Title & Chapter Number: Fate's Mirror 37/?
Author(s): - Author's Index
Website:
Fandom: Tolkien
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: do not own these characters, they are the property of Tolkien, and I am sure he would be horrified if he read this…
Warnings: This story is rated NC-17 and contains male slash pairings and explicit sexual content. If you find this offensive, or you are under-age, I strongly suggest you stop now.
Betas: Larian Elensar
Cast: Erestor, Glorfindel, Gildor, Thranduil
Timeline: SA
Spoilers: None
Summary: Set during the second half of the second age. Reincarnated Glorfindel returns to Lindon from the Halls of Mandos. Elrond and Thranduil become fathers; the offspring of Elrond and Thranduil grow to be strong, Nessa makes a decision.
Notes: I have yet to read the Unfinished Tales or History of ME, so I know there will be inaccuracies in this - so consider this AU.
Spring, Year 130, Third Age, Last Homely House, Imladris
Twin screams echoed from the bedchamber of the Lord and Lady of Imladris. Elrond’s eyes widened as he held his infant sons in his arms, hardly able to believe they were actually there. Erestor and Glorfindel looked up as they heard the caterwaul from behind the closed doors and smiled; the heirs to Imladris had arrived.
Celebrían lay exhausted as Galadriel held her hand and smiled. Her grandsons were beautiful, she could see already what they would look like as they grew. They had pale eyes like their father and dark hair, and pouty, rosebud lips like their mother. Their eyes were barely open, but the Lady knew they would be large and round like Celebrían’s. Their skin was a dusty ivory, like their father’s; they would indeed be beautiful.
"What are their names?" Galadriel asked her daughter.
Celebrían smiled and answered, "Elladan and Elrohir, in homage to their ancestors."
Galadriel nodded and smiled. "Fine names for fine sons, my daughter. They will grow strong and tall like their parents."
Elrond reclined next to his wife and handed Elladan to her as he held Elrohir. The infants reached out with their tiny hands until they found one another and held fast to each other.
"Already they are close, they instinctively seek one another out," he said softly. "Such is the way with twins."
Galadriel reached across and placed her hand upon Elrond’s leg. "I am sorry your brother was not here to see them, Elrond."
Elrond sighed and placed a soft kiss upon Elrohir’s head. "As am I, but my joy upon seeing them is not diminished by it. They are the most beautiful beings I have ever laid eyes upon, aside from my fair wife."
Celebrían smiled weakly and replied, "Yes, they are most beautiful."
Elrond leaned over and kissed his wife. "You are tired, seron vell. You need your rest."
Celebrían nodded and replied, "They are hungry, I will rest after they are fed."
Galadriel rose and kissed her daughter upon the forehead. "I will leave you to rest now. I am so proud of all of you." She gave Elrond a soft kiss upon the forehead and bestowed one upon each of the infant twins before leaving the new family alone.
"They have arrived?" Glorfindel asked as the Lady exited the chamber.
"Yes," Galadriel answered. "They are beautiful and strong, and will grow to be fine sons."
"What are their names?" Erestor asked.
"Elladan for the eldest, Elrohir for the youngest," she answered.
"Thank you, my Lady," Erestor replied as Galadriel turned and made her way down the hall.
"Elf-man and elf-knight," Glorfindel remarked. "It will be interesting to see if their names hold true, if one takes after our scholarly lord and the other becomes a warrior."
Erestor tugged upon his love’s sleeve and smiled. "Come, rawen. We have lingered long enough. I have much to do in the morning and you have patrol."
Glorfindel nodded and wrapped an arm around Erestor’s waist. "Yes, melethen," he answered softly. "Sleeping in your arms is just what I need this night."
* * * *
Spring, Year 130, Third Age, Greenwood the Great
As their father was bringing twin sons into the world in Imladris, Thranduil held his own son up in the air and laughed as the infant giggled madly. He twirled around as Nessa laughed; she loved watching Thranduil with their son.
"My Greenleaf," he said gently as Legolas reached out with his tiny hand to touch his cheek. "My treasure."
"Eh!" the infant exclaimed and Thranduil laughed. "Is that so, pen-dithen?" He turned to Nessa. "Already he has an opinion on everything."
She laughed as she smelled a sprig of jasmine. "Just like his father," she teased.
He held Legolas in front of him as he stalked toward her. "Oh really? Your naneth is in a particularly playful mood this afternoon, Greenleaf," he teased. "Perhaps we should show her what the true meaning of playful is, hmm?" He held Legolas out as if to toss him to her, and the infant screeched and giggled and Nessa playfully cowered and laughed. He fell upon her, laying Legolas upon her stomach as he tickled her ear.
Nessa held her son and laughed as he squirmed upon her belly and her husband playfully tickled her ear with his finger. She was blissfully happy.
Thranduil was a good husband, kind and loyal, and he treated her with the utmost respect. Since Legolas’ conception, he had not come to her in a passionate way, and she had not approached him, as she never felt like she should. He held her in his arms each night and slept peacefully with her, but their couplings had been few. She knew why; she knew he still loved and ached for Gildor, despite his efforts to hide it from her.
Life as the Queen of Greenwood was quite different than it had been when she was just Nessa. She attended court, charmed visitors, and spent each day at Thranduil’s side in loving support of him. She no longer cared for the children and mended warrior’s garments. As Queen, there were those to do that for her. Other than caring for Thranduil, and now Legolas, she had no other purpose and this was sometimes difficult to accept. She refused to have a nurse for Legolas, preferring to do everything herself. She fed him, bathed him, dressed him, and played with him. She even took him to court with her unless Thranduil discouraged it, which was rare.
Her son’s voice brought her back from her thoughts, and she turned to look at Thranduil with wide-eyed amazement.
"Da!" Legolas shouted as he pointed at his father.
Thranduil smiled broadly and answered, "A-da…"
"A-da!" Legolas returned.
"Ada, Greenleaf," Nessa said to her son.
"ADA! GEELEEF!" Legolas shouted.
She looked at her husband and saw a tear track down his cheek and she smiled. "He called you Ada, melethen," she said softly.
Thranduil nodded and leaned over, pressing a soft kiss to his son’s head. "Melin chen, Greenleaf," he said softly. He turned and looked at Nessa. "How can I ever thank you enough, meleth? You have given me the most precious gift I could ever receive.
"I need no thanks, Thranduil. It is I who is blessed," she answered.
Legolas began to paw at the neckline of her gown and she laughed. "He is hungry again, never have I seen one so small eat so much."
Thranduil kissed his wife upon the head and rose to his feet. "I must get back to governing this realm, melethen; though I would much prefer to stay here with the two of you."
She smiled up at him as she cradled Legolas and he took to her breast. "Return soon, my lord," she said quietly.
"Aye, I will," Thranduil answered, and he departed their talan for his soldiers’ tents.
* * * *
The years of watchful peace drifted by. Old enemies and times of war were forgotten by all but those who had seen the worst of it, and of those times, little was spoken. The sons of Elrond and Thranduil grew strong and proud and were on their way to becoming young warriors.
A day of celebration approached as Legolas grew close to his majority. He had a happy life in the great wood, learning to ride and shoot his bow as well as his father; finding beauty in the forest with his mother. He was returning from a walk along a deer path when he heard something that caused him to grow sullen. It was the sound of his parents’ voices, and they were arguing. Arguments seemed to happen more frequently between them. They never shouted, were never cruel, and Legolas could never quite understand what it was they argued about.
As he grew older, he could see they were different from his friends’ parents. He always believed it was because they were King and Queen and could not act as others did. He quietly hid himself at the base of the tree and listened with his sharp hunter’s ears to their disagreement.
"This is madness, Thranduil," Nessa argued. "You deny yourself what you truly want. He did not know what lay in your heart when he made you swear it. He would not have…"
"Enough, Nessa!" Thranduil barked. "You are my wife, I am king, we have a son. There is no undoing what has passed. I would never wish it not to be, I would never give Legolas up."
"You need not give him up, my Lord," she persisted. "I see the toll this takes on you, I see how you suffer. Gildor suffers as well, as surely as you do now."
"You do not know that. It has been too long; I was too cruel. He could never forgive me."
"He loves you, and you love him. That does not change with time, that kind of love does not ever fade."
"Please, melethen," Thranduil answered softly as he sat heavily upon the edge of their bed. "I cannot do this any longer. I cannot keep talking about this and thinking about him. Can you not just let it pass? Can you not let me forget him?"
"But it will not pass, it has not passed in over forty years. You will never forget him, nor will he forget you. And as for me, I cannot live my life lying next to one that does not love me as I love them. I thought once that I could love you enough for both of us, but I was wrong, Thranduil. No one will ever hold your heart but Gildor." She sighed and turned her back to him. "I grow weary of this world, seron vell." She swallowed and gathered the strength to tell him what she wanted to do. "I wish to sail west."
Thranduil looked up at her as his heart sunk. It was the same with Nessa as it had been with his mother. He had failed her as a husband, as surely as his father had failed his mother. Now, Nessa would sail into the west with Legolas and he would be left alone. He began to protest, then stopped. He would no longer be selfish. "If that is truly what you want, then I give you my leave," he answered quietly.
Legolas felt panic seize him and he scrambled up the ladder and into his families’ talan. "No!" he shouted. "You cannot leave, naneth!" He rushed across the room and threw his arms around his mother’s shoulders. "Please!" he cried into her hair. "Do not leave us…"
Nessa looked at Thranduil with tears in her eyes. She did not want to leave her son, but the bond between Thranduil and Legolas was strong, as strong as any she had seen in her life. Legolas was nearly an adult, he no longer needed her.
Thranduil would give Legolas what his own father had denied him, the chance to make a choice. He rose from the bed and stood beside Legolas, placing his hand upon his son’s shoulder. "Do you want to go with your mother, Iôn?" he asked gently.
Legolas released Nessa and looked into his father’s eyes. No matter what he chose, he would lose one of them. As he looked from his mother to his father, he found the words to convey what he wanted. He looked back at Nessa, his eyes full of sorrow, and answered quietly. "No, I want to say here, I want to remain in my home."
Nessa smiled gently and caressed his face. "It is where you belong, hênen. I cannot stay here, Legolas. I feel the call of the sea, I must leave. But, we will see one another again, I promise." She embraced her son as tears fell from her eyes. She could not bear to look at her husband; she could see the sense of failure he felt. Nevertheless, it comforted her to know that Legolas would stay with him and he would not be alone.
* * * *
A month passed and Nessa departed Greenwood the Great to travel to the Havens and sail west to Valinor. Thranduil and Legolas had stood and watched her party until they disappeared into the trees. Leaving them was hard, but it was what she had to do. She could no longer be happy in a marriage without passionate love. She would always love Thranduil deeply, and she knew he would always care for her, but that was no longer enough.
Upon arrival in Lindon, their last stop before arriving at the Havens, they watered their horses and arranged for their belongings to be sent ahead. She stood stroking her horse’s neck and looking around the city she had been born in when her eyes found a familiar sight. She gathered up her gown and rushed toward the tall, dark elf that stood talking to one of the guards of the city.
"Gildor!" she cried.
Gildor turned and saw Nessa rushing toward him and he smiled broadly. "Nessa," he said fondly as she fell into his arms. He held her tight and pressed a soft kiss upon her cheek. "’Tis good to see you, elleth. What brings you so far from home?" As she pulled back, he saw the crown upon her head and his eyes widened. "What is this?" he asked softly as he reached up and touched the circlet.
She blushed and looked at the ground. "Much has changed since I saw you last, Gildor," she said quietly. "I would like to speak with you if you have a moment."
Gildor nodded and he guided her to a local tavern. "Come, I have not had my midday meal yet. Would you care to join me?"
She smiled broadly and waived off her escort as she walked into the tavern with her old friend.
~*~*~*~
Seron vell = dear lover
Rawen = my lion
Melethen = my love
Pen-dithen = little one
Melin chen = I love you
Meleth = love
Hênen =my child
Elleth = elf maid~*~*~*~
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