Tonight and Any Other

Title: Tonight and Any Other [Part 2/?]
Author: Silvertree (Megumi Takahashi)
Rating: NC-17
Pairings: Legolas/Haldir, eventual Legolas/Aragorn and Celeborn/Haldir
Setting: Pre-LotR
Disclaimers/description: Please see chapter one of Tonight and Any Other.
Dedications: CryKat - You rock, chica.

'...' Denotes speech in the Elvish languages.
/.../ Denotes thought.

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"I will leave, I will leave the woods that bore me;
For our days are ending and our years failing.
I will pass the wide waters lonely sailing.
Long are the waves on the Last Shore falling,
Sweet are the voices in the Lost Isle calling,
In Eressëa, In Elvenhome that no man can discover,
Where the leaves fall not: land of my people for ever!"

-Legolas' Song of the Sea


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'A Elbereth Gilthoniel,
silvren penna miriel
o menel aglar elenath!
Na-chaered palan-diriel...'

The sweet strains of the Elvish music drifted through the air, a perfect compliment to the warm summer air and the golden light of the setting sun. The words were soft and gentle, a balm to the souls of all they touched.

All except one. Haldir sat alone in his quarters, hands resting on the arms of a chair woven from fine tree branches. He stared out of his window, gazing towards the west and the setting sun. He barely heard the song, so immersed was he in his own thoughts and troubles. He didn't even hear the light footsteps approaching him from behind.

'You're worried.'

Haldir jumped at the sound of the voice, but relaxed when he felt a soothing hand fall to rest on his shoulder. He rose, and turned to face his brother. Rúmil's smooth features were creased with concern, and he raised a hand to brush against Haldir's cheek.

'What is wrong, dear brother? I can feel your anxiety writhing beneath your skin; you have not been in such a state for decades.'

Haldir sighed and sat down heavily on his bed. He felt Rúmil press a pitcher of water into his hands, and he drank deeply. Rúmil sat on the bed next to his brother, unconsciously massaging Haldir's tight shoulders. Haldir sighed, his eyes drifting closed, as he fell prey to his brother's strong hands.

'There is not much to tell, dear Rúmil. I feel grief, uncertainty, loneliness...'

Rúmil nodded, continuing his work. He knew full well what troubled his sibling; the affection between the guardian of Lórien and the Prince of Mirkwood was not a secret. Indeed, one would have had to be blind not to notice. Rúmil sighed, and ventured a tentative argument.

'Not all approve of your relationship with Legolas Silverarrow; you are aware of this. He is still counted as a child, and moreover, he is not of Lórien. Perhaps if he were of Imladris[1] he would be better accepted, despite his age, but he is not. He is the son of Thranduil, and you know our relations with Mirkwood and its king have been strained of late.'

Haldir jerked away from Rúmil's soothing ministrations and rounded on the other Elf, his grey eyes blazing with anger.

'I care not where he hails from, Rúmil! The arguments between our people and those of Mirkwood are pointless, no more than a feud over trivial nonsense! Celeborn would see them laid to rest, but the Lady Galadriel persists. And as for Legolas' age, what right have people to complain? By this time and a month next year, he will have undergone his Rites of Passage and will be counted as an adult among us. Why do people make such an issue out of it?'

Rúmil held up his hands, and spoke calmly to his irate sibling.

'Calm thyself, brother Haldir. I meant no offense, and I apologize if any was taken. I as well see no validation in the arguments of age and origin, but I will say this. People would accept him more, regardless of his kingdom, were he an adult, and as you yourself said, he has but a year and a month. I know you care deeply for him Haldir, but is it so difficult a thing to be apart for the space of a year? He tells me that he has pledged to return as soon as possible, and I sense that he would rather remain here as a child forever than be parted from you to become an adult. This is painful for him as well, Haldir, more painful than he cares to admit. Help him make his last days here, at least until his return, ones that he will remember for eternity.'

Haldir moved swiftly, and for a brief moment Rúmil thought his brother intended to strike him. Instead, Haldir embraced the other Elf, a soft smile upon his face.

'Forgive me, brother. I acted without thought and in great haste. You are right, I do care deeply for him. Perhaps, therefore, it will be better for both of us once his Solitude ends. It will be difficult, but I will wait for as long as I have to.'

Rúmil grinned, and held his brother out at arm's length. Haldir's lips twitched, and soon neither one could contain his laughter. They laughed until they collapsed against each other, too out of breath to continue. Rúmil gave a final chuckle and tugged on one of Haldir's braids.

'My silly brother... Come, the evening meal is prepared, and Celeborn has requested our company. Oh don't fret,' he said quickly, noticing the look on Haldir's face, 'Silverarrow will be there as well. I believe Celeborn wanted to talk to him about something.'

A sigringrin still plastered to his face, Haldir bent to tug his boots on.

-----

Legolas Silverarrow sat beside Celeborn, eating but not enjoying. It was a mechanical motion, serving only to nourish his body. The food of the Lórien Elves was delicious, but in his worry and grief Legolas tasted nothing of it. Celeborn turned to the young Elf, a look of sadness upon his face.

"Legolas, I know that you intended to spend another day here, but we received a second message from your father mere hours ago. He wishes for you to leave in the morning, that you might arrive home sooner. There seems to be a spot of trouble in Mirkwood that he would like your assistance dealing with."

The silver fork fell from Legolas' hand and clattered upon the plate. His eyes widened, and he gaped at Celeborn.

"But what about Haldir? We were going to make one final journey to the hot springs tomorrow. How can I tell him that I must leave so soon?" The Elf responded in the language of Men, as he had been addressed, knowing that very few among his present company understood it. Celeborn shook his head, and gently touched Legolas' hand.

"I know that you will miss him, young Prince, and were it left to me I would not part you. But I do not have your father's authority over you, and despite the tension between our realms, he is an honorable and kind Elf. I know that he wouldn't call you home early unless there was a good reason for it. He knows how much you love to travel and visit kin." The Lord of Lórien smiled gently. "Worry not, Silverarrow. I will tell Haldir after the meal, and take the opportunity to explain matters to him."

Legolas looked back at his plate, and found that the sight of food now made him feel slightly ill. Thanking Celeborn for his kindness, Legolas excused himself and retreated to his quarters.

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'He must leave, Haldir.'

Celeborn sat in an ornate wooden chair, looking apologetically at the Elf kneeling before him. If Haldir's posture gave away his pain with subtlety, his voice dripped with agony.

'Why, my Lord?'

Celeborn motioned for Haldir to rise, and he walked over to the other Elf. Grey eyes were shining with unshed tears, and Haldir look uncomfortably stiff.

'King Thranduil did not give me all of the specifics, but it seems that there is a matter in which Legolas' assistance is required. He apologized for drawing his son away from us so soon, but he said that he would let him return as soon as his Rites of Passage have been completed.'

Haldir sighed, and hung his head.

"I only hope that I can wait that long," he murmured, lapsing into the common tongue. He blinked, and tears spilled over. Celeborn looked upon the guardian with concern, and wiped the drops away with the sleeve of his robe.

"You are strong, Haldir," he remarked, speaking in the common tongue as well, "and although it may seem like a long time, it is not. Think of him, and he will always be with you." Celeborn bit his bottom lip for a moment, and then continued.

"Haldir, it is not my wish to hurt you, but there is something you must keep in mind. Do not consider Legolas as permanent, for although you share passion now, there are still countless millennia to come. The heart of an Elf is not lightly given, nor is it lightly accepted."

Haldir raised his chin defiantly, the wet paths of tears still glistening.

"This I know, Lord Celeborn, but I also know something else. In this instant, I would gladly bind myself to Legolas for eternity, live with him during life, and sail with him across the Sea when the mortal world became too much to bear."

Celeborn smiled gently, wiping away Haldir's tears for a second time.

"I know you would, dear Haldir. I know." The tall Elf turned to glance of of a window; the golden sky had been replaced by a velvety black, sprinkled with stars. Celeborn allowed his eyes to follow them, placing familiar shapes and individual lights.

'Go to him, Haldir. He needs you.'

Celeborn continued to gaze up at the night sky, even after Haldir's soft footsteps had faded away. Then he lowered his gaze to the floor and squeezed his eyes tightly shut, trying to ignore the pain he felt tugging at his heart.

/He needs you, Haldir. Perhaps even more than I do./

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To be continued... There'll be sex the next time, I promise!

[1]- Rivendell