Title: Can’t Fight the Moonlight
Author: Erin Riwen
Rating: Using Master Erestor's lovely new rating system - Blue
Pairing: Erestor/Elrond
Disclaimer: I own little save my own flowery style and the tea I
drank while writing this
Warnings: none really, just excessive moonlight and curiosity
Beta: Jessica
Notes: It's a song fic based on "Can’t Fight the Moonlight" by
Leann Rimes from Coyote Ugly. Some lyrics altered slightly.
Summary: Lord Elrond and his lover Erestor disappear every evening. Where do they go and why?
For Master Erestor - To feed your fav. pairing cravings. *huggles*
“There they go again,” Faelothor found himself muttering under his breath.
Lindir glanced at him, his brow knitted together in confusion. “Who?” he asked quietly.
“Lord Elrond and Master Erestor. They left, disappearing into the night while everyone else heads to the hall.”
“They will be there,” Lindir pointed out as they walked, “they always are. Why does it worry you so?”
“Aye, but always after…after whatever it is they do. I am…curious,” Faelothor replied, suddenly stopping in the entrance to the hall of fire, a look on his face that his lover knew well.
“Faelothor, what on earth are you going to do? I know that look and it will surely get you into trouble. Need I remind you, my beloved, that you need not any more trouble?” Lindir’s voice was soft, but firm.
“It must be important, to pull them out every evening and delay their entering the Hall of Fire.
“Aye,” Lindir agreed, “and if they wished us to know, they would tell us.”
“Perhaps,” Faelothor agreed, his eyes searching in the opposite direction from where they were heading, “but I must know.”
“Faelothor,” Lindir said, his voice a low warning. “Please, do not pursue this. Your curiosity has gotten you into trouble before and will this time as well. Please.” Lindir pleaded, but could see that it was to no avail. He sighed, dropping his hand. “Very well, do as you must. I will await you in the hall.”
“You do not wish to come?” Faelothor asked, surprised.
“Nay, I do not. If they wished me to know their whereabouts, they would have told me. Even they are entitled to their privacy. Go if you must, but I will not go with you.” With that, Lindir kissed his lover and moved into the hall.
Part of Faelothor felt guilty; he meant no harm, but he just had to know. Making his way quickly the same way that the two elf lords had disappeared, Faelothor crept out onto the portico. Sadly, to him, he realized that he was too late. Elrond and Erestor were making their way back toward the house hand in hand. Slipping down behind a bush, Faelothor waited until they were inside, then slipped in behind them.
In the hall, Lindir led the minstrels, forcing himself to concentrate and not worry. Finally he saw Faelothor and his eyes asked and his lover shook his head. A small nod and Lindir returned to his duties.
……..
As hard as he tried, Lindir had failed to convince Faelothor not to follow their lords and as dinner came to an end, Faelothor made his way out, moving silently behind at a discrete distance. If Elrond and Erestor knew they were being followed, they did not indicate it, nor seem to care. Moving out of the house and into the lower gardens hand in hand, the lovers spoke quietly to each other. Faelothor heard nothing unusual in their conversation, save the feeling of guilt at its personal nature. Finally, they stopped and Faelothor’s brow creased as he watched them, waiting to see what they would do.
……..
Entering the Hall of Fire some moments later, Faelothor still could not fathom that this was the reason they were out every night. Surely there was more to it. Yes, that was it. This must have been an exception. Determining to follow them again tomorrow, he let it go for now.
So it went. Every evening for the next 2 weeks, Faelothor followed Elrond and Erestor and it was always the same. On clear evenings it was the lower garden, on rainy ones; it was in the gazebo just off the portico.
As Elrond and Erestor rose from dinner and excused themselves, Faelothor followed.
“It is a lovely evening, beloved,” Elrond said quietly as his fingers linked with Erestor’s.
“Aye, it is,” Erestor replied, “though every evening with you by my side is a lovely evening, my love.”
Elrond smiled, his eyes dancing in anticipation of their nightly ritual. “We will have to not tarry tonight, sadly, as we have guests.”
“Aye, but it means so much to me that we are going anyway.” Erestor said, as they moved onto the portico. A tray lay just by the door on a table and reaching out, Erestor snagged one of the cut blooms that lay there, left over from the flower arrangements made for dinner. The rose was not perfect, but it was still lovely and its scent made Erestor smile as he lifted it to his nose before offering it to his lover.
The offered bloom gained Erestor a kiss on the cheek as they walked down into the lower garden, stopping as every night before in the center of a moonlight-filled spot. There, the lovers stopped and gazed into each others eyes, their fingers still intertwined. A sweet, promise-filled kiss followed and then, Elrond’s rich baritone voice sounded soft across the glade as he sang sweet words of love to this jewel of his heart.
under a lover’s sky
I want to be with you
As Elrond sang, he took Erestor into his arms and they danced, …
underneath the starlight, starlight
there’s a magical feeling so right
want to steal your heart tonight
…bathed in soft moonlight and wrapped in gentle breezes.
there’s no escape from love
as a gentle breeze
weaves its spell upon your heart
Erestor’s heart was filled nearly to bursting with the sweetness of this moment, this gesture that his lover bestowed on him, not just tonight but every night. How had he ever grown worthy of such a beloved as his.
The scent of honeysuckle and lavender filled the air as their love rose and fell with the notes.
underneath the starlight, starlight
we’ll be lost in the rhythm so right
want to steal your heart tonight
When the song and dance were done, the lovers kissed once more and then, re-linking their hands, began to leave the glade.
Faelothor, from his hiding place, wondered once more what this madness was. Only the night before, it had been Erestor singing to Elrond. Was this truly what they were doing every night? They had kept guests and dignitaries waiting in the Hall of Fire before for this - granted the movement from dinner to hall took a while and no one had remarked on it but it still struck Faelothor as odd.
They walked a short distance, and then Erestor stopped Elrond and turned, looking into his face bathed in moonlight.
“You are so beautiful, meleth-nin and I do love you so. Whatever did I do to deserve you and to deserve that which you give so freely every evening. It is not just the beauty of the gift, but the spirit with which it was given and is kept that gains my gratitude and love.
Elrond smiled, lifting his hands to frame the face of his beloved. “I promised you on our first night together, when we danced out on the balcony in the moonlight to celebrate our joining that this would be done and I have kept my word. For the rest of eternity, if it is in my ability, you will have the first dance of the evening. You will be in my arms, held close and cherished to ever honor the bond that I made to you to make you first in my life. You are first in my heart, first in my mind and first in my arms. All others come after, for now and evermore.”
Erestor’s eyes sparkled with emotion and his full lips curved into a gentle smile before he kissed his beloved deeply. “As you are in mine, beloved,” he whispered against slightly parted lips. “As soon as our duties in the hall are done,” he continued to whisper, “the rest of that night will be repeated as well - as often as pleases my Lord.”
Elrond’s eyes held a twinkle and his lips a broad smile as they entered the house and made their way to the great hall to greet their guests.