A/N: I'm back! waves Sorry it took so long. For the first two week I was snowed under with Coursework. sing-song voice But now it's all gone. Then it was Easter. So I'm really sorry. I know I say that a lot, but it's because I'm not having a very good academic year. I'll try my best the get the next chapter here quicker, though it is a bit of a tricky chapter, but depending on how it goes I've probably already written a chunk of it. I'll shut up now!

Chapter 8.

This just was not funny any more! Glorfindel was standing in Erestor's office, trying to talk with him, but Erestor was making it very difficult. Since their argument yesterday, things between her and Erestor had become worse, something she had believed impossible. Ever since then, he had insisted on ignoring her. She had even tried talking to him during the meals, in the hope that he wouldn't want to seem so childish before the whole of Imladris. However, this only caused rumours to double, no matter what anyone did to squash them.

However great the annoyance was, the hurt was greater. No matter how much she told herself that he deserved what she said to him, she knew she must have really hurt Erestor for him to act like this. She never really thought about what she had said, let alone the effects of the words.

"Please Erestor, just talk to me for five minutes, that is all. Then you never have to see or talk to me again. I just want to talk to you before I leave tomorrow."

Erestor continued his paper work, as if Glorfindel wasn't there. He started to move his quill to the ink well. Glorfindel saw this and moved the well away. Two could play at this game.

Erestor placed the quill down where the well had been and picked up some papers instead. He got up and began walking towards some shelves; however instead of moving around Glorfindel, who was in the way, he barged straight into her. Ink from the well split down her front. Fed up, Glorfindel slammed the well down on the desk, smashing it and causing the remaining ink to seep across the desk. Then she marched out of the room.

On the way out, she walked past Elrond.

Elrond watched Glorfindel march past, ink staining the front of her tunic. He stepped into the room and saw Erestor with his back to him. Elrond walked to the desk and resisted the urge to sigh.

"You are beginning to act like little Arwen when she is sulking." No response. Yes, definitely beginning to act like Arwen. This time he did sigh before continuing. "Why do you not just tell her you love her?"

Erestor spun around and stared at him. Under normal circumstances, he would have savoured this: Erestor surprised.

"How?..." was all he managed to say.

"Celebrian. I believe her and Mirindil-"

"Mirindil?" Erestor's surprise was quickly replaced with anger. "Mirindil knows? So Thranduil will know as well. Why do we not just tell Lindir, and he can write a song. Then all of Imladris can know."

Elrond should have known he would react like this. Erestor was a very private person and this was obviously something he had been trying very hard to keep a secret. This was a little excessive, though. Elrond shook his head. "Erestor, why are you acting like this?"

"Because I cannot do it any more." He turned back towards the shelves, grabbing the edge tightly. "I cannot pretend that I hate Narelda for no reason. That it does not cut into me every time I see them together. I cannot pretend that I do not love her."

"Then tell her."

"No!"

"Why?"

"Because she loves Narelda. If that is who she desires, I must accept it, no matter how much it hurts."

Although Elrond wasn't sure if he completely agreed with Erestor's reasoning, he could see how it was tearing his friend apart. Before he could object, his friend continued.

"I appreciate your concern, as I always have with your friendship, even if it does not appear so, but I do not wish to discuss this matter, and I will not change my mind. Glorfindel will leave tomorrow early afternoon, and I will cope."

Elrond nodded and turned, but just before leaving he said "Just come to me if you need to talk. Do not hide this away again."

(&)

Glorfindel wandered through the halls of fire, searching. After changing her clothes, she had tried to clear her mind by training. However, there is only so much tension that can be relieved by slashing a sword at imaginary enemies. It had produced an idea though, an idea that needed the help of an infamous pair. A pair that she had just spotted talking to Legolas.

"Elladan! Elrohir!" she called across to them and they looked up as she came near. "I would like your assistance in a 'task'." They gave her matching looks of puzzlement "Perhaps it would be best to talk in my study." This comment caused the twins expressions to darken. "Legolas, I believe it would be best if you find something else to occupy yourself for the rest of the day."

Legolas nodded, and watched Glorfindel leave with his friends trailing after her.

(&)

Elrohir walked into Glorfindel's study, along with his twin and Glorfindel. As usual, the desk was the only thing in the room that was tidy. It wasn't the worst condition he'd seen the room in, though he did have to wonder why Glorfindel appeared to have the armoury in here. It was quite a contrast to his father's study, which was always very tidy, or Erestor's study, which was cluttered only with books and always seemed to be an orderly mess. Not that he'd been into Erestor's office often, he mused as he moved a shield so that he could sit in a chair.

Glorfindel walked over to her desk and sat on it, resting one foot on a chair. He wondered if that was why both were kept so tidy.

"I need your help to make Erestor talk to me," Glorfindel announced.

An image sprung to mind of him and his brother pouncing on Erestor and holding him down while Glorfindel talked to him. He knew from experience that it was hard to ignore someone when you are such a position.

"How?" his brother asked from behind him.

"I want to play one of your little 'jokes' on him."

"How would that make Erestor talk to you," Elrohir asked.

"I am going to make Erestor so angry that he will talk to me." This was the woman in charge of the defence of Imladris. Only Glorfindel would think of this, especially for Erestor. "I need to talk to Erestor before I leave tomorrow and I need your help." She looked at them with pleading eyes.

"Do you have a plan?" Elladan asked in a way of acceptance.

"Not yet."

The room fell silent as they sat and thought. Elrohir could think of several plans, but he was reluctant to speak up. He could follow Glorfindel's logic to a certain extent, but he didn't like it. He could see several holes in the logic, but then he wanted things back to the way they had been and the only way to do that was to follow whatever plan they came up with. Elladan, however, would relish the chance to have some fun.

"There is a plant that has some very interesting side effects," Elladan began, and started laying down the foundations for a plan.

End of Chapter 8.

Well there you go. Sorry if it's not as good as the others, I might have got a little rusty form writing geography coursework (which is a completely different style), so it took me awhile to get back into writer's mode.

Haldir's Heart and SoulHe maybe a fool, but ya still gotta love him.

mrbalaclavaYeah, Mirear just stopped reading out loud. I don't know if I'll elaborate on her and her daughter's relationship. It never really occurred to me before.

cosmic dancer: Glad you like the Mirear bit. She did just stop reading out loud; I really should have made it a little more clear. Yep, Glorfindel is also capable of being cruel, a case of words coming out without being processed first. You like Glorfindel being confused don't you?