Deception

Title: Deception

Pairings: Haldir/Legolas, Rumil/Orophin

Rating: This chapter: NC-17. [insert incest warning here].

Summary: Even Elves are prone to alcoholism. It’s a good thing for Haldir that Legolas still loves him. This chapter is utterly daft, but I had to end this thing somehow.

Archive: Haldir Lives! and Elf Lust.. Everyone else please ask. I’ll say yes, but ask anyway. :o)

Beta: Nope.

Notes: All characters are Tolkien’s. I just like to have my own brand of pervy fun with them.
Thoughts are in --...--, and emphases are written as *…*.
Feedback and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism are always welcome at: elvenbeauty@hotmail.com or merenwen_fefalas@yahoo.co.uk.

Warning: If for some reason you have not read The Return of the King, and are waiting for the movie to come out, perhaps you should not read this.

This is my own little AU sans Gimli. I *hate* that sodding Dwarf. Thanks to Peter Jackson, I now expect my neighbour’s garden gnome to speak to me with a Scottish brogue and attack me with an axe, but that’s for my therapist to fix.

****
Chapter Eight


The Elves of Lorien were riding to Minas Tirith with those from Imladris as an escort to the Evenstar, who would become Queen of Gondor. Haldir reluctantly joined them, wanting and yet not wanting to see Legolas again. Rumil and Orophin had long since confessed their wrongdoing, and Haldir had long since forgiven them, but love lost weighed heavy on his heart. Many a night had he awoke, tears streaming down his face, from dreams of his and Legolas’ only night together. He sulked over the memories of the morning in his room, when he had uttered the most evil of words to his beloved. He had been told later that Legolas had nearly perished from heartbreak. For this Haldir could never forgive himself, and no amount of berry wine could not erase the memory from his mind.

After the company had been received by Aragorn King Elessar and shown to their quarters, Haldir sat at his window, goblet in hand, staring into the night sky. He was fairly intoxicated, as was the norm since Legolas left, and there were at least half a dozen already empty wine bottles scattered about the room. The events of the day played over in his mind. Legolas had been there, laughing and talking with the twin Lords of Imladris. Innocently, Elrohir introduced the Prince to the March Warden, unaware of the bitterness between them.

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Legolas had said, as if the two had never met before. The smile had faded from his lips, and his face was solemn.

“Yours as well, your Highness,” Haldir had responded, bowing low. He immediately excused himself and went back to join his brothers. Had he stayed, he would have witnessed the exchange among the Elves.

“Legolas, do not think we do not see the change in your countenance. Have you met Haldir before?”

“Yes, Elladan, we met when the Fellowship sought refuge in Lorien.”

“And?” Both twins spoke in unison.

“And, we were friends,” Legolas continued.

“Were? Why are you no longer?” Elrohir could now see a hint of pain reflected in Legolas’ eyes.

“There were misunderstandings and deception. I do not wish to discuss this. It is a happy time for your family, and I do not wish to darken it with my heartache.”

“Fine,” Elrohir continued. “We will not discuss it, at least not now. But you must go to him.”

“I cannot.”

“You can and you will. I will drag you there myself, if need be.” Elladan flashed one of his mischievous smiles. “We *will* talk about this tomorrow.”


*~*~*~*~*


Rumil and Orophin were enjoying each other’s company, and quite loudly, when there was a knock at their door.

“One . . . moment,” Orophin panted between Rumil’s thrusts. “Who . . . is . . . it?”

“Legolas,” the Prince stifled a laugh. “But take your time, I shall wait.”

Rumil finally came to the door, a bed sheet about his waist and an ear-to-ear grin on his face. “How may we help you this eve? I find it odd that you would come to *our* chamber.”

“Yes, odd indeed,” called Orophin from the bed.

“I need your help.” Legolas followed Rumil into the room and sat on the window seat, his back to the window. “The way I see it, you both owe me a favour. If you help me to win your brother’s affections, I will forgive you for your deceit.”

“Very well then, it is the least we can do.” Orophin pulled a nightshirt over his head and joined Legolas on the window seat. “We love him too, and it hurts us to know we are the cause of his current state.”

“What state might that be?”

“Well,” continued Orophin, “he spends his days off locked in his room, drinking bottle after bottle of wine. *Mirkwood* wine.” He took Legolas’ hand in his. “In our desire to possess him, we have lost him instead.”

“Elbereth! Where is he now?” Legolas jumped up and headed for the door.

“In his room, I would imagine. We have not seen him since this afternoon.”


*~*~*~*~*


From his bedroom window, Haldir had a perfect view into his brothers’ chamber. The drapes were open and he could see them as they made love, but did not care enough for their privacy to avert his eyes. He was not even shocked at seeing this; too drunk was he to be shocked. Besides, there had been rumours of a less-than-wholesome relationship between the two for some time. It was when Legolas had entered the room and sat at the window that Haldir’s eyes widened. He saw as Orophin held the Prince’s hand, and decided he could take no more. The Guardian sprang to his feet, grabbed the half-empty bottle that had been on his bed table, and stormed out of the room. He knew not where he was going, but he had to get away.

Legolas had rounded the corner just in time to miss Haldir’s departure in the other direction. When he came to the open chamber door, and saw no one was inside, he went to the window to see if he could see Haldir in the courtyard. He scanned the courtyard, but could see no sign of anyone. He did, however, realise he could see into Rumil and Orophin’s room. Groaning, Legolas wondered if Haldir had seen him go in and talk to the two, and misunderstood once again. This game was getting to be tiring, and Legolas wondered how long he could continue playing.

The Prince returned to his own chamber in hopes that perhaps Haldir had gone there. He was disappointed, but not surprised, when he hadn’t. Thinking that perhaps this night was not the best night for a confrontation after all, Legolas decided to wander in the gardens to try to bring himself some peace.

He had not been wandering long when he heard the faint sounds of a song drift through the trees. It was a heartrending song about a love that was never meant to be, and it brought tears to Legolas’ eyes to listen to it. As he walked on, the singing got louder, and he stopped under an oak to listen. Had be been paying attention to anything else, Legolas would not have been startled as much as he was by the empty wine bottle that nearly hit him on the head as it fell from the tree. Looking up, he saw Haldir propped against the trunk, one leg on either side of a thick bough, eyes closed as he sang his lament.

“Haldir!” Legolas scrambled up the tree and sat on the branch in front of Haldir.

“Well, hello there, Your Highness. Do forgive me for not bowing.” Haldir did not even open his eyes.

“You are drunk!”

“You are observant.” Haldir tucked a stray hair behind his ear. “Perhaps you learned that skill from that Dwarf friend of yours.”

“Come down from this tree before you fall.” Legolas reached for Haldir’s hand, but before he could touch it, the Guardian’s eyes opened, and he pulled away.

“You have forgotten, Princeling, I am of the Galadhrim. We are not disposed to falling out of trees.”

“You are not disposed to being drunk either, but here you are.”

“Ah, yes. Here I am. Do give my praise to your father for the wine. It seems you are not the only intoxicating thing to come out of Mirkwood.”

“We have to talk. There are things that need discussing.” Legolas once again reached for Haldir.

“What would you care to talk about?” Haldir let Legolas’ hand touch his this time, and he fought the urge to pull the Prince closer to him.

“What indeed.”

“I am in no mood to be reminded of what a fool I am. Perhaps some other time.”

“Come with me to my room. Please.” Legolas now gripped Haldir’s hand in an effort to pull him up. “Haldir, come.”

“For you? Of course. But I am not leaving this tree.” He smiled at his own words, and Legolas could not help but join him.

“Very well then. When you are sober enough to join me, I will be in my room. Until then, good night.” Legolas let go Haldir’s hand and leapt from the branch, landing soundlessly on the ground.


*~*~*~*~*


Legolas had all but given up hope that Haldir would come see him, and was about to go to sleep, when his chamber door slowly opened.

“Legolas?”

“Haldir?”

“Yes. May I come in?”

“Of course. I was hoping you would come to your senses and get out of that tree.”

“I am not quite to my senses,” Haldir answered, “but I am out of the tree. A little help?”

Legolas could not help laughing as he climbed out the high bed and went to help his lover, who was covered in leaves and grass. “What in Arda happened to you?”

“Exactly.”

“Exactly what?”

“Arda happened to me.” Haldir took Legolas’ arm. “I fell out of the tree.”

“But I thought that Galadhrim did not fall from trees.” Legolas was laughing so hard, his eyes watered. “Are you all right?”

“I think I twisted my ankle a bit, but otherwise the only thing wounded is my pride.”

“Well then come to the bed and let me have a look at it.” When the two had crossed the room and Haldir had sat on the bed, Legolas began removing Haldir’s boots. “Get those leggings off so I can see it better.”

“You would have me remove my breeches so that you may see my foot?” Haldir arched an eyebrow in the endearingly arrogant style that was his alone.

“They cover your ankle and are too tight to pull up your leg. Why you choose to wear such tight clothing is beyond me.” Legolas lifted Haldir’s tunic and began to untie the lacings at the waistband of the leggings. “Although, it does suit you.”

“A Prince of the Wood asks why I wear tight clothing? He should know it is much easier to move through the trees when you are not being caught by every branch.”

The Guardian raised his hips so that Legolas could slide his leggings off, being careful not to yank them too hard over the hurt ankle.

“Perhaps in your current condition you have forgotten you are not moving through the trees. Exactly how much wine have you drunk this day?”

“One would be surprised at how much wine it takes to keep an Elf pleasantly unaware of his surroundings. Even Mirkwood vintage.” He winced as Legolas pressed a thumb to his ankle. “To give you an accurate response, we would have to go to my room and count the bottles.”

“I was there,” the Prince recalled, “and I would say you you are fairly pickled. Enough of this nonsense. For the rest of your time here, you will not drink another drop.”

“Who will stop me?”

“I will. If I have to spend every hour of every day by your side, I will.” Legolas looked up at Haldir’s face to see the smile that was now spread across it.

“Is that a promise?”

“Yes.”

Legolas helped his somewhat-less-drunk-than-before-but-still-tipsy companion to remove the rest of his clothing and get situated beneath the sheets in the big bed. He blew the lantern out and got himself into bed.


*~*~*~*~*


When Haldir woke the next morning, he didn’t immediately recall where he was. He remembered something about falling from a tree and Legolas helping him into bed, but Legolas was nowhere in sight. He sighed and drew the coverlet over his head.

“’Tis nearly midday! Get up!”

Startled, Haldir sat up in the bed. Legolas was standing there, grinning, holding an apple. When he saw that Haldir was sufficiently awake, he tossed the apple at him. Haldir missed catching it, and it caught him on the shoulder.

“Ow! What was *that* for?”

“Elevenses,” Legolas said. “Pippin said you probably needed elevenses.”

“What are elevenses?” Haldir bit into the apple.

“They come somewhere after second breakfast, I think.”

Haldir just looked strangely at Legolas, who now had come to sit on the bed next to him. How Haldir longed to lie with the Prince in his arms, to forget that anything bad had ever happened. He was thinking a bit too hard about this, because he wasn’t prepared when Legolas pressed his lips against his own. It took Haldir a moment to respond, but he did, allowing Legolas to slide his tongue into his mouth. The two sat like this for sometime, kissing slowly and deeply, tears running in rivers down their cheeks.

“I am so sorry,” Haldir whispered at length. “So sorry.”

“Shh, love. Do not talk.” Legolas slid the covers down and straddled Haldir, who was still naked, and trailed kisses down his body.

The Guardian closed his eyes as Legolas licked and kissed his skin; first up and down his throat, then down his chest to his nipples. He sighed when Legolas took one of the nubs between his teeth and gently bit down. This was what Haldir missed.

When Legolas had enough of Haldir’s nipples for the present, he stripped himself and once again sat atop his lover. From a pouch on his belt, he had drawn a small phial of oil, and began to coat Haldir’s length with it. Haldir opened his mouth to say something, but the Prince placed a resin covered finger to his lips. He poured a little more of the oil onto his fingers anbbedbbed them over his entrance. Without so much as a word, Legolas lowered himself down onto Haldir’s shaft, causing both Elves to moan when Legolas had sheathed Haldir within his body in one stroke.

Legolas moved up and down Haldir’s length, faster and faster until he came, splashing sticky warmth over the latter’s belly, his flesh untouched. The Warden came soon after, bucking his hips up, forcing himself deeper into Legolas’ body. After a moment, Legolas moved off of Haldir and wiped his stomach and chest with the sheet.

“I love you,” Haldir whispered into Legolas’ ear.

“And I love you.”

*~*~*~*~*

The lovers were rarely out of each other’s sight for the rest of the time they were in the White City, or in the years that followed Aragorn and Arwen’s wedding. When it came time for Haldir to pass over Sea, he and Legolas made a solemn promise to meet again in the Undying Lands. It was a tearful good-bye, but Legolas knew that Haldir would be there for him when the sea-longing got to be too much to bear, and he too made his voyage to Valinor.

And he was.


The End.