Chapter 9

Warnings: none

xxxxxxxxxx - passage of time

italics - thoughts or memories

(Haldir)

I don't know how long I stood there for, staring after her as she walked away into the woods. Even when she disappeared between the trees, I just looked on into the distance.

Then I realized I had left my brothers in charge of the young recruits back at the training grounds. I reluctantly turned and walked back.

My mind was a mess of emotions. What did I feel for her?


You love her.

A little voice in my head sounded.

Do I? I questioned. I have only known her for a short time. How could I love her?

How could I love her?


You love her. The voice in my head persisted.

You love her for her smile, the way she makes you laugh. The way the sunlight reflected off her hair, the way her skin felt under you fingers…

You loved her from the minute you set eyes on her.

I loved her.

"Haldir?"

I jerked out of my thought to find I had arrived back at the training grounds. Orophin was looking at me curiously.

"Where is Elenna?" he asked.

"She left." I said.

"It is getting late. We should probably finish up with the young recruits." said Rumil, coming up behind us.

I nodded. "You and Rumil go inform the other guards. I will gather up the weapons."

(Orophin)

I had never seen Haldir act this strangely.

I watched him as he absentmindedly collect the training weapons we had been using with the young recruits.

He had just as absentmindedly walked into the training grounds, lost deep in his own thought until I called his name. And he had been acting strangely ever since we left the city to go back to the fences.

Ever since we brought back Elenna to Caras Galadhon.

Elenna.

I grinned. I think I know what had gotten into my brother.

(Elenna)

I do not know how long I walked, blindly making my way back through the trees.

A mass of emotions swirled through my head, all merging together, each indistinguishable from the other.

This is all so new to me.

Eventually, I made my way back to the gates of the city. I stood there, just staring blankly at the tall green walls.

Blank. Everything was blank. All is empty, all is void.

So many questions that I want answers to, but there is nothing. Nothing at all.

Suddenly the gates started to open. I stood there impassively, watching it open before.

To my surprise, Nimloth stepped out through the gates.

"Lady Elenna?" she said

"Nimloth, what are you doing here?" I asked curiously.

"The gate guards told me that you disappeared into the woods without a trace." She said, "I was going to look for you with them. I am so glad you are safe."

I smiled faintly. "I thank you for your concern, but I do not need an escort."

"Oh but these woods are much more dangerous than you think, my lady" she said anxiously.

"Yes they are…" I said. They are so dangerous to the mind.

"But I am safe, you do not need to worry about me." I said.

"And of that I am greatly relieved." She replied. "Do you want me to walk with you to your talan?"

"No, it is alright." I said. I smiled and walked back through the gates of the city with her.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I laid on the soft cushions of a recliner in my talan, staring up at the ceiling, watching the draperies flutter in the wind.

Nimloth had left me to attend to some business for the Lady. Before she had left me, she had asked me if I was still going to weave with them tomorrow.

I had smiled. "No my lesson is finished." I said to her.

"But your tapestry is not finished." She protested.

"Maybe I will finish it someday. But for now, I am finished with weaving." I told her.

I had learned my lesson.


You must have the patience to watch its story as it unfolds. Hasten and it will fall apart, and all will be in vain.

The Lady was trying to telling me that the time was not right. She was teaching me to wait, to have patience, and everything will unfold before my eyes.

I smiled.

It is so like the Lady to teach me a lesson in patience, have me learn a new skill AND help me pass the time, all by having me learn to weave.

I turned over to my side and stared out the window. The forest was shining with the clear afternoon light. I thought back to my walk in the woods. And him.

I sighed. What was I going to do?

Haldir…

I sat up. I felt restless.

I walked out of my talan and headed in the direction of the Lady's chambers.

I strolled unhurriedly along the winding pathways, basking the afternoon sunlight.

Finally, I came to the circular hall where the Lord and Lady dwelt. I stepped inside.

"I have been waiting for you."

The Lady stood in the middle of the chamber, looking at me kindly.

"My lady." I said bowing.

"Do you understand what I have taught you?" she asked, smiling.

"Yes." I said to her, "I understand now."

"He helped you." she said.

I looked at her. "How do you know?"

"I know many things, child." she said, looking at me sadly now.

"My lady," I asked suddenly, "what is love?"

She smiled at me again.

"Come sit with me." she said, gesturing to the chairs at the side of the room.

"What do you know about love, Elenna?" she asked me.

"I know nothing about it." I shook my head sadly. "My friend among the woodelves never told me."

She smiled. "Such things cannot be told Elenna," she said. "You have to feel it yourself."

"But I do not even know how it would feel like." I said.

"You feel love for these woods, no?" she said. "And you loved your friend."

"And you love him…"

I looked at her. She was looking back at me with tenderness in her eyes.

"Go to him, child. He can teach you more about love than I can." she said to me.

"Go."

"But where will I find him?" I asked her.

"Your heart will tell you."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I stepped back out into the pathways.

Where am I supposed to find him?

"Where did you find him the first time?"

I turned to see the Lady standing in the wide doorway of the hall.

The watchtower.

I bowed to her again and made my way to the abandoned watchtower I had spent so much of my time in.

(Haldir)

I sat in the talan of the old watchtower, watching the mellyrn glitter in the afternoon sunlight.

I knew now.

I had loved her from the very moment I set eyes on her. The very moment her silver eyes held me in their powerful gaze, I had fallen in love with her.

My Ranaew…

What have you done to me?

(Elenna)

I stood on the small platform below the watchtower, staring at the rope ladder before me.

I was hesitant to climb it, I don't know why.

My heart was beating rapidly in my chest. I was scared.

I sighed. Then gathering my courage, I pulled myself up to the talan above.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I was greeted by the strong afternoon sunlight as I came through the opening in the floor of the talan.

He was there, sitting by the trunk of the mallorn, looking out over the Golden Wood, just as I had been that morning.

"Haldir…" I said.

He turned to look at me with surprise.

"What are you doing here, Elenna?" he asked as I pulled my self up onto the talan.

"I come here all the time, when I need to think." I said.

"Why does that sound vaguely familiar?" he said dryly.

I laughed. "It is because you said it." I said, sitting down beside him.

"Did I?" he said, slightly amused.

"Yes." I replied. "Except this time, it is I who found you sitting here musing over your own thoughts."

"And what do you need to come here to think about?" he asked.

"I came here to ask you something." I replied.

"And what is that?" he said.

"Can you tell me what love is, Haldir?" I turned to look at him.

He looked back at me with surprise.

"Why do you ask?" he said, raising an eyebrow.

"Because I want to know." I said softly.

He sighed. "It is hard to say what it is, Ranaew. Those who have not ever felt it can not understand it until they experience it themselves."

"The Lady said I loved you." I said.

He looked at me with the same gentle look he gave me when we walked in the woods.

"And what do you think, Ranaew?" he said softly, "Do you love me?"

I looked out over the golden mellyrn and the swiftly waning afternoon sun.

"I know I love you as a friend." I said, "But when you were not here with me, I longed to be with you, I could not bear to be parted from you……I felt so… empty."

I looked back towards him. He was a lot closer to me than I remembered…

"That is what love feels like, Ranaew." he whispered. Then it was his turn to look away.

"Everyone has another half of themselves out there." he said. "It is up to you to find them. And when you do, it is the most extraordinary feeling in the world." He looked back at me.

"And what does that feel like?" I asked curiously. He smiled at my expression.

"Like you could sacrifice everything for them, even if they do not appreciate it in return. In your eyes, they will always be the most beautiful in the world." he said, his eyes drifting again to the sea of mellyrn stretching out before us. "And when they are not there with you, you long for them. Without them you feel so lonely, so incomplete, like another half of you is missing."

"But why have people never felt lacking before they meet their other half?" I asked.

"It is because they have never known what it is like to be whole before." he said, eyes turning back to me once more.

"I felt so lonely without you." I whispered. "So empty, like something was missing from me."

"As did I, Ranaew." He whispered. "As did I."

I reached out to touch his face. His skin was so soft, so soft.

He placed his hand over mine and brought it to his lips.

"I love you." He whispered, lips hovering over my hand, "I did not know it before, but I loved you from the moment I set eyes on you."

He pulled me towards him. Our faces were inches from touching. I suddenly felt shy, and looked away. I felt him lift my chin. His grey eyes were looking at me with tenderness.

"My Ranaew…" he breathed as he lowered his lips onto mine, claiming them for his own…

Softly, slowly, he kissed me, his hand on the small of my back, holding me to him. I lifted my hands and placed it around his face, kissing him back. I felt so completed all of a sudden, so whole. As he kissed me, a fire kindled inside of me, slowly burning me.

I finally broke away gasping for breath. His eyes were looking at me with love. I nestled my face in the crook of his neck.

"I feel like there is a fire burning inside of me." I whispered into his ear. "Is that love also?"

"No meleth." he said, running his fingers through my hair. "That is passion you feel."

"I want more." I whispered. He lifted my face to his again and kissed me again.

White lights appeared behind my eyes, my heart beat rapidly as his hands began to travel down my back, pushing me back towards the trunk of the mallorn tree.

hehehehehehehehe...well then what do you know...

Wasn't that better than a chocolate chip cookie? I think so too. Things are going to heat up over the next few chapters so keep your eyes peeled.

...by the way, the ratings are going up in chapter 11...just so you know where to look for it then.