Title: From One Who Wishes You Well

Author: Chaotic-Binky

Beta: keiliss

Rating: R

Pairings and Characters: Glorfindel/Erestor, Elrond, Elbereth.

Summary: This is a sequel to Sea of Pearls and happens a few years later. Maglor

is rescued from Glorfindel by Elrond who is appalled at the conditions he is

forced to live in. An inexplicable change comes over Glorfindel and he realises

that he loves Maglor. All hope seems lost until Maglor receives a mystery gift

on Yuletide Day.

Disclaimer: I do not own the elves or their surroundings, except for the

character of Ereolas. I make no profit and have no intention of making any.

Although the characters and settings belong to Tolkien and/or New Line, my own

representation of them, therefore any archiving without permission will not be

tolerated.

Warnings: AU, angst, slash, violence, hurt/comfort, fluff.

Glorfindel rescued me to make me his prisoner. My gilded cage was surrounded by

the pearl tears I wept during my captivity and my heart broke even further for

the loss of the bright silmaril that comforted the vision in my mind, deep

underwater. He kept me in irons, tied to the bed to await his pleasure. Every

time I cried a pearl tear he would add it to his collection; if I did not cry he

would make me. The growing size of the pile reflected my misery, and in the end

Elrond said it was enough, not because he felt any sympathy for my plight but

because the value of pearls had fallen and it had ceased to be a precious gem.

Glorfindel had flooded the realm with my tears. The Valar cursed me to weep

tears of pearl and I accepted this as part of my punishment, however, I wonder

if they knew Glorfindel was such a rapacious and cruel bastard.

Elrond came to inspect me and it was the first time I had seen him for thousands

of years. I hoped that he would not also be cruel to me. I hid my face in shame

because I was unwashed and naked, burying my face in the sheets, only allowing

myself a corner of vision to watch.

They stood over me, regarding me dispassionately. "All he does is weep,"

Glorfindel muttered and then I heard him laugh.

"Perhaps he is unhappy?" Elrond replied and chuckled at his own joke.

"Sarcasm becomes you," Glorfindel smirked and embraced the lord of the realm.

"Perhaps I should cast him back into the sea and accept you as my lover

instead."

"The Valar meant you to find him," Elrond said and pointed at me. "Look, your

bed is full of pearls. I wonder if he laughed, whether the tears would be the

same."

"I could not see Erestor crying with laughter," Glorfindel smirked. "He is the

most miserable of elves in every way."

I was not allowed to talk to Elrond. Glorfindel had made this clear to me when

he found out that the elf lord would be visiting our chambers; dark threats were

issued to ensure my compliance. The golden lord was a hero and much feted, but

in the bedroom he was cruel and imaginative in his tortures and punishments. My

body was slowly weakened by the excessive demands he made of it, but mentally I

was becoming stronger, my mind fuelled with hate. I could not let the slight go

any longer, even though I feared his retribution. Glorfindel's eyes narrowed

slightly. I knew that look and yet I still found the courage to speak.

"I am Maglor. I am not Erestor. Glorfindel gave me that name."

The Lord of the realm looked as though a thunderbolt had struck him. "So you

are," he said as if looking with new eyes for the first time. "I am so sorry."

Elrond knelt down by my side and brushed the hair away from my face with his

fingers.

"He is Erestor," Glorfindel said impatiently. "He is not Maglor anymore. He was

the monster of the ocean floor and I took him. He is mine."

"Cease your witterings," Elrond shouted at my cruel master. "Release him

immediately."

"I will not," Glorfindel shouted in his rage. "He is my soul mate and I own

him."

"No elf owns another in this realm, or any of the realms in Middle-earth,"

Elrond hissed. "I am ordering you to release Maglor. If you do not I will have

you exiled in disgrace."

"He is my soul mate," Glorfindel said in a level voice. I shuddered because I

had heard that tone many times.

"You do not treat him as such," Elrond replied. "You keep him bound as your

prisoner. I will take responsibility for him until you can find where the love

lies in your heart."

Glorfindel reluctantly unlocked the metal cuffs. "You will pay for this," he

hissed in my face, safe in the knowledge that Elrond could not see him because

he was sorting some clothing for me from the wardrobe.

I said nothing and my face remained straight. I was unlocked now and for the

first time I saw apprehension in the golden one's eyes. He was wise to keep me

locked up, because I could attack him and he was well aware of this; even though

I was weakened, my hate for him would drive me on. I vowed in the future he

would be made to pay for his wickedness, every last bit of it, and he knew

because I told him so.

~~~*~~~

"You can sleep in the twins' room," Elrond said. We went through the door and

inside stood a huge double bed. I looked at Elrond in surprise. "They used to

sleep together," he explained uncomfortably. "Two halves of the same fëa,

apparently. Anyway, they have their own set of rooms now so they do not need

this one anymore; you can have it."

I looked around. "Are you scared of me Elrond?"

"A bit," he replied. "There were terrible stories about you."

"They were all true," I told him. "I was under an enchantment from the Valar.

Know this, I have no desire to hurt you, nor will I."

Elrond's relief was palpable and he sighed. "I had hoped that you would remember

me from when I was small. I remember you."

"Tell me, Elrond," I said. "If I had been Erestor and not Maglor, would you have

intervened?"

"I like to think that I would have done," he replied. "But I know, to my shame,

that I would not."

"The Valar record every one of our actions," I said softly. "Do not incur their

wrath because you have no pity. Do not make the mistakes that I did."

Elrond walked over to me and hugged me tightly to himself. "I wish I had

intervened earlier. I am totally to blame for not doing so. I was so enamoured

of Glorfindel that I never thought he was capable of hurting someone so

cruelly."

I did not entirely believe my former stepson, but relationships are not built on

recriminations so I told him that the past was gone and we should look to our

future. "I need a bath," I said. "I need clothing as well."

Glorfindel had allowed me none of my own clothing and I was only able to bath

once a week whilst attached to a long chain. As I washed he would taunt me for

being unclean. I was his soul mate but no love for him lodged in my heart. I do

not know what drives someone to such evil, as indeed I do not know why I was so

driven either. Perhaps his treatment of me was no less than I deserved.

Elrond became my protector just as I had been his when he was an elfling. He

suggested that I keep the name Erestor because to use my real name might cause

anger among those who remembered the past. I appeared in public at Elrond's

side, and he announced that I was his new Chief Adviser. The old one had been

killed by orcs, which is why I had been given that job instead of another one.

All fell into place so readily that I considered myself blessed for the first

time in my long life.

Glorfindel could do nothing. Elrond had deliberately given me a position equal

to that of the golden one so that he could not try to subdue me. I was too

visible. He could not even tell anyone my old identity because Elrond and I

would simply deny it.

My strength increased and I regained my former deadly proficiency with weapons.

My skills in an advisory capacity reminded me of when Maedhros was high king for

a while and I advised him. I utilised my old skills and Elrond relied upon me

more and more. Life was good and even Glorfindel could not disturb my happiness,

although from time to time he would try.

On the last occasion, Glorfindel tried to threaten me in the corridor. No one

was within hearing distance and he drew his dagger. "I could kill you now," he

breathed as he held it to my neck from behind.

"And yet, you will do not such thing," I taunted and smiled at his crestfallen

face as I turned around to face him. "Do you desire me so much that you wish to

kill me so that no one else can partake of my delights?"

He was insane; an elf possessed. No one could see it, but the madness in his

eyes was complete. "You are mine," he growled.

"Not anymore," I said in a sympathetic voice. "When you rescued me I could have

been yours if you had loved me, but you did not."

"Can we try again?" he asked, throwing caution to the wind and taking probably

the biggest risk of his life. He looked so pathetic.

I looked at him before turning away. I did not scorn or laugh; my look was one

of sympathy because I knew how his heart now suffered. Recently a sea change had

come over him, but my memories were too fresh and always would be. He longed for

my presence and I had no idea what had caused him to change the way he did. He

looked at me with intense longing and then would attack with his words because

he knew that I scorned his new flowering feeling for me.

Halfway down the corridor I looked back. Glorfindel leaned against the wall

looking utterly defeated. Maybe, one day, there might be a hope, but much would

have to come to pass if it were ever to be possible.

Shortly after our chance encounter, I received a gift. It was Yuletide Day and I

received many gifts, but this one was signed, `From One Who Wishes You Well'. I

thought it might be from Glorfindel and that he was too apprehensive of my

reaction to reveal that it was he who had given it. I said nothing and opened it

anyway. Inside was a snow globe. The scene was a group of elves making a snow

elf in a forest clearing. The detail was so fine that I could make out the faces

on the elves. One of them was Glorfindel and I thought how vain he must be to

have his face included on the gift he obviously had given to me.

I gave the snow globe a light shake and Glorfindel's face changed to one of

pain. I watched the particles of snow falling and saw that one of the elves in

the scene had been dislodged and was lying on its side; further inspection

revealed it was the Glorfindel figure. This amused me, so I shook the globe a

little more. The Glorfindel figure flew upwards and hit off the canopy of trees

before falling to the snowy ground. I remember that I actually laughed as the

figure fell.

The golden elf cried out and fell to the floor in distress, curled up and crying

out. A thin stream of blood issued from the side of his mouth and pooled on the

floor.

"Quick," Elrond shouted. "Get him to the healing rooms."

Glorfindel cried out in agony as he was lifted into one of the warrior's arms. I

wondered what was wrong with him and put the snow globe away because it did not

seem right to enjoy myself when another was seriously ill.

Later, in the early evening, I heard Elrond enter his rooms. I walked from my

bedroom to the sitting room we shared and asked if Glorfindel was all right.

"No," he replied. "Every bone in Glorfindel's body is broken. I have told the

new Captain of Imladris to prepare for his funeral."

"How can there be a new captain when the old one is still alive?" I asked.

"Glorfindel hangs on barely by a thread," Elrond told me. "He will be dead by

morning."

"I do not know what to say," I told my step-ion. "For once words fail me."

"I thought that maybe you would be pleased that he will not be with us for much

longer," Elrond said softly. "You would have good cause to."

"It is true that I do not like Glorfindel, but I would not wish him harm like

this."

A small spark in my heart cried out that Glorfindel had tried to change and that

he did so because he realised that he loved me when I had gone. I ignored my

heart and tried to smother it with reason instead, but to no avail. The

accusations that I had somehow caused Glorfindel's death by ignoring the pull of

my heart grew in intensity and loudness until it was overwhelming.

"I must see him, if only to say goodbye," I said.

"Why cause him pain?" Elrond asked. "It is enough that he is dying, why would

you wish to see him in his final moments?"

"I do not know," I replied. "But I feel it is important."

Glorfindel's hand was in mine as I watched his chest rising and then falling

with each labouring breath. He looked in pain, even though his eyes were closed

in sleep. "I wish you peace," I said softly. "If only we had not come to this.

If only we could have been happy and loved one another. Maybe when we meet again

in Valinor all will be healed? I know you tried to change but perhaps in this

life we were not meant to be?"

I know he heard me because as soon as I stopped talking a peace spread over his

face and he stopped breathing. I held his hand in both of mine and shut my eyes

in grief, never questioning why I should feel for one who had been so abominable

in the past.

A hand pressed lightly on my shoulder; I thought it was Elrond and I said that

Glorfindel had breathed his last just before.

"You grieve," said a voice, from whom I knew not. I looked up swiftly and saw a

being of light. In my heart I knew she was the one whom the elves call Elbereth

and I was graced by her presence and awed by her luminous beauty. She smiled at

me. "All is not lost, Maglor. Will you learn to love Glorfindel so that you can

save him?"

I stared at her like a simpleton, wondering what she could be proposing.

"The snow globe has punished Glorfindel for the iniquities he rained upon you.

All it took was for you to shake it. You have hurt him as much as he hurt you.

Does that make you happy?"

"No, My Lady," I replied, shame filling my senses for not showing compassion

when Glorfindel had all those times tried to make things right between us. Many

times I had been cruel to him and often in front of others who had joined in the

laughter as he walked away defeated. It had never been enough, but now I looked

at his dead form and knew that I had gone too far. I had become like him and as

bad in my treatment. It did not matter that I was unaware at the time; I still

felt the most fëa-wrenching guilt.

"After you left Glorfindel, we showed him where the love lay in his heart," the

Lady Elbereth told me. "His heart softened, whilst yours set like stone. We

needed a catalyst and so we gave you the snow globe." I looked at the Lady,

horrified.

"I did not know it would hurt Glorfindel," I told her, shocked that the Valar

would do such a thing. "I would never have shaken the globe if I had known, and

I certainly would not have laughed."

"But you did and now he is dead."

"Perhaps I should have been informed of Glorfindel's change of heart," I offered

weakly.

"You knew, and yet you chose to ignore because you felt the need for revenge,"

the Lady told me.

"It is true," I admitted and looked at Glorfindel's hand within my own. "I wish

it were not so, but it is."

"How does your heart feel now, Maglor?"

"In pain," I replied, the words barely able to come from my mouth. "I did not

know that such a pain was possible. How could I have not seen what was in front

of my eyes? How could I not feel?"

"Perhaps you are as damaged as Glorfindel was," The Lady said softly. "Perhaps

you needed your heart to change as well."

I could say nothing. All had gone terribly wrong. I looked at the one who should

have been spending a happy time with me but instead was not alive. I had done

this to him, and I regretted every mean action wholeheartedly. A tear dripped

from my eye and I was amazed. It was watery and splashed. It was not a pearl.

"All will be all right in the end," the Lady Elbereth said softly to me and she

departed as silently as she had come.

How could everything be all right when Glorfindel was dead, I wondered. I stood

up to leave and kissed his lips to say goodbye until we met again on the far

distant shores of the place we call home, and I felt the gentlest of exhalations

on my face. I did not believe my senses and needed further confirmation.

Squatting by his side I could see his chest rising and falling. The movement was

weak and I willed him to try harder.

"Glorfindel, live," I cried and kissed his fingertips. "Live, breath in and out.

Do not stop, breathe for me. Breathe so we can be together."

I realised what I had said and realised my heart had changed and that the Valar

had given my soul mate back to me. Relief flooded my being and all guilt was

swept away. We had a new start and I was willing to meet Glorfindel and open up

to him so that we could enjoy what we should have had from the very start.

"Maybe it was meant to be," Elrond said as he sat beside me. "Maybe he is not

meant to live."

"He will live," I told my step-ion. "The Lady Elbereth has healed our hearts and

freed them from the past."

"You saw our Lady?"

I nodded. "It is the Valar's wish that we be together."

Elrond did not seem convinced and asked me if I was all right. I told him about

the snow globe and how Glorfindel had become injured because I shook it. Elrond

looked at me as if I was mad. "What snow globe?" he asked. "I did not see you

unwrapping a snow globe."

"You were sitting beside me," I protested.

"I saw you unwrapping a box of hair slides," Elrond told me.

"I will show it to you," I said and took Elrond by the arm and marched him back

to our rooms.

"This really isn't necessary," Elrond said as I pulled the snow globe from the

shelf.

"See?" I said triumphantly as I showed it to him.

Elrond looked confused. "As I said before, it is a box of hair slides. I gave

them to you."

I looked down at my hand and the snow globe changed. It became a box, and when I

opened it I saw an assortment of hair slides. I laughed loudly and Elrond looked

alarmed. "You were not meant to see it," I told him. "Do you not see now?

Everything will be all right because the snow globe was never really here."

"Glorfindel is still near death," Elrond answered. "Whether there was a snow

globe or not, it doesn't change the fact that Glorfindel is dying."

"He will not die, of that I am certain," I said and treated Elrond to my best

grin. "Come on. We shall stay with him and you will see that it is not so."

I pulled Elrond along with me to the healing rooms. Glorfindel was laying still

but his eyes were open. He looked at me. "You shook the snow globe and it hurt

so much..."

Elrond looked stunned. "I apologise," he said to me. "I believe you now." He

leant forward and told Glorfindel that he was glad he was awake before

announcing that he would leave us to talk.

Glorfindel was still injured, maybe the Valar left him like that so we could be

together and become closer. "I am sorry I hurt you," I said.

"Please do not shake the globe again," Glorfindel said in a pain-filled voice.

"It never existed," I told him, and he looked bewildered. "The Valar made it so

only you and I could see it. All the others saw was a box of hair-slides. The

snow globe does not exist anymore, it changed form in front of me and I saw what

all the others did."

"I don't understand," he said, his brows furrowed in thought. "The Valar wanted

me to be horribly injured? Why?"

I took a deep breath and risked Glorfindel's scorn. "So that our hearts could

change and we could love one another."

"I loved you anyway," Glorfindel told me. "I knew I did after you left me."

"The Valar wanted me to love you in return," I replied.

"And do you?" he asked, his breathing becoming laboured again.

"Do not leave me again." I panicked and saw his faint smile before he shut his

eyes. "Do not leave me," I said again and held his hand up to my lips. His hand

tightened and then relaxed as he fell into a deep sleep. My fear of being bereft

subsided as I saw the colour return to Glorfindel's cheeks; he was not dying, he

merely slept. "Thank the, Valar," I whispered with relief.

It took a long time for Glorfindel to recover completely. During that time I

stayed with him in the healing rooms so that we could improve our relationship.

Glorfindel was nothing like the monster he had been during those awful years

when we first met, and when I saw the change was genuine, and would be so

forever, I was more relaxed about letting the guards to my heart down. I had not

completely trusted the Lady Elbereth when she said that Glorfindel had changed,

even though I knew it to be true.

I could not go back to the room of my captivity and Glorfindel never asked me

to. He came willingly to my bed and stayed until completely better.

"Melethen," he said to me, his affectionate smile playing on his lips. "Elrond

will give us new quarters if we ask him."

We were sitting on a bench overlooking the lake, it was the height of summer and

the swans were gliding gracefully, dipping their beaks into the water to catch

the small lumps of bread that a group of elflings were throwing into the water.

"We will need a ground floor one," I said looking at Glorfindel's stick which he

was not quite ready to throw away yet. "A garden would be nice."

Glorfindel looked dismayed. "I will not always be like this."

I smiled and pulled him closer. "I know," I said and kissed his cheek. "But I

would like a garden anyway."

My only one smiled and nestled his head in my shoulder. "If we wait too long

Elrond will not give us a garden apartment because we will not need it."

"My thoughts exactly," I agreed.

Glorfindel kissed my neck. "I love you."

"I love you too."

END