Disclaimer: I don't own anything that belongs to Tolkien. See, pretty self-explanatory.

Cyberwing: I updated! I couldn't believe that it took so long for me to write this chapter up! I am sorry for the long wait!

"" dialogue &thoughts & for past events

Don't Love Me Too Much-ch16

Culina watched as Haldir gave orders to different men, telling them what to do. She observed as he looked at the map of Lorien ,which was placed upon a wooden table ,and directed his men as where to go and where to defend. She had to admit, she was amazed in his ability to give clear commands and his ability to adjust quickly to different situations.

They were standing in Cerin Amroth, which is the headquarter of Lorien. Lady Galadriel and Celeborn were not in Lorien; therefore, Haldir now had total control of his men. If anyone had the power to do something about this situation, then that person would be Haldir.

But she could no longer wait, Culina tapped Haldir's shoulder gently and said impatiently "They are not coming back."

Haldir took one look at Culina, "Be patient."

"Be patient!" Culina exclaimed, "We tried sending signals to guards at the eastern border, yet none of them had ever replied. Also, it had been ten minutes since you've sent your last men there and none of them had come back. If it can be anymore obvious, I say that there's something wrong. And I say we check it out."

Haldir said, "We can't just send more people there when we don't even know what the whole situation is. We'll have to plan this out carefully."

"Plan this out!" Culina said with a tone of frustration, "By the time you finish planning this out, Coire and Narie would be dead! What were you thinking? They could be alone out there, fighting with Valar-knows for their lives!"

"And put the rest of the people in Lorien in risk." Haldir said calmly. "I will not do anything that I am fully confident in succeeding."

"Yea? Don't you understand? Coire might know how to throw a punch or two but Narie has no ability to fight! If there are a lot of people out there, both of them will be sitting ducks. The more time we waste the lesser chance for them to be safe. If you are not going to do something beneficial to them, then I will."

With that, she turned around and took off. Haldir clinched his fist tightly as watched her as she ran, as she disappeared from view. He took a deep breath as he focused at the map of Lorien once again. He took a last look at the place where she was last visible before turning back his men who were waiting for his orders.

He slammed his fist on the wooden table.

Where were they? Where were the men that were suppose to be in their post guarding the border?

Coire didn't know what to do anymore. She wiped the sweat off her face with the sleeves of her tunic, she would've used her hands but they were too sweaty. It was until then did she realize how scared she actually was. What could she do now? Was Lorien gone? There wasn't any sound of fighting. It was as if nothing had happened!

But she had to keep on going. She went too far to give up. She ran past trees before she came into the open, she would be able to find people in Lorien. There would be many men there, who would protect her. It wasn't that far from here, she would make it to the interior parts of Lorien. She had to.

She heard a sharp noise behind her. Without a second thought, she jerked, only to feel that something sharp flew past her right. She looked at the metal piece hitting the tree in front of her. It was a metal dart. She then looked at the few strands of hair that was cut off and had fallen off her right shoulder. Chill went up her spine. If she didn't move out of the way in time, her head would've been pierced by it!

It was close; too close for Coire's liking.

She didn't even dare to look back as she ran past trees. She didn't even see there was a person hiding behind one of those trees, just waiting for her to past. In fact, she didn't' even get a chance to move out of the way before the person before the person knocked her out.

She didn't make it.

Culina secured her whip on her belt and slipped a dagger in her right shoe. She tied the strings which attached to her scabbard diagonally across her back. She walked further and further away from the Naith of Lorien, toward the eastern borders. It didn't take long before she heard footsteps coming toward her. Men appeared, they had their swords pulled out of the scabbard and a few of them had pointed their wooden tube at her. They stopped as they saw her, shocked.

Culina looked away with a sad smile. When she first heard about the invasion, at the back of her head, she already knew who were responsible for this. Yet---She quietly took a deep breath before she turned back and looked at them callously. She watched as the men in front looked confusedly with one another, trying to decide as to what to do. It would be up to them to decide, they knew what they would face once they were found out. They knew the consequences, yet they continued along with it

She reached for the sword, which was on her back, slowly, letting the men to hear the sound of the leather that was rubbing against her sword. She pointed her sword at the group of men.

Last chance.

Then one man came forward and walked toward Culina, sword at hand. He approached her, without hesitation he knelt down before her. Others moved quickly toward her and knelt before her also.

Culina didn't take a look at the men who were kneeling; instead, she turned and gazed at the only man who was still standing; the man who was the leader of this invasion.

"Hello Halbarad,"

"Hello Culina." He said as he pulled out his sword also. "I don't want you to be involved in this. You know that I hate to see a wound on your lovely face. What I've said before still stands, if you let me past, then I won't hurt you. However, if you, just like anyone else gets in my way, then I will show no mercy. Just think about this Culina, with all the money, we can go travel the world like you wanted. We will never have to worry about starvation or no place to stay for the night!"

"Stop using me as an excuse." Culina said softly, "It is your greed. You wanted the money and that is the reason why you start kidnapping anyone and selling them for whatever they are worth. You think that I do not know about that? I know them from the beginning. Can't you see? Your greed is going to get you killed someday.

"So it was you who keep intervening with my business." Halbarad's eyes turned bloodshot. He turned to the men who were kneeling, "You call yourself a man? You wanted the money don't you? You and your family will finally be able to live in peace."

"You can never live in peace when your hands are covered with blood and your heart is filled with guilt. Who would've ever thought that we will end up like this?" Culina shook her head, then she told the men, "Go back to the farm now, there is no reason for you to stay anymore. This fight is between this man and me."

These men stood up and moved to one side but they refused to leave. They looked at both who were supposed to be their leaders that were now fighting with each other. Culina took one look at them and smirked.

"This man you are referring is the man that was about to be your fiancé. It is not too late to change your decision you know."

"I made it quite clear. We were happy when we were in the Rohan. With the number of men we have, we had the ability to support ourselves through any time. We had farms, and livestock. Our life were meaningful, we take anyone who needed a place to stay or to rest. They are loyal to us both because to them, we gave them a chance to life on. But you used them, turning them into criminal. We have everything that anyone could've ever dreamt of; but it is not enough for you. You just have to get yourself into those kinds of detrimental businesses and pulling others down with you into that whirlpool. Don't you understand, I gave you so many chances, yet you've never cherished them. You think that it's a miracle that you are not caught, your stubbornness refused to let you see the truth. You just couldn't learn form anything, and now you are invading the place I valued the most." Culina narrowed her eyes. "You are not going to take one more step into Lorien Halbarad. If you do, then it would be over my dead body."

"No turning back huh." Halbarad as he gave a bloodlusting smile. A moment there, Culina thought she saw a tint of gold in his eyes. "Alright then, over your dead body it is."

Well that is the end of Chapter 16. Please review so I'll know what you think of the story. Thz a lot for reading!