'Part 2'

By the end of the meal, Haldir had concluded that Legolas must be either blind, stupid or else have something very, very wrong with him. He had paid close attention to Lady Alariel - interspersed with frequent periods of gazing at Linisse - and so far had found nothing to fault her on. Legolas was clearly quite mad.

Although, to be strictly fair, Haldir could see what he had meant about her lack of interest in him. King Thranduil towed his son to Alariel's side as soon as the meal was over and they spent several minutes having a strained conversation, both glancing around them for someone to rescue them. That someone was Elladan, who put his arms around their shoulders and started telling what were undoubtedly tasteless jokes. Legolas blushed, but to Haldir's surprise Alariel laughed out loud. But then, she and Elladan were cousins after all. Probably she had just grown used to him.

Linisse gave Haldir the first dance, much to his delight, and several more. But still her tone was light and she seemed to give no more to him than to Elladan. Her flirting was light, but she did it with everyone, except perhaps Elrohir. But then, Haldir thought, grinning to himself, flirting with Elrohir was almost as great a challenge as doing it with Elrond.

He took his opportunity as the ball drew to a close.

"My lady," he said as she went to leave, offering his arm. "May I escort you home?"

"You may," Linisse said lightly. "If you so wish. Although, considering the difficulty you seem to have finding your rooms, perhaps I should be the one to escort you?"

Haldir smiled. This was going better than expected. "I have no objection."

They walked the few corridors until they reached his rooms, making casual chitchat about the fine weather and such. Haldir devoted a small part of his mind to that and used the rest to picture exactly how she would look with all that hair splayed out on his bedspread. It was always nice to have something to compare the reality to.

She actually made to leave when they reached his door, but Haldir caught her hand and pulled her gently, but firmly, back.

"My lady of Mirkwood," he said, not quite trapping her against the wall. "I hope to get to know you much better."

She smiled, but folded her arms across her chest. "Of that I have no doubt," she said archly. "But I'm afraid, my lord, that you shall have to do so in daylight and in the company of others. I do not wish to join your list of conquests - which I imagine is extensive."

Haldir released her, both annoyed and admiring. "No list would be complete without your name," he told her, kissing her hand again.

Linisse laughed. "I am not quite sure whether that is a compliment or not, but I will take it as such. Goodnight, Haldir of Lorien."

Haldir had little choice but to allow her to walk away - which wasn't quite as much of a hardship as it might have been since she was every bit as attractive from behind - and was left faced with the prospect of spending the night alone when he didn't want to. Frankly, it wasn't a situation he had encountered too frequently.

Since sleeping had really been the last thing on his mind when he headed to bed, he elected to abandon that idea and take a walk. And possibly a swim.

As it was, he was most of the way to the bathing pool when he heard noises. The kind that suggested he should go no further. Clearly at least two people in Rivendell were not alone tonight.

Though not generally one for voyeurism, he couldn't resist a peek to see who it was. The couple were certainly too involved in each other to notice. He saw a dark elf who looked like Elrohir closely entwined with a blond elleth. No, scratch that, a blond elf.

Well, he had always wondered that about Elrohir. He made a mental note never to drop in on him in the middle of the night. Not that he had ever had cause to before, but it was just as well to keep it in mind.

Haldir made a hasty departure. His swim would have to wait until another night. That is, if he ever wanted to go into that water again knowing what was in it.

***

Instead, he took a leisurely walk around Imladris, discovering many interesting sights he had not seen on his previous visits. Try as he might, Haldir could not start to feel sleepy. He had a little trouble sleeping at the best of times and tonight was certainly not one of them.

He turned a corner and very nearly collided with something solid. Said thing was revealed to be King Thranduil. Apparently he wasn't the only one prowling around tonight.

Thranduil looked, for no reason Haldir could understand, thoroughly harassed. Odd strands had escaped from his normally perfectly styled hairdo and the lines in his forehead had deepened. "Lord Haldir," he said. "You are not in bed."

Haldir decided it might be as well not to mention that he had hoped to spend the night with Thranduil's daughter.

"No," he agreed, for lack of anything else to say.

"Have you seen my son on your wanderings?"

"No, not that I am aware," Haldir replied, wondering what could be so important that it couldn't wait until the morning.

"If you do, inform him that I wish to speak to him," Thranduil said, his lips going thin. "Whatever he may be doing. He will understand what it is about."

By now Haldir was starting to feel strongly that insanity ran in the family.

"I will do so, if I should see him," he promised.

Thranduil looked ridiculously grateful. "You're a great help, Haldir," he said. "I will remember this."

Then he hurried off. Leaving Haldir wondering why exactly Rivendell wanted to ally itself to Mirkwood when all that lived there seemed to have lost their wits.

Realising that he had now been prowling round Rivendell for more than two hours, Haldir concluded that he really should return to his chambers and at least attempt to get some sleep. It was a sound plan, with only one minor difficulty. He seemed to have lost his way and couldn't remember where his room was.

Cursing himself, wondering what had happened to his legendary sense of direction, Haldir pointed himself in roughly the right direction and tried to recall where he was. He wandered on, looking for anything that might be familiar. When this failed, he started trying doors.

Most were locked, one led to a library of some kind, one a broom closet. Surely some were bedchambers?

He turned another corner and opened yet another door.

This wasn't a bedchamber either. It was a charming indoor garden. Containing a fountain, a bench partially hidden by foliage and yet another couple trying to excavate each other's mouths with their tongues. Haldir began to wonder if there really was something dangerous in the water.

This had to be Elladan, since Elrohir's antics in the pool would no doubt have worn him out some hours ago. Haldir couldn't see the face of the elleth he was entwined with, but she had the golden hair of Mirkwood. Linisse.

Haldir quietly shut the door. He supposed he couldn't really run in and pull Elladan off her, since they had made no promises to each other. And clearly there was something between her and that Imladris casanova. Elbereth, suddenly everyone had someone except him.

Haldir resumed his door openings, to his relief now finding sleeping bodies instead of mops and flowers. Now, if he could just remember which door was his . . .

He opened the tenth door on the left and found himself being jerked inside and thrust against a wall. A warm pair of lips made talking impossible for several minutes. Which was all right, since he didn't know quite what to say anyway.

It was only when he was released that he discovered the identity of his captor. And then he decided there was unquestionably something in the water.

"I think it's about time you were in bed, Lord Haldir of Lorien," Alariel told him, her eyes glowing in the semi-darkness. "Allow me to put you there . . . "