Chapter 51

Erfaron

"Are you hungry?"

Before Haldir could answer, Erynlith threw an apple at his direction. She took another from her satchel and leaned against the panting stallion, which dipped its head into the river and eagerly drank water. On the other side of Anduin, the dense Woodland Realm came into view, dark and appeared home to various unknown beasts. Boulders lined up across the river, allowing travellers to cross the Great River, and then the Old Ford stretched out from the shoreline and further to the forest.

It was the very place where Erynlith had escaped the ambush in the High Pass with the injured and unconscious Erestor and Caladhir, and where she collapsed under the trees of Greenwood and was found by a certain Prince. But that was almost two thousand years ago. She had been as young as Haldir then, barely two centuries old; now, she was proud that she was old enough to be treated like an adult.

"Do you think Lady Nimrodel could have gotten into Greenwood?" Haldir sat cross-legged on the field, resting his elbow on his thigh as he munched on the apple. "I mean, could she really go there alone?"

Erynlith looked at the river and shrugged. She flopped beside the warden. "If you are trying to run away from home, where would you go?"

He looked at the skies for a while, thinking. "In Greenwood."

"Why?"

"Because, apart from Lórinand, no other nearby place is safe enough. The Misty Mountains are home to orcs, Moria is home to Dwarves, and Rivendell is too far away to be reached on foot. Fangorn Forest seems near enough, but I have heard rumours about it. She might consider Greenwood to be her best option. Additionally, the Wood-elves also live there."

"Brave and super smart." She leaned in and ruffled his hair. "Befitting the next Chief Marchwarden, tra-la."

Haldir shied away from that. "I do not intend to take his place," he murmured. "I just want to be as good as you are."

"Hm?" Her hand stopped from ruffling his hair and went down to her lap. She was utterly confused now. "What do you mean like me?"

"You're Erfaron," he whispered and looked at the ground. Suddenly, the beige field looked so interesting. "Everyone in Lórinand whispers how brave you were when you hunted those orcs and saved Lady Nimrodel. You, who was alone and injured, hunted after a band of orcs. I just wanted to be like you, that's all."

Erynlith spent the next few moments studying his face, that sincere face. It was only yesterday when she first met him, standing tall and proud, and had stopped that dwarf from pummelling her at Mirrormere. His appearance, voice and cold eyes had frightened her, but now, as he sat cross-legged beside her and refused to meet her eyes, Haldir seemed like a very determined young elf.

He glanced and caught her looking at him. "I'm sorry to rant about it."

"No, no," she softly whispered. "I just... I just really do not understand how Erfaron could be so special to others." She bit her lower lip, unsure how to continue.

At first it all sounded like a big old joke that Raithon came up with after they hunted the wargs in the forest. The name spread like wildfire to the Silvan folk, and then to the Nandorin of Lórinand. Elves began to call her Erfaron, sometimes even forgot it was not truly her name. She only thought they were making fun of her, teasing her. She was not aware that Erfaron was someone whom the little elflings heard about at night, not until Haldir.

"It is like hearing a story about an olden warrior who slays a dragon," Haldir explained, a small smile playing on his lips. "A hero who sets out to save a person, who has a quest to fulfil, or a treasure to find. Only in our story, it is not a hulking warrior with swords and rides beasts into battle; Erfaron is someone who actually lives, who has known some of the elves in the forest and talked to them. She is not a figment from a parent's mind just to tell a story. It is all real. And for a child," he hesitated, avoiding her eyes again, "and for a child... who grew up hearing those stories and kept them close to his heart, for a child who aspired to become a warden, and then suddenly, you are here—the real Erfaron."

She smiled then, finally understanding what he meant. "If it means so much to you, then I would not mind being called Erfaron for the rest of my life."

"My only wish is that I could be as great as you are, so that, when I am old, children would also hear about my story."

"I am sure they would." She leaned her head against his shoulder, causing him to become more flustered. "Just keep on protecting your home and all would go well, tra-la. Shall we continue looking for Nimrodel?"

Haldir cleared his throat . "I suppose we should. We have been resting for quite some time now."

Both stood up. Erynlith adjusted the bridle and saddle of the stallion, and then handed her satchel to the young warden. He blinked, looking all confused, and she laughed it off.

"I am sending you to Greenwood alone."

"B-But why?"

"We have only one horse. When you find Nimrodel, of course she doesn't want to walk. When I am with you, I do not want to ride the horse while you walk. Go ahead and proceed to the forest. Be careful though; the forest is dark and the Old Forest Road seems to have faded." She handed the reins and winked. "Good luck, Marchwarden Haldir."

"But if I leave and you're here alone—"

"Which is not so surprising now..."

"Yes. Your safety is my greatest priority. If something happens to you, King Amroth might be disappointed at me."

Erynlith shook her head. "Oh, please. Don't worry about Amroth. I can handle him just fine." She gently grabbed his shoulder and turned him towards Greenwood. She gave a little push. "Off you go, Chief. Come back soon and be careful. Don't talk to strangers, oh-tra-la-lay."

He sighed in defeat. "All right. I will go, but please stay safe. I really don't want to get into double troubles when we get back."

"Of course, of course, tra-lo. See you later, Haldir, tra-lay."

The Silvan folk were aware of the commotion in the palace. Every elf in the kitchen and outpost whispered behind their hands about an elf-maiden who was found unconscious in the forest by the scouts of the Elven-guard. According to one, they found the maiden all alone and her foot was wounded. Someone speculated it to be a sorceress, someone claimed it was just a petty topic, and other rumour, which was more widely accepted (though no one really said it out loud because the King might hear; and he always heard anyway) that it was Erfaron who was finally back in the Greenwood.

As usual, the King heard it first. He was lounging in the library and sketching anything that crossed his mind when the Captain of the Guards burst into the quiet room and informed him what happened. When the captain said the possibility of the maiden being Erfaron, the King immediately dropped his quill and crumpled the parchment, and ran out of the library, all pressing thoughts about the kingdom vanished. The servants had to run and make way for the two Sindarin elves and heard the King silently curse the length of his blue robes.

At the infirmary, the two elves panted and went in. Santien was attending to someone seated on the bed, whose pale golden hair was tangled and covered with bits of leaves. Her back was turned to them, though her smaller frame, pale complexion and smooth hands told Thranduil that she was not the one he was hoping it would be. It made him frown a little.

"Nimrodel?"

Upon hearing her name, she turned around and saw the Elvenking striding towards her. She stood up at once, quite forgetting that Santien was tending the bleeding wound in her right foot, and threw herself in Thranduil's arms. She began to sob uncontrollably, resting her head against his chest.

"What are you doing here? More importantly, how did you get here?" Thranduil himself was in daze, and looked at the auburn-haired healer questioningly.

"Afraid," Nimrodel cried. "So afraid of the forest."

The Chief Counsellor arrived at the doorway, and her bright eyes widened at the sight. She easily recognized Nimrodel, and she felt both pity and jealousy as she watched the King cradle with Nandorin elf in his arms. Only Raithon seemed to acknowledge her presence when she fully entered the infirmary.

"Why are you alone?" Thranduil gently lifted the sobbing elf's chin. He looked into her eyes. "Where is Amroth? And where is your escort?"

"No escort," Nimrodel choked, sniffling and wiping tears off her flushed cheeks. Her foot continued hurting.

The King rounded towards his Captain of the Guards, glaring.

Raithon held up his palms, trying to look innocent. "Hey, don't look at me. My scouts found her unconscious in the forest. Of course she was being chased by wargs. By the Valar we are encountering many of them since last spring. Just recently we brought down three, and there was another pack moving somewhere in our western borders. She is lucky the wargs did not harm her further; it must have been a juvenile."

"Juvenile?"

"An immature warg, a pup."

"I know what juvenile means!" Thranduil could already feel his head aching.

"Mating season," Celairis suddenly spoke up from behind, and was aware that the King was finally paying attention to her. She stepped forward until she stood beside him, looking at him. "Winter serves as mating season for wolves. Since it is now summer, the newly-born pups are grown now, and are most likely released into the wild to hunt for prey."

"Well, we are not prey, are we?" He scowled at her.

She shook her head. "Definitely not, my King."

"Exactly what I meant about spring," Raithon piped up. "We have been dealing with young ones since spring. Now, more of them are appearing in the fields. Sometimes, when the fields do not supply enough food, they hunt in forests for deer and owls."

"Do we have more casualties?" Thranduil looked at Santien.

"None, except Lady Nimrodel here," the healer replied. "Will you discuss these matters elsewhere? I still need to tend to her wound and the three of you are quite not helping me." She took Nimrodel's hand and told her sternly to sit down and stay there, also added, "Stop crying. It will not help your wound to heal any faster."

"Don't be so mean now," Raithon called out from behind.

"For one thing, it is her fault for running way from Lórinand," Santien huffed.

Celairis approached the bed and sat on the edge. She gave a small and heart-warming smile to the traumatized Nandorin elf. "You are safe here, Nimrodel, extremely safe. Rest until your strength returns, all right? We are here for you, and Lady Santien here promises to make the pain go away." She brushed a strand of golden hair away from Nimrodel's cheek. "I am sure King Amroth has sent his marchwardens to fetch you."

"No, not marchwardens." Nimrodel sniffed. "Not marchwardens this time."

Santien and Celairis exchanged curious glances.

"What do you mean?"

"I am sure Amroth will not send marchwardens for me." Nimrodel choked. "I am afraid he will send Erfaron instead."

The name alone struck them like lightning. Everyone, except Nimrodel, seemed to have frozen on the spot. Santien fell silent, Raithon was gaping, and Celairis found herself looking over her shoulder, watching the sudden change in the King's mood. Thranduil's face was stern and his jaw clenched, just as his hand curled into a tight fist. He breathed heavily, as though he was nervous, and his blue eyes tried hard not to look at anyone.

Celairis watched, her heart slowly sinking and her mind went back to the days she and Thranduil spent together—all the gifts and teases, the little laughs and petty arguments. Two thousand years later and she could not yet manage his volatile temper, though she was proud to admit to herself that she was pleasing Thranduil by managing the palace for him.

"Erfaron..." The King finally managed to get the name out of his mouth. "In Lórinand?"

"Yes," Nimrodel confirmed, unaware of the tension. "Summoned by the King himself."

"Why? Did something happen, other than the accident?"

Celairis did not fail to notice how Thranduil stepped forward, looking all curious and eager to hear more. She felt herself sinking into the background, once again unseen by the King and his friends, as they focused on hearing news.

"Because—" Nimrodel stopped short. It was her and Amroth's secret, and Erfaron herself remained in the dark about it.

Then, before she could refuse to continue, one of the Silvan scouts jogged and stood by the entrance. He nodded to the Captain of the Guards and waved him over. When Raithon crossed his arms over his chest and approached, the young scout had to tiptoe and whisper something in his ear. When Raithon pulled back, his dark eyes were wide in disbelief. It alerted Santien, Nimrodel, Celairis, and Thranduil—especially Thranduil.

"One of the wardens," Raithon announced, his voice uncertain and cautious, "has come for Lady Nimrodel."

Next Chapter: The King meets his guest.

Author's Notes: AHHHH! So close, we are so close, people!

*juliacensi95 - Sounds interesting, Guilia! I study Tourism and it focuses on airlines, tour guiding and hotel operations, and my favourite part is we study countries and their famous tourist spots. It is one of the reasons why I like talking so much about the people here, because in school we learn about other countries while here in the internet I could actually talk to the people who live in those countries we're studying. Very exciting!

Yeah, Nimrodel kinda wants to remind Amroth what he would lose when he wouldn't agree to her wishes. Thus, she runs away. Bravo, Nimrodel, genius! And HALDIR! *squeals* Yes, I really like Haldir (but not in the movies because he died T_T). Unlike Erestor, he is actually the good big brother who looks after his brothers without being selfish or controlling, just plain caring and kind. Let's ship Haldir/Eryn as friends! *throws confetti*

Let's hope no more attacks would come to Europe. Now that you've mentioned Rome and the Vatican, those are one of my favourite spots in the world! I really like the historical vibes it gives (or is it just in the pictures I see?) I would really love to go there to learn.

*Rosiethehobbit17 - Sorry if the warg did not eat Nimrodel, but she sure got some wounded foot! Take that! MUA HA HA HA! She deserves more than just a bleeding foot. Now that Thrandy's around, he should give her a good smack on the head as vengeance for what she did emotionally to cousin Amroth!

*llcyyxx - LOL. I guess reading chapters in chunks sounds more efficient than waiting every week because the tension would probably kill me if I was reading a story, too. Haldir and Eryn best friends forever! It's about time Eryn gets a friend who doesn't get possessive over the years *cough*Glorfindel*cough*. Don't worry! It never crossed my mind to write something like that. It would have been plausible, but the meeting's been long overdue. I might have something up in my sleeves for something worse. *smiles evilly*

*lauren souliere - Please don't kneel! Only Loki would ask you to do something like that! There, there, here's a cookie while we wait for their meeting...

*Lord Illyren - Nim-RUDE-el has no idea what kind of trouble she is in now. The King should get out of his shell soon!

*Keara - Hooray for good big brother Haldir! Sorry, Erestor, but the Brother-of-the-Year award goes to Haldir now! I am glad you like Orophin and Rumil's portrayal. They are such darlings!

*Lingua Pura - Thank you very much! I do try to keep them well-balanced and kind of relatable in real life. So I guess Erestor does represent all the strict parents out there.

*Drasna - Aww, thank you! Are you going to join the Glorfy/Eryn ship? I think there is still room! Welcome!

*UMAibow - For a moment there, Eryn has acted maturely while Haldir (being an inexperienced warden who barely gets out of the forest) becomes overwhelmed with the impending danger that he could not control himself. LOL. He's young and we know how young people (or elves) could be a little reckless.

*Essie - Not to worry, dear friend! Thrandy and Eryn shall meet soon! Thank you for the review!

*Rarora - You got it! *hugs you tightly* You're right about Eryn being the dawn-maiden and Thrandy being the dark-elf. They are so-called dawn and dark because of their personality; Eryn is vibrant whereas Thrandy is ill-tempered. When Thrandy got lonely because of Eryn's absence, he sought for someone else's company, which is Celairis, the river-maiden. In Eryn's story though, the dark-elf and river-maiden get together. Are we going to let that happen?!

Whaaat? You're shipping Haldir with Eryn! Noooo, Glorfindel would not be pleased! LOL. Just kidding! He's my sweet little warrior.