Hi! Want to apologize for the late update, but work has been crazy. I also took some time to write a one-shot I posted a few days ago called "Gwinig". It takes place in the Maglor-Elrond-family category, and is sort of a sequel or accompanying story to "An Unexpected Meeting". If you're interested, go check it out!
Starting off with a little spiciness, which takes an unexpected turn. How mysterious! Plus, we meet the Brenin of Tur Morva. Enjoy!
Chapter 98I was woken by light kisses along my jawline, and moaned when his lips found the tip of my ear and sucked gently. His hand was stroking me achingly slow, and I automatically pushed up against it, with the maddening result of his fingers moving away to touch my inner thigh instead while he chuckled. "So impatient, meleth nin," he whispered.
In response to this, I wiggled my way down and Candaith groaned as I wrapped my hand around him, and I moved it up and down very lightly. After a little while of this, I heard him huff in frustration and I smirked. "Now you know how I feel."
He growled and suddenly I found myself firmly underneath him, and he put my legs on his shoulders. I raised an eyebrow. "Now who is the impatient one?" I said softly, my heart racing as his smoldering gaze met mine. My breath hitched as he filled me, and it didn't take long until I was gasping in ecstasy as his fingers added some extra stimulation between us. Right before I was about to go over the edge, I noticed him hesitate. Oddly, he forced himself to slow down, and put his forehead against mine while he breathed heavily. It was perplexing, but I did my best to move with him at this new pace, before we stopped moving completely. I wondered what he was thinking. I felt he had something important to say, and waited as patiently as I could, as my heart rate slowed down and the maddening desire I felt cooled into something gentler.
I did not expect the words he said to come out of his mouth.
"How would we create a child?" he asked hesitantly.
Taken aback by this question, I moved my legs from his shoulders and sat up a bit, so we were face to face. "Why do you ask?"
His face was flushed, but whether it was from our current activity or from embarrassment I was unsure. "I…well, the thing is…I heard Elves can control this sort of thing."
I nodded, trying not to look as confused as I felt. "Yes, both people must actively choose to create a child while making love. Elflings are not created simply by chance."
"But what about between a human and an Elf?" he replied. "Is it also a choice?"
I pulled my head back a little to look at him more clearly. "Candaith, what are you trying to tell me?"
He sighed, and after a few moments of silence, he whispered, "I want to have children with you, truly…but I fear it could happen without us intending to. The world is full of peril and danger now, and I worry about bringing a child into it under the current threats we face." He cupped my cheek with his hand, stroking it with his calloused fingers. "I would fear for you and our baby, both while he or she grows inside of you, and after. It would not be safe for you to continue such a dangerous road, and being parted from you while you were pregnant so I could help Aragorn would be almost unbearable. Perhaps I would even turn away from this mission, to stay behind with you."
My mind was racing; could I end up with child without meaning to? Was I with child now? Ellyth do not have monthly bleeds like the Edain, so there was no way to tell for sure unless…
"I can find out if I am pregnant, if you are worried," I said hesitantly. "Elves can tell if an Elleth is pregnant just by looking at them closely, since we can sense the fëar of others. They would be able to see if there were two separate souls, and not just my own. I do not sense the fëa of another within me, but it is possible I would not be able to." It was confusing. Could someone who is pregnant tell if they were? I had never thought to ask such a question before. Candaith's soul was also mingled with mine, which could complicate things even further. I felt like one of the twins would have noticed by now, as they constantly were assessing my well-being, but could they have missed something because they weren't expecting to see a pregnancy?
"You mean asking Elladan or Elrohir?" he asked, looking distinctly uncomfortable, and I had the urge to laugh.
"Seeing as they are the only other two Elves here, they would be the only option," I murmured with some amusement, but I could tell I sounded nervous.
Candaith sighed, and I could see the worry in his eyes. "It would ease my heart to know. However, it still does not answer the question on whether or not it could still happen without our choice-"
I stopped him with a finger against his lips. "Candaith, we cannot know the answer to that. If the Valar choose to bless us with a child, even at the most inconvenient of times, we will love him or her anyway, right?" He nodded, and his lips quirked up in a small smile. "Let us not worry about something we cannot change, and focus on what we know we can control. If I am with child, we will cross that bridge if we come to it."
He gave me a warm smile, and gently pulled me into his arms as he ran his fingers through my hair. I let myself sink into his embrace, while I forced myself not to think about how I could be with child at this very moment.
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A short time later, Candaith collected some water from the small lake nearby, and we both washed before gathering our things so we would be ready to leave. We found Halbarad and some of the others at a large campfire near the road. I spotted Elladan and gave him a somewhat awkward-feeling wave, and he grinned before coming over to me. "How are you this morning muinthel?" he asked.
I studied his eyes carefully, but saw no indication he noticed anything different about me. However, I had to know, so I said, "Can I speak with you for a moment, in private?"
His brow furrowed, and he nodded while we walked a bit away from the others. "What is it Gwin? Is something wrong?"
Against my will, my cheeks reddened, and it made him even more confused. Knowing I needed to just ask, I said, "Can you…tell if I am pregnant or not?" I kept my eyes on the ground, afraid to see the expression on his face.
Unfortunately, he was averse to this lack of eye contact, and gently tipped my chin up. Where I expected amusement, I only saw concern. "Why do you ask? Do you have reason to believe you are with child?"
I shrugged. "Candaith and I were speaking this morning, and I had just assumed it was something we could control…but he is a Man. Do you understand what I mean?"
Elladan nodded, and took a step back to appraise me. I tried not to fidget under his assessing gaze, and felt nervous. Finally, his eyes met mine again. "No muinthel, there is no child. I do not know for certain, but I believe that, because you are an Elf, you are able to control whether or not you wish to create a child."
I felt both relief and disappointment, which was confusing. "Thank you for checking," I murmured, noting the bit of sadness in my tone that I did not expect.
There was compassion in his eyes before he pulled me into his arms. "There will be plenty of time for such blessings in the future, when Arda is at peace." He kissed my forehead gently, "Do not lose hope."
I sighed, and forced a smile before saying, "I know, I am just being silly. This is not the right time for children."
Elladan grinned and said, "I expect there will be plenty for Elrohir and I to share our wisdom and knowledge with in the future."
I raised an eyebrow, "You mean teach them how to perform some of your greatest pranks and avoid detection?"
He laughed, his eyes sparkling with mischief, "Do not worry Gwin, we will teach them everything they need to know…and spoil them rotten, of course!"
I shoved him lightly, and I felt a little more at peace after our conversation. Walking back towards Candaith, I shook my head slightly as I noted his slightly anxious expression. He smiled ruefully, and interlaced his fingers with mine as I joined him. "We will get our chance, meleth. I promise."
I wanted to tell him not to make promises he couldn't keep, but didn't have the heart to do so. "I know, and it will be such a blessing."
It looked like everyone was now gathered around Halbarad, so he reminded us of what we were doing today, "Léolin will be here shortly to escort us to Tur Morva, and eventually we will meet with Lheu Brenin, who is their leader."
"Do you think he will want our help?" Radanir asked curiously. "Léolin did not seem to think so, when he last spoke with us."
Halbarad shrugged, "We will see what he says when we meet him. If they decline our aid, we will simply continue south as planned."
Before anyone else could chime in, I spotted Léolin striding towards us, his usual fierce expression on his face. Not bothering to greet us in any way, he moved next to Halbarad and growled, "Lheu Brenin will see you now. Come, before I change my mind." With that, he turned around and started to walk purposefully up the road towards Tur Morva. Luckily, we had all of our stuff packed up and ready to go, so we mounted our horses and followed slowly behind the large Dunlending.
Nona was helping the other Dunlendings return back to the city, and I smiled as I noticed her laughing at something one of the women had said. She fit in much better with her people than with ours, and I realized it would be good for her to stay with them instead of continue her quest for vengeance. Only time would tell what she decided to do.
A few hours passed until we finally saw the wooden gates of Tur Morva. The city was surrounded by the beautiful mountains of Tal Methedras, and I idly noted how it added another lair to their defenses. The gates and walls had certainly seen better days, and I could tell they would need repairs and upgrades. The first person we came across was a young woman, who introduced herself as Mair. She was the daughter of Lheu Brenin, and although she looked serious, I could see the sparkle of a brighter spirit in her eyes. Penrod, who was second in rank to the Brenin and looked just as fierce as Léolin, surprised me when he gave us a large grin and boomed, "Welcome to Tur Morva! Come in, come in, and be welcome! We may not have a feast prepared, but we have a few fish to spare." He caught my eye and winked a little brazenly, and I quirked a smile in amusement while a felt a ridiculous flash of jealousy from Candaith. "Do not worry meleth, he is just trying to be silly." I felt the jealousy fade, and an apologetic mood replaced it, but he did not comment while I prevented myself from rolling my eyes.
Mair gave Penrod a sideways glance, and her brow furrowed in what looked like embarrassment. Clearly, she wanted to make a good impression on us, and worried Penrod's behavior would cast a poor reflection on her people. Before she could do anything, a rousing cheer was heard as we rode into town and through the streets. Children were throwing bunches of purple flowers, and the adults, who were mostly women, were waving from their windows and clapping on the side of the road. There were words of thanks, and although they tried to look joyful, the signs of their suffering were easily spotted. Cheeks were too sallow, and arms and legs too bony. The clothes on the children were just about hanging off of them, and their shoes were shoddy and thin-looking, despite the cold environment. It broke my heart, and the memory of my own suffering echoed painfully.
However, I kept a smile firmly in place, but the hood of my cloak was up, and the twins did the same. Halbarad seemed to think it safer, due to the distrust of Elves in this land. Perhaps once we have gained their trust, they would be more open to the presence of Elichthi.
The town had three main levels, and you could go straight, down, or up as you entered the city. There were little staircases built into the rocky walls inside, as a quick way to ascend or descend to each level. All of the huts were sturdily made of stone, with thatched roofs of straw and mud to keep warm, and little chimney-type outlets to keep the smoke out.
The Brenin's hall was at the end of the main road, and quite large. As we were directed to enter, I noticed the plethora of large, soft furs lining the cold dirt floor, and a cheerful fire warmed the air pleasantly. Lheu Brenin was seated on a wooden dais, in a comfortable-looking chair, and he had a benign smile on his bearded face. "Hialthi, rangers of the Dunedain," he said pleasantly. "I greet you in the name of our people, the Hebog-luth, or the Falcon Clan in your tongue. Please, sit and take your fast with me." I noticed with some discomfort that he had laid out a veritable feast for us; clearly his people needed this food, and yet he felt the need to provide us with a warm welcome. However, we could not refuse without offending him, so we all sat down slowly and partook in the meal. This was more than just a few spare fish, as Penrod had so casually claimed.
Candaith and I had a mental conversation about this, and I could feel his unease as he 'said', "They should not give us the food they desperately need."
"While I agree, it is not up to us how he chooses to greet us."
"Do you think he means to impress us, or just believes it is his duty to give us a good meal?"
"I cannot say, but I would hope he is not always so free with his supplies."
"We will need to keep an eye on distribution if we provide them with these things."
"I doubt we will stay long enough to monitor such things; we must trust in their leadership to make the right decisions."
My focus snapped back to attention when the Brenin seemed to notice me. I had settled myself in the middle of the group, with my hood still up, but he must have been perceptive enough to sense there was more to me than just some ranger. He turned to Halbarad and said, "It seems you have a lady among you? Is she a warrior as well?"
"Yes, Gwinthilnel has been with us for many months, and is a valued member of our group," Halbarad replied, and I could tell he was choosing his words carefully.
"Is she also of the Dunedain?" Lheu Brenin asked, trying to get more details.
Without missing a beat, Halbarad answered, "Yes she is." I felt a swell of emotion at this, as I had hoped to be counted among them, after all we had done together and since marrying Candaith.
After Halbarad provided no further details, the Brenin seemed to notice he was not being told all. However, he simply smiled at me again and moved on in the conversation. "Halbarad, have you spoken with Glynn Brenin of Lhanuch? We sent our Anirin to provide him with a message."
"He delivered it, although he met some troubles along the way," Halbarad replied, before briefly explaining how we rescued him before bringing him to Lhanuch.
Lheu Brenin looked impressed, "That is quite the tale! I am glad to hear Anirin has delivered his message and is safe in Lhanuch. Is Glynn Brenin in agreement with our position?"
Halbarad nodded, "His will has been further strengthened, thanks to your allegiance against Saruman."
The Brenin's eyes hardened, "The White Wizard has already caused us much pain and heartache; it fills me with hope to know there is at least one other clan on the side of good." He relaxed his expression with some effort, before continuing, "What brings you this far South, men of the North?"
"While I cannot tell you the full extent of our errand, we seek the fast road South, but will need to carefully pass by Isengard," Halbarad said.
Lheu Brenin frowned, "That road is not safe for enemies of Saruman. Is there no other way?"
Before Halbarad could answer, there was some commotion outside the hut. Suddenly Penrod was there, trying to hold back a clearly angry villager. "What is the meaning of this?" the Brenin asked angrily, looking embarrassed. "Why do you come here and interrupt our meeting?"
"These duvodiad do not belong here! Cast them out, Brenin! The Hebog-luth needs them not!" the man said heatedly, his eyes flashing with fury.
"That is not your decision to make! They are under my protection, and should be treated with respect," Lheu Brenin growled.
"Do not shame the Brenin in this way. Leave before you say anything else you regret," Penrod spat.
The irate Dunlending clearly didn't take Penrod's advice, "They will trick you, and leave us with nothing! You cannot trust duvodiad, and it is foolish to even try!"
"Penrod, bring me my axe," Lheu Brenin said quietly, the clear threat present in his tone.
"My lord," Penrod said with deference, handing him a massive two-handed axe, beautifully carved. The blade looked very sharp, and I gave Candaith an alarmed look.
"Halbarad of the North, will you accept this man's life in satisfaction of my debt to you?" Lheu Brenin asked. "He has shamed you in front of me, and it is punishable by death."
Things were clearly getting out of hand, but as usual, Halbarad found a way to calm things down, "My people do not wish to spill blood at our meeting, Lheu Brenin. We both have enemies enough."
The Brenin's lips were pursed, but he nodded slowly and proclaimed, "Very well. I will have him locked up in our dungeon until I decide what to do with him." Motioning for Penrod to take him, the man was bodily escorted with the help of another of the Brehures down to the dungeons.
There was an awkward silence, as we were not sure how to continue our dialogue, before the Brenin sighed and said, "I am sorry your welcome to Tur Morva was marred in this way. Saruman will never command the loyalty of the Falcon Clan, and the more he tries, the stronger my resolve will grow. I had thought my people stood with me in this, but it seems some are unwilling to respect my wishes."
"Not everyone will agree, but your people seem to respect and love you, and will follow your direction," Halbarad replied.
Lheu Brenin gave the ranger a small smile, before saying something which made my blood run cold, "The Wizard sent an emissary by the name of Gwilhum to buy our loyalties with gold and silver, which then turned to threats of violence once I declined his offer. I had him locked in the dungeon." I breathed a sigh of relief. "We can help you against Saruman, but first we need to prepare our own defenses, and make sure my people have what they need to survive."
"We will help you however we can," Halbarad said, "But we cannot stay overlong, for our errand is urgent."
"I understand; any aid you can provide, however small, is a great help to us," Lheu Brenin replied. "Your people and I may disagree on some things, but we both agree the wizard Saruman cares not for either of us." He rose and started pacing slowly across the floor, clearly in thought, "He cares not for Dunland. He looks down his nose at my people. He seeks to use us, then cast us aside. I'll wager your people have not crossed his thoughts before, so he does not know the threat you pose against him." I knew this to likely be untrue due to the many things which occurred in Enedwaith, but kept my thoughts to myself. Keeping a low profile was my goal, at least as long as I could. The Brenin continued, "Let us remind him that the Falcon still has its talons."
After this rousing statement, he had Mair show us where we would be staying while we were in Tur Morva, and I was pleased to see that, although it was outdoors and by the lake, it was sheltered from the elements by a large lean-to and many trees with thick foliage. We would be moderately comfortable for our short stay.
Once we were all settled, Halbarad gathered us together again for a few words before we would be given instructions by Penrod on what needed to be done, "We will help make their preparations; our aims do not line up perfectly with those of the people of Dunland, but we do share a common enemy. Let Saruman be distracted by the Falcon Clan while we make our way through the Gap of Rohan unobserved."
"Hopefully other clans will follow suit," I added, thinking about the other Dunlendings who had been at the barricade who said they would plead the case against Saruman. "The ones in Enedwaith are a little too far away to help us in that specific aim, but it is good to know they are ready, should battle come to their lands." I looked around, puzzled for a moment, "Has anyone seen Nona?"
Saeradan nodded, "She is with Mair, although I do not know what they are talking about." He eyed me closely. "Gwin, she is not your responsibility. She will make her own choices and go her own way."
"I know," I replied with a sigh. I felt like she was a part of our group, even though it wasn't true. Halbarad had made it clear she would not be included in our travels after reaching Dunland. There was also much she could do here, among her people. "I will need to let her go."
Candaith wrapped an arm around my waist and gave me a squeeze, "She is strong, and will forge her own path." With this, we all turned to see Penrod approaching, and made ready to get our instructions.
Clearly, not everyone is on board with getting help from Duvodiad, but the majority of the citizens of Tur Morva are grateful for the help. Gwin was a little disappointed, to her surprise, that she was not pregnant, but hopefully the time for that will come someday. I hope you liked the chapter, and leave a review!