The old ways

It took them some time to find the strength to climb out of the water and back to the blankets. Once there, Haldir pulled one of them over their exhausted bodies and they snuggled close together. After some minutes Legolas started to feed Haldir with some tiny pieces of fruit, laughing at his husband as he wickedly licked the fingers feeding him. What Legolas didn’t see, was the fact that Haldeacheached underneath the blanket, in a moment that Legolas bent over to his left to pick up some more fruit. Legolas had picked some ripe strawberries and held one delicately between his thumb and index finger as he slowly moved his hand towards Haldir’s mouth. Haldir only parted his lips ever so slightly forcing Legolas to push the red berry between them and when the fruit lingered at the entrance to his mouth, Haldir lasciviously closed the enchanting flesh around it and very carefully sucked it in. Legolas groaned at the sight. But Haldir didn’t stop after he had consumed the strawberry and now pulled in Legolas index finger, sensually circling the tip with his tongue. He enjoyed the obvious tension building up in Legolas body. Suddenly Legolas felt something hard being pushed against the tip of his finger. The unexpected hard thing was now pushed over his finger and Haldir withdrew and placed a last kiss on the finger tip. The blond prince looked mesmerised at the delicate golden and silver circle that lay around his finger. Two strands of leaves the the Mallorntree and Mirkwood beeches were woven around each other, melting into a union. “Haldir! Love, it is beautiful.” Haldir smiled his very special smile “I know it is not a custom among us elves to wear wedding bands, but I find this idea of mankind most lovely and I thought it would resemble our love so perfectly.” He bent down a little to push the ring on Legolas finger all the way down. “Here.” Haldir retrieved its brother and handed it to his lover “Will you place it on my hand?” Legolas hands were shaking slightly as he took the ring of Haldir and carefully placed it on Haldir’s finger.
They embraced tightly and shared a passionate kiss, sinking onto the ground.
Sleep overcame them quickly, laying their limbs entwined. After some hours Legolas felt a shudder going through Haldir’s body and he raised his head, still somewhat sleepy. He looked at his beloved and it seemed to him that he was somewhat paler then usual. As he moved to stroke the noble forehead, his hand encountered a wet sticky substance. Surprised he looked closer and in the fading moonlight and saw large pools of blood around Haldir’s form and still more was coming from unseen cuts in Haldir’s back. Legolas screamed and bolted upright.
Sweat ran down his face and he had unusual difficulties adjusting to the dark light in the room. He was breathing hard and dizziness made him sway. Ever so slowly he could make out the contours of the two large arm chairs in front of the fireside, his clothes hanging over a stool near the bed and the decorated curtains fluttering in the breeze from then win window.
Legolas shivered and hid his face in his hands. Sobs escaped him and tears started to flow freely. It had just been a dream but he wished for nothing more than to be held by Haldir right now. The fear that something might happen to his husband drove him to despair. He desperately tried to pull himself together and took deep and calming breaths. After a while he got up from his bed and moved to the window to draw the curtains back. The first rays of the rising sun crept over the surrounding hills and mountains. Legolas closed his eyes and drew in the crisp morning air, letting himself be comforted by the strength of the surrounding nature.


The speed, with which they moved, was exhausting, even for elves. But Haldir’s determination and leadership drove them onwards. They were in reach of the first Rohan villages and already they could smell the smoke of burning wood and the stench of decaying flesh. Galadriel had given them the order or rather advice to move directly to Helm deep, without passing Edoras first. They halted shortly on a hill top and Haldir observed the area. He could make out smoke rising from the east and some way down the hill he could clearly see a broad track of trampled ground, as if a large army had passed here.
He estimated that they had one maybe two days, at the most, left to reach Helm deep in time. He scanned the area again, this time looking for a reasonable place where they could rest for a while. Rumil approached him laying a hand on his shoulder, “Brother what bothers you?” Haldir turned and gave him a small smile. “Nothing, Rumil. I merely thought about resting for a few hours. We will need our stre in in the upcoming battle, we mustn’t exhaust ourselves to much on this march.”
The large army of elves moved down the hill towards the south west and made camp near a small stream, that used to feed the vast fields that were now burned to ashes.
Rumil surveyed the building of a few campfires and the handing out of food rations. Haldir had walked away some paces and sat down heavily on a rock and rested his eyes on the openness of the Rohan planes. If one did not look into the direction of the burning village nearby and ignored the smells drifting over from there, this was a peaceful and well nourished country. What had Middle earth come to in these days. Peace had lasted only a few thousand years. Of course to mankind that was a vast amount of time, but to the elves it seemed only a short break from violence and death. He was still lost in his thoughts, when a fluid movement caught his eye. He looked over to right side of the fields he had been observing and caught sight of some wild horses running. Some of them seemed to be yearlings and the gallop was not yet as graceful and they were running in circles around the moving herd. They seemed so full of energy and will to live it was bewitching. He found himself smiling. Somehow these young horses reminded him of his husband. Always energetic and full of mischief. Haldir leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees and folded his hands. He was very eager to see Legolas again, a dark worry had grown in his heart and he was constantly nervous, always wondering what it was that made him think that something was very wrong or was going to go wrong. Haldir took a deep breath and watched the horses again. One of the young ones, a white one, was constantly annoying an older stallion, who was desperately trying to lead the herd. A wide grin sneaked itself across Haldir’s face and he remembered one particular night that he had come to their rooms while they were staying in Mirkwood.