Chapter 12
It was morning and Leanna rose before the crack of dawn, to the training grounds. Her anger had been subdued somewhat but the events of yesterday were still fresh in her mind. More importantly the only other option left was to train with the men themselves and it was not an appealing thought to consider.
The men, no matter how unskilled would not accept a woman training them. They were very prideful creatures.
Her wounds ached much less than they would have, thanks to the healing salve Haelros gave her. She had to admit that she was caught off guard by his gesture.
Out of their company she had expected him to keep his distance. Perhaps she had misjudged him from appearances only.
On reaching the training field, she was stunned to find the men already training…with the elves. A frown creased her brow as she moved to the center. She had expected they would be leaving by now, what were they still doing here? She sighted the captain who was making his way to her.
"Captain…" she did not care for pleasantries this morning, especially with him or his kin.
"My Lady...good day to you" Feran bowed greeting her.
"I don't know captain…is it?" Leanna retorted, she still wondered why they were still here, in Dale and not saddled on ten horses riding for home. "Why are you still here master Feran? As I recall, you and your men were released, not that you really wanted to be here in the first place".
Feran was gradually beginning to understand how this mortal could demand this much cooperation from his king, she did not pull her punches and she certainly did not hold back on her words. The White Rose of Dale had proven to the woodland elves and anyone else concerned that she had thorns and was not to be trifled with.
"We have been most dishonorable to your men and to you especially Lady Leanna" Feran said as his men came behind him and they all faced her in silence.
"And for that we offer our sincerest apology, your people deserve the utmost respect there is" Feran finished. What they did next, left everyone present stunned, they bowed waist deep as a sign of their remorse.
Leanna looked around at the crowd murmuring and looked back to the elves still bowing to her. As humbling as their actions were in the presence of others, Leanna didn't think a simple apology would do. Had she lost their match, she imagined they would subject her and the men to more blatant ridicule. But she would accept nonetheless, for peace sake.
"You may rise master Feran, your apology is accepted" Leanna let the tension fall from her body. While she was not so trusting of them, she would hold no grudges.
"Please my Lady, just Feran as we are more than on equal footing" Feran said rising to look at her.
"Indeed…and it's just Leanna, I'm not really fond of the title" Leanna said smiling. She would give them the benefit of doubt this time. Feran nodded, taking note of her wishes. Leanna sighed.
"I take it you'll be here for another two months then?" Leanna turned to face the men who had resumed training.
"If that is what the lady wishes for" Feran responded, he would leave the decision open to her. If she still desired for them to leave, he would accept it.
"Well in that case, we don't have much time, do we?" Leanna said and walked to stand in formation with the men. Her pale golden hair kept in a single braid to keep it from flying widely.
Feran could not understand the woman before him, from what he had heard about the world of men, she did not fit in with the descriptions given. He didn't let it show on his face but he was conflicted. Men were said to be greedy, selfish and foolish creatures, uncaring of anything but power and gold which in his opinion, didn't stand too far off from the nature of dwarves.
" I did give you fair warning not to underestimate her" Feran turned to the ellon beside him. Haelros smiled at him, the mirth dancing in his pale blue eyes.
" Indeed and I see now that I erred, it is extremely rare to find a mortal which such skill…perhaps she has a bit of elven blood in her" Feran stood by the side together with Haelros as the training continued on.
" She fought at the battle beside Aran Thranduil" Feran turned sharply to the younger elf beside him. Haelros continued, still watching the woman who had become a talk of the kingdom lately.
" It was there I saw how truly powerful she was. I do not wish to be at the end of her sword no matter the circumstance. Besides, if she had meant it, you would most likely be dead" Haelros turned to look Feran in the eye before leaving to join the rest in training. Feran looked back to the woman who had stopped to watch him, her chest heaving from exertion, Feran did't understand how such a woman who seemed so fragile could make even a headstrong warrior like Haelros cautious of her.
!
!
Training had been going smoothly this time around, the proof was in the soreness of her body. Leanna sat on the small hill towards the edge of the city. It was a place she liked to visit since they moved here, where she could be alone and think away from all the noise.
"It seems we are fond of the same place, my lady" a voice from behind spoke and Leanna turned around swiftly, recognizing who it was that had startled her she sighed.
"So it seems, though I can't imagine why" Leanna looked pointedly at Haelros who sat beside her, they would meet frequently at this place almost as though it was planned. Leanna turned back to the half- moon glowing faintly in the cloudy sky, her mind slowly drifting off to another place, another world.
"I did not think a human could have such a forlorn look on their face" Leanna turned to the elf who had been for the past month trying to befriend her.
"Oh…I suppose elves do?" Leanna jested lightly as she looked at him, she then frowned at the expression on his face.
"Elves do not die from old age, this much is known though I would imagine not much aside from that would be known about us in the world of men" Haelros muttered quietly but Leanna could hear him well enough, deeply interested in his tale. He exhaled deeply and continued.
"However, we are still vulnerable fatal wounds from a battlefield and…a broken heart" Leanna raised her eyebrow at this, she understood the part about dying in battle which was true and real as she had witnessed it first hand in the battle months back.
"A broken heart, what a ridiculous thing to die from…" the words were bitter in her mouth, even as she spat them out, an old ache in form of painful memories resurged in her mind. When the high priest of the temple came with the news of her parent's deaths, the following weeks had seen her go from one fight to another in order to live. She looked down on her wrists. The scars had faded by now, how many times had she tried to take her own life?
"To others yes, but to our kind, love is…deeper, stronger for us. Elves love only once and therefore can only take one mate in our entire life time. If death befalls the one to whom we are bound to, we fade and die. The grief would be great." Haelros said looking to the sky.
"You speak like you know this pain" Leanna turned to him, curious about the way he gave his explanations.
"It is a feeling I am somewhat…familiar with" the elf smiled sadly and Leanna felt her heart twist in guilt, though she knew it was no fault of hers. She quickly changed the subject.
"I would like to hear more about your kingdom, about your kind. Are you all this pretty, with perfect hair and long pointy ears?" Leanna leaned in curious about his pointy ears. She raised her fingers with the intent to touch it. Haelros who caught on, immediately grabbed her wrist to stop her.
"I'd rather you didn't my lady, our ears are highly…senstitive" he said trying to make her understand what he meant.
"Oooh….Oh!" Leanna gasped and yanked her hand away. Haelros could clearly see her pale skin flush red down to her neck. He chuckled, he didn't imagine she'd react this way. It was a refreshing sight to see as he had become accustomed to her hard and blank expressions.
"My apologies, I-I didn't know" Leanna said looking intently at the ground.
"It is quite alright my lady, i do not hold you to any faults" Haelros laughed, he wished she showed this side more often, she seemed less threatening and more friendly this way.
"Yes, well I've been told I'm too inquisitive for my own good" Leanna responded, fighting off her embarrassment.
"It is not a bad thing, though I must ask about one thing"
"Yes?" Leanna looked to the elf beside her, waiting for his question.
"Forgive my asking this but, I find it odd that a woman with such rumors around her would remain unmarried, it is my understanding mortals marry at very young ages and yet you remain unattached"
"Ah…" Leanna had guessed by the end of his words what he was asking, why was a woman like her unmarried still. It had been a well circulated subject in court during her previous life. She had refused to take any suitors presented to her as her husband, not when none of them were her choice.
To risk the future of her kingdom with the grievous mistake of choosing the wrong spouse was something she could not do. But now, she was free to live and love as she chose.
"Marriage is something I don't think will come easy for me, my duty to Dale overwhelms other parts of my life and the men shy away from me still, not that I mind either way" she chuckled.
"Or perhaps they feel you are much suited for the title of Lady of Dale" Haelros spoke frankly, he had over the course of a month spent enough time around the Lord of Dale to know he felt something for her, though that did not stop the ogling from other men.
"Lady of Dale! Bard does not see me that way and I do not think that is a place fitting for me either besides, there will only ever be one woman in his heart" Leanna exclaimed, she chuckled a bit at the idea of Bard asking her to marry him. She wondered at the words the elf had spoken earlier and frowned.
"What rumours are you talking about?"
"You haven't heard of them?" Haelros was surprised at the level of her naiveté. It was almost as though she wasn't the same woman whom he knew could rip men and orc alike like old paper.
"After the battle, word had spread from Erebor and Dale as well, of a woman whose beauty was said to bewitch men and possessed strange abilities. They say her hair is as golden strands of silk and her skin as pale as snow with blue sparkling eyes, like sapphires…the white rose of Dale, that is what they call you" Haelros watched Leanna's eyes grow wide in disbelief, her cheeks growing dark again and she buried her head in her arms groaning.
"Well they couldn't be farther from the truth, while I am flattered, people enjoy an exaggerated version of a story" Leanna said. Haelros wanted to disagree but chose not to speak his thoughts. The woman was clearly blind to the effect she had on those around her, men or women and even elf.
"Why do you think they exaggerate?" Haelros looked up to her face. It was pale still against the dim moonlit sky.
"Why else? For nothing but the excitement and pleasure" Leanna said looking over the vast hills darkened under the night sky. She turned to the elf beside her who had risen as well.
"I think I'll turn in for the night…" It was far too embarrassing to admit it, but his name was quite difficult to call out every time.
"Hael" He had guessed some time ago the hardship she went through trying to speak his name well.
"Pardon?" Leanna said, blinking her eyes in the dark, confused at the word.
"It is much easier to pronounce than all parts of my name" At his words, Leanna laughed, she had been caught after all which was quite a relief to be honest.
"How did you know?" Leanna asked as they walked through the city to the higher levels.
"It is not so hard, you've avoided saying my name properly for some time now" Haelros replied earnestly. He escorted her to the door of her chambers.
"Thank you for keeping me company this night…Hael"
"It was a pleasure my lady" Haelros smiled at the seemingly gentle woman in front of him.
"If you insist on being called by your name then the same should apply to me as well, yes?" Leanna said as she smirked. He had wanted to protest until he saw her pale eyebrow arch up to dispute him. He chuckled.
"Very well…Leanna" He said, testing her name on his tongue.
"Then, goodnight Hael" She repeated his name to prove she had could easily call him by his name now and would not forget it. Bowing to her as she entered her home, Haelros chuckled before turning around to leave.
Opening the door to his room, he moved to the desk and chair provided in the room. He drew out a parchment of paper and began writing. His face cold and blank as he scribbled stylishly on the parchment.