Breaking the Barriers

Disclaimer: I hold Tolkien in the utmost highest esteem. I borrowed his characters for this. The idea of the bonding enchantment is mine however.


Chapter 6

It was late in the afternoon when the both of them stirred. It was getting close to Estel's coming of age and the elf still did not make love to the man. Estel half laid on the elf and started to caress him, which had awoken him. Legolas looked into the man's eyes and kissed him lightly.

"Morning my love. How did you sleep?" Legolas lovingly asked. He felt so different this morning. Inside of him, there was a new feeling that his world was the most loving place in Middle Earth. He felt the love of all things as if they were carried on the wind through the window. Feeling Estel's fingers caress his chest made him tingle inside and brought his lover closer. His lover! That one thing felt strange in his mind. He never thought in a thousand years that the future King of Gondor would be his lover.

"I slept soundly. Having you at my side was glorious after making love to you, meleth. How about we get dressed and see Adar? I'm starving. We could go to the Hall of Fire and surprise everyone. I bet Adar would be delighted," Estel stated.

Someone was kind to draw a bath and put out fresh clothes. They bathed together and dressed. Somehow, they could not get enough out of their kisses. Legolas sat at the vanity, let Estel comb his hair out, and placed tiny braids on each side of his head, warrior braids. He then gathered them and made a braid down the back letting the rest of his hair hang down his back. Legolas loved the feel of Estel's hand going through his hair, as did Estel. Elf hair was so silky and soft. He noticed that Legolas' hair was shinier than before they made love. This feeling he loved.

"Where did you learn how to do that?" he asked Estel as he turned in the chair.

"My brothers," he said. "They told me that if I planned on staying in Rivendell then I would have to learn the ways of the elves. I learned how to braid hair, of course, mend my own clothes, keep my weapons in great condition and never stand upwind from an orc." This last bit made them both laugh.

He planted a light kiss on Legolas' lips before they opened the door. They walked towards the Hall of Fire and entered holding hands.

They saw Lord Elrond, Lord Glorfindel and the great warrior, Haldir sitting at the head table.

Elrond looked up and seen the two of them. He had seen the change over Legolas but not over Estel. He noticed a glow about Legolas. Everything about him was different: his hair, his stature, the confidence in his face. He knew part of the bonding had been preformed. This pleased him.

He rose from his chair and walked over to his son.

"I was wondering when I would see the two of you again." He took hold of both of them and they had a small group hug.

"I couldn't stand to look at Legolas' face anymore and needed to have some real food and different company." He looked at Legolas and winked. "Plus I needed some fresh air." He took hold of Legolas' hand again and followed Adar to the head table. The feeling that Estel had over Legolas was indescribable. He felt like the happiest man in Middle Earth. His love for the elf grew more by the minute.

Estel took the seat to Lord Elrond's left with Legolas between them. On the other side was Glorfindel and to his right was Haldir. They leaned over, looked at Legolas and smiled. However, when they glanced at Estel they could not see the glow. This displeased Glorfindel. 'Had he done something wrong?' he thought.

"I'm famished. The food they send to the room is not enough to keep up the energy." Estel said this with gusto. He looked at everything he could see on the table and placed it on his plate. Just then, he felt someone next to him on his left. "Hi," he said placing a piece of meat in his mouth. It was Glorfindel.

"Well," Glorfindel said, "how is it going? Have both of you bedded each other yet? You know you have one week left. I can tell that Legolas is glowing but not you. What's happened?"

Estel looked at the Noldor elf. "Legolas was having trouble confessing his love for me. He didn't actually know what love was all about. I know that Mirkwood elves love life and all things that come with it but there are some things that life teaches us that we must find out for ourselves. One thing that life taught him was love for someone else. I know that his love for me was new so when he explained his feelings for me it brought happiness to my heart. Somehow, it's easier for a man to describe love. I told him of the love I felt for him. This got him thinking about his own. We have to know one another before we made love. I did my part to Legolas, remembering all your teachings. We had decided to wait a few days to gather strength before my bonding. We had to get out of that room."

Then he realized what Glorfindel said. "We've been in there for two weeks! How can that be?" He had a stunned look on his face.

Glorfindel noticed a great change in Estel. "That's the most you have ever said in one sitting with me, my young friend. And yes, you have been in there for two weeks."

"I have never felt this way about anyone. I confessed my love for the young elf before I knew who he was. I don't know why I did that." He paused eating and stared out into the air. "Maybe it's because of that dream we both had at the same time when we got sick. I don't know." He resumed his eating. "Right now, I want to love Legolas and teach him more on how to love me before he makes love to me."

"Don't wait too long, my young man. You don't have much time left." With that said Glorfindel went back to his seat and told Haldir what had transpired.

Legolas had his hand on Estel's thigh while they were eating. This pleased the young man very much. The elf was showing his love for the man. The bonding was complete for Legolas. Now it was his turn.

*****

Elrond was getting ready for Estel's coming of age. It was going to be of great importance to everyone who lived in Middle Earth.

Glorfindel and Haldir noticed that as the coming of age grew closer, they could not see a change in Estel. He showed his love for Legolas in public and Legolas returned it. Everyone in Imladris was watching the love between the Prince of Mirkwood and the future King grow.

The day before Estel's coming of age, he got a message to meet Lord Elrond in his private office. After entering, he had seen Glorfindel and Erestor, Elrond's chief councilor. He took a seat in front of his desk and looked at everyone in the room.

"Well, I'm here. What can I do for you, Adar?" he asked. He noticed sword shards on the desk and a ring. He had seen these before. They were the Shards of Narsil, the sword that cut the One Ring from Sauron. He had read about it many times and had seen it in the library. The ring sat on a piece of velvet on Adar's office desk.

"Estel, we've gather here today to talk to you of your coming of age. It is time that you knew of your heritage." Elrond looked at him with love in his eyes. "What I'm about to say to you is going to be very hard for you to take. I don't know how much of you family history your mother told you about but here goes." He took a long breath and started. "You family history goes back to my brother, Elros." Elrond told him of the line of descendants from Elros to the young man before him.

Estel knew about the line but somehow he didn't remember seeing the names of the Chieftains in any history books. He listened intently as his Adar told him he was the next King of Gondor.

After Elrond had finished his story, he looked up at Estel. Estel could not believe his ears! He shook his head to see if he heard it right. He was to become King of Gondor! He looked to Glorfindel and Erestor.

"You can't be serious! No, no, no!" Estel was shaking his head. "I can't be King of Gondor. I was not born of royal blood." He got up from the chair and went to the window.

"Yes, you are born of royal blood." Adar said. "You see, you're the son of Arathorn. He in turn is Isildur's heir. Therefore, you have royal blood. You see, my son, you are the direct descendant of Elros, my twin brother. He was the first King of Gondor. When Aranarth died, I raised each generation. I was to keep each of you safe until you were old enough to rule Gondor. Many years of trial lie before you. You shall neither have wife, nor bind any woman to you in troth, until your time comes and you are found worthy.*" Elrond came around the desk and joined his son. Turning Estel so that he could look at him, he continued. "The sword that lies on that desk is part of that heritage, as is the ring." Elrond stopped talking to let Estel take in this information. "It is your destiny to become King of Gondor. It will be many years before you take the throne. During this time, I would like you to go out into this world and get to know the people of these lands. Know their customs and their lives. You can read all about them in books but to live their lives would be a great experience."

Elrond told him the whole story about the Ring of Barahir. He even found out his real name was Aragorn, not Estel. They named him Estel to protect his real identity from evil. Elrond went to his desk to retrieve the ring. Coming back to Estel, he placed it in his hand.

"What if I don't want to become King?" He yelled getting nervous. "I have only become a man in the eyes of the Valar. I have found love for the first time in my life and I want to take advantage of that. I can't do this. What am I going to do? I need to be alone." He took the ring from his Adar. He could not listen to this anymore. This was too much to take in. He turned about and looked at Erestor. He learned a lot from this elf, he was his tutor. The look on his face confirmed every word that Adar was saying was true. Tears started rolling down his face. He could not take it anymore and wanted to be alone. He opened the door and ran out with the ring clutched in his hand.

*****

*Appendix: A LOTR I used this quote to show that Aragorn is not to marry a woman before he sits on the throne in Gondor.

tbc