In which Haldir finds an infallible cure for ill-humour
Text Notes:
Yen (Quenya, pl yeni) – a long year (144 solar years). The natural unit of time for the elves, who counted in base 12. There doesn’t appear to be a Sindarin equivalent. (LOTR App D)
Lothlórien, III 2473 Summer
Haldir sighed softly and shifted slightly in the bed, vainly trying to find a cool spot in the sheets. He was naked, the better to catch the slightest breeze on his skin, but there was no breeze. The air was still, humid, suffocating. He was too restless to read, too tired to write, too hot to think. He tossed and turned, but sleep eluded him. Finally he gave up: if there was no sleep to be had he might as well do something else.
He rose, grabbing leggings and an old tunic. He descended from the talan and walked silently towards the river. Perhaps in the water he would find some relief from the heat. He passed a few stragglers from the feasting, and wondered if he had been right to leave so early. But he had been tired, and had thought he would fall asleep quickly.
Unfortunately, he was not the only one who had thought of the river – he heard the happy murmur of voices long before he reached it. He stopped, annoyed. Then he shrugged and turned upstream. He passed several more groups of elves, all trying to stay cool, though some of them had combined the coolness of water with the heat of passion: it was Festival, after all. He kept walking.
His thoughts turned again to the events of the afternoon, and he grimaced at the memory. He knew that he could not expect to win every year, and he had been prepared to lose to one of his colleagues, experienced guardians of the wood, whose skills helped to keep the forest safe. Even Gilros of the Havens was a worthy opponent and it would have been no hardship to acknowledge him the master this year. But he had been beaten by Legolas, the younger prince of Mirkwood, whom he had last seen as a scapegrace elfling some 60 years before. How had the boy become so skilled so fast? At least he had had the good sense to be gracious about it, crediting the win to luck rather than skill. But his face, flushed with the natural triumph of youth, had not made the loss any easier for Haldir to bear.
He paused, a nagging feeling at the back of his mind making him feel ill at ease. Why did he mind so much? He had lost before and laughed it off. Why did it matter so much this year? Was he getting old? He was only in his sixth yen – just 827 – not at all old for an elf, not old enough to be set in his ways. Perhaps it was because he had not married or sired children, and, given his preference for male lovers, he was never likely to do so. But he had come to terms with that centuries ago. Indeed, he had been thankful for it, since it left him free to travel regularly to other lands, learning strange tongues and dealing with men and dwarves as well as other elven realms.
Why should he suddenly feel so empty? Why should life feel so flat?
He walked on, lost in his own thoughts, paying little heed to the forest around him. At last he reached the upper pool, hoping that no one else would have gone so far from the city to bathe. He paused, listening to the sounds of the night, before quickly doffing his clothes. No voices, no sound of elvish laughter or passion, no splashing of long limbs in the water… he was alone.
He slipped into the water, a sigh of contentment escaping from his lips as he waded out to the middle of the pool and sank down into the water. So cool…he leaned back, spread his arms and let himself float. His thoughts drifted outwards, his consciousness enveloping the surroundings, absorbing the sounds, the smells, the very thoughts of the forest. Peace, perfect peace….
* * * *
Snap!
In the silence, the sound of a twig breaking seemed as loud as a thunderclap. Haldir tensed, but did not move out of the water. He scanned the area with all his senses, trying to identify the anomaly. He heard leaves rustling, snuffling, soft footfalls approaching, and relaxed again – it was only a deer. He watched as the doe came to the edge of the pool and lapped daintily at the water. He smiled, keeping his thoughts tranquil, as the doe raised her head and met his eyes.
“Go in peace, friend,” he whispered. She paused a moment, as if considering his words, then turned and picked her way back through the trees.
Haldir waited till she had gone, then turned over and lazily swam to the other side of the pool. The gentle caress of water on his skin was welcome after the clammy air. He lay back again to look at the stars. They were beautiful, dazzling in the clear night sky. Like Legolas when he smiled.
He remembered the look they had shared that afternoon after the contest. He realised, suddenly, that he wanted to kiss the prince, to draw that beautiful face close to his and taste those lips, run his fingers through the golden hair. He wanted to pull off the silk shirt and tight leggings and feast his eyes on the lithe body...
He reached down to his groin, feeling his cock, stroking it to a full erection, letting his other hand drift around his balls, then up to his chest and nipples. He imagined capturing the prince from behind in a close embrace, running hands over peaked nipples, caressing smooth hips, taking his lover's cock in his hand and hearing Legolas groan. His hand moved more quickly, fluid seeping from his cock, as he imagined bending them forward and sliding inside... inside... oh, to be inside Legolas!
He came quickly, with a small gasp, the fluid spurting out and causing ripples where it landed in the water.
* * *
Legolas gasped and almost came himself, leaning against a tree trunk for support as his knees went weak. He could not believe how much he had been affected by the sight of Haldir pleasuring himself. He was hard, so hard, and he wanted nothing more than to have Haldir hold him and touch him, kiss him and stroke him... he drew a shuddering breath in, then realised, as Haldir twisted in the water, that it had been too loud. He stood stock still, but it was too late - Haldir had spotted him, only half-concealed by the tree.
“Who is it?” he demanded. “Show yourself!”
Legolas hesitated, then emerged, slowly, half-shamefully, from the shadows.
“What do you want?” Haldir's voice was harsh.
“I…I…I wanted to talk to you.”
“It’s the middle of the night, elfling. Talk to me tomorrow”.
“But we are leaving tomorrow.”
“Then talk to me next year.”
“But…but…”
“But what?” Haldir took a step towards the shore, the water level dropping to his hips. Legolas swallowed as he realised he was about to see Haldir naked, water dripping from his muscular form, pale skin caressed by moonlight... he choked on the thought and was glad that shadows concealed his blushes.
Haldir paused, then took another step forward, exposing the base of his cock. Legolas’ eyes grew round and Haldir smiled slyly as his gaze dropped to the elfling’s leggings and their tell-tale bulge.
Haldir spoke again, his voice no longer harsh but warm and teasing. “The night is so warm, you have no doubt come here to bathe as well. Why don’t you join me? I can assure you that the water is cool and pleasant.”
“But I only wanted to talk…”
“You are hot and flustered and you can’t put a sentence together. You will be able to think much more clearly when you have cooled off in the water, and then we can talk.”
“The water does look …cool…”
“It is.” Haldir turned and made a strategic retreat to the far side of the pool.
On the shore Legolas hesitated once more, then stripped off his clothing, but could not help half-turning away as he removed the loincloth, revealing a half-erect cock. Then he took a deep breath and waded into the pool. To his relief, Haldir wasn’t even looking in his direction, but was gazing once more at the stars.
Legolas swam out to the middle of the pool. The water enveloped him, soft and soothing, and he felt as if he could breathe properly for the first time in days. He leaned his head back, his hair fanning out on the surface of the water, and realised that Haldir was right – his thoughts did become clearer as his skin shed the unwanted heat.
He turned his head towards Haldir, who was still star-gazing, though he had drifted slightly closer to Legolas. Slowly, Haldir turned towards him. Legolas could not help but be drawn to those eyes, the colour of the forest, now dark and welcoming.
“So, young one, what did you want to talk about?” Haldir asked, now only a matter of a few feet away.
“I wanted to say that I’m sorry we couldn’t both win today”
“You are sorry that you won?”
“No!” Legolas was too honest to say that. “But I am sorry that only one of us could win. And it could have so easily been you.”
“I know that it could have been me if the wind had shifted left instead of right. Sometimes luck plays a larger part than skill. But I have won on more occasions than I can remember, child. I do not begrudge you your victory.” He lifted a hand and touched Legolas’ cheek lightly. “You have skills as an archer and a tracker. With a few more years’ training we could make you a passable guardian!”
Legolas smiled, turning his head slightly in Haldir's hand. Haldir felt his fingertips tingle as the cheek moved across them.
“I would like to stay here longer. The Golden Wood is so beautiful. Not that the Greenwood isn’t, of course,” he added hastily, “but there is something here...”
“I know what you mean, young one. The Lady of the Wood gives Lothlórien a special aura. Perhaps you should ask you father if you can stay for a year or two.”
“Oh, no, I couldn’t,” Legolas dropped his voice, unable to keep his unhappiness from colouring his words. “Father would never allow it. He almost didn’t let me come with Orothon this time.”
“Why ever not?”
Legolas sighed. “It’s complicated, and I don’t understand it fully myself.” His countenance betrayed the struggle within himself: he wanted to confide in Haldir, but didn’t want to reveal family squabbles. He sighed again, then looked up, startled, as Haldir moved behind him. He stiffened as Haldir’s hands came up to his shoulders, prepared to defend himself if attacked, but then relaxed as those hands started to knead his muscles.
“You are tense. You should always have a care to relax after a tournament or a fight. Muscles need to be rested.” Haldir's tone was as soothing as his hands, and Legolas relaxed. He was still not sure that Legolas was ready for the degree of physical intimacy that was implied in a midnight assignation by a deserted pool. On the other hand, there was nothing wrong in taking reasonable steps to tip the balance in his favour.
Haldir continued to massage Legolas’ shoulders and back, taking care to keep his touch relatively impersonal, and his body a few inches away from Legolas’ back. After several long minutes, when Haldir could feel that Legolas was relaxed, he moved around to face Legolas, saying “Would you do the same for me?” His arms were still on Legolas's shoulders, but he let them fall before turning his back to the prince.
Legolas, whose body had responded, inevitably, to Haldir’s touch, welcomed the respite. Not being as experienced as the guardian, he failed to keep his distance and his erection brushed the buttocks in front of him before he took a quick step back. Haldir smiled to himself, but made no sign that he had noticed.
As Legolas kneaded his muscles, Haldir felt the knots of tension easing under his fingers. He relaxed a little himself as he became accustomed to the tingling that accompanied the touch of Legolas' hands. After a few minutes he felt those hands roam a little further, to the point of the shoulder, then back again, then following the line of the muscle down the back almost to the waist. They curled into fists and he felt knuckles on the upstroke, thumbs on the downstroke. Haldir’s sigh was almost inaudible.
Legolas drew his hands up to Haldir’s shoulders and this time allowed them to continue forwards to his collarbone and chest. Fingers splayed over pectoral muscles, almost to the nipples, then drew back up to the collarbone. Haldir’s hair was lifted back over his shoulders, revealing the powerful grace of his neck. Legolas ran his fingers lightly through the soft, heavy mass before letting it fall. His fingers were more gentle as they roamed over the delicate skin, the muscles, the cartilage of the throat, the V between the collarbones. Haldir felt his touch become lighter, more intimate, more revealing.
Haldir felt Legolas leaning closer, inhaling the faint scent of him, mixed with the scent of the water and the forest around them. He could feel the heat of the prince's body a mere inch away. He felt his skin tingle as fingers roamed over back, neck and chest. He could not stop a sudden intake of breath as a finger inadvertently brushed one nipple. Legolas's reaction was immediate - he pulled his hands away and stepped back.
Haldir turned in the water. He had been taken by surprise, not expecting Legolas to show such skill with his hands or himself to respond so strongly. He saw confusion and awareness and uncertainty in the youngster’s eyes, and realised that they had reached the turning point. With an effort, he made his movements slow, deliberate, unthreatening.
“Don't be afraid, little one. It is a natural response to a pleasant touch.”
“I – I didn’t mean to - ” Legolas was stammering again.
“You may not have meant to, but you did it, all the same. Haldir closed the distance between them. Legolas looked down, shame-faced. Haldir stopped just a hand's-breadth away. Neither moved. Ripples in the water spread and vanished. Still Legolas could not meet Haldir’s eye.
Very slowly, Haldir lifted his hand and touched Legolas’ cheek. With just a hint of pressure, the face turned towards him. Finally, Legolas met his gaze, but the effort it cost him was betrayed by the way he bit his bottom lip. Without moving his palm, Haldir put his thumb over that lip and teased it away from the teeth. He brushed his thumb lightly back and forth and saw the flesh redden and swell.
Legolas could not believe what he was feeling. He wanted to open his mouth and take the thumb between his teeth, brush his tongue over the ridges of skin, suck it gently and watch Haldir’s response. Could he? Dare he?
Too late, he realised he had missed his chance. Haldir’s hand drew away, to rest on his shoulder. "The question, Legolas," he murmured, "is not what you meant to do, but what you want to do. We can stop now, if you wish, and return to the city. Or we can stay, and I can make love to you here, under the stars."
Legolas was flushed, his eyes dark, his lips swollen. "It is forbidden," he managed to whisper, his eyes fixed on Haldir's chest.
"Not in Lothlórien."
"It is in Calen Glad.
"You are not in Calen Glad."
"But I have to go back there."
"Do you want take a memory with you?"
There was a long pause. Haldir waited, motionless, while the water flowed around them both and the stars turned in the heavens.
"Yes." It was barely audible, but clear. Legolas raised his head and looked at Haldir. "Yes, that is what I want."
He felt Haldir’s hand move again, sliding around to the back of his neck while the other slid down to his waist. He found himself being drawn closer to that exquisite face, those hazel eyes, the straight, haughty nose, those luscious lips…
It may only have been a few seconds, but it seemed an eternity until Haldir’s lips finally touched his own. This time it was Legolas who gasped. Haldir compensated by tilting his head slightly, covering the prince’s mouth with a kiss so gentle it could have been imagined. But it wasn’t.
Legolas almost fainted with the sensory shock he had felt. He lifted his arms to grasp Haldir’s body for balance. He felt Haldir’s lips move on his, the pressure increasing infinitesimally. When Haldir’s tongue touched his upper lip he felt giddy once more. Slowly, he regained control as those lips continued to brush his own and Haldir’s tongue pushed gently through them. He felt himself opening to Haldir, allowing further exploration as Haldir’s tongue slid over his teeth and into his mouth. He tentatively met the exploring tongue with his own, licking it, swirling around it, sucking it gently.
The pressure from Haldir’s lips was stronger now, and he felt the heat from the other’s body as they embraced. Haldir broke away from the kiss, only to slide his lips down to the sensitive skin of the neck. Legolas tilted his head to allow Haldir more access, and was rewarded with a trail of kisses that felt like fire and ice combined. By the time that Haldir had worked his way up to the point of his ear Legolas could barely stand.
Registering that Legolas was on the point of swooning, Haldir paused, waiting for him to focus his eyes. His own arousal was almost painful, in spite of his earlier release, his need for this elf overwhelming him.
When Legolas was able to support his own weight again, Haldir guided him to the far side of the pool, where there was a bank of moss. He lifted Legolas out of the water and laid him down, spreading his legs and kneeling between them.
Legolas was embarrassed once more to be naked out of the water – his cock was proudly erect and there was a pearl of liquid at its tip. What’s more, he was somewhat apprehensive at the position Haldir had placed him in.
“Have you ever been taken before?” Haldir asked, though he thought he already knew the answer.
Legolas shook his head. He opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced by Haldir placing a finger over his lips.
“Don't worry, little one. I will not force you. And tonight is not the time to take you without preparation. There are other ways to find release.” He bent his head and kissed him over and over again, soft, full kisses. Then he moved down, kissing his way to the nipples, tormenting them in turn, licking them, biting them gently, flicking his tongue over them as they stiffened. Legolas was moaning quietly, his fingers digging into Haldir’s back.
Slowly Haldir moved further down his stomach; nose, lips and chin brushing against skin ever more sensitive. Just as Legolas thought that Haldir would reach that place, above all others, where he wished to be touched, he felt instead that Haldir had drawn back. He opened his eyes to see Haldir looking at him, the expression on his face almost fierce.
“Please…” he whispered. And Haldir smiled, and bent over him once more.
This time Legolas was sure that he would have swooned had he not been flat on his back. As Haldir’s mouth closed over his cock he cried out, his hands flailing against the mossy bank. Haldir engulfed him completely, then slowly withdrew, his tongue sliding up the sensitive underside then flicking over the head. He repeated this action twice more, tasting the musky fluid leaking from the tip. Then he spread Legolas’ legs even further and nuzzled his balls, inhaling the prince’s scent as he took each one into his mouth and rang his tongue around it. He would have liked to have explored further, but the shudders in Legolas’ body told him that he would not last much longer.
He returned to that cock, now deeply engorged, dark red, as hard as rock, and took it once more in his mouth. With one hand he gripped the shaft, with the other he gently stroked the balls beneath. Slowly, rhythmically, he moved up and down the length of the cock, his lips, tongue and teeth all contributing to the sensations that were tipping Legolas over the edge. He accelerated as he felt the initial spasms and sucked hard as Legolas gave an animal cry and came in his throat.
He swallowed the fluid and gave a few more gentle kisses to the subsiding erection. He moved up and watched as Legolas gradually regained his senses. He was flushed, sweaty, sated, and unbelievably beautiful.
It was some moments before Legolas could speak. “I…I…that was…oh…”
Haldir smiled. “It seems that the benefit of the cool water has evaporated in the heat of your passion.”
Legolas tried again. “Did you…?” He looked down to see ample evidence that Haldir had not. “Oh…”
He reached out and touched Haldir’s erection, delighting in the sound of his lover’s sharp intake of breath. After giving a few languorous strokes he had gained sufficient control over his own body to attempt to sit up. Having achieved that small goal, he then rose to his knees and gently pushed Haldir back onto the moss.
“Now it’s your turn,” he whispered, straddling him.
Haldir reached up and drew Legolas down into a deep kiss, Legolas noting the residual musky taste of his own fluids on Haldir’s lips. Then he put to the test all that he had learned that night. His lips brushed over fevered cheeks, his teeth teased at swollen lips and his tongue explored the dark cavern of Haldir’s mouth. He turned his head and applied small, swift tongue-strokes to Haldir’s neck, travelling slowly up to the ear, sucking gently on the lobe before proceeding to the sensitive tip. Haldir was shuddering and unable to control himself. He grasped Legolas firmly by the arms and pushed him down, gasping as Legolas’ body scraped over his erection.
Legolas laughed, but decided to tease some more. He leaned forward and licked at the hollow between the clavicles, drawing his tongue down the centreline to the navel before moving back up to play with Haldir's nipples. Haldir was growling, but he took his time, rolling one in his fingers and the other between teeth and tongue.
"Legolas! Please!" Haldir was writhing now.
Legolas took pity on the guardian. He bent his head to Haldir’s cock, so hard, so red, so eager that it was twitching as he drew close. Fluid was seeping out of the end, and he tentatively touched his tongue to it, tasting Haldir’s essence... a dark, musky, sweet-salt taste. He repeated his action, then allowed his tongue to lick over the tip, noting the texture, the heat, the way it moved. He ran his tongue down the underside of the shaft, slowing as he reached the base, feeling the soft downy hair touch his lips and cheeks.
He spread Haldir’s legs further apart and ran a hand over his balls, squeezing them gently, then roaming over his inner thighs and between his buttocks. He wanted to place soft kisses over every part of Haldir’s body, but ragged groans warned him that there wasn’t much time. Instead, he licked his way back to the tip of the cock and then opened his mouth to take as much of it inside him as he could. One hand continued to fondle Haldir’s balls, the other grasped the base of his cock. Legolas began to suck and stroke the guardian, his tongue adding grace notes to the slow rhythm of pleasure created by his mouth and hands, a rhythm that accelerated in time with their breathing and pulse.
With a cry and a convulsive movement Haldir came, gushing hot and thick into Legolas’ throat. Legolas almost choked and pulled away as the fluid spilled out from his mouth, but he retained enough control to continue stroking with his hands until Haldir’s orgasm subsided. Then he rinsed his mouth and cleaned the semen from their bodies before sitting back down.
"I'm sorry, I didn't expect that," he muttered, sounding embarrassed.
"Have you never done that before either?" Haldir was amused.
"No." Legolas stayed very still, and Haldir felt an awful suspicion grow in his mind as he looked at the figure in front of him, hunched over, picking at bits of moss with his fingers.
"Legolas..." Haldir sat up and put his arms around the elf. "Legolas, exactly what have you done, before tonight?"
There was a brief pause. "Nothing."
Haldir swallowed. "Nothing? Not even with a girl?"
"I don't like girls. And Mithrandir warned me about my father's edict before I turned 50 so I never did anything with boys either. I've never been with anyone. I - I never even kissed anyone."
Haldir moved to sit behind Legolas, and took him into his arms, enfolding him in a gentle embrace, pressing his cheek to the golden head. "Oh Legolas, I'm sorry. I saw that you weren't very experienced but I never thought that you were... completely untouched. If I'd known I would have taken more time, made it special...”
"That wasn't special?"
The wonder in Legolas's voice made Haldir laugh, and he hugged the prince tightly. "Yes, it was special, but I could have made it more so for your first time, and now I will never have the chance."
"What about my second time?"
"What second time?"
Legolas turned around and leaned forward so that his lips were almost touching Haldir's. "What if I give you the opportunity to make my second time very... very... special?"
Haldir caught his breath. The sapphire eyes, only inches away from his, had darkened to deepest indigo, and he found himself lost in them. "I would give you a second time that you will remember until the end of Arda and beyond."
His last coherent thought, as Legolas pushed him back down onto the moss, was that the elfling had captured him again.