Chapter 9

Haldir stood watch late that night. His left palm still warm with the lingering sensation of Hylin's hand in his. He gripped his bow more firmly, and breathed in the night air. It as cool and crisp with a whisper of spring. The coming weeks would return the sun to its height and strength and the last snows would begin to melt in great dripping heaps. It would be time for travel, more news and Hylin's stay would be near its end.

Haldir felt the muscles of his jaw tighten at the thought. No more would he return to Caras Galadhon with the expectation of seeing her. No flash of her odd eyes, no more burst of temper followed by the sweetness that was surprisingly hidden under the fire. He had only weeks to impart what he could of his language to her and she would be gone. Back to her people, back to her tribe and lost to him.

It should not matter, he told himself, she should be with her own kind.

But the thought burned low and deep within the heart of the Marchwarden as he kept his watch.

Deep in the heart of the wood, the white lady was at her mirror. The moon was high above the trees, and the cool breeze whispered around her as she sat, hands in her lap, listening for the moment to pour into the mirror and look within. Her beautiful gold and silver hair was tumbled free from any twist or braid and fanned over her face slightly as she listened and waited. Far across the forest, she could just detect the murmur of thoughts and whispers of her kindred. She could have plucked anyone of them to listen to and learn their secrets, but her training ages ago forbade her to attend to it.

Galadriel sighed lightly as she felt the strange, rapid heartbeat of the Edain woman. This was a thorn in her thoughts to be sure, but she could not ignore her.

Hylin, so called, had no idea of her destiny. However fleeting her life would be by comparison to Galadriel's own, Hylin would change more of the Middle Earth than her elven host. Exactly how those changes would come about, and who the unintended victims would be still remained to be seen. Heavily, the elven queen turned up her eyes and lifted one arm to grip the cold metal carafe.

Silvery water flowed into the wide, low edged mirror not a drop falling astray from the basin. Galadriel's starry eyes watched the ripples lap against the brim and cascade back to the center in tiny eddies of light. With her left hand, she flicked a fingertip across the surface of the water and the surface changed.

Hylin's face appeared, stubborn and proud, then Haldir's, his eyes dark and dangerous. Then the face of a man, Galadriel had never seen, handsome and rugged with a haunted expression in his eyes. The man was holding a slim white hand in his own. The hand belonged to a raven-haired beauty of an elleth. The vision coalesced and it was Arwen. Her large liquid eyes gazed forward to the man, her expression serene and sure; confident. Mortal.

Galadriel's vision came thundering back to the glade. Her hear raced, she found her arms still raised to pour and touch the water so she set aside the decanter. Drifting away from the truth of the mirror, Galadriel laid a hand over her heart and another on her belly. She willed herself to calm. Memories and flashes of the ancient past swept passed her mind and threatened to overwhelm her. So many mortals had come into her life to pass in a flash of years never to be seen again. There was no Valinor for men, no Halls of Waiting to heal and resurrect from. This was no end to be wished for.

"My love," Celeborn's deep voice broke through her reverie. He had come into the glade and seen the conflict played on her delicate features, the tremor that had shaken her frame. He was so strong and reassuring in the moonlight, his silver hair falling over broad shoulders

"I am well," she answered with a forced smile, "The visions are strong tonight."

"They are ever strong since the days have grown evil," he answered. He came to her side and wrapped a great warm arm around her, "Come, let me stay beside you this evening. You should not be alone."

She leaned against his chest and allowed the weight of her vision settle on them both. Celeborn was not gifted with sight as she was, but his own care of her was all that was needed to help her bear the burden of them.

"Haldir is –in danger," she whispered.

"Yes," Celeborn nodded, his arm tightening around her shoulder, "But we cannot interfere."

"No," she agreed, "Yet everything in me raises to protect those I love."

"You cannot protect him from his own heart," Celeborn replied, "Just as you did nothing to cause his situation, you can do nothing to mend it. Only they know what must be. If they are brave enough to seek it."

"She is too young," Galadriel stated.

"Haldir was born old," Celeborn countered, "His was ever a heavy heart. Perhaps she may lighten it for him? It was the fates that brought her to the wood."

Galadriel turned in the circle of Celeborn's arms and gazed up at him in admiration. Her expression caused his beath to quicken as it always did.

"My husband, you are wise." She touched her lips to his, "Let it be then. I shall not speak."

"Nor I," he agreed.

They fell silent then as the moon waxed across the sky. She would view the visions again in the mirror, but for now the peace of the wood was enough.

The morning dawned clear and sharp with cold. Hylin rose from bed before Roswyth came to her, and was dressed and waiting. Roswyth quickly and cleverly twisted because Hylin's waves out of her face the better to pour over books later. They had scarcely swallowed a small morning meal when Haldir's step was heard mounting the steps. Roswyth hid a small smile as Hylin rushed to meet him. He stopped a moment when he saw the girl waiting for him as the apex of the stairs. She was beautiful.

"Good morning," she breathed.

"Good morning," he smiled back at her. The rush of rose into her cheeks and the brightness of her eyes filled him with warmth. She stepped closer, the step causing them to stand eye to eye for moment. Every serious and solum thought of the night before evaporated from his mind. Her nearness made him head swim.

"I-I look forward to our day, our lesson" she said softly her words losing focus as their eyes met. He lifted a hand and gently traced the shape of her left ear. She shivered.

"Let us begin."