The Journey
Part: 30
Rating: Strong R
Pairing: Haldir/OFC
Characters: Just about every other elf that Tolkien created that's in the LoTR books and movies.
Warning: descriptions of wounds and sexual situations
Disclaimer: All known characters are owned by the great Tolkien, all others are of my own creation.
Beta(s): Marta, Novedhelion, and Vi
Timeline: 80 years before LoTR and extends to post RoTK events

Notes: I want to thank Marta, Zee, Mal, Kay, Suse, Phyllis, Vi, Novedhelion, Kika, Becky, Dorothy, and Rashida for their expertise. Without their input this story would not be what it is today.

Sindarian speach is shown with " "
Westron speach is show with ' '

This story follows the movieverse.

Summary: With no memory of a possible alliance with Mirkwood, an elleth, lone survivor of a devastating attack, is brought to Rivendell.

Chapter 30

Rúmil woke the next morning the same he had the previous one. What am I going to do, he thought to himself. In some way, he felt that his problems were nothing compared to his brother's. Haldir seemed to be holding on, though he had no idea how he was doing it. If anything happened to Sydia, he had no idea if he would be able to keep from fading.

"Herven, are you having nightmares?" Sydia's sleep rough voice quietly asked.

"Yes. I do not know what to do about these. And I feel guilty because it is nothing compared to what Haldir is going through right now."

Sydia raised herself up on her elbow, her dark hair spilling over him. "Everyone has a different breaking point." She settled back down and draped her arm around his shoulder.

"I wish Haldir had not chosen to go," he whispered.

"But like you, and like Elaldur, it was his choice." She sat up again and looked out their window. They both could feel the city beginning to wake up. Looking at him again, she continued with a slight smile, "And think of this as a triumph. You rested the entire night."

"Please do not stay awake for my sake."

"Herven, I worry for you. I cannot sleep if I worry." She shrugged her shoulders as she rose from their bed.

Rúmil watched as she puttered around the room while getting dressed. When he finally pulled himself out of bed he got dressed and went into their common room.

"Brother?"

Rúmil looked around quickly, startled. He wasn't expecting any visitors. "I am sorry," he shook his head numbly as he sat down in an available chair.

Orophin moved across the room to his hurting younger brother. In the short time they had all been back Orophin had immersed himself in helping the healers, it was his way of dealing with the recent events they all lived through. "I had heard Adar had taken you off the rotation. Are you all right?"

"I do not know." Rúmil hung his head down.

"Rúmil," Orophin came to him and knelt down before his younger brother. "You are not alone in this."

The younger elf shook his head. "I do not know if I can believe you."

"It does not matter whether you do, or do not. Just know that we are here, and so is Adar and Nanneth." Orophin placed both hands on Rúmil's shoulders.

"Ada?"

Orophin turned and looked at his young niece standing nearby. Moving back a few steps, he gave the small child enough room to reach her father. Looking back again he saw Sydia standing there. Though she was hiding it somewhat, he could see she was hurting as much as Rúmil was. When he turned back to his brother, he found Maris had climbed into his lap. At that point he felt he had worn out his welcome. Rising to his feet he walked over to Sydia. "Neither of you are alone," he murmured.

"I know, and I thank you." She gave him a tearful smile.

As Orophin left the talan he could feel the weight of his long years resting heavily on his shoulders. He felt his reaching out was as hopeless as the deep grief that both his brothers were dealing with. Yes, he hurt as much as they did, but he had found out some time earlier that in helping others it made him feel better. For a short time, he thought about going back down to the healer's tents, but decided not too.

Orophin eventually found himself back inside his own talan. Thriniel wasn't there at the moment, she was out doing or retrieving something. Finding a piece of parchment and a quill, he sat down at the table and tried to remember what Rúmil used to be drawn too when they were young.

"May I see what you are doing?"

The ellon's shoulders froze for a second, he had been thinking and concentrating so much he had not heard Thriniel enter the talan.

"I am sorry." He set the quill down and turned to her. One of her best features were her laughing eyes. That was what had drawn him to her in the first place, and now those eyes had been subdued even since his return from Rohan. "I am trying to think of what Rúmil was drawn to when we were young."

"Pranks?"

The side of Orophin's mouth quirked up slightly. "Other than that."

Thriniel shook her head as she stood behind him to give his shoulders a massage. "Did he ever follow you or Haldir around?"

Orophin closed his eyes then shook his head. "No more than annoying little brothers will do." The elf seemed to make a decision. Pushing back from the table, and forcing Thriniel to take a few steps back, he got to his feet and went over to the couch. She followed him soon enough. Once she was settled next to him her hands immediately went to his leggings

When he was free, she immediately brought her mouth down. As she lavished every bit of attention on him, she could feel his arousal. Hearing his groan, she stopped for a moment and looked up at him. He was leaning back with his eyes close, but he had a look of ecstasy on his face. It always made her smile just to know she could make him react that way.

He opened his eyes and looked down at her. Bringing his hands down, he brought her up to him so he could lavish just as much attention on her face as she just had on him. Soon enough she was free of both her dress and her shift while she had divested him of his leggings and outer tunic. As she straddled him she wondered why her need to join with him had increased since he had returned.

"Death makes us want to produce life, hervess," he mumbled as she was attempting to get his under shirt off. With one last tug it came up and off then landed on the floor.

His words made her stop. "We decided when we became bound. . ."

"For no children until we reached Valinor," he answered.

"Yes."

Orophin stopped her. "Have you decided otherwise? I will go with you either way on the issue."

Thriniel shook her head. "No. It is the same. With war at hand, it is not good to have children when one of us could easily be killed."

He reached up a hand and caressed her cheek. Reaching up further, he gently brushed the tip of her ear then brought her down to him so he could kiss her. "Good," he mumbled in her mouth. He groaned again as she sank down onto him.

As she began to rock on him the image of a young child flashed through his mind. "No child. No. Child," he began to mumble out of desperation.

"Yes. Yes," Thriniel gasped out in answer. "No. Child."

The release that suddenly came made her cry out as she shuddered. Soon after he had his own release as she collapsed on top of him. And to think he prefers me to be in control when we join, lazily went through her mind in the warm afterglow.

"After all the years we have been together why are you so surprised at that? You should know by now that the best thing to me is to see you above me." Tilting up her head he gave her a sensuous kiss. I love you.

Soon enough they found themselves in their bed, this time he was the one in control.

"Herven?" Thriniel asked sleepily into his neck. "What about helping Haldir?"

"Me or Rúmil?" Orophin asked confused.

"Rúmil. What about him helping Haldir?" she qualified her earlier statement, then immediately yawned into his neck.

Orophin thought about the idea for a moment. "It could help, but I am not sure how stubborn both will be to the idea."

"Either that, or he could help in the training fields. At least that will get him back out and around the other wardens." Her free hand was gently caressing his chest.

Turning onto his side he looked into her eyes, "That might be the best for him. He feels he is alone, but I know the other wardens worry about him. They are just as concerned for his welfare as with Haldir's." She nodded as he reached down for her mouth and gave her another long sensuous kiss.

Some time later Orophin presented himself before Lord Celeborn with his idea.

"What makes you think Rúmil will accept it?" Celeborn closed his eyes for a minute before turning his attention back to the warden.

"Knowing him as well as I do, most likely not, but he is one of the wardens."

"Yes." Celeborn nodded his head. "What made you think of this?"

Orophin looked around the room before settling his eyes back on the ancient Sindar elf. "Because I have found that if you help others, you in turn help yourself. It will also let him know that he is not alone and that the others worry about him as much as we do."

A smile crept slowly across Celeborn's face. He did feel relieved that at least one of them was coping well with what they just faced. "That is a good idea, Orophin. Let me think about it some more before making my decision."

"Thank you." Orophin nodded and started backing out of the room.

"Do not forget about yourself." Celeborn gave the Sylvan a serious look. "Like I told Rúmil earlier, death is not easy thing to deal with."

Orophin moved back to the chair with a confused look on his face. "Rúmil was here?"

"Aye, but I will not tell you what was discussed here."

The younger elf sighed while nodding his head. "I will take my leave of you then." Once outside the room he slowly wound his way back down to the forest floor and to the practice fields. Many of the wardens there smiled when they saw him approach. He was given free space to move about, but they were not ignoring him. This will be a good place for Rúmil to heal, he thought to himself as he went over to the practice bows.

TBC...