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Greenleaf & Imladris 26 - Double Trouble	By : MPB Category: -Multi-Age > Slash - Male/Male Views: 6473 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Lord of the Rings (and associated) book series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Chapter IV

The stag was fleet and strong and enduring. Other predators had long failed to best it as it outran or outwitted them. But the hunters now on its trail were as fleet and strong and enduring. They could not be outrun or outwitted.

The stag reared up on its hind legs as an arrow struck its flank, slowing it down. A second one speared its throat. It collapsed, thrashing its hooves wildly in its death throes. And then it twitched feebly and went still.

The Elves emerged from the sparse brush to collect their prey. This was no chase for the mere pleasure of it. With Edhil, it never was. While they could and did find excitement and a sense of accomplishment in the hunt, such feelings were rarely the motive to seek and slay game. Survival was and always would be their paramount reason for taking life of any kind.

The larders of Imladris needed to be replenished and Elrohir and Legolas had thus led a large hunting party out into the hills and forests surrounding the vale.

The carcass was carried back to the clearing where other beasts they had downed were cached. A wild boar, hare and pheasant, another pair of deer...these were loaded onto a makeshift litter, which would then be hauled by two elven steeds. The Elves prepared to head home.

A frightened cry rent the silence followed by a menacing growl. Taking up the rear, Legolas flung himself from his mount and raced in the direction of the alarming sounds. There was no mistaking the owner of that cry. Elros!

He burst into a tangled glade not far away and came upon a sight that chilled his very blood. A few yards from him were the twins. Elendir had tripped over a trailing vine, his ankle caught in its loops. Elros was trying to free him but his panicked movements only hindered him further. Stalking them, its jaws grinding in anger, was a huge black bear.

An instant later, the beast bore down on the helpless twins. Swift as quicksilver, Legolas sprinted forward to come between them and the bear, yanking his sword from its sheath in one fluid motion. He threw himself at the animal as it launched itself at the brethren, sword plunging savagely into tough hide and solid gristle.

The bear roared in fury and pain and attempted to snare the Elf’s arm with its fearsome teeth. Legolas evaded the grasping jaws and managed to stab his blade into the brute’s breast. The bear screamed and lurched backward, staggering as it did. It shuddered convulsively then fell to the grass with a thud. A moment later, its eyes glazed over into eternal oblivion.

Legolas stared at it, blue eyes darkening with emotion. He barely acknowledged Elrohir’s quick squeeze of his arm before the Elf-knight dropped to his knees before the Elflings. He paid little heed to the other hunters either as they looked on in worry and curiosity.

Elrohir cut Elendir loose then looked from one twin to the other, twilight eyes glaring.

“What are you doing here?” he demanded.

“We wanted to watch the hunt,” Elros admitted.

“Why did you not say so?” Elrohir snapped. “We would have taken you with us had you told us of your desire.”

The twins glanced at each other guiltily. “We did not think of it until you had left,” Elendir confessed.

“And we thought it would be fun to see if we could track you,” Elros added with just a touch of pride. “And we did.”

“And nearly died of it,” Elrohir caustically pointed out. “You had best keep in mind, pin nith”—young ones—“that being immortal is not the same as being invulnerable.” Having checked them for injuries and finding none, he queried frowningly: “How did you get away from Gimli?”

This time both had the spunk to grin. “‘Twas easy,” Elendir said smugly. “Uncle Gimli thought we were in our rooms.”

“So we climbed out through our windows,” Elros finished with a smirk.

Their smiles promptly faded when Legolas suddenly spun around and glowered at them with such rage as they had never seen him possess before.

“And you are proud of yourselves!” he spat. “You think yourselves clever to have eluded your guardian. But have you given even one thought to the consequences of your folly?”

Both brothers stared at him in some fright. Their woodland uncle was so sweet tempered as a rule they could scarce believe his fury now. They looked to Elrohir for succor but he kept his silence, rose to his feet and stepped back from them. That alarmed them even more that the Elf-knight should deny them his protection.

“We – we meant no harm, Uncle Las,” Elendir bleated out anxiously.

“And we are th-thankful for your rescue,” Elros added timorously.

“A rescue that cost an innocent animal its life,” Legolas charged heatedly. When they stared at him in perplexity, he became even more irate. “In all my years, I have never slain a wild beast save for sustenance or to defend myself. This bear would not have attacked you if not for your reckless disregard for caution!”

“What – what do you mean, Uncle?” Elros asked confusedly.

Legolas strode back to the carcass and, with his foot, rolled it over. He bent and pushed the matted fur aside. The twins gasped as he exposed swollen teats. The bear was a mother and one that had recently borne cubs.

Legolas straightened up and stared angrily at them. “She came after you because she thought you were a danger to her young,” he said in a hard tone. “Had you taken care to avoid her territory, she would not have attacked you and I would not have had to kill her.” His eyes turned glacial. “And now that she is dead, her cubs will surely perish unless we can locate them. And even if we do, there is no guarantee that we can save them. Wild beasts need their parents’ care as much as any other creature under the sun.”

The twins wilted visibly, their faces turning pale. The further tongue-lashing they received from their fair-haired uncle for their ill-advised escapade served to shrivel them to ashen silence. When he was done with them, he turned away and led a quick search for the cubs. After a moment, the brethren joined in the search, their young hearts aching at the thought of these wild orphans now bereft of their mother’s care and protection. But their efforts were to no avail.

The bear had hidden her young well. Her instinct to defend them would now prove their doom. Heartsick, the Elves mounted their horses and headed home.

It was a nightmarish trek for the twins. The hunters deferred to their lords’ wishes and it was clear both were displeased enough with the youngsters to maintain cool silence with them. Legolas remained remote, his Wood-elven respect for animal life making him seethe at such a useless killing. Elrohir did not speak with them either; even did he disagree with Legolas over his handling of the matter, he would not and never say so before their nephews. Neither he nor Legolas would ever undermine each other’s authority in any manner; disagreements were always discussed behind closed doors.

Thus, by the time the hunting party arrived in Rivendell early the following morn, the twins were reduced to near tears. They stammered out their apologies to an initially fuming but afterwards forgiving Gimli before fleeing to their rooms to sob their hearts out. They did not show themselves for the rest of the day.

Only for the evening meal did they finally emerge from their bedchambers, persuaded to come down to dinner by kind Lindir. But they were duly subdued, unable to look save fearfully at Legolas who himself remained in a dark mood. Elrohir kept a neutral mien, unwilling to show sympathy for one side or the other before Lindir, Gimli or the hobbits. He left it to the Dwarf and Merry and Pippin to lend some levity to the meal. Lindir, meanwhile, managed to coax both Elflings into partaking of the dinner, helped somewhat by the surprising appearance of some of their favorite viands and pastries.

Gimli glanced at Elrohir, wondering at the coincidence. The faint gleam in the warrior’s eyes told the tale and the Dwarf grinned at this subtle show of loving regard.

After the less than convivial meal, the twins hastened back to their quarters, eyes gleaming with more unshed tears, affected by their uncles’ unyielding demeanors. Almost as soon as they vanished, Legolas rose as well and, without a word, left the hall. Elrohir stilled the impulse to follow either nephews or spouse and took the time to explain what had occurred to the anxious hobbits. For once, neither Halfling could muster a witty rejoinder.

Some thirty minutes later, Elrohir went in search of his spouse, their bond leading him to the gardens. He soon found Legolas standing beneath an old oak, gazing up at the stars through its outspread branches. His eyes glittered with blue flame in the dark, a telltale salty streak marking his cheek. Elrohir came up to him and drew him into his arms.

Legolas leaned into his balming embrace at once and pressed his hot face into his Elf-knight’s neck. For a few minutes they remained thusly as Elrohir waited out the archer’s grieving mood.

“I was too hard on them,” Legolas said at length, nuzzling his mate’s throat in his need for comfort.

Elrohir shook his head. “Not all lessons can be taught in kindness, meleth”—love—he said. “They needed to be chastened.”

“But their faces this evening... They looked so lost and afraid of me—” He let out a shuddery breath. “They could not even look at me.” He embedded himself further in Elrohir’s embrace. “I do not desire that, Aduial,” he whispered. “I do not want them to fear me.”

“Yet to chastise them, we must sometimes inspire fear in them,” Elrohir pointed out gently. “Even Elladan and Nimeithel do so.”

“But I have never heard them deal with the twins so harshly as I did,” Legolas sighed. “I fear I went too far.”

Elrohir cupped his face and made him meet his gaze. “If you were harsh, ‘tis because you love them and feared for them, Calenlass. ‘Twas not only their folly that roused your anger but also the sight of them in peril.” His argent eyes gentled further. “And if they took your anger so much to heart, ‘tis because they love you and esteem you so highly that to plummet in your regard is a painful blow to them.” He wiped the last tear from the archer’s elegant cheekbone with his thumb. “You would not be the uncle they adore or the Elf I so love if you did not act as you did for their sakes.”

He pressed a kiss to the prince’s lips. It was chaste and sweet and heart-stoppingly tender. It soothed Legolas’ sore spirit immensely. He swiftly responded and for several minutes they gently plundered each other’s mouths, Legolas comforted by his Elf-knight’s inimitable loving. He let himself be carried along into another realm where pure emotion and sensation reigned; knew the night would end in the molten fusing of their bodies and souls. The prospect of such ardent oneness with each other more than eased his troubled heart.

When they parted, Legolas smiled gratefully at his spouse, his spirit serene again. At the questioning look in Elrohir’s eyes, he said: “I would like to take a walk before we retire.”

Elrohir nodded and let him go. He watched the archer until he vanished into the darkness beyond the gardens. He then turned thoughtful eyes to the house, perusing in particular the windows of one bedchamber.

Legolas returned from his stroll nearly an hour later. Finding the bedchamber he shared with Elrohir empty, he did as his mate had done earlier and let their connection lead him until he came to Elendir’s room. The door was slightly open and he heard Elrohir’s voice from within. He peered inside.

A long and comfortable couch directly faced the door. Ensconced in its middle was Elrohir, a twin on either side of him, Elendir nestling his head against his uncle’s chest whilst Elros rested his upon the warrior’s shoulder. They were raptly listening to Elrohir’s tale, which seemed to be about some captivating adventure from what Legolas could hear. He studied them musingly.

They looked so much alike that one who did not know them might mistake them for brothers. Indeed, in the flickering glow of candlelight, it was difficult to discern their ages and even Elrohir’s less slender build was obscured, with both twins huddled against him.

He looked at the trio a little wistfully, feeling somewhat left out yet appreciative of the wondrously comely picture they presented. He sighed inwardly, thinking how out of place he looked amidst them, his fair hair and sapphire gaze a striking contrast to their sable tresses and grey eyes.

He was on the verge of leaving when he suddenly heard his name mentioned. Paying more attention to what Elrohir was saying, he realized with a start that the Elf-knight was recounting the Quest of the Ring to the younglings.

He gazed at his spouse with avid longing, swallowing the sudden lump that formed in his throat. Elrohir was weaving a story of enthralling potency, placing more than due emphasis on the woodland prince’s role in the quest, evincing with every worshipful turn of phrase and admiring allusion the archer’s heroism in a perilous journey he need not have undertaken. That his narrative had a perceptible effect on the twins was apparent in their shining eyes, their awed oohs and aahs.

The archer swallowed again, moved by his spouse’s so stirring devotion to him that he would extol his long ago wartime graces to their nephews to blunt their evasive reaction in the wake of their dressing down at his hands. He gazed at Elrohir with blazing love and unabashed worship. So intense was his regard that Elrohir lifted his twilight eyes and met the archer’s ocean-hued gaze.

Elrohir ceased to speak as he beheld his bereth. Did Legolas realize how beautiful he looked standing in the doorway? A shining figure crowned with gold and mithril, his immaculate tunic and light breeches and shoes giving him an ethereal comeliness that surely matched the otherworldly radiance of the Valar themselves. Nay, his prince was ever unaware of his incomparable allure, his breath-stealing perfection. It was this innocence of his bewitching beauty, this unaffected disregard for the effects his appearance had on others that rendered him even more desirable to the warrior. The argent eyes glistened with a smiting combination of searing affection and tender lust that made the prince catch his breath upon marking it.

The brethren smiled in tandem at this silent appraisal by their darkling uncle of their golden one. And their smiles broadened at the answering look of sheer, abiding adoration in the archer’s eyes as he returned the warrior’s regard. Their hearts swelled, as always greatly fortified by such unrelenting love between two so dear to them. In their uncles’ adamant union they found as much security and contentment as they did in their own parents’ solid marriage.

They leaped to their feet and ran to Legolas, flinging themselves into his warm, welcoming arms. No words were spoken; forgiveness was asked and given in their fervid exchange of hugs. And then they led the archer to the couch that he might sit by his spouse. Legolas’ heart lightened in relief and belonging as Elendir tucked himself into his side while Elros settled himself within Elrohir’s encircling arm.

“Uncle Las, tell us about what happened after Merry and Pippin were taken by the orcs,” Elros urged.

“Uncle Rohir says you and Uncle Estel and Uncle Gimli gave chase all the way to Rohan!” Elendir said elatedly. “That was surely a splendid feat.”

“More than a feat, pin nith,” Elrohir softly amended. “‘Tis the stuff of legend. Your uncle is renowned throughout the Reunited Kingdom for his part in the quest.” He smiled meaningfully at Legolas, eyes auguring even more delights in the deeps of the night.

Skin simmering with Elrohir’s unspoken pledge, Legolas held Elendir closer even as he snuggled fast against his mate. “Yet renown is as nothing beside the esteem of kith and kin,” he quietly declared.

But he took up the story nonetheless and they stayed thus until late, the blessing of each other’s company as pleasurable as the wonders of the unfolding tale. And for the prince, the promise of unparalleled bliss from a full night’s loving in the arms of his beloved Elf-knight.

**************

Glossary:

Aduial - Twilight

Calenlass - Greenleaf

To be continued…
- 3
- 4
- 5
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Greenleaf & Imladris 26 - Double Trouble