Chapter 5
Fate
As Haldir stood in front of Galadriel, holding the body of the young woman, he was utterly defeated. He had failed in his duty to his beloved lord and lady, and he had failed the one person in the world who was meant for him. He had not gotten there in time to save her. Now he would never look into her eyes and get hopelessly lost in them. He would never hear her laughter. He would never know her touch. Worst of all he would never know her; her personality and her love. The thought of facing eternity without her, having lost before he even had the chance to love, was too much for his tired soul to take. He no longer wanted to live.
Haldir was unaware of what Galadriel had been doing untill she spoke to his mind. He focused on her eyes as she willed him to be strong. Her touch soothed his greif. As he drew new strenght from her he realized that however strange it may seem, Galadriel was telling him that there was still a chance to save her.
Galadriel saw light return to Haldir's eyes. She knew that he had seen the true meaning behind her words. She smiled at Haldir's faith in her,she was glad that he had found the strength to wait for fate to take its course. Galadriel then motioned for Haldir to follow her as she left the hall and walked down a long corridor. When they came to the end of the dimly lit passage, she opened the door of a small room.
They walked in and Haldir lay the body on a soft, down mattresss that waws covered with scarlet linens. " Clean her wounds and dress her. Wait her untill I return, ' Galadriel told Haldir motioning to a small table near the wall. On the table were bandages, cloths, water, and a simple, dark green gown. Haldir could only nod as she silently left the room and he was alone with the dead woman.
Although he was still very much exhausted, he set to work on the task he had been given. He knew that he had to start by removing the arrow so he reached out and placed one hand on the arrow and the other on the body. He prepared himself for the sensation of touching her , however, this time the flow of energy was much stronger. He was suprised and stunned for a few seconds as the current flew through him. Eventualy his senses returned and he was able to retrieve the arrow from its station.
He looked upon her lifeless form not knowing what to do next. His gaze drifted upon her face and he noticed that it was smudged and dirty. He leaned over and grabed a small wooden chair with ornate carvings and a plump, red cushionfrom its place by the window. He set the chair between the befd and the table and sat down himself. He reached over and poured the warm water from its pitcher into a silver bowl, he hen took a cloth and wet it. He rugn out the cdloth and gingerly wiped her face.
While doing this He was able to look more closly at her. He noticed that her eye lashes were dark and long. She had high cheekbones and her ears looked small and delicate. Her lips, like her ears, were small and delicate, but also full and kissably soft and her skin, as his fingers brushed against it, was incredibly smooth. He felt himself lusting after her, but chided himself saying, " How can you such feelings for this woman, espescialy in this situation and circumstance. You don't even know her. You are Haldir of Lorien. You have maintained great honor and integrity in your service to the lord and lady, why jepordize that now?!She may seem to be your soul mate, but she vry well maynot be. Maybe there is a spell over her or it could be that your exhaustion is clouding your judgement. You complete the task that the lady gave you. "
Haldir wanted to side with logic and not get personally involved, but even as his mind told him not to fall for her, his heart was already gone.It now belonged to this mysterious woman of whom he knew nothing, save that she was here and needed his help.
Haldir resolved to keep his feelings secret, telling no one, not ven the woman in question of his strange attraction to her. It had to be this way because, even though the feelings were strong and true, he had shared his heart with no one for centuries and he was not sure if he wanted to start now. It became harder to concentrate as he stripped her body of its robes. She was perfectly formed, by human standards, she had a long neck and strong arms. Her breasts were full and inviting. It was difficult to tear his gaze from them as he forced himself to concentrate on cleaning and dressing her wound. Her abdomen was hard and toned, yet soft and supple at the same time. It was perfect ecxept for the woud in her side that was now bandaged. She had small hips that curved inticingly and her legs were muscular and perfectly toned. Haldir sleaned her small feet and bound them in dressings.
Once he had treated her wounds and cleaned her, Haldir took the gown from the table. He gingerly lifted her body into a sitting position with one arm, supporting her head with his hand, and with the other he slipped the gown over her head. He layed her back down on the bed and put her arms into the long sleeves of the silky gown, then he pulled it don her body. He had completed his task, now he had only to wait for Galadriel's return.
While awaiting Galadriel's return the exhaustion that Haldir had been fighting for many hours finaly won the battle. He slumped forward onto the bed, his head resting near the young woman's shoulder. Once again, sleep was not to last for he was stirred from his slumber by violent movement next to his head. His eyes flew open and he saw the young woman, who just hours before had been dead, convulsing and gasping for air. He quickly sat up and put his hands on her shoulders to keep her still. As he began to whisper soothing words in Elvish she relaxed and poened her eyes. Haldirwas captured by her gaze. She had deep hazel eyes that were swirling pools of emotion. They seemed to flash with fear and anger, but when she looked into Haldir's eyes they changed to show fascination. The two strangers stared at each other, knowing and not knowing each other at the same time.
As Haldir stood in front of Galadriel, holding the body of the young woman, he was utterly defeated. He had failed in his duty to his beloved lord and lady, and he had failed the one person in the world who was meant for him. He had not gotten there in time to save her. Now he would never look into her eyes and get hopelessly lost in them. He would never hear her laughter. He would never know her touch. Worst of all he would never know her; her personality and her love. The thought of facing eternity without her, having lost before he even had the chance to love, was too much for his tired soul to take. He no longer wanted to live.
Haldir was unaware of what Galadriel had been doing untill she spoke to his mind. He focused on her eyes as she willed him to be strong. Her touch soothed his greif. As he drew new strenght from her he realized that however strange it may seem, Galadriel was telling him that there was still a chance to save her.
Galadriel saw light return to Haldir's eyes. She knew that he had seen the true meaning behind her words. She smiled at Haldir's faith in her,she was glad that he had found the strength to wait for fate to take its course. Galadriel then motioned for Haldir to follow her as she left the hall and walked down a long corridor. When they came to the end of the dimly lit passage, she opened the door of a small room.
They walked in and Haldir lay the body on a soft, down mattresss that waws covered with scarlet linens. " Clean her wounds and dress her. Wait her untill I return, ' Galadriel told Haldir motioning to a small table near the wall. On the table were bandages, cloths, water, and a simple, dark green gown. Haldir could only nod as she silently left the room and he was alone with the dead woman.
Although he was still very much exhausted, he set to work on the task he had been given. He knew that he had to start by removing the arrow so he reached out and placed one hand on the arrow and the other on the body. He prepared himself for the sensation of touching her , however, this time the flow of energy was much stronger. He was suprised and stunned for a few seconds as the current flew through him. Eventualy his senses returned and he was able to retrieve the arrow from its station.
He looked upon her lifeless form not knowing what to do next. His gaze drifted upon her face and he noticed that it was smudged and dirty. He leaned over and grabed a small wooden chair with ornate carvings and a plump, red cushionfrom its place by the window. He set the chair between the befd and the table and sat down himself. He reached over and poured the warm water from its pitcher into a silver bowl, he hen took a cloth and wet it. He rugn out the cdloth and gingerly wiped her face.
While doing this He was able to look more closly at her. He noticed that her eye lashes were dark and long. She had high cheekbones and her ears looked small and delicate. Her lips, like her ears, were small and delicate, but also full and kissably soft and her skin, as his fingers brushed against it, was incredibly smooth. He felt himself lusting after her, but chided himself saying, " How can you such feelings for this woman, espescialy in this situation and circumstance. You don't even know her. You are Haldir of Lorien. You have maintained great honor and integrity in your service to the lord and lady, why jepordize that now?!She may seem to be your soul mate, but she vry well maynot be. Maybe there is a spell over her or it could be that your exhaustion is clouding your judgement. You complete the task that the lady gave you. "
Haldir wanted to side with logic and not get personally involved, but even as his mind told him not to fall for her, his heart was already gone.It now belonged to this mysterious woman of whom he knew nothing, save that she was here and needed his help.
Haldir resolved to keep his feelings secret, telling no one, not ven the woman in question of his strange attraction to her. It had to be this way because, even though the feelings were strong and true, he had shared his heart with no one for centuries and he was not sure if he wanted to start now. It became harder to concentrate as he stripped her body of its robes. She was perfectly formed, by human standards, she had a long neck and strong arms. Her breasts were full and inviting. It was difficult to tear his gaze from them as he forced himself to concentrate on cleaning and dressing her wound. Her abdomen was hard and toned, yet soft and supple at the same time. It was perfect ecxept for the woud in her side that was now bandaged. She had small hips that curved inticingly and her legs were muscular and perfectly toned. Haldir sleaned her small feet and bound them in dressings.
Once he had treated her wounds and cleaned her, Haldir took the gown from the table. He gingerly lifted her body into a sitting position with one arm, supporting her head with his hand, and with the other he slipped the gown over her head. He layed her back down on the bed and put her arms into the long sleeves of the silky gown, then he pulled it don her body. He had completed his task, now he had only to wait for Galadriel's return.
While awaiting Galadriel's return the exhaustion that Haldir had been fighting for many hours finaly won the battle. He slumped forward onto the bed, his head resting near the young woman's shoulder. Once again, sleep was not to last for he was stirred from his slumber by violent movement next to his head. His eyes flew open and he saw the young woman, who just hours before had been dead, convulsing and gasping for air. He quickly sat up and put his hands on her shoulders to keep her still. As he began to whisper soothing words in Elvish she relaxed and poened her eyes. Haldirwas captured by her gaze. She had deep hazel eyes that were swirling pools of emotion. They seemed to flash with fear and anger, but when she looked into Haldir's eyes they changed to show fascination. The two strangers stared at each other, knowing and not knowing each other at the same time.