?" Erestor said in a low tone of aggravation.

Glorfindel's irritating grin remained as he sped up to chat with those riding at the fore, purposely brushing against Erestor's thigh. The advisor forced himself to refrain from hacking off the Balrog-slayer's own offending thigh.

"Tell me again, my dear friend Elrond, why you have insisted that i accompany you?" Erestor asked morosely, looking back at the Elf-lord who was last in their procession.

Elrond fought back a snicker, briefly wondering if maybe one or the other of them shouldn't have stayed. He dismissed that thought, however, and said simply, "Because i can not carry on without you, Erestor." He knew if he just gave them enough time... and yet, was there that much time left for any Elf in all of arda? But still, history had proven him right before and besides, if he had to hear Glorfindel's whining any longer it was going to drive him mad (though rumor had it that it already had).

Never had Glorfindel and Erestor actually gotten along, per se. Nor had they ever actually fallen out of love, per se. It was just that they could not stand one another's presence. Elrond had tried everything in his power (or Vilya's) to get them to cease arguing for just ten minutes out of the last couple hundred years, but instead it only increased sharply, then Erestor started ignoring anything and everything concerning Glorfindel and things were, relatively, quiet, if not nerve-racking, in the river vale for the past 50 years. Elrond had a number of times seriously considered locking them in a closet until they were willing to see passed one another's idiosyncrasies, but the thought of one of the closets in his home being occupied by two bloodied Elves did not set well with him.

Elrond clapped Erestor lightly on the shoulder as he rode passed to join Glorfindel at the front for a time. His advisor wondered if his Lord had not just been reading his mind, else why did that touch seem meant to be encouraging? The Noldo decided he would have to start making a point to cloak his thoughts more often around Elrond.

"Erestor?" Arwen said, now riding parallel with the older Elf.

Erestor ceased his silent interrogation of Elrond's motives and turned his full attention to the future Queen of Gondor. "Aye, elleth-nín?"

"Why have you always argued for me?" she asked directly, but sweetly in her gentle Elven voice.

Erestor gave her a curious look. "In what regard, pen-neth?"

Arwen reached out to lightly touch Erestor's arm as she spoke quietly. "I know that you have always taken my side when you and adar have discussed going West. You have always said that the decision i have made is right. I would like to know what your reason is for believing so."

Erestor sighed deeply, wondering if he could choose his words correctly enough to intimate his meaning truthfully without saying more than he wished to be known. "My reason, Arwen, is that i know the gift you have been given. To receive such a choice from the Valar is not an ordinary occurrence. You have the ability to change your fate for someone you love. I would not see that decision wasted, that is all."

"You know, as do i, that he and i have such little time, as it seems to us. And yet you side with me?" she asked innocently.

"Arwen, dear, if you had but a year to spend with him you would be doing right. Such is the importance of love. Nary a day's worth of real, powerful love is far greater in worth than all of an Elven life of loneliness." Erestor seemed quieter than usual in his response and he was grateful that he was not asked anything further. So few knew anything at all of Erestor's life before Imladris. That was as he wished it to be.

Glorfindel on the other hand... every blade of grass in Imladris and several poor fools who had visited the vale knew everything about Glorfindel, down to the least significant iota.

Erestor's hopes were dashed that Glorfindel and Elrond would lead the van of this foray for the rest of the journey when he saw them riding back through the group. Erestor decided to pretend that there was not a garish blinding white gleam riding beside him.

---

From Chapter 1:

Elf-bane - This is my own name for pipeweed. Since no Elves smoke (probably why they live forever) i figured this term might be fitting. And if my favorite advisor feel the same as i do about smoke....

From Chapter 2:

elleth-nin - my girl

pen-neth - little one

Asfaloth - Glorfindel's horse

Glorfindel - big, blond, obnoxious Elda with perfectly carved features

Many thanks to my first two reviewers, AM and Haldir's Heart and Soul. Hope you enjoy!