Title: 540 Degrees (sequel to Full Circle)
Author: Nuinzilien
Rating: R-ish
Characters: Ulmo/ Cirdan, implied Cirdan/ OFC
Disclaimer: Not mine of course. No, really. Not mine.
A.N.: Not my fault. :: points to Cirdan:: The angry muse made me do it.
Ulmo could not remember a time when he did not consider himself incredibly fortunate to rule over the waters of Arda. Of all his kin, the water Ainu felt he had the most freedom. Manwe and Varda stayed in their high mountain solitude. Namo, poor bugger, was as eternally married to his job as Vaire was to weaving her tapestries. Now that was a pair he didn't envy. No, not a'tall. He actually LIKED feeling Arien's warmth on occasion.
But water…water was everywhere. And because water was everywhere, so was he. Nosy, he was often called. Busy body, eavesdropper. Each new name resulted in a smirk and some new bit of information on the happenings in Middle Earth. He was a self-admitted gossip, and if the others would admit it to themselves, they'd show a bit more appreciation for the updates he and his subjects brought out of the East.
News that had grown increasingly dark. Annatar had spoken false in his repentance, and now sought power and dominion over Middle Earth. Had it been up to Ulmo (and no doubt both Tulkas and Orome had secretly agreed), that one would have been tossed into the void along with his Master. But he had been granted clemency, and their folly would be the demise of many an Elf and Man this day.
He supposed it was too much to hope that the Shipwright would have kept his nose out of it. The elf had a hero complex, but never seemed to make it in time. Each time, Ulmo had been more and more grateful. He'd grown terribly fond of the feisty Telerin elf over the millennia they'd known each other, and his heart had grown shadowed with worry when Cirdan left to battle the new Dark Lord.
Stationed in a small tributary just off the Anduin, Ulmo had snorted in amusement when a familiar taste floated by. //Hedonistic wretch// he'd thought fondly, the thought flavored with a good deal of wry amusement. He'd made his interest known to the Elf centuries ago, and since then, the old Lord had made it quite plain his interest was not returned.
He half-rose from the water when Namo appeared on the bank beside him. At the Doomsman's raised hand, he sank back into the water, leaving only his head and shoulders above the surface. His brother vanished, leaving true fear behind. Namo's parting glance had been full of pity.
The current took on a metallic tang. Blood. Elven blood, and one he had tasted many times before upon the seas, mixed with the salt of tears. He sped upstream, passing Henneth Annun and reaching his destination in seconds.
He stepped onto dry land and knelt beside the huddled form. Though the rise and fall of his chest assured the Vala he lived, something about this one still felt terribly wrong. There was a chill to his fea, an impenetrable shroud looming over both mind and heart. Ulmo sighed and lifted the sleeping elf, holding him close as he reentered the water.
~~
The Lord of the Seas watched his young charge sleep, briefly looking up when his Kinsman passed untouched through the raging falls of the Rauros.
"You should take him home," Namo said quietly. "The StarSon will see to what remains of his people."
"I am to take it, then, that their campaign was successful? The Liar was destroyed?"
Mandos shook his head. "Nay, his spirit still lingers, but he fled from me, and I could not follow."
"He has been disabled, then."
"Aye, but at a high cost." The Doomsman knelt and tucked a strand of silver-white hair behind the elf's ear. "Particularly to this one."
"How high?"
"His companion died of an arrow through the heart when the Dark One attacked from behind. I will leave it up to you whether he ever knows she carried his offspring. I would use caution with timing, however. I do not know how he would react to knowing that he lost not only his mate, but both children, as well."
Ulmo blinked in confusion. "To my knowledge he had no offspring before now."
"Your knowledge is accurate."
"Then I do not-" He paused, then sighed. "Gil-galad."
"Gil-galad. The child Fingon sent to him became as his own, and the loss will be heavy." Namo rose, squeezing the other Vala's shoulder firmly. "Take him home, brother, and have patience. He will need you." With that, he vanished.
~~
Travel was slow to one accustomed to travelling leagues in the blink of an eye. As it was, the fragile creature in his arms demanded that he pace himself. Flesh and blood could withstand much, and indeed, this one had tolerated more than most already, but he dared not go faster.
It was early morning before they reached the Havens, slipping through the shadows of a silent city. It saddened him to think of how soon the peace would be shattered in grief.
The steep cliff to the Shipwright's home was nothing for one such as he, and in no time, he was laying the bearded elf on his own bed. A breath made the basin of water steam. Ulmo took a cloth from the wash stand, soaked it, and began the careful task of shaving, stripping and bathing away the blood and gore from the elf's body and assessing his injuries, which were mercifully few.
Despite the warm blankets now covering him, Cirdan shivered and whimpered softly. Ulmo frowned. It was still plenty warm this time of year, and elves were seldom susceptible to cold…the elf shuddered again, curling into a tight ball.
The water deity sighed and allowed his scaly armor to sink back into this skin, leaving him in nothing but a loincloth. He slipped beneath the covers and pulled the naked body against his, curling around it and sharing the warmth of deep waters.
There would be hell to pay come the dawn, of that Ulmo had no doubts. Finding himself in bed with a nearly naked Vala would no doubt bring a firestorm of curses raining down upon the demi-god's head. However, the elf's ire mattered not. As long as he lived (and Namo's parting statement assured the Sea Lord he would), the water Ainu would be content.
Burying his nose in the thick, warm mass of white hair, Ulmo smiled and let his mind wander seaward.
~~Fin~~