Before Green and Gold: Prologue - Legolas

Title: Before Green and Gold: Prologue - Legolas 4/4
Author: Kat (Legolas POV, calenamalthen@yahoo.com), EmberVixen (Haldir POV, circle99@bellsouth.net), Melly (tiny bit of Celeborn dialogue, calenamalthen@yahoo.com)
Type: slash
Pairing: Legolas/Haldir, Haldir/Glorfindel
Rating: R
Disclaimer: we own none of it, all hail the mighty Tolkien
Summary/Notes: The evil vanquished, one would think there would be no further obstacle to the bond forming between Legolas and Haldir, yet the world does not seem to have returned to normal just yet.

Legolas' eyes followed Glorfindel as he carried Elrond from the room, closely followed by Arwen and Saelbeth. A small smile crossed his lips as he watched Saelbeth take Arwen's arm as they walked. Someone else seemed to have found what he had. A slight flush crept over his cheeks as he thought this, and he was unable to meet Haldir's eyes for several minutes. Who knew if what had passed in the midst of so much darkness and hr wor would hold in the light? Yes, Haldir had called him back, but now that he was here, what would happen? Before he could lose himself in the doubts and what-ifs, his train of thought was broken by Celeborn's voice.

"You are free to do as you wish for the time, though I would like to see this room dismantled before anyone has reason to return here." Celeborn's voice was weary. "My granddaughter still abide under this roof, and I do not intend for there to be such an obviously ignoble collection remaining after we leave. All chains, hooks, manacles, needles, all instruments in this library of torture that are not clearly weapons of war should be removed. Once Elrond has explained himself perhaps he will have them back. Would you see to this, when you are able?"

Haldir nodded, and Celeborn walked from the room, holding his body quite carefully.

Legolas glanced at Haldir, who was staring after the Lord of Lorien, then back to the floor. Words seemed to have fled from his mind. He put a hand up to his mouth that still dripped blood. His tunic was stained with both his blood and Elrond's, and who knew what else. He grimaced. He could use a bath. Baths - there was something about that he did not want to think too closely about. Memories hovered at the edges of his mind, but he pushed them away. There would be time for that later.

Suddenly Haldir made a strange noise, a rather strangled sigh, and leaned against the wall as though he had no strength left in his body. Before Legolas had a chance to move, Haldir slipped to his knees. Legolas dove forward, catching him before he fell fully and eased him to the floor as his eyes slid shut.

"Haldir? Mellon? Can you hear me?" He shook the elf gently. Fear slid down his throat in a cold stream, pooling in the pit of his stomach. What new devilry was this? He was unsure what to do. But, clearly, Haldir could not remain here. Legolas wrapped his arms around Haldir and lifted him gently. He carried him from the room, his head cradled against his chest.

As Legolas did not know where Haldir's rooms were, he took him into the rooms Elrond always left open for when he visited from Mirkwood. He laid him on the bed and perched next to him, rather uneasily. But as he watched Haldir's face twist in pain, his heart clenched. What had happened? He could not refuse his heart any longer.

Legolas brushed a gentle hand through Haldir's silvery hair, then leaned down and kissed his cheek lightly. "I will do what I can to heal you, mellon. Just come back to me."

Through the haze of unconscious slumber, Haldir felt the warmth of another against his body. The faint scent of fragrant spring grasses mixed with earthy leather roused his senses into awareness, and he groaned in pain, eyes struggling to flutter open. Fingers threaded gently through his hair, and the touch of warm lips upon his cheek brought him closer to waking.

"I will do what I can to heal you, mellon. Just come back to me." Legolas' soft voice pleaded near his ear.

"Legolas?" Haldir's voias bas but a rasping whisper, but it brought an immediate feeling of relief cascading through Legolas. Haldir reached up and pressed his hand to Legolas' cheek. Legolas smiled slightly as Haldir moved closer to him and curved his body to fit next to Haldir's. He was awake, which had to be a good sign.

But even as he moved, Haldir winced and gasped, clenching his fists on the blankets until his knuckles were white with strain. Legolas leaned over him, wanting to ask if he was all right, if he was in pain, how he could help. But he knew the answers - of course he was not all right, was in much pain, and Legolas could not help. He wished desperately that he had some measure of the healing powers of the elder elves. Even Aragorn had more knowledge of the healing arts than he did.

"Stay," Haldir's voice was harsh. "Lie here with me." And Legolas wanted nothing more. But he remembered Celeborn's command to clean the weapons' room and knew Haldir would be in no condition to do so any time soon.

"I will return, mellon. I must do as Lord Celeborn bid," he said softly. "I promise, I will not be long." And with one last brief caress, Legolas stood and moved swiftly from the room.

~:~

Dread settled into the pit of his stomach, both at what was facing him and what was behind him. He moved through the halls like a ghost, noiseless and quick. The faster he finished, the faster he would be able to return to Haldir.

He hesitated just inside the door of the weapons room. His palms were suddenly damp, his throat dry. The room fairly reeked of the torment that had been enacted there. This would never work. Legolas took a deep breath and shoved all feelings from his mind, wiping it clean as a slate. The feelings he locked into a box in his thoughts, putting them out of the way for the moment. He would take them out later, he promised himself. When this was all over. Until then, he must hold himself together.

His will faltered for a moment as he put his hands on the cabinet doors, but he gritted his teeth and yanked them open. He was nearly overcome with a rush of emotion that burst from the cabinet - hatred, rage, bloodlust, and through and over it all lingered traces of the evil. A small part of himself drew away, whimpering, but he ignored it. He gathered together everything, whips, knives, needles, nipple clamps, things he knew not what they were, and took them away from Elrond's house. He took them far into the forest and buried them. Then he did the same with the vials of acid and other foul liquids that he found in the chest. He burned the bloodstained clothes and gags, and he buried the poor servant elf whose body had lain crumpled in a corner.

Through it all he did not make a sound, did not allow a thought to enter his mind. He was perfectly blank. Nothing could touch him.

When he had finished and the room was perfectly clean, he walked out of the room and away from the house. He could not be around anyone. Not even Haldir.

~:~

Legolas wandered through the woods of Imladris. His eyes roamed over the beauty surrounding him, but it did not touch his heart. He wanted to leave, to go bac Mir Mirkwood. He never thought he would desire that - but no matter how difficult the relationship with his father and how irritating his brother, it was home. And the forests there held him in ways none other did. But he could not abandon Haldir or Elrond in that way, so he would seek healing in the only way he could. Legolas aimed for the river. Water always soothed him. Someday he hoped to see the sea. But until then, he would visit its smaller sister.

As he approached the water, he heard soft splashings, more than the babble of water over the stones of the riverbed. He reached automatically for his bow and cursed himself when he realized he had left it behind. He was unarmed, so he would approach with extreme caution.

Legollowelowed his breath, moved carefully over the fallen leaves and twigs so that he would not be heard. He crept closer to the river, his heart pounding shamefully. He stopped behind a large beech and peered around the trunk. The sight that met his eyes nearly cracked his guarded mask.

Haldir was naked, waist deep in the river, scrubbing himself with cleansing sands. There were bright welts crisscrossing his formerly flawless body from his lower back to his thighs. They were beginning to heal, but were still an angry red. Deep scratches marred his shoulders. Every movement he made was stilted, clearly painful. Legolas could not hold back a sharp gasp. Haldir turned abruptly, clearly startled.

Haldir turned to glance over his shoulder, the sound of another's rather startled gasp surprising him. The Prince of Mirkwood stood gaping at him, his gaze a mixture of awe and pity, looking as disheveled as Haldir had previously been.

He smiled invitingly at the Prince and motioned to him with one hand. "Come, mellon. Bathe yourself in the river's cool embrace. It will do your heart good!"

Legolas felt a quick flush rising over him. Though he had known Haldir for many years, he had never seen him in this way. Legolas smiled a bit oddly.

"I had not planned to bathe. I only wished to sit by the river for a time and rest." He paused, glancing down at himself "Though I suppose I could do with some cleansing." And still he hesitated. Strangely, he was somewhat loath to undress in front of Haldir. Shame clung to
him like a second skin.

Haldir watched the Prince carefully. The young elf was so timid, so painfully shy. No matter how he wished to watch the beautiful creature shed his clothing, he would not.

"You will not regret bathing, I am most certain," Haldir said with gentle smile. He then turned hick tck to Legolas respectfully, so as not to increase his discomfort.

Legolas gave himself a quick mental shake as Haldir turned from him. He had bathed naked with the other elf many times before this, why then the nervousness? He fumbled with the buttons of his tunic, finally freeing himself from it. He could hardly stand to touch the filthy cloth, and he kicked both it and his leggings from him. He frowned with distaste; he should burn his clothes as well. Taking a quick breath, he stepped into the river, letting the water surround him with its cool embrace. Haldir had been right, the water felt wonderful on his skin.

He ducked under the water, letting the silence soothe him for a long moment, then resurfaced. "You were correct, mellon. I did need this."

Haldir turned to face Legolas once more and grinned, splashing the other elf playfully. "Have you not realized that I am always right in these matters?"

Legolas grinned in return. "Does nothing dampen your arrogance?"

Haldir tossed his damp hair loftily. "No," he said simply. "I fear I am doomed to perfection."

Legolas laughed, "And that is such a tragedy, mellon. I know not how you stand it."

Haldir shrugged. "'Tis my fate, I'm afraid." He moved to touch Legolas' cheek, brushing a stray lock of the golden hair away from his face. "You are far too beautiful to be so filthy," he said.

A shiver wracked Legolas' body at the touch. His tongue tangled on his words, and he glanced away from Haldir's intense gaze. He cleared his throat nervously. "I am nothing of the sort," he said shortly.

Haldir slid his fingers down Legolas' pale jaw and did not miss the Prince's shudder of delight. "Oh, but you are," he murmured huskily. He knew that he should pull away, give Legolas some room to breathe, for the blond Mirkwood elf was apparently not used to such intimacy with another male of his kind, but Haldir was loathe to stop himself. He wanted to take the Prince into his arms and ravish him with his mouth, kiss away the pain and fear that lingered in the crystal blue of his eyes, but he waited, watching.

Legolas' heart tripped against the cage of his ribs. His mind was neatly split in two. Half of himself wanted to run from the intimacy, the other half wanted to lose himself in it. The touch of Haldir's fingers sent another shudder though him, and he could not stop himself from tensing. "As are you," Les sas said so softly he was not sure Haldir heard him. He reached out slowly and ran a hand through the archer's wet hair and down his shoulder, feeling the muscles twitch under the touch.

"Legolas," Haldir breathed, a shiver coursing through his body, prickling the flesh of his arms into chills where the Prince so timidly touched the pale skin. He slid his hands beneath the thick
mane of Legolas' flaxen hair, tipping the Prince's head upward. Legolas' pliant lips parted ever so slightly, blue eyes fluttering closed, and Haldir practically groaned with need for him. Gently, he
pressed his lips against the other elf's mouth and savored the taste of him, tenderly at first and then with a greater passion.

A spark flared between them, making the coolness of Haldir's lips quickly turn to a burn. Legolas allowed him to urge his mouth open and tentative tongues met, tangled. Legolas' breathing grew rough and quick. A moan spilled from him and into Haldir. His body grew liquid, and he leaned in to the archer's strong embrace for a long moment. Then, suddenly Legolas felt a stirring in his groin, and he jerked away from Haldir. No, he could not do this!

Barely able to mumble a coherent excuse he stumbled from the river, yanked his tattered clothes over himself and raced away as fast as he could, leaving Haldir staring bewilderedly in his wake.

Legolas ran until the breath was burning in his lungs and his muscles were screaming with agony. He passed out of the forest and into a clearing. The bright morning sun shone down over him, but still he ran. He ran until he could push himself no farther, then he collapsed to the ground, gasping. And then he curled up, the long grasses waving over him, and he squeezed his eyes shut trying desperately to catch his breath. His thoughts spun dizzily, images swirling through his mind. Haldir, it was all Haldir. So much had changed in such a short time. And now, what was coming next? What did he want to come next? Did he know? He shook his head.

And felt again Haldir's hand on his cheek, Haldir's lips over his own, his tongue exploring his mouth. God, it had felt... He did not know how it felt. Or he did, but he did not want to. No, no, he did not know. He clenched his fists in the grass, feeling the dirt dig under his fingernails, releasing the scent of bruised grass. It was all too much.

He let his mind circle until the thoughts settled to nothing, like ripples after a stone is dropped into water. Legolas took a deep breath and opened his eyes, staring into the bright blue sky above him until the clouds that drifted past began to take on the shapes he recognized. Then he let his eyes slip closed again. The grasses made a soft whispering sound that eased him some.

Finally Legolas pushed himself to his feet. He could not remain here all day. And, he noted, glancing down at himself, he had yet to change out of his filthy clothes. He turned toward Imladris and began to walk. He would not think on this. Perhaps it was all remnants of the evil that had held them all. He had but misunderstood Haldir's intentions. They had known each other since Legolas was an elfling. And after the evil, Haldir brought him back from the mists where he wandered, lost. Legolas was grateful, of course, deeply grateful, and he had expressed it in a passionate manner, nothing more. Haldir had been ill, and worried for him, and he had expressed it passionately as well. That was all.

And with these thoughts held firmly in his mind, he climbed over the balcony of his room and slipped inside.

Legolas glanced around the room, his room more so than even his room in Mirkwood. He pulled the curtains from the window, tying them back so the sunlight flowed into the room with a warm yellow glow. The sun lit his small treasures, his touchstones, the things that reminded who he was. He crossed the room to a small cabinet and ran his fingers over each object, lovingly. A smooth stone that perfperfectly in his hand with a small indent for his thumb. He picked it up and rubbed it rather absentmindedly. There was a tiny shell, purple and irridescent, from his father's trip to the sea. A pair of leaves from Mirkwood. A bluebird's feather Haldir had found for him ages ago. A small carved wolf his brother had made for him when he was but an elfling. And yet, the comfort he usually found here was lacking. He turned away, sighing. His eyes lit on the bed, still rumpled from Haldir's . He. He lay down for a moment, weariness flooding over him. How long had it been since he'd truly slept? He could not remember. Then, catching sight of a particularly nasty stain on his sleeve, he stood. He needed to change. That was why he had come, after all.

Legolas opened the wardrobe in the corner of the room and flipped through the clothing hanging there. One of the tunics seemed to be missing, but no matter. None of these fit his mood anyway. Had he really worn such bright garish colors? The tunics were all in jeweled tones, ruby, emerald, sapphire. They made his eyes ache. He closed the doors and considered. He had left his pack on his horse, which, presumably was in Elrond's stables. He pressed a hand to his eyes, a headache beginning to form from lack of sleep. He would prefer to just crawl into bed and forget the past days. But he had no choice, he could not wear this filth forever. This time, when he left, he passed through the door.

As he reached the stables, he heard sounominoming from within. Perhaps the stable-boy had returned. He opened the door softly, not wanting to startle the boy if indeed he had returned. But as he rounded a corner, he came upon the most unexpected sight: Glorfindel and Haldir.

"Love me, mellon-nin," Haldir said, his lips pressed to Glorfindel, and the shudder that shook the seneschal seemed to send an answering vibration through Legolas. He knew he should turn away, should leave them their privacy, but the sight burned in his eyes. Glorfindel spread a blanket on the floor and lowered Haldir. All coherent thought fled, and Legolas' mouth went bone dry as Glorfindel pierced Haldir, and Haldir's groan of pleasure echoed in his head. As Glorfindel bent and nibbled at Haldir's neck, the paralysis that had held Legolas finally released him, and he moved away, silently. He retrieved his pack from his stallion and departed the stables, his mind in turmoil. After what they had done to the seneschal, Legolas would not believe it if he had not seen it. But, perhaps the darkness had allowed their lust for each other to surface. They seemed to care for each other.

Legolas shook his head in an attempt to clear it of the images, the sound of Haldir's voice. "Love me. Love me." The words echoed in time with the pounding of his head. Legolas reached his room just in time. He stripped quickly, yanked clean clothes over himself and collapsed into bed, forcing sleep to drag him down into forgetfulness.

tbc in "of Green and Gold"