Disclaimer: Don't own anything.
Please, please review.
A/N: This is the second to last chapter. Was going to make it the last chapter, but it just got way too long. It's like 16 pages now, and I am still not done, so I am posting it so that people know I am still alive and writing =) Legolas speech inspired by Josie's article in the movie. Sap warning ahead. I went a bit overboard with the speech =)
It's been fun writing this story. I am very pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic responses from the readers. I did not expect this to be as long or as well-received when I first started. Thanks again for all the reviews, they mean lots to me.
There won't be a sequel; sorry if that disappoints people. But since the logical sequel would be Haldir/Elladan and I only write A/L, there won't be one =)
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Chapter 25:
Glorfindel watched with envious eyes as the dark-haired youngster rode behind the Golden Prince on the same horse. Life was so unfair! The Elf- lord had known the fair-haired beauty for much longer than Yulion, but he had yet to even hold Legolas' hand. And here the young one was, sitting behind the Prince, getting a taste of how that perfect body would feel against his.
How Glorfindel wished that Elves greeted their kinsman with kisses or hugs. Even Men had the sense to do something more intimate in greeting than putting their arm across the chest and bowing their heads. The ancient Elf would have settled for a soft kiss on the Prince's hand or encircling Legolas' lithe form in his arms or a gentle peck on the cheek or...
The Elf-lord thoughts were interrupted when he almost ran into a low hanging branch. Thank the Valar for heightened Elven senses and reflexes. It would have been extremely embarrassing to be knocked off his horse by a tree, in front of every single warrior in Rivendell no less. But anyway, Glorfindel's point was that if he ever discovered the prudes who invented their current form of greeting, he would give them a piece of his mind, preferably a taste of his fists and sword as well. If not for them, Glorfindel would have known how it felt to touch the object of his affections long ago.
The fair-haired Eldar's expression was not lost on his long time friend. While it was amusing at first to watch an irked Glorfindel, its entertainment value depreciated rather quickly, especially when the blond Elf would not respond to any of Elrond's jibes. The Lord of Rivendell decided it would be much more fun to tease Glorfindel than watch him stare jealously at Yulion. He would give his old friend a hand.
"Legolas, why don't you come ride with Glorfindel beside me? I would like to take a better look at your injuries. We also have much to discuss concerning the Joint Army," suggested Elrond. As he saw Glorfindel jumped slightly in surprise and then blushed bright red, he had to work extremely hard to suppress the smirk threatening to form. Things would get so interesting if the Prince stays in Rivendell until the end of warrior training.
"Sure," answered the Prince with an innocent smile. Elrond really wondered how one so beautiful could possibly not know the effects he had on everyone who was even in the slightest degree interested in males.
Yulion did not like the idea at all. To say he was enjoying the sensation of the Prince's body against his own was a significant understatement. Though he had to work extremely hard to suppress a certain part of his body from getting overly excited, the experience of having the golden Elf so close was well worth the effort. But Elrond was the Lord of Rivendell. The recruit had no choice but to stop his horse and allow Legolas to go to Glorfindel.
Determined to be a gentleman, the dark-haired Elf leapt onto the ground and offered a hand to help the injured Prince dismount. As Legolas smiled sweetly, taking the proffered hand, Yulion could not stop himself from casting a 'see, he-likes-me' smirk at the two ancient Elf-lords. The younger Elf proceeded to walk the Prince to Glorfindel's horse. He was rather looking forward to helping Legolas mount the animal as that would reward him with a quick contact with the beauty's shapely backside. But, the fair-haired Elf lord had already dismounted and was blocking his way.
Glaring at Yulion pointedly, the Eldar took the Prince's arm and helped Legolas onto the horse before re-mounting. The look would have sent Balrogs running for cover, but the young dark-haired Elf merely returned the glare with one of his own. As the saying goes, 'love makes fools of everyone'; Yulion's affections for the Prince had dimmed his sense of self- preservation by a rather significant degree.
Noting the silent staring contest between the competitors for Legolas' attention, Elrond knew the harvest festival tonight would be a very 'exciting' affair. The dark-haired Eldar could not think of a better way to relax after a battle than a bit of 'personal drama'. Besides, it would be in Rivendell's interest for Glorfindel to succeed in courting the Prince of Mirkwood. The Golden Elf was a genius with many talents, not to mention the only one in Thranduil's halls with brains rather than brawn. If Legolas were to wed the other Lord of Imladris, he would have to move to Rivendell to be with his beloved. With the tactical advisor of Mirkwood on Elrond's side, his realm's superiority over Thranduil's would be guaranteed.
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"Did you see what I just saw?" whispered Haldir as he watched the interactions between Yulion, Glorfindel and his young friend.
"Yeah. Didn't know Glorfindel is into males," replied Elrohir, beating his older twin to give the answer. It was clear that the Guardian of Lòrien somehow favored his brother, which was completely unfair since he was the one who started liking Haldir first.
"What's happening?" asked Gimli, whose view was blocked by the Elf sitting in front. He tried shifting to get a peek, but to no avail.
"Shall I describe it to you? Or shall I teach you how to stand on a horse?" teased Haldir, glancing back and down at his Dwarven companion. The Lòrien Elf had taken a liking to Gimli, though they could not be more different. He supposed it was their common goal in seeing the Prince happy that bound them.
"Hah, very funny!" retorted the Dwarf, rolling his eyes but stilling all movements to get around Haldir.
"I think our little brother is going to have competition," muttered Elladan to his twin.
During the battle, the two had to set aside their arguments and worked together. After saving each other's life a few times, they reached a tentative agreement. They would fight for Haldir's affections fair and square, no underhanded tactics, no trying anything without the Lòrien Elf's permission. And no matter what happened, they would abide by Haldir's decision.
"Well, we know that already. Yulion likes the golden Elf," replied Elrohir, in a tone of voice that suggested Elladan must be blind or really dumb to not see the Prince had more than one suitor ever since he came to the competition of skills as an angel in white.
"Yulion isn't exactly competition. The Prince likes the strong, silent type, and Yulion doesn't fit the bill," retorted Elladan, not liking his twin's patronizing tone. He knew what Elrohir was trying to do; he was trying to make him look dumb in front of Haldir. There was no way the older twin would let him succeed.
Haldir watched the two dark-haired Elves bickered among themselves. He liked Elladan much better when he was not around his younger brother. He seemed so more reserved and mature, almost 'boyfriend material'. If the Lòrien archer decided to take a male lover, he wanted him to be thoughtful and caring, willing to share his responsibilities and troubles. It would be someone he did not have to pamper or try to impress. But most importantly, it had to be someone he did not have to watch over all the time to keep out of trouble.
As the twins squabbled like children on their horses, Haldir was beginning to think he made a mistake in giving Elladan that kiss the night before. Now that the Rivendell Elves knew he was not entirely adverse to the idea of a male lover, the Guardian knew things would get very difficult - they would never leave him alone. Haldir needed to find a way to return to his quiet life in Lothlòrien as soon as possible. He did not want things to progress to a point where he had to do bodily harm to Elrond's sons to keep them from driving him insane.
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It was almost dawn when Aragorn awoke feeling light-headed and wet. The Man could not remember anything that happened at the festival after he drank Arwen's wine. Even in his woozy state, he knew his ex-girlfriend had drugged him. The thought that he had been unconscious and at the Evenstar's mercy would have sent a lesser Man into shock, but Aragorn remained unfazed. He knew Elladan was on his side and would protect him if necessary. Besides, they were to march to Mirkwood in the morning; Elrond would never allow one of the three commanders of the Joint Army to be seriously maimed before the campaign.
At the moment, the Man was more curious about why he was wet. His clothes were dry, so he did not fall into the water. But every inch of the exposed skin on his face and hands were moist. As he brought his hands gingerly to his face, he realized the liquid was sticky and had a strange smell. Before Aragorn could ponder the enigma further, the answer jumped into his lap, literally. Sensing that its beloved had finally awoken, the overjoyed Milo leapt onto the bed and flung itself at the Man, licking his face voraciously. "Milo! Stop!"
Milo was not very happy to detect the annoyance in its beloved voice. After all, it had risked its life and saved the Man from the scary Lady. It deserved Aragorn's gratitude, not annoyance. The dog stopped his act of endearment and trotted back a few pace before barking, "Woof, woof, woee, woo.." which basically translated to "Milo saved Man. Man should thank Milo. Scratching tummy and behind the ears would be good"
Though Aragorn grew up with the Elves, he was not gifted in animal speech. He had absolutely no idea what the dog was talking about. All he knew was the noise was giving him a headache and that he was covered with Milo saliva, which was a very nasty thought. Instead of giving the little hero the reward it deserved, the Man got off the bed and headed to the bathing rooms.
To say Milo was disappointed was an understatement. That was when the intelligent critter realized Aragorn did not understand his words. The Man was not trying to slight him; he was just being 'thick-headed'. But Milo was determined to have his reward. If it could not get the caress it wanted, it would settle for a bath with its beloved, correction, its very naked, handsome beloved. As its small eyes roamed over Aragorn's gorgeous muscular form, the dog decided this was definitely better than his original idea. Since it had a feeling that the Man would be angry if it tried to lick him again, Milo suppressed his urges. It merely jumped into the bath with Aragorn.
The Man was of a mind to tell the dog off. But he knew that would just offend the critter and he would never have any peace. Instead, he decided to tolerate its presence as Milo seemed content with swimming quietly around him. "You can stay. Just don't lick me again, okay?"
To give up his favorite activity was not what Milo wanted; but the dog would say anything to keep its beloved happy. After all, people made promises they did not intend to keep all the time; why should the fact that Milo was a dog stop it from doing the same? Nodding its head as much as it could as it swam to stay afloat, the dog gave an enthusiastic bark. Catching the canine easily with one hand and rubbing its head with the other, Aragorn smiled, "That's a good dog. Now let's get cleaned up. It will be a big day today."
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Elrond walked into his foster son's rooms to find Aragorn in armor, ready to march for war. He knew the Man would be so upset when he recounted the events of the night. "We won't be marching to Mirkwood today."
The Man frowned. Could it be that his worst assumption was correct; that there was no real threat and Legolas had made it all up as a ruse to draw attention away from his espionage?
"In fact, we may not need to continue with training the Joint Army. I will call a council and discuss the current situation," added Elrond quietly.
The Elf-lord knew the victory last night had guaranteed the safety of all Elven Lands from Sauron's clutches. But, the World of Men was a different matter entirely. The Dark Lord already had allies among the humans; after this defeat, he would concentrate on enslaving all Men before using them as pawns against the Elves. Aragorn would soon need to return to his people and rise to meet his destiny as the Hope of Men.
"And what is the current situation?" inquired the Man, completely puzzled by the strange turn of events.
"The Orc forces in Northern Middle Earth were completely crushed last night. The Dark Lord is no longer a threat to the Elves," spoke Elrond slowly, wanting to give his foster son time to absorb the information.
"How is that possible? What happened last night?" demanded a very agitated Aragorn, who remembered nothing after being drugged by Arwen.
"Sauron planned a surprised attack on Rivendell during our harvest festival. Luckily for us, Prince Legolas and his company discovered the Orc armies. He sent his brother to warn us, while he delayed the beasts to give us time to set a trap. We suffered some minor losses, but all the creatures were destroyed."
As Elrond watched his shocked foster child struggled to breath, he realized it might be quite some time before the Man came to terms with the fact that he had just slept through a major battle against Sauron. Wanting to divert Aragorn's attention from the events of the night, the Elf-lord added, "We are having a lunch in Prince Legolas' honor. I suggest you get into something more comfortable before joining us."
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Glorfindel paced outside the guest room where the Princes of Mirkwood were staying. He was given the honor of escorting the two younger Elves to lunch. He had taken care to bathe and dress before coming here. But as Legolas was wounded from the previous night and required the attention of a healer, the Princes were not finished with their preparation for the meal. Haldir had arrived almost an hour ago, with a huge pile of clothes in hand, saying he would help his friends get ready.
All the fair-haired Elf-lord could do now was wait impatiently as he wondered what vision he would be gifted with today. The Golden Elf was always a feast for the eyes, no matter what he wore; but Glorfindel had his favorites, like that emerald green and gold outfit that highlighted the young Prince's exquisite colorings, or the white one that made Legolas looked so surreally beautiful that would put the Valar to shame. He considered for a moment what would happen if he volunteered to give the younger ones a hand. He was of half a mind to knock on the door when Gimli walked onto the scene. "They are not ready yet?"
"No," replied the Elf-lord quickly, slightly embarrassed that he was caught wanting to join the younger Elves while they were still getting dressed for lunch.
"If they are taking this long to get ready for lunch, I cannot imagine what will happen tonight at dinner. Come on, let's go in," said the Dwarf impatiently since he was very hungry after the night's fighting.
Gimli knew they could not begin eating until the guest of honor arrived, who happened to be Legolas in this case. Besides, the Prince was never this fussy about his appearance. The two older Elves must be giving him a hard time. Gimli knew they all wanted Legolas to look his best, seeing that Aragorn would be there; but this was excessive.
Before Glorfindel could protest, the Dwarf moved in front of him and opened the door. The Elf-lord was greeted by the sight of the Golden Elf wearing nothing but bandages around his chest and a towel. "No! I am NOT wearing that!" yelled the Prince as he flung some garments into the air at the door. As expected, the said clothes found themselves on Glorfindel's head instead of on Legolas' desirable body.
"Well, it is a good thing I am short," commented Gimli with a smirk as the ancient Elf removed the clothing that blocked his view of the object of his affections.
"Sorry," apologized Legolas sheepishly before blushing bright red at the inappropriateness of his state of dress.
"I..um...I mean... it's okay," stuttered Glorfindel with downcast eyes as he handed the garments back to the younger Elf. He wanted to drink in the sight of the scantily clothed Prince, but he knew that would be inappropriate behavior for an Eldar. He figured Legolas being a diplomat would like him better if he was 'polite' and 'proper'.
"Legolas, stop being difficult and get dressed already," chastised the Crown Prince of Mirkwood.
"I cannot agree more," concurred Haldir with a conspiring smile, winking at the Dwarf.
Gimli considered this for a moment and decided to agree with the Lòrien archer on this. After all, dressing up worked once, it might work again. It would be more difficult for Aragorn to stay angry if Legolas looked stunning enough to eat. "Come on, laddie, I am hungry."
Giving an exasperated sigh, the Prince took his outfit and went into the bathroom to change. "If anything happens, I will never speak to any of you again."
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"What is that about?" asked Gimli, curious about his friend's last statement before going to change.
"It's a very long story," chuckled Ramiren as he eyed Haldir, silently asking if he should recount the younger one's embarrassing tale.
The archer smiled and replied aloud, "There is no harm in telling them. Besides, it is only fair to give Lord Glorfindel some warning."
"Well, all the Princes of Mirkwood are presented at a 'coming of age ceremony' when they reach marriageable age. Let's just say Legolas generated a much bigger commotion among the members of the same sex than in the opposite one," explained Ramiren as the Lòrien Elf chuckled at the understatement of the century.
Haldir was on a mission to deliver something to King Thranduil for Lady Galadriel with his brothers at the time. He practically had to restrain his brothers from making inappropriate amorous advances on the Prince. And we were speaking of the sexy Rumil and Orophin who were not lacking admirers and lovers. One could imagine what those more desperate for a mate were doing. Though the intelligent Prince immediately recognized the danger to his virtue and sought to leave, the poor little innocent Elf did not get away without receiving a good amount of pawing and mauling from the hungry crowd. After that day, the traumatized Legolas decided never to wear formal clothes in his own realm, to hide in his library as much as possible when in Mirkwood and never to don the unlucky garments again.
A hitched breath caught the archer's ears. He knew without turning that Legolas had emerged; he could tell from the expression on Glorfindel's face - the open-mouthed, bulgy eyes stare which Haldir associated with someone seeing the Golden Prince in his full glory for the first time. "Satisfied?" asked a melodic voice, slightly raised in annoyance.
Turning to face his friend, even Haldir could not prevent his breath from being taken away. The Prince was every bit as gorgeous as he remembered, a vision in burgundy and black. The archer could swear never before had a beauty as such graced Middle Earth, male or female. His long, loose- fitting shirt was a mixture of velvet and chiffon, deep maroon on transparent black, with flowing sleeves and a draped neckline. Simple black leggings and a thin, glittering belt of golden leaves completed the outfit.
The deep colors provided a lush contrast to the Prince's fair coloring, highlighting his creamy soft skin and lustrous golden hair. While the rich velvet concealed, the light chiffon revealed, giving his admirers a silhouetted view of his perfect torso and arms. The free end of the belt dangled around the Elf's slim waist, swinging with his graceful strides, drawing attention to the natural beauty of his long, shapely legs showcased by the simplicity of his black leggings. Legolas' golden hair was no longer in braids. Instead, they were kept back with clips in the shape of ruby and onyx butterflies. Completing the masterpiece was the young Prince's shy expression, turning the look from that of smoldering temptress to an innocent, yet sensuous angel.
"Well, one thing's for sure. Aragorn will definitely notice," commented Gimli, who was the first to come out of his stupor, as he had the advantage of being of a different species and thus, with a different standard of beauty. Glorfindel was still dumb-founded, Haldir was still appraising, and Ramiren was still amazed by the transformation of his introvert brother into the Golden Prince of Mirkwood.
At the statement, however, the fair-haired Elf-lord immediately snapped out of his trance. "Aragorn?" hissed the ancient Elf, disliking the implications that the human already held his Prince's affections.
Gimli was not one who was easily intimidated; but looking at the Eldar now, he wondered if any Dwarf had ever been faced with a scarier sight. Gulping loudly, the Dwarf answered, "Legolas and Aragorn are together."
As the sounds - "Together?" and "Gimli!" were made simultaneously in the room, Haldir felt it necessary to explain the situation. It was obvious that the Elf-lord was infatuated with the Prince and Legolas knew nothing of the older Elf's feelings. Given the way things were with Aragorn, the archer thought it would not be a bad thing to have a backup plan. If the Man decided to be stupid again and hurt his young friend's feelings, Glorfindel would be the perfect candidate to help Legolas pick up the pieces of his broken heart. The Eldar was protective, strong, wise and most important of all, head-over-heels in love with the Golden Prince. In terms of looks, the Elf-lord was in no way inferior to the Man. With his pale blond hair, intelligent green eyes and well-sculpted, aristocratic features, Glorfindel was quite handsome, even for an Elf.
"Well, they are not really together at the moment. Aragorn is angry with Legolas for being a spy and walked out on him yesterday afternoon."
"Haldir! I would really appreciate it if you do not talk about my private life so freely," exclaimed the Prince, trying his best to sound irritated.
But even Legolas' best act could not hide the hurt interlaced within the words. Glorfindel cast a tender, sympathetic look at the object of his affections while he mentally rejoiced and vowed never to let anyone hurt the gentle Elf again. Wanting to distract the Prince, the Elf-lord suggested, "Why don't we go to lunch? I bet everyone is starving."
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Aragorn sat alone in his rooms, debating whether he should go. That statement was not actually correct since Milo was with him. But the intelligent dog, sensing its beloved's brooding mood, was sitting quiet as a statue on the bed next to the Man. One might mistook him for an extremely life-like stuffed animal if one was not looking carefully. The point was that the Man knew Legolas would be there, looking absolutely stunning. And his heart and body was telling him to get moving while his brain demanded that he stayed here.
The rational side of him knew the moment he laid eyes of the beautiful spy, he would lose all resolve and forgive everything. That he did not want to do; no, correction, after all the things that happened, that was something he refused to do. He would not allow himself to jump head first into this relationship anymore. The agony in his heart taught him that lesson.
They needed to talk, alone, when the Prince was not dressed to impress. The Man needed to know how much of what he loved was the real Legolas and how much of it was the fake Lasgalen created for the mission. He wanted the Golden Elf to prove his love, to convince him that what they had was worth risking his heart for. After all the deceit, the Man wanted to be sure that he could trust Legolas before granting forgiveness. This, Aragorn knew, would not happen at this lunch. The Prince would likely be flocked by every warrior in attendance. He would not get a moment alone with Legolas, which meant he had no reason to go.
It was at this moment that the deciding factor marched into the door, glaring at him with menacing eyes that could freeze the Ringwraiths in fear. Arwen the Destroyer had come to pay a visit. Aragorn knew he must end the rift with the Evenstar properly before he could move on. Though he did not have magic, he could not hide behind Elladan for protection forever. He was a warrior, and a great one at that; he would fight his own battles. Leaping off his bed and walking to the Lady with proud, fearless strides, the Man proposed, "Perhaps we should take this outside."
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Almost all eyes were glued to Legolas throughout the entire meal. Even Elrond was caught staring from time to time, thinking how Glorfindel would owe him at least two cases of Middle Earth's best wine for arranging the seats to allow the fair-haired Lord to sit with the Golden Prince. The lunch took longer than Elrond anticipated since, as graceful and agile as the Elves were, it was difficult to eat without looking at their utensils and food. Not to mention it was difficult not to choke on something every time Legolas offered a polite smile to the Lords of Imladris.
Yulion did not bother to touch his food; he was too busy seething at the blatant favoritism Elrond had shown the other ancient Elf. Glorfindel was obviously too old and stuffy for the vivacious Legolas. Yet the dark- haired Elf-lord seemed to be supporting his old friend's suit despite the age and personality difference. This was just unfair. But the intelligent young Elf also realized that in the end, the only thing that mattered would be who the Prince chose. The Eldars could scheme all they wanted, but they were not the one who saved the Golden Elf from the Orcs. Yulion knew that his selfless act counted for something.
The young recruit also had one more advantage; Legolas already knew Yulion had feelings for him. From his observation of the interactions between the three at the head of the table, he knew the Prince was still oblivious of Glorfindel's affections. It would take some time before the fair-haired Eldar to make his move without startling the innocent golden Elf. If Yulion acted quickly, he could make an offer for Legolas' hand before the Elf-lord could even confess his feelings. In fact, the dark-haired recruit decided he would profess his love and propose tonight at the harvest festival. He hoped that things were truly over between the object of his affections and Aragorn. Yulion reckoned that the Man was the only serious competition he had for the Prince's heart.
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When Lord Elrond saw that everyone was finally finished with their meals, he stood, moved onto the center of a small stage behind the table and orated, "We are gathered here this afternoon to honor a very special Elf. Without him, Rivendell would have been trampled underneath the feet of the Orcs. Prince Legolas, on behalf of the city, I give you my thanks. As a token of our gratitude, we offer you a gift; you may have any treasure in Rivendell."
"I ask for only one thing, my Lord. Estel," said the Prince with a smile as he walked to stand beside the Lord of Rivendell.
"Estel?" repeated Elrond with a frown, uncertain of what the young Elf meant.
"The Lady Arwen's magical parrot, my lord," clarified Legolas, realizing that the Elf-lord did not know the bird was named after Aragorn. He wanted the Man too, more than anything else in the world. But human Estel was not some treasure to be won through a heroic deed.
The Lord of Rivendell narrowed his eyes and considered his options. Arwen was his favorite child and he did not wish to upset her by taking her pet away. But he had also given his word in front of the entire city; he could not refuse the Prince his request. That was when he remembered how the Evenstar drugged his foster son, knowing the Joint Army was set to march the next morning. His willful daughter deserved punishment for putting her personal need for revenge before the good of their people. Losing her little Estel would be a lesson she would never forget. "Very well, my Prince. Parrot Estel is yours."
"I thank you for your generosity, my lord," replied Legolas with a small bow.
"It is customary for our guest of honor to give a speech. My Prince," said Elrond as he stepped aside and gestured for Legolas to take the center stage.
This was the moment Legolas was waiting for. He had been thinking about this for the entire morning. This was his chance to explain his actions, to apologize and beg for forgiveness from the one he loved. He originally thought to offer his most sincere apology in private to his beloved, but he knew he never lied to Aragorn anymore than he did to everyone at Rivendell. He owed the city and the recruits an explanation too. Everyone here had taught him so much, not just about fighting but also about himself. He would make his atonement here publicly.
"It isn't supposed to be like this. I was just trying to do my job. And then things happened.. And now I am here. Two months ago, if someone told me I would be standing in front of a group of warriors, addressing them because I have done my part in a battle, I would have laughed. A nerd to the core, I spent most of my time in my study staring at maps and scrolls. And when I went out, I wore my princely mask, so that no one could see the uncertain, 'abnormal' Elf inside.
A month ago, I received an assignment to come to Rivendell as a recruit and keep an eye on the Joint Army. After the disaster that was my first warrior training, it is understandable that returning to Army camp was like my worst nightmare. I found that not much had changed - the fraternity and the loyalty the trainees all shared were still there, the way the popular ones picked on those less fortunate was still the same. All these things made me miserable at 150. But at 1025, I finally see that this is the way it should be.
Warrior training is a time that makes us who we are for years to come. Going through it the first time made me who I am; but this second time made me see that being who I am is all right. I always wanted to be a capable warrior, to be just like everyone else; but now, thanks to my commanders and fellow trainees, I have gained the confidence to stay the way I am, firmly and happily. I will never forget it is the Joint Army and Rivendell that gave me this experience. And here, I want to apologize for all the lies I told trying to fulfill my original mission. I never meant to hurt anyone.
I have lived a lifetime of regrets after my first warrior training, and now, my regrets are down to one. Someone was hurt in my path to self- discovery; though this public apology is a step, it in no way makes up for what I did to him. To this Man, you know who you are, I am so sorry. And I would like to add one more thing. I am in love with you. I have never kissed a guy until that night two weeks ago. And ever since that moment, I knew you are the one I want to be with.
If you are willing to forgive me, I ask that you come to the harvest festival tonight and kiss me with Rivendell as witness. I am finally ready to start living the rest of my life, comfortable with who I truly am, and it would be magical if I can do it with you. Because for all the things that happened, nothing has changed. Inside, I am still that introvert afraid to be loved, and you are still the one person who can kiss me and make it all better."
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While the female members of the audience were swooning from the Prince's sweet, romantic speech, most of the male Elven warriors were left with one emotion, envy. The recruits of the Joint Army who had witnessed the kiss wondered what their human commander had done to warrant the Golden beauty's affections. The older warriors all wondered who it was that stole Legolas' heart.
The nicer and gentler ones hoped the Man would come to kiss the Prince, believing that an exquisite gem like Legolas deserved happiness. Others who knew of what occurred wanted to scream at Aragorn for being stupid enough to not treasure the Golden Elf like the jewel he was. And the last faction, those a bit more prone to influences from the 'dark-side', wanted to prevent this said person from attending the harvest festival, by force if necessary, so they could have a chance. But before the audience could make any visible responses, Legolas bowed and left the stage, disappearing quickly down the winding corridors leading away from the banquet hall.
The Prince moved swiftly through the forest, senses on the highest alert for any admirers who might be following. Sitting alone in the solitude of the woods, Legolas knew all he could do was wait. He had made his apology; it was entirely up to Aragorn now to decide whether to forgive him or not. Though it broke his heart to think that the Man would not come kiss him, he knew he must prepare for the worst. After all, Aragorn was so angry with him that the Man would not even come to this lunch in his honor.
Legolas knew that if Aragorn did not want him, he would have to decide on a husband as soon as possible. To delay would introduce rivalry between warriors and weaken the unity of his people. This the Prince could not allow. He knew Yulion liked him; but he had always just thought of the dark-haired recruit as a friend. After being kissed by the Man, Legolas would never love another again. But even if his beloved rejected him, he would still need to do his duty as a Prince of Mirkwood. Yulion, as the son of a nobleman in Rivendell, would not be a bad match. A union with him would solidify the friendly ties between Mirkwood and Imladris. Maybe given time, he could learn to care for the dark-haired Elf as a mate.
It was in this pensive, depressed mood that Haldir and Gimli found their friend. Haldir figured that the Prince would be at a place where he shared some precious moments with the Man. Since Gimli had the misfortune of interrupting the couple three nights ago, the Dwarf was able to lead the way to Legolas' secluded hiding place. "That was a brave thing you did, laddie."
Startled out of his thoughts, Legolas leapt to his feet to face his friends. Trying his best to sound cheery, he muttered, "Thanks."
"Don't worry, laddie, he will come tonight. If a Dwarf lass announce her love for me in front of a crowd like you did, I will fly to her side within a second," said Gimli in an attempt to comfort his gentle friend. The young Elf's worries were so great that even the Dwarf could feel it in the air.
"If he doesn't, you still have some very good options," reasoned Haldir. He wanted Aragorn to come, but he did not want to get his friend's hopes up too high only to have them dashed tonight. It would be much better for Legolas to go to the festival without too much expectation.
"Haldir! You are not helping!" exclaimed the indignant Dwarf, not understanding why the Lòrien Elf was not trying to help him comfort their friend.
"Glorfindel is in love with you, you know," commented the archer nonchalantly.
That got the Prince's attention. He never thought a great, experienced warrior like Glorfindel would be attracted to an effeminate introvert like himself. "You must be joking."
"I am serious. Judging by the looks of it, he has been for a while," said Haldir solemnly. When the stunned look on his friend's face faded a little, he continued, "My guess is that if Aragorn doesn't show, both Yulion and Glorfindel will propose tonight."
Legolas continued to stare agape at his older friend. He knew Haldir was much more experienced with romantic relationships than he was, so he trusted the Lòrien Elf's judgment. But this would definitely complicate matters. Politically speaking, he could not agree to Glorfindel's suit because that would require his moving to Rivendell permanently. His father would never agree to such a thing. He could not agree to Yulion's offer either. He knew for a fact that Glorfindel would feel slighted if he chose the younger Rivendell Elf.
If his heart belonged to either one of them, he could still justify whatever choice he made. But it belonged only to Aragorn, and both suitors knew this. Which meant that the one Legolas did not choose would think the Prince thought he was not good enough. With his two options being very popular Elves, Legolas knew he would be making enemies with either choice he made. The last thing the Golden Elf wanted was hard feelings between himself and those at Rivendell. All this amounted to one conclusion - if Aragorn did not come tonight, he would make some excuse to stay celibate for all eternity and leave the Elven City alone.
"Laddie, you okay?" asked Gimli, voice gruff with concern. He wanted to hit the Guardian of Lòrien for bringing more troubles onto his friend's already troubled mind. But he figured that would only make Legolas unhappier.
"Yes. I am all right. Can you help me make preparations for my journey back to Mirkwood? If Aragorn doesn't come, I am leaving tonight," answered the Prince as he began to walk back to the palace.
"Are you sure?" asked Haldir, putting a hand on his young friend's shoulder. He wanted the Prince to be happy. And leaving for Mirkwood alone guaranteed that that would not happen.
"There is no other way, Haldir. I cannot choose if they both ask," replied Legolas, shaking his head sadly.
"In that case, I will see to it that they don't ask," vowed Haldir before leaving his innocent friend and Gimli. No matter how much work it took, the Lòrien Elf would make sure the two suitors would not force Legolas into living the rest of his life alone.
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As Haldir went through the palace searching for the Prince's would-be suitors, he was accosted by the younger twin. The situation with his young friend was pressing. He needed to concentrate on the matters at hand. "Elrohir, I don't have time for this right now."
"I can help convince Aragorn to come," offered the younger twin sincerely, batting long eyelashes at the Guardian of Lòrien as he spoke.
"Thanks, you go do that then," replied Haldir curtly as he tried to walk away.
"I thought we can go find my foster brother together," whined Elrohir, disappointed that the archer seemed so adverse to his company.
"I am not looking for Aragorn. I need to talk to Yulion and Glorfindel in case the stupid Man doesn't show tonight," explained the frustrated Lòrien Elf. He really was getting sick of handling everything on his own. He wanted to help Legolas, but he would like to have some help while doing so. The gruff Dwarf was too impulsive to be of any use. Ramiren was too tongue-tied when speaking with anyone of importance. The fact that Aragorn was so stubborn and thickheaded did not help matters one bit.
"Just tell me what's happening, Haldir. I can help," offered the younger twin with another sincere smile, wanting to lighten the archer's burden. He knew his older brother got a peck on the cheek from the object of their affections by being nice and helpful. He could play that game too.
Haldir debated for a while whether to disclose the details of the situation to the younger twin. He did not trust Elrohir much, but he could use some help. He knew the younger twin only wanted to sleep with him, but at least Elrohir was willing to make the pretense of being helpful. And in this case, Elrohir might actually be able to help, seeing that the younger twin took after his father in craftiness. "You probably know that Yulion and Glorfindel are both infatuated with Legolas. I am certain that if Aragorn doesn't show, they will make an offer for the Prince's hand. But he cannot choose between them since he isn't in love with either one of them. If they propose, Legolas is going to return to Mirkwood and be unhappy forever.."
"So you take it upon yourself to make sure they don't propose," finished Elrohir quietly.
"Yes," sighed Haldir. He knew his job would not be easy. He was in particular not looking forward to speaking with the fair-haired Lord of Imladris. The archer might be capable and intelligent, but he did not have the poise or diplomatic training Legolas had. Trying to convince Glorfindel without annoying him might be a problem. This was where the younger twin came in. As the fair-haired Elf-lord was particularly a member of Elrohir's family, it would be much easier for the son of Elrond to conduct this conversation without repercussion.
"Don't worry, handsome, I will take care of Glorfindel," smiled Elrohir, realizing immediately where the Lòrien archer's problems lied. As he took Haldir's hand and brushed it gently against his lips, he added softly "Trust me."
Haldir smiled gratefully at the younger twin. All would have been well if Elladan did not choose that precise moment to walk into the pair. "What's going on?" growled the older twin at his brother. The agreement was that neither would try anything without the archer's permission. And a kiss on the hand ought to be included on the list of things not to do!
"Nothing. Haldir just trusted me with an important assignment," boasted Elrohir as he walked off in search of the fair-haired Elf lord. Even if he had to tie Glorfindel to a chair, he would not fail to stop the Eldar from making his proposal tonight. But he was certain he could convince his ancient friend to give Legolas more time to get over his heartbreak with gentle persuasion. This was his chance to outshine his brother. He would have a grateful Haldir in his bed before the end of the week.
"What did you ask him to do?" demanded Elladan roughly, jealous that Haldir had trusted his brother with something important. He thought the archer liked him more!
"Please Elladan, I don't want to deal with this right now. Can't you just leave me alone?" pleaded Haldir, sounding a bit desperate. He needed to hunt down Yulion, made sure the younger Elf would know what not to do tonight. After that, he needed to talk to Aragorn to try to convince him to go. He did not wish to think of the mess he was personally in at the moment. He had enough on his mind trying to help Legolas sort this out.
"If that's what you want," whispered Elladan sadly as he turned to trod away. He really cared about Haldir and wanted to make him happy. But apparently the Guardian of Lòrien preferred his brother. He supposed there was no reason for the archer not to. Elrohir was the smarter one, probably a better match for the intelligent, cunning Haldir. Elladan was always the slower, impulsive, more straightforward one of the two.
The hurt in the older twin's voice was unmistakable. The archer felt horrible that he should be the one causing it. He never thought that Elladan cared enough about him to be hurt by a simple dismissal. He was just as cold to Elrohir and that did not seemed to discourage the younger twin from continuing to coax him at all. Legolas was right; the older son of Elrond liked him - not just for sex, but in a much deeper way. "Elladan, wait."
Trying to hide his heartbreak, the older twin schooled his features as much as he could into a mask of calm before turning to face the object of his hopeless love. "Yes?"
"I am sorry. I have a lot of things on my mind. I shouldn't have taken it out on you. I really want to help Legolas, and until things get sorted out, I don't want to think about my own personal life. Please understand," explained the Lòrien Elf, holding the older twin's eyes. He wanted to erase the pain he saw there. A sweet caring Elf like Elladan deserved so much better than the impatient and harsh treatment Haldir gave him before.
"It's okay," replied Elrond's older son with a smile, hope shining in his eyes once more. Even the less quick Elladan knew that if Haldir did not care about him at all, the archer would not bother to explain his earlier actions. "Is there anything I can do?"
"Maybe you can talk to Yulion for me, ask him not to propose to Legolas tonight," said Haldir indecisively. He trusted Elladan, but he also knew the older twin was not as articulate as his younger brother. There was a possibility that the dark-haired Elf would fail to convince Yulion. But if he were going to consider accepting Elladan as mate, he would have to believe in the older twin's abilities.
"I know I am not the most eloquent Elf in Rivendell, but I will not fail you," replied Elladan, sensing his beloved's uncertainty. This was his chance to prove that though his brother was brighter, he was still capable of taking care of Haldir should the seductive Elf needed his help. He would succeed, no matter what it took.
"Thanks, I will go tell Aragorn what Legolas said then," replied the archer with a smile as he grasped Elladan's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before turning away. Though this was only a simple touch, the older twin knew it was worth as much as the most passionate kiss. It was a sign of trust; and that was the first step towards a relationship.
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So it was that the stage was set for the harvest festival feast. How would this story end? Even if the twins succeeded in their missions, everything rested on the shoulders of one Man. Even the talented Haldir knew he could only relay his friend's message; this would be the Human's decision alone. Would Aragorn forgive the Prince and come to give Legolas the kiss that marked the beginning of a new stage of his life? Or would he be stupid and hurt the darling of everyone's dreams? There was naught anyone could do but wait with the Golden Prince for his destiny.
Please, please review.
A/N: This is the second to last chapter. Was going to make it the last chapter, but it just got way too long. It's like 16 pages now, and I am still not done, so I am posting it so that people know I am still alive and writing =) Legolas speech inspired by Josie's article in the movie. Sap warning ahead. I went a bit overboard with the speech =)
It's been fun writing this story. I am very pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic responses from the readers. I did not expect this to be as long or as well-received when I first started. Thanks again for all the reviews, they mean lots to me.
There won't be a sequel; sorry if that disappoints people. But since the logical sequel would be Haldir/Elladan and I only write A/L, there won't be one =)
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Chapter 25:
Glorfindel watched with envious eyes as the dark-haired youngster rode behind the Golden Prince on the same horse. Life was so unfair! The Elf- lord had known the fair-haired beauty for much longer than Yulion, but he had yet to even hold Legolas' hand. And here the young one was, sitting behind the Prince, getting a taste of how that perfect body would feel against his.
How Glorfindel wished that Elves greeted their kinsman with kisses or hugs. Even Men had the sense to do something more intimate in greeting than putting their arm across the chest and bowing their heads. The ancient Elf would have settled for a soft kiss on the Prince's hand or encircling Legolas' lithe form in his arms or a gentle peck on the cheek or...
The Elf-lord thoughts were interrupted when he almost ran into a low hanging branch. Thank the Valar for heightened Elven senses and reflexes. It would have been extremely embarrassing to be knocked off his horse by a tree, in front of every single warrior in Rivendell no less. But anyway, Glorfindel's point was that if he ever discovered the prudes who invented their current form of greeting, he would give them a piece of his mind, preferably a taste of his fists and sword as well. If not for them, Glorfindel would have known how it felt to touch the object of his affections long ago.
The fair-haired Eldar's expression was not lost on his long time friend. While it was amusing at first to watch an irked Glorfindel, its entertainment value depreciated rather quickly, especially when the blond Elf would not respond to any of Elrond's jibes. The Lord of Rivendell decided it would be much more fun to tease Glorfindel than watch him stare jealously at Yulion. He would give his old friend a hand.
"Legolas, why don't you come ride with Glorfindel beside me? I would like to take a better look at your injuries. We also have much to discuss concerning the Joint Army," suggested Elrond. As he saw Glorfindel jumped slightly in surprise and then blushed bright red, he had to work extremely hard to suppress the smirk threatening to form. Things would get so interesting if the Prince stays in Rivendell until the end of warrior training.
"Sure," answered the Prince with an innocent smile. Elrond really wondered how one so beautiful could possibly not know the effects he had on everyone who was even in the slightest degree interested in males.
Yulion did not like the idea at all. To say he was enjoying the sensation of the Prince's body against his own was a significant understatement. Though he had to work extremely hard to suppress a certain part of his body from getting overly excited, the experience of having the golden Elf so close was well worth the effort. But Elrond was the Lord of Rivendell. The recruit had no choice but to stop his horse and allow Legolas to go to Glorfindel.
Determined to be a gentleman, the dark-haired Elf leapt onto the ground and offered a hand to help the injured Prince dismount. As Legolas smiled sweetly, taking the proffered hand, Yulion could not stop himself from casting a 'see, he-likes-me' smirk at the two ancient Elf-lords. The younger Elf proceeded to walk the Prince to Glorfindel's horse. He was rather looking forward to helping Legolas mount the animal as that would reward him with a quick contact with the beauty's shapely backside. But, the fair-haired Elf lord had already dismounted and was blocking his way.
Glaring at Yulion pointedly, the Eldar took the Prince's arm and helped Legolas onto the horse before re-mounting. The look would have sent Balrogs running for cover, but the young dark-haired Elf merely returned the glare with one of his own. As the saying goes, 'love makes fools of everyone'; Yulion's affections for the Prince had dimmed his sense of self- preservation by a rather significant degree.
Noting the silent staring contest between the competitors for Legolas' attention, Elrond knew the harvest festival tonight would be a very 'exciting' affair. The dark-haired Eldar could not think of a better way to relax after a battle than a bit of 'personal drama'. Besides, it would be in Rivendell's interest for Glorfindel to succeed in courting the Prince of Mirkwood. The Golden Elf was a genius with many talents, not to mention the only one in Thranduil's halls with brains rather than brawn. If Legolas were to wed the other Lord of Imladris, he would have to move to Rivendell to be with his beloved. With the tactical advisor of Mirkwood on Elrond's side, his realm's superiority over Thranduil's would be guaranteed.
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"Did you see what I just saw?" whispered Haldir as he watched the interactions between Yulion, Glorfindel and his young friend.
"Yeah. Didn't know Glorfindel is into males," replied Elrohir, beating his older twin to give the answer. It was clear that the Guardian of Lòrien somehow favored his brother, which was completely unfair since he was the one who started liking Haldir first.
"What's happening?" asked Gimli, whose view was blocked by the Elf sitting in front. He tried shifting to get a peek, but to no avail.
"Shall I describe it to you? Or shall I teach you how to stand on a horse?" teased Haldir, glancing back and down at his Dwarven companion. The Lòrien Elf had taken a liking to Gimli, though they could not be more different. He supposed it was their common goal in seeing the Prince happy that bound them.
"Hah, very funny!" retorted the Dwarf, rolling his eyes but stilling all movements to get around Haldir.
"I think our little brother is going to have competition," muttered Elladan to his twin.
During the battle, the two had to set aside their arguments and worked together. After saving each other's life a few times, they reached a tentative agreement. They would fight for Haldir's affections fair and square, no underhanded tactics, no trying anything without the Lòrien Elf's permission. And no matter what happened, they would abide by Haldir's decision.
"Well, we know that already. Yulion likes the golden Elf," replied Elrohir, in a tone of voice that suggested Elladan must be blind or really dumb to not see the Prince had more than one suitor ever since he came to the competition of skills as an angel in white.
"Yulion isn't exactly competition. The Prince likes the strong, silent type, and Yulion doesn't fit the bill," retorted Elladan, not liking his twin's patronizing tone. He knew what Elrohir was trying to do; he was trying to make him look dumb in front of Haldir. There was no way the older twin would let him succeed.
Haldir watched the two dark-haired Elves bickered among themselves. He liked Elladan much better when he was not around his younger brother. He seemed so more reserved and mature, almost 'boyfriend material'. If the Lòrien archer decided to take a male lover, he wanted him to be thoughtful and caring, willing to share his responsibilities and troubles. It would be someone he did not have to pamper or try to impress. But most importantly, it had to be someone he did not have to watch over all the time to keep out of trouble.
As the twins squabbled like children on their horses, Haldir was beginning to think he made a mistake in giving Elladan that kiss the night before. Now that the Rivendell Elves knew he was not entirely adverse to the idea of a male lover, the Guardian knew things would get very difficult - they would never leave him alone. Haldir needed to find a way to return to his quiet life in Lothlòrien as soon as possible. He did not want things to progress to a point where he had to do bodily harm to Elrond's sons to keep them from driving him insane.
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It was almost dawn when Aragorn awoke feeling light-headed and wet. The Man could not remember anything that happened at the festival after he drank Arwen's wine. Even in his woozy state, he knew his ex-girlfriend had drugged him. The thought that he had been unconscious and at the Evenstar's mercy would have sent a lesser Man into shock, but Aragorn remained unfazed. He knew Elladan was on his side and would protect him if necessary. Besides, they were to march to Mirkwood in the morning; Elrond would never allow one of the three commanders of the Joint Army to be seriously maimed before the campaign.
At the moment, the Man was more curious about why he was wet. His clothes were dry, so he did not fall into the water. But every inch of the exposed skin on his face and hands were moist. As he brought his hands gingerly to his face, he realized the liquid was sticky and had a strange smell. Before Aragorn could ponder the enigma further, the answer jumped into his lap, literally. Sensing that its beloved had finally awoken, the overjoyed Milo leapt onto the bed and flung itself at the Man, licking his face voraciously. "Milo! Stop!"
Milo was not very happy to detect the annoyance in its beloved voice. After all, it had risked its life and saved the Man from the scary Lady. It deserved Aragorn's gratitude, not annoyance. The dog stopped his act of endearment and trotted back a few pace before barking, "Woof, woof, woee, woo.." which basically translated to "Milo saved Man. Man should thank Milo. Scratching tummy and behind the ears would be good"
Though Aragorn grew up with the Elves, he was not gifted in animal speech. He had absolutely no idea what the dog was talking about. All he knew was the noise was giving him a headache and that he was covered with Milo saliva, which was a very nasty thought. Instead of giving the little hero the reward it deserved, the Man got off the bed and headed to the bathing rooms.
To say Milo was disappointed was an understatement. That was when the intelligent critter realized Aragorn did not understand his words. The Man was not trying to slight him; he was just being 'thick-headed'. But Milo was determined to have his reward. If it could not get the caress it wanted, it would settle for a bath with its beloved, correction, its very naked, handsome beloved. As its small eyes roamed over Aragorn's gorgeous muscular form, the dog decided this was definitely better than his original idea. Since it had a feeling that the Man would be angry if it tried to lick him again, Milo suppressed his urges. It merely jumped into the bath with Aragorn.
The Man was of a mind to tell the dog off. But he knew that would just offend the critter and he would never have any peace. Instead, he decided to tolerate its presence as Milo seemed content with swimming quietly around him. "You can stay. Just don't lick me again, okay?"
To give up his favorite activity was not what Milo wanted; but the dog would say anything to keep its beloved happy. After all, people made promises they did not intend to keep all the time; why should the fact that Milo was a dog stop it from doing the same? Nodding its head as much as it could as it swam to stay afloat, the dog gave an enthusiastic bark. Catching the canine easily with one hand and rubbing its head with the other, Aragorn smiled, "That's a good dog. Now let's get cleaned up. It will be a big day today."
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Elrond walked into his foster son's rooms to find Aragorn in armor, ready to march for war. He knew the Man would be so upset when he recounted the events of the night. "We won't be marching to Mirkwood today."
The Man frowned. Could it be that his worst assumption was correct; that there was no real threat and Legolas had made it all up as a ruse to draw attention away from his espionage?
"In fact, we may not need to continue with training the Joint Army. I will call a council and discuss the current situation," added Elrond quietly.
The Elf-lord knew the victory last night had guaranteed the safety of all Elven Lands from Sauron's clutches. But, the World of Men was a different matter entirely. The Dark Lord already had allies among the humans; after this defeat, he would concentrate on enslaving all Men before using them as pawns against the Elves. Aragorn would soon need to return to his people and rise to meet his destiny as the Hope of Men.
"And what is the current situation?" inquired the Man, completely puzzled by the strange turn of events.
"The Orc forces in Northern Middle Earth were completely crushed last night. The Dark Lord is no longer a threat to the Elves," spoke Elrond slowly, wanting to give his foster son time to absorb the information.
"How is that possible? What happened last night?" demanded a very agitated Aragorn, who remembered nothing after being drugged by Arwen.
"Sauron planned a surprised attack on Rivendell during our harvest festival. Luckily for us, Prince Legolas and his company discovered the Orc armies. He sent his brother to warn us, while he delayed the beasts to give us time to set a trap. We suffered some minor losses, but all the creatures were destroyed."
As Elrond watched his shocked foster child struggled to breath, he realized it might be quite some time before the Man came to terms with the fact that he had just slept through a major battle against Sauron. Wanting to divert Aragorn's attention from the events of the night, the Elf-lord added, "We are having a lunch in Prince Legolas' honor. I suggest you get into something more comfortable before joining us."
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Glorfindel paced outside the guest room where the Princes of Mirkwood were staying. He was given the honor of escorting the two younger Elves to lunch. He had taken care to bathe and dress before coming here. But as Legolas was wounded from the previous night and required the attention of a healer, the Princes were not finished with their preparation for the meal. Haldir had arrived almost an hour ago, with a huge pile of clothes in hand, saying he would help his friends get ready.
All the fair-haired Elf-lord could do now was wait impatiently as he wondered what vision he would be gifted with today. The Golden Elf was always a feast for the eyes, no matter what he wore; but Glorfindel had his favorites, like that emerald green and gold outfit that highlighted the young Prince's exquisite colorings, or the white one that made Legolas looked so surreally beautiful that would put the Valar to shame. He considered for a moment what would happen if he volunteered to give the younger ones a hand. He was of half a mind to knock on the door when Gimli walked onto the scene. "They are not ready yet?"
"No," replied the Elf-lord quickly, slightly embarrassed that he was caught wanting to join the younger Elves while they were still getting dressed for lunch.
"If they are taking this long to get ready for lunch, I cannot imagine what will happen tonight at dinner. Come on, let's go in," said the Dwarf impatiently since he was very hungry after the night's fighting.
Gimli knew they could not begin eating until the guest of honor arrived, who happened to be Legolas in this case. Besides, the Prince was never this fussy about his appearance. The two older Elves must be giving him a hard time. Gimli knew they all wanted Legolas to look his best, seeing that Aragorn would be there; but this was excessive.
Before Glorfindel could protest, the Dwarf moved in front of him and opened the door. The Elf-lord was greeted by the sight of the Golden Elf wearing nothing but bandages around his chest and a towel. "No! I am NOT wearing that!" yelled the Prince as he flung some garments into the air at the door. As expected, the said clothes found themselves on Glorfindel's head instead of on Legolas' desirable body.
"Well, it is a good thing I am short," commented Gimli with a smirk as the ancient Elf removed the clothing that blocked his view of the object of his affections.
"Sorry," apologized Legolas sheepishly before blushing bright red at the inappropriateness of his state of dress.
"I..um...I mean... it's okay," stuttered Glorfindel with downcast eyes as he handed the garments back to the younger Elf. He wanted to drink in the sight of the scantily clothed Prince, but he knew that would be inappropriate behavior for an Eldar. He figured Legolas being a diplomat would like him better if he was 'polite' and 'proper'.
"Legolas, stop being difficult and get dressed already," chastised the Crown Prince of Mirkwood.
"I cannot agree more," concurred Haldir with a conspiring smile, winking at the Dwarf.
Gimli considered this for a moment and decided to agree with the Lòrien archer on this. After all, dressing up worked once, it might work again. It would be more difficult for Aragorn to stay angry if Legolas looked stunning enough to eat. "Come on, laddie, I am hungry."
Giving an exasperated sigh, the Prince took his outfit and went into the bathroom to change. "If anything happens, I will never speak to any of you again."
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"What is that about?" asked Gimli, curious about his friend's last statement before going to change.
"It's a very long story," chuckled Ramiren as he eyed Haldir, silently asking if he should recount the younger one's embarrassing tale.
The archer smiled and replied aloud, "There is no harm in telling them. Besides, it is only fair to give Lord Glorfindel some warning."
"Well, all the Princes of Mirkwood are presented at a 'coming of age ceremony' when they reach marriageable age. Let's just say Legolas generated a much bigger commotion among the members of the same sex than in the opposite one," explained Ramiren as the Lòrien Elf chuckled at the understatement of the century.
Haldir was on a mission to deliver something to King Thranduil for Lady Galadriel with his brothers at the time. He practically had to restrain his brothers from making inappropriate amorous advances on the Prince. And we were speaking of the sexy Rumil and Orophin who were not lacking admirers and lovers. One could imagine what those more desperate for a mate were doing. Though the intelligent Prince immediately recognized the danger to his virtue and sought to leave, the poor little innocent Elf did not get away without receiving a good amount of pawing and mauling from the hungry crowd. After that day, the traumatized Legolas decided never to wear formal clothes in his own realm, to hide in his library as much as possible when in Mirkwood and never to don the unlucky garments again.
A hitched breath caught the archer's ears. He knew without turning that Legolas had emerged; he could tell from the expression on Glorfindel's face - the open-mouthed, bulgy eyes stare which Haldir associated with someone seeing the Golden Prince in his full glory for the first time. "Satisfied?" asked a melodic voice, slightly raised in annoyance.
Turning to face his friend, even Haldir could not prevent his breath from being taken away. The Prince was every bit as gorgeous as he remembered, a vision in burgundy and black. The archer could swear never before had a beauty as such graced Middle Earth, male or female. His long, loose- fitting shirt was a mixture of velvet and chiffon, deep maroon on transparent black, with flowing sleeves and a draped neckline. Simple black leggings and a thin, glittering belt of golden leaves completed the outfit.
The deep colors provided a lush contrast to the Prince's fair coloring, highlighting his creamy soft skin and lustrous golden hair. While the rich velvet concealed, the light chiffon revealed, giving his admirers a silhouetted view of his perfect torso and arms. The free end of the belt dangled around the Elf's slim waist, swinging with his graceful strides, drawing attention to the natural beauty of his long, shapely legs showcased by the simplicity of his black leggings. Legolas' golden hair was no longer in braids. Instead, they were kept back with clips in the shape of ruby and onyx butterflies. Completing the masterpiece was the young Prince's shy expression, turning the look from that of smoldering temptress to an innocent, yet sensuous angel.
"Well, one thing's for sure. Aragorn will definitely notice," commented Gimli, who was the first to come out of his stupor, as he had the advantage of being of a different species and thus, with a different standard of beauty. Glorfindel was still dumb-founded, Haldir was still appraising, and Ramiren was still amazed by the transformation of his introvert brother into the Golden Prince of Mirkwood.
At the statement, however, the fair-haired Elf-lord immediately snapped out of his trance. "Aragorn?" hissed the ancient Elf, disliking the implications that the human already held his Prince's affections.
Gimli was not one who was easily intimidated; but looking at the Eldar now, he wondered if any Dwarf had ever been faced with a scarier sight. Gulping loudly, the Dwarf answered, "Legolas and Aragorn are together."
As the sounds - "Together?" and "Gimli!" were made simultaneously in the room, Haldir felt it necessary to explain the situation. It was obvious that the Elf-lord was infatuated with the Prince and Legolas knew nothing of the older Elf's feelings. Given the way things were with Aragorn, the archer thought it would not be a bad thing to have a backup plan. If the Man decided to be stupid again and hurt his young friend's feelings, Glorfindel would be the perfect candidate to help Legolas pick up the pieces of his broken heart. The Eldar was protective, strong, wise and most important of all, head-over-heels in love with the Golden Prince. In terms of looks, the Elf-lord was in no way inferior to the Man. With his pale blond hair, intelligent green eyes and well-sculpted, aristocratic features, Glorfindel was quite handsome, even for an Elf.
"Well, they are not really together at the moment. Aragorn is angry with Legolas for being a spy and walked out on him yesterday afternoon."
"Haldir! I would really appreciate it if you do not talk about my private life so freely," exclaimed the Prince, trying his best to sound irritated.
But even Legolas' best act could not hide the hurt interlaced within the words. Glorfindel cast a tender, sympathetic look at the object of his affections while he mentally rejoiced and vowed never to let anyone hurt the gentle Elf again. Wanting to distract the Prince, the Elf-lord suggested, "Why don't we go to lunch? I bet everyone is starving."
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Aragorn sat alone in his rooms, debating whether he should go. That statement was not actually correct since Milo was with him. But the intelligent dog, sensing its beloved's brooding mood, was sitting quiet as a statue on the bed next to the Man. One might mistook him for an extremely life-like stuffed animal if one was not looking carefully. The point was that the Man knew Legolas would be there, looking absolutely stunning. And his heart and body was telling him to get moving while his brain demanded that he stayed here.
The rational side of him knew the moment he laid eyes of the beautiful spy, he would lose all resolve and forgive everything. That he did not want to do; no, correction, after all the things that happened, that was something he refused to do. He would not allow himself to jump head first into this relationship anymore. The agony in his heart taught him that lesson.
They needed to talk, alone, when the Prince was not dressed to impress. The Man needed to know how much of what he loved was the real Legolas and how much of it was the fake Lasgalen created for the mission. He wanted the Golden Elf to prove his love, to convince him that what they had was worth risking his heart for. After all the deceit, the Man wanted to be sure that he could trust Legolas before granting forgiveness. This, Aragorn knew, would not happen at this lunch. The Prince would likely be flocked by every warrior in attendance. He would not get a moment alone with Legolas, which meant he had no reason to go.
It was at this moment that the deciding factor marched into the door, glaring at him with menacing eyes that could freeze the Ringwraiths in fear. Arwen the Destroyer had come to pay a visit. Aragorn knew he must end the rift with the Evenstar properly before he could move on. Though he did not have magic, he could not hide behind Elladan for protection forever. He was a warrior, and a great one at that; he would fight his own battles. Leaping off his bed and walking to the Lady with proud, fearless strides, the Man proposed, "Perhaps we should take this outside."
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Almost all eyes were glued to Legolas throughout the entire meal. Even Elrond was caught staring from time to time, thinking how Glorfindel would owe him at least two cases of Middle Earth's best wine for arranging the seats to allow the fair-haired Lord to sit with the Golden Prince. The lunch took longer than Elrond anticipated since, as graceful and agile as the Elves were, it was difficult to eat without looking at their utensils and food. Not to mention it was difficult not to choke on something every time Legolas offered a polite smile to the Lords of Imladris.
Yulion did not bother to touch his food; he was too busy seething at the blatant favoritism Elrond had shown the other ancient Elf. Glorfindel was obviously too old and stuffy for the vivacious Legolas. Yet the dark- haired Elf-lord seemed to be supporting his old friend's suit despite the age and personality difference. This was just unfair. But the intelligent young Elf also realized that in the end, the only thing that mattered would be who the Prince chose. The Eldars could scheme all they wanted, but they were not the one who saved the Golden Elf from the Orcs. Yulion knew that his selfless act counted for something.
The young recruit also had one more advantage; Legolas already knew Yulion had feelings for him. From his observation of the interactions between the three at the head of the table, he knew the Prince was still oblivious of Glorfindel's affections. It would take some time before the fair-haired Eldar to make his move without startling the innocent golden Elf. If Yulion acted quickly, he could make an offer for Legolas' hand before the Elf-lord could even confess his feelings. In fact, the dark-haired recruit decided he would profess his love and propose tonight at the harvest festival. He hoped that things were truly over between the object of his affections and Aragorn. Yulion reckoned that the Man was the only serious competition he had for the Prince's heart.
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When Lord Elrond saw that everyone was finally finished with their meals, he stood, moved onto the center of a small stage behind the table and orated, "We are gathered here this afternoon to honor a very special Elf. Without him, Rivendell would have been trampled underneath the feet of the Orcs. Prince Legolas, on behalf of the city, I give you my thanks. As a token of our gratitude, we offer you a gift; you may have any treasure in Rivendell."
"I ask for only one thing, my Lord. Estel," said the Prince with a smile as he walked to stand beside the Lord of Rivendell.
"Estel?" repeated Elrond with a frown, uncertain of what the young Elf meant.
"The Lady Arwen's magical parrot, my lord," clarified Legolas, realizing that the Elf-lord did not know the bird was named after Aragorn. He wanted the Man too, more than anything else in the world. But human Estel was not some treasure to be won through a heroic deed.
The Lord of Rivendell narrowed his eyes and considered his options. Arwen was his favorite child and he did not wish to upset her by taking her pet away. But he had also given his word in front of the entire city; he could not refuse the Prince his request. That was when he remembered how the Evenstar drugged his foster son, knowing the Joint Army was set to march the next morning. His willful daughter deserved punishment for putting her personal need for revenge before the good of their people. Losing her little Estel would be a lesson she would never forget. "Very well, my Prince. Parrot Estel is yours."
"I thank you for your generosity, my lord," replied Legolas with a small bow.
"It is customary for our guest of honor to give a speech. My Prince," said Elrond as he stepped aside and gestured for Legolas to take the center stage.
This was the moment Legolas was waiting for. He had been thinking about this for the entire morning. This was his chance to explain his actions, to apologize and beg for forgiveness from the one he loved. He originally thought to offer his most sincere apology in private to his beloved, but he knew he never lied to Aragorn anymore than he did to everyone at Rivendell. He owed the city and the recruits an explanation too. Everyone here had taught him so much, not just about fighting but also about himself. He would make his atonement here publicly.
"It isn't supposed to be like this. I was just trying to do my job. And then things happened.. And now I am here. Two months ago, if someone told me I would be standing in front of a group of warriors, addressing them because I have done my part in a battle, I would have laughed. A nerd to the core, I spent most of my time in my study staring at maps and scrolls. And when I went out, I wore my princely mask, so that no one could see the uncertain, 'abnormal' Elf inside.
A month ago, I received an assignment to come to Rivendell as a recruit and keep an eye on the Joint Army. After the disaster that was my first warrior training, it is understandable that returning to Army camp was like my worst nightmare. I found that not much had changed - the fraternity and the loyalty the trainees all shared were still there, the way the popular ones picked on those less fortunate was still the same. All these things made me miserable at 150. But at 1025, I finally see that this is the way it should be.
Warrior training is a time that makes us who we are for years to come. Going through it the first time made me who I am; but this second time made me see that being who I am is all right. I always wanted to be a capable warrior, to be just like everyone else; but now, thanks to my commanders and fellow trainees, I have gained the confidence to stay the way I am, firmly and happily. I will never forget it is the Joint Army and Rivendell that gave me this experience. And here, I want to apologize for all the lies I told trying to fulfill my original mission. I never meant to hurt anyone.
I have lived a lifetime of regrets after my first warrior training, and now, my regrets are down to one. Someone was hurt in my path to self- discovery; though this public apology is a step, it in no way makes up for what I did to him. To this Man, you know who you are, I am so sorry. And I would like to add one more thing. I am in love with you. I have never kissed a guy until that night two weeks ago. And ever since that moment, I knew you are the one I want to be with.
If you are willing to forgive me, I ask that you come to the harvest festival tonight and kiss me with Rivendell as witness. I am finally ready to start living the rest of my life, comfortable with who I truly am, and it would be magical if I can do it with you. Because for all the things that happened, nothing has changed. Inside, I am still that introvert afraid to be loved, and you are still the one person who can kiss me and make it all better."
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While the female members of the audience were swooning from the Prince's sweet, romantic speech, most of the male Elven warriors were left with one emotion, envy. The recruits of the Joint Army who had witnessed the kiss wondered what their human commander had done to warrant the Golden beauty's affections. The older warriors all wondered who it was that stole Legolas' heart.
The nicer and gentler ones hoped the Man would come to kiss the Prince, believing that an exquisite gem like Legolas deserved happiness. Others who knew of what occurred wanted to scream at Aragorn for being stupid enough to not treasure the Golden Elf like the jewel he was. And the last faction, those a bit more prone to influences from the 'dark-side', wanted to prevent this said person from attending the harvest festival, by force if necessary, so they could have a chance. But before the audience could make any visible responses, Legolas bowed and left the stage, disappearing quickly down the winding corridors leading away from the banquet hall.
The Prince moved swiftly through the forest, senses on the highest alert for any admirers who might be following. Sitting alone in the solitude of the woods, Legolas knew all he could do was wait. He had made his apology; it was entirely up to Aragorn now to decide whether to forgive him or not. Though it broke his heart to think that the Man would not come kiss him, he knew he must prepare for the worst. After all, Aragorn was so angry with him that the Man would not even come to this lunch in his honor.
Legolas knew that if Aragorn did not want him, he would have to decide on a husband as soon as possible. To delay would introduce rivalry between warriors and weaken the unity of his people. This the Prince could not allow. He knew Yulion liked him; but he had always just thought of the dark-haired recruit as a friend. After being kissed by the Man, Legolas would never love another again. But even if his beloved rejected him, he would still need to do his duty as a Prince of Mirkwood. Yulion, as the son of a nobleman in Rivendell, would not be a bad match. A union with him would solidify the friendly ties between Mirkwood and Imladris. Maybe given time, he could learn to care for the dark-haired Elf as a mate.
It was in this pensive, depressed mood that Haldir and Gimli found their friend. Haldir figured that the Prince would be at a place where he shared some precious moments with the Man. Since Gimli had the misfortune of interrupting the couple three nights ago, the Dwarf was able to lead the way to Legolas' secluded hiding place. "That was a brave thing you did, laddie."
Startled out of his thoughts, Legolas leapt to his feet to face his friends. Trying his best to sound cheery, he muttered, "Thanks."
"Don't worry, laddie, he will come tonight. If a Dwarf lass announce her love for me in front of a crowd like you did, I will fly to her side within a second," said Gimli in an attempt to comfort his gentle friend. The young Elf's worries were so great that even the Dwarf could feel it in the air.
"If he doesn't, you still have some very good options," reasoned Haldir. He wanted Aragorn to come, but he did not want to get his friend's hopes up too high only to have them dashed tonight. It would be much better for Legolas to go to the festival without too much expectation.
"Haldir! You are not helping!" exclaimed the indignant Dwarf, not understanding why the Lòrien Elf was not trying to help him comfort their friend.
"Glorfindel is in love with you, you know," commented the archer nonchalantly.
That got the Prince's attention. He never thought a great, experienced warrior like Glorfindel would be attracted to an effeminate introvert like himself. "You must be joking."
"I am serious. Judging by the looks of it, he has been for a while," said Haldir solemnly. When the stunned look on his friend's face faded a little, he continued, "My guess is that if Aragorn doesn't show, both Yulion and Glorfindel will propose tonight."
Legolas continued to stare agape at his older friend. He knew Haldir was much more experienced with romantic relationships than he was, so he trusted the Lòrien Elf's judgment. But this would definitely complicate matters. Politically speaking, he could not agree to Glorfindel's suit because that would require his moving to Rivendell permanently. His father would never agree to such a thing. He could not agree to Yulion's offer either. He knew for a fact that Glorfindel would feel slighted if he chose the younger Rivendell Elf.
If his heart belonged to either one of them, he could still justify whatever choice he made. But it belonged only to Aragorn, and both suitors knew this. Which meant that the one Legolas did not choose would think the Prince thought he was not good enough. With his two options being very popular Elves, Legolas knew he would be making enemies with either choice he made. The last thing the Golden Elf wanted was hard feelings between himself and those at Rivendell. All this amounted to one conclusion - if Aragorn did not come tonight, he would make some excuse to stay celibate for all eternity and leave the Elven City alone.
"Laddie, you okay?" asked Gimli, voice gruff with concern. He wanted to hit the Guardian of Lòrien for bringing more troubles onto his friend's already troubled mind. But he figured that would only make Legolas unhappier.
"Yes. I am all right. Can you help me make preparations for my journey back to Mirkwood? If Aragorn doesn't come, I am leaving tonight," answered the Prince as he began to walk back to the palace.
"Are you sure?" asked Haldir, putting a hand on his young friend's shoulder. He wanted the Prince to be happy. And leaving for Mirkwood alone guaranteed that that would not happen.
"There is no other way, Haldir. I cannot choose if they both ask," replied Legolas, shaking his head sadly.
"In that case, I will see to it that they don't ask," vowed Haldir before leaving his innocent friend and Gimli. No matter how much work it took, the Lòrien Elf would make sure the two suitors would not force Legolas into living the rest of his life alone.
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As Haldir went through the palace searching for the Prince's would-be suitors, he was accosted by the younger twin. The situation with his young friend was pressing. He needed to concentrate on the matters at hand. "Elrohir, I don't have time for this right now."
"I can help convince Aragorn to come," offered the younger twin sincerely, batting long eyelashes at the Guardian of Lòrien as he spoke.
"Thanks, you go do that then," replied Haldir curtly as he tried to walk away.
"I thought we can go find my foster brother together," whined Elrohir, disappointed that the archer seemed so adverse to his company.
"I am not looking for Aragorn. I need to talk to Yulion and Glorfindel in case the stupid Man doesn't show tonight," explained the frustrated Lòrien Elf. He really was getting sick of handling everything on his own. He wanted to help Legolas, but he would like to have some help while doing so. The gruff Dwarf was too impulsive to be of any use. Ramiren was too tongue-tied when speaking with anyone of importance. The fact that Aragorn was so stubborn and thickheaded did not help matters one bit.
"Just tell me what's happening, Haldir. I can help," offered the younger twin with another sincere smile, wanting to lighten the archer's burden. He knew his older brother got a peck on the cheek from the object of their affections by being nice and helpful. He could play that game too.
Haldir debated for a while whether to disclose the details of the situation to the younger twin. He did not trust Elrohir much, but he could use some help. He knew the younger twin only wanted to sleep with him, but at least Elrohir was willing to make the pretense of being helpful. And in this case, Elrohir might actually be able to help, seeing that the younger twin took after his father in craftiness. "You probably know that Yulion and Glorfindel are both infatuated with Legolas. I am certain that if Aragorn doesn't show, they will make an offer for the Prince's hand. But he cannot choose between them since he isn't in love with either one of them. If they propose, Legolas is going to return to Mirkwood and be unhappy forever.."
"So you take it upon yourself to make sure they don't propose," finished Elrohir quietly.
"Yes," sighed Haldir. He knew his job would not be easy. He was in particular not looking forward to speaking with the fair-haired Lord of Imladris. The archer might be capable and intelligent, but he did not have the poise or diplomatic training Legolas had. Trying to convince Glorfindel without annoying him might be a problem. This was where the younger twin came in. As the fair-haired Elf-lord was particularly a member of Elrohir's family, it would be much easier for the son of Elrond to conduct this conversation without repercussion.
"Don't worry, handsome, I will take care of Glorfindel," smiled Elrohir, realizing immediately where the Lòrien archer's problems lied. As he took Haldir's hand and brushed it gently against his lips, he added softly "Trust me."
Haldir smiled gratefully at the younger twin. All would have been well if Elladan did not choose that precise moment to walk into the pair. "What's going on?" growled the older twin at his brother. The agreement was that neither would try anything without the archer's permission. And a kiss on the hand ought to be included on the list of things not to do!
"Nothing. Haldir just trusted me with an important assignment," boasted Elrohir as he walked off in search of the fair-haired Elf lord. Even if he had to tie Glorfindel to a chair, he would not fail to stop the Eldar from making his proposal tonight. But he was certain he could convince his ancient friend to give Legolas more time to get over his heartbreak with gentle persuasion. This was his chance to outshine his brother. He would have a grateful Haldir in his bed before the end of the week.
"What did you ask him to do?" demanded Elladan roughly, jealous that Haldir had trusted his brother with something important. He thought the archer liked him more!
"Please Elladan, I don't want to deal with this right now. Can't you just leave me alone?" pleaded Haldir, sounding a bit desperate. He needed to hunt down Yulion, made sure the younger Elf would know what not to do tonight. After that, he needed to talk to Aragorn to try to convince him to go. He did not wish to think of the mess he was personally in at the moment. He had enough on his mind trying to help Legolas sort this out.
"If that's what you want," whispered Elladan sadly as he turned to trod away. He really cared about Haldir and wanted to make him happy. But apparently the Guardian of Lòrien preferred his brother. He supposed there was no reason for the archer not to. Elrohir was the smarter one, probably a better match for the intelligent, cunning Haldir. Elladan was always the slower, impulsive, more straightforward one of the two.
The hurt in the older twin's voice was unmistakable. The archer felt horrible that he should be the one causing it. He never thought that Elladan cared enough about him to be hurt by a simple dismissal. He was just as cold to Elrohir and that did not seemed to discourage the younger twin from continuing to coax him at all. Legolas was right; the older son of Elrond liked him - not just for sex, but in a much deeper way. "Elladan, wait."
Trying to hide his heartbreak, the older twin schooled his features as much as he could into a mask of calm before turning to face the object of his hopeless love. "Yes?"
"I am sorry. I have a lot of things on my mind. I shouldn't have taken it out on you. I really want to help Legolas, and until things get sorted out, I don't want to think about my own personal life. Please understand," explained the Lòrien Elf, holding the older twin's eyes. He wanted to erase the pain he saw there. A sweet caring Elf like Elladan deserved so much better than the impatient and harsh treatment Haldir gave him before.
"It's okay," replied Elrond's older son with a smile, hope shining in his eyes once more. Even the less quick Elladan knew that if Haldir did not care about him at all, the archer would not bother to explain his earlier actions. "Is there anything I can do?"
"Maybe you can talk to Yulion for me, ask him not to propose to Legolas tonight," said Haldir indecisively. He trusted Elladan, but he also knew the older twin was not as articulate as his younger brother. There was a possibility that the dark-haired Elf would fail to convince Yulion. But if he were going to consider accepting Elladan as mate, he would have to believe in the older twin's abilities.
"I know I am not the most eloquent Elf in Rivendell, but I will not fail you," replied Elladan, sensing his beloved's uncertainty. This was his chance to prove that though his brother was brighter, he was still capable of taking care of Haldir should the seductive Elf needed his help. He would succeed, no matter what it took.
"Thanks, I will go tell Aragorn what Legolas said then," replied the archer with a smile as he grasped Elladan's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before turning away. Though this was only a simple touch, the older twin knew it was worth as much as the most passionate kiss. It was a sign of trust; and that was the first step towards a relationship.
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So it was that the stage was set for the harvest festival feast. How would this story end? Even if the twins succeeded in their missions, everything rested on the shoulders of one Man. Even the talented Haldir knew he could only relay his friend's message; this would be the Human's decision alone. Would Aragorn forgive the Prince and come to give Legolas the kiss that marked the beginning of a new stage of his life? Or would he be stupid and hurt the darling of everyone's dreams? There was naught anyone could do but wait with the Golden Prince for his destiny.