"Ehestoa?"

I smiled down at the child that stood beside my desk. Big blue eyes looked up at me. "Yes, Elrohir?"

"Play with me!"

Well, that was an unusual request given to me. I felt a bit at a loss. How do you play with three-year-olds? I had no idea what he expected of me. But I wanted to try, nonetheless, because I loved him so much. So I set aside the work I had to do, took the sweet child of my Lord into my arms and left the study. There was hardly room to play there, so I went to Elrond's private chambers. I knew Lady Celebrian was in the forest to pick flowers and Elrond was in is study. So I found his living room empty and set the child back to the floor. "Where have you left your brother?" I asked.

"With Gloafindel."

"So. And he didn't want to play with you?"

"He did. But I wanted to play with you, Ehestoa!"

Oh, I felt much honoured. "What do you want to play?"

"Hoase!"

"Horse?"

"Yes! I've seen Gloafindel on his hoase, I wanna ride, too!"

I sighed and slipped out of my formal black robes, leaving me in a sleeveless shirt and black trousers. Down to my hands and knees. Yes, stuffy old Erestor played horse for his beloved foster child. I was rewarded with a gleeful wail and beaming eyes. Elrohir climbed on my back and promptly grabbed my hair to use it as reigns. I turned my head an glared at him in warning. "Use my collar, not my hair!"

He pouted, but said: "All right" and grabbed my collar instead. "Heya!"

There he was, patient chief advisor Erestor, crawling around on his hands and knees awkwardly, carrying a shouting and kicking child on his back.

Suddenly the door to the twins' chamber opened and Glorfindel stepped through it. He immediately caught me and his beautiful face lit up. "Erestor! I never dreamed I could see you on your hands and knees before me!"

My ire rose into my head, just like my blood. My cheeks turned crimson at the sexual implication of this. Was it deliberate or unintended? But before I could defend myself, he went down, too, and suddenly Elladan jumped on him from behind, roughly pulling at the marvellous blond hair. "Oh! Ehestoa! Ellohia! Got a hoase, too?"

I felt how Elrohir straightened is composure and patted my shoulder proudly. "Yes. A beautiful black hoase!" I blushed again. Well, at least I made a nice horse, if not an elf.

"I have Asfaloth!" screeched Elladan and kicked Glorfindels' flank brutally. He had still not learned how to behave! It enraged me how Glorfindel let it pass without scolding. And suddenly oh so controlled chief advisor Erestor snorted like a horse, making both twins laugh in joy and Glorfindel cock an eyebrow. Oh yes, what a beautiful day. The seneschal got it wrong, thinking I would play along, and whinnied quite professionally, then began trotting through the room. Elrohir pulled at my collar and nudged my flanks - gently, I might add - and I could hardly disappoint him by quitting the game I had promised him. So I crawled after Glorfindel. In circles around the table, into Elrond's room, into the twins' room, then we were even fed and got drink from our little riders and I smirked about how true Elrohir's name was at the moment. Though I did not believe Elrond called him elf-rider with his chief advisor as horse in mind.

Suddenly Glorfindel was behind me and rose. I jumped away with a start, avoiding his touch. By the Valar, he didn't want to bring me into trouble now, did he? We were both stallions! But Elladan and Elrohir laughed with joy when he advanced on me once again, pretending he wanted to attack me in a horse-like way. I bared my teeth and hissed, a bit out of character, since I was no big cat, but it comes most naturally to me in such situations.

Glorfindel backed away, a little irritated.

I pranced, a bit ashamed. Elrohir stroked my temple soothingly. "No fear! I defend you from big bad Asfaloth!" he said merrily and both Glorfindel and me had to grin.

"Well then you better do it!" growled the seneschal and attacked me again.

I rose and defended me with my forehands and Elrohir screeched, striking for Glorfindel. "Go away, bad hoase!"

But Glorfindel simply plucked him from my back and gently lowered him on the rug. "And now, what do you do?" Elrohir thrashed about and Elladan quickly slid off "Asfaloth", playfully attacking his brother and soon the three of them ended up in a thrashing bundle. I carefully avoided being drawn into the play. I could not stand Glorfindel making remarks about my most inappropriate erection that had built up in my trousers for being so near to him.

So I rose and quickly dressed in my robes, hiding my discomfort.

Elrohir immediately jumped out of the fight, looking up at me. "No more playing?"

"No, little one, I'm sorry. I still have much work to do. Perhaps another time."

He pouted and I was very sorry, but I couldn't afford the risk of being discovered. So I quickly left the chambers, before Glorfindel could ask me about it.

I fled to my private rooms first. I had to rearrange... in several ways. The privacy of my bathroom allowed me to relax a bit. Oh stupid warrior! How can he be so open and easygoing? I always cramped up in his presence, always afraid of betraying myself and making my damned feelings for the blond beauty the laughing stock. But yes, of course he could be relaxed. He had no reason to fear me near. He didn't love me. I sank down to the floor with a sigh. This was hopeless. I wished my unrequited love would finally ebb and release me from my pain. But still, after hundreds of years of private longing and secret lusting, I desired him with all my heart. I impatiently rubbed myself, thinking of him and crying whilst I released -alone on the cold tiles of my bathroom.

End