Haldir
It felt like a lifetime since Haldir had been home, the rather empty talan had never seemed so comfortable and he longed to go to sleep properly but that wasn't an option quite yet. He'd spent most of his time sleeping in the arm chair next to Thara watching her sleep, or coordinating the movement of the Kaldari into the city. He had been against the idea at first, these were strangers to him but he had faith in the Lady's decision and most seemed like good loyal people. The rest of the time he had spent with the Kaldari commanders,tonight however would be just for him and his brothers. A sorely needed rest. He stood to when he heard the knock on the door, Rümil entered with both hands occupied with wine bottles.
"Evening brother." He made himself comfortable in the seating area. "You don't mind if we begin before Ôrophin arrives do you? It's been quite the day."
Haldir laughed, "You should stay away from that ellith."
"If it was so easy brother but you see I can tell that she quite fancies me and I would hate to disappoint the poor soul."
"Oh the lengths you go to just to console your battered ego." Ôrophin entered and greeted Haldir before taking a seat with them. "What say you Haldir, you know this woman you can tell this lovestruck fool that he has no chance at winning her affections."
Before Haldir could voice his opinion Rümil countered, "Alas you seem quite preoccupied with her yourself, and she gifted me with these bottles of wine…"
"You should both steer clear of her, not for the sake of her heart but for yours. The simple fact stands that she is desired by many and yet to grace any with more than slight flirtatious affection."
"But thats where the fun lies brother!" Rümil announced, Haldir and Ôrophin took the opportunity to fill the first of many glasses of wine and began to drink. "What of the object of your affections? How does she fair today?"
Haldir looked to Ôrophin for answer, "She has arisen and asked of your whereabouts, she seems well."
"I shall visit her soon."
"I'm sure" Ôrophin smiled and Rümil laughed.
The brothers talked well into the night about nothing in particular mostly jests until the women were brought up again.
"So how did you meet Silver?" Rümil asked when considerably more inebriated his jealousy began to unveil itself. Ôrophin's interest was also peaked.
"Before she became permanently settled with the Kaldari she was raised by humans in a traveller encampment. Her father was well respected but he renounced her I believe. She was never one to be walked on so she left the people she was raised with young and went out on her own, she wanted to know about the ways of elves after her years watching her human family age and fade. Turns out she had their heart, she travelled as far and wide as she could and made many a friend I expect, I was just one. She asked me to teach her how the Lothlorien guard fought but back then she was much more experienced a fighter than I."
"Travellers? Oh the irony." Rümil tried to smile.
"Nothing the likes of the bandits that haunt these plains now. Her people were always frowned upon and accused of thieving and worse but I don't believe it. People feared them for their spontaneity in my opinion but then thats what draws fools like you to her. Anything else you want to know ask her yourselves she likes being asked about her more pleasant past."
"Hmm, and you can ask her about Princess Thara." Ôrophin smirked pouring another glass.
Thara
Silver went to visit Thara the moment that she heard of her waking.
"You gave us a fright there T." She smiled from the doorway waiting for the handmaiden to finish gathering up a half eaten bowl of broth, "Valar you need better than that to get back on your feet." She noted the shame written across the maids features, "Alas what would I know you are clearly a more experienced healer, you look leagues better Princess." The shy little elf smiled.
"I'm no healer." She squeaked as she made a quick exit with a shambled courtesy, spilling broth onto the floor before Silver corrected the bowl and watched as the girl practically ran down the hall, face burning with embarrassment.
"Oops…"
"She's been like that all day I'm afraid, she must be just shy in nature." Thara tried to sit up straighter to look at her friend who walked over to help her before taking a seat in the adjacent armchair. "How is Cyran?"
"He's surprisingly well considering, he's certainly occupied running about all day trying to settle people."
"Settle them?"
"Aye we moved the Kaldari into the city, safer that way we figured."
"But we will be on the move soon there is so much to do…" She was cut off by her own yawn.
Silver laughed, "I suppose we will but I need to speak to you about that."
"Hmm" Thara's eyes began to flutter closed.
"Hmm" Silver replied in the same tone, "Tomorrow when you wake, I'll be here you get some rest."
The next morning the two parties converged in Thara's room, the Princess was just waking and stretching the grogginess from her aching bones when Haldir accompanied with both brothers entered, Rümil looking a little worse for wear. Silver was curled up in the armchair snoring slightly with her shirt and boots off leaving her in a light vest which stole glances from both Ôrophin and Rümil before she sprang awake.
A creak in a floorboard was all it took for Silver to spring from the armchair, tripping over her boots and almost landing on her face had Ôrophin not caught her, however Rümil had tried to rescue her at the same time and ended up shoving both of them off course. In the end Silver saved herself using both the brothers to lift herself up onto the edge of Thara's bed where she decided to lie, resting her head against Thara with a tired yawn unnerved by the occurrence.
Thara and Haldir had watched the entire thing and laughed with each other before Haldir assisted the other two and Ôrophin decided it was best to take Rümil to his chambers.
"It's good to see you well Princess." Haldir bowed graciously.
"Please it's just Thara, Haldir we've come that far." Silver imitated Thara's words under her breathe leading to a sharp elbow to the side.
"You are better then? Stronger at least." Silver raised her head hopefully and finally opened her eyes, Thara nodded, "Well we must get to business, Haldir be a dear and get the door." She sat herself at the foot of the bed and waited for Haldir to be seated.
"What business what that be?" Haldir questioned.
"I'll leave you to talk alone soon I swear it but I must ask you this first." Silver looked at them both questioningly before she continued. "I know that I can trust you two not to laugh me off so it must be you that I confer with before I go ahead with any plans."
"What plans Sil?" Thara sat up further and winced slightly causing Haldir to fence she noted.
"The people of Kaldarion are afraid and scattered, we need to find Vesryn and we need to break whatever dark voodoo, bullshit that in your fathers head. Don't you dare laugh at me Thara I know what I saw."
"You may be surprised that I agree with you then." Silver was.
"I knew that our Marchwarden here has seen more than he lets on, you were there when I saw real magic for the first time Haldir you won't shrug this off you know how real this danger is. I thought you'd be a little more apprehensive Thara."
"I listened and believed every tale you ever told me Sil no matter how tall the tale I believed you." Silver smiled at that. "So what are we to do, do you know a witch that can break the curse…"
Haldir laughed, "Surely not?" Thara burned red of embarrassment reminding herself of the shy handmaiden.
Silver smiled, "I wouldn't say witch but I don't think Thara's as far off as you might think to be completely honest."
"It begs belief that I still trust you." He added more seriously.
"Have I ever steered you wrong pet?" Silver raised an eyebrow with a joking tone, "I mean really wrong not just any of the petty things you're about to bring to light."
"No, what did you have in mind?"
"My latest reports say that Vesryn made it to Mirkwood, all of my riders should be accounted for by the closing of this fortnight, news form all of the great cities with them. We need to reach him and I believe that Thranduil has precious information that we will need."
"And then comes your master plan." Haldir had dealt with her before, he knew that she had something riskier to come, Thara was engrossed at the happenings she wanted adventure he could see it in her eyes and he admired it.
"We need a 'witch' to break the 'curse' there are too many innocent people in those settlements to leave under the protection of a Mad King, apologies Thara but it is true."
"And how do you suppose we do this?" Haldir sat forward in his chair resting his elbows on his knees and knotting together his long, elegant fingers with Thara appraising him silently and not to his notice.
"Well, one we have the people down there settled and the remainder of the royal family safe we need to find the person to break the spell…" She trailed off and gave Haldir as close to a shy look as she could muster.
"You know the person." He raised an eyebrow and Thara thought that he looked quite seductive.
"Not exactly, I know a person who might though." She finally sat straight and corrected herself, "You both know that I have a rather strained relationship with my family, I practically ran."
"You're still in hiding." Thara added quietly, the other two elves looked at her, "I notice more than you think." She gave Silver a sympathetic smile who took this as a cue to continue.
"They've fled back to the city, all of them who dared anyway. The threat on the roads was too great for my people to remain I don't doubt that they'll wait until someone else deals with the bandits as you appear to have been, hence they waste no effort once again. She'll help me Haldir we just need to get there."
"You remember the way? Doubtful. I know of the rumours and they are certainly not myths, the Gemian City can only be found by a resident and you many have been born there but you never returned if I remember correctly?"
"I returned indeed but I admit there was a blindfold involved." Thara gave her a disapproving look, it was not the time for jokes, "Apologies, my point is as you said Haldir we will need a talented guide, we need people who know that land to help us across and people who will fight with us if need be."
"Who are these people you speak of?"
"There are more than me that have been outcasted, many more and most are wanting of revenge or a chance to redeem themselves. I know of a man in Gondor especially, I knew him once in passing long ago and he was famed among us." She knew that Haldir wished to ask her a question but she raised a hand slightly so that she could continue to the end, "There are also reports of small band of mercenaries from my homeland, last spotted on the lands of Rohan, they are worth more than that I assure you. There are more thinly spread across these plains, we are not so forgiving a people it would seem but most of those are in far shadier ports. If you'd prefer to search the ports that is an option, an old companion of mine has recently resorted to piracy, it's not all that uncommon."
"As it's not all that far from their natural behaviours." Haldir was stony faced but there was mirth in his stormy, grey eyes so Silver ignored the jest.
"You agree to the plan then?"
"There was no real plan involved in any of that." She just shrugged her shoulders in response.
"So where do I come in?" Thara interrupted them quietly.
"I shall personally make sure that you stay out of harms way from this point forward Princess, you have my word on my honour I swear it." Her stomach fluttered full of butterflies at his words which seemed to have surprised even him. She shook herself slightly.
'No." Silver smiled deviously and looked at her friend, as did Haldir, "I have suffered these past months and I have toiled and fought to be here today. All of that has been for my people namely my father, brothers and the rest of my family you included Silver. My whole civilisation, my entire world, my father himself has now been threatened and I refuse. I forbid you to even attempt trying to stop me helping my people. I was willing to be a human bargaining chip when I believed that the kingdoms biggest threat was wild dogs picking off livestock. You cannot begin to imagine the lengths that I will go to in order to protect my father and see Ryn again.
"There's my girl." Silver smiled, she knew that there was a fire in that girl but inside she was worried. Thara had been so protected her entire life to then be thrust so harsh into the underbelly of a new terrifying world, she could not even begin to imagine what the sweet, innocent little ellith had suffered to still come out fighting at the end of it.
Haldir didn't even notice, he was watching Thara intently, form the impassioned rise and fall of her chest as her breaths deepened as her pulse was quickened. He noticed the life that came to her eyes and mentally noted the colour that appeared in her face, she was flushed and exhilarated. She was ready and he had a sudden urge to first kiss her, then watch as she conquered all of he foes as he truly believed the siren before him would. He cleared his throat and stood before he could do or say anything that he my regret. He was about to excuse himself when Silver stood quickly.
"No sit," She pushed him back into the armchair with two hand upon his broad shoulder, he didn't take much convincing as he would easily overpower her in a game of brute strength, "You have to stay and watch Thara, she's just got all of her blood pumping who knows what that gonna do to her in this state. I must go I have urgent matters to get to. You do not have permission to leave this bedside until I return or a Balrog attacks the Lady." With that she grabbed her shoes and flitted off out of the door leaving the couple alone in a stretched awkward silence that neither knew the source of or how to break.