The Music in My Heart
folder
Lord of the Rings Movies › Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
75
Views:
3,820
Reviews:
11
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Lord of the Rings Movies › Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
75
Views:
3,820
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 68 Small Opportunities
Title: The Music in My Heart, Chapter 68
Author: Sorsha
Fandom/Pairing: Elrond/OFC, Glorfindel/Haldir, Elladan/OFC, Elrohir/Legolas, others implied
Rating: R
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 fic.
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.
Chapter 68 --- Small Opportunities
“Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.”
Demosthenes
*****
Elrond sat staring out of the cave opening, watching Ithil rise, Seere tucked close to his side. Their fourth day in the cave had become a test of their self-control, as the need to consummate their bond had become an all-consuming demand. A long, and often times, embarrassing conversation with Galadriel had done little to ease the tension growing between them.
“What are we to do, beloved?”
Forcing a smile to his lips, he looked down into the worried eyes of his mate. “I love you, my Seere. I would never hurt you.”
To his amazement, she laughed softly. “I have no fears that you will, beloved, but I am concerned we will soon be unable to focus on what is around us enough to aid in our own defense. Is it not best we wait for the patrol to arrive below before we attempt to leave?”
Sighing, he bent to kiss the top of her head, a jolt of raw desire racing through his senses in response to the simple caress. Shuddering with longing, he involuntarily pulled her closer. “I wish I had your confidence in my self-control, pen vuil.” (dear one)
Taking a deep breath, he considered her question. “As for waiting, I think we need to leave well before first light. I would like to have the aid of the darkness to cover our descent into the valley and I can already feel my focus beginning to erode. We have seen Kaane waiting below and the longer we wait to leave, we run the risk of the enemy seeing him, as well. With our control slipping, I also fear waiting longer may make it impossible for us to manage the delicate business of climbing down the cliff.”
“Humm… my injured knee will not help matters in that regard, though my shoulder should not hinder me. I agree. We leave in the early morn,” she responded. “How do you propose that we make the climb, given we must stay in physical contact?”
“We have but one rope, so that should not be an issue. We would have to descend together in any case,” he replied.
Snuggling closer, she whispered, “Beloved, do we not tempt fate and endanger our kin by waiting to make love? I know you would never hurt me, so I am not worried on that account, but I already cannot bear to be without your touch. I am beginning to ache with the need for more. I know it is no different… perhaps, worse for you. Let us…”
“The risk is too great, Seere nin. While my attention is not as focused as it needs to be, I can still hear the periodic passing of those that search for us on the path above. We cannot risk being heard or of missing their presence in the area.” Lifting her into his lap, he nuzzled her neck and sighed. “I ache for you as well, Lirmaer, but your knee needs more time to heal and we need to be in a safe place. We must trust in the Valar to see us through in this. Surely, they knew we would be in this condition, so we must have faith they will guide us.” (lovely one)
Shivering with barely contained passion, Seere let her hands tangle in his hair, pulling him closer. The hot caress of his lips, his tongue across the throbbing jugular vein in her throat, elicited a moan of pure need from the elleth. “Ai! Elrond!”
The sound of her passionate response threatened to shred his tenuous control. With a groan, he gently shifted her back to his side. Leaning his head back against the cave wall, his breaths came in labored gusts, as he fought the need to roll her beneath him and claim her as his… forever. “We cannot continue to do this, beloved. Every time we start to make love, then stop, our ability to control our desires grows less certain. I am in pain, Seere. Please understand… the more we touch and stir our senses, the more painful it will become when our needs are denied.”
Burying her face in her hands, Seere struggled to gain control of her senses, “I do understand, Elrond. I am in pain too.”
Sighing, he turned his head to study the hunched and trembling form of his love. “I know, Seere. Perhaps it might help clear our senses if we got up and moved about the cave. We need to exercise your knee so that the joint does not stiffen… is not too tight… so that you can manage the climb in the morning.”
Grinning at his discomfort with using any phrase that sounded vaguely suggestive, she let him pull her to her feet, her mirth increasing with the dark look he sent her way. Slipping a steadying arm around her waist, he urged her forward. “It is not funny, Lirimaer.” (lovely one)
Starting to giggle, she agreed. “Well, I know this, my love.”
“Then, please stop laughing,” he implored.
“I can laugh, cry… or trip you onto your back so that I can have my way with you. Take your pick!” she offered, a mischievous smile attempting to mask the pain she was feeling from the injury in her knee and their unfulfilled bond.
Holding her gaze for a moment, he forced a grin to his face. “If you insist on making this hard on me, I will take the laughter. Shall we move toward the falls so I can stick my head in the cold water?”
Seeing her open her mouth to offer a quip, he quickly inserted, “Do not start!”
*****
It was still several hours before dawn when Elrond slowly lowered their supplies and Kaane’s tack, all bundled in the blanket from their bedroll, down to a ledge some twenty feet below the entrance to their cave. Satisfied he had managed to position the bundle well away from the edge, he asked the rope to release and pulled it back up.
Checking that his sword and the water skin were securely strapped to his back, he turned to look at elleth behind him, her hand clinching the fabric of his tunic to maintain the physical connection they both needed. Smiling encouragingly, he made final adjustments to the straps that held her sword to her waist, a sword she had taken from the hand of the dead Easterling.
Satisfied they were both properly equipped, he asked, “Are you ready, meleth nin? It will take us some time to reach the valley floor and we must do this well before dawn so that we can be as far from here when the sun rises as possible.” (my love)
Reaching up to press a quick kiss to his lips, she nodded. “Aye. Let us get started. As you say, we need to be away from here as soon as possible.”
After double-checking the knot holding the rope to an outcropping at the edge of the ledge, he moved to sit on the edge, just beyond the flow of the falls. Taking a deep breath, Elrond motioned for Seere to sit in front of him. After tying the end of the rope around their waists, he reminded her, “Let me do most of the work, melme. Your knee is not yet strong enough to bear much weight, so use your left one to guide and steady us, but keep your right one free of strain.” (love)
Restraining her desire to snap at him for yet again repeating his instructions, she reminded herself they were both under a great deal of strain. Both had noticed the erosion in their concentration as the demands of their bonding had continued to grow more insistent during the night. /Repeating his instructions is probably a good idea. I am not myself any more than he is./ Sighing, she wrapped her hands around the rope as he eased them over the edge.
*****
It took over an hour of hard climbing for them to reach the valley floor, their supplies intact. They had been forced to make the descent in five stages given their rope was only thirty feet in length. A soft whistle drew Kaane from the shelter of the thicket. Years of experience allowed the peredhil to saddle the horse and stow their supplies in short order.
The sun was still over an hour from rising as they mounted the stallion and began to make their way south, staying hidden in the shadows of the mountain for a long as they could. Seere had demanded she ride behind Elrond, noting the enemy was less likely to use arrows against them if they truly sought to take her alive. Refusing his arguments, she calmly demanded her right to protect his back.
Wishing to draw a little attention to themselves as possible, they refrained from talking. Seere found herself cuddling close, as the need to wrap herself around her elf began to again burn in her blood. All too soon, their course demanded they turn and follow a narrow strip of land between the Nindalf and the Dead Marshes. Exchanging a look for mutual reassurance, they left the safety of the shadows in hopes of making their way through the exposed landscape before the sun was high in the sky.
“I hope our kin make good time in coming to meet us. I can feel my attention waning, so we must be vigilant, beloved. Talk softly to me and tell me what you see. Focus on the landscape and look for anything that seems out of place… movements that draw your attention. We must channel our desire to watching for the enemy,” he urged. “We are in grave danger if we fail in this, but we must take this opportunity if we are to reach safety.”
*****
The morning had slowly advanced, revealing the lone horse with his two riders cantering across the open expanse of the ridgeline. Seere kept up a running commentary of their surroundings. “The one advantage to our position, melme, is we have an unfettered view in all directions. No one yet follows us… or they are at least a mile back. The topography there drops off steeply toward the river limiting the distance I can see. The plain before us is flat and open. I see nothing moving for perhaps twenty miles. We are on much higher ground that the Noman-Lands. The Dead Marshes are treacherous even now, so they aid us, as do the marshes of the Nindalf.” (love)
“I agree, beloved, but our enemy may yet be laying in wait ahead of us. I…”
“Elrond, I see movement from behind us to the west, northwest,” she cried, breaking into his comment. “It looks to be a band of Easterlings on horseback! They are coming from the area below the Falls of Rauros. They were not there when I checked a moment ago, so they are either moving fast or my attention is failing badly!”
“Hold tight, melme. Kaane, we need greater speed, my friend. I hope we will find aid in the company of our family by mid-day, but for now, we must ride hard.” Having said this, he nudged the stallion to a full gallop. (love)
*****
Their initial burst of speed had widened the gap between them and their pursers, as Kaane took advantage of the level, flat terrain over which he carried his riders. The Easterlings had the disadvantage of needing to climb up the long slope that ran below the plateau where the expeditionary force had camped the night before they had become separated from the rest.
The peredhil struggled to remained focus on the path ahead, casting periodic glances over their shoulders to assure themselves the enemy was still some distance back. “I estimate we are still over a mile ahead of them. Hopefully, the need to climb the steep rise will balance out with the fact Kanne must carry two of us.”
Nodding against his shoulder, Seere asked, “How long before we meet our party?”
“I an only estimate, but I hope within the hour,” he called over his shoulder. “Kanne will not be able to keep this pace much longer and I want as much distance between us as possible before we slow. The path begins to move downhill ahead of us, so I plan to let him drop to a canter to catch his breath.”
“Elrond, I have been thinking. Is it not odd that the Hordes have appeared three times now from the direction of the area around the Falls? From the tracks we found on the day we were separated from the others, it appeared the second path we found that headed north had been used and likely led toward the western side of the falls… perhaps their base camp. Is it possible the is another entrance to the caves under Rauros other than the one Grór found and it is being used as their base?” she mused, trying to keep her thoughts on anything other than her burning need for Elrond’s touch… a need that threatened to swamp all else.
“Very good, pen vuil! We could have used you when we mapped this area for Ereinion,” he praised. “I was thinking the very thing. We always suspected Sauron had other secure fortifications scattered over Middle-earth, but only found a few, Mordor and Dol Guldur being the largest. We may have found a new one to watch. We can discuss this with Aranuir.” (dear one)
“I hope you realize having discussions of strategy with ‘the committee’ is not my first priority for when we get to safety, my love?” she whispered in his ear.
“Behave! I am having enough trouble focusing on the path and those that follow us without you adding yet more mental images to torture me!” Reaching down to where her hands were locked around his waist, he gave them a squeeze. “Rest assured, it will not be! Explaining this to your father and my son should be challenge enough. Now, back to your theory. You must help keep me focused, love, and this line of thought helps.”
Sighing, she tightened her hold on his waist for a few seconds before she began again. “You said ‘we suspected’. Do you mean the elves or do you mean the White Council?”
“The White Council. We hoped to locate others so that we could try and deal with them as we did the one at Dol Guldur, though that first effort was hampered by Saruman’s… Ai! I see why you ask. You are suggesting Saruman had this information and it is part of what he kept from us. This is an interesting possibility for it would also suggest this information is now in the hands of Lhach.” Shifting, so that they could rebalance their weight in the saddle and take as much stress of Kaane, Elrond slowed the stallion to a canter as they began to descend into the Noman-Lands. “Tis another thing we will eventually need to discuss with ‘the committee’. How far back are they?”
Glancing over her shoulder, she watched their pursuers for a minute before replying. “I cannot be sure. My focus is waning badly, but it looks like they have closed the gap between us since they reached the flat ground.”
Cursing, Elrond forced himself to let Kaane have a little more time to recover before pushing him to a gallop again. /I need to wait until we get back on level ground. He is winded and will falter if I do not let him have a break./
“Melme… I see something on the horizon. Is it our family or more of the enemy?” Seere asked, her hand pointing in the direction of her sighting. (love)
“They are coming from too far east to be our family. They are coming from Mordor. It also appears they are on foot… Uruk Hai I believe. We must take a sharper angle, cutting closer to the Nindalf than I would like. We should be able to slide between them before they can cut us off from reaching our kin.” Reaching the flat lower ground of the Noman-Lands, he pushed Kaane back to a gallop. “I think we can still stay clear of the bogs, yet avoid being caught. Hold tight, beloved. We have but a small window of opportunity, but we must take it.”
*****
A/N - Thanks EC! I’m glad you enjoyed it. The next chapter soon!
A/N - Hi MK! Yes, this is my first story. I’m having a blast writing it! Thanks for reading and reviewing. All support appreciated.
Author: Sorsha
Fandom/Pairing: Elrond/OFC, Glorfindel/Haldir, Elladan/OFC, Elrohir/Legolas, others implied
Rating: R
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 fic.
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.
Chapter 68 --- Small Opportunities
“Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.”
Demosthenes
*****
Elrond sat staring out of the cave opening, watching Ithil rise, Seere tucked close to his side. Their fourth day in the cave had become a test of their self-control, as the need to consummate their bond had become an all-consuming demand. A long, and often times, embarrassing conversation with Galadriel had done little to ease the tension growing between them.
“What are we to do, beloved?”
Forcing a smile to his lips, he looked down into the worried eyes of his mate. “I love you, my Seere. I would never hurt you.”
To his amazement, she laughed softly. “I have no fears that you will, beloved, but I am concerned we will soon be unable to focus on what is around us enough to aid in our own defense. Is it not best we wait for the patrol to arrive below before we attempt to leave?”
Sighing, he bent to kiss the top of her head, a jolt of raw desire racing through his senses in response to the simple caress. Shuddering with longing, he involuntarily pulled her closer. “I wish I had your confidence in my self-control, pen vuil.” (dear one)
Taking a deep breath, he considered her question. “As for waiting, I think we need to leave well before first light. I would like to have the aid of the darkness to cover our descent into the valley and I can already feel my focus beginning to erode. We have seen Kaane waiting below and the longer we wait to leave, we run the risk of the enemy seeing him, as well. With our control slipping, I also fear waiting longer may make it impossible for us to manage the delicate business of climbing down the cliff.”
“Humm… my injured knee will not help matters in that regard, though my shoulder should not hinder me. I agree. We leave in the early morn,” she responded. “How do you propose that we make the climb, given we must stay in physical contact?”
“We have but one rope, so that should not be an issue. We would have to descend together in any case,” he replied.
Snuggling closer, she whispered, “Beloved, do we not tempt fate and endanger our kin by waiting to make love? I know you would never hurt me, so I am not worried on that account, but I already cannot bear to be without your touch. I am beginning to ache with the need for more. I know it is no different… perhaps, worse for you. Let us…”
“The risk is too great, Seere nin. While my attention is not as focused as it needs to be, I can still hear the periodic passing of those that search for us on the path above. We cannot risk being heard or of missing their presence in the area.” Lifting her into his lap, he nuzzled her neck and sighed. “I ache for you as well, Lirmaer, but your knee needs more time to heal and we need to be in a safe place. We must trust in the Valar to see us through in this. Surely, they knew we would be in this condition, so we must have faith they will guide us.” (lovely one)
Shivering with barely contained passion, Seere let her hands tangle in his hair, pulling him closer. The hot caress of his lips, his tongue across the throbbing jugular vein in her throat, elicited a moan of pure need from the elleth. “Ai! Elrond!”
The sound of her passionate response threatened to shred his tenuous control. With a groan, he gently shifted her back to his side. Leaning his head back against the cave wall, his breaths came in labored gusts, as he fought the need to roll her beneath him and claim her as his… forever. “We cannot continue to do this, beloved. Every time we start to make love, then stop, our ability to control our desires grows less certain. I am in pain, Seere. Please understand… the more we touch and stir our senses, the more painful it will become when our needs are denied.”
Burying her face in her hands, Seere struggled to gain control of her senses, “I do understand, Elrond. I am in pain too.”
Sighing, he turned his head to study the hunched and trembling form of his love. “I know, Seere. Perhaps it might help clear our senses if we got up and moved about the cave. We need to exercise your knee so that the joint does not stiffen… is not too tight… so that you can manage the climb in the morning.”
Grinning at his discomfort with using any phrase that sounded vaguely suggestive, she let him pull her to her feet, her mirth increasing with the dark look he sent her way. Slipping a steadying arm around her waist, he urged her forward. “It is not funny, Lirimaer.” (lovely one)
Starting to giggle, she agreed. “Well, I know this, my love.”
“Then, please stop laughing,” he implored.
“I can laugh, cry… or trip you onto your back so that I can have my way with you. Take your pick!” she offered, a mischievous smile attempting to mask the pain she was feeling from the injury in her knee and their unfulfilled bond.
Holding her gaze for a moment, he forced a grin to his face. “If you insist on making this hard on me, I will take the laughter. Shall we move toward the falls so I can stick my head in the cold water?”
Seeing her open her mouth to offer a quip, he quickly inserted, “Do not start!”
*****
It was still several hours before dawn when Elrond slowly lowered their supplies and Kaane’s tack, all bundled in the blanket from their bedroll, down to a ledge some twenty feet below the entrance to their cave. Satisfied he had managed to position the bundle well away from the edge, he asked the rope to release and pulled it back up.
Checking that his sword and the water skin were securely strapped to his back, he turned to look at elleth behind him, her hand clinching the fabric of his tunic to maintain the physical connection they both needed. Smiling encouragingly, he made final adjustments to the straps that held her sword to her waist, a sword she had taken from the hand of the dead Easterling.
Satisfied they were both properly equipped, he asked, “Are you ready, meleth nin? It will take us some time to reach the valley floor and we must do this well before dawn so that we can be as far from here when the sun rises as possible.” (my love)
Reaching up to press a quick kiss to his lips, she nodded. “Aye. Let us get started. As you say, we need to be away from here as soon as possible.”
After double-checking the knot holding the rope to an outcropping at the edge of the ledge, he moved to sit on the edge, just beyond the flow of the falls. Taking a deep breath, Elrond motioned for Seere to sit in front of him. After tying the end of the rope around their waists, he reminded her, “Let me do most of the work, melme. Your knee is not yet strong enough to bear much weight, so use your left one to guide and steady us, but keep your right one free of strain.” (love)
Restraining her desire to snap at him for yet again repeating his instructions, she reminded herself they were both under a great deal of strain. Both had noticed the erosion in their concentration as the demands of their bonding had continued to grow more insistent during the night. /Repeating his instructions is probably a good idea. I am not myself any more than he is./ Sighing, she wrapped her hands around the rope as he eased them over the edge.
*****
It took over an hour of hard climbing for them to reach the valley floor, their supplies intact. They had been forced to make the descent in five stages given their rope was only thirty feet in length. A soft whistle drew Kaane from the shelter of the thicket. Years of experience allowed the peredhil to saddle the horse and stow their supplies in short order.
The sun was still over an hour from rising as they mounted the stallion and began to make their way south, staying hidden in the shadows of the mountain for a long as they could. Seere had demanded she ride behind Elrond, noting the enemy was less likely to use arrows against them if they truly sought to take her alive. Refusing his arguments, she calmly demanded her right to protect his back.
Wishing to draw a little attention to themselves as possible, they refrained from talking. Seere found herself cuddling close, as the need to wrap herself around her elf began to again burn in her blood. All too soon, their course demanded they turn and follow a narrow strip of land between the Nindalf and the Dead Marshes. Exchanging a look for mutual reassurance, they left the safety of the shadows in hopes of making their way through the exposed landscape before the sun was high in the sky.
“I hope our kin make good time in coming to meet us. I can feel my attention waning, so we must be vigilant, beloved. Talk softly to me and tell me what you see. Focus on the landscape and look for anything that seems out of place… movements that draw your attention. We must channel our desire to watching for the enemy,” he urged. “We are in grave danger if we fail in this, but we must take this opportunity if we are to reach safety.”
*****
The morning had slowly advanced, revealing the lone horse with his two riders cantering across the open expanse of the ridgeline. Seere kept up a running commentary of their surroundings. “The one advantage to our position, melme, is we have an unfettered view in all directions. No one yet follows us… or they are at least a mile back. The topography there drops off steeply toward the river limiting the distance I can see. The plain before us is flat and open. I see nothing moving for perhaps twenty miles. We are on much higher ground that the Noman-Lands. The Dead Marshes are treacherous even now, so they aid us, as do the marshes of the Nindalf.” (love)
“I agree, beloved, but our enemy may yet be laying in wait ahead of us. I…”
“Elrond, I see movement from behind us to the west, northwest,” she cried, breaking into his comment. “It looks to be a band of Easterlings on horseback! They are coming from the area below the Falls of Rauros. They were not there when I checked a moment ago, so they are either moving fast or my attention is failing badly!”
“Hold tight, melme. Kaane, we need greater speed, my friend. I hope we will find aid in the company of our family by mid-day, but for now, we must ride hard.” Having said this, he nudged the stallion to a full gallop. (love)
*****
Their initial burst of speed had widened the gap between them and their pursers, as Kaane took advantage of the level, flat terrain over which he carried his riders. The Easterlings had the disadvantage of needing to climb up the long slope that ran below the plateau where the expeditionary force had camped the night before they had become separated from the rest.
The peredhil struggled to remained focus on the path ahead, casting periodic glances over their shoulders to assure themselves the enemy was still some distance back. “I estimate we are still over a mile ahead of them. Hopefully, the need to climb the steep rise will balance out with the fact Kanne must carry two of us.”
Nodding against his shoulder, Seere asked, “How long before we meet our party?”
“I an only estimate, but I hope within the hour,” he called over his shoulder. “Kanne will not be able to keep this pace much longer and I want as much distance between us as possible before we slow. The path begins to move downhill ahead of us, so I plan to let him drop to a canter to catch his breath.”
“Elrond, I have been thinking. Is it not odd that the Hordes have appeared three times now from the direction of the area around the Falls? From the tracks we found on the day we were separated from the others, it appeared the second path we found that headed north had been used and likely led toward the western side of the falls… perhaps their base camp. Is it possible the is another entrance to the caves under Rauros other than the one Grór found and it is being used as their base?” she mused, trying to keep her thoughts on anything other than her burning need for Elrond’s touch… a need that threatened to swamp all else.
“Very good, pen vuil! We could have used you when we mapped this area for Ereinion,” he praised. “I was thinking the very thing. We always suspected Sauron had other secure fortifications scattered over Middle-earth, but only found a few, Mordor and Dol Guldur being the largest. We may have found a new one to watch. We can discuss this with Aranuir.” (dear one)
“I hope you realize having discussions of strategy with ‘the committee’ is not my first priority for when we get to safety, my love?” she whispered in his ear.
“Behave! I am having enough trouble focusing on the path and those that follow us without you adding yet more mental images to torture me!” Reaching down to where her hands were locked around his waist, he gave them a squeeze. “Rest assured, it will not be! Explaining this to your father and my son should be challenge enough. Now, back to your theory. You must help keep me focused, love, and this line of thought helps.”
Sighing, she tightened her hold on his waist for a few seconds before she began again. “You said ‘we suspected’. Do you mean the elves or do you mean the White Council?”
“The White Council. We hoped to locate others so that we could try and deal with them as we did the one at Dol Guldur, though that first effort was hampered by Saruman’s… Ai! I see why you ask. You are suggesting Saruman had this information and it is part of what he kept from us. This is an interesting possibility for it would also suggest this information is now in the hands of Lhach.” Shifting, so that they could rebalance their weight in the saddle and take as much stress of Kaane, Elrond slowed the stallion to a canter as they began to descend into the Noman-Lands. “Tis another thing we will eventually need to discuss with ‘the committee’. How far back are they?”
Glancing over her shoulder, she watched their pursuers for a minute before replying. “I cannot be sure. My focus is waning badly, but it looks like they have closed the gap between us since they reached the flat ground.”
Cursing, Elrond forced himself to let Kaane have a little more time to recover before pushing him to a gallop again. /I need to wait until we get back on level ground. He is winded and will falter if I do not let him have a break./
“Melme… I see something on the horizon. Is it our family or more of the enemy?” Seere asked, her hand pointing in the direction of her sighting. (love)
“They are coming from too far east to be our family. They are coming from Mordor. It also appears they are on foot… Uruk Hai I believe. We must take a sharper angle, cutting closer to the Nindalf than I would like. We should be able to slide between them before they can cut us off from reaching our kin.” Reaching the flat lower ground of the Noman-Lands, he pushed Kaane back to a gallop. “I think we can still stay clear of the bogs, yet avoid being caught. Hold tight, beloved. We have but a small window of opportunity, but we must take it.”
*****
A/N - Thanks EC! I’m glad you enjoyed it. The next chapter soon!
A/N - Hi MK! Yes, this is my first story. I’m having a blast writing it! Thanks for reading and reviewing. All support appreciated.