The Third In Our Chronicle
Or, Can a man not rest peacefully without being molested or married or almost speared with an arrow?
--+--
Celeborn turned to his wife, laying a hand on her arm.
"Why is the Dúnedain hiding in a tree stump?" He asked, for he had heard strange reports from several elves of Aragorn taking refuge from some unknown foe in ways surprising coming from one so skilled in stealth.
Galadriel slowly turned hr head to her husband, her eyes not entirely focused on him. "I think it's best if you did not know, my love." She responded, and then turned back to whatever had caught her attention.
"Oh."
--+--
I was leaning against a tree, breathing heavily.
"Don't scare me like that."
My throat was on fire from where I had inhaled a lot of moss from the stone I had been face down on. I think I swallowed a mole in the shock, too.
"May I ask why you were face down upon a rock in the outer reaches of Lothlorien, and not safe in Caras Galadhon where I last left you?"
"Can a man not rest peacefully without being molested or married or almost speared with an arrow?" I muttered, rubbing my arm where his mark had almost hit. "That's strange, where are your brothers. Aren't they usually around you somewhere? And such a delight to talk too."
Haldir nodded towards a tree and I saw now that Rúmil and Orophin stood silently with several other marchwardens.
So I had been peacefully resting, secure in the fact I was far, far away from Legolas, when I had first heard the sound of gentle, bastardized Sindarin. I had stayed still, but before I could open my mouth to speak, they had gone from my hearing range, and I was getting zinged by arrows left right and centre. They had stopped when they realized I wasn't a smelly pile of rags, but in fact Elendil's heir.
And so, they had called for Haldir, because he knew how to handle me.
"Hey!" I shouted, waving over to them.
Haldir gave me A Look. "… I suppose I should ask you if you are alright."
I stood upright from the tree. "Oh, my dear friend Haldir. If you only knew the truth."