...:: The Reality ::...
It had been almost ten years since her death, but Haldir still missed
her terribly. He could remember every detail about the day that she
died. How she looked so helpless... her every thought which he thought
maybe would be the sadness of her song played, the beauty of her
sorrow etched forever deep within the lines of her skin. The tears she
didn't have the chance to cry, all of this remained fresh in his mind.
And it was his realization that he would never have her again and
would never find another like her. She was one in a million.
After her death, Legolas sailed to Valinor with Gimli. There was
nothing more for him to live for either, apparently. So, as it was,
Gimli and Legolas spent there days happily rested on the Undying
Lands. So many of the elves had made their way to Valinor that few now
remained in Middle-Earth. Only most of the Galadhrim and some from the
old kingdoms; everyone had had a choice to leave or stay. It was
Haldir's choice to stay incase Buffy were to come back. But, waiting
ten years, Haldir realized now, that she would never.
Rumil and Orophin watched their hopeless brother stagger around,
getting ready for the patrol and helping the group get their stuff in
order. "Orophin, does it seem strange to you that our brother did not
take that ship to Valinor ten years ago? You know, so he could get
away from all of this?" Orophin was strapping his gear down in his
pack when Rumil had said this, but he stopped to answer his brother.
"When you are in love with someone that much and he or she dies, it
takes a long time to heal." Rumil glanced over at his brother sadly.
"I wish that he could just find peace." Orophin nodded and continued
tying his pack together. "As do I, but the healing cannot be rushed."
The patrol set out, Haldir behind everyone making sure that
nothing was missed. Once they hiked up to their first mounting point
Haldir broke everyone off into teams for patrolling. "Alright. Rumil,
you take Gorgamin, Chauce, and Reexamine. Orophin, you take Yavieba,
Shellac, and Faradome. The rest of you, with me." They broke off into
their groups and prepared to camp until morning when they would
continue on with their patrols. All but Haldir could be seen at the
campfire that night discussing the old days. Haldir would have loved
to be able to sit there and not feel a terrible sadness, but that was
indeed, impossible. So he went to sit up on the hilltop watching over
them and listening to it all.
"Do you remember that one time we came across that town with
those men who were in love with us? Do you think they will still be
there?" Reexamine jabbed Shellac. "Every patrol you ask that same
question and every time we answer, 'Yes, Shellac, they will still be
there.' Why do you even bother to ask?" Shellac's face turned pink as
everyone laughed at the statement. "It is only because I am curious,
Reexamine. At least, I don't enjoy their company." More laughter.
Reexamine, now, turned red. "I do not enjoy their company, Shellac!"
Reexamine caught Shellac's head in a tight clamp and gave him a
noogie. Rumil glanced up overhead at his brother who had a big smile
on his face. It was infectious and he couldn't help but smile. Orophin
was the one who ended the bashing and everyone went off into their own
little area to sleep.
That morning, the groups had taken leave to the appropriate
towns with their group. Haldir led his into the nearby town, which was
very dangerous considering that the men were especially cruel to the
women here. He sent off two by their selves and he and Yenearsira went
off together. "You must be very careful in this town Yenearsira." The
young elf nodded his head in agreement. "Yes, Nikerym." Haldir looked
around and noticed that the town was very quiet; a little too quiet
for such a town. Haldir and Yenearsira approached what appeared to be
a barn and was shocked by the amount of yelling he could hear. He did
not open the door though; because it was only the two of them he did
not want to get anyone killed. He and Yenearsira went to seek back the
other two and then they proceeded to open the doors.
Shocked yet again, Haldir looked around at the room, letting
sink in every detail. Hundreds of men and women were yelling and
screaming to something that was in the middle of the crowd. Haldir
made signals for the others to circulate around and find out what was
going on. He, himself, walked around a bit, trying to get a glance at
the middle. He came up to a small man and tapped lightly on his
shoulder. "Sir, might you be able to tell me what is going on?" The
man nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes of course!" The man pointed to the
middle and made room so that Haldir could see that there was a girl
laying there taking a beating. "Why are you beating that girl so?"
Haldir asked urgently. "She's a whore and a witch!"
"What? What has she done?" A few more men turned in his
direction to express their anger about that girl. "She slept with
every man in this town behind her husband's back and she put an
illusion spell on all of us so we would not know she was married when
we had sex with her! Kill the witch!" Haldir was disgusted with these
people. How dare they blame their drunken stupor on this young girl.
He realized that they might have raped her in that stupor and he knew
he had to rescue her. Quickly, he plunged into the middle and picked
the girl up in his arms. She coughed up blood and it landed on him,
but he didn't care. The men all became silent as they watched and more
elves jumped out and held their arrows at point so that if any
attempted to stop their captain, they would be shot.
Haldir stormed out of that barn with the girl in his arms. He
led her to his horse and laid her on it. Leaning close so she could
hear him, he whispered in her ear. "Do not fear us, we only want to
help you." She made a grumbled sound as he place a blanket over her.
The rest of his patrol team merged from the barn and followed him back
to The Golden City.
Haldir stood before the mirror image of his Lord and Lady, for
they could not be with him in person because they were in Valinor.
"Haldir, that was an honorable thing you have done." Haldir bowed his
head to his Lady. "But we must ask you to keep watch of her and to
protect her. Take her to Rivendell so she may heal in peace. It is too
busy for her to heal properly here." Haldir bowed again. "Yes, my
Lady." Lord Celeborn spoke now. "She is your responsibility now
Haldir. Take good care not to loose her." Haldir bowed and then rose
to bid the Lord and Lady farewell until next time. On his way out of
Caradhas, he wondered how he was going to manage taking care of a
human girl. This was going to be really uncomfortable for a while.
It had been almost ten years since her death, but Haldir still missed
her terribly. He could remember every detail about the day that she
died. How she looked so helpless... her every thought which he thought
maybe would be the sadness of her song played, the beauty of her
sorrow etched forever deep within the lines of her skin. The tears she
didn't have the chance to cry, all of this remained fresh in his mind.
And it was his realization that he would never have her again and
would never find another like her. She was one in a million.
After her death, Legolas sailed to Valinor with Gimli. There was
nothing more for him to live for either, apparently. So, as it was,
Gimli and Legolas spent there days happily rested on the Undying
Lands. So many of the elves had made their way to Valinor that few now
remained in Middle-Earth. Only most of the Galadhrim and some from the
old kingdoms; everyone had had a choice to leave or stay. It was
Haldir's choice to stay incase Buffy were to come back. But, waiting
ten years, Haldir realized now, that she would never.
Rumil and Orophin watched their hopeless brother stagger around,
getting ready for the patrol and helping the group get their stuff in
order. "Orophin, does it seem strange to you that our brother did not
take that ship to Valinor ten years ago? You know, so he could get
away from all of this?" Orophin was strapping his gear down in his
pack when Rumil had said this, but he stopped to answer his brother.
"When you are in love with someone that much and he or she dies, it
takes a long time to heal." Rumil glanced over at his brother sadly.
"I wish that he could just find peace." Orophin nodded and continued
tying his pack together. "As do I, but the healing cannot be rushed."
The patrol set out, Haldir behind everyone making sure that
nothing was missed. Once they hiked up to their first mounting point
Haldir broke everyone off into teams for patrolling. "Alright. Rumil,
you take Gorgamin, Chauce, and Reexamine. Orophin, you take Yavieba,
Shellac, and Faradome. The rest of you, with me." They broke off into
their groups and prepared to camp until morning when they would
continue on with their patrols. All but Haldir could be seen at the
campfire that night discussing the old days. Haldir would have loved
to be able to sit there and not feel a terrible sadness, but that was
indeed, impossible. So he went to sit up on the hilltop watching over
them and listening to it all.
"Do you remember that one time we came across that town with
those men who were in love with us? Do you think they will still be
there?" Reexamine jabbed Shellac. "Every patrol you ask that same
question and every time we answer, 'Yes, Shellac, they will still be
there.' Why do you even bother to ask?" Shellac's face turned pink as
everyone laughed at the statement. "It is only because I am curious,
Reexamine. At least, I don't enjoy their company." More laughter.
Reexamine, now, turned red. "I do not enjoy their company, Shellac!"
Reexamine caught Shellac's head in a tight clamp and gave him a
noogie. Rumil glanced up overhead at his brother who had a big smile
on his face. It was infectious and he couldn't help but smile. Orophin
was the one who ended the bashing and everyone went off into their own
little area to sleep.
That morning, the groups had taken leave to the appropriate
towns with their group. Haldir led his into the nearby town, which was
very dangerous considering that the men were especially cruel to the
women here. He sent off two by their selves and he and Yenearsira went
off together. "You must be very careful in this town Yenearsira." The
young elf nodded his head in agreement. "Yes, Nikerym." Haldir looked
around and noticed that the town was very quiet; a little too quiet
for such a town. Haldir and Yenearsira approached what appeared to be
a barn and was shocked by the amount of yelling he could hear. He did
not open the door though; because it was only the two of them he did
not want to get anyone killed. He and Yenearsira went to seek back the
other two and then they proceeded to open the doors.
Shocked yet again, Haldir looked around at the room, letting
sink in every detail. Hundreds of men and women were yelling and
screaming to something that was in the middle of the crowd. Haldir
made signals for the others to circulate around and find out what was
going on. He, himself, walked around a bit, trying to get a glance at
the middle. He came up to a small man and tapped lightly on his
shoulder. "Sir, might you be able to tell me what is going on?" The
man nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes of course!" The man pointed to the
middle and made room so that Haldir could see that there was a girl
laying there taking a beating. "Why are you beating that girl so?"
Haldir asked urgently. "She's a whore and a witch!"
"What? What has she done?" A few more men turned in his
direction to express their anger about that girl. "She slept with
every man in this town behind her husband's back and she put an
illusion spell on all of us so we would not know she was married when
we had sex with her! Kill the witch!" Haldir was disgusted with these
people. How dare they blame their drunken stupor on this young girl.
He realized that they might have raped her in that stupor and he knew
he had to rescue her. Quickly, he plunged into the middle and picked
the girl up in his arms. She coughed up blood and it landed on him,
but he didn't care. The men all became silent as they watched and more
elves jumped out and held their arrows at point so that if any
attempted to stop their captain, they would be shot.
Haldir stormed out of that barn with the girl in his arms. He
led her to his horse and laid her on it. Leaning close so she could
hear him, he whispered in her ear. "Do not fear us, we only want to
help you." She made a grumbled sound as he place a blanket over her.
The rest of his patrol team merged from the barn and followed him back
to The Golden City.
Haldir stood before the mirror image of his Lord and Lady, for
they could not be with him in person because they were in Valinor.
"Haldir, that was an honorable thing you have done." Haldir bowed his
head to his Lady. "But we must ask you to keep watch of her and to
protect her. Take her to Rivendell so she may heal in peace. It is too
busy for her to heal properly here." Haldir bowed again. "Yes, my
Lady." Lord Celeborn spoke now. "She is your responsibility now
Haldir. Take good care not to loose her." Haldir bowed and then rose
to bid the Lord and Lady farewell until next time. On his way out of
Caradhas, he wondered how he was going to manage taking care of a
human girl. This was going to be really uncomfortable for a while.