I do not own anything pertaining to LOTR or Middle Earth. I own ONLY my OC and story plotlines. No money is being made from this fiction.
Note: Sorry so long since last post...RL sucks lately..here you go. Enjoy!
Chapter Eight: Day One and Rude Awakenings...
Though she had went to bed when Saralonde left, her mind drifted to the events of the last couple days. She was at a loss on how to truly react to her current situation. But one thing was evident: she needed to get home somehow. Since she was here in Middle Earth, or so they told her, she knew that there were people there that could get her there. Say, Wizards for instance. She just had to find them. But before she could leave, she would need supplies.
Somewhere in the that tiny space between consciousness and sleep, she heard a sound that, well, down right ticked her off. A knock on the door.
She struggled awake and saw that it was still dark out and groaned out. She rolled over facing the window, and closed her eyes again. The knocked came a little louder now. She put her fingers in her ears and proceeded to go back to sleep, but that idea was short lived there was a loud pounding on the door.
She threw back her covers. "What the hell is this? Can't any damn body get sleep in this hell hole!" she called out.
From the other side of the door, she heard the calm, collected, and sweet voice of Saralonde. "Lady Mandi, it is time to get up. Haldir wants to take you around the city today, and start your lessons." she said, her words muffled by the door.
'The Damn Bitch, it is night time.' she thought to herself. She got up out of bed, walked to the door and screamed out. "Listen here,Missy!' she started emphasizing the name. 'It is still dark out. I am tired and I am going back to bed! Don't you stupid people ever go to sleep? Sheesh, louise. Tell Mr. Arrogant Asshole, I am not going anywhere with him. There is no need to see the city or its people. I do not plan on staying too long here! Now go the Hell away and leave me alone!" she spat out, shaking in her aggravation.
The other side of the door...
Saralonde heard perfectly well what she said. Pursing her lips together, she shook her head and sighed out. 'Alright, Mandi, if this is how you want it, then so it shall go.' she said to herself, she went to the front door, and walked the few steps to Haldir's door to his talan.
Haldir...
Haldir went about his talan, readying himself for the day. Today was to be the first day of his 'training' he called it, with Mandi. Today he would begin with manners, and escorting her through the city, then a quiet dinner at her talan, which Saralonde would prepare for them. He would teach her etiquette and refinement, or begin to anyway.
Still only in his leggings, he bent over to lace up his boots. Then donning his under tunic. It was then a knock sounded on his door. Furling his brow, he wondered who it was this time of morning. He opened the door, surprised to see Saralonde there. Then fear struck him. "Saralonde, what is wrong?' he asked alarmed.
She placed her hands to her hips and looked as calm as she could. "Our little charge saw it fit to deny your request to escort her around the city. Her message: 'Tell Mr. Arrogant Asshole, I am not going anywhere with him. There is no need to see the city or its people. I do not plan on staying too long here!' Then she proceeded to tell me to leave her alone, she was going back to bed."
Haldir heard this, anger rose up. No one EVER denied his requests, and by the valar neither would this little chit. He threw his door open all the way, still clad in only his leggings, boots and under tunic, and stalked over to Mandi's talan. Throwing open the door, he called out. "Mandi!" without missing so much as a footstep. He came to her door, and tried the knob, it was locked.
Saralonde, who had been standing behind him silently, looked at him. She knew he was angry, and dared not to question it. "The door is locked. Stand back Saralonde." he quietly ordered.
She looked at him alarmed. "Haldir what are you planning to do?" she asked concerned that maybe he was losing his cool too drastically.
"Just stand back." he said again. She moved away and watched in horror as he rared back and kicked in the door.
Rude awakening...
Mandi started back awake when she heard the door hit the wall so hard that pictures and a nearby vase crashed to the floor.
She sat up, horror written on her face, she looked to the door and saw Haldir coming into her room, uninvited, unannounced, and quite angry. She pulled the covers up closer around her neck and then lifted her chin. He stood next to her bed, his hands now rested upon his hips.
"When I give an order, I expect it to be followed. You will get up, get dressed, and come with me this morning. Do I make myself clear?" he said, venom dripping from his voice.
She threw back the covers, and came up on her knees, her face, mere inches from his chest. Taking a hand she began to poke his chest as she spoke. "Let me tell you buster, I do not take to lightly getting up at the butt crack of dawn, and being ordered around by your pompous ass! I am an adult and deserve to be treated as such. I am lying back down, and going back to sleep. I am not going anywhere today. Now get the Hell out you, overbearing, tyrannical fool!" With that she turned, laid down and covered herself back up. Anger, no fury, passed Haldir's features. Saralonde who was still shocked at how blatant Mandi had just acted, stood there watching.
Haldir's nostrils flared out, his ears and face now red. His anger permeated every inch of him. For once, Saralonde felt fear, not for herself, but for Mandi. Never had Haldir been this angry.
Haldir moved as fast as lightning. He reached for the covers, yanked them from Mandi's form, and proceeded to grab her up by the waist and slung her over his shoulder. Mandi's protest was so loud that it could have been heard all over Lorien. She kicked, screamed, and beat on Haldir's back.
"Put me down, you over grown, Pompous Ass! How dare you do this to me!" she hit and beat on his lower back again, kicking the air as he slung open the bathing room door.
In the midst of her tantrum, she felt a firm, hard, and painful slap on her rear. "Ouch! Asshole. You are not allowed to do that!" she told him through tears, and anger.
Haldir fumed, his stride entering the room never faltered. "Hit, kick, or call me those blasted names again, and it will be worse." He emphasized, slapping her rear again, harder than what he had done. He walked to the tub of warm water, and dropped her in. The splash wave that came, covered the floors, walls and all the rugs around the tub in warm scented water. Inside the tub, Mandi fought against the water, gasping for breath, and fighting the bubbles from the soaps. She growled a long growl, and stood. Her dressing gown fully soaked, clung to her wet body, showing ever curve, ever bend, and ever delightful darkness on her body.
Haldir relished in seeing her so, and allowed his eyes to roam slowly down her body. But despite the delicious form before him, soaked, his anger still held fast. His hands on his hips, he eyed her sternly as she looked up at him. He saw her hands ball up into fists at her sides, her eyes darkened with anger, with strands of Dark wet locks covering them. He wanted, deep down, he could not deny it, to brush the locks away, just to gaze at her fully, but he fought the urge. "Next time, I give you an order, I expect you to do it. No questions asked, no options, no compromises. Just do it. Understood!" he said in all the authority he held. "I mean it, Mandi. While you are under my care and protection, I expect you to act with dignity, and respect. Be reasonable, and do not cause trouble. Or you will feel my full wrath." he warned her, with all the venom he could muster.
She growled at him again. Stepped from the tub, and grabbed a towel. Dropping it in the water, she calmly reached back down and picked it up. Haldir watched her do this wondering what she was about to do next. Without ringing the extra water from her she slung it and hit him square in the face. Saralonde entered at that time and gasped in horror. The room became silent as the grave for a moment, then erupted into a fit of rage. Haldir and Mandi stood nose to almost nose, glaring at each other, both full of contempt, and full of complete hate. "You are not my owner, Haldir the Holy Assness! I will not stay here in this godforsaken place, nor around you! I am leaving and there is nothing you can do about it." she spat out, her breath ragged and labored.
He pointed a finger in her face, close to her nose, his eyes dark with anger. He lowered his voice to a dangerous level that spoke his contempt for her. Touching her nose with the tip of his finger, he began to poke at her. "Leave, and I will come for you. Disobey, I will pull you over my knee and spank you until you cannot sit. You will do as I say, and you will like it." He pointed to the tub as he spoke, Mandi's eyes never leaving his fully, just glancing, "Now Bathe, you insolent little girl! Test me again, and see what I do. After you are done, Eat and Dress! I will come back in forty-five minutes to fetch you." he turned from her and pushed Saralonde from the room, slamming the door behind him. He was mad.
The door banging against the wall, caused Mandi to jump with a start. She was stunned. In all her years of her life, in all the time she had been around others, never had she felt this small. He was serious, but that feeling only lasted a moment. She laughed nervously, and thought. 'We will just see about this, won't we, oh Pompous One!'
She bathed, dressed, ate, and waited for Asshole to arrive. Saralonde she noticed it but said not one word, but had on a look of worry, and compassion. Mandi sat upon the sofa waiting for Haldir arms crossed and feeling way out of elements.
Instead of forty-five minutes, it wound up being nearly an hour and a half after the fiasco occurred, that he finally showed. Mandi was now thoroughly peeved at this. 'I could have slept a little longer,' she thought. The front door to her house opened and in walked the wicked March warden. She was stunned for the first time since her arrival. What he was wearing caused her jaw to drop.
He wore the most beautiful navy blue tunic of velvet with black leggings. He was, for the first time in her eyes, very handsome. Why it affected her seeing him dressed up she did not know, but it did. She fought the feeling of surprise and just glared at him.
She rolled her eyes, shook her head. "Well look what the cat drug in. His royal assness finally arrives. Took you long enough. You said forty-five minutes and it is what an hour and half later. God, you talk about me not doing what is said." she stood up smoothed out the gown she wore and placed her hands to her hips.
Haldir was stunned when she stood up. Mandi was a changed woman, in appearance anyway. He eyed her closely. At first glance she looked like an elleth of the realm. The gown she wore set off her auburn hair. Yes, he thought, it is auburn in color. The delicate blue gown did the trick of setting it off well. It was a little tight on her, set off her figure, which Haldir thought was exotic and different then the elleths of his realm. Her hair he saw was braided on the sides and shined in the light causing it to look like soft silk. Her cheeks were a light rosy pink, her lashes long, and her lips the deep color of dusty rose. In a word, she was beautiful.
He stared at her a moment, lost in thoughts but was rudely taken to reality when he was slapped on the arm. "What the hell are you look at elfy boy?" Mandi asked looking peeved.
"You." he said, turned around to face her since she had moved to stand behind him. "You look beautiful, Mandi." he admitted.
She rolled her eyes grabbed the cloak Saralonde was holding out for her. "Oh, pah-lee-z!" she told him sounding out the sarcasm. "I am not beautiful. I was practically poured into this mess of a dress. Not to mention you see ever damn fat roll I have." she told him as Saralonde showed her how to clasp the cloak together.
Haldir shook his head. "You are wrong, Mandi, you are. That dress suits you. Why can you not take a compliment?" he asked feeling a little irritated.
She looked at him, she huffed out a breath, and went to the door. Turning back to him. "Because. Compliments are like toilet paper. From the outside, they look all soft and able to take off the shit, but once you use it, you find out it is an illusion. They do not take the shit off the ass." She rolled her eyes again, when she realized Haldir did not get it so she clarified. "I don't take compliments, cause people give them to me, then began to say how they really feel behind my back. No one ever means them. Now can we go get this shit done so I can come back here and plot on how I can leave this damn place?" she told him finally.
Haldir was beginning to get angry again, but bit it back. Today would be her first lesson. Perhaps in the meantime, he would find out why she was like this fully. He followed her out the talan door.
More to come, please review...