In the Eye of the Beholder
Chapter 5 – The Unveiling of Skaian
It was a lazy afternoon. Haldir walked about the forest and reflected on his situation…
It had been a week since he woke up in Skaian's cave. Her abode, he found out from his hostess, was situated in the woods near the Gap of Rohan. He never left. Skaian had been generous enough to let him stay, although they never spoke much since he asked about their first encounter that had happened years before.
Haldir slept in the cave, on the bed - her bed. He never knew where Skaian passed the cold nights, for she left the cave right after Haldir finished with his supper. She never even joined him for meals, she just watched him with those sparkling eyes of hers. Haldir never let it show that it made him uncomfortable.
She was very aloof. Haldir was very curious. He wanted to know more of this orc lady. He wanted to see her face.
Haldir was sure his Lady Galadriel knew where he was and what he was up to. But he never heard her voice calling to him. It must be that she approved of this holiday, or maybe…there was something more to the unexpected leave of the March Warden.
Haldir continued to roam around the forest, taking in its beauty, although, he was certain, that it could never compete with Lorien's ethereal splendor.
He lost himself in remembrance of his home – his brothers, the Golden Lady, the she-elves, the shimmering trees, the Nimrodel…
It was then that he heard splashes from a nearby river. Curious, he walked stealthily towards the direction of the sound… and found Skaian, who was just getting out the river after her bath. He watched her for awhile.
Her appearance was not at all repulsive. He was expecting to see a hideous creature, but the only matter that was quite odd about her looks was that Haldir could not define if she could be categorized as a human, an orc or an elf. She could be one of those, but not quite. Her body was that of a human - hair, teeth, hands - but she possessed unusual height and strength, and a complexion like that of an orc, but a lot cleaner; and exceptional battle skills given to the elves. She had pointy orcan ears, and her eyes…Once again her eyes were what made her look special.
Haldir tried to hide his tall form behind a tree, but with Skaian's keen sense of smell, he was unable to conceal himself.
Skaian felt something was amiss, and sniffed. She realized it was someone else's presence, then hastily pulled on her cloak and said, "I know you are out there somewhere, March Warden."
Haldir stepped out from behind the tree and looked at her with an expressionless face. "Now that I have seen you, there is no need for you to use that veil. You are not as revolting as I expected. Why do you keep on hiding yourself?"
She looked down, and spoke softly. "For the many years I lived with my mother and her relatives, I have kept my face hidden. I am not like the rest of them. I do not even know what I am." She turned her back and started to gather her things.
"You are ashamed of yourself?" Haldir asked, and moved closer to Skaian.
"I have learned to be ashamed of myself." It was all that she said, then turned and walked away… back to her cave.
Haldir just stood on the spot where she had left him. This lady has an air of mystery to herself, and I intend to find out just what it is, he vowed.
Later that afternoon, Haldir found Skaian scattering flowers on a particular plot of land. He stood behind her, not saying a word.
Skaian knew that the March Warden had once again graced her with his presence, and said, "This is the plot of land where your friend's body rests. I brought him here, after the encounter, when my pack had gone back to Mordor."
Haldir only nodded, and asked her, "Did you have the need to kill any one of us that day?"
"Yes," she answered simply as she turned to him.
A moment of silence passed. Skaian walked to a nearby tree and sat underneath it. "Would you like to know why?" she inquired.
Haldir, eager to find out everything he could about this peculiar being in front of him, moved closer and sat beside her.
And for the rest of the afternoon, Skaian poured her 31 years' worth of story out to Haldir - growing up an outcast, having no friends, being reminded of her unusual appearance, hiding herself, dealing with her mother's death, fleeing Rohan, her vain search for her father...
Haldir only listened.
Skaian was glad, for the first time, she had someone to listen to her, despite her rather odd exterior.