draekon: thanks for sharing the wealth. and you will find some elvish in
this chapter. I'll put more in as I get used to it.
disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognize as the work of J.R.R. Tolkien. As of now the only things that I do own are Marsaili and the hunters.
a/n: well here's another chapter. hope you like it. if you review I promise to respond, so feel free to give me your input; good, bad, or otherwise. Enjoy.
Truce
Marsaili opened her eyes and looked about her. She expected to find Haldir still staring at her, but he was not where she had last seen him. Although she wasn't entirely certain how long she had lain there thinking either.
Marsaili continued to search the room with her eyes and found Haldir seated near a window. He was bent over with his elbows on his knees and his head resting on his hands. He looked to be deep in thought.
" Could he be thinking about the reason for my behavior?" she thought.
Marsaili knew that if she was to prevent Haldir from asking questions then she would have to divert his line of thought from what had just happened. She did not know how she could accomplish such a thing, but she could waste no more time trying to figure it out.
Marsaili breathed in deeply to try and settle her shattered nerves. She gently pushed her body up into a sitting position and was greatly relieved that the pain in her side had lessened. It still caused her a great deal of discomfort, but it was no longer blinding.
The thing she was truly dreading was trying to stand on her own. Her feet felt sore as she sat with her legs dangling over the edge of the bed; she still had yet to set foot on the floor. She knew that it would be painful to walk, but she also had to try and make Haldir put her weakness and vulnerability out of his mind. She knew of no other way to do this that did not involve showing him that she was healing, if only in her body.
Marsaili took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She pushed herself off the bed and onto her feet. Pain, like a thousand stabbing needles, pierced her senses; causing her to sway and nearly fall to the floor. Marsaili remained on her feet by sheer force of will. Every step she took toward Haldir's pensive figure felt like walking on hot coals. She hissed in pain with each step she took. By the time Marsaili reached Haldir's seat, her body was shaking with exhaustion; for the pain had drained her of her energy.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Haldir's P.O.V.~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Haldir rose from Marsaili's bedside and sat next to the window. Her words had cut through him like a knife. In her voice he could hear pain, anger, and blame. He knew that he was responsible for most of the emotions she was feeling. He knew that the water had been a trigger for a traumatic memory; because no nightmare could cause such a violent reaction.
Haldir realised that he would not only have to help Marsaili heal physically, but emotionally as well. However, in order to do that, she would have to be able to trust him, and that meant he would have to lower his shield of pride. Haldir knew he would have to tell Marsaili of his feelings for her soon because he did not want his inner struggle to give her reason to doubt him. He wanted her to be able to trust him with her secret, but that meant she would have to know him inside and out and that there could be no hidden truths between them.
Haldir was pulled out of his thoughts when he felt a wave of calm wash over him and he closed his eyes. But he also noticed that this reassurance was strangely familiar and laced with an electrical intensity. Realization dawned upon him and he opened his eyes.
" How can this be ," he thought," I left her on the bed. Besides, it would be far too painful for her to......." His thoughts trailed off as his body began to react, almost as if by instinct.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Marsaili's P.O.V.~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Haldir shot to his feet with such speed that Marsaili's trembling hand slipped off his broad shoulder and she had to blink to try to clear her vision.
" By the gods he's fast!" she thought to herself as she stood staring at his chest.
As the shock wore off, her eyes wandered up his muscular frame towards his face. She looked into his stormy grey eyes and saw his concern and apprehension for her. Marsaili wondered what would make Haldir openly show these emotions to her. They were similar to what she had seen the night Haldir had received the letter, but they were also different. Even when she had seen them before they had been quickly hidden, but now she could clearly read them.
"What had changed?" she wondered. But before she could ask her body began to collapse, her weak body could no longer support her weight.
Just as she thought she would hit the floor, Marsaili felt Haldir's strong arms wrap around her. Relief flooded through her and she clutched his tunic in a vice like grip.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Haldir's P.O.V. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Haldir reached his feet and turned to face Marsaili with characteristic elvin grace and speed. He saw that she was still very weak, yet she had managed the distance from the bed to the window on her own. Pride for her swelled in his heart, and although he was not accustomed to feeling such a strong emotion for a stranger, the sensation was not unwelcome.
However, as he studied the amazing woman before him, he was alarmed to see her body trembling. Quickly, concern and apprehension replaced the pride and admiration that had shone in his eyes just a moment earlier. When she raised her face to look upon his he could see din her eyes that she was loosing her battle with the pain. As Marsaili's body refused to support her weight Haldir caught her before she could fall to the floor.
He carried her back to the bed and gingerly lay her down upon it.
"Idh si" - rest here- he told her softly. He then made to rise and take the chair near her bedside, but was suprised to find that his movements were prevented by a pull on his tunic.
Haldir looked down to see if he had snagged his tunic on anything and was suprised to find that the opposite was true. It appeared Marsaili had snagged him.
"She must have grabbed it as she fell; in an effort to steady herself. She must not know that she still has a hold of it." he thought as he smiled to himself.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Marsaili's P.O.V. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Marsaili looked up into Haldir's face and was suprised to see a smile there. She had expected to see a scowl on his face and disapproval in his eyes.
"He's up to something," she thought. "Why else would he openly show such emotion?"
" Man?!-what?!- What is it? Why are you smiling at me?" Marsaili asked exasperatedly
"Oh it is nothing really hiril nin- my lady- " Haldir replied. "I just thought you would have had more confidence in my ability to catch you."
"Well that's not why I....."Marsaili trailed off realizing that she had no desire to tell Haldir that she had grabbed him out of relief. Her pride was one of the only parts of her that was still in tact and she had no desire to change that fact. She released him and adverted her eyes.
"No matter" Haldir continued. "Whatever your reasons for doing what you did it merely shows that there needs to be more trust between us. It is essential if we are to work together."
Marsaili looked back at him and could see in his eyes that his intent was pure.
" Perhaps he can be trusted after all." she thought.
"Henion- I understand- but what do you suppose we should do about it?" Marsaili asked in what she hoped was an non offensive tone.
" I thought we might try a truce." Haldir said thoughtfully. It would give us time to get to know each other and force us to 'play nicely.'"
" It sounds reasonable." she said in and even tone.
"Than it's agreed." Haldir stated. " Now that is settled you should prepare yourself for we have a long day ahead."
disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognize as the work of J.R.R. Tolkien. As of now the only things that I do own are Marsaili and the hunters.
a/n: well here's another chapter. hope you like it. if you review I promise to respond, so feel free to give me your input; good, bad, or otherwise. Enjoy.
Truce
Marsaili opened her eyes and looked about her. She expected to find Haldir still staring at her, but he was not where she had last seen him. Although she wasn't entirely certain how long she had lain there thinking either.
Marsaili continued to search the room with her eyes and found Haldir seated near a window. He was bent over with his elbows on his knees and his head resting on his hands. He looked to be deep in thought.
" Could he be thinking about the reason for my behavior?" she thought.
Marsaili knew that if she was to prevent Haldir from asking questions then she would have to divert his line of thought from what had just happened. She did not know how she could accomplish such a thing, but she could waste no more time trying to figure it out.
Marsaili breathed in deeply to try and settle her shattered nerves. She gently pushed her body up into a sitting position and was greatly relieved that the pain in her side had lessened. It still caused her a great deal of discomfort, but it was no longer blinding.
The thing she was truly dreading was trying to stand on her own. Her feet felt sore as she sat with her legs dangling over the edge of the bed; she still had yet to set foot on the floor. She knew that it would be painful to walk, but she also had to try and make Haldir put her weakness and vulnerability out of his mind. She knew of no other way to do this that did not involve showing him that she was healing, if only in her body.
Marsaili took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She pushed herself off the bed and onto her feet. Pain, like a thousand stabbing needles, pierced her senses; causing her to sway and nearly fall to the floor. Marsaili remained on her feet by sheer force of will. Every step she took toward Haldir's pensive figure felt like walking on hot coals. She hissed in pain with each step she took. By the time Marsaili reached Haldir's seat, her body was shaking with exhaustion; for the pain had drained her of her energy.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Haldir's P.O.V.~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Haldir rose from Marsaili's bedside and sat next to the window. Her words had cut through him like a knife. In her voice he could hear pain, anger, and blame. He knew that he was responsible for most of the emotions she was feeling. He knew that the water had been a trigger for a traumatic memory; because no nightmare could cause such a violent reaction.
Haldir realised that he would not only have to help Marsaili heal physically, but emotionally as well. However, in order to do that, she would have to be able to trust him, and that meant he would have to lower his shield of pride. Haldir knew he would have to tell Marsaili of his feelings for her soon because he did not want his inner struggle to give her reason to doubt him. He wanted her to be able to trust him with her secret, but that meant she would have to know him inside and out and that there could be no hidden truths between them.
Haldir was pulled out of his thoughts when he felt a wave of calm wash over him and he closed his eyes. But he also noticed that this reassurance was strangely familiar and laced with an electrical intensity. Realization dawned upon him and he opened his eyes.
" How can this be ," he thought," I left her on the bed. Besides, it would be far too painful for her to......." His thoughts trailed off as his body began to react, almost as if by instinct.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Marsaili's P.O.V.~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Haldir shot to his feet with such speed that Marsaili's trembling hand slipped off his broad shoulder and she had to blink to try to clear her vision.
" By the gods he's fast!" she thought to herself as she stood staring at his chest.
As the shock wore off, her eyes wandered up his muscular frame towards his face. She looked into his stormy grey eyes and saw his concern and apprehension for her. Marsaili wondered what would make Haldir openly show these emotions to her. They were similar to what she had seen the night Haldir had received the letter, but they were also different. Even when she had seen them before they had been quickly hidden, but now she could clearly read them.
"What had changed?" she wondered. But before she could ask her body began to collapse, her weak body could no longer support her weight.
Just as she thought she would hit the floor, Marsaili felt Haldir's strong arms wrap around her. Relief flooded through her and she clutched his tunic in a vice like grip.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Haldir's P.O.V. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Haldir reached his feet and turned to face Marsaili with characteristic elvin grace and speed. He saw that she was still very weak, yet she had managed the distance from the bed to the window on her own. Pride for her swelled in his heart, and although he was not accustomed to feeling such a strong emotion for a stranger, the sensation was not unwelcome.
However, as he studied the amazing woman before him, he was alarmed to see her body trembling. Quickly, concern and apprehension replaced the pride and admiration that had shone in his eyes just a moment earlier. When she raised her face to look upon his he could see din her eyes that she was loosing her battle with the pain. As Marsaili's body refused to support her weight Haldir caught her before she could fall to the floor.
He carried her back to the bed and gingerly lay her down upon it.
"Idh si" - rest here- he told her softly. He then made to rise and take the chair near her bedside, but was suprised to find that his movements were prevented by a pull on his tunic.
Haldir looked down to see if he had snagged his tunic on anything and was suprised to find that the opposite was true. It appeared Marsaili had snagged him.
"She must have grabbed it as she fell; in an effort to steady herself. She must not know that she still has a hold of it." he thought as he smiled to himself.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Marsaili's P.O.V. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Marsaili looked up into Haldir's face and was suprised to see a smile there. She had expected to see a scowl on his face and disapproval in his eyes.
"He's up to something," she thought. "Why else would he openly show such emotion?"
" Man?!-what?!- What is it? Why are you smiling at me?" Marsaili asked exasperatedly
"Oh it is nothing really hiril nin- my lady- " Haldir replied. "I just thought you would have had more confidence in my ability to catch you."
"Well that's not why I....."Marsaili trailed off realizing that she had no desire to tell Haldir that she had grabbed him out of relief. Her pride was one of the only parts of her that was still in tact and she had no desire to change that fact. She released him and adverted her eyes.
"No matter" Haldir continued. "Whatever your reasons for doing what you did it merely shows that there needs to be more trust between us. It is essential if we are to work together."
Marsaili looked back at him and could see in his eyes that his intent was pure.
" Perhaps he can be trusted after all." she thought.
"Henion- I understand- but what do you suppose we should do about it?" Marsaili asked in what she hoped was an non offensive tone.
" I thought we might try a truce." Haldir said thoughtfully. It would give us time to get to know each other and force us to 'play nicely.'"
" It sounds reasonable." she said in and even tone.
"Than it's agreed." Haldir stated. " Now that is settled you should prepare yourself for we have a long day ahead."