Rîn dûr (dark memories)

Part 3

They had arrived at the cabin one hour ago.
While Elladan checked on their water supplies, Legolas and Elrohir unpacked the horses.
“I hope your bow is unerring, mellon-nîn. Archery in the wilds is different from the training grounds. For today, we have enough to eat, but tomorrow we will hunt.”
“You can be sure, Elrohir, you won’t have to go to sleep with an empty belly tomorrow. “
The younger twin laughed!
“On that that is for certain, my prince. My other half is the best hunter in Imladris. I’m quite sure we will have a feast tomorrow!”
With that he smirked and unwrapped several bottles.
“Wine, Elrohir?”
“Miruvor! Father’s best and quite potent! I hope you can take it.”
“Don’t worry, mellon-nîn! I may be young but I’m able to hold my drink!”
“Then you are better than my twin...”
Both had to laugh. That moment, Elladan came back from the cistern behind the house.
“Water is ok... Hey, what’s going on here? What are you two plotting?”
“Nothing, muindor – I just told our young prince, what a great hunter you are and that we will have a feast tomorrow!”
“Sure – but only if you prepare our meal. I may get us some meat, but we would have to eat it raw without you!”
Legolas glanced at the twins. The way they behaved now, no one would ever think that they were more than brothers. Would they try to pretend that they weren’t in love for the whole stay?
The sun was about to set right now and the three of them walked into the cabin.


************

The nightmares had returned. Thranduil woke before dawn with a scream upon his lips and sweat upon his brow. It took him some minutes to calm again and to realise, that it had been really just a dream – it had seemed so real!
//It WAS real, when HE was still alive!// a little voice inside his head whispered.
The Greenwood king shook his head to quickly banish this thoughts again. He couldn’t think about this now. For him it felt, as if he was standing at the brink – to think about it now would mean to fall!
He couldn’t let that happen. There were too many things to consider. He was king – his people needed him. And he was also a father and Legolas deserved at least one loving and caring parent. His son was the light of his life. When he was near, all dark thoughts were kept at bay. Thranduil loved his son from the bottom of his soul. Even though the day, Legolas had come into this world, hadn’t been the happiest day of his life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
flashback

Greenwood the Great, 214 T.A.

“Your Highness – the healer!”
The young servant bowed and before his king and motioned for the other elf to enter. The young healer stood tall in front of the throne and waited for Thranduil to adress him.
“The queen?”
“I’m sorry, my king. The fall triggered the birth, but it was too soon. She lost too much blood. I couldn’t save her.”
Thranduil’s face showed no emotions.
“You are dismissed!” he mumbled.
“But your Highness – what about the elfling?”
“Burry him beside her.”
“No – my king, he lives! Even though he was born before time, he is fully developed. He will survive. You have an ion, my king.”
“I guess that’s good news. You may go now!”
“But – your Highness – your ion. Don’t you want to see him?”
“Do you know how to care about an elfling?”
“Well – yes!”
“So you know more than I. It’s only consequential that you care for my ion!”
“But the prince needs a loving parent and...”
“I know nothing about what a parent’s love should be like. Leave me alone now! GO!!!”


Two weeks passed and still Thranduil hadn’t seen his son even once.
He was sitting in his study, when someone knocked at the door. One of his advisors entered and bowed before him.
“Your Highness, a delegetion from Imladris has just arrived and its lord is among them.”
“Elrond? Why is he here?”
“Maybe you should simply ask ME why!”
The Imladris lord entered the study and rushed to his friends side to draw him in a deep embrace.
“Elrond, mellon-nîn. What a pleasure to see you!”
“I came here at once when I heard of your loss. My heart feels with you. Why haven’t you send word at once? I would have been here earlier. “
“How could you have helped me? She’s dead!”
“But your ion is alive! And he needs you.”
“I have no idea how to care for an elfling, how to love and raise an ion! Anyone else would be a better adar than me!”
Thranduil had just spoken the last word, when Elrond grabbed him by his arm and dragged him out of the study and through the corridor.
“Ouch – Elrond, what ... where do you take me?”
“This will stop here and now! They told me, you have not seen your ion even once and we will change this right now!”
Elrond’s voice made it clear, that he wouldn’t take a no for an answer. So Thranduil gave in and entered the nursery at his friends side. The Imladris lord shoved him towards the craddle, but Thranduil turned his head, unwilling to take a look at his son.
“Why are you so afraid, mellon-nîn? Look at him! He’s perfect!”
“I... Elrond – I cannot! I’m not an adar, I don’t know, how to be...”
“Just love him – and I know you can. You are nothing like Oropher. You will be the best adar, this elfling could wish for! Doesn’t he deserve this? Don’t you both deserve this?”
And he took the little being from the craddle and placed him in Thranduils arms and the Greenwood king took a first look at his son. The elfling smiled at him with the most stunning blue eyes, Thranduil had ever seen and that moment the king knew, he would love this child with all his heart. Tears were streaming down his face.
“Hannon le, Elrond!” he whispered.


End flashback
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
present

Yes – he had to thank Elrond for so many things in his life. The Imladris lord was his only friend and next to his son the most important person in his life. He didn’t want to think about what would have happened, if Elrond hadn’t been around, when Oropher had died. Oropher... NO!!! He wouldn’t think about HIM now!


**********


Elrohir hadn’t exaggerated about his brother’s hunting skills. It took just half an hour and Elladan had shot four hares. Legolas applauded.
“You are really a great huntermellon-nîn. What say you, Elrohir? Doesn’t he deserve a reward? A kiss maybe?”
Elladan’s grin left his face, his twin also paled and stammered:
“You... You – want to kiss... Elladan?”
Legolas smirked.
“Mmh – as tempting as this thought is, but I believe you would be a better choice, Elrohir. You should kiss your brother!”
The twins stood and stared dumbfounded at the young Greenwood prince. Legolas couldn’t help but laugh!
“Hahaha – now, don’t look at me like that. I may be young – but I’m not blind. I know you are more than brothers. I saw you!”
“You – you saw us?” Elladan couldn’t believe his ears. “But – you...we... our adar told us before we left how important it is, that you do not learn about our love... and know...”
“Now that things between us are clarified, we can enjoy this trip together! Let’s go back to the cabin now and see if Elrohir’s cooking talent is matching your hunting skills.”

***

Elrohir was a great cook. The stew he prepared was probably one of the best things, Legolas ever tasted!
After their dinner, the three friends were sitting on a fur in front of the fire place. Two bottles of miruvor had already been emptied and showed their effect. Legolas and the twins were more than jovial!
“You know – Elladan...” Legolas giggled. “If you got a kiss for your hunting skill, it would be only fair if Elrohir too will be rewarded for that fantastic stew!”
The older twin smiled.
“Yes my prince – I must agree with you! And wouldn’t that make a fine dessert!”
And Elladan leaned forward and claimed his brother’s lips. The kiss was anything but chaste and a few moments later, Elrohir was moaning under his brother’s caress. Legolas watched them and soon found himself very aroused at the sight! He couldn’t tell if he was truly drawn by the brethren or if it was just because of the miruvor, but in this moment, he didn’t care and craweled over to the kissing twins. With a trembling hand, he stroke Elrohir’s hair and placed his other arm on Elladan’s tigh. The Imladris elves broke the kiss and looked at their friend.
“Legolas – what...”
“Ssh... don’t speak. I want you to make love to me – both of you! Would you do that? Do you want me?”

tbc.

Translation:

muindor – brother
ion – son
adar – father
mellon-nîn – my friend
hannon le – thank you

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Dark Dreamer: "More" is not a question - "soon" is the problem, as you can see, haha... But I hope, you haven't lost interest because of that!

Carinito: Thank you... (for everything! Don't know, what to do without you! ^-^)