Black Eyes
Chapter Nine: Puppetmaster
by Capella
A/N: Well. Now that we've gotten some Legolas torture out of the way, it's time to torture everyone else.
Hope the Harry weirdness ain't turning anyone off from the story -- trust me implicitly when I say that it's not a mistake or something that I'm doing without a plan in mind. It'll all fit quite nicely together in the end, and I've got it allll worked out. Have faith in me. :D
Just cause I feel like it, I'm gonna reply to the reviews I got on the last chapter. It's fun and it makes me feel happy.
Legolas19 -- Is this quick enough? Wrote it in seminar one day. I hate seminar (academic lab, my ass), but it's quite nice for trying to catch up with my writing.
Kitta Baby -- Awesome. I love sad love stories. And thanks for the birthday wishes.
Jenn -- *wince* I'll be doin' my splainin soon, I promise! ...sort of!
Hiten Mitsurugi Kitsune -- You know, it really would suck if you felt Legolas's pain for real, because I imagine he's in quite a bit of it. ...er, on a more serious note, I feel sort of bad about all the mean stuff I'm doin' to Legolas, because I don't know when it's gonna let up.
mango -- thanks :D ...is it a good interesting or a bad interesting? And I've thought about it...but for some reason, my mind has something against Haldir POV. Perhaps I'll try it soon.
Holy-Demon -- Well, that was the point, but sorry for making you cry anyways. *grin*
Leah -- hehe, it was, and being sadistic is okay.
April Stammpants -- You know me too well, April. glad you like it, you know I value your opinion. :D
Jane -- oh awesome, glad you think it's as good as the first. whew. ;)
Illucia -- Nah, you're not too sleepy, because Harry is acting very very weird indeed. I suppose the reason that Draco went along is that Harry's a sucker for a pouty lip. *grin*
Lauren and all you gals down under -- How cool is that? I'm glad you guys like it so much -- you won't have to check back every day, cause I'll put you on my mailing list. :)
Whew, fun fun. I love reviews. *hugs everyone*
Er...I hate to say it, but if I ever meet any of my Harrys, I'd wanna meet the one from this chapter. *grin*
_________________________
"It is truth, but truth is not always appearance."
-- from "Sleepy Hollow"
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Legolas stared down at his hands in amazement.
They were gone. His wounds were simply -- gone.
He had awoken curled up on the ground, exhausted despite his sleep and fully expecting to relive the agony that had driven him into unconsciousness in the first place -- only to find that his wounds had disappeared as if they'd never been.
Legolas reached a shaking hand around his back cautiously and touched the skin, wincing purely out of reflex, not even finding a hint of scar tissue. He brought his hand back in front of his face. No blood. No pain. No -- anything.
He slowly got to his feet. Harry had to have taken him off the horse to stop for the night. The sun was just barely above the horizon, casting the sky into a shade of reddish orange that seemed strangely dull. The entire world seemed gray despite the sunrise. There wasn't even a hint of wind.
"Harry?" he whispered and immediately pressed a hand to his throat, eyes wide in shock. Even the hoarseness from the screaming Harry had coaxed from him the day before was gone as well. "Harry?" he said again, louder, hating the pleading quality to his voice. There was no answer.
Something nudged his side and he jumped, hands going reflexively for knives that weren't there. He spun, hands up, and found himself looking into a pair of sad, liquid brown eyes.
"Arod," he said softly, reaching out to stroke the horse's neck. Arod blinked balefully, gave a soft whicker and began to walk away. Legolas sighed, too tired and heartsore to care. He turned to leave, and a soft horse's muzzle nudged his elbow. He whirled around, irritated.
"What?" he asked. Arod simply stared at him meaningfully and turned to walk away again. When Legolas only gazed after him, Arod turned his head and snorted in his direction, and then plodded off again. Something clicked.
"You wish for me to follow you?" he asked, feeling a bit foolish. Arod continued to walk, swishing his tail. Legolas sighed and walked after him. After a bit, Arod broke into a slow trot, whinnying in pleasure when Legolas kept up with him easily. Finally Arod stopped.
Legolas looked into the depths of the dark clump of trees a bit doubtfully. "In here?" he whispered. Arod prodded his back with his nose gently, and Legolas reluctantly began to walk into the wood, careful not to make a sound.
It was about five minutes before he heard it, and a few more minutes after that before he found the source of it.
Harry sat with his back against a dying tree, surrounded by dull brown leaves, his knees drawn up to his chest and his head resting on them. He was sobbing fit to break any heart. When Legolas took a step closer, Harry's head shot up, blank pale gaze fixed uncannily on Legolas, or close enough.
"Who is it?" he asked, sounding panicked. His hand strayed towards a knife at his belt, one that Legolas was surprised to recognize as one of his own.
Legolas took another step closer, gaze fixed on the shining tracks of tears trailing down Harry's face. "Tis only I."
Harry's expression twisted and he lowered his head back onto his knees. He spoke without looking up.
"Woke up," he mumbled, voice rough from tears. "Smelled blood. I thought there was an orc attack -- I couldn't think, I just panicked. And then I stumbled across you, and I felt your eyelids, and I remembered hearing that elves never sleep with their eyes closed." Legolas saw him shiver. "I guess I found where the blood had come from. Your back -- God, it was soaked through. I thought you were dead."
Legolas reached out a hand to console him. His arm stopped as if he'd been frozen. There was blood covering Harry's hands, splattered over Harry's arms, speckling Harry's face. "You remember -- nothing?" he asked. He remembered having a similar conversation after they'd left Minas Tirith, and wondered if it would be this way until Harry finally reached Valinor, or killed him; Harry hurting him and then somehow forgetting. He had a feeling that he could go insane before it was all over.
"Legolas --" Harry said, voice becoming louder and more hurried. "When I felt you dying -- something happened, something magic that I've never done before. I didn't even have my wand out, but somehow your back healed, and I don't know how I did it."
Legolas rubbed his arms almost unconsciously, his skin tingling with the memory of the night before.
"I don't know how I did it," Harry repeated in a whispered tone, finally raising his head. "I just -- I've never been so strong before. He wrapped his arms around his knees and shuddered so hard it looked as if he'd fall over. "What's happening to me?"
He looked so frightened that Legolas reached out a hand without even thinking and touched Harry's cheek gently, relieved when Harry leaned into the touch and closed his eyes. A bit of dried blood flaked off Harry's face onto Legolas's palm. He couldn't find it in himself to draw his hand back even so.
"I'm stronger than this, you know," Harry murmured, lifting his hand up and taking Legolas's own hand on his cheek in a loose grip. "But I know that something happened, something that I did, and you're not telling me." He bit his lower lip. "What have I done?"
Legolas froze. Those words -- he remembered Harry saying those words to him before.
When Legolas didn't speak, Harry's lips turned down. "I have done something horrible," Harry said in a small voice. "Was it -- was it I who did that to you?"
"Yes," Legolas said softly. "Can you honestly tell me that you cannot remember?" He wished that he had some way to know if everything Harry said was a trick. With the way Harry acted of late, he would not have been surprised.
Harry nodded. The tears were beginning to dry on his face.
"Would you -- could you just, please --" he broke off in mid sentence, face red and somehow ashamed. "I know I hurt you, but could you just kiss me? Just once. Please." He twisted his hands nervously. There was a spot of dried blood, Legolas's own, on his lower lip that Legolas couldn't seem to keep his eyes off of.
"Please."
It was the last please, spoken in such a pleading tone, that finally undid him, and he leaned forward, pressing his lips gently to Harry's with a whispered word of assent. Harry parted his lips, and Legolas inhaled sharply when he felt Harry's tongue outlining his mouth. Without quite being aware of what he was doing, he slid his hands up Harry's neck and into Harry's hair, pressing Harry closer, trying to mold their mouths even tighter together. Harry let out a helpless little moan, his hands going to Legolas's shoulders where they fisted desperately at the fabric of Legolas's tunic. Legolas felt a shiver go down his spine when one of Harry's fingers grazed the skin of his neck.
Legolas's mind wandered for a moment. It was strange, somehow, that no matter what Harry had done, for the space of a few minutes, all of it could be erased in something as simple as a kiss.
Then Harry groaned, and Legolas realized that while he'd let his mind free, his hands had developed quite the mind of their own.
"No," he said, pulling away, breaths ragged and labored. Harry stared blankly to his right, face flushed and lips swollen, breathing as heavily as Legolas suspected he himself was.
"Why --" Harry began, and then shook his head, almost visibly composing himself. "We mustn't. We --"
He was cut off by the pressure of Legolas's lips on his own. Legolas felt Harry's arms slide around him and did the same, one hand playing with the hem of Harry's tunic and going beneath it to stroke the small of Harry's back gently.
"Remove your hands from him, or I will shoot."
Legolas pried his lips from Harry's and turned his head, staring incredulously at Haldir's figure and the arrow aimed not at him, but to his right.
"Haldir?" he whispered. Haldir did not answer, staring stonily behind him. It occurred to Legolas that his hands were still resting on Harry's back and he removed them, feeling a bit as if in a dream. He distantly felt Harry do the same.
"You would shoot me?" Harry said, and Legolas almost let out an audible moan of dismay. He turned slowly, afraid of what he would see. Harry was staring directly at Haldir, his eyes crystal clear and dangerous.
"I would." Haldir's voice was steady. Still staring at Harry, Legolas carefully got to his feet and backed away. Harry and Haldir seemed locked in a battle of will.
Finally Harry shrugged and got up as well.
"It makes no difference to me," he said, something unpleasant lurking near the corner of his mouth. "But it is too bad that you had not found us yesterday. I did an admirable job of giving Legolas a lesson. Perhaps I could have taught you manners as well."
"You --" Haldir's hand remained steady on the bow, but his lips tightened slightly in anger. "What have you done to him?"
Harry's eyes widened in mock innocence. "Why, I surely don't know what you're talking about. Legolas, have you any marks on you?"
Legolas stared at Harry in shock. "You mean --"
Harry laughed. "Oh Legolas, it is almost too easy to get your trust," he said, smiling as if joy had him by the throat. "You are naive. I am surprised you aren't dead a hundred times over." He turned to look at Haldir. Legolas simply stood, frozen, watching the scene before him in a daze. "Now, what are you planning to do with me?"
"Kill you," Haldir said simply, his composure recovered, and he drew back the bowstring taut.
"No, Haldir!" Legolas said. "You must not!"
Haldir's eyes flickered to him, resolve wavering, and in that moment, Legolas saw movement from the corner of his eye.
"Stupefy!"
Haldir flew backwards, hitting a tree with an audible crack and falling to his stomach. He did not move. Legolas let out a cry, starting forward. Harry simply stood, arms crossed with a smile of satisfaction on his face, his wand tapping against one thigh.
"How could you, Harry?" Legolas asked, voice breaking. Harry's smile grew.
"But Legolas, I am the monster that near beat you to death last night. Are you so surprised that I used force to subdue someone who was going to kill me?" At Legolas's wounded look, he laughed. "Do not worry, Legolas. I pull my punches. He is not dead, nor even unconscious. Merely stunned. He should get up in a few moments." Harry winked at Legolas and walked to where Haldir lay, grabbing his hair and pulling Haldir to his knees, letting his grip on Haldir's hair go once Haldir looked as if he could keep to his knees without falling. Haldir wavered, swaying drunkenly. "But I do not plan on giving him that opportunity."
"Harry -- " Legolas started, beginning to walk forward, but Harry pressed his wand to Haldir's throat, stopping Legolas in his tracks.
"Now, now, Legolas. Not another step. I don't want you ruining my fun."
And then Harry's face gained a contemplative look that made Legolas's fists clench.
"No, I've changed my mind. Do come here, Legolas."
With a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach, his eyes focused on Haldir's drifting gaze, he stepped forward.
"Legolas, how do you say 'kill him' in Elvish, please?"
Bile rose in the back of Legolas's throat. "No, Harry, you cannot --" He was cut off when Harry pressed his wand closer in Haldir's throat. Haldir was beginning to regain his bearings, the dazed look in his eyes clearing and finally focusing on Legolas's pained expression.
"How do you say it, Legolas?"
"Dago hon," Legolas said faintly. Haldir blinked, surprised at hearing his native language.
"Perfect," Harry said pleasantly. "Dago hon, Legolas."
Haldir's lips parted a little, a hissing breath escaping him despite his look of composure. "Legolas, do not."
Legolas could not move, frozen in place by both the threat in Harry's eyes and the pleading in Haldir's. "I cannot."
Harry's face dropped the pretense of pleasantness, a cold, irritated look coming over him. "Kill him now," he hissed, "or I shall do it, in worse ways that you can imagine."
"Please --"
Harry kept his eyes coldly calculating on Legolas's own. Keeping his wand at Haldir's throat, he lifted his other hand and gently stroked the side of Haldir's neck with the back of two fingers, smiling a little when he felt the involuntary shudder run down Haldir's body. Haldir shut his eyes, pressing his lips together tightly until they were white. There was a cruel look on Harry's face, and finally Legolas understood.
"No," he pleaded. "Harry, you must not do this. You cannot." He reached a beseeching hand towards Harry. Harry simply raised an eyebrow.
"I do not see why not, Legolas, since my touch has become so abhorrent to you." He smiled down at Haldir. "After all, seneschal, you are very beautiful." Haldir turned pale and Harry laughed gaily. "Perhaps I should see for myself what you have been giving Draco." For some reason, Haldir's eyes became a bit wider, his face a bit paler, when Harry spoke Draco's name. Legolas watched, unable to move, as Harry leaned down and took Haldir's lips with his own. Haldir's hands clenched into fists at his sides when Harry coaxed his mouth open and ran his hands up Haldir's arms to grasp his shoulders gently. Despite himself, Legolas was transfixed by the slow, perverse glide of Harry's lips against Haldir's, how Harry dominated the kiss in a way that he had never done with Legolas, the way Harry's lashes were so long against his cheeks that they seemed an extension of the shadows. Haldir's eyes were open, and he glanced over at Legolas, a look of not-quite betrayal in his eyes.
"Please, Harry." Harry broke the kiss and raised an eyebrow at Legolas, his lips glistening. Haldir sagged as if Harry had sucked his life out in the kiss, only Harry's hands grasping his upper arms keeping him on his knees. Legolas took a step foward, his mind racing, barely able to bring himself to be close to Harry even to save his friend's life. "If you -- if you have ever held any affection for me, do not do this, I beg of you."
"Well, Legolas, I --"
Without warning, Haldir pursed his mouth and spat onto Harry's face. "Amin feuya ten lle," he hissed venomously. He didn't need to say what it meant; the tone spoke it for him. "You disgust me."
There was a long silence.
Then Harry laughed, and there was a cold note of amusement woven into it that froze Legolas's blood. He wiped the spittle from his face with a facade of good-nature.
"You deprive me of my sport, Legolas. But ask me properly, and I shall do as you wish."
Without a thought Legolas got down on his knees, and then after a moment stretched out his hands in front of him so that he lay prostrate before Harry, ignoring Haldir's horrified stare. He looked up into Harry's eyes, reaching a hand forth and touching the tip of Harry's boot. "Please, my lord," he said pleadingly. "Please, do not -- do not take him." He gazed into Harry's eyes, watching the smirk curve Harry's lips. "I will do anything you ask of me."
Harry waved a hand. "That is sufficient," he said. "Get up." He reached down and lifted Legolas's chin, raising it until Legolas was forced to follow Harry's hand up to his feet. Harry placed a tiny kiss on Legolas's cheek.
"I suppose you've convinced me," he said, pushing Legolas away. Legolas managed not to stumble. "So, I have decided to give him the mercy of a quick death."
Everything seemed to happen in a daze. Legolas saw Harry raise his hand, saw his lips form strange words and an orb of glowing green death appear at the end of his wand. Haldir stared into the light, transfixed.
"Haldir!"
Legolas's muscles bunched and he threw himself into Haldir's side with all of his strength, the force of the blow bearing Haldir to the ground. He heard Harry yell something incoherent, felt the spell pass by his head, and the last thing he saw before he lost his grasp on consciousness was Harry's shocked eyes staring into his own.
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Someone was shaking his shoulders. He tried to raise a hand to bat them off, but his arms wouldn't move. His head was throbbing violently with every beat of his heart.
"Stop," he mumbled, and his head pulsed with a vengeance. He again tried to bring his hands up to rub at his temples.
"Get up, you idiot. And stop trying to get your hands free before you rub your wrists bloody."
Legolas sat up so suddenly that Harry had to jump back to keep from getting hit. Legolas stared up into Harry's smirking face, acutely aware of the rough rope lashing his wrists tightly together. "My hands are tied," he said unnecessarily. Harry winked at him and grinned crookedly.
"Of course they are," he said pleasantly. "I don't want you struggling when I give you the news."
Legolas felt his heart stop in his chest at the cruel, amused look on Harry's face. Harry knelt down next to where Legolas sat, cupping Legolas's chin and forcing him to stare into cold green eyes.
"I'm afraid your heroic sacrifice was for nothing, Legolas." Legolas stared at him, uncomprehending. The corner of Harry's eyes crinkled as he laughed. "Haldir is dead."
Silence.
"Dead?" Legolas whispered. He couldn't seem to quite wrap his mind around it. "He is -- dead?"
"Killed him after you fainted," Harry agreed cheerfully. He took hold of Legolas's shoulders and hauled him to his feet. Legolas stared straight ahead, his mind whirling. Dead. "I'd show you his body, but I don't think you could handle it right now, could you, Legolas?"
"No," Legolas said quietly. Without warning, he threw himself sideways, knocking Harry to the ground. He was barely aware of the tears coursing down his face, only that Harry was on the ground with a bloody split lip and that his hands were tied behind his back. He cursed through his tears, struggling to free himself, working his wrists to bloody tatters trying to get his hands out of the ropes. Harry had sat up and was watching him now, shaking his head balefully. Legolas's muscles trembled on the verge of exhaustion.
"If you do not calm yourself, I shall do it for you," Harry said, and it was the cool tone in his voice as much as the threat that made Legolas stop struggling and go limp in his bonds. He hung his head, shivering violently, flinching when Harry's hand touched his back, damp with sweat.
Harry stroked the length of his back like he would a wild horse. "It really is too bad that I was forced to kill him," Harry said, consoling, but there was a cruel tone about the words. "He was quite amusing while he lived."
"How dare you mock him so?" Legolas hissed fiercely, twisting his hands from where they were tied behind his back even as more tears of grief threatened to spill over. "How dare you?"
"I dare do anything I please," Harry growled, suddenly unpleasant, backhanding Legolas and pushing him to the ground when Legolas swayed, stunned. He planted both hands on either side of Legolas's head, licking the trail of blood that leaked from the corner of Legolas's mouth.
"What are you going to do now?" Legolas asked him quietly. "Will you force me as you would have Haldir?"
Harry studied him for a long while. "No," he said finally, no emotion whatsoever on his face or in his tone. "I will not force you. I am not like you are." He got to his feet, dusting off his hands, and, ignoring Legolas lying on the ground, simply walked away.
It took Legolas a moment to get to his feet, his head still ringing from Harry's vicious backhand, weary with grief. His hands were slippery wet with the blood leaking down from where the rope had rubbed his wrists raw. "Haldir," he whispered to the forest, and felt the first drop of rain hit his cheek and slide slowly down his neck. The next hit his back, and before long his clothes were soaked through, his hair clinging to his face and neck, and yet it was a long, long time before he could gather the tattered shreds of his pride and courage and follow Harry's trail out of the forest. The rain and tears mixed and ran down his face as he spoke his oath to the trees. He would not submit, he would not break, and he would never surrender.
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A/N: Woohoo! Finished this on a 14 hour car ride down to visit my brother in Auburn. How cool was that? Went to an Auburn game, and I'm happy to say that they thrashed West Kentucky 45-0.
Ra ra reagle, war damn eagle, kick 'em in the butt, big blue!
I said it's great to be an Auburn tiger, I said it's great to be an Auburn Tiger!
War Eagle, my friends, and I hope you truly enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Chapter Nine: Puppetmaster
by Capella
A/N: Well. Now that we've gotten some Legolas torture out of the way, it's time to torture everyone else.
Hope the Harry weirdness ain't turning anyone off from the story -- trust me implicitly when I say that it's not a mistake or something that I'm doing without a plan in mind. It'll all fit quite nicely together in the end, and I've got it allll worked out. Have faith in me. :D
Just cause I feel like it, I'm gonna reply to the reviews I got on the last chapter. It's fun and it makes me feel happy.
Legolas19 -- Is this quick enough? Wrote it in seminar one day. I hate seminar (academic lab, my ass), but it's quite nice for trying to catch up with my writing.
Kitta Baby -- Awesome. I love sad love stories. And thanks for the birthday wishes.
Jenn -- *wince* I'll be doin' my splainin soon, I promise! ...sort of!
Hiten Mitsurugi Kitsune -- You know, it really would suck if you felt Legolas's pain for real, because I imagine he's in quite a bit of it. ...er, on a more serious note, I feel sort of bad about all the mean stuff I'm doin' to Legolas, because I don't know when it's gonna let up.
mango -- thanks :D ...is it a good interesting or a bad interesting? And I've thought about it...but for some reason, my mind has something against Haldir POV. Perhaps I'll try it soon.
Holy-Demon -- Well, that was the point, but sorry for making you cry anyways. *grin*
Leah -- hehe, it was, and being sadistic is okay.
April Stammpants -- You know me too well, April. glad you like it, you know I value your opinion. :D
Jane -- oh awesome, glad you think it's as good as the first. whew. ;)
Illucia -- Nah, you're not too sleepy, because Harry is acting very very weird indeed. I suppose the reason that Draco went along is that Harry's a sucker for a pouty lip. *grin*
Lauren and all you gals down under -- How cool is that? I'm glad you guys like it so much -- you won't have to check back every day, cause I'll put you on my mailing list. :)
Whew, fun fun. I love reviews. *hugs everyone*
Er...I hate to say it, but if I ever meet any of my Harrys, I'd wanna meet the one from this chapter. *grin*
_________________________
"It is truth, but truth is not always appearance."
-- from "Sleepy Hollow"
_________________________
Legolas stared down at his hands in amazement.
They were gone. His wounds were simply -- gone.
He had awoken curled up on the ground, exhausted despite his sleep and fully expecting to relive the agony that had driven him into unconsciousness in the first place -- only to find that his wounds had disappeared as if they'd never been.
Legolas reached a shaking hand around his back cautiously and touched the skin, wincing purely out of reflex, not even finding a hint of scar tissue. He brought his hand back in front of his face. No blood. No pain. No -- anything.
He slowly got to his feet. Harry had to have taken him off the horse to stop for the night. The sun was just barely above the horizon, casting the sky into a shade of reddish orange that seemed strangely dull. The entire world seemed gray despite the sunrise. There wasn't even a hint of wind.
"Harry?" he whispered and immediately pressed a hand to his throat, eyes wide in shock. Even the hoarseness from the screaming Harry had coaxed from him the day before was gone as well. "Harry?" he said again, louder, hating the pleading quality to his voice. There was no answer.
Something nudged his side and he jumped, hands going reflexively for knives that weren't there. He spun, hands up, and found himself looking into a pair of sad, liquid brown eyes.
"Arod," he said softly, reaching out to stroke the horse's neck. Arod blinked balefully, gave a soft whicker and began to walk away. Legolas sighed, too tired and heartsore to care. He turned to leave, and a soft horse's muzzle nudged his elbow. He whirled around, irritated.
"What?" he asked. Arod simply stared at him meaningfully and turned to walk away again. When Legolas only gazed after him, Arod turned his head and snorted in his direction, and then plodded off again. Something clicked.
"You wish for me to follow you?" he asked, feeling a bit foolish. Arod continued to walk, swishing his tail. Legolas sighed and walked after him. After a bit, Arod broke into a slow trot, whinnying in pleasure when Legolas kept up with him easily. Finally Arod stopped.
Legolas looked into the depths of the dark clump of trees a bit doubtfully. "In here?" he whispered. Arod prodded his back with his nose gently, and Legolas reluctantly began to walk into the wood, careful not to make a sound.
It was about five minutes before he heard it, and a few more minutes after that before he found the source of it.
Harry sat with his back against a dying tree, surrounded by dull brown leaves, his knees drawn up to his chest and his head resting on them. He was sobbing fit to break any heart. When Legolas took a step closer, Harry's head shot up, blank pale gaze fixed uncannily on Legolas, or close enough.
"Who is it?" he asked, sounding panicked. His hand strayed towards a knife at his belt, one that Legolas was surprised to recognize as one of his own.
Legolas took another step closer, gaze fixed on the shining tracks of tears trailing down Harry's face. "Tis only I."
Harry's expression twisted and he lowered his head back onto his knees. He spoke without looking up.
"Woke up," he mumbled, voice rough from tears. "Smelled blood. I thought there was an orc attack -- I couldn't think, I just panicked. And then I stumbled across you, and I felt your eyelids, and I remembered hearing that elves never sleep with their eyes closed." Legolas saw him shiver. "I guess I found where the blood had come from. Your back -- God, it was soaked through. I thought you were dead."
Legolas reached out a hand to console him. His arm stopped as if he'd been frozen. There was blood covering Harry's hands, splattered over Harry's arms, speckling Harry's face. "You remember -- nothing?" he asked. He remembered having a similar conversation after they'd left Minas Tirith, and wondered if it would be this way until Harry finally reached Valinor, or killed him; Harry hurting him and then somehow forgetting. He had a feeling that he could go insane before it was all over.
"Legolas --" Harry said, voice becoming louder and more hurried. "When I felt you dying -- something happened, something magic that I've never done before. I didn't even have my wand out, but somehow your back healed, and I don't know how I did it."
Legolas rubbed his arms almost unconsciously, his skin tingling with the memory of the night before.
"I don't know how I did it," Harry repeated in a whispered tone, finally raising his head. "I just -- I've never been so strong before. He wrapped his arms around his knees and shuddered so hard it looked as if he'd fall over. "What's happening to me?"
He looked so frightened that Legolas reached out a hand without even thinking and touched Harry's cheek gently, relieved when Harry leaned into the touch and closed his eyes. A bit of dried blood flaked off Harry's face onto Legolas's palm. He couldn't find it in himself to draw his hand back even so.
"I'm stronger than this, you know," Harry murmured, lifting his hand up and taking Legolas's own hand on his cheek in a loose grip. "But I know that something happened, something that I did, and you're not telling me." He bit his lower lip. "What have I done?"
Legolas froze. Those words -- he remembered Harry saying those words to him before.
When Legolas didn't speak, Harry's lips turned down. "I have done something horrible," Harry said in a small voice. "Was it -- was it I who did that to you?"
"Yes," Legolas said softly. "Can you honestly tell me that you cannot remember?" He wished that he had some way to know if everything Harry said was a trick. With the way Harry acted of late, he would not have been surprised.
Harry nodded. The tears were beginning to dry on his face.
"Would you -- could you just, please --" he broke off in mid sentence, face red and somehow ashamed. "I know I hurt you, but could you just kiss me? Just once. Please." He twisted his hands nervously. There was a spot of dried blood, Legolas's own, on his lower lip that Legolas couldn't seem to keep his eyes off of.
"Please."
It was the last please, spoken in such a pleading tone, that finally undid him, and he leaned forward, pressing his lips gently to Harry's with a whispered word of assent. Harry parted his lips, and Legolas inhaled sharply when he felt Harry's tongue outlining his mouth. Without quite being aware of what he was doing, he slid his hands up Harry's neck and into Harry's hair, pressing Harry closer, trying to mold their mouths even tighter together. Harry let out a helpless little moan, his hands going to Legolas's shoulders where they fisted desperately at the fabric of Legolas's tunic. Legolas felt a shiver go down his spine when one of Harry's fingers grazed the skin of his neck.
Legolas's mind wandered for a moment. It was strange, somehow, that no matter what Harry had done, for the space of a few minutes, all of it could be erased in something as simple as a kiss.
Then Harry groaned, and Legolas realized that while he'd let his mind free, his hands had developed quite the mind of their own.
"No," he said, pulling away, breaths ragged and labored. Harry stared blankly to his right, face flushed and lips swollen, breathing as heavily as Legolas suspected he himself was.
"Why --" Harry began, and then shook his head, almost visibly composing himself. "We mustn't. We --"
He was cut off by the pressure of Legolas's lips on his own. Legolas felt Harry's arms slide around him and did the same, one hand playing with the hem of Harry's tunic and going beneath it to stroke the small of Harry's back gently.
"Remove your hands from him, or I will shoot."
Legolas pried his lips from Harry's and turned his head, staring incredulously at Haldir's figure and the arrow aimed not at him, but to his right.
"Haldir?" he whispered. Haldir did not answer, staring stonily behind him. It occurred to Legolas that his hands were still resting on Harry's back and he removed them, feeling a bit as if in a dream. He distantly felt Harry do the same.
"You would shoot me?" Harry said, and Legolas almost let out an audible moan of dismay. He turned slowly, afraid of what he would see. Harry was staring directly at Haldir, his eyes crystal clear and dangerous.
"I would." Haldir's voice was steady. Still staring at Harry, Legolas carefully got to his feet and backed away. Harry and Haldir seemed locked in a battle of will.
Finally Harry shrugged and got up as well.
"It makes no difference to me," he said, something unpleasant lurking near the corner of his mouth. "But it is too bad that you had not found us yesterday. I did an admirable job of giving Legolas a lesson. Perhaps I could have taught you manners as well."
"You --" Haldir's hand remained steady on the bow, but his lips tightened slightly in anger. "What have you done to him?"
Harry's eyes widened in mock innocence. "Why, I surely don't know what you're talking about. Legolas, have you any marks on you?"
Legolas stared at Harry in shock. "You mean --"
Harry laughed. "Oh Legolas, it is almost too easy to get your trust," he said, smiling as if joy had him by the throat. "You are naive. I am surprised you aren't dead a hundred times over." He turned to look at Haldir. Legolas simply stood, frozen, watching the scene before him in a daze. "Now, what are you planning to do with me?"
"Kill you," Haldir said simply, his composure recovered, and he drew back the bowstring taut.
"No, Haldir!" Legolas said. "You must not!"
Haldir's eyes flickered to him, resolve wavering, and in that moment, Legolas saw movement from the corner of his eye.
"Stupefy!"
Haldir flew backwards, hitting a tree with an audible crack and falling to his stomach. He did not move. Legolas let out a cry, starting forward. Harry simply stood, arms crossed with a smile of satisfaction on his face, his wand tapping against one thigh.
"How could you, Harry?" Legolas asked, voice breaking. Harry's smile grew.
"But Legolas, I am the monster that near beat you to death last night. Are you so surprised that I used force to subdue someone who was going to kill me?" At Legolas's wounded look, he laughed. "Do not worry, Legolas. I pull my punches. He is not dead, nor even unconscious. Merely stunned. He should get up in a few moments." Harry winked at Legolas and walked to where Haldir lay, grabbing his hair and pulling Haldir to his knees, letting his grip on Haldir's hair go once Haldir looked as if he could keep to his knees without falling. Haldir wavered, swaying drunkenly. "But I do not plan on giving him that opportunity."
"Harry -- " Legolas started, beginning to walk forward, but Harry pressed his wand to Haldir's throat, stopping Legolas in his tracks.
"Now, now, Legolas. Not another step. I don't want you ruining my fun."
And then Harry's face gained a contemplative look that made Legolas's fists clench.
"No, I've changed my mind. Do come here, Legolas."
With a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach, his eyes focused on Haldir's drifting gaze, he stepped forward.
"Legolas, how do you say 'kill him' in Elvish, please?"
Bile rose in the back of Legolas's throat. "No, Harry, you cannot --" He was cut off when Harry pressed his wand closer in Haldir's throat. Haldir was beginning to regain his bearings, the dazed look in his eyes clearing and finally focusing on Legolas's pained expression.
"How do you say it, Legolas?"
"Dago hon," Legolas said faintly. Haldir blinked, surprised at hearing his native language.
"Perfect," Harry said pleasantly. "Dago hon, Legolas."
Haldir's lips parted a little, a hissing breath escaping him despite his look of composure. "Legolas, do not."
Legolas could not move, frozen in place by both the threat in Harry's eyes and the pleading in Haldir's. "I cannot."
Harry's face dropped the pretense of pleasantness, a cold, irritated look coming over him. "Kill him now," he hissed, "or I shall do it, in worse ways that you can imagine."
"Please --"
Harry kept his eyes coldly calculating on Legolas's own. Keeping his wand at Haldir's throat, he lifted his other hand and gently stroked the side of Haldir's neck with the back of two fingers, smiling a little when he felt the involuntary shudder run down Haldir's body. Haldir shut his eyes, pressing his lips together tightly until they were white. There was a cruel look on Harry's face, and finally Legolas understood.
"No," he pleaded. "Harry, you must not do this. You cannot." He reached a beseeching hand towards Harry. Harry simply raised an eyebrow.
"I do not see why not, Legolas, since my touch has become so abhorrent to you." He smiled down at Haldir. "After all, seneschal, you are very beautiful." Haldir turned pale and Harry laughed gaily. "Perhaps I should see for myself what you have been giving Draco." For some reason, Haldir's eyes became a bit wider, his face a bit paler, when Harry spoke Draco's name. Legolas watched, unable to move, as Harry leaned down and took Haldir's lips with his own. Haldir's hands clenched into fists at his sides when Harry coaxed his mouth open and ran his hands up Haldir's arms to grasp his shoulders gently. Despite himself, Legolas was transfixed by the slow, perverse glide of Harry's lips against Haldir's, how Harry dominated the kiss in a way that he had never done with Legolas, the way Harry's lashes were so long against his cheeks that they seemed an extension of the shadows. Haldir's eyes were open, and he glanced over at Legolas, a look of not-quite betrayal in his eyes.
"Please, Harry." Harry broke the kiss and raised an eyebrow at Legolas, his lips glistening. Haldir sagged as if Harry had sucked his life out in the kiss, only Harry's hands grasping his upper arms keeping him on his knees. Legolas took a step foward, his mind racing, barely able to bring himself to be close to Harry even to save his friend's life. "If you -- if you have ever held any affection for me, do not do this, I beg of you."
"Well, Legolas, I --"
Without warning, Haldir pursed his mouth and spat onto Harry's face. "Amin feuya ten lle," he hissed venomously. He didn't need to say what it meant; the tone spoke it for him. "You disgust me."
There was a long silence.
Then Harry laughed, and there was a cold note of amusement woven into it that froze Legolas's blood. He wiped the spittle from his face with a facade of good-nature.
"You deprive me of my sport, Legolas. But ask me properly, and I shall do as you wish."
Without a thought Legolas got down on his knees, and then after a moment stretched out his hands in front of him so that he lay prostrate before Harry, ignoring Haldir's horrified stare. He looked up into Harry's eyes, reaching a hand forth and touching the tip of Harry's boot. "Please, my lord," he said pleadingly. "Please, do not -- do not take him." He gazed into Harry's eyes, watching the smirk curve Harry's lips. "I will do anything you ask of me."
Harry waved a hand. "That is sufficient," he said. "Get up." He reached down and lifted Legolas's chin, raising it until Legolas was forced to follow Harry's hand up to his feet. Harry placed a tiny kiss on Legolas's cheek.
"I suppose you've convinced me," he said, pushing Legolas away. Legolas managed not to stumble. "So, I have decided to give him the mercy of a quick death."
Everything seemed to happen in a daze. Legolas saw Harry raise his hand, saw his lips form strange words and an orb of glowing green death appear at the end of his wand. Haldir stared into the light, transfixed.
"Haldir!"
Legolas's muscles bunched and he threw himself into Haldir's side with all of his strength, the force of the blow bearing Haldir to the ground. He heard Harry yell something incoherent, felt the spell pass by his head, and the last thing he saw before he lost his grasp on consciousness was Harry's shocked eyes staring into his own.
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Someone was shaking his shoulders. He tried to raise a hand to bat them off, but his arms wouldn't move. His head was throbbing violently with every beat of his heart.
"Stop," he mumbled, and his head pulsed with a vengeance. He again tried to bring his hands up to rub at his temples.
"Get up, you idiot. And stop trying to get your hands free before you rub your wrists bloody."
Legolas sat up so suddenly that Harry had to jump back to keep from getting hit. Legolas stared up into Harry's smirking face, acutely aware of the rough rope lashing his wrists tightly together. "My hands are tied," he said unnecessarily. Harry winked at him and grinned crookedly.
"Of course they are," he said pleasantly. "I don't want you struggling when I give you the news."
Legolas felt his heart stop in his chest at the cruel, amused look on Harry's face. Harry knelt down next to where Legolas sat, cupping Legolas's chin and forcing him to stare into cold green eyes.
"I'm afraid your heroic sacrifice was for nothing, Legolas." Legolas stared at him, uncomprehending. The corner of Harry's eyes crinkled as he laughed. "Haldir is dead."
Silence.
"Dead?" Legolas whispered. He couldn't seem to quite wrap his mind around it. "He is -- dead?"
"Killed him after you fainted," Harry agreed cheerfully. He took hold of Legolas's shoulders and hauled him to his feet. Legolas stared straight ahead, his mind whirling. Dead. "I'd show you his body, but I don't think you could handle it right now, could you, Legolas?"
"No," Legolas said quietly. Without warning, he threw himself sideways, knocking Harry to the ground. He was barely aware of the tears coursing down his face, only that Harry was on the ground with a bloody split lip and that his hands were tied behind his back. He cursed through his tears, struggling to free himself, working his wrists to bloody tatters trying to get his hands out of the ropes. Harry had sat up and was watching him now, shaking his head balefully. Legolas's muscles trembled on the verge of exhaustion.
"If you do not calm yourself, I shall do it for you," Harry said, and it was the cool tone in his voice as much as the threat that made Legolas stop struggling and go limp in his bonds. He hung his head, shivering violently, flinching when Harry's hand touched his back, damp with sweat.
Harry stroked the length of his back like he would a wild horse. "It really is too bad that I was forced to kill him," Harry said, consoling, but there was a cruel tone about the words. "He was quite amusing while he lived."
"How dare you mock him so?" Legolas hissed fiercely, twisting his hands from where they were tied behind his back even as more tears of grief threatened to spill over. "How dare you?"
"I dare do anything I please," Harry growled, suddenly unpleasant, backhanding Legolas and pushing him to the ground when Legolas swayed, stunned. He planted both hands on either side of Legolas's head, licking the trail of blood that leaked from the corner of Legolas's mouth.
"What are you going to do now?" Legolas asked him quietly. "Will you force me as you would have Haldir?"
Harry studied him for a long while. "No," he said finally, no emotion whatsoever on his face or in his tone. "I will not force you. I am not like you are." He got to his feet, dusting off his hands, and, ignoring Legolas lying on the ground, simply walked away.
It took Legolas a moment to get to his feet, his head still ringing from Harry's vicious backhand, weary with grief. His hands were slippery wet with the blood leaking down from where the rope had rubbed his wrists raw. "Haldir," he whispered to the forest, and felt the first drop of rain hit his cheek and slide slowly down his neck. The next hit his back, and before long his clothes were soaked through, his hair clinging to his face and neck, and yet it was a long, long time before he could gather the tattered shreds of his pride and courage and follow Harry's trail out of the forest. The rain and tears mixed and ran down his face as he spoke his oath to the trees. He would not submit, he would not break, and he would never surrender.
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A/N: Woohoo! Finished this on a 14 hour car ride down to visit my brother in Auburn. How cool was that? Went to an Auburn game, and I'm happy to say that they thrashed West Kentucky 45-0.
Ra ra reagle, war damn eagle, kick 'em in the butt, big blue!
I said it's great to be an Auburn tiger, I said it's great to be an Auburn Tiger!
War Eagle, my friends, and I hope you truly enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.