Disclaimer: Don't own anything
Please, please review. They are my fuel.
Responses to reviews: Not everyone has homosexual tendencies in the story. Gimli does not, but that doesn't count I suppose. I actually meant it when I wrote Haldir likes females. I just haven't made up my mind whether I want him to stay that way or not, which depends on how much I want to torture the twins =)
Warning: Just watched Two Towers on IMAX again. Haldir on Deeping Wall in armor - the profile shot as he drew his bow is sending very impure thoughts into my head. So, he gets steamy descriptions in the chapter, still PG-13, of course.
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Chapter 19:
The trio returned to the field before the twins. As soon as they came into view, the recruits once again began to stare open-mouthed at the golden beauty. Aragorn settled for glaring at the trainees for having impure thoughts of his Elf instead. While the Elf in question walked calmly to his position in front of the targets, Gimli and Haldir gave the Man a meaningful look. If looks could speak, theirs would say, "This is the last time I am helping you. If you mess up again, I will kill you before he does." 'he' referring to the Dwarf or Lòrien archer, depending on who gave the look.
The twins walked onto the scene of all the Elven recruits still mesmerized by Legolas' perfection. They both knew there wasn't much point in continuing the archery contest. The other Elves were too preoccupied in their study of the Prince's beauty to shoot properly. After all, no matter how good one was at archery, one could not hit a target without seeing it. And since everyone's eyes were glued to the golden Elf's form, except for Legolas and Gimli, the spy from Mirkwood would be the default winner.
Elrohir was about to give the order to postpone the match when the Prince spoke, "Why is everyone staring at me? I am not even doing anything embarrassing this time. Why are you bent on making my life as difficult as possible?"
Legolas could feel the hundred pairs of eyes on him. The Prince was not like Arwen who was confident in her own beauty. While the Evenstar delighted in the attention she got, Legolas was never comfortable with receiving compliments or looks of appraisal. Because he was an introvert who never stood out in his own kingdom, he could not quite understand the commotion he generated when he was on diplomatic missions. The Elf always believed that others stared at him because he looked more like a maiden than a warrior, that they were making fun of him in their minds.
Yulion was the first one to snap out of his stupor at the golden beauty's words. He wanted Legolas to like him, and apparently, staring like a love- sick puppy only succeeded in making the object of his affections uncomfortable. Elbowing his friends around him to stun them out of their admiration, the dark-haired Elf replied, "Please forgive our rudeness, Lasgalen. We cannot help ourselves. It is not every day that we are graced with the presence of a heavenly beauty like you."
The Rivendell recruit's jab in the ribs had started a chain reaction that traveled throughout the ranks. By the time Yulion finished his apology, the others were all out of their trance, blushing or smiling sheepishly at the golden Elf. The dark-haired recruit decided he must not be outdone and flashed his most charming smile at Legolas, who blushed and averted his eyes shyly.
Aragorn, of course, had enough of this open attempt to impress HIS Elf. But instead of walking up to Yulion and hitting him as he wished to do, the Man did something he thought he was unable to do - control his temper. Taking a deep breath, the human commander of the army summoned his most authoritative voice and spoke, "Now that everyone finally seems to be paying attention to the competition, let us begin again. Everyone take their positions."
At his command, the recruits returned their attention to their targets; but not before Legolas cast a grateful glance at the Man with a small smile. Aragorn felt his heart skipped a beat and his breeches becoming too constricting. It was the first time in a week that his Elf had acknowledged him. Not to mention that this time, Lasgalen seemed to be pleased with him. He got a smile from the golden beauty while Yulion only got a blush. Score one for the Human!
When the elation of his 'victory' finally wore off, the Man decided that the best strategy to win his Elf would be to keep neutral in public, while showering him with tons of affections in private. His student seemed to like the serious, impersonal commander during the day. But at night, Aragorn had learnt by experience that the fair-haired beauty preferred a gentle, loving teacher. The Man could hardly wait for nightfall. His mind was already making countless suggestions of the different possible ways to apologize and make up to Lasgalen.
He did not have to wait long, as the competition was almost over when Aragorn stopped congratulating himself on winning a smile from Lasgalen when his 'opponent' could not. The golden Elf was leading, by a significant enough margin that he was guaranteed the winner no matter what happened in the last five shots. Every one of the fair-haired beauty's arrows hit the center of the mark. The other Elves, even the twins, could not help but be amazed at the Prince's skills. Haldir and Gimli were not surprised; they merely watched with satisfaction as the last five arrows find the bulls-eye of the target, wearing expression of a brother proud of a younger sibling's achievements.
The smile of pride was not lost on the twins, who had been watching the Lòrien Elf rather hungrily since their return. Now, they knew without a doubt that the archer had been giving the spy special training. There was no other way Legolas could have improved so dramatically within two weeks. This meant that Haldir had sided with the enemy, which gave them the right to do as they wished with the Guardian without worries of repercussion. They would definitely enjoy tonight.
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Things were as Haldir expected in the swords competition. The other recruits though no longer completely under Legolas spell held back when faced with the golden beauty. In the long run, this was not the best way for the Prince to gain the acceptance of the other recruits, but the others' distraction gave him an easier path to Yulion. Since the younger Elf began training only a week ago, there was still much to work to be done to build his stamina, endurance and strength. His protégé was not yet ready to fight twenty tough matches in a row within one afternoon. To ensure that Legolas had a fair chance against the dark-haired Elf, the distraction was sadly necessary. Maybe after another two weeks, the Prince would be ready to fight and win all the battles with his own strength.
It was under the setting sun that the match between Legolas and Yulion began. The dark-haired Elf did not wish to harm the objection of his desires, but he also wanted to prove his strength to the golden beauty. "Let us settle our scores with this match. After this, we start anew."
"Very well, as long as you don't hold back like the others," replied the Prince as he began to circle his opponent to look for an opening. Haldir taught him to always study the other fighter's stance before attacking.
"Good, I won't be holding back then." With that comment, Yulion spun round to meet the fair-haired Elf, bringing up his training sword to slash at his opponent's side.
Legolas had seen the move before and deftly shifted his sword down to block the blow. Using his momentum, he counterattacked with his elbow, trying to hit the dark-haired Elf's face. The move surprised Yulion, who barely had time to leap back to avoid the blow. Lasgalen was much better than he anticipated.
Before he had time to reconsider his strategies, the blond Elf was attacking again, swinging his training sword in a downward arc. The Rivendell Elf blocked the blow easier, but was shocked once again when his opponent rotated his wrists such that his blade was now under his own. With lightening speed, the Prince thrust his sword at Yulion's exposed chest, landing a clean hit that sent the other Elf staggering backwards.
To say that the dark-haired Elf was amazed by Legolas' skills was an understatement. In fact, at that moment, Yulion decided that even if pursuing the golden beauty would bring him into direct confrontation with his human commander, he would still try everything in his power to claim Lasgalen as his own. A beauty possessing such talents with weapons was extremely rare; the golden Elf was the perfect consort for someone with noble birth, like Yulion.
The dark-haired trainee's distraction nearly cost him the match as the said beauty was attacking again. Yulion brought his sword up to block the blow last minute. The more experienced Elf realized he would not be able to defeat Lasgalen in quickness, maybe not even in skills, since his opponent seemed to know his moves extremely well. He would have to use the environment to win this match.
The Rivendell Elf, being stronger, pushed the fair-haired recruit back and shifted to face the sun. When the Prince attacked again, Yulion blocked his sword and tilted the blade. Light reflected off the metal surface temporarily blinded the golden Elf, giving the dark-haired one the opportunity to trip and disarm him. When vision returned, Legolas found himself on the floor with a blade to his throat.
"Yulion of Rivendell is the winner of this match and the overall competition," announced Elladan with much satisfaction. He was glad that one from his own kingdom had beaten the spy from Mirkwood.
"You okay?" asked the dark-haired Elf as he offered the Prince a hand up.
"Yes. Congratulations," replied Legolas dejectedly as he allowed Yulion to pull him up. He had tried his best, but he still lost. And he thought this was his chance to prove that he could be a warrior.
"You are really good. I am wondering if you would be my training partner from now on. People always say the only way to improve is to find a worthy opponent," said the dark-haired recruit, suddenly feeling very insecure. It was not a feeling he was familiar with. All his life, Yulion had been popular; no one had actually denied him anything before. But Lasgalen was different; and after what happened, the Rivendell Elf understood the fair- haired beauty had every reason to refuse him.
"You think I am a worthy opponent?" asked the Prince incredulously. He just lost the match, and in less than five minutes at that. Yulion could not be serious.
"Of course. I only beat you because I have much more experience fighting. In terms of skills, we are quite even," replied the dark-haired Elf with an encouraging smile.
"Thanks. I would love to be your sparring partner in training," answered Legolas, offering Yulion an innocent smile in return.
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Meanwhile outside the arena, the Man glared with jealous eyes at his Elf smiling at the Rivendell recruit. After a series of deep breaths and mental reassurances of 'Lasgalen likes me, not him', a calmer Aragorn walked off the field to prepare for 'apologizing' to the golden beauty tonight. When the Man left the field, Elrohir approached his 'unsuspecting' quarry; the elder twin had left to begin gathering the items necessary for the night immediately after the announcement of the competition's winner.
"That was a good match," commented the younger twin, standing close behind Haldir.
"Yes. Lasgalen is making a lot of progress," replied the Lòrien Elf with a smile, pretending to be unaware of Elrohir's intentions.
The archer expected this, the twins trying to seduce him and make him talk. Though Haldir liked females, he decided he would play along. Elrohir's longstanding attraction to him was rather transparent, despite what the Rivendell Elf might think. The archer just chose never to acknowledge it to save them both the embarrassment.
After all, the Guardian had two elder brothers who were the 'heartbreakers' of Lothlòrien. Males and females flocked around Rumil and Orophin like cattle gathered around their shepherds. It was difficult not to learn everything about the games of attraction and affections when one grew up in that kind of environment. Haldir decided he would use his knowledge to have a little fun at the expense of the sons of Elrond for making his young friend's life difficult.
"I think that's just because he has a wonderful teacher," whispered Elrohir, lips almost touching the archer's sensitive ears.
"You are too kind," replied Haldir, pulling away slightly to appear shy. But in truth, he moved just far enough to give the younger twin a good view of his very desirable buttocks.
The Guardian's action had the anticipated effect; the archer could hear Elrohir gulped and bit his lip before continuing, "Maybe we can meet tonight. You can enlighten us on your training methods. We can use it on the other recruits as well."
It was taking ever ounce of Elrohir's self-control to make his offer sound 'professional'. The younger twin was still staring at Haldir's behind as he spoke, with the expression of a child given his favorite candy but told that he could not touch. Elrohir had to keep telling himself that if he succeeded in tricking his prey, he would get to do everything he fantasized about to the Lòrien Elf. That thought was the only thing keeping the younger twin from moving forward and pressing his growing hardness against the archer.
"Sure. Lasgalen deserves a break tonight. I'll be in my rooms," replied the Guardian without turning. Slowly, he began to walk back towards the palace, swaying his hips a tiny bit more than usual. When he felt Elrohir's eyes burnt into his back, he knew things would get interesting very soon.
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Haldir just finished bathing and changing when he heard two visitors enter his rooms. To his dismay, the loud breathing and the fluttering of wings indicated that his visitors were a Dwarf and a parrot. "What are you doing here?"
"I figured Aragorn will be visiting Legolas tonight, so I thought I will disappear to give them some privacy. And you know how Estel doesn't like his human counterpart. Don't want the little bird ruining the mood for those two," answered Gimli as he put the cage down onto a table. He proceeded to make himself comfortable by flopping onto an armchair and began to pick on the grapes on a nearby stand.
"You cannot stay here. I am expecting company," said the Guardian of Lòrien curtly as he emerged from the bathing room.
Gimli stared agape at the Elf for a long while before stuttering, "Sorry..we..disturb.... um.... I..."
"The twins will be here any minute," quipped Haldir, looking at the Dwarf as if Gimli had just lost his mind, which was possibly true.
After several more minutes of closing his eyes and letting the information his friend had just disclosed sank in, Gimli screamed, "The twins! Are you mad? They are suspicious already!"
"I have everything under control. Don't worry," replied the Elf smugly as he began to comb his unbound silvery hair. "Things are going according to plan."
"Plan? I don't know how much faith I have in a plan that involves wearing a shirt so thin that it's almost transparent and leggings a size too tight," asked the Dwarf in disbelief. It looked to him that the Elf had allowed his lust to jeopardize Legolas' safety. That was something he could not allow.
"Stupid Dwarf. Stay if you wish. But I do not take responsibility of what will happen when the twins find you here," answered the Guardian of Lòrien calmly. He knew how things looked; and the fact that he got Gimli to stare and misunderstand his true intentions was definitely encouraging. The twins would never know what hit them.
Gimli knew he would get into trouble if he were found in the palace. The twins might use this as an excuse to get rid of him. The Dwarf could not protect his friend if he was tossed out of the army. He would have to trust Haldir this once. Besides, the Elven archer seemed to always have the Prince's well being in mind. If the Lòrien Elf believed he could separate his affair with the twins from his duties of protecting Legolas, Gimli saw no reason to doubt him. "If you betray our young friend, I will not forgive you." With that warning, the Dwarf took parrot Estel and marched out of the room.
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With a sigh of relief, Haldir walked to the mirror to study his reflection one last time. While Legolas was a heavenly beauty, Haldir was temptation made flesh when he wished. Though not as promiscuous as his siblings, the Guardian of Lòrien was no less sinfully sexy. He just learned to hide it; he enjoyed being able to walk around the woods without being proposed to. Unlike his brothers, he did not like receiving catcalls from his fellow warriors or whispered promises of wild nights in various rather obscene, not to mention uncomfortable, positions. The archer much preferred the gentler, shyer female Elves who would not throw themselves into his bed. This was the first time he had actually deliberately set out to drive another male crazy with lust. Surveying the image before him, Haldir was sure he would have the twins wrapped around his fingertips before the night was over.
The Elf wore a forest green shirt of raw silk. The color provided an excellent contrast to his flaxen hair and porcelain skin. The green also complimented his hazy green eyes, which now resembled sparkling emeralds. Gimli was right, the material was so thin that it was almost transparent, offering a silhouetted view of the lean, well-defined muscles of his stomach and his chest. His leggings were tight, clinging to him like a second skin, leaving nothing to the imagination. Though the shirt was long, the thin material gave little cover for the Elf's maleness or his tight round buttocks. It only served to tantalize, adding a sensual quality to the heat and blatant sexuality of Haldir's revealing outfit. And it would seem that even nature was helping him tonight, as a soft breeze caressed the Elf's unbound silver hair and loose silk shirt. The garment now drifted flirtatiously over the archer's body, his nipples pressed suggestively against the thin material.
When he heard the twins entering, the Lòrien Elf ran his fingers through his unbound hair and flicked it out of his face with a sigh of pleasure. The gesture left his face half-turned towards his guests, giving them a clear view of his sculpted profile and moist, full lips, still parted from the sigh. Haldir laughed inwardly when Elrohir was so intent on watching him that the younger twin tripped over a small table in the middle of the room.
Turning his full attention on his visitors as if aware of their presence for the first time, the Guardian spoke, flashing them his most charming smile, "Welcome. I have been expecting you."
Both Rivendell Elves found that they lost their tongues temporarily. They had thought Haldir good-looking before, but the Elf in front of them was downright seductive. All they could think of at that moment was shedding their uncomfortable leggings and taking the male temptress to bed.
Sensing their impure thoughts, the Lòrien Elf smiled again as he noticed the bottle of fey wine in Elladan's hands. It was ancient, one of the best in Rivendell, no doubt from Lord Elrond's collection. Haldir knew the twins would get into so much trouble when their father found out. The archer could not help feeling pity for them and decided he would not go through with his entire scheme tonight. It just seemed too cruel to break their hearts for all the trouble they went through, especially since the Guardian had no intention of giving them what they wanted.
"I see you brought wine," commented Haldir innocently, as he took the bottle out of the older twin's hand. He would have brushed his fingers against the dark-haired Elf's, except that he had decided he would show mercy and not toy with them as much. After he gestured for his guests to sit, the Lòrien Elf turned to look for goblets for the wine.
The twins stared at the well-shaped legs and buttocks of their prey as he went on his search for goblets. Through their mental link, they were debating whether to change strategy and just jump the Lòrien Elf. Haldir was an excellent warrior, but they had the advantage in numbers. They were certain they could get the archer to talk once they had him securely immobilized under their very aroused bodies. But they also knew that while seduction was acceptable in these intrigues, forcing themselves on another was not.
We are already in trouble for stealing the wine. What's one more thing? asked Elrohir, determined to have the object of his desires. He had waited many years for this opportunity. Seeing the Lòrien Elf dressed so seductively was driving him insane with lust.
Weaker Elves can die from grief if forced upon. You know that! answered Elladan in alarm as he heard the determination in his twin's voice. He knew his brother well; his keenness to take the Lòrien archer regardless of circumstances was definitely not a good thing. Haldir was most desirable, the older son of Elrond was about to burst out of his leggings; but he had standards. He was not about to stoop that low to get physical gratification.
But Haldir is not weak! Besides, we will be gentle. We will make it really good for him, argued the younger twin as his eyes continued to devour the sight of the Guardian's backside.
That's not the point! We are Elves, and noble ones at that. We cannot do this, yelled the older Elf at his insolent little brother. If this continued, Elladan decided he would grab his twin and flee.
Look at him. Would he be dressed like this if he isn't interested on some level?" asked Elrohir, trying another tact. He needed his older brother's co-operation on this. Besides, he knew he had a point. Haldir might as well have been walking around naked in that outfit. In fact, the younger twin was sure that the Lòrien Elf looked much more enticing and sexy in these garments than he would in the nude.
Their argument was interrupted when the seemingly oblivious Haldir returned with three chalices. The tension between the twins was palpable. The Guardian was a bit unsettled by Elrohir's ravenous expression. He was beginning to worry that he had overestimated the twins' self-control and integrity. The archer knew he would not be able to fight both off if they jumped him. Pretending not to notice anything out of the ordinary, Haldir opened the bottle and carefully poured the wine into the goblets. This was not the time to worry; it was too late to turn back. Besides, he had a back-up plan in case the twins tried something inappropriate.
Taking a small sip, the Lòrien Elf closed his eyes to savor the impeccable taste of the finest feywine in Rivendell. It was by far the best the archer had ever tasted; without thought, eyes hooded under his long lashes, Haldir let out a small sign of satisfaction. What he did not expect was for the sound to start a chain reaction. Elrohir, who was watching the flaxen-haired Elf, lost control and reached for the object of his desire, while the older twin, who was sipping his wine, noticed his brother's actions and tried to stop him. Forgetting that he was still holding his wine glass, Elladan's sudden movement sprayed the contents of his chalice all over a surprised Guardian of Lòrien.
Haldir watched in morbid fascination as the two identical Elves crashed to the floor and wrestled each other. Since the twins knew all of the other's moves, strengths and weaknesses; they were very well matched. After several minutes, the archer decided he had enough watching the two rolled on the floor, trying to land a punch or kick on the other. He did not see what happened, but he could guess they were fighting over him. "Stop it!"
His shout had the desired effects as the twins stopped their movements, disentangled themselves and stood to face him. They were about to speak and say, "It's his fault" when Haldir continued coldly. "I am expecting someone else later in the evening. Please take your fight elsewhere. Come back another night if you still wish to discuss methods to train the recruits."
With that, the Lòrien Elf turned and left for the bathing room to clean. The twins stared at the retreating form of the seductive Elf until he was out of sight. When the door of the bathing room slammed shut, they turned to glare at each other. This is all your fault! yelled Elrohir through their mental link.
My fault? You are the one who cannot control your lust and almost ruined everything! Haldir is dressed like that because he is expecting someone else. He didn't do it for us! screamed back Elladan, fists clutched at his sides.
That doesn't matter. We could have had him! And our information! Now we have nothing, shot back the younger twin, furious, looking ready to continue their fight.
At that moment, Larien, a Lady of noble birth and a confidante of their sister Arwen, walked into the room. "My lords, what a surprise to find you here. I am supposed to meet Haldir for a poetry reading session tonight at eight. I know I am a bit early, but I was not expecting him to have visitors."
The possessiveness in her tone was clear. The Lady was one to be reckoned with, beautiful and strong, much like their sister. The twins decided that they would take their argument elsewhere. It was not so much they feared a mere Elf maiden; there were only two females they feared, Arwen and Galadriel. But Haldir had asked them to leave; they had embarrassed themselves enough in front of the Guardian of Lòrien for one night.
Elladan wanted to please the archer since he was now more determined than ever to seduce the silver-haired beauty into his bed. Elrohir also needed the Lòrien Elf to be unmindful of his overwhelming desires if he were to have a chance of getting what he wanted. Still glaring at each other, the twins bid Lady Larien goodnight before heading to the fields to settle their differences.
Please, please review. They are my fuel.
Responses to reviews: Not everyone has homosexual tendencies in the story. Gimli does not, but that doesn't count I suppose. I actually meant it when I wrote Haldir likes females. I just haven't made up my mind whether I want him to stay that way or not, which depends on how much I want to torture the twins =)
Warning: Just watched Two Towers on IMAX again. Haldir on Deeping Wall in armor - the profile shot as he drew his bow is sending very impure thoughts into my head. So, he gets steamy descriptions in the chapter, still PG-13, of course.
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Chapter 19:
The trio returned to the field before the twins. As soon as they came into view, the recruits once again began to stare open-mouthed at the golden beauty. Aragorn settled for glaring at the trainees for having impure thoughts of his Elf instead. While the Elf in question walked calmly to his position in front of the targets, Gimli and Haldir gave the Man a meaningful look. If looks could speak, theirs would say, "This is the last time I am helping you. If you mess up again, I will kill you before he does." 'he' referring to the Dwarf or Lòrien archer, depending on who gave the look.
The twins walked onto the scene of all the Elven recruits still mesmerized by Legolas' perfection. They both knew there wasn't much point in continuing the archery contest. The other Elves were too preoccupied in their study of the Prince's beauty to shoot properly. After all, no matter how good one was at archery, one could not hit a target without seeing it. And since everyone's eyes were glued to the golden Elf's form, except for Legolas and Gimli, the spy from Mirkwood would be the default winner.
Elrohir was about to give the order to postpone the match when the Prince spoke, "Why is everyone staring at me? I am not even doing anything embarrassing this time. Why are you bent on making my life as difficult as possible?"
Legolas could feel the hundred pairs of eyes on him. The Prince was not like Arwen who was confident in her own beauty. While the Evenstar delighted in the attention she got, Legolas was never comfortable with receiving compliments or looks of appraisal. Because he was an introvert who never stood out in his own kingdom, he could not quite understand the commotion he generated when he was on diplomatic missions. The Elf always believed that others stared at him because he looked more like a maiden than a warrior, that they were making fun of him in their minds.
Yulion was the first one to snap out of his stupor at the golden beauty's words. He wanted Legolas to like him, and apparently, staring like a love- sick puppy only succeeded in making the object of his affections uncomfortable. Elbowing his friends around him to stun them out of their admiration, the dark-haired Elf replied, "Please forgive our rudeness, Lasgalen. We cannot help ourselves. It is not every day that we are graced with the presence of a heavenly beauty like you."
The Rivendell recruit's jab in the ribs had started a chain reaction that traveled throughout the ranks. By the time Yulion finished his apology, the others were all out of their trance, blushing or smiling sheepishly at the golden Elf. The dark-haired recruit decided he must not be outdone and flashed his most charming smile at Legolas, who blushed and averted his eyes shyly.
Aragorn, of course, had enough of this open attempt to impress HIS Elf. But instead of walking up to Yulion and hitting him as he wished to do, the Man did something he thought he was unable to do - control his temper. Taking a deep breath, the human commander of the army summoned his most authoritative voice and spoke, "Now that everyone finally seems to be paying attention to the competition, let us begin again. Everyone take their positions."
At his command, the recruits returned their attention to their targets; but not before Legolas cast a grateful glance at the Man with a small smile. Aragorn felt his heart skipped a beat and his breeches becoming too constricting. It was the first time in a week that his Elf had acknowledged him. Not to mention that this time, Lasgalen seemed to be pleased with him. He got a smile from the golden beauty while Yulion only got a blush. Score one for the Human!
When the elation of his 'victory' finally wore off, the Man decided that the best strategy to win his Elf would be to keep neutral in public, while showering him with tons of affections in private. His student seemed to like the serious, impersonal commander during the day. But at night, Aragorn had learnt by experience that the fair-haired beauty preferred a gentle, loving teacher. The Man could hardly wait for nightfall. His mind was already making countless suggestions of the different possible ways to apologize and make up to Lasgalen.
He did not have to wait long, as the competition was almost over when Aragorn stopped congratulating himself on winning a smile from Lasgalen when his 'opponent' could not. The golden Elf was leading, by a significant enough margin that he was guaranteed the winner no matter what happened in the last five shots. Every one of the fair-haired beauty's arrows hit the center of the mark. The other Elves, even the twins, could not help but be amazed at the Prince's skills. Haldir and Gimli were not surprised; they merely watched with satisfaction as the last five arrows find the bulls-eye of the target, wearing expression of a brother proud of a younger sibling's achievements.
The smile of pride was not lost on the twins, who had been watching the Lòrien Elf rather hungrily since their return. Now, they knew without a doubt that the archer had been giving the spy special training. There was no other way Legolas could have improved so dramatically within two weeks. This meant that Haldir had sided with the enemy, which gave them the right to do as they wished with the Guardian without worries of repercussion. They would definitely enjoy tonight.
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Things were as Haldir expected in the swords competition. The other recruits though no longer completely under Legolas spell held back when faced with the golden beauty. In the long run, this was not the best way for the Prince to gain the acceptance of the other recruits, but the others' distraction gave him an easier path to Yulion. Since the younger Elf began training only a week ago, there was still much to work to be done to build his stamina, endurance and strength. His protégé was not yet ready to fight twenty tough matches in a row within one afternoon. To ensure that Legolas had a fair chance against the dark-haired Elf, the distraction was sadly necessary. Maybe after another two weeks, the Prince would be ready to fight and win all the battles with his own strength.
It was under the setting sun that the match between Legolas and Yulion began. The dark-haired Elf did not wish to harm the objection of his desires, but he also wanted to prove his strength to the golden beauty. "Let us settle our scores with this match. After this, we start anew."
"Very well, as long as you don't hold back like the others," replied the Prince as he began to circle his opponent to look for an opening. Haldir taught him to always study the other fighter's stance before attacking.
"Good, I won't be holding back then." With that comment, Yulion spun round to meet the fair-haired Elf, bringing up his training sword to slash at his opponent's side.
Legolas had seen the move before and deftly shifted his sword down to block the blow. Using his momentum, he counterattacked with his elbow, trying to hit the dark-haired Elf's face. The move surprised Yulion, who barely had time to leap back to avoid the blow. Lasgalen was much better than he anticipated.
Before he had time to reconsider his strategies, the blond Elf was attacking again, swinging his training sword in a downward arc. The Rivendell Elf blocked the blow easier, but was shocked once again when his opponent rotated his wrists such that his blade was now under his own. With lightening speed, the Prince thrust his sword at Yulion's exposed chest, landing a clean hit that sent the other Elf staggering backwards.
To say that the dark-haired Elf was amazed by Legolas' skills was an understatement. In fact, at that moment, Yulion decided that even if pursuing the golden beauty would bring him into direct confrontation with his human commander, he would still try everything in his power to claim Lasgalen as his own. A beauty possessing such talents with weapons was extremely rare; the golden Elf was the perfect consort for someone with noble birth, like Yulion.
The dark-haired trainee's distraction nearly cost him the match as the said beauty was attacking again. Yulion brought his sword up to block the blow last minute. The more experienced Elf realized he would not be able to defeat Lasgalen in quickness, maybe not even in skills, since his opponent seemed to know his moves extremely well. He would have to use the environment to win this match.
The Rivendell Elf, being stronger, pushed the fair-haired recruit back and shifted to face the sun. When the Prince attacked again, Yulion blocked his sword and tilted the blade. Light reflected off the metal surface temporarily blinded the golden Elf, giving the dark-haired one the opportunity to trip and disarm him. When vision returned, Legolas found himself on the floor with a blade to his throat.
"Yulion of Rivendell is the winner of this match and the overall competition," announced Elladan with much satisfaction. He was glad that one from his own kingdom had beaten the spy from Mirkwood.
"You okay?" asked the dark-haired Elf as he offered the Prince a hand up.
"Yes. Congratulations," replied Legolas dejectedly as he allowed Yulion to pull him up. He had tried his best, but he still lost. And he thought this was his chance to prove that he could be a warrior.
"You are really good. I am wondering if you would be my training partner from now on. People always say the only way to improve is to find a worthy opponent," said the dark-haired recruit, suddenly feeling very insecure. It was not a feeling he was familiar with. All his life, Yulion had been popular; no one had actually denied him anything before. But Lasgalen was different; and after what happened, the Rivendell Elf understood the fair- haired beauty had every reason to refuse him.
"You think I am a worthy opponent?" asked the Prince incredulously. He just lost the match, and in less than five minutes at that. Yulion could not be serious.
"Of course. I only beat you because I have much more experience fighting. In terms of skills, we are quite even," replied the dark-haired Elf with an encouraging smile.
"Thanks. I would love to be your sparring partner in training," answered Legolas, offering Yulion an innocent smile in return.
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Meanwhile outside the arena, the Man glared with jealous eyes at his Elf smiling at the Rivendell recruit. After a series of deep breaths and mental reassurances of 'Lasgalen likes me, not him', a calmer Aragorn walked off the field to prepare for 'apologizing' to the golden beauty tonight. When the Man left the field, Elrohir approached his 'unsuspecting' quarry; the elder twin had left to begin gathering the items necessary for the night immediately after the announcement of the competition's winner.
"That was a good match," commented the younger twin, standing close behind Haldir.
"Yes. Lasgalen is making a lot of progress," replied the Lòrien Elf with a smile, pretending to be unaware of Elrohir's intentions.
The archer expected this, the twins trying to seduce him and make him talk. Though Haldir liked females, he decided he would play along. Elrohir's longstanding attraction to him was rather transparent, despite what the Rivendell Elf might think. The archer just chose never to acknowledge it to save them both the embarrassment.
After all, the Guardian had two elder brothers who were the 'heartbreakers' of Lothlòrien. Males and females flocked around Rumil and Orophin like cattle gathered around their shepherds. It was difficult not to learn everything about the games of attraction and affections when one grew up in that kind of environment. Haldir decided he would use his knowledge to have a little fun at the expense of the sons of Elrond for making his young friend's life difficult.
"I think that's just because he has a wonderful teacher," whispered Elrohir, lips almost touching the archer's sensitive ears.
"You are too kind," replied Haldir, pulling away slightly to appear shy. But in truth, he moved just far enough to give the younger twin a good view of his very desirable buttocks.
The Guardian's action had the anticipated effect; the archer could hear Elrohir gulped and bit his lip before continuing, "Maybe we can meet tonight. You can enlighten us on your training methods. We can use it on the other recruits as well."
It was taking ever ounce of Elrohir's self-control to make his offer sound 'professional'. The younger twin was still staring at Haldir's behind as he spoke, with the expression of a child given his favorite candy but told that he could not touch. Elrohir had to keep telling himself that if he succeeded in tricking his prey, he would get to do everything he fantasized about to the Lòrien Elf. That thought was the only thing keeping the younger twin from moving forward and pressing his growing hardness against the archer.
"Sure. Lasgalen deserves a break tonight. I'll be in my rooms," replied the Guardian without turning. Slowly, he began to walk back towards the palace, swaying his hips a tiny bit more than usual. When he felt Elrohir's eyes burnt into his back, he knew things would get interesting very soon.
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Haldir just finished bathing and changing when he heard two visitors enter his rooms. To his dismay, the loud breathing and the fluttering of wings indicated that his visitors were a Dwarf and a parrot. "What are you doing here?"
"I figured Aragorn will be visiting Legolas tonight, so I thought I will disappear to give them some privacy. And you know how Estel doesn't like his human counterpart. Don't want the little bird ruining the mood for those two," answered Gimli as he put the cage down onto a table. He proceeded to make himself comfortable by flopping onto an armchair and began to pick on the grapes on a nearby stand.
"You cannot stay here. I am expecting company," said the Guardian of Lòrien curtly as he emerged from the bathing room.
Gimli stared agape at the Elf for a long while before stuttering, "Sorry..we..disturb.... um.... I..."
"The twins will be here any minute," quipped Haldir, looking at the Dwarf as if Gimli had just lost his mind, which was possibly true.
After several more minutes of closing his eyes and letting the information his friend had just disclosed sank in, Gimli screamed, "The twins! Are you mad? They are suspicious already!"
"I have everything under control. Don't worry," replied the Elf smugly as he began to comb his unbound silvery hair. "Things are going according to plan."
"Plan? I don't know how much faith I have in a plan that involves wearing a shirt so thin that it's almost transparent and leggings a size too tight," asked the Dwarf in disbelief. It looked to him that the Elf had allowed his lust to jeopardize Legolas' safety. That was something he could not allow.
"Stupid Dwarf. Stay if you wish. But I do not take responsibility of what will happen when the twins find you here," answered the Guardian of Lòrien calmly. He knew how things looked; and the fact that he got Gimli to stare and misunderstand his true intentions was definitely encouraging. The twins would never know what hit them.
Gimli knew he would get into trouble if he were found in the palace. The twins might use this as an excuse to get rid of him. The Dwarf could not protect his friend if he was tossed out of the army. He would have to trust Haldir this once. Besides, the Elven archer seemed to always have the Prince's well being in mind. If the Lòrien Elf believed he could separate his affair with the twins from his duties of protecting Legolas, Gimli saw no reason to doubt him. "If you betray our young friend, I will not forgive you." With that warning, the Dwarf took parrot Estel and marched out of the room.
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With a sigh of relief, Haldir walked to the mirror to study his reflection one last time. While Legolas was a heavenly beauty, Haldir was temptation made flesh when he wished. Though not as promiscuous as his siblings, the Guardian of Lòrien was no less sinfully sexy. He just learned to hide it; he enjoyed being able to walk around the woods without being proposed to. Unlike his brothers, he did not like receiving catcalls from his fellow warriors or whispered promises of wild nights in various rather obscene, not to mention uncomfortable, positions. The archer much preferred the gentler, shyer female Elves who would not throw themselves into his bed. This was the first time he had actually deliberately set out to drive another male crazy with lust. Surveying the image before him, Haldir was sure he would have the twins wrapped around his fingertips before the night was over.
The Elf wore a forest green shirt of raw silk. The color provided an excellent contrast to his flaxen hair and porcelain skin. The green also complimented his hazy green eyes, which now resembled sparkling emeralds. Gimli was right, the material was so thin that it was almost transparent, offering a silhouetted view of the lean, well-defined muscles of his stomach and his chest. His leggings were tight, clinging to him like a second skin, leaving nothing to the imagination. Though the shirt was long, the thin material gave little cover for the Elf's maleness or his tight round buttocks. It only served to tantalize, adding a sensual quality to the heat and blatant sexuality of Haldir's revealing outfit. And it would seem that even nature was helping him tonight, as a soft breeze caressed the Elf's unbound silver hair and loose silk shirt. The garment now drifted flirtatiously over the archer's body, his nipples pressed suggestively against the thin material.
When he heard the twins entering, the Lòrien Elf ran his fingers through his unbound hair and flicked it out of his face with a sigh of pleasure. The gesture left his face half-turned towards his guests, giving them a clear view of his sculpted profile and moist, full lips, still parted from the sigh. Haldir laughed inwardly when Elrohir was so intent on watching him that the younger twin tripped over a small table in the middle of the room.
Turning his full attention on his visitors as if aware of their presence for the first time, the Guardian spoke, flashing them his most charming smile, "Welcome. I have been expecting you."
Both Rivendell Elves found that they lost their tongues temporarily. They had thought Haldir good-looking before, but the Elf in front of them was downright seductive. All they could think of at that moment was shedding their uncomfortable leggings and taking the male temptress to bed.
Sensing their impure thoughts, the Lòrien Elf smiled again as he noticed the bottle of fey wine in Elladan's hands. It was ancient, one of the best in Rivendell, no doubt from Lord Elrond's collection. Haldir knew the twins would get into so much trouble when their father found out. The archer could not help feeling pity for them and decided he would not go through with his entire scheme tonight. It just seemed too cruel to break their hearts for all the trouble they went through, especially since the Guardian had no intention of giving them what they wanted.
"I see you brought wine," commented Haldir innocently, as he took the bottle out of the older twin's hand. He would have brushed his fingers against the dark-haired Elf's, except that he had decided he would show mercy and not toy with them as much. After he gestured for his guests to sit, the Lòrien Elf turned to look for goblets for the wine.
The twins stared at the well-shaped legs and buttocks of their prey as he went on his search for goblets. Through their mental link, they were debating whether to change strategy and just jump the Lòrien Elf. Haldir was an excellent warrior, but they had the advantage in numbers. They were certain they could get the archer to talk once they had him securely immobilized under their very aroused bodies. But they also knew that while seduction was acceptable in these intrigues, forcing themselves on another was not.
We are already in trouble for stealing the wine. What's one more thing? asked Elrohir, determined to have the object of his desires. He had waited many years for this opportunity. Seeing the Lòrien Elf dressed so seductively was driving him insane with lust.
Weaker Elves can die from grief if forced upon. You know that! answered Elladan in alarm as he heard the determination in his twin's voice. He knew his brother well; his keenness to take the Lòrien archer regardless of circumstances was definitely not a good thing. Haldir was most desirable, the older son of Elrond was about to burst out of his leggings; but he had standards. He was not about to stoop that low to get physical gratification.
But Haldir is not weak! Besides, we will be gentle. We will make it really good for him, argued the younger twin as his eyes continued to devour the sight of the Guardian's backside.
That's not the point! We are Elves, and noble ones at that. We cannot do this, yelled the older Elf at his insolent little brother. If this continued, Elladan decided he would grab his twin and flee.
Look at him. Would he be dressed like this if he isn't interested on some level?" asked Elrohir, trying another tact. He needed his older brother's co-operation on this. Besides, he knew he had a point. Haldir might as well have been walking around naked in that outfit. In fact, the younger twin was sure that the Lòrien Elf looked much more enticing and sexy in these garments than he would in the nude.
Their argument was interrupted when the seemingly oblivious Haldir returned with three chalices. The tension between the twins was palpable. The Guardian was a bit unsettled by Elrohir's ravenous expression. He was beginning to worry that he had overestimated the twins' self-control and integrity. The archer knew he would not be able to fight both off if they jumped him. Pretending not to notice anything out of the ordinary, Haldir opened the bottle and carefully poured the wine into the goblets. This was not the time to worry; it was too late to turn back. Besides, he had a back-up plan in case the twins tried something inappropriate.
Taking a small sip, the Lòrien Elf closed his eyes to savor the impeccable taste of the finest feywine in Rivendell. It was by far the best the archer had ever tasted; without thought, eyes hooded under his long lashes, Haldir let out a small sign of satisfaction. What he did not expect was for the sound to start a chain reaction. Elrohir, who was watching the flaxen-haired Elf, lost control and reached for the object of his desire, while the older twin, who was sipping his wine, noticed his brother's actions and tried to stop him. Forgetting that he was still holding his wine glass, Elladan's sudden movement sprayed the contents of his chalice all over a surprised Guardian of Lòrien.
Haldir watched in morbid fascination as the two identical Elves crashed to the floor and wrestled each other. Since the twins knew all of the other's moves, strengths and weaknesses; they were very well matched. After several minutes, the archer decided he had enough watching the two rolled on the floor, trying to land a punch or kick on the other. He did not see what happened, but he could guess they were fighting over him. "Stop it!"
His shout had the desired effects as the twins stopped their movements, disentangled themselves and stood to face him. They were about to speak and say, "It's his fault" when Haldir continued coldly. "I am expecting someone else later in the evening. Please take your fight elsewhere. Come back another night if you still wish to discuss methods to train the recruits."
With that, the Lòrien Elf turned and left for the bathing room to clean. The twins stared at the retreating form of the seductive Elf until he was out of sight. When the door of the bathing room slammed shut, they turned to glare at each other. This is all your fault! yelled Elrohir through their mental link.
My fault? You are the one who cannot control your lust and almost ruined everything! Haldir is dressed like that because he is expecting someone else. He didn't do it for us! screamed back Elladan, fists clutched at his sides.
That doesn't matter. We could have had him! And our information! Now we have nothing, shot back the younger twin, furious, looking ready to continue their fight.
At that moment, Larien, a Lady of noble birth and a confidante of their sister Arwen, walked into the room. "My lords, what a surprise to find you here. I am supposed to meet Haldir for a poetry reading session tonight at eight. I know I am a bit early, but I was not expecting him to have visitors."
The possessiveness in her tone was clear. The Lady was one to be reckoned with, beautiful and strong, much like their sister. The twins decided that they would take their argument elsewhere. It was not so much they feared a mere Elf maiden; there were only two females they feared, Arwen and Galadriel. But Haldir had asked them to leave; they had embarrassed themselves enough in front of the Guardian of Lòrien for one night.
Elladan wanted to please the archer since he was now more determined than ever to seduce the silver-haired beauty into his bed. Elrohir also needed the Lòrien Elf to be unmindful of his overwhelming desires if he were to have a chance of getting what he wanted. Still glaring at each other, the twins bid Lady Larien goodnight before heading to the fields to settle their differences.