Title & Chapter Number: Tale of Two Brothers 33/33
Author(s): - Author's Index
Website:
Fandom: Tolkien
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, they are the property of Tolkien with the exception of an original or two, 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, and twincest. If you find this offensive, or you are under-age, I strongly suggest you stop now.
Betas: Larian Elensar
Cast: Elrohir/Glorfindel, Elladan/Legolas, Elladan/Erestor, Elladan/Elrohir, Glorfindel/Erestor, Legolas/Erestor, Elladan/Elrohir/Glorfindel
Timeline: Early Third Age
Spoilers: None
Summary: The sun sets on the Third Age and change is in the air.
Notes: Well, it appears we have come to the end of a long road. This fic was started in July of 2003 and has taken four months to write; it has morphed into something akin to living entity. I have spent countless hours on this fic and its companions, Rock Stars and Farewells. Now that it is finished I wonder what I will write next, this work having taken up so much of my imagination and dreams. The theme of the elves leaving Middle Earth is one that saddens me; the sense of loss and finality drove me to write this story. Life is, as we all know, filled with change, and often what seems like an end can also be a beginning. My endless thanks to my beta readers, Alex Cat and Larian Elensar, and deep gratitude to those who followed this story to its completion and gave me valuable feedback and support: Dawn, Di, Jess, LK, Sarah, Sivan, Tessie, Zee, and any others I forget to mention.
September 28th, 3021, Grey Havens, Lindon
Elrond, Lord of Imladris, sat at the head of a long table filled with his family and his companions. The time of the elves was over, and arguably one of its greatest leaders was departing Middle Earth for the undying lands. In his near four thousand years in Middle Earth he had seen war, death, defeat, victory, and the rebirth of hope. He had seen his haven of Imladris grow from no more than an idea to a refuge for all free folk. He had lost a brother, a King, and countless friends, he was saying goodbye to his offspring and his best friend, and soon, he would be reunited with his beloved wife.
As he sat at the head of the long table, glass of miruvor in hand, he watched those around him as they dined and laughed, told tales of old and sang songs to the fallen. The Dark Lord, Sauron, and his puppet Saruman were defeated, and passed on to whatever torment awaited them; but he knew in his heart that evil was not dead, nor would it ever be. His sons sat at his side, Elladan and Elrohir, his pride, his strength, and his gift to the world he was leaving. In his sons existed all of his knowledge; they carried within them the noble blood of the Sindar, the Noldor, and the Edain, and the heart and touch of healers.
If Elladan and Elrohir were his pride and strength, Arwen was his heart and soul. The Evenstar would stay behind with her husband, Aragorn. She would grace the world of men with her beauty and her wisdom until the Elfstone was no more; then her beauty and grace would fade from the world as she accepted the Doom of Man. It broke his heart to leave his offspring behind, Arwen's fate was sealed, he knew what lay ahead of her; but Elladan and Elrohir, their fate was hidden from him; what would become of them he did not know.
He looked to Glorfindel, his faithful soldier and seneschal; an elf that had risen above the heights of those around him, who had been given the gift of a second life by the Valar, and who had faithfully committed that life in service to him. He remembered the first time he saw the Vanya, striding into Lindon, with nothing but the clothes upon his back and his sword in his hand. He knew who he was the moment he saw him, Glorfindel of Gondolin, Lord of the House of the Golden Flower, great Balrog Slayer and hero; but he told no one. Glorfindel wanted to prove himself, he wanted to earn respect and so he let him do so, and the elf did it quickly. Glorfindel had grown to be a confidante, a loyal and faithful friend, and now he would remain behind to watch over his sons.
That morning he had sat with Glorfindel on the shores of the Havens, discussing his future. The Eldar assured him he would build a ship and sail west after Elladan and Elrohir's passing, though he doubted that would happen. Glorfindel knew the way, as surely as Cirdan did, the Vanya was born in Valinor, after all, but he would not travel that road. No, Elrond feared Glorfindel would not return to Valinor, he would waste away in the wilderness, an unfitting end to so noble an elf. He tried to dissuade the warrior from this course of action, but he would not be deterred. He was determined to remain behind with Elladan and Elrohir, and though he said it was his oath, Elrond knew it was his heart that bid him stay.
Erestor sat across from the Golden One, as he and the Counselor affectionately called him. The Imladris Counselor's grief hung about him like a cloak and it was as black as his hair. Erestor had never been able to shake free of the hold Glorfindel had over him, and their departure tomorrow would be a desperate blow, one the Noldo would either survive or not. Elrond prayed to the Valar to give Erestor the strength he would need to survive this loss and wondered why some lives were so crossed.
He felt the presence of those who still remained behind, and they were a precious few, Gildor and the elves loyal to him, Celeborn and a few of his Galadhrim, Legolas, and Thranduil. The Sindar King had often been a maddening thorn in his side, stubborn, impudent, arrogant, but in addition to those things he was a fierce warrior, a protective ruler, and loving father. Surprisingly he found he would miss him, and wondered when he would leave these shores.
He quietly rose from his chair, bidding good night to his companions, taking his sons in his arms and squeezing them tight before turning and retiring to his quarters for his last night in Middle Earth. He walked up the stairs, nodding to Frodo and Sam before entering his room and closing the door behind him.
~*~*~*~
Erestor stood in the doorway, staring out the portal at the great sea, watching Itihil's journey across the night sky. The party continued on behind him, music and laughter floating upon the air. His heart felt as heavy and dead as stone, and he wished Legolas were with him; the Prince's fair face smiling upon him as his strong arms encircled his waist. If Legolas were there his parting with Glorfindel would be easer to take; but, alas, he was not and he had to face it alone. Part of him still hoped the warrior would change his mind, that the time they spent in Lórien would change his heart, though the larger part of his mind knew it would not be so.
He felt Glorfindel's hand upon his shoulder and he turned, pale gray eyes meeting azure blue. He smiled weakly at the warrior and returned his gaze to the night sky, a shuddering breath escaping him as the Eldar's strong arms encircled his shoulders. He breathed in Glorfindel's unique scent, lavender and rosemary, and pressed his cheek against the waves of golden silk that graced the warrior's head.
"I will miss you, Erestor." The warrior's deep voice echoed in his empty heart.
"Not as much as I will miss you, mellon." He replied weakly, his voice sounding so small and far away, as if he had already left. Glorfindel squeezed his shoulders tight and Erestor fought back the tears that threatened to fall. "Should you not be with Elladan and Elrohir? I am sure they are wondering where you are." He was near desperate to escape the Eldar, not sure he could endure his tender affection one moment more.
"I have time enough to spend with them," he whispered, "Tonight, I want to be with you, however you will have me."
Erestor closed his eyes against the tears that tracked down his cheeks. "One night is not enough, Glorfindel. One night cannot last me for eternity."
The warrior took a deep breath and whispered, "I am selfish, meldir, I freely admit that. I do not wish to hurt you, but I want every moment you have left here in Middle Earth to be spent with me." He placed a soft kiss upon Erestor's head. "I know you do not believe this, Erestor, but I do love you, in the only way I know how. I wish I could make you understand what drives me to do the things I do, but I fear I do not understand them myself. All I can tell you is that somehow I know my purpose is here, that I am meant to remain behind with them. Forgive me for being weak, forgive me for not loving you enough."
Erestor turned in the warrior's arms and held him tight, burying his face in Glorfindel's chest. "I know that you love me, Glorfindel, that I have never doubted. What I mourn is that you are not in love with me, that I alone am not enough for you." He inclined his head and whispered against the Eldar's throat, "I will always regret being afraid to tell you how I felt until it was too late."
Glorfindel fought back his own tears, his strong hands caressing the Counselor's raven hair. "Let me make love to you, Erestor; let me hold you in my arms," he whispered.
Erestor nodded silently and allowed his friend to guide him from the room.
~*~*~*~
Elladan lay against Elrohir's chest, his arms wrapped around his brother. "What do you intend to do, Elrohir?"
Elrohir sighed and whispered, "I will tell him to leave, I will tell him to take the ship and go with Erestor."
Elladan nodded. "Do you want me to go with you?"
Elrohir answered, "No, I will go alone. This is my doing, it is my fault that they remain apart."
Elladan rose to his elbows and smiled at his twin. "We will be all right, Elrohir. We will always have one another."
Elrohir smiled and caressed his twin's face. "I know, gwador, I know," he brushed his lips against those of Elladan's. "Make love to me, Elladan," he whispered.
Elladan smiled and leaned into the kiss, pressing his body against Elrohir's, losing himself in his twin as he had done most of his adult life.
~*~*~*~
Erestor sat upon his bed, gazing into Glorfindel's deep blue eyes, eyes that could be the color of the sky on a spring day, and could be the color of the deepest sea when steeped in passion. He trailed his long fingers over the warrior's face, softly tracing his brow and cheekbones. He swallowed as he felt the Eldar's fingers slowly undo the clasps on his robes, his own breathing quickening along with the rhythm of his heart. He whispered, "Mellon nín."
The warrior smiled and whispered, "That I am, for all time."
Erestor's eyes remained open as Glorfindel leaned forward and pressed his lips to his own, unwilling to part with the vision of the one he loved. His eyes fluttered shut against his will as his passion ignited, the press of the warrior's lips, his sweet tongue entering his mouth and embracing his own. He could feel the Vanya's hands slide into his hair, taking care to avoid his braids. The kiss burned itself on his memory, emblazoning his mind and heart with love and passion.
How could this be? How could this feel so right to him, so perfect, when the warrior said it felt otherwise? How could he be so sure of his love when Glorfindel was not? He pushed the questions deep down and surrendered himself to the Vanya's touch, helpless to resist.
He opened his eyes again as Glorfindel pulled away from the kiss, and gazed into his midnight eyes. The warrior carefully loosened his braids and ran his hands through his thick raven hair. "This is how I want to remember you, Erestor. You are as beautiful as the dawn, as deep and mysterious as the sea, and as strong as the tallest mountain. By the Valar, how your face will haunt me, mellon; it will haunt me for the rest of my days." He placed his fingers upon the Noldo's trembling lips and whispered, "I would not trade one moment of my time with you for all the peace promised by the Valar. Never have I known your like, Erestor, I will never know it again," he leaned forward and brushed his lips against the Noldo's. "I am weak; that it were not so, that I were strong enough to resist them…" He felt Erestor's sweet breath caress his mouth. "Love me, Erestor, make love to this unworthy soul."
Erestor pressed him to the mattress, his hands caressing the warrior's bare chest, his ears hungrily consuming his moans and whispers. All the days of their lives passed before his memory, the first time he saw him in Gil-galad's court, days spent training, days spent arguing, long walks, quiet nights by the fire, jokes that made him laugh in spite of himself. Long heated kisses, amorous embraces, inflaming touches, pain, heartache, love, and friendship beyond compare.
His heart split as he entered his lover's body, the Vanya's tight heat enveloping him, consuming him from the inside out. He wanted to crawl inside him, live within him until the end of time, forever lost in his radiant love and beauty. As he collapsed upon the Eldar's chest, the warm, silky fluid of his seed spreading between them, he vowed not to cry another tear in the warrior's presence; instead he gazed into eyes that were more beautiful than any he had ever seen, and smiled, whispering, "Amin mela le, mellon nín."
~*~*~*~
Epilogue
Erestor boarded the white ship the next morning with his Lord and sailed to the undying lands, forever leaving his love for Glorfindel unfulfilled. The Imladris Counselor would find love and happiness, and he would never again be afraid, never again swallow words that had to be spoken. That was a lesson he learned well.
Elrond sailed to Valinor, leaving behind his children but regaining his wife. The weary Lord of Imladris finally found peace in his lifetime, building a home in Tirion.
Elrohir went to Glorfindel's chamber the morning the ship left, but in the end, he could not ask the warrior to leave. Instead he forever altered the path he and his twin would walk, vowing to remain with Glorfindel until the end of the warrior's days.
The Valar, in their ultimate wisdom, did not force the Doom of Man upon the twins, seeing a different path for them. Elladan and Elrohir saw their friends and family leave and die, saw what was left of their kind disappear from the world, and they faded from the knowledge of man for ages to come.
The story continues... next chapter, Farewells and New Beginnings.
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