“You’ve never been here before?” asked Aredhel as she pushed the door open for her companion. Artanis shook her head, drawing back her hood. The light of Telperion slowly receded as the door was closed behind them, blocking out the silver mist, but keeping the cold winds at bay as well. “Everyone comes here in the wintertime, cousin.”
“I used to spend the winters at my father’s house inside the city.” Artanis allowed herself to be led through the small maze of low walls and comfortable seating where many small groups and couples sat and conversed until they reached the main hall. Upon the stage, a group of harpers played while elegant pairs of elves swayed to the music, the more ambitious ones gliding from one end of the room to the other. Curved along one side was a long counter, high and wide, with stools on the side they were approaching. On the other side, a thoughtful elf was conversing with a small group that had gathered their stools near.
“...but if something were to happen to the trees, we would not be in darkness as you claim,” disputed one of the patrons as the young ellith found empty seats. “We would have the stars to light our way.”
“You were not around before the trees,” laughed the elf behind the counter. “You think you would be able to live without the light, but I tell you, the light of the stars would seem like the flames of single candles far from you. They are not so close as once they were,” he added, refilling everyone’s wine.
Artanis giggled as she hopped backwards up onto the stool as Aredhel did. “This reminds me of when I used to sit up on fences with Ecthelion and Thranduil,” she whispered.
Aredhel grinned. “Do you recognize the elf behind the bar, then?”
“It cannot be one of them,” answered Artanis in a hushed voice. “He is too old.”
“But does he not remind you of someone?”
Artanis thought while she continued to listen to the conversation the group was having.
“So many stars, surely they would give off enough light? More-so because they are spread,” the ellon said, and moved the small candles that adorned the countertop together to prove his point. “Here, when they are so close, they give light, yes, but the light is concentrated here, in this spot. When they are moved apart, they spread their light further.”
“Aye, but it dims.” Standing up, an elf with long, dark hair moved around the group and took hold of the candles, spreading them across the counter. He moved along, stopping near to where the ladies sat. “The stars are so far from one another now, they are simply gleaming diamonds in the sky. They serve no purpose, save to be beautiful.”
“Do not let Elbereth hear your words, Erestor,” warned the one who had disputed the claim. He drank his wine in defeat as the elf behind the counter chuckled and walked to where the pair of curious ellith were. “Ladies, my regards to you both, and welcome. Will you be staying the winter?”
“Yes, my father arranged for our accommodations.” Aredhel pulled a small scroll from the side pocket of her traveling bag and handed it to the elf behind the bar. “We are to have quarters with two bedrooms,” she added as the scroll was read.
The dark-haired elf nodded and smiled. “Yes, I recall when your father came. Mentioned his daughter and niece would be staying. First trip on your own.” Lowering his voice, he said, “If anyone gives either of you any grief, including my son, let me know, or let Erestor know. He will take care of them.” He nodded to Artanis as she smiled, realizing who he was. “Terribly sorry my son was such a brat to you as a young fellow. If he gives you any grief this winter, let me know – I will take care of him. Allow me to show you to your rooms, you will want to rest no doubt after such a long journey.” The elf made a motion to the dark elf who had agreed with him earlier, and traded places. “Erestor, these young ladies are the daughters of Finarfin and Fingolfin. Oh, you might know that, being Noldorin,” he smirked as he noted Erestor’s smile.
Affirming this, Erestor said, “I knew them both when they were younger. It will be a pleasure to spend the season with you both here at the inn.”
The pair politely curtsied as they stood, then followed the elf with the golden hair out of the room.
- - -
Artanis donned her cloak and quietly pushed the door open to the hallway, looking over her shoulder. Faintly, she could still hear the light snoring of her cousin coming from the room on the right, and ducked into the dimly lit passageway before hurrying around the corner of the corridor and down the stairs. As silently as she could, she lifted the latch to the door and slowly moved it down to hang limp before slipping outside into the chill of the night.
It had to be this way; she had to be the first to leave. If he followed, and if someone caught them, they would simply say she had gone for a walk, and he had heard and followed, to valiantly save her from any evil that might befall her. It was what they had done for weeks now, ever since the third night since she had arrived. She had chosen to dance that night for the first time since arriving, and after many partners ended up in his arms.
They laughed and talked about times past as they waltzed across the room, around in circles, and she noted that he carefully avoided a path that would take them in the direction of lone ellin who might cut in. She teased him, and he teased her back. They somehow ended up around the side of a post from which yards upon yards of blushing silk fabric hung down from a balcony that encircled the hall. Hidden behind the scarlet curtain was where it had happened.
~~~
“Why do you not you kiss me?”
“Hmm?” He continued to dance with her, but they simply repeated the steps in the alcove they had found, concealed from the others in the hall, music muffled through the fabric.
Averting her gaze to the floor, she said, “The other couples who dance; the lady is always kissed upon the hand or the cheek when the song ends and they part. You have not done that. Do you continue to dance with me because you do not wish to kiss me?”
The song changed to one that was more upbeat, but Erestor continued to lead in the slow pattern they were following. “The truth is, I do not wish to stop dancing with you. If I were to stop, I would kiss you. But,” he said, his voice soft and low, “if I kissed you once, I would wish to kiss you again. Then again. And then, I would not stop,” he crooned into her ear as he moved her head to rest upon his shoulder.
“So, we are to dance forever then?” asked Artanis, her voice trembling slightly.
“If you like,” answered Erestor.
Feeling the building anticipation in her stomach, she said, “It would be most improper for you to kiss me in a familiar sort of manner.”
“Then I suppose we shall have to dance forever,” he said. “Or, you could of course allow me to court you – if you did that, then it would not be at all improper.”
Artanis giggled and pressed her cheek against his shoulder as she shied her eyes away. “That would seem so silly a thing to do to simply justify kissing me more than once.”
“Some would say I am a silly sort of elf.”
“I do not think you are silly. I think you are wise and fairly thoughtful and caring. It surprises me that you never married,” said Artanis.
“I was waiting.”
“Whatever for?” she giggled.
Erestor slowed their steps as the final song came to a close. “You, I think.”
“Your words are serious,” realized Artanis as the music faded away.
Saying nothing, Erestor took her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. “Thank you for a lovely evening, my darling,” he said, and let go of her hand, then bowed. With a nod, he turned away.
“Wait!” Artanis took a step and touched him on the shoulder as he moved to leave. “You- you promised me- you-“
Bowing his head as he used his fingers to slide the curls behind her ear, he said, “Meet me in the woods.” He then explained what to do to get there and when to go. Her heart was aflutter as she watched him cross the room from behind the safety of the curtain, peeking around the edge of it to get a final glimpse of his retreating form.
- - -
And that is how she came to be outside, night after night, on the edge of the forest awaiting her lover. It was colder now, the winds picking up from the east and chilling the land. She pulled her cloak tightly around her body, shivering in anticipation. Then she felt a hand upon her shoulder, and it was warm and comforting. Turning around, she clung to him, falling into his arms.
“You are late.” Her teeth chattered as a gust sliced through the air, biting at her ankles when the edge of her dress was whipped to the side.
“I had to take care of some business,” he said, drawing her close and leading her into the forest. They had never traversed the dense woods before, and she stiffened slightly. “Not to fear,” he gently crooned in her ear. “I wish only to get you out of this wind. There is a barn nearby.”
They entered the cozy wooden structure and Erestor closed and bolted the door once they were inside. Artanis sat upon a wooden bench, and rubbed her hands together.
“Here. Give me your hands.” Erestor took hers into his, cupping his large hands to encase hers within and then he breathed warm air inside the little cocoon he had made. “Better?”
“Much, thank you,” she said. Looking around, the dim light that came from Telperion through the cracks in the wood allowed her to glimpse upon the animals penned up inside. “My goodness, are the horses here as well?”
Erestor allowed her to wander down the rows of sheep, to the pair of fat, pink pigs at the back. A trio of dairy cows lined the back wall. “The horses are all in the stables, nearer to the inn. The rest are kept here so that the smell does not reach us.”
“Oh! Baby goats!” she exclaimed, and Erestor decided to go and see as well.
When he reached her, she was already inside the gate, with a small herd of kids nuzzling at her hand and butting her knees. Giggling as she reached down to pet them, she heard Erestor say, “They think you have something for them.”
“Sorry to say, I brought no treats for you,” she apologized as they became more insistent, one of them even jumping up and nearly knocking her down.
“Here.” Erestor cupped his hands and scooped something from a bucket nearby. “Hold out your hands,” he insisted. Artanis did so, and he placed his over hers, and separated his hands so that a little of the corn feed sifted down. “There, now just- whoa!” Erestor stumbled back as a few of the older goats, noticing what was transpiring, leaped over their fence and then onto Erestor to get to the rest of the feed in his hands.
“Oh, my word!” Artanis laughed as she watched Erestor protect the bucket of feed from the greedy goats. “You would be safer in here with me!”
“It would seem so!” he chuckled as a third goat emancipated herself and bounded over to Erestor. “Help me, would you?”
Artanis lifted her dress and stepped over the fence, then tried to herd the goats back to their pen. Instead of getting them back in, she managed to release two more. “Oh, bother! There are more outside than in!” she realized, for the baby goats had squeezed under the slats into the pen for the older ones, then under her legs and out the entryway.
“At least the door to the outside is shut and locked, thank goodness,” Erestor reminded her, as he took hold of the bucket and raised it over his head. “Here, goat, goat, goat,” he called to them, shaking the bucket slightly. “Who wants some?”
One of the larger goats butted Erestor’s hip, but the ellon held fast to the bucket. “Just follow the trail,” he told them, taking a handful from the bucket. He deposited a little on the ground, then walked into the pen and made a few more little piles of it as he went. “There you go,” he said as the goats gobbled up each little mound of feed before going on to the next. “Artanis, shut the gate – I can get that last one,” he said, noticing one little goat that had wandered her way to the cows and was now attempting to steal a drink.
Handing the feed over the side of the pen to Artanis, Erestor climbed over and then went to retrieve the wayward goat. “She has her own baby to take care of. Where is your naneth, little one?” questioned Erestor as he lifted the goat into his arms. He carried her back to the pen as she bleated her discontent, but soon the wee little goat was romping happily about with her brothers and sisters and cousins.
“I like it here,” said Artanis as soon as Erestor was done rounding up all of the goats.
Erestor smiled. “So do I. It reminds me of home.”
“Your farm,” she said, nodding. “But you have no animals there.”
“I keep ducks and chickens there, and a few geese, too,” he corrected. “And an ox – you have seen him, the one I use when I plow the fields.”
“Yes, but you eat the poultry, and the ox is like your helper.” Artanis looked around and grinned. “I meant, animals like these, that you would just keep.”
“Save for the sheep and the cows,” said Erestor, trying not to sound too morbid, “everything else here is meant to be eaten. And even the sheep and cows, once they have served their purpose, will be food as well.”
Pouting and crouching down to reached her hand through the slats of the pen, Artanis petted one of the kids and had her fingers nibbled upon. “That seems cruel.”
“That is life. What would you rather we do – eat leaves and bark and fruit and nuts all of the time?” Erestor crinkled his nose. “Perhaps for some that is alright. Come on,” he said suddenly, taking hold of her arm and pulling her up. “I should not have let you play with them,” he apologized.
Looking over her shoulder, Artanis sighed. “I wish I could keep one as a pet,” she said wistfully.
“Do you, now?” Erestor brought her to the corner of the barn, where fresh hay was piled. A lone cat was stretched out and yawned when they approached. “Scat, you,” said Erestor, prodding the feline from his nest. Grudgingly, the tom complied and found himself a nice spot near the cattle.
Taking up residence on the hay with Erestor, Artanis snuggled beside him. “Just one or two. They are so cute; I cannot help wanting a few!”
“Listen to you – your herd keeps growing.”
Artanis rested her head upon his chest. “It is much warmer in here than it is outside, but I find I am still cold.”
“Ahh. I think I can do something about that.” Erestor laid upon his side and coaxed his lover onto hers as well. “If I may?”
“Please,” she breathlessly insisted, her arms snaking around his shoulders. They kissed for a long while, and though Erestor kept his hands above her waist, he groaned every time she brushed her leg against his. “Mmmph!” Artanis pulled back a little as something warm and growing pressed to her upper thigh.
“Sorry,” was all Erestor said, releasing his hold on her so that she could scoot further away if she wished. When she did not and began to look curiously at the bulge in his pants, he asked in a low voice, “Do you... want to touch it?”
“I think I want to see it,” she admitted, blushing furiously.
After an initial pause, Erestor nodded and unfastened his belt and unbuttoned his trousers. He lifted his hips and slid the fabric down, exposing himself as he pulled back the bottom edge of his tunic. His length was solid and even darker than his skin, which was kissed by the sun from his summers spent in the fields. “Have you... ever seen one before?” ventured Erestor carefully.
Shaking her head, Artanis felt a warm rush as she reached out and placed her fingertips upon the shaft. Erestor hissed with a sharp intake of air, and Artanis quickly withdrew. “Sorry,” she apologized in a meek little voice.
“No, go ahead. Sorry.” Erestor ruefully smiled. “Never had anyone else touch it before,” he shyly admitted.
With renewed interest, Artanis placed her fingers upon it once more, sliding them over the taut skin. “There are all these ridges. I thought it would be completely smooth.”
“The blood flows through, into it. That is how it becomes.. so hard..” Erestor clenched his teeth, trying not to make any sounds that would cause her to move away. When he let out a sudden gasp, their eyes met. “That.. really felt good,” he said in a deep tone.
“Did it?” Artanis, continuing to blush, cheekily wrapping her fingers around his length, just below the head. She gave a light squeeze, and another when Erestor’s eyes darkened, the rest of his body getting limp. With a languid moan, Erestor settled back into the hay and Artanis squeezed her hand again and again.
Taking hold of her wrist, Erestor looked up with eyes almost black as the deepest places of the sea. “Not like that; do it like this,” he whispered hoarsely, and moved her hand up and down. As she began to on her own, his breathing became louder, punctuated by his gasps and the thrusting of his hips. He came before he had time to think, and sat up when he heard Artanis voice her displeasure.
“Ewww. This is disgusting.” Looking around and finding nothing else to do with it, she wiped the goo that was on her fingers onto Erestor’s tunic, which had already become the victim of a rather telling stain.
After tucking his retreating member back where it belonged and fastening his belt, Erestor carefully removed the soiled tunic before taking hold of Artanis’ hands. “I should have stopped you from going that far.”
“You should have just warned me about... that,” she remarked with disdain, looking at the wadded up tunic.
Leaning forward to kiss her, Erestor then said, “Lie down.”
“Why?” asked Artanis cautiously.
“Because,” said Erestor, kissing along her jaw, “I should.. return.. the favor..”
Tensing, Artanis shook her head. “You do not have to.”
Sitting back up, Erestor nodded. “I understand. I did not mean to frighten you.”
Artanis watched Erestor stand up and walk to the opposite side of the barn to relieve himself. She fidgeted with her hands, and then with a little undecided whimper about the internal battle going on in her head, she rested in the hay.
“Are you alright?” asked Erestor when he returned.
Nodding slowly, Artanis crooked her finger, beckoning him down to her. He smirked and came closer. “You need to promise me,” she whispered, “that you will not go too far. I do not wish to be ruined for our wedding night.”
The light in Erestor’s eyes at this might have rivaled all of Varda’s stars. “Darling, you speak as if making love is something which will destroy some part of you, and sully your sweetness.” Leaning down to kiss her closed eyelids, he said, “I would not dream of doing anything ungentle to you, Artanis. The bonding of body and soul is something to be savored for one’s marriage bed, but I wish only to pleasure you in what ways I can.”
Opening her eyes, Artanis nodded. “My mother told me that the only way for an elleth to experience pleasure the way an ellon does is without an ellon interfering.”
“That just means your father is terrible in bed,” mused Erestor, more to himself than to her.
“Ee-eewww,” she responded while he laughed. “That is not something I want in my head!”
“Sorry.” He grinned. “So, did your mother instruct you on what could be done without an ellon?”
“No,” she admitted, turning crimson. “Only that I would figure things out on my own in time.”
“And have you?”
“What sort of question is that!?” she demanded, her cheeks still flushed. “What does it matter?”
“It matters because I want to make sure that I do not do something that hurts you.” Nuzzling the hair by her ear, he implored her to tell him, “What do you do at night when you lie in bed thinking of me?” She shivered, and he continued, “Do you pretend I am with you? Do you touch yourself and wish it were my hands upon your skin? Do you use your fingers to teasing your aching body and imagine us making love?”
“Yes!” she gasped as this final question was asked. Erestor was already slowly dragging the fabric of her dress upwards, and when it grazed her thighs she stayed his hand. “Please,” she stuttered with uncertainty, “tell me this is not some passing fancy you have for me.”
Moving his hands back up to cup her face, Erestor’s dark eyes met her brilliant blue ones. “Artanis, you have become the lovely lady I always knew you would. I would ask you now, when you are ready, if you would do me the honor of becoming my wife.”
The proposal shocked Artanis. “You really want me to marry you?” she asked him in awe as she blinked the tears from her eyes.
“When you are ready, yes,” he confirmed. “Until then, I will ask your father this spring for permission to court you so that we need not hide away in barns and under stairs to steal kisses.”
“Really?” Smiling as Erestor nodded solemnly, Artanis craned her neck to kiss him. He saved her the trouble by bowing his head. As they kissed one another passionately, a heat began to rise within Artanis. One of her hands snuck away and hoisted up her dress to her waist. She struggled to push down the soft lacey undergarment that remained in her way, but instead took hold of one of Erestor’s hands and led it down under the edge of the fabric.
Erestor ran one finger through the moist parting of flesh, and stopped to gently probe a bit deeper. The path became slicker as he ran his finger through a second time, adding another to trace and tease the wet skin. Intense, unsure sounds came from Artanis while his fingers wandered. He dipped within the folds to her core, and she moaned against his lips, arching her hips up. That was when he cautiously withdrew. “Forgive my crude question, but have you bled before while doing this to yourself?”
Turning her head to nestle against him, she shyly nodded. “Just once. It hurt – but it was better after that.”
“And I can make it better still,” he crooned, kissing her cheek as his fingers plunged forward. She cried out as he did so, but her hips strained to retain him as he slid them out again. When he entered her again with two fingers deep, she clenched her muscles and groaned his name. Erestor grinned.
There he left them, and twisted around to align his head with her waist. His free hand shoved down the garment that was still in the way to reveal bare flesh he had until now only dreamed of seeing. He bent his head and dipped his tongue into the folds, but this was not enough for him. As he heard her panting and gasping, Erestor stroked within while the fingers of his other hand parted the soft pink flesh, and his tongue delved inside, swirling up, down, and all around.
Artanis made wild noises now, and fisted her hands, beating one against the hay as she lifted her hips and tried to direct the motions her lover was making. He licked a path around the fingers that penetrated her before latching his mouth onto her and sucking while he thrust his fingers in and out.
“Erestor, Erestor, Erestor, Oh! Oh! Erestor!” Artanis sat up halfway, shaking and grabbing hold of his arm to stop him, bits of straw still stuck to her sweaty palms. Erestor sat up and put his arm around her, speaking to her sweet words as he gently pulled his fingers from her pulsing heat.
“Eww,” he said playfully, showing her his fingers, slick with the aftermath of her orgasm.
“That did not come from me,” she denied, leaning heavily against him with a blissful sigh.
Smiling around his fingers as he sucked the rest of her essence from them, he cheekily nodded. “And there is more where that came from.” Dragging his shirt over by the sleeve, he used a clean part of it to wipe the excess from her skin before helping her to lift the undergarment back into place again. “Did that meet your approval?”
She giggled at his formalness. “Aye, and more.” Snuggling against him, she asked, “Did you mean what you said? About courtship, and marriage?”
“I most certainly did. I am already drafting my speech to your father up in my head,” he said, and he was actually speaking the truth.
“I cannot wait until springtime,” she told him in earnest.
::The End::
