Hi all,

Lara is discovering that her husband cared much more than she had thought. This is the beginnings of them rebuilding their marriage, but it also involves self discovery on her part as well.
Thanks to my reviewers!

Katia0203: thanks for the review. I'm so glad you find the story engaging!

Ponytail goddess: yes, you're right. I wanted to use that scene to show Haldir understood how traumatic what happened was and give him an opportunity to react to it.

Lara was snapped out of her reverie by a knock on the door. She recognized her visitor as the seamstress. The elleth was holding a package and seemed surprised to see Lara. Bewildered that a visitor would be caught off guard to find her in her own home, she politely showed the elleth in and inquired as to the reason for the visit.

"It's nothing my lady. I was supposed to give this package to the marchwarden. If he's not here, I will return later. I must have mistaken the time that we were to meet."

Lara arched her eyebrows. "You could leave it with me, I am his wife. I doubt he would mind."

The seamstress flushed. "No, it's alright. It's meant for the marchwarden."

"The marchwarden's wife is more than capable of holding onto a package of garments for him. Unless it's a dress for his mistress?" she said sarcastically. It irritated her that the elleth would not entrust her with a simple task.

"My lady, captain haldir left specific instructions that the package be handed directly to him and him alone."

Lara had had enough. She walked over to the table where the paper box was now sitting and flipped open the lid. She actually wished it was a garment for his mistress, for that would have been easier for her to take. Instead, inside the box were at least a dozen dresses, sized for an elfling. Some were practical items, night gowns and play clothes, others were beautifully made dresses. Lara felt her chest seize. She looked at the seamstress, eyes demanding answers.

"Captain Haldir ordered these many months ago. He came into the shop one day and said he had a feeling the child you carried would be a girl. He wanted her to have something beautiful to wear. 'His little elleth' he said, we all remembered that because seldom have we seen the marchwarden so. He didn't want you to be troubled finding clothes for the baby, my Lady. When we heard what happened, we couldn't deliver them to you as planned. He had already paid a pretty penny for them. He said he had made arrangements for them to be taken somewhere useful. He didn't want you to see them, he worried it would upset you" the seamstress confessed.

"Thank you, I will make sure Haldir gets these." Lara choked out, tears already threatening to fall.

The seamstress hesitated, seemingly wanting to say something. "Yes?" Lara issued the invitation.

"I don't mean to pry, and it's none of my business. It's just that I've heard things have been difficult between you. I wanted you to know that the marchwarden was beaming with joy when he came into the shop that day. He said he thanked the valar to be gifted you as his wife and that you had given him everything good in his life. He loves you and he loved that child, it was so obvious." With that, the seamstress quietly slipped out the door.

Lara stared at the box of clothing for a long time. It moved her that Haldir had found time in his busy schedule to order clothes for their baby. She had thought he didn't care, but it was now becoming clear that he did. The nursery furniture, the clothes, cleaning up the flet before she came home. Not to mention, the other day, he had to endure the embarrassment of going to the healers to ask for herbs to stop her breastmilk because Lara could not bring herself to do so. Lara sighed, she always knew her husband was not demonstrative of his feelings. Could she have misread him?

Haldir paced their living room for what seemed liked the thousandth time that afternoon. Lara stared him down, determined not to give in. Her husband ran his fingers through his hair roughly, he was clearly frustrated. Toberion played quietly on the carpet, having just discovered the new world of blocks. The baby delighted in stacking several up before knocking them all down and starting over.

Haldir looked lovingly at his son, and then to its mother. "Lara, please see reason. Evacuating is the only option. Sauron's forces could over-run our defences any day, and when they do, they will spare no one. Not even the elleths and elflings. Do you understand that?"

Lara was not backing down. "I'm not leaving Haldir. If the darkness overcomes us, there will be nowhere to run to. I will not die like a coward. I will not let this evil drive us from our home."

The marchwarden shook his head. "And what about our son? Will you be able to watch as evil defiles him?" he challenged.

The thought of it brought tears to her eyes. "Don't you want us here with you?"

Haldir went to her and pulled her into a tight hug. "Of course I want to be here with you. But meleth, if I fall, I want my last thought to be that you and Toberion are safe. I'm begging you, if our defenses fail, promise me you will evacuate with the others." He too had tears in his eyes.

"I don't want to be without you" Lara declared stubbornly.
"I will always be with you meleth. I will do anything to keep you safe and Toby safe, anything, even if it breaks our hearts" he vowed.

When Haldir returned with their son, both were wearing smiles. Toberion was sitting on his father's shoulders, enjoying the view from his newfound height. When the marchwarden's eyes rested on the opened box on the table with its contents within view, his face fell. He quickly ushered the child into his room to play before returning to the living. He took a deep breath.

"They were supposed to bring it to me. You were not supposed to know of it." He explained, looking at his wife cautiously, as if awaiting some outcry of rage or grief.

To his surprise, Lara looked at him sympathetically. "It's not their fault, I insisted on opening it. And you know I can't be persuaded when I insist on doing something." This brought a small smile from the marchwarden.

"It- it was silly of me. I had this stupid thought of how a daughter would love being in a dress…"

Lara shook her head. "No it's not silly. Little girls usually do love dresses. How did you know it was a girl?"

"Ah, just a feeling. Like I said, it was silly of me." No, Lara thought, it was the love a father has for his daughter.
"The seamstress said you'd made arrangements for these clothes?" she asked.

"Yes, I know a family of mortals who are in need of them. They live in a village close to our borders. When the Galadhrim trained the village defence guards to repel orc attacks, the father was amongst the men. He is a good man. His wife just bore a daughter. I thought that someone could at least put them to good use." Haldir explained, looking at her to see if she objected.

"If it's alright with you, I'd like to come with you. When you drop off the clothes. I too would like to see some good come out of them" she asked shyly. He smiled and nodded.

Lara began to venture out more in the coming days. Sometimes, she joined her husband and son on trips to the creek, or horse rides. As Haldir had taken a leave from command of the Galadhrim, he was doing most of the child rearing duties. Lara had reassured him she was now well enough to handle it, but the marchwarden had insisted. Thus, for the first time in a long time, Lara found herself with freedom to explore her days.

Her friends had inundated her with invitation to tea, shopping or just about any activity that they thought would ease her mind. Inaya had taken to the habit of dropping by each day, with some excuse, to check up on her. Usually, she'd lightly explain that she had just baked some goods and came to drop off the extras. Thus, Lara and Haldir had each been stuffed with muffins and cakes. While Lara appreciated all her friends' efforts, she found she wanted solitude. She didn't want to seem unkind, but she needed time to figure out who she was. Now she wanted more than to be the marchwarden's wife and mother of his children. She found her mind wandering and often ending up at the archives. So, on this day, she went to visit the place and career she had forsaken.

The cool, musty smell of ancient parchment relaxed Lara instantly. She strolled through the shelves, gently fingering the volumes they stored. She got lost in the memories of younger and carefree days.

"I'm surprised to see you here, Lara" the familiar voice behind her said.

Lara turned around to see her old mentor, Elyna. She was, as usual, holding a stack of parchment. "I – I, uh, came to see…"

"I heard about what happened with your child. I am sorry. How are your husband and son?" Elyna said matter-of-factly, she was never one for small talk.

"They're doing well" Lara answered. "I'm here because, because I missed this. Missed the work I was doing here. It was a mistake to give it up" she admitted.

Elyna arched a brow. "I didn't think you'd ever admit it, you always were quite stubborn."

"What are you working on?" Lara asked, gesturing at the papers in the head archivist's arms.

"I am cataloguing some of texts from the second age" was the simple answer.

"Do you need help?" Lara offered.

Elyna sighed. "If you're wondering whether you can return to your work here, the answer is yes. But you better be sure of what you want, because I won't have you quitting again."