Celeborn's Nine - Riders of the Night

Author's note: can we get Haldir laid and still keep some of his craziness?
................................................................................................................

Celeborn informed them that this would be their last night at the ancient fort. The horses were rested and with the hot dry season almost upon them, they needed to cross the waste land while it was still tolerable. So with light hearts, they roast some birds, drank a little wine and listened to Celeborn and Glorfindel tell stories about ancient times.
*************************
"Forest child?"

Haldir glanced around. Was he completely insane now that he heard voices calling to him in his head?

"For.....est....ch..i....i..ld? I'm out here."

Haldir glanced over his shoulder into the silky darkness of the night. There was almost no moon now and what shadows danced beyond the firelight were not natural.

"Forest child," the voice purred at him. "Come see me."

Haldir stood up and tried to find the source of the voice that no one else heard.

"Brother, are you all right?" Orophin asked and caught Haldir's boot before he wandered off.

"I am fine," Haldir said, as fine as an elf could be who was being lured into the darkness by a manicore. It had sensed his desire to meet it, and now they were going to do just that.

"Don't wander too far, the duck is almost ready," Rumil called after him as he stepped into the shadows armed only with his sword.

Haldir wandered down an empty street, the abandoned rooms of men whispering to him, but the manicore was silent, still he knew it was near. Crouching, laying his sword over his left thigh, he listened intently. Elves could move without making a sound. Was it also possible for the manicore? Looking up at the roofs above him, he searched for the movement that would betray the beast. Standing, he continued down the street. He sensed he was being lured to a killing ground, a place where the manicore felt comfortable safely away from the other elves. This was how it had successfully hunted men. Did it really think men and elves were the same?

Haldir arrived at the end of the street and stared out at the vast emptiness that was before him. Celeborn had said wild horses once lived here, but now only the hardiest antelope and most determined predators roamed these steppes. And a manicore.

Maybe it was the sense of a shadow, or maybe he had detected its movement out of the corner of his eye, but Haldir ducked and drove the point of his blade upwards behind him. It struck flesh! The manicore hissed and retreated, Haldir's sword taking a bite our of the scorpion tale that struck at him again. But the element of surprise was over. Haldir rolled away from the monster. The human face with its three rows of sharp teeth was the most terrible thing that he had ever seen.

The red lion's body crouched and sprang at him, it's horrible claws reaching for him, but Haldir turned into the creature and buried his sword in the red throat. It roared in rage and reared up. He held tight to his sword and jerked it loose. The scorpion tail struck him and sent an exquisite flame through his body. It was only a passing blow, but it had sufficiently stunned him. Favoring the side struck, he backed away from it. A white flight arrow suddenly embedded itself in the manicore's body followed by others. The manicore roared as it was attacked by the other elves. Elrohir got in the creature's face and released an arrow in its throat under the jaw. Elladan joined him and together they sealed the creature's gaping mouth shut. Glorfindel and Celeborn drove their swords deep into the beast, stepped back and watched as it twitched its life away.

Then Glorfindel in a rage that none had ever seen before turned on Haldir. "Fool!" he snapped. "What if it had lured you farther out?"

Haldir, holding his left arm, shrugged his shoulders and said, "Then there would be eight with my lord."

Glorfindel lashed out with his gloved hand and caught Haldir by the throat. Rumil and Orophin started to intercede, but Celeborn raised his hand and stopped them. "If it is death you want," Glorfindel hissed, "I can give it to you." He stepped closer, his fingers firmly embedded in the younger elf's throat. "I can finish what the Uruk-hai and humans did not." Haldir's eyes were wild, but he made no effort to free himself. "Let us see." Glorfindels' grip became stronger around the younger one's wind pipe. Suddenly Haldir reached up to free himself, and Glorfindel released him. "There is no shame in wanting to live,"Glorfindel said, "but if you ever do this again, I will gut you myself."

Glorfindel retrieved his sword and handed Celeborn his. Together they walked back to the camp. "I almost believe you," Celeborn said softly.

"As long as they believe me," Glorfindel said and removed the rag from his belt to wipe the red blood off his sword. "There is one more thing I want to do before we leave."
............................................................................................

Asfodel remembered the Gypsy woman with the orange and whickered his greeting. Barnera did not disappoint him and had an orange peeled and waiting when Glorfindel and his companion rode up. It made her smile to see the way the two horses jostled with each other for a chance at the succulent fruit.

Looking up at Glorfindel, she asked, "Are you coming inside?" He and his companion both slipped off their horses in the odd fashion that she had seen him do on his first visit. She entered the house ahead of them. Once inside Glorfindel exposed his face, but the other man, his head and face wrapped in the darkest blue, seemed fearful, his beautiful eyes flashing around the room.

"Do you mean to shame me in front of her?" he softly asked Glorfindel.

"No, I mean to get you intoxicated," Glorfindel said and sat on the carpeted floor. "Sit, and show her your face."

Barnera brought out the pipe as the other man unwrapped his head. She stopped and openly stared at the new man. His beauty was even greater than Glorfindel's but there was a sorrow in his eyes that betrayed his troubled thoughts. He was afraid of her.

"This is hash," Glorfindel said as the Gypsy woman prepared the pipe. It intoxicates quickly and is most enjoyable."

"I do not want it," Haldir said as the woman lit the pipe.

"You have no choice," Glorfindel said as she took a drag on the pipe and passed the mouthpiece to him. Oh, this was very nice, but Haldir refused to partake of it. All right, this called for drastic measures. Glorfindel filled his lungs full of the smoke, prayed he kept his wits about him long enough to do it, and essentially attacked Haldir, forcing his mouth against the other's. He released the smoke and was certain that some of it was getting into the other's lungs. A second lungful was met with even less resistance, which was good. Glorfindel was becoming severely intoxicated.

"Your turn," he told Barnera and passed her the mouthpiece. "Do exactly as I did."

She took a lungful of smoke and closed her lips over the other's mouth. He inhaled the smoke and closed his eyes. How could something so simple as the closing of the eye be so erotic? Glorfindel gently pushed him back on the carpet.

"Time to feel good, young one," he said as Barnera retrieved the oil from its shelf. They did not undress him completely, but exposed his skin to their touch. Glorfindel kept a cloud of smoke over Haldir's face, making certain he did not have time to think about anything but the sweet sensations of his own body. Slicking his hands with oil, Glorfindel rubbed it into Haldir's throat and down his breast. Barnera claimed the other end, her skillful fingers turning soft flesh into hard flesh.

"Shall I?" she asked curiously.

"No, he's not ready for that," Glorfindel said with a smile. "Fear not, I'm still able." She smiled. Deft fingers continued to arouse the younger elf even more. He tossed his head and even ran his hand down his own body to find a pleasurable spot they were missing.

Glorfindel leaned over Haldir, his lips close to the other's ear and whispered, "Now young one, now." He pinched Haldir's nipples hard. It was enough to break through the intoxicating fog. Haldir arched his back as Barnera drained every drop out of him. The only sound he made was a sharp hiss. It was enough.

Barnera was also not disappointed as Glorfindel had promised.
............................................................................................

Barnera was sitting on her porch, a soft light burning in the room behind her, as the ten horsemen passed by. Two glanced in her direction; one raised his hand and waved. Barnera returned it, and then realized she had never asked Glorfindel why he and the other had pointed ears.