Part 8

Posted: October 2003
Author: Inwe Saralonde

*****

‘If I had just one tear running down your cheek
Maybe I could cope. Maybe I'd get some sleep
If I had just a moment at your expense
Maybe all my misery would be well spent'
‘Cry' – Faith Hill

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Imladris

Aragorn's POV

We had not run into anyone on our way to Haldir's room.

Haldir propelled me into the room, and closed the door behind him. I no longer knew what to say – it is almost as if Haldir was possessed. Hair slightly dishevelled, eyes darkened with desire, he stood before me, so unlike the haughty, arrogant March Warden that I had a hard time equating the two as being the one and the same. I looked away.

"Aragorn." I looked back at him; for some reason now he looked vulnerable.

"Why, Haldir? Why me? You could have your choice of practically any Elf in Lothlórien or even here in Imladris."

"Because I don't want them!" The explosive answer startled me. "I *want* you, Aragorn. No-one else. And I don't want anyone else to have you. I wish to claim you as mine."

I stood there, mouth agape. ‘Was I hearing this correctly?' Haldir took the opportunity of my silence to approach me, tearing off his tunic in the process. He claimed my lips in a violent kiss and, may the Valar help me, I responded. I was both appalled and excited at the same time.

Placing my hands on his broad, muscular chest, I made a half-hearted attempt to push him away, but only find myself being drawn closer, unconsciously grinding my arousal against his, eliciting a moan from him.

"Yes, Aragorn, yes!" he breathed, claiming my mouth in another soul-destroying kiss.

My mind was blank – I had lost all cohesive thought. When Haldir stopped, and asked me to remove my tunic, I did so in a daze. I closed my eyes as I felt his fingers trailing from my neck down my chest, scraping a nail over one of my nipples, making me jump.

I took a step backwards, only to find that I was up against the bed. I had no idea how we got so close to it, but Haldir gave me a slight push and I fell into its softness.

"Ah, now I have you right where I want you," purred Haldir. He leant over me, hands either side of my head, and rubbed his arousal against mine. The feeling of our arousals rubbing against each other's, covered only by thin layers of cloth, was exquisite torture.

We were both panting with desire. Haldir began to leave a trail of nips and kisses along my neck, when the last vestige of common sense kicked in. "Enough!" It took me a moment before I realised that it was I who spoke.

More gently, I said: "Enough, Haldir. I cannot do this. I'm sorry." I pushed him away from me and sat up. "Forgive me, Haldir. I should not have let this get as far as it did."

Haldir slumped on the bed. "I should have known this was too good to be true," he said. "Tell me, Aragorn, do you make a habit of teasing someone like this, only to leave them at the brink of completion?"

A habit of teasing? I looked at Haldir in disbelief. "You set upon me, Haldir; attempted to seduce me! What did you do – put something in the wine to make me more malleable?" I was angry now.

"I put nothing in your wine, Aragorn, but now I'm wishing that I had. At least I would have had what I wanted!"

I bent down to pick up my tunic. Attempting to stay calm, I said: "Haldir, there is no point in continuing this. Again, I can only apologise for allowing this to get as far as it did."

"You're being a fool, Aragorn. I will not let you get away so easily. I *will* have you in the end!"

I shook my head. "No, Haldir. I may have been a fool earlier, but not now."

There was a noise; someone was knocking at the door. Without thinking, I opened the door. Oh Gods, it was Legolas…

"Aragorn!" Legolas was as startled to see me as I him.

"Forgive me, I was looking for Haldir – Lord Elrond told me he was here…" He looked down and saw the tunic in my hand, then looked over my shoulder to see Haldir still sitting bare-chested on the bed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realise that I was interrupting something." Legolas' voice was calm. I felt a sense of panic. "No, no Legolas! Haldir and I were just discussing something – I was just leaving!"

I saw the disbelief in Legolas' eyes. "You were discussing something with your tunics off? Forgive me if I find that a little strange," he said, with a touch of irony. "However, I shall leave you to your…discussion."

I watched as Legolas turned and disappeared down the corridor, before running after him. "Wait, Legolas, please!" Legolas stopped. Turning towards me, he looked at me dispassionately. "I really do not wish to hear your excuses Aragorn. Whatever you do with Haldir has nothing to do with me."

With a small, almost mocking bow, he left me standing alone in the corridor.

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Legolas' POV

My feelings were in a turmoil. I began to run, blindly, out into the gardens, not caring that I nearly knocked someone over – who it was, I knew not. "Legolas!" I heard a voice call, but I did not stop; I just wanted to get away from the scene that greeted me in Haldir's room.

It was only when I reached a pool, hidden by a small thicket of trees, that I stopped running. Sinking down to my knees, I felt only despair. And Silinde's words…they only mock me now. ‘Aragorn does not love me – what a fool I was to believe that he did!'

I was crying now; I tore at the earth beneath my fingers as if it would help to tear away the pain from my heart.

"Legolas?" What is it, pen-neth, that causes you to cry like this?" Dimly, I heard the concern in his voice.

Arms enfolded me, and I turned and buried my face into his shoulder. He held me while I continued to sob, whispering nonsensical words until I stopped, utterly exhausted.

"Come pen-neth, can you not tell me what is wrong?" He spoke softly, gently. His voice was melodic, and I did not recognise it – he must have been someone new at Imladris.

My face was still buried in his shoulder, but I shook my head. I thought my tears were spent, but found that I started to cry again.

"Shhh, it's all right." He stroked my hair – it felt soothing, and my crying died away to little hiccups.

"If you do not wish to speak of it now, that is fine. But I will gladly listen to you when the time comes for you to talk about it."

I moved my head from his now very damp shoulder, but kept my face averted. There was no need for him to see the extent of the misery on my face.

"Thank you for your concern," I said; somehow I controlled the tremor in my voice.

"You're welcome, Legolas. I meant what I said that I would listen to you. Do not keep whatever this is to yourself – it will only become a burden."

Inwardly, I gave a bitter laugh. ‘If you only knew how much of a burden this whole thing has already become,' I thought savagely to myself.

"Come, Legolas. Wash your tears from your face, and return with me to the house."

I sighed, finally looking at the one who had comforted me. And it was last person I would have expected.

Erestor.

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Translations:

Pen-neth – Young one

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