Disclaimer:
All recognizable characters and places belong to Tolkien, the rest are my creation. No copyright infringements are intended; this story was written purely for entertainment and no money is being made off it.
Feedback: LadyoftheRings35@hotmail.com
Rating: PG-13 for some violence and apprehensive situations.
Summary:
When a young Ranger comes to stay with the Elves of Lothlórien and is accused of taking an irreplaceable crystal, Haldir must decide if she is working for the Enemy—or for some deeper purpose.
Series:
None
Spoilers:
None
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Daughter of the Dúnedain
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Chapter Four
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Haldir was getting more and more irritated with the girl. She was sitting in Galadriel's talan with Galadriel, Hithlim, and Haldir in attendance, cross-questioned by the three of them.
"Where are the crystals?" Galadriel asked sternly.
"I don't know." The girl's voice was deadpan.
"Why did you take them?" Hithlim demanded.
"I didn't take them."
"Was there anyone else involved?"
Silence.
"Was there anyone else involved?" Hithlim repeated.
"Yes."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"Yes, you do." Rúmil, standing back and watching them question Mîdhlim came forward. "But you're afraid to tell us."
He knelt down until he was at eye level with her. He gentled his voice as he spoke. "Who was it?"
She raised her eyes to look at him, her face aged. "I can't," she whispered. "If I tell, he'll kill her."
"Kill who?" he asked, keeping his voice low and soothing. She looked away but he caught her head with one hand and turned her eyes to face him.
"My sister."
Rúmil turned to Hithlim, who shook his head. "The girl is delirious. She did have a sister, several years ago, but the girl was killed in an ambush. It's just another one of her delusions. You can't possibly get any worthwhile answer out of her…" Rúmil silenced him with a glance and bowed to Galadriel. "With all due respect, my lady, may I speak to her alone?"
Galadriel nodded and stood. Haldir, Hithlim, and the two guards trailed out after her.
"Now," Rúmil said still in that gentle tone. "Who was it?"
She looked up and told him everything.
* * * *
Haldir sat in stunned, painful silence as the messenger spoke. Galadriel placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. The messenger bowed to Galadriel and left, but Haldir hardly noticed. The words still echoed in his ears. I am so sorry, Lord Haldir. Laegheneb's spirit has passed to Mandos' Hall.
Grief clawed at his throat and he stifled a sob, allowing his head to rest on his knees. He heard Galadriel murmuring a prayer for the departed and vaguely saw genuine sorrow on the Ranger's rugged face.
He had to calm down. Forcing himself to stand he murmured an apology to the Lady and then started down the tree. Galadriel's face was full of sadness as she watched one of her most trusted wardens go. Hithlim turned to her. "All due respect, lady, but I will follow him to make sure he is all right."
Galadriel let out a quiet sigh and nodded. Hithlim turned and followed the elf down the ladder.
Galadriel had been waiting for Rúmil to come down for perhaps fifteen minutes when a shriek cut through the air. Instantly, the two guards sprang up to the next level of the talan, even as Galadriel realized with horror that it would be too late.
Her worst fears were realized when she reached the top talan and found Rúmil lying in a pool of blood, and Mîdhlim was gone.
* * * *
Haldir went into a frenzy.
Orophin watched with no small fear as his brother hurtled things across the talan, Haldir's anguish for his brother's terrible state showing in the tear marks sliding across his fair cheeks. "Haldir," Orophin said, trying to calm him.
"Don't speak to me," Haldir said in a harsh whisper, and then with a cry he hurtled a small stool across the room. "Too many!" he shouted to the sky, pulling at his hair. "You've hurt too many of ours. Blood you've spilt and in blood you will pay."
"Haldir," Orophin said, gathering his courage and touching his brother's shoulder with his good arm. "Haldir," he said, blinking back his own tears. "Rúmil might still live. You do not know yet. The healers said not to give up hope."
Haldir's voice broke. "They always say that," he wept. "They said it about Laegheneb. If Rúmil dies I swear I'll kill his murderer and all their family, down to the last."
"No, Haldir," Orophin said, pulling Haldir into an embrace. "You know you will not do that."
Haldir covered his face with his hands and drew in a shuddering breath. "I want to. I want to see him suffer as he has made me suffer. Why Rúmil? Rúmil was always so gentle. He could never stand to see anyone else hurt. He always wanted to learn to be a healer, but never had the time…and now he never will."
"You don't know that," Orophin said fiercely, but Haldir was not listening.
"He used to sit in the tree branches and sing, before he could even talk he would sing nonsense in that high sweet voice of his, laughing lightly because a butterfly lighted on his nose. I used to watch him and envy his contentedness. He always used to look up to me when he was little—I used to carry him around on my shoulders and he would giggle and point things out to me. He loved to laugh," Haldir said brokenly.
Orophin could not speak through the lump of grief in his throat, and leaned his head against Haldir's shoulder.
"The girl told him something that would have revealed the real perpetrator. That is why she was taken and why Rúmil was struck in the head. Have courage, brother. Rúmil is young and strong. He will not give in so easily."
"He is my baby brother," Haldir said quietly to the wooden floor, not looking at Orophin. "I can remember the day he was born. He cried loud enough to make the forest cover its ears until the nurse placed him in Mother's arms. Then he quieted and started to laugh. Everyone found this so amazing. I was the only one unimpressed, until Father let me hold him. He touched my face with one finger, and then grabbed my nose and laughed playfully. 'Ha-dear, brot'er' he said. 'Ha-dear, brot'er."
Orophin touched his shoulder. "Let us go after him. Let us go after his attacker," Orophin urged.
"We don't even know where to start."
Orophin's eyes burned with a sudden anger. "I think I might have an idea."
* * * *
"I can not say if there was anything strange that Laegheneb might have said," the healer said with a puzzled look. "I do not recall him speaking at all."
"Not even once?" Orophin pleaded.
"I'm sorry, I do not believe so."
The two brothers looked at each other in sorrow and turned to go. Then a high pitched and very young voice called, "Wait!"
Haldir turned back to see a young healer-trainee, not yet fully grown with bright silver eyes and a shy expression on her face. "Wait," she repeated. "I think I might be able to help you."
"Did Laegheneb say anything at all?" Orophin asked excitedly.
"Yes. He woke up only once and grabbed my arm. His words were very weak and slurred, but I think he said, 'Not the girl, not the girl'. Does this help at all?"
Haldir nodded slowly. "I believe it may. Thank you, nestadhên."
Orophin followed Haldir down the long hall. "Where are you going?"
"To visit our brother."
Rúmil had a thick bandage around his head where he had been bludgeoned. His eyes were open and staring, but no life was in them, and only the blankets covering his chest gave any sign of movement from his breathing. He was very pale and his eyes were dilated.
Haldir sat down on the cot next to him and placed his hand on his brother's cheek, feeling how cold he was. "Oh brother," he sighed. "Of all the times I need your wisdom most, it is now. And here you lay, the answers to all our questions safely inside you, and yet we cannot reach them. The answer that could prevent any more tragedy is inside you, and we cannot find it. I beg you, please, give some sign that you have heard me!"
Rúmil's eyes remained fixed on the sky, his face still and his hands limp. Orophin swallowed his tears as he took Rúmil's hand in his. Haldir did not even realize he was crying until his tears fell off his face and onto his brother's fingers.
"Haldir! Orophin!"
Hithlim came running up, panting, an expression of fear on his face. "You must come quickly! There's been another attack!"
Standing, Haldir took off after Hithlim as Orophin ran to sound the alarm. Hithlim lead him through the City to the outskirts, and then out into the forest. "Where are we going?" he demanded of the Ranger.
"To the clearing," Hithlim said breathlessly, and picked up the pace.
The clearing he was talking about was really more of a secluded clear area without any entrance except a thin opening between two mallorn trees. Hithlim lead him through the opening and into the clearing.
Mîdhlim lay in the middle, a long slash mark across her side and into her belly. Blood seeped through the bandage that Hithlim had hastily wrapped around her. She groaned when he touched her shoulder. "Mîdhlim? Mîdhlim wake up! You must wake up!"
She opened bleary eyes. "Help me," she whispered, her voice weak.
"Who did this to you?" he asked, his eyes widening at the seriousness of the wounds.
Her eyes dilated in fear suddenly and he only had time to hear Hithlim cry out before a heavy object struck the base of his head and he fell into the darkness that followed.
*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*
nestad=healing
hên = child