One Flesh, One Soul. Part II by FellFireFan

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Chapter 1

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A Promise Made.

Ladros

366 A.D

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The large wooden door resounded with three distinct, commanding knocks that echoed through the corridor. With a rattling creak, the door slid open, revealing the figure of Boromir, standing in its arched frame. Engrossed in the pages of a book, the young girl was completely oblivious to her father's presence. The outside world seemed to fade away, leaving only the crackling fire and the flicking of the sheets of parchment. The world within the pages consumed her.

 "How are you, daughter?" Boromir's warm voice broke the serenity, drawing Andreth's immediate attention. Her eyes widened, and a radiant smile spread across her cheeks. "So, you have met the Lord Aegnor?" He smiled. Andreth's eyes sparkled.

  "Do you know him?" she squeaked, her voice barely containing her childish excitement.

   "Know him?" Boromir came and settled down on the floor beside her. He spoke with a warmth that only a father's love could bring. "I am well acquainted with Aegnor. In fact, we are long friends. For I was only a young man when I met him.

  "Oh, Father, I can hardly believe my eyes! A real elf! Just like in the stories!" She sat up from her book, her eyes danced with wonder. "He was just as magical and beautiful as I imagined!" She squealed, her eyes caught in a dream. 

   Boromir laughed. "Be that it may, however, Prince Aegnor is a being of fierce repute. I have personally witnessed his brutality upon the battlefield. Hence, I was truly stunned to learn he found himself in need of rescue and from the hands of my own daughter, no less!" 

  "Aegnor... is a prince?" she gasped

  "Yes, and the Lord of Dorthonion!" Boromir chuckled lightly. "With his brother Angrod, he protects this realm and all who dwell here and by extension, all the other kingdoms," 

  "That is quite a burden, he must be so tired all the time," she said sadly, her chin drawing into her chest.

   Boromir smiled upon her warmly, "Perhaps, but you are yet in your tender bloom, child. It would be best not to encumber your thoughts with the weighty concern of adults. Aegnor, for his part, knows all too well the dangers in this cruel world. The fair ones above all things are guarded beings, Aegnor's sacrifice for your sake was not one made out of mere chivalry, that much I know for a certainty!"

  He embraced her and rose from the floor. He departed with a lingering movement. Andreth rose from the fur rug she was lying on. Rustles of her dress and light thumps of her footsteps carried her. She knelt and lifted a corner of the rug, exposing a loose plank of bare wood beneath. Her nimble fingers grasped the edge of the concealed crest, and she carefully lifted it, revealing a secret compartment on her floor. From within, she retrieved a small, intricately crafted silver box. With deft hands, she unclasped its lock and settled herself on the floor, her legs elegantly folding beneath her small frame. Slowly, she pried it open, and it yielded its treasures within. Resting on a plush velvet cushion lay a fragment of the poisoned troll's spear that was once imbedded inside Aegnor's shoulder. In its carved veins, where the poison once lay, nested the lines stained red with Aegnor's own blood.

  As she cradled the artefact in her delicate palm, memories flooded her mind, to the very moment she acquired it. She recalled his image in her mind that fateful day. His unconscious form lying on the wet grass. The cold rain drops peltering down upon them as the thunder roared in the above. His eyes closed as though he was in a dreamless sleep. Dark, thick eyelashes resting on his fair cheeks and his full, plump lips slightly opened as strands of wet hair clung around his visage and mouth. Strong and beautiful, yet so very fragile. 

  Overwhelmed by the significance of her possession, she breathed a mere whisper, her voice tinged with awe and reverence. "So beautiful..." she uttered and smiled, her voice trailing off in a dream-like wonder. 

  "Aegnor... my prince."

 

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Lake Auluine

382 A.D

  With the final verse sung and the last drop of wine savoured, the dawn gracefully emerged from its slumber, casting a glow upon the camp of both elves and men. The heavens painted a breath-taking tableau, as clouds adorned in hues of crimson took centre stage in a captivating dance of splendour. The lingering star of that enchanting night gradually faded, bidding farewell to its nocturnal reign, heralding the birth of a new day. As the sun ascended and its light fully returned, the camp filled with crisp morning air. The night before had been a blessed one, filled with merriment and laughter, dances, and songs. For some, the atmosphere brought on a sense of romance as many couples rekindled their love through affectionate embraces and kisses. 

  Bregor emerged from his tent, accompanied by Variel, his beloved wife. With tender affection, he bestowed upon her a kiss so gentle, his hands cradling her swollen belly where their precious child stirred within. Instructing Variel to take a rest, he set about helping his men prepare for their long journey homeward.

  Amidst the bustling activity near the camp's horses, Bregor's eyes fell upon Beryl. Seated upon a weathered stump, her countenance veiled in sorrow, her mousy brown tresses cascading like a mourning cloak around her downturned face. A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he approached his sister, driven by his desire to offer comfort, however uncomfortable he felt about it.

  "Beryl," he spoke with gentle concern, his voice a soothing catch, "What sours your mood? You did not dance or eat once last night, and all your friends have deserted you to your sunken state,"

  Tears streamed down Beryl's cheeks. Anger and misery beset in her pitched voice. "Andreth has driven away the only man I have ever loved! Now I am destined to wither, an old maid without the solace of a single male companion! Just like her! That vile sister of mine! Once again, she has shattered my happiness, and I shall never forgive her for as long as I draw breath!"

  "Beryl!" Yelled Bregor, his growl, identical to their father's, startling her from her ranting, "Had it been I who discovered your frolicking and not Andreth, the outcome would have been far worse! I will not hear another word spoken against Andreth, for she had acted with more mercy than deserved!" 

  Beryl stared at him, her teary eyes widening with shock as he continued to yell, "Father will be informed of this grave misdeed, and he alone will determine that boy's rightful penance! Now pack your things!"

  Beryl jumped to her feet. "You can not do this!" she cried out, bitter with anxious rage. "Father would surely kill him or, worse, banish him from my side forever! I love him!!"

  Bregor's fury erupted like a blazing inferno, consuming every ounce of patience he now possessed. "You pursue men like mindless sport, shamelessly proclaiming your love for each one, Beryl! Only to move on to the next one as if it were nothing! This wheel of misery of yours ends now! Let this one serve as an example to all others, a stark warning to avert their eyes from my sister's body!" He roared.

  Her face flushed with rage. Beryl screeched in reply. "How dare you! I shall have any man I desire for a husband while I am young and fresh! You have no right to dictate who it shall or shan't be!"

"You are not of consenting age to determine who that will yet be! What is there not to understand about that!?" Bregor shouted, their quarrel reverberated through the camp, drawing attention.

  "I care not for your words! I want to be married now!!" She screamed, "I hate you! You, Andreth, and all who stand in my way of happiness! I am going back to find him! And we will elope together as man and wife!" 

 She whirled around, her brown dress swirling at her feet and took to flight. Ignoring her brother's demands for her to return. When it was clear she intended to leave into the forest alone, Bregor gave chase, his long strides leading him to the embrace of the woods. Variel's eyes, filled with concern, witnessed the swift retreat of Beryl, closely pursued by Bregor into the forest. Anxious for her family, she placed a tender hand upon her burgeoning abdomen as the child within stirred. Unable to locate Andreth from her perch, with measured grace, she rose from her chair and waddled slowly toward the treeline, her hands tenderly cradling around her precious burden.

  Bregor pursued Beryl deeper into the forest, unaware that his pregnant wife had joined the chase. He called out to Beryl, his loud voice reverberating through the quiet of the tranquil woods. However, Beryl did not yield, stubbornly defying his demands to stop. Eventually, she reached a vast chasm that abruptly halted her escape, leaving a towering fallen tree as her sole path forward.

  Casting a swift glance over her shoulder, she gasped for breath, her petite frame finding its footing upon the tree's exposed roots. But as she reached the midpoint, Bregor, his face fraught with agitation, finally emerged. Suppressing his simmering anger, he coaxed her back to safety, his voice beseeching her with fervour.

  "Beryl! Please! Cease this recklessness now! This is dangerous!!" he cried out, but she ignored him further as her feet etched further along the tree.

Barely had the word escaped his quivering lips. The hem of her dress caught on the wood, pulling her backwards. She lost balance and tumbled over the side. A blood-curdling scream of alarm pierced the air, reverberating through the surrounding forest. Her heart-wrenching as she desperately clung to the flimsy branch of the tree that pointed downward to the rocky abyss below. Their sharp, jagged surface ready to claim her life in a perilous instant. 

  As Bregor scaled the tree to commence his rescue, another distant, high-pitched shriek reached his ears, emanating from the depths of the woods behind him. Panic seized his heart as he recognized the petrified voice of his beloved Variel. Bregor, his head spinning furiously between the two cries, stood confronted with an agonizing reality, torn between the well-being of his sister and the life of his cherished wife, who carried his unborn child.

  Just as hope seemed to slip, and he began to consider whose life he should save, another sound now came in the form of soft galloping of hooves against the soil, approaching them from the other side of the chasm. Bregor lifted his wide, teary eyes to see the figures of Angrod and Aegnor emerge from the dense foliage like furious spirits, returning from their patrol. With a grace that defied mortal bounds, the two brothers sprang forth.

   With a seamless display of perfect synchrony, they leapt across the gaping trench below, over Beryl. Their flowing locks cascade behind them like radiant streams of liquid gold, greeting the ground on the other side with a thud that shook the ground beneath Bregor's knees. Landing square on either side of him.

   Angrod saw the unfolding tragedy swiftly grasp the gravity of the peril, confronting him. In a voice that was deep and calm, he turned to Bragor. "How may we lend aid?"

  "Variel!" Bregor's voice trembled with desperation. "Her cries of distress reached my ears from the nearby woodland! Please, my lords, go save her!"

  The princes exchanged a worried glance. Aegnor darted into the depths of the forest, his majestic mount transforming into a blur of motion as he raced toward the source. Angrod lingered behind, swiftly dismounting his steed and fixing his stern gaze upon Beryl. Carefully considering his options. "I must make haste while her strength lasts." 

 

   Variel, her swollen belly a burden on her strength, frantically attempted to escape the relentless beast hot on her heels. With each desperate stride, her hopes of outrunning her pursuer dwindled. Finally, she halted, gasping for breath, her tear-streaked face contorted with raw terror. Summoning her last ounce of bravery, she turned to confront her predator, emitting a bone-chilling scream that pierced the air. 

  Her eyes locked onto the nightmarish sight that awaited her—a snarling orc, its grotesque flesh hanging from its body as if defying death itself. Its lipless mouth revealed a ghastly row of yellow, jagged teeth, while its malevolent white eyes fixated unwaveringly on its prey. Oily hair obscured its vision, accentuating the creature's monstrous nature against its coal-black skin. The orc's sinewy muscles rippled as it roared, savouring Variel's fear as if it were a delectable feast. Slowly, it closed in, its jaws salivating, ready to claim its helpless victim. As Variel sank to the ground, her hand trembled, extending towards the orc in a desperate plea for mercy, all clutching her belly. Desperate to protect the life within her.

  Aegnor moved through the trees like a furious spirit, drawing his blade as he closed in on their location. It sliced the wind with a piercing whistle as he spun it wildly through the wind with a wave of his wrist, the sharp edge glinted in the rays of sunlight. He charged to Variel's defence. He leapt upon the orc. He thrust his blade into its back before it could turn to defend itself. It screamed and cried as Aegnor viciously butchered it. Variel watched in tearful horror as the elf showed no mercy. The screeching died, and Aegnor, covered in the spattered blood of the orc, turned to her. The ire in his eyes dying.

 "Do not fear, lady," he spoke, his voice coarse with forced softness. "There is no threat that lingers here." Wide-eyed and consumed by terror, Variel's gaze fixated on him as he calmly cleaned his sword and sheathed it from her view once more. 

  Upon trembling legs, Variel struggled to find her footing, her form quaking with exhaustion. Aegnor swiftly came to her side, carefully guiding her to rest upon a large, moss-covered stone. As she found herself gazing up into his eyes, her own widened with a sense of wondrous astonishment, and any words that might have formed in her mind escaped her, as if the very air had been stolen from her lungs.

  Slowly, Variel rose from her seated position. Aegnor watched intently as she gently reached out and took his blood-stained palm in her own, with a reverence befitting the sacred. With infinite care, she placed his hand upon the gentle swell of her belly. Aegnor's breath stilled, his entire being freezing, heavy with a profound anticipation, as if the ancient forest itself held its breath in solemn witness. They waited in reverent silence for but a moment. Then, he felt the gentle lump of pressure within her pushing back into his warm, bloodied hand. Aegnor quivered, releasing a shuddering sigh, filled with awe, and upon his face blossomed an exhilarating smile. A tear of utter joy glistened in his eye, and he gave way to soft, trembling sniffs, his smile fading as sorrow swelled within him.

  Variel, ever kind and gentle, cast her soft, luminous gaze upon him, witnessing the elf in his most fragile moment. In a faint voice, barely a murmur, Variel spoke, "Do you feel her, my lord? She reaches for you, her champion."

  Unable to bear the weight of his longing, Aegnor was brought to his knees before her, his head bowed low to the earth. Muffled sobs whispered from his lips. His brow strained with intense sorrow. "I am so weary of this... of all of this!" Aegnor uttered, "I do not want to fight anymore! It is a burden I can no longer bear!" 

  The white petal fell from the blossom hanging above them, that swayed in the gentle breeze that danced with the song of the birds. It fluttered to the grassy plain below, landing in his palm with a delicate kiss. His spattered, blood-stained face hidden between the curtains of glossy hair gazed down silently at the delicate petal in his hand. In that moment, he thought of Marúel and Petaril. Their smiling faces played in his mind like a dream. Variel watched as his fingers gently enclosed around it. Accepting his fate as its guardian.

  Finding his composure, Aegnor slowly rose to his feet once more. "Life... there is much beauty in it, yet... so much pain." He muttered. His trembling lips weakened under the weight of his heart.

  Variel stepped closer, her smile warm as the sun. She placed her hand on the elf's heart, and his eyes fluttered open. "There is also great joy and deep love within it. Powers beyond all fleeting control. Hearts entwined in a tapestry of love, where one can find safety even in the darkest of places," she gazed up at him, smiling. "A sanctuary, where no sword or weapon can penetrate," 

  Aegnor's lips drew into a soft smile. His heart swelling with love and his burning desire to hasten to Andreth's side again. A single nod, he whispered, "Thank you,"

  Back at camp, as Angrod emerged from the trees astride his noble steed and Bregor walking closely beside him, Beryl clutched securely in his arms. They drew the attention of many. Andreth, who had been looking for them, came flying toward them with haste. Her brow tense with worry and her eyes wide. 

  "Beryl!" Andreth cried out, her voice tinged with concern. Bregor swiftly explained the events. Andreth, with utmost tenderness, took hold of her sister's delicate hand. Beryl lay in a stupor, alert but unresponsive. The shock is still within her. 

  "I will take her back to her tent," Angrod announced, lifting her from Bregor's arms, "You will wait here for Variel, Aegnor should have dispatched the threat by now" With Beryl's slim frame in his arms, Angrod carefully waded toward the encampment. 

 "Andreth, has Variel returned with Aegnor?" Bregor hastily inquired, his words hurried and laden with" apprehension.

  Andreth looked at him, bewildered. "No, has something happened?" Bregor spun around, his gaze fixated on the woodland. 

 "Ready my horse!" Bregor cried, "I am going to look for my wife!" 

 "My Lord!" His guard called out, pointing toward the woods, "look!"

  Aegnor appeared, with Variel seated comfortably behind him in a side-sadle. He rode with unhurried steps, taking care not to upset the delicate burden nestled behind him. With fervour, Bregor raced towards them, followed at a distance by Andreth.

  Swinging his long leg over Sorna's neck, he dismounted, extending his arms to Variel, Andreth's steps faltered as she beheld the state of him. Her gaze fixated on the spatters of orc blood that painted him.

  Aegnor, with composed decorum, returned Variel into the waiting embrace of her husband. Overwhelmed with joy, Bregor enveloped his beloved with tender devotion, bestowing upon her countenance a cascade of adoring kisses. 

 Aegnor observed the scene with a smile that radiated palpable contentment, Bregor whispered sweet nothings into Variel's ear before burying his head into her neck, and then he turned to Aegnor

"I would hate to see the condition of the one who attacked you, Aegnor," Bregor jested.

 Aegnor grinned. His smile faded slightly as his gaze fell on Andreth as she hastened towards him.

"Aegnor, you are a frightful sight!" she gasped softly, her voice delicate with tenderness. 

"And your beauty is boundless as always, my lady, shall I fetch thee a pale of water, that you might gaze upon your reflexion while the stars wait upon your permission to align?" He smiled, bowing. His teasing jest, in response to his light-hearted remark, elicited a surprised, light-hearted scoff from her lips. Soon, they stretched into a wicked smile of matching wit.

"Nay, for I will take that pale for all it's worth and dump it over your head, and rince you like a dish rag if you ever leave in such a fashion again, and returning like the wolves spat you back out!" She grinned.

 They laughed in unison, their eyes lingering. Variel turned to her husband, "Let us go and leave them to be alone!" She smiled, pulling Bregor away. He went willingly without a thought, following her back to the camp. Andreth approached Aegnor closer. The tension in the air was palpable. He reached behind him, and Andreth gasped as his hand emerged. From his clothing, Aegnor pulled a white bloom of supreme beauty. Its delicate petals crisp and unfurled, welcomed her sparkling gaze. She smiled as he placed it in her pale, soft hands. She brought it to her nose and sniffed. The sweet smell carressed her senses, a delicate gift. 

 "Good morning," Aegnor whispered. 

 "You left my side so suddenly. Like a fleeting shadow, I had not time to say but a word," she replied.

 "Orc's had been spotted nearby, I had to act with haste,"

 "I know, Aegnor," she breathed, smiling delicately. "I must have every moment with you, and I know it is selfish," She laughed, her cheeks blushing shyly. 

 He stood serenely, gazing down upon her with soft eyes, his hair billowing across his face in the gentle air. Warm fingers slowly slipped into hers. She tensed, her hand closing around his. She gazed into his eyes, discerning a mischievous glint shining within their depths. She understood his unspoken desire. 

 With determined steps. Andreth waded back to the camp, closely followed by Aegnor. Busy bodies surrounded them, to distracted in their tasks to notice them. She made her way to her own tent, its hanging curtains draped closed. A welcome sight to their eyes. They entered Andreth's tent. Silence and privacy surrounded them, away from prying eyes. Alone atlast, Aegnor approached behind a waiting Andreth. Her breathing slow and deep. Then, the clasp of hands slipped around her waist from behind. She stilled, her breath halting immediantly, he pulled her body into him. 

  Her eyes closed, and her head fell back onto his broad, strong shoulder. Aegnor bent his neck to the side, his velvety, lax lips slowly brushed along the silken skin of her warm neck. She released a deep sigh of pleasure at the contact. Her skin crawled with every nerve, electrified by his touch.

  Unable to resist any longer, Andreth turned in his arms, her lips, red and full, quickly found his. A kiss, soaked in gentleness and affection, melded their lips together, pressing delicately and lingeringly. The sweet kiss grew deeper, and soon, Aegnors languid, velvety , warm tongue slipped within her, brushing softly against hers. She gasped deeply, her senses overwhelmed at the deeply sensual nature with which he kissed her. Gentle and utterly breathtaking. 

  They soon came to stop and pulled apart. Her face buried into his strong neck, and she smelled his essence. Strong arms gently enclosed around her. Holding her close. 

 "Aegnor... " she breathed into his neck, "I feel as though my very heart will burst from my chest, I can not bear this for much longer!" He held her silently as she continued, "Now, we must say goodbye, yet again,"

Aegnor said nothing. His heavy eyes, laden with longing, stared aimlessly into the floor as he held her. She trembled. "Will you be gone long this time?" 

  Slowly, he released her gazing into her beautiful, sad eyes. "Do not fear for the uncertainty that lies ahead, I will make the way for us." He breathed.

  Doubt shrouded her. "I know you wish me to trust in you fully, yet I must have but a small, fleeting hope that there is a chance for us," she replied with a matching, hushed tone. Her hopeful eyes, pleading with his. "I have waited so long for you." She whispered. His intense gaze lingered on her, drinking in her beauty and fragility.

  "Bregor is aware of the nature of our relationship," he replied softly. "It will not be long before it reaches your father's ears also. Upon my next return from my post in Angband, I intend to seek a private audience with him, and there, I will beseech him that I may have your hand in marriage." 

  Her face intensified at his words. "A marriage between the Eldar and the Edain? Could such a thing truly exist?" She quivered.

 "I perceive no gulf that divides us, no force that could ever drive me from your side. With every beat of my heart, in this world and all others to come, you alone are the desire that consumes me utterly," he murmured, his voice rich with emotion.

 With a wayward, trembling sigh. She surrendered her hope to his hands."So be it then, Aegnor," Andreth murmured, her eyes shining with unbridled devotion. "I entrust my very being unto you, for with each break of dawn, I shall turn my gaze to the horizon, awaiting your return that I might once more feel the shelter of your embrace

She leaned into him then, her lips brushing his in a whisper of a kiss, her breath trembling with the weight of unspoken intimacies. Aegnor shuddered, the silent stirings of sensual pleasure not escaping her keen notice.

  "This I pledge to you, my love," Andreth continued, her voice soft yet resolute. "That my heart and body, forevermore, shall be yours and yours alone, bound to you as the stars are bound to the heavens."

  The air around them was charged with the intensity of their mutual ardour. Andreth's eyes shone with a fierce devotion, her every fibre yearning to be enveloped by the all-consuming love that burned within Aegnor's very being.

  Not opening his eyes, Aegnor unravelled within her, securing her lips with a final lingering kiss of acknowledgement, before finally releasing her. He slowly withdrew from her and left, stealing a tender glance back at her before stepping out of the billowing tent curtains. Folding her arms into her body. She passed him a tense smile, and he slowly slipped out. His form disappeared as a shadow upon the sunlight sheet. 

  Alone in her tent, without the presence of Aegnor, she felt a heavy weight upon her heart. How empty her world seemed without him. She ignored a lingering sense of dread that nagged at her mind, choosing to place her trust in his word completely and that his term commanding Angband would not keep him from her side for overlong.

   "Goodbye, Aegnor," She whispered to the stillness.