Fan Fiction ❯ Demons in the Dark ❯ Chapter 6

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Italics indicate memory or dreams.

Commonly used Sindarin words:

Ai: Oh!
pen-neth: young one
muindor: brother
gwador: sworn brother, not those by blood
Ada: dad
melethron: lover
a'maelamin: lover
ernil-nín: my prince
ion nín: my son
*~*~*

Elladan swiped a few fresh baked rolls on his way through the kitchen. He and Elrohir had sat up most of the night, munching on the sweets they'd pilfered, and keeping each other company. Elladan felt a little guilty at depriving his brother of rest, but Elrohir had told him to not worry, he could find time to sleep later in the day.

Elrohir had left as the sun rose, having duties in the Healing Halls to attend to that morning. It wasn't their rotation on the border guard, and they had returned to Imladris from their Orc hunting when they received word that Arwen would be leaving the valley. They had long ago worked out between the three of them that they would never leave their father alone in the valley. Though their hatred of the Orcs had never waned since the attack on their mother, Elladan and Elrohir would never deny their younger sister the guidance of her grandmother, nor leave their father without companion. Even after Elrond had taken Glorfindel as his lover, the twins would not absent themselves for long periods when Arwen was gone.

The valley was quiet as Elladan made his way to a secluded location, close to the bottom of the falls where mists could be felt coming off the river. Legolas had shared this place with him, on a visit many years after his initial stay at Imladris. It had been the Prince's refuge in his loneliness during his fostering, his homesickness and emotional detachment placing distance between him and the sons of Lord Elrond. It was there that they had first confessed their love for each other, and centuries later, where they had exchanged rings in promise of something more formal some day.

Finding the niche, Elladan settled himself resting his back against a stone, staring out at the river that flowed through his father's lands. He drew his knees up to his chest and held them there with an arm wrapped around them.

Elladan sighed and rested his head on his knees, watching the water flow. It had taken the twins a long time to get Legolas to open up to them. Even at such a young age he had accepted the teachings of his father that it was the responsibility of Elven nobility not to show emotion, to keep distance except in times of great mirth or sadness. The twins had worked hard to break down that barrier and the one that kept them out. Eventually they succeeded, the three of them becoming the closest of friends, and then something more.

It had been the third visit back to Imladris that Legolas had made after his decade long fostering. The Prince had volunteered to take an urgent message to Elrond, eager for the chance to see his second family again. Celebrian, Elrond's wife, particularly had taken the Prince under her wing, setting herself up as the Prince's foster mother since his own had long since passed into the Halls of Mandos.

On that visit, something between Legolas and Elladan had changed. There was a tension between them, a spark, something intangible that had both drawn them together and yet made it awkward when they were. The smallest of touches had sent Elladan's heart racing, the simplest of looks enough to steal his breath.

A note had appeared on his bed, the night before Legolas was to leave, asking him to be down by the falls at moonrise. He had gone and Legolas had met him, and they had talked. Confessions had been spoken and they had agreed to take things slowly. They had parted with a brief kiss, full of promise for something more.

That had been centuries earlier, before the Elves of Mirkwood felt the encroaching darkness that kept Legolas in his homeland, defending his people from the evils that threatened his lands. Elrond had Vilya to help protect his lands, their only threat the increasing numbers of Orcs seen close to the borders and on the roads between the Elven lands. Thranduil had no such protection from the dark forces of the world, and his people had many more threats to counter. And as Elladan and Elrohir had their responsibilities as members of one of the rotating patrols, so Legolas had his, in Mirkwood.

For a time, Elladan reflected, it hadn't been a problem. Arda was quiet, and the lovers could travel as their duties would allow. But as time passed and each found themselves saddled with more responsibility, the visits grew more infrequent, though their love never seemed to dim. And though Elladan knew unquestioningly that Legolas loved him, doubt would catch him unguarded deep in the night when sleep evaded him. That doubt on top of the sudden announcement of departure had fueled Elladan's words the previous day. He had known that Legolas would have had to leave eventually; the Prince had been in Imladris for several months at Thranduil's urging. But Elladan had been unprepared for the immediacy of his lover's departure, and he had lashed out, hoping to soften the blow to them both.

He was pretty sure he failed.

Barely heard over the falls, Glorfindel and Estel's arrival was announced by the sentries. Hoping that they had passed his lover on the road, Elladan abandoned his seclusion to descend to the manor and meet them.
*~*~*

He was conscious enough to know he was dreaming, and he let the dream carry him away to a place that wasn't dark or cold, a place with light and love, and Elladan.
**

"One more, Legolas," various voices spoke out from around the great gathering hall. The blonde prince had been singing all evening, mostly alone at request, but with other members of Elrond's family, with the exception of his lover, who couldn't carry a tune in a bucket.

"Ai, he is tired" Elladan said with a smile, deflecting the waves of requests. It was his lover's last night in the Halls of Fire; the next evening would be the Prince's last in Imladris for quite some time, and every elf in the realm knew where the popular blonde would be spending it. It had become tradition in Elrond's realm, the night before the night before the Prince's departure, all would gather for songs stories and companionship before the Woodland elf that they'd embraced as their own had to depart.

"One more!" the good-natured cry went up again, lead by a smirking Elrohir.

Legolas glanced at his lover and shrugged resignedly with a smile and a wink. "Aye, one more," he said softly. His throat was dry and his voice slightly raspy from a long evening of song and mirth, though it was a far cry from going hoarse.

Elladan returned the smile and handed over tumbler of water. Much wine had already been consumed and the raven-haired son of Elrond knew that the berry wine would do little to ease his lover's parched throat.

Legolas accepted the offering with a wide smile, grasping a pale wrist and pulling Elladan to him even as he sipped from the glass. Elladan laughed, letting himself be manhandled somewhat so that he was standing in front of his lover, reclining against the Prince so that chest and back were touching. Legolas sat on the edge of a raised dais, Elladan coming to rest between his legs. The tumbler was set aside and long arms wound around Elladan's waist. The dark haired elf covered the archery strengthened hands with his own and chuckled lightly at the deep sigh of contentment that reverberated out of his lover's chest and across his back.

Legolas dropped a kiss to the crown of dark hair in front of his and took a deep breath, before filling the hall with his strong tenor, weaving a poignant melody.
Oh all the money that ere I spent,
I spent it in good company.
And all the harm that e're I've done
Alas it was to none but me.
And all I've done for want of wit
To memory now I can't recall.
So fill to me the parting glass,
Goodnight and joy be with you all.

Oh all the comrades that ere I had
Are sorry for my going away
And all the sweethearts that e're I had
Would wish me one more day to stay
But since it falls unto my lot
That I should rise and you should not
I'll gently rise and I'll softly call
Goodnight and joy be with you all.

If I had money enough to spend
And leisure time to sit awhile
There is a fair lad in this town
That sorely has my heart beguiled
His rosy cheeks and ruby lips
I own, he has my heart in thrall
Then fill to me the parting glass
Good night and joy be with you all.

A hush fell over the gathered elves as the song trailed off, the singer turning his head and resting his cheek upon Elladan's head. Elladan held Legolas' hands gently, not speaking, merely letting the words continue to reverberate throughout the hall.

Somberly, the elves left the great hall, taking the enchanting melody of farewell and well wishing with them. Elrond and Glorfindel paused before the couple, hands clasped. Elrond smiled dotingly on them both and Glorfindel laid a warm hand on the Prince's shoulder before passing through the door and heading up the hall probably toward the suite that the Lord of Imladris kept as his own.

Elrohir was the last to leave. He likewise stopped before the Prince and his twin. Without any words, he kissed the Prince softly on the cheek before stooping slightly to place one on his brother's forehead.

Legolas and Elladan sat together long after Elrohir had closed the door behind him, a comfortable silence permeating the room; it was a time to simply enjoy the other's presence. Words and actions would come later.
**

A note on the song: It is taken from the Irish song, The Parting Glass. I have shamelessly altered the third verse for to make the pronoun fit my needs. The version I used was arranged by P. Clancy and performed by the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem on the CBS record Irish Drinking Songs. Maybe someday when I'm really bored, I'll translate it into Sindarin.