~Please leave a review. I'll be updating only from time to time from now on. Next month is May and that means that I'll be very busy with studying for my finals that are coming on later that month, but I'll do my very best to at least give something good to chew on until my next updates. Love you guys! -
-Ladystarlet09, P.S I don't own any of the LOTR characters, just Acadia.
(Chapter Thirty-Four)
* This chapter is made upon the request from I luv Milarion. Enjoy!
Galadriel vainly tried again to search for Haldir's life-force within the images of her magical mirror as her march wardens continued their search for their beloved captain. His second eldest brother, Orophin, had taken over for his lost brother as captain but with great reluctance because he still didn't believe that his brother had disappeared from the face of the earth and perhaps had just been merely swept away within the brunt of the storm itself.
Of course Rumil had other conclusions of how their older brother may had disappeared, but he kept them to himself as to not upset Orophil and instead continued to push the search into the furthest parts that his lord and lady would permit while continuing to keep constant vigil against raiding Orcs and mountain trolls. For the two younger brothers left behind, this unexpected separation had caused high anxiety and tensions for flair between them. Every since their parents had taken ship into the west during the latter half of the second age, Haldir was always the one that kept order and peace between them all while he struggled to fill the role as the head of the family and raise them properly as their father and mother would have wanted.
Only Galadriel and Celeborn knew the real truth behind the trio's parent's unexpected departure from these shores but they had chosen to remain silent out of fear that Haldir would end up getting the wrong idea behind the reason. Already since the first day Galadriel had agreed with her husband of becoming a foster mother and bringing the boys into their own home, she had seen the anger, resentment and bitterness that lay deep within Haldir's heart. Orophin and Rumil were much too young at the time to understand why Ada and Nana had left, so it made it easier on her part to tell them that their parents left because of great need from their far away kin in the west was requested and in doing so, they would not be able to return to Middle Earth for their sons unless they chose to take a ship once they were old enough.
For Haldir, it was a whole different matter altogether. Already hitting the age of three and half thousand years old, which is merely a preteen in the eyes of the elves, but old enough to be a grown man in the eyes of mortals, Haldir was a very rebellious spirited elf. He didn't listen to any orders from anyone, not even her and Celeborn when they took him in as their own foster son. It wasn't until a unexpected late night walk around the city in company with Celeborn, had they both discovered Haldir's high talent in being a well trained marksmen with both bow and sword. Even though he still had much to learn and train under, the two had seen the hidden potential within him as becoming the most highly regarded march warden and possible future captain of all of Lothlorien.
They had praised the young teenager of his skill and quickly worked on getting him enrolled into the training program of becoming a warden. The younger brothers didn't need it at the time since they were still young so it was really up to Haldir to keep himself strong and well emotionally, just not physically for the sake of them. Galadriel personally instructed him in all the ways of using the bow while Celeborn focused more on the arts of sword and hand-to-hand combat. They instructed all three in lessons about the past of the elves and the ways of various cultural differences between their woodland kin as well as the ways of the free people of Middle Earth. Only Haldir seemed to take things further when he kept asking her to allow him to go with her to the eastern trading posts at the edge of the boarder so he could meet the various trading merchants and visiting ambassadors who sought out her council.
As time continued to pass slowly, Haldir grew less rebellious and more of a image of a leader. He traveled far and wide whenever his presence wasn't required at the boarders, always gone for a long periods of time and always coming back home with tons of stories to share with his younger brothers and foster family of his experiences. He became fluent in several languages, including some of the ancient elven tongue that only she and Celeborn still knew how to use to this day, as well as literature and cultural practices. But ever so often, Galadriel would catch whispers among her kin of how Haldir always kept a safe distance from those who spoke of his parents, lest he should lose his temper and go off on them before disappearing into the darkness of the world for a month's time. She became even more greatly concern as the world around them started to grow dark once again with the evil from Dol Goldur and the spreading of the orcs that came almost constant into her boarders, forcing her and her husband to increase their patrols to even outside the golden forest itself. Her attention was needed more outside the home with her royal affairs but she always found the time to become the mother figure to the three that she had willingly adopted with a kind heart.
Haldir became the ever single presence that seemed to know when to strike back if there were small battles between his fellow warriors and the orcs. He lead them all with a steady will that was made out of steel, ever the vailent one who remained behind until every single warrior, dead or alive, was brought back home. But things drastically changed once she had made the greatest mistake of her entire immortal life by choosing him to lead several hundred legions of elves to rally the king of Rohan at Helm's Deep against the ten thousand of legions of Uruk-hai Orcs from the pits of Isengard.
Never was she prepared of her will being put to the ultimate test when he was brought to her by his younger brothers on a stretcher, nearest to the the threshold of death with a sever leg wound that refused to heal thanks to the powerful poison that was laced on the Orcs' weapons. She fought day and night with the aid of Celeborn to bring Haldir back to the world for a full week without any sleep or rest. Ever constantly draining the leg of the poison slowly with the aid of Tuvandiel and his very best healers until there was no trace of it left anymore within. Once he had passed back into the world of the living, she worked hard on restoring what was left of him but she had already known once he had opened his grey eyes and saw that he was no longer at Helm's Deep, she saw the pain of regret remain constant within himself.
Haldir was a shadow of himself, becoming cold and distant with everyone else, save her and Celeborn and his brothers. His heart had harden as well, making him the lone wolf amide the various weddings that was celebrated amid their kin. He never allowed himself to become close with his female lovers, always left in the middle of the night as to prevent any rumors to spread and returned straight home where she'd find out that he would drink himself to sleep if his mind was troubled. Many times she had approached him with demands that he'd let the past go and move on so his inner light would not become tarnished with his bitterness, but every time she did, he'd fight back and tell her to leave him be, that he wanted to be alone or even dead because he felt that he didn't deserve to live when he had nearly lost all of his men in the battle of Helm's Deep.
So Galadriel kept her mouth shut and did just that. Celeborn would at times seek Haldir out whenever he was alone at his home and speak to him, but what they would speak of, he never said to her out of respect to his foster son's need for privacy. It wasn't until she had heard of the strange girl that suddenly appeared out of nowhere at her boarders, bewildered, scared and running high with a fever and cold, that her heart felt lighter for a brief moment. Haldir had seemed rather interested in Acadia after he had come to her to give his report but he kept it completely hidden from her, save from what she could read in his heart's mind and saw that it was something more then just a mere 'interest' in the girl.
Yes, she was indeed a mortal and a different one from that, but something told the lady of light that this was the one who would be able to give Haldir hope and a will to live. So being the person that she was, Galadriel glanced into her mirror and saw the world from which Acadia was from. It was only then afterwards that she sought to create a connection between the two that would enable them both, given that he had suffered from separation issues from his parents and multiple battle mental battle scars and the girl had suffered sexual abuse and rape from her own father when she was young; to find common ground and create some sort of emotional healing.
All of this and more, Galadriel had hoped for until she had been forced to send Acadia back to her own time and world after suffering emotional trauma from witnessing and killing an Orc with her bare hands while in the company of a patrol. Once she was gone, Haldir seemed to revert back to his old self as a depressed elf who refused anyone's company, not even his brothers until one day, Celeborn being fed up with his son's refusal of acknowledge his duties a captain, threatened to pass it off to more qualified officers within his ranks and lower his son's to that of a mere warden.
It was hard for the following two months, but Galadriel kept a watchful eye on her foster son's behavior from afar. He returned to his normal duties, but didn't stray far from home anymore then necessary. He trained the younger potential during the days he wasn't on duty, kept up with his own training before going back out to the boarders where she'd receive reports that he'd often occupy his time with gazing up at the heaven and speaking about Acadia. His skill in battle never diminished, but it was often his leg that would give him great pains when one wasn't paying close attention to him.
All of this and more, took place until the sudden storm that swept through the elven city and forest, shaking up all who lived within as their lord and lady rushed to keep order while worrying about the patrols that had recently departed to the boarders. Haldir had gone with his youngest brother, Rumil on the latest departure to keep him company. When Rumil sent a frantic messenger back to them with word that Haldir had disappeared within striking distance of a thunderbolt, the first thought that came to her mind that something or someone of higher power, had played a distinct role. She kept looking within her mirror from that point on at the various places of Middle Earth, even going as far as the edges of Mordor to seek even the tiniest hint of his life-force but always coming empty handed in the end. Celeborn sent messengers to both king Thranduil, asking if they happened to see or find their beloved march warden. But even the king sadly sent word that they hadn't heard or seen the march warden since his last visit to his kingdom three years ago. Elrond, mighty lord of Imladris, hadn't found anything either.
So all that everyone who were involved in the search could do was pray to the Valar that he was safe somewhere out there within the reaches of the world and that someday he'd return back home safe and sound. If there was even a world to come back to since the growing darkness had continued to spread southward towards the city of Gondor. Galadriel would have at a different time sent a small army to held hold the city, but she had more problems to deal with back at home on keeping her boarders closed against the orcs that were growing bolder by each day. The ring-bearer was still not yet close to his destination and ever, they held their breaths for the time of when he would be either successful or fall to the seductive power of the ring itself. She could only longer sense Frodo anymore since he had gone deeper into Mordor, but she always held hope within her heart that he would find the will to conquer the power of the ring and destroy it forever. Just as now she kept a strong heart that was filled with the hope of someday seeing her foster son return home before it was time for their people to take the last remaining ships into the west forever as the time of the elves came to a closed.
"My love, you must be completely exhausted from using Nenya all day." She heard Celeborn speak from behind. She felt and heard him approached her, wrapping his strong arms about her slender shoulders while placing a comforting kiss upon her brow.
"He's still alive somewhere, my love." Celerborn whispered in her ear. "I know it deep within my heart that he's not dead." Why must you exhaust yourself like this everyday since we recived word about his disappearance. I'm sure that the Valar are keeping a watchful eye over him."
"Even if I can get a brief glance of his image within my mirror, only then shall I be content that he's safe." Galadriel replied sadly as she continued to scour her mirror. "All I see is fog and haziness the further I stretch my vision. I don't like seeing his younger brothers right among themselves and then take it out on everyone else around them.'
"Which is something that I've already personally addressed to them in private about the issue." Celeborn shook his silver head while turning his wife's face upwards at him. "I don't wish to see you suffering so as we both did with our daughter's departure from these shores. Our people still need us, the world still needs us as long as we continue to fight this war against the Dark Lord. There still many things that we need to finished before all is either lost or saved." When Galadriel lowered her eyes from his gaze, Celeborn gently placed an finger underneath her chin and make her stare back up at him. "I still need you by my side as my wife and supporter as you need me by your side since you too, bear a ring of great burden upon your fair shoulders. Don't let this take you away from your duties as protector and mother of this realm that we both helped each other build. There still much that needs to be done here while you still carry its power within you."
Tears slowly fell from her blue eyes. She buried her face against his warm chest, her fair hands griping the front of his robes tightly within her fingers as she sobbed freely while Celeborn held her tightly against him. He stared deeply over her head into the waters, his grey eyes seeking something of his foster son while his heart bled with the pain that his beloved must endure once more for one of her own children. As the waters shifted from one image to the next, something unexpected popped up.
"Artanis, look!" He cried, pointing a finger as an image of a familiar face came to the surface. "Its Acadia!"
Turning her face to the mirror, Galadriel sure enough saw the face of the girl she had put all of her hopes on, slowly defined itself until it was almost as if she could reach out and touch the image with a finger. Acadia seemed to be talking to someone in the background of a strange house that she swore she had seen before after seeking out information about the girl after she had appeared. "That must be her home that she mentioned before to us, Celeborn." Galadriel breathed as the image shifted and now they saw something totally unexpected that caused their eyes to widen in total shock.
Acadia was sitting at a table next to an elderly man and the person sitting across from them was non other then Haldir himself, no longer dressed in his custom clothing of a march warden, but of a different clothing of strange blue trousers and a plaid style button up shirt with his long blond hair pulled back into a ponytail.
"It cannot be." Galadriel whispered to herself. "How is this even possible?"
"Perhaps you should ask the storm that question, love." Celeborn spoke quietly as they watched Haldir interact with Acadia and the elderly man by her side. "That must the man who took her in from the streets." He nodded. "But how did Haldir came to be with her? Does this mean that he's no longer in the wold of Middle Earth but is instead somehow transported to her world?" He turned to his wife who appeared to be wrapped within her own mind.
It seemed forever that she slowly nodded her golden head. "It must be. The only way that all of this could have happened is that one of the Valar, or even all of them for that matter, had somehow found that Acadia's work wasn't yet complete and sought to send Haldir to her own world to finish it. But by the look of things, he's still got that same haunted look within his eyes."
The royal couple stared as the images of Acadia and Haldir shifted back and forth between moments of when they seemed to be talking to each other or moments when Haldir was gazing up at a darken sky with deep sadness lingering within his fair gaze.
"He's thinking of us." She said after a moment had passed. "Now I understand why I couldn't sense him at all. He had been sent to her world as a result of his longing to see her face again, his pain and suffering still building within him so they must have taken pity upon him and did this to help ease his emotional suffering."
"But from what I can see, Artanis." Celeborn replied, using his wife's former name only in true seriousness. "She's not yet bonded herself to our son."
"Then it could only mean that her memories that were lost during the time I had sent her back with my ring's power, they must have returned but caused her to become hesitant with him. In this fashion, Halir would appear to be a stranger in her eyes that she must re-learn if she is to ever find a way to help him from where she left off."
"Then I pray that she's doesn't drive him as crazy with her mouth as last time." Celeborn smirked with a half laugh as he continued to stare at the mirror's images. "Do you think that she'll ever return Haldir's love for her? Yes, such unions are known to be filled with pain in the end, but is there any hope for them of being able to be fully healed?"
Galadriel didn't answer her husband's question right away. There was still much that was unsaid between the two, but as far as she knew from what she had seen within both of them on separate accounts, all of it boiled down to a single decision on either side that would ultimately end up changing both lives forever. "Only time will tell if that is even going to happen, husband." She replied softly. "If she chooses to accept his bond, then she knows that in her heart, if there is ever a way that he'd be able to return back to Middle Earth, she'd have to chose to either return with him or risk possibly breaking both her own and his heart forever by remaining in her own world. The same goes for Haldir as well. He, too must chose to either return to the world he was born and raised and live amide his people with her by his side, or choose to stay with her there and remain forever sundered by two worlds until he fades away. Nothing is for certain either way. What they chose in the end is going to be the result that they receive. We can only hope that for whatever Acadia or Haldir chooses, they will at least get some happiness for a while within each other's company, even its for a short span of a mortal's life."
The images slowly began to fade away until there was only the reflection of the night sky above shining down in the clear waters with the moon and stars above.
"Let's go home and tell his brothers at least that's he's safe with Acadia for now." Celborn gently suggested to his wife. "This at least helps put our mind's at ease for the time being and enable us to focus on the more important things that are taking place right now."
Galadriel hugged her husband tightly as he led her in the direction of home. "Sometimes I wonder what life would have been if I hadn't chosen you and accepted your bond as your willing wife." She replied with a small laugh. Celeborn's face became very somber for a brief moment. He squeezed her hand that was resting within his own tightly as if she would end up disappearing all of a sudden.
"Let us not speak of such things idly, my love." He said to her firmly. "Of all the choices I've made throughout my whole existence, my Galadriel, you are most definitely the one I would refuse to change for all the trouble I went through just to get your father's approval for your fairest hand." The royal couple departed the grove and headed back to the royal talan with the good news, hoping that Orophin and Rumil's minds would at least be put at ease that their eldest brother was safe and sound within the company of the young woman he loved.