6. Running
Interference
"What has Lord Celeborn said?" Aduial asked leaning back against the tree that framed the smithy's glade.
"He does not know." Meril answered, her lips curling oddly.
"He does not know?" Aduial questioned in bewilderment. Meril only gave her head a terse nod, glancing over her shoulder to see if any of the smiths approached with her freshly sharpened sword. "Whatever is she thinking?"
"Galadriel, not Celeborn rules this land and she may do as she likes," the other elleth sniffed, tossing her golden head.
"Dearest, you do not really believe that do you?" the sentinel asked in wonder.
"I am married after all," Meril answered drily. "Of course I do not. I would be perfectly livid if Orophin did any such thing. But I am, thankfully, not married to Lord Celeborn and I am quite happy that his lack of information on the subject is not at all my problem."
"This will all end badly, I know it." Aduial sighed, shaking her head. "I think I would sooner live with orcs than be anywhere within the city when he finds out."
"I do not know how she manages it." Meril shook her head. "I can hardly contend with being the same rank as Orophin. I certainly hope Haldir does not get any addled notions in his head about surrendering his command, he has said more than once what a fine marchwarden I would make."
"I think I would sooner tell Lord Celeborn that the Marchwarden has been keeping a mangled Dunedain in his talan." Aduial shuddered visibly. She paused a moment, her brow furrowing and she looked back at her friend. "Haldir is not really thinking of giving up his position and leaving Lothlorien is he?"
"I do not know," Meril sighed a bit miserably. "If that were my only concern I would not carry this overwhelming sense of dread everywhere."
"You think he will fade." her friend stated, the creases in her brow deepening.
"I no longer know what to think." Meril replied bitterly. "You have known him all your life. Surely you would know better than I."
"Not all my life," Aduial corrected, her lips curling in a half smile. "We met when I was eight or nine."
"He must have been such a cute elfling," her friend mused, her own expression melting into one of amusement.
"Even I thought so, and he had just hit me in the head with a rock."
"Oh he didn't!!" Meril stifled a laugh, her expression mingling shock and mirth.
"He accidentally dropped it from a tree," Aduial nodded, with a long suffering expression "I think at times his unfailing good aim is only unnatural luck. He hit me square in the top of the head and knocked me out. I opened my eyes and there was this fretful looking little fellow staring down at me. I was dizzy and could not see properly and I blurted out the first thing that came to mind."
"What?" Meril asked, her eyes dancing with amusement.
"I'm dead." She related as Meril burst into peals of laughter. "He nearly passed out in terror. Orophin says that he ran all the way back to the Great Mallorn to fetch Galadriel."
"Was he obsessed with duty and honor even then?" Meril asked between giggles.
"Oh he was worse," Aduial insisted. "And do not dare tell him that I admitted it was an accident. I swore to the Lady that he must have done it on purpose. I was so mortified for thinking he was one of the Valar that I wanted to pay him back. Even his brothers think him guilty."
"Oh your secret is safe with me!" Meril assured, "I would never willingly give up a chance to mock him for assaulting tiny elleths with rocks!"
"He was too ashamed of having lost his balance and nearly falling out of the tree to contradict me." Aduial giggled.
"At the moment it is his head that could do with a sharp rap from a rock." Meril stated a bit impishly.
"I doubt it would work," Aduial replied, shaking her head ruefully. "Whatever is wrong with him it is not something we are likely to have any luck beating out of him."
"Perhaps not," Meril admitted grudgingly. "But I am not willing to give up on him just yet."
"Meril, what are you plotting?" Aduial asked warily, "You've that look in your eye... the one I do not like."
"Nothing that you should be concerned over," Meril assured. "It does not involve rocks."
"I was right," Aduial sighed worriedly. "This will all end badly."
"No," Dinendal said, shuddering visibly as he climbed the steps that led into the tree tops. "Never, under no circumstances. Do not ask me... do not speak to me."
"But..." Rumil made a grasp at his tunic, pulling him to a halt and leaning around his friend's shoulder with a pathetic expression.
"Do not even look at me." Dinendal stated emphatically, his brow furrowing as Orophin shook his head with a sigh.
"I will tell Faeneth that you said she was dull and unattractive," Rumil threatened.
"I... I do not care." Din answered a bit lamely, though it was clear from his rather ill expression that he cared very much. "There are things no elf who values his life will do. And courting the ire of the Evenstar is very near the top of the list."
"What of coming to the defense of our noble marchwarden?" Rumil pressed, glancing at his brother for help. Orophin looked as if he might be quite content to be silent for once but the distressed look on their friend's face seemed to draw him from his daydreaming and into the task of tormenting their friend.
"Aye, was it not you who once said that you would gladly fall in defense of our brave and noble brother?" Orophin smirked as Dinendal sputtered.
"I... You are clouding the issue!" he insisted. "Haldir is in no danger."
"Of course not," Rumil rolled his eyes. "It is not as if he would fade or anything of that sort."
"Aye," Orophin stated in spite of himself, clapping his friend's shoulder. "I would not be troubled over it if I were you, Din. We all know how you have idolized our brother since you were but an elfling. Such a heroic elf could never be destroyed by the total and complete annihilation of his dearest hopes and dreams."
"I am sure he would not fade," Rumil added with a rather evil smirk "No matter how excruciatingly painful it might be to see the elleth he loves in the arms of a mortal."
"A tatty, rather smelly one at that," Orophin commented offhandedly as Rumil nodded in agreement.
"I do not feel well." Din stated pitifully.
"As luck would have it, I know exactly what you need for that." Rumil answered, turning him around and steering him back down the stairs.
"Do not say 'a drink'." Dinendal pleaded. "I am certain that is not it."
"Of course not," Orophin said following along behind as Rumil goaded their friend down the steps.
"You need to plot the downfall of the heir of Isildur," the younger brother stated as if the answer were obvious. "I know it always makes me feel better."
"I am the one who could use the drink." Orophin added with a nod of agreement.
"Haldir is going to kill us isn't he?" Din asked a bit dejectedly, unnoticing of the wicked smile on the face of the younger elf.
"Only if he can catch us." Rumil replied, shoving him a bit more forcefully down the stairs.
"Here, drink." He felt the cup touch his lips and the cooling draught wash down his parched throat. The room was so bright the light seemed to burn even though his eyes were shut. A strong arm held his shoulders and he fought against the dizziness, desperately trying to pry one eye open, if only a hair's breadth.
"I know you," he rasped, the silvery haired figure seemed to loom in and out of his field of vision. He felt a reassuring hand on his arm and then a cool cloth on his forehead.
"Yes you do." the elf answered soothingly. "Do not fear, you are safe. I do not know where you began your journey, mellon, but you have ended it here in the woods of Lothlorien. All will be well."
"Haldir?" Aragorn blinked against the light, his face crinkling in a pained expression.
"Yes, it is I." the marchwarden smiled only slightly but even the wounded mortal could see the relief in his eyes. "You gave us quite a fright but you seem to be much improved today."
"I... how did I get here?" Aragorn's voice faltered as he weakly turned his head to take in the room.
"You appeared on our southern border not three days ago, badly wounded and barely conscious." Haldir shook his head "I had rather hoped you could tell me. Do you remember nothing?"
Aragorn blinked, his head pounding with the effort of thinking. Fragments of memory flashed though his mind, a horse, a sword, a torch, a shout, each tumbling by in a cascade of disjointed emotions. He reached out into the whirlpool and grasped one.
"You are far too old to be so foolish" The gruff voice mumbled in his ear. A smile curled his lips and he turned his head to look the wizard in the eye.
"There is no fool like an old fool." he answered.
"At least it will not be a bitter epitaph." Mithrindir stated, his pipe clenched in his teeth as he scowled darkly at the bay in the river valley below them.
"I could hope for no better adornment upon my grave." Thorongil insisted. "If my life can purchase peace and safety for Gondor than so be it."
"There can be no peace in Gondor until the return of her king." the old wizard puffed lazily on his pipe, watching the Captain of Gondor from the corner of his eye.
"Gandalf, now is not the time." he whispered, glancing at the company of men who all but melted into the surrounding trees. He lowered his voice to barely more than a whisper, knowing the old man would not fail to catch a single word. "I am in no mood to entertain another debate with you. Perhaps you did not notice but I am rather engaged at the moment."
"It will be difficult to have this conversation when the heir of Isildur lies dead in the havens of Umbar." Mithrindir answered in a low voice.
"I have learned enough of men to know that I have not the ambition to be King of even a half dozen of them, much less a nation." the captain stated, earning a chuckle from his companion. He felt a hand on his arm and he looked once more into the eyes of his old friend.
"Do not throw away your life needlessly," Gandalf stated seriously. "I can ask nothing else. Even I cannot see all roads ahead. My heart tells me that you still have some part to play beyond the port of Umbar."
"Umbar," Aragorn murmured, "I was in Umbar."
"Umbar is many leagues to the south, Mellon," Haldir reminded. "I do not know an elf who could have traveled so far with such injuries as yours. Do you remember nothing else?" Aragorn's brow furrowed, his eyes growing glassy and he shut them, breathing heavily.
"No," he shook his head, coughing at the strain to his injured lungs. "Nothing."
"Ah there you are my naughty little butterfly!" Aduial proclaimed, a hint of amusement in her tone that could not be hidden by her scowl. Laurelin let out a squeal of delight, dropping her basket and racing across the glade, casting herself into her sister's arms.
"We were berry picking." the elfling exclaimed with a wide grin. Aduial took one of the tiny hands in her own, holding it out to inspect the bright red stains.
"So I see," Aduial laughed. "Did you save any of them for me or did you eat them all?"
"Um... well..." Laurelin gave her a shamefaced look, her cheeks tinged pink. Her sister only laughed in reply, hugging her fiercely.
"I had hoped you would not mind," Arwen said, handing her own basket to Silivren.
"Oh not at all, my lady," Aduial answered, her warior's eyes quickly observing the Evenstar as she bowed her head in respect. Arwen looked less pale today, and decidedly less melancholy. But then, it was terribly hard to be at all gloomy with Laurelin around.
"I seem to remember you promising me that you would remain in the garden until I returned from my meeting with Lord Celeborn," She said to her sister teasingly.
"Yes, well," Silverin stifled a giggle. "That is where we discovered her, under one of the lilacs... pilfering pastries from our tea basket."
"Oh Laurelin!" Aduial groaned in mortification as the elfling's cheeks burned red and Arwen gracefully masked a laugh.
"Lady Galadriel's baker makes the most yummy apple tarts," Laurelin declared defensively. "They taste even better than they smell. The ones from the market aren't nearly so good!"
"Aye, that is why she is the Lady's baker," Aduial sighed.
"She is really no trouble at all, Aduial," Arwen interrupted with a smile. "She more than makes up for whatever she eats in sheer amusement."
"No more stealing," Aduial insisted, looking the elfling square in the eye.
"I promise," she chirped "Anyway Silverin promised to pack extra from now on so I could just ask." All three elleths laughed in spite of themselves.
"Come sweetling," Aduial sighed, hugging her again. "We need to stop and see Haldir before dinner."
"I stopped to visit him this morning after breakfast," Laurelin announced. "His friend is much better today."
"What friend?" Arwen asked, a curious frown knitting her brow. Aduial gaped at her in shock a moment as if the world had slid out beneath her feet.
"Haldir found him at the border." the elfling informed as her elder sister mouthed wordlessly. "He was hurt."
"Baby fox," Aduial blurted out at the pair of perplexed elleth, cringing at the stupidity of the statement as soon as she spoke it. "Poor little thing... you know Haldir." She gave the elfling in her arms a warning look that made the tiny ellethís cheeks turn pink.
"You would think he would have learned after the field mice," Arwen shook her head thoughtfully as Silivren's brow knitted suspiciously. Clearly the handmaid was not entirely convinced.
"I still would have rather had a bunny." Laurelin stated with a sigh. Whatever else she might have added was immediately silenced by the seething glare of her sister.
"You seem most distracted, my lady," the soft masculine voice whispered teasingly.
"Distracted," a hushed female voice answered, "Whatever do you mean?" Twilight was descending on the golden wood, the last faint blues reseeding from the rim of the sky. The great library appeared to be empty, its endless rows of books undisturbed. A light breeze wafted in through the open terrace doors but it was not the reason for the ripple of the heavy curtains.
"You know perfectly well what I mean," Celeborn purred against his wife's neck, one hand stroking her breast as he pinned her against the wall. She made no reply and his lips curled in a smirk. "I also could not help but notice that things in this city have been somewhat odd of late."
"Odd in what way?" Galadriel questioned, wincing in worry as he dipped his head to brush a hot open mouthed kiss between her breasts.
"Ah, let us see," he replied, his voice a bit breathy. "There are the supplies that went missing from the healing halls... and the root cellar."
"The root cellar I am not supposed to know about?" Galadriel asked, teasing the tip of his ear with her finger until he shuddered.
"Aye, that one," Celeborn answered, capturing her lips in a sultry kiss. "The Marchwarden has returned from the fences three days early. And I have, in three days, witnessed an unusually high number of the city's residents climbing in the trees to peer in windows." Galadriel's hands paused in caressing his back and her brow knitted.
"What is the usual number?" she asked.
"No more than four," her husband insisted. "And on at least two occasions I am certain they were climbing in and out of the windows."
"That is odd," she admitted with a frown.
"Perhaps I should speak to the ruler of these lands in regards to this," he whispered silkily, his lips brushing the tip of her ear and causing her to moan.
"Rumor has it I have her ear." his wife panted.
"Cheeky elleth," he chuckled. "Why is it that the entire wood is out of sorts."
"Well... I really could not say." Galadriel answered with her most sensual smile.
"Oh, I believe you could," He murmured. He froze, his lips against her neck, his eyes narrowing at the sound of a creaking door.
"Sweet Elebreth," his wife hissed. "Just once can they not leave us alone!" Celeborn shushed her, his eyes narrowing as he strained to hear.
"Why are we hear again?" Orophin's voice asked suspiciously.
"To get that book," Rumil answered fiendishly.
"Could we not just ask for it?" his brother answered. ìWhen has Lord Celeborn ever refused to loan you a book?î
"Aye we could," Rumil answered drily. "And then we should have to say why we wanted it, Would you care to do the honors brother?"
"I shall graciously decline," Orophin answered uneasily. "Hurry, before we are discovered."
"I have it," Rumil gloated. Celeborn quirked a brow at his wife as the pair scuffled and the door clicked shut behind them.
"You always said they were a bit mad," His wife chuckled, though there was a hint of unease in her expression.
"Keep your secrets if you wish, my lady," Celeborn taunted. "I shall find them out on my own."
Galadriel sighed a bit drearily as he pressed a languid kiss to her throat. She had no doubt that he would.
Author's Note: I must, once more, apologize for the length of time this story is taking me. Iíve no intention of abandoning it but, for reasons of nothing more than content, this particular tale is simply taking longer than expected to craft. Suffice it to say that our beloved elves are being quite unpredictable. They keep springing things on me and I have to find ways to make them all work. Iím hopeful that the end result will be worthy of you all, the devoted readers.
I'd also like to mention that you are all invited to find me and my blog on LiveJournal and MySpace under the same user name as here. Just be sure to leave me a message and tell me who you are when you friend me.
Many thanks
Nienna