"What was I thinking, kissing her?"

Elrond muttered to himself, rubbing his chin with long, elegant fingers as he strode silently through the marble corridors of Imladris back towards the dining hall. He decided he would make sure that everything there had been taken care of before he went to bed.

He licked his lips. The taste of Celebrían lingered. It was too tempting. She wanted him. Him! Not Thranduil… and Thranduil liked her friend besides. The solution seemed so simple, so easy.

Yet Elrond knew that it was not the least bit easy. Galadriel and Celeborn wanted their daughter to marry the Elvenking. Or Galadriel did at least. It was hard to tell what Celeborn thought sometimes, if anything. Elrond thought he spent all of his focus on his own desires, such as the young elf Haldir. Yet he had no doubts that Lord Glorfindel would see to Haldir's safety. He was good at that sort of weasely task. He would take away Celeborn's toy and get the Lord of Lórien to thank him in the process.

Elrond wondered vaguely if Haldir would then be safe from Glorfindel, but decided there was only so much worrying he could do about the situation. If Haldir said no to Glorfindel, the War Councilor would respect that, despite his wiles.

Erestor was still in the dining hall, directing a young team of elves who had just finished cleaning. Erestor sent them on their way, then turned and bowed slightly towards Elrond. Elrond returned the gesture, then smiled.

"You need not be so formal. We are alone after all."

"Protocol should be respected at all times, my lord," Erestor said.

"Still, you are a friend as well as my trusted advisor, and at times may we not simply act as friends?"

"If you wish it."

"I do wish it."

Erestor smiled slightly, which was rare for him. "Can I get you anything, my lord?"

"More wine?" Elrond said, but he did not mean it. The words chased Erestor's smile away.

"I think you have had enough wine tonight."

"I was teasing you."

Erestor sighed. "Why do you and Lord Glorfindel do that so often?"

"Because it is easy. Come now, Erestor. Sit with me for a few moments."

"It is late. We should both be in bed."

"Is that an invitation?"

"Certainly not!" Erestor's ears flared crimson.

"Good. I should hate to have to offend you by turning it down."

"I would never dare to ask—"

"Perhaps you should dare more, Erestor."

Erestor was silent for a long moment. "Perhaps I should," he conceded at last. "Now, what was it you wanted?"

"Company. And perhaps council. You are my Chief Advisor after all."

Erestor preened slightly. He knew that he was good at his job and asking him to do it was the fastest way to make him forget his pique. "Would you like to sit down?"

"Yes. But come to the Hall of Fire. We shall sit in front of the fireplace and perhaps you can help clear my head on some matters."

"My first suggestion, then, is a clear head," said Erestor, striding forth to open the door for Elrond as they traversed the corridor to the other room. "What caused you to drink so much tonight? Was Thranduil influencing you?"

"Glorfindel," Elrond sighed. "We shared some wine before dinner…"

"Ah," said Erestor, his voice filled with disapproval. "I should have known."

"I think I needed it," Elrond said. "Glorfindel always seems to know just what I need."

"Does he?" Erestor snapped. The entered the Hall of Fire and the sour look on the councilor's face revealed more than it meant to.

"He is a good friend."

"Friend…" Erestor sneered, gazing into the fire. Elrond sat down in one of the large, comfortable chairs where he had had tea with Thranduil earlier, but the Chief Advisor remained standing.

"Is he not a friend to you?"

"Sometimes I wonder. He drives me to madness, my lord."

"And why is that?" Elrond asked softly. He was coming to suspect that Erestor harbored a tenderness for the vivacious blond War Councilor, but he was not likely to ever admit it. Of course, Glorfindel had told him earlier that he was already taken with someone, so…

It could not be that the two of them fancied each other but had not the nerve to admit it, could it? Elrond nearly laughed aloud. He might have a great deal of fun with this!

Erestor turned to face him. With a great deal of poise and dignity he took the seat across from Elrond, but rather than settling into it, he perched on the edge of it, his back straight. "We are here to speak of what troubles your mind, my lord, not mine," he reminded Elrond gently.

Elrond smiled slightly. He had pressured Erestor enough, he supposed, and he did have much he wished to speak about.

"What happened after I left the dining hall with Lady Celebrían?"

"More chaos," Erestor said, his eyes darkening as he thought about it. "Mistress Maegwen made a fuss about Master Haldir helping her with the harps. So of course, I assigned some of the staff to help her. For some reason this seemed not acceptable to her and she insisted that Haldir do it. Lord Celeborn thought my arrangements were fine, however, and overrode her decision. At this point Lord Glorfindel saw fit to interfere. He said that Maegwen looked tired and that Haldir should escort her back to her chamber. Maegwen said this was a tremendous idea and that way she could oversee the transportation of the harps."

"And did Celeborn accept that?"

"He suggested that Glorfindel escort Maegwen. Haldir said that he would really hate to disappoint either of the ladies. Elrond—I think Celeborn intends to force himself on the poor lad."

"He does. This is why I sent Glorfindel to interfere."

"You sent him?"

"Yes. As a favor to Celebrían."

Erestor sighed. "She truly is a kind lady. She deserves better than Thranduil. I cannot believe he strode out in the middle of their song. He deserved every single thing they sang about him."

"And did I?"

"Of course not!"

"I left as well."

"You came back. And one assumes you went after Thranduil."

"And if I told you that Thranduil was so moved by the music that he could not bear to hear another note, would you offer him any understanding?"

Erestor considered for a moment. "I am afraid that I can only offer disbelief."

"You do not give him enough credit."

"Why should I?"

"He has managed to run a kingdom for a century or so."

Erestor sighed. "I suppose. But his wood is filled with spiders, and Orcs."

"He has the roughest lands in all Elvendom. They sit by Isengard. He does what he can to protect his people."

"I never doubted his skills in battle," Erestor said. "I am simply concerned for a well-bred young lady who might be forced to live in, as her companion pointed out, a cave."

Elrond licked his lips. He could not hold back the real event he wished to discuss any longer. He was still not entirely sure how he felt about it now… only of how he felt when it was happening.

"I kissed her."

Erestor stared at him for a long moment. "I beg your pardon?"

"I kissed her."

"Kissed who?"

"Well, she kissed me, but I take full responsibility for the event."

"Elrond—"

"Lady Celebrían."

"Oh," said Erestor. "Well. That is… I mean to say, you… Ah. What did you think?"

"I liked it. I like her. She is witty, and warm, and loyal to her friends to the point of—"

"Madness?"

"Erestor."

"Forgive me, my lord, that was out of line. I was just rather shocked by her little ditty tonight, especially coming on the heels, as it were, of the other, most delightful song of the beauty of Rivendell. Impressively done for someone who has never been here before, and only read about it. Mistress Maegwen writes all of Celebrían's ballads, Lady Galadriel tells me."

"She is talented. But Celebrían…" he sighed. "I wonder if forcing her on Thranduil is the right thing to do to either of them. Thranduil seems to prefer the other maid."

"Perhaps she would suit him better."

"She is not a princess…"

"He is a king. He may marry whomever he pleases," Erestor said. "Besides, even if he were required to do otherwise, he would still do as he liked. You know that."

Elrond grinned. "Yes, that much is true. But still… I do not know what Galadriel will think."

"I suggest that you ask her. She is not so hard to speak to."

"No. She is ever graceful."

"Elrond—do you wish Celebrían for yourself?"

"I do not know," Elrond sighed, but it was a lie. Something inside him screamed that he must have the maid at any cost. Why did he feel he should hold that back? Why did he worry that it would be wrong for him to ask for her? Gil-galad was gone, and even if he had not perished in the war with Sauron, he would still have wanted Elrond to wed if he desired it. He looked down at his ring, Vilya, and twisted it on his finger.

"It might be good for you to have a wife," Erestor ventured slowly. "I hate to see you so lonely."

"And what of yourself?"

"Me? I do not wish to marry Lady Celebrían."

"I meant, are you lonely?"

"I have my work."

Elrond bent forward and kissed his advisor on the mouth. Maybe it was the last vestiges of the wine in his system that made him do so. He was not sure. Erestor was stiff at first, then melted against him. It had not the heat of Glorfindel's kisses, not the passion of Celebrían's… but it was sweet, and it was safe, and it was good.

"Why did you do that?" Erestor gasped.

"Just to see…" Elrond said faintly.

Erestor frowned. "Do not do that again."

"I believe I am unlikely to. Thank you for putting up with me."

Erestor sighed. "I do not put up with you, Elrond, I am genuinely fond of you. I would serve no other household, I promise you that. But learn tonight that there are lines which should not be crossed."

"I know this, and still the temptation to put one's foot over is still there."

"Fighting temptation is life's most difficult chore. It is a burden we all must bear," Erestor.

"Sometimes giving in to temptation is even more difficult," Elrond replied. Erestor simply shook his head. "So tell me, did Glorfindel manage to safely escort Maegwen and Haldir to their chambers?"

"I do not know, sir. Lord Celeborn sent me to take Lady Galadriel back to her room, and by the time I returned to the dining hall they were all gone."

Elrond nodded. He hoped that he had not betrayed Celebrían's trust by failing to provide adequately for the safety of her friends.