After one final knock on the door, Legolas pushed it open. "Erestor? Glorfindel?" Peering in, he looked back over his shoulder to Haldir and Elodien, who was shivering from the cold. Beckoning them to follow him, the three entered the cottage to find it pitch black, and devoid of any heat.

"Where could they be?" wondered Legolas as he hurried to start a fire. The snow was coming down heavily now, and there was little sense in turning back around to the First Homely House. They had been sent out with a basket of breads and sweats from Celebrian, but found a deserted house instead.

Haldir rubbed his hands together and then pressed them against Elodien's cheeks to warm her up, shrugging in answer to Legolas' question. "I'll find candles, I think they keep them in the kitchen," he said, stomping the snow from his shoes. He left Elodien to remove her cape and hood after tossing his own cloak over the banister to dry. Upon finding the candles and flint to light them with, he paused, noting a scrap of paper on the table. "Legolas, what is the day?"

"The fourteenth," he called back. "Why?"

Picking up the paper, he entered the sitting room and read, "Fin-love, on the fourteenth we have been asked to the house for dinner. If it isn't too much trouble, could you bake two or three pecan pies? I know you aren't particularly fond of them, but apples are too far out of season..." Haldir trailed off, laughing as Legolas sniffed the air. "He didn't make pecan pie," he said with a grin.

"Apple," smiled Legolas, sniffing again. "And peach."

Elodien raised the curtain and looked outside. "I think we might be stuck here for the night," she said. "I can't believe Glorfindel and Erestor will try to come home through all of this, either."

"That," said Legolas, "is a shame."

Dropping the curtain back, Elodien walked toward him, cheeks still glowing pink from their journey. "And why is it a shame?"

"Because we have this whole basket of treats that will go to waste," he pouted. "And, I brought along a bottle of wine, but it will be no good except with these sweat breads."

Folding back the cloth that covered the basket, Haldir pulled out the hidden bottle and smirked. "Now, that is truly a shame. Whatever shall we do?"

The trio soon found that curling up with one another on the thick rug before the fire was just the thing to do when one was trapped in a cottage with wine and a basket of sweets. They didn't indulge too heavily, leaving some of the bread for the morning, but the wine was finished as soon as the last crumb of their meal had vanished.

"Shall we retire?" asked Legolas as the embers began to die down in the fireplace. He was sitting up against the wall, his legs straight out. Elodien's were up over his, while she leaned against Haldir, and he against the table, a blanket wrapped around the both of them for she was shivering slightly.

"To where?" asked Elodien. "The fire is here or in the bedroom, and is it right to sleep in their bed?"

Legolas shrugged. "We'll change the sheets," he said with a wink. "Besides, we promised your grandfather, and so nothing shall happen."

Elodien looked a little forlorn as Legolas put out the fire and then helped her to her feet. The trio made their way up the stairs, Haldir lighting the way with a candle, to the cozy bedchambers. Again, there was a fireplace here, and Legolas readied it while Haldir turned down the sheets. Elodien pulled the blanket tightly around her body, peeking out the glass doors to the porch. "It's very cold tonight."

"A lucky thing we have each other to keep ourselves warm, little princess," answered Legolas, and he smiled to her as she turned to meet his gaze.

Elodien rubbed reached her hand, still wrapped in the blanket, up to the window and rubbed around in a circular motion. "I fear if we all sleep together tonight, it will spoil me for the many nights to come."

"What if we promise not to touch you?" suggested Haldir as he approached her from behind, nuzzling her neck.

"Mmmm… don't you dare," Elodien purred as she snuggled back, closer to Haldir. "I won't be able to sleep, you know."

"Why not?" he asked, casually pushing the blanket down so that he could kiss her neck.

Shivering again, she said, "I'm just so..." Haldir smirked at Elodien's inability to find the word she was looking for. "…frustrated."

"Is that all?" Haldir continued to press kisses on her skin, sliding the blanket down off of her shoulders to get to the lacing on the back of her dress. "I think we can manage to help you with that."

"Yes, but, what of the times when neither of you are around? You are often working, and Legolas is away for great stretches of time. I find myself longing for you both, and have no relief from it."

"I am there for you every evening," answered Haldir as Elodien's dress slid from from her shoulders.

"But sometimes," confided Elodien, turning and rubbing her cheek against his chest, "sometimes, I don't crave you in the evening."

Haldir chuckled, pushing her dress down further. Legolas had finished with the fire and was now seated in the corner, watching appreciatively. "I make it a point to be available often in the morning and afternoon," Haldir reminded her.

"But not always," she said, letting the tips of her fingers roam across his arm.

"Not always," sighed Haldir. "But I enjoy my work. Not as much as I enjoy you," he said quickly, narrowly avoiding being slapped.

"Good answer," smiled Elodien, settling her hand upon his chest, and she began to unfasten the clasps of his shirt. "You must understand, though it has been years since either of you have engaged in such carnal pleasures, for me it has been much longer."

Smiling as his shirt was pushed down his back and tossed to the floor, Haldir said, "Dear one, it is mere months before our bonding. Until that time, there is nothing that keeps you from taking matters into your own hands," he suggested with a smirk.

"What?" Elodien's eyes nearly bugged from her head. "Oh, no! I could never!"

Confused by her sudden change in attitude, Haldir replied, "Why not? I will admit, shamelessly, that I cannot help but to do so. Legolas, I am sure, partakes as well." In the corner, Legolas smirked guiltily and nodded his head.

"Oh, but you could cause harm!" Elodien exclaimed.

For a moment, Haldir gave Legolas a concerned look, but then he asked, "What was it your mother told you? That the tips of your ears would fall off or that you would go blind?"

"Neither," Elodien said, in a small and slightly terrified voice. "She said it could... cause things to... " Looking away from them she said, "…dry up and fall off."

Haldir threw his arms upwards and rolled his eyes. "Arwen, Arwen, Arwen," he said, shaking his head. "You just had to listen to your father, didn't you?" he asked of the heavens. Legolas had buried his face in his hands so that it appeared he too was disbelieving, but in reality, it was to cover his silent laughter. "Elodien, darling, get undressed," coaxed Haldir after his had finished his discussion with the ceiling. "Legolas, I need your chair. Don't pout, I need your help, too," he said as Legolas brought the high backed wooden chair to him.

Undressing rapidly, Haldir picked up a thick animal skin from the end of the bed in one hand and the chair in the other. Haldir set the chair down facing a large mirror which was attached to the wall. After throwing what he determined to be a bear skin over it, he sat on the fur-covered seat. Reaching his hand out to Elodien, he gazed at her until she slowly approached him and took hold of his hand. He smiled warmly as he pulled away the blanket to reveal her soft, flushed skin. The blanket was handed to Legolas as Haldir placed Elodien gently in his lap.

It was an odd thing for Elodien to look before her and see him when she felt him behind and beneath. Even stranger was her own reflection, staring back with uncertainty.

Haldir wrapped one arm under her thigh, causing her to be lifted up a little at an angle which exposed her even further. Her eyes were glued to the mirror as Haldir took her hand in his free one and brought it down toward the swell that flowered between her legs. "There are many ways you can please yourself without one of us," came Haldir's voice in her ear. He positioned her fingertips just above her heated flesh. "On the surface, and within."

Elodien bolted up from the chair, shocking them both. "I... I don't think I want to do this," she said, and she grabbed the blanket she had wrapped herself in. Moments later, she was running down the stairs.

"Alright, what did I do?" asked Haldir as he donned his leggings and shirt once more. Legolas shook his head. "I'll be right back."

"Shall I accompany you?" asked Legolas, but Haldir shook his head as he left the room.

It was not difficult to locate Elodien, who had gone back to the sitting room. With the fire extinguished and the heat rapidly diminishing, she was huddled in one of the chairs, wrapped in the blanket. "Elodien, I'm sorry, whatever I did."

"It isn't you, it's me," she answered, in a small sorrowful voice. "I listened to everything mama said, even the most ridiculous things. She told me if I swam unclothed in the river, I'd grow a tail. Stupid me, I never swam anywhere naked, but I see others doing it all of the time here. I just... well..."

"It's fine, don't worry," said Haldir, crouching down in front of her. "I won't make you do a thing, not unless you're ready and not unless you want to. But let's go up, it's cold here, and I would still like very much to relieve your frustrations."

Casting a look to the ground, Elodien nodded, and the pair went back up to the room. Legolas had settled everything back into its place in the room and was tending to the fire. Leading Elodien to the bed, Haldir was stopped as she placed her hand upon his chest. "Please, let me watch," she whispered to him. Haldir nodded and motioned for Legolas to come to them as he removed the blanket from around Elodien once again.

Legolas pulled Elodien into his arms, his hands moving down to hold her hips as she pressed her back against his chest. Together they watched as Haldir slowly stripped his clothing from his body, not because he thought anything of it, but because he was tired. It was a delightful show, especially for Elodien, who was able to watch as Legolas nipped her neck and bit the tips of her ears.

Pulling the wooden chair from the corner to the mirrored panel, Haldir took the pelt that was hung over the end of the bed and draped it over the chair. He sat down, spreading his legs off to either side, and beckoned Elodien to him, patting the exposed bit of the chair that she should sit down.

Her eyes watched the reflection as she sat down, once more being tilted and exposed. Elodien kept her eyes open as much as she was able, listening to Haldir's soft words as his fingers tended to her arching body, touching and teasing her. They fluttered across her skin, and then stopped to pinch and tug as her panting increased.

When Legolas joined them, Haldir drew he up so that her legs draped over his, displaying her swollen need in the mirrored glass. Knelt on the floor, Legolas used his mouth a little, but when he discovered how much he was blocking her from seeing, he switched quickly to using his hands and alternately blowing cold or warm air upon her.

Haldir was keeping his hands busy upon her breasts, and his mouth on her neck. The first groan was released as Elodien observed Legolas positioning his long fingers right at her wet opening. Slowly, he slid his fingers in, and Elodien watched as they disappeared into her, feeling them at the same time. Shamelessly, she began to meet his thrusts, keeping her eyes fixed on the mirror.

"Do you know what we could get for you?" questioned Haldir as Elodien's moans became more and more needy. "Do you see that candle over yonder?" Elodien nodded. "If we found one a little longer, and a little thicker, you would have something to ride upon while we are away from you. You could slide it in and out, slow or swift, gently or rough. Imagining with every thrust you aren't alone." She nodded and whimpered as his tongue sought out the shell of her ear. "Of course, if you wanted, I'm sure we could find a pair of them."

Elodien cried out as her mind sorted the words, her inner muscles gripping Legolas. Her climax was punctuated her own voice, mewling and gasping in satiation. As she shuddered and fell limp, Legolas removed his fingers, licking them clean as Haldir lifted Elodien up and into his arms. Placing her into the bed, he crawled in alongside her, kissing her face lightly until she dozed off. Legolas joined them after removing his garments and checking the fire one last time, wrapping himself around the side of Elodien that Haldir was not on.

It was in the early morning hours that Elodien awoke, finding Haldir sleeping and Legolas in restful reverie. Not wanting to wake them, she delighted in finding that her hands were more than free, and she reached down in curiosity, touching the slight mound between her legs. With a gasp, she looked again, finding them both as she had left them. Biting her lip, she started to explore further, first rubbing herself along the outside, and when she felt her fingers getting a little damp, she went further.

Plunging into her own depths with her fingers, she leaned her head further back and stretched her legs out. Her hips began to move, and as she thrust with one hand, her other hand awoke and moved over the rest of her body, feeling its way over her soft skin. Her climax was swift, and though it was nothing compared to what her two slumbering lovers could do to her, it was something to remember at times like these when she needed to quickly ease her frustrations.