Title: As Long as You Love Me
Author: imaginary_witness
Pairings: Elrond X Legolas
Ratings: PG
Warnings: None. Homosexual pairings.
Genre: Angst, Drama, Fantasy, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Songfic.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters in this story: living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.
Author's Notes: Originally a songfic. Dialogue altered to fit fanfiction-net's rules. Reviews welcome.
I tucked a lock of stray hair behind my pointed ear, my finger briefly caressing the soft tip as I did so. The wind and journey had my hair falling out of its loose braid and I was glad for the hair that swayed across my back. As much as I felt exhilarated and awed to journey once more, I missed my open hair and flowing robes.
Erestor smirked at me as we paused before the tall trees. "Tired, Lord Elrond?" he jested.
"Not at all." I replied with a grin of my own.
It was Erestor's idea that we travelled to Mirkwood. We rode until the Misty Mountains, then continued on foot. It was pleasant to keep pace and tread ground, pleasant save for the lack of conversations we would sometimes have. The sound of feet and earth unnerved me after some time, and brought back painful memories. Still, Erestor's idea when the message came that Thranduil wanted advice on the controlling evil loose in his forest was a welcomed one. And now here we are, on the outskirts of the great forest of Mirkwood some days later.
Taking a glance at the forest, I sighed and loosely brushed my fingers through my hair, before complicatedly braiding it together in a battle style. Something in the way the branches twitched and bounced lightly unnerved me.
Erestor felt it too. But he smirked and bowed, gesturing me to go first. I rolled my eyes and exhaled in defeat, taking the first few steps into the trees. Unnerved by the darkness and the sounds of the woods, we stayed close together and exchanged comments quietly.
A bird flew suddenly off a branch and I drew my sword in surprise. Erestor screamed at the same time and we both laughed shakily at ourselves and each other as we continued, I sheathed my sword.
It was long and even darker when we decided to rest. We must've gone quite deep into the woods, passing perhaps the mid-way mark. Erestor lay down on his cloak and I let him close his eyes first. The youngster drained his energy in mocking me and easing the tension of the forest. I nibbled on a piece of cheese I had in my pack, and watched over Erestor. It was then I heard the singing.
It sounded more like a chant, it's words faintly riding on the wind to reach me. The wind's gusts broke the syllables but still the sentences came clear. The voice carried the words, faintly on the wind.
Intrigued, I found myself rising. Branches brushed against me in my numb trance as I wondered a few feet off course to peer through them. A tiny clearing was nestled in between the thick trunks, canopied and obscured for the most part by leafy branches. Through them, I could make out an elf, illuminated by the faint silver moonlight. He had to be an elf! No other being could appear so radiant! He was tall, and lean, slender in figure. His arms were slender and looked feminine but his chest was flat and taunt, obscured by shadows but shyly showing his pale skin. He had long open hair, parted down the middle to curtain off his face chest. He was angelic in every sense of the word, appearing to be dancing in an odd fashion, rolling his shoulders opposite in a forward manner as he leaned his chest forward and back as he pulled his body back. It was a graceful movement, a simple one, but it was informal and seductive, and I wondered what his purpose was.
His voice, like silk, broke and stuttered as the wind blew. It seemed he was moving in step with a partner, though no partner was given. I wondered if it was some new, magical way to draw a lover close, and I kept myself alert for abuse.
He stopped his rolling movements, swaying his small hips side to side in small, delicate circles, his feet spinning him in a circle of their own. His arms gracefully lifted over his head and drifted in front of his chest, occasionally running down himself to the waist.
His lips parted slightly as he sang, his words chosen with care, his eyes skyward. He dug his nails into his chest and pulled down, creating dark lines of anger as he 'broke' himself. He continued his song, dipping himself forwards like a doll, crossing his ankles and suddenly dropping to his knees. He rolled seductively along the grassy floor, arching his back and letting his hair splay out across the greenery. He turned and tossed his body, delicately rolling and swaying on the ground. The moonlight, scattered by the leafy canopy above him, reinforced his words as it illuminated him, casting him in grey shadows to a silver light, finally sparkling the colour of gold from his hair.
His lyrics begged, his body gracefully turning over to curl up against his knees. His hair covered his face and his hands wrapped around his slender body. He began moving as when I first caught sight of him. This time on his knees, he circled his shoulders as he leaned forwards and back, all the way moaning, the soft winds breaking his words and echoing them.
I found myself intrigued by this lithe being. He had such passion, such a fiery soul, for one so small. Kneeling on the ground begging for love, he bent himself back and swept a wide graceful circle to bring his body back upwards, remaining on his knees. Brushing aside a small branch from my face, I took a step forwards.
Snap!
Underfoot, a twig had cracked and the elf, dancing still, had turned his eyes in my direction. I cursed my mortalness and tried to back away in the shadows but the elf had raised himself in one of his eerie dance motions and began backing out of the clearing. He stared at my direction, his voice still being carried faintly by the wind as he backed away. The shadows ate my vision and in a moment he was gone.
I cursed louder now and walked back to Erestor. My cursing awoke him and he grinned sheepishly at me. "Call of nature?" he asked. I glared. He mistook it as a cranky want of sleep and offered to take watch. I didn't know wither staying awake and thinking of the elf or going to sleep and dreaming of him was worse. In the blink of an eye, I decided I would probably try to find him if I stayed awake and so I let sleep get the better of me and closed my eyes. I yawned as i lay down and hoped. Perhaps I would find it a dream at first light.
The light tinted my lids pink and I opened my eyes. I hated how humane my body sometimes reacted, even if elves were shelled too. I never would admit it but I yearned to be free of a body and just be as a soul with a physicality to it, such as most of my friends passed on to be.
Erestor had food waiting for my awakening, some fruit and flavored water, and we gathered our packs to arrive, hopefully, at the kingdom of Thranduil's by sun-down. It was hard to tell if we slept in or not, as the forest bended light in a foreign way.
We trekked some more, quicker it seemed than yesterday, but that could be because there was less vegetation grabbing hold of us as we passed. I caught myself mumbling the word and tune of the strange elf under my breath, his voice a passionate begging in my head that caused a lump in my throat and burn in my chest. Such a fire had never been kindled in me before.
Erestor stayed close and quiet today, I suspected the fear of the elf-king kept him tame. Thranduil had quite the reputation from his visitors - especially the coldness from our dwarven friends.
"Lord Elrond?"
"Mmh?" I asked, startled.
"What are you singing?"
I blushed and stammered. "I don't rightfully know," I answered as honest as I could. "I heard it in my dreams."
"Then perhaps you may have one of your visions?" Erestor mused, quietly and content.
He got me musing too. I had no dream, nor vision, last night. I was blank for the first time in a very long time - even to an elf. It disturbed me, and I felt intruded on. How had my own future been swept under the rug from me? I suppose I still had common knowledge as everyone else lives, knowing the consequences of their options and choosing ones they could live with. I suppose I relied too much on my privileged sense, no wonder I tired easily.
The landscape began changing. Slowly at first, than more quickly. The changes were so subtle a person of lesser grace would hardly detect them, but then it became blatantly obvious that such a spirit of light resided here.
We came to a smaller footpath and began negotiating the stray branches and roots. Several sounds of life were audible now; breathing, movement, fabric rustling. I suppose the elves stopped and glanced at us before returning to their work from the noises; movement, nothing, more movement. A few gasps, a few sighs, even a few curses. We bowed our heads and continued, arriving to the door of Thranduil uninterrupted.
Thranduil was ravishing in his deep crimson cape. It flowed down his back in a heavy waterfall, stopping to drag behind him on his leafy floor. His boots were up the thigh of brown bark and his trousers clung to him as a second skin, dying his legs a darker brown. His chest was bare and chiseled, his orange hair half braided to expose his soft, pink nipples. He wore a sneer and his narrow green eyes brightened as we entered.
"Ah, my my! What a surprise!" he exclaimed, opening his arms and raising them in bravado.
"King Thranduil! What an honor!" I replied, making a show of his nobility in front of his audience.
I bowed on my knee and Erestor copied, staying a hairs length behind me.
"Come Elrond!" he lifted me up. "Be not so silly! Have you eaten? It's past dinner!" he grabbed Erestor's arm and raised him as well, throwing a massive arm around both our shoulders and leading us to a room with a long table in the center. We gathered around the more elite side and he called upon some elves to bring us some dishes. We dined on bread and wine, cheeses, leaves and fruit. There was no meats but there were pitchers of tree sap and water reeds that we found enjoyable. He watched as we ate hungrily and shared some very brief conversation, telling us a tale or two or Gandalf's latest visit to him and how the forest has grown. We responded as best we could, our days' journey had famished us and being at a table brought the pair of us much delight.
The candlelight glinted off Thranduil's golden crown and we spoke briefly on his change for the day from berry to metal, for the hunting party he earlier attended. Erestor stayed mostly silent, giving prayer and thanks to Thranduil and the hospitality.
Thanduil rose and peered out a window, muttering about time. He called a servant to come and escort us to our rooms for the night, claiming we could speak further in the morning and how he desired rest.
"Even an elf grows old and weary," he joked, bidding us good night.
"He has changed since last we visited," Erestor confided to me. "for the better." he added.
I wink and asked the servant for directions, he could escort Erestor. On my way to my room, I was counting doors and corridors, when I walked right into another elf. Her hair was like satin as it brushed my face, her small arms were wrapped in my hands out of reflex to prevent a fall. I saw the most golden hair my existence has known and I felt my heart leap to my throat.
"Oh." I heard a soft, familiar voice gasp.
"Are you alright, my dear?" I asked, bracing for the elf to turn and face me.
He did, as it was indeed a he that had walked in me, and the impact of those green eyes chilled me right to my core. He was as shocked to see me here as I him and wrenched himself from my contact instantly.
His features contorted in anger and he glared before rushing away, his cloak billowing out behind him. "Wait," I called. "what is your name?"
But he ceaselessly walked away.
He was starring out of the darkness just beyond the trees at me, his eyes narrowed and cold. He held my gaze as he walked steadily into the clearing, all the while his voice riding on unfelt winds to me,
"We're facing danger,
Several problems gathering to face us, "
He fell to the ground suddenly, landing on his knees and crawling towards me, his head up, his gaze unbroken. He tore up handfuls of dirt and grass to crush in his hands as he spoke, getting closer with each handful.
"We're trying to fight it,
fight off the darkness,"
The moon illuminated him silver as he suddenly twisted to an unmade rhythm, one of the forest. He turned onto his back and arched up to keep his gaze on me, as he spoke. His hair blew about and into his face as he appeared to connect to another unseen partner.
"You put on a brave face, even when you know we're failing,
But don't forget the power of our love,"
He twisted, his body matching an irregular beating. He fell, lying his back against the forest floor and sweeping his arms in a circle above his head to his waist. He rolled over, crawled forward, and nimbly pulled himself back up, his hair creating a deep shadow over most of his delicate face.
"We're both slaves in this cruel, cruel world,
But I want to carve my own path,"
He was so close now, close enough to reach out and touch me, which he did. He caressed my cheek without touch, close enough to feel the air buzz with energy between his hand and my face. I sighed and as I tried to lean into the touch, felt him fade away. I felt myself slipping, my conscious pulling. Things began to blur, the scene began to change. It all began to fade to black as his words changed to that of the song he sang in the forest, and he kept singing, kept begging.
My eyes flew open and I sat up in a cold sweat. "-Oh!" I caught myself screaming. I stayed my voice and waited, there were no footsteps, nor voices, outside my door and I began to wonder why Erestor, Glorfindal or Figwit weren't racing in to check what's wrong. The heat caught my attention, trapped under all the trees, and I noticed how much gooseflesh I had. My nipples were hard and I was aroused, pity being in Mirkwood of all times! I could start something it would take a while to finish or...
Or what? At least in Rivendell, a dip in the cool waterfalls would erase all attention, wanted or not. Here in the heat of Mirkwood, I felt homesick and foolishly young despite my age. I wanted someone to hold onto, someone to take my mind off the building pressure throbbing through me. I wanted him, the elf whose pleading and song had intrigued me, whose dancing captured my heart as well as gaze. The elf whose name I knew not.
I heard the soft, dull drops hit the pillow and realized I was crying. Feeling homesick, I got up and realized I was dizzy. I opened the door to discover no one in the hallway and raced ghostlike to Erestor's room. Thankfully, he didn't lock the door.
"Whha-?" he began, groggy as I pulled back his covers and leaped into bed beside him.
"Elrond? What in the name of the Vala-"
"Shh Erestor! Please!" I whispered. I nuzzled my face into the groove of his neck, my tear-streaked face pressed against his throat. "Oh!" I moaned as his cool skin touch my scorching flesh.
"My lord Elrond!" Erestor gasped. "You are fevered!" he pulled back.
I pulled him closer, entangling our legs together to cool down. "Stay!" I commanded and kissed him, his lips cold against mine.
"Elrond!" he gasped, clearly misreading my intentions.
"I mean no harm, Erestor. I am delusional and ill." I kissed his throat and numbed my lips. I was burning hot. I threw his blanket off, tore away from him and sat up gasping and clawing at my throat, the heat burning me!
"My lord, you are not well. I shall call a healer." he got out of bed and forced me, despite my protests, to lie down. He reached for the blanket, thought better of it, and tossed a light material over me. Donning a robe, he rushed to find a person in this castle who knew illnesses.
Thranduil entered, followed by three other elves and Erestor moments later. In their absence, I pulled the long shirt I wore off and let it fall off the bed, the heat strangling me. I lay sweating and fanning my hair out on the pillows above me in an attempt to rid the heat from my neck. The small of my back was slick with perspiration and I panted, finding it difficult to breath.
Erestor was clearly shaken, staying at the foot of my bed to allow the king and his aides their space to help. I gasped as their cool skin touched mine, eyes feeling as if they are bulging out of my sockets. "Oh!" I moaned in absolute agony.
"This is real bad." the elf beside Thranduil spoke. Thranduil clenched his teeth. He seemed to be deliberating something. Suddenly he raised his head and felt my forehead.
"Elrond?"
I forced myself to find his eyes.
"Can you hang on for a few hours? Shall we give you a draughts for sleep?"
I nodded, then nodded again, closing my eyes. My head hurt and the room spun. I heard one elf get up and leave, returning later with a drink Erestor helped feed me. I swooned and crashed to the pillow seconds later.
I awoke feeling better in the morning. Well enough to wonder to my room and dress. 'What in world caused that?' I wondered, all the while. To be safe, I left my hair open and parted it down the middle. The effect it had on making me appear younger startled me. I coward behind my hair, leaving to find Erestor before going to breakfast.
Arriving to breakfast had many heads turn my way, including the king's. I sat between Thranduil and Erestore, the seat opposite me vacant. While they conversed I racked my mind for what could've caused the fever but could only draw a blank. I spoke with Thranduil, bid Erestor goodnight, ran into the elf in the hall and got ready for bed. Nothing really out of the expected, so perhaps the environment? But how now, why? What changed?
The chair in front of me moved and I glazed up shyly from behind my hair to see the newcomer. He was a slender elf, though clearly a male from the chest that I knew too well. I felt a knot of sickness twist in my stomach as my eyes traveled up the chest and cascading straight hair to the face; shadowed behind hair as mine, his face was slender, pale and perfect. His lips were full and pink, his nose straight, his cheeks high. His eyes were a deep sea green and were staring intently as I gasped and stared at him. Thranduil and Erestor watched him, but all that played in my mind was his song, his voice echoing in the walls of my mind; "as long as you love me,"
"Erestor," I whispered. He turned tearfully to me. I realized I must've looked sick because both he and Thranduil stood up. I felt like I was suddenly boiling on the inside and began waving my hands in front of my face for air. Erestor rose me out of my chair and Thranduil swept my feet out from under me, despite my protests. The breakfast hall was scarcely populated and they tried to sneak us out without drawing much attention.
Thranduil turned corners and walked fast for an elf with such a load. I closed my eyes and willed myself not to puke. I was thrashing, I realized, due to the heat that was covering me inside and out and I tore at my hair as it flew about my face. Thranduil placed me on a bed, probably the same as last nights, and Erestor tied back my hair. I hadn't realised the Elf had followed us.
"Ada, do you need any assistance?" he asked, his voice velvet.
I screamed. His voice was agony to me, it felt like an ice cold dagger stabbing me through the blazing heat. 'Ada' I thought. 'No.' Then it began to fall into place, they had the same high proud cheeks, the same flush lips. The eyes were a little fuller, a little rounder, but the heritage was undeniable.
Thranduil glanced from his son to me. He nodded once and grabbed Erestor's arm, pulling him from the room. The two left and I screamed, the heat causing blackening spots to form amongst my vision. I felt tears spill from the corners of my eyes, and squeezed them shut, hoping it was all a nightmare.
The elf knelt down beside me and took my hand in his. He was cold, freezing cold, and as we held each other's hands we melted. He thawed and I cooled and our hands became a compatible warmth. He risked to look at my eyes just as I risked to look at his and we both found ourselves cast in awe. Had he not expected it as much as I?
"Lord Elrond,"
"Just Elrond." I corrected him. I needed not his service nor his respect, he was my insanity and sanity, it was destructive to even think.
"Elrond," he sighed. "Can I-"
I reached up, fevered and delirious, and wrapped my arm around his neck, pulling him down to me. Crashing his lips to mine, I gasped into the kiss, our lips changing temperature as we moulded to each other's form. The tips of my ears prickles with heat and I moaned deeply against the back of my throat.
He pulled away and I weakly released him. His eyes were large and held a flame of anger in the coolness of their shock. I could see blackness begin to shadow the edges of my vision and caught myself mumbling. I whispered to him his song, to which he lay his face to my chest and began to cry.
Despite the fire coursing through my veins, I forced my arms to move and wrap around him. I tugged at him gently and he got off his knees by the bedside to curl up with me on the bed. I brushed his hair with my fingertips, using only the sense of feel to indulge in him.
I hadn't realized I was humming until he broke my tune. "Elrond?" he asked nervously.
"Yes," I cleared my burning throat. "Yes...my prince?" I kept my eyes closed but that did little help to keep the blush off my cheeks.
He nuzzled his head into my chest and his words were blurred. "What?" I asked confused, opening my eyes to find his.
His only response was to dive up and plant his lips on mine, causing my to moan and growl. I pulled him close and held him locked to me, breaking off when he pulled back.
"Elrond, I am...I am..."
"Yes, my prince?" I asked, confused by his behavior. He got excited and energetic and then seemed to deflate when he couldn't find his words.
"Elrond, what have you done to me?" he gave up and muttered. He pooled himself together, wrapping his legs around my waist and placing his arms on my chest. I cooled somewhat and he warmed, though we intrigued each other so we did not notice.
"What have I done to you?" I repeated. "What have You done to Me?" I rephrased. "You, my prince, have me mesmerized and singing your little tune everywhere! It's maddening!"
He blushed. "Since I caught you watching me, I...I haven't been the same either." he confessed, lowering his head.
"What were you doing in that clearing, hm?" I mused, my fingers brushing the roots of his hair as he lay his head against my shoulder.
"I was dreaming." he sighed.
"I thought I was dreaming when I saw you dancing." I shyly replied.
He smiled against my chest. "Elrond-
I finished his song for him.
He smiled and kissed my cheek. "Amin mela lle, Elrond. My heart burns with the heat of many fires for you, my body craves your touch."
I placed my hand on his glistening cheek, he was covered in a fine sheen of sweat, aching as he held himself back under great control. I realized no aches or fevers plagued me as they once did. I let my fingertips brush against his cheek, caressing the length from the corner of his sweet lips to his jaw, up towards the point of an ear. I cupped around his ear and brought him towards me for a kiss. He moaned in happiness, radiantly a light so pure it filled me with hope and happiness.
"Legolas, my prince, Amin mela lle. I love you too."
Epilogue:::
Legolas, the elf of moonlight, swayed in the small clearing. His tiny body, so slender and taunt, obeyed his every motion, rolling his shoulders as he bent forward and back, his eyes shining with delight as his clear voice chanted and sang, his song lamenting on the wind.
I leaned forwards as he leaned back, back as he changed forwards. Our hair, both open and dancing in the breeze, caught together and tangled.
His song continued, our voices blending as one, we begged one another, encircling the other in our arms.
The song broke as our lips met, our tongues entwining. We still swayed and moved, our dancing not broken by the kiss. Legolas moaned, his small dream becoming his reality. His dance, so elegant, had finally found a partner.
Sindarin Translations
"Amin mela lle" = I love you