A work in Progress
Chapter seventeen
POV: Laingalad
By: Candyfloss
I was halfway to the top right branch by now, it wasn't a big tree, but hopefully it was big enough. From behind came the nose of a blade slicing through flesh. Hopefully that was a fallen orc, and not Haldir.
I continued to climb, my pace lessened somebody was creeping around now I dare not look. There was a sudden snap, and in all the commotion I lost my grip. Slowly I began toppling backwards, then next thing I knew the floor was hurtling towards me, I screamed as it came closer and then with a thud I landed. Pain screaming at me from every part of my body, I sat up moving my right leg in the process.
"Ow!!" I cried, clutching my right ankle.
"Are you hurt?" came a familiar voice, thank the Valar it was Haldir, and not an orc. I looked up and there he was, standing there, towering above me.
"No, I'm perfectly fine, I've only just fallen out of a tree" I replied sarcasm coating my voice. What did he expect? That I'd fall twenty feet and land perfectly unharmed?
"What hurts then? I am not the best healer but I can help" He said, kneeling in front of me. Did he just admit a flaw?
"Right now...." I pondered, what did hurt? All I could feel was a lot of numbness. "Everything hurts! But seeing as I'm clutching my ankle, it's most likely I've twisted it" I stated
"Well you stay there, and I'll get some bandages"
This surprised me...surely he knew how to fix a twisted ankle? It wasn't exactly hard. All you had to do was feel out the direction it was twisted, then pull and twist it back in the opposite direction, making a click if done properly.
"Can't you just twist it back?" I asked
"While with the sons of Elrond did you gamer any healing knowledge at all? I have only rudimentary knowledge of healing, I do not want to cause you any further damage" He answered, well this would have been funny, had I not been injured. Come on, who put an elf in charge, if he only has basic knowledge of healing? Then again whilst with the twins we have managed to injure ourselves a numerous amount of times...and have come to healing injuries ourselves when the healers complained that it was a bit too much.
"Leave it then, I'd rather not move my foot then try and talk you through it, and run the risk of you severely damaging my ankle"
"I'll get them anyway, you may change your mind" He replied, I ignored him as my mind wondered how he had taken on the orcs, how many were there exactly? Where there any left? Any hiding for the opportune moment to strike? Just then my mind flashed back to that time in Rivendell...
"You lied in Rivendell..."I said absentmindedly, more to myself then to anyone else. Unfortunately he heard and stopped in mid-stride, turning around to face me. I noticed how none of his clothing had blood stained upon them, other then the odd splatter, and how his blade still shimmered jet black, covered in orc blood.
"Pardon? What do you mean my Lady? I would never deliberately lie to you," He stated... I wonder how long this tone of manner would keep. He was calling me 'my lady' again.
"Deliberately or not, you still lied. You said never to question your abilities. Yet here, had the orcs not fired upon us, I dare say they could have had a knife at our throats before we noticed" I replied still clutching my ankle to reduce movement, for any movement sent a jolt of pain across my body.
"While, yes, I was distracted, I would have not let them get so close"
"So you claim, what would the Lord and Lady say about you ignoring me to go and act the hero?" I cursed myself as that slipped through my lips, what else could he have done but protect us both by killing the orcs?
"They would congratulate me...."Oh dear, here goes he's egotistical brain again "...What would you rather have me do? Run away and climb a tree like you did..." what did he expect me to do? Fight some orcs? I may know some self defence, but I don't think I'm ready to kill anything just as yet "...It was by your sheer incompetence that you fell out of the tree, not mine"
Oh but it was his fault, had he not been creeping around, then suddenly making abrupt noises, I wouldn't have been startled and lost my grip.
"My incompetence? If I was unable to climb a tree I would not attempt to do so in the first place!" I exclaimed what was he doing? Just standing in the middle of the forest? I think he has forgotten about the bandages.
"So you can climb a tree, yet you cannot get out? Very intelligent" He sneered, what was this? If you don't know the full story, you shouldn't say anything, well that's what I think.
"Go away Haldir, if you're not going to get the bandages I'll do so myself" I replied, attempting to get up, only to fail miserably, as my ankle caved in beneath me after the first step, sending me once more to the soft earth.
"Havo dad sit down you told me you did not want bandages, but I will get some for you" When did I say that? Last time I checked he was going to get them.
"What is the point? It's not likely I'll be moving anywhere tonight" I sighed
"We have to move, orcs may still be in the area" Now that was a threat, I assumed it was a small group of scouts that he had just defeated then, seeing as he feared more were on the way.
"How exactly am I going to move; if I can't even stand up? Let alone move on of my foot?" I asked
"I'll have to pick you up then, to put you on your horse" He replied, well that was reasonable enough, but...I laughed and said,
"And how do you expect me to ride the horse? And what speed are you planning to go at?"
"You have been taught how to ride side saddle, you will do so now" He replied and he whistled for the horses to come.
"What speed?" I asked again. if he was planning to go full speed then he could go by himself, with all the jolting in that I'd only cause further damage to myself.
"At what ever pace you can handle," He replied, it was good to see he could be reasonable.
"Very well, we may at least get a move on, how far do you plan to go from here?" I asked
"That depends on our pace, until dawn would be good, and we can rest for five hours. That's about four more hours of riding" He replied turning around to greet the horses, which fortunately were not injured at all.
"Four more hours...." I drifted off, wondering what pace we would be capable of going at. After readying the horses, he came over and scooped me gently into his arms without any difficulty. I winced as my right leg jolted causing a searing pain.
He placed me upon my horse then went to pack up camp, whilst I adjusted me position upon Celairclaur.
He returned mounting his own steed, and then we set off on a steady trot.
The next few days went quite well, there were no more arguments, though conversations were rare.
Sleep would have been easier had my leg not been twisted, though not once did I moan, complain nor whine about it He had enough on his mind, I sometimes wondered if he had, had any sleep at all on this journey, for every time I woke he was there, busy with something or other.
Two days later we arrived on the edge of Lothlorien. I marvelled at the beauty of the woods. It's littered carpet of gold and how the trees grew strong, straight and tall just like those who guarded it. At that precise moment an elf jumped from one of the trees, like Haldir he had silver hair and light blue eyes. At first I stayed mounted on my horse and watched as he said
"Who are you and what is your purpose in Lothlorien? " I turned to Haldir and watched him do all the talking.
"Most amusing Orophin" He replied to the elf, so this was Orophin, his little brother? I turned to study his face, I should have known. The resemblance between the two was small, yet still noticeable.
"Who are you and what is your purpose In Lothlorien?" Orophin asked his head held high. Now this was interesting, why would he want to deny the existence of his own brother? It turned out that Haldir wanted to now the same thing
"What ridiculous notion has made you forget your own brother?" He asked
"I do not know maybe, hypothetically my brother became March-warden, and did not tell me. He then became betrothed and did not tell me, then he left for over a month without so much as a backward glance" Wow, now that was a justified reason. I turned to Haldir once more to see what he would say in reply.
"It was all decided upon very quickly, you were here guarding the borders, what would you have me do? Become delayed looking for you?"
"That would have been a nice gesture to make, brother. And who is this Maiden?" Orophin asked, as if noticing me for the first time that evening. I couldn't help but smile. Haldir however, shook his head in disbelief and said,
"I went to Imladris to meet my betrothed, this is she. Orophin this is Lady Aglarebwen. Aglarebwen this is my youngest brother" Aglarebwen!! Stubborn elf, how may times must I tell him it's not my name!
"A glorious maiden indeed, you are very welcome to Lothlorien my lady Aglarebwen. I look forward to seeing your dark beauty wondering our fair city"
Typical, I was just beginning to like his annoying bickering with Haldir, and it turns out he's like his brother. A total flirt, though I should not pass judgement too quick.
"It is a pleasure to meet you Orophin, However, I am not Lady Arwen" At this Haldir snorted, I rolled my eyes as he said
"Indeed you are not. Now Orophin you have hands of a healer. Aglarebwen twisted her ankle three days ago, and though I believe it to be healed, I would rather it was checked, just in case"
"Really Haldir, it will heal itself, do not fuss and allow your brother to return to his duties" I replied, for it was my ankle, and it was true. The pain had declined and I could now put some pressure upon it.
"It would be my pleasure to ease your ankles strain, and no bother to me at all. It pains me to see a beautiful maiden such was yourself hurt in a way that can be healed" I smiled at his kind gesture, Haldir however, shook his head once more and rolled his eyes.
"Well off you go Orophin. Your supplies are in the tree above us; and Aglarebwen will not be climbing any trees until I am sure her ankle has healed. She is dangerous enough when doing so without an injury" He smirked.
"And what exactly are you implying?" I asked
"Absolutely nothing" He replied winking at me. "I don't know what connotation you are making" at that moment Orophin returned and said
"Come and lay beside me Aglarebwen" at this I frowned, why would I need to lie beside him? He's only checking my ankle.
Haldir coughed and said, "Last time I checked Orophin, you did not need to lie down when checking ones ankle"
"I think I'll be quite fine just sitting," I added
"As you wish Hiril nin my lady I will need to take off your boot"
"My ankle may be injured, but my hands are perfectly capable of removing my boot's on my own"
"I see you have a head strong elleth. I'm sure Haldir will soon whip you into shape"
"There will be no whipping involved Orophin" Haldir intercepted, and for some reason I laughed, and replied
"I certainly hope not for my benefit"
"Are you going to heal her or not?" Haldir questioned, I began to remove my boots and one again protested.
"Why fuss? It has already begun to heal"
"Because I will not allow you to arrive in Caras Galadhon tomorrow with a wound, would you like to explain to everyone that you did so falling from a tree?" And who's fault was it that I fell off a tree!
"How would anyone see if my ankle is in my boot?" I questioned
"Because you are limping" that was a fair point,
"It's a tiny limp, what? Are people going to stare at the way I walk or something?"
Orophin who had been standing there watching us said
"They would be staring at you anyway, our new March-warden's wife. It also helps that you are quite a beauty" Well wasn't he a charmer, so now I'm going to have the population of Lorien staring at me, great.
"Very well, seeing as you both are as determined as each other for my leg to be healed" In my submission, Haldir turned and began conversing with another elf. I decided to start my own conversation with Orophin
"I hear that you are the youngest out of the three of you"
"That I am, have you any siblings?" He asked
"No, none at all" I replied
"Your life must have been quite uneventful then, I'm sure we can liven it up"
"Uneventful?" I laughed, "Not with Elladan and Elrohir around, we shall see though, what it will be like here"
"You know the twins then?" he questioned
"Yes they were my closest friends" I answered as he sat down upon the floor before me.
"Then we most definitely do not have a plain elleth with us!"
"I most certainly hope not, I've heard you are quite a mischief maker, or am I to be corrected?" I asked out of interest
"Haldir has not been telling tales on me has he? Now does that hurt?" He questioned tilting my foot up and down upon the sockets of my ankle.
"Just a little bit, and no Haldir has just been telling me how many times he has had to cover for you"
"Has he not told you his own tales of mischief? They are few, and far between, but they exist nevertheless. Like the time he accidentally entered the bath house during the women's time, completely naked. He still blushes at the thought of it" Orophin said grinning widely "he is quite the exhibitionist really" He added. Yeah I could tell, standing in front of the mirror for hours on end.
"I'm sure he is, and Haldir a mischief maker?" I laughed at the thought of Haldir scheming and executing a simple prank. "So the dull march-warden is not as dull as he makes out. When we have the time Orophin, perhaps I shall tell you what happened in Rivendell"
"Is he really keeping his droll facade? I thought he would lose it while he was away. Now we have plenty of time. If I know Haldir he will rest here tonight. Now what did he do to you?" Orophin asked, I pondered on what event to tell him about, and decided against the archery ranges, for Haldir would be sure to hear, and I wasn't completely sure if he knew or not that I was behind it yet.
"Him to me? Nothing, he as not touched me bar to dance, escort, or help me mount my horse. I, on the other hand managed to dunk him in a lake on his first day there, not intentionally, for the trap was set for the twins, but nonetheless, you should have seen his face" at this Orophin laughed, causing a few elves to turn our way.
"A lake? Oh I truly wished that I could have seen the event. He can be terribly vain sometimes. I am sure he did not want to walk around Imladris in a bedraggled state"
"Of course not! For when I supposedly met him for the first time, he was dry, clean and had changed into another tunic"
"Did he know you had committed the deed?" Orophin asked
"Unfortunately for me at the time, he did, and accused me of purposely setting a trap for him"
"He is always jumping to conclusions"
"Who is always jumping to conclusions?" Haldir intercepted
"You my dear brother, now I believe your soon to be wife is capable of getting to our talan, but were she not I am sure you would have carried her" I stood up and tested my leg, and I can tell you that Orophin indeed had the hands of a healer.
"Thank you Orophin, for healing my leg, and where may I ask is this talan?"
"In the tree where it always is" He said, did this family like treating people like an imbeciles or something? First Haldir and now his brother. With a whistle came a long and silvery rope ladder.
"And here is the ladder, all you have to do is climb...." Er...what else would you do with a ladder? Hopefully the third brother (though the second oldest) does not treat me like a child "I assure you, there is a friendly elf on the other side"
I giggled and replied "I'm sure there will be, once again thank you" Then I began to climb up the ladder
That Night I was given a separate room within the talan. Dinner was brought, and thankfully a bed was provided.
I sat there at first, staring out the window for a while before I was bored. The view was wonderful though, and it was the perfect night for sky gazing. After a while I started to think about the past. Only a week ago I was back at home, in my own bed, perfectly happy within the halls of Rivendell. At this thought I decided to play myself a little melody to remind me. I ran to fetch my bag and pulled out my flute, a present from Ada from when I was younger. I must have been playing for 15 minutes when I was interrupted,
"You play beautifully" Orophin stated, I turned around to great him with a smile and said
"Thank you. Nice to hear some appreciation"
"We did not want to disturb you. Your music painted a beautiful picture" he replied
"You over compliment me"
"Nay, I can see Imladris as you play, in spring, the flowers are starting to blossom, and there is dew in the grass"
"I used to play to please my ada, though now I play to remind me of my home It please me to hear I am able to conjure up such and image" Why was I telling this elf this? Perhaps I had the urge to speak with someone other then Haldir
"Haldir will allow you to go to Imladris, in fact he visits quite often. It is quite odd that you had never met him before. He is good friends with Arwen, and you are good friends with her brothers."
"Yes, I sometime ponder upon that myself, It is indeed quite strange" I replied, placing the flute back within my bag
"I will leave you to play my lady, though remember you have had a tiring journey and still a day ahead of you, remember to rest"
How could I forget with a bed lying there in front of me?
"Don't worry, I shall remember, and don't call me my lady, after all we are to become family" I replied, all this formality was beginning to get to my head, my lady this, my lady that, I have a name! Use it!
"As you wish Aglarebwen, good night" all right... maybe I have two names, I decided on correcting this, for I refuse to be known in Lorien by this horrendous name
"Nay, that is not my name, your stubborn bother insists on calling me that, regardless of the amount of times I've told him not to use my birth name. Please call me Laingalad"
"Have you told him explicitly? If you do not literally spell it out for him he will not do so. He is too 'honourable' to do so without permission" Orophin replied. Typical, not only am I going to marry a stubborn elf, but this elf just so happens to be difficult as well. I sighed and said
"I will keep that in mind"
"Good night Laingalad"
"Quel Kaima sleep well Orophin" And with that he left
* * *
The next morning we set of, just as early as we have been doing so for the last week. We said farewell to Orophin, and headed off in a steady trot. The woods of Lorien never failed to amaze me. Birds singing their sweet songs, the scent of flowers all around, and the wildlife that called these woods their home, were large in number. Ranging from rabbits to deer all alive than the Valar.
Though amazed by all these things, nothing prepared me for the sight of Caras Galadhon, the city was splendid, even from where we were, and that was the edge. In the night the lanterns illuminated the forest, giving it this wonderful glow, though not much was upon the forest floor, looking up you could see the beautiful talans these people had so skilfully crafted. Pity I stayed in Rivendell all my life, I should have gone travelling, especially if there were sights like these to behold.
We headed got the stables then Haldir gestured for me to follow him. Nightfall had long passed, and though with the canopy about us, you could tell tonight was quite cloudy for there were no twinkling stars or the light of Ithil to be seen. We finally reached a talon and Haldir said.
"Welcome to my talan, our talan. It has everything you should need, a kitchen, a bathroom, the general living space and of course the bedroom"
However tired I was, I couldn't let myself walk into this talan. It symbolised the end of my old life, which I was still reluctant to let go off, and the beginning of my new life, which I did not want. I was not ready to enter this talan.... not yet.
"You want me to live in there, with you?" I questioned
"Where else did you expect to live? Mirkwood" He replied sarcasm coating his voice. That was getting really irritating; he always used that tone to belittle me.
"Don't use that one with me. I'm not staying in the same talan as you" I stated once more
"Why not?" He asked, I was just about to tell him why, and then I thought to myself, if I did tell him, he'd only laugh in my face.
"I may be betrothed to you, bit I'm not married to you yet. Give me some dignity!"
"You are being ridiculous! There are simply no spare talans..." how did he know that? He's been away for nearly two months. People come and go, especially now, more and more elves were starting to leave for Valinor.
"...For you to stay in for the next two months. How would your dignity be taken away or sullied?"
"I will be keeping in you company against my will, that's how! I do not wish to sleep anywhere near you Haldir, not now, not ever!" I complained turning way from him. "Find me another place to stay"
"Stop being obstinate" He replied, I felt his warm hands upon my shoulder as he turned me round to face him once more. "There are no other talans. Also, it is not safe for a defenceless elf such as yourself to live on her own in a city she knows little of...." What was he implying about the citizens here? "...It as been a long journey, I want to sleep, and I am sure you want to as well. So can we please go in and go to bed?" He pleaded. He was weary, I could tell. For as I expected, he had not slept at all within this journey. I was tired as well, but I could most likely put off sleep for a while longer then him. The door was there. It was a perfectly normal looking talan.... yet...it frightened me.
"And where will I be sleeping?" I asked
"In the bath" He said, sarcasm in his voice again "In my bed of course"
"And how many beds are there in your talan? Because I'm not sleeping in the same bed as you, not in a million years"
"Well we will be together in a million years. So you should get used to it, do you no trust me?" Do I trust him? I guess in some situations I did, and in others I have yet to find out.
"This conversation is leading us no where. You are obviously too stubborn to allow a lady to keep her pride intact. I will not stay here, so I will find a place out there. The golden city Caras Galadhon must offer at least a comfortable branch to sleep in with all these-glorious-trees of yours" I said making my way down the stairs, to the forest floor.
"If you wish to remain outside due to your stubbornness so be it. I will go inside" I heard him shout from behind me, before a door slammed shut. I continued down the stairs until I found a suitable branch for passing the night by.
* * *
I woke with the sun shining in my eyes, clearing them I turned to face an elleth, she had long fair hair and she was standing there...Just staring at me.
"May I ask why you are sleeping on a branch when this realm offers many talans of much more comfort?" She asked me, if only she knew, and what was it to her anyway?
"Can I not sleep where I want?" I questioned, perhaps a bit rudely. But you try being happy just when you've woken up from sleeping on a branch.
"I do wish you happiness here. But this is most odd, when your talan is just across the way. Why do you not sleep there instead?" My talan? Perhaps this strange elleth had mistaken me for someone else.
"I am new here, I don't have a talan, so have resorted to staying up a tree" I replied
"If that is the case, I will station you a place to sleep, although I am sure Haldir would not approve of it" What? This was getting queerer by the second.
"Haldir? How do you know I am associated with Haldir? Are all elves here this nosey?"
"I'll excuse your outburst as I feel the anguish within you, The journey ahead is demanding and sometimes a lonely one, but with an unclosed mind it shall prove an experience of a lifetime."
Oh no...The wisdom talk. Please don't let this be here. What a great way this would be to meet the lady of the woods.
"Who are you?" I asked precociously. Without an answer she began gracefully walking away. A few seconds later a voice echoed in my head. Her voice. "I was similar to you as a younger elleth" Oh dear this did not bode well. This was the Lady of the woods, and I'd just made myself look like an insolent brat!
~*~
A/n Okay sorry for the delay in the posting of this chapter, it can all be explained. We are on holiday for the next 2 weeks and on Monday Mo sent me the chapter, unfortunately I was out all day so I could not beta the chapter. Then, I spent Tuesday and Wednesday working for 10 hours straight each day attempting to complete my ICT coursework, which was due in today-, which I gave in at the grand total of 150 pages (Go me!) But yes, methinks the next chapter will be delayed for several reasons. 1. I'm only on page two of the chapter and having trouble remembering what's meant to be in it (So I'll bug Mo on msn when I've emailed this back to her) 2. I have to type it up and as I am not the dominator of the computer, like Mo, I have to compete with my younger brother for computer time. 3. As said previously we're not at school, which is where we get most of our writing written, that means I have to remind myself to do so, and I have no willpower. 4. We have many conversations to do for the next chapter (I think), which are done over msn, oh how I love having 'Haldir' as my screen name, what do my friends (who no not of the lotr fetish) think? Anyway I will not cease my mindless prattling and instead babble back to you all in the form of reviews!
Chibi: The cliffhanger wasn't actually intentional I just sort of realised I could put it in there and thought what the hell. Yes, imagine what would happen if he did get hurt, somehow I don't think Laingalad could glower the orcs into submission, though I think that would be interesting to see.
Haldir's heart and soul: Trying to work out what we've got (what you said is probably in reply to my last reply which I can't actually remember, damn my short term memory)
Sweet A.K.: No I wouldn't like to skin a rabbit either (though I still think it's practical- damn Haldir is invading my thought patterns again) But yes, I don't mind blood etc. like Laingalad and I don't think Mo minds it either though…
Word junky: Well…Fran thought it would be amusing for me to say that we get taught Elvish at school (which is true in some schools in Oxford- after all the Mighty Tolkien was a professor at the university) But in truth they know well…not much and neither do I. I've learnt Elvish through a variety of different ways. I pick up quite a lot of it through Fanfiction's I read a lot and as I've been reading lotr ones in particular for over a year you learn to pick it up. You can also learn at the council of Elrond (w w w. counciloflerond. com) - get rid of the spaces. Also, the grey company also give out elvish, though this is not 'tolkien' elvish, but nevertheless used by many authors on this site. The address for their elven phrases is (w w w.grey-company.org /Circle/ language /phrase. htm) - delete spaces. I hope that helps
littlesaiyangirl: Don't worry we will keep up the work. And Laingalad is fine really, lol, falling out of a tree is perfectly normal, specially for an elf *coughs*
DesolateAznVamp: I hope we haven't kept you in suspense for too long.
Tigger-180: Lol, and I hope it becomes more interesting as we progress
Curious: To tell you why she can't go to Valinor I'd suggest you read the Silmarillion, though that takes ages and is, to be honest, rather boring. In it's most simple form she was the daugher of Finfarin, who was brother to Finfarfin who decided he wanted the Silmarils. There was a huge Kinslaying between the elves and at the end of the first age after the wars of Beleriand she was banded from returing to Valinor. Because she gave shelter to the fellowship and refused the One ring when she was offered it by Frodo, as well as because of her endless opposition to Sauron the Valar permitted her return to Valinor.
Gammaball: Hi zozo, yes you have to be submitted to cliffhangers as well, makes our lives more interesting and we're sadistic, lol. When are they going to 'get it on' erm…that cannot be disclosed and as for whether it will be steamy you'll have to ask Fran- but don't it would be an unfair advantage to those who don't know us (that goes for Nicola too) and she has no self restraint.
Well there you have it…until next time, whenever that may be
Navaer
PiXiE