The Boon

Title: The Boon
Author: TICS
Rated: NC17
Genre: Romance, AU, Slash
Pairings: Elrond/Legolas
Summary: Legolas is sent by his father to Elrond of Imladris as part of an agreement to cement relationships between the two realms.
Disclaimer: I own nothing that anyone might consider to be of any value.


A/N: Requested by MDarkdreamer, who threw the bunny at my feet. The bunny was covered in super glue...it wasn't my fault.

Note: //____// indicates a flashback. *____* indicates italics.


The Boon, Chapter Eight

Legolas and Elrond walked in silence through the gardens, a pregnant moon casting its silver light on the leaves and petals that surrounded them. Unable to find peace in reverie, Elrond had been pacing the floors of their bedchambers for hours, until Legolas had finally had enough of his husband's nocturnal wanderings. Slipping from their bed, he had first wrapped himself in a warm robe, then slipped the arms of another over Elrond's powerful shoulders.

"Come, my love...the garden calls to me. Walk with me?" he had whispered, his hands smoothing the fabric of the robe closed over Elrond's chest, and tying the sash. He turned his eyes up to meet the Elf Lord's, and smiled when Elrond dipped his head and touched his lips to Legolas' own in a brief, soft kiss.

"Aye...a walk would serve me well, Legolas. How is it that you always know that which would best suit my needs, my Prince? It seems you know my own mind more intimately than I do, myself."

Still smiling, Legolas had laced the fingers of his hand through Elrond's, and led him out of his House and into the sweet-smelling gardens. Glad for the full moon that negated the necessity of carrying a lantern, Legolas started them along a path that led to a garden he knew Elrond was most partial to...one that was screened from prying eyes by a stand of thick evergreen on all four sides.

Entering the hidden oasis, Legolas led Elrond to the wide stone bench that sat in the center of the fragrant patches of iris and lillies, and roses. They sat together on the bench, Elrond's arms pulling Legolas against his chest before wrapping themselves around the Wood Elf's body. Holding him close, Elrond pressed his face to Legolas' shoulder, nudging aside the collar of the Prince's robe to reach his soft, pale skin, finding the sweet scent of his husband no less pleasant than that of the delicate white, purple, and red blooms around them. Breathing in and sighing deeply, Elrond whispered, "Never do you fail to give me surcease from my worry, my beautiful Wood Elf."

"What is it that worries you, Elrond? For several nights - nay, for weeks - your unease has grown steadily. I can see it in the tenseness of your shoulders and the way your feet wander our chambers at night," Legolas asked softly, turning his head to meet his husband's eyes.

Elrond remained silent for a moment, then his lips moved against the skin of Legolas' shoulder. "He is struggling, Legolas. He is fighting with the truths of who he is and who he must become. He does not wish to accept it," he whispered, tightening his hold on the Wood Elf. "He runs from it...from me. From his home. From her...and that will break her."

"She is strong, Elrond...a true daughter of a warrior and Lord."

"Her heart is fragile, Legolas. Never should I have allowed them time alone as I did...I have furthered her heart on the path of its destruction."

Legolas could hear the heartache in his husband's voice, and it tore at his own heart. "You did nothing but ease their feet along the path they would have taken regardless of your actions, Elrond. Any who looked upon them could see it...it took not the gift of foresight to see where their hearts were leading them."

"I should have protected her. I should have protected him."

"You did protect them...you sheltered them with your wisdom and your love. You cannot change what is meant to be, Elrond," Legolas replied, covering his husband's hands with both of his own.

Elrond shook his head sadly, his guilt tearing at his soul. "Nay, Legolas...I did not do enough. He wanders the forest now, hoping his sword will keep him safe from his destiny..the Ranger knows not of what is looming on the horizon, or if he has an inkling, refuses to believe it. My daughter sits in the heart of Elvendom, but its beauty does not give her heart surcease, torn by a decision that she should not have to make...to choose between life and death. And all the while, quietly and steadily, evil grows in the bowels of Mordor. Soon it will find an opening, sweeping across this land like a locust swarm, devouring everything in its sight. Already I feel the presence of that token of Sauron long thought dead and buried stir in its tomb and seek to return to the hand of its Master."

Legolas looked up sharply at Elrond's words. "Of what do you speak, Elrond? What token? Where?"

Elrond turned Legolas in his arms and crushed the Wood Elf to his chest, wishing his embrace to buffer the harshness of his words. "It lies now in beneath a mountain, guarded by one who loves it...who is blind to its foul nature and sees beauty where there is none. I can hear its oily voice calling to a new master, Legolas. Soon it will find its way to the hand of a most unlikely creature, who will bear it hence in innocence. Along the way...it will pass through the Realm of your father, and cause great heartache there."

Legolas looked up sharply at Elrond's words. "My father? Tell me, Elrond...tell me of my father..."

"There will be a great battle fought between Elves and Dwarves and Men," Elrond replied softly, feeling the shiver that ran through his mate's body at his words. "And yet, there is hope...although a hope so dark and eerie that it gives me pause to utter it. I can see killing hands turned from their intended victims toward a new menace even whilst in the midst of the battle. Sauron will send his minions of wolves and Orcs into the fray, and the Elves, Dwarves, Men and many others will unite against them."

"And the outcome? Will my people prevail?" Legolas asked, his eyes wide and tearfilled as he turned them up to search his husband's face for the answer.

"I...am sorry, Legolas. It is kept veiled from my eyes."

"My father..." Legolas whispered, burying his face in Elrond's chest and clenching at his husband's robes as his own shoulders shook in misery. "...my people...who will warn them? Word must be sent to my father so that he might know of this threat! Elrond, my lord, my husband...who will tell him? Who will ease his pain at his losses? Who will fight against his back and keep him safe?" Tears wet Elrond's robes as his husband wept bitterly for the fate of his homeland and worry for his father, its King.

Elrond knew the answer, but it tore with savage claws at his heart. Instead of responding to Legolas' questions he took his husband's fair face between his hands and kissed away each crystal tear, until at last his lips found Legolas' sweet mouth. With all of the feeling he could muster, Elrond kissed him deeply, wishing to ease the Wood Elf's pain, and at the same time block the knowledge within himself of what he knew would come to pass. He would send Legolas away from him, back to his homeland. To keep his husband in Imladris while his father and his people fought without his aid would be tantamount to killing his precious Wood Elf, although the thought of Legolas' absence and the threat of danger to him was nearly more than Elrond could bear.

Losing himself in his husband's arms, however briefly, would bring a respite from the need to give Legolas leave to return to his homeland and Elrond seized it. His kiss became more forceful as he strove to set aside his worries, his tongue delving into Legolas' mouth with an urgency that surprised the Elf Prince. Elrond kissed him as though he would never kiss him again - long, deep, powerful kisses that ignited their desire for one another.

Slipping his hands from Legolas' face to his waist, Elrond loosened the sash that held closed the Wood Elf's robe, slipping it from his shoulders. Bared to the night, Legolas' skin glowed wherever the moonbeams touched it, and his hair faded to a molten silver in its pale light. He looked as ethereal as a wraith to Elrond's eyes, as beautiful as a wood nymph, and the Elf Lord nearly wept as he faced once again the knowledge that he must send his husband from his side, no more able to protect him than he had been able to protect his foster son, no more able, he feared, than he could protect his daughter.

Elrond stood, and taking Legolas' hands, pulled his husband up from the bench. He walked but a few feet to an area between the neatly spaced flower beds of rich, thick grass, and lay his lover down on nature's green bed. Standing over the Wood Elf, he disrobed, baring himself to his lover's hungry eyes. His raven hair fell in a long curtain, shimmering with soft blue highlights in the moonlight, swaying gently with his movements. He could feel Legolas' eyes caress him, wandering over his broad chest and strong shoulders, down his ridged abdomen to his erection, which rose stately and proud from the nest of black curls at the apex of his thighs. His husband's gaze was nearly as palpable as the touch of his fingers which slid up one long, muscular leg.

Kneeling beside his lover, Elrond said, "Lie still, my husband. Tonight is for you...tonight I will see to your pleasure only. Let this be my gift to you." Bending over the Wood Elf, Elrond inhaled deeply of the musky scent of the Prince's sex, then, without preamble, took his husband's erection fully in his mouth.

Legolas' back arched from the soft grass for a moment at the sudden onslaught of Elrond's warm, wet tongue and mouth surrounding his organ. He flung his arms out to the side, his hands fisting clumps of the thick grass, nearly tearing it up by the roots as his desire swelled sharply from Elrond's unanticipated attack on his member.

Elrond's eyes darkened as his erection throbbed nearly painfully, unattended and ignored as he worked to bring his husband to his peak. Creating a strong suction as his fist pulled at the sensitive foreskin of Legolas' shaft, he could taste the thick drops of wetness that heralded Legolas' orgasm. Softly, he began to hum around Legolas' girth as it slid down his throat, adding yet another sensation to his husband's already nearly overwhelmed senses.

The vibrations in Elrond's throat that massaged his erection, combined with his husband's dancing tongue and soft lips drove Legolas nearly senseless with need. After only a few more moments, he came, feeding his husband his essense in hot spurts, crying his name to the stars.

Lying down beside his trembling husband, Elrond lay his head on the Wood Elf's pale chest, listening to his heartbeat as it gradually slowed to the steady beat that was so familiar to him. Tears wet his eyes as he silently wept for his losses...the loss of his foster son to the wilds, the potential loss of his daughter to the Ranger, the loss of his wife to the West, and now...the loss of his husband to whatever fate awaited him. Elrond's life seemed a great string of losses, frought with the pain of separation from those he loved. He seemed destined to love and lose, and wondered why the Valar sought to force him to repeat the pain of loss over and over again. Would he never have a love and be able to keep it close? His shoulders trembled with his grief as his tears tracked down his cheeks to wet the skin of the Woodland Prince.

"My love, why do you weep? Please...let me help you...let me see to you..." Legolas whispered, pushing Elrond back onto the grass. He was startled and worried by his husband's sudden tears, and his own heart broke at his helplessness in the face of them.

"Nay, worry not for me, Legolas," Elrond said, forcing a small smile to his lips. He reached up a hand and tenderly stroked Legolas' face. "This was my gift to you, and a gift to myself as well. I wished for a memory of giving you pleasure while taking none for myself...as you have often done for me." His face grew grave and tears threatened once again. "Legolas...you must leave here. You must return to your father bearing the news of what I have forseen. In Mirkwood you must take up your bow in defense of your father's kingdom. I know not when you will return...or if I shall ever lay eyes on your fair face again before we meet in Aman..." he finished softly, his tears escaping once more.

"No! I cannot leave you...I will not leave you!" Legolas moaned, his brilliant blue eyes wide with fear and pain. "You are my husband...my place is at your side! Cannot another be sent?"

"Who would I send whom your father would listen to? Elrohir and Elladan? Erestor? Glorfindel? One of my Guardians? None does your father trust...only you can convince him of the danger that looms ever closer to his realm. You must go."

"I shall die without you," Legolas said simply, his face etched with grief.

"Nay...you shall live for me. You must live for me...I could not bear to lose yet another that...that...that I love, Legolas. I love you. I realize that I have been remiss in saying these words sooner, but it is true. It has been true since the moment you bared your face to me and told me your name on the steps of my House when first you arrived. I love you, and now I must send you away from me..." Elrond confessed, pulling Legolas into a tight embrace.

"I will obey, Elrond...but I promise you this...I will return to you. I love you more than I have words to tell you," Legolas whispered into his husband's shoulder, his fingers clutching at Elrond's back as if afraid that if he let go, he would never again hold the Elf Lord in his arms. "I love you."

"And I love you, my fairest Wood Elf...now, and for all time to come."

They lay together in the moonlight simply holding one another, knowing that the dawn would bring them the agony of separation.

TBC...

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Githoniel: I'm so glad you've come back to read and review, and that you like the story! Thank you so much for the very nice compliments!

midnighteyes: Thank you, and I'm glad you like it! I really wanted to give Legolas and Elrond a history together...that's what Darkdreamer's challenge was... :D

DarkDreamer: That's exactly what I had in mind, Dark! Thank you for reading and reviewing, and for giving me the bunny in the first place!

Tiryaroofshadow: It was hard for Elrond to tell Estel the truth and risk losing Arwen, but I think what he did in this chapter was even more painful... Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Daeomae: I agreed that Legolas needed to hear the words, and he finally did...even though he'll be leaving Imladris...Poor Elrond...everyone he loves leaves him! Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Steph: I like slash too, although I've written het stories, but there won't be any het sex in this one...maybe just suggested, but not explicit...this is about Legolas and Elrond - they're the only ones allowed to have any fun in this story! :D