Note: None of these are my characters! Sorry for the delay, but my muse gave me a bit of trouble on this particular story. Yes, I know that Legolas's eyes aren't green, but I like them. Shounen ai between Legolas/Aragorn! Elvish speech is in `'. Takes place a few moments after the last chapter.
Secret Agendas
Part 7
Elladan knocked on the door to Legolas's room. He was searching for Aragorn, but he also wanted another look at how delicately beautiful the youngest son of Thranduil had become. Of course, Elladan had not forgotten what Legolas had done to him, but the blond, innocent-looking creature was strangely attractive to him.
`Who is it?' Legolas asked in Elvish, as he sat on the bed next to Haldir. His voice was
soft and slightly shaky, for he was still distraught over what his father had done to Haldir.
Aragorn stood in front of the two blond elves, ready to do something- anything- if it was
Thranduil.
`Tis Elladan,' the son of Elrond answered. `I'm looking for Aragorn.'
Legolas looked at Aragorn and nodded. The half-elf walked over to the door and opened it long enough for his older foster brother to enter, before he closed and locked it.
Elladan was upset to see the bandages that Legolas wore, which were wrapped around his back and ribs. The younger blond elf wore no shirt, so the white wrappings stood out.
Haldir was using a wet cloth to clean off the blood on his face- carefully. He was pretty sore, but hadn't been hurt too badly. The older elf had managed to avoid being seriously injured, unlike the youngest Prince of Mirkwood.
`What happened to you?' Elladan asked, stunned, and then he caught sight of Haldir. `Both of you?'
Legolas tensed and became tight-lipped. He turned away and looked at Haldir.
Aragorn looked at Legolas and shook his head, before turning to his brother. `Remember what we saw King Thranduil do to Legolas the first day?'
Elladan nodded slowly.
`He does it all the time, Elladan,' Aragorn said grimly. `And I'm not going to stand for it.'
`He hits you like that all the time?' Elladan questioned, shocked. He looked at the young elf. What could such an exquisite beauty like Legolas do to deserve that, he wondered.
Aragorn caught the look on his brother's face. `Legolas doesn't do anything to deserve it. But he can't stay here any longer. Elladan, I want you to take a message to Elrond and tell him what is going on.'
Elladan thought for a few moments. If he did as Aragorn wanted, Legolas would leave Mirkwood, probably permanently, and reside in Rivendell. That would mean that he could see the blond elf as much as he wished, and maybe even get an opportunity to gain Legolas's favor. However, Aragorn would be there as well and would be a competitor.
If Elladan did not take the message, Legolas would continue to be beaten, and Thranduil might one day kill him. But Elladan could arrange for Aragorn to be banished from Mirkwood, along with Haldir, who apparently agreed with Aragorn.
Elladan was not certain how to proceed. He honestly didn't want Legolas to be killed, but neither did he want the pretty elf to jump into Aragorn's arms. Maybe he could persuade his father to send Aragorn on another mission, Elladan thought. He decided to go along with it... At least, for now, until Legolas's safety was no longer in question.
`I guess,' Elladan said reluctantly. `But shouldn't he get out of here as soon as possible? And what happened to Haldir? How'd he get here from `Lorien?'
Aragorn nodded. `As soon as possible, we're leaving.' He sighed as he answered Elladan's repeated question. `Haldir pretended to be Legolas when Thranduil came to hurt him again, because Legolas's back is...' Aragorn shook his head.
`I was sent by Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn to aid Mirkwood soon after the goblins and other rogue minions of Sauron began attacking Lothlorien,' Haldir explained, as he painfully stood.
Legolas said nothing, as he listened to the others speaking. He was lost in thought, wondering how they could leave Mirkwood when it was forbidden for him to go anywhere without his father's permission. And Legolas was slightly afraid of what his father might do if he found out what Aragorn and Haldir were planning.
Elladan left soon after, and made his way to the stables. He mounted his horse and galloped off hard, riding for Mirkwood. But, as usual, his motives for helping were purely selfish.
Aragorn and Haldir looked at Legolas, who had a slightly troubled expression on his face as he sat on the bed.
`What's wrong, Legolas?' Aragorn questioned.
`It will take Elladan a few days to reach Rivendell,' Legolas said finally. `What happens until then?'
`You are not staying here,' Haldir told the younger elf firmly. `There must be a cave or something where you can hide without having to worry about your father finding you.'
Legolas nodded slowly, but his eyes were unreadable. `Nowhere near Mirkwood is there a secret place which he does not know about.'
Aragorn frowned thoughtfully. `I know of a cave that is pretty hard to find, outside of Mirkwood. We could all hide there.'
Haldir shook his head. `It would be too suspicious if I disappeared as well. I was sent to aid Thranduil, not get mixed up in his plots. But I could not stand by and watch you suffer, Legolas. You and Aragorn need to hide, not me.'
`But if he finds out, he'll kill you,' Legolas cried softly, not wishing to draw unwanted attention.
`He cannot kill me, Legolas. If he did so, Thranduil would not have an easy time of explaining why I died to the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien.' Haldir looked a tiny bit amused.
Aragorn sighed deeply. `Legolas and I should leave before Thranduil wakes up.'
Legolas said quietly, `I can't leave. The guards are under orders not to let me out of Mirkwood's borders unless my father is with me.'
Haldir thought for a few moments, as did Aragorn.
`Maybe a disguise would be in order,' Haldir finally said.
`Indeed,' Aragorn said, as he inspected his smaller friend. `You're too pretty for your own good,' the half elf said, with a pucker in his forehead.
Legolas flushed slightly. `Tis how my mother looked. I cannot help it if I resemble her.'
Haldir gazed at Legolas as well. `Aragorn is right, Legolas,' he mused, as he touched a hand to the Prince of Mirkwood's long, graceful hair. `Maybe a haircut and a bit of dirt...' Haldir took Legolas's face in his hands. `That might do the trick, along with some older clothes of mine; a brown robe, white shirt, and dark leggings.'
Legolas gaped. `A haircut? I will not cut my hair! I've never cut it before and I will not start now!'
`Keep your voice down,' Aragorn hissed. `Legolas, it's only hair.'
`Easy for you to say! I promised my mother I would never cut it...' Legolas bowed his head, in a painful memory. `The day before she was murdered... She said it was pretty and she loved to run her fingers through it as she brushed it for me. For it was so like her own hair...'
Aragorn placed a comforting hand on Legolas's shoulder. `I'm sure she'd want you to cut it if it would help you escape from harm, Legolas.'
A silver tear ran down the younger elf's face, as he closed his eyes for a few moments. When he opened them, Legolas had regained his composure.
Haldir said quietly, `I shall go get the clothes from my room.' The taller elf furtively left the room and went to his own, closing the door behind him.
Aragorn unsheathed one of his small daggers, as Legolas tilted his head down, his golden hair flowing behind him. The blond elf flinched as Aragorn took a hold of his hair and began to cut it.
To be continued
Secret Agendas
Part 7
Elladan knocked on the door to Legolas's room. He was searching for Aragorn, but he also wanted another look at how delicately beautiful the youngest son of Thranduil had become. Of course, Elladan had not forgotten what Legolas had done to him, but the blond, innocent-looking creature was strangely attractive to him.
`Who is it?' Legolas asked in Elvish, as he sat on the bed next to Haldir. His voice was
soft and slightly shaky, for he was still distraught over what his father had done to Haldir.
Aragorn stood in front of the two blond elves, ready to do something- anything- if it was
Thranduil.
`Tis Elladan,' the son of Elrond answered. `I'm looking for Aragorn.'
Legolas looked at Aragorn and nodded. The half-elf walked over to the door and opened it long enough for his older foster brother to enter, before he closed and locked it.
Elladan was upset to see the bandages that Legolas wore, which were wrapped around his back and ribs. The younger blond elf wore no shirt, so the white wrappings stood out.
Haldir was using a wet cloth to clean off the blood on his face- carefully. He was pretty sore, but hadn't been hurt too badly. The older elf had managed to avoid being seriously injured, unlike the youngest Prince of Mirkwood.
`What happened to you?' Elladan asked, stunned, and then he caught sight of Haldir. `Both of you?'
Legolas tensed and became tight-lipped. He turned away and looked at Haldir.
Aragorn looked at Legolas and shook his head, before turning to his brother. `Remember what we saw King Thranduil do to Legolas the first day?'
Elladan nodded slowly.
`He does it all the time, Elladan,' Aragorn said grimly. `And I'm not going to stand for it.'
`He hits you like that all the time?' Elladan questioned, shocked. He looked at the young elf. What could such an exquisite beauty like Legolas do to deserve that, he wondered.
Aragorn caught the look on his brother's face. `Legolas doesn't do anything to deserve it. But he can't stay here any longer. Elladan, I want you to take a message to Elrond and tell him what is going on.'
Elladan thought for a few moments. If he did as Aragorn wanted, Legolas would leave Mirkwood, probably permanently, and reside in Rivendell. That would mean that he could see the blond elf as much as he wished, and maybe even get an opportunity to gain Legolas's favor. However, Aragorn would be there as well and would be a competitor.
If Elladan did not take the message, Legolas would continue to be beaten, and Thranduil might one day kill him. But Elladan could arrange for Aragorn to be banished from Mirkwood, along with Haldir, who apparently agreed with Aragorn.
Elladan was not certain how to proceed. He honestly didn't want Legolas to be killed, but neither did he want the pretty elf to jump into Aragorn's arms. Maybe he could persuade his father to send Aragorn on another mission, Elladan thought. He decided to go along with it... At least, for now, until Legolas's safety was no longer in question.
`I guess,' Elladan said reluctantly. `But shouldn't he get out of here as soon as possible? And what happened to Haldir? How'd he get here from `Lorien?'
Aragorn nodded. `As soon as possible, we're leaving.' He sighed as he answered Elladan's repeated question. `Haldir pretended to be Legolas when Thranduil came to hurt him again, because Legolas's back is...' Aragorn shook his head.
`I was sent by Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn to aid Mirkwood soon after the goblins and other rogue minions of Sauron began attacking Lothlorien,' Haldir explained, as he painfully stood.
Legolas said nothing, as he listened to the others speaking. He was lost in thought, wondering how they could leave Mirkwood when it was forbidden for him to go anywhere without his father's permission. And Legolas was slightly afraid of what his father might do if he found out what Aragorn and Haldir were planning.
Elladan left soon after, and made his way to the stables. He mounted his horse and galloped off hard, riding for Mirkwood. But, as usual, his motives for helping were purely selfish.
Aragorn and Haldir looked at Legolas, who had a slightly troubled expression on his face as he sat on the bed.
`What's wrong, Legolas?' Aragorn questioned.
`It will take Elladan a few days to reach Rivendell,' Legolas said finally. `What happens until then?'
`You are not staying here,' Haldir told the younger elf firmly. `There must be a cave or something where you can hide without having to worry about your father finding you.'
Legolas nodded slowly, but his eyes were unreadable. `Nowhere near Mirkwood is there a secret place which he does not know about.'
Aragorn frowned thoughtfully. `I know of a cave that is pretty hard to find, outside of Mirkwood. We could all hide there.'
Haldir shook his head. `It would be too suspicious if I disappeared as well. I was sent to aid Thranduil, not get mixed up in his plots. But I could not stand by and watch you suffer, Legolas. You and Aragorn need to hide, not me.'
`But if he finds out, he'll kill you,' Legolas cried softly, not wishing to draw unwanted attention.
`He cannot kill me, Legolas. If he did so, Thranduil would not have an easy time of explaining why I died to the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien.' Haldir looked a tiny bit amused.
Aragorn sighed deeply. `Legolas and I should leave before Thranduil wakes up.'
Legolas said quietly, `I can't leave. The guards are under orders not to let me out of Mirkwood's borders unless my father is with me.'
Haldir thought for a few moments, as did Aragorn.
`Maybe a disguise would be in order,' Haldir finally said.
`Indeed,' Aragorn said, as he inspected his smaller friend. `You're too pretty for your own good,' the half elf said, with a pucker in his forehead.
Legolas flushed slightly. `Tis how my mother looked. I cannot help it if I resemble her.'
Haldir gazed at Legolas as well. `Aragorn is right, Legolas,' he mused, as he touched a hand to the Prince of Mirkwood's long, graceful hair. `Maybe a haircut and a bit of dirt...' Haldir took Legolas's face in his hands. `That might do the trick, along with some older clothes of mine; a brown robe, white shirt, and dark leggings.'
Legolas gaped. `A haircut? I will not cut my hair! I've never cut it before and I will not start now!'
`Keep your voice down,' Aragorn hissed. `Legolas, it's only hair.'
`Easy for you to say! I promised my mother I would never cut it...' Legolas bowed his head, in a painful memory. `The day before she was murdered... She said it was pretty and she loved to run her fingers through it as she brushed it for me. For it was so like her own hair...'
Aragorn placed a comforting hand on Legolas's shoulder. `I'm sure she'd want you to cut it if it would help you escape from harm, Legolas.'
A silver tear ran down the younger elf's face, as he closed his eyes for a few moments. When he opened them, Legolas had regained his composure.
Haldir said quietly, `I shall go get the clothes from my room.' The taller elf furtively left the room and went to his own, closing the door behind him.
Aragorn unsheathed one of his small daggers, as Legolas tilted his head down, his golden hair flowing behind him. The blond elf flinched as Aragorn took a hold of his hair and began to cut it.
To be continued