Title: Αναγέννηση της ψυχής (Rebirth of the soul)

Author: Morgana
Author’s Email: morganalebeau@yahoo.com
Web page: http://www.paranoid.nl/avalon

Pairings; Hephaestion/Elladan/Elrohir, Hephaestion/Éomer, Elrond/Glorfindel/Erestor and Haldir/Erestor.

Overall rating: NC-17 or in Master Erestor’s coding system; hot red :P
Summary: Hephaestion dies of typhus and descends into Hades. Greek gods and the Valar are identical and Námo decides that Hephaestion still has much to learn, things which he failed to learn in his life with Alexander. The Doomsman of the Valar therefore ‘sentences’ Hephaestion to a continuation of his life in Imladris. Hephaestion finds himself near the Last Homely House, still weak from his illness and is taken in by Elrond half-Elven.  

Disclaimer: Not mine, Tolkien’s and although I wish Hephaestion was mine, he isn’t either.

Warnings: Character death (Hephaestion’s) and this story is the mother of all AU stories as it is a crossover between LOTR and the movie Alexander.

Beta read by the lovely Patricia Pleasant, thank you!

Author’s Note; I took the movie by Oliver Stone as a bases for my story. I know that things happened differently in the past and that Alexander *was* at the Games when Hephaestion died. But, Stone’s scene worked for me and that is why I used it.

All remaining mistakes are mine.

The lovely drawing has been made by NOL-chan (not_only_liesATyahoo.com)

Αναγέννηση της ψυχής

Rebirth of the soul

How he wished Alexander had held him close in his final moment! But in the hour of his death his great love had turned away from him, had looked out of the window and fantasized about future conquests. Hephaestion had listened to Alexander’s voice, drawing in the sultry tone and had remembered how he used to feel, being locked in a tight embrace, held by the only love he had never known.

But typhus had brought him down; he had contracted it in Asia, during one of Alexander’s rounds of conquests.

Alexander’s voice grew softer and Hephaestion’s body convulsed with feverish cramps, which pushed his heart to beat an even faster rhythm. Unable to deal with the pressure, his heart failed him and he raised a shaky hand in one final attempt to draw Alexander’s attention. But the love of his life continued to stubbornly stare out of the window and ignored his pain. /He knows I am dying and cannot bear to look upon me in the hour of my death./

Life was flowing away from him like sand running through his fingers. Why had his love never been enough for Alexander? Why had Alexander always wanted more when the ultimate love had always been so close?

Hephaestion’s stare broke and life fled his dead eyes. His heart stopped beating and his fingers turned into claws, grasping for the last remnant of life, but failing to take hold of it.

His soul raced toward Hades, the nether world. He had never told Alexander that his greatest fear was facing Hades alone, without his love at his side, and now that fear was quickly becoming reality.

Blackness surrounded him and he screamed in agony. He yelled Alexander’s name, but his lover could no longer hear him. Alexander still belonged to the living.

His surroundings suddenly changed and he found himself on a riverbank. A boat was coming toward him and dread came over him, realizing Charon was steering it. The ferryman would help him pass the Styx. Crossing the river Lethe would have caused him to lose his memories and he would never have agreed to that. His memories of Alexander sustained him, as he struggled to accept his death and arrival in the nether world.

“Hades already awaits you. Make haste.” Charon had brought the boat close enough for Hephaestion to enter the barge.

Hephaestion looked over his shoulder, hoping to find a way to return to the land of the living and to his Alexander. A coin appeared beneath his tongue, a certain sign that the priests were tending to his corpse. His hand shook, placing the coin in Charon’s hand and stepping onto the boat. Wearing only a thin shirt, he pulled the material closer, feeling vulnerable and naked. During the last hours of his life fever had consumed him and the physicians had dressed him in as little clothes as possible, wanting easy access to his sweat-covered body.

“Why do you not sit down and calm yourself?” Charon pushed the barge away from the riverbank. He had transported many souls to the nether world and some of them had been the souls of heroes. Others had been true artists and only a few of them had been true lovers. The ferryman saw the love and compassion in the swimming blue eyes and wondered what his Lord and Master’s plans were for this particular soul.

~~~

“Go on. Hades awaits you. Do not fear Cerberus, he will not harm you.” Charon urged Hephaestion on as the soul hesitantly set foot ashore.

Hephaestion made his way to the castle-like structure which shimmered at the horizon. His soul quivered, realizing he would shortly stand before the Doomsman of the Gods.

~~~

As Charon had predicted, Cerberus let him pass. The three-headed dog merely growled at him and then stepped back. Hephaestion entered the main hall and his soul shivered, seeing the throne-like chair situated at the back of the hall. Seated on it was a transparent form. /Hades,/ he realized. The Lord of the nether world was already waiting for him.

“Come closer, Hephaestion, and do not fear me.”

Hephaestion approached cautiously. He was in no position to defend himself should Hades condemn him to a dreaded fate like Tantalus had suffered – was still suffering! His soul stood before the Doomsman of the Gods and shivered with fear.

“To you, I am known as Hades,” said the Doomsman, eyeing the soul closely.

Hephaestion nodded once. “Aye, you are.” The Doomsman’s form was growing more pronounced; long, raven hair descended down muscular shoulders, dark, burning eyes appeared in the sockets and the thin lips were curled in a smile. Dressed in black, the Doomsman’s appearance was enough to strike the poor soul with terror. “Am I about to be judged?”

“Aye, you are. Tell me, what did you learn in your life? What made your life worthwhile?” He descended from his throne and came to a standstill in front of the trembling soul.

“I found love,” said Hephaestion and for the first time in his existence he doubted that love. “Alexander loved me.”

“That is the wrong answer, my friend. What did *you* learn?” asked the Doomsman again.

Hephaestion’s head bowed, sensing defeat. “I learned that no matter how much I loved Alexander, my love was not enough. He always desired more, more lands to conquer, more wives – a son.”

“And he sacrificed your love to gain all that, did he not? You gave him your heart. You gave him everything you were and what did he do?”

Hephaestion didn’t dare look Hades in the eyes. “He loved me back.”

“But his love was a selfish one, wasn’t it?” He returned to this throne and sat down.

“No.” Hephaestion finally found the courage to look the Doomsman in the eyes, ready to defend Alexander. “He was no normal man. He was the son of Zeus…”

“He *believed* he was the son of Zeus,” said the Doomsman, correcting Hephaestion. “Alexander was a mortal man who believed the myth his mother had created and he drew you in as well.”

“He achieved many great things! Won numerous battles and…”

“And he forsook you in the end, didn’t he?”

The black eyes drilling into his made Hephaestion avert his gaze. “He did what he had to do. He took a wife because he desired a son and…”

“He failed to reach out to you when you died. He *knew* you were dying and yet, he put distance between the two of you. You wanted Alexander to hold you one last time and he walked away.”

Hephaestion began to turn away from the Doomsman, but an invisible force kept him in place and raised his head so he *had* to lock gazes with his tormentor. “Alexander could not bear seeing me die. Why hold that against him? What will my fate be? What did you decide?”

“That you did not learn the things you were supposed to learn.” He rose from his throne and cocked his head. “To the Greeks, I am known as Hades, Lord of the nether world, but I have many other names. I am also called Clymenus and Eubuleus or Polydegmon, but I bear other names as well. Names, which you never heard before. I am also called Námo, Doomsman of the Valar.”

Hephaestion didn’t know what to make of this speech. “Please, Milord, I beseech you, pass judgment onto my soul. Make it swift and if you can, have pity on me.” He felt like life had cheated him. Life and love. Both had forsaken him in the end.

“Nay, there can be no fast judgment for you,” decided Námo, eying the lost soul. “Your journey has ended and it brought you pain and disappointment. Your hands are drenched in the blood of many, your heart has been shattered and you long for a love that could never truly be yours, for Alexander was ruled by desires stronger than his love for you.”

That invisible power still held Hephaestion in place and the soul could do nothing but listen.

“Your fate will be nothing like you think it will be.” Námo approached the soul and raised a hand, running his fingers through the tangled mane, which still reeked of fever and death. “You still have much to learn.” Hephaestion’s life had been filled with war, blood and a desperate love. His soul had never known peace – true peace of the soul – for Alexander had never known it. Alexander had driven Hephaestion on, driven him to do things which he had never wanted to do. Hephaestion was a born diplomat, a tactician, and a lover of the arts, and yet, he had chosen the way of the warrior in order to please Alexander. “It is about time you discover parts of yourself which remained buried during your lifetime.”

Hephaestion’s soul sensed the power inside the Doomsman and it cried out when that power drew him in. His surroundings changed, his heart began to beat again, his veins pumped blood toward his heart and the fever took possession of his body once more. He screamed, being thrust back into life again.

~~~

The fever that consumed his body made it impossible for Hephaestion to think. His body shook, convulsions robbed him of his consciousness and he tumbled into darkness once more. The last thing he noticed before succumbing to the fever was the sweet scent of flowers in the air.

~~~

“Elladan? I smell something foul.” Elrohir cocked his head and scanned his surroundings. They had ventured into the woods near the Bruinen in search of healing herbs and had strayed from the main path.

“I smell it too,” replied Elrohir, trying to determine where the odor was coming from.

“Over there.” Elladan raised a hand and signaled for his twin to follow him into the thicket. His eyes widened in surprise when they discovered the source of the foul scent. “He is injured!” Elladan hurried over to the side of the fallen man and turned him onto his back. Long, brown hair spilled over the half-Elf’s hands and large, sapphire eyes stared blankly at the sky. Scars marred the perfect facial features and a small sigh of admiration escaped Elladan’s lips. “He is a mortal man. No Elf.”

Elrohir sat on his heels next to the wounded man and brushed damp strands of hair away from the pale face. “He has a high fever.”

The stranger’s body convulsed fiercely, making Elladan gasp in worry and he tightened his hold on the mortal. “We should take him home. Our father knows how to treat his ailment best.” Elladan lifted the stranger in his arms. “He weighs nothing.” Studying his charge closer, he realized that the cheeks were sunken and the eyes red with infection. “He needs a healer fast.”

“Then we should not waste any precious time!”

The twins broke into a run, taking their charge to the Last Homely House.

~~~

“Erestor, would you please find out what that commotion is about and tell my dear sons to quiet down?” Elrond was trying hard to focus on writing down the correct amounts of healing potions for a particular remedy and his sons were disturbing his peace and quiet.

Erestor walked over to the window and looked outside. He was about to chide the twins for making such noise when he saw the limp body in Elladan’s arms. “Elrond, come quickly. They brought in a wounded man.”

Elrond abandoned his writing and joined Erestor at the window. The dark-haired, young man in Elladan’s arms was motionless and even from this distance he saw the sweat attached to the limp body. His sons headed for the Healing House and Elrond gathered his robes close, hurrying out of his study, followed suit by Erestor.

“Ada! We need you!” Elrohir called out to their father, seeing Elrond run toward them. “We found him near the Bruinen. He was unconscious and reeks of fever.” (Ada – papa, daddy)

Elrond followed Elrohir into the Healing House and quickly directed Elladan to one of the more isolated examination rooms. “Place him on the bed and stand back.” He pushed back the sleeves of his robes and brushed aside his patient’s damp, auburn hair. “He is a mortal.” It was rather rare for a mortal to make his way into his lands unnoticed. Even in his weakened state, the mortal still possessed a touch of unearthly beauty.

“Ready a bath, Elrohir,” instructed Elrond. He then addressed Elladan, telling him exactly which herbs he needed and how he wanted them prepared. Both half-Elves hurried off to do their father’s bidding.

“What is amiss with him?” Erestor had followed Elrond into the room and stood back, giving the half-Elf the room he needed to examine his newest patient.

“I have seen this illness before – it can kill, Erestor. We must act quickly.”

“He is in mortal danger then?” Erestor took a step closer toward the bed and cocked his head. “I wonder who he is and how he came to be here.”

“Those questions will have to wait,” said Elrond, decisively, telling Elladan to hand him the tea when his oldest son entered the room. “Put the rest of the herbs in the bathtub and then fetch more.”

Elladan did as he was told and left to seek out the healers once more.

“Erestor, hold him upright. I need to undress him.” The shirt was drenched in sweat and together they removed the damp garment.

“He is muscular,” observed Erestor, a bit surprised. The facial features revealed grace and intelligence and he had not thought to find a well-trained body beneath the shirt. “He is a warrior then.” That would also explain the presence of scars on his face and the rest of his body.

“We will ask him later, should he survive,” said Elrond. He pushed his hands beneath the mortal’s knees and shoulders and lifted him. Elrond carried him into the bathroom and lowered him into the tub. On the surface of the water floated herbs, releasing their healing essence into the water.

Elrond nodded, contently, finding Elrohir had used tepid water. “Good, we need to cool him down. The lukewarm water will lessen his fever.” During the next few moments, Elrond and Elrohir attended to their patient’s needs. Elrond cleaned the sweat from the limp body and Elrohir washed the dirty hair.

“He is…” Erestor felt hesitant to finish his sentence, as he was referring to a very ill patient.

“He is beautiful,” finished Elrond for his friend. His patient’s eyes unexpectedly twitched, marginally opening. A radiant blue, which even outshone Glorfindel’s sapphire shone from the depths of the feverish eyes. Elrond focused on his task as a healer – he would question his patient later. “Can you hear me?” he asked, gesturing for Erestor to fetch towels.

Hephaestion stared at the dark-haired apparition in front of him. Was this one of Hades’ minions? The fever still had a tight hold on him and seeing the pointy ears on his savior made him question his sanity. /It must be the fever./

“I am Elrond and I am a healer. I will look after you.”

The words barely registered with Hephaestion. His vision contorted, showing him a caricature of the healer attending to him. He felt warm, but no longer hot; a pleasant spicy scent invaded his nose – and his pores. His head lolled back and forth and came to a stop when Elrond offered him a shoulder to rest it against.

“You have a very high fever and you are very ill, my friend. Fear not, though. I know of a cure and you will recover. But first, you will grow worse.” Elrond wrapped one towel around his patient’s hair, drying it and then discarded it. Next, he told Elrohir to unfold a bigger towel and he assisted his patient in getting to his feet. But, the mortal was weaker than expected and could not stand unaided. Aided by Erestor, the three Elves dried their patient’s skin.

Elrond carried his patient back to the bed and lowered him onto the mattress. “Elladan, the herbs!”

Elladan appeared at Elrond’s right and handed his father the crushed herbs, which had turned into a paste.

“We must rub it onto his entire body.” Elrond smeared the paste on his patient’s chest. Elladan covered the mortal’s legs with the salve and Erestor rubbed the ointment onto the beautiful face. “This will force the sickness out of your body. Try to sleep, my friend.”

The healer’s voice was soothing and Hephaestion’s eyes began to close. Gentle hands covered him with warm blankets and his skin started to cool down, emitting a tingling sensation. He was grateful that the convulsions stayed away and that his heart was beating in a calmer rhythm. Fingers touched his brow in a gentle fashion, caressing it, and even fingering the scar on his forehead. A softly-sung song drifted through the room and lured him into sleep.

“May your dreams be kind and peaceful,” whispered Elrond, gesturing for his sons and Chief Advisor to leave the room. “He will remain asleep for the next few hours and there is little you can do for him. I will stay at his side and watch over him. Erestor, attend to all pressing matters. Elladan, try to find out more about this stranger. Elrohir, tell the healers to make more of that paste.”

Elrond remained behind alone and now that he had some privacy, he placed a hand on his patient’s forehead. A light, seldom seen in the soul of mortals, shone from within and urged him to do everything he could to keep this one alive. Closing his eyes, he focused his curative powers and directed them into the weakened body. His charge moaned, pitifully, but he continued until he had sent enough healing energy into the exhausted body to keep him alive and strengthen him.

Elrond opened his eyes, feeling his charge tremble. “All will be well,” he promised, leaning in closer. The magical blue eyes met his and Elrond smiled, hoping to reassure his patient. “What is your name, my friend?”

“Hephaestion…” His voice sounded raw and weak, but he managed to whisper his name. The grey eyes which hovered above him were kind and warm and very much unlike Alexander’s dark ones. These eyes radiated wisdom and contentment, two emotions which he had always longed for, but had never found.

“Go back to sleep, Hephaestion,” whispered Elrond, soothingly stroking the auburn hair. Fingering the strands, he discovered some grey beneath the brown. It was hard to guess his patient’s age, but he was certain that this was no youngster. He might be thirty years old in the world of Men. /Only thirty. Elves are still considered children at that age, but for a mortal it means they already lived through half of their lifetime./

Hephaestion closed his eyes, releasing a deep sigh, as he drifted off into sleep again. His sleep was filled with images of Alexander, who would hold him close one moment and turn away from him to hold his wife or Bagoas the next. Alexander had never been his, although the King had said so. He had always had to share Alexander – with his wife, his slave, and foremost his desire to rule the world.

~~~

“Glorfindel?” Erestor entered the Captain’s office and came to a halt in front of the desk. Blue eyes looked up into his and the warrior cocked his head, obviously surprised to see him here. “The twins brought home a mortal. They found him near the Bruinen. I want you to search the grounds and to make certain that no one else invaded our lands.”

Glorfindel arched an eyebrow. “They *found* him?”

“He is very ill. Elrond did not tell me what exactly ails him, but the mortal is in a very bad way. He has a high fever and is very weak. He does not present any danger, but we must know where he hailed from and how he could enter Imladris unnoticed.”

“I agree,” said Glorfindel, thoughtfully. “I will dispatch a patrol.” It was his duty as Captain to make certain that Imladris wasn’t threatened. “Does this stranger have a name?”

“Aye, Elrond told me that he is called Hephaestion.”

“That is an odd name. I wonder where he hails from. His name does not sound like he hails from Gondor or Rohan.” Glorfindel pushed his chair back and got to his feet. “Elrond has taken this mortal under his wing?”

“You know what he is like,” replied Erestor, falling into step beside Glorfindel when the warrior headed for the doorway. “If Hephaestion can be saved, Elrond will find a way to do so. He does not accept defeat easily and I must admit that this mortal possesses a rare beauty… You should see his eyes.”

“I will most certainly seek him out once Elrond allows in visitors. I have some questions of my own which I would like to ask him.” Like how Hephaestion had managed to enter Imladris unnoticed.

“It will be many more hours before he will wake up again. The herbs Elrond used to bring down his fever also act as a sleeping potion.”

Glorfindel opened the door and stepped outside. “I will dispatch that patrol now.”

Erestor nodded once. “I would like to discuss this more in depth this evening.”

“I will meet you for dinner.” Glorfindel’s eyes narrowed in thought. He hoped that Erestor was right and that Hephaestion presented no danger to Imladris.

~~~

“How does he fare? Elladan had quietly entered the sick room and studied their patient’s sweat covered face. The eyes still possessed an angry red rim and it told him that their charge was still fighting the disease.

“His fever has lessened – slightly, but it *has* lessened.” Elrond placed the palm of his hand on Hephaestion’s brow. “He is weak. He must have been battling this fever for quite some time. I have seen it among the race of Man before and it can kill. We must remain alert.” Elrond smiled at his son. “Would you prepare another bath for him? And inform the healers that we require more of that herbal paste? I also need to treat his eyes with eye drops.”

“I will see to that,” replied Elladan, giving his father a worried look. “Do not exhaust yourself, Ada.”

“I used some of my healing energy to strengthen him, but I will be fine after I rest.” Elrond rubbed Hephaestion’s brow.

Elladan left to update the healers and tell the servants to fetch water for the bath. When Elladan returned to the room, he found Elrond in the process of lifting Hephaestion and carrying him into the bathroom. Together, the two Elves bathed their patient and poured soothing, tepid water over the heated skin. Eyelids fluttered open and Hephaestion looked at him in a dazed way. Elladan smiled and stroked the wet hair.

Elrond moved until he was in Hephaestion’s line of sight and probed the feverish eyes. Just how aware of his surroundings was his patient? “How do you feel, my friend?”

“Hot,” whispered Hephaestion, his throat and mouth felt awfully dry and made his voice sound raw. Those kind, grey eyes were focused on him and he managed a weak smile. Through a mist of fever, he whispered, “What… is… your name?”

“I am called Elrond,” said the half-Elf, introducing himself once more. ”And this is my son, Elladan.”

Hephaestion tried to memorize their names, but his thoughts were adrift and his mind as unstable as quicksand. Gentle, caring hands moved over his body, cupping water and letting it flow onto his hot skin. Its coolness felt soothing and a sigh escaped his chapped lips.

“Try to drink something,” said Elrond, placing a glass filled with fresh spring water against his charge’s lips. The scent of healing herbs filled the bathroom and his patient automatically breathed in their healing qualities.

Hephaestion sipped, forcing himself to swallow the liquid. He craved the water, but the act of swallowing it was rather painful.

“We will take you back to your bed so you can return to sleep.” Elrond gestured for Elladan to assist him and they lifted their patient from the bathtub, wrapping him in soft towels.

Hephaestion was vaguely aware of them moving him about the room. Fingertips gently moved against his skin and fingers combed his hair. His eyes closed during their way back and once he was lying down again, he drifted off into sleep. /I never felt this much at peace before./ Not even resting in Alexander’s arms had given him such peace!

Elrond reached for the paste and scooped some onto his fingertips. The two half-Elves worked quickly and efficiently, first rubbing the salve onto their patient’s front and then his back. Eventually, they rolled Hephaestion onto his back again and covered the trembling mortal with a blanket. “The sweat will drive the disease from your pores.” It was important that their patient continued to sweat.

“How much longer will he remain this weak?” inquired Elladan.

“At least for one week, maybe longer,” said Elrond in a thoughtful voice. “But I am confident that he will survive and grow strong again.”

Elladan nodded once. “I hope he will make a full recovery. I am curious to learn more about him.”

Elrond correctly interpreted the look in his son’s eyes. Elladan found Hephaestion beautiful and was probably feeling a mild attraction toward the mortal. How could he fault his son for feeling that way when he felt the attraction himself? “Will you sit with him for the next hour? I need to discuss his arrival with Glorfindel.” He needed to inform Glorfindel of their patient’s arrival, knowing that the Captain would want to make certain that there was no lingering threat. But he also needed to talk to his lover privately for he had missed having Glorfindel close.

~~~

“I have dispatched a patrol,” said Glorfindel, seating himself opposite Elrond in his study. “I wonder where this mortal hails from and how he entered our lands unnoticed. The sentries should have sighted him and alerted us of his presence.” This development vexed him!

“I do not perceive any threat,” said Elrond, steepling his fingers and watching his lover intently. “Vilya remains quiet and has not warned me about any menace invading our lands. I do believe Hephaestion entered Imladris alone.”

“You seem… smitten with him,” whispered Glorfindel after carefully considering what word to use to describe Elrond’s tone.

“He is beautiful, Glorfindel, even in his weakened and feverish state.” Elrond raised an eyebrow. “You certainly do not feel *that* insecure about our love?” They had been lovers since his wife had left and best friends since Glorfindel’s return to Arda.

Glorfindel grinned. “Not threatened, more… intrigued. When will I meet this beautiful creature?”

“As I said before,” replied Elrond, putting an end to their mutual teasing, “he is still rather weak. You will have to wait a few more days at the least. I will let you know when he is coherent enough to be questioned.”

Glorfindel rose from his chair, rounded the desk and came to a standstill behind Elrond. He placed his hands on his lover’s shoulders, leaned in closer and whispered, “I love you, Elrond, and I cannot help feeling slightly jealous because you are spending so much time in the Healing House.”

Elrond smiled, contently, knowing Glorfindel was merely trying to tell him that he missed him and didn’t begrudge Hephaestion his presence in his capacity of a healer. “I will not let him die, Glorfindel. He was found on Imladris’ soil and I feel responsible for him and,” he added in afterthought, “I want to know what brought him to the Last Homely House.”

~~~

Hephaestion opened his eyes again three days later. The fever had lessened and he was able to think rationally. He stared at the ceiling at first, deeply inhaling the strong scent of the healing herbs that emanated from his pores. At first, he thought he was alone, but then his eyes encountered the dark-haired healer slumped over in his chair. Raven hair spilled onto the mattress, as he had fallen asleep with his head resting on his forearms.

What had happened? What did he remember? Memories of Hades returned and the odd speech the god of the dead had given him with it. Hades had called himself Námo and had ‘sentenced’ him to a second life, away from Alexander.

Thinking of his lost love brought tears to his still infected eyes. The salt in them stung and he quickly wiped them away. He was no longer in Ecbatana, Alexander was nowhere in sight and he was surrounded by strangers – kind strangers, but still, strangers.

“You are awake.” Elladan, who had lost his fight to stay awake some time ago, sat upright and probed the clear eyes. “The fever is leaving you – good!” He rubbed the last remnants of sleep from his eyes and rose from his chair. Leaning in closer, he studied the dazed, blue eyes. “Are you hungry? You have not eaten for days.”

“Hungry?” Hephaestion nodded, absentmindedly.

“I will be right back,” announced Elladan, leaving the room to ask the healers to have food fetched from the kitchens and his father informed of his patient’s improved state.

Hephaestion looked about the room, wondering where he was.

“I am called Elladan,” said the half-Elf upon his return to Hephaestion’s side, realizing his patient didn’t recall who he was. “My father and I sat with you these last few days.” He seated himself close to the bed and continued to watch Hephaestion.

“I remember calm, grey eyes,” whispered Hephaestion, ignoring how sore and raw his throat felt.

“That would be my father, Elrond.”

Hephaestion searched Elladan’s brown eyes and then sucked in his breath, encountering strangely pointed ears. “Who are you? Where am I?”

“Your questions will be answered – in time,” said Elladan, disliking seeing distress in the sea-blue eyes.

One of the healers entered the room, bringing foods from the kitchen.

Hephaestion’s eyes widened again, seeing the pointy ears on the silver-haired healer.

“Eat,” ordered Elladan, realizing that Hephaestion had probably never seen an Elf before. That wasn’t very odd, as not many mortals came into contact with them.

Hephaestion nibbled on the wedges of an apple, enjoying the fresh and slightly sour taste. He continued to eat several parts of an orange and then settled for staring at Elladan.

“Ah, you are awake.” Elrond entered and exchanged a curious look with his son.

“He is lucid and coherent,” said Elladan, correctly reading his father’s look. He vacated his chair so Elrond could sit and took up position behind his father.

“My name is Elrond… Elrond half-Elven.”

“Half-Elven?” Was his fever playing tricks on him?

“Aye, half-Elven. My mother was a She-Elf and my father a mortal man.”

Hephaestion swallowed hard; had he heard correctly? “I do not understand.”

“You do not need to understand any of this, not yet,” said Elrond, quickly soothing his patient when he saw the rising panic in the blue eyes. “Drink this.” He quickly reached for the herbal tea, which would soothe Hephaestion’s nerves and lure him into sleep again. Hephaestion obediently sipped, but Elrond noticed the continued suspicious and disbelieving expression in the glazed eyes.

“Where am I? This isn’t Ecbatana,” whispered Hephaestion. He curled trembling fingers around Elrond’s, trying to pull the healer closer to him so he could better study his eyes. Those eyes would tell him the truth – his instincts told him that much.

“I never heard of a place called that,” said Elrond, rubbing the damp back of Hephaestion’s hand. “You are in Imladris now.”

“Imladris?” Hephaestion blinked in surprise.

“Why don’t we wait to discuss this until you feel more rested?” Elrond sensed his charge’s distress and hoped the herbal tea would rapidly put his patient to sleep again.

“How long have I been here already?” asked Hephaestion.

“Four days,” replied Elladan, who also wondered about the questions in their patient’s eyes. “My brother and I found you in the bushes near the Bruinen.”

“Bruinen?” His head reeled as he tried to make sense of the things they were telling him.

“Aye, the river.” Elladan grew concerned, seeing their patient shake himself to pieces.

“I crossed the Styx… I talked to Hades and he said…” Hephaestion struggled to draw in his next breath. “I died,” he whispered, meeting Elrond’s calm eyes. He needed to look into them in order find his inner peace again.

“You died?” Elrond rubbed his patient’s fingers, sending tiny amounts of his healing energy into his patient’s limb. “That cannot be. The fever must have played tricks on you.” No mortal would ever enter the Halls of Waiting; at least that was what he had been taught.

“He said his name was Námo and…” Painful memories starring his Alexander returned and Hephaestion closed his eyes, feeling miserable.

“Námo?” Elrond looked into his son’s eyes and Elladan raised an eyebrow.

The sleeping draught was finally unfolding its effects and Hephaestion’s eyes began to close. “Aye, sleep now.” If what his patient had told him was true, Elrond needed to discuss this in depth with Glorfindel and Erestor. His lover had been at the Halls and might be able to determine if Hephaestion was telling the truth or not. And Erestor would offer him wise counsel once they had gathered all the information they needed.

“He is asleep again,” whispered Elladan, careful not to awake their patient.

Elrond rose from his chair, placed Hephaestion’s hand below the blanket and tucked the fabric around his patient’s form. “Elladan, will you sit with him a little longer? I need to talk to Glorfindel.”

Elladan nodded his head once. “I will stay with him.” And this time, he wouldn’t fall asleep.

~~~

“He actually mentioned talking to Námo?” asked Glorfindel, intrigued.

“He called him Hades at first, but then referred to him as Námo.” Elrond looked at his two most trusted friends, knowing they would counsel him well. “Glorfindel, I want you to talk to him once Hephaestion has sufficiently recovered. If what he says is true, it means that a mortal entered the Halls and was then sent back.”

“A most interesting concept,” agreed Erestor. “We cannot dismiss his claim to have met Námo. Not until the mysterious circumstances around his arrival have been clarified.”

“I talked to the sentries,” said Glorfindel. “And none of them noticed anything out of the ordinary. It would appear that your patient came out of nowhere.”

“He also appears to have never seen an Elf before,” continued Elrond. “We must proceed carefully where new revelations are concerned.”

“What else do you know of him?” asked Glorfindel, trying to gather as much information on Hephaestion as possible.

“He fought his share of battles,” said Elrond, musing aloud. “The scars on his body tell of many fights and many injuries. He is muscular and I found large amounts of callus on his hands, which leads me to believe that we are dealing with a swordsman.”

“He does not hail from Rohan or Gondor,” said Erestor, thinking aloud. “His name has an alien ring to it and he does not wear any marks that would lead us to believe that he stems from these lands.”

“Then where did he come from?” Elrond frowned.

“We will ask him,” said Glorfindel, meeting his lover’s questioning gaze. “If he is truly an innocent and entered our lands unawares, he will tell us the truth.”

“But we must be patient a little longer,” said Elrond. “He is far from recovered.”

“I can wait,” replied Glorfindel, but he *was* curious and eager to talk to someone who claimed to have returned from the Halls like he had.

~~~

“Elladan, you remind me of Bagoas.” Hephaestion had awoken late that evening and had stared at his companion for a long time.

Elrohir smiled, sweetly. “I am Elrohir,” he said, introducing himself. Seeing Hephaestion’s questioning gaze, he added, “My twin, Elladan, sat with you these past few days, but he had to leave and I took his place.” It had been Elladan’s turn to lead the patrol and Elrohir had taken his twin’s place, sitting with their charge.

“Twins…” Hephaestion filed that information away to be used later. Elrohir also possessed such oddly shaped ears and Elrond’s words returned to him – half-Elven. His father had told him fairy tales when he had been little and he had even told him stories, which didn’t originally stem from Greece, but from the wild tribes up north, which believed in creatures like Elves. But those Elves had been little and had carried wings. The Elves in his father’s tales and these were not identical.

“Who is Bagoas?” asked Elrohir, curiously. He assisted Hephaestion in sitting upright and placed a bowl with soup in his patient’s hands.

“A slave… Alexander freed him.” Bagoas had been more than that, though. Bagoas had been a rival – a rival to Alexander’s love.

“Slavery was banished from these lands a long time ago. Is it still common place where you hail from?” Elrohir steadied Hephaestion’s shaky hands and helped him drink the soup.

“Alexander tried to do away with it.” Hephaestion’s eyes grew clouded with emotional pain. Elrohir’s raven hair and the dark eyes reminded him of the beautiful slave *and* the fact that Alexander had bedded Bagoas.

“Who is Alexander?” Elrond had told him to extract as much information from Hephaestion as he could and he was curious himself to learn more about the handsome mortal.

“I… loved… him.” Hephaestion almost choked on his emotions and pushed the soup away. “I do not want to discuss him!”

Elrohir blinked, hearing the raw, emotional and yet commanding tone. There was passion inside Hephaestion’s voice and the man’s tone told him that the mortal was used to being obeyed. Hephaestion must have wielded some power in the past. “Please forgive me. I did not want to remind you of your loss.” Hephaestion had said *loved* him. That love belonged in the past now.

“I… I do not want to talk anymore.” Hephaestion turned onto his right side, facing away from Elrohir. For as long as he could remember Alexander and he had been close. Alexander had been the only constant factor in a life which had been ruled by battles, conquests and conspiracies. Life for him had always been difficult at best. Alexander’s love had set him apart from the other commanders and many had been envious of the special place he had held in Alexander’s heart. He had often felt isolated and had only had Alexander to turn to for comfort.

But Alexander’s behavior had been unpredictable at best and he had always been aware of the fact that his lover could turn volatile at any given time.

He had loved Alexander, but his lover had also brought out a paranoid side of him which Hephaestion wasn’t proud of. His fears had made it very hard for him to form new friendships, as he always had to keep in mind that Alexander’s reactions could be unpredictable.

“I will leave you alone, then.” Elrohir rose from his chair and walked toward the doorway. “My father will visit with you shortly as he has to check on your condition.”

Hephaestion nodded once to show he had heard. “Thank you for understanding.”

“I do not know what happened between you and this Alexander, but I can see that he caused you pain. I am not blind, Hephaestion.” Elrohir would have reached out and comforted Hephaestion, if the mortal man had given any indication that he would have accepted such comfort.

But Hephaestion’s shoulders merely shook and he pulled the blanket up to his shoulders, signaling he wanted to be alone.

“Should you have need for company, tell the healers and one of them will fetch me or my father.”

Hephaestion nodded again and heard the door close behind Elrohir. He had seldom cried in his life, but the tears came easily now that he mourned the loss of Alexander’s love and the life as he had known it.

~~~

“Alexander? I never heard of such a name before.” Elrond pinched the bridge of his nose and briefly closed his eyes. “At least we know a bit more about our patient now.”

“I do not know much about this Alexander,” said Elrohir, updating Elrond, Glorfindel and Erestor. “But I got the impression that he hurt Hephaestion in the past.”

“I have not seen that much of Hephaestion’s behavior, but he strikes me as a bit docile,” said Elrond, thinking aloud.

“I disagree,” replied Elrohir. “When he mentioned Alexander, probably by accident, his voice took on a commanding tone.”

“We need more information,” said Erestor, decisively. “We cannot draw any conclusions yet. We have too little information on our patient.”

“What do you suggest?” Meeting Erestor’s almost black eyes, Elrond suspected he already knew what his Chief Advisor’s plans were.

“I can put him into a light trance,” said Erestor, holding Elrond’s gaze. “I can find out who he is, if he speaks the truth and how to treat him best.”

Erestor’s ability to go into someone else’s mind had come in handy before and Elrond nodded once. “I will consider your suggestion. In the meantime I want you, Elrohir, to sit with Hephaestion. I need time to think this over.”

Elrohir and Erestor excused themselves, leaving Elrond alone with Glorfindel. The Lord of Imladris sighed blissfully when Glorfindel pulled him into his arms. “This mortal intrigues me.”

“Does he also attract you?” inquired Glorfindel, calmly.

“Had I been much younger and unbound, he might have.” Elrond searched his lover’s eyes and found they were a different shade of blue than Hephaestion’s. “But I love only you, meleth.” (meleth – male love)

Glorfindel pressed a kiss onto Elrond’s trembling lips. “I do not doubt your love for me or your faithfulness. I am merely curious to find out why this mortal is of such great interest to you.”

“We can visit him for a while,” suggested Elrond. “He will probably be asleep and if we are quiet, we won’t wake him.”

“I like that idea.” Glorfindel placed the palm of his hand against Elrond’s cheek and caressed his lover’s face by rubbing his thumb over the skin. “I would like to see this one for myself.”

Elrond leaned into the touch, rubbing his cheek against his lover’s palm. “Only for a moment then.” He rose from the couch and pulled Glorfindel along. They would only visit for a moment and leave before Hephaestion would wake up again.

~~~

“You are right – he is exquisite.” Glorfindel stood near the foot end of the bed, studying the newest addition to Imladris.

Only a few of Imladris’ original population had remained, now that Arwen had wedded her King. Most of the Firstborn were readying themselves to sail to the Undying Lands, but something seemed to stop Elrond from taking that final step.

And, Glorfindel had observed, his lover wasn’t the only hesitant one. Celeborn and Thranduil had declined passage as well and there were rumors that the two Elves, former opponents, had buried the old hatchet and were keeping each other company.

Here in Imladris, Elrond remained with his sons. And as long as Elrond dwelt here, so would Glorfindel and Erestor. A handful of loyal servants and healers had also remained. Glorfindel’s personal guards took care of defending Imladris against the Orcs which only rarely invaded their lands these days. Now that Elessar was King, peace had come over the land.

“Aye, he is exquisite, even with his eyes closed,” said Elrond, releasing a sound that resembled a choked giggle. Elrohir, seated at their patient’s bed side, looked up and nodded once. His son agreed.

To their surprise, Hephaestion suddenly stirred in his sleep. The mortal moved about in a restless fashion, raised his right hand and called out, “Alexander!”

“It appears that he misses his lover.” Elrohir caught Hephaestion’s hand in his and gently squeezed the fingers. “Sleep peacefully,” he whispered, caressing his charge’s brow. “I will chase away the nightmares which haunt you.” Hephaestion stilled and seemed to drift into a state of deeper sleep.

“What are your plans for him?” inquired Glorfindel. They *would* eventually sail and then Hephaestion would remain alone in Imladris.

“I have not thought that far ahead yet,” replied Elrond, fingering a lock of Hephaestion’s hair. “I am certain I will find a satisfactory solution.”

Unexpectedly Hephaestion’s lucid blue eyes opened and focused on him. “You are among friends, Hephaestion.”

Hephaestion felt reassured, seeing Elrond’s calm eyes. He had been dreaming of Alexander, had dreamt of holding him close and then Námo had appeared, ruthlessly separating them. “Why did he do that?”

Elrond arched an eyebrow and seated himself on the side of the bed. “Who did what?”

“Námo. Why did he not allow me to dwell on the Elysian Fields where I could await Alexander’s arrival?” Hephaestion’s gaze drifted away from Elrond and his heart momentarily stopped beating, finding a familiar face staring back at him. “Alexander?” He managed to push himself upright and reached for the blond standing at the foot end of his bed. For one bewitched moment, he thought Alexander had managed to find him, but then he realized something was wrong. “You have blue eyes – not brown.”

Glorfindel felt worried, seeing Hephaestion’s fierce reaction to him. Judging it best not to approach further, he remained at a distance. “My name is not Alexander. I am called Glorfindel and I am Captain of the guards here.”

“Glorfindel…” Feeling hugely disappointed, Hephaestion fell back into the comfort of his pillows. Blankly, he stared at the handsome face. “Alexander wears his hair like that.” Alexander had let his hair grow during those last few years. Glorfindel’s face possessed the same firm features Alexander’s had and the Elf’s muscular physique also reminded him of his King.

Glorfindel delicately moistened his lips. “It appears that my presence here brings you pain. I should leave.” Thoughts of closely questioning Hephaestion had disappeared, seeing the emotional pain in the swimming eyes. Like Elrond, he sensed no evil in the mortal.

“No, you do not have to leave on my account!” Hephaestion drew in a deep breath and suddenly grew aware of the soothing caresses bestowed onto his hand and forehead. He didn’t want Glorfindel to feel embarrassed, or unwanted.

Elrond moved, diplomatically blocking Hephaestion’s view of Glorfindel. “Do you feel strong enough to answer some questions for me?”

That moment, Erestor entered, carrying a tray filled with water, wine, bread, cheese and meats. “I thought your patient would be hungry.”

Faced with another new Elf Hephaestion barely managed to compose himself. His heart still reeled from the shock of looking at Glorfindel and its beat was still too fast. Maybe concentrating on this new Elf would distract him. Exactly at that moment, his stomach growled angrily. “It would seem I am hungry, yes.” Hephaestion knew he had to start acting in a composed way. He didn’t want these Elves to think him incapable, or even worse, a nuisance like some of Alexander’s commanders had.

Erestor approached the bed and sat the tray on Hephaestion’s lap. “My name is Erestor. I am Chief Advisor to Lord Elrond here.”

Hephaestion’s lips curled in a smile. “You advise him?”

“And I make certain Imladris runs smoothly.” Erestor probed Hephaestion’s eyes for a split second and saw the interest there. “I make certain that there is enough food, wine, clothes and I keep stock of every item needed in Imladris. I also attend to most of Elrond’s correspondence and set up the duty rosters for the guards.”

Elrond had also noticed the bright spark of interest in Hephaestion’s eyes. “I would be lost without him! Imladris would be a mess.” Hephaestion softly laughed and the very sound of it enchanted him. “Why do you think that funny?”

“I held almost the same position at Alexander’s court. He would often joke and tell me he would be a mess without me.” Hephaestion’s laughter faded, seeing the calculated expression in Elrond’s eyes. What had he said that had displeased the half-Elf?

“Alexander’s court?” Elrond frowned. “He was a King, then?”

“Yes, a mighty King.”

“But none I ever heard about.” Elrond drew in a deep breath and considered his options. Hephaestion had begun to eat and occasionally sipped the wine. Elrond made up his mind and nodded once after seeking out Erestor’s eyes. /Do it. We must know who he is and how we can best help him./

Erestor returned the nod and when Elrond vacated his spot on the bed, he took it. After seating himself, he made eye contact with Hephaestion. The vivid blue eyes revealed sudden suspicion. “Hephaestion, among my kind some are born with the ability to venture into another’s mind. I am one of them. Elrond wants to help you, but feels he cannot do that without knowing who you really are. He therefore asked me to explore your mind, your thoughts and your past. I will change nothing. I will only know what you do now.”

His hunger instantly faded and Hephaestion forced himself to swallow that last bite. “Why?”

“There are several reasons,” explained Erestor in a patient tone. If Hephaestion truly possessed the characteristics that had made him an advisor in the past, the mortal would understand why Elrond would make this request. “Imladris is a peaceful place and we cannot allow anyone to threaten its existence. We also need to know if you told us the truth when you mentioned your encounter with Námo.”

“Why would I lie? How could I come up with something like that?” Their distrust hurt!

“What did Námo look like?” asked Glorfindel, seeing the pain that simmered in Hephaestion’s eyes before the mortal could cover up his emotions. /I must really resemble this Alexander./

“He had long, raven hair, which descended down his muscular shoulders. Dark, smoldering eyes burned into mine and his thin lips were curled in a smile. He was entirely dressed in black robes.”

Glorfindel nodded once. The lore that surrounded the Valar seldom spoke of their appearance, which changed with the story teller’s preference, but Glorfindel had seen Námo and knew the truth. “Did he wear any jewelry?”

Hephaestion frowned, but then concentrated harder. “Yes… a silver necklace with a locket attached to it. Something red shone from its depth.”

“He met Námo.” Glorfindel firmly nodded his head. “That much is true.”

“How can you be so certain that I met Hades?”

“Because I met him in the past as well, my friend. And he did the same thing to me. I died and he decided that my work was not done yet. He told me that I was about to be reborn and that it was my calling to serve Elrond.” Glorfindel’s expression softened and he placed his hands on Elrond’s shoulders. “Little did I know that it was also my calling to love Elrond.” He kissed the crown of his lover’s head and pulled Elrond’s upper body close, so the half-Elf could rest the back of his head against his abdomen. “Námo’s ways are always hard to understand.” But Glorfindel had come to believe that the Vala *knew* extremely well what he was doing.

Hephaestion had never expected Glorfindel’s revelation. “You returned from the dead as well?”

“I did.” Glorfindel intercepted Erestor’s gaze and smiled. “What did you find?”

Hephaestion’s eyes widened, realizing what Glorfindel’s words entailed. “You searched my mind?” he asked Erestor, face alight with disbelief.

“I did.” Erestor brushed a strand of wayward, damp hair behind Hephaestion’s ear and then looked into Elrond’s eyes. “Your charge speaks the truth. Námo is responsible for this.”

“What else did you learn?” Curious, Elrond moved closer again.

“Much. I will tell you in time.” Erestor’s head still spun with all the new things he had discovered in Hephaestion’s mind. Looking at Glorfindel, he now understood why gazing upon the warrior’s face brought Hephaestion such discomfort. Redirecting his attention to Hephaestion, he prodded the mortal to eat some bread and cheese. After Hephaestion had done so, Erestor offered him a glass filled with not so strong wine. “How do you feel? Sleepy?”

Hephaestion shook his head. “I feel better.”

“Then listen to me.” Erestor, assuming a teaching mode which he had abandoned after training the twins, said, “You already know Elrond half-Elven, Lord of Imladris.” After Hephaestion nodded, he continued. “Imladris is an Elven realm located in Middle-Earth. The lands which you lived in are not part of this world. Greece, Babylon, even Asia are not part of this… reality.” He had chosen that word on purpose, realizing Hephaestion’s reality had greatly differed from theirs in the past. “There are two major Kingdoms in Middle-Earth, which are ruled by Men. There is Gondor, ruled by Elessar and his wife, Arwen, who is Elrond’s youngest child.”

Hephaestion was doing his utmost best to memorize all these new facts. He had never been much of a warrior, or at least Alexander’s commanders had constantly told him so, but he had always been a good tactician and advisor. His expertise was words and facts, numbers and distances, not sword and spear.

“And then there is Rohan, ruled by Éomer.” Erestor’s gaze became thoughtful, as if struck by some revelation. “If I interpret Námo’s decision correctly, it means that you will remain here until your dying day. If that is the case, you must familiarize yourself with these names and places.”

“And he can continue doing that another day when he does not feel this drained.” Elrond intervened, believing Hephaestion needed a moment to compose himself and rest. “You can be a bit overly zealous, my dear Erestor.”

Erestor nodded once. “You are right.” He rose from the bed and gave Hephaestion a last smile. “We will talk again, my friend.” He gathered his burgundy robes close around his frame and strode out of the room.

”Forgive him,” said Elrond, urging his patient to drink the rest of the wine. “Erestor is an excellent Advisor, the best in Middle Earth, but he can be a bit over enthusiastic.”

“I am fine,” whispered Hephaestion. His thoughts raced with information, but that was a good thing, as it kept him from brooding about losing Alexander.

“My son, Elrohir, will stay with you. I will visit with you in the morning and then we will see how strong you really are. If you’ve recovered sufficiently, I might allow you to leave your bed for a little while.”

Hephaestion nodded, eagerly. “I would like that.” He moistened his lips and then added, “Before I woke up here that first time I had already spent weeks in bed – feeling ill and exhausted.”

“We will see how it goes,” said Elrond, unwilling to make any promises yet. “You might want to rest or try to go back to sleep. You will feel stronger in the morning if you do.”

The wine was doing its job and made him drowsy. Slipping into a state of half-sleep, Hephaestion involuntarily reached for Glorfindel and he managed to take hold of one of the warrior’s hands. “Stay with me… my Alexander,” he whispered, balancing on the edge of sleep.

Glorfindel gave Elrond a questioning look and the half-Elf resolutely loosened Hephaestion’s hold on the Captain’s hand. “If you really remind him of his lost love it would be best if you kept your distance for the next few weeks. Hephaestion must deal with the loss and he will be able to do that best if you are not around to remind him of Alexander.”

Glorfindel nodded once, realizing Elrond’s words were wise and sound. “You are right, meleth. He intrigues me as well.” /And aye, Hephaestion is beautiful./ The mortal would break many hearts during his stay in Middle-Earth.

~~~

“It is time to take your bath,” announced Elrohir with a wicked gleam in his eyes. It would also be the first time that Hephaestion would be awake and rational when taking his bath, which promised some interesting moments.

“I can take my own bath,” said Hephaestion, insistently.

“Feel free to try.” Elrohir took a step away from the bed and watched Hephaestion struggle to his feet. The mortal swayed and was headed for a fall, but Elrohir folded his arms around Hephaestion’s middle, keeping him upright. “I do not think you are strong enough yet, my friend.”

“This feels humiliating.” Hephaestion defiantly glared at Elrohir. He was still trying to come to terms with the fact that his life had been upended and that Elrohir resembled Bagoas. How would he deal with both twins present, reminding him of the sensual slave?

“Why is that?” Elrohir didn’t bother to cover Hephaestion with blankets, sheets or a robe and guided his charge into the bathroom.

“I should be able to do this myself.” Hephaestion blushed, being helped by Elrohir as he lowered himself into the water. He loved his baths, but felt awkward, seeing Elrohir standing close and watching him. He understood why the half-Elf remained close as he was still far from being healed, but that didn’t put his mind at ease.

“You are still recovering and should not feel awkward about accepting help,” said Elrohir, sitting on his heels in order to wash and rinse Hephaestion’s hair. “Is it because I remind you of Bagoas?” He had memorized the name and recalled Hephaestion’s reaction to first seeing him.

“Bagoas was… exquisite.” Hephaestion closed his eyes, trying to lock out the memories. “He moved in a sensual way and just the look in his eyes was enough to make you fall in love with him.”

“But you did not? Fall in love with him?” Elrohir finished washing Hephaestion’s hair and sat back, settling for watching the mortal who seemed to thoroughly enjoy his bath.

“I did not. I was jealous of him.” Why was he confiding in Elrohir? How could the half-Elf possibly understand the hurts of his heart?

“Because Alexander bedded him?” Elrohir raised an eyebrow, seeing the pain beneath Hephaestion’s mask.

“I should never have been so selfish to want Alexander for my own. Alexander was a King, Elrohir, and he needed an heir. That was why he married. I could understand that.”

Elrohir nodded. His father had told him a long time ago that he preferred male companionship. Therefore Elladan and he had not been surprised to learn that Elrond had taken Glorfindel as his lover after their mother had sailed for Aman.

“But the fact that he took Bagoas to his bed *did* feel as betrayal.”

Elrohir considered everything he had learned. “It does not sound like Alexander made you happy.”

“Oh, but he did. Each moment spent with him was a moment spent in bliss.”

“Then why do your eyes tear up when you speak his name? And why think of Bagoas?” Elrohir hated confronting Hephaestion with his feelings, but it was probably the very reason why Námo had returned the mortal to life in the first place.

“He caused me pain as well,” said Hephaestion, reluctantly. He chose to remember the happier times, the love they had shared.

“I will leave you to your bath now,” announced Elrohir, rising from the floor. “Call for me when you are done.” He thought it important that Hephaestion had some privacy at this point and left the bathroom.

Now that he was all alone, Hephaestion allowed for his tears to fall.

~~~

“Lean back against me, meleth.” Glorfindel pulled Elrond close when his lover rested his back against him and kissed the dark strands teasing against his chest. They had retired for the night and Elrond had been distracted, probably still contemplating his patient’s history.

“Share your thoughts with me.” Glorfindel folded his arms around Elrond, savoring the skin-on-skin sensation. They had taken to sleeping in the nude a long time ago and tonight was no exception.

“I worry about Hephaestion.”

“And why is that?”

“He lost the one person he loved,” whispered Elrond, closing his eyes and inhaling his lover’s scent which reminded him of pine and the forest. Glorfindel had moved into his rooms five years after Celebrían had left for Aman and the golden-haired warrior had spent every night in his bed since then; that was, if he wasn’t out there leading a patrol.

Elrond had never realized just how much he had come to rely on Glorfindel, who had become his lover and his mate. Had he still been unbound, he would have bonded with Glorfindel the day they had become lovers. “We both know how losing the one person we love can affect us.” He had lost his wife and Glorfindel had lost Ecthelion.

Glorfindel’s hands inched over Elrond’s chest and skilled fingers took to playing with his nipples. Glorfindel had always known how to play his body and Elrond still melted beneath the skilled touch. “I am yours,” Elrond whispered, looking forward to letting go of all responsibility and handing control over to his lover.

Recognizing the particular mood Elrond was in, Glorfindel took charge. Maintaining a tight hold on Elrond’s waist, he began to tip him over, depositing Elrond onto his hands and knees. Not a single word was spoken between them when Glorfindel unstopped the vial of oil and Elrond assumed a more comfortable position. The half-Elf rested his head on his forearms, wriggled his backside and sighed deeply. He could hardly wait for Glorfindel to claim him.

After coating himself with the oil, Glorfindel moved into position. Kneeling behind Elrond, he parted the globes and massaged the guardian ring before letting one oiled finger slip inside. Elrond was ready for him, more so, eager for him, and Glorfindel sheathed himself in one stroke.

Elrond bit down onto his forearms to keep himself from screaming out, as he was filled in one fluid thrust. Strong hands gained a tight grip on his waist and then the pounding started. Oh, he loved the way Glorfindel would fill him up, almost pull out and then bury himself once more. He could never get enough of that!

Hands possessively slid up Elrond’s spine and gripped the shoulders. One hand continued its journey and fingers buried themselves in the half-Elf’s tangled mane. Pulling at the hair, he pounded away at the half-Elf’s sensitive gland, sending shards of painful pleasure through Elrond’s body. He leaned in closer, pressed his lips onto Elrond’s shoulder blade and bit the skin there.

Elrond yelped, quite helplessly, as Glorfindel continued to ravish him. He had learned to crave the feeling of being utterly possessed. Glorfindel’s capacity to reduce him to this state captivated him, and he grunted, accepting his lover’s seed deep inside him.

Glorfindel delivered one more thrust, aimed directly at Elrond’s prostate and then threw back his head, growling his lover’s name as he found release.

Elrond climaxed a moment after that, trembling over his entire body and sobbing softly, as the impact of his release left him feeling weak and vulnerable. But then Glorfindel’s strong arms wrapped around his waist, lowering him onto the bed. The warrior spooned behind him, the tip of his erection still buried inside his passage. It was one of the most intimate moments he had ever experienced.

“Sleep now,” whispered Glorfindel, who had noticed how weak his lover’s inner light shone. “You gave too much of yourself in order to strengthen Hephaestion.  You must recuperate, meleth.” He still vividly remembered that first time when he had realized how much Elrond craved letting go. That moment, the dynamic that formed their relationship had been born. During the day, Elrond was the Lord of Imladris, the wise, strong and compassionate ruler of this valley and at night, Elrond could let go and entrust himself to Glorfindel.

Elrond cuddled up to Glorfindel, feeling lazy and satiated. “Will you watch over me?”

“Always, meleth.” Glorfindel held Elrond close, signaling that the half-Elf didn’t have to be strong one. Their roles were reversed and the warrior guarded the half-Elf’s sleep, making certain no nightmares or doubts assailed Elrond’s dreams.

~~~

The next morning Hephaestion woke up feeling stronger. Elrohir handed him a hand-held mirror at his request and Hephaestion studied his reflection, finding the angry, ugly infection that had impaired his vision gone. “Your father is a great healer,” he said, giving Elrohir a smile. “My doctor didn’t know how to cure me of this illness.”

Elrohir accepted the compliment on his father’s behalf. “Aye, he has an extensive knowledge of herbs and their healing qualities.” Hephaestion didn’t need to know that curing him had also required Elrond pouring his healing energy into him.

“Do you think your father will allow me out of bed today?” He hoped so. He wanted to know what lay beyond the door to his room, wanted to know what Imladris looked like and encounter more of these ethereal Elves. Speaking of Elves… “I noticed that your ears are one thing that set you apart from us mortals. Are there more characteristics?” His shrewd mind was already working, collecting information. If he really was to stay here for the rest of his second life, he should find out as much as he could. It would help him adapt to his new life here.

“We age differently, which makes us practically immortal,” said Elrohir, seating himself on the side of the bed. “How old are you, Hephaestion?”

“I am thirty-three years old.” In his world he would already be considered old, half of his life gone as warriors didn’t grow that old.

“A mere child,” said Elrohir, chuckling. Seeing his patient’s indignant glare, he added, “You would be considered only fifteen in the world of Elves – a child.”

“How old are you?” Hephaestion was beginning to suspect that Elrohir wasn’t as young as he looked like.

“I am several centuries old.” Elrohir continued to chuckle, seeing Hephaestion first choke on his tea and then spitting it out. “Be careful there. I would not want you to choke on your tea!”

“And your father? Elrond?”

“Several millennia.” Elrohir rescued the teacup from Hephaestion’s shaky hand and placed it on the nightstand.

“Yes, I must appear a child to you,” realized Hephaestion. “But I am not!”

“Of course you are no child.” Elrond, followed by Erestor entered the sick room. “But, by the age of thirty, Elrohir was still considered much too young to have any wine, or play unsupervised.”

“Fortunately I have long passed that stage!” Amused, Elrohir rose from the bed to make way for his father. “He seems fine this morn. I checked, and it would seem that the fever has left him. His eyes have also greatly improved.”

Elrond nodded once and carried out his own examination.

Hephaestion’s first reaction to feeling the probing fingers was to tense beneath the clinical touch, but when Elrond’s grey eyes met his, he relaxed. Soft fingertips gently examined his eyes and he saw a smile on Elrond’s face, finding most of the infection gone. The examination continued, until he was lowered back onto the mattress and covered with a blanket. “Am I strong enough to leave my bed?”

Elrond nodded his head. “Your recovery is remarkable. I expected you to be bedridden for at least another weak, but your body is recuperating fast.” Had Námo organized it in that way? Did it matter? Elrond smiled at Hephaestion, who restlessly moved about. After being confined to bed for such a long time – here and in Ecbatana – the young man must be impatient to leave it.

“I will allow you to leave your bed for one hour. No longer! Not yet. Do you understand me, Hephaestion? And Elrohir and Erestor will remain close. I will not risk you taking a fall or fainting because you overestimated your strength!”

“I understand, Milord,” said Hephaestion with a sweet smile.

That smile affected all three Elves, filling them with concern and affection for their charge. Erestor was best at hiding his worry, but Elrohir wasn’t that well-schooled in hiding his feelings and Elrond read every emotion on his son’s face. Elrohir was smitten with his charge – like he was. /Life will not be the same for quite some time./

/Elrond, we will sail for Aman shortly. You cannot take him with us. You must begin to consider his options, for he cannot stay in Imladris alone./

Elrond glared at Erestor for ruining this perfect moment. /I know that! And I will find a solution, but we still have time, Erestor!/

Sensing he had displeased Elrond, Erestor took a step back, bowed, and left the room. First-hand experience had taught him to back off whenever Elrond’s temper flared.

“Where is Glorfindel? I hope I didn’t make him feel uncomfortable. He cannot help it that he looks like…” He couldn’t speak his former lover’s name.

Elrond shifted on the bed and claimed Hephaestion’s hand, curling his fingers around the mortal’s. “Glorfindel is training with the guards. That is why he is not here.” The look Hephaestion gave him made his heart flicker. There was something vulnerable in those eyes, something that called out to him. “I asked Glorfindel not to visit with you *because* he reminds you of your lost lover. Your healing will go more rapidly when you are given a chance to concentrate on building a new life here instead of constantly being reminded of the things you lost.”

“I *know* that I will probably live out my life here,” whispered Hephaestion. “And I can do little to change that. I must adapt.” Mourning losing Alexander was something he would do in private. Whenever these Elves were close he would try hard to fit in.

~~~

“Slow down!” Elrohir gave Erestor an impatient look. The Advisor was pushing Hephaestion on, encouraging the mortal to cover a larger distance, whilst the half-Elf was trying to make Hephaestion slow down. “Erestor!”

 

Hephaestion’s gaze sought out Erestor’s. This Elf was different from the rest. Maybe it was because Erestor had been in his mind and knew him best, or maybe it was because Erestor wasn’t a healer and not inclined to fuss over him. Erestor pushed him on, daring him to try harder and that was just what he needed.

“Hurry up, Elrohir!” Erestor wasn’t going to give in to Elrohir’s tendency to fuss over their patient. /They are all like that, Elrohir, Elrond, Elladan, even Arwen./

Elrohir caught up with them and glared at Erestor. “This is the first time he has been out of his bed and you keep pushing him!”

 

“Elrohir…” Hephaestion placed the palm of his hand against Elrohir’s chest and waited for the half-Elf to make eye contact. “I need someone pushing me.”

“Aye, but not yet!” Elrohir gained a steady hold on Hephaestion’s waist and began to turn him around so they were headed back to the sick room.

Erestor arched a delicately formed eyebrow. “It seems you must endure a little longer, my mortal friend.”

Hephaestion actually chuckled; his reaction surprised himself and he frowned. When had he felt such mirth, such amusement the last time? The last few years which he had spent with Alexander had been filled with short, hidden encounters and his lover had always been rushed. It wasn’t so much Bagoas who had demanded Alexander spend more time with him, but Roxane, who had made her claim more and more known. That, and Alexander’s desire to finally sire an heir, had hugely limited the time Alexander could spend with him. /And all that so he could have a successor./ Alexander’s love had always been enough for him, but his love had never been enough for Alexander.

“You are brooding,” whispered Elrohir, exchanging a look with Erestor to see if the Advisor also worried about their charge. Erestor shook his head, indicating that he judged it best not to address this now.

“I…” Lost in his memories, Hephaestion didn’t pay attention to where he was going and stumbled.

Thankfully, Elrohir acted quickly and tightened his hold on his charge. He gave Erestor a look, which said, See, I told you it was too early to push him!

Erestor reacted by shrugging his shoulders. /Setbacks are to be expected./

Hephaestion was unaware of the silent conversation and concentrated on gaining control over his present situation. He couldn’t allow his thoughts to drift off in that way!

They had reached the bed and Elrohir lowered Hephaestion onto the mattress. His father would not be pleased, learning that their patient had pushed himself.

Erestor, who had made a small detour, now carried a tray with food items over to the bed and placed it on their charge’s lap. “Eat.”

Hephaestion obeyed automatically – his thoughts still lingering in the past.

Erestor signaled for Elrohir to step into the corridor with him. “I must join your father in his study now, but I trust you will continue to keep him company?”

“Aye, and Elladan will join us later today after he returns from his patrol.”

Satisfied that Hephaestion was in good hands, Erestor turned and headed for Elrond’s study where lots of paperwork already eagerly awaited him.

~~~

“How does my patient fare?” asked Elrond, leafing through reports and letters upon Erestor’s arrival in his study.

“All this fussing over him serves no purpose,” replied Erestor as he seated himself behind his desk which was situated in a corner of the study. His dark eyes searched and found Elrond’s grey ones.

Elrond laughed, sat upright and studied his Chief Advisor. “You never enjoyed being fussed over in times of injury? And neither did you fuss over injured ones? Not even when that happened to be your lover?”

Erestor had the grace to blush. Aye, he had fussed over his lover in the past. “There is no need to bring Haldir into this discussion!”

“I am sorry for the loss you suffered, Erestor, but you will be reunited with your March Warden when we sail for Aman.” It was the main reason why Erestor wanted them to sail as quickly as possible. “I offered to send you ahead and to sail with Cirdan to the Undying Lands, but you refused.”

“I cannot leave you behind in Imladris,” said Erestor, pointing a finger at Elrond. “We will sail together.”

“Are you afraid Imladris will become ‘a mess’ as you have phrased it before? Erestor, the majority of Elves have left, already sailed, and I do think I can manage to keep the few that remain safe.”

“It is more than that and you know it!” Erestor checked the numbers in his book, making certain there was enough food in the kitchens to last through the upcoming winter.

Elrond drew in a deep breath, pushed his chair away from his desk and approached Erestor. His friend tensed visibly, but Elrond ignored it. He folded his arms around the Advisor’s shoulders and pulled him to his feet. Erestor had no other choice than to follow and got to his feet, enduring the embrace. “My dear, beautiful, wise Erestor, why won’t you sail? I know how much you love Haldir. I was there when the news of his death reached you. I saw you crumble and I comforted you in your hour of need. Now I am offering you early passage to the Undying Lands and yet you refuse. Why?” Erestor’s mask cracked and swimming eyes met his. Elrond stroked the long, loose hair and held Erestor tight.

“Haldir is my mate and I love him dearly. I want nothing more than to hold him and kiss him again, but… Glorfindel, the twins, you… You are my family. How can I desert my family for my lover? And I know you will sail eventually. I can endure a little longer.”

“You are a true friend, Erestor. You are so much more than a friend. When Elros died, it was you who pulled me through. Your friendship has always meant the world to me.” Elrond pressed a chaste kiss onto Erestor’s forehead. “You are as a brother to me, and I do not like seeing you in pain, although you always manage to hide it so well. If it were up to me, I would send you to the Grey Havens to take the next ship heading West.”

“But it is not up to you,” corrected Erestor, “I will stay with you and we will sail for Aman together.” He allowed Elrond to pull him even closer and accepted the hug more easily.

Glorfindel, standing in the doorway, felt conflicted, as he didn’t want to infringe on such a private scene. Like Elrond, he had consoled their friend after Haldir had found his death at Helm’s Deep and he too had urged Erestor to sail. But the bonds of friendship between Elrond and Erestor were too strong. He was about to close the door and leave unnoticed, but the cracking floorboard betrayed him.

Erestor’s reaction was instant. He freed himself of the embrace and stepped away from Elrond. His gaze swept over to the door and he tensed, seeing Glorfindel standing there.

“Peace, Erestor.” Glorfindel advanced on the two dark-haired Elves, knowing best how much insecurity lurked beneath Erestor’s mask of confidence and composure. “Haldir was a good friend. I miss him too.”

Erestor nodded once, turned around on his heel and resolutely marched out of the study.

“If only accepting comfort were not that difficult for him,” said Glorfindel, musing aloud. “Then we could console him better.”

“Erestor won’t be whole until the day he holds Haldir in his arms again. No matter how hard accepting that seems we must do just that.” Elrond returned to his desk and his reading. “Are you now convinced that Hephaestion presents no threat to Imladris?”

“I am convinced of that.” Glorfindel seated himself opposite his lover. “I must admit to being saddened, realizing that I remind him of his lost lover. As he bears the scars that only a warrior would, I was looking forward to sparring with him and getting him back into shape.”

“You might still be able to do that once he has his strength back.” Elrond cast a fond look in his lover’s direction. “Apparently Hephaestion and I share the same taste in lovers.”

“And you worry about the possibility that he might fall in love with me *because* I remind him of his Alexander?”

“Aye, and it might set back his recovery. Once he accepts that Alexander is lost to him he will be forced to look at other possibilities instead, but that is something I will deal with in the future.”

“Elladan has returned from his patrol. Hephaestion will find your sons seated close to him. What effect will that have on your patient?”

“You should rather ask what effect Hephaestion’s presence has on my sons.” Elrond leaned back against the comfort of his chair.

Glorfindel’s eyes twinkled. “I should have realized this before. If you feel some attraction, they are probably feeling it too.” The twins had pursued him at one point, shortly after reaching their majority and Glorfindel had let them down gently.

“This attraction might be a good thing,” whispered Elrond, loving the way Glorfindel’s eyes were darkening with lust. Knowing that he had Elrond’s love when no one else had it must entice the golden-haired warrior. “Hephaestion is still young and he was used to having a lover. It won’t be long before his body wakes up again and he finds his bed empty. Knowing my sons, they won’t be averse to taking him into their bed.”

“Your way of thinking never ceases to amaze me.” Glorfindel considered his lover, seated behind his desk and staring at him with dreamy eyes. Making up his mind, Glorfindel walked over the doorway, clearly hearing Elrond suck in his breath in surprise. “I am not leaving yet,” said Glorfindel, locking the door. “I merely do not want to be interrupted.”

“Interrupted?” Elrond’s member twitched, seeing the lust-filled expression in Glorfindel’s eyes. Glorfindel rarely instigated any lovemaking in his study, but it had happened on occasion.

“Aye, when driving myself into you.” Glorfindel circled around and came to a standstill behind Elrond. “Or are you still sore, meleth?”

Elrond closed his eyes now that Glorfindel’s sultry voice was so close to his ear. “I am fine…” Glorfindel pulled him to his feet and the warrior pushed the chair aside. Elrond’s organ filled with blood and he panted softly, feeling Glorfindel lift the fabric of his robes until he could slip his hand beneath the garment. Elrond never wore underwear beneath his robes, as it made him feel confined and often caused him to feel too hot. The velvet that his robes were made off barely allowed his skin to breathe. “What are you…?” Elrond threw back his head and released a strangled moan when one of Glorfindel’s fingers dipped down his cleft in search of the opening to his body.

Pleased with his lover’s needy response, Glorfindel bend Elrond over the desk and pushed the robes upward, revealing his lover’s backside to him.

Elrond grabbed hold of the rim of his desk and spread his legs, making it easier for his lover to claim him. Strong hands gripped his waist and the head of Glorfindel’s erection already pressed against the guardian ring. “Oil,” he whispered, fumbling and managing to open the drawer.

Glorfindel removed the stopper, let the oil flow onto his throbbing shaft and then returned to his original position. Teasingly slow, he entered his lover, maintaining his bruising hold on the half-Elf’s waist. Shuffling his feet, he inched closer and buried himself to the hilt. Elrond squirmed beneath him and moaned, deliriously.

Glorfindel thrust and Elrond yelped softly. Being taking in this way, without proper preparation was always painful at first, but soon, pleasure would take over. Elrond closed his eyes, focusing on the sensations coursing through his body. His ears picked up on the sensual sound of Glorfindel’s flesh moving against his and his skin savored feeling the tight grip Glorfindel had on his waist. Glorfindel’s musky scent signaled his lover’s impending release and invaded his nostrils. The way Glorfindel possessed his body drove him over the edge. Cream erupted from the slit of his member and the sticky substance dripped onto the fabric of his robes.

Elrond’s passage contracted around his length and normally the sensation would have made Glorfindel climax, but not this time. Their unusual surroundings, their teasing before, and knowing Elrond was so willing and helpless beneath him, prolonged his pleasure. He continued to deliver deep and firm strokes, rubbing his lover’s sensitive gland.

Elrond whimpered. Glorfindel’s continued thrusts battered against his prostate. “Glorfindel…”

But Glorfindel was deaf to any pleas Elrond made and concentrated on possessing the half-Elf. His hands moved away from Elrond’s waist. One came to rest on his mate’s lower back and the other massaged a tight buttock. “Just a little longer…”

Elrond’s fingernails dug into the wood of the desk and he arched his back. He was at his lover’s mercy – and he loved feeling that way! – but he was also beginning to grow desperate for Glorfindel to come. Then, unexpectedly, a warm sensation spread through his lower body. It started from the pit of his abdomen and it resembled the orgasm he had just experienced, but his penis was still limp and couldn’t release more seed. And yet, the sweet ripples of orgasm traveled through him, making him quiver with bliss.

Glorfindel’s eyes widened, feeling the return of the contractions around his shaft. This time, it was more than he could take and he buried himself inside Elrond’s body with one savage thrust. Driving himself inside until he could go no further, he threw back his head and called out Elrond’s name.

Warm seed filled his insides and Elrond’s body rested limply on the desk. This second orgasm was much stronger than the first and left him powerless.

Glorfindel pulled out and instantly worried about his lover when Elrond didn’t move. “Elrond? Meleth?” Had he driven himself too hard? Too long? He was seldom on the bottom and Elrond never took him as hard and demanding as he took the half-Elf.

“That was…divine,” whispered Elrond, feeling exhausted and sated.

“I should not have started this,” whispered Glorfindel in turn, realizing Elrond wouldn’t get any work done that afternoon. He gently moved Elrond about until they were face to face, removed the velvet robes and dropped them onto the ground. Using the already soiled robes, he cleaned them both up.

Elrond continued to look at him in a satiated way, submitting to every move Glorfindel made. Once he had removed the proof of their desire from their bodies, he redid the lacing to his leggings and picked up Elrond, still naked, and carried his lover over to the couch in the corner of the room. He deposited Elrond on the cushions, rolled him onto his side and then stretched beside him. Face to face, Glorfindel savored seeing the free and relaxed expression in the normally so serious eyes. “I exhausted you. That was not my intention.”

“It is a good kind of tired.” Strange thoughts whirled through his mind. Had Glorfindel taken him just now to make certain that there were no misunderstandings? To make certain that Glorfindel was the only lover for him? /Oh, Glorfindel, I might find Hephaestion beautiful and maybe even enticing, but he does not compare to you. I belong to you. I always will./

Glorfindel took to soothingly stroking his back and Elrond cuddled up to his lover, savoring the feeling when Glorfindel wrapped his arms around him. Closing his eyes, he drifted toward the edge of sleep and dreams. “I love it when you do that,” he whispered, tiredly. “Taking me like that. It reminds me that I am not only the ruler of Imladris but your lover foremost.”

“And I do love bending you over and taking you,” whispered Glorfindel, wickedly. When they had taken their first, careful steps to become lovers they had shared their fantasies. Not surprisingly, Elrond’s daydreams had been centered around giving up control and being taken and ever since, Glorfindel had tried to live up to the half-Elf’s expectations of him. “Is there anything else you want me to do to you the next time we make love?” Communication was very important to them and they often discussed their needs, sexual and emotional ones.

“Maybe I will want to take you,” mumbled Elrond, already half asleep.

Glorfindel smiled and kissed Elrond’s hair. “You may always take me, you know that.” He loved those encounters when the tables were turned on him. Elrond was a very loving and compassionate lover when it was his desire to claim him. Elrond always made sweet love to him, taking his time to prepare him and always moving gently inside him. Sometimes, he wished Elrond would take him more forcefully, but that was not Elrond’s way and he was comfortable with that.

“Do you have any fantasies in which I take you?” This conversation would give him pleasant dreams once sleep would take him. It had not been his intention to go to sleep, but Glorfindel *had* exhausted him. His beloved had taken him twice in a very short time period.

“I always love seeing you move above me.”

Elrond grinned against Glorfindel’s chest and took that image into his sleep with him.     

~~~

“Alexander…” Hephaestion had succumbed to his fatigue after draining himself by walking for the first time in weeks. His dreams were filled with images of Alexander, showing him intimate moments of shared pleasure, but also reminding him of those moments when Alexander had preferred to take Roxane or Bagoas to his bed. Why had his love never been enough?

“Wake up, Hephaestion,” whispered Elrohir, gently shaking his charge to wake the mortal from his restless sleep.

But Hephaestion didn’t react and only slipped into a deeper sleep. Alexander became painfully real to him and he watched his lover walk toward Roxane and away from him. “Don’t… Please, don’t leave me.”

The twins exchanged a worried look now that they were unable to tear Hephaestion away from his nightmarish dreams. There was only one thing they could think of and after a moment of mental communication Elladan lifted the sheet and slipped into bed with Hephaestion. On the other side of the bed, Elrohir did the same thing. Hephaestion now lay in their midst and the twins studied the mortal and then looked at each other. Elladan was the first to act upon his concern and moved closer to Hephaestion, pulling him into his arms. Hephaestion reacted eagerly, turned onto his side and pressed close to Elladan’s front. Elrohir moved along, turned onto his right side and spooned behind Hephaestion, making certain that the mortal *had* to feel his presence by pressing close to him.

“How do you think will he react upon awakening?” Elladan buried Hephaestion’s head beneath his chin and placed a hand possessively on the mortal’s hip.

“That is hard to say,” replied Elrohir, placing a hand on Elladan’s arm, completing the embrace. “But we will find out.”

Elladan nodded, caressing the loose, auburn hair that spilled down Hephaestion’s shoulder. “If he is acceptable to this arrangement…” He left his sentence unfinished, knowing his twin already understood.

“If he accepts this, we will make him a part of us.” They had never taken a lover into their bed before, finding completion only with each other, but Hephaestion was different. The mortal man still mourned the loss of a lover and if they could soothe that pain, they would.

~~~

Hephaestion felt disoriented when he opened his eyes. Disoriented, but warm. His eyed widened, realizing he wasn’t alone in bed. Dark, raven hair dangled in front of him and the spicy scent told him that it was one of the twins holding him. Although it felt odd, being held in this way, it wasn’t the embrace that stunned him. It was feeling a warm body resting behind him. A warm, *hot* body, which was also aroused.

The twins noticed the growing tension in Hephaestion’s body and considered leaving the bed and returning the space to the mortal, but something held them back. Hephaestion’s sleep had been sound and undisturbed after they had joined him in bed. “You suffered from nightmares,” said Elladan, realizing the silence was about to become uncomfortable. “And you did not react to us trying to calm you.”

“So we decided to offer you our comfort in a physical way,” said Elrohir, feeling Hephaestion trying to move away from him. But the mortal’s actions only caused him to press closer to Elladan’s body. “Please do not be scared.”

“I am not scared!” Hephaestion hissed the words; his emotions raged and he wasn’t quite certain what exactly it was he was feeling. The fact that his body reacted to their presence wasn’t helping either! /How quickly does my body forget its loyalty to Alexander./ In all those years in which he had been Alexander’s lover he had never taken another man to his bed.

“I phrased that wrong,” said Elrohir, concentrating on willing his erection to go away. “We thought you might want our comfort.”

“I do not!” Hephaestion reacted in a wild panic. Alexander was the only male who would ever hold him in that way and he would fight the twins, this attraction and his body’s treacherous reaction to their closeness. He sat upright, stared at Elladan and jumped out of the bed.

Elladan sat upright as well, but didn’t try to leave the bed to go after the mortal. Elrohir moved closer to his twin, knowing they should have expected a reaction like that. Leaning against Elladan, Elrohir took to playing with a strand of his twin’s hair.

Hephaestion stared at them in bewilderment. He had only seen such closeness, such intimacy between lovers, not brothers! “You…”

Elladan read the revelation on Hephaestion’s face. “Aye, we are more than twins. We are lovers as well.”

“And we would invite you into our bed, if you desire it so.”

Hephaestion stared at them in shock and then spun around. He flung the door open and made his way down the corridor as fast as he could.

“Ada won’t be pleased with us for scaring him away,” mused Elladan, slipping a hand beneath his twin’s shirt to caress the strong back.

“We did not plan to chase him away. Hopefully all Hephaestion needs is time to calm down and accept what he just learned.”

~~~

Erestor halted seeing Hephaestion, dressed only in a night tunic, run down the corridor and toward him. They were still rather close to the Healing House, but already too far away for the mortal to be on his own just yet. “Hephaestion?”

Hearing his name called, he turned his head and found Erestor at the back of the corridor. No longer paying attention to where he was running, he crashed into a large and heavy statue. He swayed on his feet, but managed to regain his footing. Suddenly, Erestor stood behind him and steadied him. He accepted the Elf’s help, knowing Erestor had no hidden agenda, contrary to the twins.

Seeing the wild, distraught expression in the shocked blue eyes, Erestor pulled back after making certain that the mortal could stand and walk unaided. Shivers betraying that Hephaestion was cold moved through the mortal’s form. “I will walk you back to the Healing House.”

“No!” Hephaestion firmly shook his head. “I am not going back there!”

What had spooked Hephaestion so much that he refused to return to the Healing House? Forcing himself to radiate calm and patience, Erestor stepped aside. “Will you follow me to my chambers then? You must be cold and I have warm blankets stored beneath my bed.” When the twins had been younger, before they had made their decision to belong to the Firstborn, they had often sought him out at night. Elrond and Celebrían would be caught up in formal engagements and Erestor had always left early to make certain he was in his rooms should the twins seek him out. Before they had made their choices, when they had been little, the cold used to affect them and he had wrapped their tiny bodies up in warm, thick blankets.

“Your chambers?” Hephaestion wavered and wrapped his arms around his waist in an effort to ward off the cold. He appreciated the fact that Erestor remained quiet and allowed him to make up his own mind. “I will come with you,” he said eventually.

Erestor raised his right hand and Hephaestion took it after some hesitation. Erestor shrugged off his outer robes and placed the warm, velvet robes across Hephaestion’s shoulders and the mortal pulled them closer.

They reached Erestor’s chambers a few minutes later and the Advisor opened the doors, stepping aside to let Hephaestion enter. The mortal entered with suspicion in his eyes and Erestor wondered once more what had happened in the Healing House to make Hephaestion flee his room. “Sit down.” Erestor pointed at the chair closest to the fireplace and busied himself by building a fire. A few minutes later, flames danced in the fireplace, warming up the rooms.

Hephaestion pulled his knees close to his chest and Erestor’s robes closer to his frame. He was cold and shivers tormented his body.

Erestor walked over to the bed and uncovered the woolen blankets. After making his way over to Hephaestion, he draped them over the mortal’s lap, letting Hephaestion tuck them around his form himself. He wanted to do as little as possible *for* the mortal if Hephaestion was capable of doing it himself. He didn’t believe in Elrond’s way of coddling their patient.

He poured two glasses of wine and offered one to Hephaestion, who took it with trembling hands. Erestor pulled a chair closer to the fireplace and seated himself. Although he was dying to know what had happened in the Healing House he didn’t broach that subject yet. Hephaestion seemed still too shaken to address it right away. It was best to circle around the matter for a while. “You are growing stronger.”

Hephaestion nodded once, stared into the fire and let the wine swirl in his glass. “How do I do it, Erestor? How do I accept that I lost Alexander and that I must live among strangers?”

Erestor inclined his head, pleasantly surprised that Hephaestion had taken the initiative. “You give it time, my friend. You arrived here less than a week ago. You cannot expect to have fully adapted to your new life yet.”

Hephaestion sipped his wine and his gaze shifted from the fire to Erestor. Something told him that it was safe to open up to the Advisor and for once, he listened to his instincts. “Are you a warrior, Erestor?” He pointed at the long knives which hung against the wall behind the Advisor.

“I used to be one a long time ago.” Erestor eyed Hephaestion closely and realized the mortal was about to confide in him. All he needed to do was to continue to radiate calm and patience. “But my real talent never lay on the battle field. I listen, Hephaestion. I listen and I observe. I gather information and then act upon it. I am Elrond’s ears and eyes.”

Hephaestion nodded, absentmindedly. “Where I come from such qualities were not held in high regard. Being a capable warrior was.”

Erestor sipped again and allowed Hephaestion to tell his story in his own pace.

“I bested Alexander at wrestling, but I never quite reached his standards when it came down to sword fighting.” Hephaestion’s eyes took on a distant expression. “The other commanders never truly accepted me. I can stand my ground in a battle and covered their backs more than once, but I was never the warrior I should have been in order to belong with Alexander’s elite.”

“Your qualities lay elsewhere,” said Erestor, seeing emotional pain in the swimming eyes.

“Aye, they did.” Hephaestion swallowed, nervously. “Like you, I am a good listener and I listened when no one thought I could hear them. I know how they talked about me behind my back. They would make rude jokes, saying that the only use I had was when I was on my back. They called me Alexander’s whore. Oh, they would never say so in public, only when they thought they were among themselves. I tried hard to live up to everyone’s expectations. I tried being the warrior Alexander wanted me to be, but… All the other commanders saw was someone who had managed to sleep his way up the ranks.”

Erestor stared at Hephaestion from over the rim of his glass. “I doubt that is true. Maybe you are feeling a bit too sorry for yourself?”

Hephaestion sighed. “I know what I heard, Erestor.”

“Did you ever consider that there were also things which you did not hear? You must have been focused on hearing these degrading things – did you listen to the positive things they had to say about you?”

“Cleitus did not speak badly of me and neither did Cassander, but still…”

Erestor persevered. “I doubt you would have risen to your rank had you been without talent and I am not referring to your performances between the sheets.”

Much to his consternation, Hephaestion turned beet-red, hearing Erestor’s words. “It always gnawed at me, though. I never felt good enough for Alexander.”

“And how did Alexander think about you? Did he share his commanders’ opinion of you?” Erestor had seen glimpses of Hephaestion’s past when he had probed the mortal’s mind, but had not been privy to any past sentiments.

“Alexander loved me.” Hephaestion gave Erestor a rueful smile. “It started when we were still young and the attraction never diminished, at least not for me. I would have died for him.”

“But Alexander is now lost to you.” Erestor was beginning to understand how he could help Hephaestion best. He had made the mistake to think of him as a warrior, after seeing the numerous battle scars, but he now realized that Hephaestion was more like him. “Analyze your situation for me, my friend.”

Hephaestion’s eyes narrowed. “Analyze?” In some ways, Erestor reminded him of himself. “I am stranded here. The best thing I can do is to let go of the past and build a future here.”

“Can you? Can you let go of the past?”

“Alexander will always be a part of me. He continues to live on in my heart.”

Erestor nodded once and then raised his hand in an authoritative way. “What about building a life here? What would your life be like? Nay, let me rephrase that; what would you like your life to be like?”

Hephaestion emptied the content of his glass and cocked his head. He had wanted to say that he wanted Alexander in his life again, but he knew that was impossible. “I have not given that question much thought,” started Hephaestion. “I cannot imagine finding love again. My love for Alexander was unique. Maybe I could become your assistant? You seem kind and understanding.”

“I must admit that I am surprised that you so easily confide in me.” Erestor readied himself for his charge’s reaction to his next question. “I assumed you would rather like to confide in Elrond or the twins.”

“The twins…” Hephaestion’s mouth went dry, recalling the way he had left them behind. “I like Elrond,” he said, trying to change their subject. “He has kind eyes.”

Erestor now realized that whatever had made Hephaestion run had something to do with the twins. “What did Elladan and Elrohir do to cause you to flee the Healing House?”

“Is it so obvious?” He hadn’t known he was so easy to read.

“Not really, but I have known the twins since they were babies and they can be tactless at times.”

Hephaestion gave Erestor a thankful smile. “I didn’t wake up alone in my bed.”

“They had joined you?” Erestor tilted his head. “Why?”

“They said it was because I was suffering from nightmares, but…”

“You do not believe them?”

“One of them was hard. I clearly felt his erection.” Hephaestion’s blush returned, discussing something so intimate with Erestor.

Erestor leaned in closer and studied his charge’s eyes. “Elladan and Elrohir always mean well, even if they can be… rude at times. One of them being aroused probably had nothing to do with you.”

Hephaestion shook his head. “The next thing they did was invite me into their bed.”

“Oh.” The little sound escaped Erestor unwillingly. “Did they also say why?”

“They thought I wanted them to comfort me in that way!” Hephaestion buried himself deeper beneath Erestor’s robes and blanket. He really didn’t want to discuss this further.

“You must have made quite an impression on them,” said Erestor, thoughtfully. “They have been exclusive for centuries and I know they have had suitors, Elves and mortals were eager to join them in bed, but they never accepted any of them.”

“I love Alexander and only Alexander!”

Erestor grew quiet, realizing that Hephaestion had been shocked by their offer.

A knock on the door broke their companionable silence and made Erestor rise from his chair. “Enter.”

Elrond, looking worried and spooked, marched into Erestor’s rooms. “Meldir! Hephaestion has left the Healing House and I do not know where he is!” (Meldir – male friend)

“I do.” Erestor pointed at the mortal, who pressed back into the comfort of his chair. “I found him wandering the corridors.”

“You could have sent me a message!” Elrond straightened out his robes and advanced on his patient. “You should return to the Healing House with me.”

“I would rather not.” Hephaestion’s fingers curled around the armrests of his chair.

“Do not worry about my sons misbehaving again. I already lectured them.” Elrond had been upset finding out his sons had made their intentions known that quickly. He had chided them, telling him that their offer had been inappropriate and they had apologized.

“I was unprepared for their… advances,” said Hephaestion, phrasing it as delicately as he could. “I never expected them to say those things.”

“My sons have a passionate nature and are prone to acting too fast.” Elrond considered the man in front of him. “I will not force you to return to the Healing House if you do not want to, but I would feel more comfortable knowing you were there. You are still healing.”

Hephaestion’s gaze sought out Erestor’s, much to Elrond’s surprise. Had the two of them become friends? That would be a good thing and he would applaud it for both their sakes. “Elladan and Elrohir will keep their distance, I promise you that. They feel guilty for the way they acted and vowed not to approach you in such a way again.”

Erestor nodded, encouragingly, and Hephaestion said, “I will return to the Healing House with you and I hope the twins won’t continue to feel guilty. They meant well.” Erestor nodded again, showing his approval and Hephaestion slowly rose from beneath the blankets. He stood unsteadily, but made his way over to Elrond unaided.

Elrond exchanged a look with Erestor and smiled at his Chief Advisor. It was rare for Erestor to open up and allow someone in, especially a stranger, and he hoped that both males would find comfort in their budding friendship. They both needed friends.

~~~

Hephaestion didn’t see the twins for the next few days. Elladan and Elrohir had made themselves scarce and didn’t even approach the Healing House. Elrond had warned them that they had better behave or they would face their father’s wrath. The last thing they wanted was to fuel their father’s anger.

To his surprise, Hephaestion found he missed having them near. They had always been there whenever he would wake up and they had soothed his restless dreams. On the evening of the fifth day without sighting the twins Hephaestion left his bed and the Healing House in search of Elrond.

“Elrond won’t be pleased to find you fled the Healing House again.” Glorfindel had been on his way to Elrond’s study and had come across the mortal in one of the corridors. Hephaestion could now walk longer distances unaided, but still remained weak. It would take a long time for him to fully recover from the Typhus.

Hephaestion spun around and his mouth went dry, finding himself facing Glorfindel. He thanked the Gods that Glorfindel’s eyes were blue, for their color prevented him from thinking of the Elf as Alexander. “I am searching for Elrond. I would like to talk to him, but I don’t know where to find him.”

“I will escort you to his study.” Glorfindel fell into step beside Hephaestion and cast a curious look at the mortal man. “Elrond does not want me to make this offer, but… Should you want to get into shape again you are welcome to join me and the guards to work out with us.”

“Thank you.” Hephaestion’s eyes scanned the Elf’s muscular form. “Alexander would have loved to have you as part of his personal guards.”

“I serve Elrond,” replied Glorfindel, calmly. “I love the peace the valley radiates and her Lord presents a soothing balm to my soul.”

Hephaestion pulled his robes closer to his body. The healers had given him several robes made from warm materials and sporting different colors. He favored a cream-colored one, made from the finest linen. “You would not have fit in then.”

“And why is that?” Glorfindel felt curious and eager to find out more about the mortal man. Occasionally Hephaestion gave him a curious look in turn and that made him wonder if the mortal still looked upon him and thought of Alexander instead. “Why would I not fit in?”

“Alexander was eager to conquer. He lived for the excitement of battle, the thought of bringing civilization to wild tribes.”

“And a lot of people died due to his ambition?” asked Glorfindel. They had reached the door to Elrond’s study, but he didn’t open the door yet.

“Yes, and some of them were friends.” Hephaestion moistened his lips. “When I look upon you, I am reminded of Alexander, and yet, I can tell that worlds lie between the two of you.”

“You are right. I would never fight for someone who was merely interested in conquering lands or bring races under his domination. The few times in my life that I had to fight were in order to defend my people and oppose evil. The peace that I have known since living in Imladris has been my salvation.” Hephaestion’s expression grew impossibly soft and it called to Glorfindel, who raised a hand and buried his fingers in the auburn mane. Aye, he understood why Elrond and the twins felt drawn to Hephaestion. Which male wouldn’t? “Alexander’s conquests, his adventures, they did not make you happy. You are not a warrior, although you carry the scars of the battlefield.”

Hephaestion nodded. “After Alexander had conquered Babylon I hoped that he would find peace, but he didn’t. He always wanted more. I never got used to the bloodshed, the lives wasted and ruined.”

“You will do well here,” said Glorfindel, letting his hand drop to his waist. “Middle Earth knows peace now that Sauron has been destroyed. There won’t be any wars in your lifetime.”

“A life without battles… It is hard to picture that.”

Glorfindel knocked on the door to Elrond’s study and pushed the door open without waiting for his lover to call ‘enter’.

Elrond looked up from his work, wondering who would want to talk to him so urgently. He fought down a blush, seeing Glorfindel come to a standstill and then sit on the corner of his desk, which had seen their passionate lovemaking a few days ago. “Hephaestion!” He was surprised to see his patient here. “Is something amiss?”

Erestor’s eyes sought out Hephaestion’s and after finding them clear and rational, he returned to his work.

“Not exactly amiss.” Hephaestion felt uncomfortable, still wondering why he was doing this. “I just wanted to inquire about the twins. I haven’t seen them for days.”

Elrond managed not to smile – Hephaestion coming here to make inquiries about his sons pleased him. “They are busy leading patrols and training with the guards. I forbade them to enter the Healing House whilst you dwelt there.”

“That isn’t necessary,” said Hephaestion, cocking his head. His long, now shiny auburn hair fell in front of his eyes and he quickly brushed it away from his face. “Their advances took me by surprise, but isn’t a reason to banish them from the Healing House.”

“I will tell them that. They will be pleased to hear this.” If only his sons hadn’t moved so quickly! He understood their need, their desire to take away the pain in Hephaestion’s eyes, but the mortal man needed time to deal with losing Alexander first. “Is there anything else?”

“Actually…” Hephaestion hesitated. “I do not want to appear ungrateful, but I feel strong enough to repay you for your hospitality in whatever way you deem suitable.”

“That is his way of telling you that he has grown bored and wishes to be discharged,” said Erestor, signing the letter he had just written.

“Erestor is correct,” said Hephaestion, his face growing a bit flustered. “I might not be fully recovered, but I am strong enough to…” To do what? What would be his duty in the house of Elrond?

“I will assign quarters to you,” said Elrond, eventually.

“Maybe he can assist Glorfindel with training the guards? And me with my correspondence?” suggested Erestor.

Hephaestion was about to object to the first part of Erestor’s suggestion. Training the guards wasn’t something he was suited for.

“That is an excellent idea!” Glorfindel nodded, enthusiastically. “I could do with some help and it would be a good way for you to get back in to shape!”

Realizing that protesting wouldn’t sit well with Glorfindel and Erestor, Hephaestion meekly accepted his fate.

~~~

“Hephaestion? Our father asked us to escort you to your rooms.” Elladan shuffled into the room, still feeling awkward and guilty for the way they had invited Hephaestion into their bed. Elrohir stood behind Elladan, peeking inside the room, but not making any eye contact with the mortal who had captured their hearts.

Hephaestion had been looking out of the window and now turned around to face them. His fingers clawed at the fabric of his robes and he swallowed nervously as a lump of emotions had formed in his throat. The twins looked remorseful, timid even and that had never been his intention. He had loved their friendly, carefree way when they had dealt with him. “It is good to see you again. I have missed the two of you.”

Hephaestion’s answer encouraged Elladan, who offered the mortal man a shy smile.

Hephaestion had bundled up his meager belongings, all things gathered here during his short stay and walked over to the doorway. The twins were handsome, enticing, and seemed eternally young to him. If only they didn’t remind him of Bagoas so much!

“Follow us,” said Elladan, stepping aside and letting Hephaestion fall into pace with him. They left the Healing House and turned right. “Our father thought it best to give you rooms in the family wing. Most of the Last Homely House is uninhabited and except for the guards most members of my father’s household live in rooms close to the family wing.”

“Our rooms are next to yours, but we will respect your privacy,” said Elrohir, staring at the floor. “We will not approach you.”

Seeing their downcast eyes and retiring demeanor saddened Hephaestion. He halted and they came to a stop as well. Shy and hesitant eyes eventually met his and he said, “Your offer surprised me; that was all. I should feel honored that you would invite me into your bed, but I… My heart belongs to Alexander.”

The twins nodded. “We understand.” They had reached their destination and Elladan opened the door to Hephaestion’s new rooms. “I hope these chambers are satisfactory.”

Hephaestion entered and placed his little bundle of belongings on the bed. The rooms were sunny and spacious. A big four-poster bed was the prominent piece of future and took up one fourth of the main room. A desk, two comfortable chairs and a blazing fireplace completed the interior.

“The bathroom is in there.” Elladan pointed to his right. “We will leave you alone now. Our father asked us to invite you to join us for dinner in the Hall of Fire, should you feel strong enough to do so. If so, Elrohir will escort you to the Hall when it is time for dinner.”

“I will join you,” said Hephaestion, trying to deal with all these new aspects of his life here.

Elladan and Elrohir exchanged a look – it appeared Hephaestion was no longer upset or cross with them, a fact that pleased them immensely. Maybe they still had a chance to befriend the mortal man. “We will talk to you later.” Elladan closed the door behind him.

Hephaestion felt oddly alone, walking through his new rooms. Opening the window, he shivered as the cold air attacked his skin. It was autumn and winter was already approaching. He had seen snow in his first lifetime, had suffered through winters in Greece, but in Babylon the weather had always been warm and comfortable. Now he had to get used to the cold again.

Before closing the window he let his gaze sweep over the valley. Glorfindel had been right; Imladris breathed beauty and peace. In the distance, he even saw the Bruinen and he recalled that he had been found close to the river. “Why, Námo? Why couldn’t you let me wait for Alexander on the Elysian Fields? We would have been happy there.” He would never again find a love like Alexander’s – never.

~~~

A soft knock on his door announced Elrohir’s arrival. “You may enter,” called out Hephaestion, checking his appearance in the mirror one last time.

Elrohir stepped inside and froze. Hephaestion had bathed, washed, combed and partly braided his hair. He wore white robes and had draped a burgundy cloak across his shoulders to keep warm. The eyes, blue and sparkling were set in a strange blackness – charcoal? Elrohir had never seen it used in that way before and wasn’t certain what to think of it. It did make the blue of the eyes more pronounced, but at the same time it gave Hephaestion a vulnerable appearance.

“You don’t approve? Did I do something wrong?” Hephaestion turned to study his reflection once more.

“Nay, it is nothing like that.” Elrohir walked over to Hephaestion and slowly wrapped an arm around the mortal’s shoulders. “It is the way your eyes look. I have never seen anything like it before.”

“We used it to ward off insects. Babylon and Greece are warm lands and sometimes the insects would attack the eyes.” It also highlighted his eyes, which were one of the most attractive things about him, if he were to believe Alexander.

”You do not need to wear it here, but if you feel more comfortable doing it, please do.” Living here among strangers with odd customs had to be hard on Hephaestion and if he wanted to stay faithful to old habits, he should be able to do so.

“Elrohir?” Hephaestion looked at the half-Elf’s reflection in the mirror. “I never wanted to get you and Elladan into trouble with your father.”

“It was our own fault that we did. We should not have flaunted our desires so obviously. We deserved a lecture.” Elrohir paused, considering the expression in the blue eyes. “But the offer was sincere. We do find you beautiful.”

“Thank you,” whispered Hephaestion, blushing. Alexander had called him many things in his lifetime, but beautiful had not been one of them.

“Hungry?”

“Yes.” Hephaestion placed his hand in Elrohir’s when the half-Elf offered it to him.

“Then let us head for the Hall of Fire so we can eat.” The sweet smile that Hephaestion gave him made his heart miss a beat. “Aye, you are beautiful, very beautiful.” He hadn’t wanted to speak the words aloud, but they had too easily slipped from his lips and he loved the way Hephaestion’s blush deepened. He returned the smile and pulled the mortal man along. It was time to join the others for dinner.

~~~

“Ah, good, you managed to join us!” Elrond gestured for Hephaestion to seat himself to his left. Glorfindel was already seated to his right and the twins occupied the other end of the dinner table. Elrond had put them far apart on purpose.

“I want to thank you for the spacious rooms,” said Hephaestion, seating himself.

“You like them?”

“I do.” Hephaestion noticed the looks he was attracting and realized other Elves, Elves he had not seen before, had also joined them and were seated at a long table to their right.

“They will grow used to your presence,” said Elrond. “It is rare for a mortal to sit in this Hall.” Only Estel had ever done so. Elrond also noticed the strange blackness beneath Hephaestion’s eyes, but did not comment on it. /But ai, it makes him even more exotic – and vulnerable looking!/

Dinner was served and they ate in relative silence. Only Glorfindel used the opportunity to talk, updating Elrond on the patrol’s findings. Once they had finished eating, the twins excused themselves after giving Hephaestion a look filled with longing. Hephaestion noticed it and averted his eyes. It was only too clear that the twins desired him.

Erestor, who joined them only now, sat down at the place Elrohir had vacated. A plate filled with meats, cheese, fresh bread and fruit was placed in front of him and he nibbled at the foods. His eyes came to rest on Hephaestion and he could tell that something bothered the mortal man.

Most members of Elrond’s household had retreated to the back of the Hall, gathering around Lindir the minstrel to listen to his songs. This gave the remaining Elves a certain degree of privacy. “What bothers you, Hephaestion?” asked Erestor, also drawing Glorfindel and Elrond’s attention with his question.

“I do not know – exactly,” whispered Hephaestion. “You have done everything to make me feel welcome. You saved my life and took me in and yet I feel like I disappoint you.”

Erestor maintained eye contact, knowing perfectly well that Hephaestion was only opening up because he was present. “And now I want the real reason why you feel depressed.”

“I feel like I wronged the twins and now they act completely different. I liked their vivid ways, the sparkling in their eyes and I… I am the reason that is gone.”

Erestor moved a few seats closer and placed his hand atop of Hephaestion’s. “I told you before to give it time. You need to find your place here and that won’t happen overnight.”

Elrond felt grateful that Erestor had found a way to reach their charge. At least to Erestor was Hephaestion opening up.

“I should properly apologize to them.”

“Then do so,” said Erestor, gently squeezing Hephaestion’s hand.

The young man excused himself and left the dinner table. Elrond leaned back against the comfort of his chair and allowed Glorfindel to clasp his hand in his. “Erestor, you seem to understand him. What is he struggling with?”

“A lot of things.” Erestor sipped the herbal tea which Elrond always served him before going to bed. It contained a sleeping potion that would chase away any nightmares he might have featuring Haldir. “His world was upended. From what he told me, I gather that he had little say in his life. He lived to please Alexander. Now, he finds himself in a different situation – for the first time, people are trying to please him and he does not know how to react to that.”

Elrond nodded in agreement. “What else?”

“He has a much lower self-esteem than he lets us see. Living as Alexander’s…” What word to use? “Consort did little to boost his self-confidence. He was a commander in Alexander’s army, but thinks he only gained that position because of his… services in bed.”

Glorfindel’s eyes darkened. “And do you think this is true?”

“I do not. He might not be a warrior of your caliber, but I doubt he would have survived those battles if he weren’t a capable warrior. He is like me in some ways. He makes a better Advisor than a commander. Now, he has been thrust into this life alone and he is searching for that part of himself that he lost to Alexander.”

“I wish he would accept the comfort the twins are offering,” whispered Glorfindel. “It would do him a world of good.”

“Maybe at a later stage,” replied Erestor. “Hephaestion’s pain is still too fresh.”

~~~

His heart thundered in his throat, as he knocked on the door to the twins’ rooms. He didn’t know yet what he was going to say, he just knew he needed to talk to them. When he had been in his rooms earlier, preparing for dinner, the silence there had almost driven him insane. He had become used to having at least one Elf close and before that, in Babylon, he hadn’t been alone either. He wasn’t certain he could be alone at this point.

“Who is there?” Elrohir cocked his head, surprised that someone was seeking them out at such late an hour. Elladan, still bathing, met his look and shrugged his shoulders. “I will answer the door,” said Elrohir, eventually. He slipped into his night robe and opened the door.

“Hephaestion?” He hadn’t expected the mortal to seek them out. He had thought that Hephaestion would avoid dealing with them. “Do you want to come inside?” He didn’t know what Hephaestion wanted to discuss, but it would be best if they talked in the room and not in the corridor.

Hephaestion shuffled inside, feeling nervous. Elrohir closed the door behind him and Hephaestion lowered his head, letting his hair fall in front of his face like a brown curtain.

Surprised to see Hephaestion act so shyly, Elrohir took a step away from the mortal. “Is there something we can do for you?”

“I wanted to apologize,” whispered Hephaestion, “For the way I acted when you invited me into your bed. Since then, you have acted in a different, distant way and I do not like that. I miss the way you would reach out to me. I am sorry for ruining that. It was never my intention to…” He failed to finish his sentence as Elrohir placed a finger across his lips, silencing him. The half-Elf brushed his hair aside and he was forced to meet Elrohir’s eyes.

“We should not have approached you in that way. It was our fault, not yours.” Elrohir placed the palm of his hand against Hephaestion’s cheek and smiled at the mortal. “Do not blame this on yourself. Aye, we acted differently toward you, but only because we thought you preferred it that way.”

“I do not.” Hephaestion’s breath caught, seeing Elladan emerge from the bathroom naked. Droplets of water hugged the half-Elf’s muscular form and the long, wet hair clung to the skin. Even Bagoas had never looked as desirable as Elladan did now and his body reacted to the exquisite sight. His groin tightened and his member grew erect. Hephaestion was grateful that the robes hid his aroused state and he thought it best to leave now before their situation escalated. “I should leave you now.”

Elladan moved quickly and blocked Hephaestion’s way to the doorway. “Why do you run away from us? We will do nothing against your will.”

“It is not that.” Hephaestion lowered his head and stared at the floor. “I cannot be unfaithful to Alexander. Surely you understand that?”

“Hephaestion, we merely desire to hold you in your sleep so we can keep the nightmares away. We will not take what you are unwilling to give.” Elladan placed a finger beneath Hephaestion’s chin and raised his head. “Would being held in your sleep be so bad? Would that be betraying Alexander?”

“I don’t think so,” said Hephaestion, wavering. “But I am…”

“Hard,” whispered Elrohir into Hephaestion’s ear. “So are we. That does not mean we have to engage in intercourse.”

“In that case…” Hephaestion felt nervous, unclasping his cloak and unbuttoning his robes. “It is not like you haven’t seen me naked before.”

“Aye, we attended to you. Washed you and dried your skin.” Elladan folded an arm around Hephaestion’s waist and guided the mortal to their bed.

The skin on skin contact was enticing and Hephaestion shivered when Elladan lowered him onto the bed. Involuntarily his gaze drifted lower and came to rest on Elladan’s impressive member.

Elrohir seeing *that look* smiled. Maybe all that Hephaestion needed *was* time. He shrugged out of his night robe and joined Elladan and Hephaestion in bed. All three males were hard and the musky scent of sex emanated from their pores. “Roll onto your right side.”

Hephaestion obeyed and spooned behind Elladan. The half-Elf pressed back against him, causing Hephaestion’s length to nestle in between Elladan’s buttocks. His breath caught again, feeling Elrohir’s hard flesh nudge against his cleft in turn. Panting softly, he tried to gain control over his raging feelings. He expected the twins to act on their arousal, but they didn’t and Elrohir folded an arm around him, resting the palm of his hand on Elladan’s hip.

“Comfortable?” asked Elladan, grinning broadly. Although he couldn’t see Hephaestion’s expression, he clearly felt the man’s arousal pressed against him.

“I wouldn’t call it that,” whispered Hephaestion, blushing fiercely.

“Will you tell us about your preferences?” Elrohir licked down the column of Hephaestion’s neck and ended with pressing a kiss on a shoulder blade. “What do you prefer? To be taken? Or to do the taking?”

Hephaestion closed his eyes, trying to calm and center himself. “That always depended on the mood Alexander was in.”

Elladan frowned. “Does that mean you would always comply with his wishes?”

“Of course, that is the way of love. I wanted to see him happy.” Hephaestion’s body was calming down now that Elrohir had ceased teasing him. “Alexander was always in control on the battlefield and he liked being control in bed as well. I never knew what to expect. He could be loving and gentle and prepare me for our lovemaking, but there were also times when he took what he needed. I learned to adapt to his mood swings.”

For some reason Elrohir didn’t like hearing this. “And what about your wants? Your needs?”

“They were always met… eventually.” Remembering the intimate moments shared with Alexander brought him emotional pain, but he recalled their original question and felt he should answer it. “Alexander was the dominant one and usually claimed me whenever he wanted me.”

“That was not what we asked you,” said Elrohir, his eyes narrowing and his fingers moving through the auburn hair. “What is *your* preference?”

Hephaestion buried his face against Elladan’s neck and inhaled the half-Elf’s scent. “I do not know,” he whispered, surprised himself that he didn’t know. “I was always intent on seeing to his needs.”

“Maybe, in time, we will find out.” Elladan managed to gain hold of one hand and pulled Hephaestion’s arm around him in an embrace. He curled his fingers around Hephaestion’s and then whispered, “You must be tired. Sleep. We will watch your sleep.” Something told him that Elrohir and he would spend many hours pretending to sleep because Hephaestion – a mortal – needed to sleep much more than they did.

“Yes, sleep…” Hephaestion moaned, pressed in between the twins and closed his eyes. “Sleep and dream.” His thoughts stilled and his mind calmed now that his body signaled him that he was safe. He quickly fell asleep, loving the feel of the twins in front of him and behind him.

“He does not know,” whispered Elladan, wishing he could see his twin’s expression. They had found at an early stage that Elladan was the dominant one, though Elrohir often turned the tables on him and claimed him instead.

“We will help him find out,” said Elrohir. “And now we must be quiet, or else he will wake up again and we do not want that.”

Elladan smiled. “You are right… May his dreams be sweet…”

“And filled with images of us making love to him.”

~~~

“If you will excuse me now, I wish to retire for the night.” Erestor got to his feet, inclined his head in respect and left the Hall of Fire.

“He is so alone,” whispered Elrond. “I wish there was something I could do for him to lessen his pain.”

“He meekly drinks his sleeping potion each night,” said Glorfindel, pointing at the now empty goblet. “Haldir still haunts him then.”

“Can you blame him for dreaming of his beloved?” Elrond rose from his chair and Glorfindel followed his example. The two Elves left the Hall and headed for the rooms they shared. Once inside, Elrond disrobed, combed his hair and slipped between the covers.

Glorfindel quickly cleaned himself up, as he hadn’t had a chance to do so after training with the guards and he didn’t want to bring this awful scent into their bed. A moment later, he joined Elrond. He opened his arms and the half-Elf eagerly moved into them. Glorfindel smiled, unseen by Elrond, when the half-Elf began to play with his nipples, causing them to grow hard.

“Erestor must miss Haldir terribly.” Elrond pushed himself upright onto one elbow and studied Glorfindel’s face. “If I were to lose you I do not know if I could continue on alone.”

“You are not going to lose me,” said Glorfindel, assisting Elrond when his lover climbed atop of him to straddle his waist. As they were both naked, their arousal was obvious and the hard flesh slid alongside each other, causing them to moan. Seeing the thoughtful expression in Elrond’s eyes Glorfindel tore himself away from the building pleasure and placed his hands on either side of Elrond’s head. “What are you thinking? I *know* that look in your eyes.”

Elrond’s hands roamed his lover’s chest and he caught a hard nipple between two fingertips, rolling it between them. “It is an absurd idea and I should not even be thinking this!”

“What is it?” Glorfindel brought Elrond’s lips closer to his and probed the grey sea of his lover’s eyes. Elrond’s hands now abandoned his chest and one of them trailed down to curl around his leaking member. The other hand sneaked upward until one finger slipped inside his mouth. Glorfindel arched an eyebrow, realizing his lover’s plans and lavished the digit with saliva. “Now tell me,” he demanded, feeling that wet fingertip brush against his guardian ring.

“I was thinking that maybe… maybe we could… invite Erestor… into our bed.” Elrond cringed, seeing Glorfindel’s eyes widen. “I said it was an insane idea; let us not talk about this any more.” In order to distract Glorfindel from their conversation he inserted one finger into his lover’s tight passage. “Hand me the oil, meleth.”

Glorfindel’s head still reeled from Elrond’s words earlier and he frowned, wondering what had made Elrond say such a thing. But then all worries fled, feeling an oil covered finger probe his channel. Pulling Elrond’s head closer to his, he engaged their lips in a long and deep kiss which the half-Elf answered most fervently. A second finger joined the first, stretching him. When that third finger finally entered him he was already moaning with need and rubbing his lower body against Elrond. “Which way do you want me?”

Elrond removed his fingers from his lover’s body and moved off of Glorfindel’s body which was covered with a fine layer of sweat. He sat cross-legged against the headboard and beckoned Glorfindel closer.

Glorfindel’s heart beat fast, realizing his lover’s intentions and he thoroughly approved of them. “You want me to take myself.” Elrond seldom suggested they use this position and Glorfindel quickly realized what advantages making love in this way would give him. He would be in control of the pace and depth of Elrond’s thrusts, as he could take himself as hard and fast as he wanted.

“I thought something new would…” Elrond didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence as Glorfindel positioned himself above his throbbing shaft.

Glorfindel placed his hands on Elrond’s shoulders for support and then lowered himself onto his lover’s erection. He bowed his head in concentration, feeling the blunt head of his lover’s member nudge against his guardian ring. He pushed down, opening himself up to his lover and the head slipped inside. Feeling feverish and in control, Glorfindel continued to impale himself on the rod, sliding down the length until his buttocks rested in Elrond’s lap.

Elrond’s heart missed several beats seeing the expression in his lover’s eyes when Glorfindel made eye contact. He saw lust in them, lust, passion and desire. Elrond quickly slipped his hands beneath his lover’s buttocks, supporting him further.

Glorfindel licked his lips and then attacked Elrond’s, claiming them in a brutal kiss. “I want you so much.” Feeling Elrond so deep inside him caused butterflies to tickle his insides and he couldn’t wait for that warm sensation to fill him the moment his lover found release.

Glorfindel’s passionate reaction surprised Elrond. He had always been under the impression that his lover liked it when he made sweet, slow love to him. Had he been wrong? “Take yourself, meleth, and bring us to orgasm.”

Throwing back his head, Glorfindel moaned and raised himself until only the head of Elrond’s member was still inside him. He then drove himself down and then up again, setting a violent rhythm, taking himself hard.

Elrond allowed Glorfindel to take himself in that way and set aside any concern he might have felt for his lover’s well-being. If Glorfindel wanted this, he would give it to the golden-haired warrior. Glorfindel’s erection, slick with pre-ejaculate and shining an angry purple seemed to cry out for his touch and Elrond managed to wrap his fingers around the rod.

Glorfindel thought his body would explode with ecstasy now that Elrond was stroking him. “I am close… so close…” He inched closer, wrapped his arms as tightly as he could around Elrond’s form and attached his lips to Elrond’s throat, suckling the skin there. A muffled scream left his lips as he was being propelled to orgasm and his cream splashed onto Elrond’s hand and abdomen.

“Stop moving,” demanded Elrond, using his hold on Glorfindel to make the warrior cease all motion. “I want to feel you around me.”

Glorfindel moaned, needily, but obeyed. Seated on Elrond’s lap, the half-Elf’s erection felt huge inside him.

Elrond closed his eyes in bliss, concentrating on the contractions forming around his member. Those contractions brought him to orgasm and he sought out his lover’s bruised lips, kissing Glorfindel deeply.

After their lovemaking, Glorfindel felt exhausted. He had never taken himself in that way before and the experience left him breathless.

Elrond, sensing his lover’s drained state, brought his arms up behind the warrior and lowered him onto his back onto the bed. As he had maintained some of his erect state, he remained inside his lover’s slick passage and stretched atop of Glorfindel, blanketing him. “You loved taking yourself in that way.” That was some sort of revelation to him.

“Aye, I did.” Glorfindel opened tired eyes and smiled at Elrond. At times like these, he loved feeling his lover press him down. “You are always so gentle with me and I love that,” he added quickly, seeing Elrond almost scowl. “But sometimes I am in the mood for some harder love play.”

“You are?” Elrond’s frown materialized after all. “Why didn’t you tell me that?”

“I do not think it is in your nature to take me in that way, or is it?”

“You may be right. I worried about you just now, taking yourself that roughly.” Elrond gave the matter some thought. “Maybe we can settle for some sort of arrangement? Whenever you feel the need to be taken a bit… rougher… we use the position we just did?”

“Aye, I can live with that.” Glorfindel’s tongue popped out and licked a droplet of his semen from Elrond’s face. “I wonder how that got there.”

“Bad aim,” said Elrond, teasing his lover.

Glorfindel ran his finger through Elrond’s hair, recalling his lover’s unexpected proposal. Taking Erestor to their bed -- he wondered where that thought had come from. Elrond had never mentioned that before!

Elrond’s sex had softened and left his lover’s body. “I will clean us up. Do not move, meleth.” He regretted having to climb off of his lover’s warm body, but they would stick together if he didn’t clean them up now.

Glorfindel watched Elrond head for the bathroom, disappear inside and return with a wash cloth and a bowl of tepid water. Elrond placed the bowel on the bed, dipped the cloth in it and set to cleaning him thoroughly. The soft, gentle wipes made Glorfindel smile. Trust the healer to pop out again at a moment like this. Elrond even checked for tearing, making Glorfindel shake his head. “I am fine, meleth.”

“I cannot help it.” Elrond shrugged, apologetically, and then cleaned himself up, washing his lover’s seed from his abdomen.

Glorfindel placed the bowl onto the floor, disposed of the cloth and pulled Elrond into an embrace. Lying on his back, Glorfindel encouraged Elrond to snuggle up to him and rest his head on his muscular chest. He wanted to discuss something before going to sleep. “What made you suggest we take Erestor into our bed?” Elrond tensed in his arms, almost making Glorfindel regret asking that question.

“It was a stupid thing to say. Please forget that I ever did.”

“Nay, I won’t do that. Now tell me, Elrond. Why did you suggest that?”

Elrond sighed and his fingertips danced across Glorfindel’s chest. “He is so alone, Glorfindel. He won’t ever let it show, but he is hurting deep inside.”

“And you think that inviting him into our bed would soothe his pain?” Glorfindel gave the matter some serious thought and realized that Elrond’s proposal wasn’t as foolish as it had first seemed to him. “Do you think he would accept our comfort?”

Elrond shrugged. “We won’t know until we ask him.”

“You know the way he tenses and flees the room when he comes upon us during an intimate moment.” Glorfindel recalled Erestor fleeing the study when he had entered. Elrond had been comforting Erestor and Erestor had run, seeing him standing there. “What is it with Erestor? Why does he run whenever I am close?”

“He does not want to make you jealous. Until Haldir came along, Erestor never had a lover. It was Haldir’s persistence that opened Erestor up to the possibility of taking a lover.”

“Jealous?” Glorfindel frowned. “Elrond, do you really think it would do Erestor good to join us in bed? And that is *if* he accepts your proposal.”

“I do. You should have seen the way he blossomed when Haldir first courted him.” Glorfindel had been away on patrols a lot and had not seen much of the courting game.

“Why don’t you tell me? I would love to hear how that proud and arrogant March Warden won Erestor’s heart.”

Elrond rubbed his head against Glorfindel’s chest. He would love to tell Glorfindel! “It all started when Celeborn decided he should visit Imladris to meet with his grandsons for that first time….

~~~

Erestor blamed his tardiness completely on Elrond’s obsession with the babies. The half-Elf had flatly refused to welcome Celeborn to Imladris, because that meant leaving his wife and babies and had sent Erestor to do so instead.

Hurrying down the stairs, Erestor was upset for being late. Celeborn and his personal guard had arrived minutes ago and were now awaiting him in the courtyard. From the corner of his eye, Erestor saw that they had already dismounted and were walking about, talking to stable hands and servants. His feet moved faster than they should have and Erestor suddenly found himself stumbling and then falling down the stairs. The floor at the bottom of the stair case looked extremely hard and it was only a matter of seconds before he would crash into it. Knowing his bad luck, he would probably go down face first.

“Be careful now.”

Strong arms circled his waist and pulled him close to a muscular chest. Silver hair teased against his face and a musky scent, mixed in with pine and the smell of the forest, drifted into his nostrils. He was practically being crushed to the powerfully built torso and unable to move as the other Elf’s hold on him was tight.

“You almost took a nasty fall there.” Haldir, enjoying holding this lithe Elf with dark hair and even darker eyes, placed him back onto his feet. He would have liked to hold him a little longer, but that would hardly have been appropriate. “Are you uninjured?”

Erestor glared at the silver-haired Elf, but the moment his weight came to rest on his right ankle, he paled considerably. Oh no, he had not sprained his ankle! Broken? Nay, his ankle was definitely not broken! He was fine. Just fine!

Haldir wrapped an arm around the dark-haired Elf’s middle, seeing him sway and then favor his right foot. “You *are* injured.” Haldir started to look about for a healer, but instead, he saw Celeborn’s eyes twinkle naughtily at him.

“Let me go, you brute!” Although his behavior was inappropriate and ungrateful, Erestor continued to shout at his savior. Never before had he been treated like that! “I can take care of myself!” He even pummeled the silver-haired Elf’s chest with his fists.

“Feisty,” commented Haldir, chuckling, but still maintaining his hold on the other Elf.

“Stop that!” Celeborn, although amused, was growing impatient. He had traveled for weeks to visit with his grandsons. “Erestor, accept his help, and Haldir, stop making such comments… Although, he does seem feisty… I never thought of Erestor as feisty before, but I must agree.”

Celeborn’s comments only fueled Erestor’s anger. “You are Haldir?” Of course, it just had to be the March Warden with the most arrogant and smug reputation who would prevent him from falling! “I told you to release me.”

“Erestor? You are Lord Elrond’s Chief Advisor?” He had heard many tales of the composed, calm and aloof Advisor, but this was certainly not the way he had pictured Erestor. The dark hair danced angrily against the small of Erestor’s back and framed a face with delicate features. The brown, almost black eyes shot daggers at him and the luscious lips seemed perfect for kissing.

“I am! And I would appreciate it if you finally released me!” Erestor was calming down again and felt mostly embarrassed, maybe even humiliated for the way they had met. “I do not fall down stairs usually,” he whispered, his words meant to apologize for the condescending tone his voice had possessed a moment earlier.

“I will release you,” said Haldir, reluctantly. “If you can stand unaided. You hurt your foot, didn’t you?” Erestor leaned heavily against him and he suspected that the Advisor was in considerable pain, even though he might not want to admit it.

“I will manage.” Erestor pulled away with reluctance and that realization stunned him. He never allowed anyone close, so why would he want Haldir to remain close? He swayed and pushed Haldir’s hand away when the March Warden tried to steady him.

“Hum, Erestor?” Celeborn felt amused, seeing them struggle with their feelings, but his desire to see his grandchildren was greater. “Elladan and Elrohir?”

“Of course, Milord. Please follow me.” Erestor turned and paled, realizing he had to master the stairs with a broken foot.

“I can carry you,” offered Haldir, wickedly. He wouldn’t have minded at all, carrying Erestor up the staircase, but was quite certain the Advisor wouldn’t accept his offer.

“I can manage.” Erestor hissed the words and then began to climb the stair case, trying to muffle his pain filled moans by keeping his hand in front of his mouth.

Celeborn had had enough. “Haldir, take Erestor to the Healing House, which is located over there.” He pointed his second in command in the right direction.

“Milord, I…” Erestor started to object, but was swept off of his feet when Haldir lifted him in his arms.

“Erestor, I have been here before and I still remember the way to my daughter’s rooms. There is no need for you to be in pain. Now do as I bid or I will make you.” Celeborn gestured for Rúmil and Orophin to follow him.

Haldir intercepted his brothers’ wicked glances and returned the grin. “I will be right back.”

Orophin and Rúmil smiled, conspiringly, and followed their Lord up the stairs, leaving Haldir with a struggling Erestor.

“Put me down! This is undignified!” Erestor was furious! What was Celeborn thinking, commanding Haldir to take him to the Healing House? He was perfectly capable of attending to this injury himself!

“It may seem undignified to you,” whispered Haldir, heading toward the Healing House. “But there is no disgrace in accepting help when you are injured.” Oh, this Erestor was a proud one!

Erestor simply stared at Haldir in disbelief. This couldn’t be happening! Not to him! Not to someone who was known for self-control and radiating a sense of superiority!

“Calm yourself, Erestor. Why are you this upset?” Haldir entered the Healing House and found himself surrounded by healers, who directed him toward one of the rooms in the back. He would have loved to carry Erestor around much longer. The lithe Elf hardly weighed a thing and he felt nice and warm – a perfect fit.

“Upset? I am not upset!” Erestor cringed, hearing the frantic tone to his voice. He felt relieved when Haldir finally lowered him onto a bed, but a moment later he missed feeling those strong arms holding him close. He had never before experienced such a confusing mix of emotions and he wanted to scream at Haldir for creating this turmoil inside him. Scream? No, not scream. He wanted to kiss those pouting lips and seduce the silver-haired Elf into parting them so he could explore that mouth. /Nay, I am not thinking this!/ And even worse, /I am *not* growing aroused! I am not!/

Seeing he was causing Erestor serious distress at this point, Haldir backed off and watched Erestor struggle to keep his robes in place when the healers were bent on pushing them upward so they could examine his ankle. “I will leave you now.” Haldir stepped into the corridor, smiling as he heard Erestor chide the healers for acting so zealously.

~~~

 

Glorfindel laughed, genially, and the sound rolled through the room, spreading warmth and mirth. “Oh, that does sound like our Erestor!”

Elrond chuckled against Glorfindel’s chest. “You do not want to know how much coaxing it took on my part to make Erestor tell me about their first meeting. Until this very day he feels embarrassed.”

“I am ready to hear more,” whispered Glorfindel, caressing the curve of his lover’s back. “What happened next?”

“Dinner did.”

~~~

 

Erestor entered the Hall of Fire using a cane to support himself. The healers had bandaged the ankle and had then ordered him to take some bed rest, but Erestor being Erestor, had returned to work a moment later. Mumbling to himself, he slowly made his way over to the main table.

Elrond and Celeborn exchanged a glance, seeing Erestor hobble toward them in a way which had to be painful. Celeborn had told him what had happened on the staircase and Elrond’s gaze shifted from Erestor to Haldir, who was seated at the end of the table. All three brothers were charming and beautiful to behold, but Haldir was the most arrogant and therefore, the most wanted among both males and females. /Aye, his eyes fill with worry. This might be interesting./

Erestor declined help when a servant offered to escort him to the table and determinedly limped toward the main table. In the end, he managed to seat himself to Elrond’s right, his usual place, and found to his distress that Haldir was seated on his other side.

Elrond continued to study Erestor, seeing the sure signs of discomfort on the Advisor’s face. He was amazed that Erestor would show his emotions that openly. Erestor was the one Elf who had truly mastered hiding his emotions.

Erestor forced his eyes away from Haldir’s smug grin and looked at Elrond instead. “I trust Celebrían and the children fare well?”

“Aye, they are resting. I do not want her to leave her bed yet.” As a healer, Elrond knew his wife and babies required rest and visiting the Hall of Fire would only have exhausted his wife. He would keep her company later and hold her in his arms during the night. “Celeborn told me about your accident. That is most unfortunate.”

“Most unfortunate.” Erestor bit his bottom lip, feeling embarrassed that he had let his Lord and friend down. Elrond had turned over most of his duties to his Chief Advisor because he wanted to spent time with his family and Erestor felt like he had greatly disappointed his friend.

“Celeborn also told me that you resisted proper treatment. The healers then informed me that they confined you to bed and now I see you hobbling in here.” Elrond disliked seeing the angry expression in Erestor’s eyes. He knew from personal experience that Erestor would turn that anger upon himself. “This was out of your control, meldir.”

“I do not require rest. I can get about and attend to my duties!” Erestor lowered his eyes and pretended to enjoy the meal.

Realizing Erestor considered this subject closed, Elrond sighed. Erestor was one of his best friends and his confidant, much like Glorfindel was, but Erestor had the tendency to push himself too hard. It was unfortunate that Glorfindel was away on patrol duty. The blond warrior was one of the few Elves who could intimidate Erestor to such a degree that he would do what he had been told. Elrond placed his hand on Erestor’s wrist and whispered, “Please walk about as little as possible and rest your ankle. It *is* broken and must cause you discomfort.”

“I will try,” whispered Erestor, aware of Elrond’s concern for him.

Elrond squeezed his friend’s wrist once and then looked up into a pair of angry, hazel eyes. /Haldir? What did I do?/ Following the direction of Haldir’s glare he realized it pointed at his hand, which still rested on Erestor’s wrist. /Ah, is that the way it is?/ Elrond managed to hide his smile and returned to eating dinner.

~~~

Haldir felt like he was losing his mind. It had started the moment he had caught Erestor and had held him close. The Advisor’s scent was still in his nostrils and his arms remembered how good it had felt to hold Erestor close. He had never believed in love at first sight and had therefore remained unbound, even though he’d had a few lovers. But none of his lovers had really touched his heart like Erestor had. Intercepting Rúmil’s grin and Orophin’s chuckle, he realized his brothers had seen the truth.

Orophin, seated next to him, nudged him beneath the table.

“My dear brother, has that dark beauty captured your heart? We thought that was impossible!” Orophin chuckled and took a large bite out of his pastry. Munching happily, he watched Haldir’s eyes fill with anger. Oh, he loved teasing his older brother!

“Aye, he is ‘feisty’, isn’t he?” whispered Rúmil. Although the brothers were teasing Haldir with his infatuation, they also realized it was probably the first time that Haldir felt this way. Love, and love at first sight, had been strangers in Haldir’s life, who had lain with their fellow sentries, but had never spoken vows of love and loyalty.

“Stop it!” Haldir glared at the two nuisances; he’d had to put up with their teasing since childhood.

“I will retire for the night now,” announced Erestor, having finished his meal.

“Aye, that sounds like a good idea,” said Elrond, approving of his friend’s decision to get some rest.

Haldir watched Erestor struggle with the cane and wobble out of the Hall. “Milords, would you please excuse me as well?” Haldir rose from his chair without waiting for permission and hurried out of the Hall after Erestor.

“Your March Warden surprises me,” said Elrond, sipping his wine. “No disrespect meant,” he said, addressing the two brothers, “But Haldir’s behavior surprises me.”

“I think he is surprising himself,” replied Orophin, still chuckling.

Celeborn nodded his head once. “I agree that this is non-typical behavior for Haldir, but…”

“But when someone is in love for the first time, one acts silly,” said Elrond, grinning as he remembered his own stunts to attract Celebrían’s attention.

“Love?” Celeborn cocked his head.

“Aye, love at first sight,” replied Rúmil. “At least for Haldir. I do not know about Erestor, though. I do not know him that well.”

“Oh, trust me when I say that Erestor’s behavior is unusual as well and that is putting it mildly.” Elrond refilled his glass and grinned at Celeborn from over the rim. “Those two won’t accept their fate quietly.”

“But in the end Erestor will have no choice but to give in. I know Haldir well, maybe even too well.” Celeborn raised his goblet and said, “A toast to love.”

“And may love have pity on your poor Erestor,” whispered Orophin, electing cheers from all present.

~~~

Glorfindel smiled. “Erestor never stood a chance then?”

Elrond returned that smile. “Erestor had lost the battle long before he realized it.”

~~~

“Can I be of some assistance?” Haldir had caught up with Erestor and found the Advisor panting softly and with a worrisome pallor on his face.

“I can manage,” insisted Erestor, but the pain that traveled up his leg caused him to lose his hold on his cane and he swayed. Instantly, Haldir was at his side to offer him support.

“Why are you fighting this?” asked Haldir in a remarkably soft tone. “I only want to help.”

It was that soft voice that was Erestor’s undoing and he nodded his head once. “I will allow you to escort me to my rooms.”

“You are wise after all, Erestor.”

Erestor had wanted to hiss a reply, but then saw the soft expression in the hazel eyes. Haldir wasn’t teasing him – quite the contrary was the case, the silver-haired Elf worried about his well-being. “I am not used to someone taking care of me and I do not like it.”

Erestor leaned heavily on Haldir and the March Warden did his best to support the Advisor. “I would carry you, but I am afraid you would use that cane on me.”

Erestor’s eyes quickly sought out Haldir’s. “I did not make a good impression on you so far, did I? I apologize for that.”

“As you said before, you are not used to being fussed over.” Haldir gave Erestor a brilliant smile. “I would love to fuss over you if you would let me.”

“Fussing over serves no purpose.” They had reached Erestor’s rooms and he transferred his weight from Haldir onto his cane. “I can manage alone now.”

“I won’t be at peace until you are resting safely on your bed – or a chair,” he added quickly, seeing the disapproving expression in Erestor’s eyes.

Erestor fought a private battle. He had never allowed anyone inside his rooms before and letting Haldir enter would change that.

“Please, Erestor?” Haldir gave Erestor a pleading look.

Erestor found he couldn’t deny Haldir when those hazel eyes possessed that particular expression. “You may enter.” Erestor opened the door and stepped inside, followed by Haldir.

Haldir frowned, seeing how bare and sparsely furnished Erestor’s rooms were and he gave the Advisor a questioning look.

“I do not spend much time in here,” explained Erestor, placing his cane aside and lowering himself onto the comfortable chair near the fireplace.

Haldir nodded once. “But still…” He busied himself lightning the oil lamps and candles. Although they didn’t need the light, as Elven vision allowed them to see perfectly in the dark, he needed the glow to soften the room’s cold feel.

Erestor’s eyes hardened. “You disapprove?” And why did it matter to him if Haldir approved or not?

“Maybe we can find a way to add a warmer touch to your rooms?” Haldir seated himself on the floor as Erestor was occupying the only chair in the room. “Why do you act so hostile toward me, Erestor?”

“We only met four hours ago, Haldir. I do not know you. Why should I act differently?” Erestor shivered, seeing the warmth in Haldir’s hazel eyes. He had expected the March Warden to be arrogant and pompous, but Haldir was nothing like that and that confused him.

“You are right, Erestor. We barely know each other, so why don’t we change that? I will tell you my life history and you tell me yours?” Haldir pulled a blanket and pillow from the bed and made himself comfortable on the floor. “Do you want to go first?”

Erestor stared at Haldir in shock. “You expect me to…?”

“What am I thinking?” Haldir jumped to his feet, placed pillow and blanket back onto the bed and advanced on a trembling Erestor. “You cannot be comfortable in that chair. You should put your leg up.”

Erestor didn’t get a chance to protest Haldir’s decision or to fight him off. Haldir lifted him in his arms and carried him over to the bed, where he placed him in the center.

Haldir stretched on his right side beside Erestor and pulled him close until the Advisor was in his arms. “This is much better, don’t you agree?”

Haldir’s actions left Erestor speechless. Haldir had actually climbed into bed with him!

“Let me go first,” said Haldir. “And before I share my life history with you, let me say this, you are a most stubborn Elf!”

Erestor snorted. “I could say the same thing of you!”

“Now be quiet and let me speak!” Haldir raised a trembling hand and let the fingers slide into the dark strands, massaging the scalp. “I have never been in love before…”

“Love?” Erestor’s eyes widened, dramatically, hearing Haldir’s words and feeling the March Warden’s fingers tangle in his hair. He couldn’t believe that Haldir *was* this bold!

“Aye, love. I never believed in love at first sight, until now. Until the moment I caught you in my arms. Erestor, during these last four hours I could only think of you, the way you fit in my arms.”

“Haldir, I…” Erestor blushed. He felt it too, but couldn’t admit to his feelings for it meant showing weakness in his eyes.

“Listen!” Haldir cupped the back of Erestor’s head in his hand and guided the Advisor’s lips closer to his. “I have had lovers and am far from untouched, but not one of them ever touched my heart and made me crazy with love and desire. Not until you, Erestor.”

Erestor was spellbound and could do little but listen to the sultry, hypnotic voice. His body was reacting to the sweet words and his erection strained against the fabric of the leggings which he wore beneath his robes.

“Erestor, I am only a warrior. I hold no position of importance like you do. I merely carry out Celeborn’s orders.” Haldir drew in a deep breath, losing himself in the dark eyes. “I would bind myself to you, Erestor. I would be yours, if you would have me.”

Those were the very words Erestor had been waiting for his entire life. Contrary to Haldir, he’d had no lovers to warm his bed. He had kept himself untouched, determined to give himself only to the one person he was meant to be with. But not in a million dreams had he imagined that person entering his life and declaring his love in such a short time span. He had envisioned they would court for years and not being swept off his feet by Haldir of Lórien!

“Haldir, I do not know what to say…” This was the second time Haldir had rendered him speechless.

“I know that I am acting fast, but Erestor, I refuse to waste a single second now that I have found you.”

“What if this is a mistake? Haldir…? Haldir’s lips took his in a passionate kiss, making him moan. His body craved Haldir’s touch, never having known a lover’s ministrations. His mind still fought his emotions, telling him that giving into Haldir would be a mistake.

Haldir, encouraged by Erestor’s passionate response, grew bolder. His fingers caressed Erestor’s throat and then traveled downward to undo the numerous buttons to Erestor’s robes. Keeping in mind that Erestor was injured, he proceeded carefully. Straddling Erestor’s waist, he continued their kissing and his fingers finally manage to push away the fabric of Erestor’s robes. The Advisor’s bare chest was a new playground for him to explore and he slid his hands up and down the soft skin. Erestor’s nipples hardened and he rolled them between his fingers. Sliding down Erestor’s body, his tongue left a wet trail down the Advisor’s throat and finally encountered that first hard nub of flesh.

Erestor felt on fire and was unable to stop Haldir. His brain had ceased to think logically and instead, his body reacted to Haldir’s every touch. He stared at the silver vision sliding down his chest and gasped, feeling Haldir undoing the lacing to his leggings. “What are you doing?” he whispered, quite entranced. Haldir knew how to play his body and extract the neediest moans. He arched toward Haldir and yelped softly, feeling Haldir free his erection. No one had ever touched him in this way and he panicked.

“Hush now, meleth,” whispered Haldir. Erestor’s responses had told him what the Advisor’s lips refused to admit. “I will be gentle with you.” Had he ever made love to a virgin before? Nay, he didn’t think so.

“Haldir… I am scared.” Erestor hadn’t thought he had the courage to admit that. “But I also want this.” And that scared him the most. He had waited so long to give himself that he now eagerly responded to Haldir’s every touch. 

“I understand,” whispered Haldir, uncovering a small knife. “Now trust me.”

Erestor’s eyes bulged from their sockets, seeing the sharp blade slide through the fabric of his leggings like a hot knife through butter.

“I do not want to jostle your foot and cause you pain by removing your leggings.” Haldir placed the knife aside and removed the remains of Erestor’s leggings. The Advisor now lay naked beneath him and Haldir’s member had long grown hard with need. But before taking his pleasure, he wanted to give Erestor ecstasy. “Let me…”

Erestor closed his eyes in surrender. A part of him couldn’t believe that he was allowing Haldir to use him in this way and another part of him rejoiced at finally being touched. Hands explored his body, stroking his sides and caressing the insides of his thighs. A hot, eager tongue trailed down his abdomen and momentarily dipped into his belly button, making him squirm.

Haldir read his lover’s eagerness, but always kept in mind how inexperienced Erestor was. He moved lower still and finally encountered Erestor’s erect member. Licking his lips, he gave the hard flesh a predatory grin. “Hello there.”

Erestor wondered who Haldir was talking to, but received his answer the moment lips closed over the head of his shaft. Fingers curled around his erection at the base, stroking him. Thrusting into the warm mouth was a reflex and his eyes opened, realizing Haldir easily took in more of him. Pushing himself up onto his elbows, he looked at the sensual sight, seeing Haldir move up and down his length. Suddenly, the suction increased, making him yelp in need and he fell backward onto the bed again.

Feeling Erestor tense Haldir realized the Advisor was about to come and he let the hard flesh slip from his lips. Fascinated, he watched how the cream spilled from the slit. “Oh, you are exquisite, Erestor.” His fingertips smeared Erestor’s cream down the cleft, easily locating the opening to his lover’s body. The semen would ease his way in, just in case Erestor had no oil handy.

Erestor’s big eyes met Haldir’s and fear showed, realizing his lover’s intent. “Haldir, I have never…”

“Trust yourself to me,” whispered Haldir, leaning in closer and pressing possessive kisses all over Erestor’s throat. “Do you have any oil handy?”

“Bathroom,” whispered Erestor, panting hard.

Haldir placed one last kiss on Erestor’s lips, allowing his lover to taste himself and then ventured into the bathroom where he collected the oil. Erestor’s scared eyes made him waver, but the sight of his lover growing aroused again so quickly told him that taking Erestor was for the best. “Roll onto your stomach and trust me.”

Shakily, and with Haldir’s assistance, Erestor complied. He squeezed his eyes shut and his fingers became claws, gaining a tight hold on the sheet.

“Erestor, I promise you pleasure…” Haldir took hold of a pillow, told Erestor to raise his hips and slipped the pillow beneath his lover’s groin. “Comfortable?”

“Nay.” Erestor felt terrified. He knew his first time would hurt. He just knew!

Displeased with Erestor’s tense reaction to this next step in their lovemaking, Haldir coated his hands with the oil and knelt beside Erestor. He placed his hands on Erestor’s shoulders and started a sensual massage.

Receiving a massage was the last thing Erestor expected at that moment. He fully expected Haldir to take him with one thrust. But now lips returned to kiss his skin, kissing down the curve of his spine. Strong hands, surprisingly gentle now, continued the massage, making him relax in spite of his fears. His breath caught, feeling Haldir’s lips descend onto a buttock, kissing and suckling the skin there.

Haldir continued the massage for a few more minutes, working the tension from Erestor’s legs and arms. Then, his hands and tongue returned to worship Erestor’s lower back. Hearing Erestor moan and see him rub against the pillow, Haldir changed his position and straddled Erestor’s thighs. “I will be gentle,” he said, repeating his promise. Taking hold of the oil, he let the liquid drip onto Erestor’s backside. Several droplets slid down the cleft, lubricating his lover.

Erestor pressed deeper into the mattress. That had been one of the most intense moments he had ever experienced! Haldir slowly pushed one finger inside, making him gasp in surprise. The invasion wasn’t unpleasant, as he had thought it would be, and he squirmed, eager to show Haldir that he approved.

“So eager… You’ve denied yourself for much too long, meleth. I vow to make you happy for as long as I shall live. I will worship your body and always satisfy your every need. I will stand at your side and I will be proud to call you my mate.” Haldir now added a second finger, scissoring them inside his lover’s loosening passage. It helped that Erestor had already climaxed moments before and the massage had also help him relax. He cupped one firm buttock in his hand, squeezing the flesh.

Erestor gasped, feeling Haldir slide a third finger inside. He felt impossibly full, but then something happened that made him cry out in need. “What was that?” Erestor managed to look at Haldir from over his shoulder.

“This, meleth?” Haldir rubbed the nub inside Erestor’s passage again.

“Aiya!” Erestor closed his eyes in bliss. A wave of warm sensation was spreading through his lower body and his erection, which had briefly faded, returned. Haldir nudged the gland again and Erestor thought he would come that very moment.

“You are ready for me.” Haldir coated his erection with the oil and flung the vial aside. Keeping in mind that Erestor’s injury limited their lovemaking, he stretched atop of Erestor and placed his hands on either side of the dark hair. His length was already nudging the ring of muscle and without exercising much pressure, the head of his erection slid inside.

Erestor had never felt anything like it before and stilled all movement. “Haldir?” The Galadhrim’s face was close enough for him to claim Haldir’s lips and he engaged his lover in a deep kiss. It was exactly that moment Haldir chose to slide in deeper, burying himself inside Erestor’s passage.

Haldir watched Erestor’s eyes grow big with realization. “Aye, I am inside you now.” He had never seen a more sensual look on an Elf’s face before and he fought down the urge to thrust. Erestor wasn’t ready yet for that.

“You feel big.” Erestor didn’t dare to draw in a deep breath. “I am afraid to move.”

“You do not have to. I will.” Haldir slid his arms beneath Erestor’s chest and held him close, performing that first thrust that would bind them forever.

Erestor’s world reeled, feeling Haldir claim him. The silver-haired Elf’s weight rested upon him and he had seldom felt so vulnerable, so helpless. To his surprise, he liked it.

Sensing Erestor’s acceptance of their bond, Haldir placed a kiss on his lover’s lips and then released Erestor from his crushing embrace. He placed his hands on the mattress and lifted himself so Erestor no longer needed to carry his bulk as well. In this position, he could also thrust with more power and penetrate Erestor as deeply as he could without causing damage. “I, Haldir, take you as my mate, Erestor. From this moment on, I belong to you, heart, body and soul.”

All Erestor was capable of was moaning as Haldir now set up a deep and tormentingly slow rhythm. Feeling Haldir move inside him, claiming him in such a way was something he had never thought he would experience. Rubbing his erection against the pillow made him climax and he cried hot tears of happiness, letting go.

Haldir knew his lover had found release when the contractions around his shaft started. He blanketed his lover again and stopped all motion, savoring the sensation of Erestor’s inner muscle milking him dry.

Erestor was completely unprepared for the warm sensation flooding his insides. /He spilled his seed inside me?/

Haldir rubbed his face against Erestor’s shoulder and kissed the trembling neck. He carefully pulled out and rolled off of Erestor. Settling down on his side, he watched Erestor’s face.

Erestor had turned his head so he could look at Haldir and what he saw took his breath away. A brilliant, silver glow shone from those hazel eyes. Had he put it there? “Did you mean it?” he asked, trying to gain control over his breath again. His lower body throbbed, telling him he would feel sore in places he had never been sore in before. “Did you mean it when you said that you wanted this to last? Or did you choose to seduce me because you did not want to be alone tonight?”

Haldir should have felt insulted, but he didn’t. Hadn’t he bedded others on long and lonely nights? “This is different, meleth. I love you and only you.” Haldir pressed a loving kiss onto Erestor’s brow. “Allow me to hold you tonight and I promise you that I will still be here in the morning.”

Erestor nodded his head once, feeling tired and sore. “Hold me.”

Haldir quickly wiped away the sticky cream from their bodies and carefully rolled Erestor into his arms. “Does this feel good?”

“Aye, it does.” Even his ankle had stopped hurting. Erestor fell asleep inhaling Haldir’s scent and with his fingers tangled in the silver hair. He would make certain that his March Warden wouldn’t leave during the night.

~~~

 “And you know what happened because?” Glorfindel gave Elrond a curious look. How could Elrond know such intimate details?

“Erestor sought me out in the morning. He was quite embarrassed having to ask me for some soothing ointment. Haldir accompanied him and looked utterly guilty. Little by little, they told me what they had been up to. You should have seen the change in Erestor back then, Glorfindel. He became a different person. But then, Haldir was ordered to escort Celeborn back to the Golden Wood and the two lovers were threatened with separation. In the end, I gave Erestor permission to follow Haldir to the Golden Wood, where he stayed for over a century.”

 

Glorfindel nodded. He had wondered about the leave of absence Erestor had received back then. When he had returned from his patrol he had been flabbergasted to find Erestor gone. In time, Erestor had returned to Imladris and he too had noticed the changes which were most pronounced whenever Haldir visited Imladris. In the end, Elrond had told him about their liaison and he had rejoiced for the two Elves.

Losing Haldir to death at Helm’s Deep had devastated Erestor. The Advisor had changed from a warm and open persona to the silent and distant Advisor of the past. Only Elrond managed to still reach him in his darkest hours. And now Elrond had suggested inviting Erestor into their bed. “Do you think that would be wise? Taking him as our lover?” He had never been in a relationship before where he had two lovers. “Can it work?”

“We won’t know until we try.” Elrond closed his eyes and let his fingertips move over Glorfindel’s chest. “The twins gave me this idea. They invited Hephaestion into their bed.”

“And he declined.”

“And you so certain that he did? That he is not in the bed right now? Asleep in their arms?”

“What do you know?” asked Glorfindel, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

“I have my sources.” Elrond buried his fingers in Glorfindel’s golden mane and finally succumbed to his fatigue.

Glorfindel however, remained awake, wondering how Erestor would react if he were invited to take part in their relationship. /How do I feel about that? Am I strong and confident enough in my love to share Elrond? It won’t be an arrangement for long, as Elrond *is* preparing to sail for Aman in the summer. Such a relationship would only last for six months at the most./ Glorfindel sighed, realizing his thoughts were running in circles. In order to find his inner peace again he focused on Elrond’s breathing. With a smile on his face, he dozed off.

~~~

Hephaestion woke to the sound of flesh moving against flesh. Opening his eyes and seeing Elladan’s jerky movement he instantly understood what was happening. Elladan was bringing himself to orgasm. Hephaestion continued to listen, quite entranced and only then became aware of the hard flesh nestled between his buttocks. /Elrohir!/ What was he to do now? He should have known something like this would happen when he had gone to sleep last night!

Sensing the mortal’s distress, Elrohir whispered into Hephaestion’s ear, “We won’t take what you are unwilling to give, pen vain.” (pen vain – beautiful one)

“What does that mean?” Hephaestion was stunned, realizing Elladan hadn’t ceased his ministrations although the twin now knew they were awake.

“Beautiful one,” explained Elrohir, patiently. “You must excuse my brother. He has felt aroused for too long and needs relief.”

“And what about you? I feel you…” Hephaestion squirmed in-between them. With Alexander, everything had been structured. He had never had to ponder dilemmas as Alexander would tell him what to do.

“What about you, pen vain? What do you want? What do you need?” Elrohir closed his eyes, feeling Elladan’s climax in his mind.

Elladan panted, softly, now that he had managed to relieve some of the pressure he had been in. Feeling Hephaestion’s body spooned behind him had caused him to stay erect most of the night. He used the sheet to wipe off the cream and then turned in the embrace, eager to look into Hephaestion’s radiant eyes.

Hephaestion, now flat on his back, found himself watched closely by two pairs of identical eyes. His erection had grown harder, hearing Elladan pleasure himself.

“We can help you with that, if you want us to,” offered Elladan after exchanging a look with Elrohir.

“I…” Hephaestion didn’t know what to say. His treacherous body told him it desired the twins’ touches, but his mind reminded him that he was Alexander’s.

“You are in Imladris now and you have started a new life here,” said Elrohir, reminding Hephaestion of his changed circumstances. “Don’t you think it is about time that you discovered your needs? Your wants?” He didn’t know if Alexander had been extremely selfish in bed, or Hephaestion too eager to please, but it was obvious that not all Hephaestion’s needs had been met in the past.

Hephaestion bit his bottom lip. The twins were handsome and oh so tempting, but he couldn’t… could he?

“Tell us,” said Elladan. His warm breath caressed one of Hephaestion’s nipples which grew hard under the caress. The mortal reminded him of a bow, ready to fire its arrow straight at its target. Hephaestion was highly strung and he suspected that it wouldn’t take much touching to bring the mortal to orgasm.

“I… I feel like I could burst any moment now,” whispered Hephaestion, uncertainty coloring his eyes. “I would like for you to touch me, but…” His lips were silenced with a fervent kiss which Elladan deposited on his lips. Fingers traveled down his abdomen, gently teasing his pubic hair before the long fingers curled around his length. He thrust instantly into that hand, unable to stop himself from doing so. Sensations doubled as another hand traveled down his cleft to settle below his buttocks. Twin mouths kissed him and two tongues challenged him to part his lips and teeth. Unable to resist any longer he allowed them in.

Elladan and Elrohir’s gazes met above Hephaestion’s squirming form and silent communication allowed them to share each other’s thoughts. They would not go too fast or all the way – yet.

Hephaestion surrendered to their expert touches and continued to thrust. The fact that there were four hands on him, instead of just two, almost drove him out of his mind.

Elrohir played with Hephaestion’s nipples, using his fingers and later his tongue to ensure their lover remained aroused. Elladan continued to stroke Hephaestion’s shaft and his fingertips moved lower, settling near the guardian ring and putting just enough pressure on the opening to Hephaestion’s body to make his future intentions known to the mortal.

Hephaestion tried to scream, reaching orgasm, but Elrohir quickly covered his mouth with his, silencing him.

Elladan loved seeing the way Hephaestion relaxed beneath him the moment his orgasm was ripped from him and he bent forward to lick the cream from the slit.

Hephaestion moaned, pitifully, as a soft tongue licked off his semen and cleaned him up. The twin attack on his body was too much and he could only stare at Elrohir, who had finally released his lips.

Elladan bestowed one last lick onto Hephaestion’s lax member and then purred deep in his throat. “I think a bath is in order before we join Glorfindel for the first training round.” He reached for Elrohir and pulled him in for a kiss, still sensing the waves of bliss moving through his twin, who had found release the moment Hephaestion had.

Hephaestion stared at the twins in wonder. His breath came hard and fast and he could barely believe what they had just done to him.

“And that,” said Elladan, teasingly licking Hephaestion’s bottom lip, “was only a small demonstration of the things we can do to you.”

Elrohir however, frowned. “And of the things you could do to us.”

Elladan nodded, being reminded that it was Hephaestion who needed to explore his preferences, not them. Elrohir was right – the next time, they would put Hephaestion in control.

~~~

Hephaestion felt nervous when he joined Glorfindel and the guards at the training grounds. He felt like everyone could see what the twins had done to him that morning and how he had reacted to their caresses. He kept his head lowered and stared at the grass.

One look at the twin’s eyes told Glorfindel what they had been up to. Elrond had been right then – the twins had had their wicked way with Hephaestion. “Elladan and Elrohir, I want you to supervise the guards’ training today. I will tutor Hephaestion. Now go.”

The twins realized only too well why they were being dismissed and gave Glorfindel a guilty look. Making Hephaestion feel embarrassed had not been their intention.

“Walk with me.” Glorfindel waited for Hephaestion to look at him, but when the mortal didn’t, he said, “Hephaestion, please look at me?”

Hephaestion did, knowing there was no way out of this. He didn’t know what he expected to see on Glorfindel’s face, but certainly not an understanding smile.

“Those two have a way to get what they want, don’t they?” Glorfindel raised a hand and gestured for Hephaestion to walk in that direction. He wanted to test Hephaestion’s skills in private.

“Yes, they do.” Hephaestion’s nervousness increased, seeing they were walking away from the crowd. “Why are you taking me here?”

“I thought that maybe you would feel more comfortable without having all those eyes on you when we spar.”

“Thank you.” Hephaestion hadn’t thought of that. They had reached a clearing and Glorfindel handed him a sword. He curled his fingers around the metal and swung it several times to get a feel for its weight.

“Now attack me,” commanded Glorfindel, raising his sword and beckoning Hephaestion closer. Hephaestion attacked and Glorfindel blocked the blows, slowly getting a feel for his student’s way of fighting. A few minutes later, he called an end to their sparring as he didn’t want to tire Hephaestion. “You, my friend, are what we call a slasher.”

Hephaestion’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “What?”

“You slash your opponent open. You do not really aim where to land your blow, you just slash away at them. Aye, it will keep you alive on the battlefield, but you fight without grace and skill.”

“I know that. My teachers always told me that I did not have the makings of a warrior.” Disappointed, he wanted to fling the sword on the grass, but before he could do so, Glorfindel’s next order came.

“I want you to defend yourself, Hephaestion.” Glorfindel gave his student the time he needed to adjust to the new situation and then attacked. Hephaestion’s defensive moves were even more poorly coordinated than his attack. He had his work cut out for him. “You may stop now.”

Hephaestion flung his sword onto the ground and marched away from Glorfindel in anger.

“Where are you going? Your lesson has only just begun!”

Glorfindel’s voice made him halt in his movements and he turned around to face the experienced warrior. “Why? Why bother with me? I will never be a capable warrior!”

“Nonsense!” Glorfindel picked up the sword Hephaestion had discarded and made his way over to the mortal. “You must also learn patience, my friend.”

Hephaestion shrugged his shoulders. “I know I am not much of a warrior.”

“That is not true.” Glorfindel placed a finger beneath Hephaestion’s chin and forced the mortal to look him in the eyes. “You just did not have the perfect teacher!”

Hephaestion stared at Glorfindel for long moments and then laughed, understanding that the warrior was teasing him and trying to make him feel better. “Do you really think I can improve?”

“But of course!” Glorfindel patted Hephaestion’s shoulder. “But you need patience.”

“I will work on that,” promised Hephaestion, looking at the extra sword in Glorfindel’s hands. He wanted to be a better swordsman! He really did!

Glorfindel spied Erestor’s arrival and called out to the Chief Advisor.

Erestor looked up, surprised to hear Glorfindel call his name. He was on his way to the stables to look after his mare and had not expected to run into Glorfindel, who was supposed to be on the training grounds and not so close to the stables!

“Erestor? Would you please come over here and help me demonstrate something?”

Erestor was about to decline, but then caught sight of Hephaestion’s hopeful expression. Well, if this was for Hephaestion’s benefit he could spare a moment.

Glorfindel smiled, seeing Erestor head toward them. Hopefully this encounter would help him make up his mind on how to decide on Elrond’s proposal. “Would you mind sparring with me? I want Hephaestion to get a general impression of what he will be learning during the next few months.”

Erestor arched an eyebrow. “Glorfindel, why don’t you ask one of the twins?” Sword play was not something he excelled in.

“Please?”

Erestor swallowed hard. Now *that* was exactly why he had fled Glorfindel’s presence in the past. Glorfindel pleading like that, using that tone and giving him that look reminded him too much of Haldir.

Glorfindel felt the balance shift between them, but didn’t know what he had done to cause it. “Erestor?” He took a step toward the Chief Advisor and offered him a sword. “Hephaestion would learn a lot by watching us.”

“I will do it for Hephaestion.” Erestor took hold of the sword and assumed a basic position. It had been centuries since he had last wielded a sword, but he was confident that he could still hold his own, even against someone like Glorfindel.

Hephaestion watched with fascination seeing the two Elves move. No, they danced. It was a dangerous, almost sensual dance and the blades of the swords glistered in the sunlight. Knowing his own fighting style only too well, Hephaestion easily understood why Glorfindel had called him that. He lacked the grace which came so natural to these Elves.

Glorfindel kept a close eye on Erestor, probing the dark eyes and for some reason, he found them swimming. He called a stop to the demonstration and looked at Hephaestion. “Do you see the difference?”

“Yes.”

“I want you to return to the training grounds and to ask Elrohir to take you through some basic defensive movements. Tell him that.” Glorfindel had wanted to teach Hephaestion himself, but seeing Erestor’s swimming eyes, he realized this might be the only chance he would get to open the Advisor up to him. “Go!”

Hephaestion, as eager to learn as a schoolboy, ran off in the direction of the training grounds. If Glorfindel believed he could improve his skills, he would train hard to prove the Elf right!

Erestor wanted to hand his sword back to Glorfindel and wasn’t prepared for the warrior to close his fingers around his wrist.

Using the fact that Erestor was already emotionally off-balance to his advantage, Glorfindel asked, “What happened just now? Why are your eyes swimming? And why did you look like you were going to run when I said please?”

Erestor was unprepared for Glorfindel’s questions and tried to turn away from the warrior, but Glorfindel’s hold prevented him from leaving. “Let me go.”

“Nay,” said Glorfindel, having heard Erestor’s soft tone. “I do not think you really want me to let go. I think you want to answer my questions.” Erestor’s large, dark eyes met his in a pleading fashion. “Tell me. Your heart will feel lighter after you do.” He removed the sword from Erestor’s hand and placed it alongside his on the grass. Next, he urged Erestor to move along with him and pulled the Advisor onto the grass with him when he sat down. “Why are you about to burst out into tears? What did I do wrong?”

“Nothing. You did nothing wrong.” Erestor pulled his knees close to his chest.

“Then what happened, Erestor?” Glorfindel, knowing from past experience that Erestor didn’t like being touched by him, took a risk and rested a hand on the trembling back, stroking it.

“Do you really want to know?” Erestor figured that Glorfindel would find out sooner or later. It was amazing that the warrior had realized what upset him so far.

“I do.” Surprised that Erestor allowed the touch, Glorfindel rubbed soothing circles onto the Advisor’s back. 

“You reminded me of Haldir when you said please. He would say it in that way and his tone and expression would undo me.” Erestor bowed his head and rested his chin on his knees. “I miss him and you remind me of him. Sometimes, your hair does not shine golden, but silver and then it is almost too easy to fool myself into thinking that it is Haldir standing there and not you.”

Glorfindel remained quiet. That possibility had never crossed his mind. However, now that he thought about it, Erestor’s explanation made sense.

“But do not worry, Glorfindel. I know it is only an illusion and that you are not Haldir.” Erestor forced a smile onto his face. “Sometimes your presence comforts me though and then I run, afraid that one day I will accept the comfort you are offering.”

“Why? Why are you afraid to accept that?” Elrond’s proposal to invite Erestor into their bed returned to him. “Are you afraid you would be unfaithful to Haldir?”

Erestor shook his head. “I only love Haldir, no one else. He knows that. No matter what I do, say I were to kiss you, would change that. Haldir knows that I am his.”

“Then why are you afraid to accept me comforting you?” asked Glorfindel pressuring on.

“I am afraid I would accept it and find comfort in your presence.”

“And that would be bad, why?” Glorfindel shook his head, still not understanding Erestor’s reasoning.

“You belong with Elrond. I do not want you to feel torn in some way.” Erestor raised a hand and cupped Glorfindel’s cheek in his palm in a rare demonstration of affection. “I refuse to come between the two of you in any manner.”

Glorfindel realized he had found his answer to Elrond’s proposal. “Erestor, would you join Elrond and me for dinner tonight? Not in the Hall of Fire but in our private chambers?”

Erestor frowned and pulled back his hand. “Why?” He hadn’t expected that invitation. Why had Glorfindel made it?

“Because Elrond and I must discuss something with you. Something important. Please say that you will join us.” Glorfindel finally understood why Erestor had kept his distance all this time.

“If it is important to Elrond, I will.” Glorfindel finally let go of his hand and Erestor got to his feet again. “Keep a close eye on Hephaestion for me. He has become very dear to me.”

“I will watch over him,” promised Glorfindel, watching Erestor head for the stables. “Maybe Hephaestion has become so dear to you because he is like you in many ways.” That reminded him that he was supposed to supervise Hephaestion’s training and he quickly returned to the training grounds.

~~~

“Much better!” said Glorfindel, complimenting his newest student. Elrohir had taken Hephaestion through a series of basic defense movements and the mortal had done well performing them. “You took the first step in improving your weapon’s skill.” Glorfindel checked the sun and realized it was already noon. “Take a quick shower and then head for the library. Erestor is probably already waiting for you.”

Hephaestion handed his sword to Glorfindel. “Thank you,” he whispered. “Thank you for believing in me.”

“We all believe in you,” said Elladan, wrapping his arms around Hephaestion’s waist. The young man looked absolutely enticing; covered with a fine film of sweat his skin glistering in the sunlight. The blue eyes had never been more radiant and everything about Hephaestion made it very clear that the mortal was happy. Elladan released Hephaestion and watched him walk back toward the Last Homely House.

“His recovery is remarkable,” whispered Glorfindel.

“He is growing happy again.” Elladan smiled, smugly.

“Be careful with him, Elladan,” said Glorfindel in a warning voice. “Hephaestion is still far from healed. He cannot forget the love of his life in mere weeks.”

“We know that,” replied Elrohir. “And we do not think that we can ever take Alexander’s place, but we do believe that we can help him heal.”

“He is still hesitant to accept our touch, but this morning he did.” Elrohir smiled at the memory. “Hephaestion is a very considerate lover, maybe too considerate.”

Glorfindel nodded once. “I approve of your attempts to make him feel loved and to get him in touch with his own feelings, but I still warn you not to rush this.”

“We won’t.”

~~~

“Ah, there you are!” Erestor had looked forward to spending time with Hephaestion.

Hephaestion had taken a quick shower and had dressed in warm, cream-colored robes. His long hair hung loose and his eyes curiously searched his surroundings. He had been in the great library of Alexandria once and he had always loved books.

Erestor saw Hephaestion’s love for books mirrored in the blue eyes and gestured him to approach. “I took the liberty of selecting some books for you to read. They cover Middle Earth’s history and will put everything for you in the right perspective.” He wanted Hephaestion to understand this new world Námo had thrust him into. “I always like to sit in that windowsill when reading. You should try it; maybe you will find it agreeable. Should you have any questions, let me know.”

Hephaestion picked up the book on top of the pile and carried it with him to the windowsill where he sat down. Erestor was right; this was a comfortable spot for reading. Pulling his feet up from the floor, he placed them against the wall. Making certain his robes were tucked around him to keep him warm, he opened the book and began to read.

~~~

Erestor found great comfort and pleasure in hearing Hephaestion turn the old pages. They spent the afternoon in companionable silence, which was only broken when Hephaestion asked him a question about the Valar, as that was the subject matter the young man was reading about.

Evening came much too swiftly and Erestor regretted calling an end to their enjoyable afternoon, but he had seen Hephaestion squeezing his eyes, trying to read in the half dark. He had then remembered that the eyes of mortals weren’t as perfect as Elven eyes were. “You can come back here tomorrow if want to read some more.”

Hephaestion looked up from his reading. He hadn’t heard Erestor approach and now looked into the sad, dark eyes. “I would love to come back here tomorrow. I enjoyed reading and being in your company, Erestor.”

“Aye, sometimes we do not need words in order to communicate. Now close your book and go to your rooms to freshen up.” He offered Hephaestion his hand and pulled the young man to his feet. Hephaestion moved about stiffly from having been seated on the windowsill for too long.

“Will you join us for dinner tonight?” asked Hephaestion. He brushed back his hair and rubbed his eyes.

“Nay, it will be just the three of you at the main table tonight. I will be dining with Elrond and Glorfindel. Apparently an urgent matter has come up and they wish to discuss it with me.”

Hephaestion stretched, trying to loosen his tense muscles. “I will miss you then.”

“You will have the pleasure of my company again tomorrow afternoon.”

Hephaestion laughed, seeing the twinkling in Erestor’s eyes. The Chief Advisor and he were kindred souls and he was already looking forward to tomorrow afternoon.

~~~

“And your reaction was to invite Erestor for dinner tonight?” Elrond didn’t know what to think of Glorfindel’s story. His lover had told him everything about the conversation he’d had with Erestor and the revelation he’d had during their talk. /I always thought it would be something like that./

Looking at Glorfindel now, Elrond understood how easily Erestor could imagine Glorfindel was Haldir instead. “And what made you invite him?” Elrond watched how Glorfindel moved through the room lighting scented candles which they normally lit before making love.

“I gave your suggestion some thought and I think we should try to make him a part of what we have.” Glorfindel, dressed in loose, blue robes, sat opposite his lover. “I think we should invite him into our bed.”

“That is quite a change from what you said this morning.” Elrond eyed Glorfindel closely.

“You were right, meleth. He is alone and the one thing that keeps him from accepting our comfort is fear – fear that he will come between us. Now we both know that won’t happen. We can give him what he needs.”

“And you won’t grow jealous? Guilty? Or possessive?” Elrond applauded Glorfindel’s change of heart and hoped his lover was sincere in extending this invitation to Erestor.

“I think I can manage.” Glorfindel gave his lover a wicked wink. “It might also be interesting to see if and how our dynamics will change once he enters our relationship.”

Elrond inclined his head. “Erestor loved to be taken, at least by Haldir. I do not know how he will react facing us. You are really accepting this.” Elrond blinked. “Thank you. I really think that not being alone will help Erestor deal with the loss until we sail for Aman.”

“We do not have him in our bed yet,” cautioned Glorfindel. “And we should not come on too strong.”

 

“And that is why you lit the candles?” Elrond wriggled an eyebrow. “Seriously,” he said, stopping his teasing. “It would be best if you invited Erestor into our bed. That way he knows that you want this to happen.”

Glorfindel nodded his head once. “You are right. That thought crossed my mind as well. Especially after our conversation this afternoon it will be important to him that he knows I want this. He is so afraid, Elrond, afraid that he will hurt us. I really think that lies at the heart of his fear.”

Elrond concurred. “We will discuss this with him in a calm fashion. Trust me, Glorfindel; this upcoming conversation will be hard on him. We must proceed carefully.” He rose from his chair and headed for the bathroom. “I am going to take a bath… Please notify me should he arrive early.”

“I will.”

~~~

Erestor was surprised, seeing Glorfindel wearing loose-fitting, informal robes. He had dressed in his black, formal robes, thinking it would be a formal dinner, but apparently he had been wrong. He felt trapped, hearing Glorfindel close the door behind him, although he didn’t know why. The next thing he noticed was the lit candles. What was going on here?

“Please sit down. Dinner will be served in a few minutes. Would you like some wine?” Glorfindel offered Erestor a glass with potent wine in it and seated himself opposite the Advisor at the set table.

Erestor sipped, but continued to feel strangely on guard. Something was wrong – very wrong. He couldn’t remember ever seeing Glorfindel dressed in such a seductive way – there was no other way to describe him. The dark-blue garment made from the finest silk clung to the muscular body and did little to hide Glorfindel’s form. The golden hair, normally tamed in braids, now hung loose and danced against the muscular back. Everything about Glorfindel cried seduction and Erestor wondered why.

“Elrond? Erestor has arrived,” called out Glorfindel to his lover who was still in the bathroom.

Erestor’s eyes widened, seeing Elrond exit the bathroom dressed in only a transparent nightshirt. The silk fabric moved along with every movement Elrond made and seemed to caress the half-Elf’s body. Elrond’s hair which the half-Elf normally wore loose or with a few lovers’ knots in them was still damp and elusive strands had slipped beneath the silk shirt.

“Did I arrive too early?” Erestor sipped the wine again, hoping it would calm his raging nerves.

“Nay, you are right on time.” Elrond seated himself in-between the two Elves and servants appeared, placing dinner on the table. They then left their Lord’s chambers, leaving the three Elves to enjoy the food. “You look nervous,” said Elrond, judging it best to be honest. He could tell that Erestor was alert and on guard.

“I must have misunderstood. I thought Glorfindel said you wanted to discuss an urgent matter.”

“Aye, I do.” Elrond eyed Erestor closely. How could he best broach their subject without sending Erestor running out of the room?

“This seems more of an informal setting,” observed Erestor, downing the remnant of the wine in one go.

“There is a reason for that.” Glorfindel drew in a deep breath, finally realizing just like Elrond had, that finding a way to invite Erestor into their bed would be more difficult than they had thought. But maybe he knew of a way. “I told Elrond about our conversation, Erestor.”

“Why would you do that?” Erestor looked startled and lowered his eyes. “I am sorry, Elrond. I did not want you to know that Glorfindel…”

Elrond poured more wine into Erestor’s glass. “We have asked you to join us for a reason.”

Erestor sipped more wine and began to feel light-headed. He should stop drinking it, but it dulled his nerves. “What urgent matter has come up? There have been no messengers, no urgent correspondence…” Erestor sucked in his breath, seeing Glorfindel leave his seat and walk toward him. He felt like a deer, about to be trapped and taken prisoner.

Glorfindel carefully placed his hands on Erestor’s shoulders. Now that the words wouldn’t come to him, he opted for action. “We want to discuss your loneliness.”

Erestor’s hands shook and Elrond quickly rescued the glass before it could fall onto the floor. “Erestor, we know you feel lonely. We know you are hurting and we want to lessen your emotional pain.”

“You can only do that by sailing for Aman.”

“I will, eventually.” Elrond took hold of Erestor’s trembling hands. “But you know why I cannot sail yet.”

“Arwen…”

“Aye, I need time to let her go.” Elrond exchanged a quick look with Glorfindel and nodded once. This was something Glorfindel had to do.

Glorfindel slid his hands beneath Erestor’s robes, down the shoulders and bowed forward, bringing his face close to the Advisor’s. “You told me that I remind you of Haldir, did you not?”

Growing aware of Glorfindel’s hands moving down his shoulders and toward his chest, Erestor’s eyes darkened. “I did.” Glorfindel’s touch was enticing. The warrior’s hands were covered with callus, much like Haldir’s had been and the touch brought back memories. Elrond suddenly moved closer and before Erestor knew what was happening, the half-Elf’s lips had claimed his. At the same time Glorfindel rubbed his hardening nipples and licked along the elegant curve of his ear.

Had he lost his mind? Erestor jumped up from his chair and backed away from the two Elves. “What are you doing?” He stared at Glorfindel in disbelief and his expression became accusing when he looked at Elrond. “Did you put Glorfindel up to this? I told you before that I do not need your comfort!”

Elrond slid back onto his chair and Glorfindel also stayed in place. The last thing they wanted was to frighten Erestor further.

“Elrond did not put me up to this. He might have mentioned inviting you into our bed, but I made the decision to act on his idea.” Glorfindel’s gaze remained locked with Erestor’s. It was important Erestor understood. “Elrond and I want to offer you our company, Erestor. We do not want you to be alone – to suffer alone!”

“Nay, you cannot do this!” Erestor determinedly shook his head. “The two of you belong together! You cannot invite me in!”

“You won’t come between us, Erestor. You will enrich our relationship.” Elrond drew in a deep breath. “Glorfindel and I are secure in our love for each other.”

Erestor continued to shake his head. “I cannot accept. Each time I look at Glorfindel, I…”

Glorfindel quickly covered the distance between them and pulled Erestor into his arms. “I do not mind if you think of me as Haldir, Erestor. I do not mind if you call out Haldir’s name when you find release. I understand your loss and so does Elrond.”

“Do you even know what you are saying, Glorfindel?” Erestor inhaled the musky scent that poured out of Glorfindel’s pores. The strong, masculine scent traveled up his nostrils and reminded his body of how it used to feel to belong – to be taken. He could lose himself in Glorfindel, give himself completely, but he couldn’t do that to Elrond. What kind of friend would he be if he allowed Glorfindel to take him?

Elrond, who had stretched his mind to read Erestor’s thoughts, understood and pulled away from his friend’s mind. “I do not share Glorfindel easily, Erestor. You are the only one who I would even consider sharing Glorfindel with.”

“Elrond, please do not do this to me.” It was growing increasingly difficult for Erestor to think rationally as Glorfindel’s lips suckled the sensitive skin of his throat.

Elrond left his chair and approached Erestor. He came to a halt in front of him and cocked his head. His hands found a way beneath Erestor’s robes and they settled on his friend’s waist. “Glorfindel wants you. I want you. What do you want?”

“I do not want you… to…” Erestor closed his eyes in bliss, as Glorfindel had found *that* sensitive spot on the back of his neck. His knees gave way beneath him and he leaned helplessly against Glorfindel’s muscular chest whilst Elrond’s hands kept him in place. “I do not want to cause problems,” he panted, growing aroused.

“You won’t cause any problems.” Elrond slid his arms up behind Erestor’s back and pressed him close. Glorfindel followed suit, pressing against Erestor’s backside. “Tell us what you want, please, Erestor.” The black eyes opened and pleaded with him to let him go. “Be careful what you wish for, meldir. If you tell us to let you go, we will do so and you will return to your empty rooms. Is that what you want? To drown your sorrow with a sleeping potion and to dream of nothing? Glorfindel told you that he does not mind you calling out Haldir’s name in intimate moments. What more can you wish for?”

“I cannot do this…” Erestor felt powerless, feeling Glorfindel’s erection pressed against his backside, and in front of him stood Elrond, grey eyes burning with desire.

“Entrust yourself to us,” whispered Glorfindel into Erestor’s ear.

“I…” Erestor felt like he was losing his mind or maybe it was just the potent wine which made the room spin. “Aye, I want you…”

Sensing Erestor’s surrender, Elrond studied the black eyes. “Who do you want? And what do you want him to do to you?”

“Glorfindel… buried inside me… taking me…” Erestor whimpered, feeling a large hand come to rest on a buttock. Glorfindel had large hands, strong, warrior’s hands, like Haldir had.

“You will have him,” said Elrond, his fingers now combing through Erestor’s hair. “And then I will have you. Agreed?”

“Agreed.” Unable to stand unaided, Erestor allowed Glorfindel to support him. Strong arms encircled his waist and he felt helpless, watching Elrond unbutton his black robes. They dropped to the floor and then Elrond undid the lacing to his leggings. Erestor quivered the moment Elrond removed those as well. Standing naked and sandwiched between them, he moaned. These two Elves had set him on fire and this fire needed to be dealt with.

With one fluid movement Elrond shrugged out of his nightshirt. Naked, he pressed his body against Erestor’s, allowing their erections to slide alongside each other. “Glorfindel, your robes.”

Glorfindel stepped out of his robes and watched the two dark-haired Elves move sensually together. Erestor thrust weakly against Elrond and the half-Elf was cupping the Advisor’s buttocks, massaging them. The sight of them together made his blood boil with desire. He hadn’t thought that seeing them touch would arouse him that much!

Erestor looked at Glorfindel from over his shoulder and reached for him. The potent wine made it easier for him to enjoy this and when Glorfindel scooped him up in his powerful arms, he wrapped his arms around the neck.

Elrond collected a vial of oil from the bathroom and then stretched at the foot end of their bed, watching Glorfindel and Erestor. The Advisor squirmed, his need and despair clearly visible.

Glorfindel considered the Elf in front of him. Erestor was experienced in bed, but it had been awhile since he had made love. “How do you want me to take you?” He always had to keep in mind that this was about Erestor; that they were doing this to lessen his emotional pain.

“Like this… on my back.” Erestor lifted his legs and placed the soles of his feet against Glorfindel’s chest. “In one stroke, please…”

Glorfindel exchanged a look with Elrond; shouldn’t he prepare Erestor?

“If he wants it, give it to him.” Elrond moved closer and rubbed oil onto Glorfindel’s erection. “Do it, meleth. I will watch the two of you.”

Somehow, this wasn’t the way he had supposed he would be taking Erestor, but if the Advisor wanted him in this way, he would comply. Placing his hands on either side of Erestor’s head, he moved into position. “Elrond, guide me.”

Elrond moved quickly and guided Glorfindel into Erestor’s body.

Glorfindel pushed resolutely past the guardian muscle and whimpered, sensing how tight Erestor was. Erestor yelped and then pressed back, causing Glorfindel to bury himself to the hilt.

“Now, don’t move…” Erestor raised his hands and placed them on Glorfindel’s buttocks, squeezing them. “I can feel you.” He closed his eyes and licked his bottom lip. “Oh, you are big.”

Growing uncomfortable with this position, Glorfindel guided Erestor’s legs back onto the bed. Now, he had easier access to his lover’s body and he ran his hands along Erestor’s sides. “Erestor, I need to move.” The pressure in his groin was growing unbearable.

“Then move… Take me… Claim me.” Erestor’s eyes opened and fastened on Glorfindel’s. He could have fled into a world of fantasy, pretending it was Haldir moving inside him, but he didn’t want to do that. He would do Glorfindel an injustice if he did.

Glorfindel began to move, gently and shallowly at first, monitoring Erestor’s every reaction. He didn’t know how Erestor wanted to be made love to; hard, fast, gentle… “Like this?”

“Aye, like this.” Erestor slid his hands behind Glorfindel’s back and brought him in for a kiss. Lost in impending ecstasy, he kissed Glorfindel, tasting the warrior thoroughly.

Elrond, aroused himself, fought the urge to stroke himself and watched them. There was beauty in Erestor’s surrender and strength in Glorfindel’s thrusts. Did he look like Erestor did when Glorfindel took him?

Glorfindel reached orgasm first and growled, spilling himself inside Erestor.

Feeling the warm wave of semen inside him, Erestor yelped and climaxed as well.

Glorfindel stopped all movement, buried deep inside Erestor and looked at the dark-haired Elf. “You are free to join us in bed whenever you want,” he whispered into Erestor’s ear. Pulling out, he rested one hand on Erestor’s abdomen, rubbing the soft skin there. “Elrond?”

Elrond had waited for Glorfindel to call for him and he kissed his lover before moving in-between Erestor’s legs, taking Glorfindel’s place.

Contrary to Elrond, Glorfindel didn’t disappear toward the foot end of the bed. He stretched beside Erestor and stroked the damp brow. “You will enjoy Elrond taking you. You have two lovers now, Erestor,” whispered Glorfindel. “We need to complete the circle.”

“Glorfindel, help me roll him onto his side.” Together, Elrond and Glorfindel rolled Erestor onto his right side.

Elrond spooned behind him and Glorfindel also moved closer, draping one of Erestor’s long legs over his hip. “He is ready for you, Elrond.”

Elrond took himself into hand and positioned himself at the loosened opening. As he pushed inside, he found he easily slid in, helped by Glorfindel’s semen that made the channel slick. “We love you,” whispered Elrond, not thrusting yet.

Glorfindel’s hand stole downward to Erestor’s lax member and fondled it, trying to arouse his lover again.

Elrond’s fingers buried themselves in Erestor’s hair and then he began to thrust. He claimed Erestor gently, making sweet and slow love to him.

Erestor had never felt like this before. Glorfindel was kissing him, gently, and Elrond moved deep inside him. He was surrounded by love and that realization brought tears to his eyes. Elrond unexpectedly climaxed and flooded his insides with warmth and he eagerly accepted their gift. “Thank you,” he whispered, the words escaping into Glorfindel’s mouth with the breath he exhaled. “I missed feeling like this.”

Elrond pulled out and nuzzled Erestor’s hair and neck. “You can feel like this every night until we sail for Aman. That is our gift to you.”

Erestor smiled, dozing off, and this time he needed no sleeping draught to keep his nightmares and fears away.

~~~

Hephaestion felt awkward, entering the twins’ rooms alone. With Glorfindel, Elrond and Erestor absent, it was the twins’ turn to make certain all guards were in place and nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. A smile crossed his features, recalling how he had woken this morning. Although he didn’t feel the same kind of love for the twins which he had felt for Alexander they had touched a part of him he hadn’t known existed. Their mere presence was soothing and healing hurts inside of him.

Feeling cold, he started a fire and changed into thick warm robes which he found in the twins’ wardrobe. Picking up the book Erestor had told him to read he curled up on the windowsill after dragging a blanket there with him. He lit an oil lamp and several candles and settled down to read. It had been ages since he had felt this much at peace.

~~~

/He is asleep./ Elrohir carefully removed the book from Hephaestion’s hands and then stood back, watching his charge. It was Elladan’s turn to lead the patrol guarding their borders and his twin wouldn’t return until the day after tomorrow. That meant he had Hephaestion all to himself until then!

Elrohir pushed his arms beneath Hephaestion’s sleeping form and carried the young man to his bed. After placing him in the center, Elrohir removed his outer robes and climbed into bed, still wearing his under tunic. He began to wrap his arms around Hephaestion and the mortal moved into them, pressing closer. Hephaestion curled up in a fetal position and Elrohir spooned behind him, wrapping arms and legs tightly around Hephaestion.

“Sleep tight, pen vain, and may your dreams be filled with love and peace.” Elrohir remained awake for most of the night, considering the young man. Hephaestion needed many things and being held like this, without any sexual intentions at all, was just one of them.

~~~

Soft snoring woke Erestor in the morning. He felt disoriented, upon opening his eyes, which widened, growing aware of a soreness he hadn’t experienced in quite some time. His memories returned to him and he recalled how first Glorfindel had claimed him and then Elrond. The two Elves had taken him by surprise – literally taken him – and he wasn’t quite certain he could look them in their eyes again. What would they think of him? Of how needy he had been? How easily he had let himself by conquered?

“Stop thinking such thoughts first thing in the morning, meleth.”

Elrond’s voice, coming from so close, startled Erestor. Apparently he had fallen asleep in their bed with Elrond resting in front of him. The half-Elf had draped a leg possessively over his thigh and fingers were buried in the strands of his hair. Had Elrond wanted to make sure he stayed in place? It certainly looked like that! Erestor blushed, fiercely, and lowered his eyes. “I am sorry. I do not know what came over me to allow you…” His lips were silenced by a gentle kiss and a probing tongue which traced the inside of his bottom lip. He lifted shy eyes and stared into Elrond’s with wonder. The half-Elf didn’t seem angry with him.

“Why would I be angry with you? Oh, Erestor, it will take many more nights to make you understand that we love you, won’t it?” Elrond knew Erestor needed time to accept this, but grew frustrated, seeing the resistance and fear in the black eyes. Last night the wine had helped Erestor accept their caresses, but now he was sober and guilt was settling in. “Do not feel guilty, Erestor, please don’t.”

Erestor bit his bottom lip. It was time to change their subject and hopefully Elrond would loosen his hold on him and let him go. “Where is Glorfindel?” He gulped, quite embarrassed as he recalled just how he had begged the golden-haired warrior to bury himself inside him. Just how desperate had he been?

“Someone had to bid the representatives from Rohan welcome, don’t you think so?” Elrond watched, amused, as Erestor realized that the party of Rohan had arrived this morning. “You looked so comfortable and at peace asleep that I could not wake you.”

“But why Glorfindel?” Why hadn’t Elrond left to welcome them?

“You attached yourself rather tightly to me during the night and it was easier for Glorfindel to leave the bed than it would have been for me. I would have woken you and I did not want that. I am confident Glorfindel will act his part.” Elrond brushed stray locks of raven hair behind Erestor’s pointed ears. “Are you sore, meleth? I still have some of that soothing ointment.” The blush that settled on Erestor’s face told him everything he needed to know. “We might have been a bit too enthusiastic claiming you the same evening.”

Erestor squirmed and then froze, feeling Elrond’s erection pressed against his thigh. The half-Elf was aroused – again! And the Valar help him, so was he! “Elrond, I…” Elrond had refused to listen to his apologies, had even chided him for feeling guilty. How was he to maneuver himself out of this compromising position then?

Elrond smiled and pressed closer. He caught Erestor’s elusive lips in a light kiss and looked deeply into the black eyes.

Erestor involuntarily reacted and rubbed his erection against Elrond’s. The kiss was sweet and promising and Erestor just didn’t know what to do, what to expect.

Elrond solved that dilemma for him and suddenly Erestor found himself atop of the half-Elf. Elrond parted his legs, causing him to slide into position between the thighs. “Elrond, I…”

“You have done this before, haven’t you?” Elrond caressed Erestor’s face and placed butterfly kisses on the other Elf’s throat. His fingers stroked Erestor’s quivering back and he thrust against his lover, showing his need.

“I have, but not very often.” He had always been content to be the one on the receiving end. Being on top was something Haldir had seldom required from him and Erestor didn’t know how to react now that Elrond had turned the tables on him.

Elrond wrapped his arms around Erestor and pulled him close. “Last night, I took you. Will you now take me?” He hoped that Erestor would be comfortable being on top, for he craved being taken.

“I…” Erestor looked quite insecure and he gave Elrond a pleading look. “I am not certain I can do it right.”

“All you need is practice,” said Elrond, running his fingertips down Erestor’s back. “I want you to take me.”

Erestor wondered if he was still asleep – dreaming. Not even in his wildest dreams had he thought Elrond would enjoy being on the bottom. He watched, quite entranced, how Elrond’s fingers located the vial, uncapped it and let the oil drip onto his fingers. Those fingers easily located his throbbing erection and Erestor gasped, feeling Elrond rub the oil onto him. “Elrond, I…” What if he hurt Elrond by accident?

Elrond opened a temporary connection to Erestor’s mind, probing why the Advisor was so reluctant to take him and what he found amazed him. On a subconscious level Erestor wanted to claim him, but his inexperience and fears kept him back. Retreating from Erestor’s mind, Elrond’s fingers curled around the Advisor’s shaft, guiding him to his opening. He raised his legs, wrapped them around Erestor’s waist and then pushed forward.

Erestor threw back his head, suddenly experiencing a tight glove around his member. Unable to fight his reflexes, he pushed forward, burying himself in Elrond’s channel.

“Aye, like that!” Elrond smiled, contently, and wriggled beneath Erestor, making certain his lover’s length was completely buried inside him.

Erestor, stunned by Elrond’s actions, collapsed atop of the half-Elf and immediately Elrond’s strong arms wrapped around him. The heat that now surrounded him made him pant and he looked, baffled, in Elrond’s eyes. “Why did you do that?”

“I love being on the receiving end,” clarified Elrond. “Like you, it is rare for me to do any taking. I prefer to leave that to Glorfindel, but as he is not here and you are…”

Erestor couldn’t believe he was actually hearing this. “Elrond, I…”

“Would you move? Thrust? Move inside me, please!” The tip of Erestor’s shaft rested against his prostate and each time Erestor exhaled, the hard flesh nudged against the sensitive gland.

Hesitantly, Erestor thrust. He had little experience performing this role, but as Elrond wanted him to do the taking, he decided to please the half-Elf as best as he could. Whipping his hips forward, he penetrated Elrond again and then almost pulled out, remembering all those things Haldir had done to make him scream his pleasure.

Elrond’s eyes widened with pleasure, surprised at the vigor in Erestor’s thrusts. “Harder,” he demanded, meeting each of his lover’s thrusts with enthusiasm.

Erestor reacted by adding more force to his thrusts. He moved as if in a trance and his thrusts became so powerful that he literally shoved Elrond over the mattress and toward the head end of the bed.

Elrond clung to Erestor for dear life. Suddenly, orgasm took him and he came all over his abdomen.

Erestor continued to thrust, hardly noticing Elrond’s inner muscle clenching him. He was too lost in the motion, too intent on penetration and pleasuring his lover… Unexpectedly, his member twitched and released his essence deep inside Elrond’s body. Exhausted, he collapsed onto Elrond, panting hard.

“That was most satisfactory,” whispered Elrond into Erestor’s ear in a light, teasing tone. His hands moved up Erestor’s back and came to tangle in the damp mane. Sweat covered Erestor’s body and Elrond licked up his lover’s throat, tasting the salty essence. Judging by Erestor’s first, rather hesitant performance, the Advisor would grow to like being on top and Elrond whole-heartedly approved of that.

Erestor’s big, stunned eyes met his and Elrond caressed his lover’s hair. “You surprised yourself, didn’t you?” A mute nod confirmed Elrond’s suspicions. “We should shower and ready ourselves for today’s work.”

Erestor looked with his big, questioning eyes at Elrond. “I did not think you would want us to be intimate without Glorfindel present.”

Elrond chuckled softly. “As I said before, Glorfindel and I are secure in our love for each other.” Reading another, maybe more important question in Erestor’s eyes, he answered it, “Aye, I would not mind Glorfindel and you being intimate without me present.” Maybe Glorfindel was the one Erestor needed the most and Elrond understood that. The blush returned to Erestor’s face and Elrond pressed a teasing kiss on the tip of Erestor’s nose. “Come, we should shower now.” Rising from the bed, he got to his feet and offered Erestor his hand to pull him onto his feet as well.

Erestor moved more slowly and cringed, feeling how sore he was.

Elrond’s expression turned concerned and he pulled Erestor into the bathroom with him. They shouldn’t have taken Erestor twice that evening, but he was confident that some soothing balm would take away most of Erestor’s pain.

~~~

“Good morning,” whispered Hephaestion, surprised to find the both of them still clothed. Elrohir had cuddled up to him during the night and it was him holding the half-Elf for a change – a nice change. He liked being the one who did the holding.

“Good morning,” whispered Elrohir, smiling at the mortal. They had woken facing each other and Hephaestion’s arms were still folded around him. “How do you fare this morn?” A quick look out of the window told him that the rain had stopped and that the sky was clearing again. He had fallen asleep after all, lured into the world of dreams by the tapping of the rain against the window.

“I am fine.” Hephaestion combed Elrohir’s hair with his fingers. “What are your plans for the day?” He felt at peace and strangely enough, there was nothing sexual about waking up this morning. Yesterday, he had woken to Elladan pleasuring himself and now peace ruled supreme.

“I think it is my turn to supervise the training of the guards.” If he remembered correctly his father, Glorfindel and Erestor would be occupied meeting with the party from Rohan. “And what about you?”

“Erestor told me to return to the library in the afternoon to read.”

“Then come with me this morn. I will help you improve your weapon’s skill.”

“Do you think I will improve, wielding the sword?”

Elrohir cocked an eyebrow. “Not just the sword, meleth. We will also train you in archery and hand to hand combat.”

“Sounds tiring,” whispered Hephaestion with a smile. He blew at a strand of Elrohir’s hair that teased the tip of his nose. “Sounds good.”

Elrohir smiled and kissed Hephaestion. “We should get ready now.” He reluctantly moved away from the mortal man and swung his feet onto the floor.

“Will it be just the two of us tonight?” asked Hephaestion, leaving the bed as well.

“I think so. Elladan won’t return until tomorrow night.” Elrohir arched an eyebrow. “Why do you ask?” The wavering expression on Hephaestion’s brow told him that the young man was wrestling with something.

“Did you mean it when you said that you wanted me to find out about my preferences in bed?” For some reason he felt more comfortable bringing this up with Elrohir than with both of the twins present.

“I did.” Elrohir moved around the bed and stood in front of Hephaestion. “We can experiment tonight, if you want that.”

“I think I would.” Tremors of desire washed over him.

And Elrohir noticed them. “Why do you not spend today fantasizing about tonight? About what you want to do?” Seeing Hephaestion’s confusion he realized that the mortal didn’t know what he wanted to happen tonight. “Those fantasies might tell you what you want.”

Hephaestion suddenly felt guilty, realizing he was being unfaithful to his Alexander, but another part of him felt thrilled to experience new things. If only he could rid himself of that guilt, then he might fully enjoy what Elrohir was offering so freely.

~~~

Erestor found it almost impossible to concentrate during the council meeting. The party from Rohan was stating its requests and he should be listening so he could advise Elrond later. But all he could think about was the intimacy he had experienced last night and this morning. Each time Glorfindel looked at him, his member swelled with blood and he tucked the robes carefully around him, hiding his aroused state.

What surprised him the most was the fact that he no longer felt guilty partaking in their sexual activities. He had expected to feel guilty for betraying Haldir, but maybe he had spoken the truth when he had told Glorfindel that he only loved Haldir and that the March Warden knew that and would understand his actions. Or maybe he was just experiencing a severe bout of lust.

Last night had opened a whole new world of possibilities to him and yet the fear of coming between Elrond and Glorfindel remained. /If they ever argue about something that has to do with me, I will put a stop to this!/

The party from Rohan finally left and would rest until it was time for dinner, giving the Elves time to consider their requests.

“You did not hear a single thing that was said, did you?” asked Glorfindel, quite amused to see Erestor’s startled expression. “I think I know what you were thinking of instead.”

“Glorfindel, stop your teasing.” Elrond had noticed his Advisor’s distant expression as well, but didn’t want to embarrass his friend. “Éomer’s requests are easily met.” The new King of Rohan had asked for books, healing potions and an instructor who would help organize his defenses. Although peace had settled over Middle Earth, Elrond understood the King’s need to know his people safe. Seeing Glorfindel’s wicked grin, he sighed. His lover could be insatiable at times and he knew exactly what would happen tonight should Erestor decide to join them again.

Elrond rose from his chair and advanced on Erestor. “How do you feel, meleth? Better?”

Erestor blushed, knowing exactly what Elrond was referring to. “The soreness is gone.”

“We should have been more considerate,” said Glorfindel with a guilty look in his eyes, “but you were so seductive, meleth.” Glorfindel sat on his heels in front of Erestor and gathered the elegant hands in his. “Will you join us again this eve?”

Erestor looked stricken. He was still trying hard to accept this new development. “Maybe.”

“I hope you will,” said Glorfindel, pressing kisses on the palms of Erestor’s hands.

“We will meet again for dinner in the main hall,” said Elrond, placing a hand on Glorfindel’s shoulder. “Erestor, your charge is probably waiting for you to join him in the library.”

Recalling he had invited Hephaestion to return to the library to read, Erestor rose from his chair and left.

“That almost looked like he fled the room – and our presence,” remarked Glorfindel, worried.

“He needs time. We surprised him last night.” Elrond folded an arm around Glorfindel’s waist and pulled him along. “I should tell you what happened this morning.” He wanted them to be honest. Communication, now that it was the three of them, was vital for the success of their relationship.

~~~

Hephaestion gave Erestor a curious look, seeing how slowly the Advisor lowered himself onto his chair. If he didn’t know any better, he would say that Erestor had had a passionate encounter last night which had left him sore. “Erestor, can I ask you something personal?”

Erestor paled somewhat, wondering what Hephaestion wanted to discuss with him. “What is it about?”

Hephaestion closed his book and looked at Erestor from where he was seated on the windowsill. Maybe the distance between them would help Erestor answer his questions. “Do you like males or females best? Or both?”

Erestor forced himself to appear calm. Why did Hephaestion have to address this matter today? “I prefer the company of males.”

“I thought you might. Maybe you can help me?”

Erestor’s fingers curled around the armrest. “In what regard?” He had a soft spot for Hephaestion but prayed to the Valar that the mortal wouldn’t ask him to demonstrate anything related to intercourse. In his current state he might opt for running out of the room.

“Do you prefer to be on top? Or to be taken?” Hephaestion bit his bottom lip, seeing the discomfort in Erestor’s eyes. “We don’t have to discuss this if it makes you nervous, but…”

Erestor drew in a deep breath. “Most of the time I prefer to be taken.” Although taking Elrond that morning had made him question his preferences. He had enjoyed taking the half-Elf.

“Have you ever been on top?”

Erestor prayed to the Valar that they would give him the courage and patience to see this conversation through without hugely embarrassing himself. Why was Hephaestion discussing this with him and not with one of the twins? Elrond even? “Aye, I have been on top.” His eyes narrowed and he asked, “And how about you?”

Hephaestion’s face grew flustered and he lowered his eyes. He mumbled something unintelligible.

“What was that?” Erestor hadn’t understood what Hephaestion had said.

“I haven’t!” Hephaestion felt shy and cursed himself for starting this conversation.

“Never?” Erestor was surprised. “For how long were Alexander and you lovers?”

“Almost twenty years.”

“And he never allowed you to take him?” In his experience, most lovers experimented with reversing roles.

“Alexander loved driving himself into me.” Hephaestion peeked at Erestor. “What is it like?”

“Being on top?” Erestor rose from his chair and advanced on the young man. He seated himself on the rug below the window and gave Hephaestion a long look. “Divine.”

“Do you think that Elrohir… that he would allow me…” Hephaestion squirmed, nervous to ask Erestor this question.

“Are you asking me if I think Elrohir would allow you to take him?” Erestor smiled, reassuringly. “I do.”

“But why would he do that?” Hephaestion looked at Erestor with a sense of helplessness in his eyes. “He is Elrond’s son. He… outranks me.”

/Oh, you have much to learn – like me./ “Love is not about rank, Hephaestion.” But he could understand why the mortal would think that. “What was your love life with Alexander like?”

Not expecting that question, Hephaestion let his hair fall in front of his face. “Fulfilling.”

“You can do better.”

“I don’t know… We understood each other perfectly and I was set on pleasing him.”

Erestor nodded once. “And were you content being the one on the receiving end the entire time?”

“I think so. Feeling him inside me was… I cannot describe the feeling of belonging to him.”

Erestor smiled. “But Alexander is lost to you and now you face the twins and things are different, aren’t they?”

Hephaestion shrugged, deciding to be honest. “When I was with Alexander I sometimes wondered how it would feel to be him. To be the one doing the taking, but I could never bring myself to tell him about my desire. How could I possibly take a god?”

Erestor judged it best not to discuss that aspect in depth and steered away from Alexander. “Does Elrohir know you desire to take him?”

“I think he does. I hinted I might want to take him this morn.” Hephaestion peeked at Erestor from behind his hair, batting his long eyelashes. “Do you think I can make such a request?”

Erestor changed his position and knelt in front of Hephaestion, still smiling at him. “Elrohir would be honored to be the first one to be taken by you. Believe me; he wants to please you as much as you want to please him. Just be honest with him. Tell him what you want and do so without fear.” He raised a hand and brushed the curtain of hair aside. /And I learned something about myself as well. I also need to communicate my needs better to Elrond and Glorfindel./

~~~

“Milord, may I have a word with you in private?” Gamling, sent by Éomer to meet with Elrond, shuffled into the luxurious room.

Elrond looked up from selecting the books which he would send to Rohan and nodded once. “Of course. Please enter, Gamling.”

Gamling scuffled his feet, feeling rather nervous and awkward. “My King asked me to make another request on his behalf and I judged it best not to bring this before your council.”

“Please sit down.” Elrond seated himself near the fireplace and gestured for Gamling to do the same. He clearly noticed the man’s nervousness and wondered what request had such an effect on the seasoned warrior. “And now tell me what it is Éomer needs.” He arranged the folds of his robes around him and gave Gamling a reassuring look. The man looked as if he was contemplating fleeing the room!

“My King desires a mate,” said Gamling, his voice unsteady and raw. “But as his tastes… are uncommon… he thought maybe you would know a suitable candidate.”

Surprised, Elrond inched closer. “A mate?” He hadn’t expected that. “And what do you mean when you say his tastes are uncommon?” Gamling was trying hard to be diplomatic, but that was only complicating the matter. “Speak freely, Gamling.”

“He prefers males,” said Gamling, looking as if he expected Elrond to faint from surprise.

“Go on.” Elrond felt reassured, realizing what Éomer’s ‘uncommon tastes’ entailed. He knew that it wasn’t common for humans to take a mate of the same gender, but it happened occasionally.

“Éomer needs someone who can support him. He needs someone at his side that is already acquainted with the demands placed on a ruler.”

“And Éomer thinks I know of such a person?”

“He hopes you do.” Gamling gathered his courage and met Elrond’s eyes. “Éomer is a good man – a good ruler and the well-being of his people always comes first. He would rather stay unbound than have a mate at his side who wasn’t his equal.”

Elrond leaned back into the comfort of his chair and considered everything he had heard. “He is looking for a consort? Someone to warm his bed or…?”

“No, Milord, he would never disgrace someone with such lowly desires. He wants a mate in every sense of the word. A husband, who will stand at his side and rule Rohan with him.”

“And it does not bother Éomer that he will have no offspring? No child to follow in his footsteps?”

Gamling cleared his throat. “Éomer has adopted Haleth, Háma’s son. Háma belonged to the Royal Guards and died in this last war.  He is content to raise the boy as his own.”

Elrond gave the matter some thought and realized Gamling was growing nervous.

“Milord Elrond, if you feel asking your advice in this matter is inappropriate, please say so. I am certain that my King will understand your reservations.”

“It is not that,” said Elrond, raising his right hand. “I am merely thinking.”

“You will help Éomer to find a suitable mate?”

Elrond nodded. He already had someone in mind, but it was still too early to send Hephaestion to Rohan. The young man was still healing. “Tell your King that I might know of someone. When the summer comes I will send word to Rohan and let Éomer know if this candidate is willing to meet with him.”

Gamling smiled, quite relieved. He had felt awkward, having to ask Elrond something so personal. “I will tell my King.” Hopefully, Elrond’s candidate would agree and travel to Rohan in the summer.

~~~

That evening, Hephaestion took great care bathing. He used plenty of soap and later, he tried the scented oils, which the twins kept near the bathtub. He selected one that smelled of apples and rubbed the oil onto his skin. His gaze drifted off to his reflection in the mirror and he studied himself critically. He wasn’t as young or as handsome as he had once been. If he looked really close, he saw the first signs of age on his brow – wrinkles were forming on his forehead.

Elladan and Elrohir however, were perfect. They would remain young forever. What in Zeus’ name did they see in him?

Hephaestion seated himself in front of the mirror and brushed his hair. He braided the strands near his temples and pulled the braids back to make sure they wouldn’t sweep into his face. Picking up the small piece of charcoal, he underlined his eyes with the black substance. Alexander had always loved that look on him and he had to admit that it highlighted the blue of his eyes. Still uncertain if Elrohir *really* desired him, he tried to look his best.

“Hephaestion?” Elrohir searched the bedroom, but found it empty. A smile curled his lips, finding the scented candles burning and a fire in the fireplace. Hephaestion had to be somewhere! In the bathroom maybe? He was about to turn and check for the mortal when the young man appeared in the doorway, naked and looking utterly desirable. “Pen vain?” He recalled Hephaestion’s questions that morning and realized what the mortal might be up to. “You look astounding.”

Hephaestion fought down a blush. “Thank you.” He studied Elrohir, still not certain that the half-Elf would allow this, even in spite of Erestor’s reassurance. “Can I speak with you?”

Elrohir cocked his head. /You look like you want to do anything but talk!/ But he would indulge his young lover. He sat down on the bed and patted the space next to him.

Hephaestion -- painfully aware of the fact that he was naked and Elrohir fully dressed -- sat down at a distance and tried to cover himself with the sheet.

“Do not do that. I love looking upon your naked body.” Elrohir smiled, seeing the sheet slip down again. He wasn’t surprised that Hephaestion wasn’t aroused. This was an awkward moment. “What do you want to discuss with me?” Oh, he was quite certain he already knew!

“I talked to Erestor earlier and he reassured me that I could ask you this.”

/Erestor?/ Elrohir remembered that Hephaestion had taken an instant liking to Erestor and the Advisor to the mortal so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Hephaestion had trusted himself to Erestor. “What do wish to ask me?”

Hephaestion stared at his hands placed on the mattress as he felt too shy to look Elrohir in the eye. “I would like to know what it is like to be the one who does the taking.”

Although Elrohir had expected to hear something like this, he hadn’t quite expected to hear it phrased like *that*. The way Hephaestion had phrased his request indicated he had never been on top before. “And this would be your first time taking someone?”

“Yes.” Hephaestion gathered his courage and looked at Elrohir. “You don’t have to comply with my request. I know I should probably not ask you this, but you told me to explore my needs and…” Elrohir’s finger silenced him as the half-Elf placed it against his lips.

“Do not worry that much, pen vain. I do not find your request odd and I applaud the fact that you are actually telling me you desire to take me. I approve, Hephaestion. I want you to take me.” Just looking into the haunted blue eyes told him how hard asking this had been on Hephaestion. But he couldn’t fathom *why* it would be so hard.

“You do?” Hephaestion had hoped to hear that answer, but hadn’t been certain Elrohir would allow himself to be taken.

“I seem to be overdressed for this encounter, pen vain. Why do you not help me out of these robes?” It would be easy for him to take the lead and still allow Hephaestion to go on top, but that wasn’t what his lover’s request was really about. Hephaestion had seldom been in control and the young man needed to explore that side of himself.

Hephaestion’s hands trembled, undoing the clasps to Elrohir’s robes. “Are you certain you want this?”

“It is my greatest desire,” said Elrohir, smiling warmly. He shrugged off the robes and rose from the bed. The fabric dropped onto the floor and pooled around his feet. “We are most fortunate that I do not wear underwear today.”

Hephaestion gulped, seeing Elrohir’s glorious naked body and to his astonishment, the half-Elf was already erect. “Do you really want this?”

“Stop talking, Hephaestion, and put your hands on me.” Elrohir knelt on the bed and gave his mortal lover a coy smile. “Do whatever you want with me.”

Hephaestion swallowed, nervously, but then mirrored Elrohir’s position, kneeling in front of him. Shyly, he placed the palms of his hands against Elrohir’s chest. “This is odd.”

“This is new,” understood Elrohir. “Explore.”

Hephaestion, feeling encouraged, slid his hands down the muscular chest. Elrohir was a warrior and possessed a well-trained body. Resting his hands on the narrow hips, Hephaestion inched closer. Both males were hard and he pressed his erection against Elrohir’s, drawing a needy moan from the half-Elf. “I cannot believe this is really happening.” Sliding his hands behind Elrohir’s back, he pulled the half-Elf close.

Elrohir rested his head against Hephaestion’s shoulder and smiled, feeling his lover’s hands travel lower until they rested on his buttocks. “You won’t hurt me,” he whispered, “Just do as you please, pen vain.”

“How can you give yourself so completely?” wondered Hephaestion, who had slightly pulled back to place kisses on Elrohir’s shoulder.

Elrohir chuckled softly and moved closer, letting his erection rub against Hephaestion’s. “That is what you do each time you allow us to touch you.”

Hephaestion’s lips moved lower and his tongue encircled one of Elrohir’s erect nipples. He had also done these things to Alexander, but his former lover had directed his actions most of the time. Elrohir was different. Elrohir let him do as he pleased.

“Oh.” Elrohir couldn’t help himself and thrust against Hephaestion. Feeling that cat-like tongue lick his nipple aroused him even more.

Hephaestion ceased his teasing and caught Elrohir’s lips in a kiss, which was hesitant at first. But then Elrohir parted lips and teeth, guiding him into his mouth and Hephaestion followed, dominating their kiss.

Elrohir moaned, feeling Hephaestion’s hands on him. His lover’s fingers explored each inch of his body and once Hephaestion had mapped all his sensitive spots, the mortal pressed him down onto his back.

Hephaestion’s breath caught, seeing the wanton look in Elrohir’s eyes. The eyes were hooded with desire and need. The half-Elf raised his hips in mute pleading. The long legs parted invitingly and Elrohir arched his back, as if trying to lure him closer. The half-Elf’s erection stood proud and was aimed at him. Hephaestion couldn’t resist and brushed his thumb over the slit, drawing another moan from Elrohir’s lips. Kneeling between the long legs, he stalled, wondering if he could really follow through.

“Do not leave me in this way, pen vain. Please finish what you started.” Elrohir reached for Hephaestion and ran his fingernails down the younger man’s chest.

Hephaestion trembled, looking at the exquisite creature spread before him. Warm fingers curled around his shaft and the sensation made him moan.

“Come inside me, pen vain. I want you to know what it feels like to possess me.” Realizing Hephaestion needed more encouragement Elrohir reached for the oil and coated his lover’s shaft with the liquid. “Come inside me, Hephaestion. Move inside me.”

Hephaestion still hesitated; he couldn’t believe that this marvelous creature, this Elf, graced with eternal beauty really wanted him.

“Hephaestion, please end my torment. I want to feel you inside of me. Posses me, make me yours.” Elrohir managed to gain a hold on Hephaestion’s waist and pulled him closer. Shifting on the bed, he presented himself to his lover, arching his back and wantonly squirming. “Do it.”

Hephaestion drew in a deep breath, finally making up his mind. “Guide me, please.” Alexander had taken him so many times and yet now that it was his turn to do the taking he felt inexperienced.

Elrohir eagerly reached for the slick shaft and guided Hephaestion into his body. “Take me whatever way you want, Hephaestion, but please, take me!”

Hephaestion’s eyes closed in bliss, feeling this warm glove around his member. Slowly, he inched in deeper, amazed at the pleased expression in Elrohir’s eyes, as he gradually filled the half-Elf.

“Aye, more!” Elrohir managed to get his hands onto Hephaestion’s backside and pulled him closer, forcing the younger man to sheathe himself completely. “You feel good.”

Hephaestion looked at the ecstasy in Elrohir’s eyes. Was he responsible for putting it there?

“Hephaestion! I need you! Now!”

Elrohir’s needy cries urged him on and he experimentally performed that first thrust. He closed his eyes in bliss, realizing he wanted this. He wanted to make Elrohir scream his name and beg for release.

Elrohir’s eyes widened with pleasure, feeling Hephaestion’s thrusts become more forceful and faster. Looking at his younger lover, he saw the pleasure on the handsome face and he surrendered to the sensations himself. Stopping himself from meeting Hephaestion’s thrusts, he let the mortal have his way with him and Hephaestion didn’t disappoint him. Hephaestion drove himself hard and deep, making him yelp in pleasure. “Wait… please!”

Hephaestion’s eyes opened. “Did I do something wrong?” He thought Elladan had been enjoying himself!

“Nay, you did everything right… It is just… Please pull out.”

Hephaestion, not understanding why Elrohir was making this request, complied nonetheless. He must have done something wrong!

Elrohir moved quickly onto his hands and knees and presented himself to Hephaestion once more. “Like this… Please.”

Realization dawned on Hephaestion, who placed his hands around Elrohir’s waist and then claimed the half-Elf with one deep, almost brutal thrust.

Elrohir rested his head on his arms and squirmed needily. “Deep… so deep…”

Understanding his lover’s needs, Hephaestion drove himself even deeper into the willing body. Alexander had taken him in such a way before and he knew the pleasure he could bring Elrohir if only he aimed correctly.

Unable to remain quiet any longer Elrohir screamed his pleasure and met Hephaestion’s’ deep thrusts, each stroke rubbing his pleasure gland. He wrapped his fingers around his shaft and firmly stroked. A moment later, he whimpered, finding release.

Hephaestion collapsed onto Elrohir’s back and let his lover’s contractions guide him to his climax. Rubbing Elrohir’s side in a soothing way, he followed his lover down when Elrohir could no longer support himself. He was about to pull out, although he still was semi-erect, but then Elrohir’s hand, placed strategically on his buttock, stopped him.

“Stay inside as long as you can.”

Hephaestion brushed the dark hair aside and kissed along the nape of Elrohir’s neck. “Thank you.” Taking Elrohir had been a revelation!

Elrohir cocked his head and looked at Hephaestion, smiling lazily. “Alexander missed a great experience, never letting you take him.”

Elrohir’s remark should have been painful, but Hephaestion found it wasn’t. It even made him chuckle. “I thoroughly enjoyed taking you, Elrohir.”

“You are still hard,” whispered Elrohir, grinning in a silly way. 

“Not for much longer. You milked me dry.” Hephaestion affectionately nudged Elrohir’s neck with his nose, inhaling the masculine scent that emanated from Elrohir’s pores. Playfully, he thrust one more time, making the half-Elf groan.

“Tease,” whispered Elrohir, savoring those last moments of feeling Hephaestion buried inside him.

Hephaestion kissed Elrohir’s lips and then rested his body atop of the half-Elf’s. “You changed my life, Elrohir.”

“Oh, do not thank me yet. Just wait until Elladan returns.”

~~~

“May I enter?” Erestor remained standing in the doorway, waiting for either Elrond or Glorfindel to beckon him inside.

“But of course! Always!” Elrond, sensing something odd about his Advisor, walked over to the doorway and extended his hand. When Erestor took it and easily allowed himself to be pulled into the room Elrond felt somewhat reassured. “You seem different tonight.” But he couldn’t quite say what it was.

Glorfindel looked up from the game of chess Elrond and he had been playing. He had to agree with Elrond – Erestor seemed different tonight.

It was already late and Ithil stood high in the midnight sky. Truth be told, Elrond and he hadn’t expected Erestor to join them tonight. They had been worried that they had done something wrong and that Erestor had decided to sever this fragile connection. But now Erestor was here and Glorfindel smiled invitingly at the dark-haired Elf. “Come, sit with us.”

Elrond guided Erestor over to the couch and both dark-haired Elves sat down. “Checkmate,” said Erestor, moving Elrond’s King over the board.

“Aye,” whispered Glorfindel, not minding one bit that he had lost the game. “We are glad that you joined us. We had almost given up hope that you would.”

“I had to do some thinking.” Erestor smiled at Elrond and twined his fingers with the half-Elf’s. Elrond’s reaction was to smile happily at him and Erestor knew he had set their worries to rest. “Last night the two of you took me by surprise and the wine aided you in your quest to seduce me.”

“Aye, we plead guilty.” Elrond however, was more fascinated by the way Erestor’s fingertips moved over his knuckles. He couldn’t remember Erestor ever reaching out in this way before. What had changed since this morning?

“I realized that hiding from my feelings, my needs and my desires does me little good. I should tell you want I need.” Erestor beamed, seeing the contented smile on Elrond’s lips. “Hephaestion opened my eyes. I told him to speak honestly with Elrohir and when I advised him to do that, I realized that I should do the same.”

Glorfindel pulled his chair closer to the couch and rested a hand on Erestor’s knee. “Talk to us then.”

“I need you to be there for me. To be strong for me,” said Erestor. He had prepared a speech before coming here, but found he no longer remembered the exact words. “Elrond, there is a gentle side to you and I need you to be understanding of me. I need your touch to be tender and your embrace tight.”

Elrond nodded once. “I can do that for you.” It was in his nature to be gentle and nurturing.

“Glorfindel, I need you to be...” Erestor wavered. He was determined to do this, but still felt awkward about admitting this. “I need you to be a bit like Haldir.”

“Tell me what that entails.” Erestor’s hand had found its way into his and Glorfindel clasped it tightly. They had hoped Erestor would confide in them, but given the Advisor’s introspective nature, hadn’t believed it would actually happen.

“I need you to be witty. To tease me… to challenge me... I need you to master me.”

Glorfindel arched an eyebrow. “Is that how Haldir won your love?”

“Haldir never gave me a chance to even consider his declaration of love. He swept me off my feet – quite literally – and made me his.” Erestor moistened his lips and gave Glorfindel a probing look. “I need you to take me the way Haldir did. With care and consideration, but also with strength and passion.”

“I can do that.” Glorfindel exchanged a smile with Elrond. “And do you also have a role in mind for Elrond when it comes down to lovemaking?”

“I…” Erestor coughed in order to rid himself of the sudden lump of emotions that blocked his throat.

“Go on,” whispered Glorfindel. “Elrond told me what happened this morn. There are no secrets among the three of us.”

“I enjoyed taking you,” said Erestor, addressing Elrond. “With Haldir, I never felt the need to dominate the encounter; he was too good at doing that. But with you… If you will permit it I would like to repeat what happened this morning… Not every night, but sometimes,” he ended his speech in a tiny, uncertain voice.

“Nothing would please me more, meleth, than to welcome you into my arms again.” Elrond brought their twined fingers to his lips and kissed Erestor’s knuckles. “May I suggest something?”

“Before you speak,” said Erestor, quickly interjecting, “I still feel some discomfort from last night.”

“Not that… I did not expect us to make love tonight.” Elrond clearly heard Glorfindel’s disappointed groan and tugged chidingly on his lover’s hand. “Behave!”

“You cannot fault me for hoping we would make love,” said Glorfindel, giving Erestor a longing look.

“There will be other nights.” Elrond shook his head at Glorfindel’s insatiable sexual appetite.

“You were about to suggest something,” said Erestor, addressing Elrond. He felt relieved that they so easily accepted his needs. No that he had expected otherwise… Not really. Voicing them had been the hardest.

Elrond gave Erestor a feline smile. “The next time we make love, it should be the three of us.”

Erestor frowned. “I thought we had made love – all three of us. You claimed me…”

“Aye, but I want us to make love *together*.”

Glorfindel purred, understanding what Elrond was trying to say. “Please continue.”

“Erestor, you crave being taken by Glorfindel and you in turn want to take me. I am certain we can find a position that will allow us to do so simultaneously.”

Erestor blinked. “Elrond, I…”

“Give the matter some thought, Erestor.” Elrond heard Glorfindel’s continued purring and gave his lover an inquisitive look. “Do you already have a position in mind, meleth?”

“Aye.”

“Then keep it to yourself for now. We do not want to worry Erestor.” Elrond rose from the couch with Erestor’s hand in his right hand and Glorfindel’s in his left. “Let us retire for the night.”

Glorfindel, painfully hard, excused himself and hurried into the bathroom.

Erestor cocked his head and looked questioningly at Elrond. “Why did he practically flee into the bathroom?” He removed his robes and slipped under the covers, followed by a similarly naked Elrond. Erestor rolled onto his right side and lay face to face with Elrond, who smiled at him.

“We are not erect, my dear Erestor. Glorfindel is.” A whimper coming out of the bathroom proved his words. “Or do you wish to fall asleep with his cock nestled between your buttocks?” Surprised, Elrond found Erestor growing erect. What had he done to cause that? He had used the word *cock*, hadn’t he? Was that it? He filed this information away for later.

Glorfindel, blushing and quivering, emerged from the bathroom and spooned behind Erestor. He would have preferred to find release inside the Advisor’s body but understood that Erestor still felt too sore to engage in the act of love again. “Goodnight, Elrond. Goodnight, Erestor.” His long, strong arms pulled both Elves close and all three snuggled up to each other, looking forward to a restful night of sleep.

~~~

The next morning Erestor woke wrapped up in strong arms. He recalled having fallen in sleep with Glorfindel spooned behind him, but apparently they had moved about during the night. Glorfindel had ended up in front of him, arms and legs wrapped around him. Missing from the bed was Elrond and that realization made him frown.

“Elrond left for his study one hour ago. He needs to attend to some paperwork,” said Glorfindel, cocking his head and studying Erestor’s curious eyes. He loved Elrond dearly and the half-Elf would always have his heart, but having Erestor in his bed was tempting and challenging. He remembered the requests which Erestor had formulated last night and he wondered if the other Elf had sufficiently recovered for another round of lovemaking. He would love to take Erestor like Haldir would have. “Are you still sore, meleth?”

Being called ‘meleth’ still surprised Erestor. The ease with which the lovers had accepted him also stunned him. “Nay, I am not.” Glorfindel’s length pressed against his thigh and pre-ejaculate slid down his skin. Glorfindel was hard and judging by the dreamy look in the blue eyes eager to take him. “Glorfindel,” whispered Erestor in a trembling voice. He raised a hand and ran his fingers through the curtain of golden hair. “I need it too.”

“I already thought so.” Glorfindel’s hand moved downward and fondled Erestor’s hardening flesh. He wiggled an eyebrow and pressed his lips against Erestor’s throat. Erestor’s words ‘I need you to master me,’ echoed in his mind and made him bold. In one smooth motion, he rolled onto his back and pulled Erestor atop of him. Erestor’s eyes revealed surprise, making Glorfindel grin. He placed his hands on either side of Erestor’s head and slowly pulled the Advisor’s face closer to his groin. His cock, hard and glistering with pre-ejaculate, twitched.

Erestor obeyed, parting his lips and then sealing them around the purple head. Glorfindel’s hands slid down his back and ended up cupping his buttocks.

“Use your sweet tongue on me, my lovely Erestor.” Glorfindel’s thumb rubbed along the Advisor’s opening, causing Erestor to tremble.

Erestor licked along the shaft, lavishing the hard flesh with saliva. He sucked hard and more pre-ejaculate flowed from the slit. He locked gazes with Glorfindel, mutely pleading, hoping the warrior knew what he needed the most.

Glorfindel did.

The warrior used his strength to lift Erestor away from his lap and positioned the dark-haired Elf above his cock. He was in full control of the agonizingly slow pace which with he lowered Erestor onto his hard flesh and he loved seeing the rapture in the dark eyes. He impaled Erestor and massaged the flesh of the twitching buttocks in his large hands. “Tell me what it feels like.”

Erestor whimpered as his body adjusted to the bulk inside of him. Taking him in this way was something Haldir would have done and for one moment it was easy to pretend it was Haldir making him take himself. “I feel helpless… and you are big.” It was hard to find words; he wasn’t much of a talker when he made love.

Glorfindel lifted the lithe Advisor off his cock and then drove him down onto it again. A startled scream left Erestor’s lips and hands settled against his chest, as the other Elf tried to find a way to support himself. Encouraged by Erestor’s needy response, Glorfindel repeated his action. Erestor was helpless in his grip and Glorfindel continued to impale the dark-haired Elf, eagerly watching how his hard flesh disappeared into Erestor’s body.

Suddenly, Glorfindel ceased his motions and Erestor looked at him in what could only be labeled shock. “Why did you stop?”

“Ride, Erestor.” Glorfindel playfully slapped a buttock in order to encourage the Advisor. “Ride like the wind, Erestor.”

Erestor threw back his head and moaned deep within his throat. He experimentally raised himself and then sat down again in Glorfindel’s lap. With each impaling motion, Glorfindel’s shaft rubbed the sensitive gland inside his passage. Erestor quickly lost control and he drove himself hard, trying to please Glorfindel as much as the warrior was trying to please him.

Nearing orgasm, Glorfindel placed his large hands on Erestor’s hips and pushed him down, forcing the lithe Elf to remain in place. The room spun around him and he thought he might faint, experiencing one of the fiercest orgasms in his life now that Erestor’s passage contracted around him.

Erestor collapsed atop of Glorfindel and helplessly allowed the warrior to deliver a few more deep strokes.

Glorfindel growled, possessively, maintaining his hold on Erestor and keeping him in place. Erestor raised his head and looked at him through strands of damp, dark hair. “You were made to be made love to, Erestor,” whispered Glorfindel.

Erestor smiled, tiredly. Glorfindel had made him forget his pain for a long moment, but now that the rush was over, he wished it had been Haldir taking him.

~~~

“You wanted to speak with me?” Hephaestion felt curious. Elrond had asked him to join him in his study, but had given no reason why.

“Please seat yourself, Hephaestion.” Elrond eyed his former patient closely. Hephaestion looked well. A blush had settled on his cheeks and the blue eyes shone with satisfaction. Hephaestion had recovered from losing Alexander and Elrond suspected his sons’ interest in the mortal had had a positive effect on the young man. “How do you fare, Hephaestion? It has been a while since we talked last.”

“I am well,” said Hephaestion, firmly. “I feel at home here.”

“And I guess my sons have everything to do with that?”

“Aye, your sons and Erestor. Erestor has become a good friend.” Hephaestion shifted on his chair, realizing Elrond still had to address the real reason why the half-Elf had summoned him here. “Can I be of some sort of service to you?”

Elrond nodded his head once and reached for his cup of herbal tea. They were seated on the balcony to his study, enjoying Arien’s warm rays. “Have you heard of the Kingdom of Rohan?” He knew that Erestor had taken it up himself to educate the mortal, but he didn’t know if his Advisor had already discussed this with him.

“I read about it in a book which Erestor gave me. Rohan is famous for its horses and their riders.”

Elrond nodded again. “Rohan is ruled by Éomer. He has come to power only recently and he is determined to be the best ruler his people can hope for.”

Hephaestion’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you telling me this?”

Elrond sighed, placed his cup back on the table and rose from his chair. He took to pacing the balcony and buried his elegant hands in the sleeves of his robes. “Hephaestion, the Elves are preparing to leave Middle-Earth. We will return to Aman, our home.”

Hephaestion gulped. “You are leaving?”

“We will leave Imladris in a few months, when summer is upon us.” Elrond’s compassionate eyes sought out the mortal. “You, however, can not accompany us. I wish you could, but you are mortal. You belong here.”

Hephaestion trembled, feeling shocked. He had begun to feel safe and wanted here in Imladris, in the twins’ arms and now Elrond was telling him that it would all come to an end next summer. “I will lose Elladan and Elrohir.”

Elrond’s heart ached, hearing those words. “I do not want to cause you pain, but you need to know the truth. The time of the Elves is limited and we cannot linger here.”

“What will happen to me? Can I stay here?” But what would Imladris be like once the Elves had left? A shell of its former beauty? Would he still want to live here once everyone was gone? Why had Hades… Námo… brought him back to life? What was the point, if the ones he had come to care about were to be taken away from him?

“Éomer is an honorable warrior, a skilled horseman and a wise ruler, but he is alone. A party from Rohan visited with me and Gamling told me that the King desires to take a mate.” Elrond cringed, seeing a glare appear in the icy blue eyes. “Aye, I thought of you.”

“What do you think I am?” Hephaestion jumped to his feet and glared at Elrond. “I am no whore you can sell off to the highest bidder!”

“Hephaestion, you do not understand!” Elrond walked toward Hephaestion, raising his hands in an attempt to placate the mortal. “It is nothing like that! I merely thought that the two of you were well-suited for each other and as my people and I are preparing to leave… You cannot stay here and you know too little of Middle-Earth to be on your own!”

Hephaestion’s expression was cold and oddly dead; it was an expression that worried the half-Elf. “Hephaestion?” He placed his hand on the mortal’s shoulder, but Hephaestion pulled away from the touch, looking at him as if the touch had burned him.

“So in six months’ time I will be send off to Rohan and spend the rest of my life there?” Hephaestion felt oddly accepting of his fate. He should have known that life in Imladris was too good to be true.

“Hephaestion, no one will force you to take Éomer as your mate. I am certain that he will welcome you even if you do not wish to court him! Your life there will be good!”

“Why wait six more months? Why not send me there at once?”

Elrond arched an eyebrow. He hadn’t realized that Hephaestion possessed such a fierce temperament. It almost rivaled his! “If you wish to leave now, I will not stop you. The party from Rohan leaves tomorrow.”

“That is decided then!” Hephaestion stormed out of Elrond’s study and slammed the door hard on his way out.

“Oh, my. Éomer, I do hope you are a patient soul.” He had conducted this conversation poorly, but Hephaestion’s tantrum had taken him by surprise. He hoped that the young mortal would calm down – maybe then he could talk some sense into Hephaestion.

~~~

Hephaestion marched into the twins’ room and kicked the door shut. Anger consumed him and the negative emotion needed a way out. Elrohir, who just emerged from the bathroom where he had taken a long and hot bath, presented that way out.

Hephaestion’s anger was palpable and took Elrohir by surprise. What had happened to infuriate the young mortal? “Hephaestion?” The young man surprised him by stalking him and then turning him around. Hephaestion guided his hands to the wall and Elrohir quickly placed his palms against the brick wall. His body vibrated with curiosity and lust, feeling Hephaestion move behind him. He spread his legs, bent forward and offered himself to the mortal. Hephaestion’s fury would burn him and by Námo, he wanted to be burned!

Hephaestion had already undone the lacing to his leggings and pushed the fabric down, allowing his hard member to spring free. The angry, red head of his cock already sought entry to Elrohir’s body when two strong arms suddenly restrained him, stopping him from slamming into Elrohir.

“I will not allow you to hurt my brother – not in even your rage.” Elladan didn’t know what had put the normally gentle mortal in such a foul mood. “He is willing to let you take him, but I insist you take care.” Elladan’s hands rubbed oil onto the engorged flesh. “You may take him, but you will not hurt him!”

Elladan’s words subdued Hephaestion’s rage and the mortal felt guilty, realizing he had come close to using Elrohir to satisfy his own needs with no consideration for the half-Elf’s feelings. He wanted to pull away and retreat from the situation, but then Elladan guided him into Elrohir’s opening. He threw back his head and moaned.

Elladan, taking charge, pushed Hephaestion forward and guided the mortal’s arms around Elrohir’s waist. He placed Hephaestion’s right hand on his brother’s lax member and encouraged him to stroke the needy flesh. “I know what you need.” Elladan proceeded to pull Hephaestion’s leggings down and urged him to step out of them.

Naked from the waist down, Hephaestion suddenly understood Elladan’s intentions and he thrust into Elrohir’s tight passage. “Do it… Do it now.” He clung to Elrohir, stroking the half-Elf’s hardening flesh and thrusting inside the tight passage. Like Elrohir had done only a moment ago, he spread his legs and presented himself to Elladan.

Elladan coated his cock with the oil and pushed the firm globes apart. His hard flesh targeted the tight opening and mirroring Hephaestion’s actions, he sheathed himself in one brutal thrust.

“Ai!” Elrohir bit his bottom lip, feeling the pressure inside his lower body increase. “”Thrust, Elladan!”

Elladan placed one hand against the nape of Hephaestion’s neck, gripping him hard. His other hand found a way into the auburn hair and he grabbed the strands. Driving himself into Hephaestion, he growled, loudly.

Hephaestion could do little but accept Elladan’s bulk inside him and thrust into Elrohir’s channel. Elladan dominated this encounter, forcing Hephaestion to thrust, pushing the mortal to the limit.

The sensation of taking Elrohir and being taken by Elladan made Hephaestion whimper. He rocked between the two and his knees almost gave way beneath him, feeling Elrohir’s inner muscle contract around him, making him come in turn.

Elladan sensed his twin’s orgasm in his mind. The walls of Hephaestion’s passage closed around him in an attempt to lure his orgasm from him, but Elladan refused to come just yet. “Pull out of my brother,” he ordered.

Hephaestion pulled out and Elrohir instantly moved away from them. In order to support himself, Hephaestion shuffled forward and managed to place his hands against the wall.

Elrohir, seated on the floor, watched with interest how Elladan buried himself in Hephaestion’s body. When they had first become lovers, they had often made love in front of the mirror, so he could see his brother penetrate him. Now, he watched admiringly how Elladan drove himself home. He had seldom seen Elladan this wild, so unrestrained. But Hephaestion’s despair fueled Elladan’s need to please and his twin continued to slam himself inside, until, after long moments, his brother howled with pleasure.

Elrohir pushed himself onto his feet and caught Hephaestion when the mortal swayed on his feet. Elladan pulled out in one fluid movement, making Hephaestion release a keen wail.

“I have got you,” whispered Elrohir. He lifted Hephaestion in his arms and carried him over to their bed where he curled himself around the mortal. Elladan followed suit, lying down in front of Hephaestion, eying him closely. “What happened?” asked the twins simultaneously.

“Your father is sending me away. I am to become Éomer’s consort.” Hephaestion tried, but failed to hide his disappointment and emotional pain. “This was our last time together. Tomorrow, I will leave for Rohan.” He refused to stay here now that Elrond had decided his fate. Alexander had always called him stubborn and that character flaw now showed clearly. Stubborn and defiant, he closed his eyes. If Elrond wanted him to be Éomer’s whore, he would obey!

~~~

Elladan shook his head. “That is not the way Hephaestion presented his future to us.”

“He is angry,” replied Elrond, having explained his plans to his twins. “I wish he could sail West with us, but you know that is impossible. And Éomer… Éomer would make a good mate. And even if there blossoms no love between the two of them, Hephaestion would find a good home in Edoras. I really think Éomer and he have much in common and I do believe they would become friends if only Hephaestion gives Éomer a chance.” Elrond gave them a pleading look. “My options are limited, my sons.”

Elrohir understood his father only too well. “You do not want him to remain here alone.”

“He would wither away. He would die slowly, little by little.” Elrond felt relieved that they understood. “I told Gamling that Hephaestion won’t visit Rohan until summer, but it seems our young friend is determined to leave tomorrow.”

“He feels hurt,” said Elrohir, smiling ruefully at his father. “Each person reacts differently when they are hurt and he is determined to defy you by obeying you.”

Although Elrohir’s words sounded paradox Elrond understood. “I never intended for him to feel in that way – used.”

“He used the term ‘whore’,” said Elladan. “Knowing Hephaestion he will present himself in that way to Éomer.”

“Oh, that would not sit well with Éomer.” Elrond’s thoughts raced. There had to be a way out of this! “I shall write Éomer a letter, explaining what has happened and why Hephaestion is accompanying Gamling. We will have to put our trust in Éomer. Hopefully he will know how to deal with Hephaestion. I never realized he possessed such a temper!”

Elladan grinned. “His temper holds a certain attraction, especially when it shows so unexpectedly. His former lover, Alexander, probably loved seeing that fire in him.”

Elrohir didn’t want Hephaestion to leave yet, but there was little they could do to stop the mortal. Hephaestion was entitled to make his own choices, even if they were made in anger and haste.

~~~

Hephaestion spent that evening preparing for the long trip to Rohan. The twins selected a loyal mare for him, gathered warm clothes that would keep him from growing cold and still attempted to convince Hephaestion that this was folly. But he dismissed their objections to his plans and remained determined to leave in the morning. He had put his trust in Elrond and felt utterly betrayed by the Elf-Lord’s actions.

“Our father means well,” said Elrohir, trying once more to change the mortal’s mind. “Do not leave yet. Stay another six months.”

Hephaestion shook his head. “I made up my mind.” This was going to be his last night in Imladris and he longed to feel the twins curled around him, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask them to hold him. Something inside him had snapped.

“Come here,” whispered Elladan. He wrapped his arms around Hephaestion’s waist and pulled the mortal onto the bed. Hephaestion went willingly and Elladan curled around the young man. Elrohir followed his brother’s example and stretched in front of Hephaestion. The mortal’s needs were obvious, but Hephaestion was too stubborn to ask them to comfort him. The twins wrapped themselves around Hephaestion and held him through the night without speaking another word, understanding that Hephaestion would follow through. The mortal wouldn’t stay with them.

~~~

“I handled that conversation poorly.” Elrond sat near the fire, shoulders slumped and staring into the flames. “I never wanted him to feel that way.”

Erestor seated himself next to Elrond on the couch. “You could have been a bit more diplomatic.” When he had first joined Elrond’s household as an Advisor, Erestor had been stunned to learn that Elrond was not schooled in the art of diplomacy. To Erestor, diplomacy *was* an art form and one he had mastered to perfection. Elrond had always remained much of a warrior and it showed in negotiations. Elrond would opt for directness when it wasn’t appropriate and appreciated. It usually took all of his expertise to get Elrond out of such an embarrassing situation. “You should have let me handle this.”

“I never expected him to react in that way,” said Elrond, lackluster. “I thought he would warm up to the idea in six months time, especially seeing us pack. He would have had the time he needed to say his goodbyes and when he left for Rohan, he would do so whole in body and mind. But my plan backfired. He is determined to leave tomorrow.”

Erestor curled an arm around the half-Elf’s waist and pulled him close. Elrond rested his head against his shoulder, accepting the comfort he was offering. “I took an instant liking to Hephaestion and I would have loved for him to stay with us until the summer, but maybe… maybe this is for the best.” He wanted to comfort Elrond and tried to see the advantages of Hephaestion leaving early for Rohan. “If he had stayed, leaving us might have become even more difficult.”

“But I do not want him to leave in anger.” Elrond stared at the tray, still full with dinner and swallowed hard. He wasn’t hungry and the mere thought of eating caused nausea. “I feel like I failed him.”

“I could talk to him, try to change his mind,” whispered Erestor, musing aloud. “But I am not certain I should.” The more he thought about it, the stronger he believed that Hephaestion leaving them now was for the best. “In Edoras he can rebuild his life. If he stays in Imladris, his world will shatter in six months.”

Elrond rubbed his cheek against Erestor’s shoulder. “I do not want him to feel hurt. When I took him in I vowed to always have his best interest in mind. I feel responsible for him and…”

“Stop it,” said Erestor in a firm voice. He cocked his head and tipped Elrond’s face toward him so he could look into the upset eyes. “You are doing this because you think it is best for him.”

“But not in this way!” Elrond bit his bottom lip. “I wanted him to gradually grow comfortable with this option. Not this abruptly.” His heart felt heavy, having hurt someone he cared about. “I do care for him.”

“I know you do. And Hephaestion will realize that once his temper settles down.” The pleading expression in Elrond’s eyes made him consider the half-Elf. Those eyes asked so much, hid nothing and urged him into action. “Where is Glorfindel?”

“Away on border patrol. He won’t join us until in the morning.” Elrond raised his right hand and caressed Erestor’s face. “I failed Hephaestion and I pray to the Valar that I will never fail Glorfindel or you.”

Erestor considered his options. The needy, pleading expression in Elrond’s eyes told him what the half-Elf needed the most, but he was still growing accustomed to his role in this relationship. It wasn’t in his nature to take the lead and to dominate a sexual encounter, but those were the very two things Elrond was asking of him. Elrond was hurting and yearned to entrust himself to Erestor, to let go of his responsibilities for a few minutes and Erestor wanted to give this to the half-Elf. But how?

“Erestor, I…”

“Hush,” whispered Erestor, using his hold on Elrond to pull him onto his lap. Looking into the half-Elf’s eyes he saw self-reproach there. “It is not your fault that he reacted in that way.” Erestor felt nervous, finally taking the lead. His fingers fumbled with Elrond’s robes and he pushed them apart. His eyes widened, finding the half-Elf naked beneath the fabric. Elrond offered him a lopsided grin, but Erestor still saw the self imposed guilt on the half-Elf’s face. “I will make you forget your worries.” Even if only for a short while he would try to replace that guilty expression with pleasure.

Elrond rested his head against Erestor’s shoulder, entrusting himself to his Advisor. “Aye, make me forget.” He sighed, feeling Erestor’s hands on him. Warm fingers curled around his lax member and a thumb reached below him, rubbing against his opening. “You are still dressed.”

Erestor kissed the dark strands that teased against his face. “Why don’t you undress me, Elrond?” It would take time for him to get used to this new role, but for Elrond’s sake, he would try.

Elrond lifted his head and claimed Erestor’s lips, rubbing his buttocks against the thumb that teased against his guardian ring. “As you wish.” His fingers unbuttoned Erestor’s robes and he pushed them down the shoulders, baring his lover’s upper body to him.

“Remove all my clothes,” whispered Erestor, running his fingers gently through Elrond’s hair.

In order to comply with Erestor’s order, Elrond got to his feet. He undid the lacing of the Advisor’s leggings and then knelt on the floor, removing house shoes, socks and in the end, the leggings. Erestor’s member, freed from its confines, shone with a fine layer of pre-ejaculate, making Elrond’s mouth water.

Elrond’s reaction wasn’t lost on Erestor, who parted his legs. “Do you want to taste me?” He cocked his head and offered Elrond a lazy smile, still running his long fingers down the dark hair. “Do you want to please me?” Maybe being the one in control had its advantages and Erestor was growing in his role, guiding Elrond.

Elrond moved closer, but remained on his knees. He placed his hands on Erestor’s narrow hips and nuzzled his lover’s groin, deeply inhaling the masculine scent that lingered there. His tongue dashed out, bestowing a lick onto the tip of Erestor’s erection.

“Ah, that felt good… Do it again.” Erestor cupped the back of Elrond’s head and pulled him closer.

Elrond eagerly obeyed and licked the purple head. Changing the positions of his hands, he slid them below Erestor’s buttocks, pulling his lover closer to him. He parted his lips and teeth and swirled his tongue around the leaking head. The tip of his tongue teased against the slit and he sucked hard, greedily tasting his lover’s pre-ejaculate.

“Oh, you are talented!” Erestor was beginning to understand how he was supposed to act and quickly adapted to his new role. “Take in more of me, Elrond.”

Elrond relaxed his throat and pushed down onto the hot rod, swallowing as much as he could. Erestor trembled and then thrust – deeply. Elrond whimpered and the sound vibrated around the hard flesh.

“Oh yes…” Erestor grabbed hold of Elrond’s dark hair and used his hold on the half-Elf to pace his lover’s motions. Looking at the bobbing head, Erestor felt the first signs of orgasm as his groin tightened.

Elrond allowed Erestor to thrust at will and accepted each deep thrust his lover delivered. He buried his nose against the tight sac, nuzzling it when Erestor briefly wavered with his next thrust. That next thrust brought Erestor to orgasm and Elrond moaned as hot and salty liquid hit the back of his throat. He swallowed convulsively, drinking his lover dry.

Erestor’s eyes had rolled back in rapture and his breathing came in gasps. His convulsing cock slipped from Elrond’s lips and white ejaculate dripped from the bruised lips. “Lick me clean,” he ordered, watching Elrond with fascination.

Elrond leaned in closer again and lapped at the white substance until he had effectively cleaned Erestor’s sated member. Lifting pleased eyes, he took in Erestor’s flustered form.

Erestor pulled Elrond back onto his lap and kissed the half-Elf, tasting himself. “Give me a few minutes and I will return the pleasure.” He knew why Elrond had made him come in such a spectacular way – he would last longer that way.

Elrond smiled and licked Erestor’s throat. Making love with Erestor was different from making love with Glorfindel, but he couldn’t quite explain why.

Erestor’s fingers moved up his chest and rolled his nipples between the tips. He threw back his head and moaned, thrusting his hips forward into the air.

Erestor, growing aroused again, sensed the need in the half-Elf. “Do you have oil?”

Elrond reached beneath the pillow and uncovered the flask. “Glorfindel always likes to be prepared. He placed these vials in strategic places.” He grinned, wickedly.

“I like the way Glorfindel thinks.” Erestor massaged Elrond’s shoulders, considering the half-Elf. Uncertain how to proceed, he simply asked Elrond what he wanted the most.

“To feel you inside of me.” Elrond was already busy coating Erestor’s erection with the oil. Kneeling on Erestor’s lap, he raised himself. “Guide yourself inside,” he whispered, breathing hard.

Erestor placed his hands beneath Elrond’s buttocks and guided the half-Elf onto his waiting cock. Elrond’s eyes widened with pleasure the moment Erestor thrust upward, burying himself in his unprepared channel. Elrond quickly pushed down, loving the feeling of being impaled. He clung to Erestor, wrapping arms and legs around the Advisor’s form.

Erestor moved on the couch, gaining a more comfortable position. Elrond, seated on his lap, looked at him with a dazed expression. Erestor didn’t mention the discomfort the half-Elf had to be in, as Elrond had pushed down out of his own accord in order to take him completely. He brought his hands up behind Elrond’s back and held the half-Elf close, keeping him from moving. “Is this what you want? To feel me lodged inside of you? So deep?”

Elrond moaned and nodded against Erestor’s shoulder. Even dazed by pleasure and pain he remembered the way Erestor had reacted when he had used the word ‘cock’ some time ago. Should he try this? Glorfindel had never warmed to his interest in talking dirty, but maybe Erestor would. “I love feeling your cock inside of me, Erestor. Claiming me… Rendering me helpless… Being impaled on your cock feels so good.”

Elrond’s choice of words nearly drove Erestor out of his mind. Haldir used to talk to him like that, but back then, their situation had been reversed. “Just wait until I fill your insides with my come.”

Elrond whimpered and rotated his hips in an effort to get more stimulation from the position they were in now that Erestor wasn’t thrusting.

“Hold on, I want to try something. Lean back…” Erestor was enjoying being the one in control and he intended to use it to his advantage.

Elrond complied, leaning back. Erestor’s hands roamed his chest and the only thing that kept him in place was his lover’s cock inside him. Suddenly, his world moved and he was lowered onto the rug in front of the fire place. Erestor guided his legs against one shoulder and a wicked grin surfaced on the Advisor’s face.

Elrond clawed at the rug and yelped, realizing Erestor intended to take him hard and deep. “Thrust!” And then the pounding started. Not even Glorfindel had ever taken him that hard, that relentlessly, and a fine layer of sweat formed on his skin. On the edge, Elrond was about to come, but then Erestor brutally squeezed at the base of his member, keeping him from coming. The pounding continued and the force of Erestor’s thrusts made him slide over the rug, the fur causing incredible sensations against his skin.

“Meleth,” moaned Erestor. He was close to orgasm himself, but managed to make it last a bit longer by moving Elrond’s legs. He guided them onto the floor, placed his hands against the half-Elf’s chest and continued to piston in and out of the now loose channel.

Elrond closed his eyes in utter bliss. He loved being possessed, being helpless and Erestor was making his fantasies come true. Unable to keep back any longer he violently came, shooting his seed against Erestor’s abdomen.

Feeling the warm cream drip from his abdomen, Erestor smiled. He continued to thrust to minimize the effect Elrond’s contractions had on him and he grunted, driving himself home. He tensed, whipped his hips forward and filled Elrond with his seed.

A moment later, the two Elves lay panting. Erestor atop of Elrond and Elrond totally exhausted beneath him, carrying the Advisor’s weight.

“Did you want to come like that?” Erestor, still in the throes of ecstasy, kissed Elrond in a sweet and loving way. The half-Elf quivered beneath him and Erestor stayed inside the contracting passage as long as he could.

“Aye, I did.” Elrond lifted tired, but sated eyes and looked into Erestor’s hooded ones. “I did not know you could be that… brutal.”

“Did I displease you?” Erestor grew scared, realizing he had lost his restraint during their encounter.

“Nay, you did not. I loved experiencing this wild side to you.” His eyes half closed. He raised a hand and caressed Erestor’s brow. “Do you know that Glorfindel loves being taken?”

Erestor frowned, surprised. “He does?”

“But only in a fierce, almost violent way… Much like you took me just now.” Elrond nodded once. “Oh, Glorfindel would love being taken in such a brutal way.”

Erestor didn’t know what to think of this. “Elrond, it is not my way to…”

“Do not pretend this side of you does not exist,” said Elrond, chiding gently. “I have seen it.”

“I… I honestly did not know I could act in this way.” His sated sex slipped from Elrond’s slick passage and he rolled off of the half-Elf.

Elrond caught Erestor in a tight hug. Lying face to face, he searched Erestor’s eyes. “Maybe this is just the beginning, meleth. You are exploring new options. Let me guess… Haldir used to be in control of your lovemaking, didn’t he?”

Erestor nodded once. “But only because I wanted him to be in control.”

“Ah, you just answered your own question. You just found out what happens when you decide to be in control and I approve of it… I enjoyed you being in control.”

A frown crossed Erestor’s features. Could Elrond’s observation be true? Did he prefer being on top and he had never realized that before?

~~~

“Elrond? Why are you out of bed?” Erestor pushed back the covers and left the bed. Elrond stood near the doorway and Erestor grew worried, seeing the confused expression in the grey eyes. “Elrond?”

“I should talk to Hephaestion. I cannot allow him to leave tomorrow. Not like that.” Burdened by Hephaestion’s reaction, Elrond’s dreams had been restless and they had driven him to leave the bed. “I should apologize.”

Erestor placed a hand on Elrond’s arm and guided the Elf-Lord back to their bed. “You will not do that.”

Elrond raised an eyebrow; Erestor’s determined tone surprised him. “I thought you cared about him.” Listlessly, he allowed Erestor to pull him down onto the mattress.

“It is *because* I care about him that I do not want you to talk to him.” Erestor pulled the covers back into place and tucked the blanket around their forms. He wrapped his arms around Elrond and pulled him close. Erestor guided Elrond’s head onto his shoulder and rested his chin on top of the dark hair. “Listen to me…” Erestor wavered, he had never used an endearment directed at Elrond before, “Meleth, leaving now is best for Hephaestion. Do you really want his world to shatter in six months? By leaving now he will not get the chance to build a life here. The pain will only be deeper, should he stay. Aye, I care about him – very much – and that is why I think that letting him go is the right thing to do.”

Elrond drank in each of Erestor’s words. “Do you really think so?”

“I do. I would be a bad Advisor if I lied to you, Elrond.” Erestor pressed a kiss onto the crown of Elrond’s head. “Go back to sleep, Elrond. You cannot make Hephaestion’s decisions for him. He has every right to make his own choices. Do not take that away from him.”

“Even when they are made in anger?”

“Aye, even when they are made in anger.”

~~~

“Do not leave us yet, Hephaestion.” Elladan gave the mortal a pleading look. Hephaestion had mounted his mare and was pulling his traveling cloak close in order to ward off the winter cold. “Please reconsider.”

Hephaestion shook his head. His anger had lessened somewhat during the night, but the sense of betrayal still stung sharply. “I cannot stay.”

“That is not true,” replied Elrohir, placing a hand on the mortal’s knee. “You choose to leave in anger. You misinterpreted my father’s words – his intensions!”

But his tempter got the better of Hephaestion once more. “I heard what I heard! And your father is determined to send me to Rohan. Why postpone the inevitable?” He bit back more hurtful words, realizing the twins didn’t deserve his wrath.

“Elrohir, we won’t be able to change his mind. We had better accept that,” said Elladan, admitting defeat. In the distance, the party of Rohan approached; Gamling lead the group of mortals.

Gamling eyed the dark-haired man carefully. Lord Elrond had informed him that Hephaestion would be traveling with them. Elrond had also told him that he thought this young man would make a good mate for Éomer, but Gamling disliked seeing the angry, disapproving expression in the blue eyes. Elrond *had* told him that Hephaestion would find it difficult to adjust to his changing situation and the ruler of Imladris had urged him to be patient with Hephaestion. Gamling however, could tell that Hephaestion would push him and test his patience to the limit. “Are you ready to leave?”

Hephaestion nodded once. “There is no reason to postpone this.”

“Hephaestion!” Erestor approached the party and placed a hand on the mare’s neck, stopping the mortal from leaving just yet.

“Erestor…” A sad, longing tone could be heard in Hephaestion’s voice. He *did* regret leaving the Advisor behind. Erestor had become a friend. “I will miss talking to you.”

“It is *your* decision to leave Imladris,” said Erestor in a neutral tone. “And personally, I think you are making the right choice, but for the wrong reasons. Your anger is misplaced.”

“You are not the one being sent away. I thought I had found a home here.” From the corner of his eye, Hephaestion saw Elrond approach. He ignored the pained expression in the grey eyes and straightened his shoulders.

“Hephaestion, I hope you will find happiness in Rohan. Éomer is a good man. Do not mistreat him. Do not confront him in anger.” Erestor removed his hand, sensing Hephaestion’s need to put some distance between them.

“Hephaestion…” Elrond raised his right hand, hoping to get a last chance to talk to the mortal.

But Hephaestion pressed his heels into his mare’s flanks and steered her away from the Elves. The mare came to a standstill next to Gamling’s horse.

Gamling didn’t like this one bit. When Elrond had told him that Éomer’s potential mate would leave for Rohan with them, he had been delighted. But looking at Hephaestion now he wondered if this man would adjust to the life in Edoras. 

“Gamling, we entrust Hephaestion to your care and we wish you a swift and safe journey,” said Erestor, sensing Elrond’s discomfort. The half-Elf stood next to him and he could literally feel the tremors that shook Elrond’s body. The fact that Hephaestion remained angry with him affected Elrond more than Erestor had thought.

Hephaestion was about to hiss an angry reply – that he didn’t need any protection – that he could defend himself! But he bit the remark back because it was Erestor who was speaking and he didn’t want to hurt the Advisor’s feelings. He *did* care about Erestor.

“I will safely escort him to Edoras,” replied Gamling, feeling distinctly uncomfortable. Had Elrond made a mistake in judgment? Hephaestion didn’t look eager to meet with Éomer. /Maybe he will warm up to Éomer once Hephaestion gets to know him./ Gamling guided his horse toward the road leading away from Imladris. He certainly hoped so!

~~~

“My heart feels heavy,” whispered Elrond, leaning against Erestor. “I do not want him to leave Imladris in this way.”

“You did what you had to do, Ada,” said Elrohir, sensing his father’s distress. Noticing the way his father leaned against Erestor for comfort, he grew curious. Elladan and he knew about their father’s relationship with Glorfindel, but this new intimacy where Erestor was concerned was new.

“Aye, Hephaestion is on his own now.” Elladan felt worried as well, but realized there was nothing he could do to change the situation.

“I have faith in Hephaestion,” offered Erestor. “He might not have been with us for a long time, but he started to heal.”

“But now he’s thrown himself into the deep,” whispered Elrond. “Is he strong enough to weather any emotional storms he might find himself in?”

“Put your trust in him,” replied Erestor, rubbing the small of Elrond’s back. “And have faith in Éomer.” They had met the young King during Aragorn’s coronation and wedding. Éomer had made a fine impression on them. “Maybe this is what the Valar really intended for Hephaestion.”

Elrond drew in a deep breath. “Maybe you are right.” But in his heart, he felt like he had failed.

~~~

Gamling was positively surprised, realizing Hephaestion had been on the road before. The young man could ride for longer periods at a time, knew how to start a fire and could take care of himself, which was a great relief for the seasoned warrior. He didn’t think that an inexperienced rider was suited to become Éomer’s mate.

“How long will our journey take?” asked Hephaestion. He sat near the fire one of the soldiers had started and had wrapped himself up tightly in his warm traveling cloak. Although he was used to being on the road for a long time, he had seldom experienced such cold. This land’s climate was quite different from Asia.

“Two, maybe three weeks,” said Gamling, seating himself next to the younger man. Hephaestion had calmed down a bit and Gamling felt it was time to get to know him better. Studying Hephaestion he wondered about the other man’s age. “I find myself wondering… Would you tell me more about you? How old are you? And how did you come by such a strange name?”

Hephaestion put up the collar of his cloak and watched the first snow flakes idly drift toward the earth. “I am thirty-three years old,” he started, “and my parents gave me that name.”

“Where do you hail from?” Gamling was puzzled, feeling drawn toward the younger man. Hephaestion possessed *that* certain quality that made men trust him.

“From lands far away from here. I doubt you ever heard from them.” Hephaestion buried as deeply as he could in the folds of his cloak. “Are you your King’s Advisor?” Gamling struck him as a warrior and he wondered why Éomer would send a seasoned soldier to Imladris to meet with Elrond. 

“Advisor?” Gamling laughed with a bitter tone to his voice. “Nay, I am not an Advisor. I am his Captain. I am in charge of Rohan’s defenses and her soldiers.”

Hephaestion accepted the mug filled with hot tea that one of the soldiers had brewed over the fire and blew onto the surface. Its heat warmed his hands and he watched how more soldiers gathered around the fire to drink something hot that would warm their bodies. “I would have expected him to send an Advisor instead.”

“Éomer has no advisors. Not yet.” Gamling realized this was his chance to teach Hephaestion about Rohan and her King. “We only recently defeated evil and both Rohan and Gondor are rebuilding its strength. The war destroyed the lands, much of the dwellings, acres, farms and many lives were lost battling evil. Éomer is doing the best he can to build a home for his people, but he is only one man.”

Hephaestion arched an eyebrow. Erestor had told him about the recently won war against Sauron, but he was only now beginning to understand how terrible that war must have been.

“Théoden, the former King, relied heavily on Grima’s advice. Grima was his Chief Advisor, but he was also responsible for poisoning Théoden’s mind with evil.”

Hephaestion wanted to make sure he understood what Gamling had told him. “Éomer has no advisors and is trying to restore the land?”

“Aye, and he is doing the best he can. But he is only one man and he lacks experience.” Gamling sipped his tea. “You see, Éomer was never supposed to become King.”

“He wasn’t?” In spite of his desire to remain cross with Elrond and Éomer, Hephaestion found himself growing interested in the King and Rohan.

“Théoden’s son, Théodred, died during the war, leaving Théoden childless. Théoden was Éomer’s uncle and with Théodred dead, Éomer became next in line. Éomer was raised to serve the King of Rohan, not to become her King.”

“You speak of him with respect and affection,” observed Hephaestion, emptying his mug and returning it to the soldier who carefully tucked it away in his saddlebag.

“I look upon Éomer as a son,” said Gamling, fondly. “He is a fine warrior and he wants what is best for us.” He waited for the soldiers to return to their horses, and now that they were alone, he leaned in closer and whispered, “That is why I hope Lord Elrond chose wisely, selecting you. Éomer needs someone who will support him. Someone who will serve Rohan like he does. He needs someone at his side that he can trust. Elrond selected you and I pray to the Gods that he chose well.” After uttering those words, Gamling rose from the earth and headed for his horse. “We should leave now. The snow will shortly cover the earth and we should find shelter before night falls.”

Hephaestion followed Gamling’s example and mounted his mare. The things that Gamling had told him about Éomer appealed to him in spite of the resentment which he wanted to feel about the way Elrond had treated him. If what Gamling had told him was true, his talents as an organizer would come in handy. He *had* experience where rebuilding countries were concerned. He had performed that duty for Alexander during his numerous campaigns.

Gamling continued to study Hephaestion and he grew hopeful that the younger man was a suitable mate for Éomer. He *had* to trust Elrond’s judgment. 

~~~

“You are distracted,” observed Erestor once they left the half-Elf’s study to retire for the night. Glorfindel was due to return any moment now and Erestor would feel relieved once the blond Elf joined them. He felt inadequate, comforting Elrond.

“I am worried for Hephaestion.” Ever since the mortal had left Imladris Elrond had felt unbalanced. Guilt gnawed at him, making him feel distracted. He blamed himself for what had happened.

Erestor guided Elrond into the half-Elf’s bedroom and stripped the dark-haired Elf of his clothes. “Lie down.”

Elrond obeyed and instantly curled onto his side. “I am sorry, Erestor, but I am not in the mood for play.”

Erestor had removed his clothes as well and slipped between the covers. He pulled Elrond into a hug and stroked the long hair, affectionately fingering the lover’s knots in the half-Elf’s hair. “I understand, meleth.”

“Just hold me.”

“I will.” Erestor pressed a chaste kiss onto Elrond’s hair and held the half-Elf tight.

~~~

“A bane on Hephaestion for acting the way he did!” Glorfindel seethed with anger, seeing Elrond curled up in Erestor’s arms. He quickly stripped off his clothes and joined the two dark-haired Elves in bed.

“Hephaestion will regret throwing a tantrum and hurting Elrond’s feelings, but that will take time,” said Erestor, thoughtfully. “Right now he feels betrayed and I *do* understand him, Glorfindel.”

“But that does not give him the right to blame Elrond for his situation!”

“It is always easier to direct anger at someone else instead of searching one’s feelings,” said Erestor, slowly. “Hephaestion will calm down and once he understands that Rohan provides a better home than Imladris ever could, he will also understand why Elrond did this. But not yet.”

Glorfindel’s anger began to ebb away. “I also understand why Hephaestion would be angry, but I cannot forgive him for hurting the most precious person in the world. Elrond does not deserve this.” He moved closer to Elrond, spooning behind the half-Elf. “I love you,” he whispered into Elrond’s ear. “I will love you always.”

Erestor smiled, hearing Elrond mumble in his sleep. “I think he heard you.” Hopefully Glorfindel’s soothing words would penetrate the deep recesses of Elrond’s troubled mind.

~~~

During the next few weeks winter settled over the lands. Snow covered the earth and Gamling’s party only made slow progress, making their way from Imladris to Rohan. During all that time, Gamling kept a close eye on Hephaestion, who seemed less used to the cold than he and his men were. He often caught the younger man shivering and he had even heard his teeth chatter. “If all goes well we will reach Edoras this evening.”

Hephaestion nodded, absentmindedly. He was still busy dealing with all the impressions he had gathered during their journey. The people in Rohan were also suffering from the cold as most houses had been destroyed in the war. They were still in the process of rebuilding their dwellings. There was a shortage of food in the outskirts of the lands and lots of families were trying to cope without the support of the men, who would normally hunt and supply the food during winter. Most of these men had died in the recent war.

Hephaestion also began to understand how much work awaited Éomer, and although he saw the efforts the soldiers were making to get food to the starving people, logistics was a problem. /I can help,/ he realized. /I can use my knowledge and experience to help them rebuild their homes./ For the first time since his ‘rebirth’ he realized he could be useful – that maybe he had found a purpose in this second life.

~~~

That night they finally reached Edoras. Hephaestion’s heart twitched painfully in his chest, seeing the fresh graves and ruined dwellings. The war had raged even here.

“We were warned that evil was approaching and our people managed to leave in time,” said Gamling. “Well, most of us did. We have a Keep, hidden within the mountains and we fought the evil hordes there. But that didn’t stop them from burning the fields and murdering every man, woman or child that crossed their paths.”

“Children? They murdered children?” When he had fought his wars at Alexander’s side they had always fought warriors. They had never murdered children!

“You cannot imagine what foul beasts these Orcs and Uruk-hai are. I hope you will never come face to face with them. But should that happen, run for your life.” Gamling wasn’t sure Hephaestion could stand his ground against them. He hadn’t seen Hephaestion fight yet. “Although most of them were destroyed in the aftermath of this war, some still roam the lands and they have nothing left to lose.”

Hephaestion heard the warning and would heed it, but he would never run from an enemy. Alexander had taught him better than that.

~~~

Curious eyes rested on his form when he followed Gamling into the guestrooms. They were spartanly furnished, but a fire warmed and illuminated the room and that was enough comfort for him.

“Éomer is currently tied up in a meeting,” said Gamling, who had sent a message that they had arrived. “He will welcome you to Rohan later this evening. I will have hot water brought, so you can take a bath and food will be delivered to your rooms. I apologize in advance if the foods aren’t as rich as you were used to in Imladris. We are short on supplies.”

“I understand,” said Hephaestion. He wouldn’t feel comfortable wolfing down huge amounts of foods when a large number of people were starving.

“I will leave you alone now.” Gamling closed the door behind him and headed down the corridor to report to Éomer.

~~~

Hephaestion took his hot bath and after drying his skin he sat down in front of the fireplace, trying to warm up. These rooms were drafty and chills ran down his spine. Rohan was quite a surprise and nothing as he had thought it would be.

When Elrond had informed him that he was to become Éomer’s mate he had retaliated in anger. He had envisioned his first meeting with Éomer, defiantly presenting his nude body to the King and asking him what way he would like to claim him. Most of that anger had ebbed away by now, seeing the need the people were in, but a tiny bit of resentment still lingered. He didn’t know yet how he would react when meeting Éomer for that first time. Much depended on the man himself.

/Alexander, what am I to do? I feel so lost without you./

A knock on his door pulled him from his musings. Hephaestion centered himself, knowing it could only be Éomer seeking him out. Rising to his feet, he briefly considered dropping the blanket which he had wrapped himself up in to carry out his original plan of offering himself to the King. But that would be folly, wouldn’t it? Alexander would disapprove of such childish behavior. If he were to become Éomer’s mate, he had better act the part and conduct himself in a dignified manner. “Enter,” he called out, pulling the blanket closer around his frame. But the fabric still left his shoulders uncovered and his still damp hair playfully tumbled down his back.

The door opened and Éomer stepped inside. Entranced, Éomer froze, staring in amazement at the graceful and beautiful vision in front of him. Was this Hephaestion? The male Elrond thought would make a suitable life partner? Éomer had never believed in love at first sight, but he was experiencing that very thing right now.

The blanket suddenly slipped from Hephaestion’s fingers, slid down the lithe frame and pooled at his feet, unwillingly baring Hephaestion to the King of Rohan. That had *not* been his intention!

Breathlessly, Éomer stared at the well-trained body. The fact that Hephaestion carried his share of scars only increased the attraction and his gaze involuntarily dropped below the waistline. Hephaestion was perfect in *all* aspects. But then Elrond’s warning words returned to him.

Éomer had read Elrond’s letter and Gamling had told him about the circumstances under which Hephaestion had left Imladris. Facing Hephaestion now, he could only draw *one* conclusion – Hephaestion must still be angry with them and had opted for a direct confrontation. Elrond had warned him that Hephaestion might do so and he couldn’t allow that – even in spite of the instant attraction he felt toward Hephaestion.

Hephaestion involuntarily held his breath, seeing Éomer approach. The King of Rohan bent down to pick up the blanket and tightly wrapped the fabric around his shoulders. Éomer immediately backed away again. Hephaestion realized that very moment what conclusion the other man had reached. /I told Elrond that I would act like a whore and he must have informed Éomer of that detail. Éomer thinks…/

Hephaestion blushed, feeling hugely embarrassed. “Éomer, I…” His mouth felt dry, seeing the expression in Éomer’s hazel eyes.

“I do not wish to impose on you,” said Éomer in a polite tone. “I should not have visited with you so shortly after your arrival. I will seek you out tomorrow when you are rested. Please excuse me now.” He was determined not to address the incident which had just happened. He hoped that, in time, Hephaestion would understand that he wasn’t here to warm his bed. Éomer desired a mate – a life partner – and he would settle for nothing less.

Before Hephaestion could say anything – correct the other man’s reasoning – Éomer was gone and the door closed once more. /Oh, that didn’t go well!/ Hephaestion grew angry with himself. /Only weeks ago, I blamed Elrond for not handling our conversation well and now I did the same thing to Éomer. I will try to explain myself to him tomorrow./ Éomer *must* know that he’d had a change of heart.

~~~

Éomer sat down, feeling quite shocked. Gamling, who normally joined Éomer for dinner, gave the younger man an understanding look. “What did he do?”

“He… was… naked…” stammered Éomer, blinking his eyes. /And he is beautiful!/

Gamling drew in a surprised breath. He had expected for something out of the ordinary to happen, but not quite *that*. “Lord Elrond said something odd could happen.”

Éomer nodded, absentmindedly. Aye, he had read the half-Elf’s letter and had been shocked to learn what Hephaestion expected would happen upon his arrival here. “I don’t desire a mere consort.” And yet, that was what Hephaestion apparently thought.

“You will have to be patient with him,” said Gamling, leaning back into the comfort of his chair. “I watched him and his anger lessened during our journey here. He was furious when we left Imladris. He has calmed since then.”

“Why does he think he is here to warm my bed? Does he think so little of me?” But Hephaestion’s body had been perfect and Éomer would love to run his fingers down Hephaestion’s chest. In his letter Elrond had mentioned that Hephaestion was intent on defying them… that the man was hurting for several reasons… that Hephaestion felt betrayed because he had thought he had found a home in Imladris.

“I talked to him during our journey and at first his anger stopped him from really hearing what I was saying. But once he saw how much our land needs to heal, he began to listen more closely. I saw something in his eyes… That emotion is hard to describe, but he looked like he wanted to help. Whenever we halted, and people were close, he would talk to them, ask them about their supplies and in what ways they wanted to rebuild their villages. I heard him give sound advice on more than one occasion.”

“Elrond mentioned that Hephaestion has experience in these matters. He suggested that I entrust organizing logistics to him.” Éomer released a sigh. “What am I supposed to do, Gamling? I tremble at the thought of having to discuss his anger and reasoning with him.” Éomer shook his head. “Where does he hail from that he thinks it acceptable for a man to take a consort merely to pleasure him in bed?”

“Why don’t you ask him those questions?” suggested Gamling. “He might tell you.”

Troubled, Éomer nodded once. “I don’t think I have much of a choice.” He had to face Hephaestion and confront the other man’s strange beliefs.

~~~

Hephaestion barely contained the urge to slam the back of his head against the wall from pure frustration. He had quickly dressed in leggings and a tunic and had followed Éomer, hoping to catch up with the King and to straighten out their misunderstanding. Instead, he had ended up eavesdropping on Éomer and Gamling. /Alexander warned me more than once to keep my temper in check, but I never quite managed that./ His temper usually only showed in private settings. None of Alexander’s companions had ever tasted his wrath, only Alexander had.

/I told Elrond I would present myself as a whore to Éomer and the half-Elf confided this to him. Now Éomer thinks…/ Hephaestion bowed his head and started his way back to his rooms. /Now he thinks I see myself as a whore./ Nothing could be further from the truth! Why, in Zeus’ name, had that damned blanket slipped from his fingers?

“Are you lost? Can I help you?”

The youthful voice pulled Hephaestion from his miserable thoughts and he looked at the youngster standing in front of him. Blond hair tumbled down the still narrow back, revealing that this boy wasn’t yet training to become a warrior. “I am on the way back to my rooms,” said Hephaestion in a gentle voice.

“You are new here. I haven’t seen you in Edoras before.”

“I arrived a few hours ago.”

“You traveled with Gamling!”

“I did.” Hephaestion smiled; the boy’s enthusiasm setting him at ease.

“My name is Haleth,” said the boy, extending his hand in greeting. “Who are you?”

“I am called Hephaestion.” Haleth, the name sounded familiar to him. He had heard it before, hadn’t he? Then he remembered that Elrond had told him about Éomer’s adopted son. Haleth’s father had died in the war and Éomer had taken the boy in and raised him as his own. /That says much about Éomer’s character./ Seeing the curious expression in Haleth’s eyes, he said, “Yes, I am lost. Can you show me the way to the guest quarters?”

Haleth nodded, eagerly. “Please follow me.”

~~~

Minutes later, Hephaestion’s head reeled with the boy’s questions. Had he ever been this curious, this inquisitive himself? He tried to answer most of the boy’s questions and promised Haleth he would talk to him later.

After receiving a grateful smile from Haleth, Hephaestion closed the door. He leaned against it with his back and stared at the ceiling. He had his work cut out for him here. /Please, I do not want to disappoint them. Not Gamling, not Haleth and certainly not Éomer. But how do I convince Éomer that I am no longer angry with Elrond? With him? With myself? How do I show Éomer that I want to be his friend? Maybe even his Advisor? I think I would make a good Advisor. I know how to organize the land and how to empower the people!/ He *had* to find a way to make Éomer see that their first encounter had been one big misunderstanding.

~~~

The next morning, Hephaestion was determined to be on his best behavior. He had dressed in warm, yet comfortable clothes – leggings, tunic and a heavy cloak, as the cold continued to linger in the ancient Halls. He asked a maid for directions and found his way into the dining room, where Éomer, Haleth and Gamling were eating a meager breakfast. “Sire,” he said, bowing deeply for Éomer.

Éomer’s eyebrow inched impossibly high and he jumped to his feet, unexpectedly finding Hephaestion standing in the doorway. “There is no reason to address me in that manner. Please sit and eat with us.”

Gamling hid his pleased smile, seeing the thoughtful and respectful expression in Hephaestion’s eyes. Something had changed for the young man.

“Good morning,” said Haleth, getting to his feet as well and returning Hephaestion’s bow.

Hephaestion gave them a warm smile and seated himself in the chair next to Éomer’s. The table was already set and a servant appeared, pouring hot tea into his cup. A slice of bread, some cheese and grilled meats were placed in front of him. “I want to apologize for the way I acted last night,” he said, maintaining eye contact with Éomer. A radiant smile appeared on the King’s face and the warm expression in the hazel eyes touched his heart. Éomer might never have been intended to rule Rohan, but Hephaestion’s instincts told him that the Rohirrim would rule well.

“You were tired and I should not have bothered you when you should have been resting.” Éomer seated himself again and Haleth followed his foster-father’s example.

“May I be excused?” asked Haleth. He had promised to help some of the farmers to chop wood so they could stay warm.

“Aye, you can go.” Éomer briefly rested a hand atop of Haleth’s head and ruffled the fair hair. He noticed the warm look Haleth gave Hephaestion and then watched his foster-son leave the room. It was a good sign that Haleth had taken a liking to Hephaestion!

“I should leave as well. There have been disturbances near the northern border,” said Gamling, rising from his chair.

“Orcs or raiders?” inquired Éomer.

“Orcs.” Gamling walked toward the doorway. “I will keep you informed.”

The next moment, Éomer and Hephaestion were alone and an awkward silence settled onto the room.

Hephaestion coughed, clearing his throat as he felt nervous now that he was about to address this. “The blanket slipped. It was an accident.”

Éomer blinked; he hadn’t expected to hear such a thing. His dark eyes sought out Hephaestion’s clear blue ones. “I thought…” He uncomfortably squirmed on his chair.

“I know what you thought and I don’t blame you for thinking it.” Hephaestion lowered his eyes and stared at his hands, resting idly in his lap. “I was angry when I left Imladris. I felt betrayed.”

Éomer nodded once, but refrained from speaking, realizing that Hephaestion needed to get this out. He felt relieved though, finding that his assumptions had been wrong.

“I thought I would spend the rest of my life in Imladris and then Elrond told me that the King of Rohan desired a mate and that he thought I would make a good consort.” Hephaestion bit his bottom lip. “No, he never used the word consort.” He had made that part up in his mind. “He told me in the hope that I would consider living here and getting to know you. But because I felt so betrayed I grew angry with him. I felt like he was casting me aside.”

Éomer moistened his lips. His next words would either make or break their beginning friendship. “Elrond spoke the truth. I do desire a mate – a life partner. An equal, who will help me rebuild and rule Rohan. Someone who will stand at my side and love me. I am sorry if you misunderstood.”

Hephaestion managed a weak smile and raised his eyes to probe Éomer’s hazel ones. “Anger motivated me back in Imladris.”

“What changed?” Éomer sipped his tea. His heart fluttered madly in his chest, staring into a sea of azure eyes.

“I talked to Gamling during our journey and I realized I overreacted. He spoke of you with much respect and affection.” Hephaestion’s fingers closed around his cup and he brought the hot liquid close to his lips, sipping carefully. “I apologize for the bad impression I made on you last night.”

/Not a bad impression at all,/ thought Éomer, longingly. He recalled Hephaestion’s muscular body, the scars only a warrior carried and the long legs, which he had envisioned slung around his hips last night. He shook himself from his daydreams and felt himself grow flustered. He prayed to the Gods that Hephaestion didn’t notice his flustered state. Just how badly was he blushing?

“It was my fault as much as it was yours,” offered Éomer in a gentle voice. “For what it is worth, I am glad you traveled to Edoras and I hope that we will become friends.” Oh, he needed friends, confidants, people that could advise and support him! He felt unfit to rule Rohan and had asked Éowyn and Faramir to rule in his place, but they had declined.

“Please allow me to help in whatever way I can. When I crossed the lands I realized that there is still a lot of work to do and I think I can help – if you will let me.” He hoped Éomer would accept as he was convinced that he could make a difference.

“If you have any ideas on how to improve my people’s conditions feel free to speak your mind.” Éomer felt insecure and his eyes avoided Hephaestion’s. “Gamling probably told you why I am Rohan’s ruler and not my cousin, Théodred.”

Hephaestion nodded. “You suffered great losses in this past war.”

Éomer’s feelings showed clearly on his face as he battled his sense of worthlessness. “How can I serve my people when I was never raised to be King? I lack all training. I am not a King.”

Hephaestion’s heart ached, hearing the emotional pain in that voice. His stay with the Elves had changed him and he now easily reached out, placing his hand atop of Éomer. The twins had taught him the importance of touch – touching and being touched. A touch brought comfort and Hephaestion wanted to reassure the distressed man. “Give it time. I can tell that you care about your people and that matters most.” Alexander had been the opposite of Éomer, confident, even arrogant at times, but always convinced that he was destined to conquer Asia and to become her King.

“Thank you,” whispered Éomer, staring at Hephaestion’s hand atop of his. He was doing his best *not* to curl his fingers around the other man’s digits and caress them. “I will be away for most of the day. There is still much work to do.” He also needed to keep Hephaestion busy and suggested, “Why don’t you write down your plans? And any help you might need in organizing them? We will discuss them after dinner tonight. My people and I need all the help we can get.”

A look passed between them and Hephaestion felt strangely shy in Éomer’s presence. Éomer was charming, gentle, endearing and was the complete opposite of *his* Alexander. “I will do whatever I can to help.” *And* he was looking forward to spending more time with Éomer after dinner. For some reason this man intrigued him.

~~~

“Can I help you?” Haleth sneaked into the study. He remembered a time when Théoden had resided here. Back then, he had never been allowed inside. His father, Háma, had always told him not to disturb their King.

Hephaestion looked up from the maps he had been studying. “Maybe you can.” The boy seemed eager to help. “I need you to tell me all what you know about Rohan and this piece of land in particular.” His shrewd mind had already devised a plan to get food to the ones who needed it the most.

Haleth approached the desk and looked at the map. “I can do that.” He liked Hephaestion – he liked having someone to talk to. Éomer was the best foster-father he could have wished for, but his duties kept him away from home.

“Then hop on.” Hephaestion patted the armrest and was pleased when the boy took the hint. A moment later, Haleth was telling him all he needed to know.

~~~

“Éomer sent me to take you to the main hall. We will be dining with the Captains to celebrate your arrival.” Gamling gave Hephaestion a hopeful look. “He wants them to know your face and that you are an honored guest here.” He had been surprised to learn that Hephaestion had spent most of the day in Théoden’s old study, hunched over maps. What had the younger man been up to?

Hephaestion raised a hand. “One more moment please.” Studying the map, he frowned. “Can you tell me if this bridge is still intact? Or was it destroyed?”

Gamling approached and studied the map. “It is still intact. The Orcs left that part of the country untouched. It is bare and not many people live there.”

“In that case I am ready to join you.” Hephaestion rolled up several maps and gathered them under his arm. “Lead on!” His smile was warm and encouraging. Spending the afternoon with Haleth had told him a lot about Rohan and her King.

“What has put you in such a fine mood?” asked Gamling, rather boldly, as he led Hephaestion into the corridor.

“I spent time with Haleth. He is a fine youngster. He told me a lot about the land and Éomer.” Hephaestion wondered about the shadow that passed over Gamling’s face. Had he said something wrong?

“Haleth is on the mend, aye. He not only lost his father, but his entire family. Had Éomer not taken him in the boy might have given up on himself.”

Hephaestion’s smile faded. “He is alone in this world?”

“Oh, no. He has Éomer.”

Hephaestion’s smile returned, although in a reduced form. The way Gamling had said that implied that Éomer was all the boy would need to make it in this world. “I am curious. What did Éomer do all day long? I haven’t seen him since breakfast.” Noises coming from the main hall reached him and his curiosity increased.

“He helped rebuilt one of the main buildings. Once it is finished it can house several families. Only a few men are patrolling the borders right now. Building homes has become Éomer’s priority.”

“As it should,” said Hephaestion, agreeing. He suddenly found himself standing on the threshold to the main hall. He had expected a hall as grand as in Imladris, but this was smaller and sparsely inhabited. Only a handful of warriors occupied the tables. “Is this all that remained of Éomer’s men?”

“Nay, as I said before, most of the men are busy building homes. We work nonstop, especially since it has begun to snow. Too many families are forced to camp out in the open.” Gamling guided Hephaestion to the main table, where most of Éomer’s commanding officers had already gathered. The King however, was still missing. “Please seat yourself.”

Hephaestion placed the maps on the table and faced the soldiers with a neutral expression on his face. He didn’t want to appear arrogant, or even worse, weak.

At exactly that moment Éomer entered the hall. Hephaestion’s eyes immediately sought him out and he noticed the King’s disheveled state. Éomer looked tired, worn and he reeked of sweat – a testimony of the manual labor he had carried out during the day. The commanding officers rose from their chairs and bowed, though Éomer was quick to wave them away and tell them to sit down again.

The servants appeared and placed a bowl filled with stew in front of each man. Hephaestion noticed it was more water than meat or vegetables and it only urged him to make haste with his plans. He had studied the maps, had asked Éomer’s seneschal about their supplies and had talked to several of the servants – who fortunately hailed from all over Rohan. If his calculations were correct, Rohan had enough food supplies, but the trick was getting the food to the people who needed it and that included the people in Edoras.

“My friends, I present to you Hephaestion of Imladris. Lord Elrond has sent him to help us rebuild our lands.” Éomer eyed his Captains closely and saw acceptance in their eyes. They had reached a point where they welcomed all help. Starvation, the cold and despair had made them numb and they accepted the new arrival. “He will act as my Advisor, so each order issued by him is to be obeyed. Do I make myself clear?”

“Aye, Éomer King,” replied the commanding officers simultaneously. The exhausted soldiers attacked the watery stew, dipping the little bread they were given in the liquid.

“Sire…” Hephaestion was surprised, hearing Éomer proclaim his faith in him so openly.

“We will talk in private later,” said Éomer, wolfing down the food. He was tired – deadly tired – and wanted nothing more than to drop onto his bed and fall asleep. But Hephaestion’s presence was a balm to his soul and he peeked at the dark-haired man. Talking to him in private wouldn’t be much of a chore. He would go to sleep after that.

~~~

Éomer poured himself some potent wine and eagerly swallowed the intoxicating liquid. Hopefully it would help him stay awake a little longer.

Hephaestion saw the fatigue in Éomer’s eyes, in the other man’s movements, and was tempted to excuse himself and let Éomer sleep. But this couldn’t wait – not when people where going to sleep hungry. “Would you please look at this map?” He unrolled the parchment and waited for Éomer to join him. “Haleth told me that this region here has food in surplus.”

“Yes, that is true,” replied Éomer, fighting sleep. “But we cannot get it to the other regions.”

“You can. Gamling told me this bridge is still intact.” Hephaestion proceeded to explain his plans to Éomer. Once he had finished, he said, “If you decide to carry out my plan, your men can deliver the food to these regions and Edoras in mere days. Furthermore, there are large forests over here. You can use that wood for building more houses.”

Éomer’s eyes scanned the map. “This can work. Why didn’t I think of this before?”

Hephaestion moistened his lips, treading carefully. “You are tired – not thinking logically. And I have devised such plans for many years.”

Éomer tiredly nodded his head. “I am putting you in charge of these plans. Talk to Gamling in the morning. He will introduce you to the people you need to talk to in order to make this work. Thank you.” Éomer’s eyes revealed genuine gratitude. “I must be really tired not to have thought of that.”

Hephaestion saw the fatigue in Éomer’s eyes, which were closing even though Éomer was still standing and trying to talk to him. “You should rest, Sire.”

“Don’t call me that… I did tell you that before… Didn’t I?” Éomer swayed. He had worked nonstop and eaten too little to keep his body going. He insisted that the children were fed first, before he and his soldiers ate.

“Aye, you did. Come, let me help you.” Hephaestion was a little bit nervous, wrapping an arm around Éomer’s shoulder and guiding the other man to his bed. “Lie down.” Éomer collapsed onto the bed and Hephaestion raised the Rohirrim’s feet. He pulled the furs atop the sleeping man. Éomer’s eyes had fully closed and the King began to snore softly.

Hephaestion sat down on the side of the bed, studying Éomer. He was no longer cross with Elrond for sending him here. Éomer needed him. The people of Rohan needed him. He would be useful here.

Éomer mumbled in his sleep and his thoughts chased him into a restless sleep. Hephaestion gathered one of Éomer’s hands in his and stroked the back. He had sat beside Alexander in the same way, holding his hand and watching him sleep. /Alexander… Your face is fading from my memory, but I will never forget the love we shared./ During his stay in Imladris he had thought he had found love in the twins’ arms, but he now realized that it had been lust – lust and comfort, but not love.

Could he love again? And did he want to?

~~~

The next morning Hephaestion rose early. He intended to get started on setting up the means of transport so the hungry could be fed. He met Gamling in the corridor and to his surprise, the other man already knew about his new duties. Gamling introduced him to the soldiers who would be carrying out his orders and before he knew what was happening, he sat upon his mare again, heading for the isolated region which still had plenty of food.

~~~

“I cannot seem to find Hephaestion,” mumbled Éomer in a distracted way. The other man had been present when he had fallen asleep last night and he didn’t know if it was just his imagination, but he thought he had heard gentleness in Hephaestion’s voice. Had not also a caress been bestowed onto his hand? Or had he already been dreaming and had none of this really happened? He only knew that his sleep had been deep and restful and he couldn’t remember the last time that had happened. “Gamling, do you know where he is?”

Gamling nodded once. “He left early this morning to explore the north.” He had been on his way to inform Éomer of Hephaestion’s departure when he had come upon his King wandering the Halls. Normally, Éomer would already have left to join the other men busy rebuilding the houses. Taking in Éomer’s disheveled, even slightly sluggish state, Gamling felt it was his responsibility to take action. “Have you already eaten breakfast?” Or at least the sorry excuse that passed for breakfast these days?

“No, not yet. I wanted to talk to Hephaestion first.” The other man’s ideas to feed his hungry people had impressed him and he hoped that he had found the Advisor he needed in Hephaestion. Even if Hephaestion would never warm up to him and agree to become his mate, he wanted to have Hephaestion as an Advisor and confidant. Hephaestion possessed the knowledge and experience he so badly lacked.

“He will be back late this eve.” Gamling took Éomer’s arm and guided the exhausted man toward the main Hall. Éomer had been running himself ragged ever since this responsibility had been thrust upon him. Gamling knew that Éomer had never wanted to become King. Éomer had never thought it would happen, but with Théoden and Théodred dead, he was the best man to rule Rohan. Éomer had always loved these lands and would die defending them. “You have taken a liking to him.”

Éomer somberly laughed. “Haven’t you?” 

“At first I had second thoughts about Lord Elrond selecting him, but now I see why the Elf-Lord did so.” Gamling led Éomer toward the table and they sat down. A small piece of bread and a bowl filled with watery soup was placed in front of them. Gamling’s face contorted somewhat; this was not fit for men who worked hard all day, but he concurred with Éomer that the best food should go to the children, the wounded and the women. “If Hephaestion’s plans work we will have plenty of food in a few days.” Gamling quickly placed his piece of bread on Éomer’s plate, hoping the other man didn’t notice.

“We need more food,” whispered Éomer, forcing himself to swallow the tasteless soup.

“Gondor promised to help. I am certain that Aragorn will keep his word and that supplies will arrive during the next few days.” Gondor had taken less of a beating than Rohan had. Only Minas Tirith had been damaged in the attack; the Orcs and Uruk-hai hadn’t burned the fields and farms in Gondor. Aragorn had promised to help; they just had to hold out a little longer.

Éomer frowned. Hadn’t he already eaten his slice of bread? Where was this second one coming from? His stomach growled viciously and he stopped questioning his good luck, wolfing down the food.

“Éomer, please don’t misunderstand… The last thing I want is to mother you, but you do not look your best.” Gamling watched Éomer closely.

Éomer’s tired eyes met Gamling’s. “My friend, you don’t look your best either.”

Gamling shook his head. “It is different with you. You are drained. Maybe you should spend the day with Haleth instead of joining our men?”

“I cannot do that. I am King. I need to set an example.” Feeling bone-tired, Éomer shook his head. “Even if I wanted to, I cannot do that. I need to be out there. They need to see me.”

Gamling delicately moistened his lips. “It actually was the men who told me that you should get some rest. They are afraid you will keel over.”

“They are?” Éomer’s eyes widened. “Thank you for being honest with me.” Maybe he should spend the day with Haleth then. The prospect of staying indoors, not laboring in the cold all day long was appealing. But at the same time he already felt guilty for even considering it. He *was* King. He was supposed to give the example.

Gamling knew Éomer well and the King’s face was an open book to him. “I have the feeling they will send you back, should you appear outside today.”

Éomer bowed his head in defeat. “I will take your advice. But I will join you again tomorrow.”

Gamling nodded once. He had only achieved a minor victory though. He had the feeling that Éomer needed to learn how to pace himself. If their King didn’t learn that lesson now, he would exhaust himself further.

~~~

Haleth was delighted to see Éomer join him. Gamling had told him to study in the small library Théoden had built and the boy had given the older man a questioning look. But when Gamling had asked him to trust him on this, he had done just that. A deep sense of trust had formed between most of the Rohirrim who had survived the battle at Helm’s Deep. Now, the boy understood why Gamling had asked him to remain indoors.

Gamling wasn’t the only one who had noticed how tired and drained Éomer looked and Haleth had also grown concerned about his foster-father. “Will you read to me?” He handed Éomer the book and gave him a pleading look.

Éomer ruffled the boy’s hair and sat down on the couch, close to the blazing fire in the fire place. “Yes, I will.” When he had made the decision to adopt Haleth he had expected the boy to reject him, thinking of him as a replacement for Háma, but nothing like that had happened. Haleth had accepted him, and although Haleth never called him father – and neither Éomer didn’t demand that – Éomer was convinced the boy had grown to love him and looked upon him as an uncle or close friend. They had grown attached to each other, much like he had hoped.

Haleth moved closer and rested his lithe body against Éomer’s more sturdy one. He placed his head against the older man’s shoulder and closed his eyes, listening to Éomer reading from the book. It was during moments like this one when he felt cherished and loved. He had lost his entire family, but at least he still had Éomer. The King was trying to be the best foster-father he could and Haleth loved him for doing so.

~~~

Hephaestion felt energized by the time he returned to Meduseld. The Halls were busier with people than they had been last night and some tumult was going on near the main entrance to the Hall. Spotting Gamling in the crowd, Hephaestion told his mare to stop and looked inquisitively at the Captain. “What has happened?”

“Supplies from Gondor arrived today.” Gamling waited for Hephaestion to dismount and gestured for the other man to follow him.

Hephaestion critically looked the goods over. They would help the people through the next few weeks. “I set up transport routes from the north to the rest of the lands. They are already moving supplies toward the more starved parts of Rohan.” He had been surprised to learn that the soldiers obeyed his orders, but then again, most of them had been present last night when Éomer had introduced him to them. They would never have defied Éomer by refusing to work with him. /But then again, they are desperate for help./ And he had promised them he’d get the food and supplies of wood to the right places.

“At least our bellies will be full tonight. The Gods know we need something decent to eat. More and more men are showing signs of malnourishment and exhaustion.” Gamling steered Hephaestion toward Éomer’s rooms. “You might have noticed that Éomer is one of them.”

Hephaestion’s eyes narrowed. Gamling was obviously trying to tell him that he was worried about Éomer. “Your King will eat well tonight,” he said.

“That is if he doesn’t insist his food should be given to one of the children.” Gamling understood Éomer’s reasoning. He had also given his food to the children on more than one occasion, but he also realized he needed to eat himself, or else he would be of no use at all. “I have a request.”

Hephaestion had already thought so. “You want me to make certain he eats and rests. But why me? Why not do it yourself? Or ask Haleth?” What made Gamling think that Éomer would accept such coddling from him?

Gamling privately weighed his words before speaking them. In the end, he said, “You made a fine first impression on Éomer. He likes you. If I were to supervise his meal and rest he would brush me aside. After all, he remains my King and I can only defy him so much. I do not want to put this burden on Haleth’s shoulders either; the boy is still a child, no matter how much he tries to appear mature.”

Gamling was right of course; this burden should not be placed on Haleth’s shoulder. “I will look after Éomer this eve.” A sigh of relief left Gamling’s lips, surprising Hephaestion. “Do you worry about him that much?”

“He lost everyone he ever cared about, except for his sister, Éowyn. He became Rohan’s King, which he never thought he would. Éomer’s life was upended in weeks, Hephaestion. Now he is left picking up the pieces and rebuilding the lands. He faces many challenges and he isn’t as confident as he might appear. Self-doubt claws at him.”

Hephaestion felt a bit confused. He hadn’t thought Gamling worried that much. “I will keep an eye on him.” And what surprised him even more was the trust Gamling seemed to have in him. He prayed he wouldn’t disappoint the older man.

~~~

Hephaestion knocked on the door to Éomer’s door. Gamling had left with a worried expression in his eyes and Hephaestion understood how much trust Gamling placed in him to look after their King. When no answer was forthcoming, Hephaestion pressed down the door handle, realizing there was a chance that Éomer was asleep again and hadn’t heard the knock. Working so hard and eating so little was taking its toll on Éomer.

Pushing the door open, Hephaestion took a step inside. A warm fire illuminated Éomer’s rooms and enabled him to scan his surroundings. The King’s form rested on the bed and Éomer was tucked away beneath a warm blanket. Someone, probably Haleth, must have come in to check on Éomer and had covered him to keep him warm.

Gamling had assured him that the servants would bring warm foods to Éomer’s rooms within the hour. So it was his task to wake Éomer and to convince the other man to eat. If everything went according to plan, the people of Rohan would soon have enough food and wood to rebuild their existence. Now everything depended on the soldiers who had to get the supplies to the people. But those soldiers were determined and Hephaestion was confident that they would do their best.

Hephaestion sat down on the side of the bed to study Éomer’s face, relaxed in sleep. The hazel eyes had closed and the lips trembled softly with each exhale of breath. Éomer possessed a rugged, wild kind of handsomeness, which appealed to Hephaestion. Éomer’s appearance would have reminded him of Alexander, hadn’t he realized how different the two men were.

Thinking of Alexander no longer caused him pain. His time in Imladris had healed his deepest wounds and Éomer was once more giving him a reason to carry on. In some way, his situation here reminded him of the position he had held at Alexander’s court. The only difference was that Alexander and he had been lovers.

/If what Gamling told me is true, Éomer would welcome me into his bed. Why else would Gamling mention that Éomer *likes* me?/ He had lived long enough to read between the lines.

Éomer unexpectedly stirred in his sleep and the hazel eyes slowly opened. Hephaestion watched Éomer struggle to return to awareness. Gamling was right; Éomer’s exhaustion went deeper than he had thought. Just for how long had Éomer been pushing himself in such a ruthless way?

“You are back,” whispered Éomer, shaking off his unpleasant dreams in which Hephaestion had returned to Imladris. He was still far from admitting his fears to himself, but he realized that one of them was losing Hephaestion – like he had already lost so many. In a way he had even lost Éowyn; he had lost her to Faramir. She lived in Minas Tirith and was out of his reach.

“Everything went well. My plans have been set in motion and your soldiers are already transporting food to the ones who need it the most. Also, supplies arrived from Gondor. Edoras has food once more.” Hephaestion watched Éomer struggle to push himself onto one elbow. The other man was trying to wake up, but sleep remained heavy in his hazel eyes.

“That is good to hear.” Éomer blinked, trying to chase away the sleep. “Thank you for your help.” Éomer managed to sit upright and ran a hand through his hair. The movement caused the blanket to slip and revealed Éomer’s naked torso. The other man’s chest was hairless and possessed a nice muscle tone. Hephaestion couldn’t help but smile appreciatively. “Why don’t you freshen up? Dinner will arrive shortly.”

Éomer raised an eyebrow. “Dinner? Watery stew and old bread.”

“Not this time,” promised Hephaestion. “Thanks to the supplies Gondor sent you will eat well tonight.”

“No, the little we have should go to the children.”

“The children will want for nothing tonight. I promise. But I want you to eat as well.” Hephaestion saw protest in Éomer’s eyes and added, “What use is a starved and exhausted King to his people? Gamling is right; you need to take better care of yourself.”

“Ah, now I understand. You talked to Gamling.” His friend should stop fussing over him. “He worries unnecessarily.” Still in the clutches of half-sleep, Éomer thought little about it when he pushed down the blanket and sat on the side of the bed with his back toward Hephaestion. It wasn’t like him to nap during the day, but he had indulged himself in taking a long, hot bath and had curled up on his bed naked, thinking of Hephaestion.

Hephaestion took in Éomer’s compact backside when the other man rose from the bed and walked toward the bathroom. Éomer had long legs, narrow hips and a muscular back, but was rather thin, something Hephaestion disapproved of. It just didn’t do that he could count Éomer’s ribs.

Éomer relieved himself, washed his hands and splashed water onto his face. The cold, wet sensation wakened him further and he blushed, seeing he was still naked. He reached for his morning robes and fastened the heavy, warm fabric around his frame. Returning to his rooms, he found Hephaestion still seated on his bed. He burned that image into his memory. Hephaestion’s auburn hair was loose and almost seemed to caress the facial skin. Hephaestion was dressed in warm clothes and a fur-lined cloak was still draped over the shoulders. The blue eyes reminded him of ice crystals, but they weren’t cold – no, on the contrary – they radiated warmth.

An uncomfortable silence descended onto them and Éomer cleared his throat, wondering what he should say. A knock on the door saved him from his nervousness and he almost bellowed, “Enter!”

The door opened and two servants entered, each carrying a tray fully laden with food and wine. “You can put it down there,” said Hephaestion, directing them toward Éomer’s oak desk.

Éomer stared at the food with sparkling eyes. He deeply inhaled the fragrance of hot and spicy food. He stopped the servants, caught their gazes and asked, “The children, the wounded, the women, are they well-fed as well?”

“Yes, Sire,” replied one of the servants, a young woman who was proud to serve their new King. “We are well taken care of. Put your mind at ease and enjoy your meal.” Éomer had gained lots of respect by looking after the weak.

Éomer nodded once and the servants left. Hephaestion however, remained and the awkward silence returned. “Would you like to join me for dinner?” He felt strangely vulnerable, being naked under his morning robes and he wished he hadn’t gone to sleep naked. He should have dressed in thick clothes for they would have prevented Hephaestion from seeing his aroused state – for that was the reason for his nervousness. He desired Hephaestion and worried that the other man would leave upon realizing that and he didn’t want Hephaestion to leave. He had Gamling and Haleth for company, but what he really needed was a mate.

“I thought it was obvious that I had already invited myself?” said Hephaestion, chuckling, in an effort to cover up Éomer’s embarrassment. He wasn’t quite sure why the other man looked flustered, but he could tell Éomer felt embarrassed because of it. He shrugged out of his warm cloak and headed toward the desk, the food calling to him as well. From over his shoulder, he looked at Éomer, wondering why the man remained frozen on the spot.

Éomer forced himself to walk and to join Hephaestion. The two men seated themselves and took in the luxury of the large portions of food at their disposal.

Hephaestion began to eat first; hoping that seeing him eat would urge Éomer to follow his example. He didn’t have to wait for long. Éomer reached for the meat, potatoes and the gravy, heavy with butter. He smiled, seeing Éomer eagerly chew and swallow the food. At least that was one thing he didn’t have to worry about any more – Éomer was eating again.

~~~

One hour later the food was gone. Éomer smiled and leaned back, experiencing a full belly for the first time in long weeks. “I missed that.” He had missed feeling full and warm.

Hephaestion chuckled. He hadn’t eaten a large amount as he hadn’t experienced hunger for as long as Éomer had. He had been well fed in Imladris and later on the roads. “Things will improve,” vowed Hephaestion.

“I hope they will.” Lured into a sense of safety and feeling warm after such a luscious meal Éomer spoke freely. “I worry for the children… They witnessed such horrors. The women lost their husbands and the men who survived are faced with so many challenges. How can I guide them?”

The self-doubt was back and Hephaestion leaned in closer, once more placing his hand on Éomer’s. “From what I can tell you are doing well, Éomer. You simply need time to adjust to your new position. You were a warrior and now you are a King. Don’t expect to make that transition in a few weeks.”

“I wish I could believe you,” whispered Éomer, giving into his need to curl his fingers around Hephaestion’s. “But I feel like I failed my people.”

“You did not,” said Hephaestion in a compassionate voice. Éomer’s fingers caressed his and he welcomed the touch. The attraction between them was growing, which stunned him. He had been *so* determined not to like Éomer! And now he found that he liked the man! “Rebuilding a land after a war takes time. It is not realistic to think that you can do this within a few weeks.” Hephaestion followed his heart and placed his hand atop of Éomer’s, clasping the other man’s hand closely. “You are doing well, Éomer. Your people love you, they respect you and you are a good King, but you must believe in yourself.”

Éomer stared helplessly into Hephaestion’s eyes. “I want to believe in myself, but…” Too many things had happened in too short a time and he still needed to adjust to this new situation. Éomer moistened his lips. He felt nervous, voicing his next request and he fully expected Hephaestion to deny him. “Stay with me tonight?”

Hephaestion blinked. Éomer’s question took him by surprise.

Éomer quickly lowered his eyes and stared at their joined hands. “I just don’t want to be alone tonight. I don’t expect anything intimate to happen. I would never impose on you in such a way. It is just… I feel lonely.”

Hephaestion searched Éomer’s hazel eyes. He read loneliness in them and the need to be close to him. How could he deny him? He had never been able to deny Alexander and now he found he felt equally protective of Éomer. “I think I understand. I will stay.”

Another long silence stretched on between them. In the end it was Hephaestion who took the lead, now that Éomer remained passive. He guided Éomer to the bed in silence and stretched on his back, waiting for Éomer to follow his example. 

Éomer pulled his morning robes close and stretched on his left, facing away from Hephaestion, hoping the other man understood.

And Hephaestion did. He rolled onto his side and spooned behind Éomer. He wrapped an arm around Éomer’s waist and pulled him close. With his other hand he reached for the blanket and covered them with the fabric. “Sleep tight, my King. You are not alone any more.”

“Please,” whispered Éomer, “Don’t call me that.” He pressed back and closed his eyes, savoring Hephaestion’s closeness.

“Sleep tight, Éomer,” whispered Hephaestion. “Sleep tight and know that I am here with you.” The man in his arms calmed, the breathing slowed down and deepened, telling him that Éomer was already drifting off into sleep. Hephaestion inhaled Éomer’s scent and found he liked it. Holding Éomer greatly different from holding Alexander, but he couldn’t explain why. Maybe it was because Éomer needed him in ways Alexander never had.

Hephaestion smiled into Éomer’s untamed curls. And -- just maybe -- did he like being needed.

~~~

Éomer woke first the next morning. During his sleep, he had rolled onto his other side and the first thing he saw was Hephaestion’s face, still relaxed and open in sleep. Studying it, he saw that the first wrinkles had already appeared on the other man’s brow. Hephaestion was older than he had originally thought. /He is older than me and he has seen things I never did./ Elrond had hinted that Hephaestion’s past had been turbulent and ruled by wars.

The long auburn hair framed Hephaestion’s handsome face and Éomer involuntarily sucked in his breath, admitting to himself that he was falling in love with Hephaestion. Sadly enough, the other man didn’t seem to return his feelings and so his love would be an unrequited one. He simply had to accept that. His fingers itched to lose themselves in the dark hair, but his hands became fists instead, fighting this temptation.

Hephaestion’s eyelids fluttered and then opened. Beholding Éomer’s adoring gaze he saw the growing affection in the hazel eyes. He had expected his life in Rohan to be quite different. He had never thought he would fall for Éomer. “Good morning,” he whispered, breaking the silence.

“Good morning.” Éomer smiled. “Thank you for staying with me.” He had slept remarkably well. No nightmares had haunted his sleep last night. No nightmares showing him a dead Théoden. No nightmares about finding Éowyn on the battlefield and believing her dead.

“We should probably rise and ready ourselves for the day,” said Éomer reluctantly. Much work lay ahead of them.

“Aye, I should check to find out if the food is reaching your people.” Hopefully the soldiers had worked through the night. If so, the first hungry people should have food handy now.

Éomer didn’t want to leave their warm bed, but realized he couldn’t linger here when there was so much work to be done. During the night, their arms had settled around each other’s waist and they were holding each other close. One of them had to let go first. Reluctantly, Éomer removed his arms and Hephaestion followed suit. Both men sat upright, watching each other closely. A lump of nervousness formed in Éomer’s throat, but he still managed to voice his request. “Would you return here this evening and keep me company?” His voice trembled and he realized only too well that he was showing how vulnerable he was, but something told him that Hephaestion wouldn’t mock him.

Hephaestion nodded his head once. He had expected that question. “I will be here.” /Strange,/ he mused, /how quickly I have come to appreciate his presence./ Éomer was an uncomplicated man; what you saw was what you got. Maybe that was why Hephaestion found it so easy to trust Éomer. He watched Éomer leave the bed and was stunned to realize he actually regretted that nothing more intimate had happened between them last night. Surprised, he searched his feelings.

With the twins, it had been lust, not love. He was certain of that. With Alexander it had been lust and love. And now he was beginning to react in the same way to Éomer as he had to Alexander’s presence. /When did this happen?/ When had he fallen in love with the Rohirrim?

“You are still here,” said Éomer, surprised. He had quickly dressed and was now ready to head to the kitchen for a bite. After that, he would join his men.

“I am thinking.” Hephaestion blinked, eyeing Éomer closely. Yes, he felt it clearly – felt the attraction and that warm affection that told him that his feelings were turning into love.

/You look rather dazed,/ thought Éomer, /I wonder what is troubling you./ But he refrained from offering his advice. “Is there something you wish to discuss?”

Hephaestion shook his head. /No, not yet./ He needed to think this over first. “Thank you for your kind offer, but it is nothing important.” He hoped he would be forgiven for telling a white lie. He rose from the bed and headed for the doorway. “We will meet again this eve, then.”

“Aye, I will have food brought to my rooms.” Éomer wanted to spent time in private with Hephaestion.

Hephaestion nodded one more time and quickly left the room. He had a lot of thinking to do.

Éomer wondered why Hephaestion’s departure looked like the other man was fleeing his rooms. Maybe he had misinterpreted Hephaestion’s reactions and the other man didn’t want to spend time with him? But if so, why didn’t Hephaestion tell him?

Éomer ran a hand through his hair and dismissed his troubled thoughts. There was nothing he could do about his worries until this eve when they would meet again.

~~~

Éomer and Hephaestion managed to catch each other’s gazes a few times during the day. Whilst Éomer helped with rebuilding the houses, Hephaestion held council with the Captains to oversee the food transport.

Commotion on the courtyard attracted their attention and Hephaestion quietly followed Éomer when the other man left to find out the reason for the disturbance.

Cheers erupted from the soldiers’ throats. One or two warriors even roared a battle cry, confusing Hephaestion further. He now walked only one step behind Éomer and finally caught sight of the group approaching them. He counted almost thirty men.

“Aragorn?” Éomer stared at the new King of Gondor. He should probably address him as Elessar, but he still referred to his friend as Aragorn and he knew that the new King didn’t mind being called by his old name. “What are you doing here?” He noticed that Hephaestion had come to a halt behind him and he took a step back so they were standing next to each other.

Aragorn dismounted, smiling brightly. “Éomer! My good friend!” He opened his arms and caught a severely stunned looking Éomer in them. “I brought my best men! I thought you could use some help rebuilding your homes! There is also more food on the way!” Aragorn hugged Éomer tight and smiled into the unruly curls.

A wave of jealousy washed over Hephaestion, completely taking him off guard. His jealousy flared and he was tempted to push Aragorn away from Éomer. Oh, he had always possessed a jealous side, but it had never expressed itself in such a strong way as it did now. When he looked at Aragorn, his expression was hard and unyielding.

“Aragorn, you are most welcome. We can use all the help we can get.” Éomer’s hands rested on Aragorn’s forearms and he gave his friend a genuine smile. Sensing Hephaestion’s unease, he let go of Aragorn and introduced him. “Aragorn, this is Hephaestion of Imladris.”

“Of Imladris?” Aragorn frowned. First, he had never heard that name before and second, this was no Elf standing in front of him!

“Yes, I was Lord Elrond’s guest for some time and when Éomer sent a message that he was in need of a…” Oh, Hephaestion was tempted to say mate, but that would make it all too obvious, “an Advisor Elrond thought it wise to send me.”

A frown remained etched onto Aragorn’s brow. His foster-father had never told him about Hephaestion. “I trust everyone fares well in Imladris?”

“Yes, Elladan and Elrohir are fine and Glorfindel patrols the borders. Erestor still guards his library and Lord Elrond was most pleasant company.” Hephaestion knew when he was being tested. Aragorn was making certain he had indeed been in Imladris and had met the Elves there.

Aragorn was not yet completely satisfied, but accepted that Hephaestion was probably telling the truth. What continued to baffle him was the open hostility in the striking blue eyes. /Why do you hate me?/

“Gamling,” called out Éomer. “Look after the King’s men and see to their horses.”

“King?” Hephaestion frowned. He felt strangely lost and due to his raging feelings he had forgotten the little history Erestor had taught him.

“I should introduce myself,” said Aragorn. “My name is…” He chuckled; he had too many names to choose from! “My name is Aragorn, though I am also known as King Elessar Telcontar. I rule in Gondor.”

“You sent the supplies,” realized Hephaestion.

“Aye, I did. Both Gondor and Rohan suffered greatly during this last war, but Rohan took the worst blows. I will do anything I can to help restore these lands.” Aragorn had observed Hephaestion these last few minutes and thought he had detected the reason why Hephaestion appeared hostile toward him. And that reason was Éomer, or to be more exact, him hugging Éomer. /What has happened here?/ When had Éomer taken a lover? And why did said lover feel jealous over a mere hug? Aragorn was looking forward to finding out more about this stranger.

~~~

Hephaestion was not pleased. Plans for the evening had changed. Instead of dining in the privacy of Éomer’s rooms, they would eat dinner in the Great Hall. Aragorn and his men would join them and there would be a feast tonight. Well, feast… There would be enough food and plenty of wine. This already accounted to being a feast for most Rohirrim.

He sat at Éomer’s right and watched the King of Rohan entertain Aragorn. The two Kings had spoken quietly at first, probably about the past war, but now they were laughing and actually telling jokes. Just when Hephaestion thought matters couldn’t get worse, Aragorn leaned in closer and patted Éomer’s shoulder.

Both men, Éomer as well as Aragorn, were stunned to hear Hephaestion growl. Éomer, feeling guilty for neglecting Hephaestion, instantly apologized. “I am sorry. You did not witness this last war and cannot take part in our conversation. We should change the subject.”

Aragorn arched an eyebrow. What kind of relationship did these two men have? They weren’t lovers. He had reached that conclusion rather quickly, seeing that Éomer never touched Hephaestion. Hephaestion however, was doing his best to be as close to Éomer as he possibly could. The predatory glare in those azure eyes clearly told him that Éomer was off-limits. Aragorn couldn’t help being amused; didn’t Hephaestion know he was happily married?

“Did you bring any news from Imladris with you? I am certain my wife would love to hear news about her family.” Aragorn chuckled, privately, seeing realization dawn on Hephaestion’s face. “Arwen and I wed some months ago. Surely Elrond told you?”

“Yes, he did. That fact must have slipped my mind.” But his jealously didn’t lessen, realizing Aragorn’s hand still rested on Éomer’s shoulder. He was contemplating removing that hand with force when Aragorn did so out of his own accord. “No news, I am afraid. Except for the fact that Lord Elrond is preparing to sail for Aman in the summer.”

Aragorn’s eyes darkened with apprehension. “Arwen knows her family will sail, but seeing them leave will cause her much pain.”

“Thankfully she has you,” whispered Éomer, returning the gesture by resting his hand on Aragorn’s wrist. He was merely trying to comfort an old friend, but that was not the way Hephaestion saw it.

Hephaestion’s glare hardened. Éomer should be touching *him*! Not Aragorn! But he managed to keep control of his raging jealousy. His reactions baffled him. He hadn’t felt this possessive of the twins, or Alexander, only of Éomer! Why was that? His behavior shamed him; Éomer was only trying to comfort Aragorn and all he could think of was pulling Éomer close and staking his claim in front of the King’s entire household! /What? What am I thinking?/ Visions of Éomer sensually moving beneath him stunned him further. His groin instantly tightened as his mind showed him moments of lust, of Éomer meeting each of his thrusts and of a willing and eager lover squirming beneath him.

“Hephaestion?” Éomer, growing worried now that he saw the distant expression in the sapphire eyes, rested his hand atop of the other man’s, reassuringly rubbing the knuckles. “What is amiss?”

Hephaestion immediately reacted to that touch and curled his fingers around Éomer’s, wanting everyone to see the gesture – especially Aragorn. It was his way of saying; ‘Éomer is mine, back off!’

And Aragorn received that message clearly. Still amused, he sipped his wine. Hephaestion had told him that Elrond had sent him to Rohan. Was his foster-father meddling again? Maybe even playing match maker? Sipping more wine, he realized that it was a distinct possibility.

~~~

“You are angry. Why?”

Hephaestion avoided looking into Éomer’s expressive eyes. It had taken them hours to finally retire to the King’s chambers and Hephaestion felt adrift on a sea of emotions. Sensing Éomer’s concern, he forced himself to act calmly. “I am not angry. I am merely trying to figure out how to treat our guest according to his station.”

“He might be King, but Aragorn is not one for decorum.” Éomer sat down on the side of his bed and watched Hephaestion’s tense back. “Why don’t you tell me the truth? Why are you furious with me?”

Hephaestion instantly spun around. “I am not angry with you!” He was angry with himself for letting his feelings get out of control! “I should leave now. It is for the best.” His temper might get the better of him if he stayed and he remembered only too well how hurt Elrond had looked after the half-Elf had been on the receiving end of his anger. “I will meet you for breakfast in the morning.”

Éomer sighed. He had hoped Hephaestion would hold him again tonight, but that wasn’t going to happen. “There have been Orc sightings near our south border and Aragorn and I are going to check the area tomorrow. We won’t be back until after dinner.”

“In that case I will join you.” Hephaestion gave Éomer a defiant look. “I can defend myself in battle.”

“Are you sure that is wise? Did you ever fight Orcs? Or Uruk-hai?”

“I will stand my ground!” Hephaestion glared at Éomer, cursing himself for letting his temper rule him. By Zeus! He loved Éomer! Why couldn’t he simply admit that to himself and to the Rohirrim? “Don’t you dare leave without me!” Hephaestion slammed the door on his way out.

Éomer’s shoulders slumped forward in defeat. “What went wrong?” What had caused this rift between them? He simply didn’t understand.

~~~

Éomer felt apprehensive, seeing Hephaestion mount his mare. He had hoped that the other man had reconsidered; he didn’t think that Hephaestion had any idea what danger he would face if they ran into a pack of Orcs, or even worse, Uruk-hai. Luckily, Aragorn was accompanying them and he had the utmost confidence in his friend’s ability to keep them safe.

“Your Advisor is joining us?” asked Aragorn, giving Éomer a wink. 

The Rohirrim reluctantly nodded his head. “Apparently so.” Hephaestion fell back, but he still felt the other man’s eyes stinging his back. “I wish I knew what caused his agitated state. I don’t know him like this.”

Aragorn chuckled and gave Hephaestion a coy look, casting a glance at the other man from over his shoulder. The expression in Hephaestion’s eyes could only be labeled as venomous, supporting Aragorn’s theory further. “Did it ever cross your mind that he is jealous?”

“Jealous?” Éomer’s eyes widened dramatically. “Why would he be jealous?”

Aragorn steered his horse closer to Éomer’s so Hephaestion couldn’t overhear their conversation. “Can it be that he desires you?”

Éomer shook his head. “I don’t think so… I would welcome his interest in me, but he has no feelings for me. I know that for a fact.” Hephaestion had made it very clear from the start that he was here as an Advisor and nothing more.

“You are wrong,” said Aragorn, smugly. “If looks could kill I would be six feet under, my friend.” He steered his horse away from Éomer’s and chuckled softly, convinced he had reached the right conclusion.

~~~

Hephaestion quickly realized that it had been a mistake to insist he accompanied Éomer on this patrol. He hadn’t slept much last night; his thoughts had circled around Éomer and the jealousy he felt toward Aragorn. Why was he doing this to himself? Aragorn was happily married to Arwen and there was nothing sexual in the way Aragorn touched Éomer. Why then was he jealous?

/Because I am afraid I lost him without ever having had him./ He had arrived in Rohan stating he would be no man’s consort and Éomer had taken that hint perfectly. /It still doesn’t explain my edginess though./ And the worst thing was that his anger was clouding his thoughts. He hoped that they wouldn’t run into the enemy for he wasn’t certain he could wield his sword without letting down his guard. Emotionally, he was in turmoil.

~~~

The warning came too late. Aragorn noticed the pack first and yelled a warning to the group, but the Orcs and Uruk-hai moved in quickly.

Hephaestion’s eyes widened, seeing the monsters he was up against. He hadn’t thought the Uruk-hai were this tall, this aggressive and he found himself under attack.

The battle erupted within seconds. Aragorn drew his sword and attacked the pack, reliving former days of glory.

Éomer was tempted to follow Aragorn’s lead, but then saw Hephaestion’s stunned expression. He had tried to warn the other man, but Hephaestion had refused to listen. So instead of following Aragorn, he fell back and remained close to Hephaestion. His heart missed a beat, witnessing how an Uruk-hai pulled Hephaestion from his mare and flung him onto the ground.

Hephaestion felt stunned. Never before, not even when they had battled Hannibal, had he faced such violent opponents. Long fangs glistered in the sun’s light and the creature raised its axe, ready to cleave him in two. This was the end; Hephaestion was convinced he was going to die within seconds.

But he hadn’t counted on Éomer throwing himself in harm’s way. Horrified, Hephaestion was forced to watch how that sharp blade buried itself in Éomer’s back. The hazel eyes revealed pain and shock and the sword slipped from the Rohirrim’s grasp. Mouth agape, Éomer whimpered in pain and then tumbled forward.

Hephaestion opened his arms and caught the wounded man. The Uruk-hai pulled his axe from Éomer’s back and raised the weapon again. Hephaestion had seen the power of that first blow and knew the monster could kill them both in one stroke. Éomer felt heavy and warm in his arms and blood was flowing onto his hands. The hazel eyes had closed and Éomer’s head lolled against his shoulder. “No!” he screamed the word and his right hand desperately searched for his fallen sword.

The Uruk-hai never managed to land his blow. Aragorn appeared behind the creature and beheaded the monster with one fluid movement of his sword. “Éomer!” Aragorn jumped from his stallion’s back and his hands already moved to check on the wound.

The remaining soldiers fought viciously, especially now that the King of Rohan was down. It took them several minutes, but they managed to deal with the threat. The few creatures that survived fled into the woods. At last, silence returned.

“Is he…?” Hephaestion was afraid to finish his question. The moment Éomer had fallen, visions of seeing Alexander going down had assailed him and for one terrible moment the images had mingled. Only now was he able to distinguish memories and reality. He held Éomer loosely, allowing Aragorn to probe the injury. Blood welled from the wound and flowed down the back in heavy waves.

Aragorn tore off fabric from his cloak and pressed it against the wound. His thoughts raced. “He is seriously injured and we cannot take the risk of transporting him back to Edoras right now.” It would be best to attend to the wound in the Houses of Healing, where he had herbs and the equipment he needed to close the wound, but that wasn’t an option right now. Aragorn looked up and ordered one of the soldiers to build a temporary shelter. Another soldier was ordered to fetch water, and a third to collect certain herbs.

“He lives,” whispered Aragorn, encountering Hephaestion’s eyes, which clearly showed just how worried the other man was for Éomer’s well-being. “I must close the wound or else he will bleed to death.” He had to act quickly, if he wanted to save Éomer’s life. “I cannot believe this happened. He survived Helm’s Deep and the battle at Gondor and is struck down after the war has ended.”

Hephaestion felt guilty. “He was protecting me,” he whispered in a choked voice. “That monster was about to kill me when…” Éomer had thrust himself between the creature and him, taking the blow instead. “Why did he do that?”

“We can discuss that later.” Aragorn searched his surroundings and found that the shelter had been erected and that the soldier had returned with water. Now what could he use for a needle?

~~~

One hour later the surgery was over with. Éomer lay on his stomach, his back heavily bandaged with the fabric of his men’s cloaks. Soldiers were constructing a litter and during all that time, Hephaestion had not left the Rohirrim’s side. He had soothed Éomer when the man had woken due to the pain when Aragorn was closing the wound. He had let Éomer crush his hand during the worst of it and had continued to mumble soothing words into the other man’s ear. Hephaestion had prayed to every God willing to listen to him and had held his breath, seeing Aragorn stitch the skin together again. The improvised needle had moved beneath the skin, making Éomer whimper in pain, but Aragorn had managed the impossible in the end. The wound had been closed and the bleeding stopped.

Aragorn sat next to Éomer, occasionally brushing the damp curls. There was little he could do except wait until the litter had been finished. “You love him. Why won’t you tell him?”

Hephaestion raised swimming eyes and met Aragorn’s knowing gaze. “There are some things about me you don’t know.”

“Then why don’t you tell me? We have time.” Aragorn hoped that talking to him would calm Hephaestion down.

“Gamling was sent to Imladris because Éomer desired a mate. Lord Elrond agreed to select one.”

“And he chose you? You should feel flattered.” But Aragorn knew there was more to come and watched, with interest, how Hephaestion bestowed caresses onto Éomer’s skin.

“I felt like he was trading me off. Like I was being sold off to Éomer.”   

“Elrond would never do such a thing.” Aragorn’s hand continued to hover above Éomer’s back. The hands of the King were the hands of a healer and he did all he could to strengthen Éomer. 

“I know that… I knew it back then as well, but I felt betrayed. The twins had taken me as their lover and I thought I would spend the rest of my life with them.”

Aragorn was surprised to hear Elladan and Elrohir had taken Hephaestion into their bed, but wisely didn’t comment on it.

“I was determined to hate Éomer and to defy him, but then… Then we met and I… I think I am…”

“You are in love with him,” finished Aragorn for him. “And why is that a bad thing?”

“You sound like Elrond,” whispered Hephaestion, allowing a weak smile to surface on his face. His fingers traveled downward and curled around Éomer’s. Even unconscious, Éomer seemed to recognize his touch as the fingers tried to twine with his.

“I have been accused of that before,” said Aragorn, chuckling. “But you didn’t answer my question.”

“It is not. It is not a bad thing. I just don’t know if he returns my feelings and if he still wants me in that way. We started off on the wrong foot.” He vividly recalled dropping his blanket in front of Éomer. 

“You should tell him,” advised Aragorn. “During these last few years I have seen how fragile life is. You saw it only one hour ago when Éomer fell.” Aragorn heard the commotion and saw that the soldiers had finished building the litter. They were ready to return to Edoras.

“Hephaestion, tell him you love him. Trust me. If you do, everything will fall into place.”

Hephaestion drew in a deep breath. He could worry about that later. First, he needed to make sure Éomer recovered from that devastating blow. A blow, which the other man had taken in his stead! /Does that mean he loves me?/ Why else would Éomer sacrifice his own life in order to save his?

~~~

Hephaestion walked beside the litter, keeping his fingers curled around Éomer’s. The wounded man was still unconscious and had been placed on his stomach to keep excess pressure from the wound. Hephaestion had draped his fur-lined cloak over the Rohirrim’s form. He marched, determinedly, always maintaining in physical contact with Éomer.  

“It was his choice to take that blow,” said Aragorn, dismounting. His stallion followed him, as he took up position next to Hephaestion. “You should not feel guilty. You would have done the same had your positions been reversed.” He had seen the guilt grow in Hephaestion’s pained eyes and wanted to comfort him.

“I would gladly give my life to save his,” admitted Hephaestion. “But it was the other way around. I was careless. He told me not to join you and yet I did. I was blinded by jealousy and wanted to stay close to him.”

Aragorn carefully placed his hand on Hephaestion’s shoulder. “You should know that there is no reason for you to feel jealous. My heart belongs to my wife.”

“Rationally I know that, but my heart speaks a different language.” Hephaestion stared straight ahead, doing his best to avoid looking at Aragorn. He felt the other man’s hand on his shoulder and was surprised that he didn’t feel the urge to shake it off. “I have been known to be jealous, but never to this extent. This development worries me.”

“You feel protective of him,” said Aragorn, musing aloud. He cast a look at Éomer’s face, which partly showed beneath the unruly curls. “And I must say he does not look his best. I can understand that you are guarding him.”

“Guarding him?” Hephaestion frowned. “I don’t know about that. I only know I almost lost him.”

“Tell him you love him,” advised Aragorn once more. “I have the feeling that he returns your feelings and then this jealousy might even go away when you are secure in your love.”

“I am afraid to tell him,” whispered Hephaestion. Éomer’s fingers felt cold between his and he rubbed the digits until they grew warm again.

“Why?”

“I am not sure,” said Hephaestion, shrugging his shoulders. “Maybe because I am afraid that he will reject me.”

“Be honest with me.”

Hephaestion bit his bottom lip. “There have been certain occurrences which lead me to believe that he *does* like me,” he said, finally confessing.

“Like?”

“Like Éomer asking me to stay the night.” Hearing Aragorn’s chuckling, he quickly added, “Nothing happened.”

“And you regret that!” Oh, he was learning how to read Hephaestion!

“Maybe.”

Aragorn squeezed Hephaestion’s shoulder. “Éomer’s wound isn’t mortal. He won’t die because of it, but he will be bedridden for some weeks and that will give you the perfect opportunity to share your feelings with him. He will need you during these next few weeks.”

Hephaestion nodded his head once. “You are probably right.”

“Not probably, my friend. I *am* right,” said Aragorn, smugly chuckling. Elrond might have started the match making, but he would finish it.

~~~

Hephaestion followed Aragorn into the Houses of Healing. He had never been here before and shivered. The herbal scent that lingered in here reminded him of the improvised hospitals that Alexander had set up after each battle. He assisted Aragorn when the healer placed Éomer face down on a comfortable bed.

“We should get him out of his sodden clothes.” Aragorn uncovered a small knife and cut the fabric of the tunic and leggings apart. He didn’t want to maneuver Éomer more than necessary. Jostling him would only cause him more pain.

The two men dismissed the healers that had hurried into the room and attended to Éomer themselves. Aragorn smiled, seeing how tender and careful Hephaestion’s touch was when the other man washed the blood from Éomer’s back.

They worked in silence and several moments later, Éomer rested as comfortably as possible on the bed. Aragorn cut away the improvised bandages and with the assistance of the healers, he cleaned the injury. He checked the stitches and then dressed the wound again, thanking the Valar for allowing Éomer to remain asleep. “Do you wish to sit with him?”

Hephaestion nodded. He had regained his hold on Éomer’s right hand and stroked the damp skin. Éomer had, not surprisingly, developed a high fever. “I will not leave his side.”

Aragorn understood and was reminded of the last time he had helped in the Houses of Healing. “The last time I was in a Healing House, it was Éomer keeping a vigil.”

“How so?”

“His sister had been severely injured and when he found her, Éomer thought she was already dead. Closer examination showed that she was still alive and she was brought here. During the time that she battled death Éomer stayed at her side, never leaving her. He even forgot to eat because he was so worried… Maybe that was when he started to neglect his needs.”

“But she recovered?”

“Aye, Éowyn recovered. She married Faramir, my Steward. Éomer must miss her terribly.” Aragorn hadn’t realized that until now. “But he has you now.” To his amusement, Hephaestion blushed. “I will leave you alone with him. Should his condition worsen, send for me and I will check on him at once.”

Hephaestion’s mind was in turmoil; his thoughts were spinning into several directions, all at the same time. “Aragorn? Can I ask you a favor?”

“What is it?” Curious, Aragorn met Hephaestion’s gaze.

“I wronged Lord Elrond and…” Seeing Éomer injured reminded him that Aragorn was right; life was fragile and he didn’t want risk losing the trust Elrond had once placed in him. “Would you send a message to Imladris?”

Intrigued, Aragorn cocked his head. “And what should that message convey?”

“Would you ask Lord Elrond to visit with me? Here, in Edoras?” He didn’t want to apologize by letter; this should be done in person and as he couldn’t leave Edoras, he hoped Elrond would come to him instead.

“I will do that,” said Aragorn, reading the need in Hephaestion’s eyes. “But it will be weeks before Elrond will arrive.” That was, *if* the Elf-Lord accepted the invitation. “You should concentrate on Éomer for now.”

“I will… I am… It is just… I need to face my past mistakes if I want Éomer and me to work out.” Things had gone wrong when he had lashed out at Elrond in anger and Éomer had paid the price for his lack of self-control. 

Aragorn placed his hand on Éomer’s brow to check how high the fever had risen. Éomer’s head was turned to one side, enabling him to check the injured man’s expression. That way, Hephaestion would also notice Éomer opening his eyes upon waking up. “I will return to check on him in two hours. Make certain that he moves as little as possible.”

Hephaestion nodded his head. He was determined to make up for his past mistakes.

~~~

Éomer’s fingers, locked within his hands, twitched, drawing Hephaestion’s attention. He had been here for almost two days and Aragorn checked on their patient each two hours. These last two days had been the longest of his life. Éomer’s fever had raged, causing the Rohirrim to slip into a deeper state of unconsciousness. Aragorn had left one hour ago, and although Hephaestion had promised to send word the moment Éomer woke, Hephaestion didn’t do so right away. He wanted their first moments spent in private and not with Aragorn hovering close. He would send for Aragorn *after* talking to Éomer. 

“Éomer?” Hephaestion knelt beside the bed so he was level with the other man. Moving closer still, his face was now only an inch away from Éomer’s and he watched, excited, how the hazel eyes opened and tried to focus on him. Sucking in his breath, he searched the eyes, which were surprisingly lucid. The fever *had* gone down and apparently Éomer was able to take in his surroundings once more. “I am here. You are not alone.”

A single tear slipped from Éomer’s eyes and Hephaestion was quick to catch it with a fingertip. “Don’t cry. Please don’t.”

“You… are… not… injured?” His throat felt raw, his mouth dry and his tongue didn’t quite obey him yet. And why was he in such an uncomfortable position?

“I am fine,” whispered Hephaestion, brushing Éomer’s curls away from the pallid face. “You took that blow for me.”

Éomer blinked; memories flowed back into his mind and he cringed, reliving being struck down by that axe. Pain erupted from his back, making him shake.

“Don’t move… please don’t move…” Hephaestion caressed Éomer’s face, relieved that no more tears followed that first one. “You are severely injured. That monster buried its axe in your back. Aragorn attended to your wound and he is confident that you will be on your feet again in a few weeks. But for now, you must rest.” Tears of happiness dripped from Hephaestion’s face now that the realization was setting in that Éomer would recover. “I was so afraid I had lost you!”

Dazed, Éomer watched Hephaestion cry hot tears. “Why… are you… crying?”

”Because I almost lost you!” Hephaestion’s touch was gentle when his fingers stroked the untamed locks. “I acted foolishly by joining you on that patrol! I should have listened to you! But instead, I endangered you!”

“Not… your… fault,” whispered Éomer, feeling utterly exhausted. But Hephaestion was emotionally in turmoil and because he loved him, Éomer wanted to soothe him. He didn’t want Hephaestion to cry! “My… decision.”

“I know that!” Hephaestion forced himself to calm down. Not bothering to wipe away his tears, he said, “I promised Aragorn to tell you and now that the moment has come I am nervous.”

Éomer blinked again; speaking was difficult and he tried to communicate with his eyes. /What do you need to tell me?/ He didn’t dare hope that Hephaestion would confess he had feelings for him. That would be too good to be true!

“I am in love with you,” blurted out Hephaestion, tenderly running his fingers over Éomer’s lips. “I was so determined to hate you because of the way Elrond sent me here, but when we met I… I liked you.” Éomer’s smile encouraged him and he continued. “I fell in love with you… head over heels… I didn’t plan it. I almost died from fear seeing that monster strike you down.”

“My… sweet… Hephae…” His voice failed him and he curled his fingers tighter around Hephaestion’s. “Same… for… me.”

Hephaestion released the breath he had been holding. “What?”

Éomer gathered his remaining strength and whispered, “Love… you… too.” Then darkness descended onto him and he slipped back into sleep.

Hephaestion swallowed, convulsively. “You love me?” Had Aragorn been right then? Did Éomer really love him? /He just told me he did! I must believe him! Éomer loves me back!/ A sense of contentment and safety wrapped itself around him and all traces of the jealousy he had felt disappeared. Hephaestion tenderly kissed Éomer’s lips, sealing their love with a kiss.

~~~

Aragorn understood why Hephaestion hadn’t called for him straight away. The other man had needed a moment in private with Éomer. “He will continue to grow stronger, but it will take time. He will only improve little by little. Not only did he lose a large amount of blood, but it is also a grave wound which will hamper him for a very long time.”

“I will be there for him,” vowed Hephaestion. “I will take care of him.”

Aragorn rested his hand on Éomer’s brow to check on the fever which had lessened these last few hours. “The next time he wakes up make sure he drinks some of this tea.” Aragorn had boiled the water, added herbs and had then let it cool. “It will strengthen him.”

“I will make certain that he drinks it.” Hephaestion, seated on the side of Éomer’s bed, fingered a curl. “He said he loves me back.”

Aragorn smiled. “You told him?”

 

“It was hard – at first.” Hephaestion smiled, weakly. “But then… the dam broke and after I admitted my feelings for him, he said he loved me back.”

“I am happy for you – the both of you.” Aragorn grinned, broadly. “The two of you will work out. I am confident of that.”

“Thank you,” whispered Hephaestion, carefully monitoring each breath Éomer took and every move the other man made.

Aragorn cleared his throat. “I sent a messenger to Imladris.”

Hephaestion swallowed hard. Would Elrond accept his invitation? “What do you think? Will he accept?”

“Elrond doesn’t leave Imladris easily,” said Aragorn, giving the matter some thought. “But given your history he might. It has always been very important to him to talk things out.”

“I hope you are right,” whispered Hephaestion. “I really need to apologize to him.” And he needed to make amends to the half-Elf.

~~~

“They present quite an adorable sight, don’t you agree, Gamling?” Aragorn leaned against the doorway and exchanged a conspiring grin with the seasoned warrior.

“They do.” Gamling smiled, seeing Hephaestion protectively curled around Éomer.

These last few days had passed by slowly and Aragorn had used that time to prepare to return to Gondor. But he wouldn’t leave until Éomer was completely over the hill. The wound was healing nicely, but a touch of fever remained on Éomer, worrying him. “I don’t think Hephaestion has slept much since Éomer was injured.” The attack had happened a week ago and Hephaestion hadn’t left Éomer’s side since.

“When Lord Elrond introduced me to Hephaestion I wasn’t so certain he had made a good choice, but I am beginning to understand why the Elf-Lord selected him. He is an honorable man.”

Aragorn advanced on the bed and grinned upon noticing Éomer’s fluttering eyelids. The Rohirrim was waking up again and this time, Aragorn wanted to talk to his friend. “How do you fare?”

Éomer smiled, encountering Hephaestion’s face first as he opened his eyes. The other man had fallen asleep facing him and Hephaestion had an arm carefully draped over his thigh. Waking up had never felt this good! “I am fine.”

“Yet the fever remains,” said Aragorn, skeptically. “Are you still drinking your tea?” He grinned, seeing the disgusted expression on Éomer’s face. “I will take that as a yes.”

“He makes me drink that foul liquid all the time.” Éomer managed to raise a hand and tangled his fingers in Hephaestion’s auburn hair. “He loves me. Isn’t that amazing?”

“Not as amazing as the fact that you love me back,” whispered Hephaestion.

“I thought you were still asleep.” Fascinated, Éomer watched how Hephaestion’s eyes opened.

“Your voices woke me.” Hephaestion had heard Aragorn’s voice and knew the other man was close, probably standing behind him. Reluctantly, he released Éomer from his hold and slowly got to his feet. “You are right; the fever refuses to leave him.” He stepped aside and allowed Aragorn to take his seat on the bed.

Éomer locked gazes with Aragorn. “I *do* better.” The last time he had been awake, he had felt feverish.

“You will continue to improve. The fact that you ate too little for too long weakened you and causes your recovery to take longer than expected.” Aragorn sensed Hephaestion’s desire to be close to Éomer and vacated his space. “I will visit with you again at nightfall.”

“Thank you,” whispered Hephaestion, sitting down again. He instantly gathered Éomer’s hand in his.

Aragorn gestured for Gamling to follow him and the two men left the room, giving Hephaestion and Éomer their privacy.

“I thought they would never leave,” said Hephaestion, only half jokingly. His fingertips caressed Éomer’s and he stared adoringly at the Rohirrim. Ever since admitting his feelings to the other man he had set aside his fears and worries. He was determined to unconditionally love Éomer – like he had loved Alexander. “I am in love with you,” he whispered. They had only discussed their feelings once, and back then, Éomer had been feverish and quite dazed.

Éomer’s hazel eyes shone brightly. “And I love you. I was so afraid to admit that to you. I thought you couldn’t possibly feel that way and that you would reject me.”

“I can understand why you would think that,” admitted Hephaestion. “We got off on the wrong foot. Can we start anew?”

“I would like that.” Éomer managed to squeeze Hephaestion’s fingers lightly. He still missed his normal strength. “Would… would you kiss me? Was it just a dream or did you kiss me before?”

“I did.” Hephaestion slid his fingers deeper into Éomer’s hair and lightly massaged the other man’s scalp. “And now I am going to do it again.” He moved a little closer, pressed his lips onto Éomer’s and kissed him.

~~~

“Must I really drink this foul concoction?” Éomer was catching his breath, staring at the swirling liquid in his cup. Hephaestion had assisted him in rolling onto his side and with the other man’s help he could support himself long enough to drink his tea. But right now, he was stalling.

“You heard Aragorn,” said Hephaestion, supporting Éomer as the Rohirrim sipped his tea. He lovingly stared at the other man, wishing Éomer had recovered enough to do more than kissing. But if Aragorn was right, it would take several weeks for Éomer to recover completely.

“Why did you think I did not love you back?” asked Éomer, curiously. 

Hephaestion blushed and placed Éomer’s empty cup on the nightstand. “I am not quite certain. Maybe I was trying to punish myself. Looking back, I don’t understand that I didn’t see the signs that you liked me.”

“Why would you try to punish yourself?” Éomer collapsed back onto the mattress. Supporting himself had worn him down. He couldn’t believe just how weak he felt!

“I had a lover once… His name was Alexander… I lost him not so long ago. At first I didn’t think I could love again.” The twins had helped him heal, but the three of them had never shared a deep love like he had known with Alexander. Looking into Éomer’s eyes now, he realized their love would be deep and passionate. Not at all like the lust-filled encounters he’d had with the twins.

Éomer closed his eyes to lock out the pain emanating from his back. “One love doesn’t necessary erase another. I do believe we love different people in different ways. You should not feel guilty for you could never betray your Alexander. Judging by the way you talk about him he will always reside in your heart.”

Hephaestion’s heart swelled with happiness and joy. “You are right. He will always have a part of my heart.” Gently, he helped Éomer gain a more comfortable position.

Once Éomer rested on his stomach again, he turned his head to look at Hephaestion. “Your heart is big enough to love again, Hephaestion. You can give me a place in your heart as well.”

Éomer’s words touched Hephaestion deeply. “You are wise, Éomer, why didn’t I realize that before? Loving you will be easy.”

“Maybe your fingers realized that the first time we met,” whispered Éomer, dozing off again. “Maybe that is why… that blanket… slipped.” His eyes closed, his breathing deepened and slowed down. Éomer was asleep again. 

Hephaestion carefully stretched beside Éomer on the bed. /Thank you,/ he thought, thanking the Gods and Hades, no, Námo, in particular. /Thank you for allowing love to grace my life once more./

~~~

“When can I finally leave here and return to my private rooms?” Éomer gazed up at Aragorn. The other man was sitting on his heels, but still seemed to tower over the resting Rohirrim.

“I understand that you would feel more comfortable in your own rooms, but you haven’t sufficiently recovered yet to be transported back to your quarters.” Aragorn placed a hand on Éomer’s brow. The fever was almost gone, but he remained cautious where his patient was concerned. “Trust me; you would be in considerable pain if we moved you now.” Éomer had been resting on his side or stomach since the injury and had not yet tried getting to his feet or lying on his back. “You should stay here a little longer.”

“Listen to him,” said Hephaestion, also worried. He didn’t want Éomer to do anything that could set back his recovery. During these last few days they had enjoyed kissing, lying close to each other and murmuring words of love. And yes, things would be less awkward in Éomer’s quarters; here, they felt watched.

“Can’t you knock me out or something?” Éomer was growing impatient. He had been here for two weeks and wanted his freedom back. He had been wounded before, had been in pain before and he would endure the discomfort, but he preferred doing it in his own rooms!

“We can’t knock you out!” Gamling, who had overheard Éomer’s last suggestion, shook his head.

“Why would you want them to knock you out?” asked Haleth, shuffling into the room. This was the first time he was visiting with his foster father since the attack and he was relieved to see Éomer awake and coherent. The news that Éomer had fallen had reached him right after the fight and he had pleaded with Gamling to let him see Éomer for these last two weeks; he desperately wanted to convince himself that his foster father was recovering. He couldn’t lose another one he cared about! Not after losing his entire family in the Battle for Helm’s Deep!

Éomer not only heard the concern in Haleth’s voice, he also saw the fear in the young eyes and forced himself to smile. “Come over here, Haleth.” He knew what he had to do, to say.

Haleth quickly approached the bed. Aragorn rose from the floor, smiled, and gestured for the boy to sit down on the side of the bed, which Haleth did.

Éomer gathered Haleth’s hand in his and gazed into the troubled eyes. These young eyes should not have known such hardships yet. “I am getting better, Haleth. I will be back on my feet in a few weeks and then we can go out riding again, like I promised.”

“I was afraid I had lost you… Like I had lost my father… my mother…” Haleth’s composure shattered and tears dripped from the youthful face.

Éomer cursed; he wanted to bury his foster son in a tight hug, but he couldn’t do that yet. His injury had not healed enough yet for him to sit up and take Haleth in his arms. Instinctively, his eyes sought out Hephaestion’s. Would his new lover understand?

Hephaestion nodded once and sat down beside Haleth. He wrapped an arm around the boy’s waist and pulled him close. Haleth rested his head against Hephaestion’s chest and cried softly.

Éomer gave Hephaestion a grateful look and squeezed his foster son’s fingers in a reassuring way. “I am tougher than I look,” he said, trying to make Haleth smile again.

Haleth’s tears finally dried and he managed a soft smile. “Is there anything I can do?”

“I want you to study and visit with me after you do your homework.” Éomer rubbed Haleth’s fingers in a soothing way. “I won’t leave you.”

Haleth nodded once and rose from the bed, feeling Gamling’s hand come to rest on his shoulder. It was time to go – Éomer needed to rest.

After Gamling and Haleth had exited the room, Éomer’s stubborn glance returned to focus on Aragorn. “I want to return to my rooms – today.”

Aragorn sighed, realizing Éomer wouldn’t accept no. “In that case, we might just have to knock you out.”

~~~

In the end, knocking Éomer out cold wasn’t necessary. Aragorn had found herbs which would put him into a deep sleep so he wouldn’t notice being moved to his rooms.

After convincing himself that Éomer was soundly asleep, Aragorn nodded his head, giving Hephaestion permission to lift the sleeping Rohirrim in his arms. Hephaestion cautiously carried Éomer to the King’s chambers and Aragorn pushed down the covers so Hephaestion could lay his charge down. They situated Éomer on his side and tucked the King of Rohan in. Aragorn’s gaze sought out Hephaestion’s. It was time to discuss his impending departure. “Are you certain you know how to care for him?” He would leave for Gondor tomorrow and had to make sure he left Éomer in capable hands.

“I know what to do.” Hephaestion brushed unruly, blond locks away from Éomer’s face. “Éomer will not be pleased to learn that you left.”

Aragorn smiled, seeing Hephaestion caress the Rohirrim’s curls. “He doesn’t need me; he has you now, Hephaestion.” He really believed these two men were good for each other. “You will be happy here.”

Hephaestion looked at Aragorn and smiled. “You *will* visit again in the future, won’t you?”

Aragorn laughed. “I hope to welcome you to Minas Tirith shortly. But Éomer needs to fully recover first.”

“Thank you for opening my eyes,” said Hephaestion, thoughtfully. Recalling feeling extremely jealous at first, he added, “I should probably apologize for the way I acted when we met. I perceived you as a threat.”

“I know why you acted the way you did,” replied Aragorn, giving Hephaestion a wink. “And I don’t blame you.”

Hephaestion’s smile grew even brighter. “We will visit you once Éomer has recovered.”

“Good! I am already looking forward to your visit.” Aragorn turned and walked toward the doorway, but then he turned around and looked Hephaestion in the eye. “I received word from Elrond today concerning your invitation.”

“What did he say?” Hephaestion’s heartbeat quickened.

“He accepts.” The fact that Elrond had accepted the invitation surprised him. To his knowledge, Elrond had left Imladris only once and that had been to escort his daughter to Minas Tirith and witness her wedding. “The messenger said that he will arrive in three weeks. Éomer should have recovered by then.”

“Three weeks?” Hephaestion blinked. He still had some time left to sort out his thoughts and formulate a proper apology. “Thank you for your assistance, Aragorn. It means much to me.”

After a moment’s thought, Aragorn said, “Elrond raised me, much like Éomer is raising Haleth. Elrond is the only father I have ever known and I love and respect him for taking me in and treating me like his own flesh and blood. I do not want him to be hurt – again. So please carefully consider what you will tell him once he gets here.”

Hephaestion heard and understood the warning. “Do not worry, Aragorn. I merely want to make amends. I will not hurt his feelings.”

Aragorn nodded once, opened the door, stepped into the corridor and left the two men alone.

Hephaestion’s heart finally calmed down a bit. For now, he would concentrate on helping Éomer recover, but when Elrond arrived, he would do his best to make amends to the Elf-Lord.

~~~

Erestor soundlessly approached Elrond. The half-Elf sat motionless and seemed frozen in time behind his desk. “What are you doing here?” There was little paperwork these days.

Elrond raised worried eyes and looked at Erestor. “I do not remember entering my study.”

Erestor trembled; he greatly worried about Elrond’s mental well-being. Hephaestion’s rejection, the man’s anger and defiance had affected Elrond in more ways than Erestor had thought possible. Elrond’s inner light had dimmed since the day Hephaestion had left Imladris. “Come with me, Elrond. Glorfindel is waiting for us in your rooms.”

The three of them had become close – very close – and although Haldir would always hold his heart, Erestor had learned to love Elrond and Glorfindel in his own way. He held them dear and seeing Elrond in pain caused him pain in turn. He extended his hand and was relieved when Elrond took it, placing his hand in his. Erestor gently pulled Elrond to his feet and wrapped an arm around the half-Elf’s waist.

These last few months had been an anti-climax. They had started off their liaison in a passionate way. They had made love, had pleasured each other and then, suddenly, Elrond had stopped participating. It had begun the day Hephaestion had left. Elrond had grown distracted, even distant since that day. Elrond’s plan for all three of them to make love had been abandoned as the half-Elf seemed to have lost all interest in being intimate.

Glorfindel and he had discussed this whilst Elrond had slept. They had quickly reached the conclusion that Elrond felt guilty. A sense of failure plagued the half-Elf. Elrond had taken Hephaestion in, had assumed full responsibility for the man and now felt he had utterly failed him. They had tried talking some sense into Elrond, but nothing had worked.

Then the invitation had arrived. Erestor had hidden the letter from Elrond, instinctively knowing that the half-Elf would not accept the invitation. He had discussed the matter with Glorfindel and the two of them had decided to accept the invitation on Elrond’s behalf. Using Elrond’s seal, they had replied and announced their impending visit.

But the problem was that Elrond still didn’t know that they were leaving for Rohan in the morning and that had to change. Tonight, they planned on informing the half-Elf and Erestor and Glorfindel were determined to fight Elrond if necessary. They knew Elrond well enough to realize that the Elf Lord would be stubborn and refuse to go to Rohan. If necessary, they would drag him kicking and screaming to Edoras!

~~~

Glorfindel hurried toward the two dark haired Elves, seeing Elrond’s absentminded look. That invitation had arrived just in time. Even without it he might have resorted to taking Elrond to Edoras so his stubborn lover could talk things through with Hephaestion. “Let us sit on the couch for a while.” He had placed dinner on the table next to the couch and would prod Elrond into eating. He had been doing so for the last few months and during his absence it had been Erestor forcing food into the half-Elf.

Erestor steered Elrond toward the couch and they sat down. Glorfindel seated himself on Elrond’s other side and gathered the chilly hands in his. The older half-Elf had always been prone to sensing the cold more than his children and now that Elrond was suffering from guilt, he seemed to have lost the will to battle the cold and his depression.

“Elrond? Meleth? I want you to look at me.”

Glorfindel’s voice registered with Elrond and the half-Elf slowly looked up. “Glorfindel.” A weak smile appeared on his face, pleased to find the golden vision so close to him.

“Elrond, I need you to focus for a moment. You must hear what I am going to tell you.” Glorfindel noticed the way Erestor pressed close to Elrond, supporting and warming him and felt grateful that they had the Advisor’s love.

“What is it, melethron?” Elrond did his best to concentrate on Glorfindel, but that wasn’t easy. A voice, chiding him for letting things spin out of control with Hephaestion continued to gnaw at him, distracting him and furthering his depression. “What has happened?” (melethron – male lover)

“We will leave Imladris in the morning.” Glorfindel sucked in his breath, uncertain how Elrond would react to this news. “We will leave for Rohan.”

“Rohan?” Elrond frowned. “Why would we travel to Rohan? Aren’t we preparing to sail West?” Erestor’s warm body pressed against his and Elrond leaned into the offered comfort. Drawing in a deep breath, he rested the back of his head against Erestor’s shoulder and his eyes began to close. He wanted to sleep – to flee into a landscape of dreams where his guilt concerning Hephaestion didn’t haunt him.

“Because you cannot continue in this way,” replied Erestor, whispering the words into Elrond’s ear. “You are wasting away and we cannot allow that.”

“I am tired,” whispered Elrond. “I am not wasting away. I am looking forward to the day that we will finally sail. Do you not want to sail as quickly as possible, Erestor? Haldir is waiting for you in Aman.”

Erestor recognized a diversion tactic when he saw one and exchanged a look with Glorfindel, conveying that he wanted to handle this matter – if the blond Elf would allow it. Although the three of them were lovers, Glorfindel had the oldest right when it came down to Elrond. Glorfindel nodded once and Erestor realized he had been given permission to deal with Elrond. “Using that against me is beneath you, Elrond.”

Elrond’s eyelids fluttered and the half-Elf seemed to wake from whatever trance he had been in. “Did I really say that?” Aye, he had used Haldir against Erestor in a most unfair way. “I apologize.” What had made him say that? He blinked and his depression seemed to leave him for a few moments. He was finally able to focus fully on Erestor.

“Elrond, we *are* going to Edoras where you will talk to Hephaestion. This must stop. You must stop punishing yourself.” Erestor’s voice hitched with emotion. “You have changed.”

Elrond blinked again. “Punishing myself?”

Glorfindel placed his hands on either side of Elrond’s head and turned the face he loved so much toward him. “Meleth?”

Elrond swallowed, nervously, seeing the worried look in the azure eyes. “Glorfindel?”

“You have been punishing yourself. Hephaestion made his decision in anger and you had no control over that. You must accept that.” Glorfindel used this chance now that Elrond seemed lucid again.

Elrond frowned deeply. “Hephaestion… I failed him.”

“Nay, you did not and it is about time you accept that!” Glorfindel was growing frustrated. “And that is why we will leave for Edoras at dawn!”

“We cannot travel to Edoras,” protested Elrond, finally understanding their plans.

“We can and we will,” said Erestor in a determined voice. “You are important to us. Your happiness is important to us!”

Elrond shook his head. “I won’t go.” He didn’t want to face Hephaestion.

“Oh, you *will* go,” said Glorfindel in a malicious tone. “We *will* make you.” He’d had enough of Elrond’s childish behavior. “You are the one who always told your children to talk things out and now you would refuse to do the same? Shame on you!”

“Glorfindel, I do not want to go to Edoras. Hephaestion and I have nothing to discuss!” Elrond cursed letting go of himself in such a way. If only he had come to his senses earlier, then he might have been able to prevent them from taking control! But letting himself get lost in melancholy and self-pity had been easy.

“This is not up for discussion,” stated Erestor firmly. “You had better accept that we will leave for Edoras in the morning.”

“And don’t you dare try sneaking off!” Glorfindel raised a finger in a warning way and pointed the digit at Elrond. “Stop behaving in a way unfitting someone as old and wise as you.”

Elrond sighed. He really didn’t want to do this, but at the same time he realized that Glorfindel and Erestor were determined to do this. He simply had no choice but to comply.

~~~