Title: The Root of All Evil
Author: Zhie
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Glorfindel/Erestor
Not-quite-Betas: The DreamElf crew. You know who you are, and
sadly, the check isn't in the mail.
Disclaimer: I don't own them. But, with the sounds that come from
here, it's more and more difficult to convince the neighbors
otherwise.
Summary: All Glorfindel wants to know is someone's name. Is that so
difficult?
Warnings: Bondage, discipline, figging, and anything else I can
think of. It's SMUT, people.
Author Notes: Written for Book of Nicodemus for the `Asses of Fire'
challenge. Love ya, Booky! Told you I'd remember to do this
eventually... Thanks to Kath for the title, without which, it would
remain nameless.
Archived prettily at: http://pounce.dreamelf.com



"Three days. Three whole days." Glorfindel slapped his riding crop
against the palm of his hand with each word. "I have chased you
through the house-"

- CRACK! -

"-hunted you in the valley-"

- CRACK! -

"-and tracked you in the forest."

- CRACK! -

Glorfindel stopped, turning on his heel. "Now, I have very little
patience left. We can do this the easy way," he drawled, running
the edge of his crop over the smooth cheek of the elf who he held as
his defiant captive, "or the hard way." Another crack sounded as
the crop hit Glorfindel's palm.

"Now. Obviously, you're a reasonable elf. It's quite simple. Tell
me what I want to know." He stepped forward, his nose nearly
brushing against his opponent's. "What... is... your... name?"

Arms stretched high over his head, Glorfindel's prey was captured at
the wrists by steel cuffs that were clamped by chains to the
ceiling, while his legs were spread apart with a metal bar that was
attached on either end to one of his feet. The bar had seemed
perhaps overkill, but considering he had been kicked twice in the
head before being able to subdue his captor, Glorfindel wasn't
taking any chances.

Despite being bound in the depths of the Homely House, several
levels below the main floor, the prisoner didn't so much as flinch
as Glorfindel's boots clacked against the cold brick floor. His
eyes were set on some point ahead of him and his mouth was drawn in
a tight, thin line. As Glorfindel circled around again, he repeated
his question. "What is your name, penneth? Tell me, and you may
leave. Anger me further with your silence, and you will not enjoy
the outcome."

It was quiet once more, but only until Glorfindel's wrist flicked
and swished, breaking the restless peace six times before he
paused. "I will only ask you once more. Then I shall save my
breath for other things. But you will tell me. What is your name?"

The captured elf took a deep breath, lifting his head up in
defiance, his new focus on the ceiling now. Drawing away with a
growl, Glorfindel slashed through the air, missing his mark a few
times as he took out his fury on the back of his prisoner. It was a
common test to use upon the new spies who would work with the
Imladrin guard: To break them using any means possible. This one
was more stubborn than Glorfindel could have imagined. Rarely did
any of them reveal whatever secret it was they had been given, but
this particular recruit had led the chase two days longer than any
in the past. He had also fought to the last moments that he could -
even as Glorfindel's hand was clamped over his nose and mouth with a
rag soaked in an anesthetic liquid, he had clawed and scratched and
even bitten the golden-haired elda.

Glorfindel paused to check the wound on his hand. The flesh between
his thumb and palm were still swollen. Throwing the riding crop to
the ground, he walked over to wall where various torturous looking
devices were arranged from ceiling to floor. He was under strict
orders not to use them, never to use them - they were acquired from
orcs or men or others, and kept here as a reminder, that they, the
elves, were not what the other races were. Still, walking from one
to the next, lifting something from the wall and turning it in his
hands, had in the past caused more than one recruit to whimper or
cringe.

Again, there was some sort of indifference. Maybe he could tell
Glorfindel was merely bluffing. Perhaps he knew, perhaps he had
been told, that the only thing Glorfindel could use against him was
the riding crop. Or, he was just that determined or loyal to keep
his mouth shut. Glorfindel narrowed his eyes and returned to the
elf he felt was making a mockery of him, striking him with the back
of his hand. "I will go through each and every one of the items on
the wall if I have to," he said, yanking the chin of the elf around,
making sure he paid attention. "There are things I can do to you,
not to you physically, things I can do to your mind that will cause
you to beg me to listen to what you know." There was a sudden
flicker, and Glorfindel thought perhaps he had found it, found what
would break this one. "The mind is a fickle thing. A dangerous
thing."

"Time!" The door flew open, and Elrond's general entered. Head of
both the army and the cavalry, and overseer of the secret
intelligence group. There was a good reason Elrond remained as
knowledgeable about the times as he did. With the most organized
and largest network of spies within his realm and traveling through
the rest of Middle-earth, he knew more about some kingdoms than
those who ran them did.

Everything was coordinated by a single elf. Lord Erestor dropped
his cape at the door and proceeded into the room shaking his
head. "Captain, I am... shamed by your lack of sensibility. Or was
it overconfidence, that you could overtake one you yourself had not
trained? Whatever the reason, stay, I will have words with you."
As he spoke, he drew a key from his pocket and reached up to free
the imprisoned elf, whose face softened now, weariness showing at
three days without rest. "I commend you, Lindir of Mithlond. You
will be a fine addition to our ranks. Cirdan spoke with me that you
are a musician; I hope we may employ you within the house, to keep
up apprised of the activity in the halls. More we shall talk of
this tomorrow. Antoneth!"

A guard entered from the doorway just as the final lock on the leg
restraints sprang open. "Take Lindir to his chambers and call for
someone to bathe him. Be sure he is given plenty of water before he
takes rest." The guard nodded and aided Lindir in leaving the
room. The door was promptly shut and locked.

"To say I am disappointed is a grave understatement. I expect you
to do much, much better next time." Erestor had unfastened the
clasps of his tunic and was working on the buttons of his shirt, his
eyes on the elf whose head was downcast as he spoke. "First of all,
you know better. I should have stopped you earlier, when you were
simply beating him. I was about to when you drew blood, for your
sake you had enough sense to stop at that point. You're going to
have to work with him, Glorfindel, I need not worry that he might
retaliate against you for something as stupid as this!"

"If you don't expect anyone to use it," snarled Glorfindel, finally
looking up, "then perhaps you shouldn't give us those bloody riding
crops."

"You are supposed to use it, but you are not supposed to abuse it."
Erestor shrugged out of his shirt, dropping it atop his cloak. "It
is obvious you need to be retrained," he added, picking up the crop
from the floor. "Strip," he said, drawing a cloth from his pocket
to wipe off the riding crop. His eyes glanced over to the stunned
elf who was standing still. "Strip, Glorfindel. Take off your
clothes. That's an order."

- - -

As Glorfindel's hands were restrained and then hoisted above his
head, Erestor continued his speech. "I have my doubts that this is
worth it. The next time we have another recruit, what then? Will
you heed my instruction, or will you take out your frustration on
them, having pent it up from this night on?" Erestor stepped
silently around Glorfindel, having removed his boots. "I know that
you have very little time left after you caught him," acknowledged
the General. "Therefore, I will spend only that amount of time with
you. Twenty-two minutes; we'll make it fifteen because I don't have
a seven-minute timer." On one of the tables, Erestor had placed a
timekeeper, and flipped it over. As the sand began to creep through
the tiny connection between the two ends, Erestor briskly walked
back to Glorfindel.

His strokes were well-placed, hitting Glorfindel without
warning. "Brute- force- isn't always- going- to get- you what- you
want," he shouted at Glorfindel as the crop slapped against bare
skin. A few more lashes fell before Erestor suddenly seemed to
appear in front of Glorfindel. He used the crop to lift his chin,
and Glorfindel turned his head away from him. Using the crop to
slap him across the cheek, Erestor repeated his former action,
looking Glorfindel right in the eyes. "What are you feeling?"

Again, Glorfindel turned away, snorting his dissention. "I'll tell
you what you're feeling. Defiance. Anger. Maybe even hate," mused
Erestor, leading Glorfindel's head back with the crop. "But not
fear," he said in a quieter voice. "The rest of your emotions are
too great for that. You were angry with Lindir at the onset- yes,
the word you were looking for was Lindir, I see how much you are
loathing that name right now. He upset you, so you sought revenge.
Personal revenge against him. You still had more than enough time
to complete your task, and instead, you disobeyed my order and took
out your frustration on my trainee." Erestor looked away, but even
from the obscured view Glorfindel had, his disappointment was
obvious. "In part I blame myself for assuming I would not deal with
this from you."

Erestor disappeared then, walking soundlessly around Glorfindel.
The blond's body tensed in expectation of the next stroke, but it
did not come. He heard some sort of scratching and scraping sound,
but could not place it and shifted uneasily. Without warning, the
crop cut through the air and hit across his shoulder. The
unexpected force would have caused his knees to give way, but his
suspension from the ceiling left him disoriented as the crop made
contact again, across his back.

"You are impatient. You must learn to use the small amounts of time
you have in a wiser manner." There was again a long pause before
Glorfindel felt the bite and sting across his flesh, and though he
felt he was better prepared for it, he knew he had not been.
Erestor did not speak as he continued to surprise Glorfindel with
the timing and placement of his strikes. "Now, if I had twenty-two
minutes, I wouldn't have started with the crop- in fact, I don't
think I would have used it at all."

Drawing in his breath as a hiss, Glorfindel refused to flinch as
Erestor's fingers pressed against his nether entrance. His muscles
clenched instinctively as something hard and damp was worked slowly
into his body. Various bumps and ridges rubbed him as it sank
deeper within him, and he fought to keep his breathing steady,
concentrating on a point on the wall; perhaps the same one Lindir
had focused upon earlier.

Again, Erestor suddenly appeared in front of him, and touched the
tip of his tongue to one of his fingers. "Hmm. Not a very potent
one," he said to himself with slight dismay, and then sat down on a
table, his legs dangling before him. "What I would have done," he
said reaching up to examine a particularly nasty looking whip made
of leather, ends barbed with spiked metal, "is made him slowly,
slowly... squirm."

Erestor hopped off of the desk, circled around Glorfindel so that he
was just out of his reach if he had wanted to trip him, and made
sure that he was heard leaving the room.

Glorfindel swallowed hard and moved his focus from the wall to the
timekeeper on the table. The grains of sand continued to move from
top to bottom with patient indifference. If he ignored what he
felt, if he could keep focused on the shifting of the sand, he
thought maybe he could spite Erestor. Show him that sometimes,
sometimes, this sort of thing was pointless.

Five minutes later, Glorfindel was making several fruitless attempts
to remove the ginger root from him, or himself from the root,
whichever, he wasn't particular. This began as a few simple shifts
in his weight that only seemed to lodge the spice further within
him. With a growl he tried to push it from his body, but somehow
Erestor had cut it so that it was held snuggly inside. His grunts
turned into whimpers as the burning sensation grew.

"You know, when you struggle, it makes it worse."

A lower growl came from Glorfindel. He craned his neck around to
see that Erestor was sitting on a chair behind him, having never
really left the room.

"Don't worry. You only have five more minutes."

Glorfindel looked back at the timekeeper that taunted him. He knew
he was a mess, panting and sweating and, as Erestor had promised,
squirming. His legs didn't quite agree to keeping straight, and
small noises of discomfort rose from the back of his throat now and
again. He barely cared that Erestor was standing before him yet
again, using the riding crop to prop up his head. "Would you like
to stop?" Erestor's sincerity didn't mask his underlying
sarcasm. "Just ask me to, and I will."

Clenching his teeth, Glorfindel looked again to the grains of sand
that slipped down the sides of the glass bell. Three minutes,
perhaps four, and he would be the one sneering at Erestor. He
gathered his resolve and planted his feet firmly. With a smile,
Erestor let the crop droop down, tracing a bead of sweat that had
run from Glorfindel's neck down his chest and to his thigh. With a
smack, it was obliterated from the blond's skin, a thin stripe left
across his leg. Erestor moved around behind him.

Two minutes remaining, or less. The sand retreated faster and
faster, giving Glorfindel some hope that his time was nearly up. He
howled and closed his eyes, fisting his hands around the chains
above. "Oh, sorry, did I disturb you?" Erestor gave the root
another twist, this time causing Glorfindel's eyes to water. "I was
just trying to remove this, and it seems stuck. Maybe it's best to
leave it be," he said, pushing it in further.

"No! Erestor, please." Glorfindel hung his head shamefully as the
words left his lips.

Before the final granules had hit the pile of sand in the bottom of
the timer, the ginger root had been set aside on the same table.
The shackles in which Glorfindel had been held captive were
unlocked, and he was led to the chair Erestor had been sitting in.
As he leaned back, he already felt the burn diminishing. Erestor
looked down at him and said, "I've made my point."

Glorfindel took time to catch his breath as Erestor walked back
across the room. When he returned, he held the timer in one hand
and the key to the restraints in the other. Both were extended to
Glorfindel.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lindir had been determined, body tense. Glorfindel had been angry,
muscles tight. The third elf to be restrained in the room that
night exuded calm in an unnerving manner. From the point when
Glorfindel had first grabbed his wrist and yanked him to the center
of the room, Erestor had been passive, practically submissive. More
indifferent than anything else, really. It was likely his
expression would be the same whether Glorfindel had decided to leave
the room or do as he had.

The riding crop was held between Glorfindel's hands as he narrowed
his eyes, watching Erestor flex his hands and adjust to a better
footing, all rather languidly. "You disgust me sometimes."
Glorfindel broke the crop over his knee and threw it to the floor.
His feet took him around the edges of the room, hands fingering the
contraband weapons. "I should use this instead. Bet you wouldn't
be so cocky then, not knowing how the falling strokes will feel on
your skin."

Erestor managed to keep his expression neutral, but his breathing
quickened. "Go ahead," he challenged as Glorfindel lifted a hollow
pole from where it rested over a pair of spikes in the wall. The
captain examined the one end of it, with slits up halfway, and
tested it by smacking it against his open palm. Frowning with the
results, he put it back. "What, afraid you'll hurt me?" Erestor
licked his lips as Glorfindel paused as he came to a whip with a
short handle and many strings of leather hanging from one end,
knotted here and again. His intake of air was sharp as Glorindel
lifted it from the wall.

Glorfindel walked slowly to Erestor, fingering the lengths of
leather. He stopped, and smirked. "Not really." The lashes fell
in a slicing motion across Erestor's bare chest, marks of red bright
on alabaster flesh. Glorfindel waited until Erestor opened his eyes
again before walking around behind him. "Are you?"

"You wish." His words were lost as the whip flew over his shoulder,
then the other, and back and forth behind him. Glorfindel paused
only to catch his own breath before repeating his actions. "You...
disappoint me..." Erestor managed after the third set, which left
Glorfindel panting and grasping for the chair behind him. "Thought
you. more creative. than this."

He had been about to sit down, but instead, Glorfindel threw the
whip to the floor and stalked over to Erestor with a growl. "I
really, really hate it when you're so damned condescending. And in
chains, no less," he spat, waving toward the ceiling with one hand
as he paced furiously around Erestor. "I hate it."

"Get used to it, Glorfindel. I don't give a damn what you did in
Gondolin - this is my house you're in now."

Glorfindel laughed bitterly, shaking his head as he looked into
Erestor's defiant eyes. "You might be my lord in the morning, but
until we leave this room, I will decide who is master." He took
hold of Erestor's leggings, yanking them down to his feet.

"Ah, yes. Well, in that position-" began Erestor as he looked down
at the top of Glorfindel's head, but the blond was up in a flash and
slapped Erestor across the face.

"Shut up. Not another word unless I say so." Glorfindel crouched
back down, removing Erestor's leggings the rest of the way before
discarding them near the door. From a crate he retrieved a long
length of strong rope and surveyed the ceiling, spying a support
that crossed the room overhead.

One end of the rope was tied around one of Erestor's ankles as he
watched on with a great amount of curiosity. With his eyes still
following it, the free end was thrown up over the support beam and
caught by Glorfindel. Moments and a few tugs later, Erestor was
fairly off-balance, with three of four limbs in the air and the
other dangling off the ground.

Glorfindel threw the rope overhead again, securing Erestor's left
leg, before lifting the right one up to position it equal to the
left before tying the rope around the second ankle. He stepped
back, eyeing up his work before meandering to the mechanics that
worked the pulleys above for the chains. Erestor's arms were
lowered so that he was suspended in air with his body parallel to
the floor. Glorfindel strolled over, still naked from earlier, and
steadied Erestor's head by threading his fingers through midnight
hair and giving a twist. "Bite me, and I'll hack it all off, he
said, giving Erestor's hair a yank before more gently pulling his
head back.

Little time was given for Erestor to adjust to having Glorfindel's
hardening shaft in his mouth, pressing ever further as Glorfindel
rocked his hips, setting the pace. Deeper still, when Glorfindel's
free arm stretch forward over Erestor's body, rubbing against the
fading yet raised reminders of what had happened earlier. Two
fingers had been wetted in the blond's mouth, and probed at
Erestor's unobstructed opening before breaching him. A silent
scream was muffled, and Glorfindel pressed deeper.

"Mmpphh Phhhnnn!"

"Should have thought about that before you pissed me off."

"Mmhhh Mmmnnn Mmmmhhh."

"I love you, too, but I'm still damned upset," grunted
Glorfindel. "Mind your teeth," he added.

"Mmmrrhhh Mmmhhh Mhhhhnnnggghh?"

"Bite me, and I suppose you'll find out if I was or not." Beginning
to get a cramp in his legs from stretching so far forward,
Glorfindel slowly removed his fingers from Erestor, which earned him
a sound of frustration, before taking one and then two slow steps
backwards. The hand that gripped Erestor's hair loosened, until he
was petting the darker elf's head. "I'm still really fucking pissed
at you."

Reaching for the latch to release the mechanism that kept Erestor's
arms suspended, Glorfindel changed his mind. Instead, he slowly
began to turn the crank, causing Erestor's arms to rise up until he
was a bit more stretched, in something of a seated position except
that his feet were still splayed out and above the ground and his
arms were up above his head. "I really don't think you understand
how upset you made me."

He made no move to prepare Erestor further than he already had as he
came forward, and simply took hold of the dark one's hips and thrust
right into him. Holding onto Erestor's hips, Glorfindel merely
stood in one spot as he slid Erestor on and off, pulling him hard
against him. Practically weightless from the restraints and unable
to struggle, Erestor whimpered as he was filled over and over again,
and in between thrusts, begging to be.

Glorfindel's release came hard and fast, after which he stepped
back. In the shadows on the floor, his essence had formed a small
puddle, and continued to drip down as it slid off of Erestor's
elevated thighs. "You're just... fucking lucky I love you,"
Glorfindel admitted as he wiped the cream from his drooping length
and stepped back to where he had been. Wrapping his hand around
Erestor, he stroked the pleading elf while the fingers of his other
hand reentered him.

Erestor's cries rang through the room, but did not penetrate the
walls. Glorfindel wiped his hand along Erestor's hip, leaving a
thick, white trail in his wake. He then released the dark elf from
his bonds slowly, first his feet and then his wrists, every now and
again landing a firm smack across his rear, a nip on his neck, or a
twist of a nipple. Panting hard and well spent, Erestor could do no
more than answer in small moans and grunts.

Helping Erestor to the chair, Glorfindel collected what they had
brought with them, mostly their clothing, and then took the cape
Erestor has brought in, wrapping it around the drained elf before
gathering him up into his arms. "Home?"

"Please," mumbled Erestor, which was followed by, "Don't be mad at
me. I hate having to punish you."

"Hush, just wait until I get us through the hall." Glorfindel was
mindful of his load as he opened the door and slid out into the
outer chamber. Most of the torches had gone out, leaving a faint
path back to the stairs which would lead up into the house. "When
we get to our room," he said in a hushed voice as he followed the
corridor. Erestor nodded against him.

- - -

It wasn't until after a candlelit bath and a few bites to eat that
Erestor was curled up in bed, surrounded by a light yet fluffy
blanket. "Rest. I will return. There is someone I must see,"
whispered Glorfindel as he entered the bedroom from the kitchen
after having cleaned up from their meal. When he heard the snoring
of his lover, he simply smiled and went to the door, shutting it
gently behind him after he left.

END