Author's Notes: Sorry the last chapter was so short but I promise this one is longer and more exciting! This is the chapter the whole story was based on. So I guess you can say that from here on out is the beginning of 'Those You Love' I know you all probably have your eyebrows raised thinking 'what is that girl talking about? What does she mean this is the beginning of 'Those You Love'? After you get through this chapter you will hopefully understand. Read, enjoy, and review!

Those You Love

The Borders of Lorien

By Celebrian

Lutheriel felt soft, moist lips on the back of her neck. Slowly her eyes fluttered opened and she rolled over on her back. Her vision was still coming in to focus, trying to filter out the bright sunlight that filled the room. She felt another soft kiss on her throat. She smiled and wrapped her arms around Haldir. "Good morning."

"You asked me to wake you before I left." He whispered into her ear.

"Thank you." She whispered back, placing her hand on the back of his neck slightly pushing on it to bring his face closer to hers, so that she could kiss him. They kissed for a few moments. "Mmmm...don't leave..."

Haldir pulled back slightly. "The sooner I get to my post, the sooner I can get home." He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and then stood up. "Besides, you have dinner to make for me."

Lutheriel whipped a pillow at her husband and stuck out her tongue. "I've decided that I'm not going to make you that dinner after all." Two seconds later she broke into a grin.

Haldir smiled back as picked up his bow and quiver of arrows. "I'll be home just before dusk." He said as he headed to the front door. He stopped and turned around. "I love you."

"I love you too." Lutheriel said climbing out of bed and started to get dressed.

***************

Just as the night before was cold so was the day. Haldir had pulled his gray cloak around him tightly and walked quickly to the armory flet to meet up with the other sentries that would be traveling with him. He took a moment and looked up at the sky. Though there wasn't much sky to be seen, most of it was hidden by the canopy of thick golden leaves. The sky that peaked through the leaves though, Haldir could see that it was clouded. A strong feeling of dread came over him and he looked down at the necklace his wife had given to him on their wedding night. It was a special necklace that belonged to her mother. The stone in the center of the amulet glowed blue when orcs were near. Haldir had worn it always and never did he see it glow because no orcs had been seen around Lorien in a very long time. Haldir approached the armory and opened the door. It was much warmer in here thankfully and he wished that there were enclosed flets out on the borders as well.

"Captain!" One elf said as he came and greeted the March Warden. "We've gathered the provisions and we are set to travel as soon as you give the word.

Haldir nodded. "Good." He said as he looked around at the other two elves. "Is this all the company?"

"Yes sir." The elf spoke. "Just Barahir, Earadan, and myself. It seems to be sufficient enough, don't you think? I'm Finahald by the way."

"I suppose." He nodded again as he looked outside the window. "Don't you think it rather odd that the air outside is rather cold?"

Finahald and the others were silent for a moment. "It is, Sir, but I'm sure it's nothing to be worrying about. Barahir replied picking up his quiver and strapping it onto his back. "Are we off, Captain?"

"Yes." Haldir nodded slightly, still looking outside. Perhaps it was nothing to worry about. "I'm letting my mind wander." He thought as he followed his troop out the door.

**************

Lutheriel touched her hand to the glass. "It is colder than usual." She thought. Something was unusual about this, yet no one spoke of a reason why. "Lorien can't stay the same forever. Besides, this is nothing really knew to me. I grew up in the Woodland Realm, where we welcomed the changing seasons."

She turned away from the window and looked to the dinning room table, which she had set magnificently as soon as her husband had left for his post. She smiled at her work and then walked quickly over to the fireplace where she had vegetables simmering in a medium sized kettle. Tonight would be absolutely perfect. All she had to do now was pick the bouquet of narcissus for the table centerpiece and finish up dinner.

Lutheriel put on her heaviest cloak that she owned and make sure that he hood was pulled snuggly around her head to keep out the chill. It was just like old times where her and her brother would bundle themselves up and go riding through the fallen autumn leaves or the white snow. She picked up her basket and gave the table one last look. "I'll be back soon, don't cook to fast." She said to the simmering kettle with a laugh. With that said she headed out of her flet and down the path that lead to the eastern borders of Lorien.

****************

Haldir stood looking out over the northern borders of Lorien. He could see the sky clearly now. It wasn't gray anymore but a bright sky blue with not a single cloud to be seen for miles. The air was still crisp but not as cold as it was earlier.

"It's turning out to be a fine day, Sir." Earadan said as he propped his back up against the tree trunk.

"It must had just been a passing storm that crept into our lovely forest." Barahir chimed in. "If only the weather could always be like it is in Lorien."

Haldir's sentries seemed to be a little too chatty for his liking. They talked and laughed amongst themselves, they even tried to get him into their conversations but the March warden refused to take any part in them. How could one focus on the job if they were too busy laughing? He was about two seconds away from separating them.

"...heard from my friend who works in Lady Galadriel's court and he said that the Lady and Lord have been spending a lot of time discussing something important." Finahald spoke quietly.

"Does he know what about?" Barahir asked.

"He doesn't know. He only knows that that it must be something rather important. He sees Lady Galadriel go down to her mirror when everyone else has gone to sleep. He said that she stays up all night sometimes...looking into it." Finahald whispered.

Haldir's ears perked up. He wasn't about to join in on the conversation but he would listen. "So there is something going on.... I knew there had to be. I haven't seen the Lord and Lady in so long. They're keeping themselves locked up in their place.....but why? What is the reason?"

**************

Lutheriel walked slowly down the path that led to the borders. Even though she lived here for many, many years she still could not get over how huge these trees were. They amazed her; from their height to their girth to their brightly colored leaves that seemed like they changed color. Her thoughts on the trees shifted to thoughts on what the outside world was like. Of course she knew what it was like before but what was it like now? Where things still the same?

She passed very few elves as she continued on her way. The ones that she passed gave her a friendly smile or a peaceful nod. She didn't know too many of the elfkind on this side of the forest. It was always nice to see fresh faces. Lutheriel crossed the bridge over the Celebrant and fond herself standing in a patch of lush green grass. The trees were not as thick now, so she knew that she was near the borderline.

****************

It was midday now and the air in Lorien felt like it always had before as if it had never changed. That seemed to comfort Haldir but still there was wonderment in the back of his mind. Barahir, Earadan, and Finahald had quit their socializing and stood alert at their posts. Just a few more hours before the new troop of sentries came to relieve them and then Haldir could return to Lutheriel. He had been looking forward to seeing her all day. Though Haldir was usually not one for romance he planned on having a romantic evening with his wife tonight. He looked forward to the dinner she was at home cooking for them. Whatever she wanted to do after dinner was her call, if she wanted to talk, cuddle, or just gaze into each other's eyes he would do whatever she wished. Haldir leaned back on the tree and continued to let his mind look forward to the evening. He didn't even hear Finahald talking to him.

".....necklace, Sir..."

Haldir turned his head slightly and just caught the tail part of it. "What was that Finahald?" He asked a little embarrassed that he been caught not paying attention.

"I said, that's an interesting necklace, Sir. I've never seen one that glows blue." Finahald pointed at the necklace that hung around Haldir's neck.

Haldir looked down only to find the necklace around his neck was glowing indeed.

**********

Lutheriel walked out of Lothlorien for the first time since she came to the forest many years ago. The sun was brightly shinning onto her face. It felt so good, now that the leaves of Lorien didn't mask it. It was just as beautiful as Lutheriel remembered it, everything looked the same. She stood there for a few moments gazing at her surroundings. To the west was the direction of the Woodland Realm, to the north Rohan, the country of the horse-lords, east was the way to Rivendell, and to the south was the way to a tower called Orthanc, where a mighty wizard could be found. As she continued to gaze, the beautiful narcissus flowers came into view.

"Ah, the reason I came out here." She said out loud with a smile as she started to walk over to the flowers. Her smile only grew bigger when she thought on how they would enhance the evening. She knelt down to them to smell their sweet smell and then began to pick a few stems putting them into her basket. When she picked all the nice looking flowers from that patch she moved to another patch that was a little further away.

She knelt beside them. "Oh, these are even more fresh and vibrant than the others!" She giggled as she picked. Dandelions grew in with the narcissus and she couldn't help but to make herself a dandelion crown like she used to make when she was a child. She even made them for Legolas and they would pretend that they were rulers of magical lands. So many childhood memories and most of them brought a smile to her face.

"I'll have to visit my father and brother soon. Haldir and I will visit them soon." She thought, as she could not bear to be separated from them forever. She also wished to see all her friends that she hadn't seen since she left. She wondered how their lives had changed. Her free spirited will to travel was coming back to her and suddenly she had the urge to visit to Rohan, Rivendell, and even as far as a place called 'the Shire' where little folk were supposed to dwell.

Lutheriel kept on daydreaming as she filled her basket with not only narcissus and dandelions but with the other wildflowers that were near. She sat comfortably in the lush grass listening to the birds sing while the sun warmed her skin. "Haldir is going to be so happy when he sees what I prepared for him tonight. I hope he won't be upset that I left Lorien.... well, he shouldn't be. He never did tell me that I had to stay within the borders." She assured herself.

She was just about to stand up and head back into the forest when she stopped. "Something's different." She whispered, yet she didn't know what it was but she felt that something out here had changed. She listened and heard nothing.

Nothing.

That was the problem, where there was once birds singing now there was nothing to be heard. "Strange." She shrugged her shoulders and didn't think much more about it until she placed her hand on the ground to steady herself as she stood up. The ground trembled with an unusual beat. Gray clouds covered up where there was once a warm yellow sun it now. A strong wind blew from the south and it made Lutheriel's bones shiver.

Something was definitely wrong. Lutheriel stood up quickly, grabbed her basket and started to walk quickly back to Lorien. She hadn't realized that she wandered so far away from the forest borders until she saw how tiny the forest looked. "I can't believe I strayed so far away.." Her heartbeat quickened and so did her legs. She began to run towards the borders being careful not to trip over her gown as she did so. Something flew past her very close to her head and struck a tree. It was an arrow but it did not look Elvish at all.

Lutheriel turned her head back only to see a horde of figures not all that far behind her. "Orcs!"

****************************

"Orcs!" Haldir shouted grabbing an arrow from his quiver.

"Sir?" Barahir questioned.

"My necklace. It glows blue when orcs are near." Haldir briefly explained. "Prepare for battle! Finahald, warn the other patrol groups around Lorien and send word to the Lord and Lady."

"Yes, Captain." Finahald nodded and grabbed the horn to warn the other sentries.

"How near are they, Captain Haldir?" Earadan asked drawing back his bowstring and aiming through the trees.

"I don't know. I only know they are coming and will be upon us soon." Haldir said as he kept a watchful eye out.

*********************

Lutheriel didn't scream but began to run again. The orcs knew she was there or they wouldn't have fired that arrow at her. She was lucky it missed her and struck the tree instead. She could feel them running after her because the grounds trembling beat was now much quicker now. "I must get inside Lorien and warn the sentries!" She thought. She glanced back again only to find that a couple of the orcs were almost in arms reach away from her. "Something ill gives speed to these creatures!" She thought trying to run faster but her foot kept getting caught up in her heavy dress. A hand grabbed at her hair and she shrieked out pulling her hair out of the creatures' grasp. "Get away from me!!"

The orcs snarled and lashed out with their hands again, just missing grabbing her. Lutheriel spun around and threw her flower basket at the dark creatures. That was all she had and hoped that it would slow them down for just a second. No such luck. It only made them madder and they growled loudly. She was still looking behind her at the orcs when she smacked into something that stood in front of her. At first she thought it was a tree but then when she felt the hot horrid breath on her, she knew it was not.

Lutheriel looked up to meet the gaze of a very tall orc. She was in such a state of shock she could barely move or scream or do anything. The orc snarled at her as she began to back up not remembering that the other two orcs were behind her. She remembered that they were there when she bumped into them. Her eyes were wide with horror and a scream started to rip from her mouth until she was silenced. The tall orc grabbed her by the face and lifted her into the air bringing her close to him. When their faces were just inches apart, he growled at her showing his fanged mouth. Lutheriel couldn't even think of anything to do to try and get away. Even if she did, where would she go? Lorien was too far away still and there were a lot more orcs than just the three that were attacking her.

The tall orc dropped Lutheriel onto the ground and she landed on her back, looking up into the evil eyes of the orcs. One of the orcs struck down at her with a spear but she rolled and it missed her. She kicked one of the creatures in the shins as hard as she could and tried to wiggle her way out between their legs.

"Are you having fun tormenting me?!?!" She shouted at them. She knew that they were playing with their prey otherwise they would have killed her by now.

They growled and snarled but she could tell they were becoming bored with her. She remembered the time when she first encountered orcs. It was when she and her brother were coming to Lorien and their company was attacked during the night. All was lost except for her and Legolas. "I will not die at the hands of these foul beings!" She cried out in her mind. "Lorien is still to far away; maybe the sentries are still not aware of what is going on out here. They must not know, or they would have been here by now. I hope Haldir is much-"

Lutheriel felt a sharp jab into her lower abdomen. She cried out in pain and then looked to were the pain was coming from. She could see a large spear sticking out of her body; blood was seeping through her white linen dress. They had finally quit playing around with her and now they were going to finish her off. Lutheriel hadn't moved out of the way fast enough and the spear pierced her as she lay on the ground. Another bolt of pain came over her as one of the other orcs stabbed her almost in the same spot. She cried out. The tall orc began to lift his spear to her but just as he was bringing it down on her he toppled over. A white feathered arrow sticking out of his back. Lutheriel's eyesight was getting fuzzy but she could see orcs starting to drop one by one. "Thank the Valors.." She whispered, realizing that a host of Lorien Elves where coming from the forest, firing upon the creatures. She pressed her hand over the wounds and she could feel how deep they went. Her hands were covered in warm sticky blood; her body was growing cold. A sudden wave of fear washed over her. This was supposed to be the feeling she'd never have to face.

"My Lady!" She heard someone call out to her and then drop down beside her. "I'll get you back to Lorien..." He said as he began to pick her up. He stopped when Lutheriel's hand grabbed his arm with all the strength it had left.

"...I am far...beyond any recovery...." Lutheriel managed to say her voice was not more than a whisper. "Please...tell my..hu-husband, Haldir...that I love him. That I love..him for ev-everything that he is..."

"My Lady, we will get you back to the Lady. She can-" The sentry stopped as he noticed that the Lady Lutheriel was no longer breathing. He gently placed a hand over her heart only to find that it no longer beat. He lowered his head.

*****************

"That's the last of them Captain." Earadan reported. "We were lucky to have that warning you gave us. Otherwise, the orcs would have made it into the forest. Instead we were able to strike them down just outside the borders."

Haldir nodded. "Anyone hurt?"

"Just a few minor injuries. I don't think orcs will be back here any time soon." Earadan said with a smile.

Barahir came over to Haldir. "We've got a troop gathering up the bodies of the orcs to be burned. There was about fifty of them that we killed and about twenty that were able to retreat back to where they came from."

Haldir smiled. "It was a good day then." He said with satisfaction in his voice.

"Captain Haldir!!" A voice from below called.

Haldir walked over to the edge of the flet and looked down at the elf that was waving his hands above his head. Haldir could see that two other elves behind him were carrying something. He didn't waste a second more and went down to them. "Yes?" He asked as he stood before the sentry.

The sentry's face was pale and filled with distress. "Sir...." He started but didn't know how to break this to the march warden. "Captain...We found your wife out away from the borders.... Sir, she was attacked....and killed." He stammered and then stepped away. The two elves that were behind him came into view holding Lady Lutheriel's body.

....to be continued........

A/N: And so through twenty-two chapters I hoped you have enjoyed my created character of Lutheriel Greenleaf, the wife of Haldir. The story is not over there is still much to tell. The only thing I will leave you with is to expect the unexpected.....Until we meet again....