Author's Note: Don't tell me how long it's been since I've posted. Okay, I'll tell you, it's been 9 months. I've had most of this chapter written for some time, but couldn't get an ending point for it. I should have been studying for my Spanish oral tomorrow, but I did this instead. All for you, all for you, hehe. Unfortunately I must throw this out: I make no promises with this fic. It's a miracle I ever even finished this chapter. I hope I can continue entertaining you, but I have to have time and inspiration. Thank God that Christmas break is soon. Lastly, the song for this chapter is "Dare You to Move" by Switchfoot.

Chapter 3 "A Journey in the Dark"

He walked through the winding passages quickly, trying to put as much distance between him and the royal couple as possible. He paused at the ladder ascending to his talan, but decided against it. 'I would probably just break something I actually liked.' he thought. Haldir continued through the maze of paths through the treetops until he descended to the ground. He took off into the forest, hoping to find relief and comfort in the branches of the mellyrn.

He soon came to his favourite glade, a place he came to as a child. He rested his hand gently on the mallorn he had claimed as his own over a thousand years ago. He gazed upon the brook flowing gently around the trees. Haldir snorted in disgust. "Perhaps one of the most peaceful places in Middle Earth and still I cannot find comfort." He looked desperately around for a moment, hoping peace could be sought in the fluttering of a moth or the quiet trill of a swallow. It was not to be. 'I will find no peace here tonight,' he realized as he quickly exited the glade and climbed the nearest ladder.

He continued to walk on the many different paths leading around Caras Galadhon, often backtracking just to escape the presence of other Elves. 'That is the last thing I want,' he thought bitterly. 'They have no doubt all heard about my assignment to the Eastern front by now. And to be upstaged by that haughty little she-elf!' He quickened his pace as his footfalls were more like a rampaging bull then the stealth of a cat for which the Elves were known.

He knew he had no reason to seriously think badly of the Rivendell captain, but he was angered, and by the Valar, he was going to see that anger vented in some way or the other. "If pacing is the way, so be it," he muttered. '...although I would much rather decapitate something.' His stride slowed as the anger began to seep from him. He was far away from the center of the city by now, and was surprised to hear the tread of another on the path just behind him. 'I never will escape, will I?' He turned just as the intruder rounded the corner.

~~

She had been walking for a good hour and her patience was already wearing thin. 'I have had to travel all day to finally arrive here, only to have to search out a sulking Elf captain!' She had asked several guards and other Elves about the city for a hint as to where the infamous March Warden may be. The best she had gotten was a point in a general direction. She would have been happy with that except she had been pointed in every direction there was, and then some!

"This elf is either walking in circles, or these Lorien Elves enjoy taunting strangers!" She said this a bit too loudly and got quite a few raised eyebrows in her direction, that was all the people were good at she imagined. She had been pointed last out of the city, and she prayed to the Valar that she was going the right way and would find her quarry soon; she was simply too tired to keep this up much longer.

She tried not to think of the soreness in her feet as she put her head down and continued on her deliberate march. She let her thoughts wander to her home, her people. Was she ready to die for these people? Of course, she was no innocent she-Elf, and moreover she knew her duty. She looked up, about to gaze over Lothlorien, silently comparing it to Rivendell, when she turned a corner and ran right into the one she was sent to find, but didn't care much to see.

"Is there something I can help you with, captain?" he asked gruffly.

She was tempted to say she had just been wandering around and that she would go on her way, but the Lady's words reverberated in her mind "...you must not let walls be built between you." She forced herself to say something.

"Excuse me sir, I only meant to find you and-"

"And this is how the Elves of Rivendell teach their soldiers to track down prey? I must say, I certainly hope not as I was expecting a group of trained Elves, not a leader who walks loud enough for even the Dwarves to hear!"

The fact that he himself had been doing the exact same thing moments before did not faze him and he continued on.

"Furthermore, captain, had it not occurred to you once you came so far out of the city that perhaps I did not want to be bothered? If my actions were not clear enough for you, let me assure you, I- want- nothing- to- do- with- you!" he spat.

With eyes slightly glazed over and thoughts of her hands around Haldir's neck, Anaril fought to regain her composure. Fighting with him was not going to help anything she reasoned. But then again, he deserves to hear that he's a pompous ass and who better to tell him then the one who's temporarily taking over his position on the Northern Fence? These thoughts warred in her head, and she didn't even notice the fuming Elf in front of her until-

"What in the Valar's name are you still doing here?" he bellowed.

Her eyes snapped to his, and she let her fury have free reign.

"You arrogant self-serving son of an Orc! How dare you speak to me this way? I only came here to keep peace between our soldiers and you behave like a spoiled Elfling! I was wrong when I thought I could have changed your mind about me. It would not even matter if I was as good as you, would it? No, because I'm a poor helpless female who is only fit to service selfish bastards like you! My soldiers and I have three days until we move on to the northern borders, until then, stay away from me!"

With that, Anaril turned on her heel and resolutely marched back to the city.

~~

"How did it go, my love?"

Galadriel slowly straightened from over the basin where she had witnessed the captains' argument from within its waters. She turned her face and gazed at Celeborn.

"Not so well dearest, not so well at all..."

~~

Cool, clear water broke over her. She hadn't even bothered taking off anything besides her court armor before diving into the small pool. Anaril remained submerged under the water for quite some time, staring at the small shiny pebbles, forgetting her worries temporarily.

She should be working out the plans for holding down the eastern border. She should be conferring with the other wardens from this realm. She should be doing a whole host of things for her troops, but instead she was taking time for herself. 'If I'm going to be selfish, I'm at least going to enjoy it for a while,' she thought.

Clearing her head of the days activities she gathered some of the smoothest pebbles to bring back with her when she returned home. Like most elves, Anaril wasn't concerned with possessions or material things. As to why she was collecting these trinkets, she couldn't really say. She only knew that her day had been a colossal mess and that picking up these stones made her feel better for some reason.

She forgot that as soon as she had stepped foot in this city she had been alienated by the Elves here. She forgot that she had met the most powerful Elf in Arda, and she had certainly forgot meeting the biggest brute in all of Arda as well. Most importantly, she had forgotten keep a lookout. She felt herself being pulled up out of the water. The captain of Rivendell had been caught off guard.

~~

Haldir's hands were positively bloody. Apparently, the mallryn could fight back. He should have learned by now. And if that wasn't enough he was still fuming. 'Morgoth take that she-devil!' he thought as he strode along the Celebrant river, attempting to skip stones across its surface and failing miserably.

'This day has been from the Dark Lord himself,' Haldir sighed, finally taking a seat near the river bank. He ranted to himself about his troubles, the unfairness of his assignment from Galadriel, his disturbing dreams as of late, and that orc of an Elf.

He focused his attention to the ever flowing river. Once again he was taken back to thoughts of his elf-hood. Visions from his past rushed through him. The thrill of his first hunt, the times spent with his father, and most of all, the times spent beating his brothers for any and all reason. As he stared at the river with eyes slightly glazed, he let the troubles of the day slip from his mind. He reclined by the river, his breathing slowed, and he forgot why he was ever worried at all.


He seemed unreasonably relaxed, possibly since it had been so long since the warden had truly sat down for more than ten minutes. It came as a surprise then, when he felt the prick of arrow directed at the back of his neck. His whole body tensed. The captain of Lorien had been caught off guard.