Hey Y'all! The fifth chappie fluctuates between Haldir at the borders and Anira at his talan. Hopefully this is as entertaining to read as it was to write. Thank you and big hugs to my reviewers of last chapter! Please read and review.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Tolkien's fabulous work and the characters he invented.


Haldir's Talan

The nerve of that elf! He treated her like his property! Apparently a plan was in order. This would mean she would have to ignore his advances, if one could call them that. The house seemed…quieter since Haldir left. Rumil and Orophin had said they would drop by occasionally when they could. She hadn't realized until now how depressing eating alone was. Now for what she would do when Haldir came back…


The Borders

At the borders, Haldir smugly surveyed the Golden Wood. He wasn't smug about how the borders were being handled; he was smug because he thought sure that what he did set in place a week's worth of torture for the maid. That poor, poor maid…

A sweet elleth to be sure, but she was too contradictive and bold. She needed to learn her place. Even though they had been getting along, she still dropped comments now and then to make anyone's temper rise. Let Rumil and Orophin have their fun with her, they thought she was a delightful maiden. Her incorrigible ways would show through eventually.

Her faults were shown deftly when she reacted, but as for her outward appearance she looked relatively plain.


Haldir's Talan

He probably thought she was pining for him now, pining indeed! All he did was increase the gap of awkwardness between them and give her all the reason more to disagree with him. She would not let him take control in this situation as he so clearly did in the rest of his life. He could go on thinking he was intimidating her as much as he liked but she would never stoop to his level. He did the one thing that could weaken and destroy the already fragile base of their friendship.

She sat dwelling and pondering on this for quite some time. Eventually she gave up and decided ellyn were something that could take thousands of years to understand.


The Borders

Nothing stirred, nothing moved. The wardens in the north watch talan stood statue still waiting for a sign of danger. The wardens in the east talan, however, feared nothing and resumed their night of playing cards. Haldir, marchwarden, was in neither of these. He resided in the west post still frustrated and perplexed at a newfound realization. What if she didn't take the bait?

True, he didn't have time to see much of her reaction and she didn't exactly welcome the kiss. In all sense of propriety she seemed to have an underlying sense of rage. And she lived with him. She cooked his food. Perhaps he should start eating at Orophin's talan…


Haldir's Talan

Haldir's beautiful talan was spotless. The bookshelves were dusted and the floor was scrubbed until one could virtually eat on it. You can imagine, then, the look on Anira's face when she stepped in to find a trail of mud, leaves, and various household items strewn about and in a traceable trail to the kitchen. Evidently the window was left open when she went on a walk to the springs.

She walked carefully while following the wretched trail of whatever creature made this hideous mess. Vaguely, a phrase used by humans came to her mind. Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn. If only Haldir could see her now…

Following the line of debris with a mad glint in her eye she held the broom in her hand higher. She hesitated before peeking over the counter and catching the culprit. It was asleep. It was clearly the destroyer of the home Anira labored over. It...was a stray cat.

"Out! Out!" She cried, to no avail. The creature looked up at her as if she had grown three more heads. The cat was a smoky gray color. She then decided to use the broom, which until now she had only threatened to bring into play. Bringing it down only intending to scare the creature, she missed. But it worked. The cat sprang up and bolted into the living room, right to the window where it had previously invaded. In matter of five seconds it had disappeared into the Golden Wood.

Anira couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. Not everyone could chase a rogue cat out of their house could they?


The Borders

They had three precious days left at the borders. Three days left of peace and quiet. A handful of them had growing families to go home to.Most were in Haldir's predicament, they had a maid. For the first time in his life Haldir felt himself getting nervous. This is not something elves normally do. He was afraid of a she elf whom he could easily overpower and it made him feel...defeated.

Gone was the fearless and dominant warrior who braved anything. The world of Middle Earth was surely coming to an end.


Haldir's Talan

Soon. The word echoed in her mind. He would be back in less than a day, the next morning to be exact. She had prepared what she would say to him. Nothing. Complete silence. What would annoy him more was that if his brothers came that night she would hold a merry conversation with them. Childish? Not if it was completely necessary to obtain the highest position.

Of course, he probably wouldn't talk to her anyways. Haldir most likely thought she was still fantasizing and dreaming of him. He would want her to speak to him first and beg for his attentions. It was at this point she completely realized her pity for him.


The group of returning wardens entered the city. It was nearing dusk so the sky was darkening on the horizon. One very anxious elleth was in the middle of preparing an evening meal. The returing ellon was close to a nervous wreck, but of course, as always, he hid it from the world brilliantly.

He mounted the steps cautiously and looked up to see a light in the talan. What was the worse she could do to him? He was older, stronger, and supposedly more emotionally stable.

Anira heard the steps up the talan and added the finishing touches to his welcoming meal. She didn't poison it, that definitely would be cause to raise alarm. Not to mention thereafter most of Lórien would feel a certain resentment towards her. Except his brothers, she got the feeling they wouldn't mind him out of their hair for a while.

The door opened...


Sorry! This is a cliffie because I need to think more and I can't really write right now. I'll certainly have time to write seeing as I have a two hour delay before school tomorrow because of the snow. YAY! I have established a pattern, look for a new chapter every Friday/Thursday night. Thats alot easier than naming dates. Please leave a review for me!

-ElfLuver13