Chapter 8- Star Light, Star Bright

The four elves made their way back into the city after awhile more, and went slowly to the stables, drawing some interested attention from the inhabitants of the city. Indilisse rode up with Narië, while Haldir and Rúmil hung back a few paces. She had felt slightly out of place as they rode like this, knowing that while the he-elves were embroiled in a battle of brotherly wits, they were paying a more attention to the feminine attributes of her and Narië. Much to her own annoyance, though, she had realized that she enjoyed the attention more than anything, even if Haldir was arrogant and Rúmil was grossly oversexed.

Narië sighed tiredly, and slumped lower upon her mount. Indilisse glanced down at her and giggled, "Do not tell me you are already tired. I had hoped you would show me around. I have to find something to entertain myself or I will go mad."

"I am sorry, Indilisse." Narië replied, "I am not used to such long rides."

Indilisse giggled, "Do not worry about it, Narië. I guess I can go out by myself, though I know someone will find me utterly lost by the end of the day."

There was a loud sound from behind them that sounded like a hard strike to a body. They turned in their seats and looked back at them, finding Rúmil grabbing for his arm with a grimace across his usually fair features. Indilisse laughed at him, "You can be such a wimp Rúmil."

"That is not what you said last night, Indilisse." Rúmil snapped back playfully, though there was an edge of seriousness to his voice.

Her face grew warm and she turned to look at Narië, whispering, "Oh, yes, Narië, a true prize."

Narië giggled as she tried to hide her own embarrassment thinking that they others had heard. They stopped finally at the stables, Haldir and Rúmil jumping from their mounts before the elleths had even halted. Indilisse did not pay attention to what was happening to her though as she noticed Rúmil grab Narië's tiny waist and lift her off the horse and set her on the ground easily. It was not until she felt two large, strong masculine hands around her own that she let her eyes grow wide and realize that it was Haldir helping.

She batted away his hands, "I can get off of the horse on my own, Haldir."

Haldir chuckled and shook his head in a mock dejection, "All I am trying to do, fair maiden, is to help you. That is what any he-elf would do for an elleth."

"That is true, March Warden, but in any normal situation, he would ask for permission to help her down off her steed." Indilisse challenged.

There was a bright glint in his eyes, she could not tell if it was his arrogant smile causing this or a true and genuinely heartfelt amusement with her berating him. And in that same instant, she saw his gray eyes change from jollity to being utterly unreadable. "It would be a great pleasure, Indilisse, if you would allow me to help you from your... steed was it?"

She glowered at his sudden outburst of laughter. If he found that funny, he surely had a warped sense of humor. "You mock me, Haldir?"

He stepped back and bowed before her, "Your highness, please forgive my impertinence."

In this time she slid from her horse easily, walking by him and giving him a good hard shove on his broad shoulder. Unfortunately for her, he was steady and strong enough, in his elegant bow, to not move a muscle. He straightened himself to his full height and towered over her, looking down with angry gray eyes. Indilisse was sure he had never had an elleth or any ellyn alike try to push him violently as she had just done. It may have been a large indiscretion on her part, but at the time he deserved it more than anything she could think of. She aligned herself, gaining a few more inches, but was unsuccessful in this ruffling of tail feathers. He was much taller... and much more muscular... and basically all around more powerful, especially with his jaw clenched as it was.

She did not blink her eyes or attempt to turn away from him, though. It was not like her to back down, even against the most fearsome of enemies. Glorfindel had commented a few times that he pitied any Balrog that came across her, and she knew it was but kidding, but with every jest came an ounce of truth. Indilisse could not think of one thing to say and gave him one final glare that could have turned the Dark Lord into stone if she had meant it to, and grabbed the lead of her horse and guided it into the stalls where Rúmil had finished putting his ride away, and was now helping Narië reach for a brush to brush out the tail of her own horse.

Indilisse quickly tended to the horse, and said her farewells to Rúmil and Narië before leaving the stables. She walked as fast as she could away without breaking into a full run, and reached the comfort of her talan before anyone could stop her. Throwing herself down upon the feather mattress of her bed, she let out a frustrated groan. Truthfully, she did not like all of this confrontation, but really she had expected better from Haldir of all people. Even upon their first sword fight and after learning who she was, she expected him to be at least a little less haughty than he had been. Maybe he could have even shown a bit of common decency, since he spoke so of it when he had initially tried to help her from the horse.

Growling again at herself, she then let a long sigh escape her lips. He was not the Haldir she remembered. Aye, he had always had an air of superiority, but it had grown too large these past two millennia. But then again, she did not really care about it as soon as his hands had wrapped around her waist. That strong grip, holding her so securely she had no worry that she would fall or he would lose his hold of her. Indilisse chuckled to herself. How could she adore his touch so much, yet abhor his arrogant and aloof personality? ____________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________

Haldir sat quietly atop his watch flet, watching the moon and Eärendil rise to hang in the ever midnight blue sky, followed by the other less brighter stars, making a sort of net over the night sky. He was glad it was a clear night, because it would allow his mind to wander to the stories of the stars rather than what a fool he had made of himself throughout the day. She had to know that he had only been joking. All of the times he had spoken with her, he had only been in the best of moods and found himself wanting to make her smile, but instead she always seemed to chastise, yell or frown at him.

He grumbled lowly to himself and rested his legs over the side of the high flet. He had to stop thinking about all of this, it was making his head ache and after an entire day of thinking about the situation... rationalizing it, trying to look at it from her prospective, to literally wanted to hurt himself for being so idiotic. For a few moments today he had even completely forgotten that he was the March Warden and had a large army to under his power and he was charged with the sole protection of the city. Such a consuming part of his life had now been moved, and the inescapable thoughts of Indilisse were slowly embedding themselves in his mind.

There was a faint ruffle of leaves, and wind came up behind him, blowing a few hairs forward. The cool wind sent a slight shiver up his back, and then he though her heard something else. Soft footfalls on small stairs, and then another wind blew around him and he caught the faint scent of niphredil upon the lashing of the cool air. He breathed in deeply, knowing exactly who it belonged to, and continued to hear the footsteps. They stopped suddenly and he could imagine her just at the stairs of the flet, peering at him angrily. This had been her spot many years ago, and it was no wonder that she would again seek it again to partake in the solitude it offered. She turned lightly on her feet and he sighed.

"Please do not go, Indilisse." Haldir said, not turning to look at her, but heard her stop suddenly and sigh.

She turned back and walked to the flet, standing on it as far away as she could manage from him. "I do not think I should so stay if you are going to be rude."

"I promise I will try not to be." Haldir replied. "I would like some company."

Indilisse walked carefully towards him and set herself down easily, far enough back so her legs did not hang over the edge, as she was wearing a dress. She adjusted herself and pulled her knees to her chest, glancing at him. "How did you know it was me?"

Haldir let a sly smile cross his features, "I am the March Warden, Indilisse. I have extrasensory powers of perception."

"No more so than any other elf." She replied. "How did you really?"

"You still wear the same scent you did as when you were an elfling." Haldir glanced at her from the corners of his eyes, finding that her face was unusually calm and pensive looking. Almost tired to a certain extent.

"I have gone lone without it." Indilisse said, "Other lands are not so lucky in the flowers they grow."

Haldir sighed, "Rohan does not even have flowers, I do not think."

She giggled lightly and looked up at the stars again. "I know, I had to suffice with the mixture of hay and leather for many years. It was not my fondest memory, but I still loved the country. I found out Rohirran men are particularly attracted to that scent."

"Do not tell me you too have fallen in love with a man as well. Arwen's news is enough..." Haldir trailed off.

"No, I do not particularly like men, especially the Rohirrim." Indilisse said. "Scratchy beards are not what I would like against my skin."

He chuckled, "Well, then, I can guess you will not be dealing with dwarves either."

Indilisse shook her head and looked at him with her first true and effortless smile. He sighed to himself, loving it for all it as worth. "The midgets in the mountains? Do you really think my father would even allow me to speak to one after what happened?"

Haldir nodded his head, "I suppose you are right."

They shared a long moment of silence, for the first time enjoying each others' friendly company in two thousand years. He looked down at her, the moon and starlight casting a radiance upon her face as she sat with her eyes closed and soaking in the cool night air. Such a beautiful sight to behold. So different than he had ever imagined her to turn out when she was younger. Finally she opened her eyes, and caught his eyes looking ever closely at her. She smiled, and turned her head to face out towards the sky with a slight smile upon her lips.

Resting her chin on her knees, she sighed, "Why have you become so arrogant, Haldir?"

"I do not understand." He said.

"You have changed much the past millennia, and some for the better and some for naught." She replied, "You seem too confident for your own good."

Haldir chuckled lowly and nodded his head, "I have developed that problem, I do admit it. But I feel like I have to keep up that guise because people expect it of me. I am March Warden, and with that comes a pedestal and accolades I am not sure I deserve. The elleths see me as some source to draw all their attentions to, like I hold great power and the ellyn find me venerable and just in all my dealings. To have the support of my own warriors, I feel I must put up this impenetrable shield of haughtiness just to achieve the following I deserve."

Indilisse sighed, "Maybe they would follow their leader better if he was more palpable. Soon you will not have such control over your wardens, because they find your behavior unbecoming of a March Warden, especially when you are making poor decisions in battle based on your need to keep the pecking order. Like when you decided to 'take me down a bit'."

He gave her a sheepish look, but nodded his head, what she was saying making much sense to him, surprising as it was because she had never held such a position as he did. "You are wise beyond your years Indilisse. You reminded me of Galadriel for a moment."

"Well then, this will sound more like her." Indilisse said, glancing at him. "Your arrogance comes from the worry that you do not have the skills to command such a guard, but you must know you have everything needed to command."

"And those things are?" He raised a brow.

"Excellent fighting skills, of course first and foremost." She replied, "A brave Fea, self-discipline... I could spend all night listing them Haldir. Lead by example and not by arrogant dominance."

Haldir sighed and looked up at the bright stars, "Has this entire talk been about our regrettable transgressions, or really about how I lead?"

Indilisse thought for a moment. "A little of both."

"I am sorry I have been so horrible to you, Indilisse." Haldir replied, "It is not easy for me to say that, but I am. And what you say makes perfect sense. I have been living too wantonly these past years."

She sighed again and let a very long quiet envelop them, listening to the faint rustle of leaves. Finally she let another pleased smile cross her features. "Do you remember when I was just an elfling?"

"How I could not find you anywhere?" Haldir asked for clarification and received it with a quick nod. He chuckled and let a low breath escape his lips, "I though that was the day I was going to see the Halls of Mandos, far before my appointed time."

Indilisse giggled, "I still remember when you finally made it up here. You were so exasperated, I thought you might collapse."

He chuckled, "And you thought it ingenious to scare me with pretending to fall over the edge of the flet."

"Ah, memories Haldir." She said, looking at him.

"I was going to kill you even if you did not really fall." Haldir warned, "Just so you know that."

Indilisse nodded, and reached out to touch his hand, "I realized that, but then you sat down and pulled me close and kept praising every one of the Valar you could think of that I was safe."

Haldir drew in a sharp breath as his eyes were diverted to his hands, were he felt an odd burning sensation when her hand was. He looked up at her, "It was all I could think of. I did not want to yell at you, because you would only tear off again... and become lost."

"I tried to pull away from you." She said, "I thought you were acting peculiar."

"Would you not if your life rested on the hope of finding an elfling?" Haldir asked.

"Now I know what goes through one's mind when they lose a child." She said, "Denethor of Gondor and Lady Finduilas entrusted me with the safekeeping of their son until I left. Let us just say that he was not the least bit merciful to one's nerves."

Haldir smiled, "You deserved it after all you put me through, and undoubtedly others after you left."

They shared a laugh with each other and Indilisse stretched her legs out in front of her again. "How long have you been coming here?"

"At least once a day whenever I am in Caras Galadhon." He said. "Since you left."

"You missed me?" She said with another laugh, batting her eyelashes playfully.

Haldir swallowed hardly. Of course he had missed her, he would miss her when she went back to her talan tonight. But the missing he had felt before was the absence of her mirth and frivolousness. Now it was the absence of being within eyesight so he could gaze upon her lovely face. "Aye I did, as did Rúmil and Orophin. Have you spoken to Orophin yet?"

"For a few minutes at the banquet yesterday evening." Indilisse said, "But then I was pulled away by your other pesky brother."

He chuckled, "He is like a bug that will not go away, is he not?"

"He is." She laughed, "But I think he might finally have someone interested in him that could do him some good."

"You?" He asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

Indilisse shook her head emphatically, "Oh blessed Varda, no! I would severely hurt him before an entire day was out. I am talking about Narië. But she is too shy to speak with him though."

Haldir breathed an unconscious sigh of relief. "Rúmil did not know how he was going to approach her himself."

"I believe that about as much as I think the dwarves did not start the problem between them and elves." Indilisse said, "Seriously, our Rúmil?"

He nodded, "Rúmil and I discussed it when we stopped today at the glade. He said he would talk to her soon, but we shall see."

"We should help them along..." Indilisse said thoughtfully.

Haldir shook his head, "You are still the devious one."