A happy Ending for Eöl

Chapter 2: The Host

She was aware of the danger lingering, yet she would not let herself spiral down the whirlpool of panic. Though startled by the cold and commanding demeanour of her host she was intrigued by him, fascinated by his alien ways, and knew that a conflict with him wouldn't do her any good. She grew up in modest conditions, and she had never imagined that she would share a meal with an elven lord in his halls. They were sitting at a long table, dimmed lanterns casting flickering light over the face of her host. He was handsome in a sinister and mysterious way - fine sharp features, framed by long glossy black hair, piercing grey eyes, delving deep into hers, searching for an answer to a question she could not comprehend. Leaning his head on his hand over the silver cutlery and the crystal pitchers, filled with aromatic wines, he was watching her. He had not spoken since she entered his halls, but wordlessly showed her to her seat in the large dining room - depressingly large for someone living on their own.

He found her boldness intriguing - there she was, the frame of the tall chair making her appear even smaller than she was, taking in the surroundings with big, child-like eyes. Despite his disgraceful actions upon their first encounter, she struggled not to fear him. She hadn't eaten in days, yet she didn't fall over the food - she was sitting straight, chopping it in small pieces, savouring the flavour of each bite and chewing it with appreciation, her eyes wandering about the hall and his face all the time. Her vitality, the energy sizzling around her mesmerized him, and when she stood up to refill her cup once more with wine, casting him an apologetic glance, he barely managed to suppress a chuckle.

She sensed a movement from his direction and then he loomed over her - a tall menace looking down to her and when she dropped her fork, startled, and met his eyes, they were dark, full of questions and restrained longing. She rose slowly and took a wary step back, but his right hand grabbed her forearm, his touch surprisingly soft. He jerked, feeling the unfamiliar stream of energy flowing under her skin, captivating and enthralling, like a Valari hymn to life and arousing unidentified hunger within him, as if he had suddenly realised that there was an entirely new side of life, of whose existence he had never suspected.

„How do they call you? " he asked, desperate to solve the riddle she was with that simple question. She tensed under his touch, but braved his scrutinizing gaze and answered slowly, making sure her voice was not trembling:

„My mother called me Ahinora... "

„Ahinora ... "repeated he, lost in thoughts, „Do not fear me, Ahinora. Please, do tell me more. "

He let go of her forearm and returned to his seat. She rubbed the spot where his cool fingers were, steadying her breath and reigning her fear.

He listened, face expressionless, dark eyes lingering on her while she told him of the ways of Men - of their everyday fight for survival, of pain and death, strength, and perseverance. He was watching the mortals before and felt repelled and saddened by the harshness and shortness of their wretched lives. He listened, trying to understand and this time it was easier, for she was there, an emanation of the fragility and the haste of the fleeting human life.

He did not notice immediately that she got quiet, watching him intensely. She had just finished her tale of her people braving the harsh conditions in Beleriand and surviving yet another winter, despite the scarce food. He stood up and strode towards her, offering his hand to help her up, a small gesture of courtesy which she gladly accepted, without holding any grudge towards his aggressive handling earlier. Just like a child, thought he amused, her trust was truly easy to earn. They walked in silence through the moon-lit passages of his home and when they reached the guest bedroom, he halted. He opened the door and showed her to the chamber. She was so impressed by the elegant shapes of the furniture, the artful stained glass at the tall windows, the canopy king-size bed, covered with expensive golden-thread linen, that she failed to notice that her host hesitated to leave. He was lingering in the middle of the room, contemplating her naive admiration for the details of her room, overwhelmed again by unsatiable curiosity about her. Curiosity drove him to reach out and grab her arms, forcing her to face him.

„Boldness ... impatience... inquisitiveness... fear or regret? " he mused, whispering, searching again her eyes for an answer. When he could not decipher her he continued his interrogation and kissed her roughly, bruisingly, fist holding possessively her long tresses, his other hand grabbing tightly her waist, his tongue invading and interrogating her mouth. She smelled sweet, like a little spring flower, he tasted so many hopes, expectations and worries on her tongue, that he couldn't help but inquire deeper and didn't let go until she whimpered, begging for breath.

„Fear ... fear is something I can understand... „ he whispered, his warm breath stroking her face as he looked into her eyes and let her go, „Yet there is something else..."

The warning bells of her mind were tolling in distress and urged her to run, to fear the mysterious elven stranger and his unpredictable demeanour, for she knew of the dark side of the desires of men, and she had just felt the barely leashed force of his body. She knew that soon or later he would erupt savagely and then he would make her bend to his needs, but somehow the idea of this made something deep inside her tingle in heated anticipation. She opened her eyes to meet his gaze, a daring move, rewarded by a feline smile on his thin shapely lips. The light in his eyes was out of this world, she noted, mesmerizing and stirring an unfamiliar longing in her, just like the starlight in the short summer nights, promising, but far and painfully beautiful, and she leaned closer to his hard embrace against her better judgement. He was watching her, head tilted to the side, unspoken questions on his lips, yet he didn't touch her, but stepped away and left her chamber without a sound.