Elrond smiled as Ciendriel joined him in the sunlit alcove where he was breakfasting. He snapped his fingers and another Elf came running to bring her a plate of fruit and delicate confections. She smiled and thanked him, then turned her eyes to Elrond. She was dressed in a pale green gown that enhanced the freshness of her youth. There was a touch of high color in her cheeks, a sparkle in her, that made Elrond feel as old as his years... but also made him want to possess her.

“Good morning, my dear. You are a vision of enchantment. I think the clothing of Rivendell suits you. Won’t you sit down?”

“Thank you, Lord Elrond,” she said, sitting down on one of the soft, overstuffed cushions next to him. She looked at the berries on her plate, picked up one of them and pushed it between her ripe lips with a finger. She closed her eyes, clearly savoring the flavor. Elrond couldn’t tear his eyes from the unintentionally sensual gesture. Ciendriel opened her eyes, saw him watching, and pulled her finger out of her mouth.

“Where is Legolas this morning?” Elrond asked her, trying to sound pleasant and to keep his tone light.

She frowned. “I do not know. Perhaps you should ask Haldir.”

“Haldir?”

“Yes. You see, he so generously offered Legolas and I some wine last night, only he didn’t let us know that he’d seasoned it...”

“Seasoned?” Elrond asked. She was using a light tone, but this sounded ominous.

“With a certain herb known as Amordalis.”

“The aphrodisiac? Amordalis is not something to be trifled with. A small amount causes intense desire, a larger amount, illness and unconsciousness, and too great a dose can be deadly,” Elrond said.

Ciendriel nodded. She knew this already, he could see that in her impatient glance. He also knew that Haldir had not done this as any favor to Legolas and Ciendriel. The two of them certainly had not needed an aphrodisiac to desire each other, in any event. Elrond sighed. He didn’t even want to ask the next question.

“Did Haldir take advantage of you?”

“Yes. And...well, I don’t know where Legolas is.”

Elrond could guess. “I will go and search for him, personally. Forgive me, Ciendriel. I am mortified that you have suffered such atrocities under my roof. Your mother would have my head on a pike if she knew. Are you all right? Hurt in any way? Is there anything I may do...?”

“I am fine, I suppose. My lord, certainly this is not your fault. And I suppose I would not have found Haldir’s attentions unwanted if...if...” She blushed. “If I was not so very fond of Legolas.”

“Haldir took your choices away from you, and for this I am sorry. I will speak to him about his behavior.” Elrond sighed. This was going to make the news he had for her all the more devastating. “Speaking of your mother, I have had word from her.”

“You have?” The girl was shocked. “Is all well with her? Did she know I was here?”

“She always knows where you are, child. Just as I always know where my daughter, Arwen, is,” Elrond smiled at her. In that moment he could feel that his intentions towards her were fatherly, and assuage the guilt of desire. He could never touch her now, not after what Haldir had done. Not even if she were willing.

“What did she say?”

“She wishes you to go to see the Lady Galadriel of Lothlorien on your way to Mirkwood. It is not far out of the path of your journey. Unfortunately... your escorts to Lorien will be Haldir, Rumil, and Orophin.” Elrond wondered why Morgone had particularly requested the three of them to escort her daughter, but he didn’t voice this to Ciendriel. Of course, Morgone knew nothing of her daughter’s violation. He waited to see if Ciendriel would object, but she simply nodded.

“That may be difficult. But perhaps I should simply avoid allowing Haldir to prepare any drinks for me.”

Elrond laughed. “You are handling this situation better than many maids might have. Are you certain that you do not find this arrangement too odious? I could contact Morgone--”

“Please, do not trouble yourself, Lord Elrond. If my mother wishes them to take us to Lorien, so be it. I can handle Haldir. I will simply be more careful from now on. Really... I do not even dislike him. I simply feel pity for him, that he cannot use his charms rather than herbs to find himself a bed partner,” Ciendriel said frankly.

Elrond decided not to enlighten her to the fact that Haldir had shared his own bed without use of aphrodisiacs many times. “I will speak to him before you depart. He will treat you respectfully. I will insist upon it.”

“Thank you. Now please, I beg of you to find Legolas... I fear for what might have passed between him and Haldir last night. He may be less willing to have this escort to Lorien than I am.”

Elrond nodded. He rose, setting his plate aside, and took her hand in his own. His lips grazed her knuckles, then he quit the alcove to search for Legolas. His first stop would be Haldir’s bedchamber...

***

Ciendriel was out in Lord Elrond’s garden, helping herself to a few choice herbs, when she came across Angelica Headstrong. She smiled in invitation, and the Hobbit approached her with a reflection of her smile.

“Did you enjoy the banquet last night?” she asked Angelica.

“It was very nice...but I fear I have much on my mind,” Angelica said. She looked sad, then, and Ciendriel’s heart went out to her. She had wished she had spent more time getting to know the other female during their travels. She had been so lost in Legolas that she had practically ignored everyone else, and so she apologized.

“Don’t worry,” Angelica said smoothly, “I suppose I have been attached at the hip to Merry and Pippin...” she trailed off. “Well. Except for the last two nights. Frodo needed me...and then... well, I needed Sam.”

Ciendriel wasn’t completely sure she understood, but she nodded. “I know we are little more than strangers, but I truly wish to change that. If you need someone to talk with, I am a very good listener.”

“Thank you. It is... it is just that I saw you dancing with Haldir last night...”

“So I did.” Ciendriel set her mouth into a hard line as she thought of Haldir. She hadn’t decided yet how she felt about what had happened last night. She’d woken up feeling physically wonderful from the way he had treated her body, even against her will...but she had woken up alone, and that had irritated her almost more than his trickery, until she remembered that Legolas was the one who was supposed to be there in the first place, not Haldir.

She was worried about Legolas. She hoped Elrond would find him soon. She had already traveled every hallway of the palace, looked in every open room... and not found him.

“Yesterday...” said Angelica taking a deep breath.

“Yes?”

“Yesterday Haldir provided me with some...elfinwort.”

“Your memory has returned?” Ciendriel was open-mouthed with shock. “Why did you not say so?”

Angelica took Ciendriel’s hands into her small ones for a moment. “I do not want this adventure to end here in Rivendell. I suppose I wanted to continue on to Mirkwood. Ciendriel... I have nowhere else to go.”

“But...”

“I was from a small village called Hob’s Corners. I had... well, I had many suitors. Then one day, Haldir and some of his Elves arrived in the Corners. I had never seen Elves before... and... I was just absolutely enthralled with him. My father didn’t approve of this infatuation, but I carried on with Haldir anyway. Haldir never cared for me... he laughed when my father cast me out of my home. He wouldn’t take me with him. So I set out on my own...I didn’t get very far before something trampled me. I didn’t see what it was, so I don’t remember that...” Angelica stopped. “I just wanted to warn you. Haldir trifles with emotions for his own amusement.”

“I know,” Ciendriel said, taking a deep breath. “I only hope you will not judge all Elves by his actions.”

“Of course not,” Angelica said. “Nor even all males. I am not even angry with him. I know now that I didn’t... love... him any more than he loved me. I just wanted a new pleasure. Is that wrong, to enjoy pleasure?”

“Not from my point of view,” Ciendriel said frankly. “No Elf I have ever known has been much for denying it. Certainly not Haldir.”

She looked at Angelica and told her what had transpired the night before, and that she had not seen Legolas since then. The Hobbit’s small hands curled into fists.

“He’s a bastard.”

“I suppose.”

Angelica squinted at her. “You like him?”

“I don’t know. I can’t help thinking there is more to him than this surface. After all, Legolas claimed him as a friend.” Ciendriel but her lower lip.

“Just be wary of him. We cannot leave Rivendell too soon.”

“We are going from here to Lothlorien...with Haldir, and Rumil, and Orophin.”

“Heavens.”

“Yes. It is my mother’s wish that I go to see Lady Galadriel.”

“Very well. When do we leave?”

“I do not know. Tomorrow, perhaps. I shall have to speak to Legolas. After all, he is the leader of our expedition.”

“I will tell the boys, if you like,” Angelica said. “Ciendriel... about my memories...”

“I will not reveal you,” Ciendriel said. “And you are welcome in Ingra, if you have no where else to go at the journey’s end. I would be surprised, however, if you do not choose to make a home in Hobbiton.”

“I would like that,” Angelica said. “And I thank you, for your kind offer. I may take you up on it. I fear I have made a tangle of things with the others. As for not revealing me, that I appreciate beyond measure. I have confided in Frodo...but I am not ready to tell the others yet. Especially Merry and Pippin.”

“I understand.”

Angelica stood up and kissed Ciendriel on the cheek. “You are as good and kind as Haldir is bad and wicked.”

With those words, the Hobbit disappeared into the garden. Ciendriel put the herbs she had been collecting into a pocket of her gown. She rose to her feet and saw Haldir coming down the path just as Angelica rounded the bend. Haldir bowed to the Hobbit, but Angelica turned and punched him in the knee with enough force to cause him to stumble. Ciendriel laughed as Angelica stalked away.

Haldir heard her laugh and grinned cheekily at her, and that was enough to sober her up. She stood there, watching him walk towards her, looking splendid and golden in the sunlight despite the slight limp.

“Where is Legolas?” she growled.

“With Lord Elrond, I imagine.”

“Then, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go speak with him.”

She made to brush by him, but he grabbed her hand. “Are you running away from me, Ciendriel?”

“You are not my favorite Elf right now.”

“I will be, sooner or later.”

“I doubt that, Haldir of Lorien.” Ciendriel pulled her hand from his and headed back inside the palace.

***

“Angelica!”

“Where have you been, Angelica? We’ve been looking for you everywhere!”

“Merry, Pippin.” Angelica smiled. The two of them had the ability to raise her spirits no matter how low they had sunk. Talking to Ciendriel, and last night to Frodo, had helped to resolve her feelings over what had happened to her, but she needed to let go of her somber mood. She never had been a somber girl, but the experience with Haldir had dampened her naturally high spirits. Losing her memory had given her that back, momentarily, and she didn’t want to let go of the freedom she felt with Merry and Pippin.

“We found where the Elves grow the cherries!” Pippin squealed. His mouth was red-rimmed, stained with juice, and attested to that.

“It’s a beautiful place, Angelica,” Merry added. “You’ve got to see it.”

“All right, all right then!”

They grabbed her hands and led her off into the orchard, not to return for many hours.

***

Elrond stepped into Haldir’s bedroom, watching the blond elf who had been his lover retreating down the hall.

“Of course he’s here,” Haldir had said with his typical arrogance. “Where else would he be?”

Legolas Greenleaf lay face down in Haldir’s bed, naked and tousled. His hair was tangled. There were a few bruises on his pale flesh. He didn’t move, though surely he had heard the door open.

“Legolas?”

No answer came. Elrond went and sat on the edge of the bed. Legolas turned his head and looked at him with wide, blank blue eyes. His cheeks were wet with tears. He looked so beautiful and so vulnerable in that moment that it sparked an unquenchable desire in Elrond. He reached out and stroked the young Elf’s hair, gently combing it with his fingers. Then he bent and brought his mouth to Legolas’, kissing him commandingly. Stiff at first, Legolas eventually sighed and responded, but when the kiss ended, the words that followed were bitter.

“Come to have your turn at Haldir’s whore, Lord Pleasure Elf?”

“Legolas--” But his words brought shame into Elrond’s heart.

“I suppose I never will be anything more than that.”

Elrond did not wish to indulge this drama, nor was it his place to offer comfort, so he changed the subject. “Ciendriel is looking for you,” he said coolly, and withdrew his fingers from Legolas’ hair. “Think of her and not of yourself for a moment. She, too, suffered Haldir’s misplaced attentions last night, and she seems to be handling the situation far better than you are.”

“I will never be free of him. He tells me we are traveling to Lothlorien.”

“You have no obligation to go to Lothlorien. You can certainly take your cart full of Hobbits and go to on Mirkwood.”

“And Ciendriel?”

“Ah, so you think of her at last.”

“I have never stopped thinking of her, Lord Elrond.”

“Then get up from this bed and go to her. She worries for you, perhaps more than you deserve. Do not allow Haldir to come between the two of you. He will, if you allow it.”

Slowly Legolas sat up and looked steadily at Elrond. Elrond felt another jolt of desire for the young prince, but he hid it deep in his heart. He knew his words had stirred Legolas, for he could see fire begin to flash deep within the blue eyes.

“I will not allow it,” Legolas said forcefully.

Elrond smiled. He patted Legolas on the shoulder, then got up and left the chamber. His work here was done.