Right of Blood
Chapter Twenty Four
The stars twinkled in the early morning twilight, a lingering note to the night. Kayla's feet moved along the path in no particular direction. When they had arrived yesterday afternoon, they had eaten and bathed away the grime of three weeks travel. It had been great to sink into a wonderfully hot bath and let some of the troubles melt away temporarily.
It had been the night that had proved to be something of a damper to the sense of elation that suffused the trio at being in Rivendell. After listening to what had brought them to Rivendell in the first place, Elrond had proceeded to ask them questions. Elrond had so many questions and follow-up questions that Haldir, Midori and Kayla had spent virtually the entire night answering them. Elrond had only relented when he had looked out the window and saw that the night hours were drawing to a close.
Which didn't leave Kayla with many options of what to do at this early hour. So here she was wandering around aimlessly. The city was almost quiet, the sounds of birds stirring to greet the sun the only thing to be heard. Everyone was asleep or engaged in some other quiet activity. She paused when she heard the faint sound of an object crashing against a wall. Her eyebrow arched but she continued walking. It must have been her imagination, nothing else. But when she heard it again, she turned around and started in the general direction, heading up a flight of stairs. Her brow creased in worry as she drew closer; she could hear voices now, and they were loud and angry.
"Atashi wa haji shirazu no otoko [1]! How can you possibly expect me to…argh!!" the harsh words were followed by the sound of an object crashing against a surface again, this time the door judging from the way it shook.
Kayla bit her lip as she recognized Midori's voice. She could easily hear the barely veiled, seething rage behind it. She hurried her steps and turned the corner, arriving in time to see Haldir running out of the room, ducking to narrowly avoid a thrown boot.
"Carardaiel," Haldir began as he started back towards the room. "Feitha, aa' amin quena [2]!"
"I don't want your pathetic explanation, Haldir," Midori spat out as she came to the door and scowled at him. "How dare you even…and I asked before! By Mandos*, I hope you burn and suffer for this! Utinu en lokirim [3]! Amin feuya ten' lle [4]! Amin estla tanya lle auta miqula yrch ten' i' esta en' coialle [5]!
Kayla winced as Midori whirled around in a swirl of cloth and slammed the door shut hard. A few shards of the broken objects crunched beneath Haldir's feet as he walked up to the door, trying to open it. When it became obvious that Midori had locked the door, he started to bang on it with balled fist.
"Carardaiel!" he started banging more insistently. "Carardaiel!"
"You're better off leaving her to calm down for a bit," Kayla said as she stepped forward. "She'll be more capable of listening to you as opposing to cursing you. Besides, I would imagine that you're waking some from their otherwise peaceful sleep."
Haldir turned around stiffly, seeing Kayla for the first time. "Lady Arlonniel," his voice had a neutral distance. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough," Kayla leaned against the wall, regarding him for a moment. "What could you have possibly told her?"
Haldir didn't reply for a moment. "Something."
"Ah," Kayla murmured; she had a pretty good idea of what. "Shall we go for a walk?"
She didn't wait to see if Haldir agreed. She turned and started walking away, down the stairs to the small glade a few feet away. Seating herself on the bench, she looked up to see Haldir in step behind her, though much more slow. He sat down on the opposite end gingerly, , keeping a few inches between them as he linked his fingers together and drummed his fingertips against his knuckles. Kayla gazed up at the sky, trying to imagine what Haldir could have said to make Midori screech at him so. Midori was hard to rouse to anger; whatever it was, it must have been something she truly didn't want to hear. She glanced at Haldir, seeing the tenseness in his bunched up shoulders. His expression was grim; as if he knew he had screwed up and was determined to find a way out of it. Kayla almost felt sorry for him, but she could still clearly remember the words she had said to him that day on the flet. And she bloody well meant them.
"If I may-" she began.
"I'd rather you didn't, Lady Arlonniel." Haldir said softly.
"Look, you may as well drop the whole 'Lady' thing," Kayla said with a slight touch of irritation in her voice. "Now, as I was asking-"
"Can you simply not leave this be?" Haldir muttered. "Though I get the feeling that even that is asking too much."
"Nice to see you remember my words."
Haldir gave a non-committal grunt. "At least you're not Celeborn."
"But I am my father's daughter. And do not be surprised if Midori is talking to Father right now about…whatever."
Again, Haldir gave a grunt of response.
"When did this…'attachment' begin?" Kayla asked after a few minutes.
"Little over half a year ago… seven, eight months I believe," Haldir shook his head before he bowed it slightly. "I don't know what I was thinking. I have never moved this slowly with anyone. Valar, I was a fool to even attempt this…"
Kayla arched an eyebrow sharply but didn't respond to his self-deprecating words. "I see. And what, may I ask, prompted this…'attachment'?"
Haldir didn't say anything for a moment. "Do you recall the night when Carardaiel drew her sword and…'attempted' to run it through you?"
"Very cute," Kayla said in a momentary, mocking smile; she caught the note in his voice. "But yes, I remember it."
"And have you ever seen anyone try to drown their despair, sorrow, and rage in wine?"
"Numerous times," Kayla murmured.
"Have you heard of Berdruskan Dark?"
"Yes, I have," Kayla said as a slight, fond smile came to her lips.
"Well, after I took your sister to her room the first time, I found her in the kitchens much later on in the night." Haldir paused, flexing his fingers before he spoke again. "Carardaiel managed to find ten bottles of that particular wine, and I am sure you know of its potency."
Kayla nodded, indicating that he should finish.
"When I found her, she was seated in the empty kitchen, on the floor in a corner. She was still weeping but now, she was muttering to herself and surrounded by bottles. The one she was drinking was her ninth, and she was finishing it off with the intent to drink the tenth as well."
"That must have been hell for her liver," Kayla paused, seeing the scowl on Haldir's face at her remark. "Sorry. Keep talking."
"She couldn't even stand on her own two feet. So I had to carry her back to her room for a second time that night. And then I was stuck there all night."
Kayla scowled darkly at him. "If you mean to say that-"
"No, no," Haldir said quickly, his voice a bit panicky. "Carardaiel was protesting and trying to free herself to go and get the last bottle of wine. I'd like to see you attempt to carry a full grown Elf in your arms while they are squirming around, trying to get the one thing that they do not need in the slightest."
Kayla repressed the snicker that threatened to rise up from the image that appeared suddenly in her mind. She simply nodded her head, not trusting her vocal chords.
"So I took her up to her room, and by this time, she was over my shoulder. I had to sit down on the bed to place her on the bed. That was when she shifted and…latched onto my neck and pushed me back onto the bed."
"Hm, hm," Kayla said, biting her tongue. "And then?"
"She cried herself to sleep. Every time I tried to shift or push her off, she woke up, started crying again and then went back to sleep." Haldir fell into momentary silence. "I was there all night until she woke up."
"And then?"
"That's all you need to know." Haldir said curtly.
"So what is the cause of this quarrel?"
Haldir sat there, his silence going from awkward to stoic. Kayla sighed as she patted his shoulder.
"I won't yell at you for this. I…do pity you. It's not fun to be on the receiving end of my sister's rage. But I really have to commend you."
"Commend me?" Haldir looked at her, puzzlement in his eyes.
"Haldir, even I could see that you told her of the other women. I wouldn't be surprised if she knew something before this." Kayla paused. "But I should tell you that I did mention it briefly…in passing, but she never followed it up, so I left it as it was."
Haldir groaned as he held his head. "Women…"
Kayla didn't say anything for a moment; she had been expecting him to get rather angry; what she wasn't expecting was the despair in his voice. "That is the reason why you two argued so…right?"
"In a manner of speaking," Haldir said as he stared at his booted feet and lapsed into silence.
"Am I only going to get half answers from you on this subject?" Kayla asked with a mild tone of disgust. She stared at him for a moment, her mouth opening in shock. "That's it, isn't it? You gave her a partial truth!" she rose quickly. 'Maybe if I talk to her in person, I can see just how much damage has been done.'
"Do you know what it's like?" Haldir's voice was soft.
Kayla paused in mid stride. "Know what 'what' is like?"
"I imagine that it's much like drowning; you fall in deeper and deeper but there's nothing you can do about it." Haldir stared at a tree for a few moments. "So many times I've tried to pull myself out; but each time I slid in deeper and deeper until…I realized that I couldn't get out. And I didn't want to get out. Her mere presence…for some reason, I can't think straight, my words falter and I am forever saying the wrong thing."
"Ah, I see," Kayla came back and sat beside him. "Now you're just completely lost and confused as to what you should do?"
"I always knew what to do and say before," Haldir murmured. "Now…" he trailed off, flexing his fingers.
Kayla patted his shoulder. "I know what you mean…I've seen it enough. The problem won't go away."
"And what problem would that be?" Haldir asked in a slightly curious voice.
Kayla rose with a smile. "We should go to the kitchen," she started walking as Haldir rose. "Some things are better discussed over breakfast and a hot cup of tea."
A soft twitter came from the windows by her side. Kayla smiled as she spied a finch perched amongst the branches. The days seemed to pass by in a blur. The three of them had been in the city for a month and a half now, with no indication as to what Galadriel saw and wanted them there for. Every time Kayla mindspoke with her, Galadriel was adamant that they remain at the quiet refuge of Imladris.
And so, they had. But Kayla had to admit this whole situation between Midori and Haldir was driving her somewhat crazy. What little time she did have seemed to be divided between Haldir and Midori. Midori had wanted to spend more time with her; and so they had gone out riding, seeing the sights and sometimes for the odd bit of hunting, which usually took a greater portion of the day. But she didn't really mind - Kuroi and Slepnir were always eager to go out for their long trips and usually ended up playing together like foals when Midori and Kayla rested for lunch. By the time they got back, she was usually ready for a bit of a rest; it normally would be time for dinner by the time she had bathed and changed. If she was lucky, Haldir wouldn't find her before dinner. He asked her if Midori had said anything about him almost religiously. At first it angered her, but she answered his question always with a slight shake of her head.
But as the weeks progressed, the anger melted away to sympathetic pity. Every time she shook her head, Haldir would leave immediately afterwards with a dejected expression on his face. If he caught her before dinner, he never showed up at the table, managing to come up with some excuse. And, judging from the way Elrond glanced at Midori every so often during the meal, his reason were plainly transparent. What softened her even more was the fact that his mind was an open book; she could sense every single emotion that roiled through it when he came daily to ask his ever-hopeful question.
"Valar," she sighed as she looked down at the ignored book in her lap. "I think I'd better go find her now."
She placed the book on the table nearby and quickly walked out from her room. She didn't mean to get involved in their little situation. But if things continued to go on their present course, she would eventually meddle and it would be with an extremely short temper. Haldir was probably in his room, despairing about what he had done, which meant Midori was probably somewhere, enjoying herself. So she went to all of her sister's usual haunts.
The library proved to be empty. The kitchen was filled with the fragrant scents of baking treats. But after stealing a tart, amid some amused scoldings, she headed down to the stables to find Midori. Slepnir and Kuroi neighed happily when they saw her; Midori wasn't around at all. After giving them a bit of oats she continued onwards. She went to Midori's room and knocked before entering. A gentle breeze was sweeping through the chamber, but that was it.
"Where on Earth could she be?" she mused, gazing absently out the window as she thought.
The faint twang of a bow reached her ears and she set off running. The training grounds, why hadn't she thought to look there before? Her feet raced over the steps and ground. But when she got there, all she saw was a young Elfling being shown how to properly use a bow. She turned around with a scowl; she was ready to crack some heads, when the instructor spoke.
"Are you looking for your sister, Lady Arlonniel?"
"You know where she is…" she turned around trailing off, lacking the tall blond Elf's name.
"Glorfindel. She said if you come looking for her that she would be in the infirmary." He turned to the Elfling and murmured something, sending the girl scurrying away.
"How do you know that?" Kayla asked, her curiosity stirred a bit.
"She was here all night practising. She has been for almost a month now. I've been sparring with her every other night." Glorfindel paused. "Are you going to talk to her about-"
"Yes, I am."
"Thank Valar," he breathed with a sigh of relief. "She's been griping about something for awhile. I didn't know what it was until she said Haldir's name a few weeks ago. If there is anything I can do to help those two, I am more than happy to be at your disposal."
Kayla chuckled. "You and me both. Thank you."
"Not a problem," Glorfindel said inclining his head slightly. "Should you need me for anything else, I am usually here, if not, then my chambers."
Kayla murmured her thanks again before hurrying off; she knew an invitation when she heard it. She hurried off towards the sunny southern side of the city. Now she knew why Midori wasn't griping at her. When Midori was ready to gripe, Kayla was usually in the library, finding a new book to read. But just what could she be doing in the infirmary at this time of the day? It took her a few minutes to reach the infirmary doors. She pushed them open slowly, hearing voice speaking quietly. She walked in, peering around the shelved wall to see Midori sitting beside a dark haired Elf as they went through the piles of plant leaves before them.
"And this one is athelas?" Midori asked, looking over at the woman.
"Yes; very soothing and useful for wounds; particularly in drawing out poisons."
"Pipeweed can do that too Malliawen. And it does work fast."
"Pipeweed?" Malliawen paused with a thoughtful look. "Hm, I'll have to see about that. Anyhow, you should use some athelas, lavender and perhaps some oil of lily."
"That will work?" Midori asked as she grasped a mortar and dropped in the leaves and a few drops of oil from a vial.
Malliawen nodded. "It gives off a delicate aroma. Some parents use it to help their young ones sleep."
Midori nodded as she took the pestle and started grinding up the mixture. Her eyes flickered up and she smiled. "Kayla, have you met, Malliawen? She's an apprentice healer here at Imladris."
"No, I haven't." she smiled. "It's nice to see you, Malliawen."
"And you Arlonniel."
"Malliawen, could you possibly give my sister and I a few moments alone." Kayla asked.
The dark haired girl nodded. "But I shall need the room back eventually," she murmured as she rose and walked out quickly.
Kayla came and sat in the seat Malliawen had left, watching Midori as she pounded the mush inside the mortar briskly with the pestle. She watched her for a few moments, resting her chin on a cupped hand. "What are you doing?"
"Pounding the leaves. Then, they'll need to be dried in the sun for a day or two."
"Ah." Kayla looked at the greenish brown mixture in the bowl. " Why?"
Midori shrugged as she continued to pound the pestle down hard. "Apparently, the dried compound is much like incense when it's burned. It helps with sleep. I…haven't been sleeping very well lately."
"Hm," Kayla took a deep breath; this was going to be one hell of a touchy conversation. "The reason for your insomnia wouldn't happen to be a certain blond Elf would it?"
"Glorfindel?" Midori asked with an arched eyebrow. "He's more an acquaintance and sparring partner. What of him?" a quiet laugh had crept into Midori's voice.
"Not Glorfindel," Kayla said quietly. "Just where have you been for the past while? Or rather, what have you been doing?"
"Nothing much. Spending time with you, reading in the library, talking with Elrond, sparring with Glorfindel. I've managed to keep myself busy. May I ask what is the relevance to the former question?"
'Just as I thought,' Kayla cleared her throat, squashing the nervousness in her throat. "I wasn't referring to Glorfindel in the slightest. I was talking about Haldir. You know, the Elf we spent three weeks travelling with and then some strange thing happens to make you push him from your life completely."
"Yes. I remember him." Midori's voice was eerily calm and icy. "What of him?"
"Yes, him," Kayla paused. "Have you seen him at all for the past weeks?"
"Aside from the rare moment at dinner," Midori paused. "I don't care much to see his face any more than I have to."
"Why?" Kayla asked, half expecting a glare and harsh words from her sister.
Midori's jaw tightened imperceptibly. "I have never played second in my life and I do not intend to start now. Much less become nothing more than a temporary trophy to that male."
"Wounded pride, hm?" Kayla drummed her fingertips against her cheek. "Just what did he say to you?"
"Our little 'discussion' dissolved into a argument and from there a yelling match."
"Over what?"
"Do you remember how Elrond said they might be short a room due to cleaning when we arrived. Well, I offered him a spot in my room. And he wanted no part in that."
"Well, I suppose he was thinking about your reputation." Kayla said. "You can't be ticked at him for that reason."
Midori gave a harsh snort. "I almost agreed with him. But he had to open his foolish mouth once more."
"Uh huh," Kayla said, with a patient tone.
"What he said was, 'If you were more like Silnendil, I wouldn't even be having this pointless argument. Even all of the women, Silnendil included, I have been with weren't nearly as half as stubborn as you are! Perhaps I should have simply stayed with Silnendil, instead of leaving her for you!' The nerve of that…"
Kayla watched as Midori's hand sped up increasingly, until the sound of stone pounding against stone rang clearly through the room. She reached to take the mortar and pestle away from Midori, but her sister rose sharply, wiping the pestle off in one fluid motion as she walked over to the sunny window with a broad sill.
"So he said the wrong thing in a heated moment. Can you fault him for that?" Kayla asked as she slowly walked after Midori. "Although, it certainly doesn't win him any points."
Midori's lips thinned as she grabbed a thin piece of rock and started to spread the mixture out over the surface thinly. "That Elf has been through a woman every six months; fourteen women total. In seven years! How am I to even trust him now when he says this and reveals himself to be so…flighty."
"You two are past the half a year mark. According to him, a good month or two past it," Kayla said softly as she watched Midori spread the paste briskly. "I know this will sound crazy, but I think this time is different for him. Truly different."
"You're right, it does sound crazy," Midori snorted. "Since when have you, of all Elves, of all people, taken to defending Haldir? You could barely stand him before and he clearly avoided you. What brought on this change of heart?"
Kayla quailed for a moment under Midori's dark, burning penetrating gaze. It was this reason, and many more, why she didn't exactly like to get involved with peoples' love lives. "Midori if you took the time to see him, I think you'd see it as well. I don't think he's eating much. Hell, he only talks to me and he asks about you - that's it, nothing else; just a, 'Did she say anything of me today?' Valar Midori, he's completely miserable! I think you've reduced him to tears a few times. There have been times when it looks like he's been up all night crying to himself."
"Then let him weep his futile tears," Midori said a bit too harshly. "I will not be used and discarded like some broken toy."
"I realise that Midori," Kayla said, running a hand through her loose hair. "But now…this is really different for him. I'm ashamed to say it, but I peeped into his mind and-"
"Invading privacy, are we?" Midori rounded on her, attempting to shift the topic.
"Yeah, that tactic won't work on me!" Kayla almost snarled with anger. "That idiot doesn't even realise something yet - he's in love with you! Did you hear me? Every one else was simply a fling and nothing more. You mean more than that to him. He's gotten horribly lovesick and you acting as if he doesn't exist is killing him." Kayla held her head in the hand from her hair. "Valar, I really am defending that Elf…"
"I noticed," Midori said crisply as she took the mortar and pestle to a basin of water and rinsed them clean, as well as her hands.
"That's all you have to say?!" Kayla bristled at that. "You're just going to leave him to suffer like that?!"
"And what would you have me do?" Midori growled, her own temper flaring slightly. "Simply forgive him and welcome him back with open arms, and act as if nothing happened?! I have had my heart broken once by a man like him and I would much rather rot in some cold dark forsaken pit in the depths of Mordor under Sauron's eye than allow it to happen again!"
"By Mandos," Kayla swore darkly to herself. "You have to see him for yourself to understand. Do you know just how pathetic he is now?" At the rate he's going, he'll be lucky to last another month."
Midori didn't say anything for a moment as she dried the stone wares and placed them back on the shelf. "Then we'll have to see how lucky he is." she murmured softly, her back towards Kayla.
"You'd condemn him for falling in love with you?" Kayla asked in thinly veiled dismay. "Just how cruel can you be?"
"Cruel enough to end this now," Midori said, her back still to Kayla. "If you heard his voice that morning, you would know that Silnendil would be more than glad to take him back. So I leave him to go to her, since she seems to be what he wants more than me."
"Do you mean to tell me," Kayla was a bit disbelieved and shocked. "That you're willing to leave him like this after whatever the two of you had?"
Midori didn't say anything as she kept her back towards Kayla. "Yes," she finally said in a small voice. "That is what I mean."
"I don't buy that," Kayla said, turning Midori around to face her. "You want to know what I think?"
"What?" Midori's teeth were gritted; Kayla could see the slight bunch of muscles at the jawbone.
"I think you know that you're the only one he wants and you're using this as an excuse to get rid of him. I think that you're scared to let him in. And I think you started to fall in love with him as well."
Kayla watched as Midori's face paled almost immediately; Kayla couldn't tell though if it was from rage or if her words hit home. They looked at one another for a few moments before Midori broke the gaze, making her way to the table where the small piles of leaves still sat on the table.
"Well?" Kayla asked as Midori scooped a pile up and placed it in its jar.
"Well what?" Midori retorted a bit nastily as she swiftly removed the last two piles.
"You know what I mean!" Kayla's voice was scathing. "What are you going to-"
Kayla's words were interrupted as the door to the infirmary swung open. Kayla turned, ready to tell Malliawen to leave them be. But it was another Elf - Arwen, if her memory served her correctly. With a bundled, cloaked figure in her arms. The surprise lifted from Arwen's face as she strode into the room, placing the bundle on the table.
"Get my father quickly, please," Arwen said. "This Periannath** needs aid."
"Periannath?!" Midori strode over quickly, looking beneath the cowl. "Frodo! Asca Kayla, utua Elrond ar' nyara ho tul[6]!" Midori pressed her hand against Frodo's forehead. "Ima, Kayla, ima[7]!!"
The harsh tone jolted Kayla to action. She rushed from the room, sprinting down the corridors as she searched for Elrond. She could still see Frodo's skin, unnaturally pale from the light glow it had before. His lips had been tinged slightly with blue and his irises were a milky colour, fading to blend with the whites of his eyes. Her feet flew over the steps; Elrond had to be in his study - which was where he usually was at this time of the day. She didn't pause to knock on the door, simply bursting in. Elrond looked up from his task, startled and mildly irritated.
"Arlonniel," Elrond began. "I hope you have-"
"It's Frodo. Arwen brought him back. He needs help. I don't know how much longer he'll last. You have to go now!"
"Is he in the infirmary now?" Elrond was already out from his desk and at the door.
"Yes. My sister and Arwen are in there now, probably trying to slow down whatever is happening to Frodo."
"Arlonniel," Elrond paused in the doorway. "I will need you to keep watch for the other Hobbits and Strider. When they arrive, make sure they are seen to and know that Frodo will be all right."
Kayla nodded as Elrond went down the hallway quickly, his brown hair disappearing as he walked down the stairs. She swallowed the tremor of fear that clutched at her heart; this must have been what they were waiting for.
With a momentary sigh, Kayla took a sip of her wine before she contemplated the red liquid in her glass. She spared Haldir a glance - who was staring at his own glass - before she returned to gazing at the wine. On the table, between the two of them stood a decanter of wine, which she had gotten from the kitchen earlier on in the day for the evening. She had to admit that she was more than slightly run down. Strider and the Hobbits had arrived only two days ago; and since Elrond was busy tending to Frodo, she was left to fend with Sam, Pippin and Merry's unending questions concerning Frodo's condition.
Not that Sam made it any easier. He kept insisting that he should be with Frodo; dissuading him from that hadn't proved as easy as it had been with Merry or Pippin. They had just come to her room earlier to inquire to Frodo's condition today - which was, she was glad to say, improving rapidly. But not soon after the trio left, Haldir showed up at her door. But he hadn't come for the last two days, so she was grateful for the fact. If he had shown up in the midst of her trying to calm down the three Hobbits, she might have lost it. The wine now was an attempt to calm herself down, but it wasn't working very well at the moment.
"You know Haldir," Kayla began softly, not hiding the weariness in her voice. "I'm not too sure what to tell you now."
"She spoke of me?" Haldir's voice contained a kernel of hope. "What did she say?"
"Oh, she spoke of you all right. But not in pleasant terms," Kayla reached for the bottle and topped of her glass a bit more, looking at it. "This is a good Arabellan Dry," She mused softly to herself. "I'm sure you know that Strider's news doesn't help much, since we will have to leave Imladris soon."
"Being Rangers, I know," Haldir said as he nodded his head slowly. "I know."
Kayla sighed as she closed her eyes, rubbing a temple. Strider's news of the events that unfolded in the Shire as well as Weathertop did little to calm the worry inside. And she and Midori would have to leave soon; she didn't want to travel with her sister with the mood she was in. They would be arguing through whatever would come. If the Orcs and such were on the move throughout the land, they would have to travel with al their wits about them and with nothing to distract their attention from pressing matters. Of course, Strider had been less than pleased to hear of the Spider lurking in the North and Orkish attacks that had been repelled by Lothlórien numerous times.
"Arlonniel?" Haldir was quiet.
"Yes?"
"Have you ever felt so strongly for one person? So strong that it could simply….consume you?"
Kayla took a deep breath; she had been expecting this to come at some time. But she didn't reply. She waited a few moments before she nodded her head and took a sip of wine.
"How do you cope with it?"
"Cope with it?" Kayla repeated slowly. She wasn't too sure if she was coping with it well. She did miss Legolas more than she thought she could miss anyone. But when she finally found a free moment to mindspeak with him, something came up and robbed her of the chance. By the time she had a spare moment for herself, she was exhausted and simply slept.
So she simply pushed it from her mind in the day. But it started to creep out when she slept, into her dreams. She could never remember what exactly had occurred in those dreams. But there were times when she would usually wake up feeling warm and content. There were other times when she woke up feeling the acute sting of loneliness that went with her for the rest of the day. And then the rare times when she woke up short of breath, her flushed skin covered in a thin sheen of sweat; and there was a raw clawing need that made her whole body ache for a touch. But she wasn't sure how to get rid of it; those days were the worst and she usually walked around in a somewhat foul temper.
"As best you can, I suppose. One day at a time." Kayla said after a few moments of silence.
"I never should have said that," Haldir murmured "She's much more fragile than she shows."
Kayla nodded at his words - her sister was much more fragile as was her heart. "See this glass?" she drained it quickly and held it by the stem.
Haldir nodded. "What of it?"
"This is the situation the two of you are in now; separated by the wide space, where you can see one another, but the invisible walls prevent you from going to one another."
"And?" Haldir's sounded weary as well. "I will not do something to her against her wishes."
"And for that I do commend you," Kayla murmured. "But…"
Kayla watched as Haldir waited patiently to hear what her next words would be. She rolled the stem between her fingers slowly, looking at him through the glass. The seconds ticked by slowly neither of them saying a word. Then, Kayla threw the glass on the floor; it smashed into tiny pieces, scattering across the surface. When Kayla looked at Haldir he had an arched eyebrow.
"Are you simply going to let her waltz out like this?" Kayla demanded. "I can see it in you, and I can see it in her. Do whatever it takes to break through to her, to show her. Be forceful if you have to be, damn it!"
"Arlonniel, I told you that I would not-" Haldir's voice held a note of despair to it.
"Don't even start with me. I have virtually no patience left for that." Kayla growled. "Do you care for my sister?"
Haldir nodded his head in subdued muteness.
"Would you do anything for her?"
Again, Haldir nodded his head.
"And if things had gone as planned, do you think I'd be helping you in any regards towards my sister?"
Haldir shook his head.
Kayla took a deep breath. "And do you think that she feels the same for you, as you do for her? With absolute certainty?"
"I know it," Haldir said immediately in a quiet voice.
Kayla sighed as she reached forward and took his untouched glass, sipping the contents. "Then you will leave now and in a week's time, I want you to actually spend a full day outside your rooms? Am I understood?"
Haldir nodded silently as he rose and left Kayla's room quickly. She sighed and took one more sip before she herself rose and left her room. It was time to talk to Glorfindel.
"Ah, Lady Arlonniel, I do not think I heard you right."
Kayla sighed, as she closed her eyes. Glorfindel had been surprised to see her at such a late hour, but glad; she caught the momentary glimmer of emotion in his eyes. But she had quickly dashed his hopes when she sketched out her plan roughly from their seats at a table in his chambers. But Glorfindel was a little confused at to his role in the whole thing, and slightly wary; not that she blamed him in the slightest.
"As I said Glorfindel, in a week's time, you shall spend the day with my sister; do things with her, make her laugh, make sure she enjoys herself, show interest in her. I shall spend the day with Haldir, doing something along the same lines. What we have to do is make them realise that they do need one another; more than they care to admit."
Glorfindel furrowed his brow. "Even the second time around, I do not like the sound of that plan. Would it not appear as if I might be…courting your sister?"
"That's exactly what it has to look like."
"Lady Arlonniel, as much as I would like to see those two back together, I am not inclined to bring down Haldir's wrath on me. Your sister is bad enough."
"What do you mean?" Kayla asked. "What did she do?"
Glorfindel removed the light tunic he had on. "I returned from a sparring session with Lady Carardaiel a few minutes before you arrived. As you can see, she may agree to things about Haldir when I said some things highly unflattering about his character, her actions were inclined to sway me otherwise."
Kayla bit her lip as she took in the bluish-purple bruises that specked Glorfindel's chest and upper arms. "All the more reason to end this between them. I am sure you have no wish to end up a mass of bruises."
"Indeed not," Glorfindel said as he put his shirt back on. "And she did this with a wooden stick."
Kayla didn't say anything for a moment. "So, will you go along with my plan?"
"I will, " Glorfindel said. "How long do we have?"
"We have a full week to plan this out carefully," Kayla said. "And by the end of the week, this 'separation' of theirs will be little more than a memory."
"Good," Glorfindel murmured, rubbing his side gingerly. "My ribs do thank you."
* Mandos - the Valar who resides over a hall for Elves who died in battle…it's sort of like a Valhalla for Elves.
**Periannath - Elvish word for Hobbit
[1] Atashi wa haji shirazu no otoko - You're a shameful man. (Japanese)
[2] Feitha, aa' amin quena! - Wait, let me speak! (Elvish)
[3] Utinu en lokirim - Son of snakes! (meaning a dishonest person) (Elvish)
[4] Amin feuya ten' lle! - You disgust me! (Elvish)
[5] Amin estla tanya lle auta miqula yrch ten' i' esta en' coialle! - I hope you go and kiss an Orc for the rest of your life! (Elvish)
[6] Asca Kayla, utua Elrond ar' nyara ho tul! - Hurry Kayla, get Elrond and tell him to come! (Elvish)
[7] Ima, Kayla, ima!! - Now, Kayla, now!! (Japanese)
A/N: I know, I know; this was supposed to be the chapter with the Council and whatnot. But I've gotten e-mails - mostly e-mails - and stuff asking me - though demanding, begging, pleading and wheedling is more like it - for the deal behind Haldir/Carardaiel and Legolas/Arlonniel. So next chapter will resolve things between H/C and the Council will show up and well as furthering the relationship between L/A. Sorry if I got your hopes up in any way.