Huge Thanks to: Hesper120, Laer4572, Ms. Unknown, Shallindra, MyOnlyCat, Pippinsgal011890 (Not finished yet, but I'm about five chapters ahead of you guys. Heh! No sneak peeks, sorry! Keep reading though, thanks!), LalaithoftheBruinen, just some reader (glad you found it again!), LadyJadePerendhil (updated early!), legolasnDcolorblueinterestme, Julia (Holy crap...You're good. Can't say what's right or wrong..but, I say again - You're good!), and Ariellelena!
Note to all: I happened to realize that I never put what timeframe this fic is in (thanks to Perendhil). Timeframe is about a 500 to 700 years PRE-LotR. Book verse, if you'd also like to know. If your wondering about that two-hundred year gap, no worries. I haven't pinned it completely due to spin-offs swirling in my head. ...They're getting annoying now. Lol!
Enjoy guys!
Chapter Eleven: Between Forests and Trees
Morning
Ana
I doubted they knew I was watching from that high window. My sister and Haldir were near the working shed and while Haldir hauled hay back and forth from the barn, Ashk tagged along. They were obviously discussing something in depth.
Occasionally they would both laugh, but there was a time or two that Haldir stopped to look at her as he went into more detail. Ashk would frown, that frown she had when she was thinking carefully.
With Haldir's horse in a corral, I didn't doubt he would be leaving soon for somewhere.
I didn't know what to think of this Elf. He'd helped to ruin my sister's life and any connection she had with her family. Of course, even though I desperately wanted to, I couldn't pass all the blame to him. Ashk had a major part in this situation that had come upon us all. And, deep inside, I was angry with her.
How could she be so careless? Why would she do something like that without thinking?
When Mother had first told me about it when I arrived home, I had wanted to wring Ashk's neck and slap some sense into her. I wanted to holler at her for her stupidity and carelessness.
Yet, when Mother had continued to say that Papa had completely exiled and disowned her, I didn't know what to do. Ashk had ever been my companion and I'd known through the years that eventually she would join me on my travels.
To know that Ashk, the youngest of our family, had been sent away into the cold winter...It was my father who I hollered at for stupidity and carelessness. And when he wept, so did Mother and I knew that regret ran high in my home.
I'd set out to find Ashk for more than one reason. I wanted to make sure she was safe, and that she was taking care of herself and the child she carried.
Children, I amended as I peered at my sister.
And, I'd come to take her with me. Take her home maybe, take her back to the homelands of my husband's tribe. I just didn't want her to be alone.
Though, as I watched Haldir tip her chin up with a smile of gentle affection, I didn't know what I was going to do. Ashk was not alone here as I'd thought she was. Between Haldir and his brothers, she certainly wasn't alone. There was the boy Donavon and the people in town she talked so fondly of, too.
It seemed my baby sister was all grown up.
I would weigh my options and see what life was here in Celebrium for her before I decided on whether or not to bring her the option of going home or leaving with me. I would remain here until I'd made my decision as far as what I thought was best. And I'd wait to see what Ashk's decision was in patience.
Whatever patience I had, that is.
My blood boiled just to be around Haldir. I had to find something to do with this Elf; something that would simmer my flaring emotions towards him. In him, I saw the basis of my problems. If he truly cared for Ashk, even as just a friendly affectionate way, then perhaps I could tolerate him.
But if he was using duty as a crutch, I'd kick it out from under him.
Watching the two smile at each other, I silently hoped that if I had to remove his leverage, that he would have a hard fall.
Haldir
"I'll be fine," she told me with a smile and she stooped over to pick a lone flower from the ground. She held it out to me. "You will not be missing anything here besides a lot of talking between Ana and I."
When I did not take the offered flower, she stepped forward and tucked it in my tunic.
"Probably best I am not here then," I mentioned, glancing down at the pale colored flower. "I would hate to dishevel her again," I added in sarcasm.
Ashk gave me a look. "Amusing," she cooed. "We will see how hard she hits you next time."
I chuckled. "I let her."
"I know you did," Ashk said in all seriousness and I glanced at her. "Why?"
Because, I wanted to say, I would have felt the same way had it been a sister of mine.
"If I did not, she would have never simmered at all," I said instead, closing the doors to the working shed and spotting Orophin nearing at a steady canter.
"You're probably right," Ashk muttered before seeing Orophin as well and smiling brightly. "Orophin, my darling."
"Ashk, my little husslepuff," Orophin replied with a grin as he neared. I rolled my eyes while my brother stopped his horse next to her and leaned down to plant a kiss on her cheek. "How are you?"
"Ready to burst," she replied and I silently agreed.
Ashk was a tiny woman naturally, though with two children inside her, she looked as though she should topple forward with any step. The healer had brought it up not but a month ago that he worried about the fact she was so little. Childbirth was dangerous enough for all races, twins were double the hazard.
"I can see that," Orophin said with a smile. "So, tell me, which of those little lovelies will be named after me?"
Ashk laughed at him. "We'll see, Orophin."
I opened the corral gate and led the saddled Kali out of its borders. Black snorted loudly from the other corral and leaned dangerously on the fence. I glared at him.
"Behave," I demanded, pointing at him. He only snorted again with a toss of his heavy mane.
Swinging into Kali's saddle, I spotted Ana watching from the second level. I spared her a glance and she returned one heatedly.
I looked down at Ashk.
"Stay off your feet enough, you hear?" I said sternly. She only smiled at me in that sweet way she had when she wanted me to agree with her. I only shook my head and raised a brow.
She laughed slightly. "Yes, Warden," she replied with a minor curtsey that made me glare again. Orophin chuckled and shot a look towards Lorien and silently back to me. I understood and sighed slightly.
"I will be back as soon as I can," I told her. Which, as I'd stressed earlier, could be weeks. I was being called to Caras Galadhon due to a problem in Greenwood. Olimar was returning at a fast pace as of two days ago and messengers had been sent to both Lorien and Rivendell.
There were problems in Greenwood that all the Elvish nations needed to know of. If they were as I suspected, the power of Goblins and spiders growing as they had been for the past five years, I had no doubt preparations for joining forces between Greenwood's archers and the Lady's Galadhrim would occur as it had so many times before.
Yet, with Ashk so close to birth, I was silently dreading the decision of this council.
"All right, Warden. Take care of yourself," she told me. And, as always before I left, she had that look in her eyes as if she wanted to say something more, but never did. And, as always, I waited for it yet it never came.
She remained silent with that tiny smile and I nodded to her.
With that, Orophin and I turned towards Lorien and opened the horses to a speedy run to return home.
Though, when I broke past the trees, I reined Kali back and turned to see Ashk still standing where we'd left her, watching in silence.
With that last look, I rode away.
Night
Ashk
The cheers were loud and I grinned at my sister who took a sweeping bow. Few could dance like Ana and now that she had the teaching and traditions of the Gypsies, she moved like few others.
For the third time the crowd cried for an encore but Ana heaved a great breath and said, "Oh, I couldn't! Perhaps later." The disappointment of her captivated audience groaned and reminded me of the old days when we'd gain more money just by dancing for crowds.
Ana managed to return back to the bar and threw herself onto a stool. I spread my arms on the bar.
"What can I get you, Lady?" I said in a sly voice. She grinned at me and laughed.
"Whiskey sounds good to me," she said and I chuckled.
"Still the hard drinker," I muttered, pulling out a glass for her and glancing down the bar to make sure all my patrons were taken care of.
A loud commotion suddenly came from the other end of the bar and I frowned noting that Donavon was among it.
"Get your hands off me!" he shouted, shoving against a larger man who had a firm grip on the boy's collar.
Donavon's foot came up and collided into the man's crotch and he let out a howl of pain as he crashed to the ground, releasing the boy. However, his friends quickly jumped into the situation only to be colliding with more local patrons who knew Donavon.
"Get down!" I shouted at Ana, shoving her backwards, off the stool she was on as bottle flew her direction.
The entire tavern erupted into a brawl and the mirror behind me shattered as something broke against it. Someone shouted my name, but I really didn't know who as I ducked to try to avoid the flying glass.
When I rose again quickly, Gronig was being shoved to the bar counter. My hand lashed out and grabbed a bottle before sending it crashing over the anonymous man's head. He cried out before falling to the ground and I barely saw Ana jump over the counter and to my side.
"Just like old times!" she shouted, pulling me down behind the shield of the counter as I chair flew at us.
"Where's Donavon!" I yelled over the sound of the chaos. Ana shook her head with a shrug.
"Stay here, Ashk," she ordered me. "Don't you dare come out from under here."
"Ana!" I growled. "I can handle myself!"
"Right, with about three weeks left of pregnancy? Stay. Here," Ana demanded before springing up. I growled as she jumped up and slid over the counter again and back into the fighting.
With an oath, I stood from under the counter with only the intention of getting Donavon out of the fighting. When I spotted him being beaten around by a man twice his size, call it maternal instinct, but rage flew and I retrieved the club from under the counter.
I had to lean over the bar to hit him, but I walloped the man good on the back of his broad shoulders. He cried out, dropping Donavon and I stumbled out of his reach as his hands swung around ready to grab.
Ana jumped on his back, her arm coming around his neck and pulling tight as he swung around wildly, trying to lose her.
Suddenly his hand lunged backward and fisted it in her hair before he flung her over his shoulder and she went slamming into the bar. With that distinct feminine cry, everyone else stopped and the man looked shocked as he stared at her.
She looked at him a moment and I clenched the club in my hands.
Ana grumbled something and rolled off the side of the bar. She landed on the ground with a thud before the man looked at me with an appalled look.
I wiped it off with a heavy swing of the club in my grasp.
Morning
Haldir
I looked at Olimar with a heavy gaze as he told his rather depressing tale.
Orcs and spiders from the mountainsides and plains were infesting Greenwood. Rumors of the great forest being now nicknamed Mirkwood was painful for the prince, I could see it in his face. His archers were dwindling slowly, but it was of great importance that the other nations of Elves heard of the horrors in Thranduil's kingdom.
Orcs were such vile creatures. Dangerous, hideous, unnatural forms of life that were never meant to be.
I hated them with a passion.
"Haldir?"
My eyes moved up to see Lord Celeborn looking at me quizzically. I raised a brow and looked around the table at Elorhir and Elladan along with Glorfindel. Legolas and his ever faithful guard Oded, were there as well along with my brothers and my second in command, Eruidel.
"Do you not agree with waiting for the next winter to pass?" Orophin asked, the heel of his foot smacking down on my boot. I looked at him with a glare as the pain flared up my leg before hiding it away and looking to the others.
"I…think it could be dangerous to wait, but I also think it would be an unneeded travel so late into this season," I replied. "You said yourself, Olimar, they seem to only pressure attacks in the summer months. Fall is nearing fast and they will fade away as they do every winter. Perhaps in the spring we should send duel forces to cut them back. They will not be suspecting it then."
"Orcs suspect nothing," Legolas growled. "They are as stupid as they are hideous."
"Do not underestimate your enemy," his brother warned. "Idiotic as they may be, they have broken our borders too many times."
"I agree," Celeborn replied. "When spring comes, we shall see how quickly they can maneuver against combined forces."
Olimar nodded. "Thank you, my Lord."
The council was dismissed shortly after that but as I moved to stand, Lord Celeborn motioned for me to stay seated. I did so while the others took their leave.
Silence reigned for a time, yet I did not feel uncomfortable under the wise Lord's gaze. Finally, there was the smallest hint of a smile.
"You are missed when you are gone, Haldir," he told me, clasping his hands together and putting them on the table. "Caras Galadhon lacks your steel hand when you are not within its borders, nor the borders of Lorien."
I didn't know, exactly, what I was to reply with. He did not seem as though he were upset, in fact he seemed slightly amused as he spoke, but I had no idea what he was hinting towards.
"How is Ashk, Haldir?"
"She is well," I replied. "Nearly time for the twins to come and I think she is a bit grateful for that."
Celeborn smiled with a chuckle before he stood and moved to get himself a drink. He offered me one, but I shook my head.
"I wonder, my Warden," he mused aloud, "will I ever see these Elflings of yours?"
I raised a brow.
He turned to face me. "Will you ever bring them into the great city of Galadriel, or will you keep them on the outskirts of your home?"
I frowned. "Why do you ask, milord?"
Celeborn smiled at me. "Children are easily influenced, Haldir. Years will pass as they grow, yet will they never see inside the forest their father disappears into? Will they never ease the singing call of the Lady of Light that all with the blood of Lorien hear?"
Silence echoed and Celeborn's smile shrank into nothing as he sat down again across from me. He stared at me hard for a moment before a look at slight disappointment entered his eyes.
"Will you hold them and Ashk secret forever?"
I'd never taken the time to think on it. Over the months that passed, Ashk and I had reached even grounds. I avoided her in times I felt as if she was getting too close, and I knew she did the same. Though I did not call her friend, I did not call her foe either. I had no title for Ashk.
She didn't ask many questions and it was simple to keep her presence secret, yet when the children were there too, would they not wonder where I left to every few days to few weeks?
What would I tell them when they would ask to come with me as any child did when a parent left?
"Haldir, my Warden, there are people who are flocking towards this secret you have. Some will accept it, others will not."
The words made my back straighten and tense.
"Do not let anyone who may be able to...influence the situation, or your relationships with your children and Ashk, have the chance to. Do not leave them in question of their places for somebody else to answer, Haldir. Someone is just waiting to take advantage of this situation."
I wanted to ask who, though I knew he would not tell me. Partly because he was pure dignity and nobility, and also partly because he knew I would go after them.
"Do not miss the forest by looking at the trees, Haldir."
Three Days Later
Ashk
Watching my sister limp up the stairs I noted this was an improvement. The bruising on her back and been appalling and it had pained her to even move. However, the Gypsy party she had been traveling with provided a wise old crone who knew her works of medicines. Whatever she had spread on her back had drained the bruising significantly and dulled the pain.
She'd done the same with the battered Donavon.
The Gypsies, Ana told me, would remain in Celebruim for two more days. She would remain in Celebruim until she saw it fit to leave.
For this, I was silently grateful even though I had urged her to go with her people.
Now that she was gone to bed, I turned my attention to Donavon. He'd been nearly silent for the past four days. Shame was bright in his eyes, yet he avoided me when I would ask him why. He did not say how the fight started nor why he was so upset now.
Sitting down in the chair near him, I glanced outside to the night sky. I could see Lorien from here, bright and beautiful as always with the little creek leading to it.
"I'm off to bed, Missus," Donavon told me. I looked at him in silence and he paused, not moving to stand as he was about to. I saw him swallow and I looked away again.
"Are you going to tell me what happened in the tavern the other night?" I asked quietly for the third time.
He said nothing and my eyes drifted back to him. "Donavon?"
Finally, the boy sighed and leaned back into his chair. Silence remained despite the song of the last of the summer insects outside the open windows. I let him think for some time and tried not to lose my patience. However, when the time continued to stretch, I sighed and stood.
"He called me a West Trekker," the boy suddenly told me in a hoarse voice.
I raised a brow. West Trekker? People who were labeled this were people from the far West, past the Shire of the Hobbits and near the coasts where the sun set. Trekker replaced "people" as the problem with Westerners traveling to the East grew.
I, however, had never had a problem with Westerners, nor did my family.
Yet, it seemed Donavon did.
"Why did that offend you so badly?" I asked with a frown, sitting once more.
Donavon shot a glare my way and I was surprised to see it. "I am a Westerner," he grumbled. This surprised me.
"Oh." My eyes shifted slightly in uncertainty. I didn't want to upset him, but this was new information he'd never bothered to share before. "And what did you say?"
His gaze shifted down as if he was being scolded. "I called him something I will not repeat for you to hear," he replied. "I don't take lightly to my people being offended. Many die on the way to the Eastern lands."
Is that what happened to your family? I wanted to ask the question so badly I had to bite my tongue.
However, the boy's eyes were layered in a gleam of memories that were obviously unpleasant.
"The road is hard," he muttered. "And is made harder when people don't want you coming here anyway. They send you in the wrong direction…turn you around. Get you lost in the wrong places - dangerous places."
I stared at the boy and when my hand reached out, it squeezed his shoulder gently. However, he only shrugged it away and stood.
"Good night," he told me.
"Good night, Donavon," I replied, trying not to be hurt that he brushed me aside when I so wanted to help him. As he walked up the stairs, I sighed. "Sweet dreams."
- - -
The next chapter I have been looking forward to for some time. It's kind of a leap into my final destination I suppose. I don't know. Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this chapter and I hope you enjoy the next..and the ones that follow, lol!
Projected Date: Now it's really December 4th this time. grin