Chapter 12

Author's note: reviews would be greatly appreciated. Constructive criticism is welcomed….most of the time :D have fun reading!

Another note: I have never read L.A.C.E. (Laws and Customs of the Eldar), but I know a few of their laws by reading other fanfics….however, this is just my take on their definition of marriage…ok? no yelling at the author. stern look

xxxxxxxx – passage of time

italics – thoughts or memories

Warnings: some sexual innuendos, but not much. (PG-13)

(Elenna)

I was lost, lost in a dazzling forest of gold, sparkling this way and that in the sunlight. It was so peaceful, so beautiful. The light breeze danced around me, sending the pale golden leaves fluttering down. What was this place?

And then suddenly he was there with me. Smiling he took my hand and led me through shining forest, laughing with me.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

"Why shouldn't I?" He answered.

"This is MY dream." I said.

"And it is mine also," He said, resting his forehead on mine. "for it is yours."

"Haldir –" I started, but he placed a finger against my lips.

"Do you not understand Elenna?" he said softly, "I am a part of you now, as you are a part of me. We share the same paths of dream as we share a piece of our soul with each other."

"How –", I began. Again he silenced me.

"Do not question Elenna, follow me." he said, and then laughing he pulled me through the golden trees again, until we reached a quiet pond, still as a mirror to the cobalt sky above. I laughed with joy, and pulled him into a dance with me. Finally we collapsed onto the soft earth, laughing with mirth.

"I love you."

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Morning light streamed through the open windows, landing in a golden pool on the talan floor.

I could not remember where I was. Then I felt my bare body under the softness of the creamy white sheets and clutched it to me.

Memories of the night before flashed through my head. I was in Haldir's talan, in Haldir's bed…..

I turned sharply to find him regarding me calmly with his dominating grey eyes.

"Haldir…" I breathed.

His unbound hair flowed over his shoulders and splashed onto the creamy white of the pillow. He was propped up by one elbow, still looking calmly at me.

"Did you sleep well Ranaew?" He asked

"Well enough…" I murmured, still trying to grasp vainly at reality.

"Haldir…I …" My voice drifted off, unable to finish my sentence.

"Do you regret it?" He asked, still looking unusually calm.

Did I regret it? That I had given myself completely and truly to him? Why are these doubts filling my mind? I had been so sure the night before.

"No…" I said hesitantly but firmly, "No I don't regret it."

He smiled. "I am glad, because there is no going back." He said gently. "By the laws of our people, you are now my wife."

He watched me with gentle eyes, gauging my reaction.

I did not speak for moment. Then I smiled weakly at him and moved into his embrace.

"My lord…" I whispered against him. He planted light kisses on my forehead, stroking my hair.

"You are mine…" He sighed softly.

"Arrogance, March Warden." I remarked into his hair. I felt his mouth twitch into a smile.

"Insubordination, Elenna." He said, his voice filled with amusement, "I am both your husband and march warden."

"I obey no one." I replied with indignation.

"Is that so?" He replied, arching an elegant eyebrow. Suddenly, I was on my back looking up at him. His silvery gold hair fell over me, his head haloed in the morning light streaming in from the window.

"Then I'm afraid I will have to use more powerful methods of persuasion." He said, still smiling, as he descended his mouth onto mine in a demanding kiss.

I melted in his kiss, finding myself powerless under its spell. I could feel every curve of his body mould into mine. The desire that lay dormant in me was kindled again, and I burned for his touch. I could feel him laughing.

"What were you saying again, Elenna?" he said as he pulled away from me.

"What would you have me do, March warden?" I replied, slightly put off that I had given in so easily, "I am powerless against you."

He laughed quietly again, "I would have it no other way, sweet Ranaew." His hand reached out to caress my face.

"Come, the morning grows old, we should rise." He said, moving his weight off me. I felt strangely light without him. He rose and dressed in his usual grey tunic as I watched him languidly from the bed, propping myself up with one elbow. His broad shoulders rippled with his toned muscles as he pulled his tunic over his head, hinting at the strength contained with them

At last he finished and turned around to face me.

He watched me with his eyes the color of mithril, slowly glancing over me without a word.

"You are picture of magnificence Ranaew." He said finally, smiling.

"I'm flattered." I replied, "Now if you'd be a gentleman and bring me my dress you so sloppily discarded of last night."

"And if I don't?" He answered. This time it was I who raised an eyebrow at him.

"Then you will suffer my displeasure." I said eyeing him dangerously, "Or maybe a few well calculated blows with a dagger."

He laughed. "I'm not sure you would want that Elenna." He said, smiling widely.

"Try me." The smile dropped from his face.

I watched him with cold eyes until he complied and brought me the aforementioned article of clothing, but in fact I was struggling not to let my bubbling amusement of his expression to show. It served his arrogance right.

"Thank you." I said with a softer voice and a small smile as he handed it to me. I felt his burning gaze on me as I slipped on the white dress and began doing up the lacing on the back. Suddenly, I felt his gentle hands brush against my back as he took the thin ribbons from my hand and continued lacing it up for me. It was but one simple act, but its thoughtfulness filled me with love for him.

As he finished, I turned around and looked into his eyes. No words passed between us, but there was none needed; the love in his eyes said all.

(Haldir)

I watched as she ran a comb through her dark hair which flashed silver in the golden light flooding in from the open window.

My wife…I could scarcely dare believe it. My beautiful Elenna.

She pulled her hair back in her customary style, with two strands holding it back. So simple it was, yet on her, it looked more beautiful than the intricate braids that elleths wore their hair in. Finished, she turned to face me once more.

She was framed in light from the window behind her, her simple white dress glowing slightly in the sunlight, and her hair flowing down her back. I had no words to describe the angelic sight before me. I imagine this would be what a Maiar of the Valar would look like. I smiled lovingly at her.

"You look like a vision." I said, bringing her hands into mine. She smiled shyly up at me. For a moment, we just looked at each other. Then she said, "We should go see the Lady."

I nodded in agreement. "We should tell her." I answered. "But no doubt she already knows."

She smiled, "The Lady seems to know everything there is to know."

"Indeed." I answered, smiling as well.

"Let us go then."

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(Elenna)

Together, in the warm morning light, we strolled through the winding paths of Caras Galadhon in the direction of the Lord and Lady's talan. Occasionally, I glanced up at Haldir beside me, who would smile in return. For the first time in my life, I felt a sense of belonging that I had not found anywhere else, not even in my beloved forests. I belong in the forests, that is true, but this was a different type of belonging that I had no words for.

Along the pathway, we would meet other people walking who would bow respectfully to Haldir and greet me warmly. I would smile back them, brief words would be exchanged and we would go about our way again.

Somehow, I felt so much more at home here now, like I lived here all my life. I felt I could love to live in any place, as long as Haldir was there with me. I was so complete with him. There was no doubt or fear, just love and trust.

"Welcome." the Lady greeted us warmly as we stepped into the threshold. The Lord Celeborn stood at her side, smiling kindly at us. We bowed reverently to them, and then straightened to face the piercing blue gaze of the Lady of Lothlorien.

"We offer you our deepest congratulations." said the Lord Celeborn with a slight nod of his head. I lowered my head in thanks.

"The Lady and I wish to hold a feast in your honour, to celebrate your union." he continued. "Is that to your liking, Haldir? Lady Elenna?"

I looked up at Haldir uncertainly. I was reluctant at the idea of being the object of attention for so many people. He held my gaze, sensing my reluctance, reassuring me with a firm grip of my hand. I smiled at him and he returned it.

"It would be our honour, milord." He said, turning his gaze back to Lord Celeborn.

"Excellent." he replied. "The Lady and I will await you with your guests at the west hall tonight after nightfall."

We nodded in approval. The Lady stepped forward to address me. "I am happy for you child." she said softly, smiling tenderly at me. Holding my hands in hers, she leaned to give me a motherly kiss on my forehead. "Go with our blessings." she said, stepping back to take her place beside the Lord again. We bowed again and left them.

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Outside once again on the wooden pathways, we found ourselves strolling aimlessly along it into the city. I slipped my arm into the crook of his elbow and rested my head on his firm shoulder, enjoying this quiet moment of serenity.

You are my family now…

(Haldir)

As we made our way along the winding pathway, she slipped her arm to entwine it with mine, resting her dark head on my shoulder. It was such an innocent act of trust, so genuinely from the heart, it made me love her all the more for it.

We continued this way until I recognized two familiar figures moving towards us from the other end of the pathway, grinning widely.

"Haldir, Lady Elenna." said Rumil and Orophin, coming up to greet us.

Elenna took her head off my shoulder to smile and greet them. "Well met, Rumil, Orophin." she said.

"So brother, I see you've finally made some progress." said Rumil, turning to me. He wore a rather mischievous grin on his face.

"I am his wife, Rumil." replied Elenna in her quiet voice, much to our surprise. I turned to look at her. She was not one to volunteer information.

My brother's eyebrows shot up.

"I would say more than enough progress, Rumil." Orophin said to him.

"Right you are, brother." Rumil replied, eyes looking at me with wonderment.

"Welcome, sister." Orophin said to Elenna, giving her a friendly smile, which was returned along with a slight nod of her head.

"We welcome you sister," said Rumil, turning to smile at her, "and hold you in high regard in that you could see through the arrogance that is our brother. Even we fail to see anything worthy to love in him sometimes."

He nudged Orophin and they both gave Elenna and me nearly identical roguish grins. I glared at them both. At this, Elenna's face broke into a wide smile and she laughed her laughter that sounded like the sparkling of stars among the heavens.

"They speak truly, Haldir" she smiled again, turning to me.

"Will not even you stand on my side, Elenna?" I said to her, but she only smiled.

"See brother, not even dear Elenna will help you." said Rumil, laughing with mirth. "You'll just have to accept the fact you are hopelessly arrogant." Orophin nodded his head fervently in agreement.

I gave them both a cold look and turned to face Elenna. She was looking at me serenely, but with a queer glint in her eye that I knew meant she was amused with my brother's antics.

I was still glaring menacingly at my brothers, who were now laughing fit to kill, when Elenna broke her bout of silence.

"You should not tease him so." She said, while my brothers tried to straighten their faces.

"Elenna I thought you were on our side." replied Rumil, looking a little hurt.

She smiled. "I am on no one's side." she said, "And I obey no one." She turned her smile on me.

"I thought we had this discussion already, Ranaew." I said smirking.

"I believe such things could work both ways." She said.

Her pleasant smile was beginning to look a bit scary. And she was right. I swallowed.

"You have a point." I said agreeing.

I have forgotten just how deadly this little bird can be, and I can't imagine what would happen when she finds out just how much power she has over me.

(Orophin)

Me and Rumil watched in amusement as Haldir answered Elenna in an almost meek manner. Elenna could certainly put Haldir in his place. I chuckled.

I was happy for my brother, and pleased for dear Elenna. For an elleth who spoke even less than my brother, she definitely had a way with her words. As it proved with my brother, her words can be as deadly as her weapons, which bring us to the fact that she alone of all people matched my brother in his skill of battle.

There could not be two people in the world more made for each other. Yet I sense a great deal of mystery in her that not even my brother could imagine. We knew little of her besides her name. She spoke little of her past, and none at all about her family. Indeed, she has not known one before. But with her dark hair and white-grey eyes, I suspected her of Noldor birth, and there are few of the Noldor now left in Middle Earth.

Above all, she exerted a power that even my brother has noticed. "Like a powerful current beneath a silent river." he called it, but we knew naught what it was. But despite all this, sometimes she was as fragile and innocent and lost as a stray little bird, as my brother is so fond of calling her.

It was like she was two people at the same time. That was why she was so perilous. In her own way, she sort of reminded me of the Lady Galadriel. And she also mentioned once of the Lady's knowledge of her family, though the Lady would not tell her of it. I could not think of why the Lady would withhold such information. It was all so strange.

And I still wondered if Elenna would stay, though she was Haldir's wife now. Even though they are now bound to each other, there was nothing to stop her from leaving Lothlorien, although it might impede her. I fear if she went, my brother would become even more withdrawn than he is now.


Oh brother I fear for you… you have set your heart on the restless wind.