Author's notes: Thanks so much! I had left some spaces but somehow they appear to get lost when I update the documents. As for not allowing anonymous revies, I did not even know that they could be disabled. Thanks for bringing that to my attention, I changed the setting.
Erusel, Erestor and Glorfindel will become a couple, promised! Oh and
CAUTION: (tw)incest! And hints at self-harm/mutilation.
Chapter 4
"Ai Elbereth," Elladan swam towards the stairs of the swimming pool, ignoring the splashing and snorting noises his brother was making, "It's good to be home again." He sat down on the stairs, far enough in the pool to be immersed in the water unto his shoulders.
"Come back in Dan!" his twin called, swimming on the far end of the pool.
Gingerly Elladan took a vial from the rim and poured some of the rose-scented shampoo into his hand, glancing around in irritation. It was too loud. And this time his brother was not even the source of his irritation.
Suddenly he noticed that the noise was not what irritated him but the absence of certain sounds that should be heard here.
The bathing houses were surrounded by pieces of walls that surrounded the pools in three circles; the walls had been placed in a manner that did not allow any insight into the structure. Where the space between two pieces of one circle was, the wall in the next circle covered it, thus protecting the pools from wind and rain as well as unwelcome observers.
Grapes, vines and ivy had climbed up the walls and onto the light stone roof that was covered with moss, turning the bathing house into a seemingly natural grotto.
What irritated Elladan was the fact that he heard almost no birds and animals. He heard the normal hustle of subdued activity outside but something was missing. His frown deepened. Something vital.
"Elrohir?" he called, wotking the shampoo into his hair.
"Yes?" his twin suddenly surfaced directly beside him, a broad grin on his face, "What is it?"
"Don't you think," Elladan paused, drawing his eyebrows together, "That something is missing?"
"Missing?" Elrohir frowned too, looking much more like their father than his twin as he did so, "No, I don't think so."
"but…"
Elladan started again, while Elrohir took over working the shampoo
into Elladan's hair, "Don't you think that it's… too quite
or something?"
"No," Elrohir shook his head, "You worry
too much, Dan. We've been out in the open for weeks; of course you
miss the sound of the forest at first." He took a jug with war,
water and started rinsing the shampoo from his twin's hair.
Elladan closed his eyes, leaning into the caring touch with a contented sigh.
"But…" Elrohir continued, gently massaging his brother's skalp, leaning closer to whisper into Elladan's ear, "I might find a way to distract you from your irritation…"
Elladan shivered as hot breath caressed his skin. "El'hir…" he whispered, "Please don't… someone could see…"
"Sch..:" Elrohir replied, tenderly kissing his brother's neck, "Anor has already set…. Ithil will rise soon. No one will disturb us…."
Slowly Elladan turned around, facing his brother in the dim twilight. Almost identical storm-grey eyes locked gazes as they drifted towards each other.
Briefly Elrohir's gaze dropped to Elladan's slightly parted lips. "Dan…" he whispered, unconsciously licking his lips.
"El'hir…" his twin mimicked, slowly sealing Elrohir's lips with his own. The kiss was slow and sensuous, a meeting of souls as well as bodies.
Elladan parted his lips, allowing Elrohir to slide inside, his tongue twirling and twisting as the twins finally embraced, pale skin moving against skin. Slowly the explored each other's body again, delighting in the moaned reactions they drew.
Glorfindel shivered and wrapped the blanket Elrond had given him tighter around his shoulders. He was nnot exactly cold but somehow he felt uncomfortable. There was no clock in the room to tell him what time it was. The room was rather small, holding no more than the bed, a nighstand, a chair and a shelf for some medicines. These rooms were not meant to make anyone feel comfortable. Sighing he concentrated on squinting at Erestor's pale face.
The advisor had not moved once since they had lain him down. And now, in Ithil's silver glow he looked more like a ghost than a living being.
"Erestor?" Glorfindel climbed from his cramped-up position on the bed and drew up the chair, sitting down next to the advisor's sleeping form. Gingerly he took one of the councillor's cold hands into his own. "You know you have to wake up eventually," he said, his voice strained, "Elrond would not manage without you," he smiled, "That stubborn peredhil would propably end up wearing two different shoes if you leave us."
The blond bowed his head, staring at the floor. "Who shall I torment when you are gone? I always taught you would be stubborn enough to live on, no matter what." a single, silver tear slid down the blond's cheek, soundlessly dropping to the floor.
"Am not… stubborn…" a coarse voice suddenly rasped out.
"Erestor!" Glorfindel's eyes were wide with shock and totally bewildered. "I knew you would not die," he said smugly, his vivacious grin back in place.
"You should drink something," he decided, helping Erestor into a sitting position and stuffing pillows under the advisor's back to make sitting up easier for him. "Elrond said he would strip me of my rank if I did not make you drink some water as soon as you awoke."
The arch of Erestor's lleft eyebrow made his disinclination to believe the blond more than obvious but he accepted the glass of water nevertheless, taking little sips of the clear liquid.
"Why… are you… here?"
"Why?" Glorfindel frowned, "Erestor, you were attacked" Here, within the Last Homely Houses! It's my duty to guard Imladris! I failed you…"
"No," Erestor shook his head, "Even you Glorfindel, a Balrog-slayer returned, would not have been able to deter my attacker if you had been able to notice him. Which you were not," he added almost as an afterthought.
Glorfidel's eyes narrowed. "So you were attacked."
"Yes."
"By what?"
"Something that cannot be seen."
"Erestor, this is nonsense." Glorfindel sighed exasperatedly, "Invisible things usually do not attack elves. Who did this to you?"
"No one." Erestor glanced at something beyond Glorfindel, "I was just reminded of some… unpleasant memories…"
"Erestor!" Glorfindle glared, "You were covered in blood! There are still bruises all over you! Memories cannot physically hurt people!"
"Trust me, seneschall, some can," Erestor smiled sadly, "But that is no concern of yours."
An uneasy silence settled between the two elves as Glorfindel thoughtfully stared at Erestor while the advisor looked everywhere but at Glorfindel.
"Fine," the blond seneschall said slowly, "Let's just for a moment assume that your memories are unpleasant enough to physically manifest themselves in blood…"
Erestor exhaled labouringly, a shiver running through him.
"That still doesn't explain the bruises," Glorfindel continued, "Nor," he grabbed the blanket, uncovering Erestor, "Nor does it explain these scars."
Erestor hung his head, staring at the wall to his right. "My old injuries are no concern of yours, Glorfindel," he said, his voiuce betraying only the slightest shiver, "Let me be."
"No," the blond shook his head, "I don't know why Elrond didn't notice but I am a warrior, Erestor and I know old wounds when I see them. These scars," he lightly touched Erestor's left arm, "Are not old."
Erestor yanked his arm away, wrapping them around himself, "Just go away, Glorfindel," he whispered brokenly, "Please…"
"I cannot," the blond whispered.
Erestor just whispered "Why?", closely followed by a choked sob.
"Because life is too precious to be wasted," Glorfindel said softly, taking Erestor's hand, "I should know, Erestor. I died once."
Slowly the advisor looked up, eyes glittering with unshed tears as he searched the eldar's face. "You have no idea, Glorfindel," he whispered, "The pain of living is sometimes worse than death."
"Aye," the blond nodded, cradling Erestor's hand, "And yet all life is worth living."
"You don't understand… you can't…. no one can…"
"I can." Glorfindel insisted, "And I am willing to give it a try. Do you think I do not know the nightmares? The fear?"
Erestor stared at him.
With a deep breath Glorfindel continued, "I dream of my death, Erestor, I understand the pain of memories… whatever memories may keep you prisoner, let me help carry the burden…" he implored, gazing deeply into Erestor's eyes, that were swimming with tears.
Slowly Erestor nodded, giving a surprised yellp as Glorfindel buried him in a hug.
The advisor froze but slowly relaxed into the embrace, hanging on to Glorfindel as though his life depended on it with tears running freely down his face. "You are wrong," he whispered into the elder's shoulder, "So wrong… I could never do anything right, he told-d m-me so of-ften that I j-just could… couldn't do anything right…" he sobbed, "He said p-p-punishment and sport were the… only thing-s I was good for…"
Tears gathered in Glorfindel's eyes as he patted the advisor's back, gently rocking the shivering body, "Who did?" he whispered, his voice catching in his throat.
"Barak…" Erestoe whispered, his shuddering intensifying, "Barak.."
Elvish Translations:
Amin mela lle I love you
