Title: Mountain in Moonshine
Author: Zhie
Rating: R (het)
Word Count: 1000
Summary: Mablung returns from an unsuccessful hunt, and is lured by Nellas to
stay in the forest.
Pairing: Mablung/Nellas
Many were their moments together, though never did they have the time to become
nearer to one another than they were. War and strife plagued them, the shadow of
Morgoth a darkening to the spirits of everyone in Menegroth, or nearby.
“I wish you would come back with me to the city,” he said, the same as he always
did, though it was little more than wishful thinking as they sat together in the
moonlight.
Nellas shifted closer, though any closer and she might have been in his lap. “I
wish you could stay here with me,” she replied, though there was no malice in
her voice.
They were snuggled together on a bed of moss gathered earlier, looking in the
distance at the mountain, bathed in moonshine. The light played off of the
natural crags and crevices in the rocky formation. Beneath the mountain, under
Melian’s protection, many of their kinsfolk were at rest.
Mablung himself would have liked to have been in his bed. Cozy... warm... just
the thing he needed after returning from another failed attempt at finding
Morwen and Nienor. The only thing keeping him was the precious elleth snuggled
against him.
“Do you need to go back tonight?” queried Nellas.
The Captain of Doriath contemplated the clouds overhead. They looked far too
thin to bring early morning rain. Though he had not gone into the city to
announce his return, he knew that Melian was aware of his presence. She had
undoubtedly told her husband, and there seemed no reason to hurry back into the
vast and cavernous passages of Menegroth only to awaken sleepy-eyed guards and
disturb the royal family for no good reason.
“Maybe you could stay out here with me,” suggested Nellas, her thick accent
lulling Mablung into shutting his eyes so he could simply listen. A moment later
she was in his lap, and he opened his eyes again to find her giving him a very
hopeful look. “Sometimes, it gets lonely out here, even with the trees for
company.”
“I can imagine,” nodded Mablung as he reached a hand up to stroke her hair. She
purred and nuzzled him – maybe the rumors that she was raised by a mountain lion
were true! He inhaled her earthy scent deeply – dirt and pine and beneath it
all, something that made him growl just a bit in the back of his throat. “You
would prefer I spend the night with you?”
“Mmmm…” It sounded affirmative; the snuggling of her cheek against his chest
seemed even more positive.
“I suppose I could wake early and enter the city before the king rises; he would
need not know that I spent the night here.” Mablung pulled her closer, his arms
embracing her tight, yet gently. “Where is your den, my dear?”
“I have no den. I have a nest,” she answered. She snaked one hand free and
patted the moss they sat upon. “This is where I sleep.”
“Do you really? And what if a cold breeze comes through the trees and catches
you unawares?” he asked as he leaned back into the moss, bringing her with him.
He rolled to the side so they were both nestled in the nest.
“Normally, I burrow into it a little, but I should think with you here I shall
have no fear of breezes, nor anything else for that matter.”
“And what about me?”
“What about you?” wondered Nellas. “Should I expect to fear you?”
“Perhaps you should,” Mablung suggested. “In a place so secluded, so natural as
this, I may very well turn into a wild and passionate animal,” he warned, his
words slow, his eyes taking in every curve, every bit of her expose skin – her
neck, her hands and wrists, and bare feet – all shimmering slightly in the
moonlight.
Nellas used one finger to motion him closer, and the very small gap between them
closed again. “Some say I am myself but a wild thing, untamed, out here all
alone as I wish.”
“Certainly, you cannot truly wish to be here all alone,” he corrected.
“Nay,” she agreed. “Though, I am wild.”
“Oh?”
“About you.”
“Ah.” Mablung smirked. “Where did you pick that up?”
Nellas took a moment to think. “There was a couple having a picnic in the woods
a few years ago. He told her many silly things like that. I rather liked that
one, though.”
“So did I,” admitted Mablung. “I did not mean to laugh – I hope I did not offend
you, darling.” He kissed her gently, savoring the moment. Kissing was about as
far as they often got. With so much uncertainty, he was unwilling to bind to her
at the moment. There were other things they could do together, he quickly
reminded himself as she turned her head and suckled on his earlobe, biting it
gently. His future was hazy – neither Melian nor Nerwen (he could not help but
call the Noldorin half-breed by the name she had given when they were first
introduced) had been able to tell him of his future using their foresight. Or,
perhaps, he reflected briefly as he began to untie the lacing at the back of
Nellas’ dress, they were reluctant to tell him what they knew.
“No… those have to stay on,” muttered Mablung when he felt Nellas pull at the
laces of his breeches. Already all of her clothing and the majority of his was
discarded in a heap near their feet. He growled as she fondled him through the
cloth, and he strained for better contact. “Alright, but we must take care!” he
insisted as she mischievously yanked his trousers to his knees. “You are a wild
one,” he said, agreeing with her earlier assessment as she wetted her lips and
gave Mablung a long, tentative lick. “A wild little minx...”
Nellas paused to look up, fingers delicately massaging him. “Is that good or
bad?” she asked uncertainly.
“Good,” he panted as he guided her head down. “Very good...”