Chapter 13:

As I stared up at the ceiling through unfocused eyes, I barely heard the soft knock on my door. Despite hearing it, I chose to ignore it. Holding perfectly still, I breathed slowly, afraid of being heard by Raina, who I knew would be standing outside of my door with me some food and clean clothes. I was in no mood for her company, or anyone's company for that matter. I hadn't been in much of a mood for any sort of social activity at all over the past week, ever since I had realised that I would be spending at least a few more months trapped in Middle Earth. I had no sense of dates, and my best guess was just that - a guess. I had never regretted something as much as putting down the Two Towers before finishing the trilogy. Mentally kicking myself, I tried to figure out for the thousandth time what date Frodo destroyed the Ring. Was it March? No, April maybe? Crap, was it May? On top of that, I wasn't even sure yet that that was how long I was going to have to stay here.

Scrunching up my face in frustration, I rolled over, suppressing the urge to scream as soon as I remembered that Raina was standing outside of my door. She had probably already heard me, but I instantly froze, scarcely daring to breathe. Another soft knock sounded at the door, and I bit my lip, hoping that she wouldn't just come in.

"Christa, mellon, are you all right?" came Raina's melodic voice through the thick wood. She's probably worried about me. It is past noon and I'm still in bed. Electing to pretend to be sleeping, I quietly rolled away from the door and snuggled up into my pillow, keeping my eyes open as I listened.

True to her character, I soon heard the door creak almost indistinctively as Raina opened it and entered the room. I quickly closed my eyes and breathed deeply, hoping that she would not question me any further. To my annoyance, I felt a gentle hand caress my forehead.

"Christa, child, you must wake," she murmured gently, and my insides twisted as I felt a surge of homesickness at her motherly display. Opening my eyes reluctantly, I pretended to wake, stretching and yawning. "It is past mid day," she continued with a warm smile once I had stilled. "and Haldir has requested to see you."

"Haldir has returned? He is early!" I exclaimed, my gloom forgotten at mention of my friend. Raina laughed heartily as I sat up and sprang from my bed.

"Aye, mellon. He said that he would be heading to the archery range. I know not if he is indeed early in returning as you say, but I do know that he expressed a concern for your haste to join him," Raina replied, the corners of her mouth upturned in a hint of a mischievous smile.

Ignoring her expression, I rushed across the room to my closet and opened it, peering inside. Raina quickly told me that she had brought me up my fresh clothes, and I eagerly picked out my favourite tunic and pulled it on, along with a pair of breeches. I would have bathed, but I was in too much of a rush, and figured that I was probably clean enough anyways since I hadn't really done anything since last week. I spent little time on my hair, brushing it smooth and not bothering to put it up, all the while being careful to hide my ears from the keen eyes of Raina. My bow and quiver were waiting for me by the door. With a nod of thanks to Raina, I pulled on my shoes and the grey cloak and departed, much to the elf maiden's dismay.

"Christa, you have not eaten!"

"I'll eat later!" I called from across the platform as I slung my quiver over my shoulder and hurried off down the stairs.

I had butterflies in my stomach, excited to see my friend again after three weeks of being on my own. I had so much that I needed to tell Haldir. My improvements on the archery range had been significant, and I could only hope that I had not lost my newfound skills due to my week of slacking off. My ears too, needed to be discussed. I had decided to tell Haldir after little debate. I could find no significant reason to hide the new development from him, as he already knew of my transformation. What Galadriel had told me the other day, however, crossed way too far over the boundary that I had set up, and I would not be able to get that off my chest. No way was I about to tell Haldir that I was from a completely different dimension, never mind that my soul had been split from my body and planted in an identical one here. Shaking my head, I jumped off the stairs and rushed across the grass.

I made my way straight to the archery range, running quickly through the streets. A week of doing nothing had left me with more energy than I had realised, and now that I was out and about, I welcomed the activity.

It didn't take me long to arrive at the clearing, and I spotted Haldir's form not too far away, standing at the centre of the range. Beside him were several other elves, standing beside one another, each holding bows. Despite it being obvious that he was in the middle of giving the younger elves some advice, I dashed across the grass and pounced on him, enveloping him in a giant hug from behind. To my surprise, the blond elf jumped in surprise at my action and turned around, swinging me around with him as I swore not to let go.

"Christa!" He guessed easily as he laughed off his surprise. I released him and dropped to the ground, a huge grin on my face as I joined him in his laughter.

"Yep!"

"You will have to excuse us," Haldir said, turning to the other archers who were now regarding us with amused expressions. "Come, I sense you have much to tell me." Lightly setting a hand behind my back, he steered me away from the group.

"Three weeks has never felt so long!" I exclaimed, glancing up at my friend, my grin beginning to make my cheeks sore. The past three weeks had been so trying, and I had not even realised how much I had missed Haldir until today.

We walked over to the edge of the forest and sat down side-by-side in the grass. Leaning back against the cool grey trunk of one of the smaller trees, I allowed myself a moment to collect my thoughts before throwing myself into the conversation. Before I could start, however, Haldir has caught on to my expression and spoke first.

"You are weary, mellon," he said, watching me carefully as my shoulders sagged into the smooth bark. I nodded my head, closing my eyes briefly before opening them. I met his gaze and noticed how concerned he looked.

"So much has happened to me, I am not quite sure what to think anymore," I explained, lowering my gaze and watching the puffs of steam from my breath. I hadn't meant to put it like that, and hoped that he wouldn't question me further than I wished him to.

"If you feel comfortable in doing so, you may speak to me of whatever troubles you," Haldir said softly as he inched closer. I leaned into his warm embrace as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and sighed.

"My body is changing," I said plainly, breathing into his chest. "I feel less and less like myself with each passing day. I miss my home, and… I worry about my family," I explained, lifting my chin to look up at him.

"My scars have disappeared. I am more fit than I have ever been. I can see farther, shoot better," I rambled into his chest, pausing for a moment before ending the list. "and now my ears have changed."

Gently, Haldir raised a hand to brush back the hair, revealing the pointed tip of my ear.

"I still cannot comprehend how this is possible," he breathed as he looked at my ear. Despite being relatively alone, I didn't feel comfortable with my ear so exposed, and promptly reached up to cover it back up with my hair.

"I am sorry," Haldir said quickly. I smiled and straightened, looking at him as I leaned back against the tree.

"No, it's not your fault. I just don't want anyone else to see them. You're the only one I trust, Haldir," I explained, my voice hushed.

Nodding his head in understanding, Haldir met my gaze and we smiled at each other in silence for a moment. I quickly became aware that we were staring at each other, and felt my cheeks flush. Haldir seemed to notice at the same moment, for he quickly broke away and made to stand up. Taking the hand that he offered me, I stood up, chuckling somewhat awkwardly as he pulled from off the ground. Giving my hand a quick squeeze before letting go, he gestured to my bow which lay beside me.

"Why don't you show me how much you have improved?"

Much to my delight, my abilities had become pretty consistent. Though I was the first to admit that I had far from perfected the art, I was quite happy with my accomplishments, and, to my delight, so was Haldir.

As I nailed my fifth bull's-eye with the last arrow is my quiver, I turned to my friend, beaming. He gave me a firm pat on my shoulder, looking across the range at the target which was littered with arrows.

"I need to get quicker," I said, wanting to be the first to point out what needed improving. Haldir nodded.

"Yes. Also, pay attention to your breathing. If you hold your breath for so long in a battle, you will tire quickly," he added, turning to me. I nodded briskly. I still found it funny how quickly Haldir could change. One moment, we're having some weird googly-eyes moment, and the next he's gone full Marchwarden again. I felt my cheeks grow warm as I remembered the awkward moment from earlier.

"I believe that is enough for today. It is apparent to me that you practiced often while I was gone," Haldir's voice pulled me from my thoughts and I turned to see him smiling. My cheeks still flushed, I smiled back, hoping that it wasn't obvious what I had been thinking about.

"I'm glad that I didn't disappoint you," I chuckled, slinging my bow into it's holster. Haldir grinned and gave my shoulder a squeeze.

After retrieving my arrows from the target, I did a head count. Several had broken since I had last counted, and now I was at a measly 17 arrows, down from my last count of 20. Tucking the last one into my quiver, I grimaced as they moved around inside of it. Haldir laughed.

"Worry not. They are easy to replace."

"Can we get some today? I don't like having a half-empty quiver," I asked, turning to follow the elf from the range.

"Of course. How about we head over to the market now? I will show you where to acquire some. If you would like, it might be a good idea to purchase an extra bundle of arrows for when you break one," he suggested. I nodded eagerly. I had been searching for something to spend the last of my money on. I didn't have a whole lot left after buying the hair clip, but hopefully it would be enough to buy some new arrows.

It didn't take long for the two of us to get to the marketplace. It was now early evening, and the streets were buzzing with activity. As the days grew shorter, the sun had begun to set earlier, but the city was alive with the glow of the soft blue lights. They twinkled in the trees, dancing in the twilight as they swayed in the breeze. I smiled as we walked through the rows of shops, thinking about how I had grown so comfortable within Lothlórien.

With that thought came the terrible reminder of my family back home. I had tried my best not to think about it, I really had. But the fact that my parents were weeping over an empty body was pretty hard to push aside. I let out a deep sigh, and Haldir looked my way, forehead furrowed in concern.

"Is there something that you are not telling me, Christa?" He asked me, gently pulling me to a stop on the side of the road. I shook my head slowly before looking up at him.

"No. I'm all right, Haldir," I replied, putting on my best smile. Haldir didn't look convinced, but he didn't push the matter any further. Thank goodness. "Come on."

As we came to the far end of the market, Haldir gestured to a large stand to our right. "Here we are, the armoury." He led the way inside, holding the door for me as we entered.

I stepped inside the building and pulled off my hood, taking in the room. The walls were stocked from floor to ceiling with weaponry and armour, the polished metals gleaming in the light of the lanterns that hung about the shop. It was far bigger than I had anticipated and stocked full. Among the many swords, bows and knives were weapons that I had no idea what they were. Turning my attention from the walls, I smiled warmly as an elf emerged from a door at the back of the room, holding a helmet. Setting it down on the counter, he looked up at us and smiled in return.

"Good evening, Haldir, Lady Tawariell. How may I help you?"

I felt myself flushing at the still unfamiliar name. It seemed that all of the elves besides the ones that I knew personally had decided to address me using my adopted name. I definitely didn't mind, in fact, it made me feel not to foreign, but part of me still preferred to be called Christa. Not really knowing what to say, I let Haldir do the talking.

"It is nice to see you, Tûrin!" Haldir said, leading the way up to the counter. Haldir must come here often. Leaning casually against the wooden surface, he gestured to me. "Lady Tawariell is in need of some new arrows, and I had hoped that you would have some available."

Tûrin nodded and smiled at me. "An archer, are you?"

"I'm learning," I replied with a shy smile. "Haldir is helping me."

"She's improved a lot. A quick learner," Haldir added, laying a hand on my shoulder. I beamed at the compliment.

"Well then, I do believe I can find some arrows in the back," Tûrin said with a wink. "One moment."

He reappeared from the back room a few moments later with a couple of thick bundles of arrows, each wrapped in a pale linen and tied together with thin yellow cords. Laying them down carefully on the counter, he glanced up at us.

"Three dozen should suffice," Haldir spoke up before Tûrin even had a chance to ask me how many I wanted. Startled, I shot Haldir a stunned look before shoving my hand into my tunic to pull out the small pouch of change.

"I don't think that I can afford that many," I whispered to Haldir as I untied the drawstring and emptied the contents into my palm. Haldir simply chuckled and pulled out some change from his own pocket. He promptly paid for the arrows and I watched as Tûrin counted the coins. Huffing in annoyance, I gathered the bundles of arrows in my arms as Haldir nodded his thanks again to Tûrin. The elf nodded back before turning to me, offering me a mischievous smile before turning back to his work.

"Thanks," I said to him as I turned to follow Haldir out of the shop.

Back outside, I marched ahead of Haldir and stopped him, shifting the arrows under my armpits to place my hands on my hips. Trying to supress a grin, Haldir stopped and looked down at me, waiting for me to complain like he knew I would. I shot him a dirty look.

"Why did you do that?"

"Why did I do what, exactly?" Haldir replied, his eyebrows knit in fake confusion. I sighed, dropping my arms to my sides.

"I could have paid for my arrows myself."

"No you could not have. You said so yourself that you did not think that you could afford it."

"I said that I couldn't afford that many. I never intended on buying so many arrows."

"I thought that it would be kind of me to get them for you," Haldir dropped the act, his face softening into a smile. I narrowed my eyes, still not pleased that he had paid for my arrows with his own money.

"You really didn't have to," I said after a moment of brooding, realising that he had done a nice thing for me and that I should just be grateful for it. A smile crept its way onto my lips and I dropped my shoulders. "Thank you, though. I appreciate it. I really do."

"It is my pleasure," Haldir assured me. "Hang on to your gold lest you should need it. It is always wise to not have empty pockets." I grinned in thanks and tucked the arrows tighter under my arm.

We left the glow of the market behind us, making our way back down the quiet paths towards the heart of the city. We walked quietly, content to listen to nothing but the nearly silent sound of our footfalls on the aged cobblestone pavers. Night had fallen and the forest was bathed in a shimmering blue. Thinking back once again to how welcome I now felt in Caras Galadhon, I couldn't help but smile, despite the painful homesickness that constantly gnawed at my heart. Unconsciously, I shuddered in the chilly night air, and I felt Haldir reach over to adjust my cloak about my shoulders.

"I wish that I did not have the need to tell you this, but I will be returning to the border once again in a week's time," he broke the silence, cutting through my thoughts. I looked up, welcoming the distraction from the painful imagery that haunted my mind.

"Why so soon?" I asked, furrowing my brow. Haldir had been gone an awful lot lately. At least, that's how it seemed to me. Learning that I would only have a week with him before he was running back off to the border did not ease the heaviness of my thoughts.

"The watch has been tightened," he replied, his voice tense. I turned to look up at him, trying not to look too concerned. Were there orcs nearby? Surely if the guard was being increased, there was reason to believe that something dangerous lurked in the woods beyond Caras Galadhon. Sensing my worry, Haldir lay a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Fear not. The Lady Galadriel has received news that we are to be on the lookout for any activity that we find strange, no matter how insignificant it may seem. But we have not heard tell of any evil lurking in the woods of Lothlórien."

I nodded my head slowly, pushing my fear away. I had nothing to worry about. I had concrete evidence that I would be safe in Caras Galadhon, at least for the time being. Nothing could reach me in the city. And nothing would happen to Haldir, either. That much was guaranteed, as he had a part to play yet in the story of the Fellowship.

"And yet my heart is heavy," Haldir spoke up again, his voice full of sorrow. I felt my heart pain for him.

"There is a war coming, Haldir. You do not need to hide this from me, I already know," I said quietly, not sure if there might be anyone else around. Don't need to be spreading word around the city about Sauron. To my surprise, Haldir didn't seem to be shocked that I knew this at all. He actually didn't say anything is response to my statement. Instead, we continued to walk in silence, both now caught in our own thoughts.

As the bright lights of the city centre began to prick through the trees ahead of us, I felt Haldir's gaze on me. Shifting from my thoughts, I smiled and turned to meet his eyes.

"You are not all right," he said simply, his eyes searching mine for any clues.

"I told you, I'm fine," I shrugged uncomfortably, trying to brush it off. I knew that he was not convinced, and after a short moment, I sighed. I could practically feel his eyes piercing me, wishing to know, to help me. "It's… I wish I could tell you, Haldir, but I'd rather not talk about it." As I said those last words, I turned from him and stared at my feet as we walked the last few steps into the city.

It had been a long day, despite having slept most of it away, and I wearily made for the stairs, wanting nothing more than to collapse onto my bed and be alone with my thoughts. Haldir stuck by my side, following me up the steps in silence. It didn't take us long to reach the top of the steps. Stepping onto the wooden platform, I found myself smiling, despite the emotional strain that I was currently being faced with.

I knew that Haldir had only my best interests in mind. He was certainly not blind to the fact that I was dealing with something worse than what I had already told him. It pained me to have to tell myself that I couldn't explain to him what was going on, but I knew without a doubt that that was what I had to do. I had to hide it.

I quickly found myself at the entrance to my room. Turning to face Haldir, I wrapped my arms around him in a hug, squeezing him close to me. "I would tell you if I could," I whispered into his chest.

"I know," he replied quietly, his breath tickling me as it ruffled my hair. Pulling away from me, he leaned down so that our foreheads were touching, his eyes searching mine. A pleasant shiver ran down my spine as he gently clasped my head in one of his hands. "Just know that I will be here for you, if you ever need to talk about it. About anything," he said softly, his fingers gently caressing my hair. I nodded my head, unable to come up with anything to say in response, stunned by his intimate gestures.

After a moment, he removed his hand from my head and straightened, looking slightly flustered. I imagined that I probably shared this expression, and laughed lightly.

"Have a good night, Christa," Haldir said with a grin. I smiled back, my heart fluttering as I held his gaze.

"Good night, Haldir," I replied, feeling the blood rush to my cheeks as I realised that we were both staring at each other for the second time that day. "Thank you," I said, trying to break the awkward silence that had fallen between us. Haldir nodded, and, still wearing his lopsided grin, turned and made his way from my door.

Quickly, I turned and pulled open the door to my flet. Stepping inside, I pulled the door shut and leaned against it before slowly sliding down to sit on the floor, my head pressed against the cool wooden planks.

"What the hell?" I whispered to the darkness, still smiling, though I wasn't really even sure if I felt happy. Of course, there was no response to my question, and I sat staring into the darkness of my room for quite some time. My heart beat has slowed back to its normal pace, and the butterflies has long since departed, but I still felt… off.

Pulling myself up off of the floor, I made my way slowly over to the bed and sat down, pulling off my boots and my socks as I ran back through the experience outside of my door. That feeing… Down at the range, and then again, just a few minutes ago! But, Rúmil was only teasing! I paused in my actions, my sock half pulled off. Haldir couldn't have feelings for me! I can't have feelings for Haldir! At that thought, I felt the faintest flutter in the pit of my stomach.

Flinging my sock across the room, I removed my cloak and tunic and flopped backwards onto my pillows. Pulling the covers up to my chin, I stared up at the ceiling. Swallowing hard, I pushed the tingly feeling from my stomach, annoyed that the thought was even crossing my mind. Sure, he's handsome. And kind. And smart… But I can't stay here! I'm going to get home.

Huffing in frustration, I rolled over onto my side and bit my lip. How could this be happening? Better question, when did this happen? I had never thought of Haldir as anything more than a friend. And I never will. I was just caught up in the moment. I would beat that into my brain, drill it into my very being. Shaking my head in determination, I took a deep breath. I can't let this affect me.

I won't.

Yay! Sorry for my tardiness. I hope that this chapter will be enjoyable, despite the wait. I hope that the ending is not too weird. I couldn't think of a better time to end the chapter, especially since I don't want to make it seem like the romance between Haldir and Christa is just going to poof out of thin air haha…

Once again, I hope that you all enjoyed reading this! Please remember to leave a review and let me know what you liked (or didn't like so much) about the chapter and the story so far. New reviewers are very much appreciated!

-Eru