Chapter 3: Hold On
A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in so long. But I'm presently working on 3 other fics as well as this one. Excuses, excuses, I know. Well, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing from LOTR which belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. Oh, and the song below, it's by Good Charlotte. It's called "Hold On" and it's off their album "The Young and the Hopeless."
This world, this world is cold
But you don't, you don't have to go
You're feeling sad you're feeling lonely
And no one seems to care
Your mothers gone and your father hits
You this pain you cannot bear
But we all bleed the same way as you do
We all have the same things to go through
Hold on…If you feel like letting go
Hold on…It gets better than you know
Your days you say they're way too long
And your nights you can't sleep at all
And you're not sure what you're looking for
But you don't want to no more
And you're not sure what you're waiting for but don't want to no more
But we all bleed the same way as you do
We all have the same things to go through
Hold on...If you feel like letting go
Hold on…It gets better than you know
Don't stop looking, you're one step closer
Don't stop searching, it's not over…Hold on
What are you looking for?
What are you waiting for?
Do you know what you're doing me?
Go ahead…What are you waiting for?
Hold on…If you feel like letting go
Hold on…It gets better than you know
Don't stop looking you're one step closer
Don't stop searching it's not over…Hold on
Haldir's POV
I awoke early the next morning and just lay on my bed, deep in thought. So much had happened yesterday, it was mind-boggling. So I dressed and went to report to Lord Celeborn the events of the day before.
Lord Celeborn was quite interested in meeting Lirael. She had claimed to have been attacked by orcs along our borders and if this was true, we would need extra security around the precincts.
Soon, 3 o'clock rolled by and I made my way to the healer to accompany Lirael to her meeting with the Lord and Lady. But, as I approached her room I saw the healer and two of his assistants standing around her bed. I witnessed her thrashing around wildly and screaming. "What happened?"
The healer soberly turned towards me. "We do not know. She just started kicking, clawing, and screaming soon after she fell asleep. We have made numerous attempts to wait her up, but she either hits us or claws at us."
"Interesting," I replied. "May I try?" The healer nodded and granted me entrance to her room. I warily stepped up to her bed, but stayed just out of range of her flailing limbs. I reached up and placed my hand upon her head.
She immediately stopped thrashing and screaming. A smile became visible upon her face and she soon fell into a dreamless slumber.
"How did you…" on of the assistants started but I silenced him.
"I too went through the same thing after my first battle. They are just nightmares, but she is having trouble differentiating dreams from reality. She thinks she is fighting off orcs; trapped inside her dreams almost."
"How long until they cease?" the youngest assistant queried.
I shrugged. "Weeks, months, years? It depends on the person. For me, they lasted 4 months. But I had no one to confide in. Mayhap, with my help, she can over come this."
_~~*~~_
Lirael's POV
Orcs. At least 20 of them surrounded me. I was alone. They began to advance upon me and I started screaming for help. The foul beings were almost upon me and I began kicking them away.
Suddenly though, the man from earlier appeared. He seemed to glow a bright, white color. He whipped out his bow and started slaying the orcs that had encircled me.
I smiled at him once the orcs were dead but in the blink of an eye, he was gone.
I slowly opened my eyes and saw the man from my dream standing above me. I blinked a few times to make sure he was real.
"Are you feeling better?" he asked me, a smile pulling at the ends of his lips.
I groaned when I tried to sit up, as I was quite sore. "I guess you could say that," I retorted. "I saw you in my dream; you saved me from the orcs." I paused. "I thought it was real."
He nodded. "I understand, for I too went through the same thing. But I'm going to help you through this… I promise."
I smiled at him. "Thank you."
_~~*~~_
Haldir's POV
"You're welcome," I answered. "Now, the real reason I'm here is to escort you to your meeting with the Lord and Lady. Are you well enough?"
"I should be," she said, but sounded a bit unsure of herself. She pulled back the blankets and swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up. She then attempted to make her way to the bathroom but faltered along the way.
I was up in a flash and helped her along. "Do you wish to do this another day maybe? I am unsure if you are capable of making it there."
_~~*~~_ (Same POV)
"So there are orcs along the borders?" Lord Celeborn asked again. She nodded. "This is ill news you bring." He then turned to me. "Haldir, can you assemble a troop and scout the area."
I nodded. "My lord? If I may, take Lady Lirael back to the healer? She has had a long day and has grown weary."
"Yes, yes. I believe we have all the information we can gather from her."
_~~*~~_ (Yes, it's still the same)
It was dark when I awoke. Everything was silent but I felt that there was something amiss. I rose from my bed and exited the room.
The halls were silent, save the occasional snore emanating from the room of a human guest. Everything seemed to be in order, but a voice in the back of my head was telling me otherwise.
Then it hit me, Lirael. I swiftly made my way across the grounds and to the House of healing. Since the healer did not live there, it was empty save Lirael and a man who had been wounded in battle a few weeks ago.
I opened her door and saw her once again wildly thrashing about. I placed my hand once again upon her head as I had done earlier and she awakened immediately.
"Haldir? What are…" she started but began sobbing.
"Shh…" I coaxed and crawled up on the bed and held her close as she cried. "It'll be alright, don't worry."
"It was horrible!" she choked out. "I was reliving the murder of my friends. The orcs surrounded me and I didn't know what to do." Lirael began to cry harder and I held her closer and rubbed her back.
"Calm down. It's going to be alright. They can't get you anymore."
"I don't want to sleep. I can't bear to see my friends die again. Every time I close my eyes I'm reminded that I could have saved them; I let them down.
"I'll stay with you," I said, surprising myself.
She sniffled and attempted to dry her face. "You will?"
"Yes. Now sleep; I'll be here if you need me."
Lirael smiled and nodded. She then nestled in closer to me and promptly fell asleep. She had a small smile upon her face that reminded me of that of a small child.
Once during the night she started kicking but it didn't last long. I settled her down and she was asleep once again.
_~~*~~_
Lirael's POV
The next morning when I awoke I found Haldir still on the bed, asleep. Judging by the light coming in through the window, I guessed it was around noon.
"Surely he has duty to attend to," I thought. I then saw why he had not left yet. I had somehow during the night grabbed his hand and was holding it close. I promptly let it go, awakening him in the process.
He turned to me. "Did you sleep any better?" he asked. I nodded. "That is good to hear."
"Didn't Lord Celeborn assign you to patrol the borders today?" I asked him.
He looked confused for a moment, trying to remember then his eyes widened considerably. "I forgot about that!" He leapt from the bed and scrambled out the door.
I heard one of the assistants yell, followed by a crash. Then Haldir calling back, "My apologies, but I am in a terrible hurry!"
I smiled. Haldir certainly was quite an elf.
A/N: Woo! That was long! Well, for me at least. It was 3 pages front and back handwritten. Anyway, I hope this chapter was to your liking. Review and let me know, K?