Those You Love

Confrontations

By Celebrian

"So what do you think your brother will say?" Haldir asked Lutheriel as they walked towards his flet.

Lutheriel laughed. "To be honest...I don't know." She took his hand and gave it a gentle, loving, squeeze. "I did write him a heartfelt letter. I explained everything to him, I just hope he excepts it."

Haldir gave a silent nod. "And if he doesn't?"

"Well," Lutheriel started. She paused momentarily. "He's going to have too. I'm marrying you and that is final."

Haldir grinned a little, putting his arm around her waist and drawing her closer to him. "Good." Was all he said as they walked up to his door. He looked at her before entering. "It's not much, but I call it home." He said as he opened the door and let her step inside first.

Lutheriel smiled as she looked around. There wasn't much furniture besides a bed, two chairs, and a table. The fireplace looked almost untouched as well as the bed. She looked at Haldir as he stepped inside. "You aren't here much are you?" She asked.

"Not at all." He grinned. "I think the last time I was actually in my flet was maybe a month ago." He said as he walked over to the table and cringed when he saw the bowl of rotting fruit. Quickly he picked up the bowl and tossed it along with the fruit out the window. "Sorry..." He apologized.

Lutheriel smiled. "No need to apologize, my love." She said as she walked around looking at the few knickknacks he had lying around. She stopped when she came to a small painting of a handsome male and a beautiful female elf. "Are these you parents?" She asked looking at Haldir.

Briefly a look of sadness passed over his face. "Yes...They were killed a long time ago...." He shook his head.

"Oh...I'm so sor-"

Haldir put up his hand. "No need. I just don't wish to talk about it now."

Lutheriel nodded. If he did not wish to talk about it now she would not ask any further questions. She really did want to know about his parents though and help him from whatever kind of pain he was going. She waited until Haldir turned his back to her and then she climbed onto his bed and stretched out. "Cozy bed..." She muttered, as she snuggled her face into the pillow.

Haldir turned around. "Hey! I did not say that you could lie in my bed!"

"Our bed." Lutheriel corrected.

Haldir gritted his teeth. "Still mine only, until we are wed." He corrected. "Get up now."

Lutheriel giggled. "No."

Haldir grumbled something under his breath and marched over to Lutheriel. He took her hand and started to pull her up. "Come on; get up..."

Lutheriel laughed. "Why?" She teased. As Haldir was pulling her up, she hooked her foot around his leg, making him stumble forward. He fell on top of her and almost blushed when their eyes looked on to each other. "I love you." She whispered, as she pulled his face closely to hers.

Haldir grinned. "Still my bed..." He said as he gave her a kiss.

"Fine." She said giving him a kiss. "I think I'll like redecorating your place..."

"Just don't make it too feminine. I don't want my reputation ruined..." He tried say without smiling.

Lutheriel smiled, as she ran the back of her hand down his cheek. "I think it's already been ruined..."

Haldir looked at her for a moment. She was so beautiful, so perfect... How was it possible that they were each other's eldars? He leaned down and kissed her again. "So it has..."

There was a loud knock at the door. "March Warden?"

Haldir rolled his eyes and sighed. "Yes sentry?" He called as he got up from the bed and walked over to the door, opening it.

The sentry bowed and then looked up at Haldir. His eyes then shifted to Lutheriel who was still lying within the rumpled bed sheets. His mouth gaped open. "...uh..uh...s-sorry to intrude, Sir." He apologized.

Haldir furrowed his eyebrows together. "What? Speak quickly."

The sentry bowed his head again. "Sir, Prince Legolas has just arrived in Lorien. He wishes to speak with you."

Haldir's heart skipped. This was the moment he was dreading. "Thank you." He said as he watched the sentry turn and walked away. Haldir shut the door and looked at Lutheriel, who was now sitting up on the bed.

"Haldir let me speak to him first...." She said as she got up.

Haldir shook his head. "He called upon me. I should go."

"But I'm his-"

"Yes, Lutheriel, you are his sister. But I'm his soon to be brother in-law and he called for me." Haldir stated. "Stay here until I return."

Lutheriel pouted a little. She dreaded what her brother was going to say. She just had a bad feeling...

Haldir walked over to her, smiling gently. "It will be all right..." He kissed her forehead. "Everything will be fine..." He promised as he headed out the door.

**********

"Legolas Greenleaf." Haldir's gruff voice called as he entered the flet where the Prince was staying. "You wish to speak with me?"

Legolas turned around, narrowing his eyes at Haldir. "What did you do to my sister?"

"I didn't do anything to your sister..." Haldir snapped. "We are in love."

Legolas stepped closer to Haldir. "In love? In love? You just met each other a couple of weeks ago. How can you be in love?...you don't even know each other."

"Didn't you read the letter your sister wrote?" Haldir asked. "I thought she said she explained everything to you?"

"I read it. I'm still unconvinced though." Legolas crossed his arms. "I can not believe that you asked her to marry you."

"Why is that so hard to believe?" Haldir asked, glaring at Legolas.

"Why?" Legolas asked a bit shocked. "Perhaps because you are in-"

"Incapable of love." Haldir said bluntly. He folded his arms and smirked. "I thought I was...I never believed in love. I could have cared less about it...Until I met your sister. She did something to me...changed me. I love her with all my heart."

Legolas wanted to believe Haldir but knew that he could not possibly love his sister with in such a short time. He shook his head and then looked up at Haldir. For what seemed like an eternity the two Elves stared at each other, both with a burning hatred towards each other. Legolas stepped forward. "I will say this once, March Warden, so take heed to my words. Stay away from my sister. She needs someone more than a March Warden."

Haldir tried to think of something to say, but no words came. Instead he simply turned around and headed out the door. Inside his mind was a jumbled mess. He wanted nothing more than just to be with Lutheriel right now, but for some reason he could not bring himself to face her. "I love you, but I am no good for you...Perhaps your brother is right I am nothing but a worthless March Warden, how could I ever take care of a Princess like you?"

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

Lutheriel paced back and forth in Haldir's flet, he had been gone almost all morning. "Where is he?" She asked aloud as she continued to walk. "What could they be possibly talking about for so long...never mind...they're talking about us...I hope they haven't gotten into a fight..." She cringed as images of them beating each other up flashed into her mind. Lutheriel snapped out of her thoughts when the front door was thrown open.

"What do you see in him?!" Legolas said as he came into the flet.

"Brother?" Lutheriel asked a bit confused; she had never seen her brother so uptight before.

Legolas shut the door. "Have you gone mad? How can you be getting married to him? You just met him."

"Legolas...First of all you can't just barge in here...Second of all...I love him and he loves me. Did you not read my letter?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"Of course I got it..." Legolas took a deep breath and sat down. "Sorry for barging in...This is just so frustrating."

Lutheriel furrowed her brows. "Can't you just be happy for me? Can't you be happy that I found someone to protect me? Can't you be happy that I found love?"

"I'm happy but I wished you wouldn't have picked Haldir. Lu, He's not going to treat you right. I can see it in him-"

"Well that's funny because when I look into his eyes, all I see is protection and love."

"Lu, you're being delusional then-" Legolas said shaking his head slowly.

"What did father say? You did tell him didn't you?" His sister asked.

Legolas nodded. "...He's happy for you...I explained how Haldir was...but he's still happy for you...."

Lutheriel smiled. "Then why can't you? He's changed Legolas...he really has...please just give him a chance..."

Legolas shook his head no. "I can't trust him, I'm sorry. I just can't."

"You're not going to stay for the wedding are you?" Lutheriel asked, tears running down her cheek. She wanted to be strong but this was breaking her heart. "Legolas?"

Legolas shut his eyes. "I don't want you to marry him, you can do so much better..."

"He is my eldar. I will never find anyone else."

"Because you are my sister...I will stay for your wedding." Legolas said as he walked over to her and gave her a hug. "This does not change my opinion about Haldir. If I see him do one thing wrong, I will hurt him."

"Thank you." Lutheriel whispered, giving her brother a hug back. "You'll see how he's changed..."

Legolas raised his eyebrows. "We'll see." He gave his sister a peck on the cheek. "Even if I do see a change, I doubt we will ever become friends."

"Do you know where Haldir went?" Lutheriel asked, noticing that he had not yet returned.

"He stormed out like a madman...who knows..." Legolas stood up and headed to the door himself. "Want me to go look for him?"

Lutheriel got up herself. "No. I'll go find him. I want to talk to him for a bit." She said as she opened up the door and head out to look for Haldir. Hoping that whatever Legolas had said to him hadn't hurt him too much.

**********

to be continued in "Pre-wedding Jitters"