Bilbo watched as Mairon sat on a window seat, looking out to the fortress outside to where orcs were training in the grand courtyard, his simple navy blue robes and silver hair only contrasting even more with the wintery environment.
Utumno seemed more desolate than it ever had in the Dark Lord's memories before.
"You look like a pathetic little elf with all your moping." A voice said from behind both Mairon and Bilbo
They both turned, seeing Melkor at the door wearing not his armor from the other memories, but a simpler one that resembled the ones worn by Men.
"Of course I am upset, you kidnapped me." The maia replied
Melkor rolled his coal eyes, "You act as if I did not do you a favor, you wanted this, Mairon, you just never would have had the courage to do it by yourself."
"I did not want to leave Valinor." Mairon spat, "You stole me from my home and master."
"Who does not appreciate you or your talents, as we have discussed." Morgoth reminded, "You are wasted in Aulё's forges."
The blond maia crossed his arms in the only act of defiance he had, "At least he did not break my legs when I tried to leave."
Bilbo gave a gasp of horror, looking back at Mairon and seeing his legs and feet covered in cuts and bruises; 'break' was an understatement if there ever was one, 'demolish' is more accurate.
He had seen the network of scars on his husband before on the few occasions he had been shoeless, but it never dawned on him that they had a source this horrific -to be hurt in such a way that would have left any other type of being crippled.
"In my defense: you had stabbed me, killed a hundred of my orcs, and blew up half of the room." The vala shrugged, "And then before that you were being just plain annoying with all your bitching and sobbing from Valinor to here, calling for Aulё to 'save you' and then cursing me to oblivion."
"If you let me go you would not have to deal with my so called 'bitching'." Mairon huffed
The Great Foe chuckled, reaching out and tilting the maia's face up towards his so their eyes met, "Oh, my dear naïve Mairon, do you remember our meeting in the garden? No one likes you, remember? You are too extreme for anyone, so unfriendly that no one can stand to be in your presence. I can see you as you are, how perfect and talented you are."
The golden eyed male looked away, "My master apologized for his words."
"He was only sorry to be overheard, you and I both know that he meant everything he said." Morgoth pointed out, "Come, show me how talented you are in person. I am in need of new armor of superior craftsmanship, and perhaps you can whip my forges into shape."
Mairon bit his bottom lip, his demeanor so different than the present version of himself Bilbo knew so intimately, "Only this once."
Bilbo watched him limp out of the room, following Melkor to Utumno's forges, more certain than ever in his belief that Mairon had captive's sickness.
***
"Brosh, izub budg iuk Durbal Bilbo Baggins." Bilbo enunciated, looking to his husband for confirmation he pronounced the introduction in Black Speech correctly as they walked together two months later
"Strictly speaking, you are correct." Sauron confirmed, "But most orcs will not recognize the word 'brosh', greetings are not common."
"Then how do they address one another?" The hobbit asked
"By saying the name of the one they are addressing, or saying 'you there'." He answered, "You will not need to address anyone, they will kneel to us upon arrival."
"Okay." Bilbo replied, "Remind me where we are going? I am still having some trouble memorizing the map of Mordor."
"Nurukaum, it is a few hours ride from Fortress Durthang and is in the Udûn region." Mairon replied, "The strongest of the Orcs are born there, all sharing one father."
"That offers the father quite a bit of power." The hobbit commented
The Dark Lord nodded, "Indeed. Adar has killed me before."
"He killed you?" Bilbo asked, his mouth dropping slightly, the following question of 'and he still lives' left unsaid
"Yes, a few decades after Morgoth's defeat Adar got tired of me experimenting on orcs and killed my body. Unfortunately, he happened to be the last Moriandur living, so I took his hand for his betrayal and check on him every few years to ensure he is not scheming." Sauron explained, helping his consort onto the Fellbeast, "You never did explain why you wanted me to teach you Black Speech when nearly all the orcs speak at least basic Westron?"
"Because it would be rather embarrassing to be the only being in Mordor unable to speak it." The hobbit answered, "So I want to be at least conversational."
***
As it turned out, Adar did not look like an orc at all, he still fully looked elvish with his pointed ears, symmetrical feautures, and long black hair that was tied in a bun to offer relief from Mordor's heat; half of his face bore burn scars, he was missing his right arm from the elbow down and he seemed to be the only person in Mordor besides Bilbo who did not idolize or fear the Dark Lord.
Honestly, it seemed like Adar only felt barely concealed annoyance in Sauron's presence.
Much to the maia's eternal distress, however, -though he hid it well- Adar and Bilbo hit it off like wildfire.
Mairon was all but forgotten as the hobbit and former elf talked about children, Bilbo gushing about his nephew and Sam while Adar boasted about the accomplishments of his many many offspring.
What was supposed to be a day of showing Bilbo the battalion and where the orcs sprang from -they were supposed to go to the fortress after checking up on Adar, this was meant to be a pit stop- turned into a day of his consort fawning over orc children and remarking that orcs springing from the mud was remarkable close to the hobbitish myth that faunts grew among cabbages in family gardens.
Though, seeing Bilbo this delighted kneeling with a group of orclings teaching them some of his childhood games in a broken mix of Black Speech and Westron, Sauron could not find it in himself to be annoyed.
He wondered, briefly, if Bilbo was expressing the typical hobbit trait of doting on children or if he was especially child-friendly in a way aspiring parents were.
Putting that thought on the metaphorical backburner, the Dark Lord instead turned his attention to discussing the imminent transport of the eldest female orcs in Adar's care to the female-only villages in Núrnen where they would be safe from the abuses the males were known for -a trait Melkor had introduced into the species that Mairon could not seem to stamp out.
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The Consort of Mordor: a Sauron x Bilbo
FanfictionAU: Sauron was able to watch Bilbo's adventures and life through the Ring How do you destroy a monster without becoming one? Frodo failed to destroy the One Ring in Mount Doom and he and Sam were captured by Ringwraiths who delivered the Ring to the...
