Strange Allies

~~~
A/N:
MarzBar - Awww, thanks! It's good to be back! Yes, her "revenge" was quite appropriate, wasn't it? I, too, am wondering what they are going to do - he's being rather tight-lipped about the ending. Playing one of his little "control" games again like he did when I asked him if he lived or died at Helm's Deep. *sigh* So we'll BOTH just have to wait and see!

~~~

Annowe sighed and nuzzled closer to Haldir. How had she ever ended up in this situation and how could she extricate herself from it? There was no question in her mind that she must let him go. It was not her choice. He must go to Valinor and she would remain behind.

Why was she even considering this? They had made their bargain and she had made her promise to Legolas that she intended to keep. There could be no other way. No matter what happened she must go to Legolas when Haldir left. And he would leave very soon.

Tenderly, she licked the sweat from his neck and squeezed him tightly before sliding out of his lap and shakily rising to her feet. She needed to walk for a bit and gather her thoughts. Haldir felt her grow distant and stood up next to her.

“What is it, little one?” He asked gently, stroking her back. He wanted her to return to his embrace.

“Nothing,” she lied evenly. How could she explain it to him? If she told him what she was thinking what would he say? “I knew you could not live without me”? Or would he just give her that smug “I told you so” look of his that she so detested?

She eyed him closely as she considered this.

“I just need to think for a while,” she finally admitted. “I am confused.”

He arched one perfectly shaped eyebrow at her curiously. “Confused about what?” He asked. Had her thoughts slipped back to the war? Was she considering his offer to leave him once they reached the Barrow Downs?

She shook her head. “I cannot explain it. Please, Haldir, I just want to be alone to think,” she begged gently.

Despite his misgivings, he nodded in agreement. Silently, Annowe walked off into the night in search of a stream or pond to immerse herself in to clear her troubled mind. She fervently hoped that she could clear her troubled heart as well.

Haldir watched her slip off into the darkness, anxious at her sudden change in behavior. If she refused to confide in him he would not force the issue and yet he could not help but wonder what had happened. Something inside of her had changed, he could feel it but he could not say what it was.

Frowning, he grabbed up one of the water skins and took a long drink from it before using the remaining water to clean himself. She would return to him in good time and yet he did not want to wait. She had agreed to remain with him one more night but that would come quickly and then they would part. Why did she not want to remain with him for that short time? He sighed and put his clothes back on feeling oddly exposed without her naked body beside him.

Could his leaving be affecting her in such a manner? He sat down and stirred the dying fire with a stick as he considered this. Perhaps she was trying to make a clean break with him now instead of prolonging the agony. He sighed. All he could do was wait for her to come back to him. Perhaps she would speak to him once she had a chance to sort out whatever was bothering her.

It did not take Annowe long to locate a small stream and she gratefully sat down in it, letting the chill water run over her still trembling body. Mentally cursing herself for her foolishness, she plunged her head under the surface and willed herself to relax, stretching out fully in the clear water.

What had gotten into her? How could she even be considering this? How could she have asked him not to leave her? She breathed in deeply, wishing she could simply swim far away from both of them – so far away that they could never find her. Let Haldir go to Valinor and let Legolas traipse about middle earth on his foolish quests! She needed neither of them! This pain of having both and yet neither was becoming too much for her.

Legolas would never understand her completely and Haldir – well, if he ever knew what she was thinking at this moment, he would become insufferable with his smugness. So here she was, at the beginning again but so much had changed and yet none of it made any difference to the situation.

She sighed again, opening her eyes to gaze up at the stars. It would be dawn soon. They would have one more night together and then she would leave. Would she leave him with Goldberry to make their parting quick? Like ripping a bandage off of a wound? Or would she prolong it, lingering with him, secretly hoping he did not truly have to go?

No, it would be best to get it over with quickly. She would have many solitary nights on the road south to forget Haldir and he would have plenty of others to occupy his time in Valinor.

Her lip trembled at the thought of Haldir finding another creature. It should not bother her so and yet it did! Why? He was still the wicked and notorious March Warden! He would always be the amorous and seductive Haldir who had a reputation for conquests known even to Mirkwood elves and beyond! It was his way!

With a grunt, she realized that she was now part of that growing number of creatures - “Haldir’s conquests”. She snorted then frowned. Part of her had actually wanted to believe that she would be more than just another conquest to him. How foolish she had been!

Once they reached the Barrow Downs she would stay with Goldberry for only one night to see Tom and then she would leave. Yes, that was it. Goldberry could escort Haldir the rest of the way to the Havens. Perhaps she would slip off in the night without a goodbye to spare her own humiliating tears. And he would wake and she would be gone and he could not follow her for the call would be too strong. Goldberry would take him and she would never see him again.

She would never see him again. Suddenly, she began to cry uncontrollably and cursed herself. Why was she crying over him? Had she grown that fond of him in the last few months? Yes, she had. Despite his arrogance and teasing of her, she had grown accustomed to him and knew that he accepted her completely.

A sound between a cry and a giggle escaped her. Somehow, someway she had grown fond of that horrid monster and now she would never see him again! Several months ago she would have given anything to be rid of him and now that the time was almost here she was reluctant to let him go. Oh, the bitter irony!

She sat up quickly, blowing water out of her nose and shaking her head. The first rosy fingers of dawn were tickling the eastern sky. Time! They had none left! This was it! Tonight would be the last night they had alone in the world together.

A faint glow caught her eye and she looked down at her legs still immersed in the water. An odd slightly bluish tint seemed to surround them. Curiously, she reached out and touched her leg only to see her fingers give off the same strange reflection in the water.

She blinked and raised her hand from the stream, watching the color slowly fade as the water ran from her. What was this? She wondered. It was very odd and she could not remember seeing such a thing before. It did not hurt. She could not even feel it on her skin. It simply looked like weak sunlight reflecting off of her and she would not have noticed it at all if the sky had been any brighter.

It was a very strange phenomenon and she wondered if perhaps her age had something to do with it. She would have to speak to Goldberry about it. It was puzzling but since it did not hurt her nor affect her in any way outside of the water she was content to let it be.

Slowly, she made her way back to the fire, knowing this would be the last night she and Haldir would be together alone. Perhaps forever. The thought made her sad but she willed herself not to think of it. They had this day and night and it must be enough.

Haldir watched her approach, wondering if she would speak to him or if she wanted to remain silent. He sat up as she drew near and without a word she slid into his lap, leaning her head against his shoulder and sliding her arms around his neck.

He sighed and closed his eyes, wrapping his arms tightly around her and smoothing her wet hair back. Whatever she had been thinking he had not come out on the losing end of it this time.

When the time came would she leave him? Would he leave her? Could he leave her? He moaned softly and kissed her forehead.

Her skin was cool and slightly damp to his touch and he held her close trying to keep her warm.

“Do you want to tell me what troubles you?” He asked gently.

“No,” she answered quietly. She just wanted to sit there safe and warm in his lap.

Tenderly he stroked her thigh, feeling the firm weight of her on his legs. The sun shone pink against her skin and he traced the path of a water droplet over her shoulder.

“What will you do when I am gone?” He questioned softly, his curiosity getting the better of him.

She sighed heavily and murmured something unintelligible. He resisted the urge to press her to repeat it. Why was he so desperate to know that she would not forget him? It shouldn’t matter to him. When he reached Valinor there would be plenty of willing elleths and elves to fulfill his desires. He did not need her!

So why was he so eager to know she would miss him? Did he crave her validation that much? He understood that Legolas would never make her feel the same way as he did physically but there was something more. He needed to know that he had a small part of her that Legolas would never touch. That some tiny part of her was his and his alone!

Every other creature that he had lain with he had walked away secure in that knowledge. He needed to know she felt the same way. That when she returned to Legolas part of her would still desire the March Warden alone! He closed his eyes and held her tighter.

He would make her remember! He would pleasure her so completely that no other creature would ever touch that deepest part of her no matter how desperately she tried to erase his memory! Yes! That is what he would do! The thought of physically taking her again made his heart beat faster and he slowly ran his hands over her naked body, enjoying the feel of her skin under his fingertips.

She wiggled slightly in his lap and he began to kiss her neck as his hands caressed her back. He could feel her becoming aroused again at his ardent touch. Deliberately he kissed his way up her throat until his hungry lips found hers. She moaned softly and squeezed his shoulders as their tongues met, suddenly wanting him again.

He moaned softly as her fingers sank into his tunic, trying to pull it off.

“No,” he whispered into her neck. “Not yet.”

Her breath was hot against his ear. “Want you,” she breathed, squirming against him.

A shiver ran up his spine at her words. How could she arouse him so quickly? He must be losing all self-control! But that was not so horrible. He rather liked the reckless abandon he felt when he was with her. He would never feel the same with an elleth.

Perhaps that was his dilemma! He knew an elleth could never touch him the same way she had and he wanted to make sure the balance was even between them. He wanted – he needed – to know that she would never forget his touch, either.

~~~