Strange Allies

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A/N: His Haughtiness is greatly pleased to know that everyone is enjoying his little tale of seduction and control. It delights him to no end to believe that he has inspired some lustful fantasies and rapid heart rates. As for me, the happier he is, the more relieved I am!

Naira – I wish I knew if it was a yes or a no myself! He still won’t tell me the ending - curse his sexy hide!

Sandra – Well, I sort of feel like I must not have done my job well enough or I shouldn’t have to explain his motives. If I let him speak then his motives should be clear, yes? So that’s my fault. Oh, yes, it is very much a sensual chess match. It takes Annowe a bit to figure it out but she does. HA! Believe me, it is the very wicked and insistent March Warden who is demanding the ‘hawt’ elf sex! Lol!

Michelle – thank you very much! I’m glad it seems real to you. He wants all of you to feel as if he is in the room with you – that it is YOU he is seducing when he does these things to Annowe. He takes great pleasure in that, believe me!

Rose Atlee – Yes, he is so very wicked, isn’t he? Of course he gets them both eventually. It is his story after all and that’s the way he wants it. However, it’s not exactly as he wants at first. And when he finally does get Annowe all to himself – it’s a bit more than he bargained for. Serves him right, I say!

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For the next few days as they continued south, Annowe remained more silent and withdrawn than usual and Haldir had the distinct impression that she was studying him very carefully as he led her closer to Lothlorien. He could sense her trying to feel him out almost as if she was trying to read his mind and he did not like it. He did not like it at all. It made him very uncomfortable and that was not right. There was no reason for him to feel intimidated by her and yet in a strange way he did.

The morning after his demonstration, she had examined his shoulder and announced that he would no longer need to keep it covered as it had healed quite well. With a pang of disappointment, he had agreed when he realized she was correct. Now there would be no reason for her to touch him again. He could tell she was relieved at the prospect and he conceded that battle to her. It was one battle among many between the two of them and he was determined to win her in the end.

She could not hold out forever against him and he intended to make sure she kept her end of the bargain if the Prince of Mirkwood did not return from Mordor to claim her. He grinned wickedly at the prospect.

Oh, she would beg and plead and threaten him, of this he had no doubt, but in the end he would have her! There would be no trickery, no lies or deceit involved. Oh, no! She must willingly take him into her bed! There must be no question, no doubt what so ever, in his or her mind that she desired him completely and utterly of her own free will.

He chuckled deeply in anticipation. Yes, the proud daughter of Ulmo willingly taking him into her arms, into her bed, begging him for the pleasure only he could give her. His victory would be sweet indeed! He sighed in satisfaction. The only thing that could possibly be better is if he could have them both! That would be a very sweet and fitting reward for all of his hard work!

Annowe scowled at the back of his head when she saw him puff up. He must have been thinking of his trickery again! Since she had taken to studying him trying to learn his game, she quickly realized that whenever he thought of it, he would swell up like a toad. She wanted to stomp on him like a toad for being so conceited and full of him self. He was more vile than she had even imagined!

Did he actually believe that she would throw herself at him? And if she did, all she would have to do is tell Legolas of his ruse. If he had any experience with it (and she believed he did) then he would completely understand. Instead of driving the two of them apart, it would unite them against Haldir!

“Let’s see how that would puff you up!” She thought evilly to herself.

Yes, let him swell up and gloat over his one victory. He had not taken her. Oh, no! She had held firm, refusing to give into him. She had won that battle but somehow she knew the war wasn’t over. It was not over by any stretch of the imagination.

Well, he could try it again and this time she would be ready for it! She almost hoped he would try it again so she could push him away again. He was a fool if he believed she would leave the Prince of Mirkwood for his trickery. Especially since he had agreed to teach this to Legolas! She would have no need of him once Legolas learned his trick! That would be her ultimate victory and an end to this stupid war between them!

Her thoughts were cut short when the March Warden suddenly stopped and turned to her.

“Would you like to rest?” He asked softly. It was well past midnight and they should be in Lothlorien in another two or three days. He wanted to prolong their journey as long as possible in the hopes that he could wear her down a bit more before she escaped to Pelargir.

“Yes, for a little while,” she answered. It would be nice to sit and stare into the fire while she plotted against him. And she would plot. Even if nothing came of her scheming, it was still nice to plan all sorts of horrible torture for him. He had started this and she was determined to end it.

Haldir removed his cloak and slowly built a fire as Annowe walked about gathering some larger wood to burn. When she returned, he was sitting quietly chewing on his lembas and staring at the flames. As she did so many nights before, she sat opposite him, not wanting to be close enough to him that he could touch her. Quietly, they stared into the dancing flames, each lost in their own thoughts as the night drew on.

“Why did you do that thing to me?” She suddenly demanded.

He raised his dark brows in surprise. That must have been what she had been brooding over for the past few days. He should have known.

“Why not?” He answered silkily.

“That’s not an answer,” she said, staring at him. He would answer her. She had seen him swell up when she had asked about the trick. There was no need to press him. The enormity of his ego never ceased to amaze her.

A ghost of a smile flickered over his lips. “Perhaps I wanted you to know what I had to offer you in the way of pleasure. I told you in Rivendell that Legolas is a mere elfling compared to me,” he drawled suggestively, leaning back on his elbows and purposefully stretching his long legs out in front of him so she had a very good view of his lean body.

Annowe didn’t answer him for a while, silently digesting this information. It was time to turn the tables on him – to beat him at his own game. Slowly, she crawled over to him, biting back a wicked grin of her own. Two could play at this, she determined. He did not sit up as she approached, but casually adjusted himself so she could see what else he had to offer her.

She was playing a dangerous game but she was tired of his puffery and arrogance and it was time to knock him down a peg or two by giving him a taste of his own medicine.

Leaning over him so that the neck of her tunic gaped open, she moved so he had a very clear view of her bare breasts as she spoke softly to him.

“Then why didn’t you take me when you had the chance?” She murmured challengingly.

He hesitated, his eyes drawn down her tunic and she grinned evilly. She had confused him but only for a moment. He quickly recovered, raising his eyes to gaze into hers, refusing to be distracted or tempted by her soft breasts.

“Perhaps I did not wish to,” he replied smoothly.

“Oh, is that what you called that rock in your trousers, then? Not wanting me?” Her eyes glinted impishly and she sat back on her heels. She was trying so very hard not to laugh and it was growing more difficult by the moment. If he wanted to toy with her then she would give it right back to him with a vengeance.

A flicker of confusion passed over his face and Annowe could see the faint tinge of a blush on his cheeks. She allowed herself to feel the satisfaction of temporarily turning the tables on him but she knew it couldn’t last. He would not allow her to best him for long, no matter what he had to do to get back at her.

Well, if he wanted to play this game, she would give him something to remember. One did not mess with a daughter of Ulmo and walk away unscathed. She would teach him a lesson.

He rolled over onto his side and propped himself up on one arm to face her. She was baiting him, he knew that but he had to answer her.

“Oh, no, little one, I wanted you just as badly as you wanted me. But I will have you without any subterfuge or trickery,” he whispered, reaching out to stroke her cheek with his free hand.

“When you come to me, and you will, it will be on your terms. Because you want me and me only. Not because I overwhelmed your senses with my desire,” he purred.

She snorted a laugh. “Whatever makes you think that I would come to you of my own free will?” She asked levelly.

He sat completely up and smiled roguishly at her. “Because had you truly hated and despised me as much as you say, I would not have been able to do that to you at all,” he paused and placed one elegant finger under her chin, tipping her face up to him. “Yes, little one, it would seem that there must be some level of attraction between us for it to work at all.”

“Truly?” She answered sarcastically.

“Oh, indeed!” He murmured, letting his finger run slowly down the side of her throat. “And, judging by your reaction, there is more than just a superficial level of attraction between us.”

Annowe did not move. He could be lying but she had a very bad feeling he was not.
Several colorful curses were on the tip of her tongue but she did not utter a one. Instead, she grabbed the March Warden by the back of the head and kissed him firmly on the mouth, much like he had done to her in Rivendell. Before he had a chance to respond or even before he realized what was happening, she let him go and retreated back to her side of the fire.

Stunned and nonplussed, he could say nothing. He just sat there, staring at her in disbelief as she calmly began to brush her hair.

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