To Finally Belong

Chapter 17 – Solving Problems

“Please be careful, Círa,” Haldir said, kissing her intently. “If anything were to happen to you…”

“Nothing will happen to me,” she promised. “With just the four of us, we can travel quickly without attracting much attention. Your brothers and I will be safely home before you know it.”

“I hope so because each minute is going to feel like an eternity while you are away,” he informed her, playing with the braid he had made in her hair an hour earlier.

“For me also,” she sighed.

They both turned to see what was causing some commotion near Rúmil. It appeared that one of his elleths was crying as she clung to him.

“Rúmil, please do not leave! It is far too dangerous,” she was saying, tears streaming down her cheek.

“Very dangerous, yes, but I am quite brave and will not allow the danger to keep me from completing my mission,” he replied, holding his head high.

Haldir rolled his eyes and make a sound of disgust as his brother said his farewells. The Marchwarden glanced at Círa when he thought he heard Rúmil say something about fire breathing dragons, but she just shrugged. Haldir kissed her again and they both smiled when they heard Damon speak.

“If you are finished with your kissing, I think we should leave so that we can get to Imladris before it snows in the mountains,” the elfling said, as Orophin pulled him up into the saddle.

Haldir walked over to tell Damon goodbye and to his surprise, the elfling grabbed him and hugged him. Círa thought that the Marchwarden looked as shocked as he had been when Aragorn had hugged him at Helm’s Deep. He gave her one last quick kiss and left rather abruptly, surprising her. She had assumed he would watch until they were out of sight. Seeing the hurt look on her face, Rúmil rode up next to her and explained.

“Haldir is very attached to Damon and has often spoken of his plans for training him. I know that he is taking this harder than he would ever admit,” the elf explained.

Círa nodded, understanding. Neither of them wanted to see the elfling go yet they were not in a position to take him in. It didn’t seem fair but Círa had to remind herself that it had been her decision and she had chosen to keep her position as a warden, rather than raise elflings. A wave of guilt washed over her as she thought about Damon being torn from his home in Lothlórien to go live in a strange land, but she reminded herself that his new guardians wanted him and might turn out to be the best thing for him.

For the elves, sleep was unnecessary and they could have easily continued to travel all night. Their horses, on the other hand, didn’t have that sort of stamina and required rest. As evening drew near, they found a spot in the forest that didn’t seem to have any heavily used paths nearby. The horses were set free to graze, which surprised Círa until Rúmil explained that they were very well trained and had been told not to wander far. They would be called back in the morning but for the night, they were safer wandering about the forest rather than being tied up.

Círa went to unroll her bedroll, but Orophin shook his head, no.

“That is not safe, Círa. You should be in a tree. It is unlikely that we will run across Orcs or Uruk-hai here, but it is not a certainty.”

“But, are there telain here?” she asked, not seeing any of the platforms in the trees over head.

“No, just put your bedroll on a large branch,” he suggested.

Círa looked up and back at Orophin. “There is not a wide enough branch in this forest to make me feel comfortable sleeping upon it. I would feel safer on the ground.”

“Círa, you are a Lothlórien elf!” Orophin laughed. “Living in the trees should be a natural instinct for you.”

“Well, I lost that instinct. I will sleep on the ground,” she insisted, rolling out the bedroll and climbing inside.

Orophin gave Damon a boost up the tree before turning towards his brother. Rúmil shrugged, but walked over to Círa.

“Círa, climb up into the tree with me and I will hold you so that you do not fall,” his tone was serious. “Haldir will not understand if we come back without you, simply because you were stubborn and let the Orcs get you while you sleep.”

Círa raised her head and looked at him. “I will sense danger long before it reaches me. Goodnight Rúmil, Orophin. May you sleep well.”

The brothers stood on the ground for a moment longer before they finally drew sticks to see who would be responsible for Damon that night. Rúmil drew the short stick. Grumbling, he climbed the tree and looked at the elfling who lay sprawled across a large branch, already sound asleep. Rúmil covered him with a blanket before laying back against the trunk to rest. If the elfling started to fall, Rúmil would be able to catch him. He doubted that he would sleep much that night between watching over Damon and keeping an eye on Círa. She might be able to sense the Uruks and Orcs but he was not going to take a chance. Sighing, he thought about the lovely elleths he had left behind and hoped that he would not be away from them for too long. The night passed slowly for Rúmil, though everybody else rested well. Círa did not actually sleep either, but just lay in her bedroll in reverie as she had done almost every night since the Orcs had first captured her. Sleeping with one ear open was second nature to her. When the dawn came, they called the horses back and continued on their way.

Círa had been given her own horse to ride and it was gentle and easy to handle. She had been nervous at first but had quickly learned how to give the animal commands, using her knees to guide the horse in the direction she wanted and her voice to make it start and stop. When she realized that Rúmil and Orophin were quietly arguing over who would take Damon for the day, she asked if the elfling could ride with her. Relieved, Orophin lifted him up behind her and immediately Damon began talking and asking questions. Círa had learned to tune out part of what the elfling said and just pick out the important things, so it did not bother her like it did the others. She had gotten rather good at it and as far as she knew, he hadn’t caught on to what she was doing yet.

By the time they reached Imladris, the elves were all very glad to see the beautiful city with its pristine rivers and majestic waterfalls. They were weary of riding and ready for a break. Though sentinels had greeted them and escorted them into the city, they had been turned over to elleths who now led them to rooms where they could change and tidy up before joining Lord Elrond in a dinner in their honor. Círa hoped that this dinner went better than the last one that had been held in her honor. She didn’t know Lord Elrond and he might not be as forgiving as Lord Celeborn if she elbowed him and broke a rib.

Rúmil seemed to quickly forget about the two elleths that he had left behind as he now had two dark haired beauties giggling at his words and listening to his tales. Of course, most of his stories dealt with trolls and dragons and Rúmil’s quick thinking that invariably saved the day.

“Has any of this actually happened or does he just make it up?” Círa asked Orophin as they watched Rúmil in action.

“Let me just say that my brother has a very overactive imagination,” Orophin answered, shaking his head.

Orophin escorted Círa to dinner that night while Rúmil tried to keep Damon under control as they made their way through Lord Elrond’s halls. Círa thought that it was funny watching the elfling walk all over Rúmil, just as the older elf had described. She finally spoke quietly to Damon and he behaved himself until they reached the area where the feast would be held. When they entered the dining hall, Lord Elrond met the Lothlórien elves and greeted Haldir’s two brothers warmly. He waited for an introduction and welcomed Círa and Damon to his home at that time. Turning to introduce the couple that was standing behind him, Lord Elrond introduced Damon to his new guardians. Círa thought they looked stern, neither one smiling when they met the tiny elfling. She frowned, wondering if this was going to work out, after all.

During the meal, Damon was seated between the two serious looking elves, with Círa across from him, between Rúmil and Orophin. Within the first ten minutes, Damon’s new parents had corrected him on his table manners at least eight times. Círa wondered what they thought of her if they were so disapproving of Damon. As far as she could tell, he hadn’t made any major blunders but was simply having a hard time remaining still, a common problem for many elflings. He was beginning to look dejected and Círa didn’t like it. The elfling had been through enough in his short life and there was no reason for his new guardians to be so harsh with him. From what Círa could see, both Orophin and Rúmil seemed rather subdued and she wondered if they were also disappointed with the guardians. By the end of the meal, Círa was bristling at the thought of Damon being stuck with his new parents. She suddenly spoke up.

“Do you have other elflings or will Damon be the only one?” she asked them.

“We have two others,” the she-elf answered, her back ramrod straight, “and they are very well behaved.”

Meaning that Damon was not well behaved, undoubtedly. Círa ripped off a piece of meat to prevent her from making a retort that she might later regret. Apparently, she wasn’t handling her food politely enough and both of the guardians raised their eyebrows. Damon giggled and got a stern look for it.

“I would like to meet your other elflings and see how they interact with Damon,” Círa stated.

“I do not see what the point would be,” the male elf told her. “It will not make a difference.”

“It will make me feel better about leaving him here,” Círa said, not taking no for an answer.

“Very well,” the she-elf said, rising from the table. “I shall go gather them now.”

Gather them, Círa said to herself. It sounded as though she were talking about flowers rather than elflings.

It didn’t take long until the very prim and proper she-elf was back, elflings in tow. They could have been miniatures of their parents, looking every bit as aloof. Círa felt another stab of pity for Damon as he was introduced to the new arrivals, who would barely look at him.

“Damon, you will follow me now. We shall get you acquainted with your new home,” the mother said, turning to leave.

“I want to stay with Círa!” the elfling said suddenly, flinging himself at the surprised elleth. She knelt down and spoke quietly with him, trying to calm him.

“Damon, please stay with them tonight and we shall talk tomorrow. You can tell me how you like your new home. We will not be leaving for another day,” she told him, wiping his tears.

“I want to go back with you and Rúmil and Orophin!” he wailed. “I promise I shall behave better.”

Círa closed her eyes in anguish before addressing the elfling once more.

“That is not the reason that you cannot stay with us, Damon, it is because we are wardens and we are at the Northern Fences much of the time.” She spent another ten minutes patiently explaining to him why it was for the best for him to be here, with his relatives, and eventually he was calm enough to go with his new family. By now, the stern she-elf was impatiently standing with her arms crossed and the two elflings were quietly whispering and snickering to each other. Círa felt even worse as she watched him being led away.

She turned to Lord Elrond and said bluntly, “I do not like Damon’s new family.”

Orophin quickly tried to intervene before Círa could say something more, possibly upsetting the elf-lord, but Elrond just nodded to the elleth.

“They would not have been my first choice either, Círa, but it seems that we have run out of other options. Come,” he said, taking her arm cautiously, as he had been warned by Celeborn to do, “we will drink wine together and tell stories tonight. Tomorrow we will see how Damon likes his new home.”

Sighing, Círa allowed the elf-lord to lead her to a room where several others were gathered. Rúmil and Orophin stayed close behind, ready to intervene if Círa did anything wrong.

The wine and the comfortable atmosphere of Lord Elrond’s home allowed Círa to relax and she began to answer questions that Lord Elrond asked her about her life. All of the elves seemed very pleasant, not much different from those in Lothlórien except that many had dark hair. She had to admit, they were a bit more carefree and casual than the elves of her own realm and she found it refreshing. It was too bad that Damon’s new guardians were so unlike the others. Círa’s thoughts kept drifting back to the elfling, no matter how hard she tried not to think of him. Even though she went to bed late that night she barely slept, wracked with guilt as she was. The next morning when she rose, she was hopeful that Damon would have settled in to his new home and family. It was not to be. Apparently the elfling had been awake crying much of the night and the new guardians were at wit’s end, not sure what to do with him.

“He is absolutely out of control!” the mother was almost spitting the words at Elrond. “I had no idea that he was so horrible or I never would have…”

Círa approached the she-elf, her anger growing with each step. “Horrible? Damon is not horrible. He is a wonderful, talented elfling who has not had the benefit of a family to love him. He has been shuffled around from home to home, never being allowed to settle in one place, never able to learn to trust anybody!” She now stood inches away from the she-elf who took a step backwards. “Personally,” Círa added, “I would die before I would leave him here with you! He is going back with me.”

“Círa, wait, think about what you are saying,” Orophin said, stopping her as she stalked away. “You must speak with Haldir about this first.”

“No, Orophin, I have no choice. I hope that we will be able to find a solution that will work for us, but if not, I will raise Damon alone, giving up my job as a warden. It is that important to me.”

He followed the elleth away, trying to reason with her but she was adamant. The elfling would be returning to Lothlórien with them and nobody was going to talk her out of it. Lord Elrond even made his own attempt but she stood firm.

“I seem to be the only one that can control him,” she explained to the elf-lord. “It may be because we both lost our parents and I can empathize with him. Maybe I simply have more patience with him than others do because I can see past his more annoying behavior to the amazing little elfling that is beneath it all.”

“But Círa, I know Haldir and he will not be pleased if you do not ask him first,” Elrond explained.

“How can I ask him if I do not return to Lothlórien to do so?” she asked.

“I will speak with Lady Galadriel and have her discuss the situation with Haldir. Please stay until we get a response from him.”

Círa agreed, reluctantly. She had been ready to leave that night, elfling in tow, but Lord Elrond was right. Haldir would want to be asked first. If he said no, she would do it anyway, but she would give him the opportunity to agree, first.

After Lord Elrond contacted Lady Galadriel with his mind, all they could do was to wait. The three Lothlórien elves drank wine as they sat and spoke with the others again, but there was tension in the air. Círa had already told Haldir’s brothers that she meant to take Damon back, with or without the permission of the Marchwarden. An hour had gone by when Lord Elrond suddenly stood and left the room. The next few minutes were pure torture for Círa as she waited for his return, hoping that the answer would be the one she desired. When the elf-lord stepped back into the room, his face gave away nothing.

Facing Círa at last, he said, “Congratulations, you are now the guardian of a very active young elfling.”

Círa hugged him before she could stop herself, but the Elf-lord didn’t seem to mind. He smiled as broadly as the two brothers were doing.

“There is more,” Lord Elrond stated, raising an eyebrow. “Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn have agreed to allow Damon to be a warden-in-training and go with you to the Northern Fences, so you will not need to give up your job. There will be several stipulations, but I will let them discuss them with you when you return.”

Círa was overjoyed. Not only could she and Haldir take Damon into their home, but she could keep her job as well. She wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but she would do anything that she had to do to try and make it work. Her fears seemed to dissipate now. The idea of losing Haldir had been a real concern and almost too much for her to even contemplate so she had tried not to think about it before. The relief she felt was overwhelming and when Damon was given the news, he was as happy as Círa and had to be almost peeled off of the elleth.

~~~

The next day was spent mostly in preparation for their trip back to Lothlórien and it flew by quickly. Before they knew it, they were packed up and saying goodbye to Lord Elrond and the other elves of Imladris. Damon’s relatives had briefly bid him farewell, but were now nowhere to be seen. That was fine with Círa because she was afraid she might say something more to them and it was probably best to leave things as they were.

The trip back was uneventful except for a close call when a band of Orcs and Uruk-hai passed by too closely. Círa had explained to Damon that he would have to remain utterly silent and she was proud at how well he did, though Círa and the other two wardens had been poised and ready to fight if it had become necessary.

When they finally drew near to the borders of the Golden Wood, Círa was overjoyed to see Haldir there to greet them. He swept her into his arms for a crushing kiss before greeting his brothers and Damon. They continued on to Caras Galadhon and Orophin volunteered to take Damon for the night so that Haldir could welcome Círa back properly. She was glad to be home again and when they finally stepped into their talan, Haldir hugged Círa tightly to his chest as though he would never let her go.

“I missed you so much,” he told her. “I could think of nothing else.

“I missed you, too,” she admitted. “I was so afraid that you would not want me to bring Damon back and I would be forced to choose between you.”

“And you would have chosen the elfling?” Haldir looked amused, rather than upset.

“Yes, because he is small and he needs me. You, on the other hand, can manage quite well on your own, I am certain. You have been doing it for many years, after all.”

“Ah, but things have changed. I do not know if I could manage without you now, Círa,” he told her as he nuzzled her neck. “You have almost become part of me.”

A small moan escaped her throat as his lips feathered kisses beneath her chin. When his mouth descended upon hers, she pressed her body against him, needing the contact after their separation. He was gentle at first, letting his tongue taste her lips before slipping further inside. Her tongue met his as she was pulled even more tightly against him. She stepped back after a moment, only long enough to allow her to unfasten his tunic and set it aside. He reciprocated, pulling at the fastenings of her garments and adding them to the growing pile of clothing. Haldir stood for a moment, simply wanting to look at Círa before dropping to his knees and using his mouth on her breasts and stomach as she stroked his hair. Not so gently now, he stood and returned his attention to her mouth, more demanding this time. Her hands fumbled with the laces to his leggings now as he strained against them. Setting him free, it was her turn to drop to her knees in front of him, pulling the leggings down to his ankles at the same time. He stepped out of them quickly as she took him into her mouth.

“Círa, you do not have to do this if you do not want to,” he said, knowing that it was still new to her.

“Just for a moment,” she told him. That was probably good, because had she not stopped when she did, he would have had to pull her away himself. He scooped her into his arms and moved quickly for the bed, depositing her as gently as possible under the circumstances. He began tasting and teasing her flesh, spreading her legs and lightly biting the skin on the inside of her thighs. It had been too long since they had been together and Círa was growing impatient. She reached down and touched both of his ears at once, watching his eyes close and his face reflect the desire he was feeling. Eyes fixed on hers now, he slid up her body, now positioning himself above her. When she reached up to take one of the pointed tips in her mouth he let out a groan and his body shuddered with pleasure and promise. He opened his eyes again and held her gaze as he drove himself into her in a single stroke.

“Yes!” she said, eyes locked upon his. Growling with need, he pulled almost all the way out before slamming into her again and watching her eyes grow wild with desire. She hooked both legs around his back, using her lower body strength to try to keep him close, but still he pulled back before plunging himself fully into her for the third time. She almost screamed as his body hit hers and it was almost too much for either of them. Haldir began to pound into her now with a fury as Círa urged him to go faster, harder. He continued to growl as his basic urges were released to the surface and Círa liked it. It was something she could relate to as she responded with her own grunts and growls, twisting and tangling with him under the bed sheets as they rolled back and forth, fighting for dominance. When they achieved release together at last, it was with an intensity that neither of them had ever felt before and they lay locked together for minutes, clinging to each other as the last of the spasms faded and left them feeling sated and tired.

“Haldir, how are we going to do this with Damon in the talan?” Círa asked, having not truly considered it before.

“We will add a room for him, on the other side of the living area,” Haldir told her, having pondered the problem immediately after hearing about the situation. “Besides, elflings sleep deeply, unlike grown elves. He will not hear a thing.”

“Good, because it would be difficult for me to remain quiet,” she pointed out.

“Yes, I believe it would,” he laughed, running a finger across her lips.

~~~

Círa was amazed at how quickly the new platform was added to their talan. She mentioned it to Haldir and he whispered into her ear, “Did you think that I could without you for even one night?”

“You went several nights while I was gone,” she pointed out.

“Yes, but you were not in the talan with me,” he countered.

“And all those nights that we spent together before? You managed just fine, then,” she smiled.

“It was more difficult than you will ever know,” he told her. “It would be impossible now.”

They heard a gasp as Damon entered the talan, going straight for his new room.

“Wait, Damon,” Haldir pulled the elfling back just as a bed was raised up into the air.

“How did they do that?” Damon asked, awed.

Haldir pointed to the large branch above the platform where two ropes could be seen. They were attached to the bed on one end then the rope went over the limb to the ground where two elves pulled on them to raise the bed. He quickly explained how it worked to the elfling, before going to help Orophin pull the bed towards the platform.

“Lower it slowly now!” Orophin called down. Círa and Damon watched as the bed was slowly lowered into the right spot. A dresser soon followed.

“I wondered how they would get that stuff up here,” Damon said. “I did not think they would be able to carry it up the tree.”

“No, that would be difficult,” Círa agreed.

The elfling started forward again but Círa pulled him back as the walls were now lifted into place and quickly attached to the platform. Damon was spellbound by the process. Within another hour, the room was completed and furnished. The elfling had very few belongings to bring over, mostly clothing and a few toys, but he found places for them in his new room. Círa and Haldir let him do it himself, wanting him to feel that it was his very own room. When he finished, he insisted they come and look at it. Círa smiled and lifted up the tattered rag doll that had obviously been made to look like Damon.

“Who is this?” she asked him.

He blushed, glancing at Haldir. Wardens-in-training did not have rag dolls, he was sure.

“Just something my mother made me when I was little,” he replied, embarrassed.

“I think it is wonderful,” Círa said, noticing that some stuffing was coming out of its side. “I had one like it when I was a child. I had it with me when I was taken by the Orcs and I never saw it again.”

“Let me see it,” Haldir said, frowning at the doll. Damon handed it to him nervously.

Carrying it into the other room with Damon right on his heels, Haldir pulled out a needle and thread, quickly stitching up the tear before he handed the rag doll back to Damon, smiling.

Relieved, the elfling hugged his prize to his chest and replaced it on his bed.

Círa kissed Haldir. “That was very kind of you. Will you sew for me, too?”

“No,” he told her. “But I will teach you how. I only know the basics.”

“I would rather have you teach me other things than sewing,” she said.

“Oh?” he asked, curious.

“Let us put Damon to bed, first,” she said, smiling lazily at him.

They tucked the elfling in and within moments he was fast asleep.

“That was quick,” Círa noted.

“Good, because I am ready to be in bed with you,” he answered, kissing the back of her neck.

“And what new thing will you teach me tonight?” she asked as he led her to their room.

“Well, because you are such an apt student, I think that I shall teach you two things tonight.”

“I cannot wait,” Círa said, taking his hand.

~~~

The next two weeks flew by with Damon fitting into his new family well. Haldir had the tendency to get impatient with the elfling, but Círa taught him a few of the tricks she used to deal with him and they helped. It even seemed that he was becoming calmer after the initial excitement of moving into a new home wore off. When it was time to return to the Northern Fences, he was a bundle of excitement and could not stop talking. Wanting Haldir to keep his sanity, Círa fell behind with Damon and let him ramble as she half listened to what he was saying. When he seemed to finally be running out of energy, she went over the rules with him one last time.

“What do you do if there is an Orc attack?” she asked.

“If we are at the border, I climb the nearest tree. If we are close to the talan, I climb up and pull the rope up behind me,” he answered by rote. He had been drilled on these lessons.

“And…” Círa waited

“And I remain perfectly silent. No moving around, no talking, no other noises.”

And if either Haldir or one of the other wardens, including me, gives you an order, what do you do?”

“I obey first and ask questions later,” he said.

“Good,” she replied. “There will be practices, too.”

With the help of several other wardens, a new talan was built in an area well inside the border. It was rare that Orcs or Uruk-hai ever made it that far, so it should be safe for Damon. The talan was only an hour’s walk from the border and by running, it could be reached much faster. If there was an attack, Orophin or Rúmil could contact Haldir through farspeak and he could be at the border quickly.

Unlike most of the border talans which were just platforms, a short wall was added to Damon’s bedroom, just in case he rolled over at night. They had brought along a few items to make the talan a bit more comfortable than the others, too. Both bedrooms now had a mattress on the floor instead of simply bedrolls, and a small table and chairs were placed in the living area along with a large rug.

“It is not quite as fancy as the talan in Caras Galadhon,” Damon announced when it was done, “but it will do.”

“Oh, will it?” Haldir asked, trying to hide the smile on his face. “I am pleased that it meets your approval.”

Damon nodded then practiced climbing up and down the rope ladder for a while. He decided that it was much more fun that the stairs on the talans in the city.

When everything was done, Círa and Damon followed Haldir and the others to the border, where they met with the wardens who would be returning home. To say that Damon’s presence was a surprise was an understatement, but the other wardens seemed pleased. Haldir was well liked and his relationship with Círa concerned them all. They wanted nothing more than to see the Marchwarden happily bound to the elleth and this seemed to be a step in the right direction.

It was at the end of the first week, after Damon had been put to bed that Haldir began to wonder if Círa would change her mind now about binding herself to him. They made love that night and afterwards, he brought up the subject.

“How do think that things are working out with Damon?” he asked, tentatively.

“Very well,” she admitted. “He is obeying well and has not broken the rules more than once or twice. And you, Haldir; does it bother you to have to walk so far to this talan?”

“No, not at all. I am very pleased with everything,” he assured her. “In fact, it is working out so well that I wondered if maybe you would reconsider the idea of binding ourselves to one another. You were worried about having children, but I think that you have done very well with Damon. I think that the obstacles that were standing in our way our gone, Círa.”

Círa looked at him, at a loss for words.

“Caring for Damon will not be the same as trying to care for an infant, especially here at the border. An infant would cry. The noise might attract Orcs and endanger the elfling,” she mentioned.

“I will teach you how to administer a sleeping spell. It would be harmless. You are learning to receive my messages, so I could warn you if Orcs or Uruks were nearby.”

She stared into his eyes, trying not to let her hopes be raised, but not succeeding.

“The only thing would be your job as a warden, Círa,” he brought up the point, hoping it would not be a problem. “Obviously you could not be on duty with an infant.”

“But I could spend time teaching Damon and caring for an infant while you are on patrol,” she said, considering the idea. “I would not become bored. I like teaching better than killing anyway. The main reason I wished to stay a warden was to be with you, but we could still be together now, either here or in Caras Galadhon.”

He nodded, “Yes, we could. See, Círa, we no longer have any obstacles if you truly do not mind giving up your duties as a warden. In fact, technically you could consider yourself still on duty, only you would be guarding the talan.”

“Haldir, I think that I could do it. I think I could be a mother. Being a guardian to Damon has made me realize that there are instincts inside me that were hidden. Suddenly, being a warden is not the most important thing to me. Being with you and with Damon is. I might not be a wonderful mother, but I could do my best. You would have to help me,” she added.

“Of course I would help you,” he smiled. “Will you do it then, Círa? Will you bind yourself to me?”

“Yes, Haldir, I will,” she said, overcome with emotion. “I never thought it would happen, but it is what I want more than anything.”

Haldir crushed his mouth to hers, relieved beyond anything he had ever imagined. She would be his forever and they would have a family together.

“Now, Círa? Shall we do it tonight?” he asked, nuzzling her neck.

“How do we do it?” she asked.

“We promise ourselves to each other in front of the Valar and we ask for their blessing. If they grant it, then the next time we join, we will be bound forever. You must be sure, because there will be no turning back.”

“I am certain,” she said. “The thought of being alone now, without you, is almost unbearable. Yes, let us do it now.”

Haldir sat up and crossed his legs, indicating for her to do the same across from him. Reaching out, he took her hands and held them as he prayed to the Valar and asked for their blessing upon the union. Lifting his head, Haldir looked into Círa’s eyes and promised to be faithful to her and to respect her. She made the same promises back to him.

“I promise to try to be patient with you and teach you the things that you need to know,” he said, holding her gaze.

“I promise to try to be patient with you when you teach me and not get upset and yell at you when you forget and become impatient,” she replied.

Haldir laughed and looked away momentarily, before becoming serious once more. He became very solemn now.

“More than anything else, I promise to love you forever, Círa,” Haldir said, his eyes intent on hers.

“And I will also love you forever,” she promised, “no matter what.”

Leaning forward, they touched their lips together, sealing their vows to one another.

“Did it work?” Círa whispered, not sure.

“Let us find out,” Haldir suggested, taking her hand and leading her back to their bed.

“This time our joining will be very important, Círa and we should not hurry it,” he told her as he moved onto the bed. Círa joined him, laying on top of him as he kissed her and ran his hands up and down her bare body. She sat up now, straddling his legs, and softly stroking his shaft as he watched her. Soon Haldir sat up, too, facing Círa. He began by touching his mouth to hers once more before dropping kisses in a meandering path across her neck and eventually down to her breasts. He took a nipple into his mouth and lightly bit and sucked as he wrapped his arms around her back. Círa moaned as he took his time, eventually moving to the other side to repeat his actions. Rolling her beneath him now, he trailed his tongue across her ribs and stomach, eventually covering most of her smooth flesh with kisses as she, in turn, touched every part of his body within her reach. When Círa didn’t think she could take any more, she rolled him onto his back and gave him the same treatment that he had just given her. He gasped as she used her tongue and lips to blaze a path down his body, taking an excruciatingly long time. When she reached his hardened member, she did not take him into her mouth but licked up one side and down the other, earning a cry of pleasure from Haldir. She worked her way around the area but not directing her attention towards the one place where he really wanted it. When she finally brought her tongue up and licked the head, it was almost more than he could take. Pulling her up, their mouths joined together again, tongues tasting and lips locking together in an embrace of their own.

“Are you ready to become my mate, Círa?” Haldir asked her now, unable to hold back any longer.

“Yes, Haldir,” she told him. “I love you.”

He settled himself between her legs and nudged at her opening.

“Círa, I bind myself to you, for all eternity,” he said, eyes solemnly holding hers.

“Haldir, I bind myself to you, for all eternity,” she responded, knowing it was right for her to respond.

He slid himself into her slowly, savoring the feeling as he finally buried himself completely in her warmth, eyes never leaving hers. Pulling back, he started a slow rhythm as he watched with blue eyes that mirrored hers. Placing his elbows on either side of her head, he continued to kiss her as he slowly moved in and out of her body. Círa trailed her fingertips across Haldir’s strong shoulders and down his back, causing shivers to run through his body as they continued to move in harmony. They both noticed that something felt different this time. Their love for each other seemed to grow more intense, stronger. Círa began to notice that the physical feelings she was now experiencing seemed amplified, also.

“Haldir, something is different,” she whispered as she stared into his eyes. “I love you so much that I cannot even express it.”

“Yes, I think that we are forming a bond,” he answered softly into her ear. “I have never felt anything like it, Círa.”

They had taken it slow so far, wanting to savor this joining, but now it was growing difficult as the sensations intensified. Haldir’s thrusts began to grow harder and faster as Círa met each one with equal intensity. As their kisses grew more passionate, Círa found herself able to read Haldir’s thoughts clearer than ever and it added a new dimension to their joining to see how he felt.

“Oh, Círa!” he said, wanting to drive himself into her over and over until the morning came but knowing he would not last much longer.

Círa’s legs moved to wrap around Haldir’s waist and she spread her fingers across his back, loving the feel of his smooth skin, encasing hard muscles. When her hands moved down his back and cupped his taut, straining buttocks muscles he cried out in ecstasy. She clutched at him, trying to pull him into her body even further as they both went over the top, into a wave of pleasure that seemed to go on and on, peaking several times before leaving them exhausted.

Haldir smiled as he caressed Círa’s face with the back of his hand, holding her as their breathing and heart rates slowed.

“I believe that we have bonded, my love,” he told her, still gazing into her eyes.

Smiling back, Círa rested her head upon his chest, realizing that it was the happiest moment of her life.

~~~

The next morning, Círa and Damon accompanied Haldir to the borders as they did each day. This time, the two adults had a hard time keeping their eyes off of each other. They held hands as they walked and stopped often to exchange a kiss or two.

“What is going on here?” Damon finally asked when he had to wait for them yet again. “You cannot leave each other alone today.”

“We shall tell you when we tell Haldir’s brothers,” Círa informed the elfling. “We have a surprise.”

When they reached the others, they all took time to eat breakfast but after they finished, Damon could stand the suspense no longer.

“When are you going to tell us your surprise?” he finally asked.

“Right now,” Haldir smiled and stood up. “I have an announcement to make. The lovely Círa has finally agreed to become my mate. We have bound ourselves to each other.”

Both brothers were very happy for the couple. There were hugs all around, except for Damon who sat frowning on the ground. Noticing his lack of enthusiasm, Círa finally approached the elfling.

“Damon, what is wrong?” she asked. “I thought that you would be pleased. Now Haldir and I will be together forever. We can have elflings.”

“Great,” Damon said. “Then you will want me to leave.”

“No, Damon,” Haldir said, coming to sit next to him. “You will always be part of our family. Círa and I already made that decision and we consider it a very serious commitment. If we have other elflings, they will be your brothers or sisters. You will have a big responsibility as an older brother.”

“Really?” he asked, perking up a bit.

“Yes, you will have to help us care for them and teach them. Do you think that you can handle that responsibility?” Haldir asked, looking very serious.

Damon smiled. “Yes. Can we get one now?”

“An elfling?” Círa asked.

“Yes, I would like a brother, not a sister,” Damon gave his preferences.

“Well, I do not think that there is any guarantee,” Haldir informed him wryly. “I am also not quite sure whether or not they will have one available right now. We will probably have to wait for a while.”

“Where do we get the elfling?” Damon asked Círa.

Círa turned to Haldir, embarrassed. “I shall let you handle this.”

“Thank you,” he said, a bit flustered, “are you sure you do not want to tell him?”

Círa looked away, even more embarrassed. Walking over to her, Haldir sat next to her, “What is wrong, Círa? I will talk to Damon if you feel uncomfortable doing so.”

“It is not that,” she said, her attention now fixed on something in the general area of her feet.

“I…cannot tell him because I do not know the answer myself,” she suddenly blurted out.

“You are not serious,” Haldir said, hopefully.

“Yes, I am serious!” she said. “I have always wondered where elflings come from, but there was nobody to tell me. It is not a topic that one discusses with Orcs. I thought about asking Saruman, but could not bring myself to do it.”

“Have you never seen an animal give birth?” he asked, amazed.

“I do not even know what that means. The Orcs did not raise animals.”

Haldir looked helplessly at his brothers who both shrugged, trying to hold back their smiles.

Standing, Haldir took Círa’s hand and began to walk with her as he began to whisper an explanation to her.

“Really?” she asked, stopping dead in her tracks. “They come from the mother? How do they get there?”

He whispered into her ear.

“Oh, I like that part,” she said, smiling.

Haldir whispered some more.

“So many months? And they grow bigger? Then I will get fat,” Círa replied, disturbed. “And how do you get them out if they are so large?”

More whispering.

“Oh, no, I do not think so!” Círa said, backing away from Haldir. “If you think for one moment that…”

He silenced her with a kiss.

Rúmil turned towards Orophin. “Do you think that Damon will be our only nephew?”

Orophin laughed. “No, I think that it will all work out, but I also think that things will not be dull around here any time in the near future.”

~~~The End~~~

Now nominated for the 2004 MPA Awards.