The Journey
Part: 22
Rating: Strong R
Pairing: Haldir/OFC
Characters: Just about every other elf that Tolkien created that is in the LoTR books and movies.
Warning: descriptions of wounds and sexual situations
Disclaimer: All known characters are owned by the great Tolkien, all others are of my own creation.
Beta(s): Marta, Novedhelion, and Vi
Timeline: 80 years before LoTR and extends to post RoTK events

Notes: I want to thank Marta, Zee, Mal, Kay, Suse, Phyllis, Vi, Novedhelion, Kika, Becky, Dorothy, and Rashida for their expertise. Without their input this story would not be what it is today.

Sindarian speach is shown with ""
Westron speach is show with ' '

This story follows the movieverse.

Summary: With no memory of a possible alliance with Mirkwood, an elleth, lone survivor of a devastating attack, is brought to Rivendell.

Chapter 22

Arianel sat on a bench in the gardens alone. It had been a long time since Haldir had gone out to the fences. Yes, he had done this before Círdan's arrival, but since then each time he left the separation was harder to deal with. He had made her feel safe ever since her coming to Lothlórien. Angry with him at first with Elrond, she wasn't anymore. Haldir lived here, and she knew she had fallen in love with him.

"Lirimaer?"

Arianel turned around and smiled when she recognized Haldir. He had not changed from his wardens tunic, but he did have the sense to store his weapons. She moved over so there would be room for him.

Sitting down, he put his arm around her and pulled her close. "I missed you."

"I know," she laid her head on his shoulder. "Can you shorten your time on the Fences?"

"You know, I asked Adar about that. He told me that if he did it for me then he'd have to do that for all the wardens. And if the time is shortened then we would have to be out there more often."

"I do not like this, being separated. Sydia commented that it gets easier over time. I do not believe her."

"You forget, she is bound."

"What is so different about that?"

Haldir smiled. "Rúmil is always with her. They may be separated physically, but not mentally." He fell silent for a time, contemplating his relationship with Arianel.

"I do not want to be alone anymore," Arianel murmured.

"I am here." He dropped a kiss on her forehead. Deep inside all he wanted was to make her feel safe and loved. At that moment he realized she was the one he had waited for all his long years. He turned to face her and held her face in his hands. "Bind with me. I love you and I know I will never love another."

Arianel looked down for a moment. She felt his hands tighten when she looked back up.

"Why do you cry, sweetling?" Haldir took a thumb and gently rubbed the tear off her cheek. Inside he was fearful that she would reject him totally. He did not know if he could survive the rejection.

Without warning, she threw her arms around his neck, "I will bind with you, forsaking all others for you."

Haldir closed his eyes in relief. Sliding his hands down, he reached for hers and grasped both of them to bring them to his face. "Come, melith."

She felt like she was in a dream as he lead her away from the gardens, not caring who saw them for once. They were so focused on each other that they never saw Celeborn watching from the other side of the clearing with a smile on his face.

The two wound their way to his talan.

"Le gwedhin guil nín," he whispered the sacred words into her ear. Pulling away slightly he looked into her eyes and kissed her deeply.

"Haldir," she mumbled into her mouth as she wrapped her arms around him pulling him closer. "More. . ." Her eyes glazed over when she felt his penetration. Her surprise was that there was nothing to hinder him, only intense pleasure.

Haldir hesitated for a moment, surprised at the ease. It was almost like she had done this before, but he knew that wasn't the case, she was too gloriously tight. "I promise to be easy." His voice was strained with barely held control.

Arianel wrapped her legs around him forcing him to go deeper. "Please. . ." she gasped as he rubbed an extremely sensitive spot. The touch made her convulse and squeeze him even more tightly as she moaned.

Her reaction caused Haldir to lose his last shred self-control he clung to. He gave an almost growl as he grapsed her hips and increased his pace.

At the moment of release Haldir felt all of the barriers between them completely crumble and their minds and souls became one.

Melin chenhe whispered into her mind.

Melin chen, she answered.

oOoOoO

Arianel woke, troubled. It seemed to have started with the events surrounding her binding to Haldir. Something in her mind had jarred loose and let her begin to remember what she could not before. Rising from the warm bed she pulled on a robe and moved over to the window. Opening it, she looked across the woodland city in the early morning gloom.

"What plagues you, hervess?" Haldir's voice came from behind. Moments later she felt his arms snake around her and pull her against him. Arianel shook her head. She attributed the feelings to their impending separation, but that was only a part of it. "It is hard when you leave for the fences."

Haldir turned her around. "Some of the wardens told me it gets easier, but they are wrong. It is never easy."

She settled against him and nodded into his neck. "What about your brothers? Have they ever told you that?"

Haldir gave a short laugh before answering. "Nay. I believe Rúmil does not want to leave thei bed unless it is absolutely necessary, and Orophin does not like being separated at all."

Arianel laughed at Haldir's explanation. "It has to be more than that."

"Maybe."

"I find it easier to deal with it when I am with the Lord and Lady." Her arms snaked around his neck.

"I will not stop you from going there, melith. I want you to feel safe even when I am not able to be here with you. You know that."

Arianel nodded then began to examine more of the memories that were surfacing. Remembering had started slowly, but gained in frequency as the years passed by. Haldir seemed to think it was their separations that were making her somewhat moody. She was content for now for him to think that. There was one way to get her mind off the images that were plaguing her. Haldir, she let her hands move up until she reached his sensitive ears, make love to me. I need you.

Haldir smiled and carried her back over to their warm bed.

As was her habit, she went to the High Talan when Haldir traveled to the fences. This time she wanted to talk to Galadriel about what was going on in her mind and memories. She thought about Mólindë and Narariand. They were so nice to her. It was sad that the wargs had gotten to both of them. They had gotten to everyone, including me, she thought somberly.

Hoping to find Galadriel inside the study, she was disappointed to find Celeborn in there instead.

He looked up and eyes narrowed slightly as he took a good look at her. "What troubles you, young one?"

It took her a moment to realize she had not panicked at possibly interrupting what Celeborn was doing. She turned around before speaking. "Memories." She turned back around and found him looking at her with some interest. "There are some things that have come back." Arianel never noticed Celeborn's eyes getting a slight faraway look then snapping back.

"Do you wish to speak to Galadriel about this?"

"And maybe you," she answered quietly.

"She is coming." He indicated a chair.

Nodding, Arianel moved over to it and sat down, she was unsure and troubled at the increasing frequency of her returning memories.

Galadriel came into the room and looked at Celeborn for a long moment. Nodding at him she glided over to the chair she normally sat in, next to his. "Tell us child, what you remember."

"The reason why we were traveling and to where." Arianel faltered then plunged forward. "We were going to Mirkwood. Adar was in the mind that he would have me marry Legolas." She looked up and found compassion. "I did not even know him even though we had exchanged several letters." She looked down to her hands. "It makes me sad that I never, at least, got to meet him."

"You are wondering if you would have fallen in love with him?" Galadriel asked gently.

Arianel nodded.

"Does Haldir know any of this?" Celeborn asked.

Arianel shook her head. "He knows I have shown signs of something. He thinks it is attributed to our separations. I do not lie to him with this, that is part of it, but do not tell him everything. He believes it is because of the separation we go through."

Celeborn sat back and looked at the young elleth before him. "He will need to know about this."

"I know." Arianel sniffed. "I do not think this is the right time, I just do not know how to tell him."

TBC...

Le gwedhin guil nín - - I bind my self to thee
Melin chen - - I love you