IMLADRIS
Earlinde stood in front of 19 coffins her sword raised over her head. Behind her stood the guard of Imladris heads bowed in prayer. Haldir stood supported by both brothers, but still looked like a March Warden in his own respects.
Earlinde nodded as 19 coffins were lowered to their resting places, and turned to face her guard. With one wave of her hand the guards dispersed, and she was left with Haldir and his brothers and the Lord Elrond.
She walked over to Haldir and swinging her arm around his waist. Still clearly upset he nodded and let Orophin step back giving him to her. Rumil stood on the other side of him and they slowly made their way towards Lord Elrond's study.
Once inside Rumil stepped over to the side, and Haldir winced in pain as he slacked on the younger Warden. She easily supported him to a seat and lifted his legs to a stool and then sat on a seat next to him. The brothers sat on either side of him and silence ensued for a minute.
"Welcome my Wardens," he began looking from one face to the other, "Rumil and Orophin of Lorien have been great addition to the Imladris Guard, Earlinde, you will have to write them recommendations, especially young Rumil whose unwavering dedication to you helped return your guard home."
Earlinde closed her eyes as her failure was yet again brought to her face.
"In any case, we have figured that Sauron is in desperate search of the Elven rings, and would do anything to get them," He looked briefly to the March Warden who was struggling with breath and his eyes softened.
"Haldir has suffered much, take him to his bed." Haldir sat upright again and winced
"Nay my Lord I wish to be present with the decision making, please Lord." His voice was strained and his pleading broke the Lord's heart. Elrond nodded solemnly and continued his speech.
"Earlinde, your journey is not yet over. Convoys from Mirkwood and Imladris, including myself are going to Lothlorien to discuss this situation. Also there will be Saruman the white and Gandalf the Grey. I want my March Warden present as well. You need to go get your men that are on the Lorien Borders as well. Haldir will be restored to his home land, for it is the wishes of the Lady that he is present as a first hand account." He paused and watched the four nods in front of him, then continued on.
"We leave in three days, when Haldir's condition has stabilized. You all are dismissed." Earlinde stood and walked over to the injured elf and hoisted him up. Orophin came to his side and the four walked out of the study in silence.
Once outside Rumil turned to Earlinde and stood at attention. Orophin took his brothers arm and slung it around Earlinde's waist and joined Rumil. Both elves stood at attention in front of the two March Warden.
"At ease brothers," Haldir said.
Both elves remained at attention awaiting orders. "You don't have to do this, friends…" Earlinde looked at the two her lower lip quavering at their loyalty.
"Indeed you are Lorien's finest. Take your posts and report ere nightfall. Keep your guard on the ford, where trouble is likely to begin." They nodded and sprinted to their posts as Haldir's mouth hung open.
Earlinde closed it for him, and shifted his weight as he sank to his knees.
"They completely disobeyed me!" Haldir stated shocked.
"They are Imladris guard; well at least Orophin is, because I haven't released him yet. Fiercely loyal to their commander."
"They don't show loyally like that in Lorien."
"Ah, but they do. Not every guard would have accepted transfer to save their dear March Warden."
"I am their brother!!"
"Haldir are we going to argue again?"
"Argue?? You stole my brothers!" Earlinde suddenly ashamed she let herself fall for this irrational elf removed her hold on him and let him sink to the ground.
"Get yourself to your bed, March Warden; for I seem to remember that I have duties I need to tend to."
She turned on her heal as Haldir cried out in pain.
"Please! I apologize for my remarks." She turned and this time it was her turned to affix him with her stern-eyebrow arch look.
She sighed and walked back the short distance she had trooped and pulled Haldir to her chest. He lay his head their comfortably before he left out a gasp of shock as she flung his legs into her arms and carried him to his room.
When he had reached the room and she had her hand on the knob he looked her in the eye, and sighed before he started to plead again.
"Earlinde…" he said quietly.
"Hmm…" she answered as she twisted the knob.
"I don't want to go in there." He continued in the same tone.
"Why?" came the uninterested answer as she stepped into his room.
"Can we sit by the waterfall for a time? I wish to be outside."
She grunted and turned around to walk to the door.
"Earlinde…"
"Hmm…"
"Let me walk, please." For the first time she sensed his embarrassment and for the first time she realized that it looked most unfeminine for her to be trooping around Imladris hauling Heavy elves like they were elfings.
A shocked "oh, dear," escaped her lips as she gently put her burden down and he stood up leaning on her slightly.
She smiled into his eyes and then spoke, "Do you wish me to change into a dress, so that you may look better?"
His laugh was sweet as he threw his head back and a smile graced his lips.
"Nay dear one, you look beautiful as you are." She looked at him as her smile faded and nodded. She avoided his gaze as she looped her arm around him and walked down to the lake with him. He refused to lay down, but instead insisted on sitting next to her.
They both sat next to each other, boots off and leggings rolled up with the cool water brushing against their legs.
Haldir sighed. He was having a hard time with something; she could tell but decided not to ask him about it.
They sat in considerable silence for an hour then Haldir turned to her, and took her hands in his.
"My Lady…" he began and then decided to start over, remembering how 'my lady' always upset her.
"March Warden…" he quieted again thinking the titled sounded too masculine.
"Earlinde," he said, feeling this was the safest way to go, "I wanted to thank you… for your fierce loyalty to me, and my home."
Her eyes widened, but she quickly returned her face to the emotionless mask she wore moments before. She had expected something else to grace his lips, but was disappointed when it was not, but she listened again as he began speaking.
"My time with you has been like riding a new horse. Bumpy, and at times confusing, but in the end it reaps rewards, when you feel you have made a new companion… a friend… no, not a friend… a…"He fell silent again.
-Geez he is so bad at this. - She smiled to herself.
She watched as his face screwed up in frustration and tilted her head to the side, looking out at the water.
"Well… I kissed you." He said, his face falling at the way he put it.
"I mean, I… We…I have these emotions…" she turned to face him bewilderment on her face.
-Maybe you should stop him before he says anything stupid. - She thought.
She turned to the water again and decided not to listen to his ranting anymore, in case he said anything stupid again.
Finally he took a deep breathe and looked at her ear, since it was facing him now.
"Earlinde, I have fallen for you. And even though we are Wardens of Distant Lands, I feel we may make it work it we wish…"
She turned to him and looked at him uninterestedly and nodded turning back to her observations on the other bank. Then she snapped her head back to him, her eyes wide with shock and looked at him. He face fell into shame and his ear tips turned red.
"What did you say?" she exclaimed startling her. He looked around nervously and decided to change the subject.
'This is a beautiful land, Imladris…" he whispered looking at the grass patch between them.
"Haldir, I really didn't catch what you said. All I heard was 'I feel we may make it work it we wish' what was it before that?"
He sighed and looked into her eyes. She had taken her legs out of the water and sat legs crossed in front of him, so close he could watch as breath passed in her nose.
He leaned his head to her ears and softly whispered to her, "Earlinde I love you… I haven't said that to a…. Elleth before." He turned his eyes away from her and affixed them off into the distance.
He felt better, like he had lifted a burden from his chest, and sighed. She stared at him, her hands still unmoving in his soft ones.
She looked down at his smooth hands as opposed to her cut and rough finger tips. She had cut her hands badly when she was learning how to throw and spin daggers. She wore those cuts with pride, as they reminded her of her hard work paid off.
She looked at him again, her mind refusing to think. She was calm, placid even, some what happy. She wanted to hear those words but she knew they had to part.
She looked at the distant elf and smiled. She resisted the urge to pull him to her chest, and slowly crawled into his lap. Absently he wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her to him. She cooed and placed her head in his neck and nuzzled him.
He turned his head and looked down at her. He had never seen her affectionate and it startled him. All of a sudden he felt incredibly wanted and held her tighter. He wanted her right then and there. Both Wardens had brought out each other's weaknesses and together they found peace from the burdens of their jobs. The jobs that restricted them from being together.
Lord Elrond stood in his balcony looking down at the two unsuspecting elves. He turned to face Lord Celeborn who had arrived minutes before and sighed.
"They are in love, Celeborn."
The Older elf smiled, "Yes, they find peace and understanding in each other. This is why Galadriel wants her to return to Lorien with us."
"I cannot lose my warden." Elrond pleaded dejectedly.
"You already have, and not to Haldir. She has thought of leaving to the West. She feels as though she has failed, and wishes to be cleansed."
"Nay! She has said nothing to me."
"Would Haldir ask for leave from the border if he was injured?"
Elrond shook his head and sighed again.
"What does this mean Celeborn?"
"It means they have to decide what they wish to happen…her love for you and him, will keep her here, but you cannot refuse her what she wants… elves fade painfully from grief…"
Elrond closed his eyes tightly and nodded remembering the days after his wife left from this earth.
BY THE WATER
Earlinde and Haldir broke their kiss and returned to nuzzling… (Dang horses) as smiles and soft promises were whispered.
Haldir had never before spoken the words he had uttered that afternoon to anyone. He feared he was doing it wrong, but when it promoted smiles and giggles from the elleth in his arms he continued to do it, happily.
He was afraid his heart would be broken, and hid behind his stone wall, but she had some how manage to get around the orcs and wargs, the oceans and seas as well as the vines he had placed around his heart.
Never had he uttered a name with such love, and devotion. Never had he promised his soul to anyone, pleaded his loyalty to anyone other than the Lady, but even then it wasn't love, it was duty. Never had he uttered any name unless it was in lust, and not even then. He enjoyed his feeling, but feared it greatly.
Earlinde on the other hand, afraid of this feeling, because the last time she had shared it with someone they had dejected her for who she wanted to be, only to reappear years later and attack her. She relished Haldir's soft voice, and sweet words, but feared to watch him walk away from her. Heart ache was her fear, and she hid her heart deep with in her so that she would be safe, but no, not from Haldir. Mr. Haughty arrogant himself.
They stayed that way from a few hours, before they heard rustling in the bushes around them and the giggling of a certain princess and her mortal lover. Earlinde pulled Haldir to a stand as they walked briskly out of the area before clothing started to fly out of the brush.
After a safe distance Haldir let out a laugh again. It took Earlinde out of her thoughts as she looked at him.
"What happened?"
"That princess, Lady Arwen, it seems as though she intends on remaining with her pledge to this ranger fellow."
"Estel? Yes… indeed, quite strange for they are rather hairy and smelly… Not that I don't reek after a long watch…" her eyes widened as she slapped herself across the mouth and looked at Haldir.
Again his laugh pierced the air as he turned to face her. Surprisingly he was walking fine now, but with a slight limp. He looked down at her and smiled.
"My dearest March Warden, that is nothing to be ashamed off, I am sure all of the guard reeks like that. I find it funny though, that we can speak to each other about that." Her ears turned red as he continued to laugh at her expense.
HE stooped down and gathered her in his arms. "Earlinde, my love, there is nothing to be ashamed of… you are my little jewel in the rough." He kissed her deeply and smiled.
She looked up into his eyes and beamed.
They parted there as she made her way to the guard talan and he to his room.
HALDIR'S ROOM
He lay on the bed with his hands under his head. It had taken him a long time to get back to his room since he was concealing his limp fairly well. He wanted to finally walk beside her as a male, and not just a weak elfing she was carrying around.
He smiled as he thought about her. Strong, beautiful in her own way, and quite demanding. He turned to his side and stared at his reflection in the mirror.
-A Male version of me- he mused.
GUARD HOUSE
Earlinde had pushed Haldir to the corner of her mind as she set out into a sea of paperwork. She had finished her reports on the orcs attacks and the quest to Angmar, her incident reports for the nineteen guards and Orophin and Haldir. She sighed as she begun one for herself as well.
Then she dropped her quill and closed her eyes. She was falling for this elf, but she had tired of her job. On this mission alone she had lost her best guards and felt that no matter how much she shook her head the look on fervor's vacant eyes would never go away.
She ran to her horse and snatched up the reins mounting in one motion. She took the horse out and galloped hard as far as she could. She continued into the night and much into the next day.
Exhausted she stopped her horse and looked around her, she stood at Weathertop panting heavily. She sat in the grass with her head between her knees and finally fell asleep. She awakened after a few minutes worried because she was unarmed in dangerous territory. She sighed and began a slow trot back. It would take her two days to return to Rivendell.
When she finally returned she entered the courtyard in and much to her surprise found Lord Elrond and Lord Celeborn mounted on their own steeds looking flustered.
Behind them Haldir and Rumil looked relieved to see her and Orophin, poor Orophin stood on the ground looking irate.
She noted Rumil was in Lorien wear and Orophin was not. Once he saw her he raced up to her and looked pleadingly at her as he bowed and stood at attention.
"You are released and transferred brother of arms." She said before she turned to her Lords.
"You have 3 minutes, March Warden." Lord Elrond said quietly sounding very disappointed. She nodded and raced to her room, followed by Haldir and quickly got undressed. When he walked in she turned to face the corner as she unbutton her dirty under tunic and stood facing the wall naked from the waist up.
Haldir strode over to her as she reached for her clean one and handed it to her, standing too close for her comfort.
"Haldir please step back and let me dress." He nodded and waited patiently with his back to her. Closing his eyes and listening to the ruffling of clothes on skin. She finished and he turned around and smiled. He lifted her into his now fully healed arms and kissed her.
"Where did you go?"
"Weather top, to think…"
"And did you?"
"Aye and Nay."
"I missed you."
She looked into his eyes and smiled, throwing her arms around his neck, her mind begging for some time they could spend alone in her locked room.
She kissed him and quickly raced to the guard house gathering her weapons and raced back to her horse. She looked at Orophin who had happily changed into his old Lorien uniform and walked to her own mount adjust the weapons on its sides. She fastened two quivers to her left boot and her bow to her back and mounted.
On Celeborn's command they launched into a quick paced run towards Lothlorien. They whole way Earlinde's mind wandering on how Haldir would be as a lover.
A/N: Another boring one, sorry. It gets better promise!!