Title: Hunters' Moon
Type: Slash (FPS) AU
Genre: Romance/Humour
Author: Mirasaui
Rating: PG
Pairing: Lindir/Tilliel, Lindir/Haldir
Warning: Contains het, but nothing explicit.
Disclaimer: The characters are Tolkien's creations, not mine. This is all just for fun.
Beta: Larian elensar and Alex cat
Timeline: Early Third Age
Comment: This story, the idea taken loosely from a RPG I participate in, was written for the Lindir October Secret Friend Challenge and my secret friend, Kritblack. Krit, I so admire your writing and hope you enjoy this little tale.
Notes: Hunters' Moon - the moon of October.
Summary: When the leaves of autumn fall and the crops are harvested, hunters can easily see their prey by the moon's bright light.
A Lothlórien comedy: Haldir moons over Lindir.
Hunters' Moon
Chapter One:
"Sing us a song, Lindir," Orophin and Rúmil asked of the Imladris minstrel. He was visiting Lothlórien and they had befriended him. "Sing us a song of the Hunters' Moon."
The minstrel to whom they spoke was sitting on a low stone wall that bordered the courtyard fountain, enjoying the mild breeze that whispered through the leaves of the great Mellryn. Lindir cleared his throat and plucked a few notes on his harp before his lyrical voice began to sing one of his favourites:
Golden leaves blanket the floor of the forest
The Hunters' moon brightens the dark autumn night
Wagons are bearing the last of the harvest
Barren and fallow once fertile fields lie
Silvery grey are the trunks of the Mellryn
Guarding the dark earth that once brought forth life
Silhouettes hidden amidst shadowed branches
Wait for the horn that will signal the hunt
Low in the night sky the Hunters' moon rises
Revealing the quarry beneath its white light
Keen are the eyes that bear on the target
Swift is the arrow the huntsman lets fly
Narbeleth golden shall pass into Rhîw
Closing the mountain pass with snow and ice.
The Hunters' Moon beams now uncover the bounties
So we shall feed well through Rhîw's bitter frosts.
Bring forth ye harp and ye pipe and ye drum
The feast of the Hunters' Moon season is nigh
Pile high your platters, fill up your glasses
And dance to the light of the bright Hunters' Moon
Dance to the light of the bright Hunters' Moon.
The song was a child's lullaby. Haldir had sung it to Orophin and Rumil when they were young. The brother's clapped their hands in time with the music and sang along with Lindir. They would have happily kept Lindir with them the day long, if another of Imladris' minstrels had not called him away.
The brothers waved Lindir good-bye and headed back to their talan. Orophin sighed. "I wish Haldir cared for Lindir as we do, he is so friendly and has such a sweet voice. Rúmil sighed too. "Whatever could have happened between the two? Lindir will not say and you know Haldir, pulling information from him is almost impossible. The other guardians are just as close-mouthed. Do you think they had a fight of some kind on the journey here? Haldir will not even tolerate my mentioning Lindir's name!"
Unbeknownst to the two brothers, Lindir was expressing the same sentiments to his friend, Geliron (1). "One minute Haldir was friendly, and the next, he would hardly speak to me. I cannot understand what I did to deserve such treatment?" Lindir sighed. "I knew it was folly to come here."
"We have another week, Lindir, do not give up hope. If I had it in me, I would knock sense into the Marchwarden. He does not know you, Lindir otherwise he would fall for you as you have for him."
"Oh, Geliron, you are such a tease. Just because your Haltholon (2) loves you so much, you think it easy to woo another. How can I have a chance with Haldir when he goes out of his way to avoid me?"
The elf in question was heading to the talan that he shared with his younger brothers. He had not long ago returned from Imladris, where he had for the first time, fallen for an elf and fallen hard. "Why did Lord Celeborn send me to Imladris?" Haldir mumbled to himself. "If he had not, this never would have happened. I can no longer control myself around Lindir." He put his head in his hands. The whole journey back to Lothlórien had been miserable for Haldir. Every time he had looked at the one who had captured his heart so quickly, his body betrayed him.
To make matters worse, the lovely elf had tried his best to become Haldir's friend. Lindir rode beside him the first few days out of Imladris, and set his bedroll next to Haldir at night. In the evenings, when they sat around the campfire, Lindir had always wished to sit next to him. Haldir had not been able to stand it; just having Lindir near had made his heart beat fast and his palms sweat. He did not want to be friends with Lindir. What he wanted was to sweep the elf off his feet and carry him into the bushes and ravish him!
All those nights in Imladris, Haldir had sat in the Hall of Fire listening to Lindir's lovely voice, looking at Lindir's lovely face, dreaming of Lindir's sensuous body. It had not been so at first, but after the day he saw Lindir in the bath, Haldir could think of nothing else. He remembered skin as white as the finest porcelain, cheeks and lips of rose, and a cascade of snow white hair that drew Haldir's eyes down to a firm, taut backside and long muscled legs. How a seemingly delicate musician had such a finely muscled and sleek figure had Haldir perplexed, until Glorfindel told him that Lindir was a runner.
"Ah, Haldir, but he is fast. Lindir is the hands down winner of almost every race held in Imladris. When he was a youngster, he ran all over, no one could catch him." Glorfindel had smiled at the memory. But then Glorfindel had told Haldir that Lindir was off limits, and if Haldir had any intentions of bedding the minstrel, he would have to deal with Glorfindel's wrath. Haldir, of course, had no intentions of tangling with the ancient warrior. An angry Glorfindel was frightening and dangerous.
So, he had turned his charms on other elves less desirable. After all, he had a reputation to uphold. But no matter how he tried to put Lindir out of his mind, he could not. And then, Lord Elrond had told Haldir that he would be escorting the minstrel to Lothlórien. And Glorfindel had given Haldir another strict warning before he left -- hands off.
Haldir punched his fist into a pillow on the sofa. Lindir had one week left in Lórien. Surely he could avoid the elf for seven more days. That is, if Lindir would only stay out of his dreams. Haldir's eyes were red from lack of sleep. Every time he closed them, he saw pale pink lips and innocent blue eyes staring back at him. Lips that were only meant to kiss, eyes that beguiled and beckoned. Not to mention, other parts of Lindir's body that were ever so enticing.
The door banged open and his brothers walked into the room, singing an -- oh so familiar -- tune. Lindir had sung the song about the Hunters' moon over and over on their trip to Lórien and it had taken Haldir days to get it out of his head.
"Must you two always sing that confounded song?" Haldir snapped at Rúmil and Orophin.
"But we have not sung this song in ages, Haldir," Rúmil looked at his older brother in confusion. Then he smiled. "Lindir sang it to us today. I do not know what you have against Lindir, Haldir; he is a sweet elf and his voice is so lovely. Why do you go out of your way to avoid him?"
"If you like him so much, Rúmil, why are you here talking with me, and not fawning after Lindir? Could it be the elf finally realized how annoying you two can be?" Haldir glowered at his brothers.
"What is your problem, Haldir?" Orophin shot back. "You have been a thorn in our side ever since you returned from Imladris, and you treat Lindir as if he had the plague. What is the matter? Did you try to bed him and he refused you?" Orophin laughed, knowing Lindir was not the kind of elf that would attract Haldir anyway. Haldir preferred more experienced lovers, not an innocent like Lindir.
Orophin waited for Haldir's customary snort and smirk, but was surprised when a slight blush crept over his brother's cheeks before he reacted in the expected manner. Haldir crossed over to a corner and picked up his bow and quiver. "I am heading for the practice field if you need me. I cannot stand listening to your musical voices another minute." With that, Haldir stomped out of the Talan, banging the door shut.
"Whatever his problem is," Rúmil said, increasingly annoyed at Haldir's manner, "I hope he is over it soon."
"Rúmil," Orophin said thoughtfully, "Did you see Haldir's face when I asked him if Lindir had refused him? Haldir blushed, just for a moment, but I saw it." Orophin smirked. "If I did not know better, I would say Haldir has fallen for Lindir. Never have I seen Haldir blush at the mention of someone's name."
Rúmil looked at Orophin as if his brother had grown horns. "Haldir and Lindir? Never. Lindir is not the type that attracts Haldir. Why...you actually saw him blush?"
Orophin nodded, grinning. He punched Rúmil in the side lightly. "I think Haldir is in love."
Rúmil laughed till he thought his sides would burst. "Oh, this is going to be fun, watching Haldir in torment. Do you think we should try to help him?"
Orophin twirled a lock of hair around his finger, a habit he had when he was thinking. He grasped Rúmil's arm and pulled him over to the sofa, "I have a plan." The two sat together whispering for the better part of an hour.
To be continued...
Sindarin words or phrases used in this chapter:
1. Geliron - name meaning happy/lucky one, one who makes others happy. Gelir merry, happy; Ambar Eldaron le Monde des Elfes (World of Elves) French translation by Milly.
2. Haltholon - name meaning protector, defender. Hathol broadsword-blade. Ambar Eldaron le Monde des Elfes (World of Elves) French translation by Milly