Authors note: Ok I am so sorry! I will try to never take this long on updating as I have! I just have been so pilled with work it isn't funny! But I am back and plan to update on a regular date ... I just don't know what that will be. ï So on with the entire story!
Disclaimer: do we really need to go through with this? Fine ... the only thing of LOTR I own is the published stuff ... Yup you got it I don't own any of the characters, places, or settings .... They own me!!!
Reviewers:
Legolasndcolorblueinterestsme: I am so sorry that I have kept you waiting! I am so glad that you like it so well! To tell you the truth you and only two other people are the only reasons why I have decided to use my free time on this story. Well here you are your chapter dedicated to you! I will try to get another one up soon!
Nevvy: hey always a joy to here back from you. Well here is the next chapter. He will do something along the line of pushing her out of a tree but I don't know what that will be ï so if you are still reading this ... here you go! You and the other two reviewers written here are the only reason why I am writing this so feel well!
Haldir's Heart n soul: You still here? If you are I am writing this for you!
Chapter 17: Imladris
Three days had passed; Rumil and Orphin had remained in Imladris with Naomie. She had suffered greatly, not only had she lost too much blood but she also had internal problems. For the past three days the healers had not a clue how to help her ... she was in what they called "Dead Sleep".
"How is she?" asked Arwen as the elf maiden walked over to sit next to the bed.
"The same as always. She does not stir. Dead as a fresh winters night. Only once did she move ... and that looked painful. Did the healers say when she should wake?" Rumil asked.
"Aye. They say it should be any day now. She has healed as far as her body will allow. It will take her a few weeks to get used to walking again ... but she should be fine." Arwen relayed the information as she gazed at the sleeping empress.
"That is good news." Came Orphin's voice from the door.
"It is." Rumil agreed.
"You shall leave once she awakens?" Arwen questioned.
"Aye ... our brother will which to know how she fares." Rumil said as he looked to his brother. Orphin drifted over and sat next to him.
"How is Aragorn? I had not expected to see you here?" asked Orphin.
(A/N yea Aragorn is in Gondor where he belongs Arwen is just visiting.)
"He is well. I had whished to seek council with my father. I only hope that my father has fared better than Lady Naomie has." Arwen said quietly.
"He did. That is how we knew how to find her." Rumil said as he nodded to the she elf. They sat speaking quietly as the moon rose.
Haldir had enough. It had been a whole week since his brothers had sent word. Celeborn and Galadriel had ordered him, well actually forbidden him, to go to her. Elrond was leaving at sun up and Haldir had been sent away to the Northern border. He stalked along the tree line as his heart begged to be connected back to Naomie. Vanity had left him alone since there last night and Haldir found himself thanking the heavens for that. It had been all Vanity's fault.
"Haldir do not fear. You shall see her soon." A voice called, making the March warden stop dead in mid stride. He slowly turned. Celeborn stood to his far right smiling softly, a fatherly smile.
Bowing Haldir moved towards his lord.
"I know my lord. It is just my heart burns to see her again. This has all been my fault. If I had not let my ego get in the way she would never have left." Haldir stated matter of fact like.
"Nonsense. You could not have known her fate. Not even Galadriel was shore of the outcome." Celeborn said.
"No. has Elrond left?" Haldir asked.
"Aye. He has. Haldir do not take your orders in contempt. We have our reasons. You will see her soon. Do not tarry on this subject." Celeborn said patting Haldir's shoulder.
"I trust your judgment." Haldir nodded.
"Good. May it stay that way. Now I have a question ... 'tis personal ... may I question it?" Celeborn asked.
"You may." Haldir said turning to check the boarder.
"Do you love her? She is my niece as you know and is very dear to me." The elf lord said with a serious look. It was as if Celeborn wanted to know the answer but was not shore how he would react to it.
"I do very much so. The question that I have is ... will you permit me?" Haldir said after a while.
"Permit you to do what?" Celeborn asked with an arced eyebrow.
"Permit me to love her." Haldir said turning away from his superior.
"Why ever would you need my permission?" Celeborn asked, for once the lord sounded confused.
"I do not know. It just seems that you have taken up residence as Naomie's father since she had come seeking refuge." Haldir responded.
"Indeed I have. You have my permission. You will be a good match for her. Will you think of anything permanent?" Celeborn asked with a tone that Haldir could not make out.
"nothing of a ..." Haldir began but mid way between his sentence dawning shone on the captains face, Haldir then realized what his lord was asking.
"Oh no ...no ...no! Nothing as permanent as a child ... no. I have not even thought of ... of that before. No. well not yet at any rate. First I must apologize to her first. In the years that pass after I have been forgiven ... if I have ... I may ask her to be my mate ... but I have all eternity to do that, as does she." Haldir stumbled being taken aback by the frankness of his lord.
Celeborn smiled seeing that the subject put Haldir on the edge.
"Indeed. I must go ... for I only whished to know the answer to my questions ... but you must remain I am sad to say. I shall come to you when you are able to leave this realm to go to her." Then with a nod Celeborn was gone.
Haldir walked to the ledge of the talan and sat down. He closed his eyes and all he could see was her. And that was the saddest reverie of all.
Naomie slowly opened her eyes. The darkness blinded her.
"You are awake!" came a female voice from somewhere at the end of her bed.
"Who?" was the only word that Naomie could get out, her throat burned and as she tried to speak again she felt as if she would be sick.
"Do not speak. I am Arwen, daughter of Lord Elrond, Lady of Imladris and high queen of Gondor.And you are very ill." The lady said as she helped Naomie to drink a goblet of blue liquid.
Naomie nodded her thanks.
"Your father ... where ... is ... he?" Naomie hoarsely whispered.
"In 'Lorien traveling here as we speak. Do not fear, he is well." Arwen told her.
"And Rumil and Orphin?" Naomie said.
"They both wait for you to awaken, and you have. They shall be summoned." Arwen explained.
Naomie nodded. Arwen explained everything. Soon Rumil and Orphin joined them.
The days passed. Naomie got stronger but not yet strong enough to walk.
"You have recovered well." Rumil said one evening.
"Aye." Naomie agreed softly.
"Tonight shall be the last night that Orphin and I stay here. We must leave back to 'Lorien. I do not wish to leave you, but we must." Rumil said.
"I understand. You have duties to attend to. I have Elrond and Arwen to keep me company." Naomie said with a smile.
"Indeed. You will be safe here." Rumil said.
"Rumil, we leave now. We cannot stay any longer. A storm draws from the south. The mountains will be open only tonight." Orphans voice came from the door.
"You must go then." Naomie said nodding to Orphin.
"We shall see you again." Rumil sighed as he kissed her forehead.
"Yes you will. Now go. She will be taken care of." Elrond's voice drifted in as the elf lord stride into the room.
"Namarie, Lovely one. Sleep well. Until we next make our meet." Rumil said as he bowed and turned.
"Namarie." Naomie whispered as she watched them leave.
Rumil and Orphin road through the quiet of 'Lorien. It had been three weeks since they had been near a city and they were rather glad to be home. The first person they met was Haldir.
"Brother!" the two greeted in unison.
"It is good to see both of you." Haldir greeted in his usual demeanor.
"Indeed it is." Orphin replied.
"Naomie ... what news? It has been nearly three months."Haldir asked quickly.
"She fares. When we left she could barely speak. Elrond was not shore if she would wake or not, her knee had been dislocated so severely. But she is strong. Arwen said she should be able to help Naomie walk. The worst that could come is that the empress may have to walk with a cane." Rumil reported as they climbed the stairs towards the throne room.
"It was my entire fault." Haldir breathed, upset once more with himself. His heart filling with pain as he herd the fate of Naomie.
"Nay it was not your fault, brother. None could have stopped it. Do not blame yourself." Orphin said.
"Yes. You cannot blame yourself." Rumil agreed. The brothers spent the rest of there journey up the great stairs in silence.
"inter." Celeborn's voice boomed through the oak doors before Haldir could nock on it. The brothers walked in and then bowed respectfully.
"Sit." Galadriel said warmly.
"What news of my niece?" Celeborn asked.
Rumil and Orphin spent the next hours explaining everything that had happened in the month that they were away.
"She is well considering." Celeborn said with a hopeful smile.
"yes." Orphin nodded.
"You must be tired. You are dismissed." Galadriel said as she gestured to the door. Haldir raised but stayed where he stood.
"Yes Haldir?"Asked Galadriel surprised that he was still there.
"May I journey to Imladris? It has been over a month." Haldir asked more quietly than he wanted.
"no." the answer came all too quickly to Haldir's ears.
"I must. Both my brothers are back! You need me not!" Haldir said in a little more of a high tone then he had wished. He had tried very hard to mask the anger in his voice but failed miserably.
"Haldir. You have been given your orders. Now return to your post." Galadriel said with a tone she rarely used. Haldir glared for the first time in many years at his lady, but nodded obediently and marched out of the room.
"He will not stay ... you realize this do you not?" Celeborn said rather stuffily as he downed his wine.
"No he will not. I figured not. This will be the first time in over 2000 years that he has disobeyed us. Even to our kind ... that is very rare in a March warden.
"He is very loyal. I am glad he has chosen her." Celeborn said flatly.
"Of course. I fear though .... That he may be rejected." Galadriel said as she stair out at the distant mountains.
"You do not even need to have your gift ... my beloved ... to see that. Of course Naomie will not forgive him so easily. I would not either ... they both will hurt in the days to come." Celeborn said with a frown.
"They will say goodbye. That is one of the hardest words for our kind to say. You know as well as I do that Naomie will not so easily take to Haldir saying sorry." Galadriel said.
"Yes. I only wish it could be easier on both of them. Haldir has lost too much ... as has Naomie." Celeborn said. They both left for there chambers as the moon reached its full height.
"You can not disobey orders!" Orphin gasped as Haldir mounted his horse.
"Yes! That is something we do! Not something that the March Warden AND captain does!" Rumil said as he handed Haldir his bow and quiver.
"I must do this. Cover for me as I have for you." Haldir said. Before wither guards could say another word Haldir was racing away into the night.
The night was cold and the moon shone only as a sickle in the starry sky. Haldir raced to Imladris. Hopefully his luck would last and he would reach the last homely house in three weeks. The storm over the misty mountains would set him back, but not by much. Haldir did not know if he should feel guilty or ashamed of breaking his lord and lady's orders ... yet his heart felt no regret.
Ok that is all. I am back and will get another chapter up again soon! Read and review but please no flames!