Author's note: Thank you everyone for all the wonderful reviews! I know I said, even today, that this chapter might have taken a while to get done, but hey!, and it's true as you can see, reviews make me write faster! And don't worry, this is not, and never will be, a Mary Sue (Damn! Now I've ruined the chapter, having this ugly name written here...)! I'll shut up now. Hope you like this!

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Chapter III: Doubts

«"Will you make sure she gets this when she is older? Will you keep it for me?" Moralphwen heard the Prince's melodious voice. It was so serene, she so liked hearing the clear and often reassuring words. As for his figure, it was indistinct, she could not say precisely what he was like, but she was always certain of when it was him. So, wanting to please him, she gave the prettiest smile she could. But he didn't even look, and his eyes were dull steel.

Disappointed, she looked to her side, where she could tell that the person talking to the Prince was standing. There was Haldir, not looking at her either. She was confused, why was the captain there? But she paid little importance to it and, instead, focused on what it was the two were talking about. The Prince was handing the Lórien captain something wrapped in a green cloth. Then, a piece of it fell, and she saw a fine script carved into the silver handle of an old, beautiful dagger. She'd seen that knife before. More than once.

She remembered falling off a grey horse, then seeing the Prince's worried face above her, and then that dagger he always had on his boot as he raised to help her up. She faintly smiled when she recalled how he would always say it would be hers some day. But there was another time when she'd also seen it, more recent, and very different from that one. She'd seen it glinting over a dusted table in a darkened room, calling her, and Haldir was behind her...»

~*~

Again, Moralphwen woke in the middle of the night. Those dreams usually soothed her, but these last ones... they were troubling and made her uneasy. She had always had them, for as long as she could remember, for several times they even repeated themselves. Usually she didn't say anything of it to her guardians, there was nothing disturbing about them, but these were new dreams, new situations.

Well, Simbelmynë had always said that she was much too active. It must be naught but products of her own imagination. Often it was so vivid that it could fool even her. Therefore, she carefreely went outside, into the cool night air, and sang her worries away.


Ai! Aldar maltaiva
Nórëo yassen haryan mar,
Hallaë ar vanimaë,
Alcarinquaë ar ari,
Lenwaiva yétava.

Antalyë intyai
I-carir-lairin ar i-carir-lindalin,
Alassë tuia lellon
Ve i melimaë néni poicavaë Nimrodelo
Oronillon losséi Númerion...


[Oh! Trees of gold
Of the land where I dwell,
Tall and fair,
Glorious and noble,
Of slender look.

Inspiring thou art
To poets and minstrels,
Contentment springs from thee
As Nimrodel's fine pure waters do
From the white peaks of the West...]


Then she came back and let her dreams take her to whatever they willed.

~*~

«She was walking side to side with Haldir, though he was much taller than her. She could tell that this was a continuation of the first dream. They were heading towards a group of elves waiting for them with horses. But something told her that they mattered not, she should look back, she had to look. And she did.

Her Prince was standing, still as stone and looking back at her. He still bore those cold, apathical eyes. And then, she realised she would not see him again. She turned querying eyes to her guardian, begging for an explanation, begging to return. But when she gazed again to the Prince, his back was turned to her and he was walking away, with firm and determined steps.

Why was he going away?...»

~*~

"Moralphwen!... Wake up..." Simbelmynë was shaking her awake, and as Moralphwen finally opened her eyes, the first thing she did was put her arms around her, looking for comfort. Simbelmynë held her back and asked the maiden, fearful, "What is it, child? Why do you cry?"

Moralphwen drew back and found that her eyes were indeed wet, she'd been crying during her sleep, and all because of those dreams... She made a decision: she would tell Simbelmynë, and especially Haldir, and ask them if they knew anything. Maybe they could help her. So, she slowly opened her heart's feelings to the lady and poured them out.

"You know about those dreams I use to have?" Simbelmynë nodded, understanding that it was no light matter that the maiden wished to discuss. "Well, they trouble me. Tonight, for instance, I dreamt of a Prince, my dreams always include him, and... Haldir was there too... Haldir was taking me away, and the Prince didn't want me, he turned his back on me, but... It's so hard to explain!... I felt betrayed, because I thought he loved me and cared for me... It hurts, and yet I know it is no more than a dream, 'tis not real..." Moralphwen's greyish eyes could hold no tears and soon she was crying again on her guardian's shoulder.

Simbelmynë was speechless. Not just because of Moralphwen suddenly talking to her about her dreams, she had always been very reserved about those, and would not tell them to anyone, not even Haldir. She was strong-minded and independent. Simbelmynë was speechless because she also truly did not know what to say. If, on one hand, she had a pretty good idea of what the scene the maiden was describing to her was, on the other, she could not say anything of it to her. She had to speak to Haldir.

"Simbelmynë?...", came the muffled plea from the drapes of her dress.

"Come, let us go talk to Haldir." Simbelmynë meant it with the kindest of intentions, but the maiden reacted unexpectedly.

"No! I've seen you and Haldir talking when I'm not there! Just like you were yesterday! I never minded about that before, I trust you, you are my guardians! But I want you to tell me what it is now! What is it that you know that I do not?"

"Hush, child, trust me now, then!... Let us go talk to Haldir." Simbelmynë repeated the same words, trying to calm down Moralphwen. She fetched a light robe for the maiden and the two left the room, looking for the captain.

They found him sitting at the same table that the day before, already breaking his fast. The captain was already planning his day's activities with Moralphwen. He would find her a suitful bow and would start her archery lessons. He smiled at the two, but when he looked at them more attentively, his smile quickly faded. He still considered that Moralphwen might have pulled something on Simbelmynë, she often had when she was younger, but that thought vanished when he noticed the especially gloomy look on the maiden and the warning glance that Simbelmynë was giving him.

The lady went to stand next to him while, without a word, Moralphwen sat in front of the captain and looked him flatly in the eye.

"If you care anything for me, then tell me what my dreams are."