Twilight Tales - Sacred Bond

Chapter X: Tidings

Rivendell, Narquelië TA 3018

“Who would have thought that the fate of Middle-earth would rest in the hands of one of the little folk?”



The softly uttered comment barely broke the morning quiet as the three tall figures regarded the Bagginses, Bilbo and Frodo, and stolid Samwise Gamgee from afar. Seated on stone benches along one of the winding terraces overlooking the Bruinen, the hobbits kept company with Gandalf while awaiting the summons to the Council.



It was less than a week since the tumultuous day when Glorfindel had returned to Rivendell with one weary Ranger and four straggling hobbits in tow. The twins had arrived the night before to the news of Frodo’s near brush with wraith-hood and the dire reason for it. Their father had called for a meeting amongst his counsellors to discuss what was to be done about such an unbidden occurrence.



As chance would have it, a delegation of Dwarves from the Lonely Mountain happened to have arrived as well to inquire after an entirely different matter; they had been asked to attend the Council as had a lone rider from the south. One Boromir, the Steward of Gondor’s older son and heir.



Aragorn glanced at Elladan with a grim smile. “Astonishing,” he agreed. “I could scarce give it credence myself when Gandalf first told me about the Ring and who had found it.” He shook his head. “But they are a resilient people. My men and I have guarded them for so long yet they surprise me over and again with their courage and hardiness.”



“So Adar told us last night,” Elrohir said. “‘Tis a thing unheard of that young Frodo withstood that morgul blade’s evil for so many days. Even the strongest amongst us might well have fallen ere we could reach aid.”



Aragorn nodded. “Indeed, I had never been so afraid as when I discovered he’d been pierced,” he admitted. “Yet he prevailed against all hope.”



“A most indomitable hobbit,” Elladan murmured admiringly. “Would that we could assure him that this is the end of the road for him.”



Elrohir shook his head. “I fear ‘tis far from the end,” he mused. “More like the beginning of an even longer one.”



“And more perilous,” Elladan added with a grimace.



Aragorn glanced from one twin to the other. Both his foster brothers and their sister were gifted with the foresight of their house. A small portion of that gift was also in his family’s keeping. If the brethren sensed more was in store for Frodo then it was most likely to come true. His lips tightened at the thought of the hobbit facing even more danger than he had already.



“If your forebodings are true then I pray he will have the strength to withstand them as well,” he said. “Ai, accursed creature for having found that Ring!” he muttered.



Elladan found the wherewithal to grin. “I presume you are referring to Gollum and not to Bilbo,” he said.



Aragorn started then chuckled ruefully. “You are incorrigible, gwanur” —kinsman—he chided.



Elrohir joined briefly in their mirth then sobered. “How fared Mirkwood when you visited there?” he softly queried.



Aragorn darted a knowing look at him. “The kingdom is as well as can be expected,” he said. “And you can rest assured that Legolas is hale and whole,” he added.



Gentle color stained Elrohir’s cheeks to his surprise. When the Elf-knight suddenly averted his eyes as well, Aragorn was even more bemused. But when he thought to inquire what ailed the younger twin, the older one smoothly intervened.



“There are still several minutes before the Council begins, Estel, ” he said. “Why not spend them with Arwen? She is by herself in the Hall of Fire.”



The mention of the Elf-maiden’s name was enough to distract the Ranger from his curiosity regarding Elrohir’s discomfiture. With a smile, he turned to go. But before departing, he glanced at the twins once more.



“You will attend the Council?” he inquired.



“We will,” Elladan said. “But do not expect us to sit openly amongst you.”



Aragorn nodded and went on his way, comprehending Elladan’s cryptic reply. The brethren seldom showed themselves in such portentous gatherings for they were Elrond’s watchers. They observed the participants of these meetings without being seen and thus perceived the hearts and minds of those their father dealt with. What they gleaned soon made it to Elrond’s ears and the Elvenlord based much of his subsequent decisions on their discoveries, such was his trust in his sons’ perspicuity.



When Aragorn was out of earshot, Elladan looked sympathetically at his brother. “Are you all right?” he asked. When the Elf-knight nodded, he asked. “How long has it been?”



Elrohir sighed then shrugged. “Four and forty years,” he replied. “I pray this will be my last long parting from him.”



“You know it will not be,” Elladan gently reminded him. “You foresaw long ago that there will be one lengthier than all your previous separations. You took it stoutly enough when you first envisioned it.”



“But I did not feel then as I do now,” Elrohir pointed out. With a slight gesture to Elladan to follow, he walked back along the terrace to return to the main wing of the house.



“You will tell him soon, I hope,” Elladan murmured.



“When we meet again, yea, I will tell him,” Elrohir said.



The older twin smiled faintly. It seemed almost incredible but what his brother had long sought had finally come to fruition. And the irony of the matter was that the answer had been in his keeping all these long centuries. Then again, who else could have won Elrohir’s heart but the Elf he had loved in all other ways for almost a full millennium?



Not that Elrohir had come to this realization all that swiftly. Elladan suspected that it had lurked in his twin’s heart since the night he first lay with Legolas but, given Elrohir’s penchant for protecting the archer even from himself if need be, had been labeled by his brother as nothing more than a deep appreciation for the archer’s graces. However, such self-deception had not withstood the scorching yet tender unions that had been Legolas’ means to succor Elrohir in the aftermath of their mother’s unhappy departure from Middle-earth. In yielding to the woodland prince, Elrohir had unwittingly freed that part of his heart that had known all along that he belonged to Legolas and Legolas alone.



The Elf-knight had struggled with the discovery ever since, reluctant to admit that he cared in a distinctly non-platonic manner for one he’d had a part in raising. But the last four decades had seen him apart from Legolas on account of duty and errantry, both noble and filial. He had missed the prince beyond forbearance, yearning not simply for the heady satisfaction of their couplings but even more for the sound of Legolas’ laughter, the sparkle in his sapphire eyes and the smile that told him he was ever first in the archer’s esteem. Once Elrohir recognized the futility of fighting the truth, he had finally surrendered to it.



Elladan clapped a hand on his twin’s shoulder. “After all this time, who would have imagined it would come to this,” he remarked. “I envy you, tôren.”—my brother.



Elrohir shook his head. “‘Tis too soon for that,” he retorted. “I have not yet gained what I seek.”



Elladan snorted. “As if Legolas feels differently,” he said.



“He might,” Elrohir replied. “He has said nothing about his feelings and that sometimes gives me reason to doubt that he feels as I do. I have only lately come to this knowledge of my heart else I would have spoken of it to him sooner. What if he has kept silent because there is nothing there for him to tell me?”



Elladan looked sharply at him. He had heard the faint note of apprehension in his brother’s voice. “But what do you read in him?” he persisted. “Do you believe he shares your sentiment or not?”



Elrohir hesitated, thinking of all that had passed between him and the woodland prince, both in word and action. After a moment, a soft smile creased his mouth. “I think he does,” he admitted.



Heartened, Elladan grinned back. “And you have ever been a most discerning Elf,” he said. “Tell him, brother, and rejoice.”



Elrohir was about to reprove him for his too precipitate enthusiasm when one of the stewards hailed them as they skirted the main hall.



“My lords, Prince Legolas has just ridden in,” the Elf told them.



Surprised, the twins barely acknowledged the news before sprinting towards the hall and the main door. Legolas swept in almost as soon as they reached the threshold, followed by several Mirkwood warriors. He was frowning fiercely and looked quite ready to erupt into a full-blown fit of temper at the slightest provocation.



“Legolas!” Elrohir exclaimed as he caught his friend in a welcoming hug. “What brings you here so suddenly?”



The archer hugged him back tightly then pulled back, the frown evolving into a scowl.



“I come hotfoot with news,” he explained tightly. “Where are Mithrandir and Aragorn? Word reached us that they are here.”



“Aye, they both are,” Elladan said. “What is wrong, ernil neth?” —young prince? “You are overwrought.”



“So would you be in my straits,” Legolas snorted. “Ai, when I get my hands again on that little beast, I swear I will throttle the very life out of him!”



“What beast?” Elrohir queried. “You are not making sense.”



Legolas tried to calm down a bit. “That smelly creature Aragorn brought to us some months back,” he explained, his tone still somewhat rancorous. “He managed to elude us. Sméagol has escaped.”



The brethren jointly gasped. Just then a bell sounded.



“‘Tis the summons to the Council,” Elladan said.



Elrohir took the archer by the arm. “Come, Legolas, I think you had best attend it,” he advised.

*******

Legolas’ scowl returned deeper than ever after the meeting. As soon as Elrohir was able, he freed himself from the discussions with Gandalf and Aragorn that took place immediately after in his father’s study. Whereupon he hastened to his friend and took him aside to allow him to vent his anger and frustration upon learning of the import of Gollum’s escape from the Wood-elves’ custody. They sauntered down the paved terrace where he and Elladan had earlier lingered. Legolas was verily disturbed, alarmingly so.



“Sweet Eru!” he hissed vituperatively. “The One Ring! I can hardly believe that black-hearted creature bore it for so long!” He punched a slender pillar in rage; would have repeated it had Elrohir not stopped him. “And we let him escape! Ah, the Wood-elves’ honor is stained this day!”



“Nay, Legolas,” Elrohir mildly reproached him. “You did not know of the significance of your charge. ‘Tis a pity neither Mithrandir nor Estel enlightened you a little more though I warrant they had their reasons for keeping the full truth from your father at the time.”



“That does not change the fact that they gave this – this Gollum into our keeping and we lost the foul creature!” Legolas almost spat out. “I lost him.”



“You?” Elrohir said in surprise. A moment later, he understood. “You were on watch when he escaped?” he queried.



Legolas nodded, blue eyes almost black with ire. “And fool that I was I thought we had him well in hand,” he said. “I never thought a thing like Gollum would warrant aid from without. I lost good soldiers because of my carelessness.”



Elrohir shook his head. “You did not know,” he insisted. “How could you guard against something you had no inkling of? Do not blame yourself, mellonen.”—my friend. “No one does.”



“Aragorn did,” Legolas scowled again. “You heard him. How came the folk of Thranduil to fail in their trust indeed! And all I could plead was the kindness of Elves – and have that thrown back in my teeth by a Dwarf!”



“Estel was only so perturbed by your news,” Elrohir pointed out. “I wager he regretted his words as soon he uttered them. And Glóin ought not to have dredged up old grievances. Now is not the time for a renewal of quarrels.” He compelled the irate Elf to turn and face him. “Do not let this color your judgment of anything, Legolas. Least of all yourself. ‘Twas not your fault anymore than ‘twas Bilbo’s fault to have picked up that damned Ring when he did.”



Legolas glared at him, his fury still ablaze within. But after several moments, the blaze softened to a glitter and he gazed at Elrohir with something far more potent than anger. Blind need flashed in the Wood-elf’s eyes.



Unmindful of possible passersby, he grabbed a startled Elf-knight and pulled him into an ardent kiss, almost forcing the twin’s lips apart in his haste to plumb the silken reaches of his mouth. Near undone by such a searing response, the Elrohir was slow to take heed of possible witnesses. He only managed to break away after a most thorough pillaging of his mouth.



Breathing hard, he cautioned, “Legolas, we are not alone.” When the archer’s eyes kindled mutinously, he reasoned, “I would not care but there are guests other than Elves here. They will not understand.”



Aggravation all too apparent in his face, Legolas grasped the twin’s hand and began to pull him towards the residential wing. “Then let us go where we will be alone,” he growled.



Elrohir stared at his friend in amazement. Hope and elation flared within him at this fervent display of need. Could more than the Wood-elf’s fearsome wanting be far behind?



But before he could say more, Elladan accosted them. Casting an apologetic look at Legolas, he spoke to his brother.



“We have been tasked to go south and east,” he somberly announced.



Elrohir at once comprehended his twin’s meaning. “When must we leave?”



“At once,” Elladan said grimly. “Estel rides with us part of the way.”



Legolas stared in bewilderment at them. “You are leaving?” he exclaimed. “But you said you just arrived last night,” he addressed Elrohir. Before the younger twin could pacify him, he sharply asked: “Where are you off to now?”



The Elf-knight explained: “We need to scour the lands around us and see if the way is clear for the Ring-bearer. Only when we are certain of this will he set out on his quest.”



Legolas frowned. “But why does your father have to send you?” he questioned, his voice edged with annoyance. “Why not others?”



“Because we know the way best,” Elrohir quietly said. He caught the archer by the shoulders and shook him gently. “Becalm yourself, Legolas. I would see you at peace again when I return.”



The archer pursed his lips rebelliously at first but at last subsided and quietly voiced his compliance. Elrohir peered anxiously at him. “Do not do anything rash,” he suddenly said. “Think hard before you make any choices.”



Legolas gazed at him perplexed but at the insistent look in the Elf-knight’s pewter eyes, he nodded. He drew Elrohir into a hearty embrace and spared a quick glance of concern for Elladan.



“Take care, both of you,” he murmured. He could not quite suppress a frown of displeasure as the brethren finally took leave of him but he said nothing more in protest.



As they strode away, Elladan looked at Elrohir curiously. “What was that about?” he inquired. “Why did you counsel him so?”



Elrohir shook his head. “I do not know,” he admitted. “But I felt a sudden fear that he might commit himself to some thoughtless charge while we are gone.”



“Such as what?” Elladan prodded.



“I haven’t the faintest notion, gwaniaur.”—older twin “‘Twas just a feeling.” The Elf-knight sighed with some frustration. “You know how he is when he sets himself upon a course. ‘Tis almost impossible to dissuade him from it even when ‘tis proven the way of folly.”



Elladan nodded. Yes, he knew Legolas’ mind in this area at least. “Then let us hope he does nothing more foolish than challenge Glóin to a duel,” he wryly quipped.



*************

Glossary:

Narquelië – Quenya for October

Adar - Father



To be continued…