Soul of My Being

Soul of My Being

Summary: A mere three months since Celebrian’s departure into the West has passed. During this time, the twin sons of Elrond have made an oath to avenge their mother, carrying out their will on horseback and keeping the passages between elven havens safe from Orcs. Taking a short retreat in the woods of Lothlorien, Elrohir ponders his fate, wondering if he is walking the right path. He finds solace in the arms of his friend, Orophin, and makes a decision.

Characters: Elrohir, Orophin

Disclaimers: Don’t owe them, don’t claim to owe them, wish I did owe them but I’m not as brilliant as Tolkien was so I will settle for merely borrowing them for the purpose of my story.

A/N: Orophin/Elrohir story. I have created Elladan to be the elder twin though I don’t know which Tolkien had in mind as the eldest. Likewise, I have ordered the Galadrim brothers in older of age, oldest to youngest: Orophin, Haldir, Rumil.
This is a one-shot companion piece to my longer…er, “epic” In Twilight, although this story can very well stand alone. References to this particular scene are found in chapters 11 and 15 of In Twilight.
My use of Sindarian is limited and I credit many of my phrases and words to the following: Ruth Noel‘s The Languages of Tolkien‘s Middle-earth, the slash writers Ilye and McKenna Epenshade, and various websites including Home of the Elves and The Grey Company.
Lastly, I wrote this story because I feel Orophin is much neglected! The poor brother of Haldir gets so little slash time. And I absolutely adore the Imladris twins, so I just had to write a story between one of them and Orophin.

~~~~~~~~~~ denotes changes in scene.

Reviews, suggestions and comments are welcome. Flames will be ignored as the content of this story should be made fairly clear seeing as where I am posting this.


The mellyrn trees of Lothlorien were beautiful in the summer time, as they were much of the year. Sunlight caught off the large, emerald green leaves as the rays playfully slipped through the upper canopy of leaves to filter in sparkling patterns across the moss covered ground. The forest was quiet, the trees set wide apart yet close enough to provide instant shelter if need be. The air was cool and inviting despite the summer’s high noon sun. The Golden Wood was different, in more ways than one, from the darker, denser forest of Mirkwood to the north. It was serene and quiet, yet light and airy, a perfect haven for kindred of the Firstborn. The serenity he felt in the place made him completely forget the task he had been performing just a mere three days previous.

As he leaned back against a mallorn tree, savoring the feeling of warm summer in the air about him, Elrohir found his mind wandering to things other than the serenity of his grandmother’s home. He thought of his own home of Imladris, with the cascading waterfalls of the Bruinen that created a mist over the valley, and the lights that glittered from the various arched windows during the night. Thoughts wandered some more to playful times during his childhood spent chasing his brother and some of the younger Galadhrim among the trees surrounding Caras Galadon as he visited his grandparents. Those were the times when he visited Lorien in the company of his mother…his mother.

Suddenly, Elrohir found his thoughts turning to her. It had been…how long? Three months since she set sail? So much had occupied his mind since then that he had started to lose count in the short while she had been gone. He could still remember her face as she stood on the gleaming white boat that bore her away. Celebrian had been beautiful, as she always was, her golden hair a shade paler than Galadriel’s, and gleaming in the noon sun, accented by the simple white gown she donned. There was sadness in her green eyes, but also hope. She was leaving behind a beloved husband and three children, whom she loved dearly, in the land she had been born and grown up in. But, she was leaving to be healed inrit rit and in mind, something she could not accomplish in Middle-earth any longer.

As the ship had moved further from the shore, Celebrian had silently bid them to live and love again, giving her blessing to both her husband and children, and whomever should claim their hearts. And then, before any had realized the passing of time, she was gone across the horizon, towards the Undying Lands. They would not see her again for a time, but, to Elrond and his children, it felt like the time of their reunion would never come. Indeed, the days since her departure had been long and seemed to never cease.

“Nana…” Elrohir whispered into the trees, knowing she couldn’t hear him and that it would be a long time before he would see her again, if ever. Would she be changed? Physically, he knew she would not. But, would her mind, and spirit, be healed? Had she take another lover, as his father did? Would she recognize her beloved sons? The twins had changed greatly after their decision to ride against the Orcs and servants of the dark. There were so many questions he was afraid to discover the answers for when they met again. Elrohir was almost afraid of what he would find when he too finally reached Valinor.

He drew his knees up, wrapping slim arms about them before resting his chin upon them. A warm summer breeze whistled through the trees, stirring dark chocolate strands of hair into his closed eyes. Though lost in his thoughts, his elven hearing was still keen, picking up on a presence approaching him. He didn’t need to open his eyes to know that it was Orophin who sat beside him, the Galadhrim‘s gray garments breezing slightly in the air with his graceful movements.

“Feeling a little lost, mellon-nîn?” the Galadhrim asked, laying his bow and quiver on the soft moss next to him before turning to face the dark twin.

“Sometimes I wonder if I was ever going in the right direction to begin with,” Elrohir replied, opening his eyes as he stretched out his legs. He could feel his friend’s gaze upon him, searching his face for thoughts the twin did not voice. But, he kept his gray eyes focused elsewhere.

“What troubles you so?”

“Many things.” There was a moment of silence before Orophin spoke again.

“You are thinking of your mother.” Not a question, just a simple statement. Orophin was one of the few people, outside of Elrohir’s family, that could read him so easily. The younger son of Elrond rarely spoke his feelings aloud, unlike his brother who was more vocal; he let his body movements and stature alert people to the changes in his mood and thoughts. But, still, there were few who could discern such actions. Orophin had known him long, and knew him well. It no longer surprised Elrohir when the Galadhrim was quick and accurate with his assessments.

“Am I wrong to wish she had not left?” He looked up at his friend with questioning eyes, faintly taking note of how the light accented Orophin’s almost silvery hair. “Am I wrong to dream that she is still here with us and would never leave?” The Galadhrim slowly turned from his gaze, fixing his blue orbs into the surrounding forest.

“I do not think so. Seeing you now reminds me a great deal of how I was when my mother died.” He sighed faintly, distantly recalling events of the past. His voice took on a sad note as he spoke, but it remained steady throughout his narration. “I remember it well. It was just after Rumil’s majority when she was killed in a skirmish on the border with some Orcs; my father died a year or two afterwards in a similar event. It affected us all deeply, particularly Rumil. He was so young, and barely counted among the adults. Our family was close, much like your own. It hurt to know they were gone forever.
“It was hard to adjust. We did, in time. The healing process took more than a little effort, but we pulled through. My mother and father would have been proud to see Haldir being made March Warden. My mother, in particular, would have been pleased to see Rumil master the bow, when he had such difficulty with the weapon as a child.” He sighed again, more deeply this time. “It took some time, but eventually we moved on.”

“How?” Elrohir turned to his friend, seeking answers he hoped Orophin could provide. The Galadhrim ran a slender hand slowly through his hair, fingering the end of a braid as he spoke.

“In truth, it was difficult to just let go and continue living. But, I realized that, whatever accomplishments or deeds my brothers and I performed, my parents wouldn’t be there to witness them. They wouldn’t be here to watch as we kept the borders safe at night, as we assisted the Lord and Lady, or acted as ambassadors to other realms. Because of that, I vowed I would live for them. I would watch and remember everything that happened. When the day ever comes that I must venture into Mandos’ Halls, I would have memories to tell my parents, many memories to make them feel as if they had been with us the entire time. It gave me comfort, and a reason to go on.” Orophin turned to the twin, watching the emotions play across the pale face as Elrohir took in what he said, and processed it.

“I don’t know what my mother would think of what we are doing,” Elrohir finally said. “Father doesn’t approve of Elladan and I chasing after Orcs day in and day out, but he doesn’t stop us either. We’re doing it for mother, though, I think if she knew, she would worry and fear for us. These aren’t memories I would want to tell her about when I see her again. Sometimes, even I find them unpleasant. I can‘t imagine how she would feel if we related such tales to her, even if she is the reason we are performing such acts.”

“Then don’t. There are plenty of other memories to tell her about.” Gently, Orophin rested a hand on his friend’s arm, rubbing gently to provide some comfort. “There is much time ahead of you, plenty to make some new and fonder memories. Remember the happy times, the ones you cherish the most. Keep those in your heart to help keep you going, and look forward to new memories. There are many awaiting you, Elrohir, you just have to find them. And when you do, do what our kin is infamous for: never forgetting.” A faint smile came to the twin’s face at such sagely words uttered from the lips of his friend.

“When did a simple Galadhrim like you become so wise, mellon-nîn?” Orophin snorted in mirth, playfully slapping the arm he had previously been rubbing.

“Just because I’m nothing more than a border patrol doesn’t mean I haven’t had my fair share of giving wise advice. I do have two younger brothers you know.” Elrohir let out something strangely reminiscent of a soft giggle. It warmed Orophin’s heart to see his friend’s mood lightening; Elrohir never was one to be captive in a state of depression. His lips twitched into a smile before he grumbled incoherently.

“What was that?” Elrohir asked, peering into his friend‘s face, which had become hidden by a curtain of silvery hair. Curiosity leapt into him from the indiscernible words.

“I said you should have heard some of the things Haldir and Rumil would come to ask advice for.”

“Oh? Like what?” It seemed to him that Orophin was…blushing? The Galadhrim was actually blushing? The normally stoic guard was turning a shade of crimson the twin had only ever seen a strawberry sport. Elrohir’s curiosity was pricked up a notch as he leaned in closer to listen a bit better.

“About certain…things.” He coughed. “Certain activities one does with someone else. Aiya! I’m not saying anymore!” With that, he crossed his arms over his chest in defiance, refusing to speak further while trying to contain his furious blush. He glared at the twin when Elrohir burst out laughing, thrashing in the grass and moss in hysterics, his musical voice filling the air. “They had just reached their majority and there was no one else to ask!”

“I’m sure, meldir. I’m sure.” Orophin looked annoyed. Elrohir wiped the tears from his eyes as his laughter died down, pushing himself back up into a sitting position. He sighed, a faint chuckle escaping him now and then. A grin spread across his face as the corner of Orophin’s lips twitched upward ever so slightly, amused at his own tale. A moment of silence passed before a deep, somewhat sad sigh passed from Elrohir’s lips.

“Though, now that I think about it,” he said, “I can’t think of too many memories that would keep me going in dark times such as these.”

“There must be at least one.” Chocolate locks shimmered around his face as Elrohir shook his head.

“They are there, but I recall none of them. At least, I cannot recall one I should like to think about when I am alone. Too many involve my mother. I am afraid to think of her when I feel I need to be strong.” He lifted gray eyes to meet blue when Orophin gently took hold of his hand, a calloused thumb rubbing lightly over his knuckles. “I do not think I have a happy memory that does not involve her.”

“Then make one,” the Galadhrim said simply.

“Help me.” A nod was his answer before Elrohir felt himself being pulled to his feet. Quickly, Orophin gathered his weapons before tugging the twin through the trees. They walked in silence, hand-in-hand, occasionally waving or nodding to another member of the border patrol they spied. Some time later, Orophin stopped, releasing a rope ladder from its hiding place before climbing up the rungs and into his talan; Elrohir followed silently and gracefully up behind him. Once the twin was up, the Galadhrim gathered the rope, setting it aside.

“You’re sure?” he asked his friend. For a moment, Elrohir kept his eyes trained to the smooth, sanded floor of the talan. Slowly, he lifted his gray gaze to his friend, and nodded once. Slender hands raised, one reached to caress his cheek, the other moving to flutter fingers through his dark locks, releasing the silken strands from their braided bonds. Elrohir did the same for Orophin, though a little hesitantly at first. He marveled at the feel of the silvery tresses, twirling strands about his fingers and staring at them in fascination. A touch to his chin caused Elrohir to meet the gaze of blue jeweled orbs before his eyes slipped closed as the brush of lips met his own.

The kiss was tender and soft, allowing Elrohir to set the pace rather than the one who initiated it. The twin responded, leaning closer towards Orophin while wrapped arms securely about the guard’s neck. The kiss became more heated as each desired the other. Tongues played, twisting together in a mind blowing dance that sent delicious shivers coursing through their bodies. It had been long since either laid with another, but previous encounters seemed to dim compared to the prospect of the present.

Chests began to burn as the need for air arose. Slowly they parted, taking their share of the precious oxygen while disentangling themselves from the other. Elrohir allowed himself to be steered towards the simple bed, surrendering his being as Orophin pressed upon his shoulders to lay him down. A sigh of contentment left the twin as his body became covered by the Galadhrim’s. Words died on their lips, for none were needed. They had known the other long and well, almost as well as Elrohir knew Elladan and Orophin knew his own brothers. But, what they began to feel for one another went beyond the bonds of friendship or brotherhood. It was a feeling they knew, had seen before, had found in the other, but could not yet voice. They didn’t need to, because they knew the other understood.

Locking his gaze with Elrohir’s, Orophin’s hands began their slow and steady work of divesting the twin of his garments. Clasps came away like streams of water through his hands, the tunic slipping from pale creamy shoulders. Removing the garment from Elrohir’s arms, Orophin carelessly cast it aside while Elrohir made busy with the Galadhrim’s own, the gray tunic soon following the other. Eyes fixed on nothing but the other’s face, each blindly removed the other articles of clothing and tossed them aside. Bodies bared to the sun, the air, and each other, the pair took a moment to explore the new form before him with hands and eyes.

A moan of contentment issued from Elrohir’s throat as Orophin leaned in for another kiss, this one more heated than the other. Lips pressed together enticingly for a moment before breaking away to explore the smooth column of neck bared before them. Elrohir did nothing to conceal the gasps and moans that he produced at the feel of his friend’s hands roaming over his chest and sides, teasing sensitive spots of his skin as the guardian gently sucked the pulse point at his neck. He arched his head back, stretching his neck in an attempt to press more firmly against the hands and lips teasing him. Eyes flew open and a groan sounded as a slender hand descended further and curled around his already weeping erection.

Orophin delighted in the sounds and shivers he was able to produce in his partner. He smiled against the skin of Elrohir’s neck as he experimentally twisted his wrist, flicking the ends of his nails lightly against the twin’s shaft and head. Elrohir bit down on a scream, the strangled noise causing Orophin to grow ever harder. He moved lower, trailing the tip of his tongue over quivering, arousal flushed skin. Removing his hand, he replaced it with his mouth, relaxing his throat as he swallowed the twin whole in one fluid motion.

Elrohir moaned and laid still for a moment, drinking in the new sensation enveloping him. He bit down on his lip to stifle any other noise as Orophin slowly drew him out of his mouth before taking his erection in again, lightly running his teeth over the heated length, swirling his tongue over tip and base. The Galadhrim repeated the motions a few more times, bringing Elrohir closer towards his edge. The twin couldn’t hold out much longer. Against his rising orgasm, and the flood of sensations racing through him, he felt a well-oiled digit enter him. He knew not when or how Orophin had gotten the lubrication, nor did he care as the digit was joined by another, stretching and preparing him. Inevitably, both fingers brushed against a hidden gland, sending the dark-haired elf tumbling over the edge. With a throaty moan, he came, sinking back into the linens of the bed as a wash of satisfaction swept over him.

It wasn’t over yet; the idea vaguely registered in Elrohir’s mind as Orophin covered his lips with another kiss. He could taste himself in the Galadhrim’s mouth, the creamy, slightly salty taste arousing him again as he felt the blunt tip of Orophin’s own erection nudging at his opening. He smiled into the kiss, lifting his hips in a silent invitation. The guardian took the cue, gently pushing him. He felt his mind spin at the heat and tightness of the muscle that encircled his base when he was fully sheathed. For a moment, neither moved, breaths coming in short gasps at feeling surrounded and being filled. Slowly, and together, they built up a rhythm. Elrohir raised himself to meet each of Orophin’s thrust, their moans sounding like music to their ears. As they became swept up in the rising current of sensations, they moved faster. Hips collided as did lips, each swallowing the others’ cries and screams as they came together.

Together they sunk from the heights of their joining back to the earthly plane. Elrohir felt himself becoming enveloped in warm, strong arms. A smile of contentment and happiness, one that had rarely graced his elegant elven face in the last three months, passed over his lips as he buried his face into a pillow of silvery hair, drinking in the scent of sandalwood that permeated from the Galadhrim. He felt a soft kiss being pressed to the crown of his dark head before sleep overcame him. He fell into a content slumber beneath the summer sun, and in the arms of his new memory.

~~~~~~~~~~

Orophin awoke to the feel of a kiss placed on his cheek, and the sounds of soft footsteps on the talan floor. It took some time before he was able to blink the sleep from his eyes. Early twilight had settled in, the last amber rays of the sun shining through the upper canopy of leaves. One hand wandered over the spot on the bed next to him; it was still warm, he noted quickly to himself. Images of the last few hours flooded back into his memory as he sat up, whisking away stray strands of silver hair from his eyes.

He was alone in the bed, indeed in the talan. His clothes, previously discarded, lay on the floor next to him in a neat, folded pile. The sheets had been slipped about his waist to discretely cover him from any prying eyes. But, there was no sign of Elrohir. Orophin sighed, raising a hand to pass it through his hair again. He stopped upon noticing the thin band of mithril encircling his right ring finger. Cocking an eyebrow, the Galadhrim gazed at the band, twisting it about his finger as he tried to determine where it came from.

The sound of a weight settling lightly on the forest floor alerted him. Shifting in the bed, Orophin peered over the side of the talan in time to see Elrohir place the rope ladder in its hiding place before setting off for Caras Galadon. A faint shimmer of the fading sun catching off something on Elrohir’s hand allowed the guardian to discover the whereabouts of the ring’s partner. Orophin smiled at himself as he laid back on the bed, watching the sky change as Arien left for some much deserved rest.

“We shall meet again, mellon-nîn,” he whispered into the air before reaching over, donning his garments again before setting off to meet the night patrol. Before leaving the talan, Orophin reached for a silver chain resting in a drawer nearby. Slipping the ring from his finger, he threaded it through the chain before placing it about his neck. He hid the band beneath his clothes, feeling the cool metal rest against the skin of his chest near his heart.

Grabbing his things, Orophin left the talan to meet his brothers, knowing someday he would see Elrohir again. Years would pass, but he would wait. For as long as need be, he would wait. For one can never wait too long to see their soul again.

Translations:
Nana-Mother
Mellon-nîn-My friend
Meldir-Friend