Safe Passage

A/N: I want to reply to the lovely comments I received on the first chapter. That chapter has been updated with more description of Rúmil and his brothers fighting the Orcs. I felt those details were lacking in the previous entry.

1) To Sherry: Thank you for your kind review of Ch. 1. Hope you like Ch. 2 just as well.

2) To Haldir’s Heart & Soul: Glad you liked it. Hope Ch. 2 meets with your approval.

3) To Brin: Thank you so much for your wonderful review! I hope that you are still enjoying the story after this chapter. It doesn’t have as much action but there is more interaction among the brothers and Rúmil does get to have an encounter of sorts. Now that he’s off to Rivendell the next chapter should be more exciting.

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After Rúmil had accompanied Elrond back to the junction of the Celebrant and Nimrodel Rivers in order to retrieve the Elf-lord’s horse, the young Elf watched from atop his own steed as Elrond checked his stallion’s hooves. “That is too bad”, said the Lord of Imladris sadly. “He has thrown a shoe and I will not be able to ride him back to Rivendell”.

Rúmil slid gracefully down from his horse’s back. “You may have my mount”, he said sweetly.

Elrond looked at him with a startled expression and stood up to walk towards him, stopping so close to the Lorien Elf that their breath mingled. “That is a generous offer”, he said as he gazed into the widely innocent blue orbs of the young Galadhrim warrior. “You cannot make such an offer when it shall render you without transport. There are many more Orcs about, I am sure of it, and you have almost run out of arrows”. Elrond put his hand upon Rúmil’s shoulder and turned him slightly to see how many arrows were left in his quiver. “You have less than twenty”.

Rúmil shrugged, and Elrond removed his hand. Rúmil then flushed as he was immediately disappointed by the loss of contact. “It is fine, My Lord”, he said in a soft voice. “My brothers will be returning for me when they notice that I am no longer following them, and then I can ride back home with them”.

“Very well”, said Elrond, looking placated. “Then I shall wait here with you, and you can tell me all about yourself. I find I am most intrigued by you and want to learn all I can of your background and how you came to be such an excellent bowman”.

Rúmil blushed an attractive shade of pink. Elrond laughed, the sound more musical to Rúmil’s ears than that of Nimrodel’s burbling water. “You are shy and modest, are you not?” asked Elrond. “Come and talk to me while we go and retrieve your spent arrows from the vile bodies of the Orcs you killed. They are beautifully crafted arrows with straight shafts and true aim, and it would be a shame to leave them behind”. His appraising glance fell appreciatively over Rúmil’s youthful face and form.

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When the three Galadhrim brothers had safely returned home to Lothlorien, the Lady Galadriel decided to hold a celebration for them in honour of their gallantry in saving Lord Elrond and his party of Elves from the Orc attack. Haldir and Orophin did not hold back in their praise for Rúmil and boasted proudly of their brother’s heroic deeds. Rúmil also received much teasing from them in private as they meant to firmly keep him in his place and not let him get too big-headed over his heroics.

The day of the party found all three brothers atop their talan, attempting to pick out clothes to wear that evening and to braid their hair for the occasion. All three stood stark naked as each plaited the other’s hair. While Rúmil was working on Haldir’s braids, Orophin sat on his bed strumming a small harp and singing to the others. His hair had been elaborately plaited. Haldir wanted something plainer done with his golden tresses.

“I am warning you, Rúmil, do not give me a style such as that you have given Orophin, for I do not wish to look like a sissy tonight”.

Rúmil grunted. “Hold still, Haldir, can’t you? This braid will not be straight if you keep moving”.

“Sissy? I am no sissy”, cried Orophin, his face turning red with indignation. He stopped singing and threw down his harp.

Haldir laughed. “No, you don’t. Not with that body”. He turned to glance appraisingly at Orophin’s muscular build. “I doubt anyone would be mistaking you for a girl. Now Rúmil here, on the other hand –“ Haldir put out a strong hand, clasping Rúmil around his slender waist, pulling him against his side, and planting a wet kiss on his neck.

“Ai! What are you doing? You’ve made me drop the end of your hair!” cried Rúmil, flushing prettily.

“He does look like a girl, doesn’t he?” grinned Orophin. “With his hair unbound, that slim build and that round little bottom! Why, you could put a dress on him and no one would know the difference! Even his chest muscles stand out as if they could be bosoms!”

Rúmil blushed hotly and wheeled around to face Orophin, assuming a warrior’s stance. “Come here and tell me that to my face!” he cried angrily, forgetting about Haldir’s hair.

“Oh!” cried Orophin in mock horror. “I am sorry! I take it back! No one could mistake him for a maid with that between his legs!” and he pointed at Rúmil’s sizeable member hanging down between his slender thighs. “You are developing nicely, little brother! I’ll bet Lord Elrond would like it very much!”

That was too much for Rúmil, who angrily threw himself upon Orophin and the two brothers began to wrestle upon the floor of the talan. Haldir had to run over to break them apart. He was very annoyed. “Stop fighting right now, the two of you!” he cried. “Orophin! Get dressed and leave Rúmil alone! Rúmil! My hair! Continue!” he barked.

Reluctantly, the two brothers separated and Orophin gingerly examined a tender scratch on his shoulder. Rúmil rose to his feet and approached Haldir, his face still red from the stinging accuracy of Orophin’s remark.

“Let us talk of other things”, said Haldir. “What do you want me to do with your hair for tonight, Rúmil?”

“I don’t care”, said the young Elf grumpily as he resumed plaiting Haldir’s thick golden strands. “Something plain, to make me look older. Tie it right off my face in one braid down my back if you like.”

Haldir flexed his broad chest and muscular arms. “Very well”, he said. “What are you wearing?”

“I don’t care”, said Rúmil again. “You can choose that too”.

When all three were dressed and their hair done, they looked quite splendid. Haldir was in a sapphire blue tunic shot with gold over a pair of dark blue leggings and matching blue suede boots. Orophin was in a plain dark red tunic over black breeches and black boots, his gleaming gold, intricately braided hair the most ornamental thing about him. Rúmil, his hair in one plain braid as he had suggested, wore a golden-coloured tunic of thin silk over top of tight brown leggings, and he had chosen to go barefoot.

As they entered the lawn area that had been cordoned off like an outdoor room for the celebration, all the gathered Elves turned to look at the three brothers. As stunning as Haldir and Orophin were, it was the elegant simplicity and inherent sexuality of Rúmil’s appearance that captured the attention of every Elf-maiden in the room, and not just a few of the males. Rúmil’s cool, uncaring attitude also contributed to his attractiveness. Everyone had heard of his recent exploits in saving the life of Lord Elrond of Rivendell, and everyone wanted to talk to him about it. After he had descended from the tree, climbing gracefully down in his bare feet, his thin shirt short and revealing his slim but shapely legs, pert round bottom and generous bulge in the front of his skin-tight leggings, he soon found himself surrounded by admirers. He wasn’t quite sure, but he thought he felt his backside being brushed quite a few times – “accidentally” – and once or twice his pubic area as well. Not a few maidens pressed notes into his hands.

When he excused himself to take a breath from talking and to get some refreshment, he wandered over to an unoccupied table and sat down to unfold some of the missives he had received. They all bore similar messages:

“You are very attractive. Meet me in my talan tonight at midnight”.

“I think I love you. Come to my talan at eleven”.

“Please come to see me in my talan at ten”.

He made a little noise of exasperation and threw them all down on the ground. None of them were signed. Every one of the maidens who had given him a note thought she was the only one who had done so! He got up and went to get a drink. The Elf serving drinks at the bar poured him a large glass of red wine at Rúmil’s request and he drank half of it while standing at the bar before returning to his table where he downed the rest. Soon he was joined by a pretty maid who boldly sat down beside him.

“Hello, Rúmil”, she said in a breathless, child-like voice full of wonder that Rúmil did not think was genuine at all. “We have never met before but I know your brother Haldir”, she whispered.

“Oh, you do?” Rúmil asked, forcing himself to be polite to her. He knew what she wanted and he wished she would just be more forthright in asking him for it.

“Yes”, she replied. “He and I are old friends, but I do not see that much of him anymore since he is out guarding the boundaries so much of the time these days”.

“Yes, we are all rather busy with the times being as difficult as they are”, Rúmil replied, looking at the maiden with more sympathetic interest, sensing that she missed his brother. “What is your name?”

“I am called Borna”, she replied. “I did not realize that Haldir had such an attractive younger brother until tonight. I have met Orophin before, of course, but I do not remember meeting you. I am sure I would have remembered if I had”.

“I was probably too young”, Rúmil replied. “I am only just past my majority now”.

“Really?” she asked with interest. “You are very accomplished for one so young. Have you a betrothed?”

“No”, replied Rúmil. “Say, would you like to go up to my talan to discuss this further?” he asked, feeling that he should get the inevitable over with as soon as possible.

“I would like nothing better”, she purred, and he rose, took her hand and led her up the huge mallorn upon which sat the talan shared by the brothers. When they reached the privacy curtain, Rúmil could see that it was drawn, its hem ruffling slightly in the cool breeze that wafted languidly through the great tree’s upper branches. Caring not for what he would find, he swept it open and entered, pulling Borna behind him. Through the starlit darkness they could see Haldir and an Elf-maid, both naked and frolicking upon the older Elf’s pallet. Haldir’s muscular behind shone palely in the silver glow cast by the light of the stars on the moonless night, and moved athletically as he went about pleasing his companion.

“My talan seems to be occupied”, Rúmil whispered to Borna. “By your old friend Haldir”. She sighed and turned to climb back down the ladder.

“Wait”, said Rúmil. “There is an empty talan just a few branches over from here. It is normally used for visitors. We could go there to talk if you like”.

“That is a grand idea”, said Borna, and followed Rúmil who led her to a small, empty talan curtained by heavy boughs full of the mallorn’s golden leaves and heavily shaded from the twinkling lights that illuminated the larger tree branches.

Once they were settled inside, Rúmil spoke first. “Where were we?” he asked.

Borna’s response was to put her hands against his chest and push him down onto the talan’s lone bed. Rúmil’s hand flew to his shirt front and he pulled it open, exposing his slimly-muscled chest. Borna then threw herself down upon him and with perfunctory forethought, put her hand between his thighs and began to rub the stiffness that developed there immediately.

“Wait. Don’t you want to –“ he tried to say but she forestalled any conversation by smothering his mouth with kisses. After she had kissed him sloppily for several minutes, she abandoned his lips, leaving a wet trail of saliva to run down his chin, and she sat up and grasped the laces of his leggings. She loosened these and then pulled them down to expose his erect penis. She grasped its base in one hand and lowered her head to take most of the hard shaft into her mouth. He threw his head back and groaned at the initial contact, but found after a few moments of her suckling him that her technique did not satisfy him at all. She was sloppy and rough and he found that her slurping on him did nothing but annoy him. He squeezed his eyes shut and let her bring him to an unsatisfactory completion while he imagined the Lord of Imladris, tall and dark, with eyes of grey and a delectable smile full of hope and promise. He held the hand that Elrond had kissed up to his face again and put his own lips against it as he climaxed.

After he had thanked Borna and had seen her safely home, Rúmil climbed back to his own talan. He reminded himself to tell Haldir what he thought of his taste in maidens when he saw him next. As Rúmil entered their talan, he saw that Haldir and Orophin were both sitting upon chairs facing each other, and Haldir was holding a piece of parchment in his hand. The Elf-maiden that he had previously been courting was gone.

“Ah, Rúmil”, said Haldir as his young brother approached. “I have a message here for you”.

“A message for me?” Rúmil asked curiously.

“Yes. It is from Lord Elrond. Lord Celeborn just gave it to me tonight. He invites you to visit him in Rivendell”.

Rúmil took but a few minutes to hoist his quiver onto his back, attach a sword-belt to his hips and sheath his slender rapier, grab his bow and he was off.

“Rúmil!” shouted Haldir. “You can’t leave now! It’s midnight!”

“Goodbye, brothers”, said Rúmil. “I shall see you again soon”. Then he fairly flew down the ladder to the ground.

“But you’re barefoot!” Rúmil!” cried Orophin, leaning out over the talan’s edge and calling down to Rúmil’s disappearing figure across the lush green lawn lit by the twinkling lights.

In the stables he found a good, strong and fast horse and saddled it, to the protests of the groom that he had wakened. “Young Master Rúmil, you cannot go out in the wilds this late at night alone!”

“I will be fine”, Rúmil replied and urged his horse onwards.

“But you are barefoot!” cried the groom, “and you are only half-dressed! There are Orcs all over the wilds surrounding Lothlorien!”

“It is no matter. I am well-armed. I shall be fine”. And he sped off into the night towards Rivendell.