Disclaimer: Refer to Chapter 1
Chapter 10: Separation
Celeborn's brow furrowed deeply as he studied the faded parchment map. Haldir hovered nearby, and tried to hide a yawn behind his hand. He had been awake for three straight nights, and was beginning to feel that his eyes would not focus, that his head was clouded as if he had drank too much wine. Elves could go for many days without sleep, but his body was exhausted from battle and he would not last much longer. Celeborn looked up, narrowing his eyes further at his captain.
"Have you slept, Haldir?"
"Yes," Haldir lied easily, meeting the strong blue eyes of his Lord without hesitation. How could he explain that if he let himself sleep he would dream of Silraen? How could he tell Celeborn that he could not bring himself to re-enter his home, to go near that bed and see Silraen's empty pillow?
"Go home, Haldir. We may need to march in the coming days, sleep in your own bed while you still can. I will tell Rumil to fill you in on anything we decide while you are resting."
"I do not wish to neglect my duties, Lord Celeborn. I feel quite alert, I assure you."
Celeborn smirked at Haldir, "Don't make me laugh. You look like you could keel over at any moment. Go, before you anger me."
Haldir smiled reluctantly, knowing the threat to be hollow. But, he straightened, turning for the doorway . He paused on the terrace of the Great Mallorn, the noon-time sun burning into his tired eyes. A mist was lifting from the soggy ground below, the smell of the previous night's rain still lingering in the air. He had been on patrol in that rain, listening to the thunder rumbling in the distance, praying to every spirit he could think of that Silraen and the children were not out in that storm. The thunder had been nearly continuous, the winds screaming through the treetops with horrifying rage, and Haldir had imagined with nauseating intensity what it must be like for his children, with nowhere safe to turn, no bed to curl up in.
Haldir sighed, turning for the stairs. They had Silraen. She would die before she let anything happen to them, of that he was sure.
He wished only to sleep in a shadowed corner of the armory, or leaning against the wall at the edge of the city, anywhere that was not his home. But, he knew if he was needed, he had to be somewhere easy to find. He squared his shoulders, turning for the place he least wanted to go in all of Arda.
The dark silence of the living room was the most terrible sound Haldir had ever heard. He stood in the doorway, blocking what light might enter the room with his body, and saw a doll sprawled unhappily in the middle of the floor. He took a halting step toward it, seeing other toys strewn about, a pair of Silraen's boots beside a chair, a baby blanket draped carelessly over the arm. The scene was eerie, they had left so quickly that the house looked ready for them to return at any moment, and Haldir bowed his head, swearing for a moment that he heard his son's laughter.
Haldir sat on the edge of his bed, leaning over to remove his boots. They dropped to the floor with a heavy thud that echoed off the walls. Haldir then bowed his head, burying his face in his hands. For many minutes he sat that way, his eyes squeezed shut against the merciless reminders of his loss. He jolted suddenly, realizing he had dozed off and tipped precariously forward. With a grunt, Haldir fell to the side and dropped into the deepest sleep of his life.
Silraen jerked sharply on the rope, checking that her knots were sound. "All right, take him up."
She scurried up the trunk of the tree, Danuriel tucked in a sling on her back. She watched as the elves below her tugged on the rope, lifting Orophin's litter into the air. As he reached the lowest limb, Silraen caught the frame, guiding it up through the branches.
"This is so humiliating," Orophin grumbled, meeting her eyes.
Silraen laughed, hopping to the next tier of branches and turning him slightly. "You'll be safer up here overnight than on the ground, so get used to it," she spun the frame of his litter and yelled down, "All right, hold him there."
She secured him with two shorter ropes so that he was suspended within his litter from the branches. "Let go," she bellowed, holding her breath as the long rope went slack. The litter held, and she heard Orophin exhale loudly as well. "I told you this would work," she said, pulling the rope from where it was tossed over a large branch and wrapping it into a tight loop.
"I never had a doubt," he said dryly.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, pressing a gentle hand to his forehead. He did not seem to have regained his strength after the horse had run away with him in the storm the night before.
"I'm all right," he assured. But, he felt completely exhausted, as if every breath he drew required great effort. He turned his head, managing a smile as Taurnan scrambled along the branch.
"Careful, baby, Uncle Orophin needs to rest," Silraen told her son. Taurnan placed a small hand on her back, peeking into the strip of cloth at his little sister.
"She's asleep." Taurnan whispered.
Silraen looked at Orophin with a soft smile, "I swear she can sleep through anything."
Taurnan tugged on Silraen's shirt, saying, "It's...it's not going to storm again tonight, is it Mama?" There was the slightest shake in his voice and Silraen sat on the branch, drawing him into her arms.
"No, I don't think it will storm tonight."
"The storm was scary, wasn't it Uncle Orophin?"
"Yes, it was. You were very brave, though, your mother told me you were."
Taurnan beamed, turning to look up at his mother in satisfaction. Silraen smiled back, but her focus shifted and she saw Linaya struggling up the branches below her. Silraen set her son on the branch, saying in a distracted tone, "Stay with Uncle Orophin, I'll be right back."
Silraen swung through the leaves with ease, dropping down beside Linaya. "You should have said something, I would have had you hauled up by a rope."
"That's not necessary, I've been climbing trees since I was tiny."
"Yes, but never while you were with child. That belly of yours throws off your center of gravity."
"Thanks for pointing that out," Linaya mumbled, but let out a small cry as she nearly lost her balance. Silraen caught her hand and helped her climb to each limb, until she was safely in the canopy.
"Was the pace better for you today?" Silraen asked as she drew Danuriel forward and settled her against her chest. "I am sorry I went so fast yesterday, but I was hoping to beat the storm."
"Yes, I did fine today," Linaya said, dropping back against the trunk with an audible sigh, "But I'm not as good at this as you are. I think I will only slow us down further as my baby grows."
"Then we will slow down for you," Silraen promised, searching the young elf's face. She looked tired, but otherwise well. Silraen sat on the branch, watching as Linaya removed the pack from her back and tied it to the branch below her.
"You know," Silraen said hesitantly, "When I was expecting Taurnan I would have these wild spurts of energy where I would go out and plant half a field by myself and then sleep for two days straight. It is so funny because now Taurnan is just like that himself. He runs circles around me for most of the day and just passes out by about mid-afternoon."
Linaya chuckled, looking up at where Taurnan was chatting noisily with Orophin. "Ever since I found out I was with child I cannot sleep enough. Does that mean my child will be boring?"
Silraen smiled, "I think it means your child will be obedient and calm. I think it means your child will be perfect."
"Well, one thing is for sure. This child will be big. My stomach is as big as a pumpkin and I still have a lot of pregnancy ahead of me."
Silraen saw a change come over her face then, her blue-green eyes drawn to the top of Danuriel's blond head, staring intently at the silent baby, "I—I had hoped for Rumil to be a part of every step of this pregnancy. He was so happy when he found out he was to be a father," Linaya reached up, whisking a tear from her cheek, "I'm not strong enough to go through this without him."
"Yes, you are," Silraen said vehemently, reaching out to take Linaya's hand, "You have so much strength. I can see it in your eyes. You will see."
Linaya smiled unsteadily, but squeezed Silraen's hand with an impressive grip. Silraen nodded with a warm smile. "I have to scout a little. Keep an eye on Taurnan for me?"
"Of course," Linaya agreed.
Silraen leapt to the branch above them, clutching Danuriel to her, then dashed easily along the branches to the very highest limbs of the canopy. As she climbed, she saw around her the elves of Lothlorien settling in for the night, hiding within the leafy screen, tucking themselves against the tree trunks.
They were at the very edge of a long, treeless valley, but Silraen had decided not to try and push the group across it. She felt it just as well to halt them here, where she might see a great distance from the treetops, then set out refreshed in the morning. Danuriel woke, looking around her at the expansive valley with a delighted giggle. "Good girl," Silraen whispered, "You have no fear, you see joy everywhere. Sometimes I wish I could look at the world through your eyes, Little One."
Silraen looked up again, feeling the cool breeze and hearing the rattle of the leaves below her. Her smooth scan of the horizon caught for a moment and she squinted, focusing her long gaze on the streambed that snaked across the plain. "No," she whispered, feeling her stomach turn.
Little more than black specks on the green expanse, the lurching gait of the orcs was unmistakable. For a moment, she could not move, just watched them with increasing horror and anger. What if this was all a mistake? What if we should never have left the city? What if Haldir was wrong? She shook her head briskly, "There's no turning back now," she whispered grimly. She tucked her baby against her and swung into the trees, into the gathering night that closed in about them just as their enemies did.
Huge thanks to my reviewers TigerLily, Puxinette, and moonbunny77. Love you guys!!!