Strange Allies

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Time was growing short and Haldir knew they would be in Lothlorien very soon. Annowe was leading them south, determined to set a blistering pace in an effort to be rid of him as quickly as possible. After that little demonstration of her own, he rather liked the idea of being rid of her as well. She had confounded and baffled him and he did not like that feeling at all. When did he lose control of the situation? How did he lose control of the situation? He found it more than slightly annoying that she had gotten the best of him.

One day he was in complete and utter command of it, tormenting her with his wiles, driving her to the edge of her reason with his desire and gloating over his victories but the next she was taunting him with her hungry kiss and sly looks like a flirtatious elleth at a midsummer festival! He was totally perplexed by her recent behavior. To add insult to injury, he was almost afraid to torment her anymore for fear of what she might do in retaliation! It was madness and must cease immediately!

He grunted. Well, he would regain control, he determined. He could not allow her to slip off without having the upper hand at their parting. Time to call her bluff, he promised himself.

It would be their last night together before Lothlorien and Haldir wanted it to last. Just after sunset, he called to Annowe.

“I would rest for a bit,” he announced, stopping near a small copse of trees. He could sense her anxiety and desire to push on but refused to budge.

With a sigh, she returned to him. She knew he would not let her leave him without trying to regain control or figure out what she was up to. She would not trade Legolas for him but she was beginning to enjoy these wicked games and anytime she could best him, she would do it. He was so spiteful and wicked that he deserved to be knocked down a few pegs periodically and now that she understood how he worked, she felt it her duty to keep him in line.

As they had on so many nights before, the March Warden built a fire as the naiad gathered some wood.

When she returned, Haldir slid up to her. Immediately, her instincts were alerted and she knew he was up to no good. She braced herself for his attack, turning to gaze defiantly into his steely eyes once she dropped the wood by the fire.

He smiled wickedly at her. “Soon you will be rid of me, little one. Does that please you?” He asked.

“Indeed. It pleases me greatly,” she admitted, wiping her hands on her tunic. What was he up to and when he would make his move?

“Would it hurt your feelings if I say that I feel the same?” He questioned softly.

Annowe laughed. “Not in the least. Does this mean you will cease tormenting me?” She asked hopefully.

Haldir chuckled and moved closer to her, entwining a long finger around one of her loose curls. “Absolutely not,” he replied softly. “It is far too enjoyable.”

She sighed heavily. “I knew I wouldn’t be so lucky.”

“Come now, Annowe, if you did not like it you could have left me long ago. I don’t believe your excuses of ‘duty’,” he murmured, continuing to stroke her hair. “And as I told you before, had you truly hated me, I never would have been able to make you feel my desire. It does not work that way.”

“Perhaps,” she baited him. “And perhaps I’m madly in love with you and couldn’t live without you and wanted you to try something like that on me so I could have an excuse to abandon Legolas for you.”

With more than a touch of pleasure, she saw the wicked March Warden blink in confusion. He frowned at her. He could not allow this merciless teasing of hers to continue! This was his game, not hers and she could not get the best of him again! It was not right!

“Are you mocking me?” He demanded dangerously, narrowing his eyes at her.

The corner of her mouth twitched as she tried to fight back her grin. “I would never,” she said innocently.

He had enough of her teasing. “You know that I do not have to touch you, little one, to make your body weak and make you beg me to take you,” he purred. He would quickly put a stop to this and show her who was the master of this game!

Annowe snorted softly. “What makes you think I’d ever give you that chance again?” She had actually begun to enjoy these games of his, once she understood how to get under his skin like he had gotten under hers.

He grinned wickedly. “Because I know you. I know that the last time only sparked your interest and you want to know more. Your curiosity is as insatiable as your physical desire.”

She laughed at that. It was true.

“Yes, but you have already agreed to teach Legolas so I should wait for that time,” she pointed out. And when he did, she and Legolas would leave him in the cold and oh, how she would gloat!

“Indeed, I did agree to this. But perhaps I feel I need a bit more practice. After all, it has been quite some years since I have needed to seduce anyone,” he purred.

“You are completely vile and full of yourself,” she grunted in disgust. Perhaps it was just his ego that threatened to suffocate her and not his desire at all!

At that, Haldir moved his hand to gently cup her chin, tipping her head up to him.

“Yes, I am vile,” he admitted softly. “And that is why you cannot resist me.”

She grinned. “I thought I was resisting you,” she answered coyly. Let him try his trick now! She was ready for him!

“Oh, no, Annowe. You had your chance to resist me and your curiosity got the better of you,” he murmured to her, his lips moving closer to her ear. As his shoulder leaned toward her, she caught the faint scent of him again, warm and inviting.

She could feel the heat from his body and his breath tickled her neck as he continued speaking to her. “And you are still curious. You are still trying to convince yourself that it was only a momentary weakness on your part. That I am too odious for you,” he whispered to her. “I think that is the true reason you keep returning to me.”

“You are odious,” she breathed, quivering. She knew she should put a stop to this immediately, before it got out of hand again but she just could not bring herself to do it. She could feel his desire again, tentatively reaching out for her, feeling with trembling fingers but not pressing, not demanding. Not yet.

Yes, she did wonder if perhaps it had only been a momentary lapse on her part the last time. She must learn to resist him. She must remain faithful to the Prince of Mirkwood!

“You need an odious being in your life, little one,” Haldir purred. “A despicable, wicked being who understands you, who knows how to make your body weak and who can pleasure you until you scream. A wicked, horrid creature that does not fear their own desire or yours.”

“I have Legolas,” she reminded him softly as she felt her resolve slip just a notch.

“Indeed,” Haldir admitted. “Sweet, gentle, considerate Legolas,” he murmured, his lips dangerously brushing her neck as his fingers smoothed her hair back to caress her cheek.

She closed her eyes. “Yes. Yes, he is sweet and gentle,” she agreed in a low voice. She could feel Haldir’s desire again, slowly creeping over her, testing her, teasing her. She should stop this. Why didn’t she stop this?

“And safe,” he added softly in her ear. “So very safe.”

“Yes, safe,” she repeated with a sigh. Legolas was indeed so very safe and sweet.

“Not odious. Not like me,” Haldir whispered on her parted lips, his hand resting lightly on her cheek, not allowing her to turn away from him as his other hand slipped around her waist.

Annowe trembled and opened her eyes to look at him. His lips were barely touching hers, taunting her to kiss him. “Not odious,” she breathed. “Not like you.”

“Not demanding like me,” he continued, brushing his lips against hers but refusing to kiss her. She could feel his desire now beginning to take a hold of her, gently pulling her in but she did not fight it. She did not want to fight it although she knew she should. Why did it feel so good? It shouldn’t feel this good!

“Not demanding like you,” she repeated quietly, feeling his hand slide ever so gently from her cheek to the back of her head.

“You want me to kiss you, don’t you, little one?” Haldir teased, clenching his hand in her hair.

She did not answer him, not trusting her voice. She wanted to say no. She wanted to push him away but his lips were so soft, so inviting and so close. The scent of him and his heat held her captive. She wanted him, wanted to feel his strength and experience his full desire again. She drew in a shaking breath and swallowed hard, trying to calm herself. It was just a kiss. She just wanted to kiss him. That was not being disloyal to Legolas, was it?

“Say it, then,” he pressed gently, keeping his lips so very close to hers. “Say you want me to kiss you.”

“Yes,” she breathed, startled at her own answer.

“Yes, what?” He questioned softly, lightly licking the corner of her mouth.

Her body trembled with restraint. She wanted to feel his strong arms about her, crushing her to his broad chest as his lips pressed into hers and his tongue demanded entry. But it was wrong! She should not want this! She should not want his searing kiss on her skin, his insistent hands running greedily over her! He was wicked and vile! He admitted as much himself! So unlike her sweet gentle Legolas and yet . . .

“I want you to kiss me,” she sighed, placing a tentative hand on his shoulder and smoothing his hair back.

Haldir grinned wickedly. “What?” He murmured, nuzzling her neck. He just could not resist tormenting her.

Annowe found a reserve of resistance somewhere deep within her. “You heard me,” she said quietly.

The March Warden chuckled at her response. He knew that backbone of mithril was in there somewhere. Did Legolas even know the precious metal she was made of? Could he ever appreciate it? Or was he too sweet and gentle to ever see that side of her?

Haldir sighed happily as his lips lightly kissed her soft neck. It had been so very long since he had found a lover worthy of all his talents and Annowe was that creature. Oh, how he wanted her for himself! He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of her, wanting this to last.

“Yes, I did,” he finally admitted, pulling her closer to him and meeting no resistance. “But perhaps I want to hear it again.”

“Kiss me,” she repeated in a voice barely above a whisper.

Instantly he obeyed, squeezing her tightly to him so he could feel her small body melding to his. Her fingers entwined in his hair and she moaned softly in his mouth as she eagerly returned his kiss, pulling him closer.

Haldir quivered. He was torturing himself he knew that. But he wanted her. She was truly a lover worthy of him and he had searched so long for such a creature. He wanted to hear her beg him the way she had begged Legolas. He needed to know that she was thinking of him alone when he drove her to madness.

“Tell me you want me,” he demanded, hungrily nipping her throat and urgently digging his fingers into her back.

Annowe gasped and squeezed his shoulders, her desire nearly blinding her. Yes, she wanted him. She wanted him and she hated herself for it. Her small fist thumped him lightly on the shoulder as she fought her own desire.

“Say it!” He hissed between greedy kisses to her neck and shoulders.

“I want you,” she breathed. She would have said anything at that moment to keep his soft lips on her.

His mouth was on hers again, demanding and hungry. Annowe moaned and closed her eyes as her tongue met his. She gripped his broad back, pressing herself to him and felt the firm bulge in his trousers against her belly. She moaned again and slid one hand to his firm bottom as she thrust her pelvis to him.

Haldir could feel his self-control slipping and knew it was his own fault. He had wanted to hear her beg him so badly that he was willing to risk his ultimate plan just to satisfy his present desire. It was so unlike him. Did Annowe’s vision of his demise somehow affect his outlook?

“Annowe,” he moaned against her neck, his hand grabbing a handful of her thick hair. “I want you.”

“Yes,” she breathed. His scent, heat and desire were intoxicating her. She wanted him. She wanted him to make good on his threats and promises. She was tired of his games and his senseless torture!

He moaned trying to bring his desire under control as her soft lips closed in on his ear lobe and he shivered, hearing her rapid breaths in his ear.

“I want inside you,” he whispered so softly that she could barely hear him as his hand squeezed her bottom.

Something inside of her snapped awake at those words. The very same words Legolas had said to her oh so long ago before he took her for the first time.

“No,” she breathed, immediately removing her lips from his skin and loosening her grip on him. “No, Haldir. Stop. We’ve got to stop this.”

He closed his eyes and clinched his jaw as he buried his face into her neck. He wanted her so badly but she was correct. They had to stop. They had to stop before it got completely out of hand but he continued to press her body close to him, unwilling to let go of her.

“Push me away,” he murmured softly. “Please. You must push me away.”

Hesitantly, she obeyed, placing on shaking hand on his shoulder and giving him a gentle shove. It was enough for him to bring himself under control again and he let go of her, stepping back quickly.

They looked at each other for a few moments, each one unsure of what to say.

Annowe trembled and gasped as she felt his desire release her. It was almost like being physically set down.

“How many more days?” She demanded hoarsely.

Haldir blinked, confused by her question. “How many more days for what?”

“How many more days must I endure this torture?” She asked softly.

“Tomorrow. We will be in Lothlorien tomorrow,” he replied, understanding her.
She closed her eyes and sighed heavily.

“I don’t want you to do that to me again. Do I make myself clear?” She said firmly, looking him in the eye.

“Not even for Legolas?” He questioned.

“For Legolas only. Not for your own enjoyment,” she clarified.

“Very well,” Haldir sighed. It would be the longest night of his life.

~~~~~