Title: An Affliction of the Heart, 9/?    
Author: Larien Elengasse
Type:	FPS
Characters: Legolas/Elladan/Elrohir, Glorfindel/Thranduil
Rating:	 NC-17 for slashy goodness - eventually
Beta: Minuial Nuwing – you’re the best, darling!
Archive: OEAM, Library of Moria, Melethryn.  All others please ask.

WARNING: Graphic depictions of sexual acts between half-elven twins and a 
prince, and between a warrior and a king.  Allusions to violence. Brotherly 
incest. Rampant angst.  Attempted rape and allusions to sexual assault in this 
chapter.
 
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, they are the property of JRR Tolkien 
and his estate, and I am sure he would be horrified if he read this.

Author’s Notes: The twins come to Greenwood with Glorfindel to expand their 
education and everyone learns more than was intended.  Yet another 
exploration of the dangers and delights of love – I’m nothing if not a hopeless 
romantic.  Canon disclaimer is in place, as always.  The Donne poem quoted at 
the start is one of the Holy Sonnets, however, I think that in lieu of God, Love 
would stand quite well.
 
Feedback: If you care to share, larienelengasse@yahoo.com

Summary:  The twins demonstrate their prowess, and trouble finds Legolas.


Legolas stood with his hands on his hips, his quiver and knives strapped to his 
back, and a slightly mischievous grin upon his lips.  As the twins entered the 
training ground on a crisp morning, they found their mentor looking as though 
he had something up his sleeve.

“Today you will demonstrate your tracking skills.  You do know how to track 
prey, yes?”

Elladan snorted, Elrohir merely grinned.  “Of course, my liege,” Elladan 
replied.  

“What are we hunting?  Deer?  Boar?” Elrohir queried.

“Me.” Legolas smiled.  “’Tis one thing to track a beast of the wood, or an orc, 
or a dwarf, or a man.  All of these creatures leave their print behind on the 
earth as they travel.  To track an elf, one has to do more than read the earth, for 
the earth will never betray an elf’s passage.  If you can track me, if you can 
find me in the wood, then you will have accomplished a rare feat.”

“You are certainly sure of yourself, my prince,” Elladan replied.  

“For good reason, my pupil,” Legolas responded with a grin.  “I will have a 
head start.  Once Anor reaches her apex in the sky, you will follow out the 
eastern gate.  You have until aduial to find me, if you have not found me by 
then, you will return to the caves.  Understood?”

“Yes, my liege,” the twins answered in unison.

“Bring weapons, because to venture out into the wood without them is 
foolhardy.  You may use maps, since you are unfamiliar with the territory, and 
you may bring whatever you need to find me.  But you must track me on your 
own.” 

“Yes, my liege,” Elrohir answered.

“We will see you soon,” Elladan replied with a grin.

“We shall see,” Legolas answered, returning the playful smile, and then he 
disappeared into the wood.

*    *    *    *

Thranduil sat at his desk with Glorfindel leaning over his shoulder.  One of 
Thranduil’s warriors pointed to a spot on the map where a grim discovery had 
been made.  Just to the south of the mountains known as Emyn-nu-Fuin, 
several square miles of the forest had been burned to the ground, with nothing 
left alive, good or foul.  The corpses of spiders had been found near those of 
dead animals and orcs.  The ground was scorched, with nothing left behind but 
ashes in the shape of what was once there.  

“I am afraid to know what has done this,” Thranduil said.

“This is no common fire; forest fires cannot burn so hot.  Only one of two 
things could have done this,” Glorfindel replied.  “A Balrog or a fire-drake.”  
He looked at Thranduil.  “I believe that if it were a Balrog, I would sense its 
presence.”

“There have been no sightings of Balrogs in this forest, however, I have heard 
tell of sightings of a fire-drake near the Lonely Mountain,” Thranduil replied in 
a worried voice.  He looked at his captain who was also present.  “Post extra 
sentries, and extend the boundary around our realm to the east.  If the dragon is 
exploring the skies of this wood, I would have us find it before it finds these 
caves.”

The captain nodded and departed Thranduil’s chambers with the sentry, 
leaving Glorfindel and the king alone.

“It cannot find these caves; if it does it will destroy every last one of us.”

Glorfindel did not attempt to hide his concern.  He remembered the fall of his 
own city all too well, and Thranduil knew it.  Glorfindel reached out and 
squeezed the king’s shoulder.  “It will not, my king.  But if it does, I will stand 
beside you and fight to the very end.”

Thranduil tried to manage a smile.  “I know you will, my love,” he said softly, 
and then he drew Glorfindel into his arms.

*    *    *    *

Legolas ran lightly over the ground, leaping low shrubs with ease.  A shadow 
passed over the ground some distance from where he was and he stopped, 
instinctively reaching for an arrow as he placed his back against a tree and 
looked up.  There was no sound upon the wind, but in his mind he sensed 
something dark drawing near him.  Again, he saw the shadow pass over the 
trees.  It was a massive winged beast, but it was no eagle that soared above 
him.  It was a dragon.  

He knew he had to find shelter and fast; a single elf could not defeat a dragon, 
no matter how skillful.  If it had not yet sensed his presence, then he might 
have a chance to escape before it found him.  Quickly he scanned the wood and 
found a hollowed out tree burnt from a lightning strike.  He waited until the 
shadow passed away from him, heading to the west and into the sun, then he 
ran for shelter.

He was no more than three steps from where he had once stood when he 
realized it was too late.  Small branches snapped as the dragon dove from the 
skies, plummeting with incredible speed through the trees; it caught him in its 
huge talons and pinned him to the ground, face down.

Legolas fought the panic building inside him; he had to protect his thoughts, he 
could not lead this beast to his home, no matter what it did to him.

“Such sweet meat,” the beast’s low, menacing voice purred.  “I had not hoped 
for such bounty.  Where there is one elf, there are surely others, for you are not 
a solitary race.  Tell me, my beauty, where are your kindred?”

“Get off me, you winged snake!” Legolas growled.  He struggled but his arms 
were pinned between the dragon’s claws.

The dragon squeezed its talons closed, laughing as the elf beneath him 
struggled for air.  “Snake am I?  Ah, you slight me, my pet.  I am far more 
dangerous than a snake.  I ask again, where are your kindred?”

The dragon’s laugh sent chills down Legolas’ spine, even as he gasped and 
struggled for breath.  “I am alone,” he croaked.

“Now, now, my pet.  Lying to me is no way to start a relationship.”  The 
dragon lowered its head, its nostrils flaring as it fanned hot air over the elf’s 
head.  It chuckled as the elf began to cough and grow faint.  Releasing its grip a 
small bit before its prey fainted, it spoke again.  “I ask again, my pet.  Where 
are your kinsmen?”

“I will never tell you!” Legolas growled.  “Burn me, eat me, it matters not, for I 
will never give you what you want.”  Again the beast laughed, causing Legolas 
to shudder in revulsion.

“Burn you?  Eat you?  No, no, my lovely.  I shall keep you.  You shall be my 
pet, my thrall, to torment as I please.”

Legolas growled loudly from his clenched jaw as the dragon’s tail wound and 
slithered up his leg.  

“Your cries and tears will be music to me; and when you finally break, when 
you give me what I want, there will be nothing left of your will.  You will live 
in my lair until I am through with you, then you will be cast out a traitor to 
your kind, just like Maeglin was before you.”

“Devil!” Legolas cursed.

Again the beast laughed.  “That I am, my beauty.  That I am.”

*    *    *   *

Glass shattered and water splashed upon the stone floor as Thranduil dropped 
his goblet.  “Legolas!” he gasped, his unfocused gaze drifting toward the wall.

“Thranduil?”  Glorfindel set his own goblet down and moved toward his lover.  
All of the color had drained from Thranduil’s face and he stood in mute shock 
and panic.  Glorfindel had never seen the Sinda look that way in all the years 
he had known him – not even when Thranduil had watched his own father die.

As Glorfindel took Thranduil by the arms and gave him a little shake, the 
Captain of the Guard burst in.  “My lord!  We have spotted the dragon!”

“It has my son,” Thranduil said, his voice nearly devoid of emotion.  

“Elladan, Elrohir…” Glorfindel’s voice trailed off as he remembered that the 
twins were training with the prince that day.  He looked at the captain and 
barked, “Ready your warriors!”

“Yes, my lord,” the captain answered.

“And ready my horse!” Thranduil thundered as he snapped out of his fear-
induced stupor.  He ran for the armory, with Glorfindel close behind.

*    *    *    *

“Did you hear that?” Elrohir whispered to his twin.

Elladan was frowning; his twin was clearly worried.  “Aye.  It sounded like…”

“Something laughing,” Elrohir finished.

Elladan noted his brother said ‘something’ not ‘someone.’  An anguished cry 
split the air and both the twins paled.  

“Legolas…” Elrohir gasped.

The twins drew their bows and ran toward the horrible sound.

*    *    *    *

Legolas thrashed in the dragon’s grip.  It had flipped him over and was leaning 
down, close to his face.  He could smell the beast’s foul breath and feel the heat 
of it on his face.  He squeezed his eyes shut – he could not open them, for to 
gaze into the dragon’s eyes was to be spellbound.  It’s tapered tail slithered 
over his body, across his chest and up and down his legs, tearing his clothes 
and grazing his skin before whipping him.  It flicked between his legs and he 
kicked, crying out and clawing at the ground, trying to escape.  He knew what 
it intended to do; the dragon was counting on his fear of being defiled to break 
him.  Exhausted, he stilled, angry at the tears that were tracking down his 
cheeks.  ‘Just let go,’ he told himself.  ‘Let go and be gone from this world, 
from this torment.  Let go before it takes what you hold back.’ 

“That you would want to die is no surprise, my pet; if I were you, I would want 
to die too.”

“You cannot stop me,” Legolas whispered, fighting to keep the beast from 
reading all of his thoughts and memories.

“Nor would I.  In order to let go of your body, you must let go of your 
thoughts, and when you do, I shall know what it is that I wish to know.  
Though, I would much rather take it from you than have it so easily given.”

“No…” Legolas swallowed, fighting not to weep openly.

“Yes, my beauty,” the beast hissed, its forked tongue laving his neck and the 
side of his face.

“We are coming…”

The voices echoed in his mind.  “No!” he cried and the beast laughed.

“I knew you were not alone.  Your friends, nay . . . your lovers come to rescue 
you,” it said with a toothy grin.  “Now I will have three pets to play with and 
more Elven cities to destroy.”

“Damn you!” Legolas cried.  In his distraction, the dragon had relaxed its 
claws just enough for Legolas to free one arm and roll to his side.  With 
lightning speed, he yanked a knife free and drove it deep into the dragon’s 
talon.

Its roar nearly split his ears, and he growled in pain before yanking the knife 
free for another blow.  It released him for a split second and he nearly gained 
his feet, but the dragon took hold of him again, slamming him back to the 
ground.  “Insolent fool!  Now you will know the meaning of torment!”

The high-pitched whine of an arrow split the air and the dragon took flight to 
avoid it, carrying Legolas with him.  It nearly escaped, but Elrohir’s arrow flew 
true, piercing the leathery hide of one of the dragon’s wings.  Elladan’s shot 
also found its mark, lodging in the joint where the dragon’s wing joined its 
body.

Again the beast howled and plummeted from the sky, striking the ground hard 
before rolling and regaining its feet.  When Elladan’s arrow struck, the dragon 
had dropped Legolas, and Elrohir shouted out for the prince, running toward 
where Legolas fell.


To be continued…