Chapter 20 – THE DAWNLESS DAYS
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Taelyra pushed Haldir over onto his back and straddled his hips. Slowly, she lowered herself onto him, his girth filling her completely. She moaned until coming to rest at the base of his shaft.
"Blissful impalement," she sighed.
Haldir couldn't help but laugh. It was an extremely accurate description of the act. Taelyra smiled down at him, her hair falling loose about her shoulders, the sunlight glinting on its golden highlights – her nipples just poking through its wavy lengths. She was so beautiful to him then; it took his breath away.
Arching her back, she clenched her thighs and began to ride him. He clutched her buttocks and wondered at the strength of her legs. Years of horse riding, he realized. This was an unusual position for Haldir and he found it exquisite.
Most of the elf maids he'd been with were quite passive in bed, lying beneath him and never showing an interest in taking the lead sexually. They happily complied with his suggestions but were often at a loss when put 'atop' the situation so to speak.
Taelyra showed remarkable command, changing her pace some times and the depth of her thrusts at others. Haldir was delighted when she leaned forward over him, riding only the tip of his shaft, allowing him to take one of her breasts into his mouth. He sucked greedily on it until she deemed it was time for a change.
Straightening back upright, she fully impaled herself upon him once more, letting her head fall back exposing her beautiful throat. Her hair was so long that the ends tickled his thighs. The feeling was enchanting. She reached behind her to cup him in her hand, stroking his velvety orbs. Now it was Haldir's turn to moan.
She delighted in the sound as she continued to ride him. He let her control the pace until he felt himself start to spiral out of control. He grasped her hips firmly to still them.
"You should stop for a moment, melamin."
Her face hovered over his. "Why?" she asked, faking an innocent tone.
"Aren't your legs getting tired?"
"Well actually, I was just beginning to get my stride."
She delighted him. He wanted to throw her back down upon the bed and show her just how delighted he was. Flipping her over onto her back elicited a surprised squeal. As he eased himself fully into her, he enjoyed an appreciative moan.
"Taelyra," his voice soft but hoarse in her ear. "You complete me."
They kissed deeply as Taelyra pushed her hips upward to meet his.
Haldir felt as though he was floating. He felt weightless and consumed by light. Blinding light, so bright that he could no longer see Taelyra beneath him and her touch faded from his senses. Where was he?
He could hear voices around him. Moaning. But not Taelyra's and not moans of pleasure. There were sounds of suffering all around him and he felt a pain from within himself.
Slowly, he opened his eyes. Thankfully it was dark and cool in here. He lay upon a rough mattress. His right shoulder ached.
He looked to a window to his right. Outside it was neither light nor dark, but instead a murky half-light without the hope of sunrise.
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"You awaken finally." A friendly elven face came into view, its look of concern changing into a smile. It took Haldir a moment to recognize the features.
"Legolas."
"You scared us, friend."
"Welcome back." He heard a second voice and turned his head to see who was speaking; the pain in his shoulder intensified.
"Elessar! We have won the battle then?"
"Thanks to the strength of the Elves and the fortitude of Men."
Aragorn's eyes creased as he smiled. Haldir shut his eyes in relief. They had seemed hopelessly outnumbered. He knew not how they had emerged victorious but he was thankful. The last he remembered, an Orc had stabbed him through the shoulder with a long knife and Aragorn had helped him from the battlements, into the inner fortress. All was black after that.
"You have lost much blood. Rest now," urged Legolas.
"I must return to Lorien immediately. Battle looms there as well."
"Rest now, mellon," Aragorn concurred. "We will prepare your horse for the ride back but you need to renew yourself further before making the journey."
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Haldir put his foot into the stirrup and pulled himself onto Nénharma's back. He looked about in the gloom.
"The sun does not rise."
"The darkness has begun. There will be no dawn," said Gandalf. He stepped forth and patted Haldir's gloved hand. "Please bear my thanks to the Lady of Lorien for sparing us her greatest soldiers in our hour of need."
Haldir acknowledged the compliment and replied, "I hope we meet again, Mithrandir, though in more peaceful times."
He looked to Legolas and Aragorn, who stood nearby. "Namárië," and even managed a curt nod to the Dwarf. Legolas seemed to have developed an unlikely friendship with this creature, so he would not treat him unkindly as he had in their previous meeting.
"Thank you, Haldir of Lorien." The Rohan king stepped forward and shook Haldir's hand. "The bravery and support of your people will not be forgotten by the Rohirrim."
"Take what archers are left Théoden, Lord of the Mark. The battle for Helm's Deep is over. The battle for Middle Earth is about to begin."
With that he turned Nénharma northeastward and urged him across the half-lit plains.
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He rode hard until the density of the trees forced him to slow Nénharma's pace. Haldir had entered the southwest border of the Golden Wood and was now nearing Caras Galadhon.
He had much to recount to the Lord and Lady; but more than telling news he wished to hear some. His shoulder seared with pain but more disturbing to him was the chill about his heart. This pallid day had sunk his spirits.
Were Sauron's powers so restored that he was able to black out the sun throughout all of Middle Earth? This was an ill omen, indeed.
Above all else, he wished to see Taelyra. Just the briefest of glances would suffice, even if they could not embrace or kiss. He wished desperately to look upon her beautiful face and know that she was safe. There was hope in the world still if he could at least do that.
He leapt from his great horse's back, sprinting up the stairs that led to Galadriel's chambers.
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"I have returned, Lady." Haldir bowed as she glided into the room.
"What news have you?"
"Saruman's army has been destroyed and the wizard cast out of Isengard. Gandalf took his palantír and rides to Minas Tirith, before the seas of war surround it. Elessar will meet him there and together they will muster all the Men and Elves they can, in order to meet Sauron's forces."
"How fared our company in the battle for Helm's Deep?"
"Our losses were heavy. The defences held, but not without great sacrifice. I gave our remaining archers to the King of Rohan. They follow him back to Edoras and will carry on to Gondor. I rode back here as quickly as I could."
He paused to let his news sink in but could not wait long to hear of the events of Lorien.
"What news have you here, my Lady?"
"Twice we have repelled assaults from Dol Guldur. The Lorien forces fight alongside the Telerins under Celeborn and Ciriáran's command. Thranduil defends his realm in the North."
"I will go at once out onto the Plain," Haldir could not disguise the deep concern in his voice. "I will take charge of the Lorien regiments."
Galadriel heard his anxious note. "Taelyra defends with Artanis upon the battlefield. Go to her now Haldir and aid her in this task."
He bowed and strode from the room as swiftly as he'd entered it.
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If he was perfectly honest with himself, Haldir had to admit that he'd been sincerely intimidated by the size and ferocity of Saruman's army at Helm's Deep. Their numbers had been staggering and the prospect of defeating them had seemed highly unlikely.
But now as he stalked through the woodlands edge he felt sickened by the grievous harm visited upon the Sacred Wood. Trees were charred and some had even been chopped down. Orc bodies lay everywhere.
Helm's Deep had not been his home. It had not been his treasured sanctuary and golden refuge. He'd pledged his life to defending this wood and it enraged him to see it defiled in such a way.
"Haldir, you return!" Celeborn called from a flet overhead.
Haldir climbed up to meet him.
"You are injured," he noted Haldir's grimace as he pulled himself onto the platform.
"What news upon the battlefield, my Lord?"
"There is fierce fighting directly East, beneath the eaves of Mirkwood. There is a great deal of smoke from the forest northwards. We fear that much destruction takes place in Thranduil's kingdom."
Haldir scanned the Plain. The dark, misshapen bodies lying upon it were incalcuable. There were fair and shining bodies fallen in the mud there as well, saddening his heart.
"Where fight the Telerin guard? Taelyra and her brothers?"
"Straight eastward from here."
"I will go there now."
Celeborn grasped Haldir's good shoulder, looking him in the eye. "Take care, ionen. Fight well."
"I will, my Lord."
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ionen = my son
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