For talullahred: Silver Rain (Elladan/Haldir)
Merry midwinter!
Title: Silver Rain
Author: empy
Pairing: Elladan/Haldir
Rating: PG-ish
Disclaimer: the characters belong to JRR Tolkien, I merely play with them.
Note: written for talullahred for the lotr_sesa 2006 fic exchange. I'm sorry it's a bit late.
***
The shimmering curtain of mist that had settled over the lands fringing the Misty Mountains turned into a soft rainfall as Elladan and Elrohir neared the outermost borders of Lórien, and the surface of Nimrodel was like a ribbon of tarnished silver, pocked with droplets. The water had lost none of its chill, and it fair numbed their feet as they crossed.
They walked in plain sight, as the need for secrecy was no longer as great as it had been during the War, but they had lost none of their skills of subterfuge. Had there been need, they would have been able to all but vanish among the trees.
Fewer sentinels had been posted than during the war, and the brothers encountered but two: Haldir and his brother Orophin, who greeted them with cordial bows.
"My lords, your presence honours us."
***
The fair sight of the grand telain of Caras Galadhon was still as awe-inspiring, though now it seemed the air moved with the strains of sad laments sung in soft voices. Elladan could not help but notice how the light of the city seemed diminished, as though the very heart of it were dimming slowly. The rain which still fell cast its own hush.
"Lord Celeborn had not told us of your coming," said Haldir as they approached the highest mallorn. "Else we would have welcomed you better."
"It was not an ill welcome," noted Elrohir with some amusement. "Had you had arrows trained at us and expressed intent to let them fly, then perhaps we would have considered it impolite." He turned to Elladan. "I will take the message to our grandsire. I will send for you should I need you."
Elladan nodded. "Walk with me, Haldir," he said. "Surely someone else can take your place as guard for this evening if I request it?"
Haldir inclined his head. "Your wish is as good as law here, my lord."
Elladan laughed at the statement and settled a hand on Haldir's shoulder. "I see you still insist on titles," he said, taking care to keep his voice low enough. "Have I not known you since you were but a youth, and have I not told you time and again that you may call me what you wish when we are alone?"
Haldir answered the smile and shrugged. "It is a sentinel's ill habit to always assume that there are prying eyes and ears." He cast a sidelong glance at his brother, who stood talking with Elrohir. "And surely you know that some matters are best kept secret," he went on in a lower voice.
"Then let us find a place that is well hidden."
"Something has changed, Haldir," said Elladan as they followed a faint path that wound past the heart of the city. "Your demeanour is sorrowful, even though the War has been won."
"The departure of our Lady causes me great grief, as does the waning of these lands," said Haldir, looking up at the branchwork above their heads.
"Why did you not cross the Sea with her?" asked Elladan.
"For love of this fair land and out of loyalty to my lord," said Haldir. "It was a sore choice," he added, then started and turned to look at Elladan. "Though it surely cannot have been as difficult as that you and your brother were forced to make."
Elladan merely smiled. "It was a choice already half-made. It hurt, that I will admit, for we were to be sundered from our kin, but in the end, it was the wisest choice and that which was truest to our hearts."
Haldir nodded. "If we are to speak of true choices, then I will admit that I had other reasons for staying."
"You did?" asked Elladan, something clearly roguish now in his tone. "Will you tell me which those were?"
Haldir looked askance at him for a moment, then laughed. "I think you already know which those are, Elladan. Else you would not take such delight in asking me about them."
At length, they found a secluded clearing that would afford them some privacy, and settled at the base of a mallorn whose bole was so wide it might have served as a wall. Its branches formed a lush roof that nonetheless let some rain trickle through. Elladan divested himself of his cloak and tunic, sighing as he felt the soft droplets of rain touch his skin.
"My mind is at rest here," said Elladan, closing his eyes as he leaned his head onto Haldir's shoulder. "Imladris is like a deserted hall of feasts now, still beautiful but with so few revellers. Here, I may still hear the song of my kin and delight in the beauty of the true heart of Elvendom in Arda." He opened one eye, catching Haldir's gaze. "And here I may spend blissful hours in pleasant company."
"You flatter me," said Haldir, but did not resist when Elladan leaned in to claim a kiss.
The rain glittered on Elladan's skin, droplets like white jewels sparkling in the moonlight, and Haldir let his fingers trace the familiar lines of Elladan's body. This had been denied him for so long now, with Elladan kept from him by battles and sheer distance, and he found he had to rein in his desires lest he rush.
"Do you remember the first time we shared bodies thus?" asked Elladan, reaching up to settle his hand over Haldir's heart. "It rained that eve, a gentle silver rain like this one."
"Indeed it did," murmured Haldir before capturing Elladan's mouth in a deep kiss. "And you insisted we find a clearing, so that you could feel the rain on your skin. You were cunning even back then, or else I had been an open book for you to read."
"Not more so than others," said Elladan, a wide smile lighting his features. "You forget that I had more experience, if only by virtue of having lived longer."
"Age is not always a benefit," said Haldir, warming to the jest. "Surely it will begin to weigh you before long."
"Before long, yes," said Elladan, "but that time is not now." He reached for the fastenings of Haldir's cloak as he spoke. "Shall I prove it to you?"
-END-
Title: Silver Rain
Author: empy
Pairing: Elladan/Haldir
Rating: PG-ish
Disclaimer: the characters belong to JRR Tolkien, I merely play with them.
Note: written for talullahred for the lotr_sesa 2006 fic exchange. I'm sorry it's a bit late.
***
The shimmering curtain of mist that had settled over the lands fringing the Misty Mountains turned into a soft rainfall as Elladan and Elrohir neared the outermost borders of Lórien, and the surface of Nimrodel was like a ribbon of tarnished silver, pocked with droplets. The water had lost none of its chill, and it fair numbed their feet as they crossed.
They walked in plain sight, as the need for secrecy was no longer as great as it had been during the War, but they had lost none of their skills of subterfuge. Had there been need, they would have been able to all but vanish among the trees.
Fewer sentinels had been posted than during the war, and the brothers encountered but two: Haldir and his brother Orophin, who greeted them with cordial bows.
"My lords, your presence honours us."
***
The fair sight of the grand telain of Caras Galadhon was still as awe-inspiring, though now it seemed the air moved with the strains of sad laments sung in soft voices. Elladan could not help but notice how the light of the city seemed diminished, as though the very heart of it were dimming slowly. The rain which still fell cast its own hush.
"Lord Celeborn had not told us of your coming," said Haldir as they approached the highest mallorn. "Else we would have welcomed you better."
"It was not an ill welcome," noted Elrohir with some amusement. "Had you had arrows trained at us and expressed intent to let them fly, then perhaps we would have considered it impolite." He turned to Elladan. "I will take the message to our grandsire. I will send for you should I need you."
Elladan nodded. "Walk with me, Haldir," he said. "Surely someone else can take your place as guard for this evening if I request it?"
Haldir inclined his head. "Your wish is as good as law here, my lord."
Elladan laughed at the statement and settled a hand on Haldir's shoulder. "I see you still insist on titles," he said, taking care to keep his voice low enough. "Have I not known you since you were but a youth, and have I not told you time and again that you may call me what you wish when we are alone?"
Haldir answered the smile and shrugged. "It is a sentinel's ill habit to always assume that there are prying eyes and ears." He cast a sidelong glance at his brother, who stood talking with Elrohir. "And surely you know that some matters are best kept secret," he went on in a lower voice.
"Then let us find a place that is well hidden."
"Something has changed, Haldir," said Elladan as they followed a faint path that wound past the heart of the city. "Your demeanour is sorrowful, even though the War has been won."
"The departure of our Lady causes me great grief, as does the waning of these lands," said Haldir, looking up at the branchwork above their heads.
"Why did you not cross the Sea with her?" asked Elladan.
"For love of this fair land and out of loyalty to my lord," said Haldir. "It was a sore choice," he added, then started and turned to look at Elladan. "Though it surely cannot have been as difficult as that you and your brother were forced to make."
Elladan merely smiled. "It was a choice already half-made. It hurt, that I will admit, for we were to be sundered from our kin, but in the end, it was the wisest choice and that which was truest to our hearts."
Haldir nodded. "If we are to speak of true choices, then I will admit that I had other reasons for staying."
"You did?" asked Elladan, something clearly roguish now in his tone. "Will you tell me which those were?"
Haldir looked askance at him for a moment, then laughed. "I think you already know which those are, Elladan. Else you would not take such delight in asking me about them."
At length, they found a secluded clearing that would afford them some privacy, and settled at the base of a mallorn whose bole was so wide it might have served as a wall. Its branches formed a lush roof that nonetheless let some rain trickle through. Elladan divested himself of his cloak and tunic, sighing as he felt the soft droplets of rain touch his skin.
"My mind is at rest here," said Elladan, closing his eyes as he leaned his head onto Haldir's shoulder. "Imladris is like a deserted hall of feasts now, still beautiful but with so few revellers. Here, I may still hear the song of my kin and delight in the beauty of the true heart of Elvendom in Arda." He opened one eye, catching Haldir's gaze. "And here I may spend blissful hours in pleasant company."
"You flatter me," said Haldir, but did not resist when Elladan leaned in to claim a kiss.
The rain glittered on Elladan's skin, droplets like white jewels sparkling in the moonlight, and Haldir let his fingers trace the familiar lines of Elladan's body. This had been denied him for so long now, with Elladan kept from him by battles and sheer distance, and he found he had to rein in his desires lest he rush.
"Do you remember the first time we shared bodies thus?" asked Elladan, reaching up to settle his hand over Haldir's heart. "It rained that eve, a gentle silver rain like this one."
"Indeed it did," murmured Haldir before capturing Elladan's mouth in a deep kiss. "And you insisted we find a clearing, so that you could feel the rain on your skin. You were cunning even back then, or else I had been an open book for you to read."
"Not more so than others," said Elladan, a wide smile lighting his features. "You forget that I had more experience, if only by virtue of having lived longer."
"Age is not always a benefit," said Haldir, warming to the jest. "Surely it will begin to weigh you before long."
"Before long, yes," said Elladan, "but that time is not now." He reached for the fastenings of Haldir's cloak as he spoke. "Shall I prove it to you?"
-END-