The orange sun set the sky ablaze as Erestor hurried through the twilight gardens to meet with Glorfindel. Oh the things he would do to the golden warrior when they got to their trysting place he thought wickedly. He had been so wrapped up in thoughts of his lover he had found twenty mistakes in the letter he was writing and now, after making the necessary corrections, he was going to be late. He hoped Glorfindel had not given up on him.
He was nearly out of the garden and into the forest when Arwen accosted him. "Master Erestor, a word if I may." she said.
Sighing, Erestor turned to her. "Yes, my lady, how may I assist you?" he said wearily.
"What do you mean leaving me like you did last night? You come to my rooms, seduce me with wine and chocolate covered cherries, then tease me and leave me unsatisfied. If you think you can treat me in such fashion, you had better think again." Arwen said angrily.
"I'm sorry, my lady, I made a grave error. I had a bit too much to drink in the Hall of Fire and Lindir's ballad was so beautifully erotic. I saw you watching me and I... thought I wanted you. But when the moment came... well... I couldn't and you didn't. I beg your forgiveness," he bowed, then looked at the sky anxiously, "I hope you bear me no ill-will."
Arwen slapped him and the sound resounded throughout the evenstar-lit glade. "Go to Mandos!" she shouted and stormed off.
Erestor watched her go, his hand to his reddened cheek. 'Elleths' he thought with a sigh. 'Who can figure them out?'
He turned back to the forest and plunged into the trees, practically running as he sought to reach the rendezvous point. But when he reached the secluded glade he and Glorfindel used as their special place, he found it deserted. With a sigh of disappointment, he went back to the Last Homely House.
Glorfindel saw the dark sky and knew there was no reason to go look for Erestor in the glade. His meeting with Elrond had run too long and the councilor was sure to be back in his rooms by now. As he headed for Erestor's chambers, he chanced to hear familiar voices coming from the councilor's office. Creeping closer, he heard Arwen's muffled cry of passion from behind the heavy oaken door.
"Noro lim, my stallion, noro lim!" she screamed. In response Glorfindel heard her partner give a horse-like whicker. Then he heard the twin screams of their release.
"Arwen!"
"Erestor!"
Glorfindel clapped a hand to his mouth to stifle his cry of shock as he staggered and hit the wall behind him. He turned and ran to his rooms, closing the door and leaning his back against it as the tears of devastation began to fall.
'Betrayed,' he thought wildly, 'betrayed by his lover for that snip of an elleth.' How could Erestor do something like this? He sat up all night, still wearing his clothing, his mind reliving in a continuous loop the sounds of passion he had heard coming from his lover's office.
Just before first light, there was a soft knock upon his door. He gave a little start, then went and opened it. There before him stood Erestor with a bowl of peaches and vanilla ice cream.
"A peace offering?" Glorfindel asked with a sneer.
"No," Erestor said mildly, "just breakfast."
"I was delayed last night." Glorfindel said. "Then, as I passed your office, I heard Arwen call out your name and you hers. Now you show up at my door with breakfast. What do you want from me, Erestor?"
The councilor looked truly confused. "I went to meet you but you were not there so I came back to my rooms. I was not with Arwen last night, my love, I swear it."
Glorfindel looked at him suspiciously, "But I heard her say, 'Erestor' and I heard you say, 'Arwen'. Why would she call your name, why would she be in your office, if you were not with her?"
"I'm afraid I have no idea," Erestor said with a frown. He looked down at the two bowls he held. "But if we are going to eat, we had better do so. The ice cream is melting."
As they ate, they both puzzled about what the Balrog-slayer had heard. They threw out many possibilities but none seemed to fit the facts. Finding no answers, they finally gave up and fell into bed, laughing and licking ice cream and peach juice from each others lips.
They undressed and made love until mid-day, incorporating the leftover peaches in a variety of interesting combinations until they had sated both types of hunger. Then they adjourned to the bathing chamber where they cleaned each other dirty, then cleaned up again. They dressed and parted, Erestor making sure no one saw him leave Glorfindel's rooms, and then went about their daily routine.
After dinner that evening Erestor stopped by the Hall of Fire to hear Lindir sing and was brought to tears by the bittersweet ballad of the Elven minstrel. As the evening wound down and the guests and residents of the Last Homely House made for their rooms, Erestor lingered behind to speak to Lindir.
"That ballad you sang tonight, the one of a lover played false, I have never heard that song before. It moved me greatly," Erestor said.
Lindir looked at him sadly. "It is because I only wrote it this afternoon," he said, and Erestor thought he had never seen the bard look so dispirited, "Sometimes the only way to soothe a hurt is to sing it out."
"Your song helped me also, my friend," Erestor said, "for I have had an unlucky experience with a would-be lover of late."
He saw Lindir look past him and Erestor turned to see that the minstrel's eyes were on Arwen as she passed by the door without a glance their way.
"My sympathies to you, lord councilor," Lindir said, looking again at Erestor, "and my apologies also for the use of your office last night. I had an opportunity and needed a place close by, but it seems that Lady Arwen found the ambiance a bit more inspirational than I could have known."
He clapped Erestor on the shoulder then turned and walked away, leaving the councilor staring open-mouthed after him.
end