Cuil Eden

Thank you so much for your reviews! :)

Lynda: Oh, you are definitely right... Glorfindel really has two children. *g* I'm glad you are enjoying the story so far - and I'm going to get back to Galuron and Thranduil as well... eventually. ;)


Title: Cuil Eden
Part: 47/?
Rating: NC-17
Series: Sequel to Anestel and Ethuil'waew
Pairing: Glorfindel/Legolas
Warnings: mpreg, d/s
Disclaimer: All the pretty elves belong to Tolkien, I'm just playing with them and will give them back afterwards.

Lots of thanks to my beta for her hard work. :)

47

The market was everything Legolas had expected, and more. There were silver-haired Galadhrim everywhere, clad in elegant, light robes and tunics of linen and silk. Several guards walked around in the characteristic grey uniform, and with surprise Legolas realized that a good number of the customers at the stalls were female. Several of them had a child or two with them, and Gîlríon grew excited when he saw a few his own age.

Lórien society was truly not so different from Mirkwood, it seemed to Legolas, who had grown up in a realm where most of the inhabitants lived together in a cave and the surrounding trees - or, in this case, in a city.

Imladris was different, though. The Last Homely House was widely renowned as a home of learning and lore, and Elrond's halls were walked by scholars, warriors, servants and the many guests. Yet there were only a few families, for many of the young elves recently wedded preferred life in one of the many rural settlements that were scattered around Imladris. During their younger years, children would then be taught by their parents or other family members, coming to live in Imladris later on only for more specialized instruction, as well as weapons training.

Thus, Gîlríon did not truly have any playmates, and although Legolas would have wished such for him, he and Glorfindel – or in some cases, the nursemaid – were always available to play with him, and Gîlríon seemed happy enough.

Also, Legolas knew well enough what being ostracized meant, and although Gîl was heir to one revered as a hero in all the Elven realms, he had also been born to a male... something not many adults could understand, and certainly children would be even less forgiving of that fact.

Legolas sighed and then shook his head at himself, a little surprised at how heavy his thoughts were when right now something that felt like an entirely new world was open to him.

Market day in Lothlórien, he saw when they walked around a huge, old mallorn, took place in a clearing that was known as the Artisan's Glade. The large mellyrn that surrounded the clearing held many workshops; there were two smithies on the ground between the trees' roots and a multitude of shops on telain that were connected to the ground by a twisting net of pathways and stairs. On market day, many of the shop owners, as well as farmers, bakers and other merchants, would set up stalls in the middle of the clearing, and transform the entire area into a scene of merry excitement.

Legolas’ own excitement grew when the glade came into view, and he was more than glad for the presence of Gîl behind whose wide-eyed wonder he could hide his own feelings. He felt strangely shy and overwhelmed by all that was offered here, and he did not think that he would have purchased anything quickly if it had not been for his son.

"Look, ada!" Gîl exclaimed, pointing towards a stall that sold small nut cakes glazed with honey. "Can I have one?"

"Hungry already?" Legolas laughed but nodded indulgently, realizing that Glorfindel had done well to warn him about the pony – how would he ever be able to deny Gîlríon when he was just as excited about this excursion as his child? "Of course you can."

He bought two of the little cakes, once again glad to have Gîl as an excuse for indulging his own childlike excitement. It was as if that first purchase had broken a dam - suddenly he realized that he could indeed have anything he desired here, and moreso, that Glorfindel had almost ordered him to.

He started with what was sensible - simple, dark clothes of linen, so he would not ruin any more garments when he played with Gîl. Then he bought clothes for his son as well, remembering that already, most of his leggings were in need of mending. The clothes alone already made for a heavy parcel for Haldir to carry, and Legolas had to suppress the urge to openly laugh at how annoyed his new guard looked.

Legolas bought more of the small cakes, thinking it would be nice to share them with Glorfindel on their return, and then remembered that his Lord had asked him to find something for Gîl's begetting day. With that thought in mind, he turned towards Haldir to ask him for the stand of children's toys he had promised him, but before he could speak, Haldir nodded towards another shop at the feet of one of the large mellyrn.

"There... I think you will enjoy the Master Saddler's creations. Truly exquisite work, as your Lord can avouch. Everything one could possibly need to break a wild little horse to one's touch..."

Legolas swallowed, but Haldir's words awoke an undeniable curiosity within him. It was really irresistible, especially Haldir's words about Glorfindel valuing this particular shop - he wanted to make Glorfindel happy, and to maybe also surprise him, and so he found himself following Haldir, feeling apprehensive as well as strangely excited.

"Come in, come in... I have lots more for you to look at here!" the owner of the shop exclaimed as soon as he saw them looking at his goods outside, quickly ushering them into his shop. "Haldir! So good to see you! Are you looking for something special for your young friend here?"

Legolas froze, mortified at being taken for one of Haldir's lovers, while the guard chuckled in delight.

"I am just his guard, showing him around... assisting him in his purchases," Haldir said, then laughed. "Lord Glorfindel is an admirer of your workmanship, is he not? If you are looking for a present for your Lord, Prince, I can assure you that he has always been delighted with what this particular shop has to offer."

Legolas swallowed and looked around, once more feeling out of his depth. "Thank you, but... we brought some additional tack with us. I do not think Asfaloth is in need of any new reins..."

Now it was the merchant who chuckled. "Ah, you are the young Prince then - Lord Glorfindel is indeed a cherished costumer. I think I can promise you that anything bought here will meet with his approval. Let me show you a few different kinds of reins which I produce for chosen costumers. I have them in that room over there, if you will follow me?"

Legolas swallowed, feeling weak when he realized just what the merchant was selling. "I... no, I cannot. I cannot leave Gîl alone here," he said helplessly, but at his words the merchant looked towards where Gîl was looking at a stack of halters.

"Glorfindel's son?" he exclaimed. "Oh, and looking so very much like his sire! I will look after him if you like - Haldir, please show the Prince around, I daresay you know my goods as well as I do."

Haldir smirked when Legolas looked at him, leaving the youth feeling flustered and uncertain. But he most definitely did not want Gîl to ask any embarrassing questions about whatever it was that could be bought in the other room...

"I have a bay mare, you can help Gîl choose a halter for her," he offered, uncertain whether it was the right choice to leave his son with the merchant - but he did not want to look like a coward to Haldir. "If you know my Lord's stallion, she wears a size smaller."

Gîl’s delighted cry at the news made him smile, and so he left his son in the company of the saddler to see for himself just what it was that was offered here to chosen customers.

He followed Haldir up a small stair which led them first into what seemed to be the Master's work area and, behind that, a small back room that was filled with the scent of new leather. Legolas frowned as he looked around. Many of the things his eyes fell upon did not look all that different to horse tack, although there were also other instruments and constructions where Legolas could not even imagine how those might be used, or what for. Then he found something where he could imagine the use of it very well, and he blushed as he took a step closer, driven by a curiosity that was too strong to ignore.

Crops and whips and floggers...

With shaking hands, Legolas touched a handle of smooth, dark leather, his cheeks hot with shame as he was certain that Haldir had to be able to see his embarrassment.

There was no reason to be embarrassed, he tried to tell himself, for after all Haldir not only already knew of his Lord's proclivities, but also indulged in even darker games, from what he had gathered.

"A good choice," Haldir's smooth voice interrupted his thoughts, and Legolas trembled when he felt Haldir's body press against his back as the guard came to stand behind him. Haldir was far too close, and his breath teased against his ear so that Legolas felt he would either have to sigh or run from the terrible intimacy of this situation.

Yet he did neither, for now Haldir's arms came around him, his hands covering Legolas' in a warm, tight grip, and Legolas closed his eyes, hating himself for not being courageous enough to put a stop to it.

Why was he so weak? Any other would have pushed Haldir away, but he felt frozen, unable to react to what was being done to him. His heart beat faster and faster in his chest and he knew that his cheeks had to be blazing with color, and yet all he could do was to desperately hope that Haldir would stop.

"Why do you tremble so, Prince?" Haldir murmured, his voice almost soothing, and Legolas bit his lip to stop himself from begging.

Please do not hurt me...

He remembered then how it had been that day so long ago in Imladris, what Haldir had done to his brother, what they would have done to him, and suddenly he wondered if the threat of demotion would be enough to stop Haldir from taking revenge.

"See how beautifully worked it is, the leather so smooth... see how heavy the strands fall. Can you imagine how this will feel? Each hit will vibrate through your entire body, more than just pain, oh, so much more than that... You would cry out for your master, give him your tears and your surrender, and you would love it," Haldir said decisively, and Legolas shivered against him.

"Of course, there is so much more you could do with this," Haldir whispered and made Legolas' hands slide up and down the thick handle in a suggestive motion. "Mmh, do you want to know what I see? A beautiful slave on his knees before me... a little pet, sweet and obedient and longing only to please its Master. The handle is so long and smooth - with some oil I think I might very well penetrate my pet with it. Can you see it, Prince? My pet would be on his hands and knees, his back perfectly straight because he knows what punishment would await him if he displeases me - although I think his back would already be decorated with red welts, just because I felt like it. He would whimper a little and his eyes would gleam with tears when he looks at me, because it feels so big inside him, stretching him to the point of soreness, but he would never even think of pleading, because he knows I would not show him any mercy."

Haldir groaned, then smiled against Legolas' throat, and this time the youth could not hold back a little whimper.

"I think I would make him use his mouth to serve me then," Haldir whispered confidentially into his ear. "He would move his hips so prettily, so that the flogger keeps rubbing that spot inside him, and whimper while I fill his sweet mouth with my hard length, almost choking him - and I would smile at the picture he makes, the leather strands swishing against his thighs like a tail while I make him work hard for my pleasure."

"No..." Legolas said helplessly, and Haldir chuckled.

"No? That is what I would do with it, but of course your Lord might have different ideas. Certainly it is no toy for a maiden - but as I have never desired one, I fear that I do not know how you would play with one. Maybe the Master Saddler would know?"

Legolas' fingers clenched around the flogger when Haldir finally stepped back. He felt weak, trembling with relief at being released, although now once again the terrible shame returned when he thought about how he let Haldir treat him.

He was glad for the reprieve when Haldir wandered over to the other side of the room, studying what looked like leather manacles.

Legolas sighed very softly and then returned the flogger to its place. He felt out of place now and realized that he should never have come here alone with Haldir. The very nature of the goods that were offered here made the situation far too intimate. He did not want to know what Haldir would do to a lover, any more than he wanted him to know what kind of games his Lord played with him.

Yet it seemed that at least for now, Haldir was inclined to grant him a moment's peace - maybe to properly enjoy how flustered Legolas had become, how he had not even dared to protest.

Legolas was grateful for the silence nevertheless. Morosely he looked around the room, wondering if he could just leave right now, or if that would yet again be cowardice. Almost he had decided to just leave, even if it would be flight, when his eyes fell onto a mirror. His eyes widened in shock at what he saw - not Legolas the coward, but Legolas the prince. He did not look weak... His very garb commanded respect, as did the braids in his hair.

And there was the ring of gold on his finger, gleaming brightly in the light...

He smiled all of a sudden, being reminded of Glorfindel's trust, and his love. He would not let Haldir talk to him so again, he decided. He might not have strength for himself, but he would draw from Glorfindel's strength. He would make certain that Gîl never thought him weak.

He turned towards Haldir, holding himself straight to meet him as an equal, but just then the door opened and a group of Silvan elves spilled in. There were only four or five of them, but the small room afforded barely enough space for them all. Merrily they called out to Haldir, greeting him as a friend, and at once Legolas knew that this was his chance to show the guard that he was no weak victim to be played with. This was his chance for revenge.

"Do not forget the nature of your service to me, Haldir," Legolas called out with what he hoped was an arrogant smile, although his heart fluttered in his chest and he wondered at this potential for malice in himself. "Get that flogger I liked, the black leather one, and then come find me - and do not forget to bring my other purchases along. I shall be at the stall we saw before, where they sell massage oils."

Legolas forced himself to walk slowly and regally towards the door, aware of what he looked like in his princely finery and taking strength from the thought, as well as in the giggles that broke out behind him. "Oh, and pick up a few more things; I will allow you to choose. Select some for rewards, and some... for punishment."

Then he fled the room, hearing loud laughter and teasing remarks from Haldir's friends behind him, and the guard's voice becoming ever louder with angry denials.


To be continued...


Pippychick - who is the most wonderful person on earth - has been writing another AU chapter for me, after I teased her with what was going to happen in chapter 47 of Cuil Eden. And what she came up with has completely blown me away; I'm almost embarrassed to admit just how many times I have reread this already! *blushes*

Her AU chapter takes place directly after chapter 47 - Haldir is just angry enough to decide that he is going to remind poor Legolas just what his place is. And he is going to make good use of the toys he has just bought... *eg*

Click here to read what might just be the hottest Haldir/Legolas ever:
http://pippychick.livejournal.com/27815.html

(Don't forget though, it's an AU - Chapter 48 of CE will be a little different. :))