Disclaimer-No canon characters were harmed in the creation of this story.
And I'm not getting paid for it, either. If I was, I wouldn't be posting
it here, now, would I?
"Mithsewwen, come. We are needed. Strangers approach Lorien," Imtholwen announced dramatically. My sister did everything dramatically. 'Twas very annoying, but part of what makes her, her. And I love her, even when she sticks her head in my room and interrupts my music. Though this time, I'll grant, she had good cause.
I put down my lute, grabbed my bow and quiver, and followed her out. "Are these the ones we are to watch for, from Rivendell?" I asked as we walked.
Imtholwen stopped short. "How did you know about that?" she demanded.
I sighed. Much my elder, Imtholwen insists on underestimating me. "My sister, I serve the Lady. My ears do not stop working while I serve."
She snorted. "So long as your tongue does not start working while you serve," she muttered. When I was younger, this would have started an argument between us. As the years pass, it gets easier to let my sister's comments go. Perhaps I am mellowing.
"You have not answered my question, Imtholwen," I pointed out.
"That is because I do not know. All Haldir told me was to gather defenders and make ready, for strangers approach. If you wish to know more, you shall have to ask him," she said.
"Oh, I will," I determined. Imtholwen rolled her eyes. Haldir intimidates her, though she will never admit it, and she does not understand that he has no such effect on me. I respect him, and obey him as Marchwarden, and even like him as a friend and colleague, but he holds no sway over my thoughts as he does my sister's. I think, were they both younger, Imtholwen would have asked Haldir to marry her.
However, my sister's love life was not my primary concern. As we walked through Caras Galadhon, gathering more defenders, I pondered the strangers. Had they been orcs, Imtholwen would have known and told us to prepare for battle. Every defender in Lorien would be called, rather than the small force that gathered on Cerin Amroth. Since that was not the case, they could not be orcs. I knew of nothing else that would approach Lorien. Stories of our "haunted wood" have spread far and wide, so I understand, thus mortals avoid it. This suits the Galadrim well, for we are not a sociable people. Therefore, logically, the strangers could only be those sent out from Rivendell. The more I thought, the more I became certain of my conclusion. Then Haldir joined us, and I abandoned my speculation to pay attention to the marchwarden.
"By now, you have all been told strangers approach the Golden Wood," he began without introduction. That is Haldir's way: to launch right into speaking and assume you know what he is talking about. Some of the younger elves find it terribly annoying. I am used to it.
"Who are these strangers?" I interrupted. I had a burning need to know if my supposition was correct.
"You will find that out when we meet them. For now, know that they are strangers. We are to watch and be wary," Haldir replied haughtily. For him to reprimand me in public was not unusual. For him to refuse to answer me this way was. That alone was enough to convince me something very big was happening.
"If you do not know, marchwarden, simply say so," I replied lightly. Just because change was coming to Lorien was no reason for me to let Haldir's remarks go uncommented. Besides, he and I are long accustomed to mutual teasing, and the defenders know it. For me to let his words go unacknowledged would alarm the others. While I had only hints dropped by my Lady to guess upon, they did not even have that, so I did not want them unnecessarily worried. Worried warriors are distracted warriors, and distracted warriors make fatal mistakes. I strongly felt that any such mistakes now would be far more than merely fatal.
Haldir glared at me. "IF you are done, Mithsewwen, we must take position before the strangers reach the Wood itself. We have no time to tarry here. All will be revealed soon enough."
I would have argued further, tried to tease the information I sought out of Haldir, and possibly succeeded, but the marchwarden turned to the practicalities of our "escort" (I could not make myself label it as ambush, though that was the plan in truth). I have many flaws, an irreverence for rank among them, but in matters military, I am well trained. To interrupt my captain in his planning, simply to satisfy my curiosity, would be not only rude but dangerous. Thus, I kept quiet, and listened to Haldir's instructions.
His brothers, Rumil and Orophin, had command of the sides and back of our "escort". Imtholwen and I wound up flanking Haldir in the front. Many defenders count this an honor, and it is, for only the best fighters can be placed near Haldir. But it is also a dangerous position, for Haldir attracts trouble the way flame attracts moths. To flank him is to be injured. My sister and I both bear many scars from this honor.
Once positions were assigned, the plan was sketched out. Basically, we were to hide and wait for Haldir's signal. A simple plan, as is Haldir's wont. He does not like unnecessary complications if he can avoid them. Knowing that, I have always wondered how he wound up marchwarden, as that job is nothing but complications. 'Tis nearly as bad as serving the Lady. Oh well, that was a thought for another time.
Plans made and understood, we made our way to the clearing in which were to intercept the strangers. There we waited. As we waited, I slipped into the state of stillness and awareness that Galadriel has taught all her handmaidens.
"My Lady?" I called in my mind. "Is there anything I need to know about these coming strangers?"
Her reply was long in coming. "Only that the fate of us all rests with them."
Well, that settled that, to my mind. I vowed then and there to do anything in my power, anything at all, to aid in this endeavor, even though I did not know exactly what was going on. To know was not my part. To serve was. If the Lady of the Wood said our hopes rested with the strangers, then I would help them in whatever small way I could.
"Mithsewwen, come. We are needed. Strangers approach Lorien," Imtholwen announced dramatically. My sister did everything dramatically. 'Twas very annoying, but part of what makes her, her. And I love her, even when she sticks her head in my room and interrupts my music. Though this time, I'll grant, she had good cause.
I put down my lute, grabbed my bow and quiver, and followed her out. "Are these the ones we are to watch for, from Rivendell?" I asked as we walked.
Imtholwen stopped short. "How did you know about that?" she demanded.
I sighed. Much my elder, Imtholwen insists on underestimating me. "My sister, I serve the Lady. My ears do not stop working while I serve."
She snorted. "So long as your tongue does not start working while you serve," she muttered. When I was younger, this would have started an argument between us. As the years pass, it gets easier to let my sister's comments go. Perhaps I am mellowing.
"You have not answered my question, Imtholwen," I pointed out.
"That is because I do not know. All Haldir told me was to gather defenders and make ready, for strangers approach. If you wish to know more, you shall have to ask him," she said.
"Oh, I will," I determined. Imtholwen rolled her eyes. Haldir intimidates her, though she will never admit it, and she does not understand that he has no such effect on me. I respect him, and obey him as Marchwarden, and even like him as a friend and colleague, but he holds no sway over my thoughts as he does my sister's. I think, were they both younger, Imtholwen would have asked Haldir to marry her.
However, my sister's love life was not my primary concern. As we walked through Caras Galadhon, gathering more defenders, I pondered the strangers. Had they been orcs, Imtholwen would have known and told us to prepare for battle. Every defender in Lorien would be called, rather than the small force that gathered on Cerin Amroth. Since that was not the case, they could not be orcs. I knew of nothing else that would approach Lorien. Stories of our "haunted wood" have spread far and wide, so I understand, thus mortals avoid it. This suits the Galadrim well, for we are not a sociable people. Therefore, logically, the strangers could only be those sent out from Rivendell. The more I thought, the more I became certain of my conclusion. Then Haldir joined us, and I abandoned my speculation to pay attention to the marchwarden.
"By now, you have all been told strangers approach the Golden Wood," he began without introduction. That is Haldir's way: to launch right into speaking and assume you know what he is talking about. Some of the younger elves find it terribly annoying. I am used to it.
"Who are these strangers?" I interrupted. I had a burning need to know if my supposition was correct.
"You will find that out when we meet them. For now, know that they are strangers. We are to watch and be wary," Haldir replied haughtily. For him to reprimand me in public was not unusual. For him to refuse to answer me this way was. That alone was enough to convince me something very big was happening.
"If you do not know, marchwarden, simply say so," I replied lightly. Just because change was coming to Lorien was no reason for me to let Haldir's remarks go uncommented. Besides, he and I are long accustomed to mutual teasing, and the defenders know it. For me to let his words go unacknowledged would alarm the others. While I had only hints dropped by my Lady to guess upon, they did not even have that, so I did not want them unnecessarily worried. Worried warriors are distracted warriors, and distracted warriors make fatal mistakes. I strongly felt that any such mistakes now would be far more than merely fatal.
Haldir glared at me. "IF you are done, Mithsewwen, we must take position before the strangers reach the Wood itself. We have no time to tarry here. All will be revealed soon enough."
I would have argued further, tried to tease the information I sought out of Haldir, and possibly succeeded, but the marchwarden turned to the practicalities of our "escort" (I could not make myself label it as ambush, though that was the plan in truth). I have many flaws, an irreverence for rank among them, but in matters military, I am well trained. To interrupt my captain in his planning, simply to satisfy my curiosity, would be not only rude but dangerous. Thus, I kept quiet, and listened to Haldir's instructions.
His brothers, Rumil and Orophin, had command of the sides and back of our "escort". Imtholwen and I wound up flanking Haldir in the front. Many defenders count this an honor, and it is, for only the best fighters can be placed near Haldir. But it is also a dangerous position, for Haldir attracts trouble the way flame attracts moths. To flank him is to be injured. My sister and I both bear many scars from this honor.
Once positions were assigned, the plan was sketched out. Basically, we were to hide and wait for Haldir's signal. A simple plan, as is Haldir's wont. He does not like unnecessary complications if he can avoid them. Knowing that, I have always wondered how he wound up marchwarden, as that job is nothing but complications. 'Tis nearly as bad as serving the Lady. Oh well, that was a thought for another time.
Plans made and understood, we made our way to the clearing in which were to intercept the strangers. There we waited. As we waited, I slipped into the state of stillness and awareness that Galadriel has taught all her handmaidens.
"My Lady?" I called in my mind. "Is there anything I need to know about these coming strangers?"
Her reply was long in coming. "Only that the fate of us all rests with them."
Well, that settled that, to my mind. I vowed then and there to do anything in my power, anything at all, to aid in this endeavor, even though I did not know exactly what was going on. To know was not my part. To serve was. If the Lady of the Wood said our hopes rested with the strangers, then I would help them in whatever small way I could.