Author's Notes: Wow I didn't expect to get so many reviews for this story!! Thanks so much. I'm glad you are all enjoying it as much as I am writing it. I know some of you are craving action and there will some coming up soon as well as some very unexpected turns. So please continue to read and review!
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Those You Love
Knowing You
by Celebrian
The moon cast its silvery light onto the great mallorn leaves causing them to illuminate brightly as if they were tiny lamps. Lutheriel sat quietly looking out over the Nimrodel to the other side of the shore. So much had happened at once and now she was trying to piece it all together. Without moving her head her eyes shifted to the left of her and glanced at Haldir. He sat as still and as quiet as a tree himself; he hadn't spoken a word since they kissed and that worried Lutheriel.
"Maybe I should say something?" Lutheriel thought as she returned her gaze back out across the river. "...but what?" Nervously she tapped her fingers against her thigh and cleared her throat.
Haldir took a quick glance over at Lutheriel. He knew that he should probably say something but he could not find the words. It was not that he didn't enjoy what had happened but didn't exactly know what to do next. "I should probably say something..." He thought as he returned his gaze back over the river.
Again all was silent except for the sound of the water lapping up on the river bank and an occasional cry of a bird. Lutheriel pulled her cloak tighter around her as a cool breeze blew. It was getting late and she debated whether or not she should go back to her flet. The quietness was making her uncomfortable, she'd much rather have him say something mean and arrogant than this quietness. "Just talk to him...It's not like you never spoke to him before..." She told herself again, trying to find the courage to speak.
"She called me her eldar...did she mean that?" Haldir thought. In one way he snorted at that idea. He had never been one to believe in such matters but, it also made him feel like someone cared for him. Inside there was a war going on in his mind, one side kept telling Haldir to fight and the other side told him to give in. He was torn between the two of them.
Lutheriel couldn't take it anymore. If she sat here a minute longer in this silence she was going to go mad. With all her strength she could muster she turned her head and looked at Haldir. "Have you been in Lothlorien all your life?" She finally asked.
Haldir felt a little better now that the silence had been broken. He looked at the Princess and nodded. "Yes." That was it though; he did not know what else to say.
"Well that went well..." Lutheriel thought.
"How long do you plan on staying in Lorien, Princess?" Haldir asked, it was all he could come up with.
Lutheriel smiled to herself. At least they were making some conversation now. "I thought about a week but now I'm not...." Sure. She was going to say. Now that she had deep feelings for Haldir she wanted to stay here with him. Only if he asked her to though..
"A week?" Haldir thought. "She's only going to be here a week...actually I'm surprised she's going to stay that long. Maybe she didn't mean anything when she called me her eldar...maybe I was hearing things...hearing what I wanted to hear..." He nodded slowly. "I see-"
"Unless I have reason to stay longer." She hoped that was enough of a hint for him to ask her to stay longer...or forever.
"Am I supposed to ask her to stay here?" Haldir thought as he looked at Lutheriel's face hoping to find an answer there. He wasn't too good at reading emotions though. He cleared his throat. "Well...I'm sure you could stay longer if you wanted. A week is not a very long time to see all of Lorien.
Lutheriel cracked a smile. "Would you like me to stay longer? Do you think you could put up with me?"
Haldir almost grinned. Of course he wanted her to stay longer but he wasn't going to be to evident about it. He shrugged his shoulders. "It makes no difference to me." He said carelessly. He still wasn't really comfortable with sharing his feelings. "I suppose I could put up with you...but could you put up with me?"
Lutheriel widened her eyes and bit her lower lip. "Oh...I don't know about that...." She teased. They both looked at each other and then laughed. "I'm sure I could deal with you a while longer."
"Give me a couple days...I guarantee you'll want to leave as soon as possible." He joked. He finally noticed that she had pulled her light weight cloak tightly around her. "Are you cold?" He asked.
"A little. If I would have known we'd be out here all this time I would have brought something heavier." She told him as she shivered a little.
Haldir had thought about putting his arms around her but decided that he wouldn't do it just because he didn't want to seem to overly romantic and caring. To his surprise though, Lutheriel scooted closer and cuddled up to him. Haldir's eyes went wide for a moment. His heart beat faster again and he didn't know what to do.
Lutheriel smiled inwardly, she couldn't see Haldir's face but she could imagine what it looked like. She rested her head against his chest. "Do you mind?" She finally asked. She was prepared to move if he said yes.
Haldir swallowed the lump in his throat. They had kissed a little earlier but that was a spur of the moment type of thing. He didn't mind, in fact he liked having her close to him. But he was having a hard time telling her that. "Just say no. You are Haldir....you are not intimidated by females..." He told himself. He looked down at Lutheriel and smiled. "I don't mind at all..." He said. Then the strangest thing happened, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him.
Lutheriel was a bit more than shocked but she didn't protest. She just listened his heart beat. "Haldir...." She began to say. "I know this is all moving a bit quickly but I just want to let you know that I do care deeply about you. From the moment I saw you, I knew that you had to be my eldar...my true love..." She confessed her feelings to him. She knew in her heart that she was meant for him and he was meant for her.
Haldir smelled her sweet hair. "I never did believe in any of this...any of this love stuff...but you have changed me, Lutheriel." He tilted her head up to meet his gaze. "You have changed me for the better, like a heavy burden has been lifted off of me. I feel free and alive, like I have never been before. I...love you." He whispered. He stroked the side of her cheek with his thumb. "And I...I would be honored deeply if you remained in Lorien with me."
Lutheriel smiled, her heart raced. She didn't know if he was asking her to just stay with him or if he was asking her to marry him. "What does he mean by that?" She thought. She had only known him a couple of days how could he be asking her to marry him. She hardly knew him. Of course he was her eldar, her true love...The one she was supposed to marry. "Of course I'll stay in Lorien awhile longer. I love you too." She whispered back.
Haldir breathed deeply. He wasn't quite sure how to put this. "I mean, I would like you to stay in Lorien until it is time we pass over the sea." He shook his head, so many thoughts were swirling in his head right now he could barely think straight. "This is difficult...What I'm trying to say is will...will...would you take me as your husband, Lady Lutheriel?" He mumbled.
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