**White Tree**
On the road between Edoras and Minas Tirith, the escort of Arwen continued its journey. They were led by the Sons of Elrond, and in their company were Celeborn and Galadriel and a number of Elves from Lorien. Elrond and Arwen rode together with a number of Elves from Rivendell. Among the riders from Lorien were Rûmil and Orophin, Haldir's brothers. They had spoken little on the journey, but as the group made camp for the night, Orophin spoke to Elrohir.
"The lady Galadriel has implied that our brother will be in Gondor when we arrive," Orophin said.
"Haldir is staying in Minas Tirith," Elrohir said carefully.
Rûmil walked over to them and interrupted, "Is it true? Has our brother married?"
Elladan glanced at Elrohir and they both answered, "Yes."
Orophin smiled, "Then he has found happiness."
Rûmil just frowned, "A human bride," he said bitterly. "Mother would have been horrified."
Orophin looked at his brother in annoyance, "Ignore my brother, he has not met many humans."
Elladan and Elrohir just left them to their discussion and joined their father and sister. Elrohir leaned over to Elladan and whispered, "When are you going to tell him about Izabel?"
"I already know about Elladan's betrothal," Elrond said as he joined them by the fire. His expression was unreadable, but they knew he was displeased. He looked at Elrohir and said, "Do you have a bride in Gondor as well?"
"No, father," Elrohir said sarcastically. "All the good women were already spoken for."
Arwen bit her lip and turned aside so Elrond wouldn't see her laugh. It really wasn't very funny for him, and she knew that.
Elrond sighed and looked at Elladan, "You are certain of this choice?"
"I love her father," he said seriously.
"Must I lose all me children to love?" Elrond asked bitterly. "What an evil, noble foe that robs my children of their future."
Elladan looked into the fire and said nothing. Finally Elrond asked, "What is her name, this maiden who has snared your heart?"
Elladan looked at his father hopefully and smiled, "Izabel."
"Izabel," Elrond repeated thoughtfully. "Very well," he conceded dejectedly. Elrond rose and joined Galadriel and Celeborn at the other fire.
Elladan knew that was all the acceptance he was going to get. Very well.
"Well, that was fun," Elrohir said lightly.
Arwen and Elladan both looked at him with annoyance, and Elrohir just said, "What?"
At the other fire, Elrond sighed and just stared at the fire.
"We cannot make their choices for them," Celeborn said.
"I know," Elrond said.
"Our age is ending, and theirs begins," Galadriel said.
"Their time is so short, how will they accomplish anything?" Elrond asked in frustration.
"They will have victories and failures and they will learn," Galadriel said. "And they will have a guide."
"Miranda is not what I'd call a guide," Elrond said. "She is a child."
"No longer," Galadriel said, "She is a woman grown, matured by her journey, and married. She is ready for the coming Age."
Celeborn looked across the camp to Haldir's brothers who were in the midst of a heated argument. "Not all are pleased by this news."
"Miranda will change their minds," Galadriel said. "I have watched her in my mirror, and I am pleased with her progress."
"And what of my children?" Elrond asked.
"They will have families, and will help to strengthen the line of men," Galadriel said. "Be at peace."
Elrond closed his eyes and cringed, his son and his daughter.
*****
Miranda rode over rough and rocky trails, if you could even call them trails. It was late afternoon, and she knew she must be getting close to the place where the white tree was. There was a snowy trail that headed up over a ridge and she followed it. Tempest started losing his footing, but he kept on.
"Please, boy," she said softly to her steed. "I need to get up there."
They made it and the trail leveled off, but was very narrow and slippery. She rode slowly and searched above and below for the elusive tree. Then she saw it!
On a narrow ledge still half covered in snow, thirty feet below was the tree. It grew right out of the rocky ground where no living thing should be. Miranda carefully dismounted and looked for a safe way down. The rocks on the trail were loose, and Tempest was getting nervous. A sudden tumble of loose gravel, and he neighed nervously and reared up. Miranda screamed and tumbled down the side of the mountain and landed hard on the ledge.
She opened her eyes and saw that she was lying beside the tree, which was all that kept her from rolling off the ledge and falling several hundred feet. Up on the trail, Tempest was running back the way she had come. Her body ached, and her lids grew heavy as darkness took her. I guess I won't be home by dark, she thought.
*****
"Why would she come this way?" Haldir asked in confusion. "I would not choose this trail for a quiet ride."
"I do not know," Aragorn said, "but she was riding with urgency. No one was chasing her, but she was driving Tempest up this mountain as though her life depended on it."
Haldir felt a knot in his stomach. Where was she?
Suddenly, Tempest came running toward them, rider less. Aragorn quickly maneuvered his horse to intercept the runaway. He caught the reins and started soothing the frightened horse with calming words.
"Where is she?" Haldir asked with a hint of panic in his voice.
"Up there," Aragorn said, and he gave his horse a kick and drove up the mountain, leading Tempest. He was just as worried as Haldir was. It was getting dark, and he did not want to break off the search until she was found, but up here, he would have no choice.
They reached a narrow trail, and Tempest refused to continue. He reared up, and then stood firm. Haldir scanned the trail ahead, and then happened to look down and spotted her.
"There, on the ledge," Haldir said with a crack in his voice.
Aragorn looked and knew it would not be easy to retrieve her. The ledge was narrow, and the rocks were unstable. "Oh, little sister, how did you manage to wind up there?" he asked.
"I'll go down there," Haldir said. "You can hook the rope to your saddle."
Aragorn considered the plan and then he said, "It is a good plan, but you are much better at soothing horses, and they do not like this trail. I will go."
It was agreed, and so they positioned Aragorn's horse above the ledge, and Haldir kept the beast calm while Aragorn went down to Miranda. He found his footing on the narrow ledge, and knelt beside her.
"Miranda," he said softly, so he wouldn't startle her. "Miranda, are you all right?"
Miranda opened her eyes, "Vedui'," She said casually. "Quel undome."
Her feeble attempt at humor had disarmed his 'you shouldn't ride alone' speech, but Aragorn was a little annoyed by her casual response. The fall could have been fatal, and she was making jokes. "Greetings and good evening? Is that all you have to say? What did you think you were doing riding alone up here of all places?"
"I wanted to find your tree," she said softly as she turned toward it.
Aragorn had been so worried about her he had not even seen it. He gasped. "You have found it," he said in astonishment. "You have found a sapling of the line of Nimloth fair, oldest of trees! How does it come here?"
"That is good, right?" Miranda asked. "This is important, right?"
"Oh, yes, Miranda," he said as a tears threatened, "It is good, and important," he paused and looked her over for injuries. "Are you hurt?"
"A little sore, perhaps," she said. "Is Haldir very angry that I didn't make it back when the note said?"
Aragorn chuckled, "Your husband could not decipher your writing," he said. "We have followed your trail all day."
Miranda bit her lip and closed her eyes, "Oh, I'm so sorry, I forgot about that. He must have been worried."
Aragorn helped her up, "We were both worried. Can you climb up?"
"Yes," she said as she took the rope.
"Then go reassure him you are well, I will collect the tree," he said.
When Miranda reached the trail above, Haldir wrapped his arms around her and cried. "Oh my sweet beautiful crazy wife," he said in Sindarin. "What a chase you have led us on."
"Amin hiraetha," she said. "I'm so sorry; I think I need to learn to write."
"Apologizing in two languages now?" Haldir chuckled. "What did your note say?" Haldir asked.
"Oh, something about going insane if I didn't get a break," she said. "I only meant to ride up to the pool and back, but I had this vision…"
Aragorn reached the trail with the white tree in tow. Haldir immediately recognized it and its significance to Gondor. He gave his wife another squeeze, "Let's get off this trail and find a safe place to camp."
"That's a good idea," Aragorn agreed. "We can't safely ride back tonight." Aragorn carefully wrapped the roots of the tree in his cloak and mounted up. "I owe your wife a debt of gratitude for this."
"Consider it a token of my gratitude for rescuing me from a very long fall," Miranda said.
They made camp in a safer, if still a bit desolate spot. Haldir had insisted Miranda try and sleep after her adventure, but he was distracted by his thoughts and sleep eluded him. He and Aragorn sat by the fire and talked.
"What is it like being married to the Hiri Nolwe?" Aragorn asked.
"She doesn't think of herself that way," Haldir said, "And neither do I, usually. Today was a reminder."
"Yes," Aragorn agreed. "I wonder if she even understands the value of this little tree to Gondor and to me."
"She would not know all the history behind it, but she knows it is important to you," Haldir said. "That is what drove her up here, her love for her brother and king."
"I can never repay her for the gifts she has given me," Aragorn said seriously. "It is hard to believe she is the same girl I found sleeping in the forest only last fall."
"She has grown in strength and power," Haldir said, "I have seen it, yet she holds on to her childlike innocence."
Aragorn watched the Elf as he looked across the fire to his sleeping wife. He had known since they left Helm's Deep that Haldir was in love with Miranda. The bond between them had grown strong in the month since their wedding, and Aragorn longed to see his own bride.
Haldir sighed and looked at Aragorn. "I love my brothers, and my home, and the friends I have made over the past age, but I have never truly known love until I found Miranda."
"There is a lady who has taught me love," Aragorn said. "And I miss her."
"The journey is long," Haldir said. "She will be here soon."
Aragorn nodded and bid his friend goodnight. Haldir went and lay by Miranda, covering her with his cloak and putting a protective arm around her. Miranda shifted and snuggled closer to him and Haldir smiled.
"Amin mela lle," she whispered.
"I love you too," he whispered back. Haldir could not believe he had finally found the bride his mother had promised. Miranda was so much more than he had expected, and Gandalf's revelation was still a shock. He was husband to the guiding light of the fourth age. He looked at her curled up in his arms like an enchantress. What had he done to deserve the love of this incredible woman?
*****
Early the next morning, Haldir was awakened by Miranda shaking in his arms. He sat up, but she was still asleep. Aragorn was already up, tending the horses, and he noticed the panic on Haldir's face.
"Miranda, wake up," Haldir said.
Miranda suddenly sat up, terrified. Her breathing was heavy and she was confused and disoriented.
"Are you all right?" Haldir asked her.
Miranda looked at him as though he was a stranger, and then she seemed to return to herself and recognized him. "Good morning… I mean quel amrun."
"No, no language study today," Haldir said seriously. "What is wrong?"
"Just an old memory," Miranda said. "No scary visions."
"Your childhood again?" Haldir asked, barely keeping his anger under control. He would cheerfully kill whoever had mistreated her, if he could find them.
Miranda quickly shrugged it off and got up. "It was nothing," she said. "We should get back so we can plant that tree. It's not good for its roots to be exposed like that."
Aragorn glanced at Haldir who frowned, but gave him a nod. It was a convenient excuse to get out of a discussion, but important nonetheless. They mounted up and rode back to the city in relative silence. Haldir and Miranda stayed in the courtyard as strong men labored to carefully and reverently uproot the old tree. It was carried outside the city and left in tact. In its place, Aragorn planted the new tree. There was rejoicing in the city for the restoration of the white tree.
Miranda went to Aragorn after the work had been done. "Now you are ready to get married," she said. "Arwen is drawing near, and the wedding will be midsummer's day."
"That is only six days hence," Aragorn said in excitement. He hugged her and said, "Thank you, for all you have done, thank you."
Miranda smiled as her king ran off to make arrangements for his bride's arrival and the wedding. Haldir joined her and they stood gazing at the tree. "You ready to tell me about it?" Haldir asked her quietly.
"It was a long time ago," she said.
"Not so long," he said. "If it steals your sleep, I would hear the tale."
Miranda knew he was right. They walked in the courtyard and she told him about the Carvers and the memories that occasionally haunted her sleep. It was not for herself that she worried, but Kevin. She wished she knew what had happened to him after the children were all sent away.
"Think of him, and perhaps you will see where he is now," Haldir suggested. "You are a seer, you know."
"I have tried," Miranda said sadly.
"Go and speak with Mithrander and see if he cannot help you," Haldir said. "Once you know what became of the child, your dreams will go away."
Miranda nodded, and Haldir sent her on her way. The sooner this was done, the sooner she would be able to rest. Besides, he needed time to get over his anger. He wanted to meet this 'Mr. Carver'. A man that beats children deserves like treatment, especially if one of those children was Miranda.