Killing Beauty

Author's note" Yeah, I thought that was kinda interesting there. Ashva is certainly not a possessive woman and doesn't mind sharing the old boy, but Haldir controls the game until its under way. So in a way it's up to him if there are threesomes or foursomes. But with Haldir being an alpha male from hell, there's no telling what is going on in his demented mind. But don't you love'im? And what would the world be without alphas to lead cavalry charges and defend the women and kids from bad ole orcs?
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The steward of Gondor sat up in his bed, his blankets up around his chest as the black clad elf made his presence known. Sensuously beautiful, as dark as others of his kind were fair, he sat in the steward's bedroom chair, the heavy spur on his boot making the soft whiring sound that had awakened the steward. Sitting with one leg crossed over the other, the elf looked unusually perturbed.

What are you doing in here?" the steward demanded as bravely as he could, although courage was not a normal companion around this creature.

"First the dragon fails me," he sighed, "then the orcs fail me, and now you."

"How have I failed you?" the steward asked, his courage fleeing. "I have done everything you asked."

"Except find the twin," Kalan replied. "What good is having one without the other? I told you to send men out and find him."

"I did send men out, but he is no longer in Gondor and I dare not invade Rohan."

Kalan sighed heavily. "Technicalities. It's probably too late now, but the next time I tell you to do something, I expect you to do it. Now you may have a band of angry Rangers to contend with...or Rivendell's displeasure. If you had listened to me, they would have simply disappeared."

Rising from the chair, Kalan considered reminding the steward who was in charge, but the steward already looked like a trapped rat, and it was not fun tormenting a rat. But the twin in his custody was a different matter. He didn't know which one he had, but he was certain it was one of Elrond's wolf cubs.

Passing down the darkened halls of the palace, he descended the stairs until he came to a locked room. The elf chained to the wall was horrifically hurt, his worst injury a sword slash that ran from the breast bone to his right arm pit. It was not lethel in the sense it was not lethal to an elf, but the pain had to have been mind numbing. There were other wounds on his body, but nothing like the slash that seperated the muscle of his right breast.

Clasping the chin with his right gloved hand, Kalan raised his head and looked at his tortured face. There was royal blood in his veins, the blood of Galadriel, and it showed in the fine line of cheek and chin and the clean male lips that were handsome but not overly feminine. Kalan did not care for males that looked feminine. He liked males that looked....well....male.

He looked down at the gret gaping wound and considered dressing it but decided against it. He was going to send his own riders out to look for the missing twin. He could tell there was a mind link in existance, that the missing one was 'speaking' to his brother. For that kind of link to exist as long as it had, the missing twin had to be staying quiet, hiding, somewhere in Rohan. What Kalan had to do was figure out where he was hiding.
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The ground was still damp from all the rain, but the day itself was trying to clear as Haldir led his entourage into the small settlement of Maskye. A woman, attractive with dark hair and clear eyes, was fetching water from a well and stopped to watch them ride towards her. She looked neither surprised or puzzled by them, in fact she seemed to be expecting them.

Reining his horse in front of her, Haldir asked, "Are you the one who sent the message?"

"I am," she said. "He's inside."

Haldir looked back at his brothers and Ashva as he dismounted. The house smelled of smoke, and an old woman was messing with something in a kettle over the fire.

"It has been ages since I have seen this many elves in Maskye," she grumbled, or so it seemed she was grumbling. "There he is," she said and pointed to the prostrate figure on the bed. Unmoving Elrohis stared up at the celing. His bare chest rose and fell slowly, the breathing of one in a trance.

Ashva sat beside him and stroked his forehead. She had told them that things were coming to her now that she was aware of who she was. Being aware of Orophin's desire for his brother had seemed to accentuate the ability.

"What are you doing?" Haldir asked curiously and bent over the lethargic elf lord.

"I'm trying to understand why he does not stir," Ashva replied. Finding the core of Elrohir's thoughts was most hurtful. She did not try to enter the higher thoughts, only those close to his heart. Misery was his companion, but it was not for himself. He was grieving for Elladan. And the whisper touched her, the whisper that pleaded with Elladan to stay with him. There was so much sadness and fear in him that it threatened her composure. How could one so vital and strong be brought down this way. Releasing him, she looked up at Haldir and said, "He has a link to Elladan. He's....keeping alive."

Haldir frowned. "Could you tell where Elladan is?"

"No. What do you want to do?"

"I don't know. He doesn't look like he can travel," Haldir said. "Maybe if you try harder you can find out where Elladan is."

She grimaced. "This is new to me, and what I felt was great and tragic. I do not know if I can do that again."

The corner of Haldir's mouth twitched as he thought on it. "I need you to try again, but you can wait awhile for now." Turning to the old woman, he untied a small leather pouch of coin that was tied to his belt and handed it to her. "Lady Galadriel appreciates what you have done for him."

Belea opend the leather pouch and poured the money out on the table. "What is here?" she called to Tarla.

Tarla who had stayed by the door entered the room and looked at the money. "It's Gondor gold, grandmother."

Belea grinned a toothless grin in satisfaction. "Gondor gold is good everywhere." She turned back to her kettle. "He can stay until you decide what you want to do with him."

"Is there a place where we can put our horses?" Haldir asked, "and a place where we can rest?"

"Indeed, there is a tavern at the other end of town," Tarla replied. "They have a stable, although it is probably not what you are used to."

Haldir wanted to say that he was used to nothing human, but he kept his words to himself this time. Ashva and both his brothers had been holding their breaths waiting for him to say it. It gave him great satisfaction to know that he had disappointed them.
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Kalan looked at the ten horsemen waiting for instructions from him. "There is an elf who escaped from me. I want him found if he still lives. If he is dead, I want his hair. Gold, brown, it doesn't matter. And do not come back without him. If you do, I will kill you. Find him and you will more wealth than you can imagine."
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Haldir surveryed the room and wondered how humans lived this way? He intended to keep his cloak between himself and whatever might be on chair or bed.

Surveying the small cot, Rumil opined, "I guess Ashva gets the bed."

"I guess," Haldir agreed with a edge of great displeasure in his voice.

"No," she said as she brought her saddle bags inside the room. "We'll all just have to make ourselves comfortable on the floor. I will not sleep in luxury while you suffer."

"Magnanimous of you," Haldir said as he started to take his riding gloves off and then thought better of it, until he was certain there was nothing present that could do him any mischief.

She could see he was squirming over the prospects of being forced to dwell in an unclean human abode but there was no other choice. "There is a small stove for warmth," she said and pointed to the small round wood burner. He smiled but it did not reach his eyes.

"Let us get something to drink," Orophin suggested. "Perhaps it won't be so gloomy after a couple of drinks."

"That would take an incredible drink," Haldir said and followed his brothers outside.
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Tarla stayed with her grandmother until it started to get dark. Belea went to bed with her hens and even rose with them, but Tarla was intrigued by the elves that had come for Elrohir and wanted to stay up longer. Slipping out of the house, she went down to the tavern and found them sitting at one of the tables along the wall. The one she perceived as the leader was leaning his back against the wall with his eyes closed and his arm across the she-elf's shoulders. The two elves with him, their faces similar to his, were sitting across from him. They all had pewter flagons of ale.

Seeing her, one of the elves waved her over. Their making room for her roused the leader. He at first seemed surprised to see her sitting with them, but his expression changed. He tossed a coin on the table and the one who had waved her over bought her a flagon of ale.

"HOw is Elrohir?" the she elf asked curiously.

"There is never any change in him. I fear what is happening to him."

They all knodded in agreement, then the one who had waved her over said, "I am Rumil. This is my dear brother Orophin...."

"My pleasure," Orophin said and kissed her hand.

"This beautiful ellyth is Ashva."

"Hello."

"And he is Haldir. Beware of him, he bites."

Tarla had to admit, the one named Haldir looked as if he would indeed bite. But his snear could not hide the fact that he was a most beautiful elf, as were Rumil and Orophin, and the she-elf was as fine a beauty as she had ever seen. Sitting with them made her feel plain and ugly.

Seeing her downcast eyes, Orophin extended his hand towards her and said, "See, you have frightened her with your grimace."

"Shame I can not frighten you," Haldir grumbled. There was only one way he was going to reclaim his sweet demeanor; he needed sex. He took Ashva's free hand and under the table laid it over his growing arousal. Her face did not betray her thoughts as she listened to Rumil and Orophin talk to Tarla about rain and sunshine and whether it was going to rain anymore. But her hand was doing its damage. She would have to stop soon or he would not be able to leave the table unnoticed. She smiled wickedly and carefully eased his member around so that it grew up and not down. She was impressed with Haldir, his face betrayed even less emotion than hers...only a slight flair of the nostrils and dialation of the pupil.

They would be soon heading back upstairs, which intrigued her. How much farther would he let Orophin go tonight?