Grey Mirrors Falling

I

The hooded riders quickly made their way through the wood, scaring flocks of small, black birds from the safety of the dry yellow grass surrounding the broad path. Their blue cloaks flowed behind them as they rode fast and hard between the trunks and under the reds and golds of autumn leaves. Hooves thundered on the ground as the white and grey horses seemingly effortlessly carried their riders over the semi-frozen ground. Dry flowers and thin layers of ice over shallow ponds cracked and fell apart under the graceful horses' slender legs. One of the riders' hood fell back and black hair flowed down his back as the rider himself gave a joyful shout when his horse leapt over a fallen trunk.

"Elladan! Wait!" he shouted after the other, a broad smile curving his raspberry colored lips, his grey eyes shining with joy. Every breath he let out was instantly turned into a white wisp of smoke, but the rider did not feel the cold at all. The excitement from the wild ride still rushed through his body. Made his heart pound faster, the hot blood run quickly and spread warmth through his loins.

He slowed down the pace when he approached the other that waited patiently by a small clearing.
The other smiled as well, a perfect mirror image of the face in front of him. High, sculpted cheeks, full, red lips. Eyes graced by black brows and lashes, shining clearly in a deep shade of grey. Their creamy white skin gained an almost ethereal glow set against the darkness of their hair. Soft clouds of wavy black that fell over broad shoulders and muscled backs. From somewhere inside those nests of black silk, pointed ears peeked out, delicate and almost transparent in the broad daylight.

"What?" Elladan asked his brother, still smiling. "Why did we have to stop?" His breathing was still heavy, a pink blush colored his cheeks from their rush through the wood.

"Hungry," Elrohir explained with a grin and rode up to his brother.

"Yes, food would be nice," the other agreed and motioned his horse into the clearing.

They led their horses to a small spring trickling nearby and brought some of their supplies back to the clearing with them.

One of them found and pulled out white bread and slices of dried apples from a bundle of fabric wrappings. The other pulled forward a bottle of sweet, light wine.

With content smiles on their lips, the twins sat down on a grey, woven blanket to share their meal. They ate in silence. Neither of them had to look at the other to know that the contentment was mutual. They knew it in their hearts that it was so. And so they relaxed in each other's company, enjoying the feel of the crisp autumn air, let their gazes play with the cascades of bright colors above their heads. They ate the soft bread and drank their wine from the bottle. Each flavor complimented the other. But they, the two of them... they held the same spices. Tasted almost the same. And somehow, instead of feeling cheated by fate that thought held comfort for both of them.

Elladan laid himself back to rest on his elbows. He drank in the beauty of the flaming forest with his eyes, drifting towards his brother now and then. Watching him rip a leaf apart with long, slender fingers. Grey gaze resting on the ground, a thoughtful expression, a disturbance in the air.

"You should not think so much, brother. It will sort itself out, you must just give it time..."

Elrohir looked up, his expression still thoughtful, but filled with a new warmth at his brother's concern. He smiled briefly, let the half-ripped leaf fall to the crisp, ocher colored grass.

"You know how I feel about this matter. It is not an easy decision to make. You know this..."

Elladan smiled as well, compassion softening his features.

"Well I know that brother, and I wish I could make it for you. But although it will affect me as well, it is not my decision to make."

"Affect you?" Elrohir's face lit up with curiosity. "I didn't know you cared so much - although we share a bond that is more than that of brothers -- Will you miss me?" he suddenly interrupted himself.

"Of course I will," Elladan smiled. "Nothing will be as it is now...I will.... I think I might get lonely..." Elladan's gaze fell to the forest floor, his fingers started to play in the dry grass.

"Yes...still it's about time," Elrohir said softly. " Father is right..." he trailed off and regained his thoughtful expression.

"Then why is this so hard for you?" Elladan spoke in that same soft tone, tried to catch Elrohir's gaze with his own. Deep pools of shimmering grey, like old silver and silken fur.

"Because I will miss you!" Elrohir gave one of his brief smiles again. "And because," he continued, "I thought it would be so much more..."

"Love?" Elladan read his mind.

"Yes..."

Silence fell between them as the clouds drifted by, chased by a silent wind that never touched the ground. Carpets of white flew across the bright blue sky, like waves on stormy ocean, revealing glimpses of sunlight now and then, setting their wood on fire.

"She is a lovely maiden..." Elladan said at last. "The Lady of the Wood approves of her."

"She is," Elrohir agreed. "But is our betters' approval enough? I should feel an answer in my heart...should I not, Elladan?"

Elladan didn't answer. Just continued to stare at his brother.

"When I met her fifty summers ago we were both caught by surprise," Elrohir continued. "It was like the blood of spring tumbling in my veins...but it was merely a trick. My body speaking. It had naught to do with my heart." He suddenly broke off, an expression of pain blossomed on his features." But I would not hurt her..." he said in a hoarse voice. "And it's about time..."

Elladan rolled over on his stomach, black hair shifted and fell to rest across his shoulders, shining softly, catching highlights of blue.

"What would you want it to be? This love you're speaking of..." he asked in a low voice.

Elrohir smiled again;

"I would want it to be more than this..." he started. "It should be a feeling of something right. A new feeling - something pure..."

"A star that is picked for you..." Elladan continued his thoughts. "Someone that holds a piece of your soul gently captured and treasured in her own..."

"An answering call, "Elrohir continued, enjoying this sharing of thoughts with his brother. This stream of reflections that they shared, it reminded him how much alike they were.
"Someone that can read my soul..."
"Effortlessly like a mirror. Know every corner of your being and treasure you for what you are," Elladan continued dreamingly.

"And will never let you down because your wounds would be hers...when you bled so would she..."

"...No words would need to be spoken, shared silence would hold comfort..."

"...The other's presence be bliss..."

"…The other's company pleasant and always welcome...."

"...Like pieces of a whole..."

"...The gem in the ring..."

"...Beauty..."

"...Divinity..."

"…Love."

The twins smiled lovingly at each other and Elladan rose to sit down again beside his brother, gently putting an arm around his shoulders.

"You don't share that kind of bond with her, do you?"

"No. And does that kind of bond really exist? Or is it merely a tale...?"

"I do not know, but so many have found it...found something, and called it by that name. The Lord and the Lady of the Wood...maybe even out parents, although we don't know that..."

"Yes...there must be something out there. A feeling I do not know, cannot grasp... It must be there, fluttering somewhere out of my reach...."

"Do not despair, brother. I haven't experienced those emotions either..."

"Would you like to?" Elrohir let his head rest lightly on the other's shoulder.

"You know I would, Elrohir. As my mind reflects yours," he sighed. "But I fear when that day comes as well. Even now I fear that you will decide to go through with this...leave me to hunt alone, travel the woods on my own. It is not noble of me though, as you would have a beautiful spouse and maybe children...and I should be glad to let you go, to let you have all that...and maybe even, in time...find it for myself..."

Elrohir lifted his head slightly from the comfortable warmth of his brother's embrace.

"We too seldom talk of these things, " he said. "I would not let go of your steady companth ath a light heart...believe me on this brother...I would feel like loosing an arm..."

"But you would have a new one instead...one that will last for eternity. Your other half in all..."

"I already have a twin," Elrohir smiled softly. " But we are getting older...father worries for us."

"He doesn't understand our restlessness...and maybe he is right...maybe our ways are clouding our sights. Maybe there is more to experience than hunt and travels...matters of the heart..."

"But we are happy..."

"We are..."

"When thoughts doesn't haunt us."

"Our souls don't ache."

"…Yet..."

"You are still undecided."

"I am."

"You wish..."

"This was it..."

"The one..."

"The soul twin…"

"Her..."

"Ah," Elrohir sighed. "How I would miss living side by side with someone who can read my mind as easily as you can..."

Elladan smiled,

"You could find yourself a maid with the gift for such things..."

"Celioviel does not have that gift..."

"No.-Arwen will be thrilled though, to have a young maiden of Lorien in Imladris..."

"Yes..."

"So what will you tell father when we return? That you have seen your lady but still are undecided?"

Elrohir gave a soft, short laugh.

"Again...poor father. He always waited for us to settle, let go of each other's company...seek out new friends...or gather more about us as we traveled"

"We never did...why is that Elrohir?"

"I do not know, Elladan. I enjoy your company, that is the only reason I can think of."

"Maybe it's our blood...the way we are both and yet..."

"No!" Elrohir interrupted. "Arwen and father, they have no such problems."

"It is just us then," Elladan smiled, halfway between sadness and laughter.

"I am afraid, my brother...that it is...-just you and me!" Elrohir smiled reassuringly at the other. "But we are happy..."

"Yes, we are..."

"Now let go of such grim thoughts and let me redo your braid, it's almost falling apart after our wild ride..."

"You were the one who started..."

"Yes I was, and I apologize. No more heavy thoughts until we reach Rivendell, I promise."

Elrohir moved behind his brother, quickly removing the copper clasps that held his usually so neat, long braid in place. They were shaped as tiny flowers, set with golden gems. Just like Elrohir's own. They often did that; picked the same accessories or even clothes without intention.

Elladan smiled as the comfort and sensation of his brother's fingers in his hair created a rush down his spine. He wasn't touched too often, he thought. If the feeling of another's skin could create such powerful reactions.

"Just relax," Elrohir spoke over his shoulder and into his ear. " I'll be careful."

"I am," Elladan sighed and closed his eyes. Let the comfort of the moment absorb his thoughts. Leave just the warmth and enjoyment of the other's gentle ministrations as he slowly combed through the heavy mass of hair, parted it and braided it into a pattern; a slick coil of hair running down the back of his head. Almost invisible against the sea of soft black. The golden gems like tiny points of light. Small stars on an endless sky.

From the trees on a hill above their heads, dark eyes followed their every movement. Watched with undisguised hunger as they two of them finally rose and went for their horses. Watched them leave the clearing in a slow, lazy pace as the sun finally gave in and burned red against the horizon, creating a inferno of golden hues in the forest, an archway of copper and gold for the two Elves when they slowly continued their ride. And on the hillside above someone followed them. Someone watched. Someone waited till the time was right. Dead amber eyes accompanied living black ones, rusty spears rose in the early night. Soft boots fell on the forest ground. Someone, something hungered.