Part Nine

"Elladan!"

"Mmmm…Orophin…"

"Elladan, will you please let that Galadhrim up and talk to me for a minute?"

"What?"

"Elladan, your brother!"

Orophin squirmed beneath Elladan on the velvet padded bench in the small alcove just down the hall from King Thranduil's dining room. The alcove was, to Elladan's mind, clearly made for such trysts as he was enjoying at the moment, since it was cordoned off with thick green velvet curtains that identically matched the padded bench. He had noticed it immediately on their short procession from the throne room and had decided to make use of it one way or another.

Legolas had grown up some since the last time they had seen him, and Elladan had the thought of luring him here. Elrohir had desired the Prince as well, though he was more loathe to admit it. Elladan knew him too well, however, for his twin to be able to hide anything from him. Yet after Legolas had disappeared that afternoon and never shown up for dinner, Elladan had decided to make other plans.

He had spent some of the endless waiting time talking with Orophin of Lórien. They had met before, many times, but never known each other well. Elladan had always liked him. He was less abrasive than his older brother Haldir, and more cultured than his younger brother Rúmil. All three were excessively beautiful, but so was everyone from Lórien. Elladan did not bounce from talan to talan when he was there visiting his grand-parents the way that Elrohir did, and he did not intend to lie in every cave in Mirkwood, either. Oro was a good choice if he wanted someone to warm him during their visit -- though he had not given up the idea that he might still get to know Legolas better.

In fact, Elladan had thought as he pushed the young elf of the Galadhrim onto the bench and began to strip off his tunic, it might be entertaining for the two of them to take Legolas together. The Prince of Mirkwood was muscular and golden, he himself was dark and wiry, and Oro was silvery and slender. What a beautiful contrast they would make, all tangled together. And, if Oro was not willing, Elrohir certainly would be. Elladan usually shied away from sharing lovers with his twin, but on the rare occasion when they did so, the result was always spectacular.

At the moment, however, Elladan did not really want to see Elrohir. Not now, when Orophin was out of his tunic, with his leggings undone, gasping and panting and about to beg to be taken right here where anyone could walk in on them. Unfortunately, anyone had just walked in and Oro was struggling to cover himself. Elladan kissed the blond elf on the nose and turned his head so he could make out the form of Elrohir standing behind him. From the corner of his eye he could see Saelbeth standing behind his twin and looking slightly nervous. Elladan wondered if Oro would bolt if he let him up.

"This is not a good time, Elrohir," Elladan said. "I am in the middle of someone."

"I can see that. I wish you would move so I might have a better look."

Orophin wriggled at those words, and Elladan saw his ears turn red. He bent and bit the pointed tip of one of them and Orophin let out a little sound that was a cross between a moan and a gasp. Elladan smiled approvingly at him and stood up, purposely blocking Elrohir's view. Oro laced up his leggings and reached for his tunic, which had fallen to the floor. Elladan put his foot down on it so he could not pick it up.

"Have you not seen Orophin without clothing before?" Elladan said, smirking slightly.

"I have seen a great many of the elves of the Galadhrim without clothing," Elrohir said, smirking back like a mirror reflection, "But not this one."

"Then you will have to live with that regret, for tonight he is mine."

"And I leave him to you."

"Then please, leave."

Elrohir chuckled. "Not just yet, brother. I have come to ask you about…something else."

Elladan lifted an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"

"Legolas."

"What about him?"

"My dear friend Saelbeth is rather lovelorn over the Prince, you see," Elrohir said, putting an arm around the Mirkwood elf's waist and drawing him forward. Saelbeth turned even pinker than Orophin but did not speak. "I am intending to arrange a tryst for them."

Elladan frowned. "Are you incapable of arranging your own trysts, Saelbeth?"

"It must be…clandestine," Saelbeth said with embarrassment. "I fear the discovery of his father."

"Believe me when I tell you that leaving the handling of such details to Elrohir is likely to lead to disaster. He may be expert at trysting himself, but clandestine is no part of his vocabulary. Does Thranduil keep his son in a chastity belt? I was under the impression that Legolas' celibacy was self-imposed…. though I am not surprised to learn it is about to come to an end. Even in our brief meeting with him this afternoon he looked rather… needful."

"Legolas has offered himself to me more than once," Saelbeth said, "Yet his father rules Mirkwood with an iron hand. I would not find myself in his bad graces… yet more and more it becomes impossible to resist the Prince."

"And who are you to deny him a badly needed release?" Elrohir said in a sugary tone. He bent and sucked at Saelbeth's neck, making him gasp and shift in Elrohir's grasp.

"Elrohir…" Saelbeth muttered in a strangled tone.

"I think someone else is in need of release as well," Orophin said, grinning as he peered out from behind Elladan.

"Just how exactly are you intending to help him?" Elladan asked suspiciously.

"We will lure the Prince into bed together," Elrohir said, lifting his head.

"We will?" said Saelbeth with some alarm.

"That way if we are caught, the blame will go to me rather than you," Elrohir explained.

"Do you truly find that logical?" Elladan asked with amusement. "In any event, why are you telling me about this?"

"You desire him too," Elrohir said. "Do not deny it, I saw it in your eyes when we arrived, Elladan."

"I would never deny such a thing. But tell me not that you expect me to stay away from the Prince for your sake."

"Would you not?" Elrohir said, casting a look at Elladan that he knew was merely a farce.

Elrohir wanted a challenge of him. In that moment Elladan pitied Saelbeth, who probably genuinely cared for Legolas. After all, he had known the Prince all of his life. Elladan and Elrohir were mere acquaintances of the House of Mirkwood who had spent little time with Legolas and always seen him as an elfling until now. His beauty was more their concern than his feelings.

"I will wager that Orophin and I can bed him more quickly and more thoroughly than you and Saelbeth," Elladan challenged his twin.

Saelbeth gasped, but Orophin stood up and put his hands on Elladan's shoulders, his warm body pressed against Elladan from behind as he looked over Elladan's shoulder at the other pair of elves. Elladan could feel Oro's excitement and it pleased him greatly.

"I am agreeable to this challenge," Orophin said eagerly.

"I am not," said Saelbeth. "Legolas is not a toy. I do not want any of you touching him! Elrohir, forget it. I do not require your assistance any further."

Saelbeth turned and stomped off down the hallway. Elrohir burst out laughing.

"Oh, but the elves of Mirkwood are so repressed," he sighed, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. "I do wish this challenge, however. Do you think Rúmil will join my team?"

Orophin nodded. "You have but to ask him."

Elrohir smirked. "We shall meet tomorrow after breakfast to discuss the terms, if I can get Rúmil to agree. Until then, enjoy your evening."

Elrohir left the alcove, pulling the velvet curtains shut behind him. Elladan turned back to Orophin, the wheels of his mind turning.

"Now, where were we?" he murmured, reaching for the ties of Orophin's leggings. Orophin twined his hands around Elladan and kissed him, and together they fell back down upon the velvet bench.