Painful Truths (Chapter 1)
Haldir aimed the arrow towards the target. He has already missed the bull's eye twice and this father stared at him angrily. Finally, he let the arrow fly, hitting an outer circle on the target. Haldir gave a small whimper and waited for his punishment.
Lúmir, Haldir's father, stormed to the target and ripped the arrows out. Then he threw them to Haldir's feet.
"Failure! Why can't you shoot a simple arrow straight at the target?!" Lúmir yelled.
Haldir knew better than to respond, so he stayed quiet. Lúmir pulled his hand back and hit Haldir across the face.
"You will stay here all night if you have to until you can hit the target in the middle 50 times. Orophin will stay and watch you."
Orophin walked to his father obediently and looked at Haldir sympathetically.
"If he missed even once, start over from zero," Lúmir hissed. He stalked away angrily. When Orophin knew he was gone, he rushed to Haldir and hugged him. The pain over took Haldir and tears fell from his eyes.
"Why…is…he…so mean to me?" Haldir cried.
"I know. It'll be okay. I'll protect you," Orophin reassured him. "Come on. Let's work on your aim."
Orophin picked up Haldir's bow and arrows and handed them to him. Haldir took out an arrow and notched it on the string. Orophin knelt next to Haldir and helped him sturdy the bow.
"There, now try not to move the bow." Orophin stepped back. Haldir let go of the string and the arrow flew. It hit the middle of the target. Haldir smiled and wiped away the last tears on his face.
After a half an hour and approximately 25 shots hitting the target, Orophin let Haldir stop. It was getting late and dinner would be done when they arrived back at their flet. Seeing how tired Haldir was, Orophin picked him up and carried him home.
When they arrived, Orophin put him down and stopped. "If father tries to ask you about what happened, let me talk."
Haldir nodded and walked through the door. Inside, a fair elf walked around the table preparing dinner. Her long golden hair, the same as Haldir's, flowed gracefully behind her as she walked. When she saw Haldir, she ran to him and picked him up.
"Oh, Haldir. I was so worried. I'm glad you're okay. Your father said you wouldn't be back until nightfall at the least." Aiwë, Haldir's mother, gave him a kiss and set him down again. In a back room, a small baby began to cry.
"Ai! Rúmil!" she signed. "Haldir, can you…" Before she could finish her sentence, Haldir has already run off.
Inside the dark room, a small wooden crib was placed in the middle. Two small eyes could be seen looking through the side. Haldir walked to the crib and peered over the side. Baby Rúmil smiled at his brother.
"Hello, Rúmil," Haldir whispered. Rúmil gave a small cry of happiness as he was picked up out of his crib.
"Haldir!" Lúmir's voice yelled from the kitchen. Haldir winced at hearing his name. Hoping that having the baby would protect him, Haldir walked out to meet his father.
"So, you've somehow magically improved your skills. Or did you cheat? Maybe you're brother needs to go back to school and learn how to count!" Lúmir's loud voice made Rúmil start to cry. Rúmil's crying seemed to anger Lúmir even more.
"Will somebody shut him up? Give him to me!" Lúmir reached for Rúmil but Haldir stepped back. "Good for nothing little brat. When I say something you obey!"
"Why? So you can hurt someone else!" Orophin yelled. Lúmir looked appalled. "Don't talk back to me, Orophin," Lúmir yelled. He smacked Orophin across the face. Before Lúmir could hit him again, Aiwë stepped between them.
"Stop it right now! All of you! There will be no more yelling tonight." Aiwë starred at Lúmir without moving. He stepped back and left the room.
"Come on, let's eat dinner." She took Rúmil from Haldir and they all sat down at the table. Aiwë fixed plates for Rúmil, Haldir and herself in silence. Tears slowly fell down Haldir's face.
"Enough of that, Haldir. I don't want anymore sadness tonight." She wiped the tears off of Haldir's face. Her smooth skin seemed to completely wipe away all of the sadness in Haldir's heart. Aiwë then walked to Orophin to see his face. She could see the pain in his eyes as he tried to chew.
"Orophin, you're such a brave boy. You always try to protect everyone. I can't always be there when you need to be protected. So from now on do not back talk to you're father. When he's angry, it makes things worse. Don't lower yourself to his level." She kissed his hurt cheek and walk back to her seat. For the rest of the night, they talked about their days.
Haldir aimed the arrow towards the target. He has already missed the bull's eye twice and this father stared at him angrily. Finally, he let the arrow fly, hitting an outer circle on the target. Haldir gave a small whimper and waited for his punishment.
Lúmir, Haldir's father, stormed to the target and ripped the arrows out. Then he threw them to Haldir's feet.
"Failure! Why can't you shoot a simple arrow straight at the target?!" Lúmir yelled.
Haldir knew better than to respond, so he stayed quiet. Lúmir pulled his hand back and hit Haldir across the face.
"You will stay here all night if you have to until you can hit the target in the middle 50 times. Orophin will stay and watch you."
Orophin walked to his father obediently and looked at Haldir sympathetically.
"If he missed even once, start over from zero," Lúmir hissed. He stalked away angrily. When Orophin knew he was gone, he rushed to Haldir and hugged him. The pain over took Haldir and tears fell from his eyes.
"Why…is…he…so mean to me?" Haldir cried.
"I know. It'll be okay. I'll protect you," Orophin reassured him. "Come on. Let's work on your aim."
Orophin picked up Haldir's bow and arrows and handed them to him. Haldir took out an arrow and notched it on the string. Orophin knelt next to Haldir and helped him sturdy the bow.
"There, now try not to move the bow." Orophin stepped back. Haldir let go of the string and the arrow flew. It hit the middle of the target. Haldir smiled and wiped away the last tears on his face.
After a half an hour and approximately 25 shots hitting the target, Orophin let Haldir stop. It was getting late and dinner would be done when they arrived back at their flet. Seeing how tired Haldir was, Orophin picked him up and carried him home.
When they arrived, Orophin put him down and stopped. "If father tries to ask you about what happened, let me talk."
Haldir nodded and walked through the door. Inside, a fair elf walked around the table preparing dinner. Her long golden hair, the same as Haldir's, flowed gracefully behind her as she walked. When she saw Haldir, she ran to him and picked him up.
"Oh, Haldir. I was so worried. I'm glad you're okay. Your father said you wouldn't be back until nightfall at the least." Aiwë, Haldir's mother, gave him a kiss and set him down again. In a back room, a small baby began to cry.
"Ai! Rúmil!" she signed. "Haldir, can you…" Before she could finish her sentence, Haldir has already run off.
Inside the dark room, a small wooden crib was placed in the middle. Two small eyes could be seen looking through the side. Haldir walked to the crib and peered over the side. Baby Rúmil smiled at his brother.
"Hello, Rúmil," Haldir whispered. Rúmil gave a small cry of happiness as he was picked up out of his crib.
"Haldir!" Lúmir's voice yelled from the kitchen. Haldir winced at hearing his name. Hoping that having the baby would protect him, Haldir walked out to meet his father.
"So, you've somehow magically improved your skills. Or did you cheat? Maybe you're brother needs to go back to school and learn how to count!" Lúmir's loud voice made Rúmil start to cry. Rúmil's crying seemed to anger Lúmir even more.
"Will somebody shut him up? Give him to me!" Lúmir reached for Rúmil but Haldir stepped back. "Good for nothing little brat. When I say something you obey!"
"Why? So you can hurt someone else!" Orophin yelled. Lúmir looked appalled. "Don't talk back to me, Orophin," Lúmir yelled. He smacked Orophin across the face. Before Lúmir could hit him again, Aiwë stepped between them.
"Stop it right now! All of you! There will be no more yelling tonight." Aiwë starred at Lúmir without moving. He stepped back and left the room.
"Come on, let's eat dinner." She took Rúmil from Haldir and they all sat down at the table. Aiwë fixed plates for Rúmil, Haldir and herself in silence. Tears slowly fell down Haldir's face.
"Enough of that, Haldir. I don't want anymore sadness tonight." She wiped the tears off of Haldir's face. Her smooth skin seemed to completely wipe away all of the sadness in Haldir's heart. Aiwë then walked to Orophin to see his face. She could see the pain in his eyes as he tried to chew.
"Orophin, you're such a brave boy. You always try to protect everyone. I can't always be there when you need to be protected. So from now on do not back talk to you're father. When he's angry, it makes things worse. Don't lower yourself to his level." She kissed his hurt cheek and walk back to her seat. For the rest of the night, they talked about their days.