Title: A Bond of Brothers 
Chapter Six (a) - Reunion
Author: Oakenshield (Oakenshield@lonelymountain.zzn.com)
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s): Elladan/Elrohir, implied Rumil/Elrohir
Warnings/Spoilers: Incest
Archive: Anyone who wants it is welcome to have it, just let me know first.
Disclaimer: The characters and the places all belong to J.R.R. Tolkien, and I
am making no profit from this at all.
Summary: The twins are reunited, and the conspiracy is uncovered.

------

Chapter Six(a) - Reunion


The winding paths through the valley were becoming increasingly visible as
Elladan stared into the not-so-far distance. A clammy sweat was forming over
his palms and it took every bit of his self-control for him to stop his hands
shaking on his reins.

In little time he would be home before his parents with a vast chasm of deceit
stretching between him and them. It hurt so much to think how his beloved
mother and father had plotted behind his back to marry him off. And it hurt
even more to think that his grandparents - who he knew he had always been the
favourite child of - had gone along with the scheme. How he would ever
willingly look them in the eyes again was beyond his knowledge. It seemed that
every word to be spoken from now until the end of the world would be a lie.
Every action would be false. Every touch would be shadowed. It was too much to
contemplate. His stomach churned uncomfortably and he swallowed hard to fight
the feeling down.

In days he would be married. In a week he would be sharing a bed with a woman
he didn't love. Perhaps in a year or two he would be a father. Perhaps in a
decade he would be bouncing the second heir of Imladris upon his knee. Perhaps,
after all that, it would not be possible to see Elrohir anyway. Would this plan
really work? How could they be together again? They had been seen before, how
much secrecy could they manage to uphold this time? Someone would always be
watching them, waiting for something to slip. He would never be able to so much
as lay a hand on Elrohir's arm in public without it raising suspicion. It was
awful.

Even if it did work, and he managed to keep seeing Elrohir it would not change
all the bad feelings that would be hidden behind smiles. Elrond would still
feel contempt towards them, and Celebrían would still feel sorrow. Was it worth
it?

And what about Elrohir? How would Elrohir feel about sharing him with a woman?
How would he feel about having to sneak around, when he had been so stressful
about the care they'd had to employ before? Elrohir was such a soft, vulnerable
thing, how would he feel about watching Elladan with his wife every day,
watching him kiss her, touch her, speak words of love to her, when it should
have been him in her place? Elrohir would never endure it. And Elladan didn't
think that he would either.

Now he was approaching Imladris, Elladan was beginning to realise all too late
that he hadn't thought things through at all. Everything had come down in such
a rush and he had been left standing in the middle of the storm with Haldir as
his only anchor to sense. He had not had the time to sit down and think about
it. Haldir had pulled him along making all his decisions for him. At the time
Elladan hadn't minded that one bit, he had been too confused and distraught to
make any sensible decisions for himself. Melethoniel had tried to talk him into
another solution but neither of them had been able to see one and she had
graciously accepted his proposal. Months of false courtship had passed until
the time had come to send the letters home. No eyes but his own had seen the
one he had written to Elrohir, but the letter for Elrond's benefit had been
nearly wholly worded by Haldir. Elladan had been glad to have one so glib at
his aid; with his trembling hand he had barely been able to write the words,
let alone think of them.

It constantly amazed him that his ex-lover had been so kind to him. The last
thing he had expected was Haldir to want to just be friends, especially in the
circumstances. Sometimes, when he lay awake at night worrying about the future,
Elladan wondered if it was too good to be true.

He could feel Haldir's eyes on him, but he did not incline his sight towards
the warden riding at his side. Despite the fact that he had named him best man
in honour of his aid, he had spoken little to Haldir over the recent days.
Something prickling beneath his skin at the edges of his soul told him to be
wary. A voiceless whisper haunted his dreams, telling him to beware of a snake
in the grass. It was the same feeling he had experienced the morning he had
departed from Imladris, and he now knew that feeling had not been a false one.
This feeling was worse. Something truly awful was about to unfold. Worse than
ever, worse than he could dare to imagine.

"Are you all right?" Haldir's voice carried in a whisper to his ears.

He tried to ignore the feeling. Haldir had been true so far and not led him
astray. Still, he often wondered just why Haldir was making such an unselfish
sacrifice to aid him. And he wondered even more often how Haldir had got hold
of every piece of knowledge there was to know. If Lord Celeborn had a secret,
none would learn of it. He could not believe that his grandfather had simply
told Haldir everything in a moment of distress. Celeborn could certainly be
over-emotional at times, rather like Elrohir, but he would never divulge such a
secret and certainly not to one of his guardians. Haldir was not even a royal
guard, it was not like they knew each other all that well. Did they? 

It didn't add up at all. Elladan feared that he had only been told a fraction
of the full story, and he shuddered to think what the rest of it might be. He
had not failed to notice the tense atmosphere between Lord and warden during
the journey from Lórien. Though Haldir had talked merrily enough to him,
Celeborn had been refusing to meet his eyes. He looked guilty, and Elladan knew
he had not been the only one to see it. His grandmother had been watching
*everything* with the eye of a hawk.

"Elladan?" Haldir peered at him, waving a hand in front of his eyes. "I said
are you well?"

"Yes. Yes, I am fine." Elladan shifted his weight in his saddle. "It is
suddenly becoming very real. It feels a bit..." He shuddered. "Strange."

"I know." Haldir reached over to lay a hand on his shoulder in a grip that was
not altogether comfortable. "But all will soon be as it should. Rightness will
be restored." He winked at him as he removed his hand. "Do not worry."

Curse him, why did he always have to wink in such a manner? And at such times?
It was like he always had some secret hiding behind his lips and it made
Elladan nervous. To his memory, Haldir had not always been like that. Something
had come about over the past months to make him appear to be very sure of
himself.

Sweeping the thought back to the dark little corner of his mind where all his
worries were shelved, Elladan glanced over his shoulder at the throng of Elves
riding behind. His bride-to-be was chatting with another maiden, glancing in
his direction once in a while. It was still hard to believe - close friend
though she was - that Melethoniel had consented to his proposal. She had always
been a selfless girl, prepared to put anyone's happiness before her own, and it
made him feel doubly guilty that he was dragging her into such a scandal when
she could happily be married to a man who would love her and provide her with
as many children as she liked. Instead she would be forced to endure a marriage
of convenience, and suffer months, maybe years of loveless copulation until a
child was born. Elladan swallowed hard at the bitterness that rose from his
gut. The image of a child seemed to returning to him with every other thought.

Shivering, he screwed up his eyes to dismiss the idea then opened them again to
continue looking around the company. His gaze accidentally met that of his
grandmother and though he attempted to look away, her piercing stare held him
for a second. After weeks of trying, she had managed to trap him. His willpower
froze and she broke through his resistance.

/'What are you doing, Elladan?'/ he heard her voice in his head. /'Do you not
feel the tremulous beat of your brother's heart?'/

With some amount of effort, he managed to turn his eyes away from her, and
turned his back, erecting the mental wall that would block her from his mind
once more. He could not afford to let her get too close, lest she see something
she should not.

What was wrong with Elrohir's heart anyway? He had not felt it thunder, as he
surely would have, even from afar. Though come to think of it.... The
realisation sunk into his bones like poisoned lead. He had not felt *anything*
from Elrohir's heart for a few months now. He had not felt the flutter of love
that had caressed his soul in the early seasons he had been in Lórien. Neither
had he recently felt the dull ache of pining that had developed after the first
year. For the past three months he had felt nothing. Nothing at all. Even in
his dreams, when his spirit had reached out for Elrohir, he had found a cold
void. He had thought nothing of it before; he had put it down to the lengthy
separation weakening their bond, but now teamed with his grandmother's
warning...

"Elrohir," he whispered, tears springing in his eyes though he knew not why.
His body stiffened as he fought the urge to turn around and face Galadriel once
more. He was nearly prepared to let her into his mind and tell her all the
secrets just to learn what heartache plagued Elrohir... But no, if Elrohir had
been ailing Rúmil would have got word back to him immediately. It was just her
way of trying to trick him.

Even as his mind lied to his heart, his soul knew the truth. Something had
happened to make Elrohir cold. For weeks he had dismissed it, but now his body
was drawing nearer to that of his twin, the connection between them hummed with
pain and anger. Something had happened in the recent months. Something had
happened since he had sent the letters.

He took a deep breath to stop himself kicking his horse into full gallop and
storming to the house. Staying calm and collected was very difficult when one
was feeling so scared and anxious.

/'Head up. Shoulders back. Smile. Breathe,'/ he told himself, as Haldir had
told him so many times on the journey when his fears had threatened to get the
better of him.

He could not afford to panic. Things had to be dealt with slowly and calmly and
in order. He could do that with the troubles in his mind so he told himself
that he could do it with the troubles before him.

First, he was to speak with his father. That would be awful. He had rehearsed
what he was going to say a thousand times, but he was still terrified to say it
to the Lord's face. He hoped the eyebrows would not be active. No, Elrond would
be smiling. And he would have to smile too and act like he still loved his Ada
instead of wanting to spit in his face for thinking up such a deceitful plot
behind the backs of his sons. He was confident that Elrond would not notice his
tense mood while he would be trying not to look smug himself. He had to allow
himself a wry smile at the thought. His father would be so happy thinking
everything had turned out as planned and no news of the plot had leaked when in
fact he was now the one being deceived.

Next, he would have to speak with his mother. He did not believe that she had
helped think up the plan, so she was spared his anger there. Instead he was
hurt that she had allowed Elrond to go through with it. But he would be calm
with her also, and hope she could not see into his fearful heart. She had a
wily stare about her sometimes.

Elrohir would be the last one he would see, even though he wanted nothing more
than to grab him on the spot and make love to him. It would not be too
difficult to act normal before his brother in front of the family, he had done
it so many times before. Something told him that Elrohir would be the hardest
one to face, and things would not be as they once were between them. Had
Elrohir got cold feet and backed out again? Had he found another? No, that was
ridiculous! Not Elrohir, he would never have the courage to...

Elladan lurched in his saddle, grasping the mane of his horse as a vision hit
him like lightning, surging painfully through his mind and paralysing his
limbs.

In a pale glow cast by dawn light he saw strong limbs entwined with slender
ones. A bed. Elrohir's bed. Elrohir's body with another beneath it. Elrohir's
hands sunk into golden hair. A finger with a pale band of skin; an emerald ring
discarded to the floor. Elrohir's name upon smirking lips. Breathless whispers
as two lovers rolled and writhed below the sheet.

/'Who do you belong to?'/

/'You.'/

/'And Elladan?'/

/'I forget him within you.'/

"Elladan?"

The mirage left as quickly as it had come and he looked to his side as
Melethoniel trotted up on her horse, staring at him with concern. 

He sat up straight, fighting the urge to vomit. "I am all right!"

He closed his eyes to try to make the vision return to his mind to learn the
identity of the other figure. None he knew had hair like that. Was this real?
Was it his fear? Where had it come from? He was never cursed with such sights.
He could feel burning heat on the back of his head as eyes staring deep into
his brain but he did not need to turn around to see who they belonged to; he
knew those eyes of old. Was that where the thought had come from? Had Galadriel
put the idea into his mind? But how, and why?

"Dear Elladan, what troubles you?" Haldir asked. "You have gone pale. You are
shaking."

"Let us ride ahead," Elladan suggested, forcing a smile to grace his lips. He
would not let Haldir see how distressed he was, not for anything in the world.
"The sooner we get there the better I will feel."

"Very well," Haldir agreed. "To Imladris." He gave a strange smile. "To
Elrohir."

"To Elrohir," Elladan repeated, urging his horse into a gallop. Even the eagles
of the Misty Mountains could not have got him home fast enough. Something was
terribly wrong. He could feel the searing cracks in Elrohir's heart scarring
his own with every inch he took towards the gates. His twin was in trouble.

"Father! Come, we ride ahead!" he heard Melethoniel call back but he was hardly
aware of her at his one side or of Haldir at the other. The gates opened wide
and he arrived in the courtyard in a flurry of dust.

He surveyed the garlands and decorations hanging around in preparation for the
celebration of his marriage but no amount of coloured ribbons could remove the
darkness from his sight. A shadow as hanging over the Last Homely House like
one he had never seen in his life.

/'You have been betrayed!'/ it whispered to him.

"Welcome home, Lord Elladan." Erestor approached him. "I trust your journey was
safe and your stay was a pleasant one?" Ever the gentleman, he helped
Melethoniel down from her horse and introduced himself to her. "Your parents
will be here soon, my Lord, they are just finishing lunch. You have arrived
somewhat earlier than we expected, we hoped to get all the decorations up for
you. In a hurry to be home, hm?"

"Why should I not be?" Elladan dropped from his horse, leaving it in the care
of a servant. He glanced around, rolling the tension from his shoulders.
Erestor seemed uncharacteristically nervous in his chatter. And since when had
his old tutor started addressing him by his title?!

"Of course, we have missed you also." Erestor forced a smile that looked more
like a painful grimace. "Elrohir is here to see you." He waved a hand in the
direction of the veranda and bustled away to greet Haldir and Finervenn as they
rode up.

Feeling his stomach do a strange back flip, Elladan looked around to see
Elrohir standing on the porch above the steps, leaning one shoulder against the
pillar, idly twirling a piece of blue streamer around his fingers. His twin had
apparently not seen him yet and Elladan used the moment to stare in awe.
Elrohir had gone to some special effort to look gorgeous. His usual riding
clothes were replaced by snug fitting black leggings and a dark blue tunic
trimmed with silver thread, accented with a silver and gold belt. His hair was
pulled from its typical tight braid to tumble loose around his shoulders.

That in itself was not right. Elrohir would only don fancy clothes for fancy
occasions. He had surely not gone to such an effort just for Elladan, not after
being told in the letter not to be doubly careful not to raise suspicion. What
was he playing at? And why wasn't he at the gate to greet him?

Clearly feeling eyes on him, Elrohir turned around and Elladan dared to smile
at him. It did not come easily. Something was gripping his facial muscles in a
mask of fear. No smile was returned. Instead he was met with cold blank eyes
and a tight-lipped glower.

"Elrohir..." he whispered, staring at his twin in horror. "What have you done?"

"Elladan!" Arwen darted towards him with panic in her eyes, and grabbed his
hands. "Oh Elladan, thank goodness you are home! You must urgently speak with
Elrohir!" she whispered, cutting off and glancing over her shoulder as Elrond
and Celebrían came down the steps.

Elladan continued to stare at his twin, noticing for the first time the slim
figure beside him, with golden hair shining in the sun. It was Rúmil. That had
been the hair in his vision... No, it could not be true! He would not allow it
to be true! He raised an eyebrow in question to his brother and Elrohir raised
an eyebrow back in reply, but a smug one coupled with a spiteful curl of the
lips. Then as Elladan's heart threatened to stop, Elrohir reached a little way
behind to clasp the hand of Rúmil. Not a friendly hold, a tight grasp with
entwined fingers. A lover's grasp with a ringless hand. Elladan's stomach
heaved.

Rúmil had been entrusted with his letter, not intended to take his place! And
Elrohir had promised never to leave him again! He wanted to tell himself that
it was all being done for show, but there was no audience to see it and the
mood Elrohir was conveying was very direct.

Elladan gasped on his breath as a fist of ice crushed his heart but he felt a
warm comforting hand squeeze his own. Arwen. He stared into her eyes, looking
for answers there but she only stared tearfully back at him.

"You know?" he asked without fear, seeing nothing but love and understanding in
her fair face.

She nodded, lightly caressing his fingers with her own. "I know," she
whispered. "But everything is all wrong." She glanced back at Elrohir and Rúmil
then wrapped her arms around Elladan to make it look like she was only hugging
him as she spoke privately into his ear. "Things have been told here that I do
not believe are wholly true. He has poisoned our brother's mind. I have tried
to stop it but Elrohir will not listen to me."

"What has gone amiss?" Elladan whispered at her ear, holding her tightly to his
shoulder. "Why has he done this to me? Did he read my other letter?"

Arwen stiffened in his arms. "*Other* letter?" she echoed, pulling back with a
frown.

"What is going on, Elladan?" Haldir closed in behind him, laying a heavy hand
upon his shoulder.

"Perhaps you could tell me." Elladan bit back tears, feeling close to fainting
as Rúmil slid a possessive arm around Elrohir's waist. "What *is* going on,
Haldir?" Something had just slipped in Haldir's tone of voice. The note of
surprise he conveyed was not strong enough for Elladan's liking.

"I would say your brother has been fooling with my brother," Haldir breathed
softly, following his stare to their respective siblings. "But Lord Elrond
approaches. Speak with Elrohir later. Try your best not to show any reaction
that your father might see. I am sure things aren't as they seem."

"They very rarely are," Arwen said quietly, narrowing her eyes.

"Ah, my son!" Elrond approached Elladan, holding out his arms to embrace him.
"I cannot tell you how pleased I am!"

/'I bet you are, my Lord,'/ Elladan thought coldly as he forced his arms to
accept and return the hug.

"Hello Father." He smiled as he accepted a kiss on the cheek. "It is good to be
home!" He hoped that Elrond could not feel him trembling as he held him. "I am
sure much has happened since I have been gone?" he said cheerfully, unable to
stop his eyes turning in Elrohir's direction once more.

"An awful lot has happened, but we will speak of it in a moment." Elrond
released him with a squeeze of his shoulder. "Are you going to introduce us to
your guests, or not?"

"Of course." Elladan looked at his mother and smiled in greeting, half-glad
that he did not have to speak to her. It was only his sorrow at Elrohir that
prevented him from feeling furious as Elrond had hugged him in such a false
embrace of love. "May I first present my best man, Haldir - brother of Rúmil up
there."

He fought back a scowl that turned into a curious frown as he heard Arwen
audibly gasp at the introduction. The smile on Haldir's face faltered a little
as Arwen stared back and forth between him and Rúmil before turning a puzzled
stare to Elladan.

"It is a pleasure to come to Imladris, my Lord." Haldir shook Elrond's hand,
bowing his head in respect. "May I offer my services for you to employ in
whatever way you seem fit? I am sure there is much to prepare for the wedding."

"There is much!" Elrond told him. "Any help you can give would be most
appreciated. And you, Elladan, will not be idle either," he waggled a finger at
him. "There are many things we must discuss and many rituals to perform."

Elladan nodded. "Of course." He moved his family down to the next in the line.
"This is Finervenn, my soon to be father-in-law." He glanced briefly into the
eyes of the older Elf. He had known Finervenn for centuries, since he had been
child and he and Elrohir had played with Melethoniel. Haldir said that
Finervenn had always had him in mind as a husband for his daughter. Now Elladan
was granting his wish, and it felt horrible.

"Welcome to Imladris, Finervenn," Elrond greeted him. "I hope my son has been
as proper as he should be with your daughter?" He laughed but it sounded
horribly artificial to Elladan's ears.

"Quite proper, my Lord," Finervenn replied with a smile. "So proper that I had
no idea he was going to ask me for her hand. They must have kept their
courtship a secret for some months."

Elladan tried not to cringe as he hurried the formalities along. "And
lastly..." He took Melethoniel's hand. "And may I lastly present Melethoniel."

Arwen finally came forward. "It is a pleasure to be gaining a sister," she
said, looking into Melethoniel's face with a gaze so intense the maid could not
hold it.

/'What is the extent of your knowledge, my Evenstar?' / Elladan thought as he
looked at his sister. /'You know more than I do, I am sure of it. Yet somehow I
think you know less.'/

"Where is my mother?" Celebrían spoke for the first time. "I wish to speak with
her."

Elladan stared into his mother's eyes. He could see that something was turning
over in her head. She was looking for cracks in this finely polished plan.
Hopefully she would not find any. She looked worried, and tired. Surely the
secrets had been eating at her but he could not feel sorry for her. She had
stood by his father. As far as Elladan was concerned, she had made her bed with
Elrond and now she had to lie in it, as uncomfortable as it may be.

"We few rode ahead, Lady Celebrían, wishing to arrive urgently," Haldir
replied. "Your parents ride behind, with the rest of the escort. They will be
here in a few minutes."

"Elladan, may I have a moment?" Elrond took him to one side as the family and
the guests got acquainted. "I see you listened to what I said before you
left," he smiled. "She is a fine woman, very pretty too."

"Father, can this wait until later?" Elladan asked, still keeping the smile on
his face while he tried to edge away. "I wish to see my family and friends
again now and then rest awhile before we have to have long talks."

"This is not a long talk; I merely wanted to tell you that I am proud of you."
He caught Elladan's elbow to hold him still. "I doubt you love her as you
should, I am not that foolish, but I believe you will come to see you have made
the right choice."

"I am very fond of her," Elladan replied, which was true. "I could not think of
a woman I would better like to marry than her. My decision was not made in
haste, if that is what you are thinking. I am ready to settle down now." He
forced himself to keep his eyes on his father's face, watching for any doubt to
flicker in the sharp eyes. "How has Elrohir been?" he asked casually.

"He has become involved with Rúmil," Elrond answered in just as a casual tone,
looking back into Elladan's eyes like he was watching for a reaction. "They
became attracted to each other the very eve after Rúmil came here. He really
seems to have brought Elrohir out of his shell. It is good for your brother,
don't you think?"

Elladan schooled his face, stepping back towards the safety of the crowd. "It
is," he said. "I notice a great change in him." He felt his stomach roll again
and he tried not to gulp. "He has not even been able to pull himself away to
meet my bride." He knew instantly that it had been a bad thing to say. It had
sounded jealous.

"Elrohir?" Elrond beckoned to his youngest son. "Come here, will you? Stop
canoodling up there. Where are your manners?"

Elrohir sauntered down the steps and crossed the courtyard boldly, missing the
blush Elladan expected to see in his cheeks after Elrond's brash comment. Rúmil
followed close behind, a smirking appendage. He glanced once at Elladan, and
Elladan saw something in his eyes that had been masked when he had taken the
letter; it was cruelty, anger, vengeance... all aimed at him. Rúmil's hand
wandered from Elrohir's elbow to his waist and lower still to rest upon his
left buttock for a second. Elrohir merely smiled in response.

Elladan's hands balled into fists as he fought down his anger. He felt Haldir's
hand at the small of his back, but it was no comfort to him. He had not missed
the smirk from Rúmil that had passed over his shoulder to the only one who was
standing behind.

Arwen had gasped on hearing that Haldir was Rúmil's brother. Had she not known?
Had Elrohir known? And Arwen had seemed confused about the other letter. Had
they not seen it? Had Rúmil withheld it? Or had Haldir?! She had said Rúmil had
been poisoning Elrohir's mind. So it would seem. The tempting looking Elf
before him was certainly not the brother he had left two years before. The
spite in the grey eyes wasn't enough to cover the pain and he wanted to reach
out and touch Elrohir to prove he was still warm. His heart would have felt
better to feel nothing but pain and betrayal but instead he only felt anxious
confusion.

"Welcome to the family." Elrohir firmly shook Finervenn's hand and then nodded
to Melethoniel. "It is good to see you again, my dear friend," he said to her,
and his voice trembled a little. Straightening his shoulders he then turned to
Elladan. "Welcome home, *brother*."

Elladan could not find words that would not come with tears. Arwen was right,
he did need to talk to Elrohir urgently. But how could he when the entire
family was present and Rúmil seemed glued to Elrohir's side? And if Haldir knew
more than he was letting on, Elladan would have to shake him off first.

"I'm sure our guests would like to rest for a while, Elrond," Celebrían
suggested as if reading his mind. "You and I will wait here to meet the rest of
the party. Arwen, if you could show Melethoniel to her rooms. Erestor, would
you escort Finervenn? I'm sure you can take care of Haldir, Rúmil."

"Of course, my Lady," Rúmil bowed, glancing at Elrohir then at Elladan then
back to Haldir with a slightly raised eyebrow.

Yes! Something was going on between those two! Elladan's heart began to thud to
imagine what it might be. If everyone was pairing off... Celebrían was making
sure he and Elrohir were alone. What did she know? Why was she doing this?

"Go on, all of you!" Celebrían waved them towards the steps with a merry laugh.
"You must be weary and in need of rest. We shall speak properly over dinner
later."

Elrohir stiffened and walked up the steps, some feet ahead of the rest of the
Elves. On the veranda, the party branched off into various different
directions, with Finervenn requesting to see the library, and Melethoniel
wishing to bathe and change her clothes. Elladan kissed her chastely upon the
lips as she departed with Arwen. Then he noticed that Rúmil and Haldir had
curiously disappeared somewhere. What he would have given to hear the
conversation between those two.

Elrohir looked nervously around as if he had noticed for the first time that
his new partner was no longer there, then he turned wide eyes to Elladan. He
looked afraid. His shoulders slumped and he was fighting not to fold his arms
around himself, his hands twitching nervously at his sides.

"What a grand welcome, Elrohir," Elladan said coldly to gauge his twin's
reaction.

Elrohir stared at him for some moments, breathing like a wounded animal, then
he spun on his heel to walk away, turning quickly around the corner.

"Elrohir, wait!" Elladan darted after him, grabbing him by the belt and
dragging him a short way down the passage towards the door of a storeroom.

"Let me go!" Elrohir hissed at him, struggling to be free. "Curse you, let me
go or I will shout so loud the entire guard of Imladris will come to my aid!"

"Quiet!" Elladan clamped a hand over his mouth and wrapped an arm around his
middle to haul him into the small room. "I think you need to explain some
things to me, brother." He kicked the door shut behind them.

"There is nothing I have to say to you!" Elrohir finally fought free by
stabbing him in the ribs with a sharp elbow. He raised a hand, which struck
Elladan across the jaw. "Release me this instant! I cannot bear to be breathing
the same air as you!" He aimed another punch but Elladan caught it in his palm.
"Let me go, Elladan!" He struggled to free his fist, crying out in pain as
Elladan twisted his arm. "Did you not hear me the first time? I have nothing to
say to you! *Nothing*!"

"There is much I have to say to you and you will hear it!" Elladan forced his
twin to be still by twisting his arm behind his back. "What in the name of
Illúvatar is going on, Elrohir?! Did you not think well of my plans?"

"What did you think I would think?" Elrohir stopped struggling and looked over
his shoulder to glare hard into his eyes. "Do you expect me to leap for joy at
your wedding? Did you want me to be happy for you and your bride? Am I to
congratulate you for leaving my bed for hers?" Tears of pain crept into his
voice.

"I did not expect you to take up with Rúmil!" Elladan tried to catch his
brother's eye but Elrohir had lowered his head once more. "What are you doing
with him?"

"I am sorry, Elladan, but I am not wilting for you!" Elrohir wrenched his arm
free with a strength Elladan was surprised to see. "If you do not want me, I
will not live alone forever!" He turned to face him with tears streaming freely
from his eyes. "Why?" he whispered, biting into his lip. "That is all I would
have you answer me. I just want to know why." He sniffed. "And then you will
let me go."

"Elrohir..." Elladan reached out a hand to him, only to have it smacked away.
"For goodness sake! I do want you, you fool!" He knew his brother's heart well.
Elrohir had not betrayed him in cowardice. Elrohir was hurt, he was acting like
he had been the one forsaken. "Did you see my letter at all?" he asked.

"Yes, I did!" Elrohir fought back his tears, trying to maintain the hard cold
exterior he had developed. "It was all clear in there how you felt!"

It should have been clear how he felt. In the private letter Elladan had spoken
of his love, and how every day had been empty and every night had been cold
without Elrohir in his arms or even in his sight. He had said that if the
wedding plans were not to Elrohir's liking then he was to send Rúmil back with
a letter saying so.

"You thought I would be the coward, didn't you?" Elrohir stared into his eyes
and Elladan could hardly stand to hold the gaze and see the bitter hatred
there. "You made me swear not to end our affair in fear, but you have done just
that." He turned to leave the room. "Well, I hope your noble decision works out
for you."

"Wait!" Elladan caught him by the shoulders and pinned him against the wall to
hold him still. "You are not making sense to me." He tried to make sense of it
himself. It did not seem that Elrohir had seen the full truth. It was nagging
at his conscience; Haldir's mood, Rúmil's smile, Arwen's confusion. The warning
he had felt about Haldir wanting him back. Why had he not trusted his
instincts? His cynicism had never proved him wrong in the past. "Elrohir, tell
me honestly..." It was an effort to ask such a thing. He wanted to trust Haldir
but his heart's voice told him not to. His accrual added up too well for it not
to be true. If Elrohir had not seen the other letter then he knew nothing of
their parents' knowledge of their affair. If Elrohir had not seen the other
letter then he would believe that Elladan had left him to marry Melethoniel,
thus ending their affair and leaving him free to pursue another. "You saw the
letter that spoke of my marriage and the end of our affair? Not another one?"

A frown pulled at Elrohir's eyebrows and more tears spilled from his eyes. He
made no attempt to fight from Elladan's grip now. "I... what...?" He shook his
head slowly.

"Rúmil did not hand you a private letter?" Elladan shook his twin sharply. He
had to learn the truth, though he was scared to know it. He had to make Elrohir
believe him. "Answer me!"

"No, he did not!" Elrohir told him. "Father brought the letter to me after
Rúmil arrived in Imladris. I know nothing of another one. Rúmil said you had
confided in him about us. He told me you wanted it over. He said you had sent
him to comfort me." He leaned his shoulders back against the wall, sliding down
a few inches as though his knees had buckled. "Do not tell me now that it was
not so." The tone of his voice said that he no longer doubted his brother. His
anger had fled with hurt tears.

Elladan moved his hands from Elrohir's shoulders to brace them on the bricks
above, the room spinning as everything fell into place. Of course! Why had he
ever trusted Haldir? Why had he believed the words falling from his lips when
it was so obvious now that it had all been a carefully thought out plan. Haldir
had meant to trick him and part him from Elrohir, and the loyal brother Rúmil
had got a part to play in making that possible. He would not believe that Rúmil
alone had withheld the letter; he had no cause to. This was Haldir's doing.

He could feel the dagger in his boot pressing reassuringly against his ankle.
He had more than half a mind to use it on the treacherous pair, maybe to murder
them, maybe to torture them, maybe to stab Haldir in the eyes, maybe to remove
Rúmil's malehood and feed it to the crows...

He was somewhat angrier with himself than he was with them. How had he been so
foolish?! Haldir had surely not got the knowledge from Celeborn by honest
means, though he did not want to think about that. Why had he trusted him so
easily when he had always doubted him, even when he had been sleeping with him?
Why had he allowed himself to be manipulated? Why had he allowed a stranger to
take such a private and important letter to Elrohir? Why had he tried to be
clever and deceitful? He should have just used Haldir's knowledge, ridden back
to Imladris, told his Father where to go and taken Elrohir off to elope
somewhere.

"Elladan, please say something," Elrohir whispered fearfully, his fingers
clutching the edge of his twin's cloak.

"My dear Elrohir." Elladan looked into his brother's face seeing the sweet
vulnerable being that he knew and loved. He hardly had need to ask the question
but he had to be sure. "Did Rúmil say anything of his relation to Haldir?"

"Haldir? No... Yes, he said Haldir was his Captain." Elrohir shook his head in
confusion. "Is he not?"

"He is. He is also his brother!" Elladan stepped back, balling his fists in
fury. It was as he had suspected in the courtyard. He was now convinced that
Haldir was at the end of this thread of bewilderment, if he needed convincing
further.

"His brother?!" Elrohir gasped. "What?! He said no such thing to me! I asked
him how well he knew Haldir, I enquired about the state of things between you
and Haldir now. He said that Haldir was his Captain, he did not know him well,
and that you and Haldir were barely on speaking terms. Why?! Why would he tell
me such a lie?!"

"We have been tricked, my sweetness." Elladan upturned a small table with a
furious kick, wishing it were Haldir's head. "Those brothers have led us
astray. They have intended to part us, and were it not for the strength of our
bond and our doubtful nature they would have succeeded."

"Elladan." Elrohir took hold of his arm and pulled him from his attack on the
furniture. "My heart would leap to hear that you have not forsaken me with
Melethoniel after all, but it would cease to beat to know I have forsaken you.
I am so confused! If you have not betrayed me then why are you marrying? Why
did you write to say it was over? I know my brother would not do something so
cruel to me. What of this other letter?" He reached a tentative hand to
Elladan's face, lightly touching where he had earlier struck.

"I was to marry her, but I do not love her and I do not wish to give you up. I
was marrying her so no one would suspect us. But thanks to Haldir and Rúmil,
who I was stupid enough to trust, you are ignorant to this. Please forgive me
for my misjudgement." Elladan sighed, turning his face into the touch, catching
Elrohir's hand with his own. He would not make excuses about being upset and
needing a friend and thinking Haldir might have been it. It had been his fault.
"Elrohir, forget anything that has happened since I left here. Assume that we
stand as we did. Do you love me still?" He smiled, knowing by the warmth in
Elrohir's eyes that the answer would be yes. However bad things were, Elrohir
loved him and that made things so much better. Nothing could take that away
from them.

"I do," he said. "I have never stopped loving you, Elladan, even as I thought
you had stopped loving me." Tears ran from his eyes again and he reached up to
wrap his arms around his twin's neck. "I have missed you awfully."

Elladan smiled fondly at him, running a hand through his hair. "Oh, Elrohir, I
was so afraid that you had left me!" he wept. "I love you so much. I would
never break our oath."

"I fear that I have," Elrohir said in a shaky voice. "I do not understand what
is happening. I cannot see why you are marrying for Father's wishes. It is not
like you. He does not know, does he?" His eyes grew wide. "Elladan, does he?!
Oh, sweet Valar, he does, doesn't he?!" he cried. "That is what this is all
about?! You were covering it up! But how does he know? And how do you know?"

"Father was meant to benefit from the letter that you saw," Elladan explained.
"I shudder to think what has happened to the letter that was meant for you."
His worst fear was that Haldir still had it, and was intending to use it for
some nefarious means. "There is more to this than you could ever dare to
imagine," he told his brother solemnly. "And I fear there is much more than I
know."

"I am scared," Elrohir whispered. "This sounds like it is going to be
terrible."

"It is, but this is not the place to speak of it." Elladan pressed a kiss to
his cheek. "Do not panic, my darling, I promise things will be all right in the
end. I'm home now. I am here to look after you."

Elrohir smiled through his tears and pulled Elladan's head down towards his
own. "Before I learn these terrible things," he whispered against Elladan's
lips, "kiss me once. I am drowning for your lips upon mine."

"I have been dying for yours!" Elladan wrapped his arms tightly around Elrohir,
sinking his hands into his soft hair, as he crushed a kiss to his lips. He felt
Elrohir cling tightly to him as he slid his tongue into his mouth with a soft
sob. In two years he had not forgotten the taste and the feel of his twin's
mouth, but he had forgotten just how good it felt to be like this, to join
together as one. Nothing could compare to this. And nothing was going to come
between them again, not Haldir, not Rúmil, not their Father. Nothing.

The blissful moment was shattered as Elrohir suddenly pulled back with a gasp,
turning his head sharply towards the door. His grip around Elladan's neck
trembled and he quickly let go.

"What is the matter?" Elladan stepped back and stared at him, following his
gaze to the now open door where a figure stood watching. His blood ran cold.