Chapter 3 – Tears

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She careened into the glade, there were dead men and elves strewn thickly upon the forest floor, but she paid them no heed. She was intent, focused on one thing and one thing alone. She searched, reaching her mind through the whisperings of the trees, focused on finding HER. The one that had dared to threaten the life of Élharma's beloved. She was close, incredibly close. And strong, if Élharma had not been so engaged on finding her prey, she would have stopped in awe, wondering at the strength of this numenorian's mind. But now was not the time. Now was the time for bloodshed. For death.

She keethed also Haldir; he was alive, barely. Celeborn and the elves from the house of healing were following her to the battlefield. Desperately, she hoped that they would make it, that they would come in time to save him. She could not think of that now, for she had a task at hand. If she thought of Haldir now, lying there upon the forest's cold floor, his crimson blood staining the dirt red, she would loose focus. And that was not something she could afford to do.

She fell into a familiar trance, a state of mind totally unattached from her emotions, and so in-tune with her surroundings that she practically became part of it.

Élharma faded deftly into the shadow, letting that old, inborn instinct take control of her body, transforming her into the dreaded assassin.

There. She had found them. Vidalan, standing triumphantly in the grove, her pale eyes searching the forest around her purposefully. Élharma, her mind filled with an unmistakable blood lust, stepped boldly into the sunlight, and in one swift motion drew the dagger from its resting place at her waist, hurling it with all of her might directly for the offending woman's skull.

With ease, Vidalan batted the blade away, and it fell to the forest floor with a loud clatter.

"So," The woman scorned wickedly, "His precious little elf whore has come to bestow her vengeance upon me."

The woman, a sneer written across her face languidly drew another arrow into her bow, "But now it is my turn to strike. And you are defenseless. Too bad." She paused, bringing Elharma's heaving chest into her sights, "Where do you want it? The chest for the traditional death? Or in the head for a more painless route?"

Élharma did not answer.

"Or," The woman laughed cruelly, lowering the tip of the arrow slightly, "How abut in the stomach, piercing your liver so that you live in agony for several days before your pitiful body finally gives up?"

Élharma lowered her chin until it almost touched her chest, and simply gazed at the woman from half-lidded eyes.

"Don't look at me that way!" Vidalan screamed, a crazed twinge worming its way into her voice, "I could kill you right now!"

Élharma, her voice menacing challenged, "Go ahead."

Vidalan's face flushed in anger, "No! For you don't deserve the mercy of such a quick death!"

Élharma advanced by a step, closing the distance between the two females to less than ten feet, her voice was low, dangerous, "What are you going to do?"

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" The woman shrieked, her voice catching harshly in her throat, and as she let the arrow slide from her fingers she spat an incoherent curse at the arrogant elf standing in front of her.

Élharma saw it, as if it were in slow motion: The trembling fingers loosing the blackened shaft, the gleaming tip streaking through the air. She whirled; snatching a fair elfin bow from the ground, and with one fluid momentum seized the incoming arrow out of the very air and loaded it.

All of this happened in less time than it took to blink an eye, and suddenly Vidalan found that she was not looking at the dead form of the elf wither before her eyes, but once again down the length of her arrow, this time it's point was aimed at her chest.

"Die, bitch." Élharma snarled fiercely as the metal point buried itself in the woman's heart.

With a shocked expression, Vidalan sank to her knees, "No… no…but..you.are.just.a……girl!…."Choking as blood began to bubble from her mouth.

She hit the ground heavily, and Élharma listened in the silence that ensued as the woman's heart slowly stopped beating.

With a start, she recalled exactly the scene that had enfolded to bring her to this place, and spun towards her fallen love.

She rushed to him, kneeling she cradled his head in her lap. Tears flowed freely from her face.

He was unconscious, but his heart was still beating and his lungs were still circulating life-giving air into his body. He was alive, but barely. The heartbeat was weak and irregular, and the breaths were so faint that they were barely perceptible.

Celeborn, followed closely by the healers rushed into the glade, quickly beginning their healing ministrations.

Celeborn gently lifted the maiden by her shoulders, drawing her into a comforting embrace.

Élharma melted, exhausted, into his comforting, fatherly embrace, allowing his strong arms to support her as the grief washed fully into her mind.

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Later, outside the healer's house, Élharma paced impatiently across the polished floors.

"What is taking so long?" She demanded harshly

Ulmo, one of the house servants sent from Celeborn replied softly, "They are doing all they can."

The maiden grimaced, "I understand."

It was a few more hours before the door opened and the healers silently shuffled from the room.

Immediately, Élharma pounced, "Well? How is he!"? She demanded impatiently.

Ulmo, who had never seen the maiden so flustered, tried to hide the grin that spread across his face.

The healer, slightly startled at the maiden's outburst gently replied, "The march- warden lives. Now we must wait for his body to heal."

"Can I go see him?" Élharma asked, her voice rising in the joy of hearing those words.

"Of course." Came the reply.

Élharma, in her fervor, practically ripped the door from its hinges in her plight to get into his room as quickly as possible.

She quickly came to a halt at the side of his bed. There he was, laying there, his skin slightly paled, his eyes closed, his pale hair resting teasingly upon his shoulder. Her eyes caressed the sharp angles of his muscles, as they lay relaxed against the soft bedclothes. Such strong muscles.

He opened his eyes.

She sank, speechless to the chair that was sitting adjacent to his bed. Once again sobs ripped through her body as she leaned her delicate forehead against the bed, the anxiety and worry of the last few hours falling down in her mind, crushing her with the force of their release.

Haldir watched her, his beloved, as she sank to the chair with a look of utter and complete exhausted relief. Her face appeared almost stricken as it came to rest on the edge of his bed. Her pain pulled at his heartstrings, and he searched for a way to reassure the one so close to his heart.

"Do not worry, my love. What? Did you really think that I would leave you?" He murmured playfully as his hand stroked the golden head.

She lifted her tear-streaked face, "I had hoped that you would not." She said, a ghost of a smile showing on her features.

He stifled a yawn, and her eyes went wide.

"You require rest. I must go." She stated, rising to leave

"I would rest so much better if you would stay." He said, catching her hand in his own.

He scooted, wincing, to one side of the overly large bed. Patting the now empty space next to him, he lightly suggested, "You look as if you could use some rest yourself. Come: Let us rest together."

She did not have to be told twice. Careful not to jostle him more than necessary, she crawled onto the plush bed.

They slept, wrapped in each other's arms for the next two days, their minds and bodies healing from the previous traumas.

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Galadriel leaned her head against the doorframe, watching the two elves in their peaceful slumber. Celeborn approached, and wrapping his arms about her waist, gazed at the two in question.

"They have found such peace, it brings me so much joy." She said softly.

"Mmmm…? They sure have." He murmured softly, "I remember when we were like that. Care to revive old memories with me?" He suggested teasingly as he boldly planted a kiss on the delicate column of her neck.

Galadriel jabbed him in the ribs, "Celeborn!" She looked around, "Stopit! People might see you!"

He raised an eyebrow, absorbing the blow and continuing with his playful kisses down her neck.

"CeleBORN!" She said, wriggling from his grasp.

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Élharma awoke first, lazily opening her eyes to the sun's golden rays filtering through the leaf- framed windows. The air was crisp, so she snuggled closer to Haldir's sleeping form, relishing the feeling of his strong arm about her shoulders. Remembering that this was the day that the bandages would be taken off of Haldir's chest, she was anxious for him to awake.

Haldir's conscious mind drifted in that pleasant place just between sleep and wake, the place where one remembers dreams, yet sensations from the physical realm filter into ones mind.

He felt her move gently against him, snuggling closer than ever before. He thanked the Gods for the crispness of the morning.

"Haldir…" Her sleepy voice whispered into his mind, "Wake up, my love." Her soft breath tickled the lobe of his ear.

Feeling particularly malevolent, he stubbornly refused to open his eyes, teasing, testing her to see her reaction.

He felt her lips descend upon the ear again, but this time they brushed the sensitive tip as she murmured fluidly, "I know you are awake."

He did not respond

She looked at him warily, sensing his stubborn tease. She grinned evilly, all-to-eager to meet the challenge.

She leaned to his ear once again, this time whispering, "Don't make me do something you will regret." As her torturous lips yet again found their way to his skin. This time, though she let her tongue dart out and trace its fine point, running her lips against the defiant ridges.

His eyes opened, his vision filled with her mischievous, guileful, wicked grin.

"I am awake." He whispered hoarsely.

"Really?" She challenged innocently, "Not awake eough…"

Both elves jumped as the door swung open and some of the healers bustled in.

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hehehe…. I love being evil. I feel evil right now. Please review.

PS: I really do have a plot, it is just taking some time to develop it. It would be easier to make the plot clearer if they all would all just behave for half of a second!