A/N: Thanks for reviewing. This is a short chapter, and you may not find any reason for meto put it up.To that I can only say that apart from being a filler chapter, itwill prove necessary later on.
Dawnie-7: I lost my notes. I freaking lost my notes for chapter 7 of Right Here!!! I can't believe I did so, but I'll be searching all day to find them again. Can't continue without them, since I have it all written down and ready to beelaborated on. I could shoot myself right now, but that won't bring me chapter 7, right? Anyway, enjoy this, too!
Chelsey-pudge: Thanks for reviewing again.I hope you'll continue liking this story. Chapter four will be up later today or tomorrow.
- Miss Sofie
III – By the Fire
The Fellowship left in the morning.
An elf, whom Adaniel didn't recognize, carried her back to the flet in the trees which would be hers as long as she stayed in Lothlorien. He was kind, but not very talkative, and he left her again as soon as she was back to her bed. She knew she could always call for someone if she needed anything, but as she didn't want to trouble her hosts more than what was necessary, she didn't call for them. She was bored and she couldn't sleep, and she soon wished she was back with her friends and Boromir.
Once in a while a healer would come to ask if she was okay and take a look at her wound. She would also ask if there was anything she needed or wanted. Adaniel had no doubts that she could ask anything she wanted of them, but she didn't want to. After a couple of visits from the healer, though, she asked to come out a little. While her friends had been there she had hardly ever stayed inside, and she didn't feel like it now, either.
"I'll tell someone to come help you down." The healer replied and left with the dressings she had taken off of Adaniel's wound. She had dressed her wound with new, clean pieces of some fabric that Adaniel did not know. It was very soft and strong, and it felt cool and nice on her constantly warm leg.
A few minutes later Adaniel heard someone come up the stairs to her flet, asking for permission to come in. It was Haldir.
"You wanted to come down?" He asked before lifting her.
"Yes, please." She replied and sat up in the bed.
Haldir put his arms under the small girl and lifted her as if she was light as a feather, just like Legolas had done.
"Where to?" He asked descending the stairs, carefully avoiding touching her leg with his arm as he carried her.
"Just to some place where I won't be alone." Adaniel asked regretting at once. She hadn't meant to sound as if they didn't take good enough care of her or anything. She hadn't meant to sound rude.
Haldir gave a little laugh instead of looking offended.
"We'll be having a feast tonight. I'll put you down by the fire, if that's okay. Everyone will be there before long."
"Thanks." Adaniel said and removed her arm from around his neck when he placed her on a stump of tree.
The place was already filling with elves preparing for the feast, and she felt hungry as the scent of the elves' cooking began to fill the air around her.
Haldir gave a quick nod before he vanished among the other elves.
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The feast didn't bore Adaniel, but she couldn't quite participate. The elves sang and danced and she could do neither. Well, yes, she could sing, but not in their tongue. She had learned a few words since she came to Lothlorien, but still she only understood little of all they were saying and singing. She watched from her place by the fire, how they all drank wine and grew merrier hour by hour, and once in a while someone would remember her and come to talk to her for a while. Most often they would leave her again soon, as they loved to sing and dance. When they did, she wished more than ever, that Boromir or Aragorn had been with her. But she knew that she was being selfish. The Ring had to be taken to Mordor, and if anyone could do that, it was Aragorn and Boromir.
While thinking about her friends, she noticed an elf who didn't seem to be enjoying himself. Haldir was sitting at the other side of the fire talking to a couple of other elves. Adaniel noticed that they neither drank nor danced, but they didn't look bored either. Neither did Haldir. Adaniel just wondered why they didn't participate in the merrymaking.
As if he had heard her thoughts Haldir turned his face to the fire and looked straight at her through the flames. Then he got up and left her sight.
A few moments later someone sat down beside her. She turned her face to look at the elf, and she wasn't surprised to see Haldir next to her.
"I promised Aragorn I would take care of you." He said looking at the fire. "Now tell me what's troubling you."
"Apart from my leg…nothing, I guess." Adaniel replied wondering whether she should tell him that she didn't feel at home here.
"I'll make sure you'll get out a little more." Haldir said with a quick glance at Adaniel. "Would that help?"
"Thanks." She said and smiled at him, though she had a feeling she'd be of great trouble to him. Then she changed the subject.
"Why aren't you and your friends drinking and dancing with the others?" She asked with a look at the young elf.
"Someone has to keep a sharp eye." He replied. "Even during a feast. One never knows what hides in the woods nowadays."
"Oh. Of course." Adaniel said and was silent for a while.
"Tell me…" Haldir then asked a little cautiously. "What did a woman like yourself do in the Fellowship? I mean, I'm sure Gandalf and Elrond chose wisely when picking the companions, but…"
"Are you hinting that I'm not good enough?" Adaniel asked not really angry though the elf seemed to think she was offended. "I guess I'm not. I shouldn't have let that orc surprise me."
"That can happen to anyone. And I wasn't hinting that you're not good enough!" Haldir replied with a small and curious smile. "Are you not?"
"I am. When I'm not injured. I've traveled and fought with Aragorn for years now, and I'm as good with a sword as any of your warriors."
"As elf warriors? No offence, but you do look a little small for sword fighting!"
"I may be small, but I'm quite strong! Well, usually I'm strong. And I shall be again. And what about the hobbits? They're small too, but no one's questioning their belonging to the Fellowship!"
"But hobbits have a very strong willpower and they are tough little fellows."
"Are you saying that I'm weak?"
"I did not mean it that way. But I guess I do think your people have a weak mind. Except for Aragorn, of course."
"I'll just have to prove you wrong, then!" Adaniel said with a cheerful smile at the tall, fair-haired elf. Maybe she ought to feel offended, but at least someone took the time to sit down and talk with her.
Haldir gave a little laugh and got up.
"I'll be looking forward to that." He said and turned away from her. He turned back to face her again, though. "May I ask just one more question?"
"Of course." Adaniel said puzzled. Why did he ask permission to ask questions?
"How old are you?"
She hesitated before answering. She knew he wouldn't believe her.
"I'm 39." She said seriously, not failing to notice his eyes widen in disbelief.
"I see." He replied just as seriously, and with that he vanished among the other elves. She didn't see him again that night.
Adaniel had made it a habit not to tell people how old she was. They never believed her anyway, so for the past few years she had just said she was 20 whenever someone asked. Most people believed that, though a few said she looked younger. The elf, however, she had not wanted to lie to, which had only caused him to think she was. Lying, that is. It had shown so obvious on his face, and he had turned his back on her and disappeared.
She didn't want to worry about it, though. It was his choice to believe her or not, and if he wanted to, he could ask Aragorn when they met again. If they'd ever meet again. Aragorn knew the truth. He had been there from the day she was born.
A/N: Short, I know. I've kinda decided to write shorter chapters and a longer story. I often find myself bored when I read long chapters, so I hope short chapters will do a better job of keeping people not-bored! Ya, I like inventingwords!