Title & Chapter Number: Dragon Fever 12/21
Author(s): - Author's Index
Fandom: LOTR
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction. The characters, settings, and languages used in this work are the property of the Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Enterprises, and possibly New Line Cinema, except for Elwen and other original characters who belong to this author. I make no money from this, more's the pity, considering the number of hours burning the midnight oil.
Warnings: Mild BDSM and non-consensual situations in a few chapters. Some het.
Betas: Many thanks to Caz and Dhvana for beta reading, and to friend Dhvana especially for advice, consultation, and moral support and to Dalogas for being my most thorough reviewer.
Cast: Legolas/Aragorn; Legolas/OCs; also Thranduil, Smaug, Gimli, Balin, and Gloin.
Timeline: In the Third Age of Middle Earth, shortly after The Hobbit.
Spoilers: None
Summary: Legolas tells Aragorn a story about a trip he once made to Esgaroth (Lake-town) with his lover, Elwen, a Rivendell elf. But something is rotten in Esgaroth and Legolas is forced to strike an unusual bargain. A mix of adventure, romance, humor, angst, and hot sex.
Notes: This is actually both a prequel and a sequel to "Ohtarnil: A Warrior Love." The first and last chapters (1 and 21) are sequels and take place shortly after the Fellowship leaves Lothlórien. However, most of the story takes place 73 years earlier when Legolas first becomes involved with my fictional character, Elwen. Feedback, as always, greatly appreciated.
Chapter 12 - Dinner with Dwarves
Early that evening, Legolas and Elwen knocked on Talagan's door and went in.
"You two look splendid," Talagan said, turning from the table where he had been writing. Legolas was dressed in a sky blue tunic and black velvet jerkin, while Elwen wore a white tunic embroidered in gold and black leaves and a deep purple jerkin. "Come in and sit for a moment," the seneschal said. "I'll tell you what I've found out."
"We met a dwarf in the market," Legolas said. "It seems the dwarves have also been aiding this town. You'd think with all this help, the pier would be finished, as well as the stockade that they said they needed."
Talagan smiled. "Yes, one would expect that. I think both the elves and the dwarves have been quite generous, don't you? But I spoke to someone who'd recently come from Dale. It appears they have rebuilt their dragon-destroyed town with timbers from Mirkwood. I imagine they also have nails, ropes, tools that have an elvish make."
"Hmm. I wonder how that happened?" Legolas smiled grimly. "Esgaroth stinks of rotten fish. Talagan, you might bring that agreement with you to dinner."
"It's right here in my satchel. And I have spoken to the dwarves, making our suspicions known. I think the way has been smoothed for us to ensnare Audun in a trap of his own making."
"You are a gem, Talagan. Has my father ever told you that?" exclaimed Legolas.
"Not enough," Talagan smiled. "Are you ready to break bread with the dwarves?"
"After you, Seneschal," said Legolas, holding out his hand.
~*~*~*~
Legolas, Elwen, Talagan, and Thrin entered the common room. Meril stood behind the bar, filling mugs with hot punch.
"Good evening," she said brightly.
Legolas went over and leaned on the bar. "Where's your father?"
"In the side room, there," Meril gestured with her chin as she hefted a tray. "We can leave for the festival when ya have concluded your business," she said.
"I'm looking forward to it, my lady." Legolas bowed.
Legolas opened the door to the private chamber located off the common room, and the four elves entered. The room was mostly taken up by a large table. Audun sat at the head, Thorvald to his right, two other men, and Goran. Along one side were seated three dwarves, one with a beard streaked with white, wearing white garments. He wore a richly figured silver necklace. Next to him sat the young dwarf they had met in the market that day. The dwarf next to him wore a bright red cloak and a gold necklace with a large ruby mounted in it. The dwarves all stood when the elves entered.
"Here we are," Audun said gruffly. "May I present the other two members of the Guild, Noak and Olef, and our delegation of dwarves from the Lonely Mountain: Balin, Glóin, and Glóin's son, Gimli." He turned to the dwarves, "My good dwarves, may I present Legolas, son of King Thranduil, members of his household, Talagan and Thrin, and Elwen of Rivendell."
Balin stood. "At your service," he said, putting his hand on his breast and inclining his head stiffly.
"At yours and your family's," said Legolas. He noticed that Balin and Talagan's gaze met and that Balin nodded. The elves sat opposite the dwarves and Legolas turned to the younger dwarf. "I believe we met this morning."
"Aye, I let ya practically steal that knife," said Gimli. "But business was slow this mornin' or I'd have driven a harder bargain."
Balin turned to Elwen. "Greetings, Elwen of Rivendell," he said. "I remember Elrond kindly as he aided our party on the quest to take revenge on Smaug. Please convey our greetings to him." Elwen nodded.
"I remember ya with less kindness, Prince," said Glóin, gruffly. "Ya might recall that while on that same journey, our company became lost in Mirkwood, and instead of aiding us, yer father threw us in his prison. Ya stood by his side as they dragged us in. I still smart with the memory of that humiliation."
"A truly regrettable misunderstanding," said Legolas. He leaned forward, his eyes flashing. "Which I believe we set right when we joined forces against the orcs and helped deliver Erebor into your hands."
"Not that ya had a choice," growled Glóin, also leaning forward. "Ya had intended to take our treasure by force."
"My good elves and dwarves," Audun said smoothly. "As painful as these past wrongs may be, and I'm sure there are centuries of bad blood, there is no need to dwell on them. Here comes our dinner."
Meril and Nissa came in with large trays of smoked fish, venison, greens, and bread, and mugs of mulled wine which they set on the table.
"I propose a toast," Legolas said, "that we overcome past distrust and move to future friendship and cooperation between all our peoples."
"Here, here," chorused voices and they drank and then began helping themselves to the food.
"So, what was it exactly that caused such great enmity between your peoples?" Thorvald asked, as he lifted a portion of fish onto his plate.
"There are many incidents," Talagan said. "None worth mentioning now."
"Aye, such as when King Thranduil failed to pay for that set of mail corselets he commissioned from Daín I," Glóin said.
"He did pay for them," Legolas growled, stabbing his fork into a piece of fish and lifting it to his plate. "Daín increased the agreed upon price and then wouldn't deliver the coats until the additional amount was paid. The dwarves started a needless war over it."
"We started it! Our history says the duplicitous elves did!" cried Gimli.
"I will not sit here and be insulted, dwarf!" Legolas stood up abruptly.
All three of the dwarves also leapt up. Gimli hefted an axe that was leaning against the wall. "Elves are not to be trusted!" he yelled. He took a swing at Legolas, who ducked swiftly.
In a move, catlike in its grace, Legolas pulled his knife from his scabbard and lunged across the table. He grabbed Gimli by the collar with one hand and held the knife to his neck with the other. "And dwarves are a hairy, undersized, greedy race of rockhumpers," he snarled.
Elwen and Thrin pushed back from the table in alarm. Talagan calmly took a sip of his drink.
Thorvald and Audun looked at each other with smug expressions. Their plan seemed to be working beyond their expectations. Perhaps, they'll just kill each other here, thought Audun, and solve all our problems.
Legolas and Gimli glared at each other, then Gimli's brows knit in puzzlement, "Rockhumpers?" he asked.
"Well, it is said that dwarves are born from stone, so it's the only explanation," Legolas said calmly, a slow smile spreading over his face. He relaxed his grip on the dwarf. Gimli looked at him a second, then threw his head back and roared with laughter. Legolas lowered his knife and smoothed the front of the dwarf's clothes with the flat of his hand.
"Remind me, Master Elf, not to tangle with ya in battle," Gimli said.
"Our races were always at our best when united against a common enemy," Legolas said, standing up straight, and looking at the men. He bowed slightly to Gimli. "Actually, I understand the dwarves have been quite generous over the last five years, aiding Esgaroth in their need."
"Aye," said Balin. "And I hear the elves have also."
"It's been in all our best interest to get this market functioning again," Talagan said. "But now it's time for Esgaroth to do their part."
They all sat down again.
"Have you been to Dale, recently, Audun?" Legolas asked, as he took a bite of fish.
"Not in a while," Audun said stiffly.
"We have," Glóin said, around a mouthful of food. "Curious, I noticed many supplies from Mirkwood had been used in the rebuilding. How generous of the elves to send them."
"Oh, but we didn't send anything to Dale," Legolas replied. "They didn't request it. Perhaps the Guild has an explanation."
They all turned to look at Audun.
"They needed to rebuild as well as we," Audun said quickly. "We, ah, shared the elves' largesse. We saw no harm in it."
"And the Guild made no profit from this?" Talagan said. All four of the Guild men looked at each other.
"I assure ya, we did not," Audun said.
"Another curious thing, then," said Balin, "I had a conversation with King Bard recently. He was complaining bitterly about the high prices the Guild had charged him for building supplies. He said it cost him dearly in his share of the dragon gold."
There was a long silence at the table.
"Did you really believe you could keep this secret, Audun?" Legolas said scornfully. "Now it's time to treat honestly with both your benefactors."
Balin drained his cup, then wiped his beard with a napkin. "Esgaroth and Erebor have always had good relations with one another. Until now." He looked pointedly at Audun. "We will be back tomorrow to work out our own trade agreement. Don't make the mistake of underestimating us." He rose from the table. "We thank ye for dinner and the 'stimulating' conversation."
The rest of the dwarves also stood up, as did the elves. They bowed to one another.
Gimli came around the table to stand by Legolas, looking up at him with twinkling eyes. "I like your style, Master Elf," he said. "I hope we have the good fortune to meet again." Legolas inclined his head and the dwarves left.
The elves all turned to stare at the men.
"I've had enough of this, Audun," Legolas snarled. "Talagan, do you have that agreement handy?"
"Yes, my lord," Talagan produced the parchment roll with a flourish.
Legolas shoved aside Audun's plate and slammed the paper down in front of him. "You and the rest of the Guild will sign this now," he said, "or by the Valar, my father will be at your door with a host of elven warriors."
Audun looked up at the furious elf and slowly smoothed out the document. "Give me a quill, Thorvald," he said. "It seems we have no choice in this."
They all signed. Talagan took the papers, blew on the signatures until dry and then rolled them up.
"Now Audun, we promised to escort your lovely daughters to a party," Legolas said evenly, "and I will not break a promise. Tomorrow morning, we depart. And Audun, you can expect a delegation here soon to investigate misappropriation of our aid to your fair town." Legolas bowed slightly and the elves left the room.
As they stepped out of the common room, Talagan tucked the parchment back in the satchel with grim satisfaction. Thranduil's son had come through for his people, just as he had said he would.
~*~*~*~
The other two Guild members, Noak and Olef rose. "This is a most unfortunate turn of events," Noak said. "I always said we shouldn't risk angering the elves. We will see ya in Council tomorrow morning." They also left.
Goran leaned back with a deep sigh. "Now what, Father?" he said.
Audun sat with bowed shoulders. "Well, we gambled and lost," he said. "We're going to have to hide all that gold before the elves show up. Let's go. We're expected to make an appearance at the celebration tonight."
"Perhaps, not all is lost," Thorvald said in his whispery voice, "We may find a way out of this yet. Let me think about it."
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