Story Downloaded from Open Scrolls Archive (https://www.openscrolls.net)

Title: A Gathering of Friends (#140)
Author: Kendra
Chapters: 1

Archive: Tolkien
Category: Femme Fatale
Description: Friends from near and far gather in Rivendell for a special occasion. Food, Wine and laughter are the order of the day. As well as a secret union. ** Story Complete**
Published: 20 Jul 2003
Updated: 20 Jul 2003
Warnings: None
Type: Romance
Characters: Legloas; OFC; Elladan; Elrohir


Chapter 1 - Chapter One

Disclaimer: I'm just visiting, somebody else owns the Elf and others.


~~*~~


Food, wine, and laughter flowed as freely as the waters, which graced
Rivendell. This was a very special and joyous occasion that brought many
an Elven traveler from near and far for the wedding of mutual friends.

Raising a crystal goblet high into the air, Elrohir grinned madly as he
stood. "May the Valar grace this union between Amras and Idril!" He
exclaimed, motioning the goblet in the couple's direction as the
gathered group met his toast with enthusiastic and heartfelt agreement.

Most of the wedding guests had long since retired. However, there were
still the few gathered friends enjoying this monumental occasion well
into the night and the teasing, happy feelings which engulfed everyone
within its path.

"May I also add..." Elladan interrupted with a cock of his head and a
raised goblet as his brother returned to his seat. "...We are most
grateful it is not our fate to be bound into marriage. Once again,
love's elusive hand has spared us this fate," he grinned before downing
his wine, then refilling his cup much to his twin's amusement.

This proclamation was met with sheer delight from Elrohir as well as a
mixture of groans and laughter of friends who knew well the twins.

"Your time will come when love will ensnare you both within its golden
halo," Amras smiled, leaning down to steal a kiss from his enchanting
bride who sat by his side.

"Especially if what I've heard whispered about is true," Aragorn nodded,
motioning an empty goblet in the twins direction. "Your prowess with
seeking to tame many an erstwhile maiden has become near legendary," the
Ranger teased, earning him a nudge from Arwen.

Narrowing her eyes upon her older brothers and then sighing heavily. "Do
not encourage them for they need not the suggestions," Arwen warned,
much to her brothers' wide-eyed amusement.

Waggling a dark brow, Elrohir couldn't resist. "Legendary you say?" He
grinned wickedly at the beautiful Elf maiden seated across the table
from him, visiting from Mirkwood.

Legolas' sharp gaze honed in on the dark haired Elf near him. "Do not
even tempt the thought, friend," he spoke. "For I have warned my cousin
of the likes of you and your compatriot in mischief. She is not
interested for she is spoken for by one of my father's guards," the
blonde haired Elf objected with a playful smile.

"What fears you truly, Greenleaf? Our charm upon this beauty?" Elladan
quizzed, winking first to Legolas' beautiful cousin and then
conspiratorially to his brother beside him.

Legolas feigned indifference while choosing an apple from the bowl,
which sat on the table before him. "'Tis definitely not your charm. For
I have seen said charms in action during many a festival. Nay, it is my
cousin Linwë's betrothed which makes me wary for he is a most
intimidating being," the Elf smiled, earning a laugh from his cousin as
well as everyone at the table before tossing the apple at Elladan,
hitting him soundly upon the shoulder.

As Elladan gasped, then laughed in put upon indignation, Elrohir took up
the reigns. "Do tell Legolas, have your charms enchanted any a wayward
maiden of late?" He quizzed with a crooked smile upon his lips.

Nearly choking on the wine he was now sipping, Legolas quickly recovered
and sat the goblet down before him, studying it most intently before
looking to his friend. "I dare say enchant is not the word I would use,"
he stoically replied.

"Then Greenleaf, what word would you use?" Aragorn spoke up from the
head of the table, his amusement twinkling in his eyes.

Raising a brow in the Ranger's direction, Aragorn watched as a
mischievous smile quirked upon the Elf's features. "I would lay claim to
allure, enrapture, excite," the son of Thranduil spoke, earning wicked
male laughter, a chorus of female groans and sighs, and one lone cough
of shocked embarrassment which was thankfully lost upon the merriment.

Arwen glanced down the table to the golden haired Larien, sitting across
from Legolas and smiled, for surely the other had imbibed of too much
wine from the flush, which was spreading rapidly upon her cheeks, as she
took another sip.

Though everyone within the festive surroundings may not have noticed,
Larien Amandil blushed furiously before cutting her eyes in Legolas'
direction. The move so fleeting that thankfully nobody had seen, or if
they had, it would have probably been misinterpreted.

Elrohir and Elladan both raised a goblet of surrender in Legolas'
direction as the blonde haired Elf nodded acceptance in return, before
stealing a quick glimpse at the woman before him who's eyes betrayed
her.

"Aragorn, has the Lady Larien's skills with bow and arrow improved of
yet?" Someone shouted, as the startled woman was brought back from
silent musing to the unexpected question of late.

"I'll have you know, I am not that poorly of an archer," Larien
objected, much to the amusement of one or two gathered nearby.

"From what I gather, she has not mistakenly felled a small sapling
again, if that is what you ask?" Aragorn jested, chuckling and then
nodding his head in surrender to the golden haired woman who was
frowning.

Sitting her glass to the table, Larien blushed from her cheeks to the
tips of her ears. "I'll have you know, that was one time only and it
was...well I was aiming for that mere stick of a tree," she insisted,
much to the Ranger's delight.

"So you say, Milady," Aragorn agreed. "Truly, all should ask Legolas how
Larien now fairs in her studies with bow and arrow for he has been given
the task of improving her skills upon my departing from Rivendell with
Elladan and Elrohir to hunt Orc, three months prior."

Nearly all eyes turned to Legolas as the Elf smiled brightly and his
expression betrayed nothing. "Larien's skills are most definitely
amazing..." he explained calmly, looking into her eyes and meeting her
gaze. "...She has not distinguished the life of any other sapling."

With that last playful tease, Legolas found himself the receiver of a
flying chunk of bread which he casually caught with his left hand before
it made contact with his silken tunic. "Next time I will not miss,"
Larien smiled playfully, a small laugh escaping her throat much to
Legolas' amusement.

"I know you won't," he answered, trying to control the grin, which
threatened to engulf him.

"Larien surely is full of spirit this evening...and wine as well,"
Elrohir chuckled, earning him a deep groan from the woman in question.
"Will you not marry me?" He jested with a falsely ravenous look upon his
face.

Larien winced and then groaned even louder. "This from one of the two
proclaiming freedom from a marriage?"

"That was the wine speaking," Arwen spoke up with a laugh.

"Ah, I see. It depends, dearest Elrohir. It all depends on what exactly
are your 'charms'...and how well you use them," Larien smiled
seductively as laughter and jests abound throughout the room as she
tried to keep her own composure from slipping.

Suddenly Elrohir placed his hand over his heart and bowed his head.
"Larien is most truly talented with that wicked tongue of hers, is she
not?"

Legolas shot a bemused look to the woman sitting across from him.
"...Most wicked a tongue," he agreed with a knowing look, before hiding
his remark and amusement behind the rim of his wine goblet as he took a
sip.

Larien wished the table were not so wide for she felt the sudden urge to
soundly kick Legolas on the shins. "One day you will surely be tamed,"
Elrohir teased with a wink to the beautiful, golden haired Elf.

"What if I do not wish to be tamed?" She spoke up, squaring her
shoulders.

"And what if...her...love does not wish to tame her?" Legolas added,
both looking down the table to watch the reaction of the dark haired
Elf.

"Then I wish this 'love' great stamina and much patience or else he is
of the same nature, then truly that would be a union blessed beneath the
stars," Elladan interjected with a warm laugh as the others suddenly
raised their goblets in agreement before downing the wine.

Larien rolled her eyes and reached for the wine bottle in the center of
the table at exactly the moment Legolas did as well. As their fingers
brushed gently upon one another, both looked into the other's gaze and
said not a word before Larien released her touch and Legolas filled
first her goblet and then his own.

~~*~~

"'Tis a beautiful night," Legolas remarked with outstretched hands as he
neared his objective in joining the beautiful Elf on her walk back to
her room.

"Beautiful dawn," Larien grinned, fanning herself from the overheated
flush of too much wine that evening.

"Beautiful dawn, I stand corrected," he agreed with a smile as the two
traversed the deserted walkway. "Tell me, Larien, do you wish to sample
another's 'charms'?" Legolas asked with a hint of amusement in his
voice.

Sighing lowly, stopping her step as they neared the entry to her room,
she turned to the blonde haired Elf and cocked her head. "I am well
satisfied with the 'charms' I sample already," she naughtily answered,
hearing the drawing of breath from her companion.

"I would hope so," he mused, a naughty glint in his deep blue eyes.

Stepping closer, the gap between the two nearly nonexistent, Larien
reached forward to brush a stray strand of silken hair behind the
warrior's ear as Legolas was about to place his hand upon her bare
shoulder.

"Greenleaf, there you are!" Elladan shouted, his words breaking the
silence as the two quickly parted upon the other's approach.

"Yes, here I am," Legolas near growled. "Elladan, you nearly weave with
the effects of too much wine," he noted, as the usually graceful Elf was
a tad ungraceful as the twin caught the toe of his boot upon the edge of
a stone and stumbled.

"I am fine, my friend, just these annoying pathmarkers," Elladan
corrected, eyeing the ground for the bothersome stone. "Come, come with
me, some of us are going up to the falls to bring in the sunrise with
song and wine."

Legolas glanced at the sweet smelling woman before him and then to his
friend. "It is late, friend. We've all had too much wine and I feel the
need to rest..."

"Ha! Are you getting old and stuffy as Celeborn or worse yet,
Galadriel?"

This remark made Legolas snort and Larien laugh at the comparison before
a warning glare from the blonde Elf made her place a finger to her lips
to calm the mirth. "I am not old, nor am I as stuffy as...well I am
not," he objected.

"Then join us, my friend," Elladan insisted, stepping forward and
wrapping an arm around the other's shoulder.

Legolas looked at Larien and sought an answer. "Go, you would be most
morose in the morning if you found out that Elladan had passed out from
too much wine and fell from the falls to float downstream," she smirked
with a sigh.

"She is probably right, you know. You would miss me," the dark haired
Elf insisted with a chuckle.

Bowing to the woman before him, Legolas groaned loudly. "You are
regretfully correct, Larien. I would most assuredly curse the day I had
to go rescue this annoyance from the hands of bandits or some such ilk."

"Assuredly," she agreed, earning a loud snort of derision from Elladan
whom was now pulling Legolas away from the entryway.

"Go, have fun and keep out of trouble," Larien insisted with a smile.

Legolas shrugged his shoulders as Elladan released his grip and the
blonde Elf now followed behind the other till he stopped to turn and
look at the woman that now stood silhouetted by the waning moonlight.
"Tomorrow, in the fields above the falls...your lessons," he reminded
before watching the beautiful Elf nod her agreement.

"I'll not forget," she replied before turning to enter her room, knowing
he would not continue on his way till she did so.

~~*~~

Shielding the sun from her eyes with her hand, Larien walked the path to
the secluded fields above the great fall of Rivendell. It was the
perfect spot for archery lessons without being interrupted nor worrying
about unwanted visitors for the climb was dense with new growth. Only a
fleeting few visited the secluded spot.

"You're late," Legolas remarked, taking aim at the target in the
distance before him, then letting his fingers release the taut string,
he turned to watch the woman's approach without bothering to see his
arrow hit dead center.

"I was distracted earlier this day and lost all track of time," she
answered, smoothing her skirt from hiking them up about her knees for
the trek up to the field.

"I see," he mused, beckoning her to ready her bow and arrow and to now
stand before him.

Doing as he silently intoned, she now stood before him and took aim,
letting the arrow fly to its mark with great ease.

"Good, good," Legolas said with great approval, nodding his head. "But
there is room for improvement."

Glancing over her shoulder, Larien suppressed the smile that fought for
recognition upon looking into the handsome Elf's eyes. "How so?"

"Like this," he answered in a low voice, moving to stand closer, his
body pressing warmly against her back as she could feel every one of his
taunt muscles screaming for recognition. "Prepare," he instructed as she
notched the arrow and pulled back on the string, aiming for the nearest
target.

"No...the other one. Off in the distance."

"Oh..." she gasped, not from the insistence of a target well off in the
distance, but from the strong hand that snaked up from her waist to
trail a tantalizing path across her body till his touch was racing down
her locked arm.

Legolas leaned further still till his cheek rested against her cheek and
his breathing quickened as well as her own. "Focus," his voice rasped.

"I'll try," she stammered, feeling his body's heat soak down through her
flesh as if it touched her inner being while his other hand soundly
clutched her right hip, bringing it in contact with his own. "Sweet..."

"Focus," he hoarsely insisted, noticing how her arm relaxed and she lost
her aim upon the target. "How will you improve and fend off your enemies
if you are so easily swayed?" Legolas quizzed with a naughty smile,
pulling his face away from her sweet skin and nipping a sensitive ear as
he drew back, earning him a guttural moan from the alluring creature in
his embrace.

"It is not my enemy that worries me nor distracts me...it is you, my
love," Larien mused with a voice filled with want.

"I see," the blonde haired Elf chuckled lowly. "Focus and show me what a
grand archer you have become," he urged.

Larien grinned and lowly giggled. "Will you reward me?"

Legolas chuckled, pulling her back by the hips so that her backside fit
perfectly against his pelvis and she could feel his growing arousal. "Do
we both not always reward the other?" He teased upon hearing her gasp of
pleasure as she fought to keep the bow and arrow in her grasp as
thoughts of more intimate pleasures of the flesh flooded her mind.

Releasing her hips, urging her forward, and letting her take a steadying
breath to gain her aim upon the target once more, Legolas smiled as she
released the arrow into flight and quickly threw the bow to the ground
as she turned to his arms.

"Are you not interested in your mark?" Legolas asked with a raised brow
as he watched her shot hit its mark perfectly.

Wrapping her arms about the back of his neck and pressing herself
against him she shook her head in the negative. "I know the aim was true
and now I seek my reward," she lowly said as he firmly gripped her hips
in his hands and pulled her soundly against his body so that the midday
sun dared not even stray a shaft of light between the two.

"My student has now become the master," he chuckled, leaning forward and
gently nuzzling her nose with his own before claiming her lips in a
slow, sensual kiss.

Keen Elven ears did not hear the soft rustling of leaves and the crunch
of fresh grass being trampled by visitors for they were too focused on
other endeavors.

"Well, well...what do we have here?" Elrohir loudly exclaimed as he,
Elladan, and Aragorn strode into the field, witnessing the amorous scene
before them.

Legolas' growl of annoyance matched the groan of discovery by his love.
"If we don't look, surely this would all be a fleeting nightmare. Just
ignore them," Larien whispered upon his kiss-swollen lips.

"If we were but so lucky," Legolas hissed, stealing one more kiss. After
all, the twins had now discovered their secret and their well kept
relationship would be all over Rivendell by nightfall and all over the
countryside by morning. Aragorn would keep mute, but find it highly
amusing.

"How long has this been occurring? No wonder her aim has not improved,
for her aim is not upon the target but something other," Elrohir jested
with a laugh as the couple slowly separated.

"Would you wish for her to challenge you?" Legolas shot back, a touch
annoyed at the crass suggestion, even though it was meant with no
malice, just a friendly nudging.

Larien soundly elbowed the blonde Elf in the ribs. "Legolas, what in all
of Arda are you doing?" she whispered.

"This-has been going on for nearly three months," Larien stated, nodding
to Legolas beside her and gently touching his arm, holding her chin high
as Aragorn smiled his approval.

"...And this has been going on for the past two weeks," Legolas
reiterated, pointing to the arrows hitting center target upon the
differing distances.

Elladan and Elrohir eyed the targets and nodded their heads. "Probably a
lucky shot," Elladan smiled disarmingly.

"Would you like to challenge her?" Legolas asked once more while Larien
rolled her eyes and thought about how males so enjoyed these little
shows of power from time to time and how damned annoying they were.

"I'll accept. Now what would be my prize if I win?" Elladan mused.

Suddenly Larien spoke up. "If you win? Well, that will not happen.
However, if I win, you will keep the secret of Legolas and my
relationship a little longer... so Thranduil will not interfere," she
insisted, feeling the blonde Elf stiffen at her words.

Though the words were true, Legolas had not wanted his father to hear of
their love for one another for his conniving hand would undoubtedly
scheme to disturb them or disrupt their relationship. Hearing them
spoken aloud to others, from his lover's lips had startled him.

"You have my word... though you will surely lose," Elladan bowed, before
taking his place upon the line and drawing his bow, notching his arrow
and letting the projectile hit the farther most target just a breath off
center for the wind had carried it slightly.

"I wager on Larien to win," Aragorn spoke up, looking at Elrohir.

Elrohir narrowed his eyes critically as he watched the beautiful Elf's
golden hair sway seductively in the breeze before Legolas stepped
forward and casually brushed it behind her ears. "I agree...the beauty
over the loud, obnoxious beast," the twin spoke up loud enough for his
brother to hear and grunt his displeasure.

Remembering the words, which Legolas had burned into her brain, Larien
calmed herself and trusted on her new found instincts and let the arrow
fly. This time it did not hit dead center as before but just below
Elladan's own arrow.

"Damn," Larien muttered, then felt strong, familiar hands rest upon her
shoulders.

"See, you did beautifully," Legolas smiled with pride.

Shaking her head in objection, she sighed. "I did not do good enough,"
she said with annoyance at herself.

"Your arrow rests nearly with mine. I say you did a superb job," Elladan
spoke up, then coughed as he looked to the ground while Legolas brushed
a kiss against Larien's cheek.

"Legolas has taught you well," Aragorn stated with a nod of approval.
"Do not be so harsh upon yourself for none of us could do better in this
ill wind."

Larien reluctantly nodded her thanks and then smiled softly. "We should
hurry if we are going to hunt fresh game for tonight's dinner. It will
be a grand occasion indeed," Elrohir urged, turning his gaze to his
brother who nodded in silent agreement of unspoken words.

"Occasion?" Legolas asked in confusion.

"Most definitely...two of our dearest friends have found one another. Is
that not an occasion to celebrate? Most discreetly of course so that
nobody else finds out the secret," Elladan smiled warmly, bowing to
Legolas and Larien, silently pledging his silence as his brother did the
same.

Legolas placed his hand to his heart and bowed in return before the
three visitors clasped him on the shoulder and kissed Larien upon the
cheek in their passing. Loud chuckling and a jostling of playful shoves
between the twins made the two lovers turn to watch the retreat.

"Yet another two felled by love's most delicate touch. Should we worry,
brother?" Elladan loudly jested, turning about to walk backwards to gain
view of Legolas and Larien with their amused smiles.

Elrohir sighed most loudly and most put upon. "Yes, we should be ever
vigilant so as not to be snared unwittingly," the other dark haired twin
insisted as Aragorn shook his head in exasperation.

Suddenly Elladan stopped in his tracks and silently raced back to
Legolas and Larien. "I would not have spoke one syllable of this joining
for I know why you wish to keep it from Thranduil. On that I pledge my
life," he said with great sincerity, then bowed his head before turning
back to join the retreating figures as they disappeared into the
undergrowth.

"This contest shall be a draw...next time I shall win!" Elladan shouted
before being obscured from sight.

Legolas smiled and clasped Larien's hand in his and brought it to his
mouth, brushing his lips against the inside of her wrist. "In time, I
vow to you we shall shout this union from the peaks of the highest
mountains," he swore, gazing lovingly into her dark eyes.

"I know, I do not worry about such. We shall outsmart your father and
not allow him to interfere or work his wily ways to tear us apart," she
whispered, brushing her fingers against his cheek.

"He will not win, even if he tried," the blonde warrior said with deep
conviction before kissing his love's lips.

~~*~~
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