"I have had a few thoughts this morning," said Glorfindel, one arm around Erestor and the other looped through the handle of a basket. Lady Celebrian had brought it to them while still in her nightrobes, lined with a blanket the twins no longer used, and arguing that no matter how cozy and warm the kitchen floor was, a comfy basket was much, much better.
"What about?" questioned Erestor with a yawn. He leaned against Glorfindel, his eyelids drooping.
Glorfindel kissed the top of Erestor's head and continued to lead them down the hall. Behind them, Charisma followed. "I thought I might go over them in your room and have you advise me a little before breakfast."
"Mmm, not sure about that. I get paid for my advice now," Erestor teased.
"So now I have to put you on my payroll?" Glorfindel laughed as they reached Erestor's room. He opened the door and said, "I just thought, since we've established now that I'm courting you-"
"You're courting me?"
"-that I... yes. I am." Glorfindel set the basket down and closed the door after Charisma entered the room. "Is that alright?"
Erestor slid very close to Glorfindel, nearly knocking him off-balance. "You've had your way with me seven or eight times now, dear. I think we've moved beyond courtship."
"But, it sounds so much sweeter," argued Glorfindel as he nipped at Erestor's ear, "to tell others that we are courting each other rather than casually fucking each other, especially since we are not betrothed or married."
Erestor jerked back. "Married?"
"A- aye," stuttered Glorfindel. "Yes. Well, perhaps. I mean." Glorfindel drew Erestor back towards him again. "Would you want to?"
Following a pause, Erestor let out a long-held breath. "I had such a terrible experience with the first, but... you are serious," he stated.
"Yes. Very. It just..." Glorfindel brushed his hand across Erestor's cheek and smiled. "We just seem so right. I cannot imagine waking without you beside me, or... holding anyone else like this, or kissing anyone else, or... I just..." Keeping a tight grip on Erestor's hands, he sank to one knee. "Erestor-"
"Yes."
"Yes?"
"Yes."
"Yes!"
- - -
"May I have your attention? Everyone, may I have your attention please?" Heads turned from every which way in the hall, everyone focusing on the main table. Erestor was standing up, with one hand holding the back of his chair for balance. "Thank you. Your General would like to make an announcement. General Glorfindel?"
Glorfindel stood up to stand beside Erestor, putting one arm around his beloved's waist while he raised his goblet with the opposite hand. "Friends, I wish to have you join me in recognizing an elf who has served our realm long and hard, one who has put your safety before his own on too many occasions to mention. Not since before the war has anyone moved through the ranks so quickly. For the last eight years, he has championed our annual archery competition. For his service to Rivendell, I thank him on behalf of the realm." Glorfindel paused for a moment, and then gave a little squeeze with the hand around Erestor's waist. "Personally, I thank him for... introducing me to my future spouse, Erestor. Please, if you would be so kind and raise your glasses to Lieutenant Haldir. Three cheers!"
There was a resounding 'Huzzah, huzzah, huzzah!' throughout the hall as those assembled for the morning meal stood and hailed the soldier, who sat at a nearly empty table by himself. That he was shocked was an understatement.
"I wish you the best of luck in Lothlorien, Lieutenant," shouted Glorfindel, for nothing had been formally announced about Haldir to the realm. As the murmur buzzed through the room, Glorfindel added, "Haldir, with his brothers Rumil and Orophin, have agreed to transfer to Lothlorien, where they are in need of expert sharpshooters. I am sure they will be received kindly there. We shall miss them here, and hope they will remember us and return to visit from time to time." Haldir, finally grasping what Glorfindel had done, gave a nod in the direction of the General. "Again, thank you, and I return you to your meals."
As Glorfindel aided Erestor in sitting again before taking his seat himself, Elrond gave the blond warrior a sly look. "Your soon to be spouse, did I hear, General?"
A grin spread across Glorfindel's face like wildfire. "Aye, m'lord."
"Since when?" questioned Legolas as he buttered his sweet roll.
"Since an hour ago," answered Erestor.
Celebrian made a partial squeak. "That's so wonderful! When are you going to tie the knot? You are going to do it here, are you not? I think a wedding in the winter would suit you both- we could do it this coming month! I know exactly who to have make the wedding cake- and the flowers! I can do the flowers!" Becoming serious for a moment, she reached across the table, holding Glorfindel's hand in one of hers and Erestor's in the other. "Would you like me to do the flowers for you?"
Erestor burst out laughing and Glorfindel kissed Erestor on the cheek, then squeezed Celebrian's hand. "It would be fabulous if you would do the flowers, my lady. In fact, we meant to ask if you would mind, if you have the time that is- neither of us would be all that good at planning an event such as-"
"Oh!" Celebrian squeed again. "Oh, oh, oh, you want me to plan your wedding!"
"If you wouldn't mind," said Erestor.
"Mind? Oh, Elrond!" Celebrian actually managed a full squeak as she let go of the hands of the recently engaged couple and clung to her husband's shoulder. This caused his forkful of eggs, which had been enroute to his mouth, to take a downward turn and crash back onto his plate. "They want me to plan their wedding!"
Elrond affectionately patted Celebrian on the head as Glorfindel said, "I know it would traditionally be asked of you to perform the binding ceremony, my lord, but we hoped we might appeal to you to have you speak the blessings instead."
"It would be an honor," answered Elrond.
Glorfindel's eyes fell upon Legolas, yet it was Erestor who spoke. "Your highness, I have a request to make of you. You and your father have been so very gracious as to allow me leave of your service so that I may stay here and aide Lord Elrond and his people. I wish another favor of you. Would you be willing to officiate the binding ceremony between myself and Glorfindel?"
"It would most certainly be an honor to, my friend." Legolas smiled then, almost wistfully. "It seems Celebrian has near planned everything already, so I doubt I even need delay my plans for leaving before the snows. My congratulations to you both."
"Capt- er, General?" Everyone at the table looked up (except Erestor, whose ears simply twitched so slightly). "My apologies for disrupting, but might I have a word with you?"
"Certainly, Haldir. If you will excuse me," said Glorfindel as he stood up. He and Haldir walked from the table to a secluded area near the door to the kitchens. "Yes, lieutenant? I hope I have not upset you with what was done earlier."
"What? No, I..." Haldir uncomfortably shifted to one side. "That was fine, thank you for... helping me save face," he said. "No, I... I wanted to apologize for the way I had been treating Erestor."
"Then you should apologize to him," Glorfindel said abruptly. When Haldir bowed his head, Glorfindel shook his. "Sorry. And I'm sorry- I am sorry that I accused you last night without cause. I should know better, it is just- being in love certainly changes the way one acts."
"Aye," agreed Haldir knowingly. "I really do not wish to leave grudges here in Rivendell when I go to Lothlorien. I want a... clean slate without everything hanging over me."
"So, you are sorry only because it upsets you, not because your words upset him."
"No, no, that is not- General, I have no idea what to say to him. I have no idea if I have gone beyond the point of being able to be forgiven for what I did." Haldir traced his finger idly along a crack on the wall as he asked, "If I go to him and say 'Erestor, I am sorry for the grief I caused you and for everything I did, will you forgive me?', is he liable to just beat me with his cane?"
"If you keep calling it a cane," spoke a voice that startled both Haldir and Glorfindel, "then, yes, I may just knock you about the head with it." Erestor sighed as he leaned on his walking stick. "Of course, I would need to know where your head is exactly- how tall are you?"
Glorfindel rolled his eyes in the direction of a bewildered Haldir as he slid Erestor against himself and took away the walking stick. "No head knocking," he muttered, absently kissing the top of Erestor's head.
"Lieutenant, I was just speaking with your elder brother," said Erestor in a more than civil manner as if they had never exchanged a single derogatory remark. "We were to dine with him and his wife, but since they are currently packing, it made more sense to have them over to dine with us instead. I thought, if you were free, you might care to join us this evening. No answer is necessary now- I must find Rumil and invite him as well. And now, if you please..." Erestor stealthily snuck a hand around Glorfindel's waist and retrieved his walking stick. "An hour before the sun sets, if you do decide to join us. Good day, Haldir. Glorfindel, I will meet you back at our table." As soon as he had appeared, he was gone again.
Both soldiers stared after the retreating elf. "What happened to him?" Haldir finally asked.
"He had kittens. He has been... like this ever since." Glorfindel ignored the odd look Haldir was giving him. "Well, I hope I shall, ahm, see you this evening at supper."
"It, well, uhm..." Haldir shrugged, and then Glorfindel did, and then Haldir shrugged again, nodded, and walked away.
- - -
"Oh, this is not going to work," mumbled Glorfindel when he and Erestor returned to Erestor's rooms. Pounce looked up, knowing she was the cause of his grief. "Your cat is sprawled along the couch, nursing her kittens. She has also apparently dragged all of the bedding from your bed over to the couch to nest in."
"I told you it was her couch," smirked Erestor. "I think Charisma does the rearranging, but watch out- she's the one who will bite if you try to move things back."
"Damn. This place is such a mess," groaned Glorfindel, which was not true, for it was merely disheveled from what the cats had done. "How are we to entertain here tonight?"
"Here? Oh, no, I told everyone we would be having dinner in your quarters," remarked Erestor casually as he walked in the general direction of the couch.
"What!?" Glorfindel took hold of Erestor's elbow and yanked him back. "Are you mad?"
"Apparently so. Having kittens tends to do that to an elf." He grinned despite the fact he was trying to bite his lip and keep from it.
Letting go, Glorfindel buried his face in one hand. When he looked up, Erestor was still directly in front of him, and still grinning. "Must you do that?"
"Must you say things about me behind my back? I can hear it all, even if I am across the room. Losing my mind because I 'had kittens', am I?" The grin was still on his face.
"You are never letting me live anything down, are you?"
"Not likely." Wider grin. "I have to take what I can get."
"Oh, really?" Glorfindel set his hand upon Erestor's that rested on his walking stick. "And do you... take everything you are given?"
"Oooo, very nice attempt at changing the topic. We are still using your place for our gathering." Erestor slid his hand out from between the handle and Glorfindel's hand so that Glorfindel was left leaning on the walking stick as he made his way across the room. "Besides, there is no way we can fit Orophin, his wife, his brothers, Lindir, his family, and you and I in this-"
"Whoa, whoa, hold on." Glorfindel glanced down at the walking stick, which he tossed out of the way onto the bed. "Erestor, you said nothing of Lindir and his parents."
"Lindir, his parents, and his sister," corrected Erestor. "They are related to Orophin by marriage, they ARE considered family."
"Ai, Elbereth! Are you mad? Wait, don't answer-" Glorfindel sighed as Erestor disappeared into the washroom, repeating his mantra regarding his having kittens. "Look, I am sorry about saying that YOU were the one who had the kittens. I did not even realize what it was I was saying at the time. Boy, am I ever sorry," he added quietly to himself.
"Here we are. I made a list." Erestor emerged from the washroom, triumphantly holding a sheet of parchment.
Glorfindel blinked. "You made a list?"
Erestor ignored his question. "This is what you must tell the cook to prepare, and I have seating arrangements on the opposite side and also how many places you need and things like that." Handing Glorfindel the sheet, he moved in the direction of the couch to check on his cats.
"How did you...?" Glorfindel looked down at the paper. The writing was broken and smudged, and it veered off the page in some places. On the back, there was a very crude seating chart, with names abbreviated with single characters in some cases. "This is amazing."
"Why, because I am blind? Blind, not stupid, Glorfindel. I still remember how to write."
"That isn't what I meant." Glorfindel scanned the seating. "Are you sure about this?"
"Yes."
Glorfindel sighed and walked to the door. "I will be... well, I have to go clean my room," he grumbled.
"You have to do what?"
"Clean my room," repeated Glorfindel with some annoyance.
"Where?"
Glorfindel stomped his foot, and turned around, about to tell off Erestor for this silly game, but when he saw the look he was being given, the big sorrowfully wide-eyed look, he stopped. And then it dawned on him. "I'm going to go clean... our room?"
Erestor blew him a kiss and added with a wink, "Make sure you put clean sheets on our bed, too. I want to be able to give the cats some privacy here tonight."
- - -
"General?"
Glorfindel looked at the door expectantly, and frowned to see one of the kitchen maids there. "Ah, we are... still waiting for someone. Two someones," he added. Music flowed behind him, for Lindir had brought the large harp down the hall to play while they awaited dinner, which was already going to be served late.
"Would you like for me to bring more wine?" she asked.
"More wine... ah..." Glorfindel looked to the rest of the occupants of his freshly cleaned and aired quarters. Entertaining guests was not one of his strong suits, and entertaining an entire room full of them was proving more difficult than he had imagined. The fact that Erestor had not arrived and that Haldir had not sent word one way or the other as to whether he was coming had not helped matters. "That would be... great. Ah, have you-" Glorfindel waited until the maid came back to the door, which was propped open to watch for signs of either absent elf. "Have you happened to see Erestor or Haldir in the hallway as you came?"
"No, I did not," replied the kitchen maid.
"If you do happen to see them, would you mind pointing them in the general direction of us?" queried Glorfindel.
"Ah... they seemed to be fairly busy when I took their wine to them," she said. "I can ask them if they have a free moment to-"
"Just a moment." Glorfindel heard the music stop, as everyone seemed to realize what had been said. "Where are they?"
- - -
"...so when I took down the fourth one, I started to wonder, where the hell is my horse?" The laughter that was being shared by Erestor and Haldir was interrupted as the door to Erestor's room was opened. "Well, 'tis about time you came," stated Erestor matter-of-factly.
"About time I came?" Glorfindel raised a hand with finger pointed, about to give his beloved a piece of his mind. His mouth remained gaping open as his hand fell back to his side. "What is that? Where did that come from?"
Leaning back into the stack of pillows that were propping him up, Erestor sipped his wine before answering. "My sword, and it came from Lindon--where all good swords come from." Across Erestor's lap was a long, sharply pointed blade, with a tang that was nearly half the length of the blade itself. The monstrous thing could only have been held with two hands, and Liriel, who had come with Glorfindel and her mother to lead Erestor and Haldir back to have dinner, was in awe of it.
"Can I hold it?" asked Liriel as she slid around her mother. Veduiel tried to stop her daughter, but the youngling knew just how to evade her parents. "Wow, it's so shiny!"
"Maybe if Haldir helps you, you can hold it," suggested Erestor. Haldir, who had been on the couch with three of the kittens snuggled in his lap, moved the fluffs of fur back to their mother before scratching a purring Pounce behind the ears and moving to the floor.
Glorfindel wandered to the couch and attempted to sit where Haldir had vacated, but when Pounce hissed at him, he perched on the arm of the sofa. "So, were the two of you planning to come to dinner?"
"It was the plan, however, you neglected to tell me where your rooms are," said Erestor.
"Wait, how is it that they were our rooms earlier, but now-" Glorfindel gave a defeated wave of his hand and Veduiel an apologetic look when he saw her kneading her hands as her young daughter lifted the sword in the air. "Where have you been keeping that thing and why have I not seen it before?"
"Under the bed and you never asked."
"Of course, under the bed." Glorfindel waited until Liriel had had her fill of excitement before taking the sword from Haldir's grasp. "You fought with this?"
Erestor nodded. "Right up until the last battle. I hate to ruin your fun, but would you mind putting it back? I do believe we are late for an engagement, are we not?"
Again Glorfindel tried to issue a response, but simply ended up taking the sword back to its hiding spot. When he returned, he found Liriel petting the kittens and Pounce purring once again. "Why does that cat hate me?" Glorfindel asked in exasperation as Liriel and her mother left the room, with the young girl pleading for a kitten.
"Well, she used to snuggle up to me in the evenings, and now, you steal her spots. I think she is jealous," reasoned Erestor.
Leaning down, Glorfindel said to the cat, "He has two sides, you know. I will share him with you."
"Mrrwll!"
"Fine, then, be that way!" Glorfindel snorted as he heard Erestor and Haldir laugh behind him. Pounce reached out and batted the blond with her paw in a 'you can get out of my face now' manner, making Haldir laugh harder.
Glorfindel stood back up. "Crazy cat. How can anyone not like me?"
"How, indeed," chuckled Erestor.
Glorfindel regarded his lover for a moment, and then held out his arm. "Shall we?" he asked, and his arm was sought out and clung to. "Haldir? Care for an arm?" he asked, offering his other side.
"What the hell." Haldir picked up a box that was tied with a ribbon and tucked it under one arm, looping his other through Glorfindel's. And so the three walked into Glorfindel's quarters to join those already there, laughing merrily to the disbelief of everyone in the room.
"That was very nice of Haldir to give Lindir that little harp," commented Erestor as he walked to where the door would be to the washroom. Finding a solid wall, he began to feel around for a handle. "What the-?"
Hands gently settled upon his shoulders and he was turned in the other direction and taken to the washroom of Glorfindel's room. "Here you are. Tell me what you need, else you will never find it."
"Chamber pot, and yes, that would be quite upsetting if I do not find it," decided Erestor. Once he had relieved himself, he said, "I have enjoyed adventuring through your rooms this evening. I am not accustomed to walls between them."
"Yes, I guessed as much. Sorry that I forgot to pick you up for dinner. I have no idea how it is that I thought you were going to find your way over here yourself." Glorfindel held out a dry towel for Erestor after he had washed his hands.
Backing out of the room as he continued to speak to Glorfindel, Erestor said, "Worry not- I shall allow you to make it up to me---eee!" Tumbling back, Erestor had been tripped by a footstool that sent him flailing to the ground. Unable to catch him in time, Glorfindel worriedly checked him over once he had dropped down to the floor beside him. "Just a bruise or two, I am fine," he admonished, but winced when Glorfindel touched his elbow.
"I should have been more careful with where things were placed," apologized Glorfindel as he picked up Erestor and carried him to the bed. "Oh, shit."
"Oh, shit, what, shit?"
"Well, I do hope you like to snuggle against me as much as you do," said Glorfindel as he set Erestor on the bed. "I forgot how small my bed is."
"This is small," remarked Erestor as he felt over to each side, not having to move as he did so. "You just might have to sleep on the couch," he said with a grin.
"Not a chance," growled Glorfindel, and he removed his shirt quickly. Tossing it on the floor, he rushed back to the washroom to clean his teeth and wash his hands and face, and then returned to find Erestor all tucked in. "Ready or not, here I come."
"Might as well wait to come until you have made it inside, at least."
Nudging Erestor to one side of the bed, Glorfindel slid under the blankets and drew his naked lover against his warm body. "Before I forget," whispered Glorfindel as his hands began to explore Erestor's exposed skin, "I thought it was very nice that you were able to convince Elrond to allow Haldir and his brothers a little more time here before they leave for Lothlorien."
"It wasn't me," replied Erestor, meshing his body with Glorfindel's. "Legolas convinced Elrond it was safer for the party going to Lothlorien to travel with his accompaniment as they head for Greenwood and Celebrian claimed to need at least a month to plan our wedding."
"Our wedding. Incredible." Glorfindel stilled his hands. "Six months ago, I did not even know who you were. Now, here we are."
"Six months ago I knew you as barely more than a name." Cuddling close, Erestor kissed Glorfindel and then nuzzled against his shoulder. "Love you, Giggles," he said, in reference to the pet name he had given the blond due to his ticklishness.
"Love you, my dreamtalker," Glorfindel answered. Much as he missed asking questions and getting answers from his dark lover as he slept, he much rather preferred being given the answers while he was awake.
"Good. Sex now?"
Glorfindel laughed. "But of course, oh, impatient one."
