Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the Lord of the Rings.


Note: Thanks for the reviews. Any ideas are welcome. I wish to thank my beta readers for tweaking the story. I am very glad. Let's begin.

Erestor swallowed past the lump in his throat and the growl that threatened to break forth when he saw the young she elf waiting for Glorfindel in the main hall. She was tall, curves showing through the silver dress she was wearing that seemed to cling to her body.

Her eyes were sparkling as they rose to meet Glorfindel's when the general began to walk down the stairs. Erestor pretended to ignore the feeling it stirred deep inside of him when he saw the lithe body moving underneath the dark green fabric.

He moaned involuntarily and the next moment he berated himself sternly. He was head councillor of Elrond of Rivendell and he should have better control over his feelings, thoughts and desires.

Erestor frowned, where did those desires come from? Could they possibly have come from the few kisses they had shared? Erestor sighed; he was driving himself insane with these thoughts.

"Good evening, Lord Glorfindel." The young she elf, one of Glorfindel's trainees curtsied to him. She was the one who had won the tournament and therefore she would be the one to be dancing with Glorfindel the entire night, much to Erestor's annoyance.

"Good evening, Lady Mirima, you look lovely this fair evening." Glorfindel's voice was soft and smooth but if Erestor had not been so focused upon his own thoughts he would have seen the blue eyes darting to his for barely a moment as Glorfindel smiled at the young elf standing before him and then offered her his arm. "Shall we go to the feast?"

"I would be honoured, my lord." Mirima nodded at her general and she looked back at the dark haired councillor for barely a moment. If she played her part well, the one of wanton maiden then, according to Celebrian and Elrond, Glorfindel would turn her down and well, it would speed things up between him and the head councillor.

By the growl and the moan she had heard earlier, she had assumed that the lady and lord were correct in their assumptions. She did not want to become Lord Glorfindel's lover or betrothed because the one she loved was an elf from Lorien.

After much discussion and seeing the concealed looks from Glorfindel to Erestor and the other way around, she had consented. She accepted his arm and as they passed Erestor, the councillor barely greeted them.

"Evening, Erestor," Glorfindel softly greeted but the Balrog slayer only received a curt nod in return. Mirima could see the blue eyes widen in sadness, but Glorfindel's face remained impassive, only because she was watching him so closely for a reaction could she see it.

They entered the room together to a soft tune and Mirima raised her head high. She was glad that she was at Glorfindel's side because the older elf was kind to her and gentle. She could be herself with him and she knew that he would not mind if she was to retire.

She was not all comfortable with her role but Celebrian had assured her that it would only take a little bit and she would not have to go further then what she was comfortable with. She was a reserved and quiet elf, though she was comfortable with her abilities as a warrior. It had been mostly luck that she had won the tournament but she had been sure that if she had faced Glorfindel, she would not have won.

"Ah, Glorfindel, there you are." Elrond greeted them with a soft smile, sharp grey eyes twinkling as they settled upon Mirima's face. Her eyes travelled up to meet her lord's, Elrond held out his hand for a moment as Celebrian swept in to embrace Glorfindel with a delightful cry of glee.

Making use of the distraction the lord softly whispered, "Just give me a nod if you need rescuing, my dear. It is not an easy role to play when you love another." The gentle smile on the fair face of her lord made Mirima at ease immediately.

"I thank you, Lord Elrond." She received a nod in return and a squeeze of her hand. Glorfindel turned to her with a gentle touch of his hand on her lower back, smiling at her though she could see the layer of sadness in the blue eyes.

The tune turned into a swifter one and Elrond held out his hand to his wife. Celebrian gave Glorfindel a wink and then the lord and lady of Imlandris swept out to the dance floor. Barely a moment later more couples began to join them. "Would you care to dance, Mirima?"

Accepting his hand, she walked with him to the dance floor. Glorfindel looked around the room as they swayed and she finally asked. "Is there another you would rather be dancing with, Lord Glorfindel?"

This startled the Balrog slayer and she could see the widening of the blue eyes as he gazed down at her with his mouth slightly open. Then his face softened into the wide smile she had seen on dozens of occasions as he softly said. "Call me Glorfindel, please. Besides, you won the tournament so I will belong to you for the entire evening."

"I really would not mind if you were to share a dance with another, Glorfindel. I am sure that there is somebody you would rather be dancing with than the one you consider a child in your eyes…" Mirima wondered if he would tell her how he truly felt about Erestor but she was wrong as he merely pulled her tighter and softly spoke.

"Not so much a child, my dear. I have seen you work with the bow and you are well adjusted to it." The soft compliment and the smile made her blush.

Erestor downed his glass of wine when he saw the young she elf blush when Glorfindel said something to her. He could only try to guess what they were speaking about. A gentle hand on his shoulder had him looking around to find himself looking into his lord's sharp eyes.

"They make quite the pair, do you not think so?" Elrond's comment was soft as his gaze swept over the dance floor. Erestor merely growled something into his wine glass. "Perhaps it is time for Glorfindel to settle down and start raising a family? Do you not agree with me?"

"Perhaps she would not be the right person for Glorfindel." Erestor spoke softly in his wine glass.

"Nonsense. She is a kind and loyal elf…."

"She is a child compared to him, Elrond. Glorfindel deserves somebody who makes him whole, not somebody whom he will surely see as a child. There are many elves here in Rivendell who are much more suited to be Glorfindel's mate then she…. Glorfindel deserves a husband who is kind and…."

Erestor realized his slip of the tongue the moment the sparkling grey eyes of his lord returned to his own. Elrond smiled and clasped his friend on the back. "Husband you say? Erestor, are you implying that we should not find a elleth for Glorfindel but a male?"

Laughing uneasily, Erestor cursed himself. He was not even sure if he could give Glorfindel's secret away. Perhaps the golden one did not wish for Erestor to discuss this with Elrond for it may be something he was not proud off. But would that also mean that Glorfindel was not proud to be with Erestor…

That thought sent chills down his spine and he mumbled a quick excuse as he fled the room not caring about those he left behind.
Glorfindel frowned when Erestor nearly ran out of the hall, quickly disappearing into the garden. The smaller, black haired elf had been speaking to Elrond and his lord now looked as baffled as Glorfindel felt by the behaviour of their mutual friend.

"Please excuse me…" he softly murmured, gently guiding Mirima over to Elrond. He then took long strides out into the garden. It took some time and some of his abilities before he found the shivering councillor.

Erestor was trembling as he hid his head in his hand while seeking comfort from the tree that he was leaning against. Glorfindel slowed his movements, aware that he would be unwelcome if he were to touch Erestor now.

"Erestor?" He softly asked, causing the younger elf to spin around. The dark eyes were wide as they settled upon Glorfindel's face until a mask seemed to settle into place which Glorfindel did not like at all.

"Why are you here, Glorfindel? Should you not be with your partner who you brought to the dance?" The coldness of the words made Glorfindel take a step backwards.

He softly said in a hurt voice, "Why are you so cold to me, Erestor? What have I done to offend you so?"

"You have done nothing, Glorfindel, nothing more than what you usually do." Erestor's voice was deadly calm and still so cold it nearly made Glorfindel shiver in response.

"Then why are you so cold to me if I have not done anything to offend you?" The Balrog slayer softly asked, taking a step closer, thoroughly puzzled by the behaviour of the elf he loved.

"Why do you even care about me, Glorfindel? Perhaps you should be in there, dancing with the elf you obviously desire…." Erestor felt angry and betrayed, but he could not really identify why.

He could see the shock on Glorfindel's face as the eyes flashed brightly suddenly in anger with the unjustified accusation that Erestor had thrown at him. The Balrog slayer took a step closer so they were face to face, inches apart and Erestor shivered when he felt the anger radiating from Glorfindel as the taller elf growled.

"You fool! You were the one who said to me that the maiden who won the tournament would be taken by me to the spring festival. I never had a choice in the matter. Mirima is a nice and friendly elf but she is no more then a friend. I would have taken another to the spring festival if only I thought that my affections were welcome…."

"How can you be so sure that they are not?" Erestor snapped back.

"Because you never said anything to make me think that it was welcome." Glorfindel suddenly seemed to deflate as the blue eyes searched his own with such intensity it made Erestor ache deep inside.

"You were the one to tell me that I should take her to the spring festival and now you are angry at me. You wound me, Erestor. What do you want? Do you wish to court me properly or are you afraid of what the inhabitants of Imlandris will think? I truly do not know anymore…"

"I…." Any answer Erestor was about to give was drowned out when a guard appeared at the doorway, shouting.

"Lord Glorfindel, Lord Elrond requests that you ride out. The Dunedain are at war and they request aid. You are needed." Glorfindel could only give a curt nod as he turned back to Erestor who was still trembling.

"I need to leave…."

"Please be careful, Glorfindel. I could not stand it if you were to die." Erestor hungrily searched the fair face as he saw the small smile.

"I will be Erestor, please think on what you want. I to am willing to go to whatever length to make you mine for eternity. For without you life would be impossible to bear. My light will fade but I will love you from a distance if that is what you wish but please just think about what I have to offer. A courtship… and my undying love and affection for you alone…"

"That is a heavy subject to think about, but I will have my answer ready when you return…"

"Good. Good night, Erestor." There was a soft note of pleasure in the gentle voice and then Glorfindel leaned forward, brushing his lips with Erestor's for barely a moment as he added.

"Just think. You can have those kisses for all eternity and much more, meleth nin…."

With the last purring Glorfindel was gone, leaving a pale and shaking Erestor behind to think about what he wanted when truly he knew all along but he was just too frightened to say yes.

So the drama part begins. What will Erestor do now that Glorfindel is away to battle? Tell me what you want to see. Please review.