Title: Constraint
Characters: Elrohir/Legolas
Prompt: 010. Years
Rating: K+
Summary: As the centuries march by, Elrohir's patience comes perilously close to running out.
Imladris, T.A. 1970
About to return to the house after an early morning round at the archery yard, Elrohir watched a large group of Wood-elves make their way to the exercise field where Glorfindel's warriors awaited them. It was as if history were repeating itself, he thought. Nearly eighteen hundred years had passed since folk of the once green wood had walked the corridors of his father's halls in such numbers. But the reason for their visit was vastly different this time around.
Thranduil had sent a whole contingent of his warriors to train under the renowned swordsmen of Imladris. The perils of Mirkwood were such that it was no longer prudent to rely on the Wood-elves' snares and the valor of the Silvan archers alone. Even skilled knife-work was not enough. Hard-pressed to hold the line against the fell creatures that constantly threatened their forest realm, the woodland folk had perforce sought the help of their Noldorin allies.
But rather than host scores of Elrond's warriors in his kingdom, Thranduil insisted on sending his people to Rivendell instead. It was a matter of pride, of course, and Elrond wisely agreed to the arrangement. It was one thing to submit to a master warrior's instruction in order to further one's martial skills; quite another to have that same warrior do one's job while on one's native soil.
Two more Silvan Elves emerged from the house. Elrohir pursed his lips. Unfortunately, not only warriors had come to Imladris. In the need to further expose his advisors to what was happening beyond their borders, the Elvenking had also included a small party of said advisors. Among them was one Elf the younger twin had reason to beware.
He reluctantly neared Beldulus and his companion though he forced himself to smile at them in greeting. The counsellor had not said or done anything thus far to reaffirm Elrohir's uncomplimentary opinion of him. But the Elf-knight's memory ran deep and he would never forget how Beldulus's malice nearly derailed his relationship with Legolas before it had even started.
Beldulus might not show his resentment of Elrohir's liaison with Legolas as openly as he had in the past, but there was no denying it. Only the archer's presence in Rivendell prevented him from giving his disdain free rein.
To his consternation, Beldulus suddenly asked, "May we have a word with you, Lord Elrohir?"
Elrohir hesitated, appraising both Elves a little suspiciously, before he gestured to Beldulus to speak.
"My colleague here went to fetch Prince Legolas from his quarters this morning only to find him gone and his bed unused," Beldulus said. "Now that would not be cause for concern if it were only for a night. But it was not only last night that he has spent elsewhere. To our knowledge, he has only infrequently slept in his room since we arrived."
"It is most unseemly," the other counsellor continued. "Our folk have noticed his many nightly absences as well as his propensity for company other than theirs. It has upset not a few that their prince spends little of his time with his own people."
"We hoped you would perhaps deign to remind him of his duty," Beldulus concluded. "Perhaps when he visits you? We are only concerned for his reputation amongst our folk."
Oh, I am sure you are, Elrohir sourly thought. It was tempting to blurt out the truth, but he reminded himself that to do so would only harm the unity of the Wood-elves and bring about discord at a time of peril and uncertainty.
"Why come to me?" he said. "Is mine the only warm bed in the valley?"
The Wood-elves stared at him, a little shocked by his bluntness. And affronted as well if one went by the reaction of Beldulus's companion.
"You expect us to believe that?" he scoffed, ignoring Beldulus's furtive tug on his sleeve. "Since you laid claim to his attention, he has not bedded another."
"That you know of, Counsellor," Elrohir countered. "Do you really think Legolas would flaunt his conquests as he did in his reckless youth? Fie on you to believe him capable of such ungallant behavior to this day!"
That took the Elf aback and he failed to make a retort. Beldulus skeptically asked, "And you do not mind that others share his bed?"
His tone was surprisingly civil. Elrohir wondered if Legolas had upbraided him for rudeness all those years ago and that now compelled him to school his tongue as best as he could.
Elrohir looked away, his eyes clouding over. "I do mind but, as I do not own him, I am in no position to demand his fidelity," he quietly replied.
At this point, he could not hide his frustration and it showed in his eyes and the tight line of his mouth. That the cause was quite different from the advisors' assumptions mattered little if it convinced them that Legolas did not keep himself solely for Elrohir.
"I am as duty-bound to maintain the goodwill between our realms as Legolas is," he pointed out. "By the alliance our fathers forged before I was born. Do you call me an oath-breaker?"
Awkward silence followed his declaration. Suspicious, belligerent, crafty and plainspoken to the point of rudeness—the Wood-elves could be all these when they thought their interests seriously compromised. But they were not evil nor did they take joy in the genuine pain and grief of another. The counsellors now wavered, confused by the Elf-knight's obvious sorrow.
"That was not our intention," Beldulus murmured uncomfortably. "We beg your pardon if we gave offense."
Elrohir nearly asked which of Beldulus's myriad offenses against him merited his pardon. But he chose to leave his irritation unsaid. It would do little good and, in any case, keeping his peace in the face of provocation made him appear the better Elf, something which likely irked these two and their ilk no end.
He merely dipped his head in acknowledgement of the spare apology and waited for the pair to move off. Yet he did not walk back to the house at once but remained where he was, staring unseeingly at the blossom-bedecked trellis that framed the entrance to the garden porch.
He had promised to wait; to bide his time until Legolas could come to him unfettered by duty and expectations and offer him eternity at his side. But more and more, as the innumerable years went by, he'd begun to wonder just how much longer the waiting would be.
The weight of it had become almost heavier than he could bear at times. Especially when all around him he witnessed love long blessed and consummated or recently come to fruition. His parents and Elladan. Glorfindel, Lindir, even Erestor who'd seemed sworn to bachelorhood—all had given themselves in matrimony and now reaped the reward of their spirits' binding.
True, Arwen was as yet unattached, but she did not languish in a long-term liaison that was neither here nor there, her heart and body shared with another yet her soul unbound in eternal wedlock. Elrohir drew in his breath in shock as the extent of his discontent struck him in full. When had he started to doubt his choice?
In that instant, he realized just how lonely he was. Lonely and alone even when the Elf he loved was with him. For however much they joined their bodies, however fervently they declared their hearts to one another, that did not alter one reality. That until they united their spirits in matrimony, they could still be parted. They could still follow different paths in life. For all intents and purposes, they were separate and would remain so for Eru only knew how long. Another century? Or two? What about ten?
He grimaced. He had already endured more than a millennium and a half of waiting. He now questioned his heart's fortitude to bear many more a long year of what amounted to concubinage, loving and tender though the terms of his keeping might be. A shudder passed through him.
Whence the thought? He was not Legolas's concubine, but an acknowledged lover. And then it occurred to him that his position was actually more precarious. For like one betrothed a concubine was only a step away from the nuptial bed, while one such as he, party to a ruse that entailed disavowing a desire for formal wedlock—
Elrohir sighed. He had not entered into the affair unwillingly, nor had Legolas coerced him into complicity in subterfuge. If he was now unhappy about his circumstances, he had only himself to blame for falling so deeply and hopelessly in love with an Elf who could not yet answer his yearning for more than cautious correspondence, discreet avowals and infrequent trysts.
He started when someone clasped him by the shoulder. Turning, he found himself under Legolas's amused regard.
"Wherefore that fearsome frown?" the prince archly asked, reaching up to smooth a thumb over the crease in Elrohir's forehead. "Did one of my folk best you this morn?"
Elrohir did his best to cheerfully reply. "In their dreams perhaps. Like it or not, you Wood-elves are splendid archers, but woefully lacking in swordplay."
"Are we? Am I?"
"That depends. Which field of battle are we talking about?"
Legolas snickered. "I will concede the one if you recant the other."
Elrohir chuckled, but apparently his mirth was not merry enough for Legolas suddenly frowned and said, "Elrohir, what is wrong?"
It would have been easy to vent his frustrations on his lover, Elrohir thought. But to what end? What would divulging his budding heartache and growing doubts serve apart from weighing Legolas down with guilt and regret? He would not have both of them so burdened when there was still no resolution in sight.
"Nothing a spell in your company cannot remedy," he answered as lightly as he could muster. "But then my needs may be more than you can handle, Wood-elf."
Legolas snorted. "Let us see who cries "enough" first," he challenged. "I am of a mind to test your limits, stripling."
"I am no child, but a full grown Elf," Elrohir mildly protested.
"I should hope so," Legolas retorted. "Ready yourself, Elf-knight. This eve you will show me just how well you can rise to the occasion."
A gust of laughter escaped Elrohir while, grinning smugly, Legolas ushered him back to the house.
To be continued...