Sorry about the delay. Plot bunnies have been on vacation this week. Would you believe someone actually gave them a visa?

I now have 135 reviews! I've had 24 since I posted the last chapter! Am avoiding pinching myself so as not to wake up from this dream! :-D

Haldir fans (ie everyone), I recommend checking out 'Meet me at Decatur Street' by GoblinBrat. It's a Haldir-comes-to-the-future story, but Haldir is absolutely perfect. Not to mention very, very funny. And no, I don't know the author. I just like the story.

Direct movie quotation in this one, but somehow I don't think I'll need to source it. ;-)

'Part 12'

"So what do you think?" Tulienne asked, as she and Haldir idly followed the two couples. "Do you think they'll be happy?"

Haldir watched Rumil pick a flower and tuck it into Ceilwyn's hair. He fought the temptation to roll his eyes. Thank the Valar he was not that far-gone.

"They scarcely know each other," Haldir said.

"True."

"But I believe Rumil will do whatever he can to make her happy," Haldir added.

"And so will Ceilwyn. Their marriage should be very . . . calm."

"Unlike ours," Haldir said wryly.

Tulienne grinned up at him. "I should hope not. I can't imagine anything duller. I expect my husband to get into horrendous trouble helping me in my schemes, yell until his face goes red and throw me onto the bed. Especially the last one."

Haldir just about restrained himself from suggesting that they went back to his talan and got a little practise in. "I promise to do my best to satisfy you in that regard."

"I'm sure you will, March Warden. I'm sure you will."

"Haldir!"

Haldir was disturbed from this appealing, but inevitably frustrating train of thought by Elladan's shout and looked up as he and Arwen came towards them only to see his suspiciously friendly expression.

"I've been looking all over for you," Elladan said. "Listen, Tuli, Arwen and I have been talking and I've decided I need to make up to you for . . . you know, attacking you."

Haldir was sorely tempted to say that beating him without breaking a sweat was quite enough payment. But then . . . they were practically family.

"What had you in mind?" he asked.

"We have a little tradition in Imladris . . . kind of a send off for the groom-to-be. It's normally a lot of fun. Except maybe for him."

Haldir smirked, his interest caught. "That certainly sounds promising," he agreed. "What does it involve precisely?"

Elladan grinned wickedly. "Come with me," he said, eyes glinting. "And I'll fill you in."

Tulienne and Arwen watched them stroll off, heads bent together.

"This," Arwen said quietly, "is either madness, or brilliance."

Tulienne smiled. "It's amazing how often those two strengths coincide," she replied. "Besides, this is too good an opportunity to miss. Haldir should be grateful that I'm going to keep it in the family and not invite all the elleths in Lorien to witness the little display."

"Or, hopefully, not so little," Arwen replied, with a saucy grin.

Tulienne put an arm around her shoulders and laughed. "I couldn't have put it better myself."

***

Haldir saw his brothers' dubious expressions and fought hard against a smile. Rumil at least had every reason to be suspicious. Elladan's little 'tradition' could certainly prove very amusing if it went to plan.

"I understand it's a sort of cleansing ceremony," he said. "Or, at least, it began that way. These days, I understand, it's a little more . . . casual."

"Glorfindel told me about it," Elladan said. "Apparently he and Erestor organised one for Adar before he got married. He said it's the perfect way to relax and calm pre-wedding nerves."

Orophin laughed. "He certainly needs that," he said, shooting a sideways glance at his brother. "He's absolutely terrified."

"I am not," Rumil protested.

He received three disbelieving looks.

"Wait," Rumil said darkly. "Just wait. When you get married I'll remind you of this and I won't be even the tiniest bit sympathetic when you beg for advice."

"We stand warned," Haldir said in amusement. "But I for one would enjoy a little relaxation."

"What does it involve?" Orophin asked curiously.

Elladan shrugged casually. "Whatever you want, basically. A whole afternoon and evening of just us men, before your bachelor days are over and you dive into the world of 'yes, dear'. I was thinking of a little archery contest, followed by some swordplay. Then, once the sun goes down, a little liquor, a little music, we cheat each other at cards and then go cool off in the lake. Nothing like a moon-lit swim to round off a great night."

"It sounds like fun," Haldir agreed.

"Last day of freedom, little brother," Orophin said, throwing an arm around Rumil's shoulders. "What do you say?"

Rumil looked much cheered-up. "I think you're right," he said. "It'll be a nice way to take my mind off the wedding."

Haldir grinned to himself. That it will, Brother, he thought. That it will.

***

"The stars are beautiful tonight," Orophin said, tipping his head right back as he walked along and nearly falling over backwards. "So beautiful. Especially that one."

"Not a star," Rumil said, as he followed Orophin's gaze with difficulty. "Planet. Venus."

"I know a rather nice poem about Venus," Elladan said, as the four of them sort of sat, sort of collapsed on the bank by the lake. "Who wants to hear it?"

"Me!" Rumil shouted, giving up on sitting and letting his dizzy head plop onto the ground.

"You don't know a poem," Orophin said scornfully, propping his suddenly very heavy head up on his hands. "You don't know nothing."

"I do too know nothing!" Elladan said, most affronted. "I know lots of poems. Estel taught me this one. Do you want to hear it or not?"

"Poem! Poem!" Rumil chanted, still prostrate on the ground.

"Okay," Elladan said, clearing his throat importantly. "It goes like this. There once was a young elleth from Venus . . ."

"Are there elves on Venus?" Orophin broke in. "Do they go to Valinor too? Why aren't we on Venus?"

"Shut up Orophin," Haldir muttered, from his own piece of surprisingly comfortably ground. His head felt like it was about to fly off and join those elves.

"As I was saying," Elladan said, glaring at Orophin. "If I may be allowed to continue. There once was a young elleth from Venus/Whose body was shaped like a . . ."

He stopped. He frowned. "I can't remember the next word," he muttered.

Haldir started to laugh. No, worse, he started to giggle. It didn't seem to matter much though, since the other three quickly joined in.

"I think," Elladan said, getting very clumsily to his feet, "that it's time for the swim. Water looks be-oo-tiful."

With considerable difficulty, he stripped off his clothes and did a rather less than graceful belly flop into the water.

For a few moments, Haldir idly wondered if he was drowning, since he didn't seem to be resurfacing. Generally, though, it didn't seem to matter much if he was.

Elladan's head popped up, his dark hair plastered across his face. He wiped it away with difficulty. "Is nice," he declared, head moving in something between a nod and a shake. "Come on in."

"I don't wanna take my shorts off," Rumil complained, still lying on the bank. "It's cold."

Elladan waded back to the edge of the lake, starting to laugh. "If you can't take them off in front of us, that cute little blond thing you're marrying is gonna be mighty disappointed tomorrow night. But don't worry, because I'm gonna be there for her. All night . . . if I don't wear her out before then."

"Mordor you are," Rumil shouted, much louder than he'd meant. He seemed to be having trouble controlling the volume of his voice. He stripped off his robes as fast as possible in his somewhat uncoordinated state and dived in after Elladan. Haldir and Orophin exchanged glances. Then, figuring it really didn't matter much, they followed suit.

***

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Ceilwyn was saying, blushing furiously and covering her eyes with her hands.

"Shhh," Salia whispered. "Be quiet and enjoy the view."

"Think of it as a sneak preview of what you're getting for the rest of your immortal life," Tulienne said, grinning. "There's still time to call it off if you don't like what you see."

"I can't believe I'm going to see my own brother naked," Arwen muttered. "That's just wrong."

"So close your eyes!" Tulienne replied, and went back to watching.

"So, just to clarify, only Elladan knows we're here, right?" Salia whispered.

Tulienne nodded, her gaze never leaving Haldir. "Haldir knows Elladan's fixed it up for someone to steal Rumil's clothes while they're in the water, thus leaving him to do the traditional Imladris streak. But he doesn't realise they have an audience."

"You know," Salia said slowly. "It occurs to me that if we're going to steal Rumil's clothes, we may as well take the others' as well."

Tulienne and Arwen chuckled. "That, dear cousin," Tulienne said wickedly, "is precisely what we had in mind."

The four fell silent as Elladan started to strip. Then four pairs of eyes widened.

"Elbereth," Tulienne said, leaning forward. "Maybe I should marry him after all."

"I'm never going to be able to look him in the eye again," Arwen moaned.

"Shhh!" Salia hissed. "Look!"

Eyes shifted to Rumil as he began to yank at the clasps on his tunic. Tulienne pulled Ceilwyn's hands away from he eyes.

"None of that," she said. "You're going into this marriage with your eyes open. This time tomorrow night, it'll be just the two of you. You'll have to learn to face him sometime."

Arwen let out a low whistle. "Nice," she said admiringly. "Good choice, Ceilwyn."

Ceilwyn was the colour of an over-ripe strawberry. But she was still looking.

"Do you think that runs in the family?" Salia asked faintly.

"Here's your chance to find out," Tulienne said, as Haldir and Orophin started to follow.

The four voyeuristic elleths watched in silence for a few minutes. Then . . .

"Definitely does," Arwen pronounced.

"Uh huh," Tulienne said breathlessly.

"Are you sure you don't want to marry Haldir?" Salia whispered.

"I'm reconsidering," Tulienne said, her eyes glued on him.

"Aren't we supposed to be stealing their clothes?" Arwen said, as the four elves started a rather disorganised game of tag in the water.

"We should definitely do that," Tulienne agreed. "And while we're at it, let's go back to their talans and steal the rest of their wardrobes. Then they'll have to go naked all the time."

"Tuli!" Ceilwyn exclaimed, turning shocked eyes to her cousin.

"I want Orophin for my eyes only," Salia said decidedly. Then she grinned. "And after this, I'm going to make sure I get him."

***

Sometime later, the four wet, drunk and now rather tired elves pulled themselves out of the water and started to look for their clothes.

A significant amount of Lorien's population was awoken by the strangled yell that followed their discovery. Which unfortunately meant they had quite an audience as they fled back to their respective talans.

Elladan insisted ever afterwards that the others had got off easy. After all, it wasn't every day that you had to present yourself to the Lady of the Light without a stitch on.