Chapter 6
"Melian - Melian, wake up. Come on, you're going to be late for practice!"
"Naara e'aikanaro (burn in hell fire), Arwen."
"Now, now we can't be having that," Arwen laughed. "Come on - are you feeling all right?"
"Yes - I just didn't get to sleep until much too late for my liking. Oh well! I'm awake. Come - will you braid my hair for me quickly."
Hurriedly, Melian jumped into her uniform, and grabbed her sword, while Arwen did quick braids along each side of her head. "Lovely - now go screw them up by fighting a few Dunedain, ay?"
At this Melian flipped around. "What?"
"The Dunedain are practicing with the guard during their stay - have fun!"
With a groan, Melian sprinted out to the practice yards. Immediately, the instructor yelled at her, crying, "Lady Melian - you have the privilege of being on the guard, and your station as Lord Elrond's daughter does not make you exempt from time penalties. I expect you to be here on time every morning, or you will face consequences."
"Yes, sir."
Falling into her place in line - she saw the Dunedain leaning casually against the trees surrounding the practice area. Halbarad was among them. With a grimace, she tried to focus on her instructor, but couldn't manage it. It wasn't until the Dunedain started pairing up with the elves that she realized she was supposed to be doing the same in order to practice.
"Halbarad!" the instructor called. "Come over here and group up with Melian - she deserves a challenge as a reminder not to be overdue again."
"My lady."
"Halbarad. It's a shame I have to fight you. I don't wish to hurt you at all."
Quickly, they drew their swords. "I doubt you will."
"Don't hold back!"
Suddenly, blades met and clashed, as they darted all around the circle. The other guards and rangers stopped their practicing to watch. Suddenly, the two were face to face again, and Melian cried indignantly, "You are holding back!"
Pushing her away, Halbarad replied, "Don't want to hurt you, my lady."
Swords met again, as Melian said, "You won't - don't piss me off Halbarad!"
Conversations stopped, and the clanging of their swords echoed in the air around them. Then, they had each other at the end of their blades, and Melian quickly knocked his blade away, punched him in the stomach, pushed him to the ground, and, putting her blade back at his throat, said, "Do you yield?"
"I don't think I have much choice! I yield to you my lady."
Sheathing her sword, Melian walked away, only to have her arm twisted behind her back and Halbarad saying in her ear, "Never sheath your sword and turn away - it could mean your death. In the time I was given, I could have slit your throat and stolen what ever you had left behind. Remember that."
Stomping on his foot so that he let go, Melian left the training grounds quickly.
Later that day, Melian was sitting in her room, immersed in a book; however, she was pulled from the pages when a knock came at her door. "Come in!"
Closing the book, and standing to greet whoever had come, she saw Halbarad enter. "Halbarad - you shouldn't be here!"
"You seemed quite angry with me earlier and I wanted to come make sure everything was all right."
"Oh - I wasn't angry at you. Practice just wasn't what I wanted it to be, and your presence was a bit distracting.I hadn't expected you to train with us."
"I apologize - I will stop if you like."
"No - that would only arouse suspicion. Besides, I need a challenge," Melian smiled.
Halbarad chuckled lightly, before saying regretfully, "I must leave now Melian. Will I see you again tonight at the falls?"
"Of course - see you then." Reluctantly, he left the room, and Melian was left alone once again. The day passed by too slowly for her liking, but finally, it was time to go meet Halbarad.
Stepping into the clearing, she saw him sitting on the edge of the bridge over the pool of water, one leg dangling over the side. Walking up to his side, she sat next to him, staring at the torrents of water. Eventually, her head found its way to his shoulder, and his arm snaked around her waist. There they sat for a long while, content to be near each other. Although Melian felt her eyes begin to droop, she was too comfortable to care, and to her own folly, she fell asleep against Halbarad's side.
About two hours before dawn, Halbarad looked down at Melian and realized his predicament. How on Middle Earth was he supposed to get her back to her rooms without being seen by the night watch? With a sigh, Halbarad picked her up in his arms; after all, he couldn't just leave her out here all night, could he? That got him thinking. Maybe he could. Quickly, he walked behind the waterfall, shielding her from the spray. Few knew about the cave back here, so it would be safe enough until morning. Setting her down softly upon the ground, he folded his cloak to make her a pillow. The air was warm enough, so she would be fine without a blanket. Settling himself against the cave wall, he too drifted off into sleep.
Author's note: so what do you think? I know it's been forever since I posted, but a snow day was just what I needed. Don't worry- it hopefully won't be such a long time between now and the next chapter! What will happen in the morning? Will someone realize Melian and Halbarad are missing? Or will the get back in time so their absence will go unnoticed? Find out in the next chapter! PLEASE REVIEW (
"Melian - Melian, wake up. Come on, you're going to be late for practice!"
"Naara e'aikanaro (burn in hell fire), Arwen."
"Now, now we can't be having that," Arwen laughed. "Come on - are you feeling all right?"
"Yes - I just didn't get to sleep until much too late for my liking. Oh well! I'm awake. Come - will you braid my hair for me quickly."
Hurriedly, Melian jumped into her uniform, and grabbed her sword, while Arwen did quick braids along each side of her head. "Lovely - now go screw them up by fighting a few Dunedain, ay?"
At this Melian flipped around. "What?"
"The Dunedain are practicing with the guard during their stay - have fun!"
With a groan, Melian sprinted out to the practice yards. Immediately, the instructor yelled at her, crying, "Lady Melian - you have the privilege of being on the guard, and your station as Lord Elrond's daughter does not make you exempt from time penalties. I expect you to be here on time every morning, or you will face consequences."
"Yes, sir."
Falling into her place in line - she saw the Dunedain leaning casually against the trees surrounding the practice area. Halbarad was among them. With a grimace, she tried to focus on her instructor, but couldn't manage it. It wasn't until the Dunedain started pairing up with the elves that she realized she was supposed to be doing the same in order to practice.
"Halbarad!" the instructor called. "Come over here and group up with Melian - she deserves a challenge as a reminder not to be overdue again."
"My lady."
"Halbarad. It's a shame I have to fight you. I don't wish to hurt you at all."
Quickly, they drew their swords. "I doubt you will."
"Don't hold back!"
Suddenly, blades met and clashed, as they darted all around the circle. The other guards and rangers stopped their practicing to watch. Suddenly, the two were face to face again, and Melian cried indignantly, "You are holding back!"
Pushing her away, Halbarad replied, "Don't want to hurt you, my lady."
Swords met again, as Melian said, "You won't - don't piss me off Halbarad!"
Conversations stopped, and the clanging of their swords echoed in the air around them. Then, they had each other at the end of their blades, and Melian quickly knocked his blade away, punched him in the stomach, pushed him to the ground, and, putting her blade back at his throat, said, "Do you yield?"
"I don't think I have much choice! I yield to you my lady."
Sheathing her sword, Melian walked away, only to have her arm twisted behind her back and Halbarad saying in her ear, "Never sheath your sword and turn away - it could mean your death. In the time I was given, I could have slit your throat and stolen what ever you had left behind. Remember that."
Stomping on his foot so that he let go, Melian left the training grounds quickly.
Later that day, Melian was sitting in her room, immersed in a book; however, she was pulled from the pages when a knock came at her door. "Come in!"
Closing the book, and standing to greet whoever had come, she saw Halbarad enter. "Halbarad - you shouldn't be here!"
"You seemed quite angry with me earlier and I wanted to come make sure everything was all right."
"Oh - I wasn't angry at you. Practice just wasn't what I wanted it to be, and your presence was a bit distracting.I hadn't expected you to train with us."
"I apologize - I will stop if you like."
"No - that would only arouse suspicion. Besides, I need a challenge," Melian smiled.
Halbarad chuckled lightly, before saying regretfully, "I must leave now Melian. Will I see you again tonight at the falls?"
"Of course - see you then." Reluctantly, he left the room, and Melian was left alone once again. The day passed by too slowly for her liking, but finally, it was time to go meet Halbarad.
Stepping into the clearing, she saw him sitting on the edge of the bridge over the pool of water, one leg dangling over the side. Walking up to his side, she sat next to him, staring at the torrents of water. Eventually, her head found its way to his shoulder, and his arm snaked around her waist. There they sat for a long while, content to be near each other. Although Melian felt her eyes begin to droop, she was too comfortable to care, and to her own folly, she fell asleep against Halbarad's side.
About two hours before dawn, Halbarad looked down at Melian and realized his predicament. How on Middle Earth was he supposed to get her back to her rooms without being seen by the night watch? With a sigh, Halbarad picked her up in his arms; after all, he couldn't just leave her out here all night, could he? That got him thinking. Maybe he could. Quickly, he walked behind the waterfall, shielding her from the spray. Few knew about the cave back here, so it would be safe enough until morning. Setting her down softly upon the ground, he folded his cloak to make her a pillow. The air was warm enough, so she would be fine without a blanket. Settling himself against the cave wall, he too drifted off into sleep.
Author's note: so what do you think? I know it's been forever since I posted, but a snow day was just what I needed. Don't worry- it hopefully won't be such a long time between now and the next chapter! What will happen in the morning? Will someone realize Melian and Halbarad are missing? Or will the get back in time so their absence will go unnoticed? Find out in the next chapter! PLEASE REVIEW (