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Chapter 22: Confessions and Questions

Ana slowly pulled back the dark blue cloth and looked at the gift in her hand with a small smile. On the cloth rested a small silver star with a round dark green stone in the very center. It was a pendant and it rested on a simple silver chain. Ana looked up at Haldir with wide eyes. "This is for me?" she asked quietly as she looked back down at the stone and ran her finger across it gently. It was beautiful and Ana couldn't believe he would give her something like it. Haldir smiled and picked up the chain. Ana looked up at him once more.

"It is for you, I had it made for you," he said gently. Ana laughed quietly. "Turn around and lift your hair." She nodded and did as he asked. Haldir clasped the chain around her neck and let his fingers linger on her warm skin before he slowly pulled them away. Ana shivered slightly and let go of her hand. She turned around and raised her hand to the pendant. She was slightly worried that when someone would look at her pendant, they might notice her scar, but the look that was in Haldir's eyes made that worry disappear. "Beautiful," he whispered. Ana blushed slightly.

"Haldir, thank you," she said before she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love it." She closed her eyes tightly. Haldir sighed and wrapped his arms around her. He held onto her and opened his mouth to speak when she spoke before him. "Haldir, there is something I need to tell you," she said quickly and pulled back. She kept her hands on his shoulders and his remained on her waist. He met her eyes and waited for her to continue. There were so many things she wanted to say. She wanted to tell him of the dream, but she knew that wouldn't be wise, and then there was what she had wanted to tell him that night, but thought differently about it when she heard the songs for Gandalf. He could see she was debating something and raised one hand from her waist to her cheek.

"What is it Ana?" he asked gently and she sighed as she closed her eyes slowly and then opened them.

"Haldir . . . I . . .," she paused and sighed again and hugged him once again. Haldir frowned and was about to ask what was wrong. "I love you," she whispered as her head rested in the nape of his neck. Haldir stiffened in surprise by the heat of her breath on his neck, and by the tenderness in her soft tone. At his silence, Ana pulled back and looked up at him with worried filled eyes. Haldir only smiled and raised his hand to her face once again. She gave him a teary eyed smile.

"I love you too, Ana, and do not ever think for one second that I do not," he said feverishly. Ana laughed quietly and nodded her head as he pulled her close to him and kissed her deeply, just as he had done not long ago that night. Ana sighed and wrapped her arms further around him and he did the same, crushing her small form to his much larger one.

Haldir slowly pulled his lips from hers and sighed heavily as he rested his forehead against hers. Ana opened her eyes only to see his eyes were still closed. She smiled and licked her lips.

"Haldir, what does this make us?" she asked in a whispered. He slowly opened his eyes and looked down at her as he lifted his head slightly. She looked at him waiting to hear what he had to say. He raised his hand to her face once again and ran his fingers down her cheek and her neck before he laced his fingers in her hair. Ana shivered slightly but kept her eyes locked with his.

"When the time is right," he whispered as his fingers played with her hair, "I would like to take you as my wife and bind myself to you, no matter how short our bond may be." Ana felt tears come to her eyes. She knew that since she did not gain full immortality from him that if they were to bind themselves that she would grow old, and when she died he would fade and eventually die as well. Even though that thought pained her greatly, she found a selfish sliver of her brain thinking that even though their time together wouldn't be long they would be happy for at least that time. "Of course the decision of our bonding will be up to you," he added. Ana laughed quietly and raised her hand to his face and ran her fingers across his smooth face.

"I know you will not push me, but I do not know exactly when I'll be ready to bond with you. However, trust me when I say that I know it will not be long from now." He smiled and nodded his head before he lowered her hand from his face and kissed her deeply once more.

Aragorn woke before the others, except for Legolas, and walked around the city enjoying the peace for once in many days. In the early morning and as he neared the river, he heard a soft laugh and followed its sound. He stopped short when he saw the woman, Ana, from last night. She stood dressed in a sage colored dress, and a dark heavy cloak wrapped around her and her hands entwined with Haldir's as he held her close. "Friends Haldir?" Aragorn thought when he saw Haldir lean into her and kiss her softly. Aragorn smiled and shook his head before he walked into the small cove the couple stood in and cleared his throat. Ana pulled away from Haldir, but her right hand remained encased in his left one.

"Aragorn," Haldir said as he bowed his head. "You are up early this morn. I thought for certain you would take to a long rest after your travels." Ana looked at Haldir and then at the dark haired man named Aragorn.

"The city allowed me a deep and peaceful slumber no matter how short," he said. Ana looked at him closely. He looked no older than forty-five, but his eyes held a much deeper wisdom. "Ana," he said with a bow of his head. Ana bowed her head to him.

"Good morning, Aragorn," she said.

"Good morning," Aragorn said. "I do hope that I have not upset you for last night my presence seemed to unnerve you." Ana sighed and shook her head.

"No," she said gently. "You have not; there was just a lot of things on my mind last night." Aragorn nodded. "I did not mean to be rude." Aragorn smiled then and looked to Haldir who smiled as well and squeezed her hand. She looked up at Haldir who looked at her with a grim before he looked back to Aragorn.

"Nor did I mean to be rude by interrupting," Aragorn said causing Ana to look back at him. Ana blushed slightly and smiled.

"No harm was done. I must meet with the Lady this morning, so, I will leave you both," Ana said. She looked at Haldir and he leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"I shall see you at the midday meal, the visitors shall be dinning in the hall and we shall join them," he said quietly to her. She nodded her head.

"Of course, and then I will be able to meet them all," she said in a whisper. Haldir nodded and Ana slipped away from him before he could pull her back. She smiled at Aragorn before she left the pair and made her way to meet with Galadriel. Aragorn watched her walk away and looked back to Haldir.

"Friends Haldir?" Aragorn voiced his question and the Marchwarden stiffened in his posture, but a small grin on his face.

Ana ran her fingers over the scrolls that rested on the table of Galadriel's study before she raised her hand to the pendant that rested on her neck. She closed her eyes and could practically feel Haldir's kiss upon her cheek once more, but she opened her eyes when she felt someone watching. "What causes you to glow as you are Ana?" asked Galadriel from behind Ana. Ana turned and smiled at her.

"I don't know," Ana said quietly but a smile still on her face. Galadriel just smirked and walked further into the room.

"I believe you do, but I will not ask much of it now, for I can see it easily." Ana blushed. "There is something I must tell you, that we have kept secret from you for the eleven months you've been with us." Ana frowned and sat down as Galadriel sat down.

"What is it?" she asked. Galadriel sighed.

"We were not able to destroy the stone." Ana's eyes widened.

"What? Why tell me this now?" she asked quickly and Galadriel reached over the small table and put her hand over Ana's.

"Do not worry, the Dark Lord's focus has left you and is now on something of more value to him, but there is one other that wishes to find you and the stone. However, we've hidden the stone and I do believe you are safe." Ana felt a knot in her stomach.

"What of Haldir?" she asked in a whisper and the Lady raised an eyebrow. "I must tell someone, I've kept it inside for so long and tonight when I saw Aragorn my thoughts keep straying to it." She took a deep breath and pulled her hand from Galadriel's and clasped them together. "I had a dream, a long time ago, that Haldir died while fighting these large black creatures. He was fighting along side other elves and men, Lady Galadriel, and Aragorn was there and caught him in his arms as the life left Haldir's eyes." Ana closed her eyes tightly and shook her head. "I need to know," she whispered before she opened her eyes and looked into the concerned blue eyes of Galadriel. "Is his death set in stone or is it something that could be changed?"

"Ana, dreams are not always a reality, and what you saw may be just that, however, if it is not . . . nothing is set in stone." Ana gave Galadriel a teary eyed smile and nodded her head. The elleth and the woman talked for a little longer before they parted ways.