Chapter 2
She stared unashamedly at the elven male towering above her . Her side hurt and she did not have the energy to heal it. His pale faced was scrunched up into a look of confusion. 'I must look a sight.' she thought jokingly, looking down at her bloodied armour that in places was dented or completely torn away.
His raiment was not that of the elves of Du Weldenvarden, but of somewhere altogether different. Vanyali could not place him. She had travelled far in her life and so she found this fact rather unsettling. Elves did not usually reside outside of the protective wards of Du Weldenvarden, otherwise they risked attack. She was one of the rare few that lived outside. There was also the fact that she had not understood one of the words he had used to address her. What did it mean 'Eldar'. To her knowledge it was not a word of the ancient language and was certainly not dwarfish.
In the distance she could hear gentle singing, though she could not hear the words it soothed her aching body. Startled she remembered that she should have scanned this elf's mind long ago. At this very moment he posed a threat until she had seen into his mind and knew which side he was working for. His mind was surprisingly easy to enter, but Vanyali did not let this fool her. She kept her mind guarded against an attack which could come at any moment. Shaking, she withdrew from it. There had been no malice, no designs against her, only a fierce love for his country and a desire to protect his family.
Tears formed in her eyes as she let herself relax for the first time in a long while. Not since her 'birthday' had she felt so calm, and that had partly been because Orik had tried to get her drunk. That had been funny. After several pints of the strongest ale in Farthen Dur Orik had proclaimed that she would be more likely to drown than get drunk.
Movement to her left from the elf had startled her slightly, as she had forgotten that he was still there.
"I am Haldir, march warden of Lothlorien." He bowed to her and Vanyali nodded her head . As far as she could remember this was the correct greeting to give an elf.