Hey guys! I just have to ask…does anyone actually read this story anymore? Except Liyana that is. (Thanks for the review Liyana!) Anyroad…it would be truly appreciated if you drop a review my way if you do in fact read this story! I need to feel the love, learn from constructive criticism or just roast in flames. Pick a choice! D (ok…ok…please don't roast me in flames! smiles sweetly)

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that you recognize in this story. Crosses fingers while chanting 'don't recognize Haldir, don't recognize Haldir'. Ehm…well…on with the story!

Little Girl 9: Breaking walls

"Haldir, what are you doing here?" My voice was filled with surprise.

"I-I…" he cleared his throat. "…thought that you…" He trailed off, obviously uncomfortable. This was starting to happen a lot when I was around I noted. I decided not to press the matter out of sympathy for the Marchwarden.

Instead of speaking, Haldir just gracefully slid down next to me, the usual silence settling over us. Only this time it was in fact welcomed, from my point of view anyway. I had no desire to pour my heart out to him at all. Not only because he was still somewhat of a stranger to me, but also because it wasn't in my nature. I was a 'bottle it up' person, and it had driven my father to the brink of insanity many a time. I let a sad smile grace my lips as a memory played in my mind.

"Melian, sweetheart, please talk to me!" My fathers desperate plead had been met with silence.

"It's not good for you to keep your feelings inside like this, Melian. And you know you can talk to me, right?" He had almost gotten to me, but I had been too stubborn to admit he was right.

He had then grabbed my face with both hands and wiped away my tears with his thumbs, only causing them to flow more freely. I had so wanted to tell him, but it was like I had a wall inside that had stopped the words from being said.

As the memory faded, I subconsciously placed a hand on my cheek where my fathers hand had been so long ago, where it would never be again. That got me on a roll of new fresh tears, and poor Haldir seemed completely perplexed, not knowing how to act in this situation.

"Is everything alright, Milady?" Haldir had once again managed to pull himself together, concealing any form of emotion. It surprisingly infuriated me and I sprang to my feet in one swift motion. I was now pointing my finger at him, which, by the way, never led to anything good. Trust me on this…

"Don't you 'Milady' me you…you arrogant, stuck up, egoistical elf with the 'I'm better than you' attitude!" I only stopped to gasp for more air.

"How dare…" He tried to reply but I cut him off rather sharply.

"Are you blind? Do I look alright to you! Do I? Because if I do then let me enlighten you, I am not alright! I have just lost the only person I had left in this world and I am now completely alone. And why do I even bother to tell you this…like you would actually care." All I could do was stare blankly in front of me. What had just happened? What had possessed me to say those things to him? He hadn't done anything wrong, nothing at all. For a split second I felt ashamed of myself, until he rose and stood before me, only inches separating us.

"Just…get away from me." I spoke through gritted teeth, making to push him away.

Strong hands caught my wrists in a firm grip and I struggled to get them free. Haldir awkwardly pulled me closer to him and released his hold on my arms, putting his own around me. My hands formed into tight fists and I started to pound away on his chest, begging him to let go of me, to no avail as he just held me closer and let me hit him.

When I found my hitting was all in vain, I grabbed a hold of his tunic and buried my face in his shoulder, letting my trail of tears penetrate the rough fabric.

"Nin last," His voice was so soothing a sigh escaped me.

"Avo 'osto na…garo estel…" The soft words of comfort reached my ear as I stood there holding on to this elf like my life depended upon it. They were not in any language I comprehended, but the effect was all the same. Slowly but surly my grip loosened and the sobbing came to a halt.

"What did it mean?" I asked between hiccups of my retreating sobs.

"It doesn't matter." Haldir stated gently, wiping away some of the remaining tears that slowly made their way down my cheeks. I blushed a little at his actions.

"I-I guess your right," I managed a brave smile, "and…um…thank you." The ground in front of me suddenly got very fascinating.

"Well then, I might be an arrogant, stuck up, egoistical elf in your eyes…" I didn't dare to meet his gaze as he spoke. "…but I like to believe there's more to me than that." I totally missed his sly grin because I was too caught up counting the pebbles spread around in the dirt beneath our feet.

'Twenty-one, twenty-two…I should probably apologize. Twenty-three, twenty-four…Oh, how he must hate me! Twenty-five…'

'Could you blame him?'

'Shut up! I'm trying to occupy myself here.'

'What part of you actually believes he hasn't noticed you're not paying attention?'

'Thirty, thirty-one, thirty-two…I'm trying to appear inconspicuous here, and having an inner quarrel with myself isn't helping. He must believe me too be daft as well.'

'No arguments there.'

That's when I saw Haldir went to leave. Without a second thought I grabbed a hold of his sleeve, and immediately regretted it. He had on a look that obviously said 'haven't I done enough already?'

"I just wanted to apologize for my behaviour earlier. That was really out of line and I shouldn't have said those things to you. I don't know what got into me. Please forgive me?" I was pleading, almost begging, for him to accept my apology. Even though he had bestowed kindness upon me, despite my disrespecting behaviour, I didn't want there to be any bad blood between us.

"Apology accepted, Milady. I'll just put it on my mental note, right under the cone 'accident'." He nodded courteously and started to walk away. I was left standing under the heavy braches of the weeping birch tree, stunned speechless, watching his retreating back. 'He keeps a mental note of the cone incident?' This was starting to get interesting.

I remained under the roof of colourful leaves a few more moments before I started to make my own way back to the awaiting crowd. The closer I got the heavier my legs seemed to become. I had been dreading this moment for quite some time now and it was not getting any easier. I breathed a heavy sigh and forced my legs to carry me all the way to the line of dead bodies on the ground. It was time to let go…

When the last body had been put in the ground, and the sun had set and the sky had grown dark, the air around us was heavily laden with unspoken emotions. No one had managed to utter a single word as of yet, and my own prayers had been said in silence. In my desperation I had even prayed to Eru to grant my father new life, just like in the stories he had told me since childhood.

I let my eyes wander over to the group of elves, and the feeling of bitterness over their immortality flooded me, but I quickly pushed it away. I realized that being bitter over something like that was just plain silly. They might have been granted the gift of long life, but they could still die as everyone else, even if it wasn't of old age.

My eyes scanned the elves once more, landing on cool grey ones. Haldir stared back at me but I quickly withdrew my gaze as someone started to speak. Everyone seemed to have something they wanted to say, everyone but me, as one after the other spoke about their loved ones that was no longer with us. I had already said my piece in silence, and there was no way I was going to voice it in public, so when it was over I walked away.

Since the camp was already packed up, it didn't take long until everyone was ready to leave. The elves were helping out and making sure everything was ready, before they made us form a huge line. I had gathered my few belongings and was standing beside Morion when Haldir showed up.

"You are coming with me." He stated simply, gesturing for me to follow him.

"Huh? What? Why?" 'What in Eru's name is he talking about?' I was looking at him, confusion shining in my eyes.

"I promised to take care of you, Melian, and I shall. So move along." He didn't even look at me as he continued to walk away.

"But…" I tried, but was instantly cut off. 'Is he saying that I have to leave my people behind? Where is he taking me?'

"No 'buts'." Haldir replied concluding. I obviously had no say in the matter.

"You are coming with me to Lothlorien, and I have no intention to argue about it…" Haldir turned around, looking annoyed that I hadn't moved from my spot in the line yet.

"…Even if I have to drag you all the way." He added with a look that left no room for arguments. I sighed heavily and mounted my horse. 'Great…now I'm stuck with him.'

I didn't even get to say more than a hasty "Goodbye" to the people I had spent the majority of my life with. Some had sent me quizzical looks that I just had to shrug at, not getting the opportunity to explain myself further. I was still glaring at the back of Haldir's head as we made our way over a field we had crossed earlier in the day, cursing him under my breath as we went along.

"I can hear you, you know." Haldir stated all of a sudden, and I could swear he sounded amused.

"I know and I don't care." I replied rather snappishly.

This was going to be a long trip indeed, and I could practically sense an argument in the air already. Haldir cleared his throat.