Disclaimer: Same old thing. We only own Laimel and Alcweth. Nothing else. Tolkein made Middle Earth, Tolkein is god, we're just two teenage geeks.

Engraved in Stone

Chapter Two, A Warrior Dead

Haldir's world was dark and stone cold, and as he sailed through the darkness he began to wonder if this was the end. All he had worked for, gone. As a young boy, he had wanted to become a mighty warrior. He had wanted to be known as the greatest Marchwarden of Lorien. Most of all, he had wanted to protect the people and the land that he loved, and pay them back for all the kindness they had shown him. But now all those dreams were gone. Blown out like a candle unwillingly snuffed by the wind.

He wanted to live, wanted feel the rain on his face, the cold stone beneath his feet, he wanted to feel anchored upon the earth. Instead he felt only pain. Not just the physical pain from the orc sword. He was angry with himself. How could he have let himself be brought down by an Uruk-hai? If he must die, couldn't he have a more nobler death?

Haldir fought with himself for what seemed liked forever. Part of him said it was time for death to take him away, yet part of him wanted to cling to what little life he had left.

Out of the surrounding darkness, a light began to shine. Dull at first, its radiance grew to a blinding flash of furious sunshine. Haldir could see naught, its brilliance two shapes silhouetted in the light. As they drew closer he could see what they were. Two Elven maidens, fairer than the light from which they stepped forth from. One was dark haired, the other was light haired. The moved gracefully towards him.

Haldir knew them, he knew their faces, their melodious voice which now whispered an age old elvish song in his ear. But he was fading fast, his body growing colder, his thoughts growing weaker, and he could not remember.

Then it struck him, like the Uruk-hai sword had struck his back. Haldir remembered the names of these two maidens who now stood before him. Alcweth and Laimel. He knew these girls from childhood. He had grown up with them, trained to be a warrior with them. He was the one who had convinced them to go to Havens instead of following him to Helm's Deep. Now Haldir was glad they had gone to the Havens, for he did not wish for them to see him die like this.

"Haldir..." he heard them whisper to him softly. The older elf strained to see his friends, but could only see the light fade slowly into darkness.
"We should have joined him to fight at Helm's Deep. We shouldn't have gone with the others to the Grey Havens. We should have stayed here and we could have saved him." he heard one of them whisper harshly to the others.
"Nay, he will live. Do not speak in such grief. Haldir isn't dead. He won't die. He is one of the strongest of Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel's warriors." the other tried to reassure the one that spoke.

"Haldir, it will be okay. Just hold on," one of the voices said.

Just hold on…just hold on…just hold on…

The words echoed in Haldir's head. Just hold on. He had a chance for life. Just hold on. Everything would be fine. Just hold on.

But he couldn't. The pain overtook him, swirling him into an endless pit of black as Haldir let go.

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"Aragorn," cried Legolas, from atop the white steed Arod. "Aragorn, come see what I found."

It was now after the battle, and the Rohirrim were victorious. Gandalf had come with Eomer and a group of Riders of Rohan. The Uruk-hai had been sent scuttling back to their master Saruman, in his dark tower Orthanc.

Aragorn slowly rode over to where Arod stood, to see the object which had caused his Elf friend so much distress. As he drew nearer he could see the Legolas held an extra bow in his hand.
"It is Haldir's bow," spoke the elf.
Aragorn sighed. "Yes Legolas, and if you had searched any further you most likely would have found his sword too."
"You mean, he's dead then?" Gimli grunted from where sat on Arod behind Legolas.

The ranger nodded his head grimly.
"I guess it would be proper to find his body and return him to his family in the Havens," Leoglas said. "I think we can take a few days to return a friend to his homeland."
"Legolas and I will scout the deeping wall." said Gimli, hanging his head. "Where did you see him last, Aragorn?"

"I watched him die upon the wall." Aragorn choked out. "There was nothing I could do to save him. He fought bravely." But in his heart, Aragorn wasn't sure if that was true. Could he have saved Haldir? A scene from the previous night's battle played over and over in his head.

*********Aragorn's POV*********

"Pull back to the keep Haldir! Pull your men back!" I shouted to my friend who stood upon the wall. Not a minute had passed till I turned around and saw an Uruk-hai raising his sword above Haldir's head. I tried to yell to Haldir, tried to warn him of the danger, but my voice was lost among the endless sea of noise. The Uruk-hai brought his sword down on Haldir's back. I ran up to him. He was on his knees now, begging for breath. I rammed my sword into the Uruk-hai. He fell dead. My attention fell back to Haldir. I held him in my arms, wishing, hoping, that he would be okay. His eyes were glassy, his hand grew cold. I saw a group of Uruks coming towards me. I thought Haldir was dead, I thought all hope was gone for him. But the moment I let go of him, the moment I started to run towards the Uruks, I heard him whisper my name. But then it was too late. I heard the clang of his armor hit the stone, and I felt a pang of guilt such as I had never felt before. Had I killed my friend?

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And with that, Legolas turned Arod around swiftly and galloped off to the wall. Aragorn slid off his mount, Hasufel and patted his chestnut neck. He whispered soft Elvish praises to his horse and slowly began to trudge along the piles of bodies of elves, and men, and Uruk-hai. Aragorn occasionally found a blond headed body, lying in the massive heaps, and his heart began to pound. He found only the Elven archers that had arrived with Haldir. Thankfully, not Haldir himself.

Legolas and Gimli had reached the wall. The elf leaped off his horse, leaving his stubby dwarf friend grumbling about how he needed help getting off Arod. Legolas had been to caught up in other thoughts to notice the distressed dwarf as he fell off the Rohan horse with a thud.

Aragorn heard a cry of distress from Legolas. He quickly ran over to where his two friends were searching.
"We found him Aragorn," said Gimli, trying to hide his tears.

Haldir's face was covered in blood, his hair a mess, bruises covering his body, and an orc sword rammed into his back. Legolas managed to say a few words in Elvish honoring the deceased warriors, but just barely choked them out. Everyone was silent as the brave warrior from the golden wood was put onto a horse, and lead towards the Havens.

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