Title: Broken Vow
Author: Vesta
Pairing: Glorfindel/Erestor implied, Glorfindel/Other implied
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Angst
Disclaimer: Not mine. Song is Broken Vow by Josh Groban. It's not
mine either.
Warnings: Character Death
A/N: Blame this all on Anestel. HE is the one that introduced me to
Josh Groban, so yeah, blame him.


Tell me his name
I want to know
The way he looks
And where you go
I need to see his face
I need to understand
Why you and I came to an end

Erestor stepped out onto the balcony of their rooms and wrapped his
sleeping robe tightly around him. He shivered in the cool brisk
autumn wind and wrapped his arms around his waist. He watched as
his husband made ready to leave once more for a two week patrol.
Tears filling his eyes when blue orbs looked up at him and then
lowered before his husband turned away. Golden hair whipped in the
wind as his husband called for the mount up. He watched as the
golden warrior turned his horse and led his troops out to the
borders.

Tell me again
I want to hear
Who broke my faith in all these years
Who lays with you at night
While I'm here all alone
Remembering when I was your own

Erestor watched until he could see them no longer, tears streaming
down his face. He made his way back into their rooms shivering.
Remembering.
That morning he had been woken up when Glorfindel had come in to
make ready for his patrol. The warrior had said not a word to him
as he quickly packed his rucksack, bathed and then dressed. Erestor
had come up behind him while he was brushing his hair and taken the
brush from him. His sad black eyes had met Glorfindel's in the
mirror and he had smiled softly. Glorfindel had smiled softly
back. He quickly plaited in the warrior braids and Glorfindel had
simply nodded, stood and grabbed his pack. Then left. Not a single
word spoken between them. Not a single word for several years now.

I let you go
I let you fly
Why do I keep on asking why
I let you go
Now that I found
A way to keep somehow
More than a broken vow

They had been married for over a century. Very happily married.
There was ever just one thing between them. Erestor had never been
able to say those three words that would have meant the world to
Glorfindel. He could not bring himself to say them, so he did the
best thing he knew how. He showed him. Every day he had showed
him. And then it had started to slowly tear them apart.

Tell me the words I never said
Show me the tears you never shed
Give me the touch
The one you promised to be mine
Or has it vanished for all time

Glorfindel started to stay out late, drinking and laughing in the
Hall of Fire. Coming to their rooms after Erestor had already
fallen into reverie. He would fall to sleep alone, but wake up to
being in his husbands arms. They would make love slowly and then
Glorfindel would be gone again until he woke up the next morning
once more in his arms. Then on occasion, he would feel Glorfindel
rise before he thought Erestor awake and leave. And Erestor would
cry bitter tears. They stopped talking as often. They no longer
spent quiet evenings alone just talking.

I let you go
I let you fly
Why do I keep on asking why
I let you go
Now that I found
A way to keep somehow
More than a broken vow

Then when Glorfindel stopped coming to their rooms at night all
together, Erestor's heart broke even more. Yet he could stop all
this with three simple words. Three words he could not bring his
lips to speak. He could not blame Glorfindel and he knew not why he
could not do so, but he never expected the day he came to their
rooms to bathe. And smelled of sex. It was then that Erestor knew
he had lost him wholly. Yet, he could still not say the words. He
tried. Oh how he tried. Yet they could never come.

I close my eyes
And dream of you and I
And then I realize
There's more to love than only bitterness and lies
I close my eyes

It was time to let him go. To be free to be with his new love.
Erestor knew not who it was. He wished to know. He was not angry
with Glorfindel's new love, nor with Glorfindel. He just wished to
know who. He wanted to know that Glorfindel was truly happy with
his new love. He gasped thinking on this, clutching his chest at
the pain that suddenly arched through him. It was time. It was
time to stop the hurt and let his husband go. He dressed in
leggings, tunic and boots. He brushed his hair and left it down.
When he left his rooms, he made his way out into the courtyard and
to a path. A path that led to the woods. When he found his spot he
sat down and cried.

I'd give away my soul
To hold you once again
And never let this promise end

He cried out all the anguish and all the pain he felt. He cried for
his beloved golden warrior who he would never touch again. He cried
out for himself, cried out for all that he loved. He wept bitter
tears for the years lost and for words left unsaid. He lay himself
down and waited. Cried and waited for it to come.

I let you go
I let you fly
Now that I know I'm asking why
I let you go
Now that I found
A way to keep somehow
More than a broken vow

He felt arms go around him gently, pulling him up. Familiar feel,
familiar scent. He opened his eyes and looked into the sky. A sky
surrounded by sunlight. Worried blue eyes stared back down at him,
a frown marring the perfect features. He lifted a hand weakly to
the brow and gently wiped the frown away. Tears filled his eyes.

"I let you go Glorfindel."

He smiled softly as he continued to caress the beautiful face above
him.

"I love you."

He closed his eyes and was welcomed into the arms of Mandos.

The End