Chapter 29
This is still Elandra's P.O.V.
Haldir's hands have found their way under my shirt, and I feel a shiver of pleasure as his fingers gently caress my skin. His lips have left mine, and are now on my shoulders, when he suddenly sits up, and pulls my shirt down, and his cloak around me.
'Someone's over there', he whispered.
Sure enough, not one but two some ones appeared from the direction Haldir had indicated. Tall, dark haired, and exactly alike, my twin brothers, and they had seen us for they were walking towards us.
'You two are not exactly being discreet, are you? Said Elrohir, a smirk plastered on his face.
Haldir and I are both blushing, very aware my brother is right.
'However,' Elrohir continued, 'we are not here to comment on your lack of good sense, but to tell you that Arargorn wishes to see both of you, immediately'.
'Not like you two to play messenger', I remark, carefully rearranging my clothes, this activity of mine is causing my brothers considerable amusement.
'For a good cause, little sister, we will', said Elladan, who is occupied in watching the stars, for the night is clear, and the moon is rising.
'What does our brother want?' I ask the twins, Elladan ignores me, and Elrohir gives an elegant shrug of shoulders as he answers me, 'All I know is we have been searching for you both for hours!' A positively wicked look is on my brother's face now, 'How in Illuvator's name did Grandfather manage to end up drunk in your rooms, sister?'
'Aahh, well, he knocked on my door, and asked to come in, and he had been drinking.'
Elrohir shook his head, 'I would imagine he brought more wine with him? and made you help him drink it'.
'Yes, he did, but he did want to talk to me, you see he said he was drunk enough not to care if he offended me, in any case I could hardly kick the Lord of Lothlorien out, could I?'
Elrohir laughed at me then, 'Unless I am wrong, he wanted to speak to you about Haldir', he said softly, so as Haldir, who was talking to Elladan would not hear.
'Damn', I swore, 'is there a conspiracy going on here?'
'Maybe. It is of no concern, what with you going off into the Harad for weeks with your pretty archer, I am sure the need for others to 'interfere' in your relationship with him will resolve itself in a natural fashion'.
I stare in anger at my brother, feeling a strong urge to slap the smirk off his face.
'It is beyond my comprehension to understand why you will not just sleep with Haldir and clear all this tension from your relationship with him'.
'What has that got to do with you!' my temper is rising, and soon I will throw caution to the winds, and hit Elrohir.
'Everything, for you are the only one who does not realise you are in love with Haldir, and quite frankly you are exasperating everyone with your inability to understand your own heart! While you are mortal, my sister, you do have elven blood, and if you would only open your mind to possibilities, you have most of the abilities of an elf, just not as strongly.'
'But', I began.
'No, I am right. You of all women, Elandra, would not let any man you did not love touch you as intimately as Haldir was when we arrived.' Now he is grinning wickedly again, as only he can, 'If I might venture to offer an opinion, you appeared to be enjoying it too!'
'ELROHIR! You, you blasted elf! If you weren't my brother, I'd, I don't know what I'd do, but it would be nasty!' I hiss at him.
'See what I mean', he says cheekily, 'All this nervous tension you are displaying would be gone in an instant if you would just allow Haldir to ride you like the wild filly you are!'
That was enough, I decided, and almost without thinking, my right hand raised to slap my infuriating brother. Of course, he is faster than me, and before I reach my objective, he has caught my wrist in his hand, his fingers bruising my wrist.
'You will hit me, Elandra, when and if I allow you to', said Elrohir, a dangerous tone in his voice. For a few seconds I try futilely to pull my wrist free of his grasp, and then give in. Eventually, he releases my wrist, and I rub it, which is when he notices the dark bruises already appearing. 'I did not mean to bruise you!' my brother said.
'Yes, you did', I say, all my anger with him gone, for I have realised that it is myself I am angry with, and not Elrohir.
'I am going now, sister, but I have one last thing to say to you before I collect Elladan, and leave, and it is this: if you have not resolved your relationship with Haldir on your return from the Harad, I will interfere, and Elladan will help. You will not like the results, so I suggest you grow up and stop all this silly nonsense about not knowing whether or not you love him! How foolish do you think everyone is? Do you really think Haldir does not know your heart? Why do you think he has been trying to bed you for the past two days? Why do you persist in cruelly breaking Haldir's heart like this?'
I am white and shaking now, my mind spinning at my brother's words. 'I didn't realise, Elrohir. I haven't been intentionally trying to hurt anyone, least of all Haldir!'
Elrohir is smiling kindly now, 'I know, little sister. I said what I did to make you think for once. However, I did mean what I said about interfering if you cannot act on your own, and accept what Haldir offers you, something that not everyone is privileged to find: true love.'
'Now, Elladan and I are going. You and Haldir must see Aragorn as requested, but there is time for you to a few more private moments tonight, but I suggest if you are going to do more talk, that you go indoors!"
'Very well, brother.' I say.
As he walks off to collect Elladan, he says, 'I will not see you before you leave Elandra, so from both Elladan and I, take care, sister!'
The twins have gone on their way, and Haldir is walking to me, and as he nears, he holds his hands out me. I take his hands in mine, and look into his eyes, 'Haldir, I have something to say to you.' His hands tighten on mine, almost painfully.
'Whatever it is, please say it, Elandra', he says, tension in his normally soft voice.
'I have been behaving like a spoilt, foolish child, and I am sorry for it.' I take a deep breath, gathering my courage to continue. 'I have always known, I have been hiding it even from myself, Haldir, my beautiful archer, I do love you, very much'.
His face lights up, as he pulls me against him. I bury my face in the fabric of his tunic, feeling his strong arms around me. A feeling of safety, and warmth washes over me, and I know that I have found my place in the world, to be with Haldir, for he will always love me.
Readers: don't worry, this is not the end, they still have to go to the Harad, and have adventures together!
This is still Elandra's P.O.V.
Haldir's hands have found their way under my shirt, and I feel a shiver of pleasure as his fingers gently caress my skin. His lips have left mine, and are now on my shoulders, when he suddenly sits up, and pulls my shirt down, and his cloak around me.
'Someone's over there', he whispered.
Sure enough, not one but two some ones appeared from the direction Haldir had indicated. Tall, dark haired, and exactly alike, my twin brothers, and they had seen us for they were walking towards us.
'You two are not exactly being discreet, are you? Said Elrohir, a smirk plastered on his face.
Haldir and I are both blushing, very aware my brother is right.
'However,' Elrohir continued, 'we are not here to comment on your lack of good sense, but to tell you that Arargorn wishes to see both of you, immediately'.
'Not like you two to play messenger', I remark, carefully rearranging my clothes, this activity of mine is causing my brothers considerable amusement.
'For a good cause, little sister, we will', said Elladan, who is occupied in watching the stars, for the night is clear, and the moon is rising.
'What does our brother want?' I ask the twins, Elladan ignores me, and Elrohir gives an elegant shrug of shoulders as he answers me, 'All I know is we have been searching for you both for hours!' A positively wicked look is on my brother's face now, 'How in Illuvator's name did Grandfather manage to end up drunk in your rooms, sister?'
'Aahh, well, he knocked on my door, and asked to come in, and he had been drinking.'
Elrohir shook his head, 'I would imagine he brought more wine with him? and made you help him drink it'.
'Yes, he did, but he did want to talk to me, you see he said he was drunk enough not to care if he offended me, in any case I could hardly kick the Lord of Lothlorien out, could I?'
Elrohir laughed at me then, 'Unless I am wrong, he wanted to speak to you about Haldir', he said softly, so as Haldir, who was talking to Elladan would not hear.
'Damn', I swore, 'is there a conspiracy going on here?'
'Maybe. It is of no concern, what with you going off into the Harad for weeks with your pretty archer, I am sure the need for others to 'interfere' in your relationship with him will resolve itself in a natural fashion'.
I stare in anger at my brother, feeling a strong urge to slap the smirk off his face.
'It is beyond my comprehension to understand why you will not just sleep with Haldir and clear all this tension from your relationship with him'.
'What has that got to do with you!' my temper is rising, and soon I will throw caution to the winds, and hit Elrohir.
'Everything, for you are the only one who does not realise you are in love with Haldir, and quite frankly you are exasperating everyone with your inability to understand your own heart! While you are mortal, my sister, you do have elven blood, and if you would only open your mind to possibilities, you have most of the abilities of an elf, just not as strongly.'
'But', I began.
'No, I am right. You of all women, Elandra, would not let any man you did not love touch you as intimately as Haldir was when we arrived.' Now he is grinning wickedly again, as only he can, 'If I might venture to offer an opinion, you appeared to be enjoying it too!'
'ELROHIR! You, you blasted elf! If you weren't my brother, I'd, I don't know what I'd do, but it would be nasty!' I hiss at him.
'See what I mean', he says cheekily, 'All this nervous tension you are displaying would be gone in an instant if you would just allow Haldir to ride you like the wild filly you are!'
That was enough, I decided, and almost without thinking, my right hand raised to slap my infuriating brother. Of course, he is faster than me, and before I reach my objective, he has caught my wrist in his hand, his fingers bruising my wrist.
'You will hit me, Elandra, when and if I allow you to', said Elrohir, a dangerous tone in his voice. For a few seconds I try futilely to pull my wrist free of his grasp, and then give in. Eventually, he releases my wrist, and I rub it, which is when he notices the dark bruises already appearing. 'I did not mean to bruise you!' my brother said.
'Yes, you did', I say, all my anger with him gone, for I have realised that it is myself I am angry with, and not Elrohir.
'I am going now, sister, but I have one last thing to say to you before I collect Elladan, and leave, and it is this: if you have not resolved your relationship with Haldir on your return from the Harad, I will interfere, and Elladan will help. You will not like the results, so I suggest you grow up and stop all this silly nonsense about not knowing whether or not you love him! How foolish do you think everyone is? Do you really think Haldir does not know your heart? Why do you think he has been trying to bed you for the past two days? Why do you persist in cruelly breaking Haldir's heart like this?'
I am white and shaking now, my mind spinning at my brother's words. 'I didn't realise, Elrohir. I haven't been intentionally trying to hurt anyone, least of all Haldir!'
Elrohir is smiling kindly now, 'I know, little sister. I said what I did to make you think for once. However, I did mean what I said about interfering if you cannot act on your own, and accept what Haldir offers you, something that not everyone is privileged to find: true love.'
'Now, Elladan and I are going. You and Haldir must see Aragorn as requested, but there is time for you to a few more private moments tonight, but I suggest if you are going to do more talk, that you go indoors!"
'Very well, brother.' I say.
As he walks off to collect Elladan, he says, 'I will not see you before you leave Elandra, so from both Elladan and I, take care, sister!'
The twins have gone on their way, and Haldir is walking to me, and as he nears, he holds his hands out me. I take his hands in mine, and look into his eyes, 'Haldir, I have something to say to you.' His hands tighten on mine, almost painfully.
'Whatever it is, please say it, Elandra', he says, tension in his normally soft voice.
'I have been behaving like a spoilt, foolish child, and I am sorry for it.' I take a deep breath, gathering my courage to continue. 'I have always known, I have been hiding it even from myself, Haldir, my beautiful archer, I do love you, very much'.
His face lights up, as he pulls me against him. I bury my face in the fabric of his tunic, feeling his strong arms around me. A feeling of safety, and warmth washes over me, and I know that I have found my place in the world, to be with Haldir, for he will always love me.
Readers: don't worry, this is not the end, they still have to go to the Harad, and have adventures together!