Down by the water
folder
-Multi-Age › Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
7
Views:
3,851
Reviews:
13
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
-Multi-Age › Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
7
Views:
3,851
Reviews:
13
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own the Lord of the Rings (and associated) book series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
no return, the time has come
Author; Az
Email; az.ombie[at]gmail.com
Homepage; http://www.forgottenjuliet.net
Pairing; erestor/Arato Erestor/Glorfindel (overall)
Warnings; character death, mild angst (for this chapter)
Rating; R (for death)
Archives; sure, but ask me first
Summary; Time’s up for Arato.
Beta; Lisbet the magnificent!
AN; I do not try and sideline Arato with any “famous” philosophers, and I do realize that nothing this ordinary should kill an elf. But tuff, in my story it can..
________________________
Undefined, no signs of regret,
Your swollen pride assumes respect,
Talons fly as a last disguise,
But no return, the time has come.
So don't despair,
And this day will be their damnedest day,
Oh, if you take these things from me.
Portishead – Cowboys
______________________
Chapter 7 – No return, the time has come.
Erestor was not there to see the twins and Arato take off from the courtyard. He was in bed claiming to be ill. Glorfindel, on the other hand, was there to play his part. He hugged Arato and buried his face in his brother’s hair, wishing he could tell his elder brother what he was thinking, but knowing that he and the twins had made a deadly pact, which they would all be judged for once facing the Valar. A tear flowed from Glorfindel’s eye. Arato patted him on the head, thinking that it was for him, but Glorfindel wept for the un-deed he had gotten the twins to agree on. He knew what sacrifice they offered for Erestor, and only hoped that the Valar would be merciful. He had lain awake many a night wondering if he should just call off this ludicrous plan of Elrohir’s, but he hadn’t, and the twins probably wouldn’t have allowed it anyway.
Arato let go of his little brother and smiled. “Why are you so sad? I am only going to the Golden Woods. I shall be back before the leaves fall.”
Glorfindel nodded and smiled back. “I know.”
Arato took hold of the horse’s reins and laid a comforting hand on Glorfindel’s shoulder. “I made you a promise, brother. I won’t disappear again.”
“I know,” Glorfindel whispered and stepped back, away from Arato’s touch, and turned to look at Elrond who joined them. Together they watched the three elves set out from Rivendell.
____________________
The twins rode next to each other, and as the hours went by, Elladan broke the silence. “Master Arato, should we camp soon?”
Arato turned in the saddle and nodded. “Sure, little ones, if you are tired of travelling.”
Elladan looked offended, but Elrohir hurriedly said, “Yes, I must admit I did not get a full night’s sleep, and I could do with rest.”
Arato snickered and nodded. “Don’t we all know that feeling, young one.”
Elladan looked at his brother and raised a brow; Elrohir just smiled and shook his head silently telling his twin not to comment.
___________________
They set up camp as the sun slowly descended in the horizon. Elladan was in the woods gathering firewood, when Elrohir walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder, even though he knew his brother already knew it was him. “Elladan?” he said softly.
Elladan turned. “Yes?”
“I will venture further into the woods. Will you make excuses to Arato?” Elrohir looked a little nervous as he bit his lip, but when his twin nodded grimly, he too lit up in a little determined smile.
“May the Valar be with you,” Elladan whispered as he hugged his twin. “I am sure they are,” Elrohir whispered back before he kissed his brother on the cheek and slipped off into the already dark forest.
Coming back to the camp, Elladan dumped the firewood and kneeled to start laying the kindling for the fire. Arato came back from his horse with two large saddlebags. “Would you fancy a drink, young one?”
Elladan looked up and smiled. “I am Elladan,” he chuckled softly, ever so used to people not being able to tell him and his twin apart. “A drink? Yes please. What do you carry, Master Arato?”
“Elladan,” Arato said as he sat down cross-legged next to the heir of Rivendell, “this is dwarven mead.” He pulled the cork out of a wineskin. “Have you ever tasted that?”
“No, I can’t say I have,” Elladan said as he returned to building the fire.
“This is a drink for the gods, young Elladan… but be careful. It is very potent!” Arato laughed crudely and took a swig before he handed the skin to Elladan.
The young elf took it and sniffed the liquid. “Phew!” he exclaimed but Arato gestured for him to taste and he did. Gasping, as it felt like his mouth and throat were on fire, “Ai Elbereth!” he coughed. “This is strong, indeed!”
“Yes,” Arato laughed and thunked Elladan on his back to ease his coughing fit. “ It tastes like troll piss, but it does the job. It will make a grown elf sleep like a baby, and a young man venture lone into war.”
“I’m sure it does,” Elladan croaked.
_____________
Elladan prepared the fire as Arato was drinking from his dwarven mead, forgetting to offer Elladan any, which the younger elf was eternally grateful. But the more mead that passed Arato’s throat, the more drunk he became. And when Elrohir returned from the woods, he barely noticed, but Elladan lit up in a smile. “There you are, did you get any game?”
Elrohir held out two rabbits. “Yes brother, but now I want a nice cup of tea, while I skin these rabbits.”
“And tea you shall have,” Elladan said and now it was his turn to bite his lip.
“I found these herbs in the woods,” Elrohir said casually and laid a bunch on the ground next to Elladan.
“Great,” Elladan murmured and took the boiling water off the fire and poured it into three mugs they had brought from home. Without even looking at his brother, Elrohir took out yet another bunch from his belt and pushed it toward Elladan. As Elladan reached out for it, Elrohir grabbed his brother’s hand and held it tightly until Elladan looked up at him. Elrohir sent him a serious look, and Elladan blinked and smiled nervously, understanding what his brother said without words. /don’t touch it/ Elrohir mouthed.
With slightly shaking hands, Elladan poured out the chunks of a stem into the boiling water. He looked at it. Most of all it looked like a mutated rhubarb, but he would not ask his brother what it was for now. The only thing he did was watch the pieces of stem as if he were hypnotized, cursing that he had slept through his plant lore classes with Erestor.
Elrohir took his own cup, and Arato’s cup and went over to the blond elf. “Master Arato?” he said softly with a sweet smile. “I have tea for you.”
“Tea?” Arato mumbled. “Why would I want tea when I have mead... tea is for women.”
“Then pour your mead in the water, Master Arato. The herbs and warmth will do you good, I assure you. I learned my plant knowledge from Master Erestor himself, and I know this will do you good... sir.”
“If Erestor said so,” Arato slurred and smiled as he looked up at Elrohir.
“Excellent,” Elrohir said and took the wineskin from Arato and poured a good part into the tea, before handing both back to the blond. “Here you are, sir.”
Arato took both and sipped the tea. “You are right, this is good,” he smiled thankfully up at Elrohir.
“Then I shall return to skinning the rabbits,” Elrohir said with a nod and walked away from Arato.
_____________
A little later, when they were eating the rabbit, Arato was sleeping soundly and snoring softly. Elladan turned to Elrohir. “What was it?” he whispered.
“What?”
“The plant, the tea you gave him?” His voice dropped below a whisper. “Is it lethal?”
“Water hemlock,” Elrohir whispered with a grave expression.
Elladan paled. He remembered what Erestor had said about that plant. This was lethal to men and elves alike, and there was no cure for the hemlock’s poison. Even the most gifted healers amongst the elves could only treat the symptoms and hope it would not cause eternal damage on the one inflicted. “Oh.”
“It is good he is drunk,” Elrohir whispered. “He will sleep through to the end, if we are lucky.” He turned and looked directly at Elladan. “Or he will wake up when it is already too late.”
“What will happen now?” Elladan murmured, almost afraid to ask.
“Now… now he will start to breathe shallowly, then he will get dilated pupils, perhaps even hallucinations, and then loss of the bladder and spasms.” Elrohir searched his brother’s eyes. Elladan was avoiding his gaze. “And then, then he will start to slowly breathe sporadically, and then the breathing will simply end as he is paralysed.”
“Wouldn’t it have been better with a hunting accident?” Elladan whined softly.
“Maybe,” Elrohir said and pushed the remains of his rabbit away from him. He grabbed Elladan’s head between his hands. “I love you,” he said softly. “ Please do not be frightened, you are not alone.”
“Father will hate us,” Elladan whispered, feeling tears start to fall silently.
“Perhaps, but you will always have me. I will stay by your side to whatever end.”
“To whatever end,” Elladan repeated softly.
-TBC-
Email; az.ombie[at]gmail.com
Homepage; http://www.forgottenjuliet.net
Pairing; erestor/Arato Erestor/Glorfindel (overall)
Warnings; character death, mild angst (for this chapter)
Rating; R (for death)
Archives; sure, but ask me first
Summary; Time’s up for Arato.
Beta; Lisbet the magnificent!
AN; I do not try and sideline Arato with any “famous” philosophers, and I do realize that nothing this ordinary should kill an elf. But tuff, in my story it can..
________________________
Undefined, no signs of regret,
Your swollen pride assumes respect,
Talons fly as a last disguise,
But no return, the time has come.
So don't despair,
And this day will be their damnedest day,
Oh, if you take these things from me.
Portishead – Cowboys
______________________
Chapter 7 – No return, the time has come.
Erestor was not there to see the twins and Arato take off from the courtyard. He was in bed claiming to be ill. Glorfindel, on the other hand, was there to play his part. He hugged Arato and buried his face in his brother’s hair, wishing he could tell his elder brother what he was thinking, but knowing that he and the twins had made a deadly pact, which they would all be judged for once facing the Valar. A tear flowed from Glorfindel’s eye. Arato patted him on the head, thinking that it was for him, but Glorfindel wept for the un-deed he had gotten the twins to agree on. He knew what sacrifice they offered for Erestor, and only hoped that the Valar would be merciful. He had lain awake many a night wondering if he should just call off this ludicrous plan of Elrohir’s, but he hadn’t, and the twins probably wouldn’t have allowed it anyway.
Arato let go of his little brother and smiled. “Why are you so sad? I am only going to the Golden Woods. I shall be back before the leaves fall.”
Glorfindel nodded and smiled back. “I know.”
Arato took hold of the horse’s reins and laid a comforting hand on Glorfindel’s shoulder. “I made you a promise, brother. I won’t disappear again.”
“I know,” Glorfindel whispered and stepped back, away from Arato’s touch, and turned to look at Elrond who joined them. Together they watched the three elves set out from Rivendell.
____________________
The twins rode next to each other, and as the hours went by, Elladan broke the silence. “Master Arato, should we camp soon?”
Arato turned in the saddle and nodded. “Sure, little ones, if you are tired of travelling.”
Elladan looked offended, but Elrohir hurriedly said, “Yes, I must admit I did not get a full night’s sleep, and I could do with rest.”
Arato snickered and nodded. “Don’t we all know that feeling, young one.”
Elladan looked at his brother and raised a brow; Elrohir just smiled and shook his head silently telling his twin not to comment.
___________________
They set up camp as the sun slowly descended in the horizon. Elladan was in the woods gathering firewood, when Elrohir walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder, even though he knew his brother already knew it was him. “Elladan?” he said softly.
Elladan turned. “Yes?”
“I will venture further into the woods. Will you make excuses to Arato?” Elrohir looked a little nervous as he bit his lip, but when his twin nodded grimly, he too lit up in a little determined smile.
“May the Valar be with you,” Elladan whispered as he hugged his twin. “I am sure they are,” Elrohir whispered back before he kissed his brother on the cheek and slipped off into the already dark forest.
Coming back to the camp, Elladan dumped the firewood and kneeled to start laying the kindling for the fire. Arato came back from his horse with two large saddlebags. “Would you fancy a drink, young one?”
Elladan looked up and smiled. “I am Elladan,” he chuckled softly, ever so used to people not being able to tell him and his twin apart. “A drink? Yes please. What do you carry, Master Arato?”
“Elladan,” Arato said as he sat down cross-legged next to the heir of Rivendell, “this is dwarven mead.” He pulled the cork out of a wineskin. “Have you ever tasted that?”
“No, I can’t say I have,” Elladan said as he returned to building the fire.
“This is a drink for the gods, young Elladan… but be careful. It is very potent!” Arato laughed crudely and took a swig before he handed the skin to Elladan.
The young elf took it and sniffed the liquid. “Phew!” he exclaimed but Arato gestured for him to taste and he did. Gasping, as it felt like his mouth and throat were on fire, “Ai Elbereth!” he coughed. “This is strong, indeed!”
“Yes,” Arato laughed and thunked Elladan on his back to ease his coughing fit. “ It tastes like troll piss, but it does the job. It will make a grown elf sleep like a baby, and a young man venture lone into war.”
“I’m sure it does,” Elladan croaked.
_____________
Elladan prepared the fire as Arato was drinking from his dwarven mead, forgetting to offer Elladan any, which the younger elf was eternally grateful. But the more mead that passed Arato’s throat, the more drunk he became. And when Elrohir returned from the woods, he barely noticed, but Elladan lit up in a smile. “There you are, did you get any game?”
Elrohir held out two rabbits. “Yes brother, but now I want a nice cup of tea, while I skin these rabbits.”
“And tea you shall have,” Elladan said and now it was his turn to bite his lip.
“I found these herbs in the woods,” Elrohir said casually and laid a bunch on the ground next to Elladan.
“Great,” Elladan murmured and took the boiling water off the fire and poured it into three mugs they had brought from home. Without even looking at his brother, Elrohir took out yet another bunch from his belt and pushed it toward Elladan. As Elladan reached out for it, Elrohir grabbed his brother’s hand and held it tightly until Elladan looked up at him. Elrohir sent him a serious look, and Elladan blinked and smiled nervously, understanding what his brother said without words. /don’t touch it/ Elrohir mouthed.
With slightly shaking hands, Elladan poured out the chunks of a stem into the boiling water. He looked at it. Most of all it looked like a mutated rhubarb, but he would not ask his brother what it was for now. The only thing he did was watch the pieces of stem as if he were hypnotized, cursing that he had slept through his plant lore classes with Erestor.
Elrohir took his own cup, and Arato’s cup and went over to the blond elf. “Master Arato?” he said softly with a sweet smile. “I have tea for you.”
“Tea?” Arato mumbled. “Why would I want tea when I have mead... tea is for women.”
“Then pour your mead in the water, Master Arato. The herbs and warmth will do you good, I assure you. I learned my plant knowledge from Master Erestor himself, and I know this will do you good... sir.”
“If Erestor said so,” Arato slurred and smiled as he looked up at Elrohir.
“Excellent,” Elrohir said and took the wineskin from Arato and poured a good part into the tea, before handing both back to the blond. “Here you are, sir.”
Arato took both and sipped the tea. “You are right, this is good,” he smiled thankfully up at Elrohir.
“Then I shall return to skinning the rabbits,” Elrohir said with a nod and walked away from Arato.
_____________
A little later, when they were eating the rabbit, Arato was sleeping soundly and snoring softly. Elladan turned to Elrohir. “What was it?” he whispered.
“What?”
“The plant, the tea you gave him?” His voice dropped below a whisper. “Is it lethal?”
“Water hemlock,” Elrohir whispered with a grave expression.
Elladan paled. He remembered what Erestor had said about that plant. This was lethal to men and elves alike, and there was no cure for the hemlock’s poison. Even the most gifted healers amongst the elves could only treat the symptoms and hope it would not cause eternal damage on the one inflicted. “Oh.”
“It is good he is drunk,” Elrohir whispered. “He will sleep through to the end, if we are lucky.” He turned and looked directly at Elladan. “Or he will wake up when it is already too late.”
“What will happen now?” Elladan murmured, almost afraid to ask.
“Now… now he will start to breathe shallowly, then he will get dilated pupils, perhaps even hallucinations, and then loss of the bladder and spasms.” Elrohir searched his brother’s eyes. Elladan was avoiding his gaze. “And then, then he will start to slowly breathe sporadically, and then the breathing will simply end as he is paralysed.”
“Wouldn’t it have been better with a hunting accident?” Elladan whined softly.
“Maybe,” Elrohir said and pushed the remains of his rabbit away from him. He grabbed Elladan’s head between his hands. “I love you,” he said softly. “ Please do not be frightened, you are not alone.”
“Father will hate us,” Elladan whispered, feeling tears start to fall silently.
“Perhaps, but you will always have me. I will stay by your side to whatever end.”
“To whatever end,” Elladan repeated softly.
-TBC-