Title: A Rose Not Yet Withered
Pairing: None
Rating: PG13
Genre: Angst / Mystery
WARNING: Violence
Beta: None
Cast: Haldir, Orophin, Rúmil, Celeborn, Galadriel, OCs
Disclaimer: I own no-one from The Lord Of The Rings. All the characters and place names displayed belong to JRR Tolkien except Daealia and Glorendil who are from my own imagination and are the only ones I lay claim to. I do not intend to, nor am I making any financial gain from the writing of this story.
Feedback: Yes please! We "aspiring" authors thrive on the stuff.
Timeline: A.U. Not following movie-verse.
Summary: When news of a massacre reaches Lorien, time begins to run against the Galadhrim. Soon, even their trust for their own kin, is lost in a tangled web of lies, deceit and murder….
Spoilers: None
Chapter 3
Conversations
Haldir ran along the forest floor, being careful not to slip on any leaves as he went. Tears blurred and obscured his vision and he wiped them away hastily with the back of his hand as he continued running. Finally he saw a pale glowing light, filtering throught the trees and he moved towards it in haste.
He sped towards the middle staircase, hoping against hope, praying that his Lord and Lady were still awake. He acended the stairs and carried on running up towards the quarters of his Lord and Lady. He arrived, panting slightly and ventured forth into their rooms. His footsteps were silent on the pale floor and his breath made less than a whisper on the night air. Suddenly, Haldir felt a hand come to rest upon his shoulder. He span round and his wet, grey eyes came to meet instantly with Lord Celeborn's pale blue ones.
"Haldir?" he began "What is it that troubles you so to come out this far into the night?"
"Forgive me my Lord, for I meant not to startle you. I come only to seek your knowledge about something that I have encountered tonight."
"Come through here." Celeborn led Haldir into a circular shaped room, decorated with glittering sliver lights. In the middle, there stood a small wooden table and three chairs.
"Please. Sit" Celeborn gestured at the chairs and Haldir took up his invitation and seated himself at the table. "Would you like a drink?" asked Celeborn.
"Nay, thank you my Lord."
"Are you sure? You appear quite shaken"
"I am sure" Haldir assured him.
Celeborn drew himself up another of the spare chairs and seated himself at the table also.
"Now" he began "What is it you seek my counsel about?"
"Pray, forgive me my Lord, but I must ask. Have you at any point of your life in Caras Galadhon, encountered a pool in a clearing that glitters with splendour like pearls and silver. Where no breath of wind nor breeze can falter the surface that remains as still as glass and as smooth?"
Celeborn gazed at Haldir in puzzlement and curiosity.
"Nay, I cannot recollect having come across such a pool before in my life." He replied "However, can you enlighten me of what it does, if indeed it does do anything?"
"Yes I can my Lord." Haldir continued "When you first look upon it, it seems beautiful, tranquil and calm. Somehow you feel compelled to step into it and find out what it feels like. So you enter the pool and all earthly thoughts are whipped from your mind as the water moves slowly about you. You shut your eyes, fully surrendering to the bliss of the pool and that is when it happens" he broke off, shuddering slightly.
"When what happens?" urged Celeborn.
"You see all thoughts of horrific things in front of your closed eyes. It's as though you're really there."
"And what did you see?"
"It was terrible. Everyone was dying, everyone. And before I was able to get out of the pool, I saw her being murdered by Uruk-Hai." He put his face in his hands and wept into them.
Celeborn rested his hand on Haldir's shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.
"Listen" he went on "I think that Galadriel needs to hear this too. I am sorry Haldir for I am certain that such a pool has never come across my path in my lifetime, which I admit is strange since I was sure that I knew these woods well."
Celeborn suddenly withdrew his hand from Haldir's shoulder quite abrubtly, causing Haldir to look up from his sobbing and gaze upon his Lord in puzzlement.
"My Lord" he inquired "What is it?"
"Who is 'her' Haldir?"
"I am sorry, I do not follow" said Haldir, still more bemused
"You mentioned seeing 'her being murdered'. Whom did you mean?"
"Forgive me, my Lord. It is Daealia that I am speaking of."
"She left with a large group no more than four days back, am I correct?"
"Indeed, yes, my Lord. But I am afraid that none shall return home alive, save one. For I saw a vision in the pool that I spoke of. The whole party was murdered by Uruks including Daealiea herself. The only one that survived was Elendir, he was the one that sent me the letter."
"What letter? Haldir, may I ask you to retrieve this letter that you received so I may read it?"
"Why, of course, my Lord. I shall go and fetch it."
"Nay, I shall come with you."