Glorfindel seemed to be a serious elf who put duty well above personal
comforts and friendly interaction with other elves. Some said he was
married to his job and others said that probably he was shy of
personal contact or did not know how to interact with others on a
friendly basis. He was stiff and formal, a brilliant strategist, an
excellent organiser, skilled with all weapons, forceful and strong
with a rare beauty and above all he was lonely. The blond warrior had
arrived in Imladris several months before and had turned the adequate
army into an awesome force and for the first time in years orcs began
to look dispirited and they shied away from confrontation as they knew
they could not win against Glorfindel's army of highly skilled and
organised warriors. Attacks on the realm became almost non existent
and the elves enjoyed a period of unequalled peace. The warriors held
their Captain in high regard but none could ever break his seemingly
impenetrable exterior or catch him off guard.

Because of Glorfindel's fine qualities he was a target of much good
natured teasing from Erestor the Chief Counsellor who had a finely
ironic sense of humour. He was also endowed with a rare beauty and was
the diametric opposite of the golden warrior. Glorfindel had blond
hair, intense blue eyes, pink lips and golden tanned skin whereas
Erestor was as pale and luminous as the starlight in a clear sky, had
brown eyes, cherry lips and hair darker than the most hidden places of
the night. Each was fascinated by the other and so the serious and
quiet warrior and the gregarious and joyful counsellor sought one
another in their hearts and fëar as between them they would make a
whole. It was a pity that their hearts and fëar did not let their
owners know of their longings and so the day to day life of both
continued as it always did with each unaware of the feelings of the other.

Just before Yule Elrond and Erestor were discussing the seating
arrangements for the main meal in the Lord's office next door to the
library. Glorfindel was passing and heard his name clearly mentioned.
Normally Glorfindel was not an elf to eavesdrop but he felt the
irresistible urge that anyone would when it seems they are the subject
of conversation.

"I hope Glorfindel does not insist on a guard around the room during
the feast like he does during the evening meal." Erestor said to
Elrond whilst sipping delicately from his cup of hot tea.

"I hope so too. I understand his reticence about letting his guard
drop, but for one day, when I know that a blizzard will be raging,
would surely not harm?" Elrond poured more tea; it would be his third cup.

"You have planned a blizzard for Yule day? How very festive." Erestor
grinned and took a thin biscuit coated with pink sugar crystals.

"I am informed that Glorfindel may not have ever seen snow before so I
think it would be nice to see his face when he does." Elrond smiled
and took an elegant, noiseless sip of tea.

"I doubt very much that he will let his mask slip. Even if he enjoys
it we will never know." Erestor took another biscuit. "How do they
make the pink sugar for the biscuits, Elrond?"

"No idea, ask the cook." Elrond took one of the biscuits, examined it
and put it back down. "Where is Glorfindel sitting?"

"Next to me, I hope to engage him in conversation." Erestor giggled.

"I don't know if that is possible." Elrond laughed. "Maybe he doesn't
talk much because he has nothing to say."

"Well I find him fascinating." Erestor then lowered his voice as if
revealing a secret conspiracy to his lord. "The more I see him, the
more attracted I am to him."

Glorfindel's sharp ears heard everything and he allowed himself a rare
smile. So Erestor was attracted to him and did not know that the blond
warrior now knew this. He had been the attention of many elves of both
sexes who would willingly be a bed partner and hopefully more, but the
counsellor had never shown any inclination in that direction.
Glorfindel was no fool however; he knew that teasing could also be a
form of endearment or flirting even, especially if it was not harmful.
The counsellor did not cause him to consider that he had been slighted
whenever he was teased and so he now considered that in fact Erestor
had been trying to provoke a friendly or playful reaction.

The day of the Yule feast arrived and everyone including Glorfindel
and his guard contingent of warriors sat down to dinner. The snow was
falling thickly and settling in deep drifts. The forest was silent and
the air still and cold.

"The snow is beautiful is it not?" Erestor said to Glorfindel who sat
next to him at dinner.

"Snow is always beautiful until it melts and becomes dangerous."
Glorfindel gave a small smile to the counsellor that was seen only by him.

"Then let's hope that neither of us goes out in it and falls over,"
Erestor smiled and fluttered his long and well defined eyelashes.

"I would hope you wouldn't counsellor, not unless there was someone to
catch you." Glorfindel looked directly into Erestor's eyes and he
shivered at the small sensations that stirred in the core of his being.

Dinner continued with mild flirting and both elves found themselves
increasingly drawn into the being of the other. No conversation
existed save for that of each other and the longing increased to an
urgent level.

After the feast the tables were rearranged into smaller groups so that
the entertainments could begin. Erestor sat in his usual place with
Elrond and his family, and Glorfindel sat beside him. They watched
magic shows, dances, a pantomime and a mystery play; finally Lindir
sang the Yule hymn and all joined in. The evening was at an end and
the crowds gradually dispersed. Several of the elves engaged Erestor
in conversation afterwards and one even handed a sprig of mistletoe to
the counsellor and invited him for a kiss. Erestor refused laughing
and told them that there was only one elf he would want to kiss under
the mistletoe that night. They were not told his identity but all had
a good idea who the particular elf might be. Erestor kept the
mistletoe at the urging of his friend who wished him luck.

The counsellor tied the mistletoe to his waist and his mouth widened
in the naughtiest of grins. Where was Glorfindel he wondered? He
looked around but could not see him. Oh well! He had probably gone to
bed. The snow outside looked enticing and so Erestor made his way over
to the balcony doors to go outside to breathe in the cold air to clear
his head and to enjoy the private beauty of the quiet snow scene of
the Imladris gardens.

The cold air was still, and Erestor imagined all the animals asleep in
their shelters within the forest. Nothing stirred, not even a bird
flew overhead. Erestor suddenly felt very alone and cold and tired.
Warmth spread throughout his being as he was embraced from behind and
a thick warrior cloak extended to wrap around his body as well as that
of his occupant.

"If you fall I am here to catch you." The softest of whispers embraced
the counsellor's ear.

"Then I must make sure I fall because I need you to catch me." Erestor
breathed with eyes shut.

Glorfindel spun the counsellor round to face him and kissed him with a
wild passion that totally belied his serious nature. "You undo me
Erestor." His eyes blazed and once again he pressed his soft lips to
the counsellor's mouth and kissed him.

For a long while they stood kissing and touching one another; their
explorations growing more intense and urgent until their hearts and
fëar revealed the timeless pull that would forever be a part of them.
They reached a natural pause and held one another close. Glorfindel
could feel the hardness of the dark haired elf and rubbed his own
against it which made Erestor groan. He looked down and noticed the
mistletoe.

"Erestor, why have you mistletoe fixed to your waist?" the warrior
grinned and looked questioningly at his soon to be lover.

"I had hoped you would kiss me under it." The counsellor gave a sly
grin and sighed with pleasure as Glorfindel squatted down to below the
mistletoe and kissed against the hardness of Erestor's arousal.

"Now you undo me." The dark haired elf gasped.

Glorfindel stood and embraced the beautiful dark elf before him. "You
will be, from tonight, my lover for all time." He stroked a hand round
the back of Erestor's neck and held him still as he kissed him again.

The counsellor's body went limp and the warrior held him tight. "I am
falling; how could I not?"

Erestor's heart beat swiftly and shocks of pleasure coursed through
him as he looked into the timeless eyes of his love and realised that
his soul mate would always hold him and would never let him go. The
two opposites melded as one and became a whole on the snow covered
balcony, in the seclusion of the cold, still night where nothing
stirred and all was silent.

END

fëar: souls