A soft knock sounded on Lord Elrond’s study door. He finished reading the paragraph of the scroll on his desk as he slid his chair back, steadying Elladan on his lap. Elrohir was fast asleep on the couch as Elrond walked by, his elder son in his arms playing with a toy horse whose head bobbed up and down as they went to the door.
Only one person knocked so quietly, as if afraid of imposition. Standing on the other side of the door, Erestor leaned on his walking stick with both hands. “General, good afternoon.”
“And to you, Lord Elrond. Little Lord Elladan,” added Erestor, and the young boy beamed at having been correctly identified. “I did not mean to interrupt you.”
“No, enter, please.” Elrond moved to the side as Erestor stepped forward, sweeping the cane slowly back and forth as he came into the room. “To what do I owe your visit?”
Turning back around so that he faced in the direction of Elrond’s voice, Erestor waited until he heard the door close to speak. “I wished to tell you, I thank you for allowing... my... lover,” he said, nearly stumbling on the words, “to stay for extra time here at the house. I know that it must be a hardship not to have Glorfindel on the borders.”
“Well, I was able to rework the schedule without too much difficulty,” said Elrond. Elladan squirmed in his arms, and he set the child down.
“But it did cause problems,” Erestor stated bluntly.
Pausing uneasily, Elrond finally admitted, “I will not lie. It is hard to have him here when he would be of more use elsewhere. We will manage.”
“I do not wish to be a burden. I do not want you doing this simply for my sake.”
Elrond folded his arms over his chest. “I am not sure I understand what you came to tell me.”
“I think you should assign Glorfindel back to the borders. He needs to be there.” Erestor bowed his head down to the left, where Elladan had fisted his hand in the dark elf’s robes and was tugging on them. “Yes, Lord Elladan?”
“Look! I have a new horsie!”
Erestor bit his bottom lip a moment, and then said, “He’s a beautiful horse, m’lord.”
Elladan let go of the heavy fabric and scampered off to play with his toy in the ‘cave’ beneath his father’s desk.
“If you are certain, Erestor,” said Elrond as he watched his son crawl around his chair.
“I am.”
“Then I will take it under consideration.” Elrond opened the door as Erestor stepped toward it.
“If you don’t mind,” said Erestor, “I would prefer you not tell Glorfindel that I came to see you. It may make things...”
“I understand,” agreed Elrond. In a low voice he added, “Sometimes we keep things from those we love when we need to.”
Erestor nodded his thanks as he left the room, still contemplating in the back of his mind the kisses he had received just an hour earlier.
- - -
“You have to do this for me. Please. I’ve gone along with your scheme.” Glorfindel nervously fidgeted with the edge of the tablecloth as Lord Elrond made his nightly announcements before dinner, unseen by those sitting around him.
Although they had been eating privately in Erestor’s rooms, Glorfindel had easily convinced the other elf to attend the evening meal in the hall with the majority of the household. Glorfindel had a place at the main table, and there were always extra seats for visiting dignitaries and honored guests.
Only minutes before the meal was to begin, Elrond had casually told Glorfindel as he helped Erestor to find his seat that he would be returning to the borders.
Tomorrow.
Leaning close again to Erestor as Elrond spoke, Glorfindel put on a show, lovingly brushing back the dark hair with one hand so that he could whisper for Erestor only to hear. It was not exactly words of love that he spoke. “Erestor, please help me. I will admit, I have become spoiled at not having to sleep on the forest floor and ride in the searing sun or pouring rain. Just... just pout a little at dinner, make Elrond think you will miss me too dearly for now. Just for a little longer – for the month, just as we said. A month. Please, Eres-“
“Wine, m’lords?” asked the server, standing behind the pair. Glorfindel pulled away from Erestor and held first his own and then Erestor’s empty goblet aloft to be filled.
As Glorfindel began to lower the filled cup down to the table, Erestor’s hand wrapped around his. Elrond was just sitting down at the head of the small head table when Erestor said, “Must you return to the borders so soon?”
“I... I’m afraid so,” confirmed Glorfindel. He cast his eyes down sadly as he set the wine on the table, but Erestor did not let go of his hand. “But... I shall write to you every chance I have.”
“Every day?”
Glorfindel had to suppress a smirk. Erestor was GOOD. “Every chance I have, my darling.” He removed his hand from the goblet and lifted Erestor’s to his lips. “Every moment, I will be thinking of seeing you again.” The kiss he placed on the back of Erestor’s hand caught the eye of more than one elf in the room, which buzzed with the nightly talk and hissed with the whispers of what was going on at the front of the hall.
“I shall miss you.” Erestor swallowed hard and shakily found his goblet, downing half of the wine in a few gulps. Setting the goblet back as the first course came around, he sniffled as Glorfindel offered to butter his bread for him.
“Is anything the matter, General Erestor?” asked the Lady Celebrian as she kept one eye on each of her sons.
“No... only just that...” Erestor let out hickuped sob and reached for the napkin in his lap, wiping at imaginary tears that seeped out from under his mask. “It has been so long since I have felt part of something. With no one here for me, I shall be once more hidden away and- Glorfindel, I am sorry, I must retire. Join me soon, beloved?” he asked, his lip quivering before he blew his nose on the fine linen.
Glorfindel was up in a flash. “I would rather we spend our night together, alone in y- our room. M’lord, if you will excuse us, please.” Helping Erestor up, Glorfindel tucked him close as the pair walked through the hall, all eyes on them as Glorfindel swiftly led the tearful Erestor from the room.
At the head table, a miffed Elrond stared until he was kicked under the table by his wife. “How could you do that to them?” she demanded, looking a little teary-eyed herself. “Poor, poor Erestor! If I were you...”
