Part Fifteen
"I am very glad you came back, Rúmil," said Legolas Greenleaf.
"Orophin insisted!"
"It has been too long," Orophin agreed. "We are delighted indeed to see you once more,
old friend."
Orophin and Rúmil were inside the guest talan with Legolas when Haldir, Celeborn and
Thranduil arrived with the enormous case of wine. At least, it seemed enormous to Haldir,
who was carrying it. They had gone first to retrieve it from Celeborn's personal storage
before proceeding to the lodgings that had been provided for the King of Mirkwood and
his son.
The conversation that the three of them had been having stopped at once when their elders
entered, and the three young elves rose respectfully to their feet. From the look that all
three of them gave to Lord Celeborn, Haldir guessed that part of what they had been
discussing involved Celeborn's assault on Orophin the night before. Celeborn seemed or
pretended not to notice the glares.
"Ah, good," said Thranduil. "We will not have to send you to look for your brothers after
all, Haldir, for here they are."
"My lord Celeborn has invited us to stay and drink tonight with him and Lord Thranduil,"
Haldir told his brothers.
"We can hardly refuse," Orophin said tartly.
Celeborn chuckled. "You have had little trouble refusing me before, Orophin. I am glad
you have grown wiser overnight."
"Only in this matter," Orophin replied.
"Sit down, sit down," Thranduil said jovially. "Haldir, you will get that crate open. And
goblets, we will need goblets."
The sitting area of the talan contained a long, rounded couch that curved around a short
table in a three-quarter circle. Haldir put the crate down on the table as Thranduil seated
himself next to Celeborn, who took a place to Rúmil's right. Legolas had been sitting
between Haldir's brothers.
Haldir began to open the crate, not failing to notice the looks of amusement on his
brothers' faces to see him ordered around so. He set his mouth in a grim line. Legolas was
studiously avoiding catching his gaze, and that made him sad. Perhaps the wine would
change matters. Legolas had never been much for indulging in wine, but that might have
changed in a century. The elves of Mirkwood were known for their fondness of it.
Haldir rarely indulged himself, at least since he had become Marchwarden. Tomorrow he
would have no patrol, however, so he could drink as much as he liked. It was tempting,
especially since Celeborn kept particularly fine bottles. Still, it would not do to lose his
wits when Orophin and Rúmil were certain to do just that and Celeborn certainly knew
this.
"There should be some goblets upstairs. Rúmil, will you fetch them, please?" Haldir
requested as he pulled the bottles out of the crate.
"As you asked so sweetly, I cannot see how I might refuse," Rúmil said, raising his
eyebrows.
"That and the fact that it would not do to let Lord Thranduil drink straight from the bottle,
would it, Rúmil?" Celeborn asked.
"Is that not how they do it in Mirkwood?" Rúmil chuckled and ducked out of the room to
find the goblets. Thranduil sputtered at his words and Haldir hid a smile.
"Perhaps inviting Rúmil to sit with us tonight was a bad idea," Celeborn said darkly. "I
shall dismiss him."
"I beg you not to, Lord Celeborn," said Legolas. "He amuses me greatly, and both my
father and I know his words are in jest. I am very fond of Rúmil."
The young Prince's words diffused the situation and Thranduil and Celeborn both relaxed
and allowed themselves to smile. Legolas would make an excellent diplomat one day,
Haldir thought as he uncorked the first bottle.
"Surely Lord Thranduil recalls that my brothers both have a sense of humor that at times
they have not the sense to rein in," Haldir said. He sat down in the space that Rúmil had
vacated, between Celeborn and Legolas. "It is what makes them good company."
"A few cups of wine inside me will surely make Rúmil more amusing," Thranduil said.
"And hopefully a few cups of wine inside Haldir will make him more amusing," said
Celeborn slyly. Thranduil laughed uproariously. Haldir kept his expression blank, merely
lifting an eyebrow and acknowledging the jest. Celeborn had not forgiven him for rescuing
Orophin. Haldir glanced at Legolas, but the younger elf seemed far away, lost in thought.
Rúmil returned with the goblets and handed them around, and quickly the wine was
flowing. Thranduil was capable of holding a conversation entirely on his own, much like
Rúmil, Haldir noted, as the king filled them in on all the happenings in Mirkwood. These
seemed to involve lengthy tales of Thranduil single-handedly killing dozens of orcs or a
colony of giant spiders. Haldir was glad that they did not have giant spiders in Lórien. He
remembered encountering them in Mirkwood all too well.
The Marchwarden drank in silence, as did Legolas. Rúmil and Orophin managed to make
the appropriate comments at the appropriate points in Thranduil's stories and he warmed
to them quickly enough, laughing at their quick witted replies and encouraging to tell him
tales of their own patrols. Celeborn said little except to reply to Thranduil's direct
questions and Haldir watched him watching the rest of the party.
By the time they reached the fifth bottle, Haldir at last felt the wine begin to heat his
blood. He began to relax, turning his head to look at the Prince of Mirkwood. Legolas
was staring at him. Haldir raised his eyebrows, for as far as he could tell this was the first
time Legolas had paid him any attention at all. He smiled slightly. Legolas' expression only
grew more cold.
"I am going to get some air," Legolas said. He stood up on feet which seemed unsteady to
Haldir's eye and launched himself out of the talan.
"That lad never could hold his wine very well," Thranduil sighed as his son disappeared.
"Haldir, go look after him. I do not wish him to fall out of this cursed tree. When will you
learn to live upon the ground like normal elves, Celeborn? Even Imladris is not so high
up."
"We have lived in the skies since King Amroth invented the talan," Celeborn said with a
twist of irony in his tone as Haldir got up from the couch. Celeborn immediately slid closer
to Rúmil, who smiled at him and held up his cup for more wine.
"Amroth -- now there is the subject which has been on my mind all eve," Thranduil said,
refilling all the goblets. Haldir took his with him as he went after Legolas. He would have
liked to hear what would be said about Amroth himself, but the part of him that was well
into his cups wanted far more to have this opportunity to be alone with Legolas.
Haldir found the prince a few steps down from the talan, sitting on the stair. "Legolas?"
"What do you out here, Haldir?" Legolas asked coldly.
"Your father fears you have had too much wine and will plummet to your death from this
tree," Haldir replied, trying to keep his tone light.
Haldir would not let Legolas know how much his bitterness affected him. As it was,
Haldir was having enough trouble denying what he felt to himself. Yes, it was still there,
deep inside him…the torch he had carried for Legolas one long ago summer, still burning
as brightly as when it had been kindled. It was his own fault that Legolas disliked him
now.
"I would sooner do it to escape your company," Legolas said. "Pray go back and tell him
to send Rúmil out instead if he feels I need a guard. I prefer his company."
"Rúmil is even more likely to fall out of the tree than you are," Haldir replied.
Legolas sighed. "If you insist upon keeping my company, at least sit down on the stair. I
do not care to stiffen my neck looking up at you like this."
"Certainly not, it is stiff enough already."
Haldir did as Legolas had bid him and joined him on the stair. Legolas stared straight
ahead for a long, awkward moment. Haldir felt the wine swimming in his blood. It
whispered that he ought to kiss Legolas. Now, assuredly this was not the way to keep
from rekindling their old fling, but it was a temptation all the same. He took a deep breath.
"Perhaps I should send out Rúmil instead," he muttered, more to himself than to Legolas.
Legolas turned his head towards Haldir.
"No," Legolas whispered. "Do not go. I spoke in haste."
Haldir smiled slowly. "So you are not as cold as you have seemed all this day."
"It is difficult for me to see you after what passed between us."
"That was very long ago, Legolas."
"I know. And yet it seems as though it were just yesterday. Looking upon you brought it
all back. I thought it would not bother me so, but it does."
Haldir looked into the earnest blue eyes of the younger elf. His hand rose to Legolas' face
almost of its own accord. He let his fingers play over the smooth skin of Legolas' cheek.
The wine inside him told him that is was foolish to fight against something that they both
wanted. The more logical part of his mind was floating, drowning in a dark red current.
Haldir set aside his goblet, but it helped nothing.
"Let me taste your lips again, Legolas," he whispered, his voice low and husky even to his
own ears.
"No…" Legolas whispered, but he did not pull back. Haldir let his hand fall away. "You
must not break my heart again, Haldir of Lórien. I have not recovered from your last
assault."
"I am ashamed to have hurt so noble an elf as you," Haldir said.
He felt blindly for his wine, picked up the goblet, and drained the cup. A drop of the liquid
slid out of the corner of his mouth, and Legolas' finger darted out to catch it. As Haldir
watched, he licked his finger. The Marchwarden bit back a moan at the innocently sensual
gesture.
"Do you desire me, Haldir?"
"I would not beg for kisses if I did not."
"You have never begged for anything in your life, I would wager," Legolas said, smiling
briefly. "What happens, do I give in and kiss you? I will not deny that I want such
pleasures for myself. I am not so noble after all."
"I can assuage your desires, but that aside, I have little else to promise you," Haldir said.
"Do you think I did what I did so long ago because I no longer wanted you?"
"Yes," Legolas whispered.
"I had to return to Lórien," Haldir said. "It was growing too strong, the bond between us.
I had to break it, and I did it far more cruelly than you deserved."
"I could have come with you to Lórien," Legolas said, a tremor in his voice.
"No, Legolas, it would never have been permitted… and were we to take up now where
we left off then, we would still eventually be parted. There is no future for us. There is
only the present."
Legolas nodded slowly, but Haldir could see denial in his large blue eyes. A tear slid from
one corner and Haldir bent forward and pressed his lips against it.
"Kiss me, Haldir," he whispered. "Give me the present. I will worry about the future
later."
Haldir was too much intoxicated both by the wine and by Legolas to argue with himself
about it any further. He slipped his arms around Legolas and brought his mouth to that of
the prince. Legolas was sweet and generous, opening his mouth immediately, letting
himself fall to Haldir's plundering. Haldir pressed Legolas back against the stairs, inclining
his body against him. He would not be satisfied with just one kiss. He would not be
satisfied with a hundred.
"Take me back to your talan," Legolas said after an indeterminate amount of time. Haldir
looked at his lips and saw that they had been bruised with his loving. He smiled.
"What would your father say?"
"I care not."
"Knew he that you were mine all that summer I spent in his kingdom?"
"Ah… no…"
"I thought not."
"Very well, we shall hide this from him if you insist. Take me back to your talan, Haldir. I
would have you! They are well into their cups and will not notice that we do not return to
them."
"Demanding, are you not? You do take after him after all," Haldir teased. "I would love
no more than to have you beneath me at this very moment--"
"I am beneath you now," Legolas pointed out. He squirmed slightly and Haldir saw spots
in front of his eyes from the enormous rush of heat to his loins.
"You know what I meant." Haldir sat up, freeing Legolas. He took a deep breath, willing
his body to be calm. "I will not leave Orophin and Rúmil here with Celeborn and
Thranduil."
Legolas nodded. "Oro told me what happened last night. I think he would not be adverse
to Celeborn's advances were he not so deeply in love with Amroth."
"That is another foolishness he must give up," Haldir said darkly.
Legolas made a non-committal sound. "They can look after themselves, and each other.
Besides, you are too drunk to do them any good."
"Then I am assuredly too drunk to take you back to my talan."
Legolas' eyes wandered over Haldir's body. "Oh, I think not."
Haldir grinned. Before he could reply, Orophin and Rúmil came out of the guest talan and
down the stairs towards them. They rose to their feet.
"Ah, so you did not push Haldir out of the tree after all," said Orophin to Legolas. "I win
the bet, Rúmil. Give me that last bottle."
"I will give you half, but no more than that, as you should have known more than anyone
that I was teasing!" Rúmil said.
"Has Celeborn dismissed us?" Haldir asked hopefully.
"I think he and Thranduil have seen enough of our company this night. Legolas, you will
not want to go back in there," said Rúmil, grinning.
"I will find somewhere else to spend the night," Legolas said, looking hopefully at Haldir.
Haldir gave up. "Come on then," he said. "Back to my talan."
