AN: Hope you're liking it so far. Welcome to chapter four. This chapter had some work done toward the end of the middle section, in the conversation between Rumil and Haldir. I took out angry Haldir and put in tense Haldir. I didn't like that he was all screamy at Rumil; it just doesn't suit him. He wouldn't get angry that easily. Tense Haldir is much better. But anyway, enough blabbing.

Dearheart

Chapter Four: Love, And The First Twist

So that's what her eyes looked like. Storm blue, with a hint of green. They were vivid, beautiful, and. . .honest.

That thought struck Haldir the most. This unusual girl, whom he barely knew, had pure, honest eyes. But wait! Had he detected a hint of secrecy in their depths as well? What was Elril-Galia hiding? Was there more to this young child than first impressions gave away? Oh well.

Haldir shrugged off his thoughts and continued to watch the spectacle before him. Elandor was helping a very red Ril to her feet. She brushed some dirt off her tunic and shot Elandor a withering look. Somewhat confused, the other Elf backed away. Ril gave a quick glance in Haldir's direction, then rushed off.

Haldir watched Ril disappear behind another tree.

"Oh my goodness I tripped over a tree root." Ril was hiding - literally hiding - under a bush. "I can't believe I just did that. One minute I'm arguing with Elandor, and the next I'm lying flat on the ground. In front of him! I am such a klutz." She shook her head in frustration. "I'll never be able to face him again. Well, it's not like I ever will be, or anything. I just-"

"Ril? Are you babbling? And what are you doing under that bush?"

Just as luck would have it, who should happen to show up but Haldir's own brother, Rumil. Ril turned red again.

"N-nothing," she stammered, rising from the hiding place. "I-I'm not doing anything. Just. . .thinking. Yeah, that's it. Thinking."

"About what?" Rumil asked.

Oh great. I've backed myself into a corner now. "About my training, and traveling with all of you, and. . ."

"And what?"

Ril opened her mouth to speak, but before any words came out Haldir rushed by. He glanced at Rumil. "Orcs," was all he said before hurrying on. Rumil followed, leaving Ril all alone. "Great," she muttered. "I guess this means we're on the move again." She too followed the other Elves.

Along the way she was joined by Elandor, who seemed a bit nervous.

"Listen," Ril said. "I'm sorry about yelling at you. I just need to vent my feelings. You happened to show up, and, well. . ."

"Apology accepted," replied Elandor. "I will never again bother you when you are sitting alone by a tree."

"Cut the sarcasm," Ril said. "Why are we in such a hurry?"

"Have you not heard? The Orcs have made their move upon the southern border."

"Wait a minute." Ril shook her head as she ran. "We're at least a day and a half from the border. How are we supposed to get there in time?"

"Have you ever seen Elves travel before, Lady?"

"No, but-"

"We will get there."

They continued on.

The hours flew by like minutes as the Elves sped through the forest, determination written on all of their faces. None of them spoke a word, for they were all thinking of one thing: the safety of Lothlorien. Day hastened to night, and still the Elves pressed on. They traveled through the shadows, the only light coming from a sliver of moon hanging in the sky. After a short time it too began to fade, and the rising sun lit the eastern horizon.

Ril, despite being still young and extremely fit, was finding it difficult to keep up with the more seasoned Elves. Every once in a while she would catch her foot on a tree root or stumble over a rock. Her breath came in heavier, and her legs began to ache.

Elandor, who had been running beside Ril the whole time, glanced over with a slightly concerned expression.

"Are you all right, Lady?" he asked.

"I'll. . .be fine," Ril panted. "Don't call. . .me. . .Lady."

Still the same, Elandor thought. I never would have fathomed that she'd join the Borderguard, but she's still the same. "Forgive me."

"Don't get sarcastic," Ril warned. "How long-" she paused to take a breath. "How long before we get there?"

"We should be there soon," Elandor replied, looking around at the forest. "In fact, I believe the southern outpost is just over that rise." He nodded ahead, where sure enough a hill was coming into view. With a renewed burst of energy the two charged up the hill.

The scene that greeted them was nothing short of horrendous. Slain Orcs lay everywhere, as well as may dead and dying Elves. The trees were scorched and several had deep gouges in them.

"We were too late," an Elf whispered. Ril turned and found it was Rumil who had spoken. Haldir stood beside him, wearing the most heartwrenching, pained expression Ril had ever seen. Her eyes began to mist over, and she looked away to prevent the tears from falling.

He- I can't bear to see him like that! If only I could do something. If only I. . . Ril swallowed a large lump in her throat.

Elandor mistook her sadness for the carnage in front of them. "Do not worry, Ril. The Orcs may have ambushed us this time, but we will be ready at the next. And many of the wounded Elves can be healed."

"Mmmm," Ril mumbled. With barely a nod of her head she surveyed the grim scene once more. It was true, this did make her sad, but to see Haldir suffering was even worse. I know it's wrong, she thought in the back of her mind. I should care more about the others, but I don't. Why is that?

I'll tell you why, she answered herself. Because you're in love with him, that's why. You don't see anyone or anything else but him. As long as he's okay, your world is perfect.

But I'm not like that! Ril was starting a genuine thoughtargument now. I'm a caring person! I'm not so selfish; it matters to me when other people are hurting! Why am I being so self-centered?!

You're not being self-centered, her other 'voice' replied. You've just got tunnelvision.

I don't want to be that way!

Hello? Present, present, we're walking here!

Sure enough, the Company had begun to move again. They picked their way around the bodies and headed towards the Elves clustered at the base of one of the mellyrn.

As Haldir and his group approached, the Elves all fell silent. They looked at the approaching Guard with a saddened reverence. Everyone, it seemed, was waiting for Haldir's response.

After a moment of assessment, Haldir cleared his throat and said: "Get this taken care of. Gather the Orc bodies and burn them on the plains. Prepare the Elves for burial. I expect this done as quickly as possible." The others nodded their understanding and got to work, glad to be doing something useful.

Ril watched Haldir walk off beneath a thick blanket of low-hanging tree branches. Maybe. . .maybe I should go talk to him. No, I'll help a little first. Then I'll find him. She sighed and went to help the rest of the Elves.

We were too late. The thought kept running through his mind. We were too late; I've failed. If we had left sooner this could have been prevented! Not knowing what else to do, Haldir clenched his fists in frustration. He then grabbed his bow and fired a perfect volley of arrows into the nearest tree trunk.

"It's that girl's fault," he growled. "She held us back. If she had not wanted to come with us we would have gotten here in time!" His voice echoed slightly against the trees.

Realizing how pointless it was to dwell on the subject, Haldir shook his head and gave a small laugh. "I'm being foolish," he stated. "Who am I to change the past? But the future. . ." he added firmly, "will be very different. Very different ind- who's there?" Elven ears seldom lie, and Haldir could have sworn he heard footsteps. A sort of shuffling in the grass, like the sound of a lone Orc. His hand curled around his bow once more, and he slowly fitted an arrow to the string. He glanced around. The forest had an eerie silence to it. Some feeling tingled at the edges of his senses. Fear? No. he'd felt fear before. Wariness? No, it was not that either. He was already on high alert.

The silence - if it were even possible - grew deeper. Haldir gulped as he recognized what the feeling was. He was beginning to panic. He decided then and there that he did not like panic.

Just a suddenly as it had come, the silence faded, taking Haldir's feeling with it. He let out his breath, not realizing he'd been holding it.

"That was strange," he murmured.

"What was?"

Haldir jumped.

Rumil stepped out of the darkness. "Brother? What troubles you?" he asked.

Haldir shook his head in an effort to clear it. "Nothing," he said. "I thought I heard something, but I was mistaken. That is all."

A look of concern crossed Rumil's face. "Are you sure that is all?"

Haldir sighed. "No," he said. "It is. . .that." He gestured in the direction of the battleground. "And that girl." He walked over to the nearest tree and rested his head against its cool bark. "That. . .girl," he whispered. "Elril."

Rumil seemed to brighten. With an almost Hobbit-like perkiness, he said: "In fact that is exactly what I'm here to talk to you about!"

Haldir turned back to his brother and gave him a curious look. "The girl? Go on."

"Galadriel did say you were to train her, did she not?"

"Yes." Where is he going with this?

"Perhaps. . .perhaps you would like to relinquish your duties to me full time?"

Oh, that is where he's going. "Why?"

"I- well I, uh. . ."

Haldir smirked inwardly. His brother was starting to fall for the new addition to his Company.

After hours of cleaning off Orc-inflicted wounds, Ril was extremely fatigued. This is more than I bargained for, she thought to herself. I never imagined I'd be doing this. She finished wrapping the arm of the Elf in her care, who thanked her graciously. "Well at least I'm good at something," she muttered as the Elf walked away. "Maybe I'm not a hopeless case after all."

"You are not a hopeless case." Rumil appeared behind Ril, chuckling as he did so. "In fact, I think you are more cut out to be a healer than a Borderguard." He smiled a very large smile, which Ril hesitantly returned. "I think you have your own talents, but if you truly wish to be a Borderguard, I shall have no choice but to train you."

Ril's smile became forced. What? He's training me?! Where did this go wrong? "I- I'll be right back." She sprinted away from the awkward situation and into the trees, not realizing it was the same direction Haldir had previously taken.

Haldir had just begun to clear his mind of thoughts when she burst through the trees. She stopped next to one of the smaller mellyrnand put her hand on it. Or rather, she slammed her fist against the tree so hard it caused her to yelp in pain and mutter "Yeowch! Didn't mean to do that!"

Haldir gave the other Elf a curious look but said nothing. He waited to see what she would do next. As luck would have it, she glanced in his direction, them back at the tree. Then back at him. Then at her hand. Then back to him. She began to turn a bright pink.

Haldir simply stood there. He had absolutely no idea what was happening. Here was this girl again, who had just punched a tree and was now a very deep red color that was quite unbecoming on her.

Wait a minute, where had that last thought come from? Haldir began to wonder what could have possibly provoked it. Yes she was attractive, but so were a lot of other Elf-maidens. I have no idea where this is coming from, he stated mentally. I barely know this strange girl who is to be a part of my Company! Besides, I have more important things to focus on! His anger started to return as the memory of seeing the horrific battle scene surfaced.

Oh no he's looking at me, and he seems angry about something. Ril gulped, and he face flushed ever further. This was not how I'd planned our first meeting. She looked down at her hand, which was now painfully throbbing. I'll have to take care of that. She was about to walk off when Haldir called: "Elril-Galia, I would like a word with you." She gulped again and turned to look at him. "Yes?" she replied, trying to keep her face from changing color again.

Haldir walked closer. There was now about a five-foot distance between the two. "You wish to be a Borderguard?"

"Yes." Stay calm stay calm stay calm!

"Do you fully understand the task you are undertaking?"

Well, not really, but..."Yes."

"So you realize that you will have to undergo many hours of vigorous training; something not many women are up to?"

"Are you saying I can't do it?!" Why did I just say that?! Ril you're such an idiot!

"You realize that there will be times when you will have to sacrifice your safety for that of others?"

"Yes." Ooh, he avoided my question.

"Do you accept the responsibilities that come with this choice?"

"I do." What's he getting at?

"Very well. I proclaim you Elril-Galia, Borderguard-in-training." With an unreadable expression Haldir turned and left Ril standing by the tree.

Well, I was not expecting that.