Gifts of the Valar

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the Original Characters and their adventures. Everything else belongs to JRR Tolkien, the Tolkien Estate, New Line Cinema/Peter Jackson, et. al. This was done purely for entertainment and as an exercise in creativity.

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Dinner that evening consisted of the usual company: besides their host and hostess, Haldir and his brothers and Saelbeth were gathered at the table. Glorfindel, Erestor and their visitor, Helcarin, put in an appearance as well. The three Lorien Wardens greeted the newcomer in their usual haughty way, though he did not seem to take any offense, as none was meant. It was simply what one expected from Galadhrim.

Talk was general, mainly consisting of the exchange of tales concerning events of the past millennium. Those gathered were surprised he had dwelt in Forodwraith, even living for a time on the Icebay of Forochel. Alex got the impression the place was akin to the Arctic regions of Earth and wondered if they had “Ice Elves”. She almost asked, but decided she would wait and mention it to Legolas later; Haldir would tease her without mercy if such an idea proved as preposterous as it sounded.

Looking at Helcarin, she was suddenly struck with the realization that he resembled Erestor---they had the same eyes and, if one looked closely, mouth. Perhaps he was related to the Rivendell Elf. Then again, his hair was identical to that of Glorfindel and something about the way he moved and his smile reminded her of the Elf-Lord of Gondolin. She could hardly wait to pull Legolas aside after dinner and share her observation with him. Surely, he would know more about his kin than she would.

She noticed the obvious looks of pride both Elves cast on Helcarin and was thoroughly flummoxed. Then again, since both were Rivendell Elves and Noldor, perhaps Helcarin was related to both of them somehow.

They excused themselves after dinner, saying they were going to show Helcarin around the region and may not be back for a couple of days. Legolas assured their new friend he had but to come to the house and he would be welcomed to stay as long as he wished. He need not ask for shelter.

The Elf of the north thanked them graciously and departed with Erestor and Glorfindel. As soon as they had gone, Alex turned to Legolas and mentioned her observations. He raised an eyebrow and nodded thoughtfully.

“You are correct, my love. I too noticed a similarity. Perhaps Saelbeth knows how they are related.” He turned to his kinsman who was sitting down to play Haldir at chess.

Orophin had overheard them and voiced his agreement. “We had dealings with Imladris, but I do not remember him. He seems pleasant enough, however. He may be an interesting companion.”

Alex knew what that meant. It translated as, “someone to go drinking and wenching with” or some such nonsense. It never ceased to amaze her that Elves were perceived as such sedate, serene creatures, far above the cares of the world, when in fact, she had found them to be quite happy to indulge in the pleasures of “wine, women and song”, as her people would say. They simply did so with more discretion and style than their mortal brethren.

She recalled accidentally walking in on the twins, Elladan and Elrohir, with one of the maids when visiting Minas Tirith, where their sister Arwen was queen to Legolas’ close friend Aragorn. She had found an out-of-the-way room in one of the towers that was comfortably furnished with several window seats which held many cushions. She had taken to going there for quiet time so she could read while Legolas and Aragorn did … king stuff, she supposed. She had no real interest in the administration of a kingdom and so ignored it most of the time. When it came to defense, however, that was another story. Though she liked and respected Arwen, the queen was often doing … queen stuff that held no interest for Alex either; hence she was free to roam about doing as she pleased.

She had opened the door to the room, anticipating a nice, quiet afternoon of reading---well, looking at the drawings in---a history of the kings of Gondor, and found the handsome, dark-haired, grey-eyed Elven brothers in the midst of a most interesting maneuver with one of the palace maids. She had not known what to say, since Elladan had looked up at her entrance, and she couldn’t very well pretend she hadn’t seen anything.

Rather than being embarrassed, however, the Elf had simply smiled and greeted her as if he did not have a half-naked woman sitting on his lap between him and his partially unclothed brother. Elrohir had looked up from where he was kissing the woman and added his greeting to that of his twin. The maid, at least, had the courtesy to blush a bit, though Alex thought, later, it might simply be passion rather than embarrassment which brought the color to her cheeks.

Alex, determined not to appear nonplussed, returned their greeting pleasantly.

“I was simply looking for my husband,” she said sweetly.

Elladan raised an eyebrow and his eyes sparkled with mischief.

“Well, when you find him, come back. It has been a while since we have all---.” Elrohir’s soft laugh interrupted his brother’s comment, but Alex got the general idea.

“I’ll be sure to pass along the invitation,” she replied. She was damned if she was going to let them embarrass her, though she knew that was their intention. “Carry on,” she added, closing the door. She had to find Legolas. The image of the two magnificent Elves was burned into her mind and she had to get it out, and her beautiful husband was just the one to help her in that quarter.

When she had told him about it, later that evening, he had laughed. “At least they did not invite you to join them without my presence.”

“Oh, and what if they had?”

His steel-blue eyes fixed on hers. “I would have been forced to challenge them for the insult to your honor.”

She considered his words. “So, if they’d asked while you were with me, it would’ve been alright; is that what you’re saying?”

She had settled onto his lap, facing him and he’d wrapped his arms around her, lightly stroking her hips and the curve of her bottom.

“Would you have liked to do so, my sweet?” he asked, his lips teasing hers.

“I would do anything with you,” she murmured. “And what is it that you’ve all not done together in so long, my husband?” She planted soft kisses about his face, her fingers lightly combing through his silky light blonde hair.

He slipped his hands beneath her gown and spent the next few hours answering her question.

Now, she glanced over at their friend. Orophin was terribly handsome, even among the Firstborn. She idly wondered if he had a current lover. She had never actually seen him with anyone; but then again, he was quite discrete and kept his thoughts close. Legolas and the twins had once hinted that Orophin was quite notorious when it came to seduction. She smiled to herself. She could see why.

“I am sure Helcarin would be happy to join you for an evening of debauchery,” she said quietly as she passed the Lorien Warden on her way to the couch. He chuckled and shook his head, then followed her, stopping to scoop up Dexter, rubbing the delighted dog behind the ears. He sat on one end of the couch, Legolas on the other, Alex between them. Rumil had seated himself on the floor where he was giving Dita her own belly-rub and anyone who saw the scene would have found it the picture of perfect domestic bliss.

Legolas turned so Alex could rest between his legs, reclining comfortably against his chest. He idly began playing with her hair, while she propped her feet against Orophin’s thigh so she could rub Dexter’s back just above his tail, with her toes.

“So, Saelbeth,” she finally said, being settled comfortably. “Tell us about Helcarin.”

The Rivendell Elf looked at her curiously. “What would you like to know?”

“What’s his story? Who is he? Where’s he from, really? I know Elves don’t gossip,” she said, looking pointedly at Haldir, who raised a brow and smiled at her smugly---he had told her that particular truism himself. “But, please, enlighten us with your knowledge.”

“Why do you not ask him yourself?” her husband’s kinsman said with a smile.

“Well, he’s not here, for one thing.”

Saelbeth laughed. “I suppose it is an interesting story.” He glanced at Haldir, who sat back, indicating he preferred listening to a tale to playing another game of chess right now.

Alex snuggled against her husband and wiggled her toes in the dog’s soft fur. She could also feel the hard muscles of Orophin’s strong thighs against the soles of her feet and could not resist digging against them as well, causing the Lorien Elf to pinch one of her toes.

Saelbeth shook his head. They were like children and, in a way, they were, especially Alexandra. She was barely thirty years old---still a child by Elven standards, though already a mature woman among mortals. He saw he had their attention, and decided Erestor and Glorfindel would not mind his sharing the tale with their friends; almost everyone else who knew of it was already in the Undying Lands, so it was not exactly a secret; just a story not commonly known among the Firstborn still left in Middle-Earth.

“Helcarin is Erestor and Glorfindel’s son,” he began and saw the expressions of disbelief on the faces of his listeners.

“How, in the name of Eru---?”

“Impossible!”

“I thought there was a resemblance …”

He waited for their comments to die down.

“I was rarely in Rivendell much when it all came about, but I will tell it to you as I remember it and as it was told to me. Apparently, a … female from the north came to Glorfindel and Erestor when they were at Carn Dum after the battle of Fornost and they joined with her. A little over a year later, she came to them In Rivendell and brought Helcarin to them, and told them the Valar had sent them the gift of a son.” He did not add the mysterious details of Siensia’s unknown origins or the speculation that she was some elemental spirit like the River Woman. He did not think even Helcarin had been privy to his fathers’ thoughts on the matter.

Alex shook her head. “It’s not possible for a child to be fathered by two men---or two Elves, for that matter. When the egg is fertilized, it immediately forms a barrier that prevents any other sperm from getting in and mitosis begins …” She trailed off at the blank looks the others were giving her. “Never mind.”

“It is impossible,” Saelbeth agreed. “However, Helcarin is here and one need only look at him to see that he is the child of both Elves. None can deny he inherited Erestor’s eyes and Glorfindel’s hair; and there are other characteristics which he shares with his fathers. Also, both of them have a sense of him as only a father could.”

Alex’s mind was turning over possibilities. “Are there any blondes in Erestor’s family?” she whispered to Legolas. “Perhaps a recessive ge---the blonde hair comes from one of his ancestors. On the other hand, most Elves in the west have blue eyes, so he could just have inherited that particular shade from someone in Glorfindel’s past. One can’t have two fathers. Whoever’s … seed got to her first is the father, likely whichever one of them had sex with her first.”

Legolas leaned down and spoke softly in her ear.

“Neither was first,” he said, hoping she caught his meaning. She would ask questions and end up becoming embarrassed as she sometimes did. He and the others present well-understood how both Elves could have had an equal chance to possibly father a child, though it went against all they had known of their kind. Legolas and the others had always been taught that one did not share one’s seed with anyone other than one’s bonded mate. Still, with the recent revelations about the Rhunian Elves and the way they had interbred with mortals, concubines---occasionally marrying, but seemingly never binding with a mate---they had to admit, perhaps there was more to binding than just the act itself.

She thought there was something she should know, but it was eluding her. She looked down and suddenly wished she was alone with her husband. She had a feeling it was something she should discuss with him in private.

She smiled. “Well, if you say so, then I suppose I’ll take it at face value. I’m not an expert on Elves.” She would let it drop, though it nagged at her. She would ask Legolas about it later.

“Helcarin grew up in Rivendell and did indeed prove to be a happy and bright elfling. I recall Arwen in particular seemed to dote upon him. Since she was the youngest of Elrond’s children, she had never had a younger brother or sister, and Helcarin benefited from the experience.” Saelbeth told of how the Elf had learned to debate from Erestor, Elrond and Golradir; how to fight from Glorfindel, Elladan and Elrohir; and how he seemed to be insatiably curious. He also told of how the young Elf had left the sanctuary of Imladris to travel into Forodwraith to explore the mystery of his mother’s land. His fathers had been reluctant to see him go, but he had reached the age of majority and they would not deny him his opportunity to find and follow his own path.

“I would have liked to have been there when they explained to Lord Elrond the sudden appearance of a child sired by both of them,” Haldir commented. The others could appreciate the humor of the situation. Saelbeth chuckled.

“From what I heard, Lord Elrond was … not as disturbed by what had been presented to them as a ‘gift from the Valar’ as one might expect.”

“He was probably just glad it was not Elladan or Elrohir---or both---who were the recipients of this ‘gift’,” Orophin said dryly. The others laughed, picturing the Lord of Imladris’ reaction to the babe.

“What does his name mean?” Alex knew all Elf names meant something.

“Memory of cold wind,” Rumil said, looking to Saelbeth for confirmation. The other Elf nodded.

“Since his mother came from the frozen north, I suppose it was an apt name,” Haldir mused. “I have never had the desire to go to Forodwraith. No forests like those we have in this part of Middle-Earth.”

“Well, if everyone wanted to live in the same places, parts of Middle-Earth would get very crowded,” Alex said as she closed her eyes.

The Elves continued to talk of various things and she found herself drifting off to sleep. She was awakened when Legolas lifted her into his arms to carry her to bed. She looked sleepily around at the others. Something in Haldir’s smirk made her suspicious.

“Did I snore?”

“Like a Dwarf,” he replied and she groaned, burying her face against her husband’s neck, the good-natured laughter of their friends echoing in her ears as Legolas proceeded up the stairs with his prettily blushing wife, Dexter and Dita racing ahead to their own beds in Legolas and Alexandra’s chamber.