Part Forty-Six

"Haldir…" Legolas whispered as they sat together sharing their lunch beneath the dark canopy of the trees of Mirkwood, "I am wondering if it was…wrong."

"If what was wrong, my Prince?" Haldir asked, taking a bite of the cold roast pheasant which Thranduil had provided them with for their lunch. The Elvenking was a wonderful cook, Haldir thought. The pheasant was exquisitely prepared and roasted in herbs and spices, de-boned, then wrapped with vegetables in a large edible leaf for easy consumption. Haldir wondered idly if Legolas knew how to cook as well.

"Leaving Lord Glorfindel."

"I have very little pity for Lord Glorfindel, I fear," Haldir said darkly. "Besides, he is a highly skilled warrior. I would not be surprised if he relishes this challenge."

"I will not be able to live with myself if he is eaten by a spider."

"You forget that he has Elladan and Saelbeth with him as well. They are all probably back at the palace by now, drinking Thranduil's wine and laughing while we are out here in the wood hunting orcs."

"I hate orcs," Legolas mumbled. "I have killed sixteen this morning and still they are out there. I can hear them, about five miles to the east."

"We will go take care of them when we are finished eating," Haldir said amiably. "This is delicious. And you have hardly touched yours."

"Would you like it?"

"No, I would like you to eat it. You need to keep up your strength."

Legolas smiled briefly, but sadness showed in his luminous blue eyes. "I should not have volunteered Elladan to go. He will hate me even more."

"Elladan does not hate you. What you did was a generous act. Glorfindel and Elrond will hopefully remember how you showed mercy."

"Elladan hates me for humiliating him. I can feel it when he looks at me. And if anything happens to him, Lord Elrond will never forgive me."

Haldir sighed. "And Saelbeth?"

"He has been my friend all my life. I thought I knew him well until now…But I do believe he will help Lord Glorfindel the best he can. Perhaps you are right. Perhaps there is little to worry about. After all, we did clear that area of spiders. There can be few left."

Haldir wanted to comfort the prince, so he drew Legolas near and kissed him on the mouth. In truth, he too worried for the three elves who had been cast into the wood bound and nearly weaponless. And of all of them, one of the sons of Elrond. Haldir was frankly amazed that Thranduil had permitted this. After all, he and Elrond were lovers, that was clear enough. Or, they had been.

Today they seemed to hate each other. Elrond kept the company only of Elrohir as they dispersed into the wood to run out the rapidly expanding orc population. He ignored the Elvenking coldly, and Haldir knew that Thranduil's warlike calm was in part a mask to hide his hurt at the rift between them. He had watched Legolas' father slice through orc after orc that morning, turning his sorrow into bloodlust, ignoring those who grumbled that the task would be easier with the help of Glorfindel, Elladan and even Saelbeth, all of whom were famed for their orc-hunting abilities.

The roust was going well. No elves had been killed, and very few had suffered even minor injuries so far. Haldir hoped it would not take as long as it had to get rid of the spiders. He thought about Elladan's long, lean supple body, which he and Legolas had well-used and felt the burn of arousal. No Elladan had been punished well, and enough. Glorfindel probably deserved anything he got, however.

Haldir suddenly wished that he had asked Thranduil to grant Glorfindel mercy. He was not afraid of the other elf, nor did he think the crime would be repeated. He knew that Glorfindel would not have brought any true harm to Legolas.

"Perhaps we should have offered Glorfindel the same punishment we gave Elladan," Haldir said, finishing the rest of his food and picking up his sword. He pulled out a small piece of cloth and began to clean it while Legolas finished his lunch. The stench of the orc blood was awful and Legolas soon put his food back into his pack.

"Lord Glorfindel is not to my taste," Legolas said, making a face and Haldir wondered if it was at the thought of bedding Glorfindel or the smell.

"Ah," Haldir replied softly, smiling knowingly at his lover, "So Elladan is to your taste then."

Legolas blushed crimson. His cheeks and ears flushed hotly and the guilty expression made Haldir desire him all the more. If he did not know for certain that orcs were not far off, he would have cast down his weapons and taken Legolas right there. How long would it be before he could lie with the Prince again? This uncontainable lust was maddening.

"I liked taking Elladan," Legolas admitted. "I liked sharing him with you."

"I found it rather enjoyable myself," Haldir said.

"I would not mind seeing it happen again, aside from the fact that Elladan hates me."

Haldir sighed. "You underestimate Elladan. But truly, I think the difficulty will come in convincing him to allow you to chain him to the bed."

"What if we did not?"

Haldir raised an eyebrow. "What are you saying, Legolas?"

"What if we simply invited him to our bed again? He is so lonely, Haldir."

"Will you give him your heart, as well?" He did not mean to sound so jealous.

"My heart is no longer my own to give. It belongs to you."

"Elladan will not stand for being treated as a pet, a second choice."

"I did not mean it as such. I wish to offer him…friendship."

"Then do it." Haldir sighed. "And if you wish to offer him more, then do so as well."

Legolas slid closer to Haldir and put his arms around him. "Never alone, only with you."

Haldir nodded, but he was not sure how he felt about the idea deep inside. Meanwhile, he could only pray that nothing would happen to Elladan while he was out in the wood with Saelbeth and Glorfindel. Legolas sat up straight then, looking distraught.

"What is it?"

"Orcs, coming closer. Do you hear it?"

Haldir did. Quickly he got to his feet as Legolas armed himself with his bow and arrow. He favored them greatly over the sword.

"I am ready."

The orcs descended upon them moments later. Legolas was already firing as they burst through the trees into the clearing and Haldir took up his sword to back him up. Luckily they were armed with dull swords more than crossbows and this made them fairly simply to kill. Roaring, stinking and ugly, Haldir thought as he fought to defend the Prince.

Ten minutes later, the hoard still flooded them. Haldir and Legolas had backed up against a tree, but it was growing more and more difficult to protect themselves. They were knee deep in blood and gore, and still more came.

For the first time, Haldir felt fear. What if they were overwhelmed?