Chapter Text
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April, 377 F.A., Thargelion.
Caranthir smiled seeing the first buildings on the edges of the Haladin village appear from behind the hill, the steady clippety-clap of his horse’s hooves on the road bringing him ever closer. The day was waning already, the sun painting the sky into a myriad of shifting hues, a soft breeze playing with his cape as he rode, content. He managed to eke out two days of free time to visit Haleth, and he meant to use them to their full extent.
He could never regret having married her, as inconvenient as the distance was.
Some chickens trying to find something edible in the beaten surface of the road clucked at him indignantly as he rode between them, scattering to the sides in a flurry of feathers. His horse neighed happily in greeting, and the small, furry ponies of the Haladin replied with equal enthusiasm.
The elder sitting under the overhang of one of the houses smiled at him knowingly when he inclined his head at them politely, and pointed in the vague direction of the village center with one knobby finger. -The chief will be happy to see you, lad!- they cackled in the way only elderly Edain could.
Caranthir raised one eyebrow at them, but huffed in amusement. The insistence of elderly mortals, be it Khazâd or Edain, to treat him like a youngster never ceased to amuse him. -As will I be to see her.- he retorted, patting his horse on the neck to make it start walking again. It snorted, displeased to be ordered away from the grass of the edge of the road, but trotted forward easily enough.
He found his wife holding two tweens by the collars of their tunics, clearly having just broken apart a fight. Dismounting silently he watched her as she shook them both again in chastisement, and let them go after they muttered a quick apology to each other.
Haleth was… Well, nothing less than a force of nature. Caranthir smiled widely, admiring the sight before him. She was dressed simply, in working clothes, but she wore the tunic he had woven for her, a deep red adorned with golden-yellow peeking out from under the outer sleeves, making her ambiguously blonde-brown hair glimmer like cloth of gold in the setting sun. She rubbed a hand across her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose in annoyance, and turned around with a huff.
The moment she saw him was easy to notice, because she blinked twice and smirked, a sharp expression. -Oh, look who happened to come for a visit!- she called out to him, striding forward until she reached him.
-My Lady.- he murmured demurely, taking her hand to kiss her knuckles, resolutely ignoring the spark of their marriage bond bloom into something more tangible in the back of his mind at the touch. – I’m all yours for tomorrow and the day after.-
Haleth grinned widely. – Very good.- she caught him by his collar and dragged him into a kiss, making Caranthir lose any intellect he had at his disposition. He blinked at her dumbly when she broke apart, feeling his cheeks and ears burn, and she only laughed at his plight. -My silly elf. Come on, you arrived right for dinner.-
-Oh, uh, all right.- he managed, rendered dumb by the soft chiming of their marriage bond prompted by her kiss. It was so very often silent and still, because Haleth was not an Elda, but when their skin touched it always sang softly. He was bond-drunk in her presence more often than not, for he could not get used to the feeling.
Haleth pressed one grounding hand to his chest, scratching the neck of his horse. – Moryo...- she called him again, gently, and he refocused on the physical world.
-I have been away for too long, - he managed, the goosebumps along his spine receding softly, as he made his legs listen to him and walk towards Haleth’s home. – if a simple touch of your hand and a kiss threatens to undo my mind.-
-Oh, love.- she sighed. – You need more hugs.-
Caranthir hummed in the back of his throat in agreement, unconsciously drifting closer to her. – Perhaps.-
They led his horse to the small stable beside the home, and he gathered his packs. – I brought something for you and Haldan.- with great care he pulled the bundle of fabric out of his bigger pack, and pressed it into her hands.
-He will be overjoyed you came. He likes you a great deal, you know?- she chuckled, accepting the gift. – You spoil him.-
-Well, why shouldn’t I?- Caranthir smiled, entering the house, the logs of the walls even more intricately carved than the last time he had been there. -He is delightful, and your heir besides.-
Said delightful heir had been apparently tasked with looking after the dinner on the stove, because from the door leading to the kitchen came an excited shriek and the blonde boy jumped out, an awful scab on the side of his face, one hand bound to his chest with a wrap. – Uncle Moryo!-
Caranthir startled seeing his state, making an odd noise. – Haldan! What happened to you, pityo?!- He opened his arms, hugging the boy carefully, discreetly looking him over for more injuries.
-He decided that climbing a tree at night was a wonderful idea, especially since the ground under it was mostly stone.- Haleth sighed. – And guess what, he broke his hand.-
-Oh, pityo.- Caranthir patted Haldan over his short blonde hair. – Have you learned something from this at least?-
-Don’t climb trees when it’s wet outside.- he mumbled into Caranthir’s over-tunic.
– Well, that is at least something.- Haleth snorted, ruffling his hair affectionately. - Now, how is the soup?-
-Not burnt.- Haldan mumbled again, looking exactly his nine years of age. – Mostly.-
-Oh, Eru.- Caranthir sighed, hefting him up to hold him on his hip, and going to salvage the dinner. The boy raised a flimsy protest that he was too old to be carried, but melted against Caranthir’s shoulder anyway.
The soup was not burned in any significant way, which was good.
Caranthir let it simmer for a moment more, focusing on soothing the throbbing pain of Haldan’s broken arm. He had enough younger brothers to know how to do this, letting his spirit suffuse the break and muffle the discomfort, ignoring the way his own arm started throbbing.
The boy perked up immediately when his pain disappeared, looking wide-eyed at Caranthir. -How did you do that?!-
-Elf magic.- he replied breezily, and Haldan squeaked, looking at his hand wide-eyed.
Haleth watched them from the doorway, smiling. -Now, since I think the soup isn’t ready yet, shall we see what Moryo brought us?-
-Yes!- Haldan shimmied out of his grip, darting towards her. She brought the packet to the table, unwrapping the red fabric carefully, as Caranthir tasted the soup to see if it lacked any spices. It wasn’t salty, at all. Well, Haldan was young still, he could learn the art of cooking. He took a careful pinch of salt from the spice-box, recognizing with amusement his own trade-network sigil on the lid, and added it to the soup.
-Caranthir.- Haleth said after a moment of complete silence, making him turn around. – What the fuck.-
- Why, you don’t like it?- he blinked, seeing her holding the vambraces he had commissioned from the Khazâd, true-silver with gem inlays in the shape of the crest of her house. – They should fit you well.-
Even Haldan had paused mid-unwrapping his parcel, blinking at them with huge eyes.
-Moryo, love...- Haleth opened her arms, overwhelmed. – Just. What.-
-They can double as armor, I know you don’t like jewelry too much. It’s mithril, practically indestructible.- he came up to her, smiling.
-How much did they cost.- she choked out with a faint air of horror.
- Two favors and a sum in gold. - he tilted his head. – Nothing I cannot gain back easily. The Casari are graceful trade partners. Go on, try them out. -
Haleth squeezed her lips into a thin line, putting them away on a shelf with an abrupt movement. – Later.-
Caranthir winced. He had hoped she would enjoy the gift. Well, he would do better next time. -Oh, all right? The soup is nearly ready.-
Haldan blinked at them again, and then decided not to worry about adult silliness, returning to his gift eagerly. It was a small army of leaden soldiers, a full squad of twenty, plus ten orcs as their adversaries.
The boy had no qualms about enjoying his gift, jumping off his seat to hug Caranthir with a shriek of glee. -Thank you, Uncle Moryo!- he laughed, and dashed off to stash them somewhere in the bowels of the house.
-Love.- Haleth said, once Haldan was out of the room, pointing in the general direction of the glimmering vambraces. – Why?-
-You deserve beautiful things.- he admitted sheepishly, feeling his ears pin back and heat rise on his cheeks.
Haleth whipped around, eyes narrowed, and caught his collar in one hand. Her grip was strong, holding him securely, even as she made him back up to the wall, more or less throwing him onto the bench here.
He blinked up at her, a reversal of their usual perspective, and she grabbed him by the base of his main braid, tilting his head back.
-You are insane.- she said curtly, and kissed him with passion.
All air fled him, mind blanking, feeling her lips and teeth against his mouth. His spirit sang at the touch, and he wanted nothing more but for her to undo him, here and now, because she could, because it would only take a few words.
But Haldan was in the house, and dinner would be ready in a few moments.
-Haleth, the soup.- he managed to choke out weakly, and she reluctantly pulled away, eyes aflame and expression savage enough to make him whimper.
-Hmph.- she harrumphed, tugging at his braid lightly. – What exactly you think you need to do to seduce me, stupid? It would have been enough to ask. True-silver vambraces! Preposterous.-
He made a strangled sound. – I wasn’t...It...- he made himself breathe slower, his entire face burning. – You just... deserve beautiful things. – he finished lamely, wishing desperately that his heart would stop trying to hammer it’s way out of his chest.
Haleth rolled her eyes at him with fondness. – Well now I feel seduced anyway.- she laughed, pressing another kiss to the corner of his mouth. – But you are right about the soup. I can thank you properly for the gift later.-
****
The nicest thing about Caranthir was, in Haleth’s humble opinion, his warmth. The snow had thawed already, but there was still the slight chill in the air at night, so having a personal heater was more than convenient.
She mused on this, shifting to burrow her face in the crook of his neck. He watched her with those slightly unsettling silver eyes, holding her close, a faint light suffusing the air just over his skin.
-I hope I satisfied you tonight, My Lady.- he murmured.
-You always do.- she mumbled back, thoroughly enjoying the heavy buzz of her bones and the blankness of her mind. She felt safe and cared for, the worries of everyday stashed half-forgotten with her clothes on the floor.
It was amusing to her, how he still asked that, like if he didn’t know. For all that he never managed to last long and got overwhelmed more often than not, he was very good at taking care of her.
The peculiar feeling she had come to associate with his mind brushing against hers set itself around her like a blanket, letting her know without any shade of uncertainty that he had also enjoyed himself, the flickering red-gold of his flames in the corner of her eye dancing lazily. She snorted, thinking very loudly; Tell me a story?
Which one? He replied the same way, somehow sounding so much richer in his head than out loud.
Whatever you wish.
Caranthir chuckled, pressing a slow kiss to the crown of her head. – I’m too tired to think of anything, I’m afraid.- he admitted in the breathy mumble of somebody at the edge of sleep.
-Then just talk about anything.- she sighed, running her hand over the plane of his chest, enjoying the silk-soft texture of his skin. He was beautiful, handsome in a way that bordered pretty. With a soft smile she traced the line of his collarbones, pressing a kiss to his neck on a whim, right over one darkening love-bite.
Her husband shifted at that, still a bit overwhelmed, and drew the covers more securely around her shoulders, intercepting her wandering hands. -All right. If you don’t mind me talking about fabrics and looms, I could dredge up some energy I think.- he exhaled slowly, the light of him brightening and dimming in places, like reflections on the surface of a pond. – Or I could start describing how radiant you look in my eyes, for I’m rather sure I could not exhaust this topic for days, and it would not require any effort on my part.-
Haleth groaned. -Moryo, love, neither of us has the energy for another round, stop being so...goey.-
Caranthir pouted at that, chuckling into her hair. – My people are called Quendi for a reason. I express my awe with words, and my awe at your beauty and existence could fill a whole book, I feel like. My father did write a tome of poetry for my mother, and children are supposed to surpass their parent’s achievements, after all.-
-Moryo.- she hissed at him, knowing well that he could go on in this vein for hours unchecked. – Stop it.- She wasn’t lying about being too tired for anything but sleep, but if he continued being so unbearably sweet she didn’t know what she would do to him.
He laughed softly, pressing a soft kiss to her shoulder. – All right. Looms it is, then. Curvo recently made some adjustments to one of our best models, and the testing went really well...-
Haleth nestled herself more comfortably in the warm arms of her husband, listening to him talk about his precious fabrics and looms, alliances with dwarves, taxes and whatever else his never ending memory was busy with, and let sleep claim her, drifting away with every melodic word.
****
Caranthir lurched awake, gasping for breath, clutching at his chest. He scrambled to sit, sweat suddenly breaking out across his brow.
Something had happened. He didn’t know what, but the snap he had felt deep in his soul spread like a cool ache across his collarbones, not painful, but so very weird.
It was dark, the sun not having yet risen, and the air had a slight bite to itself when he heaved deep breaths, hands feeling weak.
Haleth’s nearly silent snores quietened as she opened her eyes groggily, woken up by his startle. -Wazzit…? Moy’o?- she mumbled out, looking puzzled.
The cool ache started to burn, making him tense, before a wave of sheer exhilaration swept over him, a keen escaping his throat. It was good, it felt like flying, but he had no idea what was happening, why he suddenly wanted to weep, jittery and hungry for touch. – I...- he managed, pressing the heel of his hand hard into his sternum, trying to ground himself. – Something happened.-
His wife blinked at him in the darkness, burrowed under the covers up to her nose. – Huh?- she eloquently asked for clarification.
Caranthir slowly lowered himself back onto the pillows, trying not to gasp when the odd feeling spiked again, like a soft, undemanding pull somewhere under his collarbones that made his stomach flutter and something unidentified sweep through his spirit. He grit his teeth, covering his face with his hands.
What was happening? He had never before felt anything like that, and he had seen his father die , his nephew get born.
Haleth poked him between his ribs, evidently annoyed that he had made the warmth escape from under the covers, drawing them back over him, and her touch felt like a lightning strike, making colors dance before his eyes.
-Fuck.- Caranthir croaked out, the tugging growing more insistent, and Haleth withdrew her hand, making a soft noise of concern.
He wanted so bad to give up to that pull, a gut deep, wrenching want buzzing through him with each soft tug.
He let go with a muffled gasp, nearly instinctively, and the sudden intensity of the wrong-wrong-too-far-not-enough that raked across his bones made him lurch sideways to wrap his wife up in his arms, hiding his face in the crook of her neck, heaving for air.
Haleth hugged him back, shushing him softly, running one hand over his hair, offering a steady harbor, so he reached out with his spirit, trying to ground himself in the feel of her.
Something sparkled, the moment he did so, a flare of feeling intense enough to make him breathless.
Suddenly as it came, the awful lack disappeared, leaving him with the fierce, jittery need to hold Haleth close.
Caranthir shivered, head to toe, wrapping himself more securely around his wife, calming down his breathing, each inhale fragrant with the smell of Haleth’s hair, of the nettles she used to wash it, grounding himself in the feeling of her fingers running over his scalp.
-What happened, love?- she murmured after a moment, when his breath hitched again with a helpless sob of overwhelm despite his best efforts, for even naked as they were the touch was not enough.
-I don’t know.- he choked out into her neck, feeling as if, if he were to stop holding her, he would be unmade.
-Shhh, it’s all right. You are safe.- with a soft sort of tenderness that was rare for her, she slunk her hand out of his grip to cup his cheek gently, running one thumb over his cheekbones.
He shuddered again, overcame with all the feelings churning through him, tightening his arms even further around Haleth and closed his eyes to focus on the shape of himself better.
His spirit felt somehow off, like if there was a new piece of it that wasn’t before, a bond connected to a yet empty space that everything in him yearned to fill. Hesitantly, softly, he inspected that new, aching strand, and found that the empty space at its end was not completely void.
There was the same spark of bright potential slumbering there that he had felt earlier, a tiny lick of white flame like a star in the night.
Caranthir gently cradled that spark with his spirit, awe like firelight spilling over his whole being, beginning in that point.
It was so singularly bright, like the strike of inspiration at the beginning of a project, so beautiful, tiny, and fragile he couldn’t do anything else, but stare and feel overwhelmed tears streak down his face.
-Moryo, love, shhhhh, what happened?- Haleth’s voice reached him as if from some faraway place, for all that she had to be whispering into his ear.
-I... don’t know?- again he breathed out without conscious input, tangentially aware of the fact that he was weeping, all of his focus on that tiny thing fluttering at the edge of his very being.
He gently sent a soft current of warmth-strenght down that hair-thin strand of a pathway, widening it slightly, the spark growing brighter, burning steadier.
With a bone-deep surety he suddenly knew what it meant.
Caranthir choked on an incredulous laugh, breath wheezing in his throat. – Eru Iluvatar Who Art Above.- the prayer in Quenya spilled out of his lips unwittingly as he pulled back from the embrace, just enough to look Haleth in the eyes, ignoring the keen of his heart that wanted nothing else but to stay as close as they had been, cradling that tiny, precious flame. -Haleth.-
-What happened, Moryo?- his wife, this beautiful, contrary, impossible being asked, pressing the other calloused hand to his cheeks too, wiping away the tears that ran freely from his eyes, as if she didn’t know...
Because she did not know.
The realization slammed into him like a war-hammer.
She didn’t know, because she couldn’t know, Edain couldn’t feel those things, Edain didn’t…
Caranthir froze, torn between the sudden spike of ice-cold dread and an impossible to quench joy.
-Haleth.- he whispered, the name tasting soft where his accent rounded it into something musical. – Haleth, you...- he swallowed harshly, cradling her face with trembling fingers. - I...I just felt a new life spark into being.-
A small wrinkle appeared between her eyebrows for a moment, before her eyes widened, the blue-green of them luminous in the light he shed. -Oh.- she blinked a few times, looking at him with awe. -You mean...?-
He could only smile at her, a bright, tremulous expression and nod, beyond words.
She dragged him into a kiss, long, warm, filled with raw emotion, believing him without a second of further hesitation.
-I didn’t know you could do that. Feel that, I mean. I can’t.- she whispered out after they broke apart, fingers trembling slightly where they rested against the divot of his neck and collarbone. – I had thought we wouldn’t be able to conceive at all.-
Caranthir pressed his forehead against hers. – I had thought so too.- he admitted, trying not to start weeping again. -I...I could...- he swallowed, closing his eyes and opening his mind to her instead of trying to explain. -Look.-
Haleth with shock-curiosity peered through their bond, and he showed her the tiny spark he had cradled with such care, burning steady and bright.
-Oh, Moryo. It’s...so small.- she whispered, forge-fire bright behind his temples, before suddenly dimming, cold doubt wrapped with black claws around her mind. – I...We should wait a few weeks.-
-What?- he flinched back from the sudden change, instinctively swaddling the tiny flame in a protective layer of his own spirit against the dark fear.
-It...It’s easy to lose it this early on.- Haleth grit her teeth, hiding in his shoulder. He made a wounded noise. No. It was an unthinkable thing, to lose that little flame. She tightened her hand around his arm, shaking her head. – Caranthir. We should wait before we celebrate, just to be sure. It’s so tiny, Moryo. I… Something might yet happen, it’s not set in stone.-
Caranthir felt icy fear settle into his bones. – All right. I...All right.- he managed to whisper out against her hair, cradling that spark with all of his focus, wrapping it in as much protection and love as he could, and holding Haleth closer. -But nothing will happen.-
- If you say so, love.- she exhaled against his collarbone, holding him back just as tightly. – I hope so. Oh, Moryo, fuck, I know what you do is not magic, but when you show me things like this… Fuck, I will cry so bad if something happens, when I else I would have never known.-
-I’m sorry.-
-Don’t be.- she hissed at him, fire in her eyes.- This...I wouldn’t have known for a month at the very least, I might have never known. Moryo, it’s so bright, even this tiny. Don’t you dare be sorry for showing me that, don’t!-
Caranthir pressed his lips to the crown of her head, squeezing his eyes shut. – Nothing will happen.- he whispered, pouring all of his conviction into his words. – Nothing, you hear me?-
Haleth only laughed desperately into his shoulder.
****
The next day sneaked up on them, sun already quite high in the sky when Haldan came to wake them up, with all the energy of a somewhat anxious child.
Haleth blinked at her nephew blearily, unsticking her forehead from Caranthir’s shoulder. – Good morning.-
-Auuuuunnnttttt….- Haldan whined, tugging at the foot that she had stuck out of the covers to cool down. – You overslept. Are you all right? -
Haleth blinked at him again, biting her tongue not to say something hasty. – Yeah.- she sighed, after a moment. – I’m all right. Why?-
- I got worried.- Haldan pouted, short hair in adorable disarray, because he had apparently not washed himself in the morning yet. – You always wake up with the sun. And Hundad is being rude about Uncle Moryo again, says he brings bad things. -
She groaned, flopping back onto the pillows. – Of course he is. All right, Hal, I will be up in a moment. Go wash up.-
The boy narrowed his eyes at her. – You look like you were crying. And Uncle Moryo looks...- he wrinkled his nose, making a face. – Like a beaten rag.-
-Ai, you little scoundrel.- she rolled her eyes at him, propping herself up on one arm. – We are all right, don’t worry. Just a long night. Now scram, and make good use of the comb, else I will sic Moryo on you.-
-But I can’t use the comb one-handed, Aunt!- Haldan squeaked at the threat, seemingly reassured enough to bolt out of the room. By the sounds of it he went to search for something to eat in the kitchen.
Haleth exhaled slowly, sliding out of bed, and hastily put on some clothes. She smiled at the tunics she had, choosing the spring-green one that her husband had made, with embroidered flowers sneaking like vines over her hands. For fresh beginnings and new growth. It felt symbolic, somewhat, and she snorted quietly, dryly amused.
Symbols had never helped anyone, but a fool could hope.
She hesitated in the doorway, looking back at the sleeping form of her husband.
Caranthir slept like a stone, closed-eyed and steady. He did it seldom, but she wasn’t particularly surprised. He had cried himself to sleep, after all, no matter that those had been tears of happiness.
Haleth left him to it. He would fuss once he woke up, and she would be extremely lucky if she managed to redirect his efforts onto Haldan.
Actually, Haldan would probably appreciate them, the little spoiled brat.
She spotted his golden head in the kitchen as he tried to pry open a cabinet over the stove without climbing on anything one-handed. -Hey, Hal, what are you doing?- she chuckled at him, catching him by the middle and yanking him onto the ground, off the stove-top. Thankfully Moryo had put out the fire last night, so it was cold, but the sight of her too-tiny, lanky, already injured nephew climbing things was harrowing enough.
Haldan shimmied out of her grip expertly, pouting at her. – I was going to make tea.-
Haleth raised her brow at him. -With cold water?-
-Uh.- he blinked, suddenly realizing the rather glaring hole in his plan. – Ah. I wanted to make tea.-
She snorted, ruffling his hair, that he hadn’t adjusted yet despite her reminder. – Well, next time wait for somebody who can reach the cabinets without climbing, would you? Now, have you been to the chicken shed to get us eggs for breakfast?-
He shook his head. – I’m gonna go now!-
-Remember to leave one under each chicken so they know where to lay them!- she called after him when he dashed towards he door.
-I know, I know!- he laughed, disappearing outside, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
Haleth sighed, methodically moving through the motions of cleaning the stove and lightning the fire for the day.
She was scared and anxious, she could admit that to herself.
But the sight of the sparks flying off her flint stone as she struck it with a knife brought an involuntary smile to her face. As the fire started licking the thin strips of wood, gnawing on them cheerfully, she closed her eyes, recalling that shared sensation of bright-new-potential that Moryo had shown her.
Never in her life she had seen something so beautiful yet fragile, especially coated in the complicated, insanely intense emotions of her husband as it was.
She smiled wider, hiding her mouth behind one hand. She hadn’t even known that she had wished for a child of her own blood, having Haldan to raise as her heir, but now that the chance was there… Yes, she wanted it with a startling intensity.
Closing the upper metal door of the stove and opening the ash-gatherer for better air-circulation she stood up, carefully filing away that clawing sort of hope that had woken somewhere behind her sternum.
She needed not to get too hopeful right away. Only time could tell.
A flash of light caught the corner of her eye, and she turned around, frowning. The sun glimmered off the smooth, bright surface of the vambraces her absolutely impossible husband had thought to acquire for her.
Rolling her eyes fondly she took them off the shelf, inspecting them closer now that she could think about them without the frantic screech of value calculations in the back of her mind. Her people weren’t that deprived that they had to trade away their jewelry, and while most of them had only gold, silver or some gems that the Noldor sold them with glee for cheap, it was not a slight against them for the chieftain to wear true-silver.
Especially not because the vambraces had the heraldic symbol of their whole tribe inlaid into them with chipped gems and copper, the details meticulous as only dwarven craftsmen could achieve.
She turned them around in her hands, seeing with fondness the elvish script on the inside of them, the first two lines of her favorite battle-song.
Caranthir was impossible with his gifts. Absolutely insane.
Haleth put them on with reverence, clasps snapping shut with a crisp sound.
Of course they would fit her exactly.
With a deep sigh she rolled her wrists, bending her elbows, and found no obstacle in movement. The vambraces were so light she could barely feel them as she moved, but they glimmered and cast reflections of the sunlight all around.
She liked them. They were decidedly too much, but she liked them.
Keeping them on would make people stare. On the other hand, it would make Caranthir even more inordinately happy than he already was, and she loved the sight of his smile, rare as it was.
With a fond smile she left them on, and went to prepare the tea Haldan apparently desired. He promptly returned with the eggs, still warm from the chickens, and she thanked him. Making scrambled eggs was easy enough that she managed to bind his broken hand to his chest again while the pan warmed up, even as he protested weakly that it didn’t hurt anymore.
She knew full well that he was either lying or the thing Moryo had done was still in effect, and even if it wasn’t, he needed that hand to heal properly.
Either their bickering or the smell of the eggs had to have woken Caranthir, because something suddenly crashed in the other room, making them both blink bemusedly at the door.
A moment later the harried looking elf-lord appeared, hastily dressed in a rumpled tunic, dark hair in disarray. He stumbled into the kitchen, shoulders slumping when he saw them, muttering a relieved curse in elvish.
-Good morning, Uncle Moryo!- Haldan recovered his wits first, cheerfully escaping Haleth’s ministrations to hug him.
Caranthir gladly accepted the hug, dropping to his knees to squeeze Haldan better. – Good morning, pityo.- he murmured, voice still groggy. – How is the hand doing?-
-Much better.- the boy giggled, probably because Caranthir’s hair, despite its intimidating length, was very soft and ticklish. – And are you all right?-
-More than, little one.- he smiled brightly, looking over at her. She smiled back, raising one eyebrow.– I’m very happy.-
-That’s good. I wanted to make you tea, because you looked like you were crying, but uhhh...- Haldan shrugged awkwardly. – It didn’t work. But I brought eggs!-
-Really? Thank you, pityo.- Caranthir gently grabbed his head, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead and smoothing his hair with one hand, before standing up again.
-Hal, could you put the cutlery on the table, please?- Haleth asked, coming up to kiss her husband on the cheek.
Haldan made a disgusted face at them, and quickly did as he was bid.
Caranthir wrapped his arms around her shoulders, leaning down to whisper into her ear. – My Lady, you have given me a scare disappearing like that.-
-Oh, love.- she snorted, petting his ear, that flicked back from her touch in an unconscious motion. – You were sleeping soundly, I didn’t want to wake you.-
He made a soft noise in the back of his throat, hesitantly ungluing himself from her back to help carry the food to the table. -Well, I nearly had a heart attack anyway.-
-Silly elf.- Haleth tugged at one strand of his hair that swung loose, making him miss a step, a blush immediately blooming on his face.
-Haleth!- he hissed at her, embarrassed, flicking his eyes to where Haldan was sitting at the table, merrily playing with his new leaden solider figurines.
She laughed at his plight. -I will braid it for you later.-
Caranthir only made another embarrassed sound at that, and slid his hand over his face. – You will be the death of me.-
Haleth smiled like a shark. – Good. Now, let’s eat.-
The scrambled eggs disappeared quickly enough, both of her boys apparently ravenous.
She wasn’t surprised about Haldan, since he was in this awkward moment of the first growth-jump, and usually ate anything that was set before him without complaint, but Caranthir made her a bit puzzled. He was usually rather picky with food that he hadn’t cooked himself.
And wasn’t that something strange? Caranthir always insisted on doing the cooking when he came over to visit, treating it like a sacred duty. She liked that. He did more of the typically women’s jobs, with no complaint, and sometimes even rather eagerly, than she did, and never even said anything disapproving about her warrior-like tendencies. It was refreshing.
But his appetite made her raise her eyebrows.
He caught her eyes from across the table, smiling wryly as he inhaled his third sandwich. – There are things that take a lot from an elf. – he said idly in lieu of an explanation, moving one of Haldan’s soldiers to attack an orc figurine the boy was holding.
Haldan shook the orc threateningly, making battle noises with his mouth, and knocked over Caranthir’s figure. -Like battle, right? Battles are tiring.- the boy observed smartly as Caranthir mimed defeat.
-That they are, Hal.- Haleth sighed fondly, amused by their antics.
They moved to gather and wash the dishes, chatting about everything and nothing.
Haldan got quickly bored of their conversation, and, grabbing his new toys, ran out to meet with his friends.
Caranthir watched him go. – How old is he, again?-
- Eight, nearly nine.- Haleth cocked her head, leaning against the counter next to him. – Why?-
He only pressed his lips into a thin line, ears flickering downwards. – He is as big as an elfling of twenty.- he admitted quietly, worried.
Haleth made a face, considering the implications. – Well. Fuck. How long an elvish baby is in the... screamy stage?-
-An elfling can run and more or less talk at four year-turnings of age.- Caranthir turned, to look her in the eyes. – I’m staying.-
-What?- she blinked, knocked out of the unpleasant calculations.
- I’m not leaving you.- he grit his teeth, pressing his palm to his chest. He said it in the plural, and Haleth melted a bit. – It… I don’t know how it works for the Edain, but for the Eldar both parents are responsible for the growth of the child. I don’t think you can feel their feä like I do, and they...You saw it yourself. They are so...-
-Tiny and fragile.- Haleth breathed out, inclining her head. – I get it.-
Caranthir clasped her hand in his, bringing it up to his chest. – If my brothers can leave their realms for months at a time to go hunting, I can damn well stay with my wife while she is expecting our child.- he whispered softly, running his thumb over her knuckles, and Haleth felt her heart skip a beat at hearing it said so plainly.
-All right.- she managed to say, swallowing harshly. – All right. Do you need a runner to send to Reír?-
-No, I can pass all the messages that I need via bird.- Caranthir smiled, pressing a kiss to the palm of her hand. – Your people always can use a skilled weaver, right?-
-Yes. I know you can work for yourself, don’t worry.- she smiled back, a tentative, slightly shocked expression.
His words echoed in her mind, plain, unapologetic, true, when the truth was so fragile still.
W hile she is expecting our child.
- Haldan will be happy I’m staying, won’t he? He always whines so much when I have to go.- he chuckled, unbearably radiant, with a distinctly lovesick expression on his face.
-Caranthir. Shut the fuck up,- she said, freeing her hand and catching him by his collar. – and stop being so utterly sweet, or I will do something rash.-
He just smiled brighter, silver eyes shining.