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Part II
As vice-regent, Gil-galad worked closely with lord Turgon, the Highking of the Noldor, and founder and ruler of Gondolin. The king trusted the prince so much so that he discussed even the most secretive information with him. It was during this day that the prince warned him about the love Maeglin had for Idril, the king’s daughter.
“That is absurd, Ereinion. He’s my sister-son. He and Idril are too closely related. The Eldar will never let them marry and neither will I.” He patted Gil-galad on the back. “Thank you for the warning. I will summon my daughter to hear her side of the story.”
After the prince had left the throne room Turgon had summoned his daughter. When she arrived, she assured him that she had no romantic feelings for Maeglin whatsoever. Idril also revealed that she sensed evil in him and avoided him like the plague.
Maeglin was furious when he discovered that the king’s daughter was eluding him. Now he had nothing. His love turned black in his heart. He would avenge the love he lost when the time was right. He would make sure that the enemy found the hidden city of Gondolin. He would make sure Idril became his. And when she was his, he would sit on the throne of Gondolin after Turgon’s death.
***
Fourteen peaceful years had gone by. Gil-galad was never able to marry his one love, Oropher. The Eldar hadn’t allowed same-gender marriage. Nevertheless, he helped raise their son, Thranduil, alongside Alvara, when he was available and not off running errands for the king. He moved in with them after their son was old enough, to not be needing the help of his wetnurse anymore. No one ever knew that Gil-galad was Thranduil’s father and that Alvara wasn’t the elfling’s birthmother. To the little elf, he was only a family friend.
After Thranduil had turned twelve years of age, he and his family had to flee Doriath because the sons of Fëanor sacked the city. This all started three years ago when the dwarves of Nogrod told a lie saying that King Thingol killed the dwarves that made Nauglamír and refused to pay them. After killing Eru Thingol the dwarves took Nauglamír which contained a Silmaril before they destroyed Menegroth. Three years later, the sons of Fëanor destroyed Doriath after killing King Dior, grandson of Thingol.
Families of Doriath fled with Lady Nimloth and her daughter Elwing to the Mouths of Sirion, northeast of the Bay of Balar.
Maeglin finally took his revenge leaking information of the location of Gondolin to Morgoth who destroyed the city and killed Turgon. Now Gil-galad had to flee too. He joined Oropher and Thranduil in the Havens of Sirion where he was crowned Highking of the Noldor. He and other elves moved away and found Lindon where the Highking established and built new cities. Oropher and Thranduil stayed behind in the Havens intending to meet up with him later. For almost four decades Oropher and Gil-galad visited each other every month for a few days before one or the other would sail back to their home. Thranduil would stay in the Havens going to school, learning to shoot with bow and arrow, and learning battle skills.
When the War of Wrath broke out Thranduil was still a young elf fighting side by side with his father during this battle until that day when Morgoth sent his serpents of the north that he hid in Angband. Ancalagon the Black was a fire-breathing dragon. He wreaked havoc on the inhabitants of Beleriand. No arrow could kill it. No one was able to get close enough to kill it with a sword either.
Elves scurried in all directions to get out of the way when the dragon flew over them. When they knocked Thranduil over he let go of his mother’s hand. He was quickly back on his feet yelling, “Nana.” He swirled around searching for her in the crowd of elves and scorched flesh. “Nana,” he called out again. Then he noticed the dragon flying towards them once more. He wouldn’t leave without his mother. His eyes darted in all directions. When he finally noticed her, he raced towards her.
When a gigantic shadow crept over his mother and the rest of the running elves, Thranduil froze when he looked up. He gaped at the oncoming dragon. Never in his life had he ever laid eyes on such an enormous flying creature.
“Thranduil,” Alvara called out when she noticed him staring upwards. She sped up her pace reaching her child just in time to throw herself on top of him before the drake breathed fire over them.
Elves searched for hours among the dead after Ancalagon was killed by the half-elf, Eärendil. No one was alive. No one could be alive after all that fire.
Oropher had no emotion on his face when Gil-galad finally found him rummaging through charred bodies. “Thank the Valar you’re alive, melleth nín,” he whispered.
The blonde elf looked up into his dark eyes. “What is my purpose if my son is not?”
“Oh, Oropher. We’ll find him.”
Together they searched through the piles of bodies until a heap close to them moved.
“Oropher,” Gil-galad called out. “Over there,” he continued before he raced over to the bundle that moved. He shut his eyes after he moved the charred body noticing his son’s blonde hair underneath Alvara’s scorched corps.
Thranduil was barely alive when his fathers pulled him out from underneath his mother. The dragon fire burnt the left side of his face as well as his left shoulder and arm.
He glanced at his lover noticing tears rolling down his cheeks. “There’s a fantastic healer in Lindon. He’s still in training but he can do wonders already.” Gil-galad narrowed his eyes when he wiped the tears from his lover’s face. “Melleth, you should’ve come with me years ago.”
Oropher blinked a few times when he looked up. “You’re blaming me for what happened to Thranduil?”
The Highking shook his head. “I’m blaming no one, melleth.” He glanced at his once beautiful son with a soiled cloth covering his burns now. “The boats are this way,” he said to the elves carrying his son.
The blonde elf sauntered behind them. Everything he had was burnt to a crisp. “Ereinion,” he called out when he stopped.
Gil-galad let the elves walk past him before he turned to Oropher. “You were calling, melleth.”
“I don’t want to go to Lindon.”
“Oropher, you can’t stay here. There’s nothing left.”
“Take our son and heal him.” He turned away. “I won’t be joining you.”
“No. You can’t stay here. I won’t let you stay here.” Gil-galad rushed forward. He grabbed the elf hauling him over his shoulder.
The blonde’s hair swayed back and forth as he punched his lover’s back. “Put me down,” he hollered.
“I refuse to let you stay here and die. Our son will recover.” The Highking carried his lover all the way to the boats. “I’m putting you down. Will you stay?”
Oropher didn’t reply.
“If you run I will catch you and bring you back.” He bent forward until the blonde’s feet touched the ground before he let him go. Gil-galad cupped his face whispering, “I love you, melleth nín.”
“You have a ridiculous way of showing it,” Oropher snorted before he embarked on the boat moving in next to where the elves made a bed for his son.
The boats left for Lindon when they were all filled with the living and the injured. Gil-galad and Círdan’s boats were leading the rest towards Mithlond in the Gulf of Lhûn.
***
Mithlond was a beautiful harbour city with Ered Luin northwest of it and the Blue Mountains in the southwest. Not only was it home to the biggest healing facility in Lindon, but it was also home to the largest Noldor population as well as the harbour for the ships that sailed west to Valinor.
Oropher stayed day and night at his son’s bed. He had met the formidable healer, Elrond, who Gil-galad praised and highly recommended to take care of their son’s severe burns. The elf was younger than Thranduil, but Oropher trusted his lover’s judgement.
When Gil-galad entered the medical chambers, he sighed as he strolled over to his son’s bed watching his lover sitting in a chair with his head on their son’s legs. He reached out laying his hands on Oropher’s shoulder. “Melleth,” he whispered. “Let me take you home.”
The blonde remained in that position replying, “I’m staying with my son.”
“When was the last time you ate?”
Oropher shrugged. He sighed before he sat upright. “I don’t remember.”
“Let me take you home to eat and rest for a while.” Gil-galad crouched down in front of the blonde. “I’ll ask Elrond to let us know when Thranduil wakes up.”
The blonde glanced at his son before he nodded in agreement. He was too tired to argue or even speak.
Elrond entered the medical chambers when Oropher and the Highking left Thranduil’s bed. He stopped in front of them bowing before he conversed. “My lords, Thranduil’s wounds are healing slowly, but there is improvement. The wound on his face will take much longer to heal than the rest of the burns.” He cleared his throat before he continued. “I have bad news too, unfortunately.”
Oropher’s eyes darted in the healer’s direction when he moved them out into the corridor. “What kind of bad news?” He grabbed Elrond’s arm. “Tell me,” he demanded.
“I’m afraid that Thranduil has lost sight in his left eye.”
“No! He’s blind?” Oropher hollered as his knees wobbled.
Gil-galad grabbed the blonde around his waist holding him up. “Only his left eye, melda nín.”
“How will he fight in battle again with only one eye, Ereinion?” Oropher threw his arms around his lover sobbing in his neck.
Elrond gaped at the Highking and his patient’s father. He was speechless as he stared at the two elves embracing in front of him.
When Gil-galad noticed the frown on the healer’s forehead, he pushed the blonde away from him. He coughed before he announced, “I’m taking my friend home to eat and rest. Will you let us know if he wakes up while his father’s not here?”
“When, not if,” the blonde spat out. “He will wake up, maybe not today, but he will.”
The healer nodded before he bowed in the direction of the Highking. “I will, my lords. He watched them leave the medical chambers before he headed back to his patient.
Elrond took the blonde’s hand in his as he gazed at the young and fair elf whose left side of his face, left arm and shoulder was covered with white cloth. The cloth on his face was oozing bloody secretions. It was almost time to renew his dressings.
The dark-haired elf sighed as he let go of the blonde’s hand. When he left his patient’s bedside, Thranduil grumbled.
Elrond turned on his heels back to his patient. “Thranduil,” he whispered as bent down.
The blonde elf’s eye flickered. It didn’t stay open long enough. “Pai…” he huffed.
“Pain?”
Thranduil grunted. He reached out to his face. “What… is…” he mumbled.
Elrond got hold of the elf’s arm keeping it from reaching his face. “Thranduil. I’m Elrond, the healer who’s taking care of you. Your face is covered in cloth.” The healer ground his teeth. “You survived the battle with a dragon.”
The blonde’s eye fluttered again. This time it stayed open for longer. He stared at the dark-haired elf next to his bed. “Nana. Is my Nana here?”
The healer winced. How could he tell his patient that his mother is dead? “Your father is here. Well, not now, but he’ll come back later.”
“Ada?” Thranduil grimaced as he raised his head looking around the chambers.
“Lie still, mellon nín. You’ll hurt yourself.” Elrond waved at a nearby healer younger than himself. When the young elf trotted closer, the dark-haired instructed him to call the Highking and his companion.
He turned back to the blonde after the young elf had left. “You must be hungry?”
“Thirsty,” the blonde huffed.
Elrond put his arm underneath the elf’s shoulders lifting him slightly before he brought a goblet with water to his lips. “Take small sips. You’ve been asleep for almost a month.”
Thranduil coughed on the first sip of water. When he recovered, he wetted his lips first before taking a small sip. He grabbed onto the healer with his healthy arm. “I want to sit up.”
“You’re too weak, Thranduil. Let’s see how you’re doing in the morrow.” Elrond rolled his eyes as the blonde swung his legs off the bed refusing to listen to his advice.
“I just want to sit a bit,” he whispered shutting his eye while leaning against his healer.
Elrond smiled as he looked down at him. Stubborn and beautiful. “I must clean your wounds.”
Thranduil winced while moving slowly away from the healer. “Will it hurt?”
“I’m afraid it will. You were asleep when I cleaned your wounds before.”
He sighed allowing the dark-haired elf to help him lie down again.
Oropher stormed through the doors of the medical chambers with Gil-galad on his heels. “Ion nín,” he called out when he halted in front of his son’s bed grabbing hold of his healthy hand.
“Ada,” Thranduil whispered as he opened his eye. “Where is Nana?”
The older blonde’s face paled. He glanced at his lover for help. He sighed shutting his eyes as he brought his son’s hand up to his lips kissing it. “Ion…”
“What is it, Ada?” When he noticed his father’s paler-as-usual face, he gawked at him. “No,” he finally cried out as tears trickled down his cheek.
“Thranduil, ion nín. If it weren’t for her, you wouldn’t be here today,” Oropher remarked pressing his child’s hand against his cheek.
The young blonde pulled his hand away from his father’s.
“We couldn’t save her, ion nín.”
Thranduil shut his eye. “I want to be alone, Ada.”
Tears streamed down Oropher’s face when he stood up turning away from his son’s bed.
Gil-galad placed an arm around his lover’s shoulders before they walked out of the medical chambers.
At the door, Oropher stopped. He turned around glancing back at his son. He sighed when he noticed that Thranduil’s eye was still closed. “Ion nín,” he whispered before Gil-galad steered him down the corridor.
***
Thranduil’s left arm had healed beautifully. Scars, though faint, were visible on his shoulder. His face was another matter. The dragon fire burnt away most of the flesh on the left side of his face, especially his cheek. All that remained was the tendons and ligaments in his cheek and eye socket. The eyeball was now white. A sightless sphere.
The young elf had been in the medical facility and under the supervision of Elrond for another four months before he had recovered. During these months he had speech therapy, which paid off well. Elrond had taught him to enhance the sight and focus of his right eye to compensate for the left one being blind.
The two of them were sitting in the front garden overlooking the ocean. It was the first time that Thranduil had been outside since they admitted him into the facility. And the first time that he could lay his eyes on the beautiful coastal city of Mithlond.
“It’s beautiful out here,” he remarked when he closed his eyes raising his head to enjoy the rays of sunlight on his paler-than-usual face.
“Mithlond is a gorgeous city indeed. When you’re fully healed I will show you around.” He glanced at the blonde. “If you’d like,” he added as he returned his gaze to the ocean.
Thranduil opened his eyes turning to face Elrond. “I would like for you to show me around.” He placed a hand on the younger elf’s shoulder. “I’d… really like it,” he whispered bringing the elf’s gaze back to him.
Elrond smiled at him. “I think we should go back inside. I don’t want you to get an infection. The wound on your face has not healed properly.”
The glint in Thranduil’s eyes vanished. “Will it ever heal?”
“Another few months and you’ll be beautiful again.”
The blonde gasped aloud.
Elrond sensed too late that he used the wrong words. “I didn’t mean it like that. I…” He shook his head when Thranduil jumped up heading back inside. He sighed before he rose from the bench following his patient inside.
When he reached the bed, he placed a hand on the blonde’s thigh. “Thranduil?” When no reply came, Elrond walked to the other side of the bed so he could look into his patient’s eye. “Forgive me. I didn’t mean to be ignorant. You’re still beautiful, mellon nín.”
Thranduil opened his eye looking at the dark-haired elf in front of him. “I know I’m repulsive, Elrond. Don’t honey-coat it.”
He grabbed hold of the blonde’s hand. “No, you’re not repulsive. You could never be repulsive…” He kissed the back of his patient’s hand. “Not to me.”
The blonde gave the healer a weak smile before he shut his eye again.
“I’ll be back later to check on your wound,” Elrond announced before letting go of his patient’s hand. He gazed at him waiting for acknowledgement, when it didn’t come, he turned away to tend to his other patients.
After aiding a patient, the healer would glance in the direction of the blonde who was still lying on his right side facing the window. He then winced slightly before moving on to his next patient. He repeated these movements three times. The fourth time when the healer glanced in the blonde’s direction, he almost gasped aloud when he noticed that Thranduil was sitting on the side of the bed watching him. He smiled at him while dipping his head. A warm sensation raced down his spine when the blonde smiled back.
Elrond found it difficult to tear his eyes away from him. But he had to. He still had two patients to see before he could go back to the blonde.
***
As time went by, Thranduil grew stronger. His healer finally allowed him to go home with his fathers. He had to return to the medical facility twice a month for follow-ups on his eye and the wound on his cheek. The wound on his cheek healed slowly. It left a large gap revealing tendons and ligaments that were not destroyed by dragon fire.
Three months later when the young elf went back to the facility, Elrond announced that the only way he could get rid of the horrible scar on his face was to use magic. He assured the young blonde that he would teach him to use glamour on his face.
On the third day of learning how to use his elven magic, Thranduil threw the hand mirror against the wall. It shattered into a thousand pieces as he yelled at the top of his lungs.
“What in Valar’s name is going on here?” Elrond cried out when he barged through the chambers’ door.
“I can’t do it,” the blonde whined before flopping down on his bed.
“Show me.”
“No. I’m tired.”
Elrond crossed his arms over his chest. “I said, show me,” he demanded louder.
Thranduil glowered at him before he jumped to his feet. “Shut the door or I won’t do it.”
The healer sighed as he turned around shutting the door. “I’m waiting,” he said after turning back to the blonde.
The young blonde closed his eyes bringing his arms up before moving his hands in circles. The glamour slowly appeared covering the gap and scars on his cheek. The iris of his eye turned ice blue while the pupil became black.
Elrond smiled when Thranduil opened his eye. “You’ve done it.” As soon as he said it, the glamour fell away revealing the scar, the gap, and a white orb.
“I can’t do it,” the blonde hollered when he noticed the horrifying look on the healer’s face.
“What happened? It was there a minute ago.”
“I know. I know. I can’t make it stay.” Thranduil grimaced after he plummeted onto the bed. “I’m useless, Elrond. I’m useless and hideous.”
“No, you’re not.” He sat down next to the blonde. “You’re leaving something out. A word or a hand gesture.” He patted him on the shoulder. “Let me finish my rounds then I’ll help you.” Elrond stood up from the bed. “Look at me.”
Thranduil rolled his eyes before he turned his gaze to the healer.
“Now smile.”
The blonde just stared at Elrond.
“Smile or I won’t come back.”
“Oh, come on. I’m your patient. You must come back.”
“I don’t have to teach you magic.”
Thranduil glared at him. “Very well,” he huffed. He smirked at the dark-haired elf.
“You can do better than that.” Elrond crouched down in front of the blonde. “Will you smile if I kiss you?”
The blonde elf’s eyes enlarged before he burst out with laughter. “Why on Arda would you want to kiss me?”
“Because I like you.” Elrond placed his hands on Thranduil’s knees pushing himself up. “At least I made you laugh.” He tapped him on the nose. “I will kiss you one day.”
The blonde giggled when the healer strolled out of his bed chambers. “Not if I kiss you first,” he announced.
“I heard that,” Elrond called out from the corridor.
***
Thranduil had stayed for another week in the medical facility so that Elrond could teach him how to apply the glamour properly and how to make it last. When the blonde returned home again, his fathers couldn’t believe that their son looked as beautiful as he was before.
The blind left eye was Oropher's biggest concern. “You won’t be able to go into battle again, ion nín,” he remarked.
“Ada, Elrond said I will be able to do battle. He will teach me how to fight with only one eye. He already taught me to enhance the sight in my right eye.”
“You can’t remedy everything with magic, ion.”
“He didn’t say he was going to use magic, Ada.”
“Then how can he help you to fight with one eye? You won’t see the enemy coming from your left.” Oropher poured himself a goblet of wine before he continued. “Maybe you should ask Ereinion to teach you to fight with a spear like he does.”
“I like my bow and arrow, Ada. I will improve my sword skills to wield two swords.”
“Thranduil, I won’t allow you to put your life in danger. Isn’t it enough that we lost your mother?”
The young blonde’s face dulled as he lowered his head. “Nana died saving me. She didn’t die fighting,” he muttered.
Oropher sighed when he looked at his son. “I’m sorry. You’re right.” He emptied his goblet before he rose to his feet. “I will see you tonight. Don’t cook. Ereinion said he’ll bring food from the market.” He kissed his son on the forehead before he rushed out the door.
Since Thranduil came back home, Oropher took an hour off work every day at noon to be with him for a while before he returned to the palace where he was an advisor to the Highking. He also worked closely with Círdan, who was Master of the Grey Havens and messenger to the Highking.
Thranduil was resting on the couch when a knock disturbed him. “Enter,” he called out. The servant who entered the living room announced that he had a male visitor. “Well, send him in.” His eyes were glued to the entrance. He smiled when his healer appeared in the doorway. “This is a surprise. Come in.”
“What are you doing lying here on the couch? It’s a lovely sunny day outside.” Elrond walked up to the blonde, holding out his hand when he reached him. “Come on. Let’s go.”
The blonde took the dark-haired elf’s hand allowing him to pull him up from the couch. “Where are we going?”
“I’m taking you out of this house.” He didn’t let go of Thranduil’s hand as they trotted down the staircase. He let his hand go only when they reached the front door. “Are you ready for fresh sea air?”
The blonde grinned. “Yes, whisk me away,” he remarked as he threw his arms in the air.
“You seem happy?” Elrond stated when he opened the door.
A warm, salty sea breeze enveloped them when they set foot on the front porch.
“We can sit here and smell the air.”
“No. I promised you that I would show you around when you’re healed.”
Thranduil gave him a small smile while his eyelids flickered. “Yes, you did.”
“Let’s start at the waterfront then off to the harbour. From there we can get something to drink before we go on.”
The blonde nodded as he smiled. “Sounds good.”
Both elves had the urge to take one another’s hand when they stepped off the porch into the narrow street leading to the waterfront. Both chuckled as they bumped into each other struggling to choose which side they wanted to walk next to the other one.
“Let me walk on this side.”
Thranduil smiled as the dark-haired elf moved to his right side. He still had the urge to take hold of the healer’s hand. Why couldn’t they walk hand in hand? What was so terribly wrong if two ellyn held hands, showing affection? Deep down, the blonde knew the answer. The Eldar don’t approve of love between the same gender. He wasn’t eavesdropping but he overheard his father and Gil-galad mentioning it many times before.
Elrond elbowed the blonde in the ribs breaking his train of thought. “Where were you just now?”
“I was just thinking about our friendship.”
“Oh, and?”
Thranduil shrugged as he grinned. His face flushed before he cast his gaze to the ground.
Elrond grabbed his arm bringing him to a halt. “What were you thinking?”
“Nothing.” He gazed over the ocean until the healer placed a hand on his cheek pushing his face so he could look at him.
The dark-haired elf’s hand remained on the blonde’s cheek as they stared into each other’s eyes. He traced a finger down his jawline, whispering, “Tell me.”
Thranduil’s face flushed again before he replied, “Could a friendship grow into something…” He licked his bottom lip before he continued, “Deeper?”
“Love?”
The blonde’s eyes darted back and forth. He blinked a few times before he nodded returning his gaze to a pair of gray orbs shining like starlight. “Yes,” he breathed out curling his lips into a smile.
Elrond looked around before he took hold of the blonde’s shoulders pushing him backwards until he couldn’t move anymore as his back pressed against a building in the empty narrow street. “I told you that I’m going to kiss you one day,” he whispered driving himself up against the blonde.
Thranduil shut his eyes when the healer’s soft warm lips came down on his. His lips parted involuntarily. Not knowing what to do exactly, he sucked slowly on Elrond’s lower lip before a warm tongue pushed inside his mouth exploring it. A soft noise of pleasure escaped the blonde’s mouth before he too intruded the dark head’s mouth to start unknowingly the dance of tongues. The tips of their tongues swayed back and forth as they caressed each other.
Elrond thrust himself against the blonde before he increased the movement of his tongue. It was now a battle of the fittest. He seized the blonde’s tongue slurping it into his mouth and holding it captive as he sucked it with force. Then suddenly, he let go huffing as he did so.
The blonde gasped for air. Strings of dark tresses fluttered as he breathed out against Elrond’s face. A smile plucking on the corners of his mouth as his nostrils flared while searching for more air.
They stared at each other, speechless, holding hands. The only sound visible was their deep breathing. It was just the two of them alone. Alone in the street. Alone in the harbour city. Alone on Arda. No one else mattered but them.
“I liked that,” Thranduil breathed out.
The healer smiled. “I liked it too.”
The staring contest continued as they smiled at each other.
“What now?” the blonde asked still huffing.
“I don’t know,” Elrond replied shrugging. “Do you want to go back to keep on doing what we started?”
Thranduil gasped as his face flushed. His eyes fluttered before he turned his head away.
“Or we can keep on walking?” the dark head asked when he noticed the blonde failed to accept his first proposal.
“Yes. Show me the city.” He faced Elrond again. “I would love to know you better, but…” He smiled before he continued. “Let’s not be hasty.”
“Fair enough,” the healer said dipping his head.
They continued their stroll down the narrow street until they reached the main street leading to the waterfront. When they arrived at the wharf a few minutes later, Elrond pointed out the ship that was leaving for Valinor.
Thranduil stared in the direction pointed out. It wasn’t long before his thoughts wandered off. He reached for his lips brushing his index finger where Elrond's lips caressed his only a few minutes ago.
“Is something wrong, melda nín?”
The blonde gasped when the elf brought him back to the present. “No. There’s nothing wrong,” he replied. “The beauty of the ocean took my breath away.” He glanced in Elrond’s direction. He smiled noticing his gaze on him.
The dark-haired returned his gaze to the waters. “Yes, the different colours of blue are beautiful.”
***
Gil-galad sat on the couch with his feet up while Oropher paced in front of him. They came home to an empty house. The butler was there but Thranduil was nowhere to be found.
Every few seconds the blonde stopped to glance out of the window into the night to see if his son was on his way home.
“Sit down, melleth. Your pacing is driving me insane.”
Oropher halted in his tracks glaring at the Highking. “If you’re not worried about our son, I am,” he spat out. He jumped around when the chamber door opened. He sighed when the butler entered.
“One of the workers at the docks said Thranduil and the healer were there this afternoon.”
“Thank you, Barua. Are any of the other guards back yet?”
“No, my lord. I will send them in as soon as they report back.” The butler bowed before he turned to the door after Gil-galad signalled him to leave.
Oropher threw his hands up. “Can’t we go and look for him?”
“Why, melleth nín? I have a palace full of guards looking for our son.”
The blonde shook his head returning to the window.
“I’m sure his still with the healer.” The Highking rose to his feet to join his lover at the window. He placed his hands on the elf’s shoulders. “Don’t work yourself up, melleth.” He pushed the blonde strands of hair aside before kissing his lover’s slender pale neck.
Oropher shut his eyes as he tilted his neck giving Gil-galad better access. “There’s a time and place, Ereinion and this is not the time nor the place.” The blonde turned around facing his lover. “Are you not worried?”
“Thranduil is a grownup elf, melda nín. We need to start treating him as such.”
No one noticed the door opened behind them.
“Ada?”
“Ion nín,” Oropher called out shrugging his lover’s hands off his shoulders. He rushed over to his son embracing him. “Where have you been?”
“Elrond and I… He showed me the city and we simply lost track of time.”
His father held him at arm’s length asking, “Where’s Elrond now?”
“He went home.”
“Did he walk you home?”
“Yes.” The young blonde released himself from his father’s arms. “What’s with all the questions, Ada?”
“Your father and I were worried about you, Thranduil.”
The young elf glanced at the Highking who went back to the couch. “Well, I’m back now. May I be excused?”
“You haven’t eaten yet,” Oropher remarked.
“I’m not hungry.” He winced when he noticed the miserable look on his father’s face. “We had something to eat at the market.”
The older blonde smiled when he nodded. “You may go to your bedchambers.” He waited until his son left the living room before he sat down next to Gil-galad. He leaned his head on his lover’s broad shoulder. “When will I ever stop worrying about him?”
“Never, melleth nín. But trust me when I say our son is doing well on his own, or with friends.”
Oropher glanced up into deep brown eyes. “My neck needs more kissing?” He chuckled before he continued. “Do you think you can help me out?”
Gil-galad snorted as he pulled him closer. He moved the blonde locks to the back exposing the elf’s sensual neckline. He traced his tongue over the soft skin evoking pleasurable noises from his lover. “I think we need to continue this in your bedchambers,” he whispered brushing his lips against his lover’s ear leaving goosebumps on his skin.
The blonde rose from the couch holding out his hand as he smiled at his lover.
The Highking got hold of his hand letting the blonde pull him off the couch. When he stood he swept up his lover who let out a shriek. “Shhh, we don’t want to alarm the king’s guard standing outside now do we.” They both chuckled as Ereinion carried the blonde to his bedchambers.