Thick As Thieves

by

Poncing Ponies

The night was dark and the stars bright, when Legolas, an elf of Mirkwood, arrived in Rivendell and sought urgent counsel with the Lord of Imaladis. Elrond, putting aside the other affairs he needed to attend to that evening, met with Legolas in his waterside pergola, where he soon perceived the truth of secrets which he had thought mere gossip.

"Forgive my haste." Legolas, a strikingly beautiful fellow, brushed his short traveling-cloak, shedding a cloud of dust in Elrond's pristine Study. "But I bare ill tidings that must be told."

Intently, Elrond listened to the tale of Gollum's escape from the care of the elves in the north and when the distressed messenger was done, asked him to stay. "This is not news to me, for your father, Thranduil, has already sent word, of that . . . and other things."

The wayward prince was suddenly pale and awkward. He lowered his gaze to his own lap and Elrond saw shame flash across Legolas' perfect cheeks, but he continued. "I know that you departed from Mirkwood against your father's will, and that you risked much on the road here. Listen, if you would, to one who has awakened in this middle-earth far longer than you, and seen much," Elrond said kindly. "It is an impetuous thing you have done."

Legolas turned his face to the night and sighed, unwilling to meet the elf-lord's eyes. "I will not dishonor you with a denial," he breathed softly, with infinite sadness to his words. "But it is not, in its whole, as you think."

"You would guess what I feel about this matter?" There was a bittersweet quality to Elrond's tone,that made Legolas turn back and peer at his face. "Or how well I know this person?"

The tartness that came across the Elrond's handsome visage gave Legolas pause. The elf-lord's brows were arched high and his eyes, beneath, inky black with experience.

"Or the history of my dealings with him," Elrond smiled, a worn, yearning look to his pallid lips.

Legolas frowned, disbelief and unexpected pleasure warring with one another in his chest, till at last he blurted: "He has done the same to you!"

"Indeed." It obviously gave Elrond great pain to speak of it. "To me, it was but a moment ago, but to Aragorn, it has been many years hence and probably forgotten."

Legolas' features suffused with sorrow, for his own sake and for Elrond. It had been a year since Aragorn left Mirkwood and Legolas, in turn, drowned in self-pity.

"Tell me everything," he said without thought and Elrond's brows climbed higher.

"One does not discuss one's bed partner with another, in idle settings," Elrond censured him, but half-heartedly.

"Ai," Legolas spoke again, more civil this time. "But I have found no one to confide in, until now." Legolas stood and began to pace around Elrond. "And to think the first time I laid eyes on Aragorn, I thought him unhandsome and dirty. He came behind Gollum, leading the foul creature on a chain. We were shocked to find him, a filthy haggard Ranger, fluent in Elvish and proper in his greetings. Whereupon he met me and revealed himself to be Aragorn, son of Arathorn and the true heir to the throne of Gondor. Then it became clear that he is the eccentric Man brought up by the eccentric lord of . . ."

Legolas stopped suddenly and blushed. "Forgive me."

"The eccentric lord of Imalradis!" Elrond laughed, waving it off. "Go on, I do not mind having a reputation for creativity."

Legolas gave a small grateful bow and continued. "My father was proud to have the king of Men as a house guest and received him with honor. My brothers took charge of Gollum and I, being the youngest and interested in new things, interacted with Aragorn and took him around our kingdom. We visited our great trees and other sights that he asked to see. All this time, our friendship grew and I much admired his depth and manliness."

"All this is no surprise," said Elrond, resting his chin in an upturned hand and regarding Legolas with glittering black eyes. "But how came you to your fall?"

"Slowly and unawares, my lord," replied Legolas. "I would there were some dramatic event that brought me to my knees before the man, but alas, he is simply luminous and I could not resist his fire. On the last night of his stay with us, he took me to his bed and there we consummated our love."

"And in the morrow?" Elrond did not really need to enquire further, the despair in Legolas' stormy eyes was answer enough.

"He clasped me to his bosom and called me brother, of the flesh and of the soul, and then told me he must move on, for though he loved me, his time was short and he must needs depart." Legolas closed his eyes, fists clenching by his side. "Like the remains of a meal, of which a Hobbit has had his fill, I was cast aside."

"Nay, Legolas," Elrond shot up from his seat, the calmness gone from his facade. He caught the swaying prince in his arms and embraced him tightly, saying to the glittering gold head, "That is an evil thought, banish it from your mind."

"Alas, but it is true, if only he would want just another taste of me, I would go to the West gladly afterward!" Legolas moaned, the sound reminiscent of a beautiful beast struck in its tenderest spot.

"And so you followed him, besmirching your own dignity, endangering yourself in orc country, journeying to Rivendall and facing me," husked Elrond, stroking Legolas' shaking shoulders in comfort. "for the sake of finding Aragorn."

"You will tell me I am wrong to come." Legolas clasped Elrond's waist hard. "And I will have to agree."

"Again, you cannot preempt me," Elrond shook his head and threaded his fingers easily through Legolas' painful grip, so that he held his hands. "I would have done the same, were I as young and brave as you, or had not the care of this entire valley on my shoulders."

Legolas looked up and stared deep into Elrond's eyes, seeing his suspicions confirmed there. "How did you . . . come to _your_ fall?"

"I was his first tutor, in all things," Elrond said grimly. "I taught him reading, writing, music and swordsmanship, I trained him in strategy and philosophy. When it came that he reached a certain age, it fell upon my shoulders to show him the way of nature."

"It is not unheard of for one's foster to be ones first lover," Legolas granted. "Though my father does not practice the tradition, of that, or fostering, altogether."

"In retrospect, there might have been wisdom in your father's decision," Elrond conceded, without dwelling on the differences between him and Thranduil. "I do, as is often whispered, sometimes have too high an opinion of myself."

Legolas grinned at that. Elrond perceived that he looked as lovely as a lotus after a hard rain, smiling through frustrated tears.

"Aragorn did not submit to my instructions passively, his veins smoldered with passion, and quickly he turned on me and besieged me with fierce adoration and advances." Elrond felt himself heat up as he remembered. "A man at that age is constantly firm, readily wet and so very hot. He was young and vigorous and I fear I enjoyed him, riding me hard, far too much."

Legolas shuddered and pulled himself out of Elrond's embrace. He stumbled back two steps and shielded his face. "No more, please."

"I am sorry." Elrond cleared his throat, struggling to regain his composure. "And a moment ago, I censored you for asking after intimate details."

"It is my own indiscretion." Legolas backed away further out of Elrond's presence. "No. I . . . I must leave your company, my lord, this talk . . . has gotten out of hand."

Elrond watched, mute, as Legolas bowed low and turned away, but before he could disappear down the steps and doom Elrond's evening into a deeper darkness, he called out and halted him.

"You have disclosed much to me, though we just now met," Elrond called out. "And I like you, almost instantly. You should not hear this from anyone else. Aragorn has asked for my daughter's hand and I have granted it."

"The Lady Arwen," Legolas breathed, as if the words were forced out of his lungs at the point of a sharp knife.

"What say you now, Legolas?" Elrond's face was full of pity.

"I will give you anything, if you send Aragorn away from the Evenstar. I will do all in my power, to win him over," Legolas stated. Though it was plain his hopes were dimming, he stood his ground.

"Why would I do such a thing, when my daughter is amenable to the offer?" Elrond asked, face cool and sharp.

"Because you suffer the same wound," Legolas answered haltingly, his clever glance running over Elrond's mask of indifference, finding it thin and worn. "And should the rival in question not be your own beloved daughter, you'd scheme and cheat your way to his side as well, for this love of Man knows no honour."

"I stand by my principles, but you know my weakness," Elrond nodded. "Prove to me, Legolas, that you would buy this chance, with any price."

There was not a moment of indecision before Legolas bowed slightly then came up and lifted his mouth to Elrond's: "I know what it is that would convince you beyond doubt. Just then I feared we are not suited for one another's company, for we are both touched with the same desire and it drives me to contemplate indecency, for even as you comforted me, I was aroused by your compassion."

"I am not being kind, I am extorting ransom from a beggar," Elrond brushed his cheek against Legolas' fair golden complexion. "And robbing from the poorest little Elfling."

"It is no loss to me," whispered Legolas as he, in small, lush movements, peeled off his own moss green tunic. "You are parched and broken, like me. I will give you this thing you desire, and you will reconcile me, tomorrow."

Elrond turned his back to the prince, staring at the night sky, seemingly uncertain, until Legolas' hands slipped about his waist and undid the sash to Elrond's robe, tugging down his silk under trousers and pressing his own full groin against Elrond's naked buttocks.

"I can feel you," Elrond sighed deeply and willingly moved to rest his torso on his large writing table, his hips exposed and lifted high. "And it is better even than I remember. You know the depth and the place?"

Legolas said nothing as he prepared Elrond with finger and spit and the trickle from his own member, only grunting softly when he was eventually able to insert himself. Elrond writhed beneath him and they both called out, when the time came, 'Aragorn.'

The next evening, the weather was finer. The night blue and the stars winking silver, when Legolas again called on Elrond.

"Thank you for making me one of the fellowship." He bowed, a flushed look of pleasure on his face.

"I hope," Elrond said in a proper manner, sitting behind the table upon which Legolas had taken him but twenty hours ago, "...that it was worth it."

"I will tell you how I fare, when we return from the Mountain of Doom," smiled Legolas as he came around the furniture and leaned down to kiss Elrond on the cheek. "Farewell."

Elrond watched the lithesome figure depart and thought to himself, what a poor bargain Legolas has made, for he would have sent the Mirkwood prince in any case, for his strength of the bow and his cunning in evading the orcs. Yet Legolas, now a distant figure, seemed unregretful, singing lightly as he stepped away into the woods. And Elrond suddenly perceived that he himself had traded more than he wanted to into the deal, in this case, his heart, which was stolen, once again.