Fic: Where Elves Dwell
Where Elves Dwell
written for au_bingo, prompt: elves
fandom: american idol; pairing: cook/ archie; rating: pg; approximately 2K words
My AU Bingo card
Disclaimer: This is only fiction and written based on the author's imagination. No libel and copyright infringement intended.
A/N: This is AU, not beta'ed, please excuse any mistake. Story might be rushed, only written to fill a prompt. Since my brain refused to create a new world, I decided to use Tolkien's and places mentioned are based on the map of Middle Earth. Moreso, I am no expert in Elvish. Sindarin phrases used are found online.
--
His body burned like furnace but his skin felt like it was covered in a sheath of ice. Pain ripped throughout his body, making him shake violently. A sound of torment tore out of his throat.
He could hear voices - chanting something that sounded like a spell for healing. The words were spoken in a tongue familiar to him but in his current state, he couldn't even focus enough to understand.
He opened his eyes but all he could see was haze. Images started to fade as if he was being sucked into a dark cave.
The next time Cook woke up, he felt light as a feather. The pain was bearable. The smell of eucalyptus and sandalwood leaves permeated the room.
The room.
Cook bolted upright, realizing he had no clue where he was and the room spun and spun and-
"You should stay in bed," someone said and Cook twisted his head to see an elf standing by the archway that seemed to lead out into a balcony. He was beautiful. His long dark hair shone like black silk, framing his perfectly shaped face, eyes lit up like gold and his skin as white as milk.
"Who are you? Where am I? What happened?" tumbled out of Cook's lips.
The room brightened when the elf smiled and he took careful steps towards Cook's bed. "My name is David'arch but you may call me David. And you're in the House of Jeffârìon, in Imladris, otherwise known as Rivendell. You were attacked. By whom, I know not. You've been hit by a poisoned arrow. My brother and I along with our people were traveling along Hoardale when we found you."
"My companions." Cook suddenly remembers Johns and DeWyze and Kris.
"They are well. They weren't as badly harmed as you were. They are with my father and my sisters as we speak."
"I want to see them," Cook said but when he moved to slide out of bed, he felt a sharp pang on his shoulder so he cried out, "Argh!" and his hand flew over the cloth-covered spot.
"You shouldn't move." David was beside him in an instant, pressing lightly on Cook's uninjured shoulder and guiding him to lie back against the soft sheets. His touch gave Cook the comfort he needed. "It will take time to heal."
"But-"
"Rest, Cook. I will tell your friends you've awoken."
*
They stayed in Imladris for five days and four nights and by then, Cook's strength had returned but his shoulder had not healed completely. He was told it would take a long time for the poison to wear off, even with the magic herbs and spells that the elves had poured into the wound everyday, but it will no longer spread throughout his body.
Night and day and for hours on end, Cook spent more time with David than with anyone else. He was drawn to the elf prince, captivated by his beauty and grace.
"Have you ever been outside Imladris?" Cook asked one night. They were walking through the silent woods, a silvery glow lingering around the trees.
"I have, once in about a hundred days, when I visit my cousins in the forest of Mirkwood," David said, his voice sounding like an enchanting melody that soothed Cook's soul. "Why do you ask?"
Cook shook his head. He wanted to ask David to come, to join him on the rest of his journey but he couldn't take him away from the secured blanket of his people.
"Just a thought," Cook said but he knew he couldn't hide his thoughts from David when he felt the fleeting touch of David's mind.
"Lle naa vanima. 1" Cook held David close that night, even as they lay in bed - the bed Cook had been occupying since he was brought here.
*
David wasn't at his side when Cook woke up. He and his friends had to leave before the sun rose beyond the walls of the valley and Cook's heart felt heavy when David was not around to say farewell.
"He has duties to fulfill," Jeffârìon told him without Cook needing to ask. "We have packed food and herbs in case someone gets wounded or sick. Your weapons have been cleaned and restored by the elves. Namaarie 2. May the rest of your journey be safe."
Cook and his friends expressed their sincerest gratitude - for the hospitality, for everything.
They reached the edge Eriador at dusk. On foot. Cook regretted that he declined the elves' offer to provide them horses. It would be difficult to get the animals through the Misty Mountain, where they had to cross to get to the other side.
The small crack between two large rocks that served as a pathway opened up to a wide berth and Cook took in the sight. The land stretched out beyond the shadowy hills, seemingly endless, and DeWyze made a rough calculation. "We'll probably reach the forest of Lothlórien in seven days. Five days with less rest."
Five days.
Cook's brother was withering from an ailment and the healers in their kingdom said that the only cure was an elixir produced from a silver plant that grew in the heart of Laurelindórenan - the forest of Lothlórien where mysterious elves lived.
Their journey had already been halted by the attack and the injury Cook had sustained. Time was running short.
They were about to start their trek across the vast land when shadows appeared from the edge of the rocks.
Johns raised his spear, DeWyze his sword, Kris his bow. Cook's grip on Narsil - the sword he was declared an heir of - loosened when he caught the whiff of David among the newcomers.
"David." The name fell from his lips like a spell. "What are you doing here?"
David emerged from the shadows, along with his brother, Daniel, and three other elves.
"My father believes that the journey to Lothlórien might put your lives at even more risk," David said but Cook had a feeling that these words weren't fully weighed with the truth.
"Should I ask again?"
David's lips stretched into a smile. "My father knows not where we are, but I'm sure he will once he finds out we're gone. I cannot let you go through the forest of Lothlórien with little knowledge of the land. Elves there aren't as trustworthy as Rivendell elves."
"We could use their help," Kris said. "I heard most elves of Lothlórien speak an older language so even if you speak Sindarin, Cook, we might have a hard time asking for their permission to grant us entry to their territory."
"He is right. The rulers of that land mostly speak Silvan but they may still converse in Sindarin. Although they might refuse to do so with strangers," Daniel explained.
David and Daniel joined them for the rest of their journey while the three other elves were sent back to Imladris to pass word to their father.
*
They walked along the borders of Eregion and Moria in two days then crossed the Misty Mountains in one day and a half, afraid to linger for longer hours because of the darkness creeping across the region. They rested well when they reached Dimrill Dale.
Cook sat at the edge of a rock that rose high enough to see across Mirrormere - the crystal clear lake that reflected the stars above him. David joined him, breathing in the stale air, the glow from the water flashing on the surface of his golden eyes.
David spoke after a long stretch of silence. "We might reach Lothlórien in a day or two."
"I'm just glad you're with me," Cook said with all honesty, taking David's hand in his. "Makes the journey easier."
David fell easily into the curve of Cook's arm and laid his head on Cook's shoulder. "Tell me about your brother."
Cook had told David the reason for their quest, but he hadn't had a chance to share the depth of his story. So he told David about Adam, about how a strange illness befell upon him and how his chance for survival lay on a single plant that produced the elixir - the antidote to rid of the disease that had been consuming Adam's strength.
"I have heard of that herb, heard about the silver leaves that resembled a flower." David shifted so he could look Cook in the eye. "They only grow in the center of the forest, and only the elves of Lothlórien know of their location. I hope they won't give us a hard time."
*
Cook had heard many stories about this land, about the elves that lived in the heart of Laurelindórenan, and he knew they should take extra caution. His fears were lessened with David at his side.
They were greeted with spears and arrows the moment they entered the territory, elves with silver hair surrounded them. Their eyes were as bright as the stars and crystals.
David started to speak to the one Cook presumed was the leader. The elf's head was held up high and his gaze evidently regarded David with caution.
David spoke in Sindarin mostly, introducing himself and his brother and explaining that they were sons of Jeffârìon. Half of the language David used though was older, something foreign to Cook's ears.
It was a lengthy discussion between David and the Lothlórien guard, whom Cook had learned was called Json. After half an hour, Json looked at each of them with scrutiny. He grunted with disgust before he finally said, ""Khila amin. 3"
"What's his problem?" Johns whispered under his breath as they walk along the bank of Silverlode.
"They don't really trust humans," Daniel explained.
"They only allowed you to come along because of me," Cook said, further explaining that his half-elven ancestry earned a little of the Lothlórien's guards' trust.
"I feel honored," Johns said mockingly.
The elves of Laurelindórenan welcomed them half-heartedly but after two days had passed, they have learned to trust Cook and company.
David returned to the tree house where they had been staying since they arrived one night and said, "The queen, Brookìel, had agreed to lead us to the heart of the forest where the silver plant grows. But…" His eyes sweep over Johns and DeWyze and Kris. "Only Cook and I and Daniel could go."
It was understandable that these elves wished to reserve the secret of their land, so Cook agreed but not without a long debate with his companions.
*
It was hard to tell what time of the day it was when they got to the center of the forest. The trees that grew here sprouted thick branches rich with leaves that served as a canopy, preventing sunlight to pour into the land. Fireflies grazed over the bushes, providing the scarce source of light.
They found the silver plant hidden beneath thorny bushes and they weren't allowed to cut their way through so Cook risked having his skin scraped to get a handful of the leaves - enough to make a vial or two of the elixir.
*
The next day they set out to return to Gondor. Cook paid his last respect to Brookìel, expressing his sincerest gratitude.
"Tenna' ento lye omenta, 4" she said before they left.
Knowing Cook had to part with David tore his heart into pieces.
"I…" David met his brother's eyes, as if he was seeking advice.
"Well, in all the two hundred years or so that we have walked Middle Earth, we have only set foot on the land of men twice, if I'm not mistaken." Daniel's words were like a puzzle but Cook knew what it meant even before David spoke.
"We'll go with you. Father always wanted to strengthen our relationship with humans and other races. I think it's about time we help."
They set out for Gondor, Cook's pocket heavy with the hope of healing his brother and his heart heavy with the hope of spending many more days, perhaps the rest of his life, with David.
fin
Sindarin translation:
1 - Lle naa vanima - You are beautiful
2 - Namaarie - Farewell
3 - Khila amin - Follow me
4 - Tenna' ento lye omenta - Until next we meet
written for au_bingo, prompt: elves
fandom: american idol; pairing: cook/ archie; rating: pg; approximately 2K words
My AU Bingo card
Disclaimer: This is only fiction and written based on the author's imagination. No libel and copyright infringement intended.
A/N: This is AU, not beta'ed, please excuse any mistake. Story might be rushed, only written to fill a prompt. Since my brain refused to create a new world, I decided to use Tolkien's and places mentioned are based on the map of Middle Earth. Moreso, I am no expert in Elvish. Sindarin phrases used are found online.
--
His body burned like furnace but his skin felt like it was covered in a sheath of ice. Pain ripped throughout his body, making him shake violently. A sound of torment tore out of his throat.
He could hear voices - chanting something that sounded like a spell for healing. The words were spoken in a tongue familiar to him but in his current state, he couldn't even focus enough to understand.
He opened his eyes but all he could see was haze. Images started to fade as if he was being sucked into a dark cave.
The next time Cook woke up, he felt light as a feather. The pain was bearable. The smell of eucalyptus and sandalwood leaves permeated the room.
The room.
Cook bolted upright, realizing he had no clue where he was and the room spun and spun and-
"You should stay in bed," someone said and Cook twisted his head to see an elf standing by the archway that seemed to lead out into a balcony. He was beautiful. His long dark hair shone like black silk, framing his perfectly shaped face, eyes lit up like gold and his skin as white as milk.
"Who are you? Where am I? What happened?" tumbled out of Cook's lips.
The room brightened when the elf smiled and he took careful steps towards Cook's bed. "My name is David'arch but you may call me David. And you're in the House of Jeffârìon, in Imladris, otherwise known as Rivendell. You were attacked. By whom, I know not. You've been hit by a poisoned arrow. My brother and I along with our people were traveling along Hoardale when we found you."
"My companions." Cook suddenly remembers Johns and DeWyze and Kris.
"They are well. They weren't as badly harmed as you were. They are with my father and my sisters as we speak."
"I want to see them," Cook said but when he moved to slide out of bed, he felt a sharp pang on his shoulder so he cried out, "Argh!" and his hand flew over the cloth-covered spot.
"You shouldn't move." David was beside him in an instant, pressing lightly on Cook's uninjured shoulder and guiding him to lie back against the soft sheets. His touch gave Cook the comfort he needed. "It will take time to heal."
"But-"
"Rest, Cook. I will tell your friends you've awoken."
*
They stayed in Imladris for five days and four nights and by then, Cook's strength had returned but his shoulder had not healed completely. He was told it would take a long time for the poison to wear off, even with the magic herbs and spells that the elves had poured into the wound everyday, but it will no longer spread throughout his body.
Night and day and for hours on end, Cook spent more time with David than with anyone else. He was drawn to the elf prince, captivated by his beauty and grace.
"Have you ever been outside Imladris?" Cook asked one night. They were walking through the silent woods, a silvery glow lingering around the trees.
"I have, once in about a hundred days, when I visit my cousins in the forest of Mirkwood," David said, his voice sounding like an enchanting melody that soothed Cook's soul. "Why do you ask?"
Cook shook his head. He wanted to ask David to come, to join him on the rest of his journey but he couldn't take him away from the secured blanket of his people.
"Just a thought," Cook said but he knew he couldn't hide his thoughts from David when he felt the fleeting touch of David's mind.
"Lle naa vanima. 1" Cook held David close that night, even as they lay in bed - the bed Cook had been occupying since he was brought here.
*
David wasn't at his side when Cook woke up. He and his friends had to leave before the sun rose beyond the walls of the valley and Cook's heart felt heavy when David was not around to say farewell.
"He has duties to fulfill," Jeffârìon told him without Cook needing to ask. "We have packed food and herbs in case someone gets wounded or sick. Your weapons have been cleaned and restored by the elves. Namaarie 2. May the rest of your journey be safe."
Cook and his friends expressed their sincerest gratitude - for the hospitality, for everything.
They reached the edge Eriador at dusk. On foot. Cook regretted that he declined the elves' offer to provide them horses. It would be difficult to get the animals through the Misty Mountain, where they had to cross to get to the other side.
The small crack between two large rocks that served as a pathway opened up to a wide berth and Cook took in the sight. The land stretched out beyond the shadowy hills, seemingly endless, and DeWyze made a rough calculation. "We'll probably reach the forest of Lothlórien in seven days. Five days with less rest."
Five days.
Cook's brother was withering from an ailment and the healers in their kingdom said that the only cure was an elixir produced from a silver plant that grew in the heart of Laurelindórenan - the forest of Lothlórien where mysterious elves lived.
Their journey had already been halted by the attack and the injury Cook had sustained. Time was running short.
They were about to start their trek across the vast land when shadows appeared from the edge of the rocks.
Johns raised his spear, DeWyze his sword, Kris his bow. Cook's grip on Narsil - the sword he was declared an heir of - loosened when he caught the whiff of David among the newcomers.
"David." The name fell from his lips like a spell. "What are you doing here?"
David emerged from the shadows, along with his brother, Daniel, and three other elves.
"My father believes that the journey to Lothlórien might put your lives at even more risk," David said but Cook had a feeling that these words weren't fully weighed with the truth.
"Should I ask again?"
David's lips stretched into a smile. "My father knows not where we are, but I'm sure he will once he finds out we're gone. I cannot let you go through the forest of Lothlórien with little knowledge of the land. Elves there aren't as trustworthy as Rivendell elves."
"We could use their help," Kris said. "I heard most elves of Lothlórien speak an older language so even if you speak Sindarin, Cook, we might have a hard time asking for their permission to grant us entry to their territory."
"He is right. The rulers of that land mostly speak Silvan but they may still converse in Sindarin. Although they might refuse to do so with strangers," Daniel explained.
David and Daniel joined them for the rest of their journey while the three other elves were sent back to Imladris to pass word to their father.
*
They walked along the borders of Eregion and Moria in two days then crossed the Misty Mountains in one day and a half, afraid to linger for longer hours because of the darkness creeping across the region. They rested well when they reached Dimrill Dale.
Cook sat at the edge of a rock that rose high enough to see across Mirrormere - the crystal clear lake that reflected the stars above him. David joined him, breathing in the stale air, the glow from the water flashing on the surface of his golden eyes.
David spoke after a long stretch of silence. "We might reach Lothlórien in a day or two."
"I'm just glad you're with me," Cook said with all honesty, taking David's hand in his. "Makes the journey easier."
David fell easily into the curve of Cook's arm and laid his head on Cook's shoulder. "Tell me about your brother."
Cook had told David the reason for their quest, but he hadn't had a chance to share the depth of his story. So he told David about Adam, about how a strange illness befell upon him and how his chance for survival lay on a single plant that produced the elixir - the antidote to rid of the disease that had been consuming Adam's strength.
"I have heard of that herb, heard about the silver leaves that resembled a flower." David shifted so he could look Cook in the eye. "They only grow in the center of the forest, and only the elves of Lothlórien know of their location. I hope they won't give us a hard time."
*
Cook had heard many stories about this land, about the elves that lived in the heart of Laurelindórenan, and he knew they should take extra caution. His fears were lessened with David at his side.
They were greeted with spears and arrows the moment they entered the territory, elves with silver hair surrounded them. Their eyes were as bright as the stars and crystals.
David started to speak to the one Cook presumed was the leader. The elf's head was held up high and his gaze evidently regarded David with caution.
David spoke in Sindarin mostly, introducing himself and his brother and explaining that they were sons of Jeffârìon. Half of the language David used though was older, something foreign to Cook's ears.
It was a lengthy discussion between David and the Lothlórien guard, whom Cook had learned was called Json. After half an hour, Json looked at each of them with scrutiny. He grunted with disgust before he finally said, ""Khila amin. 3"
"What's his problem?" Johns whispered under his breath as they walk along the bank of Silverlode.
"They don't really trust humans," Daniel explained.
"They only allowed you to come along because of me," Cook said, further explaining that his half-elven ancestry earned a little of the Lothlórien's guards' trust.
"I feel honored," Johns said mockingly.
The elves of Laurelindórenan welcomed them half-heartedly but after two days had passed, they have learned to trust Cook and company.
David returned to the tree house where they had been staying since they arrived one night and said, "The queen, Brookìel, had agreed to lead us to the heart of the forest where the silver plant grows. But…" His eyes sweep over Johns and DeWyze and Kris. "Only Cook and I and Daniel could go."
It was understandable that these elves wished to reserve the secret of their land, so Cook agreed but not without a long debate with his companions.
*
It was hard to tell what time of the day it was when they got to the center of the forest. The trees that grew here sprouted thick branches rich with leaves that served as a canopy, preventing sunlight to pour into the land. Fireflies grazed over the bushes, providing the scarce source of light.
They found the silver plant hidden beneath thorny bushes and they weren't allowed to cut their way through so Cook risked having his skin scraped to get a handful of the leaves - enough to make a vial or two of the elixir.
*
The next day they set out to return to Gondor. Cook paid his last respect to Brookìel, expressing his sincerest gratitude.
"Tenna' ento lye omenta, 4" she said before they left.
Knowing Cook had to part with David tore his heart into pieces.
"I…" David met his brother's eyes, as if he was seeking advice.
"Well, in all the two hundred years or so that we have walked Middle Earth, we have only set foot on the land of men twice, if I'm not mistaken." Daniel's words were like a puzzle but Cook knew what it meant even before David spoke.
"We'll go with you. Father always wanted to strengthen our relationship with humans and other races. I think it's about time we help."
They set out for Gondor, Cook's pocket heavy with the hope of healing his brother and his heart heavy with the hope of spending many more days, perhaps the rest of his life, with David.
fin
Sindarin translation:
1 - Lle naa vanima - You are beautiful
2 - Namaarie - Farewell
3 - Khila amin - Follow me
4 - Tenna' ento lye omenta - Until next we meet