~Please leave a review. enjoy!
-Ladystarlet09, P.S I don't own any of the LOTR characters, just Acadia.
(Chapter Fifty)
(Haldir's POV)
"So the plan is to get the two of you to talk civil without jumping at each other's throats." Liam told me while we drove in his car to the masquerade ball that Bianca and her kin her hosting in honor of her birthday. "You got that?"
"I'v been having it ever since you told me two days ago that she would be attending the ball." I replied with heavy sarcasm coating my voice. "Why you are dragging me to see Acadia when she is most likely to stick my own dagger into my heart, I don't have the slightest clue."
"Then would you have preferred if Lady Galadriel was cleaning up after your own messes?" The other elf shot back at me. He gave a snort. "Of all the kinsmen that I've been over the ages, you are the most stubborn, over-egocentric of them all."
"I'm happy that you think of me that way, Liam. To be honest, I'm quite used the phrase, thank very much." I returned my gaze to my window. The city itself was bustling to its brim with new shops opening up, tourist from all over the world visiting since the summer had just started and the warmer weather was very hard to resist. Times had been hard for me but I refused to let it bother me. Liam had me working at his store in the back, keeping tabs on his account books and shipments. I got paid for my time and I worked hard as I always did. Striving to be the best at the tasks at hand without very much guidance from anyone.
At a glance, I remained calm and collected on the outside, but within myself, I didn't feel such control. I'm still suffering from the nightmares, the moods swings happened at random and it appeared that thanks to the lack of not being able to kill any Orcs, my skills at the bow and sword had greatly suffered. I am starting to become a total mess. If any of my kinsmen back at home saw me right now, they would be utterly horrified and I would loss my position as the highest ranking captain of the march-wardens.
I rubbed my hand over my bad leg. It was paining me a lot tonight but I refused to let it show on my face. "I don't want to hurt her anymore. She doesn't deserve it." Is aid after some time had passed. "Why can't you people get any of what I've been trying tell you for the past several weeks?"
"Because, Haldir." Liam replied sharply in a displeasing tone. "You are bonded her already, whether you like or not."
"I didn't complete the bond." I countered. "She wasn't ready for it because her heart didn't want to accept it."
"More rather you didn't want to accept her!" He snapped, turning to me with a angry frown once we got to a red light. "Don't you get it, Hadlir? Ever since you first laid eyes upon Acadia, you knew what it was you were getting yourself into. And don't give me any Orc's ass that its all about your past and injured pride. I'm sick and tired of hearing that you are no more then a pitiful excuse such as your own father."
I stared at him in stunned silence. "What do you know about my Ada?" I whispered softly in Sindarian. Liam must have realized what he had just said. He drove the car forward as a pained expression came into his eyes. "Answer me!" I raised my voice slightly. "How can you possibly compare me to him when you have never even met him before."
"I've heard somethings about him from the Galadriel and Lord Celeborn after he parted the western shores of Middle Earth." He replied, keeping his eyes glued to the streets. His fingers tighten around the steering wheel until his knucles became white. "I am bound by my promise to Galadriel that I wouldn't speak of this matter with you without her consent. Until you are back home, I will not break my vow. So better keep your questions for her because I cannot answer them in anyway, shape or form."
I sat back in shock. Liam do Ada which meant he also knew my Nana as well. "But you at least met them, right?" I asked without looking towards him to see his reaction.
"Briefly." Liam admitted reluctantly.
"I still don't know why they had left me and my brothers so suddenly before the darkness came upon the lands of Middle Earth. Whenever I recall that long night of when they parted the golden woods of Lothlorien, I still become angry with myself. I felt like they didn't really want us nor loved us enough to stay and watch us grow into the guardians of the woods. Ada is the best of the best when it comes to healing and battle. Nana is the same way but more hot headed then he is." I shook my head, wiping a hot tear from the corner of my eye. I didn't want Liam to see how much the memory really left me effected.
"I wish I can tell you the truth, Haldir." Liam spoke sadly. "But I cannot when I've sworn a vow with my life. All I can tell you is that you are wrong in thinking that they did it because they didn't think that they wouldn't be able to bring the three of you in a loving environment. Things happens way before you boys were born that ended up following them hundred of years later. They didn't want you, Orphine or Rumil to be effected so leaving in you in the care of Galadriel and her husband is the best symbol of love that they could possibly give. You cannot condemn them to a life of blame and hatred. Would you do the same to the mortal woman you hold dearest to your own carefully guarded heart?"
"No, I wouldn't. I love her too much to be so cold-hearted after everything she did for me. She practically saved my own life after I attempted to try and kill myself within my waking nightmares."
"I know, Haldir." Liam said softly. "Which is all the more reason why you should try and reach out to her in the only way that you know how. Didn't the Galadriel not encourage you to open up more so the healing process can work? Nothing is wrong with showing the other side of the mask you are wearing in order to protect yourself from emotional rejection. Just give it a try and see what I am talking about." Liam lightly punched my arm. "I'll let you in on a little secret since we are on the topic. I've loved Acadia for the past few years, but I've always keep a respectful distance because of how she feels. Not once have I've been quick to judge her, tell her hurtful things that would push her further away. I've always been there to listen to her and give her advice only when she asked for it. I only want whats best for Acadia. If that means that I must be hard upon you for hurting her, then I won't hold back."
I closed my eyes from him. My heart was still hurting from the sting when she told me all those nights ago of how I ruined her life by just existing in her seemingly normal world. I didn't want to leave her at all but after listing to her cry, I felt that walking out of her life would be the only answer that could possibly make things turn back to what they were before either one of us stepped into each other's life.
The only problem was that things wouldn't' go back to normal for me or her. We had the memories of everything we said and did around each other.
"Haldir, we are here." Liam's voice filtered into my thoughts. Glancing up, my mouth dropped open at the vast number of richly dressed people were getting out of cars and beginning to walk up a long driveway towards a three story brink mansion.
"I have to find a parking spot first before we can go in."
"How am I possibly going to find Acadia amid all of these mortals?" I cried, incredulous on how many people are willing to attend a ball for a single lady.
Liam chuckled as he drove into the driveway towards a parking garage not too far off. "At midnight, but lets hope you find her way before then. There is much that needs to be said and done."
"And what is that supposed to mean?" I gave him a sidelong glance out of the corner of my eye. Liam shrugged carelessly while reaching over to grab our invitations from my side door.
"It means that you shouldn't let your guard down. I told you what happened to my sister earlier this week. "If my theory is correct, there will be more coming through whatever portal there is. Even the eyes of the Valar cannot watch over everything that happens in both worlds."
"I swear there is some devilry that is amiss in Middle Earth."
"Its the power of the ring that is at work." Liam said quietly. "As long as it exists, everything connected to the darkness is possible for both worlds." His eyes gleamed underneath the moonlight as he parked the car in the garage. "Here." reaching behind his seat, he drew forth a cloth covered item. "Take this just in case."
"What is it?" I asked him while taking it.
"Its one of my personal daggers. You can hid it easily underneath your coat." He replied. "Anyway, lets get going before the visiting line gets too long. Do you have your mask by the way?"
I held up a all black mask. "Aye."
"Then lets go."
I strapped the dagger underneath my tuxedo blazer, making sure the no one else would be able to see if before tying my mask on. Liam had already slipped his on after beeping the car alarm. "Its going to be a long night." I said grimly while we started to make our way towards the very growing crowd of birthday wishers. "Better then facing ten thousand Uruk-Hai's in battle."
"I agree wholeheartedly with that sentiment, Conner." Liam replied with a chuckle while switching to my alias. "But as we like to say here in this world, the more, the merrier the party is going to be for everyone all around."
