Chapter 26- A Healing Experience
Indilisse followed closely beside her mother as they made their way to the practice fields later that morning. The rest of the time they had spent baking had been lovely, and allowed for Indilisse to spend some precious last minute moments with her mother before she went West. It had been nice to speak with her about love, gossip and especially learn some important lessons prior to her binding. Indilisse smiled to herself, thinking of Haldir and finding him at her parents' talan early this morning. There was no question that binding was the topic of discussion between her parents and him since it seemed that everything her mother said while they were working was somehow related to marriage or to children. It excited her, but all at the same time made her extremely nervous as she was moving on into the next phase of her life, and she would be truly on her own and living her own life with Haldir.
All she could hope for was that Haldir would not take too long asking her, because she did not much like the idea of having to deny him his pleasures much longer for her own selfish nervousness.
The sound of metal clashing together could be heard louder as they neared the field, both Indilisse and Vanima surprised that they were still deep into the spar. Moving closer, they found that a small group of elves had come out to watch the fighting duo, but Indilisse soon realized that it was no longer her father and Haldir against each other. In the center of the field stood Aragorn, parrying and defending himself with his broadsword against hard blows from Haldir's curved elven scimitar. They were moving slowly, and it almost seemed as if it was not a true spar, but that they were teaching each other some maneuver of some sort.
Arwen stood to the side, watching the play for male dominance, looking particularly angry at the moment. Indilisse joined Arwen's side, while Vanima left to speak with Targon, who was appraising the swordsmanship of the duelers. "You do not look happy, my lady."
"Should I be?" Arwen asked sarcastically, with a slight smile on her lips. "I have not seen Estel in nearly thirty years, and here he is in the midst of a spar with Haldir. I would wish to spend more time with him."
Indilisse giggled, "I shall remember that, Arwen, when you have spent an entire week with him and cannot stand his habits."
Arwen sighed and glanced at Indilisse, "True, my friend."
"Have you tried to pull him away?" Indilisse asked, watching Aragorn take a particularly hard blow to his arm.
"I have done everything but strip myself of my dress." Arwen laughed, shaking her head in dismay. "I truly do not understand Men. When they feel that their masculinity is being threatened, they defend it until the last dying breath."
"Is it not that way with all males of any race, Arwen?" Indilisse questioned, "Haldir is the worst of them all."
Arwen gave Indilisse a mischievous smile. "So it is true of what I hear of your relationship? My brothers spoke of it before they left for Imladris."
"It was true then, but it was not for certain until last eve." Indilisse nodded, "We had yet another misunderstanding between us."
"Because of one depraved elleth." Arwen added, "I could perform some elven magic on her if you wished me to, Indilisse."
With a loud laugh, Indilisse shook her head, "Elven magic is too good for Nindë. The only thing she will understand is humiliation and if the opportunity presents itself, I will allow it to happen."
Arwen nodded, "I will keep my ears especially tuned to her voice then, Indilisse. And may I just remind you of what you said of Haldir when you first arrived?"
Indilisse thought back to the day when Haldir had engaged her in the middle of the duel with Colindo. "He is still insufferable, but I love him far too much for that to be a deterrent."
"He is like Aragorn." Arwen said with a slightly uneven sigh, turning her eyes back to the field. Indilisse followed her gaze and found that Aragorn and Haldir were calling a draw to their spar.
"We should not call a draw," Haldir said, "because we are tired."
Aragorn chuckled, and set the point of his sword into the ground, leaning his weight against it, wiping his brow of the accumulated sweat. "What would you suggest, March Warden?"
"Someone to fight in our stead." Haldir suggested, glancing around at the elves before them. Luinil was close by, and so were Rúmil and Orophin, but both Haldir's and Aragorn's gaze passed the able-bodied fighters and fell on her and Arwen. She tried not notice this fact, as it seemed Arwen did as well with a glance to Indilisse.
"Please tell me they are not thinking what I think they are." Indilisse whispered, sending Arwen into a fit of laughter.
Aragorn and Haldir exchanged glances, nodding their heads in accordance with each other on the terms of the replacements without speaking another word. Slowly they stalked towards the elleths, and Arwen turned to Indilisse, "There is no possible way to escape this, is there?"
"I fear not." Indilisse said.
"I have not fought in nearly a year." Arwen replied, loud enough for everyone else to hear.
"Nor I in three months." Indilisse said, "and I do not have my sword."
Arwen chewed on her lip, "Nor do I. And we are clothed in gowns, we cannot properly fight in gowns."
"It seems as if they do not care." Indilisse remarked, as Haldir stopped before her and offered her his blade.
He held it out with it laying on both palms of his hands, and gave her a small bow of his head. "Indilisse, will you not fight for my honor?"
Indilisse scoffed, "Should it not be the other way around, March Warden?"
"And what of my honor, Lady Arwen?" Aragorn asked, doing the same with his sword. "Would you represent me on the field of battle?"
"I do hope that when the time comes for true war, you will not be asking me to represent you on the field of battle." Arwen said, and took the broadsword from Aragorn's hands, adjusting it in her grip. Indilisse could see that it was heavier than she was used to, as it was not of elven make, and that the hilt grips were not much to her liking. "I have never even fought with a blade made by Men."
Indilisse sighed and glanced from her to the pleased grin upon Haldir's face. "You enjoy that you have put me into this position, do you not?"
"Aye, I do enjoy it immensely," Haldir's smile grew larger. "At least this time I will not enter the fight."
"Fine, I will fight for your 'honor'..." Indilisse took the scimitar from his hands, expecting it to be heavier than hers, as he was larger in stature than she, but never could she have guessed just how heavy it was. "If Arwen does not draw blood with her own blade from me, then I will surely do it to myself trying to strike with this sword."
Haldir chuckled and leaned into her, his warm breath upon her ear as he whispered, "If you do get hurt, meleth, it will be my pleasure to heal every last part on your body."
Indilisse sighed, pulling back from him so she could place a hand on his cheek, acting as caring and loving as she could before spitting out, "You are still a cowardly dog, asking for an elleth's help in defending your honor."
Arwen and Aragorn both laughed and Haldir just sighed with a dismayed shake of his head. Arwen nodded towards the field, "Come Indilisse, our destiny awaits."
"Aye." Indilisse agreed and fell into step next to Arwen.
They stopped in the middle of the field and Arwen said lowly, "We are matched accordingly, but our weapons and other circumstances will hinder us. They merely wish to see two elleths moving about together. I find it gives them some type of thrill."
Indilisse nodded, "What do you suggest then, Arwen? We give them what they want, not intending for either of us to win?"
"Exactly, though after awhile they will notice what is going on and will see that we are getting tired." Arwen added, "So they will make us truly fight to see who would win."
"Would you like to lose today, or shall it be, Lady Arwen?" Indilisse asked.
Arwen's eyes twinkled with a playful glint, "We should both lose. It will be easy, just act as if you are worn out and stop fighting, so I can kick your legs out from under you."
Indilisse giggled and stepped back, "Never would I have thought there would be a day where I would be made to spar with you, Arwen."
"If it is any conciliation, Indilisse, I would much rather fight Aragorn than you because I have better chance at winning with him." Arwen smiled, "I know Targon has taught you well."
With that, Arwen bowed to Indilisse and it was returned, the fight starting almost instantly after each had straightened. They gave the fighting their best show, and it was true that the males noticed the fact that they were just playing around rather than fighting. The weapons that each elleth wielded were far too heavy for what they were used to, and it was wearing away the strength of their arms. Each got in their own violent hits, sufficiently causing injury to the other without drawing blood, but definitely hard enough to cause a great bruise. It was not until Indilisse was able to swipe at Arwen's legs did the elleth stumble back to the ground. And just as planned, though Indilisse had to stop from true exhaustion, Arwen kicked Indilisse's legs out from beneath her.
They fell together in a heap of long sweaty limbs and messed dresses, their chests heaving as they tried to catch their breath, both laughing hysterically. Arwen was able to regain some amount of lucidity first and sat up, throwing Aragorn's sword to the side. "Never again, elleth, am I going to fight you."
"Nor I!" Indilisse exclaimed, not sitting up and still somewhat trying to recover from the initial pain of her injuries. She felt the long shadow come over her and the scimitar being removed carefully from her hand that was out to her side.
Haldir peered down at her, the same pleased smile on his features, "You fight well, Indilisse."
She rolled her eyes, and sat up, but a blow that had come into contact with the side of her abdomen caused her to wince in pain. Haldir was there almost instantly, with and arm wrapped around her shoulders, helping her to stand. Indilisse leaned against him, allowing the wobbliness of her legs to diminish slightly before moving. The crowd had dispersed by now, and her father was on his way away from the field with her mother. Aragorn was helping Arwen to stand as well.
"I still cannot believe you made me do this," Arwen remarked.
Aragorn looked at her and let a soft smile cross his features, "I trust in you, Arwen. I would let you take my spot any day in battle, though that would be unwise because you would try to talk your attacker out of striking you before you even drew a sword."
Arwen shook her head and turned her attention to Indilisse and Haldir. "We should call a truce."
"Aye." Indilisse nodded.
"Let us meet tomorrow in the Lady's garden for the noon meal." Arwen said. "We shall call our truce then."
Haldir smiled, "We shall be there, my lady."
With that, Aragorn and Arwen walked off towards the stairs that would lead to the main talan of the Lord and Lady's house. Indilisse ventured a glance up at Haldir and found that he was looking down at her with a gaze that could have melted even the hardest and thickest of ice in a second. He moved her towards the nearest opening in the field to venture up the long stairs, but she found that they were not heading in the direction of her talan. She only slightly cared though, as her injuries were painful and she wished to rest awhile before venturing across the city to reach her home.
"Never will I let you forget this day, March Warden." Indilisse said, stepping up on another step, but the place where Arwen had kicked her was bruised and sending painful waves through her entire body. Haldir chuckled lightly, and looked down at her. With one swift and well-executed movement, he had scooped her up into his arms and continued on up the stairs. "I can walk on my own Haldir."
"No you cannot." He replied.
"I can too!" She exclaimed, batting at his arms to put her down, but her mind quickly turned to thinking of how easily it had been for him to lift her form the ground and start back up the stairs. In effort to stop thinking about it, she looked at him, "What are you doing anyway? My talan is in the other direction."
Haldir looked down at her with a cheeky smile, "I said I would heal you."
"My mother can do that." Indilisse replied, just for the sake of arguing, and not because she did not want Haldir healing her.
"She will be busy with your father tonight." Haldir remarked with a wink.
Indilisse groaned from the image in her head, "I wish to not think about that, Haldir."
"Why does that bother you so, Indilisse?" He asked.
"If it were your mother and father you would think the same things." She sighed, "Normally I would not mind, but just the thought that it is my parents..."
Haldir laughed, "I understand, Indilisse. It is enough to know that they had to do such a thing to beget you."
Indilisse looked up at him, their eyes connecting for a moment before he trained his gaze ahead of them. She giggled, "But that still does not mean that you must heal me in your talan."
"Since you have fought so valiantly for my cause," Haldir mused, "I thought it would be a nice gesture to allow you a private bath instead of having to walk to the bath house in pain. But if I was wrong in thinking it a nice gesture, then please tell me."
She was quiet for a moment, and he smiled thinking he had won, so she commented, "I suppose you will feel the need to help with the bath as well."
He peered down at her, "If you would wish me to, then I would not be one to refuse."
Indilisse shook her head and turned to gaze out in front of them, catching a shadow lurking in the distance. She smiled to herself, as the distinguishable characteristics of Nindë's face quickly moved back into the darkest part of the shadow, trying harder to remain out of view. If anything was sweet justice, having Nindë see Haldir carrying her up the stairs and towards his talan was enough. Indilisse did not even care for humiliating the elleth any more, as seeing Indilisse and Haldir together most of the time would surely be the most wicked punishment.
"We are being watched." Indilisse said quietly.
Haldir sighed and turned to a bridge that connected his talan to the walkways, "I know. I saw her back when we were just starting the ascent to the talan."
"She is jealous of me." Indilisse replied, glancing up at Haldir as he stopped in front of his door, easily reaching out for the door knob and opening the door, even with her still in his arms.
"Many are." He said, closing the door easily with his foot. "But none of them can compare to you, meleth nin."
She nodded her head, and played absently with few pieces of his hair that had fallen on his chest, "Did you ever have feelings for her, Haldir?"
"Nindë?" He laughed acerbically, "Hardly. I can tell you in no way that is easier for you to hear, so I shall just tell you that all I ever found her useful for was as a lover. She is not the wisest elleth. She never thinks for anyone but herself. And Elbereth forbid that she should ever have to get her hands dirty."
"Have you had many?" Indilisse questioned, figuring that this was as good a time as any to find these things out.
Haldir shook his head, "A few, Indilisse, namely Nindë. But there have been three others."
She pondered what he was telling her and noticed that he was moving her towards the master sleeping room. "Have you ever-..."
"Nay I have never been in love, until you." He answered shortly as he pushed through the room and took two long strides to his bed, placing her in a sitting position on the huge mattress supported by the carven wood headboard and four-legged stand. "Why the questions all of a sudden?"
"We just have never talked about the matter, and I thought it would be wise to do that, especially with the threat of Nindë hanging over our heads constantly." Indilisse said, looking at the wooden floor. "She has already done so much to try and separate us."
Haldir sat close to her and pulled her into his arms, "Then we will pay her no heed. That will diminish her power tremendously."
"That does not always work." Indilisse reminded with a large smile, "Need I remind you of the misunderstanding she caused in the garden?"
She could have sworn he blushed. Haldir sighed and stood up, walking back into the small side room. While he was gone, Indilisse took the moment to look around the large room, the size almost equal to that of the front room and kitchen. It was not very decorated except for the rich blue colored velvet drapes pulled the sides of the exit to the balcony, tied with matching sashes, the excess length pooling at the ground. There was a gauzy white fabric covering the opening, and billowing slightly in the breeze. Centered in the room was this large bed with fine white bed linens and a blue velvet coverlet that matched the window dressings. The headboard was of particular intricacy with a carefully carved design which looked to be a crest of some kind, though she did not know of what. On the wall opposite the balcony door was a large wooden wardrobe. And on the wall between the door to the bathing room and the door to the balcony was a dressing table with a familiar mirror surrounded by beautifully wrought silver metal.
Excited, Indilisse jumped up, nearly forgetting her injuries and hobbled over to the mirror, running her fingers along the smooth frame. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Haldir return and stop to watch her. She turned and smiled, "Ada was so adamant about leaving this behind because he could not risk the potential of bad luck if it were to break, but Naneth did not want to leave it behind because it was so beautiful."
Haldir chuckled, "Your mother swore death upon me if I gave it to someone else or broke it myself."
Indilisse smiled, and turned back to it, seeing her reflection finally, noticing just how much she needed to clean herself or at least brush her hair. "I will be able to tell her that it is well then."
"To which she will ask why you were in my bedroom." Haldir remarked, walking to the wardrobe and producing a drying cloth.
"She is so embarrassing when she wishes to be." Indilisse mumbled, reaching for the pins holding her hair up and watching Haldir come up behind her. He grabbed for her hands and moved them away from her hair as he slowly started removing the pins himself. The hair fell to her shoulders a piece at a time, and after he was finished with the pins, he took a comb and went through her hair with it. All of the actions Haldir was taking were surprising to her as she had never thought of him to be the most appeasing elf. But he proved her wrong... yet again. "You know, you do not need to do this."
He placed the comb back on the table in front of them, and gathered her hair into one hand, pushing it one shoulder, leaving the other completely bare to him. Haldir leaned down and kissed her neck and backed away, "I said that I would heal you, Indilisse, and that is exactly what I am doing."
"This is healing?" Indilisse raised a brow and turned to look at him as he walked towards the bed and sat down. "I must speak with my mother about this, then."
"This is my own method of healing." Haldir replied, watching her closely.
She closed the distance between them to take the drying cloth from where he had set it at his side. "Aye, I am sure you kiss all of your wardens at the fences like that when they are hurt."
He chuckled, "You win, Indilisse! Sweet Elbereth, can you not just take anything I do as a sign for my feelings for you?"
"I know that all of this is because of your care for me," she smiled, running a finger along the square line of his jaw. "I had never pictured you to be so pampering."
He was unflinching, staring at her intensely as she looked up from where she was following her finger's trail. Their eyes locked for a long moment, it seemed as if all time ceased to move and they were locked into one memory for all of time. Unable to control her urges, Indilisse pushed on his shoulders lightly and he fell back onto the bed surprisingly easily. Indilisse did not waist a moment climbing on the bed, neglecting her injuries to straddle his has body and lean down over him so that her lips were barely touching his and her hair fell over them in a thick curtain.
"I thought you were injured." Haldir said lowly and against her mouth before entwining his fingers in the hair at the nape of her neck, pushing her lips harder against his. He inched back on the bed, pulling her further into the center of the gigantic mattress.
"I am," she responded quietly. "But I have been wanting to do this since I first saw you this morning."
"What? Get me to my bed?" He asked through broken kisses, a smile playing on his lips.
Indilisse grumbled, "Quit smiling like you have won a great battle, Haldir."
"Have I not?" Haldir ran his tongue along her lip and placed his hands upon her hips, flipping Indilisse on her back and pinning her to the bed with his thighs. "I believe I have won. I have gotten you into my talan. I have gotten you into my sleeping room. I did not have to do any more than take the pins from your hair and comb it, and you are in my bed. Now all that is left is stripping you of your clothes, and having you do the same to me."
"It was a battle with me?" She asked, pulling him back down to her lips.
Haldir chuckled, "Every step of the way."
"Good." Indilisse responded shortly.
"And you are my prize for such toils." He added, kissing her again.
She moved her hands down his strong shoulders covered by the soft fabric of his tunic, feeling even the toned muscle and sinew beneath the clothing. Slowly she let her hands run down his back as his lips found an ear tip and suckled slightly, causing a moan to come all the way from the bottom of her lungs. His tongue flicked out against the ear tip then, and in addition to a soft moan, she dug her fingers into the sides of his abdomen, and pressed her palms against him as she moved around his waist to his lower back. Slowly, her hands crept to his buttocks and he pushed his hips down more, allowing her to feel the evidence of his desire even more so than before. It was just enough to excite her beyond a stopping point. There was no turning back now.
He shifted slightly as one of his sure hands found her thigh and lifted the dress up a hand full at a time, pushing it up to her hip. His hand touched the smooth skin there, and trailed over it carelessly before he allowed his entire palm to move up the back side of her thigh and to the rump still covered by the cloth of her dress. Indilisse murmured something, but he was not sure what, as all of his attention was not on words at the moment, but on her lithe body beneath him. Haldir reclaimed her lips passionately, removing his hand and to wrap it around her back to start undoing the fasteners of her gown.
"Haldir, are you in here?"
They froze in mid kiss, both of their eyes opening wide in the realization that Orophin had come to the talan for some reason. Haldir removed himself from her with the speed and agility of the elves and moved quickly for the door to the bedroom, desperately trying to smooth out his hair and tunic. Indilisse laid back on the soft bed, trying to catch her breath and retain some level of consciousness after what had just happened, letting out a frustrated chuckle. Just when she was ready to give herself to him, they had to be interrupted!
"What do you need Orophin?" Haldir asked, the level of exasperation apparent in his voice.
"You asked me to come take a look at the injuries from your spar earlier," Orophin said, "while Indilisse was bathing."
Did he tell everyone of his plan? Indilisse shook her head and sat up on the bed. She grabbed the drying cloth and carried it with her towards the bathing room, closing the wooden door behind her.
--- Meleth- love Meleth nin- my love Ada- Father Naneth- Mother
Indilisse followed closely beside her mother as they made their way to the practice fields later that morning. The rest of the time they had spent baking had been lovely, and allowed for Indilisse to spend some precious last minute moments with her mother before she went West. It had been nice to speak with her about love, gossip and especially learn some important lessons prior to her binding. Indilisse smiled to herself, thinking of Haldir and finding him at her parents' talan early this morning. There was no question that binding was the topic of discussion between her parents and him since it seemed that everything her mother said while they were working was somehow related to marriage or to children. It excited her, but all at the same time made her extremely nervous as she was moving on into the next phase of her life, and she would be truly on her own and living her own life with Haldir.
All she could hope for was that Haldir would not take too long asking her, because she did not much like the idea of having to deny him his pleasures much longer for her own selfish nervousness.
The sound of metal clashing together could be heard louder as they neared the field, both Indilisse and Vanima surprised that they were still deep into the spar. Moving closer, they found that a small group of elves had come out to watch the fighting duo, but Indilisse soon realized that it was no longer her father and Haldir against each other. In the center of the field stood Aragorn, parrying and defending himself with his broadsword against hard blows from Haldir's curved elven scimitar. They were moving slowly, and it almost seemed as if it was not a true spar, but that they were teaching each other some maneuver of some sort.
Arwen stood to the side, watching the play for male dominance, looking particularly angry at the moment. Indilisse joined Arwen's side, while Vanima left to speak with Targon, who was appraising the swordsmanship of the duelers. "You do not look happy, my lady."
"Should I be?" Arwen asked sarcastically, with a slight smile on her lips. "I have not seen Estel in nearly thirty years, and here he is in the midst of a spar with Haldir. I would wish to spend more time with him."
Indilisse giggled, "I shall remember that, Arwen, when you have spent an entire week with him and cannot stand his habits."
Arwen sighed and glanced at Indilisse, "True, my friend."
"Have you tried to pull him away?" Indilisse asked, watching Aragorn take a particularly hard blow to his arm.
"I have done everything but strip myself of my dress." Arwen laughed, shaking her head in dismay. "I truly do not understand Men. When they feel that their masculinity is being threatened, they defend it until the last dying breath."
"Is it not that way with all males of any race, Arwen?" Indilisse questioned, "Haldir is the worst of them all."
Arwen gave Indilisse a mischievous smile. "So it is true of what I hear of your relationship? My brothers spoke of it before they left for Imladris."
"It was true then, but it was not for certain until last eve." Indilisse nodded, "We had yet another misunderstanding between us."
"Because of one depraved elleth." Arwen added, "I could perform some elven magic on her if you wished me to, Indilisse."
With a loud laugh, Indilisse shook her head, "Elven magic is too good for Nindë. The only thing she will understand is humiliation and if the opportunity presents itself, I will allow it to happen."
Arwen nodded, "I will keep my ears especially tuned to her voice then, Indilisse. And may I just remind you of what you said of Haldir when you first arrived?"
Indilisse thought back to the day when Haldir had engaged her in the middle of the duel with Colindo. "He is still insufferable, but I love him far too much for that to be a deterrent."
"He is like Aragorn." Arwen said with a slightly uneven sigh, turning her eyes back to the field. Indilisse followed her gaze and found that Aragorn and Haldir were calling a draw to their spar.
"We should not call a draw," Haldir said, "because we are tired."
Aragorn chuckled, and set the point of his sword into the ground, leaning his weight against it, wiping his brow of the accumulated sweat. "What would you suggest, March Warden?"
"Someone to fight in our stead." Haldir suggested, glancing around at the elves before them. Luinil was close by, and so were Rúmil and Orophin, but both Haldir's and Aragorn's gaze passed the able-bodied fighters and fell on her and Arwen. She tried not notice this fact, as it seemed Arwen did as well with a glance to Indilisse.
"Please tell me they are not thinking what I think they are." Indilisse whispered, sending Arwen into a fit of laughter.
Aragorn and Haldir exchanged glances, nodding their heads in accordance with each other on the terms of the replacements without speaking another word. Slowly they stalked towards the elleths, and Arwen turned to Indilisse, "There is no possible way to escape this, is there?"
"I fear not." Indilisse said.
"I have not fought in nearly a year." Arwen replied, loud enough for everyone else to hear.
"Nor I in three months." Indilisse said, "and I do not have my sword."
Arwen chewed on her lip, "Nor do I. And we are clothed in gowns, we cannot properly fight in gowns."
"It seems as if they do not care." Indilisse remarked, as Haldir stopped before her and offered her his blade.
He held it out with it laying on both palms of his hands, and gave her a small bow of his head. "Indilisse, will you not fight for my honor?"
Indilisse scoffed, "Should it not be the other way around, March Warden?"
"And what of my honor, Lady Arwen?" Aragorn asked, doing the same with his sword. "Would you represent me on the field of battle?"
"I do hope that when the time comes for true war, you will not be asking me to represent you on the field of battle." Arwen said, and took the broadsword from Aragorn's hands, adjusting it in her grip. Indilisse could see that it was heavier than she was used to, as it was not of elven make, and that the hilt grips were not much to her liking. "I have never even fought with a blade made by Men."
Indilisse sighed and glanced from her to the pleased grin upon Haldir's face. "You enjoy that you have put me into this position, do you not?"
"Aye, I do enjoy it immensely," Haldir's smile grew larger. "At least this time I will not enter the fight."
"Fine, I will fight for your 'honor'..." Indilisse took the scimitar from his hands, expecting it to be heavier than hers, as he was larger in stature than she, but never could she have guessed just how heavy it was. "If Arwen does not draw blood with her own blade from me, then I will surely do it to myself trying to strike with this sword."
Haldir chuckled and leaned into her, his warm breath upon her ear as he whispered, "If you do get hurt, meleth, it will be my pleasure to heal every last part on your body."
Indilisse sighed, pulling back from him so she could place a hand on his cheek, acting as caring and loving as she could before spitting out, "You are still a cowardly dog, asking for an elleth's help in defending your honor."
Arwen and Aragorn both laughed and Haldir just sighed with a dismayed shake of his head. Arwen nodded towards the field, "Come Indilisse, our destiny awaits."
"Aye." Indilisse agreed and fell into step next to Arwen.
They stopped in the middle of the field and Arwen said lowly, "We are matched accordingly, but our weapons and other circumstances will hinder us. They merely wish to see two elleths moving about together. I find it gives them some type of thrill."
Indilisse nodded, "What do you suggest then, Arwen? We give them what they want, not intending for either of us to win?"
"Exactly, though after awhile they will notice what is going on and will see that we are getting tired." Arwen added, "So they will make us truly fight to see who would win."
"Would you like to lose today, or shall it be, Lady Arwen?" Indilisse asked.
Arwen's eyes twinkled with a playful glint, "We should both lose. It will be easy, just act as if you are worn out and stop fighting, so I can kick your legs out from under you."
Indilisse giggled and stepped back, "Never would I have thought there would be a day where I would be made to spar with you, Arwen."
"If it is any conciliation, Indilisse, I would much rather fight Aragorn than you because I have better chance at winning with him." Arwen smiled, "I know Targon has taught you well."
With that, Arwen bowed to Indilisse and it was returned, the fight starting almost instantly after each had straightened. They gave the fighting their best show, and it was true that the males noticed the fact that they were just playing around rather than fighting. The weapons that each elleth wielded were far too heavy for what they were used to, and it was wearing away the strength of their arms. Each got in their own violent hits, sufficiently causing injury to the other without drawing blood, but definitely hard enough to cause a great bruise. It was not until Indilisse was able to swipe at Arwen's legs did the elleth stumble back to the ground. And just as planned, though Indilisse had to stop from true exhaustion, Arwen kicked Indilisse's legs out from beneath her.
They fell together in a heap of long sweaty limbs and messed dresses, their chests heaving as they tried to catch their breath, both laughing hysterically. Arwen was able to regain some amount of lucidity first and sat up, throwing Aragorn's sword to the side. "Never again, elleth, am I going to fight you."
"Nor I!" Indilisse exclaimed, not sitting up and still somewhat trying to recover from the initial pain of her injuries. She felt the long shadow come over her and the scimitar being removed carefully from her hand that was out to her side.
Haldir peered down at her, the same pleased smile on his features, "You fight well, Indilisse."
She rolled her eyes, and sat up, but a blow that had come into contact with the side of her abdomen caused her to wince in pain. Haldir was there almost instantly, with and arm wrapped around her shoulders, helping her to stand. Indilisse leaned against him, allowing the wobbliness of her legs to diminish slightly before moving. The crowd had dispersed by now, and her father was on his way away from the field with her mother. Aragorn was helping Arwen to stand as well.
"I still cannot believe you made me do this," Arwen remarked.
Aragorn looked at her and let a soft smile cross his features, "I trust in you, Arwen. I would let you take my spot any day in battle, though that would be unwise because you would try to talk your attacker out of striking you before you even drew a sword."
Arwen shook her head and turned her attention to Indilisse and Haldir. "We should call a truce."
"Aye." Indilisse nodded.
"Let us meet tomorrow in the Lady's garden for the noon meal." Arwen said. "We shall call our truce then."
Haldir smiled, "We shall be there, my lady."
With that, Aragorn and Arwen walked off towards the stairs that would lead to the main talan of the Lord and Lady's house. Indilisse ventured a glance up at Haldir and found that he was looking down at her with a gaze that could have melted even the hardest and thickest of ice in a second. He moved her towards the nearest opening in the field to venture up the long stairs, but she found that they were not heading in the direction of her talan. She only slightly cared though, as her injuries were painful and she wished to rest awhile before venturing across the city to reach her home.
"Never will I let you forget this day, March Warden." Indilisse said, stepping up on another step, but the place where Arwen had kicked her was bruised and sending painful waves through her entire body. Haldir chuckled lightly, and looked down at her. With one swift and well-executed movement, he had scooped her up into his arms and continued on up the stairs. "I can walk on my own Haldir."
"No you cannot." He replied.
"I can too!" She exclaimed, batting at his arms to put her down, but her mind quickly turned to thinking of how easily it had been for him to lift her form the ground and start back up the stairs. In effort to stop thinking about it, she looked at him, "What are you doing anyway? My talan is in the other direction."
Haldir looked down at her with a cheeky smile, "I said I would heal you."
"My mother can do that." Indilisse replied, just for the sake of arguing, and not because she did not want Haldir healing her.
"She will be busy with your father tonight." Haldir remarked with a wink.
Indilisse groaned from the image in her head, "I wish to not think about that, Haldir."
"Why does that bother you so, Indilisse?" He asked.
"If it were your mother and father you would think the same things." She sighed, "Normally I would not mind, but just the thought that it is my parents..."
Haldir laughed, "I understand, Indilisse. It is enough to know that they had to do such a thing to beget you."
Indilisse looked up at him, their eyes connecting for a moment before he trained his gaze ahead of them. She giggled, "But that still does not mean that you must heal me in your talan."
"Since you have fought so valiantly for my cause," Haldir mused, "I thought it would be a nice gesture to allow you a private bath instead of having to walk to the bath house in pain. But if I was wrong in thinking it a nice gesture, then please tell me."
She was quiet for a moment, and he smiled thinking he had won, so she commented, "I suppose you will feel the need to help with the bath as well."
He peered down at her, "If you would wish me to, then I would not be one to refuse."
Indilisse shook her head and turned to gaze out in front of them, catching a shadow lurking in the distance. She smiled to herself, as the distinguishable characteristics of Nindë's face quickly moved back into the darkest part of the shadow, trying harder to remain out of view. If anything was sweet justice, having Nindë see Haldir carrying her up the stairs and towards his talan was enough. Indilisse did not even care for humiliating the elleth any more, as seeing Indilisse and Haldir together most of the time would surely be the most wicked punishment.
"We are being watched." Indilisse said quietly.
Haldir sighed and turned to a bridge that connected his talan to the walkways, "I know. I saw her back when we were just starting the ascent to the talan."
"She is jealous of me." Indilisse replied, glancing up at Haldir as he stopped in front of his door, easily reaching out for the door knob and opening the door, even with her still in his arms.
"Many are." He said, closing the door easily with his foot. "But none of them can compare to you, meleth nin."
She nodded her head, and played absently with few pieces of his hair that had fallen on his chest, "Did you ever have feelings for her, Haldir?"
"Nindë?" He laughed acerbically, "Hardly. I can tell you in no way that is easier for you to hear, so I shall just tell you that all I ever found her useful for was as a lover. She is not the wisest elleth. She never thinks for anyone but herself. And Elbereth forbid that she should ever have to get her hands dirty."
"Have you had many?" Indilisse questioned, figuring that this was as good a time as any to find these things out.
Haldir shook his head, "A few, Indilisse, namely Nindë. But there have been three others."
She pondered what he was telling her and noticed that he was moving her towards the master sleeping room. "Have you ever-..."
"Nay I have never been in love, until you." He answered shortly as he pushed through the room and took two long strides to his bed, placing her in a sitting position on the huge mattress supported by the carven wood headboard and four-legged stand. "Why the questions all of a sudden?"
"We just have never talked about the matter, and I thought it would be wise to do that, especially with the threat of Nindë hanging over our heads constantly." Indilisse said, looking at the wooden floor. "She has already done so much to try and separate us."
Haldir sat close to her and pulled her into his arms, "Then we will pay her no heed. That will diminish her power tremendously."
"That does not always work." Indilisse reminded with a large smile, "Need I remind you of the misunderstanding she caused in the garden?"
She could have sworn he blushed. Haldir sighed and stood up, walking back into the small side room. While he was gone, Indilisse took the moment to look around the large room, the size almost equal to that of the front room and kitchen. It was not very decorated except for the rich blue colored velvet drapes pulled the sides of the exit to the balcony, tied with matching sashes, the excess length pooling at the ground. There was a gauzy white fabric covering the opening, and billowing slightly in the breeze. Centered in the room was this large bed with fine white bed linens and a blue velvet coverlet that matched the window dressings. The headboard was of particular intricacy with a carefully carved design which looked to be a crest of some kind, though she did not know of what. On the wall opposite the balcony door was a large wooden wardrobe. And on the wall between the door to the bathing room and the door to the balcony was a dressing table with a familiar mirror surrounded by beautifully wrought silver metal.
Excited, Indilisse jumped up, nearly forgetting her injuries and hobbled over to the mirror, running her fingers along the smooth frame. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Haldir return and stop to watch her. She turned and smiled, "Ada was so adamant about leaving this behind because he could not risk the potential of bad luck if it were to break, but Naneth did not want to leave it behind because it was so beautiful."
Haldir chuckled, "Your mother swore death upon me if I gave it to someone else or broke it myself."
Indilisse smiled, and turned back to it, seeing her reflection finally, noticing just how much she needed to clean herself or at least brush her hair. "I will be able to tell her that it is well then."
"To which she will ask why you were in my bedroom." Haldir remarked, walking to the wardrobe and producing a drying cloth.
"She is so embarrassing when she wishes to be." Indilisse mumbled, reaching for the pins holding her hair up and watching Haldir come up behind her. He grabbed for her hands and moved them away from her hair as he slowly started removing the pins himself. The hair fell to her shoulders a piece at a time, and after he was finished with the pins, he took a comb and went through her hair with it. All of the actions Haldir was taking were surprising to her as she had never thought of him to be the most appeasing elf. But he proved her wrong... yet again. "You know, you do not need to do this."
He placed the comb back on the table in front of them, and gathered her hair into one hand, pushing it one shoulder, leaving the other completely bare to him. Haldir leaned down and kissed her neck and backed away, "I said that I would heal you, Indilisse, and that is exactly what I am doing."
"This is healing?" Indilisse raised a brow and turned to look at him as he walked towards the bed and sat down. "I must speak with my mother about this, then."
"This is my own method of healing." Haldir replied, watching her closely.
She closed the distance between them to take the drying cloth from where he had set it at his side. "Aye, I am sure you kiss all of your wardens at the fences like that when they are hurt."
He chuckled, "You win, Indilisse! Sweet Elbereth, can you not just take anything I do as a sign for my feelings for you?"
"I know that all of this is because of your care for me," she smiled, running a finger along the square line of his jaw. "I had never pictured you to be so pampering."
He was unflinching, staring at her intensely as she looked up from where she was following her finger's trail. Their eyes locked for a long moment, it seemed as if all time ceased to move and they were locked into one memory for all of time. Unable to control her urges, Indilisse pushed on his shoulders lightly and he fell back onto the bed surprisingly easily. Indilisse did not waist a moment climbing on the bed, neglecting her injuries to straddle his has body and lean down over him so that her lips were barely touching his and her hair fell over them in a thick curtain.
"I thought you were injured." Haldir said lowly and against her mouth before entwining his fingers in the hair at the nape of her neck, pushing her lips harder against his. He inched back on the bed, pulling her further into the center of the gigantic mattress.
"I am," she responded quietly. "But I have been wanting to do this since I first saw you this morning."
"What? Get me to my bed?" He asked through broken kisses, a smile playing on his lips.
Indilisse grumbled, "Quit smiling like you have won a great battle, Haldir."
"Have I not?" Haldir ran his tongue along her lip and placed his hands upon her hips, flipping Indilisse on her back and pinning her to the bed with his thighs. "I believe I have won. I have gotten you into my talan. I have gotten you into my sleeping room. I did not have to do any more than take the pins from your hair and comb it, and you are in my bed. Now all that is left is stripping you of your clothes, and having you do the same to me."
"It was a battle with me?" She asked, pulling him back down to her lips.
Haldir chuckled, "Every step of the way."
"Good." Indilisse responded shortly.
"And you are my prize for such toils." He added, kissing her again.
She moved her hands down his strong shoulders covered by the soft fabric of his tunic, feeling even the toned muscle and sinew beneath the clothing. Slowly she let her hands run down his back as his lips found an ear tip and suckled slightly, causing a moan to come all the way from the bottom of her lungs. His tongue flicked out against the ear tip then, and in addition to a soft moan, she dug her fingers into the sides of his abdomen, and pressed her palms against him as she moved around his waist to his lower back. Slowly, her hands crept to his buttocks and he pushed his hips down more, allowing her to feel the evidence of his desire even more so than before. It was just enough to excite her beyond a stopping point. There was no turning back now.
He shifted slightly as one of his sure hands found her thigh and lifted the dress up a hand full at a time, pushing it up to her hip. His hand touched the smooth skin there, and trailed over it carelessly before he allowed his entire palm to move up the back side of her thigh and to the rump still covered by the cloth of her dress. Indilisse murmured something, but he was not sure what, as all of his attention was not on words at the moment, but on her lithe body beneath him. Haldir reclaimed her lips passionately, removing his hand and to wrap it around her back to start undoing the fasteners of her gown.
"Haldir, are you in here?"
They froze in mid kiss, both of their eyes opening wide in the realization that Orophin had come to the talan for some reason. Haldir removed himself from her with the speed and agility of the elves and moved quickly for the door to the bedroom, desperately trying to smooth out his hair and tunic. Indilisse laid back on the soft bed, trying to catch her breath and retain some level of consciousness after what had just happened, letting out a frustrated chuckle. Just when she was ready to give herself to him, they had to be interrupted!
"What do you need Orophin?" Haldir asked, the level of exasperation apparent in his voice.
"You asked me to come take a look at the injuries from your spar earlier," Orophin said, "while Indilisse was bathing."
Did he tell everyone of his plan? Indilisse shook her head and sat up on the bed. She grabbed the drying cloth and carried it with her towards the bathing room, closing the wooden door behind her.
--- Meleth- love Meleth nin- my love Ada- Father Naneth- Mother