melme Colle (or: hidden love)

Chapter fifteen Accident

Thranduil sped up his men, eager to locate the missing warrior and bring him home. His desire to return to a stubborn injured seneschal gave him wings, but he did not let that hamper his senses. He smiled as he noticed the tracks they were following became clearer, indicating they were closing in on Haldir.

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Haldir had run all the way to the borders, eager to be alone and vent his frustration.

How could he have made such a gigantic mistake? How could he have placed this between them? For even if Celeborn still desired his company his rejection would stand between them.

He growled, feeling tears loom in his eyes. /He rejected me./
He smiled ruefully. /Good thing he doesn’t know I love him or the humiliation would be complete./

He sped up but suddenly halted, hearing Celeborn’s voice. `Haldir.`
He twirled round, trying to establish where it came from. He didn’t find anything and yet he had clearly heard it.
He shuddered, remembering the pain he heard in it. /Or am I losing my mind and is this how it starts?/

He walked on but again heard the voice. `Ettúl nin. Seas.`
Haldir blinked but stepped forwards still, no longer seeing his surroundings. “Celeborn?” There was no answer but suddenly he heard a growl.

He blinked and was back in his surroundings and gasped. He stood face to face with a large, angry bear. He knew he should raise a weapon, but he stood paralysed. His eyes saw the danger, his mind recognized the danger and screamed at him to take action, but his body remained impassive.
Suddenly his entire being was flung sideways, away from the descending claw as arrows imbedded themselves into the animal. The landing was hard and he felt himself rolling over hard ground and swiftly everything turned black.

Thranduil had been shocked to see it happening and he knew that the arrows would not prevent the claw from hitting the elf. He wondered why Haldir didn’t hear their warning cries, nor why he did not move, and his reaction was instinctive, almost parental, as if Haldir had been Legolas.

He flung himself at the elf, the force behind it catapulting them both out of the path the dangerous claw took. Only he hadn’t counted on landing on the hard rocks that belonged to the empty riverbed. Together they tumbled down and both elves lost consciousness on the way down.

The soldiers rushed forward and two of them jumped after them, sighing in relieve to find them alive. They had to work together to get both elves on the firm ground and once there they were swiftly hauled onto the two strongest and fastest horses they had. The elves needed to be brought to the healers. The other soldier would find a way to bring the bear with them, so his meat and fur wouldn’t be wasted.

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Legolas blinked once and his eyes were focused, immediately taking in his changed surroundings. He wasn’t sitting in a chair anymore and Erestor wasn’t in his lap.
But he smiled, seeing the counsellor before him, resting snugly against him. He wanted to kiss him, but held back, knowing he couldn’t do that. Yet.

He snuggled closer and smiled when Erestor responded by tightening his hold on Legolas’ hair and sighing contented. Legolas rested his head on Erestor’s shoulder and allowed sleep to reclaim him. He had to be back to full strength within a few days, for he had no desire to watch anyone carry Erestor again.

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Gimli and Rumil exchanged a grin and returned to their card-game. Neither of them minded watching over the three sleeping, healing elves, but they didn’t desire to just sit and watch.

Rumil had been pleasantly surprised when Gimli suggested a card-game or two and was even more stunned he knew how to play the elven-way, though he clearly detected the Mirkwood-style in it. He had suggested teaching the Dwarf the ‘Lóriën and Imladrian way as well and the Dwarf had accepted on the condition he got to teach the elf the Dwarven way. So now they were eagerly exchanging rules.

They frowned when they heard commotion down the corridor. One look at the beds told them Legolas might be the only one to maybe wake up.

Rumil ran to the door and gasped when he saw two warriors carry the bodies of Thranduil and his brother. He turned. “Gimli, get Lord Elrond. My brother and Thranduil…”
Gimli needed no more and flew away, muttering to himself. “Silly Elves, always getting hurt.” Hadn’t he been so worried for his brother, Rumil would have laughed at it.

The warriors placed the two unconscious elves on two empty beds and looked around for instructions and healers. The next to enter were the twins. They had seen them coming back and had instantly followed.

Elladan knew they had to be the clear-headed ones for now. “Rumil, see where the healers are. Find them! I take it Gimli went to get father?”
Rumil nodded and left to do as Elladan asked. He would get the healers here, even if he had to shoot them.

Elrohir ran through and started rummaging about the herbs, seeing if he needed to make new medicine or of there was still enough.

Elladan looked at the soldiers. “What, in Varda’s name, happened?”
The soldiers were about to answer when groans redirected Elladan’s attention to the injured seneschal. Glorfindel turned his eyes towards Elladan and instantly saw Thranduil on the bed behind the twin. He sat up, wincing as pain attacked him. His eyes were glued to the bed. They narrowed and turned to the soldiers. “What happened?”
Elladan grinned. “I had just asked them, but you decided to wake up. Please lay down?”
Glorfindel did as he was bid, but not without a glare.

Elrond ran inside and his eyes instantly swept over the unconscious elves. He sighed. “It isn’t life-threatening.” He smiled at Orophin’s sigh of relief. “Where are the healers? Did Glorfindel scare them all off?”
A growl from the bed alerted him the blond was very much awake. “Don’t ask stupid questions, Elrond. Heal him. Them.”
Elrond smiled and suppressed a chuckle at the words. “Of course I will, but my skills aren’t needed on them. Elladan and Elrohir are more than capable of handling it. Just a few bruises and maybe one or two broken bones. Nothing more.”
The soldiers sighed relieved. “There was a bear, my lord, and Haldir didn’t even move away from it. It was like he was in a sort of trance. We instantly released our arrows, but that wouldn’t have stopped the blow from arriving.” They sighed. “The former King of Mirkwood flung himself at Haldir, pulling him out of harms way. But they landed on the riverbed, the empty one, my lord, the one that only fills during high summer.”
Elrond narrowed his eyes. “I knew Haldir runs fast, but that fast…” He smiled at the skills Haldir had show by that.

“Was there any blood?”
The soldiers nodded. “Aye, but not much. We suspect it just came from their superficial wounds.”
Elrond nodded. “Yet, I want to be alerted when they wake. They might have a concussion if they hid their head. Have you seen?”
But the soldiers shook their heads. “The others are working to get the dead animal here.”
Elrond nodded. “Very well.” He waved they could go, but Glorfindel growled. “Just a moment. Who was in charge? That shouldn’t have happened! You blundering…”
“GLORFINDEL!” The blond shut up in surprise at hearing Elrond’s angry voice. “Before you continue your ranting, bear in mind that Thranduil himself lead this team. Now stop being a pain in the ass and lay down; allow us to do our job.”

The soldiers ran away, glad to be out of the seneschal’s range. They clearly remembered his lashes from the last time he was in the healing house and had no desire for a repeat performance.

Erestor’s muffled cry and Legolas’ yelp stilled the quarrel in the making and Elrond now turned his attention to his counsellor. Erestor was trying to leave the bed, held back by an overly concerned Legolas.
“Erestor, what are you doing? You cannot walk yet.”
Glorfindel instantly turned red and locked his eyes with Erestor. “He’s right. Stay there, in your lover’s arms. I’m fine.”
Erestor narrowed his eyes but complied. “Oh, all right, but only because I cannot fight of both Legolas and Elrond.”
Elrond chuckled. “I should hope not.”

He locked eyes with Legolas, wondering if the elf knew who exactly was wounded.
Legolas smiled. “I know, Elrond, Haldir and my father. Apparently he had to apply some force.” He grinned. “I trust you to make them well.”
Erestor looked at him in disbelief and he smiled warmly at the counsellor. “Aye, I am worried, but the best thing I can do is stay in this bed and out of their way. I will yell and rant later, when adar can hear it.”
Erestor chuckled and allowed Legolas to pull him back down.

After a second he opened his arms. “Let me hold you then.” The joy that came from Legolas’ eyes at those words was balm to Erestor’s aching heart and Legolas instantly snuggled close, bringing his own arms round Erestor as well.
He rested his head on Erestor’s shoulder again. “You make a nice pillow.”
Erestor smiled at the comment and in turn rested his head on Legolas, closing his eyes.
Elrond smiled at the picture. /Aye, my friend, heal./

He twirled round when the door opened and a panting Celeborn ran inside.
“There are too many wrong turns here, Elrond.”
Elrond instantly moved forward and embraced his father. “They’ll be fine. You saw them arrive?”
Celeborn allowed the embrace and pulled back before nodding. “Aye, I feared they’d died.” The last few minutes had been the worst of his life.
Orophin grinned. “He’s too stubborn for that. And knowing Legolas, Thranduil is too.”
Celeborn smiled at the comforting words. “Aye, you are right, Orophin.” He embraced the elf. “I’ve never realised before, but you are always there to offer comfort. Diolla le.”
Orophin blushed and nodded.

Elrond’s face turned stern when Rumil walked in, carrying a grim expression and dragging two healers after him. They were relieved to see their lords. “Lord Elrond, Lord Celeborn, seas, make him stop.”
Celeborn grinned. “Ru, let them loose.”
Rumil reluctantly released his hold. “They wouldn’t come. My brother is dying and they wouldn’t come.”
The healers widened their eyes. “What??? But you didn’t… Where… What happened?”
Elrond grinned, understanding what had happened. “Aye, Rumil, healers run a lot faster if they know their skills are really needed, and not just to drug an angry seneschal.”

He shook his head and addressed the two healers. “Go assist my sons.”
They nodded and dashed off to lend their aid. Now that there was four of them Elladan left Haldir and went to Thranduil and each one had a healer.

When they were finished one of them approached Elrond and bowed. “It isn’t as severe as it looked, my lord. Lord Thranduil sustained many bruises and cuts, but fortunately no internal damage and even more luckily his head is free of injuries.”
Elrond smiled relieved to hear it and locked his eyes with Glorfindel, whose face carried relief as well. He motioned for the healer to continue.
“But he did, however, break a rib. His healing ability will mend it, but it will hamper his movements for quite a while and we’ve temporarily bound it to support it.”

His smile saddened. “Haldir on the other hand will not fight for at least six months, I fear. His left wrist is broken, along with two of his fingers of the same hand. It had already began to heal but was aligned wrong, so we had to break and reset them.”
Elrond sighed. “Bless the Valar he was unconscious. What else?”
The healer smiled ruefully. “His right shoulder is greatly damaged, my lord. We realised the tunic was drowned in blood only because Elladan found his arm laying at an odd angle.” He sighed. “It will take three months to heal, but I fear his muscles will need to relearn everything.”
Elrond frowned. He hadn’t sensed anything like that. Thranduil’s broken rib he had, but he hadn’t sensed anything from Haldir.

He approached and continued to frown, finding the words correct, but still not sensing it. “Strange. I sense it not.” He cocked his head, wondering at his own ability at the moment.
Elladan embraced him from the side. “Maybe it is not as severe as it looks?”
Elrond shook his head. “Nay, it is so, I can feel that with my own hands, but why can’t I sense it?” He closed his eyes and reached out spiritually.
Celeborn and the twins instantly knew what he was doing and moved forward. There was no telling which way Elrond would fall.
Suddenly Elrond smiled and turned back into himself, swaying a little. He smiled gratefully at Elrohir who happened to be the swiftest. “The bone is merely misaligned a little and preventing any muscle movement. The blood comes from the three veins that were breached, not his whole shoulder. One month in a sling and one month slowly rebuilding his activity.”

He smiled at Celeborn. “He’ll be fine.”
The other nodded and looked at Haldir. “Maybe we should move some of the patients. It is a little crowded here.”
Elrond nodded. “But not before they awaken. I need to know for sure they don’t have a concussion.”
Celeborn nodded in understanding. He wordlessly claimed the chair near Haldir’s bed.

Rumil fidgeted with his hands. As much as he wanted to stay he realised he should let Celeborn stay. And his brother was dragging him out. Elrond smiled appreciative at the warrior.

He saw Glorfindel’s longing look and grinned, scooping up the protesting seneschal. Another grin came and he looked at Gimli, hovering near the doorway. “Gimli, get those two back. Sons?”
“Yes, adar?”
“I just realised these beds can be moved. So we can move them to other rooms. Would you help Celeborn move Haldir and then help Rumil and Orophin move the other bed?”
The twins nodded and moved to Haldir’s bed.

Elladan looked up questioningly. “Wouldn’t it be easier to move Legolas and Erestor?”
Elrond grinned. “I doubt Legolas will like me carrying Erestor again.” But he nodded, seeing the sense in it.

“Legolas, Erestor, I fear you have to wake up.”
Two pair of eyes reluctantly regained their awareness and Erestor instantly sat up, wincing as he leaned on his wrists. Legolas instantly flared up to support the counsellor with his own body.
Elrond smiled. “It is getting crowded in here. Glorfindel will keep an eye on Thranduil, but I think you should move back. I will make sure you are alerted the moment something happens.”
Legolas nodded. “Will he be all right?”
Elrond smiled warmly. “Aye, he’ll be fine. Bruises and cuts and one broken rib.”
Legolas winced at that, but his eyes lit up, realising it could have been much worse. “So where do you want us?”
Erestor smiled. “My rooms!”
Legolas groaned, realising Elrond would not yet allow him to carry Erestor. Elrond shook his head at the emotions displayed on Legolas’ face.

The two warriors walked back in and looked questioningly.
“The twins are helping Celeborn to move Haldir’s bed next-door, but that’s not why you are here. Would you help bring Legolas and Erestor to Erestor’s rooms?”
Orophin nodded and grinned at Legolas. “Allow me?” He effortlessly lifted the counsellor in his arms. “I will need directions though.”
Rumil grinned wickedly when Legolas jumped up. “Oh no, my dear Prince, I do believe lord Elrond asked to bring you both.” Legolas yelped in protest when Rumil lifted him. He kicked the other and jumped back on the floor. “Hands off! I am not being carried!”

Orophin shook his head at seeing Rumil’s eyes flicker.

The elf suddenly grabbed Legolas and threw him over his shoulder. “I guess this will have to be then. Lord Elrond, please lead the way and open doors; we both seem to have our hands full.”
Legolas screamed in protest but it didn’t get him lose.
Rumil snickered. “Now behave like a prince instead of a prisoner.”

Erestor rested his head on Orophin’s shoulder and smiled. Elrond’s eyes locked with his and he nodded, seeing the begging in them. Both he and Elrond realised Rumil would not release his hold until they were in the room and that Legolas wouldn’t stop screaming and trashing either.

Erestor smiled. “Thank you, Rumil.”
Legolas widened his eyes at the words. /What the../
“Thank you for granting me this view.”
Rumil snickered. “I thought you might prefer his ass to his face. Too ugly, if you ask me.”
Erestor snickered as well. “I agree, warrior, his behind is grand, and if you call his face ugly, I wonder how perfect this view would be without those clothes.”
To this Elrond chuckled, mainly because he saw Legolas’ face redden.

Rumil suddenly slapped the back. “Oy, keep your sexual fantasies inside, will you.” Erestor’s words had made the blond prince painfully hard.
Orophin grinned, enjoining this tease on Legolas. “Counsellor, methinks you should hold your tongue now, for it seems to arouse our pour prince and I am sure my brother could do without his seed all over his tunic.”
Rumil gasped at the words. “Yes, thank you very much. Lord Elrond, are we there yet? I want to get rid of this poking charge.”
Legolas growled and grabbed Rumil’s ass, hard.
Rumil’s eyes widened and he grinned again. “Hé, that’s my butt, not Erestor’s. Wait a while, will you, or do you want to make him jealous.”
Another growl and Erestor couldn’t control his laughter anymore.

Elrond opened the door and Rumil not-so-gently threw his charge on the bed. “One sexual aroused Prince delivered. Mission accomplished.” He turned and walked away, his eyes shining with mirth. That ought to teach Legolas not to tease him.

Erestor was handled with more care and neatly placed on the bed. “Is there anything you need?”
Erestor smiled at Orophin and pulled him closer, sensing his opportunity. “Aye, look after Elrond tonight.”
Orophin nodded. “It would be a pleasure. Anything else?”
Erestor grinned. “Aye, some pillows and blanket for Gimli, for I am sure he’ll come soon and stay.”
Orophin grinned and nodded. “Coming right up. Heal fast you two.”
Legolas nodded. He liked Orophin.

Erestor turned and grinned when he saw Legolas was indeed very aroused. He had figured it all to be a joke.
He reddened. “Aiya, you really were… I am sorry. I thought Rumil was joking.”
Legolas shrugged. “How can you expect me not to react to those seductions of you?”

He laid down and pulled his lover close. “Let’s sleep.”
Erestor shook his head. “Not yet.”

He leaned in closer and carefully claimed Legolas’ mouth.
The instant the kiss registered with Legolas the prince closed the distance and pulled Erestor on top of him. Erestor grinned when Legolas bucked, demanding attention.

He pulled back and broke the kiss, sighing. “I’ve never…”
Legolas frowned. “I thought your lover was male?”
Erestor nodded. “Aye, but he’s never allowed me… I mean…” His eyes widened when Legolas growled.
“If I ever meet him, I’ll…” He released another growl and pulled Erestor closer. His arousal had faded due to his anger. “A real relationship is give and take, Erestor, you know that.” He kissed him and smiled. “Besides, you arouse me with your words alone. Do you think it really matters how and where you touch me?”

He shrugged. “Give it time, Erestor, I don’t want to rush this.”
Erestor smiled and rested his head on Legolas’ chest. “Thank you.”
Legolas smiled and pulled him closer still. /For the time being he will be the one to instigate the next move. Once he’s done something we’ll both start, but I think it’s better if he sets the pace./

TBC