AN: After that monster of a chapter, this shouldn't be so bad. But there's some major emotional stuff going on in here, namely Ril being sad and Rumil completely missing how true love works. Anyway, whatever. They'll get over it, I'm sure. Go read yourself the reworked chapter eight.

Dearheart

Chapter Eight: Love - Confessions And Confrontations

Afternoon came and went, and as evening descended Ril walked to the healing flet with a heavy heart. She had caused an injury. She had caused an injury in someone who was kind to her. Worse yet, she had caused an injury in someone who was kind to her and happened to be the brother of the one she had a crush on! This was a disaster waiting to happen.

That is, if it hadn't already.

She continued walking in silence, her thoughts drifting to Haldir. She would need to speak with him; to apologize for, and explain, what had happened. But. . .could she do it? Could she actually willingly face him, knowing full well he'd be upset with her?

Brushing the thought off for a later time, Ril reached the healing flet tree and ascended the stairs. The first thing she noticed upon arrival were all the wounded occupying the space. Apparently they had been hit harder than she'd first realized.

She cast a sympathetic glance around the flet before hurrying toward Rumil's bed, where a slight disagreement was taking place.

"I am perfectly fine Orophin," she heard Rumil say. "I see no reason why I should not be able to return to my duties." He began to climb out of the bed.

"You most certainly are not!" Orophin exclaimed, pushing his brother back down. "You are half blind; of course you do not see a reason!"

Ril gasped, ceasing the brothers' argument. "No," she whispered. "It can't be true." Both brothers turned towards her, and she saw the gigantic cut underneath Rumil's right eye that extended from his temple to his nose.

"Oh my. . ."

Rumil stood up, ignoring his brother's protests, and crossed the floor to Ril. He stopped when he was about three feet from her. "Ril I-" He took a deep breath, raising his hands, then dropping them back down to his sides. "I. . .how are you?"

Ril blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Are you all right? You are not hurt?"

"No, no," Ril said, shaking her head. "I'm fine. I- wait a minute! Me? What about you?! I mean, your- " She gestured towards Rumil's face. "Your. . .the. . .uh. . .the injury." She dropped her eyes to the floor.

"I am glad," Rumil said. "Then it was not in vain."

Ril looked back up. Her eyes caught his, the drifted toward the cut below his right. "It's my fault," she whispered. "If I had only stayed. . .it's all my fault. I'm so sorry!"

"Nonsense Elril," Rumil replied. Smiling, he reached out and took her hand. 'I would have saved you any day."

"Wh- what?" Startled, Ril glanced at her hand, held gently in Rumil's. A confused expression came over her face. "Did I miss something?"

Rumil chuckled softly. "No, you did not miss anything. I. . .Ril I should have told you this a long time ago. I-" He broke off suddenly and clasped his other hand over hers. "From the moment I first laid eyes upon you, Elril, I knew you were unique. You were special. You were like no other Elf I'd ever met before, or was ever likely to meet again. I. . ." He hesitated, then took a deep breath. "I fell in love with you Elril."

Whatever Ril had been expecting, it certainly wasn't this. She took three steps backwards, pulling her hand out of Rumil's grasp in the process. She looked around the flet, as if searching for some explanation to what he'd just said.

"What?!"

"I know this comes as a shock Ril," Rumil said quickly, "but it is true. I am in love with you."

"Y- you are?" Ril breathed. Rumil nodded. "Really?" Rumil nodded again.

Ril sighed. "I know what you want from me," she stated sadly. "I know what you want. . .you want me to tell you that I like you too and. . .I can't. I-" She swallowed a large lump in her throat. "I- you're my friend; I don't want to hurt you. . .well I did already because you're blind in one eye, but. . .I-" Ril choked on another large lump forming in her throat. Tears threatened to force their way out of her eyes, but she held them back, just barely. "I can't. . .Rumil you're very kind, but. . .butIlikesomeonelse!" She lost her battle with the tears, and one snaked its way down her cheek. She wiped it away, turned around, and raced off the flet, her face buried in her hands.

Haldir was walking beneath a mellyrn, taking in the night air and letting his mind wander, when he heard the sound. It was the quiet, pained sound of someone crying. For a brief moment he wondered who it could be, but then realization hit him. The girl. It must be the girl. Cautiously he made his way toward where the noise was coming from.

Elril sat on the forest floor, sobbing softly. Se was illuminated by a stray beam of moonlight, which filtered down through the trees and sparkled off her hair. Ril, Haldir thought. Brilliance. Elril. Brilliant star. The name suits her. Not watching where he was going, he stepped on a twig, which snapped, causing the girl to look up. Instead of turning her usual red color, she simply slid so that her back was facing him and continued crying.

A wave of pity took Haldir. Before he even realized what he was doing he had rushed over and sat beside her. "What's wrong" he asked softly.

There was a long pause, but finally Ril looked up. She opened her mouth as if to say something, then closed it. After taking a deep breath, she managed to choke out: "M- me."

"Go on," Haldir said gently. What did she mean, she was what's wrong?

"I- I'd rather not continue," she replied.

She wants me to ask, Haldir thought. I can tell; she wants to tell me, and I want to know. But do I? After all, this is the person responsible for delaying us before the Orc attacks and blinding my brother; why should I care what she has to say? "Tell me what you want to say," he said, his voice losing some of its gentleness.

"I hurt a dear friend of mine," Ril responded. "I. . .I never m-meant to, but I did. Not only is he blind, but his h-heart's broken too." Another sob escaped her lips.

"You mean Rumil," Haldir stated. Ril nodded. "So," he continued, "I take it you have visited him?" If she had gone to see him then it was more than likely he told her his feelings. But why would his heart be broken? The two of them seemed to get along quite nicely; there was no reason for her to dislike him.

"I did go to s-see him," Ril replied. "H-he told me. . .he told me he was in love with me. I- I. . .let him down."

"What do you mean? You do not like him?"

"No, no. I like him a lot. I really do, but. . ."

"But. . ."

"I don't like him"

"What?" If there was one thing Haldir didn't understand, it was women. What does she mean, she likes him but she does not like him? Did she not just say she liked him? I am confused. That confusion seeped out onto his face, and Ril must have noticed it, for she quickly said: "I like someone else, okay?" The all-too-familiar blush tinged her cheeks. She looked at the ground.

Ah, thought Haldir. That is what she means. "Whom do you like?"

"I like-" Ril choked. "I- I'm in love with-" She choked again. "I love y-" She choked yet again. "I can't. . .tell you.

I expected as much.

"You what?"

"I did not say anything."

"Yes you did. You just said 'I expected as much.' "

"No I-" What was going on here? Haldir hadn't said anything, had he? I remember thinking it, but I did not say- He froze. Lady Galadriel. She did this sometimes. Perhaps she would have an explanation. But. . .how to reach her? One did not just say: "My Lady I need to speak with you," and she would appear. It did not work that way!

Whatever the technicalities of it, Haldir knew he had to try. My Lady, he thought. My Lady if you can hear me I have need of advice. He waited, not sure what would happen.

Soon after he had stated his problem, a cool, white radiance enveloped a corner of his mind. What troubles you? the voice of Galadriel asked.

The girl, Elril, Haldir responded. Sh- she heard my thought. What is going on here?

The cool light that was Galadriel seemed to smile. Ah, she said. So it has begun. She began to fade from Haldir's mind.

No, no, Lady Galadriel! What has begun? Do not leave me; answer my question! What is- Haldir stopped, realizing the Lady was no longer there. What had she meant? What had begun? It had something to do with the girl, didn't it? Speaking of which. . .

He looked at her. Her eyes had begun to mist over again. "What now?" he snapped. Immediately, he regretted speaking so harshly.

"I'm. . .s-sorry about Rumil," she replied. "I sh-sh-should've stayed where Elandor t-told me too."

"Perhaps," Haldir began slowly. "Perhaps. . .had you the right training this would not have happened." I should have done this before; Rumil is too soft. He stood. "Starting tomorrow morning you will be training with me. I expect you to be here, in this clearing, at dawn. Do you understand me?" Ril nodded. "Very well." Haldir turned and strode off through the trees.

I just made a complete fool out of myself, didn't I? Oh I knew it. That was stupid. Hey, look on the bright side Ril! At least you'll be training with Haldir now. . .