Author's note : Thank you to all reviewers and especially to Partheon for editing.

Cami: Yes, Rumil and Orophin will appear. I have not forgotten about them.

-o-o-o-

Chapter 11

The moment Haldir left, Legolas knew that he had made a mistake. The look of utter dejection and hurt on Haldir's face pierced him to the heart. Legolas knew he had lashed out in irritation and anger, and that it had been deeply unfair. After all, Haldir had saved his life!

Legolas sighed and returned to his bed. Suddenly the effort of standing seemed to be too much. If he had been more mobile, he would have gone after Haldir. As it was, he hoped that Haldir would give him an opportunity to apologise.

He tried to rest but could not get his mind off of what he had said to Haldir, and Haldir's reaction. He bitterly regretted his selfishness and thoughtlessness.

His thoughts were interrupted when Thranduil came to visit. After the meeting with Galadriel and Elrond, the king had gone for a swim in the river before seeing his son. He saw immediately that something was wrong.

"Legolas? What is wrong?"

Legolas groaned inwardly. His father could read him far too well at times. But then he decided to tell Thranduil what had happened between him and Haldir. Thranduil was shocked but tried not to show his concern. The king sat silent for a moment.

"You have spoken in anger and because you are ill and not quite yourself. I know you well, Legolas, and there is one thing I can say with certainty. You are normally neither selfish nor thoughtless. Haldir knows this too. If you apologise to him, he will forgive you, although I do not doubt that you have hurt him deeply."

Legolas hung his head. But then he looked up. "Ada, I cannot move far enough to look for him. Can you please find him and ask him to come here? Tell him I would like to apologise."

-o-o-o-

In the meantime, Elrond had also thought about seeing Legolas. He wanted to give him a thorough check-up before the next day. The elf-lord took his time, making his way slowly through the gardens of the Halls of Healing, admiring the variety of plants and the way they had been planted to create an apparently natural scene. He stopped when he saw a familiar figure seated on a bench, half hidden underneath some beautiful flowering shrubs.

Haldir did not look as if he was aware of his surroundings at all. He sat bent forward, face buried in his hands, with his long hair hiding his face. However, his warrior instincts were still finely tuned and he looked up when Elrond approached. Elrond was shocked. He had known that Haldir had been tired but the marchwarden looked absolutely exhausted. His normally pale complexion had a translucent quality and he had dark circles beneath his eyes. Instinctively Elrond knew that something was amiss, more than physical tiredness.

"May I sit with you for a while? It is beautiful here."

For a brief moment Elrond thought Haldir would be honest and say that he wanted to be alone – it was obvious that he did not wish for company, but to Elrond it was equally obvious that he needed someone to talk to.

Haldir moved to the side to allow Elrond to sit down, and said: "It is indeed a beautiful spot. I came to sit here for a little while."

Elrond looked intensely at the elf at his side. "Haldir? I do not know you well but I can tell that you are both tired and worried. You need rest. I am surprised to see you here – I thought I would find you with Legolas."

Haldir shifted uncomfortably. Then he opened his mouth, shut it again, and then sighed.

Elrond waited. Haldir still sat bent forward and had begun to twist a strand of his long hair. This struck Elrond, he had never seen Haldir doing this before. Haldir sighed again.

"Legolas blames me for what happened to him. And in a way it is true. He was concerned about Tinarvel's hostility towards him, and I did not listen to him. It is all my fault."

For a long moment Elrond regarded Haldir in silence. Then he laid a hand gently on his shoulder. If it had been one of his sons or even Legolas, he would have embraced the elf at his side; but Elrond felt that he did not know Haldir well enough for that gesture – although he knew it was needed.

"I do not know what happened between the two of you, but I have known Legolas for many years. I have seen the two of you together. He loves you, do not doubt that. It is quite possible that he spoke mainly in irritation, like you, Legolas is used to an active, outdoor life. He has spent almost three weeks in the Halls of Healing now and is probably very bored. So he lashed out at the person closest to him – we all do it at times, and it hurts to be at the receiving end of it, especially if you already reproach yourself for this. This was entirely Tinarvel's fault; no one could have foreseen what would happen. Go, speak to Legolas and make up with him. And then get some rest."

"Do you think he would want to see me still?"

"Yes. He probably already regrets what he has said."

-o-o-o-

Legolas had finally dozed off into a fitful sleep when Haldir arrived in his room. The Lorien warrior hesitated before entering but then softly knocked on the door. When there was no response, he opened the door carefully. Legolas was lying on his bed, obviously asleep. 'At least', Haldir thought, 'he is no longer sleeping with his eyes closed.' He did not want to wake Legolas but could not resist the temptation to come closer to the bed and at least look at Legolas.

Somehow Legolas became aware of Haldir's presence. His eyes focused, and he looked up.

"Haldir.... I am so sorry... I do not know how I could say what I did to you. None of what happened is your fault, I am so sorry, I was so very unfair to you ..." Legolas' dark eyes told of his regret even more than his words.

Haldir sat down on the bed next to Legolas and took his hands. "I am the one who should be sorry. If I only had listened better! You were right, this could have been avoided. It was my fault."

Legolas shook his head and squeezed Haldir's hands in return. "No, Haldir. It was Tinarvel's fault alone. There was no way you could have known what would happen. Can you forgive my hurtful words?"

"Oh Legolas, there is nothing to forgive – you did not say anything that I had not thought myself. Can you forgive me for not listening to you?"

Instead of an answer, Legolas pulled Haldir down and kissed him. The kiss lingered and Haldir closed his eyes in pleasure, savouring the moment.

"Haldir? Would you like to lay down with me for a little while? You look very tired."

"Do you think that is wise? If someone comes in?"

Legolas shrugged his shoulders. "It is not exactly a secret that we are lovers, and I do not suggest that we undress ... but just to hold you, closely ..." There was almost a plea in Legolas' voice.

Haldir did not hesitate any longer. He quickly removed his boots and then lay down next to Legolas, who had moved against the wall to make some room. Legolas then wound his arms around Haldir's shoulders, pulling him close. Both elves revelled in the feeling of closeness, of familiarity and comfort. They kissed gently, until Legolas realised that Haldir struggled to keep awake. Physical and emotional weariness had caught up with him.

"Haldir? You are exhausted. Sleep."

Haldir did not reject this suggestion. He buried his head on Legolas' shoulder, enjoying the familiar smell and feel of Legolas' body and hair. He was asleep within moments.

Legolas, too, soon became drowsy and drifted off to sleep.

-o-o-o-

Elrond and Thranduil met at the evening meal. Both realised quickly that the other knew of the argument between Legolas and Haldir, and without loosing many words, they decided to check discreetly whether it had been resolved. Elrond had wanted to Thranduil to go by himself, he knew Legolas and Haldir much better than Elrond did, but somewhat to his surprise, Thranduil had asked him to come along.

When they arrived at the Halls of Healing, the door to Legolas' room was slightly ajar, and there was no sound coming from the room. Thranduil opened the door gently, and after a moment, turned smiling to Elrond. "I suppose everything has been resolved." He moved to the side and Elrond quietly looked into the room. Both Legolas and Haldir were fast asleep on Legolas' bed, in each other's arms. Haldir was still fully dressed except for his boots.

Elrond closed the door gently, and said: "They both need the rest. But Legolas looks much better than he has in a while. Let us tell the healers to leave them alone for tonight, and hope that they both sleep to the morning."

Thranduil looked at Elrond, still with a smile in his eyes. "I hope very much that the patrols with your sons and Haldir's brothers return early tomorrow – they are due back, but there can always be delays."

"Galadriel will wait with the ceremony until they are all back. She would not go ahead without them being here."

"What if Tinarvel is found?"

"He will be detained and can be dealt with after the bonding."

Thranduil nodded and looked at Elrond. "Elrond, I have not always had kind thoughts about you in the past, there have been many bad memories between us. But I cannot even begin to express how grateful I am that you saved Legolas. No one else could have done that. We owe you a large debt."

Elrond shook his head. "No, you do not owe me anything, Thranduil. I am more than pleased that I have been able to save your son's life. He is precious to me, as well. To see him bond now, after all that he has been through, will be my reward."

"You do not mind him bonding to Haldir?"

Elrond smiled. "No, I wish him all possible happiness. He and Haldir are well matched."

Thranduil did not pursue the topic, much to Elrond's relief. He had not wanted to talk about Aragorn or Arwen.

"Come, Elrond, let us walk under the stars for a while."

Thranduil and Elrond spent much of the night walking under the stars, mostly in companionable silence but at times talking as well. Both felt that this night helped healing many wounds of the past. Elrond remembered how when they were both much younger; they had been friends and had spent much time together. When he mentioned these memories, regret evident in his voice, Thranduil answered: "After that battle, when so many of our people died, and my father – I could not forgive you that. We have talked about this before. But now – you have given me my son back, and I know it was difficult for you. You have supported me even when you were exhausted yourself. Elrond, you have changed much since that battle, and perhaps I have as well."

Elrond looked at Thranduil and saw sincerity in the blue eyes. "You have changed much, as well, Thranduil, perhaps more than you realise. What you just said – you would never have said this even a few years ago."

Elrond sighed. "I see much darkness facing us before we all leave these shores. We will have to fight together, or perish. If we can do this in friendship, it would be much easier."

Thranduil silently nodded but then suddenly grinned mischievously. They had arrived at a small stream. "How about a swim?"

Elrond laughed. The idea was so incongruous with their previous conversation yet so appropriate. It was a beautiful place and the night was warm. Elrond had not done anything spontaneous in a very long time, and he suspected, Thranduil had not either.

"Why not?"

Both Elrond and Thranduil quickly shed their clothes. Elrond watched Thranduil entering the water. He briefly admired Thranduil's beauty, the flawless fair skin and well-proportioned body. Thranduil was broader in built than his son but otherwise they looked much alike. Elrond had never been physically interested in males, and even as a very young elf, he had limited his explorations mainly to females. But nevertheless, his sense of aesthetics was pleased by the image of Thranduil moving gracefully into the water.

Thranduil turned. "Are you coming? It is very pleasant." Elrond did not hesitate any longer and followed the king onto the water. They swam next to each other for quite a while, enjoying the cool water after a warm day. After some time, they got out, and using their clothes as sheets, lay down to let the gentle night breeze dry their bodies and hair.

Elrond said quietly: "I have not gone for a night time swim for a long time."

"Neither have I."

After a while, they both dozed off. After a few hours, Elrond woke up and looked at his sleeping companion. With regret he realised that he would have to wake Thranduil as they needed to return to the city before the next day.

TBC. Please review