Author's Note: Hello and welcome to chapter four of "Wounded"! This is the chapter that changes everything, crosses the Rubicon if you will and I was very hesitant in posting it. An AU plot line will be followed in this story, though I promise to try to keep everything else canon or as close to it as possible. I would like to thank everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter, Ki-ta, MerryKK, Nari-chan SND, Awen1923, Sarahbarr17, and childofGod-4ever. Thank you all so much! As always, I do not have a beta for this fic, so any mistakes that appear in canon, spelling and grammar are my fault and my fault alone. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of Toklien's masterpiece

Chapter Four Found

Haldir scowled. His evening had not gone according to plan. As the Lady had requested, he had guided the two men into the city and now as the Lady requested, he was searching for Aniror.

But Aniror did not want to be found.

He had returned to his talan to find her missing and Faeleth heatedly remarked that her sister was "vexed". Vexed was never an agreeable term as far as Haldir was concerned, especially when tied with his sister-in-law.

She had her talents, that he would admit. For many years they guarded the borders together and she watched him rise in rank, rather jealously. Of late, however, that certain jealousy seemed to unfold into open ambition. Aniror wanted to outrank him or at the very least, be considered his equal.

And she would have, he thought as he swung around the bole of a mallorn. Had it not been for her idiocy some months ago.

Night fell and the shadows were thick. Above, lanterns shone thinly from the branches and the air warmed. A yellow moon rose and perched itself high in the heavens and Haldir walked in the light of it.

Where was she?

He did not wish to keep the Lady waiting nor the newly arrived guests, though he could not guess at why Aniror was wanted. She did not make for pleasant company.

Haldir paused. The Great Gates loomed before him, flanked by two sentinels. He could see the gray of their garb and hear their breezy whispers. A third guard emerged from the dark and hurried to the Gates.

Aniror.

He quickened his pace.

"Aniror! Aniror, wait!"

She did not stop like he had expected, but rather walked onward.

"Aniror, I must speak with you."

Her back stiffened. She did not turn around.

Haldir frowned. She never made things easy. He broke into a run and caught up with her.

"Did you not hear me calling?" he peered into her face. "The Lady wishes your presence, I know not why."

Aniror would not look at him, but she shook her head. "My apologies, Haldir. I must leave the city at once."

He stared at her and she hunched her shoulders. "Your Lady has called for you."

"I am sure she will understand my leave-taking." Aniror began to walk to the Gates once more. Her voice faded, like the furthest reaches of a swift stream. "I must leave. It is urgent."

Haldir swallowed a curse. "Aniror!" He reached forward and grabbed her shoulder. She flailed and struggled against him. "You will come when your Lady calls."

"As it seems to me, Captain," she replied and venom slithered into her voice, "you alone have called for me, not my Lady. Unless she does, I have no reason to heed your summons."

Haldir froze. She never used his title, never. For her it was the mark of his dominance, his gain and her failure. He tightened his grip on her shoulder.

"Ever were you irrational, but now I fear you slip into madness. Lady Galadriel has called for you, warden. Make haste."

She stared at him and in her eyes he saw her questioning mind. Aniror challenged him, weighed his authority against her own and dared him to debate her.

Not this time.

Haldir glared at her and let cold fury enter his gaze and voice. "You will go to the Lady at once or I shall drag you there myself, warden. Do as I command."

For a long moment Aniror continued to stare at him, but at last she faltered and looked away.

"Very well." She shook him off and walked back towards the heart of the city. Haldir watched her go, determined to trace her steps lest she decide to shirk his order.

But she had not gone far before she turned about and searched for him in dark.

"Haldir?" her voice sounded dim. "Have either of the men from Gondor asked after me?"

He raised a brow. "No, only the Lady."

Aniror did not answer him, but stole away in worried silence to Galadriel's dwelling.


"Why did you tarry for so long?"

Aniror did not dare raise her eyes. Instead, she stared at the floor, the thin wooden planks that stretched across the antechamber in the Lady's talan. They were grey with the light of eve upon them, but pure white when the afternoon's sun climbed. She shifted and her movement was followed by a muted creak. The Lady's glance was upon her.

"I beg your forgiveness, my lady," she said and wished her voice would not shake so. "I thought Captain Haldir, I…I thought he only jested. I did not believe you expected my presence so swiftly."

She heard the Lady's gown whisper, as if Galadriel had stepped forward. Aniror braced herself and waited for the cool voice to enter her mind, to prod in the dark places she wished to forever conceal.

But no one could hide from Galadriel.

To her surprise, the Lady of Light simply sighed. "I meant not your delay in coming to me, Aniror. No, I speak of your time in the Wild. Too long you dallied there last fall. Why?"

Dread burrowed into Aniror's heart and the memories came swift, unbidden.

Green grass in a green glade, bright with the early frost and the late dew of summer past….

How much did the Lady know? Aniror dared to raise her eyes and she stared at Galadriel's face, searching for an answer.

She found only calmness. The Lady's emotions were well-hidden, unlike her own.

Aniror rubbed her left forearm. "My time spent in the Wild was lengthened due to many unforeseen obstacles. Certainly, my Lady knows of such perils. I could do nothing to stop them, nor avoid them. And I returned to Lorien by the most direct route with all haste."

It was lie. She did not tell the Lady that she had tarried long, that she had traveled by old paths hoping to delay, hoping to escape the doom that would fall upon her.

Galadriel smiled. "I know much in the way of peril, warden. And it burdens my heart with sorrow. But what you have done only brews it. You have been foolish, Aniror."

Her skin tingled and Aniror felt the Lady's magic thick about her. Could she know? Could she know of him?

"You have forced my hand in many ways," Galadriel continued and her smile saddened. "I would have bestowed upon you much honor and your rank should have risen to the highest. Yet it is your folly that stops me."

"I…I understand, Lady." And she did. In many ways she did not deserve the promotion she sought, and yet…

The Lady turned and a cool breeze swept through the windows and into the talan. All fear and tension rushed away. Aniror breathed deeply.

"Come now, warden," the Lady said and she raised a white hand. "There is much to be done this night."


They had been brought to a small chamber, with food set upon a wide table and chairs padded with furs. A pitcher and basin stood nearby and as Faramir washed his face with the cold water, he felt his mind clear.

Somewhere in the distance, an Elf sang and the breeze brought the words to him. He could understand little of it, but the voice was pleasant to hear, if not sorrowful.

"I wonder what it is they lament," Boromir said after they had eaten. "This place is both good and woeful, isn't it?"

"Yes," Faramr replied and together they sat for a long while. But sleep began to tempt Faramir and his eyes closed. Boromir tapped his arm.

"Do you think we shall be provided with beds?" he asked. "Or do these Elves sleep in their dining halls?"

Faramir forced his eyes open and was about to answer when the door swept open. The Lady entered, unattended except for a single Elf, another female.

The Lady began to speak, but Faramir did not hear her. His gaze reached over her shoulder and found the face of the Elf woman. She had light hair and narrow features. Her eyes were blue.

He started forward then and did not heed Boromir's questioning tones. This Elf, this female, he knew her.

Beneath the trees and starlight. Find Lorien. Come in six months time.

What words could he say to her? He did not even know her name.

Galadriel smiled and stepped to the side as Faramir drew near.

"This is Aniror," she said. "She has been my warden for some years." A pause. "Do you know her, Captain Faramir?"

"Yes." The word escaped him and his lungs filled with air, as though he had not breathed in ages. He reached for her. "Aniror, Aniror. I have come as you asked and oh, I thought I should never find you."

But the Elf did not smile as he did. Instead, she pulled back, frightened.

"Aniror?" He could not understand her actions. Why such hesitancy? He had never known her to be hesitant before, never. Faramir stepped forward and took her hands in his. She shuddered.

"My Lady, I do not know this man!" Her voice was high, not soft as it had been, not gentle.

"You are mistaken then," Faramir replied. "You know me, Aniror, how can you not? I am Faramir, the man you met in Ithilien. You must remember. You…you must."

She shook her head. "My Lady, this man is a fool. I know him not-

"I am no fool!" Frustration filled him and he glanced back at Galadriel. "I know this Elf! She has a scar upon her left forearm as though an arrow had pierced it some time ago. I know this Elf! She is…she is my lover."

Aniror shrieked and tore away from him, as though his touch pained her.

"I do not know this man." Tears threatened to master her voice and she looked wildly about the room. "I do not know him!" And she fled.


Author's Note: Well, you obviously see the slight leave of canon I took. But I do have a few notes on it.

Firstly, we all know that Faramir falls in love with and marries Eowyn. Now I love Eowyn as a character, but I wanted to experiment with the character of Faramir a little bit in this story. (Hopefully Tolkien doesn't mind) He certainly isn't a character who would run off to Lorien for a silly reason, so more of that will be explained later on. Also, that doesn't mean that Faramir will "end up" with Aniror in anyway. This story isn't necessarily a romantic story, or a pairing, unless you consider a pairing full of backstabbing, lying and cruelty.

Secondly, Elves obviously do not have "summer flings". I have done some research on Elves and how they conduct romantic relationships and I will tell you now that what Aniror has done is very atypical. But more of that will be explained later on and I'd rather no give away the plot or bore you all to death.

Also, it is very very rare for any Elf to have a romantic relationship with a human though I am not sure Faramir and Aniror's relationship can be termed romantic. More on that later as I am sure you all have had enough of my rambling.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read! Please, leave a review and tell me your thoughts.