Part Four

Silindė sloshed through the palace behind Legolas as they left the visitors in the throne room waiting for the King. Despite the Prince's eager words of welcome, Silindė knew that Thranduil would keep them waiting for as long as he possibly could, probably at least until the dinner hour. It was too bad the father was not more like the son, he thought, staring at the beautiful figure of the slender young elf as they traversed the stone passage.

Silindė adored Legolas. He would have done anything for the Prince, including lay down his life for him, and most of the elves of Mirkwood felt the same way. Saelbeth certainly did. Neither of them were blind to Legolas' blatant advances towards them either. The act in the stream today had been going too far. If the two of them had been alone, Silindė might have at least swum with the Prince. Saelbeth probably would have taken advantage, though both of them had held back so far.

Neither could hold out much longer.

Yet Silindė was afraid that if he dared, if either of them dared, Thranduil would take out his temper on them. The Elvenking was pleasant enough when he was happy, but when he was not, no one but Legolas dared speak to him. Legolas was his pride and joy, and even though Thranduil was famed for his love of jewels, of wine and of good sport, it was Legolas he placed above all these things. This was why, even at his age, Legolas was as far as anyone knew, untried in the ways of love.

Silindė knew Legolas was frustrated with this, and he would have given anything to relieve that frustration. He would have liked even to make Legolas fall in love with him. He almost might have dared and at times, he wished Saelbeth would go ahead and take the risk to do it, because there was another reason why Silindė would ever only be able to admire the Prince from afar.

"Where do you suppose my father is at this hour?" Legolas asked him, interrupting his thoughts.

"In the baths," Silindė answered automatically. He generally could be counted on to know Thranduil's schedule, mostly because Thranduil relied upon him to do it. "You know he likes to lounge in the bathing chamber after lunch, just as you like your streams and waterfalls."

Legolas glanced at Silindė over his shoulder and smiled. "You love to swim as much as I do. Why did you not come in to the water?"

"But, my Prince, I did come into the water," Silindė said, grinning back at him. When he stopped thinking about Legolas as an object of lust he remembered that he enjoyed the young elf's banter and company of its own accord.

Legolas stopped walking and turned around, putting his hands on the front of Silindė's wet tunic. "Do not think that I do not appreciate your attempt to save my life."

"Haldir of Lórien saved your life, not I."

"He shot the spider, but you pulled me out of the water." Legolas twisted the edge of Silindė's tunic and water dripped from it onto the floor. "I should thank you for that."

"You are welcome," Silindė said, swallowing hard.

Legolas slipped his arms around Silindė's neck. "Not like that."

Silindė carefully disentangled himself from the Prince, mentally kicking himself the whole time that he had to stop what he wanted more than anything. "You do not owe me any thanks…truly, Prince Legolas, this cannot happen."

Legolas reluctantly stepped back from him and a blushed stained his cheeks. "Well, then. Perhaps I ought to save my thanks for Haldir of Lórien."

Silindė laughed. "You are bluffing. Your dislike for Lady Galadriel's guard was plain as day, and I do not blame you. He is arrogant and rude. Your father will probably house him in the dungeon."

Legolas threw his head back and laughed. "I would like that, truly, for he is clearly in need of humbling, despite his pretty bows and his attempts to curry my favor once he learned who I was."

"Tell him so. He will do it, for you."

"Then again, he did save my life."

"That is true as well," Silindė said agreeably.

They continued down the corridor and Silindė wondered if Legolas truly did dislike the arrogant elf of the Galadhrim. He wondered if Haldir was bold enough to follow through on the lustful eye he had cast at the Prince, and if he was, if Legolas would succumb to him. He knew it was getting to the point where Legolas might fall into anyone's embrace, so lonely and frustrated was he. One of Elrond's sons would be a better choice for him that Haldir, Silindė thought. At least they were of the same social status.

Elladan and Elrohir were beautiful and mysterious, and known to be great warriors. In the past decade they had killed off seventeen different bands of orcs, quite an accomplishment. Silindė had seen them only from afar, but speaking with them could be quite entertaining. He closed his eyes briefly as he imagined Legolas' fair golden body twined between the two black-haired twins and bumped straight into the Prince as he stopped at the door to the bathing chamber.

"Are you well, Silindė?" Legolas asked, frowning at him.

Silindė simply nodded and indicated that Legolas should open the door. He was thinking of things he had no business thinking of. Legolas would never be his lover, and the twins would never be his lovers either, and the reason for it was sitting behind the door.

Thranduil's bathing chamber was one of the most truly beautiful rooms in his stone palace, which had been carved out of caves below the floor of Mirkwood forest. Running water below the ground had been funneled through pipes to make an indoor waterfall and pool to rival the one Legolas had been swimming in this afternoon. Inside the pool were steps upon which one might sit to relax. The water was always quite cold and brisk, but that was how the Elvenking liked it.

Lamps hung from the ceiling above to dimly light the elegant room. The walls were decorated in mosaic designs made from cut jewels. The whole room glittered. Thranduil always had soft, clean robes and piles of towels kept in here for his convenience. As Silindė had predicted, he was here now, reclining alone and evidently enjoying his peace and quiet. Thranduil looked up with a flash of irritation to see who was disturbing his retreat but his expression quickly changed to one of pleasure when he saw his son.

"Legolas, my son! How went your walk in the wood this morning? Seen any orcs about? The word is they are on the move. I shall have to send out a group to look for them. Silindė, have Saelbeth set up a patrol later, will you?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Silindė said.

"No, no orcs, though we were nearly attacked by a spider," Legolas said.

"Did you kill it?"

"Not exactly," Legolas admitted. "Father, we have visitors. Lord Elrond of Imladris is here with his sons and his councilors, and there are three of Lady Galadriel's guard here as well."

"About time they got here. I was starting to think they had been eaten by orcs… or spiders," Thranduil snorted. "Well, they can wait. Last time I went to Imladris it was two days before Elrond greeted me. I take it you left them in the throne room?"

"Saelbeth is bringing them some refreshments."

"Ah, good. I do wish Galadriel would come herself when she has news rather than sending her lackeys. Now, tell me about the spider."

"Haldir of Lórien killed it," Legolas admitted, "And saved my life."

"Saved your life! Why did not Saelbeth do that? Or you, Silindė? Surely both of you have far more practice killing spiders than an elf of the Galadhrim!"

"It was my own fault, not Silindė's," Legolas said quickly.

"Nonetheless, I shall assign this Haldir to be your guard during his stay in Mirkwood."

"Please do not. I do not think very highly of him," Legolas protested. "He is arrogant, and rude, and--"

"I shall meet him, then, before I make my decision, but if you wish to wander the wood in the way you are accustomed, you will have a guard, and Silindė and Saelbeth will not be sent with you any longer."

Silindė was mortified. He wished he could melt into the marble-covered floor, and he knew his face had turned red. He looked down at his boots and said nothing. He wondered if they would be punished.

"I really must protest--" said Legolas, but he fell silent when Thranduil lifted his hand.

"Do not argue with me, Legolas."

"Yes, Father," Legolas said, sounding defeated. "But perhaps you will consider--"

"I will consider hearing the entire story, in detail, from everyone who was involved, after supper. Until then, I will brook no argument."

"Then if you will excuse me, I shall see you later," Legolas said. He turned and marched out of the bathing chamber. Silindė made to follow him but Thranduil barked out his name sharply.

With dread Silindė turned around to face the King, but as Legolas disappeared, some of the sternness lifted from his expression. Thranduil stood up, water sluicing down over his magnificent body. He was probably the only elf in Mirkwood taller than Silindė, his body fit and muscular, his long golden hair falling in ripples to his waist. Even bathing he still wore a golden circlet on his head. Silindė sighed as he admired the King's rugged body. His pierced nipples, set with golden rings, glittered like the jeweled walls.

"Come and join me," Thranduil said in a seductive purr, and Silindė knew he could not refuse.

This was the reason he could never have Legolas, he thought as he pulled off his still wet clothing. He was the lover of Thranduil, King of the Elves of Northern Mirkwood. He was the lover of the father of the elf he truly wanted… and he wished, with all his heart, that he was not. It was not that Thranduil was not talented in his love making, nor was he as brutal as he was rumored to be. The King made Silindė feel exquisite ecstasy and always shared the pleasure he received.

He simply did not know that Silindė wished he were in the arms of another.