AN: Since I don't know how to put text in italics (somebody wanna tell me?)
I put the mental stuff in asterisks ( *"blah"* ) ok?
**
As Lady Galadriel had promised, I was in the room when Haldir woke up. It was near midnight two days after Rúmil carried me away to sleep and that night the moon was bright and full. I was standing outside on the Lord and Lady's balcony (Haldir had not yet been moved, and I had no idea where they were staying in the meantime) bathed in clear light from Ithil, the moon. My arms were hugging my shoulders with a handkerchief in one hand. There were tears in my eyes and my nose was plugged from crying.
I don't know how long he watched me stand there like that, but I know I stood as silent sobs wracked my body until the moon passed through the trees and out of sight.
*"Why do you cry, lirimaer?"* He asked me telepathically. His voice in my head sounded sympathetic and caring, but hurt also, for some reason.
I whipped around and stared at him for a moment before striding to his chair, picking a small book from a desk as I passed. He pushed himself up and leaned on the backboard of the bed.
"Our only calendar was the moon, and my brother Keiro was born on the second full moon after harvest. He would be nine tonight." I paused and opened the book to Keiro's bookmark. "This was his." I tried to fight back the tears that wanted to fall.
Haldir reached up and wiped a tear from my face with his thumb before holding my chin in his hand. I opened my eyes to see his face almost as sad- looking as mine.
"I hate seeing you cry." he whispered tenderly. "Instead of thinking of what he would be, and what he could have done, think of all the things he did, and of the times you spent with him."
I shot Haldir an appreciative smile, and held his hand to my face as I tried to remember a day just a few years earlier.
**
"Gliri! Mama! Papa! Gunter!" A little boy ran out of a brown box, almost recognizable as a barn due to its thatched roof and peeling wooden shingles. His hands were cupped in front of his chest, and his brown curls bounced in stride with his pounding foot-steps. Bright, dark brown eyes peered out from above two red dimpled cheeks, and a broad smile adorned his small mouth. He couldn't have been more than three or four years old.
"Gliri? Mama? Papa? Gunter?" He called again, a tad more urgently this time. He changed direction and headed for a house where there was a girl standing under a small awning, instead of the cornfield. She was grinning almost as broadly as her brother (they were obviously related). Her hair was waist length of the same strawberry blonde tint, but her eyes were a pale green. She was tall and lanky, and obvious beanstalk. The boy ran up to her and stopped in front of the girl.
"Gliri! Look! Winnie had babies!" He opened his hands to show a small ball of white and brown fluff no bigger than even his palms. Gliri knelt down onto her knees, and gently put her hands below her brother's. The kitten inside mewled gently and padded at Keiro's fingers with tiny paws. The girl smiled, showing straight white teeth.
"Why don't we put him back with his mama?" She asked gently as she looked from the kitten to the boy's face. His smile shrank for a moment, but then his sister asked him to show her the rest of the babies. His cute smile returned.
**
There was a subdued smile on Gliriel's face when her eyes again focused back on Haldir. His hand had fallen and was being held by Gliriel's hands as if it were the kitten. He smiled to her, he had seen the memory also.
"If I had to say that one of my siblings was like me, I would definitely say Keiro." She paused, and her eyes clouded over again. "He could see almost as far as I, and he was the only one of them that could beat me at a footrace." She looked back into Haldir's eyes, and a small grin formed on her lips. "You would have liked him."
Haldir's signature grin also appeared. "You think so?"
The she-elf nodded. "He was extremely bright, and he had your sense of humor."
"And you do not?"
Gliriel returned his sarcastic smirk, and casually asked him if he would like something to drink. Haldir should get some rest. although she too was also thirsty. Celeborn had left an opened bottle of red wine on the desk nearby. Gliriel then decided that a little wine couldn't hurt him.
"If you would be so kind." The bedridden Marchwarden answered courteously. He could see right through her pitch though, and had to be considerate of her motives. He had no intention of returning to sleep quite yet, he wasn't in the least bit tired, and he had slept most of the last two weeks.
Gliriel stood and sauntered over to where the Lord of Lórien had left the wine and set down her brother's book on the desk. With some trouble, she managed to pull the cork from the bottle and a faint pop resounding in the still night air. Nonchalantly, she turned her back to him, and slipped a small amount of sleeping draught into what was going to be Haldir's goblet. She then poured herself a glass (obviously free of potion) and carried them over, back towards Haldir being extra careful to note which one was hers, and which one wasn't. She smiled sweetly - too sweetly, in Haldir's opinion - and handed him his glass. She sat down and made the distinct mistake of watching him apprehensively over the rim of her glass as she took a sip.
Haldir put the glass to his lips and saw the pearly coating on the top of the wine. He tilted the glass, but pressed his lips tightly shut, permitting none of the liquid into his mouth. He cast his mind about, looking for a way to get out of drinking this.
"Your brother's book. may I see it?" He inquired, remembering just in time that she had left it on Celeborn's desk.
Not suspecting a thing, Gliriel set down her glass on the bedside table - easily within Haldir's reach - before she stood up to fetch the book. In the few seconds while her back was turned, Haldir took what might be his only opportunity and replaced his goblet with hers, careful to place it in the exact spot on the wicker table that she had, lest she notice the exchange. He smirked, in love with the sheer brilliance of his hastily planned design.
When Gliriel returned with Keiro's leather bound book, she handed it to him, receiving thanks from the elf. He took a sip of her wine to conceal the mischievous grin on his face. Gliriel again sat back down and took a mouthful of the tainted wine before setting it down on the wicker table again.
The draught took effect almost instantaneously. She fell forward - effectively unconscious - onto Haldir's stomach. He too had taken a mouthful of wine, and nearly had to spit it out when her head landed on the cut on his abdomen.
But, then as the pain subsided, his mouth furled into a prim, triumphant smile as he let out a chirp of happiness.
He had not lost his adept ability to make she-elves faint.
Haldir sighed. "Perfect," he whispered. He had - for the moment anyway - a new book, a glass of his favorite red wine, and Gliriel unable to strike back for his trick.
Well. Almost perfect. The wine would run out, and, most unfortunately, the she-elf would awaken, and she would definitely not be in the best of moods. He was confident she would retaliate harshly and quickly. Remember what she did to his brothers for giving her a sleeping draught? They ended up bound and gagged under a blanket.
He sighed again. "Oh well, enjoy it while you have it." Haldir, a small grin still pasted on his lips, opened the book to the first page with one hand and began casually stroking Gliriel's silky blonde hair behind her pointed ear, lapsing in concentration only to sip a vintage merlot.
*
Once, when the sun began to peek over the horizon, the Lady of Light snuck into her bedroom to choose a dress for the day from her closet, fully expecting Gliriel to be dozing lightly, slumped over in a chair next to Haldir's temporary bed, and the Marchwarden himself, soundly, and most likely enchantedly under a thin cotton sheet.
She certainly did not expect to see Haldir the one who was lightly dozing and have Gliriel fast asleep with her head on his stomach, a book in one of his hands, and the other hand embedded in Gliriel's hair.
Galadriel cleared her throat, causing Haldir - who had been previously unaware of her presence - to drop the book to the bed and put on a (fake) innocent face. The Lady of Lórien padded quietly to his bedside and raised a suspecting eyebrow at the empty and full glasses on the nightstand. She gingerly picked the fuller of the two up and held it in front of her face, observing the pearly coating on top. She shook her head and glanced sidelong at her Marchwarden, a small disbelieving smile dancing on her lips. Haldir understood the questioning gaze, and put his hands up to his cheeks in defense.
"I had nothing to do with this, My Lady. She simply drank from the wrong glass." This had to be one of the first times he lied openly to her. He smirked, seeing the understanding grin the Lady gave him.
Galadriel walked away shaking her head and had forgotten all about the dress. Before her head disappeared through the doorway, she stopped and glanced back at him.
"I wonder who would have switched the glasses, Marchwarden Haldir."
**
As Lady Galadriel had promised, I was in the room when Haldir woke up. It was near midnight two days after Rúmil carried me away to sleep and that night the moon was bright and full. I was standing outside on the Lord and Lady's balcony (Haldir had not yet been moved, and I had no idea where they were staying in the meantime) bathed in clear light from Ithil, the moon. My arms were hugging my shoulders with a handkerchief in one hand. There were tears in my eyes and my nose was plugged from crying.
I don't know how long he watched me stand there like that, but I know I stood as silent sobs wracked my body until the moon passed through the trees and out of sight.
*"Why do you cry, lirimaer?"* He asked me telepathically. His voice in my head sounded sympathetic and caring, but hurt also, for some reason.
I whipped around and stared at him for a moment before striding to his chair, picking a small book from a desk as I passed. He pushed himself up and leaned on the backboard of the bed.
"Our only calendar was the moon, and my brother Keiro was born on the second full moon after harvest. He would be nine tonight." I paused and opened the book to Keiro's bookmark. "This was his." I tried to fight back the tears that wanted to fall.
Haldir reached up and wiped a tear from my face with his thumb before holding my chin in his hand. I opened my eyes to see his face almost as sad- looking as mine.
"I hate seeing you cry." he whispered tenderly. "Instead of thinking of what he would be, and what he could have done, think of all the things he did, and of the times you spent with him."
I shot Haldir an appreciative smile, and held his hand to my face as I tried to remember a day just a few years earlier.
**
"Gliri! Mama! Papa! Gunter!" A little boy ran out of a brown box, almost recognizable as a barn due to its thatched roof and peeling wooden shingles. His hands were cupped in front of his chest, and his brown curls bounced in stride with his pounding foot-steps. Bright, dark brown eyes peered out from above two red dimpled cheeks, and a broad smile adorned his small mouth. He couldn't have been more than three or four years old.
"Gliri? Mama? Papa? Gunter?" He called again, a tad more urgently this time. He changed direction and headed for a house where there was a girl standing under a small awning, instead of the cornfield. She was grinning almost as broadly as her brother (they were obviously related). Her hair was waist length of the same strawberry blonde tint, but her eyes were a pale green. She was tall and lanky, and obvious beanstalk. The boy ran up to her and stopped in front of the girl.
"Gliri! Look! Winnie had babies!" He opened his hands to show a small ball of white and brown fluff no bigger than even his palms. Gliri knelt down onto her knees, and gently put her hands below her brother's. The kitten inside mewled gently and padded at Keiro's fingers with tiny paws. The girl smiled, showing straight white teeth.
"Why don't we put him back with his mama?" She asked gently as she looked from the kitten to the boy's face. His smile shrank for a moment, but then his sister asked him to show her the rest of the babies. His cute smile returned.
**
There was a subdued smile on Gliriel's face when her eyes again focused back on Haldir. His hand had fallen and was being held by Gliriel's hands as if it were the kitten. He smiled to her, he had seen the memory also.
"If I had to say that one of my siblings was like me, I would definitely say Keiro." She paused, and her eyes clouded over again. "He could see almost as far as I, and he was the only one of them that could beat me at a footrace." She looked back into Haldir's eyes, and a small grin formed on her lips. "You would have liked him."
Haldir's signature grin also appeared. "You think so?"
The she-elf nodded. "He was extremely bright, and he had your sense of humor."
"And you do not?"
Gliriel returned his sarcastic smirk, and casually asked him if he would like something to drink. Haldir should get some rest. although she too was also thirsty. Celeborn had left an opened bottle of red wine on the desk nearby. Gliriel then decided that a little wine couldn't hurt him.
"If you would be so kind." The bedridden Marchwarden answered courteously. He could see right through her pitch though, and had to be considerate of her motives. He had no intention of returning to sleep quite yet, he wasn't in the least bit tired, and he had slept most of the last two weeks.
Gliriel stood and sauntered over to where the Lord of Lórien had left the wine and set down her brother's book on the desk. With some trouble, she managed to pull the cork from the bottle and a faint pop resounding in the still night air. Nonchalantly, she turned her back to him, and slipped a small amount of sleeping draught into what was going to be Haldir's goblet. She then poured herself a glass (obviously free of potion) and carried them over, back towards Haldir being extra careful to note which one was hers, and which one wasn't. She smiled sweetly - too sweetly, in Haldir's opinion - and handed him his glass. She sat down and made the distinct mistake of watching him apprehensively over the rim of her glass as she took a sip.
Haldir put the glass to his lips and saw the pearly coating on the top of the wine. He tilted the glass, but pressed his lips tightly shut, permitting none of the liquid into his mouth. He cast his mind about, looking for a way to get out of drinking this.
"Your brother's book. may I see it?" He inquired, remembering just in time that she had left it on Celeborn's desk.
Not suspecting a thing, Gliriel set down her glass on the bedside table - easily within Haldir's reach - before she stood up to fetch the book. In the few seconds while her back was turned, Haldir took what might be his only opportunity and replaced his goblet with hers, careful to place it in the exact spot on the wicker table that she had, lest she notice the exchange. He smirked, in love with the sheer brilliance of his hastily planned design.
When Gliriel returned with Keiro's leather bound book, she handed it to him, receiving thanks from the elf. He took a sip of her wine to conceal the mischievous grin on his face. Gliriel again sat back down and took a mouthful of the tainted wine before setting it down on the wicker table again.
The draught took effect almost instantaneously. She fell forward - effectively unconscious - onto Haldir's stomach. He too had taken a mouthful of wine, and nearly had to spit it out when her head landed on the cut on his abdomen.
But, then as the pain subsided, his mouth furled into a prim, triumphant smile as he let out a chirp of happiness.
He had not lost his adept ability to make she-elves faint.
Haldir sighed. "Perfect," he whispered. He had - for the moment anyway - a new book, a glass of his favorite red wine, and Gliriel unable to strike back for his trick.
Well. Almost perfect. The wine would run out, and, most unfortunately, the she-elf would awaken, and she would definitely not be in the best of moods. He was confident she would retaliate harshly and quickly. Remember what she did to his brothers for giving her a sleeping draught? They ended up bound and gagged under a blanket.
He sighed again. "Oh well, enjoy it while you have it." Haldir, a small grin still pasted on his lips, opened the book to the first page with one hand and began casually stroking Gliriel's silky blonde hair behind her pointed ear, lapsing in concentration only to sip a vintage merlot.
*
Once, when the sun began to peek over the horizon, the Lady of Light snuck into her bedroom to choose a dress for the day from her closet, fully expecting Gliriel to be dozing lightly, slumped over in a chair next to Haldir's temporary bed, and the Marchwarden himself, soundly, and most likely enchantedly under a thin cotton sheet.
She certainly did not expect to see Haldir the one who was lightly dozing and have Gliriel fast asleep with her head on his stomach, a book in one of his hands, and the other hand embedded in Gliriel's hair.
Galadriel cleared her throat, causing Haldir - who had been previously unaware of her presence - to drop the book to the bed and put on a (fake) innocent face. The Lady of Lórien padded quietly to his bedside and raised a suspecting eyebrow at the empty and full glasses on the nightstand. She gingerly picked the fuller of the two up and held it in front of her face, observing the pearly coating on top. She shook her head and glanced sidelong at her Marchwarden, a small disbelieving smile dancing on her lips. Haldir understood the questioning gaze, and put his hands up to his cheeks in defense.
"I had nothing to do with this, My Lady. She simply drank from the wrong glass." This had to be one of the first times he lied openly to her. He smirked, seeing the understanding grin the Lady gave him.
Galadriel walked away shaking her head and had forgotten all about the dress. Before her head disappeared through the doorway, she stopped and glanced back at him.
"I wonder who would have switched the glasses, Marchwarden Haldir."