Against all odds
folder
-Multi-Age › Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
43
Views:
9,496
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Currently Reading:
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Category:
-Multi-Age › Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
43
Views:
9,496
Reviews:
43
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own the Lord of the Rings (and associated) book series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
binding
Chapter twelve binding
Judging by the weather, no one would think anything wrong, but in the Room of Fire a battle was being fought. A battle of life. And outside, perched on the small bench, three elves were waiting for fifteen minutes to be over.
Glorfindel had silently led the twins out and was now playing with his own hair. He needed to so something, otherwise he’d go crazy. And the twins needed him stable.
It was Elladan that first brought him out of his little circle of thought. “Glorfindel?”, the voice was soft and laden with fear, “can you tell us about what’s happening? I don’t understand. What is ata doing in there?”
Glorfindel drew in a breath. Elladan was right, they needed to know. He drew the twins into a tight embrace, one arm for each twin, and he started talking. “Well, as you know Elrond is going to bind himself to Erestor in order to keep him here. It’s a different kind of binding than marriage, Elladan.”
Glorfindel thought for a moment on what would be the best way to go about this. He realised the best way was to describe the method. He drew in a big breath and continued. “This method is normally used on fading elves, but I am sure it will work here as well.”
Elrohir looked up at him. “Why?”
“Because Erestor is on his way to Mandos and so is a fading elf. Now, the knife Elrond asked for comes in use to initiate the binding. Elrond will slice his hand open, maybe even both, and then he’ll make sure to let his own blood flow into Erestor, mixing it together. If Erestor hadn’t cut his arms your father would have cut his hands as well, but now he only need to put his hands on Erestor’s arms.
“What follows next depends on a lot of things. Firstly the strength of the saviour, your father. Secondly the will to die of the fading elf, in this case Erestor’s will. Also important is the strength of Mandos’ pull. Does he want the elf to join his halls or not?”
Now the twins looked at him in horror. “But…Erestor wants to die.”
“Yes, but your father is strong and I do not believe Mandos will fight your father over Erestor.”
“So what happens then if father manages to keep him here? And how will he fight it?”
“I don’t know how this battle can go, but because your father binds himself to Erestor, his strength and warmth flows in Erestor just as he feels the cold of Mandos. It’s up to Elrond to call Erestor back. He has to fight to keep him here. He has to fight Erestor, remember he wanted to die.”
Elladan looked at him in understanding. “So it all depends on Mandos. Whether he wants Erestor to join him or to go back.” Elrohir looked troubled, he did not follow his brother’s line of thinking. To him it all depended on his father’s strength. But Elladan explained. “Think about it Elrohir. If Mandos doesn’t want Erestor to join him, he will be ata’s ally. But if he wants Erestor to come he will call Erestor just as hard as ata.”
“But ata can fight him.”
“Yes, he can Elrohir. But as I said, I have no doubts Mandos will be on our side.”
“And then what?”
“Then, Elladan, we have to nurse two very drained elves back to health. And things will change.”
“How so?” Elrohir didn’t want things to change, he wanted everybody to stay here.
“Erestor will be weak, though he will grow stronger in time. But he can never be far away from Elrond. Elrond is his lifeline now, his strength. And if Erestor doesn’t react well to this change things can become even more difficult than they already were. I will not lie to your, pyn-neth, Erestor can make your father’s future completely miserable. The bond will demand Elrond’s presence near Erestor. Erestor can accept that, but choice not to make it more. Basically that means that Erestor will use Elrond’s strength, Elrond’s lifeforce, to stay alive, but without changing their relationship. If Erestor accepts the bond, though, it will grow stronger and he and your father will become one.”
Elladan and Elrohir looked curious. “You mean….lovers?”
“Yes, lovers.”
“So Erestor will replace nana?” Elrohir didn’t think he could handle that. Glorfindel hurriedly assured the younger twin. “No, Elrohir, he will not. The union your father will have with Erestor will be different than the one he shared with Celebrain.”
Elladan understood. “Glorfindel is right Elrohir. There will be an invisible link between them. And it depends upon Erestor whether this link will bring father happiness, right?” Glorfindel nodded. Elladan really understood. “And I want ata to be happy again, Elrohir. He’s been alone for so long. Nana will never come back. She’s left. And ata, Glorfindel and Erestor raised us.”
Elrohir realised Elladan was right. He too wanted Elrond to be happy and now that he thought about it, he realised Elrond was very much in love with Erestor, although he did not realise the length of it. “He loves Erestor. That’s why he did it. I hope Erestor will love him back.”
Glorfindel pulled the twins closer. “If he doesn’t he’s in trouble with us.” He could feel two smiles widen at his words. But even though his mood was cheerful, he was highly worried. He prayed to Elbereth to stand by his friends, to give Elrond the strength he needed. And he prayed for Mandos to push Erestor back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After slicing his hands open Elrond quickly pulled the bandages on Erestor’s arms back and put his hands onto the cuts. He could feel his blood mingling with Erestor’s. But even if he hadhe whe would still know it to be working for cold was invading his entire body. It came from Erestor.
He concentrated on staying warm. If he stayed warm the link would make sure Erestor received it. But the cold was like solid ice. It was driving daggers through his veins, but he did not give up. Elrond focused on his breathing now as well, keeping it at a normal pace. Pressing his body closer to Erestor, he tried to drive the cold away from the boeneaeneath him. He started whispering old enchantments.
But the cold became stronger and harder to fight. ‘Come on Elrond,’ he thought to himself, ‘You did not die in that storm and that was colder. You will not die now either.’ Planting a kiss to Erestor’s brow he added ‘Nor will you, my love.’ But how was he going to keep them both alive here. The cold was getting worse and worse.
He quickly thought and decided to recite some poems. Maybe it would keep him aware and it might pull Erestor back. And so his soft lyrical voice spoke through the air:
Calad uireb síla bein elin tinnol di venel ah am amar.
Man i galad uireb? pedithag.
Boe pedi sa: La ‘erin pedi beth o cha.
He suddenly realised he did know the answer to this. His eternal light was beneath him. Erestor had always been and would always be his light, his eternal light. Once more he recited the poem, in every language he knew, starting in Quenya.
Cala oira síla ve i eleni tínala nu menel arambaambar.
Man i cala oira? quetuvatyë.
Ore quetë nin sa: Lá istan quetë quetta so.
After this he swiftly switched to Telerin and Valarin. The Dwarventongue Khazduhl was next and then Elrond started translating it into the older, hardly ever used, elven tongues Doriathrin, Avarin and Nandorin. Although the translations were swiftly made and inaccurate because he did not have his books with him the love he felt for Erestor still came forward. And because of that happiness shone bright through the cold. Tears came to Elrond’s eyes but he paid no head to them.
He was thinking too much, he realised as he felt the cold grow stronger and invading him. No, he could not give up. He would not.
Once more he started reciting the poems, concentrating on the love he had for Erestor, catapulting it through the link. But the cold did not leave. He laid his head on Erestor’s chest in total defeat. He feared he wasn’t strong enough after all. His soft voice sta cal calling to Erestor, constantly repeating his words. “Oantne ala, Erestor, áva’uta.”
Suddenly the slow steadying of Erestor’s heartbeat registered with him. He pressed his ear closer. Yes, he had heard correctly.
Once more he spoke. “Lasto beth nîn, todo dan na ngalad. Lasto beth nîn todo dan na ngalad.” His voice went higher and higher, constantly repeating the words. He did not even realise he substituted ‘light’ for ‘me’, telling Erestor to return to him. What he also did not know was Mandos increasing the volume of Elrond’s voice, making it echo towards Erestor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When the fifteen minutes were up, Glorfindel and the twins peeked inside, afraid of what they might see. Elrohir screamed. Both Elrond and Erestor looked dead.
Glorfindel quickly knelt down next to his friends and held his hand before their mouth. Air was blown out of both mouths in a constaatteattern. He smiled. “They are still a. El. Elrond won the battle. Come we must make them comfortable. You carry your father and I will carry Erestor.”
Elladan already went to pick up his father but halted when he saw Erestor’s eyes were closed. But Elrohir assured him, although it was more for himself than for Elladan, “It is a healing sleep.”
Elladan nodded. “You are right, brother, but were do we bring them?”
Elrohir pointed to Glorfindel who was already marching away. “Where he takes Erestor I guess. They need to be close, right?”
“Yes, he did mention that. All right, lets go.”
And they followed the blond to Elrond’s room where they put both unconscious elves in the bed.
Glorfindel went to a huge trunk and retrieved some extra blankets. All, but one, went over the bed, covering both sleeping elves, keeping them warm. The spare one he gave to Elladan, whom he pushed to the large couch. “You and Elrohir rest here, I will take the chair and first watch.”
Elrohir and Elladan nodded gratefully. Even though they had only sat outside, on the bench, the whole ordeal had greatly strained them.
When Glorfindel had made himself comfortable on the chair he nearly fell off when Elrohir suddenly spoke. “You know Glorfindel, I am so tired I can scarce believe it. I wonder how tired ata and Erestor are.” Glorfindel smiled at them and answered softly. “Esta, pyn-neth, ar delalto ta. Avo gusto.”
End chapter twelve
TBC
Translations:
Pyn-neth means young ones, plural of pen-neth.
Nana means mommy, comes from naneth (mother)
Translation of the poem:
An eternal light shines like the glinting stars under heaven and over Earth.
What is the eternal light? you will ask.
I must say: I can not say a word of it.
Oantne ala means don’t leave me, literally leave me not, because:
Oant- means to leave/go away
~ne is one of the many way to say me.
Ala means not
Áva’uta don’t pass away.
Áva means don’t.
Auta- means to pass away (also to go away)
Lasto beth nîn, tolo dan na ngalad hear my voice, return to the light: Literally hear my words, return to the light. It is what Elrond said in the movie when he was healing Frodo.
Esta, pyn-neth, ar delelto ta means rest, young ones, and don’t worry (about) them., because:
Esta means rest
Ar delalto ta literally means and worry them not, because:
Ar means and
Dela is the plural of dele, both coming from del- to worry.
~lto means them
Ta means not. It is a denial, a negative.
Avo gusto don’t worry
Notes:
To Elrond’s poem:
It is called Eternal light (Man calad) and the first time he recites it the language is Sindarin. I did not mention it in the text.
It is not mine. I’ve heard it to be a tradition Finnish poem. I also don’t know who did translate it, but it is a job well done.
To the other languages I mention. These are all languages spoken one day or another by elves. All I know is that Doriathrin is the mother tongue of Luthien (the one who married Beren) and that Nandorin is the ancient tongue of the Green elves. Avari is the language of the Avari, those who refused to leave Middle Earth.
For more info read Tolkien on the races or the languages, email me and I will happily give you what I have.
To the binding:
I have used the process Ilye describes in her trilogy Kindred Spirits. She does some amazing research, so I trusted her way more than I have other methods I’ve read.
I do not know what will happen once the link is made, so I used my imagination and hope it pleased you and that I will not get shot by elven arrows.
Judging by the weather, no one would think anything wrong, but in the Room of Fire a battle was being fought. A battle of life. And outside, perched on the small bench, three elves were waiting for fifteen minutes to be over.
Glorfindel had silently led the twins out and was now playing with his own hair. He needed to so something, otherwise he’d go crazy. And the twins needed him stable.
It was Elladan that first brought him out of his little circle of thought. “Glorfindel?”, the voice was soft and laden with fear, “can you tell us about what’s happening? I don’t understand. What is ata doing in there?”
Glorfindel drew in a breath. Elladan was right, they needed to know. He drew the twins into a tight embrace, one arm for each twin, and he started talking. “Well, as you know Elrond is going to bind himself to Erestor in order to keep him here. It’s a different kind of binding than marriage, Elladan.”
Glorfindel thought for a moment on what would be the best way to go about this. He realised the best way was to describe the method. He drew in a big breath and continued. “This method is normally used on fading elves, but I am sure it will work here as well.”
Elrohir looked up at him. “Why?”
“Because Erestor is on his way to Mandos and so is a fading elf. Now, the knife Elrond asked for comes in use to initiate the binding. Elrond will slice his hand open, maybe even both, and then he’ll make sure to let his own blood flow into Erestor, mixing it together. If Erestor hadn’t cut his arms your father would have cut his hands as well, but now he only need to put his hands on Erestor’s arms.
“What follows next depends on a lot of things. Firstly the strength of the saviour, your father. Secondly the will to die of the fading elf, in this case Erestor’s will. Also important is the strength of Mandos’ pull. Does he want the elf to join his halls or not?”
Now the twins looked at him in horror. “But…Erestor wants to die.”
“Yes, but your father is strong and I do not believe Mandos will fight your father over Erestor.”
“So what happens then if father manages to keep him here? And how will he fight it?”
“I don’t know how this battle can go, but because your father binds himself to Erestor, his strength and warmth flows in Erestor just as he feels the cold of Mandos. It’s up to Elrond to call Erestor back. He has to fight to keep him here. He has to fight Erestor, remember he wanted to die.”
Elladan looked at him in understanding. “So it all depends on Mandos. Whether he wants Erestor to join him or to go back.” Elrohir looked troubled, he did not follow his brother’s line of thinking. To him it all depended on his father’s strength. But Elladan explained. “Think about it Elrohir. If Mandos doesn’t want Erestor to join him, he will be ata’s ally. But if he wants Erestor to come he will call Erestor just as hard as ata.”
“But ata can fight him.”
“Yes, he can Elrohir. But as I said, I have no doubts Mandos will be on our side.”
“And then what?”
“Then, Elladan, we have to nurse two very drained elves back to health. And things will change.”
“How so?” Elrohir didn’t want things to change, he wanted everybody to stay here.
“Erestor will be weak, though he will grow stronger in time. But he can never be far away from Elrond. Elrond is his lifeline now, his strength. And if Erestor doesn’t react well to this change things can become even more difficult than they already were. I will not lie to your, pyn-neth, Erestor can make your father’s future completely miserable. The bond will demand Elrond’s presence near Erestor. Erestor can accept that, but choice not to make it more. Basically that means that Erestor will use Elrond’s strength, Elrond’s lifeforce, to stay alive, but without changing their relationship. If Erestor accepts the bond, though, it will grow stronger and he and your father will become one.”
Elladan and Elrohir looked curious. “You mean….lovers?”
“Yes, lovers.”
“So Erestor will replace nana?” Elrohir didn’t think he could handle that. Glorfindel hurriedly assured the younger twin. “No, Elrohir, he will not. The union your father will have with Erestor will be different than the one he shared with Celebrain.”
Elladan understood. “Glorfindel is right Elrohir. There will be an invisible link between them. And it depends upon Erestor whether this link will bring father happiness, right?” Glorfindel nodded. Elladan really understood. “And I want ata to be happy again, Elrohir. He’s been alone for so long. Nana will never come back. She’s left. And ata, Glorfindel and Erestor raised us.”
Elrohir realised Elladan was right. He too wanted Elrond to be happy and now that he thought about it, he realised Elrond was very much in love with Erestor, although he did not realise the length of it. “He loves Erestor. That’s why he did it. I hope Erestor will love him back.”
Glorfindel pulled the twins closer. “If he doesn’t he’s in trouble with us.” He could feel two smiles widen at his words. But even though his mood was cheerful, he was highly worried. He prayed to Elbereth to stand by his friends, to give Elrond the strength he needed. And he prayed for Mandos to push Erestor back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After slicing his hands open Elrond quickly pulled the bandages on Erestor’s arms back and put his hands onto the cuts. He could feel his blood mingling with Erestor’s. But even if he hadhe whe would still know it to be working for cold was invading his entire body. It came from Erestor.
He concentrated on staying warm. If he stayed warm the link would make sure Erestor received it. But the cold was like solid ice. It was driving daggers through his veins, but he did not give up. Elrond focused on his breathing now as well, keeping it at a normal pace. Pressing his body closer to Erestor, he tried to drive the cold away from the boeneaeneath him. He started whispering old enchantments.
But the cold became stronger and harder to fight. ‘Come on Elrond,’ he thought to himself, ‘You did not die in that storm and that was colder. You will not die now either.’ Planting a kiss to Erestor’s brow he added ‘Nor will you, my love.’ But how was he going to keep them both alive here. The cold was getting worse and worse.
He quickly thought and decided to recite some poems. Maybe it would keep him aware and it might pull Erestor back. And so his soft lyrical voice spoke through the air:
Calad uireb síla bein elin tinnol di venel ah am amar.
Man i galad uireb? pedithag.
Boe pedi sa: La ‘erin pedi beth o cha.
He suddenly realised he did know the answer to this. His eternal light was beneath him. Erestor had always been and would always be his light, his eternal light. Once more he recited the poem, in every language he knew, starting in Quenya.
Cala oira síla ve i eleni tínala nu menel arambaambar.
Man i cala oira? quetuvatyë.
Ore quetë nin sa: Lá istan quetë quetta so.
After this he swiftly switched to Telerin and Valarin. The Dwarventongue Khazduhl was next and then Elrond started translating it into the older, hardly ever used, elven tongues Doriathrin, Avarin and Nandorin. Although the translations were swiftly made and inaccurate because he did not have his books with him the love he felt for Erestor still came forward. And because of that happiness shone bright through the cold. Tears came to Elrond’s eyes but he paid no head to them.
He was thinking too much, he realised as he felt the cold grow stronger and invading him. No, he could not give up. He would not.
Once more he started reciting the poems, concentrating on the love he had for Erestor, catapulting it through the link. But the cold did not leave. He laid his head on Erestor’s chest in total defeat. He feared he wasn’t strong enough after all. His soft voice sta cal calling to Erestor, constantly repeating his words. “Oantne ala, Erestor, áva’uta.”
Suddenly the slow steadying of Erestor’s heartbeat registered with him. He pressed his ear closer. Yes, he had heard correctly.
Once more he spoke. “Lasto beth nîn, todo dan na ngalad. Lasto beth nîn todo dan na ngalad.” His voice went higher and higher, constantly repeating the words. He did not even realise he substituted ‘light’ for ‘me’, telling Erestor to return to him. What he also did not know was Mandos increasing the volume of Elrond’s voice, making it echo towards Erestor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When the fifteen minutes were up, Glorfindel and the twins peeked inside, afraid of what they might see. Elrohir screamed. Both Elrond and Erestor looked dead.
Glorfindel quickly knelt down next to his friends and held his hand before their mouth. Air was blown out of both mouths in a constaatteattern. He smiled. “They are still a. El. Elrond won the battle. Come we must make them comfortable. You carry your father and I will carry Erestor.”
Elladan already went to pick up his father but halted when he saw Erestor’s eyes were closed. But Elrohir assured him, although it was more for himself than for Elladan, “It is a healing sleep.”
Elladan nodded. “You are right, brother, but were do we bring them?”
Elrohir pointed to Glorfindel who was already marching away. “Where he takes Erestor I guess. They need to be close, right?”
“Yes, he did mention that. All right, lets go.”
And they followed the blond to Elrond’s room where they put both unconscious elves in the bed.
Glorfindel went to a huge trunk and retrieved some extra blankets. All, but one, went over the bed, covering both sleeping elves, keeping them warm. The spare one he gave to Elladan, whom he pushed to the large couch. “You and Elrohir rest here, I will take the chair and first watch.”
Elrohir and Elladan nodded gratefully. Even though they had only sat outside, on the bench, the whole ordeal had greatly strained them.
When Glorfindel had made himself comfortable on the chair he nearly fell off when Elrohir suddenly spoke. “You know Glorfindel, I am so tired I can scarce believe it. I wonder how tired ata and Erestor are.” Glorfindel smiled at them and answered softly. “Esta, pyn-neth, ar delalto ta. Avo gusto.”
End chapter twelve
TBC
Translations:
Pyn-neth means young ones, plural of pen-neth.
Nana means mommy, comes from naneth (mother)
Translation of the poem:
An eternal light shines like the glinting stars under heaven and over Earth.
What is the eternal light? you will ask.
I must say: I can not say a word of it.
Oantne ala means don’t leave me, literally leave me not, because:
Oant- means to leave/go away
~ne is one of the many way to say me.
Ala means not
Áva’uta don’t pass away.
Áva means don’t.
Auta- means to pass away (also to go away)
Lasto beth nîn, tolo dan na ngalad hear my voice, return to the light: Literally hear my words, return to the light. It is what Elrond said in the movie when he was healing Frodo.
Esta, pyn-neth, ar delelto ta means rest, young ones, and don’t worry (about) them., because:
Esta means rest
Ar delalto ta literally means and worry them not, because:
Ar means and
Dela is the plural of dele, both coming from del- to worry.
~lto means them
Ta means not. It is a denial, a negative.
Avo gusto don’t worry
Notes:
To Elrond’s poem:
It is called Eternal light (Man calad) and the first time he recites it the language is Sindarin. I did not mention it in the text.
It is not mine. I’ve heard it to be a tradition Finnish poem. I also don’t know who did translate it, but it is a job well done.
To the other languages I mention. These are all languages spoken one day or another by elves. All I know is that Doriathrin is the mother tongue of Luthien (the one who married Beren) and that Nandorin is the ancient tongue of the Green elves. Avari is the language of the Avari, those who refused to leave Middle Earth.
For more info read Tolkien on the races or the languages, email me and I will happily give you what I have.
To the binding:
I have used the process Ilye describes in her trilogy Kindred Spirits. She does some amazing research, so I trusted her way more than I have other methods I’ve read.
I do not know what will happen once the link is made, so I used my imagination and hope it pleased you and that I will not get shot by elven arrows.