Meleth-nin

Disclaimer: Not mine but J.R.R. Tolkien’s. That is to say I’m not him and therefore own nothing.
WARNING: Twincest (implied, nothing explicit).
A/N: Just realized how close to begging my previous chapter’s A/N actually was. Please bear with me. :) Feedback is appreciated (as always) so please do not hesitate to tell me what you think.
Oh, and one more thing. Since this is Alternate Universe and I’m its ruler (yay me), I’ve decided that Arwen Undomiel does not exist. Elrond has only two children; the twins, Elladan and Elrohir. I have nothing against Arwen; it is just that she didn’t fit in the story. But enough said, on with the story. :) And millions of thank you’s for those who reviewed!


Chapter fifteen

The night was falling. It was quite dark already and the Humans were eager to set a fire. Their eyes weren’t as keen as those of the Elves and for them the darkness was more than unnerving – the stars high above them were of no consolation whatsoever. Legolas looked at them with a small, sad smile on his lips. These men weren’t Rangers, indeed not, they were mere Gondorian guards. He knew that Aragorn would not have minded the darkness, no, he would have welcomed it. He would have spent the night studying the stars, telling him tales of old. Legolas shook his head. These thoughts lead to nowhere. He should tend to the horses instead of daydreaming.

The Men quickly gathered some firewood while the Prince took care of their horses. He took off the heavy saddles the Men used and petted their horses’ backs. The horses appreciated the sweet Elf’s ministrations and nuzzled his neck with their noses. Legolas couldn’t help laughing despite himself. He murmured them something in Elvish before he released them.

Elrond looked at him from afar and noticed the way the Elf laid his hand on his lower back and winced. If possible, Legolas had grown even rounder and it took its toll on the young Prince. Elrond also noticed the beauty of their surroundings and the air that smelled sweet. The eve was mild with the gentlest breeze of wind. It reminded Elrond of his own beloved realm, and he felt his heart contract in longing. “Legolas”, he called to the younger Elf, “I would wish to speak with you.”

Legolas all but waddled to him. “By the Valar, I swear, I grow bigger with each passing hour. And my back is killing me”, he said irritably. “How do women endure this?”

Elrond suppressed a laughter that threatened to escape for he didn’t want to hurt Legolas’ feelings. To see an Elven Prince waddling was a rare treaty indeed and not any less amusing at that. “It is not as strenuous for their bodies as it is to yours”, he explained. “Even though the Valar made it possible for you to carry a child, your body is still that of a male Elf. Your hips are more slender, very slender indeed, and now they have to give way so that the growing child inside you can settle comfortably within your womb.”

“Knowing this doesn’t make this pregnancy any easier to endure”, Legolas said grumpily. His hips ached, as well as his lower back, and his rump was a bit numb from all the riding. It was no wonder that the Prince found himself in quite a foul mood this eve. Even the horses and the beautiful nature around them couldn’t soothe his mind.

He glanced briefly at Elrond’s direction and remembered that the older Elf wanted to talk to him. He straightened his shoulders and his back and rejoiced when the ache in his lower back lessened somewhat. “But pray tell, what did you wish to discuss? I hope it’s something that will lighten my mood.”

“I cannot say whether it will make you glad or not”, Elrond said carefully. “But ‘tis something you should be made aware of before we enter Imladris. ‘Tis no small matter, pen neth.”

“What is it, then? You’re almost scaring me”, Legolas said and shivered despite the gentle breeze of the wind.

Elrond laughed suddenly. It sounded a bit harsh. “I do not wish to scare you, my Prince. But heed my words when I say that it is important that you hear me out before passing any judgment. Do we have an agreement?”

Legolas nodded. “Of course.”

Elrond drew a long breath. “Well, then. As you know, my sons have always been extremely close and even more so after their mother’s departure. I thought that Celebrian’s fate would tear us apart as a family, but luckily I was proven wrong. If anything, we were even stronger and loved each other more fiercely than before.”

Legolas grasped Lord Elrond’s hand sympathetically. He felt very childish for whining about his pregnancy, when Elrond here had lost a wife and his sons had lost a mother. “And all of Elvendom grieved for her greatly”, he said tenderly. “For Celebrian was well loved by all who knew her.”

Elrond smiled tightly. “Thank you, mellon-nin. But I didn’t intend to dwell on her misfortune. As I just said, Elladan and Elrohir became very close indeed after the… incident, to such extent that I started to worry. Not only decided they to share their living quarters, but also their bed.”

Legolas was all wide eyes and shocked expression. “Do you mean to say that… that they became lovers?”

“I suspected it, yes, but neither of them ever confided in me, and I couldn’t gather the courage to ask them. Ha”, Elrond said wryly, “the famous Elrond Peredhel was afraid of asking his sons a simple question. I feared for them, for I believed that such acts would someday be punished by the Valar themselves. I feared for them but didn’t dare to interfere. I was completely helpless. But then something changed.”

“What happened?”

Elrond smiled at the Prince. “You happened. You came to visit us and were but a mere Elfling compared to my sons at the time, and yet I saw how Elladan’s eyes followed you, how he looked for your company. It is a safe guess that by the time the summer was over and you returned to your father’s realm, he was already quite infatuated with you.”

Legolas blushed deeply. “I had no idea… He approached me only several years later, when I was but a few years from my majority. I did not know that he had harboured such thoughts all those years.”

“But he did. And I was happy for you both, for first it seemed to me that you returned his affections when he finally spoke of them. And my sons moved back to separate chambers, of which I was even more glad. Elrohir didn’t seem to be broken-hearted, indeed not, he dallied with many a male Elf - including several of my councillors and trusted friends, - while Elladan faithfully waited for your return, restraining from pleasures of the body. And you always did come back to Imladris, much to the delight of my eldest. He was in love with you, and even if you didn’t feel the same way about him, for him it was enough just to be close to you. And so went the next few centuries.”

Legolas had fallen very silent. “And then Aragorn was brought to you”, he said in a quiet voice. “And we fell in love.”

Elrond nodded. “That’s what happened. His soul called to yours and yours to his, for you were destined to be together and become the royal couple of Gondor. That is why I didn’t try and stop you, even if it cost my firstborn a broken heart.”

Legolas looked down with a slightly guilty look upon his fair Elven face. “I never meant to hurt Elladan”, he said softly. “I cared for him greatly, as I still do. Yet I couldn’t force myself to love him, for I knew he wasn’t my soul mate.” Legolas looked at his father-in-law almost pleadingly. “I never gave myself to Elladan, even when I knew that he wanted to claim me as his mate. My father always told me to stay chaste until I was bonded, and even if he hadn’t done so, I would have waited for my mate nevertheless.”

“I know”, Lord Elrond said soothingly. “And you were right in doing so. I know that Aragorn felt highly honoured to be your first one. Not only in love-making but also in the matters of the heart.”

Legolas nodded. “He did… But I think there is something you haven’t yet said but intend to. For surely you didn’t only wish to reminisce about the past.”

Elrond sighed wistfully. “Sadly, no. After you and Aragorn fell for each other, Elladan felt like he was left out. I know you didn’t do it on purpose but it hurt him nonetheless. He knew that you had found your soul mate, and he didn’t resent you for that; nor did he resent Aragorn. Still, he hurt very much and I feared he would fade. And then”, Elrond stood up and turned his back to the Prince, for he didn’t want him to see the pain he felt, “then he turned to his twin brother. Who took him gladly to his bed. I saw them one evening walking in the gardens, their hands intertwined. And I knew then that they had indeed become lovers.”

He turned around and fixed his grim gaze on the younger Elf. He spoke the words almost accusingly. “Have you any idea how that wounded my heart? To look upon my fair sons and know they committed a deadly sin each night under my own roof? To watch them fall more and more in love with each passing day? Ever since that eve I have feared for them, for surely this abomination will not go unpunished. I fear that the Elves of Valinor will not welcome them, that they’re forced to choose mortality, and I will lose them to death!”

Legolas blinked rapidly. “Do you think it is my fault that your sons fell in love?”

Elrond’s gaze softened somewhat and he sat down once more. “No, I do not. You have fulfilled your destiny as Aragorn’s mate, and that is well.” Elrond lifted his gaze and studied the stars above them for a long while. Finally he continued. “I received a letter from Imladris not two months ago. ‘Twas from Elladan. He told me that he and Elrohir have had a bonding ceremony. Their souls are now united.”

Legolas gasped aloud. “Oh Elrond! How could they do that to you?”

“It does not matter. What is done is done and even Galadriel herself cannot undo a bonding. I feel like my sons have betrayed me, and yet I cannot find it in my heart to resent them. Can you understand that, Legolas? They have broken against me and our laws, and I still love them dearly.” Elrond’s eyes were moist and to his utter horror Legolas noticed a tear run down the older Elf’s ancient cheekbone.

“I can understand that, you’re their Adar. And they are indeed very lucky to have such a father. If something like this happened in Eryn Lasgalen”, Legolas shivered at the mere thought, “my father would sentence both of them to death without a second thought.”

Elrond nodded. “I just wanted to tell you this so that you know what to expect. I hope this doesn’t change the way you feel about them.”

“It doesn’t, they’re my gwedeir, and I could never turn my back on them. And I may be wrong but I think that love in all of its forms should be cherished. It is a rare thing to find”, Legolas said carefully. [Sworn brothers]

“I know nothing”, Elrond murmured as almost to himself, “it seems the older I get the less I know. Let us hope you’re right and my sons will not come to regret their actions later. Now, let us get some sleep, we have another day of riding ahead of us.”

They bid good night to each other and retired to their own bedrolls but Legolas could find no rest. Thoughts of Elladan, Elrohir, and Aragorn whirled in his head. Had he fulfilled his destiny as Elrond had remarked earlier? Had he strayed from it by fleeing the White City? Finally he let his mind wander on the paths of Elven dreams, and as is the wont of Elves, he dreamed of his home, the moon and the sun.