After an extremely LONG and unreasonable hiatus, I have returned to my beautiful fic! I hope you have not given up on me! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and supported this story so far. My ideas and inspiration for this story have returned and I hope to get back on a regular updating system. This chapter should hopefully provide some good ol' fluff. I do not blame you if you have to reread the last chapter. Quoting the noble General Lee, " It is all my fault..."

Another thank you to A.E. Hall for pointing some very important things out to me!

Your reviews keep me alive!


---Chapter Twenty One---
Scrunching up her forehead with the effort of concentration, Anira struggled to complete a simple stitch to the tunic she was mending. Her mind still swarmed with memories from the previous night. Haldir had hidden so much about his past, but then again, so had she. Sunlight streamed in through the open window she worked under, bathing her in warmth and comfort. She had woken to an empty house and found a hastily scrawled note in Haldir's usually elegant script.

He had informed her of a call a Warden had made earlier in the morning, when the sun had not yet risen, and that he desperately needed to attend to it. Anira smiled when she recalled the exact wording. One "very obnoxious, young" ellon had "intruded upon the threshold of his domain" and "dragged" him away to an event that needed tended to. Haldir could be quite eloquent with his words when the need arose. Unfortunatley, embellishment was another of his talents.

With a sigh, she set down the unfinished tunic and resolved that with her mind in such a state of confusion, she was temporarily incapable of her duties. She plucked a book from one of the numerous book cases surrounding the main room and sat down to read.

She read on about an elf pining for his love in the West while absent-mindedly fiddling with a stray lock of her hair. Her eyes began to blur, she surmised from lack of sleep, and she soon realized that this activity was a waste of her time as well.

With fatal boredom threatening to conquer all, Anira threw herself against the quaint cushions of the couch she had seated herself in with an over-exaggerated groan.

"Something wrong?"

Anira narrowed her eyes, wondering what foul drink she had consumed to much of the previous night to befuddle her mind so. Then she remembered she had never drank, and that someone had just spoken to her. This boredom was getting to her.

"Oh!" Anira jumped up with a somewhat delayed exclaim of surprise. Haldir stood looking at her with an amused expression spread across his features, cloak in hand. "When did you get back?"

"Just a minute ago, but imagine my surprise to find you splayed out over a couch making the sound of a dying animal," he said, a touch of laughter in his voice. Anira flushed, but was determined to not let him see her embarassment.

"I was...bored, a bit," she finished lamely.

"Oh dear, my poor maid without a thing to do! And all this mending lying around has nothing to do with it, am I right?" He said arrogantly, picking up the forgotten tunic by the window.

"I couldn't concentrate!" She fired back, trying not to be intimidated by his unwavering gaze.

"So you then decided to read," he guessed correctly, seeing the also forgotten book, then continued, "gave up on that, and decided your life was over and full of boredom?"

"I admit I was a bit hasty in my...assessment of the situation," she said, he raised his eyebrows inquisitively, encouraging her to continue. "But the fact is, I am still bored. Bored to death. So bored that I think I just might have to-" Haldir silenced her with his mouth, covering her with his form and pushing her into the couch.

"What?" Haldir asked, anxious to find out just what she would have done.

"Die," she answered breathlessly, aware of how foolish she sounded.

"Well, we can't have that can we?" He laughed suddenly, bringing a smile to her own face. He kissed her again, this time more fiercely and passionately. She slid her arms around his neck, bringing him closer to her. He hovered above her, blocking all else from her view.

Continuing his kisses down her jaw to her neck, Anira ran her fingers through his long, silver hair. He stopped, and brought his face back to hers.

"Bored still?" He asked, a hint of playfulness in his voice.

"Oh no, I think we've found the exact cure for this ailment of mine," Anira replied, curling into him as lay down beside her on the couch.

"What was this urgent matter you left for this morning?" Anira asked after a few minutes of silence. She listened to his steady breathing, her head rising and falling on his chest.

He sighed, "I was needed for a meeting with the visiting diplomats. Apparently, they see no problem with meeting before dawn's first light."

"Did you happen to run into anyone you knew at this... meeting?" She chose her words carefully.

"Arasinya was far from my presence, I assure you. However, I did endure her father's presence for quite a while."

"What is he like?" She asked, her voice slightly muffled by his chest.

"There is not much of a difference between the two, both are extremely persistent, and I've heard her brother is the same way," he finished.

Anira felt him carding his fingers through her hair. She leaned into his touch and closed her eyes, slowly drifting off.


"I can't believe you forgot to tell him!"

"You were supposed to tell him!"

Rumil and Orophin stood under the great mallorn tree that held Haldir's flet, disrupting the peace around them.

"I was at the training fields! You were with him the whole morning!" Orophin argued.

"Not the whole morning, I left to find Randiriel," Rumil admitted sheepishly.

"Valar's sake, Rumil! Could you at least have a bit more of a sense of responsibilty?"

"Well, you are here now. Just go up and tell him."

"I'd rather not. Since it was your job in the first place, you can go tell him. I have things to do!"

"Tell me what?" Haldir stood overlooking them from above.

"Ah! Brother! Rumil here was just about to tell you something!" Orophin shouted up to him, ignoring Rumil's pleading eyes.

"Orophin!" Rumil whispered, loud enough for Orophin to hear.

"See you at noon? I'll need some help with my archery practice," Orophin bade him farewell and walked off, leaving a reluctant Rumil to journey up the steps into Haldir's talan.


"Sweet Eru, Rumil, the entire population of Lorien probably heard your conversation," Haldir said as they sat down. "Now what were you going to tell me?"

"You have border duty in two days," Rumil said. "The duration of your duty will last two weeks, mainly to oversee the newly trained guards."

"When did they tell you this?"

"During the meeting, but you were busy, and Randiriel was waiting for me, so I left. And then I forgot to tell you. I thought I had told Orophin to tell you, but perhaps I was mistaken..." he rambled on.

"Yes, perhaps you were."

Silence lingered between them.

Rumil made to stand up, but Haldir stopped him. Leaning close to him, Haldir looked around to make sure that Anira was occupied with something so she could not overhear their conversation.

"I want you to watch Arasinya while I am gone," Haldir said softly.

"As much as I can, I promise you," Rumil assured him. "You think she would do something to Anira?"

"Possibly, I would not put it past her."


The afternoon was silenced after Haldir told Anira of his post. She returned to the tunic she had been mending, her mind preparing itself for his long absence. She knew she would miss him terribly, but it could not be helped. Pricking her finger, she dropped the needle as a small drop of blood formed on the tip of her thumb. She carefully laid the tunic aside as not to stain the garment.

Cursing her carelessness, she moved to another task. She pulled down ingredients to prepare a dinner and set about to making it.

"Do you want some help?" She heard Haldir's voice, and she turned to see him leaning in the door to the hallway.

"It would be appreciated," she replied, surprise evident in her tone. Haldir rarely offered help in any of her chores, if any at all.

He stood next to her, watching her for a moment, before beginning to knead flour into some dough. She observed him dipping his fingers into the pure white powder every so often and carefully mixing it into the dough. He looked up to see her staring at him, and caught a strange idea.

While she was distracted with his menial cooking skills, he took a pinch of flour and smeared it on her cheek. She stepped back in surprise as his face broke into a grin. He began to laugh, that sound she had come to love, and got his own face full of powder.

"Look at us! Look what you started!" She tried to scold him through her laughter, but it clearly wasn't working. Giving up, she leaned her head on his shoulder, letting him wrap his arms around her waist and kiss the top of her head.

"I think the dough is ready now," Haldir said.

"Yes, and so are we," Anira answered dryly. After a short kiss, she pulled away and continued to prepare the food.

"I should help you in the kitchen more often, don't you agree?" Haldir asked, giving up his stint in the kitchen and sitting down in a chair.

"I shall remember to be always on my guard the next time you offer to help! Honestly, you're fortunate no one has come to call on either of us tonight while we look like this."

As if on cue, a knock sounded at the door. Haldir hastily stood up and began to wipe his face and tunic clean of the flour. Anira laughed at him silently. With a sideways glare at her, he opened the door.

"March warden, sir, the Lord wishes- is that flour?" The warden looked at him strangely and Anira could be heard trying to strangle her mirth in the background. Haldir slowly wiped the missed smear of flour from his face and continued with an annoyed tone.

"Yes, what does the Lord wish?" Impatience outlined his features.

"He, ah, wishes to see you on an urgent matter," the warden finished. Haldir nodded his understanding and promptly closed the door. He looked at Anira's features, now devoid of any laughter.

"I'll try to get back as soon as I can, I'm sure it is nothing," he kissed her quickly and pulled on his cloak, heading for the Lord and Lady's talan.


Fluff is awesome, isn't it? Reviews! Reviews! I would be happy for them seeing as they would encourage me to write and get back into a schedule. Nov 17 (this friday) is the one year anniversary for this fic! Twenty one chapters and 280 reviews! You guys are my heroes! Comments and critiscism encouraged. Hope to get 22 out sooner than 21 took.

-ElfLuver13