Melethen

Chapter Two

An eyebrow lifted toward the ceiling as the esteemed Lord of Imladris read
the missive from the King of Mirkwood. Elrohir, Elladan and Legolas shared a
look and a grin before turning their attention back to Elrond.

“What does it say, Elrond?” Erestor asked as he leaned forward in the
chair sitting in front of the desk.

“Thranduil wants to declare a truce between us and has invited us to his
home so that we may discuss…many things.” Elrond refolded the letter and
placed it on his desk before looking up to look at Erestor and Glorfindel.

“What sort of “things,” the blond warrior asked. “What is left to
discuss? Sauron has been defeated, there is no longer a need for alliances
between your houses. It will not be long before you sail and I am sure he will
not linger when he has the promise of reuniting with his queen.”

“The Crown Prince is more than capable of ruling the kingdom in his father’s
stead,” Erestor pointed out. “I am sure the king is only thinking of
assuring that your children and his will prosper until all have passed over the
sea.”

“Tell us, Legolas, what do you know of his intentions,” Elrond asked
looking up at the prince.

“Truthfully, I do not know,” he admitted with a sigh. “I was only
informed that my father wished to make peace and extended an invitation to visit
our home. No other reason was shared with me nor have I heard whispers of any.
He has changed since I returned home, he is warmer and more agreeable than I
have ever seen him.”

“Whatever his reasons, I am inclined to agree that it is time we made
peace,” the Elflord replied. “I will pen an answer and have a messenger sent
to inform Thranduil of our arrival.” He turned his eyes on his sons and
continued. “Glorfindel, Erestor and I have some things to talk about, please
ensure Legolas is comfortable and we will see you at dinner.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Legolas relaxed against the pillows of the guestroom bed with a sigh. The
weeks traveling from his home had been tiring, but he was too wound to even
think about trying to sleep. The memory of Elladan’s body and his needful
moans refused to quiet themselves in the archer’s mind. Elrohir’s welcome,
the bulk of his warrior’s body pressed against his own, was unexpected, but
Legolas delighted in the feel of it too much to move away.

An impish grin spread across his face as he thought about the possibility of
a perhaps brief, but enormously satisfying intimate relationship with one of the
twins. He would not be selective, either, he was sure, could please him well. It
was not only for their bravery and ability as warriors they were known. Their
reputations as courteous and accomplished lovers were known to all above the age
of majority. They were desired by all who looked upon them and the prince was
not immune to their charms.

Legolas was not completely unaware of his own impact on those around him, but
he was often baffled by how others spoke of his loveliness . In his mind, those
who praised his beauty had their own agendas and were trying to charm him into a
meeting with his king father or some other favor they thought he could do them.
He had learned early not to believe everything he was told, but not before he
suffered his share of disappointments and too often, a broken heart.

It became habit for him to seek pleasures outside his father’s realm where
he would be free to dally with those he chose. He was always the aggressor in
these short lived liaisons and never promised more than one night in his bed.
Those who expressed wishes for more or let it be known they shared a tryst with
the prince were never frequented again. He was discreet in his choosing, always
selecting one among the ranks of warriors or a sister of one of his many
friends.

As his thoughts continued, he almost gasped when he realized the number of
years it had been since he had last allowed himself to seek pleasure. Too long,
he decided, but as images of gray eyes, black hair and a muscled back flashed
through his mind, he vowed to end his period of chasteness with the least amount
of delay possible. That is, if one of them was amenable to such. Another grin
spread across his face as he thought about the manner in which he would go about
ensuring their interest. If he was fortunate, he could end up with not one, but
two lovers.

“Praise Eru,” he said to the empty room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Elladan practically shoved Elrohir in their shared sitting room and slammed
the door. “What, in all of Arda, were you trying to accomplish? Legolas is a
guest here and you, a son of the lord, --”

“Did you notice how like the sun his hair is,” Elrohir asked, ignoring
his brother’s obvious ire. The smile on his face and the look of feigned
innocence angering the elder twin further.

“-- hang all over him like a common whore in a human tavern. If father knew
how you were acting he would flay you alive. Not only is he a prince, he is part
of the reason for the Dark Lord’s defeat! He deserves --”

“And his mouth, with lips the color of a blushing maid, so right for
pillaging….”

“-- our respect. Now that Thranduil has finally made a move to end the
hostility between himself and father, all we need --”

“To have his lithe body writhing underneath mine would be a vision I could
get used to. Can you imagine those --”

“-- is for Legolas to tell his father he was all but mauled by one of
Elrond’s sons. The king would have you hanged from the highest tree in the
forest and father would be forced to --”

“-- blue eyes, dilated and dark with need, looking up at you as he moans
your name and begs you for more?”

“-- declare war and you, my brother, would be responsible for bringing
kinslaying into this age. The whole of Arda would be at war and all because you
could not keep your hands off the youngest prince of Mirkwood!”

“Even you cannot deny how enticing that sight would be.”

“Elrohir! Have you listened to nothing I have said?”

“Aye, I heard and you heard me, as well,” the younger twin said, pointing
to the obvious tent in his brother’s leggings. “I have not seen you so
afflicted since our youth.”

With a hopeless sigh, Elladan fell into a waiting chair and covered his face
with trembling hands. “I do not favor males, I cannot, I will not.”

Hearing the desperation in his brother’s voice, Elrohir moved to cradle his
fraught twin in his arms. “Ai, Elladan, you cannot let what happened in the
past keep you from finding some happiness now.”

“It may be in the past to you, Elrohir, but it feels like only yesterday to
me,” he answered as he fought the urge to weep. “I have faced orcs, trolls,
wildmen and worse in battle, but I have not the courage to admit what I desire.”

“Legolas is nothing like --”

“Nay, he is not,” Elladan admitted, his words muffled against his brother’s
chest. “He seems to be everything we thought he was, but we truly do not know
him.”

“That is easily remedied,” Elrohir replied, glad the conversation took
this turn. “We will spend our days introducing him to our fine vale. The
nights, well, we will spend them drinking and sharing tales with him. If he
happens to wake in my bed one morning, all the better for me.”

“You are incorrigible, brother,” Elladan laughed as he pulled away from
him, but turned serious. “You truly desire him?”

“Aye, I do,” the younger twin admitted, unable to stop the smile
spreading across his face.

“I suppose we have a problem, then.” Elladan had no wish to compete with
his brother for the affections of another, not even for the fair Legolas.

“What problem? Have we not shared our entire lives?” The younger twin
chuckled at the look his words brought to his brother’s face.

TBC