So Sorry it's late! I had saved it to a disk on the computer at work, and my laptop at home only has a cd drive, not a disk drive. So I couldn't work on it until this morning. Sorrysorrysorry to those who I said I'd have it up by Sat night. I'm a schmuck! Next time I'll email myself a copy so I can work on it at home.
Days passed, and Alanya and Haldir continued to grow closer together. She still spent the mornings watching him at the practice fields but now that time was spent finding ways to make her magic useful in a combat situation. Haldir also insisted that she learn something in the way of defending herself without the use of her powers. Much to her surprise she found she enjoyed learning the art of combat. Her body was strong from all the traveling she had done, and that was serving her well, as she was currently being pushed across the practice field by Haldir. It was the work of moments for him to disarm her and send her flat on her backside for the fifth time in a row.
"Oww!" Alanya exclaimed, rubbing the very tender spot where she was convinced she was becoming bruised. She glared up at Haldir, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "You're enjoying this too much you cretin!" she accused. Haldir sighed, rolling his eyes and offered his hand to pull her to her feet.
"Yes well, it took longer for me to win that bout. You are improving, do not fear." He gave her a penetrating look, clearly assessing whether or not it was worth it to continue the practice or if he thought she had had enough for the day. "I think we are finished with this for the day," he said meditatively. "Right now you are too physically tired for the sword training to be effective."
"Finally," she groaned, sinking down to the ground. Haldir gave her a look.
"What are you doing?"
"What do you mean, what am I doing? I'm collapsing here." She had no intention of moving until her heart had slowed down to something approximating a normal beat. "You just said we're done." She began to daydream of spending the next hour in the bathing pools, only to be rudely interrupted when Haldir hauled her to her feet.
"Ah, simply because we are done with swordwork does not mean we are entirely done for the day," he said lightly, a smile in is eyes. "Now we are going to try archery. I wish you to know some techniques for taking people out at a distance."
Alanya's only response to him was a dirty look as he led her to where the archers practiced. He handed her a small bow, one obviously only for training.
"We will see how you are with this, and then we can proceed to a stronger bow." He said smoothly, also passing over a quiver of arrows. "Now watch my stance and how I hold the bow." Mentally she sighed, but focused her attention on him. He had an uncanny knack for knowing when her mind wandered. He grasped an arrow and nocked it to the string, sighted on the target and loosed it. The arrow flew gracefully and plunked down right in the center of the target. "Now, attempt to copy me."
"Maybe we should warn everyone else to move," she said with a slight smile. "Never having done this before, I'm not sure about the results. I couldn't throw a stone and hit the side of a castle wall." She continued in a dry amused voice.
"Yes well, you do not have to hit a castle wall. You just have to hit the target." He nodded towards the target, which to Alanya's eyes seemed far away.
"We'll see," she said dubiously, attempting to copy his stance and how he held the bow. He stood behind her, and adjusted her grip slightly, helping her sight along the arrow. She felt his warm breath along her neck and had to suppress a shiver. Calling on the discipline she had learned as a mage student, she sighted along the arrow and let it loose. Much to her and Haldir's amazement, it landed dead in the center, right next to his arrow. Her eyebrows rose in astonishment.
"Excellent! Try again Alanya." Haldir stepped away, watching as she took another arrow and let it fly, again with the same results. This time, his eyebrows rose in astonishment. "Try a few more times…. it appears you have an untapped gift for this." He looked on her with a new look of approval, and Alanya shyly smiled back at him, basking in the glow.
Brushing her hair out of the way, she let fly five more arrows, all with the same result. The few elves on the practice field that day all were impressed, and she heard many sounds of astonishment. She fired the rest of the quiver before she was satisfied that it was not simply some kind of fluke. Excited at her success, she squealed and jumped up and down, and then threw herself at Haldir enthusiastically. He let out a "oof" as she hit him, but said nothing, only wrapping her arms around her and smiling, clearly content with her response.
"I told you he was falling for her. He's never left the practice field this early otherwise." Rumil whispered to Orophin. Orophin nodded, his eyes on Alanya and Haldir. The two in question were now heading off the practice field, Alanya fairly bouncing along.
"I think he has found his match." Orophin said. "How much do you want to bet that he loves her? The looser fletches the winner's arrows for three months."
"Oh Please! It is not a question of if…it is a question of when he tells her!" Rumil watched the two disappear into the trees. "I wager…I wager that before this time next year we will have a new sister." He looked smugly at his brother.
"I say done. If they do, I fletch your arrows for three months. If not, you do mine for three months." The two brothers shook hands on it to seal the bargain. "And if not, we beat Haldir senseless, and then make them join anyway, for they are clearly meant for each other." The two brothers shook their heads in agreement, the couple in question unaware that their future was being decided for them.
Back at her talan, the female half of the couple in question was cleaning up from the sparring session. She stepped out of her sweaty practice clothing and flopped down on her bed, letting the cool air caress her naked skin. The bathing pools sounds nice right now, but I have to meet with Celeborn soon. Mentally she sighed, settling for wiping off with a damp cloth and brushing her hair. She changed into a pale green tunic and leggings, throwing over that a robe that had been cross-dyed with silver, giving it a glimmering sheen. Her fingers flew as she braided her hair back up. It would not do to leave it loose today, I think. Ink in the hair is bad.
While she had no problem speaking the elvish language, as she had taken the knowledge of it from Haldir, she still could not read or write the elven script. Celeborn had found her in the library one day, looking mournfully at the books. When she had confessed she wished she could read them, he smiled and said that it would be no problem for him to teach her. She protested that she did not want to waste his time, but he would hear nothing of that. So now mornings were spent on the practice field in one fashion or another, and afternoons were spent with either Celeborn or Galadriel, learning elvish reading, writing, and history.
She arrived at Celeborn's study, tapping lightly on the door to signal her presence. At his quiet response she entered, smiling to see the elf lord. Celeborn rose to greet her, taking her hand in his.
"And so my avid student arrives. I take it our marchwarden was not too difficult on you this morn?" He ushered her onto a seat on the couch and sat down beside her, brushing his silver robes out of the way.
"He says my sword work is improving, though I've yet to see it. Certainly the bruises on my backside from hitting the ground would protest that there's been improvement."
"That is the only way to learn sword work penneth," Celeborn chuckled before continuing, "The only way to learn it is by being beaten about the field. Eventually one either gives it up as a bad idea or gets better to avoid the bruises. You will improve."
"I hope so." She sighed and looked out the window. The adrenaline rush from the practice field was fading and in its wake she began to feel unsettled. Since the night Haldir had been called away to deal with an orc incursion on the border, Alanya had been aware of her growing feelings for Haldir. While she could sense that he cared for her, she was still somewhat unsettled by the whole notion of his immortality.
"What is it penneth? Your mind is miles away, dear one." Celeborn studied her for a moment, noting her quiet being.
"I'm confused. About Haldir." Alanya admitted, pulling her robe close about her. "I'm just feeling…" she groped for the right words, trying to explain the hesitation she felt.
"Afraid?" Celeborn said gently. He took Alanya's hand, holding it in his. "There is nothing to be concerned about penneth. I have seen the way he looks at you when he thinks you do not see him looking. I know that he cares for you. Did you not stay in his talan waiting for him to return one night from battle, and rest with him afterwards? He has never allowed this with another elleth. Never."
"It's not that." Alanya shook her head, her braid gently swinging. She looked up at Celeborn and was reassured by the concern she saw in the Silver Lord's eyes. She gave him a wan smile and patted his arm. "I'm sure I'm over-thinking everything, but the ah, age gap between Haldir and myself. I…I'm only mortal. I won't be young and lovely always." She looked away, falling silent. "What if he is no longer enchanted with me then?"
"You do him a disservice, Alanya. One given, an elf's love is forever." She looked back at him, her eyes wide with surprise. He gave a faint smile, but continued when she said nothing. "Don't think the feelings you have for each other have escaped my notice. I am not called Celeborn the Wise for nothing." He said in an amused tone.
"We haven't said anything about love." Her voice was faint with shock; as if she had not considered that the feelings she held might be that deep. Celeborn gave a light laugh.
"Do you enjoy spending your time with each other? Do you find your thoughts always turning towards him?" Alanya nodded an affirmative. "Does he make your heart sing and your blood run wild?" She blushed at this, but again nodded yes. "And does your soul yearn to be always with him?" He asked in a gentle voice, his eyes understanding.
"I want nothing more then to be with him, no matter what." She laid her head on Celeborn's shoulder and he held her close in a reassuring embrace. "I don't know love." The mage admitted this last in a whisper. Celeborn smiled, thinking of Haldir bound with this sensitive mage.
"You will, penneth." Celeborn fell silent, remembering when he had had this conversation with his daughter Celebrian. A pang of grief went through him at being separated from her and he closed his eyes against the pain. The wonder was that it was no longer as sharp, for the presence of the mage had lightened the cares of both himself and Galadriel. He untangled himself from the mage, rising from the couch. He turned to hold out a hand to Alanya. "Come penneth. No lessons today I think. Instead we shall wander what is the glory of Lothlorien."
Galadriel paused, a sudden feeling telling her to look out the window. Obeying her intuition, she looked out the window of her talan, seeing a familiar pair pace down the steps towards the forest floor. A smile appeared on her lips at the picture the two made: Celeborn's silver hair trailing over his robes, standing tall next to Alanya who was laughing at something the Silver Lord said.
"You are creating a new family penneth. Little do you realize yet that already we hold a place for you in our hearts." Galadriel murmured quietly to herself.