The Citadel

When Arwen noticed how pleased her two brothers were with themselves, she was hard-pressed to keep from slapping them. She was rather disappointed in her grandfather as well. She could not believe that they would do such a thing to Erestor. "You do not know how much Erestor already hurts," she admonished them. "If he ends up hurt more by your joke the blame shall rest solely with you!" Galadriel agreed with her completely, pointing out that her method of helping them was not only much subtler, but also much kinder to Erestor.

The further Erestor went along the corridor in the King's House the more he wondered why Aragorn would have Elrond housed so far out of the way. He considered that it could have something to do with what had gone on pre- and post-Council last October, Elrond barely speaking two sentences to his foster son the entire time he was there, but he seriously doubted that Aragorn would be one to retaliate. He vaguely wondered if this wasn't a joke like what he had endured from the Lorien Three while at their talan, but he also rejected the thought that Aragorn would behave in such a way. Surely he had only taken a wrong turn, though he felt sure he had followed the directions exactly. Erestor prided himself on, among other things, his sense of direction. Perhaps Aragorn, being new to the Citadel himself, had made an error.

Just as he was turning back to check with someone where Master Elrond's accommodations should be, he saw a whitish light coming around the corner. The dark-haired Elf froze for a split second before turning, trying to find another exit, but this hallway came to a dead end. Erestor sighed and turned stoically to face Glorfindel, hoping the Vanya would say nothing and let him pass without a scene.

Glorfindel almost cracked a smile when he saw none other than Erestor standing there in the hallway. It would figure, he thought, that they, of all, would both be asked to go to the same hallway at the same time. But then, he guessed it made sense that Elrond and Celeborn should be put up near each other. "Good evening, Erestor," Glorfindel said impersonally.

Erestor merely nodded.

"Well, you will pardon me if i do not stay and converse... Lord Celeborn asked me to fetch an item for him. I would hate to keep him waiting," Glorfindel said with an annoying grin.

Erestor still said nothing. Quickly he reached for the nearest door to disappear through, which happened to be the one Aragorn had directed him to.

"Why thank you, old friend," Glorfindel said grinning, thinking Erestor was holding the door for him.

"What are you thanking me for, Glorfindel?" Erestor said with unconcealed aggravation. If there was anything he hated it was a simpering attitude. And Glorfindel.

"For directing me to Lord Celeborn's chamber, of course," Glorfindel replied, actually sounding rather innocent this time.

"This is not Lord Celeborn's chamber," Erestor said vehemently, entering and closing the door behind himself quickly. He wished he could have simply ignored Glorfindel's knock, but he realized that he had not a candle and the room was completely dark, having neglected to take a torch before so hastily shutting the Balrog-slayer out. "What?" Erestor asked shortly, flinging the door open and taking the nearest torch out of the hallway.

Glorfindel winced at Erestor's tone and decided to tread lightly. "This is indeed Celeborn's chamber, my good Erestor, according to the directions said Elf-lord gave to me."

"This is Elrond's chamber, according to the directions Estel gave me," Erestor snarled, sounding rather un-Elf-like. Looking around the chamber, having lit the candles with the torch, Erestor only looked much, much further infuriated. For one thing, the rooms had no windows to speak of. For another, neither Lord Celeborn's nor Elrond's belongings were in the room.

Glorfindel noticed this as well. "Why," he said slowly, "do the effects here all seem to be of Dwarven-craft?"

"You half-wit!" Erestor quite nearly shouted. "They set us up. Do you not see that? They are all in on it." Erestor was feeling many things, but chiefly among them was a strong sense of betrayal by some of the only people in all of Middle-earth he really ever trusted. Erestor felt so furious with the whole situation.

Glorfindel, however, was not entirely convinced. "Who in all of Middle-earth would ever try to set us up? Well... yes, the twins would, and have, but they are grown now, no longer Elflings. Come, surely this is no more than a simple mistake," Glorfindel said coaxingly, hoping Erestor would calm down a little.

"No, Glorfindel. It is not a mistake at all. They knew they were sending us off for nothing. They sent us to the same place at the same time where no one else would be. Have you not heard the twins and the Lorien Three talking? Even Elrond is in on this, and that shocks me. I thought i could trust him." Erestor fell quite while Glorfindel contemplated.

"I suppose it does rather seem to be on purpose, does it not?" the Balrog-slayer said after a moment. "But after all, what harm comes of it? It is nothing more than a joke in the end, there is no reason you should not trust Elrond."

Erestor stared at Glorfindel, anger and pain flashing in his dark eyes. "What harm?! The harm that my dearest friend does not take seriously that which i have confided in him." Erestor was sounding as Glorfindel, and indeed many, had never heard him before. Stressed was a common emotion for the Noldo Elf, but this went beyond stress. Erestor was simply upset.

"Erestor! Wait!" Glorfindel called, but he was already hurrying away down the hall and disappearing around the corner, pretending not to hear. Glorfindel was left wondering exactly why Erestor was so upset. He never had been amused by any of the twins jokes, sure, but he had never gotten so worked up over such a simple prank. And what did Erestor mean about Elrond not taking seriously something that he had confided? Certainly that couldn't have had something to do with this rumor that Erestor loved Glorfindel. For a moment Glorfindel thought on that possibility and thought it rather made sense. Glorfindel made up his mind to let it go for the next couple days, enough to allow Erestor to forget the matter, but to bring it up to him as soon as he had the chance.

---

Poor Erestor. Let's just hope that Glor' gets it through his head (and heart) how he has to handle Ere'. As for the conspirators....

Haldir's Heart & Soul: I meant to respond to your question a while ago, but when i post sometimes i am in a hurry. Anyway, the thing about the curse. If you are refering to the Curse of the Noldor that Earendil won the breaking of... that's a long story, one i will have to email probably. It has to do with Feanor's oath to recover the Silmarils and Mandos' Doom and stuff like that. As for Erestor, he feels cursed because 1) he loved Glorfindel and Glor' died. 2) he was a dear friend to Earendil and he ended up sailing his sail through the heavens for all eternity. 3) he served Gil-Galad and he died. 4) he served Elrond and the twins were born (ok, so that's not really considered part of it). That's how Ere' sees it in this fic anyway, and part of the reason he doesn't want to get close to Glor' again.