Brethiel and Baethoriel encounter Andro and Hadereth...Rumil and Orophin, well, they're in this chapter as well...and mentions of two other elves...
CHAPTER 9
Brethiel and Baethoriel began their descent from Haldir's talan. They were attempting to avoid all elves as they finally reached the bottom, but to no avail. As they took one step, they realized that they were not alone. Hadereth and Andro stood in front of them, blocking any further steps. Baethoriel glared at them.
" Is this anyway to treat a friend?"
Andro returned the glare.
" Friend?! You are no friend of ours!"
Baethoriel smirked.
" Tell me Andro, have you had the chance to tell your husband of your past?"
Andro visably paled, as did Hadereth. Brethiel chuckled.
" I do not think either of them have Ada."
Baethoriel chuckled, then became very serious.
"You will let us pass or your husbands will find out about the past you dare not speak of."
Hadereth stepped forward.
" You are in no position to threaten us!"
Brethiel chuckled.
"Is he not?"
Andro looked at Brethiel in confusion. He did not seem to be looking at them, but behind them. Hadereth turned slightly to see Rumil and Orophin standing there. Orophin stepped forward.
" What is he talking about Hadereth nin?"
Baethoriel let a smile cross his features.
" Yes Hadereth, please do answer him."
Hadereth glared at him.
" Be silent!"
Rumil stepped forward to stand beside his brother, drawing his sword and holding the blade to the throat of Brethiel.
" You are not welcome here."
Orophin repeated his brother's gesture, still wondering what he did not know of Hadereth's past. Baethoriel watched as Hadereth and Andro held the blade of their swords to his throat. He took a step back.
" Now, now. No one wants to be harmed. I just came to Lorien with my son so he could see his beloved."
"Former beloved." Orophin corrected, his voice dripping with malice.
Brethiel looked at Orophin.
" So he finally told you? That is good to hear. You know," Brethiel grinned, " I am not the only elf who has taken one against their will. My Ada has as well."
Rumil's eyes widened.
"Who was it?"
Baethoriel chuckled.
" Your Lord."
Rumil gasped. Lord Celeborn had been harmed as well? Brethiel smirked.
" Are we the only two cruel elves Ada?"
Baethoriel pretended to think, then shook his head.
" No, but we are the only cruel elves who remained cruel. The others are in love and wed."
Brethiel winced as though the thought had hurt him, then he smiled.
" Who were they again?"
Andro swallowed hard.
" Baethoriel, saes." Andro whispered, " Do not do this."
Baethoriel glared at him, then formed a smile of his own.
" I do believe their names are Hadereth and Andro."
Orophin turned to Baethoriel.
" You lie!"
Before Baethoriel could form a reply, a few galadrhim guards came and beagn to drag he and his son away. Baethoriel shook his head as he was pulled from the four elves.
"Ask them yourself, elf of Lorien."
Orophin and Rumil watched until the guards had Baethoriel and Brethiel out of sight before they turned to their husbands. Andro and Hadereth had their heads lowered. Orophin and Rumil lifted their husbands chins to look into their eyes and gasped at the sorrowful look they saw there. Rumil felt tears spring to his eyes.
" Andro, no..."
Orophin took a step back.
" Hadereth..."
Hadereth swallowed hard.
" It is true. We were cruel elves once, but we have not been that way for over an age. The ones we were cruel towards have forgiven us. "
Hadereth tried to reach out to Orophin, nearly crying when Orophin backed away from him. Andro attempted to to pull Rumil into his arms and was promptly shoved away.
" Who was it?!" Rumil shouted, " Who was it that you harmed?!"
Andro lowered his head once more.
" Lord Erestor and his brother Ecthelion."
Orophin's eyes went wide.
" In Gondolin?"
Hadereth nodded sadly.
" Yes."
Orophin could not handle anymore of this and from what he could tell, neither could Rumil. Orophin grabbed his brother and they began to walk off, hearing their husbands asking them to come back. Orophin finally stopped as they reached his talan and fell to the ground, sobbing. He felt his brother holding onto him, attempting to comfort him as he shed tears of his own. Their husbands had been cruel once. Orophin sobbed on Rumil's shoulder. From what Baethoriel said, if he could be believed, he had been cruel towards Celeborn whereas Brethiel was cruel to Haldir. Baethoriel had been right about Hadereth and Andro, so was he lying about Lord Celeborn? Orophin felt Rumil hold onto him tighter. How could their husbands have kept such a secret? Why hadn't they told them?
TBC...
