Disclaimers: See the Author's Notes! This is an AU! The R Rating is in effect! Elvish is in ''. You have until the final chapter, before the epilogue, to cast your votes for the sex of the twins and their looks! When this story finishes, I'm going to put up the Lasgalen/Elessar prequel, before I do the sequel. As for the length of the Elven pregnancy- I'm making it the same as a human's, because otherwise he would be giving birth in Mordor, and that would not be good! I'm taking suggestions on what message Meron could have given Elrond that upset him so much! *cringes* I know this chapter is not as good as the others, and doesn't have much action, but I promise some in the next chapter!!

Reasons To Fight, Reasons To Wed

Part 33. Secrets To Hide

Legolas wordlessly gasped at the many emotions he heard in his friend's voice. Anger… sorrow… betrayal… fear… and shame. 'I'm sorry, Haldir. I didn't mean to upset you.'

'It's all right, Legolas. You didn't know,' Haldir replied, schooling his eyes and face into a neutral expression. He didn't want to upset Legolas with his story, so he asked a question of his own. 'What's it like?'

'What's what like?' Legolas questioned, not understanding at first.

Haldir laughed quietly, feeling himself relaxing, and he genuinely smiled at the Elven Prince. 'Knowing that you are carrying a child who will, in some way, change the future of either Gondor or Mirkwood.'

'Oh,' Legolas said. He thought for a few moments, before he spoke, glad that Haldir wasn't too upset anymore. 'It was a little strange at first, but I've grown used to it. The twins will be a handful at first, though.'

'Twins?' Haldir repeated, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

Legolas nodded earnestly. 'Galadriel told Aragorn and myself that it was so… shortly before we left Lothlorien.'

Haldir grinned. 'Your father is going to be upset when he learns this, my friend.' A smirk crossed his handsome face, as he pictured Thranduil's reaction.

'With everything that was going on… I forgot about it, as did Aragorn,' Legolas murmured. His hands rested on his waist for a few moments, before he looked at Haldir. 'We should continue walking, Haldir, for I fear for our friends… and my Aragorn.'

'I know,' Haldir replied, smiling. 'I fear for Glorfindel as well.' The 'Lorien Elf stood and offered a hand to Legolas, who took it gratefully. The slightly younger blond Elf was easily assisted to his feet, and the two began walking side-by-side, keeping their senses tuned for any signs of an enemy.

Along the way, they spoke quietly of different things, to keep the oppressive silence at bay. The two blond Elves were lucky, for they did not run into any enemies, at least for several hours, and they walked for over five more hours. The darkness of Mordor was obvious in the green growing things, because they were getting fewer and thinner the closer the two Elves got, until they finally stood on a cliff, looking down over the dark place they were heading towards. It was not too far away any longer, and they would reach their destination within a weeks time, Haldir believed.

In the meantime, he was determined to keep them both alive and well, so that they could be reunited with the ones they loved. As the sun began sinking overhead and night quickly approached, the two Elves rested, with Haldir taking the first watch, until the night was mostly over.

Both Elves were weary, and barely heard the scrabbling of stones, as a most unusual creature peered down at them.

"Yes, yes, my precioussss…" a strange, hissing voice breathed, drawing the s sound out. "Elves… We wonders…"

**************

Inside Mordor

**************

Aragorn continued trying to rouse Glorfindel, gently shaking the Elven lord's shoulders. 'Wake up, Glorfindel,' he said earnestly.

Elena perked up when she heard another voice. "Aragorn?" she called from her cell further down.

"Elena?" Aragorn answered. "Is anyone with you?"

"No," the young Hobbit replied. "I'm all by myself, but Boromir and King Thranduil are in the cell next to mine. I think Gimli was taken to where Sam, Merry, Pippin, and Frodo are."

Aragorn nodded, though he knew Elena couldn't see it. "How long have you been awake?" he inquired, trying to figure out a sense of how time passed in this place.

Elena murmured, "I woke up a few hours after we were brought here. Those mean people came in here and that Meron person wanted to kill both Glorfindel and you. His brother stopped him, though. All four of them went somewhere else; to plan how to destroy the Elven lands."

"Brother…" Aragorn mused, before he realized that she was speaking of Rissan. He was aghast at the revelation that the four evil ones wanted to destroy the Elven lands.

Glorfindel finally stirred and winced. His head was throbbing, and he looked around, searching for Haldir and Legolas. It didn't take him too long to realize that they were trapped in a cell, and he looked at Aragorn. 'Where are Legolas and Haldir? Did they make it?"

"They aren't here," Aragorn replied. "They're out there… somewhere. And if I know Legolas at all, he's going to try to rescue us, and Haldir will probably be with him."

"All right," the golden-haired Elf thoughtfully said. "Where are the others?"

"I'm awake, like you two, but King Thranduil and Boromir are still under the spell," Elena told Glorfindel, loud enough for him to hear her. "I don't know where Gimli is."

Glorfindel nodded slowly. "We have to get out of here. Aragorn, can you do magic again?"

Aragorn sighed and shook his head. "I don't even truly remember how I managed to do magic in the first place, except that I had to protect Legolas, no matter what the cost. But I don't know magic, not really."

"Thranduil could get us out, when he wakes," Glorfindel thought aloud. "Unless they have taken precautions against him being able to use his magic."

Elena countered, "I didn't see them do anything to him. All they said was that everyone is alive… at least for now." A gleam twinkled in her eyes, making them look a bright blue instead of a grey-blue for a few moments, and she bowed her head. Please, Valar, she silently prayed. It's not time yet for everything to be revealed; the time will come. Let them hold on until then…

As if the Valar had heard Elena's prayer, one of the setting sun's rays shone into the room, through a small crack in the wall. It was just bright enough so that they could all see a few inches in front of them, and they looked around the cold, dark room, between the bars of their cells.

Elena was gripping the bars on her cell again, and her thoughts were her own.

Aragorn and Glorfindel exchanged a grim look, and both sat down to try to think of ways to get free, without attracting unwanted attention from the evil ones.

As if summoned by that thought, Meron sauntered into the room, looking very pleased with himself. "How is life in a cell treating you, Aragorn?" he sneered.

Aragorn coldly looked at the evil figure who stood there smirking at him. "How is life knowing that Legolas will never be yours?" he retorted.

"You cannot protect him, not anymore," Meron smirked. "The two of you have been torn apart again, and I intend to see that it is for good this time." A bitter laugh escaped from him at the look of utter defiance on Aragorn's face, and he shook his head. "The two of you amuse me greatly, Aragorn…" He laughed again, a cruel snicker that made the darkness around the prisoners seem all the more depressing.

"What's so funny?" Aragorn inquired, keeping his temper under control. He looked every inch the future sovereign he was, with his calm, impassive gaze, and the slight lifting of his chin. An aura of nobility shone around him now, and even Meron could see it.

A smile appeared on Meron's face. "Come closer, son of Arathorn. I have a little secret to tell you."

Aragorn suspiciously regarded his rival, before he cautiously stepped closer to the bars of the cell. "What is it?"

Meron whispered, in a soft, confiding voice, "I just thought… you'd like to know the truth… about Legolas." He made it sound as if he was doing the future King of Gondor a favor.

"What truth?" Aragorn didn't trust Meron at all, and it showed in the skepticism that clouded his eyes.

The words were spoken slowly, deliberately, with an emphasis on each word. "I… never… touched… him…"

Aragorn froze, not having expected those words. Meron hadn't touched Legolas? Anger and relief burned in his molten-chocolate eyes, as he realized what Meron meant. Legolas hadn't been raped… Meron had only acted like he had raped Legolas, no doubt for his own sick, twisted pleasure. The realization stunned Aragorn into silence for a few long moments.

"You are sick," Glorfindel flung at Meron, having heard the softly spoken words with his Elven hearing. "Like father, like son…"

Meron rolled his eyes. "Yes, so I've been told… By the way, Rissan sends his greetings to you, and hopes that your stay here will be comfortable." A bitter, mocking tone was in his voice, as he smiled coldly. "My esteemed brother was always just so considerate, wasn't he, 'Lord' Glorfindel?"

Aragorn was stunned to hear Elena enter the conversation suddenly.

"You're evil and you've never cared for anything before," she proclaimed. "Legolas and Aragorn will beat you- I know they will."

"And how could you know that, child?" Meron retorted, looking annoyed. Who did this brat think she was, he wondered. No one got away with saying something like that to him, so Meron stalked down to her cell, standing right outside of it.

Elena smiled softly. "Love triumphs over evil, even if it takes a long time," she answered, confusing Aragorn and Glorfindel, but not Meron, who took a second glance at the Hobbit.

Whatever he saw, Meron said nothing, but his next words were ice-cold. "Of all here, you are the most expendable, brat. Remember that." With that, Meron stalked away, no longer as happy as he had been before he had come. His black cloak floated out behind him, trailing him like a shadow.

Silence remained from then on in the dungeons, as they all thought of those they loved and missed, while two prayed to Elbereth and the Valar that their loved ones would be safe.

**********

Rivendell

**********

Elrond looked at Mithrandir when the Istari sat beside him.

'What is it, my friend?' Elrond asked, looking worried and grieved.

Mithrandir gently murmured, 'Your sons are worried about you, Elrond. What grieves you so?'

Elrond glanced away and sighed. 'One of my old secrets is surfacing, Mithrandir, and when everyone learns it, nothing will ever be the same again.'

'Surely it cannot be that bad-' Mithrandir began, before he saw the resigned, distraught look in the half Elf's dark eyes.

'-It's worse…' the Elven lord proclaimed. 'And there is naught that I can do about it.' Elrond had suffered many things in his life, but he had not been prepared for this.

To be continued