#elbarduil

[writerman]

Haayo brother! Long time no see lol. If you are doing fic prompts again, how about Elrbarduil with number 16

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

16. brand new neighbours au

Haayoooo, it has been so long. It was nice catching up with you the other day!

Please enjoy the 50th prompt in my collection of Barduil prompts :3

[mypackpride]

I have been playing around with photo-shop, its a lot of fun, and my big bro @fromeroicawithlove has been a lot of help with ideas, thanks Lee!!!

[writerman]

I recently found your Barduil/ Elbarduil stuff on A03, and it's all so good! It's cozy and cute, and I spent the whole night reading all of it. Your writing's really nice!

Ah, thank you so much!

I really appreciate you leaving me a message to say this.

I'm glad you enjoyed reading the prompts and I hope you have a nice night! ☺️

[writerman]

For the prompts, could I ask for elbarduil where Bard is a half elf like Elrond but has had to keep it a secret so Thranduil and Elrond don’t know and Bard just kinda forgets to tell them, and then one day after something happens to Bard and he gets hurt, BAM they find out and realize Bard isn’t going to die of old age like they thought, they’re not going to lose him.

I did not mean to write all 2,773 words today but I figured I had kept you waiting long enough for my sorry butt to get some motivation in me to write...

Thank you for sending in the prompt, I truly appreciate it and I very much enjoyed this request and now I want more half-elf Bard.

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“He lost a considerable amount of blood I saw it all,” Elrond began, his eyes scan the courtyard until his gaze fell to Bard who was sat fussing the stable cat. He looked as he always did only tired. “I feared it was the end of him, Thranduil. He was pale and weak, my heart knew he would not see the end of the day…” Elrond’s voice soft now as he relived the memory vividly in his mind. 

Thranduil, however, looked unconvinced as he turned to watch Bard with narrowed eyes. Of course, his entire demeanour and excellent health left Elrond to look a little… off his mark but it was not in the lord to lie. 

“Yes, he truly looks close to death, all that walking and talking and laughing. By the stars, he is on the precipice of life and death. I see it now.” Thranduil received a gentle nudge in the ribs from Elrond and they both shared a smile that slowly dissolved into quiet laughter. 

“I am sure whatever it is Bard will tell us.”

“If he even knows himself.” 

“You are right. It is best that we only remain thankful he is still with us at all.” 

They remained standing under the archway that led from the royal quarters to the courtyard and simply watched as Bard took in the summer sun blissfully unaware that his husbands were inwardly perplexed at his survival. 

It was not until they mentioned his injuries over dinner that night did it occur to Bard that they had no idea he was in fact half-elven just like Elrond. 

Then and there would have been the perfect chance to tell them, to dramatically reveal he hadn’t been human this whole time! 

Cue random gasps of surprise and maybe some applause. 

But the moment was gone before he could even fathom how to word such a thing. Thranduil had changed the subject to Elrond’s subpar wine and a light sprinkling of bickering flavoured the conversation for the rest of the meal.

All thoughts of the accident and Bard’s miraculous recovery had dissipated now, the conversation did not come up again until Thranduil appeared one morning dressed to kill in robes fancier than Bard had ever laid eyes upon before. 

“We are riding to Lothlorien today, will you join us?” Bard, still in his everyday wandering around pretending-not-to-be-king clothes, paled for a moment as his mind raced and his heart started beating faster than a hummingbird’s wing. 

Lothlorien, where his dearest naneth resided. It did open the floor to Bard explaining who he was and it would be easier with his mother there to back him up, even though it was rather unlikely that Thranduil and Elrond would not believe him.

“Yes, I think a trip would be nice. Why are you heading out that way?” He hoped the question was as casual as it should have been. It must have been because Thranduil sighed and gestured vaguely in the direction of Elrond’s voice that floated down the hall. 

“To visit extended family.” 

More than you have any idea about, Bard thought but instead of speaking he merely offered Thranduil a sunny smile that spoke of innocence where there was none. 

With a silent order to change Bard got up and hastily dressed in something more fitting to see Galadriel and Celeborn. Meeting Galadriel was always such a jarring experience though not at all negative… just jarring and she was always so kind to him and not at all surprised that he was aware of elven customs, unlike Elrond and Thranduil had been. 

It would be near 6 hour trip from Rivendell to Lothlorien and Bard found the time passed with the blink of an eye. How long had it been since he had been there to see his mother and how long had Galadriel pretending she had not known he was there? 

Regardless of who did know, he was more aware of who did not and just how they might feel when he suddenly springs it on them that he was not a frail little mortal man they needed to constantly worry about every moment of the day. 

That wasn’t fair, they knew he was strong and capable but there were time Bard forgot just who he was and allowed them to coddle him even if it was only in the slightest of ways. So used to being seen as just any other human living among humans it was easy to carry on as one would. 

And no one had yet commented on how little he had aged only that he looked good and healthy which was enough for him because it was safe and if not a little bit pleasing to hear. 

They were greeted at the gates by Haldir who called for the entry to be opened for their arrival. Bard gave a hearty wave which the elf returned which earned him a few peculiar looks but it didn’t seem to bother Haldir in the slightest. 

“Elrond and I must discuss elven matters, would you like to join us?” Thranduil sounded bored before he’d even attended the meeting and Bard truly felt for him because he knew Thranduil would have preferred to be doing something more interesting than reminiscing about a time so long ago it seemed inconsequential. 

“I shall leave you to your important matters and I will find something to occupy myself with for the time being.” All he wanted to do was get out of his riding gear and drink something cold and sweet to refresh himself before he slunk off to find his mother. 

It would be a pleasant surprise for her to see him and the thought of seeing her joyous smile spurred him on and he set off for the rooms he was usually given when visiting, he was well aware they would already be ready for them. 

“I shall just go on without you then,” Thranduil called out after him and Bard threw a smile over his shoulder his dark gaze meeting with Thranduil’s pale one as they share a fleeting moment of humour before Elrond took the blond’s attention and they strolled in a leisurely manner towards their welcome party. 

It might have been seen as bad manners not to greet Galadriel and Celeborn but he was sure they wouldn’t hold it against him. After all, he was a human and could not possibly manage to ride 6 hours on horseback and then sit talking for hours drinking wine strong enough it could knock out a full-grown cow. 

Once in private Bard stripped over the leather riding gear and smoothed out his shirt and tidied his now wild hair into something more presentable for his naneth. The anticipation of surprising her was unbearable and the jittery excitement inside him had him pacing the room as he tried to cool himself and give himself time to slip out of the guest quarters unnoticed. 

-----

“They do not know about me do they?” Leithriel asked her smoky voice was coloured with humour as she smiled to the point the corners of her eyes crinkled. A true and, almost, delighted smile. 

“No, and it isn’t as though I was trying to hide it from them, it just never came up in conversation and it took me being gravely injured for me to consider that, perhaps, they didn’t ask me about mortality because they were afraid mine was fragile.” Bard had his elbow on the dark polished surface of her living room table with forehead rested in palm as he stared at his own reflection. 

“You surround yourself with sons and daughters that have lives as quick and as wild as a raging sea. I can see why you would not recall your own heritage when I see rarely see you these days.” Leithriel’s smile faded Bard could hear in her voice that she regretted her actions. 

“You belong in Lothlorien. You would never have been happy in Laketown or Dale without Da. And I would not ever ask you to join me there, we both know I won’t be there forever. One day I might even come here for good.” Leithriel arched a brow at him in question, she looked wholly unconvinced by his words and shook her head. 

“You would leave your husbands and come here to live with me?” When she put it like that it did sound embarrassing but it wasn’t what he had meant. 

He sat back in his seat and ran a hand through his hair hoping the action would ease his mind. There was a genuine fear that Thranduil and Elrond would be unhappy even angry with him for hiding this from them. 

While the logical part of his mind told Bard that he was being ridiculous he still couldn’t help but worry that it had been too long and that it would appear as though he had hidden it from them when that really wasn’t the case. 

“You will not settle here if you do not tell them now.” She was right, of course, and she knew it. “Before you go, I had something made for you.” Rising slowly from her seat with grace Bard knew he’d never possess, Leithriel left the room returning moments later with a package wrapped in pretty silvery paper tied with string white string. 

“I had hoped to send this before your next visit but now is a better time than any to give you this. You married so quickly that I was unable to offer this to you for the wedding but I suppose it will do as an outfit for dinner tonight when you are with Galadriel and Celeborn.” There was a quiet sadness in her voice that Bard wanted to ask her about but before he could he was urged by her to open the package. 

Not wanting to argue or delay what seemed to bring her joy Bard unknotted the string and let the paper fall open revealing neatly folded fabric. He set it on the table so he could stand up and when he lifted the first piece from the set it unfolded revealing a striking burgundy outer robe. 

“The first robe your father ever had made for him by elven tailors. He was ecstatic about it, burgundy and black and he cut quite a fine figure in it too, though he soon became a slight bit too round to wear it as he got older. Morvan wanted you to have it, ion nin.” 

His father had never been the kind of man that had been interested in holding onto his possessions and had always favoured skills over things. There wasn’t much left to keep of his father’s after he had died, and his mother had found it too painful to house anything that reminded her of Morvan other than his picture which hung proudly still on the wall of her library. 

“I want to put this on now.” Bard didn’t wait for a response as he strode from the room with the clothing gathered up in his arms. 

The black tunic and leggings fit perfectly and those garments alone made him feel so noble how a king should look. As he slid the outer robe over his shoulders the picture was complete and for a moment Morvan stared back at him instead of Bard’s own reflection. Those same brown eyes and wild wind-ruffled waves of dark brown hair he had been the very image of that man and how he missed him for a moment. 

Returning to the living area Bard felt he could not speak, the air in his lungs held as though trying to stay in the moment for a while longer, to hold the feeling of pride inside him for as long as he could.

“I- my eyes would deceive me I swore on the stars I thought you were your father.” Her eyes shone as she spoke and Bard released the breath from his lungs and crossed the room to embrace his mother in thanks and in comfort. 

When they parted she shooed Bard from her home with a smile but he knew there was still pain there and should he have lingered his appearance would only have made it worse. With a quick farewell, Bard crossed the courtyard and met Thranduil and Elrond as they left their quarters to go in search of him. 

“Oh my, we leave you to your own devices and suddenly you have a sense of style that may even rival Thranduil’s?” Elrond leaned in to press a soft kiss to Bard’s cheek in greeting and apology for leaving him so long. 

The sun had set and the warm evening lay before them with the song of night birds drifting through the trees. 

“Where did you go to find such clothing. This is the finest tailoring I’ve seen you ever wear and it has the Lothlorien style stamped all over it.” Thranduil slid a hand around Bard’s waist his excuse was to inspect the quality of the fabric but he was definitely just admiring how well it was shaped to his body. 

“This is the perfect moment to tell you that my mother gave it to me.” His bright and airy response was certainly out of character and certainly put on but rather than question the tone of voice both Elrond and Thranduil share a quick look before allowing Bard to continue. 

“My mother lives here and this was my father’s robe she said he wanted me to have it. Which means, as I am sure you worked out in no time at all, I am half-elven.” Had his heart ever beat so fast in his life? 

Silence.

More silence. 

“We know. We realised rather quickly when you were near death and recovered in record time from something that would have killed any normal man.” Thranduil drawled yet he tempered the tone with a smug smile, his hand still planted on Bard’s waist. 

“However, we were not aware of which parent was elven and if they were still alive,” Elrond added as he moved to Bard’s other side. “What we do know is that we are so very relieved you felt comfortable to tell us this and that you will be with us far longer than we could have ever imagined.” 

Bard felt himself visibly relax as he was led back into the guest quarters. What could have been a tense and uncomfortable moment was breezed through leaving Bard with little to worry about though, there was something else on his mind. 

“You know, it is all well and good me being elven and all but you do still have to meet my mother and she still has to like you.” 

The sound of wine being poured into goblets punctured the silence before Thranduil scoffed.

“I’ve not met anyone who does not like me.”

“Do you enjoy saying such ridiculous things to those that know you intimately?” Elrond queried taking Thranduil’s goblet of wine from the blond’s and handing it to Bard before Thranduil could even begin to take a sip. 

“Your reputation precedes you, meleth. You are a ray of light to us but from the outside looking in you may be seen as, ah, tad wintry upon first meeting.” It was a gently as Elrond could put it without dancing around the words and Bard was so wonderfully entertained by it all. 

“What he’s trying to say is, sometimes Thran you can really be a bi-” His words were cut off as a cushion hit him in the face. 

“Alright, alright, I am quite aware of what you are trying to tell me. It just seems to me that there is nothing to worry about. I am charisma personified when I need to be.”

“Well, I have never once witnessed that.” Elrond quipped now taking the second goblet Thranduil had poured. 

“You don’t seem concerned about meeting his mother, why are you the embodiment of calm?” Thranduil questioned now crossing the room to pour his drink out of reach of nabbing hands. 

“Oh, I am not calm. I am positively terrified but at the same time, I had to meet Galadriel and Celeborn once upon a time. I sincerely doubt it can be any worse than that.” 

Maybe not but Bard was not going to let them know, either way, it was far more interesting to see them suffer the unknown. Both of them never knowing when Bard might spring a meeting on them and leaving them wholly unprepared. 

The trip to Lothlorien was truly not a wasted one.

[writerman]

So, for the Barduil/Elbarduil prompts I have posted here I use song titles exclusively for the titles of the prompts when posting them to AO3. Would anyone be interested in a play list of all the songs I have used?

Lemme know.

For anyone curious, click HERE for the link to all the prompts I have ever written for Barduil/Elbarduil.

[writerman]

Some of you really love the Bard/Thranduil/Elrond pairing and that honestly gives me life. I am honoured you're asking me to write it.

If there are any other Elbarduil writers out there let's link up and chat.

[writerman]

If you’re still talking prompts i was wondering if you could do one where Thranduil and Elrond accidentally propose to Bard without knowing they did and Bard accepts and starts to plan the wedding so when they go to actually propose to him there’s confusion, misunderstandings, humor and a little angst but a happy ending. Thank you if you do, your writing is the best 🥰

Hi, anon! Thank you for this one, it really made me think on how to word it for the misunderstanding. I truly hope you enjoy reading. 

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Would you marry us? 

It had been a stark and bold question and it left Bard reeling for a long moment, though his silence did not seem to perturb the two elves sitting across from the table from him. 

No, they had remained quite unaffected by the sudden proposal while sipping tea and enjoying the warm spring sun as it shone through the tree canopy above them leaving dappled shadows over their serene faces. 

After managing to locate some composure from somewhere Bard could still only give nothing more than a stunted nod. 

“Are we even able to marry all three of us?” The words came out more a croak and Bard cleared his throat and took a long drink of his now cold tea. “Is there no law to say it is only between two elves or two humans?” 

“Of course not, but remember that we are very important people, who will say no to us?” Thranduil mused with a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. So confident with his words and there was Elrond nodding in agreement! 

“Thranduil is correct, who would think to stop us fulfilling a wish that unifies us in nothing but love?” Fair enough but that did smack of a certain amount of overconfidence and Bard really wanted to be sure that in marrying the two elves he would not be upsetting the law of any elven culture. 

Not that Thranduil or Elrond seemed to care much. 

There was nothing about their whole demeanour that seemed even remotely excited about the marriage. They had all been married before perhaps a second wedding wasn’t something they were wholly interested in.

“When would you like to get married?” Bard asked if he was going to put some plans in motion he might as well get the details right away, even if they didn’t seem overly interested Bard wanted everything to be perfect. 

“Autumn has always appealed to me,” Thranduil responded but he added nothing more 

It was out of his realm of expertise, especially seeing as fishing was the only thing he believed he was good at, but he was ready to learn the ins and outs of planning a wedding. 

Eventually, both elves excused themselves to deal with pressing matters in their kingdoms leaving Bard sat under the canopy of trees wondering why he felt so shell shocked by the whole exchange?

For a moment, he sat and looked at the now vacant seats and considered that perhaps he should have said no to their proposal, everything had felt so casual and Bard had always assumed elves held marriage with a sort of reverence one might have when discussing divinity. 

Making his excuses later Bard returned to Dale and spoke with his closest friends and made the decision that even without a date he would at least plan something, even if it was deciding on his own outfit or a venue or flowers, it was something. 

Holding off from bothering Elrond and Thranduil with any questions, Bard found the process unappealing and for a spell, he made no further arrangements. The eagerness he had expected simply was not there.

“Da, can I talk to you about something?” Sigrid knocked on the open door of Bard’s door that led to his drawing-room where he was struggling through several correspondences from Erebor. 

Thankful for the interruption he nodded and gestured for her to take the chair across from him which she took but remained silent for a long moment as she watched him shuffling papers. 

“You don’t seem happy to be getting married.” His shuffling stopped and he looked at her with an expression of surprise that he was unable to veil as anything else. Of course, someone had told her and he had an idea who but that didn’t matter all that much.

What did matter was that she was right. Bold and unapologetic in her statement, so much like her mother had been and at that moment he missed his wife more than he had ever done so in all the years he had been without her. 

A keen pain so aching and sudden. 

Gone in a second, as fleeting as a wish. 

“Just conflicted about a few things, that’s all.” Bard managed to mumble but Sigrid didn’t look in any way convinced and she gave him a hard stare until he crumbled, “I’d like to preface this with the fact that I am not comfortable telling you my love woes, but I am concerned that their proposal was either not meant as serious or they believe that they had to ask instead of wanted to.” 

“Da, I don’t think either of them would do something they didn’t want to do.” Her response was a simple one tinged with amusement and it was appreciated as it cut through the mire of worries that had plagued his mind for days. 

“You’re right.” There wasn’t much more he could say or rather, what he needed to say was not for her ears and she was well aware of that as she moved to her feet and left him deep in thought without another word.

His kids were too smart for their own good sometimes. 

But, by the Gods, having their clear-minded solutions offered without fanfare and with only the purest intentions gave him the healing his heart often needed. 

It was early morning when Bard was woken to the sound of his children happily greeting someone in the hallway. The fact they were out of bed and he was not did not bode all that well. 

Whoever had graced him with their presence had not announced their intentions to himself or his staff. And now he was sitting up in bed trying to chase away the sleep that still lingered enough that he would seem, somewhat, alert when someone came into the room to update him on the situation. 

In reality, all he wished for was another hour in bed and the peace and quiet that came with the dead of night but it wasn’t in his stars to have a quiet day to himself as the bedroom creaked open. 

He was greeted by the sight of two very familiar travel-worn elves who genuinely looked relieved to find him in bed still. 

Both Elrond and Thranduil stepped in and the door was shut behind them with a purposely slam from someone outside the room. They divested themselves of their travelling gear and without ceremony climbed into the bed at either side of him, their cold hands chasing away the sleepy warmth as they both embraced him. 

This was not the first time both of them had shown up unannounced and climbed into bed with him. It did leave him feeling uneasy that they would make decisions without his input that perhaps they were closer to one another than they were to him. 

Closing his eyes he accepted the soft kisses to his face in greeting but he said nothing to them of their appearance in his home. Something about the situation ached deep inside him and it was now apparent to Thranduil and Elrond who put space between themselves and him with questions on the tip of their tongues and concern in their eyes. 

“I don’t think I can marry you both.” It came out in a rush and the sorrow that overtook both elves was instantaneous to the point that Bard swore he could feel it coming off them in waves. 

“What has changed your mind?” Elrond asked softly, his hand covered one of Bard’s and coaxed it from a balled fist so he was able to hold his hand. “I understand that we have not spent much time with you lately, meleth, we hoped to fix this with our visit here. Were we too late?” His gaze darts to Thranduil who is expressionless and does not offer any words of comfort to Elrond.

His words had hurt them both. 

Of course, he regretted what he had said, he adored them both but there were too many times to count wherein he would feel so disconnected from them. It just didn’t seem feasible for them to be happily married while being spread across Middle Earth running kingdoms and spending months apart. 

“Would it not be better if you both married instead?” 

“Is that what you wish?” Thranduil’s voice was cold and his pale gaze studied Bard intently as though looking for something to give away what he was thinking but in the end, Thranduil looked away and gave a tired sigh. “It seems that we are unable to leave you for any amount of time without your thoughts becoming a tangled mess.” The affectionate tone which Thranduil now used was unexpected but the warmth in the words had Bard mentally lean toward the elf.

No relief came to him even when Elrond nodded in agreement. 

“You think very lowly of yourself, Bard,” Elrond noted yet said nothing more but instead his hand disappeared into a pocket before producing a silver ring that shone bright like a star with the minimal amount of light that streaked through the shutters on Bard’s window. 

“We came to propose to you. Thranduil and I wish to be married to you, we hope that in being wed to our favourite person you would slowly come to realise how precious you are to us.” The words were spoken softly and so filled with love were they it seemed more a prayer than a proposal and that was the reverence Bard had expected from them originally. 

A blush bloomed over his cheeks and nose as he understood now that they had not proposed but had warned him that they would. They asked if he would be happy to be wed to them so that he was prepared for such a moment as this. 

It took everything in him not to cover his face with embarrassment at the sudden understanding that he had very much misunderstood the conversation back in spring. His thoughts had jumped ahead of him leaving him confused and unhappy. 

I should have just asked them about it. 

“I don’t have any rings made for you. I wasn’t prepared, I'm sorry.” This didn’t bother Thranduil or Elrond and they merely shrugged while Elrond offered the ring to Bard again who, after being nudged by Thranduil, accepted the shining piece and allowed it to be slid onto his finger. 

“Hm, it makes my heart sore to see you accept our proposal. We made the ring with silver from both our lands so that it is from both of us. We wondered if you might like to do the same for one of us?” Thranduil suggested but he didn’t expect an answer because he was too busy removing items of clothing so he could get more comfortable at Bard’s side in the bed. 

“I am starting to think you gifted this massive bed to me for visits such as these. We all magically seem to fit in with plenty of space.” Bard mused aloud though in good humour of course. His head had calmed some as well as his heart and unease began to lift and dissipate with each second that passed in the company of his two loves.

Elrond laughed quietly beside him and as he rested his chin on Bard’s shoulder with an arm snaking around his waist to hold him in a tight embrace. 

“Of course this was the reason. Your warmth is a constant source of joy to us, and how soundly we sleep when we hear the strong thrum of your heart in your chest. How could we hear it if you offered us the guest quarters?” 

He had a point and who was he to argue with such a flawless logic. This was Elrond one of his soon to be husbands, he knew what he was talking about. 

“Heartbeat is one of the reasons, however, I for one, like to listen to you talk in your sleep because you are ridiculous in both your conscious and unconscious,” Thranduil revealed as he tugged at Bard’s sleep clothes in a bid to get him to lie down. It worked and Elrond relinquished his hold on him and followed suit, his hand reaching across Bard in search of Thranduil’s.

This was good and right. The world seemed better now, and he was sure the sun was shining brighter up in the sky but for now, he would merely speculate as he had more important matters to attend to. 

At that very moment, he was needed to provide warmth and the song of his heart to aid his beloved elves into sleep. 

Everything else would just have to wait. 

[writerman]

Every so often I get a note on one of my Barduil prompts I have filled on here and it makes me happy people are still reading them.

I have a few to respond to still in my inbox so there are more coming.

Still, it cheers me up that people like them weeks or months after they've been posted.