To everybody: Thanks so much to all reviewers once again, and I'm sorry
it's been a while. Hopefully I'll have time in college to continue this,
although I'm a little worried because I don't think Haldir will fit in my
closet. :)
Heart's Welcome
The three brothers and a bleary-eyed Danali stood at the north gate of Caras Galadhon as the rising sun was already warming the ground and melting away the cold of night. Danali was dressed in new garments, and Orophin had already remarked on how Elvish she looked when she wasn't trying to maim people. A proper young woman. She had glowered at him in the most withering fashion she could muster, but Orophin seemed to have some sort of protective shield around him that warded off death stares, and he merely laughed.
All seemed to be forgiven between the two; early that morning Orophin had woken Danali up for a simple breakfast and a shimmering sunrise. He had asked about her home forest, and though she wove tales of it's beauty and aching mystery, she had not mentioned her willow. It was a piece of her life that was hers alone. Orophin seemed to realize this eventually.
"You have a secret garden in your heart, Dani," he had observed, his clear gaze piercing her to the core. "No fruits of it pass your lips, nor any roses will you give."
Danali laughed humorlessly. "The roses withered a long time ago, Master Orophin. As for the fruits, they have all faded and gone." She sniffed and stared down at the tea mug clutched in her hands. Orophin leaned over and waited for her eyes to gradually slide up to meet his.
"But some are still blooming, and some have yet to blossom."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rumil stood uneasily in the cool twilit air as his brothers took their leave for the Northern Fences. Danali stood by him, dressed in a new tunic and cloak, a gift from Eilinel, who, after hearing about the girl's plight from Haldir, set to making specially fitted clothes for a young woman with a warrior's spirit. Rumil swung his head around to look at her, and noticed how she did indeed appear almost Elvish. She glanced up at him and he turned away swiftly, ignoring her puzzled expression.
Both watched the figures of Elves retreating into the distance until they passed out of sight, Danali with an unreadable look on her face, Rumil with an almost pained spark in his eyes. He finally turned back to his charge and smiled wanly. "It's you and I for two weeks." Danali merely stared back at him. "We are going to have to get along, you know." The smile faded, and Danali pushed past him.
"Well, I'll try, but I don't know about you."
Resisting the urge to throw his hands up in resignation, Rumil sighed deeply instead and followed. 'Oh, yay, I get to put up with a stubborn streak the size of Caradhras,' he thought as Danali flounced ahead to the flet.
'Oh, goody, I get to live with the most stubborn being on Middle Earth,' thought Danali as Rumil casually stepped behind her. 'And there's no one to defend me now.'
Rumil secretly smirked as he watched the girl in front of him. 'Well, at least now there's no one to take her side. I might actually enjoy this. I mean, she might even listen to me for once.'
'I have no idea what he's smirking about. Probably hatching some nefarious plan for making me listen to him or something.'
'Yes, if I can only get her to hear me out, then perhaps we shall reach some agreement.'
'I like him and all, but I will never agree with him.'
'This could be good.' Rumil rubbed his hands together in anticipation of molding his charge into a better person.
Danali sighed as they reached the door of the small dwelling.
'This is going to blow.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just off the northwestern border of Lothlorien, a silent figure purveyed his surroundings with a keen eye and licked his lips nervously. Ahead of him was a slim clearing, and then the most beautiful forest he had ever laid eyes on. He wished to enter this forest more than anything, and the strangest sense of mystery swept over him as he observed it, as well as the faintest hint of singing on the light breeze.
They had told him not to go within a mile of the place, it was certain death to set foot on the enchanted ground, and stories of men entering there and never coming out were true; they were probably killed.
Zeki had trouble believing this, among other myths ignorant men made up about the Fair Folk. If he could only meet one, talk to one and see the fair city that was but a legend in the region, then he would know. After all, the more he knew about Elves, the less remorse he'd have about killing one.
He smirked to himself. Know your enemy. Rule number one.
The smirk faded slowly as a burning twinge of fear began to creep up his throat. He had been taught to love and fear Elves, but had just ended up hating them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rumil emitted a long stream of Elven curses as the egg rolled off the counter and splattered neatly on the floor, causing him to knock over a glass of water in his haste to prevent the other egg from sharing the same fate. Danali stood nearby, staring wide-eyed at the frazzled Elf as he bent to clean the mess. She had never heard so many creative curses in her life, and made a mental note of some she had particularly liked, then moved to help Rumil mop up the remaining water.
"Sleep is good," she remarked matter-of-factly, noticing that Rumil had dark rings under his eyes and looked a little pale. He stopped cleaning abruptly and stared at her, as if trying to figure her out, and also somewhat angrily. She stared innocently back, and he allowed a smile to touch his lips, then he chuckled and resumed cleaning.
"I've always been a bit clumsier than the average Elf," he explained softly. "My brothers just roll their eyes and help me back on my feet."
Danali smiled at the thought of a clumsy Elf, then at the thought of Rumil falling out of trees and tripping over his own feet. As if he could tell her thoughts, Rumil looked up and cocked an eyebrow, then grinned.
"Of course," he said, "Haldir walks into trees whenever Eilinel's around, and he thinks no one notices."
The small flet was filled with laughter for several minutes thereafter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zeki fingered his blades absentmindedly as he glared at the forbidding darkness of the forest. He had painstakingly passed through the clearing, and now all he had to do was enter. And then be promptly shot.
The guards were going to be a bit of a problem. From what he knew, Elven sentinels were silent and swift. He would be dead before he knew anyone was there. He had thought this out over many hours, though, and hoped to the Vala that his rather pathetic plan would work.
He stood and stepped into the edge of the woodland, then slowly raised his hands and called out, "Help! Please, I have need of help! Will someone answer me? Please!" The silence was stark after he stopped shouting, and a cold sweat broke out all over his body as he trembled in the dark. Several minutes passed, and Zeki began to rue his plan from the start. He almost wet himself when a smooth, dark voice came from close behind him, demanding he state his name and true purpose in these woods, and he turned to look up an arrow shaft straight into the perilous eyes of the fairest creature he had ever seen.
In the late morning sunlight that plunged through the trees, the Elf's eyes glittered, and Zeki noticed nervously that he hadn't moved or blinked. The dull blue gaze never left the boy as he awkwardly explained his presence, nor did the bow waver. Zeki finally finished his rather lame tale, and the Elf lowered his bow slightly enough to sneer at the young man. "Go back where you came from, we do not welcome liars into this realm."
The sweat began to bead and run down Zeki's back and neck. He pushed down the swell of panic and composed himself quickly under the glare of the Elf, putting the most pathetic look he could muster on his face, and a sniveling tone in his voice. "How could you turn away a poor soul in need? Heartless Elf, can't you see I am in grave peril?"
A look of disgust settled on the Elf's features, and he tightened the string on the bow. "Yes, you are in grave peril, unless you turn around and return the way you came. Do you honestly think I couldn't see you slithering on your belly like a snake through the clearing? Do you take me for such a fool, boy?"
Zeki's patience ran out, and faster than the eye could record his hand shot out and grabbed the arrow, yanking it from the startled Elf's hand, then the bow. He quickly dealt the Elf a mean blow on the head, and caught him as he slumped to the ground, then began undressing him, shucking off his own clothes as he exchanged them for the Elvish ones. He eventually stood again and viewed his handiwork. 'How very unfair,' he thought bemusedly. 'He looks better in my clothes than I did.'
Shouldering the quiver of arrows and bow, Zeki set out into the forest, hoping his hair was adequately long enough to pass him off to the others, at least until he could get through the gates to the city.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Do you ever miss them?"
Danali sighed and swung her head up to gaze into the distance, her hands buried deep in dark, loamy soil.
"Some of them, I suppose. Yes." She turned her eyes back down to the sapling she was planting. "And others, no. They frightened me. Madness took them. All they wanted to do was kill. Orcs. Elves. Each other...." Her voice trailed off into a quavering whisper. "There was nothing they didn't hate."
She didn't raise her eyes again, and Rumil stayed silent until the tiny tree was instilled in it's new home. Nearby, three mallyrn of comparable size towered overhead in a loose cluster, their branches spread proudly as if to greet all who ventured near. Now, as the two stood back and observed the scene, they appeared to be shielding the baby tree from harm, their branches now splayed in protection. Rumil smiled and pointed to the tree on the left.
"I planted that one when I came of age, and Orophin planted that one on the other side. Haldir's is the middle." Danali nodded and bit back the small feeling of pride that was dancing in her soul. Rumil turned and gently placed his hand on her shoulder to guide her back, but her gaze lingered for a few seconds more before she reluctantly trudged after him in the lengthening shadows.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A ribbon of sunlight fell through the canopy and struck the sapling, making it seem to shimmer. One by one, three golden leaves drifted down to touch it, as if comforting it, then slid to the floor and glowed around it, wafers of gold in the sun.
Hee, hee. Haldir walks into trees. Well, love is blind, I guess. :)
Heart's Welcome
The three brothers and a bleary-eyed Danali stood at the north gate of Caras Galadhon as the rising sun was already warming the ground and melting away the cold of night. Danali was dressed in new garments, and Orophin had already remarked on how Elvish she looked when she wasn't trying to maim people. A proper young woman. She had glowered at him in the most withering fashion she could muster, but Orophin seemed to have some sort of protective shield around him that warded off death stares, and he merely laughed.
All seemed to be forgiven between the two; early that morning Orophin had woken Danali up for a simple breakfast and a shimmering sunrise. He had asked about her home forest, and though she wove tales of it's beauty and aching mystery, she had not mentioned her willow. It was a piece of her life that was hers alone. Orophin seemed to realize this eventually.
"You have a secret garden in your heart, Dani," he had observed, his clear gaze piercing her to the core. "No fruits of it pass your lips, nor any roses will you give."
Danali laughed humorlessly. "The roses withered a long time ago, Master Orophin. As for the fruits, they have all faded and gone." She sniffed and stared down at the tea mug clutched in her hands. Orophin leaned over and waited for her eyes to gradually slide up to meet his.
"But some are still blooming, and some have yet to blossom."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rumil stood uneasily in the cool twilit air as his brothers took their leave for the Northern Fences. Danali stood by him, dressed in a new tunic and cloak, a gift from Eilinel, who, after hearing about the girl's plight from Haldir, set to making specially fitted clothes for a young woman with a warrior's spirit. Rumil swung his head around to look at her, and noticed how she did indeed appear almost Elvish. She glanced up at him and he turned away swiftly, ignoring her puzzled expression.
Both watched the figures of Elves retreating into the distance until they passed out of sight, Danali with an unreadable look on her face, Rumil with an almost pained spark in his eyes. He finally turned back to his charge and smiled wanly. "It's you and I for two weeks." Danali merely stared back at him. "We are going to have to get along, you know." The smile faded, and Danali pushed past him.
"Well, I'll try, but I don't know about you."
Resisting the urge to throw his hands up in resignation, Rumil sighed deeply instead and followed. 'Oh, yay, I get to put up with a stubborn streak the size of Caradhras,' he thought as Danali flounced ahead to the flet.
'Oh, goody, I get to live with the most stubborn being on Middle Earth,' thought Danali as Rumil casually stepped behind her. 'And there's no one to defend me now.'
Rumil secretly smirked as he watched the girl in front of him. 'Well, at least now there's no one to take her side. I might actually enjoy this. I mean, she might even listen to me for once.'
'I have no idea what he's smirking about. Probably hatching some nefarious plan for making me listen to him or something.'
'Yes, if I can only get her to hear me out, then perhaps we shall reach some agreement.'
'I like him and all, but I will never agree with him.'
'This could be good.' Rumil rubbed his hands together in anticipation of molding his charge into a better person.
Danali sighed as they reached the door of the small dwelling.
'This is going to blow.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just off the northwestern border of Lothlorien, a silent figure purveyed his surroundings with a keen eye and licked his lips nervously. Ahead of him was a slim clearing, and then the most beautiful forest he had ever laid eyes on. He wished to enter this forest more than anything, and the strangest sense of mystery swept over him as he observed it, as well as the faintest hint of singing on the light breeze.
They had told him not to go within a mile of the place, it was certain death to set foot on the enchanted ground, and stories of men entering there and never coming out were true; they were probably killed.
Zeki had trouble believing this, among other myths ignorant men made up about the Fair Folk. If he could only meet one, talk to one and see the fair city that was but a legend in the region, then he would know. After all, the more he knew about Elves, the less remorse he'd have about killing one.
He smirked to himself. Know your enemy. Rule number one.
The smirk faded slowly as a burning twinge of fear began to creep up his throat. He had been taught to love and fear Elves, but had just ended up hating them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rumil emitted a long stream of Elven curses as the egg rolled off the counter and splattered neatly on the floor, causing him to knock over a glass of water in his haste to prevent the other egg from sharing the same fate. Danali stood nearby, staring wide-eyed at the frazzled Elf as he bent to clean the mess. She had never heard so many creative curses in her life, and made a mental note of some she had particularly liked, then moved to help Rumil mop up the remaining water.
"Sleep is good," she remarked matter-of-factly, noticing that Rumil had dark rings under his eyes and looked a little pale. He stopped cleaning abruptly and stared at her, as if trying to figure her out, and also somewhat angrily. She stared innocently back, and he allowed a smile to touch his lips, then he chuckled and resumed cleaning.
"I've always been a bit clumsier than the average Elf," he explained softly. "My brothers just roll their eyes and help me back on my feet."
Danali smiled at the thought of a clumsy Elf, then at the thought of Rumil falling out of trees and tripping over his own feet. As if he could tell her thoughts, Rumil looked up and cocked an eyebrow, then grinned.
"Of course," he said, "Haldir walks into trees whenever Eilinel's around, and he thinks no one notices."
The small flet was filled with laughter for several minutes thereafter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zeki fingered his blades absentmindedly as he glared at the forbidding darkness of the forest. He had painstakingly passed through the clearing, and now all he had to do was enter. And then be promptly shot.
The guards were going to be a bit of a problem. From what he knew, Elven sentinels were silent and swift. He would be dead before he knew anyone was there. He had thought this out over many hours, though, and hoped to the Vala that his rather pathetic plan would work.
He stood and stepped into the edge of the woodland, then slowly raised his hands and called out, "Help! Please, I have need of help! Will someone answer me? Please!" The silence was stark after he stopped shouting, and a cold sweat broke out all over his body as he trembled in the dark. Several minutes passed, and Zeki began to rue his plan from the start. He almost wet himself when a smooth, dark voice came from close behind him, demanding he state his name and true purpose in these woods, and he turned to look up an arrow shaft straight into the perilous eyes of the fairest creature he had ever seen.
In the late morning sunlight that plunged through the trees, the Elf's eyes glittered, and Zeki noticed nervously that he hadn't moved or blinked. The dull blue gaze never left the boy as he awkwardly explained his presence, nor did the bow waver. Zeki finally finished his rather lame tale, and the Elf lowered his bow slightly enough to sneer at the young man. "Go back where you came from, we do not welcome liars into this realm."
The sweat began to bead and run down Zeki's back and neck. He pushed down the swell of panic and composed himself quickly under the glare of the Elf, putting the most pathetic look he could muster on his face, and a sniveling tone in his voice. "How could you turn away a poor soul in need? Heartless Elf, can't you see I am in grave peril?"
A look of disgust settled on the Elf's features, and he tightened the string on the bow. "Yes, you are in grave peril, unless you turn around and return the way you came. Do you honestly think I couldn't see you slithering on your belly like a snake through the clearing? Do you take me for such a fool, boy?"
Zeki's patience ran out, and faster than the eye could record his hand shot out and grabbed the arrow, yanking it from the startled Elf's hand, then the bow. He quickly dealt the Elf a mean blow on the head, and caught him as he slumped to the ground, then began undressing him, shucking off his own clothes as he exchanged them for the Elvish ones. He eventually stood again and viewed his handiwork. 'How very unfair,' he thought bemusedly. 'He looks better in my clothes than I did.'
Shouldering the quiver of arrows and bow, Zeki set out into the forest, hoping his hair was adequately long enough to pass him off to the others, at least until he could get through the gates to the city.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Do you ever miss them?"
Danali sighed and swung her head up to gaze into the distance, her hands buried deep in dark, loamy soil.
"Some of them, I suppose. Yes." She turned her eyes back down to the sapling she was planting. "And others, no. They frightened me. Madness took them. All they wanted to do was kill. Orcs. Elves. Each other...." Her voice trailed off into a quavering whisper. "There was nothing they didn't hate."
She didn't raise her eyes again, and Rumil stayed silent until the tiny tree was instilled in it's new home. Nearby, three mallyrn of comparable size towered overhead in a loose cluster, their branches spread proudly as if to greet all who ventured near. Now, as the two stood back and observed the scene, they appeared to be shielding the baby tree from harm, their branches now splayed in protection. Rumil smiled and pointed to the tree on the left.
"I planted that one when I came of age, and Orophin planted that one on the other side. Haldir's is the middle." Danali nodded and bit back the small feeling of pride that was dancing in her soul. Rumil turned and gently placed his hand on her shoulder to guide her back, but her gaze lingered for a few seconds more before she reluctantly trudged after him in the lengthening shadows.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A ribbon of sunlight fell through the canopy and struck the sapling, making it seem to shimmer. One by one, three golden leaves drifted down to touch it, as if comforting it, then slid to the floor and glowed around it, wafers of gold in the sun.
Hee, hee. Haldir walks into trees. Well, love is blind, I guess. :)
