Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or anything associated with Tolkien Enterprises. I also do not own any music by Stephen Foster, Thomas Haynes Bayly, or Caroline Atherton Mason, or S.M. Grannis. Their lyrics are included in this fanfic and they are old enough to be considered public domain.
Mariana-Thanks for the review! I'm so glad you're enjoying the story!
ooOoo
Guardians of Arda
By Ponytail Goddess
Chapter 7: A Lovely Name
"Duckie," a frantic voice whispered, waking her up from her slumber with a rough shake of her arm. "Duckie!"
"Yes?" She questioned tiredly, blinking her eyes to see that it was still night. A large brandishing of bright red hair flashed in front of her eyes before Willie's familiar face was revealed beneath the soft moonlight. The child looked nervous as he stared at her with wide brown eyes. "What is wrong child?"
"You… You were sleeping with your eyes open!" He whispered anxiously. "I thought you might be dead!"
"Shh…" Duckie said, laying her hand on his shoulder and giving him a little squeeze to try and comfort the boy who was kneeling in the matted down grass before her. "I am fine. Go back to sleep and we'll talk about it in the morning."
"No—it's the perfect time to escape! All the men have left Duckie! Quick, let's run away while we still can!" He whispered tensely, shaking her a bit more, as if he thought she was too tired to comprehend what was happening. Duckie groaned underneath his painfully tight grip.
"Willie… Willie!" Duckie exclaimed, swiftly rolling onto her side so she could touch the boy's hands, which were firmly planted on her shoulder. "We are safe now! These men are new members of our settlement! One of them is my… my cousin!" She explained, changing her story quickly after remembering what Haldir had told her about how his group described themselves to mortals.
"Really?" The child asked, looking confused. Mercifully, his hands released her battered arm as he spoke his thoughts aloud. "I thought I heard that you had no family now."
Duckie nearly gasped at the cavalier way the child had said the painful words. Though she knew he didn't know any better, her chest instantaneously went cold. She did her best to hide the tremor that passed through her body at the mention of her father's death, but could not fully control it.
The grass around her acknowledged her pain, whispering their condolences as they caressed her legs over her dress in an effort meant to comfort her. To the naked eye though, it just looked like the light breeze was blowing them this way and that.
"No," she replied slowly as she tried to hide the pain she was feeling from her voice, "That is just a rumor. Several of the men left before I went to sleep, but my neighbor Henry is still here somewhere. He is keeping watch for the night and will help us return home in the morning."
"We are safe?" The child asked nervously as he looked around the deserted camp. It was obvious to Duckie that he was still wary of people after their experience during the previous afternoon.
She certainly couldn't blame him for feeling thusly.
"We are safe Willie." Duckie reassured in a soothing voice as she tucked a lock of his bright red hair behind his ear. "There is nothing to fear here. Go back to sleep and we will return to our homes in the morning."
Having comforted the boy, Duckie rolled back over and tried to make herself comfortable in Haldir's cloak again. She took a deep breath in and tried to relax as she smelled the freshness of the forest on the finely woven material. Just as she felt herself dozing off, she woke up once more upon feeling a warm body burrowing into her.
She glanced down in surprise, only to find young Willie in her arms.
Perplexed by this, Duckie watched as the child snuggled up to her, having already made his way underneath the cloak. Stunned by this sudden action, Duckie finally realized that while the child had put on a brave face, he surely was scared to death by the day's traumatic events. She felt a well of compassion bubble up within her and gently pulled him into her arms.
Once Duckie adjusted her position a bit and was comfortable, she found herself resting her chin upon the crown of his head. She stroked his hair for a short time to try and reassure him, only stopping when his breathing became rhythmic and slow.
Still desiring to try and sleep, Duckie laid in the darkness trying to relax herself for the longest time. Somehow she could not help but feel as if she was being watched. As she held the softly snoring child gently against herself, her eyes scanned the forest around her, trying to assess the situation.
The field before her was still, with only fireflies and a few voles moving about the grassy prairieland. There was more movement coming from within the darkened depths of the forest. Her eyes scanned the trees all the way from their protruding roots, up their elongated trunks, to their thick leafy canopies. Her gaze eventually stopped when she found Haldir amid the foliage topping one of the nearby trees. She flinched when she noticed he was staring down at her with his intense, inscrutable grey eyes.
When their eyes met, they lingered together for a moment before Duckie narrowed her eyes angrily as she remembered how he had implied she had done the wrong thing by becoming involved in the child's battle in town. In her opinion, this implied bad things about his character. How dare he insinuate that helping a child was a poor course of action!
Abruptly feeling petulant towards Haldir, Duckie found herself holding the child even more securely against her, strictly as an act of defiance. He could tell her not to get involved all he liked, but Duckie knew in her heart that she had done the right thing. She would do it again if she had to and there was nothing that Haldir or any of his contingent would be able to do to stop her.
Because she was amped up about the child's well-being, Duckie was rather surprised when her eyes opened once more at dawn. She had spent half of the night brooding about Haldir's illogical thoughts concerning the child. Duckie had anticipated that sleep would illude her for the entire night, due to her restless anger.
Nothing seemed out of place though as the bright orange light of dawn began to illuminate the trees within her view, painting glowing colors over the receding shadow of darkness. Lively birds flittered around the leaf-filled branches, beginning to go about their days while singing their dulcet tunes.
Willie had already gotten up, leaving her alone underneath Haldir's grey cloak. Upon sitting up with a stretch, she spotted him sitting on the moss-covered log by Haldir, who was tending to a small cooking fire. They were speaking in hushed voices as Haldir's large body hunkered down to stir a small pot that was hanging directly over the flames. The delicious scent of oats and apples filled the air and Duckie's stomach let out a groan at the thought of having a delicious treat.
After making a few failed attempts at grooming herself by the forest's edge, Duckie settled for releasing the tattered remains of her hairdo and letting her dark hair flow freely down her back. Without a mirror, there would be no easy way of styling it and she supposed it was thick enough to cover the pointy tips of her ears, so long as she remembered not tuck her hair behind them.
Upon approaching the fire, she smiled as she overheard all of the curious questions little Willie was asking Haldir. He seemed to be particularly patient in answering them though, as he knelt by the fire to finish cooking their breakfast.
"So you just moved here, huh? Where did you come from? Do you like living here? What are you going to do here?" Willie asked jovially, his bright red hair shining vibrantly in the orange sunlight as he kicked his legs energetically from his seat on the log.
"I moved from Nebraska and yes, I think this is a wonderful place. The mountain air is crisp and the land is gorgeous and fertile. I have come here to start a cattle ranch beside Miss Hir's farm. A few of my cousins and friends have accompanied me on my journey and will serve as cowhands by my side."
"Is it true that Duckie's cousin was here last night? I heard in town that she didn't have no family left since her brother Elroy died last month." He said as she sat down next to him silently on the log. When Willie noticed her presence, he had the grace to blush a bit, as if he realized this time around that he had said something inappropriate.
"Yes, he was here last night." Haldir replied with a sad smile as he looked at her way and nodded a silent greeting. "I grew up with Duckie's cousin Eli. He has long been one of my dearest friends and is one of the kindest and most helpful individuals I have ever known. She is lucky to have him."
The look of sincerity on his face when he said this was surprisingly touching. While Elladan had suggested that Haldir did not like her father very much, knowing that Haldir thought highly of her uncle Elladan was a welcome consolation.
"Well, where did he and all of the other men go?" Willie asked with a demanding tone, his freckle-covered face scrunching up with a look of confusion. "Why did you stay back with us instead of him?"
Haldir poured a hearty serving of oatmeal dotted with little flecks of cooked apple into a bowl and handed it to Willie along with a spoon before answering. "He and my cowhands are making the journey to get lumber a couple towns over. Once we have lumber, we can build our bunkhouse and cattle pen."
He then handed Duckie a plate filled with oatmeal and a fork. Duckie frowned as she realized Haldir only had one small set of dishes for his own use with him. However, he did not complain and sat down beside them on the log, eating what was left of the oatmeal straight out of the pan using the only remaining utensil, a butter knife.
Though he was graceful and didn't spill a bit of his breakfast, Duckie still had to bite her lip, as it was one of the most ridiculous things she'd ever seen. Before she could comment though, Willie blurted out, "My momma said it isn't safe to stick a knife in your mouth."
"Your mother is correct child. Some situations call for resourcefulness though, so I promise to be extra careful." He answered, placating the child who was ravenously hungry and had already settled back into his bowl before Haldir finished answering.
The unlikely group resumed their breakfast in silence. Nothing else was said until the child announced that he was full. "I need to go and relieve myself!" Willie declared rather loudly a few seconds later, springing up from the log and quickly running into a thicket of shrubbery by the entrance to the forest.
"Do not wander far!" Haldir called after him as he disappeared into the forest. After they finished their last few bites of breakfast, he took a canteen of water out of his pack and put some in the pot, placing it back over the fire to heat the water to clean the dishes. The elven pair sat together awkwardly as an uncomfortable silence ensued while they waited.
"The apples were very good." Duckie commented quietly as she scraped another small bite off the edge of her nearly empty plate and ate it, breaking the tension that had formed between them. "Where did you find them?"
"I spotted a small apple tree while I was keeping watch last night. There are a few more in my pack, if you would like another." He offered, his eyes never leaving the steaming pot. She finished her last bite in silence, savoring the last bit of flavor for a moment before swallowing it down.
"I am sorry if I offended you with my words about the child yesterday." Haldir apologized, trying to address the tension remaining between them. "I have experienced many scenarios in my life when becoming involved with the problems of mortals ended poorly. It is my hope that you never have to experience such things." He explained as an odd look appeared in his eyes for a moment while he stared into the few remaining orange flames that were burning on top of a bed of flashing red embers.
"I will still explain to you the information you have asked for later, if you so choose." He said, reminding her of his promise to talk about the conflict between himself and her father. He had also asked her to reserve her judgement of him until she had heard his side of the story and she had agreed at the time.
At last, he blinked a few times and turned away from the glowing embers to face her. "For now though, can we perhaps start over and move past yesterday's mistakes? We have a long journey ahead of us today and I do not wish to be at odds with you, especially in front of the child."
Duckie stared at him, trying to judge whether he truly meant this or not as he held out his hand to her, wanting to shake on this promise, as mortals often did. "Truce?"
She gently took his hand, trying her best to ignore the sparks that shot through her fingers upon feeling the warmth of his skin against her own. Warmth filled her face as she replied. "Truce."
Upon seeing Haldir give her the small, sideways smile that she was beginning to find a bit endearing, she watched him silently riffle through his bag. He stopped when he found a small cake of soap and set about washing the dishes in the pot he had heated up over the fire. He was just starting to work on the child's bowl when both of them heard an odd sound coming from the forest.
Immediately, Haldir got up and wiped his hands on his pants as he moved towards the forest, motioning for her to stay where she was with one hand. He hid behind a tree and got out his gun, peeking around the edge of the tree to try and find the right time to confront whatever was lurking out there. The sound seemed to be getting closer with every second. Haldir waited patiently, standing as still as a statue. Suddenly, he turned with his gun in pointed in front of him, ready to pull the trigger at a moment's notice.
From where she had squatted down behind the log, Duckie watched as Haldir slowly lowered his gun. Perplexed by this, she silently stood up and cautiously approached to try and get a glimpse of what he alone could see.
It was a horse; a very tall horse with deeply grooved muscles in its legs! His coat was a vibrant, shiny white; the brightest Duckie had ever seen on an animal. The beautiful creature looked a bit skittish, so Duckie froze, copying Haldir. She watched as Haldir slowly lowered his hand to his pants pocket and pulled a small apple from its depths. Moving very deliberately, he held it ahead of him as an offering to the beast.
"Tolo, govano ven mellon." He whispered to the horse and surprisingly, the creature became more docile and leisurely walked up to him. The horse sniffed his fingers for a little bit and then nuzzled his hand, taking the apple from it. The horse chewed the whole thing greedily and it was gone in a matter of seconds.
The steed then turned his attention her way. Duckie froze, as she did not know what to expect from a wild horse. She had only ever petted domesticated animals.
She began to feel anxious as the horse approached her quietly. "Let him inspect you; it is his way. He will not hurt you." Haldir said smoothly as she continued to tense up.
The horse took a few more steps towards her and stopped a mere foot away from her face. It stared into her eyes for a long time, studying her deeply as if he could see into her very soul. Then, without warning, he gave a small whiney and kneeled down before her, bowing his head reverently until it curled into his mighty chest.
"Haldir," she asked nervously, "What is he doing?"
"I am uncertain." He said calmly, stepping behind her as the horse got back onto its feet. "It appears to be a sign of respect though. Have you met him before?"
"No, I have never seen a horse such as him before." She said, mystified by the horse's behavior. Though he was already close to Duckie, he then took one step closer to her and Duckie froze once again. She started to back away, but found herself suddenly leaning into Haldir's sturdy body instead. A hiss of fear escaped from her lips, but Haldir disregarded it, gently holding the sides of her arms as the horse curiously sniffed her face and neck.
"This is how he greets our people." He explained calmly. "If you wish to greet him back, say 'mae g'ovannen.' He seems to be responsive to Sindarin." He said, trying to encourage her to stay by the horse, rather than run away.
"Is Sindarin the language of the elves?" She asked quietly, slowly relaxing her body beneath Haldir's gentle hands as the horse nuzzled her face with his cold, wet nose. She reached up and petted his cheek in a way that she remembered seeing her father do when he had interacted with horses along the trail they took to Wyoming.
"Yes, it is one of many languages the elves speak. It is the most common language used amongst those of us who remain in the world of men." He said with a chuckle, making Duckie wonder precisely how many languages Haldir could speak and why the elves would need so many different tongues.
Her thoughts about the matter came to a stop though as she overheard the trees beginning to whisper near her. Her hand suddenly stilled on the horse's cheek. Closing her eyes in concentration, she listened carefully to all they had to say.
"White Tempest has come to their aid upon the request of his master."
"She has accepted the meara's help."
"He is a friend of the elves and will ensure their safe return."
"He will plant them back in their home soil, where they belong."
The trees seemed to trust the horse and they had never led Duckie astray in the past. Perhaps he could be trusted after all.
The word 'destiny' seemed to once again linger in the air like smoke from a blazing campfire. There was a certain tension in the air, as if it was on edge, as if the very earth beneath her feet was waiting to see if she would step into her role.
Would she listen? Would she follow? Would she obey?
While Duckie was confused, as one of the trees had said that someone had sent them the horse, she decided she would indeed follow her destiny. Duckie nodded in acceptance and fully accepted the horse's greeting, petting him gently with both of her hands. A moment later, she felt Haldir's hands fall away from her shoulders, as if he sensed her acceptance of the beast.
"The trees call him White Tempest." She murmured, examining the horse carefully as she stroked him. She watched as Haldir's arm reached over her shoulder and stroked the horse's snout gently. "They say he is a Meara. What does that mean?"
Though he was behind her, she could feel his eyes staring down at her for a long time before he answered, as if she was a mystery he did not quite understand. "A Meara, you say? I was beginning to suspect as much." Haldir said with a note of intrigue in his tone before replying to her query.
"Mearas are a great breed of horses that have graced the earth for many millennia now. They are known for their exceptional speed and intelligence. They understand the languages of many creatures-"
"Oh wow, a horse!" Willie's voice suddenly rang out loudly as he suddenly popped out from behind a large shrub and jogged over to the two of them. The combination of the loud voice, paired with the sudden motion scared the stallion. Haldir pushed gently past her and lightly touched the horse's cheeks as he cried out and stumbled backwards, whispering underneath his breath to the frightened beast.
"Av'osto. Av'osto."
"He's huge! Where did he come from?" The child asked loudly, unaware that he was upsetting the horse.
"Shh." Duckie said gently, kneeling down before the disheveled little boy with a long finger in front of her lips. "We must not frighten him with loud voices. He is our ride home."
"I have never seen a horse like him before. He is snowy white, just like the horses in all of the fairy tales momma reads me." He said excitedly, though in a much quieter tone.
"He is beautiful, isn't he?" She said as she admired the horse and then smiled brightly at the child. He smiled back at her with equal vigor. "Come, let's finish the dishes so we can head home. I'm sure your family is worried sick about you."
Standing up, Duckie walked hand in hand with the child towards the dishes while Haldir continued to calm the stallion with a gentle voice. She was not sure what it was about Haldir, but he seemed to have a special way with horses. Duckie watched as he whispered into the beast's ear, putting him at ease much faster than she thought possible.
"You really think my family misses me?" Willie asked, interrupting Duckie's thoughts.
"Of course they do Willie! Parents always miss their children when they are gone." She reassured him, though it made her thoughts flash back to her father. Was he truly alive as Elladan said? If so, why had he not come back? She hoped he wasn't injured somewhere…
But what else could have possibly happened to him?
The child started humming a familiar tune that made Duckie's heart flitter a bit with emotion. In fact, she found herself so full of emotions that she wasn't thinking clearly as memories of her father graced her mind. In that moment, she started to sing along with the child's melody as she worked on scrubbing out the pan the oatmeal was cooked in.
"Do they miss me at home, do they miss me?
'Twould be an assurance most dear,
To know that this moment some loved one,
Were saying, "I wish he was here;"
To feel that the group at the fireside,
Were thinking of me as I roam.
Oh, yes, 'twould be joy beyond measure,
To know that they missed me at home,
To know that they missed me at home."
As she sang, she closed her eyes and a particularly vivid image of her father rocking her younger self in a wooden rocking chair came to mind. The fire burned brightly before the two figures as the elder one sang to the tiny dark-haired girl, who was safely nestled in his arms.
There were many jobs Elroy worked where he had to stay late into the evening and Duckie had missed him greatly while she stayed with a hired nursemaid at home. When Elroy finally arrived back at home, she would always jump in her father's arms and he would often rock her and sing. Sometimes he would go to his harp and play for her, his arms reaching around her to play the long strings as she balanced on his knee and watched him. There had always been safety there in his arms—safety and love, both of which were missing from her life now.
She felt so alone without him. How was she going to get through this?
"Do they sit me a chair near the table,
When evening's home pleasures are nigh,
When the candles are lit in the parlor,
And the stars in the calm azure sky?
And when the "good-nights" are repeated,
And all lay them down to their sleep,
Do they think of the absent, and waft me,
A whispered 'good-night' while they weep-"
"MISS HIR!" A loud voice exclaimed, interrupting her song. Her eyes immediately blinked open and she saw a picture of her father and her by the fireplace fading away with the breeze, along with the feelings she had been experiencing while singing the song.
Caught up in the moment and the emotion of the song, she had forgotten about how her father had warned her not to sing in front of the mortals because of her gift. Her voice was so pure and beautiful that she could literally paint a picture in the air of a memory or spread a song's feeling to its listeners.
'The gift of the Eldar' had been what Bregalad called it when she sang for him. Bregalad knew the ways of the elves though. Willie, on the other hand, did not.
Now Haldir stared at her with wide-eyes, as did young Willie. All three of them were frozen and none knew what to do. The horse whinnied and snorted in the background, stomping his foot in discomfort at the situation that was playing out before him.
Willie finally broke the silence and slowly asked, "What… was that? It looked like a picture in the air and… and I could feel it."
Not knowing what else to do, Duckie chose to lie and hope for the best. "What picture? I saw nothing of the sort." She replied, using the most serious vocal inflection she could muster. She needed the child to believe her and for Haldir to play along with it if they hoped to have any chance of talking their way out of this.
"The picture…it happened when you sang! It was of a dad and his daughter in a rocking chair. I could feel their relief at being reunited and the love they shared for one another. I've never seen a picture in the air before! How did you do that?" He asked cautiously.
Inwardly, Duckie frowned and set down her dish as the child was not buying into her story as she had hoped. "I think you've been reading too many stories child. Now is not the time for imagination."
"But Duckie," he pleaded, "I saw it, I really did! Didn't you?!"
Duckie's jaw fell slightly open and quivered, not knowing what to do in this situation. She had stupidly backed herself into this corner and now she didn't know how to get out.
"Willie, please pack up the dishes so we can leave-"
"No, you're not listening to me!" He cried loudly, quickly growing hysterical. "The picture was right here! Right here!" He said, indicating the empty air beside them with very deliberate motions.
She had no idea what to do. "I… I…"
The child suddenly fell over as Haldir slid his hand over his forehead and whispered a few indecipherable words. He caught the boy's small frame in his arms and eased the limp child to the ground.
"What did you do to him?!" Duckie exclaimed immediately, scared that he had somehow hurt the boy.
"I put him to sleep because someone was getting him all worked up after exposing him to something his race considers supernatural!" He said judgmentally, all while gifting her with a look of extreme disapproval. "Did you not know you had that talent?"
Bowing her head in embarrassment, she replied in a guilt-ridden voice, "No, I knew… I just… got caught up in the moment and it happened. I'm sorry."
"You know nothing about our ways at all, do you? I thought Elrohir would have at least taught you some discretion! You must be more careful in the future!" He said, reprimanding her in a painfully loud voice. "We cannot risk our exposure to the outside world. We cannot just leave this area right now if our identities are revealed—we cannot leave here until your father has been found! Do you understand?"
"Yes sir." Duckie murmured, refusing to look up at him. She could feel her cheeks burning red with embarrassment as she studied the long strands of grass beneath her knees. She listened in silence as Haldir took hold of the dishes, dried them, and packed them away in his rucksack.
She could not be trusted—she was no better than a child, just like her uncle had implied the previous night. Clearly, this must have been why her father had went to such lengths to make sure she did not know the elven ways. Her heart sank at the thought.
All she had wanted to do was help out. She knew she could not calm the horse, but she thought she could at least entertain the child and help by readying the dishes so they could leave in a timely manner. Instead, her emotions had gotten the better of her, as they had regularly over the last month. Without her father there, her life seemed to be reeling out of control. Her feelings seemed to sneak up on her and rear their ugly heads when she was not prepared to deal with them.
What a fine mess she was in now. A fine mess indeed.
Her dark thoughts continued until she saw two knees kneeling down in front of her, leaving a foot of space between them. Two fingers reached out to her and gently lifted her chin up with deliberation. Haldir's light grey eyes met her gaze until she closed hers, feeling too emotionally drained to endure his stare.
"I have been too harsh with you." She heard him admit softly. "I fear my duty has made me strict over the years and am no longer accustomed to showing consideration to others as I should. For that, I am sorry."
"You said 'I know nothing' and you are right." She said despondently, tearing up a bit as she admitted her weakness. "I have tried so hard to be an adult in my father's absence, but clearly I am still just an ignorant child." She muttered as she shook her head in defeat, delicately dabbing at her eyes with the hopes that he would not see her tears.
He did see the tears though, as his hand gently reached over and brushed one off her cheek. "Look at me." He commanded and after a few more miserable moments, Duckie tentatively obeyed, uncertain of what she would see.
"Children only care for themselves, whereas adults put the needs of others ahead of their own needs." Haldir said, then clarified his thoughts. "I see nothing childish about your actions Miss Hir. You care for others—especially this mortal child. While I might not always agree with your decisions, I find such actions admirable."
"Fine, then I am simply ignorant." She moaned, continuing to think terrible thoughts about herself.
"Is it your fault that you do not know about our people?" He asked gently. Duckie thought about it for a moment and then shook her head, looking back down at the ground.
"Have you turned down an opportunity to learn about the elves?" He inquired, bending down a bit more to try and make eye contact with her. Again, her answer was no.
"Are you willing to learn if someone decides to teach you?" Haldir asked, questioning her further.
"Of course," she mumbled, wiping her eyes once again before looking into his intense gaze. "I value education. I want to know about the elves—my people."
"Then I will teach you. You have not had the opportunity to learn yet, but we will remedy the situation. I am certain your uncle Elladan will be willing to help as well. Together, we will teach you everything you need to know and when I next see your father, I will firmly plant my foot up his backside for not doing it himself." He declared, smiling in such a way that Duckie could not tell if that last part was a joke or the truth.
Taking her fingers in his own, Haldir stood up slowly, guiding her into an upright position as well. "Now come, dry those tears Miss Hir. We need to get to the settlement and White Tempest awaits."
"Duckie." She whispered, wiping the last of her tears away before meeting his gaze with more confidence than before. "Please call me Duckie."
Haldir raised his eyebrows in disbelief before shaking his head. "I most certainly will not."
"Excuse me?" She asked, affronted all over again by his choice of words.
"You expect me to call you by the name of bird who spends its whole life floating around in dirty pond water and squawking angrily at every passerby?" He enquired with no small amount of sarcasm laced in his voice. "I will not be doing that—it does not fit you, nor suit you. I am certain Elrohir came up with a much better name for you than that. Tell me your true name and I shall call you by it."
Duckie's mouth hung open in shock upon hearing his words. Haldir was certainly opinionated and was not afraid to speak his mind, nor did he seem overly concerned about her feelings when he addressed her so.
When she got past his blunt wording, a wave of self-consciousness passed through her, as she had not shared her real name with anyone since she was very young. Men could never seem to pronounce it and had often made quips about it being foreign and therefore unwelcome. Such instances made it hard for her to share it now, even though she knew in her heart that if it was elvish as she suspected, Haldir would have no problem with it.
It came out of her lips inaudibly at first, barely qualifying as a whisper. Haldir blinked at her and then flipped his palm up and said, "I did not hear you. Please say it at a volume that can be understood."
"Dúcuivië," she said softly, feeling very vulnerable in the moment. "My name is Dúcuivië."
"Dúcuivië…" Haldir repeated it slowly, as if he was enjoying it—savoring it, if you will. He then said it again, but the second time he used some sort of an accent and it sounded different, more foreign. It sounded very beautiful when he said it that way and Duckie found herself blushing a bit when he finally opened his eyes and met her gaze again.
"It has been a long time since I have spoken an elleth's name." He finally said, not readily giving away his opinion of her moniker. "Your name originates from the Sindarin language. Do you know what it means?"
"No," she said weakly, not enduring the stress of this unexpected situation very well. "What does it mean?"
"Dúcuivië means 'night awakening.' Your name honors the story of how your parents met and spent time with one another." He said, smiling at her and taking both of her hands in his own and giving them a squeeze of reassurance. "It is a lovely name. It suits you."
Her eyes opened wide with shock for a moment upon hearing his opinion. Haldir thought her name was lovely? Truly? A brief feeling of warmth passed through her as looked down in embarrassment, uncertain of how to properly react to his comment. While Duckie had been complimented many times in the past, this one somehow felt different, more important for some reason.
"Thank you." She said quietly as she looked up to catch his eyes once again. She smiled tentatively as she observed how his grey eyes almost looked silver while they glistened in the morning sun. Idly, she wondered what else this handsome stranger thought about her as she watched him turn around and head towards their ride home.
ooOoo
Tolo, govano ven mellon—Come, join us friend.
Mae G'ovannen—Well met.
Av'osto—Do not be afraid.
Well, what did you think? Please leave a comment and let me know what you thought of the chapter. I should update again fairly soon, as I have most of the next chapter completed as well. Have a good one!
-P.G.