Chapter one: Lorien in Danger

Haldir and Élharma stood in the glade, wrapped in each other's arms, completely unaware of the happenings in all of Middle earth.

Elharma leaned, her mind so full of love and longing that it was practically numb, against his solidness, hoping that it would help her to stay attached, somehow to the ground. He held her, just as she had yearned for for so long, tightly in his arms, and the simple gesture sent waves of pleasure from feet to her head and back again. He tightened his hands around her slender waist, and pulled his head back, out of the kiss that had become their momentary eternity.

"Say it again." He said, his voice a soft murmur against her cheek.

"Yes, Haldir. Yes, I will bind myself to you." She whispered, kissing his demurely angled jaw line, " I love you."

He felt as if her lips as fire upon his skin. His heart soared, becoming lighter than the very air they breathed. He knew that he would never grow tired of hearing those words. He dipped his head, catching those full, soft lips with his own, fully intent on claiming them as his own, when, he was, all at once, wrenched back into reality.

"WaHOO!" Came the piercing cry.

Suddenly, the peace and reverie was broken and the two lovers broke apart, one with a grin and the other looking for murder. Élharma, not minding the positively soaking and absolutely bedraggled state that Haldri was currently in, laid her cheek demurely upon his chest, smiling as the younger elves descended upon the couple.

Haldir was trying, quite unsuccessfully, not to think of the many ways to kill his brothers. He knew that he was scowling, despite the entirely euphoric experience of the previous moments. Élharma, sensing his frustration, looked up at him and grinned, the warmth of that smile spreading through her entire body. He could not help but return the gesture, for her joy was absolutely intoxicating. Intoxicating until he realized that his treacherous brothers were not going away.

Orophin, who had been standing beside his twin Rhúmil, let out an incredible yell, a battle-cry of victory.

Rúmil slapped Haldir on the shoulder, "Finally! It most definitely took you two long enough!"

Haldir could only stand there, not knowing weather he should strangle them there or wait until he was alone to kill them. Alone was better. And slowly. Yes, slowly and painfully… VERY painfully… With knives…yes, knives…or ropes! Ropes were even better…

All at once, the entirety of his attention was wrenched from his brothers to a traitorous little hand that had stolen, unnoticed by all, under his tunic where it had just begun to delicately trace small circles on the sensitive skin of his back. He looked down at Élahrma, who was smiling at him a little too innocently.

She knew what effect her actions were having on the elf that was holding her close. It was written on the slightly reddened cheeks, and in the sharpness of his gaze. She was a bad, bad little elf, and the truly mischievous part of her spirit reveled in the fact that he could do absolutely nothing about it, or risk getting teased by his brothers!

He tried desperately to find, somewhere in the recesses of his mind, the ability to articulate a coherent sentence, somehow ridding himself of the pests that had attatched themselves securely to him and his melmë. Unfortunately, his mind had lost all possibility to react to anything but the naughty fingertips that were playing oh-so-tantalizingly upon the small of his back. He both loved and hated the slow torment brought on by such a simple act, and he desperately wished that they were alone… Yes, alone…if they were alone, he would begin by discarding of their clothes, then he would…. *OWCH!!!* She had pinched him! She had actually pinched him! And his brothers were standing less than three feet away! He glared down at her, his mind calling adamantly for payback. Sweet, tormenting payback. Payback where he would make her beg for him to stop, but not stop, and go, all at the same time.

She grinned at him guilelessly, almost daring him to react in front of his contemptuous brothers.

Rúmil and Orophin were chattering about something, he was not paying any attention. Something about how glad they were for the new couple, and asking where they would have the ceremony, and when, and by whom… Élharma answered the questions, her mask of innocence hiding any indication the torment that she was currently putting Haldir through.

Her velveted fingers traced the flesh just above his trousers, burning, searing, lighting a fire that delved into the depths of his stomach, burning, constantly burning. He wished frantically for more…

Finally it seemed as though they would be rid of those annoying brothers of his, and yet, just as they were turning to leave, another surprise overtook the two lovers, this one not so welcoming.

An elf, his face covered in sweat and spattered with blood came rushing headlong into the grove. He stumbled into Haldir, his eyes momentarily clouded before he recognized his captain.

"Hal…" He gasped, "The…The…Bor..Lor..der.   .iena..tt ack!!!!. Big…at   ..nor..th  bor    dersa..ta..ck!" The elf gasped in a panic.

Haldir's eyes widened, "Who?"

"M…e    …n." Came the dreaded reply

Suddenly coming to life, he whirled to face his brothers, yelling as he began sprinting in a southerly direction, "Come! We have to inform Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn! Élharma- help this soldier to the house of healing: he is wounded!"

 Once again, the small grove of trees became silent, all noises but the sounds of nature dying out from the forest.

Élharma turned to the elf, who had collapsed upon the soft moss in exhaustion, "Come, lets get you to the healers." She said tenderly

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"It is dark days, indeed that men would attack such a place as Lothlorien." Galadriel said in her soft, melodic voice.

"Indeed." Celeborn agreed gravely, " Haldir: Go and gather the archers and the swordsmen, the foot soldiers and the riders. We must defend our borders."

Haldir bowed. Where there had been, just moments before, feelings of love and elation, there now resided a sense of foreboding and anxiousness. Just as he was turning to leave, the Lady Galadriel put her hand out and lightly touched the fabric covering his arm, causing him to suddenly halt and turn to face her, curious.

"Congratulations, my dear March Warden." She said with a joy-filled gleam in her eye.

He dipped his head in acceptance of the Lady's words. He wondered for a moment at how she knew, as there were only four people who knew of his impending bonding with the maiden Élharma. Suddenly, it struck him. Of course!!! Élharma did, as he frequently forgot, she did have some, unexplainable link with the lady!

He wrenched his mind to the present. He had a job to do. He was calling forth the guardians of Lothlorien in the city of light's hour of need. That was his job.

It was with these thoughts that he left the halls of Caras Galadhon, purposefully making his way through Lorien.

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Well? What do you think? PLEEEEEASE let me know! I have a general idea of how this should go, but I can already see glitches in my story, so your feedback would be much appreciated.