Cuil Eden

63


Darkness surrounded them. The sun had set long ago, Gîl was peacefully asleep, and his Lord had slaked his lusts on his willing body, as was his wont at the end of nearly every day. With a smile on his lips, Legolas stretched, deliciously aware of how relaxed and sated his body felt, parts of him aching pleasurably. His Lord was a reassuring presence next to him, solid and warm, breathing so slowly that he seemed to have slipped into reverie already.

This, Legolas thought drowsily, was what happiness was like. He could almost feel the love surrounding him like a cocoon of warmth, and his heart ached with the surge of tenderness he felt towards the Lord whom he loved and worshiped above all other.

Glorfindel's hand rested on the bed between them, and Legolas covered it with his own, still feeling almost surprised at his own daring, and at the indescribable knowledge that he could touch his Lord so, when he had never touched another in such a way and had almost given up hope that he ever would.

Legolas stroked the hand that he knew so well, the strong fingers that were calloused by sword and reins, and smiled a little wonderingly to himself. Such intimacy conveyed by such a small touch – it was such a little thing to almost everyone else, and yet to him it meant so much. To know that he had a right to touch another so, to know with absolute certainty that he would not be rejected – his fingers curled around his Lord's, and his heart was filled with a voiceless prayer of gratitude.

Then Glorfindel's hand gently tightened around his own, so that Legolas knew that his Lord was still awake.

“What I said earlier,” Glorfindel began with unwonted hesitation. “You know that whatever I might say... 'tis not in my power to decide, Legolas. After so many years, I cannot stop wishing for more children," he admitted painfully, so that Legolas turned and wrapped his arm around his waist, pressing himself close as if to instinctively assuage this deep hurt. "It is not in my power to decide, but even if it were, I would wait until you are at least of age. I almost lost you the last time - I cannot..."

"I know!" Legolas whispered, trembling as he remembered what it had been like, the pain, the fear, the strangeness when his body did things, became things that it had never been meant to. There had been so much despair, and no hope, no hope for him at all...

But there was hope now, and Glorfindel's love, and Gîl whom he loved more than anything. "It would be different now, Lord," he admitted softly in the darkness. "I would not despair now... I am frightened, yes, but I know what will happen. I have your strength and your love, and I know that any child that the Valar give to us will be cherished as it should be."

"You are very brave, Legolas, braver than many I know. You do not believe me, but it is the truth. Not many could have lived through what you did and still retained their hope, their compassion."

Glorfindel pressed a kiss to Legolas' brow, then sought his mouth for a long, tender kiss that made Legolas sigh and relax against him, the youth's happiness a palpable thing for him to thrill at.

"Whatever happens, whether there will be another child or not, know that you will always have my love," Glorfindel promised, one of his hands cupping Legolas' cheek. The youth trustingly leaned further into his touch, and Glorfindel had to bite back another promise, an oath that he would love him until the world's end, until Arda was unmade and beyond.

But this oath was not for the secrecy of the night, when there was only Legolas to hear. He had been a coward for too long, had made too many mistakes - this one thing he would do right. It could never make up for all that he had done, but to have this declaration made publicly, to show the youth the respect and the love he deserved for all to see, it was the least thing he could do.

"Have you never..." Legolas began, then hesitated, only daring to go on after Glorfindel had reassured him.

"To live so long," Legolas said wonderingly. "My mind cannot yet encompass such a thing, to imagine you walking in the light of the Trees, to know that you were a part of all the tales I have read in the books of lore... To live so long, and to always want a thing you cannot have, I thought, I wondered..." He stumbled over his words and bit his lip, glad now for the darkness that hid his blush. "Was there never... Would it not have been easier to wed a maiden who could give you children?"

Glorfindel chuckled softly. "Indeed, and I have been asked that often. What it comes down to, roch neth, is the question of whether I desire children more than I desire love. I am many things - cruel, they say, arrogant, vain, I willfully disregard many of the rules others think necessary. Yet I am also very old, Legolas, and old-fashioned in many ways, you might say. I always knew that I would never wed, save for love. And you know me, you know what I am like - there can be no love without passion for me. A maiden's body has never roused me. Oh, I might have made myself lie with one, but only to beget a child - there would have been no true love. The love of friendship, yes, but not the love that binds fëar and hröar before Eru himself, so that even when Arda is unmade, the bond will remain...

"I would not play with such a thing. I would not do that to a maiden or to myself, nor especially to a child. In the end, I knew it was easier to grieve for the children I never had than to grieve an eternity for the love I never found."

He could feel Legolas smile against his chest, and wished once more that he could reassure him, for at last it seemed that he had found everything he had ever wanted, even though he had not recognized it at first.

"But, if you have never desired a maiden," Legolas began, only to fall silent once more in embarrassment. "I... when I was with child, and afterwards, when I suckled Gîl, I... I must have looked very strange to you," he whispered. "I looked like a maiden, did I not?"

Glorfindel smiled and tightened his hold on him in reassurance. "No, you did not look strange to me, you looked wondrous," he said softly. "Do you not remember what you did to me? Do not tell me that you have forgotten how very much it aroused me to see you so changed! You were no maiden - there was all the beauty of the male youth in you, and yet you were different. It was my child that changed you so, cradled within your womb, and you know very well just how much that thought pleased me. It made me feel very... virile, very powerful to see you so. It was my seed that was growing inside you, my seed that changed you so – it was as if your body belonged more to me than it did to you. No, it did not make you seem strange, or a maiden, it made you precious to me; it made you mine."

Legolas laughed softly, and Glorfindel smiled, aware and happy that Legolas knew him well enough at last to understand that dominant, possessive streak of his. Indeed, there was love and pride in calling him a possession, for it was a thought that thrilled him, and both of them knew the love that was at the heart of everything that passed between them now. Calling him his possession meant but that Legolas had his love, and there was no longer the shadow of the slave between them who had been hurt and humiliated until he had lost all hope.

~~~

Glorfindel woke at dawn. He took care not to rouse Legolas as he stood up and slowly dressed, then made his way into the sitting room of their talan where a luxurious breakfast had been left, just as he had arranged. There was a bottle of sparkling pear cider, slices of smoked duck, half a smoked eel, boiled eggs, a jar of honey, the almond cakes Legolas loved as well as dark rye bread and a lighter loaf of wheat, preserved fruits, pickled vegetables, pale sheep cheese and a pot of steaming mint tea. There was enough food so that they could have kept in their talan all day if they desired, but of course there was a feast waiting for them later that day as well in the royal talan.

Glorfindel filled a large plate with samples of the food, then took the bottle and two goblets with him when he returned to their bedroom. The sun had finally risen fully over the horizon and now filled the room with bright rays of sunshine while Legolas was still deeply lost in reverie. With a somewhat wicked smile Glorfindel pulled at the thin sheet so that it slid from the youth's body, leaving him gloriously nude, fully exposed to the caressing rays of golden light as well as Glorfindel's appreciative gaze.

Legolas made a soft sound then, turning a little to escape the glare of the sun that was shining directly into his face. Glorfindel bit back a pleased sound when that motion exposed his relaxed genitals to his eyes, beautifully formed and alluring as they rested against his left thigh. He thought of kissing him, tasting the soft skin, tantalizing with gentle touches until the limp organ, the soft pouch would stir under his touch and grow taut with need for him. Legolas would look beautiful then, as he did now, would still look innocent even when fully aroused, and even the thought of it woke a ravenous hunger within Glorfindel.

Yet there was a tender beauty in observing him so innocently asleep, a vision of tantalizing eroticism even though his mind wandered in reverie and his body was limp with sleep. It was his vulnerability that beguiled him so, Glorfindel decided, for he was completely unguarded and unaware of how exposed he was, his relaxed genitals on show for Glorfindel's appreciative gaze, unconsciously inviting his touch.

Glorfindel looked towards the large wooden box that held Legolas' begetting day gifts. He had thought to wake him, to break their fast together in bed and surprise him with the presents before Gîl woke, so that they would have this time to themselves. He had wanted to begin the day that so far had never truly been acknowledged the way it should have been in a gentle and loving way, to surprise Legolas, and to please him.

Only now when he looked upon the youth's body, saw him so vulnerably exposed, his heart began to beat faster with desire, and he found he could not help himself. He needed to put his mark on him, to touch that lovely body - how could he not want to take advantage of what was so innocently put on show for him here?

He still wanted to do what he had prepared, to make this morning joyous for the one who held his heart, and yet now he also found that he wanted to keep Legolas like this, wanted to keep him exposed and vulnerable for his own pleasure during the hour or two they had left before Gîl would wake.

Glorfindel went to the parcel which Legolas had so often eyed with dread and excitement both - the parcel with the toys Haldir had chosen to embarrass him. There had been an item in there which he was certain would please both Legolas and himself, and yes - of course embarrass the youth somewhat. Glorfindel smiled to himself when he imagined how Legolas would blush, and still never dare to disobey his Lord in this. And after all, it was but a little thing, embarrassing mayhap but meant for pleasure alone, unlike the clamps which he had put to such good use as well...

Glorfindel took a small item of leather and metal from the box, pleased when Legolas did not wake even when he sat down on the bed and gently stroked a slender thigh. The youth sighed once but remained lost in reverie, even when Glorfindel began to carefully handle the relaxed genitals. The metal ring he fit over the slender shaft, pulling it down to the root, then closed a connected strap of leather behind shaft and scrotum both. Legolas sighed again at these intimate touches, closer to waking now, yet even wandering in reverie he did not try to move away from his Lord's hands but kept himself willingly exposed, so that Glorfindel could not bite back a small sound of lust at this sign of his complete mastery.

There was one more small strap which he pulled up and connected it to the metal ring. It pushed the youth's pouch up and forward and divided the glands inside, the skin taut across the firm balls that looked exposed and vulnerable now, on show for his pleasure. Legolas mumbled something that might have been his name, the unusual stimulation finally breaking through his dreams, and Glorfindel gazed on his handiwork with a satisfied smile. The black leather was a most pleasing contrast with his prince's fine, pale skin, and he resolved to not allow him any clothes apart from the decoration he now wore while they took their breakfast together and later looked through the presents he had gotten him.

Glorfindel ran one finger along the still limp organ, then could not resist and bent down to press a kiss to the soft skin. Legolas was rousing a little now, blood starting to flow so that the smooth length twitched, slowly hardening. Glorfindel smoothed the foreskin back, breathing hotly on the sensitive, exposed glans so that Legolas shuddered beneath him, almost awake now, and then he closed his mouth around the tip of the cock, gently sucking so that Legolas came awake at last, gasping his name.

"Good morning, roch neth," Glorfindel breathed, amused at the small sound of dismay the youth made when the glans slipped wetly from his lips. "Awake at last?" He leaned forward to kiss him, pleased when Legolas moaned in sleepy pleasure, then drew back and chuckled at his confused expression when Legolas finally realized the strange, constricting presence around his genitals.

Glorfindel did not explain and did not move back to let the youth see what it was he had done to him - half draped across the slender body as he was, it was impossible for Legolas to see what it was that began to grip his hardening length so tightly.

Instead, Glorfindel reached for the goblets he had placed on a nightstand next to Legolas' head, giving one to the youth while keeping the other. "The Valar's blessings on your begetting day, pen villen," he said gently, smiling at the surprised pleasure that shone from Legolas' face. They both drank before Glorfindel stole another kiss, the youth's mouth now tasting tartly of pears with a hint of the cider's effervescence.

Glorfindel grinned then and suddenly moved back, taking another mouthful from the goblet before he dove down and took Legolas' shaft into his mouth, amused at the way the youth only barely bit back a cry. The hot length twitched and grew to aching hardness within his mouth, teased by Glorfindel's tongue as well as the sparkling pearls of gas from the cider, and Glorfindel teased the confined, divided pouch with his fingers until he could feel the globes straining ripe and taut against the thin skin and the dark leather that parted them, prominently on display for eyes and fingers alike beneath the erect length.

"So beautifully male!" he breathed when he finally drew back. "How can you think I would not appreciate this?"

He pressed a kiss to a vulnerable globe, sucked gently on it while Legolas whimpered and grabbed the sheets. His legs parted further instinctively, as if to tempt Glorfindel with the small entrance now revealed, rosy and tight when he remembered all too well how red and swollen the small muscle had looked the night before, glistening with white specks of his release.

"So very tempting," he murmured and blew once more against the glistening red glans just to hear Legolas gasp. "But I will not take you now, no matter how much you beg. It is early yet, but who knows when Gîl will wake, and I have looked forward to giving you my presents too much."

"Presents, Lord?" Legolas asked and swallowed when Glorfindel slithered up his body again to rest next to him.

"Yes, presents," Glorfindel said in amusement at the surprised and eager gleam in Legolas' eyes, glad now that he had taken every care possible to make this a day the youth would remember for a long time. "But first, let us break our fast, roch neth; your taste has made me hungry!"

He silenced Legolas' sigh of disappointment with another quick kiss, then turned to take the plate he had prepared. When he placed it on the bed next to them, he found Legolas staring wide-eyed at his bound, straining genitals, red and glistening wetly and looking just as obscenely inviting against the paleness of the youth's skin as he had hoped for.

"Do not dare to touch what is mine!" Glorfindel threatened darkly, and Legolas flinched, guiltily pulling the hand away that had curiously slid down his belly.

"Good," Glorfindel praised then. "Make certain you behave, roch neth - it is your begetting day, and I do not want to have to discipline you. But if you are good, maybe I will do something about that later on."

He nodded in amusement towards the achingly hard shaft while Legolas sighed in obedient resignation. Then Glorfindel poured them more of the cider and put a piece of the sheep cheese against Legolas' lips, tempting the youth with morsels of his favorite food until it seemed that he had completely forgotten about the prince's predicament.

Yet of course Glorfindel had not - how could he with such temptingly exhibited beauty? Legolas' shaft still stood hard as steel against his belly, a vivid red from all the blood that had rushed into it and was now kept from leaving by the leather contraption Glorfindel had put on him. Below the shaft, his balls were on display, round and taut as ripe plums from the leather strap that divided them and forced them apart.

Glorfindel touched him then, cupping the hot genitals in his strong hand while he kept feeding Legolas with the other, so demonstratively possessive that Legolas trembled and then relaxed against him, legs falling further apart in surrender while Glorfindel palmed his aching testes.

“Not complaining even once... That is very good!” Glorfindel murmured once the plate was emptied, pressing another kiss against Legolas' neck. “Time for your reward then...”

Instinctively, Legolas looked down to where his aching shaft was still expertly squeezed in Glorfindel's fist.

Glorfindel chuckled. “Not that – not yet, roch neth. Your presents first, and then mayhap your pleasure, if Gîl is still asleep...”

“Oh blessed Elbereth, please keep him asleep for another hour!” Legolas exclaimed so plaintively that Glorfindel laughed and then regretfully let go of the youth.

He left the bed and took the large wooden box from where he had hidden it in the closet, secured with a lock to keep his Prince from accidentally spoiling his surprise. Now, though, Glorfindel placed it on the bed in front of Legolas and unlocked it, nodding at the quietly excited youth to open it, while he bent once more and took another long, silk-wrapped parcel from where he had hidden it beneath the bed yesterday. This, he thought, would please his Prince like nothing else, and despite Haldir's admonition that this was a weapon Legolas might never completely master, it would give Legolas great pleasure and confidence – and that was all that Glorfindel truly wanted.


-----------
fëar - souls
hröar - bodies
roch neth - colt
pen villen - beloved
-----------