Author's Notes: Here's another chapter for you all. Sorry it took a while when I promised it would be here sooner. I've been having some really bad writer's block as of lately...Anyhow, as always read and review.

Those You Love

Looking Back

By Celebrian

Lutheriel walked over to the small bookcase and pulled a leather bound book off of the shelf and returned to her seat, snuggling up beneath her wool blanket. It had been only been about thirty years since she had married the March Warden of Lorien, Haldir. Thirty years was such a short time for the immortal elves only seeming like mere days. Even though it was short there was plenty of memories both good and bad that the couple shared.

10th of Spring:

It's been only a week since Haldir and I have been married and already there are conflicts. Sometimes he can be the sweetest thing in the world and other times he can be as mean as a troll. Legolas was right when he said that there would be some problems in this marriage. I guess I was just hoping that he'd be wrong. And yet, I know that we'll get through this. After all being married is very new to us.

Lutheriel chuckled as she read the first passage in her journal. She grinned wide and then went on to read the next.

20th of Spring:

I am married to the grumpiest Elf!! I decided that I was going to cook his favorite dish tonight to see if I could get cheer him up but instead of a 'thank you, my wife' I get. 'I'm not hungry. I'm going to bed.' Isn't he just the sweetest?

Lutheriel flipped through the pages of her journal. She knew it had to get better someplace.

28th of Summer:

Haldir gave me a wonderful surprise this evening. When he got home from his patrol he took me down to the Nimrodel and we watched the stars together. It was beautiful just sitting there side by side, gazing up at the bright stars. It reminded me of a very special moment when we first started meeting each other. Our relationship has been growing stronger by the days that pass. Even the fights and conflicts make our love deeper. It took sometime (many, many years) but Legolas and Haldir are civil with each other now. I can't say that they are the best of friends but at least they are friendly to one another.

The candlelight flickered as the front door to the flet opened up. A chilly breeze blew through the room and then the door was shut. Haldir leaned his bow up against the doorway and hung his cloak on the hook. "Damn cold wind..." He muttered shaking his head before proceeding into the room where his wife sat.

"Haldir?" Lutheriel called out. "Is that you darling?" She put down her journal on the wooden table and stood up from her chair.

Haldir appeared in the doorway. "I'm back." He bluntly said in his typical way. He had been on sentry duty since early this morning. He was actually supposed to still be there but for some reason he was home now.

"You're home early." Lutheriel smiled. "That's nice..."

"I was ordered home. Which if I had it my way, I'd still be out there."

"Darling, if you had it your way, we'd be living out there." Lutheriel teased, coming over to her husband putting her arms around his neck and giving him a kiss. Haldir rarely refused a kiss and what a better way to warm him up from the cold.

It was unusual for it to be cold and windy in Lorien. Most of the time the weather outside of the forest did not effect it. It was strange. Haldir suspected that something was not right, though he had not got word from either Galadriel or Celeborn. "It's cold out there." Haldir said as he broke the kiss.

Lutheriel nodded her head. "I know, I felt the breeze when the door was opened. It's weird because the air outside of Lorien shouldn't even be that cold because it is summer. I could understand if it was a winter chill." She leaned her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around him. "I'm just glad you're back. I feel safe now."

He kissed the top of her head, though his mind was still thinking about the peculiar occurrences. He would go to the Queen tomorrow and see if he could get some sort of answers. Of course it could be nothing. "I'm on duty in the morning but I'll be home for dinner."

"Again?" She sighed.

"Well it is my job." He said looking down in to her saddened eyes. A twinge of pain ached in his heart. Deep down inside he hated having to leave her alone. Sometimes he left her for a week at a time, because he was on border patrol. But like he said, it was his job. "I'll be home for dinner and I'm not on duty until tomorrow night. .....We can spend the entire morning together."

Lutheriel smiled up at her husband. "I should make you a special dinner tomorrow night then." He playfully poked Haldir in the side. "Now don't you not show up for it or I swear I will never speak to you again."

Haldir smirked as he tried to think of some kind of snappy comeback but for once none came to him. "I'll be there."

"Good." Lu nodded her head, walking over to the chair she was sitting in minutes before. She picked up her blanket, sat back down in the chair, and wrapped the blanket around her tightly again.

Haldir yawned. "I'm going to get to bed, Lutheriel. Unless you'd like to talk some more?"

"No, you look exhausted, you should sleep." She smiled. "I'll get to bed myself in just a little while. Please wake me up before you leave in the morning."

"I will. Goodnight, love."

"Goodnight." Lutheriel replied as she watched her husband walk off to the bedroom. After she heard the door shut, she picked up her journal again, skimming through the entries again.

1st of Winter.

Snow is falling just beyond the borders of Lorien. I remember the snow, and how me and Legolas used to play in it when we were very young. It was such a long time ago. Snow never falls in Lorien; here it is always the same. The leaves never change color and fall, like all the other leaves in Middle-earth. A part of me wants to leave this forest and walk among the seasons once more. I haven't even been back to the Woodland Realm since Legolas and I set out for Lorien. Such along time ago it was. I want to leave these woods, not forever, but just to see the outside world again. I feel like I'm being held back by someone. Not Haldir, not Celeborn, nor Galadriel but by myself. Why am I afraid to leave these woods? I guess it is because I have overheard elves that have traveled outside of Lorien talking of strange happenings outside these woods. When I was younger all I wanted to do was travel outside of the Woodland Realm and then finally I got my wish by traveling to Lorien and now that I'm here, I feel trapped again.

Lutheriel put down her book on the table and sighed. She had wrote that entry many winters ago and she still felt the same way. She hadn't left this forest since she got here. She often thought of her father, whom she only saw a couple of times when he came here to visit the Lord and Lady. Legolas came more frequently to visit her, telling her all the stories of the outside world, even asking if she'd like to travel home. He even asked Haldir to join them. They had both decided to go with him but something came up and Haldir was called back to duty and they never rescheduled their trip. Lutheriel crossed her arms in front of her chest. "It's time to stop being afraid." She told herself. She looked out the window, a small smile crept onto her face. "The narcissus flower is in bloom and it grows right outside the borders of Lorien." She remembered seeing it's beautiful blossoms just before entering Lothlorien. Lutheriel had always been fond of the narcissus. Haldir even admitted that like liked the smell of the flower to her. Lutheriel had made up her mind, tomorrow she would travel just beyond the borders of Lorien to gather a bouquet of narcissus for a center piece for the table. It would be the perfect element to the dinner she would make for her husband.

Lutheriel yawned as she got up and placed the book back on the shelf. She folded the blanket back up and placed it over the back of the chair. She was still smiling from ear to ear as she entered the bedroom, slipping under the covers next to Haldir.

to be continued.....