I do not own the people places and things from Lord of the Rings, those
belongs to Tolkien. The original characters are my own creation and belong
to me!
Of Sunrise and Sunset Chapter 1
It is a beautiful autumn day in the forest of Lothlorien. Haldir and his brothers, Rumil and Orophin are out on a journey to gather news and patrol the forest borders. The forest seems peaceful, so they are enjoying the day, listening to the trees talk and the whispering of the wind.
"Do not look now, but we are not alone" Haldir whispers to his brothers without looking behind him. "Arrows ready." Turning fast around he draws arrow to bowstring shouting, "Come out and I won't use you for a quiver!"
The only answer that comes is the sound of laughter on the wind.
"Ithil!" Haldir shakes his head slowly as he lowers his bow. "Ithil, how many times must I tell you that you are too young to be following us?"
The answer this time came in the form of an arrow that whizzes by his head missing it by less than an inch. Haldir doesn't even blink.
"I am just as gifted as you with the bow Haldir! I can take care of myself!" Came a girl's voice that is light and musical like wind chimes. Out of the shadows Ithil steps into the sunlight. She is not very tall for she has not yet come of age in elvish years. Her fair blonde hair is like most of the other elves in Lothlorien. The one feature that sets her apart from other elves is her incredibly deep dark green eyes, a rarity among elves.
"Ithil you are only 73 years old."
"75!" Ithil says stamping her foot.
"My point is you are to young to be venturing out so far from Caras Galadhon." Haldir says, his voice gruff with irritation and anger. "Now we have to take you back ourselves to make sure you get there alright."
"I can see myself back, I don't need an armed escort." Ithil disappears up into the nearest tree trying to hide in the uppermost branches. Jumping from tree to tree in cat-like silence she puts some distance between herself and Haldir and his brothers.
Or so she thinks.
Coming to a stop at the top of a very high tree that overlooks the land, she sits down.
"I only wish to see all there is to see in the world." She says out loud to herself. For she has never been allowed to leave Caras Galadhon before and today she snuck away, following Haldir's trail into the forest.
A voice answers her from behind. "You breathe so loud I could have shot you in the dark."
Without looking behind her, she says sarcastically, "Very funny Haldir, you should remember that one."
"Ithil." Haldir starts, but pauses in mid-sentence as if thinking. "If you will follow us, and you promise that if there is trouble you will hide in the trees. you may come with us." Rumil and Orophin look at Haldir in surprise, they could not go with him till they were 100 years old. Looking at each other they shrug, Haldir was the oldest and if he wanted this young girl to follow them it was on his head.
"Really? Can we follow the river to the great waterfall?" Ithil asks her eyes sparkle with delight.
"Do you promise?" Haldir looking like he is starting to regret allowing this at all and getting inpatient with her.
" Of course I promise, let's go!" Ithil starts to walk past him. But he stands in her way.
"An oath is a solemn thing among our people Ithil, I expect you to hold to your word." Haldir stands in her way, a dead serious look on his face.
"I know Haldir, I will keep true to my word to you, now and always." Ithil looks into his eyes, a shadow passes over her face that takes him by surprise.
"Well then let us be on our way." Rumil shouts running past all of them.
"Last one to the river is an orc!" Orophin shouts in return as he runs after Rumil.
"Let's have at them Ithil! Stay close!" Haldir laughs as he follows his brothers into the dense trees. Laughing Ithil chases after. Soon they come to the musical waters of Nimrodel.
"Look and behold the fairness of our land, Ithil." Haldir sweeps his arm in a grand gesture to the river and the lands all around. Ithil looks; never in her dreams did she imagine anything so beautiful.
"It's so wondrous." Says Ithil "I wish to see more! Can we go the falls, Haldir?" Her eyes are bright with wonder and delight. Haldir laughs heartily.
"Of course my lady!" He laughs as he makes a sweeping bow, "whatever the lady wishes. Coming brothers?"
Rumil and Orophin look at each other then they both look at Haldir .
"I think we will stay here and enjoy the music of the water." Orophin says as he leans back against a tree.
"Yes, I agree. You two go on ahead we will catch up later." Agrees Rumil, as a mischievous look passes over his face.
Haldir sighs, rolling his eyes he says to Ithil, "Come on." Motioning Ithil to follow him along the shoreline.
The musical sound of the water steadily becomes louder and the sound of Ithil's laughter blends with it until they merge perfectly into a beautiful melody. They break through a dense growth of trees to see the top of the falls of Celairlanthir.
"Oh Haldir, it more wonderful then I could have ever hoped!" Ithil's eyes if possible are even wider than before and seem to sparkle like two great emeralds. Haldir looks down at her, it brings a warm feeling to his heart that he has never felt before. He likes the feeling and wants to keep on making Ithil happy.
Farther downriver beneath the falls, they see movement in the rushes on the opposite side of the river. Quickly both Haldir and Ithil hide in a tree.
"What do you think it is Haldir?" Ithil asks quietly.
"Men, I can smell them now that the wind has changed direction."
"Men? What do they want here?"
"I do not know it can not be for good for there is an ill wind about them." Haldir replies. "Ithil for now I want you to stay here in this tree. My brothers should be catching their scent about now and be on their way."
"We are already here brother." Came the whispered voice of Rumil. Rumil and Orophin appear next to them in the tree.
"Stay here we will see what they are up to. If the need arises go as swiftly as you can to sound the alarm." Orophin tells Ithil. Nodding she settles in a crook of the tree to hide from prying eyes. Haldir and his brothers silently leave the tree and make their way down the river. If Ithil had not been an Elf and if she did not know what to look for she would have never have seen them.
Finally they came to a tree directly across from where the men are. They can see now that there are at least twenty of them. The men bring out a boat; about half of them get into it and they paddle their way across the river.
In the tree Haldir and his brothers are watching and speculating about what the men are doing.
"They seem to be searching for something brothers." Orophin says to the others.
"I agree Orophin; but what could they be searching for? They seem to be taking a great deal of time along the river bank." Replies Rumil
"We should send Ithil for help." Orophin says.
"We can not get word to her without revealing that she is there, for the men are almost across." Haldir replies. "No it is up to us right now but soon others will catch their scent on the wind and come. For now we watch and wait."
The men finally reach their side of the river . One of the men in a gruff, gravelly voice calls out, "You two search upstream the rest of you head down stream. We will find that ring or I will know the reason why not! His Lordship does not take kindly to failure."
"The ring." Whispers Haldir.
"The ring?" Rumil and Orophin echo back.
"What do you think they mean Haldir?" Asks Rumil.
"The only ring I can think of that men would go to such trouble for, is the one ring of Sauron. It is said that Isildur was ambushed by orcs and lost it in a river. For the One ring was not on him when they retrieved his body from the water." Haldir tells them. Turing to look at them, he says, "Who could have sent them to search here? We must stop them."
The two men heading upriver they are getting close to where Ithil hid.
Out of just to see what was happening better or just plain not knowing what she's doing Ithil leaves the crook of the tree and starts coming into view of the men. She obviously does not know that she is in danger of being discovered; but before Haldir can do anything the two men spot her.
"Well well well, lookie at the songbird in the tree Moitir." Said the one man pointing up at Ithil.
"Yeah; say isn't it hunting season for songbirds Balthín?" Replies Moitir.
"Why I do believe you are right but I think that this bird would make a better trophy in a cage, then stuffed and mounted on the wall." Balthín said leeringly. Ithil does not know what to do. She does not want to call out to Haldir and his brothers lest she draw attention to their position.
"You will find that this bird has sharp talons!" Ithil hisses menacingly. With that she draws her bow sending an arrow through the air skewering Moitir straight through, front to back.
"Now that's not nice little song bird." Balthín growls menacingly at her, the commotion draws the attention of the other men who make their way to where they are.
"Now!" Shouts Haldir. And Rumil, Orophin and him, drop out of the tree behind the men, swords drawn. The men are taken by surprise, but quick enough they too have their swords out and face the three brothers.
Ithil drops down from the tree and runs into the forest to get help. She can hear the sound of the battle behind her, she stops unsure. Should she go back and try to help? Making her way back to the river she can see that the men have almost overpowered the three brothers. Drawing an arrow she pulls back her bow.
"Not so fast my dear." Says a rough voice by her ear. She is so intent on the battle that she did not hear Balthín following her. Looking around she sees that he has his sword to her back. She lowers her bow.
"Get up!" He says, slowly Ithil gets to her feet. "Walk!" He nudges her with his sword. They go to the riverbank where the men and elves are still in the heat of battle.
"Hey you pointy ears! I've got your pretty little songbird here and if you don't want her to end up on a spit you better put down your swords!" Rumil and Orophin did not know the common language of men very well but they can tell what he means when they see he has captured Ithil. The three brothers put their swords on the ground and raise their hands in the air. Quickly the men surround them and pick up the swords and take away their bows and arrows. The men tie the hands of the elves behind them.
"She should bring a good reward, this pretty little songbird." Said Balthín.
"Yes but why should his Lordship have all the fun?" Said a different man. "We could help him out by breaking her spirit a little for him. I'm sure he won't mind."
All the men agree and leer at Ithil. Her heart is beating wildly.
"Come on dearie I won't hurt you" said Balthín, leering at her "Much" He says laughing, dragging her into the forest.
"Here now, why should you go first?" the largest man says. Then they all start fighting among themselves, the fight turns to pushing and shoving, the pushing and shoving turn into punching and kicking. In the uproar none of the men notice that the Haldir and his brothers have freed themselves from their bonds, also no one notices that Balthin is dragging Ithil into the forest his hand over her mouth.
In the fracas the brothers easily dispatch the men. Upon seeing the brothers win the battle, the men on the other side of the river run off. But Ithil is nowhere to be seen. Wildly Haldir looks around; she is his responsibility he has to find her.
They look up and down the riverbank but there is no sign of her. Looking down they see in the mud, plain as day the tracks of someone being dragged off. A high-pitched scream fills the air. Haldir takes off like lightening his brothers close behind.
"Now my little bird, let's pluck your feathers." Balthín starts to tear at her clothes, Ithil fights back but Balthín is just a bit stronger than her. She lets out a piercing scream.
"Enough of that you!" and he backhands her across the face knocking her unconscious.
Haldir bursts through the bushes taking Balthín by surprise; in a fit of rage Haldir raises his sword and cuts Balthín's head off. A second later his brothers burst in; they look at Haldir in surprise, they had never seen their brother totally lose control like that.
"Let's get her back." Says Haldir as he gently lifts her limp body.
Haldir is angry with himself; then and there makes a vow to himself that he will not let anything ever happen to Ithil, looking down into her face, he promises her as well.
"Dúath avon rada le." He whispers.
Of Sunrise and Sunset Chapter 1
It is a beautiful autumn day in the forest of Lothlorien. Haldir and his brothers, Rumil and Orophin are out on a journey to gather news and patrol the forest borders. The forest seems peaceful, so they are enjoying the day, listening to the trees talk and the whispering of the wind.
"Do not look now, but we are not alone" Haldir whispers to his brothers without looking behind him. "Arrows ready." Turning fast around he draws arrow to bowstring shouting, "Come out and I won't use you for a quiver!"
The only answer that comes is the sound of laughter on the wind.
"Ithil!" Haldir shakes his head slowly as he lowers his bow. "Ithil, how many times must I tell you that you are too young to be following us?"
The answer this time came in the form of an arrow that whizzes by his head missing it by less than an inch. Haldir doesn't even blink.
"I am just as gifted as you with the bow Haldir! I can take care of myself!" Came a girl's voice that is light and musical like wind chimes. Out of the shadows Ithil steps into the sunlight. She is not very tall for she has not yet come of age in elvish years. Her fair blonde hair is like most of the other elves in Lothlorien. The one feature that sets her apart from other elves is her incredibly deep dark green eyes, a rarity among elves.
"Ithil you are only 73 years old."
"75!" Ithil says stamping her foot.
"My point is you are to young to be venturing out so far from Caras Galadhon." Haldir says, his voice gruff with irritation and anger. "Now we have to take you back ourselves to make sure you get there alright."
"I can see myself back, I don't need an armed escort." Ithil disappears up into the nearest tree trying to hide in the uppermost branches. Jumping from tree to tree in cat-like silence she puts some distance between herself and Haldir and his brothers.
Or so she thinks.
Coming to a stop at the top of a very high tree that overlooks the land, she sits down.
"I only wish to see all there is to see in the world." She says out loud to herself. For she has never been allowed to leave Caras Galadhon before and today she snuck away, following Haldir's trail into the forest.
A voice answers her from behind. "You breathe so loud I could have shot you in the dark."
Without looking behind her, she says sarcastically, "Very funny Haldir, you should remember that one."
"Ithil." Haldir starts, but pauses in mid-sentence as if thinking. "If you will follow us, and you promise that if there is trouble you will hide in the trees. you may come with us." Rumil and Orophin look at Haldir in surprise, they could not go with him till they were 100 years old. Looking at each other they shrug, Haldir was the oldest and if he wanted this young girl to follow them it was on his head.
"Really? Can we follow the river to the great waterfall?" Ithil asks her eyes sparkle with delight.
"Do you promise?" Haldir looking like he is starting to regret allowing this at all and getting inpatient with her.
" Of course I promise, let's go!" Ithil starts to walk past him. But he stands in her way.
"An oath is a solemn thing among our people Ithil, I expect you to hold to your word." Haldir stands in her way, a dead serious look on his face.
"I know Haldir, I will keep true to my word to you, now and always." Ithil looks into his eyes, a shadow passes over her face that takes him by surprise.
"Well then let us be on our way." Rumil shouts running past all of them.
"Last one to the river is an orc!" Orophin shouts in return as he runs after Rumil.
"Let's have at them Ithil! Stay close!" Haldir laughs as he follows his brothers into the dense trees. Laughing Ithil chases after. Soon they come to the musical waters of Nimrodel.
"Look and behold the fairness of our land, Ithil." Haldir sweeps his arm in a grand gesture to the river and the lands all around. Ithil looks; never in her dreams did she imagine anything so beautiful.
"It's so wondrous." Says Ithil "I wish to see more! Can we go the falls, Haldir?" Her eyes are bright with wonder and delight. Haldir laughs heartily.
"Of course my lady!" He laughs as he makes a sweeping bow, "whatever the lady wishes. Coming brothers?"
Rumil and Orophin look at each other then they both look at Haldir .
"I think we will stay here and enjoy the music of the water." Orophin says as he leans back against a tree.
"Yes, I agree. You two go on ahead we will catch up later." Agrees Rumil, as a mischievous look passes over his face.
Haldir sighs, rolling his eyes he says to Ithil, "Come on." Motioning Ithil to follow him along the shoreline.
The musical sound of the water steadily becomes louder and the sound of Ithil's laughter blends with it until they merge perfectly into a beautiful melody. They break through a dense growth of trees to see the top of the falls of Celairlanthir.
"Oh Haldir, it more wonderful then I could have ever hoped!" Ithil's eyes if possible are even wider than before and seem to sparkle like two great emeralds. Haldir looks down at her, it brings a warm feeling to his heart that he has never felt before. He likes the feeling and wants to keep on making Ithil happy.
Farther downriver beneath the falls, they see movement in the rushes on the opposite side of the river. Quickly both Haldir and Ithil hide in a tree.
"What do you think it is Haldir?" Ithil asks quietly.
"Men, I can smell them now that the wind has changed direction."
"Men? What do they want here?"
"I do not know it can not be for good for there is an ill wind about them." Haldir replies. "Ithil for now I want you to stay here in this tree. My brothers should be catching their scent about now and be on their way."
"We are already here brother." Came the whispered voice of Rumil. Rumil and Orophin appear next to them in the tree.
"Stay here we will see what they are up to. If the need arises go as swiftly as you can to sound the alarm." Orophin tells Ithil. Nodding she settles in a crook of the tree to hide from prying eyes. Haldir and his brothers silently leave the tree and make their way down the river. If Ithil had not been an Elf and if she did not know what to look for she would have never have seen them.
Finally they came to a tree directly across from where the men are. They can see now that there are at least twenty of them. The men bring out a boat; about half of them get into it and they paddle their way across the river.
In the tree Haldir and his brothers are watching and speculating about what the men are doing.
"They seem to be searching for something brothers." Orophin says to the others.
"I agree Orophin; but what could they be searching for? They seem to be taking a great deal of time along the river bank." Replies Rumil
"We should send Ithil for help." Orophin says.
"We can not get word to her without revealing that she is there, for the men are almost across." Haldir replies. "No it is up to us right now but soon others will catch their scent on the wind and come. For now we watch and wait."
The men finally reach their side of the river . One of the men in a gruff, gravelly voice calls out, "You two search upstream the rest of you head down stream. We will find that ring or I will know the reason why not! His Lordship does not take kindly to failure."
"The ring." Whispers Haldir.
"The ring?" Rumil and Orophin echo back.
"What do you think they mean Haldir?" Asks Rumil.
"The only ring I can think of that men would go to such trouble for, is the one ring of Sauron. It is said that Isildur was ambushed by orcs and lost it in a river. For the One ring was not on him when they retrieved his body from the water." Haldir tells them. Turing to look at them, he says, "Who could have sent them to search here? We must stop them."
The two men heading upriver they are getting close to where Ithil hid.
Out of just to see what was happening better or just plain not knowing what she's doing Ithil leaves the crook of the tree and starts coming into view of the men. She obviously does not know that she is in danger of being discovered; but before Haldir can do anything the two men spot her.
"Well well well, lookie at the songbird in the tree Moitir." Said the one man pointing up at Ithil.
"Yeah; say isn't it hunting season for songbirds Balthín?" Replies Moitir.
"Why I do believe you are right but I think that this bird would make a better trophy in a cage, then stuffed and mounted on the wall." Balthín said leeringly. Ithil does not know what to do. She does not want to call out to Haldir and his brothers lest she draw attention to their position.
"You will find that this bird has sharp talons!" Ithil hisses menacingly. With that she draws her bow sending an arrow through the air skewering Moitir straight through, front to back.
"Now that's not nice little song bird." Balthín growls menacingly at her, the commotion draws the attention of the other men who make their way to where they are.
"Now!" Shouts Haldir. And Rumil, Orophin and him, drop out of the tree behind the men, swords drawn. The men are taken by surprise, but quick enough they too have their swords out and face the three brothers.
Ithil drops down from the tree and runs into the forest to get help. She can hear the sound of the battle behind her, she stops unsure. Should she go back and try to help? Making her way back to the river she can see that the men have almost overpowered the three brothers. Drawing an arrow she pulls back her bow.
"Not so fast my dear." Says a rough voice by her ear. She is so intent on the battle that she did not hear Balthín following her. Looking around she sees that he has his sword to her back. She lowers her bow.
"Get up!" He says, slowly Ithil gets to her feet. "Walk!" He nudges her with his sword. They go to the riverbank where the men and elves are still in the heat of battle.
"Hey you pointy ears! I've got your pretty little songbird here and if you don't want her to end up on a spit you better put down your swords!" Rumil and Orophin did not know the common language of men very well but they can tell what he means when they see he has captured Ithil. The three brothers put their swords on the ground and raise their hands in the air. Quickly the men surround them and pick up the swords and take away their bows and arrows. The men tie the hands of the elves behind them.
"She should bring a good reward, this pretty little songbird." Said Balthín.
"Yes but why should his Lordship have all the fun?" Said a different man. "We could help him out by breaking her spirit a little for him. I'm sure he won't mind."
All the men agree and leer at Ithil. Her heart is beating wildly.
"Come on dearie I won't hurt you" said Balthín, leering at her "Much" He says laughing, dragging her into the forest.
"Here now, why should you go first?" the largest man says. Then they all start fighting among themselves, the fight turns to pushing and shoving, the pushing and shoving turn into punching and kicking. In the uproar none of the men notice that the Haldir and his brothers have freed themselves from their bonds, also no one notices that Balthin is dragging Ithil into the forest his hand over her mouth.
In the fracas the brothers easily dispatch the men. Upon seeing the brothers win the battle, the men on the other side of the river run off. But Ithil is nowhere to be seen. Wildly Haldir looks around; she is his responsibility he has to find her.
They look up and down the riverbank but there is no sign of her. Looking down they see in the mud, plain as day the tracks of someone being dragged off. A high-pitched scream fills the air. Haldir takes off like lightening his brothers close behind.
"Now my little bird, let's pluck your feathers." Balthín starts to tear at her clothes, Ithil fights back but Balthín is just a bit stronger than her. She lets out a piercing scream.
"Enough of that you!" and he backhands her across the face knocking her unconscious.
Haldir bursts through the bushes taking Balthín by surprise; in a fit of rage Haldir raises his sword and cuts Balthín's head off. A second later his brothers burst in; they look at Haldir in surprise, they had never seen their brother totally lose control like that.
"Let's get her back." Says Haldir as he gently lifts her limp body.
Haldir is angry with himself; then and there makes a vow to himself that he will not let anything ever happen to Ithil, looking down into her face, he promises her as well.
"Dúath avon rada le." He whispers.