Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings and I write this story as an avid fan with no profit or gain.
Chapter 10
Three years later.
The sun shone brightly, its rays finding more holes in the forest canopy. The extra light brightened the city and as a result, brightened the moods of the elves within. Children ran about in their new light, short sleeved summer clothing. The young elves threw balls, chased one another, or carefully braided the hair of dolls. The adults walked with an extra bounce in their step. From the crowded stairways and paths, it seemed that every elf had decided to stay outside today. Two elves walked side by side through the masses. Like so many others, their faces were relaxed and carefree. However, there was something about the two that set them apart. The look of new, fresh love was unmistakable. As Rúmil and Tiriel walked, their shoulders and arms brushed far too often to be coincidence. They smiled coyly at one another, oblivious to the knowing looks elves gave them. To the surprise of many, the notorious youngest brother of the Marchwarden had finally settled his attentions on one elleth.
Galadriel watched from her balcony as the pair continued their stroll. They carried baskets, holding towels and food. This was a common sight in the city. When it grew warm enough, the river became a popular place for elves to gather. Watching her city so alive brought great joy to the regal lady. Rúmil had always been a favorite of Galadriel and she found further happiness in watching him walk with Tiriel. While signs of darkness grew stronger beyond her forest, the light within proved strong.
"My love," The soft voice of Celeborn interrupted her watching. With one last smile at the two elves below, Galadriel pulled away from the balcony rail and turned. Walking inside, she joined her husband who stood with a letter in hand. "Thranduil has written again and I am afraid he will not stop."
Galadriel sighed and took the letter, scanning its contents quickly. Finished, she shook her head solemnly. "He does not understand."
"I shall reply that our answer has not changed," Celeborn said. "And I will add that we do not appreciate these requests."
"It will not stop him from writing again." The elleth walked through a doorway and approached the pillar and bowl. Slowly, she filled the bowl with clear water as her husband joined her. They stood together, peering into the water. "Three years ago, everything we knew about this world changed. A new weapon arrived and we have managed to keep it a secret from the dark one. Thranduil does not understand we cannot risk such a weapon leaving our borders."
"He only wants to protect his people," Celeborn noted. "She has kept the orcs out for three years. He believes she can do the same for Mirkwood."
"I have looked into these waters and seen many things," Galadriel touched the water and watched the ripples. "Most I do not understand, but there is thing I know for certain."
As the ripples disappeared, an image began to form. Slowly, a woman with dark black hair appeared in the mirror. She stood on the edge of a river, water dripping from her soaked tunic to the ground below. Her hair stuck to her face and clothes, heavy from the water. A large smile erupted on the woman's face as she watched something beyond the mirror's view.
"What do you know?" Celeborn asked gravely.
The image of the woman vanished and was replaced with an erratic, jumpy view of the forest. The mirror seemed to be looking down at the forest from high in the sky. It darted back and forth urgently, always trying to zoom in but as soon as it neared the canopy something forced the mirror back. The image could not get closer than a bird's eye view of the forest. It was as if the mirror tried to enter the forest but was repelled by an unknown force.
"He is looking for her," Galadriel said quietly. "I have kept his gaze out of the forest and her image hidden, but he grows stronger each day. I feel his eye on the forest even now, pushing against my power."
"Who searches for her?"
Galadriel looked at her husband with a tight expression. "Sauron. The great eye is looking for Lauren and will not stop until he has her."
A silence fell between the pair. Celeborn finally spoke. "We must tell her, she deserves to know."
"Yes, we must."
...
...
"Jump!"
Lauren stood by the river, staring up at a rock that sat high above the water. Standing on the edge of it, looking very doubtful and nervous was Beriadan. His hair and clothes were dry, so far untouched by the cool water of the river. When he arrived to join his friends, they had instantly told him to climb and jump off the rock. Afraid of disappointing the older guards and in attempt to preserve his reputation, the young elf had obliged. Now though, Lauren wondered if he'd be able to jump. The crowd below continued to yell and whistle, waiting for poor Beriadan to make a move.
Just as Lauren began to lose interest, the elf leapt into the air. His shrieks caused the elves below to howl with laughter. She watched as Beriadan's arms flailed helplessly until they disappeared beneath the water. After several seconds, Beriadan's head broke through and the elves cheered as his terrified expression transformed into a look of victory and adrenaline. Glancing up at the rock he'd jump from, Beriadan laughed and let out a whoop.
"That looks absolutely terrifying," A feminine voice declared. Lauren turned around to see two familiar elves arrive at the scene.
"It's not as scary as it looks," Rúmil answered as he and Tiriel set their baskets down a safe distance from the river's reach. "By the looks of you Lauren, it seems that you have already jumped in."
Lauren glowered, "No. A certain pain of my ass pushed me in."
Rúmil brightened, "Oh, so Haldir's here?"
"Somewhere around here," She waved carelessly.
Pointing somewhere behind Lauren, Tiriel smiled, "There he is."
The three companions looked to see the Marchwarden sitting on another rock alone. It was not as far high as the one Beriadan and the others jumped from, but it still offered quite a fall. He sat watching the elves below with an amused expression. His blonde hair, notably dry, seemed to glow in the sunlight. He looked content and peaceful, Lauren thought bitterly. While she'd been pushed into the water he sat there completely dry. Her bitterness was not sincere though, it was rooted more in humor than anger. Slowly over the years, Lauren had noticed a change in the Marchwarden. As time passed and the orcs remained away from the forest borders, Haldir had softened somewhat. After the first several months of quiet borders, he'd recalled the double watches. The guards and their families had celebrated, glad for more time together. Then, after a year he'd shortened patrol times. The new, shorter schedule allowed him, Rúmil, and Orophin time together in the city. Normally, at least one brother had always been away at the border on duty. Spending less time at the border and without skirmishes with orcs, Haldir's harshness had lessened.
"He pushed you in then?" Rúmil said gleefully, "We should return the favor. What say you?"
Lauren nodded and the two began their hunt. Tiriel only chuckled and walked to the river, content to swim as her companions stirred up trouble. Together, Lauren and Rúmil made their way carefully up the incline, climbing towards the rock. They moved slowly and deliberately. Three years of training had greatly improved Lauren's ability to sneak upon elves. Finally, they reached the top and waited. Haldir sat still, with his back to them. After several moments, Rúmil nodded and they jumped forward. Rúmil and Lauren stretched their arms out, intent on pushing the target elf over the edge. However, before they could even make contact Haldir's body leaned heavily to the right. With a shout of alarm, Rúmil's body had nothing to stop its momentum and fell over the edge. Lauren's body slammed into Haldir's, but he was ready. His arms pushed hers back and Lauren found herself pinned against the rock.
They glared at each other until she rolled her eyes. "When did you know?"
"I heard your breathing," Haldir snorted. "You still have a lot to learn."
"Damn it."
"You should have known better," He leaned forward, whispering. "I am-"
Before he could finish his sentence, Lauren kicked into action. Her legs powerfully pushed up, forcing the elf's body to roll forward and over her. Pulling herself along with their arms still locked, she landed on top. Chuckling, Lauren said, "This seems familiar…"
Haldir shook his head ruefully. "Your tricks are getting old."
"And yet they still work," Lauren let her body fall so that she lay on top of him. "You're getting rusty Haldir."
"Enough. Over you go." Haldir pushed her body off him and dangerously close to the edge.
Lauren laughed and said, "No… Over we go!" Locking her fingers around his wrists, she yanked as her body rolled over the edge and together they fell. She laughed as she let him go, turning her body so it would fall feet first. As they fell, she looked and their eyes met. Despite the turn of events, Haldir seemed to be enjoying the rush of flying as well. When they hit the water Lauren closed her eyes, relishing the feeling of cool water on a hot day. Swimming to the top, she found Haldir already heading towards the shore. The elves were all shouting and laughing, pleased to see the great Marchwarden finally fall. Lauren made no attempt to return to shore, instead she lay on her back and stared at the sky. At this turn of the river, the canopy was thin enough to allow enough sunlight through for sunbathing. If she floated in the right place, she could sometimes even see the sky.
It was a dangerous sight. The sky was proof that there was more to this world than just the forest. The vast blue space caused an itch to travel beyond the borders. An itch to see what else Middle Earth held. Three and a half years in Lothlórien had provided shelter, friends, and safety but she could never rid herself of the itch to seek more. What else was out there? What if there were more survivors? With her language lessons long since finished and training complete, Lauren felt restless. It took two and half years, but Haldir had finally permitted her to join the patrols on the border. He still insisted she continue training while in the city, but Lauren was pleased to have a job and income at last. She thought this would provide a sense of belonging at last, but traveling to the very edge of Lothlórien had stirred up curiosity. She'd seen fields beyond the forest border and still felt a burning desire to step outside the tree line.
"You look comfortable," Rúmil appeared, treading water besides her.
"I am," She smiled, keeping her eyes on the small patch of blue she could see high above.
"Well than I am sorry to inform you that the Lady has sent a messenger for you," The elf told her. "He says that she wishes to see you immediately."
Lauren glanced at the shore to see a new elf. The messenger spoke with Haldir, who had a towel wrapped around neck. She did not know his name, but vaguely recognized the newcomer. "I wonder what about," She gave her friend a worried look. "Is there something wrong?"
Rúmil swam besides her as they made their way to shore. He shook his head, "I do not know. He only asked that I retrieve you."
Her tunic was heavy and clung to her skin as she walked towards her basket. As she approached, she realized her towel had already been removed. Giving Haldir a dirty look, she held her arm outstretched. He smirked, removed her towel from his neck, and returned it.
"Next time, bring your own." She muttered and used the already damp towel to dry her hair.
"Next time, do not push me in." He replied smartly. "Come, let us find the Lady."
"Us?"
"I have need to speak with her and Lord Celeborn before I return to the border," Haldir explained as they bid their friends farewell. Together, they walked on the path barefoot. They traveled quietly, not speaking or making noise as they returned to the city. Lauren focused on her feet and was pleased when they made no sounds on the dirt below. Living with elves had taught her how to move silently. Still, she would never match their ability to seemingly glide over the ground.
"So it was my breathing then?" She finally asked. "What did I do wrong?"
"You breathed too heavily on the climb," Haldir gave her an amused look. "However, I will admit that I did not hear you until you were nearly to the top. You are improving. Mortals normally get louder with age, but you are proving to be the quietest mortal I have ever encountered."
"It's strange," Lauren told him. "I'll be twenty-eight years old in a few days but I don't feel it. I know three years isn't a huge jump, but I don't feel like I've gotten any older. If anything, I feel better. Instead of my running slowing down, I feel faster than ever."
"I would agree," He nodded. "But you have also been training harder, it is logical for your fitness to improve."
Lauren shrugged, knowing there was no point in discussing it further. What Haldir said made sense. Once her basic training finished, Haldir and Rúmil replaced her sessions with more advanced topics and activities. Then she'd joined the guards at the border and to keep up with them, she'd been forced to learn how to run in jump in the trees quickly. Still, she couldn't help but think something wasn't right. She shouldn't feel this good at twenty-eight. The last time she felt this strong was in her prime track years in high school, when she'd weighed nothing but could eat a mountain of food.
Waiting at the bottom of the staircase stood the Lord and Lady of the forest. Lauren felt a sense of déjà vu as she and Haldir approached, leaving a trail of wet and grassy footprints behind. The last time she and Haldir had approached the leaders had been the first time she'd enter the city. A lot had changed since then, but Lauren still did not know how to properly greet the elves. While Haldir bowed, she nodded her head awkwardly. No matter what, she was still a mortal human from another realm. They'd befriended and welcomed her, but she still could not bring herself to bow to Galadriel and Celeborn. People didn't bow to the President of the United States, it wouldn't be right.
"We are sorry to have interrupted your time at the river Lauren Harris," Lord Celeborn began. "But we have urgent news to speak to you about."
Lauren frowned, "Yes sir but Haldir wished to-"
"Haldir," Lady Galadriel smiled, but it seemed forced. "We will speak of your concerns later. My apologies but we must speak with Lauren alone."
At the Lady's words, Lauren felt a sense of true dread fill her. She'd never seen the Elvin leaders turn away their Marchwarden. Whatever they had to share must be truly important. Lauren glanced at Haldir and found him looking equally surprised. As he bowed again, he turned and made eye contact with her briefly. They said nothing to one another, but Lauren could feel his concern and confusion. Then he was gone and Lauren found herself anxiously waiting alone.
"Come, we must show you something." Lady Galadriel said and began to climb the staircase with her husband. Lauren trailed behind, fingers clutched tightly around the handle of her basket. She could feel her heart beating rapidly in her chest. They took the familiar route to the room with Galadriel's water mirror.
"Tell us what you see," Lord Celeborn instructed. His voice was deep and commanding, but not forceful. His expression was blank as Lauren stepped forward cautiously.
Her eyes fell on the water. To her relief, only a reflection of a human Lauren stared back. No pointy ears or anything out of the ordinary. Just as she opened her mouth to say so, the water began to change. It turned orange then red, until the colors blended. An image of fire appeared- no! Not just fire, but an eye made of flames. It was distant, hovering in the far reaches of the mirror. The more she stared however, the closer the burning eye became. The eye seemed frantic, moving its gaze from left to right. Lauren felt a sense of desperation from the eye as it obviously searched for something. The water began to steam slightly, as if feeling the heat of the flames.
"I see an eye," She said quietly, taking a step back. "It's made of flames."
Immediately, Celeborn splashed the water with his hand, shattering the image. The eye disappeared and water fell onto the ground below, still steaming and hot. Lord Celeborn stared at his wife with a morose expression. "Then it is true."
"What did I just see?" Lauren asked, concerned at their reactions.
Lady Galadriel's eyes did not leave the bowl. "The eye of Sauron. Come, let us sit. We have much to tell you."
...
...
Haldir leaned against the doorway, arms crossed and patience wearing thin. He had waited for over an hour but still, Lauren did not return home. The moment his Lord and Lady sent him away, the Marchwarden knew something was amiss. There were not many things that were kept from him. As protector of the city, Haldir would make sure to find out what it was.
When Haldir finally saw the black hair of a certain mortal in the distance, he readied his words. No matter how sharp-tongued Lauren proved, he would ensure to get the truth out of her. However, when she finally turned the corner the Marchwarden pressed his lips shut.
Despite her tanned skin, the woman looked pale and sick. Her feet dragged heavily and body seemed to carry an invisible weight. Lauren looked up and did not seem surprised to see the elf waiting outside her home.
Three years ago, he would have taunted her. But that was before they'd come to an understanding. She was not just a mortal, but a friend. So Haldir felt his determination drain away as concern rose up. "What is wrong?" He asked, stepping forward.
Lauren pressed past him, opening her door and stepping inside. When she did not shut it behind her, Haldir took it as an invitation to follow. As he closed the door and lit several candles, Lauren collapsed into the armchair.
"Does every child in this world learn about Sauron and the rings?" She asked, looking at him solemnly.
Haldir was taken aback by the question. The fall of Sauron had occurred many years before and he did not expect Lauren to know about such a time. Frowning, he answered, "We elves teach our children. It is hard for us to forget such an evil when many of us were there. As for men, I do not know. Why do you ask Lauren? What worries you so?"
Lauren leaned back and stared at the ceiling. In a remarkably calm voice she said, "The eye of Sauron is searching for me. He thinks I am a weapon and wants to use me."
The statement left the elf in a stunned silence.
Centuries of leading the guards of Lothlórien could not have prepared Haldir for such a report. He could only stare at Lauren, unable to speak or respond. When he did not say anything for a full ten seconds, Lauren chuckled darkly. "Well that's a first."
Her ability to find humor in such a situation made Haldir regain use of his tongue. "How do they know? How can Sauron know of you?"
"Lady Galadriel says he has turned his sights on Lothlórien. She is shielding the forest but he continues to search." She gave the elf a bitter smile, "I guess our plan to spread word of my gun worked too well. Word must have spread back to Mordor, not just the orcs nearby."
"He will never find you," Haldir said confidently. "The Lady Galadriel will never allow him into this forest."
"Still, I am a threat. She can only do so much. What if sends an army for me? My presence alone has made Lothlórien a target." Lauren's voice grew cold. Her fingers began to intertwine and pull at each other, a habit displayed only when she grew nervous. "I can't stay here. I can't risk the lives of-"
"Listen to me very carefully Lauren Harris," Haldir grabbed her hands and held them in his. He hated her nervous habit. "It is my duty to protect my people. You may have been torn from your world, but you are not homeless. Lothlórien is your home now. I will not let Sauron or any harm come to you, you have my word as Marchwarden and as your friend."
Lauren gazed at his expression for a long moment, before nodded hesitantly. "I know you won't Haldir. But you and I are both soldiers, we know how dangerous hiding from an enemy can be. You can hide, but eventually they will find you."
"What would you do?" The elf asked in obvious frustration. "Leave my Lady's protection? The moment you leave our borders, they will hunt you down."
"Do you have so little faith in me?" Lauren sighed. "You trained me, you know that I won't make it an easy hunt."
"Where will you go?" He pressed. "You cannot run about Middle Earth with orcs on your scent."
Lauren pulled her hands away. "Mirkwood."
Haldir's eyebrow rose. "Mirkwood?"
"King Thranduil has invited me to his kingdom," She said seriously. "Sauron will see me leaving but I will hide in Mirkwood before he knows where I've gone. I'll be safe, Lothlórien will be safe… You will be safe."
"You cannot leave," Haldir tried to reach for her hands again but Lauren evaded him.
"But I want to!" She burst.
The elf sat back, surprisingly stung by the words. "What in the name of the Valar could possibly make you want to?"
"Haldir, I made a promise to Greer. I promised that I would never give up looking for a way home. I've lingered here too long. Clearly nothing is going to happen if I stay in Lothlórien. Perhaps I will find this Gandalf and seek his help. Or I could go to Lord Elrond and-"
"Do my brothers mean so little to you? How will Tiriel feel when you leave?" Haldir said coolly. "Does the life you have made here mean nothing?"
Lauren could feel her friend withdrawing into his walls. The signs of familiarity between them began to disappear as Haldir pulled away and sat straight, eyes cold and distant. His face tightened into a blank canvas, something she had not seen him do in a very long time. It hurt to see this side of Haldir. It had taken years for them to reach the familiarity of friendship and despite herself, Lauren felt regret at causing such a reaction.
"Of course that's not true," She felt her voice soften. "I am grateful to have fallen into Lothlórien. Now that I know more, I understand I could have fallen into dangerous places. But please understand Haldir, I must keep my promise. What if there are other survivors in the world who were not as lucky as Greer or me. What if they are living amongst the kingdoms of men?"
"What if there are none?" Haldir challenged.
She winced, "Then I will accept it. There is no way of knowing until I check. I must search."
"And leave my brothers and Tiriel behind?"
Lauren tilted her head, confused slightly. "What about you? You keep pretending as if you will not miss me."
If she thought that Haldir could become no colder, his next words proved her wrong. Standing up, Haldir walked towards the door and as he opened it said, "In sixty years you will be dead and what will it matter then?"