A/N: Shortly after the Singing Falls, Legolas is meeting with Elrond to
finalize the plans for his marriage to Tinuviel. A little more insight
into the whole Lifemarriage vs Bondmarriage thing and some more information
about Legolas' relationship with his father.
PLANNING THE FUTURE
Elrond sat in his large chair beside the window, silently contemplating the hill of ice flowers that were now beginning to die, making way for the new green growth of spring to come. He tapped his steepled fingers against his tightly closed lips as he mulled over Legolas' request. It was an unusual proposition for a human to be bonded to an elf, truly this would be the first he had ever heard of.
Never before had Elrond seen Legolas so anxious, not even on the eve of battle. He fought the small smile that threatened at the corners of his mouth, for long he had thought the young (at least compared to Elrond himself) elf may never find someone that could so cloud his mind and fill his heart. Sadly, it was thus with Elven kind, they gave their love neither easily nor lightly and so they dwindled even as the other races of Middle Earth thrived and grew. But when an elf gave their love it was forever and could never be replaced, which was the reason the crossings between elf and human were so rare and when they did occur, the elf would normally choose a mortal life so that they would not have to endure the ages without their lost love. So, the practice of Bondmarriages was instituted.
A Bondmarriage allowed those of a mind to hold to each other for a contracted period of time. It was as legal in Elven law as a Lifemarriage. There were few differences between the two, one being that it was for a specified amount of contracted time and at the end of that time the couple could become Lifebonded or go their separate ways (which was normally the case). The second was that the Bondmarriage could not produce a born heir. If for some reason a born heir was never produced, however, a Bondmarriage child could be made named heir and inherit as a born heir would.
Still, never in history had any elf taken a human woman to be his bond- wife. It was not the way of humans. Their short lives did not allow for such arrangements, seeing them as little more than concubines, even if they would never say such a thing to the elves.
After, what seemed to Legolas to be, a very long time, Elrond turned back to the young elf waiting patiently by the fire. "My good friend, I do not know if I can do this thing you ask of me, nor even if I should considering your Father's position on the subject."
The muscle flexed in the fair elf's jaw. "My Father has no say as to who I may take as a bond-wife."
Elrond shook his head. "No. Indeed he does not. He still will not be overly pleased, you can be sure."
Legolas' face changed little, though his dark eyes sparked with anger. "I care not what will or will not please my Father. He certainly cares little for what will please me."
Elrond could not entirely hide his smile this time. Thranduil, he felt, was entirely too restrictive with his only son and if he did not see that he may soon lose him. "My other concern is for Tinuviel. Bondmarriages are not the way of humans. Does she know what it means to be bonded?"
"She does," in an uncharacteristic display of restlessness, Legolas stood and paced to the window, leaning one long fingered hand against the cool glass. "She was the one who suggested it. I would have renounced my claim to my Father's throne and taken a mortal life too if she had but said yes." He sighed. "But she is exceedingly stubborn, and quite tenacious."
Elrond laughed out loud. "Yes. She is, isn't she? Quite a breath of fresh air. It is long since such a human has graced my court. I do like her very much."
The hint of a smile kicked up at the corners of Legolas' mouth. "It is not one of her more endearing traits, but it does make things interesting." He turned to Elrond. "Then you will consent to bond us?"
"I will," the older Elf agreed. "But what will happen when the year has ended?"
A hard resolve settled over his face. "If my Father does not accept Tinuviel as my true wife, then I will renounce the throne and my immortal life. She has promised that she will marry me if I so choose, and I trust her to keep her word."
Elrond was filled with a moment's sadness as he thought of his daughter and son that had chosen mortality for love. If it had been his choice he would have had his children bring their mortal loves to Rivendell to live out their lives, but they had chosen the one life instead. "Then I shall pray for your Father's wisdom."
"Thank you, Elrond."
The elder elf gave Legolas leave to go, but before he could put a hand to the door Elrond stopped him. "One moment, Legolas."
Blond hair whipped about his shoulders as he turned to face Elrond. "Yes, my lord?"
"A question, if you please. To satisfy my curiosity."
Legolas frowned. "If the answer is mine to give."
Cocking his dark head slightly to the side, Elrond studied Legolas. "Why did you not accept Tinuviel's generous offer of a welcome and warm bed and be done with it?" He saw the look of surprise register on the young elf's face for a moment before he masked, and he couldn't help but smile. "Very little happens in my house that I do not know. I am sorry if I have offended you with the question, but it is not entirely unheard of, especially among humans."
"You haven't offended me, but I was a bit caught off guard though, now that I think on it, I shouldn't really be surprised." He stood silent for a moment before answering. "I was sorely tempted, to be certain. She is beautiful," a small smile touched his lips, "and tenacious." His eyes softened a bit as he thought of the woman he loved. "But I want more than only to share her bed, for certainly I could have done that by now or I could have found someone else. What I really want is her heart. To posses it as surely as she has possessed mine."
Elrond nodded, he was glad to know that he had not been wrong about his young friend. And if he was any judge of human kind, the fair elf had already stolen Tinuviel's heart. "Then I believe you have made a wise choice."
PLANNING THE FUTURE
Elrond sat in his large chair beside the window, silently contemplating the hill of ice flowers that were now beginning to die, making way for the new green growth of spring to come. He tapped his steepled fingers against his tightly closed lips as he mulled over Legolas' request. It was an unusual proposition for a human to be bonded to an elf, truly this would be the first he had ever heard of.
Never before had Elrond seen Legolas so anxious, not even on the eve of battle. He fought the small smile that threatened at the corners of his mouth, for long he had thought the young (at least compared to Elrond himself) elf may never find someone that could so cloud his mind and fill his heart. Sadly, it was thus with Elven kind, they gave their love neither easily nor lightly and so they dwindled even as the other races of Middle Earth thrived and grew. But when an elf gave their love it was forever and could never be replaced, which was the reason the crossings between elf and human were so rare and when they did occur, the elf would normally choose a mortal life so that they would not have to endure the ages without their lost love. So, the practice of Bondmarriages was instituted.
A Bondmarriage allowed those of a mind to hold to each other for a contracted period of time. It was as legal in Elven law as a Lifemarriage. There were few differences between the two, one being that it was for a specified amount of contracted time and at the end of that time the couple could become Lifebonded or go their separate ways (which was normally the case). The second was that the Bondmarriage could not produce a born heir. If for some reason a born heir was never produced, however, a Bondmarriage child could be made named heir and inherit as a born heir would.
Still, never in history had any elf taken a human woman to be his bond- wife. It was not the way of humans. Their short lives did not allow for such arrangements, seeing them as little more than concubines, even if they would never say such a thing to the elves.
After, what seemed to Legolas to be, a very long time, Elrond turned back to the young elf waiting patiently by the fire. "My good friend, I do not know if I can do this thing you ask of me, nor even if I should considering your Father's position on the subject."
The muscle flexed in the fair elf's jaw. "My Father has no say as to who I may take as a bond-wife."
Elrond shook his head. "No. Indeed he does not. He still will not be overly pleased, you can be sure."
Legolas' face changed little, though his dark eyes sparked with anger. "I care not what will or will not please my Father. He certainly cares little for what will please me."
Elrond could not entirely hide his smile this time. Thranduil, he felt, was entirely too restrictive with his only son and if he did not see that he may soon lose him. "My other concern is for Tinuviel. Bondmarriages are not the way of humans. Does she know what it means to be bonded?"
"She does," in an uncharacteristic display of restlessness, Legolas stood and paced to the window, leaning one long fingered hand against the cool glass. "She was the one who suggested it. I would have renounced my claim to my Father's throne and taken a mortal life too if she had but said yes." He sighed. "But she is exceedingly stubborn, and quite tenacious."
Elrond laughed out loud. "Yes. She is, isn't she? Quite a breath of fresh air. It is long since such a human has graced my court. I do like her very much."
The hint of a smile kicked up at the corners of Legolas' mouth. "It is not one of her more endearing traits, but it does make things interesting." He turned to Elrond. "Then you will consent to bond us?"
"I will," the older Elf agreed. "But what will happen when the year has ended?"
A hard resolve settled over his face. "If my Father does not accept Tinuviel as my true wife, then I will renounce the throne and my immortal life. She has promised that she will marry me if I so choose, and I trust her to keep her word."
Elrond was filled with a moment's sadness as he thought of his daughter and son that had chosen mortality for love. If it had been his choice he would have had his children bring their mortal loves to Rivendell to live out their lives, but they had chosen the one life instead. "Then I shall pray for your Father's wisdom."
"Thank you, Elrond."
The elder elf gave Legolas leave to go, but before he could put a hand to the door Elrond stopped him. "One moment, Legolas."
Blond hair whipped about his shoulders as he turned to face Elrond. "Yes, my lord?"
"A question, if you please. To satisfy my curiosity."
Legolas frowned. "If the answer is mine to give."
Cocking his dark head slightly to the side, Elrond studied Legolas. "Why did you not accept Tinuviel's generous offer of a welcome and warm bed and be done with it?" He saw the look of surprise register on the young elf's face for a moment before he masked, and he couldn't help but smile. "Very little happens in my house that I do not know. I am sorry if I have offended you with the question, but it is not entirely unheard of, especially among humans."
"You haven't offended me, but I was a bit caught off guard though, now that I think on it, I shouldn't really be surprised." He stood silent for a moment before answering. "I was sorely tempted, to be certain. She is beautiful," a small smile touched his lips, "and tenacious." His eyes softened a bit as he thought of the woman he loved. "But I want more than only to share her bed, for certainly I could have done that by now or I could have found someone else. What I really want is her heart. To posses it as surely as she has possessed mine."
Elrond nodded, he was glad to know that he had not been wrong about his young friend. And if he was any judge of human kind, the fair elf had already stolen Tinuviel's heart. "Then I believe you have made a wise choice."
