Woo! I'd just like to take a minute to note the thanks to those who have reviewed! ElvenMaidenHobbitGirl, Haldir's Heart and Soul, Mim, Dazzler420, Tarilenea, Aeglos, The Snow-Point Spear! Also, I think I have the most colorfully named reviewers - lol! Hugs Thanks guys!

Sorry for the delay, terrible writer's block and graduation was last week.

Note that anything in italics without paragraphed html spacing occur in dreams.

Thanks again for the reviews!

Chapter Two - Sickening Joke

Ashk

"You cannot honestly expect me to believe that," Haldir said, his chuckles still shadowing his voice.

"I wouldn't think it to be very hard," I replied, hiding my hurt with anger as I crossed my arms. He stared at me like I had lost my mind.

"I've never seen you before, woman!" Haldir told me, his laughs returning. "How do you imagine I would believe this... this sickening joke?"

His words stung more than I thought any could. I felt any dim hope I had fade. A dim hope of, perhaps, being able to take the shame away from my name - my family's name - and most importantly, from my child's name.

I thought that since he was an Elf, he'd be more honorable than any man. But, it seemed I was mistaken. I could more likely go to an anonymous man and tell him I was to birth his child and receive a warmer welcome than this.

"This sickening joke is going to be your child," I whispered, my eyes no longer baring to look at him. He was not the same person I remembered.

Perhaps that night truly did come from a bottle…it seemed the memory was thrown away with it, broken among the glass.

"To Mordor, it is!" he replied, his amusement in the situation still strong. "Believe what you like, Maiden, but I do not father your child."

He turned away then, about to leave. I glanced up at him, seeing his knees bend slightly as he was about to leap into the trees. My voice was soft and I loathed how breakable it sounded. "Begging your pardon, milord…But you do."

Haldir looked at me over his shoulder, his amusement suddenly gone and I almost swore to seeing pity in his gaze. I resented it even as he said, "I suggest you return to your home; winter settles this night. You will grow ill."

I have no home to go back to because of you!

I wanted to scream at him, but it seemed it would take far too much energy for such an outburst. Instead, my eyes lowered to the ground and I heard as he leapt into the trees again.

Once again, I found myself alone; cold, tired, and now hopeless.

I sniffled pathetically, feeling my chest cave in tight. What was I going to do? Where was I going to go now?

I had no where else to go. None of my nearby kin would claim me, my horse had run off before I even got to Lothlorien, and I had no money left.

The wind wrapped around me with its tart, cold fingers. I felt my chin quiver and my eyes start to burn as they had every day for almost a week now.

I had nothing better to do with myself as I felt my knees sink to the ground. Shifting the blanket the kind Elf had given me, I burrowed into it, lying on my side.

Here I would stay for now. Yet, in truth, it was not for any other reason despite that I had no where else to go.

Haldir

My frown was deep as she laid on the cold ground. She had lost her mind if she thought she was going to stay in the cold this night. The first and long-lasting snows would come after dusk, I could feel it in the air.

Shaking my head, I turned away and traced along the trees back to the nearest flet. If she wanted to catch her death, I could do nothing about it. It was none of my concern.

However, reaching the flet, I was stared at with two disappointed pairs of eyes.

"She's insane," I told them both. My two brothers looked away, not saying anything in reply. It was obvious they'd heard the conversation and were more wary of it than I was.

"She said she was from Sarubrim," Orophin said, looking at me once more. "You were there a little over a month ago, Haldir."

I gave him a disbelieving look. "If anything had happened, how do you imagine I would forget her in that little of time?" I demanded.

They both simply stared at me, drilling into me their reasons with silence. I felt the weight of their accusations - the possible realization - before I crushed the thought.

There was no possible way. I was in that tiny village only one night - nothing like this could have spawned from that one night.

"She is not a woman looking for trouble, Haldir. She wants help," Rumil said, walking towards me.

I scowled at him. "Know her so well already, Rumil? Pity she didn't say you were the father." I moved to the edge of the flet, staring at the night sky. It was not dotted with stars, but instead the dancing of snowflakes fluttered down around us.

"Do not be harsh, Haldir," Rumil told me steadily as he stood next to me. "I'm only pointing out the obvious."

Obvious. There was only one thing obvious about this situation, and that was the woman's wicked mentality. In her eyes, I knew she truly believed me to be the center of her sudden misfortunes, but I knew I had nothing to do with it.

Would I so quickly forget a woman I had bedded only a mere month before? Of course not.

But…at the time…Would I have remembered her at all? I vaguely recalled wandering through Sarubrim, but I knew nothing of its people. I did not remember that woman at all. Was I so stricken to have blocked the thoughts completely?

"This was not your fault."

I glared at my brother. "I sent them into a slaughter! How is it not my fault!"

The brief memories twisted my gut. But, they were the only reason to explain this situation; not that it needed any further explaining to me.

"Where are you going?" Rumil asked.

"For a ride."

"To where?"

"To where ever I may end up." I didn't know. I didn't even care at the moment.

"Haldir!"

"She will freeze tonight," Orophin said, his eyes cast off towards the borders. I knew he was watching her, but I dared not to do the same. Uncertainty was already growing.

I had been so shocked at her accusation that I could only laugh. What was I to do otherwise? I'd been sure she was mistaken, or insane.

But, with silence came thought; recollection.

"Perhaps we should provide her a bit of shelter," Rumil suggested, peering at me. I said nothing in return and he frowned. "You have never been one to leave the suffering."

My eyes cut to him like a knife. I didn't need him coiling me into his intentions.

"Just for tonight," Orophin said, supporting our younger brother. "She can be on her way tomorrow if it must be, but-" He paused a moment, seeing my unwilling stare. He sighed slightly. "Do not ask us and the rest of the patrol to leave a human to die."

"She won't die…Don't exaggerate to fit your purpose, Orophin," I told him with a deep set glare.

"She will of sickness if nothing else," he replied with an edge in his voice. "You know she will. Don't let your aggravation cloud your judgment, Brother."

If they were any other two people, I would have them both on punishment reels, but, alas, they were my brothers; my closest friends and kin.

Still, I had no wish for this human we spoke of to be any closer to Lothlorien than she already was. Why, I could not quite explain, but I always trusted my instincts.

"As a favor to the two of you," I said, looking at them both. "I will consent to the woman being sheltered. Give her something to eat if it gets her on her way any faster come dawn. I don't care how you get her out of here, but I want her gone by the morning."

Relief showered both their faces. Grumbling to myself, I turned away.

"Wait," Rumil said, a brief frown returned. "Where are you going?"

"I have business in Caras Galadhon," I told him, preparing to drop from the height of the flet.

"It will be late in the night by the time you get there. You can do nothing so late. Stay here for the night," Orophin suggested. He then smiled. "We have not seen you in two weeks."

He was right, I noted as I looked at them again. Perhaps it was better if I stayed at the post this night; for their sake, of course.

Later

"Please don't."
I shook my head slightly, turning her downcast gaze upward to mine. "You do not mean that."

Waking with a jolt, I stared at the roof of the small flet I was in. The dream was vague; I could barely remember it even now. However, it seemed so hauntingly familiar.

Why did I know that voice?

I did not bother to ponder on my own question as I slipped away to sleep again.

"I'm afraid it's not much, but it keeps the cold out," she said, lighting the candles around the small room.
I heard the stumble of booted feet but only when I clambered into her did I realize that it was I who had staggered. Managing to save us both from a jarring fall to the ground, I clutched her close for my own balance.
Marred with the taste of liquor and weighed too heavily by something far different, I laughed at myself slightly and didn't bother to release her.
"Are you all right?"
Her voice wavered in my mind, shaking away the fogs within.
Looking at her, my drunken smile slowly faded. Not a moment later, she shivered slightly in my grasp.
"Are you cold?" I asked.
"What- no," she replied quickly, shaking her head.

"You are shivering," I mentioned.

The sudden sound of someone pounding on the door jarred me awake. I sat up with an inaudible curse.

As the fist continued to pound on the door, I frowned and glared the at the wooden frame.

"Haldir!" It was Ferevellon. What was he doing on the border route? He was to be in Caras Galadhon for the next month.

Throwing myself out of the bed, I managed to shrug into a tunic before opening the door. Ferevellon looked at me, obviously finding me less than kempt. He stumbled over his words.

I scowled at him. "What are you doing here, Ferevellon?"

He cleared his throat. "The Lady sent Ferevildir and I to retrieve a human from our borderlines."

At first, I barely caught his words. But, after a brief moment, they slammed into my rousing mind. "For what?" I demanded.

Taken aback by the booming of my voice, Ferevellon blinked with a surprised look. "I know naught," he told me with a helpless shrug. "She wishes to see her right away. I merely came up here to wake you as rudely as possible at daybreak," he told me, the slight amusement in his eyes only brief before being replaced with a concerned frown. "Is something wrong?"

I felt my jaw clench in annoyance. As if the woman was not causing me enough problems already. I had been willing to allow her shelter the night before, and she'd had it. She'd probably eaten well enough in Elven company as well though I was wise to stay away from the human, less she knew I was near and go insane yet again.

With the thought, the disgruntling dreams from the night before returned swiftly. I had no reason to believe they were anything more than dreams...but it was all so familiar.

"Haldir?"

"Nothing," I growled. My eyes slid towards ground-level to see Ferevildir holding a riderless horse. Next to him was the human, covering a yawn with a gloved hand. I couldn't help myself but to glare. "I will travel with you," I grumbled to Ferevellon.

The Elf's frown deepened before I excused him to ready for the ride to the city. Closing the door, I took a moment enough to breathe a cooling breath. However, the simple fact that the Lady of Light wished to see a woman who undermined me flamed a wrong nerve.

Cursing to myself as I dressed, I almost relished in the fact that upon meeting the Lady, the human would be put in her place. Galadriel would prove fact from fiction.

"Please don't."

"You do not mean that."

The sudden slip of the vague dream made me slam the door as I left the flet.

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