35. Fool Me Twice
"Aragorn?" Legolas stood on the threshold of the half open door, peering into the room. The fire had been lit in the hearth and it cast a warm glow around the empty room. The prince of Mirkwood slipped into the bedchamber with a frown, his keen eyes searching out his young friend.
He detected the faintest movement coming from the terrace and he stepped out into the cool night air. Aragorn sat on the very edge of the terrace, his legs dangling between the railings, his shoulders slumped and his head resting against the delicately carved wood.
"I made a fool of myself." The young human said softly. The elf smiled at the familiar picture, his memory turning back to a time not so very long ago where a boy had sat where the man did now.
"Nay," Legolas replied, crossing the terrace to sit beside the mortal. "You spoke truthfully. You showed more wisdom than some of the firstborn who reside in this house."
"I never believed for a moment that she would care for me as more than a friend." Aragorn whispered. "I only wanted to be near her. I knew my heart would be broken but I had hoped that I might have more than a few days with her first."
"Your brothers did not mean to harm you." Legolas said gently, laying a hand on the young human's shoulder.
"I know." he sighed "I do not blame them."
"You should." the elf frowned, "Their actions were reckless and unkind. It is not for them to say whom Arwen shall love, that is for her alone."
"Who am I that she would give up her life simply to be with me?" Aragorn frowned, his voice unsteady as his fingers tightened around the railing.
"You are the heir of Isildur." Legolas replied "You are the son of kings, of the line of Elros. The blood of the Firstborn and the Miar flows in your veins. Remember these things son of Arathorn. You are no less a noble lord than the greatest of the Eldar."
"I would give anything, simply to hold her hand once more." Aragorn said softly, tilting his head back to look up at the stars.
"Tell her." Legolas urged "Go to her and tell her, she will know the truth when she hears it."
"Tell her what?" Aragorn sighed "That I love her? Ask her to give up everything for me? Break the heart of the only father I have ever known? I could not do that to Elrond. I could not do that to her."
"Estel," Legolas said with a smile "she has been happy with you, happier than I have known her to be in hundreds of years. If you love her then you will find a way."
"I am curious about one thing." Orophin said with a half smile, glancing at Meril out of the corner of his eye. "If my company is so irksome why is it you saw fit to keep all the flowers I sent you?" He was sure he caught the faintest hint of a blush to her cheeks as they walked beneath the trees, the moonlight casing a silver gleam over her golden head.
"They were roses." she replied simply, as if it were the most natural explanation in the world.
"It seemed fitting." he said, tilting his head to see her face. There was a moments hesitation in her expression and then she sighed.
"When I was small Ada would bring me a rose every day. He called me Meril nin." She said with a sad, far off smile. "He was Captain of the Guard and he would put me on his shoulders and carry me to the ranges to watch the training. I told him I wanted to be one of the guards so he had me a tunic made, only mine had roses embroidered on it instead of Imladris ivy." Orophin chuckled at the thought of a very small Meril dressed as a guard and brandishing her tiny wooden blade.
"I would bet you were lovely even then." he smiled fondly "Did he sail West?"
"He was killed by orcs." Meril replied, her voice cracking only slightly. Orophin stopped, laying a gentle hand on her arm.
"Meril, I am so sorry." he said softly, "I understand if you despise warriors."
"I do not despise warriors, Orophin." Meril replied in frustration, folding her arms over her chest and stepping away from him. "For much of my life I wished to be one!"
"Meril, I do not understand." he said, shaking his head as if to clear it. "Your skill with the bow is better than mine. You are resourceful, brilliant, determined. Glorfindel would be a fool not to offer you a place among the guard."
"Glorfindel did offer me a place among the guard." she said with a small voice, hanging her head. "I turned him down."
"Meril why?" he asked in bewilderment.
"To wed the one I loved." she replied. Orophin stared at her in silence as she settled on one of the garden benches with a heavy sigh. Her fingers brushed the pale pink rose on the bush beside the bench and hesitantly he took a seat beside her, waiting for her explanation.
"Goleron was a diplomat from Mithlond." Meril said softly "We met when he traveled here to meet with Elrond. He was wise, noble, charming and I adored him. We would come here to the garden and he would tell me how radiant I would look standing on the docks of the havens in the moonlight."
"You would." Orophin said "But then I can not think of any place in all Arda where you would not be beautiful." Meril laughed, looking up at him with tear stained eyes.
"Goleron said the same." She replied, her lip trembling slightly. "When he left he promised to return soon and that we would always be together."
"He never returned." Orophin said.
"Oh, he returned." Meril replied, Orophin looked at her with surprise "more than two years later... with his wife."
"Oh, Meril." Orophin felt his throat constrict as a single tear trickled down her cheek.
"When I confronted him, he told me I was a foolish child." she continued, her hair hiding her face as she stared at her feet. "That he would never bind himself to a mere archer who would only be a hindrance to his ambitions."
"Meril meleth," Orophin whispered, caressing her cheek as he turned her eyes to meet his own. "He was a fool."
"On the day I sail from Mithlond I want to be on the arm of an elf that Goleron could never hope to equal." She said with a shaky voice, her eyes blazing "I want him to know he was wrong. I want him to realize that he lost a princess to marry a courtier. I want him to see what he threw away."
"Meril?" Orophin knelt beside her as she looked away again, taking her hand in his. He could almost feel the ache of rejection and he swallowed hard. "Will you be happy?"
"What?" She blinked back tears as she looked down into his upturned face.
"Would you be happy?" he asked again "If you could see him greet you as royalty. If you could look into his eyes and see his regret. If you could shame him for what he did, punish him as he deserves would your heart be free again?"
"Why are you asking me this?" she shook her head. Orophin gently brushed the tears from her cheeks as they began to fall, unbidden.
"I want you to be happy." He said tenderly "You should be happy. I want you to live all the ages of the world content and at peace. I wish to see your smile, to know that you have all that you have ever wanted."
"Orophin, why would you even care?" she asked miserably.
"Because I love you." He replied, his voice like the whisper of a summer breeze "I only wish for you to be happy. I wish you could be happy with me but I can give you nothing that you seek. If I must loose you to another then I want to know you are happy with him. I do not want to see you sorrow any longer." He could feel the tears stinging his eyes as she stared down at him, completely speechless, tears of hurt and confusion running in rivulets down her face, unnoticed. He kissed her hand and then her cheek, gazing into her eyes with a tender smile.
"Be happy, Meleth nin." Orophin whispered "that is all I ask."
"The Hall of Fire seemed quite empty tonight." Glorfindel said as Elrond filled his wine glass.
"Aye," Erestor agreed, as Elrond set the bottle aside and stretched back in his chair. "I wonder where the young ones have all wandered off too.
"Autumn is always like that." Elrond sighed, staring into the fire. He seldom took the time to enjoy a relaxing evening with his friends any more but the events of the day had made his thoughts dwell in places he did not care to linger and he had invited his advisors to join him in his study. "Winter comes soon and they spend every moment out of doors that they can."
"Well, it is difficult to tryst in the Hall of Fire," Glorfindel smirked "one must make up for lost time."
"I haven't the faintest notion why they behave like that." Elrond said with a sigh. "Their mother and I never did." both advisors choked on their wine and Glorfindel burst into laughter as Erestor stifled his snort of amusement.
"Really Elrond." Erestor replied to the disdainful expression of the Lord of Imladris "The two of you could not keep your hands to yourself!"
"We were already wed!" Elrond said defensively.
"And before that?" Glorfindel prodded.
"Do not tell me you do not remember!" Elrond said hotly "She would not even let me kiss her, I thought she hated me." His last words were said in a whisper and his advisors exchanged knowing glances.
"It has been too long since there was a Lady of Imladris." Elrond continued. "I have missed Arwen nearly as much as I have missed her mother."
"Well, there will soon be a new lady of the house." Glorfindel said with a grin, changing the subject. He shook his head at the look of total confusion on Elrond's face.
"Do not tell me you have not noticed Elladan and Eirien." Erestor demanded, rolling his eyes.
"Apparently I do not notice a great many things." Elrond snapped, wincing at his own sharp tone as he tried to ignore the curios glances his advisors shared.
"Is there something you wish to unburden yourself of?" Glorfindel asked, swirling the contents of his goblet absently.
"No." Elrond stared pensively into the fire. He feared to speak his dread as if saying the words aloud would give them truth. He had seen it so clearly as only one who loved could see. He had seen the blind adoration in the eyes of his foster son. That in and of itself did not bother him, many were the elves who had pursued Arwen Undomiel and none of them had received more than kind regard for their trouble. If anything that fact would only make him pity Estel. A man he might be now but a young man whose heart could be easily crushed. No it was not Estel's feelings that troubled him.
It was what he had seen in the eyes of his daughter. Eyes swirling with emotion and uncertainty, like a diver standing on the precipice fearing the plunge. Unsure but tempted. He was not at all certain whether or not she returned Estel's feelings and that troubled him more than he could say. In the past he would have seen the disinterest plain in her expression. None of that had been present and he feared that most of all.
"You work too much." It was Erestor who broke the silence and Elrond felt a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Aye, I work too much." he nodded. Erestor looked taken aback and he turned to frown at Glorfindel.
"He was much easier to manage when he disagreed with everything I said." Erestor stated flatly "I haven't the faintest notion what to do with him when he simply capitulates."
"Do not look to me for aid." Glorfindel said with a smirk, "I have none to give." All three elves looked up as they sensed a presence. Galadriel stood, framed in the doorway, her gaze unwavering.
"I wished to speak to you a moment, Lord Elrond." She said, her voice like the sound of water. Immediately Erestor and Glorfindel stood to their feet, excusing themselves and offering their respects as they left. Elrond stood as well, moving to the window to hide his smile. No elf nor mortal, nor even the forces of darkness could clear a room with the swiftness of Galadriel.
"You know why I have come to speak to you." She said simply. Elrond nodded slowly, his smile fading to a frown.
"It is impossible." He said, emptying his glass. Galadriel smiled, her expression almost teasing.
"Is that so, Elrond... Peredhil?"
"I know what you would say." he replied, turning to face her "You will speak of Tuor and Beren and of the salvation of all we hold dear but Idril and Luthien were the daughters of other elves, not mine!"
"What will you do then?" She asked, her words serene. "Will you part them by force? Will you lock your daughter in the bell tower? Will you cast the heir of Isildur out of Imladris? Will you kill him? Would you draw your sword and slay your own son?"
"I cannot leave her here to die." He whispered, his hands trembling as he set his glass aside. "I will lose Estel and I cannot bear it. That alone is too much. Do not ask me to give up Arwen as well."
"It is not yours to give or deny." Galadriel said gently, crossing the room to lay a hand on his arm "It is not in your power to command their hearts, ion nin. It is only yours to help or hinder. If you stand between them you will only bring them harm. This I have seen with my own eyes. Do not make Thingol's mistake."
"Then you ask me to bury my son and daughter side by side," He said miserably, "bound forever in death."
"No," she said with a tender smile, brushing the tear from his cheek with a delicate hand. "I ask you to see that she is happy... no mater what the cost."
Elladan's heart was thudding in his chest as he mounted the steps, Indelin cradled in his arms. She buried her face in his tunic to hide the soft blush creeping up her cheeks, her arms were twined around his neck.
He kissed her temple, holding her tighter as he carried her up the last few steps and down the hall. He paused in front of his door, fumbling with the latch as Indelin tangled her fingers in his hair. He was pleased to find their suite completely empty and he crossed the sitting room, slipping past the curtain that hung over the door to his own bedchamber.
Pale starlight filtered through the windows as the autumn breeze stirred the curtains and he could feel his arms shaking as he approached the bed. He laid Indelin on the bed smiling at the nervous giggle that escaped her lips. The moon shone on her delicate features as she smiled up at him nervously. Her fingers still laced behind his neck as he leaned over her.
"Melethrill," he breathed softly, caressing her cheek. He smiled as she took his face in her hands, her thumb lightly tracing his lip.
"I'm nervous." Indelin whispered, trying not to giggle. Elladan's smile broadened and he took her hand, brushing a feather light kiss on her palm.
"It is all right," he soothed, smoothing the hair back from her face and kissing the tip of her nose before moving closer and whispering in her ear "so am I." Elladan chuckled as she fought to stifle her giggle and he drew his arms around her.
"How do we start?" she asked self-consciously, biting her lip as she let her fingers brush over the ties on the front of his tunic. Without a word he sat up, removing his tunic and boots and shedding his shirt, his eyes never leaving hers.
Indelin's cheeks colored, her breathing growing uneven as she watched him undress, her eyes drinking him in. He drew his arms around her once more as he stretched out beside her on the bed and she smiled shyly breathing in the scent of his skin as he kissed her forehead.
"We do not need to rush." Elladan whispered, trailing tiny kisses along her jaw. He paused to capture her lips in a sensual kiss, lingering to kiss her again and again until she was gasping, her fingers gripping his muscled arms.
"I love you." she said breathlessly, smiling up at him with adoring eyes.
"As I love you." he replied. Indelin's fingers hesitantly brushed over his bare shoulders, her exploration so tentative and innocent. Elladan gave the slightest shudder as her hands glided over his chest and she grinned. She let out a gasp as his hand shifted from her waist to her hip and she looked into his eyes.
"Indelin, meleth?" he questioned softly, his fingers skimming up her body to her breast. She gasped, closing her eyes at his gentle caress. She felt his soft breath against her cheek and she let out a moan as he covered the tip of her ear in a heated kiss.
"Did you like that?" he teased with a tender smile. she could only nod breathlessly as she met his gaze. He shifted his weight, sliding his hands beneath her shoulders and undoing the buttons of her gown. Her cheeks flamed red as he slid the filmy fabric down her arms, exposing her breasts and he kissed her tenderly, his fingers gliding over her silken skin.
Her senses reeled as he trailed fiery kisses over her breasts, one hand tangling in her hair as the other slid beneath her gown to gently knead her thigh.
Elladan watched her with fascination, distracted from his own desires by the sound of her sweet voice whimpering in pleasure as his fingers stroked and teased. She stifled her moans against his shoulder clutching at him as if holding on for dear life. He crushed her in his arms shifting on top of her as she wrapped her arms around his chest.
"I love you Indelin." he whispered, tasting her sweet lips "With all my heart. You have brought me to life again." She pulled him into a passionate kiss and he silenced her cry as their bodies joined. He smiled as he felt her move beneath him and he kissed her tenderly as he set a slow, sensuous pace, holding her tighter in his arms. The beginning of immortal years unnumbered that they would spend in each others arms. His hands caressed her, bringing her closer and closer to the edge of release until she cried out and he followed.
"Indelin, meleth nin." he whispered in her ear as she nuzzled his cheek. "thank you."
"For what?" she asked, looking up at him with innocent eyes.
"For teaching me to love again," he said with a tender smile "to hope again, for loving me despite my faults and foolishness. For all that you are."
"Oh Elladan," She sighed happily, squeezing him around the chest until he let out a laugh "I love you."
Meril - rose
ion nin - my son
melethrill - lover
peredhil - half-elven
Author's note - Thanks for all the great reviews everyone. RL has been really really busy lately so it has been all I can do to find time to write. But all the feedback is really appreciated!
