Disclaimer: Not mine but J.R.R's. Okay?
A/N: The other chap's not yet the end. Haldir is going to suffer some more. A lot more. We have to go into detail. So here's the next chap.
I am not sure how you are going to take the fact that two other parings are mentioned here, the other a little much of a given. I did mention this was part of a bigger story, right? Some details of that story have already been revealed here.
Anyway, Enjoy!!
Two months after the attack on Rivendell, the Council of Elrond took place and the Fellowship of the Ring was formed. Nine were chosen to embark on the quest to destroy the one ring. Two men, including the future King of Men, an elf, a dwarf, and four hobbits left the Last Homely House, heading for Mordor. Their destination was Mount Doom, the place where the one ring could be destroyed.
So many things have happened since the fellowship left Rivendell. Gandalf had fallen with the Balrog. Boromir of Gondor died, and the fellowship was broken.
Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli went after Merry and Pippin, the two hobbits captured by the orcs. Unknown to the others, Sam and Frodo continued to Mordor, where somewhere along the way, they met the creature Gollum.
And now, Elrond was faced with a great dilemma. It was no doubt that Theoden and his men, even with the help of Gandalf, who yet lived, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, could not win the war against the ten thousand orcs and Uruk-hais heading their way.
He knew he could not allow them to fight the war alone. Once, men and elves fought side by side. Perhaps it was time for that to happen again.
The Lady of the Woods stood beside her husband, in front of the many Lorien elves who had pledged allegiance to them.
"I ask this of you. But you are free to choose. This is not a command, but a request." Lady Galadriel told the gathered elves.
"This mission is dangerous, far more than the others we have ever asked you to go to. There is a great peril involved. We do not wish to hide the truth. You may encounter your death, should you go." She looked around. The elves glanced about them. They knew what the lady asked of them. And they also knew that they might not return from this war.
Haldir listened to the lady as she asked them if they wished to join the war, to help the men in their stand against Sauron's forces. He was well aware of the danger involved. He looked at his fellow elves. Many of them will die in this war. But if it was necessary for the downfall of the dark lord, he would give his life more than a hundredfold.
/I have nothing to lose./
"I wish to go, my lady."
All eyes turned to Haldir, the first volunteer.
Tears formed in Lady Galadriel's eyes. She felt her husband clench her hand tighter.
//He chooses his own fate, love.// Lord Celeborn reassured his wife.
But the lady could not stop herself from making absolutely sure.
"Are you certain, Haldir? You may not return."
"I am sure, my lady. I will fight, for all elves who have died in Sauron's hands." The March Warden's voice brooked no doubt.
He had sealed his fate.
As if encouraged by Haldir's conviction, more elves voiced their wishes to go to war. There were a few hundred who bravely decided to fight alongside the men in a war seemed impossible to win.
"Very well. Say your farewells. You depart at dawn on the second morn." Lady Galadriel told them.
'Haldir, are you sure about this? What if…" Rumil could not continue. He still could not believe his brother volunteered to die.
"Rumil, everything will be alright. I have to do this. Otherwise, Sauron might win. We need to band together. The Lady is right. The alliance between men and elves has to be reborn. The creatures of Middle Earth need to work together against the dark lord." Haldir understood his brother's dread. Ever since their parents died, he and his brothers have taken care of each other. And now, he was on his way to his death. It would be hard for his brothers to accept. Especially Rumil, the youngest of them all.
Orophin watched as Haldir packed.
"What about Glorfindel?" he knew Haldir and the eldar have not spoken ever since the older elf left two months ago, in haste to save the Last Homely.
Haldir stopped what he was doing. He closed his eyes as memories of his lover came to him.
Glorfindel.
The March Warden shrugged.
"What about Glorfindel?"
They were no longer lovers. The fact that he still felt something for the eldar was of no consequence. He continued packing.
"You love him! Are you not going to say goodbye to him? He is your lover. I think he has the right to know of your decision." Rumil cried. Why was his brother acting like this? Not so long ago Haldir acted like he would die without Glorfindel. Now, it seemed his brother did not care about the eldar.
"Aye, I do love him. But we are no longer lovers. He…bade goodbye two months ago." Haldir's last words came out in a whisper.
Orophin and Rumil looked at each other, then at Haldir, understanding dawning on the two brothers.
"Haldir, is this why you are going?" Orophin asked.
Haldir paused yet again.
"That's ridiculous!" he tried to sound cheerful, but came up short.
In the months that had passed since the Rivendell elves were in Lothlorien, not once had they seen their brother cry. Now, Orophin and Rumil wondered how Haldir had kept up the pretense that everything was fine. They had not noticed anything wrong. Haldir had done his best to hide his pain. And he had succeeded, until now.
"Oh, Haldir!" Rumil put his arms around his brother. Orophin followed suit.
Haldir tried hard not to cry. But the tears he had been holding back for months came forth and he could do naught to stop them.
They stayed in that position for a while. The brothers held each other until Haldir calmed down.
Sometime while Haldir was crying, the three brothers slumped to the floor. Now they sat there, silently comforting their distraught brother.
"You do not have to do this, Haldir. Not because you are hurting. Let us help you heal." Orophin whispered.
"I have to do this, Orophin. I am not doing this because I have lost Glorfindel. I do this because I wish to help. Aragorn and Legolas are our friends. I will not leave them to die without trying to help." Haldir replied.
"But you could die." Rumil said.
"I know that, Rumil. But I have to do this."
"Why? Why is it so important to you?" Orophin asked.
Haldir looked out the window.
"For Middle Earth. For all elves who have died before. For us. For our survival. I don't know. For…Aragorn and Legolas." Haldir smiled.
Rumil and Orophin smiled as well.
"Their love for each other. That was what I wanted with Glorfindel. But it was not meant to be. If I could save them, I will. I cannot let two people die, with such love in their hearts. Even if they would not admit it, even to themselves."
Orophin nodded. Aragorn and Legolas' love for each other was evident in the way the man and the elf regarded each other. Even though they tried to deny the fact, everyone could see it.
"I have to do this." Haldir said yet again. And this time, his brothers nodded.
"Take my bow. It's much better." Rumil said after a while.
*Haldir stood fast, together with the other soldiers on the wall of Helm's Deep. The rain was coming down hard, but the thunder was drowned out by the sound of the Uruk-hais' pounding feet. Elves and men held their breath as the Uruk-hai army slowly marched towards them. The battle was at hand, the enemy in sight. Then everything stopped. And silence fell upon them, but for the sound of the rain falling upon armor and ground.
Suddenly, an arrow was released, and an Uruk-hai fell.
A battle cry. Then the war began.
Haldir released arrow after arrow, targeting the vulnerable spots of the evil creatures, those not covered by armor. Beside him, he could hear Legolas counting the number of orcs the prince killed. Gimli was doing the same thing. Haldir smiled a little, but it was lost as he continued to kill.
Ladders were set up against the wall and the Uruk-hai began to climb, trying to get inside.
Haldir used bow and arrows, as well as his sword to occasionally deflect the blows from nearby enemies.
The fight lasted all night. Soon, the men and elves were outnumbered. Then he heard Aragorn's shout.
"Legolas, take him down!"
Haldir turned to look at what was happening. Below, an orc was running with a torch in hand. Suddenly, there was a large explosion where the orc disappeared under the wall. It killed several men, elves, as well as orcs, and left a large gaping hole in the wall. The Uruk-hai poured in at the new entrance.
The enemy was inside, and they were swarming. Haldir was running out of arrows. He began to wield his short knife, killing those that came at him on the walls.
Then another command came from the King of Men, but this time, it was for all of them.
"Fall back!"
Haldir heard the order to retreat. But he continued fighting. He tried to kill as many as he could.
"Fall back!"
The command came again.
Haldir turned and looked at Aragorn, intending to follow the order. His eyes met the man's.
He saw fear.
For him.
"HALDIR!"
Pain coursed through his back as an orc blade sliced his skin even as an arrow embedded itself on the vile creature's eyes, killing the orc. But it was too late. Haldir fell forward.
Then the pain stopped as Haldir breathed his last.*
"Elrond! Elrond!"
The lord of Imladris woke up as hands shook him. He opened his eyes and met the worried glance of his adviser.
Lord Elrond took a deep breath to calm his racing heart. He was in his bed, Erestor leaning over him as his adviser woke him up.
"You were dreaming. A nightmare, I think. What was it?" Erestor asked. He did not know his lord to be one plagued by nightmares.
"Haldir." Lord Elrond breathed.
"The March Warden?" Erestor asked, slightly puzzled.
Lord Elrond nodded. "I had a vision. He is going to be killed. At Helm's Deep."
"What!?" Erestor knew Glorfindel loved the elf. He would be devastated!
"Glorfindel…it will kill him." The lord said, knowing of his seneschal's love for the March Warden.
"He has to know." Erestor said. He made to leave when a hand on his stopped him.
"You cannot change what was meant to be."
"We can try. Glorfindel will never forgive us if we do not tell him. We will lose him as well."
Lord Elrond nodded, knowing the adviser was right.
Erestor left and went to the seneschal's room.
Glorfindel sighed and fell upon the bed. He had been guarding the borders for days and he was exhausted. The number of orcs had been increasing everyday. They were becoming more difficult to keep at bay. But for the moment, victory was with the elves. But it was taking its toll on the soldiers.
The seneschal sighed blissfully as he burrowed into his pillows. Sleep. Finally, he could get some.
Vaguely, he registered the news he heard regarding the fellowship. There was going to be a huge battle at Helm's Deep in a few days. He knew that Lord Elrond would find a way to send help.
Slowly, the eldar drifted into reverie. His mind began to travel to a place where it often dwelled, Lothlorien. In his dream, Glorfindel was with Haldir, making love to the younger elf. He was just about to lose himself completely into the dream world when he felt hands shaking him.
"Glorfindel, wake up!"
The eldar groaned and covered his head with his blanket.
"Go away." He mumbled to whoever it was waking him.
"Glorfindel, wake up. It's important." Erestor urged his friend.
He picked up his pillow and used them to cover his ears.
"Haldir is going to die." Maybe that would get the eldar's attention.
It worked. Glorfindel bolted upright and grabbed Erestor's robes by the collar. Anger and fear mixed in his eyes. There was no sign of sleep.
"Do not even joke about such a thing." It hurt him that he had not seen his lover for a long time. He did not need to be told of Haldir dying. He could not bear it, even when said in jest.
Erestor sighed. "I am not jesting."
"What do you mean?" Genuine fear could be heard in the seneschal's voice.
"Release me and I will tell you." The adviser said.
Glorfindel complied.
"Haldir is going to Helm's Deep. There, he will meet his death."
Glorfindel clenched his fists.
"How do you know? What…?"
"Lord Elrond had a vision a while ago. It was fate. There is nothing that could be done…" Erestor told his friend.
"I cannot accept that." Glorfindel got up and started packing.
"What are you doing?" Erestor asked.
"I am going to Helm's Deep." Glorfindel said matter-of-factly.
"What about Rivendell?"
"The elves are leaving tomorrow morn, most going to Valinor. They will not need me. They can handle themselves. Besides, the orcs have retreated. They are concentrating on Gondor, Rohan and Mordor."
Erestor knew there was no way he could dissuade his friend.
"I am coming with you." With that, Erestor brought out a pack that he had placed below the bed earlier. He had known what Glorfindel would do. And there was no way he was letting his friend go to his death alone.
The seneschal looked at Erestor.
"No, you are not."
"Yes, I am."
"No. He needs you." They both knew who he was. There was no need for names.
"He does not. He will sail to Valinor…to her. He has no need of me."
"Erestor, he loves you, even if he does not say it."
Erestor laughed.
"You are confused, Glorfindel. I love him. Not the other way around. He loves her." Though it hurt, Erestor knew it to be the truth. His love was unrequited. And he had accepted that fact a long time ago. Right now, his friend needed him. He would go to Helm's Deep with the seneschal.
"No, he does not. You and I both know that." Glorfindel frowned at his stubborn friend.
"Alright. He may not love her like that. But he does love another…like that."
"His lover is gone. Has been for a long time. He loves you now."
"No. He loves *him* still." Erestor paused. "An elf loves only once."
"…In a lifetime." Erestor added after some thought when he realized who he was talking to. He knew of Glorfindel's love for Ecthelion, and how his friend now loved Haldir. One love each lifetime. While for Erestor, the object of his affection would never feel that way for him.
Glorfindel knew this was one debate he could never win. He had been trying to convince Erestor that the adviser's love was returned, but his friend would not hear of it. Yet the seneschal could not blame him. Erestor had been in love with the same elf for as long as Glorfindel could remember, and not once had that elf showed any sign of feeling the same. At least, not to Erestor. But Glorfindel had begun to notice something a few millennia ago.
"Erestor…"
"I am coming with you, Glorifndel. It is the only way I am letting you go to Helm's Deep. There is nothing you can say that will make me stay."
Glorfindel gave up. His friend was as determined as he was. No one could stop them.
"Are you at least going to say goodbye to him?"
The adviser looked at Glorfindel.
"No time. Let's go. Besides, I already left a note. I foresaw that you were going to do this." Erestor smiled.
When they were outside the room, Erestor stopped.
"Can we really stop what was meant to be?" he asked, looking at his friend.
"I have to try. I love him, Erestor. I will not let him die without trying to stop it if I could."
"Or at least let him know how you feel." Erestor smiled.
"What about you? Are you not going to tell *him* of your love?"
"I did, in the note."
"That's not fair. He will feel guilty." The seneschal knew that for a fact.
"He will forget, in time. He has forever. And I am sure she will help him forget the guilt." Erestor said with a wink. He hurt, but he was good at hiding it. He had been hiding it for over three thousand years. He had mastered the art of concealment.
Glorfindel sighed and shook his head. Erestor was the most stubborn elf he had ever met, with a loyalty that could not be faulted.
"Thank you, Erestor. For everything."
His friend looked at him and smiled.
"I just want to be there when you finally tell Haldir how you feel. I have waited for as long as he has. I want closure, my friend. I want to see you grovel, beg for forgiveness, because of your own stupidity…"
Glorfindel rolled his eyes.
"Let's go."
That night, two elves rode out of Rivendell at top speed, heading towards a great battle where none may survive.
The only thing left of them was a letter addressed to their lord and his sons.
Haldir looked up as they approached Helm's Deep. The high towers looked menacing, and the place looked like nothing could get through. But the March Warden knew it could not stand against ten thousand of the enemies' stronghold.
This was it, the place that could very well be their grave. Haldir looked at his fellow elves. They felt no fear, only a sense of loss, knowing they may never see their loved ones again. Yet they had chosen. There was no turning back.
Haldir nodded, and an elf blew the horn, letting the men know of their arrival.
The gates opened, and the elves entered the tower.
Haldir approached Aragorn and smiled. The relief in the man's eyes was a flattering welcome to the elves who had come of their own will to help in the great battle. The hug, however, came as a surprise. When Aragorn released him, he began to speak.
"There was once an alliance between man and elves…"
Haldir vaguely heard himself saying. As he spoke, his mind began to process the repercussions of his decision. There was no turning back now. He was here.
The events that followed happened in a blur. Everything moved too fast. He greeted Legolas, and the dwarf, Gimli. The elves and men were prepared for battle. Theoden spoke, and so did Aragorn. They were made aware of their situation. And although everything seemed hopeless, Aragorn's leadership and the presence of the elven army brought back some hope to the people of Rohan. Then they were standing on the wall of Helm's Deep, waiting for the enemies' arrival.
Nothing could have prepared them for the army that advanced towards them from the horizon. They had known ten thousand Uruk-hais were coming. But never in their wildest imaginations would they have created the vision the enemy army presented. The earth seemed to move as the Uruk-hai marched towards them. The army of men and elves looked on, preparing for the greatest battle of their lives.
The rain began to pour. The sound of the Uruk-hai's marching feet grew louder.
The army stopped several meters away from the wall. There was silence. Only the sound of raindrops falling on armor could be heard.
"Show them no mercy, for they will show you none." Aragorn reminded the soldiers in Helm's Deep. These were the Uruk-hai, whose only purpose was to destroy the world of men. Sauron's evil forces were here to remove from this land all that was once good, and turn it into evil, like them. But the men and elves standing within Helm's Deep would not let that happen without a fight.
The storm raged above them. But it was nothing compared to the storm that was about to happen.
This was it. The time has come.
An arrow was accidentally released. An Uruk-hai fell. A battle cry sounded.
The war had begun.
Glorfindel urged the horse faster, with Erestor following close behind. They were near. They only had to pass that mountain and they would be at Helm's Deep.
From a distance, they could hear the sounds of battle. It forced them to go faster. The war had begun. But for how long? Glorfindel hoped they were not too late. Then there was a large explosion.
"Erestor!" he shouted, over the thuds of the horse's hooves.
"I'll keep up!"
They were not prepared for the sight that greeted them. Thousands of orcs swarmed the area. A part of the wall had been destroyed and the orcs poured in through the large gape.
Glorfindel spurned the horse faster. In a matter of seconds, he was a hair's breath away from the swarm of orcs. He kept his hood up, hoping the evil creatures would not sense him. He snuck up to the sides until he was able to enter Helm's Deep. He sensed Erestor close behind. His friend's ability surprised him. It surpassed that expected from a scholar, but he had no time to think about that now. He saw Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, defending the gape, trying to minimize the number of orcs that entered the fort.
Glorfindel took out his sword and killed the orc that attacked Aragorn from behind. The man whirled and the seneschal would have been beheaded if he had not raised his own sword to deflect the blow from Anduril.
"Glor…?"
The human was not able to finish as orcs attacked from everywhere and they were forced to stop all conversation and concentrate on killing the enemies.
"Erestor?" Glorfindel heard Legolas say beside him. The adviser also wielded a sword. He fought with an ability that once again surprised Glorfindel.
No matter how many orcs were felled, more came through the gap. The few men and elves left were no match for the evil creatures. They would have kept fighting. They would keep fighting. But they needed to regroup. The orcs were everywhere, while the men and elves were scattered. They needed to come together.
"Fall back!" Aragorn shouted over the noise.
"Retreat!"
The command was a difficult decision. But they had no choice.
Erestor looked at Glorfindel.
"We have to find Haldir." He told his friend. They had to find the March Warden as soon as possible.
"He's up there. On the wall." Gimli told them when he heard.
Glorfindel nodded and made to climb the wall. He was halfway up when he heard Aragorn again.
"Fall back!!" Isildur's heir screamed over the loud noise of metal against metal.
And then he heard Aragorn cry out a name.
"HALDIR!!!"
Haldir had been fighting for hours. He did not know for how long exactly, he just knew it had been some time.
Then he heard Aragorn shouting, ordering them to fall back. He took hold of his last arrow and fired. Then he turned, calling the other elves, to heed the man. But then he heard his name being screamed over the sounds of battle.
"HALDIR!"
He looked at the man, about to reassure him, when he sensed it.
He felt the danger behind him. His elven senses tingled. Danger. The orc behind him. And he knew. But it was too late. He knew he would not be fast enough.
The orc raised his sword and brought it down.
Glorfindel looked up. He did not know how he knew where his lover was, but he saw him. He also saw the orc behind the March Warden, sword raised, and about to end his lover's life.
Glorfindel did not have to think. Out of instinct, he grabbed the bow on his back, knocked an arrow and aimed.
He let the arrow fly.
It hit the mark clearly, embedding itself in the orc's eye. But the creature still had the strength to swing his sword at the elf in front of him.
Glorfindel watched in horror as Haldir fell forward. More orcs came, but the eldar's mind ceased to function. He stared in shock as his whole world ended.
/NO!/
He stood, frozen where he was, below the wall where his lover had fallen. The battle disappeared. All that was left to Glorfindel was the sight of Haldir falling. His heart stopped beating. Sounds, images, everything disappeared.
He was too late.
He couldn't save him.
/No./
"NOOOO!!!!"
TBC
A/N: I ask you to trust me. The next chapter will be posted as soon as possible. Maybe in a month? Just kidding. It's already finished, just a few more touches to it. Wait for it before you kill me, okay? Thanks. PLS. REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And yes, Haldir's first death was just a vision by Elrond.