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I wasn't lost, no. I knew my way around this forest probably better than any other elves who resided here. But I hated thunderstorms. This hatred was against almost everything I knew, but fear possessed all races, be them elf, hobbit, dwarf, or man. As I knelt there, feeling alone and forgotten, I let my thoughts drift. They all collected around an event that changed my life, in one way or another. But to think of it now was pure torment, for the storm brewing overhead was merely beginning.
I was an elfing, and as always, I was apart from my brothers. I was practicing cleaning my weapons. I wanted to be the best at it. Orophin and Rumil were in Orophin's talan as far as I knew because I could hear them speaking in low, hushed voices. I listened while I worked, but because of how softly they were speaking, I could only make out a few words.
"Storm."
"Can't leave."
"He needs."
I blinked. Were they talking about me? And a storm was coming? From what I had heard, they were going to remain there alone with each other. I dreaded the possibility that they had altogether forgotten about me, but it was there, lingering on the edge of my mind. A wild crack of thunder made me look up, and I noticed that my door was open. The patter of rain began, and I slowly slid off my bed, gently placing the knife and the stone on the blankets. I moved casually to the door. I didn't mind storms. They were a part of nature, and anything to do with the earth soothed me, comforted me, no matter how violent.
As I reached for the door to close it, thunder wrecked havoc throughout the sky, and lightning shone like death's eyes, crashing toward the ground, zinging with its powerful electricity. My breath caught in my throat, and I stared wide eyed at the scene, which did not last more than a brilliant half second, if that. A smile crossed my lips, one of complete awe and fascination. I wanted to dance and sing out there, become one with the storm. I felt it, above all else, was my family. Rumil and Orophin were not, as they were nestled in warmth and comfort, finding reassurance in each other. I was saddened that I was not part of that, but the weather above fascinated me.
Now I moved further outside, feeling the electricity as the storm drew me in. I had not forgotten about shutting the door, it just didn't seem to important now. I jumped as thunder roared particularly close, the snarl of an angry dragon, and lightning flickered through the clouds like blinking eyes. He drew back quickly and slammed the door shut, sure that Orophin and Rumil would hear. Them, and other older elves like Lord Celeborn, told me tales about dragons. Fear ripped at my insides, its claws digging deeper and deeper, driving me back until I was pressed against the wall. There must have been a dragon out there. In fact, I was so convinced that there was, I didn't move from the wall until morning.
I sighed as I remembered, then shut it away like I did so many things. I heard shouting behind me, and I stood. My muscles were trembling, and all the emotion I had felt earlier left me terrified and exhausted. As warmth wrapped around me, I turned into it, felt a hard chest under my hands, smelt the familiar scent of family. It was Orophin. He wrapped the blanket securely around my shoulders and moved it over my head so the sound of thunder would be slightly muffled. It helped a little. Then I felt my feel leave the ground as he lifted me into his arms, felt the slight jarring of his long strides as he sprinted back toward home. He spoke to me, but over the wind and rain and lighting and thunder, the voice was lost to me, just another howl of the wind, just another snarl of the storm.
Just before we entered the talan, I felt Orophin leap forward, as if he, too, were afraid of the lashing monster that owned the skies on this night.
"Rumil, get me a towel," Orophin said urgently.
My younger brother nodded, then went and fetched the softest one he could find, and brought it out to us. Orophin took it and smiled gratefully. I felt the blanket leave me, and then the feel of my clothes being stripped. I lifted my head just enough so that I could watch Rumil remove my drenched clothing. Relief shone in his eyes when he saw my movements, and I managed a small smile of my own before Orophin began wiping my shivering skin down with the towel. Orophin's hands were firm but gentle at once, and my trembling began to slow.
"I will make a warm drink for you both," said Rumil.
Before either of us could object, the driest brother turned and padded into the kitchen to fetch something warm and soothing. I shifted slightly, then looked at Orophin, fearing the worst when I saw his eyes. But the anger wasn't there. Instead I saw fear, concern, love, and compassion. Devotion was there as well, although I couldn't believe it.
Rumil came now, and he offered us both warm mugs. Orophin took one, then handed it to me before taking his own. I sighed at the heat, then carefully took a sip. It was hot, and it burned me, so I blew on it a little before trying again. Although it was still quite hot, it was now bearable. I felt no embarrassment as I lay there with my brothers hovering over me, all of my clothing drenched and hanging on Orophin's dresser. It wasn't so cold anymore, and as the air drifted over my skin, the last of my shivers left me.
"How did you find me?" I asked softly, turning my eyes to Orophin after taking another sip of my drink.
"An elfing could have followed your reckless trail, brother. It was visible even in the dark and howling storm."
I nodded slightly, halfway done the warmth that resided in the mug.
"We all need rest, Haldir. When you are finished, come to bed," Orophin said, using that no nonsense tone of his. It would do no good to argue, and so I nodded in agreement.
I watched Orophin and Rumil undress down to their leggings, then slide into bed. I looked around for Orophin's glass, then saw it on the bedside table. When I was finished my drink, I rose slowly to my feet, my limbs protesting softly. I ignored their cries and placed my mug next to Orophin's before sliding under the covers. Normally we would all sleep in our own separate beds, but tonight, in this storm, it was a great relief to be with them. I jumped with each stroke of lightning, with each clap of thunder.
I felt the bed beneath me moving, and I looked over to see my brothers rearranging themselves. Orophin was beside me now, and he encouraged me to curl against him. I did so, and tucked my head in under his chin as I closed my eyes, not caring about duty or pride now. I just wanted the storm outside to stop. Eventually I opened my eyes again, and, judging by Orophin's breathing, I knew that he was asleep. I followed suit a few minutes later, the word of peace and dreams enclosing around me.
I wasn't lost, no. I knew my way around this forest probably better than any other elves who resided here. But I hated thunderstorms. This hatred was against almost everything I knew, but fear possessed all races, be them elf, hobbit, dwarf, or man. As I knelt there, feeling alone and forgotten, I let my thoughts drift. They all collected around an event that changed my life, in one way or another. But to think of it now was pure torment, for the storm brewing overhead was merely beginning.
I was an elfing, and as always, I was apart from my brothers. I was practicing cleaning my weapons. I wanted to be the best at it. Orophin and Rumil were in Orophin's talan as far as I knew because I could hear them speaking in low, hushed voices. I listened while I worked, but because of how softly they were speaking, I could only make out a few words.
"Storm."
"Can't leave."
"He needs."
I blinked. Were they talking about me? And a storm was coming? From what I had heard, they were going to remain there alone with each other. I dreaded the possibility that they had altogether forgotten about me, but it was there, lingering on the edge of my mind. A wild crack of thunder made me look up, and I noticed that my door was open. The patter of rain began, and I slowly slid off my bed, gently placing the knife and the stone on the blankets. I moved casually to the door. I didn't mind storms. They were a part of nature, and anything to do with the earth soothed me, comforted me, no matter how violent.
As I reached for the door to close it, thunder wrecked havoc throughout the sky, and lightning shone like death's eyes, crashing toward the ground, zinging with its powerful electricity. My breath caught in my throat, and I stared wide eyed at the scene, which did not last more than a brilliant half second, if that. A smile crossed my lips, one of complete awe and fascination. I wanted to dance and sing out there, become one with the storm. I felt it, above all else, was my family. Rumil and Orophin were not, as they were nestled in warmth and comfort, finding reassurance in each other. I was saddened that I was not part of that, but the weather above fascinated me.
Now I moved further outside, feeling the electricity as the storm drew me in. I had not forgotten about shutting the door, it just didn't seem to important now. I jumped as thunder roared particularly close, the snarl of an angry dragon, and lightning flickered through the clouds like blinking eyes. He drew back quickly and slammed the door shut, sure that Orophin and Rumil would hear. Them, and other older elves like Lord Celeborn, told me tales about dragons. Fear ripped at my insides, its claws digging deeper and deeper, driving me back until I was pressed against the wall. There must have been a dragon out there. In fact, I was so convinced that there was, I didn't move from the wall until morning.
I sighed as I remembered, then shut it away like I did so many things. I heard shouting behind me, and I stood. My muscles were trembling, and all the emotion I had felt earlier left me terrified and exhausted. As warmth wrapped around me, I turned into it, felt a hard chest under my hands, smelt the familiar scent of family. It was Orophin. He wrapped the blanket securely around my shoulders and moved it over my head so the sound of thunder would be slightly muffled. It helped a little. Then I felt my feel leave the ground as he lifted me into his arms, felt the slight jarring of his long strides as he sprinted back toward home. He spoke to me, but over the wind and rain and lighting and thunder, the voice was lost to me, just another howl of the wind, just another snarl of the storm.
Just before we entered the talan, I felt Orophin leap forward, as if he, too, were afraid of the lashing monster that owned the skies on this night.
"Rumil, get me a towel," Orophin said urgently.
My younger brother nodded, then went and fetched the softest one he could find, and brought it out to us. Orophin took it and smiled gratefully. I felt the blanket leave me, and then the feel of my clothes being stripped. I lifted my head just enough so that I could watch Rumil remove my drenched clothing. Relief shone in his eyes when he saw my movements, and I managed a small smile of my own before Orophin began wiping my shivering skin down with the towel. Orophin's hands were firm but gentle at once, and my trembling began to slow.
"I will make a warm drink for you both," said Rumil.
Before either of us could object, the driest brother turned and padded into the kitchen to fetch something warm and soothing. I shifted slightly, then looked at Orophin, fearing the worst when I saw his eyes. But the anger wasn't there. Instead I saw fear, concern, love, and compassion. Devotion was there as well, although I couldn't believe it.
Rumil came now, and he offered us both warm mugs. Orophin took one, then handed it to me before taking his own. I sighed at the heat, then carefully took a sip. It was hot, and it burned me, so I blew on it a little before trying again. Although it was still quite hot, it was now bearable. I felt no embarrassment as I lay there with my brothers hovering over me, all of my clothing drenched and hanging on Orophin's dresser. It wasn't so cold anymore, and as the air drifted over my skin, the last of my shivers left me.
"How did you find me?" I asked softly, turning my eyes to Orophin after taking another sip of my drink.
"An elfing could have followed your reckless trail, brother. It was visible even in the dark and howling storm."
I nodded slightly, halfway done the warmth that resided in the mug.
"We all need rest, Haldir. When you are finished, come to bed," Orophin said, using that no nonsense tone of his. It would do no good to argue, and so I nodded in agreement.
I watched Orophin and Rumil undress down to their leggings, then slide into bed. I looked around for Orophin's glass, then saw it on the bedside table. When I was finished my drink, I rose slowly to my feet, my limbs protesting softly. I ignored their cries and placed my mug next to Orophin's before sliding under the covers. Normally we would all sleep in our own separate beds, but tonight, in this storm, it was a great relief to be with them. I jumped with each stroke of lightning, with each clap of thunder.
I felt the bed beneath me moving, and I looked over to see my brothers rearranging themselves. Orophin was beside me now, and he encouraged me to curl against him. I did so, and tucked my head in under his chin as I closed my eyes, not caring about duty or pride now. I just wanted the storm outside to stop. Eventually I opened my eyes again, and, judging by Orophin's breathing, I knew that he was asleep. I followed suit a few minutes later, the word of peace and dreams enclosing around me.