One Flesh, One Soul. Part 2 by FellFireFan  

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A Brothers Love

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Aegnor sat upon the floor in the pavilion. His robust body leaning against one of the pillars. In his arms, his infant son nestled comfortably. His cute tuff of dark curls had come to be Aegnors favourite feature on him. Suddenly Aegnors silent reverie was stopped with the burst of soft laughter the bubbled from his throat as he felt his son latch to his nipple and try to suckle.

"The nourishment you seek, my son, I lack the ability to provide," Aegnor giggled. He blessed the child with a tender kiss upon his head as the infant cooed and yawned and drifted off to a peaceful sleep.

"Astaldanor... your name is, my son. For this land will make you valiant," he whispered.

It was in this intimate moment that Eldalótë entered, carrying fresh blankets in her hands. Her eyes fell upon Aegnor with his son in his arms. She stared quietly as she watched the tender exchange. Aegnor, who hadn't noticed her, was indifferent to her presence, and the sadness in her eyes.

"Where is Andreth?" she spoke quietly, the tension palpable in her voice. Aegnor lifted his head and looked at her. For a silent moment, there was a lingering gaze of softness, "I must check on her," She quickly added.

"My brother has taken her on a hunt. If you wish to see her, you must wait." Aegnor replied candidly, returning his focus to his precious burden.

She sighed and briskly entered the inner bed chamber, throwing the sheets upon the wolfskins. Behind her, Aegnor entered and placed his son down in his crib. She tensed, she listened quietly to his soft voice and velvet timbre as he showered his love upon his son. She whirled around and left the sectioned off part of the pavilion. Not immune to her obvious pain, Aegnor followed her out. She stood alone in the centre of the pavilion. Her soft weeping ghosting from her.

"It could have been us...," she murmured softly, wiping her tears as he slowly approached her from behind, "I could have fulfilled all you desired. "You chose to forsake me, yet embrace her...?" Her voice crumbled, her usual icy resolve cracking in a moment of utter vulnerability, like of which he had never seen in her before. Slowly, she turned to face him. Her eyes filled with hopeless betrayal, "why...? What could Andreth give you that I couldn't?"

Aegnor sighed loudly.

"It was an eon ago, Eldalótë... we were both too young, and careless to the consequences of our actions... It is not time we let go?" he muttered.

Her eyes turned cold, and her breath an icy chill.

"Is that suppose to bring me any comfort?" she spat, "I was the most desirable maiden of the Vanyar. Thousands ate right from my hand, yet from all I would withhold my favour. Then the day came... the day my father brought me to Tirion. I was infatuated with the land, a singing bird, a glowing river..." She turned from him, her hand clutching her abdomen, "a Noldorin prince entering the arena... for a fleeting moment my eyes deceived me as though I gazed upon the great Oromë himself... a champion, unbeaten... riding as though the Arena was his playground, and the crowd, his followers. How they roared your name, Aegnor.... I knew my heart belonged to you...,"

She turned back again, a slight smile lifting the corner of her lip, her weepy eyes sparkling with wonder, "how you captivated me, Aegnor...,"

He breathed, exhaling defeatedly. He licked his lips softly, his eyes averting hers.

"You took my brother as your husband, Eldalótë, and you are his wife," he replied slowly, unwillingly, "As for me... before you both were wed, I was full of fire... and I chased only my own desires," he admitted sadly, as he continued, "though I cared very deeply for you.... I could never give you what you seek. I do not love you Eldalótë. Truth be told, I never did, yet I could not bring myself to give you away either. My selfishness has caused you a great deal of pain. I understand that now. I beg you will one day forgive me," he muttered. She laughed, a menacing cackle that filled the air.

"Forgive you!?" She cried, "Do not insult me, Aegnor! I have come to assist you but do not take my duty to your wife as affirmation of my forgiveness! You were never worthy of a maiden such as me! I hope you are happy with the path you have chosen with a mortal! You will die as you have lived. Alone, unloved and desperately lost!" She hissed before whirling around, she left him standing in silence. With only the distant birds to serenade this moment.

Far from the pavilion, Andreth stood with Angrod upon a lofty cliff, the sun's golden rays cascading upon her as she beheld the vast, azure expanse of the ocean. Beneath the watchful gaze of Angrod, she had just completed a successful hunt, having captured a young and spirited stag. The serene beauty of their home, nestled amidst the verdant embrace of nature, filled her heart with quiet joy. The cries of gulls mingled with the rhythmic crash of waves against the rocks below, crafting a symphony of peace. With her eyes closed, a gentle smile graced her lips, and her dark hair danced in the breeze, framing her visage with an ethereal glow.

Angrod marvelled at her angelic beauty, illuminated by the light of a love so profound. “I see you now in the radiance that my brother Aegnor cherishes, and I understand the depths of his yearning for you, fair lady,” he spoke, his voice soft yet resonant. Andreths eyes softly fluttered open, they sparkled with life and warmth.

“There is a tranquillity within you, pure and untainted. A calmness that commands even the tides to bend to its will. Aegnor has not known such peace, yet in you, he has discovered it,” he smiled warmly

"I am just a woman, my lord,” she smiled softly in reply. “I seek not greatness, or grandeur. I am in deep love with Aegnor, and my heart has never desired more,”

"Our time here is coming to an end. The day is drawing near when I must leave him behind for the final and last time," Angrod’s smile faded, replaced by a shadow of sorrow..

“I too had a brother, once," she responded sadly, "Goodbye...is never an easy word to say,” her voice trembled softly as a warm tear of profound sadness pooled in her eyes, yet, she smiled through her pain.

“Your brother, Bregor... you loved him dearly," Angrod picked up, "I appreciate your efforts to comfort me lady... yet it cannot convey the depths of my sorrow. When your brother passed on to the next world... you did not bare the agony of separation... twice,"

"I understand," she nodded. The silence enveloped them, broken only by the wild hiss of the wind and the relentless crashing of the waves. At last, Andreth spoke again, "your bond as brothers will always endure, Angrod. Though separated by realms, that love you share is eternal, and always it will remain,”

"Aegnors heart is fragile...," Angrod replied, "It is the key to his utter ruin. When we were children, our atar had sworn me to protect him, but I failed in my duty," his sad eyes shifted to hers, she witnessed a single tear of heartbreak spilling from them, "this mantle I now pass to you, Andreth. Please... take care of him,”

With a somber nod, she accepted the weight of his words. Angrod turned his gaze back to the ocean, where the white foam reached for them, ever striving yet forever denied, "his naivety has always been his greatest weakness, believing that I remain blissfully unaware the secrets he guards... and the truth that lies in between him and Eldalótë,” he murmured.

Andreth’s expression hardened, her brow furrowing as her eyes fixed on him, pondering the meaning of those words. Angrod’s calm smile persisted, a blend of affection and sorrow.

“He will reveal it to you in his own time,” he added.

As the sun set upon that day and dusk settled in, Angrod returned with Andreth to the pavilion where Aegnor was eagerly awaiting the embrace of his wife. His need for her closeness palpable. As she dismounted, before her feet even touched the ground, he swept her up in his arms and whirled her in a circle, cradling her as though she had been gone for a lifetime. Her laughter and joy rang out, a happiness that caused the very air to dance. Angrod watched them silently. Eldalótë stood fixed upon them from a distance. Standing serenely atop a hill. Her eyes sunken and deep with sorrow.

"Beloved, I feel you have been gone for a lifetime!" Andreth heard Aegnor's voice inside her head as their eyes locked in an eternal gaze. His feä was speaking to hers.

"A lifetime... is not long enough, my lord," She whispered in reply, proving she heard him through their fëa bond.

("Take your wife and depart for the night, brother, just as tge sun beckons the starts to yield,") Angrods rich, composed voice broke through. The elvish words flowing effortlessly from his lips.

("What of my son?")  Asked Aegnor.

("I am more than qualified to watch over my own nephew!") Angrod insisted. ("Take her, and do not return until the morning. I command it!")

Confused, Andreth turned to Aegnor, "Beloved, you know I am not versed in the Quenya tongue. What is it you and Angrod are discussing that need not reach my ears?" She asked, rather concerned.

"Angrod was simply expressing his desire for some quality time with his nephew, and that for the remainder of the evening, it appears we are no longer welcome within our own home!" Aegnor replied with a gentle smile.

"Well then, who are we to refuse the wishes of a nurturing uncle," She laughed playfully and pulled at Aegnor's arms leading him back on to Sorna. As Andreth mounted up behind her husband, a tender gaze lingered between the brothers, whose tender bond had withstood many trials. Angrod, his eyes welling with unshed tears, crossed his fist over his chest and lowered his head in elven fashion. A bow of remarkable respect and love. Aegnor straight and stiff, mirrored his brothers gesture returning the affection with equal elven grace. Angrod watched as Aegnor rode off into the darkness with Andreth, their shadows fading into the ebony night as darkness fell. His time with Aegnor seemed to flash in his mind. All the memories made in tears and joy. He knew this time was precious and he would soon need to say goodbye, for the last time. Yet, he was not yet ready, and never would he be.

As the low sunlight streamed through the shifting leaves, casting dancing shadows upon the ground, Aegnor and Andreth sat together, their bodies entwined among a bed of wildflowers in an open field upon a cliff. Their silhouettes illumined only by the pale glow of moonlight as the stars above sparkled with such glory as never seen afore. Andreth, utterly swept away in the magical spectre of this night, alone with Aegnor, opened her heart completely basking in the tender affection of her husband. It had been so long since she last felt a moment like this. Aegnor's beauty,  ever the object of her ardent admiration, never seemed to waver. As though his very flesh was made of stone. Suddenly, she turned sad. Aegnor stopped nuzzling her and saught her gaze.

"I have seen the light in your eyes diminish and your smile scarecely return since the birth of our son, why are you so gloomy these days?" He asked, cupping her chin.

"It is only because my love for you is so great," she replied, whispering with deep reverence, "sometimes I fear... I no longer have your affection,"

"You will always have my love, Andreth, always," he trembled, his hand shaking against her supple cheek.

"Do you still desire my body, Aegnor?" She asked quietly, "like the way you did our first night in the pavilion... when we cast aside all inhibitions and embraced our liberating pleasure?"

There was a long pause, Aegnor was confused.

"Beloved, I know not what to say, other than I have only felt desire for you, like my body desires the very air I need to breath."

Seeing that her elven husband simply could not understand, she unlaced the front of her dress and uncovered one tender breast, its round surface glistened in the moon, full and swollen with milk.

"Behold, the breast that sustains the very life of your own son, yet afore that, it was the object that sent your heart aflame. I have longed to feel your touch upon it again," her voice shook with desire and a hint of apprehension.

Aegnor stared at her exposed breast, the velvet ball of warm flesh glistened like silk in the pale moonlight. She gasped softly as a light pressure encompassed around her sensitive rosy bud. He gently pinched her nipple and a single drop of nourishing milk leaked onto his fingers.

"They serve a far greater purpose now. They are the life support to my precious son. I would not dare come between that. Your breasts are the source of a newfound happiness to me, beloved, one much greater than simple pleasure," He whispered tenderly.

Andreth sighed disappointedly. Her eyes falling to the ground.

"You seem displeased with me," Aegnor spoke, desperate to understand the cause of her distress.

"Do you love her?" She bluntky asked. Aegnor's brow furrowed, his eyes straining, he stared at her, utterly confused, "Please Aegnor, speak only the truth to me. Does Eldalótë still stir in your heart?"

The soft crashing of the waves beneath mingled with the rhythmic chirps of crickets, the sound of the nights lonely song filled the silence between them as Aegnor stared at her. His expression never shifting. Finally, Aegnor drew a long breath and released it. His mind haunted by his own thoughts.

"It is time you knew, Andreth," Aegnor conceded slowly, "Eldalótë and I... share a past. Filled with hopeless dreams... and bitter regret,"

She adjusted her seating position to a more comfortable one, her eyes never leaving his face.

"Yes, we were once intimately involved, a very long time ago. In those bygone days, our spirits, wild and unleashed saught to claim the other. Our insatiable hearts, indulging in pleasure forbidden to us, so we kept it a deeply guarded secret," he paused, allowing her to absorb his words before continuing with a much more serious tone, "We drank to intoxication, then we would sleep together. It was a dance of passion we rehearsed many, many times," he mumbled.

"What happened?"

"Though I cared deeply for her... my care was possessive and toxic. I would not commit to her, neither did I want to stop. When she pushed me to complete our full consummation, binding us as husband and wife, It would bring shame to my house who knew not even of her, so I fled,"

Finally, he lifted his sunken head, his brow wrinkled with shame.

"Now you know.... I beg you never bring it up again...," he whispered. His breath shaking with heavy emotions. A comforting hand found its place on his arm. A gesture of tender compassion ans understanding

"Thank you, Aegnor," was the soft whisper that followed. "I understand completely now, and that I have nothing to fear. I truly believed that I was losing you, now I see it is not your desire for another, but the painful haunt of a ghost long buried that drives your affections away. I was deeply wrong to ever cast doubt in your love for me,"

"Is that truly what you thought, Andreth? Unlike men, elves do not seek another after they have joined in union with their beloved. You have me, my love. For now and the end of time, and now with this new babe, we can build our own legacy, far from the eyes of others," he smiled.

"I still miss your touch, Aegnor. Your intoxicating kiss, searing upon my skin, I have not felt this in so long," she trembled.

A warm palm gently held her swollen, tender breast, careful to not cause her any pain. The worshipful way he touched the body that brought his son into the world, akin to the likeness of a gentle doe.

"I am yours Andreth, and you are mine. You are my wife, and all I have in this vast world," he whispered.

She gasped, surrendering to his touch.

"Make love to me, Aegnor... surrender to me once again beneath the stars, just as the fist night of our cherished union,"

Slowly, he closed in and lay a kiss upon his lady's lips. Andreth eagerly succumbed. He lowered her down upon the ground, her back sprawling upon the soft meadow of flowers. Her excitement grew quickly and she soon found herself wrapped in blissful pleasure, pinned beneath her immortal lover. Before long, Andreth was in the throes of rapture as Aegnor entered her once more, fulfilling his mortal wife's desires deep within her body. For a fleeting moment, she had almost forgotten what a trophy he was, selflessly pleasuring her body while his beauty pleasured her eyes. She silently praised the Valar in gratitude for his ardent love.

Finally, she surrendered, joined by Aegnor, sheathed deep within her comforting warmth. Their shared ecstasy bringing cherished memories and fulfilment. Aegnor shuddered, his body vibrating with lingering primal desire before melting upon her. Andreth held him, their bodies melding as one. Soft, trembling breaths joined, carried away in the gentle air. His eyes finally fluttered opened revealing a deep well of satiated desire and primal love. He sank upon her. His deep huffs ghosting between their joined bodies, nuzzling into her moist neck. She held him as though he was a babe in her arms. The familiarity of their touch and scent cocooning them in a bubble of their own.

As dawn broke above the pavilion, heralding a new day, Aegnor and Andreth returned home to Angrod and Eldalótë who waited for them. The hour had come for Angrod and Eldalótë to depart. While Angrod bid a long farewell to his nephew and the fair Andreth in the pavilion, Aegnor lingered alone within the shadows of the trees with Eldalótë. His gaze fell upon her serene form, her violet lips and beautiful face partially obscured by the hood of her mantle. Aegnor's trembling sigh echoed between them, laden with unspoken sorrow.

"Eldalótë, there are no words I can utter to unmake the past, this I know," he confessed, the weight of regret heavy in his heart. "Know within your heart that my actions toward you were never born of malice, nor intention to cause you pain. I hope you have found the happiness you seek in my brother, knowing he is far more deserving of you than I ever was,"

She gazed at him, her eyes as cold as the winter moon, and turned to face him fully. "Save your breath; I care not for your hollow words!" she hissed, her frosty gaze narrowing in contempt. "When you entered into hröa to hröa with Andreth, did your mind ere go to the place that was ours?" She stepped closer, he backed away, evading her eyes. Her voice softened to a whisper. A crooked grin bent the corners of her lips, revelling in his retreat from her. "Yes... you have! For that is your nature! A feral hound.... always lusting, never satisfied!" Aegnor's eyes finally met hers, burning with a mix of fury and pain, as if to taunt him, she placed her hand upon his chest, "Did you truly believe you would escape the consequences of this?"

A tense silence enveloped them. His eyes searching hers. His simple reply delivered in a cold tone cemented their exchange.

"Nay, Eldalótë. It is you who never stopped in your pursuit of me, since the day you wedded my brother, and I distanced myself. You are jealous of Andreth and her kindness, her modestly and her grace. All I desired in you was your body and your beauty, for that was all you had to offer me. But Andreth holds reign over my very heart!"

Their eyes locked in a fiery glare, then a swift hand raised and swung for his face. He caught her arm in mid air his eyes blazing down at her. Then, Eldalótë's face contorted into a wicked grin and from her throat, a chilling laughter broke out

"Weak willed are the sons of Finarfin, all of you! Aegnor for his lies and Angrod, my own husband... for not putting an end to you once I divulged to him all your sordid secrets! He has known since the day we were wed, and lo! he would not confront you! Nor would reveal it to your insufferable house!" she hissed, her words dripping with twisted admiration and disgust "You Aegnor are not of noble blood! You are born from the mire, a drunken wild dog without a conscience, and to the mud to will always belong!

With chilling victorious smile and an icy glare, she gracefully departed from him. Aegnor stared silently as she glided away, visibly wounded by her cutting words. He turned and headed back toward the pavilion to seek solace in the company of his wife, son, and brother, longing to retreat to the comfort of his family's embrace.

Soon, the time came for Angrod to depart for the final and last time. The brothers embraced one another tenderly for their last moments together, while Eldalótë and Andreth bid their tearful goodbyes. Angrod's forehead lingered against Aegnor's. Angrod whispered his final goodbye to his brother, wishing him a lifetime of happiness with a heavy heart. Alas, Aegnor did not wish him to leave.

Together, they slowly turned and departed from their sight, their lingering figures gracefully disappearing into the trees like spirits caught in a gentle breeze. Until then, with a gentle breath, they were gone. Sensing the sadness in her husband's heart, Andreth brought their baby to him, gently placing him in his arms. The soft coos and chirps of his infant son melted Aegnor's troubles, pulling his lips into a beaming smile as he gazed down upon him.

"Behold, my love, your son desires your comforting touch," she smiled.

"How could this not be a dream... for I have long seen this moment much too often, my son," Aegnor croaked, his voice breaking. He gazed down at the sleeping babe in his arms as tears swelled in his eyes. "I vow to cherish you. With my own life, to see you grow, for you were my dream,"