Emerald Orbs and Mithril Waves

A/N: So here finally is this story for all those who have been waiting. I had originally intended to publish it as one long story, but for ease of reading I decided to post it in bits (and so all you impatient readers out there wouldn't kill me).
Lindir is approximately 400-years-old at the telling of this tale, his birthdate set about 100 years before the forming of the Last Alliance (which was around SA 3430-40). Rumil is approximately 100 with the time frame at TA 289 (this makes the twins and Haldir 150 and Orophin 250 just for reference).
Song lyrics are from the song 'At the Beginning.'
Thanks to Lalaith for beta reading. Hope you all enjoy!

His brother had good intentions, there was no doubt about that. He had always been willing to do things for both his older and younger brother, always available for advice, always willing to lend a hand. If Orophin or Rúmil should ever need anything, he was always there and willing to help. But, was it really necessary for Haldir to play matchmaker?! He was perfectly capable of finding a potential mate without the March Warden’s help. So what if he was fifty years past his majority and had not yet taken a partner? Granted, most other elves his age have had a dozen or more beddings by now; certainly Haldir had when he was in his early hundreds. But, Rúmil supposed, he was more like his elder brother, waiting for the right person to come along.

Oh, he had tried. He had tried to find someone, anyone, whom he could bond to, or at least have a rather long liaison with. He had tried males and females alike, but had been satisfied with none. Rúmil had both approached and been approached, preferring neither the dominant nor the submissive role of a relationship. It really did not matter to him as long as he was with someone who would claim his heart and keep it safe. He was a bit of a romantic deep down, one who hadn’t yet found the right match to his soul.

It wasn’t that Rúmil was uncomfortable with the way he looked or how others saw him. In fact, he was downright beautiful. He possessed the same silvery hair as both his brothers, and the same blue eyes as Orophin, only a tint lighter. His features were softer than that of his siblings, his cheekbones a touch higher than Orophin’s, his jaw a little less sharp than Haldir’s. His was an innocent beauty compared to Orophin’s stoic quietness and Haldir’s slightly arrogant aura. Loads of Elves desired him, but Rúmil could not bring himself to desire any of them. It was frustrating at times, yet he paid the fact little mind. The youngest of the three brothers brushed it off as fate asking him to ride out the waves of patience. His time would come.

In any case, Rúmil much preferred the quiet serenity of going on a patrol through the Golden Wood than courting another or being wooed. Which was what he was doing this very moment a sat sat silently upon a patrol talan, elvish eyes scanning the area around him. Faint rustlings upon the ground alerted him to where the other Galadhrim were as they made their own rounds. Judging by the unusual amount of activity that was going on, there was a rather large party coming into Lórien. Rather than going to see who it was, Rúmil decided to stay on his talan and keep a look-out, until someone came and called him from his post.

A whistle floated up to him from below; leaning forward slightly upon his bow, Rúmil caught sight of his eldest sibling. Orophin waved up at him before pointing off to the party that was approaching. Shifting his gaze, the young Galadhrim caught sight of some twenty or so Elves, most of them with dark hair, riding along; he guessed it was a party visiting from Imladris. Turning back to Orophin, he nodded to let his brother know he had seen them. He smiled as he watched his brother race off to meet the party, guessing who was among them. Rúmil knew Orophin had always harbored a crush on Elrond’s yout sot son, but kept the fact to himself; let Orophin woo Elrohir in the way he wished, his brother would not interfere.

Another whistle flitted through the air, this time from Rumil’s left. He spotted Haldir on the next talan, waving his hand in a silent instruction for them to descend and greet the party. With a nod, Rúmil complied as he deftly slithered down the rope ladand and landed soundlessly upon the forest floor. He followed Haldir and another Galadhrim towards where Orophin had already greeted the party.

“My Lord Elrond,” Haldir greeted with a bow, Rúmil and the other Galadhrim following suit. “ ’Tis good to see you visiting Lórien again.”

“ ’Tis good to be visiting, March Warden,” the Lord of Imladris replied with a slight inclination of the head.

While his brother exchanged pleasantries with the other leading members of the riding party, Rúmil took it upon himself to pace the gathered group and see who had arrived and needed to be settled in. There was Orophin speaking with Elrohir, and Elladan too; the three were smiling and laughing as they talked. A twinkle was present in Orophin’s eyes each time he spoke to the younger twin or was spoken to. Rúmil allowed himself a small smile as he noticed a similar look in Elrohir’s eyes; so the twin had a thing for his brother as well, this would be interesting. /I’m not ing ing involved,/ Rúmil reminded himself. /But this will be fun to watch./

“You think those two would be better able to read one another’s thoughts after being friends for so long,” a silvery voice said from Rúmil’s right and just slightly higher than his shoulder. The young Galadhrim turned to find a pair of emerald eyes fixed upon his person; the color reminded him of the mellyrn leaves during the summer at high sun. The jeweled orbs were set into a creamy pale face with high cheekbones and full, slightly pink-tinted lips; framing the face was a cascade of the most mesmerizing blend of gold and silver Rúmil had ever seen. The strands of hair seemed to entwine themselves together and turn a stunning white in the sun as it wisped to just over the elf‘s hips. A robe of white covered a tunic and leggings set of green, each color to match his hair and eyes. Rúmil found himself drawn to the stranger and had to forcibly remind himself to reply.

“Aye,” he said, stuttering slightly. “My brother is obviously transparent in his emotions, though Elrohir does not seem to notice.”

“Your brother?”

Rúmil nodded, gesturing to Orophin as he took hold of the bridle of Elrohir’s horse and began to lead the steed as the party began moving again. The young Galadhrim did the same and fell into step beside the riding Elf as Haldir lead them all to Caras Galadhon. “My brother, Orophin. And my other brother, Haldir, leads the party.”

“And you are?”

“Rúmil. Rúmil of Lórien.”

“Rúmil.” The elf seemed to roll the name around his tongue, smiling as he did so. “’Tis a great namesake.”

“I am honored to bear such a name. But, forgive me, I do not know yours.”

“I am called Lindir.”

Lindir…the name was familiar. Rúmil knitted his brows together as he thought about where he had heard such a name before; he was unaware of the amused expression Lindir had adopted as the Imladrian Elf studied his new companion. And then it hit him. He gasped, blue eyes widening as he turned back to the rider. “Forgive me, my lord. I did not know who you were.” Rúmil was feeling flustered and thoroughly embarrassed by the situation. He turned a bright shade of red as Lindir laughed richly, his musician’s voice filling the air; those who heard it smiled at the pleasant sound, though they did not know why the minstrel was amused.

“No need to call me lord. I am no lord of a realm or even of a small troupe; I am merely a minstrel who entertains others with songs and stories. I bear no titles.”

“But you are a kinsman of my Lady, are you not? Are you not of the House of Finarfin, just as Lady Galadriel and the lord Gildor are?”

“Aye, that I am. I too am of that house, specifically of the lineage of Finrod just as Gildor is. Yet I am no lord, Rúmil of Lórien. I am a minstrel of Imladris, and while my kinsmen bear great titles and are known for great deeds in the past, I do not wish to have any recognition of my own. I am content in serving others in what little ways I can, particular in ways of entertainment and amusement. I shall call you Rúmil, and you shall refer to me as Lindir during my stay here. Is that agreed?”

Rúmil smiled; he was beginning to like this one quite a bit. What embarrassment he had experienced before was quickly dispelled by Lindir‘s kind nature. “Aye, it is agreed.”

“Good. Now it seems we have arrived.” Indeed they had, for Haldir stood just outside of the gates of the city of Lothlórien with the Galadhrim and the party from Imladris behind him. After a few brief words with the door wardens, who bowed deeply in respect for the guests and the lord of the Last Homely House, the gates were opened and the travelers allowed inside.

As the band streamed into the city, they were greeted by the sounds of hundreds of elven voices joining together in a song of welcome and friendship. Rúmil smiled, his heart lightening as he stepped in Caras Galadhon; he had been on patrol on the outer borders for nearly a month now. Tomorrow--no, tonight-- is when he would be off-duty and allowed to rest and relax for a while. Rúmil was looking forward to his leisure time.

/Maybe I can spend it getting to know Lindir better./ He blinked in sudden confusion; where had that thought come from? Looking up at the Elf in question, Rúmil observed Lindir as the minstrel smiled and greeted some Lórien Elves during the short trek from the gates to the guest flets. What was it about Lindir, Rúmil wondered, that drew all his attraction. Certainly the Galadhrim had never felt such a strong connection to anyone before, outside of his brothers and the Lord and Lady.

“Lindir!” At the sound of Galadriel’s voice, Rúmil respectfully bowed, as did the other Galadhrim. The Lady of Lórien, after greeting her son-in-law, daughter and grandchildren, had sought out her kinsman. Happily, she embraced the Imladrian minstrel as he dismounted; watching them, Rúmil found himself longing to be the one holding the Elf but not knowing why.

“ ’Tis good to see you well, my Lady,” Lindir replied, smiling as Galadriel took hold of his arm.

“It has been long since we have last had a chance to talk,” the Lady replied. “Have you spoken to Gildor lately? You must tell me what he has said if you have. Oh, Rúmil.” Galadriel smiled upon seeing the Galadhrim, for she often thought of Haldir and his brothers as one of her own. “You are off-duty tonight?” Her smile widened a touch when the young Elf nodded. “Then you must join the guests and I for the evening meal. I will not take no for an answer.”

Rúmil wondered why Galadriel would request such a thing of him; it was rather unusual to say the least. But he merely bowed in respect. “I will, my lady. But until the sun sets, I am still on duty. I will help stable the horses and clean up before I join you.”

“I expect to see you present.” There was a hint of mischievousness in Galadriel’s smile as she led Lindir away that made Rúmil quite curious. Just what had Haldir been sharing with her? It was known to both Orophin and Rúmil that their brother sometimeld nld nightly councils with Galadriel concerning them; it often worried Rúmil since he did not know what Haldir was sharing with the Lady of Lórien.

/Elbereth, I hope she’s not planning on playing matchmaker too!/ Rúmil groaned as he led Lindir’s horse away to the stables, other Galadhrim mimicking his movements. The chestnut mare seemed to sense a bit of Rúmil’s inner turmoil and nuzzled him gently with her nose in sympathy. The Elf smiled and patted the horse’s flank affectionately.

“Thank you, mellon-nîn. You might just be one of the few who understands me.” The mare gave a soft snort and nuzzled the Elf again. Rúmil laughed and led her to the stables to complete his duties for the day before following the Lady’s orders. He couldn’t help but wonder what the evening would have in store for him.

~~~~~~~~~~

The feast that was prepared for the guests from Imladris was a grand and elaborate one; Lindir would have expected no less of Galadriel. He had seen her little over the years, but has heard tales of her fun-loving festivities from Gildor, who traveled to Lórien more often with his Wandering Company. The Lady of the Wood loved to plan and prepare feasts and festivals, and always seemed to remember everyone’s favorite dish, dessert or drink, even when they’ve never spoken to her about their preferences. Galadriel had somehow found out about Lindir’s affinity for lembas with a touch of cream and cinnamon; she had served the dish in abundance, insisting her brethren ate his fill because he was ‘far too thin, even for an Elf.’

Once the meal have been served, the minstrels were called uand and the dancers took center stage. Lindir had declined to perform for the time being, preferring to sit and watch quietly. During the evening, he had caught himself, more than once, glancing around the gathered group, hoping to catch sight of a certain someone. He didn’t exactnow now why he was seeking out Rúmil, but Lindir felt a strong attraction to the young Galadhrim. Lindir had had lovers in the past, but each party had parted on a mutual agreement after some time. None of his previous partners had made him feel lighthearted the way Rúmil did.

“Looking for someone?” said a gentle voice from his shoulder. Lindir turned and found himself gazing at the beauty of Rúmil. He had changed from his gray tunic and leggings into a more formal set of a dark green. The Galadhrim had arrived some time before, but had been engaged therther conversation. He too had been searching for Lindir, though not quite understanding why.

“Found actually.” Lindir smiled at the soft blush that tainted Rúmil’s cheeks.

“Will you not sing tonight? I hear you are one of the best of Imladris’ minstrels.”

“I am content to admire the view for now.” Rúmil’s blush darkened at his words and produced a soft, melodic laughter from the speaker. Lindir was finding his companion to be very enchanting, but was a little afraid of his sudden rush of emotions. This couldn’t be love at first sight; he was a minstrel and sang songs of such things, but Lindir had never really believed in the concept. But, then, what was he feeling?

“You are being called.” Rúmil’s voice brought Lindir back to the present. He followed the Galadhrim’s gaze and found one of his fellow minstrels gesturing him over to where the musicians and dancers were gathered.

“May we talk later?” Lindir asked with a sigh. He watched the confusion register over the Elf’s face before Rúmil nodded. With a smile, the minstrel gracefully strolled over to where his fellow entertainers were and found they wanted him to take a turn at playing. Taking an offered seat, Lindir retrieved and lightly strummed his harp to test the strings while he contemplated what to play.

While he waited for the song to begin, Rúmil quietly wandered over to where his brothers were gathered wthe the Lord and Lady. Galadriel smiled upon seeing him and gestured to a spot to the right of her seat; the Galadhrim quickly stepped over to her side but remained standing respectfully.

“I am glad you came, Rúmil,” the Lady said with a smile. “You have been patrolling the borders frequently these days. I was almost afraid you had forgotten what a leisurely life was like.”

“Nay, my lady, I did not. I f I fat eat ease while ony.” y.”

“Indeed. Yet there are times when one needs to forgot, relax and enjoy the beauty that surrounds them.” Rúmil was about to make a reply when Lindir’s voice floated among the crowd, silencing any conversation that had been taking place.

“My friends,” the minstrel began. “Tonight I shall endeavor to sing a song I have not recited for some time. I do hope you all take great enjoyment in the verses.” With a smile to the crowd who sat and stood in rapped attention, Lindir began to pluck the strings of his harp; the sound was enchanting and quickly grasped each listeners’ attention. Soon, his voice accompanied the instrument and floated mystically through the forest.

We were strangers
Starting out on a journey
Never dreaming what we'd have to go through
Now here we are
And I'm suddenly standing
At the beginning with you

No one told me I was going to find you
Unexpected, what you did to my heart
When I lost hope
You were there to remind me
This is the start

Life is a road, and I want to keep going
Love is a river I want to keep flowing
Life is a road, now and forever
Wonderful journey
I'll be there when the world stops turning
I'll be there when the storm is through
At the end I want to be standing at the beginning
With you

As he listened, Rúmil felt himself being swept away in Lindir’s voice and the verses that issued from the other Elf’s lips. It was ng tng the Galadhrim had not heard before, and wondered if it was one Lindir had created himself. He didn’t put it past the minstrel; Lindir seemed rather gifted in the ways of speech and conversation. And he was, after all, from Imladris. Rúmil had visited the valley dwelling before, but was not acquainted with the libraries for which Elrond’s realm was so famous for.

But there was something about this song that struck a cord with Rúmil, and he just couldn’t figure out why…

We were strangers
On a crazy adventure
Never dreaming how our dreams could come true
Now here we stand
Unafraid of the future
At the beginning with you

And life is a road, and I want to keep going
Love is a river I want to keep flowing
Life is a road, now and forever
Wonderful journey
I'll be there when the world stops turning
I'll be there when the storm is through
At the end I want to be standing at the beginning
With you

I knew there was somebody somewhere
Like me alone in the dark
Now I know my dream will live on
I've been waiting so long
Nothing's going to tear us apart

Suddenly, it hit him. Rúmil began to realize that Lindir was singing a love song! Normally the Galadhrim wouldn’t find the fact so disturbed except that his heart was beginning to beat a little faster as each verse was sung. He enjoyed watching the way the faint evening breeze picked up strands of the minstrel’s hair, waving them about lazily before his closed eyes as he concentrated on his singing. Rúmil became enraptured by the soft blush that stained Lindir’s cheeks, the way his voice hitched a bit at certain lines, the movement of his hands over the harp strings…what was he thinking?! He sounded like he was in love, but that was impossible! Rúmil had only met Lindir that afternoon, love wasn’t possible. Was it?

And life is a road and I want to going
Love is a river I want to keep flowing
Life is a road, now and forever
Wonderful journey
I'll be there when the world stops turning
I'll be there when the storm is through
In the end I want to be standing at the beginning
With you

And life is a road, and I want to keep going
Love is a river I want to keep going on
Starting out on a journey
Life is a road and I want to keep going
Love is a river I want to keep flowing
In the end I want to be standing at the beginning
With you

Rúmil found himself unable to move, unable to speak, as the song ended and Lindir was applauded. He found his gazed fixed on the other Elf as Lindir stood and bowed politely to the audience before handing his harp to another minstrel and strolling over to where Galadriel and her party sat.

“That was simply splendid, Lindir!” Galadriel exclaimed, rising to give her kinsman a chaste kiss upon the cheek.

“Aye, it was a beautiful piece,” Celeborn agreed. “Perhaps the best I have heard in a long while.”

“I thank you kindly for your words,” Lindir said with genuine appreciation. “Now, please excuse me. I believe the journey to Lórien has tired me out. I should like to retire for the evening, yet I have forgotten the way to my talan.”

“Oh, that is not a problem,” Galadriel said as he took hold of Rúmil’s arm and bodily moved him closer while ignoring the shocked look upon his face. “Rúmil would be more than happy to show you the way, wouldn’t you?”

“Y-yes, my lady,” the young Galadhrim stuttered, blushing as he turned to Lindir and gestured for him to follow. “It is this way I believe.” The pair began to leave the gathering, leaving behind a giggling Galadriel.

“My dear, just what are you up to this night?” Celeborn asked in amusement as he took a sip of wine while the crowd mingled and danced.

“Oh, you shall see soon.” She giggled again, and all Celeborn could do was shake his head and give an amused grin at her antics.