A/N: This chapter is about Gaerlin and Thalanen travelling to Ithilien. This chapter takes place before Thalanen writes his book.
Warning: mention of male/male relationships
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Chapter 2: No dream at all
Gaerlin and his son Thalanen had been travelling for some days now. They let their horses gallop next to each other. It was early in the afternoon and a pale sun shined through the leaves of the trees.
Gaerlin had travelled to this land before, but the last time was long ago. His son on the other hand had never been here before. He could see the eyes of his son moving around as he observed his surroundings. With the pale sun filtering through the leaves this forest looked so mysterious.
The inhabitants who lived here in this forest, in these lands they called Ithilien, were mysterious too. Keeping to themselves most of the time, not many came to Minas Tirith where Gaerlin lived with his wife and son.
But as he had been to Ithilien before he had met elves already and he was very impressed by the strong, wise creatures.
He wanted that his son would meet the elves as well, as Thalanen spoke often about them. He knew his son read a book with stories about the elves often. He had given the book as a birthday present. And of course he had read some of the stories too, they were beautiful stories about how the elves lived and also about some of their battles.
…..
So they went on, father and son, to the small dwelling where some of the elves lived. Aside from it being a nice journey he came here also to trade with those elves.
His saddlebag was full with items he and his wife had made. He hoped to trade them for items the elves made.
The finely crafted items of the elves were known to him as he had seen examples in Minas Tirith on the market there. Now he wanted to trade some of his items for theirs, he hoped that the elves would like the items he had with him. He knew that his carvings were not as cleverly made as those the elves made. His wife had made some clothing and tapestries he could trade.
…..
It was late in the afternoon when father and son arrived at the glade in the forest where a group of the elves lived.
They were greeted by two of them, welcoming him and Thalanen and helping with the horses.
After they had cared for the horses they were led to a building which was high in the trees, a talan the elves called such a building.
A series of stairs led to the large platform high up in the tree. Thalanen looked at his surroundings and all the elves in awe. He could never have guessed that he would ever meet elves. He had read many stories about them but meeting them in person, he had never imagined.
They were led to the central platform, there a tall male elf came to them, introducing himself as Tatharion.
While his father told Tatharion why they were here, Thalanen looked around the large platform they were standing on. He saw several elves walking around or to stairs leading to other platforms. Some of them smiled to him when they passed him on their way. He shyly smiled back at them.
It didn't take long for Gaerlin and Tatharion were finished talking. The elf made a gesture to the male elves that had taken them to him to come forward and he told them to take father and son to one of the guest talans.
And so they were brought to one of the talans not far away from the central one. They saw that their bags were already brought here, standing in the room near the large table.
The elves told Gaerlin that if they needed anything that he always could ask someone and that their dinner would be served around sunset in the central talan.
The two elves left them, and Gaerlin and his son looked around the nice talan. They were standing in the living area and when you walked to the back you came to a bedroom.
There was a large bed in it and a wooden wardrobe. In the corner stood a small round table and two chairs.
Walking back to the living room Gaerlin entered the other room, a small bedroom with one bed, wooden drawers and a chair.
A bathroom was in between the two bedrooms, it was small but nicely decorated, like the rest of the talan there were carved beams and wooden panels on the wall.
-----
It was when the sun was setting for the night that there came an elf to Gaerlin and his son telling them that dinner was ready.
He took them to the central platform, there was a large table nicely decorated with the most beautiful cutlery. Yes, the elves liked beautiful things and were very skilled in making them.
They were seated next to each other, Gaerlin sat between Tatharion and to his son. At the other side of the table sat two other elves, one female, Tatharion's wife and one of his advisors who sat across from Thalanen.
Dinner was served by servants and soon they were eating and talking to each other. The elves seemed very interested in them and Minas Tirith where they lived. Asking many questions and listening intently when Gaerlin told about it.
Thalanen was not left out of the conversation, he was asked what he did, what he liked and if he liked the place were the elves lived. And so Thalanen told them that he liked to read about the elves and that finally seeing them was so beautiful, something he had dreamed of for so long.
It was late in the evening when father and son went back to their talan. On the way back Thalanen talked excited about all he had seen that day. Gaerlin smiled at his son, being happy for him that he could experience this. That Thalanen's wish had come true.
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It was after breakfast when Gaerlin was called to a platform where items were stalled out for him so he could see if there was something he would liked to trade.
Thalanen didn't want to join his father, no, he wanted to look around the clearing. And so he walked among the trees, looking around at the beauty of the glade.
He was walking for some time now when he heard a voice singing a song accompanied by a harp. It sounded very good together and so Thalanen, who was curious as to who was singing walked the small path towards were the voice was coming from. He didn't need to walk far to come to a clearing were three elves sat under a tree. One of them had a harp in his hand and played the nice melody, he was also singing. The song sounded beautiful even though Thalanen didn't understand the words.
He slowly walked forward and soon the elves saw him. One of them beckoned him to come closer and so Thalanen did, a bit nervous now that the three elves were watching him.
"Well met young one". One of the elves greeted him. He had nice long dark brown hair, braided so the hair was out of his face. The elf gestured for Thalanen to sit down. Thalanen was a bit insecure and didn't know if he should sit down or walk away. He wasn't sure what to say to them or how to act around them. They were elves after all, strong, wise beings.
"Now, don't be so shy, come and sit down," the elf patted the spot next to him and smiled at Thalanen.
Still a bit unsure Thalanen sat down next to the elf.
"My name is Arvaldon and this here is Amaldon," he said pointing to the elf at the right side of him. "And that there is Laerion," looking at the elf sitting against the tree with a harp in his hand.
Thalanen was shocked at hearing those names, they were the same names as in the book. Could it be…, he thought.
"Now that you know our names would you kindly tell us your name?". Thalanen was startled for a moment when the elf called Laerion asked the question.
"I…, I'm Thalanen," he said with a slightly shaken voice.
The elves smiled sweetly at the young boy, they could see that he was very uncomfortable around them. And so Laerion began to play another song, a nice lively song this time. He hoped that by the music the boy would loosen up a bit, that he could take away his nervousness.
When the song ended Thalanen looked at the elf in awe. "That was beautiful," he said to the elf with a smile on his lips.
Laerion thanked the boy for his kind words.
Gathering his courage to ask the question he wanted to ask since hearing the names of the elves Thalanen cleared his throat and looked from one elf to the other.
"Erm, I want to ask something," he began, not sure how to ask it. Maybe he shouldn't ask it. What if the elves will be angry with him if he asked?
"What is it you want to ask, you can ask us everything you want." Amaldon told Thalanen. Arvaldon and Laerion who were also very curious as to what Thalanen wanted to ask agreed with Amaldon and telling the young boy to ask what he wanted.
"Alright," Thalanen said finally after some hesitation, "I'm reading a book and in it are the same names as you, are you the same elves?"
The three elves looked surprised at him and Thalanen thought for a moment that they would be angry with him. He shifted on the spot where he sat and thought about leaving when the dark haired elf who sat next to him answered.
"What book is it you have read?" looking intently at the boy next to him Arvaldon waited for the answer.
Laerion, who was the only one who knew about a book with stories about them looked also at the boy sitting across from him. The elf knew that Istion had written a book with stories about him and other elves but he didn't know that the book still was here in Middle Earth. If it was the same book.
And it had to be the same book, who else would write a book about them. He was surprised to hear that young Thalanen was in possession of the big book. He always had thought that Istion had taken it with him when he left for Valinor. Ai, Istion, how much I miss you, he thought with longing at the dark haired elf, his elf.
Turning his attention back to the others sitting around him he heard that Thalanen just mentioned the name of his loved one, Istion, that he had written the book.
"Istion you say," Arvaldon looked from Thalanen to Laerion and back to the boy again. "Do you know something about this Laerion?" he asked the silver haired elf who looked at the boy. After all the Lorien elf was bounded to the elf of Rivendell, so Arvaldon was certain that Laerion would know more about this.
"Yes Arvaldon, I knew that he had written a book about us but I had always thought that he had taken it with him when he left."
Thalanen was confused, he didn't understand completely what the elves were talking about. They somehow knew the writer of his book. Maybe he could meet him, he had always wanted to meet Istion and ask him about the book and if he had more stories about elves.
Looking at Thalanen, Laerion confirmed that they were indeed the same elves. He plainly could see confusion on the boy his face. But there was also another emotion in the boy's eyes that he could read, eagerness, he thought it was.
Less confused now that he was told that this were the same elves as in the book, he got excited that he finally had met them. And so he told the elves about his wish, that he wanted to meet the elves from his book. That he wanted to travel to Valinor as he was told that elves lived there now and meet the characters from the book there.
The elves looked at each other when Thalanen talked about travelling to Valinor to meet them. Maybe he should tell him that he could not travel to Valinor, Amaldon thought.
"But now you do not have to travel as far as Valinor to meet elves. We are travelling around Middle Earth and staying here in Ithilien for a while." Amaldon explained to the boy.
"And Istion, is he here too?" Thalanen asked as he really want to meet the writer of the book.
Laerion looked away to the west at hearing the name of his dear one once more. He really wished they were together again, he and his elf. But he knew that soon they would be in each others arms again, as he will travel with his friends to Valinor soon.
"Alas, you cannot meet him, Istion lives in Valinor, a place were only elves may come," Arvaldon told Thalanen. He saw that Laerion was looking to the west with longing in his eyes. Soon they would also travel to Valinor and then Laerion and his loved one would be reunited again.
"Do you want to hear about our travels?" Amaldon asked.
Thalanen was happy that the elves were not angry at him and even wanted to tell stories to him. "That would be great," he looked at the elf.
And so they sat there under a tree telling stories to the young boy.
Thalanen was feeling very happy and at peace with the elves, the heroes from the book. He would always remember this day and would tell everyone about his meeting with the fair beings.
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