Title – Behind the Mirror.

Chapter – 1 - A Meeting of Egos

Pairing – Haldir/Oc

Rating – M – Just to be safe.

Warnings – Romance and violence.

Quick Intro – Ella protects a boy, pretending he is her son, they find themselves at the mercy of the Elves, specifically the March Warden, secrets unfold and under the arrogance and contempt a passion begins to burn.

Disclaimer – I don't own any of the character from Lord of the Rings alas they belong to J.R.R Tolkien, there is no financial gain here just a love of fanfiction.

Chapter One.

Haldir smelt the orcs before he could see them, as he looked to the patch of trees North of his position he could see a figure running out of them, they had not gotten far before a small group of orcs came snarling and grunting in full run out of the trees. The figure Haldir could tell was a woman and she appeared to be carrying something, it was a small boy, anger flaired through the March Warden, the vile creatures would kill anything if it made good sport, even a woman and her child.

He signalled to his soldiers who were already in position and ready to fire, Haldir raised his arm preparing them and held it there as he watched the woman get closer to them, as the orcs came over the crest of the hill Haldir lowered his arm and the elves took their shots. As the arrows rained down on the orcs one of them threw his dagger and it hit the woman in the thigh, Haldir watched as she fell to the ground but managed to roll as she fell and did not land on the boy.

Haldir did not like the idea of leaving the cover of the wood to bring them in until all the orcs were dead, it was then he realised it was not a small group of orcs but a front party, the main group were now heading their way. The remaining orcs from the front party were killed and Haldir saw the woman stand up, Orophin landed in the tree next to him.

"Should we not retrieve her before the others arrive?"

"They are too close we would not make it in time, she has cover lets prey she is sensible enough to use it." Just as the words left Haldir's mouth he saw the woman kneel before the boy who was shaking with fear.

He saw her turn the boy to the trees and point, he turned back to her and shook his head before she hugged and kissed his cheek and turned him back again and pushed him, Haldir could not hear what was being said but understood enough of the actions to know she was sending the boy to them, she could not run but he could.

As the boy began to run Haldir could see tears running down his face, he did not look back until he had reached the trees, he did not enter but stopped rigid, turned around slowly and screamed when he saw that the orcs had almost reached the woman. Haldir turned to Orophin.

"I will get the boy safe, she may make a run for it once we give her cover."

Haldir was gone in a shot and grabbed the boy who started kicking and fighting against him, Haldir whispered a sleep spell in the boys ear and placed him on a flet above the fighting where he would be safe, Haldir noted that the boy was not of Elven kind but he was sure the woman was.

He returned to his position and saw the woman had not moved, the orcs were almost upon her, Haldir raised his arm again and lowered it straight away, the arrows began pouring out of the forest and as soon as the first one left the trees the woman shot up and began running as best she could to them.

As she got closer Haldir could see that she was bleeding from her mouth though she had wiped it away, she also had a cut on her cheek and her left arm seemed to hang close to her body as if moving it caused pain. She had not removed the dagger that extruded from the back of her thigh, she limped as she ran but she made good speed, Haldir felt his breath catch as she fell over and smashed into the ground. She managed to get back up quickly and carried on running, not once looking behind her.

The orcs were gaining on her but the skill of his elves meant that they were slowing down and trying to find cover, Haldir noticed that she had no fear about entering the woods and she didn't stop running until she was a few strides in. When she did stop she turned on the spot her eyes searching the woods, he had ordered the rest of his men to finish off the orcs while he dealt with the intruders.

Haldir heard her whistle with the voice of a bird and listened for a reply, she was frowning and limped back to the edge of the wood where the boy had run in, he was intrigued as she began searching the wood for the boy. He followed her a bit before showing himself to her, he stood behind her a few steps and smiled to himself that she had not heard him, suddenly she grabbed the dagger in her thigh and pulled it out with a cry of pain, turned around and pointed it at him.

"Where is Cal?!" Haldir admitted that she was fast but he knew at least four of his men were in the trees with their arrows aimed at her, he was in no danger from the woman. Anger and a hint of worry filling her voice she stepped towards him and sounding stronger asked again "Where is the boy!"

Haldir did not flinch when she moved but he studied her for a moment, she continued to point the dagger at him but her eyes kept darting this way and that looking for any sign of the boy. "You have entered the Golden Realm, you may not leave until the Lady of Light allows it." She frowned confused before asking "I made it to Lothlorien?" Haldir nodded slightly and relief flooded her face.

"I had lost track once I was being chased, I knew I was near, have others come, visitors from a distant land, travellers, anyone?" Haldir did not know who she was or why she was here, he did not even know her name and if there was one thing Haldir did not like it was not know what an intruder was doing in his woods uninvited.

"Put down the dagger and tell me your name and purpose here." He did not shout but was stern and harsh with the woman, she instantly let her arm drop as if she had forgotten she held the dagger in her hand, worry crept onto her face "Where is Cal, what have you done with him?"

"He is safe, for the moment, tell me your name." His voice was cold and harsher.

She looked at him a moment before raising the dagger again "Give me the boy or I will…" Haldir smirked "You will what, you are injured and intruding on a land I protect, you are in my custody now and you will give me what I want, now tell me your name and purpose." He saw her falter and lower the dagger slightly before speaking "My name is Ella and my purpose is…" Before she finished she stepped forward and held the dagger to his throat, she twisted around him and with her free hand pulled him to her protecting her from the arrows above them.

Haldir had not anticipated her strength, it was obvious her leg was giving her immense pain but she had not showed it when she moved towards him, he held his hand up slightly so she could not see but his men could, he knew she would not harm him even if the dagger at his throat was real, the threat was not.

Two of his men dropped in front of them their bows drawn, Orophin stepped forward "Release him now and you will live." She spoke back just as cold "Tell me where the boy is and I will release him." She pulled the dagger tighter to Haldir's throat and he unconsciously lent back slightly, suddenly they heard a cry from above them it was Cal calling out to her.

Haldir cursed himself silently, his sleep charm was only a light one, he had not expected confrontation from the woman, he felt her hand on his back within a second the dagger was lifted from him and she pushed him away from her into Orophin who stopped his brother from falling. Haldir did not wait but climbed up to the closest flet as Orophin followed the woman, Haldir made it to the flet with the boy on before she got to him.

He could see her searching the trees, Orophin closed in on her as Cal shouted out again, Haldir placed his hand on the boys shoulder to keep him from running and hurting himself, the boy followed Haldir to the ground and tried to get away but Haldir returned his firm grip on the boy.

He stood and waited as she ran into the clearing with Orophin and several others on her tail, her eyes went wide when she saw Cal with the March Warden and he allowed himself a small smile. He had had enough of this game now, her leg needed tending to and he needed answers, "Relinquish your weapons and you will not be harmed." Cal tried to run to her but Haldir now held him with both hands, the woman took a few breaths before ignoring Haldir and speaking to Cal.

"Cal, honey, its okay, are you hurt?" The little boy shook his head and began to cry silently, when he spoke it was almost a whisper but all the elves with their enhanced hearing heard it "I want to go home, I am tired of running...I want Daddy." Haldir noticed sadness in her eyes and she looked from the boy to Haldir "I am Ella this is Calsus and we have no home, we left the village by the shadow of the Misty Mountain and headed here, our purpose is for shelter and help." Haldir noticed her manner and voice harden "Let him go tree-hugger, I will be your prisoner…he is just a scared little boy." Though her words were harsh her eyes were pleading with him, she dropped the dagger, Haldir released the boy immediately.

Cal stood for a moment before running to her and she fell to her knees and hugged him, he began crying openly and sobbing incoherently, she smoothed his hair and shushed him until he had calmed. She pulled away from the hug and looked at him "Are you sure you are not hurt?" He shook his head and quietly answered her while looking behind her at Orophin "I am fine…you know you said it was okay to be afraid…I think I am afraid now…they are going to hurt you…just like Dargon did." She smiled and hugged him lightly.

"It is okay to be afraid Cal and you were so brave, I think we are going to be apart for a while but I promise I will be fine, he will not hurt me, can you be brave for a bit longer?" The boy smiled a bit shyly and nodded, they hugged one last time and she stood holding his hand. She looked at Haldir then behind her and noticed that Orophin was the only one left and he did not have his bow out, he did have her dagger in his boot. She looked back to Haldir.

"You are the one in charge?" Haldir had watched the scene with great interest; it seemed to him that her pain and worry did not matter to her when the boy was upset and needed comforting. Haldir nodded, she turned and stepped towards Orophin who did not move.

Cal stood slightly behind her afraid of the tall elf, he looked behind at Haldir and then buried his face in her cloak, Haldir smiled to himself again, he wanted to be intimidating to the woman but the boy was amusing, hiding his face as if that would make all the monsters of the world fade away.

"My name is Ella this is Cal." Orophin looked over to Haldir who nodded "My name is Orophin, I am a warrior of the Golden Wood." Ella bent down slightly and managed to unwrap the boy from around her leg, when she spoke her voice was soft and light "Cal, this is Orophin, will you wait with him while I speak with the tree-hugger over there." Ella gestured to Haldir who stood taller and whose expression hardened at being called a tree-hugger once again, it softened slightly as Cal giggled and Haldir realised she was not making fun of him but trying to make the boy more relaxed.

Cal looked up at Orophin who smiled and also bent down, when he spoke Ella found that his voice was soft and had a musical tone "I am Orophin young one." Cal stepped closer to Ella but did not seem as afraid "Do you live in the trees?" Cal seemed curious but was very quiet Orophin laughed "Yes I do, while your mother is talking I can show you where we live, it is high in the trees…" Before Orophin had finished Cal stepped forward "Yes please, I love climbing trees, I bet you are a good tree climber, you would have to be to live in them all the time." Cal seemed happy enough and took Orophins hand as they turned and walked towards the nearest flet.

Ella watched them go memorising where they were headed, she turned and nearly jumped back as she found Haldir was now standing right behind her, she had not heard him move and supposed that was the intention. His stare was like stone and she felt nervous under his gaze, "Are you to interrogate me here tree-hugger or do you have special place for intimidating people?" at the words tree hugger she noticed his stare became icy and she realised she was walking a dangerous line but she was tired and in pain, she did not want or care for the tree-huggers remarks.

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her along, she only just managed to keep up with his long strides and her damaged leg, he stopped below one of the trees and a ladder was soon dropped down "Are you fit to climb or shall I carry you up?" It was not made as a question and Ella knew if she said she needed help he would have berated her for it.

She used her arms mostly even though her left one had a gash on it she managed to make it to the top of the ladder and on to the flet, Haldir jumped effortlessly up after her standing too close for comfort, he pointed to a bed on one side, "Sit on the bed and let me see you leg before it becomes infected." This was an order and Ella complied by sitting on the bed but she took out a pouch that was tied to her cloak.

"I can heal myself thank you." Ella ripped the material around the wound and opened the pouch, Haldir pulled the pouch away from her and threw it on the table, "Paste and weeds will not heal it as fast as I can, now stand up." She frowned but stood as he knelt down and inspected the wound.

It had gone in deep but not hit anything important, he placed his hand over the wound and the other one on the same spot on the front of her leg, Ella was going to complain when a warm feeling began to emanate from his hands, she had heard of elven healers but had never encountered one. She sighed as the pain left her leg and was replaced with a tingling, once he had finished she did not realise it until he spoke and was right by her ear "Remove your cloak and let me see you arm." She did as she was told and Haldir made quick work of the wound that was obviously done by a blade. Once he had finished he called for one of his men and whispered to him, Ella sat on the bed and let the dull ache of her joints relax now that the pain from her wounds had almost gone.

She looked up and realised he was staring at her, she moved to stand but he held his hand up "I have closed the wounds if you move too much you will undo what I have done and I will not do it again. Now tell me your real purpose for being here, I will know if you are lying so please don't insult me." She sat there for a moment as he pulled a chair out and sat opposite her waiting for her to begin "My name is Ella and he really is called Calsus, we have been travelling for a long time, the village where I used to live was a human village, my husband and I found a home there and Cal was brought up there, I am elven and my husband is of the human race."

"A group of outcasts lead by one called Dargon rallied against the village and in one night they destroyed everything killing many men, women and children, a few of us escaped and the women and children headed for the next village for help, the men went back to fight."

She looked up and Haldir did not move his stare, he had heard many a moving plight before and would not be swayed by a sad story, an intruder was an intruder after all. She looked down at her hands again and he notice she did not wear a betrothed band on her finger, a hole in her story already, he thought he would let her finish before he began pointing out the lies in her tale.

"When the women got to the next village and I knew they were safe I decided that the only truly safe place for Cal and I was with the elves, I left them during the night and headed to the closest elven land, I did not think I would make it when the orcs picked up my trail."

Haldir sat back and stared at her, she met his gaze once or twice but stared mostly at her hands though out her tale, now she had finished she stared at him just as harshly as he stared at her. When he spoke he gave no warmth or comfort with his tone.

"You say you have a husband but you wear no band, you reached safety and decided to leave, at night, without word to your husband, Lothlorien maybe the closest but it is a long journey especially with a young one, there are many human villages you must have travelled through, why not stay within the safety of them? You travel so far and have no food or weapons. These are just some of the flaws in your tale, the boy spoke of Dargon and said he hurt you yet you do not speak of this, you have wounds from fights you have not mentioned. I told you not to lie to me now tell me the truth."

Haldir watched as she faltered obviously her tale had been told before and work on many occasion, he felt pride knowing he had not believed it for a moment. She returned her gaze to his and her eyes were full of fury.

"What is your name? Or will tree-hugger be suitable."

Haldir did not take the bait and replied "My name is Haldir, I am March Warden of these woods."

"Well March Warden Haldir, I wear no band because it was too painful to wear, on the night of the first attack my husband was wounded, he made it to the camp we had set up outside the village but he did not live through the night. I travelled to the other village with the women and decided to carry on because I did not want the pain of staying where he was not. As for Dargon, before he was banished from the village he showed interest in me, I was married and had a baby so of course I turned down his advances, he was always around when I was alone, however when Cal was older his interest in me lessened. I was playing with Cal by the river one day, my husband and Cal had gone around the bend of the shore looking for interesting things to show me. Dargon came up behind me and before I could react he attacked me, he was angry that I had ignored his advances, he held me to him and brought a knife down my back."

Haldir watched as she stared at her hands again, he wasn't sure if this was the whole truth but he knew the pain in her face and eyes was real.

"I think he meant to only cut my clothes but he sliced my skin and I cried out in pain, thankfully my husband had heard the cry and came rushing to my aid, he had met up with the hunters who were coming back to the village. Dargon pushed me away and headed into the forest, he did not return to the village but was banished in his absence. Unfortunately Cal saw Dargon and the knife. Cal does not know of his fathers' death and you will not tell him March Warden."

She stood up fast and Haldir saw the flicker of pain across her face, she moved towards the ladder and he stepped in front of her "I told you not to move, you will damage your leg beyond repair, now sit." She did not look at him but Haldir knew if she did she would have tears in her eyes, when she spoke her voice was strong but wavered with emotion "I wish to see Cal, I have told you the truth now please let me see him." She went to move past him and Haldir grabbed the top of her arms firmly but not tightly "You asked me if any travellers had come this way, who are you waiting for?" Haldir felt her sigh but did not drop his grasp of her "My husbands brother Tarnel, before I left the village I left word with another women that I was going home, Tarnel would know where I was heading and would follow me here…if he survived. He would have made good time, over taken us without realising it, I had false hope he would be here."

Haldir released her and picked up a water skin handing it to her, "There have been no travellers of any kind around these lands in the past few moons." She nodded and drank from the water skin, she had taken a few gulps before lowering it and frowning at him "Poison, what have you put in this water tree-hugger?" Her vision became blurry and she reached out towards Haldir. "I have put a mix in with the water to help you sleep, I knew you would not rest voluntarily, this was the only way to give your leg a chance to heal."

He caught her as she stumbled towards the ladder, she tried to fight against him but Haldir held her tight till she went limp in his arms, the powder was strong acting and at least he knew she would be healing instead of escaping.

After placing her on the bed Haldir covered her over and returned to his post, he listened as his men gave their reports, the orcs were killed and now being burnt, Orophin did not appear for a while and when he did he was no longer wearing his cloak. Haldir noticed this and Orophin explained "Cal…he seems to be in love with the life style of an elven warrior, he is asleep at the moment, I told him he could see his mother in the morning, he can can't he." Haldir understood the meaning behind the words "I will not torture the boy with the absence of his mother, though I may need to speak with her again, there is still more to her tale she has not told. We will take them to the city at first light, the Lady will see into her mind and find out the lies I cannot see."

After the reports Haldir went to the flet Cal was sleeping on and saw that Orophin had given Cal his cloak to wear, Haldir left almost immediately leaving Orophin to watch over the boy as he returned to the sleeping woman. He managed to get some rest but spent most of the night going over her story in his head, if her tale was true then she had indeed had a long hard journey. There was still something about her he did not trust, her instincts in the forest had been like that of a warrior but she carried no weapons.

My First LOTR fic but hopefully not my last. What do you think?

SoloSea