Title & Chapter Number: Border Crosser 16/?
Author(s): - Author's Index
Website: Moviecostumes.com
Fandom: Tolkien
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: The characters, settings, places, and languages used in this work are the property of J R R Tolkien, the Tolkien Estate and Tolkien Enterprises. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Warnings: Graphic het sex, violence, angst, character death. I am not responsible for any injuries that might occur while jumping from various old trees.
Betas: Zee, Lenara, SoErl.
Cast: OCF, Haldir, Galadriel, Celeborn... well, and almost anyone else you could imagine when thinking about `Lord of the Rings'.
Timeline: AU
Spoilers: None
Summary: If there was a passage to Middle Earth from our world, what would you expect to find? or: Tolkien invented Middle Earth - didn't he?
Notes: My OFC(s) are mine; the Elves that Tolkien invented (he did, didn't he?) are not mine (what a pity!). A special "thank you" to the Kronos Quartet / Clint Mansell / Fatboy Robert s for the "Requiem Overture", giving me (and brought me through) several dar k nights when writing this. Thanks to Xavier Naidoo and Rufus Wainwright for their music that inspired me. Thanks to the Goddess for letting me find peace and inspiration. And thanks to my ever-curious and inspiring beta readers, pushing me forward on each chapter.
Dedication: This one is for the two only real Elves on earth; To the Silver One: You will always have a special place in my heart and memories; to the Golden One: You are a legend, a saint and the only true heir of Gil-Galad I know. Let's burn them down! :-)
* SPECIAL WARNING: There are real people avatars innocently depicted in this fic. They belong solely to themselves, no harm became of them and no offence is intended. It is just my way to pay the tribute to these real people, for without them, we would not have words and images of the wonderful Elves in our heads. This is posted with the List Mum's approval.
(Sindarin translations at the end of the chapter.)
Chapter 16 - Brothers and Sisters
I woke up by the break of dawn. The not yet visible sun was painting the edge of the horizon in various hues of dark purple and pink, and I remained cuddled in the bush just looking at the morning sky.
An Elf appeared at the corner of the garden and when he saw me, being hugged by a bush, he started to grin. I recognized the face and smiled. "Rúmil! Are you already back? Are they here?"
He came over to me, still smiling. "Hello, my sister. I see you are already practicing some Elven behavior which you obviously have adapted from my brother?"
The branches slowly opened, and I got up from my night place and stretched my body. As nice as it was to be hugged by a bush, it seemed to have been more uncomfortable to me than I had felt it over the night.
I smiled at the tall Galadhrim warrior, his face was lit up by the pale, early morning light. "Where is your brother now, Rúmil? Is he also already here?"
"No," he shook his head, "I think they will be here by afternoon... these Hobbits are not too fast, you know? Not to mention that Dwarf." He snorted.
The Hobbits. And the Dwarf. I could not stop grinning. It was true, all true. I would see them.
"Have you already seen the Lady to bring her the news?" I asked.
"Yes, I have. And now I am off my duty for today until they arrive here. Care for some breakfast?"
"First I would care for a bath, I guess."
"Why not combine both and have bath and breakfast?"
With these words, he took my hand and started to lead me to the bath. I felt a strange feeling coming up. Bathing was fine, when I had Uruviel by my side; but at this time in the morning there were for sure no other Elves around in the bath... And why did that sentence and smile remind me so much of 'Bed and breakfast', a thought that I did not like in connection to my new brother?
"Is this right?" I asked. "Is it right if you and I have a bath together?"
He laughed. "I have often heard that Humans are somewhat shy, but what should be wrong about it? Even if you were not yet officially bound, you already belong to my family. You are my sister. What could be wrong about bathing together with my sister?" Somehow he was right, but I still felt unsure.
"Just go ahead, to the bath, I will get us something to eat and drink," he said, and ran back to the Talans.
I was not unhappy about this solution; this way I would not have to think about where to look while undressing...
When I entered the cave under the waterfall, I saw the warm water steaming in the cold morning air. I stepped into the water, and the goosebumps I had on my skin from the freezing air soon disappeared.
Rúmil soon came back, carrying a plate with fruits, placed it by the stones and jumped into the water. You have seen naked Elves before, Dana, I reminded myself, and this one is your brother now. No need to panic...
I swam over to him and looked at the fruits. I was not familiar with any of them. I tried one that looked like a mixture between a tomato and strawberry, and was surprised when it turned out to have the flavor of curry chicken.
"Now sister, tell me, what is it like to have a brother?"
I grinned. "You should know better, you have two of them. What's it like to have a sister, Rúmil?"
"It is... surprising," he answered, "I never expected that I would ever have a human sister."
I turned towards him and smiled. "Well, and I would not have expected to have an Elven brother." My smile was returned.
"Rúmil, may I ask a question?"
"Certainly, sister."
"I talked to the Lady last evening, and I now have some questions that I did not dare to ask her; but maybe I can ask you now."
He leaned back to the stones, water drops running down his chest, waiting for my question.
"Uhm... could you explain to me what... what... the `Treeshow' is? What it means?"
A broad smile came over his face.
"It is the way of some Elves, but I guess you mean a certain Elf, to be bound to the nature. Elves do this if they do not expect to get bound to other Elves, or Humans, maybe."
"But what exactly does it mean?"
"It is a little difficult," he said, still smiling. "It is to be one with nature, with any living creature or plant that nature has to offer. It is a little like, uhm, to be together with `someone', privately, you understand?"
I tried to break his explanation down to a strange summary that formed in my mind.
"So it means having sex with nature?"
The wine that was about to slid down his throat was spilled over the pool. When he had recovered from his laughter, he tried unsuccessfully to become serious.
"Well, uhm, maybe, somehow?"
I could not help shaking my head.
"Then tell me something else, Rúmil; why did he obviously feel the need to get bound to an average human woman if he has nature all around him?"
"Maybe because you were the first Human ever that did not obey him?"
I laughed out loud. "I did not obey him, and this is why he wanted me? You must be joking."
He leaned back, his eyes on me in some kind of way that was disturbing. I wondered what it could possibly be and realized that it was the way he looked at me. It was not the usual way a brother would look at his sister; and I preferred to get back into the water until the surface dipped to my chin.
"Have you ever taken a look around at the other She-Elves, Dana? Can you not see how different they are to you?"
"Oh yes, I have seen it. They are perfect and wonderful, and I am, as I have said, just average and human. Maybe I am not even average; I am thirty-two years old and just about to grow some funny wrinkles under my eyes, see?" I pulled down my eyelid in a rather theatrical manner.
He grinned.
"That is exactly what I meant. Any other female Elf would have blushed at the compliment you just got, but you try to argue about your disadvantages instead."
I raised my brow. "Oh, Rúmil, if that should have been a compliment, then you should really practice on this matter."
Instead of answering me, he grabbed one of these strange chicken curry fruits and turned it around in his fingers, examining it careful with his eyes, the waterdrops were sparkling in his long lashes, being reflected by the bright turquoise eyes below.
"Nature is not perfect as well, just look at these fruits. Each one is different, each one unique. They even do not have the same taste, despite of the shape. Now compare this to us, to the Elves. We are perfect, but we love nature, and for this, we also love things that are not as perfect, that are unique. I think that during our lifetime which, uhm, differs a little from yours as far as I know-"
You are mummies, I thought, Egyptian mummies...
"-we got a little bored with the perfection around us. Did you never have the idea that this could be the reason for Haldir to fall in love with you? I guess he did at first sight, when we found you next to the tree the first time. Orophin and I did not want to take you with us, but Haldir insisted to do so. We could have thrown you back from the tree, you know, and you would probably never have known that your daydream while being unconscious was real. Now, tell me, average mortal human sister, what do you think about us? What made Haldir attractive for you?"
I swallowed. "Well, can't you guess that? You are perfect. To see one of your kin passing is like seeing fireworks passing. Each one of you is royal and elegant, and you deserve royalty. I am still not sure if I... if I... deserve such; I am not royal nor am I elegant."
He lifted my chin with his hand and looked into my eyes. "You are more than royal, sister. You are unique." Rúmil carefully kissed my forehead. "If you were not my sister now, I would consider something different than just kissing your brow."
The turquoise orbs seemed to pierce into my very conscious before I could object to his words in any kind of way. He continued to speak, leaning back to the stones.
"I think it is about passion, the Human kind of passion that we Elves do not have. Your passion is well known amongst the Elves; it is overwhelming to us, who are and have to be always in some kind of control. When an Elf makes love to a Human, this kind of passion is overwhelming to us and it is said to be extremely intoxicating in a positive way. It is the same kind of passion that makes Humans dangerous in battle; you are uncontrollable, impossible to calculate. What makes you interesting as lovers, is the same that makes you dangerous in battle. I would have loved to... just once... see... feel... experience..."
And he stroke my shoulder with his fingertips.
I held my breath and must have stared at him as if I had just seen a Warg for the first time.
His expression was startled. "I am sorry, I should not have told you so, nor should I have done this. It is better if I go now, I have other things to do."
He jumped up and ran to the exit. His own words must have shocked him the same way they shocked me, I thought. Maybe it was better that way, but the way he had looked at me, touched me, had confused me, and I remained for quite some time leaning to the border of the pool, thinking about his words. This cannot be, I thought. Was he jealous of his older brother? What the hell was up with him?
I also took the time to think about other things. Haldir's lie when he told me that I caused the binding; the thing about constantly being in control, my own past, and the everlasting question how on earth this Elf had gotten the will or the strength to bind himself to an ordinary mortal human woman.
I have no idea how long I remained in the pool, but when I discovered that the skin of my hands had started to wrinkle I decided that it was time to leave.
Chris, where was Chris. I would have to talk to her about this, about everything. And Haldir, I had to speak with Haldir to have some of my questions answered; the sooner the better.
I left the bath when the sun had just appeared on the edge of the horizon.
I found Chris at the door of my room. "Where have you been all night?" she asked. "I was starting to get worried!"
"How was your dinner?" I answered instead.
"Fine, it is just gorgeous to be here."
"Can we talk for a few minutes? I need some advice and helpful common sense please."
"Sure."
"Inside? Please, I do not want too many sharp Elven ears in this conversation..." and lead her to the room.
"What's up with you, Dana? You look worried."
I sighed.
"Well, where should I start? I guess it is best to start with the answer to a question that you had for me two days ago. You wanted to know who said `Cormamin niuve tenna' ta elea lle au' to me, right?"
Her smile was broad. "I could guess, but just go on telling to me."
I sat down on the bed, pulled my knees to my chin and grinned back. "Well, it was Haldir."
Her eyebrows arched up. "Haldir? Is that why you still wear the clasp?"
And now to the difficult part, Dana, I thought.
"Uhm, well, yes, I think it was some kind of gift for our binding..." and was interrupted promptly.
"BINDING? You are not serious, Dana. You would like to tell me that you have bound yourself to an Elf, to the March Warden of Lothlorien? This is not possible, the books say that they need a year to..."
I tried to hide my face behind my legs. The books, oh yes. They also don't say that Lothlorien is an island...
"Yes. Well, to be true, it was more something like that he has bound to me. Or maybe we have bound to each other. I honestly have no idea."
Chris took my shoulders in her hands and shook me. "Are you insane? You are... and he is... and you both can't..."
"The Lady said we will find a solution." And suddenly, I had an idea.
"Chris, you were always so much interested in Lord Celeborn's library, to find out what you would find there if you could ever see it for real. Are you still interested?"
"Don't try to distract me, Dana. Repeat that. If I understood correctly from you and the others, we are just Border Crossers with limited time here, right? And the March Warden has bound to you? There are two possibilities now. The first would be, if what Tolkien wrote was correct, this Elf will die of a broken heart if you have to leave this world forever. The second possibility would be, if I should suspect that if the things Jackson showed in his movie are true, you will have about a month or two until he dies at Helms Deep!"
"There are two other things that you either have forgotten or don't know, Chris. You remember the discussion in the laboratory? About the fungicide and the injections? This was to ensure that there could be a possibility for him to live in our world."
"If you would find someone who would like to stay here instead of him, yes. But then you still have the problem of him being immortal and you are just, well, Human."
"There is something else, I mentioned two things. This is the thing you probably do not know yet. Lothlorien is an island in a great lake."
"Oh, well... I think nothing here can surprise me any more, just go on."
I told her about the Atalante people and the big passage out on the lake.
When I finished, she remained silent for quite a while, staring out of the window. When she finally found her words again, she looked at me.
"You mean to tell me that this place here was formerly known as... Atlantis?"
"Yes, I think so. And I would like you to find something out for me. Not that the Lady nor the Lord want to talk about it, but I think that the disappearing of the passage has to do something with the One Ring and Sauron. I would like to find out more on that subject, and also on some, well, strange kind of `transport possibility' which seems to exist only for Border Crossers. It was mentioned last evening but they didn't want to talk any further about it. But I suspect that Lord Celeborn will not... well, let me find what I am searching for. Maybe you would be able to find something; either by searching the library or by questioning John on that subject; he seems to have read many things in the library."
My suggestion was rewarded with a smile.
"I thought all the time about a possibility for an excuse to talk to him. Thank you for giving me one."
"But you need to be careful," I warned, "sometimes, the Lady `accidentally' seems to read the thoughts of the people around her, and maybe the Lord does the same. If they are around, try to think about something else."
She looked at me with serious eyes.
"You know that I am just about to become a part of a world that I have dreamt about for three decades?"
I nodded.
She grinned. "This will be fun..."
"Did you know that they will be here this evening?"
The grinning became broader. "Yes, we will see them all... Hope they will stay here as long as possible. You know, my Greenleaf will come along; once in my lifetime I have the chance to see him, be near him... I guess I will drop dead if he ever takes a look at me." She clutched her heart with a comic sigh.
I giggled and remembered Haldir's words. "Haldir said something strange concerning Legolas. He said that we should be careful, that `he is not what he seems to be'."
Chris frowned. "What did he mean?"
I shook my head. "I have absolutely no idea, Chris."
"Couldn't you read his thoughts? You are bound to him, right?"
Once again, I had to shake my head. "I can't read his thoughts. I could see some of his past memories when we bound, but at the moment, I am just sharing his emotions, his feelings. I can feel if he is tensed, angry, or happy, but I have no possibility to see his thoughts."
She laughed. "Now, Dana, seriously, what is it like to be with an Elf? Is it different?"
I smiled knowingly and rubbed my ear. "It is, uhm, interesting. They glow, and the glowing comes over to you."
Chris gasped. "They `glow'? That was more an image, right?"
"No, they really glow. The skin seems to light up from the inside with sparkling, colorful lights; it is very, very difficult to describe."
She tipped her head, still frowning. "You have not taken any drugs before doing that, right?"
I laughed and pushed her shoulder. "By now you should know that I tell you the truth, shouldn't you?"
She shook her head. "You are really, really insane. You are crazy. You are mad. Did I tell you that I love you?" And I found myself in a warm embrace.
"What are they like? Are they really just like in the books?"
Ah. She was curious.
"They are... but it is worse. They are so... vulnerable."
Chris' forehead wrinkled. "Vulnerable? I thought they could only die of broken hearts and in war?"
"You've got the point, Chris. The broken hearts. They are incredibly scared to die of a broken heart. This seems to go so far that they seem to forbid themselves to love."
Her eyebrows seemed to search contact with her hairline.
"They forbid?"
"At least Haldir seems to, yes. You should have seen his... his eyes, the expression on his face when I first touched him. I don't think that a Balrog could have scared him more."
"Do you have any idea why?"
I sighed. "Yes, I believe it is because I am a Human."
She scratched her ear. "Because you are Human? This makes no sense. He is an Elf. He is one of the Firstborn. He should not have any reason to fear a human."
"Oh yes, he has. We Humans have feelings and emotions that these Elves either seem to miss or constantly suppress. Uruviel, Lady Galadriel and Rúmil told me this is because our Race have passion that the Elves do not have, but sometimes desire. But I still have no idea why he desired me, Chris. I have absolutely no idea."
"Maybe because you are, uhm, the only Human around?"
I practiced arching my brows like an Elf.
"Within four thousand years? Within the last four thousand years of his life he should have met SOME Humans, Chris. I was for sure not the first one. So the question remains: Why me?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "Did you ask him?"
"No, not yet; I did not yet find the time to do so. But I surely will, as soon as I can catch him alone. There are some questions that need answers."
I turned to her.
"Now, Chris, let us see what we can do about how you're dressed. We want to show the best of you when Legolas arrives, right?"
"Oh right! There is just so much of me to show off!"
I grinned. "It is time to teach you about the joys of an elvish bath and some, uhm, ingredients of Elven beauty care. Come quickly, I think by this time in the morning the bath is still empty."
Three hours later the She-Elf that was responsible for taking care of the pool that week was surprised to find some empty bowls and phials by the poolside.
By that time, a remarkably thinner Chris and I were already sitting together with the Elven seamstresses, changing some dresses to a smaller size, and an elvish blacksmith was looking at a human corset busk for the first time of his incredibly long life and tried to copy it.
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