Chapter Three

Rating: I think this chapter finally makes it to PG-13 (YAY!!)

Author's Note: This is for the reviewer who asked nicely to see more Erestor.

Erestor's mind

I am just about ready to collapse when you meet us. I had ordered no rest until we reached Lorien. My escort complained bitterly, but I had the final say. My eyes seem as heavy as one of these gigantic trees around me. I find myself blinking rapidly to keep awake. I look down at my hands and see that they are shaking slightly. Forcing my tiredness behind a carefully cultivated sheen of diplomacy, I look up and see you.

All my shields crumble.

Cursing myself for this obvious stupidity…this is no way to go about a seduction, I force a diplomatically correct smile on my face. "Greetings, Haldir," I say, dismounting carefully. There's no way I want to fall and make myself look like an idiot.

You smile at me and I nearly fall over. "I take it you have had a long ride, Councilor. You appear dead on your feet."

You knock me dead, I want to say. But I don't, for two reasons. The first is that we are in public. The second is that you don't know that I want you yet. So I smile. Then I say, "Yes, Haldir. I am exhausted."

"Then let me take you to your rooms. You can rest there before we begin our…negotiations."

Involuntarily, I lick my lips. I am only moderately surprised to see you focus on that and momentarily lose the power of speech. I have been told that I can have that effect on some. And I will use it on you to the full extent of its power. You can bet on that, Haldir.

You lead me to my talan. I am so tired that I nearly fall down the steps. Somehow, I manage to keep my balance and stumble into the room. I have never felt less graceful in my life. You must have noticed something in the way I kept eyeing the bed, and so you say, "I will leave you to your rest. Do you wish to be woken for the evening meal?"

My tired brain tries to comprehend the question. What I want to say is no, and that I would like to sleep for days at least. Then I realize that if I say yes, then I get another chance to see you again today. "That would be nice," I say.

"Then it can be arranged. I shall see you then, Councilor."

"Call me Erestor."

"Erestor."

Little do you know that when I saw the bed, when you saw me looking at the bed, the first thought on my mind was not sleep. What I wanted more than anything was to throw you down on that bed and fuck you. The images going through my mind in that split-second instant before you spoke again were hardly pure. I will show you by the time that I leave exactly what I think of you.

I want to kiss every inch of that marvelous body, I want you to do the same for me. I want to hear you scream my name as you come. I want to hold you through the night after we have spent half of it trying our best to keep all of Lorien awake. I want to make love to you Haldir. I want you so badly I can hardly contain it. I can hardly keep from just telling you what I want. I am notoriously good at getting what I want, but you are not just any elf.

I have done my research on you, Haldir. I have found out through my sources that you like to take it slow. So I will take it slow. I will make you enjoy this. I will take what I want, but I think that you will enjoy it, too.

As you leave, I pretty much just collapse down on the bed, too tired even to plot how I will make you mine.

Haldir's Journal

After today, I am totally speechless. After what I saw today, I will never be the same. It started out as a really routine day. I knew that Erestor was coming. But I didn't expect him to have quite that strong an effect on me. We had met before, and he had seemed courteous and pleasant enough, if a trifle cold and distant. No one could deny his beauty, of course, but he never seemed my type. Most have heard the rumors about Erestor, that he takes what he wants and cares only about himself. I would much rather have a loving relationship. On some level, I knew that I was glad to see him arrive. That was why I volunteered to greet the Imladris party.

And that was when it happened.

Before, I had always seen Erestor dressed in stiff, formal robes with that slightly bored expression on his face that he seems so fond of wearing. Now it was different. He was in loose, comfortable riding clothes, his hair falling loosely in front of his face. He could barely keep his eyes open. The diplomatic façade was gone and all that was left now was just Erestor. He tried to keep up a diplomatic expression, but I saw right through it this time.

I fell in love with him at that moment.

Not that anything else will have changed, though. He is who he is and I, of all elves, am not going to be able to change that. As he followed me up to his talan, he looked so ready to collapse that I just wanted to take him in my arms and carry him.

I saw him looking at the bed and the first thing that entered my mind was not for Erestor to sleep, but for me to fuck him there. Still, I don't think that's what was on his mind, because as I left, I saw him collapse down on it and fall asleep almost instantly.

I mean, I have to face the fact that he probably doesn't feel the same way about me. I know he was Glorfindel's lover (although Elrond remained oblivious) for a while. Who am I compared to Glorfindel? I may be conceited, but not that much so.

I knew he needed to sleep, but I had to come up with some excuse to see him again before the diplomacy begins and he goes back to the elf that he has always been. When I go to wake him, part of me desperately wants to convince him to stay in his room. Not even necessarily to fuck, but just to spend some time with him. From various sources (and I have many), I have gleaned that Erestor is a very interesting person.

It's so strange that he won't get out of my head. I'm not the kind to go all dizzy and obsessed. I'm usually the levelheaded one. Only now I've gone and fallen for an elf that I'm not going to get. Why do I have to be foolish?

The Valar only know how long he will stay. I will be tormented all that time. Even after he leaves, I know that that first sight of him today, will linger long in my mind.

I have to stop this. Even Celeborn will notice if I don't. He's sweet, Celeborn, but he's worse than a Balrog if he thinks you're shirking off some duty. And that's what I know I will end up doing; forgetting everything just to go seek out Erestor.

Celeborn should understand my problem, though. It's common knowledge here in Lorien that Celeborn has a more than friendly like of Elrond. But everyone knows that Elrond is only interested in his wife. Even before his marriage, he had shown no sign that he would be willing to take a male lover.

That's a pity. Even I can agree that Elrond is attractive (though he's not my type).

It's fortunate that the elf I want is actually gettable.

Though I know deep down that I will never get him.

Why must us Lorien elves be so miserable, so unlucky in love?

Lorien

Erestor woke to a hand lightly shaking him. He woke up instantly and saw Haldir. A smile (albeit a tired one) appeared on his face. "What is it, Haldir?"

"You said you wished to be woken for the evening meal…but I can leave you, if you wish."

Erestor shook his head and sat up. "I could use a few moments to freshen up, though. Excuse me, Haldir." He disappeared into the bathroom. Only a couple of minutes, he emerged. "I am ready to go now."

Haldir was disappointed to see that Erestor now looked stiff and formal again. Forcing a smile onto his face, he said, "Very well. This way, Councilor."

"My name is Erestor."

Haldir nodded and strode ahead of Erestor. This image of Erestor was so opposite to the one he had seen earlier. This Erestor, frankly, scared him. Though he was not one, Erestor looked like a warrior. This Erestor was not the kind of elf he wanted to fall in love with. There were two Erestors. The first was this formal, arrogant, scary one. The other was the one that Haldir loved. The one that seemed so normal, so relaxed, so…intimate.

During the meal, Haldir tried his level best not to stare at Erestor the whole time. That meant that he had to keep his gaze focused nearly entirely on the plate. Erestor was sitting right next to Celeborn as the guest of honor. Every time Haldir looked up, he couldn't avoid seeing Erestor. The few times he had looked up, he had seen Erestor talking with Celeborn. He was smiling, laughing. That was the Erestor that Haldir loved.

"Haldir," said Erestor cheerfully, about halfway through the meal, "in Imladris, I heard a most…interesting story about your…exploits while on a patrol to Mirkwood last year. Perhaps you could tell me the truth of the matter."

Haldir grimaced and looked up to find Erestor's gaze fixed intently on him, like he was the only one that Erestor saw. Erestor smiled cheekily. Haldir couldn't help but smile. "I am not sure, Erestor, that that is appropriate table conversation. Perhaps you and I could discuss it after the meal." Haldir hadn't thought to be that bold, but it just kind of slipped out.

Erestor smiled much more broadly. Perhaps he wants me as much as I want him. "I would be delighted to."

Haldir forced his stare back to the plate. He was sure that he was reading far too much into that brief conversation. But what if I wasn't? What if he's actually interested?

After the meal was over, Erestor walked over to him and said, "Let us then return to my talan…unless you would prefer yours."

Haldir's brain actually stopped at that point. It took him a full five or ten seconds to actually get it to focus. "Yours…would be fine."

"Excellent. Come on, then. I think I deserve one night of merriment before these tedious negotiations begin." Erestor stretched his arms above him and yawned. "I fear that I am still tired, though, so we may not be able to talk for long."

Haldir managed to nod, still not completely in control of his mind. He feared that if he opened his mouth, something that he would later regret would come out. He followed Erestor mutely back to his talan. Once they were up there, Erestor said, "Would you care for some wine? Or miruvor, perhaps?"

Haldir didn't need to drink anything for him to lose control of himself. Alcohol would only make his condition worse. "No…I'm fine."

"If you don't mind, I would like to change out of these robes…I so hate formal clothes." He gathered up some clothes and then went into the bathroom to change. When he came out, he looked like the Erestor that Haldir wanted to see. Erestor walked over to the chair right next to Haldir. "So…want to tell me what really happened. I am most curious."

"Well, you see, if I'm going to tell you something, you're going to have to reciprocate."

"Reciprocate?"

"Don't pretend that you haven't done…wild things."

Erestor raised an eyebrow and said haughtily, "I am Lord Elrond's chief advisor. It would not be…becoming of an elf of my station to be caught doing…wild things." Then he smiled. "Especially as Elrond is not aware of my…preferences."

"For someone as omniscient as he seems to be, the fact that his chief advisor and his captain of the guards had an affair under his nose appears to puzzle me."

"We have always known that Elrond does not particularly approve of homosexuality author gasps!!!. He has never…punished anyone caught, but nor would he allow Glorfindel or I to remain in our positions were we found out. It is a matter of watching my back."

"You're avoiding my question."

"And what question was that?"

"That you have never done wild things."

"Ah, now why would I tell you?"

"Well, if you want to hear about my exploits, you will have to…"

"Fuck your exploits." Erestor had had enough of this beating around the bush. He grabbed Haldir and kissed him. It was a long, almost violent kiss. They only separated when they both ran out of breath.

"Why did you do that?" asked Haldir.

"Why did you think I came to Lorien? I couldn't care less about border patrols. Elrond wanted to send Glorfindel, but I came instead."

"It never showed."

Erestor grinned. "I'm a diplomat, remember?" He kissed Haldir again, more tenderly. Then he sat back in his chair, yawned, and said, "Now, I am afraid that you have tired me out completely. We will have to cut our…discussion short."

"Absolutely not."

Erestor shook his head. "Try not to sound so desperate, Haldir. It doesn't suit you. I will be here for some time. I'm sure I can find some way to drag you away from the negotiating table. And if not…well, I've always been good at taking what I wanted."

"So I've heard."

"Good. Then leave me now, Haldir. We can continue our conversation tomorrow." He stood up and waved his hand in a dismissive gesture.

"We are in Imladris no longer," said Haldir softly. "I am superior to you here. I am afraid that you have to do as I say. And I say that I am staying." He put a hand on the back of Erestor's neck and pulled the slightly taller elf's head down to kiss him again.

"Good-night, Haldir. Don't press this, or it will come to nothing," said Erestor bluntly, turning away from Haldir. "I wish you pleasant dreams."

Trust me, Erestor. This was more pleasant than any dream I could possibly have.

Author's Note: So, what do you think??? Reviews???