The little mer-elf

Title: The little mer-elf
Author: Githoniel
Beta: None
Chapter: 2/?
Pairings: Erestor/Glorfindel, Glorfindel/Ereinion
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: utterly AU, Slash, character death
Disclaimer: All elves belong to Mr.Tolkien, not even the plot is mine, but inspired by Hans Christian Andersen
Summery: Erestor is living a perfect life under the sea as a mer-elf... but then he learns that true love is to be found ashore...
Author’s notes: Written for Agie’s ‘Erestor Fairytale challenge’... please note that even though I love the movie, it’s not the Disney version that’s inspiring this – so prepare yourself for a sad story!!!


Chapter 2


Erestor was almost at the surface, when suddenly something fell from the boat into the ocean. He saw a golden glimmer in the dark water. The rough sea made swimming rather difficult, but when he got there, he saw it was an elf in the water – an elf with golden hair.
He touched the lifeless body.
“You mustn’t sleep in the water, elf. Wake up... you must swim, or you will die!”
But the blond elf didn’t move. So Erestor grabbed him by the sleeve of his tunic and swam with him to the surface.

When he breathed air again, Erestor noticed the sky had turned black and the thunderstorm scared him almost to death. Waves crashed over his head and he wished nothing more than to return to the safety of his home at once – but he couldn’t let the elf die, he couldn’t!
In the distance he saw the shoreline, and he knew, what he had to do. It took all his stenght to swim there, all the time looking that the blond elfs head was above the waterline. And then he swam between the rocks, which was really dangerous for both of them. More than once, the waves threw him against the sharp-edged stones. Just a little closer to the shore...
A big wave crashed down on Erestor and spun him around in the water. His tail fin hit something hard and several silver scales coloured with deep red blood. But none the less he never let go of the blond elf. With all what was left of his energy he made it to a larger rock in the more shallow water and placed his charge there. For one heart-stopping second he thought the elf was dead – but then he felt the chest slightly lifting. He checked the head injury, it looked not too bad.
Only now Erestor noticed his own wound. He lifted the fin from the water and noticed the blood.
//I can’t swim with that, not when the sea is like that. I’ll have to wait till the storm has passed.//
And he swung his upper body onto the rock and placed his head on the blond elfs chest. This strangers body felt so warm inspite of the cold water. He had never felt that kind of warmth, for all mer-elves had a low body temperature. Erestor snuggeld a little closer to the elfs body and exhausted as he was, the young prince fell asleep.

He woke due to a unknown warm feeling on his skin. He opened his eyes and saw the sky in the loveliest shade of blue. The sun shone brightly and warmed his body and there wasn’t even a single cloud to be seen. Everything looked so beautiful. Erestor began to sing a melody that matched this picture...
And then he remembered the other elf and looked at the body next to him. Now, in the light of day, the elf looked gorgeous. His blond mane glittered in the sunshine like spun gold. His face was beautiful. And his ripped tunic revealed a muscular body. Erestor couldn’t help it and leaned forward and touched the other elf’s lips with his.
When he lifted his head again he suddenly found the strangers eyes opened. A split of a second he was frozen. But then with a quick movement he pushed off from the rock and disappeared under the water.

//This must be a dream!// Glorfindel thought when he opened his eyes. //Either that or I’m dead – again - and this is some kind of angel kissing me.//
The warrior had just a second to take in the strange creatures beauty and then, quicker than he could even look, it was gone.
For a short moment, Glorfindel closed his eyes again. His head ached heavily – well, ok, so he wasn’t dead. Most likely he had a concussion - well that would explain this strange hallucination.
But what had happened. The last thing he could remember was being on the boat and the storm. He shot up. //What about the others?//
Suddenly there was movement behind him in the water and he heard his name. A search party scanned the shoreline for him. They weren’t that far from him and the sea was calm – he would swim there. But before he jumped off the rock into the water, he found a waterlily next to his chest...

Of course Erestor’s adventure hadn’t go unnoticed by his father, who had been sick with worry all night. A severe lecture the young prince had to face and he was grounded for three weeks. But Erestor simply endured his father’s harsh words without a sound.
The healers came and cared for his wound.
“This will leave a scar my prince.” one of them said.
“Good!” his father replied in his stead. “That will remind him of his foolishness!”
But Erestor needed no scar to remind him of what had happened. All he had to do was to close his eyes and he saw the blond elf’s face again.
Months passed by and it seemed, as if Erestor had lost the ability to laugh during his adventure. Seldom he spent time with his friends anymore, but sat alone in his room and stared out of the window. Also he rarely raised his voice in song anymore, and if he did, it was a heartbreaking melody.

One day, Alamiel, one of his best friends visited him in the palace. It grieved her, to see the young prince so sad and she begged him to tell her why.
After a while, Erestor confided in her and after that, he cried with his face in her lab. With gentle fingers, Alamiel combed through his black hair.
“Erestor, my dear one... will there never be happiness in your life again?”
“How can I be happy, when my heart is breaking?”
“Do you really love this stranger that much?”
“Yes! Yes, I do!”
Alamiel hesitated, but then she said in a low voice:
“There might be a way for you to be with him.”
Erestor lifted his head and looked at her questioningly.
“How?”
“Have you ever heard of Nessala? She’s Ulmo’s priestess and she knows some magic. Maybe she could help you. Her temple stands at the border of your father’s kingdom. ”
Erestor whiped his tears away and looked at his friend with determination in his eyes.
“Can you take me there?”

They didn’t speak a word on their way to Nessala’s temple. Erestor was nervous. Could the priestess really help him? And how? He knew is father would never approve of this ... but he didn’t care. All he wanted was to be near this blond elf again.
They entered the temple and found themselves in a great dark hall. In the middle, there was a circle on the floor, surrounded by green gemstones. A noise behind the two friends’ back made them turn around – Nessala had entered the hall.
“Prince Erestor – I’ve foreseen your coming here and I know your wish.”
“Can you help me?”
“Ulmo granted me certain powers... we are all his children, you know. It grieves him to see any of us in pain.”
“Please – what do I have to do?”
“Are you willing to leave your home and your family? Forever my prince, because once you’ve walked on land, there’s no turning back!”
“I’m willing to leave them.”
“Then listen to me, young prince. You need to bind your soul to the one you love and with Ulmo’s grace, I’ll turn you into and elf like him. You will have legs, but when you walk, it will feel like you step on a blade.”
“I’m willing to take the pain.”
“And you must know of the risk you take. When your soul is bound and he should fall for another, you will fade and die.”
“I’m willing to risk my life.”
“Good! Well, then, there’s just one more thing: my payment!”
“Whatever I possess is yours!”
“No tangible goods I desire. What I want from you is your voice!”
“My voice? But how can I make him love me without my voice?”
“If there is true love, no words are needed... so what do you say? Do you accept my terms?”
Erestor hesitated one second, but then he nodded.
“Yes, yes I accept.”
Alamiel stepped forward.
“Now I almost regret, that I brought you here. But if this is the way to fill your heart with joy once more... but I will miss you, my friend.”
“Please tell my father that I’m sorry. I know he won’t understand me, but I have to do this.”
The priestess signed for Erestor to stand in the circle, the green gemstones began to glow. Nessala called upon Ulmo, the Valar of the sea and Erestor, with his blond elf in mind, spoke the ancient phrase, that bound one’s soul to another.
Suddenly he felt a stabbing pain in his throat – he wanted to scream, but no sound left his lips. Tears streamed down his cheeks.
The water around him began to bubble, the greenish glow became a blinding light. He took one last look at his friend and smiled, then Erestor passed out.