Killing Beauty

Author's note: thanks for the input as always. I look at Haldir's remark this way. He is a sensual creature...for him to lose that sensuality if only for a year indicated there was indeed grieving. Haldir without that sensuality is not Haldir. That it returned when an overly amorous wife seduced him...along with a hot princess....only showed that he was reconnecting with himself...it did not mean he was no longer grieving. He was just getting back to living.
Note: there is one real brutal scene!!!!
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Kalan stood on the battlement and gazed out towards Osgilith. The men he had sent out had not returned, which told him quite a bit actually. They had run into something that had stopped them. He considered orcs and trolls and wargs, but those men had been hard and not given to falling before such creatures. There had to be another explanation, and it was a simple one. Elrond or the Galadriel duo had sent someone out to find the prince, and that individual or group individuals had taken them out. Glorfindel had the ability to do that; his prowess was well known. Celeborn was no slouch either; and there was the possibilty that the Northern Rangers were involved, the Dunedain. There was also the possibility that Galadriel had sent out her pet, which was what Kalan was actually hoping for. He had been trying to draw the Galadhrim out of his woods for a while now. Maybe he had and wasn't aware of it yet.
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Osgilith was a river town with riding distance of Minas Tirith. It had once been the capital of Gondor, but for safety reasons was not its business center. There were always strangers coming and going, so no one really paid any attention to the hooded horsemen who entered the town late that afternoon.

Elrohir was between awake and being in a trance, and it was imperative they find a room for him. Haldir intended to leave Ashva and Rumil with him, but they would have nothing of it. If Haldir and Orophin were going to roam the streets of Osgilith, they were going as well. There was going to be an argument, until Ashva decided that she would stay with Elrohir. She still wanted to go, but a troop of three was less conspicuous than a troop of four. And someone did need to stay with Elrohir, after all she couldn't let an old lover lie in the dark alone.

Haldir knew she was joking and returned her smirk as he and his brothers left the room. He waited just long enough to hear her latch the door before following his brothers down the stone steps to the main street. He knew Elladan was in Minas Tirith and Kalan was there, but if they had ridden in without first getting a grasp of the situation first, there might have been some serious trouble.
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Kalan returned to the cell where he had the twin chained. The beautiful creature should have died of dispair by now, but he was clinging to life through his brother. Kalan wondered how much the missing twin felt. How much he could feel. Grabbing the other's chin, Kalan raised it and studied the sensuous face closely.
His body was healing.....slowly...but healing. The slash across his breast was closing although the wound was still terrible. Letting his curiosity get the better of him, he removed his blade from its scabbard on his thigh and slowly, deliberately opened the wound again. The elf gasped and trembled terribly. Kalan leaned over and tasted the sweet rich blood. It was delicious. Lowering his mouth, he bit the elf's nipple hard. He tried to jerk away.

Kalan grinned. He wanted to shred his skin and devour his flesh raw. There was more he wanted to do, but he needed to wait until he had finished what he came back for.

He meant to kill Haldir of Lorien. Rip the heart out of his breast while it still beat. And there was more that played in the dark corners of his imagination. Things that would humble and destroy the elven warrior's spirit before he died.

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Ashva jumped when Elrohir cried out in misery. Thinking it was his own injury that was causing him pain, she sat on the bed beside him and jerked up his tunic to see if there was blood flowing. Finding none, she touched his face and tried to understand what was happening to him. Jerking her hand back suddenly, she took a moment to understand what she had felt. Someone was hurting Elladan and Elrohir could feel it. Before he had only been aware of his brother's life force. Now his soul was merged with his twin. If Elladan died, Elrohir would die with him.
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The brothers knew from their travels that the best place to gather news was where the workmen met to drink and whore. These places were usually an assault on their senses, the foul smells and ever fouler language
doing a lot to convince them that the world of men was a dark and bitter place.

Walking along the river front, the work over for the day, they took note of what boats were in and what kind of cargo was being unloaded. A young whore, bone thin and in ragged clothes stepped out of the shadows and spoke to them, offering herself. It was an offer even the most desperate elf would refuse. It was also where elfkind and mankind were different. No elf would allow a female of his race to sink so low.

"Give her money and send her away," Haldir told Orophin, who reached into his coin purse and brought out a Gondor half piece.

"Take this with my regards," he said and placed the coin in the youg whore's hand. She looked at him with eyes that reminded him of a frightened deer. Someone had sorely abused her. "When was the last time you ate?" he found himself asking.

"It does not matter," she replied, the beauty of his face and the kindness in his eyes holding her in place when her instincts said run.

"Perhaps my brothers and I can buy you a meal," he offered.

She glanced past him, her eyes settling on the larger brother who did not look pleased by the invitation, and asked, "What must I do for this meal?"

"Talk with us is all," he said, Haldir's glare boring into his back.

"You don't expect anything unusual?" she asked. "Cause it will cost more if you do."

"The only thing unusal is Orophin," Haldir cracked in their native tongue.

"He has a kind heart," Rumil said. "He has always had a kind heart."

"Well bring her on before we draw more attention," Haldir growled.

Menae took them to a dark smokey tavern where Orophin bought her a stew while he and his brothers tried out the local wine. Haldir left the chatter to his brothers and the girl, which he was beginning to notice was a pattern with them. And while he had not objected to any of their female conquests so far, he prayed this one was just an act of kindness. He would most definately have to put his foot down if they tried to seduce her.

Still stiff in the arm from the warg attack, he rotated it a bit to loosen it. If tears and kisses could heal one, the arm would be perfect by now as much as Ashva had fretted over it. He was certain that he would have no trouble using it against a man. Even sore he was quicker than the best man. But he could think of one who might be able to press him. Taking a deep drink of red wine, he considered tht problem.

"Do you ever go up to Minas Tirith?" he asked Menae. He sat back, holding the wine goblet in his lap.

The girl stopped eating. Of the three men, he was the one who disturbed her the most. Even though he had done nothing to indicate that he had these thoughts, she knew he was looking down on her. "Once in awhile," she answered hesitantly and resumed eating.

Well, he wasn't going to pull her teeth to get any information, but he did realize he was going to have to have a word with Orophin the future about what sort of humans were good contacts.

Suddenly a voice boomed nearby calling Menae's name. "It is Istha," she quaked and looked around as a very....very...large woman approached the table. It was not the sort of human female that Haldir had ever seen in all of his travels. She was at least as tall as he and bigger. He moved away as she pulled a chair up to the table and sat down. Haldir was certain he could take her in a fight but he prayed he didnt have to.

"I see you gentlemen are feeding my little Menae," the woman said, her eyes sizing them up quickly.

"She was hungry," Rumil, the closest to this woman, replied uneasily. This woman was bigger than he, and she wasn't fat.

"You are kind," she said and settled her eyes on Haldir. She stared at him long and hard, her eyes studying his face with the intensity of a hunter. She made no pretense; she was trying to figure out who or what he was. Finally satisfied with her observation, she said, "You are taking a big chance being here."

"I don't know what you mean," Haldir replied feigning indifference.

Leaning towards him, her hand settling on his thigh, she said, "You're an elf. Do you know what I mean now?" She leaned back but kept her hand where it was. She wanted to watch him squirm.

A woman's hand on his thigh meant nothing to him, although he would have preferred it not being there. "Why are we taking a chance?" he asked softly.

She leaned towards him again, her hand inching higher. "If they find out you are here, you will be arrested." Scooting her chair closer, she said, "The Steward of Gondor has a dark advisor who tells him to trust no elves."

Haldir looked at the hand, took a sip of wine and then looked back Istha. "Why are you telling me this?" he asked curiously.

"I once met a great elven warrior," Istha answered readily. "Do you know Glorfindel?"

"I have met him," Haldir answered and prayed her hand didn't go any higher. He thought about asking her to remove it, but if she knew who he and his brothers were, she might take offense and betray them.

She suddenly grinned, squeezed his thigh and sat up, taking her hand with her. Haldir did not realize that he had been holding his breath until the hand had left his leg. "That elf saved my family. I have considered myself a friend of your kind ever since."

"We are fortunte to have your friendship," Haldir said as a barmaid came by and asked if he wanted some more wine. He did, and he bought Istha a cup as well. He had not expected her to grab his face and plant a kiss on his cheek until it was happening.

"You are an affectionate woman," Orophin observed, thankful that he had a table, two brothers and Menae between him and her. "Our brother blushes."

"Our brother cringes," Rumil countered in their native tongue.

"That sounds beautiful," Istha said. "What does it mean?"

"Our brother is fortunate you seek his friendship," Rumil lied with a straight face and moved back.

"And a good friend I will be," Istha assured them and let her hand return to Haldir's leg. He sighed heavily, took a drink of wine and listened to her tell them the goings on Minas Tirith.

"Have you seen the steward's new advisor?" he asked curiously.

"I may have glimpsed him once," she said. "He does not come out into the light but sticks to the shadows and the late afternoons. I think I saw him on the wall once. I've never seen anyone like him, until you lords showed up. But where you are fair," and she squeezed Haldir's much abused thigh, "he is dark. Fair skinned but dark in every other way."

A perfect discription of Kalan. He could see the early spark of worry in Rumil's eyes.

"We are looking for another elf who may be in his hands," Haldir continued. "Have you heard anything?"

"Rumors abound among drunken men," the woman replied, "but they are just rumors." Inching closer, her hand following, she said, "I can find out more if you like."

"And what would my price be for this information?"

"I would have you look upon me kindly as a friend instead of the frightened deer I have been teasing all night," she answered readily. "I would see you without shadows or hoods."

"If you can find out where in MInas Tirith this other elf is being kept, I will honor your request," Haldir replied readily.

"Then meet me here tomorrow night," she said and stood up. "I will have something for you. Come Menae. I think they have fed you enough."

Rumil and Orophin started chuckling as the two whores wandered off. "I just knew she was going to find a more interesting place to rest that hand," Orophin stated gleefully.
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When they returned to the room and rapped on the door, Ashva opened it, great worry etched across her face. "What is wrong?" Haldir asked suspiciously.

"WE must find Elladan soon," she said. "I fear someone is trying to kill him."