Chapter 17

Evil. Darkness. Consuming. Darkness. Eternal. Darkness. Penetrating. Darkness. It leered at her from within her own mind. It drown out all thought, drown out all emotion. Like a black hole, it sucked her into its never-ending event horizon. It oppressed her from the outside, inside and on every side. She could see nothing else, she could hear only the darkness. Sauron. Her mind had wandered to close to his and now he held her in the powers of his thoughts. She knew that she would die. She remembered seeing the swarm of orc running directly for her before her mind had fallen into shadow. This was the end. There was no reason for her to fight it, for what is life if it is devoid of love? It was these strands of thought that caused her to let her mind be overwhelmed by the evil. There was one, only one in all of middle earth that could have given hope, yet no hope remained for the one called Élhamra.

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Haldir easily caught up to Lirahall, who was busily leading the prisoners away from this wretched place. It was a gamble, but with their present speed, they should reach the edge of the cloud of darkness before the orcs caught up.

Suddenly, there was a shriek, "NO!!!" He heard from behind him. It was Cee's voice, and she was obviously panicked.

Spinning deftly on one booted foot, he searched the crowd of men for her raven head. He found it, much to his surprise, wading against the rest of the fleeing people directly towards the wave of pursuing orcs. She was crying, calling something; desperately clawing her way through the men in her effort to go back for… for…something, someone. He did not understand why- her husband was with Lirahall and her daughter was clinging to her shoulder. It was then that he saw her. No, not Cee, but the one Cee was running for. Élharma.

It was at this moment, this critical juncture, that time slowed incredibly. Men moved around him as they fled the pursuing orcs. Now was his moment. His very own moment. There was just enough time for him to run to her, scoop her up and rescue her from the trampling feet of the dark minions. In this fragment of time, in this moment, worlds were born and died. Lives came and went. In this singlular anomalous juncture in the winds of time, eternity ensued. A battle raged in his mind. A familiar battle, a battle that he had faught before. Love battled hate, Anger battled forgiveness, joy battled bitterness. Then, in this shining, sliver of a strand in time, this juncture, did he decided.

But it was to late. He had spent his moment. Standing silently as Lirahall brushed past him, picked her limp form from the dusty road and sprinted back to his former position leading the group of men.

Haldir turned as if in a trance and began running. Confused. He was supposed to rescue her. Not this other elf. Lirahall wasn't meant for her, Haldir was. This was all wrong.

Finally, after of a few tense moments, their small group of men spilled forth into the sunlight like a river when the dam breaks after the falling of the spring showers. The minion pursuers stopped at the edge of the shadow, yelling indignities, throwing stones/sticks/sand, whatever they could get their hands on. A few arrows flew into the group of still-fleeing men, but these were easily deflected. Although their pace slowed to a hurried walk, they did not stop; it was imperative that they cross over the river Anduin and travel into the outskirts of Rohan before nightfall.

Lirahall continued, much to Haldir's frustration, to carry Élharma's wilting form. Realistically, Haldir understood that her slight weight was one that any elf could carry for a long period of time, but the problem came because Haldir wanted to be the one to carry that weight. The indecision in his heart was gone, forgotton; now all he felt was a bitter sorrow for the pain he had caused the one beloved to his heart.

Yes. His beloved, for at the moment in time which he had seen her lying limp in the center of the road was the moment that all of the love that he had been repressing in his heart burst forth. It overwhelmed him, flowing through his viens with fire and ice. He had decided then, in that moment, to love her. No matter what. Love. Period.

But the opportunity to express that love had been taken from him, stolen. His moment had become Lirahall's moment.

He jogged behind the group of men, encouraging the stragglers, consoling those that left loved ones behind, cheering on those men that were keeping a steady pace. He tried to ignore the longing in his heart to do these things to Élharma, but to no avail. He could not rid his mind of her. His thoughts chewed apprehensively at her sudden loss of concieceness. He wondered as to why she had collapsed to the ground.

Cee, clinging tightly to Ethina's tiny form, fell back until she was moving alongside Haldir. She looked into his face curiously.

She saw a change there. A change of what, she could not tell. He was just, somehow, different.

"Is she going to be okay?" Cee asked softly.

"She may and she may not." He replied tonelessly. It was in moments like these that the elfin ability to hide all emotions was both a blessing and a curse. He was feeling very strong emotions at the moment, and wanted somehow to let Cee know that, but instead hid behind the familiar emotional curtain.

 Unfortunately, she was not able to descipher anything out of the blankness on his face. It angered her. Élharma was Cee's friend and Cee knew that the maiden's love was for Haldir. How was it, that Haldir could be so cold about it? How could he be so uncaring?

Screwing her face into a severe scowl, she said sharply, "You don't deserve her. She loved you! She still does!"

He turned to her, "I know. I just hope that she still does when she wakes up." He said softly.

This shocked her. "What?" She asked in a slightly choked voice.

"I hope that she still loves me when she wakes up." He replied simply.

 Cee cocked an eyebrow and asked cautiously, "Soooooo, no more mister bitter spitefulness?"

Haldir shook his head, "No. No more mister bitter spitefulness. I love her Cee, I love her with all of my heart. It just took me a little while to realize that."

It was Haldir's turn to be shocked, as Cee jumped into the air and gave a loud victory cry.

"Then go and get her and tell her that!" Cee ordered with a laugh.

"But…" He was speechless.

"Really. What harm can come from telling her?" Cee said.

"You will make sure that we don't leave anyone behind?" He asked, as always faithful to his duties.

She gave him a slight but sharp and definite nod.

He quickened his pace, drawing alongside Lirahall with ease.

"Can I relieve you of your burden?" He asked tightly.

Lirahall smiled, "She is not a burden, but you may anyway."

Haldir gently wrapped his arms around her body, lifting her from Lirahall's arms. He could smell the familiar scent of her clothes, he could feel the soft thickness of her gently curled locks. At the moment, she was, like they all were, covered in dirt.

As he jogged towards the sunset, he whispered into her ear. He spoke of all things good, but most of all, he spoke of love.

Finally, the sun set completely beneath the horizon, the last sunbeams fading quickly as the night wrapped its arms around the travelers.

They made it. Rohan. They were in the borders of Rohan where they sopped to light the fires and rest for the night. The men quickly bedded down, exhausted from the day's journey. One by one, they fell into a deep sleep, leaving the three of elfish blood to watch for danger.

Haldir sat with his back to a fallen log, facing the fire. Élharma's head was in his lap. He absentmindedly stroked her hair as he studied the dancing shadows of the firelight. He felt eyes studying them: Lirahall. The other elf had been watching Haldir for some time, watching, waiting. Now, he spoke.

"I don't know you. I don't know Élharma very well, either. But what I do know is that you have been causing her to unduly suffer over the last few months."

Haldir acknowledged the truth in this with a nod, "It wont happen again, I assure you."

Lirahall continued, "It had better not, for if you ever hurt her again, I will kill you."

Haldir laughed slightly, "I would not expect anything less."

Lirahall smiled at their comeradarie. Finally.

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Darkness. Evil. Darkness. Evil.…………………wait. What was this? A ray of hope? Élharma did no understand. She had seen something. Something other than darkness. Had it been, could it have been a ray of hope? She listened, now fighting against the mind that had invaded her own. She brought her physical ears to work. Someone was talking. A man. No, an elf. A he- elf. Haldir. But what was he saying? She strained her mind, desperately. The words floated into her thoughts faintly, but definitely…."I cannot go back, Lirahall. You know that. I love her…."

She lost her grip on reality, surprised and taken aback. The words echoed in her mind… 'I love her' I LOVE HER. It gave her hope. A desire to live. With renouned effort, she pushed away from the darkness that had ensnared her mind, fighting it, racing go get away… 

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Haldir stopped talking. She moved. He looked down. Lirahall looked at her as well. Her face. The muscles began firing randomly, slowly at first and then increasing in speed.

Suddenly, she sat up. Both elves jumped slightly. She just sat there, looking around in a dazed manner. It was dark, and there were a number of people, men from the smell of them, sleeping around a large bonfire. She turned groggily to Haldir and regarded him uncertainly, not sure weather she had been dreaming or had really heard what she thought she had heard.

Upon seeing the blankly bewildered expression on her face, both elves burst out in laughter. She quirked an eyebrow and smiled, "What are you laughing at?"

Haldir leaned foreward and kissed the tip of her nose, "You look utterly lost, my beloved."

She smiled. It was wonderful to hear him call her that. "What changed your mind?" she asked cautiously.

"I knew that I could not live a day without you." He replied tenderly.

She laid her head on his chest and sighed sleepily, "As I could not live without you, my love."

They slept that night cradled in each other's arms, the cares of the world lifted off of their shoulders.

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Hey all- sorry that this chapter is so short, but I hope that you like it.

Check out my web page, I finally got some sketches up. And as always,

PLEASE, please, please review!

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