Hey all- sorry it took so long to update! Next chap comin soon!!
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Chapter 8
"Élharma has gone to Rivendell. Celebrian has traveled to Valinor without her family, and Arwen has requested Élharma's presence. " Galadriel said matter-of-factly, "The princess finds comfort in Élharma."
Haldir harrumphed, "Who could find comfort in such an un-feeling cold witch?"
Celeborn raised an eyebrow. "As I recall, you once did as well." He pointed out gently.
"I was a fool." Haldir murmured angrily
Galadriel and Celeborn exchanged knowing glances. As if on some kind of secret cue, he gently draped a light shawl over his wife's shoulders. Galadriel delicately accepted her husband's supportive arm.
"Walk with us." Galadriel commanded.
Haldir complied, not sure weather or not he really had a choice in the matter.
They walked through the gardens, the sweet scent of the many flowers growing there delighting their noses, and the bright colors dazzeling the eye. There were red and pink roses, white star lilies, and delicate little buttercups. There were leafy vines covered in fragile purple flowers growing abundantly, casting a honeyed fragrance into the air.
After a moment, Celeborn turned to Haldir as they walked. He wore a thoughtful expression on his finely chiseled features.
"I recall a day about two summers ago when Galadriel told you that You would only be able to teach her to love if you were totally willing," Celeborn paused, letting his words bring back the memory, "To which you told her that you were willing."
(((author's note: See chapter 04)))
Haldir grumbled, "She was not learning a single thing!!"
Galadriel was silent, studying him. He felt her probing gaze pierce into his mind.
They had arrived at a clearing, and the Lady gestured for Haldir to look into the small pool located in the center of the clearing.
He reluctantly obeyed, his concience reminding him that he knew what he would see there.
He saw the image of Élharma on the day of her arrival at lorien. He saw the cold, glaring scowl frozen upon her features. The image swirled, and quickly became Élharma once again, but this time she held the expression of an intensely passionate abandonment in life. He recognized it from that fateful day when they were playing with the yearlings.
"You are deceiving yourself," Galadriel said, "Even though it was taking her a long time, she was learning. I believe that you have known such for some time, but your pride has interfered in your acceptance of it."
Haldir looked dejectedly at the ground.
"She had no right to make me leave," He grumbled quietly.
"Haldir, you have many excellent qualities. It is your stubbornness and pride that have been your bane ever since you were an elflet. We were hoping these flaws would help you in your task." Celeborn said
"She still had no right to just tell me to leave." Haldir argued, refusing to admit his wrong.
Galadriel said, "It is true that she may not have made her intensions clear, I will grant you that. From your perspective, she was completely rejecting you. It appeared to you that she was all togethor finished with you, that you had invested your time and feelings for nothing."
Haldir nodded, the Lady had proven his point exactly.
Celeborn interjected, "But, dear Haldir, you were reading her incorrectly. You let your pride get in the way and you said things to her that cut deeply into her heart."
Galadriel gently explained, "She was confused, and even though it seemed to you as if she was just brushing you off, all she really needed was a little time and space to think. Your presence alone was causing her to feel things that were totally and completely new, and it was confusing her."
Haldir did not meet the Lord and Lady's piercing gaze. In his mind a battle was ensuing: his conscience and his heart were begging him to admit that he had said some inappropriate things; but his stubborn pride and his ego were arguing differently.
Pride triumphed, just as it had been doing for the past year.
"She pushed me away, I had no choice." He murmured quietly, a hint of uncertainty lacing through his voice.
Without another word, Galadriel and Celeborn moved to leave; Haldir did not follow them. As the Lord and Lady walked away, Haldir heard the murmur of their voices. He tuned his ears into the words of the conversation, and heard Galadriel say softly,
"I am afraid for the maiden, Celeborn."
The Lord nodded his head and replied to his lady, "Yes, my love, she will surely die."
Haldir, intrigued, ran and caught up to them easily. He asked anxiously, "What did you say???"
Galadriel turned her fair face towards the march warden, a tear spilling over the edge of her eyelid, "No one, not even an elf can live without the hope of love. While the horses provide companionship for Élharma, they do not fill the growing desire in her heart to love and be loved by someone."
They parted company, and Haldir left in silence, a war waging within his mind.
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Élharma rode swiftly to Rivendell on the back of Daaio. The now grown mare was swift and sure- footed, finding her way through the dark. Élharma was anxious to finish the journey, she could smell orcs and goblins in the trees outside of Lorien.
She arrived on the morning of the third day, both horse and rider were exhausted, but alive. Arwen rushed out to meet Élharma.
"It is good to see you, my friend." The princess greeted mournfully, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
"Likewise, milady." Élharma replied, gathering the stricken princess into a deep embrace. As they walked into the great halls of rivendell, Arwen cried upon Élhrama's strong shoulder, the pain of her mother's leaving fresh in her mind.
Over the next few weeks, the mood in the royal family was one so mournful that it made Élharma's own state of mind seem as if she were rejoicing. Arwen cried continually, never straying far from her bedroom, mourning her great loss.
Slowly, the family recovered. They all began smiling once again, even though the mirth was a long time in coming, it did come eventually. The two maidens walked about in the meadows more often, singing, talking, gathering wildflowers, whatever pleased their hearts. With every day came a little more joy, a little more mirth, a little more teasing and joking and laughing.
One day, as Élharma was braiding the princess's dark, silken hair, Arwen said nonchalantly, "You have changed, my comrade, my friend."
Élharma raised an eyebrow, waiting for Arwen to elaborate.
"You definitely have come out of your shell. That fact is obvious. But you are different than I would have expected." The princess said, unable to voice exactly what it was that she was trying to say.
"Elves change, my lady." Élharma replied calmly. She knew what Arwen was trying to express, Arwen had seen the wild abandonment that Élharma allowed herself to fall into around the horses. The princess obviously thought that she would see that joy in every day living.
Arwen jumped visibly, sucking air noisily into her mouth, "I've GOT IT!!!" She exclaimed.
Élharma was puzzled, and desperately tried not to let Arwen's sudden movement pull the thick locks of dark hair from her hands. The braid was still unfinished.
Arwen quieted and slyly asked, "Sooooo, who is he?"
Arwen's mischievous and slightly high- strung nature revealed itself, a trait rare in elves, yet not entirely un-desireable. Élharma had always admired the princess's ability to bring laughter to any situation.
Élharma rolled her eyes and harrumphed, "No one, milady. Not anyone."
Arwen turned suddenly around, thoroughly ruining the plaits in her hair, "Ooooohhhh, tell me!! I can see right through you, Élharma, we have been friends for too long for me not to see that you have been pining away at something ever since you came here, and now I demand that you tell me!" She bounced excitedly on her knees, and pulled Élharma down into a sitting position.
Élharma groaned inwardly. When the princess wanted to know something, there would be no peace until she heard every detail.
"Well, two summers ago, I was assigned to teach this elf horse-lore. His name is Haldir," Élharma started, nonchalantly. She told the princess every detail of the last two years, careful to be completely factual. She talked through the night and well into the morning, Arwen hung on every word uttered. Élharma finished with, "And all I wanted was some time to get my thoughts in order."
Arwen giggled girlishly, practically wriggling in excitement, "Oh my, who would have ever thought? My Élharma in LOVE!!!"
Élharma rolled her eyes, Arwen was typically over dramatizing things.
"I did not say that. My lady, were you not listening?" She calmly explained, " Besides, even if I were to love him, he does not want me. He said so." She gently pointed out.
Arwen screwed up her face in frustration, "Do you remember when Elledan and I got in a big fight?"
Élharma did. Arwen had told Elledan that she was going on a hunt with some of the men. Elledan had been thoroughly put out at the thought of his sister out in a hunting party.
"We said some very harsh things to each other that day. He even told me that if I went hunting with the men he would reject me as his sister!"
Élharma could not figure out where this was going. She watched the Princess as Arwen became more and more animated as the tale enfolded.
"I went, as you remember, but do you remember what he said to me the next day?"
"I do, of course, I was standing beside you" Élharma said calmly, " He said that he was sorry, and that he did not really mean the things he had said. He told you that he had said such things because he loved you so much that he was afraid that you would get hurt or even killed." Élharma admitted.
Arwen grinned, "And don't you think the same idea could be applied to your Haldir???"
Élharma frowned, "No, definitely not. No way. No, nope, no." A deep dread filled her mind, for she knew that Arwen was correct.
Now, it was Arwen's turn to frown. She stuck out her bottom lip in a profound pout, "Aggg. You are just being stubborn!!"
"You know that it is relevant, you KNOW. You know you know you know!!!" Arwen continued, aggrivation painted very obviously across her elegant features.
"How could he love me?" Élharma asked, her defenses quickly crumbling, "I have been completely cold to him!!"
Arwen smiled wickedly, "Well, you could march your sorry arss back to Lorien and tell him that you love him no matter what he says!"
"And what if he says that he still doesn't love me and all that he said before still applies? My dear sligtly naïve friend? Where will I be then? I will be even worse off than if I had never gone to Lorien before."
Arwen rolled her eyes, exasperated.
"My dear, its called living, taking chances. Everyone does it, it is how we learn."
Élharma sighed. Arwen would not take 'no' for an answer.
"I'll think about it." She mumbled.
As they made their way back into Rivendell, Arwen hung onto Élharma's arm and asked fiendishly, "So… exactly what about him are you attracted to?"
Élharma, tilted her chin up primly, softly reprimanding Arwen, "I will not talk of such things, as you should not either. It is undignified.
Arwen rolled her eyes dramatically back, "You were always stiff on dignity and appearances weren't you?"
Élharma smiled faintly, "And, as I recall, it was my sense of poise that kept you from making a fool of yourself many times."
They both laughed, remembering their many adventures together.
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Orophin laughed loudly from his corner of the flet. The twins were sitting together talking in an animated fashon on one side and Haldir was on the other. Haldir scowled at the two brothers. How could they be so carefree when there were orcs to kill?
Orophin looked at his elder brother, "What's wrong, Haldir? You have been extra grumpy ever since your meeting with the Lord and Lady. What happened that upset you so?"
Haldir ignored his brother's baited question, he would not be pulled into their juvenile taunts, he refused to let their teasing exasperate his frustrations. He knew that they were just trying to annoy him, they had always derived joy from seeing him irritated.
Rhúmil answered for him in a teasing, sing-song manner, "I knoooooow! His little heart is broken. But he knows that he deserves it because he was really rude. THAT is what is the matter with him."
Haldir crossed his arms and scowled, "You are both acting like children again. I will advise you that we are all adults now and must conduct yurselves as such."
Orophin howled, rolling on the floor in mirth, "Awww. Big bad Haldir, fallen in love. But because he is such a STUBBORN MULE, he lost her!" He totally ignored his older brother's threat.
Suddenly, Haldir felt something slam into him from behind. It stunned him, knocking him to the ground. When he realized what had happened, both brothers were sitting on top of him. "We aren't moving until you tell us exactly what is bothering you, my brother." Rhúmil challenged.
Haldir, enraged at their delinquent behavior, jumped free of both elves. He stood and scowled, his eyes daring either one to try sitting on him again. Orophin tackled him from in front and Rhúmil from behind. The three of them became an unidentifiable jumble of appendages, wrestling and grappling, pulling, pushing, biting, kicking, and hitting anything and everything that moved. They brawled and scuffed about, the two younger elves trying constantly to pin the elder, but Haldir held his ground. It was not until Haldir had become exhausted that he surrendered. Once again, the twins jumped on top of him, successfully pinning him to the floor
"I will repeat myself now," Rhúmil said breathlessly, " We are NOT moving until you tell us everything!"
Haldir did so, begrudgingly recounting everything that had happened that fateful day. And just as they had said, they kept him pinned on the floor until he had told the whole tale.
"You idiot! I cannot believe you told her that!" Orophin exclaimed as they moved off of Haldir.
Haldir gingerly sat up, wincing as he felt cramped muscles straighten and bruises start to form.
"And you thought SHE was coldhearted!!" Rhúmil ranted.
Haldir, feeling much better, smiled and asked, "What would you have me to do?"
The younger two brothers exchanged knowing glances.
"Go after her, you fool!" Rhúmil exclaimed.
Haldir ducked his head regally, dutifully acknowledging his brother's accurate instructions.
Orophin quickly asked, "And what are you going to say to her when you see her?"
Haldir grinned now, "I will say that I am sorry and that I love her with all of my heart; and that no matter how long it takes for her to warm up to the idea, I will wait on her until the end of the ages."
It felt wonderful to say that. Haldir rolled the words around in his mind, knowing that those words were what he had been wanting to say for a long time.
The twins cheered and a goofy grin spread over Haldir's features. It felt wonderful to release the frustrations in his mind and finally, FINALLY resolve the conflict between his pride and his concience.
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WELL?? please R/R!! I need to know if you like the way that this is going because I have 2 possibilities for the next chapter.
PS: Feel free to email me if you have any other suggestions, I welcome all that I get!!! My email address is in my profile.
Oh yeah- I know that the dialogue here seemes a bit out of character for elves, I tried to resolve that. You see, Arwen has an excited, animated, mischevious personality. That is why her and Élharma could get along, they balanced each other out.