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Ribbon of Memory
Author: Alex Cat
Beta: Larian Elensar
Email: [email protected]
Rating: R
Pairing: Erestor/Ereinion
Warnings: none
Request: Author's choice, a blue velvet ribbon
Written For: Fimbrethiel
Imladris, 3018, T.A.
The Last Homely House was lit up with candles in every window, reflecting their light off the newly fallen snow. There were garlands of pine hung on the balcony rails and on the windows and doors. The smells of roast turkey and stuffing wafted through the air. A choir could be heard singing in the Hall of Fire and the sounds of merrymaking rang throughout.
A lone elf sat upon his balcony. He seemed oblivious to the cold as he stared out over the landscape, lost in his own thoughts. He held a tattered and filthy blue ribbon in his hand.
Every time the elves celebrated a feast or holiday, he could be found alone, reflecting, missing the one who had gone before, the one who still held his heart.
His mind wandered back, as it inevitably did�
*
Barad-d�r, 3441, S.A.
//He walked into Gil-galad�s tent. The High King of the Noldor was standing nose to nose with the King of the Green Wood. Both were screaming at one another and neither was listening to a word either said.
�Sire?� He spoke timidly, knowing how exasperated the King was with Oropher by now. They had argued for days over how to conduct what could be the final battle and Oropher still flatly refused to follow the orders of any king, least of all a Noldor.
Gil-galad whirled on him. �Can�t you see I am busy?�
Erestor backed from the tent, his face hot with both anger and embarrassment to be talked to in such a manner. Gil-galad knew he would not interrupt unless it was important. He walked to the edge of the encampment to cool off, to rein himself in before he did or said something he would regret.
Much later, while Erestor was cleaning his sword in his own tent, the King opened the flap and walked in. Not one word was spoken as Erestor rose and went to his arms. Erestor had his pride and he refused to cling to the King and beg his forgiveness but that was not what Gil-galad had come for anyway.
�I am sorry, Erestor. I �forgive me. He is the most�he makes me lose control of my temper faster than anyone I have ever met. He will be the death of me!�
Erestor put his finger over Gil-galad�s lips. �Shhh. You need not apologize, my king.�
His next words were lost as Gil-galad�s mouth came down on his in a deep, almost desperate kiss. Erestor wrapped his arms around the King�s neck. �I love you, you know that?� He whispered between kisses.
Erestor�s narrow cot was too small for them but it did not matter; they took up no more room than one elf as passion rose between them. Robes and leggings fell to the floor as skin touched skin. Any passerby would have heard the sighs and moans but neither elf cared as they lost themselves in one another for what may well be the last time.
Tomorrow, they would battle Sauron and if they did not prevail, they all would die in the path of his wrath.
After they made love, they lay quietly, each pretending to sleep while neither did. Finally the King decided that there was little use in wasting waking hours.
�If I should die, I want you to deliver word to Lindon.�
�But-� The idea of his king dying was unthinkable to Erestor. He had loved and been loved by Ereinion for most of his adult life and to go on without that love was beyond his comprehension.
�No buts. You must deliver word to Lindon. They must be ready for what awaits them if we do not prevail.�
Erestor finally nodded, sure that nothing could ever happen to Gil-galad. He pulled Gil-galad close as the fire burned in them all over again.
They finally slept.
Dawn came always.
The King rose and went to his own tent to ready himself for the day. Erestor put on his armor and went to the King.
�I am glad you are here. I want you to give this to Cirdan if something happens to me.�
He was writing a letter. He finished it, threw some sand on it to dry it and after blowing away the sand, he rolled it up and cut a blue tie ribbon from his cloak to tie it up. He handed the missive to Erestor and kissed his lips.
�All will be well. We shall prevail today.�
They had prevailed but at the price of three kings. Erestor had watched in helpless horror as Gil-galad was consumed by the flames. He had been injured but he held onto the scroll and he hastened away to Cirdan with the missive, never even reading it. He had asked for the ribbon from Cirdan when he delivered it into his hands.
The filthy strip of cloth was all he had left of Ereinion.
That and his memories.
*
Imladris, 3018, T.A.
Elrond saw his friend sitting out on the balcony. He poured a mug full of warm mulled wine and stepped out into the chilly evening.
�Care for something warm?� He said no more as he handed Erestor the mug and stood beside him, noting the tattered ribbon in Erestor�s hand.
�Elrond, I thought that it would get easier, being without him, but it doesn�t. I have missed him every hour of every day since he died.�
Elrond could only nod. He had no words to comfort Erestor. He never had since the day Gil-galad had died at Barad-d�r.
�I wonder if this � Fellowship does not walk into certain death as they march into Mordor to fight him again.�
�I know not but there was no other way. It had to be done. The Ring simply must be undone.�
Erestor finally looked up at him. �Will they prevail at the same awful cost that we prevailed before?�
�Perhaps but we have no more choice than Ereinion had. The world belongs to my brother�s heirs now, to men. We have stayed only to help them secure it.�
Erestor looked up at him. �I know I have stayed too long.�
*
Erestor stayed on the balcony until all was quiet. He wrapped his fur cloak about him and went into his bed. Sleep came quickly to him.
He dreamed.
He was sitting in his office in Lindon, busily scribbling away at some paper that he could not quite make out when he sensed someone watching him. He looked up and there he stood, Ereinion, his king. He was dressed in royal blue, a color he favored over all others. His hair was pulled back and he wore his favorite mithril and gold circlet. He was as handsome as Erestor remembered.
Erestor could not move.
�You will come home soon. I have been waiting. I have missed you so much.� Gil-galad smiled at him then turned and walked away.
Morning came. Erestor opened his eyes and smiled.
*
Valinor, 3021, T.A.
The War was over and the time had come to go, to leave Middle Earth to men and go home. They sailed away and landed in Valinor, a new home away from the pain and sorrow of Middle Earth. He looked among the elves on the shore as he walked down the gangplank but he did not see the one his eyes longed to see.
�Erestor.�
He turned and there he stood, dressed exactly as he was in the dream.
�I told you it would be soon.�
Erestor ran into his arms. He was finally home. He still clutched the blue ribbon in his hand.
The End
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