Thanks for your patience in waiting for the next chapter – here it is – I hope it is worth the wait! Many thanks as usual for the reviews – they do encourage me to continue so keep 'em coming please! Thanks as usual to my beta-reader Dee for her comments and contributions.
CHAPTER SIX
There was a sharp knock at the door and Tala went to answer it, still munching on the piece of bread and honey she was having for breakfast. She was dressed simply, in a pale blue tunic and leggings borrowed from Legolas, whom she was due to meet at the archery field shortly. Her dark hair was tied up roughly in a knot on the nape of her neck.
The elf who had accompanied her to Lothlorien stood in the doorway, light catching on his pale hair. He looked past her curiously into the talen, and then fixed his eyes on hers. They were cool and grey, and reminded her of the March Warden's.
"Rumil!" she exclaimed with pleasure and surprise. "You are back from the border."
"Your horse has been found." he said, smiling at her. "I have brought it back to the City."
Tala felt an immediate wave of relief and smiled with joy at the elf. He blinked in surprise at her exultant reaction and added
"I can take you to him – now if you wish."
"Yes! Yes, please." And without a backward glance she shut the door behind her and followed Rumil through the trees.
Tala had never been to the part of the City where the stables were, and she looked about curiously. There were wooden structures which she presumed were barns for storage, and pens for exercising horses.
The hour was yet early and the area deserted but, as she and Rumil neared one of the large wooden stables, she could hear voices raised and the distressed whinnying of a horse, a noise she recognised. Tala started to run for the door of the stable, concern flooding her mind.
In the dimness of the interior she could see a distraught stallion bucking wildly, with three elves trying to control him by way of a rope attached to his bridle. His once white coat was stained with mud and she was horrified to see traces of blood among the stains too.
Tala shouted furiously and raced up to the elves now dragging down on the horse's head.
"Stop it! You're hurting him!" She pushed the first elf aside roughly with her shoulder, putting out her hand to take the rope and holding it tightly as the stallion reared above her, hooves flailing. She did not think of her own safety – her only concern was for Nahar. She shortened the rope slowly, moving closer to him, as his eyes rolled wildly.
Tala whispered soothingly to him, patiently calming him with the sound of her voice until at last he was quiet, but still breathing heavily. She placed a hand upon his velvet nose and rubbed it gently.
Tala felt someone come up to her left shoulder and turning, saw the March Warden, his strong features grimly set.
"We had to restrain him. The animal was out of control. It would have injured one of my wardens or itself if we had not."
Tala turned on him furiously, her eyes blazing with anger and worry, a turmoil of emotions that left no room for thought. "He is hurting – and terrified! Can you not see that? Have you no feelings?!"
The March Warden's face tightened imperceptibly and she saw that somehow she had wounded him. He replied quietly "Lady, I think you misjudge me." and began walk away, leaving her stunned and unsure. Quickly she thought and then blurted out
"Perhaps we have misjudged each other, Haldir?"
The elf paused, with his back to her, and appeared to be listening. She cleared her throat nervously before continuing.
"What happened on the archery field – you were right. I remained too long and my shoulder was painful after."
She looked at him through her long lashes. He remained poised in the doorway, a dark figure silhouetted against the early morning light. "But...it was only because I need to be able to defend myself when I return to Rivendell." the last part coming out in a rush.
"You are in a hurry to leave us." Haldir said softly.
She turned to stroke Nahar's neck, hiding her face from him. "I must return to the Lady Arwen as soon as the Fellowship leave. She awaits me."
Tala stood awkwardly for a moment. She heard his voice close behind her though she had not heard him move.
"I only gave that order for your own good. You are stubborn." But his words were not harsh and she turned to see him looking at her with a veiled expression.
She gave him a small smile and raised an eyebrow tentatively. "Perhaps that is something we have in common?"
Haldir sighed. "You see me as cold and aloof. And perhaps you are right. But it has not been something specifically directed against you, Tala. I am answerable for the safety of this land and the responsibility of that can sometimes lie heavily."
Tala sensed that this was not the sort of admission he often gave and she merely nodded, turning her gaze to the floor.
"I expect to be obeyed - in all things, and without question. Perhaps that had led to my having treated you ... wrongly."
His cool grey eyes were watching her appraisingly when she returned her look to his face.
"Thank you." Tala said simply. "And I am sorry if I insulted you the other day."
It was his turn to nod, the muscles in his jaw relaxing slightly. "It is past."
He hesitated, as if not sure how to continue, when there was a noise at the doorway. Rumil stood there, having just cleared his throat awkwardly.
He looked across at Haldir, expressionlessly. "Lord Celeborn asks for you."
As he passed out into the bright morning sunlight, Haldir paused and turned to look back into the darkness of the barn.
"Tala. Perhaps at some time – before you return to Rivendell – I could help you with your fear of heights."
She drew in her breath, uncertain. "Lord Elrond has tried to help me before – but," she paused, "I should like that."
He nodded and passed from her sight. She turned and buried her face in the soft hair of Nahar's mane, breathing in the horsey smell, trying to block all other thoughts from her mind.
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Tala saw the tall figure of the March Warden waiting for her at the foot of one of the larger mallorn trees. He appeared not seen to have her approaching and was leant against the trunk, gazing out at the surrounding forest. He had a quality of stillness about him that was somehow restful. Yet she did not doubt he was completely alert and that stillness was entirely deceptive. Lothlorien's March Warden had never been crept up upon, she was sure, not even as a child, and she smiled to herself at the thought of Haldir as an elfling.
She was nervous, wondering what lay ahead, though determined to confront her fear – and strangely – at the same time, wishing to please him, though she pushed that particular feeling aside even as it was recognised.
He turned at the sound of her approach, though her feet made almost no sound on the soft grass and his eyes softened in greeting.
"Tala."
"Haldir" she responded, quietly.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
"I am a little nervous." Tala admitted, with a self-deprecating quirk of her mouth.
He nodded his silver-blond head. "There is no need."he said reassuringly. "We will not do too much today. Sit. Please." And he indicated the ground under the tree.
Tala sat cross-legged near the trunk but he remained standing, looking down at her.
"Are we to confront my fear of heights on the ground?" she asked lightly.
"Do you trust me?" Haldir said simply.
She was surprised and raised an arched eyebrow at him. He tilted his head to one side and looked at her.
"It is a straightforward enough question, Tala." His voice sounded amused.
She studied him for a moment, seriously contemplating what he had just asked her. His smoky-grey eyes stared steadily back from the imposing face and she hoped he was not annoyed by her not answering immediately. Did she trust him? With her life, but now was probably not the time to tell him that, she thought with a smile.
"Do I take that to be a yes?" The amusement was still there.
"Yes, Haldir. I trust you." she answered softly.
"Good. Then here on the ground is exactly where we start."
He sat opposite her, sitting cross-legged on the ground, mirroring her. She could almost imagine she felt the warmth of him through the light sleeves of her tunic.
He looked into her eyes.
"Close your eyes and relax. Let all other thoughts drift from your mind and listen to my words."
She did as he said. The lack of sight just seemed to make all her other senses more aware and her skin almost tingled with the nearness of him. Yet oddly she did not feel vulnerable with her eyes closed in his presence.
His voice was low, and soothing. "I want you to imagine that you are standing on a high terrace – the one outside Lord Elrond's house at Rivendell."
She nodded and tried to concentrate on what he was saying.
"It's a fine summer morning. There's a light breeze and you can feel it on your face. The sun is warm. You can hear the birds in the trees and the whisper of the wind in the grass. No-one is near, you are alone."
She felt herself relaxing, visualising the scene.
"Far off in the distance you can hear children playing. You feel relaxed and safe. Nothing can harm you."
"Yes." she said faintly. His voice had taken her back to Rivendell and she stood on the terrace he had described, looking out over trees, the sun warm on her face.
"The children have come closer. You can hear them laughing but you cannot see them because they are below you and the wall is in the way. You want to see them so you walk towards the wall and look over."
Tala drew in her breath sharply. She was so high up! Far beneath her was the lawn of grass on which the elflings she had heard were playing. Her stomach flipped and she started to feel light-headed.
Haldir's voice came as if from a distance, but calming. "Tell me what you feel."
She hesitated, trying to put the sensations into words. "I feel – dizzy. My head is light. It's so high. My chest feels tight. I... feel... vulnerable. I'm going to fall if I do not move away." She heard her voice grow higher and more panicky. "And that I shouldn't feeling like this – I know I'm not in danger. So I also feel angry with myself." She swallowed and tried to control her breathing which had become faster as she'd been speaking. "But the fear is stronger than the anger."
"You're safe here on the ground, with me." he said reassuringly. "I want you to remember those feelings so you can recognise them as soon as they start. I want you to be aware of them."
Tala nodded. She felt his hand on her arm and opened her eyes to find him looking at her.
"Good." Haldir said. He pointed upward. "You see this tree? My talen is at the top and by the time we have finished you will be able to see how truly beautiful Lothlorien is, from the top of one of its tallest mallorn trees."
Tala gazed aloft, hardly believing what he said was true. It was so high up, just the thought of being up there made her feel ill.
"I know you do not lack the courage." Haldir said gently. "You only now need the will. I think you do not lack that either." and for the first time he smiled at her.
It was as if a shaft of sunlight had struck through the trees, illuminating everything. She felt warmth flood her body. Her cheeks begin to redden and she turned her face away, clearing her throat in confusion.
Haldir appeared not to notice but rose to his feet gracefully, putting out an elegant hand to help her from the ground. She took it - it would have been rude to refuse. His fingers were warm and powerful against hers.
"I must go." she said hurriedly, dusting down the skirts of her gown, not allowing her eyes to meet his.
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Haldir watched her walk quickly away, elegant and straight-backed. She puzzled him. He was not sure whether she was comfortable in his presence or not. She was a contradiction. She told him she trusted him – with a tiny smile that lit her eyes - and yet could not leave his presence quickly enough it seemed. He smiled wryly. He had never been much good at knowing an elleth's mind.
He thought back over their meeting. Her fear of heights had obviously returned with strength since the incident on the talen. He hoped that he would be able to help her to overcome it, but it depended on how much time they would have - she seemed all too anxious to return to Rivendell. His forehead wrinkled unconsciously at the thought.
But she had courage and he admired that. She had been so vulnerable when explaining her fear and his first instinct had been to reach out to protect and comfort her, but he had resisted.
Haldir acknowledged his feelings for her had increased immeasurably since that first day he had stopped her on the borders, when he had thought her merely alluring. However, she would be leaving soon and if he was sensible he must distance himself from her. But how to do that, when he would now be seeing her almost every day, he pondered.