And so it was that (despite her firmest resolve not to when he had fired her, what seemed like a lifetime ago) she returned to helping Haldir, but this time, she showed him how to care for himself.

And Haldir absorbed everything she said to him, every glance, every smile, so that they would always be with him. He learnt all she would teach him, practicing and bettering his skills with the determination of one who seeks forgiveness. And he did. Her forgiveness of him was the only thing that seemed to matter to him. He had changed before her eyes over the past few weeks. He held doors open for her to allow her to enter a room first, took heavy loads from her, helped her with her own chores, and he even repaired the roof in her own talan for her, as a surprise. And every night when he was home, she would take her seat by the fire, and he would kneel at her feet, and watch her sew. He found it soothing, and learnt much from watching her. And not all of it had to do with thread. He learnt that she sometimes held her breath when she concentrated particularly hard, or that she sometimes, despite all her years of experience and skill, sewed her dress to her creation. These moments Haldir liked the best, for he would sit there staring up at her innocently, as she tried to unsnarl herself. Also, it gave him a fine look at her legs. But he also learnt how to sew quite well, and sometimes, he would join her, repairing his own clothing at her feet.

When he went to the border, she gladly cared for his talan, turning it into a home, adding small things for him to enjoy. A rug better suited to Haldir's taste, curtains that would not show dirt so easily. The tapestry he loved from her own talan. No longer would she accept money from Haldir to do work for him that she always had enjoyed so much (with the exception of his complaints). Despite his arguments, she stood firm by this. He did much of the work for himself now anyway. (although, she still washed his clothes . That was something the poor ellon had never quite gotten the hang of) And she really no longer needed the money. Relion had mysteriously vanished from Lorien, and out of desperation, she ran her own stall at market, her goods fetching such high prices that a single purchase was enough to keep her well fed for a week. She saw then the true worth of her work.

When he was home, she cooked for him. Whilst she had started to show him how to cook, he often had trouble with it. She gladly cooked the night meal for him, and he would invite her to eat with him, enjoying her company, the nightly elleths having long since vanished. (much to the Ladies of Loriens' chagrin, who missed their ardent lover) And when he returned to see the sunset tapestry he had so admired adorning his wall, a tear threatened to escape his eye. ("A piece of dust is in my eye, is all Cahra. It is beautiful. Thank you.")

When on the fences, Haldir had much thinking to do. He never stayed for very long, but he could often be found at night mending his own shirts from the rigors of the day. He was bent over a particularly bad rent one night, when Rumil approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Brother, ahh….what are you doing?" he asked, looking from the needle to the shirt than back to Haldir in amusement.

"What does it look like Rumil? I am repairing the rent in my shirt," he said, his eyes never leaving his work. Mirth filed the eyes of all the wardens in the flet who overheard this.

"Yes, I can see that…but…Why!" Rumil burst out, the situation a little beyond his comprehension. A needle and thread was as alien to his hands as a sword was familiar. Haldir looked up.

"Because it is torn," he said slowly, as though it were the simplest thing in the world.

Despite the ribbing of his fellow wardens, he took it good naturedly, and continued to repair the shirts himself, until a few nights later, Orophin approached him, a needle and torn shirt in his own hands.

"Will you teach me brother?" he asked gallantly, as he watched Haldir make the tiny stitches. Haldir looked up in amusement. Orophin shrugged.

"It seems like a handy skill to have," he said, seating himself next to him. Haldir raised his eyebrows.

"Alright, alright. It will also make me quite popular with the elleths, if the truth be known."

Haldir shook his head at this. The ellon only thought with one part of his anatomy, which appeared to be very cunning indeed. Orophin it turned out, was not the only one to think this. Very quickly, all the wardens in Haldir's brigade could be found bent over a shirt with needle and thread at night. It made for a most comical sight, the tiny needles and delicate stitches being made by the large battle scarred hands of the warriors. Needless to say, however none of the warriors who leant to sew during their stay upon the fences were single for very long.

"I would dearly love to meet the maid who can humble my brother so," Orophin commented one night, as all sat mending their weapons and gear from the rigors of the day. "She must be 'pleasant' indeed," he said with a wink, causing a stir of laughter amongst the other wardens. All had begun to think of Haldir's Cahra as a legendary dominatrix, who could bend any ellon to her will with a single glance. Haldir's head shot up, and he glared at Orophin coldly, all laughter dying. "You will not touch her Orophin." He said with such vehemanance, that it gave Rumil cause to wonder.

'Have you staked a claim on her brother?" Rumil asked cautiously, trying to take neither side in the argument.

Haldir gave him a hard look.

"No. But I will not have the either of you toying with her. That goes for all of you," he said, raising his voice so that all the wardens could hear him. "Touch Cahra, taunt her, toy with her, and you will have my blade to answer to, is that clear?"

Rumil and Orophin looked slightly taken aback. "Can we ask why we are not to touch her, if you have no claim to her?" Rumil asked, a little foolishly.

"I have staked no claim upon her Rumil, because she is above me. She is better than all of us, brothers, and none deserve her," he said, before going back to the leather bindings upon his sword, abruptly ending the conversation, an odd look of longing on his face. Rumil and Orophin glanced at each other, eyebrows raised. Where had the Haldir of the last thousand years gone? And wherever he had gone to, the two prayed he stayed there. They liked the humble version of their brother much better.

He was useful, Rumil thought to himself. No longer must he actively seek out seamstresses for the most menial of rips. Preferring independence, Rumil was quite happy to fend for himself for a change.

He was wily, thought Orophin. He must realise how the skills he had procured will raise his standings even further with the elleths, even if he has eyes for only one. He must meet the elleth who could do this to his brother.

HE WAS A LEGEND! Thought all others under his command, who suddenly found that their beds were never cold at night. They heartily praised their commander for his insight into the hearts of elleths. Show up with a cooked meal, and they were impressed. Show up with a basket of freshly laundered clothes, and they fainted. Show up with a needle and thread and they wouldn't let them out of bed for the next week.

A/N; thankyou all for the lovely reviews! I tried to respond to as many as I could. Keep the feed back coming, I'd love to know what you think!