Title: Glorfindel's Dubious Win.

Author: Chaotic-Binky

Beta: Keiliss

Rating: NC-17

Pairings: Glorfindel and Erestor.

Summary: Glorfindel rescues Frodo and the Halflings. Erestor is

waiting for him and during the night they play a game. The loser has

to suggest to the Ring Council that Tom Bombadil is given the ring for

safe keeping.

Disclaimer: I do not own the elves or their surroundings. I make no

profit and have no intention of making any. Although the characters

and settings belong to Tolkien this is my own representation of them,

therefore any archiving without permission will not be tolerated.

Warnings: Bad Jokes, Slash, fluff, games.

Request: Erestor on top, fluff, games between the couple, established

relationship, feather. Written for Sephreina.

Glorfindel was tired. He had spent the past few days tracking Strider

and the party of hobbits before finding them and guiding their way to

the safety of Imladris. Frodo was injured and near to death but

Glorfindel had done his best against difficult odds. The Black Riders

had dogged his search for the party and they had only just made it to

the elf haven.

Glorfindel wondered if Frodo would be all right, but found his

thoughts straying to his lover. How tired he was and yet Erestor could

assuage his weariness in an instant. He watched as Frodo was taken

into the healing rooms and the hobbits were led away to their

accommodation.

Elrond rushed along the corridor as Glorfindel walked away, his tired

shoulders slumped and his head down. "Glorfindel, are you all right?"

the Lord of Imladris asked.

Glorfindel looked up. "I do not think the Halfling will live. It was

several days before I found them."

Elrond held Glorfindel's arms. "Maybe this is where Frodo's journey

was meant to end, or maybe not. Nothing is without a reason." Elrond

gave a conciliatory smile. "If he is meant to live then he will. You,

my friend, go and have a long bath and something to eat. Spend

tomorrow relaxing and I will see you in my office in the late

afternoon. You can tell me what happened then."

"I feel as though I have failed. I could have gone faster..."

"No," Elrond replied. "You did what was possible to the best of your

ability. Plus, thanks to you, the nine riders are temporarily

disabled. We now have a breathing space in which to plan our next move."

Glorfindel gave a small smile and thanked Elrond for putting it all in

perspective for him. The Lord of Imladris hastened to the healing

rooms and left the golden elf on his own.

Buoyed by Elrond's words, Glorfindel walked down the corridor to his

rooms.

Erestor lay on the bed fast asleep. How Glorfindel envied him. The

aroma of vanilla and apricots wafted from the bathroom. To kiss

Erestor, or to bathe and then crawl into bed with him, Glorfindel

considered. He bent down and kissed the pink lips, just a shade darker

than his own, and whispered that he was back.

"Meleth, you are here," Erestor exclaimed with joy. "Are you all

right? I did not know you were back, when did you arrive?"

"I am fine, just very tired," Glorfindel replied. "I arrived about ten

minutes ago. I thought you ran the bath for me."

"I did," Erestor said. "I have run a bath for you the past few nights

hoping that you would be able to get in it with me. I did not know if

you were safe or not as you were taking longer than expected. It gave

me comfort to do this one thing for you, and it also was a source of

grief when I had to empty it, knowing that you had not returned. It

sounds silly, I know. I have not slept since you went, and I wonder if

on some level I knew you were safe tonight, because I felt as though a

small nap would not hurt."

Glorfindel smiled. "Let us share the bath and you can wash my hair."

"You look worn out," Erestor said to Glorfindel as he helped to remove

his clothing. "Was it very hard going?"

"I spent several days tracking Strider and his party. Everywhere I

went I encountered Black Riders. Frodo is very ill; I fear he may not

live. He was stabbed with one of the enemy's knives and a piece broke

off and stayed within him. I put him on Asfaloth and we walked for the

next couple of days with barely a rest. At the last stretch I had to

tell Asfaloth to flee with Frodo. He ran so swiftly the Black Riders

were no match for him, you should have seen him. With our remaining

energy we ran behind as fast as we could. The Black Riders taunted

Frodo, who had made it across the Old Ford, and looked to be gaining

the advantage. We hastily lit a fire and ran out with flaming brands.

The Black Riders had nowhere to turn. Three were already crossing the

river. I stood shining in all my wrath and behind me the Halflings and

Strider stood with their fiery torches. The river swelled and a mighty

surge in the shapes of cascading horses swept the three Black Riders

away, it was wonderful to see. The other riders chose to take their

chances in the river as they dared not face me or the fire behind."

Glorfindel paused. "Still, enough about me. Let's get into the bath."

"Melethen," Erestor said as he tenderly caressed Glorfindel's cheek.

"You are so brave, and I am so proud of you. You saved their lives and

stopped the Ringwraiths from taking the ring back to the evil one. For

the moment you have given all the free races of Middle-earth a

valuable reprieve. Only you could have done this, my only one." He

took Glorfindel's hand and led him to the large round pool in the

bathroom.

Glorfindel considered Erestor's words and felt much better. Whereas he

was too tired to think, his lover had put everything in perspective

for him and now he felt much cheered. Strong fingers worked his scalp

and he groaned with pleasure. Erestor knew just where to touch. The

last jug of clean water flowed through the blond locks and then it was

time to get out of the water and get ready for bed.

After drying themselves off, Erestor told Glorfindel to sit by the

fire, wrapped in his newest fluffy towelling dressing gown. Erestor

rang the bell and a servant appeared who took an order for dinner to

be delivered to their rooms.

"How do you feel now?" Erestor asked Glorfindel as he gave him a glass

of miruvor.

"Like an elf again," Glorfindel said, and smiled as he took another

sip of the clear fluid Erestor had given him. "You are spoiling me,"

he said to his lover. "You let me wear your best fluffy dressing gown

and now you are combing my hair dry. Life does not get any better. All

the time I was away, I wanted to be back here with you."

"I missed you too," Erestor replied and kissed the back of

Glorfindel's neck. The long blond hair was nearly dry, so he plaited

it into a long, thick braid. "I missed you so much." He pulled

Glorfindel to him and kissed his lips. "I love you and was so worried

that harm might befall you. But, now you are back in my arms." The

blond head lay on his shoulder, and Erestor stroked his lover's tired

but happy face.

After a small dinner of Glorfindel's favourite foods, they went to

bed. Glorfindel felt much refreshed and wanted Erestor to make love to

him rather than go to sleep. The dark haired elf, who had no intention

of letting Glorfindel go to sleep early, was more than ready to make

love to him.

For a long time they lay kissing and stroking each other's bodies. As

their need became more urgent, Erestor pumped both arousals together

with his hand. He came slightly later than Glorfindel, and had the joy

of watching his mate become undone in his passion before spilling his

own seed.

"I needed that." Glorfindel gave a lazy smile and stretched luxuriously.

"We are not done tonight by any stretch," Erestor said and smiled.

"Turn over."

Glorfindel quickly did as he was told and waited in eager

anticipation, for he was pretty sure of what Erestor was going to do.

A line of intense feeling made the warrior groan and arch his back, as

the tip of the feather his lover held stroked down the side of his body.

The feather passed over the other side of the golden body, causing

Glorfindel to squirm and twist. "Too much," he cried out.

Erestor laughed. His legs were pinning his lover's down onto the

mattress, and he had taken both wrists in one hand to hold his arms

still. "Shall I stop?" he teased.

"No," Glorfindel said, admitting defeat. He jerked as the feather

stroked down his spine and groaned with delight when it circled the

cheeks below. He felt his legs being pulled apart and closed his eyes.

The part he loved the most was going to happen. The feather stroked

across his secret entrance, causing Glorfindel to sigh happily.

Several more passes were made and Erestor let go of his wrists and

stroked the side of Glorfindel's hip with his fingers. How smooth the

skin felt. Finer than silk, like the downy cheek of a new born elfling.

Erestor oiled himself with one hand whilst stroking the feather over

Glorfindel's entrance with the other. When he was ready he laid the

feather aside and held himself in position.

The warrior laid waiting. He felt the nudge of Erestor's arousal

against his closed opening and a small thrill ran through his core. He

nodded, almost imperceptibly, but it was enough. Slowly, the hardness

of his mate pushed into his tight channel. He opened his legs wider so

that Erestor could fully seat himself, and when he saw his lover's

hand beside his he gripped it tightly. "Erestor," he said, his voice

thick with pleasure.

"Yes, my golden blond shower?" Erestor teased.

"Don't call me that," Glorfindel giggled. "Golden shower means wee wee."

"I meant your hair, my little buttercup," Erestor sniggered. He pulled

out and thrust back in.

"Mmm...Chilli Willy. Keep going," Glorfindel moaned as he smiled.

"Stop calling me that; you called me it at dinner two weeks ago,"

Erestor said and thrust down particularly hard. "It was you who got

the wrong oil from the kitchen. I think you did it on purpose so you

could call me that stupid name."

"I will call you Porky Doughnut then," Glorfindel laughed and then

yelped when Erestor slapped his bum cheek.

"I don't care how much you smack me; your new name is Porky Doughnut,

so there."

Erestor just smiled and carried on thrusting into his lover's arse.

"Why are you not arguing back?" Glorfindel asked.

"I am plotting, that is why," Erestor replied as he continued pushing

in and out.

"I won't call you it again," Glorfindel offered.

"Too late now," Erestor said and grinned. He rested his chest on

Glorfindel's shoulder and kissed his ear. "I love you."

"That's what worries me," Glorfindel joked.

"Meleth," Erestor said and speeded up his delivery. He reached around

and took hold of Glorfindel's cock bringing him to completion. He held

on for dear life, moaning urgently as he did. The warrior cried out

his lover's name as his body tensed, and then it was all over.

They lay for a while in each other's arms, talking about how they had

missed each other. Glorfindel was on his second wind and did not feel

tired at all. Erestor's eyes were bright and he smiled at the one he

loved.

"Where would you put the ring if you wanted to hide it?" Erestor asked.

"In the sea. I would get Círdan to drop it overboard near Valinor,"

Glorfindel replied.

"What a good idea."

"Yes. I am made of them."

"Want to guess where I would put it?"

"Not really."

"Go on. Guess."

"Up your arse?"

"You are being silly. Guess again."

"Oh! I don't know," Glorfindel replied.

"I would make it part of the plumbing here in Imladris. We have lots

of copper rings around the plumbing pipes. We could put it on a copper

pipe and cover it with another copper ring so no one could see it was

gold." Erestor looked very pleased with himself.

"That idea is not as stupid as it sounds," Glorfindel replied. "I

still like my idea better."

"Well you would," Erestor said. "Are you tired? I am not."

"No. Why?"

"Let's see who can tell the best joke," Erestor said. "We can have a

joke contest and the loser has to tell Elrond that giving the ring to

Tom Bombadil is a very good idea; and they have to do it with a

straight face."

Glorfindel grinned. "All right then. You go first."

"All right.

There were three warriors who were trapped in a cave after an

avalanche of snow blocked off the entrance. They all sat around

wondering what to do and shouting unsuccessfully for help.

One of the warriors said, `Look, we are getting nowhere here. We all

need to shout together.' The three warriors stood in a circle, inhaled

deeply and yelled, `TOGETHER, TOGETHER, TOGETHER...'."

"That was crap," Glorfindel said and pinned Erestor to the bed by

laying on him. "I have a better one."

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do."

"Prove it, my big, strong, sexy warrior," Erestor breathed.

"You know it," Glorfindel said in his most sultry voice. "What..." he

grunted with surprise.

Erestor had flipped the blond over on his back and immobilised his

arms and legs with his own. "Prove it."

For a moment Glorfindel wondered why the Valar had given Erestor,

Chief Advisor to Lord Elrond and former Captain of the Guard of

Imladris, to him as his soul mate, but then he saw the smile he loved

so much and all was forgiven. "I will. You will admit that I am the

better joke teller because you will be so stunned that you will have

no option."

"No, I won't."

"Yes, you will."

"Tell it."

Glorfindel looked up at Erestor's face. His lips were slightly smiling

but his eyes were laughing with joy. How he loved him. "Let me sit

beside you and we can cuddle one another whilst I tell you my joke."

"Is it a long one? It had better not be."

"I don't know, I haven't thought of it yet."

Erestor laughed and allowed Glorfindel up. "I think you are going to

look very foolish when we discuss the ring with Elrond," he said.

"One day three elves, including you, went out for a drink and spotted

a newly opened bar in the marketplace. Inside was a magic mirror,

which would suck you in if you told a lie.

The Head Scribe walked up to it and smirked. "I am the most beautiful

elf in Imladris," he said, and the mirror sucked him in. The next elf

walked up to it. He was the head cook. "All the kitchen staff love

me," he said proudly, and the mirror sucked him in.

Elrond's Chief Advisor saw what happened and thought that he would

show that mirror. He walked up to the mirror and said, "I think..."

and the mirror sucked him in."

"Mine was better," Erestor stated.

"No it was not. You are only saying that because you did not

understand it." Glorfindel giggled. "Notice that none of them were

warriors. Us warriors are never caught out by magic mirrors."

"Of course I understood it," Erestor laughed. "A baby could have

understood it. It was a silly joke."

"You could not do better," Glorfindel smirked. "Your joke was crap.

See if you can tell me another one."

"All right," Erestor replied. "There was once a warrior, who was

Captain of the Guard of Imladris, and he went to see Lord Elrond,

crying his eyes out and inconsolable. He explained that his nana had

fallen down a bottomless well and no one had been able to rescue her.

Lord Elrond told him to take the rest of the week off but the warrior

refused. He said that he needed to keep busy so that he could deal

with his grief.

Later in the day, Lord Elrond went to deliver something to the Captain

of the Guard's office and he found the warrior crying hysterically.

"What is the matter?" Lord Elrond asked. "Will you be all right?"

The Captain of the Guard showed Lord Elrond the letter he held in his

hand. "My brother just wrote me the most horrible letter. His nana has

fallen down a well too."

In spite of himself, Glorfindel smiled. "All right, that was a good one."

"I am the winner," Erestor exclaimed and jumped up. "I am the winner.

I am the winner," he shouted as he jumped up and down on the mattress.

"I haven't told my joke yet," Glorfindel said.

"Why bother," Erestor laughed as he jumped. "I am the winner!"

"Come down here," Glorfindel said and pulled on Erestor's leg. "Ow!"

Erestor had landed on Glorfindel and his elbow had gone in the

warrior's eye. "Oh! Are you all right?"

"My eye hurts," Glorfindel whined. "I think I may go blind in that

eye, and I will not be a good warrior anymore, and I will lose my

intelligence and have to become a Chief Advisor to Lord Elrond."

"I'm sorry," Erestor said soothingly and kissed Glorfindel's eye.

"Let's get a cold cloth on that." He rushed to the bathroom and came

back with a wet flannel. "Poor Buttercup. You have faced Ringwraiths,

Strider's body odour and hairy-footed little Halflings and were

uninjured; and now you are hurt when about to tell a joke. Tell me

your joke meleth, and I promise to laugh."

"You really, really promise. Like, cross your fingers and hope the

Valar strike you dead if you don't?"

"Absolutely," Erestor said and held the warrior close as he rained

little kisses on his shoulders. "Tell Porky Doughnut your joke, so

that he can laugh."

"All right," Glorfindel said as he let himself be held in Erestor's

strong arms. He snuggled into his lover's chest as the bedcovers were

pulled up around them both. "Three elves were stranded on an island in

the middle of a river. They did not know what to do so they decided to

dig their way out with their hands. One of the elves dug up a bottle

and inside was a fairy. The elf set her free.

`Thank you so much for setting me free," the fairy said. "I will grant

you each one wish.' The Head Scribe asked that he be a little more

intelligent and the wish was granted; he swam off the island, across

the river to the bank.

The Head of the Finance Committee asked to be more intelligent than

the previous elf and the wish was granted. He built a boat and sailed

off the island.

Finally the Chief Advisor was left alone on the island. `I wish that I

was more intelligent than both of them," he said. The wish was

granted. The Chief Advisor was turned into a warrior and walked over

the bridge."

"That was quite amusing," Erestor said and half laughed through his grin.

"I have another one," Glorfindel said, taking advantage of Erestor

feeling contrite for hurting him after his encounter with the

Ringwraiths. "The Chief Advisor of Imladris went to see the healer in

the healing rooms.

`You have to help me,' he said. `I hurt all over.'

He touched his right knee with his index finger and said, "Ow! That

hurts."

He touched his left cheek with his index finger and said, "Ow! That

hurts, too."

He touched his right earlobe with his index finger and said, "Ow! Even

that hurts."

The healer said he knew what the problem was. "Were you once a gifted,

intelligent warrior who lost his brain in an accident and had to

become a Chief Advisor?"

The Chief Advisor replied, "Yes."

The healer said, "You have a sprained finger." Glorfindel grinned as

he watched Erestor tittering against his will.

"You are so cheeky," Erestor said. "I demand another go."

"No," Glorfindel said and put his hand over Erestor's mouth. "I have

another one: Why does it take longer to build a Chief Advisor snow man

that a warrior one?"

"Because we are better dressed and don't look like twats?" Erestor

replied when Glorfindel uncovered his mouth.

"Wrong," Glorfindel grinned. "It is because when you build a Chief

Advisor snowman you have to hollow the head piece out because they do

not have a brain."

"That's it, I have had enough," Erestor said and pushed Glorfindel

down on the bed. "Open your legs."

"Not until you admit I am the winner," Glorfindel smirked and crossed

his ankles. "Admit I am the winner and you can have me all night."

"I don't want you all night. I only want you for the next half hour."

"Liar," Glorfindel grinned. "I am bloody hot and you can't keep your

hands off me. You are thinking, `I am so lucky to have a warrior,

especially that reborn one from Gondolin who has the long blond hair,

divine body and sparkling blue eyes'."

"You are lucky to have a Chief Advisor as your lover. Very few exist

on Middle-earth, especially ones with long, black, shining hair,

depthless azure eyes, creamy skin and perfect pink lips."

"You forgot the huge cock," Glorfindel said, becoming undone. He

reached his hand to Erestor's hardness and ran it along the length.

"If all Chief Advisors are this well endowed they do not need brains."

Erestor, in one quick move, pulled Glorfindel's legs apart and pushed

them up. He lay full on top of him and kissed his lips, his tongue

invading the warrior's mouth. He was pulled in closer by the one

underneath him and strong muscled arms held him tight.

Glorfindel raised his legs and stroked Erestor's back with his toes.

"Make love to me, Erestor," he breathed.

"Oh, yes, melethen," Erestor said as he licked and kissed Glorfindel's

ear and made his way down the soft, flushed skin, leaving small red

marks over his neck and chest that quickly faded. He licked and sucked

his way down to Glorfindel's hard cock and then he licked along its

full length.

Glorfindel groaned. Soft waves of sensation washed over his body as he

felt himself relaxing into the touch of the one who loved him the

most. Erestor could do as he pleased with him and the warrior

reflected that the dark haired elf knew this implicitly. So warm was

Erestor's mouth on his arousal, contrasting with the gentle coolness

that washed over Glorfindel's upper body from the slightly open window

on the other side of the room. He shuddered and with hardly a sound he

came.

Through half-lidded eyes, Glorfindel watched as Erestor oiled himself.

He knew what was coming next and the thought filled him with a

delightful anticipation, one so enjoyable that it became an essential

part of the act itself. Sometimes Glorfindel wondered if this was his

favourite part, the expectation and sudden relief as Erestor's

hardness slid smoothly inside him.

"Melethen," Glorfindel said, hardly able to talk, so overwhelmed was

he. His fingers brushed the smiling lips and threaded through the

long, dark hair. "Melethen," he said again.

Erestor said nothing. He was fully inside and he closed his eyes and

smiled as his lover's fingers brushed his lips. So tight and warm; how

blessed of the Valar he was to have one so golden and divine. Leaning

forward he kissed the soft, pink lips and drowned in the scent of his

only one.

"I love you," Erestor said as he gave his first thrust. Glorfindel

breathed deeply and smiled. He was where he wanted to be, and like all

warriors he knew the value of love and the safeguarding of those dear

to him. It was a rare occurrence when a warrior could feel that his

own safety was looked after by his lover. The warriors tended to be

the ones who did all of the protecting of their loved ones and so

Glorfindel knew he was in a very special position indeed.

"I am the winner. I have you," Glorfindel said, his eyes full of love

for the one above him. He appealed to Erestor's vanity and yet he was

sincere. Erestor agreed that Glorfindel was the winner indeed for

having him and the warrior gave a sly smile.

Erestor stopped thrusting and looked at his lover. "That does not make

you the winner; that was for the best joke I believe."

"No," Glorfindel said and grinned. "It went beyond that. I said to

you, `Admit I am the winner and you can have me all night', and you

replied that you only wanted me for the next half hour. Then I said,

`I am the winner,' which was a whole sentence and meant the winner in

everything, and I followed it with another separate sentence in which

I said, `I have you'. You agreed, because obviously your fine

legalistic mind let you down, you are a Chief Advisor after all so you

probably cannot help it, and you failed to hear the full stop and

thought I had used a semi colon instead. You fell for the two separate

sentences seeming to be joined trick. I have used it on orcs; it is

always successful. Therefore, I am the winner." Glorfindel knew his

logic was faulty but he also knew that Erestor was torn between his

need for sex, which was mounting as they argued, and his need to work

out the argument. He crossed his fingers, hoping that Erestor would

agree so that he could continue with their pleasure.

"I don't think you are the winner," Erestor said pensively, and gave a

couple of mini-thrusts to stop his arousal from softening. "I think

you are pulling a fast one."

"Undoubtedly I am," Glorfindel agreed. "But if you examine what I have

just said, you will see that I am perfectly right. Indeed the premise

was removed when I asked you to admit I was the winner."

"How so?" Erestor argued.

"Because I did not say, `admit I am the winner of the joke'. "I said,

`admit I am the winner', only. Whether I told the best joke or not, I

am still the winner because you agreed just now that I was."

"But I thought you meant the winner of the joke. Anyone would think that."

"Meleth," Glorfindel said, his sultry eyes smiling at his lover. "You

have often, quite brilliantly, argued on a piece of wording according

to punctuation and dismissed perceived meaning as not to be taken for

granted, haven't you?"

At that point Erestor knew he was beaten. "You would make a good Chief

Advisor," he smirked. "Now, as you have unwittingly agreed that I am

ultra intelligent and I am also a Chief Advisor, I would say the jokes

you told about me are invalid. Wouldn't you?"

"It doesn't mean that they do not count. I was merely teasing you to

force a reaction. The whole nature of a joke is that they are never

based in fact." Glorfindel ran his hands down Erestor's back down to

his hard muscled buttocks. "Keep pushing, meleth."

The Chief Advisor was not to be deterred. "Ha! In your jokes you made

much play of warriors being more intelligent than Chief Advisors. By

your own words, in which you said that a joke is not based in fact,

you have revealed that warriors are not very bright at all."

"I care not," Glorfindel said, his voice heavy with desire. "All I

know is that I am the winner. I also know that I saved elven kind from

Sauron today because his Black Riders failed to get the ring. That

makes me a super mega winner, and you know it. I am also a winner

because I have you and your love. Now start fucking my arse."

Erestor studied Glorfindel's face for a moment. "I still feel as

though you tricked me," he said.

"Meleth, I learnt off a master of trickery. You should be pleased that

I paid such close attention to you," Glorfindel smiled. "Now, make

love to me or else I will go on top."

"That will never happen," Erestor smirked.

"Come, meleth," Glorfindel said softly. He pulled Erestor down for a

kiss. "I love you and now is the time to stop talking and adore one

another. All the time I was away I thought of you and how you would

make me feel when I came back. I have missed you so very much."

"I missed you," Erestor said and kissed Glorfindel again. "Meleth, we

are both winners."

"Of course," Glorfindel said and stroked Erestor's shoulder. "We have

each other."

Erestor thrust again and Glorfindel sighed. He gave a lazy smile to

the one above him and stroked his powerful, well defined muscles.

Shudders of almost unbearable feeling rippled through Erestor and he

lowered his head to kiss his lover. The precious feeling of the

transient union of their bodies made their act of love more special.

There was nowhere that remained unstroked and bereft of sensation, as

they joined together in expressing their love. Both felt the familiar

tightness in their bellies as Erestor took hold of Glorfindel's hard

cock and pumped it until they both came. Their orgasm was individual

and yet it was shared. The closer union of two fëa merging together

then splitting apart took them to the nowhere land of bliss that only

exists for a few minutes but was worth everything on Middle-earth to

achieve with the one they loved.

The two elves looked at one another as they came down from their joy.

"You make me so happy," Glorfindel said, his eyes fondly regarding the

only elf he had ever loved.

"There is no happiness without you," Erestor replied, stroking

Glorfindel's cheek and looking at him, his eyes shining with contentment.

~~~~*~~~~

Several days later, Erestor sat beside Glorfindel at the Ring Council.

Frodo was recovered and the other Halflings looked none the worse for

their ordeal.

Erestor did not have to mention placing the One Ring with Tom Bombadil

because Elrond mentioned it first. "You are not off the hook,"

Glorfindel whispered. "I am the winner so I say you must argue for it,

which is part of suggesting Tom Bombadil after all."

Erestor argued for Tom Bombadil and could not believe that he was

considered seriously as an option. His felt self conscious, as he knew

how ridiculous it was that he should argue in favour of one who would

not know the value of the ring nor understand why he should safeguard

it. The fact that Glorfindel disagreed, and was enjoying every moment

of it, irked him beyond belief. His lover had taken much enjoyment out

of deriding the idea as being of no use and worthless, and it piqued

Erestor, even though he knew that he would have done the very same to

Glorfindel if their positions had been reversed. He sat for the rest

of the Council guiding the argument but proposing nothing, as a wise

Chief Advisor should.

The Council ended just after the noon day bell. "Time for lunch,"

Glorfindel said happily. "Come on Erestor, let's go and eat. I must

say, it feels good being a winner."

This was too much for the dark-haired elf. He would bide his time and

think up a new contest that evening, where his lover would lose and be

forced to do the most humiliating things in public, just as he had

done before.

"What are you thinking?" Glorfindel asked as he watched Erestor

cutting into a slice of roast beef.

Erestor looked up from his imaginings and smiled pleasantly, putting

Glorfindel completely at ease. "Nothing," he replied and continued to

cut his meat.

END