Citadel courtyard.
Erestor ran to catch up to his adversary at the gate between the 6th and 7th levels of Minas Tirith where the riders were assembled. Rushing up alongside Glorfindel, Erestor saw rather plainly the look of lack of expectation Elrond wore. Erestor supposed he already knew what was going on. After all, he wasn't Lord Elrond Peredhil for nothing. Erestor also saw there that he was sorry that his Chief Advisor and friend would be remaining (though Erestor had yet to say so).
"You do know we are riding... now?" Elrond more stated than asked the two of them. He had no need to, seeing as Erestor was garbed in his ever-present black robes, terrifically impractical for travel, and Glorfindel was hastily clad in a leggings and a red tunic, certainly not what one would wear for a funeral march.
"We know, mellon," was Glorfindel's nonchalant reply. "However, we have decided to stay here a while longer."
So that confirmed it. It was unfortunate, Elrond thought, that he would not have his two best friends with him on this journey, but... perhaps this was exactly what those two needed. Suddenly something dawned on Elrond. "We have decided to stay...," Glorfindel had said. Did that mean they agreed? Elrond looked closer at Glorfindel, noting again the fact that he was hastily dressed, and wondering if it was remotely possible....
Erestor cut in to Elrond's stunned thoughts, drawing the Elf-lord gladly away from the almost disturbing mental image. "After all, Elladan and Elrohir will be along to help you in whatever advice you may need," Erestor said to Elrond, with not a little emphasis on the twin's names, making direct eye contact with all three of them.
A shot of panic ran through the younger two, wondering if Erestor was capable of revenge and hoping that they had not inadvertently given him any ideas. Elrond stifled a guilty grin. Maybe it would really work after al1... that was if Ere' and Glor' didn't kill each other first. Elrond felt obliged to warn Faramir as to what he might be up against, but there seemed to be no time. Sighing, the Elf-lord contented himself with the knowledge that Faramir was a strong man and had surely dealt with dangers worse than two feuding, in-love Elves.
Aragorn noted the worried look on his father's face as they rode solemnly out of the city. Drawing up beside him he leaned in and whispered, "Do not worry, by the time i return they will be inseparable."
Elrond turned, raising a brow. "That is what i fear, ion-nín."
Glorfindel was pleasantly surprised that though Erestor was still not what one would consider friendly that evening at supper, there seemed to be greatly less animosity in every move he made. It gave Glorfindel a spark of hope that he had not even realized he was longing for. Though the Balrog-slayer did his best to concentrate on his conversation with Faramir, he found it rather difficult to pull his mind away from what he had noticed the day before: Erestor's hands and lips. He could not understand why he was suddenly so fascinated with them.
That night Glorfindel got no rest. Mostly it was because Faramir was not resting and so pacing and such all night, Glor' and Erestor's quarters being located just above those of the Steward, he heard every noise made. Glorfindel's heart went out to Faramir and he decided that he would give the young man a little help come morning. But now that the Elf wasn't sleeping either his mind wandered back to Erestor. Hands and lips again, though by now he realized that that obsession was simply because those were the only parts of Erestor that were ever remotely visible. He could have the body of an orc, for all Glor' knew, albeit with a nicely defined, slender chest. Suddenly the blond one was curious indeed, but knew he must not allow his curiosity to get the best of him. He had to bide his time, it was enough of a milestone just now that Erestor didn't send him death-glares every time he opened his mouth. He had to be very careful so as not to upset Erestor even in the least.
The next morning Glorfindel saw Faramir preparing for a ride just as the sun was breaking the horizon. The blond Elf hurried to the stable with a tiny vial of water taken from the Enchanted River in Mirkwood, intent on slipping a couple of drops into Faramir's canteen when he was not aware of it. Glorfindel always carried a bit in case anyone had trouble sleeping, as Elves were well acquainted with the true value of sleep, though as a rule no Elves used it to supplement their own sleep as that was not usually a problem.
Later that afternoon Glorfindel decided to check on his young charge (read: victim). As fate would have it, it happened that Erestor had rather the same idea, hoping he could make himself useful in assisting Faramir. Erestor cringed to see the Golden One approaching Faramir's study as well. Sighing he decided to treat the matter just as he would have in Imladris if they both headed to Elrond's study at the same time. Erestor would simply carry on assisting as he would, Glorfindel could do whatever he wanted. It was no matter to Erestor.
When Erestor knocked softly and received no response, he nudged the door slightly ajar, but there was still no answer. Looking in to see if there even was another there, Erestor saw Faramir laying sound asleep over a desk overflowing with parchment of all sorts. The scene was one he knew he himself had been caught in too many times to count and the dark-haired advisor understood just what it felt like to be so exhausted, though he also knew that Faramir's exhaustion had much to do with the circumstances the young man had been put through of late. His heart went out to the weary Mortal, shaking his head as he thought of all that Faramir had faced in his short years.
Glorfindel noted Erestor's shake of the head and recognized that gesture as one he had been on the receiving end of numerous times, though in those cases it was in disapproval rather than pity. "Do not dare to criticize him. He is but a boy," Glorfindel said, shocked that Erestor would hold a young Man to his own standards, which were considered exceedingly high even for an Elf. Besides that, Erestor would probably be rather angry if he knew that the most likely reason Faramir was sound asleep at his desk was because Glorfindel had slipped him that Enchanted water. Though, surely it would wear off soon, since he had heard about the sleep Faramir had at the river bank earlier.
Erestor eyed Glorfindel dryly. "That was not criticism, mellon, i feel sorry for him. Can you imagine how confused he must be? You recall how often Boromir spoke of him when he was in Imladris. They must have been the best of friends, but now Faramir has lost that friend. He thought he lost his father, without ever once having pleased him. But then he finds that he has a father who is overjoyed to just know him. And now he is heading suddenly into paternity, and as you say, he is but a boy as we account it."
Glorfindel took a deep breath. This was a rather precarious situation, he had intended to keep Erestor calm in hopes that he might even coax a smile out of the Noldo before they headed back to Imladris. What would appease Erestor? Ah! "Maybe we should take some of these letters? Do you think Estel would mind us helping him?" Glorfindel asked.
Erestor resisted the temptation to rolls his eyes. "I do not know what you decided to stay in this stone city for when you could have been heading back to Imladris. I, however, stayed to help this boy. If Elrond needed our assistance running our small valley realm, think what poor Faramir will need. There may be actual work for us to accomplish here." Though Erestor's tone remained dry, there could be discerned decided excitement at the thought of stacks and stacks of parchment to be set in order.
Glor' should have expected that. "You are always thinking of work and what must be done next, are you not? I decided to stay because Minas Tirith is so like to Gondolin... but you would not remember that." Glorfindel was still perfectly convinced that he remembered Erestor from Gondolin, but the dark-haired one always insisted that he had never seen Tumladen.
Erestor's stare smoldered and he struggled to keep his tone low. "Look, just because you have never exactly been an Elf of many letters.... Glor', how, pray tell, did you think all that work used to get done? It wasn't 'Elf magic,' i can tell you that!"
Glorfindel knew immediately that he had gone too far, but true to form, that did not stop him from reacting. "Do you insult me?" he said affronted.
"Never, mellon-nín," Erestor said, sounding every bit as sincere as he thought Glorfindel's apology the other night had been.
Glorfindel shook his head and repressed a sigh. Things between them were finally back to normal it seemed. The fair-haired Elf knew it was just too much to ask of the Valar to grant them friendship. "You do his paperwork, i intend to keep him distracted from these heavy thoughts of his by giving him a good run for his money with the dueling foil. He should be keeping up his skills with the sword as well as the pen." Glorfindel was grateful that Faramir was still in the city, at least this way he could keep company with someone other than Erestor, that was when Erestor wasn't keeping the young man shut up in his study conversing about some boring agreement.
When Erestor reached for a stack of papers, however, Faramir woke a start and before either Elf rightly knew what was happening Faramir had muttered something mostly incomprehensible before rushing out of his study. The Elves exchanged glances and followed the Steward quickly. Neither of them thought he could stand to stay in Minas Tirith together if Faramir was not around as a distraction to hide behind.
Catching up with Faramir as he was saddling his horse, each had tried to dissuade him from his hasty course of action. Erestor was rather more direct about the matter, trying to point out to Faramir that he would not be able to ride very far in his exhausted state. Glorfindel had tried to keep Faramir talking in hopes that it would take the edge off of the young man's sudden passion. Both failed though and the Steward charged out of the stable after giving some sort of rushed half-explanation about a vision and the young woman from Rohan who had reputedly killed the Witch-king of Angmar (which had rather impressed Glorfindel, it was not everyone in Middle-earth who had such a claim, though his was still more impressive, as he saw it).
Sighing Erestor and Glorfindel looked at one another. Each felt stuck with the other and wondered exactly what the people of Minas Tirith were going to do when they found out that all of their leaders were gone and the only guests remaining in the Citadel were Lord Elrond's right hands.
"Reminds you of Gondolin, does it?" Erestor said. "Then the reins are all yours, and when the people of this city rise up and term us usurpers, do not call on me. After all, since you have such memories, you know very well what caused Gondolin's fall and the fall of all Beleriand." The dark-haired Elf turned on his heels and headed off to his chambers in his normal purposeful stride. Glorfindel hated to admit it, but he quiet enjoyed the sight of Erestor rushing off like that. The way his robes billowed and his hair briefly fluttered... it made him look quite... striking. Now he just hoped that he could do something to appease Erestor again and find his way onto his good side. It would certainly be new territory for the Vanya who had seen every land in Middle-earth and some in Valinor as well.
When Glorfindel woke in the middle of the night to the realization that Faramir had charged off carrying the same waterskin that he had that morning at the river, he realized that his chances of ever charting the region of Erestor's good side had not a Hobbit's chance in Mordor. Furthermore, when he realized that not only was it he who had put that mixture into Faramir's supply, but also he who had taken the canteen to the Steward when they followed him to the stable, as he had noticed that Fara' had left it by his desk, Glorfindel wondered if it was not possible that he might have the unmitigated pleasure of visiting the Vala Lord Námo again rather soon.
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Nothing much to mention. Those who read Chaos Theory probably recognized a lot of this chapter. I will try not to do that too much, but i felt it important to keep the link between the stories.
I wonder if Glorfindel is starting to understand what Erestor has dealt with, being attracted to someone who ignores you, who you are fairly sure you will never have. Let's just hope for Glor's sake that Erestor lightens up a little.