A.N./ Oh my goodness, I am so sorry I haven't updated in over two months! Things have been crazy, and I had the biggest case of Writer's Block. I don't know when I would have gotten this chapter out if it weren't for Rae Simmons, so I dedicate this chapter to her, in thanks for all the help she has given me. THANKS, RAE!! And I got the pagebreak to work! YES! Now I can go and fix up my other chapters. People, this has been viewed over 700 times, but I only have 9 reviews. This is really discouraging when you look at it! Please, please, PLEASE drop a line or ten! It really makes my day brighter when you do, and it helps me to write faster. Thanks! Also, I'm sure you have the translations for male and female elf down, so I'm not adding in a translation at the bottom.

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Haldir watched them go with a confused expression on his face. "Have I done something?" he thought wildly. "What is wrong with her?" At that moment, Vanafindon entered.

"Marchwarden, good day! Have you, perchance, seen my sister anywhere? I cannot find her. She was supposed to go to the stream to do laundry, but..." he let the rest of his sentence peter off into nothing.

Swallowing, Haldir said, "No, my friend, not at all."


The Lady looked up from the flower beds in which she was kneeling, an beckoned Apsenniel over. "Come, child. Do not weep, those females are too spiteful for their own good." Sensing her hesitation, she smiled and said, "Do not be afraid. You have may admirable qualities. You should not let what they say bother you."

"But my lady, why would they say it if it were not true?" she asked her.

"Perhaps they are jealous. You put many of our cooks to shame. True, you are not perfect, but who here in Arda is? The Marchwarden certainly is not."

At this, Apsenniel perked up. "He is not? Erm...what do you mean?"

"When he was training to be a warden, many centuries ago now, he was quite the arrogant youth. He was paired with an older ellon for his sparring partner."

At her pause to produce pruning clippers, the younger female said, "Who was the older elf?"

The Lady smiled to herself as she snipped off a few yellowed leaves. "My husband. Haldir tripped on his own two feet before he even got the sword fully out of the scabbard, and landed flat on his face. I do not think I have ever seen such a bloody nose as that! Needless to say, his brothers never let him forget, and when he gets in a mood, Celeborn "reminisces" about his younger days."

Silence reigned supreme for a few minutes before Apsenniel mumbled, "Thank you, I needed to hear that."

"Everyone fumbles at least once in their life, even me."

She noticed profound sadness in the Lady's far off azure gaze, knowing her thoughts were on her daughter.


Rúmil paced back and forth across the floor of his brother' talan, ignoring the amused looks he was sent by Orophin.

"Where could that blasted ellon be!" he finally stormed.

"Not here, brother," Orophin snorted.

"Oh haha, you think yourself so clever," he snapped.

"More clever than you at least. What has your leggings in a twist? Pray tell, I have all day," he said sarcastically.

"The fact that he said he would be here by noon, and it is already half past!"

"Why should you be worried about him being half an hour late when you are more so to any social function yourself?" Orophin snarked.

The door opened, and Haldir walked in. "I apologize for being late, but there was a matter concerning the rotations of the border guards with Lord Celeborn."

Rúmil's angry retort died on his lips. "Oh. Well, in that matter..."

"Shall we go?" Haldir interrupted, buckling on his long, curved sword and scabbard.

"I have only been waiting all day!"

Looking over to the smirking elf on the long, neutral colored couch, he said, "Ready to see your younger brother thoroughly trounced at the ranges?"

"As if I do not see that three times every week when not on patrol!"

"It's never hurt you before, why should it now?"

Grumbling, he pushed himself off the couch and said, "There is a first time for everything. I think I just might fade from sheer boredom!"

Laughing, they exited the spacious talan, teasing and clapping each other on the back.


Vanafindon walked through the woods of Lothlórien, singing faintly to himself. "A few minutes later he arrived at his destination, a small secluded clearing with a tall mallorn tree standing sentinel in the center." Scaling the branches swiftly, he settled himself in the cozy talan. Looking out the window and still humming the childhood tune, he ran long, dexterous fingers over the scratchings he and Apsenniel carved into the wood hundreds of years previously.

As the song came to an end, he murmured, "What have you gotten yourself into, Apsenniel?"


She ran through the trees as her brother uttered those words and dashed up the steps to the talan she shared with him, clattering into the entry hall.

"Damn," she hissed, realizing just how late it was. She hurried to the kitchen, and pulled out numerous pots and pans, and began to make a roast for dinner that night.

Halfway through the meal, she heard the door open and close. "Findon? Is that you?" she called out.

"No, Lady Apsenniel. I apologize for letting myself in, but I did knock," came Haldir's voice.

"Oh!"

Startled, she dropped the colander she was holding.

Haldir jumped at the unexpected noise, and hurried in to see if she was injured.

Both reached down at the same time to pick it up, heads and hands colliding.

"I am so sorry, Marchwarden!" she cried at the same time he gasped, "Please forgive me, Lady!"

Time seemed to come to a standstill around them as they gazed into each other's eyes.

Apsenniel felt as if she were drowning in his passionate, stormy grey-blue gaze, impossibly deep, they were as breathtaking as she imagined the sea to be. It seemed as if their faces were drawing closer together, until a burning smell began to issue from the stove.

"Oh no!" she cried. "I completely forgot! Marchwarden, you must excuse me."

She hurried over and lifted the roast from the stove, disregarding potholders in her haste to keep it from burning further.

"Owowowowow!" she yelped, dropping it on the counter top and waving her hands in the air.

"Lady Apsenniel, have you burned your hands badly?" Haldir asked, walking in long strides to her side.

"No, I am fine. But I thank you for your concern. You are much more considerate than Vanafindon at any rate." Apsenniel crossed over to the sink and ran cool water over her palms. "There," she said, "much better."

"All the same," he said, and took her hands in his rougher, and much larger, ones. Slowly, he turned each one in front of his face, inspecting the reddish skin for any blistering.

"Will I live?" she asked him softly.

"I am not sure. Perhaps we should move into an area with better lighting, so I may be able to give you a proper examination, and determine your fate, no?"


The air felt oddly close as Vanafindon walked up the last steps to the talan he shared with her sister, and with some trepidation, opened the door. Seeing no one in the kitchen, he moved on cat's feet towards the sitting room, and stopped dead in his tracks. Haldir's back was facing the doorway, and little could be seen of his sister except the top of her dirty blonde head. A low chuckling sound came from his Marchwarden, and as their heads moved closer together, he decided that he had seen enough.

"Ai! Get away from each other! That was enough to make even an orc ill."


Apsenniel had felt as though she were floating through the air when Haldir guided her into the sitting room, and sat down in front of her, pulling her hands into his lap. She had been positive he could hear her heart thudding away, especially since they were in such a close proximity.

"I do think you shall live," he said gravely, after a few minutes of close inspection to her palms.

"That is good. Who would there be to cook for you and Vanafindon? You two are hopeless in the kitchen," she breathed.

Haldir let out a low chuckle, and leaned closer, his full lips parted slightly.

Her eyes had just begun to flutter shut when she heard, "Ai! Get away from each other! That was enough to make an orc ill."

Apsenniel's eyes flew open, and she threw herself backward, making the chair skid a few inches in her haste to get away. Haldir himself looked thoroughly disgruntled, and ready to kill her brother on the spot.

Hanging her head, she muttered an excuse and hurriedly left the room.


Things had finally gone according to his wishes, that is, until her brother barged in and ruined everything! He had even held her hands! Haldir let himself think that she had been about to kiss him when she leaned forward, but that had been shattered when Vanafindon all but bellowed the sentence like an injured oliphaunt.

Swerving in his seat, he glared murderously at him. Any lesser elf, or one less foolhardy, would have been burnt to ashes from the intensity of Haldir's gaze, but Vanafindon just shrugged it off as if it were an everyday occurrence. And, knowing him, it probably was.

"Just what did you think you were doing?!" Haldir hissed through his teeth.

"Saving my sister from the horrible fate of having you kiss her, my friend," Vanafindon answered jauntily. Suddenly, he looked very serious, and about two decades older when he sat down next to him and said in a quiet tone, "What are your intentions with my younger sister?"

Stunned, Haldir say back and let his words tumble through his mind. "I-I am not sure," he finally murmured after a few minutes of silence. "I do know that I find her company to be extremely agreeable, and she is one of the most interesting ellith I have ever had the pleasure of conversing with, but other than that..." his words petered off into silence.

Standing up, Vanafindon did the only thing he could think of doing.

"Well, until then, my dear friend Haldir, you may not see her without a chaperone, such as myself, or one or more of your brothers, present. I shall not have her emotions toyed with. She is a very delicate creature, and sensitive to how others think of her. You do understand what I am attempting, and failing horribly might I add, to say?"

Haldir nodded his head dumbly. Not see her without a chaperone? But...why? And yet, he did see the logic. Vanafindon simply did not want Haldir, or any other ellon for that matter, in such intimate settings with her unless he wished to court her.

"Very well then," he croaked. "I shall be on my way."

Vanafindon caught his arm before he could leave, and said, "I do believe my sister wished for you to dine with us tonight. After all, I am here now, so there is no reason for you to leave."

He nodded again, but was suddenly rooted to the spot as another thought flew through his mind. What would she think when he walked through that door and into the kitchen?


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