Thanks for all the kind reviews for the last chapter! You really are a wonderful bunch! Hope you like the next update :D.


Elrond, it perhaps can well be imagined, was not best pleased with Faelwen when he heard of his daughter's attempted late-night escape. He was extremely angry that his daughter, who had never in her life disobeyed him before, had so expressly defied his instructions, and angrier still that Faelwen had been foolish and headstrong enough to consider putting herself at risk of the dreadful fate her mother had suffered many years before!

Glorfindel's report of her bitter distress, however, touched the elf-lord's compassionate heart and so when he called Faelwen to his study the following morning and saw her tired face and despairing eyes, he scolded her much less harshly than he had originally intended to, though he made sure to take steps to ensure that she would not attempt to sneak off again.

"I want you to promise me Faelwen, on your honour," he said firmly, lifting her chin so that she met his eyes. "That you will not attempt this again and that you will remain here in Imladris until it is safe to do otherwise." Elrond saw the hesitation in her eyes which followed, and knew that the fire of Faelwen's new-found rebelliousness had not yet gone out.

Faelwen, on the other hand, knew that if were to make such a promise, looking her father in the face, that she would not be able to break it. She hesitated unhappily, having not yet given up hope of getting to Lorien and putting her skills to use in helping the Galadhrim. As she dithered, she noticed Elrond's gaze grow even sterner, and knew that it was hopeless. She could not get out of this, and Elrond knew that she would never go back on a promise to him. "I give you my word, Ada," she said miserably.

"Thank you," Elrond replied gently, sympathising with her more than she realised. He embraced her comfortingly. "I know that this is hard for you; I do understand sweetheart. But it will not last forever, Faelwen, I promise. It will not last forever."

Faelwen did not reply. Her head resting against Elrond's sturdy chest, she simply closed her eyes and sighed, feeling even more hopeless than she had the day before.

"Faelwen?" Elrond broke the silence after several minutes, and the younger elf could hear the change in his tone, though she could not describe it. "The first party of the household to leave for Valinor will do so in a fortnight..."

"I will not go," Faelwen cut him off flatly, shaking her head vigorously. "No, Ada, I cannot go. Not until this is over and I know who has survived. I will not leave here without Haldir, or my brothers."

Elrond looked at her in despair for a few seconds, as though trying to decide how best to convince her otherwise. Presently however, he sighed heavily and admitted defeat. The stubbornness flaring in her eyes once more told him he could never succeed in this."As you wish, young one," he said, raising a hand to cup her cheek affectionately. "I will not force you."

"Ada, you have the gift of foresight," Faelwen said, getting to her feet and crossing to look out of the window. Summer was beginning, but she took none of her usual delight in the bright flora of the valley. "When is this going to end?"

"My dear, if I knew, I would tell you," Elrond said, joining her at the window. "But there are many possible futures, each shrouded in darkness and shadow. I do not know which one will come to be."

"There is death in all of them, isn't there?" Faelwen said sadly, feeling her throat tightening and telling herself angrily that she was not going to cry again. She felt that that was all that she had done since the Fellowship left Imladris.

"I fear that, even with the happiest of conclusions of the struggle against the Dark One, there will be death ere the end. You know of Arwen's choice?" Elrond asked gravely.

"I know that she has elected to stay behind with Estel when the time comes for us all to leave," Faelwen said, just as gravely. "We are going to lose her, aren't we?"

"I fear that we will," Elrond sighed heavily. Faelwen noticed suddenly that he looked excessively weary and felt terrible for giving him something else to worry about on top of everything else. Arwen's decision must be weighing heavily on him; he knew that he would have to lose two children in the end, not just the mortal Estel. "I have tried to talk to her, and to persuade her to sail, but it has been to no avail."

"She loves him," Faelwen murmured, understanding Arwen's decision even as she dreaded the day when they were to part. And how she hated to see the pain in her father's face! It eradicated what was left of her stubbornness. "Ada, I really am sorry for arguing with you yesterday. I did not mean to shout at you."

"I know," Elrond embraced her again and kissed the crown of her head. "All is forgiven. I only want your safety, Faelwen, I am not deliberately trying to keep you apart from him."

"I understand, Ada," Faelwen raised herself on tiptoe for a moment to kiss his cheek. "You need not ask Glorfindel to watch me now; I promise, I will not try to flee again."

A knock at the door announced the entrance of Erestor and so Faelwen took her leave to allow the elder elves to their decision and went in search of her sister.


"You had quite the adventure last night, did you not?" remarked Arwen drily, as Faelwen entered her room a few minutes later.

Faelwen flushed scarlet with embarrassment at the memory of being carried back to the house over Glorfindel's shoulder. "I cannot believe I was stupid enough to think I could get out of Imladris unseen!" she groaned as she flopped down onto a chair. "It was my only chance and I threw it away!"

"And I cannot believe you would be so stupid Faelwen!" Arwen cried in exasperation, putting her hands on her hips and momentarily looking remarkably similar to Elrond. "Honestly, what chance would you have had out there on your own? Did you even think of how it would have destroyed everyone to see you broken like Naneth...or worse, slain? How it would have affected Haldir, Ada, me, the twins, Aragorn? Not to mention everyone else who cares about you!"

Unconsciously, Arwen was echoing Elrond's words of earlier, and it made Faelwen feel even worse. So obsessed had she been with getting to Lorien, she had not stopped to consider how much she would have worried everyone, had Glorfindel not stopped her from getting away. Guilt shone from every line of her countenance.

"Silly girl!" Arwen said, cuffing her affectionately around the head. "How was it? Was Ada very angry with you?"

"He was angry with me, yes, but I think he understood why I did it," Faelwen said. "He did not punish me as I expected - I thought he might confine me to my room since I went so directly against his instructions. And he made me promise that I wouldn't try to leave Imladris again."

"Well, you had best hope that Elladan and Elrohir do not return any time soon!" said Arwen wryly. "For if they hear that you tried to make for Lorien alone and unguarded, I do not believe they will be as forgiving as Ada!"

Faelwen groaned loudly, covering her face, when she thought of how her brothers would react to the tale of her attempted escape. She had no doubt that they would less than impressed!

All chance of getting to Lorien now gone, Faelwen knew that she had to find something to occupy her mind if she wanted to remain sane. As the weeks continued to pass, she took to haunting the library in the hours when she was not required in the healing wing. There were several ancient texts on the art of healing, which had always seemed more like magic than medicine to her, which she had not read properly. She set to memorising the pages, simply for something to do, but discovered many interesting old techniques within the old leather tomes. One which particularly interested her was a method of saving someone, even someone at death's door, by tying one's life force to theirs.

There were many other interesting alternative healing methods in the book, so Faelwen took it to her room for further study. Her passion for healing had never ceased and at the moment, she felt that it was all she had to keep her from losing her mind!


The Borders of Lorien...some months later.

The Galadhrim were outnumbered by at least four to one by orcs. But these were orcs such as none of the elven warriors had seen before. They were taller, broader, more muscular and even more savage. In addition, they were able to travel in daylight – meaning that the wardens of Lorien had to be unceasingly on their guard.

This battle had begun at dawn. Amongst the elves in the combat was Haldir, Celeborn's senior Marchwarden, and his younger brothers, Orophin and Rumil. In addition, the six sons of Calanon, who had remained in Lorien since their visit several months earlier, had also joined Haldir's unit; offering what help they could provide to their sister's betrothed.

It was a brutal battle. This new breed of orc was more intelligent than its predecessor; the foul creatures tried to divide the elves, so that they could not assist each other or watch a comrade's back. They also did their utmost to slay the elven leaders first.

As such, Haldir was completely surrounded.

Celeborn's eldest foster-son was a warrior of uncommon merit. He had trained with the utmost dedication from the first day he had been old enough to hold a sword or a bow. That training stood him in good stead now, as he cut a bloody path through the ring of foul beasts surrounding him, all the while trying to keep an eye on his brothers.

He could see that Orophin was holding his own, unmarked, and Rumil, though bleeding slightly from a wound on his right thigh, seemed not to be badly wounded. He was despatching orcs with a disgusted expression on his face. A true leader, his mind always on those under his command, Haldir was relieved to see that most of his company was still standing, and the number of the enemy was depleting quickly.

Tackled by three of the orcs at once, there was no way that he could deflect the blade which swung towards him, slicing into his abdomen.

"Haldir!" Orophin felt his raw scream tear at his throat as he watched his older brother go down, blood spilling from the savage wound in his stomach, his eyes wide with pain and shock. Standing above him, one of the creatures raised their blades.

Two minutes, and his brother would be dead!

"HALDIR!" Desperately, Orophin tried to hack his way through the beasts to get to the Marchwarden. But it was too far. He would never make it in time! Haldir didn't have a chance! The seconds which followed seemed to last an eternity!

His heart in his mouth, as he fought his way to his brother, Orophin suddenly saw a silver-haired elf throw himself at the creature above Haldir. It was Alyan, Faelwen's eldest brother, already sporting a serious-looking wound on his right shoulder. He heard the clang, as Alyan raised his sword to block that of the orc; stopping the blade from ending Haldir's life. Orophin saw the Mirkwood elf wince as his wounded shoulder was violently jarred, before he raised his sword shakily to tackle the three orcs who were still standing over Haldir's body.

One fell, pierced through the eye by a Galadhrim arrow, while the remaining two turned on Alyan. With the sword arm weakened by the wound in his shoulder, there was not much he could do to defend himself. Just as Orophin reached them, sending his dagger spinning into the forehead of the orc on the right, he saw the one on the left knock Alyan violently under the chin with an enormous fist, sending the elf stumbling for balance. While his opponent was thus disarmed, the creature slammed it's hulking blade straight through Alyan's chest.

"Nooooooooooooooo!" Orophin heard a voice, he thought it was Feredir's, scream across the field, that battle now almost over. He threw himself at the orc, one of the few still alive and hacked and hacked until its head fell at his feet. Then, as the sons of Calanon sprinted to Alyan, now on his knees and choking up blood next to where Haldir lay bleeding on the ground, Orophin knelt beside them with tears in his eyes.

"Alyan!" Feredir was first to his brother. He threw himself onto his knees in front of Alyan and put his eyes on either side of the older elf's face. "Alyan, please, please hold on! Hold on, brother, we will get you to a healer!"

"I had to do it," Alyan coughed and spat another mouthful of blood onto the ground. His breath became shallower and shallower. Unable to hold himself up, he collapsed on the ground. His brothers gathered around him, Feredir lifting his head onto his lap to support him.

Voronwë shredded his cloak and tried to pack the scraps against his brother's wound. It was to no avail though; the blood pulsed heavily from Alyan's chest as his breathing grew weaker and weaker. His brothers could see he was dying.

"She would have faded if she lost him," Alyan choked, his eyes sliding out of focus. "She deserves to be happy. At least now I feel that I have truly paid my debt to her."

Alyan Calanonion did not breathe again.

Over the sound of Feredir's agonized sobs and Raunien's moan of despair, Orophin turned his eyes to Haldir; Rumil rushing to his side. They felt for his pulse; it was weak, but it was there. Haldir lived yet.

The Marchwarden lay flat on his back, a red slash gaping on his stomach, blood soaking into his tunic and his cloak. His eyes were still open, but glassy and unfocused. His whole body trembled as he drew shaky breaths.

"Orophin, we need to get him to a healer!" Rumil said, his voice thick with tears. "He will die otherwise."

"I know," Orophin, second to Haldir in age and in the company, took charge with all the calmness he could force – which was admittedly not much. "We will need to carry him on a cloak – we cannot move him about too much. If we take it three to a side, we should not jar him too badly. Get some of the company to help us. We need to move fast."

Rumil rushed to do as he was bid, and Orophin crouched over his brother, squeezing his unresponsive hand. "Don't give up, Haldir," he whispered fervently. "Don't you dare give up on us! We'll get you to someone who can tend to you – just keep breathing!"

They lay Haldir on a spread cloak and, as Orophin instructed, stood three at each side. By rights, Orophin – as second in command – should have stayed to see that the dead were honourably buried. But with his own brother's life in the balance, nothing could make Orophin stay. With the assurances of his friend Valandir that he would see to all that was necessary and bring the company back to Caras Galadhorn when the dead were buried, Orophin, Rumil and four others set off quickly but gently, bearing Haldir between them on the cloak.

As the golden leaves overhead told him they were nearing his home, Haldir slipped into unconsciousness.


"What is taking so long?" Orophin snarled, pacing impatiently up and down outside the healer's talan.

"My son, they are doing all they can," Celeborn said gently. He was sitting nearby with Rumil, whose thigh wound had been stitched and dressed. Galadriel, meanwhile, upon hearing what had happened to her foster son, had gone inside to offer her assistance, and that of the powers of Nenya, in sustaining Haldir's life.

"Orophin, sit down, please!" Rumil begged uncomfortably. "You are making even more nervous!"

Orophin sat down for all of three minutes before he got up and began pacing again, while Rumil continued to report to Celeborn exactly what had happened.

"But there was nothing they could do for Alyan," he concluded sadly. "His would was straight through the chest. He died in minutes. And but for him, we would be burying Haldir right now."

"May his soul find peace," Celeborn said, while all the while his eyes, clouded with worry, rested on the door of the talan. It was nigh on two hours since the healers had begun to work on Haldir.

"When are they going to tell us something?" Orophin cried impatiently, just as the door to the talan opened and Galadriel, her beautiful white raiment spattered scarlet with blood, stepped out.

"Naneth?" Orophin was in front of her in the blink of an eye. "Is he alive? Will he be all right? What is happening? Are..."

"Peace, Orophin," Galadriel said gently, raising a hand to stop Orophin's frantic rush of questions, while Celeborn and Rumil hurriedly rose and came to stand beside them. "Haldir is alive."

Rumil burst suddenly into tears of relief, hiding his face in his hands. Celeborn put a comforting arm around his youngest son's shoulders, but looked at his wife apprehensively. He sensed that Galadriel had more to tell.

"The healers have closed his wounds and stopped the bleeding," Galadriel said, her expressive eyes shining with sadness. "But Haldir is very weak. He has lost a dreadful amount of blood and his heartbeat is diminished. They have done all they can for him. He is in the hands of the Valar now, and it is likely that they may yet call him to them."

Rumil's tears grew louder in his despair and Galadriel embraced him comfortingly. Orophin, meanwhile, looked blank and frozen, as he shook his head in vehement denial before hurrying inside the talan. His stomach twisted at what he saw.

Two healers were there, washing out blood stained cloths at basins by the window. In one of the four beds, lay the still figure of Haldir. Orophin had never seen his brother's face so white; he was pale as a corpse! He lay there before them lifelessly, his eyes closed, the only movement being the very shallow rise and fall of his chest. An angry red puckered scar stood out darkly on his stomach.

He looked dead already.

"Orophin!" Rumil sobbed, coming to stand by his side. "Oh Orophin, what will we do if we lose him?"

"We are not going to lose him," Orophin stated flatly, his voice catching in his throat. He turned to the healers. "Are his wounds closed securely enough to withstand travel on horseback?"

"Yes," One of the healers – a blue-eyed, fair-haired fellow with a long straight nose – nodded in confusion. "Yes, we have closed the wounds and stop the bleeding – it is not that which threatens him now. He is drastically weakened, but there is nothing else we can do."

"He needs Elrond and Faelwen now," Orophin stated matter-of-factly, his face still frozen and calm. "I will take him to Imladris. It is his only chance."

"Orophin, there are not enough men to spare to send a company to Imladris," Galadriel begun gently, but Orophin shook his head to cut her off.

"I do not need a company," he said adamantly. "I will take him alone, on Arrow. We will travel much faster that way."

"Alone? What do you mean alone?" Rumil demanded, his face streaked with tears. "I am coming with you!"

"You are wounded," Orophin stated, turning to face Rumil and squeezing his younger brother's shoulders. "You need to stay here and heal! I will travel much faster alone."

"Orophin, the wilds are deadly right now," Celeborn advised him quietly. "Such an undertaking may be the death of you both."

"No!" Rumil sobbed. "How could I cope if I lost both of you."

"You won't, brother," Orophin stated calmly. "Because I am not prepared to stand by and lose Haldir! I'll get him there, and I will return to you, with our brother at my side. Ada, Naneth – I am determined to do this. I will not stand by idly and watch my brother die. There has been too much death already!"

Nothing could be said to dissuade Orophin and so, after Haldir was dressed in clothing thick enough to keep the chill of approaching death from his body, Arrow was saddled and made ready for the journey. Orophin mounted and the unconscious Haldir was passed up to him. After setting his brother in front of him, holding him gently but firmly in place around the chest, Orophin bid a hurried farewell to his family and rode off for Imladris.


Two days later, Faelwen was wandering through Imladris after dinner in search of Arwen, who had disappeared off on her own (she had taken to her own company more and more often of late, especially after the first party of elves had left Imladris for Valinor) when the sound of hooves made her start in surprise. The patrol was not due back for two days, and it was almost unheard of for someone to visit now.

"Faelwen! Faelwen!"

She was shocked to hear Orophin's voice, and as he drew closer, she realised that he was holding a limp body in front of him. Her blood froze, and she had to grab onto the arm of a nearby statue to stop herself from hitting the ground as her knees gave way.

It was Haldir.

The world seemed to spin, and she could vaguely hear Orophin's voice. "He's alive! He's alive, Faelwen! He's not dead! But he will be soon! He needs your help!"

Those words were all it took to shake Faelwen out of her dizziness. The elf she loved needed her help; he needed her to be strong and calm. She took several deep breaths to steady herself, and then the healer inside her took over.

She helped Orophin get Haldir off the horse, her heart pounding when she felt how cold he was. Then, as Orophin carried his brother, she hurried by his side along to the healing wounds, her brain moving at the speed of light as he explained what had happened. She knew what she needed to do.

They got Haldir to one of the single rooms in the healing wing and laid him down upon the bed. Faelwen swallowed against the threat of tears when she saw how deathly white his face was. As she felt his pulse, she knew that he would not see sunset tomorrow if she did not do something.

"Faelwen, I saw you running up here, is everything...Ai, Elbereth!" Erestor stood, looking horrified, in the doorway. "What happened to him?"

"There is not time to explain," Faelwen spoke tonelessly, her voice and hands steady and calm. "Erestor, can you please find my father and tell him that Haldir is in the healing wing?"

"Of course, my dear," The dark-haired councillor was gone in a second.

"Orophin," Faelwen turned to him and squeezed his hand. "There is a book in my room; it is an old leather tome and it sits on my desk. I will need it. You know where my room is, could you bring it to me?"

"I will be as quick as I can, Faelwen," Orophin too dashed off now, leaving Faelwen alone beside her lifeless husband-to-be.

She took another deep breath and exhaled slowly. She had needed them to be gone – there was no way they would allow her to do what she planned now to do. Asking Orophin to fetch the book had just been a blind; she did not need it, she had long since memorised every page within it. And now one in particular would hopefully help her save Haldir.

Calmly, she reached for one of the small surgical knives laid out on the cabinet by the bed. She could have sat by his bed for days, trying to send healing energy to him, but Haldir did not have that time. She needed to do something right now!

Biting her lip, she clutched the knife tightly and cut a shallow incision in the palm of Haldir's right hand. Seeing the blood well there, she hurriedly cut a much incision in the palm of her left one. Throwing the knife aside, she laced her fingers through Haldir's, clasping their hands together so that her blood mixed with his. Inwardly, she thanked whichever Valar had drawn her interest to the old leather-bound book in the library!

She exhaled calmly again, even as her heart pounded in her chest and spoke the words which had been listed on the page detailing how to tie one's life-force to another to keep them alive.

"Let the strength of my heart keep yours beating," she said steadily. "Let my blood replace what you have lost. Let my spirit keep you from the darkness. I, Faelwen Elrondiel, do bind myself to you, Haldir Celebornion, for all eternity."

Her heart was racing as she finished – she had no idea what would happen next! Had it worked? How would she know?

Vaguely, she realised that things seemed to be getting a little blurry. Then she felt the cold and darkness take her.


Don't be dismayed! This is not the end! There is much more to come. Please keep reading :)