The Music in My Heart
folder
Lord of the Rings Movies › Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
75
Views:
3,817
Reviews:
11
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Lord of the Rings Movies › Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
75
Views:
3,817
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 65 A Lost Pulse of Feeling
Title: The Music in My Heart, Chapter 65
Author: Sorsha
Fandom/Pairing: Elrond/OFC, Glorfindel/Haldir, Elladan/OFC, Elrohir/Legolas, others implied
Rating:.NC-17 for future chapters
Warning: AU (Story set 770 years after ROTK; Slash and het.)
Feedback: This is my first fanfic, so constructive feedback appreciated.
Archive: AAF; FF
Acknowledgements: Many thanks to Alex Cat for her help in betaing this.
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.
A/N – I don’t know who to thank for nominating Music for a Mithril Award, but I want to offer my sincere thanks for that honor. I appreciate all of the support and want to thank those of you that have been reading my stories! Thanks Alex for agreeing to beta Music and for encouraging a newbie!
Chapter 65 --- A Lost Pulse of Feeling
Only--but this is rare--
When a beloved hand is laid in ours,
When, jaded with the rush and glare
Of the interminable hours,
Our eyes can in another's eyes read clear,
When our world-deafened ear
Is by the tones of a loved voice caressed--
A bolt is shot back somewhere in our breast,
And a lost pulse of feeling stirs again.
Matthew Arnold', "The Buried Life,"
*****
As silently as possible, Elrond extended his hand to grip the hilt of his sword. Straining his hearing to its limit, he sought to distinguish the sounds of the approaching enemy. Sending a silent apology to the sleeping elleth in his lap, he moved his other hand to place his fingers over her lips to muffle any involuntary noise she might make in her sleep.
Over the rushing sound of the waterfall, he could hear the steady beat of many running feet, a solid indication that the patrol was comprised of a large band of the relentless Uruk Hai. The sound grew steadily for several minutes until it could be heard directly overhead, the trump of their heavy boots ringing clearly against the cliff wall.
For agonizing minutes the sounds of the passing band lingered in the air, but eventually began to recede as the band continued along the path. There had been no hesitation in their movements to indicate they had sensed the presence of the hiding elves. There had been no indication that any of the band had lingered. As the sounds of their passage faded, Elrond took a deep breath and sagged back against the cave wall.
Looking down in the near total darkness of the cave, Elrond’s sharp elven eyes studied the outline of Seere’s shape. The fingers that had covered her lips drifted across her cheek in a loving caress. The hand that had gripped the sword finally relaxed and drifted over to pick up his nearby cloak. Leaning forward, he draped the black wool over his shoulders, tucking the ends around Seere.
/Unless there is someone lingering that I do not hear it seems the first band did not sense us. Hopefully, they trampled any tracks I missed into the ground and none will be seen should they return with the morning light… or if other bands follow. This band, however, seemed to be rather large. That is another indication of the importance they have placed in finding us./
/If they are as noisy as that last bunch, I will know they are there, but Easterlings will move with greater stealth. They will also anticipate our seeking shelter more readily than the Uruks or Yrch would./
/If only there was some way to keep better watch and not be seen. I am blind to what happens around us in this cave! What can I do…? Perhaps I should attempt to pile some loose stones near the edge of the ledge above?/
/Brilliant idea at this point! I should have thought of that earlier! Now I cannot risk being seen nor do I have the rope to aid me in climbing back up./
/Think! There must be something that could help alert us of danger…/
A sudden noise near the mouth of the cave startled Elrond and his hand instantly found the hilt of his sword.
*****
Tensed and ready to spring forward to challenge whoever threatened their safety, Elrond waited… and waited. At the end of half an hour, the wary elf gently slipped Seere’s head from his lap and quietly rose to investigate the cause of the noise. Moving noiselessly toward the entrance, he peered out… and up.
A rosemary bush was growing just above his head, thriving in the mist of the waterfall as it clung to a rocky outcropping. The rich fragrance of the herb mixed with the damp air of the falls. Something had disturbed the plant for the scent to be so strong.
Keeping to the shadows, he eased his form out onto the ledge to gain a better perspective. To his great shock, two steady black eyes turned in his direction and a silent form could be seen silhouetted by Ithil’s silvery rays.
/An eagle! / The piercing eyes returned to roaming the mountainside, apparently unconcerned with the elf that had invaded his territory.
A slight movement just above the majestic bird drew Elrond’s gaze. Unseen in his haste to get Seere settled and Kanne moving again, he had failed to notice a second smaller cave just above the falls. In what was little more than an alcove in the rock wall, a second bird of prey could be seen perched on the side of what appeared to be a nest.
/A nesting pair! Wonderful! I could not ask for a better means of being alerted if we are approached. While, by the grace of the Valar, they may tolerate a pair of elves in their vicinity, they would never allow man, Orc, or Uruk within a hundred feet of that nest without a fight! A noisy one, at that!/
Sending a silent word of thanks to their feathered neighbors and a heartfelt pray of thanks to the Valar for leading them to their shelter, Elrond returned to his place at Seere’s side, a much relieved elf.
*****
The pitch black of the cave began to lighten to a brownish grey as the long night slipped away. The eastern horizon was visible through the mouth of the cave angled as it was toward the side of the mountain. Seere slowly became aware of her surroundings as the light in the cave grew.
The steady beat of an elven heart pulsed beside her ear. A loving hand stroked her hair. She was warm and the worst of the pain from the day before had faded. She was thirsty and faintly hungry.
Looking up, her heart gave a lurch as she saw Elrond’s weary face turned toward the rising sun. Anor’s rays shone brightly as the sun crested the distant hills. The crisp sunlight of the new day danced over the rushing water of the nearby falls, refracting and sparkling to produce countless small rainbows of light on the walls and on his beloved face. Without conscious thought, she reached up to caress the sun jeweled cheek, the red-brown highlights blazing in his long black hair.
Sensing the movement before he felt it, Elrond turned to meet her gaze. A smile softened the fatigue-etched lines of his face as he leaned into the gentle caress. A light from within, more radiant than Anor’s own, sprang to life behind the tired grey eyes transforming them to molten silver.
Eyes dulled by pain soaked in their light, their warmth, their fire. Pain receded and an answering light kindled. Gold found its mate in silver. Two hearts, stripped of all defenses, reached out, one to the other and the greatest gift of Eru to his children was offered and accepted --- the bonding of two souls into one.
*****
Overwhelmed by the spiraling emotions flooding his senses, Elrond reached up to grasp the hand that tenderly caressed his cheek. Moving their joined fingers to his lips, he pressed a fevered kiss to its palm. Feeling a raw shudder of passion jangle through both their bodies, he clutched her hand to his breast over his pounding heart.
The song that had whispered to her spirit the day their eyes first met in the courtyard of Imladris flooded her being… the song of her own heart rising to join it. Their eyes remained locked as the power of their bonding lent a searing heat to their gaze. Lips parted as both struggled to catch a deep enough breath to fill their lungs and steady the pounding of their hearts.
The need for greater contact soon became an all-consuming demand. Gently, he shifted her head from his lap to a pillow hastily formed of his discarded cloak. Rolling to his knees, he hovered over her recumbent form for a long minute as he drank in the love, the passion… the recognition shining in her eyes.
Racked by tremors from the loss of physical contact, he quickly stretched out on his side and pulled her into a tight embrace. Breathing hard, he buried his face in the soft curve of her neck, losing himself in the powerful sensations and emotions flooding his fëa.
Seere shifted to her side, blind to the painful pull of the stitches in her shoulder. She moved her right leg to wrap over his and settling her wounded knee on Elrond’s thigh, a move that caused him to instinctively drop his left hand to the small of her back and bring their bodies flush against each other. Her arms wrapped around his waist and her hands splayed out across his back as she molded herself to his body, needing an anchor against the forces rocking her spirit. Crushed close, Seere clinched at his tunic as the music of their hearts… the light of their fëar took control of their senses.
Soft, radiant swirls of light --- one golden and one silver --- rose from the fëar of the entwined lovers. A tinkling hum, like a gentle breeze caressing delicate crystal chimes, filled the cave. The lights began weave and spin in an intricate pattern over the quivering forms, creating a delicate web of silver and gold. The fabric of light shimmered for a moment as the hum became a new song and the beat of their hearts shifted to match its rhythm.
The music slowly faded to a faint hum as the web drifted down to blanket the couple in its gossamer glow. As snow falling on too warm ground cannot last, the web melted, merged with the bodies beneath. Two halves had, at last, become one… and whole.
*****
Anor’s rays slowly shifted to fill the small cave as morning advanced. The beams of sunlight traveled gradually up to the top of the side wall, before sliding back down. Twilight cast deep shadows in the depths of the cave as Ithil began its climb over the distant mountains, replacing the golden light with silver. Night again settled around the hidden cave and the cycle of Arda was repeated.
A pounding rain began just after noon on the second day, accompanied by vivid lightning and booming thunder before easing to a gentle rain near dusk. Night came early that day, as clouds obscured both the setting sun and rising moon. A gusty wind swept the scent of rain drenched, rosemary sweeten air into the silent cave dropping the temperature with a first taste of the approaching fall.
Periodic bands of Yrch passed on the path above. A party of mounted Easterlings paused above the waterfall looking for a way down to refill empty water skins, but was chased away by a large male eagle defending his nest. The pounding rain washed all traces of the elves from the path and cleaned any scents their passing had left from the air. The rutted trail became a muddy quagmire, worsening the mood of the searching bands.
A party of men and elves moved through the valley below, searching for two elves missing from their numbers. A frantic father and worried son pushed them forward in hopes the pair would appear before them, headed in their direction. Briefly, they paused to fill their water skins from a clear flowing stream feed by the fall of water from a fissure high up on the mountain cliff. The afternoon downpour damped their spirits as much as their cloaks.
As the storm wore itself out, a large bay stallion cautiously emerged from the woods near the base of the mountains and bent to drink from the pool at the bottom of the waterfall. Quenched, he stayed to graze along the grassy bank of the pool, patiently waiting for his elf and his elf’s mate to join him. The long shadows cast by the mountains quickly hid him from view. By the time the moon had risen, the bay had disappeared back into the protection of a nearby thicket.
Through it all, the two entwined forms in the hidden cave were oblivious to it all. As their third night in the cave descended around them, they were only aware of each other.
*****
The intense smell of rosemary, the herb of remembrance, stirred her conscious mind, becoming an indelible part of a memory she would treasure for the rest of time. A damp chill to the air drove her deeper into the warmth of Elrond’s embrace. Her right hand, that had been grasping the back of his tunic, slid up his spine and transferred its grip to the cloth covering his left shoulder.
The first movement by either of them in over a day and a half caused stiff, aching muscles to voice a loud complaint to the dazed elf. Shifting to his back to take the pressure off his protesting hip and shoulder, he was startled to awareness by Seere’s moan of pain.
Looking up into the glazed eyes of the elleth he was holding tight to his chest, Elrond struggled to understand what was causing her pain. Her feeble attempts to roll back to her side were accompanied with a hoarse “Knee! My knee!” as a few tears began to trickle down her cheek.
Still dazed, his years as a healer took control and he eased her back to his side. With some effort, he managed to convince his cramped muscles and joints to respond to his command to sit up. The memory of the damage to her knee surfaced in his sluggish mind and he reached for the discarded saddle to again support the injured joint. Finding it pushed down near his feet, he eased it back into place.
Shaking his head vigorously in an attempt to clear the fog muddling his brain, he rolled to his knees so that he could examine the wound for new damage, but was stunned to realize how dark the cave had become. /Anor was just rising a few minutes ago. How can it be dark?/
Lifting his eyes to Seere’s, he found an equally confused expression on her face. Deciding it was best to deal with one issue at a time, he gently placed his hand on her knee to check its temperature. As expected, the bruised flesh covering the injury was hot to the touch, but he was concerned that it was warmer than it should have been.
Relying solely on the skill and habit of many years, he reached for his kit to find a clean cloth, intending to douse it in the cold water of the waterfall and use it as a cold wrap while he mixed a new batch of the cooling salve. Rolling to his feet, he was hit by a sudden sharp pain in his chest. Falling back to the ground, he slowly became alert to the crying elleth next to him.
Reaching over to comfort her, his hand tingled with energy as it touched her shoulder. At the same time, the pain in his chest disappeared. A soft sigh from Seere drew his bewildered gaze. The pain that had marred her features moments ago was gone.
/What is going on here?/ he thought as he again rose to his feet to complete his task.
As the second wave of pain hit him, he dropped hard to his knees gasping for breath. Reacting to her strangled cry, he fell to his side and pulled the gasping elleth into his arms. A pulsing warmth flowed through them and their pain receded.
It was several minutes before he could lift his head to look down into her eyes. Seere lay looking up at him, her upper body illuminated by a shaft of moonlight. In a moment of sudden clarity, they both remembered a similar moment, one that was highlighted by Anor’s rays.
Comprehension dawned for the dazed elf and elleth. Overwhelmed by the intensity of their still deepening bond, Elrond lowered his head to capture Seere’s parted lips in a soft kiss, a kiss that instantly deepened as the energy, the love, the passion coursing through them took charge.
*****
Author: Sorsha
Fandom/Pairing: Elrond/OFC, Glorfindel/Haldir, Elladan/OFC, Elrohir/Legolas, others implied
Rating:.NC-17 for future chapters
Warning: AU (Story set 770 years after ROTK; Slash and het.)
Feedback: This is my first fanfic, so constructive feedback appreciated.
Archive: AAF; FF
Acknowledgements: Many thanks to Alex Cat for her help in betaing this.
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.
A/N – I don’t know who to thank for nominating Music for a Mithril Award, but I want to offer my sincere thanks for that honor. I appreciate all of the support and want to thank those of you that have been reading my stories! Thanks Alex for agreeing to beta Music and for encouraging a newbie!
Chapter 65 --- A Lost Pulse of Feeling
Only--but this is rare--
When a beloved hand is laid in ours,
When, jaded with the rush and glare
Of the interminable hours,
Our eyes can in another's eyes read clear,
When our world-deafened ear
Is by the tones of a loved voice caressed--
A bolt is shot back somewhere in our breast,
And a lost pulse of feeling stirs again.
Matthew Arnold', "The Buried Life,"
*****
As silently as possible, Elrond extended his hand to grip the hilt of his sword. Straining his hearing to its limit, he sought to distinguish the sounds of the approaching enemy. Sending a silent apology to the sleeping elleth in his lap, he moved his other hand to place his fingers over her lips to muffle any involuntary noise she might make in her sleep.
Over the rushing sound of the waterfall, he could hear the steady beat of many running feet, a solid indication that the patrol was comprised of a large band of the relentless Uruk Hai. The sound grew steadily for several minutes until it could be heard directly overhead, the trump of their heavy boots ringing clearly against the cliff wall.
For agonizing minutes the sounds of the passing band lingered in the air, but eventually began to recede as the band continued along the path. There had been no hesitation in their movements to indicate they had sensed the presence of the hiding elves. There had been no indication that any of the band had lingered. As the sounds of their passage faded, Elrond took a deep breath and sagged back against the cave wall.
Looking down in the near total darkness of the cave, Elrond’s sharp elven eyes studied the outline of Seere’s shape. The fingers that had covered her lips drifted across her cheek in a loving caress. The hand that had gripped the sword finally relaxed and drifted over to pick up his nearby cloak. Leaning forward, he draped the black wool over his shoulders, tucking the ends around Seere.
/Unless there is someone lingering that I do not hear it seems the first band did not sense us. Hopefully, they trampled any tracks I missed into the ground and none will be seen should they return with the morning light… or if other bands follow. This band, however, seemed to be rather large. That is another indication of the importance they have placed in finding us./
/If they are as noisy as that last bunch, I will know they are there, but Easterlings will move with greater stealth. They will also anticipate our seeking shelter more readily than the Uruks or Yrch would./
/If only there was some way to keep better watch and not be seen. I am blind to what happens around us in this cave! What can I do…? Perhaps I should attempt to pile some loose stones near the edge of the ledge above?/
/Brilliant idea at this point! I should have thought of that earlier! Now I cannot risk being seen nor do I have the rope to aid me in climbing back up./
/Think! There must be something that could help alert us of danger…/
A sudden noise near the mouth of the cave startled Elrond and his hand instantly found the hilt of his sword.
*****
Tensed and ready to spring forward to challenge whoever threatened their safety, Elrond waited… and waited. At the end of half an hour, the wary elf gently slipped Seere’s head from his lap and quietly rose to investigate the cause of the noise. Moving noiselessly toward the entrance, he peered out… and up.
A rosemary bush was growing just above his head, thriving in the mist of the waterfall as it clung to a rocky outcropping. The rich fragrance of the herb mixed with the damp air of the falls. Something had disturbed the plant for the scent to be so strong.
Keeping to the shadows, he eased his form out onto the ledge to gain a better perspective. To his great shock, two steady black eyes turned in his direction and a silent form could be seen silhouetted by Ithil’s silvery rays.
/An eagle! / The piercing eyes returned to roaming the mountainside, apparently unconcerned with the elf that had invaded his territory.
A slight movement just above the majestic bird drew Elrond’s gaze. Unseen in his haste to get Seere settled and Kanne moving again, he had failed to notice a second smaller cave just above the falls. In what was little more than an alcove in the rock wall, a second bird of prey could be seen perched on the side of what appeared to be a nest.
/A nesting pair! Wonderful! I could not ask for a better means of being alerted if we are approached. While, by the grace of the Valar, they may tolerate a pair of elves in their vicinity, they would never allow man, Orc, or Uruk within a hundred feet of that nest without a fight! A noisy one, at that!/
Sending a silent word of thanks to their feathered neighbors and a heartfelt pray of thanks to the Valar for leading them to their shelter, Elrond returned to his place at Seere’s side, a much relieved elf.
*****
The pitch black of the cave began to lighten to a brownish grey as the long night slipped away. The eastern horizon was visible through the mouth of the cave angled as it was toward the side of the mountain. Seere slowly became aware of her surroundings as the light in the cave grew.
The steady beat of an elven heart pulsed beside her ear. A loving hand stroked her hair. She was warm and the worst of the pain from the day before had faded. She was thirsty and faintly hungry.
Looking up, her heart gave a lurch as she saw Elrond’s weary face turned toward the rising sun. Anor’s rays shone brightly as the sun crested the distant hills. The crisp sunlight of the new day danced over the rushing water of the nearby falls, refracting and sparkling to produce countless small rainbows of light on the walls and on his beloved face. Without conscious thought, she reached up to caress the sun jeweled cheek, the red-brown highlights blazing in his long black hair.
Sensing the movement before he felt it, Elrond turned to meet her gaze. A smile softened the fatigue-etched lines of his face as he leaned into the gentle caress. A light from within, more radiant than Anor’s own, sprang to life behind the tired grey eyes transforming them to molten silver.
Eyes dulled by pain soaked in their light, their warmth, their fire. Pain receded and an answering light kindled. Gold found its mate in silver. Two hearts, stripped of all defenses, reached out, one to the other and the greatest gift of Eru to his children was offered and accepted --- the bonding of two souls into one.
*****
Overwhelmed by the spiraling emotions flooding his senses, Elrond reached up to grasp the hand that tenderly caressed his cheek. Moving their joined fingers to his lips, he pressed a fevered kiss to its palm. Feeling a raw shudder of passion jangle through both their bodies, he clutched her hand to his breast over his pounding heart.
The song that had whispered to her spirit the day their eyes first met in the courtyard of Imladris flooded her being… the song of her own heart rising to join it. Their eyes remained locked as the power of their bonding lent a searing heat to their gaze. Lips parted as both struggled to catch a deep enough breath to fill their lungs and steady the pounding of their hearts.
The need for greater contact soon became an all-consuming demand. Gently, he shifted her head from his lap to a pillow hastily formed of his discarded cloak. Rolling to his knees, he hovered over her recumbent form for a long minute as he drank in the love, the passion… the recognition shining in her eyes.
Racked by tremors from the loss of physical contact, he quickly stretched out on his side and pulled her into a tight embrace. Breathing hard, he buried his face in the soft curve of her neck, losing himself in the powerful sensations and emotions flooding his fëa.
Seere shifted to her side, blind to the painful pull of the stitches in her shoulder. She moved her right leg to wrap over his and settling her wounded knee on Elrond’s thigh, a move that caused him to instinctively drop his left hand to the small of her back and bring their bodies flush against each other. Her arms wrapped around his waist and her hands splayed out across his back as she molded herself to his body, needing an anchor against the forces rocking her spirit. Crushed close, Seere clinched at his tunic as the music of their hearts… the light of their fëar took control of their senses.
Soft, radiant swirls of light --- one golden and one silver --- rose from the fëar of the entwined lovers. A tinkling hum, like a gentle breeze caressing delicate crystal chimes, filled the cave. The lights began weave and spin in an intricate pattern over the quivering forms, creating a delicate web of silver and gold. The fabric of light shimmered for a moment as the hum became a new song and the beat of their hearts shifted to match its rhythm.
The music slowly faded to a faint hum as the web drifted down to blanket the couple in its gossamer glow. As snow falling on too warm ground cannot last, the web melted, merged with the bodies beneath. Two halves had, at last, become one… and whole.
*****
Anor’s rays slowly shifted to fill the small cave as morning advanced. The beams of sunlight traveled gradually up to the top of the side wall, before sliding back down. Twilight cast deep shadows in the depths of the cave as Ithil began its climb over the distant mountains, replacing the golden light with silver. Night again settled around the hidden cave and the cycle of Arda was repeated.
A pounding rain began just after noon on the second day, accompanied by vivid lightning and booming thunder before easing to a gentle rain near dusk. Night came early that day, as clouds obscured both the setting sun and rising moon. A gusty wind swept the scent of rain drenched, rosemary sweeten air into the silent cave dropping the temperature with a first taste of the approaching fall.
Periodic bands of Yrch passed on the path above. A party of mounted Easterlings paused above the waterfall looking for a way down to refill empty water skins, but was chased away by a large male eagle defending his nest. The pounding rain washed all traces of the elves from the path and cleaned any scents their passing had left from the air. The rutted trail became a muddy quagmire, worsening the mood of the searching bands.
A party of men and elves moved through the valley below, searching for two elves missing from their numbers. A frantic father and worried son pushed them forward in hopes the pair would appear before them, headed in their direction. Briefly, they paused to fill their water skins from a clear flowing stream feed by the fall of water from a fissure high up on the mountain cliff. The afternoon downpour damped their spirits as much as their cloaks.
As the storm wore itself out, a large bay stallion cautiously emerged from the woods near the base of the mountains and bent to drink from the pool at the bottom of the waterfall. Quenched, he stayed to graze along the grassy bank of the pool, patiently waiting for his elf and his elf’s mate to join him. The long shadows cast by the mountains quickly hid him from view. By the time the moon had risen, the bay had disappeared back into the protection of a nearby thicket.
Through it all, the two entwined forms in the hidden cave were oblivious to it all. As their third night in the cave descended around them, they were only aware of each other.
*****
The intense smell of rosemary, the herb of remembrance, stirred her conscious mind, becoming an indelible part of a memory she would treasure for the rest of time. A damp chill to the air drove her deeper into the warmth of Elrond’s embrace. Her right hand, that had been grasping the back of his tunic, slid up his spine and transferred its grip to the cloth covering his left shoulder.
The first movement by either of them in over a day and a half caused stiff, aching muscles to voice a loud complaint to the dazed elf. Shifting to his back to take the pressure off his protesting hip and shoulder, he was startled to awareness by Seere’s moan of pain.
Looking up into the glazed eyes of the elleth he was holding tight to his chest, Elrond struggled to understand what was causing her pain. Her feeble attempts to roll back to her side were accompanied with a hoarse “Knee! My knee!” as a few tears began to trickle down her cheek.
Still dazed, his years as a healer took control and he eased her back to his side. With some effort, he managed to convince his cramped muscles and joints to respond to his command to sit up. The memory of the damage to her knee surfaced in his sluggish mind and he reached for the discarded saddle to again support the injured joint. Finding it pushed down near his feet, he eased it back into place.
Shaking his head vigorously in an attempt to clear the fog muddling his brain, he rolled to his knees so that he could examine the wound for new damage, but was stunned to realize how dark the cave had become. /Anor was just rising a few minutes ago. How can it be dark?/
Lifting his eyes to Seere’s, he found an equally confused expression on her face. Deciding it was best to deal with one issue at a time, he gently placed his hand on her knee to check its temperature. As expected, the bruised flesh covering the injury was hot to the touch, but he was concerned that it was warmer than it should have been.
Relying solely on the skill and habit of many years, he reached for his kit to find a clean cloth, intending to douse it in the cold water of the waterfall and use it as a cold wrap while he mixed a new batch of the cooling salve. Rolling to his feet, he was hit by a sudden sharp pain in his chest. Falling back to the ground, he slowly became alert to the crying elleth next to him.
Reaching over to comfort her, his hand tingled with energy as it touched her shoulder. At the same time, the pain in his chest disappeared. A soft sigh from Seere drew his bewildered gaze. The pain that had marred her features moments ago was gone.
/What is going on here?/ he thought as he again rose to his feet to complete his task.
As the second wave of pain hit him, he dropped hard to his knees gasping for breath. Reacting to her strangled cry, he fell to his side and pulled the gasping elleth into his arms. A pulsing warmth flowed through them and their pain receded.
It was several minutes before he could lift his head to look down into her eyes. Seere lay looking up at him, her upper body illuminated by a shaft of moonlight. In a moment of sudden clarity, they both remembered a similar moment, one that was highlighted by Anor’s rays.
Comprehension dawned for the dazed elf and elleth. Overwhelmed by the intensity of their still deepening bond, Elrond lowered his head to capture Seere’s parted lips in a soft kiss, a kiss that instantly deepened as the energy, the love, the passion coursing through them took charge.
*****