Author's Note: Here is my fifth chapter. Thank you all so much for the great reviews! I hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Tolkien's work.
Chapter 5 Meeting with the Lady
The door slowly creaked open and Haldir stood, for some reason feeling unusually tense. The healers that exited looked worn and tired themselves, their robes stained with blood. Several moved off down the hallway, trying to chat lightly and keep Mithuial's condition free from their mind. One elleth in particular stepped forward to speak to the March Warden.
"How is she?" he questioned softly, not wanting to disturb the stillness of the night.
"We were able to counter the poison with medicines in time," the maiden responded slowly. "But unfortunately we shall not know if she will recover completely for a few days yet. The wound was deep and the toxins did manage to affect her body somewhat. I am sure you are aware that she went into convulsions shortly after you brought her in. The Captain will probably develop a fever over the next twenty four hours and may again have fits. All we can do is hope and pray to the Valar that her body is strong enough to tolerate it once more." Haldir nodded, knowing that all of this information would have to be recounted once more in his report to the Lord and Lady. Oh how he dreaded that meeting! Perhaps with Mithuial's absence he would not be blamed for the attack. Yet throughout all his worries, the March Warden could not help but feel a slight twinge of guilt. The maiden may be lying on her deathbed and here he was more concerned about his own neck. Haldir sighed and pressed the palms of his hands over his eyes.
"Is something wrong sir?" the healer questioned suddenly, taking in his stressed manner.
"No, no" he shook his head vigorously and nodded once more in dismissal to the elleth. She picked up her skirts and made her way slowly down the hall. The maiden had just reached the end of the passage when she turned on her heel once more.
"Oh, March Warden sir, before I forget!" she called.
"What's that?" he spun around to face her.
"A messenger arrived a few minutes ago, you are wanted in the presence of the Lord and Lady," she said with an amused smirk and moved back down the hall. Haldir waited until she was out of earshot to mutter a few foul profanities under his breath, completely forgetting about his guilt over Mithuial.
The Captain climbed the stairs to the Lord and Lady's flet slowly. He prayed to the Valar that they would not lay the full blame on him and this time perhaps fault Mithuial. But the fact that she was now laying the healers' flet made that look very doubtful. It was early morning, very early morning in fact. It had to be only about four and the sun would not yet start its slow ascent for another few hours. A chill clung to the air, for it was still early spring and both the mornings and evenings were cold. He could feel a slight mist lying upon the wind and it brushed against his face, leaving it moist. After about five minutes of climbing, Haldir finally reached the top of the stairs. The royal flet was quiet. No one stirred throughout its corridors. But a light shone in one room, a room that Haldir knew all to well. He turned down a hallway and then another until he reached a large, wooden door decorated with many elven carvings. This was Lord Celeborn's study, the room where he met with important elves and his advisors. It was also the room in which the two Captains had been forced to visit weekly to give their reports. Many of these meetings ended in him and Mithuial attempting to tear each other's throats out. And now, as he raised his hand to knock, Haldir actually found himself slightly relieved that he was alone.
"Enter," the soft voice of Lady Galadriel sounded through the door. He pushed the heavy door open and stepped in, seeing only the Lady seated by a large round desk. "Ah Captain," she nodded her golden head, "thank you for answering my summons so early, I know that it has been quite a long night for you."
"It is no trouble at all hiril nin," Haldir bowed deeply to her. "I was only at the healers' flet with Captain Mithuial."
"I have heard news that she was gravely wounded in this attack," the Lady of the Wood fixed her all knowing gaze upon him. "Tell me, how does she fare as of now?" Haldir repeated what the healer had told him exactly; feeling that it was quite useless since he was sure that she was already aware of the female's condition. "It seems that the healers have mended her though," Galadriel said after he had finished. "She will need rest no doubt. You will have to take over her command for the amount of time that she is disabled."
"Of course hiril nin," Haldir bowed once more.
"Now, this attack came unbeknownst to you, why is that?" she asked. The male sighed, here it came.
"Well, we were very prepared for any sort of assault hiril nin," he responded. "The orcs were slaughtered and only Mithuial was wounded."
"But you did not know that the orcs were coming, did you?"
"No," Haldir admitted defeat, "no we did not." The Lady nodded once more, satisfied now.
"Captain, I sense that you are quite distressed regarding your partner. Why is this?" He could not lie to her. She would be able to decipher any false front he put forward.
"She angers me greatly sometimes," the March Warden said. "We are often at odds. As I am sure you are aware of."
"Yes, I do realize this," she shifted in her seat a little. "But you still have not answered my question. Why is it that you are at odds with her?"
"That I do not know hiril nin," he dropped his head and stared at his booted feet. There was silence for a moment or two and then Galadriel finally spoke.
"Haldir, I think it would be best if you visited Mithuial. She must feel very alone right now."
"What?!" he could not suppress his astonishment at her suggestion.
"It would be beneficial to both her and you. Perhaps this will allow you to be on better terms with her."
"But…but…" he stuttered, the Lady stood slowly.
"Thank you for your time March Warden," she gestured towards the door. "Namaarie." Haldir could do nothing but leave. He moved numbly back to the door and out into the hallway. First Mithuial professing her love for him and now Lady Galadriel suggesting that he visit her! Could this evening get any worse?
Hiril nin: My lady
Namaarie: Farewell