Faded Light
folder
-Multi-Age › Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
20
Views:
10,234
Reviews:
26
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
-Multi-Age › Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
20
Views:
10,234
Reviews:
26
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own the Lord of the Rings (and associated) book series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Melethryn
(For additional notes and disclaimers please see top of Chapter 1.)
Chapter 12
Melethryn
“You are very tense tonight, Ernil Nin.”
Leralonde felt the bed shift as his lover moved closer and rested his hands on his shoulders, massaging lightly. “You need to relax, Meleth. You’ve been working nearly as hard as Ruthlagor these past months.”
“You are always the one who knows best how to ease my tension,” said the prince. “No such luck in Rivendell.”
“I should hope not,” said Saelbeth, throwing a playful punch at the prince’s shoulder, before leaning over to playfully kiss the tip of a pointed ear.
“You were rather pensive yourself at supper,” said Leralonde, leaning again into his lover’s touch, before taking one of Saelbeth’s hands and pulling him around to sit beside him.
“I had something on my mind. Just trivial things.”
“When have you ever been one to worry over trivial matters, Saelbeth?”
He stroked his lover’s face lovingly, gazing into mirthful green eyes, as he ran a thumb gently over the pale, thin lips he never got tired of kissing. Before the young lovers came together heatedly, suppressed passion seeking to make up for the seemingly interminable months the prince had spent in Rivendell and for each hour their affections must remain unexpressed beyond these walls.
“I take it you did miss me while you were away, then,” whispered Saelbeth through their still touching lips, wrapping his arms around Leralonde’s neck. The prince’s response was bit muffled as they continued their love play, but he did not object to his lover’s eager attentions. Their time together in the few weeks since Leralonde's return had not been nearly enough.
“So, are you going to tell me what Alatariel said?” he asked, after a few minutes, looking into his lover’s darkly handsome face, as they lay wrapped in each other’s arms. It was always their way to enjoy these long moments of quiet affection before their actual lovemaking, which they liked to take slowly, savoring every touch.
“I have always found her to be a very wise Elleth,” he said thoughtfully. “Feredir is very lucky.”
“Yes, he is very lucky to have found the right person for him.
“I haven’t done too badly myself.” He smiled and rested his chin on his lover’s shoulder, as he gave Saelbeth the general idea of his earlier conversation with the king’s daughter-in-law.
“She implied that Esarulir was after the throne. That we should all be cautious; because my brother, Ethiel, is pledged to marry Glaerwen.
“Personally, I can’t see Esarulir being that ruthless,” he said, his head propped on one hand while the other played with a strand of his lover’s dark gold hair. “Valar, he would hardly stand out among the royal advisors were he not the king's cousin.”
"That is precisely the point," said Saelbeth, in deep thought again, "the king's cousin not only through their mothers, but also because Esarulir's father was King Oropher's own brother.
"And Esarulir and Glaerwen are also the last of the older royal line that Oropher replaced," he reminded the prince; though such ties between Oropher and the late royal house were rarely spoken of.
"I haven't completely forgotten my history lessons, meleth nin. I also remember the story told of Esarulir's parents...how they were forbidden by Oropher from marrying because he feared the dangerous aspirations a royal wife of the 'old line' might induce in his brother."
King Oropher's decree had not kept the lovers from coming together and having a child, however, as all knew. Though Hwineth had gone into voluntary exile with her son for many years until well after the king as well as Pilimor, her lover, had both died at the Last Alliance.
“With Legolas gone now," Saelbeth went on, "you and Ethiel are the only ones remaining of Oropher's male line, who can follow Thranduil. If you had no son, or rather, if the only existing heir became Esarulir’s grandchild, the son of Glaerwen and your brother...”
“Sael, don’t you start on that.” They had had this conversation more than once since becoming lovers some fifty years ago.
“I’ve told you, nearly as many times as I’ve told my parents, I won’t marry, only to have a child. It would not be fair to whoever that elleth was or to whatever children came from it…my true desires I may be forced to conceal, but I won’t create a new charade.” He punctuated his words, first, with soft kisses to the back of the fair advisor’s hands, to his cheeks, before lightly kissing his lips.
“Got it?” Playfully, he tapped Saelbeth’s nose and smiled. “And if I ever change my mind, you’ll be the first to know.”
“Do you know how glad Esarulir would be to know he didn’t have to worry about you fathering an heir? If he ever learned about us...”
“I suppose he would be about as glad as Adar would be disapproving, if he’s really as eager to push his claims, as you and Tari believe.
“Though one day we will have to stop hiding, Meleth Nin.”
“Maybe we will have reached Valinor by then,” he said, his mood turning once more. “Londe,” he began and stopped.
He has been doing that a lot lately, thought the prince. In all these years I’ve rarely seen him so uncertain about anything...
“Are you going to tell me, Meleth what is really wrong?” He placed a light kiss on his lover’s shoulder.
“It’s nothing that’s wrong. But it is complicated,” said Saelbeth. “There has been something on my mind; something I need to tell you.
“Did I ever tell you about my grandmother on my Nana’s side?” he began and smiled, placing a finger on the prince’s lips before he could answer and took a deep breath.
“That’s because there wasn't one. My nana and her siblings only had an adar and a sire.”
The prince sat up at the words and looked into his lover’s flawless, angular face, thinking of the strange way Saelbeth had been acting the past few days, the way he had been dodging his questions...
“What are you saying, Sael?"
“You know the trait of male fertility only runs in certain families,” he went on. “But never among all male members of a family. We have been together for so long...such a thing had never even crossed my mind...”
“Sael, you’re blabbing.
"Are you saying that it is possible...that you could...?”
“I did not want to go to the healers’ for fear of arousing suspicion, but Vaurna confirmed it a few days ago.” He looked back at his lover uncertainly, who appeared as startled as he had ever seen him.
"I do not know what to say...I...
"...you know, Meleth Nin, that childlessness is a thing I accepted a long time ago.
"I never imagined...”
"Neither had I."
He smiled brightly, as Leralonde's hand glided gently up to his lover’s flat stomach and laid a hand on top of the prince’s, before he found himself again pulled into a soft, languorous kiss that left them both flushed and breathless.
“I am glad to have my news received so enthusiastically,” he said when they had pulled away enough for air, the weight he had been carrying, lifting now that Leralonde had overcome his initial surprise.
“However,” said Saelbeth in a slightly more subdued tone, “you know, my love, that I cannot stay in Mirkwood now. It’s probably best that no one knows about this yet. If it is a boy,” he added quietly, "he would come before Ethiel and Glaerwen and whatever children they may have...
"Besides, many will disapprove. Especially your father...though I greatly respect Lord Ruthlagor, he is not known for his tolerance."
“As much as I would like to disagree with you, you’re right.” The prince took a deep breath, entwining his hands with his lover’s. “Where will you go?” he asked sadly.
“Rivendell, I think. I have kin there, so it won’t seem suspicious. I can bear the child discreetly and keep the sire’s name to myself. Only for a short while.”
“I do not wish to let you go, my love. But I know it is wisest for now. And the best healers reside in Rivendell.”
“Let us not think of parting yet. I won’t have to leave for some weeks.”
"And I’ve some ideas of how to spend that time,” said the prince mischievously, his hand wandering beneath his lover’s sleeping robe and stroking teasingly over the sensitive skin of the Elf’s upper leg.
“I think I’m going to enjoy finding out all about each of those ideas.”
TBC...
Elvish Translations:
Melethryn / Male Lovers
Ernil Nin / My prince
Meleth Nin / My Love
Elleth / Female Elf
Naneth, Nana / Mother, Mom
Melethryn
“You are very tense tonight, Ernil Nin.”
Leralonde felt the bed shift as his lover moved closer and rested his hands on his shoulders, massaging lightly. “You need to relax, Meleth. You’ve been working nearly as hard as Ruthlagor these past months.”
“You are always the one who knows best how to ease my tension,” said the prince. “No such luck in Rivendell.”
“I should hope not,” said Saelbeth, throwing a playful punch at the prince’s shoulder, before leaning over to playfully kiss the tip of a pointed ear.
“You were rather pensive yourself at supper,” said Leralonde, leaning again into his lover’s touch, before taking one of Saelbeth’s hands and pulling him around to sit beside him.
“I had something on my mind. Just trivial things.”
“When have you ever been one to worry over trivial matters, Saelbeth?”
He stroked his lover’s face lovingly, gazing into mirthful green eyes, as he ran a thumb gently over the pale, thin lips he never got tired of kissing. Before the young lovers came together heatedly, suppressed passion seeking to make up for the seemingly interminable months the prince had spent in Rivendell and for each hour their affections must remain unexpressed beyond these walls.
“I take it you did miss me while you were away, then,” whispered Saelbeth through their still touching lips, wrapping his arms around Leralonde’s neck. The prince’s response was bit muffled as they continued their love play, but he did not object to his lover’s eager attentions. Their time together in the few weeks since Leralonde's return had not been nearly enough.
“So, are you going to tell me what Alatariel said?” he asked, after a few minutes, looking into his lover’s darkly handsome face, as they lay wrapped in each other’s arms. It was always their way to enjoy these long moments of quiet affection before their actual lovemaking, which they liked to take slowly, savoring every touch.
“I have always found her to be a very wise Elleth,” he said thoughtfully. “Feredir is very lucky.”
“Yes, he is very lucky to have found the right person for him.
“I haven’t done too badly myself.” He smiled and rested his chin on his lover’s shoulder, as he gave Saelbeth the general idea of his earlier conversation with the king’s daughter-in-law.
“She implied that Esarulir was after the throne. That we should all be cautious; because my brother, Ethiel, is pledged to marry Glaerwen.
“Personally, I can’t see Esarulir being that ruthless,” he said, his head propped on one hand while the other played with a strand of his lover’s dark gold hair. “Valar, he would hardly stand out among the royal advisors were he not the king's cousin.”
"That is precisely the point," said Saelbeth, in deep thought again, "the king's cousin not only through their mothers, but also because Esarulir's father was King Oropher's own brother.
"And Esarulir and Glaerwen are also the last of the older royal line that Oropher replaced," he reminded the prince; though such ties between Oropher and the late royal house were rarely spoken of.
"I haven't completely forgotten my history lessons, meleth nin. I also remember the story told of Esarulir's parents...how they were forbidden by Oropher from marrying because he feared the dangerous aspirations a royal wife of the 'old line' might induce in his brother."
King Oropher's decree had not kept the lovers from coming together and having a child, however, as all knew. Though Hwineth had gone into voluntary exile with her son for many years until well after the king as well as Pilimor, her lover, had both died at the Last Alliance.
“With Legolas gone now," Saelbeth went on, "you and Ethiel are the only ones remaining of Oropher's male line, who can follow Thranduil. If you had no son, or rather, if the only existing heir became Esarulir’s grandchild, the son of Glaerwen and your brother...”
“Sael, don’t you start on that.” They had had this conversation more than once since becoming lovers some fifty years ago.
“I’ve told you, nearly as many times as I’ve told my parents, I won’t marry, only to have a child. It would not be fair to whoever that elleth was or to whatever children came from it…my true desires I may be forced to conceal, but I won’t create a new charade.” He punctuated his words, first, with soft kisses to the back of the fair advisor’s hands, to his cheeks, before lightly kissing his lips.
“Got it?” Playfully, he tapped Saelbeth’s nose and smiled. “And if I ever change my mind, you’ll be the first to know.”
“Do you know how glad Esarulir would be to know he didn’t have to worry about you fathering an heir? If he ever learned about us...”
“I suppose he would be about as glad as Adar would be disapproving, if he’s really as eager to push his claims, as you and Tari believe.
“Though one day we will have to stop hiding, Meleth Nin.”
“Maybe we will have reached Valinor by then,” he said, his mood turning once more. “Londe,” he began and stopped.
He has been doing that a lot lately, thought the prince. In all these years I’ve rarely seen him so uncertain about anything...
“Are you going to tell me, Meleth what is really wrong?” He placed a light kiss on his lover’s shoulder.
“It’s nothing that’s wrong. But it is complicated,” said Saelbeth. “There has been something on my mind; something I need to tell you.
“Did I ever tell you about my grandmother on my Nana’s side?” he began and smiled, placing a finger on the prince’s lips before he could answer and took a deep breath.
“That’s because there wasn't one. My nana and her siblings only had an adar and a sire.”
The prince sat up at the words and looked into his lover’s flawless, angular face, thinking of the strange way Saelbeth had been acting the past few days, the way he had been dodging his questions...
“What are you saying, Sael?"
“You know the trait of male fertility only runs in certain families,” he went on. “But never among all male members of a family. We have been together for so long...such a thing had never even crossed my mind...”
“Sael, you’re blabbing.
"Are you saying that it is possible...that you could...?”
“I did not want to go to the healers’ for fear of arousing suspicion, but Vaurna confirmed it a few days ago.” He looked back at his lover uncertainly, who appeared as startled as he had ever seen him.
"I do not know what to say...I...
"...you know, Meleth Nin, that childlessness is a thing I accepted a long time ago.
"I never imagined...”
"Neither had I."
He smiled brightly, as Leralonde's hand glided gently up to his lover’s flat stomach and laid a hand on top of the prince’s, before he found himself again pulled into a soft, languorous kiss that left them both flushed and breathless.
“I am glad to have my news received so enthusiastically,” he said when they had pulled away enough for air, the weight he had been carrying, lifting now that Leralonde had overcome his initial surprise.
“However,” said Saelbeth in a slightly more subdued tone, “you know, my love, that I cannot stay in Mirkwood now. It’s probably best that no one knows about this yet. If it is a boy,” he added quietly, "he would come before Ethiel and Glaerwen and whatever children they may have...
"Besides, many will disapprove. Especially your father...though I greatly respect Lord Ruthlagor, he is not known for his tolerance."
“As much as I would like to disagree with you, you’re right.” The prince took a deep breath, entwining his hands with his lover’s. “Where will you go?” he asked sadly.
“Rivendell, I think. I have kin there, so it won’t seem suspicious. I can bear the child discreetly and keep the sire’s name to myself. Only for a short while.”
“I do not wish to let you go, my love. But I know it is wisest for now. And the best healers reside in Rivendell.”
“Let us not think of parting yet. I won’t have to leave for some weeks.”
"And I’ve some ideas of how to spend that time,” said the prince mischievously, his hand wandering beneath his lover’s sleeping robe and stroking teasingly over the sensitive skin of the Elf’s upper leg.
“I think I’m going to enjoy finding out all about each of those ideas.”
TBC...
Elvish Translations:
Melethryn / Male Lovers
Ernil Nin / My prince
Meleth Nin / My Love
Elleth / Female Elf
Naneth, Nana / Mother, Mom