If y'all see me being actively manipulated by a powerful villain/anti-hero who is obsessed with me and would burn down the entire planet for me, don't do anything. I'm exactly where I was meant to be.
Notes: Sequel series to And Comes Dawn. Feedback as always is appreciated. If you wanna show your appreciation in other ways, Kofi is in my bio. Unhinged Sauron is back babyy
You stared up at the night sky, eyes watching the stars as the sound of water sloshed around you. The other survivors were fast asleep, or pretending to be. It was day two on the raft, you remained hopeful that this wouldn’t be the end, you wouldn’t give into the despair of it all. You looked upon the sky and hoped that the Valar would answer the unspoken prayer. You did not want to accept this fate and your faith had not led you astray thus far.
“You suspect they’ll talk back?” Halbrand's voice broke through the quiet of the night, turning to look, his eyes were still closed and arms crossed against his chest. “You’ve been looking at them since they first appeared in the sky.”
“I simply hope that they are listening, somewhere out there.” Your voice is quiet.
He opens his eyes, looking up at the same constellation that you are. “I doubt any of them will save anyone on this raft.”
“You do not know that. There is no hurt in hoping.”
He scoffs, “You and hope. It is almost sickening.”
“And what is wrong with hoping? What harm does it do?” You moved closer to him, almost challenging him.
“What does it do? You sit around, waiting for someone else to save you.”
You roll your eyes, “You mistake hope and laziness. Hopelessness is what inspires you to lay around and do nothing but hope is what inspires us. Armies would not have fought evil if there was no hope, we would burn this raft if there was no hope. Hope is what drives us all and a life without hope is just waiting around.”
Halbrand watches you, he looks as if he’s examining something. Almost like he doesn’t understand who you are. Perhaps he was thinking of whatever evil it was that he had done, perhaps he was thinking he was beyond hope.
“You know, there’s hope for you too.”
He looks at you for a moment more before closing his eyes once more, “Perhaps there is, sweet one.”
~
The dream fades, the edges of it in your psyche burning away like flames to a page, as a new reality overcomes you. It's not a memory of which you are familiar, not a memory of a place you’ve ever been. It smells of death and ash and filth. The air is thick, burning your throat as it fills your lungs. The room itself seems to be made of dirt or mud. Your eyes look around as you try to figure out your new nightmare.
“It brought me great joy to see you still dream of me.” The voice cut through it all, causing you to jump and turn around abruptly.
There he sits, back against the wall and hands in chains. His face dirty and lips chapped, he was continuing his ruse but for what purpose.Your heart and thoughts are conflicted: Anger and betrayal sing out the loudest but there is a part of you that is happy to see that he isn’t harmed. He watches you, eyes glimmering and lips turned in a smirk. He was studying you, watching your reaction with a tilted head as he had done many times before.
“What is it you wish of me?” You watch him with a clenched jaw.
“Is it so wrong for me to check on the woman I love?” He raises an eyebrow, the ghost of a smirk still on his lips.
“You do not know the meaning of the word.” The venom in your voice, running through your veins, you didn’t like it. It was foreign. It wasn’t who you were but the contempt at him for lying to you, using you, manipulating you….
“You are truly foolish if you believe me to be manipulating you,” Any hint of playfulness or levity was gone, his eyes flashing dangerously as he watched you.
“Is that not what this all is? Manipulation. You come to me in my dream, pretending to be in chains, pretending to be hurt.” You glared back at him.
“Pretending?” He scoffs, pushing himself up off the floor. “But I am not pretending, I am not lying to you but I could be anything you wanted to see in me.” Suddenly the chains were gone, his form switching to that of Elrond.
“I could be the elf.” He spoke, taking a step towards you. He switched again, this time the form of an orc.
“I could be one of these monsters. But I come to you as the man you love, as the one who loves you.” He is now Halbrand again. “But I supposed that is a lie too because when I’m with you I’m not Halbrand, I’m not Sauron, I am my true self. That is who loves you. Any face I take, personality I mimic, it matters not. My heart and what soul I have is all yours.”
You stared at him for a moment. “I ask again, what do you wish from me?” You stare coldly at him, but the war within you is reflected in your eyes.
“And I say again, I am seeing to the wellbeing of the woman I love.” His voice booms, it's unnatural how it fills in the room and your head. It's enough to make you close your eyes in fear. He takes that small moment to move so close to you that you feel his breath on your face.
“There is a war that is coming. Remember I do it for you. Remember that this is all for you.”
Hesitantly you open your eyes to look up at him, “Do you really think so little of me that I would want this world of death and ash?”
He scoffs, shaking his head and holding your face in his hand, “No, I think so highly of you that I will baptize this world in blood and fire to make it worthy of you.”
You shake your head, “Then you do not know me at all.” You stare back into his eyes.
“Anger, malice, courage. I’ve not seen them in you like this. Perhaps there are parts of you I do not know, perhaps there's parts of you that you don’t know of yourself.” He looks back into your eyes, forehead resting against yours. “You will come back to me.”
You close your eyes and savor the moment. You feel sick to your stomach that a part of you still longs for this closeness, to be loved by him. A tear slides down your cheek and he catches it with his finger.
“You can not escape it, you still love me.” He says softly, his nose brushing yours, one of his hands moving from your cheek, down your next, to rest on your chest in the valley between your breasts. “I can feel your heart beat and I know somewhere in there, I will always have a home.”
You clench your eyes, but you relax into the touch. You allow yourself to have this moment here with him. You are too weak and that will be something you will wrestle with later but now you do not care to dwell on the feeling.
His hand moves down to your waist, guiding you back until you hit a wall. The wood and dirt is uncomfortable against your back but you ignore it for the moment.
“Nothing changes from what you believed before,” He pressed a kiss to your neck. “I will still rule, and you will still be my queen.” He kisses underneath your ear. “Everything I have will also be yours.” He bunches up your dress at your waist, his fingers tracing your thighs.
“Everything I have now or will have in the future belongs to you,” He whispers in your ear, his hand sliding between your thighs. “My heart,” His thumb rubs against your clit, he’s pulled away now to watch your reactions with keen interest, “My soul,” His finger slides into you and he smirks when you gasp. He moves his finger slowly, a growl catching in his throat before he adds a second. “Look at me,” his free hand tilts your face up. You obey, opening your eyes to look at him.
In a second his mouth is on yours, tongue sliding into your mouth. He tastes like ash, the blood from his chapped lips on your tongue. His fingers don’t stop, curling inside of you and rubbing against the spongy flesh. His mouth swallows your moans and you're glad for it, you’re not sure if you want to hear how good he’s making you feel. To know that he still has that level of control over you. You clinch against his fingers, feeling the coil in your belly and suddenly he stops.
He pulls away from the kiss, his pupils blown wide as he stares at you for a moment before dropping to his knees. He hooks your leg over his shoulder and gives no warning before his lips are wrapped around your clit and sucking. You gasp, hand tugging at his hair. Your fingers tangle in his locks and you hold him there. He watches you as he sucks and licks, he’s always made it known that having your taste on his tongue was better than anything else. He’d spent literal hours between your legs with no breaks inbetween. His tongue gently probes before sliding inside, making you moan out loud.
“Hnng…I…if you don’t stop I’m…” you couldn’t form coherent words at this point, your heel pressing hard into his back as his nails dug into your thighs. He didn’t slow down or falter, he simply got more enthusiastic. You could feel his groans vibrating against your core, the lewd sounds of his mouth and your slick filled your ears and that was enough to push you over the edge.
You tugged his hair hard, holding him in place and crying out as you coated his face in your essence. He didn’t stop, not until you had ridden out every last wave and were trembling beneath him. He breaks away, making his way back up to you and, without a word, pressing his mouth back against yours. You can taste yourself on his tongue. Your hands move of their own accord, you knew it was wrong but you needed it, you tugged at his waist band. He lifts you with ease, pressing his body harder against you to keep you firm on the wall as he hooks your legs around him.
“Look at me,” He murmurs softly, holding your chin in his hands and looking into your eyes. He pushes into you slowly, his lips part and brow furrows. “Thats my girl,” he says with a breath, forehead pressing against yours. His movements are slow but deliberate, knowing exactly how to move to make you come undone under him.
You look into his eyes and the eyes looking back aren't that of the Great Deceiver, but of the man you loved. The man who worked to build a new life for himself for you. The one who was going to be a better man for you. You remembered every touch, how it felt like worship and adoration. How he had taken his love and forged a ring for you.
How could that all be fake? Perhaps, the man you loved and Sauron were one in the same. That would be the hardest truth to face.
“Don't let your thoughts wander,” his voice breaks you out of your thoughts. “Stay with me here, this is the only truth you need to know.” He cups your face, his movements easier as your slick coats his cock.
You gasp softly, words cannot move past your lips. You're too lost in the feeling of it all. You nod softly, looking back into his eyes.
His thumb traces your bottom lip, “Do you truly doubt my devotion to you?”
You shake your head, but that's not enough for him. His movements become rougher but not painful, still drawing soft moans from you. He grabs your face and makes you look at him. “You have words, sweet one. Use them.”
“No,” your voice is heavy but quiet.
“No, what?”
“No, I do not doubt your devotion.”
“Good girl,” his head falls to rest on your shoulder, hand grasping your thigh and fingers bruising the skin. He buries his face in the crook of your neck to muffle his own sounds.
He stays like that, slow thrusts and soft kisses pressed to your neck. The soft gasps fill the air, the slick sound of his cock claiming you. Your throat catches and your heart quickens. You feel it building and you're about to crumble when he moves, holding your face in his hands.
“Look at me, look at me,” he watches you, “Don't close those eyes. That's it,” he groans as you clench around him, reaching your peak with soft moans and fingers digging into his back. He follows you, filling you with his warmth. You can feel him running down your thighs when he pulls out.
He readjusts himself, then smooths your dress and tucks a strand of hair behind your ear, “You will never be able to deny that the affection and devotion I hold for you is much more than any other. No one will love you as I do. There is none who have loved anything like I love you.”
You close your eyes, the regret seeping through your skin. His words do not comfort you. His fingers wrap around your wrist, holding you in place. “You think you don't belong to me?”
“I know I do not.” Your voice is hoarse and quiet, you dare not look into his eyes.
He growls, “You let me take you, knowing the evil I've done and am. You may doubt it but it is etched into your soul. My touch is burned into your skin.”
As he talks, you feel your skin burn under his touch causing you to cry out in pain. He unwraps his fingers and looks at your wrist. “Now you can never deny it.”
You hiss and gasp, the smell of burning skin - your burning skin - fills the air. You look at your wrist, there's a brand there. You can't read what it says but you know its black speech, the language of Sauron and orcs and evil. It's now burned into your skin.
“You will wake from this but that will never fade.” He moves back to the spot he was before, sitting against the wall. “I will never force you to be with me, though I could. Before this is over, you will choose me.”
The dream fades and you wake, the smell of burning skin hangs in the cool air. You've never felt so hopeless.
Imagine Sauron (Annatar) being unable to resist your allure as you work on the rings…
Distance. He repeated to himself. Although he did not understand why it was necessary when he chose to ignore the warning and step closer to you.
He had donned a new face with a new name - Annatar - but it did little to fade the pull he felt to you as ‘Halbrand’. As fate would have it, your journey drew you to Eregion to aid Celebrimbor with his crafts.
Or perhaps you were simply drawn to where Sauron would be?
A part of him longed to tell you the truth but he had a larger plan that relied on secrecy. He could not risk you speaking with Galadriel nor did he wish to cause you harm. And so, he chose to keep the knowledge to himself.
He watched as you picked up a glittering gold band forged for one of the dwarf lords. One of seven. Crafted by Celebrimbor, they were perfect. Touched by his hands, there would be malice and a darkness so deep-rooted.
But jewelled by your fingers? They would have enough light to remind him that not all he touches is true evil.
“Have you chosen a stone for this one?” He asked.
You inspected the fine craftsmanship. “Perhaps a sapphire.” You said rather distracted. He gave you a small musing hum and you turned to meet his eyes. “You disagree?”
“I merely think a ruby would complement this particular piece.”
“Do enlightenment me, Lord of Gifts.” You challenged.
He almost laughed at the offence you took. But he merely stepped behind and touched an elbow with one hand, raising it a little higher. His free hand caught your chin, fingers gently lifting your head to tilt upwards to see the gold band twinkle under a ray of sun.
It was intimate and he wrestled with his impulsive urges. To kiss you in this moment would be too easy. But again, he could not. All he could do was savour this moment with you.
“The sunlight catches the band casting it in a glow of power. A ruby would emphasize such a notion beneath the mountain.” He said, lips drawing impossibly close to your ear. He noticed the prickling of your skin and the way your breath hitched.
“Power kissed by sunlight.” You whispered, realising his vision. Head turning to his once more, he saw the way your eyes flickered to his lips for a fleeting second.
It appeared that the pull he felt was mutual, drawing you to him in equal strength. You were drifting closer and closer and-
“Wonderful news! We have just received word from the realm of Men.” Celebrimbor announced as he walked into the forge.
With a sharp breath, Sauron pulled away just as you had done the same. He took note of how you quickly busied yourself in the work once more.
Composing himself, he stood up and smiled at the ring maker who had not noticed the spark rushing for cover.
He should have been more careful.
“This is truly good to hear.” He told Celebrimbor and led the elf away from your workspace. “How soon can we extend an invitation for their visit?”
~ More imagines here ~
A/n: Written at 12am because I have no regard for waking early tomorrow for work. When the writing bug bites, you write.
summary: where halbrand and y/n are forced to marry and he unveils a world she's only ever dreamed of
a/n: how do i manage to make it longer every time you ask?? i have no idea, i just go with the flow & suddenly i'm at 6k~ i have been struggeling with this one but i'm proud of how it ultimately turned out!! feedback is always appreciated and thank you for all the love <3
"I won't marry a stranger!", you loudly cry out in anger and slam your fists on the table with all your might, the sheer force of it causing some of the parchments to fall to the marble floor.
"He is no stranger. He is the King of the Southlands", your sister, Queen-Regent Míriel, tells you matter-of-factly.
"Who told you that? The elf?", you spit out, the blood running through your veins seething with anger. "Just a few days have gone by since he was detained in one of our cells, and now he is being hailed as a long-lost king? Do you even listen to yourself?"
"Sister-"
"Don't 'sister' me right now."
Míriel takes a deep breath, resting her weight on the table with both arms, and lowers her head as if she needs a moment to avoid lashing out on you in the same manner you are currently displaying.
"Listen. A marriage like this would rekindle and strengthen the bond between the people of Middle-earth and our kind for generations to come", she explains, her voice calm, but you know her well enough to notice that she has to pull herself together.
"Very well, go ahead and marry him then", you counter and give her a challenging look, the one you have been giving her since you were children. "Why should I be the one to suffer?"
"As the Princess of Númenor, it is your duty to prioritize the welfare of your people over your own!", she yells at you now, her nostrils flaring. You'd be lying if you said you didn't flinch a little when she raised her voice. Usually, it takes longer to unsettle her.
Elendil, who is standing at the large doors to the room, also seems a little shocked. As the two exchange a tender look, however, Míriel's features relax again and she straightens up, slipping back into the role of the wise, majestic Queen-Regent of Númenor.
"I won't accept no for an answer", she tells you, all calm and collected again. No trace left of your loving sister whom you loved so much.
"You have held me captive within these castle's walls for longer than I know and now you wish to ship me off like that?", you scoff in disbelief, crossing your arms in front of your chest, trying to mask how much she's hurting you right now.
"You wanted freedom. Here I am granting it to you."
"This is not freedom", you express your words through gritted teeth, your eyes burning with tears as your words have no effect on Míriel. "You think you can still control me like a child. But you no longer hold any power over me. I won't let you dictate the course of my life."
To emphasize your point, you grab the unassuming tiara adorning your head, smaller and thus in stark contrast to your sister's, and forcefully hurl it to her feet. Several small diamonds come loose and the sound of them scattering around the marble floor makes you shiver.
"I don't care who he is", you say angrily, your hands clenched into fists at your sides while Míriel only looks at you in shock, her eyes wide. "I won't marry someone I don't know, let alone love."
With these final words, you turn away and walk towards the door, which Elendil quickly opens for you. On his face, you clearly see that he feels sorry about how this whole situation expired. But you don't need his pity.
You stomp out angrily, holding back your tears, your pulse pounding in your ears. You have never told her what you think before. You have always done what she asked of you, been a good little sister because you can only imagine the burden she is carrying. But today she has crossed a line.
When you turn around in the hallway one last time, catching a glimpse of Míriel through the closing door, you see Elendil carefully approaching her to comfort her. From this perspective, she looks exhausted, hurt even. But all you feel towards her is anger. You can't help but roll your eyes and release a heavy breath of air from your lungs.
Undoubtedly, that is the reason why she wants you to marry Lord Halbrand. Because her heart is already taken.
You think back to times when you would have been overjoyed, when you would have been genuinely happy for her. You two would have lain on soft pillows and talked about everything, every little detail. Now, you can find none of these feelings inside of you.
Completely lost in your thoughts, you walk through the large halls of the castle, your home. A home that feels much more like a prison. With your head low, you turn a corner and suddenly collide with a hard wall. Caught off guard, you stumble back until a hand closes around your wrist and holds you tight.
You forget to breathe for a moment when your gaze meets his.
"Whoa there. Where are you headed, my lady?", Lord Halbrand asks you in surprise, a gentle smile on his face as he holds you close, his touch on your skin burning. As soon as you notice this, you break free from his grip and take your distance, smoothing down your dress, which he only comments on with a frown.
He is the last person you want to talk to right now.
"Are you all right?", he asks you with concern in his voice, making you realize that you haven't given him an answer and just stood there in silence. In fact, you don't really have anything to say to him. You just wish he would go back to Middle-earth where he belongs.
"Yes", you finally answer, coldly and curtly. "Now if you'll excuse me."
You walk past him, your shoulders almost touching, and listen to your own loud footsteps echoing through the halls as you walk down the corridor.
"Your demeanour leads me to believe that the Queen-Regent informed you of our plans", his voice calls after you, suddenly bringing you to an abrupt halt.
Our plans? That means they have been talking about this behind your back for who knows how long. You were deemed to lose from the beginning. As always.
"She did", you say, slowly turning around and towards him. He hasn't moved from the spot where you left him moments ago, but his presence fills the entire hallway anyway.
The way he stands there and looks at you, as if you were fragile and pitiable, makes the anger inside of you boil up once more and you walk towards him. Instead of taking a step back, however, he takes one towards you so that he is now towering over you with all his height.
"Listen to my words: I don't know what exactly you hope to achieve with this.. marriage. But it will never happen. I will not marry you", you tell him clearly, emphasizing the last words by poking your index finger into his chest. You don't give him time to answer, but as you turn around you notice the knowing grin that plays around his lips.
You decide not to respond to this and move away from him entirely. As soon as you turn into the next corridor, you finally feel like you can breathe again. At least as much as is possible for you within these walls.
You haven't been able to breathe properly in here for a long time.
You walk to your room, two guards posted on either side of the massive doors, and let yourself through without a word. Once inside, you find your way directly to the balcony, which overlooks the entire city and the harbour. The wind blows through your hair and creates a sad smile on your lips. From up here, you can hear nothing but the wind, the people frolicking down there nothing more than tiny black dots. A single tear finds its way down your cheek and you don't bother to wipe it away. Rather, you are amazed that you can even cry at all after all the tears you have already shed here.
You don't know if it is at that moment, or before, when you threw your crown at Míriel's feet, but you make a decision.
With a goal in mind, you go back inside, into the huge room you call your own and search through several closets until you find what you are looking for. You swap your beautifully ornamented dress for a more simple one, get rid of all your jewelry and put your hair into a casual updo. On the way to the door, your own reflection briefly looks back at you from the mirror across the room and you pause as you look at yourself.
Nothing is left of the little girl who once had dreams and pursued goals.
Taking another deep breath, you open the door and step out. The guards bow, as they always do when they see you.
"I'm going to pay a visit to my father", you explain to them, which they confirm with a short nod. They are about to follow you, but seem to remember that you are now allowed to walk around without guards constantly at your side, at least within the castle's walls. A change that hasn't been in effect for very long.
Nevertheless, you quicken your pace once you are out of their reach, afraid that they will decide to follow you after all. On your way, you make sure to avoid the maids and other guards, hiding behind corners, holding your breath. When you finally arrive at the stairs to the tower that lead up to your father, you stop hesitantly. But it only takes a moment, remembering your conversation with Míriel and all the other terrible events of the past, for you to regain your strength and turn away. With quick steps, you take the next set of stairs that lead down.
As you arrive in corridors that lead to the kitchen and staff facilities, you pay close attention to every little noise. Your heart is pounding so hard against your chest that you feel like it can be heard echoing throughout the corridors. You put your shaking hands against the spot where your heart is and try to calm yourself down. You've never tried to break out of this prison before, you always thought you were here for your own good. But you know better now. The thought of the outside world, which you have encountered so rarely in your life, scares you beyond belief either way.
Your sister's words still roam around your mind, making you clench your fists, until you gather up all your courage. Finally, you make it out of one of the doors, out into the fresh air that greets you lovingly.
However, you have no time to linger and quickly move forward, with careful steps as not to alert anyone. As you walk, you pull a cloth out of the corset of your dress that you had previously hidden there. In one swift motion, you pull it over your head and hide your face behind the fabric, only your eyes visible now.
With these safety measures in place, you make your way to the harbour, away from the castle. The entrances for the staff are guarded, but because of your disguise they let you pass. Once you slip past them, you are immediately surprised by the number of people walking through the streets. The sun is already setting on the horizon and the warm light of lanterns illuminates the alleyways.
With a gentle smile, you watch as two children whirl around, holding dolls that they chase each other with. You follow the mass of people who probably want to celebrate the end of their day in one of the taverns. The closer you get to the center of the city, the market square, the louder and more crowded it becomes. You hear them talking, laughing with each other, arguments are being settled, some young girls dance in the middle of a crowd of people who happily watch and applaud.
Despite the positive and joyful atmosphere, you are overcome by a feeling of sadness and sorrow all of a sudden. These people are your people - and you never get to see them. They don't get to see you unless they enter the castle, and that is something only a few people are allowed to do, reserved especially for the nobles and those of higher rank. But what makes you even sadder is the fact that very few of them even care for you. You are second in line to the throne. Once your father leaves this world, Míriel will be their Queen. Accordingly, interest in you is quite low. You are not even sure they would recognize you if you took off your disguise.
The sad truth is that they wouldn't, and that hurts more than you thought. And these are the people you are supposed to give your life for.
Suddenly everything becomes too much for you. Your ears are ringing, your heart is pounding, your whole body is shaking. No matter where you look, there are crowds of people everywhere. You feel small, constricted, helpless. You are carelessly pushed to the side, shoved forward. Your feet are stepped on, no one apologizes. You try to break out of the crowd, but your head is spinning and you no longer know which direction to go. Your breathing is getting faster and louder by the second. Nobody notices, nobody shows even the slightest hint of interest in you.
When you feel your legs giving way beneath you, you are suddenly grabbed by the arm and pulled into an alley.
You are terrified when you realize that you cannot defend yourself, your body is completely frozen and does not listen to your commands. Only when you feel a gentle hand on your cheek - the cloth must have come loose in all the chaos - and look up do you let out a breath that you didn't even know you were holding in. Lord Halbrand is standing in front of you, his face painted in concern as he looks you up and down.
"What are you doing out here all alone, Princess?", he asks and quickly grabs a hold of your shoulder as you start to drift away again, your legs no longer able to hold you upright. Exhausted, you lean against the stone wall behind you and close your eyes. You don't like that he sees you like this. On the other hand, he just saved you and prevented you from fainting in the middle of a crowd.
"I.. don't know", you whisper in defeat and it takes all your strength to admit it.
"What were you even thinking?", he says quietly, more to himself than to you. It feels like he doesn't want to scold you, but on the other hand he also does want to.
You look into his eyes, his face bathed in warm light from the soft candlelight of the lanterns around you. The wounds that are covering his skin have slowly healed, but even in this dim light you still notice them. Only now, when staring at him, do you realize that he is distracting you from all the noise and hustle, faded into the background.
"Come. I'll escort you back to the castle", he finally offers, his hands still on your shoulders as if he doesn't dare let go of you, afraid that you'll drift into the darkness at any moment.
Once again, you don't react and only stare at him, making the worry on his face deepen. In the meantime, you just can't wrap your head around how a Southlander like him, a low man, who barely knows you and who you've met with nothing but hatred, is worried about you while the people around you, your kind, are far away from even remotely caring about you.
"Can you walk on your own?", he asks, and when you finally nod in agreement, he lets go of you. But not for long, because after he puts the cloth back in its place to cover your features one of his hands wraps around yours and holds it tightly in his grip as he pulls you behind him, up several steps that lead further away from the cheerful scene.
You are grateful that he doesn't ask any questions, doesn't want to know why you were out here in the first place.
"Thank you."
That makes him pause for a moment and his hand applies a little more pressure on yours. In response, he turns to you with a gentle smile and lowers his head in resignation.
For some inexplicable reason, your heart suddenly skips a beat. He doesn't seem to notice the change in your face, however, and walks on. Together you make your way through the winding streets and you are amazed at how well he already knows his way around. You have to admit that it also hurts. After just a few days he's already more familiar with this city than you are.
You can already see the entrance to the castle when Lord Halbrand halts in his step, forcing you to stop as well. Turning to you, he steps closer and lifts your hand. Then, he gently places his other hand on top of it.
"I don't know what you were doing out there", he starts, looking from your hand between his to your eyes. "But rest assured that I'll keep it to myself."
The relief you feel in that moment is indescribable. If your sister found out you had escaped, she would surely reinforce all safety measure to protect you. This feeling doesn't last long, however, when another emotion suddenly overshadows it once he continues speaking.
"A princess like you doesn't belong out here."
He may not notice it, but these words hurt you deeply and make your eyes burn with tears within seconds. Without hesitation, you snatch your hand from him and put some distance between you by taking a few steps back. Your knees still feel weak, but you don't let it show. Lord Halbrand's face meets yours with incomprehension as you do so.
"I know where I belong", you spit out angrily and straighten up. For a moment you actually thought there might be more hidden beneath his facade. Oh, how wrong you were.
With these last words, you leave him standing there and walk the last few meters to the castle without him. Once again, you sneak through the staff quarters into the castle. Although you don't want to admit it, the walls suddenly give you comfort, making you feel safe and protected.
You quickly blink away a few tears and return to your chambers, where you go straight to bed. Even though you are incredibly exhausted and drained, you don't sleep all night. You toss and turn in the sheets, your mind plagued by nightmares until you hear the birds outside singing.
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Annoyed, you slam the door to your chambers shut behind you and lean against it with a huff. Then you slide down to the cold ground and pull your knees closer to you, hugging them against your body.
Once again you tried to talk to your sister. Once again she dismissed your words as if they were worthless.
And that's exactly how you feel right now: worthless. Born into a life that brings you nothing but suffering and pain.
Ever since you were born, you were the one who would never ascend the throne. Who would never rule. And you never wanted to. You would never want to be your sister. But right now, you wish that you were both just born into a normal family, with no wealth or power. At the end of the day, she is still your big sister, the one who has always watched over you. Your mother dead, your father long bedridden - she is the only family you have left.
You miss the times when everything was peaceful. Happy times long gone when two sisters were inseparable. But the years made you believe that this world is not made for anyone to be happy.
You lower your head and let the sadness wash over you like waves finally bringing down a ship, and tears stream down your cheeks. Your body shakes, but you hold back any sobs, crying in silence.
You don't know how long you sat there, alone with your thoughts, the very last tear leaving your eye, but eventually something catches your attention. Something that reflects the light from across the room, lying on your vanity table that wasn't there when you left in the morning. Slowly, you get up and walk over, only to discover a beautiful brooch on top of a small piece of parchment. The design is that of a sun and the brooch is decorated with white and blue diamonds. It's breathtaking to look at.
You glance at the black ink on the parchment and your heart involuntarily jumps once more. The words read: 'Forgive me'.
When you suddenly hear footsteps behind you, however, you don't have time to think about these words any further. In one quick movement, you take an ornate dagger out of one of the drawers and turn in the direction of the noises. What you don't expect, however, is that Lord Halbrand emerges from the shadows behind your bed.
"H-How did you get in here? Who let you in?", you ask, out of breath, your heart pounding. The dagger in your hand is still raised, even as he approaches you. He doesn't say anything, however, just stands in front of you and slowly grabs your hand, which is tightly gripping the weapon. He lowers your joined hands and carefully removes the dagger from your grip, leaning over you to gently place it on the table.
"I was uncertain if my apology would be deemed acceptable, hence I wanted to see you in person to make sure", his soft voice sounds in your ear and sends a shiver down your spine. He is definitely too close to you right now and even though you'd never admit it, it doesn't feel uncomfortable. You look straight into his shining eyes which are not quite blue and not quite green but something in the middle. You swallow because the intensity in his gaze leaves you speechless.
"Get off me", you manage to croak out, sounding anything but convincing. Lord Halbrand notices this too, a smirk playing around his lips.
"I know you don't mean that, Princess. And that, deep down, you have already forgiven me", he breathes in a deeper voice than before and brushes a strand of hair from your face. In an instant, you grab his wrist and stop him from touching you any further. Because you know exactly what his touch does to you. And you simply cannot and do not want to acknowledge that you like what he does.
So far, every encounter with him was exhilarating, thrilling, like you were finally embarking on a long-awaited adventure. He awakens feelings you have kept locked away for a long time, sealed behind thick iron bars. Brick by brick, he slowly destroys the protective walls you have built around your heart.
It scares you.
"Lord Halbrand", you say more seriously now and stare directly into his beautiful eyes while he does not even try to free himself from your grip. "Get out of this room or I will call the guards and have you removed."
At that threat, Lord Halbrand lets out a quiet chuckle and removes his hand from your tight grip with ease.
"Before long, I will become your husband. It's time for you to get used to my presence, my lady", he states and the fury that rises in your eyes at his words is unmistakable. "I am aware that this.. arrangement may not be something you look forward to, but I suggest that you begin to come to terms with it. I fear you have no choice but to agree."
"Don't do this", you plead, and even though you try your best to hide it, your body trembles and your eyes fill with tears. The realization that he is telling the truth makes you feel sick to your stomach. Not wanting him to see your obvious discomfort, you turn your head away, lowering it in the process.
The next moment, however, you are unexpectedly pulled forward and suddenly feel two strong, muscular arms around you. Lord Halbrand hugs you as if his life depended on it. You can't even remember the last time someone hugged you. Especially not like this.
The slight scent of sea salt and smoke greets you and you have to admit that his embrace makes you feel safe, comfortable even. With his arms pressing you against his firm body tenderly, he manages to stop your body from shaking and your head from spinning. Right now, it's just you and Lord Halbrand. No could-haves, no would-haves.
The fact that you are no longer averse to his proximity scares you an immeasurable amount. That is also the reason why, in the next second, you push him away with all your strength, your hands on his hard chest.
"Please, Lord Halbrand. I need you to leave", you almost beg him and when his hand clasps yours on his chest, you look up at him and suddenly feel seen. The way he looks at you is unlike anyone has ever looked at you before.
"Your wish is my command, Princess", he nods and lifts your hand to his mouth, where he places a feather-light kiss on the back of your hand before he walks back to the large doors to your chamber, not taking his eyes off you. You also watch him and wait for him to finally leave you.
"Leave out the Lord next time", is the last thing he says before he disappears.
As soon as you see the door slam shut behind him, however, you run over with quick steps. Only when you get there and reach for the door handle do you stop yourself. What has gotten into you? Overwhelmed by the emotions flowing through your body all at once, you lean your forehead against the door in defeat.
After staying there for a while and taking several deep breaths to calm your rapidly pounding heart, you walk over to the brooch that is still shining at you from the table. Carefully, you place the fragile thing in the palm of your hand and examine it when you suddenly hear a whistle.
Wondering where it came from, you step out onto your balcony and see a few ships leaving the bay in the distance. But your attention is quickly drawn to the person standing in the courtyard a few meters below, looking up at you. You don't have to look twice to know that it is Halbrand.
"Give us a chance", he calls up to you and even from this distance you can see the bright smile on his face. Then he turns around and disappears under one of the archways.
Holding the brooch tightly to your heart, you can't believe that a soft smile creeps onto your lips.
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"His Lordship Halbrand has requested to see you, my lady", one of the guards announces as you step out of your chambers the next morning. The mention of his name makes your heart skip a beat and you straighten up immediately.
"Then I shouldn't keep him waiting", you reply gracefully and let the guard accompany you to the place where Halbrand wants to meet you. You wouldn't have expected this to be the inner courtyard, though. And even less that he would be waiting for you there with two saddled horses.
"I hope you had a good night's sleep, my lady", Halbrand greets you with a gentle smile and notices that your steps immediately slow down when you see him with the horses. "Rest assured, Princess. I have consulted with the Queen-Regent regarding this matter. With her approval, I am permitted to accompany you on a brief ride. If that is what you wish, of course."
You pause entirely. You can't believe he convinced your sister to let you leave the castle, and with only Halbrand as your company as well. On the other hand, you've gotten a sense of how charming and persuasive he can be in the last few days.
Smiling, he holds out the reins of a white mare that is standing calmly next to him. Still a little unsure about the whole situation, you take the reins and stroke the horse gently, but don't take your eyes off Halbrand.
"H-How?", you ask him in disbelief. You can't help but think back to how often you have begged your sister to finally let you leave the castle. The fact that she is allowing this now makes you a little suspicious, but you certainly won't question her motives if it means that you can experience freedom once more, even if only for a few hours.
"We have to be back by sunset", Halbrand winks at you and comes closer, making you take a step back instinctively. When he reaches out his hand, you realize that he just wants to help you onto the mare, so you put your hand in his. Once you feel his calloused, rough yet soft hand, a pleasant feeling flows through you and when you sit upon the mare's back, you feel like you could conquer the world. He mounts his black horse as well and together you lead the horses out of the gate.
You turn around, your eyes fixed on the castle and the guards who make no move to follow you. A sense of relief flows through your body at once. Side by side, you make it out of the city and as soon as you leave the border of the capital, you are greeted by vast meadows and fields, grass gently swaying in the wind.
It doesn't take long before you get your horses galloping over the fields. Your white mare is a little faster than his horse, but you hardly even notice. You can only concentrate on the wind blowing through your hair, letting your dress float gently behind you. The air feels liberating and you are amazed at the beauty of nature, the beauty of the island you call home but have seen so little of.
A little later you reach a white sandy beach, the waves calm, seagulls squalling in the distance. The sea suddenly smells completely different from what you are used to and you can't help but smile.
If this is what freedom feels like, you won't ever go back.
Finally, you bring your horse to a stop on the shore, scratching her head, and turn to Halbrand, who stops his stallion right in front of you. Your hair is all tousled by the wind, but Halbrand smiles at you so genuinely that your cheeks flush. Without saying a word, you hop off your mare's back and bend down to bury your hands in the sand. As Halbrand dismounts, you quickly take off your shoes, lift up the fabric of your dress a little, and wade into the shallow water, which laps warmly against your skin.
You can't remember the last time you felt the ocean. As a Númenorean, you are connected to the sea on a deeper level and it feels like, right now, it's showing you how much it's missed you, like you're reuniting with an old friend. The sun is high above you, warming your skin as you close your eyes and enjoy the moment. Then you jump around the water playfully and with so much joy you haven't felt since you were a child.
Until you meet Halbrand's gaze. He is still standing where you left him, the reins of both horses in his hand, watching you enjoy yourself with so much affection in his eyes that you want nothing more than to run to him and fall into his arms, chasing the exhilarating feeling he gave you the day before.
Shyly, you slowly walk back to him through the ankle-deep water, your dress a little wet at the bottom.
"Enjoying yourself?", he asks with a smile, one hand scratching his horse behind the ears as he looks you up and down with sparkling eyes.
"Not exactly princess-like behaviour now, is it?", you shrug, eliciting a chuckle from him that gives you goosebumps and makes your heart beat faster.
"If you want my humble opinion: I think it's exactly how a princess should behave", he replies, the wrinkles around his eyes from smiling making him even more handsome in your eyes. "You shouldn't have to hide from the world."
"I wish I could come here more often", you sigh, ignoring his statement, your mood suddenly burdened by the thought that this moment of freedom will not last long and you will soon find yourself locked up inside the walls of the castle again. Halbrand's expression matches yours, but his gaze lays you bare. Feeling weak, you turn away. You stumble through the sand and finally flop onto the ground on a small dune, neatly placing your shoes next to you. Halbrand leaves the horses in your sight and joins you, sitting just a few meters next to you, your elbows touching.
For a while, neither of you says anything and you just stare out at the waves, which radiate a certain calm.
"As a child, I was very sick. An unidentified illness that was brought over from the continent. Despite having overcome it, I remained in a very weak state, requiring assistance with everything. I was not allowed to go out neither were people allowed to see me for fear of infecting me again. I was always surrounded by guards", you explain, your voice strong, but you have to pull yourself together not to sob. "Míriel was the only one who stood by my side, who made my time a little more bearable. Since our father.. has fallen sick, my sister feels even more responsible for my safety and, just like him, doesn't let me go out. She says it's for my own good and I once believed that, a long time ago. But now I doubt her concern is rooted in anything else than her own fear of losing me."
As soon as the last words leave your lips, you feel free. Free from the burden of not being able to tell anyone. But saying it out loud makes it feel so much more real. Still, pride fills you that you didn't shed a single tear. Halbrand, who was hanging on your every word, looks at you not with pity or sadness, but with a smile.
"Thank you for confiding in me. I can hardly imagine how hard that must have been for you", he tells you, speaking as if all of this is no longer your present. Maybe it's not right now, but it will be once you return.
"I have been wondering why you were locked up inside your whole life", he mutters to himself and takes a handful of sand, letting it trickle through his fingers. "And despite the prospect of freedom, you are against this marriage?"
His words hit you harder than they should, because you have to admit that you haven't given it a thought since yesterday.
"It's about her treating me like I'm a commodity that can be sold for a price", you answer, anger rising inside of you at the thought. "Either she keeps me here and risks a war or she finally lets me leave, with the ulterior motive that I at least bring some added value to Númenor. Besides, no one ever said that I would come with you once we were married."
"You think she would keep you here?", Halbrand asks, astonished. When you nod, something like determination paints his features.
"I won't allow that."
"I fear none of us will have much say in this", you sigh, exhausted and defeated, absentmindedly playing with the sand now as well. "I'm sorry you have to put up with a princess who knows nothing about this world, let alone has seen anything-"
"Don't say that", Halbrand interrupts you firmly, his eyebrows drawn together as if it physically hurts him to hear such words coming from your mouth. "You are perfect in my eyes, Princess."
You are glad he can't see the way your heart has started beating faster. What he can see, however, is the blush rising to your cheeks, which you quickly try to hide by turning your head away, pulling your knees closer to you.
"I feel like no one has ever told you how beautiful you are. In every way", he continues and you are startled when you feel his hand on your chin, gently turning your face back to him. You find it difficult to look at him, his eyes are looking at you so intensely that you no longer know which way is up and which way is down.
"Lord Halb-"
"What did I tell you about the Lord?", he chuckles, shaking his head at your cute behaviour. He loves the colour of pink your cheeks have taken on and how your eyes search his for any sign that he is lying, but you find nothing but the truth in them.
"When I told you that a princess like you doesn't belong here, I meant that a princess like you, who should be a queen, doesn't belong on this island, isolated from the world", Halbrand whispers, his hand moving from your chin to your cheek, where he gently strokes your heated skin with his thumb. "You belong in the very middle of it."
"N-No. I could never be a queen, I was not born for that", you explain, confident in your own words because it's all you have ever heard in your entire life; you would never be queen.
"I will make you a queen", he replies and the conviction with which he says this, the affection that resonates in his words and his features, makes you believe in his words. You desperately want to believe them.
"I promise I will not go without bringing you along", he assures you, holding your face in both of his hands now, his face so close to yours that you only have to lean forward a little to taste his lips. Halbrand notices this too, his gaze wanders to your lips and back to your eyes, which meet his almost pleadingly. As soon as you slightly nod, he connects your lips in a gentle but longing kiss. You gasp, never having been kissed before. Your heart feels like it will jump out of your chest at any moment, the sound of the waves blurs with your heartbeat and your hands get lost in his hair.
The kiss only lasts a few seconds, both of you having to catch your breath, but you don't want to let go of him. You have no idea what this man, this inconspicuous King of the Southlands, is doing to you, but you don't want to think about it because all you know is that you finally feel like yourself again, a feeling that seems so familiar yet unknown.
"I promise I will make you a queen and if it's the last thing I do", Halbrand tells you once more, leaning his forehead against yours before leaving a gentle kiss on the side of your mouth. Smiling up at him, you waste no time to wrap your arms around his neck and connect your lips in another kiss.
You will be his queen. And then you will finally be free.
✨️trop men and if they could get you off based mostly on vibes ✨️
💕Now to level the playing field let's give a simple y/n on if they could get the job done during your first time together and the overall mood of the evening. Mildly nsfw (I'm not gonna get too detailed...unless 👀)
Adar💀 Yes. Woof, not to get too crass right off the bat but daddy is the name he earned so yes absolutely. Also brace yourself it will be kinkier than you think and it will awaken something in you. And it would start off painfully slow just easing you into it lightly. Seems like a great opportunity to try things you've been curious about but beware you're getting into like five kinks that haven't even crossed you mind before. One minute you're having a romantic candle lit dinner then Bam youre wearing a chain collar with his name on it.
Elrond 😇 Oh, god bless. No. Baby I'm sorry but no. That being said it would still be a great time with really positive vibes. But Elrond would get too in his own head thinking about options and the best 'plan of attack' to actually deliver. Plus he would play it super safe not wanting to off put you in anyway and thus would kill the passion a bit. Still would be the biggest sweetheart and over all give you a fun time. (Give him time to build his confidence though lotr Elrond Fucks for sure)
Halbrand 🐶 LISTEN Listen listen...No. Hear me out. I just-I feel it in my blood that this guy will rizz you so hard and talk such a big game and than when he time comes it's just ok at best. Like he's made at least one person come before and thinks he has cracked the code. Still his heart's (seemingly) in the right place and its pretty romantic over all. Lots and lots of cuddling.
Annatar 🐱 Yes. And it's amazing but the vibes are terrible. He gets way too intense too fast. He's the kind of guy to say some really weird shit during. Like not even anything dirty just waxing poetic about how you're part of each now and the bond of your bodies is inescapable even in death. And he waaay into talking about how you belong to him now and you're just like?? Is he just talking crazy in the heat of the moment or ?? Also no aftercare and he's 100% gone when you wake up.
Arondir 🏹 Yes. And it's Good but not as romantic as you were hoping. He's into you but Arondir def doesn't realize what a catch he is and is surprised that you're so here for him. Also buddy's got a lot going on so he's still gonna be pretty guarded emotionally. Still he's extremely respectful and such a good kisser like he's got your head spinning and you've barely started.
Elendil 🗡 No. But he tries hard and it's a great time. He's kinda got that big puppy Halbrand thing going on but like genuine. Def more into you than you are him. Elendil will rizz you with care. Pays very close attention to what you like/want. Even if it doesnt happen he's fine with talking about it, even makes a few light jokes at his expense. He's terribly good at putting you at ease. By the end of the night you're more smitten than you first thought.
Celebrimbor 💍 Yes. Are you kidding me?We're talking mastery, we're talking attentiveness, we're talking about a very smitten old man that's going to court you with his whole heart. The vibes are impeccable and he's going to make it known that taking care of you is his top priority. Additionally I can't explain why but you know this man's head game is god tier.
Gil Galad 🏵 Yes. Don't even get me started on how this man is gonna rock your world. The high king is a big guy so it's go big or go home when it comes to love and affection. He doesn't allow himself to pursue romance often but when he does he goes hard. In terms of the act itself and the amount of extravagance and detail he'd put into wooing you. Plus cmon you know he's stressed and pent up as hell. Brace yourself for being be absolutely worshipped All night. You're in for a wicked case of jelly legs and you're not going anywhere.
