Part Two: The Coithuliel
Colors swirled in palantir, slowly revealing a blurry image. A young woman dressed as one of the cursed Elves. Her golden hair hung loose around her slender shoulders. Her blue eyes held the sheen of the moon. This was the one the Dark lord sought. Isildur's heir could wait. The Coithuliel could be used to break the heir, once found. She appeared so delicate and weak. Breaking her might prove to be both enlightening and satisfying. She would never be able to withstand his Uruk-hai.
The Istari moved slowly, almost mechanically, away from the glowing orb.
"Bring me the one called 'Coithuliel," he said, turning to one of the Uruk-hai.
"Yes, master." The gorilla -like being grunted as he bowed.
The Uruk turned and left the chamber. This would be to easy. Women, especially she-elves were incredibly easy to capture. He grinned foully at the thought of tasting the sweet, tender flesh of this one. Saruman let him have his way with all of the ones that had been captured over the years. None of the she-elves had been difficult to break. With the right mixture of drugs and pain, they had all given up their calm exteriors and cried, begged, or screamed. This one would be no different. She would break just as easily and then the fun would start.
* * *
"She must come, Elrond." The wizard said softly. He could see the rebellion and disbelief in the elf lord's eyes. "She must do what she was born to do. Just as Aragorn must."
"She is too young to understand, Gandalf. You can not force her to do this." The pain in his voice betrayed his feelings for the little she-elf.
"She can not hide any longer, mellon-nîn. You know that. She must finish this."
Elrond's heart ached. How could he send a child of his to die? Though Ithilin was not of his blood, she was still his. Coithuliel or not, she was his child.
"No. I can not let her do this. I can not loose her to the darkness."
"Have you so little faith in her, Elrond?" Gandalf asked, knowing full well what the elf lord was going through. "I know how much you care for her, but would you keep any of your children from doing what they must?"
Elrond sighed heavily, casting his gaze to the floor. He knew that he could protect her no longer. But then what of Legolas and their child, it was too great a risk.
"Gandalf, she is bound."
"Well, well. That is welcome news. To Estel?"
"Thranduil's youngest, Legolas." He answered, turning his gaze to the fire. "I know it wasn't suppose to be this way. I know she was meant to wed Estel, but love can not be controlled."
The Istari smiled warmly at the elf lord. "Nay, mellon-nîn. It can not. Nor should we try. Perhaps it will work out better this way."
"I hope that you are right."
* * *
A cool autumn breeze lifted the gossamer curtains around the bed. Legolas lay on his back, staring at the ceiling. Ithilin lay asleep beside him, curled into his side. Her golden head rested against his bare shoulder. They had not made love, he had been far too jaded by the last twenty years for that. Only when he was ready, would they make love again. It just felt good to have her here. She asked nothing of him. She had not judged him, she just accepted.
He ran his long fingers through her thick mane and kissed her forehead. He loved her more than life. She had accepted what had happened with far more grace than he probably would have if the situations had been reversed. He pulled her closer, almost as if he were trying to become one with her.
"I have missed you, fire of my heart." He whispered into her hair. His eyes glistened with tears. "I do not deserve you."
"Yes, Aníron," she said sleepily, brushing his hair out of her face, "you do deserve me. I would not have bound to you if you didn't."
"Are you upset that we didn't make love tonight?"
"Valar, no." she said propping herself up on her elbow and looking into his sapphire eyes, "Is that all you think I want from you?"
"No. It's just that you have not been with me for so long. I thought you might be disappointed."
Ithilin shook her head, "A little maybe, but you have been hurt deeply. You need time to heal." She sighed softly, "As I said earlier, it will happen when you are ready not before. I am just grateful that you are here."
"Diola lle, a'maelamin." He whispered, his voice tight with emotion.
She straddled his waist, the silken sheets pooling around her hips. Her small hands ran lightly over his chest, making the prince shiver slightly at her touch. She could see the longing in his eyes as he took in her naked form. What she was doing was not meant to arouse, but to strengthen and awaken the bond that had lain dormant for so long.
"Legolas Greenleaf, Thranduilion, Prince of Mirkwood, I call to our bond and awaken it."
The elf prince gasped suddenly as a welcomed fire shot through him. He closed his eyes, opening himself up to the exquisite sensation. His breathing quickened, not wanting the fire to stop coursing through him. Perhaps he could lie with her tonight.
"Nay, mel-nîn." She said hearing his thoughts, "You are not healed yet. I do not do this to arouse."
"I know," he answered breathlessly, "I can not help how I feel."
Ithilin leaned down and kissed him. His callused hands slid up from her slender waist to cup her soft breasts. He broke the kiss and moved his lips to her nipple, his mouth opening slightly to receive the rosy peak. She moaned with pleasure as his tongue danced over the sensitive skin.
"Ai, Legolas!" She breathed as his mouth closed over her nipple and began to suckle it like a babe.
:Just because my body is not responding to my desire, does not mean that I can not pleasure you.: he sent, rolling so that she lay beneath him. :While I have been forced to lie with another, you have gone with out.:
:Yes, but . . .: her mind voice trailed off as her desire for him chased all coherent thought from her mind.
His lips left her breast and trailed down her belly to her navel. Slowly his tongue dipped into the inviting crevice causing her to arch into him and eliciting a higher pitched cry of delight. Her hands were twined in his hair now forcing him to stay where he was.
:You like that?: he asked, his tongue darting in again and received another high pitched moan.
"Amme? Ada?" a young voice called in the starlit darkness.
Legolas sighed. Every night for the past month Ararûn came to say goodnight. Yet it had not been an intrusion until now.
:Sorry.: he sent as he laid down next to her and pulled her close.
:It's all right, Naurorën. That was more than I expected.: Her mind voice laughed as she groped for the sheets and pulled them up over their naked bodies. Though Ararûn was born and raised of elves, neither of them wanted the child to feel embarrassed about walking in on his parents.
"Come in, ion-nîn." Legolas called softly.
"Do both of you have to go?" The boy asked tightly, fearing the answer.
"I wish it were not so, little one, " Ithilin answered as she brushed her son's cheek with her hand. "I know that you are afraid that we will not return, but it is a risk that must be taken."
"But why?" Ararûn crawled onto the bed and settled next to his father. "Amme, Ada, why must you risk your lives on this quest?"
Legolas brushed his son's long blond hair out of his face, chuckling softly. "Ai, Ararûn. You're as bad as your mother, always giving me a face full of hair."
Ararûn laughed and snuggled closer to him. Eventhough the Mirkwood prince had reentered his life only a month ago, the young elf had grown quite attached to his father. He was terrified of loosing both of his parents, but that fear was intensified at the thought of loosing his father. He was just getting to know him.
""Why must you go?"
"Oh, little one," the prince sighed, "Think you that we want to leave you?"
"No." came the sullen answer.
"Then do not fear our leaving. We do this so that you can live in freedom. The Darkness is swallowing up my homeland. It is trying to rid Middle Earth of all that is light and good. Already too many friends have I lost to Darkness not to fight it with all my strength."
"But Ada, I don't want to loose you or Amme. You most of all."
Legolas smiled and kissed the blond head resting against his shoulder, pulling the younger elf closer to him. "Ararûn, no matter what happens, you will never loose me or Amme. Our love for you will never fade. You must always believe that."
For all that his son looked like an adult, he was still very much a child and it would be that way for another eighty years at least. Unfortunately, the child's fears were well founded. Legolas too, had resisted the idea of Ithilin going on this journey. His only concern was for their son, not that she could not handle what possibly lay ahead. He knew his mate well enough not to make the mistake of underestimating her.
"But, then why does Amme have to go?"
"To keep your father and your Uncle Estel out of trouble." Ithilin replied dryly. :He does not know yet, Legolas.:
"I can't imagine why you think that Estel and I would get into trouble?" the prince said innocently, winking at his son with a mischievous sparkle in his blue eyes. :He doesn't need to yet, mel-nîn. It will only frighten him more.:
Ithilin yanked the pillow out from under her mate's head and smacked him with it. "Just because you two are always dragging each other home half dead should be reason enough for me to go along. I doubt that Gandalf and that sorry excuse for a son of Gondor would be able to keep you two from getting killed."
"Aye, Nauredhel, if you don't do me in first." He sat up and planted a kiss on her nose.
Ararûn laughed at the comfortable exchange between his parents. He wished with all his heart that it could always be this way. That they did not have to leave him.
Colors swirled in palantir, slowly revealing a blurry image. A young woman dressed as one of the cursed Elves. Her golden hair hung loose around her slender shoulders. Her blue eyes held the sheen of the moon. This was the one the Dark lord sought. Isildur's heir could wait. The Coithuliel could be used to break the heir, once found. She appeared so delicate and weak. Breaking her might prove to be both enlightening and satisfying. She would never be able to withstand his Uruk-hai.
The Istari moved slowly, almost mechanically, away from the glowing orb.
"Bring me the one called 'Coithuliel," he said, turning to one of the Uruk-hai.
"Yes, master." The gorilla -like being grunted as he bowed.
The Uruk turned and left the chamber. This would be to easy. Women, especially she-elves were incredibly easy to capture. He grinned foully at the thought of tasting the sweet, tender flesh of this one. Saruman let him have his way with all of the ones that had been captured over the years. None of the she-elves had been difficult to break. With the right mixture of drugs and pain, they had all given up their calm exteriors and cried, begged, or screamed. This one would be no different. She would break just as easily and then the fun would start.
* * *
"She must come, Elrond." The wizard said softly. He could see the rebellion and disbelief in the elf lord's eyes. "She must do what she was born to do. Just as Aragorn must."
"She is too young to understand, Gandalf. You can not force her to do this." The pain in his voice betrayed his feelings for the little she-elf.
"She can not hide any longer, mellon-nîn. You know that. She must finish this."
Elrond's heart ached. How could he send a child of his to die? Though Ithilin was not of his blood, she was still his. Coithuliel or not, she was his child.
"No. I can not let her do this. I can not loose her to the darkness."
"Have you so little faith in her, Elrond?" Gandalf asked, knowing full well what the elf lord was going through. "I know how much you care for her, but would you keep any of your children from doing what they must?"
Elrond sighed heavily, casting his gaze to the floor. He knew that he could protect her no longer. But then what of Legolas and their child, it was too great a risk.
"Gandalf, she is bound."
"Well, well. That is welcome news. To Estel?"
"Thranduil's youngest, Legolas." He answered, turning his gaze to the fire. "I know it wasn't suppose to be this way. I know she was meant to wed Estel, but love can not be controlled."
The Istari smiled warmly at the elf lord. "Nay, mellon-nîn. It can not. Nor should we try. Perhaps it will work out better this way."
"I hope that you are right."
* * *
A cool autumn breeze lifted the gossamer curtains around the bed. Legolas lay on his back, staring at the ceiling. Ithilin lay asleep beside him, curled into his side. Her golden head rested against his bare shoulder. They had not made love, he had been far too jaded by the last twenty years for that. Only when he was ready, would they make love again. It just felt good to have her here. She asked nothing of him. She had not judged him, she just accepted.
He ran his long fingers through her thick mane and kissed her forehead. He loved her more than life. She had accepted what had happened with far more grace than he probably would have if the situations had been reversed. He pulled her closer, almost as if he were trying to become one with her.
"I have missed you, fire of my heart." He whispered into her hair. His eyes glistened with tears. "I do not deserve you."
"Yes, Aníron," she said sleepily, brushing his hair out of her face, "you do deserve me. I would not have bound to you if you didn't."
"Are you upset that we didn't make love tonight?"
"Valar, no." she said propping herself up on her elbow and looking into his sapphire eyes, "Is that all you think I want from you?"
"No. It's just that you have not been with me for so long. I thought you might be disappointed."
Ithilin shook her head, "A little maybe, but you have been hurt deeply. You need time to heal." She sighed softly, "As I said earlier, it will happen when you are ready not before. I am just grateful that you are here."
"Diola lle, a'maelamin." He whispered, his voice tight with emotion.
She straddled his waist, the silken sheets pooling around her hips. Her small hands ran lightly over his chest, making the prince shiver slightly at her touch. She could see the longing in his eyes as he took in her naked form. What she was doing was not meant to arouse, but to strengthen and awaken the bond that had lain dormant for so long.
"Legolas Greenleaf, Thranduilion, Prince of Mirkwood, I call to our bond and awaken it."
The elf prince gasped suddenly as a welcomed fire shot through him. He closed his eyes, opening himself up to the exquisite sensation. His breathing quickened, not wanting the fire to stop coursing through him. Perhaps he could lie with her tonight.
"Nay, mel-nîn." She said hearing his thoughts, "You are not healed yet. I do not do this to arouse."
"I know," he answered breathlessly, "I can not help how I feel."
Ithilin leaned down and kissed him. His callused hands slid up from her slender waist to cup her soft breasts. He broke the kiss and moved his lips to her nipple, his mouth opening slightly to receive the rosy peak. She moaned with pleasure as his tongue danced over the sensitive skin.
"Ai, Legolas!" She breathed as his mouth closed over her nipple and began to suckle it like a babe.
:Just because my body is not responding to my desire, does not mean that I can not pleasure you.: he sent, rolling so that she lay beneath him. :While I have been forced to lie with another, you have gone with out.:
:Yes, but . . .: her mind voice trailed off as her desire for him chased all coherent thought from her mind.
His lips left her breast and trailed down her belly to her navel. Slowly his tongue dipped into the inviting crevice causing her to arch into him and eliciting a higher pitched cry of delight. Her hands were twined in his hair now forcing him to stay where he was.
:You like that?: he asked, his tongue darting in again and received another high pitched moan.
"Amme? Ada?" a young voice called in the starlit darkness.
Legolas sighed. Every night for the past month Ararûn came to say goodnight. Yet it had not been an intrusion until now.
:Sorry.: he sent as he laid down next to her and pulled her close.
:It's all right, Naurorën. That was more than I expected.: Her mind voice laughed as she groped for the sheets and pulled them up over their naked bodies. Though Ararûn was born and raised of elves, neither of them wanted the child to feel embarrassed about walking in on his parents.
"Come in, ion-nîn." Legolas called softly.
"Do both of you have to go?" The boy asked tightly, fearing the answer.
"I wish it were not so, little one, " Ithilin answered as she brushed her son's cheek with her hand. "I know that you are afraid that we will not return, but it is a risk that must be taken."
"But why?" Ararûn crawled onto the bed and settled next to his father. "Amme, Ada, why must you risk your lives on this quest?"
Legolas brushed his son's long blond hair out of his face, chuckling softly. "Ai, Ararûn. You're as bad as your mother, always giving me a face full of hair."
Ararûn laughed and snuggled closer to him. Eventhough the Mirkwood prince had reentered his life only a month ago, the young elf had grown quite attached to his father. He was terrified of loosing both of his parents, but that fear was intensified at the thought of loosing his father. He was just getting to know him.
""Why must you go?"
"Oh, little one," the prince sighed, "Think you that we want to leave you?"
"No." came the sullen answer.
"Then do not fear our leaving. We do this so that you can live in freedom. The Darkness is swallowing up my homeland. It is trying to rid Middle Earth of all that is light and good. Already too many friends have I lost to Darkness not to fight it with all my strength."
"But Ada, I don't want to loose you or Amme. You most of all."
Legolas smiled and kissed the blond head resting against his shoulder, pulling the younger elf closer to him. "Ararûn, no matter what happens, you will never loose me or Amme. Our love for you will never fade. You must always believe that."
For all that his son looked like an adult, he was still very much a child and it would be that way for another eighty years at least. Unfortunately, the child's fears were well founded. Legolas too, had resisted the idea of Ithilin going on this journey. His only concern was for their son, not that she could not handle what possibly lay ahead. He knew his mate well enough not to make the mistake of underestimating her.
"But, then why does Amme have to go?"
"To keep your father and your Uncle Estel out of trouble." Ithilin replied dryly. :He does not know yet, Legolas.:
"I can't imagine why you think that Estel and I would get into trouble?" the prince said innocently, winking at his son with a mischievous sparkle in his blue eyes. :He doesn't need to yet, mel-nîn. It will only frighten him more.:
Ithilin yanked the pillow out from under her mate's head and smacked him with it. "Just because you two are always dragging each other home half dead should be reason enough for me to go along. I doubt that Gandalf and that sorry excuse for a son of Gondor would be able to keep you two from getting killed."
"Aye, Nauredhel, if you don't do me in first." He sat up and planted a kiss on her nose.
Ararûn laughed at the comfortable exchange between his parents. He wished with all his heart that it could always be this way. That they did not have to leave him.