Part Thirty-Seven

"You look terrible," Legolas told his lover cheerfully.

Haldir arched a dark eyebrow at him and tried to smile. The smile seemed more of a grimace to the Prince of Mirkwood, but he did not truly mind. They were back together, alone at last. Orophin and Rúmil were standing guard outside the door.

"Care for some wine?" Haldir replied.

Legolas made a face. "I rather think not."

"I am teasing you. It will be a long time before I drink wine of any sort again. And you should employ a food taster."

"I would ask you to do it, but I might never get any dinner," Legolas teased back.

Haldir, of course, changed the subject. "How are your wrists? From what I can tell you were manacled for a long time."

He took Legolas' wrists in his big hands and began to massage them. They had not really hurt, but it felt so good that Legolas had no intention of asking him to stop.

"I am fine, Haldir," he said gently. "You are far worse off than I am!" "Thank you for the reminder, my little Elfling. I will be all right, once the nausea passes."

"I hope it passes soon, as I desire quite heartily to kiss you, but do not wish to risk your becoming ill right in the middle of it."

Legolas disengaged his wrists from Haldir's hands and pressed close against him. Legolas was fully dressed now, but he knew that Haldir was naked beneath the silk sheet. He slithered as close to the elf of Lórien as he could get, urging Haldir back against the pillows. He slipped his hand under the sheet and began to rub Haldir's belly in a soothing motion. Haldir groaned.

"I may be sick if you do not kiss me," he said.

Haldir's arms slid around Legolas as he drew the Prince closer still. Legolas ground his lips against those of the Lórien elf, his tongue seeking entrance into the hot cavern of Haldir's mouth. Haldir responded urgently, his hands wandering over Legolas' back, twisting the material of his tunic in his fists.

"Shall I take it off?" Legolas whispered against Haldir's mouth when the kiss broke.

"Yes," said Haldir.

Before Legolas could comply, a knock came at the door. He cursed softly. He tried to ignore it, but experience had taught him that ignoring knocks never worked in Mirkwood. Eventually the knocker would barge in, so he might as well go and see for himself. He slid off of Haldir apologetically and went to answer the door.

Lord Glorfindel stood in the hallway, looking slightly perturbed. "May I come in?"

"This is not the best—"

"Oh, it will only take a moment, and that may be all I have," said the golden-haired War Councilor as he pushed past Legolas and slipped into the room. "Ah, you are here too, Haldir. Very well, it will save me a trip."

Legolas peered into the hall. "Where are Oro and Rúmil?"

"I told them King Thranduil wanted to speak to them and sent them off," Glorfindel said, smirking slightly.

"Did he truly wish to speak to them? Haldir asked. He was frowning so dangerously that Legolas felt a thrill of alarm slither down his spine.

"No, no… I imagine he is too busy speaking to Elladan and Saelbeth."

"Elladan did not lock me up," Legolas said. "There was someone else there. I did not see him as I was blindfolded. That is the elf who must be found. That is the elf who kidnapped me."

"And poisoned me," Haldir said.

Glorfindel laughed. "Yes, yes," he said, sashaying over to the bed. He stroked Haldir's hair and beamed at him. Before Legolas could see what had happened, Haldir had pulled a blade out from beneath his pillow and had it aimed at Glorfindel's throat. "Be easy, Galadhrim. No need to be so jumpy. You have no need of that."

"It was you, was it not, Lord Glorfindel?"

Glorfindel beamed at him as if he were quite proud of himself. "Bravo, Haldir. How did you know?"

"You had access to the spider poison. You had access to the Imladris wine."

"But…but why?" Legolas was flabbergasted. He looked at the ancient elf of Rivendell with a wounded gaze. He had known Lord Glorfindel all of his life, and has always liked him. It was true he was a little bit strange sometimes and had an extraordinary blood-lust for an elf, but he had never seemed a threat to his own kind. "You are one of Lord Elrond's most trusted advisors!"

"I did it for your sake, Prince Legolas."

"How can you say that?" Haldir growled. He did not lower the knife pointed at Glorfindel's throat, but this did not seem to phase the War Councilor in the least.

"Come now, Haldir, you know as well as anyone else that spider poison does not kill us. I needed to have you out of the way for a few days so someone else could have a chance with the bonny Prince."

"So you meant to rape Legolas."

"No, no not at all. I was just going to set it up so Saelbeth could rescue him, and perhaps Legolas would turn his attention to a more appropriate place."

"There is nothing inappropriate about my relationship with Haldir," said Legolas, his ears burning as they no doubt colored bright red. "My father does not disapprove, and his opinion is the only one which counts in Mirkwood."

"You know, Elfling, that is rather a bad attitude. No wonder everyone thinks Thranduil is such a bastard. Not me, of course, I always liked the old chap," Glorfindel continued on blithely. "Still, the both of you know that your little idyll cannot last forever. Haldir is going to be named Marchwarden of Lothlórien, largely thanks to you, Prince Legolas, and then he will be gone and you will be prancing around Mirkwood all alone. Saelbeth is a much better choice for you."

"First of all," said Legolas, "Saelbeth had his chance with me and he knows it. Second…" Legolas trailed off. Well, Glorfindel had a point—Haldir would leave him eventually. Soon. He sighed. He turned and looked at Haldir. "I love you, and I will always love you, no matter where you are."

"I will turn down the position and stay in Mirkwood," Haldir vowed.

"No, you will not. It is not fair to yourself or your brothers. You will go home, and I… I will go to visit you in Lórien as much as I am able. Mirkwood is not so far."

"How touching," said Glorfindel. "Except for the fact that you will not be in Mirkwood. You knew this, Haldir."

"What are you talking about?" Legolas asked slowly. He turned and looked at Haldir. A look of such great sadness was stamped over the features of the elf of Lórien that Legolas felt his stomach sink. "Haldir?"

"You father and Lord Elrond wish for you to marry Lady Arwen," Haldir said.

"And how long have you known this?" Legolas asked Haldir bitterly.

"Just a few hours. I had… I had forgotten."

"I will not!"

"I think you will," said Glorfindel. "Even though it means that all my efforts on your behalf to match you with Saelbeth were in vain."

"Forgive me if I do not thank you for your efforts!" Legolas snapped.

"I am sorry about Elladan's little molestation of you," Glorfindel added. "I had no idea he would go down there."

"What?" said Haldir angrily.

"I am fine, really. He barely touched me," Legolas insisted. His mind was reeling. Marry Arwen? Three weeks ago, he would have agreed without a second thought, but now… No, he did not want this. "I need to go speak to my father."

"You may speak to me, then," said Thranduil as he strode in the room followed by Rúmil, Orophin, Elrond, Elrohir, Elladan and Saelbeth. "I am here."