The Lost City Of Cirus
Author's Note:
Good to see a new name amongst the reviews, I hope you continue to enjoy this fic and I hope everyone else is still finding some enjoyment in it.
WARNING the chapter contains slash (don't look at me like that, it was bound to happen. If you're at all uncomfortable with this then feel free not to read on, I'm not forcing you in anyway) and mild adult content.
Fifteen
A Stranger Comes TodaySoft footfalls hurried beneath the cover the trees provided and a lithe body slumped itself against an unyielding tree trunk. Breathing heavily the cloaked figure glanced first to their left, back out of the forest, before turning to the right to gaze into the depths of the woods.
After allowing themselves a moment to rest the figure pushed off from the tree they had been leaning against and began to hurry deeper into the forest. Legs clad in soft brown leather strode out as they began to pick up speed, desperate to hide themselves deeper in the forest.
A quick glance over the shoulder confirmed that one had seen them entering as it appeared no one was following. Eyes turned back to the direction their feet were walking only to stop dead as they came level with the tip of an arrow.
"Well, well. Whom is it that has chosen to grace us with their presence." A coy Haldir purred as he began to circle the stranger.
"Please forgive me, I don't mean to intrude but I'm looking for help. Would the Lord or Lady of Lothlórien have time to see me?"
Haldir raised an eyebrow; clearly this one was no Elf. He chuckled quietly to himself before circling round to stand in front of the stranger.
"You will proceed no further into the woods of Lothlórien until you have told me your name and where you are from."
"I……" the stranger shifted uneasily as they glanced about at the circle of archers.
"Tell me who you are and I'll take you straight to them." A lie from Haldir's lips of course but the Elf was simply dying to know who was hidden beneath the dark hood.
"I can't. It's most important that I see them. I've already been to Rivendell to seek out Lord Elrond but was told he had left for Gondor, I fear your Lord and Lady may be only ones left who can help me."
"Tell me who you are!" Haldir screamed as he whipped the hood from the stranger's head.
Piercing blue eyes stared at Haldir in shock. They took a step back as a strange look passed over Haldir's face.
"My, you are a pretty one aren't you? Even prettier then the last cloaked stranger we had in here. But then she didn't have quite the finely muscled figure you do." He grasped the young mans arms and pulled him towards him. The other male tried to pull away and glared defiantly at the Elf.
"You have no right to touch me as you are now. I suggest you let go."
Haldir only laughed at this and pulled him closer so that the cloaked man could feel the Elf's hot breath pass over his ear as he spoke.
"You will be mine to do with as I please before the day is out. Once my Lord and Lady know that a man is sneaking about in their woods they will not be pleased at all." The blue-eyed stranger looked confused for a moment before realization struck him.
"No you don't understand! I'm not…" His plea was cut off by a slap across the face from Haldir. He looked back at the Elf in shock.
"You will hold your tongue, Man. Bind him, and gag him too."
The man struggled hard as the archers surrounding him took hold of his arms and bound them behind his back at the wrists. A white cloth was then pushed past his lips and pulled around to tie at the back of his head, successfully gagging him. As he struggled the weapons about his waist clattered together and Haldir reached beneath his cloak to pull them free. He found the weapons were attached to some sort of belt, so leaning up against the other he reached around to untie said belt. Once pulled free the Elf held up what appeared to be a silver scarf, serving as a belt. From which hung a large sword and what, on first glance, appeared to be a coiled chain of sorts. On closer inspection it was revealed that the chain had a nasty bite, mainly in the form of tiny spikes protruding from the metals surface.
"Armed I see?" Haldir held the scarf and weapons aloft "Now why would someone seeking our help come into our woods armed with such vicious looking weapons?" The Elf then smirked and tied a white blindfold over the man's eyes. "Such a shame we have to hide those pretty eyes."
This only caused him to struggle more and it wasn't until the Elves had thrown a rope about his neck and begun to lead him like a dog through the forest that he ceased. Mostly he hoped if he simply went with them he would be able to explain himself to Celeborn and Galadriel, however there was also the nasty side affect of struggling against the rope about his neck, in that it tightened every time he did so.
As Haldir, his small band of archers and their captive entered the central hub of Lothlórien Galadriel, Celeborn and Elrond were already waiting for them. Elrond now wore the flowing robes he was usually found dressed in, as the Elves of Lothlórien had made him some to wear during his stay so that he did not have to go about in his armour. Haldir smiled proudly at his Lord and Lady as he shoved his captive forward, effectively causing him to stumble and fall, face first to the ground, his hands still bound behind his back.
"Lady Galadriel, Lord Celeborn. I have a here a mortal man who was caught sneaking about the borders of our woods, armed," he added as he tossed the sliver scarf and weapons it held to the ground beside the fallen captive.
A muffled objection came from the man lying upon the ground and he lifted his head, still blindfolded, in an attempt to dislodge the gag.
"Remove his blindfold and gag please Haldir" Galadriel asked calmly. Haldir complied, first removing the blindfold, followed by the gag.
Elrond gasped as the piercing blue eyes blinked at the sudden onslaught of light. He looked down upon the man whose electric blue eyes and flame red hair, which was short and spiky at the top while it had been allowed to grow a little longer down the back of his neck, struck recognition in Elrond's mind. He knelt beside him and lifted the man's chin to look him in the eye.
"Pandion?" Elrond was filled with hope, as he was sure this man was none other than the Prince of Rocs, it could be no one else.
"Elrond." He gasped in disbelief. "Is it really you? I went to Rivendell to find you but they told me you'd gone to Gondor and I dared not follow you there."
Elrond smiled down at the handsome Prince before he turned now cold grey eyes up to Haldir who looked like his very soul had fled his body, leaving nothing but an empty shell standing.
"Unbind him at once you fool! He is no intruder! Pandion is the Prince of the Rocs and you have treated him with even more disrespect than you did his sister!" Elrond stood, eyes still locked with Haldir's.
Pandion shot the Elven Lord a questioning glance but it went unnoticed.
Haldir was frozen to the spot so Galadriel bent to untie the Roc's hands. She smiled at him and helped him to his feet, he gathered up his weaponry and retied the silver scarf about his hips. He proceeded to brush himself off before turning and staring defiantly at Haldir.
"Haldir." Celeborn's voice was laced with ice. "My I have a word?" This of course was not a request, rather more an order that the Lord expected to be obeyed. He proceeded to walk off, not even bothering to check that the Marchwarden was following, which of course, he was.
Everyone watched them go until they disappeared off into the woods before anyone spoke.
"Prince Pandion, I only hope you can forgive the most rude welcome you received from my Marchwarden."
"I suppose I'm partly to blame. I didn't tell him my name or where I was from, nor did I reveal myself in my Half form. I was just so unsure, coming back here, as to who were still our friends and who were our enemies. I flew most of the way before changing into my Final form and dressing myself as much like a Man as I could managed." He indicated the brown leather pants and tunic, which had a white 'V' down its front, as well as the dark cloak he wore with a sweep of his hand. "I dared not give my name when I was still so unsure as to whether Lothlórien would offer me sanctuary."
"Haldir has a reputation for acting with little thought behind his actions. I can understand clearly why you would be hiding your identity but you are safe now and free to stay as long as you please." She smiled at him and he bowed politely.
"Thank you Lady Galadriel, I appreciate the gesture but I really came in hopes of finding Aquila so I can help her with whatever she's doing in some way."
"You'll want to speak with Lord Elrond then. I really only saw your sister in passing, he has had significantly more contact with her over the past few days." Galadriel smiled over at Elrond who had still yet to take his eyes of the Roc.
"Yes, I have indeed spent a significant time with Aquila recently. If you have the time I can tell you all you want to know."
"I have all the time in the world. I have nowhere to be." He looked saddened as he said this and Galadriel was quick to slip off and leave the two to themselves.
Elrond lead the Prince of the Rocs to a more secluded part of the forest where they could speak of the events of the past few days without being disturbed nor alarming any of the residents of Lothlórien who still knew little of that which arose from the sea.
They finally settled on a small clearing off in the forest somewhere where a long since fallen tree provided a hollow trunk to sit on. They sat and for a moment neither said anything. Elrond was waiting for Pandion to ask him something while Pandion desperately tried to get the words that had formed in his mind past his lips.
"Aquila came to you then?" He finally managed.
"Yes, she went to the Western shores before though. I assume she wanted, like myself, to confirm suspicions. From what she'd told me she went there and then came straight to me for help. What made you change your mind?"
"Huh?"
"She said she'd asked for you to come with her but you'd refused, yet here you are."
"Oh." He directed his gaze to the forest floor before he looked back up at Elrond.
He expected the grey eyes to look back at him with distain for not helping his sister when she had asked for it. Instead they were filled with compassion and understanding.
"I know what it's like to loose someone. You feel like your whole world has collapsed around you, leaving you trapped on a small island with nothing but an expanse of nothingness around you. One step either way and you will cease to exist. I at least still had my sons to keep me going. What happed to you must have felt horrible."
"I loved my children so much, they were everything to me. I lived to watch them grow and learn. Over the years I had grown rather fond of Haliaëtus too. I can't say it was love, not the kind everyone speaks of, when you know you're meant to be with that one person for all of your immortal life. It was never like that with her. I enjoyed her company and she enjoyed mine, the marriage worked well for both of us and we left it at that. Once the first child came though I think we began to grow closer and fonder of each other. I would have easily been content with her." He smiled a small half smile and Elrond placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Piercing blue eyes looked over at the Elf and Elrond was lost in them for a short moment.
"Enough about such awful things though. What is done is done and no matter how much we wish it the past cannot be undone. I have spent all the days since I was told the news grieving for their loss, I will grieve no more. I have come here to take action against this injustice, just as Aquila did. It's just taken me a little while to catch up is all." He chuckled lightly.
Elrond was horrified beyond belief by how much of a broken spirit Pandion had become. The young man he remembered had a fiery spirit that matched his hair. He had been a born leader and faced anything that came his way with a sly grin. Even Elrond's own sons who were terribly head strong looked small when they had stood beside their friend. Yet here was the same Roc, bent forward with slumped shoulders. He looked frailer then Elrond remembered too, he had always had a slim but muscular frame yet somehow now that seemed diminished.
"She'll be glad to hear you've come. Even if you are a little late." Pandion smiled at that.
"Speaking of Aquila still no one has told me where she is. You say she came to seek help from you in Rivendell?"
"Yes she did and we held council over it with several other Elves and decided the issue was best brought to the attention of King Elessar." Pandion looked confused. "King of Gondor." The Rocs eyes widened at that and he shifted a little away from Elrond.
"You sent my sister to the City of Men?" He sounded mortified by this but Elrond only laughed.
"No, she came willingly with myself, Legolas and some others." Pandion visibly cheered at the mention of a name he recognized.
"Legolas. He went with you too? Where is he now?"
"Riding to Mirkwood as we speak" Elrond grinned and raised a delicately curved eyebrow before he continued "with your sister."
Pandion stared wide-eyed at the Elf, mouth slightly agape. He was not quite sure what to make of this and didn't want to make a big deal of it in case Elrond was only playing games with him to see how he would respond.
"They are riding to Mirkwood together?" The Elf merely nodded "What for?"
"After we talked things over with King Elessar we decided the best course of action was to rally all willing armies in Middle Earth and prepare for war, in case it came. We rode here first and I have remained to ride with the Lothlórien Elves back to Gondor in two days. While Legolas and Aquila have continued on to gather Mirkwood's forces before they seek the help of the Dwarves in Aglarond."
"Oh." Pandion could not hide the disappointment in his voice "I supposed King Thranduil has already ensured his only son has married by now." Elrond shook his head and smiled as Pandion began to smile.
"I can only assume by your reaction Lord Elrond that things between Legolas and Aquila have not changed?"
"On the contrary, I think any feelings they have harboured for each other over the years have suddenly blossomed into something more but I don't think either quite knows how to go from being friends to lovers."
"I hope they do something about it soon. She was so upset when we left and the only thing I could do to keep her happy was to tell her that one day we'd return to Middle Earth and she could see him again. Suppose it's worked out nicely that neither has married."
Elrond laughed and shook his head in agreement.
"I imagine it would do wonders for both your kingdom and his for them to marry."
"Without a doubt, it might even cheer father up. Course I'm not going to be the one to push Aquila into something she doesn't want because it's for the good of the kingdom. I think sometimes I live the freedom I could have had through her, I'd hate to loose it for the both of us."
"But you're free now aren't you?"
"Not as free as I'd like to be. All I've done is run away from my responsibilities, I have not been set free of them. You forget both my heirs were killed, if one had lived I could have told father I was in too much grief to ever assume the throne and my child could have ruled instead, when the time came. Now I'm back where I started, wifeless, heirless and loveless."
"I think you're too late to catch Legolas or Aquila unless you fly, and that I do not advise." Elrond attempted to steer the conversation away from such depressing thoughts.
He wanted to bring Pandion out of his depression not push him further into it.
"However, if you like, you could ride with me and the Lothlórien Elves to Gondor. Aquila and Legolas will eventually catch up with us there."
"I think I might do that Elrond, besides it would be nice to surprise Aquila by beating her there."
"Yes. Though I can only imagine what King Elessar will have to say about me bringing a second Roc into his city."
Pandion laughed loudly and Elrond smiled as he waited patiently for the Roc to compose himself. When Pandion finally managed to catch his breath he looked across at Elrond.
"Want to hear something silly?" He asked, a mischievous sparkle in his eye.
There was the fiery spirit Elrond remembered and he raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
"Back when we used to live here, I was infatuated with you." Pandion kept his eyes locked with Elrond's eager to see the response he'd get from his admission.
Elrond looked at the other in disbelief. Pandion took advantage of the Elf's silence to continue.
"That's why I spent so much of my time in Rivendell. Don't get me wrong, Elladan and Elrohir are two of the best friends I've ever had but they were not the reason I visited so often. I came to see you. I don't know what it was about you that intrigued me so but I desired you like I have no other. Didn't you ever think it strange that I visited as often as I did?" Pandion tipped his head to the side and waited patiently for Elrond to find his voice again.
"I just thought you had an unusual kinship with my sons." The Elf swallowed hard as Pandion flashed him a devilish grin and moved closer.
"Some of my fondest memories are of times I spent with the twins but even they must have thought my visits excessive. Especially once I was old enough for father to allow me to travel to Rivendell on my own. For awhile I thought perhaps if I spent more time around you the feelings would dissipate, like some boyhood crush, but they only got stronger and now that I've had a chance to be near you again……I think I still feel the same way."
Pandion was quick to press his lips to Elrond's in a brash kiss. Before the Elf even had a chance to react to the kiss the other's lips were removed and he found himself staring into bright blue eyes full of mischief, desire, hope and love.
Elrond was only caught in his gaze for a moment before he grasped Pandion's wrist and pulled him up against him as he crushed his lips to the Roc's. Pandion was a little shocked that the Elven Lord would even return the kiss and wondered if the feelings he had expressed were returned too. For the moment, however, he didn't care. All he cared for was the feeling of the Lord's lips upon his own and that of a delicate hand sliding up his back.
It was Elrond who broke the kiss, pulling back from Pandion. Elrond had not expected to see fear flash in the other's eyes as he did so, and nor did he. The Elf chuckled to himself. Pandion, always so sure of himself that nothing he did would ever cause the Roc embarrassment or shame, he probably knew the feeling of neither.
After giving the Elf a momentary quizzical look the Roc lunged forward to initiate another coupling of their lips when Elrond drew back again.
"Pandion" Elrond's breathing was coming out heavier than usual and Pandion smirked at this, knowing full well the cause. "You're not the only one with something silly to confess." Pandion sat back to allow the Elf more room to steady his breathing so that his sentences didn't come out in ragged gasps.
"Ever since your father first brought you to Imladris, as a boy, I've been enchanted by you. However you were far too young for me to be even thinking such thoughts so I forced myself not to think them. But then you grew, and as you grew you became more beautiful to me then you have ever been before."
For Elrond beautiful was the only way to describe the creature before him. It was somehow more fitting than the 'handsome' most men were called.
"But too grew my feelings for you. I dared not act upon them though, not just because I feared you did not return them, but because your father would never have allowed such a relationship to exist."
"Don't be silly, there are plenty of same sex couplings amongst the Rocs. Like Elves, through our immortality we have always accepted that companionship should be sought where ever it can be found." Elrond laughed lightly and shook his head.
"No, not for the reason we are both males, well not the reason you are suggesting. Neither the Elves nor Rocs, as I understand it, would have a problem with that. No, your father would have disapproved because you were his first born and heir to the throne and no children could come from a relationship between two males."
"Which would mean no future heirs for the kingdom." Pandion sighed in disappointment. "So you and I have been unhappy for two thousand years because of my duty to my kingdom?"
Elrond simply shook his head in response.
"Well then." Pandion purred as he lifted himself from the log they were sitting on. Fluidly he placed a hand upon the log to either side of Elrond and leaned into the Elf with a sly smirk. "We have an awful lot of happiness to catch up on."
Their lips met in a brutal kiss, each demanding domination of the other. A soft gasp from Elrond as Pandion pushed his body up against him allowed the Roc's tongue access into the Elf's hot mouth and soon the battle for domination was being fought by entwining tongues.
In an attempt to get Elrond to submit to him Pandion pressed harder against the Elf's body, effectively toppling them both backwards off the log. The air swiftly left Elrond's lungs as his back connected hard with the ground. Pandion, who had ended up on top of him was merely laughing.
"I'm glad you find it so funny."
He smiled seductively down at the Elf.
"It didn't work out quite how I'd planed but I still have you right where I want you." Again his lips descended upon Elrond's and Pandion took the Elf's lower lip between his teeth and gently nibbled at it.
Not taking too kindly to being on the bottom Elrond raised himself up on his elbows as he fought back to try and gain dominance of the searing kiss. He reached a hand up and ran long, delicate fingers through the Roc's red hair. Not orange, no orange would be a fairly normal colour compared to Pandion's, his was red, bright red, like the centre of a hot burring fire. Oh how Elrond burned for him at that moment. He grasped a fistful of the slightly spiky hair and pulled the Roc's head back roughly.
He gasped as his tilted head exposed the pale flesh of his neck to the Elven Lord beneath him. However, just as Elrond's lips was about to descend upon the exposed neck he stopped and looked over Pandion's shoulder.
"Did you hear that?" The Roc gave him a quizzical look and shook his head but Elrond was not convinced.
Still holding Pandion's head in place by his hair the Elf listened intently to see if the noise would come again. Just as he was about to give up on it and resume their game he sat up, taking Pandion with him, and looked back at the Roc with wide eyes.
"I think we may have some company."
Pandion needed no further prompting as he stood and allowed Elrond to do the same. The two quickly resumed their seats upon the fallen log. Pandion had to sit with his legs crossed to hide the evidence of how pleasing he had found their most recent activities, as his tight breeches did not. Elrond's long flowing robes offered much concealment and so he was saved the uncomfortableness that Pandion was suffering.
Neither was ashamed of what they had been doing, maybe a little for doing it so brazenly out in the open. They were more worried about being discovered before they had really had a chance to explore one another and their long kept feelings.
Intelligently Elrond struck up a light-hearted conversation with Pandion about his journey to Lothlórien so that when their company did arrive there would be no need for suspicion.
They didn't need to wait long before a male Lothlórien Elf walked purposefully into the small glade.
"Lord Elrond, your Highness." He bowed to each and the two nodded back. "My Lord and Lady have sent me to ask whether or not you will be joining them for dinner this evening?"
Lord Elrond looked to Pandion whose brow rose. All the Elf really wanted to do was take him back to his talan and spent the rest of the evening in the throws of passion. Dutifully though he knew better then to offend their hosts.
"I believe we shall." Elrond answered for both of them. The Lothlórien Elf nodded.
"I will tell them you will be along shortly then?"
Elrond nodded and sent the Elf away with a wave of his hand. He then turned back to Pandion who feigned disappointment before it was replaced by a sly smile.
"I suppose I'll have to wait till later to have my way with you, wont I?" He then gracefully lifted himself from the log and walked off in the direction the Elf had gone. Elrond was left sitting in stunned silence, never had he had a lover who was so forthcoming, then again Pandion was not really his lover, not yet anyway. He remained frozen only for a moment before picking himself up and charging after the mischievous Roc.
When he had caught up to him he grabbed at his shoulders and slammed him hard up against a tree. Crushing his lips to Pandion's he slipped a knee in between the Roc's legs, applying a small about of pressure to his groin. Pandion groaned loudly and allowed his head to fall back against the tree's smooth bark. Elrond's lips then moved up to his ear.
"Do not think you will dominate me so easily fair Prince." He whispered softly, his hot breath caressing the hollow of Pandion's ear.
The Elf then pulled his body from the other's and continued on his way to where he expected to find Galadriel and Celeborn waiting for them.
It was Pandion's turn to be left, leaning against the tree, in stunned silence. His lasted even less time than the Elf had as he pushed himself off the trunk and sauntered after the Elrond. His tongue darted out to lick at his lips before he softly whispered something for only his ears to hear.
"We'll then. Let the games begin my Lord, if that is how you wish to play."
To be continued…
Disclaimer:
I do not own Lord of the Rings or any of the places, characters, items, etc associated with it. I am not making any money from this piece of fiction and am merely borrowing these places and characters to place in a new situation for your and my amassment.
However, the Rocs, the City of Cirus, Aquila, Pandion, Audax and any other characters, weapons, places, etc associated with the Rocs are my own creation and I lay full claim to them.