Faded Light
folder
-Multi-Age › Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
20
Views:
10,240
Reviews:
26
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
-Multi-Age › Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
20
Views:
10,240
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.
Discovery
(For additional notes and disclaimers please see top of Chapter 1.)
Chapter 18
Discovery
The last of the slavers had been tried and put to death, but Ruthlagor was sure he would never again have peace of mind.
Though Elves seldom resorted to executing criminals, banishment being the preferred punishment for most offenses, it had been understood by all that it would be folly to release these Men, who were not bound by Elven law and would without a doubt continue to cause harm once freed.
He shuddered to think how right Legolas had been in his distrust of Men...worse that the Orcs who slew his mother, the prince had called them. And how naïve he himself had been back then; even advocating the occasional human guards once used to supplement Mirkwood’s ranks.
Though Ruthlagor had never really expected the prince to ever trust Men again; not after the bitter betrayal he had suffered when he was barely a youth in his three hundreds.
Forgive me, Legolas, he pleaded silently clutching the leaf pendant that had been his nephew’s, for all I did not see.
Thranduil and Leralonde were right; it had been far too many years.
No Elf could be brutalized in that way and so long survive.
“Ruthlagor...”
The advisor slipped the pendant back into a pocket of his robes and looked up as a well-known voice interrupted his somber thoughts. “It is not often one finds you out here at this hour, hir nin,” said the king’s cousin.
“Good evening, Mellon.
“I did not expect to find rest this night, so I decided to take a walk.”
“It has been a long day,” agreed Esarulir. “But that unpleasant business is done now.
“Come, let us walk together,” he said. “It is a lovely night in spite of everything.”
“I fear I am not good company this night, Esa.”
“I do not mind,” he said starting across the garden. “The fresh air will do us both good, mellon nin.”
After they had walked in silence for several minutes, “I have wanted to speak to you about Ethiel and Glaerwen.”
“I have already heard this from Ethiel and even from my wife,” said Ruthlagor. “And I still believe they are too young to wed.
“And anyway, what is time to an Elf? Mereniel and I were both well past our two-thousands when we married.”
“If your wish is that your eldest marry first,” said the dark Elf, “it seems rather unfair, since Prince Leralonde has never yet shown any interest in marriage.”
“I will not give in on this, Esa. And I am not up to discussing this tonight,” said the advisor firmly, turning aside impatiently. “The marriage will wait awhile yet.”
He continued up the path, intending to return to the palace through a seldom used back stairway when something just inside the little remembered foyer caught his attention, the sound of whispers and soft laughter. He stopped at the doorway and caught sight of two Elves speaking in low voices, their closeness more than would have been necessary for a friendly conversation...
One was Saelbeth? And the other...?
Valar, have I finally lost my mind?
His son and Saelbeth...? The Crown prince and the junior advisor...?
He stood rooted to his spot for, what he reflected later, seemed the longest minute of his life, the young Elves still speaking in low voices oblivious to having been seen.
The look he sent Esarulir’s way, as he went back the way he had come and stalked past the dark-haired Elf would have been enough to freeze a Balrog...
\
TBC...
Elvish Translations:
Hir Nin / my lord
Mellon / friend
Discovery
The last of the slavers had been tried and put to death, but Ruthlagor was sure he would never again have peace of mind.
Though Elves seldom resorted to executing criminals, banishment being the preferred punishment for most offenses, it had been understood by all that it would be folly to release these Men, who were not bound by Elven law and would without a doubt continue to cause harm once freed.
He shuddered to think how right Legolas had been in his distrust of Men...worse that the Orcs who slew his mother, the prince had called them. And how naïve he himself had been back then; even advocating the occasional human guards once used to supplement Mirkwood’s ranks.
Though Ruthlagor had never really expected the prince to ever trust Men again; not after the bitter betrayal he had suffered when he was barely a youth in his three hundreds.
Forgive me, Legolas, he pleaded silently clutching the leaf pendant that had been his nephew’s, for all I did not see.
Thranduil and Leralonde were right; it had been far too many years.
No Elf could be brutalized in that way and so long survive.
“Ruthlagor...”
The advisor slipped the pendant back into a pocket of his robes and looked up as a well-known voice interrupted his somber thoughts. “It is not often one finds you out here at this hour, hir nin,” said the king’s cousin.
“Good evening, Mellon.
“I did not expect to find rest this night, so I decided to take a walk.”
“It has been a long day,” agreed Esarulir. “But that unpleasant business is done now.
“Come, let us walk together,” he said. “It is a lovely night in spite of everything.”
“I fear I am not good company this night, Esa.”
“I do not mind,” he said starting across the garden. “The fresh air will do us both good, mellon nin.”
After they had walked in silence for several minutes, “I have wanted to speak to you about Ethiel and Glaerwen.”
“I have already heard this from Ethiel and even from my wife,” said Ruthlagor. “And I still believe they are too young to wed.
“And anyway, what is time to an Elf? Mereniel and I were both well past our two-thousands when we married.”
“If your wish is that your eldest marry first,” said the dark Elf, “it seems rather unfair, since Prince Leralonde has never yet shown any interest in marriage.”
“I will not give in on this, Esa. And I am not up to discussing this tonight,” said the advisor firmly, turning aside impatiently. “The marriage will wait awhile yet.”
He continued up the path, intending to return to the palace through a seldom used back stairway when something just inside the little remembered foyer caught his attention, the sound of whispers and soft laughter. He stopped at the doorway and caught sight of two Elves speaking in low voices, their closeness more than would have been necessary for a friendly conversation...
One was Saelbeth? And the other...?
Valar, have I finally lost my mind?
His son and Saelbeth...? The Crown prince and the junior advisor...?
He stood rooted to his spot for, what he reflected later, seemed the longest minute of his life, the young Elves still speaking in low voices oblivious to having been seen.
The look he sent Esarulir’s way, as he went back the way he had come and stalked past the dark-haired Elf would have been enough to freeze a Balrog...
\
TBC...
Elvish Translations:
Hir Nin / my lord
Mellon / friend