A week later, Glorfindel and the border patrol returned and with the Elda's arrival came a measure of peace and quiet. At least, peace and quiet relative to the usual tumult that oft followed in the twins and Legolas' wake. Taking pity on his colleagues, Glorfindel set out to make his presence more strongly felt than he'd previously done.
Restrained by the golden captain's watchful presence, the young Elves turned to other activities in which to expend their bottomless energies. Thus, one day's passage found them in the thickly forested hills to the east of the house, putting their tracking skills to the test. Legolas grumbled as he sought for signs of Elladan's passage. The twins were good trackers but even better at eluding those who tracked them. It mortified him that he, a forest savvy Wood-elf, was having such a difficult time picking up the older twin's trail. He wondered how Heledir and Mithrael were doing in their pursuit of Elrohir. Just then he heard a muffled sound.
Grinning, he did not stop to consider that Elladan would never make so much noise as to give away his location. The prince silently crept through the brush towards the direction of the sound. He reached out and parted the thick shrubbery before him.
A small clearing, veiled by hanging vines and thick brush, was revealed to him. Yet it was not the clearing that snagged his attention but what was occurring in it.
Upon a dark cloak were two Elves, their naked bodies unmistakably locked in utmost intimacy. Legolas' first reaction was embarrassment at having inadvertently intruded on such a private moment. His next reaction was considerably less calm. Both Elves were dark-haired, comely and—Legolas suddenly realized with patent shock— undeniably, unrelentingly male.
Legolas first dazed thought was, So that's how it's done. He was not aware of any relationships in the Greenwood concerning Elves of the same kind, much less knew just how coupling was achieved between them. His second more lucid thought was, I know them! The two Elves were Daurin and Enedrion. But how can this be? Legolas wondered distractedly. Daurin is courting Almariel. His third now fully coherent thought was, I have to get out of here!
He propelled himself so hastily out of the bushes that he failed to see where he was going and ended up colliding with Elladan who had sneaked around to catch the prince by surprise. The older twin gasped as he was felled by an armful of panicking flaxen-haired Elf.
"What are you doing, Leg--?!" he yelped only to have a frantic hand clapped gracelessly over the lower half of his face, momentarily cutting off both his sentence and his air supply.
"Sshh, come away at once, Elladan," Legolas hissed, pulling the twin to his feet and forcibly leading him away.
When they were a decent distance away from the clearing, Legolas came to a halt. Elladan peered at him wonderingly, noting his reddened complexion.
"What is wrong?" he queried with concern.
"I-I saw Daurin and Enedrion together," Legolas stuttered. "In that-that clearing yonder."
Elladan blinked uncomprehendingly. "So?" he prodded.
Legolas swallowed hard. "I mean, together—as in intimately," he clarified .
Elladan stared at him then unexpectedly grinned. "Oh," he chuckled. "No wonder you were embarrassed! Really, those two ought to be more discreet."
"Discreet?" Legolas echoed. "Is that all you have to say?" At Elladan's blank response, he blurted out, "Elladan! They are both male!"
Enlightenment finally descended upon Elladan but it was not the kind Legolas had expected. The raven-haired Elf shook his head and remarked musingly, "Ai, you are not used to this. I had forgotten that 'tis not allowed in Eryn Galen."
Legolas stared at him. "You mean you are not shocked?" he gasped.
Elladan hesitated then decided to be open with the prince. It would be ridiculous to try and skirt the issue when Legolas had already been introduced to it and in such a precipitous manner yet. He shrugged and said: "Nay, why should I be? Really, Legolas, surely you know that even amongst your warriors, 'tis permitted to help a comrade find release when they are far from the comforts of home."
The prince gulped at the other Elf's straightforward manner. "I am well aware of that, Elladan. But 'tis only done in extreme need and all they do is-is--" he could not continue his sentence in his discomfiture.
"Fondle each other in the dark," Elladan finished for him making the archer flush an even brighter crimson. "Nonetheless, 'tis still a way of pleasuring a fellow male."
"But they weren't just touching! Enedrion was--I mean, Daurin--that is, they should not--"
"Do calm down, cunneth," Elladan said smoothly. "'Tis most unbecoming of Thranduil's son to be so pitifully inarticulate."
Legolas drew a deep breath then blew it out. "How can Daurin do this?" he demanded. "He is courting Almariel, is he not?"
Elladan nodded with maddening, to the prince, equanimity. "He is having some difficulty making up his mind whom to choose," he explained. "Not that I blame him. Almariel and Enedrion are equally attractive."
"But Enedrion is male!"
"Of course, Enedrion is male," a voice interrupted. "I thought that was established at his birth." Elrohir emerged from the cover of trees trailed by Heledir and Mithrael. From the expressions on his friends' faces, Legolas guessed they hadn't had any more luck tracking Elrohir than he had Elladan. "Why are you discussing Enedrion's gender?" the younger twin asked.
Elladan smiled faintly. "Not his gender, muindor, but his 'activities'. Legolas just saw him and Daurin--together."
Elrohir frowned, obviously cognizant of his brother's meaning. "Daurin should make his choice soon. He cannot straddle the fence forever. He will end up hurting one or the other."
"Aye, I suspect Enedrion's feelings run deeper than he lets on," Elladan agreed.
Heledir looked as much at sea as Legolas had earlier but, to Elladan's relief, Mithrael nodded in comprehension. Finally, a Greenwood Elf who actually knew something about the world beyond the constricting borders of his forest!
"But why this interest in Enedrion's affairs?" Elrohir asked, puzzled.
Elladan glanced at Legolas. "Our ernil taur cannot conceive of such close intimacy between two Elves of the same kind," he explained.
Elrohir's only reaction was a simple, "Oh." The look he exchanged with his brother was one of mingled amusement and slight alarm. Like Elladan, he, too, had forgotten about the proscription on such pairings amongst the Silvan Elves of Greenwood.
"How can I?" Legolas said defensively. "'Tis not a thing done in Eryn Galen!"
"Oh, yes, it is," Mithrael said unexpectedly. "'Tis just that those who feel differently keep themselves hidden for fear of censure or reprisal."
Legolas and Heledir stared at their fellow Wood-elf in surprise. "How do you know that?" Heledir challenged.
Mithrael rolled his eyes. "I can see, can't I?" he pointed out. "Just because I bury my nose in books, as you so often tease me, does not mean I'm blind. Which is more than I can say for some Wood-elves I know!"
As the twins chortled at the well-placed jibe, Legolas and Heledir both turned a nice shade of red. Heledir managed a weak grin but Legolas was patently abashed. He had always prided himself on taking an interest in a variety of subjects. That he should be considered ignorant about this matter did not sit well with him even if the matter was disquieting to say the least.
"Then—then, you do not consider their behavior—unnatural?" he ventured uneasily.
Seeing that Elladan had already taken the same course, Elrohir decided to be honest with his friend as well even if it caused him unease. "What I find unnatural is Almariel's lack of jealousy," he said seriously. "She does not seem troubled that Daurin should be on such intimate terms with Enedrion and withholds what her rival gives so freely."
Elladan suggested: "Mayhap she thinks to whet Daurin's appetite enough to force him into finally making a choice in her favor. After all, what is forbidden is oft thought the sweetest and therefore the more desirable."
"Mayhap. But enough talk about this dubious triangle. 'Tis time we went back lest Glorfindel suspect us of planning the worst."
But Legolas held back, frowning in confusion. "I do not understand," he said. "Are you saying that bindings between Elves of the same kind are permitted here?"
The brethren took a moment to silently seek each other's counsel before Elladan nodded. "And in Lorien and Lindon, aye," he confirmed.
Taken aback at first, the prince paused to calm his jumbled thoughts and feelings. He exhaled slowly. "It seems I have been kept in the dark about a few things," he murmured.
"You are not alone," Heledir muttered, his cheeks still a little rosy.
Elrohir thoughtfully regarded his friend who seemed embarrassed by his ignorance and at the same time disconcerted by the topic of their conversation. "Such passions are prohibited in Eryn Galen. 'Tis natural that you would not readily know about them, mellon nîn," he said kindly. "Do not feel shamed by this."
Legolas nodded slowly. "But Mithrael is right," he conceded. "I have been blind. I must open my eyes if I am to learn all that I can."
Elrohir smiled and linked his arm with the prince's. "Then you have already learned a most valuable lesson, meldir," he reasoned. "This experience, however shocking it may have been for you, has not been in vain."
Legolas had to grin at the younger twin's observation. "Aye, it has not."
Doing his best to put the disturbing incident behind him, the Elf-prince set his mind to enjoying what remained of the day with his friends.
That evening, the twins sought Glorfindel and Erestor's advice. Other young Elves might feel so much trepidation at making such an admission as to not be able to do it at all but neither twin was known to run from the truth no matter how discomfiting or shy from criticism regardless of its harshness. As such, they recounted the events that had led to Legolas' unexpected though still limited enlightenment, leaving nothing out even to their own responses.
"We know Thranduil did not want Legolas to find out so soon about this matter," Elladan concluded. "But we could hardly deny what he had seen with his own eyes."
Elrohir added: "And we did not think it fair or wise to mislead him into thinking 'twas an unnatural act amongst our kindred."
Glorfindel nodded. "You did right in making it clear that 'tis accepted in all the elven realms save Greenwood," he agreed. "But 'twas also prudent of you not to elucidate the matter any further. 'Twould be best if Legolas learned about this gradually." He glanced at Erestor, mutely seeking the other Elf's opinion.
The auburn-haired steward sighed resignedly. "'Tis sooner than Thranduil would have liked but, as you said, Legolas had to be told something of the old tradition," he murmured. "I only hope his next lesson does not come as precipitately as this one did. He will need time to come to terms with this newfound knowledge. I would that he be granted it ere he must learn more of our kindred's ancient ways."
"We will not speak any further of it if we can help it," Elrohir assured them.
"But neither can we hold our tongues should he ask us directly for more information," Elladan pointed out. "'Tis his right and duty to know all there is to be known about the history of our peoples."
"Agreed," Glorindel said. "Let us only hope that when that time should come, the young prince will be ready for the full revelation of it." He looked keenly at the twins. "I trust that should the task fall to you that you will educate him to the best of your abilities?"
"Of course, Glorfindel," Elrohir replied softly. "We only want what is best for him."
When they had gone the two counsellors shared a rueful gaze. "I suppose it was too much to ask that nothing of great import would occur during the prince's visit," Erestor wryly remarked.
"Definitely too much to ask," Glorfindel conceded with a faint smile. "Particularly since he keeps such constant company with the twins."
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Chapter end notes: cunneth - princeling
ernil taur - forest prince
