Oh I do like to be beside the sea side....
Jun. 7th, 2004 11:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sildilWhat DID Sildil and his vampire-elf friend Mirien do last weekend, and why is Sil looking a little under the weather?
Sildil sat waiting patiently for Mirien to arrive. He watched the various people arriving, being met, departing. Arriving, being met, departing. He sat talking to an elderly gent who collected 'Taxi numbers', whatever they were, and who knew all the details of the city's 'ladies'.
Mirien swore creatively in Quenya, decided that the ancient and beautiful language did not adequately express his feelings at that moment and switched tongues, 'Oh fuck,' he said, with feeling. Glancing around guiltily, as if to assure himself that Taelin could not possibly have heard that, he glared at the line of traffic, wishing for the hundredth time that he had brought the bike rather than this Mordor-cursed people carrier his husband had insisted they buy. And worst of all, Mirien knew that Sildil would never let him hear the end of the fact that he was late.
Sildil smiled when he saw the car arrive at the station. He was never going to let Mirien forget this. The very next time that the vampire elf criticised his Sindar tracking skills, Sil would remind Mirien of his Noldor time keeping. Sil dumped his bag in the boot of the car and climbed in.
"I hope you don't mind if I drive fast." Said Mirien, we have a lot of miles to cover. Sildil smiled again, this time a little less comfortably, and tried not to let Mirien see him clench his teeth and grip the door handle nervously.
Mirien saw. He grinned. This was going to be fun. 'Sorry I was late,' he said cheerfully, screeching seemingly without noticing, in front of three cars and a bus, grinning as Sidil's knuckles whitened noticeably,'Tae was just, um..reminding me of something before I left in case I forgot over the next two days.' Mirien smiled at the memory of that particular reminder and swerved across three lanes of traffic humming a Noldo lament as he did so.
"Th..that's al..alright!" squeaked Sildil. "Um…do we er…have to um…" He glanced across at the feral grin that Mirien displayed, and decided not to finish the sentence. "Er…how long will it take to get there?" He asked instead, thinking 'about five minutes at this rate' to himself.
Mirien resisted the temptation to say 'About five minutes,' instead looking across at Sildil and saying innocently, 'Oh sorry, I forgot you hadn't quite got past the sitting on a horse backwards stage yet.' Settling back, Mirien sighed, 'I hate his thing,' he groused,'But Taelin said you probably wouldn't want me to bring the bike.'
Sildil blanched at the thought of sitting behind Mirien on the back of a bike, and thanked the
Valar for Taelin's gift of foresight. After a few miles, with his eyes closed, he got used to the speed and began to relax….just until Mirien decided to follow the car in front rather closely. Sildil did try to put his foot down on the non-existent brake, but he thought that Mirien would only see this as an opportunity to make his life more uncomfortable than it already was, so he pretended to cross his legs instead.
Mirien decided that Sildil was relaxed enough now, and so settled down to play a nice gentle game of 'Hunt the Nazgul' with the rest of the traffic.
Sildil shrieked. He resisted the temptation to wrench the wheel from the vampire elf, whose eyes had began to take on a particularly interesting hue, and instead he buried his head in the road atlas, determined not to let Mirien see how rattled he was. "We need the next turning," he said through gritted teeth, so that it came out more as, "We nd th nxt tning."
Several hours of Sindar baiting later, Mirien wrenched the wheel of the people carrier onto a dirt track in a manner that would make Colin McCrae jealous and skidded to a impressive halt in a cloud of dust outside the Youth Hostel. 'Hmmm,'he said, slightly disappointed,'That's so much more impressive on a horse.'
Sildil just sat there, stunned. It wasn't Mirien's driving that had rendered him speechless, though it had made his legs feel like spaghetti. It was rather the view. He nudged Mirien and pointed. "Look." was all he could manage to say.
The setting sun, hidden behind a bank of sea mist was reflected like a golden path across the sea.
Mirien looked, and his grin faded, as thoughts of his birthplace hit him full force. The sun made a straight, shimmering track of light across the dancing waves, heading unerringly into the West. Towards home.
Valinor, Mirien's heart seemed to whisper for a moment.
Sildil was still also and Mirien wondered something briefly, as the seagulls wheeled and cried ,'Sil,' he asked quietly, 'Did you just get Legolas'ed? From what I hear, the idiot only had to hear a bloody seagull before he went all poetic and waxed lyrical about going fishing or something…'
Sildil looked uncomfortable. "Erm…" His eyes kept returning to the scene in front of him, and his expression was one of complete joy mixed with desperate longing. "The seagulls do seem to be having rather an effect on me." He whispered. "Oh bugger." He sighed.
Mirien closed his eyes,'Shit,' he said quietly,' Another Sinda bites the dust.'
Sildil realised that Mirien was not a morning elf, the moment he had returned from the shower incredibly cheerfully and the vampire elf had threatened to bite him. He had tried being quiet while he rustled in his bag looking for his sketching materials, but Mirien did not seem to appreciate his efforts.
'Shut. Up,' He muttered, burying his head in the pillow,'Why do all you moriquendi have to make so much noise.'
Mirien muttered and turned his back on Sil, trying not to think about Tae, the thought of his beautiful husband not helping the tent-pole pyjamas situation. 'Ah well, his discomfort could be assuaged by making Sildil nervous all day. The thought cheered him considerably.
Sildil started humming a jolly little sea shanty as he got dressed, completely failing to notice Mirien's discomfort which was probably just as well. "Gosh, I am hungry." He said. "I can't explain it, but I have a real fancy for fish…." His voice tailed off as he stared out of the window and stared at the sea. "…..isn't it just so…." He lapsed into silence again.
Mirien groaned and muttered something uncomplimentary. Great. Not only had he been dragged from the er…arms of his husband of two days but now Sildil had got the sea-longing. Lovely. Just bloody peachy. He sighed and threw a bag of scampi crisps at Sildil's head, 'Here, eat those and shut up.'
Mirien couldn't cope with the sea-longing before breakfast, oh, wait, he didn't eat beakfast…Oh anyway, it was just another excuse for Sil to look pathetic and fall over things and as far as Mirien was concerned, Sil didn't need another excuse to do that.
Sildil looked pathetic and promptly fell over his bag. He picked himself up and sighed. "Oh well, I suppose I can cope. After all, Legolas has to. So, when can we go to down to the sea? Eh? When, Mirien? Can we go now? Right away?" Sil whined and hopped backwards and forwards impatiently
Mirien was sympathetic, he really was, nevertheless, he knew it was part of the sea-longing coping programme to.slap the sufferer repeatedly when he slipped into whingeing child mode. Mirien did this, enthusiastically. 'We can go later, if you try to stay in control for five minutes.' This was accompanied by a hard stare which was utterly lost on Sildil.
"Why did you do that?" Cried Sil feeling hurt, emotionally and physically. Didn't Mirien understand that he had absolutely NO control over this absolute desperate desire to be down at the sea shore, ankle deep in the salt water, picking up pebbles?
Yes Mirien did understand, no he refused to give in to an overgrown elfling not so much wanting to sail West as build sandcastles. He sighed again. He should be in Tae's arms, not in deep doggy-do. There was only one thing for it. Bribery. 'Sil,' he said, If you get in the car and stop making moo moo eyes at seagulls, I will buy you breakfast. Deal?'
Sildil thought longingly about the sea, the surf, the sand, the gulls, his empty stomach. "Ok." He said.
Mirien huffed slightly, clearly the sea longing could not compete with three pieces of bacon and a slice of fried bread. He shoved Sildil out the door and started the car heading for the café in town, hoping vainly that a course of strong antibiotics might help.
Sildil whistled a cheerful sea-lament all the way into Tintagel. He was looking forward to his breakfast. Even Mirien's driving didn't upset him anymore, as they bounced along the rutted track. "So, what's Valinor like then, Mirien?" He asked casually.
Mirien coughed, choked and skidded to halt. He took a deep breath and counted to ten in Adunaic. Twice. 'Sildil,' he said, not taking his eyes off the dirt track, 'Shut up abut Valinor. I haven't been there in rather a long time.'
Sildil thought for a moment and frowned. "Why not, I thought it was supposed to be lovely?"
Mirien smiled slowly and extremely unpleasantly, 'My dear Sinda, does the word kinslayer mean anything to you?'
Sildil gulped. He went quiet. He looked nervously at Mirien. "Um…..er…..yes?"
Mirien smile turned even more unpleasant. 'My people. Your people. Big fight. Not good. Now SHUT UP!'
"Mmmph!" mumbled Sildil, and wondered how easy it would be to leap out of the moving car, but then decided against it. "Oh look, a birdie." He said in a small voice pointing to a gull.
'AAAAGGHHH!!!'Mirien yelled, reaching for the sword he wasn't wearing, 'Sildil, shut up about he sodding seagulls for one minute or so help me you'll get to Valinor a lot bloody sooner!' Mirein took a deep breath and tried to remember his ada's advice. 'My boy,'he had said on fine morning in Angband, ' There are two pieces of advice I want to give you. The first, is never get caught, and if you do, make sure you say it was your uncle Curufin, the second is never get upset with a Sinda, they have this incredible knack of making it look like your fault.'
The rest of the journey was spent in absolute silence. Twice Sil nearly mentioned the pretty view of the waves crashing on the rocks, and three times nearly pointed out another seagull, and five times almost, but not quite, nearly asked Mirien about Valinor, but one glance at the vampire elf's grim expression and slightly pointed teeth made him keep quiet.
As they drove into the car park, Sildil sighed. He had never been any good at history.
Mirein started to calm down as they drove into town, 'Perhaps it would be alright'. Then he happened to glance at Sildil just as they passed a mermaid painted on the side of a building. He sighed. They were in big trouble. Quickly, he got Sildil into the café and shoved a menu at him, muttering darkly,'And if you say you want fish fingers, I will kill you.'
Sildil had actually wanted fish fingers, but decided that he dare not antagonise his friend again. He realised that he was becoming a liability and the awful longing was beginning to even get him down. He decided to try and fight it and keep it to himself. "Um…the egg and sausage looks nice?" He said, a little wistfully.
Mirien cursed and ordered him the fish fingers.
Breakfast done with, Mirein relented slightly. He wanted to collect pebbles for a present for Taelin, in the vain hope that Taelin wouldn't do him serious damage when he got home. Furtively, he collected a robe from the back of the car and headed for the path that led to the castle and the beach, 'Cmon, Sil…we can go see the sea now.'
Sil positively glowed at the thought and gave Mirien a hug. "Thank you." He said quietly, and remained silent during the whole walk along the headland to the shore. When they arrived he found a rock and just sat staring westward and listening to the sound of the crashing waves. He had never felt such a feeling before and it frightened him slightly.
He watched Mirien, who had sneakily put on the robe he had been carrying in a bundle, walking along the water's edge collecting pebbles. "Hey," he called, "aren't those Tae's robes?"
Mirien blushed, 'Um, yes, they are.' He coughed and looked away, hoping Sildil wouldn't ask any more questions.
"Why are you wearing Tae's robes? Did you get your jeans dirty or something? And they do look a little short on you actually, if you don't mind my saying." As he spoke he realised that Mirien possibly did mind him saying and quickly added, " But they do look very nice!"
Mirien's blush deepened and he stammered,'I..um…yes, all my stuff was dirty yes, that's it' He nodded like a lunatic and tried to avoid Sildil's eyes.
"What all of it?" Sildil looked puzzled. "But you brought loads of stuff. You're a Noldo! And wouldn't Tae miss them?"
Mirien could not help his smile recalling that Taelin hasn't been wearing anything much the last few days, but he pulled himself together with an effort. 'Well,' he began, trying to recall what Caranthir taught him about the noble art of lying through your teeth, 'I fell in this REALLY BIG puddle, and…' Mirien trailed off a bit helplessly, resorting to actually shutting his eyes.
Sil thought for a moment and then smiled. "Does wearing them make you feel better? You must miss Tae dreadfully." He said sympathetically.
Eyes still shut, Mirien blinked. Now what in Mordor was he going to say? 'Um…yes, a bit, well, you now how it is…' he finishes lamely. Mirien cracked open one eye and peered at Sildil cautiously. A moment's careful observation told him that Sildil had absolutely no idea he and Taelin were bonded, no matter what LaCE said. Clearly, he hadn't read that, either.
*****
Mirien's Musings That Evening:
Mirien sits, chin on his knees, staring out at the sea, watching the shimmering gulf that separates him from his home. Valinor…Would he ever see it again? Even now, with the curse of the Noldor lifted, Mirien does not know if the Valar would accept one such as he, a vampire.
Fighting tears, Mirien lifts his face into the dying sun, Eru help me, I wish one day to go home…And what of Taelin? So far, his love has shown no sign that he wishes to sail West, what if he never does? What if Mirien never even has the chance to try returning home?
Mirien shakes himself, thoughts of Taelin making him smile, despite the uncertainty. He misses his new husband, and the thought of returning home to him warmed his heart, and…um, other parts of him. Watching the sun glimmer on the depthless blue and silver, Mirien entertains himself with thoughts of the greeting he will give his love on his return, And may we both be strong for our friend, he thinks, thoughts turning to Sildil and the sea-longing that would now forever be a part of his dear friend’s life. Valar keep you, meldir, I will not leave you to face this alone…So thinking, Mirien stands gracefully, intending to drag his friend to the place where he can find solace, if only for a while, from his longing…the pub.
*****
Sildil's Musings That Morning:
Sildil woke early and looked across at Mirien on the opposite bunk and sighed. How in Arda was he going to cope with today?
They were returning home. Mirien to Tae, (who he obviously missed dreadfully, so much so that it showed clearly in the vampire elf's normally guarded expression, and in other places too, though Sil tactfully turned a blind eye to that) and Sildil to Taurnil.
And that was the problem. Sildil loved Taurnil with all his heart. He had never met anyone since Eldanar's Ada, Tuor, that he had wanted to stay with and spend the rest of his life with as much.
But now, completely unexpectedly, Sil has seen the sea, and heard those bloody seagulls.
He did not want to leave. He didn't even know if he could. The very thought of trying frightened him so much it made him feel ill.
He quietly got up, went and had a shower, dressed and took a cup of tea to sit on a bench outside the hostel, and listened to the gulls crying and the endless waves crashing below in the bright morning mist.
Listening to the sounds of the sea was like scratching an itch so much that it hurt, but it still felt good and you couldn't stop doing it.
How could he leave this for Taurnil? How could he get in the car and allow Mirien to drive him away?
He closed his eyes against his tears and sat in the pale sun absorbing everything, desperately trying to imprint every sound, sight and feeling on his soul. It would have to be enough.
He finished his tea and got up, washed up the cup and returned to their room. Taking a deep breath he gave the sleeping elf a gentle shake.
"Come on Mirien, get up. It's another lovely day."
Sildil sat waiting patiently for Mirien to arrive. He watched the various people arriving, being met, departing. Arriving, being met, departing. He sat talking to an elderly gent who collected 'Taxi numbers', whatever they were, and who knew all the details of the city's 'ladies'.
Mirien swore creatively in Quenya, decided that the ancient and beautiful language did not adequately express his feelings at that moment and switched tongues, 'Oh fuck,' he said, with feeling. Glancing around guiltily, as if to assure himself that Taelin could not possibly have heard that, he glared at the line of traffic, wishing for the hundredth time that he had brought the bike rather than this Mordor-cursed people carrier his husband had insisted they buy. And worst of all, Mirien knew that Sildil would never let him hear the end of the fact that he was late.
Sildil smiled when he saw the car arrive at the station. He was never going to let Mirien forget this. The very next time that the vampire elf criticised his Sindar tracking skills, Sil would remind Mirien of his Noldor time keeping. Sil dumped his bag in the boot of the car and climbed in.
"I hope you don't mind if I drive fast." Said Mirien, we have a lot of miles to cover. Sildil smiled again, this time a little less comfortably, and tried not to let Mirien see him clench his teeth and grip the door handle nervously.
Mirien saw. He grinned. This was going to be fun. 'Sorry I was late,' he said cheerfully, screeching seemingly without noticing, in front of three cars and a bus, grinning as Sidil's knuckles whitened noticeably,'Tae was just, um..reminding me of something before I left in case I forgot over the next two days.' Mirien smiled at the memory of that particular reminder and swerved across three lanes of traffic humming a Noldo lament as he did so.
"Th..that's al..alright!" squeaked Sildil. "Um…do we er…have to um…" He glanced across at the feral grin that Mirien displayed, and decided not to finish the sentence. "Er…how long will it take to get there?" He asked instead, thinking 'about five minutes at this rate' to himself.
Mirien resisted the temptation to say 'About five minutes,' instead looking across at Sildil and saying innocently, 'Oh sorry, I forgot you hadn't quite got past the sitting on a horse backwards stage yet.' Settling back, Mirien sighed, 'I hate his thing,' he groused,'But Taelin said you probably wouldn't want me to bring the bike.'
Sildil blanched at the thought of sitting behind Mirien on the back of a bike, and thanked the
Valar for Taelin's gift of foresight. After a few miles, with his eyes closed, he got used to the speed and began to relax….just until Mirien decided to follow the car in front rather closely. Sildil did try to put his foot down on the non-existent brake, but he thought that Mirien would only see this as an opportunity to make his life more uncomfortable than it already was, so he pretended to cross his legs instead.
Mirien decided that Sildil was relaxed enough now, and so settled down to play a nice gentle game of 'Hunt the Nazgul' with the rest of the traffic.
Sildil shrieked. He resisted the temptation to wrench the wheel from the vampire elf, whose eyes had began to take on a particularly interesting hue, and instead he buried his head in the road atlas, determined not to let Mirien see how rattled he was. "We need the next turning," he said through gritted teeth, so that it came out more as, "We nd th nxt tning."
Several hours of Sindar baiting later, Mirien wrenched the wheel of the people carrier onto a dirt track in a manner that would make Colin McCrae jealous and skidded to a impressive halt in a cloud of dust outside the Youth Hostel. 'Hmmm,'he said, slightly disappointed,'That's so much more impressive on a horse.'
Sildil just sat there, stunned. It wasn't Mirien's driving that had rendered him speechless, though it had made his legs feel like spaghetti. It was rather the view. He nudged Mirien and pointed. "Look." was all he could manage to say.
The setting sun, hidden behind a bank of sea mist was reflected like a golden path across the sea.
Mirien looked, and his grin faded, as thoughts of his birthplace hit him full force. The sun made a straight, shimmering track of light across the dancing waves, heading unerringly into the West. Towards home.
Valinor, Mirien's heart seemed to whisper for a moment.
Sildil was still also and Mirien wondered something briefly, as the seagulls wheeled and cried ,'Sil,' he asked quietly, 'Did you just get Legolas'ed? From what I hear, the idiot only had to hear a bloody seagull before he went all poetic and waxed lyrical about going fishing or something…'
Sildil looked uncomfortable. "Erm…" His eyes kept returning to the scene in front of him, and his expression was one of complete joy mixed with desperate longing. "The seagulls do seem to be having rather an effect on me." He whispered. "Oh bugger." He sighed.
Mirien closed his eyes,'Shit,' he said quietly,' Another Sinda bites the dust.'
Sildil realised that Mirien was not a morning elf, the moment he had returned from the shower incredibly cheerfully and the vampire elf had threatened to bite him. He had tried being quiet while he rustled in his bag looking for his sketching materials, but Mirien did not seem to appreciate his efforts.
'Shut. Up,' He muttered, burying his head in the pillow,'Why do all you moriquendi have to make so much noise.'
Mirien muttered and turned his back on Sil, trying not to think about Tae, the thought of his beautiful husband not helping the tent-pole pyjamas situation. 'Ah well, his discomfort could be assuaged by making Sildil nervous all day. The thought cheered him considerably.
Sildil started humming a jolly little sea shanty as he got dressed, completely failing to notice Mirien's discomfort which was probably just as well. "Gosh, I am hungry." He said. "I can't explain it, but I have a real fancy for fish…." His voice tailed off as he stared out of the window and stared at the sea. "…..isn't it just so…." He lapsed into silence again.
Mirien groaned and muttered something uncomplimentary. Great. Not only had he been dragged from the er…arms of his husband of two days but now Sildil had got the sea-longing. Lovely. Just bloody peachy. He sighed and threw a bag of scampi crisps at Sildil's head, 'Here, eat those and shut up.'
Mirien couldn't cope with the sea-longing before breakfast, oh, wait, he didn't eat beakfast…Oh anyway, it was just another excuse for Sil to look pathetic and fall over things and as far as Mirien was concerned, Sil didn't need another excuse to do that.
Sildil looked pathetic and promptly fell over his bag. He picked himself up and sighed. "Oh well, I suppose I can cope. After all, Legolas has to. So, when can we go to down to the sea? Eh? When, Mirien? Can we go now? Right away?" Sil whined and hopped backwards and forwards impatiently
Mirien was sympathetic, he really was, nevertheless, he knew it was part of the sea-longing coping programme to.slap the sufferer repeatedly when he slipped into whingeing child mode. Mirien did this, enthusiastically. 'We can go later, if you try to stay in control for five minutes.' This was accompanied by a hard stare which was utterly lost on Sildil.
"Why did you do that?" Cried Sil feeling hurt, emotionally and physically. Didn't Mirien understand that he had absolutely NO control over this absolute desperate desire to be down at the sea shore, ankle deep in the salt water, picking up pebbles?
Yes Mirien did understand, no he refused to give in to an overgrown elfling not so much wanting to sail West as build sandcastles. He sighed again. He should be in Tae's arms, not in deep doggy-do. There was only one thing for it. Bribery. 'Sil,' he said, If you get in the car and stop making moo moo eyes at seagulls, I will buy you breakfast. Deal?'
Sildil thought longingly about the sea, the surf, the sand, the gulls, his empty stomach. "Ok." He said.
Mirien huffed slightly, clearly the sea longing could not compete with three pieces of bacon and a slice of fried bread. He shoved Sildil out the door and started the car heading for the café in town, hoping vainly that a course of strong antibiotics might help.
Sildil whistled a cheerful sea-lament all the way into Tintagel. He was looking forward to his breakfast. Even Mirien's driving didn't upset him anymore, as they bounced along the rutted track. "So, what's Valinor like then, Mirien?" He asked casually.
Mirien coughed, choked and skidded to halt. He took a deep breath and counted to ten in Adunaic. Twice. 'Sildil,' he said, not taking his eyes off the dirt track, 'Shut up abut Valinor. I haven't been there in rather a long time.'
Sildil thought for a moment and frowned. "Why not, I thought it was supposed to be lovely?"
Mirien smiled slowly and extremely unpleasantly, 'My dear Sinda, does the word kinslayer mean anything to you?'
Sildil gulped. He went quiet. He looked nervously at Mirien. "Um…..er…..yes?"
Mirien smile turned even more unpleasant. 'My people. Your people. Big fight. Not good. Now SHUT UP!'
"Mmmph!" mumbled Sildil, and wondered how easy it would be to leap out of the moving car, but then decided against it. "Oh look, a birdie." He said in a small voice pointing to a gull.
'AAAAGGHHH!!!'Mirien yelled, reaching for the sword he wasn't wearing, 'Sildil, shut up about he sodding seagulls for one minute or so help me you'll get to Valinor a lot bloody sooner!' Mirein took a deep breath and tried to remember his ada's advice. 'My boy,'he had said on fine morning in Angband, ' There are two pieces of advice I want to give you. The first, is never get caught, and if you do, make sure you say it was your uncle Curufin, the second is never get upset with a Sinda, they have this incredible knack of making it look like your fault.'
The rest of the journey was spent in absolute silence. Twice Sil nearly mentioned the pretty view of the waves crashing on the rocks, and three times nearly pointed out another seagull, and five times almost, but not quite, nearly asked Mirien about Valinor, but one glance at the vampire elf's grim expression and slightly pointed teeth made him keep quiet.
As they drove into the car park, Sildil sighed. He had never been any good at history.
Mirein started to calm down as they drove into town, 'Perhaps it would be alright'. Then he happened to glance at Sildil just as they passed a mermaid painted on the side of a building. He sighed. They were in big trouble. Quickly, he got Sildil into the café and shoved a menu at him, muttering darkly,'And if you say you want fish fingers, I will kill you.'
Sildil had actually wanted fish fingers, but decided that he dare not antagonise his friend again. He realised that he was becoming a liability and the awful longing was beginning to even get him down. He decided to try and fight it and keep it to himself. "Um…the egg and sausage looks nice?" He said, a little wistfully.
Mirien cursed and ordered him the fish fingers.
Breakfast done with, Mirein relented slightly. He wanted to collect pebbles for a present for Taelin, in the vain hope that Taelin wouldn't do him serious damage when he got home. Furtively, he collected a robe from the back of the car and headed for the path that led to the castle and the beach, 'Cmon, Sil…we can go see the sea now.'
Sil positively glowed at the thought and gave Mirien a hug. "Thank you." He said quietly, and remained silent during the whole walk along the headland to the shore. When they arrived he found a rock and just sat staring westward and listening to the sound of the crashing waves. He had never felt such a feeling before and it frightened him slightly.
He watched Mirien, who had sneakily put on the robe he had been carrying in a bundle, walking along the water's edge collecting pebbles. "Hey," he called, "aren't those Tae's robes?"
Mirien blushed, 'Um, yes, they are.' He coughed and looked away, hoping Sildil wouldn't ask any more questions.
"Why are you wearing Tae's robes? Did you get your jeans dirty or something? And they do look a little short on you actually, if you don't mind my saying." As he spoke he realised that Mirien possibly did mind him saying and quickly added, " But they do look very nice!"
Mirien's blush deepened and he stammered,'I..um…yes, all my stuff was dirty yes, that's it' He nodded like a lunatic and tried to avoid Sildil's eyes.
"What all of it?" Sildil looked puzzled. "But you brought loads of stuff. You're a Noldo! And wouldn't Tae miss them?"
Mirien could not help his smile recalling that Taelin hasn't been wearing anything much the last few days, but he pulled himself together with an effort. 'Well,' he began, trying to recall what Caranthir taught him about the noble art of lying through your teeth, 'I fell in this REALLY BIG puddle, and…' Mirien trailed off a bit helplessly, resorting to actually shutting his eyes.
Sil thought for a moment and then smiled. "Does wearing them make you feel better? You must miss Tae dreadfully." He said sympathetically.
Eyes still shut, Mirien blinked. Now what in Mordor was he going to say? 'Um…yes, a bit, well, you now how it is…' he finishes lamely. Mirien cracked open one eye and peered at Sildil cautiously. A moment's careful observation told him that Sildil had absolutely no idea he and Taelin were bonded, no matter what LaCE said. Clearly, he hadn't read that, either.
*****
Mirien's Musings That Evening:
Mirien sits, chin on his knees, staring out at the sea, watching the shimmering gulf that separates him from his home. Valinor…Would he ever see it again? Even now, with the curse of the Noldor lifted, Mirien does not know if the Valar would accept one such as he, a vampire.
Fighting tears, Mirien lifts his face into the dying sun, Eru help me, I wish one day to go home…And what of Taelin? So far, his love has shown no sign that he wishes to sail West, what if he never does? What if Mirien never even has the chance to try returning home?
Mirien shakes himself, thoughts of Taelin making him smile, despite the uncertainty. He misses his new husband, and the thought of returning home to him warmed his heart, and…um, other parts of him. Watching the sun glimmer on the depthless blue and silver, Mirien entertains himself with thoughts of the greeting he will give his love on his return, And may we both be strong for our friend, he thinks, thoughts turning to Sildil and the sea-longing that would now forever be a part of his dear friend’s life. Valar keep you, meldir, I will not leave you to face this alone…So thinking, Mirien stands gracefully, intending to drag his friend to the place where he can find solace, if only for a while, from his longing…the pub.
*****
Sildil's Musings That Morning:
Sildil woke early and looked across at Mirien on the opposite bunk and sighed. How in Arda was he going to cope with today?
They were returning home. Mirien to Tae, (who he obviously missed dreadfully, so much so that it showed clearly in the vampire elf's normally guarded expression, and in other places too, though Sil tactfully turned a blind eye to that) and Sildil to Taurnil.
And that was the problem. Sildil loved Taurnil with all his heart. He had never met anyone since Eldanar's Ada, Tuor, that he had wanted to stay with and spend the rest of his life with as much.
But now, completely unexpectedly, Sil has seen the sea, and heard those bloody seagulls.
He did not want to leave. He didn't even know if he could. The very thought of trying frightened him so much it made him feel ill.
He quietly got up, went and had a shower, dressed and took a cup of tea to sit on a bench outside the hostel, and listened to the gulls crying and the endless waves crashing below in the bright morning mist.
Listening to the sounds of the sea was like scratching an itch so much that it hurt, but it still felt good and you couldn't stop doing it.
How could he leave this for Taurnil? How could he get in the car and allow Mirien to drive him away?
He closed his eyes against his tears and sat in the pale sun absorbing everything, desperately trying to imprint every sound, sight and feeling on his soul. It would have to be enough.
He finished his tea and got up, washed up the cup and returned to their room. Taking a deep breath he gave the sleeping elf a gentle shake.
"Come on Mirien, get up. It's another lovely day."
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2004-06-07 06:34 pm (UTC)~Taelin
(no subject)
Date: 2004-06-08 12:34 am (UTC).....and I don't know whether they would get into less trouble or more if they brought along their respective other halves! Though I guess it would certainly stop Mirien getting so grumpy!
(no subject)
Date: 2004-06-08 01:57 am (UTC)~Mirien
(no subject)
Date: 2004-06-09 02:33 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-06-08 03:37 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-06-08 05:04 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-06-08 04:00 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-06-09 02:31 am (UTC)Poor Sil, he is soooo worried about what Taurnil will say now.
But Mirien has helped him a bit, he gave him a drink of something that took away the worst of the sea-longing. Sil doesn't really want to think about what it was too much, but was very grateful nonetheless!
(Just think, vampire blood is pretty special.....yuck.)
(no subject)
Date: 2004-06-09 01:45 pm (UTC)That's was... well.. that was great! And poor Sil...
I'm glad you had a great time.. and that picture is just dreamy!
Lúthien
(no subject)
Date: 2004-06-09 02:28 pm (UTC)