The Leaves of Lorien

Part Two

Legolas stood tall on the turret, staring blankly out at Helm's Deep. Behind him, the clatter of mail and sword formed a humdrum background to his thoughts. They strayed to Haldir, to what he'd left behind. But he could not have abandoned the Fellowship, nor would he have if he'd had the choice. He and Haldir would simply have to wait.

Legolas slept silently, unaware of the archer making his way up the tree toward him. In a breath's time, there was a firm hand clamped over his mouth.

"Do not struggle."

Legolas's eyes strayed to the elf beside him and let out a sigh of relief. Haldir…

"Come with me."

Legolas's fingers strayed to the delicate trinket he wore around his neck. It was a locket, hewn out of elven silver. Its faintly pearl color shone in the waning sunlight. A tiny lock was carved into its lid, room for a small key to gain entrance. Legolas had wondered at first why Haldir would give him a sealed locket, but wore it under his clothing at all times.

Aragorn stepped up to the turret beside him, sheathing the curved dagger in the scabbard at his hip.

"Any sign of the Uruk H'ai?"

The archer shook his head. "Not yet. We have an hour at least, I judge." Legolas fingered the locket absentmindedly as he spoke, running his fingers over the polished surface.

'That's Haldir's, isn't it?"

Legolas looked at the ranger, caught off guard.

"That's the trinket he dropped into your boat, aye?"

Legolas nodded solemnly. "It's not to be, is it Aragorn?"

"Legolas, it has been four years. And I waited. For four years, I waited for you to return. I kept to myself, avoided the advances of the other elves. When were you going to return as you had promised? There were times I could have killed you had you been there." Haldir's voice was cutting, but calm. He seldom lost his poise, even in delicate situation, and even more rarely did he raise his voice.

"Turn around, Haldir."

Haldir kept his back turned, coldly. Legolas slipped an arm around his waist.

"How am I to speak if you won't turn around?"

Haldir suppressed a smile, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly. What was it that was so calming about this elf?

"What isn't?"

"Haldir and I. For years we've sought to be together, and have been nothing but apart. And now… I leave once more. I longed to stay in Lorien, Aragoron, but my loyalties still lie with what is left of the Fellowship. And tonight, I die at Helm's Deep, and Haldir will live on."

"Legolas…" Aragorn put a comforting hand on the youth's shoulder. "You will live."

The blast of a tenor horn broke the silence of the Deep and Legolas's gaze snapped to the land ahead of them. "They are near!" he said, glaring into the darkness.

"No…" Aragorn said and dashed off to the gates of Helm's Deep, followed closely by Legolas.

Several thousand elves stood silent and stiff at the Gates, one solitary captain in front of them. Aragorn strode up to him.

"Haldir! Cormamin lindua ele lle!"Aragorn cried, embracing the elf.

Haldir, taken off guard, paused and smiled, returning the hug warmly.

"You are much needed." Aragorn said, relief evident in his voice.

Behind him, Legolas stood silently, a mixture of grief and happiness in his face.

*~*~*

"Haldir, how did you come here??" Legolas demanded as soon as he could pull him away. Haldir smiled.

"I am sent by Celeborn. He honors still the old alliance of men and elves."

Haldir lowered his hand and dropped a small trinket into to the boat.

"I will miss you, lirimaer."

Legolas held the tiny object in his hand, an ornate locket out of elven silver. It was beautiful in its simplicity. But it was locked. When he would find the key was a mystery. With a heavy heart, Legolas clasped the trinket around his neck, tucking it inside his clothing. Frodo bore a ring of power beneath his shirt, but he bore a symbol of love, and the ties between close friends. Behind him, Gimli sighed.

"You know, I've somehow grown to like that elf…"

Legolas set his jaw, crating the tears that threatened to burst forth, pushed them to the back of his mind somewhere, and embraced his friend. For several minutes, they stayed like this, locked in a death grip on the other, all the fear and anxiety of the coming insurrection released in the embrace. Haldir could feel the youth's breathing become ragged as he fought for control over his emotions.

The elder elf ran gentle hands through Legolas's hair comfortingly, breathing in the earthy smell of it.

"Dina, Legolas…" he whispered. "Uuma dela, melamin."

Legolas pulled away, his eyes gleaming with tears that had nearly won.

"And what if we die?"

"Amin sinta thaliolle e dagor. You will live." Haldir took the youth by the hand and led him to the topmost tower for some time alone, perhaps for the last time, before the battle.

(Author's Note: See the last chapter for translations of the phrases.)

*~*~*

Haldir awoke quietly and gazed at the thin form sprawled out beside him.

Lle naa vanima…

Ai, Legolas, was it really necessary to wait for years for one hour?

The blast of a horn sounded again over Helm's Deep. The Uruk H'ai army had been spotted. Legolas slept undisturbed, the elf's blond hair spilling over Haldir's chest. For several minutes Haldir let him sleep, reveling in the contact. It would be long before they would have a moment's peace again. The horn sounded a second time, and Haldir knew there was little time left to waste on emotion.

"Legolas. Wake up. The battle will soon start."

The youth awoke, somewhat lightheaded as the horn sounded a third time. He lifted his head and met Haldir's gaze. The time had come, and no amount of lovemaking would keep the battle from starting.

Both elves rose quickly from the bed and began to dress, replacing their simple garments easily and donning their armor even as they strode down the hall to the gates. The two arches made their way to the front of the army. A thousand torches could be seen through the dark, glimmering in the distance. Legolas set his jaw, bow in hand.

At length, the roaring pack was at the Deep's gates, bellowing taunts and insults at the warriors above.

"Come down!" they shouted, "and we will slaughter you!"

The rain started to fall and quickly snowballed into sheets, soaking both armies. The elven army stood silently still, unblinking and unafraid in the dark.

"READY!!" Aragorn's call set the armies preparing. A thousand bows, arrows, swords and daggers left their scabbards and quivers. Legolas squeezed Haldir's hand before they too readied their weapons.

"AIM…!!"

An arrow flew from the Deep and lodged itself between the neck and shoulder plates of an unfortunate Uruk below. His brothers watched him fall. They narrowed their eyes at the army above and bellowed. 'Damn humans and their weak nerves' thought Legolas. Beside him, Haldir smiled, reading his thoughts.

The Uruk army bellowed and surged forward. The madness had begun.

*~*~*

Haldir turned to him, his eyes filled with unshed tears. Around them, the females sang their lament to Gandalf, setting the mood melancholy.

"Four years is too long to wait… the men condemned me for longing for you, Legolas. In these four years, I no longer care. Promise me you'll return when the war ends. Our lives our too long to spend apart."

Legolas embraced his friend. "I give you my promise, however long it takes."

Ladders carrying Uruks slammed against the bridge of Helm's Deep as arrows flew, raining down onto the flood below. Haldir fought mercilessly, bows flying and elbow blades flashing and cutting swaths though the mess of black. Legolas fought beside him, fending off Haldir's opponents and his.

"TO THE KEEP!"

Legolas gave one last swipe at the Uruk in front of him and turned. Haldir and Gimli were still on the bridge.

"GIMLI! HALDIR! RETREAT!" Legolas called. The two figures obliged. Gimli caught up to Legolas, but Haldir was cornered, retreating down the stairs backward, all the while cutting down Uruks. He was going too slowly.

"Haldir! Turn and run!" Gimli shouted as they fled. Haldir obliged and turned, leaping off the staircase and cutting his way toward the Keep. A dark figure rose over Haldir's back, quickly nailed in the throat by Legolas's well guided arrow. That was the last of his arsenal.

Almost there. An Uruk dashed in front of Haldir, delivering a swipe to his jaw, causing a line of blood to appear along the elf's pale skin. Briefly distracted, Haldir did not see the enormous figure behind him. Legolas turned to check his friend's progress and cried out.

"Haldir!!"

Thhhwwwapp. Too late. Haldir let out a groan as the Uruk's axe embedded itself between his shoulder blades. A stinging sensation hit his back and spread. The foe was quickly disposed of, but it was of little use.

"Haldir! No!"

Time stood still for a moment. Single blinks took hours, breaths took days. Legolas could feel his heart pounding in panic, could see Haldir's doing the same. He saw not only his own, but Haldir's life flashing before his eyes.

"I cannot bear the thought of an eternity without you, melamin…"

"Dina, Legolas." Haldir's soft hand made contact with his face. "There is still hope."

The archer was on his knees, his vision blurring before him. He could feel the blood pouring from between his shoulder blades, and the pain, the intense pain it brought, but none of the cold he'd expected.

In a moment's time, Legolas had slung him over his shoulders, carrying him back to the keep. His consciousness lapsed. When he woke again, he was inside the Keep, Legolas at his side.

"Haldir…no!" Legolas knelt beside the elf, tears mixing with the black blood on his face. "Please..not here…"

The captain smiled his characteristic smirk, running a shaking hand over Legolas' face. He reached into his pocket and produced a minute key.

"Take this now…this was not what I planned.." he coughed, his breathing ragged. "You know what it is."

"Haldir, we've almost won!"

The elf did not reply.

"Haldir!!"

"…Love you…" The last breath left him, and he went limp in Legolas' lap, the fingers at his lips went slack and fell to the hard concrete at his head. Legolas wept bitterly and let out a cry of pain and sorrow audible to all but Haldir. He wept as elves are taught not to, his forhead pressed against Haldir's cooling face, wept like a child with heart wrenching sobs so uncharacteristic of elves.

"Haldir!" Legolas pleaded. "Come back…it should have been me…"

Aragorn watchd from a distance, his heart torn apart at the scene before him. Silently, he turned and left, leaving Legolas to mourn alone.

*~*~*

The Battle for Helm's Deep was over. So many elves had died, and even more men. Bodies of Uruks and humans lay scattered throughout the deep, and the stream ran red black with their blood.

Aragorn, Gandalf and the few remnants of the Rohan army waited outside the Deep. Aragorn shifted in his saddle.

"Where is Legolas?" he asked Gimli.

"Fetching Haldir."

The Mirkwood elf appeared at the gates, a bundle of white cloth in his arms. He approached the group and handed it to Aragorn to hold while he mounted his horse. Once seated, he accepted it back and removed a section of cloth. A blond lock fell free. Aragorn nodded.

"I will not let him lie with the filth of Isengard." Legolas said bitterly.

"Legolas, melamin, however this battle ends, whether I die or you do, whether we win or lose, I will love you, even if I am not here to affirm it. Do not lose faith. If I die, do not mourn. An eternity is too long to pine…"

*~*~*

Author's Note: Hope the update's better!