Fic: Any Good Thing (2/5), NC-17 Erestor/Glorfindel
Title: Any Good Thing 2
Sequel to: Seeing With The Heart
Author: Aglarien
Fandom: Lord of the Rings
Type: FCS
Characters: Erestor/Glorfindel
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: The Lord of the Rings universe is the sole property of the Tolkien estate. This story is written for enjoyment only and no profit is made. Only the cat and the Tanners mine.
Timeline: 2961 of the Third Age
Setting: Middle-Earth
Warnings: AU
Beta: Phyncke
Author's Notes: Written for Ardor in August 2011. These characters are the Erestor and Glorfindel from Seeing With The Heart, and the story takes place two years after those events. It is not necessary for you to have read that story first.
Request: Glorfindel/Erestor. I like fics where they are equals - I don't like meek Erestor; I like him to be strong. If you can include them having sword practice that would be a plus. Any kind of storyline is fine - nothing sad, though, only fluff or fun fics.
I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again. ~ Étienne De Grellet, 1773-1855
Chapter 2
Back in their room, Erestor fumed and fretted as loudly as his whispers would allow. “We are not leaving that child here, Glorfindel,” he finally said. “To leave her here with these people is to condemn her to an early grave.”
Glorfindel nodded. “I had thought of that as well.” While Erestor chose to pace the floor to accompany his fuming, Glorfindel simply sat on the bed. “Have you considered how we can get her out of here without creating an incident and having a horde of Men follow us into the Shire, wreaking mayhem? I fear every plan I’ve been able to think of ends in disaster in my head.”
“I suspect the landlord will allow us to purchase her, if we offer the right price. We will try that first,” Erestor replied. “She is obviously an indentured servant. If that doesn’t work, you knock him out and I’ll grab the girl.” The look on his face showed he was half serious.
Glorfindel’s eyes lit up. “Perfect! We combine the offer of silver with your negotiation skills.”
“The only problem is I cannot figure out what to do with her once we have successfully purchased her.” Erestor sighed and sat down next to Glorfindel on the bed.
“The first thing will be a bath,” Glorfindel said thoughtfully. “I think she has fleas.”
“Yes, I’m sure she does,” Erestor agreed. “She needs decent clothes instead of those threadbare rags she is wearing too.”
“How on Arda are we going to take care of a small girl?” Glorfindel asked. “It is not as if we have experience in such things.”
“I do not think it will be difficult,” Erestor replied. “We care for her just like any other in need we would stumble upon. We bathe her, clothe her in something clean, and make sure she is warm and has food to eat and water to drink. It’s what comes next that I am unsure of. We can hardly leave her in another settlement of Men and have her end up the same, but I am not sure it would be fair to her or fitting to bring her to Imladris. It would be best if she could grow up among her own kind.”
“Ah! Yes, that is perfect!” Glorfindel whispered excitedly. “Another settlement of men - brilliant, Erestor! Bree! We will pay another visit to the Tanners. I’ll warrant Mistress Tanner would be happy for the help and would take the child in!”
Robert the tanner was well known to the Elves of Imladris as the supplier of much of their leather goods, and his good wife and children were well known to Erestor and Glorfindel, for it was the Tanners who helped them two years ago when Erestor was hurt.
“Oh, that is a marvelous idea!” Erestor said.
“I suggest we simply tell them what happened and ask them to care for the child until she is grown,” Glorfindel replied. “Honestly, Erestor, do you see Mistress Alice refusing? Of course it would be right that we leave sufficient coin to provide for her clothing and such things as young girls need.”
Erestor chuckled. There was no way the generous and kind-hearted matron would refuse the waif and Brynn would probably be raised as Alice Tanner’s own. “It is settled then. Tomorrow morning we will approach the landlord with our sudden need of a child for a servant and ‘convince’ him to sell Brynn to us.”
Glorfindel pulled Erestor to him and held him close. “Then it is time for us to rest. We may need to be swift tomorrow.” He pressed his lips lightly to Erestor’s. “Sleep, Erestor. Sleep. We will fix this in the morning.”
Erestor rested his head on Glorfindel’s chest and listened to the measured cadence of his mate’s heart, trying to get the sight of the little waif out of his mind as his fingers curled themselves into Glorfindel’s hair.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When the Elves left their room in the morning, Brynn was already gone from her cupboard, but the blanket had been folded up as small as possible and pushed into the darkest corner for safekeeping. After inviting the landlord, Mr. Trumble, to join them at their table for their breakfast, Glorfindel made a point of effusively thanking the landlord for his hospitality, then launched right into purchasing food supplies and settling their bill.
Trumble was a stout, whiskered man of medium height and only average intelligence, and Erestor did not consider him a particular challenge. When a stack of copper and a bit of silver had crossed the table in payment of goods and services rendered, including a bag of dried fruits and vegetables, a couple loaves of bread, a round of cheese, and dried meats, Erestor said, “I would dearly love to have a servant to help us on the remainder of our journey. It’s so tedious having to do everything by one’s self. My good Sir, you do not perhaps have a servant that can be purchased? A stable lad? A spare cook? I fear we must purchase the person, however, for we will surely not be able to return it and one cannot possibly trust a servant to return on its own.”
The landlord’s eyes lit up in a momentary greedy glow before he managed to hide his interest. “Alas, good Sirs, I have no one I can spare. The inn is isolated, as you well know, and help is hard to find.”
“Oh, come, Sir host!” Erestor said. “Surely there must be someone for the right price! You must at least have a child that can be spared? What of that little dark-haired waif I spied in the kitchen last evening? She cannot be contributing much to the running of your inn but I warrant would be able to relieve at least a bit of our burden on the road.”
Trumble’s eyes gleamed cunningly, and Erestor could practically see the avarice reflected in them. “In a few years, she will more than pay for her keep and bring in other trade,” the landlord answered.
The bile rose in Erestor’s throat and he could feel Glorfindel tense alongside of him at the landlord’s suggestion. Erestor barked a laugh. “Surely those days are several years ahead of you and think of the trouble and cost of her upkeep until then. With the right price, you could barter for an earlier increase in your profits.”
“And what, good Sir, would you consider a right price?” the landlord asked.
Erestor looked to Glorfindel, and the golden-haired Elf laid two large silver pieces on the table. Trumble shook his head and two more large pieces of silver were added.
“Surely you can do better than that,” Trumble said. There was no harm in pushing a bit. It was will known that Elves had more of the wherewithal than men did - and Trumble had no doubt he was dealing with Elves, despite their attempt to hide their distinctive ears with their hair and hoods. They were too clean and their clothes were too well-made to be anything other than Elves.
Glorfindel slowly laid a gold piece with the other coins. His eyes met the innkeeper’s and the two stared at each other for a long moment.
“One more like that and she’s yours,” Trumble said in a low voice, hoping he wasn’t pushing too far. The first two silver pieces were more than the brat was worth.
Glorfindel hesitated, and instead of another gold piece, added a silver; one smaller than the others. “Take it - or we shall find a servant elsewhere,” he said, his whisper nearly menacing. They were going to leave with the child, but he was no fool and would not be taken for one from this man.
Knowing the Elves had reached the end of their patience with him, Trumble quickly scooped up the coin and shoved it into a pocket before standing and shouting, “Crowe! Bring that girl out here!”
The girl was quickly ushered out into the room by the man who had struck her the day before. Fear shone in her eyes at seeing the two men who had been so kind to her the night before with her master. Had her master somehow found out that she had taken a blanket from them?
“You go with these two now, girl, and do what they tell you. They’re your new masters now.” With those simple words, Trumble turned and left the room, taking Crowe with him, before the Elves could change their minds and ask for their money back.
Erestor bent down and whispered, “Quickly, Brynn, come upstairs with me before the landlord changes his mind. Get your blanket and what other things you own while I get our travel bags and Glorfindel takes our provisions and gets the horses. We are taking you with us, away from here.”
Brynn scurried up the stairs in front of Erestor, afraid to think about what was happening, afraid to hope. Not even in her dreams did she think she’d ever be able to leave her master. Reaching her cupboard on the third floor, she pulled the door open. Her new blanket was in the corner of the closet where she’d left it - it was all she owned, along with the clothes on her back. She carefully picked up the blanket, happy to see that her little friend was still asleep within its folds. The creature stirred and woke and she hid it within the blanket, whispering, “We’re leaving. Be good and keep quiet and don’t let anyone see you or they’ll take you away from me. The nice man who gave me some food and our new blanket last night is taking us away from here. I don’t know where we’re going, but I think it must be better than here.”
Erestor carried his traveling pack as well as Glorfindel’s, and called softly to Brynn to hurry as he left the room. Once more Brynn led the way down the stairs and they hurried through the inn and out to the yard where Glorfindel stood holding Asfaloth’s and Dulinn’s reins, the supplies they’d purchased already distributed between the two horses’ saddlebags. Once their packs were strapped onto the horses’ saddles, Erestor tried to take Brynn’s blanket, but she shook her head and held onto it tightly. Erestor acquiesced and simply picked up the girl and placed her on Dulinn before swinging onto the stallion behind her.
They headed off down the Great East Road, the horses moving at a brisk trot. “Have you had anything to eat today, Brynn?” Erestor asked. In his pocket, wrapped in a cloth, was food for Brynn he had set aside from breakfast.
“No, Sir.” Brynn shook her head and just then her stomach rumbled. She smiled when a piece of bread and slice of cheese were pressed down into the folds of the blanket she held firmly on her lap.
Tbc
Sequel to: Seeing With The Heart
Author: Aglarien
Fandom: Lord of the Rings
Type: FCS
Characters: Erestor/Glorfindel
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: The Lord of the Rings universe is the sole property of the Tolkien estate. This story is written for enjoyment only and no profit is made. Only the cat and the Tanners mine.
Timeline: 2961 of the Third Age
Setting: Middle-Earth
Warnings: AU
Beta: Phyncke
Author's Notes: Written for Ardor in August 2011. These characters are the Erestor and Glorfindel from Seeing With The Heart, and the story takes place two years after those events. It is not necessary for you to have read that story first.
Request: Glorfindel/Erestor. I like fics where they are equals - I don't like meek Erestor; I like him to be strong. If you can include them having sword practice that would be a plus. Any kind of storyline is fine - nothing sad, though, only fluff or fun fics.
I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again. ~ Étienne De Grellet, 1773-1855
Chapter 2
Back in their room, Erestor fumed and fretted as loudly as his whispers would allow. “We are not leaving that child here, Glorfindel,” he finally said. “To leave her here with these people is to condemn her to an early grave.”
Glorfindel nodded. “I had thought of that as well.” While Erestor chose to pace the floor to accompany his fuming, Glorfindel simply sat on the bed. “Have you considered how we can get her out of here without creating an incident and having a horde of Men follow us into the Shire, wreaking mayhem? I fear every plan I’ve been able to think of ends in disaster in my head.”
“I suspect the landlord will allow us to purchase her, if we offer the right price. We will try that first,” Erestor replied. “She is obviously an indentured servant. If that doesn’t work, you knock him out and I’ll grab the girl.” The look on his face showed he was half serious.
Glorfindel’s eyes lit up. “Perfect! We combine the offer of silver with your negotiation skills.”
“The only problem is I cannot figure out what to do with her once we have successfully purchased her.” Erestor sighed and sat down next to Glorfindel on the bed.
“The first thing will be a bath,” Glorfindel said thoughtfully. “I think she has fleas.”
“Yes, I’m sure she does,” Erestor agreed. “She needs decent clothes instead of those threadbare rags she is wearing too.”
“How on Arda are we going to take care of a small girl?” Glorfindel asked. “It is not as if we have experience in such things.”
“I do not think it will be difficult,” Erestor replied. “We care for her just like any other in need we would stumble upon. We bathe her, clothe her in something clean, and make sure she is warm and has food to eat and water to drink. It’s what comes next that I am unsure of. We can hardly leave her in another settlement of Men and have her end up the same, but I am not sure it would be fair to her or fitting to bring her to Imladris. It would be best if she could grow up among her own kind.”
“Ah! Yes, that is perfect!” Glorfindel whispered excitedly. “Another settlement of men - brilliant, Erestor! Bree! We will pay another visit to the Tanners. I’ll warrant Mistress Tanner would be happy for the help and would take the child in!”
Robert the tanner was well known to the Elves of Imladris as the supplier of much of their leather goods, and his good wife and children were well known to Erestor and Glorfindel, for it was the Tanners who helped them two years ago when Erestor was hurt.
“Oh, that is a marvelous idea!” Erestor said.
“I suggest we simply tell them what happened and ask them to care for the child until she is grown,” Glorfindel replied. “Honestly, Erestor, do you see Mistress Alice refusing? Of course it would be right that we leave sufficient coin to provide for her clothing and such things as young girls need.”
Erestor chuckled. There was no way the generous and kind-hearted matron would refuse the waif and Brynn would probably be raised as Alice Tanner’s own. “It is settled then. Tomorrow morning we will approach the landlord with our sudden need of a child for a servant and ‘convince’ him to sell Brynn to us.”
Glorfindel pulled Erestor to him and held him close. “Then it is time for us to rest. We may need to be swift tomorrow.” He pressed his lips lightly to Erestor’s. “Sleep, Erestor. Sleep. We will fix this in the morning.”
Erestor rested his head on Glorfindel’s chest and listened to the measured cadence of his mate’s heart, trying to get the sight of the little waif out of his mind as his fingers curled themselves into Glorfindel’s hair.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When the Elves left their room in the morning, Brynn was already gone from her cupboard, but the blanket had been folded up as small as possible and pushed into the darkest corner for safekeeping. After inviting the landlord, Mr. Trumble, to join them at their table for their breakfast, Glorfindel made a point of effusively thanking the landlord for his hospitality, then launched right into purchasing food supplies and settling their bill.
Trumble was a stout, whiskered man of medium height and only average intelligence, and Erestor did not consider him a particular challenge. When a stack of copper and a bit of silver had crossed the table in payment of goods and services rendered, including a bag of dried fruits and vegetables, a couple loaves of bread, a round of cheese, and dried meats, Erestor said, “I would dearly love to have a servant to help us on the remainder of our journey. It’s so tedious having to do everything by one’s self. My good Sir, you do not perhaps have a servant that can be purchased? A stable lad? A spare cook? I fear we must purchase the person, however, for we will surely not be able to return it and one cannot possibly trust a servant to return on its own.”
The landlord’s eyes lit up in a momentary greedy glow before he managed to hide his interest. “Alas, good Sirs, I have no one I can spare. The inn is isolated, as you well know, and help is hard to find.”
“Oh, come, Sir host!” Erestor said. “Surely there must be someone for the right price! You must at least have a child that can be spared? What of that little dark-haired waif I spied in the kitchen last evening? She cannot be contributing much to the running of your inn but I warrant would be able to relieve at least a bit of our burden on the road.”
Trumble’s eyes gleamed cunningly, and Erestor could practically see the avarice reflected in them. “In a few years, she will more than pay for her keep and bring in other trade,” the landlord answered.
The bile rose in Erestor’s throat and he could feel Glorfindel tense alongside of him at the landlord’s suggestion. Erestor barked a laugh. “Surely those days are several years ahead of you and think of the trouble and cost of her upkeep until then. With the right price, you could barter for an earlier increase in your profits.”
“And what, good Sir, would you consider a right price?” the landlord asked.
Erestor looked to Glorfindel, and the golden-haired Elf laid two large silver pieces on the table. Trumble shook his head and two more large pieces of silver were added.
“Surely you can do better than that,” Trumble said. There was no harm in pushing a bit. It was will known that Elves had more of the wherewithal than men did - and Trumble had no doubt he was dealing with Elves, despite their attempt to hide their distinctive ears with their hair and hoods. They were too clean and their clothes were too well-made to be anything other than Elves.
Glorfindel slowly laid a gold piece with the other coins. His eyes met the innkeeper’s and the two stared at each other for a long moment.
“One more like that and she’s yours,” Trumble said in a low voice, hoping he wasn’t pushing too far. The first two silver pieces were more than the brat was worth.
Glorfindel hesitated, and instead of another gold piece, added a silver; one smaller than the others. “Take it - or we shall find a servant elsewhere,” he said, his whisper nearly menacing. They were going to leave with the child, but he was no fool and would not be taken for one from this man.
Knowing the Elves had reached the end of their patience with him, Trumble quickly scooped up the coin and shoved it into a pocket before standing and shouting, “Crowe! Bring that girl out here!”
The girl was quickly ushered out into the room by the man who had struck her the day before. Fear shone in her eyes at seeing the two men who had been so kind to her the night before with her master. Had her master somehow found out that she had taken a blanket from them?
“You go with these two now, girl, and do what they tell you. They’re your new masters now.” With those simple words, Trumble turned and left the room, taking Crowe with him, before the Elves could change their minds and ask for their money back.
Erestor bent down and whispered, “Quickly, Brynn, come upstairs with me before the landlord changes his mind. Get your blanket and what other things you own while I get our travel bags and Glorfindel takes our provisions and gets the horses. We are taking you with us, away from here.”
Brynn scurried up the stairs in front of Erestor, afraid to think about what was happening, afraid to hope. Not even in her dreams did she think she’d ever be able to leave her master. Reaching her cupboard on the third floor, she pulled the door open. Her new blanket was in the corner of the closet where she’d left it - it was all she owned, along with the clothes on her back. She carefully picked up the blanket, happy to see that her little friend was still asleep within its folds. The creature stirred and woke and she hid it within the blanket, whispering, “We’re leaving. Be good and keep quiet and don’t let anyone see you or they’ll take you away from me. The nice man who gave me some food and our new blanket last night is taking us away from here. I don’t know where we’re going, but I think it must be better than here.”
Erestor carried his traveling pack as well as Glorfindel’s, and called softly to Brynn to hurry as he left the room. Once more Brynn led the way down the stairs and they hurried through the inn and out to the yard where Glorfindel stood holding Asfaloth’s and Dulinn’s reins, the supplies they’d purchased already distributed between the two horses’ saddlebags. Once their packs were strapped onto the horses’ saddles, Erestor tried to take Brynn’s blanket, but she shook her head and held onto it tightly. Erestor acquiesced and simply picked up the girl and placed her on Dulinn before swinging onto the stallion behind her.
They headed off down the Great East Road, the horses moving at a brisk trot. “Have you had anything to eat today, Brynn?” Erestor asked. In his pocket, wrapped in a cloth, was food for Brynn he had set aside from breakfast.
“No, Sir.” Brynn shook her head and just then her stomach rumbled. She smiled when a piece of bread and slice of cheese were pressed down into the folds of the blanket she held firmly on her lap.
Tbc