In the World of Elves and Men
Part 2
Unlike the Noldo, who in the earliest of years have gone from the River Cuivenen onto the plains of Middle-earth, then eventually to Valinor, and so by these decisions shrouded themselves in the safety and love of Eru and the Valar, the Silvan Elves who remained in Middle-earth and lived through joy and trial had for themselves to hone their skills and body to defend land and life.
In the quest for the Elves' continued survival while they remained in Middle-earth, be from reasons that they were scared, dubious or unprepared for a journey to the Undying Lands, the Mirkwood and Lothlorien elves gathered together once a year, when the moon was brightest and reminded them of their lost stars. In this year it was the Galadhrim, led by its chief Marchwarden Haldir, who traveled from Lorien, the Golden Wood, to Mirkwood, part of the great Greenwood of the Elvenking Thranduil.
Chiefly in the Marchwarden's mind was the intent of bringing glory to his Lady of the Light. As Galadriel bode them fare well, Haldir had vowed to the lady queen to give Lorien a grand year by showing off skills of his men and of himself.
The Galadhrim entered the Mirkwood realm and were thus welcomed by their kin. The trees of Mirkwood seemed to wrap themselves unto each other, blanketing with leaves and wood the protectors, nobles and maidens of the two realms. Haldir looked around and nodded his approval. He reviewed the fundamental setting of the skills testing areas and found them up to his standards. The Galadhrim would easily sweep the prize crowns of Thranduil.
His awareness alerted him of a warm gaze observing his every move. Haldir turned his head to read the trees of Mirkwood, then rested his eyes lower. The Elves of Mirkwood long lived under the trees, and so he would find them hiding on the ground. There was a flash of gold to his right. He quickly turned and saw long golden hair fly past. In the inside he was well pleased that the opposing team sought answers and were challenged enough to watch them. Then, he glimpsed a flash of long slim feminine legs.
Their Mirkwood kin certainly would dare not send a maid for this task.
On the other side of the large tree that shielded her from the Galadhrim, Maiyanna tried to remain as silent as she could while she tried to catch her breath. She had meant only to take a peek, to see if among the Galadhrim was the one warrior she had so briefly seen the year before. Maiyanna had delighted when she spied him leading the Galadhrim into her realm. However, she had not expected the flutter of her heart when he turned in her direction. His senses were sharp, to notice her presence. Her hand closed around the pendant, a simple silver downturned leaf that hung from her neck. Maiyanna wished, deep inside her heart, that the Lorien elf of so many of her dreams would wear her necklace to the skill tests.
On the Lorien elves went, towards the clearing on which Maiyanna's cousin Legolas Prince and the scouts of Mirkwood waited. Legolas Greenleaf had as always been open and gracious. He smiled warmly and clasped the arm of his counterpart.
"Welcome, Haldir of Lorien." Legolas turned to the company behind the Marchwarden. "Welcome, cousins from the Golden Wood."
Haldir nodded in acknowledgment to Legolas' welcome. "We are honored to join you in another Elven joust, prince."
Legolas slanted his head towards the Elven maids to the side. "If you would refresh yourselves, we may begin."
Upon hearing this, Maiyanna picked up her skirts and swiftly raced towards her cousin. She took a vessel of cool water to offer to the Lorien elves. As Haldir offered her his cup to fill, Maiyanna beamed her white gleaming smile at him. She raised her brows to her cousin, who was at that moment looking up at the sky and appreciating the wondrous beauty of the day ahead.
"'Tis a fine day for the reunion of the sundered kin," Legolas expressed. When he looked down, he saw Maiyanna's quiet prompt. He turned to Haldir and said, "Haldir, this is my cousin Maiyanna. She will attend to the needs of the Galadhrim during your stay."
Haldir frowned and studied the appearance of the Elven maid before him, with her too eager smile and too smooth skin. 'Young,' he thought. 'Barely a thousand years alive,' was his conclusion. Aloud, he bowed to the lady. "Your services are unnecessary," he assured her. "The Galadhrim shall serve themselves. One so noble of birth does not serve wardens and scouts."
Legolas appeared well pleased with Haldir's refusal and his words. Still Legolas shook his head and insisted, "Hierarchy exists not in Mirkwood, nor in the spirit of our people. Maiyanna would be honored to serve you."
Maiyanna nodded in agreement. "You are needed, Legolas."
Legolas again clapped on Haldir's back and welcomed him to Mirkwood before leaving. Left with Maiyanna, as the Galadhrim had filed away towards the side of the clearing that was to be their territory for the day, Haldir shifted then remained still.
"Princess--"
"I'm no princess!" she immediately corrected. "I am a distant relation of no consequence."
Haldir shook his head. Had there been anything he had completely understood from the moment he learned the ways of the Elves, it would have been the genealogy of each noble-born Elf. He had vowed to the Valar from the very beginning that he was bound by his duty to the Lady of the Light. Anything that he performed since that very day was for the glory of Galadriel, and in turn, for Lothlorien.
Thus he knew that Maiyanna had been keeping the truth. Being of noble birth, Maiyanna cannot be told wrong by another kingdom's Marchwarden.
"My lady," he repeated, "I must now take my leave."
"Wait!" she called out when he turned to his group. "Please."
Uncomfortable he might have been, but Haldir could only heed the command of an Elf of nobler birth than he. He looked back at Maiyanna to see her unclasping her necklace. "My lady," he began in protest.
"Maiyanna is my name." She held the necklace aloft.
"That I know, my lady," he answered stiffly.
"Call me by my name."
And thus she commanded, he thought. "I cannot accept that."
"I want you to wear my favor as you join the skill tests."
At that Haldir forgot his place and refused. "Your favor must be held by an Elf from Mirkwood."
"But there is no rule that states such," she argued. "Please, Haldir. I would be filled with joy."
Let it not be said that Haldir of Lorien had twice disrespected the wishes of a Silvan noble. He took the thin strand of silver and hung it around his neck. He stepped back when Maiyanna would have offered to help him. Even if he was opposed to wearing a favor of a Mirkwood maiden, Haldir bowed still to the lady and thanked her.
The day was filled with skill tests of every type. The Elves from both camps set themselves against one another in activities such as climbing trees and slopes, finding edible food and listening to the whispers of the trees.
At the end of the day, when Elf after Elf had fallen from both the Mirkwood and Lorien groups, only two were left. It was as Haldir feared. He was to compete against the Prince of Mirkwood.
There were five challenges to complete, which would reveal the ultimate winner for the year. Haldir shook his head at the dilemma that he faced. As Marchwarden of Lorien, he was sworn to win as many skill tests as he could to bring glory to Lorien. Yet at the same time, as Marchwarden of Lorien as well, he could not in good faith take the contest from the Mirkwood prince.
Haldir focused on the task ahead of him. The silver pendant was heavy on his chest, and he knew that the lady Maiyanna had cursed him. She truly had. Of the fifty fighters competing on both sides, the chances of himself ending up on the last leg of the contest against the prince were slim. Yet here he was.
The cursed prince did not make his decision lighter. Legolas approached him before the first skill set and congratulated him for reaching this part of the game. When the running commenced, Haldir reached the goal a split second before the prine of Mirkwood did. When the Galadhrim cheered, and Legolas bowed in his direction, Haldir felt pushed to the end of his willpower. To him, raised to believe in the noble line of his people as he was, winning over Legolas was sheer lack of courtesy.
It came as no surprise to him, given the slender figure of Legolas, that the prince won the next skill set of jumping in form. At that Haldir would not need to feel down. There was no way he could have moved as swiftly and as smoothly as the prince in that skill test.
The prince also beat Haldir in speed and precision during the test for keen sight. Legolas was known, after all, throughout the Elven realm for his solid gift in his keen sight. Once, it was told, he gave the number of leaves on moving trees within the space of five breaths.
Haldir showed his experience as guardian of the surrounding area of Lorien when he started tracking for the fourth skill test. As Marchwarden, Haldir encountered intruders without number. He also honed his skill in trapping food for himself and his brothers. On that fourth skill test, Legolas and Haldir were tied.
The last skill test was the decision. Legolas immediately was the easy choice between the two for his win on keen sight. What Haldir lacked in theory though, he made up for in experience aplenty. In the final test of archery, the two were head to head.
As the two rode in on their mares and trained their bows on a singular target, a glass pendant the size of the tip of a thumb, Haldir saw the pride with which Thranduil King regarded his only son. At that moment, the Marchwarden shifted his bow by a finger's width. The two released their arrows at the same time.
The glass shattered.
Legolas glanced at his opponent and for the first time, Haldir noted that he did not smile. There was no evidence of triumph in the prince's eyes.
The Mirkwood Elves cheered, unaware of Legolas' reaction. Haldir stared at the prince's retreating back. He almost jumped out of his boots when he heard a feminine voice say, "You should not have let him win."
It was no other than Maiyanna shaking her head in disappointment.
"I did nothing of the sort," Haldir denied.
"My cousin is very intuitive," she continued. "You have only served to insult him."
For Haldir, insulting Legolas or any other noble was the greatest crime, more than perhaps fleeing battle. He walked up to the prince who stayed under one of the oldest trees.
"Legolas Prince," he said quietly. "I wish to congratulate you. You have won the year for Mirkwood. I shall take the win next year."
The prince of Mirkwood merely nodded. When Haldir extended his hand, Legolas shook his hand. "I know, Haldir, why you did it. A noble should appreciate honest competition or else he is no noble at all."
"A shade of doubt haunts this victory for you. For this I apologize." Haldir looked back at the event and decided, "You hit the mark, prince. There is no question about your skill with the bow."
"It matters not," Legolas told Haldir. "Come. Let us join the celebration. The joust is not the only reason Lorien and Mirkwood come together every year."
Haldir stepped aside to wait for Legolas to walk before him. Legolas refused to move until Haldir stopped beside him.
"All Elves were born of the Valar," Legolas said. "All woke beside the river. Not one Elf found himself subject to another."
The two returned to the party together. When they arrived, the Elves hushed and Thranduil raised his arms to invite them to him.
"My kin, you all have gathered here. It is auspicious that you have all come here." The Mirkwood and Lorien elves all were intent on the Elvenking. "You will remember long ago when the Grey-elves all possessed the entire expanse of Greenwood. The Necromancer then blanketed the south with shadow and we retreated. Long have we thought ourselves safe when suddenly he was gone.
"Now, something stirs in the long abandoned Dol Guldur, the bald mountain."
At once, Legolas grew concerned. He trained his keen eyes on the south. His father was correct. Activity burned inside the walls of tower.
"I must then elect two scouts to survey the strengths of Dol Guldur. Should the time come for us to attack, we must know if they can wage a war to reclaim the land," Thranduil pronounced.
"I shall go!" Legolas owned at once.
There was no volunteer from the Lorien elves. Haldir looked at Legolas with admiration, for the prince as always was full of passion and eagerness to help. He would much rather return to Lorien to protect its borders than venture to Dol Guldur and leave his responsibility to others. Even now it sat not well on him that others were guarding his lady Galadriel.
"Marchwarden," Thranduil's voice rumbled.
Thus the nobles had made their decision. Haldir slanted his head to acquiesce.
"Your queen commands it," the king said.
"And so it shall be," Haldir answered.
Before the two best warriors of the Grey-elves began their journey, Maiyanna came to them with a pack in her hands. "Lembas," she said, offering the package to them, "so that you will never grow hungry."
Haldir checked the number of his arrows and glanced back, only to see Maiyanna addressing the words to him. He had supposed she was talking to Legolas. "Thank you," he muttered, and took the package from her.
Her face broke into a brilliant smile.