Authors' Note: Here is my third chapter. Thank you all so much for the reviews! They have really encouraged me! Please tell me what you think of this chapter. Don't worry, I promise that I will not have the romance go too quickly. Thanks again! I hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Tolkien's work.
Chapter 3 Admitting Her Feelings
Mithuial looked away, willing the uncomfortable moment to pass. Her heart had picked up its rapid tempo once more and she felt positively giddy. No, she was on duty. She could not let anything distract her. The elleth decided to once more throw herself into her work. The maiden's eyes combed the ground, inspecting every crack and crevice, moving over every dark place. Nothing, nothing at all. She got down on her hands and knees so as to better peer over the edge of the flet. A shadow seemed to move suddenly, a shadow not belonging to one of her own kin. Mithuial glanced over to the small group of guards that were stationed on the forest floor. All were rigid in attention, heads titled to one side, listening for any faint noise. She concentrated harder on the area where she had seen the shadow dart by. Everything was still. She could here her own breath as she exhaled. A loud snap crackled through the air, breaking the complete and utter silence. If it had not been so quiet one would easily identify it as a twig breaking. But in hush it sounded more like the rumbling thunder, clanging through the sky and tearing at the very edges of their souls. The March Warden chanced a glance at Haldir. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him standing tensely, his face unreadable as he too listened. She turned her gaze back to the ground. There were only about five elves standing loosely around the bole of a mighty mallorn, they would be slaughtered if an attack came. The elleth moved to the trunk of her tree and deftly climbed down, her weapons in hand. She motioned for others to join her and they complied. Their feet hit the soft soil in unison and on her command they stealthy moved over to join their comrades. Mithuial shivered slightly, preferring the safety of her tree, to the openness of the ground. But she simply would not abandon her soldiers here, leaving them unprepared for a fight. Then, the moon seemed to become shrouded by the few clouds that danced in the sky. A darkness fell over them as they gripped their weapons. Mithuial ran her fingers along the tip of her arrow, the soft feathers feeling good against her sweaty hands. Then, the cloud passed and the forest was once again bathed in moonlight, showing dozens of snarling orcs hastening towards them. The maiden let a swift command ring from her clear voice. The trees were aflutter with activity. Arrows flew past her, hitting their marks directly and with precision. The foul beasts howled in pain as they fell one by one to the deadly aim of the arrows. Above the din she heard Haldir's voice calling. Others dropped to the ground, unsheathing their swords, letting their blades reflect off the light from the night sky. Mithuial raised her bow and took aim. She envisioned a round target upon an orc's head, just like the ones she had practiced on for so many years at the training grounds. The orc tumbled backwards, an arrow protruding from his throat. She smiled in satisfaction before unleashing another arrow on her enemy.
Haldir stood; his feet planted firmly apart, his form perfect. A hailstorm of arrows beat down on the enemy, many from his own bow, which he now gripped tightly. The elves on the ground would have been overrun if it had not been for Mithuial's quick thinking and sending reinforcements down to aide them. He had to admire her ways of planning ahead and expecting the unexpected. He managed to catch a glimpse of her now. She had abandoned her bow and now fought with her sword. The elleth decapitated orcs with a single swipe of her weapon and turned just in time to stab a foul beast approaching behind her. The maiden was a good fighter, for a female anyway.
Mithuial spun and kicked out, her foot hitting an orc directly in the face. The orc fell backwards as she thrust her sword into his chest. This was almost too easy, she thought, I must just be getting better. But the thought had barely left her mind before a sharp pain filled her shoulder and a cry escaped her lips. Lodged in her right shoulder was a black, rotten looking arrow. Rage filled her, as she beheld her wound. She would have fought back, but the arrow tip had been poisoned. She could feel the wretched liquid filling her veins. Dizziness swamped her and a burning filled her body. The elleth fell to the ground, unable to move. The guards watched in horror as her eyes rolled back in her head and she left the world for blackness. The soldiers fought hard keeping the beasts at bay as arrows rained from the branches slaying a great number of them. Haldir at first did not notice that Mithuial had fallen. But when he did, the March Warden loosed his arrows on the enemy with much more fervor until the orcs were all slain. Then, he leapt from his flet, landing on the ground with a soft thud. Haldir pushed through the slowly gathering crowd of guard members and managed to fight his way into the center, seeing the maiden lie in a glistening pool of crimson. The stench of elven blood clogged his nose and he suppressed a gag. He quickly knelt by her side, lifting her into his arms and attempted to revive her.
"Run to the healers!" he cried, sending a few of the onlookers tearing through the night to fetch help. As much as he despised Mithuial, he did not wish any harm to come to her. After a few tense minutes, the elleth was revived, but her eyes were still glassy and unfocused. Was she dying? The maiden could not tell. She had been wounded before, but never had the weapons been poisoned. But if she did die, Mithuial would regret never voicing her feelings to him.
"Haldir," her words were slurred, not the least bit romantic. "If I should enter the Halls of Mandos tonight, I would have you know, that I do love you." The male seemed to draw back slightly, loosening his grip upon her. She searched for his eyes, needing to know his reaction. But before she could even draw another breath, the elleth fell back into darkness.