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Engraved in Stone

Chapter Five, Ruckroot

Alcweth and Laimel were up at dawn to prepare breakfast for all five of their visitors, as well as food for their long journeys; lembas.

First arose Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli. After eating they thanked the pair of elves once again, mounted their horses, and rode off towards the sea. Then Orophin arose, and then Rumil. Once they all were gone, the house seemed so much quieter, although Gimli had been the only visitor to speak in more than a whisper.

Alcweth sat nest to Haldir, stroking his hand and still brooding over his death. Laimel sat in the courtyard. As she sat, she wondered. Wondered what life would be like now, in the Havens. It was true that she liked peace, but this was too peaceful. Nothing stirred, not even the leaves on the trees that always seemed to be green.

All of a sudden Alcweth came running into the courtyard. "He lives," she panted. "Haldir did not die, he still draws breath!"

Tears came to Laimel's eyes. "Alcweth, I know how much you loved him. But he's gone now, and making up stories will make the pain of his passing even harder to bear."

"Just come, and see what I mean," Alcweth told her friend, takeing her by the hand and pulling her into the room in which they had laid Haldir before he was to be buried. "Put your hand on his chest and feel for a heart
beat. Then you may call me crazy, then you may say I have gone mad and it was
nothing more than a little girl's fantasy. But please, do this first."

Then Laimel did so, and a look of astonishment passed over the elf's face as she realized that all was not lost, and hope still remained.

"Thank Iluvater! Haldir lives!" Laimel threw her arms around her friend. She bounced around the room, as Alcweth looked at her friend and laughed. She hadn't seen her so alive ever since Haldir had left to go and fight at Helm's Deep.

"Calm down, I must think." Alcweth told Laimel. "Lets see, what could wake him up? Maybe…yes, that would work," she muttered to herself. "Laimel, come with me. There's an old book I need to find."

The pair glanced at Haldir as they silently left the room.

~~~~~~~~~~

Haldir tossed and turned in his sleep. He saw the flash of the Uruk-hai's sword from the corner of his eye as it came down upon him. It was as if everything was in slow motion, and he tried to block the blow, but was too late. The world swirled before him as the sword came in contact with his flesh. He saw light, then darkness, he saw Alcweth and
Laimel, but then they disappeared as well. He felt the singing pain of his wound, and tasted the metallic tang of blood in his mouth. Haldir realized he had bitten his tongue, for he could not stand the excruciating
pain of that memory. His world was dark and stone cold, he felt no more..

~~~~~~~~~~~

Haldir awoke with a start and a yell, cold sweat running down his face and back. He was breathing hard and rapidly, and felt faint from sitting up.

Laimel and Alcweth rushed into the room from hearing the yell.

"Haldir?" they asked testily, after seeing their friend sitting upright in his bed. The elf's eyes were open, but staring blankly into space.

Laimel walked forward, and took his hand. "Strange..." she exclaimed. "His hand is...cold."

Alcweth then came forward and felt his forehead. "He's not feverish...I'm not sure what to do. Its so odd... I could have sworn he was dead yesterday. But now we find out he's alive. And now he's acting so strangely. Its...its as if he were in a trance or something."

"Yes. Haldir! Haldir wake up!" Laimel snapped her fingers in front of his
eyes, which looked glassy and strangely ethereal.

"Stop that!!" Alcweth scolded. "That won't bring him out of it!"

"But Alcweth! What will we do? It's like he's dead, yet alive still..."

Alcweth nodded her head. "Yes...I've never seen him act like this before... we should maybe take him outside, he's been asleep so long.."

"Takeing him outside might do him worse," Laimel pointed out.

"Yes, you're right," Alcweth said. "Perhaps..." a look of realization came across the her face. "Ruckroot! Laimel, go get me a sprig of ruckroot! You know, the flower that grows out back."

When Laimel returned, she carried a blossom in her hand. "Here you go," she said, handing it to Alcweth. "But what will it do?"

"Ruckroot's very rare. It reverses the effect of a wound," Alweth said, speaking quickly while she worked. "But only if the flower is fresh, and used properly."

Then the Elven maiden gently place the Ruckroot in the Elven warrior's clenched fist. She bent her head and muttered a prayer in the Elvish tongue.

"It should not take too long." she said when she was through. All of a sudden Haldir's eyes lost their glassy look. He tried to sit up again, but fell back down.

"Where...where am I?" he asked. "Alcweth? Laimel?" Laimel and Alcweth grasped either of the Lorien Guardian's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Haldir, you are in the Havens." He raised the corners of his lips in a smile, and tried once again to get up, but found he had very little strength.

"Haldir, save your strength, you are only beginning to recover." Alcweth whispered.

"Are the others okay? Where is Rumil and Orophin?" he asked.

"Orophin went to find and lead an escort for a group of elves heading here. He had to take your place. They thought you were dead." Laimel told him.

The Elven warrior to a deep breath, and began to cough violently.

"Alcweth! What's happening? What's wrong Haldir?!" she screamed.

Another idea popped into Alcweth's head. "Don't worry. Get me some of those Lorien leaves from that sack over there. Burn them and hold them in front of Haldir's nose."

Laimel rushed up, and fumbled around foursome of the Lorien leaves. She pulled them out and threw herself next to Haldir, shoving the leaves in Haldir's face. He breathed in deeply, and after a few minutes, his coughing died down.

Alcweth placed a slender hand on the warrior's shoulder, forcing him to lay down on the bed again. "You must rest. Please do not try to get up."

"What happened? Why am I hurt?" Haldir asked.

Alcweth looked worried. "Do you remember nothing?"

"I remember a battle..." Haldir replied. "And...a sword, and pain. Lots ofpain. Then it was dark. Then a bright light, and I saw both of you. But after that was darkness once again."

"Well, you won't have any more darkness here," Laimel told him. "But you were at the battle of Helm's Deep. You lead an army of elves. You were attacked by an Uruk, and very badly wounded. Everyone thought you to be dead. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli brought you here."

"Legolas? Aragorn? I think I remember those names," said Haldir. "But not Gimli. That sounds...dwarvish."

Both of his friends smiled. It made since that he would not remember Gimli, after all, he only came up to Haldir's waist.

"It is so good to see you alive, mellon amin (my friend)," said Alcweth. "Though it will be a while yet till you are strong enough to even walk."

"What?!" Haldir exclaimed. "How long? Hours, days, what do you mean?"

Laimel rolled her eyes. "That's just like you Haldir. We mean it may be several weeks. Now try to get some rest."

~~~~~~~~~Yay!! He's alive!! Oooh, guess what? You can get "Haldir Lives" shirts online! We both have them, and wore them to school today, and everybody looked at us like we were freaks. Which, of course, we are. If anyone wants the web address for the site that sells those shirts, just tell us in a review and we'll post it with the next story.