Betrothal To An Elf
Part 10
Posted: August 17, 2007
Title: Betrothal To An Elf
Author: Inwë Sáralondë
Summary: More details emerge about Erestor’s past.
*****
“You need not tell me that I am being foolish, Elrond. I tell myself this over and over.” Erestor stood aside to allow the elf-lord entry.
One of the candles had begun to tilt, and Elrond carefully straightened it, its flame barely flickering with the movement.
“I confess I find some of your thoughts…queer. Not to mention your use of strange words; that is almost an obsession with you.”
“I know,” Erestor said quietly. “Even as an elfling words had a fascination for me; every time I learned a new one I would boast to my parents. My Adar, in particular, became very frustrated with me, and would often tell me he wished I would be as zealous with my weapons training as I was with my words.” The advisor stared at Elrond, his face pale. “I do love Glorfindel, but I can not seem to rid myself of these feelings.”
“You are not being a traitor to Gil-galad. If anything, he was a traitor to you.” Elrond smiled mirthlessly at Erestor’s startled look. “I know more about what happened between the two of you than you realise. Gil-galad took great pleasure in telling me the details of what he did.”
“You knew?” Erestor whispered in disbelief.
“Aye. And believe me when I say that I had no desire to know.” Elrond gazed at his advisor solemnly. “I was angry at Gil-galad for doing what he did, and I was angry at you for allowing him. How I wanted to speak to you, make you somehow understand that you did not deserve the treatment he meted out to you…except I did not know how to approach you. And so to my eternal regret and shame I kept quiet.”
With a sigh, Elrond sat down in a chair, and indicated to Erestor to do the same. Once the advisor was seated, Elrond continued, “Gil-galad was my king; I owed him my allegiance. As a warrior, he was formidable, his strategies sound. He cared about his men and was not afraid to show it. But…”
“He cared for me, in his own way,” Erestor said quietly.
“Yes, I suppose he did,” Elrond said heavily. “But it made my blood boil nevertheless every time he told me his latest tale.”
“Then you also know he was rarely gentle with me.”
Elrond nodded. “And that he tied you to the bed, that he would penetrate you with various objects, not to mention use a whip on you.” The elven lord shuddered. “He told me that he took particular satisfaction marking you with the whip.”
“At least he never drew blood,” Erestor murmured.
“Have you mentioned any of this to Glorfindel?”
“Only some of it. I have not had the courage to tell him everything.”
“Mayhap you should.” Both elves were quiet, and then Elrond asked, “Have you and Glorfindel…?”
“Made love?” Erestor finished. “Aye; the night twins returned. Apparently he was under instruction from you to ‘ravage me senseless’. The glare that Erestor gave Elrond made the elf-lord smile a little shamefacedly. “He was so gentle with me that I almost wept. It was nothing like what I had experienced at the hands of Gil-galad.”
“Then go and find him, mellonen. Tell him. The time has long passed for you to be keeping secrets from him. More importantly, you must finally let go. Accept that Gil-galad was for all intents and purposes a selfish fool who never understood what love was.”
Erestor rose from his chair, resolution on his face. “You are right, Elrond. It is time.”
*****
Elvish translations:
Adar – father
mellonen – my friend
*****
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