Hunters' Moon
Chapter Eight:
Through one swollen eye and another very teary one, Haldir could barely see the golden locks and angry countenance of the elf that held him suspended from the forest floor. His heart sank even further as he realized with no small amount of astonishment, just exactly who the tall and extremely powerful elf was.
"Glorfindel?" Haldir groaned. /What was the balrog slayer doing in Lothlórien? /
"You did not heed my warning, did you, Haldir?" Glorfindel spoke in a voice like thunder, his face only inches away from Haldir's.
Haldir winced and wondered if his ear-drums were still intact. He wondered also which part of his anatomy the very angry elf would attack next!
"I told you Lindir was off limits and you did not listen. Now he is hurt and you are to blame. Go near him again and I will personally flay the skin from your body!"
Glorfindel released Haldir, who missed his footing, and landed with a painful jolt on his rear.
"Y-you do not understand…it is not as it seems." Haldir tried to explain as he slowly rose to his feet. But the ancient warrior would not let him continue.
"Oh, it never is for such as you, Haldir. If you cannot have Lindir, you will see to it that no one else can, is that it? And what better way than to humiliate him in front of all your warriors! Never mind Lindir's feelings or those of the poor elleth he was with, as long as your pride is intact!"
"One day, Haldir, you will pay for all those broken hearts you so callously leave behind you. One day, that cold muscle in your chest will warm with love for another and you will learn what it is to feel. And I hope that for just a second in time that love is spurned, so you can see what it is like to experience the pain that those like you cause others."
"Stay away from Lindir; I will be watching!" And with that, before Haldir could utter another word, the golden elf was gone.
Haldir sighed and touched a finger to his eye. It was swollen and painful and he had a dreadful headache. His last chance with Lindir had just gone up in smoke. There was nothing for him to do but go home.
It was a weary and sorrowful elf who walked through the door of his talan only to discover Rúmil and Orophin nervously pacing the floor. They had been waiting for his return and looked at him first with guilt and then with shock.
"Haldir, what happened? D-Did Lindir do that?" Rúmil asked in a soft voice. He could understand the minstrel being upset with his brother, but could not believe that Lindir had bested a marchwarden!
"If I had the energy, which I do not, you two would be in worse shape," Haldir said icily. He looked at the rather pale faces before him and sighed. "I ran into a balrog, at least, that is what it felt like. In actuality, it was a balrog slayer, The Balrog Slayer…Glorfindel."
"Why would Glorfindel wish to hit you?" Orophin asked, "And what is he doing in Lothlórien?"
"It is a long story, and I do not know, to answer both questions," Haldir replied wearily. He took at seat on the sofa and held his aching head. "Give me a moment and I will start from the beginning."
Orophin made a compress of hyssop leaves for Haldir to place on his eye and settled back onto the sofa to listen. Rúmil sat down next to him. Haldir began haltingly but soon had told all, starting with his infatuation with Lindir in Imladris, his avoidance of Lindir on the journey to Lothlórien, his jealousy that had led to Lindir's disgrace and finally to his fruitless search for Lindir and unexpected confrontation with Glorfindel.
"I love Lindir." Haldir said, looking at his brothers. "I have been a fool. But all he has to do is look at me and I lose all sense and reason."
"If it makes you feel any better, Haldir, Lindir is not aware that you were in the tree. He thinks it was all started by Tilliel's brother." Rúmil could not suppress a grin as he remembered the look on Tilliel's face, but one look at Haldir quickly wiped it away.
"As much as I blame myself for this mess, there are others who are equally guilty. If Lastad was in that tree, someone put him up to it. Why? Did my embarrassment amuse you so much, brother? Was it worth it?" Haldir almost spat the words at Rúmil.
Orophin laid a hand on Haldir's shoulder. "We admit it started that way. You always were able to have whomever you wanted, Haldir, even if we wanted them also. It is no secret that others desire you, follow you with their eyes. Your reputation as a lover is well-known, as is the fact that one will lose their heart if they fall for you, for you never return their love. It is always Haldir we hear about, never Rúmil or Orophin. Sometimes we cannot help be jealous. So when we saw that Lindir preferred Tilliel, we saw a way to pay you back, as a joke, we meant no harm."
Haldir just shook his head. "I cannot help who I am; I never meant to hurt you."
"As I said, that is how it started. But when we saw that you truly cared for Lindir and how miserable you were, we tried to help you. We paid those couples to interrupt Lindir and Tilliel. I know it was a terrible thing to do, Haldir, but we could not stand by and watch your heart break."
Haldir groaned. "You have a strange way of showing that you care. What of the guardians? Were they also part of your plan?"
Rúmil had the decency to look shame faced. "No, they were not. I am afraid I drank too much ale and mentioned our prank to Claurech."
"Claurech!" Orophin turned to Rúmil. "When did you speak with Claurech?
"When you were so busy collecting everyone's coin at the tavern, he came up to me and we talked. He bought me ale and we took a table. I like Claurech, what is wrong with that?"
"Oh nothing, Rúmil," Haldir replied. "Did you ever wonder why I sent Claurech to the southern border?"
"No, Haldir, why did you?" Rúmil asked, confused. "Did Claurech do something wrong?"
"No, Rúmil, Orophin did. That is why I transferred Claurech." Haldir looked sternly at Orophin, at least as sternly as he could with one eye almost closed.
"Orophin? Haldir, I do not understand what you are trying to tell me." Rúmil looked to Orophin, totally perplexed with the turn the conversation had taken.
"Did you never wonder, Rúmil, why Orophin did not see the party from Mirkwood until they were halfway upon us? Or why he missed the signal arrow? Because he was too busy looking at Claurech to do his duty! That is why."
"Orophin, you and Claurech are lovers? How did I miss that?" Rúmil was astounded at this news.
"N-not exactly, Rúmil," Orophin replied, avoiding looking at his younger brother.
"You have not told Claurech how you feel about him? Rúmil was even more surprised.
"No, I have not, and if you say a word to him, you will regret it!" Orophin had turned slightly red and was glaring at Rúmil.
Rúmil began to laugh and found he could not stop. Haldir was in love with Lindir and Orophin was in love with Claurech, oh, it was just too much. Both of his brothers were hunting unsuspecting prey. He finally managed to control himself and the wheels in his brain started turning. A funny look came over his face and he chuckled to himself. Luckily, Orophin knew that look.
"Do not try to play matchmaker, Rúmil, do not dare to interfere. I do not want to end up like Haldir!"
"Sound advice, Orophin, why do you not follow it yourself." Haldir said wryly.
They all three began to laugh.
The next afternoon, all of Lórien prepared for the festival of narbeleth. Men believed that on this night the veil to the otherworld was at its thinnest, and those who had died could return to visit with friends and family. Extra places were set at tables and fires were lit to guide spirits home.
But the elves did not hold with such beliefs. Narbeleth for them was a time to remember and honour all who had come before, loved ones who had fallen in war or battle and entered Mandos' Halls or those who had felt the call of the sea and sailed west to the Undying Lands. It was not a time of sorrow. Old songs were sung, poems recited and stories told. And though the departed were not present in spirit form, they dwelled on this one night in the hearts of all.
At midnight, a toast would be made to those honoured, and narbeleth (1) (the fading season) would end, to make way for rhîw (2) when nature lay dormant and the lands outside Lothlorien felt the cold of rhîw's breath. To celebrate the new season's start, the elves would dance under the light of Ithil, until Anor's light signalled the coming of dawn. Fruits of the recent harvest would be tasted, wine would flow and there would be much merriment and laughter.
It was a festival that Haldir and his brothers always looked forward to and enjoyed, but this night Haldir wished he could stay home. Only those on duty or those who lay injured in the house of healing would dare to be absent, for it would be a sign of disrespect not to attend. While Orophin and Rúmil could not keep the excitement from their faces as they dressed, Haldir did so in silence. His brothers tried to cheer him as they walked with other elves to the clearing where the festival would take place, but Haldir's air of melancholy only seemed to grow worse as they approached.
He knew that Lindir would be there and Glorfindel also, and that Lindir would be the topic of much gossip. The minstrel would be hurt and embarrassed at what he could not help but hear. Lindir would also have to face Tilliel and the guardians who had spied on them, and he ached for the hurt that Lindir would feel. For that, he blamed himself.
If that were not enough, Haldir would also have to explain his black and swollen eye, for Lord Celeborn and his lady would wish to know what happened, that is, if Glorfindel had not already told. Others would be curious as well, and once the story was out, it would be another slap in Lindir's face. And then, there was the small fact that Haldir, at least before these last few days, had always been somewhat vain about his appearance and mindful of his reputation. Both had been tarnished last night.
He sighed. There was nothing he could do to repair the damage he had caused. If he was lucky, Lindir would eventually forgive him and perhaps they could be friends, at the worst, he would lose the one person that mattered more to him than he ever thought possible. He squared his shoulders and prepared for what was to come.
To be continued
Sindarin words and phrases used in this chapter
1. narbeleth - the name for the season of late autumn, 54 days lying between modern 8 October and 30 November. From the Elven Kingdom Website.
2. rhîw - the name for winter; 72 days between modern 1 December and 10 February. From the Elven Kingdom Website.