The Music in My Heart
folder
Lord of the Rings Movies › Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
75
Views:
3,790
Reviews:
11
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Lord of the Rings Movies › Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
75
Views:
3,790
Reviews:
11
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own the Lord of the Rings book series and movie series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Chapter 38 In Spite of Ourselves
Title: The Music in My Heart, Chapter 38
Author: Sorsha
Fandom/Pairing: Elrond/OFC, Glorfindel/Haldir, Elladan/OFC, Elrohir/Legolas, others implied
Rating: R
Warning: AU (Story set 770 years after ROTK); Slash and het.
Feedback: This is my first fanfic, so constructive feedback appreciated.
Archive: AFF.net; fanfiction.net
Acknowledgements: Many thanks to Alex Cat for her help in betaing this fic. Thanks also to Lady Victoria for her comments and support.
Disclaimer: Any of the residents of Middle-earth and Aman that you recognize belong to Prof. Tolkien’s estate. The same is true about Middle-earth and Aman. I’m only visiting and admiring the “views”.
Summary: Sauron may be gone, but his legacy of evil still lingers. As Middle-earth faces the threat of another dark lord, a party of elves departs Aman on a mission for the Valar, a mission of mercy long delayed.
Chapter 38 --- In Spite of Ourselves
“The greatest happiness in life is the conviction in which we are loved
- loved for ourselves,
or rather in spite of ourselves.”
Victor Hugo
*****
Celeborn was not sure which pair of faces was the most shocked by his actions --- the stunned pair standing at his side or the pair entwined on the floor in front of the open doorway onto the balcony. Had the situation not been so serious, he would have laughed. As it was, he walked past both sets and stepped out onto the balcony.
“Glorfindel? Thank you for your assistance. I can handle it from here, mellon nin. Would you be so kind as to advise Haldir?” Receiving an affirming nod from the Balrog Slayer, he turned back to the unfolding drama before him in Elrond’s chambers. (my friend)
The shocked looks on Elrond and Seere’s faces had given way to looks of outrage and embarrassment respectively. “Lindir, what is the meaning of this? What were you thinking to engage in a tryst in my chambers, nay, on the floor of my chambers?” Elrond raged.
Sneering, he looked down at the elleth lying under the speechless minstrel. “So you finally found a way to get yourself fucked in these chambers,” the crude Westron term betraying his growing fury. “I hope you enjoyed it sufficiently as you will need the fond memories to keep you company until you make ‘friends’ in your new home… wherever that turns out to be!”
“You will pack your belongings and be ready to leave at first light. There is a patrol that will travel to Lorien leaving then and you can accompany them if you chose.” Looking up to meet Celeborn’s eyes, he added, “Assuming Lord Celeborn will allow you entrance to his realm.”
“I will allow it with the understanding that I will not tolerate your conduct disrupting Lorien. You will comport yourself in a respectable manner or you will find yourself no longer welcome in the Golden Woods. I shall be sending a full report to my sons with instructions that should you create any problems, they are authorized to send you packing. Are you clear on this?” Celeborn waited for her nod of understanding before he raised his eyes to meet Elrond’s.
“I have one other demand before you leave, Lomelinde. You will truthfully answer several questions if you expect to have sanctuary in my kingdom.” Staring down at the stunned elleth, he asked, “Have you ever been intimate with Lord Elrond beyond the one kiss he quickly ended?”
Seeing a cunning look enter her eyes, Celeborn fixed her with a cold glare. “I would strongly urge you to think carefully about causing further trouble by lying now. I have no qualms about making you take a truth potion to insure honest answers from you. Are we clear on this, Lomelinde?”
A bitter rage could be seen building in her eyes, along with an unwilling acceptance of her tenuous position. “Nay, I have not.”
“More clearly I think. You have not what?”
Snarling, she bit out, “I have not been intimate with Lord Elrond beyond the kiss in the garden.”
“Were you aware you were seen kissing him?”
Furious eyes turned on Seere. “Oh, yes. I saw the shocked, pained look on the face of Imladris’s own ‘pen vuil’. I must say I enjoyed that more than the kiss! There was little to enjoy there. No wonder your wife divorced you if your other ‘skills’ were no better than your kissing… my lord!” (dear one)
Seeing she had hit a raw nerve, Lomelinde began to enjoy the moment. “I guess kissing the spoiled brat of our dear Chief Counsellor would do nothing to improve your talent. If she takes after her father, I am surprised you have not run as far from her as you can… like her naneth did to get away from the two of them.”
Realizing the situation was getting out of hand, Celeborn walked over and retrieved a blanket from the back of a chair. Handing it to Lindir, he suggested, “You might want to wait for Elrond in his study, mellon nin. I will explain your part in my plan to him before he comes to talk to you, so do not worry about his present anger. I thank you for your help.” (my friend)
After Lindir had left, his clothes clutched in his hand, Celeborn walked over and laid his hand on Elrond’s shoulder to steady the furious half-elf. Turned back to the smirking elleth, he offered, “I would remind you that you have a place to go tomorrow only with my blessings. I will not repeat this warning again. I suggest you stick to answering my questions and end this attempt to cause further pain with your vicious tongue. I would hate to see you turned out of this realm with no place to go, especially given the current treacherous state of affairs in Middle-earth.”
Seeing her face pale as that possibility became clear, he continued, “Why have you been seen sneaking in and out of Lord Elrond’s chambers at odd hours of the day, times that coincided by the way with Lady Seere’s presence in the area… and Lord Elrond’s absence from his quarters?” Celeborn kept his eyes fixed on the sullen elleth, but he did not miss the startled reactions of the room’s other two occupants.
The sneer on Lomelinde’s face became a mocking grin as she turned her gaze in Seere’s direction. “She is a fool and it amused me to see her in tears. Poor, poor pen vuil!” (dear one)
“Why did you want that?”
“Because she is naïve fool that I could easily make believe I was sharing her love’s bed, his arms, and I wanted her to think that,” she replied, grinning at the shock and confusion playing across Seere’s mobile face.
“Why?” Seere gasped.
Turning her back on Seere, she responded, “I long ago grew sick of the care and love lavished on this half-breed. I despise the way she has been given every advantage and protection by all of you. So perfect! So cosseted! It is not fair that she should have all that should have been mine had my father given half a thought to anyone but himself!” she raged.
For the first time, Celeborn looked confused. “Your father? What would your father have to do with any of this?”
Sneering, she asked, “What? Something the great Lord Celeborn does not already know? Has not your esteemed lady seen anything in her mirror to aid you here?”
“Answer my question or I will have the truth potion brought. What does your father have to do with this?”
“I should have had been the one given the protection and privileges not her. If my father had not been the kind of elf that seduces young ellith and leaves them with child, we would not have been disowned by her family for the disgrace of having a child out of wedlock,” she screamed. “I should not have been forced to become a servant before I was even to my majority, to rely on what favors I could garner from ranking males to gain any advantage, if he had taken responsibility for his conduct, his actions! My mother would not have abandoned me if he had been there for us both as he should have been!”
“And who is your father?”
A hysterical laugh slipped from her lips. “Why my lord, the fabled Balrog Slayer himself! I should have been raised as befits a pureblood elleth of noble lineage… the daughter of the Seneschal of Imladris rather than as a servant to the half-breed daughter of its Chief Counsellor!” (A/N --- I point to Gildor Inglorion to any that question the possibility of there being illegitimate elves!)
*****
The silence in the room was absolute save for Lomelinde’s harsh breathing. Elrond stared at the elleth, gauging the truth of her claims. /Glorfindel’s daughter! Aye, I see it now… I knew she reminded me of someone. This will not change my decision, but he must be told, for I know he does not realize she is his child./
“Who is you mother?” Elrond demanded, still seething from her hurtful words. /How dare she call Seere half-breed! She carries the blood of the Maiar!/
“Lady Dinariel, cousin of King Thranduil. She loved him and trusted him to treat her with honor,” Lomelinde replied. “I am of noble birth and you treat me like a commoner.”
“We treat you as befits your conduct which has been exceedingly low and common,” Elrond responded. “It might interest you to know, your mother left him, not the other way around. Your mother was hardly an innocent. She thought herself too high to settle for an elf that was only my Seneschal. She felt she deserved to be the lady of a realm.”
“She abandoned your father and sought to ensnare the son of Cirdan, as he was heir to the Havens. Glorfindel sailed with me the week after your naneth caused a scene in Cirdan’s court and was banished from his realm. I only heard she had been banished, but never knew she was carrying a child… especially one that might have been Glorfindel’s.” Noting her escalating rage, he concluded, “Dinariel never attempted to contact him with news of your impending birth. This I know, for he would have told me.”
Arms raised to attack him, the enraged elleth threw herself at Elrond. “You are lying you miserable half-breed! How dare you make such malicious claims about an elleth so wronged by your friend!”
Before Elrond or Celeborn could react, she was pinned by two powerful arms. “What is going on here?” roared Glorfindel. Haldir stood behind him ready to assist if needed.
*****
Glorfindel stood on the steps of the Last Homely House, watching the patrol disappear into the woods surrounding the high pass through the mountains. /My daughter! I have a daughter and never knew, and now she is banned from Imladris before I even knew she was mine./
A single tear slipped down his cheek as he continued to stare blindly at the last spot where she had disappeared from view. He had loved her mother. For many years he had begged her to marry him… have his child, but she had always had a reason why the time was not right. It had been a devastating blow to find her note telling him she had left for good as she had found her ‘soul mate’. That this new ‘soul mate’ had no interest in her and had rejected hr overtures had been a second blow.
/She was pregnant with our child and never told me. My daughter grew up thinking I did not want her and was poisoned by her mother’s bitter belief in her own superiority. She could not abide that I served Elrond for she thought him her inferior… a peredhel with the blood of the kinslayers and the Edain. That she could then abandon our child to survive on her own… leave her to trade her body for favors…/
/I have failed her too. When I overheard Cirdan telling Elrond about the scene at his house, I did not considered she might be pregnant with my child; there had been no reason to do so. We were together for so long and she refused to marry me much less have my child. My pride had been hurt by her leaving. It had taken hearing the story of her behavior to realize I had been in love with a dream, not the real elleth. I sailed and never looked back./
A strong hand gripped his right shoulder. Pulled back to the present, he turned his head to meet troubled silver eyes. “I am sorry, mellon nin. I would have let her stay if I did not fear she would only get worse if I let such behavior go unpunished. If she can stay out of trouble for a reasonable period, I will reconsider her banishment.” (my friend)
Nodding his head in understanding, Glorfindel turned back to his contemplation of the high pass. “I failed her and have earned her contempt. She is lost to me forever.”
“Nay, you did not know. I know you would have gladly raised her and given her a fine, loving home had you known of her birth,” Elrond soothed.
Turning his friend to face him, he continued. “Listen to one whose daughter is truly lost to him… lost until the world is sundered. I will never get Arwen back, but your daughter still lives. As long as there is life, there is hope. You may have missed her childhood and she may be bitter over what has happened to her, but if you want to know your daughter, do not give up so quickly. Fight for her now. Fight for you both, mellon nin,” Elrond urged. (my friend)
Looking toward his friend, Glorfindel raised a brow. “And, how do I do that, Hodoer?” (wise one)
“One day at a time, Iiantier. One day at a time.” (old one)
*****
Seere stood at the top of the ridge, looking down into the small glade where Elrond had first kissed her. She and Glorfindel had been assigned part of the eastern woods by Celeborn on their annual ramp and truffle harvesting picnic. The warrior had been called back to the barracks as they were setting out, so she found herself alone and back at this place that was so dear to her heart. She felt confused and needed to think through the mess they had made of their relationship.
/Is it possible for us to start over and rebuild a future after the pain we have inflicted on each other? I believe he means it when he apologizes and claims the kiss was a mistake he regrets. But does he really not think it a foolish thing to be involved with me? I know I love him… I think I always have. I regret my harsh words to him and that I would not let myself trust him even as my heart told me he was not lying./
Lost in her thoughts, she did not hear the near soundless footsteps climbing the incline behind her. Elrond came to a halt by her side, his eyes trained on the glade before them. “It seems we both had the same idea to come here.”
They stood in silence for several minutes unsure of what to say to right what had gone wrong in their courtship. “I am sorry I did not believe you when you said you ended it after the one kiss. I was hurt and let her use that to blind me to the truth… the truth my heart knew, but my head rejected,” Seere whispered.
“You owe me no apology for I deserved your distrust after I broke faith with you by allowing even the one kiss. I have no right to expect you to forgive that,” he responded.
“Aye, you do. You apologized and meant it. You were tempted, but resisted in the end. That should be enough.”
“Should be?”
“Will be… if you still want me… once we let go of our hurt and anger. That is why I came here… to try to do that,” she murmured.
“I will always want you, melme. Do you wish to be alone to think? I will leave it you prefer,” Elrond offered. (love)
“Elrond?” she began, turning to face the half-elf. He turned toward her and instinctively stepped closer so that he could gaze down into her golden eyes, his own eyes filled with cautious hope.
Reaching over to tuck a wind-blown strand of hair behind a delicately pointed ear, he asked, “What, pen vuil?” as his hand cupped the side of her face. (dear one)
“Can we begin again or have we caused too much hurt to each other for this to ever work? Do you still desire for us to see… see what we may become?” Her head tilted slightly to mold itself into the curve of his hand.
“I desire that more than I can say, Lirimaer.” Lifting his other hand to cup her face and urge her chin up toward his own. “Le melin, Seere. I wish to declare my intentions to your Ada and begin to build our life together. I pledge you my fidelity forevermore. That is if you will still have me.” (lovely one) (I love you, Seere.)
A single tear trickled down her cheek as the first smile in weeks lit her face. “Le melin, Elrond. I wish the same.” (I love you, Elrond.)
“We have much we need to discuss, Meleth-Nîn. I wish to tell you about my marriage to Celebrian, so that you can understand old hurts that may raise their ugly head from time to time. You still have scars Ermehtar inflicted on your fëa that we need to acknowledge. We need complete honesty between us if we are to resolve arguments like the one we had that night… before they go too far.” Smiling down into her loving expression, he suggested, “Perhaps you would be willing to join me in finding a private spot within our glade to talk and begin again, melme?” (my love) (spirit) (love)
Nodding her head, she reached up to pull his head down to hers. “Can I ask for a kiss first? I have missed your kisses for they are wonderful and… quite addictive.”
Smiling at her request, even as his heart swelled with pleasure and relief at hearing her words, he brushed his lips over hers. “I have missed you and your kisses too, Lirimaer. Gerich veleth nîn.” That said he pleased them both by pulling her into his arms for a long, satisfying kiss. (lovely one) (You have my love.)
*****
Two co-conspirators exchanged self-satisfied smirks from their hiding place near the bottom of the incline. Deciding they had seen enough, the pair slipped away into the cover of the woods. Their departure went unnoticed by the couple walking arm-in-arm down into their glade.
*****
Author: Sorsha
Fandom/Pairing: Elrond/OFC, Glorfindel/Haldir, Elladan/OFC, Elrohir/Legolas, others implied
Rating: R
Warning: AU (Story set 770 years after ROTK); Slash and het.
Feedback: This is my first fanfic, so constructive feedback appreciated.
Archive: AFF.net; fanfiction.net
Acknowledgements: Many thanks to Alex Cat for her help in betaing this fic. Thanks also to Lady Victoria for her comments and support.
Disclaimer: Any of the residents of Middle-earth and Aman that you recognize belong to Prof. Tolkien’s estate. The same is true about Middle-earth and Aman. I’m only visiting and admiring the “views”.
Summary: Sauron may be gone, but his legacy of evil still lingers. As Middle-earth faces the threat of another dark lord, a party of elves departs Aman on a mission for the Valar, a mission of mercy long delayed.
Chapter 38 --- In Spite of Ourselves
“The greatest happiness in life is the conviction in which we are loved
- loved for ourselves,
or rather in spite of ourselves.”
Victor Hugo
*****
Celeborn was not sure which pair of faces was the most shocked by his actions --- the stunned pair standing at his side or the pair entwined on the floor in front of the open doorway onto the balcony. Had the situation not been so serious, he would have laughed. As it was, he walked past both sets and stepped out onto the balcony.
“Glorfindel? Thank you for your assistance. I can handle it from here, mellon nin. Would you be so kind as to advise Haldir?” Receiving an affirming nod from the Balrog Slayer, he turned back to the unfolding drama before him in Elrond’s chambers. (my friend)
The shocked looks on Elrond and Seere’s faces had given way to looks of outrage and embarrassment respectively. “Lindir, what is the meaning of this? What were you thinking to engage in a tryst in my chambers, nay, on the floor of my chambers?” Elrond raged.
Sneering, he looked down at the elleth lying under the speechless minstrel. “So you finally found a way to get yourself fucked in these chambers,” the crude Westron term betraying his growing fury. “I hope you enjoyed it sufficiently as you will need the fond memories to keep you company until you make ‘friends’ in your new home… wherever that turns out to be!”
“You will pack your belongings and be ready to leave at first light. There is a patrol that will travel to Lorien leaving then and you can accompany them if you chose.” Looking up to meet Celeborn’s eyes, he added, “Assuming Lord Celeborn will allow you entrance to his realm.”
“I will allow it with the understanding that I will not tolerate your conduct disrupting Lorien. You will comport yourself in a respectable manner or you will find yourself no longer welcome in the Golden Woods. I shall be sending a full report to my sons with instructions that should you create any problems, they are authorized to send you packing. Are you clear on this?” Celeborn waited for her nod of understanding before he raised his eyes to meet Elrond’s.
“I have one other demand before you leave, Lomelinde. You will truthfully answer several questions if you expect to have sanctuary in my kingdom.” Staring down at the stunned elleth, he asked, “Have you ever been intimate with Lord Elrond beyond the one kiss he quickly ended?”
Seeing a cunning look enter her eyes, Celeborn fixed her with a cold glare. “I would strongly urge you to think carefully about causing further trouble by lying now. I have no qualms about making you take a truth potion to insure honest answers from you. Are we clear on this, Lomelinde?”
A bitter rage could be seen building in her eyes, along with an unwilling acceptance of her tenuous position. “Nay, I have not.”
“More clearly I think. You have not what?”
Snarling, she bit out, “I have not been intimate with Lord Elrond beyond the kiss in the garden.”
“Were you aware you were seen kissing him?”
Furious eyes turned on Seere. “Oh, yes. I saw the shocked, pained look on the face of Imladris’s own ‘pen vuil’. I must say I enjoyed that more than the kiss! There was little to enjoy there. No wonder your wife divorced you if your other ‘skills’ were no better than your kissing… my lord!” (dear one)
Seeing she had hit a raw nerve, Lomelinde began to enjoy the moment. “I guess kissing the spoiled brat of our dear Chief Counsellor would do nothing to improve your talent. If she takes after her father, I am surprised you have not run as far from her as you can… like her naneth did to get away from the two of them.”
Realizing the situation was getting out of hand, Celeborn walked over and retrieved a blanket from the back of a chair. Handing it to Lindir, he suggested, “You might want to wait for Elrond in his study, mellon nin. I will explain your part in my plan to him before he comes to talk to you, so do not worry about his present anger. I thank you for your help.” (my friend)
After Lindir had left, his clothes clutched in his hand, Celeborn walked over and laid his hand on Elrond’s shoulder to steady the furious half-elf. Turned back to the smirking elleth, he offered, “I would remind you that you have a place to go tomorrow only with my blessings. I will not repeat this warning again. I suggest you stick to answering my questions and end this attempt to cause further pain with your vicious tongue. I would hate to see you turned out of this realm with no place to go, especially given the current treacherous state of affairs in Middle-earth.”
Seeing her face pale as that possibility became clear, he continued, “Why have you been seen sneaking in and out of Lord Elrond’s chambers at odd hours of the day, times that coincided by the way with Lady Seere’s presence in the area… and Lord Elrond’s absence from his quarters?” Celeborn kept his eyes fixed on the sullen elleth, but he did not miss the startled reactions of the room’s other two occupants.
The sneer on Lomelinde’s face became a mocking grin as she turned her gaze in Seere’s direction. “She is a fool and it amused me to see her in tears. Poor, poor pen vuil!” (dear one)
“Why did you want that?”
“Because she is naïve fool that I could easily make believe I was sharing her love’s bed, his arms, and I wanted her to think that,” she replied, grinning at the shock and confusion playing across Seere’s mobile face.
“Why?” Seere gasped.
Turning her back on Seere, she responded, “I long ago grew sick of the care and love lavished on this half-breed. I despise the way she has been given every advantage and protection by all of you. So perfect! So cosseted! It is not fair that she should have all that should have been mine had my father given half a thought to anyone but himself!” she raged.
For the first time, Celeborn looked confused. “Your father? What would your father have to do with any of this?”
Sneering, she asked, “What? Something the great Lord Celeborn does not already know? Has not your esteemed lady seen anything in her mirror to aid you here?”
“Answer my question or I will have the truth potion brought. What does your father have to do with this?”
“I should have had been the one given the protection and privileges not her. If my father had not been the kind of elf that seduces young ellith and leaves them with child, we would not have been disowned by her family for the disgrace of having a child out of wedlock,” she screamed. “I should not have been forced to become a servant before I was even to my majority, to rely on what favors I could garner from ranking males to gain any advantage, if he had taken responsibility for his conduct, his actions! My mother would not have abandoned me if he had been there for us both as he should have been!”
“And who is your father?”
A hysterical laugh slipped from her lips. “Why my lord, the fabled Balrog Slayer himself! I should have been raised as befits a pureblood elleth of noble lineage… the daughter of the Seneschal of Imladris rather than as a servant to the half-breed daughter of its Chief Counsellor!” (A/N --- I point to Gildor Inglorion to any that question the possibility of there being illegitimate elves!)
*****
The silence in the room was absolute save for Lomelinde’s harsh breathing. Elrond stared at the elleth, gauging the truth of her claims. /Glorfindel’s daughter! Aye, I see it now… I knew she reminded me of someone. This will not change my decision, but he must be told, for I know he does not realize she is his child./
“Who is you mother?” Elrond demanded, still seething from her hurtful words. /How dare she call Seere half-breed! She carries the blood of the Maiar!/
“Lady Dinariel, cousin of King Thranduil. She loved him and trusted him to treat her with honor,” Lomelinde replied. “I am of noble birth and you treat me like a commoner.”
“We treat you as befits your conduct which has been exceedingly low and common,” Elrond responded. “It might interest you to know, your mother left him, not the other way around. Your mother was hardly an innocent. She thought herself too high to settle for an elf that was only my Seneschal. She felt she deserved to be the lady of a realm.”
“She abandoned your father and sought to ensnare the son of Cirdan, as he was heir to the Havens. Glorfindel sailed with me the week after your naneth caused a scene in Cirdan’s court and was banished from his realm. I only heard she had been banished, but never knew she was carrying a child… especially one that might have been Glorfindel’s.” Noting her escalating rage, he concluded, “Dinariel never attempted to contact him with news of your impending birth. This I know, for he would have told me.”
Arms raised to attack him, the enraged elleth threw herself at Elrond. “You are lying you miserable half-breed! How dare you make such malicious claims about an elleth so wronged by your friend!”
Before Elrond or Celeborn could react, she was pinned by two powerful arms. “What is going on here?” roared Glorfindel. Haldir stood behind him ready to assist if needed.
*****
Glorfindel stood on the steps of the Last Homely House, watching the patrol disappear into the woods surrounding the high pass through the mountains. /My daughter! I have a daughter and never knew, and now she is banned from Imladris before I even knew she was mine./
A single tear slipped down his cheek as he continued to stare blindly at the last spot where she had disappeared from view. He had loved her mother. For many years he had begged her to marry him… have his child, but she had always had a reason why the time was not right. It had been a devastating blow to find her note telling him she had left for good as she had found her ‘soul mate’. That this new ‘soul mate’ had no interest in her and had rejected hr overtures had been a second blow.
/She was pregnant with our child and never told me. My daughter grew up thinking I did not want her and was poisoned by her mother’s bitter belief in her own superiority. She could not abide that I served Elrond for she thought him her inferior… a peredhel with the blood of the kinslayers and the Edain. That she could then abandon our child to survive on her own… leave her to trade her body for favors…/
/I have failed her too. When I overheard Cirdan telling Elrond about the scene at his house, I did not considered she might be pregnant with my child; there had been no reason to do so. We were together for so long and she refused to marry me much less have my child. My pride had been hurt by her leaving. It had taken hearing the story of her behavior to realize I had been in love with a dream, not the real elleth. I sailed and never looked back./
A strong hand gripped his right shoulder. Pulled back to the present, he turned his head to meet troubled silver eyes. “I am sorry, mellon nin. I would have let her stay if I did not fear she would only get worse if I let such behavior go unpunished. If she can stay out of trouble for a reasonable period, I will reconsider her banishment.” (my friend)
Nodding his head in understanding, Glorfindel turned back to his contemplation of the high pass. “I failed her and have earned her contempt. She is lost to me forever.”
“Nay, you did not know. I know you would have gladly raised her and given her a fine, loving home had you known of her birth,” Elrond soothed.
Turning his friend to face him, he continued. “Listen to one whose daughter is truly lost to him… lost until the world is sundered. I will never get Arwen back, but your daughter still lives. As long as there is life, there is hope. You may have missed her childhood and she may be bitter over what has happened to her, but if you want to know your daughter, do not give up so quickly. Fight for her now. Fight for you both, mellon nin,” Elrond urged. (my friend)
Looking toward his friend, Glorfindel raised a brow. “And, how do I do that, Hodoer?” (wise one)
“One day at a time, Iiantier. One day at a time.” (old one)
*****
Seere stood at the top of the ridge, looking down into the small glade where Elrond had first kissed her. She and Glorfindel had been assigned part of the eastern woods by Celeborn on their annual ramp and truffle harvesting picnic. The warrior had been called back to the barracks as they were setting out, so she found herself alone and back at this place that was so dear to her heart. She felt confused and needed to think through the mess they had made of their relationship.
/Is it possible for us to start over and rebuild a future after the pain we have inflicted on each other? I believe he means it when he apologizes and claims the kiss was a mistake he regrets. But does he really not think it a foolish thing to be involved with me? I know I love him… I think I always have. I regret my harsh words to him and that I would not let myself trust him even as my heart told me he was not lying./
Lost in her thoughts, she did not hear the near soundless footsteps climbing the incline behind her. Elrond came to a halt by her side, his eyes trained on the glade before them. “It seems we both had the same idea to come here.”
They stood in silence for several minutes unsure of what to say to right what had gone wrong in their courtship. “I am sorry I did not believe you when you said you ended it after the one kiss. I was hurt and let her use that to blind me to the truth… the truth my heart knew, but my head rejected,” Seere whispered.
“You owe me no apology for I deserved your distrust after I broke faith with you by allowing even the one kiss. I have no right to expect you to forgive that,” he responded.
“Aye, you do. You apologized and meant it. You were tempted, but resisted in the end. That should be enough.”
“Should be?”
“Will be… if you still want me… once we let go of our hurt and anger. That is why I came here… to try to do that,” she murmured.
“I will always want you, melme. Do you wish to be alone to think? I will leave it you prefer,” Elrond offered. (love)
“Elrond?” she began, turning to face the half-elf. He turned toward her and instinctively stepped closer so that he could gaze down into her golden eyes, his own eyes filled with cautious hope.
Reaching over to tuck a wind-blown strand of hair behind a delicately pointed ear, he asked, “What, pen vuil?” as his hand cupped the side of her face. (dear one)
“Can we begin again or have we caused too much hurt to each other for this to ever work? Do you still desire for us to see… see what we may become?” Her head tilted slightly to mold itself into the curve of his hand.
“I desire that more than I can say, Lirimaer.” Lifting his other hand to cup her face and urge her chin up toward his own. “Le melin, Seere. I wish to declare my intentions to your Ada and begin to build our life together. I pledge you my fidelity forevermore. That is if you will still have me.” (lovely one) (I love you, Seere.)
A single tear trickled down her cheek as the first smile in weeks lit her face. “Le melin, Elrond. I wish the same.” (I love you, Elrond.)
“We have much we need to discuss, Meleth-Nîn. I wish to tell you about my marriage to Celebrian, so that you can understand old hurts that may raise their ugly head from time to time. You still have scars Ermehtar inflicted on your fëa that we need to acknowledge. We need complete honesty between us if we are to resolve arguments like the one we had that night… before they go too far.” Smiling down into her loving expression, he suggested, “Perhaps you would be willing to join me in finding a private spot within our glade to talk and begin again, melme?” (my love) (spirit) (love)
Nodding her head, she reached up to pull his head down to hers. “Can I ask for a kiss first? I have missed your kisses for they are wonderful and… quite addictive.”
Smiling at her request, even as his heart swelled with pleasure and relief at hearing her words, he brushed his lips over hers. “I have missed you and your kisses too, Lirimaer. Gerich veleth nîn.” That said he pleased them both by pulling her into his arms for a long, satisfying kiss. (lovely one) (You have my love.)
*****
Two co-conspirators exchanged self-satisfied smirks from their hiding place near the bottom of the incline. Deciding they had seen enough, the pair slipped away into the cover of the woods. Their departure went unnoticed by the couple walking arm-in-arm down into their glade.
*****